Constraining love

Have you been enabled to reach out the arm of faith and embrace the blessed Jesus in your souls, so that you could say, "My beloved is mine, and I am his?" If so, fear not, whoever you are. The Lord, the everlasting God, is your righteousness. Christ has justified you; who is he that condemns you? Christ has died for you, is risen again, and ever lives to make intercession for you. Being now justified by his grace, you have peace with God, and shall before long be with Jesus in glory, reaping everlasting and unspeakable fruits both in body and soul. All is yours if you are Christ's, for Christ is God's. My brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you! Think of the love of Christ in dying for you! Talk of and recommend the righteousness of Christ, when you lie down and when you rise up, at your going out and coming in! Think of the greatness of the gift, as well as of the Giver! Show to all the world, in whom you have believed! Let all by your fruits know that the Lord is your righteousness, and that you are waiting for your Lord from heaven! Study to be holy, even as he who has called you, and washed you in his own blood, is holy! Let not the Lord's righteousness be evil spoken of through you. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ day by day. Think of his dying love! Let it constrain you to obedience! Having been forgiven much, love much.

George Whitefield Daily Readings, Randall J. Pederson, ed., Christian Focus Publications, 2010,  July 6 reading.

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