You Are Never a Loser With Christ

     We may rest assured that no person shall ever be a real loser by following Christ. The believer may seem to suffer loss for a time, when they first begin the life of a decided Christian. They may be cast down by the afflictions that are brought upon them on account of their religion. But let them be rest assured that they will never find themselves a loser in the long run. Christ can raise up friends for us who shall more than compensate for those we lose. Christ can open hearts and homes to us, far more warm and hospitable than those that are closed against us. Above all, Christ can give us peace of conscience, inward joy, bright hopes, and happy feelings, which shall far outweigh every pleasant earthly thing that we have cast away for His sake. He has pledged His royal word that it shall be so. None ever found that word fail. Let us trust it, and not be afraid.

~ J.C. Ryle

Take The Love Challenge

Step # 1   Read the following passage.

I Cor 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,

it, is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Step #2  Replace "love" with your name.

_______ is patient, _______ is kind. _______ does not envy, _______ does not boast,

_______ is not proud. _______ is not rude, _______ is not self-seeking,

_______ is not easily angered, _______ keeps no record of wrongs.

_______ does not delight in evil but _______ rejoices with the truth.

_______ always protects, _______ always trusts, _______ always hopes, 

_______ always perseveres.  _______ never fails.

How did you do?

William Bramwell and the Blessing of Holiness

"To the end of his life, wherever he went, his first inquiry was about those who experienced sanctification, and it would be to entirely miss the lesson of his life if we did not thoroughly examine his teaching and testimony on this part of Christian doctrine," so said C. W. Andrews, in his short biography of William Bramwell, the old time Methodist revivalist.

He came of godly Church of England stock, and was at first a little biased against the disciples of John Wesley. But he came under their influence and arising from a personal in­terview with Wesley himself, threw his lot in with them, and became one of their first class leaders, local preachers, and then ministers.

Coldness, dullness and spiritual in­difference had crept into British Methodist circles within ten years of its founder's death. In such an atmosphere as this Bramwell took the platform, and declared not only that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, but that the Spirit of God could also sanctify each of them. In proclaiming the message William Bramwell was well in keeping with Wesley's instructions. But what if the life lived does not tally with the doctrine proclaimed?

No one could ever make such a claim against Bramwell. One who was closely connected with him said: "I knew him intimately for 20 years. I lived in the same house with him in his seasons of relaxation as well as occupation, but never saw him in such a temper that I could reprove. His soul was like a spring, continually overflowing with the most amiable and benevolent emotion!" William Bramwell trod consistently the pathway of the holy. Like Enoch before him he "walked with God," and in his death had the testimony that his way of life "pleased God." He could wish for no other epitaph.

With a conviction that his way of life was not all that the Lord willed for His redeemed people, came the realization that God had "something better for him."I was for some time deeply convinced of my need of purity," he wrote. "I sought it carefully with tears, entreaties, and sacrifices; thinking nothing too much to give up, nothing too much to do or suffer, if I might but attain this pearl of great price. Yet I found it not, nor knew the reason why, till the Lord showed me I had erred in the way of seeking it. I did not seek it by faith alone. Still it tarried a little, but I waited for it in the way of faith."

He went to see a friend in Liverpool, Lancashire County. As he was medi­tating in spiritual things "heaven came down to earth." "It came to my soul," he said.

"The Lord, for whom I had waited, came suddenly to the temple of my heart. I had an immediate evidence that this was the blessing I had for some time been seeking. My soul was then all wonder, love, and praise."

Bramwell wrote that 26 years after he had entered the actual experience. "I have walked in that liberty ever since," he added. "Glory be to God. I have been kept by His power. By faith I stand."

Bramwell was to be deeply taught in the school of the Spirit, and had to learn that the closer he walked with the Lord, the greater would be the frustrations and oppositions of the powers of evil. Only a few moments after he had stepped out on the highway of holiness (Isa. 35:8) Satan came to him and whispered in his ear that he'd better not testify to having re­ceived the blessing. To reach his preaching appointment that evening he had a journey of fifteen miles, and every inch of it, as he walked along, he felt that Satanic temptation repeated. "Do not profess sanctification, for thou wilt lose it."

In all such situations the Lord has promised victory. No temptation is allowed to come our way that cannot be conquered in the power of God's grace. Paul’s testimony each earnest seeker after God’s fullness can make, that “He maketh my life a constant pageant of triumph in Christ.” Bramwell rebuked the Aggressor, and true to the Bible’s teaching, Satan fled from him. He arrived at his preaching appointment, took the platform and right there and then testified to having crossed the Jordan and having entered into the abiding experience of heart holiness.

“My soul was again filled with glory and with God,” he said later. I declared to the people what God had done for my soul: and this I have done on every proper occasion since that time, believing it to be a duty incumbent upon me…. I think such a blessing cannot be retained without professing it at every fit opportunity, for it is thus we glorify God, and ‘with the mouth make confession unto salvation.’”

By E.W. Lawrence

The True Pattern of Love

The love of the Bible will show itself in the general spirit and demeanor of a believer. It will make them kind, unselfish, good-natured, good-tempered, and considerate of others. It will make them gentle, friendly, and courteous in all the daily relations of private life, thoughtful for others comfort, tender for others feelings, and more anxious to give pleasure than to receive. True love never envies others when they prosper, nor rejoices in the calamities of others when they are in trouble. At all times it will believe, hope, and try to put to good use the actions of others. And even at the worst, it will be full of pity, mercy, and compassion. Would we like to know where the true pattern of love like this can be found? We have only to look at the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, as described in the Gospels, and we will see it perfectly exemplified.

