A BROTHER IS BORN FOR ADVERSITY

 

A brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17

 
THIS may be true of others,
  but it is empathetically true of Jesus.
 
We brought ourselves into adversity, and
  Jesus became our brother to bring us out.
 
The children being partakers of flesh and blood,
  he likewise himself took part of the same.
 
He who was our God, became our brother.
He who created us, became like us.
 
And he did so that he might show
  his love to us,
  sympathize with us,
   and deliver us.
 
As our brother,
  he became responsible for our debts,
   and he paid them.
 
He engaged to restore us to our Father's image and
  to set us before his face for ever, and he will do so.
 
In all our seasons of adversities in this world,
  he shows us brotherly love.
He visits us.
He counsels us.
He comforts us.
He supplies us.
He stands by us when all else forsake us.
He makes up all our losses,
  sanctifies all our crosses,
  bears all our burdens, and
   carries all our cares.
He has always a brother’s heart.
He performs a brother’s part.
He is our nearest of kin, and
  he performs the part of the kinsman well.
 
O wondrous love of Jesus,
  which brought him into the closest relationship to us,
  and influenced him to do every thing he could for us!
 
O Saviour,
 

Thy wounded hand and feet proclaim

That love and mercy made in thee:

That Jesus is the sweetest name,

The Brother in adversity!

 
James Smith 1849

THAT YE MAY BE SINCERE

 
 
That ye may be sincere
Philippians 1:10
 
SINCERITY is a great ornament; and
  it is one of the essentials of the Christians character.
 
A man must be sincere, or
  he cannot be a Christian.
 
To be sincere is to be simple, open, free from
  fraud or duplicity;
  a double minded man, or
  a double faced man, or
  a double tongued man,
  is no Christian, let him be what else he may.
 
God’s Israelites have no allowed guile.
 
They hate hypocrisy and pretense.
 
To be sincere is to be pure, bearing examination as to
  principles, possessions, and practices;
  any man who does not frequently examine himself, and
  who is afraid to be examined by others,
   has reason to question his sincerity.
 
O may we be sincere!
 
Sincerely believing God's truth,
  sincerely seeking God's glory,
  sincerely doing God's will, and
  sincerely seeking to promote God’s cause!
 
Without sincerity, our profession is a lie;
  our pretensions, an insult to God; and
  our end will be according to our deeds.
 
Reader, are you what you professed to be?
 

Is there pretense,
  no putting on,
  no deception in your profession or conduct?
 
O “That you may be sincere.”

 

May we be kept sincere,

And after Jesus breathe,

Still walk in godly fear,

And close to Jesus cleave

In all sincerity rejoice,

And here thy kind approving voice.

 

James Smith 1849

A STRONG HOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE

 
OCTOBER 5.
 

A strong hold in the day of trouble.
Nahum 1:7

 
MAN is born to trouble, and
  his second birth exposes him to trouble
    as well as the first.
 
There is a furnace for everyone to pass through.
A dreary wilderness between Egypt and Canaan.
Many are the stormy days that we shall see.
 
Troubles will come, but
  every trouble may be turned to account.
 
If rightly used, it will endear the Saviour,
  wean us from the world,
  make the Bible more precious, and
  strengthen our desire after the better land.
 
Jesus is a strong hold in the day of trouble.
To him we may repair and find safety.
If we enter into him we shall enjoy supply.
 
He will protect us from every foe, and
  secure us amidst all the wars, convulsions, and
  tempests of the present world.
 
The door is of this hold is always opened
  to every sinner that repairs to it,
  its walls are impregnable and cannot be stormed,
  and its resources are boundless and cannot be exhausted.
 
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower,
  the righteous runneth into it and is safe.”
 
Beloved, in every trial and trouble,
  let us repair to Jesus,
  he will receive us,
  he will soothe our sorrows, and
  he will effectually prevent our being injured.
 

Then dry up your tears, ye children of grief,

For Jesus appears to give you relief,

If you are returning to Jesus your friend,

Your sighing and morning in singing shall end.

 
James Smith 1849

THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM

 
OCTOBER 4.
 
The joy that was set before him.
Hebrews 12:2
 
JESUS could only rejoice in what would gratify his benevolent nature.
 
The object of his joy therefore must be benevolent; and
  that object was the complete salvation, and
  eternal happiness of his people.
 
To raise millions of fallen souls to the enjoyment of holiness
  and happiness for ever, he was willing to seek in the deep waters,
  and to suffer inconceivable agonies for a time.
 
He kept his eye on the conversion, sanctification,
  and glorification of his people,
  by which his Father would be glorified,
   and this sustained him.
 
