The Deeper Christian Life # 11
The Blessing Secured
"Be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).
I may have some air, a little air, in my lungs, but not enough to keep up a healthy, vigorous life. But everyone seeks to have his lungs well filled with air, and the benefit of it will be felt in his blood and through his whole being. And just so the word of God comes to us, and says, "Christians, do not be content with thinking that you have the Spirit, or have a little of the Spirit, but, if you want to have a healthy life, be "filled with the Spirit." Is that your life? Or are you ready to cry out, "Alas, I do not know what it is to be filled with the Spirit, but it is what I long for." I want to point out to such the path to come to this great, precious blessing which is meant for everyone of us.
Before I speak further of it, let me just note one misunderstanding which prevails. People often look upon being "filled with the Spirit" as something that comes with a mighty stirring of the emotions, a sort of heavenly glory that comes over them, something that they can feel strongly and mightily; but that is not always the case. I was recently at Niagara Falls. I noticed, and I was told, that the water was unusually low. Suppose the river were doubly full, how would you see that fullness in the Falls? In the increased volume of water pouring over the cataract, and its tremendous noise. But go to another part of the river, or to the lake, where the very same fullness is found, and there is perfect quiet and placidity, the rise of the water is gentle and gradual, and you can hardly notice that there is any disturbance as the lake gets full. And just so it may be with a child of God. To one it comes with mighty emotion and with a blessed consciousness, "God has touched me!" To others it comes with gentle filling of the whole being with the presence and the power of God by His Spirit. I do not want to lay down the way in which it is to come to you, but I want to simply to take your place before God, and say, "My Father, whatever it may mean, that is what I want." If you come and give yourself up as an empty vessel and trust God to fill you, God will do His own work.
And now, the simple question as to the steps by which we can come to be "filled with the Spirit." I shall note four steps in the way by which a man can attain this wonderful blessing. He must say "I must have it," then "I may have it," and then "I will have it", and then, last, Thank God, "I shall have it."
1. The first word a man must begin to say, is, "I must have it." He must feel." It is a command of God, and I cannot live unfilled with the Spirit without disobeying God." It is a command here in this text, "Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit." Just as much as a man dare not get drunk, if he is a Christian, just as much must a man be filled with the Spirit. God wants it, and oh, that every one might be brought to say, "I must, if I am to please God. I must be filled with the Spirit." I fear there is a terrible, terrible self-satisfaction among many Christians - they are content with their low level of life. They think they have the Spirit because they are converted, but they know very little of the joy of the Holy Spirit, and of the sanctifying power of the Spirit. They know very little of the fellowship of the Spirit linking them to God and to Jesus. They know very little of the power of the Spirit to testify for God, and yet they are content; and one says, "Oh, it is only for eminent Christians." A very dear young friend once said to me as I was talking to her - (it was a niece of my own) - "Oh, Uncle Andrew, I cannot try to make myself better than the Christians around me. Wouldn't that be presumptuous?" And I said, "My child, you must not ask what the Christians around you are, but you must be guided by what God says." She has since confessed to me how bitterly ashamed she has become of that expression, and how she went to God to seek His blessing. Oh, friends, do not be content with that half Christian life that many of you are living, but say, "God wants it, God commands it; I must be filled with the Spirit."
And look not only at God's command, but look at the need of your own soul. You are a parent, and you want your children blessed and converted, and you complain that you haven't power to bless them. You say, "My home must be filled with God's Spirit." You complain of your own soul, of times of darkness and of leanness; you complain of watchlessness and wandering. A young minister once said to me, "Oh, why is it I have such a delight in study and so little delight in prayer?" - and my answer was, "My brother, your heart must get filled with a love for God and Jesus, and then you will delight in prayer." You complain sometimes that you cannot pray. You pray so short, you do not know what to pray, something drags you back from the closet. It is because you are living a life, trying to live a life, without being filled with the Spirit. Oh, think of the needs of the church around you. You are a Sunday school teacher; you are trying to teach a class of ten or twelve children, not one of them, perhaps, converted, and they go out from under you unconverted, you are trying to do a heavenly work in the power of the flesh and earth. Sunday school teachers, do begin to say, "I must be filled with the Spirit of God, or I must give up the charge of those young souls; I cannot teach them."
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 12)
Saturday, December 29, 2018
The Deeper Christian Life # 10
The Deeper Christian Life # 10
Look again at Peter. He had failed again and again, and went from bad to worse until he came to denying Christ with oaths. But what a change came over him! Just study the first epistle of Peter and you will see that the very life of Christ had entered into him. He shows the spirit of true humility, so different from his former self-confidence, and glorying to God's will instead of in his own. He had made a full surrender to Christ, and was trusting entirely in Him. Come therefore today and say to God, "Thou didst so change selfish, proud Peter, and Thou canst change me likewise." Yes, God is able to bring you into Canaan, the land of rest. You know the first half of the 8th of Romans. Have you noticed the expressions that are to be found there - "The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." To walk in the Spirit; to be after the Spirit, to be in the Spirit; to have the Spirit dwelling in us. Through the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the body; To be led by the Spirit; To be spiritually minded. These are all blessings which come when we bind ourselves wholly to live in the Spirit. If we live after the Spirit we have the very nature of the Spirit in us. If we live in the Spirit, we shall be led by Him every day and every moment. What if you were to open your heart today to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Would He not be able to keep you every moment in the sweet rest of God? and would not His mighty arm give you a complete victory over sin and temptation of every kind, and make you able to live in perpetual fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ? Most certainly! This, then, is the second step; this is the blessed life God has provided for us. First, God brought us out of Egypt; secondly, He brings us into Canaan. Then comes - Thirdly, the question:
HOW DOES GOD BRING US IN?
By leading us in a very definite act, viz, that of committing ourselves wholly to Him; entrusting ourselves to Him, that He may bring us into the land of rest, and keep us in. You remember that the Jordan at the time of harvest overflowed its banks. The hundreds of thousands of Israel were on the side of the river from Canaan. They were told that tomorrow, God would do wonderful things for them. The trumpet would sound, and the priests would take up the ark - the symbol of God's presence - and pass over before the people. But there lay the swollen river still. If there still unbelieving children among the people, they would say, "What fools, to attempt to cross now! This is not the time to attempt fording the river, for it is now twenty feet deep." But the believing people gathered together behind the priests with the ark. They obeyed the command of Joshua to advance; but they knew not what God was going to do? The priests walked right into the water, and the hearts of some began to tremble. They would perhaps ask, "Where is the rod of Moses?" But, as the priests walked straight on and stepped into the water, the waters rose up on the upper side in to a high wall, and flowed away on the other side, and a clear passage was made for the whole camp. Now, it was God that did this for the people; and it was because Joshua and the people believed and obeyed God. The same God will do it today, if we believe and trust Him. Am I addressing a soul who is saying - "I remember how God first brought me out of the land of bondage. I was in complete darkness of soul sand was deeply troubled. I did not at first believe that God could take me out, and that I could become a child of God. But, at last, God took me and brought me to trust in Jesus, and He led me out safely." Friend, you have the same God now who brought you out of bondage with a high hand; and can lead you into the place of rest. Look to Him and say, "O God, make an end of my wilderness life - my sinful and unbelieving life, - a life of grieving Thee. Oh, bring me today into the land of victory and rest and blessing!" Is this the prayer of your hearts, dear friends? Are you going to give up yourselves to Him to do this for you? Can you trust Him that He is able and willing to do it for you" He can take you through the swollen river this very moment, - yes, this very moment.
And He can do more: After Israel had crossed the river, the Captain of the Lord's host had to come and encourage Joshua, promising to take charge of the army and remain with them. You need the power of God's Spirit to enable you to overcome sin and temptation. You need to live in His fellowship - in His unbroken fellowship, without which you cannot stand or conquer. If you are to venture today, say by faith, "My God, I know that Jesus Christ is willing to be the Captain of my salvation, and to conquer every enemy for me, He will keep me by faith and by His Holy Spirit, and though it be dark to me, and as if the waters would pass over my soul, and though my condition seem hopeless, I will walk forward, for God is going to bring me in today, and I am going to follow Him. My God, I follow Thee now into the promised land."
Perhaps some have already entered in, and the angels have seen them, while they have been reading these solemn words. Is there anyone still hesitating because the waters of Jordan look threatening and impassable?
Oh! come, beloved soul, come at once and doubt not!
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 11)
Look again at Peter. He had failed again and again, and went from bad to worse until he came to denying Christ with oaths. But what a change came over him! Just study the first epistle of Peter and you will see that the very life of Christ had entered into him. He shows the spirit of true humility, so different from his former self-confidence, and glorying to God's will instead of in his own. He had made a full surrender to Christ, and was trusting entirely in Him. Come therefore today and say to God, "Thou didst so change selfish, proud Peter, and Thou canst change me likewise." Yes, God is able to bring you into Canaan, the land of rest. You know the first half of the 8th of Romans. Have you noticed the expressions that are to be found there - "The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." To walk in the Spirit; to be after the Spirit, to be in the Spirit; to have the Spirit dwelling in us. Through the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the body; To be led by the Spirit; To be spiritually minded. These are all blessings which come when we bind ourselves wholly to live in the Spirit. If we live after the Spirit we have the very nature of the Spirit in us. If we live in the Spirit, we shall be led by Him every day and every moment. What if you were to open your heart today to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Would He not be able to keep you every moment in the sweet rest of God? and would not His mighty arm give you a complete victory over sin and temptation of every kind, and make you able to live in perpetual fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ? Most certainly! This, then, is the second step; this is the blessed life God has provided for us. First, God brought us out of Egypt; secondly, He brings us into Canaan. Then comes - Thirdly, the question:
HOW DOES GOD BRING US IN?
By leading us in a very definite act, viz, that of committing ourselves wholly to Him; entrusting ourselves to Him, that He may bring us into the land of rest, and keep us in. You remember that the Jordan at the time of harvest overflowed its banks. The hundreds of thousands of Israel were on the side of the river from Canaan. They were told that tomorrow, God would do wonderful things for them. The trumpet would sound, and the priests would take up the ark - the symbol of God's presence - and pass over before the people. But there lay the swollen river still. If there still unbelieving children among the people, they would say, "What fools, to attempt to cross now! This is not the time to attempt fording the river, for it is now twenty feet deep." But the believing people gathered together behind the priests with the ark. They obeyed the command of Joshua to advance; but they knew not what God was going to do? The priests walked right into the water, and the hearts of some began to tremble. They would perhaps ask, "Where is the rod of Moses?" But, as the priests walked straight on and stepped into the water, the waters rose up on the upper side in to a high wall, and flowed away on the other side, and a clear passage was made for the whole camp. Now, it was God that did this for the people; and it was because Joshua and the people believed and obeyed God. The same God will do it today, if we believe and trust Him. Am I addressing a soul who is saying - "I remember how God first brought me out of the land of bondage. I was in complete darkness of soul sand was deeply troubled. I did not at first believe that God could take me out, and that I could become a child of God. But, at last, God took me and brought me to trust in Jesus, and He led me out safely." Friend, you have the same God now who brought you out of bondage with a high hand; and can lead you into the place of rest. Look to Him and say, "O God, make an end of my wilderness life - my sinful and unbelieving life, - a life of grieving Thee. Oh, bring me today into the land of victory and rest and blessing!" Is this the prayer of your hearts, dear friends? Are you going to give up yourselves to Him to do this for you? Can you trust Him that He is able and willing to do it for you" He can take you through the swollen river this very moment, - yes, this very moment.
And He can do more: After Israel had crossed the river, the Captain of the Lord's host had to come and encourage Joshua, promising to take charge of the army and remain with them. You need the power of God's Spirit to enable you to overcome sin and temptation. You need to live in His fellowship - in His unbroken fellowship, without which you cannot stand or conquer. If you are to venture today, say by faith, "My God, I know that Jesus Christ is willing to be the Captain of my salvation, and to conquer every enemy for me, He will keep me by faith and by His Holy Spirit, and though it be dark to me, and as if the waters would pass over my soul, and though my condition seem hopeless, I will walk forward, for God is going to bring me in today, and I am going to follow Him. My God, I follow Thee now into the promised land."
Perhaps some have already entered in, and the angels have seen them, while they have been reading these solemn words. Is there anyone still hesitating because the waters of Jordan look threatening and impassable?
Oh! come, beloved soul, come at once and doubt not!
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 11)
Saturday, December 22, 2018
The Deeper Christian Life # 9
The Deeper Christian Life # 9
And now comes the question again - What is the way by which God will bring me to this rest? What is needed on my part if God is really to bring me into the happy land? I give the answer first of all by asking another question: Are you willing to forsake your wanderings in the wilderness? If you say, "We do not want to leave our wanderings, where we have had so many wonderful indications of God's presence with us; so many remarkable proofs of the Divine care and goodness, like that of the ancient people of God who had the pillar to guide them, and the manna given them every day for forty years; Moses and Aaron to lead and advise them. The wilderness to us, on account of these things, a kind of sacred place, and we are loath to leave it." If the children of Israel had said anything of this kind to Joshua, he would have said to them (and we all would have said): "Oh, you fools: it is the very God who gave you the pillar of cloud and the other blessings in the wilderness, who tells you now to come into the land flowing with milk and honey." And so I can speak to you in the same way, I bring you the message that He who has brought you thus far on your journey, and given you such blessings thus far, is the God who will bring you into the Canaan of complete victory and rest.
The first question, then, that I would ask you is:
ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE THE WILDERNESS?
