IMITATION OF CHRIST

by Thomas A Kempis, 1380-1471
Originally A Project Gutenberg Etext
Originally Translated by Rev. William Benham
Put Into Modern English, Edited, And In Places Paraphrased by DSB

THE THIRD BOOK

ON INWARD COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT



CONTENTS 

CHAPTERS OF THE THIRD BOOK – On Inward Comfort and Encouragement

1. On the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul

2. On the speaking of the Holy Spirit within

3. On listening to God with humility, though many fail to do so

4. On the importance of walking in truth and humility before God

5. On the wonderful power of the Divine Love

6. On the proving of the true lover of God and man

7. On remaining humble in the face of God’s gracious blessings

8. On a humble view of self before God in prayer

9. On acknowledging that God is the source of everything good and perfect

10. On praying about the sweetness of despising the world and serving God

11. On examining and taking authority over the desires of the heart

12. On the need of patient perseverance in the struggle against unholy desires

13. On following the example of Jesus Christ in submission and obedience

14. On recalling the judgments of God so as not to be proud of our good deeds

15. On how we ought to think and speak in relation to plans and desires

16. On seeking true comfort from God alone

17. On casting all our cares upon God

18. On following Christ’s example in patiently bearing temporal suffering

19. On patiently bearing the sufferings common to pursuing a godly life

20. On confessing in prayer our weaknesses when faced with life’s miseries

21. On resting in God above all earth’s goods and heaven’s gifts

22. On recalling and recounting God’s many blessings

23. On four things which bring an abiding inner peace

24. On avoiding being nosy or even curious about the life of another

25. On the source of true peace of heart and true spiritual profit

26. On a mind free of distractions, which comes more by prayer than frequent reading

27. On self-love being a great hindrance to obtaining the highest good

28. On remaining secure in God in the face of undue criticism and condemnation

29. On calling upon and blessing God in the face of tribulation

30. On seeking God’s gracious help, and having confidence He will give it

31. On forsaking all created beings to find the Creator

32. On self-denial and the casting away all selfishness

33. On the instability of feelings, and on fixing your focus on God

34. On talking to God about loving Him, and how loving Him changes everything

35. On there being no security against temptation in this life

36. On the empty and useless judgments of others

37. On the pure and entire surrender of self for the obtaining of deep inner peace

38. On self-discipline in all things, and having recourse to God in dangers

39. On not being distracted by present or future circumstances

40. On lacking any inherent good or anything to boast about

41. On contempt of all temporal honor

42. On looking to God for our sense of well-being, not men

43. On the foolishness of worthless, trivial, and worldly knowledge

44. On not troubling ourselves about outward things

45. On not believing everyone, and not being misled or misleading with words

46. On having confidence in God when evil words are spoken about you

47. On enduring all trials and troubles for the sake of eternal life

48. On the joys of eternity and the challenges of this life

49. On the desire for eternal life, and the great blessings promised to those who strive

50. On the forsaken person committing himself into the hands of God

51. On giving ourselves to humble works when we are unequal to those that are lofty

52. On considering ourselves more worthy of chastisement than consolation

53. On how those who are earthly minded miss out on God’s grace

54. On the diverse motions of the Flesh and of Grace, the Old Nature and the New

55. On the corruption of the Flesh and the efficacy of Divine Grace

56. On denying ourselves, and imitating Christ by means of the Cross

57. On keeping a godly mindset when mistreated or falsely accused

58. On leaving the ‘why’ of God’s higher ways and hidden will to Him

59. On fixing all hope and trust in God alone



All scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)



CHAPTER 1

On the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul

I will hear what God the Lord will say, for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones (Psalm 85:8).

Blessed is the one who hears the Lord speaking within him, and takes to heart His words of exhortation, comfort, reproof, and instruction (I Samuel 3:1,8-9).

Blessed are the ears which carefully listen to and contemplate the soft whisper of God, but close their ears to the whisperings of the world. Blessed are the ears which refuse to listen to the alluring and fleshly appealing voices that are without, but intently listen to that voice which speaks truth and the way of righteousness within (Matthew 16:17).

Blessed are the eyes which turn their gaze away from those things that are of this world, while fixing their gaze on the things within that come from above.

Blessed are those who examine and ponder what the Lord has spoken within, and who devote themselves, seriously and persistently, to living up to what they have heard so as to be able to receive more of the heavenly truths that the Holy Spirit wishes to reveal to them.

Blessed are those who long to have intimate fellowship with God, and therefore turn away from the practice of all sin while pursuing putting on the likeness of Christ, and freeing themselves from enough earthly demands to have daily extended times for such fellowship.

If we will carefully consider these things and pursue living accordingly – shutting the doors to all our fleshly and worldly desires – we will begin hearing what the voice of the Lord God wants to say within us.

