HE SEEKS THE VERY YOUNG

 “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” Mark 10:14, 15.

Christ is to-day the same compassionate Savior as when He walked among men. He is as verily the helper of mothers now as when He gathered the little ones to His arms in Judea. The children of our hearths are as much the purchase of His blood as were the children of long ago…When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages, - to officers of the church, ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children, and He bids us, “Suffer them to come;” as if He would say, They will come, if you do not hinder them. Let not your unchrist like character misrepresent Jesus. Do not keep the little ones away from Him by your coldness and harshness. Never give them cause to feel that heaven would not be a pleasant place to them if you were there……

Do not give give them the false impression that the religion of Christ is a religion of gloom, and that in coming to the Savior they must give up all that makes life joyful.

As the Holy Spiirt moves upon the hearts of the children, co-operate with His work. Teach them that the Saviour is calling them, that nothing can afford Him greater joy than for them to give themselves to him in the bloom and freshness of their years.

The Saviour regards with infinite tenderness the souls whom He has purchased with his blood. They are the claim of his Love. He looks upon them with unutterable longing.

WE ARE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 2 Cor. 5:19.

Look, O look to Jesus and live! You cannot but be charmed with the Matchless attractions of the Son of God. Christ was God manifest in the flesh, the mystery hidden for ages, and in our acceptance or rejection of the Saviour of the world are involved eternal interests.

By sin man was shut out from God. Except for the plan of redemption, eternal separation from God, the darkness of unending night, would have been his. Through the Saviour's sacrifice, communion with God is again made possible. we may not in person approach into His presence; in our sin we may not look upon His face; but we can behold Him and commune with Him in Jesus, the Saviour....God is "in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself".....

The life and the death of Christ, the price of our redemption, are not only to us the promise and pledge of life, nor only the means of opening again to us the treasures of wisdom; they are a broader, higher revelation of His character than even the holy ones of Eden knew. And while Christ opens heaven to man, the life which He imparts opens the heart of man to heaven. Sin not only shuts us away from God, but destroys in the human soul both the desire and the capacity for knowing Him. All this work of evil it is Christ's mission to undo. The faculties of the soul, paralyzed by sin, the darkened mind, the perverted will, He has power to invigorate and to restore. He opens too us the riches of the universe. and by Him the power to discern and to appropriate these treasures is imparted.

HE MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US

“For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in hi.” 2 Cor. 5:21.

God permitted His beloved Son, full of grace and truth to come from a world of indescribable glory, to a world marred and blighted with sin, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse. He permitted him to leave the bosom of His love, the adoration of the angels, to suffer shame, insult, humiliation, hatred, and death….Behold Him in the wilderness, in Gethsemane, upon the cross! The spotless Son of God took upon Himself the burden of sin. He who had been one with God, felt in His sol the awful separation that sin makes between God and man. This wrung from His lips the anguished cry, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” It was the burden of sin, the sense of its terrible enormity, of its separation of the soul from God, - It was this that broke the heart of the Son of God.

But this great sacrifice was not made in order, to create in the Father’s heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save. No, no! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.”

The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us. Christ was the medium through which He could pour out His infinite love upon a fallen world….None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He who was in the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knew the height and depth of the Love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father’s love to lost humanity.

HOPE WILL ANCHOR THE SOUL

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” Heb. 6:19.

It is true that disappointments will come, tribulation we must expect; but we are to commit everything great and small to God. He does not become perplexed by the multiplicity of our grievances, nor overpowered by the weight of our burdens. His watchcare extends too every household, and encircles every individual; He is concerned in all our business and our sorrows. He marks every tear; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. All the afflictions and trials that befall us here are permitted, to work out His purposes of love toward us, - “that we might be partakers of His holiness,” and thus become participants in that fullness of joy which is found in His presence….

The meager views which so many have had of the exalted character and office of Christ have narrowed their religious experience, and have greatly hindered their progress in the divine life. Personal religion among us as a people is at a low ebb. There is much from, much machinery, much tongue religion; but something deeper and more solid must be brought into our religious experience…..It is the work of the Christina in this life to represent Christ to the world, in life and character unfolding the blessed Jesus. If God has given us light, it is that we may reveal it to others. But in comparison with the light we have received, and the opportunities and privileges granted us to reach the hearts of the people, the results of our work thus far have been too small….WE must search the Scriptures diligently, prayerfully; our understanding must be quickened by the Holy Spirit, and our hearts must be uplifted too God in faith and hope and continual praise.

CONSOLATION AND GOOD HOPE THROUGH GRACE

“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good work and work.” 2 Thess. 2:16, 17.