You know the mark of Israel's life in the wilderness - the cause of all their troubles there - was unbelief. They did not believe that God could take them into the promised land. And then followed many sins and failures - lusting, idolatry, murmuring, etc. That has, perhaps, been your life, beloved; you do not believe that God will fulfill His Word. You do not believe in the possibility of unbroken fellowship with Him, and unlimited partnership. On account of that, you became disobedient, and did not live like a child doing God's will, because you did not believe that God could give you the victory over sin. Are you willing now to leave that wilderness life? Sometimes you are, perhaps enjoying fellowship with God, and sometimes you are separated from Him; sometimes you have nearness to Him, and at other times great distance from Him; sometimes you have a willingness to walk closely with Him, but sometimes there is even unwillingness. Are you now going to give up your whole life to Him? Are you going to approach Him and say, "My God, I do not want to do anything that will be displeasing to Thee; I want Thee to keep me from all worldliness, from all self-pleasing; I want Thee, O God, to help me to live like Peter after Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, and not like carnal Peter." Beloved are you willing to say this? Are you willing to give up your sins, to walk with God continually, to submit yourself wholly to the will of God, and have no will of your own apart from His will? Are you going to live a perfect life? I hope you are, for I believe in such a life; not perhaps in the sense in which you understand "perfection" - entire freedom from wrong-doing and all inclination to it, for while we live in the flesh the flesh will lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; but the perfection spoken of in the Old Testament as practiced by some of God's saints, who are said to have "served the Lord with a perfect heart." What is perfection? A state in which your hearts will be set on perfect integrity without any reserve, and you will wholly subservient to God's will. Are you willing for such a perfection, with your whole heart turned away from the world and given to God alone? Are you going to say, "No, I do not expect that I will ever give up my self-will." It is the devil tempting you to think it will be too hard for you. Oh! I would plead with God's children just to look at the will of God, so full of blessings, of holiness, of love; will you not give up your guilty will for that blessed will of God? A man can do it in one moment when he comes to see that God can change his will for him. Then he may say farewell to his old will, as Peter did when he went out and wept bitterly, and when the Holy Spirit filled his soul on the day of Pentecost.
Joshua "wholly followed the Lord his God." He failed, indeed, before the enemy at Ai, because he trusted too much to human agency, and not sufficiently to God, and he failed in the same manner when he made a covenant with the Gibeonites; but still, his spirit and power differed very widely from that of the people whose unbelief drove them before their enemies and kept them in the wilderness. Let us be willing wholly to serve the Lord our God, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. Let us believe in the love and power of God to keep us day by day, and put no confidence in the flesh. Then comes the second step - "i must believe that such a life in the land of Canaan is a possible life. Yes, many a one will say, "Ah! what would I give to get out of the wilderness life! But I cannot believe that it is possible to live in this constant communion with God. You don't know my difficulties - my business cares and perplexities; I have all sorts of people to associate with, have gone out in the morning braced up by communion with God in prayer, but the pressure of business before night has driven out of my heart all that warmth of love that I had, and the world gas gotten in and made the heart as cold as before." But we must remember again what it was that kept Israel out of Canaan. When Caleb and Joshua said, "We are able to overcome the enemy," the ten spies, and the six hundred thousand answered, "We cannot do it; they are too strong for us." Take care, dear reader, that we do not repeat their sin, and provoke God as these unbelievers did. He says, it is possible to bring us into the land of rest and peace; and I believe it because He has said so, and because He will do it if I trust Him. Your temper may be terrible; your pride may have bound you a hundred times; your temptations may "compass you about like bees," but there is victory for you if you will but trust the promises of God.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 10)
And now comes the question again - What is the way by which God will bring me to this rest? What is needed on my part if God is really to bring me into the happy land? I give the answer first of all by asking another question: Are you willing to forsake your wanderings in the wilderness? If you say, "We do not want to leave our wanderings, where we have had so many wonderful indications of God's presence with us; so many remarkable proofs of the Divine care and goodness, like that of the ancient people of God who had the pillar to guide them, and the manna given them every day for forty years; Moses and Aaron to lead and advise them. The wilderness to us, on account of these things, a kind of sacred place, and we are loath to leave it." If the children of Israel had said anything of this kind to Joshua, he would have said to them (and we all would have said): "Oh, you fools: it is the very God who gave you the pillar of cloud and the other blessings in the wilderness, who tells you now to come into the land flowing with milk and honey." And so I can speak to you in the same way, I bring you the message that He who has brought you thus far on your journey, and given you such blessings thus far, is the God who will bring you into the Canaan of complete victory and rest.
The first question, then, that I would ask you is:
ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE THE WILDERNESS?
You know the mark of Israel's life in the wilderness - the cause of all their troubles there - was unbelief. They did not believe that God could take them into the promised land. And then followed many sins and failures - lusting, idolatry, murmuring, etc. That has, perhaps, been your life, beloved; you do not believe that God will fulfill His Word. You do not believe in the possibility of unbroken fellowship with Him, and unlimited partnership. On account of that, you became disobedient, and did not live like a child doing God's will, because you did not believe that God could give you the victory over sin. Are you willing now to leave that wilderness life? Sometimes you are, perhaps enjoying fellowship with God, and sometimes you are separated from Him; sometimes you have nearness to Him, and at other times great distance from Him; sometimes you have a willingness to walk closely with Him, but sometimes there is even unwillingness. Are you now going to give up your whole life to Him? Are you going to approach Him and say, "My God, I do not want to do anything that will be displeasing to Thee; I want Thee to keep me from all worldliness, from all self-pleasing; I want Thee, O God, to help me to live like Peter after Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, and not like carnal Peter." Beloved are you willing to say this? Are you willing to give up your sins, to walk with God continually, to submit yourself wholly to the will of God, and have no will of your own apart from His will? Are you going to live a perfect life? I hope you are, for I believe in such a life; not perhaps in the sense in which you understand "perfection" - entire freedom from wrong-doing and all inclination to it, for while we live in the flesh the flesh will lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; but the perfection spoken of in the Old Testament as practiced by some of God's saints, who are said to have "served the Lord with a perfect heart." What is perfection? A state in which your hearts will be set on perfect integrity without any reserve, and you will wholly subservient to God's will. Are you willing for such a perfection, with your whole heart turned away from the world and given to God alone? Are you going to say, "No, I do not expect that I will ever give up my self-will." It is the devil tempting you to think it will be too hard for you. Oh! I would plead with God's children just to look at the will of God, so full of blessings, of holiness, of love; will you not give up your guilty will for that blessed will of God? A man can do it in one moment when he comes to see that God can change his will for him. Then he may say farewell to his old will, as Peter did when he went out and wept bitterly, and when the Holy Spirit filled his soul on the day of Pentecost.
Joshua "wholly followed the Lord his God." He failed, indeed, before the enemy at Ai, because he trusted too much to human agency, and not sufficiently to God, and he failed in the same manner when he made a covenant with the Gibeonites; but still, his spirit and power differed very widely from that of the people whose unbelief drove them before their enemies and kept them in the wilderness. Let us be willing wholly to serve the Lord our God, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. Let us believe in the love and power of God to keep us day by day, and put no confidence in the flesh. Then comes the second step - "i must believe that such a life in the land of Canaan is a possible life. Yes, many a one will say, "Ah! what would I give to get out of the wilderness life! But I cannot believe that it is possible to live in this constant communion with God. You don't know my difficulties - my business cares and perplexities; I have all sorts of people to associate with, have gone out in the morning braced up by communion with God in prayer, but the pressure of business before night has driven out of my heart all that warmth of love that I had, and the world gas gotten in and made the heart as cold as before." But we must remember again what it was that kept Israel out of Canaan. When Caleb and Joshua said, "We are able to overcome the enemy," the ten spies, and the six hundred thousand answered, "We cannot do it; they are too strong for us." Take care, dear reader, that we do not repeat their sin, and provoke God as these unbelievers did. He says, it is possible to bring us into the land of rest and peace; and I believe it because He has said so, and because He will do it if I trust Him. Your temper may be terrible; your pride may have bound you a hundred times; your temptations may "compass you about like bees," but there is victory for you if you will but trust the promises of God.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 10)
The Deeper Christian Life # 8
The Deeper Christian Life # 8
Out of and Into
"And He brought us out from thence, that He might bring us in, to give us the land which He sware unto our fathers" (Deut. 6:83).
I have spoken of the crisis that comes in the life of the man who sees that his Christian experience is low and carnal, and who desires to enter into the full life of God. Some Christians do not understand that there should be such a crisis. They think that they ought, from the day of their conversion, to continue to grow and progress. I have no objections to that, if they have grown as they ought. If their life has been so strong under the power of the Holy Spirit that they have grown as true believers should grow, I certainly have no objection to this. But I want to deal with those Christians whose life since conversion has been very much a failure, and who feel it to be such because of their not being filled with the Spirit, as is their blessed privilege. I want to say for their encouragement, that by taking one step, they can get out into the life of rest, and victory, and fellowship with God to which the promises of God invite them.
Look at the elder son in the parable. How long would it have taken him to get out of that state of blindness and bondage into the full condition of sonship? By believing in his father's love, he might have gotten out that very hour. If he has been powerfully convicted of his guilt in his unbelief, and and had confessed like his prodigal brother, "I have sinned," he would have come that very moment into the favor of his loving father, and the enjoyment of the son's happiness in his father's home. He would not have been detained by having a great deal to learn, and a great deal to do, but in one moment, his whole relation would have been changed.
Remember, too, what we saw in Peter's case. In one moment, the look of Jesus broke him down and there came to him the terribly bitter reflection of his sin, owning to his selfish, fleshly confidence, a contrition and a reflection which laid the foundation for his new and better life with Jesus. God's Word brings out the idea of the Christian's entrance into the new and better life by the history of the people of Israel's entrance into the land of Canaan.
In our text, we have these words: - "God brought us out from thence (Egypt), that He might bring us in" into Canaan. There are two steps: one was bringing them out; and the other was bringing them in. So in the life of the believer, there are ordinarily two steps quite separate from each other; - the bringing him out of sin and the world; and the bringing him into a state of complete rest afterward. It was the intention of God that Israel should enter the land of Canaan from Kadesh-Barnea, immediately after He had made His covenant with them at Sinai. But they were not ready to enter at once, on account of their sin and unbelief, and disobedience. They had to wander after that for forty years in the wilderness. Now, look how God led the people. In Egypt, there was a great crisis, where they had first to pass through the Red Sea, which is a figure of conversion; and when they went into Canaan, there was, as it were, a second conversion in passing through the Jordan. At our conversion, we get into liberty, out of the bondage of Egypt, but, when we fail to use our liberty through unbelief and disobedience, we wander in the wilderness for a longer or shorter period before we enter into the Canaan of victory and rest, and abundance. Thus God does for His Israel two things: - He brings them out of Egypt; and He leads them into Canaan.
My message, then, is to ask this question of the believer: - Since you know you are converted and God has brought you out of Egypt, have you yet come into the land of Canaan? If not, are you willing that He should bring you into the fuller liberty and rest provided for His people? He brought Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand, and the same mighty hand brought us out of our land of bondage; with the same mighty hand, He brought ancient people into rest, and by that hand, too, He can bring us into our true rest. The same God who pardoned and regenerated us - He who gives His love into our hearts - is waiting to perfect His love in us, if we but trust Him. Are there many hearts saying: - "I believe that God brought me out of bondage twenty, or thirty, or forty years ago; but alas! I cannot say that I have ever been brought into the happy land of rest and victory!"
How glorious was the rest of Canaan after all the wanderings in the wilderness! And so is it with the Christian who reaches the better promised Canaan of rest, when he comes to leave all his charge with the Lord Jesus - his responsibilities, anxieties, and worry: his only work being to hand the keeping of his soul into the hand of Jesus every day and hour. And the Lord can keep, and give the victory over every enemy. Jesus has undertaken not only to cleanse our sin, and bring us to heaven, but also to keep us in our daily life.
I ask again - are you hungering to get free from sin and its power? Anyone longing to get complete victory over his temper, his pride, and all his evil inclinations? Hearts longing for the time when no clouds will come between them and their God? Longing to walk in the full sunshine of God's loving favor? The very God who brought you from the Egypt of darkness is ready and able to bring you also into the Canaan of rest.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 9)
Out of and Into
"And He brought us out from thence, that He might bring us in, to give us the land which He sware unto our fathers" (Deut. 6:83).
I have spoken of the crisis that comes in the life of the man who sees that his Christian experience is low and carnal, and who desires to enter into the full life of God. Some Christians do not understand that there should be such a crisis. They think that they ought, from the day of their conversion, to continue to grow and progress. I have no objections to that, if they have grown as they ought. If their life has been so strong under the power of the Holy Spirit that they have grown as true believers should grow, I certainly have no objection to this. But I want to deal with those Christians whose life since conversion has been very much a failure, and who feel it to be such because of their not being filled with the Spirit, as is their blessed privilege. I want to say for their encouragement, that by taking one step, they can get out into the life of rest, and victory, and fellowship with God to which the promises of God invite them.
Look at the elder son in the parable. How long would it have taken him to get out of that state of blindness and bondage into the full condition of sonship? By believing in his father's love, he might have gotten out that very hour. If he has been powerfully convicted of his guilt in his unbelief, and and had confessed like his prodigal brother, "I have sinned," he would have come that very moment into the favor of his loving father, and the enjoyment of the son's happiness in his father's home. He would not have been detained by having a great deal to learn, and a great deal to do, but in one moment, his whole relation would have been changed.
Remember, too, what we saw in Peter's case. In one moment, the look of Jesus broke him down and there came to him the terribly bitter reflection of his sin, owning to his selfish, fleshly confidence, a contrition and a reflection which laid the foundation for his new and better life with Jesus. God's Word brings out the idea of the Christian's entrance into the new and better life by the history of the people of Israel's entrance into the land of Canaan.
In our text, we have these words: - "God brought us out from thence (Egypt), that He might bring us in" into Canaan. There are two steps: one was bringing them out; and the other was bringing them in. So in the life of the believer, there are ordinarily two steps quite separate from each other; - the bringing him out of sin and the world; and the bringing him into a state of complete rest afterward. It was the intention of God that Israel should enter the land of Canaan from Kadesh-Barnea, immediately after He had made His covenant with them at Sinai. But they were not ready to enter at once, on account of their sin and unbelief, and disobedience. They had to wander after that for forty years in the wilderness. Now, look how God led the people. In Egypt, there was a great crisis, where they had first to pass through the Red Sea, which is a figure of conversion; and when they went into Canaan, there was, as it were, a second conversion in passing through the Jordan. At our conversion, we get into liberty, out of the bondage of Egypt, but, when we fail to use our liberty through unbelief and disobedience, we wander in the wilderness for a longer or shorter period before we enter into the Canaan of victory and rest, and abundance. Thus God does for His Israel two things: - He brings them out of Egypt; and He leads them into Canaan.
