Day Twenty-Five Morning
Day TWENTY-FIVE MORNING
A Loyal Aim 'That he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.' 2 Timothy 2:4
Here is something worth aiming at, worth trying for! The Lord Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, is the one who has chosen us to be his soldiers; and now, does he only tell us to do our duty — to serve, obey and fight? No, he tells us something more. He gives us a hope and an aim so bright and pleasant, that it is like sunshine upon everything. He says, we
'may please him.'
Day TWENTY-FIVE MORNING
Only one who knows what it is to be sad because they have upset the dear Saviour, can really understand what a happy request this is!
Isn't it wonderful that we are told that we can actually please Jesus. Even after we were cold and careless and sinful. Even after we ignored Jesus' love for us over and over again! Oh, if we love him, our hearts will just leap at the hope of it!
Perhaps we thought that we would never be able to please God until we reached heaven. But if you read God's word you will see that it says, we
'may please him' now, while we are soldiers, in the very midst of the fighting. Paul tells us one thing in which you may please God: 'Children, obey your parents in all things, for this really pleases the Lord.'
Shall this be your aim and your hope today?
Look up to the Lord Jesus now and ask him first to give you the faith. Without this faith 'it is impossible to please God.' Then ask him to
Day TWENTY-FIVE MORNING
show you 'how you should walk and please God'
Ask Jesus to help you to 'do those things that are pleasing in his sight'; that all your ways, even every step of your ways, may really and truly
'please the Lord' (Proverbs 16:7).
True-hearted, whole-hearted, faithful and loyal, King of our lives, by they grace we will be;
Under thy standard, exalted and royal, Strong in thy strength, we will battle for thee.
True-hearted, whole-hearted!
Fullest allegeance, Yielding henceforth to our glorious King, Valiant endeavour and loving obedience, Freely and joyously now we would bring.
Day TwENTY-FIVE EVENING Always More!
'He gives more grace.'
James 4:6
Yes, God always has more! And if he has given any at all, it is a certain proof that he will give more; for over and over again the Lord Jesus said,
'Whosoever has, to him shall be given.' So, if he has given you a little grace, just enough to wish for more, you shall have more, and then when he has given you mote, that will be the very reason why you may expect more still. Is it not nice to be always looking forward to more grace? Then,
Day TWENTY-FIVE EVENING
as you gtow older, and the little vessel grows larger, he will keep on pouring more grace into it. You will outgrow many things, but you will never outgrow this rich and precious supply.
'He gives more grace' than we ask. If he had given us only what we asked, we should never have had any at all, for it is his grace that first of all makes us wish, and teaches us to ask for it. And he says, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it" 'Then open it wide! Ask him to fill you with his grace.
'He gives more grace' than all our need. It never runs short. Whatever our need 1s, there is always enough grace for it, and then 'more' too! a/ways more. If our need seems to become greater, we shall find the grace greater too, if we will only go to him who gives it; if the enemies that we are trying to fight against seem stronger than ever, we shall certainly find his grace stronger too, if we will only ask it, and take it, and use it.
Day TWENTY-FIVE EVENING
We can never overtake this promise, much less outrun it; for however little we have, or however much we want, now this moment, and on to the end of our lives, it is always, always, 'He gives more gracel'
Have you in the Lord beheved?
Stall there's more to follow; Of his grace have you received?
Stl there's more to follow.
Oh the grace the Father shows!
Stl there's more to follow; Freely he his grace bestows, Still there's more to follow.
More and more! more and more!
Always more to follow!
Ob his matchless, boundless love!
Still there's more to follow!
Day TWENTY-SIx MORNING Obedience to Christ Whatsoever he saith to you, do it.'
John 2:5
How are you to know what Jesus says to you?
He has spoken so plainly to us in his Word! In that he tells everyone exactly what to do. It is wonderful how he has said everything there for us, told us everything we should do. When you read a chapter or hear one read, listen and watch to see what he says to you in it. There is another way in which he tells us what to do. Do you hear a little voice inside that always tells you to do the
Day TWENTY-S1x MORNING tight thing and not to do the wrong thing? That is a conscience and God speaks to you by it.
Another way he speaks to you is through other people that he has put in charge of you. He has told you to 'obey your parents', and to 'obey them that rule over you.' So, when they tell you to do something, it is the Lord Jesus himself that you are obeying when you obey them.
