My brother, my sister, it is just literally this that is my message to
you. When Jesus said to His disciples, "Lo, I am with you always," He
meant it in the fullness of the divine Omnipresence, in the fullness of
the divine love, and he longs to-night to reveal Himself to you and to
me as we have never seen Him before.
And now just think a moment what a blessed life that must be--the
presence of Jesus always abiding. Is not that the secret of peace and
happiness? If I could just attain (that is what each heart says) to that
blessed state in which every day and all the day I felt Jesus to be
watching and ever keeping me, oh, what peace I would have in the
thought, "I have no care if He cares for me, and I have no fear if He
provides for me." Your heart says that this is too good to be true, and
that it is too glorious to be for you. Still you acknowledge it must be
most blessed. Fearful one, erring one, anxious one, I bring you God's
promise, it is for me and for you. Jesus will do it; as God, He is able,
and Jesus is willing and longing as the Crucified One to keep you in
perfect peace. This is a wonderful fact, and it is the secret of joy
unspeakable.
And this is also
_The secret of Holiness._
Instead of indwelling sin, an indwelling Christ conquering it; instead
of indwelling sin, the indwelling life and light and love of the blessed
Son of God. He is the secret of holiness. "Christ is made unto us
sanctification." Remember that it is Christ Himself who is made unto us
sanctification. Christ coming into me, taking charge of my whole being;
my nature and my thoughts and my affections and my will; ruling all
things. It is this that will make me holy. We talk about holiness, but
do you know what holiness is? You have as much holiness as you have of
Christ, for it is written, "Both he that sanctifieth and they who are
sanctified are all of one;" and Christ sanctifies by bringing God's life
into me.
We read in Judges, "The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon." But you know
that there is in the New Testament an equally wonderful text, where we
read, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ," that is, clothe yourself with
Christ Jesus. And what does that mean? It does not only mean, by
imputation of righteousness outside of me, but to clothe myself with the
living character of the living Christ, with the living love of the
living Christ.
_Put on the Lord Jesus._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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