GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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THE VALUE OF BIBLE STUDY
by C. R. Stam


"From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 3:15).

Timothy was a fortunate young man. His father was not a believer in Christ, but his godly mother made up for this lack as, day after day, from his earliest childhood, she taught him the Word of God. As a result he came to know Christ at an early age and later became St. Paul’s faithful co-worker and close associate in making known the wonderful "good news of the grace of God."

In his very last letter the great Apostle Paul recalls Timothy’s "unfeigned faith... which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice" (II Tim. 1:5).

If only we had more such mothers and grandmothers today, with husbands to help them! If only our American children were not set adrift on a restless sea of human speculation, but were taught the eternal truths of God’s Word, the Bible!

We all need to "know the Holy Scriptures," not only because they teach reverence for God and build moral character, but most of all because they "are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith... in Christ Jesus."

The theme of the Bible, the Old Testament as well as New, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the riches of whose saving grace are unfolded to us in the Epistles of Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace. It was to Paul that God committed the preaching of the cross of Christ. He it is who tells us about the riches that flow from Calvary. He it is who tells us, by divine inspiration that:

"...WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH [CHRIST’S] BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE" (Eph. 1:7).

"THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:7).

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THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE
By Pastor Robert Hanna




Scripture Reading: Titus 2:13

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:14-16). This declaration alone should provide the believer with unqualified assurance of his salvation. Our apostle tells us, "After that ye believed, YE WERE SEALED with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:13b,14). The transaction is completed, our position certain. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit Himself.

The Apostle Paul's declaration of his own confidence should be echoed by every child of God. "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12b). He fervently prayed for the saints, "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God" (Colossians 2:2). He affirms our certain expectation of eternally dwelling in glory, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:3, 4). "These things have I written unto you that who believe on the Name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (I John 5: 13).

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What's Behind Our Moral Decline?
by Pastor C. R. Stam



One does not have to be a prude to conclude that our country is suffering a serious moral decline. Our rulers and law enforcement agencies seem powerless to cope with it. Campaigns to check it seem vain. J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI warned us again and again that the alarming rate of this downward trend would spell ruin for America if not checked soon. But what most people fail to realize is that behind this moral decline there is a spiritual decline. America has departed from God and His Word.

Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us how the heathen got that way. Rom. 1:21,22 says: “When they knew God they glorified Him not as God,neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise they became fools,” and the verses that follow tell how God finally had to “give them up” to “uncleanness” and “vile affections”–all because “they did not like [wish] to retain God in their knowledge” (Ver. 28.).

St. Paul further describes them in Eph. 4:17-19, as walking “in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling [conscience] have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” This, sad to say, is an accurate description of increasing numbers in America today. They are throwing off restraint and going after uncleanness“with greediness.”

But this is not liberty, it is enslavement. It is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. It does not indicate superior intelligence, but grossest ignorance, and is the result of alienation from God.

How much better off are those who have come to know God through Christ! Of these the Apostle says:

“And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh, through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight” (Col. 1:21,22).

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SEATED IN HEAVEN
by C. R. Stam



    God sees every believer in Christ as already in heaven. See what the Bible says about this:

"BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US,
"EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, HATH QUICKENED US TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED),
"AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS:
"THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:4-7).

Most sincere believers, poorly taught in the Word, are concerned about getting to heaven, but as far as God is concerned they are already there. They have been "made accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6). God has given them a position "in Christ."

We are well aware that most of God's people know little about this experientially, but God says that as far as He is concerned, they are already in heaven, and this is what matters. As Christ took our place on Calvary's cross, God now sees us in Christ, at His own right hand, the place of favor and honor. This is why the Apostle Paul says to believers in Christ:

"IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
"SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.
"FOR YE ARE DEAD, AND YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD" (Col. 3:1-3).

And all this by the free grace of God:

"WHO HATH SAVED US, AND CALLED US WITH AN HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, WHICH WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN" (II Tim. 1:9).

Our hearts go out to those of our readers who have not yet received this "gift of the grace of God." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

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LIFE-GIVING CRUCIFIXION
By Miles Stanford


"Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free" (Gal. 5:1).

