Milo

April 22nd

The light that fails

We all with open face beholding … the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:18.

A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone. In the first phases of Christian life disheartenments come, people who used to be lights flicker out, and those who used to stand with us pass away. We have to get so used to it that we never know we are standing alone. “All men forsook me: … notwithstanding the Lord stood with me” (2 Tim. 4:16–17 ). We must build our faith, not on the fading light, but on the light that never fails. When ‘big’ men go we are sad, until we see that they are meant to go; the one thing that remains is looking in the face of God for ourselves.
Allow nothing to keep you from looking God sternly in the face about yourself and about your doctrine, and every time you preach see that you look God in the face about things first, then the glory will remain all through. A Christian worker is one who perpetually looks in the face of God and then goes forth to talk to the people. The characteristic of the ministry of Christ is that of unconscious glory that abides. “Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while He talked with him.”
We are never called on to parade our doubts or to express the hidden ecstasies of our life with God. The secret of the worker’s life is that he keeps in tune with God all the time.

22 APRIL (PREACHED OLNEY FAIR DAY, 17 APRIL 1775)

Go with a pail

‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ Revelation 22:17
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Ezekiel 47:1–12

What they are called to: water of life. This, no doubt, stands for the communication of every grace from Jesus Christ. He is the fountain, John 7:37–39. It is compared to water, for it is plenty. There is abundance of grace—a fountain, a river, an ocean (Isaiah 44:3). Water is used for cleansing, refreshing, as in Ezekiel 36:25 and Isaiah 41:17. Freeness—water is open to all. If people beg wine they take a small vessel, but if they ask for water they go with a pail. So you need not straiten yourself, but open your mouth wide.
It is water of life. It makes alive (Ezekiel 47:9), it keeps alive, it is a pledge of life everlasting (John 4:14).
Are these things so? Then once more, sinners, take heed how you refuse—it is at the peril of your souls. If you will stand out, a time will come when you will want a drop of water to cool your tongues. You are athirst—what more can you want? The fountain is pointed out and you are invited. Do you say as the woman in John 4:11? The ordinances are buckets with which you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). The Lord shall give you refreshing draughts in prayer.

FOR MEDITATION: But remember, when you have drunk you must drink again. Do not live upon present tastes, but rejoice that the fountain is made over to you. Believers, let us keep close to this fountain. O let it not be said of us as in Jeremiah 2:13 [For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water]. As you have received Christ Jesus, so walk in him—your first beginnings and your increase must be in the same way. Thus you shall go on from strength to strength and at last be brought to the fountainhead, where you shall thirst no more.

SERMON: REVELATION 22:17 [6/6] [EASTER MONDAY EVENING]

April 21st

Now don’t hurt the Lord!

Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? John 14:9.

Our Lord must be repeatedly astounded at us—astounded at how un-simple we are. It is opinions of our own which make us stupid; when we are simple we are never stupid, we discern all the time. Philip expected the revelation of a tremendous mystery, but not in the One Whom he knew. The mystery of God is not in what is going to be, it is now; we look for it presently, in some cataclysmic event. We have no reluctance in obeying Jesus, but it is probable that we are hurting Him by the questions we ask. “Lord, show us the Father.” His answer comes straight back—‘There He is, always here or nowhere.’ We look for God to manifest Himself to His children: God only manifests Himself in His children. Other people see the manifestation, the child of God does not. We want to be conscious of God; we cannot be conscious of our consciousness and remain sane. If we are asking God to give us experiences, or if conscious experience is in the road, we hurt the Lord. The very questions we ask hurt Jesus because they are not the questions of a child.
“Let not your heart be troubled”—then am I hurting Jesus by allowing my heart to be troubled? If I believe the character of Jesus, am I living up to my belief? Am I allowing anything to perturb my heart, any morbid questions to come in? I have to get to the implicit relationship that takes everything as it comes from Him. God never guides presently, but always now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the emancipation is immediate.

April 21

“And being absolutely certain that whatever promise He is bound by, He is able to make good.” (Rom. 4:21)

WE are told that Abraham could look at his own body and consider it as good as dead without being discouraged, because he was not looking at himself but at the Almighty One.

He did not stagger at the promise, but stood straight up unbending beneath his mighty load of blessing; and instead of growing weak he waxed strong in the faith, grew more robust, the more difficulties became apparent, glorifying God through His very sufficiency and being “fully persuaded” (as the Greek expresses it) “that he who had promised was,” not merely able, but as it literally means “abundantly able,” munificently able, able with an infinite surplus of resources, infinitely able “to perform.”

He is the God of boundless resources. The only limit is in us. Our asking, our thinking, our praying are too small; our expectations are too limited. He is trying to lift us up to a higher conception, and lure us on to a mightier expectation and appropriation. Oh, shall we put Him in derision? There is no limit to what we may ask and expect of our glorious El-Shaddai; and there is but one measure here given for His blessing, and that is “according to the power that worketh in us.”
—A. B. Simpson.
“Climb to the treasure house of blessing on the ladder made of divine promises. By a promise as by a key open the door to the riches of God’s grace and favor.”

21 APRIL (PREACHED OLNEY FAIR DAY, 17 APRIL 1775)

The thirsty come

‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ Revelation 22:17
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Isaiah 55:1–5

The persons called: him that is athirst. In a sense, this includes all, and I think the Word of God warrants such a general call (Isaiah 55:1–2). You that are thirsting after happiness and seeking it where it is not to be found, in creature comforts and sinful pleasures, spending your money for that which is not bread, this Spirit calls on you to come for the Bread of Life. The pearl of great price is set before you. The water of life is pointed out to you. Come, there is room enough and water enough. If you never thought of it before, begin now. What? No desire after the water of life? Alas, if you put it from you, you will perish. If you despise this invitation it will lie heavily upon your conscience hereafter. What will you say to the Lord of the feast? That you never heard of it? That you were not warned? I take that poor excuse from you now. I call upon everyone now in the Lord’s presence—I adjure you by his cross and passion that you seek him for the water of life. But alas, I cannot persuade you or turn your hearts. Lord, put forth thy power.
The words, I hope, will be welcome to awakened souls. Do you not thirst, and for these very things which the Lord has promised? You know the nature of thirst is that nothing can assuage it but drink. Are your desires thus? Then you are called, as it were, by name. As sure as there is a water of life, so sure you have a right to it.

FOR MEDITATION: See the Lord says whosoever will. Are you willing? Then here is no exception of persons. Whatever you have been in time past, no matter, if you are now willing. Surely you would not have been so, had not the Lord made you. He says freely. You are spiritually poor, and if it was to be bought you must go without, for you have nothing to pay. But did you ever pay for the rain? Or sunshine? No, these blessings are bestowed freely, bountifully. All the wealth in the world could not purchase them, but they come without money and without price. Just so free is gospel grace to every seeking soul.

SERMON: REVELATION 22:17 [5/6] [EASTER MONDAY EVENING]