Freely you received

Freely ye have received, freely give. - Matthew 10:8 LET us be on the alert to give to all who are hungering and thirsting the blessed food which has so greatly refreshed and strengthened us. If they do not get it they will faint by the way as they go looking for other provisions. We have the very thing which all of the household of faith need; without it they cannot maintain their standing, they cannot press on, they shall surely become discouraged....Whatever we may have of financial means for sending forth the bread of life to others, or whatever we may have of knowledge of the Truth, is neither to be selfishly hoarded nor selfishly partaken of by ourselves. It is to be consecrated to the Lord, and out of that consecration the Lord will bring blessing to others and increased blessings upon our own heads and hearts.

The lord's consecrated people

He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. - Proverbs 18:9 WE cannot see wastefulness in any of the Lord's consecrated people without feeling that, however great progress they have made in understanding the mind of the Lord in some respects, they are still deficient in this particular. An appreciation of the gift and respect for the Giver implies carefulness and a stewardship in respect to all that comes to us from our heavenly Father--things temporal and things spiritual. According to our Lord's parables He is measuring our love and zeal in a considerable degree by our use or abuse of the talents, opportunities, blessings, temporal and spiritual, now bestowed upon us.

CLOSE TO HIS HEART

He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust. - Psalm 91:4 SO close to His heart does Jehovah gather His loyal and faithful children that they feel the warmth of His love, and the responsive language of their hearts is, "I will abide in Thy tabernacle"--under Thy protection--"forever:" "I will trust in the covert of Thy wings; for Thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy; for Thou hast heard my vows"--my consecration--"Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name." Psalm 61:4, 3, 5--

JESUS IN THE SCRIPTURES

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. - John 5:39 AS OUR text points out, the Lord is revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and those who would know him should seek their information from that quarter. Under divine providence, apostles, prophets, and teachers are necessary, indispensable. But no words of man are to be taken instead of the Word of God. On the contrary, their presentations are to find acceptance only in proportion as they are found to be in harmony with the Scriptures, and to discern this harmony the Holy Spirit is necessary. The Scriptures must be searched, but only by coming into a condition of heart harmony and teachableness, and then by a full consecration receiving the Holy Spirit, can we hope to understand the divine message and to obtain therewith the eternal life which it promises to those guided and taught of the Lord. `

FAITH IN GOD

Have faith in God. - Mark 11:22 OUR daily experiences since we became the Lord's followers have been guided and guarded apparently by the power unseen, to the intent that as pupils in the school of Christ, we may all be taught of Him and develop more and more of the graces of the Spirit, and particularly more faith. How important this item of faith is we probably cannot fully appreciate now. It seems to be the one thing that the Lord specially seeks for in those now called to be followers....So according to our faith will we be able to rejoice even in tribulation. We cannot enjoy the sufferings; we can enjoy the thought which faith attaches to them, namely, that these are but light afflictions working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

NEW CREATION REALITY

I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. - 1 Corinthians 9:27 OUR text is a great lesson of itself. It brings to our attention the fact that, like the apostle, we should recognize ourselves as new creatures in Christ Jesus, for whom “old things have passed away, and all things have become new,” and acting from this standpoint the new creature should keep a continual supervision of the old nature, its desires and affections, and should keep these continually under or subject to the new nature, and the higher law should bring it gradually into full subjection, yet hoping, yet praying for the glorious consummation of the first resurrection, when the new creature, the new mind or will, shall be clothed upon with the spiritual body. Such a keeping under of the body will include wisdom and control in respect to what we eat, as well as what we drink and what we wear, and our every act, word, and thought. `