First, the believer understands that he has a right to be free in the Lord Jesus because of the finished work of the Cross; then he sees that same work of the Cross as his means to be free.

'When we truly hate ourselves, we are prepared to rejoice in the blessed fact that we have been crucified with the Lord Jesus - that sin in the flesh was condemned (not forgiven) when He died unto sin, that our whole history as in the flesh closed before the Father in His Son's death ~and that this is our title to be free. I have now a righteous title to have done with myself because I have died unto sin in the Lord Jesus' death.

"To prepare me for this I learn the necessity for death in my own experience, but the death of the Lord Jesus is my title to be free. It is by the appropriation of His death that I reach liberty and newness of life; that death has severed me from all that I was as in fallen Adam. 'I have been crucified with Christ.' I am free from myself, and free to have the One who is my, Christian life before me." -C.A.C.

"The Lord Jesus will make it His business to keep us alive and fruitful, if we will make it our business to rely upon Him. There must be no carnal, straining, no natural effort; we do not have to keep
ourselves alive. Every fear to go down into daily death, every clinging to that which belongs to us, every grasp on our own personal position or ministry, will only hinder the manifestation of His life. It is to be life out of death. Even when our trust in Him brings us into the most helpless and impossible situations, we may rest assured that all will be well, for He is indeed the God of resurrection." -H.F.


"For ye died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3).

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INITIAL PREPARATION
By Miles Stanford


"Saul armed David with his armor .... And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not tested them" (I Sam. 17:38, 39).

Years of preparation are worth a moment of truth! Rest assured that once we are developed and trained by the Holy Spirit, the work where unto He has called us will be ready and waiting (Acts 13:2). "Our Lord must have an instrument which He has formed in the fire and to which He has given peculiar knowledge of Himself."

"The greater the knowledge committed to a servant, the more necessary and important it is that he should be much alone with God about it, in order that he may realize the nature and effect of it on himself before he undertakes to make it known to others.

"It rebukes the haste and readiness with which many now enter the ministry, attempting to impress others with a measure of the truth which they have not proved for themselves. Surely the servant should ever be able to say: 'I believed, and therefore have I spoken' (II Cor. 4:13). It is better to lose time as to work in preparation for service than to lose time in repairing one's mistakes in undertaking a work for which one is not yet qualified."

"A servant's discipline must always be in advance of the service prepared for him. He cannot lead beyond the point to which he himself has been led. But when the depth and reality of the truth has been established in his own soul, he is made the channel of it."

"I have found that many a thing which I had presented in an extreme way because I was sure of it, I put forth in a simpler and a more real way when I had touched it in my own experience."
- J. B. S.

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (I John 1:3).

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THAT I MAY KNOW HIM
By the late Charles W. Wages

The most important person in all the universe to know is the Lord Jesus Christ!

We, as human beings, like to know important persons. We like to obtain their autographs, watch them perform, and to say, I know that person. We are impressed and often time overwhelmed by the presence and person of an individual.

Shouldn't we desire to personally know the God of glory? The One who created this planet, earth? Shouldn't we desire to know the One who loves us more than anyone else? The One who loved us enough to die for us? This person is the Lord Jesus the God who came down from glory to save us from our sin and give us a new life. Yes, we all need to know Him as our personal Saviour and Lord. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12:

For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

We like to let others know that we know important persons. When this is done just for a show it is called name-dropping. But, oh, how we need to know Him and to make Him known to a lost and perishing world. What the whole world needs is love. Who the whole world needs to know is the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can make Him known by worshipping Him, following Him, obeying Him, and living daily for Him. A real Christian should know a whole lot about the Lord and His Word, the Bible. In this manner, we can make Him known to others. The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 4:6:

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Then in Ephesians 6:19 Paul wrote:

And (pray) for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.

How wonderful to know Him and make Him known!

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Talking About Love
Steve McVey

"Why do you speak only about the love of God? I know He loves us all, but there are other important things we need to know about Him too." This was the observation somebody recently made in an email he wrote me. It seemed to this person that maybe my ministry and message somehow lack balance or are incomplete because of my constant emphasis on the loving grace of God.

