WE ALL DO FADE AS A LEAF.

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 15

 

 Isaiah 64:6

But we are all as an unclean things, and all our righteousness

are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our 

iniquities,  like the wind, have taken us away.

 
What a contrast between an unchangeable God, and a sinner fading like a leaf!
 
Yet this is a true picture of us, and of all temporal things.
 
We began to look green and gay not long since, and in a little time we shall wither, fade and die. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”
 
“He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down.” Humbling consideration this.
 
But it may be rendered very useful.
 
Shall we soon fade and die?
Then let us not be much affected by any thing that occurs below.
 
Let us set our affections on things above, and lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
 
Let us live by faith on Jesus, walk with God, and aim principally to please him in all we do.
 
Let us also watch against a worldly spirit, and pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.
 
We shall soon find health give place to sickness;
  strength, to weakness;
     youth, to age;
        the dying bed, the coffin, the grave, are just before us;
let us therefore make our calling and our election sure;
   let us cultivate close and filial fellowship with God;
      let us dig deep and lay our foundation upon the rock.
 
Brethren, the time is short, eternity with all its glories is just before us; we do fade as a leaf.
 

On the tree of life eternal,

O let us all our hopes be staid!

This alone, for ever vernal,

Bears a leaf that shall not fade.

 
 
James Smith
 

HOLD UP MY GOINGS IN THY PATHS .

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith 

JANUARY 14

 

Psalm 17:5

Hold up my goings in thy paths,

that my footsteps slip not.

 
Failures, follies, and mistakes, should lead us to our forgiving God; 

   and teach us the necessity of close walking with God. 

We need to be constantly upheld by divine power, and to be guided by divine wisdom.
 
We are prone to start aside as a broken bow.
 
Many have fallen into sin; many do fall; we are as much exposed to temptations as they were, and are as liable to be overcome. 

Satan is watchful, temptations are powerful, and our hearts are weak.
 
Let us therefore cry to the Strong One for strength, and let it be our daily prayer,

      “Hold up my goings in thy paths.”
 
In every duty, as well as in every trial; in the calm, as well as in the storm; 

we need to be upheld: for unless the Lord uphold us, we shall fall into presumption, or despair; into self-righteousness; into open in, or secret backsliding.
 
We are never safe, but as the Lord keeps us; and he keeps teaching us our weakness, our proneness to wander, and by leading us to walk softly before him in faith, and humility of mind.
 
Beloved, if you are not daily seeking divine protection, you are in danger of being overcome.
 
Examine.
 
Watch.
 
Pray
 

Now. Holy Spirit, to my heart,

Wisdom and holiness impart;

Uphold me by thy mighty power,

In every dark or dangerous hour.

 
James Smith
 

HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.

 EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 13

 

Mark 9:24

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and 

said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 
Our faith is often weak, and our unbelief very strong.
 
It is so natural for a sinner to disbelieve God, and it is often difficult for a Christian to give full credit to God’s promises.
 
 Sometimes his word appears to be too good to be true; at other times we gave such a vivid sense of our sinfulness, that we cannot admit that such great and glorious blessings are for us.
 
Indeed, it is very difficult to believe that God is as good as his word declares; that his promises belong to such sinners; and that we may, should, believe, appropriate, and plead them as made to us.
 
We fear presumption, and so yield to unbelief.
 
We listen to Satan, and so doubt and fear.
 
But Jesus asks, “If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?”
 
Is then the promise true?
   Is it made to sinners?
     Does it flow from grace?
 
Then let us endeavour to believe, to rest on the word, to expect that God will do as he has said.
 
Let us take our unbelief where we take our sins-to Jesus;
let us confess it, deplore it, and cry with his disciples of old,
“Lord, increase our faith.”
 
Or with the poor man in the text, “Help thou mine unbelief.”
 
Help me to conquer it, and to triumph over it.
 

Lord, thou hast said, thou wilt forgive,

Bow help me to believe and live:

A living, vigorous faith impart,

And seal my pardon on my heart.

 
James Smith
 

I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY.

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

 

JANUARY 12

 

Luke 2:10

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: 

for, behold, I bring you good tidings of

great joy, which shall be to all people.

 
There is everything in our hearts to cast us down, and fill us with dejection; 

and we daily meet with things in the  world, or the family, or the church, to make us sorrowful: 

but the gospel brings us glad tidings of great joy.
 
It sets before us a Saviour, and such a Saviour!
 
One who is God and can deliver us, one who is man and will sympathise with us.
 
One who knows by experience what our trials mean, and who brings all the resources for God to meet our case; so that we may well ask, “Why are thou cast down, O my soul?”
 
