THE DOOR
What is a door? Among other things, it is that which lets you in or keeps you out.
Jesus declares: "I am the door" (John 10:9). Not just A door. Some would have us believe that Jesus is just one of many doors to heaven. But Jesus says, "I am THE door." Elsewhere He says, "No one cometh unto the Father, but by me." Peter says of Him: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Jesus will share this distinction with no one else. "I am the door," says He, "by ME if any man enter in, he shall be saved."
As the Door, Jesus will either let you into heaven or keep you out.
In Genesis six thru eight the account of the flood is given. God spoke to Noah of the coming flood as a result of the exceeding sinfulness of the earth's inhabitants. Noah obeyed the Lord's command and built an ark. He preached to the other citizens concerning God's impending judgment, but got no response, except ridicule and abuse. The day finally arrived when God poured out His wrath against sin in the form of a devastating, worldwide flood of waters.
When Noah and his family were aboard the ark, the Scriptures say that "the LORD shut him in," where they were safe until the waters receded. All on the outside were shut out and perished in the flood. For Noah the door to the ark was his salvation; for the rest of the populace the door to the ark sealed their doom.
Just so Jesus, the Door, is for some, salvation, while for others certain destruction. It all depends upon what you do with Jesus. If you enter in through Him, you will be saved. If you try to sidestep Him, you will find yourself shut out of heaven.
God Himself shuts the door. At present whosoever will, may come to Christ and be saved. The time is coming when God will shut the door of salvation; all who are in, will be safely in forever, but all who are without, will be outside forever. Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may be a day too late. It is God's prerogative, He may close the door at any time, to pour out (this time) His fiery judgment against our exceedingly wicked world.
Christ stands today as the Door, and Saviour, to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. Sometime in the (near) future He shall stand as Judge to keep out all who now refuse Him as Saviour, who refuse to enter through Him into eternal life.
It is the blood on the "lintel" and "door posts," Christ's own shed blood, which saves us from the awful consequences of our sins. God, seeing the blood, will pass over all who are within, as far as judgment is concerned. We are safe in Jesus. Have you entered in? We enter by faith.
-- Editor
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HOW DO WE GET TO HEAVEN?
"Jesus said: I am the way . . .
no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 14:6
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Sixth In A Series
HIS INCARNATION
God became incarnate in Christ in order that He might reveal in Himself the ideal humanity.
Man has never yet become all that he ought to be. He has never reached the ideal that God has in mind for a redeemed humanity. In fact, man has not even reached his own ideals.
More than that, the wisest men unaided by divine revelation have not even been able to agree on what the ideal ought to be. Of course they will tell you to be good, to follow after righteousness, and "be a man." But what is "goodness"? What is "right"? What is "a man"? Well, God has answered all such questions forever by the Incarnation of His only begotten Son.
The Son of God Incarnate reveals what we ought to be. The New Testament presents Him not only as our Divine Redeemer, but also as our Perfect Example. We Christians ought to walk, writes John, "even as He walked" (I John 2:6). And Peter adds: "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps" (I Peter 2:21).
This is a staggering ideal, and someone may be saying, "But we do not walk as He walked." And we must all make that bitter confession. But as we make our confession, if we are true believers, we must keep on affirming that we OUGHT to walk as He walked. The ideal may be high, infinitely so, but we dare not abandon it. We may be glad, however, this is not the whole story.
The Son of God Incarnate reveals not only what we ought to be here, but also what we shall be hereafter. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." No, you have never seen a Christian who is all that he ought to be. We know that, if we know anything. But here is something else we know: "We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2 AV).
Almost unbelievable, but true! We shall be like Him, the Lord of glory! Let us lay hold of the promise and remember, as someone used to say, "If we expect to be like Him up there, we ought to begin to look a little like Him down here."
Sometimes we get utterly discouraged with humanity as we see it in this present evil world, even with those who profess to be followers of Christ, and worst of all, discouraged with ourselves. What failures we are, all of us.
But here is God's great antidote for all discouragement: "But we see Jesus . . . crowned with glory and honor" (Hebrews 2:9 AV). And He, the Man Christ Jesus enthroned in the heavens, is the earnest and guarantee of what we shall be.
Let us keep our eyes steadfastly on Him, and the vision will not only sweep away all our discouragement, but will change us more and more into the image of what we shall be some day, by His grace. The ideal is beyond our power, yes, but not beyond the power of Him who sits upon the Throne of Grace and of His Glory.
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Jesus, Master, whose I am,
Purchased Thine alone to be,
By Thy blood, O spotless Lamb,
Shed so willingly for me,
Let my heart be all Thine own,
Let me live to Thee alone.
