A HAPPY THOUGHT!
I just had a happy thought. Maybe Jesus will come in '65. A wonderful prospect for the children of God. Could be, you know. The day is coming. It is nearer than when we first believed. This year has 365 days, why not one of them? We know not the day nor hour, but there will be a day in some year and an hour when the Son of Man will no longer delay His coming, but will come as He has promised. What a day! Blessed day! The day of His appearing. Not this time to deal with sin but to consummate our salvation. Maybe this will be the year, the fateful year, the year of years, when our Lord returns.
When we look forward into a new year there are many things which have a question mark superimposed over them. Things concerning our nation, our families, ourselves, our community. Will the Phillies win the pennant or end up in 10th place? Will '65 show a profit or loss in our business? Will the cold war continue or maybe a hot one develop. We don't know. We have no way of knowing. The new year, as the ones in the past, is very questionable.
There is one future event, however, about which there is no question. The Lord SHALL descend. We SHALL be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And so SHALL we ever be with the Lord. It may not be this year. But yet again, it may. This is our hope, the blessed hope. This occupied the mind of the Apostle Paul when he exclaimed: " . . . This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark (or goal) for the prize . . . " What was the goal and prize the great apostle looked forward to more than anything else? " . . . The high (or upward) calling of God in Christ Jesus." "Let us therefore (also) . . . be thus minded."
Have you heard God's call to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Then too you will hear God's upward calling in Christ Jesus. Have you come to Him who said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . . rest unto your souls"? Then you will go to meet Him in the air when He cries, "Come up hither;" and you will be forever with Him who prayed, "Father, I will that they . . . be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me," and who promises, "I go to prepare a place for you. And . . . I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Isn't this a happy thought? I can hear the true believer say, "Amen!" But what say YE?
Sincerely,
Art Gordon
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"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
-- Colossians 3:4
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OUR FATHER . . .
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
JESUS taught His disciples to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors . . .
"And lead us not into temptation . . . " (Matthew 6:9-13a).
As children of God we must recognize that it is God who leads us. It is His right and in His power either to lead us "not into temptation" or on the other hand lead us into temptation. Note, God will never tempt us -- "for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man" -- but He may place us in circumstances or at Satan's disposal to be tempted.
The two classic examples are Job and Peter. Satan desired to tempt these godly men. God granted his request. From Satan's standpoint the temptation was a solicitation to do evil; from God's standpoint it was a testing under trial.
The word "temptation" in the Scriptures has both these connotations. God never solicits us to do evil; Satan always does. Any trial from Satan is a temptation to sin. But the same trial permitted by our Heavenly Father is a testing with the design of making us more like His beloved Son.
Job's sin was self-righteousness, Satan tempted him to add to this the cursing of his Lord. God wanted to bring Job to recognize his own unworthiness. This is what resulted. Though at first he questioned the Lord's ways, Job came through his trials recognizing that the Lord was his righteousness.
Peter's sin was self-sufficiency. Satan tempted him to add to this the denial of his Lord. God wanted to bring Peter to recognize his own weakness. This is what resulted. Though momentarily he denied Christ, Peter soon repented and came through his trials recognizing that the Lord was his strength.
When God sees it is necessary He will likewise lead us into temptation. It does become necessary sometimes, when our hearts become lifted up with pride and self-reliance. But remember, when the fiery trial descends upon your head, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape."
The lesson we must learn, first or last, is that Christ is our righteousness and we must rest in Him. Likewise, Christ is our all-sufficiency and we must lean upon Him. Maybe if we learned this first, there would be little need of testings. But we seem slow to learn and so temptation. However, we have His promise that "when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them," so that with the Psalmist we can say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me."
"Our Father, lead us not into temptation, but when it becomes necessary we know Thou art leading us still and Thy grace is sufficient."
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CHRIST ALL IN ALL
By Robert Hawker
Colossians 3:11
Hail, thou great, thou glorious, thou universal Lord. To thee, blessed Jesus! every knee shall bow.
Thou art all in all, in creation, redemption, providence, grace, glory.
Thou art all in all in thy church, and in the hearts of thy people: in all their joys, all their happiness, all their exercises, all their privileges.
Thou art the all in all in thy word, ordinances, means of grace, the sum and substance of the whole Bible.
Speak we of promises? Thou art the first promise in the sacred word, and the world of every promise that follows; for all in thee are yea and amen.
Speak we of the law? Thou art the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Speak we of sacrifices? By the one sacrifice thou hast forever perfected them that are sanctified.
Speak we of the prophecies? To thee give all the prophets witness, that whosoever believeth in thee, shall receive remission of sins.
Yes; blessed, blessed Jesus! Thou art the all in all.
Be thou to me, Lord, the all in all I need in time, and then surely thou wilt be my all in all to all eternity!
