Morning
Time: 1:38 AM PST
"Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge,
etc." --2 Peter 1:5, 6
If thou wouldest enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith,
under the blessed Spirit's influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture
tells thee, "Give diligence." Take care that thy faith is of the
right kind--that it is not a mere belief of doctrine, but a simple faith,
depending on Christ, and on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to thy
courage. Plead with God that He would give thee the face of a lion, that
thou mayest, with a consciousness of right, go on boldly. Study well the
Scriptures, and get knowledge; for a knowledge of doctrine will tend very
much to confirm faith. Try to understand God's Word; let it dwell in thy heart
richly.
When thou hast done this, "Add to thy knowledge temperance." Take heed
to thy body: be temperate without. Take heed to thy soul: be temperate within.
Get temperance of lip, life, heart, and thought. Add to this, by God's Holy
Spirit, patience; ask Him to give thee that patience which endureth
affliction, which, when it is tried, shall come forth as gold. Array yourself
with patience, that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your afflictions.
When that grace is won look to godliness. Godliness is something more
than religion. Make God's glory your object in life; live in His sight; dwell
close to Him; seek for fellowship with Him; and thou hast "godliness"; and to
that add brotherly love. Have a love to all the saints: and add to that a
charity, which openeth its arms to all men, and loves their souls. When
you are adorned with these jewels, and just in proportion as you practise these
heavenly virtues, will you come to know by clearest evidence "your calling and
election." "Give diligence," if you would get assurance, for lukewarmness and
doubting very naturally go hand in hand.