This is what your Beloved says to you: “I am your salvation, I am your peace and your life. Keep yourself wholly unto me, just as a wife is to keep herself wholly for her husband, and you will gain true inward peace. Stop pursuing or even desiring transitory things. Instead, seek those things that are eternal. For transitory things are like a vapor, and therefore a deception. Consider this: how can anything created help you or save you if you are forsaken by the Creator? Therefore, free yourself from needing anything temporal, and whole-heartedly give yourself to the Creator – to be pleasing and faithful to Him – so that you may be able to attain the true blessedness of joy, inward peace, and intimate fellowship with God.”


CHAPTER 2

On the speaking of the Holy Spirit within

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (I Samuel 3:9). “I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies” (Psalm 119:125). Incline my heart to the words of Your mouth so that I long to hear and will listen intently to what you have to say (Psalm 78:1). Let Your speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb that quench its thirst and restore its strength (Deuteronomy 32:2).

Prayer for hearing God speak

O Lord God, the children of Israel said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die’ (Exodus 20:19).

This is not what I want, O Lord. This is not what I am asking of You. Rather, along with Samuel the prophet, I appeal humbly and earnestly to You, ‘Speak to me, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ Do not restrict Yourself to Moses’ speaking or the speaking of any other prophet. You speak to me Yourself, O Lord, for you are the One who inspires and illuminates all the prophets and preachers, apostles and teachers. You, all on Your own, can perfectly and completely fill me with all the knowledge needed to know You, love You, and live for You.

However, those who speak for You are of no profit at all if they speak all on their own, that is without You empowering them and speaking through them. Without question, they can speak words, but they cannot give the Spirit. They can speak eloquently and passionately, but if You are not in their speaking, their words have no life and therefore cannot light a fire in the heart. They can go into detail about the scriptures, but You make known their meaning and application so that we can come to know You and live for You. They point out the mysteries of scripture and the deeper things of the Christian life, but You make known the truths contained therein and their significance to us. They teach the commandments, but You graciously help us so that from our heart to our mind to our choices and our actions, we are able to fulfill Your commandments. They show the way to life and godliness, but You give grace and strength to walk that way. Their instruction touches the mind, but You instruct and enlighten the heart. They water, but You give the increase. They plead and implore, give examples and say the same thing various ways in hopes those who are listening will understand, but You give understanding to all who listen.

Therefore, O Lord my God, Eternal Truth, and Loving Father, let it not be Moses or Paul who speaks to me, but You – lest I die without having born fruit for You; lest I be outwardly warned and challenged but not inflamed within; lest I incur greater judgment because the word heard was not followed, known but not loved, and received but not obeyed.

Speak to me, Lord, for Your servant is listening. You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). Speak to me for the strengthening and encouragement of my soul, for the correction of my whole life, and for the praise, glory, and eternal honor of Your Name. Amen.”


CHAPTER 3

On listening to God with humility, though many fail to do so

Listen carefully and ponder thoughtfully God’s words, for His words are sweeter than honey, surpassing all the knowledge and understanding of the philosophers and wise men of this world (John 6:63). Beware, for His words are not to be weighed as true or false, or as right or wrong by man’s understanding. They are not to be examined and discussed with the intent of approving or disapproving them. Rather they are to be heard in silence and received with all humility and obeyed out of a deep love for God and His ways.

It is God, speaking through the Psalmist, who said: “Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity” (Psalm 94:12-13a). Surely, God will not forsake us or leave us to face life alone while on the earth.

It is God who taught the prophets from the beginning, and continues now to speak to all who are His (Hebrews1:1-2). Yet many turn a deaf ear toward the voice of God and harden their heart against His words. Many are quick and even eager to listen to the world rather than to God. Many follow their feelings and the desires of their flesh more readily than what pleases God. The world promises things that are temporal and small, yet many pursue them as if they are lasting and of exceedingly great value to their happiness and sense of well-being. God promises things that last forever and hold value beyond what we could ask or think, yet few pursue them in a manner equal to their worth.

Who submits to the will of God and obeys the word of God with as much care and zeal as those who serve the world for the purpose of gaining its promises and treasures? Be ashamed, O Sidon (a merchant city on the sea coast), says the sea (see Isaiah 23:2-4). And if you wonder why you should be ashamed like Sidon, ponder carefully what follows.

For a small amount of income representing only a temporary gain, many will go on a long journey or work long, hard hours each day. Yet for eternal life hereafter and pleasing God with a godly life now, many will barely get out of their easy-chair or go the full first mile.

Such worthless things as temporary pleasure, immediate gratification, self-importance, a greater sense of earthly security, and increased income are eagerly pursued. In fact, there is often shameful striving and even fighting over an amount of money that will not last a year or even a month. And for possessions that wear out and need replacing after a few years, or for the promise of more than we already have, many will devote themselves to working day and night. Yet to our shame, many find it irksome, tedious, tiring, or even boring to work hard for the good that is unchangeable, the reward that is inestimable, the honor that is highest, and the glory that will not fade away.

