,,how ,,to ,,succeed ,,in ,,the ,,christian ,,life ,,works ,,by ,r4 ,a4 ,,torrey ,superintendent of the ,moody ,bible ,institute1 ,chicago ,how to ,succeed in the ,christian ,life4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ej cents1 net3 paper1 #be cents1 net4 ,the ,bible and ,its ,christ4 ,being noon day talks with ,business ,men on faith and unbelief4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ge cents1 net2 paper1 #be cents1 net4 ,revival ,addresses4 #abmo1 cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,real ,salvation and ,whole-,hearted ,service4 ,being a ,second ,volume of ,revival ,addresses4 #abmo1 cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,what the ,bible ,teaches4 ,a thorough and comprehensive study on what the ,bible has to say concerning the great doctrines of which it treats4 ,large #hvo1 #efj pages1 #b4ej4 ,how to ,work for ,christ4 ,a compendium of effective methods4 ,uniform with 8,what the ,bible ,teaches10 #hvo1 cloth1 #b4ej4 ,how to ,promote and ,conduct a ,successful ,revival4 ,edited by ,mr4 ,torrey4 #abmo1 cloth1 #cec pages1 gilt top1 #a4jj1 net4 ,how to ,bring ,men to ,christ4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ge cents2 paper1 #be cents1 net4 ,how to ,study the ,bible for ,greatest ,profit4 ,the methods and fundamental conditions of ,bible study that yield the largest results4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ge cents4 ,how to ,pray4 ,the need of prayer and the need of revival2 their relation and effect4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ej cents2 paper1 #ae cents4 ,how to ,obtain ,fullness of ,power in ,christian ,life and ,service4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ej cents4 ,the ,divine ,origin of the ,bible4 ,its authority and power demonstrated and difficulties solved4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ej cents4 ,the ,gist of the ,lesson 7,annually47 ,a vest-pocket exposition of the ,sunday-school lessons4 ,leather1 net1 #be cents4 ,the ,baptism with the ,holy ,spirit4 #abmo1 cloth1 #ej cents4 ,a ,vest-,pocket ,companion for ,christian ,workers4 ,long #ahmo1 flexible leather1 net1 #be cents2 interleaved1 gilt edges1 net1 #ej cents4 ,ten ,reasons ,why ,i ,believe the ,bible is ,word of ,god4 #afmo1 paper1 #ae cents4 ,ought ,christians to ,keep the ,sabbath8 ,paper1 net1 #aj cents4 ,how to ,succeed in ,the ,christian ,life ,by ,r4 ,a4 ,,torrey ,author of 8,how to ,bring ,men to ,christ10 8,what the ,bible ,teaches10 8,talks to ,men10 etc41 etc4 ,illustration ,,new ,,york ,,chicago ,,toronto ,fleming ,h4 ,revell ,company ,,london ,,and ,,edinburgh ,copyright1 #aijf1 by ,,fleming ,h4 ,,revell ,,company ,new ,york3 #aeh ,fifth ,avenue ,chicago3 #hj ,wabash ,avenue ,toronto3 #bg ,richmond ,street1 ,w4 ,london3 #ba ,paternoster ,square ,edinburgh3 #ajj ,princes ,street ,dedicated to the many thousands in many lands who have professed ,christ in our meetings ,,contents ,i4 ,,beginning ,,right #aa ,,ii4 ,,the ,,open ,,confession ,,of ,,christ #ai ,,iii4 ,,assurance ,,of ,,salvation #bb ,,iv4 ,,receiving ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit #bi ,v4 ,,looking ,,unto ,,jesus #ce ,,vi4 ,,church ,,membership #da ,,vii4 ,,bible ,,study #df ,,viii4 ,,difficulties ,,in ,,the ,,bible #fd ,,ix4 ,,prayer #gd ,x4 ,,working ,,for ,,christ #hb ,,xi4 ,,foreign ,,missions #ij ,,xii4 ,,companions #ih ,,xiii4 ,,amusements #ajc ,,xiv4 ,,persecution #ajh ,,xv4 ,,guidance #aac ,,introduction ,i have for years felt the need of a book to put in the hands of those beginning the ,christian life that would tell them just how to make a complete success of this new life upon which they were entering4 ,i could find no such book1 so ,i have been driven to write one4 ,this book aims to tell the young convert just what he most needs to know4 ,i hope that pastors and evangelists and other ,christian workers may find it a good book to put in the hands of young converts4 ,i hope that it may also prove a helpful book to many who have long been ,christians but have not made that headway in the ,christian life that they long for4 ,how to ,succeed in the ,christian ,life ,i ,,beginning ,,right ,there is nothing more important in the ,christian life than beginning right4 ,if we begin right we can go on right4 ,if we begin wrong the whole life that follows is likely to be wrong4 ,if any one who reads these pages has begun wrong1 it is a very simple matter to begin over again and begin right4 ,what the right beginning in the ,christian life is we are told in ,john #a3 #ab1 8,but as many as ,,received ,,him1 to them gave ,he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on ,his name40 ,the right way to begin the ,christian life is by receiving ,jesus ,christ4 ,to any one who receives ,him1 ,he at once gives power to become a child of ,god4 ,if the reader of this book should be the wickedest man on earth and should at this moment receive ,jesus ,christ1 that very instant he would become a child of ,god4 ,god says so in the most unqualified way in the verse quoted above4 ,no one can become a child of ,god in any other way4 ,no man1 no matter how carefully he has been reared1 no matter how well he has been sheltered from the vices and evils of this world1 is a child of ,god until he receives ,jesus ,christ4 ,we are 8sons of ,god through faith in ,christ ,jesus0 7,gal4 #c3 #bf1 ,r4 ,v471 and in no other way4 ,what does it mean to receive ,jesus ,christ8 ,it means to take ,christ to be to yourself all that ,god offers ,him to be to everybody4 ,jesus ,christ is ,god's gift4 8,for ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish but have everlasting life0 7,john #c3 #af74 ,some accept this wondrous gift of ,god4 ,every one who does accept this gift becomes a child of ,god4 ,many others refuse this wondrous gift of ,god1 and every one who refuses this gift of ,god perishes4 ,he is condemned already4 8,he that believeth on the ,son is not condemned1 but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten ,son of ,god0 7,john #c3 #ah74 ,what does ,god offer ,his ,son to be to us8 #a4 ,first of all1 ,god offers ,jesus to us to be our sin-bearer4 ,we have all sinned4 ,there is not a man or woman or a boy or a girl who has not sinned 7,romans #c3 #bb1 #bc74 ,if any of us say that we have not sinned we are deceiving ourselves and giving the lie to ,god 7#a ,john #a3 #h1 #aj74 ,now we must each of us bear our own sin or some one else must bear it in our place4 ,if we were to bear our own sins1 it would mean we must be banished forever from the presence of ,god1 for ,god is holy4 8,god is light and in ,him is no darkness at all0 7#a ,john #a3e74 ,but ,god ,himself has provided another to bear our sins in our place so that we should not need to bear them ourselves4 ,this sin-bearer is ,god's own ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 8,for ,he hath made ,him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him0 7#b ,cor4 #e3ba74 ,when ,jesus ,christ died upon the cross of ,calvary ,he redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse in our stead 7,gal4 #c3ac74 ,to receive ,christ then is to believe this testimony of ,god about ,his ,son1 to believe that ,jesus ,christ did bear our sins in ,his own body on the cross 7#a ,pet4 #b3bd71 and to trust ,god to forgive all our sins because ,jesus ,christ has borne them in our place4 8,all we like sheep have gone astray2 we have turned every one to his own way2 and the ,lord hath laid on ,him the iniquity of us all0 7,is4 #ec3f74 ,our own good works1 past1 present or future have nothing to do with the forgiveness of our sins4 ,our sins are forgiven1 not because of any good works that we do1 they are forgiven because of the atoning work of ,christ upon the cross of ,calvary in our place4 ,if we rest in this atoning work we shall do good works1 but our good works will be the outcome of our being saved and the outcome of our believing on ,christ as our sin-bearer4 ,our good works will not be the ground of our salvation1 but the result of our salvation1 and the proof of it4 ,we must be very careful not to mix in our good works at all as the ground of salvation4 ,we are not forgiven because of ,christ's death and our good works1 we are forgiven solely and entirely because of ,christ's death4 ,to see this clearly is the right beginning of the true ,christian life4 #b4 ,god offers ,jesus to us as our deliverer from the power of sin4 ,jesus not only died1 ,he rose again4 ,to-day ,he is a living ,saviour4 ,he has all power in heaven and on earth 7,matt4 #bh3 #ah74 ,he has power to keep the weakest sinner from falling 7,jude #bd74 ,he is able to save not only from the uttermost but 8to the uttermost0 all that come unto the ,father through ,him4 7,wherefore ,he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto ,god through ,him1 seeing that ,he ever liveth to make intercession for them4--,heb4 #g3 #be1 ,r4 ,v47 8,if the ,son therefore shall make you free1 ye shall be free indeed0 7,john #h3 #cf74 ,to receive ,jesus is to believe this that ,god tells us in ,his ,word about ,him1 to believe that ,he did rise from the dead1 to believe that ,he does now live1 to believe that ,he has power to keep us from falling1 to believe that ,he has power to keep us from the power of sin day by day1 and just trust ,him to do it4 ,this is the secret of daily victory over sin4 ,if we try to fight sin in our own strength1 we are bound to fail4 ,if we just look up to the risen ,christ to keep us every day and every hour1 ,he will keep us4 ,through the crucified ,christ we get deliverance from the guilt of sin1 our sins are all blotted out1 we are free from all condemnation2 but it is through the risen ,christ that we get daily victory over the power of sin4 ,some receive ,christ as a sin-bearer and thus find pardon1 but do not get beyond that1 and so their life is one of daily failure4 ,others receive ,him as their risen ,saviour also1 and thus enter into an experience of victory over sin4 ,to begin right we must take ,him not only as our sin-bearer1 and thus find pardon2 but we must also take ,him as our risen ,saviour1 our ,deliverer from the power of sin1 our ,keeper1 and thus find daily victory over sin4 #c4 ,but ,god offers ,jesus to us1 not only as our sin-bearer and our ,deliverer from the power of sin1 but ,he also offers ,him to us as our ,lord and ,king4 ,we read in ,acts #b3 #cf1 8,let all the house of ,israel know assuredly1 that ,god hath made that same ,jesus1 whom ye have crucified1 both ,lord and ,christ40 ,lord means ,divine ,master1 and ,christ means anointed ,king4 ,to receive ,jesus is to take ,him as our ,divine ,master1 as the ,one to whom we yield the absolute confidence of our intellects1 the ,one whose word we believe absolutely1 the ,one whom we will believe though many of the wisest of men may question or deny the truth of ,his teachings2 and as our ,king to whom we gladly yield the absolute control of our lives1 so that the question from this time on is never going to be1 what would ,i like to do or what do others tell me to do1 or what do others do1 but the whole question is ,,what ,,would ,,my ,,king ,,jesus ,,have ,,me ,,do8 ,a right beginning involves an unconditional surrender to the ,lordship and ,kingship of ,jesus4 ,the failure to realize that ,jesus is ,lord and ,king1 as well as ,saviour1 has led to many a false start in the ,christian life4 ,we begin with ,him as our ,saviour1 as our sin-bearer and our ,deliverer from the power of sin1 but we must not end with ,him merely as ,saviour1 we must know ,him as ,lord and ,king4 ,there is nothing more important in a right beginning of the ,christian life than an unconditional surrender1 both of the thoughts and the conduct to ,jesus4 ,say from your heart and say it again and again1 8,all for ,jesus40 ,many fail because they shrink back from this entire surrender4 ,they wish to serve ,jesus with half their heart1 and part of themselves and part of their possessions4 ,to hold back anything from ,jesus means a wretched life of stumbling and failure4 ,the life of entire surrender is a joyous life all along the way4 ,if you have never done it before1 go alone with ,god to-day1 get down on your knees and say1 8,all for ,jesus10 and mean it4 ,say it very earnestly2 say it from the bottom of your heart4 ,stay there until you realize what it means and what you are doing4 ,it is a wondrous step forward when one really takes it4 ,if you have taken it already1 take it again1 take it often4 ,it always has fresh meaning and brings fresh blessedness4 ,in this absolute surrender is found the key to the truth4 ,doubts rapidly disappear for one who surrenders all 7,john #g3 #ag74 ,in this absolute surrender is found the secret of power in prayer 7#a ,john #c3 #bb74 ,in this absolute surrender is found the supreme condition of receiving the ,holy ,ghost 7,acts #e3 #cb74 ,taking ,christ as your ,lord and ,king involves obedience to ,his will as far as you know it in each smallest detail of life4 ,there are those who tell us that they have taken ,christ as their ,lord and ,king who at the same time are disobeying ,him daily in business1 in domestic life1 in social life and in personal conduct ,such persons are deceiving themselves4 ,you have not taken ,jesus as your ,lord and ,king if you are not striving to obey ,him in everything each day4 ,he ,himself says1 8,why call ye ,me #8,lord1 ,lord6' and do not the things that ,i say80 7,luke #f3 #df74 ,to sum it all up1 the right way to begin the ,christian life is to accept ,jesus ,christ as your sin-bearer and to trust ,god to forgive your sins because ,jesus ,christ died in your place2 to accept ,him as your risen ,saviour who ever lives to make intercession for you1 and who has all power to keep you1 and to trust ,him to keep you from day to day2 and to accept ,him as your ,lord and ,king to whom you surrender the absolute control of your thoughts and of your life4 ,this is the right beginning1 the only right beginning of the ,christian life4 ,if you have made this beginning1 all that follows will be comparatively easy4 ,if you have not made this beginning1 make it now4 ,,ii ,,the ,,open ,,confession ,,of ,,christ ,having begun the ,christian life right by taking the proper attitude towards ,christ in a private transaction between ,himself and yourself1 the next step is an open confession of the relationship that now exists between yourself and ,jesus ,christ4 ,jesus says in ,matt4 #aj3 #cb1 8,whosoever therefore shall confess ,me before men1 him will ,i confess also before ,my ,father which is in heaven40 ,he demands a public confession4 ,he demands it for your own sake4 ,this is the path of blessing4 ,many attempt to be disciples of ,jesus and not let the world know it4 ,no one has ever succeeded in that attempt4 ,to be a secret disciple means to be no disciple at all4 ,if one really has received ,christ he cannot keep it to himself4 8,for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh0 7,matt4 #ab3 #cd74 ,so important is the public confession of ,christ that ,paul puts it first in his statement of the conditions of salvation4 ,he says1 8,if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the ,lord ,jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that ,god hath raised ,him from the dead1 thou shalt be saved4 ,for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness2 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation0 7,rom4 #aj3 #i1 #aj74 ,the life of confession is the life of full salvation4 ,indeed1 the life of confession is the life of the only real salvation4 ,when we confess ,christ before men down here1 ,he confesses us before the ,father in heaven and the ,father gives us the ,holy ,spirit as the seal of our salvation4 ,it is not enough that we confess ,christ just once1 as1 for example1 when we are confirmed1 or when we unite with the church1 or when we come forward in a revival meeting4 ,we should confess ,christ constantly4 ,we should not be ashamed of our ,lord and ,king4 ,we should let people know that we are on ,his side4 ,in the home1 in the church1 at our work1 and at our play1 we should let others know where we stand4 ,of course1 we should not parade our ,christianity or our piety1 but we should leave no one in doubt whether we belong to ,christ4 ,we should let it be seen that we glory in ,him as our ,lord and ,king4 ,the failure to confess ,christ is one of the most frequent causes of backsliding4 ,christians get into new relationships where they are not known as ,christians and where they are tempted to conceal the fact2 they yield to the temptation and they soon find themselves drifting4 ,the more you make of ,jesus ,christ1 the more ,he will make of you4 ,it will save you from many a temptation if the fact is clearly known that you are one who acknowledges ,christ as ,lord in all things4 ,,iii ,,assurance ,,of ,,salvation ,if one is to have the fullest measure of joy and power in ,christian service1 he must know that his sins are forgiven1 that he is a child of ,god1 and that he has eternal life4 ,it is the believer's privilege to know that he has eternal life4 ,john says in #a ,john #e3 #ac1 ,r4 ,v41 8,these things have ,i written unto you1 that ye may know that ye have eternal life1 even unto you that believe on the name of the ,son of ,god40 ,john wrote this first epistle for the express purpose that any one who believes on the name of the ,son of ,god might know that he has eternal life4 ,there are those who tell us that no one can know that he has eternal life until he is dead and has been before the judgment seat of ,god1 but ,god ,himself tells us that we may know4 ,to deny the possibility of the believer's knowing that he has eternal life is to say that the ,first ,epistle of ,john was written in vain1 and it is to insult the ,holy ,spirit who is its real author4 ,again ,paul tells us in ,acts #ac3 #ci1 ,r4 ,v41 8,by ,him 7that is by ,christ7 every one that believeth is justified from all things40 ,so every one that believeth in ,jesus may know that he is justified from all things4 ,he may know it because the ,word of ,god says so4 ,again ,john tells us in ,john #a3 #ab1 ,r4 ,v41 8,but as many as received ,him 7that is ,jesus ,christ7 to them gave ,he the right to become children of ,god1 even to them that believe on ,his name40 ,here is a definite and unmistakable declaration that every one who receives ,jesus becomes a child of ,god4 ,therefore every believer in ,jesus may know that he is a child of ,god4 ,he may know it on the surest of all grounds1 i4 e41 because the ,word of ,god asserts that he is a child of ,god4 ,but how may any individual know that he has eternal life8 ,he may know it on the very best ground of knowledge1 that is through the testimony of ,god ,himself as given in the ,bible4 ,the testimony of ,scripture is the testimony of ,god4 ,what the ,scriptures say is absolutely sure4 ,what the ,scriptures say ,god says4 ,now in ,john #c3 #cf the ,scriptures say1 8,he that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life40 ,any one of us may know whether we believe on the ,son or not4 ,whether we have that real faith in ,christ that leads us to receive ,him4 ,if we have this faith in ,christ we have ,god's own written testimony that we have eternal life1 that our sins are forgiven1 that we are the children of ,god4 ,we may feel forgiven1 or we may not feel forgiven1 but that does not matter4 ,it is not a question of what we feel but of what ,god says4 ,god's ,word is always to be believed4 ,our own feelings are oftentimes to be doubted4 ,there are many who are led to doubt their sins are forgiven1 