Manifesting the Life of Jesus
ROYAL COMMANDMENTS.
SIXTEENTH
Day.
— Manifesting the Life of Jesus, 'That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.'
2 Cor. iv. rz.
S not this a 'high' and 'holy' and Phil. iii. 14; zebimt 1s Os Heb. iti. 1.
'heavenly' calling? - Yet 'even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His r Pet, il. or. steps.'
'Hereunto,' to do just as He would have done, sometimes even just as He did do in like circumstances ; to show not our patience, but 'the patience of Jesus Christ,—not mere human meekness and gentleness, but 'the meekness and gentleness of Christ,' and so on with all the other beautiful and holy qualities which shone in 'the life also of Jesus.'
While our 'life is hid with Christ in God,' His life is to Rev. i. 9.
2 Cor. x. 1
Col. iii. 3,
MANIFESTING THE LIFE OF FESUS,
Sr be ' manifest in our mortal flesh,'—yes, 'magnified in my body.'
Phil. i. 20.
'How shall this be?'
First, Jesus Himself must dwell in our hearts by faith, or His life cannot be ' manifest.'
Eph. iii. 17, He has said He will do so, but it is on conditions which He specifies:
1. Hearing His voice; 2. Opening the door-tos iim 5' 3.) Loving Him; 4:
Keeping His words.
Not one of these can we fulfil without His grace, but not one of them will He deny us grace to Rev. iii. 20.
John. xiv.23 ib. xv. 5.
2 Cor. xii. 9. fulfil, and the real desire to fulfil them is the beginning of that grace.
Therefore let us 'open unto Him immediPhil. i. 6.
Luke xii. 36. ately,' and let Him come in and 'abide with us,' so that henceforth it may be, 'Not I, but Christ liveth in me.' ib. xxiv. 29.
Gal. ii. 20.
We want Him to make us vessels meet for this great use ; pure and trans2 Tim. ii. 2%, parent vessels through which His glorious life may shine; so transparent, that, like clear glass, they may be altogether lost sight of in the light which streams through them; so pure, that they may not dim the radiance of His indwelling.
The word 'manifest' is more than F
ROVAL COMMANDMENTS.
mere showing ; it implies a bringing to light, shining forth, and comes from the idea of a torch or lantern.
We can only shine as lights in the world by bearing the Light of the World within us.
But it is a grand and solemn responsibility.
Our Lord Jesus is hidden from the eyes of the world ; they do not see Him, they only see us, and our lives are to show them what Phil. ii. xs.
John viii. 12. ib. i. xo. x Pet. ii. 9, margin, His life is.
What a tremendous trust our Master has given us!
Who is sufficient for this thing?
It is very 2 Cor. ii. 16, ib. iv. 7. real.
He, our precious Lord, will be held in more or less esteem this day; His power, His grace, His sweetness will be judged of according to what the outsiders see in our lives.
This day it 2 Cor. ill. 3. rests with us to bring fresh reproach and discredit on His dear name, by caricaturing His life, or so truly to manifest it 'that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you.' o Thess. i. 12, Thy life in me be shown !
Lord, I would henceforth seek To think and speak Thy thoughts, Thy words alone, No more my own !
YOKE-DESTROVING ANOINTING.
SEVENTEENTH
Day.
—-0—— Che Yoke-destroving Anointing, "The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.'
Isa. x. 27.
HE Assyrian yoke of old was not so real, so tangible, so continually felt a yoke, as that under which many a child of God is writhing ; yet they are 'called unto liberty,' even 'the glorious liberty of the children of God,'
And if the yoke of sin is felt to be real, the promised destruction of it 'surely Gal. v. 13.
Rom. viii. al. will not be less so, If it is, as we know by sorrowful experience, no imaginary bondage, neither shall the deliverance be imaginary.
You feel the yoke, but ow shall it be destroyed?
1. Because of the grand anointing of our Lord Jesus Christ by God Himself 'with the Holy Ghost Acts x. 38.
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and with power' to proclaim liberty to the captives; the grace and might of [sa. xi. 1. the Triune Jehovah thus combining in the proclamation of the liberty which Jesus purchased by taking upon Him the form of a slave and becoming obedient to death.
Phil. ii. 7, 8.
