A SURE FOUNDATION

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 30

 

Isaiah 28:16

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for

 a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone,

 a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

 

The Lord Jesus in the glory of his person, and in the perfection of his work, is the alone foundation of a sinner’s hope.
 
If we build on anything else, we must perish.
 
If we mix anything with Christ as the basis of our hope, he will profit us nothing.
 
It must be Christ, and Christ alone.
 
His meritorious obedience, his atoning sacrifice, his prevalent intercession-on these we must build for eternity-they form the one foundation-and building on these we are safe, for it is a sure foundation.
 
The dignity of his person, the perfection of his character, the merit of his work, and the veracity of his word, make it so.
 
It has stood firm in all times past, it is unshaken at present, and it will ever be the same.
 
No sinner ever built on it and found it fail him.
 
Storms cannot shake it, floods cannot loosen it, earthquakes do not affect it, it is firm as the perfections of God can make it, and lasting as eternity itself.
 
Errors may spread, evil men and seducers may wax worse and worse, Satan may try all his arts, but “the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal: the Lord knoweth them that are his.”
 
Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

 

When all foundations else will fail’

Those built on Jesus shall prevail;

And lift their heads with joyful praise,

To him who this foundation lays.

 
James Smith

THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH ...

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 29

 

James 1:3

Knowing this, that the trying 

of your faith worketh patience.

 
Whoever professes to believe in God, will have his faith put to the trial.
 
Every believer is tried. By Satan, by the world, or by false professors, we shall be tried; but our God superintends the trial.
 
He tries our faith in his word, if it be sincere—our faith in his love, if we really credit it—our faith in his Son, if we trust in him for complete salvation—our faith in his veracity, if we expect him to make good his word.
 
He will try the nature of our faith, if it is divine-the strength of our faith, if it is rooted.
 
He will try the constancy of our profession, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence. This trial is for his own glory, or the good of others who observe us, and for our own advantage.
 
It worketh patience.
 
It gives us occasion to exercise what we have.
 
It perfects the habit and strengthens the exercise of it.
 
It is often a call to exchange ease for patience, and our opposing strength, for the power of Christ.
 
Let us therefore remember that faith must be tried, that afflictions are to try our faith, that sanctified trials make us patient, and that when patience is complete, our trials will cease.
 
Be ye therefore patient.

 

Lord, whene’er my faith is tried,

Keep me near thy bleeding side:

Make me patient, meek, and kind,

To thy sovereign will resigned.

 

James Smith
 

THOU GOD SEEST ME

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 28

 

Genesis 16:13

And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her,

Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here

looked after him that seeth me?

 
The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, and his ear is open into their cry.
 
He sees everything, but he observes his people with special attention.
 
His eye has been upon us this day, he has seen every movement of the mind, and evert action of the body.
 
His eye is upon us now, and will be though the dark watches of the night.
 
But it is a comfortable thought, that he who sees us always, loves us most-loves us notwithstanding all he sees amiss in us.
 
Let us ever cherish the thought, my Father sees me.
 
I am under his eye.
 
He sees all I do, all I suffer, all my desires.
 
Nothing can conceal the least circumstances from him.
 
He sees me in the furnace, and is with me.
 
He sees me in the field of battle, and gives me the shield of his salvation.
 
He sees me when my foot is slipping, and often has the hand of his mercy catch me and hold me up. When tempted to sin, when giving way to fear, or when yielding to the world, let me call to mind this solemn fact—My God sees me.
 
If I sin, it must be immediately under his eye.
 
If I yield to temptation, it must be in his presence.
 
Keep this daily before the mind.

 

Lord, put within my heart thy fear,

Grant me from sin to fly,

At all times to behold thee near,

And on thy grace rely.

 
James Smith
 

TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 27

 

Psalm 62:8

Trust in him at all times; ye people,

pour out your heart before him:

God is a refuge for us. Selah.

 
He always warrants us to trust in him, and 

   he is at all times worthy of our trust. 

     We are constantly exhorted to it, 

         but almost as constantly neglect it.
 
It is the exercise of necessity, 

   for a creature must trust in another; 

it is an evidence of dependence, 

   therefore we should cultivate it.
 
It is the exercise of a servant on his master; 

   of a friend on his friend; 

   of a child on his parent; 

   of a believer on his God.
 
Let us trust the Saviour’s work, for it is perfect.
 
Nothing should be allowed to disturb our confidence in God,

 for his nature is always love—

  his solemn pledge is given—

  his resources are inexhaustible, and 

  his mercy everlasting. 

