July
July
PRECIOUS POSSESSION
Ye belong to Christ.
Mark 9:41
There is no vague and general belonging to Christ.
This relationship is full of specific realities.
"I am Thine" means, "Truly I am Thy servant.
I am one of Thy dear children.
I am Thy chosen soldier, I am Thy ransomed one.
I am Thy own sheep.
I am Thy witness.
I am Thy friend." And all these are but Amens to His own condescending declarations. He says we are all these, and we have only to say, "Yes, Lord, so I am."
Why should we ever contradict Him?
"Not your own!" but His by right, His peculiar treasure now.
Fair and precious in His sight, purchased jewels for His brow.
He will keep what thus He sought, safely guard the dearly bought.
Cherish that which He did choose, always love and never lose.
"Not your own!" but His, the King, His, the Lord of earth and sky, His, to whom archangels bring homage deep and praises high.
What can royal birth bestow? Or the proudest titles show?
Can such dignity be known as the glorious name, "His own!"
July 2
ONLY FOR JESUS
He is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
Psalm 45:11
Do my lips say, "My Lord and my God"?
Does my life say, "Christ Jesus, my Lord"—definitely and personally, "my Lord"?
Can I share in His last sweet commendation to His disciples, the more precious because of its divine dignity, "Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am" ? Am I ashamed or afraid to confess my allegiance in plain English among His friends or before His foes?
Is the seal upon my brow so unmistakable that always and everywhere I am known to be His subject?
Is "He is thy Lord" blazoned, as it ought to be, in shining letters on the whole scroll of my life, so that it may be "known and read of all men"? "Search me and try me," and show me the true state of my case, and then for Thine own sake pardon all my past disloyalty, and make me by Thy mighty grace from this moment totally loyal Only for Jesus!
Lord, keep it forever Sealed on the heart and engraved on the life!
Pulse of all gladness and nerve of endeavor, Secret of rest, and the strength of our strife.
July 3
THE OLD WAY THE ONLY WAY
O ye of little faith, why reason ye ...
Matthew 16:8
Did we ever receive the powerful fulfillment of any promise so long as we argued and reasoned, whether with our own hearts or with others, and said, "How can these things be?"
Has it not always been that we had to lay down our arms and accept God's thought and God's way instead of our own ideas, and be willing that He should "speak the word only," and believe it as little children believe our promises?
Then, never till then, the promise and the privilege became ours not only in potentiality but in actuality.
While "the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus" is the measure of the fullness of God's promises;
"according to your faith" is the appointed measure of their reception and benefit by ourselves.
"Lord, increase our faith."
. Before the triumph-leading of every thought can take place, there is the "casting down imaginations," or, as in the more correct margin, "reasonings."
As long as we are reasoning about a promise, we never know its reality.
It is not God's way.
It is the humble who hear thereof and are glad.
Have we not found it so?
Then, how is it that we do not understand, and apply the same principle to every promise or privilege which as yet we see only afar off?
It is the old way and the only way: "Who through faith .
. obtained promises."
Reason unstrings the harp to see wherein the music dwells; Faith pours a Hallelujah song, and heavenly rapture swells.
While Reason strives to count the drops that lave our narrow strand.
Faith launches o'er the mighty deep, to seek a better land.
July 4
THE SEARCHER OF HEARTS
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
John 4:29
Yes! it is not merely a vague general belief in Christ as the Teacher who "will tell us all things" which suffices for heart conviction of "the reality of Jesus Christ," but the individual knowledge of Him as the Searcher who "told me all things that ever I did."
This was what led the woman of Samaria to exclaim, "Is not this the Christ?"
This was to her the irresistible
proof of His Messiahship. What about ourselves?
If we know anything of true intercourse with the Lord Jesus, our experience will not be unlike hers. When He who "searches Jerusalem with candles" turns the keen flame of His eyes upon the dark corners of our hearts, and flashes their far-reaching, allrevealing beam upon even the far-off and long-forgotten windings of our lives, when in His light we see the darkness, and in His purity we see the sin that has been, or that is; when He
"declareth unto man what is his thought," and then convinces that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," then we know for ourselves that He "with whom we have to do" is indeed the Christ.
O happy end of every weary quest!
He told me all I needed graciously Enough for guidance and tor victory O'er doubts and fears, enough for quiet rest; And when some veiled response I could not read.
It was not hid from Him — this was enough indeed.
July J>
RUNNING OR REELING
When thou punnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Proverbs 4:12
This promise does not stand alone; it is reiterated and varied.
He knew our constant, momentary need of it.
He knew that without it we must stumble, and fall too ; that we have not the least power to take one step without a stumble—or rather, that we have no power to take one single onward step at all. And He knew that Satan's surest device to make us stumble would be to make us believe that it can't be helped. We have thought that, if we have not said it.
