27 here is an important subject that has to do with faith and the practical reception of that for which we are able to trust Him. appropriation (def - suitable for a particular person, purpose, occasion ..from latin appropriatus made one's own) does not necessarily mean to gain something new, but to set aside for our practical possession something that already belongs to us.
to appropriate something for our daily walk in Christ, we face 2 essentials: to see what is already ours in Christ; and to be aware of our need for it. on these 2 factors rests the ability to appropriate, to reach out in steadfast faith and receive what belongs to us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
regarding the first essential, to SEE what is already ours, William R. Newell wrote: 'Paul does not ask a thing of the saints in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians but just to listen while he proclaims that wondrous series of great and eternal FACTS concerning them and not until he has completed this catalogue of realities about them does he ask them to do anything at all!
'and when he does open his plea for their high walk as saints, everything is based on the revelation before given - the facts of their high character and destiny as saints: 'I therefore... beseech you that ye walked worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ( ephesians 4.1). let us cease laying down to the saints long lists of 'conditions' of entering into the blessed life in Christ; and instead, as the primal preparation for leading them into the experience of this life, show them what their position, possessions and privileges in Christ already are. thus shall we truly work with the Holy Spirit and thus shall we have more and much more abiding fruit of our labors among the people of God.'
once we see what is ours in Christ Jesus, practical need will cause us to appropriate, to receive the answer to that need. 'there was a supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ' for paul and that made it possible for Christ to be magnified in him. it was a supply which was always available, but only appreciated and appropriated as and when the Apostle came to know his need. life is meant to bring a succession of discoveries of our need of Christ and with every such discovery the way is opened for a new inflow of the supply. this is the explanation of so much that we cannot otherwise understand - this plunging of us into new tests where only a fresh supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ will beet out need. and as our need is met, as we prove the sufficiency of Christ to meet our inward need, so there can be a new showing forth of His glory through us. (HF)
these two realities of seeing and needing bring us from childish meandering into a responsible, specific walk of faith. they take us from the 'help me' attitude to that of giving thanks; from begging to appropriation...
30 ..now we have seen a third element involved in our appropriation. after we have seen our possessions in Christ and become aware of our need, then we must give Him the necessary time to work the appropriation into our everyday walk. if we are looking for our needs to be met in the next interview, the next devotional book, the next series of special meetings, the next hoped-for 'revival', then reality will never come.
in this matter of christian development, there is no shortcut, no quick and easy way. the Husbandman builds into the believer that which He intends to minister through him to others. to minister Life to others, what one does and says must flow from what he is. 'for it pleased the Father that in Him (Christ Jesus) should all fullness dwell'; 'for we are made partakers of Christ'; 'that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God'; 'for your life is hidden with Christ in God'; 'that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh' (Col. 1.19; Heb. 3.14; Eph. 3.19; Col. 3.3; II cor. 4.11b)
how often we simply admire and talk about truths the Holy Spirit reveals to us in the Word, whereas His primary purpose in giving them to us is that we might stand on them in faith, waiting confidently for Him to make them an integral part of our life. 'A prophet is one who has a history, one who has been dealt with by God, one who has experienced the formative work of the Spirit. we are sometimes asked by would-be preachers who many days should be spent in preparation of a sermon. the answer: at least 10 years and probably nearer 20! for the preacher matters to God at least as much as the thing preached. God chooses as His prophets those in whom He has already worked what He intends to use as His message for today'.
Friday, February 10, 2017
1.10.2017 GL#6 COMPLETE IN HIM
23 We continue to deal with foundational facts, since the life can be no better than its roots, its source. youth and immaturity tend to act first and think later, if at all. maturity has learned to take time to assess the facts. our patient Husbandman is willing for us to take time and learn the eternal facts, without which we cannot be brought to maturity.
our Lord Jesus so often uses natural facts to teach us the deepest spiritual truths. He first teaches us about our natural, Adamic life before we can understand and appreciate our new spiritual, Christ-life. this involves the vital source principle -'after his kind'. every believer first learns that he is complete in Adam - he sprang from him: he is like him. 'for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners. Romans 5.19a 'for I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing'. Rom. 7.18a when, through our failures and struggles, he has taught us about the natural, we will be ready to learn of our spiritual Source. 'by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom. 5.19 'for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily. and ye are complete in Him. Colossians 2.9-10a
there are two main aspects to this source principle. first, the Lord Jesus is the Source of our Christian life - we were born into Him; God has made us complete in Him. this truth we are to hold by faith; it is true of each of us. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature...'II corinthinans 5.17a second, as we hold to this fact by faith, we are brought into the practical reality of it day by day in our experience. little by little we receive what is already ours. the important thing to know and be sure of is that all is ours, we are complete in Him NOW. this fact enables us to hold still while He patiently works
24 into our character that life of ours which is hid with Christ in God.
'progress is only advancing in the knowledge, the spiritual knowledge, of what we really possess at the outset. it is like ascending a ladder. the ladder is grace. the first step is, we believe, that the Lord Jesus was sent of god; second, that in the fullness of His work we are justified; third, we make His acquaintance; fourth, we come to see Him in heaven; we know our association with Him there, and His power here; fifth, we learn the mystery, the great things we are entitled to because of being His body; sixth, that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ; seventh, lost in wonder and in praise in the knowledge of Himself. (JBStony)
since we are complete in our Lord Jesus, it will not do to try and add to that finished work. it is now a matter of walking by faith and receiving, appropriating, from the ever-abundant source within. walter marshall is concise here: 'Christ's resurrection was our resurrection to a life of holiness, as Adam's fall was our fall into spiritual death. and we are not ourselves the first makers and formers of our new holy nature, any more than of our original corruption, but both are formed ready for us to partake of them. and by union with Christ, we partake of that spiritual life that He took possession of for us at His resurrection and thereby we are enabled to bring forth the fruits of it; as the Scripture showeth by the similitude of a marriage union. romans 7.4; 'Married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God'.
our part is not production, but reception of our life in Christ. this entails Bible-based fact finding; explicit faith in Him and His purpose for us in Christ; and patient trust while He takes us through the necessary processing involved. no believer ever fell into maturity, even though he is complete in Christ. SPIRITUAL GROWTH NECESSITATES HEART-HUNGER FOR THE LORD JESUS. determination, based on assurance, to have that which is ours in Him, plus meditation and thought. we will never come into the knowledge of our spiritual possessions through a superficial understanding of the Word. how can we ever expect to have intimate fellowship with One of whom we know little?
25 the following truth may be a good opportunity to exercise and develop some of that meditation and thought. 'what is needed is a mediation, in which God concentrates His own peculiar Spirit and Life as a principle in a human individual to be personally appropriated. in a revelation, which is really to translate the divine into man's individual personal life, in truth, to form men to God, the divine as such - that is, as a personal life - must first be embodied in a personal center in humanity. for this reason, as soon as something strictly new is concerned, something that in its peculiarity has not yet existed, every new type of life, before it can multiply itself to a number of specimens, must first have its full contents combined in perfect unity, in an adequate new principle. and so, for the making personal of the divine among men, the first thing needed is one in whom the principle of the divine life has become personal.
'christianity concentrates the whole fullness of revelation in the one human personality of Jesus Christ as Mediator - that is, as the mediating central principle of the new Divine organism, in its fullness of spirit and life, in and for the human personal life. with the entrance of Christ into the human individual, the Divine life becomes immanent in us, not in its universal world-relation, but as a personal principle, begotten of God. and with the growing transformation of the individual into the life-type of Christ there is perfected the development of the personal life out of god, in God and to God - the development not only of a moral or theocratic communion, but a communion of nature. (JT Beck)
a seed embodies in full the reproduction of the life from which it came. that much is complete and can never be added to. 'being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. (I Peter 1.23a) 'thou shalt not sow that field with mingled seed. leviticus 19:19 it is to be 'not I, but Christ.'
the Seed has been implanted - now the entire question is one of growth and maturity. this alone will bring forth fruit that abides. 'the development of the divine life in the Christian is like the natural growth in the vegetable world. we do not need to make any special effort, only place ourselves under the conditions favorable to such growth.
26 only those who have sought to grow by effort and failed are in the position to appreciate the fact that God is the aggressor in the realm of development. 'all the powers of Deity which have already wrought together in the accomplishment of the first part of the eternal purpose, the revealing of the Father's perfect likeness in the man Christ Jesus, are equally engaged to accomplish the second part and work that likeness in each of God's children. William Law agrees: 'a root set in the finest soil, in the best climate and blessed with all that sun and air and rain can do for it, is not so sure a way of its growth to perfection, as every man may be whose spirit aspires after all that which God is ready and infinitely desirous to give him. for the sun meets not the springing bud that stretches toward him with half that certainty as god, the Source of all good, communicates Himself to the soul that longs to partake of Him.
not only is our life complete in Him, but likewise the essential victory in all the many exigencies of that life. 'when you fight to get victory, then you have lost the battle at the very outset. suppose the Enemy assaults you in your home or in your business. he creates a situation with which you cannot possibly deal. what do you do? your first instinct is to prepare yourself for a big battle and then pray to God to Give you the victory in it. but if you do so defeat is sure, for you have given up the ground that is yours in Christ. by the attitude you have taken you have relinquished it to the Enemy. what then should you do when he attacks? you should simply look up and praise the Lord. 'Lord, I am faced with a situation that I cannot possibly meet. Tine enemy the Devil has brought it about to compass my downfall, but I praise Thee that Thy victory is an all-inclusive victory. it covers this situation, too. I praise Thee that I have already full victory in this matter'.
