Friday, August 12, 2011

It is high time to awake out of sleep!

"Be zealous!" Revelation 3:19

The zealous Christian is sure of . . .
God's blessing,
the approbation of his own conscience,
the opposition of Satan,
the frown of every lukewarm professor,
and the commendation of all godly people.

Let us warm our hearts at the fire of God's love!

Let us quicken our motives by a visit to the cross!

Let us sharpen our weapons by communion with the Spirit!

Let us seek the grace, the courage, the strength necessary at the mercy seat--and then let us zealously fall to work. Let . . .
the work of God be our delight,
the welfare of our fellow-men be our aim,
and the glory of the Lord be our highest object!

Let us live in earnest. Let us live to purpose.

By the shortness of time,
by the solemnities of death,
by the realities of eternity,
by the danger of lost sinners,
by the vigilance of Satan,
by the poor state of the Church,
by the character of the present times,
by the command of God,
by the example of primitive believers,
and by the counsel of the Lord Jesus--
let us stir up our hearts--and stir up one another to "Be zealous!"

Brethren, the time is short, and "It is high time to awake out of sleep!"

By the spread of Popery,
by the activity of infidelity,
by the condition of our cities,
by the needs of the Church,
by the woes of the world,
by the authority of God,
by the blood of the cross,
by the promise of the Spirit,
by the prospect of success,
by the rest of the grave,
by the glories of Heaven,
by the terrors of Hell,
by the rewards of activity, and
by the condemnation of the lukewarm and the slothful
--allow me to beseech you to "Be zealous!"

Be zealous today--tomorrow you may die!

Be zealous in time--and in eternity, you will rejoice that you have been so!

~ James Smith, "The Zealous Christian!" 1864

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