I understand his concern. There was a time when I would have thought the same thing. At that time, I saw love as an important attribute of God's character that needed to be stressed along with other important characteristics of His nature. There came a time, though, that my understanding of our Father's nature changed.

I now don't see love as one of the attributes of God that stands alongside His mercy, justice, patience, wrath, omniscience, etc. I see love as the defining characteristic of His very nature. John wrote, "God is love." To say that our God is love is a different matter than simply saying that He loves. Our God may show mercy, justice, patience, wrath, etc. He may possess omniscience and be omnipotent, omnipresent, etc. Those things describe Him and how he behaves, but love is a different category altogether. Love defines our Father. It is the essence of His being. It is His divine DNA.

When we understand the reality that God is love, it changes everything. It affects the way we see Him. It affects the way we read our Bibles. It affects the way we see other people and ourselves. It transforms us because that's what love does.

The love of our Father is so different from earthly love that it has a name of its own. It's called agape. Agape is a kind of love that isn't called forth because of a desirable quality of the its recipient. Instead, it springs forth because of the beauty of the one from whom it flows. Eros is a kind of love that sees something physically stimulating in another person. Storge sees something comfortable and warm that attracts it. Phileo sees a kindred heart that it wants to befriend. Agape isn't drawn to somebody because of something in them but because of something in Himself .

Once we understand that God is Love, we realize that everything we know about Him must be filtered through that lens. Every other characteristic or action of our Father will then be seen as an expression of Love.

What a comforting thought! When the world around us seems to be falling apart, we can know that a loving God is sovereign! When our own circumstances seem out of control, we can know that a loving God has us under His watchful care! When we don't understand and are troubled, our loving God does understand and already has all the details worked out for us.

God doesn't just love you. He is Love. Meditate on that reality. Let it grip you and transform your perspective on reality, as you've understood reality until now. Love superintends the universe and also your own life. No wonder the Apostle Paul wrote, "If God be for us, who can stand against us?!" What else is there to talk about except Love because when we talk about Love, we are talking about Him.

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BLESSED ASSURANCE
By  Judy




"…Yet I am not ashamed, because I KNOW Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He IS ABLE to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day" (2 Timothy 1: 12).

The song, "Blessed Assurance" has words that ring like bells through my spirit and soul; how awesome is our God, that He is able to bring this heart such joy and such peace amid the tumultuous world about me! I praise His holy name!

I am bursting with love for my Jesus. He has given me assurance of eternal life and oh how glorious that will be. I am a joint heir with Jesus, God’s Son because of the cross of Calvary. Jesus purchased my salvation; I am filled with His Spirit and I am washed clean in His blood. His blood; what wonderful POWER there is in His blood, power to break chains of slavery, to forgive ALL my sin, to heal every cell in my body, and to protect me. Hallelujah!

Awake, you who sleep; arise from the dead and Christ will give you light. It is high time to awaken out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Ephesians 5:13-20). Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation (Romans 13:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-9). Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. Watch and pray; stand fast in the faith, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

"Arise and shine for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you (Isaiah 60: 1-3).

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This shall be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests" (Luke 2: 9-14; John 17).

As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. As the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5: 11, 12). Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15)!

"Make a JOYFUL SHOUT to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name" (Psalm 100: 1- 4). "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be on His shoulder. And HIS NAME will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9: 6; Luke 1: 46, 47). Hallelujah!!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be GLORY and MAJESTY, DOMINION and POWER, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before ALL ages, NOW and FOREVERMORE! Amen" (Jude 24, 25).

My question this week: "Do you have the assurance of eternal life?"
In Jesus' Name,
Judy

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THE CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST NEED.
PART ONE


There is one thing that the Christian needs more than he needs any other thing. One thing on which all others rest; and on which all others turn.

It is certain from the Word of God, and also from our own experience, that "we know not what we should pray for as we ought". But "the Spirit Himself helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8.26). He knoweth what we should pray for. He knoweth what we need. He maketh intercession. for us and in us. He teacheth us how to pray, and in Eph. 1:17, we have His prayer set forth in these words:
    "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in

THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM."

This, then, must be our greatest need: A true knowledge of God.

If the Holy Spirit thus puts it before all other things, it must be because it is more important than any other thing; yea, than all others put together.

