Christ In Us

Woe unto us, if we force the Word of God and want to make the way to salvation broader than it is, as so many who abide in sin and deceive themselves about sonship with God, do to their own harm, when there indeed is no sin in Christ. Instead He died for it, that He might take away and abolish our sin and destroy the work of the devil.

But we cannot otherwise be in Christ or put Him on so as to appear in His person before the Father, unless we take off the devil, or the old man, with his works. Both, the old and the new, cannot live jointly in one person.

Neither is it required of man himself that he live as Christ lived—without sin, but it is Christ Himself Who can do it and does do it in us because it is His nature which He cannot deny. Those, therefore, who will excuse themselves with their human weakness for sin, are not in Christ; otherwise He would also be in them and He is not weak, but strong and He cannot sin, but can do only righteousness. Of this we are convinced.

So there is a lack of the right knowledge of the mystery: "Christ in us, the hope of glory," because men do not know what "to be in Christ" is and means and if we should be unable to find a purified church of sanctified children of God anywhere on earth, it would take nothing at all away from the power and the truth of the Word of God.
--Excerpt: S.H. Froehlich's Meditations on the Epistles of John Vol. II

Belief that Overcomes

But that’s not the type of belief that it was saying here. It says that he destroyed them that believed not. They all knew that they were taken out. But, brethren, they did not overcome.

And so it is with us today. The true defining belief in Jesus Christ is that belief that overcomes sin, is that belief that overcomes the world, is that belief that overcomes the unrighteousness and the carnality that is in the world. And for those that do not believe it, but they go back whoring after Egypt and lusting after Egypt, God destroyed them.

And so it will be with us. If our hearts go back towards Egypt and we begin to murmur and complain as they did, it will be among us.

It says, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” And so, again, brethren, if that’s happened to the angels, what would be … It says if the righteous scarcely be saved, what shall be the lot of the unjust and the wicked? Those that are committing fornication and going after strange flesh, as it says.

So we know that there is no eternal security. We know that, brethren, we have to stay on the narrow way. And that just because we’re an Apostolic and we’ve been baptized, doesn’t mean we’re just a shoo-in. We’ve got to press on in the right doctrine of this Word.

And we can’t be too careful. Match up the words that we speak. Match up the words that our brethren speak. Not that we don’t love or trust one another, but we’ve got to take this thing serious. We’ve got to make sure that this is what the Word is saying.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. D.D.

Just For Today

Lord, for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
Keep me from any stain of sin
Just for today.

Let me both diligently work and duly pray;
Let me be kind in word and deed
Just for today.

Let me be slow to do my will --
Prompt to obey;
Help me to sacrifice myself
Just for today.

Let me no wrong or idle word unthinking say --
Set Thou Thy seal upon my lips,
Just for today.

So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray,
But keep me, guide me, hold me, Lord,
Just for today.

--Samuel Wilberforce

We Must Be On Guard

The mystery of iniquity doth already work. The world has become accustomed to lies. When they have their programs, they are lied to all the time. The scenes, they are so accustomed to looking at lies, and loving lies, they will kind of like them. That will be their diet.

And here then their lying wonders will fit in. And why wouldn’t it be lying wonders, it is entirely possible that their scenes will not even be genuine. They may be just as deceptive as the programs today. They are capable of fooling the people, of deceiving them; they catch them off guard.

What will become of our faith? What will become of those embracing those things that we can’t see and finding the contentment and satisfaction in that; in contrast with what this man is going to offer?

It may be that some of this is going to happen after the rapture. But I’m not so sure about that.
But, even so, as far as the rapture is concerned, brethren, it is not said that everyone is going to be raptured. Only the true and faithful. Only those who have overcome.

That is why the Lord said, “In that night there shall be two in bed, the one taken and the other left. There shall be at that time two in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left.”

What makes the difference? One was an overcomer and the other one wasn’t. So that’s the whole situation.

It certainly behooves us, by His grace, to remain on the side of the overcomer.

Now, the Lord said, not only to pray. Now we all have faith in prayer. But, remember, He said, “Watch and pray.”

I’ve known some poor souls that have been pushed over, and carried away in the spur of the moment, that when we spoke to them afterwards, they said, “Well, I always prayed.” But the poor soul didn’t watch.

So those two go together. Watching and praying. Praying alone, and watching alone, isn’t sufficient.

We should have our eyes open and know and discern the time in which we are living. Simply to wander around blindly in this world, and pray, isn’t sufficient. We must be on guard.

Now we represent God, as a God of love, a God of great compassion, but evidently there is a time coming when the patience and the longsuffering of God runs out.

