May 22, 2010

Bro. Ray Tinsman
Shining Faces

We are facing pressure by some to accept experiences that haven’t produced a shining face. When Moses met God his face was shining afterwards. Have you been changed? In our day people claim to be slain in the spirit and have a dark face – not the Holy Spirit. Outward changes don’t save, you need Jesus – He will take care of the outward. Have you left your first love? It’s not too late – be changed by an experience that will give you shining face.

Sis. Susan Mutch
How Is Your Obedience

The gospel is tailor-made for each of us. Angels are ascending and descending from heaven with the Word of God. The Lord wants each of us to make it to heaven and He is expecting each of us to obey His Word. Are you awake? This gospel fits all generations and all locations.

May 23, 2010

Bro. Randy Hargrave
Faith with Works

Saying you have faith has many implications. Faith produces works! After you believe, immediately you begin to do things no one has told you to do. Works provide the proof of your faith. Don’t stifle when the Lord urges you to do something. If you have faith, allow God to move you and exercise your faith. You will grow by obedience. If you don’t have faith, don’t resort to works – works alone will not save you.

Bro. Stephen Hargrave
Salvation from Sin

Salvation is available to us that will save and deliver you from all committed sin now and in the future. When we are truly saved we will be a new creature and sin will have no part in our lives.

May 24, 2010

Bro. Allen Bontrager
Why Delay?

You have been provided with a golden opportunity to get your help – why delay? This is your time to get what you need. There is no need to wait for days while you linger when you know that you have an unmet need or need to be saved.

Bro. Benjamin Tovstiga
The Yoke

God promises that His yoke is easy. But, there is a yoke – He makes that clear. Yokes are very restrictive and confining. This is for your own protection and safety. Cornering an animal brings out the worst in it, people are much like that. Then it shows what you are really made of. Kiss the Son and all that comes with the Son – Psalm 2.

May 25, 2010

Tuesday morning, hundreds of saints went to Greenville for a 2 hour street meeting in downtown with live singing and much distribution of Christian literature and invitations to the camp meeting.

Bro. John Strizu
An Experience of Fire

God answers by fire. Every true experience of salvation will come by fire. Elijah’s God answered by fire and still does. The proof of your salvation will be by the fire that will be apparent in your spiritual life. Let the Lord burn up what is combustible and get the fire.

May 26, 2010

Bro. Johnny Friesen
The Wind Blew

The wind will blow to test what you have built with. It will crack your structures of mud and dirt. You must build on the rock (lively stones) in order to stand the wind, rain, and flood.

Bro. Stephen Hargrave
The Harvest

The Lord is once again sending his reapers – the ministry – to gather the wheat and the tares and do a separating work. There is no room for a white, black, one-work, or German Church of God in this time. All must come to be in complete unity and do the work the Lord has commissioned. It is a shame to see what has become of the Church of God of Bro. D. S. Warner’s time. They have lost the power and only claim the name without the Biblical authority and truth.

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“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15:26.

This verse unequivocally exposes death for what it is–the enemy of mankind. No sooner had sin entered the world than death came running upon its heels. And so speaks God to the first man, “For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Gen. 3:19). “In Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15:22). It is a product of the Edenic curse on sin, and thus “death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12).

Death was not God’s original plan for man’s existence. It is the end of all earthly probation, a sealing up of the deeds of man until the day of resurrection and judgment. It is the blight of all of man’s natural hopes for life and vitality. It severs the bonds of friendship and family. Death has brought untold grief to multitudes of those still living, and more fearful still, the everlasting agony of untold billions since it followed the entrance of sin.

And yet, in the face of all of this, there are actually people who applaud death as a friend and saviour. They welcome death as an end to misery and the curse of sin, when it is a curse of sin itself! As appalling a thing as death is, they languish for it, thinking that only through the venue of death can they ever be rid of sin in their life. As if death were a cleansing from what they could not (or rather would not) part with here! To such, life is not long enough for a person to know conclusively that they are saved. Nor can one attain unto Christian perfection but through the scourge of death.

This is an absurd doctrine, and one completely without warrant in the holy scriptures. It is Satan’s attempt to perpetuate the deception which he first introduced in the garden. It turns an end-product of sin, the most baneful curse to ever soil the history of man, into a blessing. And such a “blessing” this! To hope to be delivered then from what one can most certainly be and must be delivered from now? To put off the day of one’s salvation, claiming it cannot be had until then? To completely undo all the dire warnings of the holy apostles and prophets against sin? To foster lukewarmness and down-right coldness and disinterestedness of vital religion in the soul of man?

Dear reader, death will produce no metamorphosis of the soul. One cannot be cleansed through death of the wrongs they have committed while living. “And if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” Eccl. 11:3b. It is a maxim that is every whit true in the spiritual, as well as the natural. Death, the enemy of your soul, will seal your spiritual condition, not change it. If sin is harbored in life, it will crush you in death.

“But this is not so,” says one, “For Paul has said, ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain’ (Phil. 1:21).”

Hold! Death is only gain if you have this testimony of Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). And how can you truly have this testimony unless, like Paul you have been “crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20) and are “dead indeed unto sin” (Rom. 6:11) in this life? How can death be gain to those whose obvious testimony is that they are yet sinners and continue in sin more or less every day? What! you have fought a good fight when you have been vanquished by sin every day of your life? This is strange language, for sure! Death, the child of sin, a gain to the soul that sins? As if sin itself were a blessing and not a curse!

I would that those who espouse this pernicious doctrine would realize the magnitude of the view they hold. It exalts death over Christ; makes it a saviour, instead of Him. It gives to death the power reserved to the Deity alone, and shames the blessed Son of God, for it yields more power to death than to Him. “We cannot be perfect,” they say, “until we die. No man can live above sin while living.” Never mind that Christ is the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and it is He who is “exalted…to be a Prince and a Saviour” (Acts 5:31). Nay, for they will have death to do what they will not allow Christ to do for them here.

Why is this, dear soul? Is it because sin is yet sweet to you? Is it because you fear to live a righteous and a holy life now? Are earthly things of such value that you are loath to be deprived of them by being a true Bible Christian?

Hear the words of the Lord Jesus, the Vanquisher of Sin and Conqueror of Death. “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). Not a servant of His. And “know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Rom. 6:16). Therefore death (in this case the second death, or everlasting punishment) is linked to sin, and yielding to sin makes you its servant and a partaker of its consequence. But “if the Son therefore shall make you free” from being the servant of sin, “ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Indeed. But is death His mechanism for making one free from sin? Surely not, for hear Him again, “Sin no more,” and “Go, and sin no more” (John. 5:14; 8:11). He is the Saviour, and deliverance from sin is found in Him in life, not death.

Sin is a spiritual principle and condition. Therefore, since the soul is in itself eternal and does not pass away with physical death, it remains that sin in the soul also cannot pass away with the body. There is no cleansing element in death. The cleansing of the soul can only be had through the blood of Christ. Death is not His work, nor His means of dealing with the problem of sin. Calvary is.

God feels so strongly toward death that He is destined to destroy it and anything attached to it. This includes your soul, for “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezk. 18:4).

“Do not venture the hope
that is waiting for death
To waft you to comfort and peace.
There’s no rest for a soul,
in this world or above,
Not saved in the Father’s embrace.”

Precious soul, fly to Christ now for cleansing from all sin. Death is not a saviour! There is one hope for your soul. Newness of life is to be had now.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17. “…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2.

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“…When Felix came with his wife Drusilla…he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Acts 24:24-25.

Felix did not want to give up his sins. He looked around. There was Drusilla. He knew that when he became a Christian, he must send her back to Azizus, her lawful husband, and he said to himself, “I will risk the destruction of my immortal soul sooner than I will do that.”

How many there are now who cannot get to be Christians because they will not abandon their sins! In vain all their prayers and all their church-going. You cannot keep these darling sins and win heaven, and some of you will have to decide between the wine-cup and unlawful amusements, and lascivious gratifications on the one hand and eternal salvation on the other.

Delilah sheared the locks of Samson. Salome danced Herod into the pit. Drusilla blocked up the way to heaven for Felix and unless some of you repent, you shall likewise perish. Yet when I present the subject tonight, I fear that some of you will say, “Not quite yet. Don’t be so precipitate in your demands. I have a few tickets yet that I have to use. I have a few engagements that I must keep. I want to stay a little longer in the whirl of conviviality–a few more steps on the road to death, and then, sir, I will listen to what you say. Go thy way for this time. When I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Do you know that your boat is on the edge of the maelstrom, and that the foam on the wave is the frothing lip of the destroyed, and that the gleam in the water is the glaring eyeballs of the banished, and that the roar of the wave is the groan of the damned? You had better clutch with both hands the handles of the oars, as with a death grip, and, putting the blades down into the black waters, pull for your eternal life, crying, “Lord, save me, I perish!”

Can you not offer such a prayer tonight, oh man, long wandering away from your God? Who is that I see running up and down in the prison-house of the lost, now trying to break through the gate, and failing, turning around and rushing to the other gate and beating against it, and in despair, crying, “Let me get out!” Who is it? Some soul tonight that will not give up his indulgences; some soul tonight that is bound hand and foot by the powers of darkness; some soul here that has a darling sin that he will not sacrifice, and who says to me when I present the great themes of God and eternity to his soul, “Not yet. Go thy way for this time. When I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.”

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We have proved that the people will come to receive a literal and unvarnished gospel. The impression is abroad that you must fix up the gospel to suit the age, instead of fixing up the age to suit the gospel, and the young men coming out of our theological seminaries have the impression that they must palliate the prejudices of society and must cover over the natural rottenness of the human heart, and that they must tell men what very clever people they are and that they only need to be pressed in a little one way and pulled out a little the other way, and then they will be all right. And they say, “All you want is development.”

Development! Is it? You might as well go to a man bent double with the cramps of Asiatic cholera and tell him that all he wants is development. It is a lie. He needs to have his disease killed, so that he may get well. Until our heart is changed by the grace of God, it is scabbed and ulcerous with a great leprosy, and it is not development we want, but it is the cure of an eating, loathsome, blasting, damning leprosy. Our whole nature throughout, and throughout, and throughout wrong, needs to be made over and over, and over again.

I wish that every word of that passage could come down with five ton’s weight of emphasis– “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” Though he had given one hundred thousand dollars to religious institutions, though he never used a bad word in his life, though he paid all his debts, though he lived on the tiptop round of respectability– “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.”

But so little do we hear about this doctrine of regeneration in this day, that it is almost considered indelicate for a man to read in a public assemblage the words of Christ to Nicodemus about the new birth. And as to there being any hell, if we make any allusion to that, it must be with exquisite circulocution, as “the place of high temperature,” or “the world insalubrious,” or, as a minister recently called it, “the great elsewhere!”

I say to the young men who are studying for the ministry, if you have any idea that it is necessary to preach an emasculated gospel in order to get people to come and hear it, you make a vast mistake.

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Bro. Patrick O’Shea Sr.
Promises of God

Bro. Patrick O’Shea Jr.
Sovereignty of God

Saturday, October 10, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Bro. Stephen Hargrave
Who Was Lucifer?

It is generally understood in the world that Lucifer was an angel of heaven, which is the devil.
Isaiah 14:12-17
The devil is so sly and crafty that he has made some people believe that there is no devil.
Lucifer was not in heaven because he wanted to ascend up to where God was.
(verse 16) Lucifer can be seen.
Isaiah 14:4
Daniel 4:4-5,10-32 Proves the Lucifer is actually Nebuchadnezzar.
He did not realize that he was just a base man.
Nebuchadnezzar said in his heart that he was the ruler of the world. He didn’t realize that it’s God who sets the appointed ruler over the kingdom.
There is more than one heaven mentioned in the Bible.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 The third heaven(paradise)
Genesis 1:1
Ephesians 2:4 Ecclesiastical heaven/ spiritual realm
When the Bible is speaking about heaven, it’s not always speaking about the dwelling place of God.
Luke 23:43
1 Peter 1:3-4
The devil never was where God is. If he was there, then he can get there again.
There’s not enough evidence to believe that the devil ever was in heaven.
Revelation 12:1-11
The following scriptures prove that the woman in Revelation 12 is the church.
Romans 7:4
2 Corinthians 11:2
Ephesians 5:25-27
Revelation 19:7
Revelation 21:9-10
Ephesians 2:6 This woman was in heavenly places.
Acts 4:32
This dragon mentioned in Revelation 12 was the dragon that the morning time church was dealing with, which was paganism.
Revelation 12:7 This war that took place was a spiritual warfare.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Bro. John Strizu
The Fear of Man

We have a problem and that is that we are worried about what people think about us. To some degree that could be good, but to a large degree it could be a hinderance.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare.
There are a lot of people who are hindered in their spiritual experience, of what they could do, by a fear of man.
Many people are bound by the fear of man and don’t even realize it.
Matthew 10:28
The Lord still has a plan for your life, a will for you to fulfill and if you’re not careful, you’ll be bound up by the fear of man.
John 12:42-43
Whose praise do you like better? People are afraid of what man thinks and forget about what God thinks.
You can’t please man. No matter how well you testify or pray, there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like it.
1 Samuel 15:24
What are you moved by? What causes you to do, or not to do the things you do? Who are you trying to fit in with?
Next time you’re tempted to fear man, ask yourself, “What can man do unto me?”
God doesn’t want a bunch of people who are bound up by eachother.
Too often people are more motivated by what people think than by what God thinks.
You will never be able to do anything for God as long as you are bound up by man fear.
Whatever your calling is, move out! Don’t allow yourself to be hindered by the fear of man.

Friday, October 9, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Bro. Randy Hargrave
Being Saved Through the Gospel

1 Corinthians 1:21
We live in a time of no faith.
We need to hear gospel preaching that will save us from this generation.
You’re not strong enough to stay saved on your own.
If you’re going to be saved, it will be through the foolishness of preaching.
You need to be begging God that He will give the message clear and strong to the preacher.
Revelation 14:6
Romans 10:13-14
Nobody has ever been saved without a preacher.
Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.
We need a preacher that stand in the sun and doesn’t back up in his preaching.
Romans 2:16
Acts 2:37-38,41
Preaching the Word saves from sin.
We need the Book open and poured out upon us.
Acts 9:4
The gospel is a sword. It’s meant to prick.
Acts 10:44
The gospel fills people with the Holy Spirit.
People are healed by the preaching of the Word.
Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is the gospel.
Psalm 75:8,10
Revelation 16:1-2
This cup needs to be poured out upon you repeatedly.
The gospel does two things:it either helps us or condemns us.

Thursday, October 8, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Bro. Daniel Layne
Deceitfulness of Sin

The problem in this world is not because people are ignorant, it’s not because of others, circumstances, or family, but the problem is sin. The reason why people aren’t getting saved is not that they don’t understand, but they want to sin.
Nobody has to sin. People sin because they want to sin.People are not right because they don’t want to be right.
Ezekiel 18:2-4.30-31 The soul that sinneth it shall die.
There’s a way out for anyone that does not want to sin.
You don’t just sin on the outside. You are totally involved when you sin; inside and outside.
1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil.
If you are identifying yourself as a sinner, you are bad.
There are no good, nice, sweet sinners because the devil is not kind or gentle or sweet.
You can go to hell because of one sin and it would be your fault because you are of the devil.
John 8:44
If you don’t give yourself to the devil he can’t have you.
James 4:17 He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Sin is not an accident. There was careful preparation made by you. You led yourself into that trap.
Isaiah 64:7
Hebrews 3:13
You will pay for every bit of sin. Most of the time people have to pay the penalty even though they are forgiven.
John 15:22
Ecclesiastes 8:11
If you are a sinner, your sins are chasing you and they are going to catch you.
Even just one sin that’s not covered by the blood can keep you out of heaven forever and forever. Don’t presume that God’s going to make some fantastic renovation in the end.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Bro. Daniel Layne
The Blood of Jesus

Exodus 12:3,5-7,12-13
Leviticus 17:11 It is the blood that maketh an atonement for sin.
Where there’s sin there must be the blood to cover it.
Revelation 5:6
Without the blood all there would be is judgment and hell at the end.
1 Peter 1:18
Hebrews 10:4-5
The blood of bulls and goats could never atone for us.
Hebrews 9:14
When you’re washed in the blood of Jesus you’ll be sure there’s something that’s gotten a hold of you.
Matthew 26:28 This is my blood, drink it.
Let the blood be a part of you, pervade your being, let it become you.
This Baby didn’t have A B blood type. It had had H G blood type, meaning Holy Ghost.
Everyone without the blood is hell bound.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Bro. Daniel Layne
True Salvation
Text: John 6:44

Receiving salvation for your soul (getting saved) is not a mental decision, moral transformation, praying, observance of outward tradition, desiring to be saved, raising your hand, or signing a decision card. It clearly does include making a choice and having your life transformed, but the Bible distinctly spells out the process God has laid out for true, Bible salvation. No man can choose his own timing to be saved. The work of salvation begins by the Holy Spirit drawing you and putting a desire to be saved in your heart. He will guide you in the way you need to take towards salvation as you seek Christ. There will be an awakening to your lost condition and a Godly sorrow for the sins you have committed. Godly sorrow works repentance and you will show the fruits of repentance by how you are dealing with your life. When you are saved, the evidence of it will continue to manifest itself in your life as you make restitution for wrongs you have committed and as you continue to move on to sanctification and the ordinance of baptism. God is willing and able to forgive every sinner, but he is not interested in a casual seeking out of a superficial desire for salvation. The process described in the Bible is not necessarily a lengthy one, but for many people with little or no understanding of salvation they will first need to be awakened to their condition by the Spirit before the can make a move to salvation.

Monday, October 5, 2009
Aylmer, Ontario, Canada

Sis. Susan Mutch
True Worship
Text: John 4:24

Worship is a term that is widely misunderstood and misapplied by the religious world. It is a vital element of our service to God and must not be underestimated. The Bible commands us not to forsake the assembling of God’s children – this does not mean to attend the church that suits your style. The command is to find an assembly of true worshipers whose hearts are full of holiness and purity. Worship flows freely from the justified heart in living praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty God. It is not something orchestrated or drummed up by a band or a worship leader. The Holy Spirit is the only leader of true worship. If your heart is full of God, worship will automatically manifest itself in a variety of ways, be it through prayer, song, testimony, lifting of hands, or verbal support of the service. All things done in worship are to glorify God and edify the believers.

