Morning “Brethren, pray for us.” / 1 Thessalonians 5:25

 This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader’s memory upon

the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every

Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by

an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous,

involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal

business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto

death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small

mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in

Christ’s army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they

watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling

involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often

draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and

official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are

at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded;

we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our

preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both

to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God.

Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if

we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for

spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings

through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen

vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole

company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the

name of Jesus beseech you

 “Brethren, pray for us.”

 

Evening “When I passed by thee, I said unto thee, Live.” / Ezekiel 16:6

 Saved one, consider gratefully this mandate of mercy. Note that this fiat of

God is majestic. In our text, we perceive a sinner with nothing in him but

sin, expecting nothing but wrath; but the eternal Lord passes by in his glory;

he looks, he pauses, and he pronounces the solitary but royal word, “Live.”

There speaks a God. Who but he could venture thus to deal with life and

dispense it with a single syllable? Again, this fiat is manifold. When he

saith “Live,” it includes many things. Here is judicial life. The sinner is

ready to be condemned, but the mighty One saith, “Live,” and he rises pardoned

and absolved. It is spiritual life. We knew not Jesus–our eyes could not see

Christ, our ears could not hear his voice–Jehovah said “Live,” and we were

quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Moreover, it includes

glory-life, which is the perfection of spiritual life. “I said unto thee,

Live:” and that word rolls on through all the years of time till death comes,

and in the midst of the shadows of death, the Lord’s voice is still heard,

“Live!” In the morning of the resurrection it is that self-same voice which is

echoed by the arch-angel, “Live,” and as holy spirits rise to heaven to be

blest forever in the glory of their God, it is in the power of this same word,

“Live.” Note again, that it is an irresistible mandate. Saul of Tarsus is on

the road to Damascus to arrest the saints of the living God. A voice is heard

from heaven and a light is seen above the brightness of the sun, and Saul is

crying out, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” This mandate is a mandate of

free grace. When sinners are saved, it is only and solely because God will do

it to magnify his free, unpurchased, unsought grace. Christians, see your

position, debtors to grace; show your gratitude by earnest, Christlike lives,

and as God has bidden you live, see to it that you live in earnest.