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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12854-0.txt b/12854-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b3f8c4a --- /dev/null +++ b/12854-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3500 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12854 *** + +The MASTER'S INDWELLING + +ANDREW MURRAY + +1953 + + +The following papers were in substance delivered by the author in a series +of addresses at the Northfield Conference of 1895, but later rewritten and +revised by him for this permanent and authorized publication. + + +CONTENTS + + +I. CARNAL CHRISTIANS + +II. THE SELF LIFE + +III. WAITING ON GOD + +IV. ENTRANCE INTO REST + +V. THE KINGDOM FIRST + +VI. CHRIST OUR LIFE + +VII. CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION + +VIII. THE COMPLETE SURRENDER + +IX. DEAD WITH CHRIST + +X. JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST + +XI. TRIUMPH OF FAITH + +XII. THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER + +XIII. THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL + + + + +CARNAL CHRISTIANS. + +I. + +_1 Corinthians 3: 1_.--_And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto +spiritual, but as unto carnal_. + + +The apostle here speaks of two stages of the Christian life, two types of +Christians: "I could not speak unto you as unto _spiritual_, but as unto +_carnal_, even as unto babes in Christ." They were Christians, in Christ, +but instead of being spiritual Christians, they were carnal. "I have fed +you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, +neither yet are ye able, for ye are yet carnal." Here is that word a second +time. "For whereas"--this is the proof--"there is among you envying, and +strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one +saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" Four +times the apostle uses that word carnal. In the wisdom which the Holy Ghost +gives him, Paul feels:--I can not write to these Corinthian Christians +unless I know their state, and unless I tell them of it. If I give +spiritual food to men who are carnal Christians, I am doing them more harm +than good, for they are not fit to take it. I cannot feed them with meat, +I must feed them with milk. And so he tells them at the very outset of the +epistle what he sees to be their state. In the two previous chapters he had +spoken about his ministry being by the Holy Spirit; now he begins to tell +them what must be the state of a people in order to accept spiritual truth, +and he says: "I have not liberty to speak to you as I would, for you are +carnal, and you cannot receive Spiritual truth." That suggests to us the +solemn thought, that in the Church of Christ there are two classes of +Christians. Some have lived many years as believers, and yet always remain +babes; others are spiritual men, because they have given themselves up to +the power, the leading and to the entire rule of the Holy Ghost. If we are +to obtain a blessing, we must first decide to which of these classes we +belong. Are we, by the grace of God, in deep humility living a spiritual +life, or are we living a carnal life? Then, let us first try to understand +what is meant by the carnal state in which believers may be living. + +We notice from what we find in Corinthians, four marks of the carnal state. +First: It is simply a condition of protracted infancy. You know what that +means. Suppose a beautiful babe, six months old. It cannot speak, it cannot +walk, but we do not trouble ourselves about that; it is natural, and ought +to be so. But suppose a year later we find the child not grown at all, and +three years later still no growth; we would at once say: "There must be +some terrible disease;" and the baby that at six months old was the cause +of joy to every one who saw him, has become to the mother and to all a +source of anxiety and sorrow. There is something wrong; the child can not +grow. It was quite right at six months old that it should eat nothing but +milk; but years have passed by, and it remains in the same weakly state. +Now this is just the condition of many believers. They are converted; they +know what it is to have assurance and faith; they believe in pardon for +sin; they begin to work for God; and yet, somehow, there is very little +growth in spirituality, in the real heavenly life. We come into contact +with them, and we feel at once there is something wanting; there is none of +the beauty of holiness or of the power of God's Spirit in them. This is +the condition of the carnal Corinthians, expressed in what was said to the +Hebrews: "You have had the Gospel so long that by this time you ought to be +teachers, and yet you need that men should teach you the very rudiments of +the oracles of God." Is it not a sad thing to see a believer who has been +converted five, ten, twenty years, and yet no growth, and no strength, and +no joy of holiness? + +What are the marks of a little child? One is, a little child cannot help +himself, but is always keeping others occupied to serve him. What a tyrant +a baby in a house often is! The mother cannot go out, there must be a +servant to nurse it; it needs to be cared for constantly. God made a man to +care for others, but the baby was made to be cared for and to be helped. So +there are Christians who always want help. Their pastor and their Christian +friends must always be teaching and comforting them. They go to church, and +to prayer-meetings, and to conventions, always wanting to be helped,--a +sign of spiritual infancy. + +The other sign of an infant is this: he can do nothing to help his +fellow-man. Every man is expected to contribute something to the welfare of +society; every one has a place to fill and a work to do, but the babe can +do nothing for the common weal. It is just so with Christians. How little +some can do! They take a part in work, as it is called, but there is little +of exercising spiritual power and carrying real blessing. Should we not +each ask, "Have I outgrown my spiritual infancy?" Some must reply, "No, +instead of having gone forward, I have gone backward, and the joy of +conversion and the first love is gone." Alas! They are babes in Christ; +they are yet carnal. + +The second mark of the carnal state is this: that there is sin and failure +continually. Paul says: "Whereas there is strife and division among you, +and envying, are ye not carnal?" A man gives way to temper. He may be a +minister, or a preacher of the Gospel, or a Sunday-school teacher, most +earnest at the prayer-meeting, but yet strife or bitterness or envying is +often shown by him. Alas! Alas! In Gal. 3:5 we are told that the works of +the flesh are specially hatred and envy. How often among Christians, who +have to work together, do we see divisions and bitterness! God have mercy +upon them, that the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is so frequently +absent from His own people. You ask, "Why is it, that for twenty years I +have been fighting with my temper, and can not conquer it?" It is because +you have been fighting with the temper, and you have not been fighting with +the root of the temper. You have not seen that it is all because you are in +the carnal state, and not properly given up to the Spirit of God. It may be +that you never were taught it; that you never saw it in God's Word; +that you never believed it. But there it is; the truth of God remains +unchangeable. Jesus Christ can give us the victory over sin, and can keep +us from actual transgression. I am not telling you that the root of sin +will be eradicated, and that you will have no longer any natural tendency +to sin; but when the Holy Spirit comes not only with His power for service +as a gift, but when He comes in Divine grace to fill the heart, there is +victory over sin; power not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And you see +a mark of the carnal state not only in unlovingness, self-consciousness +and bitterness, but in so many other sins. How much worldliness, how much +ambition among men, how much seeking for the honor that comes from man--all +the fruit of the carnal life--to be found in the midst of Christian +activity! Let us remember that the carnal state is a state of continual +sinning and failure, and God wants us not only to make confession of +individual sins, but to come to the acknowledgment that they are the sign +that we are not living a healthy life,--we are yet carnal. + +A third mark which will explain further what I have been saying, is that +this carnal state may be found in existence in connection with great +spiritual gifts. There is a difference between gifts and graces. The graces +of the Spirit are humility and love, like the humility and love of Christ. +The graces of the Spirit are to make a man free from self; the gifts of +the Spirit are to fit a man for work. We see this illustrated among the +Corinthians. In the first chapter Paul says, "I thank God that you are +enriched unto all utterance, and all knowledge, and all wisdom." In the +12th and 14th chapters we see that the gifts of prophecy and of working +miracles were in great power among them; but the graces of the Spirit were +noticeably absent. + +And this may be in our days as well as in the time of the Corinthians. I +may be a minister of the Gospel; I may teach God's Word beautifully; I may +have influence, and gather a large congregation, and yet, alas! I may be a +carnal man; a man who may be used by God, and may be a blessing to others, +and yet the carnal life may still mark me. You all know the law that a +thing is named according to what is its most prominent characteristic. Now, +in these carnal Corinthians there was a little of God's Spirit, but the +flesh predominated; the Spirit had not the rule of their whole life. And +the spiritual men are not called so because there is no flesh in them, but +because the Spirit in them has obtained dominance, and when you meet +them and have intercourse with them, you feel that the Spirit of God has +sanctified them. Ah, let us beware lest the blessing God gives us in our +work deceive us and lead us to think that because he has blessed us, we +must be spiritual men. God may give us gifts that we use, and yet our lives +may not be wholly in the power of the Holy Ghost. + +My last mark of the carnal state is that it makes a man unfit for receiving +spiritual truths. That is what the apostle writes to the Corinthians: "I +could not preach to you as unto spiritual; you are not fit for spiritual +truth after being Christians so long; you can not yet bear it; I have to +feed you with milk." I am afraid that in the church of the nineteenth +century we often make a terrible mistake. We have a congregation in which +the majority are carnal men. We give these men spiritual teaching, and they +admire it, understand it, and rejoice in such ministry; yet their lives are +not practically affected. They work for Christ in a certain way, but we can +scarce recognize the true sanctification of the Spirit; we dare not say +they are spiritual men, full of the Holy Spirit. + +Now, let us recognize this with regard to ourselves. A man may become very +earnest, may take in all the teaching he hears; he may be able to discern, +for discernment is a gift; he may say, "That man helps me in this line, and +that man in another direction, and a third man is remarkable for another +gift;" yet, all the time, the carnal life may be living strongly in him, +and when he gets into trouble with some friend, or Christian worker, +or worldly man, the carnal root is bearing its terrible fruit, and the +spiritual food has failed to enter his heart. Beware of that. Mark the +Corinthians and learn of them. Paul did not say to them, "You can not bear +the truth as I would speak it to you," because they were ignorant or a +stupid people. The Corinthians prided themselves on their wisdom, and +sought it above everything, and Paul said: "I thank God that you are +enriched in utterance, in knowledge, and in wisdom; nevertheless, you are +yet carnal, your life is not holy; your life is not sanctified unto the +humility of the life of the Lamb of God, you can not yet take in real +spiritual truth." + +We find the carnal state not only at Corinth, but throughout the Christian +world to-day. Many Christians are asking, "What is the reason there is so +much feebleness in the Church?" We can not ask this question too earnestly, +and I trust that God Himself will so impress it upon our hearts that we +shall say to Him, "It must be changed. Have mercy upon us." But, ah! that +prayer and that change can not come until we have begun to see that there +is a carnal root ruling in believers; they are living more after the flesh +than the Spirit; they are yet carnal Christians. + +There is a passage "from carnal to spiritual." Did Paul find any spiritual +believers? Undoubtedly he did. Just read the 6th chapter of the Epistle to +the Galatians! That was a church where strife, and bitterness, and envy +were terrible. But the apostle says in the first verse: "Brethren, if a man +be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the +spirit of meekness." There we see that the marks of the spiritual man are +that he will be a meek man; and that he will have power, and love to help +and restore those that are fallen. The carnal man can not do that. If there +is a true spiritual life that can be lived, the great question is: Is the +way open, and how can I enter into the spiritual state? Here, again, I have +four short answers. + +First, we must know that there is such a spiritual life to be lived by men +on earth. Nothing cuts the roots of the Christian life so much as unbelief. +People do not believe what God has said about what He is willing to do for +His children. Men do not believe that when God says, "Be filled with +the Spirit," He means it for every Christian. And yet Paul wrote to the +Ephesians each one: "Be filled with the Spirit, and do not be drunk with +wine." Just as little as you may be drunk with wine, so little may you live +without being filled with the Spirit. Now, if God means that for believers, +the first thing that we need is to study, and to take home God's Word, to +our belief until our hearts are filled with the assurance that there is +such a life possible which it is our duty to live; that we can be spiritual +men. God's Word teaches us that God does not expect a man to live as he +ought for one minute unless the Holy Spirit is in him to enable him to do +it. + +We do not want the Holy Spirit only when we go to preach, or when we have +some special temptation of the devil to meet, or some great burden to bear; +God says: "My child can not live a right life unless he is guided by my +Spirit every minute." That is the mark of the child of God: "As many as are +led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." In Romans V. we read: +"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto +us." That is to be the common, every-day experience of the believer, not +his life at set times only. Did ever a father or mother think, "For to-day +I want my child to love me?" No, they expect the love every day. And so +God wants His child every moment to have a heart filled with love of the +Spirit. In the eyes of God, it is most unnatural to expect a man to love +as he should if he is not filled with the Spirit. Oh, let us believe a man +_can_ be a spiritual man. Thank God, there is now the blessing waiting +us. "Be filled with the Spirit." "Be led by the Spirit." There _is_ the +blessing. If you have to say, "Oh, God, I have not this blessing," say it; +but say also, "Lord, I know it is my duty, my solemn obligation to have +it, for without it I can not live in perfect peace with Thee all the day; +without it I can not glorify Thee, and do the work Thou wouldst have me +do." This is our first step from carnal to spiritual,--to recognize a +spiritual life, a walk in the Spirit, is within our reach. How can we ask +God to guide us into spiritual life, if we have not a clear, confident +conviction that there is such a life to be had? + +Then comes the second step; a man must see the shame and guilt of his +having lived such a life. Some people admit there is a spiritual life to +live, and that they have not lived it, and they are sorry for themselves, +and pity themselves, and think, "How sad that I am too feeble for it! How +sad that God gives it to others, but has not given it to me!" They have +great compassion upon themselves, instead of saying, "Alas! it has been +our unfaithfulness, our unbelief, our disobedience, that has kept us from +giving ourselves utterly to God. We have to blush and to be ashamed before +God that we do not live as spiritual men." + +A man does not get converted without having conviction of sin. When that +conviction of sin comes, and his eyes are opened, he learns to be afraid of +his sin, and to flee from it to Christ, and to accept Christ as a mighty +deliverer. But a man needs a second conviction of sin; a believer must be +convicted of his peculiar sin. The sins of an unconverted man are different +from the sins of a believer. An unconverted man, for instance, is not +ordinarily convicted of the corruption of his nature; he thinks principally +about external sins,--"I have sworn, been a liar, and I am on the way to +hell." He is then convicted for conversion. But the believer is in quite +a different condition. His sins are far more blamable, for he has had the +light and the love and the Spirit of God given to him. His sins are far +deeper. He has striven to conquer them and he has grown to see that his +nature is utterly corrupt, that the carnal mind, the flesh, within him, is +making his whole state utterly wretched. When a believer is thus convicted +by the Holy Spirit, it is specially his life of unbelief that condemns him, +because he sees that the great guilt connected with this has kept him from +receiving the full gift of God's Holy Spirit. He is brought down in shame +and confusion of face, and he begins to cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone. I +have heard of God by the hearing of the ear; I have known a great deal of +Him and preached about Him, but now mine eye seeth Him." God comes near +him. Job, the righteous man, whom God trusted, saw in himself the deep sin +of self and its righteousness that he had never seen before. Until this +conviction of the wrongness of our carnal state as believers comes to each +one of us; until we are willing to get this conviction from God, to take +time before God to be humbled and convicted, we never can become spiritual +men. + +Then comes the third mark, which is that out of the carnal state into the +spiritual is only one step. One step; oh, that is a blessed message I bring +to you--it is only one step. I know many people will refuse to admit that +it is only one step; they think it too little for such a mighty change. But +was not conversion only one step? + +So it is when a man passes from carnal to spiritual. You ask if when I talk +of a spiritual man I am not thinking of a man of spiritual maturity, a +real saint, and you say: "Does that come in one day? Is there no growth in +holiness?" I reply that spiritual maturity cannot come in a day. We can not +expect it. It takes growth, until the whole beauty of the image of Christ +is formed in a man. But still I say that it needs but one step for a man +to get out of the carnal life into the spiritual life. It is when a +man utterly breaks with the flesh; when he gives up the flesh into the +crucifixion death of Christ; when he sees that everything about it is +accursed and that he can not deliver himself from it; and then claims the +slaying power of Christ's cross within him,--it is when a man does this and +says: "This spiritual life prepared for me is the free gift of my God in +Christ Jesus," that he understands how one step can bring him out of the +carnal into the spiritual state. + +In that spiritual life there will be much still to be learned. There will +still be imperfections. Spiritual life is not perfect; but the predominant +characteristic will be spiritual. When a man has given himself up to the +real, living, acting, ruling power of God's Spirit, he has got into the +right position in which he can grow. You never think of growing out of +sickness into health; you may grow out of feebleness into strength, as the +little babe can grow to be a strong man; but where there is disease, there +must healing come if there is to be a cure effected. There are Christians +who think that they must grow out of the carnal state into the spiritual +state. You never can. What could help those carnal Corinthians? To give +them milk could not help them, for milk was a proof they were in the wrong +state. To give them meat would not help them, for they were unfit to eat +it. What they needed was the knife of the surgeon. Paul says that the +carnal life must be cut out. "They that are Christ's have crucified the +flesh." When a man understands what that means, and accepts it in the +faith of what Christ can do, then one step can bring him from carnal to +spiritual. One simple act of faith in the power of Christ's death, one act +of surrender to the fellowship of Christ's death as the Holy Spirit can +make it ours, will make it ours, will bring deliverance from the power of +your efforts. + +What brought deliverance to that poor condemned sinner who was most dark +and wretched in his unconverted state? He felt he could do nothing good of +himself. What did he do? He saw set before him the almighty Saviour and he +cast himself into His arms; he trusted himself to that omnipotent love and +cried, "Lord, have mercy upon me." That was salvation. It was not for +what he did that Christ accepted him. Oh, believers, if any of us who are +conscious that the carnal state predominates have to say: "It marks me; I +am a religious man, an earnest man, a friend of missions; I work for Christ +in my church, but, alas! temper and sin and worldliness have still the +mastery over my soul," hear the word of God. If any will come and say: "I +have struggled, I have prayed, I have wept, and it has not helped me," then +you must do one other thing. You must see that the living Christ is God's +provision for your holy, spiritual life. You must believe that that Christ +who accepted you once, at conversion, in His wonderful love is now waiting +to say to you that you may become a spiritual man, entirely given up to +God. If you will believe that, your fear will vanish and you will say: "It +can be done; if Christ will accept and take charge, it shall be done." + +Then, my last mark. A man must take that step, a solemn but blessed +step. It cost some of you five or ten years before you took the step of +conversion. You wept and prayed for years, and could not find peace until +you took that step. So, in the spiritual life, you may go to teacher after +teacher, and say, "Tell me about the spiritual life, the baptism of the +Spirit, and holiness," and yet you may remain just where you were. Many of +us would love to have sin taken away. Who loves to have a hasty temper? Who +loves to have a proud disposition? Who loves to have a worldly heart? No +one. We go to Christ to take it away, and he does not do it; and we ask, +"Why will he not do it? I have prayed very earnestly." It is because you +wanted Him to take away the ugly fruits while the poisonous root was to +stay in you. You did not ask Him that the flesh should be nailed to His +cross, and that you should henceforth give up self entirely to the power of +His Spirit. + +There is deliverance, but not in the way we seek it. Suppose a painter had +a piece of canvas, on which he desired to work out some beautiful picture. +Suppose that piece of canvas does not belong to him, and any one has a +right to take it and to use it for any other purpose; do you think the +painter would bestow much work on that? No. Yet people want Jesus Christ to +bestow His trouble upon them in taking away this temper, or that other sin, +though in their hearts they have not yielded themselves utterly to His +command and His keeping. It can not be. But if you will come and give your +whole life into His charge, Christ Jesus is mighty to save; Christ Jesus +waits to be gracious; Christ Jesus waits to fill you with His Spirit. + +Will you not take the step? God grant that we may be led by His Spirit to +a yielding up of ourselves to Him as never before. Will you not come in +humble confession that, alas! the carnal life has predominated too much, +has altogether marked you, and that you have a bitter consciousness that +with all the blessing God has bestowed, He has not made you what you want +to be--a spiritual man? _It is the Holy Spirit alone who by His indwelling +can make a spiritual man_. Come then and cast yourself at God's feet, with +this one thought, "Lord, I give myself an empty vessel to be filled with +Thy Spirit." Each one of you sees every day at the tea table an empty cup +set there, waiting to be filled with tea when the proper time comes. So +with every dish, every plate. They are cleansed and empty, ready to be +filled. Emptied and cleansed. Oh, come! and just as a vessel is set apart +to receive what it is to contain, say to Christ that you desire from this +hour to be a vessel set apart to be filled with His Spirit, given up to be +a spiritual man. Bow down in the deepest emptiness of soul, and say, "Oh, +God, I have nothing!" and then surely as you place yourself before Him you +have a right to say, "My God will fulfill His promise! I claim from Him the +filling of the Holy Spirit to make me, instead of a carnal, a spiritual +Christian." If you place yourself at His feet, and tarry there; if you +abide in that humble surrender and that childlike trust, as sure as God +lives the blessing will come. + +Oh, have we not to bow in shame before God, as we think of His whole Church +and see so much of the carnal prevailing? Have we not to bow in shame +before God, as we think of so much of the carnal in our hearts and lives? +Then let us bow in great faith in God's mercy. Deliverance is nigh, +deliverance is coming, deliverance is waiting, deliverance is sure. Let us +trust; God will give it. + + + + +THE SELF LIFE. + +II. + +_Matt. 16: 24_.--_If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and +take up his cross, and follow me_. + + +In the 13th verse we read that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi asked His +disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" When they had +answered, He asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?" And in verse 16 Peter +answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus +answered and said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas, for flesh +and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. +And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will +build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." +Then in verse 21 we read how Jesus began to tell His disciples of His +approaching death; and in verse 22 how Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, +"Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." But Jesus turned +and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto +me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of +men." Then said Jesus unto His disciples, "If any man will come after me, +let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." + +We often hear about the compromise life and the question comes up What lies +at the root of it? What is the reason that so many Christians are wasting +their lives in the terrible bondage of the world instead of living in the +manifestation and the privilege and the glory of the child of God? And +another question perhaps comes to us: What can be the reason that when we +see a thing is wrong and strive against it we cannot conquer it? What can +be the reason that we have a hundred times prayed and vowed, yet here +we are still living a mingled, divided, half-hearted life? To those two +questions there is one answer: it is _self_ that is the root of the whole +trouble. And therefore, if any one asks me, "How can I get rid of this +compromise life?" the answer would not be, "You must do this, or that, or +the other thing," but the answer would be, "A new life from above, the +life of Christ, must take the place of the self-life; then alone can we be +conquerors." + +We always go from the outward to the inward; let us do so here; let us +consider from these words of the text the one word, "self." Jesus said to +Peter: "If any man will come after me let him deny _himself_, his own self, +and take up the cross and follow me." That is a mark of the disciple; that +is the secret of the Christian life--deny self and all will come right. +Note that Peter was a believer, and a believer who had been taught by the +Holy Spirit. He had given an answer that pleased Christ wonderfully: "Thou +art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Do not think that that was +nothing extraordinary. We learn it in our catechisms; Peter did not; and +Christ saw that the Holy Spirit of the Father had been teaching him and He +said: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas." But note how strong the carnal +man still is in Peter. Christ speaks of His cross; He could understand +about the glory, "Thou art the Son of God;" but about the cross and the +death he could not understand, and he ventured in his self-confidence to +say, "Lord, that shall never be; Thou canst not be crucified and die." And +Christ had to rebuke him: "Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou savorest not the +things that be of God." You are talking like a mere carnal man, and not as +the Spirit of God would teach you. Then Christ went on to say, "Remember, +it is not only I who am to be crucified, but you; it is not only I who am +to die, but you also. If a man would be my disciple, he must deny self, and +he must take up his cross and follow me." Let us dwell upon this one word, +"self." It is only as we learn to know what self is that we really know +what is at the root of all our failure, and are prepared to go to Christ +for deliverance. + +Let us consider, first of all, the nature of this self life, then denote +some of its works and then ask the question: "How may we be delivered from +it?" + +Self is the power with which God has created and endowed every intelligent +creature. Self is the very center of a created being. And why did God give +the angels or man a self? The object of this self was that we might bring +it as an empty vessel unto God; that He might put into it His life. God +gave me the power of self-determination, that I might bring this self every +day and say: "Oh, God, work in it; I offer it to thee." God wanted a vessel +into which He might pour out His divine fullness of beauty, wisdom and +power; and so He created the world, the sun, and the moon, and the stars, +the trees, and the flowers, and the grass, which all show forth the riches +of His wisdom, and beauty, and goodness. But they do it without knowing +what they do. Then God created the angels with a self and a will, to see +whether they would come and voluntarily yield themselves to Him as vessels +for Him to fill. But alas! they did not all do that. There was one at the +head of a great company, and he began to look upon himself, and to think +of the wonderful powers with which God had endowed him, and to delight in +himself. He began to think: "Must such a being as I always remain dependent +on God?" He exalted himself, pride asserted itself in separation from God, +and that very moment he became, instead of an angel in Heaven, a devil in +hell. Self turned to God is the glory of allowing the Creator to reveal +Himself in us. Self turned away from God is the very darkness and fire of +hell. + +We all know the terrible story of what took place further; God created man, +and Satan came in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve with the thought +of becoming as God, having an independent self, knowing good and evil. And +while he spoke with her, he breathed into her, in those words, the very +poison and the very pride of hell. His own evil spirit, the very poison of +hell, entered humanity, and it is this cursed self that we have inherited +from our first parents. It was that self that ruined and brought +destruction upon this world, and all that there has been of sin, and of +darkness, and of wretchedness, and of misery; and all that there will be +throughout the countless ages of eternity in hell, will be nothing but the +reign of self, the curse of self, separating man and turning him away from +his God. And if we are to understand fully what Christ is to do for us, and +are to become partakers of a full salvation, we must learn to know, and to +hate, and to give up entirely this cursed self. + +Now what are the works of self? I might mention many, but let us take the +simplest words that we are continually using,--self-will, self-confidence, +self-exaltation. Self-will, pleasing self, is the great sin of man, and it +is at the root of all that compromising with the world which is the ruin of +so many. Men can not understand why they should not please themselves and +do their own will. Numbers of Christians have never gotten hold of the idea +that a Christian is a man who is never to seek his own will, but is always +to seek the will of God, as a man in whom the very spirit of Christ lives. +"Lo, I come to do Thy will, oh, my God!" We find Christians pleasing +themselves in a thousand ways, and yet trying to be happy, and good, and +useful; and they do not know that at the root of it all is self-will +robbing them of the blessing. Christ said to Peter, "Peter, deny yourself." +But instead of doing that, Peter said, "I will deny my Lord and not +myself." He never said it in words, but Christ said to him in the last +night, "Thou shalt deny Me," and he did it. What was the cause of this? +Self-pleasing. He became afraid when the woman servant charged him with +belonging to Jesus, and three times said, "I know not this man, I have +nothing to do with Him." He denied Christ. Just think of it! No wonder +Peter wept those bitter tears. It was a choice between self, that ugly, +cursed self, and that beautiful, blessed Son of God; and Peter chose self. +No wonder that he thought: "Instead of denying myself, I have denied Jesus; +what a choice I have made!" No wonder that he wept bitterly. + +Christians, look at your own lives in the light of the words of Jesus. Do +you find there self-will, self-pleasing? Remember this: every time you +please yourself, you deny Jesus. It is one of the two. You must please Him +only, and deny self, or you must please yourself and deny Him. Then follows +self-confidence, self-trust, self-effort, self-dependence. What was it +that led Peter to deny Jesus? Christ had warned him; why did he not take +warning? Self-confidence. He was so sure: "Lord, I love Thee. For three +years I have followed Thee. Lord, I deny that it ever can be. I am ready +to go to prison and to death." It was simply self-confidence. People have +often asked me, "What is the reason I fail? I desire so earnestly, and pray +so fervently, to live in God's will." And my answer generally is, "Simply +because you trust yourself." They answer me: "No, I do not; I know I am +not good; and I know that God is willing to keep me, and I put my trust in +Jesus." But I reply, "No, my brother; no; if you trusted God and Jesus, you +could not fall, but you trust yourself." Do let us believe that the cause +of every failure in the Christian life is nothing but this. I trust this +cursed self, instead of trusting Jesus. I trust my own strength, instead of +the almighty strength of God. And that is why Christ says, "This self must +be denied." + +Then there is self-exaltation, another form of the works of self. Ah, +how much pride and jealousy is there in the Christian world; how much +sensitiveness to what men say of us or think of us; how much desire of +human praise and pleasing men, instead of always living in the presence of +God, with the one thought: "Am I pleasing to Him?" Christ said, "How can ye +believe who receive honor one of another?" Receiving honor of one another +renders a life of faith absolutely impossible. This self started from hell, +it separated us from God, it is a cursed deceiver that leads us astray from +Jesus. + +Now comes the third point. What are we to do to get rid of it? Jesus +answers us in the words of our text: "If any man will come after me, let +him take up his cross and follow me." Note it well.--I must deny myself and +take Jesus himself as my life,--I must choose. There are two lives, the +self life and the Christ life; I must choose one of the two. "Follow +me," says our Lord, "make me the law of your existence, the rule of your +conduct; give me your whole heart; follow me, and I will care for all." Oh, +friends, it is a solemn exchange to have set before us; to come and, +seeing the danger of this self, with its pride and its wickedness, to cast +ourselves before the Son of God, and to say, "I deny my own life, I take +Thy life to be mine." + +The reason why Christians pray and pray for the Christ life to come in to +them, without result, is that the self life is not denied. You ask, "How +can I get rid of this self life?" You know the parable: the strong man kept +his house until one stronger than he came in and cast him out. Then the +place was garnished and swept, but empty, and he came back with seven other +spirits worse than himself. It is only Christ Himself coming in that can +cast out self, and keep out self. This self will abide with us to the very +end. Remember the Apostle Paul; he had seen the Heavenly vision, and lest +he should exalt himself, the thorn in the flesh was sent to humble him. +There was a tendency to exalt himself, which was natural, and it would have +conquered, but Christ delivered him from it by His faithful care for His +loving servant. Jesus Christ is able, by His divine grace, to prevent the +power of self from ever asserting itself or gaining the upper hand; Jesus +Christ is willing to become the life of the soul; Jesus Christ is willing +to teach us so to follow Him, and to have heart and life set upon Him +alone, that He shall ever and always be the light of our souls. Then we +come to what the apostle Paul says; "Not I, but Christ liveth in me." The +two truths go together. First "Not I," then, "but Christ liveth in me." + +Look at Peter again. Christ said to him, "Deny yourself, and follow me." +Whither had he to follow? Jesus led him, even though he failed; and where +did he lead him? He led him on to Gethsemane, and there Peter failed, for +he slept when he ought to have been awake, watching and praying; He led him +on towards Calvary, to the place where Peter denied Him. Was that Christ's +leading? Praise God, it was. The Holy Spirit had not yet come in His power; +Peter was yet a carnal man; the Spirit willing, but not able to conquer; +the flesh weak. What did Christ do? He led Peter on until he was broken +down in utter self-abasement, and humbled in the depths of sorrow. Jesus +led him on, past the grave, through the Resurrection, up to Pentecost, and +the Holy Spirit came, and in the Holy Spirit Christ with His divine life +came, and then it was, "Christ liveth in me." + +There is but one way of being delivered from this life of self. We must +follow Christ, set our hearts upon Him, listen to His teachings, give +ourselves up every day, that He may be all to us, and by the power of +Christ the denial of self will be a blessed, unceasing reality. Never for +one hour do I expect the Christian to reach a stage at which he can say, "I +have no self to deny;" never for one moment in which he can say, "I do not +need to deny self." No, this fellowship with the cross of Christ will be an +unceasing denial of self every hour and every moment by the grace of God. +There is no place where there is full deliverance from the power of this +sinful self. We are to be crucified with Christ Jesus. We are to live with +Him as those who have never been baptized into His death. Think of that! +Christ had no sinful self, but He had a self and that self He actually gave +up unto death. In Gethsemane He said, "Father, not My will." That unsinning +self He gave up unto death that He might receive it again out of the grave +from God, raised up and glorified. Can we expect to go to Heaven in any +other way than He went? Beware! remember that Christ descended into death +and the grave, and it is in the death of self, following Jesus to the +uttermost, that the deliverance and the life will come. + +And now, what is the use that we are to make of this lesson of the Master? +The first lesson will be that we should take time, and that we should +humble ourselves before God, at the thought of what this self is in us; put +down to the account of the self every sin, every shortcoming, all failure, +and all that has been dishonoring to God, and then say, "Lord, this is +what I am;" and then let us allow the blessed Jesus Christ to take entire +control of our life, in the faith that His life can be ours. + +Do not think it is an easy thing to get rid of self. At a consecration +meeting, it is easy to make a vow, and to offer a prayer, and to perform an +act of surrender, but as solemn as the death of Christ was on Calvary--His +giving up of His unsinning self life to God,--just as solemn must it be +between us and our God--the giving up of self to death. The power of +the death of Christ must come to work in us every day. Oh, think what a +contrast between that self-willed Peter, and Jesus giving up His will to +God! What a contrast between that self-exaltation of Peter, and the deep +humility of the Lamb of God, meek and lowly in heart before God and man! +What a contrast between that self-confidence of Peter, and that deep +dependence of Jesus upon the Father, when He said: "I can do nothing of +myself." We are called upon to live the life of Christ, and Christ comes to +live His life in us; but one thing must first take place; we must learn to +hate this self, and to deny it. As Peter said, when he denied Christ, "I +have nothing to do with him," so we must say, "I have nothing to do with +self," that Christ Jesus may be all in all. Let us humble ourselves at the +thought of what this self has done to us and how it has dishonored Jesus; +and let us pray very fervently: "Lord, by Thy light discover this self; we +beseech Thee to discover it to us. Open our eyes, that we may see what it +has done, and that it is the only hindrance that has been keeping us back." +Let us pray that fervently, and then let us wait upon God until we get away +from all our religious exercises, and from all our religious experience, +and from all our blessings, until we get close to God, with this one +prayer: "Lord God, self changed an archangel into a devil, and self ruined +my first parents, and brought them out of Paradise into darkness and +misery, and self has been the ruin of my life and the cause of every +failure; oh, discover it to me." And then comes the blessed exchange, that +a man is made willing and able to say: "Another will live the life for me, +another will live with me, another will do all for me," Nothing else will +do. Deny self; take up the cross, to die with Jesus; follow Him only. May +He give us the grace to understand, and to receive, and to live the Christ +life. + + + + +WAITING ON GOD + +III. + +_Psalms 62: 5_.--_My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is +from Him_. + + +The solemn question comes to us, "Is the God I have, a God that is to +me above all circumstances, nearer to me than any circumstance can be?" +Brother, have you learned to live your life having God so really with you +every moment, that in circumstances the most difficult He is always more +present and nearer than anything around you? All our knowledge of God's +Word will help us very little, unless that comes to be the question to +which we get an answer. + +What can be the reason that so many of God's beloved children complain +continually: "My circumstances separate me from God; my trials, my +temptations, my character, my temper, my friends, my enemies, anything can +come between my God and me?" Is God not able so to take possession that He +can be nearer to me than anything in the world? Must riches or poverty, joy +or sorrow, have a power over me that my God has not? No. But why, then, do +God's children so often complain that their circumstances separate them +from Him? There can be but one answer, "They do not know their God." If +there is trouble or feebleness in the Church of God, it is because of this. +We do not know the God we have. That is why in addition to the promise, "I +will be thy God," the promise is so often added, "And ye shall know that I +am your God." If I know that, not through man's teaching, not with my mind +or my imagination; but if I know that, in the living evidence which God +gives in my heart, then I know that the divine presence of my God will be +so wonderful, and my God Himself will be so beautiful, and so near, that I +can live all my days and years a conqueror through Him that loved me. Is +not that the life which we need? + +The question comes again: Why is it that God's people do not know their +God? And the answer is: They take anything rather than God,--ministers, and +preaching, and books, and prayers, and work, and efforts, any exertion of +human nature, instead of waiting, and waiting long if need be, until God +reveals Himself. No teaching that we may get, and no effort that we may put +forth, can put us in possession of this blessed light of God, all in all +to our souls. But still it is attainable, it is within reach, if God will +reveal Himself. That is the one necessity. I would to God that every one +would ask his heart whether he has said, and is saying every day: "I want +more of God. Do not speak to me only of the beautiful truth there is in the +Bible. That can not satisfy me. I want God." In our inner Christian life, +in our every-day prayers, in our Christian living, in our churches, in our +prayer-meetings, in our fellowship, it must come to that--that God always +has the first place; and if that be given Him, He will take possession. Oh, +if in our lives as individuals every eye were set upon God, upon the living +God, every heart were crying, "My soul thirsteth for God," what power, what +blessing and what presence of the everlasting God would be revealed to us! +Let me use an illustration. When a man is giving an illustrated lecture +he often uses a long pointer to indicate places on a map or chart. Do the +people look at that pointer? No, that only helps to show them the place on +the map, and they do not think of it,--it might be of fine gold; but the +_pointer_ can not satisfy them. They want to see what the pointer points +at. And this Bible is nothing but a pointer, pointing to God; and,--may I +say it with reverence--Jesus Christ came to point us, to show us the way, +to bring us to God. I am afraid there are many people who love Christ and +who trust in Him, but who fail of the one great object of His work; they +have never learned to understand what the Scripture saith: "He died, that +He might bring us unto God." + +There is a difference between the way and the end which I am aiming at. +I might be traveling amid most beautiful scenery, in the most delightful +company; but if I have a home to which I want to go, all the scenery, and +all the company, and all the beauty and happiness around me can not satisfy +me; I want to reach the end; I want my home. And God is meant to be the +home of our souls. Christ came into the world to bring us back to God, and +unless we take Christ for what God intended we should, our religion will +always be a divided one. What do we read in Hebrews vii? "He is able to +save to the uttermost."--Whom? "Them that come to God by Him;" not +them that only come to Christ. In Christ--bless His name--we have the +graciousness, the condescension, and the tenderness of God. But we are in +danger of standing there, and being content with that, and Christ wants to +bring us back to rejoice as much as in the glory of God Himself, in His +righteousness, His holiness, His authority, His presence and His power. He +can save completely those who come to God through Him! + +Now, just a very few thoughts on the way by which I can come to know God as +this God above all circumstances, filling my heart and life every day. The +one thing needful is: I must wait upon God. The original is,--it is in our +Dutch version, and it is in the margin, too,--"My soul is silent into God." +What ought to be the silence of the soul unto God? A soul conscious of its +littleness, its ignorance, its prejudices and its dangers from passion, +from all that is human and sinful,--a soul conscious of that, and saying, +"I want the everlasting God to come in and to take hold of me and to take +such hold of me that I may be kept in the hollow of His hand for my life +long; I want Him to take such possession of me that every moment He may +work all in all in me." That is what is implied in the very nature of our +God. How we ought to be silent unto Him, and wait upon Him! + +May I ask, with reverence: What is God for? A God is for this: to be the +light and the life of creation, the source and power of all existence. The +beautiful trees, the green grass, the bright sun, God created that they +might show forth His beauty, His wisdom and His glory. The tree of one +hundred years old--when it was planted God did not give it a stock of life +by which to carry on its existence. Nay, verily, God clothes the lilies +every year afresh with their beauty; every year God clothes the tree with +its foliage and its fruit. Every day and every hour it is God who maintains +the life of all nature. And God created us, that we might be the empty +vessels in which He could work out His beauty, His will, His love, and the +likeness of His blessed Son. That is what God is for, to work in us by His +mighty operation, without one moment's ceasing. When I begin to get hold of +that, I no longer think of the true Christian life as a high impossibility, +and an unnatural thing, but I say, "It is the most natural thing in +creation that God should have me every moment, and that my God should be +nearer to me than all else." Just think, for a moment, what folly it is to +imagine that I can not expect God to be with me every moment. Just look at +the sunshine; have you ever had any trouble as you were working or as you +were studying or reading a book in the light the sun gives? Have you ever +said, "Oh, how can I keep that light, how can I hold it fast, how can I be +sure that I shall continue to have it to use?" You never thought that. +God has taken care that the sun itself should provide you with light; and +without your care; the light comes unbidden. And I ask you: What think you? +Has God arranged that the light of that sun that will one day be burned up, +can come to you unconsciously and abide in you blessedly and mightily; and +is God not willing, or is He not able, to let His light and His presence so +shine through you that you can walk all the day with God nearer to you than +anything in nature? Praise God for the assurance; He can do it. And why +does He not do it? Why so seldom, and why in such feeble measure? There is +but one answer: you do not let Him. You are so occupied and filled with +other things, religious things, preaching and praying, studying and +working, so occupied with your religion, that you do not give God the time +to make Himself known, and to enter in and to take possession. Oh, brother, +listen to the word of the man who knew God so well, and begin to say: "My +soul, wait thou only upon God." + +I might show that this is the very glory of the Creator, the very life +Christ brought into the world, the life He lived, and the very life Christ +wants to lift us up to in its entire dependence on the Father. The very +secret of the Christ-life is this: such a consciousness of God's presence +that whether it was Judas, who came to betray Him, or Caiaphas, who +condemned Him unjustly, or Pilate, who gave Him up to be crucified, the +presence of the Father was upon Him, and within Him, and around Him, and +man could not touch His spirit. And that is what God wants to be to you and +to me. Does not all your anxious restlessness, and futile effort, prove +that you have not let God do His work? God is drawing you to Himself. +This is not your own wish, and the stirring of your own heart, but the +everlasting Divine magnet is drawing you. These restless yearnings and +thirstings, remember, are the work of God. Come and be still, and wait upon +God. He will reveal Himself. + +And how am I to wait on God? In answer I would say: first of all, in prayer +take more time to be still before God without saying one word. What is, in +prayer, the most important thing? That I catch the ear of Him to whom I +speak. We are not ready to offer our petition until we are fully conscious +of having secured the attention of God. You tell me you know all that. Yes, +you know it; but you need to have your heart filled by the Holy Spirit with +the holy consciousness that the everlasting, almighty God is indeed come +very near you. The loving one is longing to have you for His own. Be still +before God, and wait, and say: "Oh, God, take possession. Reveal Thyself, +not to my thoughts or imaginations, but by the solemn, awe-bringing, +soul-subduing consciousness that God is shining upon me bring me to the +place of dependence and humility." + +Prayer may be indeed waiting upon God, but there is a great deal of prayer +that is not waiting upon God. Waiting on God is the first and the best +beginning for prayer. When we bow in the humble, silent acknowledgment +of God's glory and nearness, ere we begin to pray there will be the very +blessing that we often get only at the end. From the very beginning I come +face to face with God; I am in touch with the everlasting omnipotence of +love and I know my God will bless me. Let us never be afraid to be still +before God; we shall then carry that stillness into our work; and when we +go to church on Sunday, or to the prayer-meeting on week-days, it will be +with the one desire that nothing may stand betwixt us and God, and that +we may never be so occupied with hearing and listening as to forget the +presence of God. + +Oh, that God might make every minister what Moses was at the foot of Mount +Sinai; "Moses led the people out to meet God," and they did meet Him until +they were afraid. Let every minister ask with all the earnestness his +soul can command, that God may deliver him from the sin of preaching and +teaching without making the people feel first of all: "The man wants to +bring us to God Himself." It can be felt, not only in the words, but in the +very disposition of the humble, waiting, worshiping heart. We must carry +this waiting into all our worship; we will have to make a study of it; we +will have to speak about it; we will have to help each other, for the truth +has been too much lost in the Church of Christ; we must wait upon God about +it. Then we shall be able to carry it out into our daily life. There are so +many Christians who wonder that they fail; but think of the ease with which +they talk and join in conversation, spending hours in it, never thinking +that all this may be dissipating the soul's power and leading them to spend +hours not in the immediate presence of God. I am afraid this is the great +difficulty: that we are not willing to make the needed sacrifice for a life +of continual waiting upon God. Are there not some of us who would feel it +an impossibility to spend every moment under the covering of the Most High, +"in the secret of His pavilion?" Beloved, do not think it too high, or too +difficult. It is too difficult for you and me to attain, but our God will +give it to us. Let us begin even now to wait more earnestly and intensely +upon God. Let us in our homes sometimes bow a little in silence; let us in +our closets wait in silence, and make a covenant, it may be, without words, +that with our whole hearts we will seek God's presence to come in upon us. + +What is religion? Just as much as you have of God working in you, that +alone is religion. And if you want more religion, more grace, more strength +and more fruitfulness, you must have more of God. Let that be the cry of +our hearts,--More of God! More of God! More of God! And let us say to our +souls, "My soul, wait thou upon God, for my expectation is from Him." + + + + +ENTRANCE INTO REST. + +IV. + +_Hebrews 4: 1_.--_Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of +entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it._ + +_Hebrews 4: 11_.--_Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any +man fall after the same example of unbelief_. + + +I want, in the simplest way possible, to answer the question: "How does a +man enter into that rest?" and to point out the simple steps that he takes, +all included in the one act of surrender and faith. + +And the first step, I think, is this: that a man learns to say, "I believe, +heartily, there is rest in a life of faith." Israel passed through two +stages. This is beautifully expressed in the fifth of Deuteronomy: "He +brought us out, that He might bring us in"--two parts of God's work of +redemption--"He brought us out from Egypt, that He might bring us into +Canaan." And that is applicable to every believer. At your conversion, God +brought you out of Egypt, and the same almighty God is longing to bring you +into the Canaan life. You know how God brought the Israelites out, but they +would not let Him bring them in and they had to wander for forty years in +the wilderness--the type, alas! of so many Christians. God brings them out +in conversion, but they will not let Him bring them in into all that He has +prepared for them. To a man who asks me, "How can I enter into the rest?" I +say, first of all, speak this word, "I do believe that there is a rest into +which Jesus, our Joshua, can bring a trusting soul." And if you would +know what the difference is between the two lives--the life you have been +leading, and the life you now want to lead, just look at the wilderness and +Canaan. What are the points of difference? In the wilderness, wandering for +forty years, backward and forward; in Canaan, perfect rest in the land that +God gave them. That is the difference between the life of a Christian who +has, and one who has not entered into Canaan. In wandering backward and +forward; going after the world, and coming back and repenting; led astray +by temptation, and returning only to go off again;--a life of ups and +downs. In Canaan, on the other hand, a life of rest, because the soul has +learned to trust: "God keeps me every hour in His mighty power." There is +the second difference: the life in the wilderness was a life of want; in +Canaan, a life of plenty. In the wilderness there was nothing to eat; there +was often no water. God graciously supplied their wants by the manna, and +the water from the rock. But, alas! they were not content with this, and +their life was one of want and murmurings. But in Canaan God gave them +vineyards that they had not planted, and the old corn of the land was there +waiting for them; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land that lived by +the rain of Heaven and had the very care of God Himself. Oh, Christian, +come and say to-day, "I believe there is a possibility of such a change +out of that life of spiritual death, and darkness, and sadness, and +complaining, that I have often lived, into the land of supply of every +want; where the grace of Jesus is proved sufficient every day, every hour." +Say to-day: "I believe in the possibility that there is such a land of rest +for me." + +And then, the third difference: In the wilderness there was no victory. +When they tried, after they had sinned at Kadesh, to go up against their +enemies, they were defeated. In the land they conquered every enemy; from +Jericho onward, they went from victory to victory. And so God waits, and +Christ waits, and the Holy Spirit waits, to give victory every day; not +freedom from temptation; no, not that; but in union with Christ a power +that can say, "I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me." "We +are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." May God help every +heart to say that. + +Then comes the second step. I want you to say not only, "I believe there is +such a life," but, second, "I have not had it yet." Say that. "I have never +yet got that." Some may say, "I have sought it;" some may say, "I have +never heard about it;" some may say, "At times I thought I had found it, +but I lost it again." Let every one be honest with God. + +And now, will all who have never yet found it honestly, begin to say, +"Lord, up to this time I have never had it?" And why is it of such +consequence to speak thus? Because, dear friends, some people want to glide +into this life of rest gradually; and just quietly to steal in; and God +won't have it. Your life in the wilderness has not only been a life of +sadness to yourself, but of sin and dishonor to God. Every deeper entrance +into salvation must always be by the way of conviction and confession; +therefore, let every Christian be willing to say: "Alas! I have not lived +that life, and I am guilty; I have dishonored God; I have been like Israel; +I have provoked Him to wrath by my unbelief and disobedience. God have +mercy upon me!" Oh, let it go up before God--the secret confession: "I +haven't it; alas! I have not glorified God by a life in the land of rest." + +Then comes the third word I want you to speak and that is: "Thank God, that +life is for me." Some say, "I believe there is such a life, but not +for me." There are people who continually say: "Oh, my character is so +unstable; my will is naturally very weak; my temperament is nervous and +excitable, it is impossible for me always to live without worry, resting in +God." Beloved brother, do not say that. You say so only for one reason: You +do not know what your God will do for you. Do begin to look away from self, +and to look up to God, Take that precious word: "He brought them out that +he might bring them in." The God who took them through the Red Sea was the +God who took them through Jordan into Canaan. The God who converted you is +the God who is able to give you every day this blessed life. Oh, begin to +say, with the beginnings of a feeble faith, even before you claim it, begin +even intellectually to say: "It is for me; I do believe that. God does not +disinherit any of His children. What He gives is for every one. I believe +that blessed life is waiting for me. It is meant for me. God is waiting to +bestow it, and to work it in me. Glory be to His blessed name! My soul says +it is for me, too." Oh, take that little word "me," and looking up in the +very face of God dare to say: "This inestimable treasure--it is for me, the +weakest and the unworthiest; it is for me." Have you said that? Say it now: +"This life is possible to me, too." + +And then comes the next step, and that is: "I can never, by any effort of +mine, grasp it; it is God must bestow it on me." I want you to be very bold +in saying, "It is for me." But then I want you to fall down very low and +say, "I can not seize it; I can not take it to myself." And how can +you then get it? Praise God, if once He has brought you down in the +consciousness of utter helplessness and self-despair, then comes the time +that He can draw nigh and ask you, "Will you trust your God to work this +in you?" Dearly beloved Christians, say in your heart: "I never, by any +effort, can take hold of God, or seize this for myself; it is God must +give it." Cherish this blessed impotence. It is He who brought us out, who +Himself must bring us in. It is your greatest happiness to be impotent. +Pray God by the Holy Spirit to reveal to you this true impotence, and that +will open the way for your faith to say, "Lord, Thou must do it, or it +will never be done." God will do it. People wonder, when they hear so many +sermons about faith, and such earnest pleading to believe, and ask why it +is they can not believe. There is just one answer: It is self. Self is +working; is trying; is struggling, and self must fail. But when you come to +the end of self and can only cry, "Lord, help me! Lord, help me!"--then the +deliverance is nigh; believe that. It was God brought the people in. It is +God who will bring you in. + +One should be willing, for the sake of this rest, to give up everything. +The grace of God is very free. It is given without money and without price. +And yet, on the other hand, Jesus said that every man who wants the pearl +of great price must sacrifice his all, must sell all that he has to buy +that pearl. It is not enough to see the beauty, the attractiveness and the +glory, and almost to taste the gladness and the joy of this wonderful life +as it has been set before you. You must become the possessor, the owner of +the field. The man who found the field with a treasure, and the man who +found the great pearl, were both glad; but they had not yet got it. They +had found it, seen it, desired it, rejoiced in it; but they had not yet got +it. Not until they went and sold all, gave up everything, and bought the +ground, and bought the pearl. Ah, friends, there is a great deal that has +to be given up: the world, its pleasures, its favor, its good opinion. You +are to stand to the world in the same relation as Jesus did. The world +rejected Him, and cast Him out, and you are to take up the position of your +Lord, to whom you belong, and to follow with the rejected Christ. You have +to give up everything. You have to give up all that is good in yourself +and to be humbled in the dust of death. And that is not all. Your past +religious life and experience and successes--you have to give all up and +become nothing, that God alone may have the glory. God has brought you out +in conversion; it was God's own life given you: but you defiled it with +disobedience and with unbelief. Give it all up. Give up all your own +wisdom, and your own thoughts about God's work. How hard it is for the +minister of the Gospel to give up all his wisdom, and to lay it at the feet +of Jesus, to become a fool and to say: "Lord, I know nothing as I should +know it. I have been preaching the Gospel, and how little I have seen of +the glory of the blessed land, and the blessed life!" + +Why is it that the blessed Spirit can not teach us more effectually? No +reason but this: the wisdom of man prevents it; the wisdom of man prevents +the light of God from shining in. And so we could say of other things; +give up all. Some may have an individual sin to give up. There may be a +Christian man who is angry with his brother. There may be a Christian woman +who has quarreled with her neighbor. There may be friends who are not +living as they should. There may be Christians holding fast some little +doubtful thing, not willing to surrender and leave behind the whole of the +wilderness life and lust. Oh, do take this step and say: "I am ready +to give up everything to have this pearl of great price; my time, my +attention, my business, I count all subordinate to this rest of God as the +first thing in my life; I yield all to walk in perfect fellowship with +God." You can not get that and live every day in perfect fellowship with +God, without giving up time to it. You take time for everything. How many +hours a day has a young lady spent for years and years that she may become +proficient on the piano? How many years does a young man study to fit +himself for the profession of the law or medicine? Hours, and days, and +weeks, and months, and years, gladly given up to perfect himself for his +profession. And do you expect that religion is so cheap that without giving +time you can find close fellowship with God? You can not. But, oh, my +brothers and sisters, the pearl of great price is worth everything. God is +worth everything. Christ is worth everything. Oh, come to-day, and say, +"Lord, at any cost help me; I do want to live this life." And if you find +it difficult to say this, and if there is a struggle within the heart, +never mind; say to God, "Lord, I thought I was willing, but I see how much +unwillingness there is; come and discover what the evil is still in the +heart." By His grace, if you will lie at His feet and trust Him you may +depend upon it deliverance will come. + +Then comes the next step, and that is to say: "I do now give up myself to +the holy and everlasting God, for Him to lead me into this perfect rest." +Ah, friends, we must learn to meet God face to face. My sin has been +against God. David felt that when he said, "Against Thee, Thee only, have +I sinned." It is God on the judgment seat whose face you will have to meet +personally. It is God Himself, personally, who met you to pardon your sins. +Come to-day and put yourself into the hands of the living God. God is love. +God is near. God is waiting to give you His blessing. The heart of God is +yearning over you. "My child," God says, "you think you are longing for +rest; it is I that am longing for you, because I desire to rest in your +heart as My home, as My temple." You need your God. Yes, but your God needs +you, to find the full satisfaction of His Father heart in Christ in you. +Come to-day and say: "I do now give up myself to Christ. I have made the +choice. I deliberately say, 'Lord God, I am the purchaser of the pearl of +great price. I give up everything for it. In the name of Jesus I accept +that life of perfect rest.'" + +And then comes my last thought. When you have said that, then add: "And +now, I trust God to make it all real to me in my experience. Whether I am +to live one year, or thirty years, I have heard it to-day again: 'God is +Jehovah, the great I AM of the everlasting future, the eternal One; and +thirty years hence is to Him just the same as now;' and that God gives +Himself to me, not according to my power to hold Him, but according to +His almighty power of love to hold me." Will you trust God to-day for the +future? Oh, will you look up to God in Christ Jesus once again? A thousand +times you have heard, and thought, and thanked--"God has given us His Son;" +but will you not to-day say, "How shall He not with Him give me all things, +every moment and every day of my life?" Say that in faith. "How shall God +not be willing to keep me in the light of His countenance, in the full +experience of Christ's saving power? Did God make the sun to shine so +brightly, and is the light so willing to pour itself into every nook and +corner where it can find entrance? And will not my God, who is love, be +willing all the day to shine into this heart of mine, from morning to +night, from year's end to year's end?" God is love, and longs to give +Himself to us. + +Oh, come, Christians, you have hitherto lived a life in your own strength. +Will you not begin to-day? Will you not choose a life in which God shall be +all, and in which you rest in Him for all? Will you not choose a life in +which you shall say: "Oh, God, I ask, I expect, I trust Thee for it. I +enter this day into the rest of God to let God keep me; to let God keep me +every hour. I enter into the rest of God." Are you ready to say that? Be of +good courage; fear not, you can trust God. He brings into rest. Listen to +God's word in the Prophets once again: "Take heed, and be quiet. Fear not, +neither be faint-hearted." Joshua brought Israel into the land. God did +it through Joshua; and Joshua is Jesus, your Jesus, who washed you in His +blood; your Jesus, whom you have learned to know as a precious Saviour. +Trust Him to-day afresh: "O my Joshua, take me, bring me in and I will +trust Thee, and in Thee the Father." You may count upon it. He will take +you and the work will be done. + + + + +THE KINGDOM FIRST. + +V. + +_Matt 6: 33_.--_Seek ye first the kingdom of God_. + + +You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian +work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the Church, the +life of the individual believer and the work to be done among the heathen? +One of the expressions for that unity is: "Seek first the Kingdom of God," +That does not mean, as many people take it, "Seek salvation; seek to get +into the Kingdom, and then thank God, and rest there." Ah, no; the meaning +of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the +Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its Heavenly glory +and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all +other things will be added unto you. "Seek first the Kingdom of God." Let +me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: "Why should the +Kingdom of God be first?" and the other: "How can it be?" The one, "Why +should it be so?" God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the +more clearly we see that according to the law of nature, according to +the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an +absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after +it. And now, why does Christ say this: "Seek first the Kingdom of God?" If +you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man. Look at +God. Who is God? The great Being for whom alone the universe exists; in +whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It can not find any +rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that +God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What +would the result be? Every Christian would say, "The more I can have of +God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, +and the more of God's fellowship, the happier." How Christians, if they +believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up +everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so +hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me, "Why is +it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how +can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?" My answer was: "Oh, +my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of +fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight." Yes, if we +believed God to be only joy to the one who comes to Him, only a fountain of +unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! Has not joy a far +stronger attraction than anything in the world? Is it not in every beauty, +or in every virtue, in every pursuit, the joy that is set before us that +draws? And if we believe that God is a fountain of joy, and sweetness, and +power to bless, how our hearts will turn aside from everything, and say: +"Oh, the beauty of my God! I rejoice in Him alone." But, alas! the Kingdom +of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like +a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our +chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what +God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right and more, it is +our highest privilege to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His +Kingdom first and above everything. + +And then look at man again; man's nature. What was man created for? To live +in the likeness of God, and as His image. Now, if we have been created in +the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except +that in which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are the +happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: +Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness +everlasting. "He is Light, and in Him is no darkness." The Kingdom, the +domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. "Seek +the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If men but knew what sin is, +and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand +message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. +We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. +What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that +there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never +ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings. +God is Light, and God is Love. And now the message comes to man. Can you +think of a higher nobility; can you think of anything grander than to take +the position that God takes, and to be one with God in His Kingdom; _i.e._, +to have His Kingdom fill your heart; to have God Himself as your King and +portion? Yes, my friends, let us remember that we must not just try to get +here and there one and another of the blessings of the Kingdom. But the +glory of the Kingdom is this: that it is the Kingdom of God where God is +all in all. The French Empire, when Napoleon lived, had military glory as +the ideal. Every Frenchman's heart thrilled at the name of Napoleon as the +man who had given the empire its glory. If we realized what it means,--our +God takes us up into His Kingdom and puts His Kingdom into us and with the +Kingdom we have God Himself, that blessed One, possessing us--surely there +would be nothing that could move our hearts to enthusiasm like this. The +Kingdom of God first! Blessed be His name I Look at man. I don't speak +about man's sins, and about man's wretchedness, and about man's seeking +everywhere for pleasure, and for rest, and for deliverance from sin, but +I just say: Think what man is by creation and think what man is now by +redemption; and let every heart say: "It is right. There is no blessedness +or glory like that of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God ought to be first in +my whole life and being." + +But now comes the important question, "How can I attain this?" Here we come +to the great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands +of Christians throughout the world. And it is strange that it is so very +difficult for them to find the answer; that tens of thousands are not able +to give an answer; and others, when the answer is given, can not understand +it; The day the centurion found his joy in being devoted to the Roman +Empire, it took charge of him with all its power and glory. Dear friends, +how are we to attain to this blessed position in which the Kingdom of God +shall fill our hearts with such enthusiasm that it will spontaneously be +first every day? The answer is, first of all give up everything for it. You +have heard of the Roman soldier who gave up his soul, his affection, his +life, who gave up everything, to be a soldier; and you have often seen, in +history ancient and modern, how men who were not soldiers gave up their +lives in sacrifice for a king or a country. You have heard how in the South +African Republic not many years ago the war of liberty was fought. After +three years of oppression by the English the people said they would endure +it no longer, and so they gathered together to fight for their liberty. +They knew how weak they were, as compared with the English power, but they +said, "We must have our liberty." They bound themselves together to fight +for it, and when that vow had been made, they went to their homes to +prepare for the struggle. Such a thrill of enthusiasm passed through that +country that in many cases women, when their husbands might have been +allowed to stay at home, said to them: "No, go, even though you have not +been commanded." And there were mothers who, when one son was called out to +the front, said: "No, take two, three." Every man and woman was ready to +die. It was in very deed "Our country first, before everything." And even +so, friends, must it be with you if you want this wonderful Kingdom of +God to take possession of you. I pray you by the mercies of God, give up +every-thing for it. You do not know at once what that may mean, but +take the words and speak them out at the footstool of God: "Anything, +everything, for the Kingdom of God." Persevere in that, and by the Holy +Spirit your God will begin to open to you the double blessing: on the one +hand, the blessedness of the Kingdom which comes to possess your heart; +and on the other hand, the blessedness of being surrendered to Him, and +sacrificing and giving up all for Him. + +"The Kingdom of God first!" How am I to reach that blessed life? The answer +is: "Give up everything for it." And then a second answer would be this: +Live every day and hour of your life in the humble desire to maintain that +position. There are people who hear this test, and who say it is true, and +that they want to obey it. But if you were to ask them how much time they +spend with God day by day, you would be surprised and grieved to hear how +little time they give up to Him. And yet they wonder that the blessedness +of the divine life disappears. We prove the value we attach to things by +the time we devote to them. The Kingdom should be first every day, and all +the day. Let the Kingdom be first every morning. Begin the day with God, +and God Himself will maintain His Kingdom in your heart. Do believe that. +Rome did its utmost to maintain the authority of the man who gave himself +to live for it. And God, the living God, will He not maintain His authority +in your soul if you submit to Him? He will, indeed. Come to Him; only come, +and give yourself up to Him in fellowship through Christ Jesus. Seek to +maintain that fellowship with God all the day. Ah, friends, a man cannot +have the Kingdom of God first, and at times, by way of relaxation, throw +it off and seek his enjoyment in the things of this world. People have a +secret idea life will become too solemn, too great a strain; it will be too +difficult every moment of the day, from morning to evening, to have the +Kingdom of God first. One sees at once how wrong it is to think thus. The +presence of the love of God must every moment be our highest joy. Let us +say: "By the help of God, it shall ever be the Kingdom of God first." + +And then, my last remark, in answer to that question, "How can it be?" is +this: it can be only by the power of the Holy Ghost. Let us remember that +God's Word comes to us with the language, "Be filled with the Spirit;" and +if you are content with less of the Spirit than God offers, not utterly +and entirely yielding to be filled with the Spirit, you do not obey the +command. But listen: God has made a wonderful provision. Jesus Christ came +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and proclaimed "The Kingdom is at +hand." "Some," He said, "are standing here who will not see death until +they see the Kingdom come in power." He said to the disciples, "The Kingdom +is within you." And when did the Kingdom come--that Kingdom of God upon +earth? When the Holy Ghost descended. On Ascension Day the King went and +sat down upon the throne at the right hand of God, and the Kingdom of God, +in Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth, was inaugurated. When the Holy +Ghost came down He brought God into the heart, and Christ, and established +the rule of God in power. I am afraid sometimes, that in speaking of the +Holy Spirit we forget one thing. The Holy Spirit is very much spoken of in +connection with power; and it is right that we should seek power. It is not +so much spoken of in connection with the graces. And yet these are always +more important than the gifts of power--the holiness, the humility, the +meekness, the gentleness, and the lovingness; these are the true marks of +the Kingdom. We speak rightly of the Holy Spirit as the only one who can +breathe all this into us. But I think there is a third thing almost more +important, that we forget, and that is: in the Spirit, the Father and the +Son themselves come. When Christ first promised the Holy Spirit, and spoke +about His approaching coming, He said: "In that day ye shall know that I +am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that loveth me keepeth my +commandments; and my Father will love him, and we will come and make our +abode with him." Brother, would you have the Kingdom of God first in your +life, you must have the Kingdom in your hearts. If my heart be set upon a +thing I may be bound with chains, but the moment the chains are loosened I +fly towards the object of my affection and desire. And just so the Kingdom +must be within us, and then it is easy to say: "The Kingdom first." But +to have the Kingdom within us in truth, we must have God the Father, and +Christ the Son, by the Holy Ghost within us too. No Kingdom without the +King. + +You are called to likeness with Christ. Oh, how many Christians strive +after this part and that part of the likeness of Christ, and forget the +root of the whole! What is the root of all? That Christ gave Himself up +utterly to God, and His Kingdom and glory. He gave His life, that God's +Kingdom might be established. Do you the same to-day and give your life to +God to be every moment a living sacrifice, and the Kingdom will come with +power into your heart. Give yourself up to Christ. Let Christ the King +reign in your heart, and the heavenly Kingdom will come there and the +Presence and the Rule of God be known in power. Oh, think of that wonderful +thing that is going to happen in the great eternity. We read of it in 1st +Corinthians: God has entrusted Christ with the Kingdom, but there is coming +a day when Christ shall come Himself again to be subjected unto the Father, +and He shall give up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all, and in +that day Christ shall say before the universe: "This is my glory, I give +back the Kingdom to the Father!" Christians, if your Christ finds His glory +here on earth in dying and sacrificing Himself for the Kingdom and then in +eternity again in giving the Kingdom to God, shall not you and I come to +God to do the same and count anything we have as loss, that the Kingdom of +God may be made manifest, and that God may be glorified. + + + + +CHRIST OUR LIFE. + +VI. + +_Colossians 3: 4_.--_Christ who is our life_. + + +One question that rises in every mind is this: "How can I live that life +of perfect trust in God?" Many do not know the right answer, or the full +answer. It is this: "Christ must live it in me." That is what He became man +for; as a man to live a life of trust in God, and so to show to us how we +ought to live. When He had done that upon earth, He went to heaven, that +He might do more than show us, might give us, and live in us that life of +trust. It is as we understand what the life of Christ is and how it becomes +ours, that we shall be prepared to desire and to ask of Him that He would +live it Himself in us. When first we have seen what the life is, then we +shall understand how it is that He can actually take possession, and make +us like Himself. I want especially to direct attention to that first +question. I wish to set before you the life of Christ as He lived it, that +we may understand what it is that He has for us and that we can expect from +Him. Christ Jesus lived a life upon earth that He expects us literally to +imitate. We often say that we long to be like Christ. We study the traits +of His character, mark His footsteps, and pray for grace to be like Him, +and yet, somehow, we succeed but very little. And why? Because we are +wanting to pluck the fruit while the root is absent. If we want really to +understand what the imitation of Christ means, we must go to that which +constituted the very root of His life before God. It was a life of absolute +dependence, absolute trust, absolute surrender, and until we are one with +Him in what is the principle of His life, it is in vain to seek here or +there to copy the graces of that life. + +In the Gospel story we find five great points of special importance; the +birth, the life on earth, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension. +In these we have what an old writer has called "the process of Jesus +Christ;" the process by which He became what He is to-day--our glorified +King, and our life. In all this life process we must be made like unto Him. +Look at the first. What have we to say about His birth? This: He received +His _life from God_. What about His life upon earth? He lived that life in +dependence _upon God_. About His death? He gave up His life _to God_. About +His resurrection? He was raised from the dead _by God_. And about His +ascension? He lives His life in glory _with God_. + +First, He received His life from God. And why is it of consequence that we +should look to that? Because Christ Jesus had in that the starling-point of +His whole life. He said: "The Father sent me;" "The Father hath given the +Son all things;" "The Father hath given the Son to have life in Himself." +Christ received it as His own life, just as God has His life in Himself. +And yet, all the time it was a life given and received. "Because the Father +almighty has given this life unto me, the Son of man on earth, I can count +upon God to maintain it and to carry me through all." And that is the first +lesson we need. We need often to meditate on it, and to pray, and to +think, and to wait before God, until our hearts open to the wonderful +consciousness that the everlasting God has a divine life within us which +can not exist but through Him. I believe God has given His life, it roots +in Him. I shall feel it must be maintained by Him. We often think that God +has given us a life which is now our own, a spiritual life, and that we +are to take charge; and then we complain that we can not keep it right. +No wonder. We must learn to live, learn to live as Jesus did. I have +a God-given treasure in this earthen vessel. I have the light of the +knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I have the life of +God's Son within me given me by God Himself, and it can only be maintained +by God Himself as I live in fellowship with Him. What does the Apostle Paul +teach us in Romans VI.; there where he has just told us that we must reckon +ourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus? He goes on at +once to say: "Therefore yield, present yourselves unto God, as those that +are alive from the dead." How often a Christian hears solemn words about +his being alive to God, and his having to reckon himself dead indeed +to sin, and alive to God in Christ! He does not know what to do; he +immediately casts about: "How can I keep it, this death and this life?" +Listen to what Paul says. The moment that you reckon yourself dead to sin +and alive to God, go with that life to God Himself, and present yourself as +alive from the dead, and say to God: "Lord, Thou hast given me this life. +Thou alone canst keep it. I bring it to Thee. I cannot understand all. +I hardly know what I have got, but I come to God to perfect what He has +begun." To live like Christ, I must be conscious every moment that my life +has come from God, and He alone can maintain it. + +Then, secondly, how did Christ live out His life during the thirty-three +years in which He walked here upon earth? He lived it in dependence on God. +You know how continually He says: "The Son can do nothing of Himself. The +words that I speak, I speak not of Myself." He waited unceasingly for the +teaching, and the commands, and the guidance of the Father. He prayed for +power from the Father. Whatever He did, He did in the name of the Father. +He, the Son of God, felt the need of much prayer, of persevering prayer, of +bringing down from heaven and maintaining the life of fellowship with God +in prayer. We hear a great deal about trusting God. Most blessed! And we +may say: "Ah, that is what I want," and we may forget what is the very +secret of all,--that God, in Christ, must work all in us. I not only need +God as an object of trust, but I must have Christ within as the power +to trust; He must live His own life of trust in me. Look at it in that +wonderful story of Paul, the Apostle, the beloved servant of God. He is in +danger of self-confidence, and God in heaven sends that terrible trial in +Asia to bring him down, lest he trust in himself and not in the living God. +God watched over his servant that he should be kept trusting. Remember that +other story about the thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians XII., and think +what that means. He was in danger of exalting himself, and the blessed +Master came to humble him, and to teach him: "I keep thee weak, that thou +mayest learn to trust not in thyself, but in Me." If we are to enter into +the rest of faith, and to abide there; if we are to live the life of +victory in the land of Canaan, it must begin here. We must be broken down +from all self-confidence and learn like Christ to depend absolutely and +unceasingly upon God. There is a greater work to be done in that than we +perhaps know. We must be broken down, and the habit of our souls must be +unceasingly: "I am nothing; God is all. I cannot walk before God as I +should for one hour, unless God keep the life He has given me." What a +blessed solution God gives then to all our questions and our difficulties, +when He says: "My child, Christ has gone through it all for thee. Christ +hath wrought out a new nature that can trust God; and Christ the Living One +in heaven will live in thee, and enable thee to live that life of trust." +That is why Paul said: "Such confidence have we toward God, through +Christ." What does that mean? Does it only mean through Christ as the +mediator, or intercessor? Verily, no. It means much more; through Christ +living in and enabling us to trust God as He trusted Him. + +Then comes, thirdly, the death of Christ. What does that teach us of +Christ's relation to the Father? It opens up to us one of the deepest +and most solemn lessons of Christ life, one which the Church of Christ +understands all too little. We know what the death of Christ means as an +atonement, and we never can emphasize too much that blessed substitution +and bloodshedding, by which redemption was won for us. But let us remember, +that is only half the meaning of His death. The other half is this: just as +much as Christ was my substitute, who died for me, just so much He is +my head, in whom, and with whom, I die; and just as He lives for me, to +intercede, He lives in me, to carry out and to perfect His life. And if I +want to know what that life is which He will live in me, I must look at His +death. By His death He proved that He possessed life only to hold it, +and to spend it, for God. To the very uttermost; without the shadow of a +moment's exception, He lived for God,--every moment, everywhere, He held +life only for His God. And so, if one wants to live a life of perfect +trust, there must be the perfect surrender of his life, and his will, even +unto the very death. He must be willing to go all lengths with Jesus, even +to Calvary. When a boy twelve years of age Jesus said: "Wist ye not that I +must be about my Father's business?" and again when He came to Jordan to be +baptized: "It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." So on through +all His life, He ever said: "It is my meat and drink to do the will of my +Father. I come not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." +"Lo, I am come to do Thy will, O God." And in the agony of Gethsemane, His +words were: "Not my will, but Thine, be done." + +Some one says: "I do indeed desire to live the life of perfect trust; +I desire to let Christ live it in me; I am longing to come to such an +apprehension of Christ as shall give me the certainty that Christ will +forever abide in me; I want to come to the full assurance that Christ, my +Joshua, will keep me in the land of victory." What is needful for that? My +answer is: "Take care that you do not take a false Christ, an imaginary +Christ, a half Christ." And what is the full Christ? The full Christ is the +man who said, "I give up everything to the death that God may be glorified. +I have not a thought; I have not a wish; I would not live a moment except +for the glory of God." You say at once, "What Christian can ever attain +that?" Do not ask that question, but ask, "Has Christ attained it and does +Christ promise to live in me?" Accept Him in His fullness and leave Him to +teach you how far He can bring you and what He can work in you. Make no +conditions or stipulations about failure, but cast yourself upon, abandon +yourself to this Christ who lived that life of utter surrender to God that +He might prepare a new nature which He could impart to you and in which He +might make you like Himself. Then you will be in the path by which He can +lead you on to blessed experience and possession of what He can do for you. +Christ Jesus came into the world with a commandment from the Father that He +should lay down His life, and He lived with that one thought in His bosom +His whole life long. And the one thought that ought to be in the heart +of every believer is this: "I am in the death with Christ; absolutely, +unchangeably given up to wait upon God, that God may work out His purpose +and glory in me from moment to moment." Few attain the victory and the +enjoyment and the full experience at once. But this you can do: Take the +right attitude and as you look to Jesus and what He was, say: "Father, Thou +hast made me a partaker of the divine nature, a partaker of Christ. It +is in the life of Christ given up to Thee to the death, in His power and +indwelling, in His likeness, that I desire to live out my life before +Thee." Death is a solemn thing, an awful thing. In the Garden it cost +Christ great agony to die that death; and no wonder it is not easy to us. +But we willingly consent when we have learned the secret; in death alone +the life of God will come; in death there is blessedness unspeakable. It +was this made Paul so willing to bear the sentence of death in himself; +he knew the God who quickeneth the dead. The sentence of death is on +everything that is of nature. But are we willing to accept it, do we +cherish it? and are we not rather trying to escape the sentence or to +forget it? We do not believe fully that the sentence of death is on us. +Whatever is of nature must die. Ask God to make you willing to believe with +your heart that to die with Christ is the only way to live in Him. You ask, +"But must it then be dying every day?" Yes, beloved; Jesus lived every day +in the prospect of the cross, and we, in the power of His victorious life, +being made conformable to His death, must rejoice every day in going down +with Him into death. Take an illustration. Take an oak of some hundred +years' growth. How was that oak born? In a grave. The acorn was planted in +the ground, a grave was made for it that the acorn might die. It died and +disappeared; it cast roots downward, and it cast shoots upward, and now +that tree has been standing a hundred years. Where is it standing? In its +grave; all the time in the very grave where the acorn died; it has stood +there stretching its roots deeper and deeper into that earth in which its +grave was made, and yet, all the time, though it stood in the very grave +where it had died, it has been growing higher, and stronger, and broader, +and more beautiful. And all the fruit it ever bore, and all the foliage +that adorned it year by year, it owed to that grave in which its roots are +cast and kept. Even so Christ owes everything to His death and His grave. +And we, too, owe everything to that grave of Jesus. Oh! let us live every +day rooted in the death of Jesus. Be not afraid, but say: "To my own will I +will die; to human wisdom, and human strength, and to the world I will die; +for it is in the grave of my Lord that His life has its beginning, and its +strength and its glory." + +This brings us to our next thought. First, Christ received life from the +Father; second, Christ lived it in dependence on the Father; third, Christ +gave it up in death to the Father; and now, fourth, Christ received it +again raised by the Father, by the power of the glory of the Father. Oh, +the deep meaning of the resurrection of Christ! What did Christ do when He +died? He went down into the darkness and absolute helplessness of death. He +gave up a life that was without sin; a life that was God-given; a life that +was beautiful and precious; and He said, "I will give it into the hands +of my Father if He asks it;" and He did it; and He was there in the grave +waiting on God to do His will; and because He honored God to the uttermost +in His helplessness, God lifted Him up to the very uttermost of glory and +power. Christ lost nothing by giving up His life in death to the Father. +And so, if you want the glory and the life of God to come upon you, it is +in the grave of utter helplessness that that life of glory will be born. +Jesus was raised from the dead, and that resurrection power, by the grace +of God, can and will work in us. Let no one expect to live a right life +until he lives a full resurrection life in the power of Jesus. Let me state +in a different way what this resurrection means. + +Christ had a perfect life, given by God. The Father said: "Will you give up +that life to me? Will you part with it at my command?" And He parted with +it, but God gave it back to Him in a second life ten thousand times more +glorious than that earthly life. So God will do to every one of us who +willingly consents to part with his life. Have you ever understood it? +Jesus was born twice. The first time He was born in Bethlehem. That was a +birth into a life of weakness. But the second time, He was born from the +grave; He is the "first-born from the dead." Because He gave up the life +that He had by His first birth, God gave him the life of the second birth, +in the glory of heaven and the throne of God. Christians, that is exactly +what we need to do. A man may be an earnest Christian; a man may be a +successful worker; he may be a Christian that has had a measure of growth +and advance; but if he has not entered this fullness of blessing, then he +needs to come to a second and deeper experience of God's saving power; he +needs, just as God brought him out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to come +to a point where God brings him through Jordan into Canaan. Beloved, we +have been baptized into the death of Christ. It is as we say: "I have had +a very blessed life, and I have had many blessed experiences, and God has +done many things for me; but I am conscious there is something wrong still; +I am conscious that this life of rest and victory is not really mine." +Before Christ got His life of rest and victory on the throne, He had to die +and give up all. Do you it, too, and you shall with Him share His victory +and glory. It is as we follow Jesus in His death, that His resurrection, +power and joy will be ours. + +And then comes our last point. The fifth step in His wondrous path was: He +was lifted up to be forever with the Father. Because He humbled Himself, +therefore God highly exalted Him. Wherein cometh the beauty and the +blessedness of that exaltation of Jesus? For Himself perfect fellowship +with the Father; for others participation in the power of God's +omnipotence. Yes, that was the fruit of His death. Scripture promises not +only that God will, in the resurrection life, give us joy, and peace that +passeth all understanding, victory over sin, and rest in God, but He will +baptize us with the Holy Ghost; or, in other words, will fill us with the +Holy Ghost. Jesus was lifted to the throne of heaven, that He might there +receive from the Father the Spirit in His new, divine manifestation, to be +poured out in His fullness. And as we come to the resurrection life, the +life in the faith of Him who is one with us, and sits upon the throne--as +we come to that, we too may be partakers of the fellowship with Christ +Jesus as He ever dwells in God's presence, and the Holy Spirit will fill +us, to work in us, and out of us in a way that we have never yet known. + +Jesus got this divine life by depending absolutely upon the Father all His +life long, depending upon Him even down into death. Jesus got that life +in the full glory of the Spirit to be poured out, by giving Himself up in +obedience and surrender to God alone, and leaving God even in the grave to +work out His mighty power; and that very Christ will live out His life in +you and me. Oh, the mystery! Oh, the glory! And oh, the Divine certainty. +Jesus Christ means to live out that life in you and me. What think you, +ought we not to humble ourselves before God? Have we been Christians so +many years, and realized so little what we are? I am a vessel set apart, +cleansed, emptied, consecrated; just standing, waiting every moment for +God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, to work out in me as much of the +holiness and the life of His Son as pleases Him. And until the Church of +Christ comes to go down into the grave of humiliation, and confession, and +shame; until the Church of Christ comes to lay itself in the very dust +before God, and to wait upon God to do something new, and something +wonderful, something supernatural, in lifting it up, it will remain +feeble in all its efforts to overcome the world. Within the Church what +lukewarmness, what worldliness, what disobedience, what sin! How can we +ever fight this battle, or meet these difficulties? The answer is: Christ, +the risen One, the crowned One, the almighty One, must come, and live in +the individual members. But we can not expect this except as we die with +Him. I referred to the tree grown so high and beautiful, with its roots +every day for a hundred years in the grave in which the acorn died. +Children of God, we must go down deeper into the grave of Jesus. We must +cultivate the sense of impotence, and dependence, and nothingness, until +our souls walk before God every day in a deep and holy trembling. God keep +us from being anything. God teach us to wait on Him, that He may work in us +all He wrought in His Son, till Christ Jesus may live out His life in us! +For this may God help us! + + + + +CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION. + +VII. + +_Philippians 2: 5-8_.--"_Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ +Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of +the cross_." + + +All are familiar with this wonderful passage. Paul is speaking about one +of the most simple, practical things in daily life,--humility; and in +connection with that, he gives us a wonderful exhibition of divine truth. +In this chapter we have the eternal Godhead of Jesus--He was in the form of +God, and one with God. We have His incarnation--He came down, and was found +in the likeness of man. We have his death with the atonement--He became +obedient unto death. We have His exaltation--God hath highly exalted Him. +We have the glory of His Kingdom,--that every knee shall bow, and every +tongue confess Him. And in what connection? Is it a theological study? +No. Is it a description of what Christ is? No; it is in connection with a +simple, downright call to a life of humility in our intercourse with each +other. Our life on earth is linked to all the eternal glory of the Godhead +as revealed in the exaltation of Jesus. The very looking to Jesus, the +very bowing of the knee to Jesus, ought to be inseparably connected with a +spirit of the very deepest humility. Consider the humility of Jesus. First +of all, that humility is our salvation; then, that humility is just the +salvation we need; and again, that humility is the salvation which the Holy +Spirit will give us. + +Humility is the salvation that Christ brings. That is our first thought. We +often have very vague,--I might also say visionary--ideas of what Christ +is; we love the person of Christ, but that which makes up Christ, which +actually constitutes Him the Christ, that we do not know or love. If we +love Christ above everything, we must love humility above everything, for +humility is the very essence of His life and glory, and the salvation He +brings. Just think of it. Where did it begin? Is there humility in heaven? +You know there is, for they cast their crowns before the throne of God and +the Lamb. But is there humility on the throne of God? Yes, what was it but +heavenly humility that made Jesus on the throne willing to say: "I will go +down to be a servant, and to die for man; I will go and live as the meek +and lowly Lamb of God?" Jesus brought humility from heaven to us. It +was humility that brought Him to earth, or He never would have come. In +accordance with this, just as Christ became a man in this divine humility, +so His whole life was marked by it. He might have chosen another form in +which to appear; He might have come in the form of a king, but He chose the +form of a servant. He made Himself of no reputation; He emptied Himself; +He chose the form of a servant. He said: "The Son of Man is not come to be +ministered unto, to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom +for many." And you know, in the last night, He took the place of a slave, +and girded Himself with a towel, and went to wash the feet of Peter and the +other disciples. Beloved, the life of Jesus upon earth was a life of the +deepest humility. It was this gave His life its worth and beauty in God's +sight. And then His death--possibly you haven't thought of it much in this +connection--but His death was an exhibition of unparalleled humility. "He +humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross." My Lord Christ took a low place all the time of His walk upon +earth; He took a very low place when He began to wash the disciples' feet; +but when He went to Calvary, He took the lowest place there was to be found +in the universe of God, the very lowest, and He let sin, and the curse of +sin, and the wrath of God, cover Him. He took the place of a guilty sinner, +that He might bear our load, that He might serve us in saving us from our +wretchedness, that He might by His precious blood win deliverance for us, +that He might by that blood wash us from our stain and our guilt. + +We are in danger of thinking about Christ, as God, as man, as the +atonement, as the Saviour, and as exalted upon the throne, and we form an +image of Christ, while the real Christ, that which is the very heart of His +character, remains unknown. What is the real Christ? Divine humility, bowed +down into the very depths for our salvation. The humility of Jesus is our +salvation. We read, "He humbled Himself, therefore God hath highly exalted +Him." The secret of His exaltation to the throne is this: He humbled +Himself before God and man. Humility is the Christ of God, and now in +Heaven, to-day, that Christ, the Man of humility, is on the throne of God. +What do I see? A Lamb standing, as it had been slain, on the throne; in +the glory He is still the meek and gentle Lamb of God. His humility is the +badge He wears there. You often use that name--the Lamb of God--and you use +it in connection with the blood of the sacrifice. You sing the praise of +the Lamb, and you put your trust in the blood of the Lamb. Praise God for +the blood. You never can trust that too much. But I am afraid you forget +that the word "Lamb" must mean to us two things: it must mean not only a +sacrifice, the shedding of blood, but it must mean to us the meekness of +God, incarnate upon earth, the meekness of God represented in the meekness +and gentleness of a little Lamb. + +But the salvation that Christ brought is not only a salvation that flows +out of humility; it also leads to humility. We must understand that this +is not only the salvation which Christ brought; but that it is exactly the +salvation which you and I need. What is the cause of all the wretchedness +of man? Primarily pride; man seeking his own will and his own glory. Yes, +pride is the root of every sin, and so the Lamb of God comes to us in our +pride, and brings us salvation from it. We need above everything to be +saved from our pride and our self-will. It is good to be saved from the +sins of stealing, murdering, and every other evil; but a man needs above +all to be saved from what is the root of all sin, his self-will and +his pride. It is not until man begins to feel that this is exactly the +salvation he needs, that he really can understand what Christ is, and +that he can accept Him as his salvation. This is the salvation that we as +Christians and believers specially need. We know the sad story of Peter and +John; what their self-will and pride brought upon them. They needed to be +saved from nothing except themselves, and that is the lesson which we must +learn, if we are to enter the life of rest. And how can we enter that life, +and dwell there in the bosom of the Lamb of God, if pride rules? Have we +not often heard complaints of how much there is of pride in the Church of +Christ? What is the cause of all the division, and strife, and envying, +that is often found even among God's saints? Why is it that often in a +family there is bitterness--it may be only for half an hour, or half a day; +but what is the cause of hard judgments and hasty words? What is the cause +of estrangement between friends? What is the cause of evil speaking? What +is the cause of selfishness and indifference to the feelings of others? +Simply this: the pride of man. He lifts himself up, and he claims the right +to have his opinions and judgments as he pleases. The salvation we need +is indeed humility, because it is only through humility that we can be +restored to our right relation to God. + +"Waiting upon God,"--that is the only true expression for the real relation +of the creature to God; to be nothing before God. What is the essential +idea of a creature made by God? It is this: to be a vessel in which He can +pour out His fullness, in which He can exhibit His life, His goodness, His +power, and His love. A vessel must be empty if it is to be filled, and if +we are to be filled with the life of God we must be utterly empty of +self. This is the glory of God, that He is to fill all things, and more +especially His redeemed people. And as this is the glory of the creature, +so this is the only redemption, and the only glory of every redeemed soul, +to be empty and as nothing before God; to wait upon Him, and to let God be +all in all. + +Humility has a prominent place in almost every epistle of the New +Testament. Paul says: "Walk with all lowliness and meekness, with +longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The nearer you get to God, and +the fuller of God, the lowlier you will be; and equally before God and man, +you will love to bow very low. We know of Peter's early self-confidence; +but in his epistles what a different language he speaks! He wrote there: +"Let the younger be subject to the elder, and all of you be subject one to +another; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt +you in His own time." He understood, and he dared to preach, humility to +all. It is indeed the salvation we need. What is it that prevents people +from coming to that entire surrender that we speak of? Simply that they +dare not abandon themselves, and trust themselves, to God; that they are +not willing to be nothing, to give up their wishes, and their will, and +their honor to Christ. Shall we not accept the salvation that Jesus +offers? He gave up His own will; He gave up His own honor; He gave up any +confidence in Himself; He lived dependent upon God as a servant whom the +Father had sent. There is the salvation we need, the Spirit of humility +that was in Christ. + +What is it that often disturbs our hearts, and our peace? It is pride +seeking to be something. And God's decree is irreversible, "God resisteth +the proud; He gives grace only to the humble." How often Jesus had to speak +to his disciples about it! You will find repeatedly in the Gospel those +simple words: "He that humbleth Himself shall be exalted; he that exalteth +himself shall be humbled." He taught His disciples: "He that would be +chiefest among you, let him be the servant of all." This should be our one +cry before God: "Let the power of the Holy Ghost come upon me, with the +humility of Jesus, that I may take the place that He took." Brother, do you +want a better place than Jesus had? Are you seeking a higher place than +Jesus? Or will you say: "Down, down, as deep as ever I can go. By the help +of God I will be nothing before God; I will be where Jesus was." + +And now comes the third thought,--This is the salvation the Holy Ghost +brings. You know what a change took place in those disciples. Let us praise +God for it; the Holy Spirit means this: the life, the disposition, the +temper, and the inclinations of Jesus, brought down from heaven into our +hearts. That is the Holy Ghost. He has His mighty workings to bestow as +gifts; but the fullness of the Holy Ghost is this: Jesus Christ in His +humility coming to dwell in us. When Christ was teaching His disciples, all +His instructions may have helped in the way of preparation, breaking them +down, and making them conscious of what was wrong, and awakening desire; +but the instruction could not do it, and all their love to Jesus and their +desire to please Him could not do it, until the Holy Ghost came. That is +the promise Christ gave. He says, in connection with the coming of the Holy +Ghost: "I will come again to you." Christ said to His disciples: "I have +been three years with you, and you have been in the closest contact with +me, and I have done the utmost to reach your hearts; I have sought to get +into your hearts, yet I have failed; but fear not, I will come again. In +that day ye shall see me, and your hearts shall rejoice, and no man shall +take your joy from you. I will come again to dwell in you, and live my life +in you." Christ went to heaven that He might get a power which He never had +before. And what was that? The power of living in men. God be praised for +this! It was because Jesus, the humble One, the Lamb of God, the meek, the +lowly and gentle One, came down in the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His +disciples, that the pride was expelled, and that the very breath of Heaven +breathed through Him in the love that made them one heart and one soul. + +Dear friends, Christ is yours. Christ as He comes in the power of the Holy +Spirit is yours. Are you longing to have Him, to have the perfect Christ +Jesus? Come, then, and see how, amid the glories of His Godhead--His +having been in the form of God, and equal to God; amid the glories of +His incarnation--His having become a man; amid the glories of His +atonement--His having been obedient to death; and amid the glories of His +exaltation, which is the chief and brightest glory, He humbled Himself from +Heaven down to earth and on earth down to the cross. He humbled Himself to +bear the name and show the meekness, and die the death of the Lamb of God. +And what is it we now need to do? How are we to be saved by this humility +of Jesus? It is a solemn question, but, thank God, the answer can be given. +First we must desire it above everything. Let us learn to pray God to +deliver us from every vestige of pride, for this is a cursed thing. Let us +learn to set aside for a time other things in the Christian life, and begin +to plead with the Lamb of God day by day, "O Lamb of God, I know Thy love, +but I know so little of Thy meekness." Come day after day, and lay your +heart against His heart, and say to Him with strong desire: "Jesus, Lamb +of God, give, oh, give me Thyself, with Thy meekness and humility," and He +will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him. It is not enough to desire +it and to pray for it; claim and accept it as yours. This humility is given +you in Christ Jesus. Christ is our life. What does that mean? Oh, that God +might give you and me a vision of what that means. The air is our life, and +the air is everywhere, universal. We breathe without difficulty because God +surrounds us with the air; and is the air nearer to me than Christ is? The +sun gives light to every green leaf and every blade of grass, shining hour +by hour and moment by moment. And is the sun nearer to the blade of grass +than Christ is to man's soul? Verily, no; Christ is around us on every +side; Christ is pressing on us to enter, and there is nothing in heaven, +or earth, or hell, that can keep the light of Christ from shining into the +heart that is empty and open. If the windows of your room were closed with +shutters, the light could not enter; it would be on the outside of the +building, streaming and streaming against the shutters; but it could not +enter. But leave the windows without shutters, and the light comes, it +rejoices to come in and fill the room. Even so, children of God, Jesus and +His light, Jesus and His humility, are around you on every side, longing to +enter into your hearts. Come and take Him to-day in His blessed meekness +and gentleness. Do not be afraid of Him; He is the Lamb of God. He is so +patient with you, He is so kindly towards you, He is so tender and loving. +Take courage to-day and trust Jesus to come into your heart and take +possession of it. And when He has taken possession, there will be a life +day by day of blessed fellowship with Him, and you will feel a necessity +ever deeper for your quiet time with Him, and for worshiping and adoring +Him, and for just sinking down before Him in helplessness and humility, and +saying: "Jesus, I am nothing, and Thou art all." It will be a blessed life, +because you will be conscious of being at the feet of Jesus. At this moment +you can claim Jesus in His divine humility as the life of your soul. Will +you? Will you not open your heart, and say: "Come in; come in?" + +Come to-day, and take Him up afresh in this blessed power of His wonderful +humility, and say to Him: "Oh, Thou who didst say, 'Learn of me, for I am +meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls,' my Lord, +I know why it is that I have not the perfect life; it is my pride, but +to-day, come Thou and dwell in my heart. Thou who didst lead even Peter and +John into the blessedness of Thy heavenly humility; Thou wilt not refuse +me. Lord, here I am; do Thou, who by Thy wonderful humility alone canst +save, come in. O Lamb of God, I believe in Thee; take possession of my +heart, and dwell in me." When you have said that, go out in quiet, and +retire, walking gently as holding the Lamb of God in your heart, and say: +"I have received the Lamb of God; He makes my heart His care; He breathes +His humility and dependence on God in me, and so brings me to God. His +humility is my life and salvation." + + + + +THE COMPLETE SURRENDER. + +VIII. + +_Genesis 39: 1-3_.