to doubt that they have everlasting life1 to doubt that they are saved1 because they do not feel forgiven1 or do not feel that they have everlasting life1 or do not feel that they are saved4 ,because you do not feel it is no reason why you should doubt it4 ,suppose that you were sentenced to imprisonment and that your friends secured a pardon for you4 ,the legal document announcing your pardon is brought to you4 ,you read it and know you are pardoned because the legal document says so1 but the news is so good and so sudden that you are dazed by it4 ,you do not realize that you are pardoned4 ,some one comes to you and says1 8,are you pardoned80 ,what would you reply8 ,you would say1 8,yes1 ,i am pardoned40 ,then he asks1 8,do you feel pardoned80 ,you reply1 8,no1 ,i do not feel pardoned4 ,it is so sudden1 it is so wonderful1 ,i cannot realize it40 ,then he says to you1 8,but how can you know that you are pardoned if you do not feel it80 ,you would hold out the document and you would say1 8,this says so40 ,the time would come1 after you had read the document over and over again and believed it1 when you would not only know you were pardoned because the document said so but you would feel it4 ,now the ,bible is ,god's authoritative document declaring that every one that believeth in ,jesus is justified2 declaring that every one that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life2 declaring that every one who receives ,jesus is a child of ,god4 ,if any one asks you if your sins are all forgiven1 reply1 8,yes1 ,i know they are because ,god says so40 ,if they ask you if you know that you are a child of ,god1 reply1 8,yes1 ,i know ,i am a child of ,god because ,god says so40 ,if they ask you if you have everlasting life1 reply1 8,yes1 ,i know ,i have everlasting life because ,god says so4 ,god says1 #8,he that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life4' ,i know ,i believe on the ,son1 and therefore ,i know ,i have eternal life--because ,god says so40 ,you may not feel it yet but if you will keep meditating upon ,god's statement and believing what ,god says1 the time will come when you will feel it4 ,for one who believes on the ,son of ,god to doubt that he has eternal life is for him to make ,god a liar4 8,he that believeth on the ,son of ,god hath the witness in him4 ,he that believeth not ,god1 hath made ,him a liar because he hath not believed in the witness that ,god hath borne concerning ,his ,son and the witness is this1 that ,god gave unto us eternal life1 and this life is in ,his ,son4 ,he that hath the ,son hath the life3 he that hath not the ,son of ,god hath not the life0 7#a ,john #e3 #aj-ab1 ,r4 ,v474 ,any one who does not believe ,god's testimony that ,he has given unto us eternal life and that this life is in ,his ,son and that he that hath the ,son hath the life1 makes ,god a liar4 ,it is sometimes said 8it is presumption for any one to say that he knows he is saved1 or to say that he knows that he has eternal life40 ,but is it presumption to believe ,god8 ,is it not rather presumption not to believe ,god1 to make ,god a liar8 ,when you who believe on the ,son of ,god and yet doubt that you have eternal life1 you make ,god a liar4 ,when ,jesus said to the woman who was a sinner1 8,thy sins are forgiven0 7,luke #g3 #dh71 was it presumption for her to go out and say1 8,i know my sins are all forgiven08 ,would it not have been presumption for her to have doubted for a moment that her sins were all forgiven8 ,jesus had said that they were forgiven4 ,for her to doubt it would have been for her to give the lie to ,jesus4 ,is it then any more presumption for the believer to-day to say1 8,my sins are all forgiven1 ,i have eternal life10 when ,god says in ,his written testimony to every one that believeth1 8,you are justified from all things0 7,acts #ac3 #ci71 8,you have eternal life0 7,john #c3 #cf2 #a ,john #e3 #ac78 ,be very sure first of all that you really do believe on the name of the ,son of ,god2 that you really have received ,jesus4 ,if you are sure of this then never doubt for a moment that your sins are all forgiven1 never doubt for a moment that you are a child of ,god1 never doubt for a moment that you have everlasting life4 ,if ,satan comes and whispers1 8,your sins are not forgiven10 point ,satan to the ,word of ,god and say1 8,god says my sins are forgiven and ,i know they are40 ,if ,satan whispers1 8,well perhaps you don't believe on ,him10 then say1 8,well if ,i never did before ,i will now40 ,and then go out rejoicing1 knowing that your sins are forgiven1 knowing that you are a child of ,god1 knowing that you have everlasting life4 ,there are doubtless many who say they know they have eternal life who really do not believe on the name of the ,son of ,god1 who have not really received ,jesus4 ,this is not true assurance4 ,it has no sure foundation in the ,word of ,god who cannot lie4 ,if we wish to get assurance of salvation we must first get saved4 ,the reason why many have not the assurance that they are saved is because they are not saved4 ,they ought not to have assurance4 ,what they need first is salvation4 ,but if you have received ,jesus in the way described in the first chapter1 ,,you ,,are ,,saved1 you are a child of ,god1 your sins are forgiven4 ,believe it1 know it4 ,rejoice in it4 ,having settled it1 let it remain settled4 ,never doubt it4 ,you may make mistakes1 you may stumble1 you may fall1 but even if you do1 if you have really received ,jesus1 know that your sins are forgiven and rise from your fall and go forward in the glad assurance that there is nothing between you and ,god4 ,,iv ,,receiving ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit ,when the ,apostle ,paul came to ,ephesus1 he found a little group of twelve disciples of ,christ4 ,there was something about these twelve disciples that struck ,paul unfavourably4 ,we are not told what it was4 ,it may be that he did not find in them that overflowing joyfulness that one learns to expect in all ,christians who have really entered into the fullness of blessing that there is for them in ,christ4 ,it may be that ,paul was troubled at the fact that there were only twelve of them1 thinking that if these twelve were what they ought to be1 there would certainly have been more than twelve of them by this time4 ,whatever it may have been that impressed ,paul unfavourably1 he went right to the root of the difficulty at once by putting to them the question1 8,did ye receive the ,holy ,ghost when ye believed80 7,acts #ai3 #b1 ,r4 ,v474 ,it came out at once that they had not received the ,holy ,ghost1 that in fact they did not know that the ,holy ,ghost had been given4 ,then ,paul told them that the ,holy ,ghost had been given1 and also showed them just what they must do to receive the ,holy ,ghost then and there1 and before that gathering was over the ,holy ,ghost came upon them4 ,from that day on there was a different state of affairs in ,ephesus4 ,a great revival sprang up at once so that the whole city was shaken1 8,so mightily grew the ,word of ,god and prevailed0 7,acts #ai3 #bj74 ,paul's question to these young disciples in ,ephesus should be put to young disciples everywhere1 8,have ye received the ,holy ,ghost80 ,in receiving the ,holy ,spirit is the great secret of joyfulness in our own hearts1 of victory over sin1 of power in prayer1 and of effective service4 ,every one who has truly received ,jesus must have the ,holy ,spirit dwelling in him in some sense2 but in many believers1 though the ,holy ,spirit dwells in them1 ,he dwells way back in some hidden sanctuary of their being1 back of consciousness4 ,it is something quite different1 something far better than this1 to receive the ,holy ,spirit in the sense that ,paul meant in his question4 ,to receive the ,holy ,spirit in such a sense that one knows experimentally that he has received the ,holy ,spirit1 to receive the ,holy ,spirit in such a sense that we are conscious of the joy with which ,he fills our hearts different from any joy that we have ever known in the world2 to receive the ,holy ,spirit in such a sense that ,he rules our life and produces within us in ever increasing measure the fruit of the ,spirit1 love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance2 to receive the ,holy ,spirit in such a sense that we are conscious of ,his drawing our hearts out in prayer in a way that is not of ourselves2 to receive the ,holy ,spirit in such a sense that we are conscious of ,his help when we witness for ,christ1 when we speak to others individually and try to lead them to accept ,christ1 or when we teach a ,sunday-school class1 or speak in public1 or do any other work for the ,master4 ,have you received the ,holy ,spirit8 ,if you have not1 let me tell you how you may4 #a4 ,first of all in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit1 one must be resting in the death of ,christ on the cross for us as the sole and all-sufficient ground upon which ,god pardons all our sins and forgives us4 #b4 ,in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit we must put away every known sin4 ,we should go to our heavenly ,father and ask ,him to search us through and through and bring to light anything in our life1 our outward life or our inward life1 that is wrong in ,his sight1 and if ,he does bring anything to light that is displeasing to ,him1 we should put it away1 no matter how dear it is to us4 ,there must be a complete renunciation of all sin in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit4 #c4 ,in the third place1 in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit1 there must be an open confession of ,christ before the world4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is not given to those who are trying to be disciples in secret1 but to those who obey ,christ and publicly confess ,him before the world4 #d4 ,in the fourth place1 in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit1 there must be an absolute surrender of our lives to ,god4 ,you must go to ,him and say1 8,heavenly ,father1 here ,i am4 ,thou hast bought me with a price4 ,i am ,thy property4 ,i renounce all claim to do my own will1 all claim to govern my own life1 all claim to have my own way4 ,i give myself up unreservedly to ,thee--all ,i am and all ,i have4 ,send me where ,thou wilt1 use me as ,thou wilt1 do with me what ,thou wilt--,i am ,thine40 ,if we hold anything back from ,god1 no matter how small it may seem1 that spoils it all4 ,but if we surrender all to ,god1 then ,god will give all that ,he has to us4 ,there are some who shrink from this absolute surrender to ,god1 but absolute surrender to ,god is simply absolute surrender to infinite love4 ,surrender to the ,father1 to the ,father whose love is not only wiser than any earthly father's1 but more tender than any earthly mother's4 #e4 ,in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit there should be definite asking for the ,holy ,spirit4 ,our ,lord ,jesus says in ,luke #aa3 #ac1 8,if ye then1 being evil1 know how to give good gifts unto your children3 how much more shall your heavenly ,father give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him80 ,just ask ,god to give you the ,holy ,spirit and expect ,him to do it1 because ,he says ,he will4 #f4 ,last of all1 in order to receive the ,holy ,spirit1 there must be faith1 simply taking ,god at ,his ,word4 ,no matter how positive any promise of ,god's ,word may be1 we enjoy it personally only when we believe4 ,our ,lord ,jesus says1 8,all things whatsoever ye pray and ask for1 believe that ye have received them1 and ye shall have them0 7,mark #aa3 #bd1 ,r4 ,v474 ,when you pray for the ,holy ,spirit you have prayed for something according to ,god's will and therefore you may know that your prayer is heard and that you have what you asked of ,him 7#a ,john #e3 #ad1 #ae74 ,you may feel no different1 but do not look at your feelings but at ,god's promise4 ,believe the prayer is heard1 believe that ,god has given you the ,holy ,spirit and you will afterwards have in actual experience what you have received in simple faith on the bare promise of ,god's ,word4 ,it is well to go often alone and kneel down and look up to the ,holy ,spirit and put into ,his hands anew the entire control of your life4 ,ask ,him to take the control of your thoughts1 the control of your imagination1 the control of your affections1 the control of your desires1 the control of your ambitions1 the control of your choices1 the control of your purposes1 the control of your words1 the control of your actions1 the control of everything1 and just expect ,him to do it4 ,the whole secret of victory in the ,christian life is letting the ,holy ,spirit who dwells within you1 have undisputed right of way in the entire conduct of your life4 ,v ,,looking ,,unto ,,jesus ,if we are to run with patience the race that is set before us1 we must always keep looking unto ,jesus 7,heb4 #ab3 #a-c74 ,one of the simplest and yet one of the mightiest secrets of abiding joy and victory is to never lose sight of ,jesus4 #a4 ,first of all we must keep looking at ,jesus as the ground of our acceptance before ,god4 ,over and over again ,satan will make an attempt to discourage us by bringing up our sins and failures and thus try to convince us that we are not children of ,god1 or not saved4 ,if he succeeds in getting us to keep looking at and brooding over our sins1 he will soon get us discouraged1 and discouragement means failure4 ,but if we will keep looking at what ,god looks at1 the death of ,jesus ,christ in our place that completely atones for every sin that we ever committed1 we will never be discouraged because of the greatness of our sins4 ,we shall see that while our sins are great1 very great1 that they have all been atoned for4 ,every time ,satan brings up one of our sins1 we shall see that ,jesus ,christ has redeemed us from its curse by being made a curse in our place 7,gal4 #c3 #ac74 ,we shall see that while in ourselves we are full of unrighteousness1 nevertheless in ,christ we are made the righteousness of ,god1 because ,christ was made to be sin in our place 7#b ,cor4 #e3 #ba74 ,we will see that every sin that ,satan taunts us about has been borne and settled forever 7#a ,pet4 #b3 #bd2 ,is4 #ec3 #f74 ,we shall always be able to sing1 8,jesus paid my debt1 ,all the debt ,i owe2 ,sin had left a crimson stain1 ,he washed it white as snow40 ,if you are this moment troubled about any sin that you have ever committed1 either in the past or in the present1 just look at ,jesus on the cross2 believe what ,god tells you about ,him1 that this sin which troubles you was laid upon ,him 7,is4 #ec3 #f74 ,thank ,god that the sin is all settled2 be full of gratitude to ,jesus who bore it in your place and trouble about it no more4 ,it is an act of base ingratitude to ,god to brood over sins that ,he in ,his infinite love has cancelled4 ,keep looking at ,christ on the cross and walk always in the sunlight of ,god's favour4 ,this favour of ,god has been purchased for you at great cost4 ,gratitude demands that you should always believe in it and walk in the light of it4 #b4 ,in the second place1 we must keep looking at ,jesus as our risen ,saviour1 who has all power in heaven and on earth and is able to keep us every day and every hour4 ,are you tempted to do some wrong at this moment8 ,if you are1 remember that ,jesus rose from the dead1 remember that at this moment ,he is living at the right hand of ,god in the glory2 remember that ,he has all power in heaven and on earth1 and that1 therefore1 ,he can give you victory right now4 ,believe what ,god tells you in ,his ,word that ,jesus has power to save you this moment 8to the uttermost0 7,heb4 #g3 #be74 ,believe that ,he has power to give you victory over this sin that now besets you4 ,ask ,him to give you victory1 expect ,him to do it4 ,in this way by looking unto the risen ,christ for victory you may have victory over sin every day1 every hour1 every moment4 8,remember ,jesus ,christ risen from the dead0 7#b ,tim4 #b3 #h1 ,r4 ,v474 ,god has called every one of us to a victorious life1 and the secret of this victorious life is always looking to the risen ,christ for victory4 ,through looking to ,christ crucified we obtain pardon and enjoy peace4 ,through looking to the risen ,christ we obtain present victory over the power of sin4 ,if you have lost sight of the risen ,christ and have yielded to temptation1 confess your sin and know that it is forgiven because ,god says so 7#a ,john #a3 #i7 and look to ,jesus1 the risen ,one1 again to give you victory now and keep looking to ,him4 #c4 ,in the third place1 we must keep looking to ,jesus as the ,one whom we should follow in our daily conduct4 ,our ,lord ,jesus says to us1 ,his disciples to-day1 as ,he said to ,his early disciples1 8,follow ,me40 ,the whole secret of true ,christian conduct can be summed up in these two words 8,follow ,me40 8,he that saith he abideth in ,him ought himself so to walk even as ,he walked0 7#a ,john #b3 #f74 ,one of the commonest causes of failure in ,christian life is found in the attempt to follow some good man1 whom we greatly admire4 ,no man and no woman1 no matter how good1 can be safely followed4 ,if we follow any man or woman1 we are bound to go astray4 ,there never has been but one absolutely perfect ,man upon this earth--the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,if we try to follow any other man we are more sure to imitate his faults than his excellencies4 ,look at ,jesus and ,jesus only as your ,guide4 ,if at any time you are in any perplexity as to what to do1 simply ask the question1 ,what would ,jesus do8 ,ask ,god by ,his ,holy ,spirit to show you what ,jesus would do4 ,study your ,bible to find out what ,jesus did do and follow ,jesus4 ,even though no one else seems to be following ,jesus1 be sure that you follow ,him4 ,do not spend your time or thought in criticising others because they do not follow ,jesus4 ,see that you follow ,him yourself4 ,when you are wasting your time criticising others for not following ,jesus1 ,jesus is always saying to you1 8,what is that to thee2 follow ,,thou ,me0 7,john #ba3 #bb74 ,the question for you is not what following ,jesus may involve for other people4 ,the question is what does following ,jesus mean for you8 ,this is the really simple life1 the life of simply following ,jesus4 ,many perplexing questions will come to you1 but the most perplexing question will soon become as clear as day if you determine with all your heart to follow ,jesus in everything4 ,satan will always be ready to whisper to you1 8,such and such a good man does it10 but all you need to do is to answer1 8,it matters not to me what this or that man may do or not do4 ,the only question to me is1 ,what would ,jesus do80 ,there is wonderful freedom in this life of simply following ,jesus4 ,this path is straight and plain4 ,but the path of the one who tries to shape his conduct by observing the conduct of others is full of twists and turns and pitfalls4 ,keep looking at ,jesus4 ,follow on trustingly where ,he leads4 ,this is the path of the just which shineth more and more unto the perfect day 7,prov4 #d3 #ah74 ,he is the ,light of the ,world1 any one who follows ,him shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life all along the way 7,john #h3 #ab74 ,,vi ,,church ,,membership ,no young ,christian and no old ,christian can have real success in the ,christian life without the fellowship of other believers4 ,the church is a divine institution1 built by ,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,it is the one institution that