This, it is, that lies at the foundation of the Christian Faith; at the threshold of Christian life.
It is the essence of all trust.

We cannot trust a person if we do not know him. At least, it is safer for us not to do so; and as a rule we do not.

But on the other hand, when we know a person thoroughly well, we cannot help trusting him. No effort to trust is required when we perfectly know a person. The difficulty then is, not to trust.

Why, then, do we not thus trust God? Is not the answer clear? It is because we do not know Him!

Thus we see how this knowledge of God is our greatest need; the very first step of our Christian course. Our trust will ever be in proportion to our knowledge.

If we knew, for example a billionth part of God's infinite wisdom, we should see our own to be such utter folly, that we should not merely be "willing" for His will, but we should desire it. It would be our greatest happiness for Him to do and arrange all for us. We should say, 'Lord, I am so foolish 'and ignorant; I know nothing, and can do nothing; 'I can see only this present moment; I know nothing 'of to-morrow. But Thou canst see the end from 'the beginning. Thy wisdom is infinite, and thy 'love is infinite; for, our Saviour and Lord could 'say 'of us to Thee, as Thy beloved Son-- "Thou hast 'loved them, as thou has loved me" (John 17:23). 'Do, then, Thine own will. This is my desire, the 'desire of my heart. This is what I long for above 'all things.'

This is far beyond being "willing". We may be willing for a thing, because we cannot help it. It may be even a low form of Christian fatalism. A Mahommedan may be thus resigned to the will of his god.

But what we are speaking of is far, far beyond the modern gospel of holiness; far in advance of merely being "willing".

Those who are in the still lower condition; not "willing," but "willing to be made willing," do not see that this condition arises from not knowing God; not knowing how infinite is His love, how vast is His wisdom, how blessed and how sweet is His will. If they did but know something of this, they would yearn for His will. It would be the one great earnest desire and longing of their hearts for Him to do exactly what is pleasing in His own sight, in us, and for us, and through us.

Not knowing this secret, Christians, everywhere, are striving and labouring to be "willing" by looking at themselves; and by some definite "act of faith" to do something of themselves. Instead of
thinking of His wisdom and His love, they are thinking of themselves and of their "surrender".

But this is labour in vain. Even if it should seem to accomplish something, it is only like tying paper flowers on a plant. They may look natural and fair; but they have no scent, and no life; no fruit, and no seed. It is an artificial, fictitious attempt to produce that which, if they did but know God, would come of itself, without an effort: yea, the effort would be to stop or hinder the mighty power of a true knowledge of God.

The trouble with us is, if we prove our hearts to their depth, that, at the bottom, we think we know better. We would not say it for the world, we would hardly admit it to ourselves. But there it is; and the difficulty of being "made willing" is the proof of it.

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THE CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST NEED
PART TWO


If we really knew Him, and believed that He knows better than we do what is good for us, there would be no effort whatever, but only a blessed irrepressible desire for His will.

Before we proceed further to consider some other of the practical effects of this knowledge, let us notice the fact that there are two words in the original for this knowledge of God. Two verbs which mean to know. As these are used sometimes in the very same verse, it is very important that we should carefully distinguish that which the Holy Spirit has so especially emphasized. There are, indeed, six Greek words which are translated to know, but these two are the most common.

    1. The one, (oida), means to know without learning or effort; and refers to what we know intuitively, or as a matter of fact or history.
    2. The other, (ginosko), means to get to know; by effort, or experience, or learning.

This difference will be clearly seen, if we examine one or two passages:

    John 13:7. "What I do thou knowest (oida) not now." This is the former of these two words, and tells us that Peter had no intuitive knowledge of what the Lord was doing; and had no means of knowing. It was impossible. The Lord, however, goes on to say, "but thou shalt know (i.e., get to know) hereafter."  Peter would learn, and find out, by experience and revelation, what the Lord was then doing.

John 8:55. "Ye have not known him (i.e., gotten to know him. (No. 2 ginosko) of these two words); but I know him (No.1 eido); and if I should say I know (No.1 eido) him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know him (No.1 eido)." Here the Lord declares His immanent knowledge of the Father; and declares that those whom He was addressing, not only had no such innate knowledge of God, but had not even attained to that knowledge.

