Know the Lord
Quote; “Those who are striving to be overcomers will be pursued by the temptations of the enemy. Satan will tempt them to corrupt the principles which all must maintain who would reach the high standard that God has set before them. Satan rejoices when he can lead souls to follow mistaken ideas, until their names are blotted out of the book of life and recorded among the names of the unjust. We can overcome only in the way that Christ overcame–by wholehearted obedience to every commandment of God. True religion is obedience to all the commandments of God. Every soul who is saved must surrender his own plans, and follow where Christ leads the way. The understanding must be yielded up to Christ for Him to cleanse and refine and purify. This will always be done when we receive aright the teachings of Christ. O, how much we need a more intimate acquaintance with Him! We need to enter into His purpose, and to carry out His will, saying with the whole heart, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
The child of God is to reach out for higher and still higher attainments. He is to confess every sin, that by his example others may be helped to confess their sins and cherish the faith that works by love to purify the soul. He is to be constantly on guard, never standing still, never turning back, but ever pressing on to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ. We should keep ever before us the fact that time is short. Iniquity is increasing on every hand. The righteous are set as lights in the world. Through them the glory of God is to be revealed to the world. Keep ever before you the solemn events of the future–the great review of the judgment and the coming of Christ. You with your family are to prepare for that day.
Follow on day by day to know the Lord, rejoicing that it is your privilege to say at His coming, as you stand with His faithful, waiting children, “This is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: . . . we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9)
Jacob was afflicted because he had made a mistake in his life. He was cast down to the very depths. Alone, weary, dispirited, tortured by the recollections of his past errors, and overwhelmed with apprehensions for the future, he laid him down to rest, his head pillowed upon a stone. Had Jacob’s conscience been clear, his heart would have been strong in God. But he knew his present perplexities, his fears and trials, were in consequence of his sins. This reflection is what embittered his life. Jacob was repentant, yet he did not feel easy under the wrong he had done. Through tribulation and through physical and mental suffering he could only have hope to find his way again to the favour of God.
He lay down in sadness, with a heavy heart, repenting and yet fearing. He expected that new trials would meet him on the morrow as he pursued his weary way. There was no friend nigh to speak a comforting word to Jacob, no one to tell him he had in his sincere repentance done what he could. But God’s eye was upon His servant. He sent His angels to reveal to him a ladder of brightness reaching from the earth to the highest heavens, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon this glorious ladder, which showed Jacob the connection and intercourse constantly going on between the two worlds. When Jacob awoke his difficulties had not vanished entirely, but he had such confidence in God that he was comforted. In humble gratitude of heart he adores his Saviour and especially honours even his stony pillow.
Oh, the wonderful condescension of God! He is ever ready to meet us, even in our infirmities, and to encourage us by His presence, when we have done all on our part to make an entire surrender to Him. Heaven is open to man. God will be entreated to do these things for us. The future may seem dark before you, but God lives. Break down every barrier and let the Saviour into your heart. Let self-die. Surrender your will and die to self now, just now, and leave God to make your way for you. {TDG 322-3}
Back to the last Paragraph, Quote; “Oh, the wonderful condescension of God! He is ever ready to meet us, even in our infirmities, and to encourage us by His presence, when we have done all on our part to make an entire surrender to Him. Heaven is open to man. God will be entreated to do these things for us. The future may seem dark before you, but God lives. Break down every barrier and let the Saviour into your heart. Let self-die. Surrender your will and die to self now, just now, and leave God to make your way for you.”
John 6:35-38 MSG “Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.” Matthew 5:6 MSG “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.” Let us always Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness and be filled with Christ Jesus our Lord. As the POP song of years ago said, “To know know know him, is to love love love him, and I DO.” So will you say “I DO” to a vibrant life in Jesus Christ?
