| Christian Life and Doctrine | October 1949 |
“Songs in the Night”
OCTOBER 1
Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.—John 16:22
WHAT are our joys which no man taketh from us, and which persecution and affliction and trouble can only deepen and widen and make more sweet? What joy is this? This joy is a foretaste of the blessings to come, an earnest of our inheritance. It is inspired by confidence that he is both able and willing to perfect the work which he has begun and which we desire shall be perfected in his own best way; confidence that so long as we are firmly holding to his gracious promises with the arms of our faith, he will not permit us to be separated from him. Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ? Shall tribulation and persecution? Our confidence is that no one is able to pluck us out of the Father’s hand (John 10:29), and that “the Father himself loveth” us, and will not turn us away so long as we desire to abide obediently in his love. Yea, we are confident that all things are working together for good to those who love God; confident that he who is for us is more powerful than all who can be against us. Such confidence is sure to bring joy beyond the world’s comprehension, and a peace of God that passeth all understanding, which keeps the heart.—Z 1897-305 (Hymn 226)
OCTOBER 2
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.—Ephesians 5:1
IT IS high time that we learn that we cannot serve God and Mammon, and that we choose between these. If we do not choose the Lord and his service and place these first before our hearts’ affections, we will be counted as placing the others first—the interests of the natural man—and the Lord’s appreciation of us and the reward he will give us will correspond. He has indeed blessings for all the families of the earth, but the special blessing presented in the exceeding great and precious promises of glory, honor, and immortality are for those who love him supremely, more than they love houses or lands, business or wealth, family or kindred or self. Our exhortation to all who have forsaken all to follow the Lord is that we do not look back, that we estimate that we have made the grandest bargain imaginable, that we are in the way for obtaining the grandest prize imaginable, together with association with our Lord in his wonderful work and with the divine approval.—Z 1906-46 (Hymn 312A)
OCTOBER 3
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews 4:16
WHILE prayer is a privilege and not a command, our condition makes it a necessity. Because of the fall of man from his original perfection our flesh has imperfections, frailties; and yet we, as new creatures, have responsibility for these weaknesses. The only way to discharge these responsibilities is to go to the throne of grace and there obtain help in time of need. Whoever, therefore, goes frequently to the throne of grace in prayer thus indicates that he recognizes the necessity of using the opportunity which God has provided in his interest and as his privilege.—Z 1913-85 (Hymn 162)
OCTOBER 4
Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels—Luke 9:26
THE Word of God is not merely the Bible, but it includes sermons, tracts, books, etc., in proportion as they contain and truly represent the message of God’s dear Son. This brings the matter still more closely home, and it implies that we are not to be ashamed of any of the doctrines presented in the Bible, nor to be ashamed of any literature which in the Lord’s providence has been prepared and which represents his truth and expounds and illustrates it. The Lord would have a free-minded, openhearted people, whose hearts would be so loyal to him and to the truth which he represents that they would gladly surrender everything, even life itself, rather than in any measure impede its progress, rather than in any measure bring dishonor or discredit upon it. On the contrary, those who are not ashamed of the Lord and his Word, and who realize that there is nothing in them to be ashamed of, but on the contrary everything to rejoice in, to exult in, will seek to lift high the royal banner, to tell the good tidings of great joy to the extent of their ability, to co-operate with all others who are thus showing forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.—Z 1906-152 (Hymn 118)
OCTOBER 5
I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.—I Corinthians 9:27
COULD we but keep ever before our minds the thought that we are on trial now, being tested, that we are being given opportunity to prove the sincerity and depth of our consecration to the Lord and to righteousness, the effect would surely be to spur us and energize us in the ways of the Lord. Let us remember, then, that this keeping under of the body appertains to our food as well as to our drink, to our thoughts as well as to our speech. Indeed all the difficulties with which we are obliged to contend begin in our thoughts, and by these, therefore, is the new creature properly and justly measured by the Lord, who judges us not according to the imperfections of the flesh, which we have inherited, but according to our new spirits, our new minds, our new intentions, our new wills, our new hearts, and the energy and activity which these put forth in the keeping of the mortal body in subjection to the spirit, and so far as possible to the letter of the divine requirement.—Z 1906-362 (Hymn 191)
OCTOBER 6
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.—Psalm 141:3
THE Lord’s people find the tongue the most difficult member to bring into subjection, and therefore may well pray, “Keep the door of my lips.” And if the prayer be sincere, from the heart, it will imply that the petitioner is doing all in his power in this direction himself while seeking the divine aid. And the divine aid comes in line with this lesson, and assures us that the lips are not at fault, that it is the heart that needs a completion of the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” The lesson here is that whatever difficulty we have through our lips needs correction at the heart. We need to get our hearts more in accord with the heart of the Almighty—more in tune with the gracious elements of the divine character, represented not only in justice toward others, but additionally in mercy, love, kindness, and benevolence toward all.—Z 1906-82 (Hymn 145)
OCTOBER 7
The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow therewith.—Proverbs 10:22, R.V.
