King of Peace

King of Peace

By Bible Names of God


"After that, also, King of Salem, which is King of peace." Hebrews 7:2

Righteousness is the basis of peace. There is no peace for the wicked. "He is our peace, who hath make both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, and hath made of twain one new man, so making peace." Remember what the King of Peace said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." He dwells in us and we dwell in Him. He came and preached peace. He went to the cross and made peace possible. "Great peace have they which love Thy law."

Oh, Thou King of Peace, may Thy peace which passeth all understanding, garrison our souls this day.. Amen.

Love of the Truth or For the Truth

Love of the Truth or For the Truth

By A.W. Pink


It is not simply a knowledge of the Truth that saves, but a love of it that is the essential prerequisite. This is clear from 2 Thessalonians 2:10, "Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved..."

Since then there is love for the Truth in contradistinction from a love of the Truth, and a natural love for Christ in contrast with a spiritual love of Him, how am I to be sure which mine is? We may distinguish between these "loves" thus.

First, the one is partial, the other is impartial; the one esteems the doctrines of scripture but not the duties it enjoins, the promises of Scripture but not the precepts, the blessings of Christ but not His claims, His priestly office but not His kingly rule; but not so with the spiritual lover.

Second, the one is occasional, the other is regular; the former balks when personal interests are crossed, not so the latter.

Third, the one is evanescent and weak, the other lasting and powerful; the former quickly wanes when other delights compete, and prevails not to control the other affections; the latter rules the heart, and is strong as death.

Fourth, the former betters not its possessor; the latter transforms the life.

"Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7).

  
Days of Heaven Upon Earth

      "Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7).
     
      We must receive, as well as ask. We must take the place of believing, and recognize ourselves as in it. A friend was saying, "I want to get into the will of God," and this was the answer: "Will you step into the will of God? And now, are you in the will of God?" The question aroused a thought that had not come before.
     
      The gentleman saw that he had been straining after, but not receiving the blessing he sought.
     
      Jesus has said, "Ask and ye shall receive." The very strain keeps back the blessing. The intense tension of all your spiritual nature so binds you that you are not open to the blessing which God is waiting to give you. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
     
      He tells me there is cleansing
          From every secret sin,
      And a great and full salvation
          To keep the heart within.
      And I take Him in His fulness,
          With all His glorious grace,
      For He says it is mine by taking,
          And I take just what He says.

"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness...And I will give her her vineyards from thence" (Hosea 2:14-15).

  
Streams in the Desert

      

Vineyards in the Wilderness
     
      "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness...And I will give her her vineyards from thence" (Hosea 2:14-15).
     
      A strange place to find vineyards--in the wilderness! And can it be that the riches which a soul needs can be obtained in the wilderness, which stands for a lonely place, out of which you can seldom find your way? It would seem so, and not only that, but the "Valley of Achor," which means bitterness, is called a door of hope. And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth!Yes, God knows our need of the wilderness experience. He knows where and how to bring out that which is enduring. The soul has been idolatrous, rebellious; has forgotten God, and with a perfect self-will has said, "I will follow after my lovers." But she did not overtake them. And, when she was hopeless and forsaken, God said, "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." What a loving God is ours! --Crumbs
     
      We never know where God hides His pools. We see a rock, and we cannot guess it is the home of the spring. We see a flinty place, and we cannot tell it is the hiding place of a fountain. God leads me into the hard places, and then I find I have gone into the dwelling place of eternal springs. --Selected

The Fear of the Lord

The Fear of the Lord

By Charles Stanley


Psalm 112:1-9

As we saw yesterday, the fear of the Lord does not have to do with terror or trepidation, but rather refers to appropriate awe and reverence for who God is. It is a quality that we as Christians should seek and nurture. Though we don't hear the expression often enough today, it should still be a great compliment to be known as a God-fearing man or woman.

To fear God produces all manner of fruit in the Christian's life. It leads to our hating evil as God does, and the Bible also tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Psalm 111:10) The more we acquire divine understanding, the greater will be our love for the Bible and God's commandments.

In addition to all these assets, we find that the person who learns to fear God will have a strong family (v. 2), with children who grow to be courageous for the truth.

God-fearing people also find that "light arises in the darkness for the upright." (v. 4) This doesn't mean that we will never have dark times or periods of distress in the valley - we will have trials, headaches, and tears like the rest of mankind. But in our hardships, we are promised the light that comes from God's angels of deliverance. These protective messengers encamp around those who fear the Lord. They surround believers above and beneath so that nothing can get at you without divine permission. Ask God to help you have a proper, reverential fear of Him. It is a request He will be pleased to honor.

