July 1929
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ever had such a satisfactory experience as this ? It is bom out of LOVING SERVICE TO HIM. It makes one want to live continuously in the attitude of WORSHIP. It arouses such ecstasies of adoring love that one wants to cry o u t: “Lord Jesus, when I think of Thee, Of all Thy love and grace, My spirit longs, and fain would see Thy beauty, face to face.” This is a FULL JO Y : A JOY of COMMUNING SAT ISFACTION, for “we joy in God,” and we “rejoice in hope o f the glory of God.” Thus in this blessed chapter our Lord sets before us, for you, and for me, HIS WILL. This is the personal, practical satisfaction of living for Him in the path of separation. Born anew, we can never again enjoy the world, its ideals or its pleasures as we could do before God touched us, Why then should we not obey His voice and walk as He would have us ? J u d g m e n t M u s t B e g in a t t h e H o u s e o f G od While it is true that as believers in Him, we can “never come into judgment” (Jno, 5:24), YET NOW, “judgment must BEG IN at the House of GOD, and if— IF I T F IR S T BEG IN A T US, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4:17). Ponder these solemn words, dear Christian, and con sider their significance— “IF I T F IR S T BEG IN A T US.” The Lord shall judge His people, and every Chris tian, has TWO WAYS of learning the will of God for his life. It is all here in this 15th chapter, and the blessed way to learn is by fellowship in joyous obedience to Him by our daily walk and conversation. Thus as He did to Moses so to us He will make known “H IS W A Y S ,” but if we, like Israel of old, become stiffnecked and rebellious, out of communion with God, we shall in bitterness of soul learn “H IS AC TS” (Psa. .103:7). Naomi could say, “The Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.” This is always the experience of that one who will not live a life of SELF-SURRENDER. Our Lord re quires that we give to Him a title indefeasible to all that we have and are, and nothing short of this will ever sat isfy Him. A great deal is said these days about “SUCCESS,” but it is only by being a TRUE FRU IT BEARER, and a TRUE FRIEND OF JESUS, that we can ever be suc cessful in the cause of Him whom having not seen we love, and in whom though now we see Him not, yet believ ing, We rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Have you ever sung that old hymn of Mr. Moody’s: You and I, dear friend, do not want to be barren and unfruitful for Him. And there is no need for such a fear ful thing to happen. It is not the will of God that His chil dren should be failures, unhappy or wretched, or unsatis factory in their life service. We can ALL WIN. The practical personal satisfaction of living for Christ is that it makes us W IN as fruit bearers, and we shall live the JOY L IFE in the fellowship of His love and the confi dence of His favor. We will take a look at the other side by asking the question—-“What happens to those Christians who won’t go ‘the whole way with God’?” Sixth verse: “I f a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and men gather them and cast into the fire, and they are BURNED .” Must I go and empty handed? Must I meet my Saviour so ? Not one soul with which to greet Him, Must I empty handed go?
Have you ever looked upon a beautiful bouquet of choicest flowers and admired the exquisite FRESH NESS, the BEAUTY and the FRAGRANCE? This is all because these flowers come from an atmosphere, that is exactly what it should be. But put these same flowers into an unventilated, unhealthy, darkened room, arid within a few hours everything will be changed. The fresh ness, the fragrance, the beauty, all gone; the petals all drooping; everything WITHERED. This is an illustration of a Christian. Abiding in Him, instant in prayer, God gives that man, freshness, joy, and delight in testimony for Him, as well as holiness and POWER. The Lord Jesus is spoken of as the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys. “Abiding in Him” and personal contact of His presence gives to the life a fellowship and fragrance which can be recognized and enjoyed. On the other hand, if we permit ourselves to drift away from our moorings into atmospheres spiritually unhealthy and stifling to Christian growth, like the flowers we, too, become W ITHERED. This gives opportunity for Satan which he immediately seizes, and men gather and cast into the FIRE, and WE A R E BURNED (John 15:6). IAston to this final word (2 Pet. 3 :17) : “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away w ith the”error o f the wicked, FALL—FROM YOUR OWN STEAD FA STNE SS . But grow in grace, and in the knowledge' of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and forever. Amen.” What could be more beautiful than old-fashioned humility when properly related to life! Talents are safe guarded by it, natural beauty is enhanced by it, and all the natural and acquired graces look fairer to intelligent folks when they have a humble spirit as their background. Dr. Jowett leads us to the garden of the soul for .a view of the Same thought, contemplating the beauty of the lowly fern as typical of this rare grace. He says:.“There are ferns in the garden of the soul, as well as flowers.'The flowers grow best in the sunshine; the ferns grow best in the shade. “There is the fern of Patience, and the fern of Long Suffering, and the fern of Meekness. And the great Gardener of the soul delights in the ferns, and purposes to save them from destruction by the garish day. “And so He takes us into the shade of disappointment, or the shade of sorrow, or the shade of sickness and pain. But it is a very blessed shadow, for it is the ‘shadow of the Almighty.’ And here the ferns flourish and the cloudy day makes the garden beautiful.”— The Way o f Faith. Martin Luther and His Sins In his talks to Christian boys, Capt. R. Wallis tells the following story: Martin Luther once dreamed that. Satan unfolded before him a long record of his sins. After exam ining the roll carefully, he asked Satan, “Are these all my sins?” “No,” was the reply. “Then show me them all,” said Luther. Another list was brought, and he asked again, “Are these all?” “Yes,” said Satan. “Then,” replied Luther, “take your pen and write across them, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” ’— Sel. AS/s, 4» Hum ility is Beautiful
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