Therefore, the lazy and discontented servants of God (who are discontented with God and what God gives) ought to be ashamed, because many are found to be more zealous in pursuit of those things that lead to eternal damnation than you are of those things that lead to life. Many rejoice more heartily over worthless things and falsehoods than you rejoice in the truth. Sometimes, however, they are disappointed because their desires and longings go unfulfilled. Yet God’s promises never fail. He never sends anyone away empty or dissatisfied who trusts in Him. What God promises to give, He gives. What He says He will do, He does. All that is required of us is to remain faithful to Him in living a godly life to the end. You can count on this: God is the rewarder of all who love and serve Him, and He gives hearty approval to all who are godly.

Write God’s words in your heart and ponder them diligently, for they are vital in your war against your flesh, the world, and the devil. And like Jesus, we are wise to use God’s word when resisting temptation (Luke 4:1-13).

To write God’s words in your heart requires reading and studying the Bible regularly, memorizing numerous portions of scripture, and meditating on them. It includes making God’s word the foundation of your faith, the guide for your thoughts, and the rule for your behavior (Psalm 119:9-16; Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:16-17).

To ponder God’s word diligently requires thinking about it, mulling it over, meditating on it – especially those portions you have memorized – and praying about its meaning and practical application to your life. Pondering God’s word includes making every effort to apply what you learn, with the goal of living up to what God has made known to you.

Indeed, application is just as important as contemplation, for application opens the doors of your understanding to more and more of God’s truth as revealed through His word (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119; II Timothy 2:15). Failing to live up to what you know is not only sin (James 4:17), it hardens your heart against God and His word, it hinders the Holy Spirit’s convicting, revealing, and instructing work within you, it stifles spiritual growth, it obstructs your ability to gain an ever growing and deepening understanding of God’s word, and it blinds you to seeing the practical ways God’s word is to be applied to every area of your life (Hebrews 5:11-14).

Therefore, write God’s words in your heart and ponder them diligently, for they are vital in your war against your flesh, the world, and the devil, and in your efforts to resist temptation. Do not fret over what you do not understand as you read and ponder God’s word. Pray for God to illuminate you, seek understanding from godly teachers, and trust that the Holy Spirit will, in time, make known what you do not yet understand.

God visits and teaches His elect in two primary ways: through trials, tribulation, and temptation, and through times of blessing and comfort. Every day God rebukes His chosen ones for their faults and exhorts them to grow in grace so as to become more like Christ.

Those who hear or read God’s words, yet do not live up to what He says, have One who shall judge them at the last day.

Prayer for the spirit of devotion

O Lord my God, You are all I need and therefore You are everything to me. Who am I that I should dare to speak to you? I am the very poorest of Your servants, an abject worm, much poorer and more despicable than I know or dare to say. Nevertheless, remember, O Lord, that I am nothing, I have nothing, and I can do nothing. You alone are good, just, and holy. You alone can do all things, are over all things, and fill all things – leaving only sinners empty. Remember Your tender mercies, and fill my heart with Your grace – for surely You will not allow Your work to return to You empty or having failed to accomplish Your purposes.

How can I bear this miserable life, the foolishness of my flesh and the weakness of my heart, unless Your mercy and grace strengthen me? Do not turn Your face away from me. Do not delay coming to me and speaking to me and communing with me. Do not withdraw Your blessings, comfort, and encouragement from me, lest my soul dry up and I am left gasping for Your presence as a thirsty man gasps for water in the heat of the desert. Lord, teach me to do Your will, and teach me to walk humbly and righteously before You, for You are my wisdom, and You know me as I really am. Indeed, You knew me before the world was made and before I was born into the world. Amen”


CHAPTER 4

On the importance of walking in truth and humility before God

Walk before God in truth. In other words, live up to the truth you know so that you are as godly as you know to be in the everyday activities of life (Genesis 17:1b; Deuteronomy 18:13; Matthew 5:48). With sincerity and simplicity of heart, seek God and pursue godliness continually (I Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 29:13).

Those who walk before God in the truth – by living up to the truth they know, will have the spiritual strength to remain faithful when assaulted by the devil. They will have the strength of will to turn away when tempted by the pleasures, treasures, and ways of the world. And because they look to God as their primary source of security, they will be immune to the unjust criticisms and false accusations of others. Truly, if the truth shall make you free, you shall be free indeed, and you will not care about or be taken in by the vain, empty words of men.

Prayer of a sincere and wise Christian:

Lord, Your word is true and Your truth sets me free from all that would lure me away from You and Your way of godliness. O Lord, work with me and in me so that I think and live as one set free. Teach me the way of truth. Teach me to think and choose, speak and behave as those who live by the truth. As I live according to the truth, cause it to keep me and preserve me safe to the end. Build Your truth into me in such a way that it frees me from all unholy affections, excessive desires, foolish whims, and selfish interests. Then I will walk before You in purity of heart – free from all that would encumber or weigh me down. Amen”

God will teach you the things which are right and pleasing to Him, and even more so if you hunger and thirst for righteousness and implore Him – like the widow before the unjust judge – to conform you more and more to the likeness of Christ (Psalm 25:4-5; Matthew 5:6, 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8; Romans 8:29).

