But further, the love of Christ} also gives an. intensity to life. How much we lack this these days—that burning zeal and holy enthusiasm in the work of the Lord.
Look at the context of this passage: "For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause." That indicates intensity, We have in these days, probably' more than at any time, that zeal, that fervour that springs from the energy of the flesh, but which is 'a hindrance more than a help to the work of the Lord, It is shown in this way and in that. Sometimes added organization, sometimes in forming committees, and the Fest of it. What we went to-day more than' anything else is that holy enthusiasm that characterized the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, "I must work the works of Him that xent Me," "I must be about My Father's business," "He must needs pass through Samaria," or, of the great Apostle Paul when he said, "Woe is me. if I preach not the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Here we have an intensity that has its foundation in the constraining love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Victory at the Last straining love of! and garrisoning the heart gives victory. Formerly, the river flowed slowly, sluggishly down, flowing round anything that was in its way, seldom carrying it away. But now that the river has been brought within banks, it has a velocity which has overpowering strength that can carry everything ahead of it. And so, when th of Christ fills your heart and ye can join with the Apostle, Paul in that wonderful conclusion to his argument in the Eighth, Chapter of Romans, when he said, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, of distress, or persecution, or, famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
-Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors." We have got the victory because of the constraining love of Jesus Christ, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor prineipalites, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
"Thy mighty Love, O God, constraineth sine strong tide it presseth on Seeking a channel in my self-bound I not say, O tide of Love, flow My God, Thy gentleness hath conquered Life cannot be as it hath hither' been, Breck through my nature, - mighty, Mibeeveniy Lake, tare mighty Clear every avenue of thought and Flood my affections, purify my will, Tet nothing but Thine own pure ife Thus wholly mastered and possessed by, "God, Forth from my life, spontaneous anid free, Shall Bow's stream of tenderness and Loving, Because God loved, eternally."
The love of Jesus Christ constraineth us, How can I obtain that love? Come to Him as your Saviour; accept His finished work and own Him og your King, and then that love that passeth understanding shall constrain and fil your life and ministry.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.