THE LORD KNOWETH THEM THAT ARE HIS,

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 23

 

2 Timothy 2:19

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his, And, Let every one that

nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

 
Doth a father know this child, or a husband his beloved bride, 

   so the Lord knoweth them that are his.
 
He knows them as the objects of his love, 

  as the purchase of his Son’s blood, 

  as the temples of the Holy Ghost.
 
He knows them as strangers and pilgrims upon the earth, 

  as suffering for righteousness sake.
 
He knows them, though he may not seem to acknowledge them

 -though he causes men to ride over their heads, and

  lead them through fire and through water.
 
He knows that they love him, and grieve that they do not love him more.
 
He knows that they trust in him, though doubts and fears will harass and perplex them.
 
He knows that they obey him, and often sigh

 —“O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes always!”
 
Beloved, the Lord knows you are his, 

  he loves you as his own child, 

    care for you as his chosen bride, 

      leads you as the sheep of his pasture,

        keeps you as the apple of his eye, 

      tries you as his gold and silver, 

    keeps you safely as his jewels, and 

  will soon lift you up as the stones in his crown.

 
The Lord’s knowledge of you is perfect.
 

Dear by a thousand tender bonds,

Thy saints to thee are known:

And, conscious what a name they bear,

Iniquity they shun.

 
James Smith
 

MY TONGUE SHALL SPEAK OF THY WORD

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 22

 

Psalm 119:172

My tongue shall speak of thy word:

for all thy commandments are righteousness.

 
If all Christians had done so, how much less ignorance would there be in the world.
 
The tongue rightly used is our glory, but it is the disgrace of some, and of some professors too.
 
If anything is worth speaking of, it is God’s word.
 
It is the means of conversion, therefore speak of it to sinners.
 
It tends to edification, therefore speak of it to saints.
 
It is the instrument of restoration, therefore talk of it to backsliders.
 
It brings comfort to our own souls, let us therefore meditate upon it and then publish it for our own sake.
 
It honours God and exalts the Saviour; let us therefore out of love to God speak of his word.
 
If we speak of it at proper seasons, and with a right aim, it must do good, for it is an incorruptible seed which never rots under the clods.
 
It restrains the impetuous, soothes the sorrowful, directs the perplexed, restores the wanderer, and brings peace to the troubled.
 
It is bread to the hungry, light to the benighted, a staff to the pilgrim, a sword to the warrior, and a downy pillow to the way worn and weary.
 

My lips in thankful strains shall flow,

When taught by THEE thy truth to know;

My tongue shall spread that truth abroad,

The glorious gospel of my God.

 
James Smith

 

WHEN WILT THOU COMFORT ME?

 

EVENING DEVOTION BY James Smith

MAY 21

 

Psalm 119:82

Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying,

When wilt thou comfort me? 

 
The Lord’s people often get into a very uncomfortable state, and 

  sometimes they continue in that state for a long season. 

    But there is always some cause for it, and 

       we should seek to know what that cause is,

          that it may be removed.
 
It is not easy to give an answer to the inquiry, for it must depend on the character of the inquirer.
 
The Lord may say, 

“When you humble yourself before me, cordially approve of my method, and submit to my righteousness.”
 
To another, 

“When you frankly confess your sin, seek pardon through the blood of Christ, and engage to walk according to my word.”
 
To another,

 “When you break off the unscriptural connection, come out from the world, and separate yourself unto me.”
 
To another, “When you leave off seeking comfort from selfish motives, and aim at and endeavour to promote my glory.”
 
To another, 

“When you leave the bed of sloth, stir yourself to take hold of me, and seek to make others happy.”
 
To another,

 “When you enter upon that self-denying duty, mortify the flesh with its affections and lusts, or put off the old man with his deeds.”

 

May holiness be my pursuit,

Thy promises my plea;

So shall I bring firth precious fruit,

And thou wilt comfort me.

 
James Smith
 

SHE HATH DONE WHAT SHE COULD

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 20

 

Mark 14:8

She hath done what she could: she is come

aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

 
Mary was a believer.
 
Her faith wrought by love.
 
Love brought her where Jesus was, and she did what she could to honour him and express her gratitude.
 
An excellent example for us to copy.
 
It cannot be said that we have done all we could.
 
We dare not say this.
 
Let us try and feel it.
 
Have we loved Jesus as much as we could?
 
Have we been as much in prayer and in praise as we could?
 
Have we done as much as we could to spread the truth?
 
To save souls?
 