Nurture the remorse of a broken heart, the humility of shame, and the tears of sorrow over your sins, for it is God, first and foremost, that you have sinned against. It is God you have rebelled against and God whom you have treated as unworthy of your love. It is God’s son whom you have trampled under foot. It is the shed blood of Christ, by which we are sanctified, that you have treated as if it were of little or no worth. And it is God’s Spirit of grace that you have insulted by wilfully doing what you knew was wrong. (Psalm 51:16-17; Matthew 5:4; James 4:8-9; Psalm 51:4; I John 3:4; Hebrews 10:29). 

Never look upon your goodness, righteous deeds, obedience to God, spiritual gifts, knowledge of the scriptures, and service to Christ as a reason to think highly of yourself (Psalm 138:6; Matthew 23:12; Romans 12:3). The reality is, you are a sinner, easily swayed by your passions, prone to foolish thinking, and fond of at least some of the world’s allurements. In fact, without the saving and empowering intervention of Christ in your life, you would, at your best, be a slave of sin. You would quickly give in to temptation. You would easily be conquered by evil desires, ungodly thoughts, fleshly pleasures, and worldly attractions. You would often be agitated, anxious, dissatisfied, unhappy, and even angry. And you would sow to the flesh, thus bringing destruction upon yourself rather than the good you thought you were obtaining. Indeed, you have no reason to be proud, and many reasons to be humble, and to see yourself as vile, for you are far weaker than you are able to comprehend (I Corinthians 15:9; I Timothy 1:12-16; Galatians 6:7-8). 

Therefore, do not let anything you do appear great in your own eyes, or grand, or valuable, or beautiful, or worthy of honor, or lofty, or praiseworthy, or desirable, except those things that are eternal by nature. Let God, who is eternal truth and righteousness, please you above all else. Let your own great vileness (wickedness and despicableness) displease you continually (Mark 12:30; Hebrews 1:9a). Fear, expose, and flee your own faults and sins more than anything else you might fear or expose or flee (Romans 12:9; I Thessalonians 5:21-22; I Timothy 6:11-12; II Timothy 2:22). Indeed, your own faults and sins ought to be more displeasing to you than the loss of any earthly possession or position.

There are some who are insincere in their pursuit of God, who are motivated far more by curiosity and pride than by humble submission, a hunger for righteousness, and the longing to know and please God. What they want to know are the hidden and obscure truths of scripture, and the deep mysteries of God, so they use their time searching out those things. Yet they neglect their own spiritual condition and the kind of holiness that allows them to know God so well it is as if they see Him and walk hand-in-hand with Him (Matthew 15:7-8; Hebrews 12:14; Psalm 15; Matthew 5:8). Therefore, because of their unrestrained pride, misplaced curiosity, and neglect of living up to what they know, they often fall into great temptations and sins. In addition, their pride makes the Christian life that much harder by moving God to oppose them rather than give them the grace needed to assist and empower them for godly living (Psalm 136:6; Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; I Peter 5:5).  

Therefore, fear God’s judgment. More than that, dread the Almighty God’s wrath. Run away from debating what our Sovereign, All-wise, and Loving God does or why He does it. Rather, diligently search out the ungodly short-comings in your own character, thoughts, cravings, words, and behavior. Give serious consideration to the great sins you have committed and are likely to commit again baring significant dying to self and putting on Christ-likeness. Get honest about the many godly things you know you should do, yet are neglecting to do. 

There are some whose devotion to God and godly living goes no further than the reading and studying of the Bible and other religious books. There are some whose devotion goes no further than the deeply felt, seemingly spiritual emotions driven by pictures (icons) and sculptures of the saints, or sharing in Holy Communion, or being emotionally moved by worship music. There are some whose mouths are filled with praise, worship, and honor to God, yet there is little of God in their hearts as evidenced by their behavior at other times. 

However some, after being enlightened in their understanding and applying what they know to their affections, continually long after eternal things (Colossians 3:1-4). They turn away from earthly things as much as is possible, and serve the necessities of their flesh and earthly life with reluctance – knowing that temporal things, though in part necessary, are a distraction from eternal things. These are the ones who hear and practice what the Holy Scriptures and the Spirit of Truth speaks within them; for God teaches us to despise earthly things and to love heavenly things; to neglect the world and devote ourselves to Him, day and night. 