THE TRUE CHURCH

The wise shall understand. - Daniel 12:10 DEARLY beloved, we are permitted to enjoy wonderful things! By the grace of God we are privileged to see the meaning of things that were once mysterious, not only to us, but to our parents. While some in Babylon are going into infidelity, some out of Babylon are becoming stronger spiritually, entering by hope “into that which is within the veil.” If Christ is our Forerunner, we shall enter there with him. To do so will mean to become partakers of The Messiah, as symbolically represented. The true church is to become associated with Christ in his kingdom. Then will come the promised blessings to “all the families of the earth.” As we perceive the consistency of the divine plan of the ages, our hearts are full of thanksgiving to God. We see that the new dispensation will be ushered in with “a time of trouble such as never was”; and that this time of trouble is located, among other ways, by that prophecy which tells that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased”; that there will be a time of trouble; but that “the wise shall understand.” From what source do the wise receive their instruction? They will understand according to the wisdom from on high--in humility accepting the divine Word and being blessed in so doing. `

the affairs of life

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. - Matthew 6:28 OUR Lord calls attention to how such simple things in nature should be studied, be considered. The lessons to be learned in connection with all the affairs of life will be helpful to such as approach the study from the right standpoint, of faith in the Creator, and a realization that He is necessarily the embodiment and representative of the very highest and very noblest qualities of which the human mind could conceive;-- that He is perfect in Justice, perfect in Wisdom, perfect in Power, perfect in Love....The heart that thus considers makes progress, grows in grace, in knowledge, in love. The heart that fails to consider the little things fails to be able to appreciate the larger things, and thus is hindered from a proper consideration of God and from a proper appreciation of His plan, and thus from a proper appreciation of His character.

STANDING FAST

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee. - Psalm 91:9, 10 GOD has so arranged that only the truly consecrated will be kept from stumbling into error in this evil day. Every day we learn to appreciate more and more the divine favor which has anointed the eyes of our understanding, and permitted us to see the internal strength and beauty of the divine Word and plan. If, then, we are thus by divine favor made strong in the Lord, and enabled to “stand fast” while thousands are falling from their faith and stedfastness, let us “rejoice with fear” (reverence). Let him who feels strong and well supported “be not high-minded,” but “take heed lest he fall.” Humility and zeal for the Lord are the terms upon which we received the great blessing, and are also the terms upon which we may retain it to the end--until our “change” comes and establishes in glory what grace began in our weakness.

THE divine method

Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord. - Isaiah 52:11 THE divine method seems to be to make a clear separation between the servants of God and the servants of evil. The privilege of testifying for God or being ambassadors for the Truth is a favor reserved for the Lord's own people. He seeketh not the evil one nor the fallen demons nor evil men or women to be heralds of the good tidings. The Lord's people should note this matter carefully, and resent the services of any who do not give evidence of being in heart-union with the Lord. "Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to take My covenant into thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth My words behind thee."--Psalm 50:16, 17.

GREAT BLESSING TO US

Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your hearts: for consider how great things he hath done for you. - 1 Samuel 12:24 AS a help to our flagging zeal, we should continually remind ourselves of the Lord's great blessings to us. As we learn to appreciate the goodness of the Lord, if rightly disposed at all, the influence will be to strengthen us and to make us more and more loyal to him. Failing to seek with our whole heart the Lord's service after we have become his people and entered into covenant relationship with him, receiving of his favors and blessings in this life, and also, by promise, in the life to come, would mean wickedness which, persevered in, will surely bring destruction. Faithfulness to God should be the keynote of all our desires. `es

unrighteous desires

Be not deceived,...he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. - Galatians 6:7, 8 WE sow to the flesh every time we allow the fleshly, selfish, unjust, unrighteous desires of the flesh to have sway in our hearts and lives, and each sowing makes easier the additional sowing and makes more sure the end of that way which is death--Second Death. On the contrary, each sowing to the Spirit, each resistance to the desires of the flesh toward selfishness, etc., and each exercise of the new mind, of the new will, in spiritual directions toward the things that are pure, the things that are noble, the things that are good, the things that are true, is a sowing to the Spirit, which will bring forth additional fruits of the Spirit, graces of the Spirit, and which, if persevered in, will ultimately bring us in accord with the Lord's gracious promises and arrangements--everlasting life and the Kingdom.