PS. Don't rush - He won't. 'the japanese artist, Hokusai, said, 'from the age of 6 I had a mania fro drawing the forms of things. by the time i was 50 I had published an infinity of designs: but nothing I produced before 70 is worth considering'. He died at 89, declaring that if he could have only another 5 years he would have become a great artist.
our Lord Jesus so often uses natural facts to teach us the deepest spiritual truths. He first teaches us about our natural, Adamic life before we can understand and appreciate our new spiritual, Christ-life. this involves the vital source principle -'after his kind'. every believer first learns that he is complete in Adam - he sprang from him: he is like him. 'for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners. Romans 5.19a 'for I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing'. Rom. 7.18a when, through our failures and struggles, he has taught us about the natural, we will be ready to learn of our spiritual Source. 'by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom. 5.19 'for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily. and ye are complete in Him. Colossians 2.9-10a
there are two main aspects to this source principle. first, the Lord Jesus is the Source of our Christian life - we were born into Him; God has made us complete in Him. this truth we are to hold by faith; it is true of each of us. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature...'II corinthinans 5.17a second, as we hold to this fact by faith, we are brought into the practical reality of it day by day in our experience. little by little we receive what is already ours. the important thing to know and be sure of is that all is ours, we are complete in Him NOW. this fact enables us to hold still while He patiently works
24 into our character that life of ours which is hid with Christ in God.
'progress is only advancing in the knowledge, the spiritual knowledge, of what we really possess at the outset. it is like ascending a ladder. the ladder is grace. the first step is, we believe, that the Lord Jesus was sent of god; second, that in the fullness of His work we are justified; third, we make His acquaintance; fourth, we come to see Him in heaven; we know our association with Him there, and His power here; fifth, we learn the mystery, the great things we are entitled to because of being His body; sixth, that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ; seventh, lost in wonder and in praise in the knowledge of Himself. (JBStony)
since we are complete in our Lord Jesus, it will not do to try and add to that finished work. it is now a matter of walking by faith and receiving, appropriating, from the ever-abundant source within. walter marshall is concise here: 'Christ's resurrection was our resurrection to a life of holiness, as Adam's fall was our fall into spiritual death. and we are not ourselves the first makers and formers of our new holy nature, any more than of our original corruption, but both are formed ready for us to partake of them. and by union with Christ, we partake of that spiritual life that He took possession of for us at His resurrection and thereby we are enabled to bring forth the fruits of it; as the Scripture showeth by the similitude of a marriage union. romans 7.4; 'Married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God'.
our part is not production, but reception of our life in Christ. this entails Bible-based fact finding; explicit faith in Him and His purpose for us in Christ; and patient trust while He takes us through the necessary processing involved. no believer ever fell into maturity, even though he is complete in Christ. SPIRITUAL GROWTH NECESSITATES HEART-HUNGER FOR THE LORD JESUS. determination, based on assurance, to have that which is ours in Him, plus meditation and thought. we will never come into the knowledge of our spiritual possessions through a superficial understanding of the Word. how can we ever expect to have intimate fellowship with One of whom we know little?
25 the following truth may be a good opportunity to exercise and develop some of that meditation and thought. 'what is needed is a mediation, in which God concentrates His own peculiar Spirit and Life as a principle in a human individual to be personally appropriated. in a revelation, which is really to translate the divine into man's individual personal life, in truth, to form men to God, the divine as such - that is, as a personal life - must first be embodied in a personal center in humanity. for this reason, as soon as something strictly new is concerned, something that in its peculiarity has not yet existed, every new type of life, before it can multiply itself to a number of specimens, must first have its full contents combined in perfect unity, in an adequate new principle. and so, for the making personal of the divine among men, the first thing needed is one in whom the principle of the divine life has become personal.
'christianity concentrates the whole fullness of revelation in the one human personality of Jesus Christ as Mediator - that is, as the mediating central principle of the new Divine organism, in its fullness of spirit and life, in and for the human personal life. with the entrance of Christ into the human individual, the Divine life becomes immanent in us, not in its universal world-relation, but as a personal principle, begotten of God. and with the growing transformation of the individual into the life-type of Christ there is perfected the development of the personal life out of god, in God and to God - the development not only of a moral or theocratic communion, but a communion of nature. (JT Beck)
a seed embodies in full the reproduction of the life from which it came. that much is complete and can never be added to. 'being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. (I Peter 1.23a) 'thou shalt not sow that field with mingled seed. leviticus 19:19 it is to be 'not I, but Christ.'
the Seed has been implanted - now the entire question is one of growth and maturity. this alone will bring forth fruit that abides. 'the development of the divine life in the Christian is like the natural growth in the vegetable world. we do not need to make any special effort, only place ourselves under the conditions favorable to such growth.
26 only those who have sought to grow by effort and failed are in the position to appreciate the fact that God is the aggressor in the realm of development. 'all the powers of Deity which have already wrought together in the accomplishment of the first part of the eternal purpose, the revealing of the Father's perfect likeness in the man Christ Jesus, are equally engaged to accomplish the second part and work that likeness in each of God's children. William Law agrees: 'a root set in the finest soil, in the best climate and blessed with all that sun and air and rain can do for it, is not so sure a way of its growth to perfection, as every man may be whose spirit aspires after all that which God is ready and infinitely desirous to give him. for the sun meets not the springing bud that stretches toward him with half that certainty as god, the Source of all good, communicates Himself to the soul that longs to partake of Him.
not only is our life complete in Him, but likewise the essential victory in all the many exigencies of that life. 'when you fight to get victory, then you have lost the battle at the very outset. suppose the Enemy assaults you in your home or in your business. he creates a situation with which you cannot possibly deal. what do you do? your first instinct is to prepare yourself for a big battle and then pray to God to Give you the victory in it. but if you do so defeat is sure, for you have given up the ground that is yours in Christ. by the attitude you have taken you have relinquished it to the Enemy. what then should you do when he attacks? you should simply look up and praise the Lord. 'Lord, I am faced with a situation that I cannot possibly meet. Tine enemy the Devil has brought it about to compass my downfall, but I praise Thee that Thy victory is an all-inclusive victory. it covers this situation, too. I praise Thee that I have already full victory in this matter'.
PS. Don't rush - He won't. 'the japanese artist, Hokusai, said, 'from the age of 6 I had a mania fro drawing the forms of things. by the time i was 50 I had published an infinity of designs: but nothing I produced before 70 is worth considering'. He died at 89, declaring that if he could have only another 5 years he would have become a great artist.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
2.7.2017 GL#5 PREPARATION
18 Once we know His eternal plan and purpose for us, plus His method of preparation and process to that end, there is rest and confidence. now it so happens that GOD'S BASIC INGREDIENT FOR GROWN IS NEED. without personal needs, we would get nowhere in our christian life. the reason our Rather creates and allows needs in our lives is to turn us from all that is outside of Christ, centering us in Him alone. 'Not I, but Christ'.
for both our growth and service it is all-essential that we see and understand this principle, which JB Stoney sets forth in a sentence: 'THE SOUL NEVER IMBIBES THE TRUTH IN LIVING POWER BUT AS IT REQUIRES IT'. as for our growth, needs cause us to reach out and appropriate by faith, from our Lord Jesus, what we require. and in the matter of service, in witnessing and helping others, WE MUST WATCH AND WAIT FOR THE HUNGRY AND NEEDY HEART, if there is to be abiding fruit. again Stoney says, 'the true value of anything is know only when it is wanted. JN Darby makes this doubly clear by writing, 'wisdom and philosophy never found out God; He makes Himself known to us through our needs; necessity finds Him out. I doubt much if we have ever learned anything solidly except we have learnt it thus.
in this light, our needs are invaluable ! we must face up to the fact that without spiritual hunger, we cannot feed on the Lord Jesus Christ. from our personal experience, Matthew 5.6 should mean much to every one of us - 'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' all too often believers are exhorted and even pressured to grow before there is an acute awareness of need,
19 before there is true spiritual hunger. and, sad to say, in most instances when there is real heart-hunger, very little spiritual food is offered. one of the main reasons for so much evangelistic effort and personal work coming to little or nothing is that truths are forced on the 'victim' to be saved before he is aware that he is lost. the work will soon come to naught unless an overpowering conviction of sin causes the lost to reach out with the grip of personal faith and find their need fully met in the Savior.
Watchman Nee puts first things first in saying, 'the Lord does not set us here first of all to preach or to do any work for Him.
THE FIRST THING FOR WHICH HE SETS US HERE IS TO CREATE HUNGER IN OTHERS.
no true work will ever begin without a sense of need being created. we cannot inject that into others; we cannot drive people to be hungry. that hunger is to be created and that hunger can be created only through those who carry the impressions of God'.
IN PREPARATION,THERE IS A TEARING DOWN BEFORE THERE CAN BE A BUILDING UP
'come and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn and He will heal us; He hath smitten and he will bind us up'. hosea 6.1 this applies to both growth and service.
JC Metcalfe faithfully writes: 'it is more than comforting to realize that it is those who have plumbed the depths of failure to whom God invariably gives the call to shepherd others. this is not a call given to the gifted, the highly trained or the polished as such.