WHOEVER has the Lord’s blessing is rich indeed, regardless of the amount of this world’s goods which he possesses. Of what value is all the wealth of a Croesus if it bring not peace, joy, and happiness? Wherever we go we find all—rich and poor—seeking pleasure, seeking the springs of joy; but how few of these seekers ever find it! Alas! it seems impossible for the world to understand the great fact that the blessing of the Lord constitutes the true fund of riches and pleasures forevermore—more than the life that now is, and the coming one! Those whom the Lord makes rich with his promises and his favor, his guidance and his blessing, have the joy which others are vainly seeking. These true riches during this Gospel age are obtainable by all who have the “hearing ear,” and who learn of God’s favor in Christ. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of divine wisdom, love, and power.—Z 1913-30 (Hymn 179)
OCTOBER 8
That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.—Ephesians 5:27
EVERY error, every slip, every mistake, is a spot upon our wedding garment and should be repented of and expunged. With great humility we should go to the Master that we might have such spots promptly cleansed away; as it is written, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us [new creatures] from all sin.” Thus we are able to abide in his love. Those who neglect this matter may find themselves increasingly careless respecting the spotlessness of their robes, until perhaps, if they do not fall completely into the second death, they find their garments bedraggled and unfit for the wedding. The bride must be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, and the arrangement on her behalf by her Bridegroom is ample to this end. Those, therefore, who for any reason allow the spots to accumulate, and do not have them cleansed, will have a further test and be obliged to decide to return like the sow to her wallowing in the mire of sin, and thus come under the condemnation of the second death, or else, as members of the great company, they must wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, in the great tribulation with which this age will end.—Z 1910-218 (Hymn 215)
OCTOBER 9
Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.—Romans 12:1
THESE words of the apostle apply not only to the primary consecration of our hearts to the Lord, but are, as the Scriptures express it, a covenant of sacrifice, an agreement to die daily to self and to be alive daily more and more in the Lord’s service, to glorify him in our bodies and spirits which are his. If this has not been our attitude in the past shall it not be our future course? Shall we not in any event continue to grow in knowledge, to grow in love, in service, in worship, and in the privilege of laying our little all at the feet of him who is our gracious Heavenly King, whose kingdom is so soon to be established, and who has invited us to sit with him in his throne, to share his glory, to be participants as spiritual Israel in the great work of pouring out blessings upon the world of mankind, every kindred, people, nation, and tongue?—Z 1906-15 (Hymn 14)
OCTOBER 10
Jesus said unto then, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger.—John 6:35
ONLY by partaking largely, regularly, daily, of our Lord, his merit, and his gracious arrangements for us, can we become strong in him, and prosecute the journey faithfully and enter into the spiritual Canaan. As every Israelite was required to gather manna for himself, so each Christian is required to gather and appropriate the truth. We must do our own part along spiritual lines, as well as along earthly lines. The graces of the Holy Spirit cannot be expected to come to perfection without preparatory planting, pruning, cultivating. Some one has well said, “Rooming at a college does not make a scholar, nor occupying a pew in church make a Christian.” To grow strong in the Lord and in the power of his might we must feed upon him daily—we must appreciate and appropriate the merits of his sacrifice.—Z 1913-218 (Hymn 189)
OCTOBER 11
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.—I Peter 1:7
WHAT is God seeking in us? The development and perfection of faith! The first element in it is to believe in him as a faithful, wise, true God; and secondly, to believe in his revelation of Jesus as his Son, and the One through whom he has provided a covering for our imperfections, our blemishes, past, present, and future. This is the essential phase which must be held on to, and which he will therefore test in order to prove our loyalty. This is the faith that must grow stronger as the days and months and years roll by. This is the faith through which will he reckoned to us the merit of Christ’s atonement, and through which we will have reconciliation. This is the faith that will trust the Lord even where it cannot trace him, as did Abraham when he believed that God was able and willing to fulfill his promise, even though it should imply the resurrection of Isaac from the dead. We must learn, we must develop, at least that much faith also, so that we will believe in God and the fulfillment of his promises even though the fulfillment of them signifies not only our own resurrection from the dead to glory, honor, and immortality, but signifies also an awakening of all the families of the earth from the prison-house of the tomb, that they may have fulfilled toward them the gracious promise made to Abraham—“In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Without such faith in God and in his promises it will be impossible to please him and to become of the elect class which he is now selecting.—Z 1907-170 (Hymn 201)
