Food for the Lambs Part 9

You have started out fairly upon the Christian way. You have been "born again"; you have been immersed in water, or buried with Christ in baptism; you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. With such an experience you are admitted to the contest for the "crown of life."

Now since you are thus started out upon the Christian way, it is a fact that you must "grow in grace."

There are certain means for you to use that will promote growth. If you neglect these, you will not, you can not, grow. You must live much in prayer; you must read the Bible; you must attend meetings that are ordered of G.o.d; you must partake of the Lord's Supper as you have opportunity; you must wash the saints' feet. You will be blest with grace to your soul if you do these things as unto the Lord. You must give of your means to G.o.d's cause freely and cheerfully; you must diligently follow every good work; and you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge and grace of G.o.d.

LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE.

The "crown of life" lies at the end of the race. Some run well for a time, and then because of slight hindrances turn from the way. You must endure unto the end. You must follow the example of the zealous apostle who said, "I reach forth to the things that are before," and, "I press toward the mark for the prize." The prize was the crown of life. He bends forward in the race with all the energy of his soul. Down at the end of the race he beholds the crown. Sin, Satan, nor the world shall not hinder him in securing it. You must be just as much in earnest. You must strive, and that lawfully, lest some one take your crown.

Some years ago a number of boatmen off the coast of New England raced for a prize in single boats. As they were nearing the end of the race it was discovered by the spectators that a special favorite was a half-boat's length ahead of all its compet.i.tors. His friends began to cheer him, and he, animated by their cheers, gave a responsive cheer, and, in doing so, lost a stroke of the oar; a compet.i.tor seeing his opportunity bent to his oar with all energy, shot past him and won the prize.

The apostle Paul warns you against youthful l.u.s.ts, and tells you to flee from them; to follow peace, righteousness, G.o.dliness; to fight the good fight of faith; and to lay hold upon eternal life.

We are in days when the love of many is waxing cold because iniquity abounds. You must keep the ardor of love glowing in your heart. Allow not the world nor aught else to extinguish the tender flame. Everything that has a tendency to suppress love, to cool its ardor, to dilute its sweetness in your soul, to lessen the yearnings of your heart for more of G.o.d, to deprive you of the sweet realization of constantly leaning on his breast,--consider all such things your bitter foes and rout them at any cost.

Run life's race with all the energy of your soul, never relaxing effort until the prize is in full possession. The dying testimony of the apostle Paul may be yours. When he had come down to the end of his journey he said as he stood, as it were, one foot upon time and the other in eternity, "The time of my departure is at hand." Then taking a last retrospective view of his life, he said, "I have fought a good fight." Then taking a look at inward conditions, he said, "I am ready to be offered up." Then looking out into the future's prospect, he said, "Henceforth there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me." O beloved young saints, run well your race. Keep your eyes upon the goal, fight the good fight of faith, be in earnest, live every moment for G.o.d, and you can have a dying testimony like the above.

CRUCIFIXION OF SELF.

It requires no little courage, coupled with the grace of G.o.d, to go to Calvary. There are many Christians who will follow Jesus so long as it is "Hosanna to the King of David," who fail to follow him to Calvary.

Most persons love the sweets of grace, and thus many follow the Lord for the loaves and fishes; but when it comes to following him for his own sake, even unto judgment, where our earthliness is revealed, then too often we follow "afar off." Many will serve for reward, who refuse to serve for righteousness' sake. Satan understood this in the case of Job; so he said to the Lord, "Doth Job serve G.o.d for naught?" Job endured even unto the end, and proved by actual test his devotion to G.o.d and not to His gifts.

Saints are like soldiers--many there be who enlist, but few who fearlessly face death. All like life, though it be a life out of harmony with G.o.d. Satan said of Job, "All that a man hath will he give for his life." So Christians' last surrender is their own earthly life. They love the earthly, the dust; and to die to all that is not divine is a price that few will pay.

Many talk of crucifixion, yea, claim to be crucified, who know hardly the first step away from self. To let self, the flesh, and all evil within perish; to draw the last drop of earthliness from our veins,--is a price but few will pay for all the life of G.o.d. G.o.d through Moses gave to the children of Israel a heritage; but never in their greatest conquest did they attain all of that heritage. So with Christians: how few ever attain all of that G.o.d-life offered them through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Israelites made a league with certain of the inhabitants of the land whom they should have destroyed. How many Christians spare those enemies within which should die. They may force the death of many, perhaps most of their earthliness; but somewhere there is that with which they will not part. Of course, the earthliness may not be manifest as before; "hewers of wood and drawers of water" they become, yet they are there and live there. "I will be found of them when they seek me with their whole heart." Wholehearted devotion to G.o.d is a rare quality, and only the fewest of the few ever attain it. An idol somewhere, a desire, a wish, a preference, a hope not born of G.o.d, but of man or of the flesh, is the separation line. Yea, to cease from our labors as G.o.d did from his, and thus reach true rest, is a haven but few ever reach.

