Helps To Holy Living

Part Two

Poor Yet Rich

  "I know thy works, and thy tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich." Rev. 2:9. Faith makes rich in the midst of poverty. "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith?" James 2:5. The Christian lives by faith and not by sight. If he lived by sight, he would see his poverty, but since he lives by faith he sees only his riches. Those who live by sight look out upon circumstances and are troubled. Those living by faith look up to God and are happy. Their riches far exceed the riches of the world. What are their riches? They are those things that lie in the fatherhood of God. There is love, comfort, consolation, care, protection, supplying of all need for soul and body; all these and more are in the fatherhood of God and constitute the Christian's riches. He sees these things and lives by them. Faith makes those riches so real to the saint that he does not feel his poverty. He feels his riches. He does not go through this world dejected and crest fallen under the feeling of poverty, but he goes through the world feeling his riches and proves it by his free, joyous, contented, happy life. By faith, the Christian sees every thing bringing good to him, and it is impossible to discourage him.

Faith and Sin

  "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Rom. 14:23. This is one of Paul's hard sayings. It goes deep into the meaning of life. While these words were spoken with reference to the eating of meat it contains a principle which covers the whole of the Christian life. This is an excellent direction in the way of holy living. It means that if you engage in anything in life that cannot be done with implicit faith and confidence in God, it is sin. In the building and furnishing of a home, the buying of any property, the clothing of the body, the feeding of the body, the conversations, the recreations, amusements, entertainments, social gatherings, if there be not innocent, child like, heart felt [60] faith in God, you are trespassing on forbidden ground. There must be detachment from earthly things that there may be attachment to God. You must be dead with Christ to live with Him. The will must be wholly surrendered to God. There is no wishing for this or that. There are no choosings of what we shall do or what we shall have. The Lord is always set before the face. Do not do one thing except you can see the light on His countenance while you are doing it. If there be a self seeking, self love, self desire, self will, the heart famishes.

Marks of Slavery

  "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Gal. 6:17. "I bear the marks of Jesus branded on my body." 20th Cent. Paul was Christ's bond servant. There are two theories as to what were these "marks." One is that they were the scars on his body left from the gashes made by the whippings and stonings. The other is that they were his living for Christ. We accept this latter view. Scars on the body are no certain evidence of belonging to Christ, while we as saints are to give unmistakable evidence in our life that we are the bond servant of Jesus—His exclusive property. This means that we are to live solely in His interest. As we go about among men, it is plain to be seen by all that we belong to Christ. We are epistles of Christ, slaves of Christ. We take interest in ourselves not for ourselves, but only as the Lord's possession. This is holy living. When the Lord gives us something that is good for the body—which He is daily doing—we thank Him not just for our body's sake, but that we have the privilege of caring for this body for His dear sake. You may need to think here a moment and pray. The bond that makes the saint the slave of Christ is the bond of love. This is man's truest freedom. Christ makes us free by making us His bond servant in love. [61]

"Stigmata"

  The word "marks" in Gal. 6:17 is from "stigmata," and means the brand which the slave bore on his body which showed that he was the property of a certain slaveowner. It was usually the initial letters of the owner's name or his name in full. You read the name of the owner on the body of the slave. What lies in this metaphor is this, that the Christian as belonging to Christ has the name of God written upon him. "I will write upon him the name of my God." Rev. 3:12. You can read Christ in the life of a saint. The name he bears in this life is "Christ." That is his brand—his stigmata. The saint glories in bearing this stigmata. The very passion of his life is to see that nothing obliterates this brand. He is thoroughly decided that the world, nor sin, nor the devil, nor the years of time will be able to have these marks overgrown. They must stand out clear and distinct so that all may read. For him to live is Christ. Christ is to be seen in every word and deed. The intensity, the passion, the fixed resolution of the true saint is to bear these marks in life and in death, so that Jesus shall be magnified in the body while living and when dying. Phil. 1:20.

Waiting on God

  "My soul, wait thou only upon God." Psa. 62:5. There is no soul exercise so strengthening. It is what will develop wings. See Isa. 40:31. It enables the saint to live in the mountain heights. He lives in the upper realm where the sun shines. While the storm and tempest are raging below, the wings of his soul are beating the air where the sunlight gleams. You may judge such a one, but he is too high to be reached by man's judgment. Nothing you can do to him that will trouble him. He will love you and do you good, however much you may mistreat him. You can not turn him aside from loyalty to God. He is up where he is in tune with the Infinite. He is up where no earthly thing intercepts the messages from heaven to his soul. No [62] earthly circumstances or condition can break the harmony he has with God. He sails on an unruffled sea. Waves of glory roll around him like a sea of light. While among men he is above men. While in the furnace he walks with God and there no obnoxious odor of the earthly circumstance gets on his garments. He is surrounded with a pure and heavenly atmosphere. The great secret of a holy and happy life while living in the world is to live above it. "My soul, wait thou only upon God." Put the emphasis on "only."

Conclusion

  We have come to say the parting word. Oh, Jesus, what shall it be! Will there be those who read this booklet, pronounce it good, yet will allow the trifling things of earth to hinder them from living to its teachings? After all that has been said, will they still be careless, indifferent, and live at too great a distance from God? Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O saint; put on thy beautiful garments, O child of heaven; that there be nothing dull, stupid, morose, morbid, slothful in your soul, but all be full of life and vigor from God and aflame with His glory. We charge you in the sight of God and the Lord Jesus, allow nothing in your life that is thoughtless or indifferent toward heavenly things. Do not allow your prayers to be dull and lifeless. Call mightily on God to send an angel with a live coal from off the altar and touch your soul that you might flame up into the strength, holiness, and beauty of the Lord. Pray, pray more, pray in the Spirit. Beware of that listless prayer! We do not mean loud praying, but that prayer that presses the soul hard against God and receives His imprint. Surround yourself with the presence of God and allow nothing of the world to surprise you or woo you out of it. We commit you to God.

  Do not think the standard held up in this booklet too high. If you give as earnest attention and put forth as great an effort to live to this standard as you do for things [63] in the secular life, you will be successful. Ought we need feel a deep sense of shame for taking more thought, time, and making greater effort to gain earthly things than we do heavenly things, and then think to excuse ourselves by saying the standard is too high?

  Take time, dear saint, we beseech you by the mercies of God, take time to feed your soul on heavenly food. [64]

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