The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want... He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters... He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me... Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:30 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom... Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:32-34 ...Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:7 As Jesus, the great Teacher, presents His lessons to be learned from the open book of nature, He opens the eye of their understanding to reveal the attention that is given to objects in proportion to the rank they occupy in the scale of creation. If the grass of the field, which today is so beautiful, delighting the senses, (and) is tomorrow cut down and burned, receives so great attention from God, how much more will He not bestow upon man formed in His... image. We cannot form exaggerated ideas of the value of the human soul, and the attention given by Heaven to man. He then gives the comforting assurance, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Jesus is the good Shepherd. His followers are the sheep of His pasture. A shepherd is always with his flock to defend them, to keep them from the wolves, to hunt up the lost sheep and carry them back to the fold, to lead them beside green pastures and beside living waters. I cannot neglect the great salvation that has been brought to me at such an infinite cost to my heavenly Father, who ...so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 I will not dishonor my Redeemer to lightly esteem His sufferings, His trials, His condescension (humility), His sacrifice, His death, because He so loves us, He would Himself become our sin-bearer. Oh, what love, what inexpressible love! He became ...a man of sorrows, ...acquainted with grief:.. Isaiah 53:3. He died on the cross (as if He were) a transgressor, that man might be justified through His merits. The soul is through the Lifegiver capable of living through eternal ages, and man is to take special care of the soul which Christ has purchased with His own blood. With Christ is Omnipotence (all power). He also is able to keep that which I have committed to... His trust... against that day. 2 Timothy 1:12 If the preciousness of the soul has not been appreciated, if its temple courts have been defiled with buyers and sellers, and with committing it to the rule and indwelling of Satan in thought or in feeling, I would in deep earnestness beseech you to make no delay, but come before God in sincere prayer without one moment's speculation or hesitation, and say, “O Lord, I have opened the door of my heart to Thy worst enemy, and the worst enemy of my soul... I have acted as though I could save my own soul, as if I could sin and then reform when I choose to do so; but I find a power holding me in his keeping. Thou alone can save me that my soul shall not be eternally ruined... No longer will I withhold it from Thee. I dare not trust it with any power but Thine... I lay it at Thy feet. Thou Lamb of God, wash my soul in the blood of the Lamb; clothe it with Thine own garments of purity and righteousness." Christ has given us no assurance that to attain to perfection of character is an easy matter. It is a conflict, a battle and a march, day by day. It is through much tribulation that we enter... the kingdom of heaven. In order to share with Christ in His glory we must share in His suffering... He has overcome for us. Shall we, then, be timid and cowardly because of the trials that we meet as we advance? When we have a deeper appreciation of the mercy and loving-kindness of God, we shall praise Him, instead of complaining. We shall talk of the loving watchcare of the Lord, of the tender compassion of the Good Shepherd. John 10:11 The language of the heart will not be selfish murmuring and repining. Praise, like a clear, flowing stream, will come from God's truly believing ones. They will say, Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Why not awake the voice of spiritual song in the days of our pilgrimage? We need to study God's Word, to meditate and pray. Then we shall have spiritual eyesight to discern the inner courts of the celestial temple. We shall catch the notes of thanksgiving sung by the heavenly choir around the throne. When Zion shall arise and shine, her light will be most penetrating, and songs of praise and thanksgiving will be heard in the assembly of the saints. Little disappointments and difficulties will be lost sight of. The Lord is our helper. No one ever trusted God in vain. He never disappoints those who put their dependence on Him. If we would only do the work that the Lord would have us do, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, our hearts would become sacred harps, every chord of which would send forth praise and thanksgiving to the One sent by God to take away the sin of the world. John 1:29 All who choose Christ's kingdom of love and righteousness and peace, making its interest paramount to all other, are linked to the world above, and every blessing needed for this life is theirs. In the book of God's providence, the volume of life, we are each given a page. That page contains every particular of our history; even the hairs of... the head are... numbered. God's children are never absent from His mind. part 2 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men... Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord... Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head... Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good... Romans 12:18-21 It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Psalm 119:126 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary... And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith... And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:1-8 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Revelation 6:9 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Psalm 119:124-127 Protector and Avenger—When the defiance of God's law is almost universal, when His people are pressed in affliction by their fellow men, God will interpose. Then will the voice be heard from the graves of martyrs, represented by the souls that John saw... slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, which they held—then the prayer will ascend from every true child of God: It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. The fervent prayers of His people will be answered; for God loves to have His people seek Him with all the heart, and depend upon Him as their deliverer. He will be sought unto to do these things for His people, and He will arise as their protector and avenger. ...Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him... Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23 God has created man and given him all his faculties of body, soul, and spirit. The Lord Jesus has bought him with a price so full, so ample, that there could be no competition. What can man offer to God that is not already the Lord's own? God gave the faculties, and every working of these faculties belongs to God. This means that your experience from first to last is to be yoked up with Christ. Learning the lessons of meekness and lowliness of heart makes you a partaker of Christ's sufferings and appreciative of the virtues of the life of Christ. There will be a constant prayer, Keep me by Thy power; let not my feet slide; let not my heart be filled with ambitious plans to exalt myself. Teach me how to practice the art of self-emptying in order to be supplied with the grace of Christ and have that love Christ prayed that I might have, as I have loved you. I must receive grace that I may supply others with that grace. Oh, give my soul much nearness to God, that I may receive His disposition (character) and love my brethren. Help me, O Lord, to realize that I am of myself unable to do anything in its true, pure bearings. Self, self, will be continually active for recognition, even in the very holiest of exercises. Our work individually is to copy the character of Christ, who gave His life to make it possible for us to do this. Shall we evidence to the world that we are children of God, bought with a price, and that we are bearing fruit in speech, in tone of voice, and in kindness of redeeming love, showing what it means to keep the commandments of God? The grace given cost Heaven a price it is impossible for us to measure. That grace is our choicest treasure, and Christ means that it shall be communicated through us. It is sacred, in the name of Jesus, to the saving of the soul. It is the revealing of the honor of God, an unfolding of His glory. And shall any man or woman professing godliness misinterpret the gift, ignore the Giver, and present a substitute? Let every church member kneel before God while in His temple, and consecrate to Him His own, which He has bought with the blood of Christ. God will bless all who will thus prepare themselves for His service. They will understand what it means to have the assurance of the Spirit, because they have received Christ by faith. The religion of Christ means much more than the forgiveness of sin. It means taking away our sins and filling the vacuum with the Holy Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. We need the vital qualities of Christianity, and when we possess them, the church will be a living, active, working church. There will be growth in grace, because the bright rays of the Sun of Righteousness pervade the chambers of the mind. Let us not bring the gloom of unbelief into the church. Let us trim our lamps, seeking a fresh supply of oil, before we step over the threshold. It is our right, our privilege, to dismiss gloomy depression. As we go to the house of worship, we may go with joyfulness, for are we not going to meet with God and His people? Let no thought of criticism enter your mind, to torment you, for Satan is near. He will do this work without your help. Refuse to cooperate with the accuser of the brethren. Gather up every ray of light, then seek out those who need help, and give this light to them. God says, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. The Lord will greatly bless His tried and chosen ones, if they will cooperate with Him. When the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost, it was like a rushing, mighty wind. It was given in no stinted (limited) measure, for it filled all the place where the disciples were sitting. So will it be given to us when our hearts are prepared to receive it. When you meet with the Lord, say, I am in the Lord's house, and I desire all wicked thoughts, all mistrust and murmuring against my brethren, to be banished. We have met here with God, who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16 Thank You Jesus! https://egwwritings.org ...The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:7
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