The Path to Peace

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finding hope in a troubled world

Dear Child of God,
Your Father in Heaven loves you with a love that is everlasting, a

love that knows no end and no limits. He can’t stop loving you, no
matter who you are or what you’ve done. In His estimation you are
someone worth dying for. His one and only desire for you is that you
“might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
The Path to Peace is your invitation to experience that “abundant life.”

You may feel imprisoned in a life that is going no where, a life of darkness,
despair, and emptiness. You may be experiencing incredible pain emotionally,
mentally, physically; chained to your past and fearful of the future. The Path to
Peace has come to you as a gift from your Heavenly Father to let you know He
has already paid the price to set you free. That freedom will come as you open
your heart to the truth found in His Word. “And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32.

God designed that your home should be a little heaven on earth, an oasis
of peace and rest in a troubled world; but, perhaps, for you the dream has
been shattered. The message of The Path to Peace is that God can restore all
things. He can give you a new life. He can strengthen and rebuild your family
as you put everything in His loving and capable hands.

This book also comes to let you know that others care. Our ministry is
dedicated to bringing the love, joy, and peace of God to all of His children–the
prodigals, the prisoners, and all who have been purchased with the blood of
His own dear Son, Jesus Christ. May His peace be yours is our prayer.

~Your friends at PROJECT: Steps to Christ

Contents
Love Beyond Compare . . . . . . . . . 2 Measuring Your Maturity . . . . . . 32
Recognizing Your Need . . . . . . . . . 6 Living Through Giving. . . . . . . . . 37
Give Your Guilt Away . . . . . . . . . . 9 Is Your Education Complete?. . . . 41
How to Live With Your Conscience. 17 The Key to Limitless Treasure . . . 45
Choosing the Best in Life . . . . . . 20 Understanding Your Limitations . 52
How to Have Peace of Mind . . . . 23 Wall to Wall Happiness . . . . . . . . 57
You Can if You Will . . . . . . . . . . . 27

The Path to Peace is printed for mass distribution by PROJECT: Steps to Christ, Inc.
Copyright © 2004-2017. Printed in the USA. Text by E. G. White. All scripture quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version.

*Originally published as “Steps to Christ,” millions of copies have been printed in over a hundred languages.

Love Beyond Compare
NNature and revelation alike testify
of God’s love. Our Father in heaven is for his uplifting from the ruin and
the source of life, of wisdom, and of degradation that sin has wrought.
joy. Look at the wonderful and The world, though fallen, is not all
beautiful things of nature. Think of sorrow and misery. In nature itself are
messages of hope and comfort. There

their marvelous adaptation to the are flowers upon the thistles, and the

needs and happiness, not only of thorns are covered with roses.

man, but of all living creatures. The “God is love” is written upon every

sunshine and the rain, that gladden opening bud, upon every spire of

and refresh the earth, the hills and springing grass. The lovely birds

seas and plains, all speak to us of the making the air vocal with their happy

Creator’s love. It is God who supplies songs, the delicately tinted flowers in

the daily needs of all His creatures. In their perfection perfuming the air, the

the beautiful words of the psalmist– lofty trees of the forest with their rich

“The eyes of all wait upon You; foliage of living green – all testify to the
And You give them their food in tender, fatherly care of our God and to
due season. You open Your hand, His desire to make His children happy.

And satisfy the desire of The word of God reveals His
every living thing.” character. He Himself has declared His
infinite love and pity. When Moses
- Psalm 145:15,16 NKJV prayed, “Show me Thy glory,” the
Lord answered, “I will make all My
God made man perfectly holy and goodness pass before thee.” Exodus
happy; and the fair earth, as it came 33:18,19. This is His glory. The Lord
from the Creator’s hand, bore no passed before Moses, and proclaimed,
blight of decay or shadow of the “The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and
curse. It is transgression of God’s law – gracious, long-suffering, and abundant
the law of love – that has brought in goodness and truth, keeping mercy
woe and death. Yet even amid the for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
suffering that results from sin, God’s transgression and sin.” Exodus 34:6,
love is revealed. It is written that God 7. He is “slow to anger, and of great
cursed the ground for man’s sake. kindness,” “because He delighteth in
Genesis 3:17. The thorn and the mercy.” Jonah 4:2; Micah 7:18.
thistle – the difficulties and trials that
make his life one of toil and care – God has bound our hearts to Him
were appointed for his good as a part by unnumbered tokens in heaven and
of the training needful in God’s plan in earth. Through the things of nature,

Love Beyond Compare 3

and the deepest and tenderest earthly He hath sent Me to heal the
ties that human hearts can know, He brokenhearted, to preach deliverance
has sought to reveal Himself to us. Yet to the captives, and recovering of
these but imperfectly represent His sight to the blind, to set at liberty them
love. Though all these evidences have that are bruised.” Luke 4:18. This was
been given, the enemy of good His work. He went about doing good
blinded the minds of men, so that and healing all that were oppressed
they looked upon God with fear; by Satan. There were whole villages
they thought of Him as severe where there was not a moan of
and unforgiving. Satan led men to sickness in any house, for He had
conceive of God as a being whose passed through them and healed all
chief attribute is stern justice, – their sick. His work gave evidence of
one who is a severe judge, a harsh, His divine anointing. Love, mercy, and
exacting creditor. He pictured the compassion were revealed in every
Creator as a being who is watching act of His life; His heart went out in
with jealous eye to discern the errors tender sympathy to the children of
and mistakes of men, that He may visit men. He took man’s nature, that He
judgments upon them. It was to might reach man’s wants. The poorest
remove this dark shadow, by revealing and humblest were not afraid to
to the world the infinite love of God, approach Him. Even little children
that Jesus came to live among men. were attracted to Him. They loved to
climb upon His knees and gaze into
The Son of God came from heaven the pensive face, benignant with love.
to make manifest the Father. “No man
hath seen God at any time; the only Jesus did not suppress one word of
begotten Son, which is in the bosom truth, but He uttered it always in love.
of the Father, He hath declared Him.” He exercised the greatest tact and
John 1:18. “Neither knoweth any man thoughtful, kind attention in His
the Father, save the Son, and he to interaction with the people. He was
whomsoever the Son will reveal never rude, never needlessly spoke a
Him.” Matthew 11:27. When one of severe word, never gave needless
the disciples made the request, “Show pain to a sensitive soul. He did not
us the Father,” Jesus answered, “Have censure human weakness. He spoke
I been so long time with you, and yet the truth, but always in love. He
hast thou not known Me, Philip? He denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and
that hath seen Me hath seen the iniquity; but tears were in His voice
Father; and how sayest thou then, as He uttered His scathing rebukes.
Show us the Father?” John 14:8,9. He wept over Jerusalem, the city He
loved, which refused to receive Him,
In describing His earthly mission, the way, the truth, and the life. They
Jesus said, The Lord “hath anointed had rejected Him, the Saviour, but
Me to preach the gospel to the poor;

4 the path to peace

He regarded them with pitying Himself the burden of sin. He who had
tenderness. His life was one of self- been one with God, felt in His soul
denial and thoughtful care for others. the awful separation that sin makes
Every soul was precious in His eyes. between God and man. This wrung
While He ever bore Himself with divine from His lips the anguished cry,
dignity, He bowed with the tenderest “My God, My God, why hast Thou
regard to every member of the family forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. It
of God. In all men He saw fallen souls was the burden of sin, the sense of its
whom it was His mission to save. terrible enormity, of its separation of
the soul from God – it was this that
Such is the character of Christ as broke the heart of the Son of God.
revealed in His life. This is the character
of God. It is from the Father’s heart But this great sacrifice was not
that the streams of divine compassion, made in order to create in the Father’s
manifest in Christ, flow out to the heart a love for man, not to make Him
children of men. Jesus, the tender, willing to save. No, no! “God so loved
pitying Saviour, was God “manifest in the world, that He gave His only-
the flesh.” 1 Timothy 3:16. begotten Son.” John 3:16. The Father
loves us, not because of the great
It was to redeem us that Jesus lived propitiation, but He provided the
and suffered and died. He became “a propitiation because He loves us.
Man of Sorrows,” that we might be Christ was the medium through which
made partakers of everlasting joy. He could pour out His infinite love
God permitted His beloved Son, full of upon a fallen world. “God was in
grace and truth, to come from a world Christ, reconciling the world unto
of indescribable glory, to a world Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. God
marred and blighted with sin, suffered with His Son. In the agony of
darkened with the shadow of death Gethsemane, the death of Calvary,
and the curse. He permitted Him to the heart of Infinite Love paid the
leave the bosom of His love, the price of our redemption.
adoration of the angels, to suffer
shame, insult, humiliation, hatred, Jesus said, “Therefore doth My
and death. “The chastisement of our Father love Me, because I lay down
peace was upon Him; and with His My life, that I might take it again.”
stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5. John 10:17. That is, “My Father has so
Behold Him in the wilderness, in loved you that He even loves Me more
Gethsemane, upon the cross! The for giving My life to redeem you. In
spotless Son of God took upon becoming your Substitute and Surety,

Love Beyond Compare 5

by surrendering My life, by taking your what we may become through Christ.
liabilities, your transgressions, I am As the inspired apostle John beheld
endeared to My Father; for by My the height, the depth, the breadth of
sacrifice, God can be just, and yet the the Father’s love toward the perishing
Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.” race, he was filled with adoration and
reverence; and, failing to find suitable
None but the Son of God could language in which to express the
accomplish our redemption; for only greatness and tenderness of this love,
He who was in the bosom of the he called upon the world to behold it.
Father could declare Him. Only He “Behold, what manner of love the
who knew the height and depth of the Father hath bestowed upon us, that
love of God could make it manifest. we should be called the sons of God.”
Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice 1 John 3:1. What a value this places
made by Christ in behalf of fallen man upon man! Through transgression
could express the Father’s love to lost the sons of man become subjects
humanity. of Satan. Through faith in the
atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons
“God so loved the world, that He of Adam may become the sons of
gave His only-begotten Son.” He gave God. By assuming human nature,
Him not only to live among men, to Christ elevates humanity. Fallen men
bear their sins, and die their sacrifice. are placed where, through connection
He gave Him to the fallen race. Christ with Christ, they may indeed become
was to identify Himself with the worthy of the name “sons of God.”
interests and needs of humanity. He
who was one with God has linked Such love is without a parallel.
Himself with the children of men Children of the heavenly King!
by ties that are never to be broken. Precious promise! Theme for the most
Jesus is “not ashamed to call them profound meditation! The matchless
brethren;” He is our Sacrifice, our love of God for a world that did not
Advocate, our Brother, bearing our love Him! The thought has a subduing
human form before the Father’s power upon the soul and brings the
throne, and through eternal ages one mind into captivity to the will of
with the race He has redeemed – the God. The more we study the divine
Son of man. Hebrews 2:11. And all character in the light of the cross,
this that man might be uplifted from the more we see mercy, tenderness,
the ruin and degradation of sin that he and forgiveness blended with equity
might reflect the love of God and and justice, and the more clearly
share the joy of holiness. we discern innumerable evidences
of a love that is infinite and a tender
The price paid for our redemption, pity surpassing a mother’s yearning
the infinite sacrifice of our heavenly sympathy for her wayward child.
Father in giving His Son to die for us,
should give us exalted conceptions of

Recognizing Your Need
MMan was originally endowed with
noble powers and a well-balanced of Infinite Love – would touch no
mind. He was perfect in his being, and answering chord in his soul. His
in harmony with God. His thoughts thoughts, his interests, his motives,
were pure, his aims holy. But through would be alien to those that actuate
the sinless dwellers there. He would

disobedience, his powers were be a discordant note in the melody of
perverted, and selfishness took the heaven. Heaven would be to him a
place of love. His nature became so place of torture; he would long to be
weakened through transgression that hidden from Him who is its light, and

it was impossible for him, in his own the center of its joy. It is no arbitrary
strength, to resist the power of evil. decree on the part of God that
He was made captive by Satan, and excludes the wicked from heaven;
would have remained so forever had they are shut out by their own

not God specially interposed. It was unfitness for its companionship. The
the tempter’s purpose to thwart the glory of God would be to them a
divine plan in man's creation, and fill consuming fire. They would welcome

the earth with woe and desolation. destruction, that they might be
And he would point to all this evil as the hidden from the face of Him who died
result of God’s work in creating man. to redeem them.