OCTOBER 12
By patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.—Romans 2:7
WHAT are we seeking? This is a good question for each one of us to put to himself, and for us to suggest at a proper time to all others who are manifesting any interest in present truth. We know what the world is seeking—wealth, honor, fame, ease, etc.—and we know that many who turn toward the Lord still have the spirit of the world. They would like to be the Lord’s disciples and still have and cultivate and enjoy the hopes and ambitions that are more or less worldly. It is appropriate that we should give heed to the Master’s words as though they were addressed to each of us individually, What are you seeking? Let us answer our Master in our own hearts and in prayer; and before we make answer let us consider well that it may be a truthful one, for we might indeed deceive ourselves, but could not deceive him with whom we have to do. It is right that we should seek the kingdom and that we should know that there is a great honor and glory and dignity associated with it by divine arrangement, and that thus we should “seek for glory, honor, and immortality.” But in conjunction with this seeking of the kingdom we should remember our Master’s words on another occasion, that we should seek chiefly the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Z 1908-13 (Hymn 78)
OCTOBER 13
Put on therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, … humbleness of mind.—Colossians 3:12
EVERYTHING in the Scriptures points us to the fact that humility is a quality most essential to all of the Lord’s people who would be used of the Lord in any important or special work for him. If the followers of the Lord could continually keep this in memory, and would persistently shape their course accordingly, how much they would be used, we may be sure. Any service for the Lord is an honor; but the more we are permitted to serve, the more will be our blessing in the present life, and the greater also will be our reward in the life to come. Let us, therefore, as the apostle says, humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may exalt us in due time.—Z 1913-186 (Hymn 267)
OCTOBER 14
We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.—I John 2:1
WHY do we need an Advocate? Because, although as new creatures we are free from condemnation and have fullest relationship with the Father and can go to him at “the throne of heavenly grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in every time of need,” nevertheless we new creatures have not our new bodies and will not have them until we receive them in the first resurrection. Meantime, according to divine arrangement, we must use our earthly bodies, which both God and we acknowledge to be imperfect. Since we can act only through our bodies, it follows that “we cannot do the things that we would,” because “in our flesh dwelleth no perfection.” But if, through the weakness or ignorance of the flesh we err, the divine provision for us is that our Advocate, whose ransom merit was applied to us, will appear for us (figuratively apply his merit) for the cancellation of our unintentional misdeeds and thus maintain us in the Father’s sight without spot or wrinkle.—Z 1909-347 (Hymn 141)
OCTOBER 15
Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.—Matthew 28:20
THIS text contains a precious thought—that the Lord has been with his representatives in all their labors of love and self-denial, throughout the entire age, noting their efforts, assisting, encouraging, sustaining them, and surely watering and refreshing all who are making his service their special object in life—ministering his grace to others, watering and feeding them. And if this has been true in the past, all through the age, how specially true we may realize it to be now, in the end of the age, in the time of harvest, in the time of our Lord’s second presence! How we may realize that he is with us, in sympathy, in co-operation, in assistance, in sustaining grace, able and willing to make all of our experiences profitable to us, and to use us abundantly in showing forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light!—Z 1903-91 (Hymn 226)
OCTOBER 16
The will of the Lord be done.—Acts 21:14
THERE is a valuable lesson for all of the Lord’s dear people in these words. We should each seek to know the will of the Lord. If first of all our consecration be complete, even unto death, it will mean that we are seeking to know what the will of the Lord is respecting us, and it will mean that as we learn his will we will do it at any cost. It will mean that we will be on the outlook for the Lord’s providences in all of our affairs, realizing that nothing happens by chance to those who are in covenant relationship with God, as members of the body of Christ, that all things must work together for good to them. A fuller realization of the divine care over the elect would doubtless often guide our steps aright by directing the eye of faith to expect the Lord’s leadings and to look for them in all matters that are of any importance.—Z 1903-127 (Hymn 177)