abides4 ,other institutions come and go2 they do their work for their day and disappear1 but the church will continue to the end4 8,the gates of hell shall not prevail against it0 7,matt4 #af3 #ah74 ,the church is made up of men and women1 imperfect men and women1 and consequently is an imperfect institution1 but none the less it is of divine origin and ,god loves it1 and every believer should realize that he belongs to it and should openly take his place in it and bear his responsibilities regarding it4 ,the true church consists of all true believers1 all who are united to ,jesus ,christ by a living faith in ,himself4 ,in its outward organization at the present time1 it is divided into numberless sects and local congregations1 but in spite of these divisions the true church is one4 ,it has one ,lord1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,it has one faith1 faith in ,him as ,saviour1 ,divine ,lord and only ,king2 one baptism1 the baptism in the one ,spirit into the one body 7,eph4 #d3 #d1 #e2 #a ,cor4 #ab3 #ac74 ,but each individual ,christian needs the fellowship of individual fellow believers4 ,the outward expression of this fellowship is in membership in some organized body of believers4 ,if we hold aloof from all organized churches1 hoping thus to have a broader fellowship with all believers belonging to all the churches1 we deceive ourselves4 ,we will miss the helpfulness that comes from intimate union with some local congregation4 ,i have known many well-meaning persons who have held aloof from membership in any specific organization1 and ,i have never known a person who has done this1 whose own spiritual life has not suffered by it4 ,on the day of ,pentecost the three thousand who were converted were at once baptized and were added to the church 7,acts #b3 #da1 #dg71 and 8,they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship1 and in breaking of bread and in prayers40 ,their example is the one to follow4 ,if you have really received ,jesus ,christ1 hunt up as soon as possible some company of others who have received ,jesus ,christ and unite yourself with them4 ,in many communities there may be no choice of churches1 for there is only one4 ,in other communities one will be faced with the question1 8,with what body of believers shall ,i unite80 ,do not waste your time looking for a perfect church4 ,there is no perfect church4 ,if you wait until you find a perfect church before you unite with any1 you will unite with none1 and thus you will belong to a church in which you are the only member and that is the most imperfect church of all4 ,i would rather belong to the most imperfect ,christian church ,i ever knew than not to belong to any church at all4 ,the local churches in ,paul's day were very imperfect institutions4 ,let one read the epistles to the ,corinthians and see how imperfect was the church in ,corinth1 see how much there was that was evil in it1 and yet ,paul never thought of advising any believer in ,corinth to get out of this imperfect church4 ,he did tell them to come out of heathenism1 to come out from fellowship with infidels 7#b ,cor4 #f3 #ad-ah71 but not a word on coming out of the imperfect church in ,corinth4 ,he did tell the church in ,corinth to separate from their membership certain persons whose lives were wrong 7#a ,cor4 #e3 #aa1 #ab71 but he did not tell the individual members of the church in ,corinth to get out of the church because these persons had not yet been separated from their fellowship4 ,as you cannot find a perfect church1 find the best church you can4 ,unite with a church where they believe in the ,bible and where they preach the ,bible4 ,avoid the churches where words are spoken open or veiled that have a tendency to undermine your faith in the ,bible as a reliable revelation from ,god ,himself1 the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice4 ,unite with a church where there is a spirit of prayer1 where the prayer-meetings are well kept up4 ,unite with a church that has a real active interest in the salvation of the lost1 where young ,christians are looked after and helped1 where minister and people have a love for the poor and outcast1 a church that regards its mission in this world to be the same as the mission of ,christ1 8to seek and to save the lost40 ,as to denominational differences1 other things being equal1 unite with that denomination whose ideas of doctrine and of government and of the ordinances are most closely akin to your own4 ,but it is better to unite with a live church of some other denomination than to unite with a dead church of your own4 ,we live in a day when denominational differences are becoming ever less and less1 and oftentimes they are of no practical consequence whatever2 and one will often feel more at home in a church of some other denomination than in any accessible church of his own denomination4 ,the things that divide the denominations are insignificant compared with the great fundamental truths and purposes and faith that unite them4 ,if you cannot find the church that agrees with the pattern set forth above1 find the church that comes nearest to it4 ,go into that church and by prayer and by work try to bring that church as nearly as you can to the pattern of what you think a church of ,christ ought to be4 ,but do not waste your strength in criticism against either church or minister4 ,seek for what is good in the church and in the minister and do your best to strengthen it4 ,hold aloof firmly1 though unobtrusively1 from what is wrong and seek to correct it4 ,do not be discouraged if you cannot correct it in a day or a week or a month or a year4 ,patient love and prayer and effort will tell in time4 ,drawing off by yourself and snarling and grumbling will do no good4 ,they will simply make you and the truths for which you stand repulsive4 ,,vii ,,bible ,,study ,there is nothing more important for the development of the spiritual life of the ,christian than regular1 systematic ,bible study4 ,it is as true in the spiritual life as it is in the physical life that health depends upon what we eat and how much we eat4 ,the soul's proper food is found in one book1 the ,bible4 ,of course1 a true minister of the gospel will feed us on the ,word of ,god1 but that is not enough4 ,he feeds us but one or two days in the week and we need to be fed every day4 ,furthermore1 it will not do to depend upon being fed by others4 ,we must learn to feed ourselves4 ,if we study the ,bible for ourselves as we ought to study it1 we shall be in a large measure independent of human teachers4 ,even if we are so unfortunate as to have for our minister a man who is himself ignorant of the truth of ,god we shall still be safe from harm4 ,we live in a day in which false doctrine abounds on every hand and the only ,christian who is safe from being led into error is the one who studies his ,bible for himself daily4 ,the ,apostle ,paul warned the elders of the church in ,ephesus that the time was soon coming when grievous wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flock and when of their own selves men should arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them1 but he told them how to be safe even in such perilous times as these4 ,he said1 8,i commend you to ,god and to the ,word of ,his grace1 which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified40 ,through meditation on the ,word of ,god's grace they would be safe even in the midst of abounding error on the part of the leaders in the church 7,acts #bj3 #bi-cb74 ,writing later to the ,bishop of the church in ,ephesus ,paul said1 8,but evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse1 deceiving and being deceived0 7#b ,tim4 #c3 #ac1 ,r4 ,v47 but he goes on to tell ,bishop ,timothy how he and his fellow believers could be safe even in such times of increasing peril as were coming4 ,that way was through the study of the ,holy ,scriptures1 which are able to make wise unto salvation 7#b ,tim4 #c3 #ad1 #ae74 8,all ,scripture10 he adds1 8is given by inspiration of ,god and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness that the man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works40 ,that is to say1 through the study of the ,bible one will be sound in doctrine1 will be led to see his sins and put them away1 will find discipline in the righteous life and attain unto complete equipment for all good works4 ,our spiritual health1 our growth1 our strength1 our victory over sin1 our soundness in doctrine1 our joy and peace in ,christ1 our cleansing from inward and outward sin1 our fitness for service1 all depend upon the study of the ,word of ,god4 ,the one who neglects his ,bible is bound to make a failure of the ,christian life4 ,the one who studies his ,bible in the right spirit and by a true method is bound to make a success of the ,christian life4 ,this brings us face to face with the question1 8,what is the right way to study the ,bible80 #a4 ,first of all1 we should study it daily 7,acts #ag3 #aa74 ,this is of prime importance4 ,no matter how good the methods of ,bible study that one follows may be1 no matter how much time one may put into ,bible study now and then1 the best results can only be secured when one makes it a matter of principle never to let a single day go by without earnest ,bible study4 ,this is the only safe course4 ,any day that is allowed to pass without faithful ,bible study is a day thrown open to the advent into our hearts and lives of error or of sin4 ,the writer has been a ,christian for more than a quarter of a century and yet to-day he would not dare to allow even a single day to pass over his head without listening to the voice of ,god as it speaks to him through the pages of ,his ,book4 ,it is at this point that many fall away4 ,they grow careless and let a day pass1 or even several days pass1 without going alone with ,god and letting ,him speak to them through ,his ,word4 ,mr4 ,moody once wisely said1 8,in prayer we talk to ,god4 ,in ,bible study1 ,god talks to us1 and we had better let ,god do most of the talking40 ,a regular time should be set apart each day for the study of the ,bible4 ,i do not think it is well as a rule to say that we shall study so many chapters in a day1 for that leads to undue haste and skimming and thoughtlessness1 but it is well to set apart a certain length of time each day for ,bible study4 ,some can give more time to ,bible study than others1 but no one ought to give less than fifteen minutes a day4 ,i set the time so low in order that no one may be discouraged at the outset4 ,if a young ,christian should set out to give an hour or two hours a day to ,bible study1 there is a strong probability that he would not keep to the resolution and he might become discouraged4 ,yet ,i know of many very busy people who have given the first hour of every day for years to ,bible study and some who have given even two hours a day4 ,the late ,earl ,cairns1 ,lord ,chancellor of ,england1 was one of the busiest men of his day1 but ,lady ,cairns told me a few months ago that no matter how late he reached home at night he always arose at the same early hour for prayer and ,bible study4 ,she said1 8,we would sometimes get home from ,parliament at two o'clock in the morning1 but ,lord ,cairns would always arise at the same early hour to pray and study the ,bible40 ,lord ,cairns is reported as saying1 8,if ,i have had any success in life1 ,i attribute it to the habit of giving the first two hours of each day to ,bible study and prayer40 ,it is important that one choose the right time for this study4 ,wherever it is possible1 the best time for this study is immediately after arising in the morning4 ,the worst time of all is the last thing at night4 ,of course1 it is well to give a little while just before we retire to ,bible reading1 in order that ,god's voice may be the last to which we listen1 but the bulk of our ,bible study should be done at an hour when our minds are clearest and strongest4 ,whatever time is set apart for ,bible study should be kept sacredly for that purpose4 #b4 ,we should study the ,bible systematically4 ,much time is frittered away in random study of the ,bible4 ,the same amount of time put into systematic study would yield far larger results4 ,have a definite place where you are studying and have a definite plan of study4 ,a good way for a young ,christian to begin the study of the ,bible is to read the ,gospel of ,john4 ,when you have read it through once1 begin and read it again until you have gone over the ,gospel five times4 ,then read the ,gospel of ,luke five times in the same way2 then read the ,acts of the ,apostles five times1 then #a ,thessalonians five times1 then #a ,john five times1 then ,romans five times1 then ,ephesians five times4 ,by this time you will be ready to take up a more thorough method of ,bible study4 ,a good method is to begin at ,genesis and read the ,bible through chapter by chapter4 ,read each chapter through several times and then answer the following questions on the chapter3 7#a7 ,what is the principal subject of the chapter8 7,state the principal contents of the chapter in a single phrase or sentence47 7#b7 ,what is the truth most clearly taught and most emphasized in the chapter8 7#c7 ,what is the best lesson8 7#d7 ,what is the best verse8 7#e7 ,who are the principal people mentioned8 7#f7 ,what does the chapter teach about ,jesus ,christ8 ,go through the entire ,bible in this way4 ,another and more thorough method of ,bible chapter study1 which cannot be applied to every chapter in the ,bible1 but which will yield excellent results when applied to some of the more important chapters of the ,bible1 is as follows3 7#a7 ,read the chapter for to-day's study five times1 reading it aloud at least once4 ,each new reading will bring out some new point4 7#b7 ,divide the chapter into its natural divisions and find headings for each division that describes in the most striking way the contents of that division4 ,for example1 suppose the chapter studied is #a ,john #e4 ,you might divide it in this way3 ,first division1 verses #a-c1 ,the ,believer's ,noble ,parentage4 ,second division1 verses #d1 #e1 ,the ,believer's ,glorious ,victory4 ,third division1 verses #f-aj1 ,the ,believer's ,sure ,ground of ,faith4 ,fourth division1 verses #aa1 #ab1 ,the ,believer's ,priceless ,possession4 ,fifth division1 verse #ac1 ,the ,believer's ,blessed ,assurance4 ,sixth division1 verses #ad1 #ae1 ,the ,believer's ,unquestioning ,confidence4 ,seventh division1 verses #af1 #ag1 ,the ,believer's ,great ,power and ,responsibility4 ,eighth division1 verses #ah1 #ai1 ,the ,believer's ,perfect ,security4 ,ninth division1 verse #bj1 ,the ,believer's ,precious ,knowledge4 ,tenth division1 verse #ba1 ,the ,believer's ,constant ,duty4 7#c7 ,note the important differences between the ,authorized ,version and the ,revised4 7#d7 ,write down the leading facts of the chapter in their proper order4 7#e7 ,make a note of the persons mentioned in the chapter and of any light thrown upon their character4 7#f7 ,note the principal lessons of the chapter4 ,it would be well to classify these4 ,for instance lessons about ,god2 lessons about ,christ1 lessons about the ,holy ,spirit1 etc4 7#g7 ,find the central truth of the chapter4 7#h7 ,the key verse of the chapter1 if there is one4 7#i7 ,the best verse in the chapter4 ,mark it and memorize it4 7#aj7 ,write down what new truth you have learned from the chapter4 7#aa7 ,write down what truth already known has come to you with new power4 7#ab7 ,what definite thing have you resolved to do as a result of studying this chapter4 ,it would be well to study in this way1 all the chapters in ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 ,john and ,acts2 the first eight chapters of ,romans2 #a ,cor4 #ab1 #ac and #ae2 first six chapters of #b ,corinthians2 all the chapters in ,galatians1 ,ephesians1 ,philippians1 ,first ,thessalonians and ,first ,epistle of ,john4 ,it would be well at times to vary this by taking up other methods of study for a time4 ,another profitable method of ,bible study is the topical method4 ,this was ,mr4 ,moody's favourite method of study4 ,take up the great topics of which the ,bible teaches such as1 the ,holy ,spirit1 ,prayer1 the ,blood of ,christ1 ,sin1 ,judgment1 ,grace1 ,justification1 the ,new ,birth1 ,sanctification1 ,faith1 ,repentance1 the ,character of ,christ1 the ,resurrection of ,christ1 the ,ascension of ,christ1 the ,second ,coming of ,christ1 ,assurance1 ,love of ,god1 ,love 7to ,god1 to ,christ1 to ,christians1 to all men71 ,heaven1 ,hell4 ,get a ,bible text-book and go through the ,bible on each one of these topics4 7,other methods of ,bible study1 and more thorough methods for the advanced student1 will be found in the author's book 8,,how ,,to ,,study ,,the ,,bible ,,for ,,greatest ,,profit407 #c4 ,we should study the ,bible comprehensively--the whole ,bible4 ,many who read their ,bibles make the great mistake of confining all their reading to certain portions of the ,bible that they enjoy1 and in this way they get no knowledge of the ,bible as a whole4 ,they miss altogether many of the most important phases of ,bible truth4 ,begin and go through the ,bible again and again--a certain portion each day from the ,old ,testament and a portion from the ,new ,testament4 ,read carefully at least one ,psalm every day4 ,it is well oftentimes to read a whole book of the ,bible through at a single sitting4 ,of course1 with a few books of the ,bible this would take one or two hours1 but with most of the books of the ,bible it can be done in a few minutes4 ,with the shorter books of the ,bible they should be read through again and again at a single sitting4 #d4 ,study the ,bible attentively4 ,do not hurry4 ,one of the worst faults in ,bible study is haste and heedlessness4 ,the ,bible only does good by the truth that it contains4 ,it has no magic power4 ,it is better to read one verse attentively than to read a dozen chapters thoughtlessly4 ,sometimes you will read a verse that takes hold of you4 ,don't hurry on4 ,linger and ponder that verse4 ,as you read1 mark in your ,bible what impresses you most4 ,one does not need an elaborate system of ,bible marking1 simply mark what impresses you4 ,meditate upon what you mark4 ,god pronounces that man blessed who 8meditates0 in ,god's law day and night 7,ps4 #a3 #b74 ,it is wonderful how a verse of ,scripture will open if one reads it over and over again and again1 paying attention to each word as he reads it1 trying to get its exact meaning and its full meaning4 ,memorize the passages that impress you most 7,ps4 #aai3 #aa1 ,r4 ,v474 ,when you memorize a passage of ,scripture1 memorize its location as well as its words4 ,fix in your mind chapter and verse where the words are found4 ,a busy but spiritually-minded man who was hurrying to catch a train once said to me1 8,tell me in a word how to study my ,bible40 ,i replied1 8,thoughtfully40 #e4 ,study your ,bible comparatively4 ,that is compare ,scripture with ,scripture4 ,the best commentary on the ,bible is the ,bible itself4 ,wherever you find a difficult passage in the ,bible1 there is always some passage elsewhere that explains its meaning4 ,the best book to use in this comparison of ,scripture with ,scripture is 8,the ,treasury of ,scripture ,knowledge40 ,on every verse in the ,bible this book gives a large number of references4 ,it is well to take up some book of the ,bible and go through that book verse by verse1 looking up carefully and studying every reference given in 8,the ,treasury of ,scripture ,knowledge40 ,this is a very fruitful method of ,bible study4 ,it is also well in studying the ,bible by chapters to look up the references on the more important verses in the chapter4 ,one will get more light on passages of ,scripture by looking up the references given in 8,the ,treasury of ,scripture ,knowledge10 than in any other way ,i know4 #f4 ,study your ,bible believingly4 ,the ,apostle ,paul in writing to the ,christians in ,thessalonica says1 8,for this cause also thank we ,god without ceasing1 because1 when ye received the ,word of ,god which ye heard of us1 ye received it not as the ,word of men1 but as it is in truth1 the ,word of ,god1 which effectually worketh also in you that believe0 7#a ,thess4 #b3 #ac74 ,happy is the one who receives the ,word of ,god as these believers in ,thessalonica received it1 who receives it as what it really is1 the ,word of ,god4 ,in such a one it 8works effectually40 ,the ,bible is the ,word of ,god and we get the most out of any book by studying it as what it really is4 ,it is often said that we should study the ,bible just as we study any other book4 ,that principle contains a truth1 but it also contains a great error4 ,the ,bible1 it is true1 is a book as other books are books1 the same laws of grammatical and literary construction hold here as in other books1 but the ,bible is a unique book4 ,it is what no other book is1 the ,word of ,god4 ,this can be easily proven to any candid man4#a ,the ,bible ought then to be studied as no other book is4 ,it should be studied as the ,word of ,god4 ,this involves five things3 7#a7 ,a greater eagerness and more careful and candid study to find out just what it teaches than is bestowed upon all other books4 ,it is important to know the mind of man4 ,it is absolutely essential to know the mind of ,god4 ,the place to discover the mind of ,god is the ,bible4 ,this is the book in which ,god reveals ,his mind4 7#b7 ,a prompt and unquestioning acceptance of1 and submission to its teachings when definitely ascertained4 ,these teachings may appear to us unreasonable or impossible1 nevertheless we should accept them4 ,if this book is the ,word of ,god1 how foolish it is to submit its teachings to the criticism of our finite reasoning4 ,a little boy who discredits his wise father's statements simply because to his infant mind they appear unreasonable1 is not a philosopher1 but a fool4 ,but the greatest of human thinkers is only an infant compared with the infinite ,god4 ,and to discredit ,god's statements found in ,his ,word because they appear unreasonable to our infantile minds is not to act the part of the philosopher1 but the part of a fool4 ,when we are once satisfied that the ,bible is the ,word of ,god1 its clear teachings must be for us the end of all controversy and discussion4 7#c7 ,absolute reliance upon all its promises in all their length and breadth and depth and height4 ,the one who studies the ,bible as the ,word of ,god will say of any promise1 no matter how vast and beyond belief it appears1 8,god who cannot lie has promised this1 so ,i will claim it for myself40 ,mark the promise you thus claim4 ,look each day for some new promise from your infinite ,father4 ,he has put 8,his riches in glory0 at your disposal 7,phil4 #d3 #ai74 ,i know of no better way to grow rich spiritually than to search daily for promises1 and when you find them appropriate them to yourself4 7#d7 ,obedience4 ,be a doer of the ,word and not a hearer only deceiving your own soul 7,james #a3 #bb74 ,nothing goes farther to help one understand the ,bible than the purpose to obey it4 ,jesus said1 8,if any man willeth to do ,his will1 he shall know of the teaching0 7,john #g3 #ag ,r4 ,v474 ,the surrendered will means the clear eye4 ,if our eye is single 7that is1 our will is absolutely surrendered to ,god7 our whole body shall be full of light4 ,but if our eye be evil 7that is1 if we are trying to serve two masters and are not absolutely surrendered to one ,master1 ,god7 our whole body shall be full of darkness 7,matt4 #f3 #bb-bd74 ,many a passage that looks obscure to you now would become as clear as day if you were willing to obey in all things what the ,bible teaches4 ,each commandment discovered in the ,bible that is really intended as a commandment to us should be obeyed instantly4 ,it is remarkable how soon one loses his relish for the ,bible and how soon the mind becomes obscured to its teachings when we disobey the ,bible at any point4 ,many a time ,i have known persons who have loved their ,bibles and have been useful in ,god's service and clear in their views of the truth who have come to something in the ,bible that they were unwilling to obey1 some sacrifice was demanded that they were unwilling to make1 and their love for the ,bible has rapidly waned1 their faith in the ,bible began to weaken1 and soon they were drifting farther and farther away from clear views of the truth4 ,nothing clears the mind like obedience2 nothing darkens the mind like disobedience4 ,to obey a truth you see prepares you to see other truths4 ,to disobey a truth you see darkens your mind to all truths4 ,cultivate prompt1 exact1 unquestioning1 joyous obedience to every command that it is evident from its context applies to you4 ,be on the lookout for new orders from your ,king4 ,blessing lies in the direction of obedience to them4 ,god's commands are but sign-boards that mark the road to present success and blessedness and to eternal glory4 7#e7 ,studying the ,bible as the ,word of ,god involves studying it as ,his own voice speaking directly to you4 ,when you open the ,bible to study realize that you have come into the very presence of ,god and that now ,he is going to speak to you4 ,realize that it is ,god who is talking to you as much as if you saw ,him standing there4 ,say to yourself1 8,god is now going to speak to me40 ,nothing goes farther to give a freshness and gladness to ,bible study than the realization that as you read ,god is actually talking to you4 ,in this way ,bible study becomes personal companionship with ,god ,himself4 ,that was a wonderful privilege that ,mary had one day1 of sitting at the feet of ,jesus and listening to ,his voice1 but if we will study the ,bible as the ,word of ,god and as if we were in ,god's very presence1 then we shall enjoy the privilege of sitting at the feet of ,god and having ,him talk to us every day4 ,how often what would otherwise be a mere mechanical performance of a duty would become a wonderfully joyous privilege if one would say as he opens the ,bible1 8,now ,god1 my ,father1 is going to speak to me40 ,oftentimes it helps us to a realization of the presence of ,god to read the ,bible on our knees4 ,the ,bible became in some measure a new book to me when ,i took to reading it on my knees4 #g4 ,study the ,bible prayerfully4 ,god1 who is the author of the ,bible1 is willing to act as interpreter of it4 ,he does so when you ask ,him to4 ,the one who prays with earnestness and faith the ,psalmist's prayer1 8,open ,thou mine eyes that ,i may behold wondrous things out of ,thy law0 7,ps4 #aai3 #ah7 will get his eyes opened to see new beauties and wonders in the ,word of ,god that he never dreamed of before4 ,be very definite about this4 ,each time you open the ,bible to study it1 even though it is but for a few minutes1 ask ,god to give you an open and discerning eye1 and expect ,him to do it4 ,every time you come to a difficulty in the ,bible1 lay it before ,god and ask an explanation and expect it4 ,how often we think as we puzzle over hard passages1 8,oh1 if ,i only had some great ,bible teacher here to explain this to me60 ,god is always present4 ,he understands the ,bible better than any human teacher4 ,take your difficulty to ,him and ask ,him to explain it4 ,jesus said1 8,when ,he the ,spirit of ,truth is come1 ,he shall guide you into all the truth0 7,john #af3 #ac1 ,r4 ,v474 ,it is the privilege of the humblest believer in ,christ to have the ,holy ,spirit for his guide in his study of the ,word4 ,i have known many very humble people1 people with almost no education1 who got more out of their ,bible study than most of the great theological teachers that ,i have known2 simply because they had learned that it was their privilege to have the ,holy ,spirit for their teacher as they studied the ,bible4 ,commentaries on the ,bible are oftentimes of great value1 but one will learn more of real value from the ,bible by having the ,holy ,spirit for his teacher when he studies his ,bible than he will from all the commentaries that were ever published4 #h4 ,improve spare moments for ,bible study4 ,in almost every man's life many minutes each day are lost1 while waiting for meals1 riding on trains1 going from place to place in street-cars and so forth4 ,carry a pocket ,bible or ,testament with you and save these golden moments by putting them to the very best use1 listening to the voice of ,god4 #i4 ,store away the ,scripture in your mind and heart4 ,it will keep you from sin 7,ps4 #aai3 #aa1 ,r4 ,v472 from false doctrine 7,acts #bj3 #bi1 #cj1 #cb2 #b ,tim4 #c3 #ac-ae74 ,it will fill your heart with joy 7,jer4 #ae3 #af72 and peace 7,ps4 #he3 #h74 ,it will give you victory over the evil one 7#a ,john #b3 #ad72 it will give you power in prayer 7,john #ae3 #g72 it will make you wiser than the aged and your enemies 7,ps4 #aai3 #ih1 #ajj1 #acj72 it will make you 8complete1 furnished completely unto every good work0 7#b ,tim4 #c3 #af1 #ag1 ,r4 ,v474 ,try it4 ,do not memorize at random but memorize ,scripture in a connected way2 memorize texts bearing on various subjects in proper order2 memorize by chapter and verse that you may know where to put your finger on the text if any one disputes it4 ,you should have a good ,bible for your study4 ,one of the best is 8,the ,oxford ,two ,version ,bible1 ,workers' ,edition40 ,,viii ,,difficulties ,,in ,,the ,,bible ,sooner or later every young ,christian comes across passages in the ,bible which are hard to understand and difficult to believe4 ,to many a young ,christian1 these difficulties become a serious hindrance in the development of their ,christian life4 ,for days and weeks and months oftentimes faith suffers partial or total eclipse4 ,at just this point wise counsel is needed4 ,we have no desire to conceal the fact that these difficulties exist4 ,we rather desire to frankly face and consider them4 ,what shall we do concerning these difficulties that every thoughtful student of the ,bible will sooner or later encounter4 #a4 ,the first thing we have to say about these difficulties is that from the very nature of the case difficulties are to be expected4 ,some people are surprised and staggered because there are difficulties in the ,bible4 ,i would be more surprised and more staggered if there were not4 ,what is the ,bible8 ,it is a revelation of the mind and will and character and being of the infinitely great1 perfectly wise1 and absolutely holy ,god4 ,but to whom is this revelation made8 ,to men and women like you and me1 to finite beings4 ,to men who are imperfect in intellectual development and consequently in knowledge1 and in character and consequently in spiritual discernment4 ,there must1 from the very necessities of the case1 be difficulties in such a revelation made to such persons4 ,when the finite tries to understand the infinite there is bound to be difficulty4 ,when the ignorant contemplate the utterances of one perfect in knowledge there must be many things hard to be understood and some things which to their immature and inaccurate minds appear absurd4 ,when sinful beings listen to the demands of an absolutely holy being they are bound to be staggered at some of ,his demands1 and when they consider ,his dealings they are bound to be staggered at some of ,his dealings4 ,these dealings will necessarily appear too severe1 stern1 harsh1 terrific4 ,it is plain that there must be difficulties for us in such a revelation as the ,bible is proven to be4 ,if some one should hand me a book that was as simple as the multiplication table and say1 8,this is the ,word of ,god1 in which ,he has revealed ,his whole will and wisdom10 ,i would shake my head and say1 8,i cannot believe it4 ,that is too easy to be a perfect revelation of infinite wisdom40 ,there must be in any complete revelation of ,god's mind and will and character and being1 things hard for a beginner to understand1 and the wisest and best of us are but beginners4 #b4 ,the second thing to be said about these difficulties is that a difficulty in a doctrine1 or a grave objection to a doctrine1 does not in any wise prove the doctrine to be untrue4 ,many thoughtless people fancy that it does4 ,if they come across some difficulty in the way of believing in the divine origin and absolute inerrancy and infallibility of the ,bible1 they at once conclude that the doctrine is exploded4 ,that is very illogical4 ,stop a moment and think and learn to be reasonable and fair4 ,there is scarcely a doctrine in science commonly believed to-day that has not had some great difficulty in the way of its acceptance4 ,when the ,copernican theory1 now so universally accepted1 was first proclaimed1 it encountered a very grave difficulty4 ,if this theory were true the planet ,venus should have phases as the moon has4 ,but no phases could be discovered by the best glass then in existence4 ,but the positive argument for the theory was so strong that it was accepted in spite of this apparently unanswerable objection4 ,when a more powerful glass was made1 it was discovered that ,venus had phases after all4 ,the whole difficulty arose1 as all those in the ,bible arise1 from man's ignorance of some of the facts in the case4 ,according to the common sense logic recognized in every department of science1 if the positive proof of a theory is conclusive1 it is believed by rational men1 in spite of any number of difficulties in minor details4 ,now the positive proof that the ,bible is the ,word of ,god1 that it is an absolutely trustworthy revelation from ,god ,himself of ,himself1 ,his purposes and ,his will1 of man's duty and destiny1 of spiritual and eternal realities1 is absolutely conclusive4 ,therefore every rational man and woman must believe it in spite of any number of difficulties in minor details4 ,he is a shallow thinker who gives up a well-attested truth because of some facts which he cannot reconcile with that truth4 ,and he is a very shallow ,bible scholar who gives up the divine origin and inerrancy of the ,bible because there are some supposed facts that he cannot reconcile with that doctrine4 #c4 ,the third thing to be said about the difficulties in the ,bible is that there are many more and much greater difficulties in the way of a doctrine that holds the ,bible to be of human origin1 and hence fallible1 than are in the way of the doctrine that holds the ,bible to be of divine origin and hence altogether trustworthy4 ,a man may bring you some difficulty and say1 8,how do you explain that if the ,bible is the ,word of ,god80 and perhaps you may not be able to answer him satisfactorily4 ,then he thinks he has you1 but not at all4 ,turn on him and ask him how do you account for the fulfilled prophecies of the ,bible if it is of human origin8 ,how do you account for the marvellous unity of the ,book8 ,how do you account for its inexhaustible depth8 ,how do you account for its unique power in lifting men up to ,god8 ,how do you account for the history of the ,book1 its victory over all men's attacks1 etc41 etc41 etc4 ,for every insignificant objection he can bring to your view1 you can bring many deeply significant objections to his view1 and no candid man will have any difficulty in deciding between the two views4 ,the difficulties that confront one who denies that the ,bible is of divine origin and authority are far more numerous and weighty than those that confront the ones who believes it is of divine origin and authority4 #d4 ,the fourth thing to be said about the difficulties in the ,bible is the fact that you cannot solve a difficulty does not prove that it cannot be solved1 and the fact that you cannot answer an objection does not prove at all that it cannot be answered4 ,it is passing strange how often we overlook this very evident fact4 ,there are many who1 when they meet a difficulty in the ,bible and give it a little thought and can see no possible solution1 at once jump at the conclusion that a solution is impossible by any one1 and so throw up their faith in the reliability of the ,bible and in its divine origin4 ,a little more of that modesty that is becoming in beings so limited in knowledge as we all are would have led them to say1 8,though ,i see no possible solution to this difficulty1 some one a little wiser than ,i might easily find one40 ,oh6 if we would only bear in mind that we do not know everything1 and that there are a great many things that we cannot solve now that we could easily solve if we only knew a little more4 ,above all1 we ought never to forget that there may be a very easy solution to infinite wisdom of that which to our finite wisdom--or ignorance--appears absolutely insoluble4 ,what would we think of a beginner in algebra who1 having tried in vain for half an hour to solve a difficult problem1 declared that there was no possible solution to the problem because he could find none8 ,a man of much experience and ability once left his work and came a long distance to see me in great perturbation of spirit because he had discovered what seemed to him a flat contradiction in the ,bible4 ,it had defied all his attempts at reconciliation1 but in a few moments he was shown a very simple and satisfactory solution of the difficulty4 #e4 ,the fifth thing to be said about the difficulties in the ,bible is that the seeming defects in the book are exceedingly insignificant when put in comparison with its many and marvellous excellencies4 ,it certainly reveals great perversity of both mind and heart that men spend so much time expatiating on the insignificant points that they consider defects in the ,bible1 and pass by absolutely unnoticed the incomparable beauties and wonders that adorn and glorify almost every page4 ,what would we think of any man1 who in studying some great masterpiece of art1 concentrated his entire attention upon what looked to him like a fly-speck in the corner4 ,a large proportion of what is vaunted as 8critical study of the ,bible0 is a laborious and scholarly investigation of supposed fly-specks and an entire neglect of the countless glories of the book4 #f4 ,the sixth thing to be said about the difficulties in the ,bible is that the difficulties in the ,bible have far more weight with superficial readers of it than with profound students4 ,take a man who is totally ignorant of the real contents and meaning of the ,bible and devotes his whole strength to discovering apparent inconsistencies in it1 to such superficial students of the ,bible these difficulties seem of immense importance2 but to the one who has learned to meditate on the ,word of ,god day and night they have scarce any weight at all4 ,that mighty man of ,god1 ,george ,mller1 who had carefully studied the ,bible from beginning to end more than a hundred times1 was not disturbed by any difficulties he encountered4 ,but to the one who is reading it through carefully for the first or second time there are many things that perplex and stagger4 #g4 ,the seventh thing to be said about the difficulties in the ,bible is that they rapidly disappear upon careful and prayerful study4 ,how many things there are in the ,bible that once puzzled us and staggered us that have been perfectly cleared up1 and no longer present any