Scripture: "Continue in prayer . . . withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ . . . that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak." —COL. iv. 2-4.
        "The mystery now made manifest to His saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."—COL. i. 26, 27.

        To Pauls mind, the very centre and substance of his Gospel was the indwelling Christ. He spoke of the "riches of the glory of this mystery—Christ in you, the hope of glory." Though he had been so many years a preacher of this Gospel, he still asked for prayer, that he might make known that mystery aright.

        The complaint is often made in regard to native Churches, that after a time there appears to be no further growth, and very little of the joy and power for bearing witness to Christ Jesus. The question comes whether the Church at home is living in the experience of this indwelling Christ, so that the sons and daugh¬ters whom she sends out know the secret, and make it the sub¬stance of their teaching and preaching.

        Some years ago one of our ministers went to the foreign mission field to do deputation work. Before he left there was a little gathering for prayer, at which he asked what his message should be. The thought was expressed that in speaking to Christians it was desirable that a message of a full salvation should be pressed home, and the hearts roused to believe in, and to accept of, an indwelling Christ. On his return he told with what deep interest the presentation of this truth had been received, many saying that they had never before understood this aright.

        Dr. Maclaren said years ago that it seemed as if the Church had lost the truth of the indwelling Christ. We speak of Pauls missionary methods, but is there not a greater need of Pauls missionary message, as it culminates in the one word: "Christ in you, the hope of glory"? Paul felt the need of much prayer to enable him to give the message aright. Is there not a call to all mission¬ary intercessors, and to our beloved missionaries themselves, to make it a matter of first importance to obtain the power, and from a living experience to lead Christians into the enjoyment of their rightful heritage? "If a man love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will make our abode with him." And it may be the Church at home will also share in the blessing, the restoration to its right place, of this truth: "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Scripture: "I wilt give you the sure mercies of David"(Acts 13:34).
        Nothing of man is sure; but everything of God is so. Especially are covenant mercies sure mercies, even as David said "an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure."

        We are sure that the LORD meant His mercy. He did not speak mere words: there is substance and truth in every one of His promises. His mercies are mercies indeed. Even if a promise seems as if it must drop through by reason of death, yet it never shall, for the good LORD will make good His word.

        We are sure that the LORD will bestow promised mercies on all His covenanted ones. They shall come in due course to all the chosen of the LORD. They are sure to all the seed, from the least of them unto the greatest of them. We are sure that the LORD will continue His mercies to His own people. He does not give and take. What He has granted us is the token of much more. That which we have not yet received is as sure as that which has already come; therefore, let us wait before the LORD and be still. There is no justifiable reason for the least doubt. Gods love, and word, and faithfulness are sure. Many things are questionable, but of the LORD we sing --

        For his mercies shall endure
        Ever faithful, ever sure.

Scripture: “Exceeding great and precious promises.”(2 Peter 1:4)
        If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfilment. While you are musing upon them, the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.
        But besides meditating upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus, “If I were dealing with a mans promise, I should carefully consider the ability and the character of the man who had covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must not be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy—that may stagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser—that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of his which thou art now considering is as true as his own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out of his mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nor doth he lack any power; it is the God that made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can he fail in wisdom as to the time when he will bestow the favours, for he knoweth when it is best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the promise.” If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfilment.

Scripture: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?”(Romans 8:33)
        Most blessed challenge! How unanswerable it is! Every sin of the elect was laid upon the great Champion of our salvation, and by the atonement carried away. There is no sin in Gods book against his people: he seeth no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel; they are justified in Christ for ever. When the guilt of sin was taken away, the punishment of sin was removed. For the Christian there is no stroke from Gods angry hand—nay, not so much as a single frown of punitive justice. The believer may be chastised by his Father, but God the Judge has nothing to say to the Christian, except “I have absolved thee: thou art acquitted.” For the Christian there is no penal death in this world, much less any second death. He is completely freed from all the punishment as well as the guilt of sin, and the power of sin is removed too. It may stand in our way, and agitate us with perpetual warfare; but sin is a conquered foe to every soul in union with Jesus. There is no sin which a Christian cannot overcome if he will only rely upon his God to do it. They who wear the white robe in heaven overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and we may do the same. No lust is too mighty, no besetting sin too strongly entrenched; we can overcome through the power of Christ. Do believe it, Christian, that thy sin is a condemned thing. It may kick and struggle, but it is doomed to die. God has written condemnation across its brow. Christ has crucified it, “nailing it to his cross.” Go now and mortify it, and the Lord help you to live to his praise, for sin with all its guilt, shame, and fear, is gone.
        
“Heres pardon for transgressions past,
        It matters not how black their cast;
        And, O my soul, with wonder view,
        For sins to come heres pardon too.”

Scripture: "Prove me now" (Mal. 3:10).
        What is God saying here but this: "My child, I still have windows in Heaven. They are yet in service. The bolts slide as easily as of old. The hinges have not grown rusty. I would rather fling them open, and pour forth, than keep them shut, and hold back. I opened them for Moses, and the sea parted. I opened them for Joshua, and Jordan rolled back. I opened them for Gideon, and hosts fled. I will open them for you--if you will only let Me. On this side of the windows, Heaven is the same rich storehouse as of old. The fountains and streams still overflow. The treasure rooms are still bursting with gifts. The lack is not on my side. It is on yours. I am waiting. Prove Me now. Fulfill the conditions, on your part. Bring in the tithes. Give Me a chance. --Selected

        I can never forget my mothers very brief paraphrase of Malachi 3:10. The verse begins, "Bring ye the whole tithe in," and it ends up with "I will pour" the blessing out till youll be embarrassed for space. Her paraphrase was this: Give all He asks; take all He promises." --S. D. Gordon

