December 28 - Morning"The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." — Galatians 2:20
When the Lord in mercy passed by and saw us in our blood, He first of all
said, "Live"; and this He did first, because life is one of the absolutely
essential things in spiritual matters, and until it be bestowed we are
incapable of partaking in the things of the kingdom. Now the life which
grace confers upon the saints at the moment of their quickening is none
other than the life of Christ, which, like the sap from the stem, runs into
us, the branches, and establishes a living connection between our souls and
Jesus. Faith is the grace which perceives this union, having proceeded from
it as its firstfruit. It is the neck which joins the body of the Church to its
all-glorious Head.
"Oh Faith! thou bond of union with the Lord, Faith lays hold upon the Lord Jesus with a firm and determined grasp. She
knows His excellence and worth, and no temptation can induce her to
repose her trust elsewhere; and Christ Jesus is so delighted with this
heavenly grace, that He never ceases to strengthen and sustain her by the
loving embrace and all-sufficient support of His eternal arms. Here, then, is
established a living, sensible, and delightful union which casts forth
streams of love, confidence, sympathy, complacency, and joy, whereof
both the bride and bridegroom love to drink. When the soul can evidently
perceive this oneness between itself and Christ, the pulse may be felt as
beating for both, and the one blood as flowing through the veins of each.
Then is the heart as near heaven as it can be on earth, and is prepared for
the enjoyment of the most sublime and spiritual kind of fellowship. December 28 - Evening"I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword." — Matthew 10:34
The Christian will be sure to make enemies. It will be one of his objects to
make none; but if to do the right, and to believe the I true, should cause
him to lose every earthly friend, he will count it but a small loss, since his
great Friend in heaven will be yet more friendly, and reveal Himself to him
more graciously than ever. O ye who have taken up His cross, know ye
not what your Master said? "I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother; and a man's foes shall be they
of his own household." Christ is the great Peacemaker; but before peace,
He brings war.
Where the light cometh, the darkness must retire. Where
truth is, the lie must flee; or, if it abideth, there must be a stern conflict, for
the truth cannot and will not lower its standard, and the lie must be
trodden under foot. If you follow Christ, you shall have all the dogs of the
world yelping at your heels. If you would live so as to stand the test of the
last tribunal, depend upon it the world will not speak well of you. He who
has the friendship of the world is an enemy to God; but if you are true and
faithful to the Most High, men will resent your unflinching fidelity, since
it is a testimony against their iniquities.
Fearless of all consequences, you
must do the right. You will need the courage of a lion unhesitatingly to
pursue a course which shall turn your best friend into your fiercest foe;
but for the love of Jesus you must thus be courageous. For the truth's sake
to hazard reputation and affection, is such a deed that to do it constantly
you will need a degree of moral principle which only the Spirit of God can
work in you; yet turn not your back like a coward, but play the man.
Follow right manfully in your Master's steps, for He has traversed this
rough way before you. Better a brief warfare and eternal rest, than false
peace and everlasting torment. December 28 |