THE PROSPECT

 

THE PROSPECT

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Psalm 17:15

Present circumstances may be trying.

The Lord may hide his face, or withhold sensible comforts. 

Providence may appear to frown, and temporal things may run counter to our wishes. 

Corruption may work powerfully within, and innumerable sins may stare us in the face.

Comparing ourselves with what God requires, we may be depressed; and comparing ourselves with what Jesus was, we may not be able to discover more than a very faint resemblance.

 

 But let us look forward; it will not be always as it is now.

There will be a change, and a glorious change, soon!

Others may have easier circumstances, they may be strangers to the conflicts we endure, and we may wonder at their prosperity.

But what pleases them would not satisfy us.

Nor must we expect full satisfaction in this present.

 

 If we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness; if we are longing to be like Jesus; if we are pining and praying for the presence of God; there is a glorious prospect before us!

 

 We shall see our God soon; we may now be vexed, wearied, and disappointed; but we shall awake in the likeness of Jesus!

Our present privileges are great, but our future prospects are unspeakably glorious!

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 

 

 

Like him! O glorious privilege! Wake up in his likeness!

Oh delightful prospect!

My poor, afflicted, tried, tempted, and aged friend, lift up your downcast head; look beyond your present circumstances, for your redemption draws near.

You will soon put off this tabernacle, and be clothed upon with a house which is form heaven.

 

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11.

 

JAMES SMITH 1869

THE PETITION

 

THE PETITION

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. Psalm 71:9

Reader, do you not often put up the same petition to your good and gracious God?

What could be so dreadful, as to be cast off of God?

What should we deprecate so much, as to be forsaken when our strength fails?

But the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his people.

 

No, my aged brother, my aged sister, the Lord will never cast thee off; he will never forsake you. Yet, you may relieve your mind by thus praying, and please your God by thus pleading with him, provided you do not suspect his veracity, or doubt his faithfulness.

Again the psalmist breathes out his soul, "Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come."  You see he is panting to be useful.

 He wanted to bear witness for God, to testify to his power, faithfulness, and love.

Blessed be God, he never did forsake an old pilgrim yet!

Blessed be God, he never did neglect an old servant yet!

Many have deserved it; but he has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

He is faithful to his Word, and cannot lie.

He is of one mind, and who can turn him?

Let us . . .
abide at his throne,
hang on his Word,
plead for his presence, and
aim in some feeble way to glorify him; and then we may dismiss all our fears about his casting us off, or forsaking us.

Then we may sing, if we have breath enough left, " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:14

 JAMES SMITH 1869

THE REVIEW

 

THE REVIEW

 

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: Psalm 71:17

 

In early life, God began to instruct us.
He taught us the rigid requirements of his holy law, 
our need of a better righteousness than our own,
the importance of a saving interest in Christ, and 
the necessity of personal holiness.

 

Under his teaching we,
left the world,
came to Jesus,
embraced the atonement,
found peace, and
commenced walking with God.

 

Many years have passed since that period, many times have we manifested the depravity of our hearts, through many trials and troubles we have been brought, but amidst all, our God has taught us!

 

Yes, he has taught us,
our own weakness,
the vanity of the world,
the insufficiency of earthly things, and
the necessity of something superior

 to what we find here,  to satisfy the cravings of our immortal minds.

 

Daily has he taught us our need of Christ, and how to make use of him.

He has taught us,
by his Word,
by his servants,
by his providence,
and by his Spirit.

 

And it is in consequence of his teaching that we now
cleave to Jesus,
prefer holiness to sin,
Heaven to earth, and
the presence of God to everything besides.

 

Blessed, forever blessed be God, for teaching us.

 

For if he had not taught us,

 we would have still been,
ignorant of ourselves,
strangers to Jesus, and
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us, because of the natural blindness of our minds.

 

 

My soul, look back at the many Ebenezers thou hast set up,
when helped in difficulty,
when supplied in necessity, and
when delivered out of trouble.

Especially notice this, how thy God has taught thee
thy need of his grace,
the preciousness of Christ, and
the value and veracity of his precious promises.

 

O thou blessed God and Savior, I praise, I bless thee, that thou has taught me from my youth!

 

Remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee Deuteronomy 8:2

 

 JAMES SMITH 1869

THE BORDER LAND

 

THE BORDER LAND

"...the time of my departure is at hand.  2 Timothy 4:6

Aged Christian, thy day is far spent, thy journey is nearly ended.

The greatest part of the wilderness is behind thee.

Thou hast traveled many a weary mile, and hast spent many a sorrowful day.

But thou hast not much farther to go.

 Thou hast not many more days to spend here.

Thou art just on the edge of the wilderness, on the borders of the promised land.

 Soon, very soon, thy Lord will send his messenger, to call thee home.

The year of release is just at hand.

Do not, therefore, give way to fear.

Do not hang down your head like a bulrush, but look up, for thy redemption draweth nigh.

 

 Let us talk together a little of the past, the present, and the future; and let us try and comfort one another with God's own precious words.