--_Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an +officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him at the +hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord +was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of +his master, the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him_. + + +We have in this passage an object lesson which teaches us what Christ is to +us. Note: Joseph was a slave, but God was with him so distinctly that his +master could see it. "And his master saw the Lord was with him, and that +the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hands; and Joseph found grace +in his sight, and he served him,"--that is to say, he was his slave about +his person,--"and he made him overseer over his house,"--that was something +new. Joseph had been a slave, but now he becomes a master. "And he made him +overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hands. And it +came to pass, from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, +and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for +Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the +house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and +he knew not all he had, save the bread which he did eat." + +We find Joseph in two characters in the house of Potiphar: first as a +servant and a slave, one who is trusted and loved, but still entirely a +servant; second, as master. Potiphar made him overseer over his house and +his lands, and all that he had, so that we read afterward that he left +everything in his hands, and he knew of nothing except the bread that +came upon his table. I want to call your attention to Joseph as a type of +Christ. We sometimes speak in the Christian life, of entire surrender, and +rightly, and here we have a beautiful illustration of what it is. First, +Joseph was in Potiphar's house to serve him and to help him, and he did +that, and Potiphar learned to trust him, so that he said, "All that I have +I will give into his hands." Now, that is exactly what is to take place +with a great many Christians. They know Christ, they trust Him, they love +Him, but He is not Master, He is a sort of helper. When there is trouble +they come to Him, when they sin they ask Him for pardon in His precious +blood, when they are in darkness they cry to Him; but often and often they +live according to their own will, and they seek help from themselves. But +how blessed is the man who comes and, like Potiphar, says, "I will give +up everything to Jesus!" There are many who have accepted Christ as +their Lord, but have never yet come to the final, absolute surrender of +everything. Christians, if you want perfect rest, abiding joy, strength to +work for God, oh, come and learn from that poor heathen Egyptian what you +ought to do. He saw that God was with Joseph and he said, "I will give up +my house to him." Oh, learn you to do that. There are some who have +never yet accepted Christ, some who are seeking after Him, thirsting and +hungering, but they do not know how to find Him. + +Let me direct your attention to four thoughts regarding this surrender to +Christ: First, its motives; second, its measures; third, its blessedness; +lastly, its duration. + +First of all, its motives. What moved Potiphar to do this? I think the +answer is very easy: he was a trusted servant of the king and he had the +king's work to take care of, and he very likely could not take care of +his own house. All his time and attention were required at the court of +Pharaoh. He had his duty there; he was in high honor; but his own house got +neglected. Very likely he had had other overseers, one slave appointed to +rule the others, and perhaps that one had been unfaithful, or dishonest, +and somehow his house was not as he would have it. So he buys another +slave, just as he had formerly done, but in this case he sees what he had +never seen before. There is something unusual about the man. He walks +so humbly, he serves so faithfully and so lovingly, and withal so +successfully. Potiphar begins to look into the reason for this, and finally +concludes that God is with him. + +It is a grand thing to have a man with whom God is, to entrust one's +business to. The heathen realized this, and between the need of his own +house and what he saw in Joseph, he decided to make him overseer. I ask +you, do not these two motives plead most urgently that you should say: "I +will make Jesus master over my whole being?" Your house, Christian, your +spiritual life, the dwelling, the temple of God in your heart,--in what +state is that? Is it not often like the temple of old, in Jerusalem, that +had been defiled and made a house of merchandise, and afterwards a den of +thieves? Your heart, meant to be the home of Jesus, is it not often full +of sin and darkness, full of sadness, full of vexation? You have done your +very best to get it changed, and you have called in the help of man, and +the help of means; you have used every method you could think of for +getting it put right; but it will not come right until He whose it is, +comes in to take charge. + +If there is any trouble in your heart, if you are in darkness, or in the +power of sin, I bring to you the Son of God, with the promise that He will +come in and take charge. As Potiphar took Joseph, will you not take Jesus? +Has He not proven Himself worthy to be trusted? Come and say, "Jesus shall +have entire charge; He is worthy." Think not only of His Divine power, but +think of His wonderful love; think of His coming from heaven to save you; +think of His dying on Calvary and shedding His blood out of intense love +for you. Oh, think of it; Christ in heaven loves every one who is given to +Him, and whom He has made a child of God. "Having loved His own that were +in the world, He loved them unto the end." + +Must I plead in the name of the love of the crucified Jesus; must I plead +with you Christians, and say, Look at Jesus, the Son of God, your Redeemer, +and ask you to make Him overseer over all? Give Him charge of your temper, +your heart's affections, your thoughts, your whole being, and He will prove +Himself worthy of it. Joseph had been for a time just a common slave, and +with the other slaves had served Pharaoh. Alas! many a Christian has used +Christ for his own advancement and comfort, just as he uses everything in +the world. He uses father and mother, minister, money, and all else the +world will give, to comfort and make him happy; there is danger of his +using Christ Jesus in the same way. But oh, brethren, this is not right. +You are His house, and He has a right to dwell therein. Will you not come +and surrender all, and say, "Lord Jesus, I have made Thee overseer over +all?" + +But now, secondly, the measure of that surrender. We read in the 4th verse: +"All that he had he put into his hands." Then in verse 5: "And it came to +pass from the time that he made him overseer over all that he had"--there +you have it the second time--"the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house, and +the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had"--there the third time. +Then in verse 6: "And he left all that he had"--there you have the words +the fourth time--"in Joseph's hand, and he knew not all he had, save the +bread which he did eat." What do I see here? That Potiphar actually gave +everything into Joseph's hands. He made him master over his slaves. All the +money was put into Joseph's hands, for we read that Potiphar had care of +nothing. When dinner was brought upon the table, he ate of it, and that +was all he knew of what was going on in his house. Is not this entire +surrender?--he gives up everything into the hands of Joseph. Ah, beloved +Christians, I want you to ask yourselves: "Have I done that?" You have +offered more than one consecration prayer, and you have more than once +said: "Jesus, all I have I give to Thee." You have said it, and meant it; +but very probably you did not realize fully what it meant. + +With the word surrender there seems always to be a larger and more +comprehensive meaning. We do not succeed in carrying out our intentions, +and afterward we take back one thing and another until we have lost sight +of our original intention. Beloved Christians, let Christ Jesus have all. +Let Him have your whole heart, with its affections; He Himself loves, with +more than the love of Jonathan. Let Him have your whole heart, saying, +"Jesus, every fiber of my being, ever power of my soul, shall be devoted +to Thee." He will accept that surrender. He spoke a solemn word: "You must +hate father and mother." Say you to-day: "Lord Jesus, the love to father +and mother, to wife and child, to brother and sister, I give up to Thee. +Teach Thou me how to love Thee. I have only one desire, which is to love +Thee. I want to give my whole heart to be full of Thy love." + +But when you have given your heart, there is yet more to give. There is the +head--the brain with its thoughts. I believe Christians do not know how +much they rob Christ of in reading so much of the literature of the world. +They are often so occupied with their newspapers that the Bible gets a very +small place. Oh, friends, I beseech you bring this noble power which God +has given you, the power of a mind that can think heavenly, eternal, and +infinite things, and lay it at the feet of Jesus, saying, "Lord Jesus, +every faculty of my being I want to surrender to Thee, that Thou shouldst +teach me what to think, and how to think, for Thee and Thy Kingdom." Bless +God, there are men who have given their intellect to Jesus, and it has been +accepted by Him. And in this connection there is my whole outer life. There +is my relation to society, my position among men, my intercourse in my own +home, with friends and family; there is my money, my time, my business; all +these should be put in the hands of Jesus. One cannot know beforehand the +blessedness of this surrender, but blessed it surely is. Come, because He +is worthy; come because you know you can not keep things right yourself, +and make Christ master over all you have. Give father and mother, wife and +child, house and land, and money, all to Jesus, and you will find that in +giving all you receive it back an hundred fold. + +Thirdly, look at the blessing of the entire surrender. You have here the +remarkable words: "And it came to pass from the time that Potiphar made +Joseph overseer over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's +house for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he +had in the house, and in the field." I ask you Christians, If God did this +to that heathen man, because he honored Joseph; if God, for Joseph's sake, +blessed that Egyptian in this wonderful way, may a Christian not venture to +say: "If I put my life into the hands of Jesus, I am sure God will bless +all that I have?" Oh, dare to say it. Potiphar trusted Joseph implicitly +and absolutely, and there was prosperity everywhere, because God was with +Joseph. Beloved friends, if you but surrender everything, depend upon it, +the blessing from that time will be yours. There will be a blessing within +your own inner life, and a blessing in your outer life. He blessed Potiphar +in the house, in the field, everywhere. + +Oh, Christian, what is that blessing you will get? I can not tell all, but +I can tell you this: if you will come to Christ Jesus and surrender all, +the blessing of God will be on all that you have. There will be a blessing +for your own soul. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is +stayed on Thee." Try that; trust Jesus for everything, and trust everything +to Him, and the blessing of God will come upon you--the sweet rest, the +rest of faith. It is all in the hands of Jesus; He will guide you; He will +teach you; He will work in you; He will keep you; He will be everything to +you. What a blessed rest and freedom from responsibility and from care, +because it is all in the hands of Jesus! I do not say trouble and trial +will never come; but in the midst of trial and trouble you will have the +all-sufficiency of the presence of Jesus to be your comfort, your help, and +your guide. Joseph was sold by his brethren, but he saw God in it, and he +was quite content. Christ was betrayed by Judas, condemned by Caiaphas, and +given over to execution by Pilate; but in all that, Christ saw God, and +He was content. Give over your life, in all its phases, into the hands of +Jesus; remembering that the very hairs of your head are numbered, and not a +sparrow falls to earth without the Father's notice. Consent now and say: "I +will give up everything into the hands of Jesus. Whatever happens is His +will regarding me. Whether He comes in the light or in the dark, in the +storm or on the troubled sea, I will rest in that blessed assurance. I give +up my whole life entirely to Him." + +In reading the Book of Jonah, we find God's hand in each step of Jonah's +experience. It was God who sent the storm when Jonah went aboard the ship, +who appointed a whale to swallow him, who ordered the whale to cast him +out; and then afterwards it was God who caused the hot wind to blow when +the sun was sending down its scorching rays, until the soul of Jonah was +grieved, and made the gourd to grow, and sent the worm to kill the gourd, +and set a sea-wind to dry the gourd up quickly. Do we not thus see that +every circumstance of our living, every comfort and every trial, comes from +God in Christ? There is nothing can touch a hair of my head. Not a sharp +word comes against me; not an unexpected flurry surrounds me, but it is all +Jesus. With my life in His hands, I need care for nothing. I can be content +with what Jesus gives. + +God blessed Potiphar in the field; in the visible life outside of his +house; and God will bless you, that, in your intercourse with men, you may +be a blessing; that by your holy, humble, respectful, quiet walk, you may +carry comfort; that by your loving readiness to be a servant and a helper +to all, you may prove what the Spirit of God has done within you. Oh, my +brother, my sister, you have no conception of it,--I have not--how God is +willing to bless the soul utterly given up to Jesus. God can delight in +nothing but Jesus. God delights infinitely in Jesus. God longs to see +nothing in us but Jesus, and if I give up my heart and life to Jesus, and +say, "My God, I want that Thou shouldst see in me nothing but Jesus," then +I bring to the Father the sacrifice that is the most acceptable of all. +Oh, believers, come to-day; come out of all your troubles, and all your +self-efforts and your self-confidence, and let the blessed Son of God +take possession. + +Let me direct your thoughts, lastly, to the duration of this surrender. I +want to emphasize this--because in many cases the surrender does not last. +Some go away, and for a time have much gladness and joy, but it soon begins +to decrease, and in a few weeks or perhaps months is all gone. Others who +do not lose it entirely, complain sadly at times, that it goes away and +comes again. They say: "My life has been very much blessed since that +surrender I made to God, but it has not always been on the same level." +What did Potiphar do? We read in the 4th verse: "He made him overseer over +his house, and all that he had he left in Joseph's hands." What a simple +word! He left it there. + +And oh, children of God, if you will only get to that point and say, "For +all eternity I leave it in the hands of Jesus," you will find what a +blessing it is. Potiphar found now that he could do the king's business +with two hands and an undivided heart. I might try to rescue a drowning man +by holding fast somewhere with one hand, while I reached out the other hand +to the man, but it is a grand thing for a person to be able to stretch out +both hands, and that person is the one who has left all with Jesus--all his +inner life, all his cares and troubles, and has given himself up entirely +to do the will of God. Will you leave it there? I must press this, because +I know temptations will come. One temptation will be that the feelings you +had in your act of surrender will pass away; they will not be so bright; +another, that circumstances will tempt you. Beloved, temptations will come; +God means it for your good. Every temptation brings you a blessing. Do +understand that. Learn the lesson of giving up everything to Jesus, and +letting Jesus take charge of everything. Leave all with Jesus. Do not think +that by a surrender to-day or on any day, however powerful, however mighty, +things will keep right themselves. You need every morning afresh, when +God wakes you up out of sleep, to put your heart, and your life, and your +house, and your business, into the hands of Jesus. Wait on Him, if need be, +in silence, or in prayer, until He gives you the assurance, "My child, for +to-day all is safe; I take charge." And morning by morning He will renew to +you the blessing, and morning by morning you will go out from your quiet +time in the consciousness, "To-day I have had fellowship with my King, and +it is all right." Jesus has taken charge. And so, day by day, you can have +grace to leave all in the hands of Jesus. + +In conclusion let me speak to two classes. There are times when your heart +is restless; there are times when you are afraid to die. + +There are some true believers who have perhaps never yet understood that it +was their duty to give up everything to Christ. Beloved fellow Christians, +I come with a message from your Father, to come and to-day take that word +into your hearts and upon your lips, even though you do not understand it. +"Jesus, I make Thee Master of everything and I will wait at Thy feet, that +Thou wilt show me what Thou wouldst have me be and do." Do it now. And +let me say to believers who have done it before, and who long with an +unutterable longing to do it fully and perfectly,--Child of God, you can +do it, for the Holy Spirit has been sent down from Heaven for this one +purpose, to glorify Jesus; to glorify Jesus in your heart, by letting you +see how perfectly Jesus can take possession of the whole heart; to glorify +Jesus by bringing Him into your very life, that your whole life may shine +out with the glory of Jesus. Depend upon it, the Father will give it to you +by the Holy Spirit, if you are ready. Oh, come, and let your intercourse +with God be summed up in a simple prayer and answer--"My God, as much as +Thou wilt have of me to fill with Christ, Thou shalt have to-day." "My +child, as much of Christ as thy heart longeth to have, thou shalt have; for +it is My delight that My Son be in the hearts of My children." + + + + +DEAD WITH CHRIST. + +IX. + +_Gal. 2: 20_.--_I am crucified with Christ_. + + +The Revised Version properly has the above text "I have been crucified +with Christ." In this connection, let us read the story of a man who was +literally crucified with Christ. We may use all the narrative of Christ's +work upon earth in the flesh as a type of His spiritual work. Let us take +in this instance the story of the penitent thief, Luke 23: 39-43, for I +think we may learn from him how to live as men who are crucified with +Christ. Paul says: "I have been crucified with Christ." And again: "God +forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, +through whom I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me." We +often ask earnestly: How can I be free from the self life? The answer is, +"Get another life." We often speak about the power of the Holy Spirit +coming upon us, but I doubt if we fully realize that the Holy Spirit is a +heavenly life come to expel the selfish, and fleshly, and the earthly life. +If we want, in very deed, to enjoy fully the rest that there is in Jesus, +we can only have it as He comes in, in the power of His death, to slay what +is in us of nature, and to take possession, and to live His own life in the +fullness of the Holy Ghost. God's Word takes us to the cross of Christ, and +it teaches us about that cross, two things. It tells us that Christ died +_for_ sin. We understand what that means, that in His atonement He died as +I never die, as I never can die, as I never need die; He died for sin and +for me. But what gave His death such power to atone? It was this: the +spirit in which He died, not the physical suffering, not the external act +of death, but the spirit in which He died. And what was that spirit? He +died _unto_ sin. Sin had tempted Him, and surrounded Him, and had brought +Him very nigh to saying, "I cannot die." In Gethsemane He cried: "Father, +is it not possible that the cup pass from me?" But God be praised, He gave +up His life rather than yield to sin. He died to sin, and in dying He +conquered. And now, I can not die for sin like Christ, but I can and I must +die to sin like Christ. Christ died for me. In that He stands alone. Christ +died to sin, and in that I have fellowship with Him. I have been crucified, +I am dead. + +And here is the great subject to which I want to lead you.--What it is to +be dead with Christ, and how it is that I can practically enter into this +death with Christ. We know that the great characteristic of Christ is His +death. From eternity He came with the commandment of the Father that He +should lay down His life on earth. He gave Himself up to it, and He set His +face towards Jerusalem. He chose death, and He lived and walked upon earth +to prepare Himself to die. His death is the power of redemption; death gave +Him His victory over sin; death gave Him His resurrection, His new life, +His exaltation, and His everlasting glory. The great mark of Christ is His +death. Even in Heaven, upon the throne, He stands as the Lamb that was +slain, and through eternity they ever sing, "Thou art worthy, for Thou +wast slain." Beloved brother, your Boaz, your Christ, your all-sufficient +Saviour, is a Man of whom the chief mark and the greatest glory is this: He +died. And if the Bride is to live with her husband as His wife, then she +must enter into His state, and into His spirit, and into His disposition, +and ever be as He is. If we are to experience the full power of what Christ +can do for us, we must learn to die with Christ. I ought not, perhaps, to +use that expression, "We must learn to die with Christ;" I ought, rather, +to say, "We must learn that we _are dead_ with Christ." That is a glorious +thought in the 6th chapter of Romans; to every believer in the Church of +Rome--not to the select ones, or the advanced ones, but to every believer +in the Church of Rome, however feeble, Paul writes, "You _are dead_ with +Christ." On the strength of that he says, "Reckon yourselves dead unto +sin." What does that mean--You are dead to sin? We can not see it more +clearly than by referring to Adam. Christ was the second Adam. What +happened in the first Adam? I died, in the first Adam; I died to God; I +died in sin. When I was born, I had in me the life of Adam, which had all +the characteristics of the life of Adam after he had fallen. Adam died to +God, and Adam died in sin, and I inherit the life of Adam, and so I am dead +in sin as he was, and dead unto God. But at the very moment I begin to +believe in Jesus, I become united to Christ, the second Adam, and as really +as I am united by my birth to the first Adam, I am made partaker of the +life of Christ. What life? That life which died unto sin on Calvary, and +which rose again; therefore God by his apostle tells us: "Reckon yourselves +indeed dead unto sin and alive unto God in Christ Jesus." You are to reckon +it as true, because God says it--for your new nature is indeed, in virtue +of your vital union to Christ, actually and utterly dead to sin. + +If we want to have the real Christ that God has given us, the real Christ +that died for us, in the power of His death and resurrection, we must take +our stand here. But many Christians do not understand what the 6th chapter +of the Epistle to the Romans teaches us. They do not know that they are +dead to sin. They do not know it, and therefore Paul instructs them: "Know +ye not that as many of you as are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized +into His death." How can we who are dead to sin in Christ live any longer +therein? We have indeed the death and the life of Christ working within +us. But, alas! most Christians do not know this, and therefore do not +experience or practice it. They need to be taught that their first need is +to be brought to the recognition, to the knowledge, of what has taken place +in Christ on Calvary, and what has taken place in their becoming united +to Christ. The man must begin to say, even before he understands it, "In +Christ I am dead to sin." It is a command: "Reckon ye yourselves indeed to +be dead unto sin." Get hold of your union to Christ; believe in the new +nature within you, that spiritual life which you have from Christ, a life +that has died and been raised again. A man's acts are always in accordance +with his idea of his state. A king acts like a king, otherwise we say, +"That man has forgotten his kingship," but if a man is conscious of being +a king, he behaves like a king. And so I cannot live the life of a true +believer unless I am filled with a consciousness of this every day: "I +thank God that I am dead in Christ. Christ died unto sin, and I am united +with Christ, and Christ lives in me and I am dead to sin." What is the life +Christ lives in me? Ask what is the life Adam lives in me? Adam lives in me +the death life, a life that has fallen under the power of sin and death, +death to God. That life Adam lives in me by nature as an unconverted man. +And Christ, the second Adam, has come to me with a new life, and I now live +in His life, the death-life of Christ. As long as I do not know it, I can +not act according to it, though it be in me. Praise God, when a man begins +to see what it is, and begins in obedience to say, "I will do what God's +Word says; I am dead, I reckon myself dead," he enters upon a new life. On +the strength of God's everlasting Word, and your union to Christ, and the +great fact of Calvary, reckon, know yourself as dead indeed unto sin. A man +must see this truth; this is the first step. The second is--he must accept +it in faith. And what then? When he accepts it in faith, then there comes +in him a struggle, and a painful experience, for that faith is still very +feeble, and he begins to ask, "But why, if I am dead to sin, do I commit so +much sin?" And the answer God's Word gives is simply this: You do not allow +the power of that death to be applied by the Holy Spirit. What we need is +to understand that the Holy Spirit came from Heaven, from the glorified +Jesus, to bring His death and His life into us. The two are inseparably +connected. That Christ died, He died unto sin, and that He liveth, He +liveth unto God. The death and the life in Him are inseparable; and even so +in us the life to God in Christ is inseparably connected with the death to +sin. And that is what the Holy Ghost will teach us and work in us. If I +have accepted Christ in faith by the Holy Ghost, and yield myself to +Him, Christ every day keeps possession, and reveals the full power of +my fellowship in His death and life in my heart. To some this comes +undoubtedly in one moment of supreme power and blessing; all at once they +see and accept it, and enter in, and there is death to sin as a Divine +experience. It is not that the tendency to evil is rooted out. No; but the +power of Christ's death keeps from sin, and destroys the power of sin; the +power of Christ's death can be manifested in the Holy Spirit's unceasingly +mortifying the deeds of the body. + +Some one asks me if there is still growth needed. Undoubtedly. By the Holy +Spirit a man can now begin to live and grow, deeper and deeper, into the +fellowship of Christ's death. New things are discovered by him in spheres +of which he never thought. A man may at times be filled with the Holy +Ghost, and yet there may be great imperfections in him. Why? For this +reason: because his heart, perhaps, had not been fully prepared by a +complete discovery of sin. There may be pride, or self-consciousness, or +forwardness, or other qualities of this nature which he has never noticed. +The Holy Spirit does not always cast these out at once. No. There are +different ways of entering into the blessed life. One man enters into the +blessed life with the idea of power for service; another with the idea of +rest from worry and weariness; another with the idea of deliverance from +sin. In all these aspects there is something limited, and therefore every +believer is to give himself up after he knows the power of Christ's death, +and say continually: "Lord Jesus, let the power of Thy death work through, +let it penetrate my whole being." As the man gives himself unreservedly up, +he will begin to bear the marks of a crucified man. The apostle says: "I +have been crucified," and he lives like a crucified man. + +What are the marks of a crucified man? The first is, deep, absolute +humility. Christ humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the +death of the cross. When the death to sin begins to work mightily, that is +one of its chief and most blessed proofs. It breaks a man down, down, and +the great longing of his heart is, "Oh, that I could get deeper down before +my God, and be nothing at all, that the life of Christ might be exalted. I +deserve nothing but the cursed cross; I give myself over to it." Humility +is one of the great marks of a crucified man. + +Another mark is impotence, helplessness. When a man hangs +on the cross, he is utterly helpless, he can do nothing. As long as we +Christians are strong, and can work, or struggle, we do not get into the +blessed life of Christ; but when a man says, "I am a crucified man, I am +utterly helpless, every breath of life and strength must come from my +Jesus," then we learn what it is to sink into our own impotence, and say, +"I am nothing." + +Still another mark of crucifixion is restfulness. Yes. Christ was +crucified, and went down into the grave, and we are crucified and buried +with Him. There is no place of rest like the grave; a man can do nothing +there, "My flesh shall rest in hope," said David, and said the Messiah. +Yes, and when a man goes down into the grave of Jesus, it means this: that +he just cries out, "I have nothing but God, I trust God; I am waiting upon +God; my flesh rests in Him; I have given up everything, that I may rest, +waiting upon what God is to do to me." Remember, the crucifixion, and the +death, and the burial are inseparably one. And remember the grave is the +place where the mighty resurrection power of God will be manifested. +And remember those precious words in the 11th of John: "Said I not unto +thee"--when did Christ say that? It was at the grave of Lazarus--"that if +thou believest, thou shalt see the glory of God?" Where shall I see the +glory of God most brightly? Beside the grave. Go down into death believing, +and the glory of God will come upon thee, and fill thy heart. + +Dear friends, we want to die. If we are to live in the rest, and the peace, +and the blessedness of our great Boaz; if we are to live a life of joy and +of fruitfulness, of strength and of victory, we must go down into the grave +with Christ, and the language of our life must be: "I am a crucified +man. God be praised, though I have nothing but sin in myself, I have an +everlasting Jesus, with His death and His life, to be the life of my soul." + +How can I enter into this fellowship of the cross? We find an illustration +in the story of the penitent thief. Thomas said, before Christ's death, +"Let us go and abide with Him." And Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go +with Thee to prison, or to death." But the disciples all failed, and our +Lord took a man who was the offscouring of the earth, and he hung him upon +the cross of Calvary beside Himself, and He said to Peter, and to all: "I +will let you see what it is to die with Me." And He says that word to-day, +to the weakest and the humblest; if you are longing to know what it is to +enter into death with Jesus, come and look at the penitent thief. And what +do we see there? First of all, we see there the state of a heart prepared +to die with Christ. We see in that penitent thief, a humble, whole-hearted +confession of sin. There he hung upon the cursed tree, and the multitudes +were blaspheming that man beside him, but he was not ashamed publicly to +make confession: "I am dying a death that I have deserved; I am suffering +justly; this cross is what I have deserved." Here is one of the reasons why +the Church of Christ enters so little into the death of Christ; men do not +want to believe that the curse of God is upon everything in them that has +not died with Christ. People talk about the curse of sin, but they do not +understand that the whole nature has been infected by sin, and that the +curse is on everything. My intellect, has that been defiled by sin? +Terribly, and the curse of sin is on it, and therefore my intellect must go +down into the death. Ah, I believe that the Church of Christ suffers more +to-day from trusting in intellect, in sagacity, in culture, and in mental +refinement, than from almost anything else. The Spirit of the world comes +in, and men seek by their wisdom, and by their knowledge, to help the +Gospel, and they rob it of its crucifixion mark. Christ directed Paul to go +and preach the Gospel of the cross, but to do it not with wisdom of words. +The curse of sin is on all that is of nature. If there be a minister who +has delighted in preaching, who has done his very best, who has given his +very best in the way of talent and of thought, and who asks, "Must that +go down into the grave?" I say, "Yes, my brother, the whole man must be +crucified." And so with the heart's affection. What is more beautiful than +the love of a child to his mother? In that lovely nature there is something +unsanctified, and it must be given up to die. God will raise it from the +dead and give it back again, sanctified and made alive unto God. So I might +go through the whole of our life. People often say to me: "But has God made +all things so beautiful, and is it not right that we should enjoy them? Are +not His gifts all good?" I answer, yes, but remember what it says; they are +good, if sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. The curse of sin is on +them; the blight of sin is on everything most beautiful, and it takes much +of God's Word, and much of prayer to sanctify them. It is very hard to give +up a thing to the death, and it is hardest of all to give up my life to the +death, and I never will until I have learned that everything about that +life is stamped by sin, and let it go down into the death as the only way +to have it quickened and sanctified. + +The penitent thief confessed his sin, and that he deserved death. Then, +next, he had faith in the almighty power of Christ. A wonderful faith. It +has no parallel in the Bible. There hangs the cursed malefactor with Jesus +of Nazareth, and he dares speak, and say: "I am dying here, under the just +curse of my sins, but I believe Thou canst take me into Thy heart, and +remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." Oh, that we might learn to +believe in the almighty power of Christ! That man believed that Christ was +a King, and had a Kingdom, and that He would take him up in His arms, and +in His heart, and remember him when He came into His Kingdom. He believed +that, and believing that, he died. Brother, you and I need to take time to +come to a much larger and deeper faith in the power of Christ, that the +almighty Christ will indeed take us in His arms and carry us through this +death life, revealing the power of His death in us. I cannot live it +without personal contact with Christ every hour of the day. Christ must do +it; Christ can do it. Come therefore and say: "Is He not the Almighty One; +did He not come from the throne of God; did He not prove His omnipotence, +and did the Father not prove it when He rose from the dead?" Would you be +afraid, now that Christ is on the throne, of doing what the malefactor did +when Christ was upon the cross, and entrusting yourself to Him to live as +one dead with Him? Christ will carry you through the very process He went +through; will make His death work in you every day of your life. + +I note one thing more in the penitent thief--his prayer. There was his +conviction of sin, and his faith, but there was, further, the utterance of +his faith in prayer. He turned to Jesus. Remember that the whole world, +with perhaps the exception of Mary and the women, was turned against Christ +that day. Of the whole world of men as far as I know, there was but that +one praying to Christ. Do not wait to see what others do; if you wait for +that,--alas! I desire to say it in love and tenderness,--you will not find +much company in the Church of Christ. Pray incessantly: "Lord Christ, let +the power of Thy death come into me." For God's sake, pray the prayer. If +you want to live the life of Heaven, there must be death to sin in the +power of Jesus. There must be personal entrustment of the soul into His +death to sin, personal acceptance of Jesus to do the mighty work. + +We have seen what the preparation is on the part of this man; let us look, +secondly, at how Christ met him. He met him, you know, with that wonderful +promise, with its three wonderful parts: "To-day shalt thou be with me in +Paradise." A promise of fellowship with Christ,--"Thou shalt be with me;" +a promise of rest in eternity, in the Paradise from which sin had cast man +out,--"With me in Paradise;" a promise of immediate blessing,--"To-day +shalt thou be with Me." With that three-fold blessing Jesus comes to you +and me, and He says: "Believer, are you longing to live the Paradise life, +where I give souls to eat of the Tree of Life, in the Paradise of God, day +by day? Are you longing for that uninterrupted communion with God that +there was in Paradise before Adam fell? Are you longing for perfect +fellowship with me, longing to live where I am living, in the love of the +Father? To-day, to-day; even as the Holy Ghost says: 'To-day shalt thou +be with me!' Longest thou for Me? I long more for thee. Longest thou for +fellowship? I long unceasingly for thy fellowship, for I need thy love, +my child, to satisfy my heart. Nothing can prevent My receiving thee into +fellowship. I have taken possession of Heaven for thee, as the Great High +Priest, that thou mightest live the Heavenly life, that thou mightest have +access into the holiest of all and an abiding dwelling place there. To-day, +if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of +the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief +is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the +closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth +during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful +fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of +God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on +the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the +cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day. + +And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a +ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and +all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given, +"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are +things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life; +but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go." +Thou needst not understand all. It may not be perfectly clear; the heart +may appear dull, but never mind; Jesus carried that penitent thief through +death to life. The thief did not know where he was going, he did not know +what was to happen, but Jesus, the mighty conqueror, took him in His arms, +and landed him, in his ignorance, in Paradise. Oh, I have sometimes said +in my soul, bless God for the ignorance of that penitent thief. He knew +nothing about what was going to happen, but he trusted Christ; and if I can +not understand all about this crucifixion with Christ, and the death to +sin, and the life to God, and the glory that comes into the heart, never +mind, I trust my Lord's promise, I cast myself helpless into His arms, I +maintain my position on the cross. Given up to Jesus, to die with Him, I +can trust Him to carry me through. + +Shall we not each one take the blessed opportunity of doing what Ruth did +when she, in obedience to the advice of her mother, just cast herself at +the feet of the great Boaz, the Redeemer, to be His? Shall we not come into +personal contact with Jesus, and shall not each one of us just speak before +the world these simple words: "Lord, here is this life; there is much in it +still of self, and sinfulness, and self-will, but I come to Thee; I long to +enter fully into Thy death; I long to know fully that I have been crucified +with Thee; I long to live Thy life every day." Then say: "Lord Jesus, I +have seen Thy glory, what Thou didst for the penitent one at Thy side on +the cross; I am trusting Thee, that Thou wilt do it for me. Lord, I cast +myself into Thy arms." + + + + +JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST. + +X. + +_Romans 14: 17._--_For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but +righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost._ + + +In this text we have the earthly revelation of the work of the Trinity. The +Kingdom of God is righteousness; that represents the work of the Father. +The foundations of His throne are justice and judgment. Then comes the work +of the Son: He is our peace, our Shiloh, our rest. The Kingdom of God is +peace; not only the peace of pardon for the past, but the peace of perfect +assurance as to the future. Not only the work of atonement is finished, but +the work of sanctification is finished in Christ, and I may receive and +enjoy what is prepared for me. The new man has been created, and I may in +Him live out my life; if a kingdom is established in righteousness, if the +rule is perfect, there can be perfect rest. If there be peace, no war +from without, and no civil dissension within, a nation can be happy and +prosperous. And so there comes here, after righteousness and peace, the +joy, the blessed happiness in which a man can live; "The Kingdom of God is +righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." May we regard this joy +of the Holy Ghost, not only as a beautiful thing to admire, not only as a +thing to have beautiful thoughts about, but as a blessing that we are going +to claim. + +We often see a fruiterer's or confectioner's shop, with beautiful fruit or +cake temptingly displayed in the window. There is a great pane of plate +glass before it, and the hungry little boys stand there and look, and long, +but they cannot reach it. If you were to say to one, "Now, little boy, take +that fruit," he would look at you in surprise. He has learned that there is +something between. If he had never known of glass he might attempt it. The +plate glass is sometimes so clear that even a grown man might for a moment +be deceived and stretch out his hand. But he soon finds there is something +invisible between him and the fruit. This represents exactly the life of +many Christians; they see, but they cannot take. And what now is this +invisible pane of plate glass, that hinders my taking the beautiful things +I see? It is nothing but the self-life; I see divine things but cannot +reach them, the self-life is the invisible plate glass. We are willing, we +are working, we are striving, and yet we are holding back something; we are +afraid to give up everything to God. We do not know what the consequences +may be. We have not yet comprehended that God and Christ Jesus are worth +everything. Whatever is told us of the blessed life of peace and joy, we +say, "Praise God; God's Word is true; I believe the Word;" and yet, day by +day, we stand back. When some one says, "Take it," we say, "I can't take +it; there is something between." Would we were willing to give up the +self-life; would we had the courage to give up to-day, and let the joy of +the Holy Ghost be our religion. That is the religion God has prepared for +us; that is the religion we can claim; not only righteousness, not only +peace, but the joy of the Holy Ghost. That is the Kingdom of God. + +What is this joy? First of all, it is the joy of the presence of Jesus. +We are often inclined to speak most of two other things, the power for +sanctification, and the power for service. But I find there is a thing more +important than either of those two, and that is that the Holy Ghost came +from Heaven to be the abiding presence of Christ in His disciples, in the +Church, and in the heart of every believer. The Lord Jesus was going away, +and His disciples were very sad; their hearts was sorrowful; but He said to +them, "I will come back again, and I will come to you. Your hearts shall +rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you." What took place with +them, may take place with us too. The Holy Spirit is given to make the +presence of Jesus an abiding reality, a continual experience. And what was +that joy that no man could ever touch? It was the joy of Pentecost. And +what was Pentecost? The coming of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Ghost to dwell +with His disciples. While Jesus was with His disciples on earth, He could +not get into their hearts in the right way. They loved Him, but they could +not take in His teaching, they could not partake of His disposition, and +they could not receive His very spirit into their being. But when He had +ascended to Heaven, He came back in the Spirit to dwell in their hearts. +It is this alone that will help us to go, the minister to his congregation +with its difficulties, the business man to his counter, the mother to her +large family with its care, the worker to her Bible class. It is this only +that will help us to feel, "I can conquer, I can live in the rest of God." +Why? "Because I have the almighty Jesus with me every day." With God's +people, there seems to be one hindrance, _they do not know their Saviour_. +They do not realize that this blessed Christ is an ever present, +all-pervading, in-dwelling Christ, who wants to take charge of their entire +lives. They do not know, they do not believe that He is an Almighty Christ, +and ready in the midst of any difficulties and any circumstances to be +their keeper and their God. This is absolutely true. Many Christians are +asked as to how one may have the joy unspeakable, the joy that nothing can +take away, the joy of the friendship and nearness and love of Jesus filling +his heart. We complain that the rush of competition is so terrible that we +can not get time for private prayer. Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, if He +comes to you as a brother and a friend and an abiding guest, can give your +heart the joy of the Holy Ghost, so that business will take its right place +under your feet. Your heart is too holy to have it filled with business; +let the business be in the head and under the feet, but let Christ have +the whole heart, and He will keep the whole life. Our glorious, exalted, +almighty, ever present Christ! why is it that you and I can not trust Him +fully, perfectly to do His work? Shall we not say before God that we do +trust Him, that we will trust Christ to be to us every moment all that we +can desire? On the Cross of Calvary Christ was all alone, and you believe +He did a perfect and a blessed work; and Christ in Heaven is all alone, as +high priest and intercessor, and you trust Him for His work there. But, +praise God! it is equally true, Christ in the heart is able all alone to +keep it all the days. May it please God to reveal to His children the +nearness of Christ standing and knocking at the door of every heart, ready +to come in and rest forever there and to lead the soul into His rest. + +We all know what the power of joy is; we know there is nothing so +attractive as joy, there is nothing can help a man to bear and endure so +much as joy; we know that the Lord Jesus Himself for the joy that was set +before Him endured the cross. One is not living aright if he is living a +sighing, trembling, doubting life. Come to-day and believe the joy of the +Holy Ghost is meant for you. Does not the Scripture say, "Whom not having +seen we love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice +with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Do you not believe that this +blessed, adorable, inconceivably beautiful Son of God, the delight of the +Father,--do you not believe that this Son of God could fill your heart with +delight day and night, if He were always present? And do you not believe +that He loves you more than a bridegroom loves his bride? Do you not +believe that, having bought you with His blood, Jesus is longing for you? +He needs you to satisfy His heart of love. Begin to believe with your +whole heart, "The joy of the Holy Ghost is my portion," for the Holy Ghost +secures to me without interruption the presence and the love of Jesus. + +But secondly, there is the joy of deliverance from sin. The Holy Ghost +comes to sanctify us. Christ is our sanctification, and the Holy Ghost +comes to communicate Him to us, to work out all that is in Christ and to +reproduce it in us. Let us remember that in the sight of God there is +something more than work. There is Christlikeness--the likeness and the +life of Christ in us. That is what God wants; that will fit us for work. +God asks not that Christ should live in us as separate persons; temples +full of filthy, impure, foul creatures, with Christ hidden away somewhere +there,--that is not the intention of God, but He wants Christ so formed +in us that we are one with Christ, and that in our thinking, feeling and +living, the image of His blessed Son is manifest before Him. The Holy +Spirit is given to sanctify us. My brother, are you willing to be +sanctified from every sin, be that sin great or small? I am not asking, do +you feel that you have the power to conquer it? I am not even asking, do +you feel the power to cast it out? It may be that you feel no power; that +won't hinder if you are willing. I can not cast out sin, but I can get the +Almighty Christ by the Holy Spirit to do it, and it is my work to say to +Christ, "There is the sin, there is the evil thing, I lay it at Thy feet, I +cast it there, I cast it into Thy very bosom. Lord, I am ready to cut off +the right hand, anything, only deliver me from it." Then Christ will cast +out the evil spirit and give deliverance. The Spirit of God is a holy +spirit and His work is to make free from the power of sin and death. And if +you want to live in the joy of the Holy Ghost, the question comes: "Are +you willing to surrender everything that is sinful, even what appears +good,--but has the stain of sin on it?" You may be involved in +relationships that make your life very difficult. A pastor with his people +maybe brought into very difficult relationships; or a business man with his +partner or those with whom he has to associate, may be in an exceedingly +trying position. But is not the blessed Lamb of God worth it all? What is +the Christ worth to you? The question was once asked the disciples, "What +think ye of Christ?" I ask, "What is Christ worth to you?" And I beseech +you, whatever prospective difficulties there may be, and whatever +perplexities surround you, take the whole world to-day and cast it at His +feet. To have Him is worth any difficulty; to have Him will be the +solution of every difficulty. There are not only such external, manifest +difficulties and perplexities, there are a thousand little things that come +in our life and that often disturb us, temptations to unloving feelings, +and sharp words, and hasty judgments. Oh, come, and believe that the Holy +Spirit, the sanctifier, can come in and rule, and give grace to pass +through all without sinning, and you shall know what the joy of the Holy +Ghost is. Our body, we read in 1st Corinthians, is the temple of the Holy +Ghost. It is to be holy in things like eating and drinking. How often +a Christian comes to the consciousness that he takes or seeks too much +enjoyment in that eating, eating for pleasure, with no self-denial or +self-sacrifice in his feeding the body! How often we tempt one another to +eat, and how often the believer forgets that this body is the very secret +temple of the Holy Ghost and that every mouthful we eat and drink must be +for the glory of God in such a way as to be perfectly well pleasing to Him! +Beloved, I bring you a message: There is access for you into the rest of +God, and the Holy Spirit is given to bring you in, and the Holy Spirit will +fill your heart with the unutterable joy of Christ's presence; and with the +joy of deliverance from sin, of victory over sin; the unutterable joy of +knowing that you are doing God's will and are pleasing in His sight; the +unutterable joy of knowing that He is sanctifying and keeping the temple +for Christ to dwell in. Believers, the joy of the Holy Ghost, the joy of +that holiness of God, is His blessedness, His purity, His perfection, that +nothing can mar or stain or disturb. The Holy Ghost waits to bring and to +manifest it in our lives. He wants to come so into our hearts that we shall +live, as Holy Ghost men, the sanctified life, with the sanctifying power of +Jesus running through our whole beings. + +My third thought is: the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of the love of +the saints. The Holy Ghost was not given to any man on the day of Pentecost +separate from the others; He came and filled the whole company. We know how +much division and separation and pride there had been among them, but +on that day the Holy Ghost so filled their hearts that we find it was +afterward said: "Behold how these men love one another." There was a love +in the primitive church that the very heathen noticed, and could not +understand. Why was that? The Holy Spirit is the bond of union between the +Father and Son; and that bond is love. The Holy Spirit is just the love of +God come to dwell in the heart. When He dwells with me and my brother we +learn to love each other. Though I be unloving naturally, and though I have +very little grace, if the heart of my brother is full of the Holy Spirit he +loves me through it all. You know love is a wonderful thing. As long as a +man tries to love it is not real love, but when real love comes, the more +opposition it meets the more it triumphs, for the more it can exercise +itself and perfect itself, the more it rejoices. Take a mother with a son +dishonoring her. How her love follows him! When she sees that he has fallen +deeper than ever before, how the dear mother heart only loves him the more +intensely through all the wretchedness! Does not the Scripture say, "If He +gave His life for us, we are bound to give our life for the brethren?" The +Holy Spirit comes as a spirit of love, and if you want to know the joy of +the Holy Ghost, and want Him to lead you into the rest of God and keep you +there, beware above everything on earth or in hell of being unloving. One +sharp word to your brother or sister brings a cloud upon you without your +knowing it. People are so accustomed to talk just as they like about each +other that they say sharp and unkind and unloving things, and when a cloud +comes in consequence they cannot understand it. If there is one thing that +grieves God, if there is one thing that hinders the Spirit--the fruit of +the Spirit is love--it is the want of lovingness. If you want to live in +the joy of the Holy Ghost make your covenant with God. "But," you say, +"there is a Christian man who makes me so impatient; he does trouble me and +vex me so with his stupidity. And there are those worldly men; how they +have tempted me in times past and done me harm! And there is that business +man who is trying to ruin me." Take them all, and your own wife and +children and every one around you and say, "I understand it, love is rest, +and rest is love. God resteth in His love. Love is rest and rest is love, +and where there is no love the rest must be disturbed." And let us say +to-day, "I see what the joy is; it is the joy of always loving, it is the +joy of losing my own life in love to others." In connection with humility, +some one asks, "How about that text, 'In honor preferring one another?'" +When a soul comes into perfect humility before God it becomes nothing, and +God becomes all in all. I am nothing. There is no self to be affronted; I +have said before God: "I am nothing; it is only Thy life and light that +shines. The honor is Thine, and nothing may touch me but what is against +the glory of my God." + +Beloved, are you living in the joy of the Holy Ghost? Come and accept a +blessing and give yourself up to live a life of humility in which you are +nothing, and a life of love like Christ's in which you only live for your +fellow-men, for the kingdom of God is the joy of the Holy Ghost. + +My last thought is that the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for +God. The joy of the presence of Jesus, the joy of deliverance from sin, the +joy of love for the brethren, and then the joy of working for God. Some +of us have at times felt what an incomprehensible thing it is that the +everlasting God should work through us; and we have said, "Lord, what is +this, that Thou the Almighty One dost work in me and through me, a vile +worm by nature?" It is a mystery that passeth knowledge, and yet it is so +true. The joy of the Holy Ghost comes when a man gives himself up to +the Christlike work of carrying the love of God to men. Let us seek the +perishing, let us live and die for souls, let us live and die that our +fellow-men may be reclaimed and brought back to their God. There is no joy +like hearing the joy-song of a new-born soul. But yes, there is another joy +that may be as deep. Even if God does not give me the blessing of hearing +the newborn soul sing its song, I may have the joy, the sympathy with Jesus +in His rejected life, and the assurance that the Father looks with good +pleasure on me. When I think of the thousands of believers in the Christian +world and then think of the heathen world, the cry comes up in my heart: +"What are we doing?" Ah, we need to be crying to God day and night, "Lord +God, wake us up. Lord God, let the Holy Spirit burn within us." Are we the +true successors of Jesus Christ? Are we indeed the followers and successors +of Christ who went all the way to Calvary to give His blood for men? Do +let us remember the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for God in +Christ. I believe that God has new ways and new leadings and new power for +His people, if they will only wait on Him. But what most of us do is this: +we thank God for all He has given, we look at all the ways of working we +have, and we say that we will try to do our work better. But oh, if we had +a sense of the need, if we had any sense, by the vision of the Holy Ghost, +of the state of the millions around us, I am sure we would fall on our +faces before God and say, "God help me to something new. Oh that every +fiber of my being may be taken possession of for this great work with God!" +The great need is that all Christians should consecrate themselves wholly +to God for His work. May God help us to know what is the joy of the Holy +Ghost. + +Concluding, I ask again: "Do you believe that it is possible for the Lord +Jesus, our Shiloh, of whom Jacob prophesied, our Joshua, our glorious King +and High Priest,--do you believe it is possible for Christ Jesus to bring +you to-day into the rest of God?" Remember that word in Hebrews, "Even as +the Holy Ghost saith, to-day." To-day, summon up courage and take up your +ministry, and take up your business, and take up your surroundings, and +take up your natural temperament, and take up your home, and take up your +life for the days to come upon earth, and say, "I do not understand it, +I know not what will come, but one thing I know, I do absolutely give +everything into the hands of the crucified Lamb of God; He shall have me in +my entirety." And oh, remember, beloved, that Christ will be to you more +than you can think or understand, more than you can ask or desire. + +Come, let us cast ourselves into those blessed, loving arms, and let us +believe even now that our Joshua leads us into the rest of God, the rest in +which we are saved from self-care and self-seeking and self-trusting and +self-loving, the rest in which we do not think of ourselves, but where He +who is almighty and omnipresent is always going to be with us and is always +going to work within us. And let us when we have done that, claim the +promise, that as we have sought first the kingdom and God's righteousness, +all things shall be added unto us. Beloved, the kingdom of God is within +you, and it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Come, let +us claim it even now in simple, childlike, humble faith. + + + + +TRIUMPH OF FAITH. + +XI. + +_John 4: 50_.--_And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto +him_. + + +Let me quote from the Gospel according to St. John, the 4th chapter, +beginning at the 46th verse: "So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, +where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son +was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come up out of Judea +into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down +and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto +him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." There you have +the word "believe" the first time. "The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come +down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. +And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went +his way." There you have that word the second time. "And as he was now +going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. +Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said +unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father +knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy +son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house." There you have the +word "faith". + +This story has often been used to illustrate the different steps of faith +in the spiritual life. It was this use made of it in an address that +brought the sainted Canon Battersby into the full enjoyment of rest. He had +been a most godly man, but had lived the life of failure. He saw in the +story what it was to rest on the Word and trust the saving power of Jesus, +and from that night he was a changed man. He went home to testify of it, +and under God, he was allowed to originate the Keswick Convention. + +Let me point out to you the three aspects of faith which we have here: +first, faith seeking; then, faith finding; and then, faith enjoying. Or, +still better: faith struggling; faith resting; faith triumphing. First of +all, faith struggling. Here is a man, a heathen, a nobleman, who has heard +about Christ. He has a dying son at Capernaum, and in his extremity leaves +his home, and walks some six or seven hours away to Cana of Galilee. He +has heard of the Prophet, possibly, as one who has made water wine; he has +heard of His other miracles round Capernaum, and he has a certain trust +that Jesus will be able to help him. He goes to Him, and his prayer is that +the Lord will come down to Capernaum and heal his son. Christ said to him, +"Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." He saw that the +nobleman wanted Him to come and stand beside the child. This man had not +the faith of the centurion--"Only speak a word." He had faith. It was faith +that came from hearsay, and it was faith that did, to a certain extent, +hope in Christ; but it was not the faith in Christ's power such as Christ +desired. Still Christ accepted and met this faith. After the Lord had thus +told him what He wished--a faith that could fully trust Him--the nobleman +cried the second time, "Sir, come down ere my child die." Seeing his +earnestness and his trust, Christ said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." And +then we read that the nobleman believed. He believed, and he went his way. +He believed the word that Jesus had spoken. In that he rested and was +content. And he went away without having any other pledge than the word of +Jesus. As he was walking homeward, the servants met him, to tell him his +son lived. He asked at what hour he began to amend. And when they told him, +he knew it was at the very hour that Jesus had been speaking to him. He +had at first a faith that was seeking, and struggling, and searching for +blessing; then he had a faith that accepted the blessing simply as it was +contained in the word of Jesus. When Christ said, "Thy son liveth," he was +content, and went home, and found the blessing--the son restored. + +Then came the third step in his faith. He believed with his whole house. +That is to say, he did not only believe that Christ could do just this one +thing, the healing of his son; but he believed in Christ as his Lord. He +gave himself up entirely to be a disciple of Jesus. And that not only +alone, but with his whole house. Many Christians are like the nobleman. +They have heard about a better life. They have met certain individuals by +whose Christian lives they have been impressed, and consequently have felt +that Christ can do wonderful things for a man. Many Christians say in their +heart, "I am sure there is a better life for me to live; how I wish I could +be brought to that blessed state!" But they have not much hope about it. +They have read, and prayed, but they have found everything so difficult, If +you ask them, "Do you believe Jesus can help you to live this higher life?" +they say, "Yes; He is omnipotent." If you ask, "Do you believe Jesus wishes +to do it?" they say, "Yes, I know He is loving." And if you say, "Do you +believe that He will do it for you?" they at once say, "I know He is +willing, but whether He will actually do it for me I do not know. I am not +sure that I am prepared. I do not know if I am advanced enough. I do +not know if I have enough grace for that." And so they are hungering, +struggling, wrestling, and often remain unblessed. This state of things +sometimes goes on for years--they are expecting to see signs and wonders, +and hoping that God, by a miracle, will put them all right. They are just +like the Israelites; they limit the Holy One of Israel. Have you ever +noticed that it is the very people whom God has blessed so wonderfully +who do that? What did the Israelites say? "God hath provided water in the +wilderness. But can He provide the table in the wilderness? We do not think +He can." And so we find believers who say, "Yes, God has done wonders. The +whole of redemption is a wonder, and God has done wonders for some whom I +know. But will God take one so feeble as I, and put me entirely right?" The +struggling and wrestling and seeking are the beginnings of faith in you--a +faith that desires and hopes. But it must go on further. And how can that +faith advance? Look at the second step. There is the nobleman, and Christ +speaks to him this wonderful word: "Go thy way; thy son liveth;" and the +nobleman simply rests upon that word of the living Jesus. He rests on it, +and without any proof of what he is to get, and without one man in the +world to encourage him. He goes away home with the thought, "I have +received the blessing I sought; I have got life from the dead for my son. +The living Christ promised it me, and on that I rest." The struggling, +seeking faith has become a resting faith. The man has entered into rest +about his son. + +And now, dear believers, this is the one thing God asks you to do: God has +said that in Christ you have eternal life, the more abundant life; Christ +has said to you, "I live, and ye shall live also." The Word says to us that +Christ is our Peace, our Victory over every enemy, who leads us into the +rest of God. These are the words of God, and His message has come to us +that Christ can do for us what Moses could not have done. Moses had no +Christ to live in him. But it is told you that you can have what Moses had +not; you can have a living Christ within you. And are you going to believe +that, apart from any experience, and apart from any consciousness of +strength? If the peace of God is to rule in your heart, it is the God of +peace Himself must be there to do it. The peace is inseparable from the +God. The light of the sun--can I separate that from the sun? Utterly +impossible. As long as I have the sun I have the light. If I lose the sun; +I lose the light. Take care! Do not seek the peace of God or the peace of +Christ apart from God and Christ. But how does Christ come to me? He comes +to me in this precious Word; and just as He said to the nobleman, "Go thy +way home; thy son liveth," so Christ comes to me to-day, and He says, "Go +thy way; thy Saviour liveth." "Lo, I am with you alway." "I live, and ye +shall live also." "I wait to take charge of your whole life. Will you have +me do this? Trust to me all that is evil and feeble; your whole sinful and +perverse nature--give it up to Me; that dying, sin-sick soul--give it up to +Me, and I will take care of it." Will you not listen and hear Him speak to +your soul? "Child, go forward into all the circumstances of life that have +tempted you; into all the difficulties that threaten you." Your soul lives +with the life of God; your soul lives in the power of God; your soul lives +in Christ Jesus. Will you not, like the nobleman, take the simple step of +faith, and believe the word Jesus hath spoken? Will you not say, "Lord +Jesus, Thou hast spoken: I can rest on Thy Word. I have seen that Christ +is willing to be more to me than I ever knew; I have seen that Christ is +willing to be my life in the most actual and intense meaning of the words." +All that we know about the Holy Ghost sums itself up in this one thing: +The Holy Ghost comes to make Christ an actual, indwelling, always-abiding +Saviour. + +Lastly, comes the triumphant faith. The man went home holding fast the +promise. He had only one promise, but he held it fast. When God gives me +a promise, He is just as near me as when He fulfills it. That is a great +comfort. When I have the promise I have also the pledge of the fulfillment. +But the whole heart of God is in His promise, just as much as in the +fulfillment of it, and sometimes God, the promiser, is more precious +because I am compelled to cling more to Him, and to come closer, and to +live by simple faith, and to adore His love. Do not think this is a hard +life, to be living upon a promise. It means living upon the everlasting +God. Who is going to say that is hard? It means living upon the crucified, +the loving Christ. Be ashamed to say that is a difficult thing. It is a +blessed thing. + +The nobleman went home and found the child living. And what happened then? +Two things. First: he gave up his whole life to be a believer in Jesus. If +there had been a division among the people of Capernaum, and thousands of +them had hated Christ, this man would still have stood on His side. He +believed in the Lord. This is what must take place with us. Let us go +forward with our trust in the living Christ, knowing that He will keep us. +Then we will get grace to carry the life of Christ into our whole conduct, +into all our walk and conversation. The faith that rests in Jesus, is the +faith that trusts all to Him, with all we have. Do we not read that when +God had finished His work, and rested, it was only to begin new work? Yes; +the great work was to be carried on--watching over and ruling His world and +His church. And is it not so with the Lord Jesus? When He had finished His +work, He sat upon the throne to do His work of perfecting the body, through +the Holy Spirit. And now, the Holy Spirit is carrying on that blessed work, +teaching us to rest in Christ, and in the strength of that rest to go on, +and to cover our whole life with the power, and the obedience, and the +will, and the likeness of the Lord Jesus. The nobleman gave up his whole +life to be a believer in Christ; and from that day it was a believer in +Jesus who walked about the streets of Capernaum; not only a man who could +say, "Once He helped me," but, "I believe in Him with my whole life." Let +that be so with us everywhere; let Christ be the one object of our trust. + +One thought more,--he believed with his whole house. That was triumphant +faith. He took up his position as a believer in Christ; and his wife, his +children, his servants--he gathered them all together, and laid them at the +feet of Christ. And if you want power in your own house, if you want power +in your Bible-class, if you want power in your social circle, if you want +power to influence the nation and if you want power to influence the Church +of Christ, see where it begins. Come into contact with Jesus in this rest +of faith that accepts His life fully, that trusts Him fully, and the power +will come by faith to overcome the world; by faith to bless others; by +faith to live a life to the glory of God. Go thy way, thy soul liveth; for +it is Jesus Christ who liveth within you. Go thy way; be not trembling and +fearful, but _rest in the word and the power of the Son of God_. "Lo, I am +with you alway." Go thy way, with the heart open to welcome Him, and the +heart believing He has come in. Surely we have not prayed in vain. Christ +has listened to the yearnings of our hearts and has entered in. Let us +go our way quietly, restfully, full of praise, and joy, and trust; ever +hearing the words of our Master, "Go thy way, thy soul liveth;" and ever +saying, "I have trusted Christ to reveal His abundant life in my soul; by +His grace I will wait upon Him to fulfill His promise." Amen. + + + + +THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER. + +XII. + +_Romans 8: 26-27_.--_Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for +we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself +maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he +that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because +he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God_. + + +Here we have the teaching of God regarding the help the Holy Spirit will +give us in prayer. The first half of this chapter is of much importance in +connection with the teaching of God's word regarding the Spirit. In Romans +vi. we read about being dead to sin and alive to God, and in Romans vii., +about being dead to the law and married to Christ, and also about the +impotency of the unregenerate man to do God's will. This is only a +preparation to show us how helpless we are; and then in the eighth chapter +comes the blessed work of the Spirit, expressed chiefly in the following +words: "The Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin and death." The +Spirit makes us free from the power of sin, and teaches and leads us so +that we walk after the Spirit. In our inner disposition we may become +spiritually minded, and enabled to mortify the deeds of the body. The Holy +Spirit helps our infirmities. Prayer is the most necessary thing in the +spiritual life. Yet we do not know how to pray nor what to pray for as we +ought. The Spirit, Paul tells us, prays with groanings unutterable. And +again he tells us that we ourselves often do not know what the Spirit is +doing within us, but there is one, God, who searches the hearts. Words +often reveal my thought and my wishes, but not what is deep in my heart, +and God comes and searches my heart, and deep down, hidden, what I can not +see and what was to me an unutterable longing, God finds. + +Powerful prayer! The confession of ignorance! Ah, friends, I am often +afraid for myself as a minister that I pray too easily. I have been praying +for these forty or fifty years and it becomes, as far as man is concerned, +an easy thing to pray. We all have been taught to pray, and when we are +called upon we can pray, but it gets far too easy, and I am afraid we think +we are praying often when there is little real prayer. Now if we are to +have the praying of the Holy Ghost in us one thing is needed; we must begin +by feeling, "I can not pray." When a man breaks down and can not pray, and +there is a fire burning in his heart, and a burden resting upon him, there +is something drawing him to God. "I know not what to pray,"--oh, blessed +ignorance! We are not ignorant enough. Abraham went out not knowing whither +he went; in that was an element of ignorance and also an element of faith. +Jesus said to His disciples when they came with their prayer for the throne, +"You know not what you ask." Paul says, "No man knoweth the things of God +but the Spirit of God." You say, "If I am not to pray the old prayers +I learned from my mother or from my professor in college or from my +experience yesterday and the day before, what am I to pray?" I answer, pray +new prayers, rise higher into the riches of God. You must begin to feel +your ignorance. You know what we think of a student who goes to college +fancying he knows everything. He will not learn much. Sir Isaac Newton +said, "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem +to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself +in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than +ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." +When I see a man who can not pray glibly and smoothly and readily, I say +that is a mark of the Holy Spirit. When he begins in his prayers to say, +"Oh, God, I want more, I want to be led deeper in. I have prayed for the +heathen, but I want to feel the burden of the heathen in a new way," it is +an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I tell you, beloved, if +you will take time and let God lay the burden of the heathen heavier upon +you until you begin to feel, "I have never prayed," it will be the most +blessed thing in your life. And so with regard to the church: We want to +take up our position as members of the church of Christ in this land; and +as belonging to that great body, to say, "Lord God, is there nothing that +can be done to bless the church of this land and to revive it and bring it +out of its worldliness and out of its feebleness?" We may confer together +and conclude faithlessly, "No, we do not know what is to be done; we have +no influence and power over all these ministers and their churches." But on +the other hand, how blessed to come to God and say, "Lord, we know not what +to ask. Thou knowest what to grant." The Holy Spirit could pray a hundred +fold more in us if we were only conscious of our ignorance, because we +would then feel our dependence upon Him. May God teach us our ignorance in +prayer and our impotence, and may God bring us to say, "Lord, we can not +pray; we do not know what prayer is." Of course some of us do know in a +measure what prayer is, many of us, and we thank God for what he has been +to us in answer to prayer, but oh, it is only a little beginning compared +to what the Holy Spirit of God teaches. + +There is the first thought: our ignorance. "We know not what we should pray +for as we ought;" but "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with +groanings which cannot be uttered." We often hear about the work of God the +Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in working out and completing the +great redemption, and we know that when God worked in the creation of the +world, He was not weary, and yet we read that wonderful expression in the +book of Exodus about the Sabbath day, "God rested and was refreshed." He +was refreshed, the Sabbath day was a refreshment to Him. God had to work +and Christ had to work, and now the Holy Spirit works, and His secret +working place, the place where all work must begin, is in the heart where +He comes to teach a man how to pray. When a man begins to get an insight +into that which is needed and that which is promised and that which God +waits to perform, he feels it to be beyond his conception; then is the time +he will be ready to say, "I can not limit the holy one of Israel by my +thoughts; I give myself up in the faith that the Holy Spirit can be praying +for me with groanings, with longings, that can not be expressed." Apply +that to your prayers. + +There are different phases of prayer. There is worship, when a man just +bows down to adore the great God. We do not take time to worship. We +need to worship in secret, just to get ourselves face to face with the +everlasting God, that He may overshadow us and cover us and fill us with +His love and His glory. It is the Holy Spirit that can work in us such a +yearning that we will give up our pleasures and even part of our business, +that we may the oftener meet our God. + +The next phase of prayer is fellowship. In prayer there is not only the +worship of a king, but fellowship as of a child with God. Christians take +far too little time in fellowship. They think prayer is just coming with +their petitions. If Christ is to make me what I am to be, I must tarry in +fellowship with God. If God is to let his love enter in and shine and burn +through my heart, I must take time to be with Him. The smith puts his rod +of iron into the fire. If he leaves it there but a short time it does not +become red hot. He may take it out to do something with it and after a time +put it back again for a few minutes, but this time it does not become red +hot. In the course of the day he may put the rod into the fire a great +many times and leave it there two or three minutes each time, but it never +becomes thoroughly heated. If he takes time and leaves the rod ten or +fifteen minutes in the fire the whole iron will become red hot with the +heat that is in the fire. So if we are to get the fire of God's holiness +and love and power we must take more time with God in fellowship. That was +what gave men like Abraham and Moses their strength. They were men who were +separated to a fellowship with God, and the living God made them strong. +Oh, if we did but realize what prayer can do! + +Another, and a most important phase of prayer is intercession. What a work +God has set open for those who are His priests--intercessors! We find a +wonderful expression in the prophecy of Isaiah; God says, "Let him take +hold of me;" and again, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take +hold of thee." In other passages God refers to the intercessors for Israel. +Have you ever taken hold of God? Thank God, some of us have; but oh, +friends, representatives of the church of Christ in the United States, +if God were to show us how much there is of intense prayer for a revival +through the church, how much of sincere confession of the sins of the +church, how much of pleading with God and giving Him no rest till He make +Jerusalem a glory in the earth, I think we should all be ashamed. We need +to give up our hearts to the Holy Spirit, that He may pray for us and in us +with groanings that can not be uttered. + +What am I to do if I am to have this Holy Spirit within me? The Spirit +wants time and room in the heart; He wants the whole being. He wants all +my interest and influence going out for the honor and the glory of God; He +wants me to give myself up. Beloved friend, you do not know what you could +do if you would give yourself up to intercession. It is a work that a sick +one lying on a bed year by year may do in power. It is a work that a poor +one who has hardly a penny to give to a missionary society can do day by +day. It is a work that a young girl who is in her father's house and has to +help in the housekeeping can do by the Holy Spirit. People often ask: What +does the Church of our day do to reach the masses? They ask, though they +ask it tremblingly, for they feel so helpless: What can we do against the +materialism and infidelity in places like London and Berlin and New York +and Paris? We have given it up as hopeless. Ah, if men and women could be +called out to band themselves together to take hold upon God! I am not +speaking of any prayer union or any prayer time statedly set apart, but if +the Spirit could find men and women who would give up their lives to cry to +God, the Spirit would most surely come. It is not selfishness and it is not +mere happiness that we seek when we talk about the peace and the rest and +the blessing Christ can give. God wants us, Christ wants us, because He has +to do a work; the work of Calvary is to be done in our hearts, we are +to sacrifice our lives to pleading with God for men. Oh, let us yield +ourselves day by day and ask God that it may please Him to let His Holy +Spirit work in us. + +Then comes the last thought, that God Himself comes to look with +complacency upon the attitude of His child. Perhaps that poor man does not +know that he is praying; perhaps he is ashamed of his prayers. So much +the better. Perhaps he feels burdened and restless, but God hears, God +discovers what is the mind of the Spirit, and will answer. Oh, think of +this wonderful mystery, God the Father on the throne ready to grant unto +us His blessings according to the riches of His glory; Christ the almighty +high priest pleading day and night. His whole person is one intercession, +and there goes up from Him without ceasing the pleading to the Father, +"Bless thy church," and the answer comes from the Father to the Son, and +from the Son down to the church, and if it does not reach us, it is because +our hearts are closed. Let us open and enlarge our hearts and say to God, +"Oh that I might be a priest, to enter God's presence continually and to +take hold of God and to bring down a blessing to my perishing fellowmen!" +God longs to find the intercession of Jesus reflected in the hearts of His +children, and where He finds it, it is a delight. And He that searcheth the +hearts knoweth the mind of the Spirit, because he prayeth for the saints, +according to the will of God. Some one has spoken of that word, "for the +saints," as meaning the spirit of praise in the believer for the saints +throughout the world. God's word continually comes to us to pray for all +not to be content with ourselves. Think upon the hundreds of church members +in this land, multitudes unconverted, multitudes just converted, but +yet worldly and careless. Think of the thousands of nominal +Christians--Christians in name, but robbing God! and can we be happy? If +we bear the burden of souls, can we have this peace and joy? God gives you +peace and joy with no other object than that you should be strong to bear +the burden of souls in the joy of Christ's salvation. + +We do not wish to say, "I am trying to be as holy as I can; what have I to +do with those worldly people about me?" If there is a terrible disease in +my hand, my body can not say, "I have nothing to do with it." When the +people had sinned Ezra rent his garments and bowed in the dust and made +confession. He repented on the part of the people. And Nehemiah, when the +nation sinned, made confession, and cast himself before God, deploring +their disobedience to the God of their fathers. Daniel did the very same. +And think you that we as believers have not a great work to do? Suppose we +were each, persons without a single sin; just suppose it; could we then +make confession? Look at Christ, without sin! He went down into the waters +of baptism with sinners; He made Himself one with them. God has spoken to +us to ask us if we realize what we are. He now asks us whether we belong to +the church of this land, whether we have borne the burden of sin around +us. Let us go to God and may He by the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with +unutterable sorrow at the state of the church, and may God give us grace to +mourn before Him. And when we begin to confess the sins of the church, we +will begin to feel our own sins as never before. In five of the epistles +to the seven churches in Asia the keynote was "Repent;" there was to be no +idea of overcoming and getting a blessing unless they repented. Let us on +behalf of the church of Christ repent, and God will give us courage to feel +that He will revive His work. + + + + +THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL. + +XIII. + +_1 Corinthians 15: 24-28_.--"_Then cometh the end, when He shall have +delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put +down all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign till He hath +put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is +death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, All +things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put +all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then +shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him, that God may be all in +all_." + + +This will be the grand conclusion of the great drama of the world's +history, and of Christ's redemption. There will come a day--the glory is +such we can form no conception of it, the mystery is so deep we can not +realize it, but there is a day coming, when the Son shall deliver up the +Kingdom that the Father gave Him, and that He won with His blood, and that +He hath established and perfected from the throne of His glory. "He shall +deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father." The Son Himself shall be subject +also unto the Father, "that God may be all in all." I cannot understand +it--the ever blessed Son equal with God, from eternity, and through +eternity; the ever blessed Son on the throne shall be subject unto the +Father; and in some way utterly beyond our comprehension, it shall then be +made manifest, as never before, that God is all in all. It is this that +Christ has been working for; it is this that He is working for to-day in +us; it is this that He thought it worth while to give His blood for; it is +this that His heart is longing for in each of us; this is the very essence +and glory of Christianity, "that God may be all in all." And now, if this +is what fills the heart of Christ; if this expresses the one end of the +work of Christ, then, if I want to have the spirit of Christ in me, the +motto of my life must be: Everything made subject, and swallowed up in Him, +"that God may be all in all." What a triumph it would be if the Church were +fighting really with that banner floating over her! What a life ours could +be if that were really our banner! To serve God fully, wholly, only, to +have Him all in all! How it would ennoble, and enlarge, and stimulate our +whole being! I am working, I am fighting, "that God may be all in all;" +that the day of glory may be hastened. I am praying, and the Holy Spirit +makes His wrestling in me with unutterable longing, "that God may be all +in all." Would that we Christians realized in connection with what a grand +cause we are working and praying; that we had some conception of what +a Kingdom we are partakers of, and what a manifestation of God we are +preparing for. To illustrate what a grand thing it is to belong to the +Kingdom of God, and to the glorious Church of Christ on earth, John McNeill +tells how when he was a boy twelve years of age, working on a railway line +and earning the grand wages of six shillings a week, he used to go home to +his mother and sisters, who thought no end of their little Johnnie, and +delight them by telling of the position he had. He would say with great +pride, "Oh, our company--it has so many thousands of pounds passing +through its hands every year; it carries so many hundreds of thousands of +passengers every year; and it has so many miles of railway, and so many +engines and carriages; and so many thousands in its employ!" And the mother +and the sisters had great pride in him, because he was a partner in such an +important business. Christians, if we would only rouse ourselves to believe +that we belong to the Kingdom that Christ is preparing to deliver up to the +Father, that God may be all in all, how the glory would fill our hearts, +and expel everything mean, and low, and earthly! How we should be borne +along in this blessed faith! I am living for this: that Christ may have the +Kingdom to deliver to the Father. I am living for this, and I will one day +see Him made subject to the Father, and then God all in all. I am living +for Him, and I shall be there not only as a witness, but I will have a part +in it all. The Kingdom delivered up, the Son made subject, and God all in +all! I shall have a part in it, and in adoring worship share the glory and +the blessedness. + +Let us take this home to our hearts, that it may rule in our lives--this +one thought, this one faith, this one aim, this one joy: Christ lived, and +died, and reigns; I live and die and in His power I reign; only for this +one thing, "that God may be all in all." Let it possess our whole heart, +and life. How can we do this? It is a serious question, to which I wish to +give you a few simple answers. And I say, first of all: Allow God to take +His place in your heart and life. Luther often said to people, when they +came troubling him about difficulties, "Do let God be God." Oh, give God +His place. And what is that place? "That God may be all in all." Let God be +all in all every day, from morning to evening. God to rule and I to obey. +Ah, the blessedness of saying, "God and I!" What a privilege that I have +such a partner! God first, and then I! And yet there might be secret +self-exaltation in associating God with myself. And I find in the Bible a +more precious word still. It is, "God and not I." It is not, "God first, +and I second;" God is all, and I am nothing. Paul said, "I labored more +abundantly than they all; though I be nothing." Let us try to give God His +place--begin in our closet, in our worship, in our prayer. The power of +prayer depends almost entirely upon our apprehension of who it is with whom +I speak. It is of the greatest consequence, if we have but half an hour in +which to pray, that we take time to get a sight of this great God, in His +power, in His love, in His nearness, just waiting to bless us. This is +of far more consequence than spending the whole half hour in pouring out +numberless petitions, and pleading numberless promises. The great thing is +to feel that we are putting our supplications into the bosom of omnipotent +Love. Before and above everything, let us take time ere we pray to realize +the glory and presence of God. Give God His place in every prayer. I +say, allow God to have His place. I can not give God His place upon the +throne--in a certain sense I can, and I ought to try. The great thing, +however, is for me to feel that I can not realize what that place is, but +God will increasingly reveal Himself and the place He holds. How do I know +anything about the sun? Because the sun shines, and in its light I see what +the sun is. The sun is its own evidence. No philosopher could have told me +about the sun if the sun did not shine. No power of meditation and thought +can grasp the presence of God. Be quiet, and trusting, and resting, and the +everlasting God will shine into your heart, and will reveal Himself. And +then, just as naturally as I enjoy the light of the sun, and as naturally +as I look upon the pages of a book knowing that I can see the letters +because the light shines; just as naturally will God reveal Himself to the +waiting soul, and make His presence a reality. God will take His place as +God in the presence of His child, so that absolutely and actually the +chief thing in the child's heart shall be: "God is here, God makes Himself +known." Beloved, is not this what you long for--that God shall take a place +that He has never had; and that God shall come to you in a nearness that +you have never felt yet; and, above all, that God shall come to you in an +abiding and unbroken fellowship? God is able to take His place before you +all the day. I repeat what I have referred to before, because God has +taught me a lesson by it: As God made the light of the sun so soft, and +sweet, and bright, and universal, and unceasing, that it never costs me a +minute's trouble to enjoy it; even so, and far more real than the light +shining upon me, the nearness of my God can be revealed to me as my abiding +portion. Let us all pray "that God may be all in all," in our everyday +life. + +"That God may be all in all," I must not only allow Him to take His place, +but secondly, I must accept His will in everything. I must accept His will +in every providence. Whether it be a Judas that betrays, or whether it be +a Pilate in his indifference, who gives me up to the enemy; whatever the +trouble, or temptation, or vexation, or worry, that comes, I must see God +in it, and accept it as God's will to me. Trouble of any sort that comes to +me is God's will for me. It is not God's will that men should do the wrong, +but it is God's will that they should be in circumstances of trial. There +is never a trial that comes to us but it is God's will for us, and if we +learn to see God in it, then we bid it welcome. + +Suppose away in South Africa there is a woman whose husband has gone on a +long journey into the interior. He is to be away for months from all posts. +The wife is anxious to receive news. In weeks she has had no letter or +tidings from him. One day, as she stands in her door, there comes a great, +savage Kafir. He is frightful in appearance, and carries his spears and +shield. The woman is alarmed and rushes into the house and closes the +door. He comes and knocks at the door, and she is in terror. She sends her +servant, who comes back and says, "The man says he must see you." She +goes, all affrighted. He takes out an old newspaper. He has come a month's +journey on foot from her husband, and inside the dirty newspaper is a +letter from her husband, telling her of his welfare. How that wife delights +in that letter! She forgets the face that has terrified her. And now as +weeks are passing away again, how she begins to long for that ugly Kafir +messenger! After long waiting he comes again, and this time she rushes +out to meet him because he is the messenger that comes from her beloved +husband, and she knows that with all his repelling exterior, he is +the bearer of a message of love. Beloved, have you learned to look at +tribulation, and vexation, and disappointment, as the dark, savage-looking +messenger with a spear in his hand, that comes straight from Jesus? Have +you learned to say, "There is never a trouble, and never a hurt by which +my heart is touched or even pierced, but it comes from Jesus, and brings +a message of love?" Will you not learn to say from to-day, "Welcome every +trial, for it comes from God?" If you want God to be all in all, you must +see and meet God in every providence. Oh, learn to accept God's will in +everything! Come learn to say of every trial, without exception, "It is my +Father who sent it. I accept it as His messenger," and nothing in earth or +hell can separate you from God. + +If God is to be all in all in your heart and life, I say not only, Allow +Him to take His place, and accept all His will, but, thirdly, Trust in His +power. Dear friends, it is "God who _worketh to will and to do_ according +to His good pleasure." It is "the God of peace," according to another +passage, "who perfects you in every good thing to do His will, _working +in you_ what is well-pleasing in His sight." You complain of weakness, of +feebleness, of emptiness. Never mind; that is what you are made for--to be +an emptied vessel, in which God can put His fullness and His strength. +Do learn the lesson. I know it is not easy. Long after Paul had been an +apostle, the Lord Jesus had to come in a very special way to teach him to +say, "I do gladly glory in my infirmities." Paul was in danger of being +exalted, owing to the revelations from Heaven, and Jesus sent him a thorn +in the flesh--yes, Jesus sent it--a messenger of Satan--to buffet him. Paul +prayed, and struggled, and wanted to get rid of it. And Jesus came to him, +and said, "It is my doing that you may not be free from that. You need it. +I will bless you wonderfully in it." Paul's life was changed from that +moment in this one respect, and he said, "I never knew it so before, +from henceforth I glory in my infirmities; for when I am weak, then am I +strong." Do you indeed desire God to be all in all? Learn to glory in your +weakness. Take time to say every day as you bow before God, "The almighty +power of God that works in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the +flowers, is working in me. It is as sure as that I live. The almighty power +of God is working in me. I only need to get down, and be quiet; I need +to be more submissive, and surrendered to His will; I need to be more +trustful, and to allow God to do with me what He will." Give God His +way with you, and let God work, and He will work mightily. The deepest +quietness has often been proved to be the inspiration for the highest +action. It has been seen in the experience of many of God's saints, and it +is just the experience we need,--that in the quietness of surrender and +faith, God's working has been made manifest. + +Fourthly: If God is to be all in all, sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. "That God may be all in all." This is such a noble, glorious, +holy aim that Christ said, "For this I will give my life. For this I will +give my all, even to the death of the cross. For this I will give myself." +If it was worth that to Christ, is it worth less to you? If one had asked +Jesus of Nazareth, "What is it Thou hast a body for; what is to Thee the +highest use of the body?" He would have said, "The use and the glory of my +body is that I can give it a sacrifice to God. That is every thing." What +is the use of having a mind; and what is the use of having money; and what +is the use of having children? That I can give them to God; for God must be +all in all in everything. I pray God that He may give us such a sight of +His kingdom, and His glory, that everything else may disappear. Then, if +you had ten thousand lives, you would say, "This is the beauty and the +worth of life, 'that God may be all in all' to me, and that I may prove to +men that God is more than everything, that life is only worth living as it +is given to God to fill." Do let us sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. Begin to live day by day with the prayer, "My God, I am given up +to Thee. Be Thou my all in all." You say, "Am I able to realize that?" Yes, +in this way: Let the Holy Spirit dwell in you; let the Holy Spirit burn in +you as a fire, and burn in you with unutterable groanings, crying unto +God, Himself to reveal His presence and His will in you. In the eighth of +Romans, Paul spoke about the groanings of the whole creation. And what is +the whole creation groaning for? For the redemption, the glorious liberty +of the children of God. And I am persuaded that was what Paul meant when he +spoke of the groanings of the Holy Spirit--the unutterable groanings +for the coming time of glory when God should be all in all. Christians, +sacrifice your time; sacrifice your interests; sacrifice your heart's best +powers in praying, and desiring, and crying that "God may be all in all." + +And lastly: if God is to be all in all, wait continually on Him all the +day. My first point had reference to giving God His place; but I want to +bring this out more pointedly in conclusion. Wait continually on God all +the day. If you are to do that, you must live always in His presence. That +is what we have been redeemed for. Do we not read in the Epistle to the +Hebrews, "Let us draw near within the veil, through the blood, where the +high priest is?" The holy place in which we are to live in the heavens is +the immediate presence of God. The abiding presence of God is certainly the +heritage of every child of God, as that the sun shines. The Father never +hides His face from His child. Sin hides it, and unbelief hides it, but the +Father lets His love shine all the day on the face of His children. The sun +is shining day and night. Your sun shall never go down. Begin to seek for +this. Come and live in the presence of God. There is indeed an abiding +place in His presence, in the secret of His pavilion, of which some one has +sung very beautifully: + + With me, wheresoe'er I wander, + That great Presence goes; + That unutterable gladness, + Undisturbed repose. + + Everywhere, the blessed stillness + Of that Holy Place; + Stillness of the love that worships, + Dumb before His face. + +This is the portion of those to whom the prayer is granted--"One thing have +I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell all my +days in the house of the Lord; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to +inquire in His temple." "In the secret of His pavilion He hideth me." God +Himself will take you up, and will keep you there, so that all your work +shall be done in God. Beloved, wait continually upon God. You can not do +this unless you are in His presence. You must live in His presence. Then +the blessed habit of waiting upon God will be learned. The real difficulty +of getting to the point of real waiting upon God, is because most +Christians have not sought to realize the nearness of God, and to give God +the first place. But let us strive after this, let us trust God to give it +to us by His grace, let us wait on God all the day. "My eyes," says one, +"are ever towards Thee." Wait upon God for guidance, and God, if you wait +much upon Him, will lead you up into new power for His service, into new +gladness in His fellowship. He will lead you out into a larger trust in +Him; He will prepare you to expect new things from Him. Beloved, there +is no knowing what God will do for a man who is utterly given up to Him. +Praise His name! Let each one of us say, "May my life be to live and die, +to labor and to pray continually for this one thing: that in me, and around +me, and in the church; that throughout the world '_God may be all in +all_.'" A little seed is the beginning of a great tree. A mustard seed +becomes a tree in which the birds of the air can nestle. That great day of +which the text speaks, when Christ Himself shall be subject to the Father, +and deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all--that +is the great tree of the Kingdom of God reaching its perfect consummation +and glory. Oh, let us take the seed of that glory into our hearts, and let +us bow in lowly surrender and submission, and say, "Amen, Lord; this be my +one thought. This be my life--to speak and to work, to pray and to exist +only that others may be brought to know Him too. This be my life--to yield +myself to the unutterable yearnings of the Holy Spirit, that I may not +rest, but ever keep my eye on that day--the day of glory, when in very deed +God shall be all in all." + +God help every one of us. God help us all to yield ourselves to Him, and to +Christ, and to make it our every-day life; for His name's sake. Amen. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Master's Indwelling, by Andrew Murray + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12854 *** diff --git a/12854-h/12854-h.htm b/12854-h/12854-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..92bf6f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/12854-h/12854-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4195 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> + + <title>The MASTER'S INDWELLING</title> + + <style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + hr.short {text-align: center; width: 20%;} + html>body hr.short {margin-right: 40%; margin-left: 40%; width: 20%;} + + .note + {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + + span.pagenum + {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt;} + + .poem + {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem p.i8 {margin-left: 4em;} + .poem p.i10 {margin-left: 5em;} + + .figure, .figcenter, .figright, .figleft + {padding: 1em; margin: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em;} + .figure img, .figcenter img, .figright img, .figleft img + {border: none;} + .figure p, .figcenter p, .figright p, .figleft p + {margin: 0; text-indent: 1em;} + .figcenter {margin: auto;} + .figright {float: right;} + .figleft {float: left;} + + .footnote {font-size: 0.9em; margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%;} + + .side { float:right; + font-size: 75%; + width: 25%; + padding-left:10px; + border-left: dashed thin; + margin-left: 10px; + text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; + font-weight: bold; + font-style: italic;} + --> + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12854 ***</div> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page01" id="page01"></a>[pg 1]</span> + +<p> </p> + <h1>The MASTER'S INDWELLING</h1> + + <h2>ANDREW MURRAY</h2> + + <h2>1953</h2> +<p> </p> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page2" id="page2"></a>[pg 3]</span> + +<p>The following papers were in substance delivered by the author in a series +of addresses at the Northfield Conference of 1895, but later rewritten and +revised by him for this permanent and authorized publication.</p> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page03" id="page03"></a>[pg 5]</span> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<ol type="I"> + <li><a href="#page04">CARNAL CHRISTIANS</a></li> + <li><a href="#page23">THE SELF LIFE</a></li> + <li><a href="#page36">WAITING ON GOD</a></li> + <li><a href="#page46">ENTRANCE INTO REST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page56">THE KINGDOM FIRST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page67">CHRIST OUR LIFE</a></li> + <li><a href="#page81">CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION</a></li> + <li><a href="#page95">THE COMPLETE SURRENDER</a></li> + <li><a href="#page109">DEAD WITH CHRIST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page130">JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page141">TRIUMPH OF FAITH</a></li> + <li><a href="#page151">THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER</a></li> + <li><a href="#page162">THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL</a></li> +</ol> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page04" id="page04"></a>[pg 7]</span> + +<p> </p> + +<h2>CARNAL CHRISTIANS.</h2> +<h3>I.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>1 Corinthians 3: 1</i>.—<i>And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto +spiritual, but as unto carnal</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The apostle here speaks of two stages of the Christian life, two types of +Christians: "I could not speak unto you as unto <i>spiritual</i>, but as unto +<i>carnal</i>, even as unto babes in Christ." They were Christians, in Christ, +but instead of being spiritual Christians, they were carnal. "I have fed +you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, +neither yet are ye able, for ye are yet carnal." Here is that word a second +time. "For whereas"—this is the proof—"there is among you envying, and +strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one +saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" Four +times the apostle uses that word carnal. In the wisdom which the Holy Ghost +gives him, Paul feels:—I can not write to these Corinthian Christians +unless I know their state, and unless I tell them of it. If I give +spiritual + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page05" id="page05"></a>[pg 8]</span> + +food to men who are carnal Christians, I am doing them more harm +than good, for they are not fit to take it. I cannot feed them with meat, +I must feed them with milk. And so he tells them at the very outset of the +epistle what he sees to be their state. In the two previous chapters he had +spoken about his ministry being by the Holy Spirit; now he begins to tell +them what must be the state of a people in order to accept spiritual truth, +and he says: "I have not liberty to speak to you as I would, for you are +carnal, and you cannot receive Spiritual truth." That suggests to us the +solemn thought, that in the Church of Christ there are two classes of +Christians. Some have lived many years as believers, and yet always remain +babes; others are spiritual men, because they have given themselves up to +the power, the leading and to the entire rule of the Holy Ghost. If we are +to obtain a blessing, we must first decide to which of these classes we +belong. Are we, by the grace of God, in deep humility living a spiritual +life, or are we living a carnal life? Then, let us first try to understand +what is meant by the carnal state in which believers may be living.</p> + +<p>We notice from what we find in Corinthians, four marks of the carnal state. +First: It is simply a condition of protracted infancy. You know what that +means. Suppose a beautiful babe, six months old. It cannot speak, it cannot +walk, but we do not + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page06" id="page06"></a>[pg 9]</span> + +trouble ourselves about that; it is natural, and ought +to be so. But suppose a year later we find the child not grown at all, and +three years later still no growth; we would at once say: "There must be +some terrible disease;" and the baby that at six months old was the cause +of joy to every one who saw him, has become to the mother and to all a +source of anxiety and sorrow. There is something wrong; the child can not +grow. It was quite right at six months old that it should eat nothing but +milk; but years have passed by, and it remains in the same weakly state. +Now this is just the condition of many believers. They are converted; they +know what it is to have assurance and faith; they believe in pardon for +sin; they begin to work for God; and yet, somehow, there is very little +growth in spirituality, in the real heavenly life. We come into contact +with them, and we feel at once there is something wanting; there is none of +the beauty of holiness or of the power of God's Spirit in them. This is +the condition of the carnal Corinthians, expressed in what was said to the +Hebrews: "You have had the Gospel so long that by this time you ought to be +teachers, and yet you need that men should teach you the very rudiments of +the oracles of God." Is it not a sad thing to see a believer who has been +converted five, ten, twenty years, and yet no growth, and no strength, and +no joy of holiness?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page07" id="page07"></a>[pg 10]</span> + +<p>What are the marks of a little child? One is, a little child cannot help +himself, but is always keeping others occupied to serve him. What a tyrant +a baby in a house often is! The mother cannot go out, there must be a +servant to nurse it; it needs to be cared for constantly. God made a man to +care for others, but the baby was made to be cared for and to be helped. So +there are Christians who always want help. Their pastor and their Christian +friends must always be teaching and comforting them. They go to church, and +to prayer-meetings, and to conventions, always wanting to be helped,—a +sign of spiritual infancy.</p> + +<p>The other sign of an infant is this: he can do nothing to help his +fellow-man. Every man is expected to contribute something to the welfare of +society; every one has a place to fill and a work to do, but the babe can +do nothing for the common weal. It is just so with Christians. How little +some can do! They take a part in work, as it is called, but there is little +of exercising spiritual power and carrying real blessing. Should we not +each ask, "Have I outgrown my spiritual infancy?" Some must reply, "No, +instead of having gone forward, I have gone backward, and the joy of +conversion and the first love is gone." Alas! They are babes in Christ; +they are yet carnal.</p> + +<p>The second mark of the carnal state is this: + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page08" id="page08"></a>[pg 11]</span> + +that there is sin and failure +continually. Paul says: "Whereas there is strife and division among you, +and envying, are ye not carnal?" A man gives way to temper. He may be a +minister, or a preacher of the Gospel, or a Sunday-school teacher, most +earnest at the prayer-meeting, but yet strife or bitterness or envying is +often shown by him. Alas! Alas! In Gal. 3:5 we are told that the works of +the flesh are specially hatred and envy. How often among Christians, who +have to work together, do we see divisions and bitterness! God have mercy +upon them, that the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is so frequently +absent from His own people. You ask, "Why is it, that for twenty years I +have been fighting with my temper, and can not conquer it?" It is because +you have been fighting with the temper, and you have not been fighting with +the root of the temper. You have not seen that it is all because you are in +the carnal state, and not properly given up to the Spirit of God. It may be +that you never were taught it; that you never saw it in God's Word; +that you never believed it. But there it is; the truth of God remains +unchangeable. Jesus Christ can give us the victory over sin, and can keep +us from actual transgression. I am not telling you that the root of sin +will be eradicated, and that you will have no longer any natural tendency +to sin; but when the Holy Spirit comes not only with His + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page09" id="page09"></a>[pg 12]</span> + +power for service +as a gift, but when He comes in Divine grace to fill the heart, there is +victory over sin; power not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And you see +a mark of the carnal state not only in unlovingness, self-consciousness +and bitterness, but in so many other sins. How much worldliness, how much +ambition among men, how much seeking for the honor that comes from man—all +the fruit of the carnal life—to be found in the midst of Christian +activity! Let us remember that the carnal state is a state of continual +sinning and failure, and God wants us not only to make confession of +individual sins, but to come to the acknowledgment that they are the sign +that we are not living a healthy life,—we are yet carnal.