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NEVER MAN 'LIVED' LIKE THIS MAN
Jesus was unique in His person and work. In the long history of mankind never was there a man like Jesus. His life was one continuous miracle. His was a miraculous conception and birth. His walk here among men was a constant miracle. His speech was like none other flavored with the miraculous. His death and resurrection capped the whole as being unbelievable (to everyone except His own) miraculous.
Indeed "never man 'lived' like this Man."
How do men live? Need we comment further? At best our lives are far from perfect. Our actions continually evidence the evil nature within our bosom. We act badly because we are bad by nature. We sin because we are sinners. We received our sinful nature from our father Adam. And we have been sinning ever since.
Oh, it is to be admitted that some do not act as badly as others but everyone does to some degree. Some do not commit as gross sins as others yet all have sinned. This is but the bad fruit coming naturally from a bad vine or tree, or the brackish, bitter water coming from a corrupt spring.
Evil begets evil. Evil parents beget evil offspring. An evil nature begets evil actions. Not a pretty picture. But true. Some may object and deny this fact which is true of the whole human race. They merely prove that they have never seen themselves as they really are and as a holy God sees them, and they have never seen Jesus Christ as He really is.
THERE WAS ONE MAN who lived, not like the rest of mankind, but, in a wholly unique manner. His life on earth was the perfect life. The only perfect life. His actions continually evidenced the sinless nature within His bosom. He lived holily because He was holy. He received His holy nature from His Father who was holy. And He never once committed the slightest sin.
His holy life was the outflowing or the fruit from His holy nature, just as naturally as sweet water flows from a pure spring and good fruit comes from a good tree. He could challenge those who were near Him and who closely observed His life with a critical eye, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Pilate rendered his verdict, "I find no fault in this man." He spoke more accurately than he may have realized. The fact is true, "Never man 'lived' like this holy Man."
The Scriptures relate that "He went about doing good." He came to do good. He spent His life doing good. He did good to all with whom He came in contact. He took children in His arms and blessed them. He touched the maimed, the blind, the sick, and healed them. He spoke and the possessed of demons were delivered. With a word He loosed the pangs of death and bade sorrows flee away. He gave bread to the hungry and the water of life freely to the thirsty soul. He cared for the widow and the orphan in their extremity. He kept His own while He was in the world and none were lost except the son of perdition that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. He did for mankind what no one else has ever done or could do.
JESUS DID ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASED THE FATHER. Who else could make this claim? He never once deviated to the right or left in all the will of God. This being true even though His path must needs take Him to Jerusalem where He would be rejected, betrayed, denied, and forsaken. He faithfully trod the path marked out for Him by His Father although it led through the garden, to the judgment hall, up Mount Calvary, and finally into the tomb.
Though this lay ahead He set His face like a flint steadfastly to go to Jerusalem. This was the will of God for Him. He came to do the Father's will. What a life! Never have we known such dedication, such purpose in life. Dedicated to pleasing His Father by accomplishing the Father's purpose in man's redemption. From the cradle to the grave His life was lived as none other on earth.
His life was a touch of heaven on our earth. What is heaven like? what is the unseen, unknown, spiritual world like? what is God like? "No man hath seen God at any time"; "God is a Spirit." The finite cannot look upon the Infinite, the flesh upon the spirit. But if we want to know what God is like, we have merely to look at Jesus. Jesus "is the image of the invisible God . . . the express image of his person."
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Jesus came to show us the Father. They who have seen Him have seen the Father. For He is in the Father, and the Father in Him. If we had known Him, we should have known the Father also: and from henceforth we know Him, and have seen Him. We have beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Do you wish to know what God is like? Don't look at me. Don't look among men. Take a long, hard look at Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God. "Never man 'lived' like this Man." He lived among men as God. He was God. Study His life carefully. You will never be disappointed in Him. Let's make this "Project '65." Ask Him to open your mind and heart, that you might understand the Scriptures as He expounds unto you in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Your own life is bound to be better for the effort. "(For) we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
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SCIENCE AND THE WORD
By I. Haldeman
What can science do for you? It cannot minister to a mind diseased. It has no formula by which it can dissolve the sorrow in a tear, no power by which it can lift the burden of the heart. When you stand by the grave of the dead, it has no voice with which to speak the words of comfort to the listening soul. It has no light that will penetrate the gloom of death. It has no vision of the gates of life--it dare not bid you hope. It stands with its theorems and postulates and sees all its wisdom turned to folly in the presence of the great silence and the endless reach which, for want of a better name, we call eternity.
No. Science can do nothing for you.