But "what saith the Scripture?"
"When thou runnest"
(the likeliest place for a slip), "thou shalt not stumble." "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved."
"He will keep the feet of His saints."
"He led them .
. that they should not stumble."
Can we say, "Yea, hath God said?" to all this?
Leave that to Satan; it is no comment for God's children to make upon His precious promises.
If we do not use the power of faith, we find the neutralizing power of unbelief.
Yes! He knows the way is dreary.
Knows the weakness of our frame.
Knows that hand and heart are weary; He, in all points, felt the same.
He is near to help and bless; Be not weary, onward press.
July 6
FOUR RESULTS OF JUSTIFICATION
A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 3:28
"Therefore, being justified by faith," what then?
1. We have peace with God.
2. We shall be saved from wrath through Him.
3. We are made heirs of eternal life.
4. We shall be glorified by Him and with Him for ever. What about my own part and lot in the matter? Whom does God thus justify? And may
I hope to be among them? He begins indeed at the lowest depth, so that none may be shut out; for He would "justify the heathen through faith," and He "justifieth the ungodly."
The publican who could only cry, "God be merciful to me the sinner," was justified.
I can come in here, at all events.
But how shall I be actually and effectually justified now?
Let God speak and I will listen: "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no diflference," "By Him all that believe are justified."
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ."
And now, "He is near that justifieth me."
"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?
It is God that justifieth."
Israel of God, awaken I Church of Christ, arise and shine!
Mourning garb and soiled raiment henceforth be no longer thine!
For the Lord thy God hath clothed thee with a new and glorious dress.
With the garments of salvation, with the robe of righteousness.
July 7
IS HE YOURS?
This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
Psalm 48:14
In Deuteronomy, that wonderful book of remindings, God has caused this gracious name, "the Lord thy God," or "the Lord your God," to be written no less than two hundred and twentyseven times.
What a name for Him to be revealed by to the wayward wanderers of Israel ! And what comfort to us that He is the same God to us I When you want a helpful Bible subject to work out, suppose you take this, and trace out all through the Bible under what circumstances or with what context of precious teaching He gives these words, and let the gladness
of the search be "This God is our God." And then trace out (with your concordance if you like) the responses to this constantly repeated and heart-strengthening Name, noting and arranging the passages that speak of "Our God."
Between these you will find every soul need for time and eternity supplied, from the first great need of the awakened sinner who is met with the words "He that is our God is the God of salvation," to the fullness of present blessing, "God, even our own God, shall bless us," and the fullness of future joy when
"thy God [shall be] thy glory."
As you study, the claim will grow closer, and the response will intensify from the wide chorus of "Our God" to the fervent thrill of the whisper, "0
God, Thou art my God."
What know we. Holy God. of Thee, Thy being and Thy essence pure?
Too bright the very mystery for mortal vision to endure.
We only know Thy word sublime. Thou art a Spirit!
Perfect!
One!
Unlimited by space or time, unknown but through the eternal Son.
July 8
FROM FAITH TO FAITH
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.
Romans 1:17
We go forth from faith to forgetfulness, and there seems no help for it.
Neither is there, in ourselves.
But "in Me is thine help."
Jesus Himself had provided against this before He gave the promise.
He said that the Holy Spirit should bring all things to our remembrance.
It is no use laying the blame on our poor memories, when the Almighty Spirit is sent that He may strengthen them.
Let us make real use of this promise, and we shall certainly find it sufficient for the need it meets.
He can, and He will give us that holy and blessed recoUectedness, which can make us dwell in an atmosphere of remembrance of His presence and promises, through which all other things may pass and move without removing it.
Oh, her heart can see, her heart can see!
Ai\d its sight is strong and swift and free.
Never the ken of mortal eye Could pierce so deep and far and high As the eagle vision of hearts that dwell In the lofty, sunlit citadel Of faith that overcomes the world, With banners of hope and joy unfurled, Garrisoned with God's perfect peace.
Ringing with paeans that never cease, Flooded with splendor bright and broad, The glorious light of the love of God.
July 9
THE PROPER ANSWER
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Song of Solomon 2:10
In deeper humility and stronger faith let us listen to the voice of our Beloved as He breathes names of incomprehensible condescension and love.
Shall we contradict Him here, in the tenderest outflow of His divine affection, and say, "Not so, Lord"?
Shall we not rather adoringly listen and let Him say even to us in our depths of utter unworthiness, "My sister. My spouse.
My love, My dove, My undefiled," answering only with a wondering, yet unquestioning,
"I am Thine," "I am all that Thou choosest to say that I am"?