'WITHOUT (a) BITTER EXPERIENCE OF THEIR OWN INADEQUACY AND POVERTY THEY ARE QUITE UNFITTED TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF SPIRITUAL MINISTRY. it takes a man who has discovered something of the measures o f his own weakness to be patient with the foibles of others. such a man also has a first hand knowledge of the loving care of the Chief Shepherd and his ability to heal one who has come humbly to trust in Him and Him alone. therefore HE DOES NOT EASILY DESPAIR OF OTHERS, BUT LOOKS BEYOND SINFULNESS, WILLFULNESS AND STUPIDITY, TO THE MIGHT OF UNCHANGING LOVE. The Lord Jesus does not give the charge, 'Be a shepherd to My lambs...to My sheep', on hearing Peter's self-confident affirmation of undying loyalty, but He gives it
20 after he has utterly failed to keep his vows and has wept bitterly in the streets of Jerusalem.
yes, there must be deep, thorough and long preparation if there is to be reality - if our life is to be Christ-centered, our work controlled by the Holy Spirit and our service glorifying to God. sooner or later the Holy spirit begins to make us aware of our basic problem as believers -the infinite difference between self and Christ. 'there are other laborers besides those who are seeking for pardon - for justification. there are laborers for sanctification - after personal holiness - after riddance of the power of the old Adam; and to such, as well as to those who are seeking after salvation, Christ promises, with this great 'I will. Matt. 11.28-30 it is highly possible for a man, after having found justifying rest in Christ, to enter upon a state of deep need as regards sanctifying rest. we think we shall not go far wrong if we say that this has been the experience of almost every believer who has ever lived.' PBPower
much of His preparation in our lives consists of setting up this struggle - our seeing self for what it is and then attempting to get free from its evil power and influence. for there is no hope of consistent abiding in the Lord Jesus as long as we are under the dominion of the self-life, in which 'dwelleth no good thing'. Romans 7.18a 'not in babyhood are we able to continually abide in His presence, regardless of our surroundings and that which we are doing. NOT WHEN WE SERVE HIM WITH INTERMITTENT ZEAL DOES OUR OWN SOUL GROW AND THRIVE; not when we are indifferent are we watered from the presence of the Lord. IT IS AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SUBDUED, REFINED AND CHASTENED; when love of self and the world is gone, that we learn to abide in touch with Him at all times and in all places or surroundings.
the value of both the struggle to free ourselves from the old Adam-life and the equally fruitless efforts to experience the new Adam-life, the Christ-life, is to finally realize that it is utterly futile. our personal, heart-breaking failure in every phase of our christian life is our Rather's preparation for His success on our behalf. this negative processing of His finally brings us into His positive promise of philippians 1.6, 'being
21 confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ'. His 'good work' in us is begun through failure and this includes our strongest points, which continues on into His success., by His performance and not ours. 'for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. philippians 2.13 there is no question but that we all began in sheer grace and we must continue and arrive on the very same basis: 'stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. galatians 5.1
charles trumbull said, 'the effortless life is not the will-less life. we use our will to believe, to receive, but not to exert effort in trying to accomplish what only god can do. our hope for victory over sin is not 'Christ plus my efforts', but Christ plus my receiving'. to receive victory from Him is to believe His Word that solely by His grace He is, this moment, freeing us from the dominion of sin. and to believe on Him in this way is to recognize that HE IS DOING FOR US WHAT WE CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES'. WE LEARNED THIS PRINCIPLE AT THE TIME OF OUR SPIRITUAL BIRTH
AND IT SEEMS THAT MOST OF US HAVE TO LEARN IT ALL OVER AGAIN FOR OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND SERVICE. fear not, dear friend; just hold firm to the fact of His purpose for you in Christ and He will faithfully take you step by step into all the necessary preparation - He will do it. once you are sure of the purpose you can be equally positive of the preparation. simply remember that Romans 8. 28 and 29 go together and thank Him for philippians 1.6.
'the Lord is glorified in a people whose heart is set at any cost, by any road, upon the goal which is god Himself. a man who is thus minded says, 'By any road!' here is a very difficult road; a road beset by enemies, but the passionate desire for the goal will hold him steadfast in the way. it is the man who lacks the yearning to know Him that will easily be turned aside. along that road the Man Christ Jesus has already gone before, and at every point has overcome for us. we have not to climb up' we are to be brought through in the train of His triumph. every enemy has been met; every for as been overcome; there remains nothing in this
22 universe that is able to overcome the least child of God who has taken the hand of the Lord and said: 'Lord, bring me through to the place where Thou art, in virtue of the blood which Thou hast already taken through in victory'. there is great glory of the Lord in a quiet, confident walk in a day of adversity, a day of dread, when things about us are shaking and trembling (GP)
for both our growth and service it is all-essential that we see and understand this principle, which JB Stoney sets forth in a sentence: 'THE SOUL NEVER IMBIBES THE TRUTH IN LIVING POWER BUT AS IT REQUIRES IT'. as for our growth, needs cause us to reach out and appropriate by faith, from our Lord Jesus, what we require. and in the matter of service, in witnessing and helping others, WE MUST WATCH AND WAIT FOR THE HUNGRY AND NEEDY HEART, if there is to be abiding fruit. again Stoney says, 'the true value of anything is know only when it is wanted. JN Darby makes this doubly clear by writing, 'wisdom and philosophy never found out God; He makes Himself known to us through our needs; necessity finds Him out. I doubt much if we have ever learned anything solidly except we have learnt it thus.
in this light, our needs are invaluable ! we must face up to the fact that without spiritual hunger, we cannot feed on the Lord Jesus Christ. from our personal experience, Matthew 5.6 should mean much to every one of us - 'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' all too often believers are exhorted and even pressured to grow before there is an acute awareness of need,
19 before there is true spiritual hunger. and, sad to say, in most instances when there is real heart-hunger, very little spiritual food is offered. one of the main reasons for so much evangelistic effort and personal work coming to little or nothing is that truths are forced on the 'victim' to be saved before he is aware that he is lost. the work will soon come to naught unless an overpowering conviction of sin causes the lost to reach out with the grip of personal faith and find their need fully met in the Savior.
Watchman Nee puts first things first in saying, 'the Lord does not set us here first of all to preach or to do any work for Him.
THE FIRST THING FOR WHICH HE SETS US HERE IS TO CREATE HUNGER IN OTHERS.
no true work will ever begin without a sense of need being created. we cannot inject that into others; we cannot drive people to be hungry. that hunger is to be created and that hunger can be created only through those who carry the impressions of God'.
IN PREPARATION,THERE IS A TEARING DOWN BEFORE THERE CAN BE A BUILDING UP
'come and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn and He will heal us; He hath smitten and he will bind us up'. hosea 6.1 this applies to both growth and service.
JC Metcalfe faithfully writes: 'it is more than comforting to realize that it is those who have plumbed the depths of failure to whom God invariably gives the call to shepherd others. this is not a call given to the gifted, the highly trained or the polished as such.
'WITHOUT (a) BITTER EXPERIENCE OF THEIR OWN INADEQUACY AND POVERTY THEY ARE QUITE UNFITTED TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF SPIRITUAL MINISTRY. it takes a man who has discovered something of the measures o f his own weakness to be patient with the foibles of others. such a man also has a first hand knowledge of the loving care of the Chief Shepherd and his ability to heal one who has come humbly to trust in Him and Him alone. therefore HE DOES NOT EASILY DESPAIR OF OTHERS, BUT LOOKS BEYOND SINFULNESS, WILLFULNESS AND STUPIDITY, TO THE MIGHT OF UNCHANGING LOVE. The Lord Jesus does not give the charge, 'Be a shepherd to My lambs...to My sheep', on hearing Peter's self-confident affirmation of undying loyalty, but He gives it
20 after he has utterly failed to keep his vows and has wept bitterly in the streets of Jerusalem.
yes, there must be deep, thorough and long preparation if there is to be reality - if our life is to be Christ-centered, our work controlled by the Holy Spirit and our service glorifying to God. sooner or later the Holy spirit begins to make us aware of our basic problem as believers -the infinite difference between self and Christ. 'there are other laborers besides those who are seeking for pardon - for justification. there are laborers for sanctification - after personal holiness - after riddance of the power of the old Adam; and to such, as well as to those who are seeking after salvation, Christ promises, with this great 'I will. Matt. 11.28-30 it is highly possible for a man, after having found justifying rest in Christ, to enter upon a state of deep need as regards sanctifying rest. we think we shall not go far wrong if we say that this has been the experience of almost every believer who has ever lived.' PBPower
much of His preparation in our lives consists of setting up this struggle - our seeing self for what it is and then attempting to get free from its evil power and influence. for there is no hope of consistent abiding in the Lord Jesus as long as we are under the dominion of the self-life, in which 'dwelleth no good thing'. Romans 7.18a 'not in babyhood are we able to continually abide in His presence, regardless of our surroundings and that which we are doing. NOT WHEN WE SERVE HIM WITH INTERMITTENT ZEAL DOES OUR OWN SOUL GROW AND THRIVE; not when we are indifferent are we watered from the presence of the Lord. IT IS AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SUBDUED, REFINED AND CHASTENED; when love of self and the world is gone, that we learn to abide in touch with Him at all times and in all places or surroundings.
the value of both the struggle to free ourselves from the old Adam-life and the equally fruitless efforts to experience the new Adam-life, the Christ-life, is to finally realize that it is utterly futile. our personal, heart-breaking failure in every phase of our christian life is our Rather's preparation for His success on our behalf. this negative processing of His finally brings us into His positive promise of philippians 1.6, 'being
21 confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ'. His 'good work' in us is begun through failure and this includes our strongest points, which continues on into His success., by His performance and not ours. 'for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. philippians 2.13 there is no question but that we all began in sheer grace and we must continue and arrive on the very same basis: 'stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. galatians 5.1
charles trumbull said, 'the effortless life is not the will-less life. we use our will to believe, to receive, but not to exert effort in trying to accomplish what only god can do. our hope for victory over sin is not 'Christ plus my efforts', but Christ plus my receiving'. to receive victory from Him is to believe His Word that solely by His grace He is, this moment, freeing us from the dominion of sin. and to believe on Him in this way is to recognize that HE IS DOING FOR US WHAT WE CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES'. WE LEARNED THIS PRINCIPLE AT THE TIME OF OUR SPIRITUAL BIRTH
AND IT SEEMS THAT MOST OF US HAVE TO LEARN IT ALL OVER AGAIN FOR OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND SERVICE. fear not, dear friend; just hold firm to the fact of His purpose for you in Christ and He will faithfully take you step by step into all the necessary preparation - He will do it. once you are sure of the purpose you can be equally positive of the preparation. simply remember that Romans 8. 28 and 29 go together and thank Him for philippians 1.6.
