September 8 - Morning"From Me is thy fruit found." — Hosea 14:8
Our fruit is found from our God as to union. The fruit of the branch is
directly traceable to the root. Sever the connection, the branch dies, and no
fruit is produced. By virtue of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit.
Every bunch of grapes have been first in the root, it has passed through the
stem, and flowed through the sap vessels, and fashioned itself externally
into fruit, but it was first in the stem; so also every good work was first in
Christ, and then is brought forth in us. O Christian, prize this precious
union to Christ; for it must be the source of all the fruitfulness which thou
canst hope to know. If thou wert not joined to Jesus Christ, thou wouldst
be a barren bough indeed.
Our fruit comes from God as to spiritual providence. When the dew-drops
fall from heaven, when the cloud looks down from on high, and is about to
distil its liquid treasure, when the bright sun swells the berries of the
cluster, each heavenly boon may whisper to the tree and say, "From me is
thy fruit found." The fruit owes much to the root — that is essential to
fruitfulness — but it owes very much also to external influences. How
much we owe to God's grace-providence! in which He provides us
constantly with quickening, teaching, consolation, strength, or whatever
else we want. To this we owe our all of usefulness or virtue.
Our fruit comes from God as to wise husbandry. The gardener's sharpedged
knife promotes the fruitfulness of the tree, by thinning the clusters,
and by cutting off superfluous shoots. So is it, Christian, with that pruning
which the Lord gives to thee. "My Father is the husbandman. Every
branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that
beareth fruit He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Since our
God is the author of our spiritual graces, let us give to Him all the glory of
our salvation. September 8 - Evening"The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead." — Ephesians 1:19, 20
In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth
nothing short of a divine power. What shall we say of those who think
that conversion is wrought by the free will of man, and is due to his own
betterness of disposition? When we shall see the dead rise from the grave
by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their
own free will turning to Christ. It is not the word preached, nor the word
read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost. This
power was irresistible.
All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep
the body of Christ in the tomb; Death himself could not hold Jesus in his
bonds: even thus irresistible is the power put forth in the believer when he
is raised to newness of life. No sin, no corruption, no devils in hell nor
sinners upon earth, can stay the hand of God's grace when it intends to
convert a man. If God omnipotently says, "Thou shalt," man shall not
say, "I will not." Observe that the power which raised Christ from the
dead was glorious. It reflected honour upon God and wrought dismay in
the hosts of evil. So there is great glory to God in the conversion of every
sinner. It was everlasting power. "Christ being raised from the dead dieth
no more; death hath no more dominion over Him."
So we, being raised
from the dead, go not back to our dead works nor to our old corruptions,
but we live unto God. "Because He lives we live also." "For we are dead,
and our life is hid with Christ in God." "Like as Christ was raised up from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life." Lastly, in the text mark the union of the new life to Jesus.
The same power which raised the Head works life in the members. What a
blessing to be quickened together with Christ! September 8 |