OCTOBER 17
Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.—John 15:8
IT IS not sufficient that we hear the message of the kingdom; it is not sufficient that we have good hearts or good intentions in respect to it; it is additionally necessary, as the Master says, that we should understand the kingdom message; hence the need of Bible study. Intelligent people consider it very wise and proper that several years of study be devoted to preparation for the few years of earthly life. How much study, then, should be considered proper for our preparation for the eternal life and kingdom blessings? The time and effort thus consumed in character development for the kingdom are wisely spent, and the harvest of thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold in this parable illustrates the degree and intensity of our earnestness. The rewards in the kingdom will also be proportionate. “One star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” Varying degrees of glory in the kingdom will be manifested, yet none will be acceptable to the Father who shall not have brought forth fruitage in good measure; the “well done” will never be pronounced if not merited.—Z 1910-203 (Hymn 49)
OCTOBER 18
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.—Matthew 6:33
OUR chief concern as followers of Christ is to seek to attain a share in God’s kingdom with our dear Redeemer—a share in the millennial kingdom as the bride of Christ, who shall sit with him in his glorious throne for the blessing and uplifting of the world of mankind. We have our Master’s assurance for it that whoever pursues this course will do wisely and that God will look out for his earthly interests, for his highest welfare. So doing, our lives will be crowned with peace and joy and rest in the Lord, which in his Word he has promised those who trust him.—Z 1910-73 (Hymn 8)
OCTOBER 19
If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take us his cross, and follow Me.—Matthew 16:24
IT IS fortunate for us that in the outstart we do not, cannot, estimate or appreciate the full meaning of the words, sacrifice, cross-bearing, etc. If we could look into the future and see from the start the various trials and difficulties to be encountered in the narrow way doubtless few of us would have the courage to make the consecration and the start—if we could not see or appreciate beforehand the rewards and blessings which under divine providence come to us in connection with every trial—more than compensating us for every earthly self-denial and endurance. Nor can we in advance appreciate how the Lord wishes to test our zeal and our faith by letting us come to the crosses of life one at a time, and letting us see their ruggedness—hiding from us the assisting hand by which, as soon as we take hold of the cross and put forth our efforts, our Lord lifts the real weight of it, so that we have no more at any time than we are able to bear. So careful is he of all those who thus become his footstep followers and cross-bearers, and prospectively his joint-heirs in the kingdom, that he will not suffer them “to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape.”—Z 1903-344 (Hymn 279)
OCTOBER 20
Let me die the death of the Righteous, and let my last end be like His!—Numbers 23:10
OUR Lord Jesus was the Righteous One, and when we think of death we are to think of him and his death, and to remember that as he laid down his life we also ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brethren. As he sacrificed earthly interests and advantages and privileges and pleasures that he might die the sacrificial death in accord with the divine plan, so let us remember that we have covenanted similarly to be “dead with him.” For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him; if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him. Our hope of participation with him in his resurrection to glory, honor, and immortality is based upon our faithfulness in participating with him in his death, which means also a share with him in the sufferings of this present time. But standing as we do with the Pisgah prospect before us, strengthened by might in the inner man, why should either death or its attendant sufferings deter us? Nay, in all these things we will rejoice and triumph through our Lord and Redeemer, our Head!—Z 1907-269 (Hymn 325)
OCTOBER 21
Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.—Hebrews 8:3
