,this e,book was produced by ,mark ,zinthefer1 ,charles ,franks and the ,online ,distributed ,proofreading ,team ,how to ,live a ,holy ,life ,c4 ,e4 ,orr ,,devotional ,,reading4 ,a person may almost be known by the books he reads4 ,if he habitually reads bad books1 we can pretty safely conclude that he is a bad man2 on the other hand1 if he habitually reads religious books1 we can reasonably presume that he is a religious man4 ,why is this8 ,it is because the nature of a person's books is usually the nature of his thoughts2 and as a man thinks1 so he is4 ,consequently1 our reading devotional literature is a great aid to our being devotional4 ,too few1 ,i fear1 realize how important to our spiritual advancement is the cultivation of a taste for devotional reading4 ,as a rule1 those who have a taste for spiritual books and gratify that taste prosper in the ,lord1 while those who have no relish for such books labor at a great disadvantage4 ,some one has said that he who begins a devout life without a taste for spiritual reading may consider the ordinary difficulties multiplied in his case by ten4 ,the most spiritual men of all ages have had a strong love for reading spiritual books4 ,if1 however1 my reader happens not to have such a taste or such a love1 he should not be discouraged1 for it can be created and increased through perseverance in reading devotional literature4 ,just as a person who does not relish a certain food may learn to like it if he will persist in eating it1 so a person who does not have a taste for devotional books may come to enjoy them if he will diligently and prayerfully peruse them4 ,spiritual reading invigorates the intellect1 warms the affections1 and begets in us a desire for more of ,god's fulness and for a more heavenly life4 ,it is especially helpful to prayer4 ,when the mind is dull and the spirits low and we have no inspiration for prayer1 the reading of a spiritual poem will often so stimulate the mind1 raise the spirits1 and animate the soul1 as to make it easy for us to pray4 ,as to what books to read1 the ,bible1 of course1 is the best of all4 ,but we need others4 ,although no other book can take the place of the ,bible and none of us should neglect reading it1 there are many books that can profitably be read in connection with it4 ,but whatever devotional book you are reading1 do not read too fast4 ,think and digest as you go4 ,let there be a frequent lifting of the heart to ,god in prayer4 ,it is not the bee that flies so swiftly from flower to flower that gathers the honey1 but the bee that goes down into the flower4 ,a few sentences taken into the mind and heart1 and dwelt upon until they have become a part of us1 are better than many pages read superficially4 ,,preface4 ,if the reading of this little book encourages any on their pilgrim way2 if it arouses them to greater diligence2 if it creates in them a stronger desire to live more like ,christ2 if it gives them a better understanding of how to live1--this poor servant of the ,lord will be fully rewarded for all his labor4 ,even among the children of ,god in this beautiful gospel light of the evening there is an inclination1 on the part of a few at least1 and maybe more than a few1 to slow down and not be their very best and most active for ,god4 ,we hope that this little book will arouse such ones to greater zeal and earnestness4 ,diligence1 yea1 constant application1 is the secret of success in all manner of life and especially in the ,christian life4 ,this volume is written for all those who desire to please ,god with a well -spent life4 ,it is sent forth in ,jesus' name1 with a prayer--that ,god bless and help both the reader and the writer to live life at its very best and fulfil the purpose of ,god concerning them4 ,your humble servant in ,christian love1 ,the ,author4 ,,introduction4 ,we have only one life to live1 only one4 ,think of this for a moment4 ,here we are in this world of time making the journey of life4 ,each day we are farther from the cradle and nearer the grave4 ,solemn thought4 ,see the mighty concourse of human lives2 hear their heavy tread in their onward march4 ,some are just beginning life's journey2 some are midway up the hill1 some have reached the top1 and some are midway down the western slope4 ,but where are we all going8 ,listen1 and you will hear but one answer--,eternity4 ,beyond the fading1 dying gleams of the sunset of life lies a boundless1 endless ocean called ,eternity4 ,thitherward you and ,i are daily traveling4 ,time is like a great wheel going its round4 ,on and on it goes4 ,some are stepping on and some are stepping off4 ,but where are these latter stepping8 ,into eternity4 ,see that old man with bent form1 snow-white locks1 and tottering steps4 ,his has been a long round1 but he has made it at last4 ,see the middle-aged4 ,his round has not been so long1 but he must step off4 ,see the youth4 ,he has been on only a little while1 but he is brought to the stepping-off place4 ,he thought his round would be much longer4 ,he supposed he was fairly getting started when that icy hand was laid upon him and the usher said1 ,come1 you have made your round1 and you must go4 ,the infant that gave its first faint cry this morning may utter its last feeble wail tonight4 ,and thus they go4 ,but where8 ,eternity4 ,if you were to start today and ask each person you met the question1 ,where are you going8 and1 if possible1 you were to travel the world over and ask each one of earth's inhabitants1 there could be but one answer-- ,eternity4 ,oh1 eternity1 ,long eternity6 ,hear the solemn footsteps ,of eternity4 ,only one life to live6 ,only one life1 and then we must face vast1 endless eternity4 ,we shall pass along the pathway of life but once4 ,every step we take is a step that can never be taken again4 ,with this fact in mind1 who does not feel like calling upon the ,all-wise to direct his every step4 ,if when we make a misstep we could go back and step it over1 then there would not be such great necessity to step carefully4 ,but we can never go back4 ,we are leaving footprints4 ,just as our steps are1 so will the footprints be which will tell the story of our life4 ,if we had a score of lives to live1 how to live this one would not be of such great moment4 ,we should then have nineteen lives in which to correct the errors and sins of this one2 but alas6 we have but one4 ,what1 then1 should we seek more earnestly than to know ihow to live8_/i ,we doubt not but there is in the heart of the reader a strong desire to live life as it should be lived4 ,thank ,god1 you can4 ,you desire your life to be like the fertile oasis1 where the weary traveler refreshes himself4 ,you have seen the rays of light lingering upon the hillside and treetop and gilding the fleecy cloud after the sun had gone down4 ,you desire the beautiful rays of light from your life to linger long after your sun has gone down4 ,you can have it that way4 ,the deeds you do will live after you are gone4 ,they are the footprints4 ,some one has said that we each day are here building the house we are going to occupy in eternity4 ,if this be true1 nothing should concern us so much as how to live4 ,some men are devoting their time and the power of their intellects to invention2 some are studying statesmanship2 some are studying the arts1 others the sciences2 but we have come to learn a little more about how to live4 ,many are thinking much about how they wish to die1 but let us learn how to live4 ,if we live well1 we shall die well4 ,since we have but one life to live and with it we must face eternity1 ,i am sure there are many who want to make the most of life4 ,there are many who want to be their best in life4 ,this is not a play-ground1 or a place to trifle with time4 ,it is a place of work and effort1 a place of purpose and earnestness1 a place to do something4 ,life is not given us to squander nor fritter away1 but was given us to accomplish a purpose in the mind of the ,creator4 ,if we will set ourselves to live as we should1 ,god will help us and no man can hinder us4 ,we are purchasing treasures for eternity by making a proper use of time4 ,to trifle away time is indeed to be the greatest of spendthrifts4 ,if you squander a dollar1 you may regain it2 but a moment wasted can never be regained4 ,there is great responsibility in life4 ,it means much to live4 ,the time was when you and ,i were not1 now we are4 ,we are1 and there can never come a time when we shall not be4 ,you and ,i shall always exist somehow1 somewhere4 ,one sweet thought to me is that ,i have time enough to do all that ,god intends for me to do1 and do it well4 ,then comes another thought--a thought that awes3 the good that ,i do1 the sum of my usefulness1 will be less than it should be if ,i spend a moment of time uselessly4 ,god will give us all the time we need to accomplish all he purposes us to accomplish1 but he does not give us one moment to trifle away4 ,the mission of this little volume is to strengthen and energize and help you to spend life as you should4 ,may it please the ,great ,teacher1 who has promised to show us the path of life1 to bless this little work and by it help some one to a pure and noble life and to the accomplishment of all ,god's design in giving them life4 ,the ,author4 ,,contents4 ,devotional ,reading44444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444 #d ,preface44444444444444444444444444444444 444444444444444444444444 #e ,introduction444444444444444444444444444 444444444444444444444444 #g ,the ,way the ,sail is ,set 7,poem744444444444444444444444444444444 #ae ,the ,model ,life44444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444 #ag ,how to ,live the ,christ-,life444444444444444444444444444 44444444 #bb ,the ,bible ,way444444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444 #be ,the ,heavenly ,way444444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444 #bi ,keeping the ,commandments444444444444444444444444444 44444444444 #ca ,be ,doers of the ,word44444444444444444444444444444444444 44444 #cg ,who are the ,wise84444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444 #ci ,keeping the ,commandments a ,test of ,love44444444444444444444444 #da ,the ,blessedness of ,obeying ,god's ,word4444444444444444444444444 #dc ,the ,relationship ,we ,have with ,christ through ,obedience44444444 #de ,our ,life is to ,adorn the ,gospel4444444444444444444444444444444 #df ,the ,christian an ,epistle of ,christ4444444444444444444444444444 #dh ,how ,we may ,live as the ,bible ,reads4444444444444444444444444444 #ej ,how to ,keep the ,word of ,god in the ,heart4444444444444444444444 #eb ,man the ,vehicle for ,exhibiting ,god's ,perfections44444444444444 #ed ,some ,use to ,jesus 7,poem7444444444444444444444444444444444 44444 #fc ,godly ,living444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444 #fe ,something to ,do4444444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444 #fi ,spiritual ,dryness44444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444 #gf ,prayer444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444444444444 #ha ,keep the ,roots ,watered44444444444444444444444444444444 44444444 #he ,under the ,fig-,tree444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444 #hg ,shut the ,door44444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444 #ia ,alone with ,god444444444444444444444444444444444444 444444444444 #ic ,prayerful ,remembrance 7,poem7444444444444444444444444444444444 4 #ie ,he ,careth for ,thee44444444444444444444444444444444444 444444444 #if ,consider the ,lilies444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444 #ajb ,sorrowful ,yet always ,rejoicing444444444444444444444444444444 4 #aje ,gentleness44444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444444444444 #aac ,tenderness44444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444444444444 #aag ,the ,christian ,walk44444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444 #abd ,the ,christian is to ,walk ,circumspectly44444444444444444444444 #abe ,the ,latest ,improved4444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444 #abi ,the ,christian's ,walk a ,walk with ,god4444444444444444444444444 #acj ,a ,holy ,life44444444444444444444444444444444444 444444444444444 #adh ,lukewarmness444444444444444444444444444 4444444444444444444444 #aea ,steadfastness44444444444444444444444444 4444444444444444444444 #aef ,how to ,understand ,god's ,will444444444444444444444444444444444 #afj ,a ,view of ,jesus4444444444444444444444444444444444 444444444444 #afd ,devotion to ,god444444444444444444444444444444444444 4444444444 #aff ,the ,golden ,rule of ,life44444444444444444444444444444444444 444 #agd ,timeliness in ,doing ,good44444444444444444444444444444444444 44 #agg ,the ,warfare of a ,christian ,life444444444444444444444444444444 #aha ,life by ,faith4444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444444 #ahc ,a ,valuable ,legacy444444444444444444444444444444444 44444444444 #ahe ,some ,scriptures for ,daily ,practise444444444444444444444444444 #ahh ,,the ,,way ,,the ,,sail ,,is ,,set4 ,i stood beside the open sea2 ,the ships went sailing by2 ,the wind blew softly o'er the lea2 ,the sun had cloudless sky4 ,some ships sailed eastward1 some sailed west1 ,some north1 some southward trend4 ,how can ships sail this way and that8 ,but one way blows the wind4 ,an old sea-captain made reply 7,his locks with salt-spray wet73 ',tis not the wind decides the course2 ',tis way the sails are set4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i stand beside the sea of life2 ,the ships go sailing by2 ,the winds blow fair from heaven's land2 ,no clouds bedim the sky4 ,but one sails eastward1 one sails west1 ,one north1 one southward goes3 ,how can ships sail this way and that ,with selfsame wind that blows8 ,a voice made answer to my soul3 ',tis not how blows the gale2 ,each voyager decides the goal ,by way he sets the sail4--,selected4 ,how to ,live a ,holy ,life ,,the ,,model ,,life4 ,in doing anything1 it is always well to have a model by which to fashion our work4 ,in fact1 nothing is done without a pattern1 either real or imaginary4 ,the little boy making a toy has in in his mind a model by which he is framing his work4 ,likewise1 the sculptor has in his mind a model1 and as the marble wastes1 the image grows into the likeness of the vision in his soul4 ,to live this one life of ours as it should be lived1 we must have a perfect model after which to pattern4 ,thank ,god1 this perfect model of life can be found4 ,of all the vast number of lives that have been lived since ,adam down to this present day1 there has been only one that we can take as a model4 ,this one is the life of ,jesus4 ,he says1 ,i am the life4 ,to live this life of ours well1 to live it to the highest degree of perfection1 we must fashion it according to the glorious life of ,christ4 ,the life of ,jesus is the model life for every other human life4 ,he invites us1 yea1 commands us1 to follow him1 to step in his steps1 to walk as he walked4 ,there have been many good men in the world1 but none of them afford us a true pattern of life4 ,there was a man who said1 ,be ye followers of me1 but he immediately added1 even as ,i also am of ,christ4 ,man may so live as to reveal to us the life of ,christ4 ,we can then follow1 not them1 but the ,christ-life they manifested through them4 ,let me here say a word on a subject on which we may have more to say hereafter4 ,the grandest1 noblest work man has ever done is by his life to reveal the life of ,christ to another1 thereby helping that person to be fashioned more after the image of ,jesus4 ,a little flower grew in a place so shaded that no ray from the sun could fall directly upon it4 ,a window was so situated that at a certain time in the afternoon it refracted the sun's rays and threw them upon the flower1 thus giving it color and beauty1 and aiding it to bloom4 ,some people are living in the dense shade4 ,no light from ,christ has ever shined upon them4 ,if you so live as to refract the life of ,christ and turn it upon them and thus stamp upon them a holier life1 you have not lived in vain4 ,to set the life of ,christ in its purity and beauty before some one and influence him1 though only a little1 to live better and love ,jesus more1 is a work the worth of which can never be computed4 ,he who helps another to a better way of living does more than he who gains great worldly honor and riches4 ,blessed indeed is that life which causes some other life to be more like ,christ4 ,oh1 may this thought seize upon our hearts and fill us with a greater passion to live the life of ,god4 ,we are told by the voice of ,scripture to be followers of ,god as dear children4 ,when children are dear to the heart of the parent1 he loves to have them obey him4 ,god's children are dear to him1 and he would have them follow him4 ,to follow ,god is to imitate him1 or be like him4 ,this is the true way of life4 ,a text of ,scripture as rendered by the ,revised ,version is very appropriate here3 ,like as he which has called you is holy1 be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living4 #a ,pet4 #a3ae4 ,only those who live godly in their entire manner of life are spending the days of their pilgrimage as they should4 ,jesus has walked the true way of life2 we are told to walk in his steps4 ,if we will step each day just where ,jesus stepped1 then on looking back1 we can not see a footprint of our own2 but if we take a single misstep1 our footprint will show our departure from the true way of life4 ,how deep and awful are the words of ,scripture wherein we are commanded to walk even as ,jesus walked6 ,jesus says1 ,i am the way4 ,there is no other right and perfect way4 ,if we will walk as ,jesus walked1 then we shall walk in the true path of life4 ,this only is the pathway that leads up to the golden gates of glory and the sweet fields of heaven4 ,that bright world of bliss encourages us on4 ,if we will follow ,jesus and live as he lived1 ,god's approval will be upon us1 and his outstretched hand will help us along life's way and finally over the turbulent river of death to the sunlit shore of eternal rest4 ,many times we may become wearied and think the toils of the way almost too heavy2 but when we remember that it is the way that ,jesus trod1 then the heavens open to our view1 we look forward to the mansion prepared for us1 and the toils of the way grow lighter4 ,see that aged pilgrim journeying down the western slope of life4 ,the sun is nearing the setting4 ,long and toilsome has been his pilgrimage1 but he has walked in the path his ,savior trod4 ,for many years his life has been hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,in ,him he has lived and moved and had his being4 ,now he is making his last step on the shore of time2 he passes out of our sight through the gates into that land where toils are ended and the sun never sets4 ,but his life was the life of ,jesus4 ,he was holy as ,god is holy2 he walked as ,jesus walked4 ,this is how to live4 ,this is the true way of life and the only way to life eternal4 ,he who does not live with ,christ on earth can not live with him in heaven1 and he who does not live as ,jesus lived does not live as he should4 ,the life of ,christ was the perfect life4 ,ours is perfect to the degree that we imitate him4 ,take my life1 ,o ,christ divine1 ,make it holy1 just like thine2 ,every act and thought and word ,be an outflow from my ,god4 ,guide my feet and keep my heart2 ,let me not from thee depart2 ,let me breathe thy warming love1 ,that my soul be drawn above4 ,draw me1 ,jesus1 closer draw2 ,thy strong arm around me throw2 ,draw me to thy pierced side2 ,in thy bosom let me hide4 ,teach me all thy will and word1 ,that my life be filled with ,god2 ,teach me1 ,lamb of ,calvary1 ,how to live this life for thee4 ,,how ,,to ,,live ,,the ,,christ-,,life4 ,man can not naturally live the ,christ-life4 ,but ,christ has promised to come into our hearts and live in us4 ,in order that we may have ,christ dwell in our hearts and that we may live his life1 there must be a giving up of our self-life4 ,there must be annihilation of self that ,christ may live4 ,it is truly wonderful and as glorious as it is wonderful that man can live the life of ,christ in this world4 ,but here is the secret3 it is man ceasing to live the self-life and ,christ living in him4 ,imagine a hollow brass figure in the exact image of a man4 ,suppose you fill this hollow figure with a kind of life which we shall call self-life4 ,this life goes to using the hands and feet1 and eyes1 ears1 tongue1 in short1 all the members of this brass figure1 but using them in the interest of itself4 ,now you desire to make a change2 you want that image to speak1 act1 and think only for you4 ,you must first put to death the life that is using the figure1 cleanse it entirely out1 and then get into it yourself4 ,once in1 you can use all the members of that image for yourself4 ,your body is that image4 ,there was a life in you that used all the members of your body in the interest of self4 ,but there has been a change4 ,you were made a new creature4 ,the life you once had was put to death--was crucified2 then ,christ stepped into your heart1 and now he uses all the members of your body for himself4 ,you still live1 yet not you1 but ,christ lives in you4 ,once you did things for yourself2 now you do them for ,christ4 ,just as you once lived purposely and intentionally for yourself1 now you do things purposely and intentionally for ,jesus1 because it is he that lives1 and not you yourself4 ,you remember how once you would plan for yourself4 ,in the evening as you lay upon your bed and again in the morning and throughout the day you would think about what you were going to eat or drink1 what you were going to have for clothing1 where you were going to live1 where you were going to go1 and what you were going to do4 ,but now you are changed2 you are a new creature4 ,now it is not you that lives1 but ,christ lives in you4 ,now you eat not for yourself but for ,jesus4 ,you now go1 not where self would lead you1 but where that life in you loves to go and would have you go4 ,you do things1 not for yourself1 but for ,jesus4 ,o ,christ1 ,i die1 that thou mayst live1 ,that thou mayst live in me2 ,that all ,i think or speak or do1 ,may be1 ,o ,lord1 for thee4 ,may not the least of self remain1 ,but all be put to death4 ,oh1 may ,i nothing do for self1 ,nor draw one selfish breath6 ,to have my ,savior live in me1 ,to occupy the whole1 ,to make my heart his royal throne ,and take complete control-- ',tis all ,i ask2 'tis all ,i wish2 ',tis all my heart's desire1 ,content if but a wayside bush ,to hold ,god's holy fire4 ,low at thy feet1 ,o ,christ1 ,i fall ,a yielded lump of clay1 ,for thee to mold me as thou wilt1 ,to have thy own sweet way4 ,,the ,,bible ,,way4 ,if the ,bible had not been given us1 we should not always know the way that ,jesus walked4 ,but he has given us his ,word4 ,the way of the ,bible is the way of ,christ1 and is therefore the true path of life4 ,o pilgrim to the heavenly kingdom1 the ,word of ,god will be a lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy way4 ,it will lighten you home4 ,there will never be a day so dark but the beams of light from the blessed ,bible will pierce through the darkness and fall with a bright radiance upon your pathway4 ,if sometimes you can not see just where ,jesus stepped1 take the precious ,book of ,god1 and it will be a lamp to show you the way he trod4 ,one wintry morning a father went a long distance through the deep snow to feed his sheep4 ,a few hours later a little boy was sent to call his father home4 ,the child was carefully stepping in the footprints before him1 but soon a dark cloud arose and the blinding snow-storm so dimmed his eye that he frequently stepped aside4 ,in the beautiful1 clear light of the ,bible we can see all the way that ,jesus trod4 ,if we will walk according to the ,bible1 we shall walk as ,jesus walked and not show a double track4 ,make the blessed ,word of ,god your guide if you would walk aright the path of life and be happy4 ,and often for your comfort you will read the ,guide and ,chart3 ,it has wisdom for the mind and sweet solace for the heart2 ,it will serve you as a mentor2 it will guide you sure and straight ,all the time that you will journey1 be the ending soon or late4 ',the ,scriptures are given by inspiration of ,god and are profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness1 that the man of ,god may be perfect' #b ,tim4 #c3af4 ,if by faith we receive into our hearts the instruction in righteousness as given by the ,scriptures1 it will make us perfect in this life4 ,o reader1 if you would know how to live1 study the ,bible4 ,it points out the way clearly and plainly4 ,let its truths in all their power reach to the depth of thy heart4 ,let thy soul seize upon the ,bible and drink its strength and sweetness as the bee sips the sweetness from the flower4 ,as the animal eats the plant and by assimilation converts it into animal life1 so eat the ,book of ,god and convert it into human life4 ,it is the food of angels4 ,but rather than its being the ,bible converted into human life1 it is human life transformed into the purity of the ,bible4 ,there are great depths to the ,bible4 ,the simplest text contains depths to which we can ever be descending4 ,they who would live a perfect life must set the life of ,christ before them as portrayed by the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,you can not see much of this perfect life by a passing glance4 ,it is he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues to look that will see the perfect life which it pictures4 ,the artist must look long at the landscape and get it imaged upon his soul before he can produce it upon the canvas4 ,the ,bible description of the life of ,christ must fill your soul with admiration and with a strong desire to possess it4 ,your heart must lay hold upon it until that life is focused and printed upon your own soul4 ,it is like the art of photographing4 ,the object must be set before the heart4 ,the ,bible is the light that shines the image of ,christ upon the soul4 ,for the pure in heart to develop into higher spiritual life1 they must gain such an admiration for the beauty of ,christ that they will long to possess him in greater fulness4 ,the pleading of the heart will be1 ,lord1 let thy beauty be upon us4 ,their souls will follow hard after his perfections4 ,in no other way will the soul unfold and develop into the higher ,christian life4 ,he who has not learned how to grow in grace has not yet learned how to live4 ,to live life in the best possible manner is to be making constant progress4 ,oh1 let us give this world our best life6 ,when we are nearing the end of the way and life's sun is sinking low1 if on looking back we can see nothing but a life spent in the service of ,god1 walking in the light of his ,word1 this will afford us untold satisfaction4 ,o blessed ,word of eternal life1 ,the lamp to guide the way ,through this weary world of sin and strife ,to heaven's perfect day6 ,,the ,,heavenly ,,way4 ,there is a heaven4 ,there is a place of rest and happiness4 ,i have not gone to heaven1 but heaven has come to me2 therefore ,i know there is a heaven4 ,many who have eaten oranges have never been in a land where oranges grow1 but these persons know there must be such a land1 because they have tasted its fruit4 ,likewise1 ,i know there is a heaven because ,i daily taste its joy4 ,not only is there a heaven1 but there is a way to heaven4 ,all can go who will4 ,heaven is a holy place1 and the way to heaven is a holy way4 ,a prophet of ,god said1 ,an highway shall be there1 and a way1 and it shall be called the way of holiness4 ,the ,christian dwells in a heavenly place4 ,the writer to the saints at ,ephesus says1 ,he hath raised us up together1 and made us sit together in heavenly places4 ,to live in a heavenly place1 we must live a heavenly life4 ,those who do not live a heavenly life on earth will never live in heaven4 ,the heavenly life is the only life worth living4 ,it is the only life that ends in heaven4 ,the way of holiness is the way of happiness4 ,holy and happy is the true and right life of man4 ,this one brief life of ours should be constant holiness and happiness4 ,without these1 life is not as it should be4 ,it is our privilege in ,christ to walk the path of life in perfect peace and joy and in perfect holiness4 ,such a life will flow out into an eternity of joys unspeakable4 ,wait thou on ,god1 ,o soul of mine6 ,listen to know his will2 ,light will come from the golden throne ,if thou1 ,o soul1 be still4 ,if thou wouldst sail on tranquil sea1 ,wait thou on ,god1 my soul4 ,speak1 act1 and think alone in him2 ,sweet rest shall be thy goal4 ,if thou wouldst have life's way to be ,verdant as the growing sod1 ,take each step 'neath the guiding eye1 ,keep in close touch with ,god4 ,sweet heavenly life6 sweet happy life6 ,thy joys increase each day4 ,o soul of mine1 press up and on ,this high and holy way4 ,,keeping ,,the ,,commandments4 ,god's ,word is pure4 ,heaven itself and the great white throne is no more pure than the ,word of ,god4 ,that life may be pure1 it must be in sweet harmony with the blessed ,bible4 ,a life that is lived in obedience to the ,bible is as pure as the ,bible4 ,such a life is pure enough for heaven4 ,the writer of ,revelation1 being in the ,spirit1 saw a pure river of water of life1 clear as crystal1 proceeding out of the