From an Address to Christians.
CARRY it about with you. My Saviour has been rejected here; my Saviour has been accepted there. If you are not a missionary of divine blessing, there must be something between your soul and God.
“In Christ.” To be in the apprehension of it is to be in the power of it. Satan cannot take me out, but he can lead me to forget that I am there. The first thing is, that God has put us into Christ; the next thing is, what Christ is made unto us (1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30)). GOD does everything in this verse―we do nothing; our place is the place of subjection and the place of reception. “Wisdom” is in contrast with all the insufficiency of man’s resources. We have to travel through this world ― wisdom we need; well, I thank God we shall never lack, it. CHRIST is our wisdom.
In our pathway down here through this world we need wisdom. Are you going to trust to the experience of yesterday? It is a positive barrier to blessing to trust to experience in the past. Whatever the case, there is unfailing wisdom for you in Christ at God’s right hand.
Thank God, He is “my righteousness,” too. It settles everything; it is not what you are, it is what Christ is.
“Sanctification”... set apart to God entirely. “I pray that your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless,” etc. Your spirit not be hampered by things down here; your affections set upon Christ; and your body, a holy vessel for God. He is my sanctification.
... I don’t believe, beloved brethren, that our hearts are half up to the boundless resources that are ours in Christ. I believe it is joy to the heart of Christ when He sees us, as it were, compelled to turn to Him. He loves us so much that He is jealous of our turning elsewhere.
And He is going to be our “redemption.” There is singing about Christ, and there is singing to Christ.... The twenty-four elders― “Thou art worthy.” ... The angels― “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” Is it not a blessed thing with Himself in our midst― “Thou art worthy”? In the bustle and hurry of this world we need quietness and retirement to listen for His voice. He loves to help us. Don’t look to brethren, to meetings; look up to Me more; let Me have more of your company. What an origin! God our origin. What a position! Christ our position. What a redemption! Christ our redemption. I assure you, beloved friends, when you are near Christ, you cannot speak of your service. The more we are with Christ, self will retire, and Christ will take His rightful place. He has His place in heaven. Oh, that He might have it in our hearts! E. P. C.
He ever lives for you. ―In Gethsemane He came to His disciples and found them sleeping. They were His thought, not He theirs He their thought? They could not watch with Him one hour. So it is now. He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Do we live ever to love Him―to serve Him? He ever lives for you.
Do you ever live for Him? J. G. B.