To commend the Saviour?
 
To oppose Satan?
 
Have we done all we could for the spiritual good of our families?
 
Have we done all we could for the comfort and prosperity of the church?
 
Have we done all we could for the Lord’s poor?
 
Have we done all we could for the neighbourhood where we reside?
 
Have we done all what we could for the world?
 
Satan does all the mischief he can.
 
Many wicked men do all they can to destroy souls.
 
The times call upon us to do all we can.
 
The Saviour loves to see us do all we can.
 
Let us therefore feel reproof,
  encourage the conviction,
     seek more grace,
       daily remember this woman, and
          begin afresh.
 
“It is high time to awake out of sleep.”
 

My God, inspire my soul with zeal,

With glowing love to men:

Make me my obligation feel,

To do what good I can

 
James Smith

THE MEEK WILL HE TEACH HIS WAY

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 19

 

Psalm 25:9

The meek he will guide in judgment:

and the meek will he teach his way.

 
The meek are conscious of their ignorance. They feel the need of teaching.
 
They are desirous of being taught.
 
They especially desire to be taught of God.
 
They feel unworthy of the least mercy at God’s hand; 

  and yet, because he has promised,

    they seek and expect the greatest.
 
Meekness is especially pleasing to God; and 

  the meek may have favour at his hands. 

  “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”
 
The Lord will teach them “his way.” They way in which he pardons, justifies, and saves sinners.
 
The way in which he would have them walk through this world.
 
The way of escape which he opens in seasons of danger and temptation.
 
They way in which he confounds the crafty, 

  overturns the devices of his foes, and

  crushes the oppressors of his people.
 
He will teach them the way of peace, and 

  they shall walk in it-the way of salvation, and 

  they shall persevere in it.

 
He will unfold to them his word, 

   confer on them his blessing, 

     walk with them in fellowship, and 

       make them to possess durable riches and righteousness.
 
The meek are heaven’s favorites, the churches’ ornaments, and the world’s truest friends.
 

Make me, Saviour, as thou art,

Poor in spirit, meek in heart:

Then thou wilt my teacher be,

And my soul shall cleave to thee.

 
James Smith

MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE YE STEADFAST

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 18

 

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know

 that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 
How affectionately the Apostle writes, 

   even to those who had grieved him, and 

       dishonoured his Master’s cause.
 
He not only calls them brethren, but “beloved brethren.”
 
In this he is our example.
 
But it is to the exhortation he delivers, to which we wish to call your attention. 

Many of us are unstable, as were many in the Apostle’s day.
 
Instability is a great evil.
 
It is injurious to our own souls, 

   it is a stumbling-block or a grief to others, and 

   it gives Satan an advantage over us. 

He is never unstable, his purpose is fixed, his aim is steady, his efforts are persevering.
 
Destroy if possible—distress if not—is his motto.
 
Brethren, let us be steadfast in our efforts to promote the glory of Christ.
 
But if we are to be steadfast let us be sure that we are building on the right foundation

  —that we hold the truth of Christ

  —that we are vitally untied to him, and are entirely consecrated to his praise.
 
Let us take nothing for granted here, but let us prove all things.
 
To the law and to the testimony.
 
Compare everything with God’s Word.
 

Then steadfast let us still remain,

Though dangers rise around,

And in the work presecrib’d by God

Yet more and more abound.

 
James Smith
 

MAY 17 - HE KNOWETH OUR FRAME

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 17

 

Psalm 103:14

For he knoweth our frame; 

he remembereth that we are dust.

 
This is such a sweet and encouraging thought. Others may fancy us strong when we are weak, healthy when we are diseased, out of temper when we are suffering; but he knoweth our frame.
 
But it is not bare knowledge, but knowledge united with love.
 
Knowledge that awakens sympathy—knowledge that takes the will for the deed.
 
He knows the weakness of our constitutions, the exact nature of our temperament, the shattered state of the nerves, the secret disease which causes irritability, or depression.
 
He can distinguish between what proceeds from physical causes, and what flows from the depravity of our hearts.
 
He knows every avenue by which temptation can enter and the effects which external objects, or material images have upon us.
 
He knows and makes allowance, saying, “The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
 
Beloved, you may not know the cause of your depression, but your heavenly Father knows,—and “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.”
 

He knows the frailty of our frame,

Weakness and vanity our claim:

But as the parent’s bosom moves,

In pity, o’er the child he loves,

So will the Lord his servants view,

He loves his pity to renew.

 
James Smith