'the Lord is glorified in a people whose heart is set at any cost, by any road, upon the goal which is god Himself. a man who is thus minded says, 'By any road!' here is a very difficult road; a road beset by enemies, but the passionate desire for the goal will hold him steadfast in the way. it is the man who lacks the yearning to know Him that will easily be turned aside. along that road the Man Christ Jesus has already gone before, and at every point has overcome for us. we have not to climb up' we are to be brought through in the train of His triumph. every enemy has been met; every for as been overcome; there remains nothing in this
22 universe that is able to overcome the least child of God who has taken the hand of the Lord and said: 'Lord, bring me through to the place where Thou art, in virtue of the blood which Thou hast already taken through in victory'. there is great glory of the Lord in a quiet, confident walk in a day of adversity, a day of dread, when things about us are shaking and trembling (GP)
2.7.2017 "THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WILL TALK TO YOU IN MY RIGHT MIND"
in Voice of the Martyrs, February 2017
The Prison Pastor
'you will serve 10 years of hard time', the investigator said solemnly.
the elderly pastor would be almost 80 by the time he completed his sentence, and part of it, he learned, would be spent in a psychiatric ward.
Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev knew that prisoners in the psychiatric ward were routinely drugged, causing them to lose the abilities to even think or move. they would drug him to a point of losing his mind.
his heart sank. while he was not afraid to die, he didn't want his seven grandchildren to see him in that condition. death didn't scare him, but losing his mind did.
the 'Crime'
in may 2013 Pastor Kashkumbaev was arrested after being accused of harming the health of a church member at Grace Church, a legally registered church in Kazakhstan. authorities filed 5 charges against the pastor, including a charge of inciting religious hatred.
although the church member defended the pastor, saying the charges were unfounded, these were just the latest in a long series of allegations that had been hurled at the church and its pastor. state officials had previously accused the church of espionage, fraud, money laundering, distributing extremist texts and using hallucinogens during Communion. in 2012, officials had raided the church and confiscated computers, DVD's and books that the government considered extremist literature.
since gaining independence from the former Soviet union, Kazakhstan and other Central asian nations have tried to create a unified identity, in part by establishing islam as the prevailing societal influence, ethnic Kazakhs are expected to be muslim.
in 2011, the country adopted laws that required religious groups to re-register with the government
unregistered religious education and proselytism became illegal and the activities of registered groups were closely monitored and regulated. then, in 2012, new regulations were imposed on religious literature, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of more christians.
any form of proselytism or distribution of literature that the government considers 'religious extremism' is strictly forbidden. therefore, churches and christians who actively witness for Christ are easy targets. and Pastor Kashkumbaev, as a 1995 convert from islam to Christianity, was an especially attractive target.
The Psychiatric Ward Pastor Kashkumbaev was filled with dread as the day approached for his transfer from the prison in Astana to the psychiatric ward. but before he left he received a visit from a good friend and brother in Christ. the pastor, with tears in his eyes, told his friend, 'THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WILL TALK TO YOU IN MY RIGHT MIND.
'WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? ' his friend replied.
that simple question was just the encouragement the pastor needed. 'I FELT LIKE I WAS UNDER THE COVER OF THE RISEN LORD', he said. Pastor K's outlook on his imprisonment changed completely, enabling him, with God's help, to lead almost 100 fellow prisoners to Christ during his 9 month imprisonment.
the psychiatric ward was located in an old building that likely housed criminals when Kazakhstan was part of the soviet Union. the clinic, where the pastor was taken, was located in the basement. a small window offered the only natural light entering the corridor, and the cells were dark. the pastor was given no clothing but a robe before being locked in a cell with violent criminals suffering from psychiatric problems. some of the prisoners were murderers, including the pastor's bunk mate, who was convicted of killing his brother but had no memory of it.
one night as P K's slept, he felt a hand grip his throat to strangle him. as he instinctively grabbed the hand and tried to pull it away, he saw the darkness and evil in his bunk mate's eyes. at the same time, however, he felt at peace. 'WHAT DO YOU NEED?' he asked the man.
suddenly the man's appearance and behavior changed. 'when are we getting out of here? he asked.
after climbing out of his bunk, the pastor tucked the man back into his bed and prayed over him.
after the incident with his bunk mate, P K BEGAN THINKING OF HIS CELLMATES AS SICK CHILDREN.
he had compassion and love for them,
he cried and prayed for them and he did what he could to help them.
'THEY WERE LIKE FLOWERS PLANTED IN DRY GROUND THAT HAD WITHERED, he said. knowing he might be given mind-altering drugs any day, the pastor took every opportunity to share the gospel with them.
when the day finally came for HIS FIRST INJECTION, THE PASTOR TURNED TO HIS CELLMATES FOR HELP. as he began to lose consciousness, he cried out, 'I AM DYING'!'
the other inmates who didn't want to lose him, began calling for the guards. 'the old guy is dying! they yelled.
the guards rushed into the cell and carried the pastor into the hallway. after helping him regain consciousness, the doctor ordered that no more drugs be given to the pastor.
The Confession when prison officials ordered him to write down how he had become a christian, P K GLADLY SHARED HIS TESTIMONY AND TOLD THEM ABOUT JESUS. in his prison 'confession' he wrote in detail about what Jesus had done for him. and, being a pastor, he made sure that he included a sermon.
most of the inmates in the psychiatric ward were summoned to meet with the psychiatrist only once or twice, he was called 18 times. 'why are you so concerned with me? he asked the psychiatrist during one visit. 'you call in other inmates just once or twice.
'you are such an interesting character, she replied. 'we don't sense any evil in you. this isn't normal. 'christians are not supposed to answer evil for evil, he told her. 'we are called to bless people. we are called to bless friends and enemies with a sincere heart'.
the clinic finally called in an independent expert to evaluate p K. 'I don't understand how you ended up here, the expert told the pastor. 'you are a completely adequate person.
authorities decided that the pastor should be returned to the prison in Astana, but before he left the psychiatric ward he was able to lead several more people to Christ.
The Addict a young heroin addict was brought to P K's already crowded ward shortly before the pastor returned to Astana. the young man, who had been imprisoned twice before, endured 7 sleepless nights as he suffered from withdrawal symptoms.
the pastor shared the gospel with him, even though another inmate told him that someone in the dell was reporting on him. 'ONLY JESUS CAN HELP YOU! he told the addict while holding his hands. the young man clung to him as if he were drowning.
'don't think that no one needs you, P K continued after sharing Jeremiah 29.11. 'from these words from God Himself you can see that He needs you.
you are needed.
God keeps His word.
it is as good as done!
for Jesus, you addiction is nothing.
all you have to do is believe that He can heal you.
He is alive; He is risen from the dead to help you, to justify you',
what do I need to do? he asked the pastor.
'we are going to pray together right now, the pastor replied.
but you have to believe that God hears your every word'.
the addict repeated the prayer after the pastor.
after saying the prayer, the young man slept for the first time in a week. knowing that evening roll call was just an hour away, the pastor prayed that he might somehow be allowed to continue sleeping.
when the officers finally came for roll call, P K stood between them and the bunk of his sleeping friend. 'why is he sleeping? an officer asked the pastor. 'he should be standing during the roll call'.
'he has not slept the entire week, he quietly explained to the officer. 'he asked me to pray for him. God gave him this sleep that he needs desperately.
the officer ordered the pastor to wake him up. 'who gave you the right to break procedure? the officer demanded.
the pastor stood firm, 'I am not going to let you wake him up, he told him. 'you can put me in solitary confinement. do anything to me.
the officers were shocked. 'you seem to be a normal person. why are you trying to break the rules?
'I am not trying to break the rules, he told them. 'I am just asking you to be humane. you are checking to see if we are all here, whether we are all alive. look, he is alive. but he is sleeping and he needs his sleep so he can heal.
after receiving the pastor's assurance that he would never ask something like that again, the officers finally agreed to leave him alone.
when the young man awoke 20 hours later, the pastor prepared tea and something for him to eat. 'do you remember that you asked Jesus to come into your heart? he asked him.
'yes, I do', he replied.
'where is Jesus?'
'in my heart'.
the pastor then taught him how to pray.
'you are now a member of God's family, he told him.
'you are a new creation and you have to view yourself as a new creature.
you are not addicted to any drug, he continued, knowing that drugs were freely sold in the prison, even by the guards.
'satan will try to attack you, but you have to remember that you are not addicted.
you can say no.
P K taught and encouraged the young man 4 days before being transferred to another cell.
as he was leaving , the former drug addict began to cry.
'what am I going to do without you? he asked.
'are you alone? the pastor replied.
'Who is in you?
Hold onto Jesus; you are not alone, you will do fine'.
The Release P K was released from prison in february 2014 and 4 of the 5 charges against him were dropped. although he was allowed to return home, he remains under house arrest and must check in with police once every 2 months.
he continues to minister to his congregation.
...the pastor said he does not regret his time in prison. 'in prison the Holy Spirit opened one dimension of prayer (to me), he said. 'we need to pray the same prayer for both friends and enemies: Pray that they will know God and sincerely love Him and Jesus Christ, Whom He sent, His only begotten Son.
The Prison Pastor
'you will serve 10 years of hard time', the investigator said solemnly.
the elderly pastor would be almost 80 by the time he completed his sentence, and part of it, he learned, would be spent in a psychiatric ward.
Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev knew that prisoners in the psychiatric ward were routinely drugged, causing them to lose the abilities to even think or move. they would drug him to a point of losing his mind.
his heart sank. while he was not afraid to die, he didn't want his seven grandchildren to see him in that condition. death didn't scare him, but losing his mind did.
the 'Crime'
in may 2013 Pastor Kashkumbaev was arrested after being accused of harming the health of a church member at Grace Church, a legally registered church in Kazakhstan. authorities filed 5 charges against the pastor, including a charge of inciting religious hatred.
although the church member defended the pastor, saying the charges were unfounded, these were just the latest in a long series of allegations that had been hurled at the church and its pastor. state officials had previously accused the church of espionage, fraud, money laundering, distributing extremist texts and using hallucinogens during Communion. in 2012, officials had raided the church and confiscated computers, DVD's and books that the government considered extremist literature.
since gaining independence from the former Soviet union, Kazakhstan and other Central asian nations have tried to create a unified identity, in part by establishing islam as the prevailing societal influence, ethnic Kazakhs are expected to be muslim.
in 2011, the country adopted laws that required religious groups to re-register with the government
unregistered religious education and proselytism became illegal and the activities of registered groups were closely monitored and regulated. then, in 2012, new regulations were imposed on religious literature, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of more christians.
any form of proselytism or distribution of literature that the government considers 'religious extremism' is strictly forbidden. therefore, churches and christians who actively witness for Christ are easy targets. and Pastor Kashkumbaev, as a 1995 convert from islam to Christianity, was an especially attractive target.
The Psychiatric Ward Pastor Kashkumbaev was filled with dread as the day approached for his transfer from the prison in Astana to the psychiatric ward. but before he left he received a visit from a good friend and brother in Christ. the pastor, with tears in his eyes, told his friend, 'THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WILL TALK TO YOU IN MY RIGHT MIND.
'WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? ' his friend replied.
that simple question was just the encouragement the pastor needed. 'I FELT LIKE I WAS UNDER THE COVER OF THE RISEN LORD', he said. Pastor K's outlook on his imprisonment changed completely, enabling him, with God's help, to lead almost 100 fellow prisoners to Christ during his 9 month imprisonment.
the psychiatric ward was located in an old building that likely housed criminals when Kazakhstan was part of the soviet Union. the clinic, where the pastor was taken, was located in the basement. a small window offered the only natural light entering the corridor, and the cells were dark. the pastor was given no clothing but a robe before being locked in a cell with violent criminals suffering from psychiatric problems. some of the prisoners were murderers, including the pastor's bunk mate, who was convicted of killing his brother but had no memory of it.
one night as P K's slept, he felt a hand grip his throat to strangle him. as he instinctively grabbed the hand and tried to pull it away, he saw the darkness and evil in his bunk mate's eyes. at the same time, however, he felt at peace. 'WHAT DO YOU NEED?' he asked the man.
suddenly the man's appearance and behavior changed. 'when are we getting out of here? he asked.
after climbing out of his bunk, the pastor tucked the man back into his bed and prayed over him.
after the incident with his bunk mate, P K BEGAN THINKING OF HIS CELLMATES AS SICK CHILDREN.
he had compassion and love for them,
he cried and prayed for them and he did what he could to help them.
'THEY WERE LIKE FLOWERS PLANTED IN DRY GROUND THAT HAD WITHERED, he said. knowing he might be given mind-altering drugs any day, the pastor took every opportunity to share the gospel with them.
when the day finally came for HIS FIRST INJECTION, THE PASTOR TURNED TO HIS CELLMATES FOR HELP. as he began to lose consciousness, he cried out, 'I AM DYING'!'
the other inmates who didn't want to lose him, began calling for the guards. 'the old guy is dying! they yelled.
the guards rushed into the cell and carried the pastor into the hallway. after helping him regain consciousness, the doctor ordered that no more drugs be given to the pastor.
The Confession when prison officials ordered him to write down how he had become a christian, P K GLADLY SHARED HIS TESTIMONY AND TOLD THEM ABOUT JESUS. in his prison 'confession' he wrote in detail about what Jesus had done for him. and, being a pastor, he made sure that he included a sermon.
most of the inmates in the psychiatric ward were summoned to meet with the psychiatrist only once or twice, he was called 18 times. 'why are you so concerned with me? he asked the psychiatrist during one visit. 'you call in other inmates just once or twice.
'you are such an interesting character, she replied. 'we don't sense any evil in you. this isn't normal. 'christians are not supposed to answer evil for evil, he told her. 'we are called to bless people. we are called to bless friends and enemies with a sincere heart'.
the clinic finally called in an independent expert to evaluate p K. 'I don't understand how you ended up here, the expert told the pastor. 'you are a completely adequate person.
authorities decided that the pastor should be returned to the prison in Astana, but before he left the psychiatric ward he was able to lead several more people to Christ.
The Addict a young heroin addict was brought to P K's already crowded ward shortly before the pastor returned to Astana. the young man, who had been imprisoned twice before, endured 7 sleepless nights as he suffered from withdrawal symptoms.
the pastor shared the gospel with him, even though another inmate told him that someone in the dell was reporting on him. 'ONLY JESUS CAN HELP YOU! he told the addict while holding his hands. the young man clung to him as if he were drowning.
'don't think that no one needs you, P K continued after sharing Jeremiah 29.11. 'from these words from God Himself you can see that He needs you.
you are needed.
God keeps His word.
it is as good as done!
for Jesus, you addiction is nothing.
all you have to do is believe that He can heal you.
He is alive; He is risen from the dead to help you, to justify you',
what do I need to do? he asked the pastor.
'we are going to pray together right now, the pastor replied.
but you have to believe that God hears your every word'.
the addict repeated the prayer after the pastor.
after saying the prayer, the young man slept for the first time in a week. knowing that evening roll call was just an hour away, the pastor prayed that he might somehow be allowed to continue sleeping.
when the officers finally came for roll call, P K stood between them and the bunk of his sleeping friend. 'why is he sleeping? an officer asked the pastor. 'he should be standing during the roll call'.
'he has not slept the entire week, he quietly explained to the officer. 'he asked me to pray for him. God gave him this sleep that he needs desperately.
the officer ordered the pastor to wake him up. 'who gave you the right to break procedure? the officer demanded.
the pastor stood firm, 'I am not going to let you wake him up, he told him. 'you can put me in solitary confinement. do anything to me.
the officers were shocked. 'you seem to be a normal person. why are you trying to break the rules?
'I am not trying to break the rules, he told them. 'I am just asking you to be humane. you are checking to see if we are all here, whether we are all alive. look, he is alive. but he is sleeping and he needs his sleep so he can heal.
after receiving the pastor's assurance that he would never ask something like that again, the officers finally agreed to leave him alone.
when the young man awoke 20 hours later, the pastor prepared tea and something for him to eat. 'do you remember that you asked Jesus to come into your heart? he asked him.
'yes, I do', he replied.
'where is Jesus?'
'in my heart'.
the pastor then taught him how to pray.
'you are now a member of God's family, he told him.
'you are a new creation and you have to view yourself as a new creature.
you are not addicted to any drug, he continued, knowing that drugs were freely sold in the prison, even by the guards.
'satan will try to attack you, but you have to remember that you are not addicted.
you can say no.
P K taught and encouraged the young man 4 days before being transferred to another cell.
as he was leaving , the former drug addict began to cry.
'what am I going to do without you? he asked.
'are you alone? the pastor replied.
'Who is in you?
Hold onto Jesus; you are not alone, you will do fine'.
The Release P K was released from prison in february 2014 and 4 of the 5 charges against him were dropped. although he was allowed to return home, he remains under house arrest and must check in with police once every 2 months.
he continues to minister to his congregation.
...the pastor said he does not regret his time in prison. 'in prison the Holy Spirit opened one dimension of prayer (to me), he said. 'we need to pray the same prayer for both friends and enemies: Pray that they will know God and sincerely love Him and Jesus Christ, Whom He sent, His only begotten Son.
Monday, January 30, 2017
1.30.2017 GL#4 PURPOSE
14 how wonderful and encouraging it is to know that our heavenly Father has bade it crystal clear in His Word exactly what His purpose is for each one of us. now is the time, in these next few moments, to make sure, on the authority of His eternal Word, as to His purpose for your personal life.
'and God said, let Us make man in Our image. genesis 1.26
the first Adam, the head of the human race, was made in God's image in the realm of personality, intellect, emotions, will, etc., so that there could be communion,fellowship and cooperation between them; with God sovereign and man subject - subject to His will, which is perfect freedom. but we know that Adam was beguiled into choosing his own way in preference to "God's way, relying on himself only, loving just himself. as a result, he immediately became self-centered instead of God-centered; dead to God who is the Source of all Life, dead in trespasses and sins. in this condition Adam 'begat a son in his own likeness, after his (fallen) image. gen. 5.3 thus he brought forth a sinful, ungodly, self-centered race, born 'dead in trespasses and sins. ephesians 2.1
'God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son...who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. hebrews 1.1-3 here is the image of God back on earth, this time in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Last Adam. I cor. 15.45, 47 our natural birth made us members of the fallen, sinful first-Adam race. our transition from the old sinful race to the new godly race is known as the 'new birth'. when we were 'born again', through 'repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20.21), we were born into Him -He became our
15 Life. colossians 3.3,4
'Thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree. romans 11.24
'for as by one man's disobedience (Adam's) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Christ) shall many be made righteous. rom. 5.19
our heavenly Father is still carrying out His purpose of making man in His image. although His original purpose is the same, He is not using the original man to bring it about. ALL is now centered in the Last Adam, our Lord Jesus . being born into Him through we became 'partakers of the divine nature. II peter 1.4
and as the Lord Jesus is allowed to express Himself through our personality this poor sin-sick world will see 'CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory. col. 1.27 in I cor. 15.49, paul gives us the heartening promise: 'as we have borne the image of the earthly (Adam), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (Christ).