It occurs to me of Saul, the Israelite king in his day. Even though he was anointed with oil, he was consecrated as King of Israel, but he forsook God and what do we read? God sent an evil spirit upon Saul.

Why would God do it?

That is the final measure of a God-rejecting person, when he once had been consecrated. Who once had become, by the Grace of God, a child of God, and then spurned His grace, has willingly and deliberately departed from the true faith, finally God will let them have their measure.

If we don’t want to listen to things of God, that He reveals through the Scriptures, through His Holy Prophets, through the Holy Apostles; if they no longer constitute our guidelines and the positive inspired Word of God, and we begin to have ideas of our own, there will come a time when God will say, “All right, if that’s what you want, you can do it. But the consequences will be so and so.” And this is what this means, that they might all be damned who would believe not the Truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.

Now that need not be your lot and mine at all. It need not be our misfortune or our lot, but God has seen fit to inspire the Apostles to write this message for the purpose that we might be forewarned and that we might discern the times in which we are living.
--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. N.S. (1965)

Anti-Christ

In the Revelation, it is revealed to us some of the things this man [the Antichrist] is going to be able to do. We read it here, he is going to be able to perform signs and wonders.

In Revelation, we read he is able to make fire fall from heaven. He is going to be permitted to acquire great power to perform wonders and miracles to deceive, if possible, the very elect.

We might feel ourselves so secure that that thing couldn’t happen.

There is a man who is going to appear in this world, and he is going to impress the people that he is a man of God. And how can he present himself?

The Lord Jesus, so far as His appearance was concerned, He only appeared in a very small area. But when this man comes, he is going to be viewed by millions of these people on earth.

And how? His appearance is going to be televised. Those facilities are already functioning at the present time. Now world dignitaries have appeared in the living rooms of millions of homes. They have been almost worshipped, they have been adored, they have made their impression upon an unsuspecting audience.

It becomes our solemn duty to warn anyone who comes under this message.

Now this man is going to present a different gospel. He is not going to present the Gospel by which you and I have been converted. He is going to present an easier way for people to become followers of Christ.

“If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house.” Now why does it say ‘into your house?’ The Apostle Paul anticipated that that was going to happen.

Now we need not think we can exclude him altogether by locking the door when he can climb in through the antenna and visit the poor, unsuspecting people of this world. That makes people think that he is god. That’s the kind of world we’re living in.

We need to take heed and be fortified and prepared ever and always for such a crucial moment of time.

So these people are in a sort of half-sleep situation. It is time that we become awakened and brought to realization that we are confronted with such a time that never was, or ever will be, as the last desperate effort the devil is going to put forth to mislead you and me.

Whenever we have to see something, that is not faith. The Apostle said, “We have believed on Him in Whom we have not seen.” Are we going to believe on someone whom we can see, just because, in our view, in our presence, he is going to perform great signs and wonders? Are we going to be pushed over and believe by such an incident?

Now this deserves very serious consideration.

He [the Apostle] said this, ‘he opposes and exalted himself above all that is called god, or that is worshipped, so that he as god sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Now, why is this Scripture written? Why must we speak upon it?

For the express purpose that we don’t get caught.

It often occurs to me that those of you who are living, some will live at that time. I rather think a lot of you are going to have to go through this test.

One thing always remember, that when the devil offered the world to the Lord Jesus, He wouldn’t accept it.

The business is going to be between the Lord and His counterfeit. This one man is going to accept it, he is going to accept power from the dragon and the beast.
He is going to permit himself to be exalted.

He is going to accept honor from people which the Lord Jesus did not accept.
And are we going to be so gullible, and to be carried away, and impressed with something that we are going to be able to see?

The ingenuity of man seems wonderful, but behind it all lies a trick of the devil as a last resort to confuse and deceive the very elect.

Are we going to be able to sit in our homes and occupy ourselves with believing on Someone Whom we can’t see and edifying ourselves with the Words that He spoke?

Or are we going to want to gaze upon these people as they masquerade before the millions in this world?

That’s a question. And you have the answer!

--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. N.S. (1965)

Humble Preaching

Send, Lord, Thy holy teaching
To us in humble preaching,
Yet in the Spirit's pow'r,
That we, a new creation,
In love and true devotion
May bear our burden ev'ry hour.

Give faithful servants ever
Who have but one endeavor,
Thy Gospel to proclaim;
Who heed Thy Spirit holy
And strive and labor solely,
O, Lord, to glorify Thy name.
--Zion's Harp #207 vs. 4, 8

I Met God in the Morning

I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With His Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!
--Ralph Cushman

Getting Ready to Move

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. --II Corinthians 5:1

The owner of the tenement which I have occupied for many years has given notice that he will furnish but little or nothing more for repairs. I am advised to be ready to move.