difficulty at all6 ,is it not reasonable to suppose that the difficulties that still remain will also disappear upon further study8 ,how shall we deal with the difficulties which we do find in the ,bible8 #a4 ,first of all1 honestly4 ,whenever you find a difficulty in the ,bible1 frankly acknowledge it4 ,if you cannot give a good honest explanation1 do not attempt as yet to give any at all4 #b4 ,humbly4 ,recognize the limitations of your own mind and knowledge1 and do not imagine there is no solution just because you have found none4 ,there is in all probability a very simple solution4 ,you will find it some day1 though at present you can find no solution at all4 #c4 ,determinedly4 ,make up your mind that you will find the solution if you can by any amount of study and hard thinking4 ,the difficulties in the ,bible are your heavenly ,father's challenge to you to set your brains to work4 #d4 ,fearlessly4 ,do not be frightened when you find a difficulty1 no matter how unanswerable it appears upon first glance4 ,thousands have found such before you4 ,they were seen hundreds of years ago and still the ,old ,book stands4 ,you are not likely to discover any difficulty that was not discovered and probably settled long before you were born1 though you do not know just where to lay your hand upon the solution4 ,the ,bible which has stood eighteen centuries of rigid examination and incessant and awful assault1 is not going under before any discoveries that you make or any attacks of modern infidels4 ,all modern infidel attacks upon the ,bible are simply a revamping of old objections that have been disposed of a hundred times in the past4 ,these old objections will prove no more effective in their new clothes than they did in the cast-off garments of the past4 #e4 ,patiently4 ,do not be discouraged because you do not solve every problem in a day4 ,if some difficulty defies your best effort1 lay it aside for awhile4 ,very likely when you come back to it1 it will have disappeared and you will wonder how you were ever perplexed by it4 ,the writer often has to smile to-day when he thinks how sorely he was perplexed in the past over questions which are now as clear as day4 #f4 ,scripturally4 ,if you find a difficulty in one part of the ,bible1 look for other ,scripture to throw light upon it and dissolve it4 ,nothing explains ,scripture like ,scripture4 ,never let apparently obscure passages of ,scripture darken the light that comes from clear passages1 rather let the light that comes from the clear passage illuminate the darkness that seems to surround the obscure passage4 #g4 ,prayerfully4 ,it is wonderful how difficulties dissolve when one looks at them on his knees4 ,one great reason why some modern scholars have learned to be destructive critics is because they have forgotten how to pray4 ,,ix ,,prayer ,the one who would succeed in the ,christian life must lead a life of prayer4 ,very much of the failure in ,christian living to-day1 and in ,christian work1 results from neglect of prayer4 ,very few ,christians spend as much time in prayer as they ought4 ,the ,apostle ,james told believers in his day that the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of their lives and service was neglect of prayer4 8,ye have not10 says ,god through the ,apostle ,james1 8because ye ask not40 ,so it is to-day4 ,why is it1 many a ,christian is asking1 that ,i make such poor headway in my ,christian life8 ,why do ,i have so little victory over sin8 ,why do ,i accomplish so little by my effort8 and ,god answers1 8,you have not because you ask not40 ,it is easy enough to lead a life of prayer if one only sets about it4 ,set apart some time each day for prayer4 ,the rule of ,david and of ,daniel is a good one2 three times a day4 8,evening and morning and at noon10 says ,david1 8will ,i pray and cry aloud and ,he shall hear my voice0 7,ps4 #ee3 #ag74 ,of ,daniel we read1 8,now when ,daniel knew that the writing was signed1 he went into his house2 and his windows being open in his chamber towards ,jerusalem1 he kneeled upon his knees three times a day1 and prayed1 and gave thanks before his ,god as he did aforetime0 7,dan4 #f3 #aj74 ,of course1 one can pray while walking the street1 or riding in the car1 or sitting at his desk1 and one should learn to lift his heart to ,god right in the busiest moments of his life1 but we need set times of prayer1 times when we go alone with ,god1 shut to the door and talk to our ,father in the secret place 7,matt4 #f3 #f74 ,god is in the secret place and will meet with us there and listen to our petitions4 ,prayer is a wonderful privilege4 ,it is an audience with the ,king4 ,it is talking to our ,father4 ,how strange it is that people should ask the question1 8,how much time ought ,i to spend in prayer80 ,when a subject is summoned to an audience with his king1 he never asks1 8,how much time must ,i spend with the king80 ,his question is rather1 8,how much time will the king give me80 ,and with any true child of ,god who realizes what prayer really is1 that it is an audience with the ,king of ,kings1 the question will never be1 8,how much time must ,i spend in prayer10 but 8,how much time may ,i spend in prayer with a due regard to other duties and privileges80 ,begin the day with thanksgiving and prayer4 ,thanksgiving for the definite mercies of the past1 prayer for the definite needs of the present day4 ,think of the temptations that you are likely to meet during the day2 ask ,god to show you the temptations that you are likely to meet and get from ,god strength for victory over these temptations before the temptations come4 ,the reason why many fail in the battle is because they wait until the hour of battle4 ,the reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came4 ,jesus conquered in the awful battles of ,pilate's judgment hall and of the cross because ,he had the night before in prayer anticipated the battle and gained the victory before the struggle really came4 ,he had told ,his disciples to do the same4 ,he had bidden them 8,pray that ye enter not into temptation0 7,luke #bb3 #dj71 but they had slept when they ought to have prayed1 and when the hour of temptation came they fell4 ,anticipate your battles1 fight them on your knees before temptation comes and you will always have victory4 ,at the very outset of the day1 get counsel and strength from ,god ,himself for the duties of the day4 ,never let the rush of business crowd out prayer4 ,the more work that any day has to do1 the more time must be spent in prayer in preparation for that work4 ,you will not lose time by it1 you will save time by it4 ,prayer is the greatest time saver known to man4 ,the more the work crowds you the more time take for prayer4 ,stop in the midst of the bustle and hurry and temptation of the day for thanksgiving and prayer4 ,a few minutes spent alone with ,god at midday will go far to keep you calm in the midst of the worries and anxieties of modern life4 ,close the day with thanksgiving and prayer4 ,review all the blessings of the day and thank ,god in detail for them4 ,nothing goes farther to increase faith in ,god and in ,his ,word than a calm review at the close of each day of what ,god has done for you that day4 ,nothing goes further towards bringing new and larger blessings from ,god than intelligent thanksgiving for blessings already granted4 ,the last thing you do each day ask ,god to show you if there has been anything in the day that has been displeasing in ,his sight4 ,then wait quietly before ,god and give ,god an opportunity to speak to you4 ,listen4 ,do not be in a hurry4 ,if ,god shows you anything in the day that has been displeasing in ,his sight1 confess it fully and frankly as to a holy and loving ,father4 ,believe that ,god forgives it all1 for ,he says ,he does 7#a ,john #a3 #i74 ,thus at the close of each day all your accounts with ,god will be straightened out4 ,you can lie down and sleep in the glad consciousness that there is not a cloud between you and ,god4 ,you can arise the next day to begin life anew with a clean balance sheet4 ,do this and you can never backslide for more than twenty-four hours4 ,indeed1 you will not backslide at all4 ,it is very hard to straighten out accounts in business that have been allowed to get crooked through a prolonged period4 ,no bank ever closes its business day until its balance is found to be absolutely correct4 ,and no ,christian should close a single day until his accounts with ,god for that day have been perfectly adjusted alone with ,him4 ,there should be special prayer in special temptation--that is when we see the temptation approaching4 ,if you possibly can1 get at once alone somewhere with ,god and fight your battle out4 ,keep looking to ,god4 8,pray without ceasing0 7#a ,thess4 #e3 #ag74 ,it is not needful to be on your knees all the time but the heart should be on its knees all the time4 ,we should be often on our knees or on our faces literally4 ,this is a joyous life1 free from worry and care4 8,in nothing be anxious2 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving1 let your request be made known unto ,god1 and the peace of ,god which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts and thoughts in ,christ ,jesus0 7,phil4 #d3 #f1 #g1 ,r4 ,v474 ,there are three things for which one who would succeed in the ,christian life must especially pray4 #a4 ,for wisdom4 8,if any of you lack wisdom 7and we all do7 let him ask of ,god0 7,james #a3 #e74 #b4 ,for strength4 8,for they that wait upon the ,lord shall renew their strength0 7,is4 #dj3 #ca74 #c4 ,for the ,holy ,spirit4 8,your heavenly ,father shall give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him0 7,luke #aa3 #ac74 ,even if you have received the ,holy ,spirit1 you should constantly pray for a new filling with the ,holy ,spirit and definitely expect to receive it4 ,we need a new filling with the ,spirit for every new emergency of ,christian life and ,christian service4 ,the ,apostle ,peter was baptized and filled with the ,holy ,spirit on the ,day of ,pentecost 7,acts #b3 #a-d7 but he was filled anew in ,acts #d3 #h and ,acts #d3 #ca4 ,there are many ,christians in the world who once had a very definite baptism with the ,holy ,spirit and had great joy and were wonderfully used1 but who have tried to go ever since in the power of that baptism received years ago1 and to-day their lives are comparatively joyless and powerless4 ,we need constantly to get new supplies of oil for our lamps4 ,we get these new supplies of oil by asking for them4 ,it is not enough that we have our times of secret prayer to ,god alone with ,him1 we also need fellowship with others in prayer4 ,if they have a prayer-meeting in your church attend it regularly4 ,attend it for your own sake2 attend it for the sake of the church4 ,if it is a prayer-meeting only in name and not in fact1 use your influence quietly and constantly 7not obtrusively7 to make it a real prayer-meeting4 ,keep the prayer-meeting night sacredly for that purpose4 ,refuse all social engagements for that night4 ,a major-general in the ,united ,states army once took command of the forces in a new district4 ,a reception was arranged for him for a certain night in the week4 ,when he was informed of this public reception he replied that that was prayer-meeting night and everything else had to give way for prayer-meeting1 that he could not attend the reception on that night4 ,that general had proved himself a man that can be depended upon4 ,the ,church of ,christ in ,america owes more to him than to almost any other officer in the ,american army4 ,ministers learn to depend upon their prayer-meeting members4 ,the prayer-meeting is the most important meeting in the church4 ,if your church has no prayer-meeting1 use your influence to have one4 ,it does not take many members to make a good prayer-meeting4 ,you can start with two but work for many4 ,it is well to have a little company of ,christian friends with whom you are in real sympathy and with whom you meet regularly every week simply for prayer4 ,there has been nothing of more importance in the development of my own spiritual life of recent years than a little prayer-meeting of less than a dozen friends who have met every ,saturday night for years4 ,we met and together we waited upon ,god4 ,if my life has been of any use to the ,master1 ,i attribute it largely to that prayer-meeting4 ,happy is the young ,christian that has a little band of friends like that that meet together regularly for prayer4#b ,x ,,working ,,for ,,christ ,one of the important conditions of growth and strength in the ,christian life is work4 ,no man can keep up his physical strength without exercise and no man can keep up his spiritual strength without spiritual exercise1 i4 e41 without working for his ,master4 ,the working ,christian is the happy ,christian4 ,the working ,christian is the strong ,christian4 ,some ,christians never backslide because they are too busy about their ,master's business to backslide4 ,many professed ,christians do backslide because they are too idle to do anything but backslide4 ,jesus said to the first disciples1 8,follow ,me and ,i will make you fishers of men0 7,matt4 #d3 #ai74 ,any one who is not a fisher of men is not following ,christ4 ,bearing fruit in bringing others to the ,saviour is the purpose for which ,jesus has chosen us and is one of the most important conditions of power in prayer4 ,jesus says in ,john #ae3 #af1 8,ye have not chosen ,me1 but ,i have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit1 and that your fruit should remain1 that whatsoever ye shall ask of the ,father in ,my name ,he may give it you40 ,these words of ,jesus are very plain4 ,they tell us that the one who is bearing fruit is the one who can pray in the name of ,christ and get what he asks in that name4 ,in the same chapter ,jesus tells us that bearing fruit in ,his strength is the condition of fullness of joy4 ,he says1 8,these things have ,i spoken unto you 7that is1 the things about abiding in ,him and bearing fruit in ,his strength7 that ,my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full0 7,john #ae3 #aa74 ,experience abundantly proves the truth of these words of our ,master4 ,those who are full of activity in winning others to ,christ are those who are full of joy in ,christ ,himself4 ,if you wish to be a happy ,christian2 if you wish to be a strong ,christian1 if you wish to be a ,christian who is mighty in prayer1 begin at once to work for the ,master and never let a day pass without doing some definite work for ,him4 ,but how can a young ,christian work for ,him8 ,how can a young ,christian bear fruit8 ,the answer is very simple and very easy to follow4 ,you can bear fruit for your ,master by going to others and telling them what your ,saviour has done for you1 and by urging them to accept this same ,saviour and showing them how to do it4 ,there is no other work in the world that is so easy to do1 so joyous1 and so abundant in its fruitfulness1 as personal hand to hand work4 ,the youngest ,christian can do personal work4 ,of course1 he cannot do it so well as he will do it later1 after he has had more practice4 ,but the way to learn how to do it is by doing it4 ,i have known thousands of ,christians all around the world who have begun to work for ,christ1 and to bring others to ,christ1 the very day that they were converted4 ,how often young men and young women1 yes1 and old men and old women too1 have come to me and said1 8,i accepted ,jesus ,christ last night as my ,saviour1 my ,lord and my ,king1 and to-night ,i have led a friend to ,christ40 ,then the next day they would come and tell me of some one else they had led to ,christ4 ,when we were in ,sheffield1 a young man working in a warehouse accepted ,christ4 ,before the month's mission in ,sheffield was over he had led thirty others to ,christ1 many of them in the same warehouse where he himself worked4 ,this is but one instance among many4 ,there are many books that tell how to do personal work4#c ,but one does not need to wait until they have read some book on the subject before they begin4 ,one of the commonest and greatest mistakes that is made is that of frittering one's life away in getting ready to get ready to get ready4 ,some never do get ready4 ,the way to get ready is to begin at once4 ,make up your mind that you will speak about accepting ,christ to at least one person every day4 ,early in his ,christian life ,mr4 ,moody made this resolution that he would never let a day pass over his head without speaking to at least one person about ,christ4 ,one night he was returning late from his work4 ,as he got near home it occurred to him that he had not spoken to any one that day4 ,he said to himself1 8,it is too late now4 ,i will not get an opportunity4 ,here will be one day gone without my speaking to any one about ,christ40 ,but a little ways ahead of him he saw a man standing under a lamp-post4 ,he said1 8,here is my last opportunity40 ,the man was a stranger to him1 though he knew who ,mr4 ,moody was4 ,mr4 ,moody hurried up to him and asked him1 8,are you a ,christian80 ,the man replied1 8,that is none of your business4 ,if you were not a sort of a preacher ,i would knock you into the gutter40 ,but ,mr4 ,moody spoke a few faithful words to him and passed on4 ,the next day this man called on one of ,mr4 ,moody's business friends in ,chicago in great indignation4 ,he said1 8,that man ,moody of yours over on the ,northside is doing more harm than he is good4 ,he has zeal without knowledge4 ,he came up to me last night1 a perfect stranger1 and asked me if ,i was a ,christian4 ,he insulted me4 ,i told him if he had not been a sort of preacher ,i would have knocked him into the gutter40 ,mr4 ,moody's friend called him in and said to him1 8,moody1 you are doing more harm than good4 ,you have zeal without knowledge4 ,you insulted a friend of mine on the street last night40 ,mr4 ,moody went out somewhat crestfallen1 feeling that perhaps he was doing more harm than good1 that perhaps he did have zeal without knowledge4 ,but some weeks after1 late at night1 there was a great pounding on his door4 ,mr4 ,moody got out of bed and rushed to the door supposing that the house was on fire4 ,that same man stood at the door4 ,he said1 8,mr4 ,moody1 ,i have not had a night's rest since you spoke to me that night under the lamp-post and ,i have come around for you to tell me what to do to be saved40 ,mr4 ,moody had the joy that night of leading that man to ,christ4 ,it is better to have zeal without knowledge than to have knowledge without zeal1 but it is better yet to have zeal with knowledge1 and any one may have this4 ,the way to get knowledge is by experience1 and the way to get experience is by doing the work4 ,the man who is so afraid of making blunders that he never does anything1 never learns anything4 ,the man who goes ahead and does his best and is willing to risk the blunders1 is the man who learns to avoid the blunders in the future4 ,some of the most gifted men ,i have ever known have never really accomplished anything1 they were so fearful of making blunders4 ,some of the most useful men ,i have ever known were men who at the outset were the least promising1 but who had a real love for souls and went on1 at first in a blundering way1 but they blundered on until they learned by experience to do things well4 ,do not be discouraged by your blunders4 ,pitch in and keep pegging away4 ,every honest mistake is but a stepping-stone to future success4 ,try every day to lead some one else to ,christ4 ,of course1 you will not succeed every day1 but the work will do