October 8 - Morning"Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." — Luke 5:4
We learn from this narrative, the necessity of human agency. The draught of
fishes was miraculous, yet neither the fisherman nor his boat, nor his
fishing tackle were ignored; but all were used to take the fishes. So in the
saving of souls, God worketh by means; and while the present economy of
grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to
save them that believe. When God worketh without instruments, doubtless
He is glorified; but He hath Himself selected the plan of instrumentality as
being that by which He is most magnified in the earth.
Means of
themselves are utterly unavailing. "Master, we have toiled all the night and
have taken nothing." What was the reason of this? Were they not
fishermen plying their special calling? Verily, they were no raw hands;
they understood the work. Had they gone about the toil unskillfully? No.
Had they lacked industry? No, they had toiled. Had they lacked
perseverance? No, they had toiled all the night. Was there a deficiency of
fish in the sea? Certainly not, for as soon as the Master came, they swam
to the net in shoals. What, then, is the reason? Is it because there is no
power in the means of themselves apart from the presence of Jesus?
"Without Him we can do nothing." But with Christ we can do all things.
Christ's presence confers success. Jesus sat in Peter's boat, and His will,
by a mysterious influence, drew the fish to the net. When Jesus is lifted up
in His Church, His presence is the Church's power — the shout of a king
is in the midst of her. "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Let
us go out this morning on our work of soul fishing, looking up in faith, and
around us in solemn anxiety. Let us toil till night comes, and we shall not
labour in vain, for He who bids us let down the net, will fill it with fishes. October 8 - Evening"Praying in the Holy Ghost." — Jude 20
Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer — "In the Holy Ghost." The
seed of acceptable devotion must come from heaven's storehouse. Only
the prayer which comes from God can go to God. We must shoot the
Lord's arrows back to Him. That desire which He writes upon our heart
will move His heart and bring down a blessing, but the desires of the flesh
have no power with Him.
Praying in the Holy Ghost is praying in fervency. Cold prayers ask the
Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with fervency, plead not
at all. As well speak of lukewarm fire as of lukewarm prayer — it is
essential that it be red hot. It is praying perseveringly. The true suppliant
gathers force as he proceeds, and grows more fervent when God delays to
answer. The longer the gate is closed, the more vehemently does he use the
knocker, and the longer the angel lingers the more resolved is he that he will
never let him go without the blessing. Beautiful in God's sight is tearful,
agonizing, unconquerable importunity. It means praying humbly, for the
Holy Spirit never puffs us up with pride. It is His office to convince of
sin, and so to bow us down in contrition and brokenness of spirit.
We shall
never sing Gloria in excelsis except we pray to God De profundis: out of
the depths must we cry, or we shall never behold glory in the highest. It is
loving prayer. Prayer should be perfumed with love, saturated with love
— love to our fellow saints, and love to Christ. Moreover, it must be a
prayer full of faith. A man prevails only as he believes. The Holy Spirit is
the author of faith, and strengthens it, so that we pray believing God's
promise. O that this blessed combination of excellent graces, priceless and
sweet as the spices of the merchant, might be fragrant within us because
the Holy Ghost is in our hearts! Most blessed Comforter, exert Thy
mighty power within us, helping our infirmities in prayer. October 8 |