1 John 5:20. "We know (No.1 eido, i.e., we know as a historical fact, without learning it) that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know (i.e., get to 'know, No. 2 ginosko) him that is true."

Here the truth is taught that, before anyone can get to know God, he must have a spiritual under-standing imparted to him. With this agrees 1 Cor. 2:14. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he get to know (ginosko) them." Why not? Because "they are spiritually discerned." The natural man has no means of getting to know spiritual things. A spiritual understanding must first be "given" to him. Then he is able not only to discern, but to love and delight in the revelation of spiritual things, and to get to know Him, "the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." "This is life eternal" (John 17:3).

The importance of getting to know God is thus again wondrously emphasized as our one great need. This knowledge is not only the basis of trust in God; not only the foundation of Christian faith; but of Christian life. Practical Christian life and walk will be in direct proportion to our knowledge of God. Look at Cot 1:9,10, where we have the practical outcome of the prayer in Eph. 1:17. In Eph. 1:17 we have the prayer itself. In Col. 1:9,10, we have it applied for our correction and instruction. Carefully weigh the words. "For this cause, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire"---Desire what? "that ye might be filled with the knowledge (the noun from (No.2, ginosko i.e., acquired knowledge) of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." Why? For what purpose? To what end? "THAT YE MAY WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD UNTO ALL PLEASING, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD."

Then, to walk worthy of the Lord, I must know Him? Exactly so. If I would please Him in all things I must know what will please Him. Is this all that is required? All that I have to do? Yes, this is all. Then I have not to rush hither and thither; from Convention to Convention? No, I have to sit down before God's Word, and get to know Him through that. There is no other way of getting to know Him. And He has given us His Word, and revealed Himself therein, on purpose that we may study it and find out what it is that pleases Him; what it is He loves; what it is He hates; what it is He does. To get to know His wisdom, His will, His infinite love, His almighty power, His faithfulness, His holiness, His righteousness, His truth, His goodness and mercy, His long-suffering, His gentleness, His care, and all the innumerable attributes of our great and glorious God.

See how this knowledge is absolutely necessary, if we would please God.

We cannot please any of our friends unless we know what they are pleased with. If we would make a present to one of them, we naturally think, or try to find out, what it is he or she needs or would be pleased to have. If we are receiving a guest, we naturally try to remember or find out what pleases him in food or drink, in occupation or recreation. If we cannot find this out, then we have to guess at it, and we may or may not succeed in our effort to please. We may take the greatest trouble and pains, and yet, after all, we may arrange for or provide the very thing which is most disliked.

It is even so with our God. How are we to find out the things that please Him? How are we to discover the things He approves?

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THE CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST NEED.
PART THREE



ONLY FROM HIS WORD.

There, and there alone can we Get to know Him. There alone shall we learn the fulness of the Spirit's prayer for us in Eph. 1:17; and the blessed practical outcome of it in Col. 1:9,10.

No man has this knowledge of God intuitively. No minister can even help in imparting it, except in and by the ministry of that Word. His own thoughts are valueless. Only so far as he enables us to understand that Word can he be of any assistance to us. He may be mistaken himself, and very easily be a hindrance instead of a help. God has revealed Himself in His written Word, the Scriptures of truth; and in the Living Word, His Son, Jesus Christ. And it is by the Communicated Word revealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that we begin thus to get to know Him, whom to know is Life Eternal.

This is the one great reason why the written Word is given to us. It is not given merely as a book of general information, or of reference; but it is given to make known the invisible God.

Why do we read it? Why do we open it at all? What is, or ought to be, our object in reading it?

Do we read a portion that someone else has selected for us? Do we read that portion because we have promised someone we would do so? Or do we open it, and sit down before it with the one dominant object to find out God; to discover His mind; to get to know His will.

Those who are not thus engaged make their own god out of their own thoughts and imaginations. They have to fall back on what they think their god likes!

Thousands make their gods with their hands, out of wood, or stone, or bread. Thousands more make him out of their own heads. But, being ignorant of God's Word, they are alike ignorant of the God Who has there revealed Himself.