CHAPTER 5

On the wonderful power of the Divine Love

Prayer of a sincere and wise Christian:

I bless You, O Heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, because You have lowered Yourself to think of me, even though I am as far beneath Your exalted position as one can be. O, Father of Mercies and God of all comfort (II Corinthians 1:3), I give You thanks, for sometimes You have personally refreshed me with Your comfort when I am unworthy of any comfort. I bless and glorify You continually, along with Your only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete (advocate, comforter), for ever and ever. O Holy God, Holy lover of my soul, when You fill my heart with your presence, all my inward parts rejoice. You are my glory and the joy of my heart! You are my hope and my refuge when trouble visits me. But because I am still weak in love and imperfect in godliness, I need to be strengthened and encouraged onward by You. Therefore, come to me often and teach me, using Your holy methods of instruction. Deliver me from evil passions, and cleanse my heart from all unholy affections, that, being healed and altogether cleansed within, I may be able to love as I ought, be strong to suffer as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, and faithfully endure to the end. Amen”

Love is exceedingly great, a good above all others (Matthew 5:43-48; I Corinthians 13:13). It alone makes heavy burdens seem light. It does not succumb to inequality or injustice, but rather rises above them and even overcomes them (Romans 12:20-21). Love willingly bears burdens as if they were not burdens. It changes every bitter thing into something sweet, so that what was distasteful tastes good.

The surpassing love of Jesus for us and our love for Him motivates and compels us to humble, sacrificial service, and to great and noble works for His sake (II Corinthians 5:14-15). This same love excites within us a continual longing for greater and greater perfection – with the goal of being holy in all our behavior as God is holy, of being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, and of being conformed to the likeness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 18:13; Matthew 5:48; II Corinthians 7:1; I Peter 1:15-16; Romans 8:29). Love like this zealously and vigilantly does what it must to be free from worldly affections and immune to worldly attractions. It strives to protect its spiritual power from being weakened so that it will not be tripped up by any worldly prosperity or overcome by trials and tribulation.

Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger, nothing more noble, nothing more comprehensive, nothing more pleasing, and nothing more fulfilling or better in heaven or on earth, for love was born of God and cannot come to life or sustain its life apart from God, who is above all created things.

Those who love – who believe in love and therefore live in love – feel like they are flying and running about with great delight, free and unhindered. They willingly give whatever they have to further the cause of love. They are content with what they receive because their primary source of love is our Loving Father, who is over all and through all and in all, and from whom we receive every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). Because God is their first and foremost source of love, their desire and joy is not wrapped up in what He gives, but in Him himself – in serving Him, pleasing Him, and enjoying intimate fellowship with Him.

Love knows no limits. It often gives sacrificially, going far beyond what is safe or secure for its own well-being to promote and protect the good of others. Love does not feel the burden or take note of the cost of giving love. It does not keep track of all it has done. It pushes itself to do more than it has already done. It never gives up or gives in to despair because it is convinced that whatever fits within the boundaries of love is possible. Therefore, love courageously attempts all things, accomplishes most things, and is successful where those who do not love, fail or give up.

Love is attentive, and when sleeping it continues to be watchful. Though love grows weary it does not tire, though pressed it does not become anxious, though alarmed it never gives way to fear, but like the living flame and burning torch, it shines for all to see and triumphs without becoming any less love than when it began.

Those who love – who believe in love and therefore live in love – know all this already, for every Christian whose heart is filled with ardent love cries often to God and prays:

My God, my Beloved! You are all mine, and I am all Yours. Teach me to love as You love, that I may learn to taste with the innermost mouth of my heart how sweet it is to love, to be dissolved so as to become love itself, and to swim in love. Hold me tight in Your love so that I will lose myself in fervent love and exceeding admiration for You. Teach me to sing the song of love, and to walk with you, my Beloved, as a bride walks with her new bridegroom. Teach me to exhaust myself in loving, jubilant praise of You. Teach me to love You more than myself – only loving myself for Your sake, and loving others for Your sake, especially those who love You just as Your law of love commands us to do. Amen.”

Love is quick to act, sincere, virtuously affectionate, pleasing, meek, strong, patient, faithful, sensible, long-suffering, and courageous. Love is never selfish or self-seeking, for to choose selfishness or act in a self-seeking way, you must stop loving. Love is cautious and discreet in relation to all it says and does, including how it is perceived by others. It is humble and morally upright. Love is not weak, not fickle or unfaithful, and not interested in or given to any worthless things. Rather, love is thoughtfully serious, virtuous, unshakably faithful, quiet, and guarded in all the senses, felt-needs, and bodily desires. Love is humbly submissive and obedient to all who are in authority. It sees itself as pitiful – as being far less than it ought to be. Yet love is devout and grateful toward God, faithful to God, and always trusting in God – even when it feels as if He is far away and uninvolved.

Those who are not willing to experiencing times of deep sadness and heart wrenching sorrow will not willingly love others as themselves. Those who are not ready to suffer whatever is required in order to love, and to conform their thoughts, words, and behavior to the will of the Beloved, are not worthy to be called lovers of God. Therefore, to love God as we ought and others as ourselves, we must be willing to embrace all that is hard and distasteful so that we do not draw back to distrust, self-protection, and self-centeredness when the demands of love seem too difficult or personally costly.


CHAPTER 6

On the proving of the true lover of God and man

Teacher: “My child, you are not yet strong and fearless, careful and sensitive, and wise in your love for God and man.”