The echo may vary and falter (though it is nothing short of atrocious ingratitude and unbelief when it does), but the Voice never varies or falters. He does not say, "Thou art Mine" today, and reverse or weaken it tomorrow. We are "a people unto Thee for ever," and why grieve His love by doubting His word, and giving way to a very fidget of faithlessness?
Love that is everlasting cannot be ephemeral; it is everlasting, and what can we say more?
For infinite outpourings of Jehovah's love and grace.
And infinite unveilings of the brightness of His face.
And infinite unfoldings of the splendor of His will.
Meet the mightiest expansions of the finite spirit still.
July 10
A BLESSED NECESSITY
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers Into his harvest.
Luke 10:2
Most likely we never went to a missionary' meeting in our lives but what we were told to pray for the work. We are quite used to it; we take it as a matter of course, and as the right and proper thing to be said.
Nobody disputes for an instant that it is a Christian duty.
But arc we doing it?
As it is an acknowledged obligation upon all who profess to love the Lord Jesus Christ that they should obey His commandments, it is clearly a real obligation upon us, upon you and me, to obey this commandment.
And if we are not doing it, we are equally clearly directly disobeying our dear Master, and failing in the one test of personal love to Himself which He gave us in the same night in which He was betrayed.
Yes, are we doing it?
Did you pray this morning what He bade you pray?
Did you yesterday?
Or last week?
Surely it is no light thing to go on from day to day leaving undone a thing which we ought to have done, and about which His own lips gave the most explicit direction ! How often we have sorrowfully felt that "we know not what we should pray for as we ought"
! Now here is something that we knotv we are to pray for. We know that it is according to His will, or He would not have bidden us ask it. And "if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us."
And if we know that He hears us in whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
See what a splendid conclusion we reach!
Oh, "pray ye therefore"
! And if we thus pray, like little children, exactly what Jesus bids us pray, see if we do not find a real and probably conscious and immediate blessing in the very act—the floodgates opened, the spirit of grace and of supplication poured out, and the parched tongue filled with prayer and praise!
There is no holy service but hath its secret bliss:
Yet, of all blessed ministries, is one so dear as this?
The ministry that cannot be a wondering seraph's dower.
Enduing mortal weakness with more than angel-power; The ministry of purest love uncrossed by any fear.
That bids us meet at the Master's feet and keeps us very near.
July
IT'S ALL DIFFERENT NOW!
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord .
. that walk to go down into Egypt.
Isaiah 30:1-2 But what do we want with Egypt? What is there to attract us to the house of bondage and its old taskmasters?
Did we not have enough of them? And shall we not gratefully accept redemption "from the nations," "out of" them, from the tyranny of "the customs of the people," "from our vain conversation," and say henceforth, "Thy people shall be my people"?
"What have I to do any more with idols?" when God Himself has redeemed me from their gods?
Yes, has redeemed me, for He says so.
"Sing, ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it!" He "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity."
Other lords have long held sway; now. Thy name alone to bear, Thy dear voice alone obey, is my daily, hourly prayer.
Whom have I in Heaven but Thee?
Nothing else my joy can be.
July 12
WHICH SHALL IT BE?
Leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
1 Peter 2:21
Now what are those steps?
Following steps is quite a different thing from thinking to follow one's own idea of the general direction of a course.
If you would only take one Gospel, and read it through with the earnest purpose of noting, by the Holy Spirit's guidance, what the steps of Jesus are, you would soon see clearly whether you are following or not, far more clearly than by reading any amount of books about it, or consulting any number of human counselors.
Take for today only one indication of what those steps were.
"Who went about doing good."
Do your steps correspond with that?
It is not, "went about doing no harm," but actively and positively "doing good."
Lord, speak to me, that I may speak In living echoes of Thy tone; As Thou hast sought, so let me seek Thy erring children, lost and lone.
O lead me. Lord, that I may lead The wandering and the wavering feet; O feed me. Lord, that I may feed Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
July 13
REFLECTING LIGHT
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psalm 36:9
We see something of God's infinite greatness and wisdom when we try to fix our dazzled gaze on infinite space.
But when we turn to the marvels of the microscope, we gain a clearer view and more definite grasp of these attributes by gazing on the perfection of His infinitesimal handiworks.
Just so, while we cannot realize the infinite love which fills eternity, and the infinite vistas of the great future are "dark with excess of light" even to the strongest telescope of faith, we see that love magnified in the microscope of the moments, brought very close to us, and revealing its unspeakable perfection of detail to our wondering sight.
But we do not see this as long as the moments are kept in
our own hands. We are like little children closing our fingers over diamonds. How can they receive and reflect the rays of light, analyzing them into all the splendor of their prismatic beauty, while they are kept shut up tight in the dirty little hands?