In his sinless state, man held joyful It is impossible for us, of ourselves,

communion with Him “in whom are to escape from the pit of sin in which
hid all the treasures of wisdom and we are sunken. Our hearts are evil,
knowledge.” Colossians 2:3. But after and we cannot change them. “Who

his sin, he could no longer find joy in can bring a clean thing out of an
holiness, and he sought to hide from unclean? not one.” “The carnal mind
the presence of God. Such is still the is enmity against God: for it is not
condition of the unrenewed heart. It is subject to the law of God, neither

not in harmony with God, and finds indeed can be.” Job 14:4; Romans
no joy in communion with Him. The 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise
sinner could not be happy in God’s of the will, human effort, all have
presence; he would shrink from the their proper sphere, but here they

companionship of holy beings. Could are powerless. They may produce an
he be permitted to enter heaven, it outward correctness of behavior, but
would have no joy for him. The spirit they cannot change the heart; they

of unselfish love that reigns there – cannot purify the springs of life. There
every heart responding to the heart must be a power working from within,

Recognizing Your Need 7

a new life from above, before men can he was powerless to attain, and cried
be changed from sin to holiness. That out, “O wretched man that I am! who
power is Christ. His grace alone can shall deliver me from this body of
quicken the lifeless faculties of the death?” Romans 7:24. Such is the cry
soul, and attract it to God, to holiness. that has gone up from burdened
hearts in all lands and in all ages. To all,
The Saviour said, “Except a man be there is but one answer, “Behold the
born from above,” unless he shall Lamb of God, which taketh away the
receive a new heart, new desires, sin of the world.” John 1:29.
purposes, and motives, leading to a
new life, “he cannot see the kingdom Many are the figures by which the
of God.” John 3:3. The idea that it is Spirit of God has sought to illustrate
necessary only to develop the good this truth, and make it plain to souls
that exists in man by nature, is a fatal that long to be freed from the burden
deception. “The natural man receiveth of guilt. When, after his sin in
not the things of the Spirit of God: for deceiving Esau, Jacob fled from his
they are foolishness unto him: neither father’s home, he was weighed down
can he know them, because they are with a sense of guilt. Lonely and
spiritually discerned.” “Marvel not that outcast as he was, separated from all
I said unto thee, Ye must be born that had made life dear, the one
again.” 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 3:7. thought that above all others pressed
Of Christ it is written, “In Him was upon his soul, was the fear that his sin
life; and the life was the light of men” had cut him off from God, that he was
– the only “name under heaven given forsaken of Heaven. In sadness he lay
among men, whereby we must be down to rest on the bare earth,
saved.” John 1:4; Acts 4:12. around him only the lonely hills, and
above, the heavens bright with stars.
It is not enough to perceive the As he slept, a strange light broke upon
loving-kindness of God, to see the his vision; and lo, from the plain on
benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, which he lay, vast shadowy stairs
of His character. It is not enough to seemed to lead upward to the very
discern the wisdom and justice of His gates of heaven, and upon them
law, to see that it is founded upon angels of God were passing up and
the eternal principle of love. Paul down; while from the glory above, the
the apostle saw all this when he divine voice was heard in a message of
exclaimed, “I consent unto the law comfort and hope. Thus was made
that it is good.” “The law is holy, and known to Jacob that which met the
the commandment holy, and just, and need and longing of his soul – a
good.” But he added, in the bitterness Saviour. With joy and gratitude he
of his soul-anguish and despair, “I am saw revealed a way by which he, a
carnal, sold under sin.” Romans sinner, could be restored to communion
7:16,12,14. He longed for the purity, with God. The mystic ladder of his
the righteousness, to which in himself

8 the path to peace

dream represented Jesus, the only working above and through all, the
medium of communication between unceasing interest of heavenly beings,
God and man. – all are enlisted in behalf of man’s
redemption.
This is the same figure to which
Christ referred in His conversation Oh, let us contemplate the amazing
with Nathanael, when He said, “Ye sacrifice that has been made for us!
shall see heaven open, and the angels Let us try to appreciate the labor and
of God ascending and descending energy that Heaven is expending
upon the Son of man.” John 1:51. In the to reclaim the lost, and bring them
apostasy, man alienated himself from back to the Father’s house. Motives
God; earth was cut off from heaven. stronger, and agencies more powerful,
Across the gulf that lay between, could never be brought into operation;
there could be no communion. But the exceeding rewards for right-
through Christ, earth is again linked doing, the enjoyment of heaven, the
with heaven. With His own merits, society of the angels, the communion
Christ has bridged the gulf which sin and love of God and His Son, the
had made, so that the ministering elevation and extension of all our
angels can hold communion with powers throughout eternal ages – are
man. Christ connects fallen man in his these not mighty incentives and
weakness and helplessness with the encouragements to urge us to give the
Source of infinite power. heart’s loving service to our Creator
and Redeemer?
But in vain are men’s dreams of
progress, in vain all efforts for the And, on the other hand, the
uplifting of humanity, if they neglect judgments of God pronounced against
the one Source of hope and help for sin, the inevitable retribution, the
the fallen race. “Every good gift and degradation of our character, and the
every perfect gift” is from God. James final destruction, are presented in
1:17. There is no true excellence of God’s word to warn us against the
character apart from Him. And the service of Satan.
only way to God is Christ. He says,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: Shall we not regard the mercy of
no man cometh unto the Father, but God? What more could He do? Let us
by Me.” John 14:6. place ourselves in right relation to Him
who has loved us with amazing love.
The heart of God yearns over His Let us avail ourselves of the means
earthly children with a love stronger provided for us that we may be
than death. In giving up His Son, He transformed into His likeness, and
has poured out to us all heaven in one be restored to fellowship with the
gift. The Saviour’s life and death and ministering angels, to harmony and
intercession, the ministry of angels, communion with the Father and the
the pleading of the Spirit, the Father Son.

Give Your Guilt Away
HHow shall a man be just with God?
How shall the sinner be made there was no genuine repentance for
righteous? It is only through Christ sin, no conversion of purpose, no
that we can be brought into harmony abhorrence of evil. Judas Iscariot,
with God, with holiness; but how are after betraying his Lord, exclaimed, “I
have sinned in that I have betrayed

we to come to Christ? Many are the innocent blood.” Matthew 27:4.

asking the same question as did the The confession was forced from his

multitude on the Day of Pentecost, guilty soul by an awful sense of

when, convicted of sin, they cried out, condemnation and a fearful looking

“What shall we do?” The first word of for of judgment. The consequences

Peter’s answer was, “Repent.” Acts that were to result to him filled him

2:37,38. At another time, shortly with terror, but there was no deep,

after, he said, “Repent, . . . and be heartbreaking grief in his soul, that he

converted, that your sins may be had betrayed the spotless Son of God

blotted out.” Acts 3:19. and denied the Holy One of Israel.

Repentance includes sorrow for sin Pharaoh, when suffering under the

and a turning away from it. We shall judgments of God, acknowledged

not renounce sin unless we see its his sin in order to escape further

sinfulness; until we turn away from it punishment, but returned to his

in heart, there will be no real change in defiance of Heaven as soon as the

the life. plagues were stayed. These all

There are many who fail to lamented the results of sin, but did not

understand the true nature of sorrow for the sin itself.

repentance. Multitudes sorrow that But when the heart yields to the

they have sinned and even make an influence of the Spirit of God, the

outward reformation because they conscience will be quickened, and

fear that their wrongdoing will bring the sinner will discern something of

suffering upon themselves. But this is the depth and sacredness of God’s

not repentance in the Bible sense. holy law, the foundation of His

They lament the suffering rather than government in heaven and on earth.

the sin. Such was the grief of Esau The “Light, which lighteth every man

when he saw that the birthright was that cometh into the world,” illumines

lost to him forever. Balaam, terrified the secret chambers of the soul, and

by the angel standing in his pathway the hidden things of darkness are

with drawn sword, acknowledged his made manifest. John 1:9. Conviction

guilt lest he should lose his life; but takes hold upon the mind and heart.

10 the path to pea ce

The sinner has a sense of the take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
righteousness of Jehovah and feels Restore unto me the joy of Your
the terror of appearing, in his own salvation; And uphold me with Your
guilt and uncleanness, before the free spirit. . . . Deliver me from
Searcher of hearts. He sees the love of bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of
God, the beauty of holiness, the joy of my salvation: And my tongue shall
purity; he longs to be cleansed and to be sing aloud of Your righteousness.”
restored to communion with Heaven. Psalm 51:1-14. NKJV

The prayer of David after his fall, A repentance such as this, is
illustrates the nature of true sorrow beyond the reach of our own power to
for sin. His repentance was sincere accomplish; it is obtained only from
and deep. There was no effort to Christ, who ascended up on high and
palliate his guilt; no desire to escape has given gifts unto men.
the judgment threatened, inspired his
prayer. David saw the enormity of his Just here is a point on which many
transgression; he saw the defilement may err, and hence they fail of
of his soul; he loathed his sin. It was receiving the help that Christ desires
not for pardon only that he prayed, to give them. They think that they
but for purity of heart. He longed for cannot come to Christ unless they first
the joy of holiness – to be restored to repent, and that repentance prepares
harmony and communion with God. for the forgiveness of their sins. It is
This was the language of his soul: true that repentance does precede the
forgiveness of sins; for it is only the
“Blessed is he whose transgression broken and contrite heart that will feel
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. the need of a Saviour. But must the
Blessed is the man unto whom the sinner wait till he has repented before
Lord imputeth not iniquity, And in he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to
whose spirit there is no guile.” be made an obstacle between the
Psalm 32:1, 2. sinner and the Saviour?

“Have mercy upon me, O God, The Bible does not teach that the
according to Your loving-kindness: sinner must repent before he can heed
According unto the multitude of the invitation of Christ, “Come unto
Your tender mercies blot out my Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-
transgressions. . . . For I acknowledge laden, and I will give you rest.”
my transgressions: and my sin is ever Matthew 11:28. It is the virtue that
before me. . . . Purge me with hyssop, goes forth from Christ, that leads to
and I shall be clean: wash me, and I genuine repentance. Peter made the
shall be whiter than snow. . . . Create matter clear in his statement to the
in me a clean heart, O God; And Israelites when he said, “Him hath
renew a right spirit within me. Cast me God exalted with His right hand to be
not away from Your presence; And a Prince and a Saviour, for to give

Give Your Guilt Away 11

repentance to Israel, and forgiveness cross, to behold Him whom their sins
of sins.” Acts 5:31. We can no more have pierced, the commandment
repent without the Spirit of Christ to comes home to the conscience. The
awaken the conscience than we can wickedness of their life, the deep-
be pardoned without Christ. seated sin of the soul, is revealed to
them. They begin to comprehend
Christ is the source of every right something of the righteousness of
impulse. He is the only one that can Christ, and exclaim, “What is sin, that
implant in the heart enmity against it should require such a sacrifice for
sin. Every desire for truth and purity, the redemption of its victim? Was all
every conviction of our own sinfulness, this love, all this suffering, all this
is an evidence that His Spirit is moving humiliation, demanded, that we might
upon our hearts. not perish, but have everlasting life?”

