By The Editor
God Speaking Through His Word.
My dear friends,
A most solemn and blessed incident came to my mind yesterday, when looking over some papers about my work. A few months ago, I was feeling terribly distressed about what God has given me to do for Him in sending His word far and wide. I seemed to pass into a shadow-land of almost utter despair. The presence of the enemy was acutely felt-he seemed to say: “How totally unfit and unworthy you are to carry on this work! Leave it to better hands than yours.” I heard the accuser roar. The darkness seemed to deepen on my soul. My weakness of body seemed to take all strength from my soul. God sent His word to comfort. A letter from an anonymous source was put into my hand, only these words: “A thank-offering for the Gospel work.” A note was enclosed for 20/-, and on the back of the note was written, “Psalms 118:17, 18, 1917I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 18The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: (Psalm 118:17‑19) verses. A message from God to me. I read in my opened Bible the words:” I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore; but He hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.”
God had spoken, the darkness fled, and the power of evil with it; I could say with the Psalmist, “In God will I praise His word; in the Lord will I praise His word. In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows art upon me, O God; I will render praise unto Thee. For Thou past delivered my soul from death; wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.” Psalms 56:10,11, 12, 1310In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. 11In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 12Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 13For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? (Psalm 56:10‑13) verses. Since then I have had many words of cheer, and God has deigned to bless the circulation of the “Message” in a wonderful way.
What Christ Is To The Christian.
Ah, that thought, “I am one with Christ,” is the great power in the mind, giving to the heart a living warmth. The realization of having one life with that One up there would turn a London fog into the bright light of the glory He is in above...
If taken up with my broken, aching body, I am forgetting that I am one with Christ above. This body does beautifully for a lighthouse, but we are not to be looking at little trials down here...
The heart is very apt to take counsel of self, and droop under the circumstances around, but instead of being cast down, the question should come in “What is the spring, what the source, of the sustaining strength on which we lean?” It is in Christ Himself and His power ...
How precious it is to be able to turn from our weakness and failure, and see this power up there in the living Person of that One who is “the same yesterday, today and forever”...
What is my comfort, think you, when I look at the people of God? Is it in anything I see in you or about you? No. I think not of what you are, but of the purpose of Christ concerning you. He has to break down many a thing in us, and it may be very painful to us; but what a difference between a person tasting all he can of ease down here, with eternal woe hereafter, and one with the name of Christ on his forehead in the midst of sorrow and pain, Christ dealing with him, and making thoroughly manifest what His purpose is concerning him.
He says to His own, “I have separated you to bear my name in the wilderness, let all around you see it.” The deeper the trouble, the higher the service.” G. V. W. These are wonderful truths that go right down into the heart of things, and lift us up to the realization of that wonderful thought that we are one with Christ. Broken down by circumstances, or lifted up above them, yet still one with Christ, forever and forever.
Dear friends, we thank God and take courage. The work of this magazine is as dear to us as ever, and the work of helping to send the Word of God to all the nations of the earth, will never lose its solemn charge to our souls. “Go ye all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Eternity is close at hand, the coming of the Lord draweth near. “We must work while it is called today.” The fields are white to harvest. We shall be thankful for your prayers this month, and for your practical help if the Lord will.
Yours for Christ’s sake,
Heyman Wreford.