"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity", (Matt. 7:21-23).
    Many people flippantly speak of Jesus Christ as "the Lord" without ever yielding their hearts & lives to His actual lordship. "Lord" is from the Greek "kurios" and suggests "power, or authority". It is used of: one who owns something, or has it at his disposal; one to whom service is due; an emperor or king. It is further used as a title of respect in addressing one's father or husband. It is equivalent to the word "Jehovah" in the Old Testament, (Matt. 4:7). No one can truly acknowledge Jesus Christ as LORD except through the Holy Spirit; talk is cheap! (I Cor. 12:3)
    In the day of judgment many will claim to have done many wonderful and marvelous things "in Jesus

name". But nothing is actually done in His name unless: He has specifically commanded it; it is done according to His "order" or it Passes the WORD TEST, (Jn. l2:46-48).
    Mere sincerity does not make anything acceptable with God. One may be sincerely wrong -- deceived. Satan appears as an angel of light. His ministers appear as ministers of righteousness. His churches are designed to confuse and destroy the souls of men by turning them aside (by varying degrees) from the way our Lord has commanded.
    The great emphasis of false churches is on "getting the job done" and on "doing great things for God". Many actually deceive themselves into believing that they can do the Lord's work in a way that departs from His appointment -- actually idolizing their own schemes and devices, (Gal. 6:3; Isa. 44:13-20; Rev. 3:17).
    The only way to be acceptable for God and His kingdom is to do His will from the heart, (Psa. 40:8; Matt. 12:50; John 7:17; Eph. 6:6; Col. 4:12; Jas. 4:l5). There is no place of honor and blessedness in God's kingdom for self-deceived religious pretenders. Even saved men must beware of the peril of imagining they can do God's work in a way

that is contrary to His commandment. Whatever is contrary to God's Word is regarded as iniquitous -- crooked and rebellious. No wonder God despises such actions!

When the King in His beauty shall
    come to His throne
And around Him are gathered His
    loved ones, His own;
There be some who will knock at His
    fair palace door,
To be answered within, "There is
    mercy no more;

They had known whence He came, and
    the grace which He brought;
In their presence He healed, in
    their streets He had taught;
They had mentioned His name and
    their friendship professed;
But they never believed, for of
    them He confessed:

Now the righteous are reigning
    with Abraham there;
But for these is appointed an
    endless despair;
It is vain that they call: He once
    knocked at their gate,
But they welcomed Him not; so now
    this is their fate:

O rebel, give heed to this story
    of gloom,
For the hour is fast nearing that
    fixes YOUR doom;
Will YOU still reject mercy? still
    harden your heart?
Oh, then, what will you do as the
    King cries, "DEPART"!


    A reminder comes from Pastor Willie Spilman, and the Bethel MBC, of Arvada, Colorado, that the time is drawing near for their fellowship meeting July 21-23. The first service will be held on Wednesday evening. A good meeting is expected.
    It is my intention, Lord willing, to be present for this meeting. And I look forward to sharing the fellowship of the Gospel with many brethren.
Let us come in full assurance,
We whose hearts are purified
By the Precious Blood of Jesus
And in whom His words abide:
Great things let us ask, undoubting,
Through our faith in Him made bold;
He is faithful, who has promised --
He will nothing good withhold!

    During His earthly ministry the Son of God laid claim to the unreserved loyalty of His disciples. So strong are His claims, and so utterly contrary to the spirit of "democracy" insisted on by modern liberalism, that a concerted effort was made by religious "liberals" to evolve a Christless gospel. This effort to circumscribe the Christ of the New Testament records to the rationalism of contemporary social philosophy was simply the product of a desire for a gospel that left men free to do his own thing.
    It is not sufficient to say that Jesus INVITED discipleship; He COMMANDED it. To Peter and Andrew, James and John He said: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:l9). They immediately left their nets and followed Him. The call of Matthew-Levi was no less emphatic. Their lives must belong to Him -- exclusively. No one could serve two Masters, (Matt. 23:10).
    To be worthy of Jesus Christ requires whole-hearted dedication. To love father, mother, son or daughter more is to be "unworthy". One must be willing to forsake all -- to take up his cross and follow Jesus with whole-hearted allegiance, (Matt. 10:37-38). No sovereign ever made a more absolute claim on the lives of his subjects. Yet, the call of Jesus Christ is a call to LIBERTY -- to freedom regulated by law, the law of love.
    Divine love governs the relationship that exists between Christ and His people. He commanded His disciples to "love one another as

I have loved you", (Jn. 15:12). Obedience to His Word both evidences one's love for Christ and assures a continuance IN His love, (Jn. 14:23-24; 15:10). Love for one's brethren is the surest evidence of genuine discipleship, (Jn. 13:35).
    The words Jesus spoke were not merely pedantic -- as those of a great teacher; they were charged with AUTHORITY. He spoke as a king. When He sent out the twelve they were not to take provisions for their journey. Their needs were to be met by those to whom they ministered. Wherever men were unwilling to obey Christ's order His disciples were to "shake off the dust" of their feet; they were unworthy of His blessing.
    It was the claim of Jesus that His words were of eternal significance. They would not pass away -- being more permanent than the heavens and the earth. They would ultimately be used to judge men "in the last day", (Matt. 24:35; John 12:46-48).
    Does He have the loyalty and loving devotion of YOUR heart?


    By the time most readers receive this issue of the CLARION HERALD the editor will be in Anchorage Alaska (Lord willing), with Bro. Leonard C. Ford and His brethren in a revival effort. We desire the prayers of brethren in behalf of this effort to reach lost souls, to strengthen God's people and to honor the name of our dear Lord.

My God, how wonderful thou art,
    Thy majesty how bright!
How glorious is thy mercy seat,
    In depths of burning light!

Yet I may love thee too, 0 Lord,
    Almighty as thou art;
For thou hast stooped to ask of me
    The love of my poor heart.

No earthly father loves like thee,
    No mother half so mild
Bears & forbears, as thou hast done
    With me, thy sinful child.

My God, how wonderful thou art,
    Thou everlasting Friend!
On thee I stay my trusting heart,
Till faith in vision end.

    There ought to be about every Christian a sense of power and triumph. He ought to impress the world as being charged with a divine electricity, drunk on heavenly wine. He has no right to cringe through this world and talk in an apologetic tone. If we have the only answer to the world's problems, the only cure for its ills, we have a right to speak with authority and not to be cowed by the fear of man. The world had better cringe, and cringe it will if we call its bluff and meet its bravado with the courage of God.
    We are persuaded that many precious testimonies are being lost today because of enervating fear. Often a super-sensitiveness and over-conscientiousness becomes so fixed in the heart of a well-meaning and sincere Christian that he mistakes it for a mark of piety and confuses it with true humility. To distrust self is indeed proper, but when we have committed all to God, THEN to go on doubting is TO DOUBT GOD! So Jeremiah needs to be braced up and bidden not to be afraid of rebellious faces. Ezekiel is given an adamant face, and Timothy is exhorted not to despise his youth. For ours is the spirit of power and Satan dreads that power, so he tricks us with ruses so clever that we fancy we please God, while in reality we possess a cowardice that is not humility. -- Vance Havner
    Let us never forget that "the battle is the Lord's"; by faith we may enter into His triumph -- being "more than conquerors".