A Misplaced Confidence

A Misplaced Confidence

By Theodore Epp

      2 Samuel 24:1-14; 1 Chronicles 21:1

      This last attack of Satan upon David took place about 38 years after David had ascended the throne and about two years before his death.

      Satan was successful for a brief time in enticing David into sin, which should remind us all that we are never free from being tested. At the same time we can have God's victory.

      If we fall, we can find forgiveness and restoration if we are genuine in our repentance.

      Ordinarily nothing would be wrong with numbering people. Census taking is done periodically by any alert government.

      But numbering the children of Israel was a matter of pride. David wanted to know how strong his nation was militarily. His strength really was in God, but David was putting his trust in his armies when he numbered the people.

      God's advice was, "You do not need to number the people. I have taken care of this situation." The strength of Israel's army meant nothing if God was not with them.

      The same is true in our spiritual life. Until we can say with true conviction, "I am nothing," God cannot do much for us. He has chosen that which is nothing to confound the wisdom of the wise (see 1 Cor. 1:26-29). Our sufficiency is of God, not of ourselves (see 2 Cor. 3:5).

      "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Ps. 118:8).

Thoughts That Disturb

Thoughts That Disturb

By Mary Wilder Tileston

      In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.
      PSALMS 94:19

      OH, listen then, Most Pitifull
      To Thy poor creature's heart;
      It blesses Thee that Thou art God,
      That Thou art what Thou art!
      FREDERICK W. FABER

      WHAT the particular thoughts or temptations are that disquiet you, I know not; but, whatsoever they are, look above them, and labor to fix your eye on that infinite goodness, which never faileth them that, by faith, do absolutely rely and rest upon it; and patiently wait upon Him, who hath pronounced them all, without exception, blessed that do so.
      ROBERT LEIGHTON

      Thoughts that disturb and trouble us seldom come from God. It is generally best to put them away, and throw ourself, with increased trust in Him and mis-trust of self, at His feet. And never forget, amid whatever may befall you,--dryness, coldness, desola-tion, and disappointment, consciousness of many faults, and of great weakness, and want of faith,--that where love is, there God is sure to be. He never yet has suffered any soul to fall wholly from Him which, amid all its frailties and falls, clings to Him in love.
      H. L. SIDNEY LEAR

Meant to be Used

Meant to be Used

By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

      "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises" (2 Pet. 1:4).

      When a shipwright builds a vessel, does he build it to keep it upon the stocks? Nay, he builds it for the sea and the storm. When he was making it, he thought of tempests and hurricanes; if he did not, he was a poor shipbuilder.

      When God made thee a believer, He meant to try thee; and when He gave thee promises, and bade thee trust them, He gave such promises as are suitable for times of tempest and tossing. Dost thou think that God makes shams like some that have made belts for swimming, which were good to exhibit in a shop, but of no use in the sea?

      We have all heard of swords which were useless in war; and even of shoes which were made to sell, but were never meant to walk in. God's shoes are of iron and brass, and you can walk to Heaven in them without their ever wearing out; and His life-belts, you may swim a thousand Atlantics upon them, and there will be no fear of your sinking. His Word of promise is meant to be tried and proved.

      There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to make a show-thing of Him, and not to use Him. He loves to be employed by us. Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Thou dost not make use of Christ as thou oughtest to do.

      O man, I beseech you do not treat God's promises as if they were curiosities for a museum; but use them as every day sources of comfort. Trust the Lord whenever your time of need comes on.--C. H. Spurgeon

      "Go to the deeps of God's promise,
      And claim whatsoever ye will;
      The. blessing of God will not fail thee,
      His Word He will surely fulfill."

      Now can God say no to something He has promised?

A STRONGHOLD

A STRONGHOLD

By Bible Names of God


Nahu 1:7 The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. {strong hold: or, strength}

He is good to "them that wait for Him." (Lam 3:25) He is good to them that trust Him. (Ps 37:3) He is good to them that acknowledge Him. (Pr 3:6) He is our Strength in every time of trouble. He is empowered with wisdom for every emergency. We are safe in His Stronghold, which is Himself. He loves to cover us with His wings. Rest in the Lord. Nestle close to Him. Pour out to Him your heart's desires. Never doubt, always believe.

Oh Thou "Stronghold", hold us fast in Thine own arms of love and may we abide in Thee by faith! Amen.

Whiter Than Snow

Whiter Than Snow

By Hymn Stories


James Nicholson, c. 1828-1876

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7)

God's people have been placed in their particular circle of influence so they can demonstrate purity and a concern for righteousness. If we do not fulfill this role, who will? It is easy, however, to become so accustomed and hardened to the lust and sin all about us that we lose that fine edge of our Christian witness. In fact, without God's daily cleansing and renewal, we are easily infiltrated with and influenced by the very lifestyle that we reject in others.

Unconfessed sin becomes a destructive poison in our fives, not only spiritually but also emotionally and physically. Repentance and confession are always the starting points for a restored fellowship with God. Like the psalmist David did in his prayer in Psalm 51, we all need to experience God's cleansing and forgiveness. Only then will we be effective for God in helping others and directing sinners to Him (Psalm 51:13).

This is another fine hymn text written by a Christian layman. James Nicholson spent his entire life as a clerk in the post office in Philadelphia, yet he was always active in the work of the Wharton Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The hymn was first published in a pamphlet titled "Joyful Songs" in 1872. The hymn's popularity greatly increased with its inclusion in the well-known Gospel Hymns series published by Sankey and Bliss. It has since provided a musical prayer that needs to be expressed by every Christian on a daily basis:

"Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole; I want thee forever to live in my soul, break down ev'ry idol, cast out ev'ry foe--Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies and help me to make a complete sacrifice. I give up myself and whatever I know--Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat; I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet. By faith, for my cleansing I see Thy blood flow--Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait; come now and within me a new heart create. To those who have sought Thee Thou never saidst "No"--Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

"Refrain: Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow--Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."

For Today: Psalm 32:3-5; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 3:23-25; 1 Corinthians 6:11

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of sin. Confess it to God and claim His forgiving grace.

