From Christ Is Our Fruit Found

"I am like a green fir-tree: from me is thy fruit found." -Hosea 14:8 [KJV]

Here is a sweet dialogue between the Lord and Ephraim, which signifies growing. The Lord had just before said, “I will be as dew upon My people.” See the effects of this grace, Ephraim says, “What have I to do any more with idols?” Now I find my Lord and His love in my heart, get hence ye cursed idols: my vile lusts and that vain idol, the work of my hands, my own righteousness. I abhor the former. I trample on the latter. I bemoan my folly in taking up with them so long. The Lord graciously answers, “I have heard him:” his moans and complaints. “And observed him,” with complacency and delight returning to me. 

O ever gracious, long-suffering, loving Friend of sinners! “I am like a green fir-tree.” Who says this? Commentators say, Christ. But I would rather humbly presume, than boldly assert, that they are the words of the believer. For thus the dialogue is kept up. Naturalists say, the fir-tree is of itself unfruitful. If so, we may suppose the believer saying to his Lord, I find my soul is alive. I do grow. I am a tree of righteousness of thy planting, and Thou mayest be glorified (Isaiah 61:3.) But, I am like a green fir-tree. I bear eaves. I can bring forth no fruit of myself. I long to be fruitful to Thy glory. To which Christ replies, “From Me is thy fruit found.” O we can never be too often reminded of this! For it beats down pride: It keeps us humble before, dependent upon, and grateful to our dear Lord. 

(1st.) Christ hath brought forth all rich fruit to us, to comfort us: adoption to ennoble us: righteousness to justify us: blood to cleanse us: holiness to sanctify us: and heaven to glorify us. 

(2d.) All the graces of the Spirit in us: faith to come to and abide in Him: love to delight our souls in Him: hope to expect from Him, etc. 

(3d.) All our fruits of righteousness are from Him. Being married to Him, we bring forth fruit unto God (Romans 7:4.) All our fruits of righteousness are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:11.) 

O then it shall be our chief, our constant concern, to keep our faith in lively exercise upon Christ, that we may have a clear sight of our union to Him, and a happy sense of communion with Him. Out of His fulness we receive all supply. Remember this criterion of thy Lord, O that it may quicken our diligence, influence our conduct, and animate our zeal in the way of holiness. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” -Matthew 7:20

 

All my salvation is in Christ; 

From Him are all my fruits; 

All other notions I resist, 

Which sinful nature suits. 

Hence I by faith on Christ will live, 

That Christ may live in me; 

So ev’ry grace shall spring and thrive, 

And I not barren be.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s
Read more

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us,
Read more

Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 04 October, 2023 A.D.

" All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient." —I Corinthians 6:12 [KJV] The constraints of love and jealousy of fear sweetly unite in the believing heart. Where the faith of Jesus prevails, love constrains. It holds and keeps us in our station and duty, as soldiers are kept together under a banner or ensign displayed. What cheerfulness and activity of soul do we experience, when we can say with the church in the Canticles (Songs of Solomon), ch. 2, vs4. "Jesus' banner over me was love!" Then how sweetly do we judge and determine our conduct by the law of Christ, which is LOVE!  This excites a godly fear lest we should allow ourselves a latitude in things in themselves indifferent, to the wounding and hurt of our souls or our fellow-soldiers. Though all things of an indifferent nature, which are innocent in themselves, are lawful to us; yet the cause and interest of our dear Saviour, and the good and edifying of His beloved memb
Read more