OUR Lord had himself, the Perfect One, to offer—a sacrifice well pleasing to the Father. No other soul in all the world could have presented this sacrifice, for no other was worthy, and any addition to it would have been not only a superfluity, but an insult to him who arranged the plan. But the redemption having been guaranteed in our Lord’s death, Justice could make no objection, and did make no objection to his appropriating a portion of this merit to those who, believing in him and being justified by faith in his blood, and thus accounted righteous, should desire to follow in his steps of sacrifice, and be counted in with him, and have their sacrifices counted in as a part of his sacrifice on behalf of the sins of the whole world. In order to be members of this royal priesthood, then, it was necessary that we offer something, and we offer ourselves. We offer ourselves, not as ourselves, but as those justified through our Redeemer’s merit, and desirous of being counted in as members of his body, and having whatever sacrifice we may perform counted in as a part of the general sacrifice of our Lord. The Heavenly Father is pleased to accept the matter in this way; more than this, he planned it and foreshadowed it in the typical sacrifices of ancient times.—Z 1904-50 (Hymn 52)
OCTOBER 22
I am the living Bread which came down from heaven.—John 6:51
WHEN our Lord declared himself to be the Bread from heaven many of his hearers failed to comprehend the metaphor, and said, This is a hard saying. Will this man give us of his flesh to eat? They failed to see that our Lord personified the truth, the great plan of God which centered in him, the life which he had come to give on behalf of the world, that we might live through him. To eat the flesh of Jesus literally would have merely produced flesh, but to eat of him in the sense of partaking of the blessings and mercies of God provided in him, and in the sense of appropriating his spirit and disposition, is the proper thought. As we partake of our Lord’s qualities they become ours, as we feed upon him in our hearts we become strong in faith and, in all the graces of his spirit. Let us then daily gather our portion of manna and daily seek to use it all, and realize that it will be our portion until we reach the heavenly Canaan. Surely then all the supply of divine grace experienced by the Lord’s faithful should be stimulating to our faith and confidence in him who has called us from darkness into his marvelous light.—Z 1907-186 (Hymn 71)
OCTOBER 23
Come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.—Numbers 10:29
WHOEVER comes with us receives a blessing, and in urging any to come with us we receive a blessing because our own faith is encouraged, stimulated, and our own obedience also to the Lord; for shall we say to others. The Lord will do thee good, and not realize the blessings we are receiving day by day from the Lord’s hand? And if they do come with us, how the fact that we have suggested the matter and promised them a blessing would help to keep us from murmuring and complaining, and from manifesting anything else than the good we are continually receiving from the Lord. We do well, then, as spiritual Israelites, to follow Moses’ example in our appeals to those who are under our influence—we do well to quote to them the promises of the Lord, and to show our faith in the same.—Z 1907-236 (Hymn 38)
OCTOBER 24
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.—Jude 21
GOD does not love us because we are doing great and wonderful things. His special love for us began when he begat us, because of the consecration we had made—because we had entered into the covenant of sacrifice. And the Father delights in all those who desire to be sealed with his Spirit—who desire to become his children. He began thus to love us as babes in Christ, and he loves us as we grow stronger, and he will love us to the end! As we journey along, we need to keep ourselves in the love of God. It is necessary as babes that we should keep ourselves in his love; it is necessary as children; it is necessary when still further developed. How can we do this? By keeping his commandments. Thus we bring the body into subjection to the perfect will of God in Christ. Whoever does this finds himself growing. Day by day we are to grow and increase and become more and more Godlike; so we are more and more transformed as the days go by. Thus are we to keep ourselves in his love.—Z 1913-215 (Hymn 165)
OCTOBER 25
He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?—I John 4:20
THE measure of the love which fills our hearts will find expression toward our fellow creatures who have need of our sympathy and attention, and if we show ourselves deficient here it will imply a deficiency of our love for our Creator. If, on the contrary, we are merciful to others, generous, kind, taking pleasure in doing what we can for the relief of our fellow creatures, especially to the household of faith, this will be an indication of the spirit which our Lord will appreciate and own if it be accompanied by a trust in the precious blood of Christ. Such merciful ones of the Lord’s followers shall obtain mercy at the Lord’s hands. He will deal gently with them, forgiving their blemishes and weaknesses in proportion as they have this spirit of generosity, forgiveness, toward those who trespass against them.—Z 1906-204 (Hymn 95)
OCTOBER 26
Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.—Ephesians 6:16
