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January 16—Morning Devotion
"And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people; for the thing was done suddenly."—2 Chronicles 39:36 Sweet thought, ever to keep in view, that it is the Lord that prepares the heart, and gives answers to the tongue. And Oh! how sudden, how unexpected, how unlooked-for, sometimes, are the visits of his grace! "Or ever I was aware (saith the church) my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadab." Is my heart cold, my, mind barren, my frame lifeless? Do thou, then, dearest Lord, make me to rejoice, in warming my frozen affection, making fruitful my poor estate, and putting new life into my soul. All I want is a frame of mind best suited to thy glory. And…
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January 13—Morning Devotion
"Master! where dwellest thou?"—John 1:38 Is this the earnest inquiry of my soul? Hear then the answer: "Thus saith the high and lofty One, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Pause, my soul. Are these qualities produced by grace in thine heart? Jesus, Master, make me what thou wouldest have me to be; and then come, Lord, agreeably to thy promises. Thou hast said, my Father will come, and I will come, and make our abode with him. And thou hast said, the Holy Ghost shall come and abide with us for…
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SINAI – The Way Of Death
Sinai is a desert; a barren, desolate, inhospitable and largely lifeless place. How suitable that God should give the law in Sinai. It is the place of death and the killing letter. Here Moses received the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone. Today travellers to Mount Sinai reach the summit along a steep track of 3,750 so-called steps of penitence between two towering walls of solid rock. It is a fitting reminder of how Moses’ two tablets of stone have, by design, shut out the light of grace and weighed down the poor convicted soul. Making it, says Paul “the ministration of death”. How adamant the “killing letter” of the law has proved to be by its relentless condemnation and its barren, fruitless “yoke…
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Sanctification By The Truth
A Sermon Preached By John M’Kenzie At Zoar Chapel, Great Alie St, London, On Monday October 24th, 1842 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word, is truth.”—John 17:17 From these words I shall at once proceed to make a few remarks, without staying either to consider their connection, or losing time with any introductory observations, but shall immediately come to the subject by dividing it into two general heads. First: examine a little into the nature of the doctrine of divine sanctification; and Secondly: enquire briefly what we are to understand by truth, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” We observe then, first, that “sanctification” throughout die Scriptures conveys the meaning of a separation or a setting apart for holy purposes. And…
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Covenant
COVENANT The Scripture sense of this word is the same as in the circumstances of common life; namely, an agreement between parties. Thus Abraham and Abimelech entered into covenant at Beersheba. (Gen. 21:32.) And in like manner, David and Jonathan. (1 Sam. 20:42.) To the same amount, in point of explanation, must we accept what is related in Scripture of God's covenant concerning redemption, made between the sacred persons of the GODHEAD, when the holy undivided Three in One engaged to, and with, each other, for the salvation of the church of God in Christ. This is that everlasting covenant which was entered into, and formed in the council of peace before the word began. For so the apostle was commissioned by the Holy Ghost,…
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January 5—Morning Devotion
"I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me."—Solomom 7:10 Yes, dearest Jesus! I am truly thine, by every tie which can make me thine. I am thine by the gift of GOD the FATHER; by thine own betrothing me to thyself; by the HOLY GHOST anointing me in thee, and making me one with thee, and in thee, before the world. And I am thine in the recovery of the church from Adam's fall and transgression by the sacrifice of thyself: for thou hast bought me with thy blood, and made me thereby the conquest of thine HOLY SPIRIT. And now through thy divine teaching I can and do discover, that from everlasting thy desire was towards thy redeemed ones, and even when…