</p> + +<p>A third mark which will explain further what I have been saying, is that +this carnal state may be found in existence in connection with great +spiritual gifts. There is a difference between gifts and graces. The graces +of the Spirit are humility and love, like the humility and love of Christ. +The graces of the Spirit are to make a man free from self; the gifts of +the Spirit are to fit a man for work. We see this illustrated among the +Corinthians. In the first chapter Paul says, "I thank God that you are +enriched unto all utterance, and all knowledge, and all wisdom." In the +12th and 14th chapters we see that the gifts of prophecy and of working +miracles were in great power + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page10" id="page10"></a>[pg 13]</span> + +among them; but the graces of the Spirit were +noticeably absent.</p> + +<p>And this may be in our days as well as in the time of the Corinthians. I +may be a minister of the Gospel; I may teach God's Word beautifully; I may +have influence, and gather a large congregation, and yet, alas! I may be a +carnal man; a man who may be used by God, and may be a blessing to others, +and yet the carnal life may still mark me. You all know the law that a +thing is named according to what is its most prominent characteristic. Now, +in these carnal Corinthians there was a little of God's Spirit, but the +flesh predominated; the Spirit had not the rule of their whole life. And +the spiritual men are not called so because there is no flesh in them, but +because the Spirit in them has obtained dominance, and when you meet +them and have intercourse with them, you feel that the Spirit of God has +sanctified them. Ah, let us beware lest the blessing God gives us in our +work deceive us and lead us to think that because he has blessed us, we +must be spiritual men. God may give us gifts that we use, and yet our lives +may not be wholly in the power of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>My last mark of the carnal state is that it makes a man unfit for receiving +spiritual truths. That is what the apostle writes to the Corinthians: "I +could not preach to you as unto spiritual; you are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page11" id="page11"></a>[pg 14]</span> + +not fit for spiritual +truth after being Christians so long; you can not yet bear it; I have to +feed you with milk." I am afraid that in the church of the nineteenth +century we often make a terrible mistake. We have a congregation in which +the majority are carnal men. We give these men spiritual teaching, and they +admire it, understand it, and rejoice in such ministry; yet their lives are +not practically affected. They work for Christ in a certain way, but we can +scarce recognize the true sanctification of the Spirit; we dare not say +they are spiritual men, full of the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>Now, let us recognize this with regard to ourselves. A man may become very +earnest, may take in all the teaching he hears; he may be able to discern, +for discernment is a gift; he may say, "That man helps me in this line, and +that man in another direction, and a third man is remarkable for another +gift;" yet, all the time, the carnal life may be living strongly in him, +and when he gets into trouble with some friend, or Christian worker, +or worldly man, the carnal root is bearing its terrible fruit, and the +spiritual food has failed to enter his heart. Beware of that. Mark the +Corinthians and learn of them. Paul did not say to them, "You can not bear +the truth as I would speak it to you," because they were ignorant or a +stupid people. The Corinthians prided themselves on their wisdom, and +sought it above everything, and + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page12" id="page12"></a>[pg 15]</span> + +Paul said: "I thank God that you are +enriched in utterance, in knowledge, and in wisdom; nevertheless, you are +yet carnal, your life is not holy; your life is not sanctified unto the +humility of the life of the Lamb of God, you can not yet take in real +spiritual truth."</p> + +<p>We find the carnal state not only at Corinth, but throughout the Christian +world to-day. Many Christians are asking, "What is the reason there is so +much feebleness in the Church?" We can not ask this question too earnestly, +and I trust that God Himself will so impress it upon our hearts that we +shall say to Him, "It must be changed. Have mercy upon us." But, ah! that +prayer and that change can not come until we have begun to see that there +is a carnal root ruling in believers; they are living more after the flesh +than the Spirit; they are yet carnal Christians.</p> + +<p>There is a passage "from carnal to spiritual." Did Paul find any spiritual +believers? Undoubtedly he did. Just read the 6th chapter of the Epistle to +the Galatians! That was a church where strife, and bitterness, and envy +were terrible. But the apostle says in the first verse: "Brethren, if a man +be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the +spirit of meekness." There we see that the marks of the spiritual man are +that he will be a meek man; and that he will have power, and love to help +and restore those that are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page13" id="page13"></a>[pg 16]</span> + +fallen. The carnal man can not do that. If there +is a true spiritual life that can be lived, the great question is: Is the +way open, and how can I enter into the spiritual state? Here, again, I have +four short answers.</p> + +<p>First, we must know that there is such a spiritual life to be lived by men +on earth. Nothing cuts the roots of the Christian life so much as unbelief. +People do not believe what God has said about what He is willing to do for +His children. Men do not believe that when God says, "Be filled with +the Spirit," He means it for every Christian. And yet Paul wrote to the +Ephesians each one: "Be filled with the Spirit, and do not be drunk with +wine." Just as little as you may be drunk with wine, so little may you live +without being filled with the Spirit. Now, if God means that for believers, +the first thing that we need is to study, and to take home God's Word, to +our belief until our hearts are filled with the assurance that there is +such a life possible which it is our duty to live; that we can be spiritual +men. God's Word teaches us that God does not expect a man to live as he +ought for one minute unless the Holy Spirit is in him to enable him to do +it.</p> + +<p>We do not want the Holy Spirit only when we go to preach, or when we have +some special temptation of the devil to meet, or some great burden to bear; +God says: "My child can not live a + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page14" id="page14"></a>[pg 17]</span> + +right life unless he is guided by my +Spirit every minute." That is the mark of the child of God: "As many as are +led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." In Romans V. we read: +"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto +us." That is to be the common, every-day experience of the believer, not +his life at set times only. Did ever a father or mother think, "For to-day +I want my child to love me?" No, they expect the love every day. And so +God wants His child every moment to have a heart filled with love of the +Spirit. In the eyes of God, it is most unnatural to expect a man to love +as he should if he is not filled with the Spirit. Oh, let us believe a man +<i>can</i> be a spiritual man. Thank God, there is now the blessing waiting +us. "Be filled with the Spirit." "Be led by the Spirit." There <i>is</i> the +blessing. If you have to say, "Oh, God, I have not this blessing," say it; +but say also, "Lord, I know it is my duty, my solemn obligation to have +it, for without it I can not live in perfect peace with Thee all the day; +without it I can not glorify Thee, and do the work Thou wouldst have me +do." This is our first step from carnal to spiritual,—to recognize a +spiritual life, a walk in the Spirit, is within our reach. How can we ask +God to guide us into spiritual life, if we have not a clear, confident +conviction that there is such a life to be had?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page15" id="page15"></a>[pg 18]</span> + +<p>Then comes the second step; a man must see the shame and guilt of his +having lived such a life. Some people admit there is a spiritual life to +live, and that they have not lived it, and they are sorry for themselves, +and pity themselves, and think, "How sad that I am too feeble for it! How +sad that God gives it to others, but has not given it to me!" They have +great compassion upon themselves, instead of saying, "Alas! it has been +our unfaithfulness, our unbelief, our disobedience, that has kept us from +giving ourselves utterly to God. We have to blush and to be ashamed before +God that we do not live as spiritual men."</p> + +<p>A man does not get converted without having conviction of sin. When that +conviction of sin comes, and his eyes are opened, he learns to be afraid of +his sin, and to flee from it to Christ, and to accept Christ as a mighty +deliverer. But a man needs a second conviction of sin; a believer must be +convicted of his peculiar sin. The sins of an unconverted man are different +from the sins of a believer. An unconverted man, for instance, is not +ordinarily convicted of the corruption of his nature; he thinks principally +about external sins,—"I have sworn, been a liar, and I am on the way to +hell." He is then convicted for conversion. But the believer is in quite +a different condition. His sins are far more blamable, for he has had the +light and the love and the Spirit of God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page16" id="page16"></a>[pg 19]</span> + +given to him. His sins are far +deeper. He has striven to conquer them and he has grown to see that his +nature is utterly corrupt, that the carnal mind, the flesh, within him, is +making his whole state utterly wretched. When a believer is thus convicted +by the Holy Spirit, it is specially his life of unbelief that condemns him, +because he sees that the great guilt connected with this has kept him from +receiving the full gift of God's Holy Spirit. He is brought down in shame +and confusion of face, and he begins to cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone. I +have heard of God by the hearing of the ear; I have known a great deal of +Him and preached about Him, but now mine eye seeth Him." God comes near +him. Job, the righteous man, whom God trusted, saw in himself the deep sin +of self and its righteousness that he had never seen before. Until this +conviction of the wrongness of our carnal state as believers comes to each +one of us; until we are willing to get this conviction from God, to take +time before God to be humbled and convicted, we never can become spiritual +men.</p> + +<p>Then comes the third mark, which is that out of the carnal state into the +spiritual is only one step. One step; oh, that is a blessed message I bring +to you—it is only one step. I know many people will refuse to admit that +it is only one step; they think it too little for such a mighty change. But +was not conversion only one step?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page17" id="page17"></a>[pg 20]</span> + +<p>So it is when a man passes from carnal to spiritual. You ask if when I talk +of a spiritual man I am not thinking of a man of spiritual maturity, a +real saint, and you say: "Does that come in one day? Is there no growth in +holiness?" I reply that spiritual maturity cannot come in a day. We can not +expect it. It takes growth, until the whole beauty of the image of Christ +is formed in a man. But still I say that it needs but one step for a man +to get out of the carnal life into the spiritual life. It is when a +man utterly breaks with the flesh; when he gives up the flesh into the +crucifixion death of Christ; when he sees that everything about it is +accursed and that he can not deliver himself from it; and then claims the +slaying power of Christ's cross within him,—it is when a man does this and +says: "This spiritual life prepared for me is the free gift of my God in +Christ Jesus," that he understands how one step can bring him out of the +carnal into the spiritual state.</p> + +<p>In that spiritual life there will be much still to be learned. There will +still be imperfections. Spiritual life is not perfect; but the predominant +characteristic will be spiritual. When a man has given himself up to the +real, living, acting, ruling power of God's Spirit, he has got into the +right position in which he can grow. You never think of growing out of +sickness into health; you may grow out of feebleness into strength, as the +little + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page18" id="page18"></a>[pg 21]</span> + +babe can grow to be a strong man; but where there is disease, there +must healing come if there is to be a cure effected. There are Christians +who think that they must grow out of the carnal state into the spiritual +state. You never can. What could help those carnal Corinthians? To give +them milk could not help them, for milk was a proof they were in the wrong +state. To give them meat would not help them, for they were unfit to eat +it. What they needed was the knife of the surgeon. Paul says that the +carnal life must be cut out. "They that are Christ's have crucified the +flesh." When a man understands what that means, and accepts it in the +faith of what Christ can do, then one step can bring him from carnal to +spiritual. One simple act of faith in the power of Christ's death, one act +of surrender to the fellowship of Christ's death as the Holy Spirit can +make it ours, will make it ours, will bring deliverance from the power of +your efforts.</p> + +<p>What brought deliverance to that poor condemned sinner who was most dark +and wretched in his unconverted state? He felt he could do nothing good of +himself. What did he do? He saw set before him the almighty Saviour and he +cast himself into His arms; he trusted himself to that omnipotent love and +cried, "Lord, have mercy upon me." That was salvation. It was not for +what he did that Christ accepted him. Oh, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page19" id="page19"></a>[pg 22]</span> + +believers, if any of us who are +conscious that the carnal state predominates have to say: "It marks me; I +am a religious man, an earnest man, a friend of missions; I work for Christ +in my church, but, alas! temper and sin and worldliness have still the +mastery over my soul," hear the word of God. If any will come and say: "I +have struggled, I have prayed, I have wept, and it has not helped me," then +you must do one other thing. You must see that the living Christ is God's +provision for your holy, spiritual life. You must believe that that Christ +who accepted you once, at conversion, in His wonderful love is now waiting +to say to you that you may become a spiritual man, entirely given up to +God. If you will believe that, your fear will vanish and you will say: "It +can be done; if Christ will accept and take charge, it shall be done."</p> + +<p>Then, my last mark. A man must take that step, a solemn but blessed +step. It cost some of you five or ten years before you took the step of +conversion. You wept and prayed for years, and could not find peace until +you took that step. So, in the spiritual life, you may go to teacher after +teacher, and say, "Tell me about the spiritual life, the baptism of the +Spirit, and holiness," and yet you may remain just where you were. Many of +us would love to have sin taken away. Who loves to have a hasty temper? Who +loves to have + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page20" id="page20"></a>[pg 23]</span> + +a proud disposition? Who loves to have a worldly heart? No +one. We go to Christ to take it away, and he does not do it; and we ask, +"Why will he not do it? I have prayed very earnestly." It is because you +wanted Him to take away the ugly fruits while the poisonous root was to +stay in you. You did not ask Him that the flesh should be nailed to His +cross, and that you should henceforth give up self entirely to the power of +His Spirit.</p> + +<p>There is deliverance, but not in the way we seek it. Suppose a painter had +a piece of canvas, on which he desired to work out some beautiful picture. +Suppose that piece of canvas does not belong to him, and any one has a +right to take it and to use it for any other purpose; do you think the +painter would bestow much work on that? No. Yet people want Jesus Christ to +bestow His trouble upon them in taking away this temper, or that other sin, +though in their hearts they have not yielded themselves utterly to His +command and His keeping. It can not be. But if you will come and give your +whole life into His charge, Christ Jesus is mighty to save; Christ Jesus +waits to be gracious; Christ Jesus waits to fill you with His Spirit.</p> + +<p>Will you not take the step? God grant that we may be led by His Spirit to +a yielding up of ourselves to Him as never before. Will you not come in +humble confession that, alas! the carnal life has predominated too much, +has altogether marked you, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page21" id="page21"></a>[pg 24]</span> + +and that you have a bitter consciousness that +with all the blessing God has bestowed, He has not made you what you want +to be—a spiritual man? <i>It is the Holy Spirit alone who by His indwelling +can make a spiritual man</i>. Come then and cast yourself at God's feet, with +this one thought, "Lord, I give myself an empty vessel to be filled with +Thy Spirit." Each one of you sees every day at the tea table an empty cup +set there, waiting to be filled with tea when the proper time comes. So +with every dish, every plate. They are cleansed and empty, ready to be +filled. Emptied and cleansed. Oh, come! and just as a vessel is set apart +to receive what it is to contain, say to Christ that you desire from this +hour to be a vessel set apart to be filled with His Spirit, given up to be +a spiritual man. Bow down in the deepest emptiness of soul, and say, "Oh, +God, I have nothing!" and then surely as you place yourself before Him you +have a right to say, "My God will fulfill His promise! I claim from Him the +filling of the Holy Spirit to make me, instead of a carnal, a spiritual +Christian." If you place yourself at His feet, and tarry there; if you +abide in that humble surrender and that childlike trust, as sure as God +lives the blessing will come.</p> + +<p>Oh, have we not to bow + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page22" id="page22"></a>[pg 25]</span> + +in shame before God, as we think of His whole Church +and see so much of the carnal prevailing? Have we not to bow in shame +before God, as we think of so much of the carnal in our hearts and lives? +Then let us bow in great faith in God's mercy. Deliverance is nigh, +deliverance is coming, deliverance is waiting, deliverance is sure. Let us +trust; God will give it.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page23" id="page23"></a>[pg 26]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE SELF LIFE.</h2> +<h3>II.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Matt. 16: 24</i>.—<i>If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and +take up his cross, and follow me</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>In the 13th verse we read that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi asked His +disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" When they had +answered, He asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?" And in verse 16 Peter +answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus +answered and said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas, for flesh +and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. +And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will +build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." +Then in verse 21 we read how Jesus began to tell His disciples of His +approaching death; and in verse 22 how Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, +"Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." But Jesus turned +and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto +me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of +men." Then said + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page24" id="page24"></a>[pg 27]</span> + +Jesus unto His disciples, "If any man will come after me, +let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."</p> + +<p>We often hear about the compromise life and the question comes up What lies +at the root of it? What is the reason that so many Christians are wasting +their lives in the terrible bondage of the world instead of living in the +manifestation and the privilege and the glory of the child of God? And +another question perhaps comes to us: What can be the reason that when we +see a thing is wrong and strive against it we cannot conquer it? What can +be the reason that we have a hundred times prayed and vowed, yet here +we are still living a mingled, divided, half-hearted life? To those two +questions there is one answer: it is <i>self</i> that is the root of the whole +trouble. And therefore, if any one asks me, "How can I get rid of this +compromise life?" the answer would not be, "You must do this, or that, or +the other thing," but the answer would be, "A new life from above, the +life of Christ, must take the place of the self-life; then alone can we be +conquerors."</p> + +<p>We always go from the outward to the inward; let us do so here; let us +consider from these words of the text the one word, "self." Jesus said to +Peter: "If any man will come after me let him deny <i>himself</i>, his own self, +and take up the cross and follow me." That is a mark of the disciple; + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page25" id="page25"></a>[pg 28]</span> + +that +is the secret of the Christian life—deny self and all will come right. +Note that Peter was a believer, and a believer who had been taught by the +Holy Spirit. He had given an answer that pleased Christ wonderfully: "Thou +art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Do not think that that was +nothing extraordinary. We learn it in our catechisms; Peter did not; and +Christ saw that the Holy Spirit of the Father had been teaching him and He +said: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas." But note how strong the carnal +man still is in Peter. Christ speaks of His cross; He could understand +about the glory, "Thou art the Son of God;" but about the cross and the +death he could not understand, and he ventured in his self-confidence to +say, "Lord, that shall never be; Thou canst not be crucified and die." And +Christ had to rebuke him: "Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou savorest not the +things that be of God." You are talking like a mere carnal man, and not as +the Spirit of God would teach you. Then Christ went on to say, "Remember, +it is not only I who am to be crucified, but you; it is not only I who am +to die, but you also. If a man would be my disciple, he must deny self, and +he must take up his cross and follow me." Let us dwell upon this one word, +"self." It is only as we learn to know what self is that we really know +what is at the root of all our failure, and are prepared to go to Christ +for deliverance.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page26" id="page26"></a>[pg 29]</span> + +<p>Let us consider, first of all, the nature of this self life, then denote +some of its works and then ask the question: "How may we be delivered from +it?"</p> + +<p>Self is the power with which God has created and endowed every intelligent +creature. Self is the very center of a created being. And why did God give +the angels or man a self? The object of this self was that we might bring +it as an empty vessel unto God; that He might put into it His life. God +gave me the power of self-determination, that I might bring this self every +day and say: "Oh, God, work in it; I offer it to thee." God wanted a vessel +into which He might pour out His divine fullness of beauty, wisdom and +power; and so He created the world, the sun, and the moon, and the stars, +the trees, and the flowers, and the grass, which all show forth the riches +of His wisdom, and beauty, and goodness. But they do it without knowing +what they do. Then God created the angels with a self and a will, to see +whether they would come and voluntarily yield themselves to Him as vessels +for Him to fill. But alas! they did not all do that. There was one at the +head of a great company, and he began to look upon himself, and to think +of the wonderful powers with which God had endowed him, and to delight in +himself. He began to think: "Must such a being as I always remain dependent +on God?" + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page27" id="page27"></a>[pg 30]</span> + +He exalted himself, pride asserted itself in separation from God, +and that very moment he became, instead of an angel in Heaven, a devil in +hell. Self turned to God is the glory of allowing the Creator to reveal +Himself in us. Self turned away from God is the very darkness and fire of +hell.</p> + +<p>We all know the terrible story of what took place further; God created man, +and Satan came in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve with the thought +of becoming as God, having an independent self, knowing good and evil. And +while he spoke with her, he breathed into her, in those words, the very +poison and the very pride of hell. His own evil spirit, the very poison of +hell, entered humanity, and it is this cursed self that we have inherited +from our first parents. It was that self that ruined and brought +destruction upon this world, and all that there has been of sin, and of +darkness, and of wretchedness, and of misery; and all that there will be +throughout the countless ages of eternity in hell, will be nothing but the +reign of self, the curse of self, separating man and turning him away from +his God. And if we are to understand fully what Christ is to do for us, and +are to become partakers of a full salvation, we must learn to know, and to +hate, and to give up entirely this cursed self.</p> + +<p>Now what are the works of self? I might mention + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page28" id="page28"></a>[pg 31]</span> + +many, but let us take the +simplest words that we are continually using,—self-will, self-confidence, +self-exaltation. Self-will, pleasing self, is the great sin of man, and it +is at the root of all that compromising with the world which is the ruin of +so many. Men can not understand why they should not please themselves and +do their own will. Numbers of Christians have never gotten hold of the idea +that a Christian is a man who is never to seek his own will, but is always +to seek the will of God, as a man in whom the very spirit of Christ lives. +"Lo, I come to do Thy will, oh, my God!" We find Christians pleasing +themselves in a thousand ways, and yet trying to be happy, and good, and +useful; and they do not know that at the root of it all is self-will +robbing them of the blessing. Christ said to Peter, "Peter, deny yourself." +But instead of doing that, Peter said, "I will deny my Lord and not +myself." He never said it in words, but Christ said to him in the last +night, "Thou shalt deny Me," and he did it. What was the cause of this? +Self-pleasing. He became afraid when the woman servant charged him with +belonging to Jesus, and three times said, "I know not this man, I have +nothing to do with Him." He denied Christ. Just think of it! No wonder +Peter wept those bitter tears. It was a choice between self, that ugly, +cursed self, and that beautiful, blessed Son of God; and Peter + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page29" id="page29"></a>[pg 32]</span> + +chose self. +No wonder that he thought: "Instead of denying myself, I have denied Jesus; +what a choice I have made!" No wonder that he wept bitterly.</p> + +<p>Christians, look at your own lives in the light of the words of Jesus. Do +you find there self-will, self-pleasing? Remember this: every time you +please yourself, you deny Jesus. It is one of the two. You must please Him +only, and deny self, or you must please yourself and deny Him. Then follows +self-confidence, self-trust, self-effort, self-dependence. What was it +that led Peter to deny Jesus? Christ had warned him; why did he not take +warning? Self-confidence. He was so sure: "Lord, I love Thee. For three +years I have followed Thee. Lord, I deny that it ever can be. I am ready +to go to prison and to death." It was simply self-confidence. People have +often asked me, "What is the reason I fail? I desire so earnestly, and pray +so fervently, to live in God's will." And my answer generally is, "Simply +because you trust yourself." They answer me: "No, I do not; I know I am +not good; and I know that God is willing to keep me, and I put my trust in +Jesus." But I reply, "No, my brother; no; if you trusted God and Jesus, you +could not fall, but you trust yourself." Do let us believe that the cause +of every failure in the Christian life is nothing but this. I trust this + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30" id="page30"></a>[pg 33]</span> + +cursed self, instead of trusting Jesus. I trust my own strength, instead of +the almighty strength of God. And that is why Christ says, "This self must +be denied."</p> + +<p>Then there is self-exaltation, another form of the works of self. Ah, +how much pride and jealousy is there in the Christian world; how much +sensitiveness to what men say of us or think of us; how much desire of +human praise and pleasing men, instead of always living in the presence of +God, with the one thought: "Am I pleasing to Him?" Christ said, "How can ye +believe who receive honor one of another?" Receiving honor of one another +renders a life of faith absolutely impossible. This self started from hell, +it separated us from God, it is a cursed deceiver that leads us astray from +Jesus.</p> + +<p>Now comes the third point. What are we to do to get rid of it? Jesus +answers us in the words of our text: "If any man will come after me, let +him take up his cross and follow me." Note it well.—I must deny myself and +take Jesus himself as my life,—I must choose. There are two lives, the +self life and the Christ life; I must choose one of the two. "Follow +me," says our Lord, "make me the law of your existence, the rule of your +conduct; give me your whole heart; follow me, and I will care for all." Oh, +friends, it is a solemn exchange to have set before us; to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page31" id="page31"></a>[pg 34]</span> + +come and, +seeing the danger of this self, with its pride and its wickedness, to cast +ourselves before the Son of God, and to say, "I deny my own life, I take +Thy life to be mine."</p> + +<p>The reason why Christians pray and pray for the Christ life to come in to +them, without result, is that the self life is not denied. You ask, "How +can I get rid of this self life?" You know the parable: the strong man kept +his house until one stronger than he came in and cast him out. Then the +place was garnished and swept, but empty, and he came back with seven other +spirits worse than himself. It is only Christ Himself coming in that can +cast out self, and keep out self. This self will abide with us to the very +end. Remember the Apostle Paul; he had seen the Heavenly vision, and lest +he should exalt himself, the thorn in the flesh was sent to humble him. +There was a tendency to exalt himself, which was natural, and it would have +conquered, but Christ delivered him from it by His faithful care for His +loving servant. Jesus Christ is able, by His divine grace, to prevent the +power of self from ever asserting itself or gaining the upper hand; Jesus +Christ is willing to become the life of the soul; Jesus Christ is willing +to teach us so to follow Him, and to have heart and life set upon Him +alone, that He shall ever and always be the light of our souls. Then we +come to what the apostle Paul says; "Not I, but Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page32" id="page32"></a>[pg 35]</span> + +liveth in me." The +two truths go together. First "Not I," then, "but Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>Look at Peter again. Christ said to him, "Deny yourself, and follow me." +Whither had he to follow? Jesus led him, even though he failed; and where +did he lead him? He led him on to Gethsemane, and there Peter failed, for +he slept when he ought to have been awake, watching and praying; He led him +on towards Calvary, to the place where Peter denied Him. Was that Christ's +leading? Praise God, it was. The Holy Spirit had not yet come in His power; +Peter was yet a carnal man; the Spirit willing, but not able to conquer; +the flesh weak. What did Christ do? He led Peter on until he was broken +down in utter self-abasement, and humbled in the depths of sorrow. Jesus +led him on, past the grave, through the Resurrection, up to Pentecost, and +the Holy Spirit came, and in the Holy Spirit Christ with His divine life +came, and then it was, "Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>There is but one way of being delivered from this life of self. We must +follow Christ, set our hearts upon Him, listen to His teachings, give +ourselves up every day, that He may be all to us, and by the power of +Christ the denial of self will be a blessed, unceasing reality. Never for +one hour do I expect the Christian to reach a stage at which he can say, "I +have no self to deny;" never + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page33" id="page33"></a>[pg 36]</span> + +for one moment in which he can say, "I do not +need to deny self." No, this fellowship with the cross of Christ will be an +unceasing denial of self every hour and every moment by the grace of God. +There is no place where there is full deliverance from the power of this +sinful self. We are to be crucified with Christ Jesus. We are to live with +Him as those who have never been baptized into His death. Think of that! +Christ had no sinful self, but He had a self and that self He actually gave +up unto death. In Gethsemane He said, "Father, not My will." That unsinning +self He gave up unto death that He might receive it again out of the grave +from God, raised up and glorified. Can we expect to go to Heaven in any +other way than He went? Beware! remember that Christ descended into death +and the grave, and it is in the death of self, following Jesus to the +uttermost, that the deliverance and the life will come.</p> + +<p>And now, what is the use that we are to make of this lesson of the Master? +The first lesson will be that we should take time, and that we should +humble ourselves before God, at the thought of what this self is in us; put +down to the account of the self every sin, every shortcoming, all failure, +and all that has been dishonoring to God, and then say, "Lord, this is +what I am;" and then let us allow the blessed Jesus Christ to take entire +control + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page34" id="page34"></a>[pg 37]</span> + +of our life, in the faith that His life can be ours.</p> + +<p>Do not think it is an easy thing to get rid of self. At a consecration +meeting, it is easy to make a vow, and to offer a prayer, and to perform an +act of surrender, but as solemn as the death of Christ was on Calvary—His +giving up of His unsinning self life to God,—just as solemn must it be +between us and our God—the giving up of self to death. The power of +the death of Christ must come to work in us every day. Oh, think what a +contrast between that self-willed Peter, and Jesus giving up His will to +God! What a contrast between that self-exaltation of Peter, and the deep +humility of the Lamb of God, meek and lowly in heart before God and man! +What a contrast between that self-confidence of Peter, and that deep +dependence of Jesus upon the Father, when He said: "I can do nothing of +myself." We are called upon to live the life of Christ, and Christ comes to +live His life in us; but one thing must first take place; we must learn to +hate this self, and to deny it. As Peter said, when he denied Christ, "I +have nothing to do with him," so we must say, "I have nothing to do with +self," that Christ Jesus may be all in all. Let us humble ourselves at the +thought of what this self has done to us and how it has dishonored Jesus; +and let us pray very fervently: "Lord, by Thy light discover this self; we +beseech Thee to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page35" id="page35"></a>[pg 38]</span> + +discover it to us. Open our eyes, that we may see what it +has done, and that it is the only hindrance that has been keeping us back." +Let us pray that fervently, and then let us wait upon God until we get away +from all our religious exercises, and from all our religious experience, +and from all our blessings, until we get close to God, with this one +prayer: "Lord God, self changed an archangel into a devil, and self ruined +my first parents, and brought them out of Paradise into darkness and +misery, and self has been the ruin of my life and the cause of every +failure; oh, discover it to me." And then comes the blessed exchange, that +a man is made willing and able to say: "Another will live the life for me, +another will live with me, another will do all for me," Nothing else will +do. Deny self; take up the cross, to die with Jesus; follow Him only. May +He give us the grace to understand, and to receive, and to live the Christ +life.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page36" id="page36"></a>[pg 39]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>WAITING ON GOD</h2> + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Psalms 62: 5</i>.—<i>My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is +from Him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The solemn question comes to us, "Is the God I have, a God that is to +me above all circumstances, nearer to me than any circumstance can be?" +Brother, have you learned to live your life having God so really with you +every moment, that in circumstances the most difficult He is always more +present and nearer than anything around you? All our knowledge of God's +Word will help us very little, unless that comes to be the question to +which we get an answer.</p> + +<p>What can be the reason that so many of God's beloved children complain +continually: "My circumstances separate me from God; my trials, my +temptations, my character, my temper, my friends, my enemies, anything can +come between my God and me?" Is God not able so to take possession that He +can be nearer to me than anything in the world? Must riches or poverty, joy +or sorrow, have a power over me that my God has not? No. But why, then, do +God's children so often complain + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page37" id="page37"></a>[pg 40]</span> + +that their circumstances separate them +from Him? There can be but one answer, "They do not know their God." If +there is trouble or feebleness in the Church of God, it is because of this. +We do not know the God we have. That is why in addition to the promise, "I +will be thy God," the promise is so often added, "And ye shall know that I +am your God." If I know that, not through man's teaching, not with my mind +or my imagination; but if I know that, in the living evidence which God +gives in my heart, then I know that the divine presence of my God will be +so wonderful, and my God Himself will be so beautiful, and so near, that I +can live all my days and years a conqueror through Him that loved me. Is +not that the life which we need?</p> + +<p>The question comes again: Why is it that God's people do not know their +God? And the answer is: They take anything rather than God,—ministers, and +preaching, and books, and prayers, and work, and efforts, any exertion of +human nature, instead of waiting, and waiting long if need be, until God +reveals Himself. No teaching that we may get, and no effort that we may put +forth, can put us in possession of this blessed light of God, all in all +to our souls. But still it is attainable, it is within reach, if God will +reveal Himself. That is the one necessity. I would to God that every one +would ask his heart whether he has + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page38" id="page38"></a>[pg 41]</span> + +said, and is saying every day: "I want +more of God. Do not speak to me only of the beautiful truth there is in the +Bible. That can not satisfy me. I want God." In our inner Christian life, +in our every-day prayers, in our Christian living, in our churches, in our +prayer-meetings, in our fellowship, it must come to that—that God always +has the first place; and if that be given Him, He will take possession. Oh, +if in our lives as individuals every eye were set upon God, upon the living +God, every heart were crying, "My soul thirsteth for God," what power, what +blessing and what presence of the everlasting God would be revealed to us! +Let me use an illustration. When a man is giving an illustrated lecture +he often uses a long pointer to indicate places on a map or chart. Do the +people look at that pointer? No, that only helps to show them the place on +the map, and they do not think of it,—it might be of fine gold; but the +<i>pointer</i> can not satisfy them. They want to see what the pointer points +at. And this Bible is nothing but a pointer, pointing to God; and,—may I +say it with reverence—Jesus Christ came to point us, to show us the way, +to bring us to God. I am afraid there are many people who love Christ and +who trust in Him, but who fail of the one great object of His work; they +have never learned to understand what the Scripture saith: "He died, that +He might bring us unto God."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page39" id="page39"></a>[pg 42]</span> + +<p>There is a difference between the way and the end which I am aiming at. +I might be traveling amid most beautiful scenery, in the most delightful +company; but if I have a home to which I want to go, all the scenery, and +all the company, and all the beauty and happiness around me can not satisfy +me; I want to reach the end; I want my home. And God is meant to be the +home of our souls. Christ came into the world to bring us back to God, and +unless we take Christ for what God intended we should, our religion will +always be a divided one. What do we read in Hebrews vii? "He is able to +save to the uttermost."—Whom? "Them that come to God by Him;" not +them that only come to Christ. In Christ—bless His name—we have the +graciousness, the condescension, and the tenderness of God. But we are in +danger of standing there, and being content with that, and Christ wants to +bring us back to rejoice as much as in the glory of God Himself, in His +righteousness, His holiness, His authority, His presence and His power. He +can save completely those who come to God through Him!</p> + +<p>Now, just a very few thoughts on the way by which I can come to know God as +this God above all circumstances, filling my heart and life every day. The +one thing needful is: I must wait upon God. The original is,—it is in our +Dutch version, and it is in the margin, too,—"My soul is silent + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page40" id="page40"></a>[pg 43]</span> + +into God." What ought to be the silence of +the soul unto God? A soul conscious of its +littleness, its ignorance, its prejudices and its dangers from passion, +from all that is human and sinful,—a soul conscious of that, and saying, +"I want the everlasting God to come in and to take hold of me and to take +such hold of me that I may be kept in the hollow of His hand for my life +long; I want Him to take such possession of me that every moment He may +work all in all in me." That is what is implied in the very nature of our +God. How we ought to be silent unto Him, and wait upon Him!</p> + +<p>May I ask, with reverence: What is God for? A God is for this: to be the +light and the life of creation, the source and power of all existence. The +beautiful trees, the green grass, the bright sun, God created that they +might show forth His beauty, His wisdom and His glory. The tree of one +hundred years old—when it was planted God did not give it a stock of life +by which to carry on its existence. Nay, verily, God clothes the lilies +every year afresh with their beauty; every year God clothes the tree with +its foliage and its fruit. Every day and every hour it is God who maintains +the life of all nature. And God created us, that we might be the empty +vessels in which He could work out His beauty, His will, His love, and the +likeness of His blessed Son. That is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page41" id="page41"></a>[pg 44]</span> + +what God is for, to work in us by His +mighty operation, without one moment's ceasing. When I begin to get hold of +that, I no longer think of the true Christian life as a high impossibility, +and an unnatural thing, but I say, "It is the most natural thing in +creation that God should have me every moment, and that my God should be +nearer to me than all else." Just think, for a moment, what folly it is to +imagine that I can not expect God to be with me every moment. Just look at +the sunshine; have you ever had any trouble as you were working or as you +were studying or reading a book in the light the sun gives? Have you ever +said, "Oh, how can I keep that light, how can I hold it fast, how can I be +sure that I shall continue to have it to use?" You never thought that. +God has taken care that the sun itself should provide you with light; and +without your care; the light comes unbidden. And I ask you: What think you? +Has God arranged that the light of that sun that will one day be burned up, +can come to you unconsciously and abide in you blessedly and mightily; and +is God not willing, or is He not able, to let His light and His presence so +shine through you that you can walk all the day with God nearer to you than +anything in nature? Praise God for the assurance; He can do it. And why +does He not do it? Why so seldom, and why in such feeble measure? There is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page42" id="page42"></a>[pg 45]</span> + +but one answer: you do not let Him. You are so occupied and filled with +other things, religious things, preaching and praying, studying and +working, so occupied with your religion, that you do not give God the time +to make Himself known, and to enter in and to take possession. Oh, brother, +listen to the word of the man who knew God so well, and begin to say: "My +soul, wait thou only upon God."</p> + +<p>I might show that this is the very glory of the Creator, the very life +Christ brought into the world, the life He lived, and the very life Christ +wants to lift us up to in its entire dependence on the Father. The very +secret of the Christ-life is this: such a consciousness of God's presence +that whether it was Judas, who came to betray Him, or Caiaphas, who +condemned Him unjustly, or Pilate, who gave Him up to be crucified, the +presence of the Father was upon Him, and within Him, and around Him, and +man could not touch His spirit. And that is what God wants to be to you and +to me. Does not all your anxious restlessness, and futile effort, prove +that you have not let God do His work? God is drawing you to Himself. +This is not your own wish, and the stirring of your own heart, but the +everlasting Divine magnet is drawing you. These restless yearnings and +thirstings, remember, are the work of God. Come and be still, and wait upon +God. He will reveal Himself.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page43" id="page43"></a>[pg 46]</span> + +<p>And how am I to wait on God? In answer I would say: first of all, in prayer +take more time to be still before God without saying one word. What is, in +prayer, the most important thing? That I catch the ear of Him to whom I +speak. We are not ready to offer our petition until we are fully conscious +of having secured the attention of God. You tell me you know all that. Yes, +you know it; but you need to have your heart filled by the Holy Spirit with +the holy consciousness that the everlasting, almighty God is indeed come +very near you. The loving one is longing to have you for His own. Be still +before God, and wait, and say: "Oh, God, take possession. Reveal Thyself, +not to my thoughts or imaginations, but by the solemn, awe-bringing, +soul-subduing consciousness that God is shining upon me bring me to the +place of dependence and humility."</p> + +<p>Prayer may be indeed waiting upon God, but there is a great deal of prayer +that is not waiting upon God. Waiting on God is the first and the best +beginning for prayer. When we bow in the humble, silent acknowledgment +of God's glory and nearness, ere we begin to pray there will be the very +blessing that we often get only at the end. From the very beginning I come +face to face with God; I am in touch with the everlasting +omnipotence of love and I know my God will +bless me. Let us never be afraid to be still before + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page44" id="page44"></a>[pg 47]</span> + +God; we shall then carry that stillness into our work; and when we +go to church on Sunday, or to the prayer-meeting on week-days, it will be +with the one desire that nothing may stand betwixt us and God, and that +we may never be so occupied with hearing and listening as to forget the +presence of God.</p> + +<p>Oh, that God might make every minister what Moses was at the foot of Mount +Sinai; "Moses led the people out to meet God," and they did meet Him until +they were afraid. Let every minister ask with all the earnestness his +soul can command, that God may deliver him from the sin of preaching and +teaching without making the people feel first of all: "The man wants to +bring us to God Himself." It can be felt, not only in the words, but in the +very disposition of the humble, waiting, worshiping heart. We must carry +this waiting into all our worship; we will have to make a study of it; we +will have to speak about it; we will have to help each other, for the truth +has been too much lost in the Church of Christ; we must wait upon God about +it. Then we shall be able to carry it out into our daily life. There are so +many Christians who wonder that they fail; but think of the ease with which +they talk and join in conversation, spending hours in it, never thinking +that all this may be dissipating the soul's power and leading them to spend +hours not in the immediate + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page45" id="page45"></a>[pg 48]</span> + +presence of God. I am afraid this is the great +difficulty: that we are not willing to make the needed sacrifice for a life +of continual waiting upon God. Are there not some of us who would feel it +an impossibility to spend every moment under the covering of the Most High, +"in the secret of His pavilion?" Beloved, do not think it too high, or too +difficult. It is too difficult for you and me to attain, but our God will +give it to us. Let us begin even now to wait more earnestly and intensely +upon God. Let us in our homes sometimes bow a little in silence; let us in +our closets wait in silence, and make a covenant, it may be, without words, +that with our whole hearts we will seek God's presence to come in upon us.</p> + +<p>What is religion? Just as much as you have of God working in you, that +alone is religion. And if you want more religion, more grace, more strength +and more fruitfulness, you must have more of God. Let that be the cry of +our hearts,—More of God! More of God! More of God! And let us say to our +souls, "My soul, wait thou upon God, for my expectation is from Him."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page46" id="page46"></a>[pg 49]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>ENTRANCE INTO REST.</h2> + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Hebrews 4: 1</i>.—<i>Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of +entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it</i>.</blockquote> + +<blockquote><i>Hebrews 4: 11</i>.—<i>Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any +man fall after the same example of unbelief</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>I want, in the simplest way possible, to answer the question: "How does a +man enter into that rest?" and to point out the simple steps that he takes, +all included in the one act of surrender and faith.</p> + +<p>And the first step, I think, is this: that a man learns to say, "I believe, +heartily, there is rest in a life of faith." Israel passed through two +stages. This is beautifully expressed in the fifth of Deuteronomy: "He +brought us out, that He might bring us in"—two parts of God's work of +redemption—"He brought us out from Egypt, that He might bring us into +Canaan." And that is applicable to every believer. At your conversion, God +brought you out of Egypt, and the same almighty God is longing to bring you +into the Canaan life. You know how God brought the Israelites out, but they +would not let Him bring them in and they had to wander for forty years in +the wilderness—the type, alas! of so many Christians. God brings them out +in conversion, but they will not let Him bring + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page47" id="page47"></a>[pg 50]</span> + +them in into all that He has +prepared for them. To a man who asks me, "How can I enter into the rest?" I +say, first of all, speak this word, "I do believe that there is a rest into +which Jesus, our Joshua, can bring a trusting soul." And if you would +know what the difference is between the two lives—the life you have been +leading, and the life you now want to lead, just look at the wilderness and +Canaan. What are the points of difference? In the wilderness, wandering for +forty years, backward and forward; in Canaan, perfect rest in the land that +God gave them. That is the difference between the life of a Christian who +has, and one who has not entered into Canaan. In wandering backward and +forward; going after the world, and coming back and repenting; led astray +by temptation, and returning only to go off again;—a life of ups and +downs. In Canaan, on the other hand, a life of rest, because the soul has +learned to trust: "God keeps me every hour in His mighty power." There is +the second difference: the life in the wilderness was a life of want; in +Canaan, a life of plenty. In the wilderness there was nothing to eat; there +was often no water. God graciously supplied their wants by + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page48" id="page48"></a>[pg 51]</span> + +the manna, and +the water from the rock. But, alas! they were not content with this, and +their life was one of want and murmurings. But in Canaan God gave them +vineyards that they had not planted, and the old corn of the land was there +waiting for them; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land that lived by +the rain of Heaven and had the very care of God Himself. Oh, Christian, +come and say to-day, "I believe there is a possibility of such a change +out of that life of spiritual death, and darkness, and sadness, and +complaining, that I have often lived, into the land of supply of every +want; where the grace of Jesus is proved sufficient every day, every hour." +Say to-day: "I believe in the possibility that there is such a land of rest +for me."</p> + +<p>And then, the third difference: In the wilderness there was no victory. +When they tried, after they had sinned at Kadesh, to go up against their +enemies, they were defeated. In the land they conquered every enemy; from +Jericho onward, they went from victory to victory. And so God waits, and +Christ waits, and the Holy Spirit waits, to give victory every day; not +freedom from temptation; no, not that; but in union with Christ a power +that can say, "I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me." "We +are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." May God help every +heart to say that.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page49" id="page49"></a>[pg 52]</span> + +<p>Then comes the second step. I want you to say not only, "I believe there is +such a life," but, second, "I have not had it yet." Say that. "I have never +yet got that." Some may say, "I have sought it;" some may say, "I have +never heard about it;" some may say, "At times I thought I had found it, +but I lost it again." Let every one be honest with God.</p> + +<p>And now, will all who have never yet found it honestly, begin to say, +"Lord, up to this time I have never had it?" And why is it of such +consequence to speak thus? Because, dear friends, some people want to glide +into this life of rest gradually; and just quietly to steal in; and God +won't have it. Your life in the wilderness has not only been a life of +sadness to yourself, but of sin and dishonor to God. Every deeper entrance +into salvation must always be by the way of conviction and confession; +therefore, let every Christian be willing to say: "Alas! I have not lived +that life, and I am guilty; I have dishonored God; I have been like Israel; +I have provoked Him to wrath by my unbelief and disobedience. God have +mercy upon me!" Oh, let it go up before God—the secret confession: "I +haven't it; alas! I have not glorified God by a life in the land of rest."</p> + +<p>Then comes the third word I want you to speak and that is: "Thank God, that life is for me." Some + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page50" id="page50"></a>[pg 53]</span> + +say, "I believe there is such a life, but not +for me." There are people who continually say: "Oh, my character is so +unstable; my will is naturally very weak; my temperament is nervous and +excitable, it is impossible for me always to live without worry, resting in +God." Beloved brother, do not say that. You say so only for one reason: You +do not know what your God will do for you. Do begin to look away from self, +and to look up to God, Take that precious word: "He brought them out that +he might bring them in." The God who took them through the Red Sea was the +God who took them through Jordan into Canaan. The God who converted you is +the God who is able to give you every day this blessed life. Oh, begin to +say, with the beginnings of a feeble faith, even before you claim it, begin +even intellectually to say: "It is for me; I do believe that. God does not +disinherit any of His children. What He gives is for every one. I believe +that blessed life is waiting for me. It is meant for me. God is waiting to +bestow it, and to work it in me. Glory be to His blessed name! My soul says +it is for me, too." Oh, take that little word "me," and looking up in the +very face of God dare to say: "This inestimable treasure—it is for me, the +weakest and the unworthiest; it is for me." Have you said that? Say it now: +"This life is possible to me, too."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page51" id="page51"></a>[pg 54]</span> + + +<p>And then comes the next step, and that is: "I can never, by any effort of +mine, grasp it; it is God must bestow it on me." I want you to be very bold +in saying, "It is for me." But then I want you to fall down very low and +say, "I can not seize it; I can not take it to myself." And how can +you then get it? Praise God, if once He has brought you down in the +consciousness of utter helplessness and self-despair, then comes the time +that He can draw nigh and ask you, "Will you trust your God to work this +in you?" Dearly beloved Christians, say in your heart: "I never, by any +effort, can take hold of God, or seize this for myself; it is God must +give it." Cherish this blessed impotence. It is He who brought us out, who +Himself must bring us in. It is your greatest happiness to be impotent. +Pray God by the Holy Spirit to reveal to you this true impotence, and that +will open the way for your faith to say, "Lord, Thou must do it, or it +will never be done." God will do it. People wonder, when they hear so many +sermons about faith, and such earnest pleading to believe, and ask why it +is they can not believe. There is just one answer: It is self. Self is +working; is trying; is struggling, and self must fail. But when you come to +the end of self and can only cry, "Lord, help me! Lord, help me!"—then the +deliverance is nigh; believe that. It was God brought the people in. It is +God who will bring you in.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page52" id="page52"></a>[pg 55]</span> + +<p>One should be willing, for the sake of this rest, to give up everything. +The grace of God is very free. It is given without money and without price. +And yet, on the other hand, Jesus said that every man who wants the pearl +of great price must sacrifice his all, must sell all that he has to buy +that pearl. It is not enough to see the beauty, the attractiveness and the +glory, and almost to taste the gladness and the joy of this wonderful life +as it has been set before you. You must become the possessor, the owner of +the field. The man who found the field with a treasure, and the man who +found the great pearl, were both glad; but they had not yet got it. They +had found it, seen it, desired it, rejoiced in it; but they had not yet got +it. Not until they went and sold all, gave up everything, and bought the +ground, and bought the pearl. Ah, friends, there is a great deal that has +to be given up: the world, its pleasures, its favor, its good opinion. You +are to stand to the world in the same relation as Jesus did. The world +rejected Him, and cast Him out, and you are to take up the position of your +Lord, to whom you belong, and to follow with the rejected Christ. You have +to give up everything. You have to give up all that is good in yourself +and to be humbled in the dust of death. And that is not all. Your past +religious life and experience and successes—you have to give all up and +become + +<!-- The images for the next two pages were missing. The text was taken from a another site. PP1 --> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="none1" id="none1"></a>[pg 56]</span> + +nothing, that God alone may have the glory. God has brought you out +in conversion; it was God's own life given you: but you defiled it with +disobedience and with unbelief. Give it all up. Give up all your own +wisdom, and your own thoughts about God's work. How hard it is for the +minister of the Gospel to give up all his wisdom, and to lay it at the feet +of Jesus, to become a fool and to say: "Lord, I know nothing as I should +know it. I have been preaching the Gospel, and how little I have seen of +the glory of the blessed land, and the blessed life!"</p> + +<p>Why is it that the blessed Spirit can not teach us more effectually? No +reason but this: the wisdom of man prevents it; the wisdom of man prevents +the light of God from shining in. And so we could say of other things; +give up all. Some may have an individual sin to give up. There may be a +Christian man who is angry with his brother. There may be a Christian woman +who has quarreled with her neighbor. There may be friends who are not +living as they should. There may be Christians holding fast some little +doubtful thing, not willing to surrender and leave behind the whole of the +wilderness life and lust. Oh, do take this step and say: "I am ready +to give up everything to have this pearl of great price; my time, my +attention, my business, I count all subordinate to this rest of God as the +first thing in my life; I yield all to walk in perfect fellowship with +God." You can not get that and live every day in perfect fellowship with + +<!-- Estimated location of page break. --> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="none2" id="none2"></a>[pg 57]</span> + +God, without giving up time to it. You take time for everything. How many +hours a day has a young lady spent for years and years that she may become +proficient on the piano? How many years does a young man study to fit +himself for the profession of the law or medicine? Hours, and days, and +weeks, and months, and years, gladly given up to perfect himself for his +profession. And do you expect that religion is so cheap that without giving +time you can find close fellowship with God? You can not. But, oh, my +brothers and sisters, the pearl of great price is worth everything. God is +worth everything. Christ is worth everything. Oh, come to-day, and say, +"Lord, at any cost help me; I do want to live this life." And if you find +it difficult to say this, and if there is a struggle within the heart, +never mind; say to God, "Lord, I thought I was willing, but I see how much +unwillingness there is; come and discover what the evil is still in the +heart." By His grace, if you will lie at His feet and trust Him you may +depend upon it deliverance will come.</p> + +<p>Then comes the next step, and that is to say: "I do now give up myself to +the holy and everlasting God, for Him to lead me into this perfect rest." +Ah, friends, we must learn to meet God face to face. My sin has been +against God. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page53" id="page53"></a>[pg 58]</span> + +David felt that when he said, "Against Thee, Thee only, have +I sinned." It is God on the judgment seat whose face you will have to meet +personally. It is God Himself, personally, who met you to pardon your sins. +Come to-day and put yourself into the hands of the living God. God is love. +God is near. God is waiting to give you His blessing. The heart of God is +yearning over you. "My child," God says, "you think you are longing for +rest; it is I that am longing for you, because I desire to rest in your +heart as My home, as My temple." You need your God. Yes, but your God needs +you, to find the full satisfaction of His Father heart in Christ in you. +Come to-day and say: "I do now give up myself to Christ. I have made the +choice. I deliberately say, 'Lord God, I am the purchaser of the pearl of +great price. I give up everything for it. In the name of Jesus I accept +that life of perfect rest.'"</p> + +<p>And then comes my last thought. When you have said that, then add: "And +now, I trust God to make it all real to me in my experience. Whether I am +to live one year, or thirty years, I have heard it to-day again: 'God is +Jehovah, the great I AM of the everlasting future, the eternal One; and +thirty years hence is to Him just the same as now;' and that God gives +Himself to me, not according to my power to hold Him, but according + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page54" id="page54"></a>[pg 59]</span> + +to His almighty power of love to hold me." +Will you trust God to-day for the +future? Oh, will you look up to God in Christ Jesus once again? A thousand +times you have heard, and thought, and thanked—"God has given us His Son;" +but will you not to-day say, "How shall He not with Him give me all things, +every moment and every day of my life?" Say that in faith. "How shall God +not be willing to keep me in the light of His countenance, in the full +experience of Christ's saving power? Did God make the sun to shine so +brightly, and is the light so willing to pour itself into every nook and +corner where it can find entrance? And will not my God, who is love, be +willing all the day to shine into this heart of mine, from morning to +night, from year's end to year's end?" God is love, and longs to give +Himself to us.</p> + +<p>Oh, come, Christians, you have hitherto lived a life in your own strength. +Will you not begin to-day? Will you not choose a life in which God shall be +all, and in which you rest in Him for all? Will you not choose a life in +which you shall say: "Oh, God, I ask, I expect, I trust Thee for it. I +enter this day into the rest of God to let God keep me; to let God keep me +every hour. I enter into the rest of God." Are you ready to say that? Be of +good courage; fear not, you can trust God. He brings into rest. Listen to +God's word in the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page55" id="page55"></a>[pg 60]</span> + +Prophets once again: "Take heed, and be quiet. Fear not, +neither be faint-hearted." Joshua brought Israel into the land. God did +it through Joshua; and Joshua is Jesus, your Jesus, who washed you in His +blood; your Jesus, whom you have learned to know as a precious Saviour. +Trust Him to-day afresh: "O my Joshua, take me, bring me in and I will +trust Thee, and in Thee the Father." You may count upon it. He will take +you and the work will be done.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page56" id="page56"></a>[pg 61]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE KINGDOM FIRST.</h2> + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Matt 6: 33</i>.—<i>Seek ye first the kingdom of God</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian +work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the Church, the +life of the individual believer and the work to be done among the heathen? +One of the expressions for that unity is: "Seek first the Kingdom of God," +That does not mean, as many people take it, "Seek salvation; seek to get +into the Kingdom, and then thank God, and rest there." Ah, no; the meaning +of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the +Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its Heavenly glory +and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all +other things will be added unto you. "Seek first the Kingdom of God." Let +me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: "Why should the +Kingdom of God be first?" and the other: "How can it be?" The one, "Why +should it be so?" God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the +more clearly we see that according to the law of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page57" id="page57"></a>[pg 62]</span> + +nature, according to +the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an +absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after +it. And now, why does Christ say this: "Seek first the Kingdom of God?" If +you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man. Look at +God. Who is God? The great Being for whom alone the universe exists; in +whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It can not find any +rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that +God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What +would the result be? Every Christian would say, "The more I can have of +God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, +and the more of God's fellowship, the happier." How Christians, if they +believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up +everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so +hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me, "Why is +it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how +can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?" My answer was: "Oh, +my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of +fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight." Yes, if we +believed God to be only joy to the one + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page58" id="page58"></a>[pg 63]</span> + +who comes to Him, only a fountain of +unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! Has not joy a far +stronger attraction than anything in the world? Is it not in every beauty, +or in every virtue, in every pursuit, the joy that is set before us that +draws? And if we believe that God is a fountain of joy, and sweetness, and +power to bless, how our hearts will turn aside from everything, and say: +"Oh, the beauty of my God! I rejoice in Him alone." But, alas! the Kingdom +of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like +a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our +chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what +God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right and more, it is +our highest privilege to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His +Kingdom first and above everything.</p> + +<p>And then look at man again; man's nature. What was man created for? To live +in the likeness of God, and as His image. Now, if we have been created in +the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except +that in which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are the +happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: +Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness +everlasting. "He is Light, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page59" id="page59"></a>[pg 64]</span> + +and in Him is no darkness." The Kingdom, the +domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. "Seek +the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If men but knew what sin is, +and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand +message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. +We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. +What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that +there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never +ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings. +God is Light, and God is Love. And now the message comes to man. Can you +think of a higher nobility; can you think of anything grander than to take +the position that God takes, and to be one with God in His Kingdom; <i>i.e.</i>, +to have His Kingdom fill your heart; to have God Himself as your King and +portion? Yes, my friends, let us remember that we must not just try to get +here and there one and another of the blessings of the Kingdom. But the +glory of the Kingdom is this: that it is the Kingdom of God where God is +all in all. The French Empire, when Napoleon lived, had military glory as +the ideal. Every Frenchman's heart thrilled at the name of Napoleon as the +man who had given the empire its glory. If we realized + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page60" id="page60"></a>[pg 65]</span> + +what it means,—our +God takes us up into His Kingdom and puts His Kingdom into us and with the +Kingdom we have God Himself, that blessed One, possessing us—surely there +would be nothing that could move our hearts to enthusiasm like this. The +Kingdom of God first! Blessed be His name I Look at man. I don't speak +about man's sins, and about man's wretchedness, and about man's seeking +everywhere for pleasure, and for rest, and for deliverance from sin, but +I just say: Think what man is by creation and think what man is now by +redemption; and let every heart say: "It is right. There is no blessedness +or glory like that of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God ought to be first in +my whole life and being."</p> + +<p>But now comes the important question, "How can I attain this?" Here we come +to the great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands +of Christians throughout the world. And it is strange that it is so very +difficult for them to find the answer; that tens of thousands are not able +to give an answer; and others, when the answer + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page61" id="page61"></a>[pg 66]</span> + +is given, can not understand +it; The day the centurion found his joy in being devoted to the Roman +Empire, it took charge of him with all its power and glory. Dear friends, +how are we to attain to this blessed position in which the Kingdom of God +shall fill our hearts with such enthusiasm that it will spontaneously be +first every day? The answer is, first of all give up everything for it. You +have heard of the Roman soldier who gave up his soul, his affection, his +life, who gave up everything, to be a soldier; and you have often seen, in +history ancient and modern, how men who were not soldiers gave up their +lives in sacrifice for a king or a country. You have heard how in the South +African Republic not many years ago the war of liberty was fought. After +three years of oppression by the English the people said they would endure +it no longer, and so they gathered together to fight for their liberty. +They knew how weak they were, as compared with the English power, but they +said, "We must have our liberty." They bound themselves together to fight +for it, and when that vow had been made, they went to their homes to +prepare for the struggle. Such a thrill of enthusiasm passed through that +country that in many cases women, when their husbands might have been +allowed to stay at home, said to them: "No, go, even though you have not +been commanded." And there were mothers who, when one son was called out to +the front, said: "No, take two, three." Every man and woman was ready to +die. It was in very deed "Our country first, before everything." And even +so, friends, must it be with you if you want this wonderful Kingdom of +God to take possession of you. I pray you by the mercies of God, give up +everything + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page62" id="page62"></a>[pg 67]</span> + +for it. You do not know at once what that may mean, but +take the words and speak them out at the footstool of God: "Anything, +everything, for the Kingdom of God." Persevere in that, and by the Holy +Spirit your God will begin to open to you the double blessing: on the one +hand, the blessedness of the Kingdom which comes to possess your heart; +and on the other hand, the blessedness of being surrendered to Him, and +sacrificing and giving up all for Him.</p> + +<p>"The Kingdom of God first!" How am I to reach that blessed life? The answer +is: "Give up everything for it." And then a second answer would be this: +Live every day and hour of your life in the humble desire to maintain that +position. There are people who hear this test, and who say it is true, and +that they want to obey it. But if you were to ask them how much time they +spend with God day by day, you would be surprised and grieved to hear how +little time they give up to Him. And yet they wonder that the blessedness +of the divine life disappears. We prove the value we attach to things by +the time we devote to them. The Kingdom should be first every day, and all +the day. Let the Kingdom be first every morning. Begin the day with God, +and God Himself will maintain His Kingdom in your heart. Do believe that. +Rome did its utmost to maintain the authority of the man who gave himself +to live for + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page63" id="page63"></a>[pg 68]</span> + +it. And God, the living God, will He not maintain His authority +in your soul if you submit to Him? He will, indeed. Come to Him; only come, +and give yourself up to Him in fellowship through Christ Jesus. Seek to +maintain that fellowship with God all the day. Ah, friends, a man cannot +have the Kingdom of God first, and at times, by way of relaxation, throw +it off and seek his enjoyment in the things of this world. People have a +secret idea life will become too solemn, too great a strain; it will be too +difficult every moment of the day, from morning to evening, to have the +Kingdom of God first. One sees at once how wrong it is to think thus. The +presence of the love of God must every moment be our highest joy. Let us +say: "By the help of God, it shall ever be the Kingdom of God first."</p> + +<p>And then, my last remark, in answer to that question, "How can it be?" is +this: it can be only by the power of the Holy Ghost. Let us remember that +God's Word comes to us with the language, "Be filled with the Spirit;" and +if you are content with less of the Spirit than God offers, not utterly +and entirely yielding to be filled with the Spirit, you do not obey the +command. But listen: God has made a wonderful provision. Jesus Christ came +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and proclaimed "The Kingdom is at +hand." "Some," He said, "are standing here who will not see death + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page64" id="page64"></a>[pg 69]</span> + +until +they see the Kingdom come in power." He said to the disciples, "The Kingdom +is within you." And when did the Kingdom come—that Kingdom of God upon +earth? When the Holy Ghost descended. On Ascension Day the King went and +sat down upon the throne at the right hand of God, and the Kingdom of God, +in Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth, was inaugurated. When the Holy +Ghost came down He brought God into the heart, and Christ, and established +the rule of God in power. I am afraid sometimes, that in speaking of the +Holy Spirit we forget one thing. The Holy Spirit is very much spoken of in +connection with power; and it is right that we should seek power. It is not +so much spoken of in connection with the graces. And yet these are always +more important than the gifts of power—the holiness, the humility, the +meekness, the gentleness, and the lovingness; these are the true marks of +the Kingdom. We speak rightly of the Holy Spirit as the only one who can +breathe all this into us. But I think there is a third thing almost more +important, that we forget, and that is: in the Spirit, the Father and the +Son themselves come. When Christ first promised the Holy Spirit, and spoke +about His approaching coming, He said: "In that day ye shall know that I +am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that loveth me keepeth my +commandments; and my + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page65" id="page65"></a>[pg 70]</span> + +Father will love him, and we will come and make our +abode with him." Brother, would you have the Kingdom of God first in your +life, you must have the Kingdom in your hearts. If my heart be set upon a +thing I may be bound with chains, but the moment the chains are loosened I +fly towards the object of my affection and desire. And just so the Kingdom +must be within us, and then it is easy to say: "The Kingdom first." But +to have the Kingdom within us in truth, we must have God the Father, and +Christ the Son, by the Holy Ghost within us too. No Kingdom without the +King.</p> + +<p>You are called to likeness with Christ. Oh, how many Christians strive +after this part and that part of the likeness of Christ, and forget the +root of the whole! What is the root of all? That Christ gave Himself up +utterly to God, and His Kingdom and glory. He gave His life, that God's +Kingdom might be established. Do you the same to-day and give your life to +God to be every moment a living sacrifice, and the Kingdom will come with +power into your heart. Give yourself up to Christ. Let Christ the King +reign in your heart, and the heavenly Kingdom will come there and the +Presence and the Rule of God be known in power. Oh, think of that wonderful +thing that is going to happen in the great eternity. We read of it in 1st +Corinthians: God has entrusted Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page66" id="page66"></a>[pg 71]</span> + +with the Kingdom, but there is coming +a day when Christ shall come Himself again to be subjected unto the Father, +and He shall give up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all, and in +that day Christ shall say before the universe: "This is my glory, I give +back the Kingdom to the Father!" Christians, if your Christ finds His glory +here on earth in dying and sacrificing Himself for the Kingdom and then in +eternity again in giving the Kingdom to God, shall not you and I come to +God to do the same and count anything we have as loss, that the Kingdom of +God may be made manifest, and that God may be glorified.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page67" id="page67"></a>[pg 72]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>CHRIST OUR LIFE.</h2> + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Colossians 3: 4</i>.—<i>Christ who is our life</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>One question that rises in every mind is this: "How can I live that life +of perfect trust in God?" Many do not know the right answer, or the full +answer. It is this: "Christ must live it in me." That is what He became man +for; as a man to live a life of trust in God, and so to show to us how we +ought to live. When He had done that upon earth, He went to heaven, that +He might do more than show us, might give us, and live in us that life of +trust. It is as we understand what the life of Christ is and how it becomes +ours, that we shall be prepared to desire and to ask of Him that He would +live it Himself in us. When first we have seen what the life is, then we +shall understand how it is that He can actually take possession, and make +us like Himself. I want especially to direct attention to that first +question. I wish to set before you the life of Christ as He lived it, that +we may understand what it is that He has for us and that we can expect from +Him. Christ Jesus lived a life upon earth that He expects us + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page68" id="page68"></a>[pg 73]</span> + +literally to +imitate. We often say that we long to be like Christ. We study the traits +of His character, mark His footsteps, and pray for grace to be like Him, +and yet, somehow, we succeed but very little. And why? Because we are +wanting to pluck the fruit while the root is absent. If we want really to +understand what the imitation of Christ means, we must go to that which +constituted the very root of His life before God. It was a life of absolute +dependence, absolute trust, absolute surrender, and until we are one with +Him in what is the principle of His life, it is in vain to seek here or +there to copy the graces of that life.</p> + +<p>In the Gospel story we find five great points of special importance; the +birth, the life on earth, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension. +In these we have what an old writer has called "the process of Jesus +Christ;" the process by which He became what He is to-day—our glorified +King, and our life. In all this life process we must be made like unto Him. +Look at the first. What have we to say about His birth? This: He received +His <i>life from God</i>. What about His life upon earth? He lived that life in +dependence <i>upon God</i>. About His death? He gave up His life <i>to God</i>. About +His resurrection? He was raised from the dead <i>by God</i>. And about His +ascension? He lives His life in glory <i>with God</i>.</p> + +<p>First, He received His life from God. And + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page69" id="page69"></a>[pg 74]</span> + +why is it of consequence that we +should look to that? Because Christ Jesus had in that the starting-point of +His whole life. He said: "The Father sent me;" "The Father hath given the +Son all things;" "The Father hath given the Son to have life in Himself." +Christ received it as His own life, just as God has His life in Himself. +And yet, all the time it was a life given and received. "Because the Father +almighty has given this life unto me, the Son of man on earth, I can count +upon God to maintain it and to carry me through all." And that is the first +lesson we need. We need often to meditate on it, and to pray, and to +think, and to wait before God, until our hearts open to the wonderful +consciousness that the everlasting God has a divine life within us which +can not exist but through Him. I believe God has given His life, it roots +in Him. I shall feel it must be maintained by Him. We often think that God +has given us a life which is now our own, a spiritual life, and that we +are to take charge; and then we complain that we can not keep it right. +No wonder. We must learn to live, learn to live as Jesus did. I have +a God-given treasure in this earthen vessel. I have the light of the +knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I have the life of +God's Son within me given me by God Himself, and it can only be maintained +by God Himself as I live in fellowship with Him.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page70" id="page70"></a>[pg 75]</span> + +<p>What does the Apostle Paul teach us in Romans +VI.; there where he has just told us that we must reckon +ourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus? He goes on at +once to say: "Therefore yield, present yourselves unto God, as those that +are alive from the dead." How often a Christian hears solemn words about +his being alive to God, and his having to reckon himself dead indeed +to sin, and alive to God in Christ! He does not know what to do; he +immediately casts about: "How can I keep it, this death and this life?" +Listen to what Paul says. The moment that you reckon yourself dead to sin +and alive to God, go with that life to God Himself, and present yourself as +alive from the dead, and say to God: "Lord, Thou hast given me this life. +Thou alone canst keep it. I bring it to Thee. I cannot understand all. +I hardly know what I have got, but I come to God to perfect what He has +begun." To live like Christ, I must be conscious every moment that my life +has come from God, and He alone can maintain it.</p> + +<p>Then, secondly, how did Christ live out His life during the thirty-three +years in which He walked here upon earth? He lived it in dependence on God. +You know how continually He says: "The Son can do nothing of Himself. The +words that I speak, I speak not of Myself." He waited unceasingly for the +teaching, and the commands, and the guidance + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page71" id="page71"></a>[pg 76]</span> + +of the Father. He prayed for +power from the Father. Whatever He did, He did in the name of the Father. +He, the Son of God, felt the need of much prayer, of persevering prayer, of +bringing down from heaven and maintaining the life of fellowship with God +in prayer. We hear a great deal about trusting God. Most blessed! And we +may say: "Ah, that is what I want," and we may forget what is the very +secret of all,—that God, in Christ, must work all in us. I not only need +God as an object of trust, but I must have Christ within as the power +to trust; He must live His own life of trust in me. Look at it in that +wonderful story of Paul, the Apostle, the beloved servant of God. He is in +danger of self-confidence, and God in heaven sends that terrible trial in +Asia to bring him down, lest he trust in himself and not in the living God. +God watched over his servant that he should be kept trusting. Remember that +other story about the thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians XII., and think +what that means. He was in danger of exalting himself, and the blessed +Master came to humble him, and to teach him: "I keep thee weak, that thou +mayest learn to trust not in thyself, but in Me." If we are to enter into +the rest of faith, and to abide there; if we are to live the life of +victory in the land of Canaan, it must begin here. We must be broken down +from all self-confidence and learn like Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page72" id="page72"></a>[pg 77]</span> + +to depend absolutely and +unceasingly upon God. There is a greater work to be done in that than we +perhaps know. We must be broken down, and the habit of our souls must be +unceasingly: "I am nothing; God is all. I cannot walk before God as I +should for one hour, unless God keep the life He has given me." What a +blessed solution God gives then to all our questions and our difficulties, +when He says: "My child, Christ has gone through it all for thee. Christ +hath wrought out a new nature that can trust God; and Christ the Living One +in heaven will live in thee, and enable thee to live that life of trust." +That is why Paul said: "Such confidence have we toward God, through +Christ." What does that mean? Does it only mean through Christ as the +mediator, or intercessor? Verily, no. It means much more; through Christ +living in and enabling us to trust God as He trusted Him.</p> + +<p>Then comes, thirdly, the death of Christ. What does that teach us of +Christ's relation to the Father? It opens up to us one of the deepest +and most solemn lessons of Christ life, one which the Church of Christ +understands all too little. We know what the death of Christ means as an +atonement, and we never can emphasize too much that blessed substitution +and bloodshedding, by which redemption was won for us. But let us remember, +that is only half the meaning of His death. The + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page73" id="page73"></a>[pg 78]</span> + +other half is this: just as +much as Christ was my substitute, who died for me, just so much He is +my head, in whom, and with whom, I die; and just as He lives for me, to +intercede, He lives in me, to carry out and to perfect His life. And if I +want to know what that life is which He will live in me, I must look at His +death. By His death He proved that He possessed life only to hold it, +and to spend it, for God. To the very uttermost; without the shadow of a +moment's exception, He lived for God,—every moment, everywhere, He held +life only for His God. And so, if one wants to live a life of perfect +trust, there must be the perfect surrender of his life, and his will, even +unto the very death. He must be willing to go all lengths with Jesus, even +to Calvary. When a boy twelve years of age Jesus said: "Wist ye not that I +must be about my Father's business?" and again when He came to Jordan to be +baptized: "It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." So on through +all His life, He ever said: "It is my meat and drink to do the will of my +Father. I come not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." +"Lo, I am come to do Thy will, O God." And in the agony of Gethsemane, His +words were: "Not my will, but Thine, be done."</p> + +<p>Some one says: "I do indeed desire to live the life of perfect trust; +I desire to let Christ live it in + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page74" id="page74"></a>[pg 79]</span> + +me; I am longing to come to such an +apprehension of Christ as shall give me the certainty that Christ will +forever abide in me; I want to come to the full assurance that Christ, my +Joshua, will keep me in the land of victory." What is needful for that? My +answer is: "Take care that you do not take a false Christ, an imaginary +Christ, a half Christ." And what is the full Christ? The full Christ is the +man who said, "I give up everything to the death that God may be glorified. +I have not a thought; I have not a wish; I would not live a moment except +for the glory of God." You say at once, "What Christian can ever attain +that?" Do not ask that question, but ask, "Has Christ attained it and does +Christ promise to live in me?" Accept Him in His fullness and leave Him to +teach you how far He can bring you and what He can work in you. Make no +conditions or stipulations about failure, but cast yourself upon, abandon +yourself to this Christ who lived that life of utter surrender to God that +He might prepare a new nature which He could impart to you and in which He +might make you like Himself. Then you will be in the path by which He can +lead you on to blessed experience and possession of what He can do for you. +Christ Jesus came into the world with a commandment from the Father that He +should lay down His life, and He lived with that one thought in His bosom +His + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page75" id="page75"></a>[pg 80]</span> + +whole life long. And the one thought that ought to be in the heart +of every believer is this: "I am in the death with Christ; absolutely, +unchangeably given up to wait upon God, that God may work out His purpose +and glory in me from moment to moment." Few attain the victory and the +enjoyment and the full experience at once. But this you can do: Take the +right attitude and as you look to Jesus and what He was, say: "Father, Thou +hast made me a partaker of the divine nature, a partaker of Christ. It +is in the life of Christ given up to Thee to the death, in His power and +indwelling, in His likeness, that I desire to live out my life before +Thee." Death is a solemn thing, an awful thing. In the Garden it cost +Christ great agony to die that death; and no wonder it is not easy to us. +But we willingly consent when we have learned the secret; in death alone +the life of God will come; in death there is blessedness unspeakable. It +was this made Paul so willing to bear the sentence of death in himself; +he knew the God who quickeneth the dead. The sentence of death is on +everything that is of nature. But are we willing to accept it, do we +cherish it? and are we not rather trying to escape the sentence or to +forget it? We do not believe fully that the sentence of death is on us. +Whatever is of nature must die. Ask God to make you willing to believe with +your heart that to die with Christ is the only way to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page76" id="page76"></a>[pg 81]</span> + +live in Him. You ask, +"But must it then be dying every day?" Yes, beloved; Jesus lived every day +in the prospect of the cross, and we, in the power of His victorious life, +being made conformable to His death, must rejoice every day in going down +with Him into death. Take an illustration. Take an oak of some hundred +years' growth. How was that oak born? In a grave. The acorn was planted in +the ground, a grave was made for it that the acorn might die. It died and +disappeared; it cast roots downward, and it cast shoots upward, and now +that tree has been standing a hundred years. Where is it standing? In its +grave; all the time in the very grave where the acorn died; it has stood +there stretching its roots deeper and deeper into that earth in which its +grave was made, and yet, all the time, though it stood in the very grave +where it had died, it has been growing higher, and stronger, and broader, +and more beautiful. And all the fruit it ever bore, and all the foliage +that adorned it year by year, it owed to that grave in which its roots are +cast and kept. Even so Christ owes everything to His death and His grave. +And we, too, owe everything to that grave of Jesus. Oh! let us live every +day rooted in the death of Jesus. Be not afraid, but say: "To my own will I +will die; to human wisdom, and human strength, and to the world I will die; +for it is in the grave of my Lord that His life + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page77" id="page77"></a>[pg 82]</span> + +has its beginning, and its +strength and its glory."</p> + +<p>This brings us to our next thought. First, Christ received life from the +Father; second, Christ lived it in dependence on the Father; third, Christ +gave it up in death to the Father; and now, fourth, Christ received it +again raised by the Father, by the power of the glory of the Father. Oh, +the deep meaning of the resurrection of Christ! What did Christ do when He +died? He went down into the darkness and absolute helplessness of death. He +gave up a life that was without sin; a life that was God-given; a life that +was beautiful and precious; and He said, "I will give it into the hands +of my Father if He asks it;" and He did it; and He was there in the grave +waiting on God to do His will; and because He honored God to the uttermost +in His helplessness, God lifted Him up to the very uttermost of glory and +power. Christ lost nothing by giving up His life in death to the Father. +And so, if you want the glory and the life of God to come upon you, it is +in the grave of utter helplessness that that life of glory will be born. +Jesus was raised from the dead, and that resurrection power, by the grace +of God, can and will work in us. Let no one expect to live a right life +until he lives a full resurrection life in the power of Jesus. Let me state +in a different way what this resurrection means.</p> + +<p>Christ had a perfect life, given by God. The Father + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page78" id="page78"></a>[pg 83]</span> + +said: "Will you give up +that life to me? Will you part with it at my command?" And He parted with +it, but God gave it back to Him in a second life ten thousand times more +glorious than that earthly life. So God will do to every one of us who +willingly consents to part with his life. Have you ever understood it? +Jesus was born twice. The first time He was born in Bethlehem. That was a +birth into a life of weakness. But the second time, He was born from the +grave; He is the "first-born from the dead." Because He gave up the life +that He had by His first birth, God gave him the life of the second birth, +in the glory of heaven and the throne of God. Christians, that is exactly +what we need to do. A man may be an earnest Christian; a man may be a +successful worker; he may be a Christian that has had a measure of growth +and advance; but if he has not entered this fullness of blessing, then he +needs to come to a second and deeper experience of God's saving power; he +needs, just as God brought him out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to come +to a point where God brings him through Jordan into Canaan. Beloved, we +have been baptized into the death of Christ. It is as we say: "I have had +a very blessed life, and I have had many blessed experiences, and God has +done many things for me; but I am conscious there is something wrong still; +I am conscious that this life of rest and victory is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page79" id="page79"></a>[pg 84]</span> + +not really mine." +Before Christ got His life of rest and victory on the throne, He had to die +and give up all. Do you it, too, and you shall with Him share His victory +and glory. It is as we follow Jesus in His death, that His resurrection, +power and joy will be ours.</p> + +<p>And then comes our last point. The fifth step in His wondrous path was: He +was lifted up to be forever with the Father. Because He humbled Himself, +therefore God highly exalted Him. Wherein cometh the beauty and the +blessedness of that exaltation of Jesus? For Himself perfect fellowship +with the Father; for others participation in the power of God's +omnipotence. Yes, that was the fruit of His death. Scripture promises not +only that God will, in the resurrection life, give us joy, and peace that +passeth all understanding, victory over sin, and rest in God, but He will +baptize us with the Holy Ghost; or, in other words, will fill us with the +Holy Ghost. Jesus was lifted to the throne of heaven, that He might there +receive from the Father the Spirit in His new, divine manifestation, to be +poured out in His fullness. And as we come to the resurrection life, the +life in the faith of Him who is one with us, and sits upon the throne—as +we come to that, we too may be partakers of the fellowship with Christ +Jesus as He ever dwells in God's presence, and the Holy Spirit will fill +us, to work in us, and out of us in a way that we have never yet known.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page80" id="page80"></a>[pg 85]</span> + +<p>Jesus got this divine life by depending absolutely upon the Father all His +life long, depending upon Him even down into death. Jesus got that life +in the full glory of the Spirit to be poured out, by giving Himself up in +obedience and surrender to God alone, and leaving God even in the grave to +work out His mighty power; and that very Christ will live out His life in +you and me. Oh, the mystery! Oh, the glory! And oh, the Divine certainty. +Jesus Christ means to live out that life in you and me. What think you, +ought we not to humble ourselves before God? Have we been Christians so +many years, and realized so little what we are? I am a vessel set apart, +cleansed, emptied, consecrated; just standing, waiting every moment for +God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, to work out in me as much of the +holiness and the life of His Son as pleases Him. And until the Church of +Christ comes to go down into the grave of humiliation, and confession, and +shame; until the Church of Christ comes to lay itself in the very dust +before God, and to wait upon God to do something new, and something +wonderful, something supernatural, in lifting it up, it will remain +feeble in all its efforts to overcome the world. Within the Church what +lukewarmness, what worldliness, what disobedience, what sin! How can we +ever fight this battle, or meet these difficulties? The answer is: Christ, +the risen One, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id="page81"></a>[pg 86]</span> + +the crowned One, the almighty One, must come, and live in +the individual members. But we can not expect this except as we die with +Him. I referred to the tree grown so high and beautiful, with its roots +every day for a hundred years in the grave in which the acorn died. +Children of God, we must go down deeper into the grave of Jesus. We must +cultivate the sense of impotence, and dependence, and nothingness, until +our souls walk before God every day in a deep and holy trembling. God keep +us from being anything. God teach us to wait on Him, that He may work in us +all He wrought in His Son, till Christ Jesus may live out His life in us! +For this may God help us!</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" id="page82"></a>[pg 87]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION.</h2> + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Philippians 2: 5-8</i>.—"<i>Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ +Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of +the cross</i>."</blockquote> + +<p>All are familiar with this wonderful passage. Paul is speaking about one +of the most simple, practical things in daily life,—humility; and in +connection with that, he gives us a wonderful exhibition of divine truth. +In this chapter we have the eternal Godhead of Jesus—He was in the form of +God, and one with God. We have His incarnation—He came down, and was found +in the likeness of man. We have his death with the atonement—He became +obedient unto death. We have His exaltation—God hath highly exalted Him. +We have the glory of His Kingdom,—that every knee shall bow, and every +tongue confess Him. And in what connection? Is it a theological study? +No. Is it a description of what Christ is? No; it is in connection with a +simple, downright call to a life of humility in our intercourse with each +other. Our life on earth is linked to all the eternal glory of the Godhead +as revealed in the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id="page83"></a>[pg 88]</span> + +exaltation of Jesus. The very looking to Jesus, the +very bowing of the knee to Jesus, ought to be inseparably connected with a +spirit of the very deepest humility. Consider the humility of Jesus. First +of all, that humility is our salvation; then, that humility is just the +salvation we need; and again, that humility is the salvation which the Holy +Spirit will give us.</p> + +<p>Humility is the salvation that Christ brings. That is our first thought. We +often have very vague,—I might also say visionary—ideas of what Christ +is; we love the person of Christ, but that which makes up Christ, which +actually constitutes Him the Christ, that we do not know or love. If we +love Christ above everything, we must love humility above everything, for +humility is the very essence of His life and glory, and the salvation He +brings. Just think of it. Where did it begin? Is there humility in heaven? +You know there is, for they cast their crowns before the throne of God and +the Lamb. But is there humility on the throne of God? Yes, what was it but +heavenly humility that made Jesus on the throne willing to say: "I will go +down to be a servant, and to die for man; I will go and live as the meek +and lowly Lamb of God?" Jesus brought humility from heaven to us. It +was humility that brought Him to earth, or He never would have come. In +accordance with this, just as Christ became a man in this divine + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>[pg 89]</span> + +humility, +so His whole life was marked by it. He might have chosen another form in +which to appear; He might have come in the form of a king, but He chose the +form of a servant. He made Himself of no reputation; He emptied Himself; +He chose the form of a servant. He said: "The Son of Man is not come to be +ministered unto, to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom +for many." And you know, in the last night, He took the place of a slave, +and girded Himself with a towel, and went to wash the feet of Peter and the +other disciples. Beloved, the life of Jesus upon earth was a life of the +deepest humility. It was this gave His life its worth and beauty in God's +sight. And then His death—possibly you haven't thought of it much in this +connection—but His death was an exhibition of unparalleled humility. "He +humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross." My Lord Christ took a low place all the time of His walk upon +earth; He took a very low place when He began to wash the disciples' feet; +but when He went to Calvary, He took the lowest place there was to be found +in the universe of God, the very lowest, and He let sin, and the curse of +sin, and the wrath of God, cover Him. He took the place of a guilty sinner, +that He might bear our load, that He might serve us in saving us from our +wretchedness, that He might by His precious blood win deliverance for us, +that He might by that blood wash us from our + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>[pg 90]</span> + +stain and our guilt.</p> + +<p>We are in danger of thinking about Christ, as God, as man, as the +atonement, as the Saviour, and as exalted upon the throne, and we form an +image of Christ, while the real Christ, that which is the very heart of His +character, remains unknown. What is the real Christ? Divine humility, bowed +down into the very depths for our salvation. The humility of Jesus is our +salvation. We read, "He humbled Himself, therefore God hath highly exalted +Him." The secret of His exaltation to the throne is this: He humbled +Himself before God and man. Humility is the Christ of God, and now in +Heaven, to-day, that Christ, the Man of humility, is on the throne of God. +What do I see? A Lamb standing, as it had been slain, on the throne; in +the glory He is still the meek and gentle Lamb of God. His humility is the +badge He wears there. You often use that name—the Lamb of God—and you use +it in connection with the blood of the sacrifice. You sing the praise of +the Lamb, and you put your trust in the blood of the Lamb. Praise God for +the blood. You never can trust that too much. But I am afraid you forget +that the word "Lamb" must mean to us two things: it must mean not only a +sacrifice, the shedding of blood, but it must mean to us the meekness of +God, incarnate upon earth, the meekness + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>[pg 91]</span> + +of God represented in the meekness +and gentleness of a little Lamb.</p> + +<p>But the salvation that Christ brought is not only a salvation that flows +out of humility; it also leads to humility. We must understand that this +is not only the salvation which Christ brought; but that it is exactly the +salvation which you and I need. What is the cause of all the wretchedness +of man? Primarily pride; man seeking his own will and his own glory. Yes, +pride is the root of every sin, and so the Lamb of God comes to us in our +pride, and brings us salvation from it. We need above everything to be +saved from our pride and our self-will. It is good to be saved from the +sins of stealing, murdering, and every other evil; but a man needs above +all to be saved from what is the root of all sin, his self-will and +his pride. It is not until man begins to feel that this is exactly the +salvation he needs, that he really can understand what Christ is, and +that he can accept Him as his salvation. This is the salvation that we as +Christians and believers specially need. We know the sad story of Peter and +John; what their self-will and pride brought upon them. They needed to be +saved from nothing except themselves, and that is the lesson which we must +learn, if we are to enter the life of rest. And how can we enter that life, +and dwell there in the bosom of the Lamb of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>[pg 92]</span> + +God, if pride rules? Have we +not often heard complaints of how much there is of pride in the Church of +Christ? What is the cause of all the division, and strife, and envying, +that is often found even among God's saints? Why is it that often in a +family there is bitterness—it may be only for half an hour, or half a day; +but what is the cause of hard judgments and hasty words? What is the cause +of estrangement between friends? What is the cause of evil speaking? What +is the cause of selfishness and indifference to the feelings of others? +Simply this: the pride of man. He lifts himself up, and he claims the right +to have his opinions and judgments as he pleases. The salvation we need +is indeed humility, because it is only through humility that we can be +restored to our right relation to God.</p> + +<p>"Waiting upon God,"—that is the only true expression for the real relation +of the creature to God; to be nothing before God. What is the essential +idea of a creature made by God? It is this: to be a vessel in which He can +pour out His fullness, in which He can exhibit His life, His goodness, His +power, and His love. A vessel must be empty if it is to be filled, and if +we are to be filled with the life of God we must be utterly empty of +self. This is the glory of God, that He is to fill all things, and more +especially His redeemed people. And as this is the glory of the creature, +so this is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id="page88"></a>[pg 93]</span> + +the only redemption, and the only glory of every redeemed soul, +to be empty and as nothing before God; to wait upon Him, and to let God be +all in all.</p> + +<p>Humility has a prominent place in almost every epistle of the New +Testament. Paul says: "Walk with all lowliness and meekness, with +longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The nearer you get to God, and +the fuller of God, the lowlier you will be; and equally before God and man, +you will love to bow very low. We know of Peter's early self-confidence; +but in his epistles what a different language he speaks! He wrote there: +"Let the younger be subject to the elder, and all of you be subject one to +another; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt +you in His own time." He understood, and he dared to preach, humility to +all. It is indeed the salvation we need. What is it that prevents people +from coming to that entire surrender that we speak of? Simply that they +dare not abandon themselves, and trust themselves, to God; that they are +not willing to be nothing, to give up their wishes, and their will, and +their honor to Christ. Shall we not accept the salvation that Jesus +offers? He gave up His own will; He gave up His own honor; He gave up any +confidence in Himself; + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>[pg 94]</span> + +He lived dependent upon God as a servant whom the +Father had sent. There is the salvation we need, the Spirit of humility +that was in Christ.</p> + +<p>What is it that often disturbs our hearts, and our peace? It is pride +seeking to be something. And God's decree is irreversible, "God resisteth +the proud; He gives grace only to the humble." How often Jesus had to speak +to his disciples about it! You will find repeatedly in the Gospel those +simple words: "He that humbleth Himself shall be exalted; he that exalteth +himself shall be humbled." He taught His disciples: "He that would be +chiefest among you, let him be the servant of all." This should be our one +cry before God: "Let the power of the Holy Ghost come upon me, with the +humility of Jesus, that I may take the place that He took." Brother, do you +want a better place than Jesus had? Are you seeking a higher place than +Jesus? Or will you say: "Down, down, as deep as ever I can go. By the help +of God I will be nothing before God; I will be where Jesus was."</p> + +<p>And now comes the third thought,—This is the salvation the Holy Ghost +brings. You know what a change took place in those disciples. Let us praise +God for it; the Holy Spirit means this: the life, the disposition, the +temper, and the inclinations of Jesus, brought down from heaven into our +hearts. That is the Holy Ghost. He has + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page90" id="page90"></a>[pg 95]</span> + +His mighty workings to bestow as +gifts; but the fullness of the Holy Ghost is this: Jesus Christ in His +humility coming to dwell in us. When Christ was teaching His disciples, all +His instructions may have helped in the way of preparation, breaking them +down, and making them conscious of what was wrong, and awakening desire; +but the instruction could not do it, and all their love to Jesus and their +desire to please Him could not do it, until the Holy Ghost came. That is +the promise Christ gave. He says, in connection with the coming of the Holy +Ghost: "I will come again to you." Christ said to His disciples: "I have +been three years with you, and you have been in the closest contact with +me, and I have done the utmost to reach your hearts; I have sought to get +into your hearts, yet I have failed; but fear not, I will come again. In +that day ye shall see me, and your hearts shall rejoice, and no man shall +take your joy from you. I will come again to dwell in you, and live my life +in you." Christ went to heaven that He might get a power which He never had +before. And what was that? The power of living in men. God be praised for +this! It was because Jesus, the humble One, the Lamb of God, the meek, the +lowly and gentle One, came down in the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His +disciples, that the pride was expelled, and that the very breath of Heaven + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>[pg 96]</span> + +breathed through Him in the love that made them one heart and one soul.