He is now reaping the fruit of his pains, and
  waits expectantly the time when all for whom
  he suffered, bled, and died, will be made like him,
  stand complete before him, and
    enjoy the Kingdom with him for evermore.
 
O how his benevolent heart will be delighted,
  how his loving heart will overflow with joy,
  when he sees all his people safe in his Father's kingdom!
 
Beloved, if such was the joy of Jesus, what are to be our joy?
 
Ought it not to be to see him glorified, and
  to assist in glorifying him,
    first on earth and then in heaven.
 

This is the heaven I long to know;

For this with patience I would wait,

Til wean’d from the earth and all below,

I mount to my celestial seat,

And, wave my palm, and wear my crown,

And with the elders cast them down.

 
James Smith 1849

IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE A LAMB.

 
OCTOBER 3.
 
In the midst of the throne a Lamb.
Revelation 5:6
 
JESUS is the Lamb of God which taketh away 

  the sins of the world.
 
To him we look as the one sacrifice for sin.
 
Through him we expect pardon and peace.
 
By him we have access to and acceptance with the Father.
 
In all our trials and troubles,
  in all seasons our fear and oppression,
  whenever Satan assails us, or
  guilt casts us down, we look to the Lamb; and
   looking to him find relief and deliverance.
 
And there is something very sweet in the thought,
  that when we enter heaven,
  we shall find the Lamb in the midst of the throne.
 
There he is as our Saviour and sacrifice,
  there he is possessed with omnipotent power,
  infinite wisdom, and unlimited authority.
 
There he is to receive us, and
  to present us to his Father as
  the purchase of his blood,
  the object of his love, and
  the obedient subjects of his Kingdom.
 
O to keep this fact in mind,
  when going to God for blessings,
  when going to confess sin,
  when going to enjoy fellowship and communion,
  that the Lamb is in the midst of the throne.
 
Our plea is there before us.
Our advocate is in high favor.
Our sacrifice is accepted.
Our dear, dearest Lord and Saviour,
   is in the midst of the throne.
 

O what must it be on his glories to gaze,

When his chosen are gathered in one,

Where seraphs and saints shall eternally praise,

The Lamb in the midst of the throne.

 
James Smith 1849

AARON SHALL BEAR THEIR NAMES BEFORE THE LORD.

 
OCTOBER 2.
 
Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord.
Exodus 28:12
 
AARON was a type of Christ as
  the great high priest of our profession.
 
What Aaron was to Israel, Jesus is to us.
 
What Aaron did for Israel, Jesus does for us.
 
The names of the 12 tribes were engraved and
  placed on Aaron’s breast, and
  whenever he appeared before God in the holiest of all,
  the light of the Shekinah rested upon them, and
  God read them in his own light.
 
Nothing was allowed to come between the names and
  the mercy seat, but the blood, as he sprinkled it;
  or the smoke of the incense, as he waved it before the Lord.
 
O beloved, Jesus has our name on his breast!
 
The light of the Father's countenance rest upon them.
 
There is nothing between them and God,
  but the blood that atones for our sins, and
  the smoke of the incense which perfumed our prayers.
 
Jesus constantly presents us to God,
  for he has entered into heaven
  “now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
 
Sweet thoughts, my name is on the Saviour's heart,
  my causes in the Saviour’s hands, and
  he ever takes the deepest interest in my welfare!
 
O that I could love him more!
 

He bears the names of all his saints

Deep in his heart engraved;

Attentive to the state and wants

Of all his love has saved.

 

James Smith 1849

THE FATHER OF GLORY

 
The Father of glory.
Ephesian 1:17
 
ALL glory dwells in God, and flows from God.
 
He is the source and the centre of all honor,
  even as the sun is the source and centre of light and heat.
 
Jehovah is the glorious Father.
 
He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
  who is called “his own Son;”
  “the Son of his love;” and
   “his only begotten Son.”
 
He is the Father of all creation,
  as all things were conceived in his mind,
  produced by his power, and
   arranged by his wisdom.
 
He is the glorious Father of his people.
 He predestinated them to the adoption of children.
He sent the Spirit of his son into their hearts.
He deals with them as sons.
He acknowledged them at his throne.
He secures their eternal salvation, and
  he will be glorified in them when time shall be no more.
 
Beloved, let us this day fix our minds upon 

  our “glorious Father.”
 
Let us think of his glorious nature and perfections;
  of his glorious promises, and
  provisions for our wants;
  of his glorious throne and kingdom;
  of his glorious Son our Saviour;
  of his glorious heaven, and
  the mansions there prepared for us; and
  under all our suffering directs our minds
   to the glory which will be revealed.
 
The father of glory is, --
 

In part displayed to worlds above,

Not quite on earth concealed,

But wondrous unexhausted love,

To mortal men revealed.

 
James Smith 1849