throne of ,god and of the ,lamb4 ,this pure stream was the wonderful word of life4 ,it was as pure as its source1 which was the throne of ,god4 ,the life through which this pure stream flows will be as pure as the throne4 ,one of the ,psalm-writers said1 ,the words of the ,lord are pure words3 as silver tried in a furnace of earth1 purified seven times4 ,thy word is pure2 therefore thy servant loveth it4 ,the writer of ,proverbs says1 ,every word of ,god is pure4 ,when the veil is drawn aside and our souls are brought face to face with the purity of the ,bible1 then we understand that a ,bible life is the best1 purest1 noblest1 and holiest life that can be lived upon the earth4 ,o soul of mine1 unveil thine eye1 ,look upward to thy ,god1 ,a wreath of purity to see ,crowning his every word4 ,in the following words we have the sum of all true and right living3 ,let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter3 fear ,god and keep his commandments2 for this is the whole duty of man4 ,eccl4 #ab3ac4 ,this text as rendered in the ,septuagint version brings out clearer the true signification3 ,hear the end of the matter1 the sum4 ,fear ,god and keep his commandments3 for this is the whole man4 ,man is not entire1 he is not complete as originally intended1 when not keeping all the commands of ,god4 ,something is lacking in the life that is not in full obedience to every word of ,god4 ,the ,bible speaks of a beautiful city in that bright1 celestial world4 ,it is a city of pure gold1 clear as glass4 ,its walls are of jasper2 its twelve foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones2 its twelve gates are gates of pearl2 its streets are pure gold4 ,in that fair city there is no sin1 no pain1 no sickness2 sorrow and trouble never come there2 a tear shall never fall from any eye1 for no tears are there4 ,there is no death in that wonderful city so fair4 ,in the midst of the street stands the tree of life4 ,oh1 who does not desire to dwell forever and forever in that city of love and light when the pains and sorrows1 the trials and tears1 of this weary life are over8 ,listen while ,i read to you in accents clear1 distinct1 and unmistakable-- ,blessed are they that do his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in through the gates into the city4 ,rev4 #bb3ad4 ,o traveler to eternity1 your entrance into the beautiful1 glorious city of ,god depends upon your conduct respecting the commandments of ,god while you are making the journey across the turbulent sea of life4 ,keeping the commandments of ,god is man's whole duty4 ,if he does his whole duty through life1 he will come up out of the dark valley and shadow of death1 and find the gates of pearl unfolding4 ,who will not cleave to the commandments of ,god8 ,who will not obey his voice and walk daily in his holy ways8 ,the obedient will be rewarded by an unfading inheritance in that eternal city of gold4 ,there is a beautiful mansion in the great house of ,god for every obedient soul4 ,oh1 how blessed6 ,i am thinking of heaven tonight1 ,of the mansion prepared there for me1 ,where ,jesus my ,savior now dwells1 ,and where ,i am longing to be4 ,will not heaven be well worth a life of obedience to the ,word of ,god1 though obedience calls us through storms of persecutions1 furnaces of trials1 oceans of tribulations1 and years of toil and suffering8 ,to ,moses the reproaches of ,christ were greater treasures than the riches of ,egypt1 for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward4 ,sit quiet for a moment and by a strong eye of faith look away into heaven and see that bright mansion prepared for you4 ,see those jasper walls1 those pearly gates1 and those golden walks4 ,see the crown of life1 the harp of ,god1 and the light of the ,lamb4 ,shall we not bear the trials of life a little longer in patience8 ,shall we not be watchful to walk in ,god's ways and obey him1 that this rich inheritance may be ours forever8 ,methinks ,i can hear a reply coming from the depths of many a sincere1 trusting heart-- ,yes1 ,i will live in humble obedience to ,god on earth1 that ,i may be with him forever in that celestial city of light4 ,god bless you6 ,beyond the shores of time and the kingdoms of this world is a kingdom called the kingdom of heaven4 ,it is the place where ,god has his great white throne1 around which the angels play upon their golden harps and shout1 ,blessing and honor and glory and praise and might be unto ,god forever and ever4 ,it is around this throne that those who have passed through the tribulations and the trying scenes of this lower world and burst through the gates of death are singing redemption's sweet song4 ,who does not desire to join that happy1 heavenly throng and wave those palms and wear those white robes and sing those sweet songs over beyond the shadowy vale of death8 ,i seem to hear many voices saying1 ,i hope to be among that blood-washed throng4 ,let me tell you in all tenderness and love1 but very plainly1 that the realization of your hope depends entirely upon how you live while here in this world4 ,oh1 how much in that great and awful future is depending upon our manner of life in this time-world6 ,let us learn to live well1 to be our best every day4 ,we may dream of a home in heaven2 we may entertain hopes of seeing ,jesus and of inheriting a mansion on the shores of eternal bliss2 we may imagine ourselves walking through the blooming fields of paradise and sitting beneath the tree of life2 but our dreams1 our hopes1 and our imaginations will never be realized unless we carefully keep the commandments of ,god4 ,more than a profession is necessary2 obedience is the only door into the kingdom of ,god4 ,jesus said1 ,not every one that sayeth unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter the kingdom of heaven2 but he that doeth the will of my ,father which is in heaven4 ,until our faith pierces through and beholds the beauties and the realities of ,god so we can say from the very depths of the soul1 ,i delight to do thy will1 ,o ,god4 and1 ,my meat and my drink is to do the will of ,him that sent me1 we have not fully entered the true and right pathway of life4 ,keeping the commands of ,god is the whole man and the whole of a perfect life4 ,,be ,,doers ,,of ,,the ,,word4 ,i want to remind you again that the mission of this little volume is to teach you how to live4 ,the life beyond depends on the life here4 ,let me emphasize what ,i have repeatedly said before3 to live as we should1 we must live by every word of ,god4 ,to live by every word of ,god is not only to hear it but also to do it4 ,we have learned that1 in order to enter the city of ,god and eat of the tree of life1 we must ido_/i his commandments1 and also that it is not every one that sayeth1 ,lord1 ,lord1 that shall enter the kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the will of my ,father which is in heaven4 ,now ,i will read you a text from the ,epistle of ,james1 ,but be ye doers of the word1 and not hearers only1 deceiving your own selves4 ,we are living in a careless age4 ,the ,word of ,god is being treated with neglect4 ,many are hearing it1 but alas6 how few are doing it6 ,in this way people deceive themselves4 ,they think they are on their way to heaven1 when they are not4 ,the only way to heaven is by doing the commandments4 ,to illustrate this1 ,i will refer you to a few texts4 ,if thine enemy hunger1 feed him4 ,rom4 #ab3bj4 ,whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also4 ,matt4 #e3ci4 ,and as ye would that men should do to you1 do ye also to them likewise4 ,luke #f3ca4 ,if it comes most natural for us to live according to these texts1 we can begin to conclude that our hearts are right with ,god4 ,however1 we must have a heart that does not rebel against any text in the ,bible4 ,we are exhorted earnestly by the apostle ,peter to make our calling and election sure4 ,the only way to do so is to live to every word of ,god4 ,oh1 my dear reader1 those sweet hopes you have had of reaching heaven and of seeing ,jesus and those dear loved ones who have gone before you to that other side will never be realized by you unless you be a diligent doer of the ,word of ,god4 ,i feel like warning you against all carelessness and neglect1 and to keep yourself in the love of ,god4 ,see that your heart and life reads each day as the ,bible reads1 and you will then have an unshaken foundation for your faith and hope4 ,if you would know how to live and make the best of life1 read the ,bible much and conform your life to its teaching4 ,,who ,,are ,,the ,,wise8 ,who is a foolish man8 ,it is a man who hears the sayings of ,jesus and fails to do them4 ,he is likened to a man who was foolish enough to build his house upon the sand4 ,this man would better not have built at all1 for the cost of building was lost4 ,he could have had the money for his use and enjoyment if he had not wasted it in building a house on the sand4 ,a foolish man1 indeed6 ,who is a wise man8 ,it is the man who hears the sayings of ,jesus and does them4 ,he is likened to a man who built his house upon a rock4 ,from a temporal standpoint nothing else is so conducive to man's happiness as a good home4 ,no better use can be made of money than to spend it in the building of a home1 provided the house be built upon a sure foundation4 ,a man who hears ,god's ,word and does it is likened to such a man4 ,to build up a ,christian character in obedience to the ,bible is the greatest wisdom4 ,that is building a mansion in heaven4 ,a real1 true ,christian experience and life cost something1 but they pay1 because they will stand4 ,a mere profession of ,christianity may cost something also1 but it does not pay1 since it will not stand4 ,a man who erects his house upon the sand can build at less cost than he who digs deep and lays his foundation upon the rock1 but at the very time when the former man most needs his house--when the winds blow and the rain falls-- that is when it is destroyed4 ,on the other hand1 the man who builds upon a rock has a house to shelter him through the storms4 ,likewise1 he who builds up a ,christian experience in obedience to the ,word of ,god will have something to serve him in a time of need4 ,we thus learn from ,jesus' parable of the wise and the foolish house -builders that obeying the ,bible is the true way of life4 ,,keeping ,,the ,,commandments ,a ,,test ,,of ,,love4 ,we are commanded to love ,god4 ,it is the first and greatest commandment4 ,love is more than an emotion2 it is an act of the will4 ,a mother loves her child constantly1 though she may not always experience the emotions of love4 ,her care for her child is a proof of her love4 ,we may not always experience a feeling of love toward ,god1 but we can always love him4 ,our love is measured1 not by our emotions1 but by our obedience--our service4 ,we labor for those we love1 and the love makes the labor light4 ,it is not an irksome thing to obey ,god when we love him4 ,it is possible to make a profession of love to ,god and not really love him4 ,it may be that many are deceived at this point4 ,one scripture says1 ,if any man love ,god1 the same is known of him4 ,jesus says1 ,why call ye me ,lord1 ,lord1 and do not the things which ,i say8 ,love is something more than mere words4 ,it is useless to make a profession of love to ,jesus and not do what he says4 ,a husband can not convince his wife of his love by a mere profession of love1 but he can convince her by his acts4 ,we are to love1 not in word and tongue only1 but also in deed and in truth4 ,again1 ,jesus says1 ,if a man love me1 he will keep my words4 ,here is an unfailing test of love4 ,if you will not obey ,god1 he knows you do not love him1 no matter how much you may profess to love him4 ,so again we are reminded by the ,holy ,bible that1 in order to spend this brief life of ours as we should1 we must keep the commandments of ,god4 ,no other life will find acceptance with ,god4 ,no other life will please him4 ,he desires your love most certainly1 but he wants such love as will prompt you to obey him4 ,do not measure your ,christian experience by your feelings1 but measure it by your obedience as proceeding from an internal principle4 ,when you find something in your heart that causes you to obey ,god no matter how you feel1 you have good reason to hope that you are a ,christian4 ,in subsequent chapters ,i will tell you something of what ,god's ,word teaches1 but1 first of all1 ,i desire to fully convince you1 and to help you to feel1 that the right and true way of life is in obedience to its teaching4 ,,the ,,blessedness ,,of ,,obeying ,,god',s ,,word4 ,everything is said in the ,scriptures that can be said to show us the need of living in harmony with the ,bible4 ,if our lives are out of harmony with one text in that blessed book1 we are not yet fitted for heaven4 ,we can never be admitted into the everlasting kingdom of ,god if we knowingly refuse or neglect to live to every word of ,god4 ,we are therefore exhorted1 beseeched1 entreated1 encouraged1 warned1 and commanded to obey every text in the ,bible4 ,we are encouraged to obedience by being told of the blessedness of keeping the commandments4 ,it is natural for mothers to love to have their children well spoken of4 ,we do not fault them for this4 ,when a young man1 by his good deportment1 is gaining a fair name1 mothers1 when together1 will remark1 ,it is blessed to be the mother of a young man like that4 ,there was a woman who heard of the fame of a young man4 ,he was casting out devils1 healing the sick1 opening blinded eyes1 and unstopping deaf ears1 and consequently he was gaining a wide and favorable reputation4 ,this woman came to the young man and with that mother in her heart said to him1 ,blessed is the womb that bear thee1 and the paps which thou hast sucked4 ,it was1 indeed1 blessed to be the mother of this young man4 ,an angel from heaven acknowledged this4 ,in speaking to ,mary of the birth of ,jesus 7for he was the young man71 the angel said1 ,hail1 thou that are highly favored1 the ,lord is with thee3 blessed art thou among women4 ,she was more highly favored than any other woman on earth1 because she was to become the mother of the ,son of ,god4 ,can it be that any one can be more blessed than this happy mother of ,jesus8 ,let us hear his reply to the woman--,but he said1 ,yea1 rather blessed are they that hear the word of ,god and keep it4 ,jesus did not deny that it was blessed to be his mother1 but said that those who hear ,god's word and keep it are rather1 or more1 blessed4 ,god favors those who obey him4 ,the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land4 ,hadst thou hearkened unto my commandments1 then wouldst thy peace be like a river4 ,happiness is the result of obedience1 and heaven is the final reward4 ,,the ,,relationship ,,we ,,have ,,with ,,christ ,,through ,,obedience4 ,the reason why it is more blessed to obey the ,word of ,god than to be the mother of ,jesus is obvious4 ,spiritual things are higher than physical things4 ,spiritual relation is closer than natural relation4 ,brotherhood in ,christ is closer than brotherhood in the flesh4 ,a brother in the ,spirit is dearer to us than a son of our own mother4 ,obedience to ,god makes us one with ,god4 ,mary was the mother of ,jesus after the flesh1 but ,god's children enjoy such a relation after the spirit4 ,at one time somebody brought word to ,jesus that his mother and his brethren stood outside desiring to see him4 ,but he answered and said unto him that told him1 ,who is my mother8 and who are my brethren8 ,and he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples1 and said1 ,behold my mother and my brethren6 for whoever shall do the will of my ,father which is in heaven1 the same is my brother1 and sister1 and mother4 ,matt4 #ab3dh-ej4 ,every one who desires to spend life in the highest possible degree of perfection should make a constant study of the ,bible and should carefully and diligently obey all its precepts4 ,doing this will bring him into the closest possible relationship with ,god and will make life the best man can live4 ,,our ,,life ,,is ,,to ,,adorn ,,the ,,gospel4 ,to adorn is to make attractive1 to beautify4 ,we are exhorted by the apostle ,paul to adorn the doctrine of the ,new ,testament by our every-day life4 ,this thought should be a powerful incentive to close living with ,god and assiduously keeping all of his commandments4 ,who would not take pleasure in adorning the teachings of ,jesus by a pure life8 ,this is the joy of the ,christian's heart4 ,he cares nothing for the adornings of the world1 but oh1 that he may so live as to make beautiful the blessed ,bible6--this is happiness enough to him4 ,in another of the ,pauline ,epistles we are commanded to let our manner of life be as it becometh the gospel of ,christ4 ,to become is also to make attractive or to give a better appearance to4 ,an article of dress is becoming to us when it gives us a better appearance4 ,we speak of any one's bad conduct as not being becoming to him4 ,we are to become the gospel of ,christ by holy living4 ,when a life is lived as ,god designed that life should be1 that life will be an adornment to the ,scriptures4 ,god will beautify his children with the glories of his redeeming grace2 he will adorn them with a meek and quiet spirit1 which in his sight is very precious1 that they1 in turn1 may adorn his commandments4 ,as a bride decks herself with jewels1 so the heavenly ,father beautifies his children with the robe of righteousness4 ,the life of a ,christian is ,god's special treasure4 ,they shall be mine1 says the ,lord1 in that day when ,i make up my jewels1 or special treasure as rendered by the margin 7see ,mal4 #c3ag74 ,by reading the context we learn that it is those who fear the ,lord that are his jewels4 ,to fear ,god and keep his commandments is man's whole duty4 ,it is a perfect life4 ,such a life is the ,lord's jewel4 ,such a life is recorded in heaven4 ,oh1 how animating is such knowledge6 ,how it strengthens our hearts to live a righteous life4 ,to live a life that is worthy to be recorded in heaven and is a special treasure to ,god is truly wonderful4 ,our souls are awed by such a thought4 ,oh1 how it ought to move our hearts to carefulness in life6 ,how diligent we should be to walk as worthy citizens of our heavenly state6 ,some day the ,lord will come and gather up these holy lives and place them in his heavenly courts above1 where they shall shine as the stars forever4 ,oh1 take this life1 this life of mine 7,to thee1 ,o ,god1 'tis freely given71 ,and polish it1 that it may shine1 ,and ornament thy ,word divine4 ,,the ,,christian ,,an ,,epistle ,,of ,,christ4 ,the life we live is being read4 ,we are not going through the world unnoticed4 ,some one is looking on1 and some one is to some extent fashioning his life after ours4 ,our life each day is being written down in some one's memory4 ,my own dear children group around me at times and talk of their mother1 who has gone to heaven4 ,her pure and holy life written in their memory is read over and over to each other and to me4 ,she still lives as an epistle in their hearts4 ,they read her daily life while she was with them1 and they continue to read it since she is gone4 ,christians are said to be the epistle of ,christ 7#b ,cor4 #c3c74 ,to read their life is to read the life of ,jesus4 ,all the ,bible that many will ever read is what they read in the lives of ,christians4 ,life will be read just as it is1 not as it may pretend to be4 ,it is not what we pretend to be1 but what we really are1 that will go down in the memory of others4 ,those who read our lives have a way of reading between the lines4 ,we should strive not so much to make life holy as to be holy4 ,if you are holy1 then live just what you are4 ,we should never strive to be what we are not4 ,the only way whereby the ,bible may be read in the life is to get it in the heart4 ,people will never read the ,word of ,god in your life simply because you have a neat little ,testament in your pocket or a large family ,bible on your center table4 ,the ,bible can get into the life only by beginning at the heart4 ,there is power in the ,word of ,god1 but it works from within4 ,let the word of ,christ dwell in you richly4 ,it will transform the life so that the life will read just like the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,the ,word of ,god is a lamp to light us into a holy life4 ,if we follow its instructions in righteousness1 it will make us perfect4 ,it reveals our imperfections and thus gives us an opportunity to make improvements4 ,to discover an imperfection in the life is not a bad thing1 and we need not think we are any the worse for the discovery4 ,it is only when we let the imperfection remain after it is revealed to us1 that we become worse4 ,the heart that comes under the influence of the ,bible will bear the image of ,jesus1 but of this ,i shall have more to say elsewhere4 ,so ,i conclude here by saying1 live upon the ,word of ,god1 desire the sincere milk of the ,word1 and you will be an epistle of ,christ4 ,we should feel the responsibility that is upon us1 remembering that all the ,bible some will ever read is what they read in your life and mine4 ,oh6 let us see that it reads in our life as it does in the book1 lest those who follow us will not walk in the footprints of ,jesus4 ,,how ,,we ,,may ,,live ,,as ,,the ,,bible ,,reads4 ,it is just as natural and easy for a ,christian to live the ,christian life as it is for a sinner to live a sinful life4 ,the sinner needs make no effort to live a sinful life2 he lives it naturally and easily4 ,life proceeds from the heart4 ,the heart is the fountain1 and the life is the stream4 ,as the fountain is1 so the stream will be4 ,it is not difficult to live a ,christian life when our hearts are pure4 ,this is the secret of purity of life4 ,the important question1 then1 is1 ,how can ,i have a pure heart8 ,hearts are made pure by the blood of ,jesus4 ,then comes the command1 ,keep thyself pure4 ,that the heart may be kept pure1 it must be kept filled with that which is pure4 ,to keep darkness out of a room1 we need only to keep it filled with light4 ,carefully closing up every crevice will not suffice if the light goes out4 ,darkness will be present4 ,but simply keep the room filled with light1 and no effort is required to keep darkness out4 ,in like manner no effort need be made to keep impurity out of the heart and keep the heart filled with that which is pure4 ,but what is pure8 ,the word of ,god is pure1 as silver tried in a furnace of fire1 purified seven times4 ,thy word is very pure2 therefore thy servant loveth it4 ,let the word of ,christ dwell in you richly1 and your heart will be kept pure4 ,the ,psalm-writer said1 ,thy word have ,i hid in my heart1 that ,i may not sin against thee4 ,here is the only way to a sinless life4 ,keep the heart filled with the ,word of ,god4 ,it is the way to live as the ,bible reads4 ,to have a nicely bound volume of the ,scriptures lying on the center table will not keep the life sinless4 ,we must have the ,word in our heart4 ,one night while ,i was waiting for a train in one of our large ,eastern cities1 ,i went into a mission4 ,a man arose and said he had read the ,bible through forty-two times and could quote whole books of it from memory4 ,later in his talk he said he committed sin more or less every day4 ,the ,word of ,god did not keep him from sinning1 for he had it in his head instead of in his heart4 ,to live a ,bible life is the only true and right way to live1 and in order to live such a life1 we need to have the ,word written in the heart4 ,i will put my laws into their mind1 and write them in their hearts4 ,heb4 #h3 #aj4 ,let us illustrate this by taking a single text3 ,having food and raiment let us be therewith content4 ,when we have these words in the heart1 they will be true in the life4 ,all fret and worry and murmurings will be banished out of the life when the heart is full of the truth4 ,,how ,,to ,,keep ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,god ,,in ,,the ,,heart4 ,since keeping the ,word of ,god in the heart is the only way to successful ,christian living1 you will at once want to know how to keep it in the heart4 ,the ,word is kept in the heart the same as food is kept in the body4 ,the food is eaten1 and then by the process of assimilation it becomes a part of the body4 ,this is something of a mystery2 nevertheless we all know it to be true4 ,we feel weak in body1 but soon after we partake of food1 we feel stronger4 ,somehow that food gets into the life and makes us stronger4 ,now1 man shall not live by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4 ,we can eat the ,word of ,god1 and we imust_/i eat it in order to get it into our heart and life4 ,by eating and the process of assimilation the ,word becomes a part of our inner being4 ,we eat it by faith1 and the ,spirit assimilates it into our hearts4 ,let us take a text3 ,in honor preferring one another4 ,it is blessed to have an experience like this4 ,to feel happy when others are honored and we are not is certainly a desirable experience4 ,we can have it4 ,as you read the above text1 love it1 admire it1 desire it1 ask for it1 believe you receive it1--and you have it4 ,it will be a truth of beauty and of power in your soul and life4 ,but remember1 you must have an eagerness for it4 ,you must lay hold upon it as the infant does upon the mother's breast4 ,the same is true with every text in the ,bible4 ,eat the entire book1 and thus you will have it as a glorious source of power and purity in your life4 ,,man ,,the ,,vehicle ,,for ,,exhibiting ,,god',s ,,perfections4 ,man was created for a purpose1 and that purpose was to glorify his ,creator 7,isa4 #dc3g74 ,but man sinned and came short of the glory of ,god4 ,the ,lord1 that he may yet be glorified in the man1 provides a way of redemption4 ,through the redemption we have in ,christ we can live to the glory of ,god4 ,this is ,god's purpose4 ,the whole of life should be such as will glorify the ,creator1 and all that we do should be done with that end in view4 ,god help us4 ,living for ,god1 honoring his ,word1 magnifying his name--this is the duty of man4 ,awful responsibility6 ,oh1 what carefulness it should work in us4 ,what vehement desire6 what earnest seeking after ,god6 that we may live such a life4 ,jesus was here in the world and was the light of the world4 ,he had a human body and in that body lived a life that glorified ,god4 ,that was an exemplary life4 ,such a life1 and such a life only1 is to the glory of ,god4 ,we must fashion our life after his if we would spend life as we should4 ,to know how ,jesus lived is to know how we should live4 ,every life that is in the likeness of ,christ's life is accepted of ,god4 ,no other life can be4 ,while ,christ was here in the body1 he was in the express image of the ,father4 ,the true1 holy character of ,god was revealed through ,jesus' human life to a lost and sinning world4 ,god had done all he could to reveal his true character to man by laws1 ceremonies1 and ordinances2 but these were only the shadow of the true life that was to be the light of the world4 ,christ was both ,god and man4 ,having a physical form1 which is visible1 he could set the holiness of ,god in plain view before the world4 ,if you would know the true life1 look to ,jesus4 ,but his life could be perfect only as it was given in sacrifice for man4 ,his life was holy because it was a life sacrificed to ,god4 ,no life can be possessed by ,god and used to his glory1 that is not sacrificed to him4 ,jesus gave himself as an offering and sacrifice to ,god for us 7,eph4 #e3b74 ,this left him without a body or human life through which to demonstrate moral principle to the world4 ,but now comes the command to man1 ,i beseech you therefore1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable service4 ,rom4 #ab3a4 ,god would have this human life of ours offered up in sacrifice1 so that we are no more ours but his4 ,when we do so1 there will be a change1 a great and wonderful change4 ,that life will no longer be worldly or in the course of ordinary earthly-minded men4 ,it will be a transformed life1 a life in which ,god can live and do his will4 ,through the sacrifice of ,christ1 ,god will take the sacrificed life of man and possess it by his ,spirit and again demonstrate moral principle to the world4 ,o man1 that is your calling in life4 ,you are the vehicle to convey the perfections of ,god to an unbelieving world4 ,only an empty vessel for ,god to fill with himself and use to his glory4 ,o man1 consider thyself1 and know thyself1 the purpose for which thou wert created1 and the place which thou dost occupy in creation4 ,thou art no mean creature4 ,thou art highest of all4 ,god condescends to walk and talk with thee4 ,he upholds thee in his hand4 ,angels minister to thee4 ,when thou passest through the waters1 ,god himself will be with thee so that they shall not overflow thee1 and when thou walkest through the fire1 he will walk with thee so that the flame shall not kindle upon thee2 because thou art precious in his sight and honorable1 and he has set his love upon thee4 ,thou art so precious to him that he gave his only begotten ,son to die to ransom thee4 ,in the vast created universe1 what place does man occupy8 ,he stands out as a creature that bears the stamp of the divine image1 a creature that is endowed with eternity4 ,the heavens shall pass away1 but man shall be forever4 ,he was made capable of