My message, then, is to ask this question of the believer: - Since you know you are converted and God has brought you out of Egypt, have you yet come into the land of Canaan? If not, are you willing that He should bring you into the fuller liberty and rest provided for His people? He brought Israel out of Egypt by a mighty hand, and the same mighty hand brought us out of our land of bondage; with the same mighty hand, He brought ancient people into rest, and by that hand, too, He can bring us into our true rest. The same God who pardoned and regenerated us - He who gives His love into our hearts - is waiting to perfect His love in us, if we but trust Him. Are there many hearts saying: - "I believe that God brought me out of bondage twenty, or thirty, or forty years ago; but alas! I cannot say that I have ever been brought into the happy land of rest and victory!"
How glorious was the rest of Canaan after all the wanderings in the wilderness! And so is it with the Christian who reaches the better promised Canaan of rest, when he comes to leave all his charge with the Lord Jesus - his responsibilities, anxieties, and worry: his only work being to hand the keeping of his soul into the hand of Jesus every day and hour. And the Lord can keep, and give the victory over every enemy. Jesus has undertaken not only to cleanse our sin, and bring us to heaven, but also to keep us in our daily life.
I ask again - are you hungering to get free from sin and its power? Anyone longing to get complete victory over his temper, his pride, and all his evil inclinations? Hearts longing for the time when no clouds will come between them and their God? Longing to walk in the full sunshine of God's loving favor? The very God who brought you from the Egypt of darkness is ready and able to bring you also into the Canaan of rest.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 9)
The Deeper Christian Life # 7
The Deeper Christian Life # 7
And now, you can easily see the application of this story. Are there not many just living the life of Peter, of the self-confident Peter as he was? Are there not many who are mourning under the consciousness, "I am so unfaithful to my Lord. I have no power against the flesh, I cannot conquer my temper, I give way just like Peter to the fear of man, of company, for people can influence me and make me do things I do not want to do, and I have no power to resist them? Circumstances get the mastery over me, and I then say and do things that I am ashamed of?" Is there not more than one, who, in answer to the question, "Are you living as a man filled with the Spirit, devoted to Jesus, following Him, fully giving up all for Him?" - must say with sorrow, "God knows I am not. Alas, my heart knows it?" You say it, and I come, and I press you with the question, "Is not your position, and your character, and your conduct, just like that of Peter?" Like Peter, you love Jesus, like Peter you know His is the Christ of God, like Peter you are very zealous in working for Him. Peter had cast out devils for Jesus; but oh! under it all, isn't there something that comes up continually? Oh, Christian, what is it? I pray, and I try, and I do long to live a holy life, but the flesh is too strong, and sin gets the better of me, and continually I am pleasing self instead of denying it, and denying Jesus instead of pleasing Him. Come, all who are willing to make that confession, and let me ask you to look quietly at the other life that is possible for you.
Just as the Lord Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to Peter, He is willing to give the Holy Spirit to you. Are you willing to receive Him? Are you willing to give up yourself entirely as an empty, helpless vessel, to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to live, to dwell, and to work in you every day? Dear believer, God has prepared such a beautiful and such a blessed life for every one of us, and God as a Father is waiting to see why you will not come to Him and let Him fill you with the Holy Spirit. Are you willing for it? I am sure some are. There are some who have said often, "O God, why can't I live that life? - Why can't I live every hour in unbroken fellowship with God? - Why can't I enjoy what my Father has given me, all the riches of His grace? It is for me He gave it, and why can't I enjoy it?" There are those who say, "Why can't I abide in Christ every day, and every hour and every moment? - why can't I have the light of my Father's love filling my heart all the day long? Tell me, servant of God what can help me?"
I can tell you one thing that will help you. What helped Peter? Peter went out and wept bitterly." It must come with us to a conviction of sin; it must come with us to a real downright earnest repentance, or we never can get into the better life. We must stop complaining and confessing, "Yes, my life is not what it should be, and I will try to do better." That won't help you. What will help you? This, - that you go down in despair to lie at the feet of Jesus, and that you begin with a very real and bitter shame to make confession, "Lord Jesus, have compassion upon me! For these many years I have been a Christian, but there are so many sins from which I have not cleansed myself, - temper, pride, jealousy, envy, sharp words, unkind judgments, unforgiving thoughts." One must say, "There is a friend whom I have never forgiven for what he has said." Another must say, "There are things in my business that I would not like brought out into the light of man." Another must say, "I am led captive by the law of sin and death." Oh, Christians, come and make confession with shame and say, "I have been bought with the Blood, I have been washed with the Blood, but just think of what a life I have been living! I am ashamed of it." Bow before God and ask Him by the Holy Spirit to make you more deeply ashamed, and to work in you that Divine contrition. I pray you take the step at once. "Peter went out and wept bitterly," and that was his salvation, yes, that was the turning point of his life. And shall we not fall upon our faces before God, and make confession, and get down on our knees under the burden of the terrible load and say, "I know I am a believer, but I am not living as I should to the glory of my God. I am under the power of the flesh and all the self-confidence, and self-will, and self-pleasing that marks my life."
Dear Christians, do you not long to be brought nigh unto God? Would you not give anything to walk in close fellowship with Jesus every day? Would you not count it a pearl of great price to have the light and love of God shining in you all the day? Oh, come and fall down and make confession, and if you will do it, Jesus will come and meet you and He will ask you, "Lovest thou Me?" And, if you say, "Yes, Lord," very quickly He will ask again, "Lovest thou Me?" and He will say a third time, "Lovest thou Me?" and your heart will be filled with an unutterable sadness, and your heart will get still more broken down and bruised by the question, and you will say, "Lord, I have not lived as I should, but still I love Thee and I give myself to Thee." Oh, beloved, may God give us grace now, that, with Peter, we may go out, and if need be, weep bitterly. If we do not weep bitterly, - we are not going to force tears - shall we not sigh very deeply, and bow very humbly, and cry very earnestly, "O God, reveal to me the carnal life in which I have been living: reveal to me what has been hindering me from having my life full of the Holy Spirit?" Shall we not cry, "Lord, break my heart into utter despair, and oh, bring me in helplessness to wait for the Divine power, for the power of the Holy Spirit to take possession and to fill me with a new life given all to Jesus."
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 8)
And now, you can easily see the application of this story. Are there not many just living the life of Peter, of the self-confident Peter as he was? Are there not many who are mourning under the consciousness, "I am so unfaithful to my Lord. I have no power against the flesh, I cannot conquer my temper, I give way just like Peter to the fear of man, of company, for people can influence me and make me do things I do not want to do, and I have no power to resist them? Circumstances get the mastery over me, and I then say and do things that I am ashamed of?" Is there not more than one, who, in answer to the question, "Are you living as a man filled with the Spirit, devoted to Jesus, following Him, fully giving up all for Him?" - must say with sorrow, "God knows I am not. Alas, my heart knows it?" You say it, and I come, and I press you with the question, "Is not your position, and your character, and your conduct, just like that of Peter?" Like Peter, you love Jesus, like Peter you know His is the Christ of God, like Peter you are very zealous in working for Him. Peter had cast out devils for Jesus; but oh! under it all, isn't there something that comes up continually? Oh, Christian, what is it? I pray, and I try, and I do long to live a holy life, but the flesh is too strong, and sin gets the better of me, and continually I am pleasing self instead of denying it, and denying Jesus instead of pleasing Him. Come, all who are willing to make that confession, and let me ask you to look quietly at the other life that is possible for you.
Just as the Lord Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to Peter, He is willing to give the Holy Spirit to you. Are you willing to receive Him? Are you willing to give up yourself entirely as an empty, helpless vessel, to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to live, to dwell, and to work in you every day? Dear believer, God has prepared such a beautiful and such a blessed life for every one of us, and God as a Father is waiting to see why you will not come to Him and let Him fill you with the Holy Spirit. Are you willing for it? I am sure some are. There are some who have said often, "O God, why can't I live that life? - Why can't I live every hour in unbroken fellowship with God? - Why can't I enjoy what my Father has given me, all the riches of His grace? It is for me He gave it, and why can't I enjoy it?" There are those who say, "Why can't I abide in Christ every day, and every hour and every moment? - why can't I have the light of my Father's love filling my heart all the day long? Tell me, servant of God what can help me?"
I can tell you one thing that will help you. What helped Peter? Peter went out and wept bitterly." It must come with us to a conviction of sin; it must come with us to a real downright earnest repentance, or we never can get into the better life. We must stop complaining and confessing, "Yes, my life is not what it should be, and I will try to do better." That won't help you. What will help you? This, - that you go down in despair to lie at the feet of Jesus, and that you begin with a very real and bitter shame to make confession, "Lord Jesus, have compassion upon me! For these many years I have been a Christian, but there are so many sins from which I have not cleansed myself, - temper, pride, jealousy, envy, sharp words, unkind judgments, unforgiving thoughts." One must say, "There is a friend whom I have never forgiven for what he has said." Another must say, "There are things in my business that I would not like brought out into the light of man." Another must say, "I am led captive by the law of sin and death." Oh, Christians, come and make confession with shame and say, "I have been bought with the Blood, I have been washed with the Blood, but just think of what a life I have been living! I am ashamed of it." Bow before God and ask Him by the Holy Spirit to make you more deeply ashamed, and to work in you that Divine contrition. I pray you take the step at once. "Peter went out and wept bitterly," and that was his salvation, yes, that was the turning point of his life. And shall we not fall upon our faces before God, and make confession, and get down on our knees under the burden of the terrible load and say, "I know I am a believer, but I am not living as I should to the glory of my God. I am under the power of the flesh and all the self-confidence, and self-will, and self-pleasing that marks my life."
Dear Christians, do you not long to be brought nigh unto God? Would you not give anything to walk in close fellowship with Jesus every day? Would you not count it a pearl of great price to have the light and love of God shining in you all the day? Oh, come and fall down and make confession, and if you will do it, Jesus will come and meet you and He will ask you, "Lovest thou Me?" And, if you say, "Yes, Lord," very quickly He will ask again, "Lovest thou Me?" and He will say a third time, "Lovest thou Me?" and your heart will be filled with an unutterable sadness, and your heart will get still more broken down and bruised by the question, and you will say, "Lord, I have not lived as I should, but still I love Thee and I give myself to Thee." Oh, beloved, may God give us grace now, that, with Peter, we may go out, and if need be, weep bitterly. If we do not weep bitterly, - we are not going to force tears - shall we not sigh very deeply, and bow very humbly, and cry very earnestly, "O God, reveal to me the carnal life in which I have been living: reveal to me what has been hindering me from having my life full of the Holy Spirit?" Shall we not cry, "Lord, break my heart into utter despair, and oh, bring me in helplessness to wait for the Divine power, for the power of the Holy Spirit to take possession and to fill me with a new life given all to Jesus."
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 8)
Saturday, December 15, 2018
The Deeper Christian Life # 5
The Deeper Christian Life # 5
Carnal or Spiritual
"And Peter went out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62).
These words indicate a turning point in the life of Peter, a crisis. There is often a question about the life of holiness. Do you grow into it? or do you come into it by a crisis suddenly? Peter had been growing for three years under the training of Christ, but he had grown terribly downward, for the end of his growing was, he denied Jesus. And then there came a crisis. After the crisis he was a changed man, and then he began to grow aright. We must indeed grow in grace, but before we can grow in grace, we must be put right.
You know what the two halves of the life of Peter were. In God's Word we read very often about the difference between the carnal and the spiritual Christian. The word "carnal" comes from the Latin word for flesh, in Romans 8, and Galatians 5, we are taught that the flesh and the Spirit of God are the two opposing powers by which we are dominated or ruled, and we are taught that a true believer may allow himself to be ruled by the flesh. That is what Peter writes to the Corinthians. In the 3rd chapter, the first four verses, he says four times to them, "You are carnal, and not spiritual." And just so a believer can allow the flesh to have so much power over him that becomes "carnal". Every object is named according to its most prominent characteristic. If a man is a babe in Christ and has a little of the Holy Spirit and a great deal of the flesh, he is called "carnal", for the flesh is his chief mark. If he gives way, as the Corinthians did, to strife, temper, division, and envy, he is a carnal Christian. He is a Christian, but a carnal one. But if he gives himself over entirely to the Holy Spirit so that He (the Holy Spirit) can deliver from the temper, the envy, and the strife, by breathing a heavenly disposition, and can mortify the deeds of the body, then God's Word calls him a "spiritual" man, a true spiritual Christian.
Now, these two styles are remarkably illustrated in the life of Peter. The text is the crisis and turning-point at which he begins to pass over from the one side to the other.
The message that I want to bring to you is this: That the great majority of Christians, alas, are not spiritual men, and that they may become spiritual men by the grace of God. I want to come to all who are perhaps hungering and longing for the better life, and asking what is wrong that you are without it, to point out what is wrong is just one thing - allowing the flesh to rule in you, and trusting in the power of the flesh to make you good.
There is a better life, a life in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Then, I want to tell you a third thing. The first thing is important, take care of the carnal life, and confess if you are in it. The second truth is very blessed, there is a spiritual life, believe that it is a possibility. But the third truth is the most important - You can by one step get out of the carnal into the spiritual state. May God reveal it to you now through the story of the Apostle Peter!