See the power of this truth as it is applied to what is called "Public Worship" or "Divine Service". How many still worship "the unknown God"; and serve themselves; and do what is pleasing in their own eyes, studying only their own tastes! Ignorant of that great rubrick, John 4:24, "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth" (i.e., truly in spirit), they talk of the kind of service they prefer, and say, "I don't like that at all"; or, "I do like that so much"; as though "places of worship," so-called, were opened merely for persons to go in and do what pleases themselves, forgetful of that word "MUST," which dominates the whole sphere of what we call worship.

Worship "must" be only with the spirit. We cannot worship God-who is a Spirit-with our eyes, by looking on at what is being done. We cannot worship God with our noses, by smelling incense, whether ceremonially or otherwise used. We cannot worship God with our ears, by listening to music, however well it may be "rendered". No! worship cannot be with any of our senses; or by all of them put together. It must be spiritual, and not sensual. The worshippers must be spiritual worshippers, for "the Father seeketh such to worship Him" (John 4:23).

How many of such worshippers frequent our churches and chapels? How many are still worshipping "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) ?

Is it possible that, if the true God were known the great, the High and Holy God, who dwelleth not in temples made with hands; the God who inhabiteth eternity; the God in whose sight the very heavens are not clean, and who chargeth His angels with folly---is it possible, we ask, that any who know Him could imagine, for one moment, that He "seeks" or could be pleased with, or accept, or regard a congregation turning the Bible into "a book of the words," and listening, for example, to a girl singing a solo, getting as high a note as she can, and holding it out as long as she can! Is THAT what The Great and Infinite God is seeking? Is that the occupation of the heart with Himself which He says He "MUST" have? No indeed! and the greater the ignorance of God, the deeper and more degraded will become the accompaniments of what is called "Public Worship".

Consider further, the effect of this great truth on our daily life. What rest and peace it brings. Look at its influence on our prayers. What is prayer for? Why are we told so often to pray? Why? Because prayer is intended to humble us by putting us into the place of helplessness and dependence. Prayer is meant to put us with our faces in the dust before the Mighty God.

[nChrist]

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PART FOUR



Instead of that, what do we find? We turn that place which is meant to humble us and keep us in the low place, into a Throne, from which we dictate to God what He shall do in our affairs, how He shall help to carry out our plans, what He shall do among the governments and political affairs of the world. That is the outcome of the pride of the "old man" within us. So that we, who cannot manage our own affairs, do not hesitate to take on ourselves the management of the universe, and "move the hand that moves the world".

A true knowledge of God would lead to a very different condition of things. Our prayers would be frequent indeed, but we should be so filled with a sense of God's wisdom, and power, and goodness, that we should cease to pray as though we had more compassion than He had; as though we were more concerned about sins and sinners than He is; as though we were more interested in His work than He is.

'We should be "definite" indeed, as well we may be, in many things where from His Word, we know "what to ask". But we should be equally "definite" in leaving all our cares with Him. We should cease to take the responsibilities of life upon ourselves. We should say, 'Lord, what Thou wilt! Do not heed my requests if Thou seest they are not good. Do not do or give this or that because I ask it or think it good. Withhold it, if Thou, who seest the end from the beginning, seest it will not be for my good. I am so foolish and ignorant before Thee: and Thou art so wonderful, so wise, and so good: Goodness and mercy itself; and Thy love is so infinite that Thou canst do only what is right, and wisest, and best. Thy will is love itself. Oh that I may be filled with such a knowledge of Thy will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that I may enjoy the perfect rest which that knowledge will give.'

In proportion as we have this knowledge of God and of His will, shall we thus pray without ceasing; and in this manner make known our requests unto Him.

When we pray definitely for our will to be done in any matter, it means (if we are honest enough to confess it), that we are willing to take all the responsibility if that request be granted. Oh, what a solemn responsibility! and how unnecessary, when God has provided us with One who is our Surety, and who is responsible for us in life and in death (John 6:39).

How much better to leave our affairs in His hands.

When we employ a person to do any labour for us, and we ask him how much we are to pay him? he replies, "I will leave it to you, Sir". Why? Because he knows perfectly well that we shall be very likely to give more than he would dare to ask.