following the footsteps

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. - Philippians 2:14, 15 IN following in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus, running the race for the great prize set before us in the Gospel, we are not to murmur by the way, finding fault with its difficulties and narrowness; nor are we to dispute respecting it, nor seek to have any other way than that which divine providence marks out for us, realizing that the Lord knows exactly what experiences are necessary to our development in the school of Christ; and realizing also that, if obedience were possible, while our mouths are full of complaints and dissatisfaction with the Lord and our lot which he has permitted, it would indicate that we are at least out of sympathy with the spirit of his arrangement; and such an obedience, if it were possible (but it could not be possible), would not meet the divine approval, nor gain us the prize. `

the Lord's promises

Every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. - Matthew 7:26 THE hopes built upon the Lord's promises and unaccompanied by works are hopes built upon the sand. It is only a question of time until the great testing time shall come and such hopes will be shown to be worse than useless. They will be shown to have deceived their possessor, who thought himself safe in his assurances of a share in the Kingdom....On the contrary, those who build with obedience, their hearts as well as their tongues confessing and honoring the Lord, their deeds corroborating their faith, and their fruits bearing testimony of their vital relationship with the Lord--these shall pass through all the storms of life and shall never be moved, never be shaken, because they are on the foundation.

AVOIDING HYPERCRITICAL DISPOSSESSION

Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of: the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives but to save them. - Luke 9:55, 56 SO with all of the Lord's disciples: their continual study should be to avoid that hypercritical disposition to sentence and to destroy other people while desiring mercy for themselves. The rule which the Lord establishes is that we must expect from Him mercy only in proportion as we shall exercise this grace toward others....The fault-finding disposition that is ready to accuse and condemn everybody, indicates a wrong condition of heart--one which all the Lord's people should be on guard against....Mercy, goodness, love, are the elements of character which He desires to see in the spiritual Israelites, and without which we cannot long continue to be His children.

OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. - Philippians 4:13 WHETHER born with too much or with too little self-esteem, those who come into God's family are put into the school of Christ to be taught, corrected--made right, in harmony with divine standards. Those naturally self-conceited must learn meekness--by instructions if they will--otherwise by experiences. And they should learn to rejoice even in humiliating experiences. They are evidences that God's providence is supervising their affairs and preparing them for the kingdom; for without meekness and humility none will be fit for it. As the self-conceited must learn humbly to trust God and not rely on themselves and thus secure balance, so the naturally self-depreciative must learn a lesson of confidence. Not self-confidence, not self-reliance is the most desirable, but rather, confidence in God and reliance upon his promised “grace to help in every time of need.” This maintains the desirable humility and meekness, yet gives the courage and force suggested by the apostle's words: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” As Paul again declares, “Our sufficiency is of God”! `

REPOSING OPPOSITION

Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. - Hebrews 12:3 ALAS, how many of God's true children become weary and faint in their minds, and are in danger of losing the chief prize because they have failed to think upon, to study out, to comprehend, to consider the Lord and what He faithfully endured of opposition. As they would consider His perfection and how, as represented in Him, the light shined in darkness and was not appreciated, so they would expect that the light shining from them would not be appreciated either. As they would consider how the Lord suffered in every sense unjustly and for righteousness' sake, and then would reflect that their own conduct, even though well meant, is imperfect, it would strengthen them to endure hardness as good soldiers, and not to be weary in well doing, and not to faint under opposition.