Look at him, first of all, in the carnal state. What are the marks of the carnal state in him? Self-will, self-pleasing, self-confidence. Just remember, when Christ said to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi, "The Son of man must be crucified," Peter said to Him, "Lord, that can never be!" And Christ had to say to Him, "Get thee behind Me, satan!" Dear reader, what an awful thing for Peter! He could not understand what a suffering Christ was. And Peter was so self-willed and self-confident that he dared to contradict and to rebuke Christ! Just think of it! Then, you remember, how Peter and the other disciples were more than once quarreling as to who was to be the chief - self-exaltation, self-pleasing, - everyone wanted the chief seat in the Kingdom of God. Then again, remember the last night, when Christ warned Peter that satan had desired to sift him and that he would deny Him; and Peter said twice over, "Lord, if they all deny Thee, I am ready to go to prison and to death." What self-confidence He was sure that his heart was right. He loved Jesus, but he trusted himself. "I will never deny my Lord." Don't you see the whole of that life of Peter is carnal confidence in himself. In his carnal pride, in his carnal unlovingness, in the carnal liberty he took in contradicting Jesus, it was all just the life of the flesh. Peter loved Jesus. God had by the Holy Spirit, taught him. Christ had said, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." God had taught him that Christ was the Son of God; but with all that, Peter was just under the power of the flesh; and that is why Christ said at Gethsemane, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." "You are under the power of the flesh, you cannot watch with Me." Dear Reader, what did it all lead to? The flesh led not only to the sins I have mentioned, but last of all to the saddest of things, to Peter's actual denial of Jesus. Three times over he told the lie, and once with an oath, "I know not the man." He denied his blessed Lord. That is what it comes to with the life of the flesh. That is Peter.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 6)
Carnal or Spiritual
"And Peter went out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62).
These words indicate a turning point in the life of Peter, a crisis. There is often a question about the life of holiness. Do you grow into it? or do you come into it by a crisis suddenly? Peter had been growing for three years under the training of Christ, but he had grown terribly downward, for the end of his growing was, he denied Jesus. And then there came a crisis. After the crisis he was a changed man, and then he began to grow aright. We must indeed grow in grace, but before we can grow in grace, we must be put right.
You know what the two halves of the life of Peter were. In God's Word we read very often about the difference between the carnal and the spiritual Christian. The word "carnal" comes from the Latin word for flesh, in Romans 8, and Galatians 5, we are taught that the flesh and the Spirit of God are the two opposing powers by which we are dominated or ruled, and we are taught that a true believer may allow himself to be ruled by the flesh. That is what Peter writes to the Corinthians. In the 3rd chapter, the first four verses, he says four times to them, "You are carnal, and not spiritual." And just so a believer can allow the flesh to have so much power over him that becomes "carnal". Every object is named according to its most prominent characteristic. If a man is a babe in Christ and has a little of the Holy Spirit and a great deal of the flesh, he is called "carnal", for the flesh is his chief mark. If he gives way, as the Corinthians did, to strife, temper, division, and envy, he is a carnal Christian. He is a Christian, but a carnal one. But if he gives himself over entirely to the Holy Spirit so that He (the Holy Spirit) can deliver from the temper, the envy, and the strife, by breathing a heavenly disposition, and can mortify the deeds of the body, then God's Word calls him a "spiritual" man, a true spiritual Christian.
Now, these two styles are remarkably illustrated in the life of Peter. The text is the crisis and turning-point at which he begins to pass over from the one side to the other.
The message that I want to bring to you is this: That the great majority of Christians, alas, are not spiritual men, and that they may become spiritual men by the grace of God. I want to come to all who are perhaps hungering and longing for the better life, and asking what is wrong that you are without it, to point out what is wrong is just one thing - allowing the flesh to rule in you, and trusting in the power of the flesh to make you good.
There is a better life, a life in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Then, I want to tell you a third thing. The first thing is important, take care of the carnal life, and confess if you are in it. The second truth is very blessed, there is a spiritual life, believe that it is a possibility. But the third truth is the most important - You can by one step get out of the carnal into the spiritual state. May God reveal it to you now through the story of the Apostle Peter!
Look at him, first of all, in the carnal state. What are the marks of the carnal state in him? Self-will, self-pleasing, self-confidence. Just remember, when Christ said to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi, "The Son of man must be crucified," Peter said to Him, "Lord, that can never be!" And Christ had to say to Him, "Get thee behind Me, satan!" Dear reader, what an awful thing for Peter! He could not understand what a suffering Christ was. And Peter was so self-willed and self-confident that he dared to contradict and to rebuke Christ! Just think of it! Then, you remember, how Peter and the other disciples were more than once quarreling as to who was to be the chief - self-exaltation, self-pleasing, - everyone wanted the chief seat in the Kingdom of God. Then again, remember the last night, when Christ warned Peter that satan had desired to sift him and that he would deny Him; and Peter said twice over, "Lord, if they all deny Thee, I am ready to go to prison and to death." What self-confidence He was sure that his heart was right. He loved Jesus, but he trusted himself. "I will never deny my Lord." Don't you see the whole of that life of Peter is carnal confidence in himself. In his carnal pride, in his carnal unlovingness, in the carnal liberty he took in contradicting Jesus, it was all just the life of the flesh. Peter loved Jesus. God had by the Holy Spirit, taught him. Christ had said, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." God had taught him that Christ was the Son of God; but with all that, Peter was just under the power of the flesh; and that is why Christ said at Gethsemane, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." "You are under the power of the flesh, you cannot watch with Me." Dear Reader, what did it all lead to? The flesh led not only to the sins I have mentioned, but last of all to the saddest of things, to Peter's actual denial of Jesus. Three times over he told the lie, and once with an oath, "I know not the man." He denied his blessed Lord. That is what it comes to with the life of the flesh. That is Peter.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 6)
The Deeper Christian Life # 6
The Deeper Christian Life # 6
Now, look in the second place at Peter after he became a spiritual man. Christ had taught Peter a great deal. I think, if you count carefully, you will find some seven or eight times, Christ had spoken to the disciples about humility, He had taken a little child and set him in the midst of them; He had said, "He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted; He had said that three or four times; He had at the last supper washed their feet; but all had not taught Peter humility. All Christ's instructions were in vain. Remember that now. A man who is not spiritual, though he may read his Bible, though he may listen to the most earnest preaching, may study God's Word, cannot conquer sin, because he is not living the life of the Holy Spirit. God has so ordained it, that man cannot live a right Christian life unless he is full of the Holy Spirit; that is what the Apostles had to be on the day of Pentecost; that is what the martyrs and the ministers had to be; but for every man to be full of the Holy Spirit, that is too high? I tell you solemnly, unless you believe that, you will never become thoroughgoing Christians. I must be full of the Holy Spirit if I am to be a whole-hearted Christian.
Then, note what change took place in Peter. The Lord Jesus led him up to Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came from heaven upon him, and what took place? The old Peter was gone, and he was a new Peter. Just read the epistle, and note the keynote of the epistle. "Through suffering to glory." Peter, who had said, "Of course, Lord, you never can suffer, or be crucified." Peter, who, to save himself suffering or shame had denied Christ - Peter becomes so changed that when he writes his epistle the chief thought is the very thought of Christ. "Suffering is the way to glory." Do you not see that the Holy Spirit had changed Peter?
And look at other aspects. Look at Peter. He was so weak that a woman could frighten him into denying Christ, but when the Holy Spirit came he was bold, bold. Bold to confess his Lord at any cost, was ready to go to prison and to death, for Christ's sake. The Holy Spirit had changed the man. Look at his views of Divine truth. He could not understand what Christ taught him, he could not take it in. It was impossible before the death of Christ, but on the day of Pentecost how he is able to expound the word of God as a spiritual man! I tell you, beloved, when the Holy Spirit comes upon a man he becomes a spiritual man, and instead of denying his Lord he denies himself, just remember that. In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew when Peter had said, "Lord, be it far from Thee, this shall never happen that Thou shalt be crucified." Christ said to him: "Peter, not only will I be crucified, but you will have to be crucified too. If any man is to be My disciple, let him take up his cross to die upon it, let him deny himself, and let his follow Me." How did Peter obey that command? He went and denied Jesus! As long as a man, a Christian, is under the power of the flesh, he is continually denying Jesus. You always must do one of the two, you must deny self or you must deny Jesus, and alas, Peter denied his Lord rather than deny himself. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit came upon him, he could not deny his Lord, but he could deny himself, and he praised God for the privilege of suffering for Christ!
Now, how did the change come about? The words of my text tell us, - "And Peter went out and wept bitterly." What does that mean? It means this, that the Lord led Peter to come to the end of himself, to see what was in his heart, and with his self-confidence to fall into the very deepest sin that a child of God could be guilty of, - publicly, with an oath, to deny his Lord Jesus! When Peter stood there in that great sin, the loving Jesus looked upon him, and that look, full of loving reproach, living pity, pierced like an arrow through the heart of Peter, and he went out and wept bitterly. Praise God, that was the end of self-confident Peter! Praise God, that was the turning point of his life! He went out with shame that no tongue can express. He woke up as out of a dream to the terrible reality "I have helped to crucify the blessed Son of God." No man can fathom what Peter must have passed through that Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. But, blessed be God, on that Sunday Jesus revealed Himself to Peter, we know not how, but "He was seen of Simon," then in the evening He came to him with the other disciples and breathed peace, and the Holy Spirit upon him; and then, later on, you know how the Lord asked him, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" - three times, until Peter was sorrowful, and said, "Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee." What was it that wrought the transition from the love of flesh to the love of the Spirit? I tell you, that was the beginning, - "Peter went out and wept bitterly," with a broken heart, with a heart that would give anything to show its love to Jesus. With a heart that had learned to give up all self-confidence, Peter was prepared for the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 7)
Now, look in the second place at Peter after he became a spiritual man. Christ had taught Peter a great deal. I think, if you count carefully, you will find some seven or eight times, Christ had spoken to the disciples about humility, He had taken a little child and set him in the midst of them; He had said, "He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted; He had said that three or four times; He had at the last supper washed their feet; but all had not taught Peter humility. All Christ's instructions were in vain. Remember that now. A man who is not spiritual, though he may read his Bible, though he may listen to the most earnest preaching, may study God's Word, cannot conquer sin, because he is not living the life of the Holy Spirit. God has so ordained it, that man cannot live a right Christian life unless he is full of the Holy Spirit; that is what the Apostles had to be on the day of Pentecost; that is what the martyrs and the ministers had to be; but for every man to be full of the Holy Spirit, that is too high? I tell you solemnly, unless you believe that, you will never become thoroughgoing Christians. I must be full of the Holy Spirit if I am to be a whole-hearted Christian.
Then, note what change took place in Peter. The Lord Jesus led him up to Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came from heaven upon him, and what took place? The old Peter was gone, and he was a new Peter. Just read the epistle, and note the keynote of the epistle. "Through suffering to glory." Peter, who had said, "Of course, Lord, you never can suffer, or be crucified." Peter, who, to save himself suffering or shame had denied Christ - Peter becomes so changed that when he writes his epistle the chief thought is the very thought of Christ. "Suffering is the way to glory." Do you not see that the Holy Spirit had changed Peter?
And look at other aspects. Look at Peter. He was so weak that a woman could frighten him into denying Christ, but when the Holy Spirit came he was bold, bold. Bold to confess his Lord at any cost, was ready to go to prison and to death, for Christ's sake. The Holy Spirit had changed the man. Look at his views of Divine truth. He could not understand what Christ taught him, he could not take it in. It was impossible before the death of Christ, but on the day of Pentecost how he is able to expound the word of God as a spiritual man! I tell you, beloved, when the Holy Spirit comes upon a man he becomes a spiritual man, and instead of denying his Lord he denies himself, just remember that. In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew when Peter had said, "Lord, be it far from Thee, this shall never happen that Thou shalt be crucified." Christ said to him: "Peter, not only will I be crucified, but you will have to be crucified too. If any man is to be My disciple, let him take up his cross to die upon it, let him deny himself, and let his follow Me." How did Peter obey that command? He went and denied Jesus! As long as a man, a Christian, is under the power of the flesh, he is continually denying Jesus. You always must do one of the two, you must deny self or you must deny Jesus, and alas, Peter denied his Lord rather than deny himself. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit came upon him, he could not deny his Lord, but he could deny himself, and he praised God for the privilege of suffering for Christ!