'and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. rom. 8.28-9 here is the 'good' for which God is working all things together - His original purpose of making us in His image, which is centered and expressed in His son, Christ who is our life. paul's determination for each of his converts was 'My little children of whom i travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. gal. 4.19
the open secret of healthy spiritual growth is to know and settle down on this fact as set forth in Romans 8.28 and 29. when we see that all things are working together to make us more and more like the Lord Jesus we will not be frustrated and upset when some of these 'things' are hard, difficult jto understand and often contain an element of death. we will be able to rest in our Lord Jesus and say to our Father, 'Thy will be done'. and our constant attitude of faith will be,
'THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM. Job 13.15
THIS IS OUR MATRICULATION TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
'but we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord. II cor. 3.18 it is one
16 thing to know what is GOD'S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, and it is another to know something of the 'how' as to entering into it all right here and now. ONE OF GOD'S MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS IN THE PROCESS IS FAILURE. so many believers are simply frantic over the fact of failure in their lives and they will go to all lengths to try to hide it, ignore it or rationalize about it. and all the time they are resisting the main instrument in the Father's hand for conforming us to the likeness of His Son!
failure where self is concerned in our christian life and service, is allowed and often engineered by God in order to turn us completely from ourselves to His Source for our life - Christ jesus, who never fails. rejoice, dear friend, in your need and hunger of heart, for god says,
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS: for they shall be filled. matt. 5.6 as we, in our abject need, CONSISTENTLY AND LOVINGLY LOOK ON THE LORD JESUS REVEALED TO US IN THE WORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL QUIETLY AND EFFORTLESSLY CHANGE THE CENTER AND SOURCE OF OUR LIVES FROM SELF TO CHRIST - hence for each of us it will be, 'Not I, but Christ.
God has a natural law in force to the effect that we are conformed to that on which we center our interest and love. Hawthorne brought out this fact in 'The Great Stone Face'. then too, think of germany some years ago, full of little Hitlers all because of fanatical devotion to a second-rate paper-hanger. her in our country comic books, radio, TV and movies have all contributed in giving us a rising generation of young policemen, cowboys, gangsters, etc. and what of the believer? if we are attracted to this present evil world, we become increasingly worldly; if we pamper and live for self, we become more and more self-centered; but WHEN WE LOOK TO JESUS CHRIST, WE BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE HIM.
Norman Douty writes, 'If I am to be like Him, then God in His grace must do it and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner i will be delivered from another form of bondage throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from His likeness. what shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, you cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. you have been in the arena, you have been endeavouring, you are a failure, come out and sit down and as you
17 sit there behold Him look at Him, DON'T TRY TO BE LIKE HIM, JUST LOOK AT HIM. JUST BE OCCUPIED WITH HIM. forget about trying to be like Him. instead of letting that fill your mind and heart, LET HIM FILL it.
JUST BEHOLD HIM, LOOK UPON HIM THROUGH THE WORD.
COME TO THE WORD FOR ONE PURPOSE and that is TO MEET THE LORD.
NOT TO GET YOUR MIND CRAMMED FULL OF THINGS ABOUT THE SACRED WORD,
but to come to it to meet the Lord. make it to be a medium, not of biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. BEHOLD THE LORD.
'for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. philippians 2.13 and what is His 'good pleasure' He is 'performing' in us?
He is working everything together for this one purpose: 'that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh'. II corinthians 4.11
this is life: 'for to me to live is Christ. phil. 1.21
this is service: 'and there were certain Greeks...saying ...Sir, we would see Jesus'. john 12.20-1
'and God said, let Us make man in Our image. genesis 1.26
the first Adam, the head of the human race, was made in God's image in the realm of personality, intellect, emotions, will, etc., so that there could be communion,fellowship and cooperation between them; with God sovereign and man subject - subject to His will, which is perfect freedom. but we know that Adam was beguiled into choosing his own way in preference to "God's way, relying on himself only, loving just himself. as a result, he immediately became self-centered instead of God-centered; dead to God who is the Source of all Life, dead in trespasses and sins. in this condition Adam 'begat a son in his own likeness, after his (fallen) image. gen. 5.3 thus he brought forth a sinful, ungodly, self-centered race, born 'dead in trespasses and sins. ephesians 2.1
'God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son...who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. hebrews 1.1-3 here is the image of God back on earth, this time in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Last Adam. I cor. 15.45, 47 our natural birth made us members of the fallen, sinful first-Adam race. our transition from the old sinful race to the new godly race is known as the 'new birth'. when we were 'born again', through 'repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20.21), we were born into Him -He became our
15 Life. colossians 3.3,4
'Thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree. romans 11.24
'for as by one man's disobedience (Adam's) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Christ) shall many be made righteous. rom. 5.19
our heavenly Father is still carrying out His purpose of making man in His image. although His original purpose is the same, He is not using the original man to bring it about. ALL is now centered in the Last Adam, our Lord Jesus . being born into Him through we became 'partakers of the divine nature. II peter 1.4
and as the Lord Jesus is allowed to express Himself through our personality this poor sin-sick world will see 'CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory. col. 1.27 in I cor. 15.49, paul gives us the heartening promise: 'as we have borne the image of the earthly (Adam), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (Christ).
'and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. rom. 8.28-9 here is the 'good' for which God is working all things together - His original purpose of making us in His image, which is centered and expressed in His son, Christ who is our life. paul's determination for each of his converts was 'My little children of whom i travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. gal. 4.19
the open secret of healthy spiritual growth is to know and settle down on this fact as set forth in Romans 8.28 and 29. when we see that all things are working together to make us more and more like the Lord Jesus we will not be frustrated and upset when some of these 'things' are hard, difficult jto understand and often contain an element of death. we will be able to rest in our Lord Jesus and say to our Father, 'Thy will be done'. and our constant attitude of faith will be,
'THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM. Job 13.15
THIS IS OUR MATRICULATION TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
'but we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord. II cor. 3.18 it is one
16 thing to know what is GOD'S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, and it is another to know something of the 'how' as to entering into it all right here and now. ONE OF GOD'S MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS IN THE PROCESS IS FAILURE. so many believers are simply frantic over the fact of failure in their lives and they will go to all lengths to try to hide it, ignore it or rationalize about it. and all the time they are resisting the main instrument in the Father's hand for conforming us to the likeness of His Son!
failure where self is concerned in our christian life and service, is allowed and often engineered by God in order to turn us completely from ourselves to His Source for our life - Christ jesus, who never fails. rejoice, dear friend, in your need and hunger of heart, for god says,
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS: for they shall be filled. matt. 5.6 as we, in our abject need, CONSISTENTLY AND LOVINGLY LOOK ON THE LORD JESUS REVEALED TO US IN THE WORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL QUIETLY AND EFFORTLESSLY CHANGE THE CENTER AND SOURCE OF OUR LIVES FROM SELF TO CHRIST - hence for each of us it will be, 'Not I, but Christ.
God has a natural law in force to the effect that we are conformed to that on which we center our interest and love. Hawthorne brought out this fact in 'The Great Stone Face'. then too, think of germany some years ago, full of little Hitlers all because of fanatical devotion to a second-rate paper-hanger. her in our country comic books, radio, TV and movies have all contributed in giving us a rising generation of young policemen, cowboys, gangsters, etc. and what of the believer? if we are attracted to this present evil world, we become increasingly worldly; if we pamper and live for self, we become more and more self-centered; but WHEN WE LOOK TO JESUS CHRIST, WE BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE HIM.
Norman Douty writes, 'If I am to be like Him, then God in His grace must do it and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner i will be delivered from another form of bondage throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from His likeness. what shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, you cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. you have been in the arena, you have been endeavouring, you are a failure, come out and sit down and as you
17 sit there behold Him look at Him, DON'T TRY TO BE LIKE HIM, JUST LOOK AT HIM. JUST BE OCCUPIED WITH HIM. forget about trying to be like Him. instead of letting that fill your mind and heart, LET HIM FILL it.
JUST BEHOLD HIM, LOOK UPON HIM THROUGH THE WORD.
COME TO THE WORD FOR ONE PURPOSE and that is TO MEET THE LORD.
NOT TO GET YOUR MIND CRAMMED FULL OF THINGS ABOUT THE SACRED WORD,
but to come to it to meet the Lord. make it to be a medium, not of biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. BEHOLD THE LORD.
'for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. philippians 2.13 and what is His 'good pleasure' He is 'performing' in us?
He is working everything together for this one purpose: 'that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh'. II corinthians 4.11
this is life: 'for to me to live is Christ. phil. 1.21
this is service: 'and there were certain Greeks...saying ...Sir, we would see Jesus'. john 12.20-1
1.30.2017 GL #3 ACCEPTANCE
there are two questions that every believer must settle as soon as possible.
the one is, DOES GOD FULLY ACCEPT ME? and if so,
ON WHAT BASIS DOES He do so? this is crucial. what devastation often permeates the life of one, young or old, rich or poor, saved or unsaved, who is not sure of being accepted, even on the human level.
yet so many believes, whether 'strugglers' or 'vegetators', move through life without this precious fact to rest and build on:
'having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. ephesians 1.5-6
every believer is accepted by the Father, in Christ.
'being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. romans 5.1
the peace is God's toward us, through His beloved son - on this, our peace is to be based, God is able to be at peace with us through our Lord Jesus Christ,
'having made peace through the blood of His cross. colossians 1.20
and we must never forget that His peace is founded solely on the work of the cross, totally apart from anything whatsoever in or from us, since
'God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. romans 5.8
OUR FAITH BECOMES A FIXED ATTITUDE, ONCE IT BEGINS TO REST IN THIS WONDERFUL FACT. this is the steadying influence most believers are in need of today. a century ago, J.B.Stoney wrote: 'the blessed God never alters nor diverges from the acceptance in which He has received us because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. we diverge from the state
11 in which God can ever be toward us as recorded in romans 5.1-11. many suppose that because they're conscious of sins, that hence they must renew their acceptance with God.