Disciple: “Why are you saying that? What do you mean I am weak and unwise in my love for God and others?”

Teacher: “I am telling you this because you too easily give up when loving God or others gets hard or costly, or when you feel like your efforts to love are not producing the results you desire. I am telling you this because you too eagerly seek praise when your efforts to love go well, and comfort or sympathy when they do not go well. You are turning loving God and others into something that is more focused on you and what you are getting out of it rather than on them and the good they are receiving from it.

The strong, fearless lover remains faithful to the principles and practices of love in spite of trials, tribulation, disappointment, rejection, mistreatment, and temptation. The one who loves like this does not believe the evil, persuasive lies of the enemy about his self-importance, his needs, and why the love he gives should be based on how he is being treated. Just as the strong, fearless lover pleases God when times are good and loving is easy, so he is careful not to displease God when times are difficult and loving God and others is hard and personally costly. Truly, love never fails to be love (I Corinthians 13:8a).

The careful and sensitive lover does not desire the gifts of his lover any where near as much as he longs for the love of the giver. He measures the depth and the meaningfulness of the relationship by the openness and intimacy of the affection shared rather than the value of the gifts given. Indeed, he treats every gift given as significantly less valuable than his Beloved. Therefore, the true lover finds joy, security, and well-being first and foremost in God, then in his relationships with others. And in all cases, he longs for mutually meaningful relationship rather than gifts.

However, all is not lost even though at times you think more of yourself and less of God, and care more about your own well-being than that of others.

Those times when you feel overwhelmed with good, sweet love for God and others is the result of God’s grace working on and in you, and it is a foretaste of what it will be like in our eternal home. Enjoy those times, and make the most of it when you have them. But do not depend on them as if they will always be there, for those times come and go. Instead, make it your aim to always fight against every evil and selfish thought that seeks to enter your mind (Philippians 4:6-8). Resist the suggestions of the devil, for they are calculated to turn you away from love to selfishness (James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9). Diligently pursue and put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Learn to patiently bear with those around you. Forgive just as the Lord forgives you. And above all, make it your aim to love – as God loves, and for God’s sake (Colossians 3:12-14). If you do these things, you will build and nurture virtue – including the virtue of love, and you will earn great reward (II Peter 1:2-11).

Therefore, do not be shaken up or lose your inner peace and confident faith when unholy thoughts or fleshly desires knock at the door of your mind. Resist them, in the name of Jesus, with scripture, while standing firm in your determination to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Your faith in God and love relationship with God is not an illusion or a false reality when, after experiencing the rapturously sweet and exhilarating presence of God for a time, you find your mind taking up empty (vain) or even unholy thoughts. Though you nurtured and even treasured such worldly thoughts as an unbeliever, the fact that you are now unwilling to entertain them, and that they displease you rather than attract you, so that you fight against them, is a sign of commendable spiritual growth.

Without question, your old enemy is doing everything he can to regain your friendship and bring you back to his ways. Barring that, he wants to distract you from your pursuit of God and godliness. He wants to keep you from pondering what God has done for you, in and through Jesus Christ. He wants to deter you from contemplating the lives of God’s godly ones, who are an example of faith and godliness. He wants to distract you so that you have no time to recall how your past sins have offended God and pushed Him away, and how they harmed others. And for certain, he does not want you to despise evil.

He wants to rekindle your interest in self-rule, fleshly gratification, and personal happiness so that you ultimately lose interest in keeping your heart pure and in keeping your zeal strong for growing in godliness. And though he cannot tempt you beyond what you are able to endure (I Corinthians 10:13), he repeatedly suggests selfish and evil thoughts (Luke 4:13; I Peter 5:8) in the hope of wearing down your resistance (I Peter 5:9; James 4:7). He reminds you of how evil you have been and feeds false guilt in order to fuel the belief that you will never be able to please God, so why keep trying. Because he despises humble confession of sin, he does his best to get you to stop participating in the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion). And his goal in all this is to discourage you from praying, reading and meditating on the holy scriptures, putting off the old nature, putting on the new nature, gathering with other Christians, and in any other way pursuing holiness in all your behavior. Do not listen to him or believe him, even though he frequently attacks with lies that sound true and deceptions that seem reasonable and therefore believable.

Simply assume it is the devil when selfish, evil, or unholy thoughts try to barge into your mind and take over. Say to him:

In Jesus name, depart impure spirit, be ashamed of your wretchedness. You, who brings such things to my mind, are completely unholy. Depart from me, detestable deceiver, I will not give you any part of me, for Jesus is with me and in me as a strong warrior. He will protect me even as He confounds you. I would rather die or endure all manner of suffering than consent to your evil suggestions and temptations. God says: ‘Think on the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise’ (Philippians 4:8). Therefore, I will not listen to you even though you come again and again with your suggestions and temptations. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear because the Lord is my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalms 27:1-3; 19:14).