It is even so with our God. If we know Him well enough we can surely say, in making our request, "I will leave it to Thee, Lord". We have his assurance that he is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20) . If we do the thinking we shall surely limit Him. How much better to leave the limit to Him: and we shall do this in proportion as we know Him.

[nChrist]

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PART FIVE



Take another illustration. Here is a friend in great difficulties; and we have a plan that will lift him right out of them, and set him on his feet again. He, meantime, comes to us and to borrow some small sum that will only give temporary relief, and leave him to struggle on still with his difficulties. He limits our power. His poor thoughts cannot rise to the extent of what we are able to do exceeding abundantly. If we answer his prayer, and grant him his request, and lend him what he asks, how small will be his blessing. Why does he not "ask or think" more "worthy" of our ability and love? Because he does not know us well enough! That is the secret, and that is why he is not delivered. He thinks he knows better than we do; and measures our willingness to give by his poor power to ask.

Oh to know the love, and power, and wisdom of our God. What a revolution it would make in our prayers, as well as in our lives.

But look again at another effect of this knowledge of God as applied to missionary work. What is the work of the missionary? He offers himself and is accepted. He is trained for his service, and he learns the particular language. The moment at length arrives when he is able to speak that language, and the opportunity comes to speak. Now, what is he going to say? What is the first thing that must come out from his opened lips? Is it not to explain his God to that heathen man or woman? Is it not to show how far the living God is above all their ideas? Is it not to tell how God has revealed Himself in His Word? and to explain that revelation, and to minister that Word.

We thus see how a true knowledge of God lies at the threshold of all missionary work. How can a man explain God unless he knows God? and how can God be known apart from His Word? Hence the supreme necessity of so studying that Word that we may not only enjoy but be able to speak of Him of Whom that Word is sent to testify.

So far we have spoken only of a knowledge of God---the Father. But it is also of the greatest importance that we should have a true knowledge of Christ.

This is the Christian's one object, as well as his greatest need.

This is set forth with remarkable clearness and force in Phil. 3.

In the ninth verse we have our standing in Christ expressed in the words

"FOUND IN HIM."

This is explained as not having our own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ; "the righteousness which is of God by faith".

Clothed in this righteousness, nothing of self is seen by God. Like the stones in the Temple, they were covered over first with cedar-wood; and the cedar-wood was covered over with gold. Then it is added, "there was no stone seen". These words are not necessary either for the grammar, or for the sense; for how could the stone be seen if thus doubly covered up? No! the words are graciously added to emphasize the anti type, and to impress upon us the blessed fact that, when covered with Christ's righteousness there is nothing of self seen in our standing before God. We are already "in the heavenlies, in Christ"; and are comely in all His comeliness, perfect in all His perfection, accepted in all His merit, righteous as He is righteousness; yea, holy as He is holy, and loved as He is beloved. All this is included in those words, "found in Him".

And being thus "found in Him" for our standing, we have in verses 20, 21 our hope; which, is to be

"LIKE HIM"

in resurrection and ascension glory at His coming. Hence "we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself".

This is our "blessed hope". We have referred to it here, and not in the order in which it stands in this chapter, in order to show what it is that lies between the two---the beginning and the end of our Christian course. What is it that is to fill the place between these two? What is to occupy our hearts from the moment when we were in Christ, who is our life, to the moment when we shall be like Christ, who shall be our glory? What is the one object that is to ever fill our hearts and occupy our minds?

[nChrist]

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THE CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST NEED.
PART SIX


"THAT I MAY KNOW HIM."

This is henceforth the Christian's great object. Nothing but this aim to get to know Christ (for this is the word used here, in Phil. 3:10).

As verse 9 contained the explanation of the words "found in him," so this verse (10) contains the explanation of how and why we are to get to know Christ.

We are henceforth no longer to know Him after the. flesh, but to get to know Him as risen; the head of the New Creation in resurrection (2 Cor. 5:16,17).

For this is how this knowledge is explained: "that I may get to know him and the power of his resurrection". Not to know merely the historical fact of his resurrection, but the "power" of it: i.e., what its wondrous power has done for us. But how can we get to know this "power"? Ah! only by experiencing "the fellowship of His sufferings": by learning that when He, the Head of the Body, suffered, all the members of that Body suffered in mysterious and blessed "fellowship with Him". Thus shall we get to know how we were "made conformable to Him in His death". Only when we have thus learned that we suffered when He suffered, and died when He died, can we begin to learn how we have risen also with Christ; and "get to know the power of His resurrection".