holding communion with the ,creator4 ,he occupies the relationship with ,god as child with parent4 ,being made in the likeness of ,god1 he steps out upon the stage of the mighty universe to play the highest and noblest part in the entire drama of created existences4 ,the songs of the morning stars as they sing together1 pouring their anthems into the ears of ,god1 are not such sweet music as is the voice of praise and adoration from the holy soul of man4 ,man was created for the very highest purpose in the mind of ,god4 ,he is chosen to represent the divine character4 ,on the stage men and women represent certain characters4 ,man upon the great stage of life is selected to represent the holy character of ,god4 ,oh1 that he might play his part well6 ,he who occupies the highest and most responsible part in this wonderful play of the universe will sink to the lowest shame and disgrace if he fails4 ,the eyes of earth1 heaven1 and hell were turned upon man as he stepped out to play his part4 ,a garden eastward in ,eden was selected as the ground of exhibition4 ,it was whispered throughout the corridors of the universe1 ,will he succeed8 ,will he play his part well8 ,ah1 the sad story6 ,he failed and he fell1 bringing a world into shame and disgrace1 causing angels to weep and ,god to repent that he had ever made him4 ,but heaven's love was set upon him1 and ,god sought a way whereby the fallen man could be lifted from his low1 degraded plane to the high position he once occupied4 ,after searching heaven through1 ,god found but one way for man's redemption1 but one price to pay4 ,would he pay it8 ,he called his ,son1 his only ,son1 and pointed out to him the fallen condition of man1 and how ,he was robbed of glory and devils were rejoicing4 ,the ,father said to his ,son1 ,only thy entering into that lower world in the likeness of sinful flesh and suffering and dying can redeem man4 ,the ,son replied1 ,i will go4 ,i will suffer4 ,i will lay down my life that man may be restored to his former position1 so that he can again take up the part he was to play4 ,the price was paid2 the plan of man's redemption was effected2 the divine image was again stamped upon the man1 so that in ,christ ,jesus he could again come out and in his life's play reveal the character of ,god to the world4 ,reader1 this brings us down to your day and mine4 ,we have our part to play in life4 ,that part is to display the divine perfections4 ,through ,christ this is possible4 ,oh1 what responsibility6 ,will we play our part well8 ,again the eyes of earth1 heaven1 and hell are turned upon us4 ,the apostle says1 ,we are made a spectacle unto the world1 and to angels1 and to men4 #a ,cor4 #d3i4 ,men includes both good and bad2 likewise the term angels includes both good and bad angels4 ,so1 as ,i have said1 earth1 heaven1 and hell are spectators4 ,to live life as it should be lived is to act out our part upon the stage of life in such a way as to honor ,god and demonstrate his character before this mighty host of spectators4 ,such is man4 ,through him the righteous character of ,god is made visible to the world4 ,god himself is invisible2 but since he comes into our heart and life1 and since our life is physical and visible1 his holiness becomes visible in our holy living4 ,this is how to live4 ,he who lives on a lower plane than perfect holiness is not living to ,god's requirements4 ,god did not redeem man at such a great price merely for man's sake4 ,he redeemed him for his own glory4 ,redeemed man is ,god's purchased possession1 that 'he should show forth the virtues of him who hath called him out of darkness into his marvelous light' 7see marginal reading of #a ,pet4 #b3i74 ,here again we learn that the mission of man is to show forth in his daily life the true1 holy virtues of his ,maker and ,redeemer4 ,this should be the first business of our life--living solely1 purposely1 and earnestly for ,god4 ,we are beings in whom ,god dwells and through whom ,god is to display his own holy perfections4 ,this is wonderful2 this is weighty4 ,there is1 ,i repeat1 great responsibility on man4 ,but unless he feels it1 he will never fill to the full the measure of life4 ,oh1 how delighted is the loving heart of ,god to find in this world a being in whom he can dwell and through whom he can reveal his own beautiful life6 ,shall we yield ourselves to him8 ,shall we invite him into our hearts8 ,shall we consecrate our lives to him that he may hide our life in his life8 ,yes1 dear ,lord1 we are thine1 wholly thine1 now and forever4 ,take full possession2 live in us2 reign in our hearts2 use every faculty of our beings to thy own glory4 ,thy will be done in us and with us as it is done in heaven4 ,jesus will gather his holy angels before him and address them thus3 ,do you behold ,brother--8 ,he is a pilgrim and stranger down there in the earth4 ,he is my child4 ,i have washed him in my blood and clothed him with the beautiful garments of salvation4 ,his heart is pure and full of love4 ,he is dead to sin and the world4 ,he loves my will1 and his daily meat and drink is to do it4 ,he loves my ,word and has hid it in his heart4 ,he keeps all my commandments4 ,he seeks my glory4 ,he often communes with me4 ,he is fervent in spirit and zealous in good works4 ,his good deeds and prayers ,i bottle up here in heaven1 ,see that beautiful mansion yonder with its gates of gold and walls of jasper1 its floors of transparent glass1 its corridors of chalcedony1 and colonades of topaz and beryl4 ,that mansion is to be his home when his pilgrimage in that under-world is done4 ,by his holy walk and devoted life he is now confessing me before men1 and ,i take great delight in telling you that he is my child and in confessing him before you and my ,father on his throne4 ,just as ,i have said in my ,word1 he that will confess me before men1 him will ,i confess before my ,father and the holy angels4 ,redeemed man is a light in the world4 ,in the darkness of this world he is a dispeller of gloom4 ,his life shines1 shedding its peaceful rays of light wherever he goes4 ,man's life1 when meeting the fullest purpose of ,god1 is used as a magnifying-glass through which others may look and see the beauties of divine perfections4 ,alas6 it is to be lamented that the life of many who profess to be followers of ,jesus is such that it blurs the perfections of ,god4 ,in concluding this chapter1 let me give you a few rules for daily living-- rules which1 if followed1 will make your life a conveyancer of light1 peace1 and holiness from ,god to the world4 ,live such a life that the pure and devoted will be pleased to have you come again4 ,live so near to ,god that every man that meets you is made a little better by having met you4 ,live such a life each day that the world can see in you the true way of life4 ,be such a light that others can see the way to walk4 ,,some ,,use ,,to ,,jesus4 ,o ,christ1 the way1 the truth1 the life1 ,keep me safe mid the raging strife2 ,help me a warrior brave to be ,and take the battle-field for thee4 ,i fear not the swift arrow's power ,since thou art my high1 strong-built tower2 ,the darts may have a bitter sting1 ,i shelter 'neath thy feathery wing4 ,before me the ,goliaths tall ,must quickly flee or headlong fall2 ,the foe is bruised beneath my feet2 ,in thee the victory is complete4 ,jesus1 to thee ,i give up all1 ,to live or die1 to stand or fall4 ,the sparrows have thy kindly care2 ,i'm more than they1 then need ,i fear8 ,i have a refuge from all harm ,within thy strong encircling arm2 ,thou keepest me by day and night1 ,and guidest my weak steps aright4 ,the hairs on my unworthy head ,are numbered all1 thy ,book has said4 ,gathered1 like the defenseless brood1 ,my soul is kept in quietude4 ,as kind and loving parents would ,give to their children all things good1 ,so from thy presence angels bring ,unto thy child each needful thing4 ,sometimes thou hidest thy sweet face2 ,the way is dark1 ,i can not trace4 ,thou doest best2 ,i'll not repine1 ,but say1 ,thy will be done1 not mine4 ,since them art good1 so good1 to me1 ,i beg to be some use to thee3 ,intensify thy love divine ,within my heart1 that ,i may shine ,a little brighter1 ,lord1 for thee1 ,that others thy great love may see4 ,oh1 crucified let all self be1 ,that thou mayst shine thy light through me4 ,i would not be so dazzling bright ,that all the world might see my light1 ,but in some quiet nook of thine1 ,an out-of-way place1 there ,i'd shine4 ',tis not for me to shine afar1 ,like blazing sun or brilliant star2 ,just help me at my door to be ,a little candle-light for thee4 ,,godly ,,living4 ,when some one is spoken of as living a worldly life1 it is meant that he lives in a worldly manner1 or in a manner like the world4 ,likewise1 when some one is spoken of as living a godly life1 it is meant that he lives in a godly manner1 or in a manner like ,god4 ,to many this is a hard saying1 but it is possible for man to live just such a life2 in fact1 it is the only right way of life4 ,a godly life is the only true life4 ,such a life is demanded by the ,scriptures4 ,we are to live soberly1 righteously1 and godly in this present world 7,tit4#b3ab74 ,god's dear children are told to be followers of him 7,eph4 #e3a74 ,in some translations this reads1 ,be ye imitators of ,god1 and in some others1 ,be ye mimickers of ,god4 ,from this we understand that to be a follower of ,god is to live or act in a manner like him4 ,again1 it is said of those who abide in ,christ1 that they should walk even as he walked4 ,our manner of life should be as was the life of ,jesus4 ,it is said of ,christ that when he was reviled1 he reviled not again4 ,although he was treated most shamefully by his enemies1 he did not seek to avenge himself4 ,when insulting remarks were made to him1 he gave no reply4 ,to live a godly life is to live in the same manner4 ,when ,christians are reviled1 they bless2 when they are persecuted1 they suffer meekly and patiently4 ,when ,jesus was being put to death by his enemies1 he prayed the ,father to forgive them4 ,when a man who had come to take ,jesus had his ear cut off1 ,jesus in his tender compassion healed this bitter persecutor's wound4 ,this is the true spirit of godliness4 ,the full standard of godliness is attained to only when the whole tenor of the life is in simplicity and godly sincerity4 ,the apostle ,paul said in testimony that his rejoicing was this3 the testimony of his conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity1 not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of ,god1 he had had his conduct in the world4 ,a godly life is wholly free from ostentation2 every act is done in purest simplicity and truest sincerity4 ,as ,god scrutinizes every act by his all-seeing eye1 he discovers no impure motive1 as vain-glory or lifting up of self2 for all is in godly sincerity4 ,the grace of godliness in the ,christian character is capable of cultivation and increase4 ,there is a law in both the material and spiritual that exercise is conducive to growth4 ,the ,spirit-filled apostle said1 ,exercise thyself unto godliness4 ,in the ,emphatic this reads1 ,train thyself for piety4 ,here is something for every soul that has any aspiration to be more godly in life4 ,train yourself for piety4 ,to become of deeper piety and more godly is the joy of the ,christian heart4 ,by training we become more pious4 ,the lawn-tender forms an espalier by intertwining the branches of the vine4 ,he keeps intertwining them as they grow1 and by such training forms a latticework made of shrubbery4 ,the soul intertwined with the meek and lowly life of ,jesus will form a character of deep piety and sincere godliness4 ,the daily life should be intertwined with the life of ,jesus4 ,let there be no reaching out for anything outside of him4 ,for a proper development of the ,christian graces there must be a constant training or intertwining of the soul with ,god4 ,this linking more tightly is the result of growth1 and growth is produced by exercise1 and exercise consists in reading the ,scriptures1 in prayer1 and in deep thought or heart-communion with ,god4 ,the athlete takes such exercises and eats such foods as will most properly develop and strengthen his muscles4 ,the soul that has any longings for more of ,god must exercise to have its yearnings gratified4 ,to be conscious of a growing up into ,christ1 to feel the soul intertwining more and more with the life of ,god1 is fulness of joy and perfect happiness4 ,christian reader1 is there an ardent flame of pure love in your heart8 ,do you walk with ,jesus in a devout1 trustful1 reverential spirit8 ,do you oftentimes find your mind contemplating the wonders of creation and the glories of salvation8 ,is your soul habituated to breathe in the atmosphere of heaven deeply8 ,is that holy awe filling you8 ,is that tender sensibility of spiritual things filling your heart8 ,is that fine1 keen edge upon your soul that gives such avidity for holy things8 ,is to become more godly a sincere desire of your heart8 ,then diligently perform all the duties that belong to a godly life4 ,some give great diligence for a time and make spiritual gain and then lose it all in a day of slackness4 ,but do not slack1 be constant1 be persevering1 be encouraged1 reach forth1 press forward1--and the prize of meekness1 peace1 and godliness will crown your life4 ,,something ,,to ,,do4 ,there is so much to do that every one is needed to help in doing it4 ,in this great1 busy world of life there is something for every one to do4 ,the command is1 ,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy might4 ,think over these words for a moment4 ,does not your heart feel that they imply great earnestness in life8 ,they mean a life of labor--a life of service4 ,do with your might implies putting your whole heart into your work4 ,do it in just such a manner as shows you expect to make a success of it4 ,god has a work for every one that comes into the world4 ,this world is going to be made a little better by your having come into it1 or it will be made worse4 ,which shall it be8 ,no one can do the work of another1 since every one is given all he can do4 ,it is true we are told to bear one another's burdens4 ,i am to help you bear your burdens2 that is a part of my work4 ,you are to help me4 ,we need the help of each other4 ,but ,i can not do what you ought to do2 for ,i have all ,i can do4 ,what you neglect to do will have to go undone4 ,if some one stops to do what you ought to do1 just as large a rent is made in his life's work as would have been made in yours1 but the reflection is on you4 ,a father who had five sons left them a certain work to do4 ,he gave to each his portion according to his ability4 ,upon his return he found that four of them had done their part and done it well1 but one had only partially done his4 ,consequently1 there was a neglected spot--a dropped stitch-- which constantly showed itself4 ,if we fail to do the work in life that ,god in his wisdom has assigned us1 there will be in the ,father's great plan a blank space1 a neglected part1 that will show through all eternity4 ,is your life or mine going to be the dropped stitch in the great web of human life8 ,down in our heart there is a ,no for an answer1 is there not8 ,let not the precious moments of your life flee away unimproved4 ,jesus is our example4 ,he went about doing good4 ,everywhere he went1 he left evidences that he had passed along that way4 ,o pilgrim on life's journey1 what are you leaving along the way to show in after-years that you have passed along8 ,is it flowers you are strewing8 ,is it sunshine to cheer and lighten the hearts of others8 ,sad indeed if there is none to say1 ,he did me good4 ,it matters not how small may be the part of his great work the ,father has assigned you1 do that little and do it well and do it with all the earnestness of your heart4 ,it is your part1 and you should do it with as much earnestness and interest as those who are engaged in the greater works do their parts4 ,if your part is not done well1 there will not be completeness in the divine plan4 ,a single stitch dropped shows a blemish in the garment4 ,in the sight of ,god the most menial task is as sacred as that of the highest order1 and when well done as greatly meets his approval4 ,that is a beautiful thought expressed by the ,mohammed ,bible4 ,it tells of ,gabriel's being sent to earth to do two things4 ,one was to keep ,king ,solomon from becoming so much engaged with the affairs of his kingdom as to neglect the hour of prayer4 ,the other was to give assistance to a little ant that was trying to bear its load of food up a hillside4 ,to ,gabriel the one duty was as important as the other because both came in the plan of ,god4 ,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy might4 ,think these words over again4 ,let them have the full force of meaning to your heart4 ,take as much interest in helping the little child get the tangle out of the string as in building a church edifice4 ,many are working1 but alas6 how few are doing their best6 ,so much time and labor are being wasted2 so many things are being done that had as well not be done4 ,god wants not only our service but our best service4 ,we are under obligation to do our best every day4 ,if we let a day pass by without doing what we could and in the best way we could1 our work is not perfectly done4 ,god pours his blessings out upon us1 but the blessing is not to end with itself4 ,remember these words3 ,freely ye have received1 freely give4 ,seek to be blessed of ,god1 that you may pass the blessing on to others4 ,leave some footprints here upon the sands of time1 so that in after-years they may guide some one to a noble deed and better way4 ,when you reach the end of life1 you can experience no greater consolation than to know you have done what you could4 ,improve the moments of time while you have them4 ,they are passing swiftly4 ,they will not wait for you4 ,some people are going to do1 but behold1 the opportunity passes before they are ready4 ,opportunities do not wait4 ,do good while you may4 ,you are going to give the flower tomorrow1 but tomorrow the flower may have faded4 ,you intended to speak a kind word yesterday1 but thought you would defer until another day4 ,but the strain was so great the life went out1 and your kind word came too late4 ,today is the day to save the lost4 ,tomorrow may be too late4 ,how sad that a soul through all eternity will be crying out1 ,you were going to help me1 but you came too late4 ,o ,god6 help us to be up and doing while it is called today4 ,what work you are going to do1 do it now as the poet urges in the following beautiful lines3 ,let's not be living in the past1 ,on what we have been doing1 ,nor building castles in the air ,and after them pursuing4 ',work in my vineyard1 go today'3 ,the ,master's time is narrow ,for yesterday we'll see no more-- ,we may not see tomorrow4 ,if for discouragements you look1 ,you certainly shall find them1 ,but they are not discouragements ,except to those who mind them4 ,the future for itself will care1 ,we'll not its trouble borrow2 ,sufficient evil is today1 ,then think not of the morrow4 ,let's cast our bread upon the flood1 ,in many days to gather1 ,but then at eve hold out the hand ,for present blessings rather4 ,we hide the seed deep in the ground ,and watch the closing furrow1 ,when1 lo6 the field's already white1 ,not waiting for the morrow4 ,the sower and the reaper both ,may now rejoice together1 ,for what they sow and gather in ,is fruit that lives forever4 ,the saint rejoices evermore1 ,e'en in the midst of sorrow2 ,he knows the weeping's but a night1 ,joy cometh on the morrow4 ,man was made to labor4 ,he is so constituted that he can not find true rest and enjoyment in idleness4 ,how much the ,bible says about good works6 ,we are created in ,christ ,jesus unto good works1 which ,god hath before ordained that we should walk in them4 ,jesus purifies unto himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works4 ,we are told by the scriptures to be careful to maintain good works to be not weary in well-doing1 and to do good unto all men4 ,time is given us to spend in usefulness1 not in idleness4 ,money lost may be regained1 but a moment never4 ,as ,christians we have the mind of ,jesus4 ,with such a mind we can not be contented unless we are doing the will of ,god and making the proper use of the moments he gives us4 ,mind is the same quality whether it be in ,jesus1 in angels1 or in men1 and it is governed by the same laws4 ,it is true that after man's transgression he was told that in the sweat of his face he should eat bread1 but this does not imply that the disposition to labor is a result of the fall4 ,the disposition to labor that we find in man's constitution is not the fruit of corruption in his nature1 but is a part of his original constitution4 ,we find this disposition in the mind of angels4 ,they are ministering spirits4 ,they are doing the will of ,god4 ,how often we read in the ,book that tells of heaven how angels have visited this transitory world of ours on errands of help1 mercy1 and consolation4 ,they have closed the mouths of lions1 opened prison doors1 stilled the waves1 whispered comforting words1 rolled away the stone1 and ministered strength and help to the needy4 ,man is not designed for prayer and praise only2 he is designed for service as well4 ,his mission is twofold3 he is to adore and praise his ,creator and to serve his fellow men4 ,some have symbolized the two functions of man's life by the ascending and descending of the angels on the ladder that ,jacob saw in his dream4 ,they ascended to ,god and descended to man4 ,life should be spent in praising ,god and in serving man for ,god's sake4 ,there is something to do4 ,there is much to do4 ,there is too much to do for us to idle away one moment of time4 ,a full and well-spent life is one which is spent in doing good out of pure love to ,god and man4 ,when we shall have come down to the end of life's journey1 how sweet it will be to know that we have done all we could to help other pilgrims make their journey in safety6 ,there is a reward for every generous act4 ,heaven is faithful and will repay4 ,what we do here will find an eternity of reward4 ,let not1 therefore1 one day pass you by without your doing something purposely for ,god4 ,,spiritual ,,dryness4 ,we often meet with those who complain of dryness and deadness in their worship4 ,they are very unlike the ,psalmist's picture of the blessed man4 ,he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water1 that bringeth forth his fruit in his season2 his leaf also shall not wither4 ,this is a true picture of the ,christian life4 ,the soul should be as a watered garden--fresh and green and sparkling4 ,it should be a springtime4 ,you have seen a garden in the spring or one that is well-watered4 ,all is beauty1 freshness1 and vigor4 ,such a garden is used by the prophet to symbolize the ,spirit-filled soul4 ,he says1 ,and the ,lord shall guide thee continually1 and satisfy thy soul in drought1 and make fat thy bones2 and thou shalt be like a watered garden1 and like a spring of water1 whose waters fail not4 ,isa4 #eh3aa4 ,in order to have such a happy experience1 however1 the children of ,god must meet certain conditions4 ,the context says1 ,if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry1 and satisfy the afflicted soul4 ,if our souls are not drawn out in pity for the hungry and we fail to do what we can to relieve them1 we need not expect anything other than a spiritual drought in our own cases4 ,spiritual dryness is sometimes the result of attachment to the world4 ,set your affections on things above1 and not on things on the earth4 ,unless we live by the ,bible1 we can not be spiritual4 ,a little affection for the things of earth robs the soul of spiritual life4 ,in this matter ,satan is an excellent reasoner4 ,he will suggest that your desires are only for the glory of ,god2 that you have no affection for the worldly object1 but desire it only for ,god's glory4 ,a young lady to whom ,i gave warning said that her desires were pure and that she had no affection for the object1 but sought only to please the ,lord4 ,very soon1 however1 she came to the realization that her soul was a desert place1 and all because she had believed the falsehood of ,satan4 ,beware how you desire earthly things for ,god's glory4 ,underneath may be a desire for self-gratification1 ease1 or luxury4 ,if you are troubled by a lack of sensible devotion in worship1 examine your affections4 ,possibly you may find some tiny roots twining around something of this world4 ,spiritual dryness may be the result of sloth4 ,slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep4 ,prov4 #ai3ae4 ,spiritual idleness soon results in spiritual dryness4 ,that sophism of ,satan's1 ,no time for prayer1 is very dangerous4 ,any neglect of spiritual devotion must result in lukewarmness4 ,oh1 how unreasonable is man and how easily the desires of the flesh deceive6 ,if you neglected to water your garden1 you would not wonder for a moment why it was drying up4 ,then1 when you are neglecting to water the soul in vigorous1 spiritual exercises1 why do you wonder at your being so spiritually dull8 ,awake1 thou that sleepest6 ,up and away to the hill of the ,lord4 ,be the frequent witness of a sunrise scene from the mount of prayer4 ,the ,san ,jose scale works imperceptibly at first4 ,oftentimes its presence will be detected only by the experienced4 ,its presence will perhaps be known first by the fruit4 ,if your spiritual fruit is not as beautiful1 well-flavored1 and fully developed as it should be1 look for the presence of sloth in the soul4 ,the poison of sloth will get into the soul little by little4 ,first there will be a momentary delay of spiritual duties4 ,satan is too wise to suggest an entire abandonment of them1 but he will suggest a little postponement4 ,one delay will soon be followed by another and then by another4 ,these delays are an opiate that dulls the spiritual senses1 and thus they will yield more readily to postponements and finally find pleasure in them4 ,let me make this still more simple1 for some may need it made very easy to understand4 ,when the soul is like a watered garden1 it will be drawn to ,god in prayer in the early morning4 ,any delay will cause uneasiness and restlessness4 ,the soul longs to hasten away to the presence of ,god4 ,but one little delay after another brings on a morbid condition4 ,the soul loses its keen relish2 its senses become deadened1 so that there is no uneasiness2 while the senses of the self-life will find pleasure in sloth4 ,when the soul once gets into the habit of idleness1 it experiences no little difficulty in getting out4 ,on becoming aware of his state1 the individual may acknowledge his inactivity and make half-formed resolves to be more earnest and diligent1 only very soon to relapse into the same former sluggishness4 ,this virus of sloth inoculates the entire spiritual being1 poisoning the will and making spiritual activity most disagreeable4 ,not only does it destroy the will of the soul1 but it blindfolds the eyes so that the individual can see no necessity for great fervency in spirit or for diligence in spiritual exercise4 ,in a half-dazed manner he acknowledges that the watchings often and fastings often and praying always of the apostle ,paul were very consistent in him1 but does not realize that such would be as desirable in his own ,christian profession4 ,he wonders why he is not healed as people were in the days of ,paul4 ,why wonder8 ,he does not wonder why the flowers wither when it does not rain4 ,it is the fervent1 earnest prayer that ,god hears4 ,nothing but the greatest diligence and determination and strong laying hold upon ,god will ever put spiritual sloth to death4 ,in this respect it is like the ,south ,american animal called the sloth4 ,though one species of the sloth is only the size of a cat1 and is extremely slow on the ground1 its highest rate of speed there being not more than ten feet an hour1 yet it is difficult to exterminate4 ,one reason why so many are slothful is that they do not realize the true worth of prayer4 ,oh1 ,i would to ,god that men rightly valued communion with ,god or a few thoughts of him6 ,the lifting of the heart to ,god in praise or adoration is of greater value than the wealth of worlds4 ,it is not enough to know much about the doctrine of the ,bible1 to be acquainted with this present reform1 and to live a fair outward life2 we must be filled with the ,spirit4 ,we must be like a tree planted by the rivers of water1 whose leaf does not wither4 ,take plenty of time to gain heaven4 ,take time to be spiritual4 ,a home in heaven is worth laboring for4 ,work out your salvation with fear and trembling4 ,spiritual dryness is the result of spiritual indolence4 ,be active1 and you will not be unfruitful4 ,,prayer4 ,a work of this nature would be inexcusable for not saying something about prayer1 for who can live life triumphantly without prayer8 ,who can properly estimate the true worth of prayer or rightly appreciate the privilege of prayer8 ,man esteems it a great honor to be admitted into the courts of the lords and kings of earth4 ,what an honor it is to have audience with the ,king of glory6 ,he extends the golden scepter to us1 and we come hopefully1 confidingly into his presence to tell him all that is in our hearts4 ,he loves us so4 ,we should not dare to come into the awful presence of