~ J.C. Ryle

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The Minister

“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.” Romans 15:30

There are many weighty and solemn considerations which powerfully plead for the prayers of the Church of God, in behalf of her ministers and pastors. The first which may be adduced is- the magnitude of their work.

A greater work than theirs was never entrusted to mortal hands. No angel employed in the celestial embassy bears a commission of higher authority, or wings his way to discharge a duty of such extraordinary greatness and responsibility. He is a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ- an ambassador from the court of heaven- a preacher of the glorious gospel of the blessed God- a steward of the mysteries of the kingdom. Properly to fill this high office- giving to the household their portion of food in due season- going down into the mine of God’s word, and bringing forth to the view of every understanding its hidden treasures- to set forth the glory of Emmanuel, the fitness of His work, and the fullness of His grace- to be a scribe well instructed, rightly dividing the word of truth- to be wise and skillful to win souls, the grand end of the Christian ministry- oh, who so much needs the sustaining prayers of the Church as he?

Secondly. The painful sense of their insufficiency supplies another affecting plea. Who are ministers of Christ? Are they angels? Are they superhuman beings? Are they inspired? No, they are men in all respects like others. They partake of like infirmities, are the subjects of like assaults, and are estranged from nothing that is human.

As the heart knows its own bitterness, so they only are truly aware of the existence and incessant operation of those many and clinging weaknesses of which they partake in sympathy with others. And yet God has devolved upon them a work which would crush an angel’s powers, if left to his self-sustaining energy.

Thirdly. The many and peculiar trials of the ministry and the pastorate ask this favor at our hands. These are peculiar to, and inseparable from, the office that he fills. In addition to those of which he partakes alike with other Christians- personal, domestic, and relative- there are trials to which they must necessarily be utter strangers. And as they are unknown to, so are they unrelievable by, the people of their charge.

With all the sweetness of affection, tenderness of sympathy, and delicacy of attention which you give to your pastor, there is yet a lack which Jesus only can supply, and which, through the channel of your prayers, he will supply. In addition to his own, he bears the burdens of others. How impossible for an affectionate, sympathizing pastor to separate himself from the circumstances of his flock, be those circumstances what they may. So close and so sympathetic is the bond of union- if they suffer, he mourns; if they are afflicted, he weeps; if they are dishonored, he is reproached; if they rejoice, he is glad.

He is one with his Church. How feelingly the apostle expresses this: “Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?” To see a Christian pastor, in addition to his own personal grief, borne often in uncomplaining loneliness and silence, yet bowed down under accumulated sorrows not his own- others looking to him for sympathy, for comfort, and for counsel- is a spectacle which might well arouse in behalf of every Christian minister the slumbering spirit of prayer. We marvel not to hear the chief of the apostles thus pleading, “Brethren, pray for us.”

-Octavius Winslow

When We Worship

Have you not observed how difficult it is to really worship in spirit?

A thousand duties come clamoring for attention, some of them important and some trifling.

A good lady of unquestioned piety once declared: “When I settle myself in the sanctuary on Sunday morning for worship I am disturbed with: The pot roast!—did I turn that oven low enough? Or, I wonder if I turned off the burner under the coffee pot.  Then a look at Johnnie and I am reminded that I should have had his hair cut yesterday.  If Mrs. Blank and her family are here this morning, I should invite them home for dinner, but my house—the children did not get their room in very good order.”

This good lady is not the only one who is thus plagued while in the sanctuary for worship of the Almighty.

We have one hour on Sunday morning for worship.  We herd our well-scrubbed brood into the sanctuary, each one placed so that he can make the least disturbance possible by quarreling with another one of our lively family.  We fall into the pew and look about us.  There is Mrs. Jones, she does look pale this morning, but no wonder after all she has been through.  There is that new family from the old mill house, dressed “fit to kill.”  Everyone knows he makes such a small wage; I’d think she would be more considerate.

And we are supposed to be in the act of worshiping God, the Being to whom we must give account of every idle moment.

Distracting thoughts come tumbling over each other when a soul goes to the place of worship.  Often a weariness settles upon the soul until concentrated thoughtful worship is almost impossible.

The Master asked the disciples in the Garden the night of the betrayal: “What, could ye not watch with me on hour?”  It could be that the Lord is speaking to you and to me, preoccupied worshipers, lest the good seed of the kingdom fall among the thorns and it be choked.

It is highly probable were we to be the judge of others who were guilty of such irreverence we would be very harsh with them, but we excuse ourselves, we make allowance and explain.  We then go home at the end of the worship and wonder why the minster was so dull this morning.  I guess we should have changed preachers this conference.

The disciples missed their greatest hour preoccupied, asleep, when they should have been praying.  Many another disciple has missed the great hour of spiritual blessing by preoccupation.  In order to avoid irreverent attitudes in the worship hour—

1. Rise early enough Sunday morning so that there is time to arrive in the sanctuary well ahead of the worship hour.
2. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the care and guidance of the children in the hour of worship.
3. “Enter in his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
4. Think of the many who are denied the hour of worship in the sanctuary of God’s house because of illness or injustice of others.
5. Heart preparation the evening before will go a long way toward entering the sanctuary with joy and gladness.
6. Enter heartily into the worship, the singing, the reading, and give yourself to prayer when the pastor prays.
7. God is in His holy temple let all the earth keep silent before Him.
8. Live in His presence throughout the week and He will go with you to the sanctuary on Sunday, and your “meditation of Him shall be sweet."

--Oliver G. Wilson

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