THE FISHERMAN

Jesus saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. - Matthew 4:19 ALL of life's affairs will teach us lessons profitable throughout its future, if we will receive them. Perhaps there was something peculiarly helpful in the fishing business--something peculiarly like the great work in which the apostles were to engage the remainder of their lives. Our Lord intimates this in His call. Fishing requires energy, tact, proper bait and that the fisherman keep himself out of sight. And these four things are requisites in the spiritual fishing in which the Lord privileges us to engage. We are to remember that as fish are easily alarmed when they find that any one wishes to take them, so humanity is shy of being captured by anything--especially if they have the least suspicion that they may lose their liberties: and thus consecration appears to the world.

SERVANT OF THE TRUTH

Work...while it is still day: the night cometh, when no man can work. - John 9:4 ASK yourself, What am I doing? Then lay aside weights and hindrances, and multiply your efforts. Be assured that if you are not a servant of the truth in some of the many ways now open, you are unworthy of it, and will lose your hold on it, because now is the harvest, the sifting and separating time. Various things will tend to draw you away from the truth; fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters will oppose and seek to separate you from the truth and its service. You must remember the Lord's words that the “harvest” is not a time for peace, but on the contrary it will surely produce separation and alienations between true wheat and all else. See, and treasure up his words on this subject. (`Matt. 10:30-39` and `Luke 18:28-30`)

ABIDING IN LOVE

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in his love. - John 15:10 LET us, dearly beloved, be more than ever careful respecting the Word of the Lord; let us not by negligence give evidence of a decay of love. Our Lord points out that his continuance in the Father's love, as the well beloved Son, with all which this implies, was because of his obedience to the Father's will; and that following the same line, he must require that we should be obedient to him if we would abide in his love and share his throne and glory. Our Lord's instruction and commandments are not intended to terrify us, nor to deprive us of happiness. On the contrary, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (`John 15:11`) Those who give surest evidence of living nearest the Lord well know that obedience to the Lord's words, together with the privilege thus obtained of abiding in him and his love, is the greatest joy, a joy which wholly outweighs all the trifling pleasures which the world has to offer. It is the joy and peace which “passeth all understanding,” which rules in the heart, and which brings with it the promise, the assurance, “not only of the life which now is, but also of that which is to come.”

PROMISED OF PEACE

Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them. - Psalm 119:165 OUR requests should be, increasingly, for grace and wisdom and the fruits of the Spirit and opportunities for serving the Lord and the brethren, and for growing more and more into the likeness of God's dear Son. Under these conditions who can doubt that the promised "peace of God beyond all understanding" would "guard" such "hearts" and their "thoughts?" This peace would of itself dispel one of the great evils that afflict the hearts of many. Selfishness and ambition would find little room in a heart so filled. Divine peace can dwell in our hearts, and rule in them, so as to keep out the worry and turmoil of the world, even when we are surrounded by these disadvantageous conditions--even when the adversary himself is besetting us through deceived agents.

SPIRIT OF FORGIVENESS

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. - Ephesians 4:32 EACH and every one of the new creatures, sons of God, accepted through the merit of Jesus, is held responsible for his own weaknesses; but divine power has provided for the cancellation of these freely for Christ's sake, upon their acknowledgment and request for forgiveness. But the forgiving of these trespasses of God's children is made dependent upon their having a spirit of forgiveness toward the brethren, for “if ye do not from the heart forgive one another's trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you.” “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure” of benevolence ye mete out to others, the same shall be meted out to you. How wonderful are the divine arrangements! How blessed, how profitable to us, how helpful to us in our preparation for the kingdom! `

THE THINGS THAT ARE BEHIND

Forgetting those things which are behind. - Philippians 3:13 WE forget the things that are behind, because it is right that we should do so. Because God forgets them, and declares that He has cast all of our imperfections behind His back; that our imperfections are all covered from His sight, by the merit of Him who loved us and who died for us, and whom we love, and in whom we are trusting, and in whose steps we are seeking to walk with more or less imperfection according to the defects we have inherited in the flesh. We are not meaning to suggest that slips or failures should be lightly esteemed or quickly forgotten; they should be rectified to the extent of our ability, and divine forgiveness should be sought for these defects daily.