There is no light or hope in anything but the written word of God. This Word that has outlived the men who denied it. This Word that flings the sunlight of hope through the tear of despair and turns the night of weeping into the morning of joy. This Word that has sung its glad songs when all the world was out of tune: this is the Word you must hear. Hear the Word! It is calling unto you in the rarest and clearest speech that ever was heard. It is bidding you turn to Him who is saying, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(From "Things Concerning Himself")
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THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST
THE GENEROSITY OF HIS GIFTS
By W. Fraser Naismith
The fascinating incident recorded in John's Gospel, chapter 4, stirs within the heart of the believer, wonder and admiration as the unique conversation between the Lord Jesus and the woman of Samaria is carefully perused.
This passage of Holy Writ is perhaps one of the most familiar portions in Scripture, but a reference to the salient features by way of remembrance will enable the reader to appreciate the perfect blend of grace and truth as manifested throughout the conversation by our adorable Lord.
Christ was on His way to Galilee and just here there is a divine imperative emphasized "He must needs go through Samaria" (verse 4). The long journey was tiring and Jesus being wearied sat on Jacob's well at the city of Sychar. The Lord was left there alone as His disciples went into the city to purchase provisions. Presently a woman of Samaria came with her empty waterpot to furnish the needed supply for the household requirements.
The Lord's approach was gracious as He incorporated in His introduction one simple request, viz., "Give me to drink." Rather bewildered the woman sought to emphasize the fact that there was a tribal feud between the Jews and the Samaritans. This was the opportune moment for Christ to declare the fulness of His reserves, saying "He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (verses 13, 14).
Just at this juncture Jesus blends truth with the grace He so wondrously manifested, saying "Go, call thy husband, and come hither." The hidden secrets of the human heart are now brought to light and her confession made. Obviously this woman received a draught of living water; for she left her empty waterpot on the well and made her way into the city with a well within, springing up into everlasting life, and through her testimony much blessing came to that place.
Part of the discussion that day related to the well on which the Christ of God sat. It had been bequeathed to the district by the patriarch Jacob who had found its water good because he had drunk from it himself as also had his children and his cattle.
The contrast between Jacob and our Lord is marked indeed. The history of the patriarch Jacob may be summed up in three words: seizure, deceit, and faith. Before he was born, God would remind us by the pen of Hosea (12:3), "He took his brother by the heel in the womb." This process of annexation continued throughout his whole career: by strategy seizing the birthright, and by cunning craftiness annexing the first-born's blessing.
Time would fail to tell of his actions when with his uncle Laban who played him at his own game; and the gift he sent to appease Esau whom he had wronged. It is only at the closing moments of that checkered history that we learn about his faith -- and that is recounted for us in Hebrews 11, "By faith Jacob when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped leaning on the top of his staff." There is nothing really commendable till the close of that man's history.
IN CONTRAST to this, the life of our Lord Jesus was one of giving. He went about doing good. He said "I give unto them eternal life;" and again "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."
While the well was a gift from Jacob, "Thirst again" is written large over it. The Lord Jesus said, "If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink" -- for He is not only the well; He is the fountain head.
The gifts which Christ bestows are innumerable and by far exceed any human endowment. He bestows Life to the dead soul. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." "I give unto them eternal life" (John 5:25; 10:28).
He bestows the gift of Light on the darkened soul: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Christ bestows the gift of love on the malevolent soul. "They hate me without a cause" (John 15:25): yet despite this fact we find the word 'dorean', translated 'without a cause', is used by the Lord in Revelation 22:17 in His final appeal of Scripture, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely": the word 'freely' is the same as 'without a cause'.
He bestows the gift of Liberty on the bound soul: "The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me . . . to preach deliverance to the captives" (Luke 4:18). "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
When we have dealings with the Lord Jesus Christ we find Him a munificent benefactor. He does not extort from us, nor does He ask us to hand over the product of our vineyard as God had required of Israel, and which is illustrated in the parable in Matthew 21:33-46. Israel had declined any portion to God; they had even sent back Jehovah's servants, virtually saying "Go back to your master and tell him we are determined to give him nothing!" This was the attitude of Israel despite the tender care divinely exercised over that nation.
The parable which opens chapter 22 of Matthew's Gospel presents to us almost two thousand years of prospective outline: and instead of God requiring fruit from the vineyard He is virtually saying "I desire nothing from you; let Me give you something!" The gifts which are bestowed cannot be tabulated. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). With delight we exclaim with the Apostle Paul "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God" (Romans 11:33).
THE QUESTION asked by the woman of Samaria is easily answered. She asked "Art thou greater than our father Jacob?" We reply -- the gifts which our Lord bestows make the well at Sychar donated by Jacob to pale into insignificance. Christ has gifted to the believer eternal life: and we have experienced what Christ meant when He said "It shall be in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
In His wondrous kindness He has gifted to those who love Him the Holy Spirit. In His beneficence He daily loadeth us with benefits, so that we may say "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Psalm 103). While it is impossible to enumerate all His benefits which He delights to lavish upon us, His people, may we not forget them all!
He richly feeds our souls
With blessings from above:
And leads us where the river rolls
Of everlasting love.
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