At first this was not a very welcome notice. The surroundings here are, in many respects, very pleasant, and were it not for the evidence of decay, I should consider the house good enough. But even a light wind causes it to tremble and totter, and all the braces are not sufficient to make it secure.

So I am getting ready to move.

It is strange how quickly one's interest is transferred to the prospective home. I have been consulting maps of the new country and reading descriptions of its inhabitants. One who visited it has returned, and from him I learn that it is beautiful beyond description; language breaks down in attempting to tell of what he heard while there. He says that, in order to make an investment there, he has suffered the loss of all things that he owned here, and even rejoices in what others would call making a sacrifice.

Another, whose love to me has been proven by the greatest possible test, is now there. He has sent me several clusters of the most delicious fruits. After tasting them, all food here seems insipid.

Two or three times I have been down by the border of the river that forms the boundary, and have wished myself among the company of those who were singing praises to the King on the other side. Many of my friends have moved there. Before leaving, they spoke of my coming later. I have seen the smil upon their faces as they passed out of sight.

Often I am asked to make some new investments here, but my answer in every case is, "I am getting ready to move."

--Selected from Streams in the Desert

Characteristics of Charity

Charity = God's love lived out among us

Charity:

• Suffereth long
• Is kind
• Envieth not
• Vaunteth not itself (vaunt = to speak boastfully; brag)
• Is not puffed up (puffed up = feeling self-important; arrogant; pompous)
• Doth not behave itself unseemly (unseemly = unbecoming or indecorous in appearance, speech, conduct, etc.; inappropriate)
• Seeketh not her own
• Is not easily provoked (provoked = incited to anger, resentment or exasperation)
• Thinketh no evil
• Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth (iniquity = gross immorality or injustice; wickedness, sin)
• Beareth all things
• Believeth all things
• Hopeth all things
• Endureth all things.

Charity never faileth ...
--I Corinthians 13:4-8

Seek Ye First...

Can we not say, and is it not true that it is today like it was in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah? As we were reminded here that they were planting and they were eating, they were marrying and they were building, and they were selling and buying and all this and that.

But we are in a time, dear ones, I often have to think, where the buying and selling of the material things is really taking overhand, even in the hearts of the children of God. There we have to watch, dear ones, first and above all things. The Lord and Saviour said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all these things shall be added unto you." And certainly we can say, dear ones, we have lack of nothing as far as the material things are concerned.

But this seems to be such a dangerous time for the children of God. Even though we do not have persecution from without where we are driven from one city to the other as the disciples and the members were in those days and times, but we have an inner persecution. We have to fight against flesh and blood; we have to walk in the Spirit, as we were reminded here the other evening. Not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. That is our calling; that is the place where we must be.

And God will give us the enlightenment in His Holy Word in order that we can walk as the true children of God, to be the salt of the earth, to be a bright and shining light to the children of men that are around and about us.
--Sermon Excerpt: Bro. E.G. (1964)

Humility

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.
–-Lewis

Are We Dead?

"For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God."

Are we dead? That just means as when we repented, did we not say we have died unto the natural life, unto the sinful life, unto that old sinful man? Indeed we made that confession. We have died and now the new man could arise. And if this new man has arise, as we have read here, then this new man could control - should dare to control - and not let the old man come up again. So then we can prove it that we have died unto sin.

--Sermon Excerpt: Elder Bro. P.B.

Where...

Where is the Spirit's witness in this day?
Denying self, the Lord we should obey.
--Zion's Harp #111 vs. 2

Would We Truly Long for Heaven?

Would we truly long for heaven
If this life was perfect here,
If we had no pain or heartache,
If we never shed a tear?

If we had no disappointments,
And our dreams would all come true,
Could we keep that heavenly vision
And that deep eternal view?

Would we truly long for Heaven
If we never gave a sigh,
If the old were always taken,
And the young would never die?

If we had no cherished loved ones
Waiting at the eastern gate,
Would we truly long for Heaven
And reunion that awaits?

Would we truly long for Heaven
At the ending of the road,
If our backs were never bleeding
From the burden of the load?

If the sun was always shining,
If we never felt a gale,
Would we long for Heaven’s Harbour
To be safe within the veil?

Would we truly long for Heaven
And the bliss of yonder shore,
If we had no loved ones tugging
On the line at Heaven’s door?

If our precious family circle
Never was broken here below,
Would we truly long for Heaven
Where our loved ones we shall know?

Yes, dear Savior, we are longing
To be safe on Heaven’s shore,
And these trials only make us
Long for Heaven more and more.

And we see that Thou art using
Every trial of each day
As a tug from Heaven’s anchor
Just to pull us Heaven’s way.
--Elizabeth Drudge / Lena Martin