the ,great ,king did we not know that he loves us with an everlasting love4 ,when we understand his love toward us1 we tell him with joy and eagerness every desire of the heart4 ,prayer is the energy and life of the soul4 ,it is the invincible armor which shields the devoted ,christian from the poisoned missiles shot forth from the batteries of hell4 ,it is the mighty weapon with which he fights life's battles unto victory4 ,he who lives in prayer reigns triumphant4 ,the dark storm-clouds are driven away1 mountains of discouragement are cast into the sea1 chasms of difficulties are bridged1 hope is given wings1 faith increases1 and joys abound4 ,hell may rage and threaten2 but he who is frequent and fervent in prayer experiences no alarm4 ,by prayer the windows of heaven are opened1 and showers of refreshing dew are rained upon the soul4 ,it is as a watered garden1 a fertile spot where blooms the unfading rose of ,sharon and the lily-of-the-valley2 where spread the undecaying1 unwithering branches of the tree of life4 ,by prayer the soul is nourished and strengthened by the divine life4 ,do you long for a brighter hope and deeper joy1 for a deeper sense of the divine fulness1 for a sweeter1 closer walk with ,god8 then live in prayer4 ,do you love to feel the holy flame of love burning in all its intensity in your soul8 then enkindle it often at the golden altar of prayer4 ,without prayer the soul will weaken1 famish1 and die1 the fountain of love dry up and become as a thirsty and parched desert4 ,do you admire the character ,jesus8 ,behold his lowliness and humility1 his gentleness and tender compassion4 ,have they any beauty and do you desire them to grace your soul8 then draw them down from the skies in all their glorious fulness by the fervent prayer of faith4 ,as through the process of assimilation food is transformed into an active1 living being1 so through the medium of prayer the character ,jesus1 in all its transcendent beauty and glory1 becomes the character of man4 ,if you desire victory during the day1 begin it with prayer--not a few hurried words1 not a few ejaculations1 but minutes of deep1 intimate communion with ,god4 ,linger at the altar of prayer until you feel particles of glory drop in richness into your soul1 scattering sweetness throughout4 ,in the early morning hours1 when the still1 balmy breath of nature plays around you1 let your soul fly away on the wings of prayer with its message of love and praise to its ,maker4 ,sweet morning is the time to pray3 ,how lovely and how sweet ,to send our early thoughts away ,up to the mercy-seat6 ,if you desire to be more deeply and sincerely pious1 pray4 ,if you desire heights in his love1 depths in his grace1 fulness in his joy1 and richness in his glory1 pray1 pray with all sincerity of heart and intensity of soul4 ,did you say you had no time for prayer8 ,what a pity6 ,your happiness and success in life depend upon prayer4 ,your eternal enjoyment depends upon it4 ,then1 oh1 what a pity that you have no time for prayer6 ,satan will tell you there is no need of so much praying4 ,he will give you indifferent feelings if he can1 and tell you that you can get along well enough without it4 ,he will do all he possibly can to prevent your praying4 ,if there is not much benefit derived from prayer1 why is he so concerned8 ,the ,bible commands are3 ,watch and pray1 ,pray always1 ,be instant in prayer1 ,pray without ceasing1 etc4 ,beloved saints1 ,i exhort you to a life of prayer4 ,i beseech you in ,jesus' name to go often into your closets and there in all earnestness of soul pray until the love of ,god and light of heaven fill your beings4 ,pray until a rapture from the skies sweeps over your soul1 making the place of prayer the dearest spot on earth to you4 ,,keep ,,the ,,roots ,,watered4 ,how often you admire a tree for the loveliness of its green foliage and the profusion of its luscious fruit4 ,you speak to your friend of the beauty of the tree and of the goodness of ,god in bestowing such a gift to men2 but perhaps you do not speak nor even think of the coarse1 unsightly roots hidden deep in the ground4 ,but that tree owes its beauty and its life to roots4 ,the foliage is bright and fresh and green because the roots are burrowing deep in a rich and well-watered soil4 ,the flavoring of the fruit is generated by the roots down in the dark and silent chamber of the earth4 ,perhaps there comes to your mind now some whose faces you always see lit up with a radiant glory4 ,you can not fail to admire them4 ,their words contain a secret power and seem to awaken in you all that is noble4 ,they seem to lift you into a higher life4 ,from their words1 their actions1 and their countenances flows an influence that causes you to forget the things of earth and makes you feel as if you had joined the society of angels4 ,such ones have a secret hidden root-life that generates this peculiar charm in their visible life4 ,down in a closet is a secret laboratory where the fragrance and beauty and glory that flow out of their lives are compounded4 ,there the roots of their inner life take hold upon the riches of heaven's grace and drink in of the waters that flow4 ,in their oft and silent communion with ,god they take root downward1 and then they go forth into life and bear fruit upward4 ,while others are talking with their friends about the things of earth1 they meet with ,god in the garden of graces1 where the sweet spices flow out and the frankincense and myrrh scent the air1 and there they become laden with a profusion of fruits and impregnated with a sweet odor1 which they bear out into the world4 ,they are like the tree planted by the rivers of water1 whose leaf does not wither4 ,o beloved pilgrim1 see that the roots of your inner being are well watered4 ,let them drink in the sparkling waters of life4 ,remember1 effectual work for ,god consists more in being than in doing4 ,do not go about in your labor with an empty basket4 ,it is only when you go out from deep and silent communion with ,god that your labor will be effectual4 ,never think that you have so much to do that you have not much time for prayer4 ,an hour's work done in the quiet1 secret power of the ,spirit is worth more than a day of your own efforts4 ,keep the roots watered4 ,,under ,,the ,,fig-,,tree4 ,in the beginning of his ministry ,christ called to ,philip to follow him4 ,upon being called ,philip went in search of ,nathanael to tell him that he 7,philip7 had found the ,christ4 ,nathanael was somewhat doubtful1 but at ,philip's invitation he went to see4 ,when ,jesus saw ,nathanael coming1 he said1 ,behold an ,israelite indeed1 in whom is no guile6 ,nathanael1 wondering how this man happened to know him1 asked1 ,whence knowest thou me8 ,jesus answered1 ,when thou wast under the fig-tree ,i saw thee4 ,john #a3dh4 ,it is evident that something had occurred with ,nathanael under the fig -tree outside the common details of every-day life4 ,if there had not something rather unusual or something higher than the common events of life occurred there1 the ,savior would not have mentioned this one particular place4 ,any other place would have done as well4 ,there was in this answer something that was highly significant to ,nathanael4 ,at this time there were many devout people looking for the consolation of ,israel4 ,they were looking for the coming of the ,king of the ,jews4 ,it is not difficult for me to believe that ,nathanael was under the fig-tree praying to ,god for the speedy coming of the ,messiah4 ,when ,jesus said to him1 ,when thou wast under the fig-tree1 ,i saw thee1 ,nathanael immediately replied1 ,thou art the ,king of ,israel4 ,he was doubtless under the tree in prayer to this end not once only1 but very probably for months and maybe for years4 ,he had been praying for this very thing4 ,he had selected one especial fig-tree as a place for prayer4 ,it was not ia_/i fig-tree1 but ithe_/i fig-tree4 ,there he had prayed long and often for ,israel's ,king to come4 ,so when ,jesus said1 ,when thou wast under the fig -tree1 ,i saw thee1 he knew at once that his oft-repeated prayers were answered1 and therefore said1 ,rabbi1 thou art the ,son of ,god2 thou art the ,king of ,israel4 ,many a devout one since that day has had his secret communion-place with ,god4 ,perhaps it was in the woods on a mossy knoll1 under an oak1 on a grassy spot on the bank of a stream1 or under a shade-tree that grew by the brook in the meadow4 ,to these places of solemn silence they would retreat when the shades of night were falling or when the light of the morning was streaking the sky1 and there from the fulness of their souls they would pour out their praise and thanksgiving to ,god4 ,these were the dearest places in the world to them4 ,it may be there are aged ones today who had such places in the earlier days of their lives4 ,though they are now far removed from those scenes1 these are still sacred in their memory4 ,there are those today who have their altars of prayer in some secluded place4 ,there they meet ,god and tell him all their sorrows and cares1 there they recount to him his loving kindness1 there they implore his grace to sustain them through all their trying scenes of life1 and there they worship at his feet4 ,bless his name6 ,beloved1 have you a fig-tree8 and are you often found under it8 ,have you a quiet nook somewhere which is hallowed by the presence of ,god8 ,the beloved disciple ,john1 when in the ,spirit1 saw golden vials in the hands of the worshipers of the ,lamb around the throne4 ,these golden vials1 he says1 were full of odors1 which are the prayers of the saints 7,rev4 #e3 #h74 ,are you1 dear reader1 every day filling golden vials around ,god's throne with the sweet odor of prayer8 ,again1 this disciple1 when the seventh seal was opened1 saw seven angels standing before ,god with seven trumpets4 ,then came another angel1 with a golden censer4 ,to him was given incense1 which he offered with the prayers of saints upon the golden altar1 and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of saints ascended before ,god4 7,see ,rev4 #h3c1 #d47 ,we have the privilege of mingling our prayers with the incense that is being offered before the throne4 ,the ,psalmist seemed to comprehend something of the nature of prayer when he said1 ,let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense1 and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice4 ,psa4 #ada3b4 ,the prayers that were offered by the devout ,cornelius were so fragrant before ,god that they were kept as a memorial of him4 ,a memorial is something kept in remembrance of any one4 ,if you want to be kept in remembrance before ,god1 see that your prayers are highly impregnated with a sweet odor4 ,you must pray or die4 ,no one can retain spiritual life any great length of time without prayer4 ,so we exhort you to a life of prayer4 ,,shut ,,the ,,door4 ,it is as impossible to live and prosper spiritually without prayer as it is to live and prosper physically without food4 ,those who enjoy a close walk with ,god and have power with him are those who pray4 ,natural abilities and intellectuality can never supply any lack in spirituality4 ,unless you are spiritual1 you are of but little use to ,god2 and to be spiritual1 you must live much in prayer4 ,it is not those who are on their knees the oftenest or the longest that do the most praying4 ,some may pray more real prayer in one hour than others in two or three hours4 ,too many people leave the door open4 ,prayer that feeds the soul must be offered with the door shut4 ,but thou1 when thou prayest1 enter into thy closet1 and when thou hast shut thy door1 pray to thy ,father which is in secret4 ,matt4 #f3f4 ,god is in secret4 ,he is hidden from the world4 ,the world does not see him1 neither knows him4 ,you can never reach ,god in your prayers unless you shut out the world4 ,shutting the door means something more than closing the door of your literal closet4 ,persons may enter the literal closet and close the door1 and yet have the world in their hearts and thoughts4 ,such have not closed the door in the true sense4 ,in the public assembly you must enter your closet when you pray1 and shut the door1 or your prayers avail not with ,god4 ,you must talk from your heart to the heart of ,god4 ,those assembled may hear your words1 but they do not know the secret4 ,the secret is between your heart and the heart of ,god4 ,you scarcely hear your words4 ,you know and hear more of the speaking of your heart4 ,there is a blessing in such praying2 there is a joy that can not be told4 ,such prayer feeds the soul upon the divine life and lifts us in realms of light and happiness4 ,thank ,god for the sweet privilege of secret intercourse with him4 ,o beloved1 when you pray1 enter into your closet1 and be sure to close the door4 ,,alone ,,with ,,god4 ,this life of ours will never be all that it should be unless we are much alone with ,god4 ,only those who are oft alone with him know the benefit that is derived therefrom4 ,you can not be like ,god unless you are much with him1 and you can not live like him unless you are like him4 ,the ,scriptures tell us that ,jesus departed into the mountain to be alone with the ,father and that he was often alone praying4 ,when ,jesus had anything of great importance to say to his disciples1 he always took them aside from the multitude4 ,when he was transfigured1 he took three of his disciples into a mountain apart from all the world4 ,when he was one time alone praying with his disciples1 he asked them who he was4 ,peter answered1 ,the ,christ of ,god 7,luke #i3ah74 ,it was only when he was alone with them and after prayer that he could bring them into such nearness to him that they might know in their hearts that he was the ,son of ,god4 ,when amid the active duties of life and when in contact with the world1 we can scarcely come into that sacred nearness to ,god that will enable us to feel in our hearts all that ,god is4 ,we may get slight glimpses of his glory1 we may occasionally get a dim view of some of his beauty1 we may feel a little warming of his love in our bosoms2 but only when alone with him are we awed into wonder at the sight of his glory and great beauty4 ,it is only then that we see him in his purity and feel the warm sunshine of his love4 ,it is only then that our hearts can be deeply impressed with the knowledge that he is ,god1 and in childlikeness we can look up to him and call him ,father4 ,,prayerful ,,remembrance4 ,at evening time when dark'ning shades draw nigh ,and flickering rays of light go chasing by1 ,when all around glad nature sweetly sings ,and seems you hear the sound of angel's wings1 ,some one in memory may be brought to thee4 ,maybe some one from distant land away1 ,of whom you had no thought for many a day4 ',tis passing strange2 you do not understand ,why such a one and from such distant land ,should step across the threshold of your mind1 ,why he to you at this time should be brought4 ',tis mystery when all else claims your thought2 ,you seek to understand1 but learn it not4 ,maybe this one has conflict great and sore1 ,is struggling long and hard 'gainst grim despair1 ,and ,god who rules the thought and mind of man ,has brought him this long way to you for prayer4 ,then do not drive these whisperings from your mind ,nor cast them carelessly upon the wind3 ',tis but the voice of ,god1 in tender care ,for suffering one on life's broad way somewhere1 ,inviting you to plead for him in prayer4 ,kind friend1 if at morning1 noon1 or night ,i come to thee on wings of memory1 ,it is no doubt because the fight is fierce2 ,then will you bow and pray to ,god for me8 ,,he ,,careth ,,for ,,thee4 ,life will never be successful unless we learn to let ,god care for us4 ,unless we have faith to know that ,god is our keeper and that hence we have nothing to fear1 we shall never be the cheer and sunlight in this dark world that ,god designed us to be4 ,this is a world of trouble4 ,sin envelops many souls in awful midnight gloom4 ,some may never find ,jesus unless they see him smiling in your face4 ,you as ,god's dear child are to be a light to those poor1 benighted souls4 ,to be such a light1 you must be full of light1 and to be full of light you must be full of hope by faith in the cheering and encouraging promises of ,god4 ,none can be truly happy1 none can be the cheer1 comfort1 and consolation to the world1 who are bearing their own burdens4 ,only those who have learned the sweet lesson of trust in ,god and know that he cares for them are truly happy and free and capable of cheering others4 ,he who this one short life would live ,as heaven has designed ,must scatter rays of cheering light ,from a heart with ,hope enshrined4 ,there are many priceless promises in the ,word of ,god4 ,there is a promise for every need1 condition1 and circumstance of life4 ,among these blessed promises1 here is one that has brought comfort to many a weary pilgrim on life's way3 ,casting all your care upon him2 for he careth for you4 #a ,pet4 #e3g4 ,if this promise does not lift you far above all the trials1 discouragements1 and weariness of life1 it is because you do not believe it nor understand the fulness of its meaning4 ,he careth for iyou_/i4 ,it is not your neighbor or your friend1 but it is you4 ,cares will come to you1 certainly2 you could never cast your cares upon ,god if you had none4 ,but you have them and doubtless many of them4 ,the difficulty with many is1 they do not cast them on ,god4 ,reader1 your life will never be1 it can not be1 that free1 happy1 radiant1 sunlit1 helpful life that pleases ,god1 if you bear your own cares4 ,there is nothing too trivial in life to take to ,god4 ,in the very smallest concerns of your daily life he has an interest4 ,in everything let your requests be known unto him4 ,do learn to take everything to him4 ,fret over nothing1 never worry for a moment4 ,let nothing disturb or disquiet you4 ,i say inothing_/i4 ,he careth for you4 ,do you comprehend the full meaning of these words8 ,think them over for a moment4 ,let go of yourself and let ,god keep you4 ,oh1 the freedom that belongs to the children of ,god6 ,theirs is a sweet land of liberty4 ,but alas6 how many will go on bearing their own burdens and weighted down with care with these words right before them3 ,he careth for you6 ,why not let him8 ,care is a grace-destroyer4 ,if you would be strong in the grace of ,god1 you must live free from care4 ,it gnaws at the very vitals of the soul4 ,a strong cable made of many fine wires was stretched across the river and was used to tow a heavy scow back and forth4 ,one of the small strands was broken4 ,this was thought to be a small matter4 ,soon another was broken and then another4 ,still this was not of much consequence4 ,one by one more were broken but unheeded because each was so small4 ,finally all were broken1 and the boat went adrift4 ,a little care does not seem to be of much consequence4 ,but the ,bible says to be careful for inothing_/i1 and to cast iall_/i your care upon him4 ,some have thought that the bearing of burdens and cares made us strong in the ,lord4 ,no1 it is the casting of them on ,jesus that makes us strong4 ,for a man to be down under a heavy weight is no exercise to his muscles2 but to be up on his feet and passing heavy weights on to another1 this is exercise4 ,to be down under burdens and cares is no exercise to the soul1 but is really death2 the passing of the cares on to ,jesus is the exercise and the strength of the spiritual powers4 ,if you only knew how much grace a little care destroyed1 you would quickly cast them on ,jesus4 ,some have come to find themselves entirely without grace because they did not cast their cares on the ,lord4 ,we knew a sister whose baby was such a care that she could not keep saved4 ,one day when asked how she was getting along in the ,lord1 she answered1 ,not well2 the baby is such a care and worry that ,i can not keep the victory ,i should like to have4 ,was it not too bad to lay such a blame upon a poor little innocent child8 ,i was asked one time if it was possible to reach an experience where we would never fret or worry4 ,certainly we can4 ,we shall never get to a place where we shall have no temptations1 but we can get to a place where we shall not yield to the temptations4 ,your life has not reached that degree of perfection that it should1 until you have attained to such an experience4 ,jesus says1 ,take no thought for the morrow4 ,when you are having any great anxieties about future things1 you are doing what ,jesus tells you not to do1 and you can not do something he tells you not to do without suffering spiritual loss4 ,oh6 why will you worry about anything1 when ,jesus says1 ,be anxious for nothing4 ,but1 you say1 when there is no meat in the larder and no flour in the bin1 can we then be not anxious8 ,there are those who have been in just such circumstances and yet have not been greatly troubled4 ,if you will be over-anxious about anything1 you can never live close to ,god4 ,when anxieties knock at the door of your heart for admittance and you open the door and let them in1 you are opening the door to a dangerous band of robbers4 ,they are robbers of grace and peace4 ,when anxieties step over the threshold of your heart's door1 grace and peace fly out of the window4 ,but what am ,i to do8 sighs a care-worn soul4 ,do just what a good man says he did4 ,he said that he opened his heart to ,jesus1 and he came in and shut the door4 ,let ,jesus keep the door of your heart4 ,when anxieties come and want into your heart1 tell them they must get permission from ,jesus1 because you have given your whole heart up to him4 ,this is what is meant by casting your care upon him4 ,it is not enough to kneel down and ask ,jesus to take them2 you must cast them upon him4 ,in this is the soul's needed exercise4 ,the soul that will do this shall be strong4 ,you must put the burden over on the ,lord's shoulders and let him bear it4 ,he will bear all your burdens for you if you will lay them upon him4 ,not only must you put them upon him1 but you must let go entirely4 ,you do not even need to look after them to see what he does with them4 ,your little child comes to you with a tangled cord4 ,it gives it over into your hands1 but holds to one end4 ,now1 you know that in order to get the tangle out1 you must have both ends4 ,o weary one1 ,jesus will disentangle all the cares of life1 but you must let him have both ends4 ,he does not want your help4 ,you hinder him if you attempt to help him4 ,cares will come2 things that are of a trying nature will assail us as long as we live2 but we have a refuge in ,jesus2 he will bear our burdens2 he will care for us4 ,,consider ,,the ,,lilies4 ,what a beautiful lesson ,jesus has taught us of rest and quietness from the lilies6 ,consider the lilies of the field1 he says1 how they grow3 they toil not1 neither do they spin4 ,he is trying to teach us how free we can be--free from all earthly cares and anxieties4 ,the lily does not struggle2 it has no anxieties about its future2 but it grows4 ,it grows to be beautiful4 ,even ,solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them4 ,god paints the flower with greater beauty than the robes of kings4 ,if you would be beautiful1 you must rest in the ,lord4 ,just a little struggling1 and you will mar the whole4 ,christ wants to reveal himself through you4 ,he will shine the beauty of his own glorious person into your soul if you will but be quiet4 ,have no anxieties about the things that pertain to this life1 and ,jesus will clothe you with the beauties of heaven4 ,character1 as the years pass on1 is revealed on the face4 ,the miser's face shows the miserly condition of his heart4 ,jesus will stamp his own image upon the soul if the soul is kept in quietness1 and this image will stand out in beauty on the face and outward life4 ,by this lesson of the lilies ,jesus did not mean to teach that we should not pray4 ,he once said1 ,men ought always to pray4 ,we must pray much4 ,if we do not pray1 ,satan will have us toiling and spinning4 ,keeping close to ,jesus with a strong faith and a firm trust is the only way to rest1 and we can not do this without much prayer4 ,cease thy toiling and care4 ,learn a lesson from the lilies4 ,rest in the ,lord1 and he will make you an object of ,christian beauty that will bless the world4 ,even after you are long gone1 that restful1 patient life will cast its rays of light and beauty back and chase away the shadows from the life of others4 ,the day has gone1 the twilight fades1 ,there's stillness everywhere2 ,i seek some place of solitude1 ,and humbly bow in prayer4 ,i tell the story of the day-- ,the joy1 the grief1 the care2 ,i keep not back one secret thing1 ,but tell it all in prayer4 ,o heart of mine1 be light and free1 ,not lightest burden bear1 ,in everything let thy requests ,be told to ,god in prayer4 ,yes1 all2 ,i tell it all to ,christ ,in evening twilight dim3 ,somehow my heart much lighter grows ,since all is told to him4 ,i lay my life at his dear feet-- ,o ,jesus1 ,i am thine6 ,i'll walk the way of life with thee2 ,thy will1 ,o ,christ1 is mine4 ,and now ,i lay me down to sleep ,while gathering shadows fall1 ,and sweet indeed my rest shall be1 ,since ,jesus knows it all4 ,,sorrowful ,,yet ,,always ,,rejoicing4 ,this world is sometimes called the vale of tears4 ,jesus said1 ,in the world ye shall have tribulation1 but he also said1 ,in me ye shall have peace4 ,the way to heaven is through tribulations4 ,those whom ,john saw standing before the throne and the ,lamb arrayed in white robes and with palms in their hands1 were one day where we now are1 and thank ,god1 we1 coming up through great tribulation1 shall some day be where they are4 ,while man in this world will meet with sorrow1 he can by the grace of ,god always rejoice4 ,alum thrown into muddy water will clarify it4 ,the grace of ,god thrown into a cup of sorrow will turn it to joy4 ,sorrows are needful4 ,it is only a barren waste where there is no rainfall4 ,we have sung1 ,no days are dark to me4 ,this can indeed be true1 but it is not to be taken in the sense that there will be no clouds nor rainfall4 ,show me a man who never has a cloud to float across his sky1 and ,i will show you a man who has not faith enough to see clearly in the sunlight4 ,it is those whose faith pierces through the cloud and keeps the smiling1 sunlit face of ,christ in view that have the truest1 sweetest joy4 ,their rejoicing is in the ,lord4 ,by bravery and force of will some may shut themselves against sorrow and soon become insensible to it4 ,but the heart that is steeled against sorrow is in all probability so calloused that it can not experience joy4 ,those who know the deepest sorrow may ofttimes know the fullest joy1 and that in the midst of their sorrow4 ,do not harden your heart against sorrow1 but look to ,jesus for that balm which heals1 that grace which sustains1 that comfort which gladdens4 ,some have thought that true joy consists in never having a sorrow2 that those who have sorrow have not found the way of peace4 ,in this they err4 ,those who never have a sorrow rejoice because they have no sorrows1 but some who have sorrow have learned to rejoice in the ,lord4 ,this is truest joy4 ,sorrowful1 said one who was crucified with ,christ1 yet always rejoicing4 ,he never once denied having sorrow2 nay1 he said1 ,i have great heaviness1 and continual sorrow in my heart4 ,but he also said1 ,i glory4 ,it was the deep sorrow that made him most like ,jesus4 ,he had feeling4 ,we sorrow1 he said1 but not as those who have no hope4 ,the world knows a sorrow that the ,christian does not know4 ,christians should be careful lest in hardening themselves against feeling they do not render themselves incapable of feeling compassion1 sympathy1 and pity4 ,let the tears flow4 ,if you keep them back1 the fountain will dry up4 ,may the ,lord pity those who have no tears6 ,jesus wept4 ,the apostle ,paul said1 ,out of much affliction and anguish of heart ,i wrote unto you with many tears4 ,oh1 that unfeeling heart that can not suffer1 that dry heart that has no fountain of tears6 ,it weeps not over the sorrows of others and consequently can not rejoice when others are joyful4 ,only those who weep can truly rejoice4 ,you rejoice because you and your family are in good health1 because your friends are smiling upon you1 because circumstances surrounding you are favorable1 because you have an abundance of good things to eat and of clothing to wear4 ,but your rejoicing is only in earthly things4 ,we are to be grateful for these things1 but they are only the sea-foam of joy2 the water lies beneath4 ,true joy is to rejoice not only iin_/i the ,lord but iwith_/i the ,lord4 ,rejoice in those things in which ,jesus and the angels rejoice4 ,when your goods are being wasted1 you find your deepest joy because ,god is being glorified4 ,if you can not weep with angels1 you can not rejoice with them4 ,see that aged pilgrim3 his has been a hard and stony way2 loved ones have gone one by one from his embrace2 riches have taken wings and flown away2 sorrows are multiplied2 trials are many2 burdens are heavy2 he is footsore1 sad1 and weary4 ,angels are bending over him weeping4 ,can you weep with him and them8 ,they comfort him4 ,the sadness of his heart begins to die away2 hope begins to dawn4 ,the dawning of the hope causes the angels to rejoice4 ,this is truest joy4 ,rejoice when souls are saved2 rejoice when hearts are gladdened2 rejoice when ,god is praised4 ,this is the