Now, how did the change come about? The words of my text tell us, - "And Peter went out and wept bitterly." What does that mean? It means this, that the Lord led Peter to come to the end of himself, to see what was in his heart, and with his self-confidence to fall into the very deepest sin that a child of God could be guilty of, - publicly, with an oath, to deny his Lord Jesus! When Peter stood there in that great sin, the loving Jesus looked upon him, and that look, full of loving reproach, living pity, pierced like an arrow through the heart of Peter, and he went out and wept bitterly. Praise God, that was the end of self-confident Peter! Praise God, that was the turning point of his life! He went out with shame that no tongue can express. He woke up as out of a dream to the terrible reality "I have helped to crucify the blessed Son of God." No man can fathom what Peter must have passed through that Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. But, blessed be God, on that Sunday Jesus revealed Himself to Peter, we know not how, but "He was seen of Simon," then in the evening He came to him with the other disciples and breathed peace, and the Holy Spirit upon him; and then, later on, you know how the Lord asked him, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" - three times, until Peter was sorrowful, and said, "Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee." What was it that wrought the transition from the love of flesh to the love of the Spirit? I tell you, that was the beginning, - "Peter went out and wept bitterly," with a broken heart, with a heart that would give anything to show its love to Jesus. With a heart that had learned to give up all self-confidence, Peter was prepared for the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 7)
The Deeper Christian Life # 4
The Deeper Christian Life # 4
3. The Cause of This Discrepancy Between God's Gifts, and our Low Experience
The believer is complaining that God has never given him a kid. Or, God has given him some blessing but has never given the full blessing. He has never filled him with His Spirit. "I never," he says, "had my heart, as a fountain, giving forth the rivers of living waters promised in John 7:38." What is the cause? The elder son thought he was serving his father faithfully "these many years" in his father's house, but it was in the spirit of bondage and not in the spirit of a child, so that his unbelief blinded him to the conception of a father's love and kindness, and he was unable all the time to see that his father was ready, not only to give him a kid, but a hundred, or a thousand kids, if he would have them. He was simply living in unbelief, in ignorance, in blindness, robbing himself of the privileges that the father had for him. So, if there be a discrepancy between our life and the fulfillment and enjoyment of all God's promises, the fault is ours. If our experience be not what God wants it to be, it is because of our unbelief in the love of God, in the power of God, and in the reality of God's promises. God's word teaches us, in the story of the Israelites, that it was unbelief on their part that was the cause of their troubles, and not any limitation or restriction on God's part. As Psalm 78 says: - "He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused the waters to run down like rivers." Yet they sinned by doubting His power to provide meat for them - " They spake against God; they said, can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" (vs. 15-19). Later on, we read in v. 41, "They turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." They kept distrusting Him from time to time. When they got to Kadesh-Barnea, and God told them to enter the land flowing with milk and honey where there would be rest, abundance, and victory, only two men said, "Yes, we can take possession, for God can make them conquerors." But the ten spies, and the six hundred thousand men answered, "No, we can never take the land, the enemies are too strong for us." It was simply unbelief that kept them out of the land of promise. If there is to be any deepening of the spiritual life in us, we must come to the discovery, and the acknowledgement of the unbelief there is in our hearts. God grant that we may get this spiritual quickening and that we may come to see that it is by our unbelief that we have prevented God from doing His work in us. Unbelief is the mother of disobedience, and of all my sins and short comings - my temper, my guide, my unlovingness, my worldliness, my sins of every kind. Though these differ in nature and form, yet they all come from the one root, viz., that we do not believe in the freedom and fullness of the Divine gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and strengthen us, and fill us with the life and grace of God all the day long. Look, I pray you, at the elder son, and ask what was the cause of that terrible difference between the heart of the father and the experience of the son. There can be no answer but that it was this sinful unbelief that utterly blinded the son to a sense of his father's love.
Dear fellow- believer, I want to say to you that if you are not living in the joy of God's salvation, the entire cause is your unbelief. You do not believe in the mighty power of God, and that He is willing by His Holy Spirit to work a thorough change in your life, and enable you to live in fullness of consecration to Him. God is willing that you should so live; but you do not believe it. If men really believed in the infinite love of God, what a change it would bring about! What is love? It is a desire to communicate oneself for the good of the object loved - the opposite to selfishness, as we read in 1 Cor. 14, "love seeketh not her own." Thus the mother is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her child. So God in His love is ever willing to impart blessing; and He is omnipotent in His love. This is true, my friends; God is omnipotent in love, and He is doing His utmost to fill every heart in this house. "But if God is really anxious to do that, and if He is Almighty, why does He not do it now?" You must remember, that God has given you a will, and by the exercise of that will, you can hinder God, and remain content, like the elder son, with the low life of unbelief. Come, now, and let us see the cause of the difference between God's high, blessed provision for His children, and the low, sad experience of many of us in the unbelief that distrusts and grieves Him.
4. The Way of Restoration - How is that to be Brought About?
We all know the parable of the prodigal son, and how many sermons have been preached about repentance, from that parable. We are told that "he came to himself and said, I will arise and go to my father; and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight." In preaching, we speak of this as the first step in a changed life - as conversion, as repentance, confession, returning to God. But as is the first step for the prodigal, we must remember that this is also the step to be taken by His erring children - by all the ninety-nine "who need no repentance," or think they do not. Those Christians who do not understand how wrong their low religious life is, must be taught that this is sin - unbelief; and that it is as necessary that they should be brought to repentance as the prodigal! You have heard a great deal of preaching repentance to the unconverted; but I want to try to preach it to God's children. We have a picture of so many of God's children in that elder brother. What the father told him, to bring about a consideration of the love that He bore him, just as he loved the prodigal brother, thus does God tell to us in our contentedness with a such a low life - "You must repent and believe that I love you, and all that I have is thine." He says, "By your unbelief, you have dishonored Me, living for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and never believing what it was to live in the blessedness of My love. You must confess the wrong you have done Me in this, and be broken down in contrition of heart just as truly as the prodigal."
There are many children of God who need to confess, that though they are His children, they have never believed that God's promises are true, that He is willing to fill their hearts all the day long with His blessed presence. Have you believed this? If you have not, all our teaching will be of no profit to you. Will you not say, "By the help of God, I will begin now a life of faith, and will not rest until I know what such a life means. I will believe that I am every moment in the Father's presence, and all that He has is mine?"
May the Lord God work this conviction in the hearts of all cold believers. Have you ever heard the expression, "a conviction for sanctification?" You know, the unconverted man needs conviction before conversion. So does the dark-minded Christian need conviction before, and in order to sanctification, before he comes to a real insight to spiritual blessedness. He must be convicted a second time because of his sinful life of doubt, and temper, and unlovingness. He must be broken down under that conviction, then there is hope for him. May the Father of mercy grant "all such that deep contrition, so that they may be led into the blessedness of His presence, and enjoy the fullness of His power and love!
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 5)
3. The Cause of This Discrepancy Between God's Gifts, and our Low Experience
The believer is complaining that God has never given him a kid. Or, God has given him some blessing but has never given the full blessing. He has never filled him with His Spirit. "I never," he says, "had my heart, as a fountain, giving forth the rivers of living waters promised in John 7:38." What is the cause? The elder son thought he was serving his father faithfully "these many years" in his father's house, but it was in the spirit of bondage and not in the spirit of a child, so that his unbelief blinded him to the conception of a father's love and kindness, and he was unable all the time to see that his father was ready, not only to give him a kid, but a hundred, or a thousand kids, if he would have them. He was simply living in unbelief, in ignorance, in blindness, robbing himself of the privileges that the father had for him. So, if there be a discrepancy between our life and the fulfillment and enjoyment of all God's promises, the fault is ours. If our experience be not what God wants it to be, it is because of our unbelief in the love of God, in the power of God, and in the reality of God's promises. God's word teaches us, in the story of the Israelites, that it was unbelief on their part that was the cause of their troubles, and not any limitation or restriction on God's part. As Psalm 78 says: - "He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused the waters to run down like rivers." Yet they sinned by doubting His power to provide meat for them - " They spake against God; they said, can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" (vs. 15-19). Later on, we read in v. 41, "They turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." They kept distrusting Him from time to time. When they got to Kadesh-Barnea, and God told them to enter the land flowing with milk and honey where there would be rest, abundance, and victory, only two men said, "Yes, we can take possession, for God can make them conquerors." But the ten spies, and the six hundred thousand men answered, "No, we can never take the land, the enemies are too strong for us." It was simply unbelief that kept them out of the land of promise. If there is to be any deepening of the spiritual life in us, we must come to the discovery, and the acknowledgement of the unbelief there is in our hearts. God grant that we may get this spiritual quickening and that we may come to see that it is by our unbelief that we have prevented God from doing His work in us. Unbelief is the mother of disobedience, and of all my sins and short comings - my temper, my guide, my unlovingness, my worldliness, my sins of every kind. Though these differ in nature and form, yet they all come from the one root, viz., that we do not believe in the freedom and fullness of the Divine gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and strengthen us, and fill us with the life and grace of God all the day long. Look, I pray you, at the elder son, and ask what was the cause of that terrible difference between the heart of the father and the experience of the son. There can be no answer but that it was this sinful unbelief that utterly blinded the son to a sense of his father's love.
Dear fellow- believer, I want to say to you that if you are not living in the joy of God's salvation, the entire cause is your unbelief. You do not believe in the mighty power of God, and that He is willing by His Holy Spirit to work a thorough change in your life, and enable you to live in fullness of consecration to Him. God is willing that you should so live; but you do not believe it. If men really believed in the infinite love of God, what a change it would bring about! What is love? It is a desire to communicate oneself for the good of the object loved - the opposite to selfishness, as we read in 1 Cor. 14, "love seeketh not her own." Thus the mother is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her child. So God in His love is ever willing to impart blessing; and He is omnipotent in His love. This is true, my friends; God is omnipotent in love, and He is doing His utmost to fill every heart in this house. "But if God is really anxious to do that, and if He is Almighty, why does He not do it now?" You must remember, that God has given you a will, and by the exercise of that will, you can hinder God, and remain content, like the elder son, with the low life of unbelief. Come, now, and let us see the cause of the difference between God's high, blessed provision for His children, and the low, sad experience of many of us in the unbelief that distrusts and grieves Him.
4. The Way of Restoration - How is that to be Brought About?
We all know the parable of the prodigal son, and how many sermons have been preached about repentance, from that parable. We are told that "he came to himself and said, I will arise and go to my father; and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight." In preaching, we speak of this as the first step in a changed life - as conversion, as repentance, confession, returning to God. But as is the first step for the prodigal, we must remember that this is also the step to be taken by His erring children - by all the ninety-nine "who need no repentance," or think they do not. Those Christians who do not understand how wrong their low religious life is, must be taught that this is sin - unbelief; and that it is as necessary that they should be brought to repentance as the prodigal! You have heard a great deal of preaching repentance to the unconverted; but I want to try to preach it to God's children. We have a picture of so many of God's children in that elder brother. What the father told him, to bring about a consideration of the love that He bore him, just as he loved the prodigal brother, thus does God tell to us in our contentedness with a such a low life - "You must repent and believe that I love you, and all that I have is thine." He says, "By your unbelief, you have dishonored Me, living for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and never believing what it was to live in the blessedness of My love. You must confess the wrong you have done Me in this, and be broken down in contrition of heart just as truly as the prodigal."
There are many children of God who need to confess, that though they are His children, they have never believed that God's promises are true, that He is willing to fill their hearts all the day long with His blessed presence. Have you believed this? If you have not, all our teaching will be of no profit to you. Will you not say, "By the help of God, I will begin now a life of faith, and will not rest until I know what such a life means. I will believe that I am every moment in the Father's presence, and all that He has is mine?"
May the Lord God work this conviction in the hearts of all cold believers. Have you ever heard the expression, "a conviction for sanctification?" You know, the unconverted man needs conviction before conversion. So does the dark-minded Christian need conviction before, and in order to sanctification, before he comes to a real insight to spiritual blessedness. He must be convicted a second time because of his sinful life of doubt, and temper, and unlovingness. He must be broken down under that conviction, then there is hope for him. May the Father of mercy grant "all such that deep contrition, so that they may be led into the blessedness of His presence, and enjoy the fullness of His power and love!
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 5)
Saturday, December 8, 2018
The Deeper Christian Life # 3
The Deeper Christian Life # 3
Then there is the next blessed privilege: "All that I have is thine." Thank God, He has given us His own Son, and in giving Him, He has given us all things that are in Him. He has given us Christ's life, His love, His Spirit, His glory. "All things are yours, and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." All the riches of His Son, the everlasting King. God bestows upon every one of His children. "Son, thou art ever with Me, and all that I have is thine." Is not that the meaning of all those wonderful promises given in connection with prayer: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, ye shall receive." Yes, there it is. That is the life of the children of God, as He Himself has pictured it to us.
2. In contrast with this high privilege of believers, look at"
THE LOW EXPERIENCE OF TOO MANY OF US:
The elder son was living with his father and serving him "these many years," and he complains that his father never gave him a kid, while he gave his prodigal brother the fatted calf. Why was this? Simply because he did not ask it. He did not believe that he would get it, and therefore never asked it, and never enjoyed it. He continued thus to live inconstant murmuring and dissatisfaction; and the key of all this wretched life is furnished in what he said. His father gave him everything, yet he never enjoyed it, and he throws the whole blame on his loving and kind father. O beloved, is not that the life of many a believer? Do not many speak and act in this way? Every believer has the promise of unbroken fellowship with God, but he says, "I have not enjoyed it; I have tried hard and done my best, and I have prayed for the blessing, but I suppose God does not see fit to grant it." But why not? One says, it is the sovereignty of God to withhold the blessing. The father withheld not his gifts from the elder brother in sovereignty; neither does our Heavenly Father withhold any good thing from them that love Him. He does not make any such differences between His children. "He is able to make all grace abound towards you" was promise equally made to all in the Corinthian church. Some think these rich blessings are not for them, but for those who have more time to devote to religion and prayer; or their circumstances are so difficult, so peculiar, that we can have no conception of their various hindrances. But do not such think that God, if He places them in these circumstances, cannot make His grace abound accordingly? They admit He could if He would, work a miracle for them, which they can hardly expect. In some ways, they, like the elder son, throw the blame on God. Thus many are saying, when asked if they are enjoying unbroken fellowship with God - Alas, no! I have not been able to attain to such a height; it is too high for me. I know of some who have it, and I read of it, but God has not given it to me, for some reason." But why not? You think, perhaps, that you have not the same capacity for spiritual blessing that others have. The Bible speaks of a joy that is "unspeakable and full of glory;" as the fruit of believing; of a "love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us." Do we enjoy these blessings? If not, why? We desire it, do we? Why not get it? Have we asked for it? We think we are not worthy of the blessing - we are not good enough; and therefore God has not given it. There are more among us than we know of, or are willing to admit, who throw the blame of our darkness, and of our wanderings on God! Take care! Take care! Take care!
And again, what about that other promise? The Father says, "All I have is thine." Are you rejoicing in the treasures of Christ? Are you conscious of having an abundant supply for all your spiritual needs every day? God has all these for you in abundance. "Thou never gavest me a kid!" The answer is, "All that I have is thine. I gave it it thee in Christ."
