LyrArc Insights

The Believer's Daily Treasure- The True Believer (Lincoln's Devotional)

Lincoln Devotional is a book that was gifted to him by Mary Lincoln that he could carry with him for occasional reading on the Old Eighth Judicial Circuit Court ( in the 1850's the judicial court was a traveling court in central Illinois requiring Lincoln to travel to county seats on horseback). It was published by the Religious Tract Society of London, England, in 1852, from 65 St Paul's Churchyard, London, as a daily devotional titled -"The Believer's Daily Treasure or Texts of Scripture Arranged For Every Day in the Year."  On the title page was the verse from the Psalm CXIX:72: The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. This book Lincoln kept and signed by him in abbreviation as affection shows Lincoln as a man of profound faith. "Take all this book upon reason that you can," Lincoln wrote to his friend Joshua Speed in 1864, "and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a better man." Carl Sandburg in his Introduction shows the many times Lincoln and this little book as well as an Oxford Bible guided his speeches and actions. He cites the message to Congress of December 1, 1862, of the need for action by the present and living generation, the territory of a nation, its land, being the only part of it  which is of certain durability- and then quoting from scripture, Lincoln said: "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth abideth forever." This is important because 5-8 generations have passed since Lincoln and this period of 1852 and for each generation this applies, we repeat this in our experience.

As Carl Sandburg tells us Lincoln from his earliest reading days as a boy turned the pages of the Bible, and with all his years went on reading it. What aspects of Lincoln's faith speaks to us?  Lincoln once said (as Carl Sandburg tells us), that his religion was like that of an old man he once heard speak at a church meeting. " When I do good, I feel good," that man said, "And when I do bad I feel bad, and thats my religion."  Here are some of the most memorable and useful verses from Lincoln's Devotional-

Renewed by the Holy Ghost

Not by works of righteousness which we have done , but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.- Titus iii. 5.

Vain is every outward rite,

Unless thy grace be given:

Nothing but thy life and light,

Can form a soul for heaven.

 

Partakers of the Divine Nature

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.- 2 Peter. i. 4.

Blessed are the sons of God;

They are bought with Christ's own blood;

They produce the fruits of grace 

In the works of righteousness:

Born of God they hate all sin;

God's pure word remains within.

 

United in Christ

I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.- John xv. 5.

Lord of the vineyard, we adore

That power and grace divine,

Which plants our wild, our barren souls,

In Christ the living Vine

For ever there may I abide,

And from that vital root,

Be influence spread through every branch,

To form and feed the fruit.

 

Christ the Peace of the Believer

Now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace.- Ephesians ii. 13, 14.

" He is our peace" - for by his blood

Sinners are reconcil'd to God,

Sweet harmony is now restor'd,

And man beloved, and God ador'd.

 

Upheld by the Spirit

That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man.- Ephesians iii. 16.

Assisted by his grace

We still pursue our way;

And hope at last to reach the prize,

Secure in endless day.

 

Sealed by the Spirit

Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. - Ephesians iv. 30.

Forbid it, Lord, that we

Who from thy hands receive

The Spirit's power to make us free,

Shoul e'er that Spirit grieve.

 

O keep our faith alive,

Help us to watch and pray;

Lest, by our carelessness, we drive

The sacred Guest away.