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A More Excellent Ministry

I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:10,11 NIV)

Perhaps one of the most significant things to any who are ot ignorant of his (Satan) devicesis that there never has been a specially spiritual movement of God in the earth, calculated to serve Him in a particularly useful way, but what Satan animosity thereto has been manifested along the line of division, schism, discord, separation, and a breaking down of fellowship. And how often has the real sting and stigma been modified by a feigning love unbroken and preserved, when the divided parties should have no association with each other in the things of God. Love, let us again say emphatically, is incumbent upon the Lord people toward ll men,whether of the ouseholdor otherwise (Gal. 6:10), but fellowship is something more. It is the most spiritual things which suffer the greatest shocks in this matter, and again we say this carries its own satanic significance.

The methods of the enemy are numberless, the ilesunfathomable by human wit. A suggestion of suspicion, if it finds lodgment, is enough to completely paralyze the work of God and spiritual progress. Have a doubt and you are done. There never was a time when positive spiritual work was more jeopardized by suspicion than now. It would seem that hell is largely employed in issuing forth smoke, clouds, vapors, mists of suspicion, question, reservation, in order to infect with uncertainty, mystification, prejudice, fear, discrediting, distrust, aloofness. It is in the eavenliesthat this is most registered; that is, the higher ranges of spiritual things. It is an atmosphere, and it is everywhere. You sense it wherever you go. In some places it is stifling there is no clear breath of the Spirit, and a word of Life is almost choked back. Of course, this is no new thing, although now so intensified. The New Testament is full of it. The Lord Jesus met it not in spiritual people, only in religious people. John met it. Paul met it in every direction. It was made to circle round his person, his methods, his character, and his message.

One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you. § The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls. § It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. § And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.” § With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place … having obtained eternal redemption. § Peace through the blood of His cross. § You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot … manifest in these last times for you.

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you … from all your idols. § Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.

John 19:34;  Ex. 24:8;  Lev. 17:11;  Heb. 10:4;  Mark 14:24;  Heb. 9:12;  Col. 1:20;  1 Peter 1:18;  1 Peter 1:19;  1 Peter 1:20;  Ezek. 36:25;  Heb. 10:22

Amen.

Amen! May the Lord God … say so too. § He who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth. § When God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself … For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness. § For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! … Amen and Amen.

Matt. 6:13;  1 Kings 1:36;  Isa. 65:16;  Heb. 6:13;  Heb. 6:16;  Heb. 6:17  Heb. 6:18;  Rev. 3:14;  2 Cor. 1:20;  Ps. 72:18,19

Remember To Forget

God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Pet. 5:5).

Resting in His glory there will manifest His humility in us here.

"Our hearts have such a tendency to turn back to legalism, and to think it humility. The only real humbleness and strength and blessing is to forget ourselves in the presence and blessedness of the Father. We may be brought thither by a humbling process but it is not in merely thinking evil of the old man that we are truly humble; we have the privilege of forgetting ourselves in the love of our Father." -J.N.D.

"It is as knowing the Lord Jesus to be precious to our souls, with our eyes and hearts being occupied with Him, that we will be effectually kept from being taken up with the vanity and sin around. And this too will be our strength against the sin and corruption within. Whatever I see in myself that is not in Him, is sin. It is not in thinking upon my own sins that will humble me, but thinking of the Lord Jesus and dwelling upon the excellencies in Him.

"It is well to be done with ourselves and to be taken up with the Lord Jesus. We are entitled to forget ourselves - we are entitled to confess and forget our sins - we are entitled to forget all but the Lord Jesus. It is by looking unto Him that we can give up anything, and can walk as obedient children." -J.N.D.

"Many think that talking badly of ourselves is the ideal of humility; whereas the simplest and more real humility is to feel unaffectedly that we are too bad to be worth talking about. Only One is worthy of all our thoughts and words and ways, even the Lord Jesus Christ." -W.K.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Pet. 5:6).

The Loveliness Of Jesus

A Godly Mystery