THE new creature may develop even when the outer man is perishing. Satan succeeded in having the chief priests and Pharisees cause the death of our Lord; but this was the very means by which he entered into glory. In his dealings with our Lord the Father has given us an illustration of his dealings with us. So we may know that even if Satan should appear to get the victory over us, these “light afflictions” will, as we are told, “work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” We know that we have no power with which to oppose Satan. None is sufficient for these things except the Lord. But he is greater than are Satan and all his angels. We are looking forward with the eye of faith to the things that are unseen. So it behooves us to be steadfast, immovable, full of faith, and therefore able to meet whatever the Father permits to come upon us.—Z 1913-56 (Hymn 136)
OCTOBER 27
Ye are the salt of the earth: ye are the light of the world.—Matthew 5:13,14
BEFORE very long we expect that all of the overcoming members of the body of Christ will be changed, glorified, and the body completed on the other side the veil will be without members on this side. The lights will have gone and the darkness will hold fuller sway than ever; the salt will be gone and the corruption will take hold swiftly, and the result will be the great time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation. Meantime we are to let our lights shine and thus glorify the Father, whether men heed or forbear to heed; we are to exercise our salt or preservative influence, our influence for righteousness and truth, whether men hear or forbear, though we clearly see that it is not God’s purpose to enlighten the world through the church in its present humble position. The matter will test us and prove whether or not we are worthy to be members of the glorified body of Christ, which shortly shall shine forth as the sun in the glory of the Father, and enlighten the whole world in a manner with which our little lamps of the present time will in no sense compare.—Z 1906-75 (Hymn 320)
OCTOBER 28
Give us this day our daily bread.—Matthew 6:11
TO SUPPOSE that the Lord here is merely referring to the natural food would imply that the petitioners were merely natural men, whereas we know that the prayer was taught only to those who were reckonedly new creatures in Christ by a covenant to walk in his steps in the narrow way. It must be understood, therefore, that it is the new creature that is offering the petition, and this will imply that it is the nourishment of the new creature that is chiefly under consideration—with whatever provision for temporal necessities the Heavenly Father may see best.—Z 1906-205 (Hymn 286)
OCTOBER 29
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.—Matthew 7:7
WHY should the Lord wish us to ask before he would give his blessing? For a wise purpose, we may be sure! He would have us feel our need, he would have us appreciate the privilege, he would have us look for the response, and in all these experiences he would develop us as his sons of the new creation. Therefore we are to ask and seek and knock if we would find the riches of God’s grace, and have opened to us more and more the wonderful privileges and mercies and blessings which he is so willing to give to us as we develop in character and in preparation for his mercies.—Z 1906-207 (Hymn 85)
OCTOBER 30
Prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only.—I Samuel 7:3
LET us, dear brethren and sisters, who are privileged to be heralds of the coming kingdom, be earnest, zealous as was John the Baptist, giving comparatively little heed to the customs and formalities of the world, and giving very diligent heed to our appointed work, to show forth the praises of our Heavenly Bridegroom, to announce him to all, to make known to all the terms and conditions of his favor and to bear witness to his presence now in the harvest time of this age, that his fan is in his hand, that he will thoroughly purge the threshingfloor of all chaff, that he will gather the wheat into the garner of his kingdom, and that the great majority of Christendom will soon enter the great time of trouble. If faithful in this ministry as the antitypical Elijah on this side the veil, we may feel sure of our acceptance as members of the body of the Anointed One on the other side the veil, and thus have participation in the sufferings of the present time and in the glories and dignities of the future.—Z 1906-33 (Hymn 255)
OCTOBER 31
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.—Ephesians 1:13,14
THE Holy Spirit now granted to the church is the earnest or foretaste of our inheritance. What are we to inherit? We are to “inherit all things.” First of all we are to inherit the divine nature, and secondly, we are to inherit the great Abrahamic promise that through us, in union with our Lord Jesus, as members of his body, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. We speak of ourselves as being of the Lord’s purchased possession, and when we are changed to receive his glory, this part of his possession will be complete and we shall be perfected with him and be under his direct control. After this, another feature of the same possession, and linked in as part of this same promise, will become operative. The precious blood will then be applied to seal the New Covenant on behalf of the sins of all the people and the work of recovering the still larger possession will progress until the close of the millennial age, when the whole possession will have been brought into line and everything subjected to his rule and turned over to the Father.—Z 1910-202 (Hymn 225)