-- F. R. Havergal.
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MY SPIRITUAL BIOGRAPHY
By LINCOLN O. SWELLAND
I was one of ten children, eight girls and two boys. We lived on a farm near Kenyon, Minnesota. Every Sunday everyone got ready and went to Sunday school and church at the Lutheran church in town. As I grew older I attended church less and less until it became only an occasion. I left home at the age of fifteen and worked on farms, jumping from one job to another. I was a rough and tough guy who thought he could whip the whole world. Each year my roaming increased and my life was spent like the prodigal son, on cars, wine, women, and song. World War II was in full swing and I decided to join the Marine Corps (the rough and tough guys) after receiving a "dear John" letter from a girl in Iowa.
In 1944 I was sent overseas on the ancient French liner, Roshambo, that had been converted into a troop ship. It was stifling hot, very crowded and we were served two meals a day, one always consisted of beans. I met a friend from my home town, an electrician on the ship, who gave me some of his Navy clothes to wear (illegally) which allowed me to go anywhere on the ship. After 48 days of heat, men and stink, we anchored at Guam. As I looked at that Pacific island and scanned the vast horizon of water from the troop ship, I thought of my practically-zero chances of returning to the United States. My friend, anticipating my future, offered to hide me aboard ship and take me back, but I said, "No," and waved goodbye.
The days that followed were not easy, to say the least. Months later, still alive, I found myself on Iwo Jima where 5,000 Marines gave their lives to capture this island of sulphur from the Japanese. I prayed every day for the Lord to watch over me and I knew my mother and dad were praying also. I had numerous close-call experiences. One night a grenade dropped into our foxhole and killed my buddy but my life was spared. I am thankful for this reprieve from death because I was not ready to walk into eternity. It was common on the battlefield to be told and to believe that if we should be killed we would go to heaven because we died for our country. However, I knew the Bible said, "For by grace are ye saved through faith . . . it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The war ended and I went back to farming. My early Sunday school and church attendance and my experiences overseas caused spiritual restlessness. I wanted to open the door to Jesus Christ and ask Him to come into my life, but decided to postpone this invitation until I got old because I wanted to have some fun first and I thought that becoming a Christian would take all the fun out of life. Not many months later I became very ill and was taken by ambulance to the University of Minnesota hospital and diagnosed as having paralytic and bulbar polio. I was placed in an iron lung and my parents were called because my chance to live was doubtful. My life was spared again and I recovered enough to be up and around in a wheelchair.
Billy Graham was having a crusade at the Minneapolis Auditorium and a friend asked me to go. I accepted, not so much because I was interested in hearing Billy Graham as I was in getting out of the hospital for a few hours. I listened intently and after the message the usual Graham-type invitation was given for those to come forward who wanted to trust Christ as their Saviour. The great battle was on -- should I say yes or no to God? Finally I said yes and was wheeled down to the front and into a room off to one side where I talked and prayed with a counselor. It was like a heavy load lifted from my shoulders and then came a great peace I had never known before. As I look back over my escapes from death, I am convinced that God preserved me for this very minute, that minute when I opened the door to Him ("Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him . . ." Revelation 3:20).
Through a friend I heard of the Christian League for the Handicapped, and I attended a meeting. I enjoyed myself as I listened to the singing and speaker, and then visited with other handicapped persons during the refreshment time. But something else caught my eye -- a girl in a red coat whom I married four years later in 1959. Our family lives on the edge of Farmington, and the Lord has blessed our home with two boys and a girl. Although wheel-chair-bound for life, I can thank God for my affliction because through this I saw my real need for Jesus Christ both in this life and the next.
(In "Christian League Announcer," Minneapolis, MN)
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CHRIST MY ALL
Christ for poverty, Christ for wealth,
Christ for joy, Christ for sorrow,
Christ today, and Christ tomorrow,
Christ my Life, and Christ my Light,
Christ for morning, noon, and night,
Christ when all around gives way,
Christ my everlasting stay,
Christ my rest, and Christ my food,
Christ above my highest good.
Christ my well-Beloved, my Friend,
Christ my pleasure, without end,
Christ my Saviour, Christ my Lord,
Christ my portion, Christ my God,
Christ my Shepherd, I His sheep,
Christ Himself my soul doth keep,
Christ my Leader, Christ my peace,
Christ hath bought my soul's release,
Christ my righteousness divine,
Christ for me, for He is mine,
Christ my wisdom, Christ my meat,
Christ restores my wand'ring feet,
Christ my Advocate and Priest,
Christ who ne'er forgets the least,
Christ my Teacher, Christ my Guide,
Christ my rock, in Christ I hide,
Christ the everlasting bread,
Christ His precious blood hath shed,
Christ my Master, Christ my Head,
Christ who for my sins hath bled,
Christ my glory, Christ my crown,
Christ the plant of great renown,
Christ my Comforter on high,
Christ my hope draws ever nigh.