Jesus has said, “I, if I be lifted up The sinner may resist this love, may
from the earth, will draw all men unto refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he
Me.” John 12:32. Christ must be does not resist he will be drawn to
revealed to the sinner as the Saviour Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of
dying for the sins of the world; and as salvation will lead him to the foot of
we behold the Lamb of God upon the the cross in repentance for his sins,
cross of Calvary, the mystery of which have caused the sufferings of
redemption begins to unfold to our God’s dear Son.
minds and the goodness of God leads
us to repentance. In dying for sinners, The same divine mind that is
Christ manifested a love that is working upon the things of nature is
incomprehensible; and as the sinner speaking to the hearts of men and
beholds this love, it softens the heart, creating an inexpressible craving for
impresses the mind, and inspires something they have not. The things
contrition in the soul. of the world cannot satisfy their
longing. The Spirit of God is pleading
It is true that men sometimes with them to seek for those things that
become ashamed of their sinful ways, alone can give peace and rest – the
and give up some of their evil habits, grace of Christ, the joy of holiness.
before they are conscious that they Through influences seen and unseen,
are being drawn to Christ. But our Saviour is constantly at work to
whenever they make an effort to attract the minds of men from the
reform, from a sincere desire to do unsatisfying pleasures of sin to the
right, it is the power of Christ that is infinite blessings that may be theirs in
drawing them. An influence of which Him. To all these souls, who are vainly
they are unconscious works upon the seeking to drink from the broken
soul, and the conscience is quickened, cisterns of this world, the divine
and the outward life is amended. And message is addressed, “Let him that is
as Christ draws them to look upon His

12 the path to pea ce

athirst come. And whosoever will, let desires, the infidelity of the heart, the
him take the water of life freely." impurity of the lips. The sinner’s acts
Revelation 22:17. of disloyalty in making void the law of
God, are exposed to his sight, and his
You who in heart long for spirit is stricken and afflicted under the
something better than this world can searching influence of the Spirit of
give, recognize this longing as the God. He loathes himself as he views
voice of God to your soul. Ask Him to the pure, spotless character of Christ.
give you repentance, to reveal Christ
to you in His infinite love, in His When the prophet Daniel beheld
perfect purity. In the Saviour’s life the the glory surrounding the heavenly
principles of God’s law – love to God messenger that was sent unto him, he
and man – were perfectly exemplified. was overwhelmed with a sense of his
Benevolence, unselfish love, was the own weakness and imperfection.
life of His soul. It is as we behold Him, Describing the effect of the wonderful
as the light from our Saviour falls upon scene, he says, “There remained no
us, that we see the sinfulness of our strength in me: for my comeliness
own hearts. was turned in me into corruption,
and I retained no strength.” Daniel
We may have flattered ourselves, 10:8. The soul thus touched will hate
as did Nicodemus, that our life has its selfishness, abhor its self-love,
been upright, that our moral character and will seek, through Christ’s right-
is correct, and think that we need not eousness, for the purity of heart that is
humble the heart before God, like the in harmony with the law of God and
common sinner: but when the light the character of Christ.
from Christ shines into our souls, we
shall see how impure we are; we shall Paul says that as “touching the
discern the selfishness of motive, the righteousness which is in the law” – as
enmity against God, that has defiled far as outward acts were concerned –
every act of life. Then we shall know he was “blameless” (Philippians 3:6);
that our own righteousness is indeed but when the spiritual character of the
as filthy rags, and that the blood of law was discerned, he saw himself a
Christ alone can cleanse us from the sinner. Judged by the letter of the law
defilement of sin, and renew our as men apply it to the outward life,
hearts in His own likeness. he had abstained from sin; but when
he looked into the depths of its holy
One ray of the glory of God, one precepts, and saw himself as God saw
gleam of the purity of Christ, him, he bowed in humiliation and
penetrating the soul, makes every confessed his guilt. He says, “I was
spot of defilement painfully distinct, alive without the law once: but when
and lays bare the deformity and the commandment came, sin revived,
defects of the human character. It and I died.” Romans 7:9. When he
makes apparent the unhallowed

Give Your Guilt Away 13

saw the spiritual nature of the law, sin His mercy. Luke 18:13. His heart was
appeared in its true hideousness, and open for the Spirit of God to do its
his self-esteem was gone. gracious work and set him free from the
power of sin. The Pharisee’s boastful,
God does not regard all sins as of self-righteous prayer showed that his
equal magnitude; there are degrees of heart was closed against the influence
guilt in His estimation, as well as in of the Holy Spirit. Because of his
that of man; but however trifling this distance from God, he had no sense of
or that wrong act may seem in the his own defilement, in contrast with the
eyes of men, no sin is small in the sight perfection of the divine holiness. He
of God. Man’s judgment is partial, felt no need, and he received nothing.
imperfect; but God estimates all
things as they really are. The drunkard If you see your sinfulness, do not
is despised and is told that his sin will wait to make yourself better. How
exclude him from heaven; while pride, many there are who think they are not
selfishness, and covetousness too often good enough to come to Christ. Do
go unrebuked. But these are sins that you expect to become better through
are especially offensive to God; for your own efforts? “Can the Ethiopian
they are contrary to the benevolence change his skin, or the leopard his
of His character, to that unselfish love spots? then may ye also do good, that
which is the very atmosphere of the are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah
unfallen universe. He who falls into 13:23. There is help for us only in
some of the grosser sins may feel a God. We must not wait for stronger
sense of his shame and poverty and persuasions, for better opportunities,
his need of the grace of Christ; but or for holier tempers. We can do
pride feels no need, and so it closes nothing of ourselves. We must come
the heart against Christ and the to Christ just as we are.
infinite blessings He came to give.
But let none deceive themselves
The poor publican who prayed, with the thought that God, in His
“God be merciful to me a sinner,” great love and mercy, will yet save
regarded himself as a very wicked even the rejecters of His grace. The
man, and others looked upon him in exceeding sinfulness of sin can be
the same light; but he felt his need, estimated only in the light of the cross.
and with his burden of guilt and When men urge that God is too good
shame he came before God, asking for to cast off the sinner, let them look to

14 the path to pea ce

Calvary. It was because there was no Beware of procrastination. Do not
other way in which man could be put off the work of forsaking your sins
saved, because without this sacrifice it and seeking purity of heart through
was impossible for the human race to Jesus. Here is where thousands upon
escape from the defiling power of sin, thousands have erred to their eternal
and be restored to communion with loss. I will not here dwell upon the
holy beings, – impossible for them shortness and uncertainty of life; but
again to become partakers of spiritual there is a terrible danger – a danger
life, – it was because of this that Christ not sufficiently understood – in
took upon Himself the guilt of the delaying to yield to the pleading voice
disobedient and suffered in the of God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing to live
sinner’s stead. The love and suffering in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin,
and death of the Son of God all testify however small it may be esteemed,
to the terrible enormity of sin and can be indulged in only at the peril
declare that there is no escape from its of infinite loss. What we do not
power, no hope of the higher life, but overcome, will overcome us and work
through the submission of the soul to out our destruction.
Christ.
Adam and Eve persuaded them-
The impenitent sometimes excuse selves that in so small a matter as
themselves by saying of professed eating of the forbidden fruit there
Christians, “I am as good as they are. could not result such terrible conseq-
They are no more self-denying, sober, uences as God had declared. But this
or circumspect in their conduct than I small matter was the transgression of
am. They love pleasure and self- God’s immutable and holy law, and it
indulgence as well as I do.” Thus they separated man from God and opened
make the faults of others an excuse for the floodgates of death and untold
their own neglect of duty. But the sins woe upon our world. Age after age
and defects of others do not excuse there has gone up from our earth a
anyone, for the Lord has not given us continual cry of mourning, and the
an erring human pattern. The spotless whole creation groaneth and travail-
Son of God has been given as our eth together in pain as a consequence
example, and those who complain of of man’s disobedience. Heaven itself
the wrong course of professed has felt the effects of his rebellion
Christians are the ones who should against God. Calvary stands as a
show better lives and nobler examples. memorial of the amazing sacrifice
If they have so high a conception of required to atone for the transgr-
what a Christian should be, is not their ession of the divine law. Let us not
own sin so much the greater? They regard sin as a trivial thing.
know what is right, and yet refuse to
do it. Every act of transgression, every
neglect or rejection of the grace of

Give Your Guilt Away 15

Christ, is reacting upon yourself; it is not desire to be set free, if we will not
hardening the heart, depraving the will, accept His grace, what more can He
benumbing the understanding, and do? We have destroyed ourselves by
not only making you less inclined to our determined rejection of His love.
yield, but less capable of yielding, to the “Behold, now is the accepted time;
tender pleading of God’s Holy Spirit. behold, now is the day of salvation.”
“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden
Many are quieting a troubled cons- not your hearts.” 2 Corinthians 6:2;
cience with the thought that they can Hebrews 3:7, 8.
change a course of evil when they
choose; that they can trifle with the “Man looketh on the outward
invitations of mercy, and yet be again appearance, but the Lord looketh on
and again impressed. They think that the heart” – the human heart, with its
after doing despite to the Spirit of conflicting emotions of joy and
grace, after casting their influence on sorrow; the wandering, wayward
the side of Satan, in a moment of terri- heart, which is the abode of so much
ble extremity they can change their impurity and deceit. 1 Samuel 16:7.
course. But this is not so easily done. He knows its motives, its very intents
The experience, the education, of a and purposes. Go to Him with your
lifetime, has so thoroughly molded soul all stained as it is. Like the
the character that few then desire to psalmist, throw its chambers open to
receive the image of Jesus. the all-seeing eye, exclaiming,
“Search me, O God, and know my
Even one wrong trait of character,
one sinful desire, persistently cherish- Christ is ready
ed, will eventually neutralize all the to set us free from sin,
power of the gospel. Every sinful
indulgence strengthens the soul’s but He does not
aversion to God. The man who force the will;
manifests an infidel hardihood, or a
stolid indifference to divine truth, is and if by persistent
but reaping the harvest of that which transgression the will itself
he has himself sown. In all the Bible is wholly bent on evil, and
there is not a more fearful warning
against trifling with evil than the we do not desire to be
words of the wise man that the sinner set free, if we will not
“shall be holden with the cords of his
sins.” Proverbs 5:22. accept His grace,
what more can He do?
Christ is ready to set us free from
sin, but He does not force the will; and
if by persistent transgression the will
itself is wholly bent on evil, and we do

16 the path to pea ce

heart: try me, and know my thoughts: No human lips ever poured out more
and see if there be any wicked way tender entreaties to the wanderer
in me, and lead me in the way than does He. All His promises, His
everlasting.” Psalm 139: 23,24. warnings, are but the breathing of
unutterable love.
Many accept an intellectual relig-
ion, a form of godliness, when the When Satan comes to tell you that
heart is not cleansed. Let it be your you are a great sinner, look up to your
prayer, “Create in me a clean heart, O Redeemer and talk of His merits. That
God; and renew a right spirit within which will help you is to look to His
me.” Psalm 51:10. Deal truly with light. Acknowledge your sin, but tell
your own soul. Be as earnest, as the enemy that “Christ Jesus came
persistent, as you would be if your into the world to save sinners” and
mortal life were at stake. This is a that you may be saved by His
matter to be settled between God and matchless love. 1 Timothy 1:15. Jesus
your own soul, settled for eternity. A asked Simon a question in regard to
supposed hope, and nothing more, two debtors. One owed his lord a
will prove your ruin. small sum, and the other owed him a
very large sum; but he forgave them
Study God’s word prayerfully. That both, and Christ asked Simon which
word presents before you, in the law debtor would love his lord most.
of God and the life of Christ, the great Simon answered, “He to whom he
principles of holiness, without which forgave most.” Luke 7:43. We have
“no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews been great sinners, but Christ died
12:14. It convinces of sin; it plainly that we might be forgiven. The merits
reveals the way of salvation. Give of His sacrifice are sufficient to present
heed to it as the voice of God speaking to the Father in our behalf. Those to
to your soul. whom He has forgiven most will love
Him most, and will stand nearest to
As you see the enormity of sin, as His throne to praise Him for His great
you see yourself as you really are, do love and infinite sacrifice. It is when
not give up to despair. It was sinners we most fully comprehend the love of
that Christ came to save. We have not God that we best realize the sinfulness
to reconcile God to us, but – O of sin. When we see the length of the
wondrous love! – God in Christ is chain that was let down for us, when
“reconciling the world unto Himself.” we understand something of the
2 Corinthians 5:19. He is wooing by infinite sacrifice that Christ has made
His tender love the hearts of His erring in our behalf, the heart is melted with
children. No earthly parent could be tenderness and contrition.
as patient with the faults and mistakes
of his children, as is God with those He
seeks to save. No one could plead
more tenderly with the transgressor.