The great heart changer!

The great heart changer!

From Spurgeon's, "The Stony Heart Removed"

The heart of the natural man, like marble,
is stone-cold towards spiritual things.

No arguments have power to move a soul so steeled,
so thoroughly stony, hard, and impenetrable.

O rocks of iron and hills of brass,
you are softer than the proud heart of man!

Fallen man is like the deaf adder which will not be charmed,
charm we never so wisely.

Tears are lost on him.

Threatenings are but as the whistlings of the wind.

The preachings of the law, and even of Christ crucified--
all these are null and void and fall hopelessly to the ground,
so long as the man's heart continues what it is by nature--
dead, and hard, and cold.

The heart of man grows harder whether it be the soft sunshine
of love, or the harsh tempest of judgment that falls upon it.

Mercy and love alike make it more solid,
and knit its particles closer together;
and surely until the Omnipotent himself speak the word,
the heart of man grows harder, and harder, and harder,
and refuses to be softened or broken.

Granite may be ground and be broken into pieces,
but unless God gets the hammer in his hand,
and even he must put both hands to it,
the great 'granite heart' of man will not yield in any way.

You may smite a man's heart right and left with death,
with judgment, with mercy, with tears, with entreaties,
with threatenings, and it will not break!

No, even the fires of hell do not melt man's heart,
for the damned in hell grow more hard by their agonies,
and they hate God, and blaspheme him all the more
because of the suffering they endure.

Only Omnipotence itself, I say,
can ever soften this hard heart of man.

Christ is the Great Heart Changer!

"Lord, melt my heart.
None but a bath of blood divine can take the flint away;
but do it Lord, and you shall have the praise."

Dethroned--but not destroyed!

(John Angell James, "Christian Progress" 1853)

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no
good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to
perform that which is good I find not." Romans 7:18

A Christian is truly regenerated--but at the same
time only partially sanctified.

Sin is dethroned--but not destroyed!

His predominant taste and disposition are holy--
but godly principles may not yet have struck
their roots very deep into his soul.

His holy purposes are somewhat vacillating, and
his inclinations to evil sometimes strong.

We have the burden of our fleshly corruptions to
carry, which without great labor and effort, will
sadly retard us in our Christian lives.

We are like a traveler who is on a smooth road, has
fine weather, is intimately acquainted with the way,
and has agreeable and helpful companions--but who
at the same time is very lame, or has a load to carry.
His lameness or his load will be a great delay to him.
His attention must be directed to these things. He
must cure the one or lighten the other, or he will
make slow progress.

The good Shepherd's flock

The good Shepherd's flock
(Henry Law, "Deuteronomy" 1858)


"My sheep hear My voice, and I know
 them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

The good Shepherd's flock is widely
scattered. They wander far on hills, and
valleys, in every land, and every climate.
Some pant beneath a tropic sun.

Some shiver in perpetual snows.

A watchful eye sees all.

And in fit time each is approached.
Jesus Himself draws near.
He wins the heart.
He enters in.
He takes the throne.
He shows His smile.
He melts the rock.
He turns the enmity to love.
He sits a conqueror in a once rebel camp.

All given by the Father come to
Him, because He comes to them.

They follow, because He calls.
They run, because He draws.

He opens out His arms; and then
they flee quickly to the shelter.

It is radical, revolutionary, lasting!

It is radical, revolutionary, lasting!

(Arthur Pink, "The Sovereignty of God")

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

In the new birth, God exerts a quickening influence or power upon His own elect. Regeneration is very, very much more than simply shedding a few tears because of some temporary remorse over sin. It is far more than changing our course of life, the leaving off of bad habits and the substituting of good ones. It is something different from the mere cherishing and practicing of noble ideals. It goes infinitely deeper than coming forward to take some popular evangelist by the hand, signing a pledge-card, or "joining the church." The new birth is no mere turning over a new leaf--but is the inception and reception of a new life! It is no mere reformation, but a radical transformation. In short, the new birth is a miracle--the result of the supernatural operation of God. It is radical, revolutionary, lasting!

   In the new birth:

God lays hold of one who is spiritually dead--and quickens him into newness of life!

God takes up one who was shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin--and conforms him to the image of His Son!

God seizes a drudge of the Devil--and makes him a member of His holy family!

God picks up a destitute beggar--and makes him joint-heir with Christ!

God comes to one who is full of enmity against Him--and gives him a new heart that is full of love for Him!

God stoops to one who by nature is a rebel--and works in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure!

By His irresistible power, God transforms . . .
  a sinner--into a saint;
  an enemy--into His friend,
  a drudge of the Devil--into His beloved child!

Old Adam put in a better dress

Old Adam put in a better dress

(Thomas Watson, "A New Creature")

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom
 of God unless he is born again." John 3:3

Natural honesty, moral virtue, prudence, justice, liberality,
temperance--these are not the new birth. These make a
glorious show in the eye of the world—but differ as much
from the new birth, as a stick differs from a star! Morality
indeed is commendable, and it would be well if there were
more of it. Yet morality is but nature at its best; it does not
amount to saving grace. There is nothing of Christ in morality.
That fruit is sour--which does not grow on the root of Christ!

Heat water to the highest degree--and you still cannot
make wine out of it; it is water still. Just so, let morality
be raised to the highest, it is nature still; it is but old
Adam put in a better dress.

Moral virtue may exist with the hatred of godliness.
A moral man hates holiness--as much as he does vice!
"You must be born again." John 3:7

The Lord's portion

The Lord's portion

(Charles Spurgeon)

"The Lord's portion is His people." Deuteronomy 32:9

How are they His portion?

First, by His own sovereign election. He chose them, and set His love upon them. He chose them altogether apart from any goodness in them at the time, or any goodness which He foresaw in them. He had mercy on whom He would have mercy, and ordained a chosen company unto eternal life. Therefore, are they His by His unconstrained election.