</p> + +<p>Dear friends, Christ is yours. Christ as He comes in the power of the Holy +Spirit is yours. Are you longing to have Him, to have the perfect Christ +Jesus? Come, then, and see how, amid the glories of His Godhead—His +having been in the form of God, and equal to God; amid the glories of +His incarnation—His having become a man; amid the glories of His +atonement—His having been obedient to death; and amid the glories of His +exaltation, which is the chief and brightest glory, He humbled Himself from +Heaven down to earth and on earth down to the cross. He humbled Himself to +bear the name and show the meekness, and die the death of the Lamb of God. +And what is it we now need to do? How are we to be saved by this humility +of Jesus? It is a solemn question, but, thank God, the answer can be given. +First we must desire it above everything. Let us learn to pray God to +deliver us from every vestige of pride, for this is a cursed thing. Let us +learn to set aside for a time other things in the Christian life, and begin +to plead with the Lamb of God day by day, "O Lamb of God, I know Thy love, +but I know so little of Thy meekness." Come day after day, and lay your +heart against His heart, and say to Him with strong desire: "Jesus, Lamb +of God, give, oh, give me Thyself, with Thy meekness + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>[pg 97]</span> + +and humility," and He +will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him. It is not enough to desire +it and to pray for it; claim and accept it as yours. This humility is given +you in Christ Jesus. Christ is our life. What does that mean? Oh, that God +might give you and me a vision of what that means. The air is our life, and +the air is everywhere, universal. We breathe without difficulty because God +surrounds us with the air; and is the air nearer to me than Christ is? The +sun gives light to every green leaf and every blade of grass, shining hour +by hour and moment by moment. And is the sun nearer to the blade of grass +than Christ is to man's soul? Verily, no; Christ is around us on every +side; Christ is pressing on us to enter, and there is nothing in heaven, +or earth, or hell, that can keep the light of Christ from shining into the +heart that is empty and open. If the windows of your room were closed with +shutters, the light could not enter; it would be on the outside of the +building, streaming and streaming against the shutters; but it could not +enter. But leave the windows without shutters, and the light comes, it +rejoices to come in and fill the room. Even so, children of God, Jesus and +His light, Jesus and His humility, are around you on every side, longing to +enter into your hearts. Come and take Him to-day in His blessed meekness +and gentleness. Do not be afraid of Him; He is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>[pg 98]</span> + +the Lamb of God. He is so +patient with you, He is so kindly towards you, He is so tender and loving. +Take courage to-day and trust Jesus to come into your heart and take +possession of it. And when He has taken possession, there will be a life +day by day of blessed fellowship with Him, and you will feel a necessity +ever deeper for your quiet time with Him, and for worshiping and adoring +Him, and for just sinking down before Him in helplessness and humility, and +saying: "Jesus, I am nothing, and Thou art all." It will be a blessed life, +because you will be conscious of being at the feet of Jesus. At this moment +you can claim Jesus in His divine humility as the life of your soul. Will +you? Will you not open your heart, and say: "Come in; come in?"</p> + +<p>Come to-day, and take Him up afresh in this blessed power of His wonderful +humility, and say to Him: "Oh, Thou who didst say, 'Learn of me, for I am +meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls,' my Lord, +I know why it is that I have not the perfect life; it is my pride, but +to-day, come Thou and dwell in my heart. Thou who didst lead even Peter and +John into the blessedness of Thy heavenly humility; Thou wilt not refuse +me. Lord, here I am; do Thou, who by Thy wonderful humility alone canst +save, come in. O Lamb of God, I believe in Thee; take possession of my +heart, and dwell in me." When + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id="page94"></a>[pg 99]</span> + +you have said that, go out in quiet, and +retire, walking gently as holding the Lamb of God in your heart, and say: +"I have received the Lamb of God; He makes my heart His care; He breathes +His humility and dependence on God in me, and so brings me to God. His +humility is my life and salvation."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page95" id="page95"></a>[pg 100]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE COMPLETE SURRENDER.</h2> +<h3>VIII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Genesis 39: 1-3</i>.—<i>Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an +officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him at the +hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord +was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of +his master, the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>We have in this passage an object lesson which teaches us what Christ is to +us. Note: Joseph was a slave, but God was with him so distinctly that his +master could see it. "And his master saw the Lord was with him, and that +the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hands; and Joseph found grace +in his sight, and he served him,"—that is to say, he was his slave about +his person,—"and he made him overseer over his house,"—that was something +new. Joseph had been a slave, but now he becomes a master. "And he made him +overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hands. And it +came to pass, from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, +and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for +Joseph's + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id="page96"></a>[pg 101]</span> + +sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the +house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and +he knew not all he had, save the bread which he did eat."</p> + +<p>We find Joseph in two characters in the house of Potiphar: first as a +servant and a slave, one who is trusted and loved, but still entirely a +servant; second, as master. Potiphar made him overseer over his house and +his lands, and all that he had, so that we read afterward that he left +everything in his hands, and he knew of nothing except the bread that +came upon his table. I want to call your attention to Joseph as a type of +Christ. We sometimes speak in the Christian life, of entire surrender, and +rightly, and here we have a beautiful illustration of what it is. First, +Joseph was in Potiphar's house to serve him and to help him, and he did +that, and Potiphar learned to trust him, so that he said, "All that I have +I will give into his hands." Now, that is exactly what is to take place +with a great many Christians. They know Christ, they trust Him, they love +Him, but He is not Master, He is a sort of helper. When there is trouble +they come to Him, when they sin they ask Him for pardon in His precious +blood, when they are in darkness they cry to Him; but often and often they +live according to their own will, and they seek help from themselves. But +how blessed is the man who comes and, like Potiphar, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page97" id="page97"></a>[pg 102]</span> + +says, "I will give +up everything to Jesus!" There are many who have accepted Christ as +their Lord, but have never yet come to the final, absolute surrender of +everything. Christians, if you want perfect rest, abiding joy, strength to +work for God, oh, come and learn from that poor heathen Egyptian what you +ought to do. He saw that God was with Joseph and he said, "I will give up +my house to him." Oh, learn you to do that. There are some who have +never yet accepted Christ, some who are seeking after Him, thirsting and +hungering, but they do not know how to find Him.</p> + +<p>Let me direct your attention to four thoughts regarding this surrender to +Christ: First, its motives; second, its measures; third, its blessedness; +lastly, its duration.</p> + +<p>First of all, its motives. What moved Potiphar to do this? I think the +answer is very easy: he was a trusted servant of the king and he had the +king's work to take care of, and he very likely could not take care of +his own house. All his time and attention were required at the court of +Pharaoh. He had his duty there; he was in high honor; but his own house got +neglected. Very likely he had had other overseers, one slave appointed to +rule the others, and perhaps that one had been unfaithful, or dishonest, +and somehow his house was not as he would have it. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page98" id="page98"></a>[pg 103]</span> + +So he buys another +slave, just as he had formerly done, but in this case he sees what he had +never seen before. There is something unusual about the man. He walks +so humbly, he serves so faithfully and so lovingly, and withal so +successfully. Potiphar begins to look into the reason for this, and finally +concludes that God is with him.</p> + +<p>It is a grand thing to have a man with whom God is, to entrust one's +business to. The heathen realized this, and between the need of his own +house and what he saw in Joseph, he decided to make him overseer. I ask +you, do not these two motives plead most urgently that you should say: "I +will make Jesus master over my whole being?" Your house, Christian, your +spiritual life, the dwelling, the temple of God in your heart,—in what +state is that? Is it not often like the temple of old, in Jerusalem, that +had been defiled and made a house of merchandise, and afterwards a den of +thieves? Your heart, meant to be the home of Jesus, is it not often full +of sin and darkness, full of sadness, full of vexation? You have done your +very best to get it changed, and you have called in the help of man, and +the help of means; you have used every method you could think of for +getting it put right; but it will not come right until He whose it is, +comes in to take charge.</p> + +<p>If there is any trouble in your heart, if you are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page99" id="page99"></a>[pg 104]</span> + +in darkness, or in the +power of sin, I bring to you the Son of God, with the promise that He will +come in and take charge. As Potiphar took Joseph, will you not take Jesus? +Has He not proven Himself worthy to be trusted? Come and say, "Jesus shall +have entire charge; He is worthy." Think not only of His Divine power, but +think of His wonderful love; think of His coming from heaven to save you; +think of His dying on Calvary and shedding His blood out of intense love +for you. Oh, think of it; Christ in heaven loves every one who is given to +Him, and whom He has made a child of God. "Having loved His own that were +in the world, He loved them unto the end."</p> + +<p>Must I plead in the name of the love of the crucified Jesus; must I plead +with you Christians, and say, Look at Jesus, the Son of God, your Redeemer, +and ask you to make Him overseer over all? Give Him charge of your temper, +your heart's affections, your thoughts, your whole being, and He will prove +Himself worthy of it. Joseph had been for a time just a common slave, and +with the other slaves had served Pharaoh. Alas! many a Christian has used +Christ for his own advancement and comfort, just as he uses everything in +the world. He uses father and mother, minister, money, and all else the +world will give, to comfort and make him happy; there is danger of his +using Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page100" id="page100"></a>[pg 105]</span> + +Jesus in the same way. But oh, brethren, this is not right. +You are His house, and He has a right to dwell therein. Will you not come +and surrender all, and say, "Lord Jesus, I have made Thee overseer over +all?"</p> + +<p>But now, secondly, the measure of that surrender. We read in the 4th verse: +"All that he had he put into his hands." Then in verse 5: "And it came to +pass from the time that he made him overseer over all that he had"—there +you have it the second time—"the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house, and +the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had"—there the third time. +Then in verse 6: "And he left all that he had"—there you have the words +the fourth time—"in Joseph's hand, and he knew not all he had, save the +bread which he did eat." What do I see here? That Potiphar actually gave +everything into Joseph's hands. He made him master over his slaves. All the +money was put into Joseph's hands, for we read that Potiphar had care of +nothing. When dinner was brought upon the table, he ate of it, and that +was all he knew of what was going on in his house. Is not this entire +surrender?—he gives up everything into the hands of Joseph. Ah, beloved +Christians, I want you to ask yourselves: "Have I done that?" You have +offered more than one consecration prayer, and you have more than once +said: "Jesus, all I have I give + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page101" id="page101"></a>[pg 106]</span> + +to Thee." You have said it, and meant it; +but very probably you did not realize fully what it meant.</p> + +<p>With the word surrender there seems always to be a larger and more +comprehensive meaning. We do not succeed in carrying out our intentions, +and afterward we take back one thing and another until we have lost sight +of our original intention. Beloved Christians, let Christ Jesus have all. +Let Him have your whole heart, with its affections; He Himself loves, with +more than the love of Jonathan. Let Him have your whole heart, saying, +"Jesus, every fiber of my being, ever power of my soul, shall be devoted +to Thee." He will accept that surrender. He spoke a solemn word: "You must +hate father and mother." Say you to-day: "Lord Jesus, the love to father +and mother, to wife and child, to brother and sister, I give up to Thee. +Teach Thou me how to love Thee. I have only one desire, which is to love +Thee. I want to give my whole heart to be full of Thy love."</p> + +<p>But when you have given your heart, there is yet more to give. There is the +head—the brain with its thoughts. I believe Christians do not know how +much they rob Christ of in reading so much of the literature of the world. +They are often so occupied with their newspapers that the Bible gets a very +small place. Oh, friends, I beseech you bring this noble power which God +has given you, the power of a mind that can think heavenly, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page102" id="page102"></a>[pg 107]</span> + +eternal, and +infinite things, and lay it at the feet of Jesus, saying, "Lord Jesus, +every faculty of my being I want to surrender to Thee, that Thou shouldst +teach me what to think, and how to think, for Thee and Thy Kingdom." Bless +God, there are men who have given their intellect to Jesus, and it has been +accepted by Him. And in this connection there is my whole outer life. There +is my relation to society, my position among men, my intercourse in my own +home, with friends and family; there is my money, my time, my business; all +these should be put in the hands of Jesus. One cannot know beforehand the +blessedness of this surrender, but blessed it surely is. Come, because He +is worthy; come because you know you can not keep things right yourself, +and make Christ master over all you have. Give father and mother, wife and +child, house and land, and money, all to Jesus, and you will find that in +giving all you receive it back an hundred fold.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, look at the blessing of the entire surrender. You have here the +remarkable words: "And it came to pass from the time that Potiphar made +Joseph overseer over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's +house for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he +had in the house, and in the field." I ask you Christians, If God did this +to that heathen man, because he honored Joseph; if God, for + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page103" id="page103"></a>[pg 108]</span> + +Joseph's sake, +blessed that Egyptian in this wonderful way, may a Christian not venture to +say: "If I put my life into the hands of Jesus, I am sure God will bless +all that I have?" Oh, dare to say it. Potiphar trusted Joseph implicitly +and absolutely, and there was prosperity everywhere, because God was with +Joseph. Beloved friends, if you but surrender everything, depend upon it, +the blessing from that time will be yours. There will be a blessing within +your own inner life, and a blessing in your outer life. He blessed Potiphar +in the house, in the field, everywhere.</p> + +<p>Oh, Christian, what is that blessing you will get? I can not tell all, but +I can tell you this: if you will come to Christ Jesus and surrender all, +the blessing of God will be on all that you have. There will be a blessing +for your own soul. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is +stayed on Thee." Try that; trust Jesus for everything, and trust everything +to Him, and the blessing of God will come upon you—the sweet rest, the +rest of faith. It is all in the hands of Jesus; He will guide you; He will +teach you; He will work in you; He will keep you; He will be everything to +you. What a blessed rest and freedom from responsibility and from care, +because it is all in the hands of Jesus! I do not say trouble and trial +will never come; but in the midst of trial and trouble you will have the +all-sufficiency of the presence of Jesus to be your comfort, your + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page104" id="page104"></a>[pg 109]</span> + +help, and +your guide. Joseph was sold by his brethren, but he saw God in it, and he +was quite content. Christ was betrayed by Judas, condemned by Caiaphas, and +given over to execution by Pilate; but in all that, Christ saw God, and +He was content. Give over your life, in all its phases, into the hands of +Jesus; remembering that the very hairs of your head are numbered, and not a +sparrow falls to earth without the Father's notice. Consent now and say: "I +will give up everything into the hands of Jesus. Whatever happens is His +will regarding me. Whether He comes in the light or in the dark, in the +storm or on the troubled sea, I will rest in that blessed assurance. I give +up my whole life entirely to Him."</p> + +<p>In reading the Book of Jonah, we find God's hand in each step of Jonah's +experience. It was God who sent the storm when Jonah went aboard the ship, +who appointed a whale to swallow him, who ordered the whale to cast him +out; and then afterwards it was God who caused the hot wind to blow when +the sun was sending down its scorching rays, until the soul of Jonah was +grieved, and made the gourd to grow, and sent the worm to kill the gourd, +and set a sea-wind to dry the gourd up quickly. Do we not thus see that +every circumstance of our living, every comfort and every trial, comes from +God in Christ? There is nothing can touch a hair of my head. Not a sharp +word + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page105" id="page105"></a>[pg 110]</span> + +comes against me; not an unexpected flurry surrounds me, but it is all +Jesus. With my life in His hands, I need care for nothing. I can be content +with what Jesus gives.</p> + +<p>God blessed Potiphar in the field; in the visible life outside of his +house; and God will bless you, that, in your intercourse with men, you may +be a blessing; that by your holy, humble, respectful, quiet walk, you may +carry comfort; that by your loving readiness to be a servant and a helper +to all, you may prove what the Spirit of God has done within you. Oh, my +brother, my sister, you have no conception of it,—I have not—how God is +willing to bless the soul utterly given up to Jesus. God can delight in +nothing but Jesus. God delights infinitely in Jesus. God longs to see +nothing in us but Jesus, and if I give up my heart and life to Jesus, and +say, "My God, I want that Thou shouldst see in me nothing but Jesus," then +I bring to the Father the sacrifice that is the most acceptable of all. +Oh, believers, come to-day; come out of all your troubles, and all your +self-efforts and your self-confidence, and let the blessed Son of God +take possession.</p> + +<p>Let me direct your thoughts, lastly, to the duration of this surrender. I +want to emphasize this—because in many cases the surrender does not last. +Some go away, and for a time have much gladness and joy, but it soon begins +to decrease, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page106" id="page106"></a>[pg 111]</span> + +and in a few weeks or perhaps months is all gone. Others who +do not lose it entirely, complain sadly at times, that it goes away and +comes again. They say: "My life has been very much blessed since that +surrender I made to God, but it has not always been on the same level." +What did Potiphar do? We read in the 4th verse: "He made him overseer over +his house, and all that he had he left in Joseph's hands." What a simple +word! He left it there.</p> + +<p>And oh, children of God, if you will only get to that point and say, "For +all eternity I leave it in the hands of Jesus," you will find what a +blessing it is. Potiphar found now that he could do the king's business +with two hands and an undivided heart. I might try to rescue a drowning man +by holding fast somewhere with one hand, while I reached out the other hand +to the man, but it is a grand thing for a person to be able to stretch out +both hands, and that person is the one who has left all with Jesus—all his +inner life, all his cares and troubles, and has given himself up entirely +to do the will of God. Will you leave it there? I must press this, because +I know temptations will come. One temptation will be that the feelings you +had in your act of surrender will pass away; they will not be so bright; +another, that circumstances will tempt you. Beloved, temptations will come; +God means it for your good. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page107" id="page107"></a>[pg 112]</span> + +Every temptation brings you a blessing. Do +understand that. Learn the lesson of giving up everything to Jesus, and +letting Jesus take charge of everything. Leave all with Jesus. Do not think +that by a surrender to-day or on any day, however powerful, however mighty, +things will keep right themselves. You need every morning afresh, when +God wakes you up out of sleep, to put your heart, and your life, and your +house, and your business, into the hands of Jesus. Wait on Him, if need be, +in silence, or in prayer, until He gives you the assurance, "My child, for +to-day all is safe; I take charge." And morning by morning He will renew to +you the blessing, and morning by morning you will go out from your quiet +time in the consciousness, "To-day I have had fellowship with my King, and +it is all right." Jesus has taken charge. And so, day by day, you can have +grace to leave all in the hands of Jesus.</p> + +<p>In conclusion let me speak to two classes. There are times when your heart +is restless; there are times when you are afraid to die.</p> + +<p>There are some true believers who have perhaps never yet understood that it +was their duty to give up everything to Christ. Beloved fellow Christians, +I come with a message from your Father, to come and to-day take that word +into your hearts and upon your lips, even though you do not understand it. +"Jesus, I make Thee Master of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page108" id="page108"></a>[pg 113]</span> + +everything and I will wait at Thy feet, that +Thou wilt show me what Thou wouldst have me be and do." Do it now. And +let me say to believers who have done it before, and who long with an +unutterable longing to do it fully and perfectly,—Child of God, you can +do it, for the Holy Spirit has been sent down from Heaven for this one +purpose, to glorify Jesus; to glorify Jesus in your heart, by letting you +see how perfectly Jesus can take possession of the whole heart; to glorify +Jesus by bringing Him into your very life, that your whole life may shine +out with the glory of Jesus. Depend upon it, the Father will give it to you +by the Holy Spirit, if you are ready. Oh, come, and let your intercourse +with God be summed up in a simple prayer and answer—"My God, as much as +Thou wilt have of me to fill with Christ, Thou shalt have to-day." "My +child, as much of Christ as thy heart longeth to have, thou shalt have; for +it is My delight that My Son be in the hearts of My children."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page109" id="page109"></a>[pg 114]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>DEAD WITH CHRIST.</h2> +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Gal. 2: 20</i>.—<i>I am crucified with Christ</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The Revised Version properly has the above text "I have been crucified +with Christ." In this connection, let us read the story of a man who was +literally crucified with Christ. We may use all the narrative of Christ's +work upon earth in the flesh as a type of His spiritual work. Let us take +in this instance the story of the penitent thief, Luke 23: 39-43, for I +think we may learn from him how to live as men who are crucified with +Christ. Paul says: "I have been crucified with Christ." And again: "God +forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, +through whom I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me." We +often ask earnestly: How can I be free from the self life? The answer is, +"Get another life." We often speak about the power of the Holy Spirit +coming upon us, but I doubt if we fully realize that the Holy Spirit is a +heavenly life come to expel the selfish, and fleshly, and the earthly life. +If we want, in very deed, to enjoy fully the rest that there is in Jesus, +we + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page110" id="page110"></a>[pg 115]</span> + +can only have it as He comes in, in the power of His death, to slay what +is in us of nature, and to take possession, and to live His own life in the +fullness of the Holy Ghost. God's Word takes us to the cross of Christ, and +it teaches us about that cross, two things. It tells us that Christ died +<i>for</i> sin. We understand what that means, that in His atonement He died as +I never die, as I never can die, as I never need die; He died for sin and +for me. But what gave His death such power to atone? It was this: the +spirit in which He died, not the physical suffering, not the external act +of death, but the spirit in which He died. And what was that spirit? He +died <i>unto</i> sin. Sin had tempted Him, and surrounded Him, and had brought +Him very nigh to saying, "I cannot die." In Gethsemane He cried: "Father, +is it not possible that the cup pass from me?" But God be praised, He gave +up His life rather than yield to sin. He died to sin, and in dying He +conquered. And now, I can not die for sin like Christ, but I can and I must +die to sin like Christ. Christ died for me. In that He stands alone. Christ +died to sin, and in that I have fellowship with Him. I have been crucified, +I am dead.</p> + +<p>And here is the great subject to which I want to lead you.—What it is to +be dead with Christ, and how it is that I can practically enter into this +death with Christ. We know that the great characteristic + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page111" id="page111"></a>[pg 116]</span> + +of Christ is His +death. From eternity He came with the commandment of the Father that He +should lay down His life on earth. He gave Himself up to it, and He set His +face towards Jerusalem. He chose death, and He lived and walked upon earth +to prepare Himself to die. His death is the power of redemption; death gave +Him His victory over sin; death gave Him His resurrection, His new life, +His exaltation, and His everlasting glory. The great mark of Christ is His +death. Even in Heaven, upon the throne, He stands as the Lamb that was +slain, and through eternity they ever sing, "Thou art worthy, for Thou +wast slain." Beloved brother, your Boaz, your Christ, your all-sufficient +Saviour, is a Man of whom the chief mark and the greatest glory is this: He +died. And if the Bride is to live with her husband as His wife, then she +must enter into His state, and into His spirit, and into His disposition, +and ever be as He is. If we are to experience the full power of what Christ +can do for us, we must learn to die with Christ. I ought not, perhaps, to +use that expression, "We must learn to die with Christ;" I ought, rather, +to say, "We must learn that we <i>are dead</i> with Christ." That is a glorious +thought in the 6th chapter of Romans; to every believer in the Church of +Rome—not to the select ones, or the advanced ones, but to every believer +in the Church of Rome, however + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page112" id="page112"></a>[pg 117]</span> + +feeble, Paul writes, "You <i>are dead</i> with +Christ." On the strength of that he says, "Reckon yourselves dead unto +sin." What does that mean—You are dead to sin? We can not see it more +clearly than by referring to Adam. Christ was the second Adam. What +happened in the first Adam? I died, in the first Adam; I died to God; I +died in sin. When I was born, I had in me the life of Adam, which had all +the characteristics of the life of Adam after he had fallen. Adam died to +God, and Adam died in sin, and I inherit the life of Adam, and so I am dead +in sin as he was, and dead unto God. But at the very moment I begin to +believe in Jesus, I become united to Christ, the second Adam, and as really +as I am united by my birth to the first Adam, I am made partaker of the +life of Christ. What life? That life which died unto sin on Calvary, and +which rose again; therefore God by his apostle tells us: "Reckon yourselves +indeed dead unto sin and alive unto God in Christ Jesus." You are to reckon +it as true, because God says it—for your new nature is indeed, in virtue +of your vital union to Christ, actually and utterly dead to sin.</p> + +<p>If we want to have the real Christ that God has given us, the real Christ +that died for us, in the power of His death and resurrection, we must take +our stand here. But many Christians do not understand what the 6th chapter +of the Epistle to the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page113" id="page113"></a>[pg 118]</span> + +Romans teaches us. They do not know that they are +dead to sin. They do not know it, and therefore Paul instructs them: "Know +ye not that as many of you as are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized +into His death." How can we who are dead to sin in Christ live any longer +therein? We have indeed the death and the life of Christ working within +us. But, alas! most Christians do not know this, and therefore do not +experience or practice it. They need to be taught that their first need is +to be brought to the recognition, to the knowledge, of what has taken place +in Christ on Calvary, and what has taken place in their becoming united +to Christ. The man must begin to say, even before he understands it, "In +Christ I am dead to sin." It is a command: "Reckon ye yourselves indeed to +be dead unto sin." Get hold of your union to Christ; believe in the new +nature within you, that spiritual life which you have from Christ, a life +that has died and been raised again. A man's acts are always in accordance +with his idea of his state. A king acts like a king, otherwise we say, +"That man has forgotten his kingship," but if a man is conscious of being +a king, he behaves like a king. And so I cannot live the life of a true +believer unless I am filled with a consciousness of this every day: "I +thank God that I am dead in Christ. Christ died unto sin, and I am united +with Christ, and Christ lives in me and + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page114" id="page114"></a>[pg 119]</span> + +I am dead to sin." What is the life +Christ lives in me? Ask what is the life Adam lives in me? Adam lives in me +the death life, a life that has fallen under the power of sin and death, +death to God. That life Adam lives in me by nature as an unconverted man. +And Christ, the second Adam, has come to me with a new life, and I now live +in His life, the death-life of Christ. As long as I do not know it, I can +not act according to it, though it be in me. Praise God, when a man begins +to see what it is, and begins in obedience to say, "I will do what God's +Word says; I am dead, I reckon myself dead," he enters upon a new life. On +the strength of God's everlasting Word, and your union to Christ, and the +great fact of Calvary, reckon, know yourself as dead indeed unto sin. A man +must see this truth; this is the first step. The second is—he must accept +it in faith. And what then? When he accepts it in faith, then there comes +in him a struggle, and a painful experience, for that faith is still very +feeble, and he begins to ask, "But why, if I am dead to sin, do I commit so +much sin?" And the answer God's Word gives is simply this: You do not allow +the power of that death to be applied by the Holy Spirit. What we need is +to understand that the Holy Spirit came from Heaven, from the glorified +Jesus, to bring His death and His life into us. The two are inseparably +connected. That + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page115" id="page115"></a>[pg 120]</span> + +Christ died, He died unto sin, and that He liveth, He +liveth unto God. The death and the life in Him are inseparable; and even so +in us the life to God in Christ is inseparably connected with the death to +sin. And that is what the Holy Ghost will teach us and work in us. If I +have accepted Christ in faith by the Holy Ghost, and yield myself to +Him, Christ every day keeps possession, and reveals the full power of +my fellowship in His death and life in my heart. To some this comes +undoubtedly in one moment of supreme power and blessing; all at once they +see and accept it, and enter in, and there is death to sin as a Divine +experience. It is not that the tendency to evil is rooted out. No; but the +power of Christ's death keeps from sin, and destroys the power of sin; the +power of Christ's death can be manifested in the Holy Spirit's unceasingly +mortifying the deeds of the body.</p> + +<p>Some one asks me if there is still growth needed. Undoubtedly. By the Holy +Spirit a man can now begin to live and grow, deeper and deeper, into the +fellowship of Christ's death. New things are discovered by him in spheres +of which he never thought. A man may at times be filled with the Holy +Ghost, and yet there may be great imperfections in him. Why? For this +reason: because his heart, perhaps, had not been fully prepared by a +complete discovery of sin. There + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page116" id="page116"></a>[pg 121]</span> + +may be pride, or self-consciousness, or +forwardness, or other qualities of this nature which he has never noticed. +The Holy Spirit does not always cast these out at once. No. There are +different ways of entering into the blessed life. One man enters into the +blessed life with the idea of power for service; another with the idea of +rest from worry and weariness; another with the idea of deliverance from +sin. In all these aspects there is something limited, and therefore every +believer is to give himself up after he knows the power of Christ's death, +and say continually: "Lord Jesus, let the power of Thy death work through, +let it penetrate my whole being." As the man gives himself unreservedly up, +he will begin to bear the marks of a crucified man. The apostle says: "I +have been crucified," and he lives like a crucified man.</p> + +<p>What are the marks of a crucified man? The first is, deep, absolute +humility. Christ humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the +death of the cross. When the death to sin begins to work mightily, that is +one of its chief and most blessed proofs. It breaks a man down, down, and +the great longing of his heart is, "Oh, that I could get deeper down before +my God, and be nothing at all, that the life of Christ might be exalted. I +deserve nothing but the cursed cross; I give myself over to it." Humility +is one of the great marks of a crucified man.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page117" id="page117"></a>[pg 122]</span> + +<p>Another mark is impotence, helplessness. When a man hangs +on the cross, he is utterly helpless, he can do nothing. As long as we +Christians are strong, and can work, or struggle, we do not get into the +blessed life of Christ; but when a man says, "I am a crucified man, I am +utterly helpless, every breath of life and strength must come from my +Jesus," then we learn what it is to sink into our own impotence, and say, +"I am nothing."</p> + +<p>Still another mark of crucifixion is restfulness. Yes. Christ was +crucified, and went down into the grave, and we are crucified and buried +with Him. There is no place of rest like the grave; a man can do nothing +there, "My flesh shall rest in hope," said David, and said the Messiah. +Yes, and when a man goes down into the grave of Jesus, it means this: that +he just cries out, "I have nothing but God, I trust God; I am waiting upon +God; my flesh rests in Him; I have given up everything, that I may rest, +waiting upon what God is to do to me." Remember, the crucifixion, and the +death, and the burial are inseparably one. And remember the grave is the +place where the mighty resurrection power of God will be manifested. +And remember those precious words in the 11th of John: "Said I not unto +thee"—when did Christ say that? It was at the grave of Lazarus—"that if +thou believest, thou shalt see the glory of God?" Where shall I see the +glory of God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page118" id="page118"></a>[pg 123]</span> + +most brightly? Beside the grave. Go down into death believing, +and the glory of God will come upon thee, and fill thy heart.</p> + +<p>Dear friends, we want to die. If we are to live in the rest, and the peace, +and the blessedness of our great Boaz; if we are to live a life of joy and +of fruitfulness, of strength and of victory, we must go down into the grave +with Christ, and the language of our life must be: "I am a crucified +man. God be praised, though I have nothing but sin in myself, I have an +everlasting Jesus, with His death and His life, to be the life of my soul."</p> + +<p>How can I enter into this fellowship of the cross? We find an illustration +in the story of the penitent thief. Thomas said, before Christ's death, +"Let us go and abide with Him." And Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go +with Thee to prison, or to death." But the disciples all failed, and our +Lord took a man who was the offscouring of the earth, and he hung him upon +the cross of Calvary beside Himself, and He said to Peter, and to all: "I +will let you see what it is to die with Me." And He says that word to-day, +to the weakest and the humblest; if you are longing to know what it is to +enter into death with Jesus, come and look at the penitent thief. And what +do we see there? First of all, we see there the state of a heart prepared +to die with Christ. We see in that penitent thief, a humble, whole-hearted + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page119" id="page119"></a>[pg 124]</span> + +confession of sin. There he hung upon the cursed tree, and the multitudes +were blaspheming that man beside him, but he was not ashamed publicly to +make confession: "I am dying a death that I have deserved; I am suffering +justly; this cross is what I have deserved." Here is one of the reasons why +the Church of Christ enters so little into the death of Christ; men do not +want to believe that the curse of God is upon everything in them that has +not died with Christ. People talk about the curse of sin, but they do not +understand that the whole nature has been infected by sin, and that the +curse is on everything. My intellect, has that been defiled by sin? +Terribly, and the curse of sin is on it, and therefore my intellect must go +down into the death. Ah, I believe that the Church of Christ suffers more +to-day from trusting in intellect, in sagacity, in culture, and in mental +refinement, than from almost anything else. The Spirit of the world comes +in, and men seek by their wisdom, and by their knowledge, to help the +Gospel, and they rob it of its crucifixion mark. Christ directed Paul to go +and preach the Gospel of the cross, but to do it not with wisdom of words. +The curse of sin is on all that is of nature. If there be a minister who +has delighted in preaching, who has done his very best, who has given his +very best in the way of talent and of thought, and who asks, "Must that +go down into + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page120" id="page120"></a>[pg 125]</span> + +the grave?" I say, "Yes, my brother, the whole man must be +crucified." And so with the heart's affection. What is more beautiful than +the love of a child to his mother? In that lovely nature there is something +unsanctified, and it must be given up to die. God will raise it from the +dead and give it back again, sanctified and made alive unto God. So I might +go through the whole of our life. People often say to me: "But has God made +all things so beautiful, and is it not right that we should enjoy them? Are +not His gifts all good?" I answer, yes, but remember what it says; they are +good, if sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. The curse of sin is on +them; the blight of sin is on everything most beautiful, and it takes much +of God's Word, and much of prayer to sanctify them. It is very hard to give +up a thing to the death, and it is hardest of all to give up my life to the +death, and I never will until I have learned that everything about that +life is stamped by sin, and let it go down into the death as the only way +to have it quickened and sanctified.</p> + +<p>The penitent thief confessed his sin, and that he deserved death. Then, +next, he had faith in the almighty power of Christ. A wonderful faith. It +has no parallel in the Bible. There hangs the cursed malefactor with Jesus +of Nazareth, and he dares speak, and say: "I am dying here, under the just +curse of my sins, but I believe Thou + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page121" id="page121"></a>[pg 126]</span> + +canst take me into Thy heart, and +remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." Oh, that we might learn to +believe in the almighty power of Christ! That man believed that Christ was +a King, and had a Kingdom, and that He would take him up in His arms, and +in His heart, and remember him when He came into His Kingdom. He believed +that, and believing that, he died. Brother, you and I need to take time to +come to a much larger and deeper faith in the power of Christ, that the +almighty Christ will indeed take us in His arms and carry us through this +death life, revealing the power of His death in us. I cannot live it +without personal contact with Christ every hour of the day. Christ must do +it; Christ can do it. Come therefore and say: "Is He not the Almighty One; +did He not come from the throne of God; did He not prove His omnipotence, +and did the Father not prove it when He rose from the dead?" Would you be +afraid, now that Christ is on the throne, of doing what the malefactor did +when Christ was upon the cross, and entrusting yourself to Him to live as +one dead with Him? Christ will carry you through the very process He went +through; will make His death work in you every day of your life.</p> + +<p>I note one thing more in the penitent thief—his prayer. There was his +conviction of sin, and his faith, but there was, further, the utterance of +his + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page122" id="page122"></a>[pg 127]</span> + +faith in prayer. He turned to Jesus. Remember that the whole world, +with perhaps the exception of Mary and the women, was turned against Christ +that day. Of the whole world of men as far as I know, there was but that +one praying to Christ. Do not wait to see what others do; if you wait for +that,—alas! I desire to say it in love and tenderness,—you will not find +much company in the Church of Christ. Pray incessantly: "Lord Christ, let +the power of Thy death come into me." For God's sake, pray the prayer. If +you want to live the life of Heaven, there must be death to sin in the +power of Jesus. There must be personal entrustment of the soul into His +death to sin, personal acceptance of Jesus to do the mighty work.</p> + +<p>We have seen what the preparation is on the part of this man; let us look, +secondly, at how Christ met him. He met him, you know, with that wonderful +promise, with its three wonderful parts: "To-day shalt thou be with me in +Paradise." A promise of fellowship with Christ,—"Thou shalt be with me;" +a promise of rest in eternity, in the Paradise from which sin had cast man +out,—"With me in Paradise;" a promise of immediate blessing,—"To-day +shalt thou be with Me." With that three-fold blessing Jesus comes to you +and me, and He says: "Believer, are you longing to live the Paradise life, +where I give souls to eat of the Tree + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page123" id="page123"></a>[pg 128]</span> + +of Life, in the Paradise of God, day +by day? Are you longing for that uninterrupted communion with God that +there was in Paradise before Adam fell? Are you longing for perfect +fellowship with me, longing to live where I am living, in the love of the +Father? To-day, to-day; even as the Holy Ghost says: 'To-day shalt thou +be with me!' Longest thou for Me? I long more for thee. Longest thou for +fellowship? I long unceasingly for thy fellowship, for I need thy love, +my child, to satisfy my heart. Nothing can prevent My receiving thee into +fellowship. I have taken possession of Heaven for thee, as the Great High +Priest, that thou mightest live the Heavenly life, that thou mightest have +access into the holiest of all and an abiding dwelling place there. To-day, +if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of +the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief +is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the +closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth +during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful +fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of +God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on +the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the +cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page124" id="page124"></a>[pg 129]</span> + +<p>And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a +ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and +all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given, +"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are +things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life; +but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go." +Thou needst not understand all. It may not be perfectly clear; the heart +may appear dull, but never mind; Jesus carried that penitent thief through +death to life. The thief did not know where he was going, he did not know +what was to happen, but Jesus, the mighty conqueror, took him in His arms, +and landed him, in his ignorance, in Paradise. Oh, I have sometimes said +in my soul, bless God for the ignorance of that penitent thief. He knew +nothing about what was going to happen, but he trusted Christ; and if I can +not understand all about this crucifixion with Christ, and the death to +sin, and the life to God, and the glory that comes into the heart, never +mind, I trust my Lord's promise, I cast myself helpless into His arms, I +maintain my position on the cross. Given up to Jesus, to die with Him, I +can trust Him to carry me through.</p> + +<p>Shall we not each one take the blessed opportunity of doing what Ruth did +when she, in obedience to the advice of her mother, just cast + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page125" id="page125"></a>[pg 130]</span> + +herself at +the feet of the great Boaz, the Redeemer, to be His? Shall we not come into +personal contact with Jesus, and shall not each one of us just speak before +the world these simple words: "Lord, here is this life; there is much in it +still of self, and sinfulness, and self-will, but I come to Thee; I long to +enter fully into Thy death; I long to know fully that I have been crucified +with Thee; I long to live Thy life every day." Then say: "Lord Jesus, I +have seen Thy glory, what Thou didst for the penitent one at Thy side on +the cross; I am trusting Thee, that Thou wilt do it for me. Lord, I cast +myself into Thy arms."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page126" id="page126"></a>[pg 131]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST.</h2> +<h3>X.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Romans 14: 17.</i>—<i>For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but +righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>In this text we have the earthly revelation of the work of the Trinity. The +Kingdom of God is righteousness; that represents the work of the Father. +The foundations of His throne are justice and judgment. Then comes the work +of the Son: He is our peace, our Shiloh, our rest. The Kingdom of God is +peace; not only the peace of pardon for the past, but the peace of perfect +assurance as to the future. Not only the work of atonement is finished, but +the work of sanctification is finished in Christ, and I may receive and +enjoy what is prepared for me. The new man has been created, and I may in +Him live out my life; if a kingdom is established in righteousness, if the +rule is perfect, there can be perfect rest. If there be peace, no war +from without, and no civil dissension within, a nation can be happy and +prosperous. And so there comes here, after righteousness and peace, the +joy, the blessed happiness in which a man can live; "The + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page127" id="page127"></a>[pg 132]</span> + +Kingdom of God is +righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." May we regard this joy +of the Holy Ghost, not only as a beautiful thing to admire, not only as a +thing to have beautiful thoughts about, but as a blessing that we are going +to claim.</p> + +<p>We often see a fruiterer's or confectioner's shop, with beautiful fruit or +cake temptingly displayed in the window. There is a great pane of plate +glass before it, and the hungry little boys stand there and look, and long, +but they cannot reach it. If you were to say to one, "Now, little boy, take +that fruit," he would look at you in surprise. He has learned that there is +something between. If he had never known of glass he might attempt it. The +plate glass is sometimes so clear that even a grown man might for a moment +be deceived and stretch out his hand. But he soon finds there is something +invisible between him and the fruit. This represents exactly the life of +many Christians; they see, but they cannot take. And what now is this +invisible pane of plate glass, that hinders my taking the beautiful things +I see? It is nothing but the self-life; I see divine things but cannot +reach them, the self-life is the invisible plate glass. We are willing, we +are working, we are striving, and yet we are holding back something; we are +afraid to give up everything to God. We do not know what the consequences +may be. We have not yet + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page128" id="page128"></a>[pg 133]</span> + +comprehended that God and Christ Jesus are worth +everything. Whatever is told us of the blessed life of peace and joy, we +say, "Praise God; God's Word is true; I believe the Word;" and yet, day by +day, we stand back. When some one says, "Take it," we say, "I can't take +it; there is something between." Would we were willing to give up the +self-life; would we had the courage to give up to-day, and let the joy of +the Holy Ghost be our religion. That is the religion God has prepared for +us; that is the religion we can claim; not only righteousness, not only +peace, but the joy of the Holy Ghost. That is the Kingdom of God.</p> + +<p>What is this joy? First of all, it is the joy of the presence of Jesus. +We are often inclined to speak most of two other things, the power for +sanctification, and the power for service. But I find there is a thing more +important than either of those two, and that is that the Holy Ghost came +from Heaven to be the abiding presence of Christ in His disciples, in the +Church, and in the heart of every believer. The Lord Jesus was going away, +and His disciples were very sad; their hearts was sorrowful; but He said to +them, "I will come back again, and I will come to you. Your hearts shall +rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you." What took place with +them, may take place with us too. The Holy Spirit is given to make the +presence of Jesus an abiding reality, a + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page129" id="page129"></a>[pg 134]</span> + +continual experience. And what was +that joy that no man could ever touch? It was the joy of Pentecost. And +what was Pentecost? The coming of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Ghost to dwell +with His disciples. While Jesus was with His disciples on earth, He could +not get into their hearts in the right way. They loved Him, but they could +not take in His teaching, they could not partake of His disposition, and +they could not receive His very spirit into their being. But when He had +ascended to Heaven, He came back in the Spirit to dwell in their hearts. +It is this alone that will help us to go, the minister to his congregation +with its difficulties, the business man to his counter, the mother to her +large family with its care, the worker to her Bible class. It is this only +that will help us to feel, "I can conquer, I can live in the rest of God." +Why? "Because I have the almighty Jesus with me every day." With God's +people, there seems to be one hindrance, <i>they do not know their Saviour</i>. +They do not realize that this blessed Christ is an ever present, +all-pervading, in-dwelling Christ, who wants to take charge of their entire +lives. They do not know, they do not believe that He is an Almighty Christ, +and ready in the midst of any difficulties and any circumstances to be +their keeper and their God. This is absolutely true. Many Christians are +asked as to how one may + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page130" id="page130"></a>[pg 135]</span> + +have the joy unspeakable, the joy that nothing can +take away, the joy of the friendship and nearness and love of Jesus filling +his heart. We complain that the rush of competition is so terrible that we +can not get time for private prayer. Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, if He +comes to you as a brother and a friend and an abiding guest, can give your +heart the joy of the Holy Ghost, so that business will take its right place +under your feet. Your heart is too holy to have it filled with business; +let the business be in the head and under the feet, but let Christ have +the whole heart, and He will keep the whole life. Our glorious, exalted, +almighty, ever present Christ! why is it that you and I can not trust Him +fully, perfectly to do His work? Shall we not say before God that we do +trust Him, that we will trust Christ to be to us every moment all that we +can desire? On the Cross of Calvary Christ was all alone, and you believe +He did a perfect and a blessed work; and Christ in Heaven is all alone, as +high priest and intercessor, and you trust Him for His work there. But, +praise God! it is equally true, Christ in the heart is able all alone to +keep it all the days. May it please God to reveal to His children the +nearness of Christ standing and knocking at the door of every heart, ready +to come in and rest forever there and to lead the soul into His rest.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page131" id="page131"></a>[pg 136]</span> + +<p>We all know what the power of joy is; we know there is nothing so +attractive as joy, there is nothing can help a man to bear and endure so +much as joy; we know that the Lord Jesus Himself for the joy that was set +before Him endured the cross. One is not living aright if he is living a +sighing, trembling, doubting life. Come to-day and believe the joy of the +Holy Ghost is meant for you. Does not the Scripture say, "Whom not having +seen we love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice +with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Do you not believe that this +blessed, adorable, inconceivably beautiful Son of God, the delight of the +Father,—do you not believe that this Son of God could fill your heart with +delight day and night, if He were always present? And do you not believe +that He loves you more than a bridegroom loves his bride? Do you not +believe that, having bought you with His blood, Jesus is longing for you? +He needs you to satisfy His heart of love. Begin to believe with your +whole heart, "The joy of the Holy Ghost is my portion," for the Holy Ghost +secures to me without interruption the presence and the love of Jesus.</p> + +<p>But secondly, there is the joy of deliverance from sin. The Holy Ghost +comes to sanctify us. Christ is our sanctification, and the Holy Ghost +comes to communicate Him to us, to work out all + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page132" id="page132"></a>[pg 137]</span> + +that is in Christ and to +reproduce it in us. Let us remember that in the sight of God there is +something more than work. There is Christlikeness—the likeness and the +life of Christ in us. That is what God wants; that will fit us for work. +God asks not that Christ should live in us as separate persons; temples +full of filthy, impure, foul creatures, with Christ hidden away somewhere +there,—that is not the intention of God, but He wants Christ so formed +in us that we are one with Christ, and that in our thinking, feeling and +living, the image of His blessed Son is manifest before Him. The Holy +Spirit is given to sanctify us. My brother, are you willing to be +sanctified from every sin, be that sin great or small? I am not asking, do +you feel that you have the power to conquer it? I am not even asking, do +you feel the power to cast it out? It may be that you feel no power; that +won't hinder if you are willing. I can not cast out sin, but I can get the +Almighty Christ by the Holy Spirit to do it, and it is my work to say to +Christ, "There is the sin, there is the evil thing, I lay it at Thy feet, I +cast it there, I cast it into Thy very bosom. Lord, I am ready to cut off +the right hand, anything, only deliver me from it." Then Christ will cast +out the evil spirit and give deliverance. The Spirit of God is a holy +spirit and His work is to make free from the power of sin and death. And if +you want + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page133" id="page133"></a>[pg 138]</span> + +to live in the joy of the Holy Ghost, the question comes: "Are +you willing to surrender everything that is sinful, even what appears +good,—but has the stain of sin on it?" You may be involved in +relationships that make your life very difficult. A pastor with his people +maybe brought into very difficult relationships; or a business man with his +partner or those with whom he has to associate, may be in an exceedingly +trying position. But is not the blessed Lamb of God worth it all? What is +the Christ worth to you? The question was once asked the disciples, "What +think ye of Christ?" I ask, "What is Christ worth to you?" And I beseech +you, whatever prospective difficulties there may be, and whatever +perplexities surround you, take the whole world to-day and cast it at His +feet. To have Him is worth any difficulty; to have Him will be the +solution of every difficulty. There are not only such external, manifest +difficulties and perplexities, there are a thousand little things that come +in our life and that often disturb us, temptations to unloving feelings, +and sharp words, and hasty judgments. Oh, come, and believe that the Holy +Spirit, the sanctifier, can come in and rule, and give grace to pass +through all without sinning, and you shall know what the joy of the Holy +Ghost is. Our body, we read in 1st Corinthians, is the temple of the Holy +Ghost. It is to be holy in things like eating and drinking. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page134" id="page134"></a>[pg 139]</span> + +How often +a Christian comes to the consciousness that he takes or seeks too much +enjoyment in that eating, eating for pleasure, with no self-denial or +self-sacrifice in his feeding the body! How often we tempt one another to +eat, and how often the believer forgets that this body is the very secret +temple of the Holy Ghost and that every mouthful we eat and drink must be +for the glory of God in such a way as to be perfectly well pleasing to Him! +Beloved, I bring you a message: There is access for you into the rest of +God, and the Holy Spirit is given to bring you in, and the Holy Spirit will +fill your heart with the unutterable joy of Christ's presence; and with the +joy of deliverance from sin, of victory over sin; the unutterable joy of +knowing that you are doing God's will and are pleasing in His sight; the +unutterable joy of knowing that He is sanctifying and keeping the temple +for Christ to dwell in. Believers, the joy of the Holy Ghost, the joy of +that holiness of God, is His blessedness, His purity, His perfection, that +nothing can mar or stain or disturb. The Holy Ghost waits to bring and to +manifest it in our lives. He wants to come so into our hearts that we shall +live, as Holy Ghost men, the sanctified life, with the sanctifying power of +Jesus running through our whole beings.</p> + +<p>My third thought is: the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of the love of +the saints. The Holy + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page135" id="page135"></a>[pg 140]</span> + +Ghost was not given to any man on the day of Pentecost +separate from the others; He came and filled the whole company. We know how +much division and separation and pride there had been among them, but +on that day the Holy Ghost so filled their hearts that we find it was +afterward said: "Behold how these men love one another." There was a love +in the primitive church that the very heathen noticed, and could not +understand. Why was that? The Holy Spirit is the bond of union between the +Father and Son; and that bond is love. The Holy Spirit is just the love of +God come to dwell in the heart. When He dwells with me and my brother we +learn to love each other. Though I be unloving naturally, and though I have +very little grace, if the heart of my brother is full of the Holy Spirit he +loves me through it all. You know love is a wonderful thing. As long as a +man tries to love it is not real love, but when real love comes, the more +opposition it meets the more it triumphs, for the more it can exercise +itself and perfect itself, the more it rejoices. Take a mother with a son +dishonoring her. How her love follows him! When she sees that he has fallen +deeper than ever before, how the dear mother heart only loves him the more +intensely through all the wretchedness! Does not the Scripture say, "If He +gave His life for us, we are bound to give our life for the brethren?" The +Holy Spirit comes + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page136" id="page136"></a>[pg 141]</span> + +as a spirit of love, and if you want to know the joy of +the Holy Ghost, and want Him to lead you into the rest of God and keep you +there, beware above everything on earth or in hell of being unloving. One +sharp word to your brother or sister brings a cloud upon you without your +knowing it. People are so accustomed to talk just as they like about each +other that they say sharp and unkind and unloving things, and when a cloud +comes in consequence they cannot understand it. If there is one thing that +grieves God, if there is one thing that hinders the Spirit—the fruit of +the Spirit is love—it is the want of lovingness. If you want to live in +the joy of the Holy Ghost make your covenant with God. "But," you say, +"there is a Christian man who makes me so impatient; he does trouble me and +vex me so with his stupidity. And there are those worldly men; how they +have tempted me in times past and done me harm! And there is that business +man who is trying to ruin me." Take them all, and your own wife and +children and every one around you and say, "I understand it, love is rest, +and rest is love. God resteth in His love. Love is rest and rest is love, +and where there is no love the rest must be disturbed." And let us say +to-day, "I see what the joy is; it is the joy of always loving, it is the +joy of losing my own life in love to others." In connection with humility, +some one asks, "How + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page137" id="page137"></a>[pg 142]</span> + +about that text, 'In honor preferring one another?'" +When a soul comes into perfect humility before God it becomes nothing, and +God becomes all in all. I am nothing. There is no self to be affronted; I +have said before God: "I am nothing; it is only Thy life and light that +shines. The honor is Thine, and nothing may touch me but what is against +the glory of my God."</p> + +<p>Beloved, are you living in the joy of the Holy Ghost? Come and accept a +blessing and give yourself up to live a life of humility in which you are +nothing, and a life of love like Christ's in which you only live for your +fellow-men, for the kingdom of God is the joy of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>My last thought is that the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for +God. The joy of the presence of Jesus, the joy of deliverance from sin, the +joy of love for the brethren, and then the joy of working for God. Some +of us have at times felt what an incomprehensible thing it is that the +everlasting God should work through us; and we have said, "Lord, what is +this, that Thou the Almighty One dost work in me and through me, a vile +worm by nature?" It is a mystery that passeth knowledge, and yet it is so +true. The joy of the Holy Ghost comes when a man gives himself up to +the Christlike work of carrying the love of God to men. Let us seek the +perishing, let us live and die for souls, let us live and die that our + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page138" id="page138"></a>[pg 143]</span> + +fellow-men may be reclaimed and brought back to their God. There is no joy +like hearing the joy-song of a new-born soul. But yes, there is another joy +that may be as deep. Even if God does not give me the blessing of hearing +the newborn soul sing its song, I may have the joy, the sympathy with Jesus +in His rejected life, and the assurance that the Father looks with good +pleasure on me. When I think of the thousands of believers in the Christian +world and then think of the heathen world, the cry comes up in my heart: +"What are we doing?" Ah, we need to be crying to God day and night, "Lord +God, wake us up. Lord God, let the Holy Spirit burn within us." Are we the +true successors of Jesus Christ? Are we indeed the followers and successors +of Christ who went all the way to Calvary to give His blood for men? Do +let us remember the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for God in +Christ. I believe that God has new ways and new leadings and new power for +His people, if they will only wait on Him. But what most of us do is this: +we thank God for all He has given, we look at all the ways of working we +have, and we say that we will try to do our work better. But oh, if we had +a sense of the need, if we had any sense, by the vision of the Holy Ghost, +of the state of the millions around us, I am sure we would fall on our +faces before God and say, "God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page139" id="page139"></a>[pg 144]</span> + +help me to something new. Oh that every +fiber of my being may be taken possession of for this great work with God!" +The great need is that all Christians should consecrate themselves wholly +to God for His work. May God help us to know what is the joy of the Holy +Ghost.</p> + +<p>Concluding, I ask again: "Do you believe that it is possible for the Lord +Jesus, our Shiloh, of whom Jacob prophesied, our Joshua, our glorious King +and High Priest,—do you believe it is possible for Christ Jesus to bring +you to-day into the rest of God?" Remember that word in Hebrews, "Even as +the Holy Ghost saith, to-day." To-day, summon up courage and take up your +ministry, and take up your business, and take up your surroundings, and +take up your natural temperament, and take up your home, and take up your +life for the days to come upon earth, and say, "I do not understand it, +I know not what will come, but one thing I know, I do absolutely give +everything into the hands of the crucified Lamb of God; He shall have me in +my entirety." And oh, remember, beloved, that Christ will be to you more +than you can think or understand, more than you can ask or desire.</p> + +<p>Come, let us cast ourselves into those blessed, loving arms, and let us +believe even now that our Joshua leads us into the rest of God, the rest in +which we are saved from self-care and self-seeking + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page140" id="page140"></a>[pg 145]</span> + +and self-trusting and +self-loving, the rest in which we do not think of ourselves, but where He +who is almighty and omnipresent is always going to be with us and is always +going to work within us. And let us when we have done that, claim the +promise, that as we have sought first the kingdom and God's righteousness, +all things shall be added unto us. Beloved, the kingdom of God is within +you, and it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Come, let +us claim it even now in simple, childlike, humble faith.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page141" id="page141"></a>[pg 146]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>TRIUMPH OF FAITH.</h2> +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>John 4: 50</i>.—<i>And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto +him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>Let me quote from the Gospel according to St. John, the 4th chapter, +beginning at the 46th verse: "So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, +where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son +was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come up out of Judea +into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down +and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto +him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." There you have +the word "believe" the first time. "The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come +down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. +And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went +his way." There you have that word the second time. "And as he was now +going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. +Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page142" id="page142"></a>[pg 147]</span> + +amend. And they said +unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father +knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy +son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house." There you have the +word "faith".</p> + +<p>This story has often been used to illustrate the different steps of faith +in the spiritual life. It was this use made of it in an address that +brought the sainted Canon Battersby into the full enjoyment of rest. He had +been a most godly man, but had lived the life of failure. He saw in the +story what it was to rest on the Word and trust the saving power of Jesus, +and from that night he was a changed man. He went home to testify of it, +and under God, he was allowed to originate the Keswick Convention.</p> + +<p>Let me point out to you the three aspects of faith which we have here: +first, faith seeking; then, faith finding; and then, faith enjoying. Or, +still better: faith struggling; faith resting; faith triumphing. First of +all, faith struggling. Here is a man, a heathen, a nobleman, who has heard +about Christ. He has a dying son at Capernaum, and in his extremity leaves +his home, and walks some six or seven hours away to Cana of Galilee. He +has heard of the Prophet, possibly, as one who has made water wine; he has +heard of His other miracles round Capernaum, and he + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page143" id="page143"></a>[pg 148]</span> + +has a certain trust +that Jesus will be able to help him. He goes to Him, and his prayer is that +the Lord will come down to Capernaum and heal his son. Christ said to him, +"Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." He saw that the +nobleman wanted Him to come and stand beside the child. This man had not +the faith of the centurion—"Only speak a word." He had faith. It was faith +that came from hearsay, and it was faith that did, to a certain extent, +hope in Christ; but it was not the faith in Christ's power such as Christ +desired. Still Christ accepted and met this faith. After the Lord had thus +told him what He wished—a faith that could fully trust Him—the nobleman +cried the second time, "Sir, come down ere my child die." Seeing his +earnestness and his trust, Christ said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." And +then we read that the nobleman believed. He believed, and he went his way. +He believed the word that Jesus had spoken. In that he rested and was +content. And he went away without having any other pledge than the word of +Jesus. As he was walking homeward, the servants met him, to tell him his +son lived. He asked at what hour he began to amend. And when they told him, +he knew it was at the very hour that Jesus had been speaking to him. He +had at first a faith that was seeking, and struggling, and searching for +blessing; then he had a faith that accepted the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page144" id="page144"></a>[pg 149]</span> + +blessing simply as it was +contained in the word of Jesus. When Christ said, "Thy son liveth," he was +content, and went home, and found the blessing—the son restored.</p> + +<p>Then came the third step in his faith. He believed with his whole house. +That is to say, he did not only believe that Christ could do just this one +thing, the healing of his son; but he believed in Christ as his Lord. He +gave himself up entirely to be a disciple of Jesus. And that not only +alone, but with his whole house. Many Christians are like the nobleman. +They have heard about a better life. They have met certain individuals by +whose Christian lives they have been impressed, and consequently have felt +that Christ can do wonderful things for a man. Many Christians say in their +heart, "I am sure there is a better life for me to live; how I wish I could +be brought to that blessed state!" But they have not much hope about it. +They have read, and prayed, but they have found everything so difficult, If +you ask them, "Do you believe Jesus can help you to live this higher life?" +they say, "Yes; He is omnipotent." If you ask, "Do you believe Jesus wishes +to do it?" they say, "Yes, I know He is loving." And if you say, "Do you +believe that He will do it for you?" they at once say, "I know He is +willing, but whether He will actually do it for me I do not know. I am not +sure that I am + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page145" id="page145"></a>[pg 150]</span> + +prepared. I do not know if I am advanced enough. I do +not know if I have enough grace for that." And so they are hungering, +struggling, wrestling, and often remain unblessed. This state of things +sometimes goes on for years—they are expecting to see signs and wonders, +and hoping that God, by a miracle, will put them all right. They are just +like the Israelites; they limit the Holy One of Israel. Have you ever +noticed that it is the very people whom God has blessed so wonderfully +who do that? What did the Israelites say? "God hath provided water in the +wilderness. But can He provide the table in the wilderness? We do not think +He can." And so we find believers who say, "Yes, God has done wonders. The +whole of redemption is a wonder, and God has done wonders for some whom I +know. But will God take one so feeble as I, and put me entirely right?" The +struggling and wrestling and seeking are the beginnings of faith in you—a +faith that desires and hopes. But it must go on further. And how can that +faith advance? Look at the second step. There is the nobleman, and Christ +speaks to him this wonderful word: "Go thy way; thy son liveth;" and the +nobleman simply rests upon that word of the living Jesus. He rests on it, +and without any proof of what he is to get, and without one man in the +world to encourage him. He goes away home with the thought, "I have +received the blessing + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page146" id="page146"></a>[pg 151]</span> + +I sought; I have got life from the dead for my son. +The living Christ promised it me, and on that I rest." The struggling, +seeking faith has become a resting faith. The man has entered into rest +about his son.</p> + +<p>And now, dear believers, this is the one thing God asks you to do: God has +said that in Christ you have eternal life, the more abundant life; Christ +has said to you, "I live, and ye shall live also." The Word says to us that +Christ is our Peace, our Victory over every enemy, who leads us into the +rest of God. These are the words of God, and His message has come to us +that Christ can do for us what Moses could not have done. Moses had no +Christ to live in him. But it is told you that you can have what Moses had +not; you can have a living Christ within you. And are you going to believe +that, apart from any experience, and apart from any consciousness of +strength? If the peace of God is to rule in your heart, it is the God of +peace Himself must be there to do it. The peace is inseparable from the +God. The light of the sun—can I separate that from the sun? Utterly +impossible. As long as I have the sun I have the light. If I lose the sun; +I lose the light. Take care! Do not seek the peace of God or the peace of +Christ apart from God and Christ. But how does Christ come to me? He comes +to me in this precious Word; and just as + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page147" id="page147"></a>[pg 152]</span> + +He said to the nobleman, "Go thy +way home; thy son liveth," so Christ comes to me to-day, and He says, "Go +thy way; thy Saviour liveth." "Lo, I am with you alway." "I live, and ye +shall live also." "I wait to take charge of your whole life. Will you have +me do this? Trust to me all that is evil and feeble; your whole sinful and +perverse nature—give it up to Me; that dying, sin-sick soul—give it up to +Me, and I will take care of it." Will you not listen and hear Him speak to +your soul? "Child, go forward into all the circumstances of life that have +tempted you; into all the difficulties that threaten you." Your soul lives +with the life of God; your soul lives in the power of God; your soul lives +in Christ Jesus. Will you not, like the nobleman, take the simple step of +faith, and believe the word Jesus hath spoken? Will you not say, "Lord +Jesus, Thou hast spoken: I can rest on Thy Word. I have seen that Christ +is willing to be more to me than I ever knew; I have seen that Christ is +willing to be my life in the most actual and intense meaning of the words." +All that we know about the Holy Ghost sums itself up in this one thing: +The Holy Ghost comes to make Christ an actual, indwelling, always-abiding +Saviour.</p> + +<p>Lastly, comes the triumphant faith. The man went home holding fast the +promise. He had only one promise, but he held it fast. When God gives + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page148" id="page148"></a>[pg 153]</span> + +me +a promise, He is just as near me as when He fulfills it. That is a great +comfort. When I have the promise I have also the pledge of the fulfillment. +But the whole heart of God is in His promise, just as much as in the +fulfillment of it, and sometimes God, the promiser, is more precious +because I am compelled to cling more to Him, and to come closer, and to +live by simple faith, and to adore His love. Do not think this is a hard +life, to be living upon a promise. It means living upon the everlasting +God. Who is going to say that is hard? It means living upon the crucified, +the loving Christ. Be ashamed to say that is a difficult thing. It is a +blessed thing.</p> + +<p>The nobleman went home and found the child living. And what happened then? +Two things. First: he gave up his whole life to be a believer in Jesus. If +there had been a division among the people of Capernaum, and thousands of +them had hated Christ, this man would still have stood on His side. He +believed in the Lord. This is what must take place with us. Let us go +forward with our trust in the living Christ, knowing that He will keep us. +Then we will get grace to carry the life of Christ into our whole conduct, +into all our walk and conversation. The faith that rests in Jesus, is the +faith that trusts all to Him, with all we have. Do we not read that when +God had finished His work, and rested, it was only to begin + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page149" id="page149"></a>[pg 154]</span> + +new work? Yes; +the great work was to be carried on—watching over and ruling His world and +His church. And is it not so with the Lord Jesus? When He had finished His +work, He sat upon the throne to do His work of perfecting the body, through +the Holy Spirit. And now, the Holy Spirit is carrying on that blessed work, +teaching us to rest in Christ, and in the strength of that rest to go on, +and to cover our whole life with the power, and the obedience, and the +will, and the likeness of the Lord Jesus. The nobleman gave up his whole +life to be a believer in Christ; and from that day it was a believer in +Jesus who walked about the streets of Capernaum; not only a man who could +say, "Once He helped me," but, "I believe in Him with my whole life." Let +that be so with us everywhere; let Christ be the one object of our trust.</p> + +<p>One thought more,—he believed with his whole house. That was triumphant +faith. He took up his position as a believer in Christ; and his wife, his +children, his servants—he gathered them all together, and laid them at the +feet of Christ. And if you want power in your own house, if you want power +in your Bible-class, if you want power in your social circle, if you want +power to influence the nation and if you want power to influence the Church +of Christ, see where it begins. Come into contact with Jesus in this rest +of faith that accepts + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page150" id="page150"></a>[pg 155]</span> + +His life fully, that trusts Him fully, and the power +will come by faith to overcome the world; by faith to bless others; by +faith to live a life to the glory of God. Go thy way, thy soul liveth; for +it is Jesus Christ who liveth within you. Go thy way; be not trembling and +fearful, but <i>rest in the word and the power of the Son of God</i>. "Lo, I am +with you alway." Go thy way, with the heart open to welcome Him, and the +heart believing He has come in. Surely we have not prayed in vain. Christ +has listened to the yearnings of our hearts and has entered in. Let us +go our way quietly, restfully, full of praise, and joy, and trust; ever +hearing the words of our Master, "Go thy way, thy soul liveth;" and ever +saying, "I have trusted Christ to reveal His abundant life in my soul; by +His grace I will wait upon Him to fulfill His promise." Amen.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page151" id="page151"></a>[pg 156]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER.</h2> +<h3>XII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Romans 8: 26-27</i>.—<i>Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for +we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself +maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he +that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because +he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God</i>. </blockquote> + +<p>Here we have the teaching of God regarding the help the Holy Spirit will +give us in prayer. The first half of this chapter is of much importance in +connection with the teaching of God's word regarding the Spirit. In Romans +vi. we read about being dead to sin and alive to God, and in Romans vii., +about being dead to the law and married to Christ, and also about the +impotency of the unregenerate man to do God's will. This is only a +preparation to show us how helpless we are; and then in the eighth chapter +comes the blessed work of the Spirit, expressed chiefly in the following +words: "The Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin and death." The +Spirit makes us free from the power of sin, and teaches and leads us so +that we walk after the Spirit. In our inner + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page152" id="page152"></a>[pg 157]</span> + +disposition we may become +spiritually minded, and enabled to mortify the deeds of the body. The Holy +Spirit helps our infirmities. Prayer is the most necessary thing in the +spiritual life. Yet we do not know how to pray nor what to pray for as we +ought. The Spirit, Paul tells us, prays with groanings unutterable. And +again he tells us that we ourselves often do not know what the Spirit is +doing within us, but there is one, God, who searches the hearts. Words +often reveal my thought and my wishes, but not what is deep in my heart, +and God comes and searches my heart, and deep down, hidden, what I can not +see and what was to me an unutterable longing, God finds.</p> + +<p>Powerful prayer! The confession of ignorance! Ah, friends, I am often +afraid for myself as a minister that I pray too easily. I have been praying +for these forty or fifty years and it becomes, as far as man is concerned, +an easy thing to pray. We all have been taught to pray, and when we are +called upon we can pray, but it gets far too easy, and I am afraid we think +we are praying often when there is little real prayer. Now if we are to +have the praying of the Holy Ghost in us one thing is needed; we must begin +by feeling, "I can not pray." When a man breaks down and can not pray, and +there is a fire burning in his heart, and a burden resting upon him, there +is something drawing him to God. "I know not what + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page153" id="page153"></a>[pg 158]</span> + +to pray,"—oh, blessed +ignorance! We are not ignorant enough. Abraham went out not knowing whither +he went; in that was an element of ignorance and also an element of faith. +Jesus said to His disciples when they came with their prayer for the throne, +"You know not what you ask." Paul says, "No man knoweth the things of God +but the Spirit of God." You say, "If I am not to pray the old prayers +I learned from my mother or from my professor in college or from my +experience yesterday and the day before, what am I to pray?" I answer, pray +new prayers, rise higher into the riches of God. You must begin to feel +your ignorance. You know what we think of a student who goes to college +fancying he knows everything. He will not learn much. Sir Isaac Newton +said, "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem +to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself +in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than +ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." +When I see a man who can not pray glibly and smoothly and readily, I say +that is a mark of the Holy Spirit. When he begins in his prayers to say, +"Oh, God, I want more, I want to be led deeper in. I have prayed for the +heathen, but I want to feel the burden of the heathen in a new way," it is +an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I tell you, beloved, if +you will take + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page154" id="page154"></a>[pg 159]</span> + +time and let God lay the burden of the heathen heavier upon +you until you begin to feel, "I have never prayed," it will be the most +blessed thing in your life. And so with regard to the church: We want to +take up our position as members of the church of Christ in this land; and +as belonging to that great body, to say, "Lord God, is there nothing that +can be done to bless the church of this land and to revive it and bring it +out of its worldliness and out of its feebleness?" We may confer together +and conclude faithlessly, "No, we do not know what is to be done; we have +no influence and power over all these ministers and their churches." But on +the other hand, how blessed to come to God and say, "Lord, we know not what +to ask. Thou knowest what to grant." The Holy Spirit could pray a hundred +fold more in us if we were only conscious of our ignorance, because we +would then feel our dependence upon Him. May God teach us our ignorance in +prayer and our impotence, and may God bring us to say, "Lord, we can not +pray; we do not know what prayer is." Of course some of us do know in a +measure what prayer is, many of us, and we thank God for what he has been +to us in answer to prayer, but oh, it is only a little beginning compared +to what the Holy Spirit of God teaches.</p> + +<p>There is the first thought: our ignorance. "We know not what we should pray +for as we ought;" + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page155" id="page155"></a>[pg 160]</span> + +but "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with +groanings which cannot be uttered." We often hear about the work of God the +Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in working out and completing the +great redemption, and we know that when God worked in the creation of the +world, He was not weary, and yet we read that wonderful expression in the +book of Exodus about the Sabbath day, "God rested and was refreshed." He +was refreshed, the Sabbath day was a refreshment to Him. God had to work +and Christ had to work, and now the Holy Spirit works, and His secret +working place, the place where all work must begin, is in the heart where +He comes to teach a man how to pray. When a man begins to get an insight +into that which is needed and that which is promised and that which God +waits to perform, he feels it to be beyond his conception; then is the time +he will be ready to say, "I can not limit the holy one of Israel by my +thoughts; I give myself up in the faith that the Holy Spirit can be praying +for me with groanings, with longings, that can not be expressed." Apply +that to your prayers.</p> + +<p>There are different phases of prayer. There is worship, when a man just +bows down to adore the great God. We do not take time to worship. We +need to worship in secret, just to get ourselves face to face with the +everlasting God, that He may overshadow us and cover us and fill us with +His love + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page156" id="page156"></a>[pg 161]</span> + +and His glory. It is the Holy Spirit that can work in us such a +yearning that we will give up our pleasures and even part of our business, +that we may the oftener meet our God.</p> + +<p>The next phase of prayer is fellowship. In prayer there is not only the +worship of a king, but fellowship as of a child with God. Christians take +far too little time in fellowship. They think prayer is just coming with +their petitions. If Christ is to make me what I am to be, I must tarry in +fellowship with God. If God is to let his love enter in and shine and burn +through my heart, I must take time to be with Him. The smith puts his rod +of iron into the fire. If he leaves it there but a short time it does not +become red hot. He may take it out to do something with it and after a time +put it back again for a few minutes, but this time it does not become red +hot. In the course of the day he may put the rod into the fire a great +many times and leave it there two or three minutes each time, but it never +becomes thoroughly heated. If he takes time and leaves the rod ten or +fifteen minutes in the fire the whole iron will become red hot with the +heat that is in the fire. So if we are to get the fire of God's holiness +and love and power we must take more time with God in fellowship. That was +what gave men like Abraham and Moses their strength. They were men who were +separated to a fellowship with God, and the living God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page157" id="page157"></a>[pg 162]</span> + +made them strong. +Oh, if we did but realize what prayer can do!</p> + +<p>Another, and a most important phase of prayer is intercession. What a work +God has set open for those who are His priests—intercessors! We find a +wonderful expression in the prophecy of Isaiah; God says, "Let him take +hold of me;" and again, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take +hold of thee." In other passages God refers to the intercessors for Israel. +Have you ever taken hold of God? Thank God, some of us have; but oh, +friends, representatives of the church of Christ in the United States, +if God were to show us how much there is of intense prayer for a revival +through the church, how much of sincere confession of the sins of the +church, how much of pleading with God and giving Him no rest till He make +Jerusalem a glory in the earth, I think we should all be ashamed. We need +to give up our hearts to the Holy Spirit, that He may pray for us and in us +with groanings that can not be uttered.</p> + +<p>What am I to do if I am to have this Holy Spirit within me? The Spirit +wants time and room in the heart; He wants the whole being. He wants all +my interest and influence going out for the honor and the glory of God; He +wants me to give myself up. Beloved friend, you do not know what you could +do if you would give yourself up to intercession. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page158" id="page158"></a>[pg 163]</span> + +It is a work that a sick +one lying on a bed year by year may do in power. It is a work that a poor +one who has hardly a penny to give to a missionary society can do day by +day. It is a work that a young girl who is in her father's house and has to +help in the housekeeping can do by the Holy Spirit. People often ask: What +does the Church of our day do to reach the masses? They ask, though they +ask it tremblingly, for they feel so helpless: What can we do against the +materialism and infidelity in places like London and Berlin and New York +and Paris? We have given it up as hopeless. Ah, if men and women could be +called out to band themselves together to take hold upon God! I am not +speaking of any prayer union or any prayer time statedly set apart, but if +the Spirit could find men and women who would give up their lives to cry to +God, the Spirit would most surely come. It is not selfishness and it is not +mere happiness that we seek when we talk about the peace and the rest and +the blessing Christ can give. God wants us, Christ wants us, because He has +to do a work; the work of Calvary is to be done in our hearts, we are +to sacrifice our lives to pleading with God for men. Oh, let us yield +ourselves day by day and ask God that it may please Him to let His Holy +Spirit work in us.</p> + +<p>Then comes the last thought, that God Himself comes to look with +complacency upon the attitude + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page159" id="page159"></a>[pg 164]</span> + +of His child. Perhaps that poor man does not +know that he is praying; perhaps he is ashamed of his prayers. So much +the better. Perhaps he feels burdened and restless, but God hears, God +discovers what is the mind of the Spirit, and will answer. Oh, think of +this wonderful mystery, God the Father on the throne ready to grant unto +us His blessings according to the riches of His glory; Christ the almighty +high priest pleading day and night. His whole person is one intercession, +and there goes up from Him without ceasing the pleading to the Father, +"Bless thy church," and the answer comes from the Father to the Son, and +from the Son down to the church, and if it does not reach us, it is because +our hearts are closed. Let us open and enlarge our hearts and say to God, +"Oh that I might be a priest, to enter God's presence continually and to +take hold of God and to bring down a blessing to my perishing fellowmen!" +God longs to find the intercession of Jesus reflected in the hearts of His +children, and where He finds it, it is a delight. And He that searcheth the +hearts knoweth the mind of the Spirit, because he prayeth for the saints, +according to the will of God. Some one has spoken of that word, "for the +saints," as meaning the spirit of praise in the believer for the saints +throughout the world. God's word continually comes to us to pray for all +not to be content with ourselves. Think + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page160" id="page160"></a>[pg 165]</span> + +upon the hundreds of church members +in this land, multitudes unconverted, multitudes just converted, but +yet worldly and careless. Think of the thousands of nominal +Christians—Christians in name, but robbing God! and can we be happy? If +we bear the burden of souls, can we have this peace and joy? God gives you +peace and joy with no other object than that you should be strong to bear +the burden of souls in the joy of Christ's salvation.</p> + +<p>We do not wish to say, "I am trying to be as holy as I can; what have I to +do with those worldly people about me?" If there is a terrible disease in +my hand, my body can not say, "I have nothing to do with it." When the +people had sinned Ezra rent his garments and bowed in the dust and made +confession. He repented on the part of the people. And Nehemiah, when the +nation sinned, made confession, and cast himself before God, deploring +their disobedience to the God of their fathers. Daniel did the very same. +And think you that we as believers have not a great work to do? Suppose we +were each, persons without a single sin; just suppose it; could we then +make confession? Look at Christ, without sin! He went down into the waters +of baptism with sinners; He made Himself one with them. God has spoken to +us to ask us if we realize what we are. He now asks us whether we belong to +the church of this land, whether we have borne the burden of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page161" id="page161"></a>[pg 166]</span> + +sin around +us. Let us go to God and may He by the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with +unutterable sorrow at the state of the church, and may God give us grace to +mourn before Him. And when we begin to confess the sins of the church, we +will begin to feel our own sins as never before. In five of the epistles +to the seven churches in Asia the keynote was "Repent;" there was to be no +idea of overcoming and getting a blessing unless they repented. Let us on +behalf of the church of Christ repent, and God will give us courage to feel +that He will revive His work.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page162" id="page162"></a>[pg 167]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.</h2> + +<h3>XIII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>1 Corinthians 15: 24-28</i>.—"<i>Then cometh the end, when He shall have +delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put +down all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign till He hath +put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is +death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, All +things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put +all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then +shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him, that God may be all in +all</i>."</blockquote> + +<p>This will be the grand conclusion of the great drama of the world's +history, and of Christ's redemption. There will come a day—the glory is +such we can form no conception of it, the mystery is so deep we can not +realize it, but there is a day coming, when the Son shall deliver up the +Kingdom that the Father gave Him, and that He won with His blood, and that +He hath established and perfected from the throne of His glory. "He shall +deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father." The Son Himself shall be subject +also unto the Father, "that God may be all in all." I cannot understand +it—the ever blessed Son equal with God, from eternity, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page163" id="page163"></a>[pg 168]</span> + +and through +eternity; the ever blessed Son on the throne shall be subject unto the +Father; and in some way utterly beyond our comprehension, it shall then be +made manifest, as never before, that God is all in all. It is this that +Christ has been working for; it is this that He is working for to-day in +us; it is this that He thought it worth while to give His blood for; it is +this that His heart is longing for in each of us; this is the very essence +and glory of Christianity, "that God may be all in all." And now, if this +is what fills the heart of Christ; if this expresses the one end of the +work of Christ, then, if I want to have the spirit of Christ in me, the +motto of my life must be: Everything made subject, and swallowed up in Him, +"that God may be all in all." What a triumph it would be if the Church were +fighting really with that banner floating over her! What a life ours could +be if that were really our banner! To serve God fully, wholly, only, to +have Him all in all! How it would ennoble, and enlarge, and stimulate our +whole being! I am working, I am fighting, "that God may be all in all;" +that the day of glory may be hastened. I am praying, and the Holy Spirit +makes His wrestling in me with unutterable longing, "that God may be all +in all." Would that we Christians realized in connection with what a grand +cause we are working and praying; that we had some + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page164" id="page164"></a>[pg 169]</span> + +conception of what +a Kingdom we are partakers of, and what a manifestation of God we are +preparing for. To illustrate what a grand thing it is to belong to the +Kingdom of God, and to the glorious Church of Christ on earth, John McNeill +tells how when he was a boy twelve years of age, working on a railway line +and earning the grand wages of six shillings a week, he used to go home to +his mother and sisters, who thought no end of their little Johnnie, and +delight them by telling of the position he had. He would say with great +pride, "Oh, our company—it has so many thousands of pounds passing +through its hands every year; it carries so many hundreds of thousands of +passengers every year; and it has so many miles of railway, and so many +engines and carriages; and so many thousands in its employ!" And the mother +and the sisters had great pride in him, because he was a partner in such an +important business. Christians, if we would only rouse ourselves to believe +that we belong to the Kingdom that Christ is preparing to deliver up to the +Father, that God may be all in all, how the glory would fill our hearts, +and expel everything mean, and low, and earthly! How we should be borne +along in this blessed faith! I am living for this: that Christ may have the +Kingdom to deliver to the Father. I + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page165" id="page165"></a>[pg 170]</span> + +am living for this, and I will one day +see Him made subject to the Father, and then God all in all. I am living +for Him, and I shall be there not only as a witness, but I will have a part +in it all. The Kingdom delivered up, the Son made subject, and God all in +all! I shall have a part in it, and in adoring worship share the glory and +the blessedness.</p> + +<p>Let us take this home to our hearts, that it may rule in our lives—this +one thought, this one faith, this one aim, this one joy: Christ lived, and +died, and reigns; I live and die and in His power I reign; only for this +one thing, "that God may be all in all." Let it possess our whole heart, +and life. How can we do this? It is a serious question, to which I wish to +give you a few simple answers. And I say, first of all: Allow God to take +His place in your heart and life. Luther often said to people, when they +came troubling him about difficulties, "Do let God be God." Oh, give God +His place. And what is that place? "That God may be all in all." Let God be +all in all every day, from morning to evening. God to rule and I to obey. +Ah, the blessedness of saying, "God and I!" What a privilege that I have +such a partner! God first, and then I! And yet there might be secret +self-exaltation in associating God with myself. And I find in the Bible a +more precious word still. It is, "God and not I." It is not, "God first, +and I second;" God is all, and I am nothing. Paul said, "I labored more +abundantly than they all; though I be + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page166" id="page166"></a>[pg 171]</span> + +nothing." Let us try to give God His +place—begin in our closet, in our worship, in our prayer. The power of +prayer depends almost entirely upon our apprehension of who it is with whom +I speak. It is of the greatest consequence, if we have but half an hour in +which to pray, that we take time to get a sight of this great God, in His +power, in His love, in His nearness, just waiting to bless us. This is +of far more consequence than spending the whole half hour in pouring out +numberless petitions, and pleading numberless promises. The great thing is +to feel that we are putting our supplications into the bosom of omnipotent +Love. Before and above everything, let us take time ere we pray to realize +the glory and presence of God. Give God His place in every prayer. I +say, allow God to have His place. I can not give God His place upon the +throne—in a certain sense I can, and I ought to try. The great thing, +however, is for me to feel that I can not realize what that place is, but +God will increasingly reveal Himself and the place He holds. How do I know +anything about the sun? Because the sun shines, and in its light I see what +the sun is. The sun is its own evidence. No philosopher could have told me +about the sun if the sun did not shine. No power of meditation and thought +can grasp the presence of God. Be quiet, and trusting, and resting, and the +everlasting God will shine into your heart, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page167" id="page167"></a>[pg 172]</span> + +and will reveal Himself. And +then, just as naturally as I enjoy the light of the sun, and as naturally +as I look upon the pages of a book knowing that I can see the letters +because the light shines; just as naturally will God reveal Himself to the +waiting soul, and make His presence a reality. God will take His place as +God in the presence of His child, so that absolutely and actually the +chief thing in the child's heart shall be: "God is here, God makes Himself +known." Beloved, is not this what you long for—that God shall take a place +that He has never had; and that God shall come to you in a nearness that +you have never felt yet; and, above all, that God shall come to you in an +abiding and unbroken fellowship? God is able to take His place before you +all the day. I repeat what I have referred to before, because God has +taught me a lesson by it: As God made the light of the sun so soft, and +sweet, and bright, and universal, and unceasing, that it never costs me a +minute's trouble to enjoy it; even so, and far more real than the light +shining upon me, the nearness of my God can be revealed to me as my abiding +portion. Let us all pray "that God may be all in all," in our everyday +life.</p> + +<p>"That God may be all in all," I must not only allow Him to take His place, +but secondly, I must accept + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page168" id="page168"></a>[pg 173]</span> + +His will in everything. I must accept His will +in every providence. Whether it be a Judas that betrays, or whether it be +a Pilate in his indifference, who gives me up to the enemy; whatever the +trouble, or temptation, or vexation, or worry, that comes, I must see God +in it, and accept it as God's will to me. Trouble of any sort that comes to +me is God's will for me. It is not God's will that men should do the wrong, +but it is God's will that they should be in circumstances of trial. There +is never a trial that comes to us but it is God's will for us, and if we +learn to see God in it, then we bid it welcome.</p> + +<p>Suppose away in South Africa there is a woman whose husband has gone on a +long journey into the interior. He is to be away for months from all posts. +The wife is anxious to receive news. In weeks she has had no letter or +tidings from him. One day, as she stands in her door, there comes a great, +savage Kafir. He is frightful in appearance, and carries his spears and +shield. The woman is alarmed and rushes into the house and closes the +door. He comes and knocks at the door, and she is in terror. She sends her +servant, who comes back and says, "The man says he must see you." She +goes, all affrighted. He takes out an old newspaper. He has come a month's +journey on foot from her husband, and inside the dirty newspaper is a +letter from her husband, telling her of his welfare. How that wife delights +in that letter! She forgets + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page169" id="page169"></a>[pg 174]</span> + +the face that has terrified her. And now as +weeks are passing away again, how she begins to long for that ugly Kafir +messenger! After long waiting he comes again, and this time she rushes +out to meet him because he is the messenger that comes from her beloved +husband, and she knows that with all his repelling exterior, he is +the bearer of a message of love. Beloved, have you learned to look at +tribulation, and vexation, and disappointment, as the dark, savage-looking +messenger with a spear in his hand, that comes straight from Jesus? Have +you learned to say, "There is never a trouble, and never a hurt by which +my heart is touched or even pierced, but it comes from Jesus, and brings +a message of love?" Will you not learn to say from to-day, "Welcome every +trial, for it comes from God?" If you want God to be all in all, you must +see and meet God in every providence. Oh, learn to accept God's will in +everything! Come learn to say of every trial, without exception, "It is my +Father who sent it. I accept it as His messenger," and nothing in earth or +hell can separate you from God.</p> + +<p>If God is to be all in all in your heart and life, I say not only, Allow +Him to take His place, and accept all His will, but, thirdly, Trust in His +power. Dear friends, it is "God who <i>worketh to will and to do</i> according +to His good pleasure." It is "the God of peace," according to another + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page170" id="page170"></a>[pg 175]</span> + +passage, "who perfects you in every good thing to do His will, <i>working +in you</i> what is well-pleasing in His sight." You complain of weakness, of +feebleness, of emptiness. Never mind; that is what you are made for—to be +an emptied vessel, in which God can put His fullness and His strength. +Do learn the lesson. I know it is not easy. Long after Paul had been an +apostle, the Lord Jesus had to come in a very special way to teach him to +say, "I do gladly glory in my infirmities." Paul was in danger of being +exalted, owing to the revelations from Heaven, and Jesus sent him a thorn +in the flesh—yes, Jesus sent it—a messenger of Satan—to buffet him. Paul +prayed, and struggled, and wanted to get rid of it. And Jesus came to him, +and said, "It is my doing that you may not be free from that. You need it. +I will bless you wonderfully in it." Paul's life was changed from that +moment in this one respect, and he said, "I never knew it so before, +from henceforth I glory in my infirmities; for when I am weak, then am I +strong." Do you indeed desire God to be all in all? Learn to glory in your +weakness. Take time to say every day as you bow before God, "The almighty +power of God that works in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the +flowers, is working in me. It is as sure as that I live. The almighty power +of God is working in me. I only need to get down, and be quiet; I need +to be more + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page171" id="page171"></a>[pg 176]</span> + +submissive, and surrendered to His will; I need to be more +trustful, and to allow God to do with me what He will." Give God His +way with you, and let God work, and He will work mightily. The deepest +quietness has often been proved to be the inspiration for the highest +action. It has been seen in the experience of many of God's saints, and it +is just the experience we need,—that in the quietness of surrender and +faith, God's working has been made manifest.</p> + +<p>Fourthly: If God is to be all in all, sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. "That God may be all in all." This is such a noble, glorious, +holy aim that Christ said, "For this I will give my life. For this I will +give my all, even to the death of the cross. For this I will give myself." +If it was worth that to Christ, is it worth less to you? If one had asked +Jesus of Nazareth, "What is it Thou hast a body for; what is to Thee the +highest use of the body?" He would have said, "The use and the glory of my +body is that I can give it a sacrifice to God. That is every thing." What +is the use of having a mind; and what is the use of having money; and what +is the use of having children? That I can give them to God; for God must be +all in all in everything. I pray God that He may give us such a sight of +His kingdom, and His glory, that everything else may disappear. Then, if +you had ten thousand lives, you + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page172" id="page172"></a>[pg 177]</span> + +would say, "This is the beauty and the +worth of life, 'that God may be all in all' to me, and that I may prove to +men that God is more than everything, that life is only worth living as it +is given to God to fill." Do let us sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. Begin to live day by day with the prayer, "My God, I am given up +to Thee. Be Thou my all in all." You say, "Am I able to realize that?" Yes, +in this way: Let the Holy Spirit dwell in you; let the Holy Spirit burn in +you as a fire, and burn in you with unutterable groanings, crying unto +God, Himself to reveal His presence and His will in you. In the eighth of +Romans, Paul spoke about the groanings of the whole creation. And what is +the whole creation groaning for? For the redemption, the glorious liberty +of the children of God. And I am persuaded that was what Paul meant when he +spoke of the groanings of the Holy Spirit—the unutterable groanings +for the coming time of glory when God should be all in all. Christians, +sacrifice your time; sacrifice your interests; sacrifice your heart's best +powers in praying, and desiring, and crying that "God may be all in all."</p> + +<p>And lastly: if God is to be all in all, wait continually on Him all the +day. My first point had reference to giving God His place; but I want to +bring this out more pointedly in conclusion. Wait continually on God all +the day. If you are to do + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page173" id="page173"></a>[pg 178]</span> + +that, you must live always in His presence. That +is what we have been redeemed for. Do we not read in the Epistle to the +Hebrews, "Let us draw near within the veil, through the blood, where the +high priest is?" The holy place in which we are to live in the heavens is +the immediate presence of God. The abiding presence of God is certainly the +heritage of every child of God, as that the sun shines. The Father never +hides His face from His child. Sin hides it, and unbelief hides it, but the +Father lets His love shine all the day on the face of His children. The sun +is shining day and night. Your sun shall never go down. Begin to seek for +this. Come and live in the presence of God. There is indeed an abiding +place in His presence, in the secret of His pavilion, of which some one has +sung very beautifully:</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> + <p>With me, wheresoe'er I wander,</p> + <p class="i2">That great Presence goes;</p> + <p>That unutterable gladness,</p> + <p class="i2">Undisturbed repose.</p> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> + <p>Everywhere, the blessed stillness</p> + <p class="i2">Of that Holy Place;</p> + <p>Stillness of the love that worships,</p> + <p class="i2">Dumb before His face.</p> + </div> </div> + +<p>This is the portion of those to whom the prayer is granted—"One thing have +I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell all my +days in the house of the Lord; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to +inquire in His temple." + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page174" id="page174"></a>[pg 179]</span> + +"In the secret of His pavilion He hideth me." God +Himself will take you up, and will keep you there, so that all your work +shall be done in God. Beloved, wait continually upon God. You can not do +this unless you are in His presence. You must live in His presence. Then +the blessed habit of waiting upon God will be learned. The real difficulty +of getting to the point of real waiting upon God, is because most +Christians have not sought to realize the nearness of God, and to give God +the first place. But let us strive after this, let us trust God to give it +to us by His grace, let us wait on God all the day. "My eyes," says one, +"are ever towards Thee." Wait upon God for guidance, and God, if you wait +much upon Him, will lead you up into new power for His service, into new +gladness in His fellowship. He will lead you out into a larger trust in +Him; He will prepare you to expect new things from Him. Beloved, there +is no knowing what God will do for a man who is utterly given up to Him. +Praise His name! Let each one of us say, "May my life be to live and die, +to labor and to pray continually for this one thing: that in me, and around +me, and in the church; that throughout the world '<i>God may be all in +all</i>.'" A little seed is the beginning of a great tree. A mustard seed +becomes a tree in which the birds of the air can nestle. That great day of +which the text + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page175" id="page175"></a>[pg 180]</span> + +speaks, when Christ Himself shall be subject to the Father, +and deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all—that +is the great tree of the Kingdom of God reaching its perfect consummation +and glory. Oh, let us take the seed of that glory into our hearts, and let +us bow in lowly surrender and submission, and say, "Amen, Lord; this be my +one thought. This be my life—to speak and to work, to pray and to exist +only that others may be brought to know Him too. This be my life—to yield +myself to the unutterable yearnings of the Holy Spirit, that I may not +rest, but ever keep my eye on that day—the day of glory, when in very deed +God shall be all in all."</p> + +<p>God help every one of us. God help us all to yield ourselves to Him, and to +Christ, and to make it our every-day life; for His name's sake. Amen.