Preserving Spiritual Wakefulness (2)
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.—Rom. 13:11
(3) Labour for an abundance of the Spirit of God. What makes men sleepy, and drowsy? The want of the Spirit. We are dull, and overladen with gross passions, whereby the strength sinks and fails. Christians should know that there is a necessity, if they will keep themselves awake, to keep themselves spiritual. Pray for the Spirit above all things. He is the life of our life, the soul of our soul. What is the body without the soul, or the soul without the Spirit of God? Even a dead lump. Let us keep ourselves in such good ways, as we may expect the presence of the Spirit to be about us, which will keep us awake.
(4) We must keep ourselves in as much light as possible. For all sleepiness comes with darkness. Let us keep our souls in a perpetual light. When any doubt or dark thought arises, upon yielding comes a sleepy temper. Sleepiness in the affections arises from darkness of judgment. The more we labour to increase our knowledge, and the more the spiritual light of it shines in at our windows, the better it will be for us, and the more we will be able to keep awake. What makes men in their corruptions to avoid the ministry of the word, or anything that may awaken their consciences? It is the desire they have to sleep. They are aware, that the more they know, the more they must practice, or else they must have a galled conscience. A gracious heart will be desirous of spiritual knowledge especially, and not care how near the word comes, because they honestly and freely desire to be spiritually better. They make all things in the world yield to the inward man. They desire to know their own corruptions and evils more and more. They love the light ‘as children of the light, and of the day' (1 Thess. 5:5). Sleep is a work of darkness. Men of dark and drowsy hearts, desire darkness, so their consciences may sleep.
(4) We must keep ourselves in as much light as possible. For all sleepiness comes with darkness. Let us keep our souls in a perpetual light. When any doubt or dark thought arises, upon yielding comes a sleepy temper. Sleepiness in the affections arises from darkness of judgment. The more we labour to increase our knowledge, and the more the spiritual light of it shines in at our windows, the better it will be for us, and the more we will be able to keep awake. What makes men in their corruptions to avoid the ministry of the word, or anything that may awaken their consciences? It is the desire they have to sleep. They are aware, that the more they know, the more they must practice, or else they must have a galled conscience. A gracious heart will be desirous of spiritual knowledge especially, and not care how near the word comes, because they honestly and freely desire to be spiritually better. They make all things in the world yield to the inward man. They desire to know their own corruptions and evils more and more. They love the light ‘as children of the light, and of the day' (1 Thess. 5:5). Sleep is a work of darkness. Men of dark and drowsy hearts, desire darkness, so their consciences may sleep.
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Love of Christ (Bowels Opened), pp. 87-89 [88-89]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
The Love of Christ (Bowels Opened), pp. 87-89 [88-89]
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
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January
One Thing (1)One Thing (2)Our Thoughts and Desires Reveal Who We AreThe Christian's Desire for God's House (1)The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)What the Soul Was Made ForGod Makes the Heart TenderMaintaining a Tender Heart (1)Maintaining a Tender Heart (2)Maintaining a Tender Heart (3)Maintaining a Tender Heart (4)Test to See if Your Heart is TenderHow to Recover a Tender HeartBenefits of a Tender HeartKings Must Humble Themselves Before GodHow to Humble Ourselves (1)How to Humble Ourselves (2)How to Humble Ourselves (3)Proneness to PrideHumilityTrue versus False Humility (1)True versus False Humility (2)True versus False Humility (3)Both Outward Devotion and Inward AffectionWeeping for the ChurchWeeping and Rejoicing Mixed (1)Weeping and Rejoicing Mixed (2)God Hears Our Prayers--His PartWhen It Seems God Doesn't HearThe Privilege of PrayerGod Hears Our Prayers--Our Part
February
Death Is a Gathering (1)Death Is a Gathering (2)The Righteous Preserve their NationGod's Righteous JudgmentThe Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (1)The Importance of Knowing God Loves Me (2)Abundance Is Not an Accurate Sign of God's LoveRun to GodChristian UnityChrist In Us (1)Christ In Us (2)Christ In Us (3)Christ In Us (4)Christ In Us (5)Christ the Servant: the MediatorThe Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (1)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (2)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (3)The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax (4)God Knows Our FrameLittle at First (1)Little at First (2)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (1)Sometimes Tender, Sometimes Tough (2)Avoiding Unnecessary RulesThe Weaker BrotherExtend Grace to One AnotherThe Covenant of GraceThe Light of God Compared to Fire (1)
March
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