Dear Reader, we have such wrong thoughts of God. What is God like? I know of no image more beautiful and instructive than that of the sun. The sun is never weary of shining - of pouring out its beneficent rays upon both the good and the evil. You might close up the windows with blinds or bricks, the sun would shine upon them all the same; though we might sit in darkness, in utter darkness, the shining would be just the same. God's sun shines on every leaf; on every flower; on every blade of grass; on everything that springs out of the ground. All receive this wealth of sunshine until they grow to perfection and bear fruit. Would He who made that sun be less willing to pour out His love and life into me? The sun - what beauty it creates! And my God, would He not delight more in creating a beauty and a fruitfulness in me? - such too, as He has promised to give? And yet some say, when asked why they do not live in unbroken communion with God, "God does not give it to me. I do not know why; but that is the only reason I can give you. He has not given it to me." You remember the parable of the one who said, "I know thou art an hard master, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed," asking and demanding what thou hast not given. Oh! let us come and ask why it is that the believer lives such a low experience.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 4)
Then there is the next blessed privilege: "All that I have is thine." Thank God, He has given us His own Son, and in giving Him, He has given us all things that are in Him. He has given us Christ's life, His love, His Spirit, His glory. "All things are yours, and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." All the riches of His Son, the everlasting King. God bestows upon every one of His children. "Son, thou art ever with Me, and all that I have is thine." Is not that the meaning of all those wonderful promises given in connection with prayer: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, ye shall receive." Yes, there it is. That is the life of the children of God, as He Himself has pictured it to us.
2. In contrast with this high privilege of believers, look at"
THE LOW EXPERIENCE OF TOO MANY OF US:
The elder son was living with his father and serving him "these many years," and he complains that his father never gave him a kid, while he gave his prodigal brother the fatted calf. Why was this? Simply because he did not ask it. He did not believe that he would get it, and therefore never asked it, and never enjoyed it. He continued thus to live inconstant murmuring and dissatisfaction; and the key of all this wretched life is furnished in what he said. His father gave him everything, yet he never enjoyed it, and he throws the whole blame on his loving and kind father. O beloved, is not that the life of many a believer? Do not many speak and act in this way? Every believer has the promise of unbroken fellowship with God, but he says, "I have not enjoyed it; I have tried hard and done my best, and I have prayed for the blessing, but I suppose God does not see fit to grant it." But why not? One says, it is the sovereignty of God to withhold the blessing. The father withheld not his gifts from the elder brother in sovereignty; neither does our Heavenly Father withhold any good thing from them that love Him. He does not make any such differences between His children. "He is able to make all grace abound towards you" was promise equally made to all in the Corinthian church. Some think these rich blessings are not for them, but for those who have more time to devote to religion and prayer; or their circumstances are so difficult, so peculiar, that we can have no conception of their various hindrances. But do not such think that God, if He places them in these circumstances, cannot make His grace abound accordingly? They admit He could if He would, work a miracle for them, which they can hardly expect. In some ways, they, like the elder son, throw the blame on God. Thus many are saying, when asked if they are enjoying unbroken fellowship with God - Alas, no! I have not been able to attain to such a height; it is too high for me. I know of some who have it, and I read of it, but God has not given it to me, for some reason." But why not? You think, perhaps, that you have not the same capacity for spiritual blessing that others have. The Bible speaks of a joy that is "unspeakable and full of glory;" as the fruit of believing; of a "love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us." Do we enjoy these blessings? If not, why? We desire it, do we? Why not get it? Have we asked for it? We think we are not worthy of the blessing - we are not good enough; and therefore God has not given it. There are more among us than we know of, or are willing to admit, who throw the blame of our darkness, and of our wanderings on God! Take care! Take care! Take care!
And again, what about that other promise? The Father says, "All I have is thine." Are you rejoicing in the treasures of Christ? Are you conscious of having an abundant supply for all your spiritual needs every day? God has all these for you in abundance. "Thou never gavest me a kid!" The answer is, "All that I have is thine. I gave it it thee in Christ."
Dear Reader, we have such wrong thoughts of God. What is God like? I know of no image more beautiful and instructive than that of the sun. The sun is never weary of shining - of pouring out its beneficent rays upon both the good and the evil. You might close up the windows with blinds or bricks, the sun would shine upon them all the same; though we might sit in darkness, in utter darkness, the shining would be just the same. God's sun shines on every leaf; on every flower; on every blade of grass; on everything that springs out of the ground. All receive this wealth of sunshine until they grow to perfection and bear fruit. Would He who made that sun be less willing to pour out His love and life into me? The sun - what beauty it creates! And my God, would He not delight more in creating a beauty and a fruitfulness in me? - such too, as He has promised to give? And yet some say, when asked why they do not live in unbroken communion with God, "God does not give it to me. I do not know why; but that is the only reason I can give you. He has not given it to me." You remember the parable of the one who said, "I know thou art an hard master, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed," asking and demanding what thou hast not given. Oh! let us come and ask why it is that the believer lives such a low experience.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 4)
The Deeper Christian Life # 2
The Deeper Christian Life # 2
Privilege and Experience
"And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." (Luke 15:31).
The words of the text are familiar to us all. The older son had complained and said, that though his father had made a feast, and had killed the fatted calf for the prodigal son, he had never given him even a kid that he might make merry with his friends. The answer of the father was: "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." One cannot have a more wonderful revelation of the heart of our Father in heaven than this points out to us. We often speak of the wonderful revelation of the father's heart in his welcome to the prodigal son, and in what he did for him. But here we have a revelation of the father's love far more wonderful, in what he says to the elder son.
THEOLOGICAL
If we are to experience spiritual life, what is the spiritual life that God would have us live, on the one hand, and, on the other, to ask whether we are living that life; or, if not, what hinders us living it out fully.
This subject naturally divides itself into these three heads 1. The high privilege of every child of God. 2. The low experience of too many of us believers. 3. The cause of the discrepancy, and lastly, The way to the restoration of the privilege.
1. The High Privilege of the Children of God. We have here two things describing the privilege: First, "Son, thou art ever with me" - unbroken fellowship with thy Father is thy portion; Second, "All I have is thine" - all that God can bestow upon His children is theirs.
"Thou art ever with me" - I am always near thee, thou canst dwell every hour of thy life in My presence, and all I have is for thee. I am a father, with a loving father's heart. I will withhold no good thing from thee. In these promises, we have the rich privileges of God's heritage. We have, in the first place, unbroken fellowship with Him. A father never sends his child away with the thought that he does not care about his child knowing that he loves them. The father longs to have his child believe that he has the light of his father's countenance upon him all the day - that, if he sends the child away to school, or anywhere that necessity compels, it is with a sense of sacrifice of parental feelings. If it be so with an earthly father, what think you of God? Does He not want every child of His to know that he is constantly living in the light of His countenance? This is the meaning of that word, "Son, thou art ever with me."
That was the privilege of God's people in the Old Testament times. We are told that "Enoch walked with God." God's promise to Jacob was: "Behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." And God's promise to Israel through Moses, was: "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." And in Moses; response to the promise, he says, "For wherein shall it be known that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not that Thou goest with us; so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." The presence of God with Israel was the mark of their separation from other people. This is the truth taught in all the Old Testament, and if so, how much more may we look for it in the New Testament? Thus we find our Saviour promising to those who love Him and who keep His word, that the Father also will love them, and Father and Son will come and make Their abode with them.
Let that thought into your hearts - that the child of God is called to this blessed privilege, to live every moment of his life in fellowship with God. He is called to enjoy the full light of His countenance. There are many Christians - I suppose the majority of Christians - who seem to regard the whole Spirit's work as confined to conviction and conversion; - not so much that He came to dwell in our hearts, and there reveal God to us. He came not to dwell near us, but in us, that we might be filled with His indwelling. We are commanded to be "filled with the Spirit," then the Holy Spirit would make God's presence manifest to us. That is the whole teaching of the epistle to the Hebrews: - the veil is rent in twain; we have access into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus; we come into the very presence of God, so that we can live all the day with that presence resting upon us. That presence is with us wheresoever we go; and in all kinds of trouble, we have undisturbed repose and peace. "Son, thou art ever with me."
There are some people who seem to think that God, by some unintelligible sovereignty, withdraws His face. But I know that God loves His people too much to withhold His fellowship from them for any such reason. The true reason of the absence of God from us is rather to be found in our sin and unbelief, than in any supposed sovereignty of His. If the child of God is walking in faith and obedience, the Divine presence will be enjoyed in unbroken continuity.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 3)
Privilege and Experience
"And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." (Luke 15:31).
The words of the text are familiar to us all. The older son had complained and said, that though his father had made a feast, and had killed the fatted calf for the prodigal son, he had never given him even a kid that he might make merry with his friends. The answer of the father was: "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." One cannot have a more wonderful revelation of the heart of our Father in heaven than this points out to us. We often speak of the wonderful revelation of the father's heart in his welcome to the prodigal son, and in what he did for him. But here we have a revelation of the father's love far more wonderful, in what he says to the elder son.
THEOLOGICAL
If we are to experience spiritual life, what is the spiritual life that God would have us live, on the one hand, and, on the other, to ask whether we are living that life; or, if not, what hinders us living it out fully.
This subject naturally divides itself into these three heads 1. The high privilege of every child of God. 2. The low experience of too many of us believers. 3. The cause of the discrepancy, and lastly, The way to the restoration of the privilege.
1. The High Privilege of the Children of God. We have here two things describing the privilege: First, "Son, thou art ever with me" - unbroken fellowship with thy Father is thy portion; Second, "All I have is thine" - all that God can bestow upon His children is theirs.
"Thou art ever with me" - I am always near thee, thou canst dwell every hour of thy life in My presence, and all I have is for thee. I am a father, with a loving father's heart. I will withhold no good thing from thee. In these promises, we have the rich privileges of God's heritage. We have, in the first place, unbroken fellowship with Him. A father never sends his child away with the thought that he does not care about his child knowing that he loves them. The father longs to have his child believe that he has the light of his father's countenance upon him all the day - that, if he sends the child away to school, or anywhere that necessity compels, it is with a sense of sacrifice of parental feelings. If it be so with an earthly father, what think you of God? Does He not want every child of His to know that he is constantly living in the light of His countenance? This is the meaning of that word, "Son, thou art ever with me."
That was the privilege of God's people in the Old Testament times. We are told that "Enoch walked with God." God's promise to Jacob was: "Behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." And God's promise to Israel through Moses, was: "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." And in Moses; response to the promise, he says, "For wherein shall it be known that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not that Thou goest with us; so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." The presence of God with Israel was the mark of their separation from other people. This is the truth taught in all the Old Testament, and if so, how much more may we look for it in the New Testament? Thus we find our Saviour promising to those who love Him and who keep His word, that the Father also will love them, and Father and Son will come and make Their abode with them.
Let that thought into your hearts - that the child of God is called to this blessed privilege, to live every moment of his life in fellowship with God. He is called to enjoy the full light of His countenance. There are many Christians - I suppose the majority of Christians - who seem to regard the whole Spirit's work as confined to conviction and conversion; - not so much that He came to dwell in our hearts, and there reveal God to us. He came not to dwell near us, but in us, that we might be filled with His indwelling. We are commanded to be "filled with the Spirit," then the Holy Spirit would make God's presence manifest to us. That is the whole teaching of the epistle to the Hebrews: - the veil is rent in twain; we have access into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus; we come into the very presence of God, so that we can live all the day with that presence resting upon us. That presence is with us wheresoever we go; and in all kinds of trouble, we have undisturbed repose and peace. "Son, thou art ever with me."
There are some people who seem to think that God, by some unintelligible sovereignty, withdraws His face. But I know that God loves His people too much to withhold His fellowship from them for any such reason. The true reason of the absence of God from us is rather to be found in our sin and unbelief, than in any supposed sovereignty of His. If the child of God is walking in faith and obedience, the Divine presence will be enjoyed in unbroken continuity.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 3)
The Deeper Christian Life # 1
[This is a very important and informative article written by Andrew Murray.]
The Deeper Christian Life # 1
Daily Fellowship With God
1. The first and chief need of our Christian life is, Fellowship with God.
The Divine life within us comes from God, and is entirely dependent upon Him. As I need every moment afresh the air to breathe, as the sun e very moment afresh send down its light, so it is only in direct living communication with God that my soul can be strong.
The manna of one day was corrupt when the next day came. I must every day have fresh grace from heaven, and I obtain it only in direct waiting upon God Himself. Begin each day by tarrying before God, and letting Him touch you. Take time to meet God.
2. To this end, let your first act in your devotions be a setting yourself still before God in prayer, or worship, everything depends upon faith and adoration, speaking thus within my heart: "God is. God is near. God is love, longing to communicate Himself to me. God the Almighty One, Who worketh all in all, is even now waiting to work in me, and make Himself know." Take time, till you know God is very near.
3. When you have given God His place of honor, glory, and power, take your place of deepest lowliness, and seek to be filled with the Spirit of humility. As a creature it is your blessedness to be nothing, that God may be all in you. As a sinner you are not worthy to look up to God; bow in self abasement. As a saint, let God's love overwhelm you, and bow you still lower down. Sink down before Him in humility, meekness, patience, and surrender to His goodness and mercy. He will exalt you. Oh! take time, to get very low before God.
4. Then accept and value your place in Christ Jesus. God delights in nothing but His beloved Son, and can be satisfied with nothing else in those who draw nigh to Him. Enter deep into God's holy presence in the boldness which the blood gives, and in the assurance that in Christ you are most wellpleasing. In Christ you are within the veil. You have access into the very heart and love of the Father. This is the great object of fellowship with God, that I may have more of God in my life, and that God may see Christ formed in me. Be silent before God and let Him bless you.
5. This Christ is a living Person. He loves you with a personal love, and He looks every day for the personal response of your love. Look into His face with trust, till His love really shines into your heart. Make His heart glad by telling Him that you do love Him. He offers Himself to you as a personal Saviour and Keeper from the power of sin. Do not ask, "can I be kept from sinning, if I keep close to Him." but ask, "can I be kept from sinning, if He always keeps close to me?" and you see at once how safe it is to trust Him.