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<center> +<p><small>THE END.</small></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +</center> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12854 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Master's Indwelling + +Author: Andrew Murray + +Release Date: July 8, 2004 [EBook #12854] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MASTER'S INDWELLING *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Bob McKillip and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page01" id="page01"></a>[pg 1]</span> + +<p> </p> + <h1>The MASTER'S INDWELLING</h1> + + <h2>ANDREW MURRAY</h2> + + <h2>1953</h2> +<p> </p> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page2" id="page2"></a>[pg 3]</span> + +<p>The following papers were in substance delivered by the author in a series +of addresses at the Northfield Conference of 1895, but later rewritten and +revised by him for this permanent and authorized publication.</p> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page03" id="page03"></a>[pg 5]</span> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<ol type="I"> + <li><a href="#page04">CARNAL CHRISTIANS</a></li> + <li><a href="#page23">THE SELF LIFE</a></li> + <li><a href="#page36">WAITING ON GOD</a></li> + <li><a href="#page46">ENTRANCE INTO REST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page56">THE KINGDOM FIRST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page67">CHRIST OUR LIFE</a></li> + <li><a href="#page81">CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION</a></li> + <li><a href="#page95">THE COMPLETE SURRENDER</a></li> + <li><a href="#page109">DEAD WITH CHRIST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page130">JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST</a></li> + <li><a href="#page141">TRIUMPH OF FAITH</a></li> + <li><a href="#page151">THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER</a></li> + <li><a href="#page162">THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL</a></li> +</ol> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page04" id="page04"></a>[pg 7]</span> + +<p> </p> + +<h2>CARNAL CHRISTIANS.</h2> +<h3>I.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>1 Corinthians 3: 1</i>.—<i>And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto +spiritual, but as unto carnal</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The apostle here speaks of two stages of the Christian life, two types of +Christians: "I could not speak unto you as unto <i>spiritual</i>, but as unto +<i>carnal</i>, even as unto babes in Christ." They were Christians, in Christ, +but instead of being spiritual Christians, they were carnal. "I have fed +you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, +neither yet are ye able, for ye are yet carnal." Here is that word a second +time. "For whereas"—this is the proof—"there is among you envying, and +strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one +saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" Four +times the apostle uses that word carnal. In the wisdom which the Holy Ghost +gives him, Paul feels:—I can not write to these Corinthian Christians +unless I know their state, and unless I tell them of it. If I give +spiritual + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page05" id="page05"></a>[pg 8]</span> + +food to men who are carnal Christians, I am doing them more harm +than good, for they are not fit to take it. I cannot feed them with meat, +I must feed them with milk. And so he tells them at the very outset of the +epistle what he sees to be their state. In the two previous chapters he had +spoken about his ministry being by the Holy Spirit; now he begins to tell +them what must be the state of a people in order to accept spiritual truth, +and he says: "I have not liberty to speak to you as I would, for you are +carnal, and you cannot receive Spiritual truth." That suggests to us the +solemn thought, that in the Church of Christ there are two classes of +Christians. Some have lived many years as believers, and yet always remain +babes; others are spiritual men, because they have given themselves up to +the power, the leading and to the entire rule of the Holy Ghost. If we are +to obtain a blessing, we must first decide to which of these classes we +belong. Are we, by the grace of God, in deep humility living a spiritual +life, or are we living a carnal life? Then, let us first try to understand +what is meant by the carnal state in which believers may be living.</p> + +<p>We notice from what we find in Corinthians, four marks of the carnal state. +First: It is simply a condition of protracted infancy. You know what that +means. Suppose a beautiful babe, six months old. It cannot speak, it cannot +walk, but we do not + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page06" id="page06"></a>[pg 9]</span> + +trouble ourselves about that; it is natural, and ought +to be so. But suppose a year later we find the child not grown at all, and +three years later still no growth; we would at once say: "There must be +some terrible disease;" and the baby that at six months old was the cause +of joy to every one who saw him, has become to the mother and to all a +source of anxiety and sorrow. There is something wrong; the child can not +grow. It was quite right at six months old that it should eat nothing but +milk; but years have passed by, and it remains in the same weakly state. +Now this is just the condition of many believers. They are converted; they +know what it is to have assurance and faith; they believe in pardon for +sin; they begin to work for God; and yet, somehow, there is very little +growth in spirituality, in the real heavenly life. We come into contact +with them, and we feel at once there is something wanting; there is none of +the beauty of holiness or of the power of God's Spirit in them. This is +the condition of the carnal Corinthians, expressed in what was said to the +Hebrews: "You have had the Gospel so long that by this time you ought to be +teachers, and yet you need that men should teach you the very rudiments of +the oracles of God." Is it not a sad thing to see a believer who has been +converted five, ten, twenty years, and yet no growth, and no strength, and +no joy of holiness?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page07" id="page07"></a>[pg 10]</span> + +<p>What are the marks of a little child? One is, a little child cannot help +himself, but is always keeping others occupied to serve him. What a tyrant +a baby in a house often is! The mother cannot go out, there must be a +servant to nurse it; it needs to be cared for constantly. God made a man to +care for others, but the baby was made to be cared for and to be helped. So +there are Christians who always want help. Their pastor and their Christian +friends must always be teaching and comforting them. They go to church, and +to prayer-meetings, and to conventions, always wanting to be helped,—a +sign of spiritual infancy.</p> + +<p>The other sign of an infant is this: he can do nothing to help his +fellow-man. Every man is expected to contribute something to the welfare of +society; every one has a place to fill and a work to do, but the babe can +do nothing for the common weal. It is just so with Christians. How little +some can do! They take a part in work, as it is called, but there is little +of exercising spiritual power and carrying real blessing. Should we not +each ask, "Have I outgrown my spiritual infancy?" Some must reply, "No, +instead of having gone forward, I have gone backward, and the joy of +conversion and the first love is gone." Alas! They are babes in Christ; +they are yet carnal.</p> + +<p>The second mark of the carnal state is this: + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page08" id="page08"></a>[pg 11]</span> + +that there is sin and failure +continually. Paul says: "Whereas there is strife and division among you, +and envying, are ye not carnal?" A man gives way to temper. He may be a +minister, or a preacher of the Gospel, or a Sunday-school teacher, most +earnest at the prayer-meeting, but yet strife or bitterness or envying is +often shown by him. Alas! Alas! In Gal. 3:5 we are told that the works of +the flesh are specially hatred and envy. How often among Christians, who +have to work together, do we see divisions and bitterness! God have mercy +upon them, that the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is so frequently +absent from His own people. You ask, "Why is it, that for twenty years I +have been fighting with my temper, and can not conquer it?" It is because +you have been fighting with the temper, and you have not been fighting with +the root of the temper. You have not seen that it is all because you are in +the carnal state, and not properly given up to the Spirit of God. It may be +that you never were taught it; that you never saw it in God's Word; +that you never believed it. But there it is; the truth of God remains +unchangeable. Jesus Christ can give us the victory over sin, and can keep +us from actual transgression. I am not telling you that the root of sin +will be eradicated, and that you will have no longer any natural tendency +to sin; but when the Holy Spirit comes not only with His + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page09" id="page09"></a>[pg 12]</span> + +power for service +as a gift, but when He comes in Divine grace to fill the heart, there is +victory over sin; power not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And you see +a mark of the carnal state not only in unlovingness, self-consciousness +and bitterness, but in so many other sins. How much worldliness, how much +ambition among men, how much seeking for the honor that comes from man—all +the fruit of the carnal life—to be found in the midst of Christian +activity! Let us remember that the carnal state is a state of continual +sinning and failure, and God wants us not only to make confession of +individual sins, but to come to the acknowledgment that they are the sign +that we are not living a healthy life,—we are yet carnal.</p> + +<p>A third mark which will explain further what I have been saying, is that +this carnal state may be found in existence in connection with great +spiritual gifts. There is a difference between gifts and graces. The graces +of the Spirit are humility and love, like the humility and love of Christ. +The graces of the Spirit are to make a man free from self; the gifts of +the Spirit are to fit a man for work. We see this illustrated among the +Corinthians. In the first chapter Paul says, "I thank God that you are +enriched unto all utterance, and all knowledge, and all wisdom." In the +12th and 14th chapters we see that the gifts of prophecy and of working +miracles were in great power + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page10" id="page10"></a>[pg 13]</span> + +among them; but the graces of the Spirit were +noticeably absent.</p> + +<p>And this may be in our days as well as in the time of the Corinthians. I +may be a minister of the Gospel; I may teach God's Word beautifully; I may +have influence, and gather a large congregation, and yet, alas! I may be a +carnal man; a man who may be used by God, and may be a blessing to others, +and yet the carnal life may still mark me. You all know the law that a +thing is named according to what is its most prominent characteristic. Now, +in these carnal Corinthians there was a little of God's Spirit, but the +flesh predominated; the Spirit had not the rule of their whole life. And +the spiritual men are not called so because there is no flesh in them, but +because the Spirit in them has obtained dominance, and when you meet +them and have intercourse with them, you feel that the Spirit of God has +sanctified them. Ah, let us beware lest the blessing God gives us in our +work deceive us and lead us to think that because he has blessed us, we +must be spiritual men. God may give us gifts that we use, and yet our lives +may not be wholly in the power of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>My last mark of the carnal state is that it makes a man unfit for receiving +spiritual truths. That is what the apostle writes to the Corinthians: "I +could not preach to you as unto spiritual; you are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page11" id="page11"></a>[pg 14]</span> + +not fit for spiritual +truth after being Christians so long; you can not yet bear it; I have to +feed you with milk." I am afraid that in the church of the nineteenth +century we often make a terrible mistake. We have a congregation in which +the majority are carnal men. We give these men spiritual teaching, and they +admire it, understand it, and rejoice in such ministry; yet their lives are +not practically affected. They work for Christ in a certain way, but we can +scarce recognize the true sanctification of the Spirit; we dare not say +they are spiritual men, full of the Holy Spirit.</p> + +<p>Now, let us recognize this with regard to ourselves. A man may become very +earnest, may take in all the teaching he hears; he may be able to discern, +for discernment is a gift; he may say, "That man helps me in this line, and +that man in another direction, and a third man is remarkable for another +gift;" yet, all the time, the carnal life may be living strongly in him, +and when he gets into trouble with some friend, or Christian worker, +or worldly man, the carnal root is bearing its terrible fruit, and the +spiritual food has failed to enter his heart. Beware of that. Mark the +Corinthians and learn of them. Paul did not say to them, "You can not bear +the truth as I would speak it to you," because they were ignorant or a +stupid people. The Corinthians prided themselves on their wisdom, and +sought it above everything, and + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page12" id="page12"></a>[pg 15]</span> + +Paul said: "I thank God that you are +enriched in utterance, in knowledge, and in wisdom; nevertheless, you are +yet carnal, your life is not holy; your life is not sanctified unto the +humility of the life of the Lamb of God, you can not yet take in real +spiritual truth."</p> + +<p>We find the carnal state not only at Corinth, but throughout the Christian +world to-day. Many Christians are asking, "What is the reason there is so +much feebleness in the Church?" We can not ask this question too earnestly, +and I trust that God Himself will so impress it upon our hearts that we +shall say to Him, "It must be changed. Have mercy upon us." But, ah! that +prayer and that change can not come until we have begun to see that there +is a carnal root ruling in believers; they are living more after the flesh +than the Spirit; they are yet carnal Christians.</p> + +<p>There is a passage "from carnal to spiritual." Did Paul find any spiritual +believers? Undoubtedly he did. Just read the 6th chapter of the Epistle to +the Galatians! That was a church where strife, and bitterness, and envy +were terrible. But the apostle says in the first verse: "Brethren, if a man +be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the +spirit of meekness." There we see that the marks of the spiritual man are +that he will be a meek man; and that he will have power, and love to help +and restore those that are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page13" id="page13"></a>[pg 16]</span> + +fallen. The carnal man can not do that. If there +is a true spiritual life that can be lived, the great question is: Is the +way open, and how can I enter into the spiritual state? Here, again, I have +four short answers.</p> + +<p>First, we must know that there is such a spiritual life to be lived by men +on earth. Nothing cuts the roots of the Christian life so much as unbelief. +People do not believe what God has said about what He is willing to do for +His children. Men do not believe that when God says, "Be filled with +the Spirit," He means it for every Christian. And yet Paul wrote to the +Ephesians each one: "Be filled with the Spirit, and do not be drunk with +wine." Just as little as you may be drunk with wine, so little may you live +without being filled with the Spirit. Now, if God means that for believers, +the first thing that we need is to study, and to take home God's Word, to +our belief until our hearts are filled with the assurance that there is +such a life possible which it is our duty to live; that we can be spiritual +men. God's Word teaches us that God does not expect a man to live as he +ought for one minute unless the Holy Spirit is in him to enable him to do +it.</p> + +<p>We do not want the Holy Spirit only when we go to preach, or when we have +some special temptation of the devil to meet, or some great burden to bear; +God says: "My child can not live a + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page14" id="page14"></a>[pg 17]</span> + +right life unless he is guided by my +Spirit every minute." That is the mark of the child of God: "As many as are +led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." In Romans V. we read: +"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto +us." That is to be the common, every-day experience of the believer, not +his life at set times only. Did ever a father or mother think, "For to-day +I want my child to love me?" No, they expect the love every day. And so +God wants His child every moment to have a heart filled with love of the +Spirit. In the eyes of God, it is most unnatural to expect a man to love +as he should if he is not filled with the Spirit. Oh, let us believe a man +<i>can</i> be a spiritual man. Thank God, there is now the blessing waiting +us. "Be filled with the Spirit." "Be led by the Spirit." There <i>is</i> the +blessing. If you have to say, "Oh, God, I have not this blessing," say it; +but say also, "Lord, I know it is my duty, my solemn obligation to have +it, for without it I can not live in perfect peace with Thee all the day; +without it I can not glorify Thee, and do the work Thou wouldst have me +do." This is our first step from carnal to spiritual,—to recognize a +spiritual life, a walk in the Spirit, is within our reach. How can we ask +God to guide us into spiritual life, if we have not a clear, confident +conviction that there is such a life to be had?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page15" id="page15"></a>[pg 18]</span> + +<p>Then comes the second step; a man must see the shame and guilt of his +having lived such a life. Some people admit there is a spiritual life to +live, and that they have not lived it, and they are sorry for themselves, +and pity themselves, and think, "How sad that I am too feeble for it! How +sad that God gives it to others, but has not given it to me!" They have +great compassion upon themselves, instead of saying, "Alas! it has been +our unfaithfulness, our unbelief, our disobedience, that has kept us from +giving ourselves utterly to God. We have to blush and to be ashamed before +God that we do not live as spiritual men."</p> + +<p>A man does not get converted without having conviction of sin. When that +conviction of sin comes, and his eyes are opened, he learns to be afraid of +his sin, and to flee from it to Christ, and to accept Christ as a mighty +deliverer. But a man needs a second conviction of sin; a believer must be +convicted of his peculiar sin. The sins of an unconverted man are different +from the sins of a believer. An unconverted man, for instance, is not +ordinarily convicted of the corruption of his nature; he thinks principally +about external sins,—"I have sworn, been a liar, and I am on the way to +hell." He is then convicted for conversion. But the believer is in quite +a different condition. His sins are far more blamable, for he has had the +light and the love and the Spirit of God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page16" id="page16"></a>[pg 19]</span> + +given to him. His sins are far +deeper. He has striven to conquer them and he has grown to see that his +nature is utterly corrupt, that the carnal mind, the flesh, within him, is +making his whole state utterly wretched. When a believer is thus convicted +by the Holy Spirit, it is specially his life of unbelief that condemns him, +because he sees that the great guilt connected with this has kept him from +receiving the full gift of God's Holy Spirit. He is brought down in shame +and confusion of face, and he begins to cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone. I +have heard of God by the hearing of the ear; I have known a great deal of +Him and preached about Him, but now mine eye seeth Him." God comes near +him. Job, the righteous man, whom God trusted, saw in himself the deep sin +of self and its righteousness that he had never seen before. Until this +conviction of the wrongness of our carnal state as believers comes to each +one of us; until we are willing to get this conviction from God, to take +time before God to be humbled and convicted, we never can become spiritual +men.</p> + +<p>Then comes the third mark, which is that out of the carnal state into the +spiritual is only one step. One step; oh, that is a blessed message I bring +to you—it is only one step. I know many people will refuse to admit that +it is only one step; they think it too little for such a mighty change. But +was not conversion only one step?</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page17" id="page17"></a>[pg 20]</span> + +<p>So it is when a man passes from carnal to spiritual. You ask if when I talk +of a spiritual man I am not thinking of a man of spiritual maturity, a +real saint, and you say: "Does that come in one day? Is there no growth in +holiness?" I reply that spiritual maturity cannot come in a day. We can not +expect it. It takes growth, until the whole beauty of the image of Christ +is formed in a man. But still I say that it needs but one step for a man +to get out of the carnal life into the spiritual life. It is when a +man utterly breaks with the flesh; when he gives up the flesh into the +crucifixion death of Christ; when he sees that everything about it is +accursed and that he can not deliver himself from it; and then claims the +slaying power of Christ's cross within him,—it is when a man does this and +says: "This spiritual life prepared for me is the free gift of my God in +Christ Jesus," that he understands how one step can bring him out of the +carnal into the spiritual state.</p> + +<p>In that spiritual life there will be much still to be learned. There will +still be imperfections. Spiritual life is not perfect; but the predominant +characteristic will be spiritual. When a man has given himself up to the +real, living, acting, ruling power of God's Spirit, he has got into the +right position in which he can grow. You never think of growing out of +sickness into health; you may grow out of feebleness into strength, as the +little + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page18" id="page18"></a>[pg 21]</span> + +babe can grow to be a strong man; but where there is disease, there +must healing come if there is to be a cure effected. There are Christians +who think that they must grow out of the carnal state into the spiritual +state. You never can. What could help those carnal Corinthians? To give +them milk could not help them, for milk was a proof they were in the wrong +state. To give them meat would not help them, for they were unfit to eat +it. What they needed was the knife of the surgeon. Paul says that the +carnal life must be cut out. "They that are Christ's have crucified the +flesh." When a man understands what that means, and accepts it in the +faith of what Christ can do, then one step can bring him from carnal to +spiritual. One simple act of faith in the power of Christ's death, one act +of surrender to the fellowship of Christ's death as the Holy Spirit can +make it ours, will make it ours, will bring deliverance from the power of +your efforts.</p> + +<p>What brought deliverance to that poor condemned sinner who was most dark +and wretched in his unconverted state? He felt he could do nothing good of +himself. What did he do? He saw set before him the almighty Saviour and he +cast himself into His arms; he trusted himself to that omnipotent love and +cried, "Lord, have mercy upon me." That was salvation. It was not for +what he did that Christ accepted him. Oh, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page19" id="page19"></a>[pg 22]</span> + +believers, if any of us who are +conscious that the carnal state predominates have to say: "It marks me; I +am a religious man, an earnest man, a friend of missions; I work for Christ +in my church, but, alas! temper and sin and worldliness have still the +mastery over my soul," hear the word of God. If any will come and say: "I +have struggled, I have prayed, I have wept, and it has not helped me," then +you must do one other thing. You must see that the living Christ is God's +provision for your holy, spiritual life. You must believe that that Christ +who accepted you once, at conversion, in His wonderful love is now waiting +to say to you that you may become a spiritual man, entirely given up to +God. If you will believe that, your fear will vanish and you will say: "It +can be done; if Christ will accept and take charge, it shall be done."</p> + +<p>Then, my last mark. A man must take that step, a solemn but blessed +step. It cost some of you five or ten years before you took the step of +conversion. You wept and prayed for years, and could not find peace until +you took that step. So, in the spiritual life, you may go to teacher after +teacher, and say, "Tell me about the spiritual life, the baptism of the +Spirit, and holiness," and yet you may remain just where you were. Many of +us would love to have sin taken away. Who loves to have a hasty temper? Who +loves to have + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page20" id="page20"></a>[pg 23]</span> + +a proud disposition? Who loves to have a worldly heart? No +one. We go to Christ to take it away, and he does not do it; and we ask, +"Why will he not do it? I have prayed very earnestly." It is because you +wanted Him to take away the ugly fruits while the poisonous root was to +stay in you. You did not ask Him that the flesh should be nailed to His +cross, and that you should henceforth give up self entirely to the power of +His Spirit.</p> + +<p>There is deliverance, but not in the way we seek it. Suppose a painter had +a piece of canvas, on which he desired to work out some beautiful picture. +Suppose that piece of canvas does not belong to him, and any one has a +right to take it and to use it for any other purpose; do you think the +painter would bestow much work on that? No. Yet people want Jesus Christ to +bestow His trouble upon them in taking away this temper, or that other sin, +though in their hearts they have not yielded themselves utterly to His +command and His keeping. It can not be. But if you will come and give your +whole life into His charge, Christ Jesus is mighty to save; Christ Jesus +waits to be gracious; Christ Jesus waits to fill you with His Spirit.</p> + +<p>Will you not take the step? God grant that we may be led by His Spirit to +a yielding up of ourselves to Him as never before. Will you not come in +humble confession that, alas! the carnal life has predominated too much, +has altogether marked you, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page21" id="page21"></a>[pg 24]</span> + +and that you have a bitter consciousness that +with all the blessing God has bestowed, He has not made you what you want +to be—a spiritual man? <i>It is the Holy Spirit alone who by His indwelling +can make a spiritual man</i>. Come then and cast yourself at God's feet, with +this one thought, "Lord, I give myself an empty vessel to be filled with +Thy Spirit." Each one of you sees every day at the tea table an empty cup +set there, waiting to be filled with tea when the proper time comes. So +with every dish, every plate. They are cleansed and empty, ready to be +filled. Emptied and cleansed. Oh, come! and just as a vessel is set apart +to receive what it is to contain, say to Christ that you desire from this +hour to be a vessel set apart to be filled with His Spirit, given up to be +a spiritual man. Bow down in the deepest emptiness of soul, and say, "Oh, +God, I have nothing!" and then surely as you place yourself before Him you +have a right to say, "My God will fulfill His promise! I claim from Him the +filling of the Holy Spirit to make me, instead of a carnal, a spiritual +Christian." If you place yourself at His feet, and tarry there; if you +abide in that humble surrender and that childlike trust, as sure as God +lives the blessing will come.</p> + +<p>Oh, have we not to bow + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page22" id="page22"></a>[pg 25]</span> + +in shame before God, as we think of His whole Church +and see so much of the carnal prevailing? Have we not to bow in shame +before God, as we think of so much of the carnal in our hearts and lives? +Then let us bow in great faith in God's mercy. Deliverance is nigh, +deliverance is coming, deliverance is waiting, deliverance is sure. Let us +trust; God will give it.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page23" id="page23"></a>[pg 26]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE SELF LIFE.</h2> +<h3>II.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Matt. 16: 24</i>.—<i>If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and +take up his cross, and follow me</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>In the 13th verse we read that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi asked His +disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" When they had +answered, He asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?" And in verse 16 Peter +answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus +answered and said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas, for flesh +and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. +And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will +build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." +Then in verse 21 we read how Jesus began to tell His disciples of His +approaching death; and in verse 22 how Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, +"Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." But Jesus turned +and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto +me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of +men." Then said + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page24" id="page24"></a>[pg 27]</span> + +Jesus unto His disciples, "If any man will come after me, +let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."</p> + +<p>We often hear about the compromise life and the question comes up What lies +at the root of it? What is the reason that so many Christians are wasting +their lives in the terrible bondage of the world instead of living in the +manifestation and the privilege and the glory of the child of God? And +another question perhaps comes to us: What can be the reason that when we +see a thing is wrong and strive against it we cannot conquer it? What can +be the reason that we have a hundred times prayed and vowed, yet here +we are still living a mingled, divided, half-hearted life? To those two +questions there is one answer: it is <i>self</i> that is the root of the whole +trouble. And therefore, if any one asks me, "How can I get rid of this +compromise life?" the answer would not be, "You must do this, or that, or +the other thing," but the answer would be, "A new life from above, the +life of Christ, must take the place of the self-life; then alone can we be +conquerors."</p> + +<p>We always go from the outward to the inward; let us do so here; let us +consider from these words of the text the one word, "self." Jesus said to +Peter: "If any man will come after me let him deny <i>himself</i>, his own self, +and take up the cross and follow me." That is a mark of the disciple; + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page25" id="page25"></a>[pg 28]</span> + +that +is the secret of the Christian life—deny self and all will come right. +Note that Peter was a believer, and a believer who had been taught by the +Holy Spirit. He had given an answer that pleased Christ wonderfully: "Thou +art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Do not think that that was +nothing extraordinary. We learn it in our catechisms; Peter did not; and +Christ saw that the Holy Spirit of the Father had been teaching him and He +said: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas." But note how strong the carnal +man still is in Peter. Christ speaks of His cross; He could understand +about the glory, "Thou art the Son of God;" but about the cross and the +death he could not understand, and he ventured in his self-confidence to +say, "Lord, that shall never be; Thou canst not be crucified and die." And +Christ had to rebuke him: "Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou savorest not the +things that be of God." You are talking like a mere carnal man, and not as +the Spirit of God would teach you. Then Christ went on to say, "Remember, +it is not only I who am to be crucified, but you; it is not only I who am +to die, but you also. If a man would be my disciple, he must deny self, and +he must take up his cross and follow me." Let us dwell upon this one word, +"self." It is only as we learn to know what self is that we really know +what is at the root of all our failure, and are prepared to go to Christ +for deliverance.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page26" id="page26"></a>[pg 29]</span> + +<p>Let us consider, first of all, the nature of this self life, then denote +some of its works and then ask the question: "How may we be delivered from +it?"</p> + +<p>Self is the power with which God has created and endowed every intelligent +creature. Self is the very center of a created being. And why did God give +the angels or man a self? The object of this self was that we might bring +it as an empty vessel unto God; that He might put into it His life. God +gave me the power of self-determination, that I might bring this self every +day and say: "Oh, God, work in it; I offer it to thee." God wanted a vessel +into which He might pour out His divine fullness of beauty, wisdom and +power; and so He created the world, the sun, and the moon, and the stars, +the trees, and the flowers, and the grass, which all show forth the riches +of His wisdom, and beauty, and goodness. But they do it without knowing +what they do. Then God created the angels with a self and a will, to see +whether they would come and voluntarily yield themselves to Him as vessels +for Him to fill. But alas! they did not all do that. There was one at the +head of a great company, and he began to look upon himself, and to think +of the wonderful powers with which God had endowed him, and to delight in +himself. He began to think: "Must such a being as I always remain dependent +on God?" + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page27" id="page27"></a>[pg 30]</span> + +He exalted himself, pride asserted itself in separation from God, +and that very moment he became, instead of an angel in Heaven, a devil in +hell. Self turned to God is the glory of allowing the Creator to reveal +Himself in us. Self turned away from God is the very darkness and fire of +hell.</p> + +<p>We all know the terrible story of what took place further; God created man, +and Satan came in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve with the thought +of becoming as God, having an independent self, knowing good and evil. And +while he spoke with her, he breathed into her, in those words, the very +poison and the very pride of hell. His own evil spirit, the very poison of +hell, entered humanity, and it is this cursed self that we have inherited +from our first parents. It was that self that ruined and brought +destruction upon this world, and all that there has been of sin, and of +darkness, and of wretchedness, and of misery; and all that there will be +throughout the countless ages of eternity in hell, will be nothing but the +reign of self, the curse of self, separating man and turning him away from +his God. And if we are to understand fully what Christ is to do for us, and +are to become partakers of a full salvation, we must learn to know, and to +hate, and to give up entirely this cursed self.</p> + +<p>Now what are the works of self? I might mention + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page28" id="page28"></a>[pg 31]</span> + +many, but let us take the +simplest words that we are continually using,—self-will, self-confidence, +self-exaltation. Self-will, pleasing self, is the great sin of man, and it +is at the root of all that compromising with the world which is the ruin of +so many. Men can not understand why they should not please themselves and +do their own will. Numbers of Christians have never gotten hold of the idea +that a Christian is a man who is never to seek his own will, but is always +to seek the will of God, as a man in whom the very spirit of Christ lives. +"Lo, I come to do Thy will, oh, my God!" We find Christians pleasing +themselves in a thousand ways, and yet trying to be happy, and good, and +useful; and they do not know that at the root of it all is self-will +robbing them of the blessing. Christ said to Peter, "Peter, deny yourself." +But instead of doing that, Peter said, "I will deny my Lord and not +myself." He never said it in words, but Christ said to him in the last +night, "Thou shalt deny Me," and he did it. What was the cause of this? +Self-pleasing. He became afraid when the woman servant charged him with +belonging to Jesus, and three times said, "I know not this man, I have +nothing to do with Him." He denied Christ. Just think of it! No wonder +Peter wept those bitter tears. It was a choice between self, that ugly, +cursed self, and that beautiful, blessed Son of God; and Peter + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page29" id="page29"></a>[pg 32]</span> + +chose self. +No wonder that he thought: "Instead of denying myself, I have denied Jesus; +what a choice I have made!" No wonder that he wept bitterly.</p> + +<p>Christians, look at your own lives in the light of the words of Jesus. Do +you find there self-will, self-pleasing? Remember this: every time you +please yourself, you deny Jesus. It is one of the two. You must please Him +only, and deny self, or you must please yourself and deny Him. Then follows +self-confidence, self-trust, self-effort, self-dependence. What was it +that led Peter to deny Jesus? Christ had warned him; why did he not take +warning? Self-confidence. He was so sure: "Lord, I love Thee. For three +years I have followed Thee. Lord, I deny that it ever can be. I am ready +to go to prison and to death." It was simply self-confidence. People have +often asked me, "What is the reason I fail? I desire so earnestly, and pray +so fervently, to live in God's will." And my answer generally is, "Simply +because you trust yourself." They answer me: "No, I do not; I know I am +not good; and I know that God is willing to keep me, and I put my trust in +Jesus." But I reply, "No, my brother; no; if you trusted God and Jesus, you +could not fall, but you trust yourself." Do let us believe that the cause +of every failure in the Christian life is nothing but this. I trust this + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30" id="page30"></a>[pg 33]</span> + +cursed self, instead of trusting Jesus. I trust my own strength, instead of +the almighty strength of God. And that is why Christ says, "This self must +be denied."</p> + +<p>Then there is self-exaltation, another form of the works of self. Ah, +how much pride and jealousy is there in the Christian world; how much +sensitiveness to what men say of us or think of us; how much desire of +human praise and pleasing men, instead of always living in the presence of +God, with the one thought: "Am I pleasing to Him?" Christ said, "How can ye +believe who receive honor one of another?" Receiving honor of one another +renders a life of faith absolutely impossible. This self started from hell, +it separated us from God, it is a cursed deceiver that leads us astray from +Jesus.</p> + +<p>Now comes the third point. What are we to do to get rid of it? Jesus +answers us in the words of our text: "If any man will come after me, let +him take up his cross and follow me." Note it well.—I must deny myself and +take Jesus himself as my life,—I must choose. There are two lives, the +self life and the Christ life; I must choose one of the two. "Follow +me," says our Lord, "make me the law of your existence, the rule of your +conduct; give me your whole heart; follow me, and I will care for all." Oh, +friends, it is a solemn exchange to have set before us; to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page31" id="page31"></a>[pg 34]</span> + +come and, +seeing the danger of this self, with its pride and its wickedness, to cast +ourselves before the Son of God, and to say, "I deny my own life, I take +Thy life to be mine."</p> + +<p>The reason why Christians pray and pray for the Christ life to come in to +them, without result, is that the self life is not denied. You ask, "How +can I get rid of this self life?" You know the parable: the strong man kept +his house until one stronger than he came in and cast him out. Then the +place was garnished and swept, but empty, and he came back with seven other +spirits worse than himself. It is only Christ Himself coming in that can +cast out self, and keep out self. This self will abide with us to the very +end. Remember the Apostle Paul; he had seen the Heavenly vision, and lest +he should exalt himself, the thorn in the flesh was sent to humble him. +There was a tendency to exalt himself, which was natural, and it would have +conquered, but Christ delivered him from it by His faithful care for His +loving servant. Jesus Christ is able, by His divine grace, to prevent the +power of self from ever asserting itself or gaining the upper hand; Jesus +Christ is willing to become the life of the soul; Jesus Christ is willing +to teach us so to follow Him, and to have heart and life set upon Him +alone, that He shall ever and always be the light of our souls. Then we +come to what the apostle Paul says; "Not I, but Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page32" id="page32"></a>[pg 35]</span> + +liveth in me." The +two truths go together. First "Not I," then, "but Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>Look at Peter again. Christ said to him, "Deny yourself, and follow me." +Whither had he to follow? Jesus led him, even though he failed; and where +did he lead him? He led him on to Gethsemane, and there Peter failed, for +he slept when he ought to have been awake, watching and praying; He led him +on towards Calvary, to the place where Peter denied Him. Was that Christ's +leading? Praise God, it was. The Holy Spirit had not yet come in His power; +Peter was yet a carnal man; the Spirit willing, but not able to conquer; +the flesh weak. What did Christ do? He led Peter on until he was broken +down in utter self-abasement, and humbled in the depths of sorrow. Jesus +led him on, past the grave, through the Resurrection, up to Pentecost, and +the Holy Spirit came, and in the Holy Spirit Christ with His divine life +came, and then it was, "Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>There is but one way of being delivered from this life of self. We must +follow Christ, set our hearts upon Him, listen to His teachings, give +ourselves up every day, that He may be all to us, and by the power of +Christ the denial of self will be a blessed, unceasing reality. Never for +one hour do I expect the Christian to reach a stage at which he can say, "I +have no self to deny;" never + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page33" id="page33"></a>[pg 36]</span> + +for one moment in which he can say, "I do not +need to deny self." No, this fellowship with the cross of Christ will be an +unceasing denial of self every hour and every moment by the grace of God. +There is no place where there is full deliverance from the power of this +sinful self. We are to be crucified with Christ Jesus. We are to live with +Him as those who have never been baptized into His death. Think of that! +Christ had no sinful self, but He had a self and that self He actually gave +up unto death. In Gethsemane He said, "Father, not My will." That unsinning +self He gave up unto death that He might receive it again out of the grave +from God, raised up and glorified. Can we expect to go to Heaven in any +other way than He went? Beware! remember that Christ descended into death +and the grave, and it is in the death of self, following Jesus to the +uttermost, that the deliverance and the life will come.</p> + +<p>And now, what is the use that we are to make of this lesson of the Master? +The first lesson will be that we should take time, and that we should +humble ourselves before God, at the thought of what this self is in us; put +down to the account of the self every sin, every shortcoming, all failure, +and all that has been dishonoring to God, and then say, "Lord, this is +what I am;" and then let us allow the blessed Jesus Christ to take entire +control + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page34" id="page34"></a>[pg 37]</span> + +of our life, in the faith that His life can be ours.</p> + +<p>Do not think it is an easy thing to get rid of self. At a consecration +meeting, it is easy to make a vow, and to offer a prayer, and to perform an +act of surrender, but as solemn as the death of Christ was on Calvary—His +giving up of His unsinning self life to God,—just as solemn must it be +between us and our God—the giving up of self to death. The power of +the death of Christ must come to work in us every day. Oh, think what a +contrast between that self-willed Peter, and Jesus giving up His will to +God! What a contrast between that self-exaltation of Peter, and the deep +humility of the Lamb of God, meek and lowly in heart before God and man! +What a contrast between that self-confidence of Peter, and that deep +dependence of Jesus upon the Father, when He said: "I can do nothing of +myself." We are called upon to live the life of Christ, and Christ comes to +live His life in us; but one thing must first take place; we must learn to +hate this self, and to deny it. As Peter said, when he denied Christ, "I +have nothing to do with him," so we must say, "I have nothing to do with +self," that Christ Jesus may be all in all. Let us humble ourselves at the +thought of what this self has done to us and how it has dishonored Jesus; +and let us pray very fervently: "Lord, by Thy light discover this self; we +beseech Thee to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page35" id="page35"></a>[pg 38]</span> + +discover it to us. Open our eyes, that we may see what it +has done, and that it is the only hindrance that has been keeping us back." +Let us pray that fervently, and then let us wait upon God until we get away +from all our religious exercises, and from all our religious experience, +and from all our blessings, until we get close to God, with this one +prayer: "Lord God, self changed an archangel into a devil, and self ruined +my first parents, and brought them out of Paradise into darkness and +misery, and self has been the ruin of my life and the cause of every +failure; oh, discover it to me." And then comes the blessed exchange, that +a man is made willing and able to say: "Another will live the life for me, +another will live with me, another will do all for me," Nothing else will +do. Deny self; take up the cross, to die with Jesus; follow Him only. May +He give us the grace to understand, and to receive, and to live the Christ +life.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page36" id="page36"></a>[pg 39]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>WAITING ON GOD</h2> + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Psalms 62: 5</i>.—<i>My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is +from Him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The solemn question comes to us, "Is the God I have, a God that is to +me above all circumstances, nearer to me than any circumstance can be?" +Brother, have you learned to live your life having God so really with you +every moment, that in circumstances the most difficult He is always more +present and nearer than anything around you? All our knowledge of God's +Word will help us very little, unless that comes to be the question to +which we get an answer.</p> + +<p>What can be the reason that so many of God's beloved children complain +continually: "My circumstances separate me from God; my trials, my +temptations, my character, my temper, my friends, my enemies, anything can +come between my God and me?" Is God not able so to take possession that He +can be nearer to me than anything in the world? Must riches or poverty, joy +or sorrow, have a power over me that my God has not? No. But why, then, do +God's children so often complain + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page37" id="page37"></a>[pg 40]</span> + +that their circumstances separate them +from Him? There can be but one answer, "They do not know their God." If +there is trouble or feebleness in the Church of God, it is because of this. +We do not know the God we have. That is why in addition to the promise, "I +will be thy God," the promise is so often added, "And ye shall know that I +am your God." If I know that, not through man's teaching, not with my mind +or my imagination; but if I know that, in the living evidence which God +gives in my heart, then I know that the divine presence of my God will be +so wonderful, and my God Himself will be so beautiful, and so near, that I +can live all my days and years a conqueror through Him that loved me. Is +not that the life which we need?</p> + +<p>The question comes again: Why is it that God's people do not know their +God? And the answer is: They take anything rather than God,—ministers, and +preaching, and books, and prayers, and work, and efforts, any exertion of +human nature, instead of waiting, and waiting long if need be, until God +reveals Himself. No teaching that we may get, and no effort that we may put +forth, can put us in possession of this blessed light of God, all in all +to our souls. But still it is attainable, it is within reach, if God will +reveal Himself. That is the one necessity. I would to God that every one +would ask his heart whether he has + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page38" id="page38"></a>[pg 41]</span> + +said, and is saying every day: "I want +more of God. Do not speak to me only of the beautiful truth there is in the +Bible. That can not satisfy me. I want God." In our inner Christian life, +in our every-day prayers, in our Christian living, in our churches, in our +prayer-meetings, in our fellowship, it must come to that—that God always +has the first place; and if that be given Him, He will take possession. Oh, +if in our lives as individuals every eye were set upon God, upon the living +God, every heart were crying, "My soul thirsteth for God," what power, what +blessing and what presence of the everlasting God would be revealed to us! +Let me use an illustration. When a man is giving an illustrated lecture +he often uses a long pointer to indicate places on a map or chart. Do the +people look at that pointer? No, that only helps to show them the place on +the map, and they do not think of it,—it might be of fine gold; but the +<i>pointer</i> can not satisfy them. They want to see what the pointer points +at. And this Bible is nothing but a pointer, pointing to God; and,—may I +say it with reverence—Jesus Christ came to point us, to show us the way, +to bring us to God. I am afraid there are many people who love Christ and +who trust in Him, but who fail of the one great object of His work; they +have never learned to understand what the Scripture saith: "He died, that +He might bring us unto God."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page39" id="page39"></a>[pg 42]</span> + +<p>There is a difference between the way and the end which I am aiming at. +I might be traveling amid most beautiful scenery, in the most delightful +company; but if I have a home to which I want to go, all the scenery, and +all the company, and all the beauty and happiness around me can not satisfy +me; I want to reach the end; I want my home. And God is meant to be the +home of our souls. Christ came into the world to bring us back to God, and +unless we take Christ for what God intended we should, our religion will +always be a divided one. What do we read in Hebrews vii? "He is able to +save to the uttermost."—Whom? "Them that come to God by Him;" not +them that only come to Christ. In Christ—bless His name—we have the +graciousness, the condescension, and the tenderness of God. But we are in +danger of standing there, and being content with that, and Christ wants to +bring us back to rejoice as much as in the glory of God Himself, in His +righteousness, His holiness, His authority, His presence and His power. He +can save completely those who come to God through Him!</p> + +<p>Now, just a very few thoughts on the way by which I can come to know God as +this God above all circumstances, filling my heart and life every day. The +one thing needful is: I must wait upon God. The original is,—it is in our +Dutch version, and it is in the margin, too,—"My soul is silent + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page40" id="page40"></a>[pg 43]</span> + +into God." What ought to be the silence of +the soul unto God? A soul conscious of its +littleness, its ignorance, its prejudices and its dangers from passion, +from all that is human and sinful,—a soul conscious of that, and saying, +"I want the everlasting God to come in and to take hold of me and to take +such hold of me that I may be kept in the hollow of His hand for my life +long; I want Him to take such possession of me that every moment He may +work all in all in me." That is what is implied in the very nature of our +God. How we ought to be silent unto Him, and wait upon Him!</p> + +<p>May I ask, with reverence: What is God for? A God is for this: to be the +light and the life of creation, the source and power of all existence. The +beautiful trees, the green grass, the bright sun, God created that they +might show forth His beauty, His wisdom and His glory. The tree of one +hundred years old—when it was planted God did not give it a stock of life +by which to carry on its existence. Nay, verily, God clothes the lilies +every year afresh with their beauty; every year God clothes the tree with +its foliage and its fruit. Every day and every hour it is God who maintains +the life of all nature. And God created us, that we might be the empty +vessels in which He could work out His beauty, His will, His love, and the +likeness of His blessed Son. That is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page41" id="page41"></a>[pg 44]</span> + +what God is for, to work in us by His +mighty operation, without one moment's ceasing. When I begin to get hold of +that, I no longer think of the true Christian life as a high impossibility, +and an unnatural thing, but I say, "It is the most natural thing in +creation that God should have me every moment, and that my God should be +nearer to me than all else." Just think, for a moment, what folly it is to +imagine that I can not expect God to be with me every moment. Just look at +the sunshine; have you ever had any trouble as you were working or as you +were studying or reading a book in the light the sun gives? Have you ever +said, "Oh, how can I keep that light, how can I hold it fast, how can I be +sure that I shall continue to have it to use?" You never thought that. +God has taken care that the sun itself should provide you with light; and +without your care; the light comes unbidden. And I ask you: What think you? +Has God arranged that the light of that sun that will one day be burned up, +can come to you unconsciously and abide in you blessedly and mightily; and +is God not willing, or is He not able, to let His light and His presence so +shine through you that you can walk all the day with God nearer to you than +anything in nature? Praise God for the assurance; He can do it. And why +does He not do it? Why so seldom, and why in such feeble measure? There is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page42" id="page42"></a>[pg 45]</span> + +but one answer: you do not let Him. You are so occupied and filled with +other things, religious things, preaching and praying, studying and +working, so occupied with your religion, that you do not give God the time +to make Himself known, and to enter in and to take possession. Oh, brother, +listen to the word of the man who knew God so well, and begin to say: "My +soul, wait thou only upon God."</p> + +<p>I might show that this is the very glory of the Creator, the very life +Christ brought into the world, the life He lived, and the very life Christ +wants to lift us up to in its entire dependence on the Father. The very +secret of the Christ-life is this: such a consciousness of God's presence +that whether it was Judas, who came to betray Him, or Caiaphas, who +condemned Him unjustly, or Pilate, who gave Him up to be crucified, the +presence of the Father was upon Him, and within Him, and around Him, and +man could not touch His spirit. And that is what God wants to be to you and +to me. Does not all your anxious restlessness, and futile effort, prove +that you have not let God do His work? God is drawing you to Himself. +This is not your own wish, and the stirring of your own heart, but the +everlasting Divine magnet is drawing you. These restless yearnings and +thirstings, remember, are the work of God. Come and be still, and wait upon +God. He will reveal Himself.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page43" id="page43"></a>[pg 46]</span> + +<p>And how am I to wait on God? In answer I would say: first of all, in prayer +take more time to be still before God without saying one word. What is, in +prayer, the most important thing? That I catch the ear of Him to whom I +speak. We are not ready to offer our petition until we are fully conscious +of having secured the attention of God. You tell me you know all that. Yes, +you know it; but you need to have your heart filled by the Holy Spirit with +the holy consciousness that the everlasting, almighty God is indeed come +very near you. The loving one is longing to have you for His own. Be still +before God, and wait, and say: "Oh, God, take possession. Reveal Thyself, +not to my thoughts or imaginations, but by the solemn, awe-bringing, +soul-subduing consciousness that God is shining upon me bring me to the +place of dependence and humility."</p> + +<p>Prayer may be indeed waiting upon God, but there is a great deal of prayer +that is not waiting upon God. Waiting on God is the first and the best +beginning for prayer. When we bow in the humble, silent acknowledgment +of God's glory and nearness, ere we begin to pray there will be the very +blessing that we often get only at the end. From the very beginning I come +face to face with God; I am in touch with the everlasting +omnipotence of love and I know my God will +bless me. Let us never be afraid to be still before + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page44" id="page44"></a>[pg 47]</span> + +God; we shall then carry that stillness into our work; and when we +go to church on Sunday, or to the prayer-meeting on week-days, it will be +with the one desire that nothing may stand betwixt us and God, and that +we may never be so occupied with hearing and listening as to forget the +presence of God.</p> + +<p>Oh, that God might make every minister what Moses was at the foot of Mount +Sinai; "Moses led the people out to meet God," and they did meet Him until +they were afraid. Let every minister ask with all the earnestness his +soul can command, that God may deliver him from the sin of preaching and +teaching without making the people feel first of all: "The man wants to +bring us to God Himself." It can be felt, not only in the words, but in the +very disposition of the humble, waiting, worshiping heart. We must carry +this waiting into all our worship; we will have to make a study of it; we +will have to speak about it; we will have to help each other, for the truth +has been too much lost in the Church of Christ; we must wait upon God about +it. Then we shall be able to carry it out into our daily life. There are so +many Christians who wonder that they fail; but think of the ease with which +they talk and join in conversation, spending hours in it, never thinking +that all this may be dissipating the soul's power and leading them to spend +hours not in the immediate + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page45" id="page45"></a>[pg 48]</span> + +presence of God. I am afraid this is the great +difficulty: that we are not willing to make the needed sacrifice for a life +of continual waiting upon God. Are there not some of us who would feel it +an impossibility to spend every moment under the covering of the Most High, +"in the secret of His pavilion?" Beloved, do not think it too high, or too +difficult. It is too difficult for you and me to attain, but our God will +give it to us. Let us begin even now to wait more earnestly and intensely +upon God. Let us in our homes sometimes bow a little in silence; let us in +our closets wait in silence, and make a covenant, it may be, without words, +that with our whole hearts we will seek God's presence to come in upon us.</p> + +<p>What is religion? Just as much as you have of God working in you, that +alone is religion. And if you want more religion, more grace, more strength +and more fruitfulness, you must have more of God. Let that be the cry of +our hearts,—More of God! More of God! More of God! And let us say to our +souls, "My soul, wait thou upon God, for my expectation is from Him."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page46" id="page46"></a>[pg 49]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>ENTRANCE INTO REST.</h2> + +<h3>IV.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Hebrews 4: 1</i>.—<i>Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of +entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it</i>.</blockquote> + +<blockquote><i>Hebrews 4: 11</i>.—<i>Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any +man fall after the same example of unbelief</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>I want, in the simplest way possible, to answer the question: "How does a +man enter into that rest?" and to point out the simple steps that he takes, +all included in the one act of surrender and faith.</p> + +<p>And the first step, I think, is this: that a man learns to say, "I believe, +heartily, there is rest in a life of faith." Israel passed through two +stages. This is beautifully expressed in the fifth of Deuteronomy: "He +brought us out, that He might bring us in"—two parts of God's work of +redemption—"He brought us out from Egypt, that He might bring us into +Canaan." And that is applicable to every believer. At your conversion, God +brought you out of Egypt, and the same almighty God is longing to bring you +into the Canaan life. You know how God brought the Israelites out, but they +would not let Him bring them in and they had to wander for forty years in +the wilderness—the type, alas! of so many Christians. God brings them out +in conversion, but they will not let Him bring + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page47" id="page47"></a>[pg 50]</span> + +them in into all that He has +prepared for them. To a man who asks me, "How can I enter into the rest?" I +say, first of all, speak this word, "I do believe that there is a rest into +which Jesus, our Joshua, can bring a trusting soul." And if you would +know what the difference is between the two lives—the life you have been +leading, and the life you now want to lead, just look at the wilderness and +Canaan. What are the points of difference? In the wilderness, wandering for +forty years, backward and forward; in Canaan, perfect rest in the land that +God gave them. That is the difference between the life of a Christian who +has, and one who has not entered into Canaan. In wandering backward and +forward; going after the world, and coming back and repenting; led astray +by temptation, and returning only to go off again;—a life of ups and +downs. In Canaan, on the other hand, a life of rest, because the soul has +learned to trust: "God keeps me every hour in His mighty power." There is +the second difference: the life in the wilderness was a life of want; in +Canaan, a life of plenty. In the wilderness there was nothing to eat; there +was often no water. God graciously supplied their wants by + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page48" id="page48"></a>[pg 51]</span> + +the manna, and +the water from the rock. But, alas! they were not content with this, and +their life was one of want and murmurings. But in Canaan God gave them +vineyards that they had not planted, and the old corn of the land was there +waiting for them; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land that lived by +the rain of Heaven and had the very care of God Himself. Oh, Christian, +come and say to-day, "I believe there is a possibility of such a change +out of that life of spiritual death, and darkness, and sadness, and +complaining, that I have often lived, into the land of supply of every +want; where the grace of Jesus is proved sufficient every day, every hour." +Say to-day: "I believe in the possibility that there is such a land of rest +for me."</p> + +<p>And then, the third difference: In the wilderness there was no victory. +When they tried, after they had sinned at Kadesh, to go up against their +enemies, they were defeated. In the land they conquered every enemy; from +Jericho onward, they went from victory to victory. And so God waits, and +Christ waits, and the Holy Spirit waits, to give victory every day; not +freedom from temptation; no, not that; but in union with Christ a power +that can say, "I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me." "We +are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." May God help every +heart to say that.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page49" id="page49"></a>[pg 52]</span> + +<p>Then comes the second step. I want you to say not only, "I believe there is +such a life," but, second, "I have not had it yet." Say that. "I have never +yet got that." Some may say, "I have sought it;" some may say, "I have +never heard about it;" some may say, "At times I thought I had found it, +but I lost it again." Let every one be honest with God.</p> + +<p>And now, will all who have never yet found it honestly, begin to say, +"Lord, up to this time I have never had it?" And why is it of such +consequence to speak thus? Because, dear friends, some people want to glide +into this life of rest gradually; and just quietly to steal in; and God +won't have it. Your life in the wilderness has not only been a life of +sadness to yourself, but of sin and dishonor to God. Every deeper entrance +into salvation must always be by the way of conviction and confession; +therefore, let every Christian be willing to say: "Alas! I have not lived +that life, and I am guilty; I have dishonored God; I have been like Israel; +I have provoked Him to wrath by my unbelief and disobedience. God have +mercy upon me!" Oh, let it go up before God—the secret confession: "I +haven't it; alas! I have not glorified God by a life in the land of rest."</p> + +<p>Then comes the third word I want you to speak and that is: "Thank God, that life is for me." Some + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page50" id="page50"></a>[pg 53]</span> + +say, "I believe there is such a life, but not +for me." There are people who continually say: "Oh, my character is so +unstable; my will is naturally very weak; my temperament is nervous and +excitable, it is impossible for me always to live without worry, resting in +God." Beloved brother, do not say that. You say so only for one reason: You +do not know what your God will do for you. Do begin to look away from self, +and to look up to God, Take that precious word: "He brought them out that +he might bring them in." The God who took them through the Red Sea was the +God who took them through Jordan into Canaan. The God who converted you is +the God who is able to give you every day this blessed life. Oh, begin to +say, with the beginnings of a feeble faith, even before you claim it, begin +even intellectually to say: "It is for me; I do believe that. God does not +disinherit any of His children. What He gives is for every one. I believe +that blessed life is waiting for me. It is meant for me. God is waiting to +bestow it, and to work it in me. Glory be to His blessed name! My soul says +it is for me, too." Oh, take that little word "me," and looking up in the +very face of God dare to say: "This inestimable treasure—it is for me, the +weakest and the unworthiest; it is for me." Have you said that? Say it now: +"This life is possible to me, too."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page51" id="page51"></a>[pg 54]</span> + + +<p>And then comes the next step, and that is: "I can never, by any effort of +mine, grasp it; it is God must bestow it on me." I want you to be very bold +in saying, "It is for me." But then I want you to fall down very low and +say, "I can not seize it; I can not take it to myself." And how can +you then get it? Praise God, if once He has brought you down in the +consciousness of utter helplessness and self-despair, then comes the time +that He can draw nigh and ask you, "Will you trust your God to work this +in you?" Dearly beloved Christians, say in your heart: "I never, by any +effort, can take hold of God, or seize this for myself; it is God must +give it." Cherish this blessed impotence. It is He who brought us out, who +Himself must bring us in. It is your greatest happiness to be impotent. +Pray God by the Holy Spirit to reveal to you this true impotence, and that +will open the way for your faith to say, "Lord, Thou must do it, or it +will never be done." God will do it. People wonder, when they hear so many +sermons about faith, and such earnest pleading to believe, and ask why it +is they can not believe. There is just one answer: It is self. Self is +working; is trying; is struggling, and self must fail. But when you come to +the end of self and can only cry, "Lord, help me! Lord, help me!"—then the +deliverance is nigh; believe that. It was God brought the people in. It is +God who will bring you in.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page52" id="page52"></a>[pg 55]</span> + +<p>One should be willing, for the sake of this rest, to give up everything. +The grace of God is very free. It is given without money and without price. +And yet, on the other hand, Jesus said that every man who wants the pearl +of great price must sacrifice his all, must sell all that he has to buy +that pearl. It is not enough to see the beauty, the attractiveness and the +glory, and almost to taste the gladness and the joy of this wonderful life +as it has been set before you. You must become the possessor, the owner of +the field. The man who found the field with a treasure, and the man who +found the great pearl, were both glad; but they had not yet got it. They +had found it, seen it, desired it, rejoiced in it; but they had not yet got +it. Not until they went and sold all, gave up everything, and bought the +ground, and bought the pearl. Ah, friends, there is a great deal that has +to be given up: the world, its pleasures, its favor, its good opinion. You +are to stand to the world in the same relation as Jesus did. The world +rejected Him, and cast Him out, and you are to take up the position of your +Lord, to whom you belong, and to follow with the rejected Christ. You have +to give up everything. You have to give up all that is good in yourself +and to be humbled in the dust of death. And that is not all. Your past +religious life and experience and successes—you have to give all up and +become + +<!-- The images for the next two pages were missing. The text was taken from a another site. PP1 --> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="none1" id="none1"></a>[pg 56]</span> + +nothing, that God alone may have the glory. God has brought you out +in conversion; it was God's own life given you: but you defiled it with +disobedience and with unbelief. Give it all up. Give up all your own +wisdom, and your own thoughts about God's work. How hard it is for the +minister of the Gospel to give up all his wisdom, and to lay it at the feet +of Jesus, to become a fool and to say: "Lord, I know nothing as I should +know it. I have been preaching the Gospel, and how little I have seen of +the glory of the blessed land, and the blessed life!"</p> + +<p>Why is it that the blessed Spirit can not teach us more effectually? No +reason but this: the wisdom of man prevents it; the wisdom of man prevents +the light of God from shining in. And so we could say of other things; +give up all. Some may have an individual sin to give up. There may be a +Christian man who is angry with his brother. There may be a Christian woman +who has quarreled with her neighbor. There may be friends who are not +living as they should. There may be Christians holding fast some little +doubtful thing, not willing to surrender and leave behind the whole of the +wilderness life and lust. Oh, do take this step and say: "I am ready +to give up everything to have this pearl of great price; my time, my +attention, my business, I count all subordinate to this rest of God as the +first thing in my life; I yield all to walk in perfect fellowship with +God." You can not get that and live every day in perfect fellowship with + +<!-- Estimated location of page break. --> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="none2" id="none2"></a>[pg 57]</span> + +God, without giving up time to it. You take time for everything. How many +hours a day has a young lady spent for years and years that she may become +proficient on the piano? How many years does a young man study to fit +himself for the profession of the law or medicine? Hours, and days, and +weeks, and months, and years, gladly given up to perfect himself for his +profession. And do you expect that religion is so cheap that without giving +time you can find close fellowship with God? You can not. But, oh, my +brothers and sisters, the pearl of great price is worth everything. God is +worth everything. Christ is worth everything. Oh, come to-day, and say, +"Lord, at any cost help me; I do want to live this life." And if you find +it difficult to say this, and if there is a struggle within the heart, +never mind; say to God, "Lord, I thought I was willing, but I see how much +unwillingness there is; come and discover what the evil is still in the +heart." By His grace, if you will lie at His feet and trust Him you may +depend upon it deliverance will come.</p> + +<p>Then comes the next step, and that is to say: "I do now give up myself to +the holy and everlasting God, for Him to lead me into this perfect rest." +Ah, friends, we must learn to meet God face to face. My sin has been +against God. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page53" id="page53"></a>[pg 58]</span> + +David felt that when he said, "Against Thee, Thee only, have +I sinned." It is God on the judgment seat whose face you will have to meet +personally. It is God Himself, personally, who met you to pardon your sins. +Come to-day and put yourself into the hands of the living God. God is love. +God is near. God is waiting to give you His blessing. The heart of God is +yearning over you. "My child," God says, "you think you are longing for +rest; it is I that am longing for you, because I desire to rest in your +heart as My home, as My temple." You need your God. Yes, but your God needs +you, to find the full satisfaction of His Father heart in Christ in you. +Come to-day and say: "I do now give up myself to Christ. I have made the +choice. I deliberately say, 'Lord God, I am the purchaser of the pearl of +great price. I give up everything for it. In the name of Jesus I accept +that life of perfect rest.'"</p> + +<p>And then comes my last thought. When you have said that, then add: "And +now, I trust God to make it all real to me in my experience. Whether I am +to live one year, or thirty years, I have heard it to-day again: 'God is +Jehovah, the great I AM of the everlasting future, the eternal One; and +thirty years hence is to Him just the same as now;' and that God gives +Himself to me, not according to my power to hold Him, but according + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page54" id="page54"></a>[pg 59]</span> + +to His almighty power of love to hold me." +Will you trust God to-day for the +future? Oh, will you look up to God in Christ Jesus once again? A thousand +times you have heard, and thought, and thanked—"God has given us His Son;" +but will you not to-day say, "How shall He not with Him give me all things, +every moment and every day of my life?" Say that in faith. "How shall God +not be willing to keep me in the light of His countenance, in the full +experience of Christ's saving power? Did God make the sun to shine so +brightly, and is the light so willing to pour itself into every nook and +corner where it can find entrance? And will not my God, who is love, be +willing all the day to shine into this heart of mine, from morning to +night, from year's end to year's end?" God is love, and longs to give +Himself to us.</p> + +<p>Oh, come, Christians, you have hitherto lived a life in your own strength. +Will you not begin to-day? Will you not choose a life in which God shall be +all, and in which you rest in Him for all? Will you not choose a life in +which you shall say: "Oh, God, I ask, I expect, I trust Thee for it. I +enter this day into the rest of God to let God keep me; to let God keep me +every hour. I enter into the rest of God." Are you ready to say that? Be of +good courage; fear not, you can trust God. He brings into rest. Listen to +God's word in the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page55" id="page55"></a>[pg 60]</span> + +Prophets once again: "Take heed, and be quiet. Fear not, +neither be faint-hearted." Joshua brought Israel into the land. God did +it through Joshua; and Joshua is Jesus, your Jesus, who washed you in His +blood; your Jesus, whom you have learned to know as a precious Saviour. +Trust Him to-day afresh: "O my Joshua, take me, bring me in and I will +trust Thee, and in Thee the Father." You may count upon it. He will take +you and the work will be done.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page56" id="page56"></a>[pg 61]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE KINGDOM FIRST.</h2> + +<h3>V.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Matt 6: 33</i>.—<i>Seek ye first the kingdom of God</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian +work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the Church, the +life of the individual believer and the work to be done among the heathen? +One of the expressions for that unity is: "Seek first the Kingdom of God," +That does not mean, as many people take it, "Seek salvation; seek to get +into the Kingdom, and then thank God, and rest there." Ah, no; the meaning +of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the +Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its Heavenly glory +and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all +other things will be added unto you. "Seek first the Kingdom of God." Let +me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: "Why should the +Kingdom of God be first?" and the other: "How can it be?" The one, "Why +should it be so?" God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the +more clearly we see that according to the law of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page57" id="page57"></a>[pg 62]</span> + +nature, according to +the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an +absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after +it. And now, why does Christ say this: "Seek first the Kingdom of God?" If +you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man. Look at +God. Who is God? The great Being for whom alone the universe exists; in +whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It can not find any +rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that +God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What +would the result be? Every Christian would say, "The more I can have of +God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, +and the more of God's fellowship, the happier." How Christians, if they +believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up +everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so +hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me, "Why is +it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how +can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?" My answer was: "Oh, +my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of +fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight." Yes, if we +believed God to be only joy to the one + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page58" id="page58"></a>[pg 63]</span> + +who comes to Him, only a fountain of +unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! Has not joy a far +stronger attraction than anything in the world? Is it not in every beauty, +or in every virtue, in every pursuit, the joy that is set before us that +draws? And if we believe that God is a fountain of joy, and sweetness, and +power to bless, how our hearts will turn aside from everything, and say: +"Oh, the beauty of my God! I rejoice in Him alone." But, alas! the Kingdom +of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like +a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our +chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what +God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right and more, it is +our highest privilege to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His +Kingdom first and above everything.</p> + +<p>And then look at man again; man's nature. What was man created for? To live +in the likeness of God, and as His image. Now, if we have been created in +the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except +that in which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are the +happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: +Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness +everlasting. "He is Light, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page59" id="page59"></a>[pg 64]</span> + +and in Him is no darkness." The Kingdom, the +domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. "Seek +the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If men but knew what sin is, +and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand +message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. +We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. +What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that +there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never +ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings. +God is Light, and God is Love. And now the message comes to man. Can you +think of a higher nobility; can you think of anything grander than to take +the position that God takes, and to be one with God in His Kingdom; <i>i.e.</i>, +to have His Kingdom fill your heart; to have God Himself as your King and +portion? Yes, my friends, let us remember that we must not just try to get +here and there one and another of the blessings of the Kingdom. But the +glory of the Kingdom is this: that it is the Kingdom of God where God is +all in all. The French Empire, when Napoleon lived, had military glory as +the ideal. Every Frenchman's heart thrilled at the name of Napoleon as the +man who had given the empire its glory. If we realized + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page60" id="page60"></a>[pg 65]</span> + +what it means,—our +God takes us up into His Kingdom and puts His Kingdom into us and with the +Kingdom we have God Himself, that blessed One, possessing us—surely there +would be nothing that could move our hearts to enthusiasm like this. The +Kingdom of God first! Blessed be His name I Look at man. I don't speak +about man's sins, and about man's wretchedness, and about man's seeking +everywhere for pleasure, and for rest, and for deliverance from sin, but +I just say: Think what man is by creation and think what man is now by +redemption; and let every heart say: "It is right. There is no blessedness +or glory like that of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God ought to be first in +my whole life and being."</p> + +<p>But now comes the important question, "How can I attain this?" Here we come +to the great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands +of Christians throughout the world. And it is strange that it is so very +difficult for them to find the answer; that tens of thousands are not able +to give an answer; and others, when the answer + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page61" id="page61"></a>[pg 66]</span> + +is given, can not understand +it; The day the centurion found his joy in being devoted to the Roman +Empire, it took charge of him with all its power and glory. Dear friends, +how are we to attain to this blessed position in which the Kingdom of God +shall fill our hearts with such enthusiasm that it will spontaneously be +first every day? The answer is, first of all give up everything for it. You +have heard of the Roman soldier who gave up his soul, his affection, his +life, who gave up everything, to be a soldier; and you have often seen, in +history ancient and modern, how men who were not soldiers gave up their +lives in sacrifice for a king or a country. You have heard how in the South +African Republic not many years ago the war of liberty was fought. After +three years of oppression by the English the people said they would endure +it no longer, and so they gathered together to fight for their liberty. +They knew how weak they were, as compared with the English power, but they +said, "We must have our liberty." They bound themselves together to fight +for it, and when that vow had been made, they went to their homes to +prepare for the struggle. Such a thrill of enthusiasm passed through that +country that in many cases women, when their husbands might have been +allowed to stay at home, said to them: "No, go, even though you have not +been commanded." And there were mothers who, when one son was called out to +the front, said: "No, take two, three." Every man and woman was ready to +die. It was in very deed "Our country first, before everything." And even +so, friends, must it be with you if you want this wonderful Kingdom of +God to take possession of you. I pray you by the mercies of God, give up +everything + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page62" id="page62"></a>[pg 67]</span> + +for it. You do not know at once what that may mean, but +take the words and speak them out at the footstool of God: "Anything, +everything, for the Kingdom of God." Persevere in that, and by the Holy +Spirit your God will begin to open to you the double blessing: on the one +hand, the blessedness of the Kingdom which comes to possess your heart; +and on the other hand, the blessedness of being surrendered to Him, and +sacrificing and giving up all for Him.</p> + +<p>"The Kingdom of God first!" How am I to reach that blessed life? The answer +is: "Give up everything for it." And then a second answer would be this: +Live every day and hour of your life in the humble desire to maintain that +position. There are people who hear this test, and who say it is true, and +that they want to obey it. But if you were to ask them how much time they +spend with God day by day, you would be surprised and grieved to hear how +little time they give up to Him. And yet they wonder that the blessedness +of the divine life disappears. We prove the value we attach to things by +the time we devote to them. The Kingdom should be first every day, and all +the day. Let the Kingdom be first every morning. Begin the day with God, +and God Himself will maintain His Kingdom in your heart. Do believe that. +Rome did its utmost to maintain the authority of the man who gave himself +to live for + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page63" id="page63"></a>[pg 68]</span> + +it. And God, the living God, will He not maintain His authority +in your soul if you submit to Him? He will, indeed. Come to Him; only come, +and give yourself up to Him in fellowship through Christ Jesus. Seek to +maintain that fellowship with God all the day. Ah, friends, a man cannot +have the Kingdom of God first, and at times, by way of relaxation, throw +it off and seek his enjoyment in the things of this world. People have a +secret idea life will become too solemn, too great a strain; it will be too +difficult every moment of the day, from morning to evening, to have the +Kingdom of God first. One sees at once how wrong it is to think thus. The +presence of the love of God must every moment be our highest joy. Let us +say: "By the help of God, it shall ever be the Kingdom of God first."</p> + +<p>And then, my last remark, in answer to that question, "How can it be?" is +this: it can be only by the power of the Holy Ghost. Let us remember that +God's Word comes to us with the language, "Be filled with the Spirit;" and +if you are content with less of the Spirit than God offers, not utterly +and entirely yielding to be filled with the Spirit, you do not obey the +command. But listen: God has made a wonderful provision. Jesus Christ came +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and proclaimed "The Kingdom is at +hand." "Some," He said, "are standing here who will not see death + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page64" id="page64"></a>[pg 69]</span> + +until +they see the Kingdom come in power." He said to the disciples, "The Kingdom +is within you." And when did the Kingdom come—that Kingdom of God upon +earth? When the Holy Ghost descended. On Ascension Day the King went and +sat down upon the throne at the right hand of God, and the Kingdom of God, +in Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth, was inaugurated. When the Holy +Ghost came down He brought God into the heart, and Christ, and established +the rule of God in power. I am afraid sometimes, that in speaking of the +Holy Spirit we forget one thing. The Holy Spirit is very much spoken of in +connection with power; and it is right that we should seek power. It is not +so much spoken of in connection with the graces. And yet these are always +more important than the gifts of power—the holiness, the humility, the +meekness, the gentleness, and the lovingness; these are the true marks of +the Kingdom. We speak rightly of the Holy Spirit as the only one who can +breathe all this into us. But I think there is a third thing almost more +important, that we forget, and that is: in the Spirit, the Father and the +Son themselves come. When Christ first promised the Holy Spirit, and spoke +about His approaching coming, He said: "In that day ye shall know that I +am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that loveth me keepeth my +commandments; and my + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page65" id="page65"></a>[pg 70]</span> + +Father will love him, and we will come and make our +abode with him." Brother, would you have the Kingdom of God first in your +life, you must have the Kingdom in your hearts. If my heart be set upon a +thing I may be bound with chains, but the moment the chains are loosened I +fly towards the object of my affection and desire. And just so the Kingdom +must be within us, and then it is easy to say: "The Kingdom first." But +to have the Kingdom within us in truth, we must have God the Father, and +Christ the Son, by the Holy Ghost within us too. No Kingdom without the +King.</p> + +<p>You are called to likeness with Christ. Oh, how many Christians strive +after this part and that part of the likeness of Christ, and forget the +root of the whole! What is the root of all? That Christ gave Himself up +utterly to God, and His Kingdom and glory. He gave His life, that God's +Kingdom might be established. Do you the same to-day and give your life to +God to be every moment a living sacrifice, and the Kingdom will come with +power into your heart. Give yourself up to Christ. Let Christ the King +reign in your heart, and the heavenly Kingdom will come there and the +Presence and the Rule of God be known in power. Oh, think of that wonderful +thing that is going to happen in the great eternity. We read of it in 1st +Corinthians: God has entrusted Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page66" id="page66"></a>[pg 71]</span> + +with the Kingdom, but there is coming +a day when Christ shall come Himself again to be subjected unto the Father, +and He shall give up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all, and in +that day Christ shall say before the universe: "This is my glory, I give +back the Kingdom to the Father!" Christians, if your Christ finds His glory +here on earth in dying and sacrificing Himself for the Kingdom and then in +eternity again in giving the Kingdom to God, shall not you and I come to +God to do the same and count anything we have as loss, that the Kingdom of +God may be made manifest, and that God may be glorified.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page67" id="page67"></a>[pg 72]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>CHRIST OUR LIFE.</h2> + +<h3>VI.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Colossians 3: 4</i>.—<i>Christ who is our life</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>One question that rises in every mind is this: "How can I live that life +of perfect trust in God?" Many do not know the right answer, or the full +answer. It is this: "Christ must live it in me." That is what He became man +for; as a man to live a life of trust in God, and so to show to us how we +ought to live. When He had done that upon earth, He went to heaven, that +He might do more than show us, might give us, and live in us that life of +trust. It is as we understand what the life of Christ is and how it becomes +ours, that we shall be prepared to desire and to ask of Him that He would +live it Himself in us. When first we have seen what the life is, then we +shall understand how it is that He can actually take possession, and make +us like Himself. I want especially to direct attention to that first +question. I wish to set before you the life of Christ as He lived it, that +we may understand what it is that He has for us and that we can expect from +Him. Christ Jesus lived a life upon earth that He expects us + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page68" id="page68"></a>[pg 73]</span> + +literally to +imitate. We often say that we long to be like Christ. We study the traits +of His character, mark His footsteps, and pray for grace to be like Him, +and yet, somehow, we succeed but very little. And why? Because we are +wanting to pluck the fruit while the root is absent. If we want really to +understand what the imitation of Christ means, we must go to that which +constituted the very root of His life before God. It was a life of absolute +dependence, absolute trust, absolute surrender, and until we are one with +Him in what is the principle of His life, it is in vain to seek here or +there to copy the graces of that life.</p> + +<p>In the Gospel story we find five great points of special importance; the +birth, the life on earth, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension. +In these we have what an old writer has called "the process of Jesus +Christ;" the process by which He became what He is to-day—our glorified +King, and our life. In all this life process we must be made like unto Him. +Look at the first. What have we to say about His birth? This: He received +His <i>life from God</i>. What about His life upon earth? He lived that life in +dependence <i>upon God</i>. About His death? He gave up His life <i>to God</i>. About +His resurrection? He was raised from the dead <i>by God</i>. And about His +ascension? He lives His life in glory <i>with God</i>.</p> + +<p>First, He received His life from God. And + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page69" id="page69"></a>[pg 74]</span> + +why is it of consequence that we +should look to that? Because Christ Jesus had in that the starting-point of +His whole life. He said: "The Father sent me;" "The Father hath given the +Son all things;" "The Father hath given the Son to have life in Himself." +Christ received it as His own life, just as God has His life in Himself. +And yet, all the time it was a life given and received. "Because the Father +almighty has given this life unto me, the Son of man on earth, I can count +upon God to maintain it and to carry me through all." And that is the first +lesson we need. We need often to meditate on it, and to pray, and to +think, and to wait before God, until our hearts open to the wonderful +consciousness that the everlasting God has a divine life within us which +can not exist but through Him. I believe God has given His life, it roots +in Him. I shall feel it must be maintained by Him. We often think that God +has given us a life which is now our own, a spiritual life, and that we +are to take charge; and then we complain that we can not keep it right. +No wonder. We must learn to live, learn to live as Jesus did. I have +a God-given treasure in this earthen vessel. I have the light of the +knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I have the life of +God's Son within me given me by God Himself, and it can only be maintained +by God Himself as I live in fellowship with Him.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page70" id="page70"></a>[pg 75]</span> + +<p>What does the Apostle Paul teach us in Romans +VI.; there where he has just told us that we must reckon +ourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus? He goes on at +once to say: "Therefore yield, present yourselves unto God, as those that +are alive from the dead." How often a Christian hears solemn words about +his being alive to God, and his having to reckon himself dead indeed +to sin, and alive to God in Christ! He does not know what to do; he +immediately casts about: "How can I keep it, this death and this life?" +Listen to what Paul says. The moment that you reckon yourself dead to sin +and alive to God, go with that life to God Himself, and present yourself as +alive from the dead, and say to God: "Lord, Thou hast given me this life. +Thou alone canst keep it. I bring it to Thee. I cannot understand all. +I hardly know what I have got, but I come to God to perfect what He has +begun." To live like Christ, I must be conscious every moment that my life +has come from God, and He alone can maintain it.</p> + +<p>Then, secondly, how did Christ live out His life during the thirty-three +years in which He walked here upon earth? He lived it in dependence on God. +You know how continually He says: "The Son can do nothing of Himself. The +words that I speak, I speak not of Myself." He waited unceasingly for the +teaching, and the commands, and the guidance + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page71" id="page71"></a>[pg 76]</span> + +of the Father. He prayed for +power from the Father. Whatever He did, He did in the name of the Father. +He, the Son of God, felt the need of much prayer, of persevering prayer, of +bringing down from heaven and maintaining the life of fellowship with God +in prayer. We hear a great deal about trusting God. Most blessed! And we +may say: "Ah, that is what I want," and we may forget what is the very +secret of all,—that God, in Christ, must work all in us. I not only need +God as an object of trust, but I must have Christ within as the power +to trust; He must live His own life of trust in me. Look at it in that +wonderful story of Paul, the Apostle, the beloved servant of God. He is in +danger of self-confidence, and God in heaven sends that terrible trial in +Asia to bring him down, lest he trust in himself and not in the living God. +God watched over his servant that he should be kept trusting. Remember that +other story about the thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians XII., and think +what that means. He was in danger of exalting himself, and the blessed +Master came to humble him, and to teach him: "I keep thee weak, that thou +mayest learn to trust not in thyself, but in Me." If we are to enter into +the rest of faith, and to abide there; if we are to live the life of +victory in the land of Canaan, it must begin here. We must be broken down +from all self-confidence and learn like Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page72" id="page72"></a>[pg 77]</span> + +to depend absolutely and +unceasingly upon God. There is a greater work to be done in that than we +perhaps know. We must be broken down, and the habit of our souls must be +unceasingly: "I am nothing; God is all. I cannot walk before God as I +should for one hour, unless God keep the life He has given me." What a +blessed solution God gives then to all our questions and our difficulties, +when He says: "My child, Christ has gone through it all for thee. Christ +hath wrought out a new nature that can trust God; and Christ the Living One +in heaven will live in thee, and enable thee to live that life of trust." +That is why Paul said: "Such confidence have we toward God, through +Christ." What does that mean? Does it only mean through Christ as the +mediator, or intercessor? Verily, no. It means much more; through Christ +living in and enabling us to trust God as He trusted Him.</p> + +<p>Then comes, thirdly, the death of Christ. What does that teach us of +Christ's relation to the Father? It opens up to us one of the deepest +and most solemn lessons of Christ life, one which the Church of Christ +understands all too little. We know what the death of Christ means as an +atonement, and we never can emphasize too much that blessed substitution +and bloodshedding, by which redemption was won for us. But let us remember, +that is only half the meaning of His death. The + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page73" id="page73"></a>[pg 78]</span> + +other half is this: just as +much as Christ was my substitute, who died for me, just so much He is +my head, in whom, and with whom, I die; and just as He lives for me, to +intercede, He lives in me, to carry out and to perfect His life. And if I +want to know what that life is which He will live in me, I must look at His +death. By His death He proved that He possessed life only to hold it, +and to spend it, for God. To the very uttermost; without the shadow of a +moment's exception, He lived for God,—every moment, everywhere, He held +life only for His God. And so, if one wants to live a life of perfect +trust, there must be the perfect surrender of his life, and his will, even +unto the very death. He must be willing to go all lengths with Jesus, even +to Calvary. When a boy twelve years of age Jesus said: "Wist ye not that I +must be about my Father's business?" and again when He came to Jordan to be +baptized: "It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." So on through +all His life, He ever said: "It is my meat and drink to do the will of my +Father. I come not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." +"Lo, I am come to do Thy will, O God." And in the agony of Gethsemane, His +words were: "Not my will, but Thine, be done."</p> + +<p>Some one says: "I do indeed desire to live the life of perfect trust; +I desire to let Christ live it in + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page74" id="page74"></a>[pg 79]</span> + +me; I am longing to come to such an +apprehension of Christ as shall give me the certainty that Christ will +forever abide in me; I want to come to the full assurance that Christ, my +Joshua, will keep me in the land of victory." What is needful for that? My +answer is: "Take care that you do not take a false Christ, an imaginary +Christ, a half Christ." And what is the full Christ? The full Christ is the +man who said, "I give up everything to the death that God may be glorified. +I have not a thought; I have not a wish; I would not live a moment except +for the glory of God." You say at once, "What Christian can ever attain +that?" Do not ask that question, but ask, "Has Christ attained it and does +Christ promise to live in me?" Accept Him in His fullness and leave Him to +teach you how far He can bring you and what He can work in you. Make no +conditions or stipulations about failure, but cast yourself upon, abandon +yourself to this Christ who lived that life of utter surrender to God that +He might prepare a new nature which He could impart to you and in which He +might make you like Himself. Then you will be in the path by which He can +lead you on to blessed experience and possession of what He can do for you. +Christ Jesus came into the world with a commandment from the Father that He +should lay down His life, and He lived with that one thought in His bosom +His + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page75" id="page75"></a>[pg 80]</span> + +whole life long. And the one thought that ought to be in the heart +of every believer is this: "I am in the death with Christ; absolutely, +unchangeably given up to wait upon God, that God may work out His purpose +and glory in me from moment to moment." Few attain the victory and the +enjoyment and the full experience at once. But this you can do: Take the +right attitude and as you look to Jesus and what He was, say: "Father, Thou +hast made me a partaker of the divine nature, a partaker of Christ. It +is in the life of Christ given up to Thee to the death, in His power and +indwelling, in His likeness, that I desire to live out my life before +Thee." Death is a solemn thing, an awful thing. In the Garden it cost +Christ great agony to die that death; and no wonder it is not easy to us. +But we willingly consent when we have learned the secret; in death alone +the life of God will come; in death there is blessedness unspeakable. It +was this made Paul so willing to bear the sentence of death in himself; +he knew the God who quickeneth the dead. The sentence of death is on +everything that is of nature. But are we willing to accept it, do we +cherish it? and are we not rather trying to escape the sentence or to +forget it? We do not believe fully that the sentence of death is on us. +Whatever is of nature must die. Ask God to make you willing to believe with +your heart that to die with Christ is the only way to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page76" id="page76"></a>[pg 81]</span> + +live in Him. You ask, +"But must it then be dying every day?" Yes, beloved; Jesus lived every day +in the prospect of the cross, and we, in the power of His victorious life, +being made conformable to His death, must rejoice every day in going down +with Him into death. Take an illustration. Take an oak of some hundred +years' growth. How was that oak born? In a grave. The acorn was planted in +the ground, a grave was made for it that the acorn might die. It died and +disappeared; it cast roots downward, and it cast shoots upward, and now +that tree has been standing a hundred years. Where is it standing? In its +grave; all the time in the very grave where the acorn died; it has stood +there stretching its roots deeper and deeper into that earth in which its +grave was made, and yet, all the time, though it stood in the very grave +where it had died, it has been growing higher, and stronger, and broader, +and more beautiful. And all the fruit it ever bore, and all the foliage +that adorned it year by year, it owed to that grave in which its roots are +cast and kept. Even so Christ owes everything to His death and His grave. +And we, too, owe everything to that grave of Jesus. Oh! let us live every +day rooted in the death of Jesus. Be not afraid, but say: "To my own will I +will die; to human wisdom, and human strength, and to the world I will die; +for it is in the grave of my Lord that His life + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page77" id="page77"></a>[pg 82]</span> + +has its beginning, and its +strength and its glory."</p> + +<p>This brings us to our next thought. First, Christ received life from the +Father; second, Christ lived it in dependence on the Father; third, Christ +gave it up in death to the Father; and now, fourth, Christ received it +again raised by the Father, by the power of the glory of the Father. Oh, +the deep meaning of the resurrection of Christ! What did Christ do when He +died? He went down into the darkness and absolute helplessness of death. He +gave up a life that was without sin; a life that was God-given; a life that +was beautiful and precious; and He said, "I will give it into the hands +of my Father if He asks it;" and He did it; and He was there in the grave +waiting on God to do His will; and because He honored God to the uttermost +in His helplessness, God lifted Him up to the very uttermost of glory and +power. Christ lost nothing by giving up His life in death to the Father. +And so, if you want the glory and the life of God to come upon you, it is +in the grave of utter helplessness that that life of glory will be born. +Jesus was raised from the dead, and that resurrection power, by the grace +of God, can and will work in us. Let no one expect to live a right life +until he lives a full resurrection life in the power of Jesus. Let me state +in a different way what this resurrection means.</p> + +<p>Christ had a perfect life, given by God. The Father + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page78" id="page78"></a>[pg 83]</span> + +said: "Will you give up +that life to me? Will you part with it at my command?" And He parted with +it, but God gave it back to Him in a second life ten thousand times more +glorious than that earthly life. So God will do to every one of us who +willingly consents to part with his life. Have you ever understood it? +Jesus was born twice. The first time He was born in Bethlehem. That was a +birth into a life of weakness. But the second time, He was born from the +grave; He is the "first-born from the dead." Because He gave up the life +that He had by His first birth, God gave him the life of the second birth, +in the glory of heaven and the throne of God. Christians, that is exactly +what we need to do. A man may be an earnest Christian; a man may be a +successful worker; he may be a Christian that has had a measure of growth +and advance; but if he has not entered this fullness of blessing, then he +needs to come to a second and deeper experience of God's saving power; he +needs, just as God brought him out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to come +to a point where God brings him through Jordan into Canaan. Beloved, we +have been baptized into the death of Christ. It is as we say: "I have had +a very blessed life, and I have had many blessed experiences, and God has +done many things for me; but I am conscious there is something wrong still; +I am conscious that this life of rest and victory is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page79" id="page79"></a>[pg 84]</span> + +not really mine." +Before Christ got His life of rest and victory on the throne, He had to die +and give up all. Do you it, too, and you shall with Him share His victory +and glory. It is as we follow Jesus in His death, that His resurrection, +power and joy will be ours.</p> + +<p>And then comes our last point. The fifth step in His wondrous path was: He +was lifted up to be forever with the Father. Because He humbled Himself, +therefore God highly exalted Him. Wherein cometh the beauty and the +blessedness of that exaltation of Jesus? For Himself perfect fellowship +with the Father; for others participation in the power of God's +omnipotence. Yes, that was the fruit of His death. Scripture promises not +only that God will, in the resurrection life, give us joy, and peace that +passeth all understanding, victory over sin, and rest in God, but He will +baptize us with the Holy Ghost; or, in other words, will fill us with the +Holy Ghost. Jesus was lifted to the throne of heaven, that He might there +receive from the Father the Spirit in His new, divine manifestation, to be +poured out in His fullness. And as we come to the resurrection life, the +life in the faith of Him who is one with us, and sits upon the throne—as +we come to that, we too may be partakers of the fellowship with Christ +Jesus as He ever dwells in God's presence, and the Holy Spirit will fill +us, to work in us, and out of us in a way that we have never yet known.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page80" id="page80"></a>[pg 85]</span> + +<p>Jesus got this divine life by depending absolutely upon the Father all His +life long, depending upon Him even down into death. Jesus got that life +in the full glory of the Spirit to be poured out, by giving Himself up in +obedience and surrender to God alone, and leaving God even in the grave to +work out His mighty power; and that very Christ will live out His life in +you and me. Oh, the mystery! Oh, the glory! And oh, the Divine certainty. +Jesus Christ means to live out that life in you and me. What think you, +ought we not to humble ourselves before God? Have we been Christians so +many years, and realized so little what we are? I am a vessel set apart, +cleansed, emptied, consecrated; just standing, waiting every moment for +God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, to work out in me as much of the +holiness and the life of His Son as pleases Him. And until the Church of +Christ comes to go down into the grave of humiliation, and confession, and +shame; until the Church of Christ comes to lay itself in the very dust +before God, and to wait upon God to do something new, and something +wonderful, something supernatural, in lifting it up, it will remain +feeble in all its efforts to overcome the world. Within the Church what +lukewarmness, what worldliness, what disobedience, what sin! How can we +ever fight this battle, or meet these difficulties? The answer is: Christ, +the risen One, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id="page81"></a>[pg 86]</span> + +the crowned One, the almighty One, must come, and live in +the individual members. But we can not expect this except as we die with +Him. I referred to the tree grown so high and beautiful, with its roots +every day for a hundred years in the grave in which the acorn died. +Children of God, we must go down deeper into the grave of Jesus. We must +cultivate the sense of impotence, and dependence, and nothingness, until +our souls walk before God every day in a deep and holy trembling. God keep +us from being anything. God teach us to wait on Him, that He may work in us +all He wrought in His Son, till Christ Jesus may live out His life in us! +For this may God help us!</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" id="page82"></a>[pg 87]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION.</h2> + +<h3>VII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Philippians 2: 5-8</i>.—"<i>Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ +Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of +the cross</i>."</blockquote> + +<p>All are familiar with this wonderful passage. Paul is speaking about one +of the most simple, practical things in daily life,—humility; and in +connection with that, he gives us a wonderful exhibition of divine truth. +In this chapter we have the eternal Godhead of Jesus—He was in the form of +God, and one with God. We have His incarnation—He came down, and was found +in the likeness of man. We have his death with the atonement—He became +obedient unto death. We have His exaltation—God hath highly exalted Him. +We have the glory of His Kingdom,—that every knee shall bow, and every +tongue confess Him. And in what connection? Is it a theological study? +No. Is it a description of what Christ is? No; it is in connection with a +simple, downright call to a life of humility in our intercourse with each +other. Our life on earth is linked to all the eternal glory of the Godhead +as revealed in the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id="page83"></a>[pg 88]</span> + +exaltation of Jesus. The very looking to Jesus, the +very bowing of the knee to Jesus, ought to be inseparably connected with a +spirit of the very deepest humility. Consider the humility of Jesus. First +of all, that humility is our salvation; then, that humility is just the +salvation we need; and again, that humility is the salvation which the Holy +Spirit will give us.</p> + +<p>Humility is the salvation that Christ brings. That is our first thought. We +often have very vague,—I might also say visionary—ideas of what Christ +is; we love the person of Christ, but that which makes up Christ, which +actually constitutes Him the Christ, that we do not know or love. If we +love Christ above everything, we must love humility above everything, for +humility is the very essence of His life and glory, and the salvation He +brings. Just think of it. Where did it begin? Is there humility in heaven? +You know there is, for they cast their crowns before the throne of God and +the Lamb. But is there humility on the throne of God? Yes, what was it but +heavenly humility that made Jesus on the throne willing to say: "I will go +down to be a servant, and to die for man; I will go and live as the meek +and lowly Lamb of God?" Jesus brought humility from heaven to us. It +was humility that brought Him to earth, or He never would have come. In +accordance with this, just as Christ became a man in this divine + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>[pg 89]</span> + +humility, +so His whole life was marked by it. He might have chosen another form in +which to appear; He might have come in the form of a king, but He chose the +form of a servant. He made Himself of no reputation; He emptied Himself; +He chose the form of a servant. He said: "The Son of Man is not come to be +ministered unto, to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom +for many." And you know, in the last night, He took the place of a slave, +and girded Himself with a towel, and went to wash the feet of Peter and the +other disciples. Beloved, the life of Jesus upon earth was a life of the +deepest humility. It was this gave His life its worth and beauty in God's +sight. And then His death—possibly you haven't thought of it much in this +connection—but His death was an exhibition of unparalleled humility. "He +humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross." My Lord Christ took a low place all the time of His walk upon +earth; He took a very low place when He began to wash the disciples' feet; +but when He went to Calvary, He took the lowest place there was to be found +in the universe of God, the very lowest, and He let sin, and the curse of +sin, and the wrath of God, cover Him. He took the place of a guilty sinner, +that He might bear our load, that He might serve us in saving us from our +wretchedness, that He might by His precious blood win deliverance for us, +that He might by that blood wash us from our + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>[pg 90]</span> + +stain and our guilt.