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With Eyes of Faith, July 16
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may
know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians 1:18
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The highest qualification of the mind will not, cannot, supply the place
of true simplicity, of genuine piety. The Bible may be studied as a branch
of human science would be; but its beauty, the evidence of its power to
save the soul that believes, is a lesson that is never thus learned. If the
practice of the Word is not brought into the life, then the sword of the
Spirit has not wounded the natural heart. It has been shielded in poetic
fancy. Sentimentalism has so wrapped it about that the heart has not
sufficiently felt the keenness of its edge, piercing and cutting away the
sinful shrines where self is worshipped....
The eyes of the understanding must be enlightened, and the heart and
mind brought into harmony with God, who is truth. He who beholds
Jesus with the eye of faith sees no glory in himself, for the glory of the
Redeemer is reflected into the mind and heart. The atonement of His
blood is realized, and the taking away of sin stirs the heart with gratitude.
Being justified by Christ, the receiver of truth is constrained to make
an entire surrender to God, and is admitted into the school of Christ, that
he may learn of Him who is meek and lowly of heart. A knowledge of
the love of God is shed abroad in his heart. He exclaims, Oh, what love!
What condescension! Grasping the rich promises by faith, he becomes a
partaker of the divine nature. His heart being emptied of self, the waters
of life flow in; the glory of the Lord shines forth. Perpetually looking unto
Jesus, the human is assimilated by the divine. The believer is changed
into His likeness.... The human character is changed into the divine.
Christ looks upon His people in their purity and perfection as the
reward of all His sufferings, His humiliation, and His love, and the sup-
plement of His glory—Christ the great center, from whom radiates all
glory.
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