        The ability of God is beyond our prayers, beyond our largest prayers! I have been thinking of some of the petitions that have entered into my supplication innumerable times. What have I asked for? I have asked for a cupful, and the ocean remains! I have asked for a sunbeam, and the sun abides! My best asking falls immeasurably short of my Fathers giving: it is beyond that we can ask. --J. H. Jowett

References: John 14:20 Eph 3:16-17 Col 3:3 2 Thess 1:10 Further Study: 2 Tim 4:8 Col 1:9 Phil 2:16
Concerning the day of new birth, Jesus said, ‘In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you’. This fully describes the illumination of new birth when Jesus Christ reveals Himself to us. On that day, we become related in His body, for we are illuminated to know that Christ is in the Father and that we are in Him. A place in His body has been prepared for us. We have been raised with Him, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. And further to this, He is in us, dwelling in our hearts by faith. He lives within us as the seed of our eternal sonship and as Yahweh Son, revealing His own life through us. This illumination begins by receiving the word of God. Jesus summarised the process of new birth with the words, ‘He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him’. The new birth begins with receiving the word and concludes with the revelation of Jesus Christ to us, and in us. This is the transaction of the new birth by which we are illuminated to cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’. On ‘that day’, as Jesus used the phrase, we know we are born as sons of God. The process of new birth then continues until ‘that day’ when we are revealed as sons of God in glory. Paul spoke of Christ returning to be ‘glorified in His saints on that day’.

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References Further Study Isa 9:7 Col 1:10 Zech 14 2 Pet 3:13 John 15:16 James 1:18 1 Cor 15:23 Mal 3:3 Isa 66:20 Rev 21:23 Zech 14:9, 16, 20
The prophet Isaiah said, ‘There will be no end to the increase of His government’. This describes the offering of firstfruits for eternity, such that righteousness increases forever and ever. In this lifetime, we must walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work. Our Lord Jesus has ordained us; He has laid His life down to us that we might go and bring forth fruit. He has redeemed us for this very purpose. It is the work of king-priests to bear fruit in every good work. By this means, the church of the firstborn increases, bringing forth after its own kind. We are a certain kind of firstfruits. We are in Christ. He is our great High Priest and we are following Him wherever He goes. His name is upon us and it is our hope that we will be ‘Christ’s at His coming’. The new heavens and the new earth increase forever because of the offering of firstfruits. The prophet Malachi called these ‘offerings in righteousness’. Likewise, the prophet Isaiah spoke of bringing the grain offering of the firstfruits in a clean vessel. This is holiness to the Lord. In that day there will be no light, for the Lamb will be the lamp. It will be a unique day which is known to the Lord. Rivers of living water will flow through the city, the New Jerusalem. The Lord will be king over all the earth. In that day, the Lord will have brought forth after His own image and likeness, a multitude of sons. There will no longer be any curse. And we will celebrate the Feast of Booths perpetually. It will be a celebration of light and living water.

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References Further Study Jas 5:4 Rom 4:4 2Ti 2 2Jn 1:8 2Ti 2:15 1Co 16:17 Gal 6:9 Act 20:28
Our English translations of the Bible often speak of ‘reward’. This is not strictly correct. ‘Wages’ is a more accurate and appropriate translation. God is not mocked. Everyone who sows and reaps will receive wages. And the wages of the labourers cry out to the Lord of the Sabaoth; that is, the Lord of hosts. Wages may come to us in many forms. Nevertheless, they are the attribution of grace and glory to us from the Father and the Son. And likewise, they are the right to an abundant entry into an everlasting kingdom. The apostle Paul said, ‘Now the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favour, but as what is due’. We need to watch so that we do not lose what we have accomplished, so that we may receive full wages. After a season of careful and strenuous toil, having laboured hard in the work of the gospel, we must not lose heart. There will be the seasonal trial of faith coming upon us to increase our capacity as workmen who are not ashamed. We should aspire to the place of worthy houses bringing forth continual and sustainable fruit that endures to eternity. In this way, every local church will continue branching out and bearing fruit within its local community. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit is giving to each one a deaconing work. This is a specific area of priestly service within a lampstand local church. And from among the deacons, and particularly those who fill that which is lacking, He appoints overseers. Overseership is the work of true elders. And overseers are deacons with leadership and authority. Every local church is to be a branch of His planting, and in this way, the lampstand will be the bearer of the fullness of the light of present truth.

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References Further Study Heb 10:24 Pro 20:18 Mar 2:1-12 Act 15:28 Pro 16:9 Luk 10:2 Luk 15:8-9 Mat 5:16
Can we encourage one another to pray and make practical plans toward evangelism? Paul said, ‘Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds’. The first thing we need to do is target people in prayer. We need to write down in a journal who we are praying for, and ask the Lord to help us establish a connection with those people. When we pray for the Holy Spirit to give us an opportunity with a particular person, it greatly increases our faith when that opportunity eventuates. Further to this, we need to make plans concerning how we will make connections with people. The wise man exhorted us to ‘prepare plans’! What strategies will we employ as individuals, couples, and households? Why not make the effort to meet all the people that live on your street? Why not ensure a particular public place is always stocked up with booklets? Or why not seize every opportunity to talk about church when someone asks what you are planning to do on the weekend? How will God supply grace to us if we don’t start taking some initiative? We need to step out in faith, as it seems ‘good to the Holy Spirit and to us’. We need to be full of initiative, and at the same time, completely sensitive to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit. The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. We fervently believe that the harvest is plentiful and the labourers are few. There is plenty of work that we can be doing. As part of a lampstand church, it is our mandate to ensure that our individual lamp is shining brightly and we are looking for lost coins.

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