Psalm 118:25-27 Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.… I. THE NATURE OF THE PROSPERITY HERE DESIRED. It includes — 1. A revival in the personal religion of each member of the Christian Church. 2. Numerous conversions to God. 3. Harmony, peace, and joy in the Church. 4. Liberal support to religious institutions. II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROSPERITY. 1. This is important in its relation to your personal happiness. The Christian should not only possess but enjoy religion. 2. It is important in its relation to our usefulness. Spiritual prosperity is important that the parent may be a blessing to his children, that the Sabbath school teacher may be a blessing to his class, that the minister may be a blessing to his people, and that the Church may be a blessing to the world. Eminent piety is essential to eminent usefulness. 3. This prosperity is important in its relation to our ineptness for heaven. There are two things essential to our ineptness for heaven, viz. justification and sanctification. The first refers to a change of our state, the second to a change of our nature. Justification is derived from the righteousness of Christ, sanctification from the spirit of Christ. The one is instantaneous in its accomplishment, the other is gradual in its advancement. Justification gives us a title to heaven, sanctification a ineptness for it. 4. This prosperity is important when viewed in its relation to God's glory. The fruitful Christian exercises strong faith in God, which produces ardent love, meek submission, and cheerful self-denial; these, and the other graces of the Spirit, reflect the highest honour upon the character and government of God. "Herein is My Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit." III. THE MEANS IN THE USE OF WHICH THIS PROSPERITY MAY BE SECURED. The Holy Spirit operates upon the human soul through the medium of truth, this truth is contained in the Scriptures, and is to be presented to the minds of men by the Christian Church. (H. Hollis.) Parallel Verses KJV: Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.WEB: Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now. |
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