‘A faith as precious as ours’ (2 Peter 1:1)

Faith is the gift of God. It is the fruit of everlasting love, the effect of grace; we believe through grace. The faith which is the evidence of salvation includes giving credit to the gospel report of a free and full salvation for poor unworthy sinners; an application to Jesus on the throne of grace, founded on that report; and a trusting on the word, work and death of Jesus, for life and salvation.

This always produces love to Jesus, and leads the soul to obey Him out of gratitude. It is precious – being scarce, few therefore believe; being valuable, without it we cannot please God, cannot be justified, cannot rejoice in hope, or enjoy gospel blessings. But those that believe are entitled to every precious promise, to all the fullness of Christ, to enjoy God in every new covenant relation, and they shall never see death. They pass from death to life and shall never come into condemnation.

Gracious God! Give to your people, and to me especially, much precious faith, that believing in Jesus, I may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Oh, to believe this day without wavering! Oh, to be strong in faith, giving glory to God!

Oh, for a strong, a lasting faith,
To credit what th’ Almighty saith,
To embrace the message of His Son,
And call the joys of heav’n our own.

THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)

Journal Jottings

‘Yes, I thought, all for me. All the love of God – all the grace, mercy and merit of Jesus – and all that the Holy Spirit has to bestow. All that the intercession of Jesus can procure, all the blessings of time, and all the blessings of eternity, all mine, and mine forever. O how pleasant, how delightful, how reviving were these thoughts; they made my very heart dance for joy, being attended with a soothing softening power.’