</p> + +<p>We are in danger of thinking about Christ, as God, as man, as the +atonement, as the Saviour, and as exalted upon the throne, and we form an +image of Christ, while the real Christ, that which is the very heart of His +character, remains unknown. What is the real Christ? Divine humility, bowed +down into the very depths for our salvation. The humility of Jesus is our +salvation. We read, "He humbled Himself, therefore God hath highly exalted +Him." The secret of His exaltation to the throne is this: He humbled +Himself before God and man. Humility is the Christ of God, and now in +Heaven, to-day, that Christ, the Man of humility, is on the throne of God. +What do I see? A Lamb standing, as it had been slain, on the throne; in +the glory He is still the meek and gentle Lamb of God. His humility is the +badge He wears there. You often use that name—the Lamb of God—and you use +it in connection with the blood of the sacrifice. You sing the praise of +the Lamb, and you put your trust in the blood of the Lamb. Praise God for +the blood. You never can trust that too much. But I am afraid you forget +that the word "Lamb" must mean to us two things: it must mean not only a +sacrifice, the shedding of blood, but it must mean to us the meekness of +God, incarnate upon earth, the meekness + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>[pg 91]</span> + +of God represented in the meekness +and gentleness of a little Lamb.</p> + +<p>But the salvation that Christ brought is not only a salvation that flows +out of humility; it also leads to humility. We must understand that this +is not only the salvation which Christ brought; but that it is exactly the +salvation which you and I need. What is the cause of all the wretchedness +of man? Primarily pride; man seeking his own will and his own glory. Yes, +pride is the root of every sin, and so the Lamb of God comes to us in our +pride, and brings us salvation from it. We need above everything to be +saved from our pride and our self-will. It is good to be saved from the +sins of stealing, murdering, and every other evil; but a man needs above +all to be saved from what is the root of all sin, his self-will and +his pride. It is not until man begins to feel that this is exactly the +salvation he needs, that he really can understand what Christ is, and +that he can accept Him as his salvation. This is the salvation that we as +Christians and believers specially need. We know the sad story of Peter and +John; what their self-will and pride brought upon them. They needed to be +saved from nothing except themselves, and that is the lesson which we must +learn, if we are to enter the life of rest. And how can we enter that life, +and dwell there in the bosom of the Lamb of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>[pg 92]</span> + +God, if pride rules? Have we +not often heard complaints of how much there is of pride in the Church of +Christ? What is the cause of all the division, and strife, and envying, +that is often found even among God's saints? Why is it that often in a +family there is bitterness—it may be only for half an hour, or half a day; +but what is the cause of hard judgments and hasty words? What is the cause +of estrangement between friends? What is the cause of evil speaking? What +is the cause of selfishness and indifference to the feelings of others? +Simply this: the pride of man. He lifts himself up, and he claims the right +to have his opinions and judgments as he pleases. The salvation we need +is indeed humility, because it is only through humility that we can be +restored to our right relation to God.</p> + +<p>"Waiting upon God,"—that is the only true expression for the real relation +of the creature to God; to be nothing before God. What is the essential +idea of a creature made by God? It is this: to be a vessel in which He can +pour out His fullness, in which He can exhibit His life, His goodness, His +power, and His love. A vessel must be empty if it is to be filled, and if +we are to be filled with the life of God we must be utterly empty of +self. This is the glory of God, that He is to fill all things, and more +especially His redeemed people. And as this is the glory of the creature, +so this is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id="page88"></a>[pg 93]</span> + +the only redemption, and the only glory of every redeemed soul, +to be empty and as nothing before God; to wait upon Him, and to let God be +all in all.</p> + +<p>Humility has a prominent place in almost every epistle of the New +Testament. Paul says: "Walk with all lowliness and meekness, with +longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The nearer you get to God, and +the fuller of God, the lowlier you will be; and equally before God and man, +you will love to bow very low. We know of Peter's early self-confidence; +but in his epistles what a different language he speaks! He wrote there: +"Let the younger be subject to the elder, and all of you be subject one to +another; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt +you in His own time." He understood, and he dared to preach, humility to +all. It is indeed the salvation we need. What is it that prevents people +from coming to that entire surrender that we speak of? Simply that they +dare not abandon themselves, and trust themselves, to God; that they are +not willing to be nothing, to give up their wishes, and their will, and +their honor to Christ. Shall we not accept the salvation that Jesus +offers? He gave up His own will; He gave up His own honor; He gave up any +confidence in Himself; + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>[pg 94]</span> + +He lived dependent upon God as a servant whom the +Father had sent. There is the salvation we need, the Spirit of humility +that was in Christ.</p> + +<p>What is it that often disturbs our hearts, and our peace? It is pride +seeking to be something. And God's decree is irreversible, "God resisteth +the proud; He gives grace only to the humble." How often Jesus had to speak +to his disciples about it! You will find repeatedly in the Gospel those +simple words: "He that humbleth Himself shall be exalted; he that exalteth +himself shall be humbled." He taught His disciples: "He that would be +chiefest among you, let him be the servant of all." This should be our one +cry before God: "Let the power of the Holy Ghost come upon me, with the +humility of Jesus, that I may take the place that He took." Brother, do you +want a better place than Jesus had? Are you seeking a higher place than +Jesus? Or will you say: "Down, down, as deep as ever I can go. By the help +of God I will be nothing before God; I will be where Jesus was."</p> + +<p>And now comes the third thought,—This is the salvation the Holy Ghost +brings. You know what a change took place in those disciples. Let us praise +God for it; the Holy Spirit means this: the life, the disposition, the +temper, and the inclinations of Jesus, brought down from heaven into our +hearts. That is the Holy Ghost. He has + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page90" id="page90"></a>[pg 95]</span> + +His mighty workings to bestow as +gifts; but the fullness of the Holy Ghost is this: Jesus Christ in His +humility coming to dwell in us. When Christ was teaching His disciples, all +His instructions may have helped in the way of preparation, breaking them +down, and making them conscious of what was wrong, and awakening desire; +but the instruction could not do it, and all their love to Jesus and their +desire to please Him could not do it, until the Holy Ghost came. That is +the promise Christ gave. He says, in connection with the coming of the Holy +Ghost: "I will come again to you." Christ said to His disciples: "I have +been three years with you, and you have been in the closest contact with +me, and I have done the utmost to reach your hearts; I have sought to get +into your hearts, yet I have failed; but fear not, I will come again. In +that day ye shall see me, and your hearts shall rejoice, and no man shall +take your joy from you. I will come again to dwell in you, and live my life +in you." Christ went to heaven that He might get a power which He never had +before. And what was that? The power of living in men. God be praised for +this! It was because Jesus, the humble One, the Lamb of God, the meek, the +lowly and gentle One, came down in the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His +disciples, that the pride was expelled, and that the very breath of Heaven + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>[pg 96]</span> + +breathed through Him in the love that made them one heart and one soul.</p> + +<p>Dear friends, Christ is yours. Christ as He comes in the power of the Holy +Spirit is yours. Are you longing to have Him, to have the perfect Christ +Jesus? Come, then, and see how, amid the glories of His Godhead—His +having been in the form of God, and equal to God; amid the glories of +His incarnation—His having become a man; amid the glories of His +atonement—His having been obedient to death; and amid the glories of His +exaltation, which is the chief and brightest glory, He humbled Himself from +Heaven down to earth and on earth down to the cross. He humbled Himself to +bear the name and show the meekness, and die the death of the Lamb of God. +And what is it we now need to do? How are we to be saved by this humility +of Jesus? It is a solemn question, but, thank God, the answer can be given. +First we must desire it above everything. Let us learn to pray God to +deliver us from every vestige of pride, for this is a cursed thing. Let us +learn to set aside for a time other things in the Christian life, and begin +to plead with the Lamb of God day by day, "O Lamb of God, I know Thy love, +but I know so little of Thy meekness." Come day after day, and lay your +heart against His heart, and say to Him with strong desire: "Jesus, Lamb +of God, give, oh, give me Thyself, with Thy meekness + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>[pg 97]</span> + +and humility," and He +will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him. It is not enough to desire +it and to pray for it; claim and accept it as yours. This humility is given +you in Christ Jesus. Christ is our life. What does that mean? Oh, that God +might give you and me a vision of what that means. The air is our life, and +the air is everywhere, universal. We breathe without difficulty because God +surrounds us with the air; and is the air nearer to me than Christ is? The +sun gives light to every green leaf and every blade of grass, shining hour +by hour and moment by moment. And is the sun nearer to the blade of grass +than Christ is to man's soul? Verily, no; Christ is around us on every +side; Christ is pressing on us to enter, and there is nothing in heaven, +or earth, or hell, that can keep the light of Christ from shining into the +heart that is empty and open. If the windows of your room were closed with +shutters, the light could not enter; it would be on the outside of the +building, streaming and streaming against the shutters; but it could not +enter. But leave the windows without shutters, and the light comes, it +rejoices to come in and fill the room. Even so, children of God, Jesus and +His light, Jesus and His humility, are around you on every side, longing to +enter into your hearts. Come and take Him to-day in His blessed meekness +and gentleness. Do not be afraid of Him; He is + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>[pg 98]</span> + +the Lamb of God. He is so +patient with you, He is so kindly towards you, He is so tender and loving. +Take courage to-day and trust Jesus to come into your heart and take +possession of it. And when He has taken possession, there will be a life +day by day of blessed fellowship with Him, and you will feel a necessity +ever deeper for your quiet time with Him, and for worshiping and adoring +Him, and for just sinking down before Him in helplessness and humility, and +saying: "Jesus, I am nothing, and Thou art all." It will be a blessed life, +because you will be conscious of being at the feet of Jesus. At this moment +you can claim Jesus in His divine humility as the life of your soul. Will +you? Will you not open your heart, and say: "Come in; come in?"</p> + +<p>Come to-day, and take Him up afresh in this blessed power of His wonderful +humility, and say to Him: "Oh, Thou who didst say, 'Learn of me, for I am +meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls,' my Lord, +I know why it is that I have not the perfect life; it is my pride, but +to-day, come Thou and dwell in my heart. Thou who didst lead even Peter and +John into the blessedness of Thy heavenly humility; Thou wilt not refuse +me. Lord, here I am; do Thou, who by Thy wonderful humility alone canst +save, come in. O Lamb of God, I believe in Thee; take possession of my +heart, and dwell in me." When + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id="page94"></a>[pg 99]</span> + +you have said that, go out in quiet, and +retire, walking gently as holding the Lamb of God in your heart, and say: +"I have received the Lamb of God; He makes my heart His care; He breathes +His humility and dependence on God in me, and so brings me to God. His +humility is my life and salvation."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page95" id="page95"></a>[pg 100]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE COMPLETE SURRENDER.</h2> +<h3>VIII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Genesis 39: 1-3</i>.—<i>Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an +officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him at the +hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord +was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of +his master, the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>We have in this passage an object lesson which teaches us what Christ is to +us. Note: Joseph was a slave, but God was with him so distinctly that his +master could see it. "And his master saw the Lord was with him, and that +the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hands; and Joseph found grace +in his sight, and he served him,"—that is to say, he was his slave about +his person,—"and he made him overseer over his house,"—that was something +new. Joseph had been a slave, but now he becomes a master. "And he made him +overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hands. And it +came to pass, from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, +and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for +Joseph's + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id="page96"></a>[pg 101]</span> + +sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the +house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and +he knew not all he had, save the bread which he did eat."</p> + +<p>We find Joseph in two characters in the house of Potiphar: first as a +servant and a slave, one who is trusted and loved, but still entirely a +servant; second, as master. Potiphar made him overseer over his house and +his lands, and all that he had, so that we read afterward that he left +everything in his hands, and he knew of nothing except the bread that +came upon his table. I want to call your attention to Joseph as a type of +Christ. We sometimes speak in the Christian life, of entire surrender, and +rightly, and here we have a beautiful illustration of what it is. First, +Joseph was in Potiphar's house to serve him and to help him, and he did +that, and Potiphar learned to trust him, so that he said, "All that I have +I will give into his hands." Now, that is exactly what is to take place +with a great many Christians. They know Christ, they trust Him, they love +Him, but He is not Master, He is a sort of helper. When there is trouble +they come to Him, when they sin they ask Him for pardon in His precious +blood, when they are in darkness they cry to Him; but often and often they +live according to their own will, and they seek help from themselves. But +how blessed is the man who comes and, like Potiphar, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page97" id="page97"></a>[pg 102]</span> + +says, "I will give +up everything to Jesus!" There are many who have accepted Christ as +their Lord, but have never yet come to the final, absolute surrender of +everything. Christians, if you want perfect rest, abiding joy, strength to +work for God, oh, come and learn from that poor heathen Egyptian what you +ought to do. He saw that God was with Joseph and he said, "I will give up +my house to him." Oh, learn you to do that. There are some who have +never yet accepted Christ, some who are seeking after Him, thirsting and +hungering, but they do not know how to find Him.</p> + +<p>Let me direct your attention to four thoughts regarding this surrender to +Christ: First, its motives; second, its measures; third, its blessedness; +lastly, its duration.</p> + +<p>First of all, its motives. What moved Potiphar to do this? I think the +answer is very easy: he was a trusted servant of the king and he had the +king's work to take care of, and he very likely could not take care of +his own house. All his time and attention were required at the court of +Pharaoh. He had his duty there; he was in high honor; but his own house got +neglected. Very likely he had had other overseers, one slave appointed to +rule the others, and perhaps that one had been unfaithful, or dishonest, +and somehow his house was not as he would have it. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page98" id="page98"></a>[pg 103]</span> + +So he buys another +slave, just as he had formerly done, but in this case he sees what he had +never seen before. There is something unusual about the man. He walks +so humbly, he serves so faithfully and so lovingly, and withal so +successfully. Potiphar begins to look into the reason for this, and finally +concludes that God is with him.</p> + +<p>It is a grand thing to have a man with whom God is, to entrust one's +business to. The heathen realized this, and between the need of his own +house and what he saw in Joseph, he decided to make him overseer. I ask +you, do not these two motives plead most urgently that you should say: "I +will make Jesus master over my whole being?" Your house, Christian, your +spiritual life, the dwelling, the temple of God in your heart,—in what +state is that? Is it not often like the temple of old, in Jerusalem, that +had been defiled and made a house of merchandise, and afterwards a den of +thieves? Your heart, meant to be the home of Jesus, is it not often full +of sin and darkness, full of sadness, full of vexation? You have done your +very best to get it changed, and you have called in the help of man, and +the help of means; you have used every method you could think of for +getting it put right; but it will not come right until He whose it is, +comes in to take charge.</p> + +<p>If there is any trouble in your heart, if you are + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page99" id="page99"></a>[pg 104]</span> + +in darkness, or in the +power of sin, I bring to you the Son of God, with the promise that He will +come in and take charge. As Potiphar took Joseph, will you not take Jesus? +Has He not proven Himself worthy to be trusted? Come and say, "Jesus shall +have entire charge; He is worthy." Think not only of His Divine power, but +think of His wonderful love; think of His coming from heaven to save you; +think of His dying on Calvary and shedding His blood out of intense love +for you. Oh, think of it; Christ in heaven loves every one who is given to +Him, and whom He has made a child of God. "Having loved His own that were +in the world, He loved them unto the end."</p> + +<p>Must I plead in the name of the love of the crucified Jesus; must I plead +with you Christians, and say, Look at Jesus, the Son of God, your Redeemer, +and ask you to make Him overseer over all? Give Him charge of your temper, +your heart's affections, your thoughts, your whole being, and He will prove +Himself worthy of it. Joseph had been for a time just a common slave, and +with the other slaves had served Pharaoh. Alas! many a Christian has used +Christ for his own advancement and comfort, just as he uses everything in +the world. He uses father and mother, minister, money, and all else the +world will give, to comfort and make him happy; there is danger of his +using Christ + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page100" id="page100"></a>[pg 105]</span> + +Jesus in the same way. But oh, brethren, this is not right. +You are His house, and He has a right to dwell therein. Will you not come +and surrender all, and say, "Lord Jesus, I have made Thee overseer over +all?"</p> + +<p>But now, secondly, the measure of that surrender. We read in the 4th verse: +"All that he had he put into his hands." Then in verse 5: "And it came to +pass from the time that he made him overseer over all that he had"—there +you have it the second time—"the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house, and +the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had"—there the third time. +Then in verse 6: "And he left all that he had"—there you have the words +the fourth time—"in Joseph's hand, and he knew not all he had, save the +bread which he did eat." What do I see here? That Potiphar actually gave +everything into Joseph's hands. He made him master over his slaves. All the +money was put into Joseph's hands, for we read that Potiphar had care of +nothing. When dinner was brought upon the table, he ate of it, and that +was all he knew of what was going on in his house. Is not this entire +surrender?—he gives up everything into the hands of Joseph. Ah, beloved +Christians, I want you to ask yourselves: "Have I done that?" You have +offered more than one consecration prayer, and you have more than once +said: "Jesus, all I have I give + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page101" id="page101"></a>[pg 106]</span> + +to Thee." You have said it, and meant it; +but very probably you did not realize fully what it meant.</p> + +<p>With the word surrender there seems always to be a larger and more +comprehensive meaning. We do not succeed in carrying out our intentions, +and afterward we take back one thing and another until we have lost sight +of our original intention. Beloved Christians, let Christ Jesus have all. +Let Him have your whole heart, with its affections; He Himself loves, with +more than the love of Jonathan. Let Him have your whole heart, saying, +"Jesus, every fiber of my being, ever power of my soul, shall be devoted +to Thee." He will accept that surrender. He spoke a solemn word: "You must +hate father and mother." Say you to-day: "Lord Jesus, the love to father +and mother, to wife and child, to brother and sister, I give up to Thee. +Teach Thou me how to love Thee. I have only one desire, which is to love +Thee. I want to give my whole heart to be full of Thy love."</p> + +<p>But when you have given your heart, there is yet more to give. There is the +head—the brain with its thoughts. I believe Christians do not know how +much they rob Christ of in reading so much of the literature of the world. +They are often so occupied with their newspapers that the Bible gets a very +small place. Oh, friends, I beseech you bring this noble power which God +has given you, the power of a mind that can think heavenly, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page102" id="page102"></a>[pg 107]</span> + +eternal, and +infinite things, and lay it at the feet of Jesus, saying, "Lord Jesus, +every faculty of my being I want to surrender to Thee, that Thou shouldst +teach me what to think, and how to think, for Thee and Thy Kingdom." Bless +God, there are men who have given their intellect to Jesus, and it has been +accepted by Him. And in this connection there is my whole outer life. There +is my relation to society, my position among men, my intercourse in my own +home, with friends and family; there is my money, my time, my business; all +these should be put in the hands of Jesus. One cannot know beforehand the +blessedness of this surrender, but blessed it surely is. Come, because He +is worthy; come because you know you can not keep things right yourself, +and make Christ master over all you have. Give father and mother, wife and +child, house and land, and money, all to Jesus, and you will find that in +giving all you receive it back an hundred fold.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, look at the blessing of the entire surrender. You have here the +remarkable words: "And it came to pass from the time that Potiphar made +Joseph overseer over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's +house for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he +had in the house, and in the field." I ask you Christians, If God did this +to that heathen man, because he honored Joseph; if God, for + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page103" id="page103"></a>[pg 108]</span> + +Joseph's sake, +blessed that Egyptian in this wonderful way, may a Christian not venture to +say: "If I put my life into the hands of Jesus, I am sure God will bless +all that I have?" Oh, dare to say it. Potiphar trusted Joseph implicitly +and absolutely, and there was prosperity everywhere, because God was with +Joseph. Beloved friends, if you but surrender everything, depend upon it, +the blessing from that time will be yours. There will be a blessing within +your own inner life, and a blessing in your outer life. He blessed Potiphar +in the house, in the field, everywhere.</p> + +<p>Oh, Christian, what is that blessing you will get? I can not tell all, but +I can tell you this: if you will come to Christ Jesus and surrender all, +the blessing of God will be on all that you have. There will be a blessing +for your own soul. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is +stayed on Thee." Try that; trust Jesus for everything, and trust everything +to Him, and the blessing of God will come upon you—the sweet rest, the +rest of faith. It is all in the hands of Jesus; He will guide you; He will +teach you; He will work in you; He will keep you; He will be everything to +you. What a blessed rest and freedom from responsibility and from care, +because it is all in the hands of Jesus! I do not say trouble and trial +will never come; but in the midst of trial and trouble you will have the +all-sufficiency of the presence of Jesus to be your comfort, your + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page104" id="page104"></a>[pg 109]</span> + +help, and +your guide. Joseph was sold by his brethren, but he saw God in it, and he +was quite content. Christ was betrayed by Judas, condemned by Caiaphas, and +given over to execution by Pilate; but in all that, Christ saw God, and +He was content. Give over your life, in all its phases, into the hands of +Jesus; remembering that the very hairs of your head are numbered, and not a +sparrow falls to earth without the Father's notice. Consent now and say: "I +will give up everything into the hands of Jesus. Whatever happens is His +will regarding me. Whether He comes in the light or in the dark, in the +storm or on the troubled sea, I will rest in that blessed assurance. I give +up my whole life entirely to Him."</p> + +<p>In reading the Book of Jonah, we find God's hand in each step of Jonah's +experience. It was God who sent the storm when Jonah went aboard the ship, +who appointed a whale to swallow him, who ordered the whale to cast him +out; and then afterwards it was God who caused the hot wind to blow when +the sun was sending down its scorching rays, until the soul of Jonah was +grieved, and made the gourd to grow, and sent the worm to kill the gourd, +and set a sea-wind to dry the gourd up quickly. Do we not thus see that +every circumstance of our living, every comfort and every trial, comes from +God in Christ? There is nothing can touch a hair of my head. Not a sharp +word + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page105" id="page105"></a>[pg 110]</span> + +comes against me; not an unexpected flurry surrounds me, but it is all +Jesus. With my life in His hands, I need care for nothing. I can be content +with what Jesus gives.</p> + +<p>God blessed Potiphar in the field; in the visible life outside of his +house; and God will bless you, that, in your intercourse with men, you may +be a blessing; that by your holy, humble, respectful, quiet walk, you may +carry comfort; that by your loving readiness to be a servant and a helper +to all, you may prove what the Spirit of God has done within you. Oh, my +brother, my sister, you have no conception of it,—I have not—how God is +willing to bless the soul utterly given up to Jesus. God can delight in +nothing but Jesus. God delights infinitely in Jesus. God longs to see +nothing in us but Jesus, and if I give up my heart and life to Jesus, and +say, "My God, I want that Thou shouldst see in me nothing but Jesus," then +I bring to the Father the sacrifice that is the most acceptable of all. +Oh, believers, come to-day; come out of all your troubles, and all your +self-efforts and your self-confidence, and let the blessed Son of God +take possession.</p> + +<p>Let me direct your thoughts, lastly, to the duration of this surrender. I +want to emphasize this—because in many cases the surrender does not last. +Some go away, and for a time have much gladness and joy, but it soon begins +to decrease, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page106" id="page106"></a>[pg 111]</span> + +and in a few weeks or perhaps months is all gone. Others who +do not lose it entirely, complain sadly at times, that it goes away and +comes again. They say: "My life has been very much blessed since that +surrender I made to God, but it has not always been on the same level." +What did Potiphar do? We read in the 4th verse: "He made him overseer over +his house, and all that he had he left in Joseph's hands." What a simple +word! He left it there.</p> + +<p>And oh, children of God, if you will only get to that point and say, "For +all eternity I leave it in the hands of Jesus," you will find what a +blessing it is. Potiphar found now that he could do the king's business +with two hands and an undivided heart. I might try to rescue a drowning man +by holding fast somewhere with one hand, while I reached out the other hand +to the man, but it is a grand thing for a person to be able to stretch out +both hands, and that person is the one who has left all with Jesus—all his +inner life, all his cares and troubles, and has given himself up entirely +to do the will of God. Will you leave it there? I must press this, because +I know temptations will come. One temptation will be that the feelings you +had in your act of surrender will pass away; they will not be so bright; +another, that circumstances will tempt you. Beloved, temptations will come; +God means it for your good. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page107" id="page107"></a>[pg 112]</span> + +Every temptation brings you a blessing. Do +understand that. Learn the lesson of giving up everything to Jesus, and +letting Jesus take charge of everything. Leave all with Jesus. Do not think +that by a surrender to-day or on any day, however powerful, however mighty, +things will keep right themselves. You need every morning afresh, when +God wakes you up out of sleep, to put your heart, and your life, and your +house, and your business, into the hands of Jesus. Wait on Him, if need be, +in silence, or in prayer, until He gives you the assurance, "My child, for +to-day all is safe; I take charge." And morning by morning He will renew to +you the blessing, and morning by morning you will go out from your quiet +time in the consciousness, "To-day I have had fellowship with my King, and +it is all right." Jesus has taken charge. And so, day by day, you can have +grace to leave all in the hands of Jesus.</p> + +<p>In conclusion let me speak to two classes. There are times when your heart +is restless; there are times when you are afraid to die.</p> + +<p>There are some true believers who have perhaps never yet understood that it +was their duty to give up everything to Christ. Beloved fellow Christians, +I come with a message from your Father, to come and to-day take that word +into your hearts and upon your lips, even though you do not understand it. +"Jesus, I make Thee Master of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page108" id="page108"></a>[pg 113]</span> + +everything and I will wait at Thy feet, that +Thou wilt show me what Thou wouldst have me be and do." Do it now. And +let me say to believers who have done it before, and who long with an +unutterable longing to do it fully and perfectly,—Child of God, you can +do it, for the Holy Spirit has been sent down from Heaven for this one +purpose, to glorify Jesus; to glorify Jesus in your heart, by letting you +see how perfectly Jesus can take possession of the whole heart; to glorify +Jesus by bringing Him into your very life, that your whole life may shine +out with the glory of Jesus. Depend upon it, the Father will give it to you +by the Holy Spirit, if you are ready. Oh, come, and let your intercourse +with God be summed up in a simple prayer and answer—"My God, as much as +Thou wilt have of me to fill with Christ, Thou shalt have to-day." "My +child, as much of Christ as thy heart longeth to have, thou shalt have; for +it is My delight that My Son be in the hearts of My children."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page109" id="page109"></a>[pg 114]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>DEAD WITH CHRIST.</h2> +<h3>IX.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Gal. 2: 20</i>.—<i>I am crucified with Christ</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>The Revised Version properly has the above text "I have been crucified +with Christ." In this connection, let us read the story of a man who was +literally crucified with Christ. We may use all the narrative of Christ's +work upon earth in the flesh as a type of His spiritual work. Let us take +in this instance the story of the penitent thief, Luke 23: 39-43, for I +think we may learn from him how to live as men who are crucified with +Christ. Paul says: "I have been crucified with Christ." And again: "God +forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, +through whom I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me." We +often ask earnestly: How can I be free from the self life? The answer is, +"Get another life." We often speak about the power of the Holy Spirit +coming upon us, but I doubt if we fully realize that the Holy Spirit is a +heavenly life come to expel the selfish, and fleshly, and the earthly life. +If we want, in very deed, to enjoy fully the rest that there is in Jesus, +we + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page110" id="page110"></a>[pg 115]</span> + +can only have it as He comes in, in the power of His death, to slay what +is in us of nature, and to take possession, and to live His own life in the +fullness of the Holy Ghost. God's Word takes us to the cross of Christ, and +it teaches us about that cross, two things. It tells us that Christ died +<i>for</i> sin. We understand what that means, that in His atonement He died as +I never die, as I never can die, as I never need die; He died for sin and +for me. But what gave His death such power to atone? It was this: the +spirit in which He died, not the physical suffering, not the external act +of death, but the spirit in which He died. And what was that spirit? He +died <i>unto</i> sin. Sin had tempted Him, and surrounded Him, and had brought +Him very nigh to saying, "I cannot die." In Gethsemane He cried: "Father, +is it not possible that the cup pass from me?" But God be praised, He gave +up His life rather than yield to sin. He died to sin, and in dying He +conquered. And now, I can not die for sin like Christ, but I can and I must +die to sin like Christ. Christ died for me. In that He stands alone. Christ +died to sin, and in that I have fellowship with Him. I have been crucified, +I am dead.</p> + +<p>And here is the great subject to which I want to lead you.—What it is to +be dead with Christ, and how it is that I can practically enter into this +death with Christ. We know that the great characteristic + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page111" id="page111"></a>[pg 116]</span> + +of Christ is His +death. From eternity He came with the commandment of the Father that He +should lay down His life on earth. He gave Himself up to it, and He set His +face towards Jerusalem. He chose death, and He lived and walked upon earth +to prepare Himself to die. His death is the power of redemption; death gave +Him His victory over sin; death gave Him His resurrection, His new life, +His exaltation, and His everlasting glory. The great mark of Christ is His +death. Even in Heaven, upon the throne, He stands as the Lamb that was +slain, and through eternity they ever sing, "Thou art worthy, for Thou +wast slain." Beloved brother, your Boaz, your Christ, your all-sufficient +Saviour, is a Man of whom the chief mark and the greatest glory is this: He +died. And if the Bride is to live with her husband as His wife, then she +must enter into His state, and into His spirit, and into His disposition, +and ever be as He is. If we are to experience the full power of what Christ +can do for us, we must learn to die with Christ. I ought not, perhaps, to +use that expression, "We must learn to die with Christ;" I ought, rather, +to say, "We must learn that we <i>are dead</i> with Christ." That is a glorious +thought in the 6th chapter of Romans; to every believer in the Church of +Rome—not to the select ones, or the advanced ones, but to every believer +in the Church of Rome, however + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page112" id="page112"></a>[pg 117]</span> + +feeble, Paul writes, "You <i>are dead</i> with +Christ." On the strength of that he says, "Reckon yourselves dead unto +sin." What does that mean—You are dead to sin? We can not see it more +clearly than by referring to Adam. Christ was the second Adam. What +happened in the first Adam? I died, in the first Adam; I died to God; I +died in sin. When I was born, I had in me the life of Adam, which had all +the characteristics of the life of Adam after he had fallen. Adam died to +God, and Adam died in sin, and I inherit the life of Adam, and so I am dead +in sin as he was, and dead unto God. But at the very moment I begin to +believe in Jesus, I become united to Christ, the second Adam, and as really +as I am united by my birth to the first Adam, I am made partaker of the +life of Christ. What life? That life which died unto sin on Calvary, and +which rose again; therefore God by his apostle tells us: "Reckon yourselves +indeed dead unto sin and alive unto God in Christ Jesus." You are to reckon +it as true, because God says it—for your new nature is indeed, in virtue +of your vital union to Christ, actually and utterly dead to sin.</p> + +<p>If we want to have the real Christ that God has given us, the real Christ +that died for us, in the power of His death and resurrection, we must take +our stand here. But many Christians do not understand what the 6th chapter +of the Epistle to the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page113" id="page113"></a>[pg 118]</span> + +Romans teaches us. They do not know that they are +dead to sin. They do not know it, and therefore Paul instructs them: "Know +ye not that as many of you as are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized +into His death." How can we who are dead to sin in Christ live any longer +therein? We have indeed the death and the life of Christ working within +us. But, alas! most Christians do not know this, and therefore do not +experience or practice it. They need to be taught that their first need is +to be brought to the recognition, to the knowledge, of what has taken place +in Christ on Calvary, and what has taken place in their becoming united +to Christ. The man must begin to say, even before he understands it, "In +Christ I am dead to sin." It is a command: "Reckon ye yourselves indeed to +be dead unto sin." Get hold of your union to Christ; believe in the new +nature within you, that spiritual life which you have from Christ, a life +that has died and been raised again. A man's acts are always in accordance +with his idea of his state. A king acts like a king, otherwise we say, +"That man has forgotten his kingship," but if a man is conscious of being +a king, he behaves like a king. And so I cannot live the life of a true +believer unless I am filled with a consciousness of this every day: "I +thank God that I am dead in Christ. Christ died unto sin, and I am united +with Christ, and Christ lives in me and + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page114" id="page114"></a>[pg 119]</span> + +I am dead to sin." What is the life +Christ lives in me? Ask what is the life Adam lives in me? Adam lives in me +the death life, a life that has fallen under the power of sin and death, +death to God. That life Adam lives in me by nature as an unconverted man. +And Christ, the second Adam, has come to me with a new life, and I now live +in His life, the death-life of Christ. As long as I do not know it, I can +not act according to it, though it be in me. Praise God, when a man begins +to see what it is, and begins in obedience to say, "I will do what God's +Word says; I am dead, I reckon myself dead," he enters upon a new life. On +the strength of God's everlasting Word, and your union to Christ, and the +great fact of Calvary, reckon, know yourself as dead indeed unto sin. A man +must see this truth; this is the first step. The second is—he must accept +it in faith. And what then? When he accepts it in faith, then there comes +in him a struggle, and a painful experience, for that faith is still very +feeble, and he begins to ask, "But why, if I am dead to sin, do I commit so +much sin?" And the answer God's Word gives is simply this: You do not allow +the power of that death to be applied by the Holy Spirit. What we need is +to understand that the Holy Spirit came from Heaven, from the glorified +Jesus, to bring His death and His life into us. The two are inseparably +connected. That + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page115" id="page115"></a>[pg 120]</span> + +Christ died, He died unto sin, and that He liveth, He +liveth unto God. The death and the life in Him are inseparable; and even so +in us the life to God in Christ is inseparably connected with the death to +sin. And that is what the Holy Ghost will teach us and work in us. If I +have accepted Christ in faith by the Holy Ghost, and yield myself to +Him, Christ every day keeps possession, and reveals the full power of +my fellowship in His death and life in my heart. To some this comes +undoubtedly in one moment of supreme power and blessing; all at once they +see and accept it, and enter in, and there is death to sin as a Divine +experience. It is not that the tendency to evil is rooted out. No; but the +power of Christ's death keeps from sin, and destroys the power of sin; the +power of Christ's death can be manifested in the Holy Spirit's unceasingly +mortifying the deeds of the body.</p> + +<p>Some one asks me if there is still growth needed. Undoubtedly. By the Holy +Spirit a man can now begin to live and grow, deeper and deeper, into the +fellowship of Christ's death. New things are discovered by him in spheres +of which he never thought. A man may at times be filled with the Holy +Ghost, and yet there may be great imperfections in him. Why? For this +reason: because his heart, perhaps, had not been fully prepared by a +complete discovery of sin. There + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page116" id="page116"></a>[pg 121]</span> + +may be pride, or self-consciousness, or +forwardness, or other qualities of this nature which he has never noticed. +The Holy Spirit does not always cast these out at once. No. There are +different ways of entering into the blessed life. One man enters into the +blessed life with the idea of power for service; another with the idea of +rest from worry and weariness; another with the idea of deliverance from +sin. In all these aspects there is something limited, and therefore every +believer is to give himself up after he knows the power of Christ's death, +and say continually: "Lord Jesus, let the power of Thy death work through, +let it penetrate my whole being." As the man gives himself unreservedly up, +he will begin to bear the marks of a crucified man. The apostle says: "I +have been crucified," and he lives like a crucified man.</p> + +<p>What are the marks of a crucified man? The first is, deep, absolute +humility. Christ humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the +death of the cross. When the death to sin begins to work mightily, that is +one of its chief and most blessed proofs. It breaks a man down, down, and +the great longing of his heart is, "Oh, that I could get deeper down before +my God, and be nothing at all, that the life of Christ might be exalted. I +deserve nothing but the cursed cross; I give myself over to it." Humility +is one of the great marks of a crucified man.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page117" id="page117"></a>[pg 122]</span> + +<p>Another mark is impotence, helplessness. When a man hangs +on the cross, he is utterly helpless, he can do nothing. As long as we +Christians are strong, and can work, or struggle, we do not get into the +blessed life of Christ; but when a man says, "I am a crucified man, I am +utterly helpless, every breath of life and strength must come from my +Jesus," then we learn what it is to sink into our own impotence, and say, +"I am nothing."</p> + +<p>Still another mark of crucifixion is restfulness. Yes. Christ was +crucified, and went down into the grave, and we are crucified and buried +with Him. There is no place of rest like the grave; a man can do nothing +there, "My flesh shall rest in hope," said David, and said the Messiah. +Yes, and when a man goes down into the grave of Jesus, it means this: that +he just cries out, "I have nothing but God, I trust God; I am waiting upon +God; my flesh rests in Him; I have given up everything, that I may rest, +waiting upon what God is to do to me." Remember, the crucifixion, and the +death, and the burial are inseparably one. And remember the grave is the +place where the mighty resurrection power of God will be manifested. +And remember those precious words in the 11th of John: "Said I not unto +thee"—when did Christ say that? It was at the grave of Lazarus—"that if +thou believest, thou shalt see the glory of God?" Where shall I see the +glory of God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page118" id="page118"></a>[pg 123]</span> + +most brightly? Beside the grave. Go down into death believing, +and the glory of God will come upon thee, and fill thy heart.</p> + +<p>Dear friends, we want to die. If we are to live in the rest, and the peace, +and the blessedness of our great Boaz; if we are to live a life of joy and +of fruitfulness, of strength and of victory, we must go down into the grave +with Christ, and the language of our life must be: "I am a crucified +man. God be praised, though I have nothing but sin in myself, I have an +everlasting Jesus, with His death and His life, to be the life of my soul."</p> + +<p>How can I enter into this fellowship of the cross? We find an illustration +in the story of the penitent thief. Thomas said, before Christ's death, +"Let us go and abide with Him." And Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go +with Thee to prison, or to death." But the disciples all failed, and our +Lord took a man who was the offscouring of the earth, and he hung him upon +the cross of Calvary beside Himself, and He said to Peter, and to all: "I +will let you see what it is to die with Me." And He says that word to-day, +to the weakest and the humblest; if you are longing to know what it is to +enter into death with Jesus, come and look at the penitent thief. And what +do we see there? First of all, we see there the state of a heart prepared +to die with Christ. We see in that penitent thief, a humble, whole-hearted + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page119" id="page119"></a>[pg 124]</span> + +confession of sin. There he hung upon the cursed tree, and the multitudes +were blaspheming that man beside him, but he was not ashamed publicly to +make confession: "I am dying a death that I have deserved; I am suffering +justly; this cross is what I have deserved." Here is one of the reasons why +the Church of Christ enters so little into the death of Christ; men do not +want to believe that the curse of God is upon everything in them that has +not died with Christ. People talk about the curse of sin, but they do not +understand that the whole nature has been infected by sin, and that the +curse is on everything. My intellect, has that been defiled by sin? +Terribly, and the curse of sin is on it, and therefore my intellect must go +down into the death. Ah, I believe that the Church of Christ suffers more +to-day from trusting in intellect, in sagacity, in culture, and in mental +refinement, than from almost anything else. The Spirit of the world comes +in, and men seek by their wisdom, and by their knowledge, to help the +Gospel, and they rob it of its crucifixion mark. Christ directed Paul to go +and preach the Gospel of the cross, but to do it not with wisdom of words. +The curse of sin is on all that is of nature. If there be a minister who +has delighted in preaching, who has done his very best, who has given his +very best in the way of talent and of thought, and who asks, "Must that +go down into + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page120" id="page120"></a>[pg 125]</span> + +the grave?" I say, "Yes, my brother, the whole man must be +crucified." And so with the heart's affection. What is more beautiful than +the love of a child to his mother? In that lovely nature there is something +unsanctified, and it must be given up to die. God will raise it from the +dead and give it back again, sanctified and made alive unto God. So I might +go through the whole of our life. People often say to me: "But has God made +all things so beautiful, and is it not right that we should enjoy them? Are +not His gifts all good?" I answer, yes, but remember what it says; they are +good, if sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. The curse of sin is on +them; the blight of sin is on everything most beautiful, and it takes much +of God's Word, and much of prayer to sanctify them. It is very hard to give +up a thing to the death, and it is hardest of all to give up my life to the +death, and I never will until I have learned that everything about that +life is stamped by sin, and let it go down into the death as the only way +to have it quickened and sanctified.</p> + +<p>The penitent thief confessed his sin, and that he deserved death. Then, +next, he had faith in the almighty power of Christ. A wonderful faith. It +has no parallel in the Bible. There hangs the cursed malefactor with Jesus +of Nazareth, and he dares speak, and say: "I am dying here, under the just +curse of my sins, but I believe Thou + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page121" id="page121"></a>[pg 126]</span> + +canst take me into Thy heart, and +remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." Oh, that we might learn to +believe in the almighty power of Christ! That man believed that Christ was +a King, and had a Kingdom, and that He would take him up in His arms, and +in His heart, and remember him when He came into His Kingdom. He believed +that, and believing that, he died. Brother, you and I need to take time to +come to a much larger and deeper faith in the power of Christ, that the +almighty Christ will indeed take us in His arms and carry us through this +death life, revealing the power of His death in us. I cannot live it +without personal contact with Christ every hour of the day. Christ must do +it; Christ can do it. Come therefore and say: "Is He not the Almighty One; +did He not come from the throne of God; did He not prove His omnipotence, +and did the Father not prove it when He rose from the dead?" Would you be +afraid, now that Christ is on the throne, of doing what the malefactor did +when Christ was upon the cross, and entrusting yourself to Him to live as +one dead with Him? Christ will carry you through the very process He went +through; will make His death work in you every day of your life.</p> + +<p>I note one thing more in the penitent thief—his prayer. There was his +conviction of sin, and his faith, but there was, further, the utterance of +his + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page122" id="page122"></a>[pg 127]</span> + +faith in prayer. He turned to Jesus. Remember that the whole world, +with perhaps the exception of Mary and the women, was turned against Christ +that day. Of the whole world of men as far as I know, there was but that +one praying to Christ. Do not wait to see what others do; if you wait for +that,—alas! I desire to say it in love and tenderness,—you will not find +much company in the Church of Christ. Pray incessantly: "Lord Christ, let +the power of Thy death come into me." For God's sake, pray the prayer. If +you want to live the life of Heaven, there must be death to sin in the +power of Jesus. There must be personal entrustment of the soul into His +death to sin, personal acceptance of Jesus to do the mighty work.</p> + +<p>We have seen what the preparation is on the part of this man; let us look, +secondly, at how Christ met him. He met him, you know, with that wonderful +promise, with its three wonderful parts: "To-day shalt thou be with me in +Paradise." A promise of fellowship with Christ,—"Thou shalt be with me;" +a promise of rest in eternity, in the Paradise from which sin had cast man +out,—"With me in Paradise;" a promise of immediate blessing,—"To-day +shalt thou be with Me." With that three-fold blessing Jesus comes to you +and me, and He says: "Believer, are you longing to live the Paradise life, +where I give souls to eat of the Tree + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page123" id="page123"></a>[pg 128]</span> + +of Life, in the Paradise of God, day +by day? Are you longing for that uninterrupted communion with God that +there was in Paradise before Adam fell? Are you longing for perfect +fellowship with me, longing to live where I am living, in the love of the +Father? To-day, to-day; even as the Holy Ghost says: 'To-day shalt thou +be with me!' Longest thou for Me? I long more for thee. Longest thou for +fellowship? I long unceasingly for thy fellowship, for I need thy love, +my child, to satisfy my heart. Nothing can prevent My receiving thee into +fellowship. I have taken possession of Heaven for thee, as the Great High +Priest, that thou mightest live the Heavenly life, that thou mightest have +access into the holiest of all and an abiding dwelling place there. To-day, +if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of +the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief +is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the +closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth +during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful +fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of +God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on +the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the +cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page124" id="page124"></a>[pg 129]</span> + +<p>And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a +ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and +all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given, +"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are +things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life; +but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go." +Thou needst not understand all. It may not be perfectly clear; the heart +may appear dull, but never mind; Jesus carried that penitent thief through +death to life. The thief did not know where he was going, he did not know +what was to happen, but Jesus, the mighty conqueror, took him in His arms, +and landed him, in his ignorance, in Paradise. Oh, I have sometimes said +in my soul, bless God for the ignorance of that penitent thief. He knew +nothing about what was going to happen, but he trusted Christ; and if I can +not understand all about this crucifixion with Christ, and the death to +sin, and the life to God, and the glory that comes into the heart, never +mind, I trust my Lord's promise, I cast myself helpless into His arms, I +maintain my position on the cross. Given up to Jesus, to die with Him, I +can trust Him to carry me through.</p> + +<p>Shall we not each one take the blessed opportunity of doing what Ruth did +when she, in obedience to the advice of her mother, just cast + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page125" id="page125"></a>[pg 130]</span> + +herself at +the feet of the great Boaz, the Redeemer, to be His? Shall we not come into +personal contact with Jesus, and shall not each one of us just speak before +the world these simple words: "Lord, here is this life; there is much in it +still of self, and sinfulness, and self-will, but I come to Thee; I long to +enter fully into Thy death; I long to know fully that I have been crucified +with Thee; I long to live Thy life every day." Then say: "Lord Jesus, I +have seen Thy glory, what Thou didst for the penitent one at Thy side on +the cross; I am trusting Thee, that Thou wilt do it for me. Lord, I cast +myself into Thy arms."</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page126" id="page126"></a>[pg 131]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST.</h2> +<h3>X.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Romans 14: 17.</i>—<i>For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but +righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>In this text we have the earthly revelation of the work of the Trinity. The +Kingdom of God is righteousness; that represents the work of the Father. +The foundations of His throne are justice and judgment. Then comes the work +of the Son: He is our peace, our Shiloh, our rest. The Kingdom of God is +peace; not only the peace of pardon for the past, but the peace of perfect +assurance as to the future. Not only the work of atonement is finished, but +the work of sanctification is finished in Christ, and I may receive and +enjoy what is prepared for me. The new man has been created, and I may in +Him live out my life; if a kingdom is established in righteousness, if the +rule is perfect, there can be perfect rest. If there be peace, no war +from without, and no civil dissension within, a nation can be happy and +prosperous. And so there comes here, after righteousness and peace, the +joy, the blessed happiness in which a man can live; "The + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page127" id="page127"></a>[pg 132]</span> + +Kingdom of God is +righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." May we regard this joy +of the Holy Ghost, not only as a beautiful thing to admire, not only as a +thing to have beautiful thoughts about, but as a blessing that we are going +to claim.</p> + +<p>We often see a fruiterer's or confectioner's shop, with beautiful fruit or +cake temptingly displayed in the window. There is a great pane of plate +glass before it, and the hungry little boys stand there and look, and long, +but they cannot reach it. If you were to say to one, "Now, little boy, take +that fruit," he would look at you in surprise. He has learned that there is +something between. If he had never known of glass he might attempt it. The +plate glass is sometimes so clear that even a grown man might for a moment +be deceived and stretch out his hand. But he soon finds there is something +invisible between him and the fruit. This represents exactly the life of +many Christians; they see, but they cannot take. And what now is this +invisible pane of plate glass, that hinders my taking the beautiful things +I see? It is nothing but the self-life; I see divine things but cannot +reach them, the self-life is the invisible plate glass. We are willing, we +are working, we are striving, and yet we are holding back something; we are +afraid to give up everything to God. We do not know what the consequences +may be. We have not yet + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page128" id="page128"></a>[pg 133]</span> + +comprehended that God and Christ Jesus are worth +everything. Whatever is told us of the blessed life of peace and joy, we +say, "Praise God; God's Word is true; I believe the Word;" and yet, day by +day, we stand back. When some one says, "Take it," we say, "I can't take +it; there is something between." Would we were willing to give up the +self-life; would we had the courage to give up to-day, and let the joy of +the Holy Ghost be our religion. That is the religion God has prepared for +us; that is the religion we can claim; not only righteousness, not only +peace, but the joy of the Holy Ghost. That is the Kingdom of God.</p> + +<p>What is this joy? First of all, it is the joy of the presence of Jesus. +We are often inclined to speak most of two other things, the power for +sanctification, and the power for service. But I find there is a thing more +important than either of those two, and that is that the Holy Ghost came +from Heaven to be the abiding presence of Christ in His disciples, in the +Church, and in the heart of every believer. The Lord Jesus was going away, +and His disciples were very sad; their hearts was sorrowful; but He said to +them, "I will come back again, and I will come to you. Your hearts shall +rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you." What took place with +them, may take place with us too. The Holy Spirit is given to make the +presence of Jesus an abiding reality, a + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page129" id="page129"></a>[pg 134]</span> + +continual experience. And what was +that joy that no man could ever touch? It was the joy of Pentecost. And +what was Pentecost? The coming of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Ghost to dwell +with His disciples. While Jesus was with His disciples on earth, He could +not get into their hearts in the right way. They loved Him, but they could +not take in His teaching, they could not partake of His disposition, and +they could not receive His very spirit into their being. But when He had +ascended to Heaven, He came back in the Spirit to dwell in their hearts. +It is this alone that will help us to go, the minister to his congregation +with its difficulties, the business man to his counter, the mother to her +large family with its care, the worker to her Bible class. It is this only +that will help us to feel, "I can conquer, I can live in the rest of God." +Why? "Because I have the almighty Jesus with me every day." With God's +people, there seems to be one hindrance, <i>they do not know their Saviour</i>. +They do not realize that this blessed Christ is an ever present, +all-pervading, in-dwelling Christ, who wants to take charge of their entire +lives. They do not know, they do not believe that He is an Almighty Christ, +and ready in the midst of any difficulties and any circumstances to be +their keeper and their God. This is absolutely true. Many Christians are +asked as to how one may + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page130" id="page130"></a>[pg 135]</span> + +have the joy unspeakable, the joy that nothing can +take away, the joy of the friendship and nearness and love of Jesus filling +his heart. We complain that the rush of competition is so terrible that we +can not get time for private prayer. Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, if He +comes to you as a brother and a friend and an abiding guest, can give your +heart the joy of the Holy Ghost, so that business will take its right place +under your feet. Your heart is too holy to have it filled with business; +let the business be in the head and under the feet, but let Christ have +the whole heart, and He will keep the whole life. Our glorious, exalted, +almighty, ever present Christ! why is it that you and I can not trust Him +fully, perfectly to do His work? Shall we not say before God that we do +trust Him, that we will trust Christ to be to us every moment all that we +can desire? On the Cross of Calvary Christ was all alone, and you believe +He did a perfect and a blessed work; and Christ in Heaven is all alone, as +high priest and intercessor, and you trust Him for His work there. But, +praise God! it is equally true, Christ in the heart is able all alone to +keep it all the days. May it please God to reveal to His children the +nearness of Christ standing and knocking at the door of every heart, ready +to come in and rest forever there and to lead the soul into His rest.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page131" id="page131"></a>[pg 136]</span> + +<p>We all know what the power of joy is; we know there is nothing so +attractive as joy, there is nothing can help a man to bear and endure so +much as joy; we know that the Lord Jesus Himself for the joy that was set +before Him endured the cross. One is not living aright if he is living a +sighing, trembling, doubting life. Come to-day and believe the joy of the +Holy Ghost is meant for you. Does not the Scripture say, "Whom not having +seen we love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice +with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Do you not believe that this +blessed, adorable, inconceivably beautiful Son of God, the delight of the +Father,—do you not believe that this Son of God could fill your heart with +delight day and night, if He were always present? And do you not believe +that He loves you more than a bridegroom loves his bride? Do you not +believe that, having bought you with His blood, Jesus is longing for you? +He needs you to satisfy His heart of love. Begin to believe with your +whole heart, "The joy of the Holy Ghost is my portion," for the Holy Ghost +secures to me without interruption the presence and the love of Jesus.</p> + +<p>But secondly, there is the joy of deliverance from sin. The Holy Ghost +comes to sanctify us. Christ is our sanctification, and the Holy Ghost +comes to communicate Him to us, to work out all + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page132" id="page132"></a>[pg 137]</span> + +that is in Christ and to +reproduce it in us. Let us remember that in the sight of God there is +something more than work. There is Christlikeness—the likeness and the +life of Christ in us. That is what God wants; that will fit us for work. +God asks not that Christ should live in us as separate persons; temples +full of filthy, impure, foul creatures, with Christ hidden away somewhere +there,—that is not the intention of God, but He wants Christ so formed +in us that we are one with Christ, and that in our thinking, feeling and +living, the image of His blessed Son is manifest before Him. The Holy +Spirit is given to sanctify us. My brother, are you willing to be +sanctified from every sin, be that sin great or small? I am not asking, do +you feel that you have the power to conquer it? I am not even asking, do +you feel the power to cast it out? It may be that you feel no power; that +won't hinder if you are willing. I can not cast out sin, but I can get the +Almighty Christ by the Holy Spirit to do it, and it is my work to say to +Christ, "There is the sin, there is the evil thing, I lay it at Thy feet, I +cast it there, I cast it into Thy very bosom. Lord, I am ready to cut off +the right hand, anything, only deliver me from it." Then Christ will cast +out the evil spirit and give deliverance. The Spirit of God is a holy +spirit and His work is to make free from the power of sin and death. And if +you want + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page133" id="page133"></a>[pg 138]</span> + +to live in the joy of the Holy Ghost, the question comes: "Are +you willing to surrender everything that is sinful, even what appears +good,—but has the stain of sin on it?" You may be involved in +relationships that make your life very difficult. A pastor with his people +maybe brought into very difficult relationships; or a business man with his +partner or those with whom he has to associate, may be in an exceedingly +trying position. But is not the blessed Lamb of God worth it all? What is +the Christ worth to you? The question was once asked the disciples, "What +think ye of Christ?" I ask, "What is Christ worth to you?" And I beseech +you, whatever prospective difficulties there may be, and whatever +perplexities surround you, take the whole world to-day and cast it at His +feet. To have Him is worth any difficulty; to have Him will be the +solution of every difficulty. There are not only such external, manifest +difficulties and perplexities, there are a thousand little things that come +in our life and that often disturb us, temptations to unloving feelings, +and sharp words, and hasty judgments. Oh, come, and believe that the Holy +Spirit, the sanctifier, can come in and rule, and give grace to pass +through all without sinning, and you shall know what the joy of the Holy +Ghost is. Our body, we read in 1st Corinthians, is the temple of the Holy +Ghost. It is to be holy in things like eating and drinking. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page134" id="page134"></a>[pg 139]</span> + +How often +a Christian comes to the consciousness that he takes or seeks too much +enjoyment in that eating, eating for pleasure, with no self-denial or +self-sacrifice in his feeding the body! How often we tempt one another to +eat, and how often the believer forgets that this body is the very secret +temple of the Holy Ghost and that every mouthful we eat and drink must be +for the glory of God in such a way as to be perfectly well pleasing to Him! +Beloved, I bring you a message: There is access for you into the rest of +God, and the Holy Spirit is given to bring you in, and the Holy Spirit will +fill your heart with the unutterable joy of Christ's presence; and with the +joy of deliverance from sin, of victory over sin; the unutterable joy of +knowing that you are doing God's will and are pleasing in His sight; the +unutterable joy of knowing that He is sanctifying and keeping the temple +for Christ to dwell in. Believers, the joy of the Holy Ghost, the joy of +that holiness of God, is His blessedness, His purity, His perfection, that +nothing can mar or stain or disturb. The Holy Ghost waits to bring and to +manifest it in our lives. He wants to come so into our hearts that we shall +live, as Holy Ghost men, the sanctified life, with the sanctifying power of +Jesus running through our whole beings.</p> + +<p>My third thought is: the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of the love of +the saints. The Holy + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page135" id="page135"></a>[pg 140]</span> + +Ghost was not given to any man on the day of Pentecost +separate from the others; He came and filled the whole company. We know how +much division and separation and pride there had been among them, but +on that day the Holy Ghost so filled their hearts that we find it was +afterward said: "Behold how these men love one another." There was a love +in the primitive church that the very heathen noticed, and could not +understand. Why was that? The Holy Spirit is the bond of union between the +Father and Son; and that bond is love. The Holy Spirit is just the love of +God come to dwell in the heart. When He dwells with me and my brother we +learn to love each other. Though I be unloving naturally, and though I have +very little grace, if the heart of my brother is full of the Holy Spirit he +loves me through it all. You know love is a wonderful thing. As long as a +man tries to love it is not real love, but when real love comes, the more +opposition it meets the more it triumphs, for the more it can exercise +itself and perfect itself, the more it rejoices. Take a mother with a son +dishonoring her. How her love follows him! When she sees that he has fallen +deeper than ever before, how the dear mother heart only loves him the more +intensely through all the wretchedness! Does not the Scripture say, "If He +gave His life for us, we are bound to give our life for the brethren?" The +Holy Spirit comes + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page136" id="page136"></a>[pg 141]</span> + +as a spirit of love, and if you want to know the joy of +the Holy Ghost, and want Him to lead you into the rest of God and keep you +there, beware above everything on earth or in hell of being unloving. One +sharp word to your brother or sister brings a cloud upon you without your +knowing it. People are so accustomed to talk just as they like about each +other that they say sharp and unkind and unloving things, and when a cloud +comes in consequence they cannot understand it. If there is one thing that +grieves God, if there is one thing that hinders the Spirit—the fruit of +the Spirit is love—it is the want of lovingness. If you want to live in +the joy of the Holy Ghost make your covenant with God. "But," you say, +"there is a Christian man who makes me so impatient; he does trouble me and +vex me so with his stupidity. And there are those worldly men; how they +have tempted me in times past and done me harm! And there is that business +man who is trying to ruin me." Take them all, and your own wife and +children and every one around you and say, "I understand it, love is rest, +and rest is love. God resteth in His love. Love is rest and rest is love, +and where there is no love the rest must be disturbed." And let us say +to-day, "I see what the joy is; it is the joy of always loving, it is the +joy of losing my own life in love to others." In connection with humility, +some one asks, "How + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page137" id="page137"></a>[pg 142]</span> + +about that text, 'In honor preferring one another?'" +When a soul comes into perfect humility before God it becomes nothing, and +God becomes all in all. I am nothing. There is no self to be affronted; I +have said before God: "I am nothing; it is only Thy life and light that +shines. The honor is Thine, and nothing may touch me but what is against +the glory of my God."</p> + +<p>Beloved, are you living in the joy of the Holy Ghost? Come and accept a +blessing and give yourself up to live a life of humility in which you are +nothing, and a life of love like Christ's in which you only live for your +fellow-men, for the kingdom of God is the joy of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>My last thought is that the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for +God. The joy of the presence of Jesus, the joy of deliverance from sin, the +joy of love for the brethren, and then the joy of working for God. Some +of us have at times felt what an incomprehensible thing it is that the +everlasting God should work through us; and we have said, "Lord, what is +this, that Thou the Almighty One dost work in me and through me, a vile +worm by nature?" It is a mystery that passeth knowledge, and yet it is so +true. The joy of the Holy Ghost comes when a man gives himself up to +the Christlike work of carrying the love of God to men. Let us seek the +perishing, let us live and die for souls, let us live and die that our + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page138" id="page138"></a>[pg 143]</span> + +fellow-men may be reclaimed and brought back to their God. There is no joy +like hearing the joy-song of a new-born soul. But yes, there is another joy +that may be as deep. Even if God does not give me the blessing of hearing +the newborn soul sing its song, I may have the joy, the sympathy with Jesus +in His rejected life, and the assurance that the Father looks with good +pleasure on me. When I think of the thousands of believers in the Christian +world and then think of the heathen world, the cry comes up in my heart: +"What are we doing?" Ah, we need to be crying to God day and night, "Lord +God, wake us up. Lord God, let the Holy Spirit burn within us." Are we the +true successors of Jesus Christ? Are we indeed the followers and successors +of Christ who went all the way to Calvary to give His blood for men? Do +let us remember the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for God in +Christ. I believe that God has new ways and new leadings and new power for +His people, if they will only wait on Him. But what most of us do is this: +we thank God for all He has given, we look at all the ways of working we +have, and we say that we will try to do our work better. But oh, if we had +a sense of the need, if we had any sense, by the vision of the Holy Ghost, +of the state of the millions around us, I am sure we would fall on our +faces before God and say, "God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page139" id="page139"></a>[pg 144]</span> + +help me to something new. Oh that every +fiber of my being may be taken possession of for this great work with God!" +The great need is that all Christians should consecrate themselves wholly +to God for His work. May God help us to know what is the joy of the Holy +Ghost.</p> + +<p>Concluding, I ask again: "Do you believe that it is possible for the Lord +Jesus, our Shiloh, of whom Jacob prophesied, our Joshua, our glorious King +and High Priest,—do you believe it is possible for Christ Jesus to bring +you to-day into the rest of God?" Remember that word in Hebrews, "Even as +the Holy Ghost saith, to-day." To-day, summon up courage and take up your +ministry, and take up your business, and take up your surroundings, and +take up your natural temperament, and take up your home, and take up your +life for the days to come upon earth, and say, "I do not understand it, +I know not what will come, but one thing I know, I do absolutely give +everything into the hands of the crucified Lamb of God; He shall have me in +my entirety." And oh, remember, beloved, that Christ will be to you more +than you can think or understand, more than you can ask or desire.</p> + +<p>Come, let us cast ourselves into those blessed, loving arms, and let us +believe even now that our Joshua leads us into the rest of God, the rest in +which we are saved from self-care and self-seeking + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page140" id="page140"></a>[pg 145]</span> + +and self-trusting and +self-loving, the rest in which we do not think of ourselves, but where He +who is almighty and omnipresent is always going to be with us and is always +going to work within us. And let us when we have done that, claim the +promise, that as we have sought first the kingdom and God's righteousness, +all things shall be added unto us. Beloved, the kingdom of God is within +you, and it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Come, let +us claim it even now in simple, childlike, humble faith.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page141" id="page141"></a>[pg 146]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>TRIUMPH OF FAITH.</h2> +<h3>XI.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>John 4: 50</i>.—<i>And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto +him</i>.</blockquote> + +<p>Let me quote from the Gospel according to St. John, the 4th chapter, +beginning at the 46th verse: "So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, +where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son +was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come up out of Judea +into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down +and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto +him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." There you have +the word "believe" the first time. "The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come +down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. +And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went +his way." There you have that word the second time. "And as he was now +going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. +Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page142" id="page142"></a>[pg 147]</span> + +amend. And they said +unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father +knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy +son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house." There you have the +word "faith".</p> + +<p>This story has often been used to illustrate the different steps of faith +in the spiritual life. It was this use made of it in an address that +brought the sainted Canon Battersby into the full enjoyment of rest. He had +been a most godly man, but had lived the life of failure. He saw in the +story what it was to rest on the Word and trust the saving power of Jesus, +and from that night he was a changed man. He went home to testify of it, +and under God, he was allowed to originate the Keswick Convention.</p> + +<p>Let me point out to you the three aspects of faith which we have here: +first, faith seeking; then, faith finding; and then, faith enjoying. Or, +still better: faith struggling; faith resting; faith triumphing. First of +all, faith struggling. Here is a man, a heathen, a nobleman, who has heard +about Christ. He has a dying son at Capernaum, and in his extremity leaves +his home, and walks some six or seven hours away to Cana of Galilee. He +has heard of the Prophet, possibly, as one who has made water wine; he has +heard of His other miracles round Capernaum, and he + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page143" id="page143"></a>[pg 148]</span> + +has a certain trust +that Jesus will be able to help him. He goes to Him, and his prayer is that +the Lord will come down to Capernaum and heal his son. Christ said to him, +"Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." He saw that the +nobleman wanted Him to come and stand beside the child. This man had not +the faith of the centurion—"Only speak a word." He had faith. It was faith +that came from hearsay, and it was faith that did, to a certain extent, +hope in Christ; but it was not the faith in Christ's power such as Christ +desired. Still Christ accepted and met this faith. After the Lord had thus +told him what He wished—a faith that could fully trust Him—the nobleman +cried the second time, "Sir, come down ere my child die." Seeing his +earnestness and his trust, Christ said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." And +then we read that the nobleman believed. He believed, and he went his way. +He believed the word that Jesus had spoken. In that he rested and was +content. And he went away without having any other pledge than the word of +Jesus. As he was walking homeward, the servants met him, to tell him his +son lived. He asked at what hour he began to amend. And when they told him, +he knew it was at the very hour that Jesus had been speaking to him. He +had at first a faith that was seeking, and struggling, and searching for +blessing; then he had a faith that accepted the + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page144" id="page144"></a>[pg 149]</span> + +blessing simply as it was +contained in the word of Jesus. When Christ said, "Thy son liveth," he was +content, and went home, and found the blessing—the son restored.</p> + +<p>Then came the third step in his faith. He believed with his whole house. +That is to say, he did not only believe that Christ could do just this one +thing, the healing of his son; but he believed in Christ as his Lord. He +gave himself up entirely to be a disciple of Jesus. And that not only +alone, but with his whole house. Many Christians are like the nobleman. +They have heard about a better life. They have met certain individuals by +whose Christian lives they have been impressed, and consequently have felt +that Christ can do wonderful things for a man. Many Christians say in their +heart, "I am sure there is a better life for me to live; how I wish I could +be brought to that blessed state!" But they have not much hope about it. +They have read, and prayed, but they have found everything so difficult, If +you ask them, "Do you believe Jesus can help you to live this higher life?" +they say, "Yes; He is omnipotent." If you ask, "Do you believe Jesus wishes +to do it?" they say, "Yes, I know He is loving." And if you say, "Do you +believe that He will do it for you?" they at once say, "I know He is +willing, but whether He will actually do it for me I do not know. I am not +sure that I am + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page145" id="page145"></a>[pg 150]</span> + +prepared. I do not know if I am advanced enough. I do +not know if I have enough grace for that." And so they are hungering, +struggling, wrestling, and often remain unblessed. This state of things +sometimes goes on for years—they are expecting to see signs and wonders, +and hoping that God, by a miracle, will put them all right. They are just +like the Israelites; they limit the Holy One of Israel. Have you ever +noticed that it is the very people whom God has blessed so wonderfully +who do that? What did the Israelites say? "God hath provided water in the +wilderness. But can He provide the table in the wilderness? We do not think +He can." And so we find believers who say, "Yes, God has done wonders. The +whole of redemption is a wonder, and God has done wonders for some whom I +know. But will God take one so feeble as I, and put me entirely right?" The +struggling and wrestling and seeking are the beginnings of faith in you—a +faith that desires and hopes. But it must go on further. And how can that +faith advance? Look at the second step. There is the nobleman, and Christ +speaks to him this wonderful word: "Go thy way; thy son liveth;" and the +nobleman simply rests upon that word of the living Jesus. He rests on it, +and without any proof of what he is to get, and without one man in the +world to encourage him. He goes away home with the thought, "I have +received the blessing + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page146" id="page146"></a>[pg 151]</span> + +I sought; I have got life from the dead for my son. +The living Christ promised it me, and on that I rest." The struggling, +seeking faith has become a resting faith. The man has entered into rest +about his son.</p> + +<p>And now, dear believers, this is the one thing God asks you to do: God has +said that in Christ you have eternal life, the more abundant life; Christ +has said to you, "I live, and ye shall live also." The Word says to us that +Christ is our Peace, our Victory over every enemy, who leads us into the +rest of God. These are the words of God, and His message has come to us +that Christ can do for us what Moses could not have done. Moses had no +Christ to live in him. But it is told you that you can have what Moses had +not; you can have a living Christ within you. And are you going to believe +that, apart from any experience, and apart from any consciousness of +strength? If the peace of God is to rule in your heart, it is the God of +peace Himself must be there to do it. The peace is inseparable from the +God. The light of the sun—can I separate that from the sun? Utterly +impossible. As long as I have the sun I have the light. If I lose the sun; +I lose the light. Take care! Do not seek the peace of God or the peace of +Christ apart from God and Christ. But how does Christ come to me? He comes +to me in this precious Word; and just as + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page147" id="page147"></a>[pg 152]</span> + +He said to the nobleman, "Go thy +way home; thy son liveth," so Christ comes to me to-day, and He says, "Go +thy way; thy Saviour liveth." "Lo, I am with you alway." "I live, and ye +shall live also." "I wait to take charge of your whole life. Will you have +me do this? Trust to me all that is evil and feeble; your whole sinful and +perverse nature—give it up to Me; that dying, sin-sick soul—give it up to +Me, and I will take care of it." Will you not listen and hear Him speak to +your soul? "Child, go forward into all the circumstances of life that have +tempted you; into all the difficulties that threaten you." Your soul lives +with the life of God; your soul lives in the power of God; your soul lives +in Christ Jesus. Will you not, like the nobleman, take the simple step of +faith, and believe the word Jesus hath spoken? Will you not say, "Lord +Jesus, Thou hast spoken: I can rest on Thy Word. I have seen that Christ +is willing to be more to me than I ever knew; I have seen that Christ is +willing to be my life in the most actual and intense meaning of the words." +All that we know about the Holy Ghost sums itself up in this one thing: +The Holy Ghost comes to make Christ an actual, indwelling, always-abiding +Saviour.</p> + +<p>Lastly, comes the triumphant faith. The man went home holding fast the +promise. He had only one promise, but he held it fast. When God gives + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page148" id="page148"></a>[pg 153]</span> + +me +a promise, He is just as near me as when He fulfills it. That is a great +comfort. When I have the promise I have also the pledge of the fulfillment. +But the whole heart of God is in His promise, just as much as in the +fulfillment of it, and sometimes God, the promiser, is more precious +because I am compelled to cling more to Him, and to come closer, and to +live by simple faith, and to adore His love. Do not think this is a hard +life, to be living upon a promise. It means living upon the everlasting +God. Who is going to say that is hard? It means living upon the crucified, +the loving Christ. Be ashamed to say that is a difficult thing. It is a +blessed thing.</p> + +<p>The nobleman went home and found the child living. And what happened then? +Two things. First: he gave up his whole life to be a believer in Jesus. If +there had been a division among the people of Capernaum, and thousands of +them had hated Christ, this man would still have stood on His side. He +believed in the Lord. This is what must take place with us. Let us go +forward with our trust in the living Christ, knowing that He will keep us. +Then we will get grace to carry the life of Christ into our whole conduct, +into all our walk and conversation. The faith that rests in Jesus, is the +faith that trusts all to Him, with all we have. Do we not read that when +God had finished His work, and rested, it was only to begin + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page149" id="page149"></a>[pg 154]</span> + +new work? Yes; +the great work was to be carried on—watching over and ruling His world and +His church. And is it not so with the Lord Jesus? When He had finished His +work, He sat upon the throne to do His work of perfecting the body, through +the Holy Spirit. And now, the Holy Spirit is carrying on that blessed work, +teaching us to rest in Christ, and in the strength of that rest to go on, +and to cover our whole life with the power, and the obedience, and the +will, and the likeness of the Lord Jesus. The nobleman gave up his whole +life to be a believer in Christ; and from that day it was a believer in +Jesus who walked about the streets of Capernaum; not only a man who could +say, "Once He helped me," but, "I believe in Him with my whole life." Let +that be so with us everywhere; let Christ be the one object of our trust.</p> + +<p>One thought more,—he believed with his whole house. That was triumphant +faith. He took up his position as a believer in Christ; and his wife, his +children, his servants—he gathered them all together, and laid them at the +feet of Christ. And if you want power in your own house, if you want power +in your Bible-class, if you want power in your social circle, if you want +power to influence the nation and if you want power to influence the Church +of Christ, see where it begins. Come into contact with Jesus in this rest +of faith that accepts + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page150" id="page150"></a>[pg 155]</span> + +His life fully, that trusts Him fully, and the power +will come by faith to overcome the world; by faith to bless others; by +faith to live a life to the glory of God. Go thy way, thy soul liveth; for +it is Jesus Christ who liveth within you. Go thy way; be not trembling and +fearful, but <i>rest in the word and the power of the Son of God</i>. "Lo, I am +with you alway." Go thy way, with the heart open to welcome Him, and the +heart believing He has come in. Surely we have not prayed in vain. Christ +has listened to the yearnings of our hearts and has entered in. Let us +go our way quietly, restfully, full of praise, and joy, and trust; ever +hearing the words of our Master, "Go thy way, thy soul liveth;" and ever +saying, "I have trusted Christ to reveal His abundant life in my soul; by +His grace I will wait upon Him to fulfill His promise." Amen.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page151" id="page151"></a>[pg 156]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER.</h2> +<h3>XII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>Romans 8: 26-27</i>.—<i>Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for +we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself +maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he +that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because +he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God</i>. </blockquote> + +<p>Here we have the teaching of God regarding the help the Holy Spirit will +give us in prayer. The first half of this chapter is of much importance in +connection with the teaching of God's word regarding the Spirit. In Romans +vi. we read about being dead to sin and alive to God, and in Romans vii., +about being dead to the law and married to Christ, and also about the +impotency of the unregenerate man to do God's will. This is only a +preparation to show us how helpless we are; and then in the eighth chapter +comes the blessed work of the Spirit, expressed chiefly in the following +words: "The Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin and death." The +Spirit makes us free from the power of sin, and teaches and leads us so +that we walk after the Spirit. In our inner + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page152" id="page152"></a>[pg 157]</span> + +disposition we may become +spiritually minded, and enabled to mortify the deeds of the body. The Holy +Spirit helps our infirmities. Prayer is the most necessary thing in the +spiritual life. Yet we do not know how to pray nor what to pray for as we +ought. The Spirit, Paul tells us, prays with groanings unutterable. And +again he tells us that we ourselves often do not know what the Spirit is +doing within us, but there is one, God, who searches the hearts. Words +often reveal my thought and my wishes, but not what is deep in my heart, +and God comes and searches my heart, and deep down, hidden, what I can not +see and what was to me an unutterable longing, God finds.</p> + +<p>Powerful prayer! The confession of ignorance! Ah, friends, I am often +afraid for myself as a minister that I pray too easily. I have been praying +for these forty or fifty years and it becomes, as far as man is concerned, +an easy thing to pray. We all have been taught to pray, and when we are +called upon we can pray, but it gets far too easy, and I am afraid we think +we are praying often when there is little real prayer. Now if we are to +have the praying of the Holy Ghost in us one thing is needed; we must begin +by feeling, "I can not pray." When a man breaks down and can not pray, and +there is a fire burning in his heart, and a burden resting upon him, there +is something drawing him to God. "I know not what + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page153" id="page153"></a>[pg 158]</span> + +to pray,"—oh, blessed +ignorance! We are not ignorant enough. Abraham went out not knowing whither +he went; in that was an element of ignorance and also an element of faith. +Jesus said to His disciples when they came with their prayer for the throne, +"You know not what you ask." Paul says, "No man knoweth the things of God +but the Spirit of God." You say, "If I am not to pray the old prayers +I learned from my mother or from my professor in college or from my +experience yesterday and the day before, what am I to pray?" I answer, pray +new prayers, rise higher into the riches of God. You must begin to feel +your ignorance. You know what we think of a student who goes to college +fancying he knows everything. He will not learn much. Sir Isaac Newton +said, "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem +to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself +in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than +ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." +When I see a man who can not pray glibly and smoothly and readily, I say +that is a mark of the Holy Spirit. When he begins in his prayers to say, +"Oh, God, I want more, I want to be led deeper in. I have prayed for the +heathen, but I want to feel the burden of the heathen in a new way," it is +an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I tell you, beloved, if +you will take + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page154" id="page154"></a>[pg 159]</span> + +time and let God lay the burden of the heathen heavier upon +you until you begin to feel, "I have never prayed," it will be the most +blessed thing in your life. And so with regard to the church: We want to +take up our position as members of the church of Christ in this land; and +as belonging to that great body, to say, "Lord God, is there nothing that +can be done to bless the church of this land and to revive it and bring it +out of its worldliness and out of its feebleness?" We may confer together +and conclude faithlessly, "No, we do not know what is to be done; we have +no influence and power over all these ministers and their churches." But on +the other hand, how blessed to come to God and say, "Lord, we know not what +to ask. Thou knowest what to grant." The Holy Spirit could pray a hundred +fold more in us if we were only conscious of our ignorance, because we +would then feel our dependence upon Him. May God teach us our ignorance in +prayer and our impotence, and may God bring us to say, "Lord, we can not +pray; we do not know what prayer is." Of course some of us do know in a +measure what prayer is, many of us, and we thank God for what he has been +to us in answer to prayer, but oh, it is only a little beginning compared +to what the Holy Spirit of God teaches.</p> + +<p>There is the first thought: our ignorance. "We know not what we should pray +for as we ought;" + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page155" id="page155"></a>[pg 160]</span> + +but "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with +groanings which cannot be uttered." We often hear about the work of God the +Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in working out and completing the +great redemption, and we know that when God worked in the creation of the +world, He was not weary, and yet we read that wonderful expression in the +book of Exodus about the Sabbath day, "God rested and was refreshed." He +was refreshed, the Sabbath day was a refreshment to Him. God had to work +and Christ had to work, and now the Holy Spirit works, and His secret +working place, the place where all work must begin, is in the heart where +He comes to teach a man how to pray. When a man begins to get an insight +into that which is needed and that which is promised and that which God +waits to perform, he feels it to be beyond his conception; then is the time +he will be ready to say, "I can not limit the holy one of Israel by my +thoughts; I give myself up in the faith that the Holy Spirit can be praying +for me with groanings, with longings, that can not be expressed." Apply +that to your prayers.</p> + +<p>There are different phases of prayer. There is worship, when a man just +bows down to adore the great God. We do not take time to worship. We +need to worship in secret, just to get ourselves face to face with the +everlasting God, that He may overshadow us and cover us and fill us with +His love + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page156" id="page156"></a>[pg 161]</span> + +and His glory. It is the Holy Spirit that can work in us such a +yearning that we will give up our pleasures and even part of our business, +that we may the oftener meet our God.</p> + +<p>The next phase of prayer is fellowship. In prayer there is not only the +worship of a king, but fellowship as of a child with God. Christians take +far too little time in fellowship. They think prayer is just coming with +their petitions. If Christ is to make me what I am to be, I must tarry in +fellowship with God. If God is to let his love enter in and shine and burn +through my heart, I must take time to be with Him. The smith puts his rod +of iron into the fire. If he leaves it there but a short time it does not +become red hot. He may take it out to do something with it and after a time +put it back again for a few minutes, but this time it does not become red +hot. In the course of the day he may put the rod into the fire a great +many times and leave it there two or three minutes each time, but it never +becomes thoroughly heated. If he takes time and leaves the rod ten or +fifteen minutes in the fire the whole iron will become red hot with the +heat that is in the fire. So if we are to get the fire of God's holiness +and love and power we must take more time with God in fellowship. That was +what gave men like Abraham and Moses their strength. They were men who were +separated to a fellowship with God, and the living God + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page157" id="page157"></a>[pg 162]</span> + +made them strong. +Oh, if we did but realize what prayer can do!</p> + +<p>Another, and a most important phase of prayer is intercession. What a work +God has set open for those who are His priests—intercessors! We find a +wonderful expression in the prophecy of Isaiah; God says, "Let him take +hold of me;" and again, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take +hold of thee." In other passages God refers to the intercessors for Israel. +Have you ever taken hold of God? Thank God, some of us have; but oh, +friends, representatives of the church of Christ in the United States, +if God were to show us how much there is of intense prayer for a revival +through the church, how much of sincere confession of the sins of the +church, how much of pleading with God and giving Him no rest till He make +Jerusalem a glory in the earth, I think we should all be ashamed. We need +to give up our hearts to the Holy Spirit, that He may pray for us and in us +with groanings that can not be uttered.</p> + +<p>What am I to do if I am to have this Holy Spirit within me? The Spirit +wants time and room in the heart; He wants the whole being. He wants all +my interest and influence going out for the honor and the glory of God; He +wants me to give myself up. Beloved friend, you do not know what you could +do if you would give yourself up to intercession. + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page158" id="page158"></a>[pg 163]</span> + +It is a work that a sick +one lying on a bed year by year may do in power. It is a work that a poor +one who has hardly a penny to give to a missionary society can do day by +day. It is a work that a young girl who is in her father's house and has to +help in the housekeeping can do by the Holy Spirit. People often ask: What +does the Church of our day do to reach the masses? They ask, though they +ask it tremblingly, for they feel so helpless: What can we do against the +materialism and infidelity in places like London and Berlin and New York +and Paris? We have given it up as hopeless. Ah, if men and women could be +called out to band themselves together to take hold upon God! I am not +speaking of any prayer union or any prayer time statedly set apart, but if +the Spirit could find men and women who would give up their lives to cry to +God, the Spirit would most surely come. It is not selfishness and it is not +mere happiness that we seek when we talk about the peace and the rest and +the blessing Christ can give. God wants us, Christ wants us, because He has +to do a work; the work of Calvary is to be done in our hearts, we are +to sacrifice our lives to pleading with God for men. Oh, let us yield +ourselves day by day and ask God that it may please Him to let His Holy +Spirit work in us.</p> + +<p>Then comes the last thought, that God Himself comes to look with +complacency upon the attitude + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page159" id="page159"></a>[pg 164]</span> + +of His child. Perhaps that poor man does not +know that he is praying; perhaps he is ashamed of his prayers. So much +the better. Perhaps he feels burdened and restless, but God hears, God +discovers what is the mind of the Spirit, and will answer. Oh, think of +this wonderful mystery, God the Father on the throne ready to grant unto +us His blessings according to the riches of His glory; Christ the almighty +high priest pleading day and night. His whole person is one intercession, +and there goes up from Him without ceasing the pleading to the Father, +"Bless thy church," and the answer comes from the Father to the Son, and +from the Son down to the church, and if it does not reach us, it is because +our hearts are closed. Let us open and enlarge our hearts and say to God, +"Oh that I might be a priest, to enter God's presence continually and to +take hold of God and to bring down a blessing to my perishing fellowmen!" +God longs to find the intercession of Jesus reflected in the hearts of His +children, and where He finds it, it is a delight. And He that searcheth the +hearts knoweth the mind of the Spirit, because he prayeth for the saints, +according to the will of God. Some one has spoken of that word, "for the +saints," as meaning the spirit of praise in the believer for the saints +throughout the world. God's word continually comes to us to pray for all +not to be content with ourselves. Think + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page160" id="page160"></a>[pg 165]</span> + +upon the hundreds of church members +in this land, multitudes unconverted, multitudes just converted, but +yet worldly and careless. Think of the thousands of nominal +Christians—Christians in name, but robbing God! and can we be happy? If +we bear the burden of souls, can we have this peace and joy? God gives you +peace and joy with no other object than that you should be strong to bear +the burden of souls in the joy of Christ's salvation.</p> + +<p>We do not wish to say, "I am trying to be as holy as I can; what have I to +do with those worldly people about me?" If there is a terrible disease in +my hand, my body can not say, "I have nothing to do with it." When the +people had sinned Ezra rent his garments and bowed in the dust and made +confession. He repented on the part of the people. And Nehemiah, when the +nation sinned, made confession, and cast himself before God, deploring +their disobedience to the God of their fathers. Daniel did the very same. +And think you that we as believers have not a great work to do? Suppose we +were each, persons without a single sin; just suppose it; could we then +make confession? Look at Christ, without sin! He went down into the waters +of baptism with sinners; He made Himself one with them. God has spoken to +us to ask us if we realize what we are. He now asks us whether we belong to +the church of this land, whether we have borne the burden of + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page161" id="page161"></a>[pg 166]</span> + +sin around +us. Let us go to God and may He by the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with +unutterable sorrow at the state of the church, and may God give us grace to +mourn before Him. And when we begin to confess the sins of the church, we +will begin to feel our own sins as never before. In five of the epistles +to the seven churches in Asia the keynote was "Repent;" there was to be no +idea of overcoming and getting a blessing unless they repented. Let us on +behalf of the church of Christ repent, and God will give us courage to feel +that He will revive His work.</p> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page162" id="page162"></a>[pg 167]</span> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h2>THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.</h2> + +<h3>XIII.</h3> + +<blockquote><i>1 Corinthians 15: 24-28</i>.—"<i>Then cometh the end, when He shall have +delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put +down all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign till He hath +put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is +death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, All +things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put +all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then +shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him, that God may be all in +all</i>."</blockquote> + +<p>This will be the grand conclusion of the great drama of the world's +history, and of Christ's redemption. There will come a day—the glory is +such we can form no conception of it, the mystery is so deep we can not +realize it, but there is a day coming, when the Son shall deliver up the +Kingdom that the Father gave Him, and that He won with His blood, and that +He hath established and perfected from the throne of His glory. "He shall +deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father." The Son Himself shall be subject +also unto the Father, "that God may be all in all." I cannot understand +it—the ever blessed Son equal with God, from eternity, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page163" id="page163"></a>[pg 168]</span> + +and through +eternity; the ever blessed Son on the throne shall be subject unto the +Father; and in some way utterly beyond our comprehension, it shall then be +made manifest, as never before, that God is all in all. It is this that +Christ has been working for; it is this that He is working for to-day in +us; it is this that He thought it worth while to give His blood for; it is +this that His heart is longing for in each of us; this is the very essence +and glory of Christianity, "that God may be all in all." And now, if this +is what fills the heart of Christ; if this expresses the one end of the +work of Christ, then, if I want to have the spirit of Christ in me, the +motto of my life must be: Everything made subject, and swallowed up in Him, +"that God may be all in all." What a triumph it would be if the Church were +fighting really with that banner floating over her! What a life ours could +be if that were really our banner! To serve God fully, wholly, only, to +have Him all in all! How it would ennoble, and enlarge, and stimulate our +whole being! I am working, I am fighting, "that God may be all in all;" +that the day of glory may be hastened. I am praying, and the Holy Spirit +makes His wrestling in me with unutterable longing, "that God may be all +in all." Would that we Christians realized in connection with what a grand +cause we are working and praying; that we had some + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page164" id="page164"></a>[pg 169]</span> + +conception of what +a Kingdom we are partakers of, and what a manifestation of God we are +preparing for. To illustrate what a grand thing it is to belong to the +Kingdom of God, and to the glorious Church of Christ on earth, John McNeill +tells how when he was a boy twelve years of age, working on a railway line +and earning the grand wages of six shillings a week, he used to go home to +his mother and sisters, who thought no end of their little Johnnie, and +delight them by telling of the position he had. He would say with great +pride, "Oh, our company—it has so many thousands of pounds passing +through its hands every year; it carries so many hundreds of thousands of +passengers every year; and it has so many miles of railway, and so many +engines and carriages; and so many thousands in its employ!" And the mother +and the sisters had great pride in him, because he was a partner in such an +important business. Christians, if we would only rouse ourselves to believe +that we belong to the Kingdom that Christ is preparing to deliver up to the +Father, that God may be all in all, how the glory would fill our hearts, +and expel everything mean, and low, and earthly! How we should be borne +along in this blessed faith! I am living for this: that Christ may have the +Kingdom to deliver to the Father. I + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page165" id="page165"></a>[pg 170]</span> + +am living for this, and I will one day +see Him made subject to the Father, and then God all in all. I am living +for Him, and I shall be there not only as a witness, but I will have a part +in it all. The Kingdom delivered up, the Son made subject, and God all in +all! I shall have a part in it, and in adoring worship share the glory and +the blessedness.</p> + +<p>Let us take this home to our hearts, that it may rule in our lives—this +one thought, this one faith, this one aim, this one joy: Christ lived, and +died, and reigns; I live and die and in His power I reign; only for this +one thing, "that God may be all in all." Let it possess our whole heart, +and life. How can we do this? It is a serious question, to which I wish to +give you a few simple answers. And I say, first of all: Allow God to take +His place in your heart and life. Luther often said to people, when they +came troubling him about difficulties, "Do let God be God." Oh, give God +His place. And what is that place? "That God may be all in all." Let God be +all in all every day, from morning to evening. God to rule and I to obey. +Ah, the blessedness of saying, "God and I!" What a privilege that I have +such a partner! God first, and then I! And yet there might be secret +self-exaltation in associating God with myself. And I find in the Bible a +more precious word still. It is, "God and not I." It is not, "God first, +and I second;" God is all, and I am nothing. Paul said, "I labored more +abundantly than they all; though I be + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page166" id="page166"></a>[pg 171]</span> + +nothing." Let us try to give God His +place—begin in our closet, in our worship, in our prayer. The power of +prayer depends almost entirely upon our apprehension of who it is with whom +I speak. It is of the greatest consequence, if we have but half an hour in +which to pray, that we take time to get a sight of this great God, in His +power, in His love, in His nearness, just waiting to bless us. This is +of far more consequence than spending the whole half hour in pouring out +numberless petitions, and pleading numberless promises. The great thing is +to feel that we are putting our supplications into the bosom of omnipotent +Love. Before and above everything, let us take time ere we pray to realize +the glory and presence of God. Give God His place in every prayer. I +say, allow God to have His place. I can not give God His place upon the +throne—in a certain sense I can, and I ought to try. The great thing, +however, is for me to feel that I can not realize what that place is, but +God will increasingly reveal Himself and the place He holds. How do I know +anything about the sun? Because the sun shines, and in its light I see what +the sun is. The sun is its own evidence. No philosopher could have told me +about the sun if the sun did not shine. No power of meditation and thought +can grasp the presence of God. Be quiet, and trusting, and resting, and the +everlasting God will shine into your heart, + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page167" id="page167"></a>[pg 172]</span> + +and will reveal Himself. And +then, just as naturally as I enjoy the light of the sun, and as naturally +as I look upon the pages of a book knowing that I can see the letters +because the light shines; just as naturally will God reveal Himself to the +waiting soul, and make His presence a reality. God will take His place as +God in the presence of His child, so that absolutely and actually the +chief thing in the child's heart shall be: "God is here, God makes Himself +known." Beloved, is not this what you long for—that God shall take a place +that He has never had; and that God shall come to you in a nearness that +you have never felt yet; and, above all, that God shall come to you in an +abiding and unbroken fellowship? God is able to take His place before you +all the day. I repeat what I have referred to before, because God has +taught me a lesson by it: As God made the light of the sun so soft, and +sweet, and bright, and universal, and unceasing, that it never costs me a +minute's trouble to enjoy it; even so, and far more real than the light +shining upon me, the nearness of my God can be revealed to me as my abiding +portion. Let us all pray "that God may be all in all," in our everyday +life.</p> + +<p>"That God may be all in all," I must not only allow Him to take His place, +but secondly, I must accept + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page168" id="page168"></a>[pg 173]</span> + +His will in everything. I must accept His will +in every providence. Whether it be a Judas that betrays, or whether it be +a Pilate in his indifference, who gives me up to the enemy; whatever the +trouble, or temptation, or vexation, or worry, that comes, I must see God +in it, and accept it as God's will to me. Trouble of any sort that comes to +me is God's will for me. It is not God's will that men should do the wrong, +but it is God's will that they should be in circumstances of trial. There +is never a trial that comes to us but it is God's will for us, and if we +learn to see God in it, then we bid it welcome.</p> + +<p>Suppose away in South Africa there is a woman whose husband has gone on a +long journey into the interior. He is to be away for months from all posts. +The wife is anxious to receive news. In weeks she has had no letter or +tidings from him. One day, as she stands in her door, there comes a great, +savage Kafir. He is frightful in appearance, and carries his spears and +shield. The woman is alarmed and rushes into the house and closes the +door. He comes and knocks at the door, and she is in terror. She sends her +servant, who comes back and says, "The man says he must see you." She +goes, all affrighted. He takes out an old newspaper. He has come a month's +journey on foot from her husband, and inside the dirty newspaper is a +letter from her husband, telling her of his welfare. How that wife delights +in that letter! She forgets + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page169" id="page169"></a>[pg 174]</span> + +the face that has terrified her. And now as +weeks are passing away again, how she begins to long for that ugly Kafir +messenger! After long waiting he comes again, and this time she rushes +out to meet him because he is the messenger that comes from her beloved +husband, and she knows that with all his repelling exterior, he is +the bearer of a message of love. Beloved, have you learned to look at +tribulation, and vexation, and disappointment, as the dark, savage-looking +messenger with a spear in his hand, that comes straight from Jesus? Have +you learned to say, "There is never a trouble, and never a hurt by which +my heart is touched or even pierced, but it comes from Jesus, and brings +a message of love?" Will you not learn to say from to-day, "Welcome every +trial, for it comes from God?" If you want God to be all in all, you must +see and meet God in every providence. Oh, learn to accept God's will in +everything! Come learn to say of every trial, without exception, "It is my +Father who sent it. I accept it as His messenger," and nothing in earth or +hell can separate you from God.