TRIUMPH -- March 1959
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HE IS RISEN
E A S T E R M O R N
The Lord is risen, is risen indeed,
His blood before the Throne to plead.
He comes, Conqueror of death and sin.
Oh, let the mighty Victor in
This Easter morn!
Oh, let Him in thy heart to bless,
That He may bring thee happiness!
Oh, let Him in that He may give
Thee power unselfishly to live!
Oh, let Him in that each defeat
May be a victory complete!
That God the Father thou mayst know
That day by day thy soul may grow.
Oh, let Him in that thou mayst gain
Eternal life--with Him to reign
And sing throughout eternity,
Where every day that dawns shall be
An Easter morn!
--Cosa Elizabeth Reynolds
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EDITORIAL
I want to write at some length on these words found in Ephesians: "Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulation FOR YOU, which is YOUR glory" (3:13).
Some folks have been noticeably moved by my present condition. Many have expressed their concern. Maybe some have given way to doubt the goodness of God in this. But, as for me, it is becoming crystal clear--God's intent in permitting, yea, sending this "thorn." Bear with me as I open to you that which is upon my heart, which God has revealed to me through His Word.
Permit me to say, with the Apostle Paul, "my tribulations (are) for you." My sufferings are on your behalf; because of you I have been afflicted. Am I paralyzed from shoulders to toes? . . . it is for your sake I am. Are my activities greatly limited? . . . because of you they are. Let me speak to you plainly, and may the Holy Spirit lead me as I write--and you as you read.
I shall first direct my words to you who have not yet entered the fold of our great Shepherd. It is for you that I am as I am. May not you be one who wouldn't pick up a religious paper, let alone read it, until TRIUMPH came your way. But you read IT, and with apparent interest; I'm glad you do. Maybe it is because you know me (or did); maybe you read out of sympathy--possibly curiosity--knowing the handicap under which I work. But whatever the reason, you DO read, and I am sure God planned it so.
God knew you would not read the words of any other religious writer. He knew you would read my paper--thus, my condition. I say this not boastfully nor begrudgingly. God knows my heart; I want God alone to have all the glory, and I want for you His very best.
This thought puts us both in a very unique and, at the same time, responsible position. I MUST be where God can speak through me--a clean vessel. And YOU MUST consider your own destiny. You alone can decide, and must decide, YOU have now become responsible for your soul, as you have read, at least once, of the good news of the gospel in the pages of TRIUMPH.
Some of you will say, "What you say may be true, but it isn't for me." Others will say, "I plan to get right with God some day . . . but not now, please." But surely some will say, "You speak the truth; I have waited long enough; this is my day of decision; I receive Christ, now, as my personal Savior. From now on, I shall live for Him.
On your behalf then, I have been afflicted. I am shut up to this specific ministry that you might read of the great salvation, purchased and offered by Christ the Lord. I trust I have not "run in vain." I long with all my heart that you may find in Christ, as I have found, rest and peace and joy in the midst of this "crooked and perverse" generation. Oh, God, send Thy quickening Spirit to those who read. Plant in their hearts faith and love toward Thyself. Help me minister to them as one who is dying--to ones who are dying.
Let me next direct my words to you who are young in the faith. It is for you I find myself imprisoned in this body of flesh and bones. It is for your edification. My heart goes out to you as you daily grapple with the evil forces of darkness. I have led a few of you to the Lord; you will never know the joy this has given me, BUT you must grow in grace. God has placed me here to help in this process. Quite often I write my articles and sermons with you in mind. I pray constantly that "Christ be formed in you." I want you to be "rooted and grounded in love . . . that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." May you never cease to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ."
Why have I, then, gone aside for a time? That I might drink from the refreshing springs of the Word of God, administered by His indwelling Spirit, and then minister the same to you. May God be pleased to use me as one means of grace to help you on the way to Christian maturity. But of this I am confident, "that he (God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Help me, Lord, to be an example to them, teaching them to observe all Thou hast commanded. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
Let me now direct my words to you, tried-and-true soldiers of the cross. Many of you are older than I, physically AND spiritually. Yet, is not my affliction also for you? It is true, you have participated in and won many spiritual battles; you are well versed in Scripture; you have led and helped many another. And yet has not God often ordained the weak to minister to the strong? May not the very thing you need, on a particular occasion, be Providentially included in TRIUMPH at just the right time? A recent letter from a reader of TRIUMPH said, "So often you write just what I need the most. Last October--if I didn't know better--I would say that it was written especially to me." Our Lord sets forth this principle in these words, " . . . they that are great exercise dominion . . . But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let HIM BE YOUR MINISTER."
Many of you have not the time to study, read, and pray as I. Not that you should neglect these means of grace, do I say this, but my opportunity is rather unique. I am in a position to be blessed of the Lord, "above many of my contemporaries." And if I "be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation . . . For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might . . . redound to the glory of God."