How to Live With Your Conscience
H“He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper: but whoso confesseth and every stain of iniquity. Hebrews 4:15.
forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Those who have not humbled their
Proverbs 28:13.
The conditions of obtaining mercy souls before God in acknowledging
of God are simple and just and their guilt, have not yet fulfilled the
reasonable. The Lord does not require first condition of acceptance. If we
us to do some grievous thing in order have not experienced that repentance
that we may have the forgiveness of which is not to be repented of, and
sin. We need not make long and have not with true humiliation of soul
wearisome pilgrimages, or perform and brokenness of spirit confessed our
painful penances, to commend our sins, abhorring our iniquity, we have
souls to the God of heaven or to never truly sought for the forgiveness
expiate our transgression; but he that of sin; and if we have never sought,
confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall we have never found the peace of
have mercy. God. The only reason why we do not
The apostle says, “Confess your have remission of sins that are past is
faults one to another, and pray one for that we are not willing to humble
another, that ye may be healed.” our hearts and comply with the
James 5:16. Confess your sins to God, conditions of the word of truth. Explicit
who only can forgive them, and your instruction is given concerning this
faults to one another. If you have matter. Confession of sin, whether
given offense to your friend or public or private, should be heartfelt
neighbor, you are to acknowledge and freely expressed. It is not to be
your wrong, and it is his duty freely to urged from the sinner. It is not to be
forgive you. Then you are to seek the made in a flippant and careless way, or
forgiveness of God, because the forced from those who have no
brother you have wounded is the realizing sense of the abhorrent
property of God, and in injuring him character of sin. The confession that is
you sinned against his Creator and the outpouring of the inmost soul
Redeemer. The case is brought before finds its way to the God of infinite pity.
the only true Mediator, our great High The psalmist says, “The Lord is nigh
Priest, who “was in all points tempted unto them that are of a broken heart;
like as we are, yet without sin,” and and saveth such as be of a contrite
who is “touched with the feeling of our spirit.” Psalm 34:18.
infirmities,” and is able to cleanse from
True confession is always of a
specific character, and acknowledges
particular sins. They may be of such a

18 the path to pea ce

nature as to be brought before God the great Ruler of the universe and
only; they may be wrongs that should desired to be governed as were the
be confessed to individuals who have nations around them. Before they
suffered injury through them; or they found peace they made this definite
may be of a public character, and confession: “We have added unto all
should then be as publicly confessed. our sins this evil, to ask us a king.”
But all confession should be definite 1 Samuel 12:19. The very sin of which
and to the point, acknowledging the they were convicted had to be
very sins of which you are guilty. confessed. Their ingratitude oppressed
their souls and severed them from God.
In the days of Samuel the Israelites
wandered from God. They were Confession will not be acceptable
suffering the consequences of sin; for to God without sincere repentance
they had lost their faith in God, lost and reformation. There must be
their discernment of His power and decided changes in the life; everything
wisdom to rule the nation, lost their offensive to God must be put away.
confidence in His ability to defend and This will be the result of genuine
vindicate His cause. They turned from sorrow for sin. The work that we have
to do on our part is plainly set before
The confession us: “Wash you, make you clean; put
that is the outpouring away the evil of your doings from
before Mine eyes; cease to do evil;
of the inmost soul learn to do well; seek judgment,
finds its way to the God relieve the oppressed, judge the
fatherless, plead for the widow.”
of infinite pity. Isaiah 1:16,17. “If the wicked restore
the pledge, give again that he had
robbed, walk in the statutes of life,
without committing iniquity; he shall
surely live, he shall not die.” Ezekiel
33:15. Paul says, speaking of the work
of repentance: “Ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, what carefulness it
wrought in you, yea, what clearing of
yourselves, yea, what indignation,
yea, what fear, yea, what vehement
desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what
revenge! In all things ye have
approved yourselves to be clear in this
matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:11.

When sin has deadened the moral

How to Live With Your Conscience 19

perceptions, the wrongdoer does not man to bear his guilt himself and
discern the defects of his character nor acknowledge it without deception or
realize the enormity of the evil he has hypocrisy. Like the poor publican, not
committed; and unless he yields to the lifting up so much as his eyes unto
convicting power of the Holy Spirit he heaven, he will cry, “God be merciful
remains in partial blindness to his sin. to me a sinner,” and those who do
His confessions are not sincere and in acknowledge their guilt will be
earnest. To every acknowledgment of justified, for Jesus will plead His blood
his guilt he adds an apology in excuse in behalf of the repentant soul.
of his course, declaring that if it had
not been for certain circumstances he The examples in God’s word of
would not have done this or that for genuine repentance and humiliation
which he is reproved. reveal a spirit of confession in which
there is no excuse for sin or attempt at
After Adam and Eve had eaten of self-justification. Paul did not seek to
the forbidden fruit, they were filled shield himself; he paints his sin in its
with a sense of shame and terror. At darkest hue, not attempting to lessen
first their only thought was how to his guilt. He says, “Many of the saints
excuse their sin and escape the did I shut up in prison, having received
dreaded sentence of death. When the authority from the chief priests; and
Lord inquired concerning their sin, when they were put to death, I gave my
Adam replied, laying the guilt partly voice against them. And I punished
upon God and partly upon his them oft in every synagogue, and
companion: “The woman whom Thou compelled them to blaspheme; and
gavest to be with me, she gave me of being exceedingly mad against them,
the tree, and I did eat.” The woman I persecuted them even unto strange
put the blame upon the serpent, cities.” Acts 26:10,11. He does not
saying, “The serpent beguiled me, hesitate to declare that “Christ Jesus
and I did eat.” Genesis 3:12,13. Why came into the world to save sinners; of
did You make the serpent? Why did whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15.
You suffer him to come into Eden?
These were the questions implied in The humble and broken heart,
her excuse for her sin, thus charging subdued by genuine repentance, will
God with the responsibility of their appreciate something of the love of
fall. The spirit of self-justification God and the cost of Calvary; and as a
originated in the father of lies and has son confesses to a loving father, so will
been exhibited by all the sons and the truly penitent bring all his sins
daughters of Adam. Confessions of before God. And it is written, “If we
this order are not inspired by the confess our sins, He is faithful and just
divine Spirit and will not be acceptable to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
to God. True repentance will lead a from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Choosing the Best in Life
GGod’s promise is, “Ye shall seek Me,
and find Me, when ye shall search for willingly and intelligently given.
Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. A mere forced submission would
The whole heart must be yielded to prevent all real development of mind
God, or the change can never be or character; it would make man a
mere automaton. Such is not the

wrought in us by which we are to be purpose of the Creator. He desires

restored to His likeness. By nature we that man, the crowning work of His

are alienated from God. The Holy creative power, shall reach the highest

Spirit describes our condition in such possible development. He sets before

words as these: “Dead in trespasses us the height of blessing to which He

and sins;” “the whole head is sick, desires to bring us through His grace.

and the whole heart faint;” “no He invites us to give ourselves to Him,

soundness in it.” We are held fast in that He may work His will in us. It

the snare of Satan, “taken captive by remains for us to choose whether we

him at his will.” Ephesians 2:1; Isaiah will be set free from the bondage of

1:5,6; 2 Timothy 2:26. God desires to sin, to share the glorious liberty of the

heal us, to set us free. But since this sons of God.

requires an entire transformation, a In giving ourselves to God, we must

renewing of our whole nature, we necessarily give up all that would

must yield ourselves wholly to Him. separate us from Him. Hence the

The warfare against self is the Saviour says, “Whosoever he be of you

greatest battle that was ever fought. that forsaketh not all that he hath, he

The yielding of self, surrendering all to cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33.

the will of God, requires a struggle; Whatever shall draw away the heart

but the soul must submit to God from God must be given up. Mam-

before it can be renewed in holiness. mon is the idol of many. The love of

The government of God is not, as money, the desire for wealth, is the

Satan would make it appear, founded golden chain that binds them to

upon a blind submission, an unreas- Satan. Reputation and worldly honor

oning control. It appeals to the are worshiped by another class. The

intellect and the conscience. “Come life of selfish ease and freedom from

now, and let us reason together” is responsibility is the idol of others. But

the Creator’s invitation to the beings these slavish bands must be broken.

He has made. Isaiah 1:18. God does We cannot be half the Lord’s and half

not force the will of His creatures. He the world’s. We are not God’s children

cannot accept an homage that is not unless we are such entirely.

Choosing the Best in Life 21

There are those who profess to ignorance and misery from which we
serve God, while they rely upon their have been saved. Can we look upon
own efforts to obey His law, to form a Him whom our sins have pierced, and
right character, and secure salvation. yet be willing to do despite to all His
Their hearts are not moved by any love and sacrifice? In view of the
deep sense of the love of Christ, but infinite humiliation of the Lord of
they seek to perform the duties of glory, shall we murmur because we
the Christian life as that which God can enter into life only through
requires of them in order to gain conflict and self-abasement?
heaven. Such religion is worth nothing.
When Christ dwells in the heart, the The inquiry of many a proud heart
soul will be so filled with His love, is, “Why need I go in penitence and
with the joy of communion with Him, humiliation before I can have the
that it will cleave to Him; and in the assurance of my acceptance with
contemplation of Him, self will be God?” I point you to Christ. He was
forgotten. Love to Christ will be the sinless, and, more than this, He was
spring of action. Those who feel the the Prince of heaven; but in man’s
constraining love of God, do not ask behalf He became sin for the race.
how little may be given to meet the “He was numbered with the trans-
requirements of God; they do not ask gressors; and He bare the sin of many,
for the lowest standard, but aim at and made intercession for the
perfect conformity to the will of their transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12.
Redeemer. With earnest desire they
yield all and manifest an interest pro- But what do we give up, when we
portionate to the value of the object give all? A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus
which they seek. A profession of Christ to purify, to cleanse by His own blood,
without this deep love is mere talk, dry and to save by His matchless love. And
formality, and heavy drudgery. yet men think it hard to give up all! I
am ashamed to hear it spoken of,
Do you feel that it is too great a ashamed to write it.
sacrifice to yield all to Christ? Ask
yourself the question, “What has God does not require us to give up
Christ given for me?” The Son of God anything that it is for our best interest
gave all – life and love and suffering – to retain. In all that He does, He has
for our redemption. And can it be that the well-being of His children in view.
we, the unworthy objects of so great Would that all who have not chosen
love, will withhold our hearts from Christ might realize that He has
Him? Every moment of our lives we something vastly better to offer them
have been partakers of the blessings than they are seeking for themselves.
of His grace, and for this very reason Man is doing the greatest injury and
we cannot fully realize the depths of injustice to his own soul when he
thinks and acts contrary to the will of
God. No real joy can be found in the

22 the path to pea ce

path forbidden by Him who knows affections. The knowledge of your
what is best and who plans for the broken promises and forfeited pledges
good of His creatures. The path of weakens your confidence in your own
transgression is the path of misery and sincerity, and causes you to feel that
destruction. God cannot accept you; but you need
not despair. What you need to
It is a mistake to entertain the understand is the true force of the will.
thought that God is pleased to see This is the governing power in the
His children suffer. All heaven is nature of man, the power of decision,
interested in the happiness of man. or of choice. Everything depends on
Our heavenly Father does not close the right action of the will. The power
the avenues of joy to any of His of choice God has given to men; it is
creatures. The divine requirements theirs to exercise. You cannot change
call upon us to shun those indulgences your heart, you cannot of yourself
that would bring suffering and give to God its affections; but you can
disappointment, that would close to choose to serve Him. You can give
us the door of happiness and heaven. Him your will; He will then work in
The world’s Redeemer accepts men you to will and to do according to His
as they are, with all their wants, good pleasure. Thus your whole nature
imperfections, and weaknesses; and will be brought under the control of
He will not only cleanse from sin and the Spirit of Christ; your affections will
grant redemption through His blood, be centered upon Him, your thoughts
but will satisfy the heart-longing of all will be in harmony with Him.
who consent to wear His yoke, to bear
His burden. It is His purpose to impart Desires for goodness and holiness
peace and rest to all who come to Him are right as far as they go; but if you
for the bread of life. He requires us to stop here, they will avail nothing.
perform only those duties that will Many will be lost while hoping and
lead our steps to heights of bliss to desiring to be Christians. They do not
which the disobedient can never come to the point of yielding the will
attain. The true, joyous life of the soul to God. They do not now choose to be
is to have Christ formed within, the Christians.
hope of glory.
Through the right exercise of the
Many are inquiring, “How am I to will, an entire change may be made
make the surrender of myself to in your life. By yielding up your will
God?” You desire to give yourself to to Christ, you ally yourself with the
Him, but you are weak in moral power that is above all principalities
power, in slavery to doubt, and and powers. You will have strength
controlled by the habits of your life of from above to hold you steadfast, and
sin. Your promises and resolutions are thus through constant surrender to
like ropes of sand. You cannot control God you will be enabled to live the
your thoughts, your impulses, your new life, even the life of faith.