Now 'whatsoever he says to you, do it!' Yes, 'whatsoever.' This means everything that he tells you whether it is easy or hard. You must do it because he tells you; do it for love of him and it will be a thousand times better and happier to obey your King Jesus than to please yourself.
And he himself will help you to do it. All that you have to do is to look up to him for grace to obey and he will give it.
'Whatsoever he says to you, doit" Do not just think about doing it, or talk about doing it, but do it! "Do it? Do the exact thing he would have
Day TwENTY-SI1x MORNING you do, not something a little bit different or something which you think will be very nearly
/ the same, but do '7z'
And 'do it' at once. It is so true, that the very first moment is the easiest for obedience. Every minute that you put off doing the right thing makes it harder. Do not let Jesus your King have to speak twice to you. "Whatsoever he says to you, do it' cheerfully, exactly and instantly.
Jesus, help me, I am weak; Let me put my trust in thee; Teach me how and what to speak; Loving Saviour, care for me, Dear Saviour, hear me, Hear a little child today; Hear, oh hear me; Hear me when I pray.
Day TWENTY-S1Ix EVENING Satisfied SSN ——=* Ae El " ela 'Shall never thirst.'
John 4:14
When you have had a treat or a pleasure, do you begin to wish for another? When you look overt your playthings or your books (whichever you happen to care most for), have you not said, 'If I only had just this, or just that as well'? And even some children who seem to have everything and hardly know what to wish for, do not seem to have enough to make them completely happy. They still want something,
Day TwWENTY-S1Ix EVENING without knowing what they want. Is not this something like feeling thirsty?
And when you get the very thing you most wanted, it does not make much difference, for vety soon you want something else. This is just like being 'thirsty' again.
The Lord Jesus knows all about this, and so he said, 'Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst" The first thing that you must learn is that you always get thirsty again. It is no use expecting to find anything on this earth that will satisfy you for ever. But the second thing to learn is that Jesus has something to give you which will make you compleiely satisfied and glad. And as long as you go on drinking this, you will a/vays be satisfied and glad. However, the third thing is that you cannot get this gladness from anyone or anything else. Jesus gives it, and Jesus only. And the fourth thing is that this
Day TwENTY-S1Ix EVENING gladness must be meant for you, because he says 'whosoever' and that means 'anybody that likes!'
And he says, "Ho, every one that thirsts, come to the waters!' And, 'If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink' And, 'I will give to him that is thirsty water from the fountain of life freely.'
Will you not say to him, like the poor woman at the well, 'Lord Jesus, give me this water, that I thirst not!' Listen to his kind answer! 'Drink, drink abundantly, O beloved!'
I heard the voice of Jesus say, Behold, I freely give The living water, thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.
I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I hive in him.
Day TWENTY-SEVEN MORNING
Do it Heartily Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.'
Colossians 3:23
In 2 Chroniclés 31:21, we read of Hezekiah, 'in every work that he began, he did it with all his heart and prospered.' And this morning's verse rings a New Testament echo, "Do it heartily!' Sing it now, like a little peal of bells!
'Do it heartily!'
See if that does not ring in your ears all day and remind you that it is not just pleasanter to be bright and brisk about everything, but that it
Day TWwWENTY-SEVEN MORNING
is actually one of God's commands, written in his own Word.
I know this is easier to some than to others.
Perhaps it 'comes natural' to you to do everything heartily. That is very nice, but it is not enough.
What else? "'Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.' He knows if the hard working, energetic boy or girl wants to please him. He knows if they long to make him smile; ot whether they have forgotten about him. He knows if they only care about the smile of others and the pleasure of being quick and busy. But perhaps it is hard for you to do things heartily.
You like better to take your time and so you dawdle and do things in a lazy way, especially when it is something that you don't want to do.
Is this right? Is it a little sin, when God's Word says "Whatsoever you do, do it heartily?' Is it not just as much disobeying God as breaking any other command? Are you not guilty before him?
Day TWENTY-SEVEN MORNING
Very likely you never thought of it in this way, but there the words stand and neither you nor I é can alter them. First ask him to forgive you all the past idleness and lazy ways, for Christ's sake and then ask him to give you strength from now on to obey this Word of his. And then listen to the little chime, 'Do it heartily, do it heartily! And then the last word of the verse about Hezekiah will be true of you too — 'Prospered!'
Up and doing, little Christan!
Up and doing, while 'tas day!
Do the work the Master gives you, Do not loiter by the way.
For we all have work before us, You, dear child, as well as I; Let us learn to seek our duty, And to 'do it heartily'.