Psalms 89:13

WE are, during the coming week humbly but earnestly to beseech of God for days of refreshing and seasons of revival. It is well for us at the outset distinctly to remind ourselves of the source from where all the strength must come. No genuine revival can ever arise from the flesh. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." Human excitement at the utmost, and carnal zeal at its extremity, can do nothing towards the real conversion of souls. Here we are taught the lesson, "not by might nor by power." Disappointments ought to have taught the Church of God this lesson long ago. The many revivals which she has had which have proved to be spurious—the puffing up of excitement and not the building up of Divine Grace—all these should have driven her out of the last relic of her self-confidence and have made her feel that it is not of herself to do anything in the Lord's cause without His help. "Our help comes from the Lord that made Heaven and earth." It is well to be constantly convinced of this. We must have God's arm laid to the work or else nothing will be accomplished which will stand the solemn tests of the last great day. Wood, hay, and stubble we may build alone, but gold, silver and precious stones are from the King's treasury. "Without Me you can do nothing," was the Savior's word to His chosen Apostles! How much more applicable must it be to us who are "less than the least of all saints"! In vain your holy assemblies! In vain your earnest desires! In vain your passionate addresses! In vain your efforts of a thousand shapes! Unless God Himself shall step forth from the hiding place of His power and set Himself, a second time, to His own glorious work, no good can come of all your toils— Having reminded ourselves, dear Friends, that our great strength lies in the God of Jacob, it is very comforting to notice how great this strength is.

WHEN the soul is perfectly reconciled to God and comes to delight in Him, it rejoices in all His attributes. At the first, perhaps, it dwells almost exclusively upon His love and His mercy, but it afterwards proceeds to find joy in the sterner attributes and especially delights itself in His holiness and in His power. It is a mark of the growth of Christian knowledge when we begin to distinguish the attributes and to rejoice in God in each one of them.

WHEN the soul is perfectly reconciled to God and comes to delight in Him, it rejoices in all His attributes. At the first, perhaps, it dwells almost exclusively upon His love and His mercy, but it afterwards proceeds to find joy in the sterner attributes and especially delights itself in His holiness and in His power. It is a mark of the growth of Christian knowledge when we begin to distinguish the attributes and to rejoice in God in each one of them. It betokens meditation and thought when we are able to discern the things of God and to give to the Lord a Psalm of praise for each one of His glories. And it also indicates a growingly intimate communion with the great Father when we begin to perceive His adorable Character and to rejoice so much in all that He is, that we can take the attributes in detail and bless, praise and magnify Him on account of each one of them. Under the Jewish Law there were forms of the sacrifices which were of the simplest kind, such as the offering of turtle doves or young pigeons, which were simply torn asunder and burned upon the altar. But there were other and more elaborate rules for the sacrifices which were taken from the flock and the herd. These were rightly divided and the parts laid in their places—the head, the fat, the inwards, the legs and so on—as if to show that although some Believers only know the atoning sacrifice as a whole and after a superficial manner, there are others still further instructed who look deeper into Divine mystery and see the various forms which the great Truths of God assume. It is a saving thing to know the Lord God with all your heart, but I would, Beloved, that you knew all the varied rays of His pure light. That you beheld the many glories of His crown and could rejoice in each distinct excellence of His infinite perfection.

WE are, during the coming week humbly but earnestly to beseech of God for days of refreshing and seasons of revival. It is well for us at the outset distinctly to remind ourselves of the source from where all the strength must come. No genuine revival can ever arise from the flesh. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." Human excitement at the utmost, and carnal zeal at its extremity, can do nothing towards the real conversion of souls. Here we are taught the lesson, "not by might nor by power."

Thou hast a mighty arm - Margin, as in Hebrew,” an arm with might.” That is, Thou hast great power - the arm being the instrument by which we accomplish our purposes. Strong is thy hand - The hand, too, is an instrument by which we execute our plans. Hence, God is so often represented a having delivered his people with a strong hand. And high is thy right hand - It is by the right hand particularly that we carry out our purposes. We lift it high when we are about to strike with force. All this is expressive of the divine omnipotence.