true source of purest joy4 ,but it is only those who are capable of suffering deeply with the sufferings of others1 that can truly rejoice when their sufferings are turned away4 ,the more we are like ,jesus1 the more we have of his ,spirit1 the tenderer will be our hearts and the more deeply will our souls be moved by the sufferings of others4 ,when some dear friend has proved untrue2 when some loved one has gone astray2 when the death-angel has left a chair vacant at your hearth-stone and deep sorrow lies upon your soul1 then it is that you feel nearer to ,jesus4 ,you feel ripe for heaven4 ,the world has suddenly gone out1 and you have cast your eyes upward4 ,do not try to keep back the tears2 let them flow4 ,they are pearls in angels' sight4 ,it is the tears of the child that touches the heart of the parent1 and cites him to give comfort to the little one4 ,it is the tears of the ,christian that touches the great loving heart of ,god and moves him to give that solace which only ,heaven gives4 ,david said in a time of deepest sorrow--his son was seeking his life--,it may be the ,lord will look on my tears margin1 and that the ,lord will requite me good4 ,hezekiah was doomed to die4 ,the prophet told him to 'set his house in order1 for he should die1 and not live4' ,the dying man turned his face to the wall and prayed1 ,i beseech thee1 ,o ,lord1 remember now how ,i have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart1 and have done that which is good in thy sight2 and he wept with a great weeping margin4 ,this touched the heart of ,god1 and he said1 ,i have heard thy prayer1 ,i have seen thy tears3 behold1 ,i will heal thee4 ,if the heart of ,god's saints were a deeper fountain of tears1 more sick people would be healed in these days4 ,around are the sick and suffering1 but alas1 how few tears6 ,when saints have so deepened into ,god1 cultivated such a tenderness of heart1 and become so deeply compassionate1 that they will water their couch with their tears all the night at the sight of sick persons1 they will get answers to their prayers4 ,to such ,god will say1 ,behold1 ,i will heal him4 ,if tears will not reach ,god1 the case is hopeless4 ,esau sought for a place of repentance and sought it with tears1 but could not find it4 ,the mentioning of tears here implies that the addition of tears to earnest heart-seeking has influence with ,god4 ,jeremiah1 in his lamentations for fallen ,israel1 said1 ,oh1 that my head were waters1 and mine eyes a fountain of tears1 that ,i might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people6 ,he knew that if anything would avail with ,god1 it would be tears therefore he wished that his eyes were a fountain of tears1 so that ,god might be moved to save ,israel4 ,they that sow in tears shall reap in joy4 ,there can be no harvest from seed sown unless the seed is watered4 ,as you go out to sow seed in the ,master's field1 water them with your tears if you would have a joyful harvest4 ,may ,god save his people from unfeelingness of heart6 ,a soul with no tears is a soul with no flowers4 ,there is no verdure where there is no water4 ,those who are not deep enough in ,god to shed tears over a lost and ruined world are not deep enough to shed tears of joy over a soul's salvation4 ,out from the depth of his heart ,jesus cried1 ,o ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem6 how oft would ,i have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her brood under her wing1 but ye would not4 ,when did you shed tears over lost souls8 ,do you ever have a ,gethsemane8 ,is your pillow ever dampened by tears shed for a doomed world8 ,do you ever go out beneath the starry sky and with outstretched arms cry in the severe pains of travail1 ,o lost souls1 lost souls6 how oft would ,i have gathered thee to ,jesus1 as a hen gathers her brood under her wing1 but ye would not8 ,only those who have deep travail of soul for the lost can fully rejoice when the lost are found4 ,one of the apostles said he served the ,lord with many tears4 ,a heart from which flows no tears is not a heart that is wholly imbued by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,tears of compassion for the suffering1 tears of warning and entreaty for the lost1 tears of joy for the saved1 will flow through a perfectly holy heart as freely as water through a sieve4 ,sunlight perforates the block of ice from the center outward2 so the love of ,god perforates the heart to its depths and lets the tears of affection1 pity1 and sympathy flow out4 ,do not try to escape suffering4 ,do not shut your heart against sorrow4 ,it is the bruised flower that gives out the sweetest scent4 ,open thy heart to ,god and let him bruise it1 let sorrow flow in and break it1 that sweetness may flow out4 ,when the poet sang3 ,i no trouble and no sorrow ,see today1 nor will ,i borrow ,gloomy visions for the morrow1 he sang not of sorrow for souls lost in sin1 nor of needful heaviness through manifold temptations1 nor of sorrow awakened by the suffering of others1 but of that sorrow which arises from the world through distrust and separation from ,god4 ,there is a sorrow which comes through ,christ4 ,it is as the refiner's fire1 purifying the soul and binding it closer to ,god4 ,such sorrow detaches the heart from the world and from self1 and hides it in ,god4 ,it is impossible for the soul to approach any degree of nearness to ,christ only through sorrow and suffering4 ,in my own experience my heart once longed for deeper grace4 ,my whole soul breathed out1 ,o ,jesus6 give me more meekness4 ,for a few days a heavy cloud of sorrow lay upon me2 when it had passed away1 ,i had an answer to my prayer4 ,i would have you beware of that unfeeling state in which one has no sorrow1 and mistakingly attributes its absence to grace4 ,grace helps us bear sorrow1 but does not harden our hearts against it4 ,sorrow brings us to a throne of grace for grace and grace brings us joy1 so that we have joy in sorrow4 ,no other joy is so sweet as this4 ,it is the real and true joy of ,christ4 ,,gentleness4 ,fruit-bearing trees are used in the ,scriptures to represent the race of mankind4 ,the ,savior likens the wicked to corrupt trees1 which bear evil fruit and the righteous to good trees which bear good fruit 7,matt4 #g3ae1 #bj74 ,he also teaches very emphatically the impossibility of one's being a good tree and yet bearing evil fruit1 or of being a corrupt tree and bearing good fruit4 ,since the nature of the fruit we bear determines what manner of tree we are1 it is very advisable that we as professing ,christians should frequently examine the fruit we are bearing4 ,to be ,christ's1 or to be a ,christian1 we must have the ,spirit of ,christ2 for the ,scriptures say that if any man have not the ,spirit of ,christ1 he is none of his 7,rom4 #h3i74 ,as certainly as cause produces effect1 those who have the ,spirit of ,christ bear the fruit of the ,spirit4 ,not to bear the fruit of the ,spirit is full proof that you have not the ,spirit4 ,then a close examination of the fruit you are bearing will reveal to you whether or not you have the ,spirit of ,christ1 whether or not you are his1 whether or not you are a ,christian4 ,you can make a superficial examination1 and allow yourself to be deceived4 ,you can make excuses for yourself because of your weaknesses1 and thus deceive yourself4 ,but a close1 thorough1 profound examination will disclose to each one the manner of spirit he is of4 ,gentleness is one of the fruits of the ,spirit 7,gal4 #e3 #bb74 ,if we have the ,spirit of ,christ1 we bear this fruit4 ,well1 says one1 in my very make -up ,i am rough1 harsh1 and hasty4 ,you need to be made anew4 ,when ,god finds a man that is rough1 harsh1 and severe in his make-up1 ,he will1 if the man will yield to the operation of the ,holy ,spirit1 make him mild1 gentle1 and peaceful4 ,people go to a hospital and by a scientific operation have abscesses and tumors removed from the stomach and other internal parts4 ,god1 by a blessed1 wonderful1 and successful operation of the ,holy ,spirit1 will take that roughness1 harshness1 and severity out of your nature1 and instil mildness1 tenderness1 softness1 and gentleness instead4 ,harshness and roughness are a corruption that ,god1 in his gracious plan of salvation1 is pleased to remove4 ,if you will allow the ,holy ,spirit to work in you that which is pleasing in ,god's sight1 he will make you gentle4 ,what is gentleness8 ,it is blandness1 softness1 mildness1 and meekness4 ,it is the opposite of harshness1 roughness1 etc4 ,it is sweetness of disposition1 mildness of temper1 softness of manner1 kindness1 tenderness1 etc4 ,those who are of a gentle disposition act and speak without asperity4 ,they are not morose1 sour1 crabbed1 and uneven1 but are smooth1 mild1 and even4 ,good manners are intimately connected with gentleness1 and good manners are no dishonor to ,christianity4 ,the apostle ,paul by way of testimony said to the ,thessalonian saints1 ,we were gentle among you1 even as a nurse cherisheth her children4 #a ,thess4 #b3g ,such was his manner4 ,as a kind mother is to a delicate child1 so was he to those whom he loved4 ,vastly different was he then from what he was when he was persecuting and wasting the church of ,god4 ,he had been changed by grace4 ,he exhorts servants of the ,lord to be gentle unto all men 7#b ,tim4 #b3 #bd7 and to be gentle1 showing all meekness unto all men 7,tit4 #c3b74 ,david1 in his sublime tribute of praise to ,god in #b ,sam4 #bb3 #cf says1 ,thy gentleness hath made me great4 ,would you1 my reader1 like to be more gentle in your manner8 ,are you too harsh and rough8 ,are you1 if a parent1 as gentle to your children as you should be1 at all times8 ,husband1 are you as kind and gentle toward your wife as you should be8 ,do you believe you fill the ,bible measure in this particular8 ,are you as gentle to your domestic animals as you should be8 or do you have impatient feelings and act in a hasty1 abrupt manner towards them8 ,if you meet with something quite provoking from your wife or the children or the animals1 do you keep as mild and sweet as you know you should8 ,now1 ,i hope you will examine closely4 ,i do not mean to condemn you2 ,i want to help you4 ,there are many professing saints today who are not nearly so gentle as they should be4 ,why not be in earnest1 and seek ,god for help1 and make improvement8 ,why go along with crossness1 and coldness and snappishness in your life8 ,be gentle toward all4 ,gentleness is a beauteous grace4 ,her excellence is great4 ,by culture this grace is capable of much improvement4 ,too few saints experience it to the extent they should4 ,i beseech you by the gentleness of ,jesus to be in earnest and improve upon your gentleness4 ,never allow a frown or a scowl to settle for a moment upon your brow4 ,it will leave its mark if you do so4 ,learn to be gentle in your home4 ,sometimes when far away from home1 you picture to yourself how gentle and kind and loving you should be at home4 ,by ,god's grace you can be just as gentle as you see in the picture you should4 ,,tenderness4 ,in order for life to be what it should1 it must flow from a heart full of tenderness4 ,this is that quality of soul which enables us to give kind attention to others1 to be willing and eager to do good1 to exercise great carefulness to give no offense1 and to be soft and gentle in every expression4 ,like all other good qualities1 this is found in perfection in the character of ,god4 ,the ,lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy4 ,because of his pity he never lays upon his trusting child a greater burden than he can bear1 and in his tender mercy he always gives to each trial a happy ending4 ,it will be helpful to study for a few minutes the principle of tenderness as an attribute in the nature of ,god4 ,like as a father pitieth his children1 so the ,lord pitieth them that fear him4 ,it is the father who sees his little child in deep pain that knows what pity is4 ,it is that feeling which makes the father desirous of bearing all the pain4 ,it was the pity or compassion of ,god for the lost in sin that caused him to give his only ,son to suffer and die for them4 ,when ,god saw the wretchedness of men1 he had such a feeling in his heart that he could find relief in no way but in providing the only means of their rescue4 ,oh1 think of this6 ,the child of ,god never has a pain or a sorrow but that ,god has a feeling of pity4 ,the knowledge that some one has pity for us and fellowships our suffering goes far toward alleviating our pains4 ,recently while ,i was in deep soul-suffering1 ,i received a letter containing these words3 ,we suffer in spirit with you4 ,this was a great relief4 ,if in a time of trial we could know how ,god was suffering with us1 it would be a great consolation4 ,again1 we read1 ,as one whom his mother comforteth so will ,i comfort you2 and ye shall be comforted in ,jerusalem4 ,who is it that knows not the comfort of a mother8 ,when we hear of a young man's meeting with a sad accident away from home1 we have great pity2 but when we learn of his mother's having gone to him1 we feel better4 ,ah1 the comfort of a mother is surpassed only by the comfort of ,jesus4 ,if ,mother were only here6 says the troubled daughter4 ,nothing else so fittingly represents the nature of the comfort that ,god gives as the comfort of a mother4 ,o child of ,god1 you will never have a sorrow nor a pain but that the tenderness of ,god will cause him to come and comfort you4 ,let us lift up our hearts and praise him for his mercy and comforting love4 ,a mother may forget to comfort her child1 but ,god will never forget4 ,the tenderness of ,god is revealed in these touching words3 ,how often would ,i have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings4 ,the imagery is homely1 but oh6 so impressively sublime4 ,i can not do better than to use here the words of another4 ,was ever imagery so homely invested with such grace and such sublimity as this at our ,lord's touch8 ,and yet how exquisite the figure itself of protection1 rest1 warmth1 and all manner of conscious well-being in those poor1 defenseless1 dependent1 little creatures1 as they creep under and feel themselves overshadowed by the capacious and kindly wing of the mother bird4 ,if wandering beyond hearing of her peculiar call1 they are overtaken by a storm or attacked by an enemy1 what can they do but in the one case droop and die1 and in the other submit to be torn to pieces8 ,but if they can reach in time their place of safety under the mother's wing1 in vain will any enemy try to drag them thence4 ,for rising into strength1 kindling into fury1 and forgetting herself entirely in her young1 she will let the last drop of her blood be shed out and perish in defense of her precious charge1 rather than yield them to an enemy's talons4 ,how significant all this of what ,jesus is and does for his helpless child6 ,under his great wing he tenderly1 lovingly gathers his little ones and there they are secure4 ,he is a safe retreat4 ,from the song of ,moses we learn still more of ,god's tender care4 ,as an eagle stirreth up her nest1 fluttereth over her young1 spreadeth abroad her wings1 taketh them1 beareth them on her wings3 so the ,lord alone did lead him1 and there was no strange god with him4 ,this metaphor beautifully expresses the care and the tenderness of ,god toward his children4 ,the eagle is noted for her great attachment to her young4 ,her care is extraordinary4 ,when the little eaglets have attained age and strength to leave the nest and learn to fly1 the mother bird bears them up1 when weary1 on the top of her wing4 ,these all express to our hearts the wonderful tenderness of ,god to his children4 ,but there is nothing in the material world that forms a full and perfect analogy for the things in the spiritual world4 ,these are too high4 ,if we do not have the tenderness of ,god in our hearts1 our life comes short of being a full and true life4 ,the ,bible tells us to be kind one to another1 tender-hearted4 ,there is no true holiness of life without tenderness4 ,as we get deeper into ,god1 we become more tender of heart4 ,there are some things that will prevent this tender-heartedness4 ,just a little feeling of resentment1 a little desire for retaliation1 or a secret wish for something to befall those who have done us an injury will callous the heart and harden the affections4 ,when we have been slighted by some one or misjudged1 oh1 how ,satan strives to get us to thinking much about this1 and to work a hurt feeling into our heart4 ,even to think about the meanness of others will bring a harshness and coldness into the inner life4 ,that which we condemn in others will1 if we think and talk much about it1 creep into our own hearts4 ,you say you are saved and sanctified4 ,thank ,god for such a blessed experience2 but you have much yet to gain4 ,you have not yet attained to the full depth of anything4 ,there is yet a tenderness of heart you can reach only through many and varied experiences4 ,there is tenderness of voice1 tenderness of manner1 tenderness of feeling1 tenderness of thought1 you will attain to only through much and deep communion with ,god4 ,it is those intimate and familiar talks with ,jesus that fashion us into his glorious image4 ,a brother minister related to me a few mornings ago his experience of the night before4 ,he lay awake1 he said1 for a long time and had a sweet talk with the ,lord4 ,so intimate was the communion that1 turning over to go to sleep1 he said1 half unthinkingly1 ,good night1 as if parting from a dear friend4 ,such close union with ,jesus gives us clearer visions of his character and stamps his beauty upon our souls4 ,have you not seen those who are harsh1 rough1 and unfeeling in their speech and manner4 ,no one wants to be like them4 ,we are glad to get away from them4 ,they measure a person by their standard1 and if he is not what they think he should be1 they speak about him in an unloving and unfeeling manner4 ,we feel that something coarse and flinty needs to be taken out of their nature4 ,we do not say they are not sanctified1 but they are too bitter and severe4 ,they need to be bathed in the love of ,god2 they need to be immersed in the sea of his gentleness4 ,we have seen1 on the other hand1 those who were so feeling1 so quiet1 tender1 and gentle1 that their presence was like the breath of a sweet spring morning4 ,there was a tenderness in their eye1 a softness in their voice1 a pathos in their feeling1 that cast over your soul a sense of delight4 ,there is much for us to gain4 ,but we can gain it only at the end of the bayonet4 ,if we would win1 we must fight4 ,there is no victory without battle4 ,one brother1 after gaining a decisive victory1 said1 ,the devil is dead4 ,he was so victorious and free that he thought the devil must be dead4 ,in a short time1 however1 the brother learned his mistake4 ,the prince of the power of the air still lives1 and we still have our humanity4 ,if we are not prayerful and watchful1 we become disposed to contend for our way2 to feel a little bitter if we are trampled upon4 ,jesus tells us to resist not evil4 ,we are not only to not resist evil outwardly1 but to have no resisting feeling in our hearts4 ,if we would have holiness of life1 we must have tenderness of spirit4 ,if you desire your life to be like the oasis in the desert1 where the weary traveler is refreshed1 be tender of heart1 be compassionate1 bear every trial with patience1 endure all suffering without a murmur1 commune much with ,god1 and he will bring you out into that tenderness of soul that will make your life1 everywhere you go1 like the atmosphere of heaven4 ,,the ,,christian ,,walk4 ,life is termed a walk in the ,scriptures4 ,where they say that we ought to walk as ,jesus walked1 they have reference to our manner of life4 ,the way in which a ,christian walks is called the way of life4 ,it is called the way of life because it leads to a land of life--a place where death never enters1 where all is life1 and life forevermore4 ,the ,christian walks in the way that leads to that land of life4 ,there is also a place of death1 and the way there is called the way of death4 ,the way along which the ,christian walks is a narrow way4 ,strait is the gate1 and narrow is the way1 that leadeth unto life4 ,but we need have no fear2 for although it is narrow1 it is not dark4 ,thy word is a lamp unto my feet1 and a light unto my path4 ,i would rather walk in a narrow way in full light than in a broad way in the dark4 ,the ,word of ,god lights up the ,christian's pathway4 ,how beautifully the electric lights light up the walks in the city park6 ,there is no danger of stumbling4 ,the ,bible is a light along the way of life1 and it lights the way beautifully4 ,not one step need be taken in the dark4 ,there is light for every step of the way4 ,sometimes the ,christian may think he has reached a dark place2 but if he will open his ,bible1 he will find a light to lighten that very spot4 ,,the ,,christian ,,is ,,to ,,walk ,,circumspectly4 ,see then that ye walk circumspectly4 ,eph4 #e3ae4 ,to walk circumspectly is to walk cautiously2 to look where one is stepping2 to be vigilant1 watchful1 diligent1 attentive4 ,be our pathway ever so light1 if we do not look where we are stepping1 we may stumble4 ,conybeare and ,howson render the above text in these words3 ,see then that ye walk without stumbling4 ,we are to walk not as foolish people but as wise4 ,we would say that the man acts foolishly who does not look at all in the way he is walking4 ,those who are wise in business walk carefully2 they look where they are going2 they take advantage of every opportunity to make their business a success4 ,in our ,christian walk we are to seize upon every opportunity to make progress4 ,there is no time in this short life for ease4 ,carelessness and indolence are dangerous and destructive to spirituality4 ,an indolent man will never accomplish much for ,god nor be of any great benefit to his fellow men4 ,but oh1 how easy to become careless6 ,many begin the ,christian walk in carefulness and diligence1 but soon give place to carelessness and neglect4 ,how prone people are to lose interest in anything when the new has worn away6 ,they take great interest in the new preacher1 but they will become so familiar with him and so accustomed to him that they will lose interest4 ,they have never heard any one preach so well as the new preacher1 and what he says has such weight and authority2 but behold1 after the new has worn away1 he can not preach any better than any other they have no more regard for his words than they have for the words of others4 ,there is an old adage which says1 ,a new broom sweeps clean4 ,the boy is eager to cut wood with the new ax4 ,a child will carefully write like the copy for the first few lines2 but the farther down the page1 the greater the carelessness4 ,the young lady takes great interest in the music lessons at first2 she wants to practise all the time2 but it soon gets old1 and then it is hard to keep up an interest4 ,the husband is very loving1 kind1 and attentive to his wife for a while2 but alas6 in a little while she becomes old to him1 and then he lets her shift for herself4 ,this need not and should not be2 but it seems to be the nature of man4 ,in the ,christian life there is a strong tendency to let things run down4 ,some persons hear a sermon and they are awakened1 but they are soon lulled to sleep again4 ,perhaps the example of some one has shown them that they do not pray enough1 and they resolve to pray more1 but they soon drift into the same careless way4 ,maybe they see that they do not read enough and improve themselves1 and they are greatly stirred to do better1 but alas6 how soon they allow that resolution to weaken and become as negligent as ever4 ,nothing but the greatest diligence and unyielding determination will save us from getting weary in welldoing4 ,keep up a strong faith4 ,hold your mansion in the skies well in view and let nothing hinder you in your journey home4 ,there are professed ,christians who1 ,i am sorry to say1 never take a good look at their mansion in heaven1 and it is to be feared that many who are really ,god's children do not view their home above as often and distinctly as they should4 ,they see more of temporal things than of eternal things4 ,it is by faith that we see eternal things1 but if we have too keen a vision for temporal things1 it dims our spiritual vision4 ,if you knew you had a fine home in an adjoining ,state1 and you had never seen it1 you would want some one who had seen it to give you a description of it4 ,perhaps you would want a photograph of it4 ,you would take a look at the picture often1 and would learn all about it you could1 and would think of the time when you could go and live there4 ,now1 ,jesus tells you that he has prepared a mansion for you in heaven4 ,he does not tell you much about it1 but you know full well that a mansion that ,jesus prepares is perfect and complete4 ,why not think much about this mansion8 why not view it often by faith8 why not learn all about it you can8 ,getting too much engaged with the things of this life is the reason why4 ,to walk circumspectly is to see that every step bears us heavenward1 to have our faces set toward ,god1 to have our eternal home in view1 and to be journeying that way4 ,we are not to be sauntering along1 but to be industriously living for ,god and heaven4 ,how often have you decided that you would be more prayerful1 would read more1 would love ,god more1 and the souls of men1 would do more for the cause of ,god6 ,how often you have decided to walk more worthily of ,god1 to be more patient1 to live a higher life1 to be slower to speak1 to cultivate a spirit of love and kindness1 to be more like ,jesus6 ,you started out well and with great diligence1 but alas6 ere long you became weary in well-doing2 you became less vigilant2 you did not walk so carefully and were less attentive to your way4 ,one day a circumstance occurred that caused a brother to see that he was not as attentive to others as he should be and let many opportunities of helping others in little things go by unimproved4 ,he decided that he would be more watchful1 and thus be more helpful2 but1 as he said1 he soon became as negligent as ever4 ,time after time he resolved and as often became negligent4 ,do not be discouraged4 ,a little more determination1 a little more faith in ,god for help1 and you will triumph4 ,,the ,,christian',s ,,walk ,a ,,walk ,,with ,,god4 ,he hath showed thee1 ,o man1 what is good2 and what doth the ,lord require of thee1 but to do justly1 and to love mercy1 and to walk humbly with thy ,god4 ,micah #f3h4 ,the life of ,enoch is descriptive of the ,christian's life1 and it is said that he walked with ,god4 ,hand in hand with ,god1 heart in heart1 and life in life1 is the true ,christian way4 ,in order to walk thus with ,god1 we must be in agreement with him2 for two can not walk together heart in heart unless they be in agreement4 ,to be agreed with ,god implies submission to the divine will4 ,it is to go where he leads4 ,he leadeth me is the sentiment of the ,christian heart4 ,he may sometimes lead in a laborious path2 nevertheless we go4 ,he may lead in a way that brings suffering and self-denial2 he may take our loved ones from us2 he may call somebody dear to us to a foreign field1 or he may call us4 ,if we would walk with him1 we must not draw back1 but say1 ,lord1 thy will be done4 ,i will go with thee all the way4 ,such a walk may lead over some thorny paths and through some waters and fiery trials1 but it pleases ,god and ends in heaven1 ,so onward let us go4 ,,the ,,latest ,,improved4 ,as we walk along the streets of villages and cities1 we see machines of different kinds exposed to view and bearing a card with these words3 ,the ,latest ,improved4 ,for our life to be perfect every day1 it must be our latest improved4 ,the world is getting worse1 we say1 but you and ,i as ,christians can daily grow better4 ,our life today can be an improvement over our life of yesterday4 ,the ,christian life is a real life1 and is as capable of development as any life4 ,the same law that develops us physically is necessary to our development spiritually4 ,day after day we can be built up into stronger spiritual beings4 ,we can become more like ,god1 possessing a firmer ,christian character and having an integrity that will not swerve for a life nor a world from the path of virtue4 ,constant progress is constant peace and happiness4 ,it is the triumphant life4 ,dear reader1 ,i am going to ask you to lay aside for a few minutes the busy cares of life and come and have a talk with me about spiritual and heavenly things4 ,now1 if you feel that you scarcely have the time1 and can not fully dismiss the temporal concerns of life from your mind1 then ,i will excuse you4 ,i do not care to speak with you unless you can give me your undivided attention4 ,i desire to help you if you need help4 ,i want to talk to you about your every-day life1 and ,i do want your calm1 serious attention4 ,surely by ,god's help we can spend a few minutes to some profit4 ,some people hesitate to look closely into their life1 lest they find such a delinquency as will disquiet them4 ,some fear to give a close examination1 lest it give ,satan an opportunity to accuse them4 ,this need not be4 ,we can look closely into our daily life and not allow ,satan to whisper one word to us4 ,we can not make improvement upon our life without close