Give them up; let our Father hold them for us, and throw His own great light upon them, and then we shall see them full of fair colors of His manifold loving-kindnesses
; and let Him always keep i;hem for us, and then we shall always see His light and His love reflected in them.
Jesus, grace for grace outpouring.
Show me ever greater things; Raise me higher, sunward soaring.
Mounting as on eagle-wings.
By the brightness of Thy face, Jesus, let me grow in grace.
July 14
THE KING KNOWS
There is no matter hid from the king.
2 Samuel 18:13
The very attributes which are full of terror to the King's enemies, are full of comfort to the King's friends.
Thus His omniscience is like the pillar, which was "a cloud and darkness" to the Egyptians, but "gave light by night" to the Israelites.
The king's own general complained of a man who did not act precisely as he himself would have acted.
In his reply he uses these words, "There is no matter hid from the king." The appeal was final, and Joab had no more to say. When others say, like Joab, "Why didst thou not do so and so?" and we know or find that full reasons cannot be given or cannot be understood, what rest it is to fall back upon the certainty that our
King knows all about it! When we are wearied out with trying to make people understand, how restful it is that no explanations are wanted when we come to speak to Him
"All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do"
; and the more we have to do with Him, the more glad and thankful we shall be that there is not anything hid from the King.
Oh, let our adoration for all that He hath done Peal out beyond the stars of God, while voice and life are one!
And let our consecration be real, and deep, and true; Oh, even now our hearts shall bow, and joyful vows renew!
To Thee who hast so helped me, to Thee who hast so blessed.
The only Friend who knows my heart, the nearest and the best.
July U
ALL THINGS ARE READY
Come; for all things are now ready.
Luke 14:17
All things !
God the Father is ready to save you.
Jesus Christ is ready to receive you.
The Holy Spirit is ready to dwell in you. Are you ready? A ^/ things. The "great salvation" is ready for you.
The full atonement is made for you.
The eternal redemption is obtained for you. Are you ready?
All things. The cleansing fountain is opened for you.
The robe of righteousness is wrought for you. The way into the holiest is consecrated for you.
Are you ready?
All things.
All things that pertain unto life and godliness are given you by His divine power.
Exceeding great and precious promises are given you.
The supply of all your need is guaranteed to you.
Strength and guidance, teaching and keeping, are provided for you.
A Father's love and care and a Saviour's gift of peace are waiting for you.
The feast is spread for you.
All these things are ready for you.
Are you ready for them?
Will you not come to Him for all?
Will you not "taste and see"?
He waits to give it all to you, The gifts are free, the words are true!
Jesus is calling, "Come unto Mel"
July 16
IS ROYAL LIKENESS RECOGNIZABLE?
Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which Is In heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Matthew 12:50
"How beautiful to be Christ's little sister!" said a young disciple.
For of course He really means it.
Will not this make our prayer more fervent, "Teach me to do Thy will"?
If the King is indeed near of kin to us, the royal likeness will be recognizable.
Can it be said of us, "As thou art, so were they each one resembled the children of a King"? Nor let us shrink from aiming at the still higher standard, "The King's daughter is all glorious within." We must not dwell only on a one-sided kinship.
If He is not ashamed to call us brethren, shall we ever be ashamed to call Him Master?
If He is ready to give us all that is implied or involved in near kinship, should we fail to reciprocate with all the love and sympathy and faithfulness which the tie demands on our side?
Also, let us prove our
loyal love by "looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day" of His return.
Let us not incur the touching reproach, "Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the King?"
Joined to Christ in mystic union, We Thy members, Thou our Head, Sealed by deep and true communion.
Risen with Thee, who once were dead Saviour, we would humbly claim All the power of this Thy name.
Instant sympathy to brighten All their weakness and their woe.
Guiding grace their way to lighten.
Shall Thy loving members know All their sorrows Thou dost bear.
All Thy gladness they shall share.
July n
A MAGNIFICENT GLIMPSE OF JOY
It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love.
Song of Solomon 5:2
It was the literal voice of the Lord Jesus which uttered that one echoless cry of desolation on the cross "for thee," and it will be His own literal voice which will say, "Come, ye blessed
!" to thee. And that same tender and glorious voice has literally sung and will sing for thee.
I think He consecrated song for us, and made it a sweet and sacred thing for ever when He
Himself "sang an hymn" the very last thing before He went forth to consecrate suffering for us. That was not His last song.
"The Lord thy God .
. will joy over thee with singing." And the time is coming when He will not only sing "for thee" or "over thee" but with thee.
He says He will !
"In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee." Now what a magnificent glimpse of joy this is!