They are not only His by choice — but by purchase. He has bought and paid for them to the utmost farthing — hence there can be no dispute about His title to them. The Lord's portion has been fully redeemed, not with corruptible things, as with silver and gold — but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ! See the blood-mark upon all the elect, invisible to human eye — but known to Christ, for "the Lord knows those who are His!" He forgets none of those whom He has redeemed! He counts the sheep for whom He laid down His life, and well remembers the people for whom He gave Himself.

They are also His by conquest. What a battle He had in us — before we would be won! How long He laid siege to our hearts! How often He sent us terms of surrender! But we barred our gates, and fortified our walls against Him. Do we not remember that glorious hour — when He conquered our hearts? When He placed His cross against the wall, and scaled our ramparts, planting the blood-red flag of His omnipotent mercy on our strongholds? Yes, we are, indeed — the conquered captives of His omnipotent love!

"(Though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates )" Nehemiah 6:1

OLD TESTAMENT PARENTHESES (19)

"(Though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates )" Nehemiah 6:1

IT is when God is most prospering our labours that Satan's wiliest attacks come against us. In an incredibly short time the whole wall around Jerusalem had been restored; "there was no breach left therein." It was a period when God's servant might have relaxed and it was just at that very time when the subtle enemies of the work of God suggested the advisability of a new 'dialogue' between them and invited Nehemiah to share their hospitality in the plain of Ono for that purpose.

IT was a trick. The sole purpose was to lure Nehemiah away from the work of restoration, with the probability that he would never have been able to return to it. I know, to my sorrow, how real that temptation was. Many years ago, at a time of great blessing, several of us were lured into something of this nature. My discerning colleague, dear George Taylor, urged us to get on with the work and refuse to discuss things with our attackers, saying that this would mean, 'going down to the plain of Ono.' I am sorry to say that we ignored his counsel and found later that we had got out of the will of God.

NEHEMIAH avoided this trap, and he did so by realising the importance of what remained to be done: "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down." So he refused to be drawn into idle arguments by concentrating on the work which God had given him to do.

OUR parenthesis tells us what constituted that 'great work' which yet remained; there were no doors to make the various gateways effective. It was this that detained him and enabled him to reject their repeated requests for him to come down. What was the use of closing gaps and building gates if the doors were not in their place? What was the use of closing gaps and building gates if the work was left in this unfinished state? The whole city was vulnerable while those entrances were not capable of being closed against intruders.

IN Nehemiah's days the doors were needed to guard the city during the hours of darkness (7:3) and to ensure the sanctity of the Sabbath (13:19). For us they emphasise the need for excluding from our lives and fellowships all that might dishonour the name of the Lord. Whether in our assemblies, our homes or our private lives, the wall of testimony must be adequately protected from defiling intrusions. The doors must be set up in the gates.

----------------

Sitting side by side with corpses?

Sitting side by side with corpses? The following is from Spurgeon's sermon, "Alive or Dead- Which?" No. 755. 1 John 5:12.  The moralist says, "Oh! I have always lived a chaste, upright, moral life. I have been attentive to religious duties...." I tell you, unbelieving moralist, what you are- you are a corpse well washed and decently laid out, daintily robed in fair white linen, sprinkled plenteously with sweet perfumes, and wrapped in myrrh, and cassia, and aloes, with flowers wreathed about your brow, and your bosom bedecked by the hand of affection with sweetly blushing roses. But you have no spiritual life, and therefore your destiny is the grave, corruption is your heritage, and your place of abode is fixed, "where their worm dies not, and the fire not quenched." For, "He that believes not shall be damned." With all your excellencies and moralities, with all your baptisms and his sacraments, "He that believes not shall be damned." There is no middle place, no specially reserved and superior abodes for these noble and virtuous unbelievers. If they have not believed, they shall be bound up in bundles with the rest, for God has appointed to all unbelievers their portion with liars, and thieves, and whoremongers, and drunkards, and idolaters. Beware, you unbelievers, for your unbelief will be the most condemning evidence against you at the great judgment day. Some of you are spiritually dead. Is not this terrible? Oh, if by some touch of an angel's wand, our bodies should all become as our souls are, how many corpses would fill these aisles, and crowd these pews! Oh! what a sight this place would be! Those of us who are alive would hasten to gather up our things and say, "Let us be gone! How can we sit side by side with corpses?"

O, give thanks to the Lord!

(James Smith, "Sunny Subjects for All Seasons" 1858)

"O, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever!" 1 Chronicles 16:34

O, give thanks to the Lord, Christian, for He has not dealt with you after your sins, nor rewarded you according to your iniquities! He has . . .
  pardoned your sins,
  justified your soul,
  renewed your nature, and
  given you a title to everlasting life!

He has thus . . .
  prevented your ruin,
  borne with your follies,
  supplied all your needs,
  guided your steps, and
  promised to conduct you to glory!
His mercy has been ever great toward you!

"O, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever!"

Walking along the Narrow Way

(Arthur Pink, "The Narrow Way")

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction—and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life—and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

Walking along the Narrow Way, means for the heart and life to be constantly regulated by Christ's holy teaching. It denotes a steady perseverance in faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus; overcoming all opposition, rejecting every temptation to forsake the path of fidelity to Him. It is called the "Narrow Way" because all self-pleasing and self-seeking is shut out.

It is right here that the testing point is reached. Unto the natural man, it is much easier and far more pleasant—to indulge the flesh and follow our worldly propensities. The Broad Road, where the flesh is indulged—is easy, smooth, and attractive! But it ends in "destruction!" Though the "Narrow Way" leads to eternal life—but only FEW tread it.

Multitudes make a profession and claim to be saved—but their lives give no evidence that they are "strangers and pilgrims" here on earth, and that their "treasure" is in heaven. They are afraid of being thought narrow and strict. Satan has deceived them—they imagine that they can get to heaven by an easier route, than by . . .
denying self,
taking up their cross daily,
and following Christ!

There are multitudes of 'religionists' who are attempting to combine the two "ways," making the best of both worlds and serving two masters. They wish to gratify self in time—and enjoy the happiness of Heaven in eternity. Crowds of nominal Christians are deluding themselves into believing that they can do so—but they are terribly deceived!