How few of us know what this "power" is, as it takes us out of the old creation and sets us in the new creation, where "all things are of God" (2 Cor. 5:17).

This then is our object, to get to know all that Christ is made unto us in resurrection power.

How startling must these words have been as they fell upon the ears of Greeks (for this is the first city Paul set his foot in Europe). They had been brought up on the great motto of Solon, the wisest of the seven wise men of Greece. His motto was supposed by them to embody in itself the essence of all wisdom; and it consisted of only two words, which were carved over the entrance to the schools and colleges of Greece:

(gnosthe seauton),

"KNOW THYSELF"

But yet, how foolish are those words. For how can one know anything of himself by considering himself? If he looks at others, then he can see how different he is from them; and how much better or worse he may be than they.

But it is only when we compare ourself with Christ, who is the wisdom and glory of God, that we learn, what we really are; and how far short we come of that glory (Rom. 3:23). It is only as we see ourselves in "the Balance of the Sanctuary," or by the side of the plumbline of that Perfection, that we see, and get to know, our absolutely lost and ruined condition. Hence this new motto was thundered from heaven into the ears of those who sought to know themselves---

"THAT I MAY GET TO KNOW HIM."

Yes, this is our one object. This it is that will have the mighty transforming power over our lives. Every moment spent in seeking to know ourselves is a moment lost: and not only lost, but used to keep us from the one thing that alone can accomplish our object and teach us ourselves. Trying to know ourselves, we not only fail in the attempt, but we cease to learn Christ, which alone teaches us to know ourselves.

And yet, how many are spending their lives in this vain search? Running hither and thither to hear this man and that man. And, being constantly directed to this self-occupation, self-surrender, and self-examination, they are only led into trouble; or, into a joy which lasts only while the excitement is kept up.

Oh! to be occupied with Christ; to have Him for our object; and His resurrection power for our lives.

This we shall have; and have increasingly as we get to know Christ.

Again. What was it that led the heathen world into all its darkness, corruption, and sin? Just this: "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of corruptible man" (Rom. 1: 22, 28.).

Like people today who, ignorant of God as He has revealed Himself in His Word, make their god, some with their own hands, or out of their own heads, vainly imagining He is what they think He is, and worshipping, like the heathen, "the unknown God," such an one as themselves.

What was it that led Israel astray and brought upon them all their sorrows and sufferings? Isaiah opens with the Divine indictment, which gathers up in the briefest form the one great cause which
lay at the root of all:

"The ox knoweth his owner,
 And the ass his master's crib;
 But Israel doth NOT KNOW,
 My People doth not consider."

See how the Lord Jesus confirms this in Luke xix:42-44, as He weeps over Jerusalem. All is summed up in the opening and closing words:

"IF THOU HADST KNOWN!

even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace."

And then, turning to the reason for that judgment, He adds: "Because thou KNEWEST NOT the day, of thy visitation."

And what is to be the acme of Israel's glory in the day of her restoration?

Ah! then it shall come to pass that "they shall no more teach every man his neighbour saying, Know
the LORD: for they shall all KNOW ME, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord"(Jer. 31:34).

And what shall be Creation's glory; and the peace and joy of the whole earth? This sums up all:

    "The earth shall be full of the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,
    As the waters cover the sea" (lsa. 11:9)

And what is the secret of our being able to glory only in the Lord, and to enjoy His blessing in this the day of our visitation? It is given in Jer. 9:23, 24:
    "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
     Neither let the mighty man glory in his might,
     Let not the rich man glory in his riches:
     But let him that glorieth, glory in this,
    THAT HE UNDERSTANDETH AND
     KNOWETH ME."

We are thus brought round, and brought back to the one great duty, which should henceforth absorb our hearts and minds, and fill our days and years; viz., to be instant in our study of the Word of God, which is given to us with the one great, express, commanding purpose---the revelation of Himself, in order that we may

GET TO KNOW HIM.