"Jesus Himself leading the praises of His brethren," and we ourselves singing not merely in such a chorus, but with such a leader
If "singing for Jesus" is such delight here, what will this "singing with Jesus" be?
Surely song may well be a holy thing to us henceforth.
The hour is come; but ere they meet its terrors—yet once more Their voices blend with His who sang as none e'er sang before.
Why do they linger on that note? Why thus the sound prolong?
Ah I 'twas the last!
'Tis ended now. that strangely solemn song.
And forth they go— the song is past; but like the rose-leaf, still.
Whose fragrance doth not die away, its soft low echoes thrill Thro' many a soul, and there awake new strains of glowing praise
To Him who, on that fateful eve. that last sweet hymn did raise.
July 18
DIVINE REASON FOR DIVINE DOINGS
And they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezeklel 6:10
It is one of the shining threads that run all through the Bible, a supply indeed for the heart's desire of those who delight in the Lord.
It is never long out of sight, judgments and mercies being alike sent for this great purpose.
For this the waters of the Red Sea receded and returned again; for this the Jordan was dried up; for this Goliath was delivered into David's hand; for this 185,000 of the Assyrians were smitten by God's angel ; and many more instances. Throughout Ezekiel it seems to be the very key-word, recurring seventy-five times as the divine reason of divine doings, that they may "know that I am the Lord."
Is there not a peculiar solace in this?
Reigning, guiding, all-commanding, ruling myriad worlds of light; Now exalting, now abasing, none can stay Thy hand of might!
Working all things by Thy power, by the counsel of Thy will.
Thou art God! enough to know it, and to hear Thy word: "Be still!"
July 19
OUR EVER-PRESENT COUNSELOR
And his name shall be called .
. Counsellor.
Isaiah 9:6
Is thy counsellor perished?
Micah 4:9
Nothing is more practically perplexing to a young Christian, whose preparation time is not quite over, or perhaps painfully limited, than to know what is most worth studying, what is really the best investment of the golden hours, while yet the time is not come for the field of active work to be fully entered and the "thoroughly furnishing" of the mind is the evident path of present duty.
Is not His name called "Counsellor"; and will He not be faithful to the promise of His name in this, as well as in all else?
The same applies to every subsequent stage.
Only let us be perfectly clear about the principle that our intellect is not our own, either to cultivate, or to use, or to enjoy, and that Jesus Christ is our real and ever-present Counselor; and then there will be no more worry about what to read, and how much to read, and whether to keep up one's accomplishments, or one's languages, or one's "ologies"!
If the Master has need of them, He will show us; and if He has not, what need have we of them?
If we go forward without
His leading, we may throw away some talent, or let it get too rusty for use, which would have been most valuable when other circumstances arose or different work was given. We must not think that "keeping" means not using at all! What we want is to have all our powers kept for His use.
In this they will probably find far higher development than in any other sort of use.
I know cases in which the effect of real consecration on mere mental development has been obvious and surprising to all around.
Yet it is only a confirmation of what I believe to be a great principle, viz., that th<'
Lord makes the most of ivhatever is unreservedly surrendered to Him.
There will always be plenty of waste in what we try to cut out for ourselves.
But He wastes no material!
Where are our early lessons, the teachings of our youth, The countless words forgotten of knowledge and of truth?
Not lost! for they are living still, as power to think, and do, and will.
Where, where are all God's lessons. His teachings dark or bright?
Not lost! but only hidden, till in eternal light, We see. while at His feet we fall, the reasons and results of all.
July 20
HE REMEMBERS
, .
. SHALL WE?
Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals.
Jeremiah 2:2
Forgetting all the sin, all the backsliding, all the coldness, casting all that into the unreturning depths of the sea, He says He remembers that hour when we first said, "Take my love."
He remembers it now, at this minute.
He has written it for ever on His infinite memory, where the past is as the present.
His own love is unchangeable, so it could never be His wish or will that we should thus drift away from Him, Oh, "Come and let us return unto the Lord"
But is there any hope that, thus returning, our flickering love may be kept from again failing? Hear what He says: "And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever."
And again: "Thou shalt abide for Me many days; so will I also be for thee."
Shall we trust His word or not?
Is it worthy of our acceptation or not?
Oh, rest on this word of the King, and let Him from this day have the keeping of your love, and He will keep it!
Whom He calleth He preserveth, and His glory they shall see; He is faithful that hath called you; He will do it, fear not ye!
Therefore, holy brethren, onward! thus ye make your calling sure; For the prize of this high calling, bravely to the end endure.
July 21
REST — GLORIOUS AND REAL
We which have believed do enter into rest.
Hebrews 4:3
He hath given us rest by His sorrow, and life by His death; "rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear, and from thy hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve" (Isaiah 14:3). Come and take the gift!