 

We have not much time left, let us not waste it!

We have not far to go, let us not loiter.

 We are in the border country, let us expect visits from "THE BETTER LAND." 

We are hastening from danger and a country that is doomed; let us not look back!

Every step now brings us sensibly nearer home.

Every hour tells, and the last hour will soon be here.

 

Let us attend to the Apostle's admonition,

"This I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you without carefulness.”

Anxiety about temporal things does not befit us now.

The world is to us like an inn, where we lodge tonight, but shall leave it tomorrow!

"The world passes away; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 

JAMES SMITH 1869

Still Waters Devotional

 

PEACE WITH GOD

 
January 3.
 
The Lord of peace himself give you peace 

   always by all means.
                            II Thessalonians 3:16
 

By thy passion on the tree,

Let my grief and trouble cease;

O remember Calvary,

And give me holy peace.

 
Peace with God is an invaluable blessing;
  it flows from the atonement,
  and is the antidote for human misery.
 
James Smith

SEARCH O LORD

 

January 2.

Search me, O God, and know my heart:
  try me, and know my thoughts.  Psalms 139 23
 

Search, O Lord, and cleanse, and save us;

Heal us by thy power divine;

Burst the bonds that here enslaves us,

That we may be wholly thine.

 
An honest heart will expose itself to God's all searching eye,
 and desire to be examined as well as cleansed and comforted.
 
James Smith

 

JANUARY 1.
 
LORD, let it alone this year also. Luke 13:8
 

Lord, melt our hearts to mourn the past,

   And let us henceforth faithful be ;

And if this year should be our last,

  O may our souls repose with thee.

 
The intercession of Jesus brings down innumerable blessings upon us; and it is employed for us tonight; let us, therefore, look up to an interceding Savour, and expect blessings from his hands.

THERE HATH NOT FAILED ONE WORD OF ALL HIS GOOD PROMISE.

 

 
There hath not failed one word of all his good promise.
I Kings 8:56
 
THIS is the day of review;
  let us look back.
 
This is the day to compare God's conduct with God's promises.
 
He has kept his promise in his eye every day of this year,
  though we have often lost sight of it.
 
We have been unbelieving,
  but he has been faithful.
 
We have backslidden,
  but he has kept his covenant with us.
 
We have ten thousand times deserved his wrath,
  but here we are, the monuments of his mercy.
 
What forbearance he has shown,
  what patient he has exercise,
  what sympathy he has manifested;
    how true to his character,
    how faithful to his word,
    how tender to our souls, he has been.
 
We have failed in almost every point;
  but he has not failed in one;
  we have broken our word a thousand times;
  but he has never broken his once.
 
Not one thing hath failed of all that he had promised.
 
In temporals, our bread has been given us,
  and our water has been sure.
 
In spirituals, he has pardoned our sins,
  revived our graces,
  corrected our follies,
  restored our souls,
  born are manners, and
    manifested a Father’s love.
 
Beloved, is not God true?
 
Has he not been faithful?
 
Ought we not to trust him?

 

Let suns or stars forget to rise,

Or quit their stations in the skies;

Let heaven and earth both pass away,

Eternal truth shall ne’er decay.

 

James Smith 1849

HE STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD

 
 
DECEMBER 30.
 
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief.
Romans 4:20
 
IF Abraham did not, we have:
  yet we have far less reason than he had.
 
The promises are given to us of free grace.
 
They are supported by the holiness and immutability of God.
 
They demand our credit and confidence.
 
But, through unbelief, we often object, or dispute;
  they are too great, or too good for us.
 
They are for eminent persons,
  not for such poor, sinful, unworthy creatures as we are.
 
It is not probable that they will ever be fulfilled in our experience.
 
This is unbelief.
 
This is staggering.
 
Now we are all unsteady; and
  this affects our hope,
  our prayers, and
  our obedience;
  for steady faith is the root of lively hope,
   fervent prayer, and evangelical obedience.
 
Unbelief draws all its arguments from sense,
  reason, appearances, circumstances, or delays.
 
But faith should take God's promises
  as the gift of God's grace,
  hold it fast, because God is faithful; and
  expects its fulfillment, because God is true.
 
Let us watch against unbelief,
  which dishonours God, and distresses us.
 
Let us seek faith from God,
  that we may exercise faith in God; and
  let a set Abraham before us as our example.

 

Faith has for its foundation broad

A stable rock, on which I stand,

The truth and faithfulness of God;

All other ground is sinking sand.

 
James Smith 1849

THE LAW OF FAITH

 
DECEMBER 29.
 
The law of faith.
Romans 3:27
 
THIS is just the opposite of the law of works.
 
THAT was intended for perfect persons;
  THIS is for sinners.
 
THAT required obedience in order to life;
  THIS presents life in order to obedience.
 
THAT says, “Do;” THIS says, “Believe.”
 
THAT says, “Work;” THIS says, “Trust.”
 
THIS is a law of love - it is it flows from the love of God,
  breathes love to men,
  requires love of men, and
    produces love in man.
 