Continue submitting to God, resisting the devil, and fighting against all unholiness like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And if you sometimes fall because of weakness or laxness, confess your sin and get back up – determined all the more to make full use of God’s grace and empowerment for victory, and to be vigilantly prepared to stand firm against the devil’s attacks (II Peter 1:2-11; Ephesians 6:10-17).

Beware of thinking you can live victoriously apart from God’s grace and empowerment. This way of thinking is based on the pride of self-help that leads to a worthless, easily defeated self-confidence. But also beware of thinking that God will change you apart from you doing your part. This thinking implies you can live victoriously without the daily discipline of putting off the deeds of the flesh, putting on Christ, much prayer, scripture study, scripture meditation, preparation to meet the temptations of that day, and ongoing vigilance so as to stand firm and remain faithful when temptation comes.

Based on holding one or the other of these two errors in thinking, many well-intentioned Christians have given way to sin or allowed the practice of sin to continue unopposed – even to the point of becoming self-deceived and spiritually blind, which is almost impossible to remedy. Therefore, let the ruin of these foolish thinkers be a warning and a continual exhortation to trust in and make full use of God’s part as you do the part He has given you to do, for it is in this way that you will defeat the enemy, overcome your flesh, and live a victorious Christian life (Philippians 2:12-13; Titus 2:11-14).


CHAPTER 7

On remaining humble in the face of God’s gracious blessings

Dear Christian, it is better and safer for your spiritual well-being to keep silent about the overwhelming sense of devotion, awe, and the other spiritual blessings God has graciously bestowed on you. Run from thinking of yourself as spiritually superior to others (Romans 12:3). Stop your lips from telling everyone who will listen of such things as the heart-felt love, visions, prayer in tongues, emotionally moving worship, and compelling sense of God’s presence that make up part of your spiritual experiences. Rather than exalting these things, despise yourself, and act as one who fears that these graces will be snatched away as soon as it is discovered how unworthy you are of having received them.

Feelings of spirituality can arise within in response to these gracious gifts. Do not think too highly of yourself or depend on them as an accurate gauge of your condition, for such feelings can quickly turn to discouragement and despair given a different set of circumstances. When you are tempted to proudly rejoice over the graces God has given you, turn your thoughts toward how spiritually pitiful and poor you would be without them (II Corinthians 3:5-6). And remember, such graces, as exhilarating and encouraging as they are, are not the only things we need to advance spiritually, nor are they the only proofs of Christian growth.

Be like the spiritually hungry, God-seeking, growing Christian, who humbly, patiently, and without complaint accepts the spiritually unspectacular times as being from God just as much as the spiritually exhilarating times. Follow his example of not allowing the spiritually dry times to deter or diminish fervency and frequency of prayer, scripture study, memorization, and meditation. In fact, during the dry times, do these activities, and all other things related to your pursuit of God, even more zealously – for the dry times provide an increased opportunity to grow in strength of faith and heavenly knowledge. And do not neglect warring against your flesh, or putting off any sinful ways that still need throwing overboard, or vigilantly guarding against any fresh intrusion of worldly thoughts or old cravings. And do not neglect living up to what you know, along with putting on more of Christ, so as to continue making progress in becoming the new creation Christ saved you to be.

These warnings are important for all of us, because there are many who, when their spiritual life is not as exciting or as filled with the miraculous or as comforting or as encouraging or as life-changing in as quick a way as they would like, become impatient and lazy. Their impatience is due to wanting to be a marathon victor without finishing the race, and their laziness results in falling back to giving a half-hearted effort in warring against the flesh and striving toward godliness. Yet our days and our circumstances and the decisions of what is best for us are not as much in our hands as they are in God’s (Jeremiah 10:23). For it is God’s place to determine what is best for us and to give encouragement, comfort, and relief to whom He will, when He deems it needful, and as much as He deems is needed – no less or no more – according to His good pleasure. 

Some, thinking more highly of themselves than they ought by assuming their exhilarating spiritual experiences are the result of some worthiness or goodness in themselves, have destroyed themselves by attempting to do more than God, by His grace, has empowered them to do (Romans 12:3-8). Rather than humbly considering the measure of their own littleness, according to the judgment of reason (Ephesians 3:7-8; II Corinthians 3:5-6), they followed the impulses of their heart – thinking such impulses must be from God rather than the expression of their own earthly desires. And because they went beyond the abilities God was pleased to give them and the tasks He gave them to do, they quickly lost the grace God gave them. With the loss of God’s grace came spiritual poverty. Thinking they were more spiritual and therefore more important to God’s work than He had equipped them to be (Matthew 25:15), they became vile. Yet God uses both these outcomes to humble them and teach them not to act on their own – as if they are the Master, but rather to act as the servant who is focused on doing the will of his Master.