The reason why so few will enter Eternal Life—is because the multitudes are not seeking it in the way of God's appointing! None seek it aright—but those who pass through the Narrow Gate—and who, despite many discouragements and falls, continue to press forward along the Narrow Way.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction—and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life—and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

There are only two things which I am sure of

(Letters of John Newton)

When I was young, I was sure of many things.
But now that I am old, there are only two
things which I am sure of:
One is that I am a miserable sinner!
Secondly, that Christ is an all-sufficient Savior!

He is well taught—who learns these two lessons.

"This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full
acceptance: 'Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners'—and I am the worst of them!"
1 Timothy 1:15

Paying for admittance into heaven

(Horatius Bonar, "Bible Thoughts and Themes")

"He saved us--not by works of righteousness that
we had done, but according to His mercy." Titus 3:5

Ritualism, or externalism, or traditionalism
are all different forms of self-righteousness; man's
self-invented ways of pleasing or appeasing God,
or paying for admittance into heaven. These
forms of self-righteousness are a human apparatus
for procuring God's pardon. They are the means by
which the performer of them hopes to win God's
favor--perhaps, also, man's praise--most certainly,
his own esteem.

Every act, or performance, or ceremony, which honors self,
exalts self, or gives prominence to self--is an accursed thing.
It is an abomination in the sight of God--however religious,
or sacred, or solemn, or devout, it may seem to man.

It is to self-righteousness in some form or other, that man
is always tending. Man attempts to make up for this badness,
or to cover it over, by works, and devotions, and ceremonies.
All this is pure self-righteousness.

The religion of self-righteousness in our day consists
of works, feelings, fancies, music, rites, festivals, fasts,
gestures, postures, garments. It is something which
gratifies self; which pleases the natural man; which
makes a man think well of himself; which gives a
man something to do or to feel in order to earn
pardon and merit heaven. Pride, religious pride, is
at the root. Ritualism is man's expression of rejection
of Christ. It was self-righteous religion which crucified
the Son of God. All human rites and ceremonies are
man's ways of getting rid of Christ. What can all
these things do? Can they save?
Can religious postures save?
Can religious garments save?
Can religious candles save?
Can religious music save?
Can religious architecture save?
Can religious cathedrals save?
No! They lead away from Jesus! They make void
the cross, and trample on His blood!

"He saved us--not by works of righteousness that
we had done, but according to His mercy." Titus 3:5

All the links of the golden chain of salvation

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"It is by grace you have been saved!" Ephesians 2:5

All the links of the golden chain of salvation are
made up of free grace! The people of God are . . .
  freely loved, Deuteronomy 7:6-8;
  freely chosen, John 15:16-19, Ephesians 1:4;
  freely accepted, Ephesians 1:6;
  freely adopted, Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5-6;
  freely reconciled, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20;
  freely justified, Romans 3:24;
  freely saved, Ephesians 2:5, 8.

Free grace is the foundation of all spiritual and eternal
mercies. Free grace is the solid bottom and foundation
of all a Christian's comfort in this world. Were we to
measure the love of God to us by . . .
  our fruitfulness,
  our holiness,
  our humbleness,
  our spiritualness,
  our heavenly-mindedness, or
  our gracious behavior towards Him
—how would our hope and our confidence be
every moment staggered—if not vanquished!

But all is of grace—of free grace! O sirs! it is free grace . . .
  which will strengthen you in all your duties,
  which will sweeten all your mercies,
  which will support you under all your changes,
  which will arm you against all temptations!

"For it is by grace you have been saved!" Ephesians 2:8

I will rejoice in Your salvation!

(William Nicholson, 1862)

"I will rejoice in Your salvation!" Psalm 9:14

The minds of the wicked find joy from the most trivial causes — causes which the Spirit of God has taught the Christian to estimate as mere "vanity and vexation of spirit." To the enlightened mind, the pursuits of this world, and the possessions of the most wealthy, dwindle into insignificance when compared with the value of the soul and its great salvation. If a sinner finds cause for joy in his career of iniquity, the end of which is damnation — then surely the believer has an unfailing source of joy and consolation in God's salvation!

No one can rejoice in salvation, unless he understands it. There will be a knowledge . . .
of the necessity of salvation, arising from the conviction of one's fallen, guilty, and condemned state before God;
of the accomplishment of salvation, by the atoning death, resurrection, and intercession of Jesus Christ, 1 Timothy 1:15;
that when received, salvation will grant . . .
pardon to the guilty,
justification to the condemned,
liberty to the spiritual captive,
health to the spiritually sick,
sight to the spiritually blind, and, in short,
"all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus!"

No one can ever rejoice in salvation, unless he has felt his need of it. The Spirit has opened the eyes of his understanding, and revealed to him his great guilt — and need of the Savior. He now knows the plague of his own heart. He now feels his utter helplessness — and perceives the adaptation of the Savior to his state as a perishing sinner.

True salvation always produces joy and rejoicing! "I will rejoice in Your salvation."
The sick person rejoices when his disease departs, when the bloom of health again mantles his cheek, etc.
The debtor rejoices when his debts are discharged, etc.
The culprit rejoices when reprieved, when he hears the opening of the doors of his prison-house.
And shall not the penitent and believing sinner rejoice? He is saved! Saved from . . .
the guilt of sin,
the condemnation of sin,
the dominion of sin,
the power of death,
the dominion of the grave, and
the vengeance of everlasting fire!

This joy springs from the realization of divine mercy, through the sin-atoning death of Christ. This rejoicing is over . . .
an infinite soul,
redeemed by an infinite price,
from an infinite damnation —
to infinite joys, realized first here, and then to be realized fully in an infinite Heaven.

What a possession! What a prospect! "I will rejoice in Your salvation!"

1. The believer rejoices in the origin of salvation. It is the result of distinguishing grace — the sovereign goodness and unmerited compassion and favor of God. Man . . .
did not deserve it,
had no equitable title to it,
never solicited it.
God beheld him as an outcast, pitied him, and condescended to save him!

2. The believer rejoices in the procuring of salvation. When he sees his Redeemer in the garden and on the cross, he weeps — but they are tears of joy. There he sees Christ's astonishing love. There he sees Him bearing his sins — and dying in his stead, etc.

