He Has Some Secret Source of Happiness (and others)

He Has Some Secret Source of Happiness (and others)

It is highly incumbent upon Christians, to take care against a worldly spirit. They are in extreme peril of losing the power of godliness from their hearts, and joining the number of those, of whom it is said, in the expressive language of Paul, that "they mind earthly things!"

Such earthlings look upon the possession of wealth as "the one thing needful." Wealth is their chief object of pursuit, the chief source of happiness. Nothing modifies or mitigates their desire for riches. They are of the earth, earthly!

Now certainly a Christian is, or ought to be, of another spirit than this! He should be industrious, frugal, and persevering in his attention to the concerns of this world. But still there should be in his mind, an ultimate and supreme regard for the possession of everlasting life. He ought not to be slothful in business; but then he must be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. He should be seen to unite the diligent worker and sincere Christian - and to be busy for both worlds.

The men of this world should be constrained to say of him, "This man is as attentive to business, and as diligent in it as we are; but we can perceive in all he does, an inflexible regard to morality, and an invariable reference to piety. We can discover no lack of diligence or prudence; but it is perfectly evident, that his heart and highest hope are in heaven. He is neither so elated in prosperity, nor so depressed in adversity, as we are. He has some secret source of happiness, of which we are not possessed! His eye is upon some drive force, which we do not recognize."

What a testimony!

Who can obtain a higher one?

Who should seek less?

~John Angell James~
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We Live By Faith

"We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Faith is the root of all true piety. Christians need faith for sanctification, consolation, and perseverance. Every act of the spiritual life is an act of faith. Every step in the spiritual walk is a step of faith. The Christian's course is not one of merely "doing," but of believing.

His prayers are the breathing of faith; his works are the actings of faith; his penitence is the tear of faith; his joy is the smile of faith; his fears are the tremblings of faith; his strength is the confidence of faith; his submission is the acquiescence of faith.

Faith is the eye which looks at Christ. Faith is the foot which moves to Christ. Faith is the hand which receives Christ. Faith is the mouth which feeds upon Christ.

It is not only by the activity of obedience, but by the silent and passive power of dependence, that the Christian is made strong and victorious.

"We live by faith, not by sight." Here is the reason why so many professors are so worldly and so weak; why they make such little progress, and such small attainments. They are so much under the dominion of sense, and are so almost wholly given up to a life of sight, that they have neither time nor inclination to look at the things which are unseen and eternal.

There is in them no habitual looking to Christ, no abiding in Him, no vivid consciousness that all their springs are in Him, and that it is from His fullness they are to receive necessary grace.

We must prefer the invisible realities of eternity, to the visible things of time - all that is dazzling to sight, gratifying to appetite, and dear to passion, by faith, spend a life of self-denial, mortification of sin, and separation from the world.

Be this then your sincere and earnest prayer, my dear friends, "Lord, increase our faith!" Be willing to have the world displaced from your soul, to make room for the objects of faith! Be ready to come from the dazzling glare of earthly scenes, to dwell in the calm and holy light of faith.

Watch diligently against the influence of those objects which have a fatal tendency to eclipse faith's light, to obstruct its operation, and enfeeble its life - namely, sensual pleasure; eager pursuit of the world; and a too intimate converse with those who mind earthly things.

~John Angell James~