'the truth is that God has not altered. His eye rests on the work accomplished by Christ for the believer. when you are not walking in the spirit you are in the flesh:; you have turned to the old man which was crucified on the cross. romans 6.6 you have to be restored to fellowship and when you are, you find your acceptance with God unchanged and UNCHANGEABLE(?note - if confessing, repenting and forsaking sin ? -I john 1.9; luke 24.47; proverbs 28.13 - matthew 7.21; luke 13.24?)
when sins are introduced there is a fear that God has changed. He has not changed, but you have. you are not walking in the Spirit but in the flesh. you have to judge yourself in order to be restored.
'for this is My bold of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. matthew 26.28
but if your sines are not met there, where can they be met?
'Now where remission of sin is, there is no more offering for sin'. hebrews 10.18
God has effected the reconciliation; He always remains true to it. Alas! we diverge from it; and the tendency is to suppose that the blessed God has altered toward us. He certainly will judge the flesh if we do not, but He never departs from the love which He has expressed to the prodigal and we find that when the cloud, which walking in the flesh produced, has passed away, His love, blessed by His Name, had never changed'.
God's basis must be our basis for acceptance. there is none other. we are 'accepted in the Beloved'. our Rather is fully satisfied with His Beloved son on our behalf and there is no reason for us not to be . our satisfaction can only spring from and rest in His satisfaction. it is from God to us, not from us to god. J.N.Darby was very clear on this: 'when the Holy Spirit reasons with man, He does not reason from what man is for God, but from what god is to man. souls reason from what they are in themselves as to whether God can accept them. He cannot accept you thus; you are looking for righteousness in yourself as a ground of acceptance with Him. you cannot get peace whilst reasoning in that way.
'the Holy Spirit always reasons down from what God is, and this produces a total change in my soul. it is not that I abhor my sins; indeed I may have been waling very well; but
12 it is 'I abhor myself'. this is how the Holy Spirit reasons; He shows us what we are and that is one reason why He often seems to be very hard and does not give peace to the soul, as we are not relived until we experientially, from our hearts, acknowledge what we are.
'until the soul comes to that point He does not give it peace - He could not; it would be healing the wound slightly. the souls has to go on until it finds there is nothing to rest on but the abstract goodness of God; and then,
'if God be for us, who can be against us? romans 8.31b
sad today, most believers actually reason just the opposite - from themselves to God. when all is going well and God seems to be blessing, then it is that they feel He loves and accepts them. but when they are stumbling and everything seems dry and hard, then they feel He does not love and accept them. how can this be? there is nothing about us to commend us to God, our acceptance being in Christ, plus the fact that most of our true spiritual development comes through the day and hard times. thank God, He has accepted us in His Son and upon this FACT we must rest our faith. as in justification, our acceptance is by GRACE alone. in his classic, Romans, Verse by Verse, Wm. R. newell presents some penetrating thoughts regarding this grace:
'there being no cause in the creature why grace should be shown, the creature must be brought off from trying to give cause to God for His care. 'He has been accepted in Christ, who is his standing! 'He is not on probation. 'As to his life past, it does not exist before God: He died at the cross and Christ is his Life. 'Grace, once bestowed, is not withdrawn; for God knew all the human exigencies beforehand; His action was independent of them, not dependent upon them.
'to believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
'to refuse to make 'resolutions' and 'vows'; for that is to trust in the flesh.
'to expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
'To rely on God's chastening (child training) hand as a mark of His kindness.
13 'to 'hope to be better' (hence acceptable) is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
'to be disappointed with yourself is to have believed in yourself.
'to be discouraged is unbelief - as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
'to be proud, is to be blind! for we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
'the lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief and not from failure of devotion.
'to preach devotion first and blessing second, is to reverse God's order and preach law, not grace. the Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so - in proper measure.
have we been afraid to really believe God? have some even been afraid to allow others to really believe Him? we must never forget that 'God's ways are not always man's ways. to some men constant peril is the only spur to action and many religions and psychologies are dependent on fear to keep their disciples in line. Fear, too, has a place in christianity, but God has higher (note, differing?)and more effective motivations than fear and one of these is love. often fear after a while produces only numbness, but love thrives on love. to promise a man the certainty of his destiny may seem on the human level, like playing with fire; but this leaves god out of the picture. those who have the deepest appreciation of grace do not continue in sin. moreover, fear produces the obedience of slaves; love engenders the obedience of sons'. JW Sanderson, Jr.
'for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? I cor. 14.8 until the christian is absolutely and scripturally sure of his standing, he is not going to do much standing.
'Stand therefore. Eph. 6.14
'now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and god, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. II thessalonians 2.16-7
the one is, DOES GOD FULLY ACCEPT ME? and if so,
ON WHAT BASIS DOES He do so? this is crucial. what devastation often permeates the life of one, young or old, rich or poor, saved or unsaved, who is not sure of being accepted, even on the human level.
yet so many believes, whether 'strugglers' or 'vegetators', move through life without this precious fact to rest and build on:
'having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. ephesians 1.5-6
every believer is accepted by the Father, in Christ.
'being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. romans 5.1
the peace is God's toward us, through His beloved son - on this, our peace is to be based, God is able to be at peace with us through our Lord Jesus Christ,
'having made peace through the blood of His cross. colossians 1.20
and we must never forget that His peace is founded solely on the work of the cross, totally apart from anything whatsoever in or from us, since
'God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. romans 5.8
OUR FAITH BECOMES A FIXED ATTITUDE, ONCE IT BEGINS TO REST IN THIS WONDERFUL FACT. this is the steadying influence most believers are in need of today. a century ago, J.B.Stoney wrote: 'the blessed God never alters nor diverges from the acceptance in which He has received us because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. we diverge from the state
11 in which God can ever be toward us as recorded in romans 5.1-11. many suppose that because they're conscious of sins, that hence they must renew their acceptance with God.
'the truth is that God has not altered. His eye rests on the work accomplished by Christ for the believer. when you are not walking in the spirit you are in the flesh:; you have turned to the old man which was crucified on the cross. romans 6.6 you have to be restored to fellowship and when you are, you find your acceptance with God unchanged and UNCHANGEABLE(?note - if confessing, repenting and forsaking sin ? -I john 1.9; luke 24.47; proverbs 28.13 - matthew 7.21; luke 13.24?)
when sins are introduced there is a fear that God has changed. He has not changed, but you have. you are not walking in the Spirit but in the flesh. you have to judge yourself in order to be restored.
'for this is My bold of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. matthew 26.28
but if your sines are not met there, where can they be met?
'Now where remission of sin is, there is no more offering for sin'. hebrews 10.18
God has effected the reconciliation; He always remains true to it. Alas! we diverge from it; and the tendency is to suppose that the blessed God has altered toward us. He certainly will judge the flesh if we do not, but He never departs from the love which He has expressed to the prodigal and we find that when the cloud, which walking in the flesh produced, has passed away, His love, blessed by His Name, had never changed'.
God's basis must be our basis for acceptance. there is none other. we are 'accepted in the Beloved'. our Rather is fully satisfied with His Beloved son on our behalf and there is no reason for us not to be . our satisfaction can only spring from and rest in His satisfaction. it is from God to us, not from us to god. J.N.Darby was very clear on this: 'when the Holy Spirit reasons with man, He does not reason from what man is for God, but from what god is to man. souls reason from what they are in themselves as to whether God can accept them. He cannot accept you thus; you are looking for righteousness in yourself as a ground of acceptance with Him. you cannot get peace whilst reasoning in that way.
'the Holy Spirit always reasons down from what God is, and this produces a total change in my soul. it is not that I abhor my sins; indeed I may have been waling very well; but
12 it is 'I abhor myself'. this is how the Holy Spirit reasons; He shows us what we are and that is one reason why He often seems to be very hard and does not give peace to the soul, as we are not relived until we experientially, from our hearts, acknowledge what we are.
'until the soul comes to that point He does not give it peace - He could not; it would be healing the wound slightly. the souls has to go on until it finds there is nothing to rest on but the abstract goodness of God; and then,
'if God be for us, who can be against us? romans 8.31b
sad today, most believers actually reason just the opposite - from themselves to God. when all is going well and God seems to be blessing, then it is that they feel He loves and accepts them. but when they are stumbling and everything seems dry and hard, then they feel He does not love and accept them. how can this be? there is nothing about us to commend us to God, our acceptance being in Christ, plus the fact that most of our true spiritual development comes through the day and hard times. thank God, He has accepted us in His Son and upon this FACT we must rest our faith. as in justification, our acceptance is by GRACE alone. in his classic, Romans, Verse by Verse, Wm. R. newell presents some penetrating thoughts regarding this grace:
'there being no cause in the creature why grace should be shown, the creature must be brought off from trying to give cause to God for His care. 'He has been accepted in Christ, who is his standing! 'He is not on probation. 'As to his life past, it does not exist before God: He died at the cross and Christ is his Life. 'Grace, once bestowed, is not withdrawn; for God knew all the human exigencies beforehand; His action was independent of them, not dependent upon them.
'to believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
'to refuse to make 'resolutions' and 'vows'; for that is to trust in the flesh.
'to expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
'To rely on God's chastening (child training) hand as a mark of His kindness.
13 'to 'hope to be better' (hence acceptable) is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
'to be disappointed with yourself is to have believed in yourself.
'to be discouraged is unbelief - as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
'to be proud, is to be blind! for we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
'the lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief and not from failure of devotion.
'to preach devotion first and blessing second, is to reverse God's order and preach law, not grace. the Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so - in proper measure.
have we been afraid to really believe God? have some even been afraid to allow others to really believe Him? we must never forget that 'God's ways are not always man's ways. to some men constant peril is the only spur to action and many religions and psychologies are dependent on fear to keep their disciples in line. Fear, too, has a place in christianity, but God has higher (note, differing?)and more effective motivations than fear and one of these is love. often fear after a while produces only numbness, but love thrives on love. to promise a man the certainty of his destiny may seem on the human level, like playing with fire; but this leaves god out of the picture. those who have the deepest appreciation of grace do not continue in sin. moreover, fear produces the obedience of slaves; love engenders the obedience of sons'. JW Sanderson, Jr.