3. The believer rejoices in the glorious properties of salvation . . .
the freeness of it, requiring no qualifications nor conditions,
the purity of it, unto holiness,
the power of it, saving him from the guilt, dominion, and pollution of sin,
the extensiveness of it, investing him with every spiritual blessing,
the certainty of it, assuring the soul, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish — ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand." John 10:28

4. The believer rejoices in the prospective consummation of salvation in Heaven. He anticipates with joy . . .
the full harvest,
the fruition of hope, and
the vision of glory in which faith shall be lost.

"You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!" Psalm

Lord, teach us to pray!

(Arthur Pink)

It is my deepening conviction that perhaps the Lord's own people sin more in their efforts to pray, than in connection with any other thing they engage in.

What hypocrisy there is — where there should be reality!
What presumptuous demandings — where there should be submissiveness!
What formality — where there should be brokenness of heart!
How little we really feel the sins we confess!
What little sense of deep need for the mercies we seek!

And even where God grants a measure of deliverance from these awful sins . . .
  how much coldness of heart,
  how much unbelief,
  how much self-will and self-pleasing
 — have we to bewail!

We need to be delivered from a cold, mechanical and formal type of praying which is merely a lip-service, in which there is . . .
  no actual approach unto the Lord,
  no delighting of ourselves in Him,
  no pouring out of the heart before Him.

I often say my prayers,
But do I ever pray?
And do the wishes of my heart
Go with the words I say?

I may as well kneel down
And worship gods of stone,
As offer to the living God
A prayer of words alone!

"Lord, teach us to pray!" Luke 11:1

   ~  ~  ~  ~

THE LORD MY CREDITOR

THE LORD MY PORTION or,
DAILY NEED DIVINELY SUPPLIED

By Octavius Winslow, 1870

THE LORD MY CREDITOR

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul."

"How much do you owe my master?" Luke 16:5

There is not a greater debtor in the universe than the believer in Jesus. The natural man owes God much--ten thousand talents--but the renewed man owes God ten thousand times more--a debt of love, gratitude, and service such as the highest number cannot compute, or the longest eternity pay. It is very salutary to keep constantly in mind our indebtedness to Christ. We are prone to forget it. We are tempted at times to imagine that, some little service of love, or act of obedience, or season of suffering, has cancelled, in some degree, the immense obligation we are under to God; no, more, we are even tempted to cherish the delusion that, by this very sacrifice on our part of self-denying service and endurance of suffering, we have actually made the Lord Himself our debtor! But this will not always be the reflection of a truly spiritual mind and Christ-loving heart; of one who, in view of what Jesus has done for him--the hell from whence he is ransomed, and the heaven to which he is raised, exclaims–
"Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all."

We owe Jesus supreme, obedient, and self-denying love. Oh, if there is a being in the universe whom it were no exaggeration of affection to love with every throb of our hearts, it is JESUS. This supreme concentration of love on one object implies no rupture of tie, or lessening of affection towards others. There is a self-love, natural and proper; there is conjugal love, holy and deep; there is parental love, tender and enduring; and there is filial love, God-commanded and God-honored--all these bonds of affection may exist in harmony with a supreme love to Jesus, which, while it recognizes and hallows them, towers above, transcends, and out-shines them as the sun the inferior planets which revolve around it, their center.

We owe Jesus unwearied service. True religion is practical. The grace of God in the heart isdiffusive. Divine love in the soul is constraining. The service of Christ, to which our grateful love binds us, is perfect freedom and a supreme delight. Are you, my soul, devoting yourself to the service of your Lord, who consecrated His whole life, yes, Himself for you? Are you lending a loving, sympathizing, helping hand to His ministers--vindicating, encouraging, aiding them? Are you seeking the conversion of souls, and thus aiding to increase His kingdom? What are you doing for Jesus?

We owe Jesus our talents, time, and substance. If we recognize the fact that we are not our own proprietors, then it follows that there was nothing exaggerated in the entire devotion of the early Christians, of whom it is recorded, "No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own." Yes! we are not our own, but Christ's; and if we withhold from Him our one talent, burying it in the earth; our time, frittering it away in the mere baubles and trifles of life; our property, lavishing it in self-indulgence, we are robbing Christ of what by right of creation, redemption, and vow of consecration belongs to Him, proving ourselves to be unfaithful stewards. Can we ever do or suffer too much for Him who paid all our great debt of obedience, and suffering, and death both to law and justice, that we might go free? Oh no! My soul! how "much owe you unto my Lord?" Lord! I owe You my talents, my rank, my wealth, my time, my all!--body, soul, and spirit, through time and through eternity.

"When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glowing sun,
When we stand with Christ above,
Looking o'er life's tale of love;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know–
Not until then--how much I owe.

"When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own;
When I see You as You art,
Serve You with unsinning heart;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know–
Not until then--how much I owe."

"Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece" (Judges 6:39).

  Streams in the Desert

      Degrees of Faith
     
      "Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece" (Judges 6:39).
     
      There are degrees to faith. At one stage of Christian experience we cannot believe unless we have some sign or some great manifestation of feeling. We feel our fleece, like Gideon, and if it is wet we are willing to trust God. This may be true faith, but it is imperfect. It always looks for feeling or some token besides the Word of God. It marks quite an advance in faith when we trust God without feelings. It is blessed to believe without having any emotion.
     
      There is a third stage of faith which even transcends that of Gideon and his fleece. The first phase of faith believes when there are favorable emotions, the second believes when there is the absence of feeling, but this third form of faith believes God and His Word when circumstances, emotions, appearances, people, and human reason all urge to the contrary. Paul exercised this faith in Acts 27:20, 25, "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." Notwithstanding all this Paul said, "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."
     
      May God give us faith to fully trust His Word though everything else witness the other way. --C. H. P.
     
      When is the time to trust? Is it when all is calm, When waves the victor's palm, And life is one glad psalm Of joy and praise? Nay! but the time to trust Is when the waves beat high, When storm clouds fill the sky, And prayer is one long cry, O help and save!
     
