‘Remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion’ (Acts 11:23)

Every believer is united to Christ, and is one with Him. Jesus is the vine, he is a branch; Jesus is the husband, he is the bride. Satan’s design, though, is to lead us from the Lord; yet Satan knows well that he can do little or nothing while the Christian cleaves to Jesus. Come on then, cleave to Jesus by faith, in love, with perseverance. Cleave to His truth, to His people, to His ordinances, to His word, and to His throne.

Think of Jesus as the affectionate child thinks of his beloved father, as the tender bride thinks of her devoted bridegroom, as the tired traveller thinks of their precious home. Let Jesus be uppermost in your thoughts, let His love rule your heart, and let nothing steal away your affection from Him.

Live upon His fullness, live according to His word, live in the element of His love; no living safely, no living happily, except when you cleave to the Lord. And never let Satan find you at a distance from Jesus, or he will definitely be too much for you. He is always watching to find you wandering, so that he can worry, deceive and distress you. Therefore, cleave to Jesus as the ivy to the oak tree, or the child to the mother’s breast.

Saviour, let me cleave to thee,
Let the bond of union be,
And, lest I should e’er depart,
Keep thy dwelling in my heart.

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘Many blessed seasons I enjoyed under the old tree, and my daily cry was, “If Thy blessing go not with me, carry me not hence.” Whenever I felt my soul sinking, I fled to the Lord, thought of His past mercies, of the many answers to prayer I had received, and then asked will the Lord deny me now? Now, when I most need His presence.’