How to Determine Our Calling

Converts Guide: Chapter 17 - How to Determine Our Calling

By John Hames

      "Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee" (Jer. 1:17).

      In the chapter before us we have one of the most delicate subjects in the catalog of a Christian's experience. The question, no doubt, arises from the heart of the reader: How may one know for a certainty that he is called to the work of the Lord?

      Some of the ways by which this can be determined will be seen in the following lines.

      1. When the Lord calls one to a certain work that person is generally the first one to know it. At times, the thought of the work will be so prominent in his mind and the drawing of the Spirit so great upon his heart that he will not be able to rest night or day.

      2. Usually, whenever people are called of God it can readily be seen in their testimony. Nearly every time they get up to testify they will unintentionally drift into exhorting.

      3. Those who are called of God are given a quick memory, a free delivery, a deep insight into spiritual things, a love for prayer and a passion for souls.

      4. One who is called of God to the ministry does not have to be hired and promised a stipulated amount, but the burden is resting upon him so heavily that he sometimes exclaims with St. Paul, "Woe is me if I preach not the gospel." He is willing to take the job on any terms and thus throw himself into the breach and head someone off from going into the flames of everlasting damnation.

      5. Again, those who have the call upon their hearts can not make themselves satisfied pursuing any other calling in life, neither will they be successful at any other occupation. The holy oil is upon their heads and the call and responsibility will follow them to the grave. No matter if they fly the track and run away from God, yet they will never get away from that peculiar anointing and strange conviction. We believe, even if they go down to hell they will be and feel different from all other human spirits.

      6. Persons who are called of God to preach the gospel can never keep an even, victorious, satisfying experience by pursuing any other occupation. It is true they may become book-agents, solicitors, financial agents, deans, orphan home managers, etc., but there will always be an aching void in their hearts.

      If preachers who are now filling such offices would tell the clean judgment-day truth, they would acknowledge that they do not possess the degree of joy, peace, sweetness, clearness and deep soul satisfaction that they did while devoting their whole time to the ministry of the Word and the salvation of souls. Many of them are placing the blame of their spiritual condition to ill health, domestic trouble, financial pressure, etc., but if they would return to the ministry for just one year there would be as much difference in their spiritual temperature as there is between night and day.

Faith Is What You Want

By Samuel Logan Brengle


Once in one of our holiness meetings I met a sister who was evidently in great spiritual distress, with intense hunger for full salvation. After a few moments' conversation, I felt assured that she was ready to accept the blessing, and so we knelt in prayer; but for some reason our prayers did not prevail. I then asked her if she was sure her consecration was complete. She at once declared it was; she was willing to die for it.

'Then,' said I, 'sister, there are three things you must believe. First, do you believe God is able to sanctify you wholly?'

'Yes.'

'Second. Do you believe He is willing?'

'Yes.'

'Then, with your perfect consecration, there is but one other step to take, and the wonder work of grace will be done. Will you believe that He doeth it? For the promise is: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive (are receiving) them, and ye shall have them' (Mark xi. 24). Will you believe this?'

'But I don't feel that He does.'

'That makes no difference, sister; your faith must precede all feeling.'

'But I can't believe that He has done it.'

'I don't ask you to believe that He has done it, but that He is doing it, in answer to your present faith. You must believe that He doeth it, if ever you are to get the witness of the Spirit. Say, "I will believe God."

'Well, I will try.'

'No, that won't do; you must believe, not try to believe.'

'Well, I am determined to struggle on till the blessing comes.'

'No, sister, your struggles will do no good unless you believe; and, until you do this, you are making God a liar.'

'But won't I be lying to say I will believe, when I don't feel like it?'

'No, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. x. 17), and the word of God to you is, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (John xv. 3). "Ask, and ye shall receive" ' (John xvi. 24).

That evening I saw the sister again. She said, 'I have committed myself to God, and shall trust Him, till the witness of my acceptance comes.'

The next day she was in the meeting, and related her experience, telling us that in the night God awoke her with an assurance of His love, and gave her the clear witness of the Spirit that she was entirely sanctified, putting glory in her heart, and hallelujahs on her tongue.

Entire consecration is not entire sanctification. You are commanded to 'present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God' (Rom. xii. 1). This is entire consecration; but it is also said, 'For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation' (Rom. x. 10). So then, there must be entire consecration, unwavering faith, and a frank, artless confession of both to Jesus. This is man's part, and, when these simple conditions are met and steadfastly maintained, against all contrary feelings, God will suddenly come into His Holy temple, filling the soul with His presence, purity, and power. This twofold work by man and God constitutes the one experience of entire sanctification. When this experience is yours, at your very earliest opportunity confess it before men.