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Tonight is the first service of the 11th Fall meeting in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada! We are anticipating great things from God – He never fails to bless His children in unexpected ways.

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He made two trumpets–one for heaven, and John heard its blast about Patmos. He made the other for the earth, and He hung it in the church.

Simon Peter put that trumpet to his lips and all the docks and shipping of Galilee heard it. Luke took it, and, forgetting the medicines of his apothecary shop, he went everywhere to blow it. Paul took it and made Philippian dungeons ring and Corinthian palaces echo and Christendom resound with the harmonies of the resurrection.

A trumpet, God-made, heaven-manufactured, yet needing no giants to use it, but suited to faint lips and trembling hand and feeble lungs; so that sick Edward Payson, leaning against the pulpit, might hold it, and Frederick Robertson, worn out with ulcers and spinal complaints, might breathe through it, until the fashionable hearers at Brighton watering-place trembled and believed.

The gospel trumpet is great in its power. On a still night you may hear the call of a brazen trumpet two or three miles, but this is so mighty that it is not only heard from heaven to earth, but it is to arrest the attention of all nations. Men with physical hearing all gone catch the first strain of it. Men buried half a century in crimes have heard it. It is the power of God unto salvation. Amidst the rush of a cavalry troop, going perhaps a mile in three minutes, Saul heard it, braced himself in the stirrups, and reined in his charger on the road to Damascus. In a custom-house, amidst the chink of coin and the shuffle of feet and the dispute of merchants at the high tariffs, Matthew answered its mighty call.

Men have put their fingers in their ears to keep out the sound, but have been compelled to hear it. At its blast, walls fall, and thrones upset, nations leap from barbarism to civilization. There is no force in the shock of musketry, or in the boom of cannonade, as compared with the pealing forth of this great gospel trumpet.

Oh! that the eternal God might speak through it now! That all these people might rise up into the freedom of the gospel! 

T. DeWitt Talmage

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Sunday, June 14, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

Bro. Ricky Hernandez exhorted the saints to be prayerful in all that we do. Whether in conversation or elsewhere, keep a spirit of prayer with you.

The Sea of Glass
Bro. Benjamin Tovstiga

Text: Revelation 15:1-4

The sea of glass (glass meaning mirrored glass as in a looking glass), mingled with fire is powerful. It is used by God to bring people face to face with themselves. Some spend hours in front of a literal mirror. This is generally a waste of time, but come and stand on the sea of glass. Take a good look – how is it with you? Many people come and take one look and run, as they cannot deal with how they appear. Do not get upset with what you see – it is only a mirror, after all. Save your energy for the washing. Do not rail at something innocent. Get a burning bush experience so you will not be consumed.

The camp meeting is now ended – what a meeting it was! Blessings poured down from heaven, souls were saved, sanctified, unified, and strengthened. There was a tremendous influx of people there for the first time and as a whole, were encouraged by what they saw. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one to bloom where they are planted and be light in this dark world.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

In the prayer meeting this morning, Bro. Ken Harger iterated how vital it is that we spread ourselves out to receive was much as possible from God. If we are parched, the wider we stretch our arms, the more rain (blessings) we will get.

Shiloh
Bro. Stephen Hargrave

Text: Zechariah 8:20-23

Shiloh=peace. Jesus=peace. Peace comes with a sword – some things have to be divided before there can be peace. The Body of Christ is peace. It is not normal for Christians to be separated. It is abnormal to have a church only for black/white/Hispanic/German people. That is manufactured unity. A lot of people try to manufacture arks. Some have only zebras or gorillas. In the middle of the arks are many creeping creatures. Many a zookeeper is deployed to keep the peace. Regardless of your race or culture, if you are a Christian you are in! All of us Christians look alike the whole world over. It is not about the clothes you wear, but your spiritual personality – we all share the same Spirit. You cannot be a Christian and withhold your hand of fellowship to any of the saints. These kinds of actions only happen outside of Shiloh. But, the Lord can heal withered hands so that they once again reach out to every blood washed one as He first intended. Is this Amish/Mennonite/Catholic/Baptist? No! It is the Ark – all Christians are one congregation, separated simply by locality. If you are separated from another brother in the Lord, that is not between him and God. That is between you and him and God. The religious world is declining so quickly around us that true Christians are running out of options – it is time to come home and unite as God has ordained in His Word.

Following the morning service, a baptismal service was held nearby. Many were baptized by immersion – it was a blessing to see the outward symbol of what had already taken place inside the heart of each participant.

The saints were greatly inspired and encouraged in the evening service through the numerous songs that were sung.

The Spirit of Prophecy
Bro. Randy Hargrave

Text: Revelation 19:10

In order to operate a piece of heavy machinery, you must have someone teach you that has experience. It is not enough to read the owner’s manual or get some classroom training. The only way to learn is hands-on. People are puffed up in their own minds and think they know so much. But even most so-called Church of God people have never touched the real thing. They only have head knowledge. But God has put together a people that actually know how the machine works. It may not be how you imagined it to be, but it works! The spirit of prophecy speaks expressly. You are accountable for what you see and what it tells you. There is not much time left – are you going to heed its speaking? People by the multitudes are feeling the pressure – it is the spirit of prophecy. Do not refuse Him that is trying persuade you to yield. It may seem hard, but will Heaven not be worth it?

Friday, June 12, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

Bro. Patrick O’Shea Jr. exhorted the saints in the 7:30 AM prayer meeting to pray effectively. Do not just pray generally, but identify the need and pray accordingly.

The ordinances of foot washing and the Lord’s supper were observed in the morning service. It was a blessed time of fellowship as the brothers and sisters separately washed each others’ feet as hymns were sung and the saints rejoiced in the bond of perfectness which binds us all together in Christ. Afterward all the saints reunited in the main tabernacle and an open communion was observed in accordance with the example Jesus left us in the New Testament. Unleavened bread was used to represent the body of Christ, wheat mixed with water and baked. Pure grape juice was used to represent the blood of Christ that He shed on the cross of Calvary for our sins. Individual communion cups or bread portions are not used by the Church of God as that is a modern, sterile dilution of the ordinance that is meant specifically to be used as a type of the exclusive unity of the Church and the resistance to personal, spiritual independence. As each saved person participated in the communion, an air of solemnity prevailed over the audience as we meditated on the gravity of the sacrifice of Christ’s death. The service was all together inspiring, unifying, and sobering.

Bro. Byron Benion opened the service tonight with a rousing testimony of his salvation from sin and spoke of his lifelong quest to be a winner through football, coaching, etc. Through all of these avenues his quest continued, but he testified that since he got saved last September he had finally attained his goal – he was a winner with the best coach in the universe – God! A number of saints testified tonight and the special singers from Aylmer, California, and Ohio sang.

The Witness
Bro. John Redekop

Text: Romans 8:16

A witness is the assurance of approval. God gives each of His children a witness of their salvation. In the Old Testament God gave His people a stone. Do you have a stone? A stone will make doubts disappear. When the devil comes to you with accusations and questions – show him the stone. There is a prevalent false teaching to “take it by faith”. Yes, faith is necessary, but God is faithful to bear witness with His Spirit in your heart. He also bears witness to His people as a body. That is why we do not hesitate to invite anyone to the meeting – come and see the witness. Try the Spirit – does it bear witness with your soul? Many have tried to manufacture a witness through various means, but this will not last. If you do not allow yourself to be talked into it, no one can talk you out of it. Elijah’s sacrifice was answered by fire – when the fire falls, you have the witness. If you are unsure tonight, get the witness – it is available for all.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

An ordination service was held this morning. Bro. John Redekop of Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada and Bro. Johnny Friesen of Paris, Texas, USA were ordained to the Ministry of the Church of God. May the Lord richly bless them as they labor in the Lord’s vineyard.

Let Us Go On
Bro. Ray Tinsman

Text: Hebrews 6:1

After you have been saved, the Lord has more for you. Last words are generally very important. Jesus specifically instructed

His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they should received the Holy Spirit. They were saved – Jesus explicitly mentions that their names are written in heaven – but they needed to go on to perfection. The experience at Pentecost is known by numerous names: Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Sanctification, Entire Sanctification, Perfection, etc. It has always been the desire of God to have man in His own image. God never meant for His creation to be separated from Him by sin. After Adam sinned, the root of sin was inbred into each child born subsequently. This is also know as the Adamic nature, the carnal nature, the old man, the carnal mind. After you are saved, you have victory over sin, but the carnal mind is still present and causes something to rise up within you involuntarily. The carnal mind also causes doubts and confusions. Your biggest enemy is yourself. After you have experienced the second work of grace or been sanctified, this root is entirely removed and the Holy Spirit takes full charge of your being. All temptations come from without, not within. Character flaws, impatience, and other carnal traits are eradicated. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible clearly distinguishes between the two works of grace, salvation and sanctification. If you are saved, that is wonderful! Now, do not tarry there, go on to perfection, the Lord has a tremendous experience for you that will help you to excel spiritually.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

In the prayer meeting, Bro. Peter Hildebrandt reminded the saints not just to seek but follow the Lord’s instructions to receive your help. Naaman had preconceived ideas how he should be healed. He was not healed until he followed the prophets instructions exactly.

The Second Coming of Christ
Bro. Jacob Braun

Text: Acts 1:9-11

Everyone will see the Lord return, not just those that anticipate His coming. Prepared or not, you will witness His return. Some are refusing His pleadings today, but a day is coming when you have no choice but to face Him. That day will surely find you out. Every teaching that allows for a second chance is a fallacy from the devil. People are pretending another chance exists after the judgment, but it is only a pretension. When Jesus returns, Mohamed will acknowledge Jesus as the only Savior, along with all other false religions. Every single knee will bow to Jesus Christ, every atheist will confess that He is Lord. God will answer His enemies to their face. The judgment will be fair, your verdict based solely on your actions. Now there remains an opportunity to determine your own outcome. We are responsible for all we hear and know. Is there a welcome in your soul for the Lord’s return? Do not be the last backslider before the Lord’s return. We do not know when He is coming – but this we know, prophecy is fulfilling and He promised He was returning.

Awake
Bro. Daniel Layne

Text: Isaiah 51:9

The Church of God is preaching the message of awakening, alarm, and restoration. The world around us is asleep and needs to be awakened. God wants a place where our children can excel and a place for our young people to be radical. When we stop to preach the come-out message, we need to hear it preached to us. We came out of places where mourning was the main occupation. After being in many different prisons, we are now free! We are living in Bible times, we are living the acts of the Apostles. The glory is here, the Lord is working mightily. Get people into the Book and they will experience real salvation – a life-altering experience. It will affect everything, your family life, finances, etc. It used to be that you could to service after service and never feel stirred. Those times are over – the Lord is working and moving freely in each service. We have no program, the Holy Spirit has free reign. Now we can sing Joy Unspeakable with joy unspeakable and full of glory! Quantity will come, the Lord is restoring quality so that He can send quantity.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

In the early morning prayer meeting, Bro. Rick Wiebe encouraged the saints to continue in prayer. We must persevere until we get through.

Restoration
Bro. Benjamin Tovstiga

Text: Isaiah 1:23-26

God is characterized by comfort. Outside of God there is no comfort. If God is the comfort of all comfort, surely He has the capacity to comfort Himself. Throughout history, God has comforted himself, by restoring His people. Restoration is the removal of counterfeit or substandard materials to be replaced by the genuine product. God is removing the tin in this time, to be replaced by Gold. For the last 100 years, the people have been collecting tin. Preachers turned into amateur tin collectors. Trying to collect something that has no value. Gold was too expensive, so people decided to divert to tin. Tin is everything besides God. God despises tin and everything that comes with it. Churches have turned into scrap metal junkyards. God is now comforting Himself by restoring the condition of the Church back to the beginning. Not a few years or eras, but right back to the beginning. We have come from places where it was more profitable to just sleep rather than to fight sleep. Adam was not yawning when He walked with God. It is good to see people getting up and moving, but when you get up, you are stained with the things you have been sitting on for 40 years. That is where fuller’s soap comes in. This is no delicate wash cycle – this is genuine get-the-dirt-out washing. People have been sincerely begging for revival in the past decade. Then when it arrives, they reject it because it did not come the way they expected it. Come and experience the joy of restoration!

We are thankful for the Lord’s great blessings this far – it has been a spiritually exhilarating time and the week is far from over. Many more have arrived and we are anticipating a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord.

Another Gospel
Bro. Stephen Hargrave

Text: Galatians 1:6-9

This scripture has been manipulated to keep people trapped in religions of tradition. That application is false. It is written on the basis of assurance that where you are is true religion. Verify that you are actually where the true Gospel is preached. A farmer’s work is self-evident – is the corn growing, are the rows straight? Check out the straightness of your rows. If there are curves and deviations, you know you need to first find the true Gospel that Paul was speaking of. He knew his personal revelation came from Jesus Christ. Paul preached the true gospel so well that the religious economy of paganism and idolatry went into recession. In the time of Primitive Christianity you did not have to figure out where to go. There was no black, white, liberal, or conservative church. There was only the Gospel. If in the future you hear one of us preach differently than what you know is right, let us be accursed. Do not accept something different than what you liberated you in the first place. The Gospel is to be communicated from the heart of the preacher to the audience. Any other is only talking – not the Gospel. We reach our hand to every blood washed one – that is the Gospel of unity – the Gospel of Paul.

Monday, June 8, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

Bro. Johnny Friesen exhorted the saints on Matthew 7:7 in the prayer meeting this morning. We must be persistent to have our needs met.

Godly Sorrow
Bro. Isaac Thiessen

Text: II Corinthians 7:10

Before we can get very happy, we must get very sad. Now do not be mistaken – salvation is wonderful and glorious. But, there are steps you must follow in order to get a true, crisis experience of salvation. There is no rest in this world until you have experience God’s rest. We are not looking for brief, shallow experiences that last for a day or two. Walk in the steps the Lord is leading you, go through the sorrow He is leading you through. Follow until you feel horrible as a sinner. He will lead you to become absolutely sick of yourself. This is true Godly sorrow. People want a “road to Damascus” experience, but this must be preceded by a genuine sorrow for your committed sins. A deep awakening must have taken place in the heart and a realization of the gravity of sin. Do not stop seeking – seek Him until you find Him. There is a real danger that our children may avoid this and never get a hold of true salvation. Each and every one of us must go through this sorrow and realization of sin to obtain salvation. The Bible way is to sorrow, repent, and be saved with complete, continuous victory over sin for the rest of your life. You never need to fall back into your old life. Godly sorrow will keep you faithful when you remember your old life. Would you like rest? Get tired of your life as it is and God can provide unparalleled rest in this world with wonderful, sustaining victory over sin.

Over 1,000 have people have registered on the grounds here up to this point and we are anticipating more as the week progresses. Many visitors and newcomers have arrived and are enjoying the rich blessings of the Lord as He moves among His children.

Meet Your Help
Bro. Abe Redekop

Text: Isaiah 35:4

If you have not yet yielded in this meeting, it is time that you did. Do not relax in an unsaved condition. We will keep digging around until we find your hidden spot. Sin will lull you to sleep. We are here to wake you up. What is holding you back? Do whatever you have to do to change your condition. Our goal is rest – beg for help from God in this meeting to get true rest. Admit your need, seek your help, and get your rest. You may be able to help yourself for a little bit, but in the long run it will not last. Get a lifting experience that will victoriously lift you above the waves of sin. Heed the warning – danger is in delay.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

In the prayer meeting this morning, Bro. John Redekop exhorted the saints not just to seek, but to find and obtain in prayer. He challenged us to go beyond the seeking and fulfil the obtaining.

Kicking Against
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Acts 9:1-5

Saul came to a point where he was in pain from kicking. God puts goads in place so that it will be painful for you to continue kicking against His dealings. Through this meeting our purpose is to at least insert something in your heart that will grow and prick you when you resist. How much time do you need to finally yield? How many songs need to be sung? If we yield in a timely manner, we will be saved. God’s voice penetrates the loud music, His spirit will follow you. He can cause things to go wrong for you and your health to fail. This is conviction! You may be covering up on the exterior, but inside your soul is crying. Allow God to water your dry condition.

The song service this evening was richly blessed as the Spirit of the Lord gave liberty. The saints were greatly encouraged through the songs – God Can, Nobody Helps Like Jesus!

Through Faith We Understand
Bro. Randy Hargrave

Text: Hebrews 11:1-6

In order not to believe in God, you have to be out of your logical mind. Faith causes you to think right. It gives you the capacity to think the way God designed you to think. Jesus speaks soul language. When your soul connects with Him, that is true happiness. When God smiles and you smile that is enough to make a man cry. Jesus demonstrates, then he asks you what you think. That is the test of faith. Your answer tells on you. Call it for what it is, do not hesitate and speculate. If you see a miracle, do not say “Hmmm, that was…” Just say it, “That was a miracle!” God sends lightning, thunder, and hail and asks you, “What is this?” Admit it and call it for what it is – something real. If you are not offering something real, seekers will walk away. God has established a strong salvation that will produce a strong faith – it will surpass anything this world has to offer. By faith – that is the key.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

West Milton, Ohio, USA

We are filled with praise and thanksgiving – another International Camp Meeting has begun! The saints have arrived with great anticipation to witness the glory of God in the midst His children and feel His mighty, working power in each and every heart.

In the prayer meeting this morning, Bro. Benjamin Tovstiga exhorted the saints to pray for this meeting in a mighty way. God’s expectations for this meeting far exceed our own expectations. We need to ask big – He is mighty!

In the morning service the special singers from Aylmer and Ohio encouraged the saints with songs, Christ Is Not a Disappointment, In Christ Alone, and God Is Glorious.

