pared to play his music. You are a musician for Jesus Christ. Have you studied His love letters to you? Are you ready to go forth into the world to sing His praises, dressed in His finery, to bring victory to His name ? God grant that it may be so; that you may put off the old and then put on the new for His own honor and glory. * * * Repentance is not a brooding over the past, but it is a turning in faith to the future. * * * DR. REUBEN ARCHER TORREY Each January, Biola sponsors the Torrey Memorial Bible C on ference throughout Southern Caifomia. These meetings honor the first dean of our school, the world-renowned Bible teach er and evangelist, Dr. Reuben Archer Torrey. A prolific writer, Dr. Torrey’s statements are as practical now as they were the half century ago that he ut tered them. For instance, his incisive analysis and prescription for true spiritual revival. He suggests, “First of all, let a few Christians — there doesn’t have to be many of them — get thoroughly right with God. Spiritual renewal is basically a personal matter and this is the prime essential. Unless the first step is conscientiously met, the rest of the program will come to naught. Second, asking God for a re vival upon their hearts until the heav ens open and the Holy Spirit Himself works among them. Third, these sin cere souls must put themselves com pletely at the disposal Of the Lord for Him to use as He sees fit in winning others to Christ.” Dr. Torrey concludes, “I have used this prescription around the world, and as it has been followed carefully in no instance has it ever failed. It cannot, for it is God’s order.” Would you like to see it happen in your church? Then why not allow it to hap pen first of all in your own heart and life, as you pray, “Oh Lord, do a mighty work, and begin it within me.” Pray with the Psalmist of old, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” * * * Piety means letting God bend your will, not just your knees. 22
rather be bitter. God says this is completely to be set aside. Verse 14 reminds us, “Above all these things, we are to put on char ity, which is the bond of perfect ness.” Scripture tells us that the su preme virtue is love (I Cor. 13:13). Love is the supreme evidence of a Christian life. In John 13:35 we read our Saviour’s words, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disci ples, if ye have love one to another.” Isn’t it tragic that so often the church through the centuries, especially in recent years, has been known for just the opposite? Love is the outer garment the Christian is to wear. It covers over all of the others. Without being adorned in love, we are not completely dressed in God’s graces. After the Christian has put on all of these seven things, having first of all taken off the six things and mortified the five things, then he is all dressed up. He does have some place important to go. He has a job to perform; he has a ministry to carry out. Notice verse 15 of the third chap ter of Colossians, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” If there’s anything we as individuals need to day it is peace. The word rule here is that from which we get our term umpire. In other words, following our doing the Lord’s will, peace is going to be the arbiter in our life. Rather than fighting, turmoil, and frustration, there will be content ment and satisfaction. And by His grace we will be dressed for iti Are you dressed up in the finery which the Lord has provided? Are you ready now to go forth and to proclaim His truth? It is said that when the widow of the famed com poser Schumann was asked to per form any of his compositions, (for she too was an accomplished musi cian), before the concert she would spend precious time reading his love letters. She studied them, pondering and treasuring each word. Only in this way, she said, did she feel pre
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