      When is the time to trust? Is it when friends are true? Is it when comforts woo, And in all we say and do We meet but praise? Nay! but the time to trust Is when we stand alone, And summer birds have flown, And every prop is gone, All else but God.
     
      What is the time to trust? Is it some future day, When you have tried your way, And learned to trust and pray By bitter woe? Nay! but the time to trust Is in this moment's need, Poor, broken, bruised reed! Poor, troubled soul, make speed To trust thy God.
     
      What is the time to trust? Is it when hopes beat high, When sunshine gilds the sky, And joy and ecstasy Fill all the heart? Nay! but the time to trust Is when our joy is fled, When sorrow bows the head, And all is cold and dead, All else but God. --Selected

Beware of False Peace!

Beware of False Peace!

By Theodore Epp

      Colossians 3:13-17

      We must beware of false peace. Some who do wrong may have a peace about it, but it does not come from God. As someone has said, "Peace of heart alone is not always the peace of God."

      A significant test to apply to determine the origin of the peace is this: If I have peace in my heart about a matter, do I also have peace with others in the Body of Christ concerning it?

      Understandably, not everyone will agree on any single issue, but if only the person himself thinks he is right, he has reason to question his decision. If we are out of the will of God, we will bring discord and disharmony to the Body of true believers.

      I realize the difficulty in assessing who is a true believer, especially in a group situation. Sometimes those who are part of the group do not evidence salvation themselves.

      Other times, some may clearly evidence salvation but give little evidence of mature judgment in things related to the Christian life.

      One of the best safeguards against a false peace is simply making sure that you have the desire to please Jesus Christ in all that you do.

      If it is your concern "that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18), you can trust Him to bring conviction and a lack of peace when your life is not honoring to Him.

      "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Ps. 119:165).

THE TWO KINGDOMS

THE TWO KINGDOMS

[Harry Foster]

"... who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love"(Colossians 1:13).

IF we want to know anything about kings and kingdoms, there is one book in the Old Testament which is full of those words, and that is the Book of Daniel. There are a number of chapters in that book which are narrative and tell us what happened, and it is about those chapters, particularly chapters two to six, we shall be speaking. They cover a lot of ground; and if you will read them over again you will find, I believe, that they are all connected.

THE EARTHLY KINGDOM AND THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM
Chapter 2 brings before us in a graphic way that of which the verse in Colossians reminds us: there are only two kingdoms. You remember that Daniel and his friends prayed, and God gave revelation in answer to that prayer. That revelation was that there is an earthly kingdom -- the image of various metals -- and that there is a heavenly kingdom. I expect Nebuchadnezzar felt rather pleased to find himself in the centre of the vision -- "Thou art the head of gold" -- but has it ever occurred to you that Daniel and his three friends saw where they were in that vision? They were not in the image, for God has delivered us from that dominion -- and what a dominion it is! Do not become too interested in the different kingdoms on the earth and what they represent, for you may lose sight of the fact that there is only one kingdom. The nations may come and go, the metals may change, but there is only one kingdom. Daniel and his friends may have prayed that the Lord would remove Nebuchadnezzar, but if He had done so, the kingdom would go on -- and how we have found that, even in our day! One tyranny departs only to make way for another. There is really only one kingdom -- the Colossus of man's making fixed upon the earth, and one day to be destroyed. You notice that when the last expression of the kingdom is destroyed, then, and not till then, the whole image will fall, for it stands as one -- and God has delivered us from that!

Then there is another kingdom. Nothing much is said about it; nothing of the appearance, the constitution, the shape, the form and the expression of it, as there is in the case of the earthly kingdom. It cannot be described, for it is heavenly. All that can be said is that it comes out of a mountain and -- the most important thing -- man never made it: "Made without hands." The God of heaven has a kingdom in preparation which is hidden from view now. So far as earthly grandeur, size, dimension and appearance are concerned it is nothing to be compared with the earthly kingdom, but one day it is to be revealed as God's answer -- the kingdom of His dear Son. And Daniel and his friends realized that they belonged to that kingdom, and Colossians 1:13 tells us that we are to realize that we do not belong to the one kingdom, but to that other.

Of course, this does not mean that Daniel and his friends had nothing to do with anyone or anything in Babylon, for they did. They had names given them, and you will see that they were called by those Babylonish names, but when Daniel and his friends got together to pray, they did not call one another Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; they used their real names. There was a fellowship of life that belonged to the other world, the world of their birth and of God's purpose. But they bore these Babylonish names apparently without protest and answered to them. They lived and worked in [10/11] Babylon and to the outward eye they appeared to have a part in the ordinary life. Take note of that, for the real difference is not outward, but inward.

THE RESULT OF REPUDIATING THE EARTHLY KINGDOM

So, when we come into chapter 3, we find that though Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego worked and lived in Babylon, when it came to a spiritual issue they were men who had no heart relationship at all with that other kingdom. And what happened to them? That is the development of the story! What does happen if we repudiate and refuse this kingdom of darkness, not in some outward way but in an inward heart attitude? Well, you know that in chapter 3 we have the story of the fiery furnace, heated "seven times more than it was wont to be heated". "He hath delivered us from the kingdom of darkness" -- but as soon as we, in a really living way, take up our place in this world as those who are delivered from the kingdom of darkness, we shall find that kingdom of darkness challenging us. No one is permitted to live in Babylon and in heart be separate from Babylon without knowing the spiritual strength of evil which is behind Babylon. And let me say in passing, and by the way, that of the various nations and cities in the Bible that speak of the power of the god of this world, Babylon is one which speaks of the world from a religious point of view.

However, that is the issue. "Delivered from the kingdom of darkness" sounds beautiful when we sing it in a hymn, and it is nice when we have a vision of what is the glorious end of that other kingdom, but we are in a fools' paradise if we think we are going on singing about it, studying it and talking about it until it comes. No! We are going to be faced immediately with the challenge as to our own heart separation from this thing, and the furnace will be heated seven times. Perhaps that explains some of our experiences for which there is no other explanation. Why is the furnace heated seven times? Because in a new way, by His grace, we have laid hold of the fact that He has delivered us from this dominion of darkness. It does not sound like deliverance, but it is Satan's reaction to our position of faith about our deliverance.