Fear Him
Bro. Ray Tinsman

Text: Matthew 10:26-28

God still hates sin! No matter what people say or how they excuse themselves, He still hates sin. God will exact vengeance on you if you do not repent. Your due date to pay for your sin is coming, can you afford to pay? If you are late, the penalty is clear. Do you have things you need to clear up? Now is the time to send a messenger to request terms for peace. It is settled – your payment due date has been set, you do not know when. Either it is cleared up or the Lord promises revenge on those who presumed on His mercy but did not act in a timely manner. Now is the time to stop being a hypocrite, terms for eternal peace are still offered. Children need to know they will be responsible for their actions when they know to do better and do not do it. This message needs to be instilled from a young age – God still hates sin!

The tabernacle is full and overflowing, more saints arrived by the time evening service had begun. The weather this first day has been pleasant, which we are thankful for.

Poor In Spirit
Bro. John Strizu

Text: Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in Spirit – the antithesis of mainstream Christianity today. If you feel like you have something to offer God when you get saved, you are not ready. God does not need your money, reputation, or intelligence. He already has what He needs. It is imperative that you declare personal, spiritual bankruptcy and realize you cannot continue alone. No sin is small. If you have only told one lie, you are no better than the drunkard staggering out of the bar. It is all in the heart. A Pharisaical nature is to downplay your own sins versus others. One committed sin gives you the capacity to stop at nothing. The Prodigal son had spent all his money, yet thought there was a little hope so he got a job. When reality hit him, he realized he was craving the food of vile creatures. The time has come to stop believing in yourself and believe in God. Imagine yourself as the dirtiest sinner around. The rich young ruler lacked one thing – the realization of his spiritual poverty.

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No Other Way
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Acts 4:12
There is only one way to heaven – through Jesus Christ. The religious world is shying away from the exclusivity of the one way as taught in the Bible. There is only one, true God. There is no multiplicity of ways to salvation. We must strongly proclaim to the world that there is only one, true, Bible way to salvation. Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel and neither should we.
Romans 1:16
1 Corinthians 1:17
There 7-step programs available for deliverance from drugs – the Gospel offers a 1-step program! It has the answer to ALL problems, great or small. It is THE answer for broken homes, peace in the Middle East, and all the social disfunctions all around us.

The Lord has blessed tremendously this past week and sent a real revival through young and old. Souls were saved and completely delivered from the power of sin. The Holy Spirit worked in a powerful through Bro. Ernest and we are thankful for his willingness to serve us.

March 8, 2009 AM – Aylmer, ON

Set Your House In Order
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Isaiah 38:1
Just because you do not see it, does not mean it does not exist. Meetings like these provide a time to get serious about your record. What God is writing down, you are dictating. People know they need to be saved, but some are unsure of where to start. Begin by setting your house in order. Spiritual houses are in a mess – sinks in the bedroom, showers in the living rooms, and beds in the kitchens.
James 4:7-8
Your case is not hopeless – submit to God. He is greater than you and has the power you need. Begin by reading your Bible, praying, and submitting yourselves to God and his people. Take the necessary steps towards salvation. God has professional advisers in spiritual matters. We can offer 100% return on investment with dividends – forget 15%!
When you move towards God, He moves towards you. Make the right moves, take the steps, and you will be rewarded by His presence.
Do not get religious – get to the root of your problems and get deliverance.

March 7, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

The Valley of Decision
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Joel 3:14
God is bringing you to a point of decision. He is putting you between a rock and a hard place. He is trying to bring you down into the valley that has a tall and difficult mountain on either side. The mountain on one side is called Death, the other one is called Life and both are very difficult to climb. People who endeavour to climb the mountain of Life but give up because of the steepness and danger, will find that the mountain of Death is even harder to climb.
Deuteronomy 30:15-19
Choose Life! There is no need to go on living with the pain and carrying the heavy burdens you have been carrying. What you have to do is decide. God does the saving after you make the decision.
Genesis 32:24-29
Like Jacob, you are going to have to wrestle with God and it’s going to be the most difficult fight you’ve ever engaged in. You know you want to be saved but God has been putting you off to test you. Your blessing is just a decision away. When God asks you “What is your name?”, He is saying that you need to decide if you’re going to continue doing things your way, or if you’re willing to change.
Luke 16:16
The saints are forming a human chain. Christ is at the top of the chain and the saints stand together, holding hands, to form a chain to reach down to you. We are anchored to him and we will not let go. We are helping you, all you have to do is reach out and take the hand that is offered. It will work, but you have to make the decision. You are going to have to press your way. You can make it…with the right decision. Stop worrying about your family or other circumstances – this is not their time. This is your moment – seize it!

Once again, we are thankful for your prayers as the Lord has done great things in these meetings. Souls are continuing to seek the Lord and getting saved. Please continue to pray because the meeting is not over yet and conviction has been strong and increasing. One more day remains and we need the blessings of the Lord.

March 6, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

Deception
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Galatians 6:7
All of us are one decision away from being deceived. Deception is not something far away or just for a sinner, it is waiting for each one of us.
All you have to do is sit here in this meeting with us and do nothing – that will deceive you.
Galatians 6:7-8
Deception is the thought, that, even if I do plunge into sin, for me it will be different, it will not happen to me.
Some live with merely a profession yet no real fire inside. On the outside everything may look okay – that is deception.
Deception works in many different ways.
When parents conceive the idea that they have all that their children need and fail to take them to Jesus, they are deceived.
You can not hold a grudge against the saints and still be in unity. If you hold a separate thought or opinion and think that you can still be a part of them, you are deceived.
He is not dealing with something that you do not know about, but rather with what you do know about. If you know that you need to be saved, that is all that He is asking of you.
Deception is always unbelievable, gets worse consistenly, and is the very basis of sin.
James 4:17
Acts 5:1-4
What happened in Acts is happening more often than what we see with our eyes. Be very careful what you do in a spousal relationship, refuse to enter into an unholy alliance. Remember, there are no secrets with God. You do not have to deal with deception now if you do not want to, but no one in eternity will be deceived. Each individual will know exactly where they are and why.

We are thankful to report that a number of souls that had been repeatedly attending during the week were gloriously saved tonight! The joy of salvation on their faces as they prayed through was unmistakably visible to those present. Please remember them in your prayers that they would be established and deeply rooted in the Lord.

March 5, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

Conviction
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

The burden of the message was directed to those that were under conviction. Even if you do not get saved or remember anything that was read or sung here tonight when you leave, conviction won’t leave you, it will stay with you.
The Holy Ghost knows no boundries and no limitations. In fact, the Holy Ghost is so relentless it makes its way everywhere.
God uses the very things of nature to deal with you. Really, it was the Holy Ghost that brought you here tonight, it was not your own choice.
John 16:8-9
When you sit here and it feels like everyone is looking at you, those are the eyes of the Lord that you feel looking at you. It is the chief work of the Holy Ghost to deal with us, without it we cannot be saved.
Psalm 32:3-4
Conviction is supposed to make you speak out. The longer you stay silent, the harder it will get to speak out. If you want the weight of conviction to ease on you a little bit, start confessing.
This experience is the same for everyone because it is the same Holy Ghost.

More visitors out tonight and a number of repeats.

March 4, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

Weary of Repenting
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Jeremiah 15:6
This particular “repenting” means the staying of the hand of God from destroying us. God is waiting to pour out His judgment and He is tired of holding back. In human terms, He is “sick and tired” of forbearing with you, but not willing that you should perish. He has sent numerous messages your way in the right language, at the right time, and He is weary of the lack of response.
Genesis 6:3
God’s striving with you is not infinite – you only have a limited amount of time with the dealings of the Lord. The people in Genesis did not know that God had already determined 120 years for them and not one day more. He has already set his limit on many of you and will not deal with you forever. There is only one thing for you to do now: Do what you know you have to do.
God is a merciful God; He left the people with a sign. There should have been enough curiosity in the people to really find out what was going on in Noah’s day. Just seeing the animals doing what was contrary to nature should have been enough for them to see that God was forbearing His judgment. After the door was shut, there were people who began seeking God in earnest, but it was too late. God had determined 120 years. How many more animals do you need to see? How many more years do you have left?
Genesis 18:20-21
God is listening and watching and He is still coming down to see what you are doing. It is all adding to the fury of His wrath.
Genesis 19:12-14
God is saying “Go, get whoever you can.” He has sent us for the purpose of destruction and anyone who will not get out will be destroyed. You can mock all you want to, but it is God who will have the last laugh. When the Judgment begins, mercy will not be available – God is weary of holding back.
Jonah 1:2
These people had a great privilege, when God announced to them that they had 40 days. After only one day of hearing the preaching of the message, they knew. They didn’t wait until the 39th day, but rather fasted and prayed. Even their animals fasted and God stayed His hand.
God is through playing with people, so you are the one in danger. The Ninevites are watching what you will do with what you hear. Will you take care of business and do what you need to do?

The Lord is dealing with hearts and we have been having a number of repeat visitors. Please continue to pray, that, as the meeting progresses, souls would receive the help they need.

March 3, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

Knowing the Time
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Romans 13:11
We are a time conscious people – that is undeniable.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Everything you do is based on time: You get up at a certain time, you agree to meet someone at a certain time; and if someone is late, you go back and look at the time. Our bodies show the effects of time and you can feel time. Everyone knows that there is a time when they must die. There’s no stopping it when the time comes. The most important thing for us to do is recognize the time. There is general time and then there is God’s time. When God says it’s Winter, you live accordingly; and when God says it’s Summer, you don’t go out wearing gloves and a coat. God expects us to know what time it is.
Matthew 25:5
The ten virgins all slumbered and slept because it was nighttime.
Revelation 3:16
Revelation 8:1
There was silence in Heaven because people didn’t recognize the time. When there should have been a great, joyful noise, there was silence. You have to know the time so you can be stirred every day and you can’t afford to miss what’s going on. Everyone has a sense of time; you are responsible.
Romans 13:11
Sleepiness is right next to you. If you don’t wake up, you’ll crawl right back into bed and reset the alarm. You’ll sleep another hour and it will be forever too late.
We don’t have time to wait for you. Hurry up! If you don’t do everything possible to keep awake, you will go back to sleep. If you’re always late, God will fire you!
1 Samuel 17:29
The army of Israel was completely inactive. They were just taking all that Goliath was telling them. When David came on the scene, he was determined to do something about it.
1 Peter 5:8
Be vigilant! Take heed to every change in climate! If you feel the temperature has dropped one degree, it’s time to turn up the heat.
Romans 13:11
Heaven is closer now than it was when you got saved. Most people lose out just before the finish line. Don’t give up – know the time.
Being stirred is your only protection!

March 2, 2009 PM – Aylmer, ON

The First Commandment
Bro. Ernest Benion Jr.

Text: Ephesians 6:2
OBEY – it’s a word that has become a rarity and it has almost become vulgar. People don’t want to hear it, yet it’s the first and only commandment. After all, this is the “whole duty of man”.
Genesis 2:16-17
People have debated what kind of tree this was. Was it an apple or a pear? What was the “knowledge of good and evil”? It doesn’t matter. God only asked Adam to do one thing – not to touch it. All He had to do was obey.
Some people just have a problem obeying. All that man is supposed to be doing is summed up in one “ugly” word – obey. But its NOT ugly for the saved person.
Ephesians 6:1-2
Parents want their children to obey, but yet the reason many children rebel is because they don’t see their parents obey.
You need to learn to obey when it hurts. If you need to obey, it will necessarily be something you had no intentions of doing.
You got saved by obeying; do you want to stay saved? OBEY.
Husbands, obey your wives. Parents, obey your children. It doesn’t matter if a donkey or a rooster tells you what to do, if they’re right you just need to obey.
You were created for obedience, so there is no way out of it. You will either obey the Devil or the Lord.
2 Kings 5:8-13
Naaman expected Elisha to do everything. He didn’t want to do what the servant told him, but you have to obey before God will do the great and mighty thing.
Philippians 2:5-7
Servants do what they are told. Christ came in a low way and died the death of a malefactor – this is real power. Everyone wants to be accepted and the key is obedience.
“The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender.”

We are very thankful how the Lord is blessing us right from the beginning. We had a wonderful song service. A number of visitors came out. Please continue to pray for the meeting and for the souls that have been invited, as we are expecting the Lord to do great things.

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March 2-8, 2009 – Revival Meetings at the Church of God congregation in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada with Bro. Ernest Benion Jr., of the Church of God congregation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

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My Record Will Be There

In a day that is not far,
At the blazing judgment bar,
Even now the awful summons I can hear;
I must meet the mighty God,
I must face His holy Word,
I must stand before the judgment bar.

Refrain

Oh, my record will be there,
Be its pages dark or fair,
When I stand before the judgment bar.
When the books shall open be,
In that morning by and by,
Oh, my record, oh, my record will be there.

I must meet each broken vow,
That I hold so lightly now,
Every heartache I have caused, each sigh, each tear;
Things that time cannot erase,
I must meet them face to face,
When I stand before the judgment bar.

Every secret lust and thought
There shall be to judgment brought,
When the Lord in all His glory shall appear;
All the deeds of darkest night
Shall come out to greet the light,
When I stand before the judgment bar.

I must meet my cankered gold,
For whose greed my life was sold,
It shall mock me in the judgment’s lurid glare;
Saying we have sold for naught,
All the Savior’s blood has bought,
You must stand before the judgment bar.

Let me turn and seek the Lord,
Let me trust His holy Word,
Let me bow and call upon Him while He’s near;
Then when I my record face,
He will answer in my place
When I stand before the judgment bar.

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Part I

To get holiness people to live holy lives is an exceedingly great task. To live a strictly holy life, just like our blessed Lord, is grand and glorious, but it is difficult to get people to live that way. It can be done, but it is not being done by very many. There are many who desire to live holy, but they fail to put forth the earnest effort and live it right up to what they know they should. They want to live closer to God, but they do not do it. They do not mean to neglect, and yet they do neglect. They know they should pray more, but they do not pray more. Many of these dear people confess that they talk too much and speak impatiently, but we see little or no improvement. They fret and worry and are anxious, and know they should not be, and yet they continue on in the same life. They are not getting the heavenly joys and holy comforts out of life that they should. The purpose of this little booklet is to help just such people.

Dear saints, we do not mean to censure you or condemn you, but we tell you in plain words with a heart full of love, you must live better. You speak too sharp and harsh in your home, you speak light and idle words, you talk too much, and you pray too little. Is this not true? Well, why do you not live better? You may say that you do want to and you try, but you do not succeed. You improve some for a few days after hearing a stirring sermon, and then you are back in the same way. You must try harder, be more determined, more resolute, never give up, take time to pray, guard against talking so much, and ask God to help you. To the man using tobacco you will say, “You must get so decided that you will quit it if it kills you.” It is so with your impatient speeches, your fret and worry, your too much talk; you must quit these if it kills you. You need to pray more, meditate more, lift up your soul to God more, have more reverence and holy awe upon your soul, live more in godly fear, have more of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon you, and more peace and power and glory in your soul. You can have it. It will cost you something, but you can have it if you will.

We love you fervently. We want to help you. We promise you and God that by His grace we will live just what we preach to you. If there is one who, after reading this little booklet, will get in earnest and walk closer to God, we shall be repaid a thousand fold for our labor. Our hearts are burdened. Too many of God’s saints are living beneath their privileges.

Working Out Your Salvation

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”* (Philippians 2:12)

What are you here told to do? Work out your salvation. How are you told to do it? With fear and trembling. Are you doing it? You are burdened down with the cares of this life and are not much alarmed over it.

Do you not know that it is the cares of this life that choke out the Word of God? Then just a little of the cares of this life ought to alarm you. You thought salvation was by faith and not works. But faith and works go together. There is a work for you to do to keep saved. You must have faith, but if your faith is real it will be attended with works in fear and trembling.

A little girl comes home from school with a fever. The fond mother says to the father, “I fear it is a contagion.”

He replies, “I fear it is, and we must do something.”

They get in earnest and call mightily on God and the little girl is well in the morning. Thank God.

A few evenings later some trouble comes up in the home. The husband speaks in a harsh, cutting tone to the wife. She replies in the same manner. There is a contagion in that home, a terrible contagion. Now is the time to fear and tremble, and to call mightily to God in deep repentance and not to cease until the heavenly winds are wafted down and that contagion is swept out of the heart and out of the home and a sweet peace is shed over all. That is works in fear and trembling.

A man buys a home. He pays cash, all he has. The contract is made out and signed, and now he goes to working out the monthly payments. He moves in, takes possession and goes to work. One day the final payment is made and the warranty deed is given.

A man gives all he has to Christ and gets saved. The contract is signed. He takes possession and goes to work in fear and trembling. Some day he will have it all worked out and his heavenly home is forever secured. When the “little foxes” get in, get them out at once. That is part of your work. Another part is to go about helping others all you can. Another work is to do much praying and keep the heart full of blooming flowers for the Master.

Meditating on God and His Word

To meditate on God and His Word is to calmly and quietly fix the mind upon the great fact of God and His Word until that fact has time to enter the mind and pervade it with its influence. Meditation is the quiet thinking, the applying of the mind attentively to the great truths of the Bible and the Author of it. We must meditate on God’s law that we might come to know it as we should, and then to love it, and then to practice it. No one can live a holy life without serious and frequent reflection of the mind upon the truths of our great salvation and the love of God. You may be able to live a good moral life; you might have an exterior life good enough to hold the confidence of man, but holy living comes from the living Word of God hidden in the heart. Holy living is not only the refraining from doing the wrong and the doing of the right, but it is the refraining from doing the wrong from an inward principle of holy hatred of the wrong inwrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and a doing of the right in the life and holiness of God. It is more than the good deeds done by human life; it is good deeds done by the life of God in the human life. There is a vast difference. There is danger, great danger, in holiness professors attending to the outward life to the neglect of the inward life. So long as they do not do anything wrong, and so long as they do things that are right they think themselves safe. We can live good lives and, like the church at Ephesus, lose the love of God out of the soul. Right living may be only man in action; holy living is God in action. Meditation is positively necessary to the keeping of God in the life.

Meditation is the holding of Bible truths in the mind until the virtue is steeped out of them and enters the mind and heart. It means to be in the midst of a matter, to have it in your very center. You need not fear losing yourself in meditation on the law of God. The more fully you lose yourself in meditation on God the more you will be like Him. You cannot love Christ very deeply without meditation. You cannot become strong or pure or deep in God without letting the mind dwell lovingly on Him.