examination in order to discover weakness and imperfections4 ,when we discover them1 we must set earnestly to work to correct them4 ,the discovery alone is not sufficient4 ,if we do not correct a fault that we have discovered1 we soon lose consciousness of the fault4 ,there are times with every one1 no doubt1 when it seems that they are making no progress1 but these may be the times when we are making most progress4 ,if we have just one fault1 we ought to desire to get rid of it4 ,our desire should be so great that we shall set about at once to correct that fault4 ,now1 if we say1 ,oh1 it is such a little thing1 then we shall not get free from it1 and that little thing may become a greater thing4 ,to be too quick to speak is a fault4 ,the ,bible says1 ,be slow to speak4 ,if we have the fault of speaking too quickly1 we should correct that4 ,we can if we will4 ,the ,bible tells ,christians to watch and pray4 ,christians do not need to watch and pray lest they rob a bank4 ,they would not rob a bank if they never prayed4 ,but we do need to watch arid pray lest we do some little thing that we should not do4 ,i will relate to you the experience of a dear brother who desired to live for ,god1 but who neglected to watch and pray as he should4 ,an evil thought was presented to his mind4 ,not seeing the evil of it1 he indulged the thought1 and found pleasure in the indulgence4 ,after a few minutes he felt the reproving of the ,spirit of ,god and so dismissed the thought4 ,later it came again4 ,it was so pleasing that he indulged it a little longer than before4 ,again the ,spirit reproved him4 ,in a few evenings the thought came again4 ,it was only a little sensual thought1 a little imaginary indulgence of the flesh4 ,but it came again and again4 ,it was indulged a little longer and a little longer4 ,eventually it worked a fleshly lust into his heart1 and after two or three years he was led into actual commission of a sinful deed4 ,it was an apparently innocent thought in the beginning1 but it ended in sin committed4 ,there are little yieldings to lightness1 impatience1 aircastle building1 exaggerations1 frettings1 murmurings1 idleness1 etc41 that prey upon the soul and rob it of peace and the sweet consciousness of ,god's presence4 ,but there is progress in the divine life for every one of us if we will only give attention to our life as we pass along4 ,the first thing is to have a deep interest in making spiritual gain1 and then to be full of faith and encouragement4 ,jesus will help you to make some gains each day if you will press your way through the crowd and touch him4 ,it is the earnest prayer of faith that gets us through to ,god and makes us feel like giants in his strength4 ,if you would be strengthened in your soul1 you must exercise4 ,this is the law of development in the spiritual as well as in the animal life4 ,exercise thyself unto godliness4 ,this is a motto we should hang upon the walls of our memory4 ,its meaning is that increase in godliness is attained only by exercise4 ,i shall have much now to say about your doing1 but bear in mind that the doing is to be not in your strength1 but in ,god's strength4 ,here are two mottos to keep in remembrance3 ,without ,him ,i can do nothing2 ,i can do all things through ,christ1 who strengtheneth me4 ,by the help of the ,lord we are going to tell you how to be strong in him4 ,god wants you to be a ,david4 ,go out in his strength and meet the ,goliaths4 ,they must fall before you4 ,i shall not tell you so much you do not know as ,i shall endeavor to get you to practise what you know4 ,how many times have you resolved to do and have failed to keep your resolution8 ,your failure was not because you could not1 but because you did not4 ,to make a success in any business enterprise1 one must give it constant and daily attention4 ,likewise1 if you make a success in the ,christian life1 you must give it constant and daily attention4 ,you must make it not only ia_/i business but ithe first_/i business of your life4 ,but some make this complaint3 ,it takes so much time4 ,it will take some time1 that is true1 and if you do not think you have time1 then you had better not begin4 ,what would you think of a man who contemplated engaging in some business1 but said he did not have much time to devote to it8 ,you would advise him not to engage in the business at all4 ,it takes time to make advancement in the ,christian life4 ,one brother said1 ,but we must attend to our temporal duties4 ,my reply was1 ,shall we not attend to our spiritual duties8 ,when people talk of having to attend to temporal duties1 it appears that they are going to do this if they have to neglect spiritual duties4 ,unless we have a better enlightenment than this1 we shall never make progress in the ,christian life4 ,we have no excuse for not being strong in the ,lord4 ,watch ye1 stand fast in the faith1 quit you like men1 be strong4 ,of course1 you need the help of ,god1 but ,god helps those who help themselves4 ,he will not by some irresistible power convey you to your closet and put you on your knees1 but he will give you strength to go if you will use what he gives you4 ,i will now give you1 not learned theology1 but plain1 simple instruction how to make daily advancement in the divine life and to be strong in ,god4 ,dearly beloved1 ,i beseech you as strangers and pilgrims1 abstain from fleshly lusts1 which war against the soul4 ,i ,pet4 #b3aa4 ,any indulgence of the flesh weakens the spiritual powers4 ,the question might arise1 ,what are fleshly lusts8 ,we are here in the flesh4 ,the flesh has not only its desires but its needs4 ,to indulge the flesh in its needs is not fleshly lust1 but to indulge it in any thing beyond its actual needs is fleshly lusts4 ,in other words1 any intemperance is lust of the flesh4 ,temperance is a fruit of the ,spirit4 ,we are to add temperance to our knowledge4 ,the more knowledge we get of the divine character1 the more clearly we can discriminate between fleshly lusts and temperance4 ,i keep my body under1 and bring it into subjection1 says the apostle ,paul4 ,he spoke these words when talking about running to obtain an incorruptible crown4 ,he calls our attention to how people run to obtain a corruptible crown1 and every man4 he says1 that striveth for the mastery iis temperate in all things_/i4 ,if men must be temperate in all things in order to obtain a corruptible crown1 how much more temperate must we be in order to obtain an incorruptible crown8 ,if the soul does not keep the body under1 the body will keep the soul under4 ,but this keeping under does not consist in many prayers1 in long vigils1 and fasts1 in severe chastenings of the body1 in dwelling in a cloister or being a hermit4 ,do not make this sad mistake4 ,his yoke is easy and his burden is light1 yet the ,christian life is one of self-denial4 ,but his love in our hearts makes it a delight4 ,we are not to keep our bodies under by prolonged fasts and beatings1 but to keep in control the self-seeking that is natural to the self-life of man4 ,the pure in heart have organs of sense1 are capable of feeling the impressions made by external objects4 ,it is natural for the individual life of the sanctified to seek ease and comfort4 ,this is not the nature of the divine life in the soul1 but is the nature of the self-life of man4 ,adam and ,eve had this self-life in the purity of their creation2 they had organs of sense4 ,it was to these that ,satan made his appeals2 to the feelings in their self-life1 not to the feelings in the divine life of their soul4 ,the will of sense--for such it might be called--overpowered that higher will of the soul1 and they yielded to the will of sense as aroused by temptation4 ,we who are pure in heart have this same will of sense4 ,it is this will of sense that must be kept under4 or in control to the will of ,god4 ,not my will that is1 that lower will of my self -life4 said ,jesus1 but thy will1 be done4 ,i will make this plainer as we go on4 ,i feel like making it as plain and simple as ,i can1 even if doing so does require time1 because here lies the secret of success in the ,christian life4 ,those who look upon the instructions herein as trifling will do so to their own spiritual injury4 ,it is natural for us to avoid hardship and suffering4 ,this is not wrong of itself2 it is wrong only when it conflicts with the will of ,god4 ,it is not wrong for you to avoid burning at the stake unless it be ,god's will that you should thus end your life4 ,if ,god wills you to burn at the stake you must not seek to avoid the ordeal4 ,if we do not watch carefully and live close to ,god and keep our body under1 the will of sense will grow strong and cause us to avoid hardships even when ,god wills us to undergo them4 ,be careful that you do not mistake the impulse of sense for the divine will4 ,one may say he does not believe it to be ,god's will that he undergo this suffering when it may be only his own humanity4 ,out of human sympathy we may try to dissuade our brother from doing the will of ,god4 ,at ,caesarea certain brethren tried1 out of mere sympathy1 to persuade ,paul not to go to ,jerusalem1 where1 it was prophesied1 he should be bound and delivered to the ,gentiles4 ,seeing that he would not be persuaded1 they gave place to that higher will1 and said1 ,the will of the ,lord be done4 ,this is not confined to the greater affairs of life1 such as burning at the stake1 but includes the little affairs of every-day life4 ,how easy it is for man to conclude it is the will of ,god for him to do a certain thing when perhaps it is only the will of sense6 ,remember1 ,god's ways are not as our ways4 ,it seems to be a most reasonable thing to the minister that he should go home to his family4 ,how easy it is for him to believe it is ,god's will that he should go6 ,at least1 it has been so many times with the writer4 ,he has too often obeyed the human desire and disobeyed ,god4 ,such disobedience1 if such it may be called1 is not sin1 since the will of ,god is not known1 but it is being led by the impulse of sense and is detrimental to spirituality4 ,god would have us look more earnestly to him in order to know his will and not yield so readily to mere human desires4 ,to enjoy nearness to ,god we must not be influenced by any will of sense4 ,the impulse of sense is so deceptive that1 if we are not very watchful and fully surrendered to ,god with an intense desire to know and do his will1 it will prevent our understanding his will to us4 ,it may not be difficult to convince you that it is ,god's will that your brother should go as a missionary to some foreign field1 but very difficult to convince you that it is ,god's will for you to go1 when perhaps it is just as reasonable every way that you should go4 ,it may be the will of sense to remain1 that prevents your knowing ,god's will4 ,here is a truth ,i wish you to think upon3 ,we can not see the folly of any passion clearly when we are strongly tempted by that passion4 ,a sanctified man may eat too much sometimes2 he may be intemperate sometimes in the sexual relation2 and yet the ,word of ,god says1 ,whether ye eat or drink1 or whatsoever ye do1 do all to the glory of ,god4 ,let me say1 however1 that those who enjoy deep union and communion with ,god are careful to be temperate in their entire manner of life4 ,as we have stated before1 the pure in heart have organs of sense4 ,these organs can be impressed by external objects4 ,these impressions may properly be termed feelings4 ,a man filled with the ,holy ,spirit may1 when being praised by some unwise person1 be tempted to pride2 in other words1 he feels a sense of pride4 ,this feeling is in the self-life of the man4 ,a sanctified man is tempted to impatience4 ,he feels a sense of impatience1 not carnal1 but as an impulse of sense in the self-life4 ,when some one does something contrary to your pleasure or wishes1 you may have feelings of displeasure or impatience4 ,the patience of a mother is sometimes tried by the conduct of a child4 ,the trying of patience is simply feelings of impatience in the self-life4 ,but in her patience she is to possess her soul4 ,these feelings of impatience are to be resisted in the strength of the ,lord4 ,resist them with a prayer4 ,i have now brought you to the place where ,i am ready to tell you how to grow in grace1 how to increase1 how to make progress in the divine life1 which is all that is meant by the expressions1 getting closer to ,god1 becoming more like ,christ1 etc4 ,remember this3 'feelings are strengthened by being indulged4 ,you are tempted to pride1 to lightness1 to impatience2 you have feelings of pride1 lightness1 impatience1 for this is what temptations are4 ,these feelings should be immediately and indignantly resisted4 ,get after them in earnest4 ,the very exercise of resisting is what will develop and strengthen the spiritual powers2 but if the feelings are indulged1 they will grow stronger and the spiritual powers grow weaker4 ,if you value your spiritual prosperity1 you will be very quick to resist every temptation4 ,sometimes people allow a tried1 mean1 impatient feeling to settle down upon them for hours4 ,they do not feel pleasant1 neither do they look pleasant4 ,such feelings leave their trace behind4 ,they are a dangerous foe4 ,loathe them1 despise them4 ,go to the ,lord in earnest prayer and pray until joy springs up in the soul1 a smile beams on the face1 and the bad feelings are made to fly away like a startled bird4 ,some say1 ,we can not prevent bad feelings and thoughts from attacking us4 ,they use the words of ,luther--,we can not prevent birds flying over our heads1 but can prevent them from building nests in our hair4 ,it is no sin nor source of discouragement to be attacked by bad feelings and bad thoughts4 ,but bear in mind that we can frighten the birds that are flying over and thus make them fly quickly1 and that after being frightened a few times they will fly far around or very high over4 ,so with bad feelings and thoughts3 if earnestly and indignantly resisted1 they will fly away quickly1 and their assaults will grow weaker and weaker4 ,it is ,god's will that we eat1 drink1 and sleep2 but to be intemperate in these is to destroy spiritual life4 ,we should be guided by a sense of the divine will1 and not by a sense of human desire4 ,to yield to the lower will of sense is to be soon abandoned to self and destitute of grace4 ,i have been asked whether it is possible for us to attain such a degree of perfection that we should never speak a harsh1 impatient word or a light word1 or be the least intemperate in any way4 ,my answer is that by much prayer1 by close watching1 and earnest resisting1 the will of sense can be so weakened and the soul become so habituated to act under a sense of the divine will that foolish or impatient words1 impulsive actions1 or any intemperance will be very few and far between4 ,this is being strong in the grace of ,god4 ,again1 ,i have been asked1 ,can we reach a place where we shall be no more tempted8 ,yes2 if you are earnest and faithful1 you will reach it when you arrive in that land where flesh and blood can not enter4 ,there you will no more be tempted4 ,but as long as you are here in the flesh1 you will be tempted4 ,in the very nature of things you need to be4 ,your spiritual powers would weaken if they had nothing to resist4 ,let me here acquaint you with a device of ,satan4 ,all these attacks upon the will of sense are made by the devil4 ,he will use some external object to try you4 ,he may withhold temptation for a long time in order that you may become careless and cease to watch and pray1 and thus in a measure lose your power of resistance4 ,then he will come in with a slight attack1 so slight you will not detect it in your weakened state4 ,if it be an attack to impatience1 you will speak a little hastily1 but will scarcely perceive it and will think it of little consequence4 ,but his attacks will grow stronger2 your words will grow more hasty2 there will be frettings and worryings2 and you will be so stupid that you will not be aware of your backsliding4 ,do not cease your watching and praying even if you have no temptations4 ,alas1 how many have gone down under this cunning device of ,satan6 ,this is a scheme he plays well4 ,when the ,christian first starts out on his pilgrimage1 he is watchful and prayerful4 ,an attack of ,satan startles him1 and he becomes earnest in his resistance4 ,if he speaks impatiently or lightly1 he flees at once to ,god for grace1 and thus he grows in grace4 ,but if he becomes strong and his soul forms the habit of acting in holiness1 he feels strong and ceases his close watching and praying and resisting4 ,then he slowly but surely retrogrades4 ,unless he is in some way awakened1 he will backslide4 ,but the question arises1 ,how can we keep up resistance in order to be strong1 if ,satan ceases to tempt4 ,have sham battles4 ,in time of peace soldiers are constantly drilling so that they may be prepared when they come to battle4 ,pugilists go through much training in preparation for the actual contest4 ,so we are to watch constantly4 ,keep the soul in a defensive attitude4 ,this is what ,i mean by sham battles4 ,bearing in mind that you may be attacked at any time1 keep the soul in a defensive attitude2 keep up the shield of faith4 ,the very exercise of holding up the shield and keeping the soul in watchings makes it strong for the battle4 ,if you do not exercise your soul in earnest prayer each morning1 ,satan will likely catch you that day unprepared4 ,for the perfecting of the soul in the habit of holiness1 you must exercise yourself in inward acts of resistance4 ,keep an intense hatred of sin and the devil2 get where you enjoy a contest with ,satan2 glory in tribulation2 rejoice when you are persecuted2 count it joy when you are tried and tempted4 ,soldiers get so they love the battle1 pugilists enjoy the contest1 and we should be where we love trials4 ,we hate them1 therefore we love to conquer them2 they afford us means for development1 therefore we welcome them2 they deepen us into ,god and make us more like ,christ1 therefore we hail them with joy4 ,we hate them themselves1 but in our intense love for ,god and the privilege of exercising ourselves in his strength we count all our trials joy4 ,we rejoice in the midst of temptation because we have the opportunity of displaying the strength of our ,god4 ,but do not make the mistake of thinking that you are so strong in ,god that the little evil thought1 or the feeling of pride or impatience1 or the little act of intemperance1 is of no consequence4 ,it is these little things that sap away the spiritual strength4 ,get after the very least of them and put them to death4 ,give them no place4 ,if one single word of lightness or of impatience escapes your lips1 go in earnest prayer1 asking ,god to make you a conqueror4 ,seek to have your life wholly free from imperfections1 and you will daily advance in the divine life4 ,life is full of peace and pleasure ,when we're saved by grace2 ,sweetest joys overflow the measure ,when we're saved by grace2 ,gifts from heaven fall in show'rs1 ,cheering dark and lonely hours1 ,by our pathway bloom sweet flow'rs1 ,when we're saved by grace4 ,e'en in sorrow there are blessings ,when we're saved by grace2 ,chastening rods are fond carressings ,when we're saved by grace2 ,storm-clouds far away are driven1 ,life flows on so sweet and even1 ,round us beams the light of heaven1 ,when we're saved by grace4 ,all around is wondrous beauty ,when we're saved by grace2 ,there is joy in every duty ,when we're saved by grace2 ,hope is ever sweetly singing1 ,peace-bells in our souls are ringing1 ,guardian angels round us winging1 ,when we're saved by grace4 ,we must every day be growing ,when we're saved by grace2 ,progress in divine life making1 ,when we're saved by grace2 ,upward1 upward1 nearer heaven1 ,life more peaceful and more even1 ,fuller light upon us beaming1 ,when we're growing in grace4 ,you will1 ,i hope1 pardon the writer if he repeats too much4 ,repetition is sometimes needed that a truth may be enforced4 ,sometimes line upon line is needful4 ,what1 in its true sense1 is a holy life8 ,it is the life of ,jesus4 ,his whole manner of life was truly holy4 ,his life is the ideal life4 ,if we would live holy1 we must live as he lived4 ,the artist has his ideal before him1 and with touches of the brush here and there upon his canvas he forms an exact image of the ideal4 ,the life of ,jesus is what we are to imitate4 ,he sets the example of holy living and calls us to the same holy life4 ,as he which hath called you is holy1 so be ye holy in all manner of conversation4 ,i ,pet4 #a3ae4 ,this text has a better rendering in the ,revised ,version3 ,like as he which called you is holy1 be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living4 ,as ,christians we are ,god's offspring1 and as such are like him4 ,holiness in the life of ,jesus is found not only in the great miracles that he performed1 but also in the lesser happenings of his life4 ,the restoring of life to the dead is no more beautifully holy than the laying of his hands upon the heads of children and blessing them4 ,his memorable ,sermon on the ,mount no more portrays the loveliness of his character than does his conversation with the woman by the wayside well4 ,it is the little things in every-day life1 if attended to and kept in the meekness and the solemnity of the ,spirit of ,christ1 that make life truly beautiful and holy4 ,it is not the eloquent sermon that makes a life so sublime1 but it is the tender smile1 the kind word1 the gentle look1 given to all2 it is the patient manner in which all the little trying and provoking things of life are met4 ,you may preach or write ever so forcibly and eloquently1 and bring out the sublime truths of the ,bible in great beauty2 but if in the privacy of your own home there are little frettings1 a little peevishness1 a little crossness1 a little levity1 a little selfishness1 a little distrust1 your life is not as truly holy as it should be4 ,if you desire ,god's holy image to be stamped upon your soul1 your countenance1 and your life1 you must carefully avoid the little sprigs of lightness1 the little bits of sloth and indolence1 touches of forwardness1 rudeness1 selfishness1 etc4 ,pure words belong to a holy life4 ,you should use the very choicest words1 language that is free from vulgarity1 slang1 and the spirit of the world4 ,untidiness1 uncleanness1 carelessness1 and shabbiness are not at all beautiful ornaments in a holy life4 ,but quietness1 modesty1 and reticence are gems that sparkle in a holy life like diamonds set in a band of gold4 ,give attention to your words1 your thoughts1 your tone of voice1 your feelings2 to little acts of benevolence1 the practise of self-denial1 of promptness1 of method and order4 ,these are auxilaries of holy living4 ,are there not many little things in your home life that you can improve upon8 ,seek ,god for help and be truly holy4 ,,lukewarmness4 ,a lukewarm life is a displeasure to ,god2 he would have us to be fervent in spirit4 ,god is pleased with us when we are lively stones1 but not when we are formal and lukewarm4 ,a lukewarm state is a dangerous state4 ,one very dangerous thing about it is that usually when a person is lukewarm he is unaware that he is lukewarm4 ,if a man is sick and does not know that he is sick1 he is in great danger of his life1 because he is not at all likely to take the proper care of himself4 ,so the man who is cold and formal but thinks he is spiritual and full of love is not at all likely to do anything for the improvement of his spiritual condition4 ,he is very much like the ,irishman's turtle4 ,i hesitate to relate anything so amusing1 but it so well illustrates the state of the lukewarm professor that ,i think ,i am justifiable4 ,some ,irishmen had caught a large turtle and cut off his head4 ,then they waited for him to die1 but the turtle scrambled about for some hours4 ,desiring an explanation of such a phenomenon1 they accosted an ,irishman who was passing by4 ,after watching the turtle for a moment1 he remarked1 ,he is dead1 but he doesn't know it4 ,this is the condition of the lukewarm professors4 ,they are spiritually dead1 but are not aware of it4 ,the professors of ,christianity at ,laodicea were lukewarm1 but they thought themselves rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing4 ,diseases of the human body are attended with certain feelings and symptoms by which the physician can tell the nature of the affection in a particular case4 ,the diseases of the human soul are also attended with certain symptoms by which the nature of the malady in a given case may be known4 ,i will now tell you of a few of the symptoms of lukewarmness1 so you may know whether such is your state4 ,first4 ,a kind of doubtful or uncertain feeling as to whether you are right with ,god1 together with an unwillingness to examine yourself closely for fear you are wanting4 ,being filled with the ,spirit gives us fulness of assurance4 ,second4 ,if when you testify to being saved1 sanctified1 and ready for the coming of ,jesus1 your heart fails to say amen and you wish down in your soul you had a little better assurance that what your lips say were true1 you are not as spiritual as you should be4 ,when we are filled with the ,spirit1 our souls are assured and satisfied4 ,third4 ,going along day after day in the same routine of life1 taking it for granted that you are at the work the ,lord wants you to do1 and not earnestly seeking to iknow_/i his will4 ,those who are spiritual can not be contented without a definite knowledge of the will of ,god4 ,if you are going along without any real and positive knowledge of the will of ,god and are not seeking to know it1 surely you are lukewarm4 ,fourth4 ,if when your routine of life is in some way interrupted1 you are dissatisfied and complain2 if you do not enjoy being moved out of your old channel1 but you wish to be let alone1 it is evident that you have chosen your own way and that ,god is not ordering your steps4 ,fifth4 ,if when you are called to the assistance of a neighbor or the sick or even an enemy1 you find a reluctancy to go and an often returning of your own mind to your own concerns and a desire to hurry back to them1 you are1 it appears1 looking upon your own things1 and not on the things of others4 ,the ,bible tells us to look upon the things of others4 ,if you see your own needs1 and see and care but little about the things of others1 you are selfish4 ,those who are spiritual have time to help others and do it willingly4 ,sixth4 ,if when called upon to go to the assistance of some unfortunate one and you can not possibly go1 if you do not have a deep heart-regret and if you do not ofttimes during the day think of the poor unfortunate man and be pained at heart because of your inability to help him1 you must be more concerned about yourself than about others4 ,you look on your own things and do not see nor feel the needs of others4 ,if such is true in you1 you are in a lukewarm state4 ,seventh4 ,if you were to be asked whether you are doing the work you are now doing1 solely and purposely for the glory of ,god1 and you should be obliged to answer that you had taken no particular thought about it1 but supposed it mattered little to the ,lord1 just so you were doing something1 this would surely show neglect1 indifference1 lukewarmness4 ,eighth4 ,if you are indifferent and unconcerned about making spiritual progress2 if you are not desiring and earnestly seeking for more of ,god2 if you are not earnestly striving to be more meek and humble1 to be more kind and patient2 if you are carelessly tolerating acts of selfishness1 of impatience1 unkindness1 harshness1 and lightness1 you are certainly lukewarm4 ,ninth4 ,neglect to read the ,bible and to pray in secret2 greater fervency in public prayer than in secret prayer2 more outward manifestation than real inward piety2 testifying or preaching beyond the true standard of living--these too are evidences of lukewarmness4 ,a man may become enthusiastic in prayer1 testimony1 or sermon1 and think he is making great advancement2 but if he does not live up to every word he speaks1 he is losing instead of gaining1 because he is not walking in light4 ,lukewarmness is very loathsome to ,god4 ,it reproaches him4 ,to make no profession of love to ,god at all is not such a reproach to him as to profess love and be lukewarm4 ,god wants all your heart4 ,if he can not have it all1 he will have none4 ,he desires warm1 fervent love4 ,to love him only partially1 and not supremely1 makes it appear as if he were worthy of only half-hearted love4 ,it makes other things equal with ,god4 ,after the physician learns the symptoms and pronounces the disease1 he then prescribes the remedy4 ,thank ,god1 there is an unfailing remedy for lukewarmness4 ,of course1 an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure4 ,repent and do the first works4 ,come to ,god and buy of him gold tried in the fire4 ,exercise yourself in spiritual things if there yet be any love in your heart4 ,shake off everything that is stupefying4 ,press your way through to ,god in spite of dryness and deadness4 ,stir up your soul4 ,give yourself to deep meditation upon the great love of ,god to you4 ,pray in fervency and faith4 ,consecrate to the whole will of ,god4 ,if your case is not hopeless--and it is not--this will effect a cure4 ,,steadfastness4 ,therefore1 my beloved brethren1 be ye steadfast1 