Holy longings & spiritual breathings

Back to Next Part Man's religion & God's religion 2

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"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You: my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

Do carnal, unregenerate men know anything of these holy longings and spiritual breathings after an invisible God—or after a manifestation of the love of Christ? Depend upon this, that no unregenerated man ever longed truly and really for God.

He might desire to have his sins pardoned—under the convictions and stinging's of his natural conscience. He might even wish to go to heaven—that he might escape hell.

But he never desired God for what He is in Himself. God is too pure and holy, too great and glorious a Being for a natural heart to love—or a carnal mind to desire. Every unregenerate sinner says unto God, "Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Your ways!"

There must be a new nature raised up in the soul, a new heart and a new spirit, before God can be desired for His own sake.

If you have similar longings, seeking's, and thirsting's, you have an indubitable evidence that God has done a work of grace upon your heart. If a man knows nothing of the power of God in his soul, he can know nothing of true religion or vital godliness.