Dear Christian reader, do you meditate? Do you go apart each day and with the mind wholly detached from every thing of earth, fix it quietly, calmly on God and some portion of His Word? Do you become lost to every thing of earth in the loving thought of God?

“There is a blest pavilion,
A sacred inner court,
The place of God’s own dwelling
With all the world shut out.
Oh, holy resting place!
Oh, calm and pure retreat!
Where God unveils His face,
And life is only sweet.”*

Do you enter into this holy place with the world shut out and there commune with God, there think of His love and the great plan of salvation until your soul is aflame with heavenly love and light and peace making it the easiest thing in the world to come out and practice the wonderful truths of salvation? If you will meditate on the theme of salvation as you should, life will become sweet and the truths of salvation will naturally live themselves out in you. But the question is: do you meditate? Very, very few of you do. Oh, how can we help you? Will you not spend fifteen minutes twice a day to deep, profound thought of God? We beg of you to do it. Will you not do it for your soul’s sake and for Jesus’ sake? If you do not, there will be things getting into your life that ought not to be there. There will be a little too much talk, a little restlessness and impatience, a little fret and worry, a burdening of the cares of this life, and perhaps bits of worldliness will get in and you will not know it, and you may go to some places where Jesus really would not go. But, oh, beloved, if you will practice meditating on God and His law day and night, there will be a holy flame enkindled in your soul and such heavenly sweetness and peace that the cares of this life, and fret and worry will no more light on you than flies on a heated furnace.

There are many preachers and thousands of people professing holiness that talk beautifully about meditation, saying what a blessed and glorious thing it is, and yet they do not practice it. My dear reader, you must do more than talk, and more than read this and say it is good and true. You must meditate in all that the word means. Meditation brings God into the soul and causes you to live holy in every act of life.

Christ’s Epistle

“Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ.”* (II Corinthians 3:3)

“All can see that you are a letter from Christ.”TCNT

The Christian is Christ’s “open letter.” His life is a message from Christ to the world. His daily walk is a genuine letter from the Savior of men. The Christian life is written by the same hand that wrote the New Testament and they read just alike, word for word. If you profess to be a Christian be sure your daily life is the handwriting of Jesus. Your life in your home amid its trials and provocations should read like God’s Word. It is very confusing and discouraging to others if your life and the New Testament read differently.

The purpose of a letter is to convey the thoughts and mind of the writer. The Christian is that kind of letter. Men come to know the thoughts of God by reading the Christian’s life. He shows Christ’s patience in his patience. His life is not his life, but Christ’s life in his life. The life of a saint is a letter in which the world can read Christ’s gentleness, kindness, humility, sobriety, calmness, sympathy, love, holiness, separateness from the world, and hatred of sin. Do not think this standard is too high. If you will take time to pray and seek after this life with determined effort, leaning hard on Christ’s helpful arm, it will surprise you what a wonderful and beautiful letter you can get to be.

Mind the Little Things

Take care of the pennies and the dimes, and you will have the dollars. A pin scratch has caused the death of folks. If you begin to think a thing is too small to be given attention, you are entering a dangerous path. Little bricks build a great house, and little sins make a great sinner. You can put more love in doing little things than in great things. There is less danger of self being puffed up in doing the little things than in doing great things. By guarding against every little evil and fault, and faithfully doing every little good thing possible, you can build up a beautiful, holy life. Guard your thoughts and words. Lift up your soul to God many times a day. Keep the Lord set before your face. Spend your spare moments on your knees in a sweet little talk with Jesus.

Devotion

“She hath wrought a good work on me.”* (Mark 14:6)

This woman had an emotion in her soul and it swelled and longed for expression. She was charged with wastefulness. No, no it was not waste. Had she not poured out the fragrant ointment then, there would have been waste. Her soul panted for some way to express her devotion, and she took this way and her love was increased and tendered, and she was qualified to be a greater blessing to the world. Had she not given expression to her love, she would have lost love and there would have been the waste. Whatever elevates us and serves to make us more capable of doing good is not waste.

She wrought this work on Jesus. “To what purpose was this deed done?” That should not be the question. “For whose sake was it done?” That is the question that settles the matter. Everything done from the stirring of love in the heart for Jesus makes it a good work. Working a good work on Jesus Christ is the law of Christian devotion.

True devotion is that disposition of heart that moves it to perform with tender affection and burning fervor all its services to God. The bowing of the knees, the prostrating of the body on the ground, the lifting of the eyes heavenward, the wringing of the hands, and the pious sighs and groans are not full proof of a devoted heart. In all acts of true devotion there is a high esteem, a profound respect, a holy adoration for the Divine Majesty; there is an humble acknowledgement of the soul’s dependence and duty; there is an intense desire to lavish the heart’s love upon Jesus by doing all things for His sake.

No exercising of the soul is so ennobling, so hallowing, so consoling as the performing of humble, sincere acts of devotion. True devotion is attended by self-sacrifice. Devotion is more than sentiment. It is a principle fixed in the core of our being. We cannot always be in acts of devotion, but the principle is in the soul and it expresses itself on every fitting occasion.

“I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near.

“Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make;
Awake my soul when sin is nigh, and keep it still awake.”*

Intensity

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”* (Psalm 42:1)

Here is intensity. By intensity we mean that burning passion of the soul after God. That intense desire to be holy as He is holy, and to glorify Him in all words and acts of life.

“I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.”* (Psalm 119:131)

Here is intensity. Panting after the commandments of God like a thirsty animal for water. The great task of the overseers of God’s church today is to keep God’s people out of a careless, go-easy, indifferent life. How few thirst after God. How few thirst and hunger for the salvation of souls. Preachers may go over the country holding revivals and find entertainment and enjoyment in doing so, but even of those, how few have such a burning passion for souls that they will wrestle with God in the midnight hour or early morning hour or even any convenient time for the salvation of the lost. They may think more of what gain they will make. This would be an awful crime, but it may be one of which some are guilty. There are holiness people who act very much as if no one were going to hell. Others act as if they were just as holy as they cared to be. They seem to have no thirsting for greater perfection of life. They act as if there were no improvement to be made.

The need of today is a greater passion for goodness, a more intense longing for greater Christlikeness, and a greater burden for those for whom our dear Savior gave His life.

“Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.”* (Psalm 119:136)

Here is intensity. When did you shed a tear over sinners lost? Do not these words shame you? Dear people, the house is on fire—how can you keep on sleeping?

Only One Way

A tourist asked at the service station the way to a certain town. The directions were carefully given. The tourist said, “You think this is the best way, do you?”

The service man replied, “It is not only the best way, but it is the only way.”

The Bible is the only way to heaven. Do you live to all it teaches every day? Read the sixth chapter of Matthew over very carefully. Stop at verses 6, 20, 22, 28, and 33.

The Sanctified

Sometimes the word sanctification means that which is set apart, consecrated. In this meaning the vessels in the Temple were holy. But there is a higher sense. It means a state of perfect holiness. Christ perfects them that are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14). Holiness means inward likeness to God. Holy living means that the outward life is in full harmony with the will of God. It means very much to be holy as God is holy and to live in harmony with the Divine mind. It can be done, but it is not everyone who professes holiness that is doing it. We ought to live in this way for Jesus’ sake. He is happiest when we are holiest. He is glorified when we do all things to His glory. In those who live holy lives is His ideal realized. We should not seek holiness that we might be happy, but because it is God’s will. Doing the will of God should be our meat and drink. We cannot do God’s will except we be holy, therefore seek holiness and holy living. Be careful, oh, be careful about being holy in the little things of life. If people try to live holy at all, it is in the greater things. If they come short of living holy in the little things of everyday home life, they have missed true holy living.

A Fable with a Lesson

Have you read the story of a traveler whose horse was eaten by a wolf? The story says that a traveler riding through a lonely district on horseback was attacked by a wolf. The traveler, heedless of the wolf, went on his way. The wolf from behind began eating on the horse without the traveler’s knowledge. He ate and he ate until he had eaten into the horse. He kept on eating until finally he ate to the head and to the feet. And so the traveler came riding into his town on a wolf instead of a horse. All that was left of the horse was the skin; there was a wolf inside.

Some folks start out for heaven saved and sanctified. They are attracted by the cares of this life, by neglect of prayer, by impatience, by idle words, by the pleasures of the world, by worldly thoughts. Folks do not give much heed to these. But such eat and eat, and they feed on the spiritual life, and they do it so slowly and so subtly that the traveler is unaware that his spiritual steed is being eaten away. It will be well indeed if he discovers before he reaches his destination that he is riding on an empty profession.

Members One of Another

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”* (Romans 12:5)

In these words we have a picture of the oneness of the people of God. They are one body. This is the body of Christ. Saints, God’s holy people, constitute His body. He dwells in this body (Ephesians 1:23; II Corinthians 6:16). The apostle illustrates this by the human body (I Corinthians 12:14-24). We can learn many a lesson about the body of Christ—the Church of God—by the study of the human body. Paul here says, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”* (I Corinthians 12:26) These words, perhaps, express as great depth of this oneness as any other words in this illustration. This experience is true in the real body of Christ. If one saint suffers, all the other saints suffer with this suffering one. Let us examine our experience. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with the honored one. We ought not to pass over this indifferently. There is a solemn truth here. We should not say it is true in our life if it is not really true. If the feet of your body are honored with a nice pair of shoes, see how rejoicing the hands go to work to place these shoes upon the feet. It is so in the body of Christ. Suppose you have held a prominent position in the Church. The time comes when you must surrender it to another. Do you do so rejoicingly? Man can say that he does it rejoicingly, when in the heart it is not true. We ought not to be satisfied unless it is as true as heaven in our heart. Suppose you were aspiring for a position, but it is given to another. Do you rejoice in your heart? It is that way in the human body, and it is even more so in the Church of God. Suppose you are given $100.00. You rejoice. Why do you rejoice? Do you rejoice because of what use you can make of this money for your own convenience and need? You should rejoice because of what use you can make of it in honoring or glorifying Christ. This should be the sole cause of your rejoicing. Let me tell you how you can discover whether you rejoice in it for this one cause. Suppose the $100 be given to another who will use it to glorify God equally as much as you; do you rejoice just as much as if it had been given to you? If not, you are not measuring fully to I Corinthians 12:26.

Holy Thoughts for Quiet Hours

* Anything less than perfect dependence upon God is a denial of Him.
* Life has a language. To live holy is to have all our words and deeds to say, “Hallowed be thy name.”* (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2)
* The rays of light that proceed from the sun are as pure as the sun. The life that flows from God must be as free from imperfections as He.
* If the human soul would grow in moral stature and moral beauty and fruitfulness, it must keep open to the light of God and absorb that light as it falls upon it.
* If you are not showing to the world around you that there is something better than wealth, honor, position, earthly pleasure, and the good opinions and praise of men, you are not showing forth the life of Christ.
* He does not love us truly who does not love us well enough to tell us our faults. To love one another is to have an intense desire to see one another free from faults.
* The man who fails to give us reproof when needed, but gives us approval instead, or holds back deserving rebuke for fear of offending, is more cruel than he who withholds bread from us when we are hungry.
* He who will listen to any words of levity, jesting, foolishness, tale-bearing, tattling, and show no disapproval makes himself a partaker of the sin.
* It has been arranged in the plan of redemption that God and man can be so absorbed each in the other that they would think alike, will alike, feel and love and work together. This is man at his real self.
* Man is to be loved because of what he is worth to God. We get some estimate of man’s worth to Christ by the terrible woe He pronounces upon those who would injure one of those who believe in Him.
* The nearer you live like Christ the nearer you live like you ought to live. The more you love Him, and love with Him, and love all things for Him, the more you will be like Him.
* The trouble is not that you do not know what is right; the trouble is that you do not lay hold upon God to help you to live like you know you should.

The Fear of Man

We doubt if there be any other one thing that prevents God’s people living unto God as they should so much as the fear of man. It is so very subtle and cunning that many may have it and not be aware of it. There is an independence of man that is wrong and there is an independence that is most Christlike. Holy living is to live unto God though all the world might oppose. Our dearest friend on earth must not be allowed to cause us to deviate one hair’s breadth from trueness to God. Here is one of the places in the Christian’s life that should be closely watched and guarded. Peter swerved from the true path when he refused to eat with the Gentiles for fear of the Jews. This was after Pentecost. Paul reproved him. This took some courage on the part of Paul, but faithfulness required it.

“The fear of man bringeth a snare.”* (Proverbs 29:25) Many a one has fallen into this snare. Alas, how many have made compromise with man for man’s favor! “Conscious dependence upon God is the spirit of independence toward all men.” Perfect love casts out all fear of man. Those who can be influenced by men are not made perfect in love. It is argued by some that we should desire all men to think well of us that we might do them good. This is true, but oh, how careful we need to be that it is solely that we “might do them good.” Beware lest there be something of self there. We should desire to have influence with men for Jesus’ sake, but for no other purpose. If faithfulness to God causes you to lose influence with men, then it were better for them and you also that you lose it. If you have to step aside from godly living to have influence with men, you are ensnared.

The apostle said, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment.”* (I Corinthians 4:3) To suppress or modify truth by word or act is coming short of holy living. To give aid, or to abet by word or deed any spirit of levity, worldliness, or untruthfulness through man’s influence is unfaithfulness to God.

Lifting Up Jesus

“Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought,
Let the world in you the Savior see.”*

Is this true in our life all the year through? Is it true all the day through? Is Jesus seen in all you do? When things go wrong in the home and you are tried and tempted, do you lift up Christ in these times? We sing the song heartily, but do we really and truly live it day in and day out? It is dangerous to sing such songs and then pass on and not live them. To know to do a thing and then through neglect or carelessness fail to live it is a very serious matter. Keep self out of sight and set Christ in view.

Two men went to hear a preacher preach one Sunday morning. One said to the other after the preaching, “That was an eloquent discourse; he is a wonderful preacher.” In the evening they went to hear another preacher. After the services one said to the other, “What a wonderful Savior is Jesus.”

People sing about Jesus being lifted up in our lives; preachers preach about it, but what God wants is some people to live it. Live it, dear Christian, in all the details of everyday life. Live it in thought, word, and deed. Have the imprint of Christ’s life upon every word and act. You can do it if you associate with Christ as with a loving friend, if you take time to read, pray, and meditate so as to assimilate the life of Christ into your own. Be encouraged and set to work with a determination to win.

I will lift up my Savior
In everything I do;
I will keep self far out of sight
That Christ may be in view.

Saying and Doing

Pilate said of Jesus, “I find no fault in him.”* (John 19:6) That was his conception of Christ. He saw before him a faultless Christ. But he said, “Take ye him, and crucify him.” These two expressions stand directly one against the other. He spoke correctly about Christ, but he acted wrongly. Many are thinking and talking rightly enough about Jesus, but they do not act rightly.

The Church of God

The Church of God is the only institution on earth that is of heavenly origin. It is the only institution on the shores of time that will continue to exist in eternity. All else will pass away with the closing of time. The glory of empires, the magnificence of civilization, the grandeur of monarchies of time will have no reflection amid the glories of heaven. The splendor of earth’s fortunes, the pomp and show of earth’s glories, the renown of eloquence and oratory, the fame of schools of learning, the enchantments of beautiful forms and ceremonies of creeds will find no imprint, will have no representation in that land beyond the grave. Only the Church of God will shine there. It came down from heaven, and will return to heaven.

The Church of God is God’s body, not only on earth, but also through all eternity. The Church is God’s habitation now and forever. God will dwell in His people and His people in Him while the cycles of eternity roll on unending. The Church of God on earth is God’s incarnation among men. As men read the history of the true Church they will read the biography of God. The life of the Church is His life. The world is God’s creation as a Creator, the Church is His creation as a Life-Giver. It is His own life. It lives in Him and He in it. The Church is a creation in Christ. The Church is not created in Christ by a mere creative act, but by being born of God. The Church is born of God in Christ and is the offspring of God. God loves the world as His creation. He loves the Church as the life of His life.

The Church of God on earth contains heavenly elements and nothing that is not heavenly. The Church bears God’s image. God views His own likeness in His Church. The Church is a mirror which reflects all the Divine perfections. The Church of God is a living thing. It lives upon the life of God. God’s life flows through its veins. The life of Jesus circulates freely through His Church, as freely as the blood circulates through the human body—the church is His body. It feeds on heavenly food. It breathes the atmosphere of heaven.

God and man united in Christ is the Church. In the Church of God is the uniting of all men with God and with each other. The manifold wisdom of God, the mysteries of God, the character of God is revealed through His church. God in His beauty shines out of the Church. She is all fair; there is no spot in her. God made the sun, moon, and all the shining stars, but He does not make them His dwelling place. When He built His Church He said, “This is my rest; here I will dwell and multiply myself; here I have found such beauty and worth as to call out the fullest capacity of my love; here I find the fullest complacency of my being, here I see of the travail of my soul and I am satisfied.”

The Church of God is attended by the ministry of angels. It is the only institution on earth that angels desire to look into. They pass every other thing by, but stop at the Church to admire her beauty and to bestow their ministry. It is the only institution on earth that affords joy to the angels. It is the only institution over which they sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”* (Luke 2:14) All of the conquests of the Church on earth bring joy to the angels.

The Church of God is the only institution on earth that can worship God. God, to be worshipped, must be worshipped in Spirit and truth, and nothing but the Church has the Spirit and the truth. The Church is full of heavenly instincts. God gives instinct to the bird and this instinct teaches it to do things. Heavenly instincts fill the Church, teaching it to do heavenly things. Its life is heavenly life. It lives by heavenly things, and divine things are wrought out by her activities. The Church is Holy Spirit-filled and Holy Spirit-governed. The Church is in the world, but the world is not in the Church. There is no room for the world in the Church. It is filled with divine things. The fish is in the salty ocean, but the fish is not salty. If you die in the Church you do not go out of it; if you die out of it you can never get in it. There is no sin in the Church. Her law is the law of holiness. All honor in the Church is given to the Holy Trinity. Some day the Church of God is going to be caught up to heaven and receive a faultless presentation into the immediate presence of God’s glory, and the joys of heaven will be full and complete and be undiminished while eternity rolls on forever.

