Our God is a jealous God. He requires the devotion of the heart, the consecration of all the powers, and we cannot enjoy religion without these. Persons who try to unite God and the world, the service of sin and the service of God, cannot be happy. We must be decided.
Well, who is to be God TODAY? Who is to have the heart, the talents, the affections, TODAY? Is gain, carnal pleasure, or worldly company, to be the idol to-day? Or, is Jesus to have the thoughts, the desires, and the talents? Shall we seek His glory, and aim at His honour? Or, shall we say to some worthless bramble, "Come thou, and reign over us?" Choose you.
Whom will you serve? Attempt not to reconcile opposing claims, but let God or Mammon have the whole. Surely, you are ready to cry out, "Thine am I, Jesus; and Thee only will I serve!" But you can only serve Him acceptably, as you serve Him with the grace He imparts; He has provided, He has promised, and He invites you to receive it.
Let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. Serving God in the spirit of adoption is true happiness.
O let Thy love my soul inflame! And to Thy service sweetly bind; Transfuse it through my inmost frame, And mould me wholly to Thy mind.
Written by James Smith for his own flock around 1840, but such was the demand that by 1846 over thirty thousand copies where in circulation.
James Smith was a predecessor of Charles Spurgeon at New Park Street Chapel in London from 1841-1850. He also ministered with great blessing in Cheltenham. His devotional, The Believer's Daily Remembrancer, subtitled Pastor's Morning and Evening Visit, was very popular in its own day, and has received a new lease of life through recent republication.
Our God is a jealous God. He requires the devotion of the heart, the consecration of all the powers, and we cannot enjoy religion without these. Persons who try to unite God and the world, the service of sin and the service of God, cannot be happy. We must be decided.
Well, who is to be God TODAY? Who is to have the heart, the talents, the affections, TODAY? Is gain, carnal pleasure, or worldly company, to be the idol to-day? Or, is Jesus to have the thoughts, the desires, and the talents? Shall we seek His glory, and aim at His honour? Or, shall we say to some worthless bramble, "Come thou, and reign over us?" Choose you.
Whom will you serve? Attempt not to reconcile opposing claims, but let God or Mammon have the whole. Surely, you are ready to cry out, "Thine am I, Jesus; and Thee only will I serve!" But you can only serve Him acceptably, as you serve Him with the grace He imparts; He has provided, He has promised, and He invites you to receive it.
Let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. Serving God in the spirit of adoption is true happiness.
O let Thy love my soul inflame! And to Thy service sweetly bind; Transfuse it through my inmost frame, And mould me wholly to Thy mind.