In his blood, there is a full, a certain pardon for all sin; 

   in his obedience, a righteousness for ever before God; in his fulness, an endless variety of blessings, to supply our needs; 

      and in his promises, comfort to cheer us in our most gloomy hours.
 
He is a Saviour for sinners; all he did, he did for sinners; just such sinners as we daily feel ourselves to be.
 
For such he obeyed the law, for such he now pleads before his Father; it is just such sinners that he invites to his bosom, and for such he is preparing mansions in heaven.
 
Whatever is necessary to constitute any tidings good, is in the gospel.
 

To love exceeds our highest thought;

Its length and breath in vain are sought:

No tongue can tell its depth and height,

The love of God is infinite.

 
James Smith
 

DRAW ME

EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith 

 
 

JANUARY 11

 

Song of Solomon 1:4

Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me

into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will

 remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

 
Sweet and precious is the invitation of Jesus; but we feel that something more than the invitation is necessary.
 
There is often a want of inclination; the soul is sluggish, the heart is heavy, a host of things interpose to keep us from his fulness.
 
His invitation is a full and sufficient warrant, we may go to him, we may go with confidence, we may go when we will, and for all we need;
his heart is kind, his resources are thrown open, his word is true; but we need the drawings of the Holy Spirit.
 
Our weakness, our reluctance, the difficulties we meet with, makes us cry, “Draw me;” he has drawn us, else, we had never approached him;
 for he has said, “No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.”
 
This drawing is the effect and proof of eternal love, hence we read,
 
“I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” The Lord’s drawings are so sweet that we yield before we are aware, “I draw them with cords of love;” they are natural, they always prevail, “I draw as with the bands of a man.”
 
May Jesus draw us from the world, from sin, and from self to-night.
 

O lead me to thy mercy-seat,

Attract me nearer still;

Draw me like Mary to thy feet,

To sit and learn thy will.

 
James Smith

WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH EXALTED HIM,

 EVENING DEVOTION by James Smith

JANUARY 10

 

Philippians 2:9

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name which is above every name:

 
No one ever sunk so low as Jesus, no one is or ever will be raised so high.
 
He was considered as unfit to live, he was treated as a despicable worm, he was put to death in the flesh; but God hath highly exalted him.
 
He is gone into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of God, he wears a name which is above every name, he possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers are made subject unto him.
 
His frown glitters with sparkling gems brighter than the morning sun,
   his sceptre extends over all creation,
      his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
         and his dominion endureth throughout all generations.
 
He is the object of angelic admiration and adoration, the subject of every song.
 
His exaltation is the reward of his humiliation, sufferings, and death; but it is a sweet thought that he is exalted for his people’s good, for this people’s glory.
 
Exalted to give them repentance and remission of sins,
  to sanctify their sorrows,
    supply their wants,
       secure their safe arrival around his throne,
           and glorify them with himself forever.
 
Immortal Saviour!
 
May I know the power of thy resurrection, glorify thy grace, and be made to sit with thee in thy glory!
 

To him whom men despise and slight.

To him be glory given;

The crown is his, and his by right,

The highest place in heaven.

 
James Smith
 

CALVARY.

 EVENING DEVOTION WITH James Smith 1850

JANUARY 9

 

Luke 23:33

And when they were come to the place, which is called 

Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, 

one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

 
We visited Gethsemane this morning, let us visit Calvary to-night. There Jesus suffered immediately from the hand of a holy God, here he suffered by the hands of wicked men.
 
He is led as a lamb to the slaughter.
 
See him passing through the gates of Jerusalem, weary, weak and faint; his cross laid on his shoulders.
 
He ascends the eminence, the common place of execution
  —the cross is laid on the ground
   —he is stretched upon it
    —his arms and legs are strained
     —and the nails are driven through his hands and feet
      —it is raised up and thrust into it socket with a violent jerk
         —all his bones are out of joint
              —and he hangs a spectacle of misery and woe.
 
See his attenuated frame,
 his pale cheeks,
  his sunken eye,
   his thorn-crowned brow,
       his death stricken countenance,
and hear him cry, 

“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

 
He is accursed, he is made sin for us; he suffers, the innocent for the guilty—he dies, the just for the unjust.
 
It is the Shepherd, dying for his sheep; the Bridegroom redeeming his bride; and the Head ransoming his body. He died for us, in our stead, that we might never die.
 

When the dread scene of death, the last

Important hours draws nigh,

Then, with my dying eyes, I’ll cast

A look of Calvary.

 
James Smith