2. 'Because of the anointing' which we 'have received of Him,' because the precious ointment upon our High x Jobn ii. 27.
Ps. exxxiii.
Priest's head goes down to the skirts of His garments, shared by His least and lowest members.
Perhaps we stop here and say, 'But I cannot realize that I have received it, because my yoke is heavy upon me.'
Then see how you shall receive it; there is only one way—not by fresh revelation or special voice from heaven, but simply by faith—'that ye might receive the promise of the Spirit zhrough faith?
Give glory to God, and be fully persuaded that what He has promised He is able also to perform; and His Gal. iii. 14.
Rom. iv. 20, 21.
'free Spirit' will be faithful to His promise,and the yoke, even your yoke, 'shall be destroyed because of the anointing.'
Ponies.
Heb. x. 23.
YOKE-DESTROVING ANOINTING.
All other yokes are sub-included in the yoke of our sins, and this is exactly what Jesus came to save us from ; the very first, as it is the all-inclusive New
Testament promise, 'Thou shalt call | matt. x.
His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.'
Are all His wonderful promises about this mere empty words, with no power or reality in them?
Are they the exceptions to His declaration that 'My words shall | iv. xxiv. 35, not pass away'? the only promises which are zof Yea and Amen in Christ | 2 Cor. i. 20.
Jesus?
Listen! they need no note or comment.
'Sin shall not have | rom. vi. 14, dominion over you.'
'Ye were the | ib. vi. 17, <8. servants of sin, but, . .. being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.'
' Vow being made free | ib. vi. 22. from sin, 'the law of the Spirit of life | ib. viii. 2 in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.'
'Whoso- | John viii. 34, ever committeth sin is the servant of |*" sin...
. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.'
Let us look at the context of each (only not quoted for want of space), a oe peal
ROYAL COMMANDMENTS.
a, and, if our experience has nothing answering to all this purpose of His goodness, let us ask Him to show us His own meaning and His own royal intention, and to 'reveal even this unto you' by the unction from the Holy Phil. iii. x5.
1 John ii. 20.
One, who convinces all the more deeply of sin when He convinces also of the practical power of Christ's blood to cleanse from all sin, and of the reality of His present salvation.
Do not hug the yoke which He has promised to John xvi. 8. x Johni. 7.
Matt. i. 21. destroy.
'And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou Isa. xiv. 3, 4. shalt . say, How hath the oppressor ceased!'
'In that day... his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder.'
But 'that day' may be ¢his day!' Why not?
'For xow will I break his yoke from off thee.' ib. x, 27.
Nah. i. 13.
' Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there 2 Cor. ili. 17, is liberty ;' and He hath said, ' Ask, and ye shall receive.'
Recognise the | Matt. vii. 7
Lis |
VOKE-DESTROVING ANOINTING.
anointing by faith, and then 'stand Gal. v. 1. fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ Aath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage ;' for 'this is His commandment.' Then you shall 'walk at liberty,' and give Him the glad 'offering of a free heart,' rejoicing in His easy yoke, and (shall we not add), 'proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour.'
Ps, cxix. 45. ib. liv. 6.
PBS.
Matt. xi. 29.
Jer.xxxiy, 15.
Upon Thy promises I stand, Trusting in Thee: Thine own right hand Doth keep and comfort me!
My soul doth triumph in Thy word ; Thine, Thine be all the praise, dear Lord, As Thine the victory.
Love perfecteth what it begins ; Thy power doth save me from my sins ; Thy grace upholdeth me.
This life of trust, how glad ! how sweet !
My need and Thy great fulness meet, And I have all in Thee.
JEAN S, PIGOTT.
ROVAL COMMANDMENTS.
De SS |e ee ee
EIGHTEENTH
DAY.
(a Our Works in Gov's Man.
| Prov. xvi. 3.
'Commit thy works unto the Lord.'
UPPOSE an angel were sent down to tell us this morning that he was commissioned to take all our work under his charge to-day, that we might just be easy about it, because he would Ps, cil. 20. | undertake it, and his excellent strength and wisdom would make it all prosper a great deal more than ours, how extremely foolish it would be not to avail ourselves of such superhuman help!
What a holiday it would seem, if we accepted the offer, as we went about our business with the angel | beside us! what a day of privilege and progress! and how we should thank God for the extraordinary relief His kindness had sent!