</p> + +<p>If God is to be all in all in your heart and life, I say not only, Allow +Him to take His place, and accept all His will, but, thirdly, Trust in His +power. Dear friends, it is "God who <i>worketh to will and to do</i> according +to His good pleasure." It is "the God of peace," according to another + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page170" id="page170"></a>[pg 175]</span> + +passage, "who perfects you in every good thing to do His will, <i>working +in you</i> what is well-pleasing in His sight." You complain of weakness, of +feebleness, of emptiness. Never mind; that is what you are made for—to be +an emptied vessel, in which God can put His fullness and His strength. +Do learn the lesson. I know it is not easy. Long after Paul had been an +apostle, the Lord Jesus had to come in a very special way to teach him to +say, "I do gladly glory in my infirmities." Paul was in danger of being +exalted, owing to the revelations from Heaven, and Jesus sent him a thorn +in the flesh—yes, Jesus sent it—a messenger of Satan—to buffet him. Paul +prayed, and struggled, and wanted to get rid of it. And Jesus came to him, +and said, "It is my doing that you may not be free from that. You need it. +I will bless you wonderfully in it." Paul's life was changed from that +moment in this one respect, and he said, "I never knew it so before, +from henceforth I glory in my infirmities; for when I am weak, then am I +strong." Do you indeed desire God to be all in all? Learn to glory in your +weakness. Take time to say every day as you bow before God, "The almighty +power of God that works in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the +flowers, is working in me. It is as sure as that I live. The almighty power +of God is working in me. I only need to get down, and be quiet; I need +to be more + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page171" id="page171"></a>[pg 176]</span> + +submissive, and surrendered to His will; I need to be more +trustful, and to allow God to do with me what He will." Give God His +way with you, and let God work, and He will work mightily. The deepest +quietness has often been proved to be the inspiration for the highest +action. It has been seen in the experience of many of God's saints, and it +is just the experience we need,—that in the quietness of surrender and +faith, God's working has been made manifest.</p> + +<p>Fourthly: If God is to be all in all, sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. "That God may be all in all." This is such a noble, glorious, +holy aim that Christ said, "For this I will give my life. For this I will +give my all, even to the death of the cross. For this I will give myself." +If it was worth that to Christ, is it worth less to you? If one had asked +Jesus of Nazareth, "What is it Thou hast a body for; what is to Thee the +highest use of the body?" He would have said, "The use and the glory of my +body is that I can give it a sacrifice to God. That is every thing." What +is the use of having a mind; and what is the use of having money; and what +is the use of having children? That I can give them to God; for God must be +all in all in everything. I pray God that He may give us such a sight of +His kingdom, and His glory, that everything else may disappear. Then, if +you had ten thousand lives, you + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page172" id="page172"></a>[pg 177]</span> + +would say, "This is the beauty and the +worth of life, 'that God may be all in all' to me, and that I may prove to +men that God is more than everything, that life is only worth living as it +is given to God to fill." Do let us sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. Begin to live day by day with the prayer, "My God, I am given up +to Thee. Be Thou my all in all." You say, "Am I able to realize that?" Yes, +in this way: Let the Holy Spirit dwell in you; let the Holy Spirit burn in +you as a fire, and burn in you with unutterable groanings, crying unto +God, Himself to reveal His presence and His will in you. In the eighth of +Romans, Paul spoke about the groanings of the whole creation. And what is +the whole creation groaning for? For the redemption, the glorious liberty +of the children of God. And I am persuaded that was what Paul meant when he +spoke of the groanings of the Holy Spirit—the unutterable groanings +for the coming time of glory when God should be all in all. Christians, +sacrifice your time; sacrifice your interests; sacrifice your heart's best +powers in praying, and desiring, and crying that "God may be all in all."</p> + +<p>And lastly: if God is to be all in all, wait continually on Him all the +day. My first point had reference to giving God His place; but I want to +bring this out more pointedly in conclusion. Wait continually on God all +the day. If you are to do + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page173" id="page173"></a>[pg 178]</span> + +that, you must live always in His presence. That +is what we have been redeemed for. Do we not read in the Epistle to the +Hebrews, "Let us draw near within the veil, through the blood, where the +high priest is?" The holy place in which we are to live in the heavens is +the immediate presence of God. The abiding presence of God is certainly the +heritage of every child of God, as that the sun shines. The Father never +hides His face from His child. Sin hides it, and unbelief hides it, but the +Father lets His love shine all the day on the face of His children. The sun +is shining day and night. Your sun shall never go down. Begin to seek for +this. Come and live in the presence of God. There is indeed an abiding +place in His presence, in the secret of His pavilion, of which some one has +sung very beautifully:</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> + <p>With me, wheresoe'er I wander,</p> + <p class="i2">That great Presence goes;</p> + <p>That unutterable gladness,</p> + <p class="i2">Undisturbed repose.</p> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> + <p>Everywhere, the blessed stillness</p> + <p class="i2">Of that Holy Place;</p> + <p>Stillness of the love that worships,</p> + <p class="i2">Dumb before His face.</p> + </div> </div> + +<p>This is the portion of those to whom the prayer is granted—"One thing have +I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell all my +days in the house of the Lord; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to +inquire in His temple." + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page174" id="page174"></a>[pg 179]</span> + +"In the secret of His pavilion He hideth me." God +Himself will take you up, and will keep you there, so that all your work +shall be done in God. Beloved, wait continually upon God. You can not do +this unless you are in His presence. You must live in His presence. Then +the blessed habit of waiting upon God will be learned. The real difficulty +of getting to the point of real waiting upon God, is because most +Christians have not sought to realize the nearness of God, and to give God +the first place. But let us strive after this, let us trust God to give it +to us by His grace, let us wait on God all the day. "My eyes," says one, +"are ever towards Thee." Wait upon God for guidance, and God, if you wait +much upon Him, will lead you up into new power for His service, into new +gladness in His fellowship. He will lead you out into a larger trust in +Him; He will prepare you to expect new things from Him. Beloved, there +is no knowing what God will do for a man who is utterly given up to Him. +Praise His name! Let each one of us say, "May my life be to live and die, +to labor and to pray continually for this one thing: that in me, and around +me, and in the church; that throughout the world '<i>God may be all in +all</i>.'" A little seed is the beginning of a great tree. A mustard seed +becomes a tree in which the birds of the air can nestle. That great day of +which the text + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page175" id="page175"></a>[pg 180]</span> + +speaks, when Christ Himself shall be subject to the Father, +and deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all—that +is the great tree of the Kingdom of God reaching its perfect consummation +and glory. Oh, let us take the seed of that glory into our hearts, and let +us bow in lowly surrender and submission, and say, "Amen, Lord; this be my +one thought. This be my life—to speak and to work, to pray and to exist +only that others may be brought to know Him too. This be my life—to yield +myself to the unutterable yearnings of the Holy Spirit, that I may not +rest, but ever keep my eye on that day—the day of glory, when in very deed +God shall be all in all."</p> + +<p>God help every one of us. God help us all to yield ourselves to Him, and to +Christ, and to make it our every-day life; for His name's sake. Amen.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<center> +<p><small>THE END.</small></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +</center> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Master's Indwelling, by Andrew Murray + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MASTER'S INDWELLING *** + +***** This file should be named 12854-h.htm or 12854-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/8/5/12854/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Bob McKillip and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Master's Indwelling + +Author: Andrew Murray + +Release Date: July 8, 2004 [EBook #12854] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MASTER'S INDWELLING *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Bob McKillip and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +The MASTER'S INDWELLING + +ANDREW MURRAY + +1953 + + +The following papers were in substance delivered by the author in a series +of addresses at the Northfield Conference of 1895, but later rewritten and +revised by him for this permanent and authorized publication. + + +CONTENTS + + +I. CARNAL CHRISTIANS + +II. THE SELF LIFE + +III. WAITING ON GOD + +IV. ENTRANCE INTO REST + +V. THE KINGDOM FIRST + +VI. CHRIST OUR LIFE + +VII. CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION + +VIII. THE COMPLETE SURRENDER + +IX. DEAD WITH CHRIST + +X. JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST + +XI. TRIUMPH OF FAITH + +XII. THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER + +XIII. THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL + + + + +CARNAL CHRISTIANS. + +I. + +_1 Corinthians 3: 1_.--_And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto +spiritual, but as unto carnal_. + + +The apostle here speaks of two stages of the Christian life, two types of +Christians: "I could not speak unto you as unto _spiritual_, but as unto +_carnal_, even as unto babes in Christ." They were Christians, in Christ, +but instead of being spiritual Christians, they were carnal. "I have fed +you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, +neither yet are ye able, for ye are yet carnal." Here is that word a second +time. "For whereas"--this is the proof--"there is among you envying, and +strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one +saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" Four +times the apostle uses that word carnal. In the wisdom which the Holy Ghost +gives him, Paul feels:--I can not write to these Corinthian Christians +unless I know their state, and unless I tell them of it. If I give +spiritual food to men who are carnal Christians, I am doing them more harm +than good, for they are not fit to take it. I cannot feed them with meat, +I must feed them with milk. And so he tells them at the very outset of the +epistle what he sees to be their state. In the two previous chapters he had +spoken about his ministry being by the Holy Spirit; now he begins to tell +them what must be the state of a people in order to accept spiritual truth, +and he says: "I have not liberty to speak to you as I would, for you are +carnal, and you cannot receive Spiritual truth." That suggests to us the +solemn thought, that in the Church of Christ there are two classes of +Christians. Some have lived many years as believers, and yet always remain +babes; others are spiritual men, because they have given themselves up to +the power, the leading and to the entire rule of the Holy Ghost. If we are +to obtain a blessing, we must first decide to which of these classes we +belong. Are we, by the grace of God, in deep humility living a spiritual +life, or are we living a carnal life? Then, let us first try to understand +what is meant by the carnal state in which believers may be living. + +We notice from what we find in Corinthians, four marks of the carnal state. +First: It is simply a condition of protracted infancy. You know what that +means. Suppose a beautiful babe, six months old. It cannot speak, it cannot +walk, but we do not trouble ourselves about that; it is natural, and ought +to be so. But suppose a year later we find the child not grown at all, and +three years later still no growth; we would at once say: "There must be +some terrible disease;" and the baby that at six months old was the cause +of joy to every one who saw him, has become to the mother and to all a +source of anxiety and sorrow. There is something wrong; the child can not +grow. It was quite right at six months old that it should eat nothing but +milk; but years have passed by, and it remains in the same weakly state. +Now this is just the condition of many believers. They are converted; they +know what it is to have assurance and faith; they believe in pardon for +sin; they begin to work for God; and yet, somehow, there is very little +growth in spirituality, in the real heavenly life. We come into contact +with them, and we feel at once there is something wanting; there is none of +the beauty of holiness or of the power of God's Spirit in them. This is +the condition of the carnal Corinthians, expressed in what was said to the +Hebrews: "You have had the Gospel so long that by this time you ought to be +teachers, and yet you need that men should teach you the very rudiments of +the oracles of God." Is it not a sad thing to see a believer who has been +converted five, ten, twenty years, and yet no growth, and no strength, and +no joy of holiness? + +What are the marks of a little child? One is, a little child cannot help +himself, but is always keeping others occupied to serve him. What a tyrant +a baby in a house often is! The mother cannot go out, there must be a +servant to nurse it; it needs to be cared for constantly. God made a man to +care for others, but the baby was made to be cared for and to be helped. So +there are Christians who always want help. Their pastor and their Christian +friends must always be teaching and comforting them. They go to church, and +to prayer-meetings, and to conventions, always wanting to be helped,--a +sign of spiritual infancy. + +The other sign of an infant is this: he can do nothing to help his +fellow-man. Every man is expected to contribute something to the welfare of +society; every one has a place to fill and a work to do, but the babe can +do nothing for the common weal. It is just so with Christians. How little +some can do! They take a part in work, as it is called, but there is little +of exercising spiritual power and carrying real blessing. Should we not +each ask, "Have I outgrown my spiritual infancy?" Some must reply, "No, +instead of having gone forward, I have gone backward, and the joy of +conversion and the first love is gone." Alas! They are babes in Christ; +they are yet carnal. + +The second mark of the carnal state is this: that there is sin and failure +continually. Paul says: "Whereas there is strife and division among you, +and envying, are ye not carnal?" A man gives way to temper. He may be a +minister, or a preacher of the Gospel, or a Sunday-school teacher, most +earnest at the prayer-meeting, but yet strife or bitterness or envying is +often shown by him. Alas! Alas! In Gal. 3:5 we are told that the works of +the flesh are specially hatred and envy. How often among Christians, who +have to work together, do we see divisions and bitterness! God have mercy +upon them, that the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is so frequently +absent from His own people. You ask, "Why is it, that for twenty years I +have been fighting with my temper, and can not conquer it?" It is because +you have been fighting with the temper, and you have not been fighting with +the root of the temper. You have not seen that it is all because you are in +the carnal state, and not properly given up to the Spirit of God. It may be +that you never were taught it; that you never saw it in God's Word; +that you never believed it. But there it is; the truth of God remains +unchangeable. Jesus Christ can give us the victory over sin, and can keep +us from actual transgression. I am not telling you that the root of sin +will be eradicated, and that you will have no longer any natural tendency +to sin; but when the Holy Spirit comes not only with His power for service +as a gift, but when He comes in Divine grace to fill the heart, there is +victory over sin; power not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And you see +a mark of the carnal state not only in unlovingness, self-consciousness +and bitterness, but in so many other sins. How much worldliness, how much +ambition among men, how much seeking for the honor that comes from man--all +the fruit of the carnal life--to be found in the midst of Christian +activity! Let us remember that the carnal state is a state of continual +sinning and failure, and God wants us not only to make confession of +individual sins, but to come to the acknowledgment that they are the sign +that we are not living a healthy life,--we are yet carnal. + +A third mark which will explain further what I have been saying, is that +this carnal state may be found in existence in connection with great +spiritual gifts. There is a difference between gifts and graces. The graces +of the Spirit are humility and love, like the humility and love of Christ. +The graces of the Spirit are to make a man free from self; the gifts of +the Spirit are to fit a man for work. We see this illustrated among the +Corinthians. In the first chapter Paul says, "I thank God that you are +enriched unto all utterance, and all knowledge, and all wisdom." In the +12th and 14th chapters we see that the gifts of prophecy and of working +miracles were in great power among them; but the graces of the Spirit were +noticeably absent. + +And this may be in our days as well as in the time of the Corinthians. I +may be a minister of the Gospel; I may teach God's Word beautifully; I may +have influence, and gather a large congregation, and yet, alas! I may be a +carnal man; a man who may be used by God, and may be a blessing to others, +and yet the carnal life may still mark me. You all know the law that a +thing is named according to what is its most prominent characteristic. Now, +in these carnal Corinthians there was a little of God's Spirit, but the +flesh predominated; the Spirit had not the rule of their whole life. And +the spiritual men are not called so because there is no flesh in them, but +because the Spirit in them has obtained dominance, and when you meet +them and have intercourse with them, you feel that the Spirit of God has +sanctified them. Ah, let us beware lest the blessing God gives us in our +work deceive us and lead us to think that because he has blessed us, we +must be spiritual men. God may give us gifts that we use, and yet our lives +may not be wholly in the power of the Holy Ghost. + +My last mark of the carnal state is that it makes a man unfit for receiving +spiritual truths. That is what the apostle writes to the Corinthians: "I +could not preach to you as unto spiritual; you are not fit for spiritual +truth after being Christians so long; you can not yet bear it; I have to +feed you with milk." I am afraid that in the church of the nineteenth +century we often make a terrible mistake. We have a congregation in which +the majority are carnal men. We give these men spiritual teaching, and they +admire it, understand it, and rejoice in such ministry; yet their lives are +not practically affected. They work for Christ in a certain way, but we can +scarce recognize the true sanctification of the Spirit; we dare not say +they are spiritual men, full of the Holy Spirit. + +Now, let us recognize this with regard to ourselves. A man may become very +earnest, may take in all the teaching he hears; he may be able to discern, +for discernment is a gift; he may say, "That man helps me in this line, and +that man in another direction, and a third man is remarkable for another +gift;" yet, all the time, the carnal life may be living strongly in him, +and when he gets into trouble with some friend, or Christian worker, +or worldly man, the carnal root is bearing its terrible fruit, and the +spiritual food has failed to enter his heart. Beware of that. Mark the +Corinthians and learn of them. Paul did not say to them, "You can not bear +the truth as I would speak it to you," because they were ignorant or a +stupid people. The Corinthians prided themselves on their wisdom, and +sought it above everything, and Paul said: "I thank God that you are +enriched in utterance, in knowledge, and in wisdom; nevertheless, you are +yet carnal, your life is not holy; your life is not sanctified unto the +humility of the life of the Lamb of God, you can not yet take in real +spiritual truth." + +We find the carnal state not only at Corinth, but throughout the Christian +world to-day. Many Christians are asking, "What is the reason there is so +much feebleness in the Church?" We can not ask this question too earnestly, +and I trust that God Himself will so impress it upon our hearts that we +shall say to Him, "It must be changed. Have mercy upon us." But, ah! that +prayer and that change can not come until we have begun to see that there +is a carnal root ruling in believers; they are living more after the flesh +than the Spirit; they are yet carnal Christians. + +There is a passage "from carnal to spiritual." Did Paul find any spiritual +believers? Undoubtedly he did. Just read the 6th chapter of the Epistle to +the Galatians! That was a church where strife, and bitterness, and envy +were terrible. But the apostle says in the first verse: "Brethren, if a man +be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the +spirit of meekness." There we see that the marks of the spiritual man are +that he will be a meek man; and that he will have power, and love to help +and restore those that are fallen. The carnal man can not do that. If there +is a true spiritual life that can be lived, the great question is: Is the +way open, and how can I enter into the spiritual state? Here, again, I have +four short answers. + +First, we must know that there is such a spiritual life to be lived by men +on earth. Nothing cuts the roots of the Christian life so much as unbelief. +People do not believe what God has said about what He is willing to do for +His children. Men do not believe that when God says, "Be filled with +the Spirit," He means it for every Christian. And yet Paul wrote to the +Ephesians each one: "Be filled with the Spirit, and do not be drunk with +wine." Just as little as you may be drunk with wine, so little may you live +without being filled with the Spirit. Now, if God means that for believers, +the first thing that we need is to study, and to take home God's Word, to +our belief until our hearts are filled with the assurance that there is +such a life possible which it is our duty to live; that we can be spiritual +men. God's Word teaches us that God does not expect a man to live as he +ought for one minute unless the Holy Spirit is in him to enable him to do +it. + +We do not want the Holy Spirit only when we go to preach, or when we have +some special temptation of the devil to meet, or some great burden to bear; +God says: "My child can not live a right life unless he is guided by my +Spirit every minute." That is the mark of the child of God: "As many as are +led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." In Romans V. we read: +"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto +us." That is to be the common, every-day experience of the believer, not +his life at set times only. Did ever a father or mother think, "For to-day +I want my child to love me?" No, they expect the love every day. And so +God wants His child every moment to have a heart filled with love of the +Spirit. In the eyes of God, it is most unnatural to expect a man to love +as he should if he is not filled with the Spirit. Oh, let us believe a man +_can_ be a spiritual man. Thank God, there is now the blessing waiting +us. "Be filled with the Spirit." "Be led by the Spirit." There _is_ the +blessing. If you have to say, "Oh, God, I have not this blessing," say it; +but say also, "Lord, I know it is my duty, my solemn obligation to have +it, for without it I can not live in perfect peace with Thee all the day; +without it I can not glorify Thee, and do the work Thou wouldst have me +do." This is our first step from carnal to spiritual,--to recognize a +spiritual life, a walk in the Spirit, is within our reach. How can we ask +God to guide us into spiritual life, if we have not a clear, confident +conviction that there is such a life to be had? + +Then comes the second step; a man must see the shame and guilt of his +having lived such a life. Some people admit there is a spiritual life to +live, and that they have not lived it, and they are sorry for themselves, +and pity themselves, and think, "How sad that I am too feeble for it! How +sad that God gives it to others, but has not given it to me!" They have +great compassion upon themselves, instead of saying, "Alas! it has been +our unfaithfulness, our unbelief, our disobedience, that has kept us from +giving ourselves utterly to God. We have to blush and to be ashamed before +God that we do not live as spiritual men." + +A man does not get converted without having conviction of sin. When that +conviction of sin comes, and his eyes are opened, he learns to be afraid of +his sin, and to flee from it to Christ, and to accept Christ as a mighty +deliverer. But a man needs a second conviction of sin; a believer must be +convicted of his peculiar sin. The sins of an unconverted man are different +from the sins of a believer. An unconverted man, for instance, is not +ordinarily convicted of the corruption of his nature; he thinks principally +about external sins,--"I have sworn, been a liar, and I am on the way to +hell." He is then convicted for conversion. But the believer is in quite +a different condition. His sins are far more blamable, for he has had the +light and the love and the Spirit of God given to him. His sins are far +deeper. He has striven to conquer them and he has grown to see that his +nature is utterly corrupt, that the carnal mind, the flesh, within him, is +making his whole state utterly wretched. When a believer is thus convicted +by the Holy Spirit, it is specially his life of unbelief that condemns him, +because he sees that the great guilt connected with this has kept him from +receiving the full gift of God's Holy Spirit. He is brought down in shame +and confusion of face, and he begins to cry: "Woe is me, for I am undone. I +have heard of God by the hearing of the ear; I have known a great deal of +Him and preached about Him, but now mine eye seeth Him." God comes near +him. Job, the righteous man, whom God trusted, saw in himself the deep sin +of self and its righteousness that he had never seen before. Until this +conviction of the wrongness of our carnal state as believers comes to each +one of us; until we are willing to get this conviction from God, to take +time before God to be humbled and convicted, we never can become spiritual +men. + +Then comes the third mark, which is that out of the carnal state into the +spiritual is only one step. One step; oh, that is a blessed message I bring +to you--it is only one step. I know many people will refuse to admit that +it is only one step; they think it too little for such a mighty change. But +was not conversion only one step? + +So it is when a man passes from carnal to spiritual. You ask if when I talk +of a spiritual man I am not thinking of a man of spiritual maturity, a +real saint, and you say: "Does that come in one day? Is there no growth in +holiness?" I reply that spiritual maturity cannot come in a day. We can not +expect it. It takes growth, until the whole beauty of the image of Christ +is formed in a man. But still I say that it needs but one step for a man +to get out of the carnal life into the spiritual life. It is when a +man utterly breaks with the flesh; when he gives up the flesh into the +crucifixion death of Christ; when he sees that everything about it is +accursed and that he can not deliver himself from it; and then claims the +slaying power of Christ's cross within him,--it is when a man does this and +says: "This spiritual life prepared for me is the free gift of my God in +Christ Jesus," that he understands how one step can bring him out of the +carnal into the spiritual state. + +In that spiritual life there will be much still to be learned. There will +still be imperfections. Spiritual life is not perfect; but the predominant +characteristic will be spiritual. When a man has given himself up to the +real, living, acting, ruling power of God's Spirit, he has got into the +right position in which he can grow. You never think of growing out of +sickness into health; you may grow out of feebleness into strength, as the +little babe can grow to be a strong man; but where there is disease, there +must healing come if there is to be a cure effected. There are Christians +who think that they must grow out of the carnal state into the spiritual +state. You never can. What could help those carnal Corinthians? To give +them milk could not help them, for milk was a proof they were in the wrong +state. To give them meat would not help them, for they were unfit to eat +it. What they needed was the knife of the surgeon. Paul says that the +carnal life must be cut out. "They that are Christ's have crucified the +flesh." When a man understands what that means, and accepts it in the +faith of what Christ can do, then one step can bring him from carnal to +spiritual. One simple act of faith in the power of Christ's death, one act +of surrender to the fellowship of Christ's death as the Holy Spirit can +make it ours, will make it ours, will bring deliverance from the power of +your efforts. + +What brought deliverance to that poor condemned sinner who was most dark +and wretched in his unconverted state? He felt he could do nothing good of +himself. What did he do? He saw set before him the almighty Saviour and he +cast himself into His arms; he trusted himself to that omnipotent love and +cried, "Lord, have mercy upon me." That was salvation. It was not for +what he did that Christ accepted him. Oh, believers, if any of us who are +conscious that the carnal state predominates have to say: "It marks me; I +am a religious man, an earnest man, a friend of missions; I work for Christ +in my church, but, alas! temper and sin and worldliness have still the +mastery over my soul," hear the word of God. If any will come and say: "I +have struggled, I have prayed, I have wept, and it has not helped me," then +you must do one other thing. You must see that the living Christ is God's +provision for your holy, spiritual life. You must believe that that Christ +who accepted you once, at conversion, in His wonderful love is now waiting +to say to you that you may become a spiritual man, entirely given up to +God. If you will believe that, your fear will vanish and you will say: "It +can be done; if Christ will accept and take charge, it shall be done." + +Then, my last mark. A man must take that step, a solemn but blessed +step. It cost some of you five or ten years before you took the step of +conversion. You wept and prayed for years, and could not find peace until +you took that step. So, in the spiritual life, you may go to teacher after +teacher, and say, "Tell me about the spiritual life, the baptism of the +Spirit, and holiness," and yet you may remain just where you were. Many of +us would love to have sin taken away. Who loves to have a hasty temper? Who +loves to have a proud disposition? Who loves to have a worldly heart? No +one. We go to Christ to take it away, and he does not do it; and we ask, +"Why will he not do it? I have prayed very earnestly." It is because you +wanted Him to take away the ugly fruits while the poisonous root was to +stay in you. You did not ask Him that the flesh should be nailed to His +cross, and that you should henceforth give up self entirely to the power of +His Spirit. + +There is deliverance, but not in the way we seek it. Suppose a painter had +a piece of canvas, on which he desired to work out some beautiful picture. +Suppose that piece of canvas does not belong to him, and any one has a +right to take it and to use it for any other purpose; do you think the +painter would bestow much work on that? No. Yet people want Jesus Christ to +bestow His trouble upon them in taking away this temper, or that other sin, +though in their hearts they have not yielded themselves utterly to His +command and His keeping. It can not be. But if you will come and give your +whole life into His charge, Christ Jesus is mighty to save; Christ Jesus +waits to be gracious; Christ Jesus waits to fill you with His Spirit. + +Will you not take the step? God grant that we may be led by His Spirit to +a yielding up of ourselves to Him as never before. Will you not come in +humble confession that, alas! the carnal life has predominated too much, +has altogether marked you, and that you have a bitter consciousness that +with all the blessing God has bestowed, He has not made you what you want +to be--a spiritual man? _It is the Holy Spirit alone who by His indwelling +can make a spiritual man_. Come then and cast yourself at God's feet, with +this one thought, "Lord, I give myself an empty vessel to be filled with +Thy Spirit." Each one of you sees every day at the tea table an empty cup +set there, waiting to be filled with tea when the proper time comes. So +with every dish, every plate. They are cleansed and empty, ready to be +filled. Emptied and cleansed. Oh, come! and just as a vessel is set apart +to receive what it is to contain, say to Christ that you desire from this +hour to be a vessel set apart to be filled with His Spirit, given up to be +a spiritual man. Bow down in the deepest emptiness of soul, and say, "Oh, +God, I have nothing!" and then surely as you place yourself before Him you +have a right to say, "My God will fulfill His promise! I claim from Him the +filling of the Holy Spirit to make me, instead of a carnal, a spiritual +Christian." If you place yourself at His feet, and tarry there; if you +abide in that humble surrender and that childlike trust, as sure as God +lives the blessing will come. + +Oh, have we not to bow in shame before God, as we think of His whole Church +and see so much of the carnal prevailing? Have we not to bow in shame +before God, as we think of so much of the carnal in our hearts and lives? +Then let us bow in great faith in God's mercy. Deliverance is nigh, +deliverance is coming, deliverance is waiting, deliverance is sure. Let us +trust; God will give it. + + + + +THE SELF LIFE. + +II. + +_Matt. 16: 24_.--_If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and +take up his cross, and follow me_. + + +In the 13th verse we read that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi asked His +disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" When they had +answered, He asked them, "But whom say ye that I am?" And in verse 16 Peter +answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus +answered and said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas, for flesh +and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. +And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will +build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." +Then in verse 21 we read how Jesus began to tell His disciples of His +approaching death; and in verse 22 how Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, +"Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." But Jesus turned +and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto +me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of +men." Then said Jesus unto His disciples, "If any man will come after me, +let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." + +We often hear about the compromise life and the question comes up What lies +at the root of it? What is the reason that so many Christians are wasting +their lives in the terrible bondage of the world instead of living in the +manifestation and the privilege and the glory of the child of God? And +another question perhaps comes to us: What can be the reason that when we +see a thing is wrong and strive against it we cannot conquer it? What can +be the reason that we have a hundred times prayed and vowed, yet here +we are still living a mingled, divided, half-hearted life? To those two +questions there is one answer: it is _self_ that is the root of the whole +trouble. And therefore, if any one asks me, "How can I get rid of this +compromise life?" the answer would not be, "You must do this, or that, or +the other thing," but the answer would be, "A new life from above, the +life of Christ, must take the place of the self-life; then alone can we be +conquerors." + +We always go from the outward to the inward; let us do so here; let us +consider from these words of the text the one word, "self." Jesus said to +Peter: "If any man will come after me let him deny _himself_, his own self, +and take up the cross and follow me." That is a mark of the disciple; that +is the secret of the Christian life--deny self and all will come right. +Note that Peter was a believer, and a believer who had been taught by the +Holy Spirit. He had given an answer that pleased Christ wonderfully: "Thou +art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Do not think that that was +nothing extraordinary. We learn it in our catechisms; Peter did not; and +Christ saw that the Holy Spirit of the Father had been teaching him and He +said: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas." But note how strong the carnal +man still is in Peter. Christ speaks of His cross; He could understand +about the glory, "Thou art the Son of God;" but about the cross and the +death he could not understand, and he ventured in his self-confidence to +say, "Lord, that shall never be; Thou canst not be crucified and die." And +Christ had to rebuke him: "Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou savorest not the +things that be of God." You are talking like a mere carnal man, and not as +the Spirit of God would teach you. Then Christ went on to say, "Remember, +it is not only I who am to be crucified, but you; it is not only I who am +to die, but you also. If a man would be my disciple, he must deny self, and +he must take up his cross and follow me." Let us dwell upon this one word, +"self." It is only as we learn to know what self is that we really know +what is at the root of all our failure, and are prepared to go to Christ +for deliverance. + +Let us consider, first of all, the nature of this self life, then denote +some of its works and then ask the question: "How may we be delivered from +it?" + +Self is the power with which God has created and endowed every intelligent +creature. Self is the very center of a created being. And why did God give +the angels or man a self? The object of this self was that we might bring +it as an empty vessel unto God; that He might put into it His life. God +gave me the power of self-determination, that I might bring this self every +day and say: "Oh, God, work in it; I offer it to thee." God wanted a vessel +into which He might pour out His divine fullness of beauty, wisdom and +power; and so He created the world, the sun, and the moon, and the stars, +the trees, and the flowers, and the grass, which all show forth the riches +of His wisdom, and beauty, and goodness. But they do it without knowing +what they do. Then God created the angels with a self and a will, to see +whether they would come and voluntarily yield themselves to Him as vessels +for Him to fill. But alas! they did not all do that. There was one at the +head of a great company, and he began to look upon himself, and to think +of the wonderful powers with which God had endowed him, and to delight in +himself. He began to think: "Must such a being as I always remain dependent +on God?" He exalted himself, pride asserted itself in separation from God, +and that very moment he became, instead of an angel in Heaven, a devil in +hell. Self turned to God is the glory of allowing the Creator to reveal +Himself in us. Self turned away from God is the very darkness and fire of +hell. + +We all know the terrible story of what took place further; God created man, +and Satan came in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve with the thought +of becoming as God, having an independent self, knowing good and evil. And +while he spoke with her, he breathed into her, in those words, the very +poison and the very pride of hell. His own evil spirit, the very poison of +hell, entered humanity, and it is this cursed self that we have inherited +from our first parents. It was that self that ruined and brought +destruction upon this world, and all that there has been of sin, and of +darkness, and of wretchedness, and of misery; and all that there will be +throughout the countless ages of eternity in hell, will be nothing but the +reign of self, the curse of self, separating man and turning him away from +his God. And if we are to understand fully what Christ is to do for us, and +are to become partakers of a full salvation, we must learn to know, and to +hate, and to give up entirely this cursed self. + +Now what are the works of self? I might mention many, but let us take the +simplest words that we are continually using,--self-will, self-confidence, +self-exaltation. Self-will, pleasing self, is the great sin of man, and it +is at the root of all that compromising with the world which is the ruin of +so many. Men can not understand why they should not please themselves and +do their own will. Numbers of Christians have never gotten hold of the idea +that a Christian is a man who is never to seek his own will, but is always +to seek the will of God, as a man in whom the very spirit of Christ lives. +"Lo, I come to do Thy will, oh, my God!" We find Christians pleasing +themselves in a thousand ways, and yet trying to be happy, and good, and +useful; and they do not know that at the root of it all is self-will +robbing them of the blessing. Christ said to Peter, "Peter, deny yourself." +But instead of doing that, Peter said, "I will deny my Lord and not +myself." He never said it in words, but Christ said to him in the last +night, "Thou shalt deny Me," and he did it. What was the cause of this? +Self-pleasing. He became afraid when the woman servant charged him with +belonging to Jesus, and three times said, "I know not this man, I have +nothing to do with Him." He denied Christ. Just think of it! No wonder +Peter wept those bitter tears. It was a choice between self, that ugly, +cursed self, and that beautiful, blessed Son of God; and Peter chose self. +No wonder that he thought: "Instead of denying myself, I have denied Jesus; +what a choice I have made!" No wonder that he wept bitterly. + +Christians, look at your own lives in the light of the words of Jesus. Do +you find there self-will, self-pleasing? Remember this: every time you +please yourself, you deny Jesus. It is one of the two. You must please Him +only, and deny self, or you must please yourself and deny Him. Then follows +self-confidence, self-trust, self-effort, self-dependence. What was it +that led Peter to deny Jesus? Christ had warned him; why did he not take +warning? Self-confidence. He was so sure: "Lord, I love Thee. For three +years I have followed Thee. Lord, I deny that it ever can be. I am ready +to go to prison and to death." It was simply self-confidence. People have +often asked me, "What is the reason I fail? I desire so earnestly, and pray +so fervently, to live in God's will." And my answer generally is, "Simply +because you trust yourself." They answer me: "No, I do not; I know I am +not good; and I know that God is willing to keep me, and I put my trust in +Jesus." But I reply, "No, my brother; no; if you trusted God and Jesus, you +could not fall, but you trust yourself." Do let us believe that the cause +of every failure in the Christian life is nothing but this. I trust this +cursed self, instead of trusting Jesus. I trust my own strength, instead of +the almighty strength of God. And that is why Christ says, "This self must +be denied." + +Then there is self-exaltation, another form of the works of self. Ah, +how much pride and jealousy is there in the Christian world; how much +sensitiveness to what men say of us or think of us; how much desire of +human praise and pleasing men, instead of always living in the presence of +God, with the one thought: "Am I pleasing to Him?" Christ said, "How can ye +believe who receive honor one of another?" Receiving honor of one another +renders a life of faith absolutely impossible. This self started from hell, +it separated us from God, it is a cursed deceiver that leads us astray from +Jesus. + +Now comes the third point. What are we to do to get rid of it? Jesus +answers us in the words of our text: "If any man will come after me, let +him take up his cross and follow me." Note it well.--I must deny myself and +take Jesus himself as my life,--I must choose. There are two lives, the +self life and the Christ life; I must choose one of the two. "Follow +me," says our Lord, "make me the law of your existence, the rule of your +conduct; give me your whole heart; follow me, and I will care for all." Oh, +friends, it is a solemn exchange to have set before us; to come and, +seeing the danger of this self, with its pride and its wickedness, to cast +ourselves before the Son of God, and to say, "I deny my own life, I take +Thy life to be mine." + +The reason why Christians pray and pray for the Christ life to come in to +them, without result, is that the self life is not denied. You ask, "How +can I get rid of this self life?" You know the parable: the strong man kept +his house until one stronger than he came in and cast him out. Then the +place was garnished and swept, but empty, and he came back with seven other +spirits worse than himself. It is only Christ Himself coming in that can +cast out self, and keep out self. This self will abide with us to the very +end. Remember the Apostle Paul; he had seen the Heavenly vision, and lest +he should exalt himself, the thorn in the flesh was sent to humble him. +There was a tendency to exalt himself, which was natural, and it would have +conquered, but Christ delivered him from it by His faithful care for His +loving servant. Jesus Christ is able, by His divine grace, to prevent the +power of self from ever asserting itself or gaining the upper hand; Jesus +Christ is willing to become the life of the soul; Jesus Christ is willing +to teach us so to follow Him, and to have heart and life set upon Him +alone, that He shall ever and always be the light of our souls. Then we +come to what the apostle Paul says; "Not I, but Christ liveth in me." The +two truths go together. First "Not I," then, "but Christ liveth in me." + +Look at Peter again. Christ said to him, "Deny yourself, and follow me." +Whither had he to follow? Jesus led him, even though he failed; and where +did he lead him? He led him on to Gethsemane, and there Peter failed, for +he slept when he ought to have been awake, watching and praying; He led him +on towards Calvary, to the place where Peter denied Him. Was that Christ's +leading? Praise God, it was. The Holy Spirit had not yet come in His power; +Peter was yet a carnal man; the Spirit willing, but not able to conquer; +the flesh weak. What did Christ do? He led Peter on until he was broken +down in utter self-abasement, and humbled in the depths of sorrow. Jesus +led him on, past the grave, through the Resurrection, up to Pentecost, and +the Holy Spirit came, and in the Holy Spirit Christ with His divine life +came, and then it was, "Christ liveth in me." + +There is but one way of being delivered from this life of self. We must +follow Christ, set our hearts upon Him, listen to His teachings, give +ourselves up every day, that He may be all to us, and by the power of +Christ the denial of self will be a blessed, unceasing reality. Never for +one hour do I expect the Christian to reach a stage at which he can say, "I +have no self to deny;" never for one moment in which he can say, "I do not +need to deny self." No, this fellowship with the cross of Christ will be an +unceasing denial of self every hour and every moment by the grace of God. +There is no place where there is full deliverance from the power of this +sinful self. We are to be crucified with Christ Jesus. We are to live with +Him as those who have never been baptized into His death. Think of that! +Christ had no sinful self, but He had a self and that self He actually gave +up unto death. In Gethsemane He said, "Father, not My will." That unsinning +self He gave up unto death that He might receive it again out of the grave +from God, raised up and glorified. Can we expect to go to Heaven in any +other way than He went? Beware! remember that Christ descended into death +and the grave, and it is in the death of self, following Jesus to the +uttermost, that the deliverance and the life will come. + +And now, what is the use that we are to make of this lesson of the Master? +The first lesson will be that we should take time, and that we should +humble ourselves before God, at the thought of what this self is in us; put +down to the account of the self every sin, every shortcoming, all failure, +and all that has been dishonoring to God, and then say, "Lord, this is +what I am;" and then let us allow the blessed Jesus Christ to take entire +control of our life, in the faith that His life can be ours. + +Do not think it is an easy thing to get rid of self. At a consecration +meeting, it is easy to make a vow, and to offer a prayer, and to perform an +act of surrender, but as solemn as the death of Christ was on Calvary--His +giving up of His unsinning self life to God,--just as solemn must it be +between us and our God--the giving up of self to death. The power of +the death of Christ must come to work in us every day. Oh, think what a +contrast between that self-willed Peter, and Jesus giving up His will to +God! What a contrast between that self-exaltation of Peter, and the deep +humility of the Lamb of God, meek and lowly in heart before God and man! +What a contrast between that self-confidence of Peter, and that deep +dependence of Jesus upon the Father, when He said: "I can do nothing of +myself." We are called upon to live the life of Christ, and Christ comes to +live His life in us; but one thing must first take place; we must learn to +hate this self, and to deny it. As Peter said, when he denied Christ, "I +have nothing to do with him," so we must say, "I have nothing to do with +self," that Christ Jesus may be all in all. Let us humble ourselves at the +thought of what this self has done to us and how it has dishonored Jesus; +and let us pray very fervently: "Lord, by Thy light discover this self; we +beseech Thee to discover it to us. Open our eyes, that we may see what it +has done, and that it is the only hindrance that has been keeping us back." +Let us pray that fervently, and then let us wait upon God until we get away +from all our religious exercises, and from all our religious experience, +and from all our blessings, until we get close to God, with this one +prayer: "Lord God, self changed an archangel into a devil, and self ruined +my first parents, and brought them out of Paradise into darkness and +misery, and self has been the ruin of my life and the cause of every +failure; oh, discover it to me." And then comes the blessed exchange, that +a man is made willing and able to say: "Another will live the life for me, +another will live with me, another will do all for me," Nothing else will +do. Deny self; take up the cross, to die with Jesus; follow Him only. May +He give us the grace to understand, and to receive, and to live the Christ +life. + + + + +WAITING ON GOD + +III. + +_Psalms 62: 5_.--_My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is +from Him_. + + +The solemn question comes to us, "Is the God I have, a God that is to +me above all circumstances, nearer to me than any circumstance can be?" +Brother, have you learned to live your life having God so really with you +every moment, that in circumstances the most difficult He is always more +present and nearer than anything around you? All our knowledge of God's +Word will help us very little, unless that comes to be the question to +which we get an answer. + +What can be the reason that so many of God's beloved children complain +continually: "My circumstances separate me from God; my trials, my +temptations, my character, my temper, my friends, my enemies, anything can +come between my God and me?" Is God not able so to take possession that He +can be nearer to me than anything in the world? Must riches or poverty, joy +or sorrow, have a power over me that my God has not? No. But why, then, do +God's children so often complain that their circumstances separate them +from Him? There can be but one answer, "They do not know their God." If +there is trouble or feebleness in the Church of God, it is because of this. +We do not know the God we have. That is why in addition to the promise, "I +will be thy God," the promise is so often added, "And ye shall know that I +am your God." If I know that, not through man's teaching, not with my mind +or my imagination; but if I know that, in the living evidence which God +gives in my heart, then I know that the divine presence of my God will be +so wonderful, and my God Himself will be so beautiful, and so near, that I +can live all my days and years a conqueror through Him that loved me. Is +not that the life which we need? + +The question comes again: Why is it that God's people do not know their +God? And the answer is: They take anything rather than God,--ministers, and +preaching, and books, and prayers, and work, and efforts, any exertion of +human nature, instead of waiting, and waiting long if need be, until God +reveals Himself. No teaching that we may get, and no effort that we may put +forth, can put us in possession of this blessed light of God, all in all +to our souls. But still it is attainable, it is within reach, if God will +reveal Himself. That is the one necessity. I would to God that every one +would ask his heart whether he has said, and is saying every day: "I want +more of God. Do not speak to me only of the beautiful truth there is in the +Bible. That can not satisfy me. I want God." In our inner Christian life, +in our every-day prayers, in our Christian living, in our churches, in our +prayer-meetings, in our fellowship, it must come to that--that God always +has the first place; and if that be given Him, He will take possession. Oh, +if in our lives as individuals every eye were set upon God, upon the living +God, every heart were crying, "My soul thirsteth for God," what power, what +blessing and what presence of the everlasting God would be revealed to us! +Let me use an illustration. When a man is giving an illustrated lecture +he often uses a long pointer to indicate places on a map or chart. Do the +people look at that pointer? No, that only helps to show them the place on +the map, and they do not think of it,--it might be of fine gold; but the +_pointer_ can not satisfy them. They want to see what the pointer points +at. And this Bible is nothing but a pointer, pointing to God; and,--may I +say it with reverence--Jesus Christ came to point us, to show us the way, +to bring us to God. I am afraid there are many people who love Christ and +who trust in Him, but who fail of the one great object of His work; they +have never learned to understand what the Scripture saith: "He died, that +He might bring us unto God." + +There is a difference between the way and the end which I am aiming at. +I might be traveling amid most beautiful scenery, in the most delightful +company; but if I have a home to which I want to go, all the scenery, and +all the company, and all the beauty and happiness around me can not satisfy +me; I want to reach the end; I want my home. And God is meant to be the +home of our souls. Christ came into the world to bring us back to God, and +unless we take Christ for what God intended we should, our religion will +always be a divided one. What do we read in Hebrews vii? "He is able to +save to the uttermost."--Whom? "Them that come to God by Him;" not +them that only come to Christ. In Christ--bless His name--we have the +graciousness, the condescension, and the tenderness of God. But we are in +danger of standing there, and being content with that, and Christ wants to +bring us back to rejoice as much as in the glory of God Himself, in His +righteousness, His holiness, His authority, His presence and His power. He +can save completely those who come to God through Him! + +Now, just a very few thoughts on the way by which I can come to know God as +this God above all circumstances, filling my heart and life every day. The +one thing needful is: I must wait upon God. The original is,--it is in our +Dutch version, and it is in the margin, too,--"My soul is silent into God." +What ought to be the silence of the soul unto God? A soul conscious of its +littleness, its ignorance, its prejudices and its dangers from passion, +from all that is human and sinful,--a soul conscious of that, and saying, +"I want the everlasting God to come in and to take hold of me and to take +such hold of me that I may be kept in the hollow of His hand for my life +long; I want Him to take such possession of me that every moment He may +work all in all in me." That is what is implied in the very nature of our +God. How we ought to be silent unto Him, and wait upon Him! + +May I ask, with reverence: What is God for? A God is for this: to be the +light and the life of creation, the source and power of all existence. The +beautiful trees, the green grass, the bright sun, God created that they +might show forth His beauty, His wisdom and His glory. The tree of one +hundred years old--when it was planted God did not give it a stock of life +by which to carry on its existence. Nay, verily, God clothes the lilies +every year afresh with their beauty; every year God clothes the tree with +its foliage and its fruit. Every day and every hour it is God who maintains +the life of all nature. And God created us, that we might be the empty +vessels in which He could work out His beauty, His will, His love, and the +likeness of His blessed Son. That is what God is for, to work in us by His +mighty operation, without one moment's ceasing. When I begin to get hold of +that, I no longer think of the true Christian life as a high impossibility, +and an unnatural thing, but I say, "It is the most natural thing in +creation that God should have me every moment, and that my God should be +nearer to me than all else." Just think, for a moment, what folly it is to +imagine that I can not expect God to be with me every moment. Just look at +the sunshine; have you ever had any trouble as you were working or as you +were studying or reading a book in the light the sun gives? Have you ever +said, "Oh, how can I keep that light, how can I hold it fast, how can I be +sure that I shall continue to have it to use?" You never thought that. +God has taken care that the sun itself should provide you with light; and +without your care; the light comes unbidden. And I ask you: What think you? +Has God arranged that the light of that sun that will one day be burned up, +can come to you unconsciously and abide in you blessedly and mightily; and +is God not willing, or is He not able, to let His light and His presence so +shine through you that you can walk all the day with God nearer to you than +anything in nature? Praise God for the assurance; He can do it. And why +does He not do it? Why so seldom, and why in such feeble measure? There is +but one answer: you do not let Him. You are so occupied and filled with +other things, religious things, preaching and praying, studying and +working, so occupied with your religion, that you do not give God the time +to make Himself known, and to enter in and to take possession. Oh, brother, +listen to the word of the man who knew God so well, and begin to say: "My +soul, wait thou only upon God." + +I might show that this is the very glory of the Creator, the very life +Christ brought into the world, the life He lived, and the very life Christ +wants to lift us up to in its entire dependence on the Father. The very +secret of the Christ-life is this: such a consciousness of God's presence +that whether it was Judas, who came to betray Him, or Caiaphas, who +condemned Him unjustly, or Pilate, who gave Him up to be crucified, the +presence of the Father was upon Him, and within Him, and around Him, and +man could not touch His spirit. And that is what God wants to be to you and +to me. Does not all your anxious restlessness, and futile effort, prove +that you have not let God do His work? God is drawing you to Himself. +This is not your own wish, and the stirring of your own heart, but the +everlasting Divine magnet is drawing you. These restless yearnings and +thirstings, remember, are the work of God. Come and be still, and wait upon +God. He will reveal Himself. + +And how am I to wait on God? In answer I would say: first of all, in prayer +take more time to be still before God without saying one word. What is, in +prayer, the most important thing? That I catch the ear of Him to whom I +speak. We are not ready to offer our petition until we are fully conscious +of having secured the attention of God. You tell me you know all that. Yes, +you know it; but you need to have your heart filled by the Holy Spirit with +the holy consciousness that the everlasting, almighty God is indeed come +very near you. The loving one is longing to have you for His own. Be still +before God, and wait, and say: "Oh, God, take possession. Reveal Thyself, +not to my thoughts or imaginations, but by the solemn, awe-bringing, +soul-subduing consciousness that God is shining upon me bring me to the +place of dependence and humility." + +Prayer may be indeed waiting upon God, but there is a great deal of prayer +that is not waiting upon God. Waiting on God is the first and the best +beginning for prayer. When we bow in the humble, silent acknowledgment +of God's glory and nearness, ere we begin to pray there will be the very +blessing that we often get only at the end. From the very beginning I come +face to face with God; I am in touch with the everlasting omnipotence of +love and I know my God will bless me. Let us never be afraid to be still +before God; we shall then carry that stillness into our work; and when we +go to church on Sunday, or to the prayer-meeting on week-days, it will be +with the one desire that nothing may stand betwixt us and God, and that +we may never be so occupied with hearing and listening as to forget the +presence of God. + +Oh, that God might make every minister what Moses was at the foot of Mount +Sinai; "Moses led the people out to meet God," and they did meet Him until +they were afraid. Let every minister ask with all the earnestness his +soul can command, that God may deliver him from the sin of preaching and +teaching without making the people feel first of all: "The man wants to +bring us to God Himself." It can be felt, not only in the words, but in the +very disposition of the humble, waiting, worshiping heart. We must carry +this waiting into all our worship; we will have to make a study of it; we +will have to speak about it; we will have to help each other, for the truth +has been too much lost in the Church of Christ; we must wait upon God about +it. Then we shall be able to carry it out into our daily life. There are so +many Christians who wonder that they fail; but think of the ease with which +they talk and join in conversation, spending hours in it, never thinking +that all this may be dissipating the soul's power and leading them to spend +hours not in the immediate presence of God. I am afraid this is the great +difficulty: that we are not willing to make the needed sacrifice for a life +of continual waiting upon God. Are there not some of us who would feel it +an impossibility to spend every moment under the covering of the Most High, +"in the secret of His pavilion?" Beloved, do not think it too high, or too +difficult. It is too difficult for you and me to attain, but our God will +give it to us. Let us begin even now to wait more earnestly and intensely +upon God. Let us in our homes sometimes bow a little in silence; let us in +our closets wait in silence, and make a covenant, it may be, without words, +that with our whole hearts we will seek God's presence to come in upon us. + +What is religion? Just as much as you have of God working in you, that +alone is religion. And if you want more religion, more grace, more strength +and more fruitfulness, you must have more of God. Let that be the cry of +our hearts,--More of God! More of God! More of God! And let us say to our +souls, "My soul, wait thou upon God, for my expectation is from Him." + + + + +ENTRANCE INTO REST. + +IV. + +_Hebrews 4: 1_.--_Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of +entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it._ + +_Hebrews 4: 11_.--_Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any +man fall after the same example of unbelief_. + + +I want, in the simplest way possible, to answer the question: "How does a +man enter into that rest?" and to point out the simple steps that he takes, +all included in the one act of surrender and faith. + +And the first step, I think, is this: that a man learns to say, "I believe, +heartily, there is rest in a life of faith." Israel passed through two +stages. This is beautifully expressed in the fifth of Deuteronomy: "He +brought us out, that He might bring us in"--two parts of God's work of +redemption--"He brought us out from Egypt, that He might bring us into +Canaan." And that is applicable to every believer. At your conversion, God +brought you out of Egypt, and the same almighty God is longing to bring you +into the Canaan life. You know how God brought the Israelites out, but they +would not let Him bring them in and they had to wander for forty years in +the wilderness--the type, alas! of so many Christians. God brings them out +in conversion, but they will not let Him bring them in into all that He has +prepared for them. To a man who asks me, "How can I enter into the rest?" I +say, first of all, speak this word, "I do believe that there is a rest into +which Jesus, our Joshua, can bring a trusting soul." And if you would +know what the difference is between the two lives--the life you have been +leading, and the life you now want to lead, just look at the wilderness and +Canaan. What are the points of difference? In the wilderness, wandering for +forty years, backward and forward; in Canaan, perfect rest in the land that +God gave them. That is the difference between the life of a Christian who +has, and one who has not entered into Canaan. In wandering backward and +forward; going after the world, and coming back and repenting; led astray +by temptation, and returning only to go off again;--a life of ups and +downs. In Canaan, on the other hand, a life of rest, because the soul has +learned to trust: "God keeps me every hour in His mighty power." There is +the second difference: the life in the wilderness was a life of want; in +Canaan, a life of plenty. In the wilderness there was nothing to eat; there +was often no water. God graciously supplied their wants by the manna, and +the water from the rock. But, alas! they were not content with this, and +their life was one of want and murmurings. But in Canaan God gave them +vineyards that they had not planted, and the old corn of the land was there +waiting for them; a land flowing with milk and honey; a land that lived by +the rain of Heaven and had the very care of God Himself. Oh, Christian, +come and say to-day, "I believe there is a possibility of such a change +out of that life of spiritual death, and darkness, and sadness, and +complaining, that I have often lived, into the land of supply of every +want; where the grace of Jesus is proved sufficient every day, every hour." +Say to-day: "I believe in the possibility that there is such a land of rest +for me." + +And then, the third difference: In the wilderness there was no victory. +When they tried, after they had sinned at Kadesh, to go up against their +enemies, they were defeated. In the land they conquered every enemy; from +Jericho onward, they went from victory to victory. And so God waits, and +Christ waits, and the Holy Spirit waits, to give victory every day; not +freedom from temptation; no, not that; but in union with Christ a power +that can say, "I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me." "We +are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." May God help every +heart to say that. + +Then comes the second step. I want you to say not only, "I believe there is +such a life," but, second, "I have not had it yet." Say that. "I have never +yet got that." Some may say, "I have sought it;" some may say, "I have +never heard about it;" some may say, "At times I thought I had found it, +but I lost it again." Let every one be honest with God. + +And now, will all who have never yet found it honestly, begin to say, +"Lord, up to this time I have never had it?" And why is it of such +consequence to speak thus? Because, dear friends, some people want to glide +into this life of rest gradually; and just quietly to steal in; and God +won't have it. Your life in the wilderness has not only been a life of +sadness to yourself, but of sin and dishonor to God. Every deeper entrance +into salvation must always be by the way of conviction and confession; +therefore, let every Christian be willing to say: "Alas! I have not lived +that life, and I am guilty; I have dishonored God; I have been like Israel; +I have provoked Him to wrath by my unbelief and disobedience. God have +mercy upon me!" Oh, let it go up before God--the secret confession: "I +haven't it; alas! I have not glorified God by a life in the land of rest." + +Then comes the third word I want you to speak and that is: "Thank God, that +life is for me." Some say, "I believe there is such a life, but not +for me." There are people who continually say: "Oh, my character is so +unstable; my will is naturally very weak; my temperament is nervous and +excitable, it is impossible for me always to live without worry, resting in +God." Beloved brother, do not say that. You say so only for one reason: You +do not know what your God will do for you. Do begin to look away from self, +and to look up to God, Take that precious word: "He brought them out that +he might bring them in." The God who took them through the Red Sea was the +God who took them through Jordan into Canaan. The God who converted you is +the God who is able to give you every day this blessed life. Oh, begin to +say, with the beginnings of a feeble faith, even before you claim it, begin +even intellectually to say: "It is for me; I do believe that. God does not +disinherit any of His children. What He gives is for every one. I believe +that blessed life is waiting for me. It is meant for me. God is waiting to +bestow it, and to work it in me. Glory be to His blessed name! My soul says +it is for me, too." Oh, take that little word "me," and looking up in the +very face of God dare to say: "This inestimable treasure--it is for me, the +weakest and the unworthiest; it is for me." Have you said that? Say it now: +"This life is possible to me, too." + +And then comes the next step, and that is: "I can never, by any effort of +mine, grasp it; it is God must bestow it on me." I want you to be very bold +in saying, "It is for me." But then I want you to fall down very low and +say, "I can not seize it; I can not take it to myself." And how can +you then get it? Praise God, if once He has brought you down in the +consciousness of utter helplessness and self-despair, then comes the time +that He can draw nigh and ask you, "Will you trust your God to work this +in you?" Dearly beloved Christians, say in your heart: "I never, by any +effort, can take hold of God, or seize this for myself; it is God must +give it." Cherish this blessed impotence. It is He who brought us out, who +Himself must bring us in. It is your greatest happiness to be impotent. +Pray God by the Holy Spirit to reveal to you this true impotence, and that +will open the way for your faith to say, "Lord, Thou must do it, or it +will never be done." God will do it. People wonder, when they hear so many +sermons about faith, and such earnest pleading to believe, and ask why it +is they can not believe. There is just one answer: It is self. Self is +working; is trying; is struggling, and self must fail. But when you come to +the end of self and can only cry, "Lord, help me! Lord, help me!"--then the +deliverance is nigh; believe that. It was God brought the people in. It is +God who will bring you in. + +One should be willing, for the sake of this rest, to give up everything. +The grace of God is very free. It is given without money and without price. +And yet, on the other hand, Jesus said that every man who wants the pearl +of great price must sacrifice his all, must sell all that he has to buy +that pearl. It is not enough to see the beauty, the attractiveness and the +glory, and almost to taste the gladness and the joy of this wonderful life +as it has been set before you. You must become the possessor, the owner of +the field. The man who found the field with a treasure, and the man who +found the great pearl, were both glad; but they had not yet got it. They +had found it, seen it, desired it, rejoiced in it; but they had not yet got +it. Not until they went and sold all, gave up everything, and bought the +ground, and bought the pearl. Ah, friends, there is a great deal that has +to be given up: the world, its pleasures, its favor, its good opinion. You +are to stand to the world in the same relation as Jesus did. The world +rejected Him, and cast Him out, and you are to take up the position of your +Lord, to whom you belong, and to follow with the rejected Christ. You have +to give up everything. You have to give up all that is good in yourself +and to be humbled in the dust of death. And that is not all. Your past +religious life and experience and successes--you have to give all up and +become nothing, that God alone may have the glory. God has brought you out +in conversion; it was God's own life given you: but you defiled it with +disobedience and with unbelief. Give it all up. Give up all your own +wisdom, and your own thoughts about God's work. How hard it is for the +minister of the Gospel to give up all his wisdom, and to lay it at the feet +of Jesus, to become a fool and to say: "Lord, I know nothing as I should +know it. I have been preaching the Gospel, and how little I have seen of +the glory of the blessed land, and the blessed life!" + +Why is it that the blessed Spirit can not teach us more effectually? No +reason but this: the wisdom of man prevents it; the wisdom of man prevents +the light of God from shining in. And so we could say of other things; +give up all. Some may have an individual sin to give up. There may be a +Christian man who is angry with his brother. There may be a Christian woman +who has quarreled with her neighbor. There may be friends who are not +living as they should. There may be Christians holding fast some little +doubtful thing, not willing to surrender and leave behind the whole of the +wilderness life and lust. Oh, do take this step and say: "I am ready +to give up everything to have this pearl of great price; my time, my +attention, my business, I count all subordinate to this rest of God as the +first thing in my life; I yield all to walk in perfect fellowship with +God." You can not get that and live every day in perfect fellowship with +God, without giving up time to it. You take time for everything. How many +hours a day has a young lady spent for years and years that she may become +proficient on the piano? How many years does a young man study to fit +himself for the profession of the law or medicine? Hours, and days, and +weeks, and months, and years, gladly given up to perfect himself for his +profession. And do you expect that religion is so cheap that without giving +time you can find close fellowship with God? You can not. But, oh, my +brothers and sisters, the pearl of great price is worth everything. God is +worth everything. Christ is worth everything. Oh, come to-day, and say, +"Lord, at any cost help me; I do want to live this life." And if you find +it difficult to say this, and if there is a struggle within the heart, +never mind; say to God, "Lord, I thought I was willing, but I see how much +unwillingness there is; come and discover what the evil is still in the +heart." By His grace, if you will lie at His feet and trust Him you may +depend upon it deliverance will come. + +Then comes the next step, and that is to say: "I do now give up myself to +the holy and everlasting God, for Him to lead me into this perfect rest." +Ah, friends, we must learn to meet God face to face. My sin has been +against God. David felt that when he said, "Against Thee, Thee only, have +I sinned." It is God on the judgment seat whose face you will have to meet +personally. It is God Himself, personally, who met you to pardon your sins. +Come to-day and put yourself into the hands of the living God. God is love. +God is near. God is waiting to give you His blessing. The heart of God is +yearning over you. "My child," God says, "you think you are longing for +rest; it is I that am longing for you, because I desire to rest in your +heart as My home, as My temple." You need your God. Yes, but your God needs +you, to find the full satisfaction of His Father heart in Christ in you. +Come to-day and say: "I do now give up myself to Christ. I have made the +choice. I deliberately say, 'Lord God, I am the purchaser of the pearl of +great price. I give up everything for it. In the name of Jesus I accept +that life of perfect rest.'" + +And then comes my last thought. When you have said that, then add: "And +now, I trust God to make it all real to me in my experience. Whether I am +to live one year, or thirty years, I have heard it to-day again: 'God is +Jehovah, the great I AM of the everlasting future, the eternal One; and +thirty years hence is to Him just the same as now;' and that God gives +Himself to me, not according to my power to hold Him, but according to +His almighty power of love to hold me." Will you trust God to-day for the +future? Oh, will you look up to God in Christ Jesus once again? A thousand +times you have heard, and thought, and thanked--"God has given us His Son;" +but will you not to-day say, "How shall He not with Him give me all things, +every moment and every day of my life?" Say that in faith. "How shall God +not be willing to keep me in the light of His countenance, in the full +experience of Christ's saving power? Did God make the sun to shine so +brightly, and is the light so willing to pour itself into every nook and +corner where it can find entrance? And will not my God, who is love, be +willing all the day to shine into this heart of mine, from morning to +night, from year's end to year's end?" God is love, and longs to give +Himself to us. + +Oh, come, Christians, you have hitherto lived a life in your own strength. +Will you not begin to-day? Will you not choose a life in which God shall be +all, and in which you rest in Him for all? Will you not choose a life in +which you shall say: "Oh, God, I ask, I expect, I trust Thee for it. I +enter this day into the rest of God to let God keep me; to let God keep me +every hour. I enter into the rest of God." Are you ready to say that? Be of +good courage; fear not, you can trust God. He brings into rest. Listen to +God's word in the Prophets once again: "Take heed, and be quiet. Fear not, +neither be faint-hearted." Joshua brought Israel into the land. God did +it through Joshua; and Joshua is Jesus, your Jesus, who washed you in His +blood; your Jesus, whom you have learned to know as a precious Saviour. +Trust Him to-day afresh: "O my Joshua, take me, bring me in and I will +trust Thee, and in Thee the Father." You may count upon it. He will take +you and the work will be done. + + + + +THE KINGDOM FIRST. + +V. + +_Matt 6: 33_.--_Seek ye first the kingdom of God_. + + +You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian +work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the Church, the +life of the individual believer and the work to be done among the heathen? +One of the expressions for that unity is: "Seek first the Kingdom of God," +That does not mean, as many people take it, "Seek salvation; seek to get +into the Kingdom, and then thank God, and rest there." Ah, no; the meaning +of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the +Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its Heavenly glory +and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all +other things will be added unto you. "Seek first the Kingdom of God." Let +me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: "Why should the +Kingdom of God be first?" and the other: "How can it be?" The one, "Why +should it be so?" God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the +more clearly we see that according to the law of nature, according to +the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an +absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after +it. And now, why does Christ say this: "Seek first the Kingdom of God?" If +you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man. Look at +God. Who is God? The great Being for whom alone the universe exists; in +whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It can not find any +rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that +God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What +would the result be? Every Christian would say, "The more I can have of +God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, +and the more of God's fellowship, the happier." How Christians, if they +believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up +everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so +hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me, "Why is +it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how +can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?" My answer was: "Oh, +my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of +fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight." Yes, if we +believed God to be only joy to the one who comes to Him, only a fountain of +unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! Has not joy a far +stronger attraction than anything in the world? Is it not in every beauty, +or in every virtue, in every pursuit, the joy that is set before us that +draws? And if we believe that God is a fountain of joy, and sweetness, and +power to bless, how our hearts will turn aside from everything, and say: +"Oh, the beauty of my God! I rejoice in Him alone." But, alas! the Kingdom +of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like +a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our +chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what +God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right and more, it is +our highest privilege to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His +Kingdom first and above everything. + +And then look at man again; man's nature. What was man created for? To live +in the likeness of God, and as His image. Now, if we have been created in +the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except +that in which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are the +happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: +Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness +everlasting. "He is Light, and in Him is no darkness." The Kingdom, the +domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. "Seek +the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." If men but knew what sin is, +and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand +message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. +We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. +What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that +there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never +ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings. +God is Light, and God is Love. And now the message comes to man. Can you +think of a higher nobility; can you think of anything grander than to take +the position that God takes, and to be one with God in His Kingdom; _i.e._, +to have His Kingdom fill your heart; to have God Himself as your King and +portion? Yes, my friends, let us remember that we must not just try to get +here and there one and another of the blessings of the Kingdom. But the +glory of the Kingdom is this: that it is the Kingdom of God where God is +all in all. The French Empire, when Napoleon lived, had military glory as +the ideal. Every Frenchman's heart thrilled at the name of Napoleon as the +man who had given the empire its glory. If we realized what it means,--our +God takes us up into His Kingdom and puts His Kingdom into us and with the +Kingdom we have God Himself, that blessed One, possessing us--surely there +would be nothing that could move our hearts to enthusiasm like this. The +Kingdom of God first! Blessed be His name I Look at man. I don't speak +about man's sins, and about man's wretchedness, and about man's seeking +everywhere for pleasure, and for rest, and for deliverance from sin, but +I just say: Think what man is by creation and think what man is now by +redemption; and let every heart say: "It is right. There is no blessedness +or glory like that of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God ought to be first in +my whole life and being." + +But now comes the important question, "How can I attain this?" Here we come +to the great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands +of Christians throughout the world. And it is strange that it is so very +difficult for them to find the answer; that tens of thousands are not able +to give an answer; and others, when the answer is given, can not understand +it; The day the centurion found his joy in being devoted to the Roman +Empire, it took charge of him with all its power and glory. Dear friends, +how are we to attain to this blessed position in which the Kingdom of God +shall fill our hearts with such enthusiasm that it will spontaneously be +first every day? The answer is, first of all give up everything for it. You +have heard of the Roman soldier who gave up his soul, his affection, his +life, who gave up everything, to be a soldier; and you have often seen, in +history ancient and modern, how men who were not soldiers gave up their +lives in sacrifice for a king or a country. You have heard how in the South +African Republic not many years ago the war of liberty was fought. After +three years of oppression by the English the people said they would endure +it no longer, and so they gathered together to fight for their liberty. +They knew how weak they were, as compared with the English power, but they +said, "We must have our liberty." They bound themselves together to fight +for it, and when that vow had been made, they went to their homes to +prepare for the struggle. Such a thrill of enthusiasm passed through that +country that in many cases women, when their husbands might have been +allowed to stay at home, said to them: "No, go, even though you have not +been commanded." And there were mothers who, when one son was called out to +the front, said: "No, take two, three." Every man and woman was ready to +die. It was in very deed "Our country first, before everything." And even +so, friends, must it be with you if you want this wonderful Kingdom of +God to take possession of you. I pray you by the mercies of God, give up +every-thing for it. You do not know at once what that may mean, but +take the words and speak them out at the footstool of God: "Anything, +everything, for the Kingdom of God." Persevere in that, and by the Holy +Spirit your God will begin to open to you the double blessing: on the one +hand, the blessedness of the Kingdom which comes to possess your heart; +and on the other hand, the blessedness of being surrendered to Him, and +sacrificing and giving up all for Him. + +"The Kingdom of God first!" How am I to reach that blessed life? The answer +is: "Give up everything for it." And then a second answer would be this: +Live every day and hour of your life in the humble desire to maintain that +position. There are people who hear this test, and who say it is true, and +that they want to obey it. But if you were to ask them how much time they +spend with God day by day, you would be surprised and grieved to hear how +little time they give up to Him. And yet they wonder that the blessedness +of the divine life disappears. We prove the value we attach to things by +the time we devote to them. The Kingdom should be first every day, and all +the day. Let the Kingdom be first every morning. Begin the day with God, +and God Himself will maintain His Kingdom in your heart. Do believe that. +Rome did its utmost to maintain the authority of the man who gave himself +to live for it. And God, the living God, will He not maintain His authority +in your soul if you submit to Him? He will, indeed. Come to Him; only come, +and give yourself up to Him in fellowship through Christ Jesus. Seek to +maintain that fellowship with God all the day. Ah, friends, a man cannot +have the Kingdom of God first, and at times, by way of relaxation, throw +it off and seek his enjoyment in the things of this world. People have a +secret idea life will become too solemn, too great a strain; it will be too +difficult every moment of the day, from morning to evening, to have the +Kingdom of God first. One sees at once how wrong it is to think thus. The +presence of the love of God must every moment be our highest joy. Let us +say: "By the help of God, it shall ever be the Kingdom of God first." + +And then, my last remark, in answer to that question, "How can it be?" is +this: it can be only by the power of the Holy Ghost. Let us remember that +God's Word comes to us with the language, "Be filled with the Spirit;" and +if you are content with less of the Spirit than God offers, not utterly +and entirely yielding to be filled with the Spirit, you do not obey the +command. But listen: God has made a wonderful provision. Jesus Christ came +preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and proclaimed "The Kingdom is at +hand." "Some," He said, "are standing here who will not see death until +they see the Kingdom come in power." He said to the disciples, "The Kingdom +is within you." And when did the Kingdom come--that Kingdom of God upon +earth? When the Holy Ghost descended. On Ascension Day the King went and +sat down upon the throne at the right hand of God, and the Kingdom of God, +in Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth, was inaugurated. When the Holy +Ghost came down He brought God into the heart, and Christ, and established +the rule of God in power. I am afraid sometimes, that in speaking of the +Holy Spirit we forget one thing. The Holy Spirit is very much spoken of in +connection with power; and it is right that we should seek power. It is not +so much spoken of in connection with the graces. And yet these are always +more important than the gifts of power--the holiness, the humility, the +meekness, the gentleness, and the lovingness; these are the true marks of +the Kingdom. We speak rightly of the Holy Spirit as the only one who can +breathe all this into us. But I think there is a third thing almost more +important, that we forget, and that is: in the Spirit, the Father and the +Son themselves come. When Christ first promised the Holy Spirit, and spoke +about His approaching coming, He said: "In that day ye shall know that I +am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that loveth me keepeth my +commandments; and my Father will love him, and we will come and make our +abode with him." Brother, would you have the Kingdom of God first in your +life, you must have the Kingdom in your hearts. If my heart be set upon a +thing I may be bound with chains, but the moment the chains are loosened I +fly towards the object of my affection and desire. And just so the Kingdom +must be within us, and then it is easy to say: "The Kingdom first." But +to have the Kingdom within us in truth, we must have God the Father, and +Christ the Son, by the Holy Ghost within us too. No Kingdom without the +King. + +You are called to likeness with Christ. Oh, how many Christians strive +after this part and that part of the likeness of Christ, and forget the +root of the whole! What is the root of all? That Christ gave Himself up +utterly to God, and His Kingdom and glory. He gave His life, that God's +Kingdom might be established. Do you the same to-day and give your life to +God to be every moment a living sacrifice, and the Kingdom will come with +power into your heart. Give yourself up to Christ. Let Christ the King +reign in your heart, and the heavenly Kingdom will come there and the +Presence and the Rule of God be known in power. Oh, think of that wonderful +thing that is going to happen in the great eternity. We read of it in 1st +Corinthians: God has entrusted Christ with the Kingdom, but there is coming +a day when Christ shall come Himself again to be subjected unto the Father, +and He shall give up the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all, and in +that day Christ shall say before the universe: "This is my glory, I give +back the Kingdom to the Father!" Christians, if your Christ finds His glory +here on earth in dying and sacrificing Himself for the Kingdom and then in +eternity again in giving the Kingdom to God, shall not you and I come to +God to do the same and count anything we have as loss, that the Kingdom of +God may be made manifest, and that God may be glorified. + + + + +CHRIST OUR LIFE. + +VI. + +_Colossians 3: 4_.--_Christ who is our life_. + + +One question that rises in every mind is this: "How can I live that life +of perfect trust in God?" Many do not know the right answer, or the full +answer. It is this: "Christ must live it in me." That is what He became man +for; as a man to live a life of trust in God, and so to show to us how we +ought to live. When He had done that upon earth, He went to heaven, that +He might do more than show us, might give us, and live in us that life of +trust. It is as we understand what the life of Christ is and how it becomes +ours, that we shall be prepared to desire and to ask of Him that He would +live it Himself in us. When first we have seen what the life is, then we +shall understand how it is that He can actually take possession, and make +us like Himself. I want especially to direct attention to that first +question. I wish to set before you the life of Christ as He lived it, that +we may understand what it is that He has for us and that we can expect from +Him. Christ Jesus lived a life upon earth that He expects us literally to +imitate. We often say that we long to be like Christ. We study the traits +of His character, mark His footsteps, and pray for grace to be like Him, +and yet, somehow, we succeed but very little. And why? Because we are +wanting to pluck the fruit while the root is absent. If we want really to +understand what the imitation of Christ means, we must go to that which +constituted the very root of His life before God. It was a life of absolute +dependence, absolute trust, absolute surrender, and until we are one with +Him in what is the principle of His life, it is in vain to seek here or +there to copy the graces of that life. + +In the Gospel story we find five great points of special importance; the +birth, the life on earth, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension. +In these we have what an old writer has called "the process of Jesus +Christ;" the process by which He became what He is to-day--our glorified +King, and our life. In all this life process we must be made like unto Him. +Look at the first. What have we to say about His birth? This: He received +His _life from God_. What about His life upon earth? He lived that life in +dependence _upon God_. About His death? He gave up His life _to God_. About +His resurrection? He was raised from the dead _by God_. And about His +ascension? He lives His life in glory _with God_. + +First, He received His life from God. And why is it of consequence that we +should look to that? Because Christ Jesus had in that the starling-point of +His whole life. He said: "The Father sent me;" "The Father hath given the +Son all things;" "The Father hath given the Son to have life in Himself." +Christ received it as His own life, just as God has His life in Himself. +And yet, all the time it was a life given and received. "Because the Father +almighty has given this life unto me, the Son of man on earth, I can count +upon God to maintain it and to carry me through all." And that is the first +lesson we need. We need often to meditate on it, and to pray, and to +think, and to wait before God, until our hearts open to the wonderful +consciousness that the everlasting God has a divine life within us which +can not exist but through Him. I believe God has given His life, it roots +in Him. I shall feel it must be maintained by Him. We often think that God +has given us a life which is now our own, a spiritual life, and that we +are to take charge; and then we complain that we can not keep it right. +No wonder. We must learn to live, learn to live as Jesus did. I have +a God-given treasure in this earthen vessel. I have the light of the +knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I have the life of +God's Son within me given me by God Himself, and it can only be maintained +by God Himself as I live in fellowship with Him. What does the Apostle Paul +teach us in Romans VI.; there where he has just told us that we must reckon +ourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus? He goes on at +once to say: "Therefore yield, present yourselves unto God, as those that +are alive from the dead." How often a Christian hears solemn words about +his being alive to God, and his having to reckon himself dead indeed +to sin, and alive to God in Christ! He does not know what to do; he +immediately casts about: "How can I keep it, this death and this life?" +Listen to what Paul says. The moment that you reckon yourself dead to sin +and alive to God, go with that life to God Himself, and present yourself as +alive from the dead, and say to God: "Lord, Thou hast given me this life. +Thou alone canst keep it. I bring it to Thee. I cannot understand all. +I hardly know what I have got, but I come to God to perfect what He has +begun." To live like Christ, I must be conscious every moment that my life +has come from God, and He alone can maintain it. + +Then, secondly, how did Christ live out His life during the thirty-three +years in which He walked here upon earth? He lived it in dependence on God. +You know how continually He says: "The Son can do nothing of Himself. The +words that I speak, I speak not of Myself." He waited unceasingly for the +teaching, and the commands, and the guidance of the Father. He prayed for +power from the Father. Whatever He did, He did in the name of the Father. +He, the Son of God, felt the need of much prayer, of persevering prayer, of +bringing down from heaven and maintaining the life of fellowship with God +in prayer. We hear a great deal about trusting God. Most blessed! And we +may say: "Ah, that is what I want," and we may forget what is the very +secret of all,--that God, in Christ, must work all in us. I not only need +God as an object of trust, but I must have Christ within as the power +to trust; He must live His own life of trust in me. Look at it in that +wonderful story of Paul, the Apostle, the beloved servant of God. He is in +danger of self-confidence, and God in heaven sends that terrible trial in +Asia to bring him down, lest he trust in himself and not in the living God. +God watched over his servant that he should be kept trusting. Remember that +other story about the thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians XII., and think +what that means. He was in danger of exalting himself, and the blessed +Master came to humble him, and to teach him: "I keep thee weak, that thou +mayest learn to trust not in thyself, but in Me." If we are to enter into +the rest of faith, and to abide there; if we are to live the life of +victory in the land of Canaan, it must begin here. We must be broken down +from all self-confidence and learn like Christ to depend absolutely and +unceasingly upon God. There is a greater work to be done in that than we +perhaps know. We must be broken down, and the habit of our souls must be +unceasingly: "I am nothing; God is all. I cannot walk before God as I +should for one hour, unless God keep the life He has given me." What a +blessed solution God gives then to all our questions and our difficulties, +when He says: "My child, Christ has gone through it all for thee. Christ +hath wrought out a new nature that can trust God; and Christ the Living One +in heaven will live in thee, and enable thee to live that life of trust." +That is why Paul said: "Such confidence have we toward God, through +Christ." What does that mean? Does it only mean through Christ as the +mediator, or intercessor? Verily, no. It means much more; through Christ +living in and enabling us to trust God as He trusted Him. + +Then comes, thirdly, the death of Christ. What does that teach us of +Christ's relation to the Father? It opens up to us one of the deepest +and most solemn lessons of Christ life, one which the Church of Christ +understands all too little. We know what the death of Christ means as an +atonement, and we never can emphasize too much that blessed substitution +and bloodshedding, by which redemption was won for us. But let us remember, +that is only half the meaning of His death. The other half is this: just as +much as Christ was my substitute, who died for me, just so much He is +my head, in whom, and with whom, I die; and just as He lives for me, to +intercede, He lives in me, to carry out and to perfect His life. And if I +want to know what that life is which He will live in me, I must look at His +death. By His death He proved that He possessed life only to hold it, +and to spend it, for God. To the very uttermost; without the shadow of a +moment's exception, He lived for God,--every moment, everywhere, He held +life only for His God. And so, if one wants to live a life of perfect +trust, there must be the perfect surrender of his life, and his will, even +unto the very death. He must be willing to go all lengths with Jesus, even +to Calvary. When a boy twelve years of age Jesus said: "Wist ye not that I +must be about my Father's business?" and again when He came to Jordan to be +baptized: "It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." So on through +all His life, He ever said: "It is my meat and drink to do the will of my +Father. I come not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." +"Lo, I am come to do Thy will, O God." And in the agony of Gethsemane, His +words were: "Not my will, but Thine, be done." + +Some one says: "I do indeed desire to live the life of perfect trust; +I desire to let Christ live it in me; I am longing to come to such an +apprehension of Christ as shall give me the certainty that Christ will +forever abide in me; I want to come to the full assurance that Christ, my +Joshua, will keep me in the land of victory." What is needful for that? My +answer is: "Take care that you do not take a false Christ, an imaginary +Christ, a half Christ." And what is the full Christ? The full Christ is the +man who said, "I give up everything to the death that God may be glorified. +I have not a thought; I have not a wish; I would not live a moment except +for the glory of God." You say at once, "What Christian can ever attain +that?" Do not ask that question, but ask, "Has Christ attained it and does +Christ promise to live in me?" Accept Him in His fullness and leave Him to +teach you how far He can bring you and what He can work in you. Make no +conditions or stipulations about failure, but cast yourself upon, abandon +yourself to this Christ who lived that life of utter surrender to God that +He might prepare a new nature which He could impart to you and in which He +might make you like Himself. Then you will be in the path by which He can +lead you on to blessed experience and possession of what He can do for you. +Christ Jesus came into the world with a commandment from the Father that He +should lay down His life, and He lived with that one thought in His bosom +His whole life long. And the one thought that ought to be in the heart +of every believer is this: "I am in the death with Christ; absolutely, +unchangeably given up to wait upon God, that God may work out His purpose +and glory in me from moment to moment." Few attain the victory and the +enjoyment and the full experience at once. But this you can do: Take the +right attitude and as you look to Jesus and what He was, say: "Father, Thou +hast made me a partaker of the divine nature, a partaker of Christ. It +is in the life of Christ given up to Thee to the death, in His power and +indwelling, in His likeness, that I desire to live out my life before +Thee." Death is a solemn thing, an awful thing. In the Garden it cost +Christ great agony to die that death; and no wonder it is not easy to us. +But we willingly consent when we have learned the secret; in death alone +the life of God will come; in death there is blessedness unspeakable. It +was this made Paul so willing to bear the sentence of death in himself; +he knew the God who quickeneth the dead. The sentence of death is on +everything that is of nature. But are we willing to accept it, do we +cherish it? and are we not rather trying to escape the sentence or to +forget it? We do not believe fully that the sentence of death is on us. +Whatever is of nature must die. Ask God to make you willing to believe with +your heart that to die with Christ is the only way to live in Him. You ask, +"But must it then be dying every day?" Yes, beloved; Jesus lived every day +in the prospect of the cross, and we, in the power of His victorious life, +being made conformable to His death, must rejoice every day in going down +with Him into death. Take an illustration. Take an oak of some hundred +years' growth. How was that oak born? In a grave. The acorn was planted in +the ground, a grave was made for it that the acorn might die. It died and +disappeared; it cast roots downward, and it cast shoots upward, and now +that tree has been standing a hundred years. Where is it standing? In its +grave; all the time in the very grave where the acorn died; it has stood +there stretching its roots deeper and deeper into that earth in which its +grave was made, and yet, all the time, though it stood in the very grave +where it had died, it has been growing higher, and stronger, and broader, +and more beautiful. And all the fruit it ever bore, and all the foliage +that adorned it year by year, it owed to that grave in which its roots are +cast and kept. Even so Christ owes everything to His death and His grave. +And we, too, owe everything to that grave of Jesus. Oh! let us live every +day rooted in the death of Jesus. Be not afraid, but say: "To my own will I +will die; to human wisdom, and human strength, and to the world I will die; +for it is in the grave of my Lord that His life has its beginning, and its +strength and its glory." + +This brings us to our next thought. First, Christ received life from the +Father; second, Christ lived it in dependence on the Father; third, Christ +gave it up in death to the Father; and now, fourth, Christ received it +again raised by the Father, by the power of the glory of the Father. Oh, +the deep meaning of the resurrection of Christ! What did Christ do when He +died? He went down into the darkness and absolute helplessness of death. He +gave up a life that was without sin; a life that was God-given; a life that +was beautiful and precious; and He said, "I will give it into the hands +of my Father if He asks it;" and He did it; and He was there in the grave +waiting on God to do His will; and because He honored God to the uttermost +in His helplessness, God lifted Him up to the very uttermost of glory and +power. Christ lost nothing by giving up His life in death to the Father. +And so, if you want the glory and the life of God to come upon you, it is +in the grave of utter helplessness that that life of glory will be born. +Jesus was raised from the dead, and that resurrection power, by the grace +of God, can and will work in us. Let no one expect to live a right life +until he lives a full resurrection life in the power of Jesus. Let me state +in a different way what this resurrection means. + +Christ had a perfect life, given by God. The Father said: "Will you give up +that life to me? Will you part with it at my command?" And He parted with +it, but God gave it back to Him in a second life ten thousand times more +glorious than that earthly life. So God will do to every one of us who +willingly consents to part with his life. Have you ever understood it? +Jesus was born twice. The first time He was born in Bethlehem. That was a +birth into a life of weakness. But the second time, He was born from the +grave; He is the "first-born from the dead." Because He gave up the life +that He had by His first birth, God gave him the life of the second birth, +in the glory of heaven and the throne of God. Christians, that is exactly +what we need to do. A man may be an earnest Christian; a man may be a +successful worker; he may be a Christian that has had a measure of growth +and advance; but if he has not entered this fullness of blessing, then he +needs to come to a second and deeper experience of God's saving power; he +needs, just as God brought him out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to come +to a point where God brings him through Jordan into Canaan. Beloved, we +have been baptized into the death of Christ. It is as we say: "I have had +a very blessed life, and I have had many blessed experiences, and God has +done many things for me; but I am conscious there is something wrong still; +I am conscious that this life of rest and victory is not really mine." +Before Christ got His life of rest and victory on the throne, He had to die +and give up all. Do you it, too, and you shall with Him share His victory +and glory. It is as we follow Jesus in His death, that His resurrection, +power and joy will be ours. + +And then comes our last point. The fifth step in His wondrous path was: He +was lifted up to be forever with the Father. Because He humbled Himself, +therefore God highly exalted Him. Wherein cometh the beauty and the +blessedness of that exaltation of Jesus? For Himself perfect fellowship +with the Father; for others participation in the power of God's +omnipotence. Yes, that was the fruit of His death. Scripture promises not +only that God will, in the resurrection life, give us joy, and peace that +passeth all understanding, victory over sin, and rest in God, but He will +baptize us with the Holy Ghost; or, in other words, will fill us with the +Holy Ghost. Jesus was lifted to the throne of heaven, that He might there +receive from the Father the Spirit in His new, divine manifestation, to be +poured out in His fullness. And as we come to the resurrection life, the +life in the faith of Him who is one with us, and sits upon the throne--as +we come to that, we too may be partakers of the fellowship with Christ +Jesus as He ever dwells in God's presence, and the Holy Spirit will fill +us, to work in us, and out of us in a way that we have never yet known. + +Jesus got this divine life by depending absolutely upon the Father all His +life long, depending upon Him even down into death. Jesus got that life +in the full glory of the Spirit to be poured out, by giving Himself up in +obedience and surrender to God alone, and leaving God even in the grave to +work out His mighty power; and that very Christ will live out His life in +you and me. Oh, the mystery! Oh, the glory! And oh, the Divine certainty. +Jesus Christ means to live out that life in you and me. What think you, +ought we not to humble ourselves before God? Have we been Christians so +many years, and realized so little what we are? I am a vessel set apart, +cleansed, emptied, consecrated; just standing, waiting every moment for +God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, to work out in me as much of the +holiness and the life of His Son as pleases Him. And until the Church of +Christ comes to go down into the grave of humiliation, and confession, and +shame; until the Church of Christ comes to lay itself in the very dust +before God, and to wait upon God to do something new, and something +wonderful, something supernatural, in lifting it up, it will remain +feeble in all its efforts to overcome the world. Within the Church what +lukewarmness, what worldliness, what disobedience, what sin! How can we +ever fight this battle, or meet these difficulties? The answer is: Christ, +the risen One, the crowned One, the almighty One, must come, and live in +the individual members. But we can not expect this except as we die with +Him. I referred to the tree grown so high and beautiful, with its roots +every day for a hundred years in the grave in which the acorn died. +Children of God, we must go down deeper into the grave of Jesus. We must +cultivate the sense of impotence, and dependence, and nothingness, until +our souls walk before God every day in a deep and holy trembling. God keep +us from being anything. God teach us to wait on Him, that He may work in us +all He wrought in His Son, till Christ Jesus may live out His life in us! +For this may God help us! + + + + +CHRIST'S HUMILITY OUR SALVATION. + +VII. + +_Philippians 2: 5-8_.