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The Highway Of God's Purpose

...That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ. (Ephesians 1:10)

There is one comprehensive and all-embodying truth which, if it really gained the complete mastery of our hearts and dominated our whole consciousness, capturing our will, our hearts, and our minds, would really revolutionize everything, just as the new covenant represents a revolution from the old covenant. The great truth which embodies everything is this: that God has determined that nothing which is not Christ shall remain, and He is working toward that end, on the one hand to rid this universe of everything that is not Christ; on the other hand to fill this universe with that which is Christ. That means that God does not accept or recognize anything whatever that is not Christ. Then again, it means that God puts His seal upon what is Christ, and it is all a matter of the measure of Christ. It is a tremendous thing when that really does come to our hearts with the force and the power which it really does represent. It explains everything of God's dealings with us. It gives us the key to our problems. It sets us at once upon the highway of God's own purpose.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. § Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. § If the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known. § Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, and because of Your truth.

Ps. 51:2;  Jer. 33:8;  Ezek. 36:25;  John 3:5;  Heb. 9:13,14;  Ps. 106:8;   Ps. 115:1

Fellowship in the gospel.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. § That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. §  Jesus spoke these words. . . . “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us.”

Phil. 1:5;  1 Cor. 12:12,13;  1 Cor. 1:9;  1 John 1:3;   1 John 1:7;  John 17:1,  John 17:20,21

Abiding Prayer

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us" (1 John 5:14).

In order for us to pray according to His will, we must first know His will; not only that, but His blessed will must become our will. "If ye abide in Me . . . ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7). Prayer is the fellowship of an intimate, living union; as with all of the Christian life, it must be carried on in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. He is known as "the Spirit of grace and of supplications" (Zech. 12:10).

"If I ask anything of God, and have received His answer, I then act with assurance, with the conviction that I am in the path of His will; I am happy and contented. If I meet with some difficulty, this does not stop me; it is only an obstacle which faith has to surmount.

"But if I have not this certainty before I begin, I am in indecision, I know not what to do. There may be a trial of my faith, or it may be that I ought not to do what I am doing. I am in suspense, and I hesitate; even if I am doing the will of God, I am not sure about it, and I am not happy. I ought therefore to be assured that I am doing His will before I begin to act." -J.N.D.

"All flows from the soul being consciously in the place where it is set, in Christ risen. He can then trust us with the knowledge of His will; He can trust the sons of the family with the family affairs."

"And if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:15).

Heaven - Man’s Nature and Destiny (11)

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