How to Have Peace of Mind
AAs your conscience has been
quickened by the Holy Spirit, you have away your sins and give you a new
seen something of the evil of sin, of its heart. Then believe that He does this
power, its guilt, its woe; and you look because He has promised. This is the
upon it with abhorrence. You feel that lesson which Jesus taught while He
was on earth, that the gift which God

sin has separated you from God, that promises us, we must believe we do

you are in bondage to the power of receive, and it is ours. Jesus healed the

evil. The more you struggle to escape, people of their diseases when they

the more you realize your helplessness. had faith in His power; He helped

Your motives are impure; your heart is them in the things which they could

unclean. You see that your life has see, thus inspiring them with confid-

been filled with selfishness and sin. ence in Him concerning things which

You long to be forgiven, to be they could not see – leading them to

cleansed, to be set free. Harmony with believe in His power to forgive sins.

God, likeness to Him – what can you This He plainly stated in the healing of

do to obtain it? the man sick with palsy: “That ye may

It is peace that you need – Heaven’s know that the Son of man hath power

forgiveness and peace and love in the on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He

soul. Money cannot buy it, intellect to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up

cannot procure it, wisdom cannot thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

attain to it; you can never hope, by Matthew 9:6. So also John the evang-

your own efforts, to secure it. But God elist says, speaking of the miracles of

offers it to you as a gift, “without Christ, “These are written, that ye

money and without price.” Isaiah might believe that Jesus is the Christ,

55:1. It is yours if you will but reach the Son of God; and that believing ye

out your hand and grasp it. The Lord might have life through His name.”

says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, John 20:31.

they shall be as white as snow; though From the simple Bible account of

they be red like crimson, they shall be how Jesus healed the sick, we may

as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. “A new heart learn something about how to believe

also will I give you, and a new spirit in Him for the forgiveness of sins. Let

will I put within you.” Ezekiel 36:26. us turn to the story of the paralytic at

You have confessed your sins, and Bethesda. The poor sufferer was

in heart put them away. You have helpless; he had not used his limbs for

resolved to give yourself to God. Now thirty-eight years. Yet Jesus bade him,

go to Him, and ask that He will wash “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

24 the path to pea ce

The sick man might have said, “Lord, to Jesus and be cleansed, and to stand
if Thou wilt make me whole, I will before the law without shame or
obey Thy word.” But, no, he believed remorse. “There is therefore now no
Christ’s word, believed that he was condemnation to them which are in
made whole, and he made the effort Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
at once; he willed to walk, and he did flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.
walk. He acted on the word of Christ,
and God gave the power. He was Henceforth you are not your own;
made whole. you are bought with a price. “Ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things,
In like manner you are a sinner. You as silver and gold; . . . but with the
cannot atone for your past sins; you precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
cannot change your heart and make without blemish and without spot.”
yourself holy. But God promises to do 1 Peter 1:18,19. Through this simple
all this for you through Christ. You act of believing God, the Holy Spirit
believe that promise. You confess your has begotten a new life in your heart.
sins and give yourself to God. You will You are as a child born into the family
to serve Him. Just as surely as you do of God, and He loves you as He loves
this, God will fulfill His word to you. If His Son.
you believe the promise, – believe that
you are forgiven and cleansed, – God Now that you have given yourself
supplies the fact; you are made whole, to Jesus, do not draw back, do not
just as Christ gave the paralytic power take yourself away from Him, but day
to walk when the man believed that by day say, “I am Christ’s; I have given
he was healed. It is so if you believe it. myself to Him;” and ask Him to give
you His Spirit and keep you by His
Do not wait to feel that you are grace. As it is by giving yourself to
made whole, but say, “I believe it; it is God, and believing Him, that you
so, not because I feel it, but because become His child, so you are to live in
God has promised.” Him. The apostle says, “As ye have
therefore received Christ Jesus the
Jesus says, “What things soever ye Lord, so walk ye in Him.”Colossians 2:6
desire, when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them.“ Some seem to feel that they must
Mark 11:24. There is a condition to be on probation, and must prove to
this promise – that we pray according the Lord that they are reformed,
to the will of God. But it is the will of before they can claim His blessing. But
God to cleanse us from sin, to make us they may claim the blessing of God
His children, and to enable us to live a even now. They must have His grace,
holy life. So we may ask for these the Spirit of Christ, to help their
blessings, and believe that we receive infirmities, or they cannot resist evil.
them, and thank God that we have Jesus loves to have us come to Him just
received them. It is our privilege to go as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent.

25

We may come with all our weakness, and polluted with sin, and to put
our folly, our sinfulness, and fall at His upon them the white robes of
feet in penitence. It is His glory to righteousness; He bids them live and
encircle us in the arms of His love and not die.
to bind up our wounds, to cleanse us
from all impurity. God does not deal with us as finite
men deal with one another. His
Here is where thousands fail; they thoughts are thoughts of mercy, love,
do not believe that Jesus pardons and tenderest compassion. He says,
them personally, individually. They do “Let the wicked forsake his way, and
not take God at His word. It is the the unrighteous man his thoughts:
privilege of all who comply with the and let him return unto the Lord, and
conditions to know for themselves He will have mercy upon him; and
that pardon is freely extended for to our God, for He will abundantly
every sin. Put away the suspicion pardon.” “I have blotted out, as a thick
that God’s promises are not meant cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a
for you. They are for every repentant cloud, thy sins.” Isaiah 55:7; 44:22.
transgressor. Strength and grace have
been provided through Christ to be “I have no pleasure in the death of
brought by ministering angels to him that dieth, saith the Lord God:
every believing soul. None are so wherefore turn yourselves, and live
sinful that they cannot find strength, ye.” Ezekiel 18:32. Satan is ready to
purity, and righteousness in Jesus, steal away the blessed assurances of
who died for them. He is waiting to God. He desires to take every glimmer
strip them of their garments stained of hope and every ray of light from the
soul; but you must not permit him to

26 the path to pea ce

do this. Do not give ear to the tempter, withholds him from coming to His feet
but say, “Jesus has died that I might in repentance? Away with such
live. He loves me, and wills not that I thoughts! Nothing can hurt your own
should perish. I have a compassionate soul more than to entertain such a
heavenly Father; and although I conception of our heavenly Father. He
have abused His love, though the hates sin, but He loves the sinner, and
blessings He has given me have been He gave Himself in the person of
squandered, I will arise, and go to my Christ, that all who would might be
Father, and say, ‘I have sinned against saved and have eternal blessedness in
heaven, and before Thee, and am the kingdom of glory. What stronger
no more worthy to be called Thy or more tender language could have
son: make me as one of Thy hired been employed than He has chosen in
servants.’” The parable tells you how which to express His love toward us?
the wanderer will be received: “When He declares, “Can a woman forget her
he was yet a great way off, his father sucking child, that she should not
saw him, and had compassion, and have compassion on the son of her
ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I
him.” Luke 15:18-20. not forget thee.” Isaiah 49:15.

But even this parable, tender and Look up, you that are doubting and
touching as it is, comes short of trembling; for Jesus lives to make
expressing the infinite compassion of intercession for us. Thank God for the
the heavenly Father. The Lord declares gift of His dear Son and pray that He
by His prophet, “I have loved thee may not have died for you in vain. The
with an everlasting love: therefore Spirit invites you today. Come with
with loving-kindness have I drawn your whole heart to Jesus, and you
thee.”Jeremiah 31:3. While the sinner may claim His blessing.
is yet far from the Father’s house,
wasting his substance in a strange As you read the promises,
country, the Father’s heart is yearning remember they are the expression
over him; and every longing awaken- of unutterable love and pity. The
ed in the soul to return to God is but great heart of Infinite Love is drawn
the tender pleading of His Spirit, toward the sinner with boundless
wooing, entreating, drawing the compassion. “We have redemption
wanderer to his Father’s heart of love. through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins.” Ephesians 1:7. Yes, only believe
With the rich promises of the Bible that God is your helper. He wants to
before you, can you give place to restore His moral image in man. As
doubt? Can you believe that when the you draw near to Him with confession
poor sinner longs to return, longs to and repentance, He will draw near to
forsake his sins, the Lord sternly you with mercy and forgiveness.

You Can if You Will
I“If any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; character is revealed, not by occasional
behold, all things are become new.” good deeds and occasional misdeeds,
2 Corinthians 5:17. but by the tendency of the habitual
words and acts.

A person may not be able to tell the It is true that there may be an

exact time or place, or trace all the outward correctness of deportment

chain of circumstances in the process without the renewing power of

of conversion; but this does not prove Christ. The love of influence and the

him to be unconverted. Christ said to desire for the esteem of others may

Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it produce a well-ordered life. Self-

wishes, and you hear the sound of it, respect may lead us to avoid the

but cannot tell where it comes from, appearance of evil. A selfish heart may

and where it goes: so is everyone that perform generous actions. By what

is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NKJV. means, then, shall we determine

Like the wind, which is invisible, yet whose side we are on?

the effects of which are plainly seen Who has the heart? With whom are

and felt, is the Spirit of God in its our thoughts? Of whom do we love

work upon the human heart. That to converse? Who has our warmest

regenerating power, which no human affections and our best energies?

eye can see, begets a new life in the If we are Christ’s, our thoughts are

soul; it creates a new being in the with Him, and our sweetest thoughts

image of God. While the work of the are of Him. All we have and are is

Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its consecrated to Him. We long to bear

effects are manifest. If the heart has His image, breathe His spirit, do His

been renewed by the Spirit of God, will, and please Him in all things.

the life will bear witness to the fact. Those who become new creatures

While we cannot do anything to in Christ Jesus will bring forth the

change our hearts or to bring ourselves fruits of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace,

into harmony with God; while we must long-suffering, gentleness, good-

not trust at all to ourselves or our good ness, faith, meekness, temperance.”

works, our lives will reveal whether the Galatians 5:22,23. They will no longer

grace of God is dwelling within us. A fashion themselves according to the

change will be seen in the character, the former lusts, but by the faith of the

habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be Son of God they will follow in His

clear and decided between what they steps, reflect His character, and purify

have been and what they are. The themselves even as He is pure. The

28 the path to pea ce

things they once hated they now love, heart where Jesus reigns. “We love,
and the things they once loved they because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19,
hate. The proud and self-assertive R.V. In the heart renewed by divine
become meek and lowly in heart. grace, love is the principle of action.
The vain and supercilious become It modifies the character, governs
serious and unobtrusive. The drunken the impulses, controls the passions,
become sober, and the profligate subdues enmity, and ennobles the
pure. The vain customs and fashions affections. This love, cherished in the
of the world are laid aside. Christians soul, sweetens the life and sheds a
will seek not the “outward adorning,” refining influence on all around.
but “the hidden man of the heart, in
that which is not corruptible, even the There are two errors against which
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.” the children of God – particularly
1 Peter 3: 3,4. those who have just come to trust in
His grace – especially need to guard.
There is no evidence of genuine The first, already dwelt upon, is that of
repentance unless it works reformation. looking to their own works, trusting
If he restore the pledge, give again to anything they can do, to bring
that he had robbed, confess his sins, themselves into harmony with God.
and love God and his fellow men, the He who is trying to become holy by
sinner may be sure that he has passed his own works in keeping the law, is
from death unto life. attempting an impossibility. All that
man can do without Christ is polluted
When, as erring, sinful beings, we with selfishness and sin. It is the grace
come to Christ and become partakers of Christ alone, through faith, that can
of His pardoning grace, love springs make us holy.
up in the heart. Every burden is light,
for the yoke that Christ imposes is The opposite and no less dangerous
easy. Duty becomes a delight, and error is that belief in Christ releases
sacrifice a pleasure. The path that men from keeping the law of God;
before seemed shrouded in darkness, that since by faith alone we become
becomes bright with beams from the partakers of the grace of Christ, our
Sun of Righteousness. works have nothing to do with our
redemption.
The loveliness of the character of
Christ will be seen in His followers. It But notice here that obedience is
was His delight to do the will of God. not a mere outward compliance, but
Love to God, zeal for His glory, was the service of love. The law of God is
the controlling power in our Saviour’s an expression of His very nature; it is
life. Love beautified and ennobled an embodiment of the great principle
all His actions. Love is of God. The of love, and hence is the foundation of
unconsecrated heart cannot originate His government in heaven and earth.
or produce it. It is found only in the If our hearts are renewed in the