In the religious life of every soul who is finally victorious, there will be scenes of terrible perplexity and trial; but his knowledge of the Scriptures will enable him to bring to mind the encouraging promises of God, which will comfort his hearts, and strengthen his faith in the power of the Mighty One.

The trial of faith is more precious than gold. All should learn that this is a part of the discipline in the school of Christ. Which is essential to purify and refine them from the dross of earthliness. They must endure with fortitude the taunts and attacks of enemies, and overcome all obstacles that Satan may place in their path to hedge up the way. He will try to lead them to neglect prayer, and to discourage them in the study of the Scriptures; and he will throw his hateful shadow athwart their path, to hide Christ and the heavenly attractions from their view.

None should go along shrinking and trembling under continual doubt, sowing their path with complaining; but all should look up to God, and see his goodness, and rejoice in His love . Summon all your powers to look up, not down at your difficulties, then you will never faint by the way. You will soon see Jesus behind the cloud, reaching out His hand to help you; and all you have to do, is to give Him your hand in simple faith, and let Him lead you. As you become trustful you will, through faith in Jesus, become hopeful. The light shining from the cross of Calvary will reveal to you God’s estimate of the soul, and appreciating that estimate, you will seek to reflect the light to the world.

WE MUST SEEK HIM

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” Prov. 8:17.

Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He honors with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has promised that when they come together to seek Him, to acknowledge their sins, and to pray for one another, He will meet with them by His Spirit. But those who assemble to worship Him should put away every evil thing.. Unless they worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness, their coming together will be of no avail.

We must turn away from a thousand topics that invite attention. There are matters that consume time and arouse inquiry, but end in nothing. The highest interests demand the close attention and energy that are so often given to comparatively insignificant things…..

“What think ye of Christ?” – This is the all-important question. Do you receive Him as a personal Saviour? Too all who receive Him He gives power to become sons of God. Christ revealed God to His disciples in a way that performed in their hearts a special work, such as He desires to do in our hearts. There are many who, in dwelling too largely upon theory, have lost sight of the living power of the Saviour’s example. They have lost sight of Him as the humble, self- denying worker. What they need is to behold Jesus. Daily we need the fresh revealing of His presence. We need to follow more closely His example of self-renunciation and self-sacrifice…The knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ expressed in character is an exaltation above everything else that is esteemed on earth or in heaven.

WE MUST DESIRE TO KNOW HIM

“For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6.

We have no time to lose. We know not how soon our probation may close. At the longest, we have but a brief lifetime here, and we know not how soon the arrow of death may strike our hearts. We know not how soon we may be called to give up the world and all its interests. Eternity stretches before us. The curtain is about to be lifted. But a few short years, and for every now numbered with the living the mandate will go forth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; ….and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.:

Are we prepared? Have we become acquainted with God, the Governor of Heaven, the Lawgiver, and with Jesus Christ whom He sent into the world as His representative? When our life-work is ended, shall we be able to say, as did Christ our example: “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do…..I have manifested Thy name”?

The angels of God are seeking to attract us from ourselves and from earthly things. Let them not labor in vain….The thoughts must be centered upon God. We must put forth earnest effort to overcome the evil tendencies of the natural heart. Our efforts, our self-denial and perseverance, must be proportionate to the infinite value of the object of which we in pursuit. Only by overcoming as Christ overcame shall we win the crown of life.

The knowledge of God as reveled in His word is the knowledge to be given to our children…Let the youth make the Word of God the food of mind and soul.

GOD’S THRONE IS IN HEAVEN

“The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes behold,, his eyelids try, the children of men.” Ps. 11:4.

The Bible shows us God in his high and holy place, not in a state of inactivity, not in silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy beings, all waiting to do His will. Through these messengers He is in active communication with every part of His dominion. By His Spirit He is everywhere present. Through the agency of His Spirit and His angels, He ministers to the children of men.

Above the distractions of the earth He sits enthroned; all things are open to His divine survey; and form His great and calm eternity He orders that which His providence sees best…..

Our knowledge of God is partial and imperfect. When the conflict is ended, and the Man Christ Jesus acknowledges before the Father His faithful workers, who in a world of sin have borne true witness for Him, they will understand clearly what now are mysteries too them.

Christ took with Him to the heavenly courts His glorified humanity. To those who receive Him He gives power to become the sons of God, that at last Good may receive them as His, to dwell with Him throughout eternity. If during this life they are loyal to God, they will at last “see his face; and His name shall be in their foreheads." And what is the happiness of heaven but to see God? What grater joy could come to the sinner saved by the grace of Christ than to look upon the face of God, and know Him as Father?