-- Things Concerning Himself.
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"COME UNTO ME"
"Let not your heart be troubled . . . "
John 14:1
Child of My Love, draw close unto My heart --
Your day's been full; now come to Me apart;
The weariness you feel, I know so well,
Come, let My smile your every care dispel.
I've been with you each moment of the day,
And you've been conscious of Me all the way;
But now it's time for you, dear Child to rest
In quietness upon My loving breast.
There are some things to you I long to say,
Words you could not hear throughout the noisy day;
My Blood-washed One, to Me you're very dear,
And Child, I long to draw you very near.
The things that fill your heart -- I know them all;
Do not I note each tiny sparrow's fall?
And if I clothe each lily of the field,
Is it so hard for you your cares to yield?
Child of My Love, come steal apart to Me,
I'll be everything you need or wish I'd be.
I'll be your rest, your joy, the Bread of Life to you,
Your understanding Friend, your Lover true.
I'll be your peace, and all for which you long;
My love will fill your hungry soul with song,
My arms will hold you close and you will know
The sweetness of the One Who loves you so.
Child of My love, draw close unto My heart,
There's nothing quite so precious as thou art.
I left My Father, gave My life for thee;
I love you Child: Come, tell thy love to Me.
-- Yvonne Virginia Smith
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INNOCENT INJURY
By FRIEDA J. SCHNEIDER Litt, D.
"Out of much affliction and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you" (2 Corinthians 2:4).
Tuition in the School of Life is often high; however, the lessons learned therein are invaluable.
One department in this school applies especially to this sensitive "Schneider Scribe," to avoid being easily hurt and offended. My ambition is to say with the Apostle Paul to old offenders: "Ye have not injured me at all" (Galatians 4:12).
When it is difficult to understand WHY people say or do certain things; WHY even loved ones block the way for serving our Saviour effectively, THEN I need to ask myself:
"Why was I target of the tongue that's like a dental drill? What caused him to act that way? Why did she make such disturbing remarks? There must be a reason! Perhaps it was unintentional. Perhaps I, too, have hurt a heart I could have helped! 'I was injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief' " (I Timothy 1:13).
Let's be more objective. May God grant more grace and love and patience. Patience promised on paper, but limited in practice, profits little; but patience, coupled with love and understanding has healed many human hurts. Indeed these precious gifts from God cause grievances to melt away.
Help me, O Christ, to be so hid in Thee that the darts and barbs will not touch me and I will be aware only of Thee and Thy love for me. Amen.
(In "Frieda's 52 of Faith," published by Osterhus Publishing House, 4500 West Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55422.)
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ONLY RETURN
By CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON
"Then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark." -- Genesis 8:9.
Wearied out with her wanderings, the dove returns at length to the ark as her only resting place. How heavily she flies -- she will drop -- she will never reach the ark! But she struggles on. Noah has been looking out for his dove all day long, and is ready to receive her. She has just strength to reach the edge of the ark, she can hardly alight upon it, and is ready to drop, when Noah puts forth his hand and pulls her in unto him. Mark that: "pulled her in unto him." She did not fly right in herself, but was too fearful, or too weary to do so. She flew as far as she could, and then he put forth his hand and pulled her in unto him.
This act of mercy was shown to the wandering dove, and she was not chided for her wanderings. Just as she was, she was pulled into the ark. So you, seeking sinner, with all your sin, will be received. "Only return" -- those are God's two gracious words -- "only return." What! nothing else? No, "only return." She had no olive branch in her mouth this time, nothing at all but just herself and her wanderings; but it is "only return," and she does return, and Noah pulls her in.
Fly, thou wanderer; fly, thou fainting one, dove as thou art, though thou thinkest thyself to be black as the raven with the mire of sin, back, back to the Saviour. Every moment thou waitest does but increase thy misery; thine attempts to plume thyself and make thyself fit for Jesus are all vanity. Come thou to Him just as thou art. "Return, thou backsliding Israel." He does not say, "Return, thou repenting Israel" (there is such an invitation doubtless), but "thou backsliding one," as a backslider with all thy backslidings about thee, Return, return, return!
Jesus is waiting for thee! He will stretch forth His hand and "pull thee in" -- in to Himself, thy heart's true home.
(Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids.)
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