'for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? I cor. 14.8 until the christian is absolutely and scripturally sure of his standing, he is not going to do much standing.
'Stand therefore. Eph. 6.14
'now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and god, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. II thessalonians 2.16-7
1.30.2017 GL #2. TIME
it seems that most believers difficulty in realizing and facing up to the inexorable fact that GOD DOES NOT HURRY in His development of our christian life. He is working from and for eternity! so many feel they are not making progress unless they are swiftly and constantly forging ahead. now it is true that the new convert often begins and continues for some time at a fast rate. but this will not continue if there is to be healthy growth and ultimate maturity. God Himself will modify the pace. this is important to see, since in most instances when seeming declension begins to set in, it is not, as so many think, a matter of backsliding.
John Darby makes it plain that 'it is God's way to set people aside after their first start, that self-confidence may die down. thus Moses was 40 years. on his first start he had to run away. Paul was three years also, after his first testimony. not that god did not approve the first earnest testimony. we must get to know ourselves and that we have no strength. thus we must learn and then leaning on the Lord we can with more maturity and more experientially, deal with souls.
since the christian life matures and becomes fruitful by the principle of growth (II peter 3.18_, rather than by struggle and 'experiences', much time is involved. unless we see and acquiesce to this there is bound to be constant frustration,l to say nothing of resistance to our Rather's development processes for us.
A.H. Strong illustrates it for us: 'a student asked the President of his school whether he could not take a shorter course than the one prescribed. 'Oh yes, replied the President, but then it depends upon what you want to be. when God wants
7 to make an oak, He takes 100 years, but when He wants to make a squash, He takes 6 months. Strong also wisely points out to us that 'growth is not a uniform thing in the tree or in the christian. in some single months there is more growth than in all the year besides. during the rest of the year, however, there is solidification, without which the green timber would be useless. the period of rapid growth when woody fiber is actually deposited between the bark and the trunk, occupies but 4 to 6 weeks in May, June and July.
let's settle it once and for all - there are no shortcuts to reality! a meteor is on a shortcut as it proceeds to burn out, but not a star, with its steady light so often depended on by navigators. unless the time factor is acknowledged from the heart, there is always danger of turning to the false enticement of a shortcut via the means of 'experiences', and 'blessings', where one becomes pathetically enmeshed in the vortex of ever-changing 'feelings', adrift from the moorings of scriptural facts.
concerning this subject George Goodman writes: 'some have been betrayed into professing perfection or full deliverance, because at the time they speak they are happy and confident in the Lord. they forget that it is not a present continuance in well doing. to taste of the grace of God is one thing; to be established in it and manifest it in character, habit and regular life, is another. experiences and blessings, though real gracious visitations from the Lord, are not sufficient to rest upon, nor should they lead us to glory in ourselves, as if we had a store of grace for time to come or were yet at the end of the conflict. No. fruit ripens slowly; days of sunshine and days of storm each add their share. blessing will succeed blessing and storm follow storm before the fruit is full grown or comes to maturity.
in that the Husbandman's method for true spiritual growth involves pain as well as joy, suffering as well as happiness, failure as well as success, inactivity as well as service, death as well as life, the temptation to shortcut is especially strong unless we see the value of and submit to the necessity of the
8 time element; in simple trust resting in His hands,
'being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. phillipians 1.6
and, dear friends, it will take that long! but since God is working for eternity, why should we be concerned about the time involved?
Graham Scroggie affirmed: 'Spiritual renewal is a gradual process. all growth is progressive and the finer the organism, the longer the process. it is from measure to measure: thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold. it is from stage to stage: 'first the blade, then the ear and after that, the full corn in the ear'. and it is from day to day. how varied these are! j there are great days, days of decisive battles, days of crisis in spiritual history, days of triumph in christian service, days of the right hand of god upon us. but there are also idle days, days apparently useless, when even prayer and holy service seem a burden. are we, in any sense, renewed in these days? yes, for any experience which makes us more aware of our need of God must contribute to spiritual progress, unless we deny the Lord who bought us.
certainly this is not to discount a Spirit-fostered experience, blessing or even a crisis; but it is to be remembered that these simply contribute to the overall and all-important process. it takes time to get to know oneself; it takes time and
9 eternity to get to know the infinite Lord Jesus Christ. today is the day to put the hand to the plow and irrevocably set the heart on His goal for us - that
we 'may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. philippians 3.10
'so often in the battle, says Austin-Sparks, 'we go to the Lord and pray and plead and appeal for victory, for ascendancy, for mastery over the forces of evil and death and our thought is that in some way the Lord is going to come in with a mighty exercise of power and put us into a place of victory and spiritual ascendancy as in an act. we must have this mentality corrected. what the Lord does is to enlarge us to possess. he puts us through some exercise, through some experience, takes us by some way that means our spiritual expansion and exercise of spirituality so we occupy the larger place spontaneously.
'I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field multiply against thee. by little and little i will drive them out before thee, until thou be increased. Exodus 12.29-30
'one day in the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Disraeli made a brilliant speech on the spur of the moment. that night a friend said to him, 'I must tell you how much I enjoyed your extemporaneous talk. it's been on my mind all day. 'Madam, confessed D, that extemporaneous talk has been on my mind for 20 years!
John Darby makes it plain that 'it is God's way to set people aside after their first start, that self-confidence may die down. thus Moses was 40 years. on his first start he had to run away. Paul was three years also, after his first testimony. not that god did not approve the first earnest testimony. we must get to know ourselves and that we have no strength. thus we must learn and then leaning on the Lord we can with more maturity and more experientially, deal with souls.
since the christian life matures and becomes fruitful by the principle of growth (II peter 3.18_, rather than by struggle and 'experiences', much time is involved. unless we see and acquiesce to this there is bound to be constant frustration,l to say nothing of resistance to our Rather's development processes for us.
A.H. Strong illustrates it for us: 'a student asked the President of his school whether he could not take a shorter course than the one prescribed. 'Oh yes, replied the President, but then it depends upon what you want to be. when God wants
7 to make an oak, He takes 100 years, but when He wants to make a squash, He takes 6 months. Strong also wisely points out to us that 'growth is not a uniform thing in the tree or in the christian. in some single months there is more growth than in all the year besides. during the rest of the year, however, there is solidification, without which the green timber would be useless. the period of rapid growth when woody fiber is actually deposited between the bark and the trunk, occupies but 4 to 6 weeks in May, June and July.
let's settle it once and for all - there are no shortcuts to reality! a meteor is on a shortcut as it proceeds to burn out, but not a star, with its steady light so often depended on by navigators. unless the time factor is acknowledged from the heart, there is always danger of turning to the false enticement of a shortcut via the means of 'experiences', and 'blessings', where one becomes pathetically enmeshed in the vortex of ever-changing 'feelings', adrift from the moorings of scriptural facts.
concerning this subject George Goodman writes: 'some have been betrayed into professing perfection or full deliverance, because at the time they speak they are happy and confident in the Lord. they forget that it is not a present continuance in well doing. to taste of the grace of God is one thing; to be established in it and manifest it in character, habit and regular life, is another. experiences and blessings, though real gracious visitations from the Lord, are not sufficient to rest upon, nor should they lead us to glory in ourselves, as if we had a store of grace for time to come or were yet at the end of the conflict. No. fruit ripens slowly; days of sunshine and days of storm each add their share. blessing will succeed blessing and storm follow storm before the fruit is full grown or comes to maturity.
in that the Husbandman's method for true spiritual growth involves pain as well as joy, suffering as well as happiness, failure as well as success, inactivity as well as service, death as well as life, the temptation to shortcut is especially strong unless we see the value of and submit to the necessity of the
8 time element; in simple trust resting in His hands,
'being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. phillipians 1.6
and, dear friends, it will take that long! but since God is working for eternity, why should we be concerned about the time involved?
Graham Scroggie affirmed: 'Spiritual renewal is a gradual process. all growth is progressive and the finer the organism, the longer the process. it is from measure to measure: thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold. it is from stage to stage: 'first the blade, then the ear and after that, the full corn in the ear'. and it is from day to day. how varied these are! j there are great days, days of decisive battles, days of crisis in spiritual history, days of triumph in christian service, days of the right hand of god upon us. but there are also idle days, days apparently useless, when even prayer and holy service seem a burden. are we, in any sense, renewed in these days? yes, for any experience which makes us more aware of our need of God must contribute to spiritual progress, unless we deny the Lord who bought us.
certainly this is not to discount a Spirit-fostered experience, blessing or even a crisis; but it is to be remembered that these simply contribute to the overall and all-important process. it takes time to get to know oneself; it takes time and
9 eternity to get to know the infinite Lord Jesus Christ. today is the day to put the hand to the plow and irrevocably set the heart on His goal for us - that
we 'may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. philippians 3.10
'so often in the battle, says Austin-Sparks, 'we go to the Lord and pray and plead and appeal for victory, for ascendancy, for mastery over the forces of evil and death and our thought is that in some way the Lord is going to come in with a mighty exercise of power and put us into a place of victory and spiritual ascendancy as in an act. we must have this mentality corrected. what the Lord does is to enlarge us to possess. he puts us through some exercise, through some experience, takes us by some way that means our spiritual expansion and exercise of spirituality so we occupy the larger place spontaneously.
'I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field multiply against thee. by little and little i will drive them out before thee, until thou be increased. Exodus 12.29-30
'one day in the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Disraeli made a brilliant speech on the spur of the moment. that night a friend said to him, 'I must tell you how much I enjoyed your extemporaneous talk. it's been on my mind all day. 'Madam, confessed D, that extemporaneous talk has been on my mind for 20 years!
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