unmovable1 always abounding in the work of the ,lord4 #a ,cor4 #ae3eh4 ,steadfastness is an essential principle in ,christian character4 ,there can be no success nor prosperity in the ,christian life when this principle is wanting4 ,the ,psalmist said1 ,my heart is fixed1 trusting in the ,lord4 ,this is true steadfastness4 ,it is cleaving to ,god1 let the storms rage as they may4 ,it is resting and abiding in ,jesus though the trials of life may be the severest possible4 ,it is a firm1 fixed1 settled decision to abide in doctrines of the ,bible4 ,it is to rest confidingly upon the teaching and promises of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,just as a man lies confidently down to rest upon his bed1 so a ,christian1 in his steadfastness1 rests confidingly1 rests without fear1 upon the never-changing ,word of ,god4 ,through ,jesus ,christ1 ,christians are made partakers of the divine nature4 ,they receive the imprint of divine character in their souls4 ,among the different principles in the character of ,god is found steadfastness4 ,when ,god delivered ,daniel from the lions1 ,darius the king said1 ,i make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the ,god of ,daniel3 for he is the living ,god1 and steadfast forever4 ,dan4 #f3bf4 ,just as ,christian fortitude is noble1 manly1 and pleasing to ,god1 so a lack of steadfastness is ignoble1 unmanly1 and highly displeasing to ,god4 ,some 7it may be many7 are led by their feelings4 ,we1 as the children of ,god1 are to be led by the ,spirit of ,god2 but not all fully understand what is meant by being led by the ,spirit4 ,i would rather be led by a sense of duty than by my feelings4 ,i do not understand that in order to be led by the ,spirit we need always to have a strong inward impression or almost audible voice speaking to us4 ,the ,spirit of ,god has illuminated the ,word and enlightened your mind to know what is your ,christian duty2 hence when you go forward and discharge your duties faithfully1 you are truly being led by the ,spirit4 ,you know it to be your duty to help the poor1 to support the weak1 to comfort the sorrowful1 to attend religious services1 to witness for ,jesus1 to study the ,scriptures1 to pray1 and diligently to follow every good work4 ,you may sometimes feel a strong impression to pray1 but you do not need to have this feeling always in order to be duty -bound to pray4 ,it is your duty to pray1 to give of your means1 etc41 oftentimes just as much when you do not feel impressed to do so as when you have strong inward impressions4 ,you do not need to wait for such impressions before you act1 for a knowledge of your duty makes you responsible4 ,a man can have no true steadfastness who is influenced by his emotions or impressions4 ,the man who is steadfast1 unmovable in the ,word1 goes forward to a discharge of his known duties1 no matter what his feelings may be4 ,whatever may be his impressions to do a certain thing1 if it is not consistent with the ,word and the ,spirit and his knowledge of right1 he persistently refuses to obey4 ,how the true principle of steadfastness abides in the will of ,god and the doctrines of ,christ is demonstrated in the teachings of ,barnabas to the church at ,antioch4 ,there was some contention in the church over circumcision1 and heavy persecutions from without1 and many were being moved from the true faith4 ,barnabas exhorted that with purpose of heart they cleave to the ,lord4 ,steadfastness is a firm1 fixed purpose of the heart to cleave unto ,god1 to attend strictly and promptly to every ,christian duty4 ,it is a decided1 unchangeable1 unshaken purpose of the heart to obey implicitly the teachings of the ,savior1 regardless of the feelings4 ,you will find that1 if you attend to every ,christian duty1 you will often have to go contrary to your feelings4 ,how often the enemy of your soul will1 if he can1 cast indifferent feelings over you concerning prayer4 ,that is the time to show your ,christian fortitude and steadfastness4 ,it is weakness and laziness to neglect prayer simply because we do not feel inclined to pray4 ,to yield to indifferent feelings is to encourage them1 and they will grow stronger and stronger1 so that we shall feel less and less inclined to pray4 ,the more we pray1 the more prayerful we feel2 likewise1 the less we pray1 the less prayerful we feel4 ,when we have yielded to indifferent feelings for sometime and have sadly neglected prayer1 we have a hard struggle to get through to the glorious light and victory and sweetness4 ,but you must get out where the blessings fall2 you must get where you have sweet tastes of love and the satisfying blessings of the presence of ,god4 ,you must be courageous1 manly1 and decided4 ,the way to enjoy serving ,god and doing our full ,christian duty is always to do our duty and especially at those times when doing it seems to be the least enjoyable4 ,steadfastly resist ,satan and every indifferent feeling1 and do your duty at any cost4 ,remember1 it is not he that feels to do good and doeth it not1 but he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not1 to him it is sin1 ,,how ,,to ,,understand ,,god',s ,,will4 ,in order to do ,god's will we must first know his will4 ,in order to have real satisfaction1 rest1 and contentment in the ,christian life--and there is no true rest outside the ,christian life--we must have the full assurance that we are doing the will of ,god4 ,the soul that loves ,god can not be satisfied with anything less than this4 ,as long as there is a doubt1 there can not be perfect contentment4 ,we must have a perfect knowledge of ,god's will concerning us1 or else we shall not fully know we are doing his will4 ,many are saying1 ,i would gladly do ,god's will if ,i only knew what was his will4 ,such ones have not reached that nearness to ,god that they should4 ,there should always be a clear and definite understanding between ,god and his children4 ,my sheep1 ,jesus says1 hear my voice2 and we know that ,god hears the voice of his children4 ,we can talk to ,god and ,god to us2 consequently1 there can be understanding between us4 ,you can live close enough to ,god to know his will--not merely to suppose his will or take it for granted1 but to know it because he told you4 ,a man's employees may suppose they are doing what he wants them to do1 but this does not give them full assurance4 ,it is only when they have been in his presence and heard him express his will that they know they are doing it4 ,you can know ,god's will4 ,you need not spend one day without knowing you are in his order4 ,the ,scripture says1 ,wherefore be ye not unwise1 but understanding what the will of the ,lord is4 ,eph4 #e3 #ag4 ,in the verses preceding this one we are told to walk circumspectly and to redeem the time4 ,we need to know ,god's will that we may use every opportunity to the greatest advantage4 ,to pass along day after day without a definite knowledge of being in the will of ,god or without taking much thought about it or earnestly seeking to know it1 is living on entirely too low a spiritual plane4 ,god wants you to come up higher--high enough and close enough to know his will4 ,has not ,god purchased you8 ,you are his servant1 his bondslave4 ,you are to do everything you do for him4 ,he who has men in his employ expects them to do his will4 ,they do not go out a single day ignorant of his will4 ,they do not always wait to be told what to do1 but they make inquiry4 ,with many there may not be enough earnest seeking after ,god to know his will4 ,in order to know ,god's will there must be a perfect consecration to ,god4 ,the soul must lay down her own will and present herself before ,god as much as to say1 ,i give up my way and will forever to be thine and thine alone2 to love thee and serve thee2 to do thy whole will now and forever4 ,there must be humility before ,god2 a deep inner consciousness of your nothingness and your inability to accomplish anything in life of yourself4 ,the meek he will guide in judgment4 ,we must be meek and humble before the ,lord and confess that we are dependent on him and that life will be an utter failure unless he wills and guides and plans and works in us and with us and for us4 ,there must be great love to ,god and an earnest desire to know his will4 ,without strong desire to know ,god's will you can never learn it4 ,it is those who desire that obtain answers to their prayers2 and that desire must be really great4 ,you must seek to know4 ,where there is great desire1 there will be earnest seeking2 but there will not be earnest seeking without the fervent desire4 ,the desire must be so intense that you feel as if you must know4 ,you must feel that you can not get along in life without knowing ,god's will4 ,you can not be of any service to him without having knowledge of his will4 ,you must also have faith4 ,when you ask ,god to teach you his will1 you must believe he will do it1 and he will do it4 ,when he begins to unfold his will1 you must move in his order without doubting or questioning4 ,he will guide you and direct your every step1 and you can know that you are doing the very thing ,god wants you to do4 ,bless his name6 ,such a life is heaven here4 ,a ,,view ,,of ,,jesus4 ,let us take a look at ,jesus4 ,let us pray that the ,holy ,spirit may unveil him and present him to us clearly4 ,now we see him4 ,we see him as our all and as in all4 ,can you see him thus8 ,is he everything to you8 and is he in everything that comes to you8 ,let us take a view of ,jesus through two texts of ,scripture4 ,first1 ,and hath put all things under his feet4 ,eph4 #a3bb4 ,we see him as our protector4 ,christ has conquered all1 and ,god has put all things under his ,son's feet4 ,in all the world there is no evil thing that can harm the child of ,god4 ,jesus cares for his children4 ,how safe we feel6 ,he is our refuge1 our strong tower1 our buckler1 and our shield4 ,discouragements1 doubts1 fears1 disease1 ,satan1 and all that would antagonize us are under his feet and so can never do us harm4 ,second1 ,the ,father loveth the ,son1 and hath given all things into his hand4 ,every good thing is in the hand of ,jesus4 ,he stands ready to give them to his children4 ,there is not a need you can ever have but ,jesus has in his hand something with which to supply that need4 ,his loving hand is extended to you4 ,it contains something that will meet all your needs in life4 ,praise the ,lord6 ,nothing can harm us1 for every harmful and harming thing is beneath the feet of our ,lord4 ,so we need not fear4 ,we can never fail to have all our needs supplied1 for ,jesus stands with outstretched hand to give just what we need just when we need it4 ,do you see ,jesus as such8 ,open your eyes wide1 look and live1 and be happy and free4 ,,devotion ,,to ,,god4 ,devotion to ,god implies ardent affection for him--a yielding of the heart to him with reverence1 faith1 and piety in every act1 particularly in prayer and meditation4 ,we catch a glimpse of the true meaning of devotion from what is said of the centurion of the ,italian band4 ,he was termed a devout man because he feared ,god1 gave much alms to the people1 and prayed to ,god always 7see ,acts #aj3b74 ,this is the essence of true devotion4 ,he loved ,god1 without which there can be no devotion4 ,the more we love an object1 the more devoted to it we are4 ,devotion is therefore love manifested4 ,at the feet of ,jesus stood a woman weeping and washing his feet with her tears and wiping them with the hairs of her head and kissing them4 ,is not this a picture of devotion8 ,it is love and devotion expressed in action4 ,jesus said1 ,she loved much4 ,the secret of devotion is loving imuch_/i4 ,every devoted ,christian desires to be more devoted to his ,god4 ,i am glad we can be4 ,it is pleasant to feel in our hearts an ardent desire to love ,god more4 ,a fond mother clasps her babe to her bosom4 ,she loves it1 and her heart is happy in that love2 but she feels she can not love it enough4 ,she longs to love it more4 ,her heart yearns to love it more1 though she loves it from the fulness of her soul4 ,this longing to love increases our capacity to love4 ,by being filled with air some vessels are made to expand4 ,unless filled to their utmost capacity1 they would not become more extended4 ,to the extent that the heart is filled with the love of ,god1 man is happy4 ,to desire to be more devotional is not an evidence of lack of devotion1 but1 on the contrary1 an evidence of devotion4 ,those who are the least devotional have the least desire to be more devotional4 ,the heart that is fullest of love is happiest2 and although it is happy and satisfied1 yet it longs to move4 ,oh1 how we long to clasp our arms more tightly about him6 how we long to have him clasp his arms more tightly about us6 how we long to nestle more fondly and lovingly on his bosom6 ,what rapture to our love-flooded souls to receive of his caresses and hear his tender words6 ,to the soul in the ecstasy of its heavenly love1 the world with its pleasures has vanished away like a morning vapor4 ,it is not understood by all how and why we should have a desire to possess more of that of which we are already full4 ,it is the desire for development2 it is an innate desire2 it is a principle planted in our constitution under grace4 ,let me repeat what ,i have said elsewhere3 ,every living thing consciously or unconsciously struggles to conform to type4 ,when the little plant bursts through the ground1 it enters the race in conforming to the type that it carries in its bosom4 ,thus1 in the heart of the acorn is a miniature oak-tree4 ,the little chick carries within it an image of the mother bird1 to which it will naturally though unconsciously conform4 ,in the natural world when things reach the highest point of development1 they begin to decay or deteriorate2 but this is not true in the spiritual world4 ,never in this life and possibly never in that life which is to come shall we reach the fulness of the type1 or1 in other words1 the highest point of development4 ,as the acorn or the little chick bears in its nature an image of the parent1 so the ,christian bears in his soul the image of ,god4 ,this is the image to which he is to conform4 ,day after day he can grow in grace4 ,day after day the beautiful graces of the ,spirit can become more beautiful and the exterior life be more perceptibly stamped with the holy image of ,god4 ,there must be progress1 or there will be regress4 ,when a ball that has been thrown upward ceases to ascend1 it begins to descend4 ,when the fulness of the type is reached1 then begins the retrogression4 ,this is none the less true of spiritual things4 ,the reason why there need be no declension in love is because the highest point of development is never attained4 ,for illustration let us set a little child in our midst4 ,as a child it is perfect4 ,all its organs are in proper place and are properly performing their functions4 ,it is a perfect image of the type of man into which it will grow4 ,that child's nature tends toward1 and the child longs to be1 a man4 ,the child's innate desire for development does not make it discontented as long as its craving for growth is gratified4 ,in this we behold the goodness and the wisdom of the ,creator4 ,that the child may be happy1 it is so constituted that it satisfactorily meets all the requirements of the law of development4 ,the child is thus kept in a state of contentment4 ,did it seek to fulfil the law of growth contrary to its nature1 to become a man would be an irksome task4 ,it is a delight to the child to eat1 to play1 to sleep4 ,and these things1 producing growth1 meet the demands of its nature4 ,there is implanted in it both a desire to grow and a relish for the things necessary to its growth4 ,thus the entire process of development is a delight4 ,in fact1 there will be no delight or enjoyment unless there be development4 ,true1 a child does not eat and play for the express purpose of growing4 ,indeed1 it may take no thought about growing4 ,but there is in the nature of the child1 when in health1 a demand for growth4 ,when the child is in ill health1 the growth ceases2 consequently there is no demand for development1 and it loses relish for the things that go to meet that demand4 ,this very beautifully illustrates ,christian development which includes becoming more devotional4 ,you desire to be more devotional4 ,such a desire is legitimate4 ,the nature of every sanctified soul craves development4 ,the soul is not dissatisfied1 any more than the growing child4 ,as that developing life in the child moves it to seek for the things that produce development1 so the life of ,god in the sanctified soul moves it to seek for the things that will unfold and amplify that life4 ,if ye be risen have life with ,christ1 seek those things which are above4 ,those things1 coming into our soul daily1 will unfold us more and more into an heavenly life4 ,they are food to the sanctified soul4 ,they keep the soul satisfied1 because they are the means provided by a loving1 all-wise ,providence for the constant healthful growth of our spiritual natures4 ,herein only is true soul-rest4 ,god gives us a relish for the very things that go to fulfil the demands of our ,christian nature4 ,prayer1 meditation1 reading the ,bible1 trust1 and resting in the ,lord promote increase in him4 ,how delightful is prayer to the soul that is healthful and growing6 and the ,word of ,god is sweeter than honey4 ,where there is a demand in the soul for these things1 how delightful it is to engage in them6 ,do you behold the beauty and the wisdom here8 ,god implants a desire in the soul for spiritual development and at the same time implants a relish for the things necessary for such development4 ,bless his name6 ,understand me1 please1 this desire is not a restless longing1 an aching void1 as is found in an unregenerate heart or in a soul in spiritual decline2 but it is the delightful struggling of a soul bearing the likeness of ,god1 to conform to the natural law of development pent up within its bosom4 ,what is it in the nature of the oak that causes it to send its root down into the soil and to drink up of its substance8 ,what is it in the nature of the child that causes it so eagerly to eat and play8 ,it is the demand in their nature for growth1 or that innate struggle to conform to type4 ,manhood is sleeping in the child's bosom1 and it wrestles and struggles to rise to the fulness of that image4 ,what causes the ,christian heart to long to root deeper into ,god2 that makes the soul seek his embrace8 ,it is that instinctive struggle to conform to ,god's glorious image4 ,the entire process of development is delightful4 ,whenever the natural tendency toward growth ceases1 the soul is in an abnormal state1 and loses relish for the things necessary to growth4 ,christian1 see to it that you keep in your heart a desire1 a longing1 a panting1 or1 if you would rather ,i will say1 a demand1 in your spiritual being to be more devotional to ,god1 and meet that demand by resting by faith in him1 by prayer1 by meditation1 by service4 ,do this1 and you will become more devotional4 ,but ,i love the word desire4 ,desire in the soul for spiritual things is appetite4 ,satisfying this desire is a pleasure4 ,never were any viands so sweet to the physical sense of taste as that food to our soul which helps us be more devotional4 ,desire is a ,bible term4 ,as new-born babes1 idesire_/i the sincere milk of the word1 that ye may grow thereby4 ,before concluding this chapter ,i will call your attention to one way of becoming more devotional--being active in service4 ,desire must be gratified1 or it will die4 ,likewise1 motive must find expression in action1 or it will die4 ,you have a desire for prayer2 then grant that desire by actually praying1 or you will lose the desire4 ,an appetite once lost is difficult to regain4 ,you may have in your soul a pure motive2 then carry it into action4 ,do something for ,god1 and you will become more devotional to ,god4 ,not that devotion comes by works1 to begin with1 any more than grace2 but we do become more devotional by doing1 just as we grow stronger physically by exercise4 ,follow out every inclination to do good as far as you can1 and you will become more devotional to your ,god4 ,god loves to have you devoted to him1 and he longs to have you more devoted4 ,it is astonishing1 nevertheless ,god has intense desire to be prayed to and great love for communion with our hearts4 ,he says1 ,my son1 give me thine heart4 ,what does he want with man's heart8 ,he wants to put his love in it1 so he can be loved by it and hold communion with it4 ,the prayer of the upright is his delight4 ,oh1 that there are so few hearts that love ,god6 ,jesus wept over ,jerusalem because they would not come to him4 ,but why does he so intensely yearn for the prayers and devotions of our hearts8 ,because it is another young life struggling to conform to the image in which it was created4 ,it is another soul which has been won for ,god and in which he has his throne4 ,o ,god6 take our hearts and compress within them that pure love from thy own heart that will cause us to pray1 ,o ,god6 enlarge our hearts4 ,god would even pain our hearts with the fulness of his love until we find no ease except in expansion4 ,,the ,,golden ,,rule ,,of ,,life4 ,and as ye would that men should do to you1 do ye also to them like wise4 ,luke #f3ca4 ,this is a good rule for every-day living4 ,it is known throughout the ,christian world as ,the ,golden ,rule4 ,it has great depths4 ,it contains more no doubt than any of us comprehend4 ,but let us study it for a moment4 ,we might divide it into two rules3 ,first1 ,do good to all2 second1 ,do harm to none4 ,we would that all men should do us good1 and we would that none should do us harm4 ,but if we would see the greater depths of this rule1 we must look beyond the physical man4 ,to do good to all and harm to none in a bodily or physical sense is indeed good1 but to do good to all and harm to none in a moral sense is much better4 ,we should do all we can to help others in a moral sense4 ,is not this what we would have all men do to us8 ,we should do harm to none in a moral sense1 because we would have none do us harm4 ,this necessitates living a very holy life4 ,there are two ways in which we may do good to men morally3 first1 by strengthening the good that is in them2 second1 by suppressing and helping them to overcome any evil or fault that may be in them4 ,likewise1 there are two ways in which we may do harm to men morally3 first1 by strengthening and encouraging the evil and fault that may be in them2 second1 by suppressing and destroying the good that may be in them4 ,we are all creatures of influence4 ,we are being influenced1 and we are having an influence4 ,there never was a human life but that had some influence over some other human life4 ,we influence more by example than by words4 ,if we say one thing and act another1 we shall find our actions speaking more loudly than our words4 ,if we love ,god with all our hearts1 that love will influence another to love him4 ,never was love lost4 ,the love you have1 ,o child of ,god1 will find its way into some other life sometime1 somewhere4 ,the more of ,god's love is beaming out of our heart and life1 the greater will be our influence upon others4 ,then may we love him with all the heart4 ,we should be filled with the ,spirit4 ,if we are spiritual1 we cause those we converse with to desire to be more spiritual4 ,we should be full of faith that our strong faith may help others to have more faith4 ,we should like for others to be such an example to us2 and as we would that men should do to us1 let us do to them4 ,it is a very great source of regret1 indeed1 to be so destitute of love1 faith1 and spirituality that we discourage and dampen the ardor of those into whose presence we may be for a time4 ,be your very best for ,god every day of your life and wield a holy influence over the hearts of men4 ,the very greatest benefit we can be to man and the highest homage we can pay to ,god is to be filled with all the fulness of ,god4 ,,timeliness ,,in ,,doing ,,good4 ,to spend well this one brief life of ours1 we must be active in doing good4 ,this we have already learned4 ,but not only should we be active in doing good1 but we should do the good act when the act will be most helpful4 ,do the good deed when the good deed needs to be done4 ,the kind word may be worth much and be greatly helpful to the fainting soul today1 but may be too late tomorrow4 ,as we have therefore opportunity1 let us do good unto all men4 ,will you stop a moment and think over these words8 ,let no opportunity of doing good go by you unimproved4 ,to neglect the present opportunity of doing good and then never be able to do it is a sad thing4 ,of all sad words of tongue or pen ,the saddest are these3 ',it might have been4' ,why do you keep all the kind thoughts and kind words for a man until he is dead8 ,they do him no good then4 ,it is while he is living that he needs them4 ,he has burdens heavy to be borne2 troubles gather thick over his head2 he is neglected and even misrepresented4 ,you can help him with a smile or a few kind words2 but1 no1 you pass him by4 ,now he is brought to the grave4 ,as the cold clods fall upon his plain coffin1 you say1 ,well1 he was a good man1 after all4 ,why did you not tell him that when he was living8 ,it would have buoyed up his spirit then2 it would have made him feel that life was not all in vain and that yet he might do a little good4 ,but now he hears not your words4 ,they return to you or float out into empty space a mere sound4 ,the ear that was once eager for them and the heart that was aching for them is now cold in death4 ,your kind1 cheering words are too late to give him encouragement2 your flowers are too late to be appreciated4 ,once they would have brightened his life1 but now his life is over4 ,once you could have chased away some clouds that were darkening his life1 but you did not1 and that day has gone into eternity as a day of darkness4 ,you might have brightened it4 ,this morning some kind hand placed a vase of beautiful flowers upon my desk4 ,as ,i write1 their fragrance reaches me and brings me tidings of some one's kind remembrance4 ,it costs but little to speak kind words1 but oh6 ofttimes they are worth so much6 ,i know of nothing that costs so little to give that is so valuable to receive4 ,but why keep all the flowers1 the kind words1 the tender feelings and thoughts1 and the sympathetic tears until the one to whom they should be given passes away1 and then come and let them fall so gently upon the casket8 ,do you know of one who is weary8 do you know of one who is being misrepresented8 do you know of one who is being trodden down by others1 with scarcely any one to speak a word of comfort8 ,now1 what would ,jesus do8 ,look at poor ,lazarus--turned away by the rich1 neglected and rejected2 watched over by angels ready to gather him to paradise when he passes beyond the need of aid from men4 ,why not be an angel and make a day of paradise for him here8 ,let us do some angel-work while here in life4 ,the angels are ministering spirits4 ,they whisper1 ,be of good cheer1 ,peace on earth4 ,they come to gladden hearts2 they come to close the lions' mouths2 they come to open the prison doors and break the iron bands4 ,oh1 let us do some angel-work6 ,hast thou any flowers for me8 ,wilt thou kindly let them be ,given ere death be-dews my brow8 ,wait not1 give them to me now4 ,while in life's eventful day ,tried1 and weary grows the way1 ,when in dark and lonely hour1 ,give me then the cheering flow'r4 ,hast thou kind words to impart1 ,words that lift the fainting heart8 ,speak ere ,death's hand on me lay2 ,speak those kind words now--today4 ,kind words are but empty breath ,to the heart that's still in death2 ,when life's load is hard to bear ,let me then the kind word hear4 ,hast thou sunlit smiles to give1 ,smiles that make us want to live8 ,ere ,i cross death's sullen stream1 ,on me let those bright smiles beam4 ,smiles1 whate'er their power to save1 ,can not penetrate the grave4 ,ere ,i reach life's ending mile1 ,give to me the sunlit smile4 ,prayer can stay the trembling knee3 ,if thou hast but one for me1 ,let it offered be today1 ,ere the life-light fades away4 ,when my soul transcends the air1 ,i no more shall need thy prayer3 ,let now1 today1 thy soul travail2 ',tis only now thy prayers avail4 ,if ,i should die tonight1 ,my friends would call to mind with loving thought ,some kindly deed the icy hand had wrought1 ,some gentle word the frozen lips had said1 ,errands on which the willing feet had sped2 ,the memory of my selfishness and pride1 ,my hasty words1 would all be put aside1 ,and so ,i should be loved and mourned tonight4 ,,the ,,warfare ,,of ,a ,,christian ,,life4 ,it is blessed and glorious to be a ,christian4 ,no other life is so beautiful and pure2 no other life is so tranquilly peaceful2 no other is so full of rest1 happiness1 and satisfaction4 ,the ,christian1 however1 does not go to heaven on flowery beds of ease4 ,his pathway is not strewn with roses all the way2 there is now and then a thorn4 ,it is not sunshine all the time2 now and then a shadow falls4 ,to win heaven he must fight4 ,there are some things to oppose a ,christian on his pilgrimage to the skies2 these he must contend against4 ,the contending against those things prepares him for his blissful home above4 ,all things work together for good to them that love ,god4 ,heaven's blessings and hell's venom1 angels' smiles and ,satan's frowns1 comforts of grace and spiritual wickedness1 good and ill1 love and hatred1 all work good to those who have union with ,god4 ,it is the battle that disciplines and makes strong and brave the warrior1 and not the victory4 ,we are exhorted to endure hardness as a good soldier4 ,there are some things to endure along the ,christian way4 ,james says1 ,blessed is the man that endureth temptation4 ,temptations are outward influences acting upon our natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the law of grace to satisfy self4 ,we need not expect to be free from temptations2 therefore let us settle it that we will endure them4 ,it is really a blessed thing to endure them4 ,you may think it would be a blessed thing to be free from them1 but such would not be the case4 ,it is more blessed to endure them4 ,temptations will never cease to attack the soul as long as it inhabits this muddy vesture of decay4 ,be brave1 ,o soul1 and endure temptations4 ,be brave and fight the good fight of faith4 ,do not faint because you have temptations4 ,do not fear because there are long and fierce battles to fight4 ,be strong and of good courage4 ,it is a life-long struggle1 and it is also a life-long victory1 and in the end eternal victory4 ,strong and well-developed spiritual sinews are the result of resisted temptations4 ,it is not sinful to be tempted4 ,we never lose any spirituality by being tempted4 ,it is the slight yieldings that cause a leaking1 a loss of grace4 ,clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look at your beautiful glittering crown of life4 ,it is not gold1 neither crystal4 ,do not look at it as such1 but see it a crown of life4 ,yes1 you will be crowned with eternal life if you will but endure temptation4 ,think of this in the hour of thy sore trial4 ,fight on2 heaven awaits to reward you4 ,,live ,,by ,,faith4 ,live by faith4 ,there is no other true and right way to live4 ,without faith it is impossible to please ,god1 and of course the life that pleases ,god is the only life that is perfect4 ,we can please ,god2 we can walk each day in a way that is pleasing to him4 ,such a walk is by faith1 not by sight4 ,god honors faith4 ,he loves to have his ,word believed4 ,he delights to hear the prayer of faith2 it avails with him4 ,around the great white throne in heaven the angels are shouting day and night1 ,holy1 holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty6 blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving1 honor and power1 belong to thee4 ,but amid all this sound of praise ,god hears a voice and bends an ear to listen4 ,it is the prayer of faith from the heart of one of his children4 ,there is never too many angels singing nor too many harps resounding for ,god to hear the voice of his child4 ,my voice1 said the sweet singer of ,israel1 shalt thou hear in the morning4 ,he hears the first faint cry of his heaven-born child4 ,even the unuttered wish of the heart1 the unexpressed desire1 the faintest breathing of love1 he hears and recognizes as the voice of his child4 ,faith will wing its way into the presence of ,god4 ,it traverses the universe until it finds him and there brings the soul to its rest4 ,faith will guide us through this world4 ,faith touches ,god4 ,a woman came to ,jesus and tremblingly reached out her feeble hand and touched the hem of his garment4 ,he asked1 ,who touched me8 ,it was not the finger-touch that he felt1 but the faith-touch4 ,today we can touch him by faith and by no other way4 ,though many angels may be thronging him1 yet the feeblest touch of faith will reach him4 ,you may be one of the weakest ones1 unnoticed and unknown4 ,a little cabin on the mountainside may be your home1 but your feeblest cry of faith will reach the throne of ,god1 and he will send angels to encamp round about you and deliver you4 i,have faith in ,god4_/i ,when all is dark around you1 believe in him4 ,trust him when you can not trace1 and believe when you can not see4 ,never doubt his ,word4 ,faith will prevail and bring you the desire of your heart4 ,will you believe8 ,a ,,valuable ,,legacy4 ,a legacy is a gift that some one makes to another2 usually something that one leaves behind1 when departing from this world1 for others to enjoy4 ,some have left great sums of money to others and to institutions1 and these bequests have been called valuable legacies4 ,i am now to tell you of the greatest and most valuable legacy that has ever been left to man4 ,it is a bequest left not to one man but to all men4 ,it is not a legacy of silver or gold or diamonds nor of houses and lands4 ,nor can this precious gift be purchased with gold4 ,it is something ,jesus gives2 and what he has can not be purchased with any earthly thing4 ,i will read you what it is3 ,peace ,i leave with you1 my peace ,i give unto you4 ,these are the words that ,jesus uttered just before his departure from the world1 and this is the legacy he leaves to man4 ,oh1 what a gift6 ,we can all possess it4 ,we need it as we are crossing the sea of life4 ,many storms arise and billows roll high1 but the soul possesses this valuable treasure of peace4 ,there is a stillness1 a calmness1 a peacefulness1 in the soul that stormy winds can never disturb4 ,this peace that ,jesus gives1 is given us through our obedience4 ,oh1 that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments6 then had thy peace been as a river4 ,what is more peaceful than the calm1 even flowing of a river8 ,as we look upon it a quiet peacefulness begins to spread its mantle over our hearts4 ,still waters are a beautiful emblem of peace1 while troubled waters are a picture of unrest4 ,this peace that ,jesus gives is unlike anything that the world gives4 ,this world contains many pleasant things and makes many very liberal offers1 but peace is never found by accepting any of them4 ,the pleasures of this world leave a bitter taste1 while the hardships we endure for ,jesus sweetens our cup4 ,shall we analyze this peace1 that we may know all about it1 even the very hidden secret of the principle8 ,the apostle says1 ,the peace of ,god1 which ipasseth all understanding_/i1 shall keep your hearts and minds4 ,let us be satisfied to have our hearts and minds kept by this wonderful peace1 though we do not understand it4 ,i have some flowers on my desk4 ,there are white ones and yellow and purple and red and pale blue4 ,i do not understand the principle of life that gives them such beauty and fragrance4 ,if ,i should dissect them in order to discover this secret1 ,i should destroy their beauty and be no wiser4 ,we can not understand this peace1 but we can possess it4 ,there is power in this peace to keep the heart and mind4 ,let the peace of ,god rule in your hearts4 ,give thy heart over to its calm1 still power4 ,it will rule very quietly in your soul1 but rule with kingly power4 ,the waters can not rise in trouble where peace holds sway4 ,when this secret power has dominion in our hearts1 it speaks peace to all around4 ,it says to the waves and the winds1 ,peace1 be still4 ,on the attacking fears1 on the threatening circumstances1 it lays a quiet hand and whispers1 ,peace1 be still1 and great is the calmness of thy soul4 ,,some ,,scriptures ,,for ,,daily ,,practise4 ,if we seek ,god earnestly in the prayer of faith to help us in our daily practise of the following ,scriptural texts and then put forth our best efforts1 we shall find life daily growing more holy and beautiful4 ,the beauty and enjoyment of a holy life is that it can always be improved upon4 ,we can live in all the light that shines upon us from these texts today1 but tomorrow we find them shining a little brighter and fuller light1 so that we shall have to live a little more holy than we are living today4 ,thus1 all along our ,christian way we shall find that we are growing and becoming holier in life1 and more of the transcendent beauty of ,jesus will be seen upon us4 ,and be ye kind one to another1 tender-hearted1 forgiving one another1 even as ,god for ,christ's sake hath forgiven you4 ,eph4 #d3cb4 ,let this law of kindness get into your life as its very essence4 ,it is not enough to affect kindness2 we must be kind4 ,a tender heart is the groundwork of kindness4 ,out of such a soil the beautiful flowers of gentleness1 kindness1 and tenderness grow4 ,these perfume the life and make it cheering to others4 ,can you be more kind in your daily life8 ,is your heart so tender that it feels the suffering of the child or the pain of the dumb animal to the extent that you find pleasure in giving relief even at the expense of self-ease8 ,set your affection on things above1 not on things on the earth4 ,col4 #c3b4 ,guard your heart4 ,keep it with all diligence4 ,see that all of its affections are on things above4 ,some of the earthly things that ,god has given into your keeping will want some of your affection4 ,the beautiful home1 the farm1 the bank-account1 the domestic animals1 and even some things almost worthless will want a little of your heart's love4 ,your own talents and personal appearance may desire some of your affection1 just enough to set you approving them for your own sake4 ,practise daily the above text4 ,in everything give thanks4 #a ,thess4 #e3ah4 ,giving thanks always for all things4 ,eph4 #e3bj4 ,thankfulness is a grace easily improved and developed if cultivated4 ,likewise1 it will very soon degenerate if neglected4 ,in order to keep a deep sense of thankfulness in our hearts1 we must be mindful of the gracious dealings of ,god4 ,it is well to take time as often as circumstances will permit to meditate in some quiet place upon the goodness of ,god to you4 ,we should have such thankful hearts that ofttimes tears of gratitude will flow at the remembrance af ,god's goodness4 ,rejoice evermore4 #a ,thess4 #e3af4 ,as sorrowful1 yet alway rejoicing4 #b ,cor4 #f3aj4 ,rejoice alway3 and again ,i say1 ,rejoice4 ,phil4 #d3d4 ,count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations4 ,jas4 #a3b4 ,this is the power of the ,christian life4 ,we can always rejoice4 ,we can be contented and happy1 whatever our circumstances in life4 ,god's grace will sustain us4 ,every day can be1 and should be1 a day of rejoicing4 ,god is pleased to have us happy1 but he would have our rejoicing to be in him and not in his blessings4 ,to rejoice in the midst of trial is health to the soul4 ,pray without ceasing4 #a ,thess4 #e3ag4 ,continue in prayer1 and watch in the same with thanksgiving4 ,col4 #d3b4 ,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the ,spirit1 and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints4 ,eph4 #f3ah4 ,if you value peace and prosperity of soul1 you will not neglect to pray4 ,it is prayer that keeps us up above the clouds and brings heaven down4 ,he who does not pray at all is not a ,christian1 and he who does not pray much is not much of a ,christian4 ,it is not those who have plenty of time to pray that do the most praying1 but they who take the time4 ,let there be some prayer every day4 ,let nothing be done through strife or vainglory2 but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves4 ,phil4 #b3c4 ,this should be the experience of your heart every day4 ,when we are lowly1 we see our own faults and imperfections and our brother's virtues2 therefore we look upon him as better than ourselves4 ,it seems to us that others are more humble than we are1 and have more faith and love ,god more than we do4 ,look not every man on his own things1 but every man also on the things of others4 ,phil4 #b3d4 ,we should be as much concerned in others' welfare as in our own4 ,he who is looking out for himself and neglecting others has not advanced very far in the ,christian life4 ,the ,christian lives for others4 ,he will overlook his own needs and see his brother's needs4 ,see that none render evil for evil unto any man2 but ever follow that which is good1 both among yourselves1 and to all men4 ,i ,thess4 #e3 #ae4 ,and let us not be weary in well-doing3 for in due season we shall reap1 if we faint not4 ,as we have therefore opportunity1 let us do good unto all men1 especially unto them who are of the household of faith4 ,gal4 #f3i1 #aj4 ,to go about doing good out of a heart full of love is the way to spend life4 ,heaven is going to reward us according to our works4 ,the ,bible tells us so4 ,never a day should go by without our having done some good thing purposely out of love to ,god and man4 ,the ,lord does not overlook small deeds when done in love4 ,a coral is very small1 but many of them make an island3 a little good deed done every day will in a lifetime amount to enough to build a splendid mansion in heaven4 ,bear ye one another's burdens1 and so fulfil the law of ,christ4 ,gal4 #f3b4 ,to lift a load from off the shoulders of another is noble service4 ,to remove a burden from another's heart is truly ,christlike4 ,he who goes through life bearing the burdens of others has found the easiest road2 he who goes through life refusing to aid others travels a road of hardest toil4 ,abhor that which is evil4 ,rom4 #ab3i4 ,god is holy2 consequently he hates that which is evil4 ,when we admire the holiness of ,god1 we loathe sin2 if sin has no horror to our soul1 holiness has no beauty4 ,to the extent we love holiness1 to that extent we hate sin4 ,a good man of long ago said1 ,if ,i could see the shame of sin on the one hand and the pain of hell on the other1 and must of necessity choose one1 ,i would rather be thrust into hell without sin than go to heaven with sin4 ,sin is a hideous monster4 ,draw near to ,god if you would see sin's awful hideousness4 ,unlike most other things1 the farther you are away from sin the more clearly you can see it as it really is4 ,cleave to that which is good4 ,rom4 #ab3i4 ,to cleave to is to adhere tightly2 to cling4 ,we cleave to that which is good by ever doing good4 ,when we hate sin as we should and see its awful shame1 and love the good and see its wondrous beauty1 we would rather go to hell doing good than to heaven committing sin4 ,draw nigh to ,god4 ,jas4 #d3h4 ,the close of every day should find us a little nearer ,god than the evening before4 ,we should hide a little more secretely in his pavilion4 ,we should nestle a little more closely under his wing2 his feathers should cover us a little more fully4 ,be the storms what they may1 we can daily live very close to ,god1 and what we can do it is our duty to do4 ,open thy mouth wide4 ,psa4 #ha3aj4 ,we should daily live with wide-open mouth4 ,if we will1 the promise is that ,god will fill it4 ,for ,god to be all to us1 we must expect all from him4 ,god can impart to us only what our hearts are open to receive4 ,if we would live with ,god in our own soul1 we must have all our soul open to receive him4 ,many fail to see the beauty of a life hid with ,god because they are looking too much earthward4 ,opening the mouth wide implies an abandonment of ourself to ,god with a readiness to receive all that ,god has to give1 together with an expectation to receive nothing that does not come from him4 ,then ,god will fill us daily with himself4 ,there will be a constant inflowing from ,god of strength and ability to perform every duty of life1 and of grace and peace to make life an emblem of heaven4 ,the ,god of our fathers hath chosen thee1 that thou shouldest iknow_/i his will4 ,acts #bb3ad4 ,not with eye-service1 as men-pleasers2 but as the servants of ,christ1 idoing_/i the will of ,god from the heart4 ,eph4 #f3f4 ,i idelight_/i to do thy will1 ,o my ,god ,psa4 #dj3h4 ,it is our privilege to daily iknow_/i the will of ,god4 ,it is our duty to daily ido_/i it4 ,it is a blessing to love to do it4 ,here is the sum of all ,christian living3 #a4 ,knowing the will of ,god2 #b4 ,doing the will of ,god2 #c4 ,doing the will of ,god in love4 ,i asked the ,new-year for some motto sweet1 ,some rule of life with which to guide my feet2 ,i asked1 and paused2 he answered soft and low1 ',god's will to know4' ',will knowledge then suffice1 ,new-year8' ,i cried1 ,and e'en the question into silence died3 ,the answer came1 ',nay1 but remember1 too1 ,god's will to do4' ,once more ,i asked3 ',is there no more to tell8' ,and once again the answer sweetly fell1 ',yes1 this one thing all other things above3 ,god's will to love4' ,do all things without murmurings and disputings4 ,phil4 #b3ad4 ,let thy life be free from all frettings and worryings4 ,let it be like the calm flowing of the river4 ,god is a strong and high tower1 a refuge1 a shield4 ,with our life hidden in him1 worries and frettings can not reach us4 ,we may be treated unjustly by a bosom friend1 but we commit it to ,god1 and instead of feeling the wound the friend gives1 we feel the balm our ,father gives4 ,be content with such things as ye have4 ,heb4 #ac3e4 ,i have learned1 in whatsoever state ,i am1 therewith to be content4 ,phil4 #d3aa4 ,he who has gained contentment has gained more than he who has gained the wealth of a world1 if it be contentment with godliness4 ,a discontented life is a dark spot on the page of human history4 ,an even1 contented life is as a lighthouse shedding its peaceful beams over the turbulent waters where voyagers come and go4 ,i can do all things through ,christ which strengtheneth me4 ,phil4 #d3ac4 ,i am mighty enough for all things through ,christ who empowers me4-- ,rotherham4 ,there is no excuse for your not living a perfectly victorious life today4 ,you can be a conqueror4 ,temptations will assail you1 trials will come1 but you can ignore them in such a way as to show their author your contempt for both him and his temptations4 ,i read just this morning this good suggestion3 ,do not dwell upon your temptations4 ,they are like little dogs that bark after a man that passes by2 if he stops to drive them away1 they bark more fiercely than before4 ,you can do all things through ,christ1 but you must do them in his way4 ,ofttimes he would have you ignore temptations instead of fighting them4 ,it is well ofttimes not even to ask1 ,who is there1 when temptations come knocking at your door4 ,put on therefore1 as the elect of ,god1 holy and beloved1 bowels of mercies1 kindness1 humbleness of mind1 meekness1 long-suffering2 forbearing one another1 and forgiving one another1 if any man have a quarrel against any3 even as ,christ forgave you1 so also do ye4 ,col4 #c3 #ab1 #ac4 ,such a life is a heavenly life4 ,think these words over and make them your experience today4 ,have bowels of mercies--that yearning1 longing1 compassionate feeling that would gladly bring every offender to ,jesus for forgiveness4 ,be kind4 ,oh1 the power of kindness6 ,it can not be resisted2 it conquers wherever it goes4 ,this cold world knows no music so sweet as kindness2 it charms and delights the ears of all4 ,if you would be kind in word and act1 be kind in thought4 ,be humble in mind4 ,think well of others and not so well of yourself4 ,life will flow on peacefully and easily if we are humble2 nothing can disturb4 ,be meek1 sweet1 and mild tempered4 ,bear long with the failings and weaknesses of others1 carefully considering your own and keeping in mind how you would like to have others bear with you4 ,and above all these things put on charity2 which is the bond of perfectness4 ,col4 #c3ad4 ,throw the mantle of love over every act and thought in life4 ,love purely1 love sincerely1 love fervently4 ,nothing is so great as love4 ,all the graces have their seat in love2 you can not be compassionate1 kind1 humble1 meek1 or forbearing without love4 ,and let the peace of ,god rule in your hearts4 ,col4 #d3 #ae4 ,let the peace of ,god act as umpire1 deciding every case4 ,let it have the ruling power in your heart and life today and every day4 ,whatever matters may arise1 let the peace of ,god take it in hand and dispose of it4 ,if it shows any resistance1 then let the peace of ,god cast it out4 ,let your speech be alway with grace1 seasoned with salt1 that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man4 ,col4 #d3 #f4 ,let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth1 but that which is good to the use of edifying1 that it may minister grace unto the hearers4 ,eph4 #d3 #bi4 ,have a pure speech1 made mighty by the grace of ,god4 ,be sober without gloom1 be serious with cheerfulness4 ,have such a conversation as is suited to lift hearts to a higher plane4 ,your words should be such as to make better those you talk with and make them feel that there is something higher for them4 ,redeeming the time1 because the days are evil4 ,eph4 #e3af4 ,time is more than money2 it is life4 ,do not waste it4 ,improve its golden moments today4 ,be economical in its use4 ,many complain of not having time for devotional reading and for prayer1 while if they would examine carefully1 they would find that they trifle away as much time as would he needed for prayer each day4 ,submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of ,god4 ,eph4 #e3ba4 ,this is beautiful4 ,submissiveness is a desirable grace and one that will strew your pathway with peace4 ,how blessed it is to be always ready to give up our way6 ,it is the easy way4 ,we shall find life's way a hard road to travel if we are always wanting our way4 ,be careful for nothing4 ,phil4 #d3f4 ,casting all your care upon him2 for he careth for you4 #a ,pet4 #e3 #g4 ,take no thought for your life1 what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink2 nor yet for your body1 what ye shall put on4 ,matt4 #f3be4 ,the ,christian life is one of freedom from anxiety4 ,jesus will bear all our burdens1 and cares if we will but cast them on him4 ,there is no need to worry nor to bear a load of care4 ,a certain brother was much troubled about not having bread for the next meal4 ,but while he was troubling himself and bearing his load1 a man drove up and unloaded a barrel of flour at the door4 ,all the time the brother was troubled1 the barrel of flour was on the way4 ,take no anxiety for future things4 ,commune with your own heart upon your bed1 and be still4 ,psa4 #d3d4 ,each evening in some quiet place and with interior stillness talk with your heart and let your heart talk to you4 ,take a distinctive view of your inward life4 ,you need to be very careful lest you outwardly appear to be a little more than you really are inwardly4 ,i am crucified with ,christ3 nevertheless ,i live2 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4 ,gal4 #b3bj4 ,is it true8 ,does ,jesus live in you8 ,if you are smitten upon the right cheek1 does ,jesus then live in you8 ,if you are evil spoken of1 misrepresented1 misunderstood1 neglected1 dispised and forsaken1 does ,jesus live in you then8 ,if you see your brother in need2 if you have two coats and he has none1 does ,jesus live in you then8 ,there are some in prison near you2 there are those who are sick2 there are those who are thirsty and hungry2 in foreign lands there are heathen that know not ,god1--are you sure ,jesus lives in you8 ,behold1 ,i go forward1 but he is not there2 and backward1 but ,i can not perceive him3 on the left hand1 where he doth work1 but ,i can not behold him3 he hideth himself on the right hand1 that ,i can not see him4 ,job #bc3h1i4 ,this may be your experience some days4 ,in fact1 if you are making progress and at all approaching maturity1 you will have such experiences4 ,some dear conscientious ,christians become much troubled because they are not more conscious of ,god's presence4 ,they do not feel him1 and thus they conclude they must be very formal4 ,i have always believed and taught that we should have a consciousness of ,god's presence with us2 ,i still believe and teach it2 but ,i must admit that the most spiritual ofttimes can not perceive ,god on either hand4 ,they may fear that they are lifeless1 because there is not a fresh and sweet spontaneous feeling in their souls4 ,it seems to them that they merely go through the form of worshiping ,god instead of being in the ,spirit4 ,they pray1 but their prayers seem to have no depth of heart4 ,in consequence they may be troubled4 ,they need not be4 ,we are not necessarily lukewarm because we do not feel ,god4 ,the most humble men are those who are least conscious of their humility4 ,the greatest of men are those who take no note of their greatness4 ,the ,christian has life2 but when we get in the habit of living1 we are not so conscious of life4 ,let me illustrate the point in this way3 ,suppose your weakness to be selfishness4 ,you struggle hard against that selfish principle2 you notice that you are becoming more unselfish2 you are conscious of it because you have had to put forth such effort to attain it2 but after you have gained the victory and have become habituated to living an unselfish life1 you will be less conscious of your unselfishness4 ,the musician is not so conscious of his skill after he has mastered the art as he is while learning it4 ,those who are the meekest and have the most intimate converse with heaven1 diffusing a fragrance round about them from their holy lives and seeming to be visitants from some world where there is no sin--these are least conscious of their high spiritual attainments4 ,live a holy life1 obey the commandments of ,god1 have a will to serve ,god1 and if sometimes you do not feel him nor perceive him1 do not be troubled1 but consider that he knows the way you take and that when he has tried you1 you shall come forth as gold4 ,be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love4 ,rom4 #ab3aj4 ,brotherly love is precious in the sight of angels4 ,it is the most convincing proof of the ,christian religion4 ,by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples1 if ye have love one for another4 ,but in addition to brotherly love there should be kind affection4 ,this is love felt and expressed4 ,there are those who really love1 yet whose nature is such that they do not feel much love4 ,kind affection1 like every other grace1 is capable of cultivation4 ,in honor preferring one another2 not slothful in business2 fervent in spirit1 serving the ,lord2 rejoicing in hope2 patient in tribulation2 continuing instant in prayer4 ,rom4 #ab3aj-ab4 ,these words contain depth of experience1 but only by prayer and deep meditation can we descend to their depth4 ,but we must close by referring you to the whole of the ,bible4 ,it is a holy book1 yea1 the holiest of books4 ,a life in harmony with its precepts is the holiest life4 ,such a life will grace the earth and shine as a star forever in heaven4 ,cleave to the ,bible1 study its pages1 appropriate its truths to your own heart by faith4 ,by living upon the ,word of ,god1 we become more like ,god4 ,heavenly words taken into the heart form a heavenly life4 ,let your soul be fed each day from the blessed ,book of ,god4 ,take the time4 ,drink deep into its pure1 crystal stream1 and the beauty of the ,lord will grow upon you4 ,watch the little things in every-day life--the thought1 the word1 the act--until you bring the whole of your life into the habit of acting godly4 ,be as kind as you can be today1 and you can be kinder tomorrow4 ,this is for the ,christian4 ,we do not become ,christians by growth1 but we must grow after we become ,christians4 ,we can be more patient tomorrow by being as patient as we can be today4 ,we can be better men tomorrow by being our best today4 ,we grow as we live4 ,if we live the right way1 we shall grow that way1 and the longer we grow that way1 the more natural and easy the way4 ,therefore let your whole life flow out in a trend with the ,bible1 until it wears a channel in holiness and ,christian character4 ,gather food daily for your soul from the sacred page2 live in the most intimate communion with ,god that is possible2 meditate in his law day and night2 let the love of your heart grow warmer2 let life be the holiest possible4 ,do this1 and you will be one of the jewels ,god will gather to bedeck the temple of the skies4 ,a tender blue is in the sky ,as sets the golden sun2 ,another day is passing by1 ,and thus the moments run2 ,the song-bird's note is soft and low1 ,flying to leafy nest2 ,in evening's peaceful twilight glow ,all nature sinks to rest2 ,the fields are wrapped in somber shroud ,as fades the light of day2 ,a tender flush is on the cloud ,beside the milky way2 ,a hush is on this world of ours2 ,day1 dying1 drops a tear2 ,angels' hands unveil the stars1 ,which one by one appear2 ,now ,pleiades grow sparkling bright ,in deepening blue above3 ,o mild1 serene autumnal night6 ,thy voice is full of love4 ,such sacred awe my soul doth fill6 ,such quietness doth reign6 ,the ,voice that uttered1 ,peace1 be still1 ,has whispered once again4 ,the silver bars that streak the ,west ,are short'ning one by one2 ,another day has gone to rest1 ,and thus the moments run4 ,i've one day less to watch and wait1 ,my ,savior's face to see1 ,some day1 and ope will be the gate4 ,sweet heaven1 ,i come to thee4 ,oh1 may it be when sets the sun ,so peacefully and calm6 ,oh1 may ,i hear the sweet1 ,well done1 ,when evening sings her psalm6 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is a pleasant autumn eve2 ,the blue is in the sky2 ,my task is done2 ,i take my leave4 ,good-by1 dear friend1 good-by6 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,dear reader1 live alone for ,god2 ,walk blameless in his blessed ,word4 ,we may not meet each other here1 ,but let us live in ,heaven's fear1 ,so when our work on earth is done1 ,we'll meet each other round ,god's throne4 ,just one request ,i make of thee3 ,until we meet1 pray oft for me4