6. We have not only Christ's life in us as a power, and His presence with us as a person, but we have His likeness to be wrought into us. He is to be formed in us, so that His form or figure, His likeness, can be seen in us. Bow before God until you get some sense of the greatness and blessedness of work to be carried on by God in you this day. Say to God, "Father, here am I for Thee to give as much in me of Christ's likeness as I can receive." And wait to hear Him say, "My child, I give thee as much of Christ as thy heart is open to receive." The God who revealed Jesus in the flesh and perfected Him, will reveal Him in thee and perfect thee in Him. The Father loves the Son, and delights to work out His image and likeness in thee. Count upon it that this blessed work will be done in thee as thou waitest on thy God, and boldest fellowship with Him.
7. The likeness to Christ consists chiefly in two things - the likeness of His death and resurrection, (Romans 6:5). The death of Christ was the consummation of His humility and obedience, the entire giving up of His life to God. In Him we are dead to sin. As we sink down in humility and dependence and entire surrender to God, the power of His death works in us, and we are made comformable to His death. And so we know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the victory over sin, and all the joy and power of the risen life. Therefore every morning "present yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead." He will maintain the life He gave, and bestow the grace to live as risen ones.
8. All this can only be in the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. Count upon Him to glorify Christ in you. Count upon Christ to increase in you the inflowing of His Spirit. As you wait before God to realize His presence, remember that the Spirit is in you to reveal the things of God. Seek in God's presence to have the anointing of the Spirit of Christ so truly that your whole life may every moment be spiritual.
9. As you meditate on this wondrous salvation and seek full fellowship with the great and holy God, and wait on Him to reveal Christ in you, you will feel how needful the giving up of all is to receive Him. Seek grace to know what it means to live as wholly for God as Christ did. Only the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you what an entire yielding of the whole life to God can mean. Wait on God to show you in this what you do not know. Let every approach to God, and every request for fellowship with Him be accompanied by a new, very definite, and entire surrender to Him to work in you.
10. "By faith" must here, as through all Scripture, and all the spiritual life, be the keynote. As you tarry before God, let it be in a deep quiet faith in Him, the Invisible One, who is so near, so holy, so mighty, so loving. In a deep, restful faith too, that all the blessings and powers of the heavenly life are around you. Just yield yourself in the faith of a perfect trust to the Ever Blessed Holy Trinity, to work out all God's purpose in you. Begin each day thus in fellowship with God, and God will be all in all to you.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 2)
The Deeper Christian Life # 1
Daily Fellowship With God
1. The first and chief need of our Christian life is, Fellowship with God.
The Divine life within us comes from God, and is entirely dependent upon Him. As I need every moment afresh the air to breathe, as the sun e very moment afresh send down its light, so it is only in direct living communication with God that my soul can be strong.
The manna of one day was corrupt when the next day came. I must every day have fresh grace from heaven, and I obtain it only in direct waiting upon God Himself. Begin each day by tarrying before God, and letting Him touch you. Take time to meet God.
2. To this end, let your first act in your devotions be a setting yourself still before God in prayer, or worship, everything depends upon faith and adoration, speaking thus within my heart: "God is. God is near. God is love, longing to communicate Himself to me. God the Almighty One, Who worketh all in all, is even now waiting to work in me, and make Himself know." Take time, till you know God is very near.
3. When you have given God His place of honor, glory, and power, take your place of deepest lowliness, and seek to be filled with the Spirit of humility. As a creature it is your blessedness to be nothing, that God may be all in you. As a sinner you are not worthy to look up to God; bow in self abasement. As a saint, let God's love overwhelm you, and bow you still lower down. Sink down before Him in humility, meekness, patience, and surrender to His goodness and mercy. He will exalt you. Oh! take time, to get very low before God.
4. Then accept and value your place in Christ Jesus. God delights in nothing but His beloved Son, and can be satisfied with nothing else in those who draw nigh to Him. Enter deep into God's holy presence in the boldness which the blood gives, and in the assurance that in Christ you are most wellpleasing. In Christ you are within the veil. You have access into the very heart and love of the Father. This is the great object of fellowship with God, that I may have more of God in my life, and that God may see Christ formed in me. Be silent before God and let Him bless you.
5. This Christ is a living Person. He loves you with a personal love, and He looks every day for the personal response of your love. Look into His face with trust, till His love really shines into your heart. Make His heart glad by telling Him that you do love Him. He offers Himself to you as a personal Saviour and Keeper from the power of sin. Do not ask, "can I be kept from sinning, if I keep close to Him." but ask, "can I be kept from sinning, if He always keeps close to me?" and you see at once how safe it is to trust Him.
6. We have not only Christ's life in us as a power, and His presence with us as a person, but we have His likeness to be wrought into us. He is to be formed in us, so that His form or figure, His likeness, can be seen in us. Bow before God until you get some sense of the greatness and blessedness of work to be carried on by God in you this day. Say to God, "Father, here am I for Thee to give as much in me of Christ's likeness as I can receive." And wait to hear Him say, "My child, I give thee as much of Christ as thy heart is open to receive." The God who revealed Jesus in the flesh and perfected Him, will reveal Him in thee and perfect thee in Him. The Father loves the Son, and delights to work out His image and likeness in thee. Count upon it that this blessed work will be done in thee as thou waitest on thy God, and boldest fellowship with Him.
7. The likeness to Christ consists chiefly in two things - the likeness of His death and resurrection, (Romans 6:5). The death of Christ was the consummation of His humility and obedience, the entire giving up of His life to God. In Him we are dead to sin. As we sink down in humility and dependence and entire surrender to God, the power of His death works in us, and we are made comformable to His death. And so we know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the victory over sin, and all the joy and power of the risen life. Therefore every morning "present yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead." He will maintain the life He gave, and bestow the grace to live as risen ones.
8. All this can only be in the power of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you. Count upon Him to glorify Christ in you. Count upon Christ to increase in you the inflowing of His Spirit. As you wait before God to realize His presence, remember that the Spirit is in you to reveal the things of God. Seek in God's presence to have the anointing of the Spirit of Christ so truly that your whole life may every moment be spiritual.
9. As you meditate on this wondrous salvation and seek full fellowship with the great and holy God, and wait on Him to reveal Christ in you, you will feel how needful the giving up of all is to receive Him. Seek grace to know what it means to live as wholly for God as Christ did. Only the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you what an entire yielding of the whole life to God can mean. Wait on God to show you in this what you do not know. Let every approach to God, and every request for fellowship with Him be accompanied by a new, very definite, and entire surrender to Him to work in you.
10. "By faith" must here, as through all Scripture, and all the spiritual life, be the keynote. As you tarry before God, let it be in a deep quiet faith in Him, the Invisible One, who is so near, so holy, so mighty, so loving. In a deep, restful faith too, that all the blessings and powers of the heavenly life are around you. Just yield yourself in the faith of a perfect trust to the Ever Blessed Holy Trinity, to work out all God's purpose in you. Begin each day thus in fellowship with God, and God will be all in all to you.
~Andrew Murray~
(continued with # 2)
Saturday, December 1, 2018
The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 4
The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 4
3. Let every sinner examine himself, whether he does not flatter himself in some of those ways which have been mentioned. What is it in your own minds, which makes you think it is safe for you to delay turning to God? What is it that encourages you to run such a venture as you do - by delaying this necessary work? Is it that you hope there is no such a state as heaven or hell - and a suspicion that there is no God? Is it this which makes you secure? Or is it that you are not much afraid, because you imagine that you shall have opportunity enough in the future, to mind such things? Is it an intention of a future seeking a more convenient season? And are you persuaded that God will hearken to you then, after you shall have so long turned a deaf ear to His gracious commands and invitations? Are you encouraged to commit sin, because you hope to repent of it? Are you encouraged by the mercy of God - to be His enemies? And do you resolve still to provoke Him to anger, because you think He is easily pacified?
Or do you think that your conversion is in your own power, and that you can turn to God when you please? Is it because you have been born of godly parents - that you are so secure? Or do you imagine that you are in a fair way to be converted? Do you think that what you have done in religion, will engage God to pity you, and that He never can have the heart to condemn one who has lived such a moral life? Or do you think that you are indeed converted already? And does that encourage you to take a liberty in sinning? Or are you secure, because you are so stupid as to think nothing about these things? Do you let these concerns wholly alone, and scarcely ever think at all how it will be with you after you are dead?
Certainly it must be one or more of these things which keeps you in your vain security, and encourages you to go on in sin. Examine, therefore, and see which of them it is!
4. By the test and doctrine - be persuaded to cease flattering yourselves thus, in your own eyes. You are herein informed that those who do as you do, commonly continue so doing - until their punishment actually comes upon them! Thereby you may be convinced of the vanity of all such flatteries. Be afraid of that which you are sure is the devil's bait: "Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," (Proverbs 1:17).
You are not only told in the Scriptures that sinners are generally thus allured to hell, but your own reason may convince you that it is so. For doubtless other sinners have as much ground to hope to escape punishment as you; and it is evident, that they generally do hope to escape. Men almost universally think they shall not go to hell. Yet what multitudes go down from under the preaching of the gospel - to the pit of destruction! Now, this is surely enough to convince any sober, prudent person of the folly of such flattery, and the folly of every one who does not immediately set about his great work with all his might. If you could have access to the damned, you would hear many of them curse themselves, for thus flattering themselves while they lived in this world; and you would have the same doctrine preached to you by their wailings and yellings - which is now preached to you from the pulpit.
If you think that you are in a way of earnest seeking salvation, consider, whether or not you mind earthly things yet more? If you imagine that you have it in your own power to work yourselves up to repentance, consider that you must assuredly give up that vain imagination before you can have repentance wrought in you. If you think yourselves already converted, and that encourages you to give yourselves the great liberty in sinning - this is a certain sign that you are not converted.
Therefore, abandon all these ways of flattering yourselves! No longer follow the devil's bait; and let nothing encourage you to go on in sin - but immediately and henceforth seek God with all your heart, and soul, and strength!
~Jonathan Edwards~
(The End)
3. Let every sinner examine himself, whether he does not flatter himself in some of those ways which have been mentioned. What is it in your own minds, which makes you think it is safe for you to delay turning to God? What is it that encourages you to run such a venture as you do - by delaying this necessary work? Is it that you hope there is no such a state as heaven or hell - and a suspicion that there is no God? Is it this which makes you secure? Or is it that you are not much afraid, because you imagine that you shall have opportunity enough in the future, to mind such things? Is it an intention of a future seeking a more convenient season? And are you persuaded that God will hearken to you then, after you shall have so long turned a deaf ear to His gracious commands and invitations? Are you encouraged to commit sin, because you hope to repent of it? Are you encouraged by the mercy of God - to be His enemies? And do you resolve still to provoke Him to anger, because you think He is easily pacified?
Or do you think that your conversion is in your own power, and that you can turn to God when you please? Is it because you have been born of godly parents - that you are so secure? Or do you imagine that you are in a fair way to be converted? Do you think that what you have done in religion, will engage God to pity you, and that He never can have the heart to condemn one who has lived such a moral life? Or do you think that you are indeed converted already? And does that encourage you to take a liberty in sinning? Or are you secure, because you are so stupid as to think nothing about these things? Do you let these concerns wholly alone, and scarcely ever think at all how it will be with you after you are dead?
Certainly it must be one or more of these things which keeps you in your vain security, and encourages you to go on in sin. Examine, therefore, and see which of them it is!
4. By the test and doctrine - be persuaded to cease flattering yourselves thus, in your own eyes. You are herein informed that those who do as you do, commonly continue so doing - until their punishment actually comes upon them! Thereby you may be convinced of the vanity of all such flatteries. Be afraid of that which you are sure is the devil's bait: "Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," (Proverbs 1:17).
You are not only told in the Scriptures that sinners are generally thus allured to hell, but your own reason may convince you that it is so. For doubtless other sinners have as much ground to hope to escape punishment as you; and it is evident, that they generally do hope to escape. Men almost universally think they shall not go to hell. Yet what multitudes go down from under the preaching of the gospel - to the pit of destruction! Now, this is surely enough to convince any sober, prudent person of the folly of such flattery, and the folly of every one who does not immediately set about his great work with all his might. If you could have access to the damned, you would hear many of them curse themselves, for thus flattering themselves while they lived in this world; and you would have the same doctrine preached to you by their wailings and yellings - which is now preached to you from the pulpit.
If you think that you are in a way of earnest seeking salvation, consider, whether or not you mind earthly things yet more? If you imagine that you have it in your own power to work yourselves up to repentance, consider that you must assuredly give up that vain imagination before you can have repentance wrought in you. If you think yourselves already converted, and that encourages you to give yourselves the great liberty in sinning - this is a certain sign that you are not converted.
Therefore, abandon all these ways of flattering yourselves! No longer follow the devil's bait; and let nothing encourage you to go on in sin - but immediately and henceforth seek God with all your heart, and soul, and strength!
~Jonathan Edwards~
(The End)
Saturday, November 24, 2018
The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 3
The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 3
6. Some hope by their strivings to obtain salvation of themselves. They have a secret hope, that they shall, by degrees, work in themselves - true repentance of sin, and love towards God and Jesus Christ. They are striving to do themselves - that which is the work of God. Many who are now seeking, have this vain hope - and labor, pray, hear sermons and go to private meetings - with the view of making themselves holy.
7. Some sinners flatter themselves that they are already converted. They sit down and rest in a false hope, persuading themselves that all their sins are pardoned; that God loves them; that they shall go to heaven when they die; and that they need trouble themselves no more. (Rev. 3:17), "You say, I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!" And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."
III. Sinners very generally go on flattering themselves in some or other of these ways, until their punishment actually overtakes them. These are the "baits" by which satan catches souls - and draws them into his snare! Such self flatteries as these - keep men from seeing what danger they are in, and that make them go securely on in their false hopes, "like a bird darting into a snare - little knowing it will cost him his life!"
Those that flatter themselves with hopes of living a great while longer in the world, and very commonly continue to do so - until death comes! They did not think of dying at that time, nor at anytime near it. And so that thought goes along with them as long as they live, or until they are just about to die.