Mortify

The word mortify is found in Colossians 3: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.”* (Colossians 3:5) The word mortify means to “put to death.” The Twentieth Century translation reads, “Therefore destroy all that is earthly in you.”TCNT

It has been believed and taught that everything earthly about us is put to death when we are sanctified as a second work of grace, or a cleansing of the heart from carnality. They think that there is nothing to be put to death or to mortify after we are sanctified. These people to whom Paul was writing were dead and their life was hid with Christ in God. They were dead and yet there is something about them that needs to be put to death. This can be because man is a two-fold being. The inner man may be dead to sin and the world—sanctified—yet the outward man has passions, desires, appetites that must be controlled, that must not be allowed to break out beyond their legitimate bounds.

Now we will tell you a secret. What we are now going to tell you is the secret principle of holy living. It is the thread that runs through the entire life. It is “sacrifice.” Listen, no man can keep the body in perfect control who does not keep that body on the altar of daily sacrifice. If you cease to sacrifice, you cease to control. To sacrifice is to mortify. Habits of virtue cannot be acquired except at the expense of sacrifice. He who is not constantly making sacrifice is not advancing in the Christian life. Sacrifice in the little things of daily life. The secret of living holy is sacrifice in the little things. It is not in being absent from dance halls, ball games, theatres, political gatherings, and such like worldly things. These things have but little or no temptation to people who are sanctified. It is no sacrifice for them to abstain from such evils. Where the holy need to watch is to not let love of self get in. Holy people have a self, but they must guard against an undue love of self. Keep that self on the altar of sacrifice. Guard against taking too much thought about bodily comforts. It is no sin to give the body some comfort if it is not done at the expense of another’s comfort. Then you need to have a care when you are alone not to provide too greatly for the body’s comforts, lest you become selfish and find it difficult to sacrifice your comforts for another’s comfort.

To indulge the body in late rising, in dainty foods, in luxuries, in ease, in things pleasant to the eye—fine things, in idleness, in the avoidance of hardships, in the shrinking from bearing another’s burden, and a disposition to lay your own on another, is the way to become selfish. Sacrifice is the law of the Christian life. Sacrificing bodily comforts daily in the home for the comforts of others is helpful to the soul in its upward way. Where there is no sacrifice there is no holiness. Where there is no self-denying, there is no love to God. Where the body is not kept under, the soul is enslaved. The beauty of holiness never grows out of bodily indulgence, but out of bodily sacrifice. If you would live holy, destroy that which is earthly, sensual, and lustful in you.

Contentment

“Be content with such things as ye have.”* (Hebrews 13:5)

What is it to be contented? When we are contented we are not wishing for something we do not have. To be contented with what you have is not to be wishing for something you do not have. Paul said, “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”* (Philippians 4:11) If Paul could learn that lesson, we can learn it. A brother was asked what kind of weather he thought it would be for the next few days. He answered, “Just the sort of weather that suits me.” The inquirer was eager to know what sort of weather suited him. He replied, “Just what ever kind suits the Lord.”

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”* (I Timothy 6:6)

There may be some who do not know the true meaning of these words. They do not mean that if you have godliness and also have contentment you have great gain. They mean that if you have godliness and the contentment that always attends it you have great gain. You cannot separate godliness and contentment. If you have godliness you have contentment, and you cannot have contentment without godliness. We come just as far short of true godliness as we come short of contentment. If you do not have perfect contentment, you do not possess God in the fullness. The fullness of God in the soul satisfies the soul. It leaves no void. Such a soul has perfect peace, fullness of joy, rivers of pleasures, and is happy in its lot.

To be contented you must come to know, and know it well, that nothing can happen to you which is not in harmony with the will of God. Without a thorough knowledge of this there will be discontentment. Nothing can disturb the peace of those who know in their heart that God’s will is in everything that comes to them in life. Instead of striving to be rich, strive to be contented with what you have. A contented life is yours, if you will have it. It is a grand way to live.

“Then, whatsoever wind doth blow,
My heart is glad to have it so;
And, blow it east or blow it west,
The wind that blows, that wind is best.”*

Sonship with God

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”* (I John 3:1)

“Father” and “son.” Blessed relationship; life of life. There is fatherhood in God, but it can be realized by the man only by being born of God. God must come into man’s humanity and man must come into God’s divinity that he might realize God as his Father and himself as God’s son. This is made possible in Christ. God’s divinity and man’s humanity are united in Christ. God can come to man in Christ’s divinity, and man can come to God in Christ’s humanity. God’s divinity can enter into our humanity and we become partakers of the divine nature. We can come to know God only in Christ. We can see God only as we see Him in Christ. We can come to be like God only in Christ Jesus. Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:5). Christ will show us the Father in Himself (John 14:8-9). You can become like God only to the extent you see Him in Christ.

Suppose you never saw your mother’s father. Your mother loved, honored and revered her father. She thought he was the most exemplary man she knew. Her highest ambition was that her son be a man like her father. She knew that to have him grow up to be such a man she must show her father to her son. She imbibed the spirit of her father. His character was inwrought in her being. She taught in word all she could to her boy about his grandfather, and she showed the image of her father to the boy by living the life, and thus the boy saw his grandfather in and through his mother and was fashioned into his image.

If we will listen and obey Christ’s teaching, look into His holy life and imitate it, we will grow into the likeness of the Father.

God’s Law in Man’s Mind and Heart

“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.”* (Hebrews 8:10)

To live holy lives we must have God’s Word in both mind and heart. The same hand that writes it in the heart also writes it in the mind. Studying the Bible is good, but not sufficient. We must have written in the mind by the Holy Spirit what we read in the book or it will profit us little or nothing. The Holy Spirit never writes God’s law in the mind except He writes them in the heart also. When written in the heart, man obeys.

Sensibility

Sensibility includes sensitiveness, and sensitiveness is the power to receive delicate impressions. The soul can be so sensitive that it be made to feel what God feels. It can feel the presence of God everywhere. It can also feel the presence of evil. This is a wonderful safeguard of the soul. It feels the presence of evil in the vagrant thought, in the lightly spoken word, the hasty action, and flees to God at once for refuge. It feels the presence of evil in those little, worldly things which many say are harmless. The sensitive soul detects evil there and avoids them. It is acquainted with the voice of the Shepherd. It can distinguish between His voice and that of a stranger. The more perfect the manhood, the more perfect the sensibility. The higher we rise into the manhood of Jesus the quicker-scented we become, the more easily we detect the presence of God and the presence of sin. This is necessary to all holy living. Many a soul today has lost the sensitiveness they once experienced. Evil things that they once fled away from in horror they are now embracing. It is our privilege to grow more sensitive as we grow in years of service to God. The farther we walk with Him, the closer we can walk with Him. We can keep step with Him more perfectly.

The scriptures tell us that Christ was of such quick understanding that He did not judge by the sight of His eyes or reprove by the hearing of His ears (Isaiah 11:3). In the margin it reads, “scent, or smell.” Christ was quick to detect an ill odor. He was sensitive to the presence of sin. The more we become like Christ the more sensitive we shall become. Christianity is a life. It is a Divine life. In that life there are senses that can sense Divine things. That life is susceptible to the impulses of the Holy Spirit. The soul can feel God, taste Him, hear Him. It is “alive unto God.”* (Romans 6:11) The soul, in this Divine life, is not only inwardly sensible to all the movements of the Holy Spirit, but is also sensitive to the feelings of men. The sensitive soul feels, not only what is in God, but is sensible also of what is in man. It is thus that when one member in Christ’s body, the Church, suffers, all the other members suffer with it. They feel what the suffering member feels. Is that day past? Not with all. The sensitive soul weeps with Christ over a lost world. It feels what Jesus feels.

The Loss of Soul-Sensitiveness

Is it not true that in other days the bond of sympathy between members in the Church of God was stronger than it is today? Did not all the members suffer more keenly with the suffering member? When the soul is quivering with Divine life and all its faculties functioning properly, it suffers with all the suffering members of Christ’s body. It does more; it suffers with Christ the sin and suffering of a wicked world. What were the sufferings of Christ while here upon earth? It was not physical, but spiritual. His soul was sorrowful because of the sins of the world. It is in this way that we are to suffer with the Savior. Instead of weeping with Christ over a sinful world, many professors of Christianity are going on in their revelry, feasting, banqueting, in their pomp and show, in their entertainments, amusements, and pleasures, in their lust and pride.

Sensuality dulls the spiritual senses. None but the pure in heart can enter the realm of soul-sensitiveness. You may study the art of public speaking, you may receive degrees and honorary titles, you may occupy prominent positions, you may discourse eloquently and enthusiastically, but if you have not transparent purity of soul you cannot feel the delicate promptings of the will of God. The sensual cannot appreciate the beauty of purity. There are delicate lines in it which they never see. They cannot enter into communion with a holy God though they may discourse like an angel about Him.

We exhort you, saint of God, keep sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Keep the world out of your eye. Keep in touch with God. Feel with Him, love with Him, suffer with Him, rejoice with Him, sympathize with Him over a lost world, be susceptible to all the feelings of His great heart. Soul, remember that just a little affection for earthly things dulls the soul’s senses. The god of this world blinds the eye. As the glass in the camera is sensitive to the light, so keep your soul sensitive to heavenly impressions.

Keep sensitive, 0 soul of mine,
To God’s holy will and Word;
Grow deeper, deeper every day
In the feelings of thy Lord.

Spiritual-Mindedness

“But to be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”* (Romans 8:6)

We ought to tremble before these words. Can you read them and then pass on in a careless way, taking but little thought about yourself to know whether you are carnally or spiritually minded? You say that you cannot give a dictionary definition. We are not asking for Webster’s definition; we want you to give yours from your own experience.

It is in the mind that thoughts are generated. The carnal mind generates carnal thoughts, while the spiritual mind generates spiritual thoughts. Carnal thoughts are thoughts about earthly things, spiritual thoughts are thoughts about heavenly things.

Examine your thoughts. What are their trend? Are they mostly worldward? Do worldly thoughts crowd in on your mind even when in the secret place you kneel to pray? If they do, we say that we deeply sympathize with you, but we must tell you in the greatest kindness but seriousness that you are to blame. It ought not to be that way. You can have it better. Our thoughts can be brought into captivity. Christ, by His grace, wi1l help us to control them. You have been allowing them to dwell on temporal things. You do not have to do it. If you have for a long time been allowing your thoughts to dwell on the things of earth and little grooves have been cut in the brain matter like the grooves on a phonograph record, it will take some effort to change their course, but fear not, it can be done and it must be done. The marginal reading of Colossians 3:2 is, “Set your mind on things above, and not on things on the earth.” That is a plain, comprehensive statement or command. Why do we not all do just what we are here told to do? How can we hope to get on well in the spiritual life and not do what the Bible says? Now let us not make excuses, nor treat this with indifference. There is too much at stake. Death and life are before us. For our mind to dwell on “things on the earth,” it means death; but for it to dwell on “things above” it means life and peace. We can have which we will. We are the framers of our destiny.

“For ye are dead.”* (Colossians 3:3) That is why you set your mind on things above. People who are dead do not set their minds on things to which they are dead. How can your mind be set on earthly things and you be dead to earthly things and your life hid with Christ in God? This is a serious matter and we advise you to take it seriously. We said in our first chapter that we may appear to be sometimes a little severe. If it takes that to get you to thinking and considering, then it is best to be severe. What we fear is that even severity will not get you in earnest about this matter. We fear you will go on letting your mind float around on earthly things nearly all day long.

You are awake from five o’clock in the morning until nine o’clock at night—sixteen hours. Have you given one solid hour out of the sixteen to deep, profound thinking on heavenly things? Now the fact is that a few moments at different times during the day is all that is needed for the proper attending to the things of this life, and to sum up this few moments they would not amount to more than an hour and the other fifteen should be spent in setting your mind on things above.

Maybe you are a preacher and you spend considerable time thinking about the Word of the Lord. That is no more proof that you are spiritually minded than it is for the school boy to think much about mathematics. Each is thinking about the work he is engaged in. A spiritual mind does not spend near so much time thinking about the work of God as it does about God. We make far more effectual preachers by praying our messages down from heaven into our souls than we do by study and sermonizing. We would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax, but we exhort you in all sincerity of heart to attend to the matter of setting your mind on things above. If you spend your days here with your mind mostly on things on earth, how can you enjoy heaven if you were to get there? There will be no earthly things there to think about.

Now do not get restless, but in a calm, composed, quiet manner, set to work about heavenly things. Read your Bible more and keep your thoughts on it while you read. While you are about your work think about heaven and the great truths of salvation which God has given us to guide us to heaven. Think about Christ and what it will be to meet Him face to face. Do you find it a difficult thing to do? How strange! You say you love Him with all your heart, but you find it easier to think about the things that pertain to your everyday comforts and conveniences than you do to think about Jesus. We suggest that you begin now and think more about things above. Take time every day to go into some quiet place and turn your thoughts heavenward and think soberly and seriously about the glories and wonders of that beautiful world. If you will attend to this, not in a strained way, but calmly and peacefully, you will soon find it easy to fix your thoughts on God and things above. If you will, a joy and gladness will come into your heart that will make it seem that you have gotten saved again. You will soon get to where, on the moment of awakening in the night or in the morning, your thoughts will soar up to heaven. Your first thought will be on things above, and at the same time you soul will taste a sweetness that is above any sweetness of earth. A fear would come over my soul if my mind gave its first awakening thougths to earthly things. No, no, no; let my mind dwell awhile in heaven before it takes up the duties of the day.

There is a brother who never allows a night to pass by, unless there be an occasional night when his slumbers are unbroken, without rising once or twice, and on his knees has an earnest heart-to-heart talk with God. On awakening in the morning he spends from half an hour to an hour in prayer and holy thought before taking up the duties of the day, and then often throughout the day takes a few moments for thinking on heavenly things.

It is not diffulclt to get into a life like this, and it is heaven on earth. With all the earnestness of soul we exhort you, Christian reader, to get into it, and then go forward to walking closer to God every day, so that some day you will get so close that you will never come back to earth again.

More Holy Thoughts for Quiet Hours

* You have taken a long step toward holy living when you have learned to do much and say little. Holiness is seen in what you do and not in what you say.
* Many seek God and find Him not because they seek Him for what He has to give, rather than for what He is Himself. There are those who would like very much to live like God, but are not willing to pay the price to become like God.
* A man may discourse very beautifully about God, and pray in public with great fervor and enthusiasm, but if he is negligent of secret prayer, his religion is toward men and not toward God.
* We have obtained the true riches only when we have obtained true poverty. We have obtained true honor only when we have come to be despised. We rise to a great height only by being beaten down. We find true comfort in affliction. When you are called a fool for Christ’s sake then you have found the true knowledge. You have found true joy and happiness only when you are crucified with Christ.
* If you want that peace which comes from God, if you want that fullness of joy that Christ gives, see that that seven-headed monster of self-love has every head beheaded.
* If thou wouldst have thy soul to be the temple of God, see that it is kept clean of all evil, quiet from all fears, void of all earthly affection, and peaceful amid temptation.
* A devoted man is one who lives solely to the will of God, who serves God in every thing, who sees God in everything, who does all in the name of Jesus, and eats and drinks and does all things to God’s glory.
* If a man buys and sells with the sole thought of getting gain and bettering himself in things of this world, without any regard for the one from whom he buys or sells, he has a vain religion.
* The Christian takes interest only in those things outside of Christ which he can use for Christ. If a man engages in any business he can not serve Christ in or can not use to Christ’s glory, he lives outside of Christ.
* You are winging your flight over the narrow stream of time. Know you not that in your flight God holds your hand; then why do you get so restless and flutter so? Why do such little things trouble you?

Jesus

“Oh, the precious music of Jesus’ name!
Glory to the Lamb!
Oh, sweetest name in song! the heavens shall prolong
The music of Thy name.”*

To the Christian soul there is no music so sweet as the music of the name of Jesus. That name catches the attention above all other names. That name is sacred to the Christian’s memory. He loves to think on that name. There is an inexpressible sweetness in the thought of that name. A tender delight comes over the soul at the mention of that name. There is no circumstance in life that that name cannot sweeten. If we be in the furnace flame that name quenches the burning.

A mother sits beside a little casket in which lies a child, cold, faded, and dead, like a gathered lily. How deep, desperate and blank would be her woe if it were not for the name of Jesus. As she sits looking into the face of the child she bore just three months ago, the tears come streaming from her eyes, but at the thought of Jesus there is a smile through the tears. What beautiful and bright visions come before her mind as she beholds her child with Jesus in the Paradise of God. There is a sorrow at the heart, but there is an indescribable sweetness in the sorrow as she remembers her blessed Savior.

“Tune your harps, ye ransomed throng, and extol the Christ,
Sing the Name that opened mercy’s door;
Oh, ’tis music, sweetest music to sinners lost,
Sweetest to the saints forevermore.”*

Salvation

As good old Simeon looked into the face of the Child, he said, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”* (Luke 2:30) Who can tell what this meant to him? Who can tell what rapturous delight filled his soul? There he saw salvation in its true meaning.

From this scene we look away to an innumerable company in white robes with palms in their hands standing before the throne and before the Lamb, and they are singing, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”* (Revelation 7:10) When the sinner takes Jesus to his heart the song of “Salvation” begins. We hear him singing it all along the journey of life. He may sometimes be in the furnace fire, but he never loses his song. The storm may be raging, but above the howling of the winds you will hear him singing “salvation.” He may be misunderstood, misrepresented, despised, and forsaken by men, but on he goes singing his lovely song. He never misses a note. The adversities of life, be what they may, cannot still the song in his soul. Men may deride him, but the angels are listening. The world may sneer and scoff, but his song rolls as a sweet anthem up to the ears of the Great Eternal. One day a company of angels came to bear him away to his home beyond this world of trial, and we behold him in the midst of that great throng, singing his song of salvation. That is his theme. It began here when he accepted Jesus and it will never have an end. It is the song that never grows old. The heart can find its fullest expression in but one word, and that word is salvation. What does it mean to be saved? It is to be saved from an eternity in the miseries of hell to an eternity of blessedness in heaven.