It is the law of peace - by which peace and reconciliation with God
  is published and enjoyed.
 
It is a law of grace - proclaiming that every sinner shall be pardoned,
  on confession;
  shall be justified freely on believing;
  shall be saved perfectly, by trusting;
  and be dignified eternally, by receiving.  John 1:12
 
It is a law of holiness – it contains precepts, requiring;
  cautions, warning;
  exhortations, urging; and threatening, alarming.
 
It is intended to exhibit God’s mercy, and
  to prevent man’s ruin,
  the sinner’s boasting, and
    Satan’s designs.
 
It lays us under everlasting obligations.
 
Every Christian should carefully observe the law of faith,
   and learn to distinguish it from the law of works.
 
True faith always takes Christ’s law, and obeys it.

 

By the works of the law, we can never obtain

Salvation and peace, or God’s favour regain;

But believing in Jesus, each blessing is given

To fit us for duty, and meeten for heaven.

 
James Smith 1849
 

IN THY NAME. SHALL THEY REJOICE ALL THE DAY

 
DECEMBER 28.

 
In thy name shall they rejoice all the day.
Psalm 89:16

 
WE cannot rejoice in health, for it is often lost;
  in wealth, for we have it not;
  in wisdom, for we daily discover our folly;
  in our strength, for we are perfect weakness;
  in our worldly prospects, for they are often very gloomy; or
    in our experience, for it is often very dreary.
 
If therefore we rejoice,
  it must be in something without us,
    in something above us.
 
We may rejoice in God's name,
  especially as it is written out in the word of his grace,
  and illustrated in the life of his Son.
 
Here his nature is revealed,
  his purposes are made known, and
  provisions for our guilt, fears, and wants, is presented to us.
 
Here we have a warrant for faith,
  a foundation for hope, and
  an object of love.
 
Here is that in which we may rejoice all the day long,
  for it includes all we need,
  is calculated to prevent all we fear, and
    can never know a change.
 
Let us then fix our eye and our hearts upon God's mercy,
  and rejoice in it;
  in private, or in public;
  in prosperity, or and adversity;
    at home, and abroad.
 
Believers really have caused to be happy.
 
The cause of their happiness is always the same.
 
 

Salvation in that name is found,

Balm of my grief and care;

A medicine for my every wound,

All, all I want is there.

 
James Smith 1849

IT IS IN TRUTH THE WORD OF GOD.

 

It is in truth the word of God.
I Thessalonians 2:13

 
THIS is Paul’s testimony to the gospel.
 
It is God's truth.
 
It originated in his mind.
 
It was made known by his inspiration.
 
It is published at his command.
 
It is pure like his nature.
 
It is stable as his throne.
 
It is the rule by which he works.
 
It is the standard by which he judges.
 
It is God's message to you, to me, to all.
 
It is the word respecting God,
  setting before us his express image,
  that we may know him;
  his exceeding great love,
  that we may believe him;
  the way to access his throne,
    that we may approach him.
 
As the word of God,
  it demands our attention, reverence, faith, and obedience.
 
It is solemnly connected with his glory and our destiny.
 
It is to be received into the understanding,
  the affections, and the heart.
 
As God's word, we should receive it meekly,
  believe it heartily, obey it promptly,
    and trust it implicitly.
 
The gospel is the truth of God,
  therefore beware how you trifle with it,
  neglect it, or displease it;
  it is the word that will judge you at the last day.
 
Have you received the gospel?
 
Did you receive it as the very truth of God?
 
Has it wrought effectually in you,
  producing a radical change?
 

Lord, write thy gospel on my heart,

And in its blessings give me part;

Until I see my Saviour’s face,

And sing, “I am saved by gospel grace.”

 
James Smith 1849

YET WILL HE HAVE COMPASSION.

 

Yet will he have compassion.
Lamentations 3:22

 
ARE you sorely tried?
 
Are you writing bitter things against yourself?
 
Is the hand of God gone out against you?
 
Does he hold back the face of his throne,
  and hang a cloud upon it?
 
Does he break you with breach upon breach?
 
Are you ready to say,
   “All these things are against me?”
 
Cheer up, the storm will soon cease,
  the dark clouds are floating into the distance,
  the sun will soon burst forth,
  even now faith may see the bow in the cloud, for
  “though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion
   according to the multitude of his mercies.”
 
Even now he pities you with a father's pity.
 
He waits but the fittest time to manifest
  himself to you again.
 
Infinite compassion reigns in his heart,
  even while frowns seem to cover his face,
    and the rod is seen in his hand.
 
Keep fast hold of his precious promise.
 
Wait in hourly expectations at his gracious throne.
 
Come to the determination of afflicted Job,
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”
 
But he will not slay you;
  he will try you, purify you,
  fit you for service, and prepare you for heaven;
  and he will have compassion upon you,
    for his compassions fail not.
 

His love is constant us the sun,

Though clouds oft come between,

And could our faith but pierce those clouds,

It might be always seen.

 
James Smith 1849