To literally cease, that Jehovah may be the beginning and the end, means blood, and thorns, and nails in the hands. Yes, it means Calvary and the tomb. This is too much for many who go part way with Jesus. How few realize that perhaps the most of our religious aspirations are born not of G.o.d, but of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of man; and this is why our efforts are so barren, futile, and earthly. Yes, to hide away so that every act, every purpose, every hope, centers in G.o.d and points to him and away from man--what a rare spiritual attainment! Many who are said to be very spiritual and leaders in the work of G.o.d, if robbed of this glory, would cease. To work for the eyes of G.o.d alone is not a sufficient reward for very many who have climbed well up the gospel ladder. To know when we are dead in the highest light. Self-abnegation can not be discerned so long as we want to live. If we never reach the point where we literally "hate our own life," we shall never know how much there is in us not divine. The flesh is ever the veil that separates between the holy place and the holy of holies. Until we have reached that place where we have lost sight of all that is human, and hunger and thirst for all the life of G.o.d, Christian perfection is an impossible attainment.

This little book has been written for your success in the divine life.

We have hoped and prayed for your well being in the grace of G.o.d; but unless you are dead to self our prayers are but in vain. Oh, the beauties and the blessings and the rich glories, and happiness and usefulness for you in life, if you are fully possessed with life of G.o.d!

Be dead indeed to self, and let G.o.d live in you to his praise.

LOVE NOT THE WORLD.

If you value your success in the Christian life, keep a wide gulf between you and this world. By the expression _the world_ I mean its amus.e.m.e.nts, its revelry, its praise, its fashions, its society, its spirit. The present-day amus.e.m.e.nts or entertainments offered by secret orders and sects and by others are very destructive to spiritual life.

Unless you are willing to walk alone with Jesus and let the blessedness of his companionship suffice for you, you had as well quit the race now.

Mingle with worldly people, only to tell them of G.o.d's love.

To love and enjoy the society of the world is to have a heart dest.i.tute of grace. Therefore keep away from the world. Beware of it. It is a bitter foe to grace. It is an enemy to G.o.d; and if you befriend it, you make yourself an enemy to G.o.d. "Whosoever is a friend to the world is an enemy to G.o.d," so says the Bible. To be a friend to the world is to help it along in any sense--to encourage its spirit; to add to its pleasures, to its levity, its fashion, its foolishness; or to abet it in any way.

You go into the world, only for the purpose of saving people from the world, and thus you are the world's enemy; and so you must continue to be, or miss heaven.

HAVE A CARE.

The world has many gaudy wings-- Have a care!

She flits among the flow'rs and sings-- Many a snare.

Beware Of the hidden poisonous stings.

Earth's pleasures are a golden cup-- Have a care!

She bids you take one little sup-- Many a snare.

Beware Of the hidden sting in the cup.

Earth's riches have a charm most rare-- Have a care!

She bids you seek a goodly share-- Many a snare.

Beware-- She will sting with many a care.

Vain worldly fame's a painted flow'r-- Have a care!

She dwells in an enchanted bow'r-- Many a snare.

Beware-- She'll chide you in an evil hour.

The world is but an empty show-- Have a care!

Of true joys a dangerous foe-- Many a snare.

Beware-- Her greatest gain's oft deepest woe.

AFFINITIES.

By the term _affinity_ I mean that enamored feeling which arises in the hearts of those of opposite s.e.x for each other. This Satan may take advantage of; and in this awful snare many a soul has gone down into the darkness; many a heaven-born and happy soul has received its awful blight, and gone down to an eternity of woe. Some one may ask, "Is not marriage honorable? and does not G.o.d join hearts together in love?" He certainly does; but when he does and all is kept in G.o.d's order the parties in love will not suffer any loss of spirituality. Courtship can be carried on in the will and order of G.o.d, and the parties engaged have a constant growth in grace. But so many times they become silly-headed and allow their love for each other to carry them out of G.o.d's order, and consequently they will soon be graceless-hearted.

Now I speak the truth when I say that by far the greater number of saints who fall in love suffer spiritual loss. This need not be so. In the first place, the love for each other must be genuine; but, though G.o.d is calling two together and the love which springs up is in the order of the Lord, this does not insure them against spiritual loss. If they are not watchful they will lose their heads, so to speak, and step away beyond the bonds of propriety.

There is many a young man and young woman united in marriage these days, even young saints, whom wisdom has not directed. Such may succeed in getting through and escaping the d.a.m.nation of h.e.l.l, but they will have trouble in the flesh.

Now, dear young saint, if you desire to be successful in life and gain heaven, if you will keep your senses you can keep clear from all the meshes of unholy affinities. You desire to have a life companion if G.o.d selects you one. I can not blame you for this, neither does the Bible condemn you; but the utmost caution needs to be exercised. Be careful your desire for companionship does not turn your head and render you incapable of knowing or understanding the will of G.o.d. Whenever you find yourself losing love for G.o.d, you had better beware. Whenever the object of your affection is getting so upon your heart and mind that you think less of G.o.d you are going beyond His ordering. If your last thoughts in the evening and your earliest thoughts in the morning are of the loved one, you are being estranged from G.o.d and losing spiritual life. I feel like giving you warning and counsel you to move very cautiously and prayerfully in these matters, lest you make a mistake and suffer a loss that neither time nor eternity will ever make up.

Young saints must not keep company with the unsaved. Those who do, lose spirituality. If you love G.o.d and desire to live a spiritual life, wait on G.o.d and let him select your life companion.

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL.