July 17

Morning

Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. — 1 Thess 1:4

Many people want to know their election, before they look to Christ but they cannot learn it thus. It is only to be discovered, by “looking unto Jesus.” If you desire to ascertain your own election after the following manner, you shall assure your heart before God. Do you feel yourself to be a lost, guilty sinner? Go straightway to the cross of Christ, and tell Jesus so; and tell Him that you have read in the Bible, “Him who comes unto me, I will never cast out.” Tell Him that He has said, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Look to Jesus and believe on Him and you shall make proof of your election directly; for so surely as you believe—you are elect.

If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then you are one of God’s chosen ones; but if you stop and say, “I want to know first whether I am elect,” you ask you know not what. Go to Jesus, just as you are—be you ever so guilty. Leave all curious inquiry about election alone. Go straight to Christ and hide in His wounds and you shall know your election. The assurance of the Holy Spirit shall be given to you—so that you shall be able to say, “I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to Him.”

Christ was at the everlasting council—He can tell you whether you were chosen or not; but you cannot find it out in any other way. Go and put your trust in Him, and His answer will be, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you!” There will be no doubt about His having chosen you—when you have chosen Him!

Evening

Let not one of them escape. — 1 Kgs 18:40

When the prophet Elijah had received the answer to his prayer, and the fire from heaven had consumed the sacrifice in the presence of all the people, he called upon the assembled Israelites to take the priests of Baal, and sternly cried, “Let not one of them escape!”

So must it be with our sins—they must all die—not one must be preserved. Our darling sin must die. Spare it not—for its much crying. Strike, though it be as dear as an Isaac. Strike, for God struck at sin when it was laid upon His own Son! With stern unflinching purpose, must you condemn to death that sin which was once the idol of your heart!

Do you ask how you are to accomplish this? Jesus will be your power. You have grace to overcome sin, given you in the covenant of grace. You have strength to win the victory in the crusade against inward lusts, because Christ Jesus has promised to be with you even unto the end. If you would triumph over darkness, set yourself in the presence of the Sun of Righteousness. There is no place so well adapted for the discovery of sin, and recovery from its power and guilt—as the immediate presence of God.

Job never knew how to get rid of sin half so well as he did—when his eye of faith rested upon God and then he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes.

The fine gold of the Christian is oft becoming dim. We need the sacred fire to consume the dross. Let us fly to our God—He is a consuming fire; He will not consume our spirit but our sins. Let the goodness of God excite us to a sacred jealousy, and to a holy revenge against those iniquities which are hateful in His sight. Go forth to battle with your sins—in His strength, and utterly destroy the accursed crew—let not one of them escape!