PRAYER!!! Who can measure its potential? If I could minister in no other way, this would yet be a ministry approved and "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." The Bible exhorts, "Bear ye one another's burdens:" so may I, for you, "fulfil the law of Christ." "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much," declares Scripture. Though not righteous in myself, righteousness has been imputed to me in return for my faith in Christ. May I bear your burden before the One who "is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him?"
Not for you only have I been afflicted, however, but for myself. When able to minister to you, this in turn brings me joy. If I can bring a bit of "glory" to you, that same glory returns to me a hundredfold. Grace given out is not grace lost, but gained. If I have caused you to rejoice, what is that but an opportunity for me to "rejoice with them that do rejoice." The Lord has filled my cup full. He told me, "Give," and it has been given unto me, "good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over."
Oh, God, "let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice, . . . for thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11a,12)
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DEAR SHUT-IN
"BE NOT AFRAID, ONLY BELIEVE"
Mark 5:36b
Coming from any other, this statement would not mean so much. Though it came from the lips of the most saintly person, one who had proven by his life the truth of the words, it still could not carry the weight as when it fell from the holy lips of our eternal Lord. Jesus spoke to Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, who was passing through deep waters. His daughter lay "at the point of death." When trouble comes on like a flood, here Jesus say, "Be not afraid." Look not around at the trouble. The object of faith, implied here, and set forth in the context, was Jesus Himself. Place your trust in Him. The Lord can and will honor faith directed toward Him, and quell all fears. We suffer too many frightful hours that could be turned into faith in Christ and the expulsion of fear. "Be not afraid, only believe;" repeat it till you believe it; believe it with all your heart; remember who said it; may faith take the place of fear in your heart this hour.
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TESTIMONY TIME
by Mrs. Elsie J. Crozier
ALTHOUGH I was reared in a Christian home, attended church and Sunday school regularly, later united with the church, and even taught a Sunday school class, it was not until many years later, that I actually came to know Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Many times I worried about my condition and wondered what would happen to me if the world suddenly came to an end," as I heard it expressed in those days.
A crisis came into my life: one of our children became seriously ill, and the attending physician told us that unless there was a change very soon, he would not recover. I went to my bedroom, fell upon my knees and promised the Lord I would serve Him, if He raised him up. The child recovered, but I did not know how to serve the Lord. However, He saw my heart's desire and answered in a most unusual way.
It seems the Lord called a young man to distribute gospel tracts. He would secure employment in a city and give out tracts to everyone where he worked and then move on to another city and do the same. In the plan of God, he came to work at the place my husband worked. The men laughed at him, calling him Billy Sunday, but everyone received a tract, including my husband, who was at the time a backslider. He did not bother to read it, but brought it home, and as he laid it down said to me: "Perhaps you'd like to read this."
The title of the tract was, "The Missing Ones," the first gospel tract I had ever seen. The story, based on I Thessalonians 4:13-18, told of a man who dreamed the rapture of the saints, a truth he had always scorned, had taken place. His wife and daughter disappeared, and in seeking them he found many other persons, those of godly character, were also missing. It became more and more apparent that the visitation was supernatural. He told of the anguish of his soul, no place to go for comfort. Too late, he realized, to make amends.
I read and reread the tract. It was the first time I had ever heard of the coming of the Lord. What conviction seized me! I knew if He came I would not be ready to meet Him. After my husband would leave for work, I would pray, read the Bible, and weep, but the darkness only deepened. I am so thankful now that the Holy Spirit convicted and led me those days. I decided to send for more tracts to the address listed on the one I had. When these arrived, I eagerly read them. One explained very clearly how to be saved. I was led to many promises in the Word of God. The one the Holy Spirit especially used was, Romans 10: 9 and 10. On my knees I told the Lord I did believe God had raised Him from the dead, and would confess Him publicly at the first opportunity Then the awful burden rolled away, and I became a new creature in Christ Jesus. However, I did not experience real joy--just rested in His Word.
I had not attended church for a long time, but now I wanted to go. I went to Sunday school and during the closing exercises, the superintendent, a godly man, who was certainly obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit, said: "I feel like turning this into a revival meeting; I feel there is someone here who has never made a public confession of Christ." I do not recall what else he said, for my heart began to pound and although I knew he did not know me, I felt I was the one he was speaking to, and had to respond. I was the first on my feet to tell that I had recently come to Christ. What peace came into my heart! I was overflowing with the joy of the Lord. Everything seemed different. I still rejoice as I think of the wonderful way God moved that morning. Thirty-five others went to the altar to be saved, among them my nephew, now superintendent of the Hebrew Mission in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Bible became a new Book to me; truly all things became new. Christians whom I had thought odd and uninteresting were now the only ones I cared to mingle with. I gave my all to Christ--my children for His highest service. I am happy He has called some to serve Him. My husband came back to the Lord, became a gospel singer and lay preacher, and was used in leading many souls to the Lord.
I wonder about the man who gave the tract. I expect to meet him in heaven some day, and thank him.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain;
He washed it white as snow.
Mrs. Crozier is the mother of Fred Crozier, missionary to Alaska, whose series appeared in TRIUMPH (Nov. '57 - Jan. '58) under the title: "Life On The Mission Field."