It is gloriously real.
It is no mere slight and temporary sense of relief. And He gives us rest on every side—complete rest, guarded and sheltered all around.
It is not only rest from all weariness and burdens, but rest in Himself.
Jesus is spoken of in type as "the Man of Rest," "and His rest shall be glorious."
It is this.
His own divine rest, that He will give.
"This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest."
Is it worth having?
Will you not come for it? You cannot have it without coming to Jesus; but only come, and it shall be yours—for there stands His word—and "in returning and rest shall ye be saved."
Yes. "even until now!"
And so we stand.
Forgiven, loved, and blessed; And covered in the shadow of God's hand, Believing, are at rest.
The one great load is lifted from the soul.
That henceforth on the Lord all burdens we may roll.
July 22
PREPARED FOR HIS APPOINTMENTS
Thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
2 Samuel 15:15
This is the secret of steady and unruffled gladness in "the business of the Lord, and the service of the King," whether we are "over the treasures of the house of God," or, "for the outward business over Israel."
It makes all the difference!
If we are really, and always, and equally ready to do whatsoever the King appoints, all the trials and vexations arising from any change in His appointments, great or small, simply do not exist.
If He appoints me to work there, shall I lament that I am not to work here?
If He appoints me to wait indoors today, am I to be annoyed because I am not to work out-of-doors?
If I meant to ivrite His messages this morning, shall I grumble because He sends interrupting visitors, rich or poor, to whom I am to speak them, or "show kindness" for
His sake, or at least obey His command, "Be courteous"?
If all my members are really at His disposal, why should I be put out if today's appointment is some simple work for my hands or errands for my feet, instead of some seemingly more important doing of head or tongue?
The "whatsoever" is not necessarily active work.
It may be waiting (whether half an hour or half a lifetime) , learning, suffering, sitting still.
But, dear fellow-servants of "my Lord the King," shall we be less ready for these, if any of them are His appointments for today?
"Whatsoever the king did pleased all the people."
"Ready" implies something of preparation—not being taken by surprise.
So let us ask Him to prepare us for all that He is preparing for us. And may "the hand of God give" us "one heart to do the commandment of the King"!
Speak to me by name, O Master, let me know it is to me; Speak, that I may follow faster, with a step more firm and free, Where the Shepherd leads the flock, in the shadow of the Rock.
July 23
WHERE THERE'S LIFE THERE'S RENEWING
My speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.
Deuteronomy 32:2
Sometimes God's dew goes on falling through many hours of the night. But none of it is lost ; some is already doing a hidden work as it falls around the very roots of our being, and some is ready to be revealed in sparkling brightness when the night is over.
Lessons learnt among the shadows will be lived out in the sunshine.
The object of the dew is to maintain life in dry places and seasons.
Dew does nothing for the stones.
You would not know there ever was anj' at all if you only look at the gravel path.
And it makes no difference at all to a dead leaf.
But if it falls on the little fading plant that could hardly have lived through many more days of July sunshine, the weak little stem straightens up as the leaves absorb the life-renewing moisture, and the closed blossom can open out again with fresher fragrance than before.
So God keeps on distilling His speech into our frail spiritual life, or it would soon wither up.
Dryness is more to be dreaded than darkness.
Master, speak, though least and lowest, let me not unheard depart; Master, speak, for oh. Thou knowest all the yearning of my heart, Knowest all its truest need; speak and make me blest indeed.
July 24 THIS DAY Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord .
. that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
Exodus 32:29
Not a long time hence, not even tomorrow, but "this day." Do you not want a blessing?
Is not your answer to your Father's "What wilt thou?" the same as Achsah's "Give me a blessing!"
Here is His promise of just what you so want; will you not gladly fulfill His condition? A blessing shall immediately follow.
He does not specify what it shall be; He waits to reveal it.
You will find it such a blessing as you had not supposed could be for you — a blessing that shall verily make you rich, with no sorrow added — a blessing this daij.
One the channel, deep and broad, from the Fountain of the Throne, Christ the Saviour, Son of God, blessings flow through Him alone.
He, the Faithful and the True, brings us mercies ever new:
Till we reach His home on high, God shall all your need supply.
July 2:5
THE ADEQUACY OF CHRIST
Him with whom we have to do.
Hebrews 4:13
For in him we live, and move, and have our being.
Acts 17:28
These words seem to meet every sort of need of comfort.
If it is perplexity, or oppressive puzzle what to do, when we cannot see through things—or if it is being unable to explain yourself to others, and trials or complications arising out of this: just fall back upon "Him with whom we have to do," to whose eyes all things are naked and opened.
He is your Guide—why need you puzzle?