THE ALTERNATIVE

Is there an alternative? Is there not another way? Yes, there is another way, and if we go on into Daniel 4 we will find that other way, for this chapter is about the man who was not delivered -- indeed, he was bound up with the earthly kingdom. It is a long chapter, and is the story of the man who did the opposite of what these three men did. They repudiated Babylon. He gloried in it. They were put into the fiery furnace. He was the emperor on the throne -- but was he? Not for long! God challenged him. The three men were challenged by the devil, but Nebuchadnezzar was challenged by God. The three men had the fiery furnace heated seven times. Nebuchadnezzar, you will notice if you read this chapter, had God's judgments on him seven times. There is the alternative. But now, while for the moment we feel that the position of the three men in the fiery furnace is a dreadful one and that it is a hard way to repudiate the spirit of this world, when we read Chapter 4 we find that there is a harder way, for, while we may come up against the devil if we are true to God, we come up against God if we have any real heart relationship and affiliation with the kingdom of this world. God seems to have loved Nebuchadnezzar. He took pains with him, and in His mercy the king was not destroyed but was brought to his senses; but it is a very bitter, painful, humiliating experience to be brought to our senses by God. 

There are only two kingdoms, but those two kingdoms are very real. We have the stark alternatives, the extremes, in chapters 3 and 4: the extreme of those who are true to God -- for them it is the fiery furnace -- and the extreme of the man whose heart has the spirit of Babylon, and he is brought low seven times by the mighty hand of God. Those are extremes, but they are put for us in that extreme form so that we may appreciate the principle, and the principle is this: to belong to the one kingdom is to meet the devil, but to belong to the other is to meet the Lord.

Well, we will come back to the young men in the fiery furnace, and we find that they are all right, after all. Indeed, it was the most wonderful experience of their lives. They were not burned, but were brought through, for they had the blessed, living Son of God with them in their trial.

So we see that the vision of the heavenly kingdom always brings its challenge, but if we will stand firm and say, as they did: 'He has delivered us from this dominion and what happens to us is His concern, not ours', the Lord will take that stand with us.

On the one hand, then, there is a man taking the easy way -- but God is against him. On the other hand there are three men being true to their vision and taking the hard way, and though it means a fiery furnace, God is with them. [11/12]

HOLDING FAST THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM

Now we have chapters v and vi of Daniel. Of course, when the events in chapter vi took place it was very many years after the vision had been received. Daniel was an old man now, but the challenge goes on all through the years. The vision must be adhered to right to the end, and this time the issue is not so much whether Daniel will repudiate Babylon, the kingdom of this earth, but whether he will hold fast to the heavenly kingdom. The expression of that heavenly kingdom, as he knew it, was Jerusalem; and there is always an expression here on earth of the heavenly kingdom. The Lord will always bring our vision down to terms of practical matters -- things, places and people. Daniel is not left saying all through his life: 'I live in Babylon but I do not belong there. One day I shall go to the kingdom that I belong to somewhere in the heavens, somewhere in the skies.' No, he has brought to him the challenge of the earthly expression of that heavenly kingdom, and the question of whether he will be true to his vision, even if the lions' den is the alternative. Daniel had his windows opened to Jerusalem. He took no notice of the great image and had no heart for Babylon. He looked only at the heavenly kingdom, and all his heart was for God. 'Well,' said the devil, 'we will see. The lions' den for you if you take that position!'

HOLDING FAST THE EARTHLY KINGDOM

Let us leave Daniel in the lions' den for a moment and go back to chapter v -- the story of Belshazzar and the writing on the wall. He did the opposite thing to Daniel, just as Nebuchadnezzar had done the opposite from the three young men. They repudiated the image; Nebuchadnezzar embraced it. Daniel loved the holy things of God; Belshazzar despised them. I would suppose that the Lord somehow or other -- in a manner of speaking -- gets used to men's sinfulness, for he did not judge Belshazzar because of the drunkenness, the foulness, the debauchery and the horrible atmosphere of his court. At that time all that did not bring out God's judgment, though it will do one day; but there was one thing that did bring out His judgments, and swiftly. There were holy vessels that belonged to the house of God in Babylon, and in the midst of all the riot and feasting Belshazzar, in his drunken insolence, called for those holy vessels, despising what was of God. We know what happened -- the hand that wrote upon the wall the sentence: "Weighed in the balances and found wanting -- thy kingdom taken from thee."

Once again let me say that though it is hard to be Daniel holding to the heavenly vision and facing the lions' den, it is not easier to take the opposite course and despise the heavenly Jerusalem.

Here again, you say, it is an extreme case. Yes, these are all extreme cases, but we have to apply to ourselves the issue in whatever degree it may come to us. We may not be as proud as Nebuchadnezzar, but if we have the pride of Nebuchadnezzar in our hearts, God will have to meet it and humble it. We may not be as dissolute as Belshazzar, but if, having known something of the heavenly kingdom of the Son of God's love into which He has called us, we regard that as a small thing, if we push that away into a corner of our lives, if we allow the things of earth, the praise of men, the interests of this life, to crowd that out, we are doing in essence what Belshazzar did -- defiling the holy things of God. And the writing on the wall says: 'That is how you lose the kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar, thy kingdom is taken from thee. Belshazzar, weighed in the balances and found wanting, thy kingdom is taken from thee.'

DELIVERANCE FROM THE EARTHLY KINGDOM

We come back to Daniel in the lions' den and find that the lions did not eat him after all. The Lord was with him. 'He hath delivered us from the dominion of darkness', and that does not only mean when we are walking on the streets of Babylon. It means, thank God! that when we are in the fiery furnace we are still delivered, because it is not merely a deliverance from, but a deliverance unto -- "translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love". Thus Daniel and his friends can not only take the kingdom into Babylon, but they can take the kingdom into the fiery furnace and quench it by the presence of the Lord. And they are delivered even in the lions' den, sharing in the heavenly kingdom even there.