You Can if You Will 29

likeness of God, if the divine love is Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth
implanted in the soul, will not the law not: whosoever sinneth hath not
of God be carried out in the life? seen Him, neither known Him.”
When the principle of love is 1 John 3:5,6. Here is the true test.
implanted in the heart, when man is If we abide in Christ, if the love of
renewed after the image of Him that God dwells in us, our feelings, our
created him, the new covenant promise thoughts, our purposes, our actions,
is fulfilled, “I will put My laws into will be in harmony with the will of
their hearts, and in their minds will I God as expressed in the precepts of
write them.” Hebrews 10:16. And if His holy law. “Little children, let no
the law is written in the heart, will it man deceive you: he that doeth right-
not shape the life? Obedience – the eousness is righteous, even as He is

service and allegiance of love – is the righteous.” 1 John 3:7. Righteousness
true sign of discipleship. Thus the is defined by the standard of God’s
Scripture says, “This is the love of God, holy law, as expressed in the ten
that we keep His commandments.” precepts given on Sinai.
“He that saith, I know Him, and
keepeth not His commandments, is That so-called faith in Christ which
a liar, and the truth is not in him.” professes to release men from the
1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing obligation of obedience to God, is not
man from obedience, it is faith, and faith, but presumption. “By grace are
faith only, that makes us partakers of ye saved through faith.” But “faith, if
the grace of Christ, which enables us it hath not works, is dead.” Ephesians
to render obedience. 2:8; James 2:17. Jesus said of Himself
before He came to earth, “I delight to
We do not earn salvation by our do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is
obedience; for salvation is the free gift within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. And
of God, to be received by faith. But just before He ascended again to
obedience is the fruit of faith. “Ye heaven He declared, “I have kept My
know that He was manifested to take Father’s commandments, and abide in
away our sins; and in Him is no sin. His love.” John 15:10. The Scripture

30 the path to pea ce

says, “Hereby we do know that character, and you are accepted before
we know Him, if we keep His God just as if you had not sinned.
commandments. . . . He that saith he
abideth in Him ought himself also so More than this, Christ changes the
to walk even as He walked.” 1 John heart. He abides in your heart by faith.
2:3-6. “Because Christ also suffered You are to maintain this connection
for us, leaving us an example, that ye with Christ by faith and the continual
should follow His steps.” 1 Peter 2:21. surrender of your will to Him; and so
long as you do this, He will work in
The condition of eternal life is now you to will and to do according to His
just what it always has been, – just what good pleasure. So you may say, “The
it was in Paradise before the fall of our life which I now live in the flesh I live
first parents, – perfect obedience to by the faith of the Son of God, who
the law of God, perfect righteousness. loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
If eternal life were granted on any Galatians 2:20. So Jesus said to His
condition short of this, then the disciples, “It is not ye that speak, but
happiness of the whole universe the Spirit of your Father which
would be imperiled. The way would speaketh in you.” Matthew 10:20.
be open for sin, with all its train of woe Then with Christ working in you, you
and misery, to be immortalized. will manifest the same spirit and do
the same good works – works of
It was possible for Adam, before the righteousness, obedience.
fall, to form a righteous character by
obedience to God’s law. But he failed So we have nothing in ourselves of
to do this, and because of his sin our which to boast. We have no ground
natures are fallen and we cannot for self-exaltation. Our only ground of
make ourselves righteous. Since we hope is in the righteousness of Christ
are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly imputed to us, and in that wrought by
obey the holy law. We have no His Spirit working in and through us.
righteousness of our own with which
to meet the claims of the law of God. When we speak of faith, there is a
But Christ has made a way of escape distinction that should be borne in
for us. He lived on earth amid trials mind. There is a kind of belief that is
and temptations such as we have to wholly distinct from faith. The
meet. He lived a sinless life. He died existence and power of God, the truth
for us, and now He offers to take our of His word, are facts that even Satan
sins and give us His righteousness. If and his hosts cannot at heart deny.
you give yourself to Him, and accept The Bible says that “the devils also
Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as believe, and tremble;” but this is not
your life may have been, for His sake faith. James 2:19. Where there is not
you are accounted righteous. Christ’s only a belief in God's word, but a
character stands in place of your submission of the will to Him; where
the heart is yielded to Him, the

You Can if You Will 31

affections fixed upon Him, there is reflected in you. And if you will but
faith – faith that works by love and yield yourself to Him, He that hath
purifies the soul. Through this faith begun a good work in you will carry it
the heart is renewed in the image of forward to the day of Jesus Christ.
God. And the heart that in its Pray more fervently; believe more
unrenewed state is not subject to the fully. As we come to distrust our own
law of God, neither indeed can be, power, let us trust the power of our
now delights in its holy precepts, Redeemer, and we shall praise Him
exclaiming with the psalmist, “O how who is the health of our countenance.
love I Thy law! it is my meditation
all the day.” Psalm 119:97. And the The closer you come to Jesus, the
righteousness of the law is fulfilled in more faulty you will appear in your
us, “who walk not after the flesh, but own eyes; for your vision will be
after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1. clearer, and your imperfections will be
seen in broad and distinct contrast to
There are those who have known His perfect nature. This is evidence
the pardoning love of Christ and who that Satan’s delusions have lost their
really desire to be children of God, yet power; that the vivifying influence of
they realize that their character is the Spirit of God is arousing you.
imperfect, their life faulty, and they
are ready to doubt whether their No deep-seated love for Jesus can
hearts have been renewed by the dwell in the heart that does not realize
Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do its own sinfulness. The soul that is
not draw back in despair. We shall transformed by the grace of Christ will
often have to bow down and weep admire His divine character; but if we
at the feet of Jesus because of our do not see our own moral deformity, it
shortcomings and mistakes, but we is unmistakable evidence that we have
are not to be discouraged. Even if we not had a view of the beauty and
are overcome by the enemy, we are excellence of Christ.
not cast off, not forsaken and rejected
of God. No; Christ is at the right hand The less we see to esteem in
of God, who also maketh intercession ourselves, the more we shall see to
for us. Said the beloved John, “These esteem in the infinite purity and
things write I unto you, that ye sin not. loveliness of our Saviour. A view of our
And if any man sin, we have an sinfulness drives us to Him who can
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ pardon; and when the soul, realizing
the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. And do not its helplessness, reaches out after
forget the words of Christ, “The Father Christ, He will reveal Himself in power.
Himself loveth you.” John 16:27. He The more our sense of need drives us
desires to restore you to Himself, to to Him and to the word of God, the
see His own purity and holiness more exalted views we shall have of
His character, and the more fully we
shall reflect His image.

Measuring Your Maturity
TThe change of heart by which we
become children of God is in the Bible prophet Hosea says of Israel, that “he
spoken of as birth. Again, it is shall grow as the lily.” “They shall
compared to the germination of the revive as the corn, and grow as the
good seed sown by the husbandman. vine.” Hosea 14:5,7. And Jesus bids
In like manner those who are just us “consider the lilies how they
converted to Christ are, “as new-born grow.” Luke 12:27. The plants and
babes,” to “grow up” to the stature of flowers grow not by their own care or
men and women in Christ Jesus. anxiety or effort, but by receiving that
1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15. Or like which God has furnished to minister
the good seed sown in the field, they to their life. The child cannot, by any
are to grow up and bring forth fruit. anxiety or power of its own, add to its
Isaiah says that they shall “be called stature. No more can you, by anxiety
trees of righteousness, the planting of or effort of yourself, secure spiritual
the Lord, that He might be glorified.” growth. The plant, the child, grows
Isaiah 61:3. So from natural life, by receiving from its surroundings
illustrations are drawn, to help us that which ministers to its life – air,
better to understand the mysterious sunshine, and food. What these gifts
truths of spiritual life. of nature are to animal and plant, such
Not all the wisdom and skill of man is Christ to those who trust in Him. He
can produce life in the smallest object is their “everlasting light,” “a sun and
in nature. It is only through the life shield.” Isaiah 60:19; Psalm 84:11.
which God Himself has imparted, that He shall be as “the dew unto Israel.”
either plant or animal can live. So it is “He shall come down like rain upon
only through the life from God that the mown grass.” Hosea 14:5; Psalm
spiritual life is begotten in the hearts 72:6. He is the living water, “the
of men. Unless a man is “born from Bread of God . . . which cometh down
above,” he cannot become a partaker from heaven, and giveth life unto the
of the life which Christ came to give. world.” John 6:33.
John 3:3.
As with life, so it is with growth. It is In the matchless gift of His Son,
God who brings the bud to bloom and God has encircled the whole world
the flower to fruit. It is by His power with an atmosphere of grace as real as
that the seed develops, “first the the air which circulates around the
blade, then the ear, after that the full globe. All who choose to breathe this
corn in the ear.” Mark 4:28. And the life-giving atmosphere will live and
grow up to the stature of men and
women in Christ Jesus.

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- 3 John 1:2

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Measuring Your Maturity 33

As the flower turns to the sun, that Finisher of our faith. It is Christ first
the bright beams may aid in perfecting and last and always. He is to be with
its beauty and symmetry, so should us, not only at the beginning and the
we turn to the Sun of Righteousness, end of our course, but at every step of
that heaven’s light may shine upon us, the way. David says, “I have set the
that our character may be developed Lord always before me: because He is
into the likeness of Christ. at my right hand, I shall not be
moved.” Psalm 16:8.
Jesus teaches the same thing when
He says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As Do you ask, “How am I to abide in
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, Christ?” In the same way as you
except it abide in the vine; no more received Him at first. “As ye have
can ye, except ye abide in Me. . . . therefore received Christ Jesus the
Without Me ye can do nothing.” John Lord, so walk ye in Him.” “The just
15:4,5. You are just as dependent shall live by faith.” Colossians 2:6;
upon Christ, in order to live a holy life, Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to
as is the branch upon the parent stock God, to be His wholly, to serve and
for growth and fruitfulness. Apart obey Him, and you took Christ as your
from Him you have no life. You have Saviour. You could not yourself atone
no power to resist temptation or to for your sins or change your heart; but
grow in grace and holiness. Abiding in having given yourself to God, you
Him, you may flourish. Drawing your believe that He for Christ’s sake did all
life from Him, you will not wither nor this for you. By faith you became
be fruitless. You will be like a tree Christ’s, and by faith you are to grow
planted by the rivers of water. up in Him – by giving and taking. You
are to give all, – your heart, your will,
Many have an idea that they must your service, – give yourself to Him to
do some part of the work alone. obey all His requirements; and you
They have trusted in Christ for the must take all, – Christ, the fullness of
forgiveness of sin, but now they seek all blessing, to abide in your heart, to
by their own efforts to live aright. But be your strength, your righteousness,
every such effort must fail. Jesus says, your everlasting helper, – to give you
“Without Me ye can do nothing.” power to obey.
Our growth in grace, our joy, our
usefulness, – all depend upon our Consecrate yourself to God in the
union with Christ. It is by communion morning; make this your very first
with Him, daily, hourly, – by abiding in work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O
Him, – that we are to grow in grace. Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my
He is not only the Author, but the plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy

34 the path to pea ce

service. Abide with me, and let all my confidence shall be your strength.”
work be wrought in Thee.” This is a Psalm 37:7; Isaiah 30:15. This rest is
daily matter. Each morning conse- not found in inactivity; for in the
crate yourself to God for that day. Saviour’s invitation the promise of rest
Surrender all your plans to Him, to is united with the call to labor: “Take
be carried out or given up as His My yoke upon you: . . . and ye shall find
providence shall indicate. Thus day by rest.” Matthew 11:29. The heart that
day you may be giving your life into rests most fully upon Christ will be most
the hands of God, and thus your life earnest and active in labor for Him.
will be molded more and more after
the life of Christ. When the mind dwells upon self, it
is turned away from Christ, the source
A life in Christ is a life of restfulness. of strength and life. Hence it is Satan’s
There may be no ecstasy of feeling, constant effort to keep the attention
but there should be an abiding, diverted from the Saviour and thus
peaceful trust. Your hope is not in prevent the union and communion of
yourself; it is in Christ. Your weakness the soul with Christ. The pleasures of
is united to His strength, your the world, life’s cares and perplexities
ignorance to His wisdom, your frailty and sorrows, the faults of others, or
to His enduring might. So you are not your own faults and imperfections –
to look to yourself, not to let the mind to any or all of these he will seek
dwell upon self, but look to Christ. Let to divert the mind. Do not be misled
the mind dwell upon His love, upon by his devices. Many who are really
the beauty, the perfection, of His conscientious, and who desire to
character. Christ in His self-denial, live for God, he too often leads to
Christ in His humiliation, Christ in His dwell upon their own faults and
purity and holiness, Christ in His weaknesses, and thus by separating
matchless love – this is the subject for them from Christ he hopes to gain the
the soul’s contemplation. It is by victory. We should not make self the
loving Him, copying Him, depending center and indulge anxiety and fear as
wholly upon Him, that you are to be to whether we shall be saved. All this
transformed into His likeness. turns the soul away from the Source of
our strength. Commit the keeping of
Jesus says, “Abide in Me.” These your soul to God, and trust in Him.
words convey the idea of rest, Talk and think of Jesus. Let self be lost
stability, confidence. Again He invites, in Him. Put away all doubt; dismiss
“Come unto Me, . . . and I will give your fears. Say with the apostle Paul,
you rest.” Matthew 11:28. The words “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
of the psalmist express the same me: and the life which I now live in the
thought: “Rest in the Lord, and wait flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
patiently for Him.” And Isaiah gives God, who loved me, and gave Himself
the assurance, “In quietness and in