you good any way1 and years after you will often find that where you thought you have made the greatest blunders1 you have accomplished the best results4 ,the man who gets angriest at you1 will often turn out in the end the man who is most grateful to you4 ,be patient and hope on4 ,never be discouraged4 ,make a prayer list4 ,go alone with ,god4 ,write down at the top of a sheet of paper1 8,god helping me1 ,i promise to pray daily and to work persistently for the conversion of the following persons40 ,then kneel down and ask ,god to show you who to put on that list4 ,do not make the list so long that your prayer and work become mechanical and superficial4 ,after you have made the list keep your covenant1 really pray for them every day4 ,watch for opportunities to speak to them--improve these opportunities4 ,you may have to watch long for your opportunities with some of them1 and you may have to speak often1 but never give up4 ,i prayed about fifteen years for one man1 one of the most discouraging men ,i ever met1 but ,i saw that man converted at last1 and ,i saw him a preacher of the gospel1 and many others were converted through his preaching1 and now he is in the ,glory4 ,learn to use tracts4 ,get a few good tracts that are fitted to meet the needs of different kinds of people4 ,then hand these tracts out to the people whose needs they are adapted to meet4 ,follow your tracts up with prayer and with personal effort4 ,go to your pastor and ask him if there is some work he would like to have you do for him in the church4 ,be a person that your pastor can depend upon4 ,we live in a day in which there are many kinds of work going on outside the church1 and many of these kinds of work are good and you should take part in them as you are able1 but never forget that your first duty is to the church of which you are a member4 ,be a person that your pastor can count on4 ,it may be that your pastor may not want to use you1 but at least give him the chance of refusing you4 ,if he does refuse you1 don't be discouraged1 but find work somewhere else4 ,there is plenty to do and few to do it4 ,it is as true to-day as it was in the days of our ,saviour1 8,the harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few0 7,matt4 #i3 #cg71 8,pray therefore the ,lord of the harvest that ,he will send forth labourers into ,his harvest10 and pray that ,he will send you 7,matt4 #i3 #ch74 ,the right kind of men are needed in the ministry4 ,the right kind of men and women are needed for foreign mission work1 but you may not be the right kind of a man or woman for foreign missionary work1 but none the less there is work for you to do just as important in its place as the work of the minister or the missionary is4 ,see that you fill your place and fill it well4#d ,,xi ,,foreign ,,missions ,in order to have the largest success in the ,christian life one must be interested in foreign missions4 ,the last command of our ,lord before leaving this earth was1 8,go ye therefore1 and make disciples of all the nations1 baptizing them into the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son and of the ,holy ,ghost3 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you3 and lo1 ,i am with you alway even unto the end of the world0 7,matt4 #bh3 #ai1 #bj1 ,r4 ,v474 ,here is a command and a promise4 ,it is one of the sweetest promises in the ,bible4 ,but the enjoyment of the promise is conditioned upon obedience to the command4 ,our ,lord commands every one of ,his disciples to go and 8make disciples0 of all the nations4 ,this command was not given to the apostles alone1 but to every member of ,christ's church in all ages4 ,if we go1 then ,christ will be with us even unto the end of the age2 but1 if we do not go1 we have no right to count upon ,his companionship4 ,are you going8 ,how can we go8 ,there are three ways in which we can go1 and in at least two of these ways we must go if we are to enjoy the wonderful privilege of the personal companionship of ,jesus ,christ every day unto the end of the age4 #a4 ,first1 many of us can go in our own persons4 ,many of us ought to go4 ,god does not call every one of us to go as foreign missionaries1 but ,he does call many of us to go who are not responding to the call4 ,every ,christian should offer himself for the foreign field and leave the responsibility of choosing him or refusing him to the all-wise ,one1 ,god ,himself4 ,no ,christian has a right to stay at home until he has gone and offered himself definitely to ,god for the foreign field4 ,if you have not done it before1 do it to-day4 ,go alone with ,god and say1 8,heavenly ,father1 here ,i am1 ,thy property1 purchased by the precious blood of ,christ4 ,i belong to ,thee4 ,if ,thou dost wish me in the foreign field1 make it clear to me and ,i will go40 ,then keep watching for the leading of ,god4 ,god's leading is clear leading4 ,he is light and in ,him is no darkness at all 7#a ,john #a3 #e74 ,if you are really willing to be led1 ,he will make it clear as day4 ,until ,he does make it clear as day1 you need have no morbid anxiety that perhaps you are staying at home when you ought to go to the foreign field4 ,if ,he wants you1 ,he will make it clear as day in ,his own way and time4 ,if ,he does make it clear1 then prepare to go step by step as ,he leads you4 ,and when ,his hour comes1 go1 no matter what it costs4 ,if ,he does not make it clear that you ought to go in your own person1 stay at home and do your duty at home and go in the other ways that will now be told4 #b4 ,we all can go1 and all ought to go to the foreign field by our gifts4 ,there are many who would like to go to the foreign field in their own person1 but whom ,god providentially prevents1 but who are still going in the missionaries they support or help to support4 ,it is possible for you to preach the ,gospel in the remotest corners of the earth by supporting or helping to support a foreign missionary or a native worker in that place4 ,many who read this book are able financially to support a foreign missionary out of their own pocket4 ,if you are able to do it1 do it4 ,if you are not able to support a foreign missionary1 you may be able to support a native helper--do it4 ,you may be able to support one missionary in ,japan and another in ,china1 and another in ,india and another in ,africa and another somewhere else--do it4 ,oh6 the joy of preaching the ,gospel in lands that we shall never see with our own eyes4 ,how few in the church of ,christ to-day realize their privilege of preaching the ,gospel and saving men and women and children in distant lands by sending substitute missionaries to them1 that is1 by sending some one that goes for you where you cannot go yourself4 ,they could not go but for your gifts by which they are supported and you could not go but for them1 by their going in your place4 ,you may be able to give but very little to foreign missions1 but every little counts4 ,many insignificant streams together make a mighty river4 ,if you cannot be a river1 at least be a stream4 ,learn to give largely4 ,the large giver is the happy ,christian4 8,the liberal soul shall be made fat0 7,prov4 #aa3 #be74 8,he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly1 and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully10 and 8,god is able to make all grace abound towards you1 that ye1 always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work0 7#b ,cor4 #i3 #h1 #i74 ,success and growth in the ,christian life depend upon few things more than upon liberal giving4 ,the stingy ,christian cannot be a growing ,christian4 ,it is wonderful how a ,christian man begins to grow when he begins to give4 ,power in prayer depends on liberality in giving4 ,one of the most wonderful statements about prayer and its answers is #a ,john #c3 #bb4 ,john says there that1 whatsoever he asked of ,god he received2 and he tells us why1 because he on his part1 kept ,god's commandments and did those things which were pleasing in ,his sight1 and the immediate context shows that the special commandments he was keeping were the commandments about giving4 ,he tells us in the twenty-first verse that when our heart condemns us not in the matter of giving then have we confidence in our prayers to ,god4 ,god's answers to our prayers come in through the same door that our gifts go out to others1 and some of us open the door such a little ways by our small giving that ,god is not able to pass in to us any large answers to our prayers4 ,one of the most remarkable promises in the ,bible is that found in ,phil4 #d3 #ai1 8,my ,god shall supply 7,r4 ,v41 fulfill1 that is fill full7 all your need according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus10 but this promise was made to believers who had distinguished themselves above their fellows by the largeness and the frequency of their giving 7,cf4 vs4 #ad-ah74 ,of course1 we should not confine our giving to foreign missions4 ,we should give to the work of the home church3 we should give to rescue work in our large cities4 ,we should do good to all men as we have opportunity1 especially to those who are of the household of faith 7,gal4 #f3 #aj74 ,but foreign missions should have a large part in our gifts4 ,give systematically4 ,set aside for ,christ a fixed proportion of all the money or goods you get4 ,be exact and honest about it4 ,don't use that part of your income for yourself under any circumstances4 ,the ,christian is not under law1 and there is no law binding on the ,christian that he should give a tenth of his income1 but as a matter of free choice and glad gratitude a tenth is a good proportion to begin with4 ,don't let it be less than a tenth4 ,god required that of the ,jews and the ,christian ought not to be more selfish than a ,jew4 ,after you have given your tenth1 you will soon learn the joy of giving free will offerings in addition to the tenth4 #c4 ,but there is another way in which we can go to the foreign field1 that is by our prayers4 ,we can all go in this way4 ,any hour of the day or night you can reach any corner of the earth by your prayers4 ,i go to ,japan1 to ,china and to ,australia and to ,tasmania and to ,new ,zealand and to ,india and to ,africa and to other parts of the earth every day1 by my prayers4 ,and prayer really brings things to pass where you go4 ,do not make prayer an excuse for not going in your own person if ,god wishes you1 and do not make prayer an excuse for small giving4 ,there is no power in that kind of prayer4 ,if you are ready to go yourself if ,god wishes you1 and if you are actually going by your gifts as ,god gives you ability1 then you can go effectually by your prayers also4 ,the greatest need of the work of ,jesus ,christ to-day is prayer4 ,the greatest need of foreign missions to-day is prayer4 ,foreign missions are a success1 but they are no such success as they ought to be and might be4 ,they are no such success as they would be if ,christians at home1 as well as abroad1 were living up to the full measure of their opportunity in prayer4 ,be definite in your prayers for foreign missions4 ,pray first of all that ,god will send forth labourers into ,his harvest1 the right sort of labourers4 ,there are many men and women in the foreign field that ought never to have gone there4 ,there was not enough prayer about it4 ,more foreign missionaries are greatly needed1 but only more of the right kind of missionaries4 ,pray to ,god daily and believingly to send forth labourers into the harvest4 ,pray for the labourers who are already on the field4 ,no class of men and women need our prayers more than foreign missionaries4 ,no class of men and women are objects of more bitter hatred from ,satan than they4 ,satan delights to attack the reputation and the character of the brave men and women who have gone to the front in the battle for ,christ and the ,truth4 ,no persons are subjected to so numerous and to such subtle and awful temptations as foreign missionaries4 ,we owe it to them to support them by our prayers4 ,do not merely pray for foreign missionaries in general4 ,have a few special missionaries of whose work you make a study that you may pray intelligently for them4 ,pray for the native converts4 ,we ,christians at home think we have difficulties and trials and temptations and persecutions1 but the burdens that we have to bear are nothing to what the converts in heathen lands have to bear4 ,the obstacles oftentimes are enormous and discouragements crushing4 ,christ alone can make them stand1 but ,he works in answer to the prayers of ,his people4 ,pray often1 pray earnestly1 pray intensely and pray believingly for native converts4 ,how wonderfully ,god has answered prayer for native converts we are beginning to learn from missionary literature4 ,it is well to be definite here again and to have some definite field about whose needs you keep yourself informed and pray for the converts of that field4 ,do not have so many that you become confused and mechanical4 ,pray for conversions in the foreign field4 ,pray for revivals in definite fields4 ,the last few years have been years of special prayer for special revival in foreign fields and from every corner of the earth tidings have come of how amazingly ,god is answering these prayers4 ,but the great things that ,god is beginning to do are small indeed in comparison with what ,he will do if there is more prayer4 ,,xii ,,companions ,our companions have a great deal to do with determining our character4 ,the companionships that we form create an intellectual1 moral and spiritual atmosphere that we are constantly breathing1 and our spiritual health is helped or hindered by it4 ,every young ,christian should have a few wisely chosen friends1 intimate friends1 with whom he can talk freely4 ,search out for yourself a few persons of about your own age with whom you can associate intimately4 ,be sure that they are spiritual persons in the best sense4 ,persons who love to study the ,bible1 persons who love to converse on spiritual themes1 persons who know how to pray and do pray1 persons who are really working to bring others to ,christ4 ,do not be at all uneasy about the fact that some ,christian people are more agreeable to you than others4 ,god has made us in that way4 ,some are attracted to some persons and some to others1 and it proves nothing against the others and nothing against yourself that you are not attracted to them as you are to some people4 ,cultivate the friendship of those whose friendship you find helpful to your own spiritual life4 ,on the other hand avoid the companionships that you find spiritually and morally hurtful4 ,of course1 we are not to withdraw ourselves utterly from unconverted people1 or even of very bad people4 ,we are to cultivate oftentimes the acquaintance of unspiritual people1 and even of very bad people1 in order that we may win them for ,christ2 but we must always be on our guard in such companionships to bear always in mind to seek to lift them up or else they will be sure to drag us down4 ,if you find in spite of all your best effort that any companionship is doing harm to your own spiritual life1 then give it up4 ,some people are surrounded with such an atmosphere of unbelief or cynicism or censoriousness or impurity or greed or some other evil thing that it is impossible to associate with them to any large extent without being contaminated4 ,in such a case1 the path of wisdom is plain2 stop associating with them to any large extent4 ,stop associating with them at all except in so far as there is some prospect of helping them4 ,but there are other companionships that mould our lives besides the companionships of living persons4 ,the books that we read are our companions4 ,they exert a tremendous influence for good or for evil4 ,there is nothing that will help us more than a good book1 and there is nothing that will hurt us more than a bad book4 ,among the most helpful books are the biographies of good men4 ,read again and again the lives of such good and truly great men as ,wesley and ,finney and ,moody4 ,we live in a day in which good biographies abound4 ,read them4 ,well written histories are good companions4 ,no study is more practical and instructive than the study of history1 and it is not only instructive but spiritually helpful if we only watch to see the hand of ,god in history1 to see the inevitable triumph of right and the inevitable punishment of wrong in individuals and in nations4 ,some few books of fiction are helpful1 but here one needs to be very much on his guard4 ,a large portion of modern fiction is positively pernicious morally4 ,books of fiction that are not positively bad1 at least give false views of life and unfit one for life as it really is4 ,much reading of fiction is mentally injurious4 ,the inveterate novel reader ruins his powers of close and clear thinking4 ,fiction is so fascinating that it always tends to drive out other reading that is more helpful mentally and morally4 ,we should be on our guard in even reading good literature1 that the good does not crowd out the best2 that is that the best of man's literature does not crowd out the very best of all--,god's ,book4 ,god's ,book1 the ,bible1 must always have the first place4 ,then there is another kind of companionship that has a tremendous influence over our lives1 that is the companionship of pictures4 ,the pictures that we see every day of our lives1 and the pictures that we see only occasionally1 have a tremendous power in the shaping of our lives4 ,a mother had two dearly loved sons4 ,it was her dream and ambition that these sons should enter the ministry1 but both of them went to sea4 ,she could not understand it until a friend one day called her attention to the picture of a magnificent ship in full sail careening through the ocean that hung above the mantel in the dining-room4 ,every day of their lives her boys had gazed upon that picture1 had been thrilled by it1 and an unconquerable love for the sea and longing for it had thus been created and this had determined their lives4 ,how many a picture that is a masterpiece of art1 but in which there is an evil suggestion1 has sent some young men on the road to ruin4 ,many of our art collections are so polluted with improper pictures that it is not safe for a young man or a young woman to visit them4 ,the evil thought that they suggest may be but for a moment1 and yet ,satan will know how to bring that picture back again and again and work injury by it4 ,don't look for a moment at any picture1 no matter how praised by art critics1 that taints your imagination with evil suggestion4 ,avoid as you would poison every painting1 or engraving1 every etching1 every photograph that leaves a spot of impurity on your mind1 but feast your soul upon the pictures that make you holier1 kinder1 more sympathetic and more tender4 ,,xiii ,,amusements ,young people need recreation4 ,our ,saviour does not frown upon wholesome recreation4 ,he was interested in the games of the children when ,he was here upon earth4 ,he watched the children at their play 7,matt4 #ab3 #af-ai71 and ,he watches the children at their play to-day1 and delights in their play when it is wholesome and elevating4 ,in the stress and strain of modern life older people too need recreation if they are to do their very best work4 ,but there are recreations that are wholesome1 and there are amusements that are pernicious4 ,it is impossible to take up amusements one by one1 and it is unnecessary4 ,a few principles can be laid down4 #a4 ,do not indulge in any form of amusement about whose propriety you have any doubts4 ,whenever you are in doubt1 always give ,god the