THE ISSUE: SHARING IN THE GLORY OF HIS APPEARING

We have, then, five chapters of the Book of Daniel, and each chapter brings a picture with a spiritual principle in it. They are governed by chapter 2 -- a picture of the two kingdoms -- and then tell us of what happened in ordinary, practical life to men, who were just as we are, in relation to those two kingdoms. Two of the men failed to appreciate the true implication of these things. In [12/13] two cases, with the other four, the revelation that had come to them transformed their whole lives. They did not only think about it, or talk about it. When it came to practical matters, they lived it and, what is more, when the devil sought to quench them, they proved it. What greater proof of the kingdom of heaven in power is there than that experience of the men in the fiery furnace? That is not what we think of when we read Colossians 1:13! We think of the issue when we are brought out and put on the Throne. That is a nice kingdom! We never think that it will be a fiery furnace heated seven times.

The devil says to you: 'It is all wrong! Everything is wrong! That vision did not mean anything.' God says to you: 'Keep steady! I am with you.' That is the kingdom when it is in Babylon. That is how it works: when you are in the lions' den you are not alone. When I was a boy I used to sing:

"Dare to be a Daniel,

   Dare to stand alone."

I have no doubt that Daniel felt alone, but he did not stand alone. God sent an angel, but the Lord will do better than an angel for you -- He will be with you Himself.

So let us take courage! The issues of these two kingdoms are fierce, and constant, and will go on right through to the end, but if we will stand firm we shall see, not only our deliverance from the kingdom of this world, but its overthrow; we shall not only see the prospect of the coming of the kingdom, but we shall share in the glory of His appearing.

"He hath delivered us" -- let us be sure of it!

"He hath translated us" -- let us give God thanks for it! - H. F.
----------------

JUDSON OF BURMA

JUDSON OF BURMA

[Harry Foster]

TO the East of India and next door to China there lies the large country of Burma. Missionary work is no longer possible there, but there are many Christians, and it is now 150 years since the Gospel was first taken to that land. The man most responsible was Adoniram Judson. He suffered untold hardships, but he never gave up, because he himself had had such a wonderful experience of the love of Christ changing his whole life.

Adoniram Judson was a student at Providence College, and he was the son of a Christian minister. I am sorry to say that as he began to grow up he turned away from his father's faith, and by the time he became a student he was sure that the clever thing to do was to say that there is no God and to realize that it is silly to talk about a future life after this one.

So, like many students of today, he began to call himself an atheist, and he joined a set at his college who took delight in scoffing at any kind of faith. One of the leaders of this set was a gifted and popular young man whom we will call Edwards. Judson became a close companion of his, and was so charmed with his wit that he loved to have his approval. They took pleasure together in making fun of any kind of Christianity. Judson's father was greatly saddened by this, but his son would not listen to what he had to say, so that in the end all he could do was to pray that Adoniram might be saved from his bad companions and his mocking of God.

It so happened that during a vacation Judson started out on a tour by horseback, and one night he stopped at a wayside inn to ask if he could put up there for the night. The landlord explained that the only room he had to offer was next to one where a young man lay very ill, perhaps dying. Judson replied that this did not matter at all, since he was not afraid of death. 'When you are freed from all those silly religious ideas,' he added, 'you know that Heaven and Hell do not exist and that dying is just like going off to sleep.'

Off he went to bed, but he found that the partition between the two rooms was very thin and in the stillness of the night he could hear the man who was so ill. In fact, he could not help hearing him, for as he lay awake he heard groans and cries of despair from his unfortunate neighbour. The man was clearly afraid to die, and although he cried to God, it was only in dark despair and not with any kind of hope. Judson was greatly moved, but he tried to laugh it off; ashamed of what his college companions would say if they knew of his weakness. Above all, he wondered what his gay friend Edwards would say if he knew that his young companion, who had often laughed at death with him, was now soft and weak about it.

The groans grew worse, and Judson wildly wondered whether he ought to pray to God for help for this unhappy sufferer, but then he realized that he would never again be able to look Edwards in the face if he did so. It was a dreadful night, and he shuddered to hear the evident distress of the dying man.

Then all was still, and he lay sleepless and in fear until the morning. When he got up he found the innkeeper and asked about his neighbour. 'He's dead,' was the blunt reply the man gave him. 'Dead!' exclaimed Judson, 'and who was he?' 'Oh,' explained the innkeeper carelessly, 'he was a student from Providence College; a very fine fellow by the name of Edwards.'

Judson was stunned to find that this was the very man whom he had not wished to offend; the one who had been so funny when he was pouring scorn on those who were worried about death and eternity. He remembered the cries and the groans, and realized how easy it is to mock and say foolish things when all seems well, but how hard it is to face up to the real fact of death and judgment.

Instead of going on with his tour he turned the horse's head back towards his old home, and with a heavy heart he told his father of the shock he had had. He begged his godly father to help him to find a faith which could stand the test of death and eternity, and the father had the joy of telling his boy how God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that those who believe on Him will not be lost but enjoy eternal life. Of course, Adoniram had heard this often before, but he had never been willing to open his mind and heart to the truth and to God's great love. He had thought that it was smart to scoff, but now he knew how foolish he had been.

It took much persuading and praying before he could credit the fact that Christ still loved him, and that in spite of all he could still find life through believing. At last the assurance came and his heart became so filled with the love of the Lord Jesus that nothing would satisfy him but to take the [9/10] same message of life to those who had never heard it.

Ten years after that night of awakening he was out in Burma, trying to help the Karen people to know the same Saviour. He suffered greatly for his faith. After a period of nearly two years in a dark and dirty prison he was sentenced to death. The exact date and time of his execution were proclaimed, and once more he had to face the grim reality of death. This time, however, it was quite different, for the love of Christ had taken away all fear.

I am glad to say that he escaped, and was able to go on with his witness for Christ in Burma. Many were won for Christ among the Karens. "Think much on the love of Christ", Judson used to say to all the enquirers and converts. In fact, his favourite text was "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:18). I wonder what your favourite text is! - H. F.