Measuring Your Maturity 35

for me.” Galatians 2:20. Rest in God. had the same battle with sin to fight.
He is able to keep that which you have They needed the same grace, in order
committed to Him. If you will leave to live a holy life.
yourself in His hands, He will bring
you off more than conqueror through Even John, the beloved disciple,
Him that has loved you. the one who most fully reflected
the likeness of the Saviour, did not
When Christ took human nature naturally possess that loveliness of
upon Him, He bound humanity to character. He was not only self-
Himself by a tie of love that can never assertive and ambitious for honor,
be broken by any power save the but impetuous, and resentful under
choice of man himself. Satan will injuries. But as the character of the
constantly present allurements to Divine One was manifested to him, he
induce us to break this tie – to choose saw his own deficiency and was
to separate ourselves from Christ. humbled by the knowledge. The
Here is where we need to watch, to strength and patience, the power
strive, to pray, that nothing may and tenderness, the majesty and
entice us to choose another master; meekness, that he beheld in the daily
for we are always free to do this. But life of the Son of God, filled his soul
let us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, with admiration and love. Day by day
and He will preserve us. Looking unto his heart was drawn out toward
Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck Christ, until he lost sight of self in love
us out of His hand. In constantly for his Master. His resentful, ambitious
beholding Him, we “are changed into temper was yielded to the molding
the same image from glory to glory, power of Christ. The regenerating
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” influence of the Holy Spirit renewed
2 Corinthians 3:18. his heart. The power of the love of
Christ wrought a transformation of
It was thus that the early disciples character. This is the sure result of
gained their likeness to the dear union with Jesus. When Christ abides
Saviour. When those disciples heard in the heart, the whole nature is
the words of Jesus, they felt their need transformed. Christ’s Spirit, His love,
of Him. They sought, they found, they softens the heart, subdues the soul,
followed Him. They were with Him in and raises the thoughts and desires
the house, at the table, in the closet, in toward God and heaven.
the field. They were with Him as
pupils with a teacher, daily receiving When Christ ascended to heaven,
from His lips lessons of holy truth. the sense of His presence was still with
They looked to Him, as servants to His followers. It was a personal
their master, to learn their duty. Those presence, full of love and light. Jesus,
disciples were men “subject to like the Saviour, who had walked and
passions as we are.” James 5:17. They talked and prayed with them, who

36 the path to pea ce

had spoken hope and comfort to their them the presence of the Comforter,
hearts, had, while the message of of whom Christ had said, He “shall be
peace was still upon His lips, been in you.” And He had further said, “It is
taken up from them into heaven, and expedient for you that I go away: for if
the tones of His voice had come back I go not away, the Comforter will not
to them, as the cloud of angels come unto you; but if I depart, I will
received Him – “Lo, I am with you send Him unto you.” John 14:17;
alway, even unto the end of the 16:7. Henceforth through the Spirit,
world.” Matthew 28:20. He had Christ was to abide continually in the
ascended to heaven in the form of hearts of His children. Their union
humanity. They knew that He was with Him was closer than when He
before the throne of God, their Friend was personally with them. The light,
and Saviour still; that His sympathies and love, and power of the indwelling
were unchanged; that He was still Christ shone out through them, so
identified with suffering humanity. He that men, beholding, “marveled; and
was presenting before God the merits they took knowledge of them, that
of His own precious blood, showing they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13.
His wounded hands and feet, in
remembrance of the price He had paid All that Christ was to the disciples,
for His redeemed. They knew that He He desires to be to His children today;
had ascended to heaven to prepare for in that last prayer, with the little
places for them, and that He would band of disciples gathered about Him,
come again and take them to Himself. He said, “Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on
As they met together after the Me through their word.” John 17:20.
ascension they were eager to present
their requests to the Father in the Jesus prayed for us, and He asked
name of Jesus. In solemn awe they that we might be one with Him, even
bowed in prayer, repeating the as He is one with the Father. What a
assurance, “Whatsoever ye shall ask union is this! The Saviour has said of
the Father in My name, He will give it Himself, “The Son can do nothing of
you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing Himself;” “the Father that dwelleth in
in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, Me, He doeth the works.” John 5:19;
that your joy may be full.” John 14:10. Then if Christ is dwelling in our
16:23,24. They extended the hand of hearts, He will work in us “both to will
faith higher and higher with the and to do of His good pleasure.”
mighty argument, “It is Christ that Philippians 2:13. We shall work as He
died, yea rather, that is risen again, worked; we shall manifest the same
who is even at the right hand of God, spirit. And thus, loving Him and
who also maketh intercession for us.” abiding in Him, we shall “grow up into
Romans 8:34. And Pentecost brought Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ.” Ephesians 4:15.

Living Through Giving
GGod is the source of life and light
and joy to the universe. Like rays of blessing and uplifting of humanity. It
light from the sun, like the streams of will lead to love, tenderness, and
water bursting from a living spring, sympathy toward all the creatures of
blessings flow out from Him to all His our heavenly Father’s care.

The Saviour’s life on earth was not a

creatures. And wherever the life of life of ease and devotion to Himself,
God is in the hearts of men, it will flow but He toiled with persistent, earnest,
out to others in love and blessing. untiring effort for the salvation of lost
mankind. From the manger to Calvary
Our Saviour’s joy was in the

uplifting and redemption of fallen He followed the path of self-denial
men. For this He counted not His life and sought not to be released from
dear unto Himself, but endured the arduous tasks, painful travels and
cross, despising the shame. So angels exhausting care and labor. He said,

are ever engaged in working for the “The Son of man came not to be
happiness of others. This is their joy. ministered unto, but to minister, and
That which selfish hearts would regard to give His life a ransom for many.”

as humiliating service, ministering to Matthew 20:28. This was the one
those who are wretched and in every great object of His life. Everything else
way inferior in character and rank, is was secondary and subservient. It was
the work of sinless angels. The spirit of His meat and drink to do the will of

Christ’s self-sacrificing love is the spirit God and to finish His work. Self and
that pervades heaven and is the very self-interest had no part in His labor.
essence of its bliss. This is the spirit
that Christ’s followers will possess, the So those who are the partakers
of the grace of Christ will be ready

work that they will do. to make any sacrifice, that others for
When the love of Christ is enshrined whom He died may share the heaven-
ly gift. They will do all they can to
in the heart, like sweet fragrance it

cannot be hidden. Its holy influence make the world better for their stay in
will be felt by all with whom we come it. This spirit is the sure outgrowth of a
in contact. The spirit of Christ in the soul truly converted. No sooner does
heart is like a spring in the desert, one come to Christ than there is born

flowing to refresh all and making in his heart a desire to make known to
those who are ready to perish, eager others what a precious friend he has
to drink of the water of life. found in Jesus; the saving and

Love to Jesus will be manifested in a sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in
desire to work as He worked for the his heart. If we are clothed with the

38 the path to pea ce

righteousness of Christ and are filled The spirit of
with the joy of His indwelling Spirit,
we shall not be able to hold our peace. unselfish labor
If we have tasted and seen that the
Lord is good we shall have something for others gives
to tell. Like Philip when he found the
Saviour, we shall invite others into His depth,
presence. We shall seek to present to stability,
them the attractions of Christ and the and Christlike
unseen realities of the world to come. loveliness to the
There will be an intensity of desire to
follow in the path that Jesus trod. character, and brings
There will be an earnest longing that
those around us may “behold the peace and
Lamb of God, which taketh away the happiness
sin of the world.” John 1:29.
to its possessor.
And the effort to bless others will
react in blessings upon ourselves. This unselfish ministry.
was the purpose of God in giving us a We are brought into sympathy with
part to act in the plan of redemption.
He has granted men the privilege of Christ through the fellowship of His
becoming partakers of the divine sufferings. Every act of self-sacrifice
nature and, in their turn, of diffusing for the good of others strengthens the
blessings to their fellow men. This is spirit of beneficence in the giver’s
the highest honor, the greatest joy, heart, allying him more closely to the
that it is possi-ble for God to bestow Redeemer of the world, who “was
upon men. Those who thus become rich, yet for your sakes . . . became
participants in labors of love are poor, that ye through His poverty
brought nearest to their Creator. might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9. And
it is only as we thus fulfill the divine
God might have committed the purpose in our creation that life can be
message of the gospel, and all the a blessing to us.
work of loving ministry, to the
heavenly angels. He might have If you will go to work as Christ
employed other means for designs that His disciples shall, and
accomplishing His purpose. But in His win souls for Him, you will feel the
infinite love He chose to make us co- need of a deeper experience and a
workers with Himself, with Christ and greater knowledge in divine things,
the angels, that we might share the and will hunger and thirst after
blessing, the joy, the spiritual righteousness. You will plead with God,
uplifting, which results from this and your faith will be strengthened,
and your soul will drink deeper drafts
at the well of salvation. Encountering
opposition and trials will drive you to

Living Through Giving 39

the Bible and prayer. You will grow in them. Thus the Christian who will not
grace and the knowledge of Christ, exercise his God-given powers not only
and will develop a rich experience. fails to grow up into Christ, but he loses
the strength that he already had.
The spirit of unselfish labor for
others gives depth, stability, and The church of Christ is God’s
Christlike loveliness to the character, appointed agency for the salvation of
and brings peace and happiness to men. Its mission is to carry the gospel
its possessor. The aspirations are to the world. And the obligation rests
elevated. There is no room for sloth or upon all Christians. Everyone, to the
selfishness. Those who thus exercise extent of his talent and opportunity, is
the Christian graces will grow and will to fulfill the Saviour’s commission.
become strong to work for God. They The love of Christ, revealed to us,
will have clear spiritual perceptions, makes us debtors to all who know
a steady, growing faith, and an Him not. God has given us light, not
increased power in prayer. The Spirit for ourselves alone, but to shed upon
of God, moving upon their spirit, calls them.
forth the sacred harmonies of the soul
in answer to the divine touch. Those If the followers of Christ were
who thus devote themselves to awake to duty, there would be
unselfish effort for the good of others thousands where there is one today
are most surely working out their own proclaiming the gospel in heathen
salvation. lands. And all who could not
personally engage in the work, would
The only way to grow in grace is to yet sustain it with their means, their
be disinterestedly doing the very work sympathy, and their prayers. And
which Christ has enjoined upon us – there would be far more earnest labor
to engage, to the extent of our ability, for souls in Christian countries.
in helping and blessing those who
need the help we can give them. We need not go to heathen lands,
Strength comes by exercise; activity is or even leave the narrow circle of the
the very condition of life. Those who home, if it is there that our duty lies,
endeavor to maintain Christian life by in order to work for Christ. We can do
passively accepting the blessings that this in the home circle, in the church,
come through the means of grace, among those with whom we associate,
and doing nothing for Christ, are and with whom we do business.
simply trying to live by eating without
working. And in the spiritual as in the The greater part of our Saviour’s
natural world, this always results in life on earth was spent in patient toil in
degeneration and decay. A man who the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth.
would refuse to exercise his limbs Ministering angels attended the Lord
would soon lose all power to use of life as He walked side by side with
peasants and laborers, unrecognized
and unhonored. He was as faithfully

40 the path to pea ce

fulfilling His mission while working at every man his work.
His humble trade as when He healed With a loving spirit we may perform
the sick or walked upon the storm-
tossed waves of Galilee. So in the life's humblest duties “as to the Lord.”
humblest duties and lowliest positions Colossians 3:23. If the love of God is
of life, we may walk and work with in the heart, it will be manifested in
Jesus. the life. The sweet savor of Christ will
surround us, and our influence will
The apostle says, “Let every man, elevate and bless.
wherein he is called, therein abide
with God.” 1 Corinthians 7:24. You are not to wait for great
The businessman may conduct his occasions or to expect extraordinary
business in a way that will glorify his abilities before you go to work for
Master because of his fidelity. If he is a God. You need not have a thought of
true follower of Christ he will carry his what the world will think of you. If
religion into everything that is done your daily life is a testimony to the
and reveal to men the spirit of Christ. purity and sincerity of your faith, and
The mechanic may be a diligent and others are convinced that you desire
faithful representative of Him who to benefit them, your efforts will not
toiled in the lowly walks of life among be wholly lost.
the hills of Galilee. Everyone who
names the name of Christ should so The humblest and poorest of the
work that others, by seeing his good disciples of Jesus can be a blessing to
works, may be led to glorify their others. They may not realize that they
Creator and Redeemer. are doing any special good, but by
their unconscious influence they may
Many have excused themselves start waves of blessing that will widen
from rendering their gifts to the and deepen, and the blessed results
service of Christ because others were they may never know until the day of
possessed of superior endowments final reward. They do not feel or know
and advantages. The opinion has that they are doing anything great.
prevailed that only those who are They are not required to weary
especially talented are required to themselves with anxiety about
consecrate their abilities to the service success. They have only to go forward
of God. It has come to be understood quietly, doing faithfully the work that
by many that talents are given to only God’s providence assigns, and their
a certain favored class to the exclusion life will not be in vain. Their own souls
of others who of course are not called will be growing more and more into
upon to share in the toils or the the likeness of Christ; they are
rewards. But it is not so represented in workers together with God in this life
the parable. When the master of the and are thus fitting for the higher
house called his servants, he gave to work and the unshadowed joy of the
life to come.

