With your Bible in your hand, you are PRACTISING CHRISTIANITY.
PRACTISING CHRISTIANITY
” We know that we have passed out of death into Life, because we love the brothers and sisters. He who does not love remains in [spiritual] death.” — 1Jn_3:14.
It is a great comfort that Love is not only emotional but active. Every reference points to action. The love of God was manifested in the laying down of His life. We are to be willing to follow in His steps. This is PRACTISING CHRISTIANITY in its core.
The injunction is that we should love in our deeds. We are not to shut up our hearts in compassion. We should help our brother in need. If we begin with doing kind and loving actions, we shall end by feeling the same. Often, when people come to me, they say love has died. I have bidden them go back and act with love. I make the other one the centre and object of helpful ministry. The result is the refreshing and rekindling of the hot geyser-springs of affection.
We should seek opportunities to help others in real ways. In every act of assistance, our faith becomes visible.
Do not wait to feel love.
Begin at once to show it, because it is right and your duty.
As you step out in simple faith, you will find God makes this abound.
This good work may also abound in grace.
Love of such kind is self-giving.
It is the gift of the Spirit of God.
This exotic bloom cannot flourish on our wintry soil.
The heart of man cannot furnish it.
There may be a few wild growths.
But they bear small comparison to its beautiful flower and fruit.
Love is of God.
It proceeds from His Nature and is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love.
As we unite with Christ by faith, God’s love will be shed in our hearts.
And we shall be able to love with God’s love.
This is PRACTISING CHRISTIANITY in action.
We know that we have been born from above as soon as we find ourselves willing to put the interests of another before our own, not because we have a natural affection or affinity for him, but because he and we belong to God. If there is hatred or dislike in our hearts towards any, let us beware! We must uproot it by generous action, or it will bring darkness into our own lives (1Jn_2:9-11[PS2] ).
PRAYER
Enable us, O God of patience, to bear one another’s burdens, and to forbear one another in love. Oh, teach and help us all to live in peace and to love in truth. Subdue all bitter resentments in our minds, and let the law of kindness be in our tongues. AMEN.
Evening
“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, ” — Jud_1:20
Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer—In the Holy Ghost.
Additionally, the seed of acceptable devotion must come from heaven’s storehouse.
Moreover, 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.
Nevertheless, 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, agonising, 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.
Morning
“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon [Peter], “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch [of fish].” .” — Luk_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 unskilfully? 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.
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[PS1]1Jn 3:16 By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers.
[PS2]1Jn 2:9 The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yet habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now.
1Jn 2:10 The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin].
1Jn 2:11 But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