He is your Shield—why need you try so hard or wish so much to explain and vindicate yourself?
If it is sense of sin which does not let you be comfortable, turn at once to "Him with whom you have to do."
Remember, it is not with Satan that you have to do, nor with your accusing conscience, but with Jesus.
He will deal with all the rest; you only have to deal with Him. And He is your great High Priest.
He has made full Atonement for you; for the very sins that are weighing on you now.
If it is temptation that will not let you rest, come straight away out of the very thick of it; it may be with fiery darts sticking in you. Come with all the haunting thoughts that you
hate, just as you are, to "Him with whom you have to do."
You would not or could not tell the temptations to any one else; but then you have not got to do with any one else in the matter, but only with Jesus.
And He "suffered, being tempted."
If it is bodily weakness, sickness, or pain, how very sweet it is to know that we have to do with Jesus, who is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities."
(The word is the same that is elsewhere translated sickness:
John 11:2-4.) Don't you sometimes find it very hard to make even your doctor understand what the pain is like? Words don't seem to convey it.
And after you have explained the trying and wearying sensation as best you can, you are convinced those who have not felt it do not understand it.
But He does.
Just to leave in His dear hand little things, All we cannot understand, all that stings!
Just to let Him take the care sorely pressing.
Finding all we let Him bear, changed to blessing.
This is all! and yet the way marked by Him who loves thee best!
Secret of a happy day, secret of His promised rest.
July 26
GOING AND GROWING
Ye shall go forth, and grow up.
Malachi 4:2
All our natural delight in progress finds satisfaction here—no stagnation, no reaching a dead level ; we are on an ever-winning side, bound up with an ever-progressing cause. A typical light on this point flashes from the story of David.
He "went on and grew great," or, as the margin has it, "going and growing"
; which we cannot forbear connecting with the promise to ourselves. And then we are told that he "waxed greater and greater"
(margin), "went on going and increasing."
But we must not be merely onlookers.
Let us see to it, first, that there be increasing prosperity in His kingdom in our hearts.
Pray that He may not only reign, but prosper in that domain.
And next, let us see to it that we are doing all we can to further His prosperity all around us.
Translate our daily prayer, "Thy kingdom come," into daily, burning, glowing action for its prosperity.
That "greater things," far greater, our longing eyes shall see!
We can but wait and wonder what "greater things" shall be!
But glorious fulfillments rejoicingly we claim, While pleading in the power of the All-prevailing Name.
July 21
PERPETUAL CLEANSING
In the light of the king's countenance is life.
Proverbs 16:15
But first fell the solemn words, "Thou hast set our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance."
That was the first we knew of its brightness; and to some its revelation has been so terrible, that they can even understand how the Lord "shall destroy" the wicked "with the brightness of His coming."
Yet, though we feel that "His eyes were as a flame of fire," we found also that our "King that sitteth in the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with His eyes"
; and that it was when we stood in that light, that we found the power of the precious blood of Jesus, the Anointed One, to cleanse us from all sin.
This gives new value to the promise, "They shall walk, Lord, in the light of Thy countenance"
; for it is when we walk in the light that we may claim and do realize the fullness of its power and preciousness — not for fitful and occasional cleansing, but for a glorious, perpetual, present cleansing from all sin.
Abiding in His presence, and walking in the light.
And seeking to "do always what is pleasing in His sight."
We look to Him to keep us "all glorious within,"
Because "the blood of Jesus is cleansing from all sin." luly 28
THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Samuel 15:23
Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Peter 2:10
We have asked many a time without, perhaps, realizing how great a petition we were singing, "Guard my first springs of thought and will!"
That goes to the root of the matter, only it implies that the will has been already surrendered to Him, that it may be wholly kept and guarded.
It may be that we have not sufficiently realized the sin of the only alternative.
Our wills belong either to self or to God.
It may seem a small and rather excusable sin in man's sight to be self-willed, but see in what a category of iniquity God puts it (2 Peter 2:10).
And certainly we are without excuse when we have such a promise to go upon as, "It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His pleasure." How splendidly this meets our very deepest helplessness—"worketh in you to will"!
Oh, let us pray for ourselves and for each other, that we may know "What is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe."
It does not say, "To usward who fear and doubt"; for if we will not believe, neither shall we be established.
If we will not believe what God says He can do, we shall see it with our eyes, but we shall not eat thereof.
"They could not enter in because of unbelief."
Peace, peace!
To him that is far away.
Turn, O wanderer! why wilt thou die, When the peace is made that shall bring thee nigh?
Listen, O rebel! the heralds proclaim The King's own peace through a Saviour's name; Then yield thee today.
July 29
GOD'S DOING AND NOT OURS
Thou Shalt come into the ark.
