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Spiritual Discernment

Godwas pleased to reveal His Son in me. (Galatians 1:15,16 NIV)

Spiritual discernment, perception, understanding and intelligence are all too rare. The causes are many. The engrossment with the work and its multifarious concerns; the rush and hurry of life; the restless spirit of the age; these, with an exhaustive provision of external religious facilities, all tend to render the inner place of Divine speaking inoperative or impossible of functioning. Perhaps we have forgotten that the Bible is not only a revelation, but also contains a revelation, and that that deeper spiritual content is only possible of recognition and realization by such as have had their eyes and ears opened; in other words who have been awakened. Some of the Lord's most faithful servants are still only occupied with the letter of the Word, the contents of books, topics, themes, subjects, outlines, analyses, etc., and in the deepest sense are not in "revelation." (This is not meant as a criticism). The difference too often is that of a ministry to the mind or head, and not one to the heart or spirit. The former will sooner or later tire and weary both the minister and those ministered to. The latter is a ministry of Life to both, and is inexhaustible in freshness.

Whether it comes at the beginning or later, it is the greatest day in our history of which we can say: "It pleased God to reveal His Son in me." "I received it, not from men but by revelation." That is the beginning of an inwardness of things which may have many crisic issues. One of these is the one of which we are particularly thinking now, namely, the awakening to see what is the thought and desire of God at given and specific times. Such a revelation through the Scriptures is nothing less than revolutionary, though usually costly.

You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. § The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths. § God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. § The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Jesus … knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. § Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.

Gen. 16:13;  Ps. 139:1;  Ps. 139:4,6;  Prov. 15:3;  Prov. 5:21;  Luke 16:15;  2 Chron. 16:9;  John 2:24,25; John 21:17

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.

Whoever offers praise glorifies Me. § It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. § Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate … Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. § Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!

Ps. 86:12;  Ps. 50:23;   Ps. 92:1,2;   Ps. 150:6;  Rom. 12:1; Heb. 13:12,15;  Eph. 5:20;  Rev. 5:12

Sacrificial Self

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).

It is essential for the believer to see that his old nature has been completely rejected by God at Calvary, and that as a "new creation" he is fully and eternally accepted in the Lord Jesus. Otherwise, self will continually seek to be something for God, to please Him, to merit His approbation.

"It is very possible that our sacrifices and self denials may be altogether selfish. Self can pray, and say, What a lovely prayer! It can preach a fine message, and pat itself on the back and say, That was splendid, what a useful man you are! How, then, can it become not I, but Christ'? Well, we must above all else see the reality and danger of the thing, we must look at it frankly, and choose to be free of its domination. The worst and the saddest part of it is its deception. It says, How that fits So-and-so, not me. But you must pass sentence upon it, or it will pass sentence upon you."

"Through the victory won on Calvary we enter into newness of life; and as the old nature seeks to assert its supremacy, each uprising of it must be handed over to the Lord Jesus Christ, that He may deal with it. That He has dealt with it, through His death on the Cross, in a way which satisfies God and makes deliverance possible for us, is the foundational fact for Christian life and work." -G.W.

"For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life" (Gal. 6:8).

Jesus, Our Worthy Example

A Fresh Start