--"_Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ +Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of +the cross_." + + +All are familiar with this wonderful passage. Paul is speaking about one +of the most simple, practical things in daily life,--humility; and in +connection with that, he gives us a wonderful exhibition of divine truth. +In this chapter we have the eternal Godhead of Jesus--He was in the form of +God, and one with God. We have His incarnation--He came down, and was found +in the likeness of man. We have his death with the atonement--He became +obedient unto death. We have His exaltation--God hath highly exalted Him. +We have the glory of His Kingdom,--that every knee shall bow, and every +tongue confess Him. And in what connection? Is it a theological study? +No. Is it a description of what Christ is? No; it is in connection with a +simple, downright call to a life of humility in our intercourse with each +other. Our life on earth is linked to all the eternal glory of the Godhead +as revealed in the exaltation of Jesus. The very looking to Jesus, the +very bowing of the knee to Jesus, ought to be inseparably connected with a +spirit of the very deepest humility. Consider the humility of Jesus. First +of all, that humility is our salvation; then, that humility is just the +salvation we need; and again, that humility is the salvation which the Holy +Spirit will give us. + +Humility is the salvation that Christ brings. That is our first thought. We +often have very vague,--I might also say visionary--ideas of what Christ +is; we love the person of Christ, but that which makes up Christ, which +actually constitutes Him the Christ, that we do not know or love. If we +love Christ above everything, we must love humility above everything, for +humility is the very essence of His life and glory, and the salvation He +brings. Just think of it. Where did it begin? Is there humility in heaven? +You know there is, for they cast their crowns before the throne of God and +the Lamb. But is there humility on the throne of God? Yes, what was it but +heavenly humility that made Jesus on the throne willing to say: "I will go +down to be a servant, and to die for man; I will go and live as the meek +and lowly Lamb of God?" Jesus brought humility from heaven to us. It +was humility that brought Him to earth, or He never would have come. In +accordance with this, just as Christ became a man in this divine humility, +so His whole life was marked by it. He might have chosen another form in +which to appear; He might have come in the form of a king, but He chose the +form of a servant. He made Himself of no reputation; He emptied Himself; +He chose the form of a servant. He said: "The Son of Man is not come to be +ministered unto, to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom +for many." And you know, in the last night, He took the place of a slave, +and girded Himself with a towel, and went to wash the feet of Peter and the +other disciples. Beloved, the life of Jesus upon earth was a life of the +deepest humility. It was this gave His life its worth and beauty in God's +sight. And then His death--possibly you haven't thought of it much in this +connection--but His death was an exhibition of unparalleled humility. "He +humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the +cross." My Lord Christ took a low place all the time of His walk upon +earth; He took a very low place when He began to wash the disciples' feet; +but when He went to Calvary, He took the lowest place there was to be found +in the universe of God, the very lowest, and He let sin, and the curse of +sin, and the wrath of God, cover Him. He took the place of a guilty sinner, +that He might bear our load, that He might serve us in saving us from our +wretchedness, that He might by His precious blood win deliverance for us, +that He might by that blood wash us from our stain and our guilt. + +We are in danger of thinking about Christ, as God, as man, as the +atonement, as the Saviour, and as exalted upon the throne, and we form an +image of Christ, while the real Christ, that which is the very heart of His +character, remains unknown. What is the real Christ? Divine humility, bowed +down into the very depths for our salvation. The humility of Jesus is our +salvation. We read, "He humbled Himself, therefore God hath highly exalted +Him." The secret of His exaltation to the throne is this: He humbled +Himself before God and man. Humility is the Christ of God, and now in +Heaven, to-day, that Christ, the Man of humility, is on the throne of God. +What do I see? A Lamb standing, as it had been slain, on the throne; in +the glory He is still the meek and gentle Lamb of God. His humility is the +badge He wears there. You often use that name--the Lamb of God--and you use +it in connection with the blood of the sacrifice. You sing the praise of +the Lamb, and you put your trust in the blood of the Lamb. Praise God for +the blood. You never can trust that too much. But I am afraid you forget +that the word "Lamb" must mean to us two things: it must mean not only a +sacrifice, the shedding of blood, but it must mean to us the meekness of +God, incarnate upon earth, the meekness of God represented in the meekness +and gentleness of a little Lamb. + +But the salvation that Christ brought is not only a salvation that flows +out of humility; it also leads to humility. We must understand that this +is not only the salvation which Christ brought; but that it is exactly the +salvation which you and I need. What is the cause of all the wretchedness +of man? Primarily pride; man seeking his own will and his own glory. Yes, +pride is the root of every sin, and so the Lamb of God comes to us in our +pride, and brings us salvation from it. We need above everything to be +saved from our pride and our self-will. It is good to be saved from the +sins of stealing, murdering, and every other evil; but a man needs above +all to be saved from what is the root of all sin, his self-will and +his pride. It is not until man begins to feel that this is exactly the +salvation he needs, that he really can understand what Christ is, and +that he can accept Him as his salvation. This is the salvation that we as +Christians and believers specially need. We know the sad story of Peter and +John; what their self-will and pride brought upon them. They needed to be +saved from nothing except themselves, and that is the lesson which we must +learn, if we are to enter the life of rest. And how can we enter that life, +and dwell there in the bosom of the Lamb of God, if pride rules? Have we +not often heard complaints of how much there is of pride in the Church of +Christ? What is the cause of all the division, and strife, and envying, +that is often found even among God's saints? Why is it that often in a +family there is bitterness--it may be only for half an hour, or half a day; +but what is the cause of hard judgments and hasty words? What is the cause +of estrangement between friends? What is the cause of evil speaking? What +is the cause of selfishness and indifference to the feelings of others? +Simply this: the pride of man. He lifts himself up, and he claims the right +to have his opinions and judgments as he pleases. The salvation we need +is indeed humility, because it is only through humility that we can be +restored to our right relation to God. + +"Waiting upon God,"--that is the only true expression for the real relation +of the creature to God; to be nothing before God. What is the essential +idea of a creature made by God? It is this: to be a vessel in which He can +pour out His fullness, in which He can exhibit His life, His goodness, His +power, and His love. A vessel must be empty if it is to be filled, and if +we are to be filled with the life of God we must be utterly empty of +self. This is the glory of God, that He is to fill all things, and more +especially His redeemed people. And as this is the glory of the creature, +so this is the only redemption, and the only glory of every redeemed soul, +to be empty and as nothing before God; to wait upon Him, and to let God be +all in all. + +Humility has a prominent place in almost every epistle of the New +Testament. Paul says: "Walk with all lowliness and meekness, with +longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the +unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The nearer you get to God, and +the fuller of God, the lowlier you will be; and equally before God and man, +you will love to bow very low. We know of Peter's early self-confidence; +but in his epistles what a different language he speaks! He wrote there: +"Let the younger be subject to the elder, and all of you be subject one to +another; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt +you in His own time." He understood, and he dared to preach, humility to +all. It is indeed the salvation we need. What is it that prevents people +from coming to that entire surrender that we speak of? Simply that they +dare not abandon themselves, and trust themselves, to God; that they are +not willing to be nothing, to give up their wishes, and their will, and +their honor to Christ. Shall we not accept the salvation that Jesus +offers? He gave up His own will; He gave up His own honor; He gave up any +confidence in Himself; He lived dependent upon God as a servant whom the +Father had sent. There is the salvation we need, the Spirit of humility +that was in Christ. + +What is it that often disturbs our hearts, and our peace? It is pride +seeking to be something. And God's decree is irreversible, "God resisteth +the proud; He gives grace only to the humble." How often Jesus had to speak +to his disciples about it! You will find repeatedly in the Gospel those +simple words: "He that humbleth Himself shall be exalted; he that exalteth +himself shall be humbled." He taught His disciples: "He that would be +chiefest among you, let him be the servant of all." This should be our one +cry before God: "Let the power of the Holy Ghost come upon me, with the +humility of Jesus, that I may take the place that He took." Brother, do you +want a better place than Jesus had? Are you seeking a higher place than +Jesus? Or will you say: "Down, down, as deep as ever I can go. By the help +of God I will be nothing before God; I will be where Jesus was." + +And now comes the third thought,--This is the salvation the Holy Ghost +brings. You know what a change took place in those disciples. Let us praise +God for it; the Holy Spirit means this: the life, the disposition, the +temper, and the inclinations of Jesus, brought down from heaven into our +hearts. That is the Holy Ghost. He has His mighty workings to bestow as +gifts; but the fullness of the Holy Ghost is this: Jesus Christ in His +humility coming to dwell in us. When Christ was teaching His disciples, all +His instructions may have helped in the way of preparation, breaking them +down, and making them conscious of what was wrong, and awakening desire; +but the instruction could not do it, and all their love to Jesus and their +desire to please Him could not do it, until the Holy Ghost came. That is +the promise Christ gave. He says, in connection with the coming of the Holy +Ghost: "I will come again to you." Christ said to His disciples: "I have +been three years with you, and you have been in the closest contact with +me, and I have done the utmost to reach your hearts; I have sought to get +into your hearts, yet I have failed; but fear not, I will come again. In +that day ye shall see me, and your hearts shall rejoice, and no man shall +take your joy from you. I will come again to dwell in you, and live my life +in you." Christ went to heaven that He might get a power which He never had +before. And what was that? The power of living in men. God be praised for +this! It was because Jesus, the humble One, the Lamb of God, the meek, the +lowly and gentle One, came down in the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His +disciples, that the pride was expelled, and that the very breath of Heaven +breathed through Him in the love that made them one heart and one soul. + +Dear friends, Christ is yours. Christ as He comes in the power of the Holy +Spirit is yours. Are you longing to have Him, to have the perfect Christ +Jesus? Come, then, and see how, amid the glories of His Godhead--His +having been in the form of God, and equal to God; amid the glories of +His incarnation--His having become a man; amid the glories of His +atonement--His having been obedient to death; and amid the glories of His +exaltation, which is the chief and brightest glory, He humbled Himself from +Heaven down to earth and on earth down to the cross. He humbled Himself to +bear the name and show the meekness, and die the death of the Lamb of God. +And what is it we now need to do? How are we to be saved by this humility +of Jesus? It is a solemn question, but, thank God, the answer can be given. +First we must desire it above everything. Let us learn to pray God to +deliver us from every vestige of pride, for this is a cursed thing. Let us +learn to set aside for a time other things in the Christian life, and begin +to plead with the Lamb of God day by day, "O Lamb of God, I know Thy love, +but I know so little of Thy meekness." Come day after day, and lay your +heart against His heart, and say to Him with strong desire: "Jesus, Lamb +of God, give, oh, give me Thyself, with Thy meekness and humility," and He +will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him. It is not enough to desire +it and to pray for it; claim and accept it as yours. This humility is given +you in Christ Jesus. Christ is our life. What does that mean? Oh, that God +might give you and me a vision of what that means. The air is our life, and +the air is everywhere, universal. We breathe without difficulty because God +surrounds us with the air; and is the air nearer to me than Christ is? The +sun gives light to every green leaf and every blade of grass, shining hour +by hour and moment by moment. And is the sun nearer to the blade of grass +than Christ is to man's soul? Verily, no; Christ is around us on every +side; Christ is pressing on us to enter, and there is nothing in heaven, +or earth, or hell, that can keep the light of Christ from shining into the +heart that is empty and open. If the windows of your room were closed with +shutters, the light could not enter; it would be on the outside of the +building, streaming and streaming against the shutters; but it could not +enter. But leave the windows without shutters, and the light comes, it +rejoices to come in and fill the room. Even so, children of God, Jesus and +His light, Jesus and His humility, are around you on every side, longing to +enter into your hearts. Come and take Him to-day in His blessed meekness +and gentleness. Do not be afraid of Him; He is the Lamb of God. He is so +patient with you, He is so kindly towards you, He is so tender and loving. +Take courage to-day and trust Jesus to come into your heart and take +possession of it. And when He has taken possession, there will be a life +day by day of blessed fellowship with Him, and you will feel a necessity +ever deeper for your quiet time with Him, and for worshiping and adoring +Him, and for just sinking down before Him in helplessness and humility, and +saying: "Jesus, I am nothing, and Thou art all." It will be a blessed life, +because you will be conscious of being at the feet of Jesus. At this moment +you can claim Jesus in His divine humility as the life of your soul. Will +you? Will you not open your heart, and say: "Come in; come in?" + +Come to-day, and take Him up afresh in this blessed power of His wonderful +humility, and say to Him: "Oh, Thou who didst say, 'Learn of me, for I am +meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls,' my Lord, +I know why it is that I have not the perfect life; it is my pride, but +to-day, come Thou and dwell in my heart. Thou who didst lead even Peter and +John into the blessedness of Thy heavenly humility; Thou wilt not refuse +me. Lord, here I am; do Thou, who by Thy wonderful humility alone canst +save, come in. O Lamb of God, I believe in Thee; take possession of my +heart, and dwell in me." When you have said that, go out in quiet, and +retire, walking gently as holding the Lamb of God in your heart, and say: +"I have received the Lamb of God; He makes my heart His care; He breathes +His humility and dependence on God in me, and so brings me to God. His +humility is my life and salvation." + + + + +THE COMPLETE SURRENDER. + +VIII. + +_Genesis 39: 1-3_.--_Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an +officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him at the +hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord +was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of +his master, the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him_. + + +We have in this passage an object lesson which teaches us what Christ is to +us. Note: Joseph was a slave, but God was with him so distinctly that his +master could see it. "And his master saw the Lord was with him, and that +the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hands; and Joseph found grace +in his sight, and he served him,"--that is to say, he was his slave about +his person,--"and he made him overseer over his house,"--that was something +new. Joseph had been a slave, but now he becomes a master. "And he made him +overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hands. And it +came to pass, from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, +and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for +Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the +house and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and +he knew not all he had, save the bread which he did eat." + +We find Joseph in two characters in the house of Potiphar: first as a +servant and a slave, one who is trusted and loved, but still entirely a +servant; second, as master. Potiphar made him overseer over his house and +his lands, and all that he had, so that we read afterward that he left +everything in his hands, and he knew of nothing except the bread that +came upon his table. I want to call your attention to Joseph as a type of +Christ. We sometimes speak in the Christian life, of entire surrender, and +rightly, and here we have a beautiful illustration of what it is. First, +Joseph was in Potiphar's house to serve him and to help him, and he did +that, and Potiphar learned to trust him, so that he said, "All that I have +I will give into his hands." Now, that is exactly what is to take place +with a great many Christians. They know Christ, they trust Him, they love +Him, but He is not Master, He is a sort of helper. When there is trouble +they come to Him, when they sin they ask Him for pardon in His precious +blood, when they are in darkness they cry to Him; but often and often they +live according to their own will, and they seek help from themselves. But +how blessed is the man who comes and, like Potiphar, says, "I will give +up everything to Jesus!" There are many who have accepted Christ as +their Lord, but have never yet come to the final, absolute surrender of +everything. Christians, if you want perfect rest, abiding joy, strength to +work for God, oh, come and learn from that poor heathen Egyptian what you +ought to do. He saw that God was with Joseph and he said, "I will give up +my house to him." Oh, learn you to do that. There are some who have +never yet accepted Christ, some who are seeking after Him, thirsting and +hungering, but they do not know how to find Him. + +Let me direct your attention to four thoughts regarding this surrender to +Christ: First, its motives; second, its measures; third, its blessedness; +lastly, its duration. + +First of all, its motives. What moved Potiphar to do this? I think the +answer is very easy: he was a trusted servant of the king and he had the +king's work to take care of, and he very likely could not take care of +his own house. All his time and attention were required at the court of +Pharaoh. He had his duty there; he was in high honor; but his own house got +neglected. Very likely he had had other overseers, one slave appointed to +rule the others, and perhaps that one had been unfaithful, or dishonest, +and somehow his house was not as he would have it. So he buys another +slave, just as he had formerly done, but in this case he sees what he had +never seen before. There is something unusual about the man. He walks +so humbly, he serves so faithfully and so lovingly, and withal so +successfully. Potiphar begins to look into the reason for this, and finally +concludes that God is with him. + +It is a grand thing to have a man with whom God is, to entrust one's +business to. The heathen realized this, and between the need of his own +house and what he saw in Joseph, he decided to make him overseer. I ask +you, do not these two motives plead most urgently that you should say: "I +will make Jesus master over my whole being?" Your house, Christian, your +spiritual life, the dwelling, the temple of God in your heart,--in what +state is that? Is it not often like the temple of old, in Jerusalem, that +had been defiled and made a house of merchandise, and afterwards a den of +thieves? Your heart, meant to be the home of Jesus, is it not often full +of sin and darkness, full of sadness, full of vexation? You have done your +very best to get it changed, and you have called in the help of man, and +the help of means; you have used every method you could think of for +getting it put right; but it will not come right until He whose it is, +comes in to take charge. + +If there is any trouble in your heart, if you are in darkness, or in the +power of sin, I bring to you the Son of God, with the promise that He will +come in and take charge. As Potiphar took Joseph, will you not take Jesus? +Has He not proven Himself worthy to be trusted? Come and say, "Jesus shall +have entire charge; He is worthy." Think not only of His Divine power, but +think of His wonderful love; think of His coming from heaven to save you; +think of His dying on Calvary and shedding His blood out of intense love +for you. Oh, think of it; Christ in heaven loves every one who is given to +Him, and whom He has made a child of God. "Having loved His own that were +in the world, He loved them unto the end." + +Must I plead in the name of the love of the crucified Jesus; must I plead +with you Christians, and say, Look at Jesus, the Son of God, your Redeemer, +and ask you to make Him overseer over all? Give Him charge of your temper, +your heart's affections, your thoughts, your whole being, and He will prove +Himself worthy of it. Joseph had been for a time just a common slave, and +with the other slaves had served Pharaoh. Alas! many a Christian has used +Christ for his own advancement and comfort, just as he uses everything in +the world. He uses father and mother, minister, money, and all else the +world will give, to comfort and make him happy; there is danger of his +using Christ Jesus in the same way. But oh, brethren, this is not right. +You are His house, and He has a right to dwell therein. Will you not come +and surrender all, and say, "Lord Jesus, I have made Thee overseer over +all?" + +But now, secondly, the measure of that surrender. We read in the 4th verse: +"All that he had he put into his hands." Then in verse 5: "And it came to +pass from the time that he made him overseer over all that he had"--there +you have it the second time--"the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house, and +the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had"--there the third time. +Then in verse 6: "And he left all that he had"--there you have the words +the fourth time--"in Joseph's hand, and he knew not all he had, save the +bread which he did eat." What do I see here? That Potiphar actually gave +everything into Joseph's hands. He made him master over his slaves. All the +money was put into Joseph's hands, for we read that Potiphar had care of +nothing. When dinner was brought upon the table, he ate of it, and that +was all he knew of what was going on in his house. Is not this entire +surrender?--he gives up everything into the hands of Joseph. Ah, beloved +Christians, I want you to ask yourselves: "Have I done that?" You have +offered more than one consecration prayer, and you have more than once +said: "Jesus, all I have I give to Thee." You have said it, and meant it; +but very probably you did not realize fully what it meant. + +With the word surrender there seems always to be a larger and more +comprehensive meaning. We do not succeed in carrying out our intentions, +and afterward we take back one thing and another until we have lost sight +of our original intention. Beloved Christians, let Christ Jesus have all. +Let Him have your whole heart, with its affections; He Himself loves, with +more than the love of Jonathan. Let Him have your whole heart, saying, +"Jesus, every fiber of my being, ever power of my soul, shall be devoted +to Thee." He will accept that surrender. He spoke a solemn word: "You must +hate father and mother." Say you to-day: "Lord Jesus, the love to father +and mother, to wife and child, to brother and sister, I give up to Thee. +Teach Thou me how to love Thee. I have only one desire, which is to love +Thee. I want to give my whole heart to be full of Thy love." + +But when you have given your heart, there is yet more to give. There is the +head--the brain with its thoughts. I believe Christians do not know how +much they rob Christ of in reading so much of the literature of the world. +They are often so occupied with their newspapers that the Bible gets a very +small place. Oh, friends, I beseech you bring this noble power which God +has given you, the power of a mind that can think heavenly, eternal, and +infinite things, and lay it at the feet of Jesus, saying, "Lord Jesus, +every faculty of my being I want to surrender to Thee, that Thou shouldst +teach me what to think, and how to think, for Thee and Thy Kingdom." Bless +God, there are men who have given their intellect to Jesus, and it has been +accepted by Him. And in this connection there is my whole outer life. There +is my relation to society, my position among men, my intercourse in my own +home, with friends and family; there is my money, my time, my business; all +these should be put in the hands of Jesus. One cannot know beforehand the +blessedness of this surrender, but blessed it surely is. Come, because He +is worthy; come because you know you can not keep things right yourself, +and make Christ master over all you have. Give father and mother, wife and +child, house and land, and money, all to Jesus, and you will find that in +giving all you receive it back an hundred fold. + +Thirdly, look at the blessing of the entire surrender. You have here the +remarkable words: "And it came to pass from the time that Potiphar made +Joseph overseer over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's +house for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he +had in the house, and in the field." I ask you Christians, If God did this +to that heathen man, because he honored Joseph; if God, for Joseph's sake, +blessed that Egyptian in this wonderful way, may a Christian not venture to +say: "If I put my life into the hands of Jesus, I am sure God will bless +all that I have?" Oh, dare to say it. Potiphar trusted Joseph implicitly +and absolutely, and there was prosperity everywhere, because God was with +Joseph. Beloved friends, if you but surrender everything, depend upon it, +the blessing from that time will be yours. There will be a blessing within +your own inner life, and a blessing in your outer life. He blessed Potiphar +in the house, in the field, everywhere. + +Oh, Christian, what is that blessing you will get? I can not tell all, but +I can tell you this: if you will come to Christ Jesus and surrender all, +the blessing of God will be on all that you have. There will be a blessing +for your own soul. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is +stayed on Thee." Try that; trust Jesus for everything, and trust everything +to Him, and the blessing of God will come upon you--the sweet rest, the +rest of faith. It is all in the hands of Jesus; He will guide you; He will +teach you; He will work in you; He will keep you; He will be everything to +you. What a blessed rest and freedom from responsibility and from care, +because it is all in the hands of Jesus! I do not say trouble and trial +will never come; but in the midst of trial and trouble you will have the +all-sufficiency of the presence of Jesus to be your comfort, your help, and +your guide. Joseph was sold by his brethren, but he saw God in it, and he +was quite content. Christ was betrayed by Judas, condemned by Caiaphas, and +given over to execution by Pilate; but in all that, Christ saw God, and +He was content. Give over your life, in all its phases, into the hands of +Jesus; remembering that the very hairs of your head are numbered, and not a +sparrow falls to earth without the Father's notice. Consent now and say: "I +will give up everything into the hands of Jesus. Whatever happens is His +will regarding me. Whether He comes in the light or in the dark, in the +storm or on the troubled sea, I will rest in that blessed assurance. I give +up my whole life entirely to Him." + +In reading the Book of Jonah, we find God's hand in each step of Jonah's +experience. It was God who sent the storm when Jonah went aboard the ship, +who appointed a whale to swallow him, who ordered the whale to cast him +out; and then afterwards it was God who caused the hot wind to blow when +the sun was sending down its scorching rays, until the soul of Jonah was +grieved, and made the gourd to grow, and sent the worm to kill the gourd, +and set a sea-wind to dry the gourd up quickly. Do we not thus see that +every circumstance of our living, every comfort and every trial, comes from +God in Christ? There is nothing can touch a hair of my head. Not a sharp +word comes against me; not an unexpected flurry surrounds me, but it is all +Jesus. With my life in His hands, I need care for nothing. I can be content +with what Jesus gives. + +God blessed Potiphar in the field; in the visible life outside of his +house; and God will bless you, that, in your intercourse with men, you may +be a blessing; that by your holy, humble, respectful, quiet walk, you may +carry comfort; that by your loving readiness to be a servant and a helper +to all, you may prove what the Spirit of God has done within you. Oh, my +brother, my sister, you have no conception of it,--I have not--how God is +willing to bless the soul utterly given up to Jesus. God can delight in +nothing but Jesus. God delights infinitely in Jesus. God longs to see +nothing in us but Jesus, and if I give up my heart and life to Jesus, and +say, "My God, I want that Thou shouldst see in me nothing but Jesus," then +I bring to the Father the sacrifice that is the most acceptable of all. +Oh, believers, come to-day; come out of all your troubles, and all your +self-efforts and your self-confidence, and let the blessed Son of God +take possession. + +Let me direct your thoughts, lastly, to the duration of this surrender. I +want to emphasize this--because in many cases the surrender does not last. +Some go away, and for a time have much gladness and joy, but it soon begins +to decrease, and in a few weeks or perhaps months is all gone. Others who +do not lose it entirely, complain sadly at times, that it goes away and +comes again. They say: "My life has been very much blessed since that +surrender I made to God, but it has not always been on the same level." +What did Potiphar do? We read in the 4th verse: "He made him overseer over +his house, and all that he had he left in Joseph's hands." What a simple +word! He left it there. + +And oh, children of God, if you will only get to that point and say, "For +all eternity I leave it in the hands of Jesus," you will find what a +blessing it is. Potiphar found now that he could do the king's business +with two hands and an undivided heart. I might try to rescue a drowning man +by holding fast somewhere with one hand, while I reached out the other hand +to the man, but it is a grand thing for a person to be able to stretch out +both hands, and that person is the one who has left all with Jesus--all his +inner life, all his cares and troubles, and has given himself up entirely +to do the will of God. Will you leave it there? I must press this, because +I know temptations will come. One temptation will be that the feelings you +had in your act of surrender will pass away; they will not be so bright; +another, that circumstances will tempt you. Beloved, temptations will come; +God means it for your good. Every temptation brings you a blessing. Do +understand that. Learn the lesson of giving up everything to Jesus, and +letting Jesus take charge of everything. Leave all with Jesus. Do not think +that by a surrender to-day or on any day, however powerful, however mighty, +things will keep right themselves. You need every morning afresh, when +God wakes you up out of sleep, to put your heart, and your life, and your +house, and your business, into the hands of Jesus. Wait on Him, if need be, +in silence, or in prayer, until He gives you the assurance, "My child, for +to-day all is safe; I take charge." And morning by morning He will renew to +you the blessing, and morning by morning you will go out from your quiet +time in the consciousness, "To-day I have had fellowship with my King, and +it is all right." Jesus has taken charge. And so, day by day, you can have +grace to leave all in the hands of Jesus. + +In conclusion let me speak to two classes. There are times when your heart +is restless; there are times when you are afraid to die. + +There are some true believers who have perhaps never yet understood that it +was their duty to give up everything to Christ. Beloved fellow Christians, +I come with a message from your Father, to come and to-day take that word +into your hearts and upon your lips, even though you do not understand it. +"Jesus, I make Thee Master of everything and I will wait at Thy feet, that +Thou wilt show me what Thou wouldst have me be and do." Do it now. And +let me say to believers who have done it before, and who long with an +unutterable longing to do it fully and perfectly,--Child of God, you can +do it, for the Holy Spirit has been sent down from Heaven for this one +purpose, to glorify Jesus; to glorify Jesus in your heart, by letting you +see how perfectly Jesus can take possession of the whole heart; to glorify +Jesus by bringing Him into your very life, that your whole life may shine +out with the glory of Jesus. Depend upon it, the Father will give it to you +by the Holy Spirit, if you are ready. Oh, come, and let your intercourse +with God be summed up in a simple prayer and answer--"My God, as much as +Thou wilt have of me to fill with Christ, Thou shalt have to-day." "My +child, as much of Christ as thy heart longeth to have, thou shalt have; for +it is My delight that My Son be in the hearts of My children." + + + + +DEAD WITH CHRIST. + +IX. + +_Gal. 2: 20_.--_I am crucified with Christ_. + + +The Revised Version properly has the above text "I have been crucified +with Christ." In this connection, let us read the story of a man who was +literally crucified with Christ. We may use all the narrative of Christ's +work upon earth in the flesh as a type of His spiritual work. Let us take +in this instance the story of the penitent thief, Luke 23: 39-43, for I +think we may learn from him how to live as men who are crucified with +Christ. Paul says: "I have been crucified with Christ." And again: "God +forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, +through whom I have been crucified to the world, and the world to me." We +often ask earnestly: How can I be free from the self life? The answer is, +"Get another life." We often speak about the power of the Holy Spirit +coming upon us, but I doubt if we fully realize that the Holy Spirit is a +heavenly life come to expel the selfish, and fleshly, and the earthly life. +If we want, in very deed, to enjoy fully the rest that there is in Jesus, +we can only have it as He comes in, in the power of His death, to slay what +is in us of nature, and to take possession, and to live His own life in the +fullness of the Holy Ghost. God's Word takes us to the cross of Christ, and +it teaches us about that cross, two things. It tells us that Christ died +_for_ sin. We understand what that means, that in His atonement He died as +I never die, as I never can die, as I never need die; He died for sin and +for me. But what gave His death such power to atone? It was this: the +spirit in which He died, not the physical suffering, not the external act +of death, but the spirit in which He died. And what was that spirit? He +died _unto_ sin. Sin had tempted Him, and surrounded Him, and had brought +Him very nigh to saying, "I cannot die." In Gethsemane He cried: "Father, +is it not possible that the cup pass from me?" But God be praised, He gave +up His life rather than yield to sin. He died to sin, and in dying He +conquered. And now, I can not die for sin like Christ, but I can and I must +die to sin like Christ. Christ died for me. In that He stands alone. Christ +died to sin, and in that I have fellowship with Him. I have been crucified, +I am dead. + +And here is the great subject to which I want to lead you.--What it is to +be dead with Christ, and how it is that I can practically enter into this +death with Christ. We know that the great characteristic of Christ is His +death. From eternity He came with the commandment of the Father that He +should lay down His life on earth. He gave Himself up to it, and He set His +face towards Jerusalem. He chose death, and He lived and walked upon earth +to prepare Himself to die. His death is the power of redemption; death gave +Him His victory over sin; death gave Him His resurrection, His new life, +His exaltation, and His everlasting glory. The great mark of Christ is His +death. Even in Heaven, upon the throne, He stands as the Lamb that was +slain, and through eternity they ever sing, "Thou art worthy, for Thou +wast slain." Beloved brother, your Boaz, your Christ, your all-sufficient +Saviour, is a Man of whom the chief mark and the greatest glory is this: He +died. And if the Bride is to live with her husband as His wife, then she +must enter into His state, and into His spirit, and into His disposition, +and ever be as He is. If we are to experience the full power of what Christ +can do for us, we must learn to die with Christ. I ought not, perhaps, to +use that expression, "We must learn to die with Christ;" I ought, rather, +to say, "We must learn that we _are dead_ with Christ." That is a glorious +thought in the 6th chapter of Romans; to every believer in the Church of +Rome--not to the select ones, or the advanced ones, but to every believer +in the Church of Rome, however feeble, Paul writes, "You _are dead_ with +Christ." On the strength of that he says, "Reckon yourselves dead unto +sin." What does that mean--You are dead to sin? We can not see it more +clearly than by referring to Adam. Christ was the second Adam. What +happened in the first Adam? I died, in the first Adam; I died to God; I +died in sin. When I was born, I had in me the life of Adam, which had all +the characteristics of the life of Adam after he had fallen. Adam died to +God, and Adam died in sin, and I inherit the life of Adam, and so I am dead +in sin as he was, and dead unto God. But at the very moment I begin to +believe in Jesus, I become united to Christ, the second Adam, and as really +as I am united by my birth to the first Adam, I am made partaker of the +life of Christ. What life? That life which died unto sin on Calvary, and +which rose again; therefore God by his apostle tells us: "Reckon yourselves +indeed dead unto sin and alive unto God in Christ Jesus." You are to reckon +it as true, because God says it--for your new nature is indeed, in virtue +of your vital union to Christ, actually and utterly dead to sin. + +If we want to have the real Christ that God has given us, the real Christ +that died for us, in the power of His death and resurrection, we must take +our stand here. But many Christians do not understand what the 6th chapter +of the Epistle to the Romans teaches us. They do not know that they are +dead to sin. They do not know it, and therefore Paul instructs them: "Know +ye not that as many of you as are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized +into His death." How can we who are dead to sin in Christ live any longer +therein? We have indeed the death and the life of Christ working within +us. But, alas! most Christians do not know this, and therefore do not +experience or practice it. They need to be taught that their first need is +to be brought to the recognition, to the knowledge, of what has taken place +in Christ on Calvary, and what has taken place in their becoming united +to Christ. The man must begin to say, even before he understands it, "In +Christ I am dead to sin." It is a command: "Reckon ye yourselves indeed to +be dead unto sin." Get hold of your union to Christ; believe in the new +nature within you, that spiritual life which you have from Christ, a life +that has died and been raised again. A man's acts are always in accordance +with his idea of his state. A king acts like a king, otherwise we say, +"That man has forgotten his kingship," but if a man is conscious of being +a king, he behaves like a king. And so I cannot live the life of a true +believer unless I am filled with a consciousness of this every day: "I +thank God that I am dead in Christ. Christ died unto sin, and I am united +with Christ, and Christ lives in me and I am dead to sin." What is the life +Christ lives in me? Ask what is the life Adam lives in me? Adam lives in me +the death life, a life that has fallen under the power of sin and death, +death to God. That life Adam lives in me by nature as an unconverted man. +And Christ, the second Adam, has come to me with a new life, and I now live +in His life, the death-life of Christ. As long as I do not know it, I can +not act according to it, though it be in me. Praise God, when a man begins +to see what it is, and begins in obedience to say, "I will do what God's +Word says; I am dead, I reckon myself dead," he enters upon a new life. On +the strength of God's everlasting Word, and your union to Christ, and the +great fact of Calvary, reckon, know yourself as dead indeed unto sin. A man +must see this truth; this is the first step. The second is--he must accept +it in faith. And what then? When he accepts it in faith, then there comes +in him a struggle, and a painful experience, for that faith is still very +feeble, and he begins to ask, "But why, if I am dead to sin, do I commit so +much sin?" And the answer God's Word gives is simply this: You do not allow +the power of that death to be applied by the Holy Spirit. What we need is +to understand that the Holy Spirit came from Heaven, from the glorified +Jesus, to bring His death and His life into us. The two are inseparably +connected. That Christ died, He died unto sin, and that He liveth, He +liveth unto God. The death and the life in Him are inseparable; and even so +in us the life to God in Christ is inseparably connected with the death to +sin. And that is what the Holy Ghost will teach us and work in us. If I +have accepted Christ in faith by the Holy Ghost, and yield myself to +Him, Christ every day keeps possession, and reveals the full power of +my fellowship in His death and life in my heart. To some this comes +undoubtedly in one moment of supreme power and blessing; all at once they +see and accept it, and enter in, and there is death to sin as a Divine +experience. It is not that the tendency to evil is rooted out. No; but the +power of Christ's death keeps from sin, and destroys the power of sin; the +power of Christ's death can be manifested in the Holy Spirit's unceasingly +mortifying the deeds of the body. + +Some one asks me if there is still growth needed. Undoubtedly. By the Holy +Spirit a man can now begin to live and grow, deeper and deeper, into the +fellowship of Christ's death. New things are discovered by him in spheres +of which he never thought. A man may at times be filled with the Holy +Ghost, and yet there may be great imperfections in him. Why? For this +reason: because his heart, perhaps, had not been fully prepared by a +complete discovery of sin. There may be pride, or self-consciousness, or +forwardness, or other qualities of this nature which he has never noticed. +The Holy Spirit does not always cast these out at once. No. There are +different ways of entering into the blessed life. One man enters into the +blessed life with the idea of power for service; another with the idea of +rest from worry and weariness; another with the idea of deliverance from +sin. In all these aspects there is something limited, and therefore every +believer is to give himself up after he knows the power of Christ's death, +and say continually: "Lord Jesus, let the power of Thy death work through, +let it penetrate my whole being." As the man gives himself unreservedly up, +he will begin to bear the marks of a crucified man. The apostle says: "I +have been crucified," and he lives like a crucified man. + +What are the marks of a crucified man? The first is, deep, absolute +humility. Christ humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the +death of the cross. When the death to sin begins to work mightily, that is +one of its chief and most blessed proofs. It breaks a man down, down, and +the great longing of his heart is, "Oh, that I could get deeper down before +my God, and be nothing at all, that the life of Christ might be exalted. I +deserve nothing but the cursed cross; I give myself over to it." Humility +is one of the great marks of a crucified man. + +Another mark is impotence, helplessness. When a man hangs +on the cross, he is utterly helpless, he can do nothing. As long as we +Christians are strong, and can work, or struggle, we do not get into the +blessed life of Christ; but when a man says, "I am a crucified man, I am +utterly helpless, every breath of life and strength must come from my +Jesus," then we learn what it is to sink into our own impotence, and say, +"I am nothing." + +Still another mark of crucifixion is restfulness. Yes. Christ was +crucified, and went down into the grave, and we are crucified and buried +with Him. There is no place of rest like the grave; a man can do nothing +there, "My flesh shall rest in hope," said David, and said the Messiah. +Yes, and when a man goes down into the grave of Jesus, it means this: that +he just cries out, "I have nothing but God, I trust God; I am waiting upon +God; my flesh rests in Him; I have given up everything, that I may rest, +waiting upon what God is to do to me." Remember, the crucifixion, and the +death, and the burial are inseparably one. And remember the grave is the +place where the mighty resurrection power of God will be manifested. +And remember those precious words in the 11th of John: "Said I not unto +thee"--when did Christ say that? It was at the grave of Lazarus--"that if +thou believest, thou shalt see the glory of God?" Where shall I see the +glory of God most brightly? Beside the grave. Go down into death believing, +and the glory of God will come upon thee, and fill thy heart. + +Dear friends, we want to die. If we are to live in the rest, and the peace, +and the blessedness of our great Boaz; if we are to live a life of joy and +of fruitfulness, of strength and of victory, we must go down into the grave +with Christ, and the language of our life must be: "I am a crucified +man. God be praised, though I have nothing but sin in myself, I have an +everlasting Jesus, with His death and His life, to be the life of my soul." + +How can I enter into this fellowship of the cross? We find an illustration +in the story of the penitent thief. Thomas said, before Christ's death, +"Let us go and abide with Him." And Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go +with Thee to prison, or to death." But the disciples all failed, and our +Lord took a man who was the offscouring of the earth, and he hung him upon +the cross of Calvary beside Himself, and He said to Peter, and to all: "I +will let you see what it is to die with Me." And He says that word to-day, +to the weakest and the humblest; if you are longing to know what it is to +enter into death with Jesus, come and look at the penitent thief. And what +do we see there? First of all, we see there the state of a heart prepared +to die with Christ. We see in that penitent thief, a humble, whole-hearted +confession of sin. There he hung upon the cursed tree, and the multitudes +were blaspheming that man beside him, but he was not ashamed publicly to +make confession: "I am dying a death that I have deserved; I am suffering +justly; this cross is what I have deserved." Here is one of the reasons why +the Church of Christ enters so little into the death of Christ; men do not +want to believe that the curse of God is upon everything in them that has +not died with Christ. People talk about the curse of sin, but they do not +understand that the whole nature has been infected by sin, and that the +curse is on everything. My intellect, has that been defiled by sin? +Terribly, and the curse of sin is on it, and therefore my intellect must go +down into the death. Ah, I believe that the Church of Christ suffers more +to-day from trusting in intellect, in sagacity, in culture, and in mental +refinement, than from almost anything else. The Spirit of the world comes +in, and men seek by their wisdom, and by their knowledge, to help the +Gospel, and they rob it of its crucifixion mark. Christ directed Paul to go +and preach the Gospel of the cross, but to do it not with wisdom of words. +The curse of sin is on all that is of nature. If there be a minister who +has delighted in preaching, who has done his very best, who has given his +very best in the way of talent and of thought, and who asks, "Must that +go down into the grave?" I say, "Yes, my brother, the whole man must be +crucified." And so with the heart's affection. What is more beautiful than +the love of a child to his mother? In that lovely nature there is something +unsanctified, and it must be given up to die. God will raise it from the +dead and give it back again, sanctified and made alive unto God. So I might +go through the whole of our life. People often say to me: "But has God made +all things so beautiful, and is it not right that we should enjoy them? Are +not His gifts all good?" I answer, yes, but remember what it says; they are +good, if sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. The curse of sin is on +them; the blight of sin is on everything most beautiful, and it takes much +of God's Word, and much of prayer to sanctify them. It is very hard to give +up a thing to the death, and it is hardest of all to give up my life to the +death, and I never will until I have learned that everything about that +life is stamped by sin, and let it go down into the death as the only way +to have it quickened and sanctified. + +The penitent thief confessed his sin, and that he deserved death. Then, +next, he had faith in the almighty power of Christ. A wonderful faith. It +has no parallel in the Bible. There hangs the cursed malefactor with Jesus +of Nazareth, and he dares speak, and say: "I am dying here, under the just +curse of my sins, but I believe Thou canst take me into Thy heart, and +remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom." Oh, that we might learn to +believe in the almighty power of Christ! That man believed that Christ was +a King, and had a Kingdom, and that He would take him up in His arms, and +in His heart, and remember him when He came into His Kingdom. He believed +that, and believing that, he died. Brother, you and I need to take time to +come to a much larger and deeper faith in the power of Christ, that the +almighty Christ will indeed take us in His arms and carry us through this +death life, revealing the power of His death in us. I cannot live it +without personal contact with Christ every hour of the day. Christ must do +it; Christ can do it. Come therefore and say: "Is He not the Almighty One; +did He not come from the throne of God; did He not prove His omnipotence, +and did the Father not prove it when He rose from the dead?" Would you be +afraid, now that Christ is on the throne, of doing what the malefactor did +when Christ was upon the cross, and entrusting yourself to Him to live as +one dead with Him? Christ will carry you through the very process He went +through; will make His death work in you every day of your life. + +I note one thing more in the penitent thief--his prayer. There was his +conviction of sin, and his faith, but there was, further, the utterance of +his faith in prayer. He turned to Jesus. Remember that the whole world, +with perhaps the exception of Mary and the women, was turned against Christ +that day. Of the whole world of men as far as I know, there was but that +one praying to Christ. Do not wait to see what others do; if you wait for +that,--alas! I desire to say it in love and tenderness,--you will not find +much company in the Church of Christ. Pray incessantly: "Lord Christ, let +the power of Thy death come into me." For God's sake, pray the prayer. If +you want to live the life of Heaven, there must be death to sin in the +power of Jesus. There must be personal entrustment of the soul into His +death to sin, personal acceptance of Jesus to do the mighty work. + +We have seen what the preparation is on the part of this man; let us look, +secondly, at how Christ met him. He met him, you know, with that wonderful +promise, with its three wonderful parts: "To-day shalt thou be with me in +Paradise." A promise of fellowship with Christ,--"Thou shalt be with me;" +a promise of rest in eternity, in the Paradise from which sin had cast man +out,--"With me in Paradise;" a promise of immediate blessing,--"To-day +shalt thou be with Me." With that three-fold blessing Jesus comes to you +and me, and He says: "Believer, are you longing to live the Paradise life, +where I give souls to eat of the Tree of Life, in the Paradise of God, day +by day? Are you longing for that uninterrupted communion with God that +there was in Paradise before Adam fell? Are you longing for perfect +fellowship with me, longing to live where I am living, in the love of the +Father? To-day, to-day; even as the Holy Ghost says: 'To-day shalt thou +be with me!' Longest thou for Me? I long more for thee. Longest thou for +fellowship? I long unceasingly for thy fellowship, for I need thy love, +my child, to satisfy my heart. Nothing can prevent My receiving thee into +fellowship. I have taken possession of Heaven for thee, as the Great High +Priest, that thou mightest live the Heavenly life, that thou mightest have +access into the holiest of all and an abiding dwelling place there. To-day, +if thou wilt, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Thank God, the Jesus of +the penitent thief is my Jesus. Thank God, the cross of the penitent thief +is my cross. I must confess my sinfulness if I want to come into the +closest communion with my blessed Lord. There was not a man upon earth +during the thirty-three years of Christ's life that had such wonderful +fellowship with the Son of God, as the penitent thief, for with the Son of +God he entered the glory. What made him so separate from others? He was on +the cross with Jesus and entered Paradise with Him. And if I live upon the +cross with Jesus, the Paradise life shall be mine every day. + +And now, if Jesus gives me that promise, what have I to do? Let go. When a +ship is moored alongside the dock, with everything ready for the start and +all standing on the quay, the last bell is rung and the order is given, +"Let go." Then the last rope is loosened, and the steamer moves. There are +things that tie us to the earth, to the flesh-life, and to the self-life; +but to-day the message comes: "If thou wouldst die with Jesus, let go." +Thou needst not understand all. It may not be perfectly clear; the heart +may appear dull, but never mind; Jesus carried that penitent thief through +death to life. The thief did not know where he was going, he did not know +what was to happen, but Jesus, the mighty conqueror, took him in His arms, +and landed him, in his ignorance, in Paradise. Oh, I have sometimes said +in my soul, bless God for the ignorance of that penitent thief. He knew +nothing about what was going to happen, but he trusted Christ; and if I can +not understand all about this crucifixion with Christ, and the death to +sin, and the life to God, and the glory that comes into the heart, never +mind, I trust my Lord's promise, I cast myself helpless into His arms, I +maintain my position on the cross. Given up to Jesus, to die with Him, I +can trust Him to carry me through. + +Shall we not each one take the blessed opportunity of doing what Ruth did +when she, in obedience to the advice of her mother, just cast herself at +the feet of the great Boaz, the Redeemer, to be His? Shall we not come into +personal contact with Jesus, and shall not each one of us just speak before +the world these simple words: "Lord, here is this life; there is much in it +still of self, and sinfulness, and self-will, but I come to Thee; I long to +enter fully into Thy death; I long to know fully that I have been crucified +with Thee; I long to live Thy life every day." Then say: "Lord Jesus, I +have seen Thy glory, what Thou didst for the penitent one at Thy side on +the cross; I am trusting Thee, that Thou wilt do it for me. Lord, I cast +myself into Thy arms." + + + + +JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST. + +X. + +_Romans 14: 17._--_For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but +righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost._ + + +In this text we have the earthly revelation of the work of the Trinity. The +Kingdom of God is righteousness; that represents the work of the Father. +The foundations of His throne are justice and judgment. Then comes the work +of the Son: He is our peace, our Shiloh, our rest. The Kingdom of God is +peace; not only the peace of pardon for the past, but the peace of perfect +assurance as to the future. Not only the work of atonement is finished, but +the work of sanctification is finished in Christ, and I may receive and +enjoy what is prepared for me. The new man has been created, and I may in +Him live out my life; if a kingdom is established in righteousness, if the +rule is perfect, there can be perfect rest. If there be peace, no war +from without, and no civil dissension within, a nation can be happy and +prosperous. And so there comes here, after righteousness and peace, the +joy, the blessed happiness in which a man can live; "The Kingdom of God is +righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." May we regard this joy +of the Holy Ghost, not only as a beautiful thing to admire, not only as a +thing to have beautiful thoughts about, but as a blessing that we are going +to claim. + +We often see a fruiterer's or confectioner's shop, with beautiful fruit or +cake temptingly displayed in the window. There is a great pane of plate +glass before it, and the hungry little boys stand there and look, and long, +but they cannot reach it. If you were to say to one, "Now, little boy, take +that fruit," he would look at you in surprise. He has learned that there is +something between. If he had never known of glass he might attempt it. The +plate glass is sometimes so clear that even a grown man might for a moment +be deceived and stretch out his hand. But he soon finds there is something +invisible between him and the fruit. This represents exactly the life of +many Christians; they see, but they cannot take. And what now is this +invisible pane of plate glass, that hinders my taking the beautiful things +I see? It is nothing but the self-life; I see divine things but cannot +reach them, the self-life is the invisible plate glass. We are willing, we +are working, we are striving, and yet we are holding back something; we are +afraid to give up everything to God. We do not know what the consequences +may be. We have not yet comprehended that God and Christ Jesus are worth +everything. Whatever is told us of the blessed life of peace and joy, we +say, "Praise God; God's Word is true; I believe the Word;" and yet, day by +day, we stand back. When some one says, "Take it," we say, "I can't take +it; there is something between." Would we were willing to give up the +self-life; would we had the courage to give up to-day, and let the joy of +the Holy Ghost be our religion. That is the religion God has prepared for +us; that is the religion we can claim; not only righteousness, not only +peace, but the joy of the Holy Ghost. That is the Kingdom of God. + +What is this joy? First of all, it is the joy of the presence of Jesus. +We are often inclined to speak most of two other things, the power for +sanctification, and the power for service. But I find there is a thing more +important than either of those two, and that is that the Holy Ghost came +from Heaven to be the abiding presence of Christ in His disciples, in the +Church, and in the heart of every believer. The Lord Jesus was going away, +and His disciples were very sad; their hearts was sorrowful; but He said to +them, "I will come back again, and I will come to you. Your hearts shall +rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you." What took place with +them, may take place with us too. The Holy Spirit is given to make the +presence of Jesus an abiding reality, a continual experience. And what was +that joy that no man could ever touch? It was the joy of Pentecost. And +what was Pentecost? The coming of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Ghost to dwell +with His disciples. While Jesus was with His disciples on earth, He could +not get into their hearts in the right way. They loved Him, but they could +not take in His teaching, they could not partake of His disposition, and +they could not receive His very spirit into their being. But when He had +ascended to Heaven, He came back in the Spirit to dwell in their hearts. +It is this alone that will help us to go, the minister to his congregation +with its difficulties, the business man to his counter, the mother to her +large family with its care, the worker to her Bible class. It is this only +that will help us to feel, "I can conquer, I can live in the rest of God." +Why? "Because I have the almighty Jesus with me every day." With God's +people, there seems to be one hindrance, _they do not know their Saviour_. +They do not realize that this blessed Christ is an ever present, +all-pervading, in-dwelling Christ, who wants to take charge of their entire +lives. They do not know, they do not believe that He is an Almighty Christ, +and ready in the midst of any difficulties and any circumstances to be +their keeper and their God. This is absolutely true. Many Christians are +asked as to how one may have the joy unspeakable, the joy that nothing can +take away, the joy of the friendship and nearness and love of Jesus filling +his heart. We complain that the rush of competition is so terrible that we +can not get time for private prayer. Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, if He +comes to you as a brother and a friend and an abiding guest, can give your +heart the joy of the Holy Ghost, so that business will take its right place +under your feet. Your heart is too holy to have it filled with business; +let the business be in the head and under the feet, but let Christ have +the whole heart, and He will keep the whole life. Our glorious, exalted, +almighty, ever present Christ! why is it that you and I can not trust Him +fully, perfectly to do His work? Shall we not say before God that we do +trust Him, that we will trust Christ to be to us every moment all that we +can desire? On the Cross of Calvary Christ was all alone, and you believe +He did a perfect and a blessed work; and Christ in Heaven is all alone, as +high priest and intercessor, and you trust Him for His work there. But, +praise God! it is equally true, Christ in the heart is able all alone to +keep it all the days. May it please God to reveal to His children the +nearness of Christ standing and knocking at the door of every heart, ready +to come in and rest forever there and to lead the soul into His rest. + +We all know what the power of joy is; we know there is nothing so +attractive as joy, there is nothing can help a man to bear and endure so +much as joy; we know that the Lord Jesus Himself for the joy that was set +before Him endured the cross. One is not living aright if he is living a +sighing, trembling, doubting life. Come to-day and believe the joy of the +Holy Ghost is meant for you. Does not the Scripture say, "Whom not having +seen we love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice +with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Do you not believe that this +blessed, adorable, inconceivably beautiful Son of God, the delight of the +Father,--do you not believe that this Son of God could fill your heart with +delight day and night, if He were always present? And do you not believe +that He loves you more than a bridegroom loves his bride? Do you not +believe that, having bought you with His blood, Jesus is longing for you? +He needs you to satisfy His heart of love. Begin to believe with your +whole heart, "The joy of the Holy Ghost is my portion," for the Holy Ghost +secures to me without interruption the presence and the love of Jesus. + +But secondly, there is the joy of deliverance from sin. The Holy Ghost +comes to sanctify us. Christ is our sanctification, and the Holy Ghost +comes to communicate Him to us, to work out all that is in Christ and to +reproduce it in us. Let us remember that in the sight of God there is +something more than work. There is Christlikeness--the likeness and the +life of Christ in us. That is what God wants; that will fit us for work. +God asks not that Christ should live in us as separate persons; temples +full of filthy, impure, foul creatures, with Christ hidden away somewhere +there,--that is not the intention of God, but He wants Christ so formed +in us that we are one with Christ, and that in our thinking, feeling and +living, the image of His blessed Son is manifest before Him. The Holy +Spirit is given to sanctify us. My brother, are you willing to be +sanctified from every sin, be that sin great or small? I am not asking, do +you feel that you have the power to conquer it? I am not even asking, do +you feel the power to cast it out? It may be that you feel no power; that +won't hinder if you are willing. I can not cast out sin, but I can get the +Almighty Christ by the Holy Spirit to do it, and it is my work to say to +Christ, "There is the sin, there is the evil thing, I lay it at Thy feet, I +cast it there, I cast it into Thy very bosom. Lord, I am ready to cut off +the right hand, anything, only deliver me from it." Then Christ will cast +out the evil spirit and give deliverance. The Spirit of God is a holy +spirit and His work is to make free from the power of sin and death. And if +you want to live in the joy of the Holy Ghost, the question comes: "Are +you willing to surrender everything that is sinful, even what appears +good,--but has the stain of sin on it?" You may be involved in +relationships that make your life very difficult. A pastor with his people +maybe brought into very difficult relationships; or a business man with his +partner or those with whom he has to associate, may be in an exceedingly +trying position. But is not the blessed Lamb of God worth it all? What is +the Christ worth to you? The question was once asked the disciples, "What +think ye of Christ?" I ask, "What is Christ worth to you?" And I beseech +you, whatever prospective difficulties there may be, and whatever +perplexities surround you, take the whole world to-day and cast it at His +feet. To have Him is worth any difficulty; to have Him will be the +solution of every difficulty. There are not only such external, manifest +difficulties and perplexities, there are a thousand little things that come +in our life and that often disturb us, temptations to unloving feelings, +and sharp words, and hasty judgments. Oh, come, and believe that the Holy +Spirit, the sanctifier, can come in and rule, and give grace to pass +through all without sinning, and you shall know what the joy of the Holy +Ghost is. Our body, we read in 1st Corinthians, is the temple of the Holy +Ghost. It is to be holy in things like eating and drinking. How often +a Christian comes to the consciousness that he takes or seeks too much +enjoyment in that eating, eating for pleasure, with no self-denial or +self-sacrifice in his feeding the body! How often we tempt one another to +eat, and how often the believer forgets that this body is the very secret +temple of the Holy Ghost and that every mouthful we eat and drink must be +for the glory of God in such a way as to be perfectly well pleasing to Him! +Beloved, I bring you a message: There is access for you into the rest of +God, and the Holy Spirit is given to bring you in, and the Holy Spirit will +fill your heart with the unutterable joy of Christ's presence; and with the +joy of deliverance from sin, of victory over sin; the unutterable joy of +knowing that you are doing God's will and are pleasing in His sight; the +unutterable joy of knowing that He is sanctifying and keeping the temple +for Christ to dwell in. Believers, the joy of the Holy Ghost, the joy of +that holiness of God, is His blessedness, His purity, His perfection, that +nothing can mar or stain or disturb. The Holy Ghost waits to bring and to +manifest it in our lives. He wants to come so into our hearts that we shall +live, as Holy Ghost men, the sanctified life, with the sanctifying power of +Jesus running through our whole beings. + +My third thought is: the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of the love of +the saints. The Holy Ghost was not given to any man on the day of Pentecost +separate from the others; He came and filled the whole company. We know how +much division and separation and pride there had been among them, but +on that day the Holy Ghost so filled their hearts that we find it was +afterward said: "Behold how these men love one another." There was a love +in the primitive church that the very heathen noticed, and could not +understand. Why was that? The Holy Spirit is the bond of union between the +Father and Son; and that bond is love. The Holy Spirit is just the love of +God come to dwell in the heart. When He dwells with me and my brother we +learn to love each other. Though I be unloving naturally, and though I have +very little grace, if the heart of my brother is full of the Holy Spirit he +loves me through it all. You know love is a wonderful thing. As long as a +man tries to love it is not real love, but when real love comes, the more +opposition it meets the more it triumphs, for the more it can exercise +itself and perfect itself, the more it rejoices. Take a mother with a son +dishonoring her. How her love follows him! When she sees that he has fallen +deeper than ever before, how the dear mother heart only loves him the more +intensely through all the wretchedness! Does not the Scripture say, "If He +gave His life for us, we are bound to give our life for the brethren?" The +Holy Spirit comes as a spirit of love, and if you want to know the joy of +the Holy Ghost, and want Him to lead you into the rest of God and keep you +there, beware above everything on earth or in hell of being unloving. One +sharp word to your brother or sister brings a cloud upon you without your +knowing it. People are so accustomed to talk just as they like about each +other that they say sharp and unkind and unloving things, and when a cloud +comes in consequence they cannot understand it. If there is one thing that +grieves God, if there is one thing that hinders the Spirit--the fruit of +the Spirit is love--it is the want of lovingness. If you want to live in +the joy of the Holy Ghost make your covenant with God. "But," you say, +"there is a Christian man who makes me so impatient; he does trouble me and +vex me so with his stupidity. And there are those worldly men; how they +have tempted me in times past and done me harm! And there is that business +man who is trying to ruin me." Take them all, and your own wife and +children and every one around you and say, "I understand it, love is rest, +and rest is love. God resteth in His love. Love is rest and rest is love, +and where there is no love the rest must be disturbed." And let us say +to-day, "I see what the joy is; it is the joy of always loving, it is the +joy of losing my own life in love to others." In connection with humility, +some one asks, "How about that text, 'In honor preferring one another?'" +When a soul comes into perfect humility before God it becomes nothing, and +God becomes all in all. I am nothing. There is no self to be affronted; I +have said before God: "I am nothing; it is only Thy life and light that +shines. The honor is Thine, and nothing may touch me but what is against +the glory of my God." + +Beloved, are you living in the joy of the Holy Ghost? Come and accept a +blessing and give yourself up to live a life of humility in which you are +nothing, and a life of love like Christ's in which you only live for your +fellow-men, for the kingdom of God is the joy of the Holy Ghost. + +My last thought is that the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for +God. The joy of the presence of Jesus, the joy of deliverance from sin, the +joy of love for the brethren, and then the joy of working for God. Some +of us have at times felt what an incomprehensible thing it is that the +everlasting God should work through us; and we have said, "Lord, what is +this, that Thou the Almighty One dost work in me and through me, a vile +worm by nature?" It is a mystery that passeth knowledge, and yet it is so +true. The joy of the Holy Ghost comes when a man gives himself up to +the Christlike work of carrying the love of God to men. Let us seek the +perishing, let us live and die for souls, let us live and die that our +fellow-men may be reclaimed and brought back to their God. There is no joy +like hearing the joy-song of a new-born soul. But yes, there is another joy +that may be as deep. Even if God does not give me the blessing of hearing +the newborn soul sing its song, I may have the joy, the sympathy with Jesus +in His rejected life, and the assurance that the Father looks with good +pleasure on me. When I think of the thousands of believers in the Christian +world and then think of the heathen world, the cry comes up in my heart: +"What are we doing?" Ah, we need to be crying to God day and night, "Lord +God, wake us up. Lord God, let the Holy Spirit burn within us." Are we the +true successors of Jesus Christ? Are we indeed the followers and successors +of Christ who went all the way to Calvary to give His blood for men? Do +let us remember the joy of the Holy Ghost is the joy of working for God in +Christ. I believe that God has new ways and new leadings and new power for +His people, if they will only wait on Him. But what most of us do is this: +we thank God for all He has given, we look at all the ways of working we +have, and we say that we will try to do our work better. But oh, if we had +a sense of the need, if we had any sense, by the vision of the Holy Ghost, +of the state of the millions around us, I am sure we would fall on our +faces before God and say, "God help me to something new. Oh that every +fiber of my being may be taken possession of for this great work with God!" +The great need is that all Christians should consecrate themselves wholly +to God for His work. May God help us to know what is the joy of the Holy +Ghost. + +Concluding, I ask again: "Do you believe that it is possible for the Lord +Jesus, our Shiloh, of whom Jacob prophesied, our Joshua, our glorious King +and High Priest,--do you believe it is possible for Christ Jesus to bring +you to-day into the rest of God?" Remember that word in Hebrews, "Even as +the Holy Ghost saith, to-day." To-day, summon up courage and take up your +ministry, and take up your business, and take up your surroundings, and +take up your natural temperament, and take up your home, and take up your +life for the days to come upon earth, and say, "I do not understand it, +I know not what will come, but one thing I know, I do absolutely give +everything into the hands of the crucified Lamb of God; He shall have me in +my entirety." And oh, remember, beloved, that Christ will be to you more +than you can think or understand, more than you can ask or desire. + +Come, let us cast ourselves into those blessed, loving arms, and let us +believe even now that our Joshua leads us into the rest of God, the rest in +which we are saved from self-care and self-seeking and self-trusting and +self-loving, the rest in which we do not think of ourselves, but where He +who is almighty and omnipresent is always going to be with us and is always +going to work within us. And let us when we have done that, claim the +promise, that as we have sought first the kingdom and God's righteousness, +all things shall be added unto us. Beloved, the kingdom of God is within +you, and it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Come, let +us claim it even now in simple, childlike, humble faith. + + + + +TRIUMPH OF FAITH. + +XI. + +_John 4: 50_.--_And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto +him_. + + +Let me quote from the Gospel according to St. John, the 4th chapter, +beginning at the 46th verse: "So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, +where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son +was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come up out of Judea +into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down +and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto +him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." There you have +the word "believe" the first time. "The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come +down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. +And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went +his way." There you have that word the second time. "And as he was now +going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. +Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said +unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father +knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy +son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house." There you have the +word "faith". + +This story has often been used to illustrate the different steps of faith +in the spiritual life. It was this use made of it in an address that +brought the sainted Canon Battersby into the full enjoyment of rest. He had +been a most godly man, but had lived the life of failure. He saw in the +story what it was to rest on the Word and trust the saving power of Jesus, +and from that night he was a changed man. He went home to testify of it, +and under God, he was allowed to originate the Keswick Convention. + +Let me point out to you the three aspects of faith which we have here: +first, faith seeking; then, faith finding; and then, faith enjoying. Or, +still better: faith struggling; faith resting; faith triumphing. First of +all, faith struggling. Here is a man, a heathen, a nobleman, who has heard +about Christ. He has a dying son at Capernaum, and in his extremity leaves +his home, and walks some six or seven hours away to Cana of Galilee. He +has heard of the Prophet, possibly, as one who has made water wine; he has +heard of His other miracles round Capernaum, and he has a certain trust +that Jesus will be able to help him. He goes to Him, and his prayer is that +the Lord will come down to Capernaum and heal his son. Christ said to him, +"Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." He saw that the +nobleman wanted Him to come and stand beside the child. This man had not +the faith of the centurion--"Only speak a word." He had faith. It was faith +that came from hearsay, and it was faith that did, to a certain extent, +hope in Christ; but it was not the faith in Christ's power such as Christ +desired. Still Christ accepted and met this faith. After the Lord had thus +told him what He wished--a faith that could fully trust Him--the nobleman +cried the second time, "Sir, come down ere my child die." Seeing his +earnestness and his trust, Christ said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." And +then we read that the nobleman believed. He believed, and he went his way. +He believed the word that Jesus had spoken. In that he rested and was +content. And he went away without having any other pledge than the word of +Jesus. As he was walking homeward, the servants met him, to tell him his +son lived. He asked at what hour he began to amend. And when they told him, +he knew it was at the very hour that Jesus had been speaking to him. He +had at first a faith that was seeking, and struggling, and searching for +blessing; then he had a faith that accepted the blessing simply as it was +contained in the word of Jesus. When Christ said, "Thy son liveth," he was +content, and went home, and found the blessing--the son restored. + +Then came the third step in his faith. He believed with his whole house. +That is to say, he did not only believe that Christ could do just this one +thing, the healing of his son; but he believed in Christ as his Lord. He +gave himself up entirely to be a disciple of Jesus. And that not only +alone, but with his whole house. Many Christians are like the nobleman. +They have heard about a better life. They have met certain individuals by +whose Christian lives they have been impressed, and consequently have felt +that Christ can do wonderful things for a man. Many Christians say in their +heart, "I am sure there is a better life for me to live; how I wish I could +be brought to that blessed state!" But they have not much hope about it. +They have read, and prayed, but they have found everything so difficult, If +you ask them, "Do you believe Jesus can help you to live this higher life?" +they say, "Yes; He is omnipotent." If you ask, "Do you believe Jesus wishes +to do it?" they say, "Yes, I know He is loving." And if you say, "Do you +believe that He will do it for you?" they at once say, "I know He is +willing, but whether He will actually do it for me I do not know. I am not +sure that I am prepared. I do not know if I am advanced enough. I do +not know if I have enough grace for that." And so they are hungering, +struggling, wrestling, and often remain unblessed. This state of things +sometimes goes on for years--they are expecting to see signs and wonders, +and hoping that God, by a miracle, will put them all right. They are just +like the Israelites; they limit the Holy One of Israel. Have you ever +noticed that it is the very people whom God has blessed so wonderfully +who do that? What did the Israelites say? "God hath provided water in the +wilderness. But can He provide the table in the wilderness? We do not think +He can." And so we find believers who say, "Yes, God has done wonders. The +whole of redemption is a wonder, and God has done wonders for some whom I +know. But will God take one so feeble as I, and put me entirely right?" The +struggling and wrestling and seeking are the beginnings of faith in you--a +faith that desires and hopes. But it must go on further. And how can that +faith advance? Look at the second step. There is the nobleman, and Christ +speaks to him this wonderful word: "Go thy way; thy son liveth;" and the +nobleman simply rests upon that word of the living Jesus. He rests on it, +and without any proof of what he is to get, and without one man in the +world to encourage him. He goes away home with the thought, "I have +received the blessing I sought; I have got life from the dead for my son. +The living Christ promised it me, and on that I rest." The struggling, +seeking faith has become a resting faith. The man has entered into rest +about his son. + +And now, dear believers, this is the one thing God asks you to do: God has +said that in Christ you have eternal life, the more abundant life; Christ +has said to you, "I live, and ye shall live also." The Word says to us that +Christ is our Peace, our Victory over every enemy, who leads us into the +rest of God. These are the words of God, and His message has come to us +that Christ can do for us what Moses could not have done. Moses had no +Christ to live in him. But it is told you that you can have what Moses had +not; you can have a living Christ within you. And are you going to believe +that, apart from any experience, and apart from any consciousness of +strength? If the peace of God is to rule in your heart, it is the God of +peace Himself must be there to do it. The peace is inseparable from the +God. The light of the sun--can I separate that from the sun? Utterly +impossible. As long as I have the sun I have the light. If I lose the sun; +I lose the light. Take care! Do not seek the peace of God or the peace of +Christ apart from God and Christ. But how does Christ come to me? He comes +to me in this precious Word; and just as He said to the nobleman, "Go thy +way home; thy son liveth," so Christ comes to me to-day, and He says, "Go +thy way; thy Saviour liveth." "Lo, I am with you alway." "I live, and ye +shall live also." "I wait to take charge of your whole life. Will you have +me do this? Trust to me all that is evil and feeble; your whole sinful and +perverse nature--give it up to Me; that dying, sin-sick soul--give it up to +Me, and I will take care of it." Will you not listen and hear Him speak to +your soul? "Child, go forward into all the circumstances of life that have +tempted you; into all the difficulties that threaten you." Your soul lives +with the life of God; your soul lives in the power of God; your soul lives +in Christ Jesus. Will you not, like the nobleman, take the simple step of +faith, and believe the word Jesus hath spoken? Will you not say, "Lord +Jesus, Thou hast spoken: I can rest on Thy Word. I have seen that Christ +is willing to be more to me than I ever knew; I have seen that Christ is +willing to be my life in the most actual and intense meaning of the words." +All that we know about the Holy Ghost sums itself up in this one thing: +The Holy Ghost comes to make Christ an actual, indwelling, always-abiding +Saviour. + +Lastly, comes the triumphant faith. The man went home holding fast the +promise. He had only one promise, but he held it fast. When God gives me +a promise, He is just as near me as when He fulfills it. That is a great +comfort. When I have the promise I have also the pledge of the fulfillment. +But the whole heart of God is in His promise, just as much as in the +fulfillment of it, and sometimes God, the promiser, is more precious +because I am compelled to cling more to Him, and to come closer, and to +live by simple faith, and to adore His love. Do not think this is a hard +life, to be living upon a promise. It means living upon the everlasting +God. Who is going to say that is hard? It means living upon the crucified, +the loving Christ. Be ashamed to say that is a difficult thing. It is a +blessed thing. + +The nobleman went home and found the child living. And what happened then? +Two things. First: he gave up his whole life to be a believer in Jesus. If +there had been a division among the people of Capernaum, and thousands of +them had hated Christ, this man would still have stood on His side. He +believed in the Lord. This is what must take place with us. Let us go +forward with our trust in the living Christ, knowing that He will keep us. +Then we will get grace to carry the life of Christ into our whole conduct, +into all our walk and conversation. The faith that rests in Jesus, is the +faith that trusts all to Him, with all we have. Do we not read that when +God had finished His work, and rested, it was only to begin new work? Yes; +the great work was to be carried on--watching over and ruling His world and +His church. And is it not so with the Lord Jesus? When He had finished His +work, He sat upon the throne to do His work of perfecting the body, through +the Holy Spirit. And now, the Holy Spirit is carrying on that blessed work, +teaching us to rest in Christ, and in the strength of that rest to go on, +and to cover our whole life with the power, and the obedience, and the +will, and the likeness of the Lord Jesus. The nobleman gave up his whole +life to be a believer in Christ; and from that day it was a believer in +Jesus who walked about the streets of Capernaum; not only a man who could +say, "Once He helped me," but, "I believe in Him with my whole life." Let +that be so with us everywhere; let Christ be the one object of our trust. + +One thought more,--he believed with his whole house. That was triumphant +faith. He took up his position as a believer in Christ; and his wife, his +children, his servants--he gathered them all together, and laid them at the +feet of Christ. And if you want power in your own house, if you want power +in your Bible-class, if you want power in your social circle, if you want +power to influence the nation and if you want power to influence the Church +of Christ, see where it begins. Come into contact with Jesus in this rest +of faith that accepts His life fully, that trusts Him fully, and the power +will come by faith to overcome the world; by faith to bless others; by +faith to live a life to the glory of God. Go thy way, thy soul liveth; for +it is Jesus Christ who liveth within you. Go thy way; be not trembling and +fearful, but _rest in the word and the power of the Son of God_. "Lo, I am +with you alway." Go thy way, with the heart open to welcome Him, and the +heart believing He has come in. Surely we have not prayed in vain. Christ +has listened to the yearnings of our hearts and has entered in. Let us +go our way quietly, restfully, full of praise, and joy, and trust; ever +hearing the words of our Master, "Go thy way, thy soul liveth;" and ever +saying, "I have trusted Christ to reveal His abundant life in my soul; by +His grace I will wait upon Him to fulfill His promise." Amen. + + + + +THE SOURCE OF POWER IN PRAYER. + +XII. + +_Romans 8: 26-27_.--_Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for +we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself +maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he +that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because +he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God_. + + +Here we have the teaching of God regarding the help the Holy Spirit will +give us in prayer. The first half of this chapter is of much importance in +connection with the teaching of God's word regarding the Spirit. In Romans +vi. we read about being dead to sin and alive to God, and in Romans vii., +about being dead to the law and married to Christ, and also about the +impotency of the unregenerate man to do God's will. This is only a +preparation to show us how helpless we are; and then in the eighth chapter +comes the blessed work of the Spirit, expressed chiefly in the following +words: "The Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin and death." The +Spirit makes us free from the power of sin, and teaches and leads us so +that we walk after the Spirit. In our inner disposition we may become +spiritually minded, and enabled to mortify the deeds of the body. The Holy +Spirit helps our infirmities. Prayer is the most necessary thing in the +spiritual life. Yet we do not know how to pray nor what to pray for as we +ought. The Spirit, Paul tells us, prays with groanings unutterable. And +again he tells us that we ourselves often do not know what the Spirit is +doing within us, but there is one, God, who searches the hearts. Words +often reveal my thought and my wishes, but not what is deep in my heart, +and God comes and searches my heart, and deep down, hidden, what I can not +see and what was to me an unutterable longing, God finds. + +Powerful prayer! The confession of ignorance! Ah, friends, I am often +afraid for myself as a minister that I pray too easily. I have been praying +for these forty or fifty years and it becomes, as far as man is concerned, +an easy thing to pray. We all have been taught to pray, and when we are +called upon we can pray, but it gets far too easy, and I am afraid we think +we are praying often when there is little real prayer. Now if we are to +have the praying of the Holy Ghost in us one thing is needed; we must begin +by feeling, "I can not pray." When a man breaks down and can not pray, and +there is a fire burning in his heart, and a burden resting upon him, there +is something drawing him to God. "I know not what to pray,"--oh, blessed +ignorance! We are not ignorant enough. Abraham went out not knowing whither +he went; in that was an element of ignorance and also an element of faith. +Jesus said to His disciples when they came with their prayer for the throne, +"You know not what you ask." Paul says, "No man knoweth the things of God +but the Spirit of God." You say, "If I am not to pray the old prayers +I learned from my mother or from my professor in college or from my +experience yesterday and the day before, what am I to pray?" I answer, pray +new prayers, rise higher into the riches of God. You must begin to feel +your ignorance. You know what we think of a student who goes to college +fancying he knows everything. He will not learn much. Sir Isaac Newton +said, "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem +to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself +in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than +ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." +When I see a man who can not pray glibly and smoothly and readily, I say +that is a mark of the Holy Spirit. When he begins in his prayers to say, +"Oh, God, I want more, I want to be led deeper in. I have prayed for the +heathen, but I want to feel the burden of the heathen in a new way," it is +an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I tell you, beloved, if +you will take time and let God lay the burden of the heathen heavier upon +you until you begin to feel, "I have never prayed," it will be the most +blessed thing in your life. And so with regard to the church: We want to +take up our position as members of the church of Christ in this land; and +as belonging to that great body, to say, "Lord God, is there nothing that +can be done to bless the church of this land and to revive it and bring it +out of its worldliness and out of its feebleness?" We may confer together +and conclude faithlessly, "No, we do not know what is to be done; we have +no influence and power over all these ministers and their churches." But on +the other hand, how blessed to come to God and say, "Lord, we know not what +to ask. Thou knowest what to grant." The Holy Spirit could pray a hundred +fold more in us if we were only conscious of our ignorance, because we +would then feel our dependence upon Him. May God teach us our ignorance in +prayer and our impotence, and may God bring us to say, "Lord, we can not +pray; we do not know what prayer is." Of course some of us do know in a +measure what prayer is, many of us, and we thank God for what he has been +to us in answer to prayer, but oh, it is only a little beginning compared +to what the Holy Spirit of God teaches. + +There is the first thought: our ignorance. "We know not what we should pray +for as we ought;" but "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with +groanings which cannot be uttered." We often hear about the work of God the +Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in working out and completing the +great redemption, and we know that when God worked in the creation of the +world, He was not weary, and yet we read that wonderful expression in the +book of Exodus about the Sabbath day, "God rested and was refreshed." He +was refreshed, the Sabbath day was a refreshment to Him. God had to work +and Christ had to work, and now the Holy Spirit works, and His secret +working place, the place where all work must begin, is in the heart where +He comes to teach a man how to pray. When a man begins to get an insight +into that which is needed and that which is promised and that which God +waits to perform, he feels it to be beyond his conception; then is the time +he will be ready to say, "I can not limit the holy one of Israel by my +thoughts; I give myself up in the faith that the Holy Spirit can be praying +for me with groanings, with longings, that can not be expressed." Apply +that to your prayers. + +There are different phases of prayer. There is worship, when a man just +bows down to adore the great God. We do not take time to worship. We +need to worship in secret, just to get ourselves face to face with the +everlasting God, that He may overshadow us and cover us and fill us with +His love and His glory. It is the Holy Spirit that can work in us such a +yearning that we will give up our pleasures and even part of our business, +that we may the oftener meet our God. + +The next phase of prayer is fellowship. In prayer there is not only the +worship of a king, but fellowship as of a child with God. Christians take +far too little time in fellowship. They think prayer is just coming with +their petitions. If Christ is to make me what I am to be, I must tarry in +fellowship with God. If God is to let his love enter in and shine and burn +through my heart, I must take time to be with Him. The smith puts his rod +of iron into the fire. If he leaves it there but a short time it does not +become red hot. He may take it out to do something with it and after a time +put it back again for a few minutes, but this time it does not become red +hot. In the course of the day he may put the rod into the fire a great +many times and leave it there two or three minutes each time, but it never +becomes thoroughly heated. If he takes time and leaves the rod ten or +fifteen minutes in the fire the whole iron will become red hot with the +heat that is in the fire. So if we are to get the fire of God's holiness +and love and power we must take more time with God in fellowship. That was +what gave men like Abraham and Moses their strength. They were men who were +separated to a fellowship with God, and the living God made them strong. +Oh, if we did but realize what prayer can do! + +Another, and a most important phase of prayer is intercession. What a work +God has set open for those who are His priests--intercessors! We find a +wonderful expression in the prophecy of Isaiah; God says, "Let him take +hold of me;" and again, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take +hold of thee." In other passages God refers to the intercessors for Israel. +Have you ever taken hold of God? Thank God, some of us have; but oh, +friends, representatives of the church of Christ in the United States, +if God were to show us how much there is of intense prayer for a revival +through the church, how much of sincere confession of the sins of the +church, how much of pleading with God and giving Him no rest till He make +Jerusalem a glory in the earth, I think we should all be ashamed. We need +to give up our hearts to the Holy Spirit, that He may pray for us and in us +with groanings that can not be uttered. + +What am I to do if I am to have this Holy Spirit within me? The Spirit +wants time and room in the heart; He wants the whole being. He wants all +my interest and influence going out for the honor and the glory of God; He +wants me to give myself up. Beloved friend, you do not know what you could +do if you would give yourself up to intercession. It is a work that a sick +one lying on a bed year by year may do in power. It is a work that a poor +one who has hardly a penny to give to a missionary society can do day by +day. It is a work that a young girl who is in her father's house and has to +help in the housekeeping can do by the Holy Spirit. People often ask: What +does the Church of our day do to reach the masses? They ask, though they +ask it tremblingly, for they feel so helpless: What can we do against the +materialism and infidelity in places like London and Berlin and New York +and Paris? We have given it up as hopeless. Ah, if men and women could be +called out to band themselves together to take hold upon God! I am not +speaking of any prayer union or any prayer time statedly set apart, but if +the Spirit could find men and women who would give up their lives to cry to +God, the Spirit would most surely come. It is not selfishness and it is not +mere happiness that we seek when we talk about the peace and the rest and +the blessing Christ can give. God wants us, Christ wants us, because He has +to do a work; the work of Calvary is to be done in our hearts, we are +to sacrifice our lives to pleading with God for men. Oh, let us yield +ourselves day by day and ask God that it may please Him to let His Holy +Spirit work in us. + +Then comes the last thought, that God Himself comes to look with +complacency upon the attitude of His child. Perhaps that poor man does not +know that he is praying; perhaps he is ashamed of his prayers. So much +the better. Perhaps he feels burdened and restless, but God hears, God +discovers what is the mind of the Spirit, and will answer. Oh, think of +this wonderful mystery, God the Father on the throne ready to grant unto +us His blessings according to the riches of His glory; Christ the almighty +high priest pleading day and night. His whole person is one intercession, +and there goes up from Him without ceasing the pleading to the Father, +"Bless thy church," and the answer comes from the Father to the Son, and +from the Son down to the church, and if it does not reach us, it is because +our hearts are closed. Let us open and enlarge our hearts and say to God, +"Oh that I might be a priest, to enter God's presence continually and to +take hold of God and to bring down a blessing to my perishing fellowmen!" +God longs to find the intercession of Jesus reflected in the hearts of His +children, and where He finds it, it is a delight. And He that searcheth the +hearts knoweth the mind of the Spirit, because he prayeth for the saints, +according to the will of God. Some one has spoken of that word, "for the +saints," as meaning the spirit of praise in the believer for the saints +throughout the world. God's word continually comes to us to pray for all +not to be content with ourselves. Think upon the hundreds of church members +in this land, multitudes unconverted, multitudes just converted, but +yet worldly and careless. Think of the thousands of nominal +Christians--Christians in name, but robbing God! and can we be happy? If +we bear the burden of souls, can we have this peace and joy? God gives you +peace and joy with no other object than that you should be strong to bear +the burden of souls in the joy of Christ's salvation. + +We do not wish to say, "I am trying to be as holy as I can; what have I to +do with those worldly people about me?" If there is a terrible disease in +my hand, my body can not say, "I have nothing to do with it." When the +people had sinned Ezra rent his garments and bowed in the dust and made +confession. He repented on the part of the people. And Nehemiah, when the +nation sinned, made confession, and cast himself before God, deploring +their disobedience to the God of their fathers. Daniel did the very same. +And think you that we as believers have not a great work to do? Suppose we +were each, persons without a single sin; just suppose it; could we then +make confession? Look at Christ, without sin! He went down into the waters +of baptism with sinners; He made Himself one with them. God has spoken to +us to ask us if we realize what we are. He now asks us whether we belong to +the church of this land, whether we have borne the burden of sin around +us. Let us go to God and may He by the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with +unutterable sorrow at the state of the church, and may God give us grace to +mourn before Him. And when we begin to confess the sins of the church, we +will begin to feel our own sins as never before. In five of the epistles +to the seven churches in Asia the keynote was "Repent;" there was to be no +idea of overcoming and getting a blessing unless they repented. Let us on +behalf of the church of Christ repent, and God will give us courage to feel +that He will revive His work. + + + + +THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL. + +XIII. + +_1 Corinthians 15: 24-28_.--"_Then cometh the end, when He shall have +delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put +down all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign till He hath +put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is +death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith, All +things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put +all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then +shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him, that God may be all in +all_." + + +This will be the grand conclusion of the great drama of the world's +history, and of Christ's redemption. There will come a day--the glory is +such we can form no conception of it, the mystery is so deep we can not +realize it, but there is a day coming, when the Son shall deliver up the +Kingdom that the Father gave Him, and that He won with His blood, and that +He hath established and perfected from the throne of His glory. "He shall +deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father." The Son Himself shall be subject +also unto the Father, "that God may be all in all." I cannot understand +it--the ever blessed Son equal with God, from eternity, and through +eternity; the ever blessed Son on the throne shall be subject unto the +Father; and in some way utterly beyond our comprehension, it shall then be +made manifest, as never before, that God is all in all. It is this that +Christ has been working for; it is this that He is working for to-day in +us; it is this that He thought it worth while to give His blood for; it is +this that His heart is longing for in each of us; this is the very essence +and glory of Christianity, "that God may be all in all." And now, if this +is what fills the heart of Christ; if this expresses the one end of the +work of Christ, then, if I want to have the spirit of Christ in me, the +motto of my life must be: Everything made subject, and swallowed up in Him, +"that God may be all in all." What a triumph it would be if the Church were +fighting really with that banner floating over her! What a life ours could +be if that were really our banner! To serve God fully, wholly, only, to +have Him all in all! How it would ennoble, and enlarge, and stimulate our +whole being! I am working, I am fighting, "that God may be all in all;" +that the day of glory may be hastened. I am praying, and the Holy Spirit +makes His wrestling in me with unutterable longing, "that God may be all +in all." Would that we Christians realized in connection with what a grand +cause we are working and praying; that we had some conception of what +a Kingdom we are partakers of, and what a manifestation of God we are +preparing for. To illustrate what a grand thing it is to belong to the +Kingdom of God, and to the glorious Church of Christ on earth, John McNeill +tells how when he was a boy twelve years of age, working on a railway line +and earning the grand wages of six shillings a week, he used to go home to +his mother and sisters, who thought no end of their little Johnnie, and +delight them by telling of the position he had. He would say with great +pride, "Oh, our company--it has so many thousands of pounds passing +through its hands every year; it carries so many hundreds of thousands of +passengers every year; and it has so many miles of railway, and so many +engines and carriages; and so many thousands in its employ!" And the mother +and the sisters had great pride in him, because he was a partner in such an +important business. Christians, if we would only rouse ourselves to believe +that we belong to the Kingdom that Christ is preparing to deliver up to the +Father, that God may be all in all, how the glory would fill our hearts, +and expel everything mean, and low, and earthly! How we should be borne +along in this blessed faith! I am living for this: that Christ may have the +Kingdom to deliver to the Father. I am living for this, and I will one day +see Him made subject to the Father, and then God all in all. I am living +for Him, and I shall be there not only as a witness, but I will have a part +in it all. The Kingdom delivered up, the Son made subject, and God all in +all! I shall have a part in it, and in adoring worship share the glory and +the blessedness. + +Let us take this home to our hearts, that it may rule in our lives--this +one thought, this one faith, this one aim, this one joy: Christ lived, and +died, and reigns; I live and die and in His power I reign; only for this +one thing, "that God may be all in all." Let it possess our whole heart, +and life. How can we do this? It is a serious question, to which I wish to +give you a few simple answers. And I say, first of all: Allow God to take +His place in your heart and life. Luther often said to people, when they +came troubling him about difficulties, "Do let God be God." Oh, give God +His place. And what is that place? "That God may be all in all." Let God be +all in all every day, from morning to evening. God to rule and I to obey. +Ah, the blessedness of saying, "God and I!" What a privilege that I have +such a partner! God first, and then I! And yet there might be secret +self-exaltation in associating God with myself. And I find in the Bible a +more precious word still. It is, "God and not I." It is not, "God first, +and I second;" God is all, and I am nothing. Paul said, "I labored more +abundantly than they all; though I be nothing." Let us try to give God His +place--begin in our closet, in our worship, in our prayer. The power of +prayer depends almost entirely upon our apprehension of who it is with whom +I speak. It is of the greatest consequence, if we have but half an hour in +which to pray, that we take time to get a sight of this great God, in His +power, in His love, in His nearness, just waiting to bless us. This is +of far more consequence than spending the whole half hour in pouring out +numberless petitions, and pleading numberless promises. The great thing is +to feel that we are putting our supplications into the bosom of omnipotent +Love. Before and above everything, let us take time ere we pray to realize +the glory and presence of God. Give God His place in every prayer. I +say, allow God to have His place. I can not give God His place upon the +throne--in a certain sense I can, and I ought to try. The great thing, +however, is for me to feel that I can not realize what that place is, but +God will increasingly reveal Himself and the place He holds. How do I know +anything about the sun? Because the sun shines, and in its light I see what +the sun is. The sun is its own evidence. No philosopher could have told me +about the sun if the sun did not shine. No power of meditation and thought +can grasp the presence of God. Be quiet, and trusting, and resting, and the +everlasting God will shine into your heart, and will reveal Himself. And +then, just as naturally as I enjoy the light of the sun, and as naturally +as I look upon the pages of a book knowing that I can see the letters +because the light shines; just as naturally will God reveal Himself to the +waiting soul, and make His presence a reality. God will take His place as +God in the presence of His child, so that absolutely and actually the +chief thing in the child's heart shall be: "God is here, God makes Himself +known." Beloved, is not this what you long for--that God shall take a place +that He has never had; and that God shall come to you in a nearness that +you have never felt yet; and, above all, that God shall come to you in an +abiding and unbroken fellowship? God is able to take His place before you +all the day. I repeat what I have referred to before, because God has +taught me a lesson by it: As God made the light of the sun so soft, and +sweet, and bright, and universal, and unceasing, that it never costs me a +minute's trouble to enjoy it; even so, and far more real than the light +shining upon me, the nearness of my God can be revealed to me as my abiding +portion. Let us all pray "that God may be all in all," in our everyday +life. + +"That God may be all in all," I must not only allow Him to take His place, +but secondly, I must accept His will in everything. I must accept His will +in every providence. Whether it be a Judas that betrays, or whether it be +a Pilate in his indifference, who gives me up to the enemy; whatever the +trouble, or temptation, or vexation, or worry, that comes, I must see God +in it, and accept it as God's will to me. Trouble of any sort that comes to +me is God's will for me. It is not God's will that men should do the wrong, +but it is God's will that they should be in circumstances of trial. There +is never a trial that comes to us but it is God's will for us, and if we +learn to see God in it, then we bid it welcome. + +Suppose away in South Africa there is a woman whose husband has gone on a +long journey into the interior. He is to be away for months from all posts. +The wife is anxious to receive news. In weeks she has had no letter or +tidings from him. One day, as she stands in her door, there comes a great, +savage Kafir. He is frightful in appearance, and carries his spears and +shield. The woman is alarmed and rushes into the house and closes the +door. He comes and knocks at the door, and she is in terror. She sends her +servant, who comes back and says, "The man says he must see you." She +goes, all affrighted. He takes out an old newspaper. He has come a month's +journey on foot from her husband, and inside the dirty newspaper is a +letter from her husband, telling her of his welfare. How that wife delights +in that letter! She forgets the face that has terrified her. And now as +weeks are passing away again, how she begins to long for that ugly Kafir +messenger! After long waiting he comes again, and this time she rushes +out to meet him because he is the messenger that comes from her beloved +husband, and she knows that with all his repelling exterior, he is +the bearer of a message of love. Beloved, have you learned to look at +tribulation, and vexation, and disappointment, as the dark, savage-looking +messenger with a spear in his hand, that comes straight from Jesus? Have +you learned to say, "There is never a trouble, and never a hurt by which +my heart is touched or even pierced, but it comes from Jesus, and brings +a message of love?" Will you not learn to say from to-day, "Welcome every +trial, for it comes from God?" If you want God to be all in all, you must +see and meet God in every providence. Oh, learn to accept God's will in +everything! Come learn to say of every trial, without exception, "It is my +Father who sent it. I accept it as His messenger," and nothing in earth or +hell can separate you from God. + +If God is to be all in all in your heart and life, I say not only, Allow +Him to take His place, and accept all His will, but, thirdly, Trust in His +power. Dear friends, it is "God who _worketh to will and to do_ according +to His good pleasure." It is "the God of peace," according to another +passage, "who perfects you in every good thing to do His will, _working +in you_ what is well-pleasing in His sight." You complain of weakness, of +feebleness, of emptiness. Never mind; that is what you are made for--to be +an emptied vessel, in which God can put His fullness and His strength. +Do learn the lesson. I know it is not easy. Long after Paul had been an +apostle, the Lord Jesus had to come in a very special way to teach him to +say, "I do gladly glory in my infirmities." Paul was in danger of being +exalted, owing to the revelations from Heaven, and Jesus sent him a thorn +in the flesh--yes, Jesus sent it--a messenger of Satan--to buffet him. Paul +prayed, and struggled, and wanted to get rid of it. And Jesus came to him, +and said, "It is my doing that you may not be free from that. You need it. +I will bless you wonderfully in it." Paul's life was changed from that +moment in this one respect, and he said, "I never knew it so before, +from henceforth I glory in my infirmities; for when I am weak, then am I +strong." Do you indeed desire God to be all in all? Learn to glory in your +weakness. Take time to say every day as you bow before God, "The almighty +power of God that works in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the +flowers, is working in me. It is as sure as that I live. The almighty power +of God is working in me. I only need to get down, and be quiet; I need +to be more submissive, and surrendered to His will; I need to be more +trustful, and to allow God to do with me what He will." Give God His +way with you, and let God work, and He will work mightily. The deepest +quietness has often been proved to be the inspiration for the highest +action. It has been seen in the experience of many of God's saints, and it +is just the experience we need,--that in the quietness of surrender and +faith, God's working has been made manifest. + +Fourthly: If God is to be all in all, sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. "That God may be all in all." This is such a noble, glorious, +holy aim that Christ said, "For this I will give my life. For this I will +give my all, even to the death of the cross. For this I will give myself." +If it was worth that to Christ, is it worth less to you? If one had asked +Jesus of Nazareth, "What is it Thou hast a body for; what is to Thee the +highest use of the body?" He would have said, "The use and the glory of my +body is that I can give it a sacrifice to God. That is every thing." What +is the use of having a mind; and what is the use of having money; and what +is the use of having children? That I can give them to God; for God must be +all in all in everything. I pray God that He may give us such a sight of +His kingdom, and His glory, that everything else may disappear. Then, if +you had ten thousand lives, you would say, "This is the beauty and the +worth of life, 'that God may be all in all' to me, and that I may prove to +men that God is more than everything, that life is only worth living as it +is given to God to fill." Do let us sacrifice everything for His kingdom +and glory. Begin to live day by day with the prayer, "My God, I am given up +to Thee. Be Thou my all in all." You say, "Am I able to realize that?" Yes, +in this way: Let the Holy Spirit dwell in you; let the Holy Spirit burn in +you as a fire, and burn in you with unutterable groanings, crying unto +God, Himself to reveal His presence and His will in you. In the eighth of +Romans, Paul spoke about the groanings of the whole creation. And what is +the whole creation groaning for? For the redemption, the glorious liberty +of the children of God. And I am persuaded that was what Paul meant when he +spoke of the groanings of the Holy Spirit--the unutterable groanings +for the coming time of glory when God should be all in all. Christians, +sacrifice your time; sacrifice your interests; sacrifice your heart's best +powers in praying, and desiring, and crying that "God may be all in all." + +And lastly: if God is to be all in all, wait continually on Him all the +day. My first point had reference to giving God His place; but I want to +bring this out more pointedly in conclusion. Wait continually on God all +the day. If you are to do that, you must live always in His presence. That +is what we have been redeemed for. Do we not read in the Epistle to the +Hebrews, "Let us draw near within the veil, through the blood, where the +high priest is?" The holy place in which we are to live in the heavens is +the immediate presence of God. The abiding presence of God is certainly the +heritage of every child of God, as that the sun shines. The Father never +hides His face from His child. Sin hides it, and unbelief hides it, but the +Father lets His love shine all the day on the face of His children. The sun +is shining day and night. Your sun shall never go down. Begin to seek for +this. Come and live in the presence of God. There is indeed an abiding +place in His presence, in the secret of His pavilion, of which some one has +sung very beautifully: + + With me, wheresoe'er I wander, + That great Presence goes; + That unutterable gladness, + Undisturbed repose. + + Everywhere, the blessed stillness + Of that Holy Place; + Stillness of the love that worships, + Dumb before His face. + +This is the portion of those to whom the prayer is granted--"One thing have +I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell all my +days in the house of the Lord; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to +inquire in His temple." "In the secret of His pavilion He hideth me." God +Himself will take you up, and will keep you there, so that all your work +shall be done in God. Beloved, wait continually upon God. You can not do +this unless you are in His presence. You must live in His presence. Then +the blessed habit of waiting upon God will be learned. The real difficulty +of getting to the point of real waiting upon God, is because most +Christians have not sought to realize the nearness of God, and to give God +the first place. But let us strive after this, let us trust God to give it +to us by His grace, let us wait on God all the day. "My eyes," says one, +"are ever towards Thee." Wait upon God for guidance, and God, if you wait +much upon Him, will lead you up into new power for His service, into new +gladness in His fellowship. He will lead you out into a larger trust in +Him; He will prepare you to expect new things from Him. Beloved, there +is no knowing what God will do for a man who is utterly given up to Him. +Praise His name! Let each one of us say, "May my life be to live and die, +to labor and to pray continually for this one thing: that in me, and around +me, and in the church; that throughout the world '_God may be all in +all_.'" A little seed is the beginning of a great tree. A mustard seed +becomes a tree in which the birds of the air can nestle. That great day of +which the text speaks, when Christ Himself shall be subject to the Father, +and deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all--that +is the great tree of the Kingdom of God reaching its perfect consummation +and glory. Oh, let us take the seed of that glory into our hearts, and let +us bow in lowly surrender and submission, and say, "Amen, Lord; this be my +one thought. This be my life--to speak and to work, to pray and to exist +only that others may be brought to know Him too. This be my life--to yield +myself to the unutterable yearnings of the Holy Spirit, that I may not +rest, but ever keep my eye on that day--the day of glory, when in very deed +God shall be all in all." + +God help every one of us. God help us all to yield ourselves to Him, and to +Christ, and to make it our every-day life; for His name's sake. Amen. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Master's Indwelling, by Andrew Murray + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MASTER'S INDWELLING *** + +***** This file should be named 12854.txt or 12854.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/8/5/12854/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Bob McKillip and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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