“Salvation is the sweetest thing
That mortal ever found;
My soul can never cease to sing,
Such love and peace abound.”*

Salvation is the theme so grand—
It thrills with joy my soul:
I’ll sing it here, and sing it there
While ceaseless ages roll.

Keep Heaven in View

Selected

The traveler does not think of his journey’s end every step of the way, but he does have it in mind sufficient to not turn aside out of the way. In all your ways of life keep God in mind. Attend to this with all diligence. Let God be the end you have in view in all your actions. Let me give you a few daily rules to walk by.

First, never lie down to your night’s sleep without thinking that you are not doing this for your own comfort, but that a servant of God may be refreshed end better fitted for the work God has given him to do.

Second, never rise up without the thoughts, “I arise in the name of the Lord to do all this day that will please Him most.”

Third, never set about your daily work without the thought that I am doing this not as my appointed wotk, but as the work God has apnointed and I do it out of love to Him.

Fourth, never sit down at your table without thinking, “I will now eat and drink, not to merely feed my flesh, but to nourish a servant of Christ that he may have strength for God’s service.”

Examine yourself in the evening to see if you have kept these things, in mind. Do better tomorrow than you did today. When you get to doing all things with heaven in view and doing all things for God’s sake, you are then enjoying a walk through life with God.

Closing Suggestions

We must bring this writing to a close. We loathe to say the last word. O God, is there not one word more we can say that may help some one to a holier life?

The writer of these lines is nearing his three score years and ten, and being frail in body has written this little booklet as though it may be his last. For two score years the ambition of his life has been to walk close with God and to help others to this blessed life. He has made some mistakes, but even these have been turned to account in helping him to turn with greater eagerness to ascend higher in the Divine life. He has attained a fuller love for all men and for things holy. He hates sin with a perfect hatred. He has attained to a deeper insight into holiness of life. He sees more clearly how the love of God and true holiness can be brought into all the details of every day life; how every thought and word and act can be stamped all over with the beauty of holiness; how that an act can be done to any creature in the tenderness of love.

Before saying the last word he wishes to impress upon all the vast importance of being holy in the performance of the smallest duty of life. It may be needful to reprove or rebuke someone for stepping aside from the holy way of Christ, but do it in the tenderness of heaven’s love. You must not assent to that which is evil, though it be in your dearest friend. You must not smile or nod the head at any remark that is frivolous or gibing, or contains any strife, malice, or ill-will toward another. Let everything be done in the sobriety, the gravity, the holiness, the joyfulness and the love of Christ. We shall give you a few parting counsels.

* Be prayerful. Take time to bow in the secret place and commune heart to heart with God at least twice every day. See to it that in your prayers your soul is lifted up into the presence of God and that it receives the stamp of His holiness upon it. Guard against lukewarmness in prayer. Be fervent, touch heaven and be touched by heaven.
* Guard against being burdened with the cares of this life. Keep your life free from fret, worry, and anxiety. Rest calmly, tranquilly in the helpfulness of an ever-present heavenly Father. Guard against indifference and slothfulness in the spiritual life. Attend vigorously to all the spiritual duties. Come to your prayers with reverence and holy awe. Enter the place of public worship with reverence and a feeling of devotion. Do not engage in a conversation in the house of God that would interfere with or diminish the profoundness of that feeling of reverence in your soul. The house of God is not the place for conversing upon earthly themes. It is a place appointed for the worship of God, not only during the actual service, but before and after. The good effect produced upon the soul by the sermon can be destroyed before you quit the house by a turning of the mind to earthly things.
* See to it every day that you are wholly detached from earthly things. Examine the heart often and closely lest there get to be some affection for things on the earth. See that your love for Christ grows warmer and your interest in heaven grows keener. See to it that you are perfectly contented with your lot in life. Be pleased with all God is doing for you, and that you are pleasing Him in all you do. Keep such a realization of God’s presense that it enters into and makes holy and heavenly your thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds.
* Allow nothing to disquiet you nor disturb your peace of soul. Give no place to restlessness or impatience. Keep heaven and eternity in full view. Live under the consciousness that God has set His love upon you and that the least fret, restlessness, anxiety, or impatience grieves Him. Lean upon Him, hard upon Him and be at rest. Keep the line of communication with heaven constantly intact.
* Be careful to turn every temptation, trial, and trouble to good account. Have them work growth in grace in you, for that is what they have been allowed to come to you for. Trials are the things God works with to fashion more perfectly His image in you. Never chafe under a trial. Count them joy. Thank God for them.
* Do not be half-hearted in your service to God. Be intense, be earnest, be fervent; keep consecrated to God’s will. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. Put first things first. Keep a deep and sublime devotion to God in your soul. Be saintly, be saintly, be saintly. Do not be content with being just a little better, but be your best.
* Let your mind dwell much on heaven. It will do you good to think of death if you think of it as you should, if you look upon it as the open door to the glories of heaven. Remember that it is sure to come. Learn to look upon it as you do a messenger you are expecting to come with glad tidings to you. Do not wait for Death in fear, but wait as you would for a loving friend. It has lost its sting. Jesus removed the sting and placed a blessing in its stead. Be busy while you are waiting. Guard against idleness even in your old days. Keep busy to the last. Let no moments go by unemployed. Do not give place to that inclination to slow down and take life easy because you are growing old. Do not entertain the thought that there is no more now for you to do but to fold your hands and wait the coming of the angels. Let us pray that in our dying hour we may magnify Christ. Always be of good cheer. Never let your heart be troubled. Live holy, live prayerfully, trust God in all things and for all things.

I am thinking of heaven tonight,
Of the beautiful place it must be,
Of the glories I there shall behold
When the pearly gates open to me.

Heaven, sweet heaven, home of my soul,
How blessed to be there it will be;
I’ll walk streets of gold, and never grow old
When the pearly gates open to me.

My mind and heart are in heaven tonight,
From all things of the world I am free:
That mansion I see where I shall ever be
When the pearly gates open to me.

Farewell, dear reader, a loving farewell;
On thee I pray heaven’s blessings to be:
When you come to go, may you have lived so
That heaven’s gates will open to thee.

Part II

The Christian is a creation in Christ. The virtue of Christ enters into and becomes a part of body, soul, and spirit, sanctifying the whole. His nature is such as binds him to the Infinite. He is given a vision of the beauty of the Lord from its reflection in his own being. He has a sense of Divine realities which loose him from the things of time and woo him to heavenly life. He moves in an infinite halo of joy and gladness. Every thought, word, and deed of his new-born life fashions him more into the likeness of God.

The Opened Eye

“Open thou mine eyes.”* (Psalm 119:18)

Who among us does not need to pray this prayer? Who among us has an eye to see all that belongs to the Christian life? Are there not yet some glorious things lying out beyond the boundary of our vision? Oh, for the open eye to see the wondrous things God has prepared for them that love Him! Out beyond our spiritual horizon there may be blessed realities awaiting us if we would but seek God earnestly for the open eye to discover them. This world has been called a vale of tears, a wilderness of woe, and man’s way through it a way of trouble and sorrow, yet there is a way running through it which is a way of pleasantness, and a path which is a pathway of peace. We need the open eye to find this heavenly way. If man would but rise to the fullness of life, he would find many glorious things awaiting him there. Up in the higher realms of close companionship with God there is fullness of joy. If man would come into such intimacy with God as to read His mind and know the loving thoughts He has toward him, his joy would be complete. If man could but see all that lies in the fatherhood of God, he would never have a care. The task of this little book is to help you see more of the good things God has for you.

Looking Upward

“When they had lifted up their eyes they saw no man, save Jesus only.”* (Matthew 17:8)

What you see depends on which way you look. Looking around on life’s circumstances, you will miss seeing the better things of life. Erect for your soul a spiritual observatory where you can look into the heavens and see some of its wonder. You do not need to wait until you get to heaven to behold some of its glories. Heaven will come down to you with many of its blessed realities. Soul vision of God is necessary to soul likeness to God. The beauty of the Lord is inwrought into the soul as it gazes, with steadfast eye, upon Him. The soul attaches itself to and becomes like that upon which it gazes. Those who see most of God are fullest of Him. There are some rare souls who see everything full of Him. Every bush is aflame with His presence. They see Him in every event in life. There are no happenings so small as to disclose none of His beauty. They see His love in all the provocations and interruptions. They welcome every annoyance, grievance, and trial because they see His hand of love in everything. When the soul grasps the fact that nothing can come to us without His permission, then we have found heaven on earth.

Heaven Everywhere

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”* (Matthew 5:8)

It matters not, to those who have the open eye, where they are; they see heaven anywhere. They do not live in that little world where they see the old cabin, the open cracks, the bare floors, the empty flour bin, the meatless larder, the scanty clothing, and the hard times, but they live out in a world where they see riches untold. They always have heaped about them a great store of beautiful and wonderful things. They cannot see their poverty because they are ever looking at their riches. They do not see the little old cabin because they are looking at their mansion. They do not see the faded garments because they are looking at the fine linen, so clean and white. They do not see the empty flour bin and meatless larder because their eyes are ever on the promises of God. The apostle John in Patmos was looking into heaven and not at the barren rocks. Paul was not confined to the dungeon and the stocks; he was up in the presence of God singing Him praise. It is what we see with that inner vision that gives to life its blessed fullness and sweet contentment. Oh, saints, do not live around among the seen things. Go out and build a mansion for your soul in the heavenly life.

Shut-Ins

Beyond doubt the Lord has a few shut-ins. The line that bounds their view is only a little way out. They live in a little world of self-interest, of petty cares, of wearying anxieties, of vexing circumstances. They see only the seen things. They live in a small enclosure, and we have grave fears that with some the enclosure is growing smaller every day. A cataract of worldliness is growing over their eyes. There is closeness of fellowship with God, intimacy of communion, blessedness of trust, freedom from care, worry, and fret that they have never discovered. They never get up into that upper region where life stretches out in holy contemplation of God and the glorious realities that the Lord has for Christian souls. Listen at their talk. It is almost continually about the things of the little world of which they are acquainted. If they should be induced to say a word about the spiritual blessings in heavenly places, it is very vague, unreal and incomprehensive. They can talk fluently of the happenings in the neighborhood and of their own affairs, but have no interest in conversing about the beauty of God, of joys unspeakable, of the sweetness of meditation, and the glorious freedom of the soul.

Mary and Martha

“Martha, Martha, thou art troubled about many things.”* (Luke 10:41)

It is the seeing that makes the great difference between one human life and that of another. Martha saw the seen things, Mary the unseen, hence the difference in their lives. Martha loved the Lord Jesus, but her highest thought was that of ministering to His body’s need. Mary saw that her Lord had meat to eat that Martha knew not of. Had Martha come and sat with Mary, she would not have seen what Mary saw. She would have seen the well-spread table in the dining room, and Mary saw a table spread in the heavenly kingdom. There are those who assemble for worship in the same building who see vastly different things. Some rise but a little way above the things of time and sense. They have so much of the seen things in their eyes, they cannot see the glorious things of the spiritual life. Yet it is their privilege to see the loving purpose of God in every line of human sorrow and have to build for them greater beauty of soul. They should see the hand of God in all the details of daily life, and have the little annoyances and cares work a delicacy in their soul upon which the Holy Spirit can imprint the colors of the heavenly life, making them more heavenly.

Finding Life

“He that loses his life for my sake shall find it.”* (Matthew 10:39)

Not once for all, but the giving of life daily for Christ’s sake is the daily finding of life. By losing life you find life. This is an unfailing law in both the lower and higher life. By expending muscle you find muscle, by expending life you find life. A selfish act is a self-destroying act. A self-denying act is a self-developing act. Every act done for Christ’s sake identifies you with Christ. You become a part of that for which you do an act, and it becomes a part of you. To do things for the world’s sake is to become a part of the world. The more love for Christ you put in what you do, the more closely it unites you with Him. 0 Jesus, intensify our love for Thee! You can put a whole heart full of love in a very small deed, and then the deed has lost its smallness. You can put love for Christ in doing things for yourself as well as in doing things for others. In fact, with a true, sincere Christian there is no such thing as doing for yourself and doing for others. Every act, whether done for yourself or for others, is an act done for Christ. Those who love Jesus do not do one single thing in caring for themselves or others that is not done solely for His sake. This is finding life.

Living by Christ

“As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”* (John 6:57)

Are you able to grasp the meaning of these words? Read them over again slowly and prayerfully. We are to live by Christ as Christ lived by the Father. This is life’s standard. It is the standard Jesus set up. The life Jesus lived was not His, but the life of the Father. The words He spoke were the Father’s words, the deeds He did were the deeds of the Father. To look upon His life was to look upon the life of the Father, for it was the Father that lived in Him. He lived by the Father because He lived upon the Father. In those early morning and all night prayers He was feeding on God the Father, and all through the day He lived by Him. That which He gathered from the Father in those heart-to-heart prayers He carried out and gave it to the world. In those communings with the Father He enveloped Himself with an heavenly atmosphere, and within this enclosure He kept Himself all the day. That holy awe, that sacred reverence, that spirit of worship, that heavenly unction which He gathered to His soul in those prayers He kept within Him all the day. He gathered fresh food every night and morning. Thus we are to live by Christ.

Feeding on Christ

“He that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”* (John 6:57)

May God let the reader and the writer into the secret meaning of these words. We live by what we feed on. Herein lies the whole secret of holy living. To live by Christ is to live like Christ. It is to live by His power, His love, His holiness, His life. To thus live we must feed on Him. He is to be our daily food. There are a few rare souls today (would there were many more) who are hungering for more and more of God, and yet they are coming a little short of the fullest satisfaction. There are those who have a craving that is not fully met—a thirst that is not wholly quenched. They come short of living as Godlike as they should. They try to live nearer Christ, but they fail. They need to feed more on Christ. He is the Life-Bread of the soul. They live the most holy who assimilate most of Him. We feed on Him by bringing our soul into His presence and absorbing Him. In loving thought of Him, in meditating upon Him, in reading His Word and praying in the Spirit, we feed on Him. Every out-going of the heart in love toward Him is supping of Him. By opening its pores and letting the sunlight in, the flower feeds on sunlight. Open your soul to Jesus and let Him shine in.

The Soul’s Craving

The soul’s cravings will not all be fully met and satisfied while here in the body. It was created for greater freedom, for more perfect vision, for greater knowledge, and for a closer union with Christ. The veil of flesh hangs between the redeemed soul and heavenly realities of which it has a consciousness and for which it longs. The soul in love with Christ finds great delight in thinking about the mansion Jesus has gone to prepare and where it shall look into His face as it cannot here. Redeemed man does not have much to do with earthly things compared with his activities amid heavenly things. While in the body he needs to attend to some things here, but he lives mostly in eternity. There are no cravings of the soul for the things of the lower life; its cravings are all for things above. Be sure that you distinguish between the two. It is possible to mistake the cravings of the flesh, the intellect, the sentimental for the craving of the spirit. The mind of man may hunger for an intellectual knowledge of God while the soul has no hunger for God. The soul that longs after God finds the hour of communion with God the sweetest of all the life. It has no thirstings for life’s pleasures.

Holier in Life

You may be pure in heart as the crystal river of life can make you, and holy of soul as God’s throne, yet there is no man living who cannot become holier in life. You can abound more and more in love; go from faith to greater faith; grow in knowledge and grace, and have the beauty of the Lord blooming out more and more in all the words and deeds of life. Though your heart is cleansed from every stain of sin, you can have the sweet, heavenly unction of the Holy Spirit resting more weightily upon your soul. This will affect your outward life, making it deeper, more hallowed and holy. The tree of the garden may be perfect and bear perfect fruit, but by rooting deeper it grows and bears larger and more developed fruit. By letting the mind take hold upon God in holy thought, we root deeper into Him and conform more unto His likeness. Every time the mind fastens upon some truth of God the spirit grows more into the image of God. Put idle thoughts, vain thoughts, far away from you and stay your mind on things above. Open the door of your heart heavenward that the light of God may shine in, imprinting in its depth the beautiful graces of Christ. Look into the face of Jesus and grow to be more like Him.

My Heart-Garden

Down in the secret depths of my heart is a wonderful garden. When I open the gate and walk in, God meets me there. We converse together of things that can never be talked about outside this secret place. It is the holy of holies. It may be amid the bustling throng, the crowded street, the chattering of thoughtless friends, or in some solitary place; when I open the gate and walk in, I find Christ waiting for me. He never disappoints me. His voice is sweetest music, and before the light of His beaming face the shadows flee away. The world with its frets and worries, its fears and anxieties, its sorrows and its cares has no place in this wonderful garden. Here life takes on a fuller meaning. I see the things that are worthless and the things worth while. Here I can see and hear things that cannot be seen or heard anywhere outside this secret place. Here the seen things are lost to view and only the unseen things appear. Here the near things are far away and the far away things are near. Here I gather golden grain from the fields of heaven which I am to carry out and scatter in the pathway of others. When I come out from this garden, earth is not like it was before. Things seem changed and I am nearer like my blessed Lord.

Home of My Soul

The home I am building for my soul today will be its home tomorrow and forever. My soul needs a little more spacious home today than that which it occupied yesterday. It longs to soar up a little higher, to go down a little deeper. The home of yesterday is too narrow for today. It seeks for a clearer vision of heaven, it longs for greater nearness to God, it would feel a little more sensibly the impulse of His will, and come nearer the gates of glory and hear more distinctly the sweet music of heaven. I must not cramp or stint this soul of mine. It must have the fullest and freest range. My soul must have perfect liberty to roam about amid the unseen heavenly things regardless of the sacrifice of the house of clay. This house of flesh must not hold it in or interrupt its flight upward. Its wings must be free to fly upward to the presence of God to hold sweet communion with Him. There are yet many new discoveries for my soul to make in the spiritual life, and it must not be hindered by the desires of the flesh. The flesh with its affections and lusts must be crucified that my soul may have fullest liberty today. What I build for my soul today will be its home throughout eternity. I must build a larger home for my soul each day.