Let us trust him then in joy and in sorrow-

  in darkness and in the light; 

  when increased or bereaved—

  when tempted or in repose.
 
Let us trust him and we shall conquer our fears; 

   patiently endure our trials; 

      successfully pursue our work; 

       rise above our cares, and overcome our foes.
 
That we may trust him, 

  he has revealed his character, 

  pledged his word, 

  sworn that he will not be wrath with us, and 

  assured us that he is unchangeable.
 

O may we with a steady faith

Believe whate’er Jehovah saith!

At all times trust our heavenly Friend,

And on his faithful word depend.

 
James Smith

FOR LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 26

 

Song of Solomon 8:6

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon 

thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is 

cruel as the grace: the coals thereof are coals of fire,

 which hath a most vehement flame.

 
Death has conquered all.
 
The wisest,
  the strongest,
  the bravest,
  the kindest,
  the holiest,
     all have been conquered by death.
 
It has triumphed over myriads, and
  tuned our world into a vast graveyard.
 
But love is equally strong, it conquers all.
 
The love of Jesus is stronger, for it conquered death itself.
 
And we are the objects of that love.
 
He says, “I have loved you.” He proves it-
   “Greater love hath no man than this,
    that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
 
He has proved the strength of his love
  by the gifts he has conferred upon us;
  by the visits he has paid us—
  by the tears he shed for us—
  by the labour he undertook to perform for us—
  by the sufferings he engaged to endure for us—
  by the death he died—by the desire he cherishes—and
  by his constant intercession on our behalf.
 
His love overcame all difficulties,
   triumphed over all opposition,
     conquered all foes, and
     now reigns in his bosom as a ruling passion of his manhood,
     and as a glorious perfection of his Godhead.
 
His love passeth conception.
 
Let us retire to-night impressed with the thought, that the love of Jesus is unalterably fixed on us as believers in his name.
 

My blessed Saviour, is thy love

So great, so full, so free?

Behold I give my love, my heart,

My life, my all, to thee.

 
James Smith
 

YE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 25

 

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew, nor Greek, 

there is neither bond nor free,

 there is neither male nor female: 

for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

 
That is, all Christians are one in Christ. He is the centre of Christian union.
 
We were all chosen in him.
 
We are all represented by him. We are all vitally united to him.
 
We are clothed with him, for we have put on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

There is now no distinction or difference on account of 

  nation, 

   age, 

     sex, or 

        condition; 

           but all are one in Christ, 

               being entitled to the same privileges, 

                   pleasures, and prospects.
 
The whole from one family, though different ages. 

One flock, though in different fields or folds.
 
One building, though composed of many stones, of different sizes.
 
One body, though there be different members and offices.
 
One church, though its parts are scattered abroad.
 
One beloved spouse of Jesus, which he purchased with his own blood.
 
If it be indeed so, that we are all one in Christ,
  then we ought to love as brethren;
    occasionally at least to feed together;
      to cleave to each other,
        as the members in the natural body do;
      to refuse to divide in heart though separated by place, or
    other circumstances; and
  we should mutually rejoice in our dignity and destiny.
 

May the Lord our hearts impress,

Make them like his own above,

Fill’d with all the tenderness,

And all the strength of love.

 
James Smith
 

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

 

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

MAY 24

 

Galatians 3:11

But that no man is justified by the law 

in the sight of God, it is evident: for,

the just shall live by faith.

 
It is by faith they become just.
 
Being convinced of sin, 

  sensible of their weakness, and 

    understanding of the gospel, 

      they embrace the finished work of Christ; 

        his righteousness becomes theirs, and

          they are justified from all things.
 
Being justified they live.
 
That is, 

  they are freed from condemnation, 

  they are entitled to all spiritual blessings, and 

  they walk at liberty.
 
They live by faith.
 
By faith they overcome their foes.
 
By faith they obtain supplies.
 
By faith they perform the will of God.
 
The life which they live in the flesh, 

    is by the faith of the Son of God. 

They believe his word, 

rest alone on his work, 

have confidence in his faithfulness, 

and derive their supplies from his fulness.
 
They live as children in their Father’s house, not as servants on a weekly allowance.
 
They go forward though all appear dark, gloomy, and forbidding.
 
At times they appear to have nothing but the bare promises.
 
All within is cold, hard, and dead; all without seems to go against them.
 
Then it is that they more particularly trust in the Lord, and stay themselves upon their God.
 

By faith accounted just,

By faith to God we live,

With patience wait his time, and trust

His fulness to receive.

 
James Smith