Men often have a dependence on their own righteousness, and as long as they live, are never brought off from it. Multitudes uphold themselves with their own intentions, until all their prospects are dashed in pieces by death. There are many also that hold a false hope, a persuasion that they belong to God; and they never will be persuaded to let go their vain hope until it is torn from them by death. Thus men commonly uphold themselves, and make themselves easy - until hell fire makes them uneasy! Everlasting ruin comes upon them as a snare, and all their hopes are at once cut off, and turned into everlasting despair! (1 Thess. 5:3). "When they shall say, peace and safety," then destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a woman, and they will not escape."
APPLICATION
1. Hence we learn one reason why there are but few saved, and why so many perish from under the gospel. All men know they must die, and all who sit under the light of the gospel have been told many a time, that after this life - there is another world; that there are but two states in that other world, a state of eternal happiness, and a state of eternal misery; that there is but one way of escaping the misery, and obtaining the blessedness of eternity - which is by obtaining a saving interest in Christ, through faith in Him; and that this life is the only opportunity of obtaining a saving interest in Christ. Yet men are so much given to flatter themselves in those ways which we have mentioned, that there are but few who take care of their salvation. Indeed they cannot but be in some measure concerned about their souls; yet they flatter themselves with one thing or another, so that they are kept steadily and uninterruptedly going on in the broad way to destruction.
2. Hence we learn the reason why the awakening truths of scripture, and awakening sermons, make no more impression upon men. It is in itself an astonishing and surprising thing, that God's denunciations of eternal misery, and threatenings of casting sinners into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone forever and ever - does not affect them, does not startle them. But the truth is, they flatter themselves, by such means as we have mentioned, that this dreadful misery is not for them; that they shall escape it, though multitudes of others are involved in it. They do not take these threatenings to themselves; they seem to think that they do not belong to them.
How many are there in this congregation, who, for all the awakening sermons they have heard - are yet secure in sin! And who, although they are sensible that they are in a Christless condition, and are still going on in sin - yet intend to go to heaven, and expect that by some means or another, that they shall arrive there. They are often told, that God is very angry with them; yet they think God is a very merciful God, and they shall be able to pacify Him. If they be told how uncertain life is, that does not awaken them, because they flatter themselves with long life. If they be told how dangerous it is to delay the business of religion, they promise themselves, that they will hereafter engage in it with more earnestness than others - and so obtain the end, the salvation of their souls. Others, when they are told that many shall seek - who shall not be able to obtain, think surely, that they, having done so much for salvation, shall not be denied.
~Jonathan Edwards~
(continued with # 4)
6. Some hope by their strivings to obtain salvation of themselves. They have a secret hope, that they shall, by degrees, work in themselves - true repentance of sin, and love towards God and Jesus Christ. They are striving to do themselves - that which is the work of God. Many who are now seeking, have this vain hope - and labor, pray, hear sermons and go to private meetings - with the view of making themselves holy.
7. Some sinners flatter themselves that they are already converted. They sit down and rest in a false hope, persuading themselves that all their sins are pardoned; that God loves them; that they shall go to heaven when they die; and that they need trouble themselves no more. (Rev. 3:17), "You say, I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!" And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."
III. Sinners very generally go on flattering themselves in some or other of these ways, until their punishment actually overtakes them. These are the "baits" by which satan catches souls - and draws them into his snare! Such self flatteries as these - keep men from seeing what danger they are in, and that make them go securely on in their false hopes, "like a bird darting into a snare - little knowing it will cost him his life!"
Those that flatter themselves with hopes of living a great while longer in the world, and very commonly continue to do so - until death comes! They did not think of dying at that time, nor at anytime near it. And so that thought goes along with them as long as they live, or until they are just about to die.
Men often have a dependence on their own righteousness, and as long as they live, are never brought off from it. Multitudes uphold themselves with their own intentions, until all their prospects are dashed in pieces by death. There are many also that hold a false hope, a persuasion that they belong to God; and they never will be persuaded to let go their vain hope until it is torn from them by death. Thus men commonly uphold themselves, and make themselves easy - until hell fire makes them uneasy! Everlasting ruin comes upon them as a snare, and all their hopes are at once cut off, and turned into everlasting despair! (1 Thess. 5:3). "When they shall say, peace and safety," then destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a woman, and they will not escape."
APPLICATION
1. Hence we learn one reason why there are but few saved, and why so many perish from under the gospel. All men know they must die, and all who sit under the light of the gospel have been told many a time, that after this life - there is another world; that there are but two states in that other world, a state of eternal happiness, and a state of eternal misery; that there is but one way of escaping the misery, and obtaining the blessedness of eternity - which is by obtaining a saving interest in Christ, through faith in Him; and that this life is the only opportunity of obtaining a saving interest in Christ. Yet men are so much given to flatter themselves in those ways which we have mentioned, that there are but few who take care of their salvation. Indeed they cannot but be in some measure concerned about their souls; yet they flatter themselves with one thing or another, so that they are kept steadily and uninterruptedly going on in the broad way to destruction.
2. Hence we learn the reason why the awakening truths of scripture, and awakening sermons, make no more impression upon men. It is in itself an astonishing and surprising thing, that God's denunciations of eternal misery, and threatenings of casting sinners into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone forever and ever - does not affect them, does not startle them. But the truth is, they flatter themselves, by such means as we have mentioned, that this dreadful misery is not for them; that they shall escape it, though multitudes of others are involved in it. They do not take these threatenings to themselves; they seem to think that they do not belong to them.
How many are there in this congregation, who, for all the awakening sermons they have heard - are yet secure in sin! And who, although they are sensible that they are in a Christless condition, and are still going on in sin - yet intend to go to heaven, and expect that by some means or another, that they shall arrive there. They are often told, that God is very angry with them; yet they think God is a very merciful God, and they shall be able to pacify Him. If they be told how uncertain life is, that does not awaken them, because they flatter themselves with long life. If they be told how dangerous it is to delay the business of religion, they promise themselves, that they will hereafter engage in it with more earnestness than others - and so obtain the end, the salvation of their souls. Others, when they are told that many shall seek - who shall not be able to obtain, think surely, that they, having done so much for salvation, shall not be denied.
~Jonathan Edwards~
(continued with # 4)
The Vain Self-Flatteries Of The Sinner # 2
The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 2
II. I shall mention some of the various ways, wherein sinners flatter themselves in their own eyes.
1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope - that there is no such thing as another world. They hear a great deal of preaching, and a great deal of talk about hell, and about eternal judgment; but those things do not seem to them to be real. They never saw any of these things: they never saw hell, never saw the devils and damned spirits; and therefore are ready to say with themselves, "How do I know that there is any such thing as another world? When animals die - that is an end of them - so perhaps it will be the same with me? Perhaps all these warnings of Scripture, are nothing but the inventions of men, nothing but cunningly devised fables.
Such thoughts are apt to rise in the minds of sinners, and the devil seeks to enforce them. Such thoughts are a great comfort to them; therefore they wish they were true, and this makes them the more ready to think that they are indeed true. So that they become hardened in the way of sin - by their infidelity and atheistic thoughts. Psalm 14:1, "The fool has said in his heart - There is no God." Psalm 94:6, 7, "They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say - The Lord doesn't see it. The God of Jacob doesn't pay attention!'
2. Some flatter themselves that death is a great way off - and that they shall hereafter have much opportunity to seek salvation; and they think if they earnestly seek it, though it be a great while hence, they shall obtain it. Although they see no reason to conclude that they shall live long, and perhaps they do not positively conclude that they shall long - yet it does not come into their minds, that their lives are really uncertain, and that there is no certainty that they will live another year. Such a thought as this does not take any hold of them. And although they do not absolutely determine that they shall live to old age or to middle age - yet they secretly flatter themselves with such a vain imagination. They are disposed to believe so, and do so far believe it - that they act upon it and run the venture of it.
Men will believe that things will be - as they choose to have them, without reason, and sometimes without the appearance of reason, as is most apparent in this case in Psalm 49:11, "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to endless generations."
The inclinations and desires of men to have it so, is the principle thing which makes them believe so. However, there are several other things which they use as arguments to flatter themselves. Perhaps they think that since they are at present in health, or in youth, or that since they are useful men, do a great deal of good, and both themselves and others pray for the continuance of the their lives; they are not likely to be removed by death very soon.
3. Some flatter themselves that they lead moral and decent lives - and therefore think that they shall not be damned. They think that they do not live in any open vice - that they are careful to wrong no man - that they are just and honest in their dealings - that they are not addicted to strong drinking, or to impurity, or to filthy language - that they are constant attendants on the public worship, and maintain the worship of God in their families. Therefore they hope that God will not cast them into hell. They do not see why God should be so angry with them - seeing they are so moral and upright in their walk. They do not see that they have done enough to anger him to that degree. And if they have angered Him, they imagine they have also done a great deal to pacify Him.
If they are not as yet converted - they hope that their moral and strict lives will move God to give them converting grace. They hope that surely God will not send to hell those who live as moral as they do. Thus they flatter themselves, as those we read of Luke 18:9, "That trusted in themselves - that they were righteous."
4. Some make the advantages under which they live - an occasion of self flattery. They flatter themselves, that they live in a place where the gospel is powerfully preached, and among a religious people, where many have been converted - and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on that account. Thus they abuse the grace of God to their destruction; they do that which the Scriptures call despising the riches of God's kindness. (Romans 2:4. "Do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience - not recognizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
Some flatter themselves, because they are born of godly parents, who are dead to God, who have often and earnestly prayed for them. They hope that their prayers will be heard - and this encourages them to go on in the way of neglecting their souls. The Jews had great dependence upon this - that they were the children of Abraham: (John 8:33). They made their boast, "We are Abraham's descendants!" And in verse 39, "Abraham is our father!"
5. There are some who flatter themselves, that they do and have done - a great deal for their salvation, and therefore hope they shall obtain it - when indeed they neither do what they ought to do, nor what they might do in their present state of unregeneracy; nor are they in any likely way to be converted. They think they are striving - when they neglect many commanded Scriptural duties; nor do they exert themselves as if it were for their lives; they are not violent for the kingdom of heaven.
~Jonathan Edwards~
(continued with # 3)
II. I shall mention some of the various ways, wherein sinners flatter themselves in their own eyes.
1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope - that there is no such thing as another world. They hear a great deal of preaching, and a great deal of talk about hell, and about eternal judgment; but those things do not seem to them to be real. They never saw any of these things: they never saw hell, never saw the devils and damned spirits; and therefore are ready to say with themselves, "How do I know that there is any such thing as another world? When animals die - that is an end of them - so perhaps it will be the same with me? Perhaps all these warnings of Scripture, are nothing but the inventions of men, nothing but cunningly devised fables.
Such thoughts are apt to rise in the minds of sinners, and the devil seeks to enforce them. Such thoughts are a great comfort to them; therefore they wish they were true, and this makes them the more ready to think that they are indeed true. So that they become hardened in the way of sin - by their infidelity and atheistic thoughts. Psalm 14:1, "The fool has said in his heart - There is no God." Psalm 94:6, 7, "They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say - The Lord doesn't see it. The God of Jacob doesn't pay attention!'
2. Some flatter themselves that death is a great way off - and that they shall hereafter have much opportunity to seek salvation; and they think if they earnestly seek it, though it be a great while hence, they shall obtain it. Although they see no reason to conclude that they shall live long, and perhaps they do not positively conclude that they shall long - yet it does not come into their minds, that their lives are really uncertain, and that there is no certainty that they will live another year. Such a thought as this does not take any hold of them. And although they do not absolutely determine that they shall live to old age or to middle age - yet they secretly flatter themselves with such a vain imagination. They are disposed to believe so, and do so far believe it - that they act upon it and run the venture of it.
Men will believe that things will be - as they choose to have them, without reason, and sometimes without the appearance of reason, as is most apparent in this case in Psalm 49:11, "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to endless generations."
The inclinations and desires of men to have it so, is the principle thing which makes them believe so. However, there are several other things which they use as arguments to flatter themselves. Perhaps they think that since they are at present in health, or in youth, or that since they are useful men, do a great deal of good, and both themselves and others pray for the continuance of the their lives; they are not likely to be removed by death very soon.
3. Some flatter themselves that they lead moral and decent lives - and therefore think that they shall not be damned. They think that they do not live in any open vice - that they are careful to wrong no man - that they are just and honest in their dealings - that they are not addicted to strong drinking, or to impurity, or to filthy language - that they are constant attendants on the public worship, and maintain the worship of God in their families. Therefore they hope that God will not cast them into hell. They do not see why God should be so angry with them - seeing they are so moral and upright in their walk. They do not see that they have done enough to anger him to that degree. And if they have angered Him, they imagine they have also done a great deal to pacify Him.
If they are not as yet converted - they hope that their moral and strict lives will move God to give them converting grace. They hope that surely God will not send to hell those who live as moral as they do. Thus they flatter themselves, as those we read of Luke 18:9, "That trusted in themselves - that they were righteous."
4. Some make the advantages under which they live - an occasion of self flattery. They flatter themselves, that they live in a place where the gospel is powerfully preached, and among a religious people, where many have been converted - and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on that account. Thus they abuse the grace of God to their destruction; they do that which the Scriptures call despising the riches of God's kindness. (Romans 2:4. "Do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience - not recognizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
Some flatter themselves, because they are born of godly parents, who are dead to God, who have often and earnestly prayed for them. They hope that their prayers will be heard - and this encourages them to go on in the way of neglecting their souls. The Jews had great dependence upon this - that they were the children of Abraham: (John 8:33). They made their boast, "We are Abraham's descendants!" And in verse 39, "Abraham is our father!"
5. There are some who flatter themselves, that they do and have done - a great deal for their salvation, and therefore hope they shall obtain it - when indeed they neither do what they ought to do, nor what they might do in their present state of unregeneracy; nor are they in any likely way to be converted. They think they are striving - when they neglect many commanded Scriptural duties; nor do they exert themselves as if it were for their lives; they are not violent for the kingdom of heaven.
~Jonathan Edwards~
(continued with # 3)
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