Privileges of the Obedient
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14.
Those who live in close fellowship with Christ will be promoted by Him to positions of trust. The servant who does the best he can for his Master is admitted to familiar intercourse with the One whose commands he loves to obey. In the faithful discharge of duty we may become one with Christ, for those who are obeying God’s commands may speak to Him freely. The one who talks most familiarly with his divine leader has the most exalted conception of His greatness and is the most obedient to His commands.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. . . . Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” . . .
The character of the one who comes to God in faith will bear witness that the Saviour has entered into his life, directing all, pervading all. Such a one is continually asking, “Is this Thy will and way, O my Saviour?” Constantly he looks to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of his faith. He consults the will of his divine Friend in reference to all his actions, for he knows that in this confidence is his strength. He has made it a habit to lift up the heart to God in every perplexity. . . .
He who accepts God as his sovereign must take the oath of allegiance to Him. He must put on the Christian uniform and bear aloft the banner that shows to whose army he belongs. He must make an open avowal of his allegiance to Christ. Concealment is impossible. Christ’s impress must appear in the life in sanctified works.
“I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. . . . Ye shall be holy unto me; for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine” (Leviticus 20:24-26)…. “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise” (Isaiah 43:21).
That I May Know Him p. 296
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Prayer Requests
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Dear Friends,
When I was a little girl, people used to tell children that the moon was made of green cheese. Even as I little child, I knew that could not be true. When I got to school, and studied the moon’s composition, I wondered why people tell children such ridiculous stories.
When man walked upon the moon, we were all amazed. As my grandfather, who was born in 1884, watched the event, I thought about the fact that here was a man who grew up in horse-and-buggy days and now was seeing the technology which put a man on the moon.
Over the years, we have enjoyed looking at the moon through and telescope or a good pair of binoculars. With that magnification, craters are clearly visible. Sometimes, when viewing that brilliant orb, it is hard to remember that it only reflects light. It has none of its own.
Just so, we have no light of our own. Instead, we can only reflect the Light of the Son just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. As little lights reflecting the Mighty Light, we may “show forth the praises of him who hath called (us) out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Peter 2:9 The True Light says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16
How often we attempt to shine in our own light by our actions, by our words, by what we wear. How dim a light we have in ourselves. Indeed, we have no more light in ourselves than does the moon in full eclipse. Just as the earth blocks the sun’s light from the moon, so that it is unable to get any light to reflect, so the things of this world can block the True Light from shining through us. How vital that we allow nothing to get between us and our Saviour.
*Nothing between my soul and my Savior, naught of this world’s delusive dream; I have renounced all sinful pleasure; Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.
Nothing between my soul and my Savior, so that his blessed face may be seen; nothing preventing the least of his favor; keep the way clear! let nothing between.
Nothing between, like worldly pleasure; habits of life, though harmless they seem, must not my heart from him ever sever; he is my all, there’s nothing between.
Nothing between, like pride or station; self or friends shall not intervene; though it may cost me much tribulation, I am resolved, there’s nothing between.
Nothing between, e’en many hard trials, though the whole world against me convene; watching with prayer and much self denial, I’ll triumph at last, there’s nothing between.
May we fill our mind and heart with the Sun of Righteousness through hiding His Word in our heart. (Mal 4:2; Ps 119:11) May we, as we behold Him, be “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 May we so reflect our Dear Saviour in all that we do and say and think, that others will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
Rose
*Nothing Between by Charles A. Tindley