Evening
Time: 1:56 PM PST
"Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." --2 Peter
1:4
Vanish for ever all thought of indulging the flesh if you would live in the
power of your risen Lord. It were ill that a man who is alive in Christ should
dwell in the corruption of sin. "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" said
the angel to Magdalene. Should the living dwell in the sepulchre? Should divine
life be immured in the charnel house of fleshly lust? How can we partake of the
cup of the Lord and yet drink the cup of Belial? Surely, believer, from open
lusts and sins you are delivered: have you also escaped from the more secret and
delusive lime-twigs of the Satanic fowler? Have you come forth from the lust of
pride? Have you escaped from slothfulness? Have you clean escaped from carnal
security? Are you seeking day by day to live above worldliness, the pride of
life, and the ensnaring vice of avarice? Remember, it is for this that you have
been enriched with the treasures of God. If you be indeed the chosen of God, and
beloved by Him, do not suffer all the lavish treasure of grace to be wasted upon
you. Follow after holiness; it is the Christian's crown and glory. An unholy
church! it is useless to the world, and of no esteem among men. It is an
abomination, hell's laughter, heaven's abhorrence. The worst evils which have
ever come upon the world have been brought upon her by an unholy church. O
Christian, the vows of God are upon you. You are God's priest: act as such. You
are God's king: reign over your lusts. You are God's chosen: do not associate
with Belial. Heaven is your portion: live like a heavenly spirit, so shall you
prove that you have true faith in Jesus, for there cannot be faith in the heart
unless there be holiness in the life.
"Lord, I desire to live as one
Who bears a blood-bought name,
As one who fears but grieving Thee,
And knows no other shame."