benefit of the doubt4 ,there are plenty of recreations about which there can be no question4 8,he that doubteth is condemned3 for whatsoever is not of faith is sin0 7,rom4 #ad3 #cb1 ,r4 ,v474 ,many a young ,christian will say1 8,i am not sure that this amusement is wrong40 ,are you sure it is right8 ,if not1 leave it alone4 #b4 ,do not indulge in any amusement that you cannot engage in to the glory of ,god4 8,whether therefore ye eat or drink1 or whatsoever ye do1 do all to the glory of ,god0 7#a ,cor4 #aj3 #ca74 ,whenever you are in doubt as to whether you should engage in any amusement ask yourself1 ,can ,i do this at this time to the glory of ,god8 #c4 ,do not engage in any amusement that will hurt your influence with anybody4 ,there are amusements1 which perhaps are all right in themselves1 but which we cannot engage in without losing our influence with some one4 ,now every true ,christian wishes his life to tell with everybody to the utmost4 ,there is so much to be done and so few to do it that every ,christian desires every last ounce of power for good that he can have with everybody1 and1 if any amusement will injure your influence for good with any one1 the price is too great4 ,do not engage in it4 ,a ,christian young lady had a great desire to lead others to ,christ4 ,she made up her mind that she would speak to a young friend of hers about coming to ,christ1 and while resting between the figures of a dance she said to the young man who was her companion in the dance1 8,george1 are you a ,christian80 8,no10 he said1 8,i am not1 are you80 8,yes10 she replied1 8,i am40 8,then10 he said1 8what are you doing here80 ,whether justly or unjustly the world discounts the professions of those ,christians who indulge in certain forms of the world's own amusements4 ,we cannot afford to have our professions thus discounted4 #d4 ,do not engage in any amusement that you cannot make a matter of prayer1 that you cannot ask ,god's blessing upon4 ,pray before your play just as much as you would pray before your work4 #e4 ,do not go to any place of amusement where you cannot take ,christ with you1 and where you do not think ,christ would feel at home4 ,christ went to places of mirth when ,he was here upon earth4 ,he went to the marriage feast in ,cana 7,john #b71 and contributed to the joy of the occasion1 but there are many modern places of amusement where ,christ would not be at home4 ,would the atmosphere of the modern stage be congenial to that holy ,one whom we call 8,lord08 ,if it would not1 don't you go4 #f4 ,don't engage in any amusement that you would not like to be found enjoying if the ,lord should come4 ,he may come at any moment4 ,blessed is that one whom when ,he cometh1 ,he shall find watching and ready1 and glad to open to ,him immediately 7,luke #ab3 #cf1 #dj74 ,i have a friend who was one day walking down the street thinking upon the return of his ,lord4 ,as he thought he was smoking a cigar4 ,the thought came to him1 8,would you like to meet ,christ now with that cigar in your mouth80 ,he answered honestly1 8,no1 ,i would not40 ,he threw that cigar away and never lighted another4 #g4 ,do not engage in any amusement1 no matter how harmless it would be for yourself1 that might harm some one else4 ,take for example card playing4 ,it is probable that thousands have played cards moderately all their lives and never suffered any direct moral injury from it1 but every one who has studied the matter knows that cards are the gamblers' chosen tools4 ,he also knows that most1 if not all1 gamblers took their first lessons in card playing at the quiet family card table4 ,he knows that if a young man goes out into the world knowing how to play cards and indulging at all in this amusement that before long he is going to be put into a place where he is going to be asked to play cards for money1 and if he does not consent he will get into serious trouble4 ,card playing is a dangerous amusement for the average young man4 ,it is pretty sure to lead to gambling on a larger or a smaller scale1 and one of the most crying social evils of our time is the evil of gambling4 ,some young man may be encouraged to play cards by your playing who will afterwards become a gambler and part of the responsibility will lie at your door4 ,if ,i could repeat all the stories that have come to me from broken-hearted men whose lives have been shipwrecked at the gaming table2 if ,i could tell of all the broken-hearted mothers who have come to me1 some of them in high position1 whose sons have committed suicide at ,monte ,carlo and other places1 ruined by the cards1 ,i think that all thoughtful and true ,christians would give them up forever4 ,for most of us the recreations that are most helpful are those that demand a considerable outlay of physical energy4 ,recreations that take us into the open air1 recreations that leave us refreshed in body and invigorated in mind4 ,physical exercises of the strenuous kind1 but not over-exercise1 is one of the great safeguards of the moral conduct of boys and young men4 ,there is very little recreation in watching others play the most vigorous game of football but there is real health for the body and for the soul in a due amount of physical exercise for yourself4 ,,xiv ,,persecution ,one of the discouragements that meets every true ,christian before he has gone very far in the ,christian life is persecution4 ,god tells us in ,his ,word that 8,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution0 7#b ,tim4 #c3 #ab74 ,sooner or later every one who surrenders absolutely to ,god and seeks to follow ,jesus ,christ in everything will find that this verse is true4 ,we live in a ,god-hating world and in a compromising age4 ,the world's hatred of ,god in our day is veiled4 ,it does not express itself in our land in the same way that it expressed itself in ,palestine in the days of ,jesus ,christ1 but the world hates ,god to-day as much as it ever did1 and it hates the one who is loyal to ,christ4 ,it may not imprison him or kill him but in some way it will persecute him4 ,persecution is inevitable for a loyal follower of ,jesus ,christ4 ,many a young ,christian when he meets with persecution is surprised and discouraged and not a few fall away4 ,many a one seems to run well for a few days but like those of whom ,jesus spoke1 8,they have no root in themselves1 but endure for a while2 then when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the ,word straightway they stumble0 7,mark #d3 #ag74 ,i have seen many an apparently promising ,christian life brought to an end in this way4 ,but if persecution is rightly received1 it is no longer a hindrance to the ,christian life but a help to it4 ,do not be discouraged when you are persecuted4 ,no matter how fierce and hard the persecution may be1 be thankful for it4 ,jesus says1 8,blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake3 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,blessed are ye1 when men shall revile you1 and persecute you1 and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely1 for ,my sake4 ,rejoice1 and be exceeding glad3 for great is your reward in heaven3 for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you0 7,matt4 #e3 #aj-ab74 ,it is a great privilege to be persecuted for ,christ and for the truth4 ,peter found this out and wrote to the ,christians of his day3 8,beloved1 think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you1 as though some strange thing happened unto you4 ,but rejoice1 inasmuch1 as ye are partakers of ,christ's suffering2 that1 when ,his glory shall be revealed1 ye may be glad also with exceeding joy4 ,if ye be reproached for the name of ,christ1 happy are ye2 for the spirit of glory and of ,god resteth upon you3 on their part ,he is evil spoken of1 but on your part ,he is glorified0 7#a ,peter #d3 #ab-ad74 ,be very sure that the persecution is really for ,christ's sake and not because of some eccentricity of your own1 or because of your stubbornness4 ,there are many who bring upon themselves the displeasure of others because they are stubborn and cranky and then flatter themselves that they are being persecuted for ,christ's sake and for righteousness' sake4 ,be considerate of the opinions of others and be considerate of the conduct of others4 ,be sure that you do not push your opinions upon others in an unwarrantable way1 or make your conscience a rule of life for other people4 ,but never yield a jot of principle4 ,stand for what you believe to be the truth4 ,do it in love1 but do it at any cost4 ,and if when you are standing for conviction and principle you are disliked for it and slandered for it and treated with all manner of unkindness because of it1 do not be sad but rejoice4 ,do not speak evil of those who speak evil of you1 8because ,christ also suffered for us1 leaving us an example1 that ye should follow ,his steps3 who1 when ,he was reviled1 reviled not again1 when ,he suffered1 ,he threatened not2 but committed ,himself to ,him that judgeth righteously0 7#a ,peter #b3 #ba1 #bc74 ,at this point many a ,christian makes a mistake4 ,he stands loyally for the truth1 but he receives the persecution that comes for the truth with harshness1 he grows bitter1 he gets to condemning every one but himself4 ,there is no blessing in bearing persecution in that way4 ,persecution should be borne meekly1 lovingly1 serenely4 ,don't talk about your own persecutions4 ,rejoice in them4 ,thank ,god for them1 and go on obeying ,god4 ,and don't forget to love and pray for them who persecute you 7,matt4 #e3 #dd74 ,if at any time the persecution seems harder than you can bear1 remember how abundant the reward is1 8,if we suffer1 we shall also reign with ,him4 ,if we deny ,him1 ,he also will deny us0 7#b ,tim4 #b3 #ab74 ,every one must enter into the kingdom of ,god through much tribulation 7,acts #ad3 #bb71 but do not go back on that account4 ,remember always however fiercely the fire of persecution may burn1 8,that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us0 7,rom4 #h3 #ah74 ,remember too that your light affliction is but for the moment1 and that it worketh out for you 8a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory0 7#b ,cor4 #d3 #ag74 ,keep looking1 not at the things which are seen1 but at the things which are not seen1 for the things which are seen are but for a time1 but the things which are not seen are for eternity 7#b ,cor4 #d3 #ah74 ,when the apostles were persecuted1 even unto imprisonment and stripes1 they departed from the presence of the council that had ordered their terrible punishment1 rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of ,jesus1 and they continued daily in the temple and every house teaching and preaching ,jesus ,christ 7,acts #e3 #dj-db74 ,the time may come when you think that you are being persecuted more than others1 but you do not know what others may have to endure4 ,even if it were true1--that you were being persecuted more than any one else1 you ought not to complain but to humbly thank ,god that ,he has bestowed upon you such an honour4 ,keep your eyes fixed upon 8,jesus1 the ,author and ,finisher of our faith2 who for the joy that was set before ,him endured the cross1 despising the shame1 and is set down at the right hand of the throne of ,god4 ,for consider ,him that endured such contradiction of sinners against ,himself1 lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind0 7,heb4 #ab3 #b1 #c74 ,i was once talking with an old coloured man who in the slave days had found his ,saviour4 ,the cruel master had him flogged again and again for his loyalty to ,christ but he said to me1 8,i simply thought of my ,saviour dying on the cross in my place1 and ,i rejoiced to suffer persecution for ,him40 ,,xv ,,guidance ,i have met a great many who are trying to lead a ,christian life who are much troubled over the question of guidance4 ,they wish to do the will of ,god in all things1 but what puzzles them is to tell what the will of ,god may be in every case4 ,when any one starts out with the determination to obey ,god in everything and to be led by the ,holy ,spirit1 ,satan seeks to trouble him by perplexing him as to what the will of ,god is4 ,satan comes and suggests that something is the will of ,god that is probably not the will of ,god at all1 and then when he does not do it1 ,satan says1 8,there you disobeyed ,god40 ,in this way1 many a conscientious young ,christian gets into a very morbid and unhappy state of mind1 fearing that he has disobeyed ,god and has lost ,his favour4 ,this is one of the most frequent devices of the devil to keep ,christians from being cheerful4 ,how may we know the will of ,god8 ,first of all let me say that a true ,christian life is not a life governed by a whole lot of rules about what one shall eat1 and what one shall drink1 and what one shall do1 and what one shall not do4 ,a life governed by a lot of rules is a life of bondage4 ,one is sure sooner or later to break some of these man-made rules and to get into condemnation4 ,paul tells us in ,rom4 #h3 #ae1 8,ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear2 but ye have received the spirit of adoption 7placing us a son71 whereby we cry1 ,abba1 ,father40 ,the true ,christian life is the life of a trusting1 glad1 fear-free child2 not led by rules1 but led by the personal guidance of the ,holy ,spirit who dwells within us4 8,as many as are led by the ,spirit of ,god these are sons of ,god0 7,rom4 #h3 #ad1 ,r4 ,v474 ,if you have received the ,holy ,spirit1 ,he dwells within you and is ready to lead you at every turn of life4 ,a life governed by a multitude of rules is a life of bondage and anxiety4 ,a life surrendered to the control of the ,holy ,spirit is a life of joy and peace and freedom4 ,there is no anxiety in such a life1 there is no fear in the presence of ,god4 ,we trust ,god and rejoice in ,his presence just as a true child trusts his earthly father and rejoices in his presence4 ,if we make a mistake at any point1 even if we disobey ,god1 we go and tell ,him all about it as trustfully as a child and know that ,he forgives us and that we are restored at once to ,his full favour 7#a ,john #a3 #i74 ,but how can we tell the ,holy ,spirit's guidance that we may obey ,him and thus have ,god's favour at every turn of life8 ,this question is answered in ,james #a3 #e-g1 ,r4 ,v41 8,but if any of you lacketh wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him1 but let him ask in faith1 nothing doubting3 for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed4 ,for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the ,lord40 ,this is very simple4 ,it includes five points4 7#a7 ,that you recognize your own ignorance and your own inability to guide your own life--that you lack wisdom4 7#b7 ,the surrender of your will to ,god1 and a real desire to be led by ,him4 7#c7 ,definite prayer to ,him for guidance4 7#d7 ,confident expectation that ,god will guide you4 ,you 8ask in faith1 nothing doubting40 7#e7 ,that you follow step by step as ,he guides4 ,god may only show you a step at a time4 ,that is enough4 ,all you need to know is the next step4 ,it is here that many make a mistake4 ,they wish ,god to show them the whole way before they take the first step4 ,a university student once came to me over the question of guidance4 ,he said1 8,i cannot find out the will of ,god4 ,i have been praying but ,god does not show me ,his will40 ,this was in the month of ,july4 ,i said1 8,about what is it that you are seeking to know the will of ,god80 8,about what ,i should do next summer40 ,i said1 8,do you know what you ought to do to-morrow80 8,yes40 8,do you not know what you ought to do next autumn80 8,yes1 finish my course4 ,but what ,i want to know is what ,i ought to do when my university course is over40 ,he was soon led to see that all he needed to know for the present was what ,god had already shown him4 ,that when he did that1 ,god would show him the next step4 ,do not worry about what you ought to do next week4 ,do what ,god shows you you ought to do to-day4 ,next week will take care of itself4 ,indeed1 to-morrow will take care of itself4 ,obey the ,spirit of ,god for to-day4 8,be not therefore anxious for the morrow2 for the morrow will be anxious for the things of itself4 ,sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof0 7,matt4 #f3 #cd1 ,r4 ,v474 ,it is enough to live a day at a time1 if we do our very best for that day4 ,god's guidance is clear guidance1 8,god is light and in ,him is no darkness at all0 7#a ,john #a3 #e74 ,do not be anxious over obscure leadings4 ,do not let your soul be ruffled by the thought1 8,perhaps this obscure leading is what ,god wants me to do40 ,obscure leadings are not divine leadings4 ,god's path is as clear as day4 ,satan's path is full of obscurity and uncertainty and anxiety and questioning4 ,if there comes some leading of which you are not quite sure whether it is the will of ,god or not1 simply go to your ,heavenly ,father and say1 8,heavenly ,father1 ,i desire to know ,thy will4 ,i will do ,thy will if ,thou wilt make it clear4 ,but ,thou art light and in ,thee is no darkness at all4 ,if this is ,thy will make it clear as day and ,i will do it40 ,then wait quietly upon ,god and do not act until ,god makes it clear1 but the moment it is made clear1 act at once4 ,the whole secret of guidance is an absolutely surrendered will1 a will that is given up to ,god and ready to obey ,him at any cost4 ,many of our uncertainties about ,god's guidance are simply because we are not really willing to do what ,god is really guiding us to do4 ,we are tempted to say1 8,i cannot find out what ,god's will is10 when the real trouble is we have found out ,his will and it is something we do not wish to do and we are trying to make ourselves think that ,god wants us to do something else4 ,all supposed leadings of ,god should be tested by the ,word of ,god4 ,the ,bible is ,god's revealed will4 ,any leading that contradicts the plain teaching of the ,bible is certainly not the leading of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the ,holy ,spirit does not contradict ,himself4 ,a man once came to me and said that ,god was leading him to marry a certain woman4 ,he said that she was a very devoted ,christian woman and they had been greatly drawn towards one another and they felt that ,god was leading them to be married4 ,but ,i said to the man1 8,you already have a wife40 8,yes10 he said1 8but we have never lived happily and we have not lived together for years40 8,but10 ,i replied1 8that does not alter the case4 ,god in ,his ,word has told us distinctly the duty of the husband to the wife and how wrong it is in ,his sight for a husband to divorce his wife and marry another40 8,yes10 said the man1 8but the ,holy ,spirit is leading us to one another40 ,i indignantly replied that 8,whatever spirit is leading you to marry one another1 it is certainly not the ,holy ,spirit but the spirit of the evil one4 ,the ,holy ,spirit never leads any one to disobey the ,word of ,god40 ,in seeking to know the guidance of the ,spirit always search the ,scriptures1 study them prayerfully4 ,do not make a book of magic out of the ,bible4 ,do not ask ,god to show you ,his will and then open your ,bible at random and put your finger upon some text and take it out of its connection without any relation to its real meaning and decide the will of ,god in that way4 ,this is an irreverent and improper use of ,scripture4 ,you may open your ,bible at just the right place to find right guidance1 but if you do1 it will not be by some fanciful interpretation of the passage you find4 ,it will be