Is Your Education Complete?
MMany are the ways in which God is
seeking to make Himself known to us If we will but listen, God’s created
and bring us into communion with works will teach us precious lessons of
Him. Nature speaks to our senses obedience and trust. From the stars
without ceasing. The open heart will that in their trackless courses through
be impressed with the love and glory space follow from age to age their
of God as revealed through the appointed path, down to the minutest
works of His hands. The listening ear atom, the things of nature obey the
can hear and understand the com- Creator’s will. And God cares for
munications of God through the everything and sustains everything
things of nature. The green fields, the that He has created. He who upholds
lofty trees, the buds and flowers, the unnumbered worlds throughout
the passing cloud, the falling rain, immensity, at the same time cares for
the babbling brook, the glories of the the wants of the little brown sparrow
heavens, speak to our hearts, and that sings its humble song without
invite us to become acquainted with fear. When men go forth to their daily
Him who made them all. toil, as when they engage in prayer;
Our Saviour bound up His precious when they lie down at night, and
lessons with the things of nature. when they rise in the morning;
The trees, the birds, the flowers of the when the rich man feasts in his palace,
valleys, the hills, the lakes, and the or when the poor man gathers his
beautiful heavens, as well as the incid- children about the scanty board, each
ents and surroundings of daily life, is tenderly watched by the heavenly
were all linked with the words of Father. No tears are shed that God
truth, that His lessons might thus be does not notice. There is no smile that
often recalled to mind, even amid the He does not mark.
busy cares of man’s life of toil.
God would have His children If we would but fully believe this, all
appreciate His works and delight in undue anxieties would be dismissed.
the simple, quiet beauty with which Our lives would not be so filled
He has adorned our earthly home. He with disappointment as now; for
is a lover of the beautiful, and above everything, whether great or small,
all that is outwardly attractive He would be left in the hands of God,
loves beauty of character; He would who is not perplexed by the multip-
have us cultivate purity and simplicity, licity of cares, or overwhelmed by
the quiet graces of the flowers. their weight. We should then enjoy a
rest of soul to which many have long
been strangers.

42 the path to pea ce

As your senses delight in the tracing the work of God’s providence,
attractive loveliness of the earth, think says, “The earth is full of the goodness
of the world that is to come, that shall of the Lord.” “Whoso is wise, and will
never know the blight of sin and observe these things, even they shall
death; where the face of nature will understand the loving-kindness of the
no more wear the shadow of the Lord.” Psalm 33:5; 107:43.
curse. Let your imagination picture
the home of the saved, and remember God speaks to us in His word. Here
that it will be more glorious than your we have in clearer lines the revelation
brightest imagination can portray. In of His character, of His dealings
the varied gifts of God in nature we with men, and the great work of
see but the faintest gleaming of His redemption. Here is open before us
glory. It is written, “Eye hath not seen, the history of patriarchs and prophets
nor ear heard, neither have entered and other holy men of old. They were
into the heart of man, the things men “subject to like passions as we
which God hath prepared for them are.” James 5:17. We see how they
that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. struggled through discouragements
like our own, how they fell under
The poet and the naturalist have temptation as we have done, and yet
many things to say about nature, but took heart again and conquered
it is the Christian who enjoys the through the grace of God; and,
beauty of the earth with the highest beholding, we are encouraged in our
appreciation, because he recognizes striving after righteousness. As we
his Father’s handiwork and perceives read of the precious experiences
His love in flower and shrub and tree. granted them, of the light and love
No one can fully appreciate the and blessing it was theirs to enjoy, and
significance of hill and vale, river and of the work they wrought through
sea, who does not look upon them as the grace given them, the spirit that
an expression of God’s love to man. inspired them kindles a flame of holy
emulation in our hearts and a desire to
God speaks to us through His be like them in character – like them to
providential workings and through walk with God.
the influence of His Spirit upon the
heart. In our circumstances and sur- Jesus said of the Old Testament
roundings, in the changes daily taking Scriptures, – and how much more is
place around us, we may find precious it true of the New, – “They are they
which testify of Me,” the Redeemer,
lessons if our hearts Him in whom our hopes of eternal life
are but open to are centered. John 5:39. Yes, the
discern them. whole Bible tells of Christ. From the
The psalmist,

Is Your Education Complete? 43

first record of creation – for “without our prayers will be more and more
Him was not anything made that was acceptable to God, because they will
made” – to the closing promise, be more and more mixed with faith
“Behold, I come quickly,” we are and love. They will be intelligent and
reading of His works and listening to fervent. There will be more constant
His voice. John 1:3; Revelation 22:12. confidence in Jesus, and a daily, living
If you would become acquainted with experience in His power to save to the
the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures. uttermost all that come unto God by
Him.
Fill the whole heart with the words
of God. They are the living water, As we meditate upon the perfec-
quenching your burning thirst. They tions of the Saviour, we shall desire to
are the living bread from heaven. be wholly transformed and renewed
Jesus declares, “Except ye eat the in the image of His purity. There will
flesh of the Son of man, and drink His be a hungering and thirsting of soul to
blood, ye have no life in you.” And become like Him whom we adore. The
He explains Himself by saying, “The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the
words that I speak unto you, they are more we shall speak of Him to others
spirit, and they are life.” John 6:53, and represent Him to the world.
63. Our bodies are built up from what
we eat and drink; and as in the natural The Bible was not written for the
economy, so in the spiritual economy: scholar alone; on the contrary, it was
it is what we meditate upon that will designed for the common people. The
give tone and strength to our spiritual great truths necessary for salvation
nature. are made as clear as noonday; and
none will mistake and lose their way
The theme of redemption is one except those who follow their own
that the angels desire to look into; it judgment instead of the plainly
will be the science and the song of the revealed will of God.
redeemed throughout the ceaseless
ages of eternity. Is it not worthy We should not take the testimony
of careful thought and study now? of any man as to what the Scriptures
The infinite mercy and love of Jesus, teach, but should study the words of
the sacrifice made in our behalf, God for ourselves. If we allow others
call for the most serious and solemn to do our thinking, we shall have
reflection. We should dwell upon the crippled energies and contracted
character of our dear Redeemer and abilities. The noble powers of the
Intercessor. We should meditate upon mind may be so dwarfed by lack of
the mission of Him who came to save exercise on themes worthy of their
His people from their sins. As we thus concentration as to lose their ability to
contemplate heavenly themes, our grasp the deep meaning of the word
faith and love will grow stronger, and of God. The mind will enlarge if it is
employed in tracing out the relation of

44 the path to pea ce

the subjects of the Bible, comparing miner discovers veins of precious
scripture with scripture and spiritual metal concealed beneath the surface
things with spiritual. of the earth, so will he who persev-
eringly searches the word of God as
There is nothing more calculated to for hid treasure find truths of the
strengthen the intellect than the study greatest value, which are concealed
of the Scriptures. No other book is so from the view of the careless seeker.
potent to elevate the thoughts, to give The words of inspiration, pondered in
vigor to the faculties, as the broad, the heart, will be as streams flowing
ennobling truths of the Bible. If God’s from the fountain of life.
word were studied as it should be,
men would have a breadth of mind, a Never should the Bible be studied
nobility of character, and a stability of without prayer. Before opening its
purpose rarely seen in these times. pages we should ask for the enlight-
enment of the Holy Spirit, and it will
But there is but little benefit derived be given. When Nathanael came to
from a hasty reading of the Scriptures. Jesus, the Saviour exclaimed, “Behold
One may read the whole Bible an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
through and yet fail to see its beauty deceit!” Nathanael said, “How do you
or comprehend its deep and hidden know me?” Jesus answered, “Before
meaning. One passage studied until Philip called you, when you were
its significance is clear to the mind and under the fig tree, I saw you.” John
its relation to the plan of salvation is 1:47,48. NKJV And Jesus will see us
evident, is of more value than the also in the secret places of prayer if we
perusal of many chapters with no def- will seek Him for light that we may
inite purpose in view and no positive know what is truth. Angels from the
instruction gained. Keep your Bible world of light will be with those who
with you. As you have opportunity, in humility of heart seek for divine
read it; fix the texts in your memory. guidance.
Even while you are walking the streets
you may read a passage and meditate The Holy Spirit exalts and glorifies
upon it, thus fixing it in the mind. the Saviour. It is His office to present
Christ, the purity of His righteousness,
We cannot obtain wisdom without and the great salvation that we have
earnest attention and prayerful study. through Him. Jesus says, “He shall
Some portions of Scripture are indeed receive of Mine, and shall show it unto
too plain to be misunderstood, but you.” John 16:14. The Spirit of truth is
there are others whose meaning does the only effectual teacher of divine
not lie on the surface to be seen at a truth. How must God esteem the
glance. Scripture must be compared human race, since He gave His Son to
with scripture. There must be careful die for them and appoints His Spirit to
research and prayerful reflection. And be man’s teacher and continual guide!
such study will be richly repaid. As the

The Key to Limitless Treasure
TThrough nature and revelation,
through His providence, and by the Himself with our needs and weakness,
influence of His Spirit, God speaks to in that He became a suppliant, a
us. But these are not enough; we need petitioner, seeking from His Father
also to pour out our hearts to Him. In fresh supplies of strength, that He
might come forth braced for duty and

order to have spiritual life and energy, trial. He is our example in all things.

we must have actual interaction with He is a brother in our infirmities, “in all

our heavenly Father. Our minds may points tempted like as we are;” but as

be drawn out toward Him; we may the sinless one His nature recoiled

meditate upon His works, His mercies, from evil; He endured struggles and

His blessings; but this is not, in the torture of soul in a world of sin. His

fullest sense, communing with Him. humanity made prayer a necessity and

In order to commune with God, we a privilege. He found comfort and joy

must have something to say to Him in communion with His Father. And if

concerning our actual life. the Saviour of men, the Son of God,

Prayer is the opening of the heart felt the need of prayer, how much more

to God as to a friend. Not that it is should feeble, sinful mortals feel the

necessary in order to make known to necessity of fervent, constant prayer.

God what we are, but in order to Our heavenly Father waits to

enable us to receive Him. Prayer does bestow upon us the fullness of His

not bring God down to us, but brings blessing. It is our privilege to drink

us up to Him. largely at the fountain of boundless

When Jesus was upon the earth, He love. What a wonder it is that we

taught His disciples how to pray. He pray so little! God is ready and willing

directed them to present their daily to hear the sincere prayer of the

needs before God, and to cast humblest of His children,

all their care upon Him. and yet there is much

And the assurance He manifest reluctance on

gave them that their our part to make known

petitions should be Prayer is... our wants to God.
heard, is assurance What can the angels

also to us. of heaven think of

Jesus Himself, while poor helpless human

He dwelt among men, the opening of the heart beings, who are sub-

was often in prayer. to God as to a friend. ject to temptation,

Our Saviour identified when God’s heart of