September 8—Morning—Deuteronomy 1:6
"‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.’" — Deut. 1:6

Pause, my soul, and consider the gracious words of God to Israel. They were just entering the border of Canaan at that time. For forty years, they had been in a wilderness state; many ups and downs, battles and restings, conflicts and trials. God graciously said, "It is long enough." "There remains a rest for the people of God." Listen, my soul, does Jesus speak to you in the same way? Have you indeed dwelt long enough in this mountain of trials, sin, sorrow, and temptation? Have you seen enough of the emptiness of all earthly comforts to satisfy you? Have you felt enough of the body of sin and death, which drags down the soul, to make you groan under it, being burdened? Is there anything now worth living for? Are not the glories above worth dying for? Does Jesus call you, invite you, allure you, to come up to the Canaan which He has taken possession of in the name of His redeemed; and will you not mount up on the wings of faith, love, and longing desire, to be forever with the Lord? Does Jesus say, you have dwelt long enough here below? And will you not say the same? Does Jesus call you to His arms; and will you say, not yet, Lord? Ah, my soul, are you indeed in love with this prison? Do you wish to wear your chains a little longer? And is this your kindness to your friend? Precious Lord, break down every intervening thought or passion that would rob You of Your glory, and my soul of Your presence, and give me to cry out—"Hasten, my beloved! And be like a young deer upon the mountains of Bether."
 

September 8—Evening—Isaiah 1:8
"He is near who justifies me." — Isaiah 1:8

My soul, have you ever considered one of the sweet properties of justification; not only in its fullness and completeness, and in all the several blessings connected with it, as it arises from Jehovah in His own threefold character of persons, all and each taking part in it, but also in that which this portion points out, the nearness in which Jesus, the glorious justifier, always stands to you, and surrounds you? Sit down this evening, and contemplate the subject of justification in this light, for it is indeed most blessed. All the persons of the Godhead have, and are engaged in making it effectual to every poor sinner, so as to give the mind always something to rest upon, in the assurance of it. God the Father is the source and fountain of it, not only in having provided it in His dear Son, but also by justifying all the Redeemer's work, to all intents and purposes, justifying the poor believer in Jesus. Hence the apostle, with rapture, exclaims: "It is God who justifies; who is he that condemns?" (Romans 8:33-34). And it is Jesus who justifies all His redeemed, by His blood and righteousness; "for He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification;" (Romans 4:25). And that the hand of God the Holy Spirit was in all this is equally evident; for it is expressly said that Christ was "justified in the Spirit," which would never have been the case if both God's law and God's justice had not been satisfied, and thus justified Jesus, as the sinner's surety (1 Timothy 3:16, Romans 1:4). But, beyond these glorious truths, as the foundation of every poor believer's hope, I charge you to mark it down, my soul, in the memorandums of your inmost thoughts, that as God the Father, who justified Jesus, your surety, was always near to Him, so He who justifies you is always near to you. The charter of grace, and your pardon written down in it in letters of blood, even the blood of Christ, is always near and at hand. Here it stands on eternal record, "that God is just and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus." And He is near who justifies, both as your advocate to plead, so that if any doubts should arise in your poor timid mind concerning it, Jesus might open the volume of record, and there, by His Holy Spirit, show it to you; and also, by the same almighty power, incline your heart to the perfect belief of it, to your joy and peace in believing. Now I again charge it upon you this night, that you henceforth never lose sight of the soul-reviving truth contained in this blessed scripture. But when Satan accuses, and fears arise, and doubts creep in, and both law and justice seem to be reviving their claims, look not at yourself, but look to all-precious Jesus. Behold Him in all His fullness, suitability, and all-sufficiency, as your law-fulfiller and sin-atoning surety, and cry out in those divine words which the Holy Spirit has given you, "He is near who justifies me!"