Genesis 6:18
You would like to take this great step out of danger into safety; but you find it very hard, though it sounds very easy.
You feel as if you had a spiritual nightmare — seeing the danger, and not able to stir hand or foot to escape it.
Perhaps every one who comes to Christ has this sense of utter helplessness about it.
This is because the Holy Spirit must convince us that the whole thing is God's doing, and not ours, so that He may have all the glory of saving us from beginning to end.
It is not at all because He is not willing to save us, but just because He is willing, that He lets us find out for ourselves that our own will is so numb that it cannot rouse and move without the fire of His love and grace. Now just trust His promise, "Thou shalt come into the Ark"; in other words, believe that His power and love are even now being exerted upon you, and that your sense of helplessness is only part of His wonderful way of drawing you to Jesus.
Now trust the one provided rope, now quit the broken mast, Before the hope of safety be for ever past.
Fear not to trust His simple word, so sweet, so tried, so true, And you are safe for evermore, yes — even you!
July ^ WHO
IS YOUR MASTER?
Behold, Satan hath desired to have you.
Luke 22:31
No man can serve two masters.
Matthew 6:24
Shall the devil have the use of our members?
Oh, no, of course not! We start back at this, as a highly unnecessary question.
Yet if Jesus has not, Satan has.
For as all are serving either the Prince of Life or the prince of this world, and as no man can serve two masters, it follows that if we are not serving the one, we are serving the other. And Satan is only too glad to disguise this service under the less startling form of the world, or the still less startling one of self.
All that is not "kept for Jesus," is left for self or the world, and therefore for Satan.
Jesus, Thy life is mine!
Dwell evermore in me:
And let me see That nothing can untwine my life from Thine.
Thy life in me be shown!
Lord.
I would henceforth seek To think and speak Thy thoughts. Thy words alone, no more my own.
July 31
ROYAL GRACE
I said.
Behold me, behold me.
Isaiah 65:1
Look at the central theme of the universe — the central moment not of a world's history only, but of eternity — look at the Saviour, "who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree," bowing His bleeding head under that awful burdeTi, because His faithfulness was unto the death, and His love was strong as death ! Then seek out all the exquisitely winning ways of Him who went about doing good, till you have heard Plim and observed Him all through those years of patient and perfect ministiy, and recollect all the time that it is He who says to you, "Come unto Me!"
Unto Him, the man Christ Jesus, full of compassion, and tender yet royal grace.
Behold your King, with His sorrow crowned.
Alone, alone in the valley is He!
The shadows of death are gathering round.
And the Cross must follow Gethsemane.
Darker and darker the gloom must fall.
Filled is the Cup. He must drink it all!
Oh, think of His sorrow! that we may know His wondrous love in His wondrous woe.
August
A LITTLE "WANT" HINDERS MUCH FREEDOM
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. Psalm 106:12
Take heed .
. lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:12
What is the cause that the former days were better than these?
Ecclesiastes 7:10
Many a heart has echoed the little song:
Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee!
And yet those echoes have not been, in every case and at all times, so clear, and full, and firm, so continuously glad as we would wish, and perhaps expected.
Some of us have said / launch me forth upon a sea Of boundless love and tenderness; and after a little we have found, or fancied, that there is a hidden leak in our bark, and though we are doubtless still afloat, yet we are not sailing with the same free, exultant confidence as at first.
What is it that has dulled and weakened the echo of our consecration song? What is the little leak that hinders the swift and buoyant course of our consecrated life?
It may have arisen from want of the simplest belief in the simplest fact, as well as want of trust in one of the simplest and plainest words our gracious Master ever uttered! The unbelieved fact being simply that He hears us; the untrusted word being one of those plain, broad foundation-stones on which we rested our whole weight, it may be many years ago, and which we had no idea we ever doubted, or were in any danger of doubting now — "Him that cometh to Me
I will in no wise cast out."
Is this the peace of God, this strange, sweet calm?
The weary day is at its zenith still, Yet 'tis as if beside some cool, clear rill.
Through shadowy stillness rose an evening psalm, And all the noise of life were hushed away.
And tranquil gladness reigned with gently soothing sway.
It was not so just now.
I turned aside With aching head, and heart most sorely bowed; Around me cares and griefs in crushing crowd.
While inly rose the sense, in swelling tide.
Of weakness, insufficiency, and sin, And fear, and gloom, and doubt, in mighty flood rolled in.
It is not that I feel less weak, but Thou Wilt be my strength; it is not that I see Less sin, but more of pardoning love with Thee, And all-sufficient grace.
Enough!
And now All fluttering thought is stilled, I only rest.
And feel that Thou art near, and know that I am blest.