If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.
    Other Christians and ministers, who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
    Others may boast of themselves, of their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do such a thing; if you begin it, he will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
    Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor; He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

    The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while you are kept hidden in obscurity. He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for his coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but make you work and toil without ever knowing how much you are doing. To make your work more precious, He may let others get credit for what you have done -- thus making your reward far greater when Jesus comes.
    The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love. He may rebuke you for little words or feelings, or for wasting time, over which other Christians never seem to be distressed. So, make up your mind that God has a sovereign RIGHT to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain a thousand things that puzzle your reason, but if you absolutely yield yourself to BE HIS LOVE-SLAVE, He will wrap you in a jealous love and bestow upon you many blessings, which come only to those who are in the INNER CIRCLE.
    Settle it forever then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, chaining your hand, or closing your

    Oh, my dear friends, you who are letting miserable misunderstandings run on from year to year; you who are keeping wretched quarrels alive because you cannot quite make up your mind that now is the day to sacrifice your pride and kill them; you who are passing men sullenly on the street, not speaking to them out of some silly spite, and yet knowing that it would fill you with shame and remorse if you heard that one of those men was dead tomorrow; you who are letting your neighbor starve till you hear that he is dying of starvation; or letting your friend's heartache for a word of appreciation or sympathy, which you mean to give him some day; if you could know and see and feel, all of a sudden, that "the time is short", how it would BREAK THE SPELL! How you would go INSTANTLY and do the thing, which you might never have another chance to do.

"Forbearing one another and forgiving...as Christ forgave you."

    Of all people on earth, those in Christ have the surest foundation for comfort and assurance. Our confidence is rooted in the sure promises of God. Not one word has failed of all He has promised to His people, (I Kings 8:56; 2 Cor. 1:20; 6:l4-7:1; Rom. 4:21; 2 Pet. 1:4; I John 2:25).
    Jesus Christ is our sure foundation -- tested, precious and worthy of our trust, (Isa. 28:16; I Cor. 3:11; I Pet. 2:6).
    Before those who walk in truth is held out the prospect of a full and glorious reward, (Matt. 10:39-42; Dan. 12:3; Lk. 6:35; Matt. 5:11-12; Eph. 6:8; 2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 10:34; 11:26; Jas. l:l2; Rev. 3:11).
    Every genuine believer has the assurance of acceptance by Christ, (John 6:37; Acts 11:34-35; 2 Cor. 5:9; Eph. 1:3-6).
    As children of God, we are the objects of a love that will never fail, (Rom. 8:38-39; John 13:1; 15:9, 13).
    If it is our lot to serve God in an inconspicuous place, and to be the objects of abuse and scorn, we take courage in the assurance of "immortality"; all things will be made right beyond the grave, (2 Cor 5:1; Lk. 20:36; Rom. 2:7; I Cor. 15:53; 2 Tim. 1:19; Rev. 20:4).
    And, midst all the storms that are encountered on the sea of life, there is always the safe anchorage of HOPE, (Heb. 6:19; I Pet. 1:3; Titus 2:13; Heb. 13:5-6).

    The adequate communication of truth has ever been a universal problem. This is even true in the natural and material realm; much more is it true of spiritual things. The ways of God are hidden to the natural man. Very few of those who have begun to walk in the way of faith have a proper appreciation of His person, His purpose, His providence and His provision. It is quite possible to hear without understanding; to see without any true perception, (Isa. 6:9-12).
    This universal lack of understanding is abundantly illustrated in the Scriptures. The ante - diluvium world did not understand the measure of God's wrath against sin, (Gen. 6:3; 2 Pet. 2:5; Matt. 24:37-38). Joseph's brethren did not understand God's providence in the preservation of his life, or their own, (Gen. 50:15-21). Moses' brethren, in Egypt, did not understand God's purpose to deliver them by his hand, (Acts 7:25). The ten unbelieving spies, at Kadesh - Barnea, did not understand God's protection and provision for such as walk by faith, (Num. 13:26 - 14:10). Mary and Joseph did not understand the first recorded word of Jesus, (Lk. 2:50). The princes of this world did not recognize the "Lord of glory", (I Cor. 2:6-8). The Jewish nation did not understand the "time of their visitation," (Lk. 19:41-44). Those who took part in the crucifixion of Jesus did not understand what they were doing, (Lk. 23:34).
    One of the most alarming things about this lack of understanding is the fact that much of what Jesus did and taught was not even understood by His own disciples. They

did not understand His many efforts to alert them of His coming passion and death at Jerusalem, (Lk. 9:43-45; 19:31-34). They did not understand His promise to raise the temple within three days of its destruction, (John 2:19-22). They did not understand the significance of His washing their feet in the Upper Room, (John 13:7). Nor did they understand the many prophecies that had been written concerning His sacrifice for sin, (Lk. 24:16), 25-32, 36-39). And if they, who walked in such close intimacy with the Master, understood so little, we surely must not be so presumptuous as to imagine that we have perfect understanding.
    HOW MAY ONE GET UNDERSTANDING?
Fortunately, there is an answer to this perplexing question "in the book". We must seekafter it, (Pv. 2:4-5). We must ask God for it, (Jas. 1:5; comp. I Kings 3:9, 12; 4:29). We must search the Scriptures, (Psa. 119:104, 98). And we must learn to wait on the Lord "in the sanctuary" where He dwells among His people, (Psa. 73:2-3, 12-17).
    Careless souls who leave God out of their lives do not understand what great danger constantly surrounds them. Nor do they understand how near they are approaching unto the place of eternal burnings. If they knew what horrible torments await them in the penitentiary of sinners, toward which they are rushing in rebellion against God, who alone can save them; surely they would repent. They would then realize that He pursues them ONLY to do them good -- motivated by His great, unsearchable love.
    0, THAT MEN MIGHT UNDERSTAND!

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eyes, in ways He does not appear to use with others. When you become so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted with this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven!

    When you are forgotten or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or the oversight, because thereby counted worthy to suffer with Christ -- that is VICTORY.
    When your good is evil spoken of, your wishes crossed, your taste offended, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you take it in patient, loving silence, -- that is VICTORY.
    When you are content with any food, raiment, climate, society, solitude, or any interruption by the will of God -- that is VICTORY!

    The secret to a miserable defeated life is quite simple: let a person become obsessed with the "cares riches, and pleasures" of this life, (Luke 8:7, 14).
    Take your heart and eyes off of Christ. Quench the Spirit by making excuses and insisting on your "right to decide". Set your heart on "riches", and never take your eyes off that goal; but don't forget Gehazi! And, as regards the alluring contagion of "pleasure", insist that you can "live only once", and that you must "sow your wild oats"; but never doubt that there will come a harvest!
    Victory? or defeat? The choice is YOURS -- for eternity.