Love

“He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”* (I John 4:16)

The fish is in its element when dwelling in the sea. Man’s proper element is love. Man out of love is out of his native element. Love is the greatest thing in life. The worth of a deed is estimated, not by the deed itself, but by the amount of love there is in it. Love associates the object loved with every thing in life. Labor is the essential property of love. “And labor of love.”* (I Thessalonians 1:3) Love is the must of life. “I must work the works of him that sent me.”* (John 9:4) The labor of love is expressed in giving or in putting forth effort to obtain something to give. Love lives to give. It must give that it might live. Love is not in the word, but in the deed. “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”* (I John 3:18) The tongue may talk of love, but the deed talks loudest. “God so loved the world that he gave.”* (John 3:16) You love an object when you love it so that you give yourself for it. Less than this is not love. Love gives itself. We must cut the roses from the rose bush on our lawn or it will cease giving us roses. It must give its roses that it may produce more roses. Love must give that it may keep on loving.

Love to Christ

“Whom having not seen, ye love.”* (I Peter 1:8) “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.”* (Ephesians 6:24)

Sincere love is love wholly free from self-interest. Sincere love to Christ is not to love Him for what He gives us, but for what He is in himself. A young lady may love a man because he saved her life, but she loves her husband because of what he is. Christ is the lovely and the lovable One. Christ, not the blessing, is to be loved. He is to be loved with or without blessings. There is great need of more intense love to Christ in the hearts of His saints. Few, indeed, that love Jesus as they should. If they loved Christ as they should, it would make a great change in their life. “Is it I?” When Christ is loved in sincerity, He is associated with everything in life. Everything brings thoughts of Him. Present a man, who loves his wife, with a basket of nice, ripe fruit and he will at once think of her. When you receive your monthly salary, you will think of Jesus before yourself, if you love Him more than yourself. You have greater joy in the thing received because of how much of it you can give to Christ, rather than how much you can have for yourself. Increase and abound in love.

Hallowing Life

The secret of a hallowed life is the hallowing of God in the heart. A hallowed life stands out in the world as a witness to things that belong to the heavenly life. Hold your body as a sacred thing dedicated to God for His indwelling. He will hallow His temple. Keep the body sanctified wholly, so that in your eating and drinking or in whatsoever you do all reflects honor and glory to God. A hallowed life speaks to men of things spiritual, divine, eternal. Beware, oh, beware, lest you profane things hallowed to God! There is a vast difference between a cultivated dignity and a life hallowed by the holy presence of God. A man’s acquired dignity points men to himself and they call him magnanimous. A hallowed life points men to God and they magnify Him. The holy contemplation of God awes the soul and this holy awe is the spring of a hallowed life. Deep thoughts of God beget a reverence, a veneration of God that hallows the words and deeds of a man’s life so that he speaks and acts not as other men. Go, dear child of God, often into that place of quiet communion with God, that you might take on a hallowedness by which you may hallow the world.

Familiarity

Familiarity with an object has a tendency to lessen interest and delight in the object. It requires but little effort to have interest in new things, but it does require effort to keep up the interest as the object grows older. It is possible to lose your love to God when very busy about the work of God. It is easier to keep up the works than it is to keep up the love. Saints at Ephesus lost love to God yet maintained the works. You can become so familiar with preaching that it becomes more of an occupation than something done in intense love to Christ. You can keep on working for souls long after you have lost heart-burden for souls. It is not always those who work the hardest that love God most. One of the most subtle and dangerous things in the Christian experience is the deadening effect of familiarity. People can word a beautiful testimony for years on a past experience. Men practice the art of talking beautifully about holy things after they have lost the art of living holy. You can be very familiar with the way of truth, and yet having lost the way out of your soul. The only possible way to keep from being deadened by familiarity with spiritual things is to keep gaining greater spiritual things.

The Holy Anointing

“But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you.”* (I John 2:27)

This anointing is the freshening of the soul with spiritual life. It is like the morning dew upon the rose. It awakens the heart into beauty and strength. It lifts the soul up in holy awe and reverence to God. It is that which separates you from the things of the lower life. You go among men, but this holy anointing keeps you above them. The fruits of the Spirit are growing luxuriously in your life. Your heart is the garden of the Lord. There He comes to gather lilies, to scent the sweet fragrance and to eat His pleasant fruits. It is as real as anything in the lower life. The Holy Spirit anoints the soul with the life of Christ which quickens it and makes it life of its life, and gives it such sweet assurance of the abiding presence of God. It enables man to live amid heavenly things. He is not confined to the things of this material world. He lives out among the realities of the spiritual life. He talks with Christ as with a personal friend. He does all things in the thought of Him. It is the taking of the sweet heavenly essences and distilling them upon the heart until it is saturated through and through with heavenly life.

The Mystery of Godliness

“Great is the mystery of godliness.”* (I Timothy 3:16)

Christ was made flesh and dwelt among us. In Him we had God with us. In Him humanity and divinity were united into a oneness. In Him the human and the divine were never separated. He performed no act, thought no thought, spoke no word that necessitated the leaving out of divinity. God was in every word and deed of His life. Is this too high a life for man to live? We are to measure to the stature of the fullness of Christ. All our words are to be spoken, and our deeds done in Jesus’ name (Colossians 3:17). This is nothing more or less than having Christ in every word and deed. We cannot live it, but Christ will come into our humanity and live it in us. We have no excuse. Christ will do it for us. Get out of yourself and let Christ in. He will live in you to the thinking of every thought, the speaking of every word and the doing of every act. We are commanded to live godly in this present world, and that is not godly that does not have God in it. If you are failing to live godly in every word, you need to feed on Christ more. Get more of His strength in your life. Draw more heavily at the Divine breasts. Drink deep and full of the life of Christ.

Dead with Christ

“If ye be dead with him.”* (II Timothy 2:11)

Think deeply on these words. Dead with Him. What does it mean? There is no thought of death on the wooden cross, but death to all living to fleshly lusts. To be dead with Him is to be dead to all He was dead to. It cannot mean less. He lived after the Spirit and not after the flesh. He lived humanly but never fleshly. To live after the Spirit is to do all things in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is to be the energy in the speaking of every word and doing of every deed. We are not to speak and act of ourselves, but in the Spirit. Adam acted to the flesh which separated him from divine life. We can live in the flesh, do things in the flesh, and not do them for the sake of the flesh. We can do every thing for Jesus’ sake. When we do things for the sake of the flesh, we are living to the flesh and this is not holy living. Do not be too hasty to conclude that you are not a Christian because you do some things almost daily that is done to the flesh. You may speak too idly, or too sharply, eat too much, indulge in the flesh in too great an ease, and yet do it carelessly and thoughtlessly and not altogether forfeit Divine life. Read on.

Living with Christ

“If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.”* (II Timothy 2:11)

Not only when we get to heaven, but here on earth. If we do not live with Him here, we shall not live with Him in heaven. You cannot speak idly, impatiently, eat intemperately, willfully and premeditatively and be a Christian. And to do those things thoughtlessly and carelessly is to become a very weak Christian, and will finally end in the utter loss of spiritual life. Many, many saints are living too carelessly, thoughtlessly. They may pray the Lord to help that every word they speak may be seasoned with grace, but oh, how careless they are about their words when they come from prayer. They seem to give such little heed to help God answer their prayers. They will chatter along for an hour about earthly things without once thinking of God or whether their words are pleasing unto Him. They will talk about things that ought not to be spoken by those professing to be saints. They seem to enjoy talking about the unholy deeds of others. To live with Jesus is to have but few words, and them well chosen. To live with Christ is to have Him live with us. He is to be in all we do. It is not for us to live but Him to live in us. Christ liveth in me.

Baptized into His Death

“Baptized into His death.”* (Romans 6:3)

Many saints fail to walk in that blessed fellowship and intimate communion that their souls crave. They long to have Christ more real in their life. They yearn for a greater consciousness of His presence. They come short of their soul’s cravings because they are not baptized fully into Christ’s death. They live too much to the flesh. They live too much for earthly things. They have too great an admiration for earthly things, a fine home, fine furniture, fine automobile. Look closely into the life of Christ. Not once did He ever manifest an admiration of the fine things of the world. He admired God in nature, but never admired nature of itself. If He admired the works of man, it was not what man had done, but what God had helped him do. In all His sightseeing He never lost sight of God. This is a precious secret in the Christian life. See God everywhere and in everything. Admire God, adore Him, and not the thing He has created. Alas, how many think more, admire more, talk more about, seek more after the thing created than they do the Creator. Jesus saw this world and all the fine things in it under condemnation and ready for the burning, and so will you when baptized into His death.

Dying with Christ

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.”* (II Corinthians 4:10)

Do not think of Christ being dead to the extent that He had no temptation. He was tempted all through His life as any sanctified person is tempted (Hebrews 4:15). His death was that of an everyday dying. He had temptation to resist and overcome. He had a human will which He kept in subjection to the Divine will just as Christians have to do. The same power that enabled Him to do this will enable the Christian to do likewise. This is holy living. Just as Jesus kept dead to every suggestion of the flesh, so are we to keep dead. This is bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. One brother inquires, “How can a man marry and raise a family and not live to the flesh?” Just the same as he can do anything in the flesh and not live to the flesh. Jesus did not refuse to marry because it was sinful or fleshly. It was not His calling. Paul said, “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called,”* (I Corinthians 7:20) and he was talking on this very subject. Marrying belongs to pure humanity as much as eating, drinking, sleeping, etc., though not as necessary to the life of the person, but to the life of the race.

Dying with Christ: Continued

Raising a family was not the sin of Eden. God told Adam and his wife to be fruitful, to multiply and replenish the earth before their transgression. When man and woman marry simply for the gratification of the flesh, they transgress a higher law of their being. They are living on the plane of the flesh. This is true of everything in life. To build a house, or remodel one, to buy home furniture or an automobile to the gratifying of the flesh is sowing to the flesh. There are to be fasts, by mutual consent for the soul’s good in the married life, the same as abstaining from food and drink (I Corinthians 7:5). Dying with Jesus means the refusing to do anything in life purely for fleshly gratification. This is holy living. This is where many a saint is coming short of the perfect life. They are too careless. Their soul is not stirred up to realization of the great importance of sowing to the Spirit. Listening to the suggestion of the flesh has caused many a one to fail to obey the Spirit. They sowed to the flesh instead of to the Spirit, and they will have to pay the penalty. They absent themselves from the prayer meeting, from the closet, fail to give of their means at the suggestion of the flesh. They are missing the joy of God.

Living to Our Ability

“He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”* (Matthew 19:12)

God requires no one to receive that of which they are not capable. Jesus withheld some truths from His disciples because they were not able to receive them. Some are capable of receiving more than others. God does not require one man to live to the capability of another, but does require each one to live to the fullest of his own capability. Have you done this? Are you doing it? If you had lived to the fullest of your capability in the past, it may be that you would be more capable today. Begin now! Lose no more time! Jesus does not condemn all who do not live to the full standard of life. He does condemn all who do not live to the full light they have been given of that standard; you to yours and me to mine. The question is, are you living to your full light? The soul has wonderful capabilities. If we will only live up to our full capabilities, we will be brought into a very close life with God. We greatly fear that many are careless. They are not putting their soul out to its fullest capability. They are not reaching out with all the enegry of their being for things that are before. They could be better Christians if they would.

The Joys of Heaven

The Lord said to his faithful servant, “Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”* (Matthew 25:21,23) By this Jesus means to tell us that if we be faithful servants of God, some day we shall be admitted into higher joys than we ever knew here. The little child that has been taught that Santa will bring it many pretty things on Christmas will think a great deal about these nice things, and can scarcely wait until Christmas comes. Why should we not think much about the joys of heaven? Maybe some of us do not keep that heavenly country enough in our thoughts. The more you contemplate the joys of heaven, the lighter will be the sorrows of earth. The joy that Jesus looked forward unto helped Him to endure the cross. We can bear a great deal today if we have bright anticipations of tomorrow. What if there be a few tears here? There will be none over there, and this thought helps us to bear up a little longer. Thinking of the joys of heaven will let the light through the darkest clouds that can hang over our heads. Earthly pleasures fail to charm us as we think about the pleasures at God’s right hand. Though there is no flour in the bin, nor meat in the larder, we grow happy as we think of heaven.

Tune Your Harp

David calls up his soul and tunes it to the great heart of God. Keeping in tune with heaven is the secret of holy living. We must catch daily messages from the sky that we might keep in harmony with the mind of God. We must hear the voice of God, we must feel His life playing on the tender cords of our soul, we need to be moved by the impulses of His loving heartbeats to live as holy as we should. Let there be no discordant notes in the music of your soul. You can keep tuned in with the sweet harmony of heaven in the very face of strife and sin in the world. Peter slept like a child with the chopping block only a few hours ahead; Paul kept the music of heaven in his heart while fast in the stocks; Daniel kept tuned in with the world of glory at the entrance to the lions’ den; the furnace cast no fear over the life of the three Hebrews; Habakkuk rejoiced in the God of his salvation with empty fields, storehouses and stalls before him; Job kept the proper wavelength in his soul amid all his adversities. Beware, oh, beware, lest something of earth gets your harps out of tune. Why will mortal man allow the poor, weak things of earth to disturb the music of his soul?

Faith

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”* (Galatians 3:26)

Faith is that which brings the soul in contact with God in Christ, and Christ is formed in man. Faith in Christ identifies man with God. Heart-faith works by love. By faith we love the unseen Christ. Faith is the faculty of spiritual touch. Faith is that energy by which the soul is attached in a vital union with God. It is by faith that the unseen is realized. It is by faith that the soul is brought in touch with the Infinite. Faith receives into itself that which is in Christ and mingles His life with its own. Faith brings virtue out of Him into our body or soul. It is just according to what faith has been exercised for. Faith is more than a chain that binds us to God; it unites God to us so that we are one. Faith fills the soul with God, and the soul filled with God finds everything full of Him. Every event, every circumstance is a bush aflame with His glory. Faith associates God with every moment of time and every event of life. Faith puts the world with its vanities and vexations under our feet. Faith regards every foe as conquered. It refuses to look on circumstances. It will not be drawn aside from looking into the face of God.

Living by Faith

“The just shall live by faith.”* (Galatians 3:11)

The sinner lives by sight; the saint lives by faith. This puts them into two different spheres of life. One lives in the world of seen things, while the other lives in the unseen world. One sees only the circumstances of everyday life, while the other sees the hand of Providence in all circumstances. It makes a vast difference. By faith man lives above all earthly circumstances. He is not affected by “hard times.” He lives up where all times are good times. The most abject poverty has no influence over his life. If he has no place to lay his head, he has a place to lay his heart and he is perfectly contented. Mountains of gold have no more influence over his life than the kingdoms of the world had over Jesus. He makes no more obeisance to the world at its offers of riches, honor, and pleasure than Jesus made to the devil at his offers of all the glory of the kingdoms of earth. Those who live by faith do not look around on material things. They live amid eternal things. They understand that they are to use everything that comes to them in life to help them on in the spiritual life. Those living by faith live under the influence of the unseen and not the seen.

Man’s Worth

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”* (Hebrews 2:6)

Man is of infinite worth. Not only is he of infinite worth to God, but he is of infinite worth to himself. When a man loses himself, he has lost all. When he finds himself, he finds all. Christ was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of man. He was born of the Holy Spirit and of woman. God finds Himself (we say it with profound reverence) when He finds man, and man finds himself when he finds God. The father finds himself in the child, and the child finds himself in the father. God has children in His loins, and in those that are born of Him He sees of the travail of His soul and is satisfied—He finds His completeness. There is something in God that yearns for man, and something in man that yearns for God. When they find one another, they have found their fullness of joy, their fullness of fellowship, their fullness of glory. The greatest gift to man is God, and the greatest gift to God is man. You can give God no greater gift than the giving of yourself. God gave Himself to man that He might receive the gift of man to Himself. The cross of Christ is the measurement of man’s worth to God. Man being crucified with Christ is the measure of God’s worth to him.

The Christian

“The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”* (Acts 11:26)

The Christian is man in his completeness. He is not something more than man, neither is he something less, but man in his perfect manhood. “Ye are complete in him.”* (Colossians 2:10) The Christian is not an addition to man’s manhood, but he is the true type of manhood. To not be a Christian is to be something less than man. Such are below the standard. They are rejected. When man measures to the stature of the fullness of Christ, he also measures to the fullness of himself. He who does not measure to the fullness of Christ has not risen to the fullness of manhood. When we say, “Be a man,” it means in the full sense, “Be a Christian.” There is no difference between the laws of Christ written in the Gospel and those written in the heart and mind of man. The one answers to the other. Do you ever check up? When the Christian transgresses the law of the Gospel, he transgresses the law of his being. The life of a Christian is not the outflowing of the laws of the Gospel, but the outflowing of the laws of his own being, and since these are identically the same, the Christian life is an outward expression of Gospel law. Holy living is Gospel living.

Man’s Kinship with God

“[I] will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.”* (II Corinthians 6:18)

It is the kinship of father and son. It is God coming into humanity and the taking of humanity up into Himself. He stamps Himself with humanity and stamps humanity with Himself. Look at humanity in Christ and you will see what humanity ought to be. Look at Christ in humanity and you will see what Christ is. This may be a hard saying, but it is what man is in Christ. Christ is the Revealer of man, and saved man is the revealer of Christ. The Christian is the revealer of Christ not only on special or extraordinary occasions, but also in the smallest detail of life. Whether he speaks or acts, he does all in the name (life, character) of Christ. Look on the footprints Christ made through this world and you will see the pathway for the redeemed. Look on the pathway of the redeemed and you will see the footprints of the Savior. The redeemed “walk, even as He walked.”* (I John 2:6) Jesus was filled with divinity and humanity, and man in Christ is fulfilled with humanity and divinity. Jesus was the fullness of man, and man in Him is the fullness of God. God and man are so united in Christ as to work together, walk together, suffer and rejoice together. This is holiness.