by taking the passage in its context and interpreting it to mean just what it says as seen in its context4 ,all sorts of mischief has arisen from using the ,bible in this perverse way4 ,i knew an earnest ,christian woman once who was somewhat concerned about the predictions made by a false prophetess that ,chicago was to be destroyed on a certain day4 ,she opened her ,bible at random4 ,it opened to the twelfth chapter of ,ezekiel1 8,son of man1 eat thy bread with quaking1 and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness4''' ,and the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste1 and the land shall be desolate0 7,ezek4 #ab3 #ah1 #bj74 ,now this seemed to exactly fit the case and the woman was considerably impressed1 but if the verses had been studied in their connection1 it would have been evident at once that ,god was not speaking about ,chicago and that they were not applicable to ,chicago4 ,it was not an intelligent study of the ,word of ,god and therefore led to a false conclusion4 ,to sum up1 lead a life not led by rules but by the personal guidance of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,surrender your will absolutely to ,god4 ,whenever you are in doubt as to ,his guidance1 go to ,him and ask ,him to show you ,his will1 expect ,him to do it1 follow step by step as ,he leads4 ,test all the leadings by the plain and simple teachings of the ,bible4 ,live free from anxiety and worry lest in some unguarded moment you have not done the right thing4 ,after you have done what you think ,god led you to do1 do not be always going back and wondering whether you did the right thing4 ,you will get into a morbid state if you do4 ,if you really wished to do ,god's will and sought ,his guidance1 and did what you thought ,he guided you to do1 you may rest assured you did the right thing1 no matter what the outcome has been4 ,satan is bound that we shall not be happy1 cheerful ,christians if he can prevent it1 but ,god wishes us to be happy1 cheerful1 bright ,christians every day and every hour4 ,he does not wish us to brood but to rejoice 7,phil4 #d3 #d74 ,a most excellent ,christian man came to me one ,monday morning in great gloom over the failures of the work of the preceding day4 ,he said to me1 8,i made wretched work of teaching my ,sunday-school class yesterday40 ,i said1 8,did you honestly seek wisdom from ,god before you went to your class80 ,he said1 8,i did40 ,i said1 8,did you expect to receive it80 ,he said1 8,i did40 8,then10 ,i said1 8in the face of ,god's promise what right have you to doubt that ,god did give you wisdom80 7,james #a3 #e-g74 ,his gloom disappeared and he looked up with a smile and said1 8,i had no right to doubt40 ,let us learn to trust ,god4 ,let us remember that if our wills are surrendered to ,him ,he is ever more willing to guide us than we are to be guided4 ,let us trust that ,he does guide us at every step and even though what we do does not turn out as we expected1 let us never brood over it but trust ,god4 ,let us walk in the light of simple trust in ,god4 ,in this way we shall be glad and peaceful and strong and useful at every turn of life4 ,,footnotes #a ,the author has given some of the proofs that the ,bible is the ,word of ,god in his book1 8,talks to ,men40 #b ,if any reader desires more full and definite instruction on the subject of prayer he is referred to the author's book1 8,how to ,pray40 #c ,the author has written a little book on this line named 8,how to ,bring ,men to ,christ0 that has proved helpful to many4 #d ,the author's book1 8,how to ,work for ,christ10 is a large work describing at length many ways of working for our ,master4 ,,evangelistic4 ,the ,evangelistic ,note ,a study of needs and methods1 together with a series of direct appeals4 #crd ,edition4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4be4 ,w4 ,j4 ,,dawson 8,one of the most remarkable and stirring of recent books4 ,it is really the story of a great crisis in the life of a great preacher4 ,mr4 ,dawson's experience in his own church has justified his faith1 and his book is a most stimulating treatise on homiletics and pastoral theology4 ,it is epoch-making in character40--,the ,watchman4 ,torrey and ,alexander ,the ,story of a ,world-,wide ,revival ,a record and study of the work and personality of the ,evangelists ,,dr4 ,r4 ,a4 ,,torrey1 ,d4 ,d41 and ,,charles ,m4 ,,alexander4 ,illustrated1 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,george ,t4 ,b4 ,,davis ,the multitudes who have followed the marvellous progress of the religious awakening in ,australasia1 ,india1 and ,great ,britain1 accompanying the efforts of these evangelists will eagerly welcome this glimpse from the inside of their career1 personality and work4 ,mr4 ,davis has been associated in a confidential capacity with the work of the two evangelists1 and writes with keen appreciation of the interesting facts in stirring language4 ,real ,salvation and ,whole-,hearted ,service ,a second volume of ,revival ,addresses4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,r4 ,a4 ,,torrey ,the multitudes led to decision in connection with the preaching of these sermons1 gives assurance that their influence will be extended far beyond the reach of the speaker's voice4 ,positive conviction and a loving plea as from a ,god-sent messenger1 are the marked features of this new volume4 ,talks to ,men ,about the ,bible and the ,christ of the ,bible4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #ge;c4 ,r4 ,a4 ,,torrey 8,the directness1 simplicity1 with wide scholarship and literary charm of these talks1 and unhesitating claim for the highest and fullest inspiration1 inerrancy and authority for the ,bible1 make them trumpet calls to faith40--,n4 ,y4 ,observer4 ,the ,passion for ,souls #afmo1 ,cloth1 net #ej;c4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,jowett ,seven sermons on tenderness1 watchfulness1 companionship1 rest and vision of the apostle ,paul's passion for human souls4 ,this little volume shows his keen1 reverent insight at its best and is made rich with abundant and well chosen illustrations4 ,the ,worker's ,weapon ,its ,perfection1 ,authority and ,use4 #afmo1 ,cloth1 net #be cents4 ,,john ,h4 ,,elliott 8,a fine presentation of the unquestionable authority of ,god's ,word and pointed and clear directions and illustrations of how to study and use the ,bible40 ,,biographical ,,and ,,evangelistic4 ,maltbie ,davenport ,babcock ,a biographical sketch and memorial4 ,with portrait4 #b;d edition #abmo1 ,cloth1 #a4jj4 ,,charles ,e4 ,,robinson 8,it was indeed hard to give any true presentment of a man like ,babcock1 so vivid1 so dazzling at times1 so lovable always2 but the writer's success is quite wonderful40--,henry ,van-,dyke4 ,john ,henry ,barrows ,a ,memoir by his daughter1 with #c hitherto unpublished portraits4 #hvo1 gilt top1 net #a4ej4 ,,mary ,,eleanor ,,barrows 8,the whole story from beginning to end1 at home and abroad1 is nobly fascinating1 and wherever read will do much to waken into fresh power the higher ideals of life4 ,were it fact or fiction1 a more absorbingly interesting story has not appeared for a long time40--,chicago ,tribune4 ,what ,frances ,willard ,said #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #ge;c4 ,edited by ,,anna ,a4 ,,gordon1 ,world's ,vice ,president of the ,w4 ,c4 ,t4 ,u4 ,selections of most striking statements on a great variety of topics1 and representing the many really remarkable qualities of ,america's 8uncrowned queen0 of women4 ,the ,soul-,winning ,church #bnd ,edition4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #ej;c4 ,,len ,g4 ,,broughton 8,dr4 ,broughton1 of ,atlanta1 is a well-known revivalist4 ,some of his most effective addresses in this country and in ,england are comprised in this volume4 ,they are plain1 pungent1 and spiritually quickening40--,the ,outlook4 ,the ,awakening in ,wales ,and ,some of the ,hidden ,springs4 #abmo1 ,paper1 net #be;c4 ,,mrs4 ,,jessie ,,penn-,,lewis ,mrs4 ,penn-,lewis writes from first-hand information of the great revival movement and the events that led up to it4 ,it is doubtless the most powerful and inspiring record yet written of the great revival4 ,the ,story of the ,welsh ,revival #dth ,edition4 #afmo1 ,paper1 net #ae;c4 ,,arthur ,,goodrich1 ,b4,a4 ,as told by eye witnesses1 together with a sketch of ,evan ,roberts and his message to the world4 ,with added chapters by ,g4 ,campbell ,morgan1 ,d4 ,d41 ,w4 ,t4 ,stead1 ,rev4 ,w4 ,w4 ,moore1 ,rev4 ,evan ,hopkins and others4 ,the ,open ,church for the ,unchurched1 or ,how to ,reach the ,masses4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 #a4jj4 ,j4 ,e4 ,mc,c,u,l,l,o,c,h ,the remarkable movement in ,british cities organized by the ,wesleyan church for reaching the masses has here been described and its lessons studied as applied to the needs of this country4 ,,ideals ,,of ,,life ,,and ,,conduct4 ,the ,choice of the ,highest ,city ,temple ,talks to ,young ,men4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,reginald ,j4 ,,campbell1 ,m4,a4 8,these messages to the great audiences of men of business are of a high level of thought and expression4 ,they are especially directed to young men1 and present ideals of life and conduct in winning appeals4 ,mr4 ,campbell is a virile thinker with a fineness of feeling1 which makes him a power in the pulpit which he holds40--,christian ,intelligencer4 ,christianity as ,taught by ,christ ,a series of discourses on the teachings of ,jesus4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4be4 ,,henry ,,stiles ,,bradley 8,because he knows the present conditions of ,new ,testament lore and is alert with the spirits of modern life1 ,dr4 ,bradley's discourses possess a value both unique and practical4''' ,stirring1 instructive1 simple1 easy to read and easy to understand1 appealing to faith and inciting to practice40--,atlanta ,constitution4 ,christ and ,men #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4bj4 ,,david ,j4 ,,burrell ,dr4 ,burrell's sermons have a standard quality that marks all of his writing4 ,this series of sermons is intended to set out the human side of ,jesus' character as shown in his interviews with men1 his tact1 his discernment1 his delicate handling of people4 ,the ,apostle ,peter ,outline ,studies in his ,life1 ,character and ,writings4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4be4 ,w4 ,h4 ,,griffith ,,thomas 8,an excellent example of what ,biblical analysis should be and should lead to4 ,it is scholarly1 logical1 perspicuous1 and sets forth the main truths of each passage treated in a particularly exact and luminous way40--,advance4 ,the ,culture of ,simplicity ,by the author of 8,heavenly ,harmonies40 #bnd ,edition4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,malcolm ,j4 ,mc,l,e,o,d 8,the first suspicion of imitation is quickly dispelled4 ,the book stands on its own merits4 ,more vivacious1 more practical for the ,american reader than ,charles ,wagner's #8,the ,simple ,life4' ,it explains more clearly how the life may be lived1 and reaches the root of things in the ,gospel of ,christ40--,congregationalist4 ,elims of ,life ,and other sermons4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,jones 8,mr4 ,jones is of the general type of thought with which ,mr4 ,dawson of ,london has made so many ,american audiences familiar4 ,in these discourses the form is plain and lucid1 the aim is practical40--,the ,outlook4 ,young ,men ,who ,overcame #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,robert ,e4 ,,speer 8,these fifteen condensed biographies exhibit the power and beauty of ,christian principle in strong and active natures1 who made their mark in whatever they undertook--athletics1 scholarship1 business1 ,christian missions40--,the ,outlook4 ,,studies ,,on ,,biblical ,,themes4 ,the ,witness of ,sin ,a ,theodicy #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,nathan ,,robinson ,,wood ,a splendidly thought-out presentation of the problem presented by the presence of sin in a world dominated by ,god4 ,some sort of a theodicy1 some conception of the solution of this question is necessary to any religious thinking4 ,mr4 ,wood's work is a marked addition to present-day theology4 ,the ,walk1 ,conversation and ,character of ,jesus ,christ ,our ,lord #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4ej4 ,,alexander ,,whyte 8,rich and glowing meditations on the life of our ,lord4 ,a genuine contribution to ,christology4 ,what distinguishes it most is the author's singularly clear perception of ,christ alone without sin4 ,while always in touch with real life1 ,dr4 ,whyte has that power of separating himself from the stream of things which is essential to a great religious teacher40--,british ,weekly 7,robertson ,nicoll1 ,editor47 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the ,anointed of ,god ,or1 ,the ,inner ,history of a ,consecrated ,life4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #ge;c4 ,p4 ,,cook1 ,m4,a4 8,as a brief and concise summary1 a bird's-eye view of the life of ,jesus this volume will be of value40--,reformed ,church ,messenger4 ,the ,divine ,tragedy ,a ,drama of the ,christ #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,peyton ,h4 ,,hoge ,the author's ambition is 8to tell in the most vivid and practical form for men living in the world to-day the story of ,jesus of ,nazareth in its culminating scenes40 ,one could exhaust adjectives in praise of the author's management of the dramatic form and his blank verse4 ,it is a wonderful work4 ,the dedicatory poem alone is of such surpassing beauty that one will never forget it4 ,the ,directory of the ,devout ,life ,a ,commentary on the ,sermon on the ,mount4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,meyer1 ,m4,a4 8,in many respects the best writings ,mr4 ,meyer has issued4 ,they are eminently practical1 and the pointed and piercing ideas of the ,master are explained and brought home to personal character and life in an illuminating and stimulating way40--,watchman4 ,with the ,sorrowing ,a ,pastor's ,handbook4 #afmo1 ,cloth flex41 net #ge cts4 ,edited by ,f4 ,w4 ,,palmer ,presented with confidence to pastors1 missionaries and other visitors in the homes of sorrow1 as likely to prove a most valuable aid in their trying experiences4 ,although primarily a service book for funerals1 it is vastly more than this4 ,with ,scripture selections of exceptional suggestive values and a collection of poems of comfort both rare and striking the little volume will be greatly prized4 ,,devotional ,,studies4 ,the ,christ of ,to-,day ,what8 ,whence8 ,whither8 #afmo1 ,boards1 net #ej;c4 ,g4 ,,campbell ,,morgan ,a study originally presented from the platform of the ,northfield ,conferences1 awakening exceptional interest at the time4 ,no more suggestive work has appeared from ,dr4 ,morgan's pen4 ,the ,redeemed ,life ,after ,death #afmo1 ,boards1 net #ej;c4 ,,charles ,,cuthbert ,,hall ,not a new theory of ,immortality or a review of old theories1 but a presentation with rare literary charm and with the comprehension of wide scholarship1 of the grip of the ,christian heart upon the life to come4 ,it will comfort and assure the sorrowing1 guide and convince the inquiring4 ,moments of ,silence #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4be4 ,,alexander ,,smellie1 ,m4,a4 ,a book of daily meditations for a year4 ,yet ,another ,day #cbmo1 ,cloth1 net #be;c4 ,leather1 net #ce;c4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,jowett1 ,m4,a4 ,a brief prayer for every day of the year1 and it is not too much to say that1 although scarcely any one of them contains one hundred words and most of them far less1 they will drive straight to the heart as nothing that ever came from ,mr4 ,jowett's pen4 ,it is an extraordinary little book1 the flower of the sweetest1 open eyed love of ,christ4 ,the impression of a single page is indelible4 ,the ,inner ,chamber of the ,inner ,life #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #ge;c4 ,,andrew ,,murray ,suggests thoughts of the utmost importance as to the daily need of retirement1 the true spirit of prayer1 the fellowship with ,god1 and kindred topics4 ,inter-,communion ,with ,god #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,marshall ,p4 ,,talling1 ,,ph4,d4 8,follows the theme of #8,extempore prayer1' along wider and higher lines4 ,in the present book1 true prayer is shown to be an approach from both the human and the divine sides40--,the ,westminster4 ,bible ,etchings of ,immortality #abmo1 ,cloth1 decorated1 net #ej;c4 ,,camden ,m4 ,,cobern 8,the consolatory character of this little book makes it a suitable gift to a bereaved friend40--,outlook4 ,scripture ,selections to ,memorize ,with hanger1 net #a4jj4 ,,helen ,,miller ,,gould ,a ,wall ,roll of passages emphasizing the power and love of ,god1 the dignity of man1 ,christ as teacher1 ,redeemer1 ,king4 ,the life of the ,christian1 his duties1 his final reward2 prayer2 worship2 love4 ,selections from the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 most helpful in strengthening faith1 and deepening personal devotion4 ,,biblical ,,studies4 ,studies in the ,life of the ,christian ,his ,faith and ,his ,service4 #afmo1 ,cloth1 net #ej;c42 paper1 net #be;c4 ,h4 ,t4 ,,sell ,this work1 prepared especially for the use of ,bible ,classes and study circles1 forms the seventh of the series of most popular manuals by ,dr4 ,sell1 and well completes the whole4 ,every phase of the ,christian life and its relations is dealt with4 ,outline ,studies in the ,new ,testament ,philippians to ,hebrews4 #abmo1 ,cloth1 net #a4bj4 ,,prof4 ,,william ,g4 ,,moorehead 8,it is a book for thoughtful students of the ,bible and will be found very helpful and satisfactory by preachers in preparation of sermons and by ,bible class teachers40--,the ,watchman4 ,students ,chronological ,new ,testament ,with historical notes and brief outline on each ,book1 by #hvo1 ,cloth1 net #a4jj4 ,,prof4 ,a4 ,t4 ,,robertson 8,the text used is taken from the ,american ,standard edition of the revised version1 and the books are considered in accordance with the generally accepted theory of their chronology4 ,each book is preceded by a brief synopsis and outline4 ,the volume is designed for all readers and students of the ,new ,testament40--,epworth ,herald4 ,the ,biblical ,illustrator ,new vols4 in ,old ,testament ,series4 ,large #hvo1 ,cloth1 #b4jj each vol4 ,edited by ,,joseph ,s4 ,,exell ,psalms1 vol4 #a ,psa4 i4 to xxvi44 ,isaiah1 vol4 #a ,chapter i4 to xxx44 ,deuteronomy--in one volume4 ,jeremiah1 vol4 #a4 ,minor ,prophets1 vol4 #a4 ,minor ,prophets1 vol4 #b4 ,the ,men of the ,bible by the ,men of the ,century ,in ,seventeen ,handsome ,cloth ,volumes ,formerly #ag4jj1 now #f4jj net1 per set4 ,edited by ,,joseph ,s4 ,,exell1 ,m4 ,a4 ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 ,moses1 ,joshua1 ,gideon and ,judges1 ,kings of ,israel and ,judah1 ,david1 ,solomon1 ,samuel1 and ,saul1 ,daniel1 ,elijah1 ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,ezra and ,nehemiah1 ,minor ,prophets1 ,st4 ,paul1 ,jesus ,christ4 ,send for circular of our special terms4 ,,booklets4 ,waxwing ,the ,story of a ,college ,girl's ,awakening4 ,boards1 #cj;c4 ,,caroline ,,atwater ,,mason ,the story of a healthy-minded college girl whose views of life are transformed by the accidental meeting with a returned missionary4 ,breaking the ,record4 ,the ,swan ,creek ,blizzard4 ,two booklets by the author of ,the ,sky ,pilot1 ,the ,prospector1 etc4 ,art boards1 each #cj;c4 ,,ralph ,,connor ,sure to receive a large welcome among many admirers4