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"Dying together" with Jesus,
This is the end of strife!
"Buried together" with Jesus,
This is the gate of life!
"Quickened together" with Jesus,
By the touch of God's mighty breath;
"Risen together" with Jesus,
Where is thy sting, O death?
-- From "3000 Illustrations for Christian Service."
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SERMON SERIES - XX
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS
Chapter 4, verses 9-12
"But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."
BROTHERLY LOVE
PAUL, in considering various practical themes, comes now to the subject, "brotherly love." In profane Greek, brotherly love referred specifically to the love of actual kin. In the New Testament, however, it refers to the love of kin in Christ.
YE . . . ARE TAUGHT OF GOD (9)
"Ye need not that I write unto you," said the apostle, "for ye yourselves are taught of God." How were they taught of God?
They had been taught of God through the Apostle Paul; he had taught them to love one another. His ministry embodied this practical truth along with the others: faith and hope. (cf.1:3)
They also had the direct command from Christ on this subject. "A new commandment I give unto you," the Lord had said, "That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
If this were not enough, they had the heavenly Father's example. The Record states: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." When all is said, the best teacher of love is an example of it, and what better example than the love of God for His creatures.
And, to leave them without excuse, still another voice was added to teach them this virtue. The Bible says, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
If they were without excuse, brethren, so are we; we too are thus taught of God to love one another. Thus, "let brotherly love continue."
AND INDEED YE DO . . . INCREASE MORE AND MORE (10)
Do not we have here a call to support foreign missions? They showed their love to those of their own province; now they must look beyond. Their love was genuine--heart love, but who except God could see it in the heart. Paul exhorts them, therefore, to increase in the expression of love and extent of it. It must be more sacrificial and extend further.
Some folk make little effort to cover their evident dislike for certain brethren; all the while they boast of their love for God. Poor souls, have they not read, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
What of those who have no concern for the souls perishing in other lands? Jesus' words apply to such: "I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." God's love reached out to the ends of the earth, to potential "brethren," even while they were enemies, and gave the supreme sacrifice for their redemption. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son."
Has our love reached half as far, with half the sacrifice? "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in DEED and in TRUTH." "Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another." We owe the people of the world our love--love that sends or takes to them the love of God in Christ Jesus. They are potential brethren; some will become actual brethren in Christ when they hear the gospel story. Let us, then, "increase more and more" in this virtue.
"But, Paul, can you not be more specific? We realize we must increase more and more in expressing our love; but cannot you give us a concrete example, something we can DO to show our love?"
"If that's what you want, all right,
'STUDY TO BE QUIET, (11)
and , , , do your own business, and . . . work with your own hands;' 'for we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.' Do this, and you will indeed promote brotherly love."
The word translated "study" means to be "ambitious;" ambitious, then, "to be quiet." We are ambitious for many things but not to be quiet. We tend to everyone's business but our own.
The Thessalonian converts had misinterpreted Paul's previous teaching concerning the second coming of Christ. They quit their jobs and idly awaited His return. This idleness undoubtedly produced mischief, as it usually does. They became busy with the affairs of others. Thus Paul said, "Be ambitious to be quiet."
Many of us need this exhortation. We are quick to speak and slow to listen. Even the worldly wise know it pays to be a good listener. To be so, "wins friends and influences people." Quietness among believers is one tremendous boost to brotherly love. And brotherly love is a tremendous testimony to the community.
"But, Paul, what of our potential brothers, those yet in the world? How can we show concrete, practical love toward them?"
"That's very easy, brethren,
'WALK HONESTLY TOWARD THEM (12)
that are without'. Their standard of honesty may be low but, for their sake, as well as for the Lord, you must maintain high standards."
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is not the philosophy of the Christian. We must live honestly in every facet of our lives. For illustration I mention two. Our business affairs must be conducted honestly, whether dealing with the saved or unsaved, whether some take advantage of us or not, whether business is good or bad. In witnessing, too, we must be honest, telling the whole truth: of hell as well as heaven, of sin as well as righteousness, of the wrath of God as well as His love.
"Oh, but I couldn't get along if I were perfectly honest," says someone. "You know how it is in the business world: 'dog eat dog!' Anyway, no one expects you to be honest, nowadays. A fellow must look our for himself, you know."
Someone else chimes in, maybe a preacher, "If I told my friends there was a real hell, and that God could manifest wrath, and that they were sinners under the wrath of God, and headed for hell, I would lose my friends. People would stop coming to hear me preach; they would shun my company. It's much easier to say what they like to hear, to discuss other topics."
Not so, brother (IF you ARE a brother), for "ye have not so learned Christ . . . ; now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light." "Walk honestly toward them that are without." If you do, you shall "have lack of nothing," either of life's necessities OR friends.
"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ . . . loved us."
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". . . your pastor needs something more than your discussion with others of his faults." This statement is from my tract, "I Like Our Pastor, But . . . ." I have tried to point out the greatest need your pastor has, and how you may help meet that need.
(See this tract with the other tracts included in this blog)