God’s Eternal Purpose

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”* (Ephesians 3:11)

From the dawn of eternity God had a purpose in mind, and that purpose was to have a being that He could love to the fullest capacity of His love and with whom He could have perfect fellowship and most intimate communion. You, dear reader, are that being. This purpose was wrought out through Christ. That God might have His purpose realized He must bring man up to a perfect likeness of Himself. God loved man in his sins, but did not love him for what he then was, but for what he could become in Christ Jesus. The likeness of God was in Christ. The great task of God is the bringing of man up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. To do this Christ Himself must be formed in man. Man becomes the likeness of God in Christ. God looks on the man in Christ and sees the fullest realization of His purpose. Christ Jesus came to save man. This is what salvation is—fellowship, likeness, communion with God. Salvation is in being like God. This is accomplished by Christ coming into the life of man and taking that life up into His own and making them one life. Christ and saved man are not two, they are one. This is the new creation.

Salvation

“Mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”* (Luke 2:30)

Jesus is God’s salvation for man—Jesus and none other. Salvation is more than saving man from all that is unlike Christ; it is also imparting to him all that is like Christ. It is Christ’s and man’s nature inwrought one in the other, making them of like nature. It is the transforming of man into the likeness of God. It is man attaining his true manhood. Salvation is manhood regained. Look at Christ and you will see what you ought to be and can be. Jesus became the Savior of men by giving Himself for men. Men are saved by giving themselves to the Savior. A saved man is one to whom the Savior has been given and one who has given himself to the Savior. They are of like nature. They have perfect fellowship, blessed communion, and share everything in common. Each has what the other has. That which the man has belongs to Christ, and that which Christ has belongs to the man. Christ sups with the man and the man with Christ. Wherever you find the saved man you will also find Jesus there. They think, they speak, they act together. They are one life. Christ is the life of the man, and the man’s life is lived in by Christ. This is holy living—this is salvation.

Character

“The express image of his person.”* (Hebrews 1:3)

We do not have the word character in the King James Version of the Bible, but had we got a direct rendering of the above text, it would have been character instead of image. Christ was in the express character of the Father. Man can not serve two masters, but the fact is, he is serving one of two. There is none good but One; neither is there any that doeth good. All good that man does is done by the power of God. There is a spirit that works in the children of disobedience to the doing of wrong. Man is not free to do what he wills. He may will to do good and find he is not able to do it. He may sometimes will to do evil and find himself hindered. The only freedom man has is the power to choose which power shall work in him—the power of Christ, or the power of Satan. If man will yield his life to Christ, He will come in, dethroning the power of sin, and be the power in man to the doing of good. Character is not what we are by reason of what we do, but what we are by reason of what power is working in us. We do not build a Christian character by our own doing, but by accepting Christ and letting Him work in and through us to His own pleasure.

Our Book

“And the books were opened.”* (Revelation 20:12)

God gives a book to everyone. You have yours and I have mine. It is the book of possibilities. In our text we are told that we are going to be judged out of the books according to our works. We are all writing a book. We are writing in our own book. I cannot write in yours, nor you in mine. You are responsible for what is in your book. We are tracing out our own record every moment on the book of our possibilities. What we think, what we say, and what we do are all being recorded. If you do nothing, then that is what is recorded. It is not just according to what we have done, but according to what we might have done. There will be no false entries in your book. The record is selfrecording. Every deed records itself. Every idle moment records itself. If you do not want an idle moment or an idle word recorded against you, do not spend it, do not speak it. Our record is being written in our own hearts. What we think, say, and do become a part of us. All is being registered indelibly in our character. Every thought, word, and deed makes us better or worse. You are what you are because of what you have been thinking, saying, and doing. Each one is a child of his own doings.

Influence

“Be thou an example.”* (I Timothy 4:12)

The book of our life is not the making of our own character and destiny only, but it is also helping to make that of another. It is a serious thing to live. There is a wondrous power in personal influence. Your life is helping to mould some other life, and often the one that is dearest to you. What we are goes to help make another what they are. What we are engraves itself upon the life of our friend or brother. The conduct of the parents is being written in the lives of the children. We are contributing to the world’s good or had. A bad man is a dangerous man. We have no right to live as we please. Our children, our friend, our neighbor has a right to demand a good life of us for their own sake. The boy has a right to say, “Father, for my sake I demand you to live a pure life.” It will be a bitter thing to start a child wrong in life by some unholy conduct. It is not an easy thing to heal the wound our wrong conduct has made in the life of another. We may, by repentance and begging forgiveness, heal the wound, but it will be hard to remove the scar. A deed can be forgiven, but it cannot be changed. It is in your power now under grace to make your future record clean and pure. Will you do it?

The Cup of Cold Water

Read Matthew 10:42 and Mark 9:41. Nothing is too small to do out of purest fervent love for Christ. Love is keen-eyed and will find many little things to do for Jesus in the busiest days of life. Every act of our life leads to God or from God. The least act done in love will be rewarded. Even saints, many of them, do not realize this fact as they should. They do not stop to think that their acts, one by one, day after day are making an eternal destiny for them. Every act goes toward building that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Your soul, dear saint, is going to inhabit forever the home you are building out of the little acts of everyday life. The more love we put into the small deed, the greater will be the reward. We must have a care, however, not to do these deeds for reward’s sake, but for love’s sake. Little sacrifices of the flesh for Christ’s sake makes the act beautiful in His sight. Doing things for humanity’s sake is commendable, but doing them for Christ’s sake is infinitely more so. Many of us need greater love for Christ; love that will move us to please the Lord in all we think and say and do throughout the whole of the day; love that will cause us to eat and drink to His glory.

The Value of Truth

“Buy the truth, and sell it not.”* (Proverbs 23:23)

It costs something to gain possession of truth, but it is well worth all it costs. It is the most valuable treasure of which man can gain possession. What is truth? It is the way to true happiness, the way to perfect manhood, the way to Christ and heaven. It is the “pearl of great price.”* (Matthew 13:46) What does it cost? It costs all that a man has. It costs him the world, all earthly possessions, earthly ties, and his own life. When truth is gained it brings to us all that was given for it. It gives a new world, it gives earthly ties purified and made dearer, it gives earthly possessions sanctified, and life now and forever. “Sell it not.” Truth is a precious treasure, and where treasures are thieves will come. These thieves will come in their most deceptive and cunning devices. They will come as an angel of light. They will come as if sent from heaven. Many a man who gave all he had to purchase truth has bartered it away for a trifle. For a bit of worldliness, for some fleshly gratification, truth has been lost in a few moments of time. It has been sacrificed for gold. Men have exchanged truth for a false thing called “New Truth,” which they have gone courting all their days.

God’s Fatherhood

He lives holiest who can say, “My Father” with the deepest heart realization. it is positively impossible to live wholly free from care, anxiety, fret, trouble, and fear without a conception of God’s Fatherhood, and soul-consciousness that He is your Father. Except the Spirit is lisping in your heart, “Abba, Father,”* (Galatians 4:6) you will not live as a child of God should. Listen now, you cannot feel in your heart the great, loving, fatherly care of God and have Him real as life to your soul without deep and holy contemplation of Him. This brings us to where we have been before. We tell you with the strongest emphasis that without meditation, feeding on Christ and assimilating His power and life and love, you will fail again and again to live as your heart tells you that you should. You have tried to be more patient in your home, but you have failed again and again. You have tried to not speak so idly. Cease your trying and go to meditating on the loving fatherhood of God, feed on His life, His love, His joy, assimilate His grace, and ere you are aware the impatient speech, the idle word has taken wing and flown away. The peace of God will keep your heart. It is not so much by trying as by feeding. Get stronger inward life.

Indebtedness

“Owe no man anything, but to love one another.”* (Romans 13:8)

These words are simple, plain, and understandable. Why try to make them mean anything more or less than what they plainly say? These words do not forbid borrowing. Jesus encouraged borrowing. You do not owe a borrowed thing until the date agreed upon for its return. Return it, if it be a penny, a book, or $100.00, on or before the date agreed upon for its return. If you do not, you transgress God’s Word. One says, “I am unable.” If the man borrowed from will willingly extend the time, then you do not owe it until the date of the new agreement. If the man wants it, you are to pay it. Your being unable does not pay the bill. He is as unable to do without as you are to pay it. It is not holy living. Far better to do without than to borrow and not be able to return. Thousands have misstepped because they were not willing to do without. They were reaching out for a little more of some earthly thing. Better be satisfied with the little cabin clear of debt than a fine home under mortgage. It is more Christlike. It will be better for your soul. Oh, the souls that have been dwarfed because man was not contented with the scarcity of earthly things. Look on Christ.

The Smile of God

“Who will show us any good?”* (Psalm 4:6)

The world is asking this question of the saint. The saint finds the answer in the words of the remainder of the text. “LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.”* (Psalm 4:6) The smile of God is the chief good. Nothing in all this world is good except it has God’s good pleasure upon it. Let that alone, dear soul, upon which God will not smile. It is heaven upon earth to stand continually in the smile of God. That is the essential good. Pluck no rose that does not have the radiance of light from the countenance of God upon it. It will prick you if you do. Nothing will take God’s place in man’s life. Men have tried to manufacture artificial sunlight, but they have not yet succeeded in inventing something that will melt the snows of winter, paint the flowers with beautiful colors, mantle the fields with coverings of green, and shoot life through all nature. It is only God that can bring light, peace, and health to the soul. The pleasures and riches of the world will never do it. You may have the applause of the world, its riches, and its pleasures if you wish them, but let me stand in the light of God’s countenance. God’s smile will bring a bright spot into life’s darkest hours.

The Troubled Heart

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”* (John 14:1)

Faith is the remedy for heart trouble (John 14:27). By faith the heart lives up in the mountain region above the fear and trouble line. When faith is strong and feeds freely upon Christ, then the heart is full of life and vivacity. When faith is weak the heart languisheth for want of nourishment. Faith that works by love to God will wing the soul up “beyond the reach of trouble, knowing not a painful struggle, ever joyful in the Lord.”* If you are having fears, troubles, anxieties, worries, and frettings, you need to mount up into a clearer and healthier atmosphere. Your faith is too slothful and languid. The heart action is not good and strong. The breathing after Christ is not deep and full enough. The soul does not lay at its full length on Christ that its absorption may be perfect. There is not sufficient pressure of the heart upon Christ. Real, true heart-faith is no lazy something. It is ever up and ardent. Faith works and it works with greatest diligence. Beware of indolence. Many times effort is required. As the new-born babe receives nourishment from the mother’s breast, so the soul by faith receives nourishment from the fullness of God.

Poor Yet Rich

“I know thy works, and thy tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich.”* (Revelation 2:9)

Faith makes rich in the midst of poverty. “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith?”* (James 2:5) The Christian lives by faith and not by sight. If he lived by sight, he would see his poverty, but since he lives by faith he sees only his riches. Those who live by sight look out upon circumstances and are troubled. Those living by faith look up to God and are happy. Their riches far exceed the riches of the world. What are their riches? They are those things that lie in the fatherhood of God. There is love, comfort, consolation, care, protection, supplying of all need for soul and body; all these and more are in the fatherhood of God and constitute the Christian’s riches. He sees these things and lives by them. Faith makes those riches so real to the saint that he does not feel his poverty. He feels his riches. He does not go through this world dejected and crestfallen under the feeling of poverty, but he goes through the world feeling his riches and proves it by his free, joyous, contented, happy life. By faith, the Christian sees everything bringing good to him, and it is impossible to discourage him.

Faith and Sin

“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”* (Romans 14:23)

This is one of Paul’s hard sayings. It goes deep into the meaning of life. While these words were spoken with reference to the eating of meat it contains a principle which covers the whole of the Christian life. This is an excellent direction in the way of holy living. It means that if you engage in anything in life that cannot be done with implicit faith and confidence in God, it is sin. In the building and furnishing of a home, the buying of any property, the clothing of the body, the feeding of the body, the conversations, the recreations, amusements, entertainments, social gatherings—if there be not innocent, child-like, heart-felt faith in God, you are trespassing on forbidden ground. There must be detachment from earthly things that there may be attachment to God. You must be dead with Christ to live with Him. The will must be wholly surrendered to God. There is no wishing for this or that. There are no choosings of what we shall do or what we shall have. The Lord is always set before the face. Do not do one thing except you can see the light on His countenance while you are doing it. If there be a self-seeking, self-love, self-desire, self-will, the heart famishes.

Marks of Slavery

“I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”* (Galatians 6:17)

“I bear the marks of Jesus branded on my body.”TCNT

Paul was Christ’s bond-servant. There are two theories as to what were these “marks.” One is that they were the scars on his body left from the gashes made by the whippings and stonings. The other is that they were his living for Christ. We accept this latter view. Scars on the body are no certain evidence of belonging to Christ, while we as saints are to give unmistakable evidence in our life that we are the bond-servant of Jesus—His exclusive property. This means that we are to live solely in His interest. As we go about among men, it is plain to be seen by all that we belong to Christ. We are epistles of Christ, slaves of Christ. We take interest in ourselves not for ourselves, but only as the Lord’s possession. This is holy living. When the Lord gives us something that is good for the body—which He is daily doing—we thank Him not just for our body’s sake, but that we have the privilege of caring for this body for His dear sake. You may need to think here a moment and pray. The bond that makes the saint the slave of Christ is the bond of love. This is man’s truest freedom. Christ makes us free by making us His bond-servant in love.

“Stigmata”

The word marks in Galatians 6:17 is from stigmata, and means the brand which the slave bore on his body which showed that he was the property of a certain slaveowner. It was usually the initial letters of the owner’s name or his name in full. You read the name of the owner on the body of the slave. What lies in this metaphor is this, that the Christian as belonging to Christ has the name of God written upon him. “I will write upon him the name of my God.”* (Revelation 3:12) You can read Christ in the life of a saint. The name he bears in this life is “Christ.” That is his brand—his stigmata. The saint glories in bearing this stigmata. The very passion of his life is to see that nothing obliterates this brand. He is thoroughly decided that neither the world, nor sin, nor the devil, nor the years of time will be able to have these marks overgrown. They must stand out clear and distinct so that all may read. For him to live is Christ. Christ is to be seen in every word and deed. The intensity, the passion, the fixed resolution of the true saint is to bear these marks in life and in death, so that Jesus shall be magnified in the body while living and when dying (Philippians 1:20).

Waiting on God

“My soul, wait thou only upon God.”* (Psalm 62:5)

There is no soul exercise so strengthening. It is what will develop wings (Isaiah 40:31). It enables the saint to live in the mountain heights. He lives in the upper realm where the sun shines. While the storm and tempest are raging below, the wings of his soul are beating the air where the sunlight gleams. You may judge such a one, but he is too high to be reached by man’s judgment. Nothing you can do to him that will trouble him. He will love you and do you good, however much you may mistreat him. You cannot turn him aside from loyalty to God. He is up where he is in tune with the Infinite. He is up where no earthly thing intercepts the messages from heaven to his soul. No earthly circumstances or condition can break the harmony he has with God. He sails on an unruffled sea. Waves of glory roll around him like a sea of light. While among men he is above men. While in the furnace he walks with God, and there no obnoxious odor of the earthly circumstance gets on his garments. He is surrounded with a pure and heavenly atmosphere. The great secret of a holy and happy life while living in the world is to live above it. “My soul, wait thou only upon God.” Put the emphasis on “only.”

Conclusion

We have come to say the parting word. Oh, Jesus, what shall it be! Will there be those who read this booklet, pronounce it good, yet will allow the trifling things of earth to hinder them from living to its teachings? After all that has been said, will they still be careless, indifferent, and live at too great a distance from God? Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O saint; put on thy beautiful garments, O child of heaven; that there be nothing dull, stupid, morose, morbid, slothful in your soul, but all be full of life and vigor from God and aflame with His glory. We charge you in the sight of God and the Lord Jesus, allow nothing in your life that is thoughtless or indifferent toward heavenly things. Do not allow your prayers to be dull and lifeless. Call mightily on God to send an angel with a live coal from off the altar and touch your soul that you might flame up into the strength, holiness, and beauty of the Lord. Pray, pray more, pray in the Spirit. Beware of that listless prayer! We do not mean loud praying, but that prayer that presses the soul hard against God and receives His imprint. Surround yourself with the presence of God and allow nothing of the world to surprise you or woo you out of it. We commit you to God.

Do not think the standard held up in this booklet too high. If you give as earnest attention and put forth as great an effort to live to this standard as you do for things in the secular life, you will be successful. Ought we need feel a deep sense of shame for taking more thought, time, and making greater effort to gain earthly things than we do heavenly things, and then think to excuse ourselves by saying the standard is too high?

Take time, dear saint, we beseech you by the mercies of God — take time to feed your soul on heavenly food.

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The world in which we live is becoming more wicked with each new day. Threats of terrorism control the news headlines. Teenagers are killing their classmates and peers. Regard for the well-being of others is considered to be a sign of weakness. Unwed parents and unwanted children abound on every hand. Abortion clinics are thriving. Morality is fast declining while indifference and unconcern are on the rise.

In just such a setting as we face, the words of Jesus ring out loud and clear: “Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.” In other words, don’t be surprised when I tell you that you must be born again. You see, nothing short of the miraculous grace of God can stop the downward spiral of sin and its effects. God intends to destroy the kingdom of sin one soul at a time. This is why the words of the Saviour are so specific. YOU must be born again. Jesus wants to deliver you from the bondage of sin, and give a new life of freedom in Him. He earnestly desires for you to be born into the kingdom of God, and become a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. My friend, no matter what sins and offenses you have committed against God, He can make you as clean and as innocent as a new born baby, if you will seek Him with true repentance.

There is a popular belief today that prevails in the minds of many. That is the belief that all that is necessary to please God and make it to heaven is to “believe” in God, attend church, and just do the best you can. But dear one, this is a lie perpetrated by the devil. In John 3:3 Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” If you believe in God, you will certainly want to do what He says. You must receive God’s forgiveness for your sins, and forsake all sin and live a new life in Jesus – a holy life, without committing sin.

Please consider these words today. They are offered in love, not condemnation. “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17. Jesus will save all who come unto Him in sincerity. He desires to save you from sin and rescue you from hell.

Please examine your soul this day. If you are not saved, call on the name of the Lord before it is everlastingly too late. Confess and forsake all sin, and He will save you. You must be born again.

By Dale Hayton

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