A word of caution is needed here. New Christians who are yet unskilled in the ways of the Lord, easily deceive themselves into thinking they are both spiritually prepared (II Timothy 2:20-21) and sufficiently gifted to do particular tasks God has neither equipped them nor called them to do (Romans 12:3-8). To protect themselves from this error – an error built on pride, and which opens the door to other evils – they ought to seek the advice of older, more godly, and wiser Christians. But if they press ahead in following their own prideful fancies rather than trust the advice of those older and wiser, the result will be dangerous to their soul and the souls of those they intend to serve (I Corinthians 3:12-15; Matthew 7:21-23). And this danger will be especially damaging if they never come to their senses sufficiently to turn away from treating their will as if it were God’s will.

It is rare for those who are wise in their own estimation to patiently and humbly remain under the authority of another. Therefore, it is better to have a limited education and a small amount of wisdom with humility, than brilliance and an extensive education with self-conceit. It is better for your spiritual health to have less of everything, than to have an abundance of anything that nurtures pride.

The one who pays too much attention to his own happiness, pleasure, and importance will inevitably forsake discretion (discerning wisdom). He will forget his spiritual weakness and his need for a holy fear of God to urge him on in guarding against losing any of God’s grace and strength for godly living. The one who gives way to discouragement and despair in times of adversity, trial, or tribulation has abandoned wisdom, as has the one who questions God’s trustworthiness during such times. And the one who is overly concerned about security in times of peace, instead of resting in God’s care, will likely be depressed and full of fear in times of war.

If you would learn from Christ how to be meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29), and to learn from God how to restrain and rule your heart, mind, and flesh (Galatians 5:16-17, 24), you would not fall so quickly into spiritual danger, pride, selfishness, and sin.

When you are on the mountain top of an exhilarating spiritual experience, it is wise to ponder how you will feel and what you will do when the experience ends. And when it does end, which is often because God has ended it, remember that the inexpressible preciousness of God’s presence and work can come again. When God takes it away for a time, He does so to warn you against pride and to glorify Himself as the giver of every good and perfect gift. Therefore, these ups and downs of precious moments with God and special graces from God are far more spiritually profitable than always dwelling on the mountain top or always accomplishing great things for God – as you wish you could.

Never forget that the worthiness of your Christian life (Ephesians 4:1-3; Colossians 1:9-12; I Thessalonians 2:11-12) is not based on how many visions you have had, or how many times God has comforted and encouraged you with deeply moving spiritual experiences, or how skillful you are in expounding the scriptures, or your position of authority in the church, or how highly you have been honored. Your worthiness is based on the genuineness of your humility, on the quality of your love for God and neighbors, on the zeal and purity with which you seek the honor of God, on thinking so little of yourself that you even despise what you have been and weep over what you have as yet not become, and on rejoicing that others despise you and speak ill of you – as they did to Christ (John 15:18-20; I John 3:13).


CHAPTER 8

On a humble view of self before God in prayer

A prayer of humility, acknowledgment, and gratitude

Oh dearest Lord God, I am but dust and ashes. If I think of myself as anything more than that, my prideful arrogance will bear an irrefutable witness against me, and You will oppose me by setting Yourself against me. But if I humble myself, and think of myself as nothing, and flee from all feelings or thoughts of pride, and remind myself – over-and-over – that I am but dust, which I am, then You will pour out your grace upon me (James 4:6; I Peter 5:5; Psalm 138:6; Matthew 23:12).

Part of Your gracious favor will include the light of Your truth shining into my heart, exposing whatever pride is there – no matter how little – so that by Your grace and power I can forsake it and die to it forever. Another gracious work of Your illuminating light is showing me myself as I really am, by showing me how prideful, foolish, and ignorant I really was, and showing me what I can become and how far I have come – because of Your grace.

If You do not come to me and graciously help me, but rather leave me to myself, then I am in deep trouble for I have no inherent strength to live humbly before You. But if You look upon me with gracious favor, even for a moment, I am immediately strengthened for godly living and filled with fresh joy.

What a wonder it is that I, who so easily turn toward pride and self-importance, should so graciously be embraced, strengthened, protected, and transformed by You. These marvelous and vital provisions are the gracious gifts of Your love, which leads me and sustains me in times of need, protects me in the face of grave danger, and snatches me from innumerable evils – as I can personally attest.

I now see clearly that by loving myself selfishly, I lost myself, but by seeking and sincerely loving You alone, I found both myself and You. As my love for You has matured and grown more intimate, so has my understanding that I am nothing and You are everything: for You, O most precious Lord, deal with me far beyond anything I could possibly deserve and far above all that I could possibly ask or think (James 4:4-6; Ephesians 3:20-21).

I praise and thank You, O my God, because though I am unworthy of all Your gracious benefits, Your unbounded and infinite goodness never ceases to do good – even to the ungrateful and to those who have turned away from You. Therefore, I urge You, draw all Your children to Yourself, that we may be grateful, humble, and godly, for You alone are our salvation, our courage, and our strength. Amen.”

CHAPTER 9

On acknowledging that God is the source of everything good and perfect

If you desire to be truly happy, content, and blessed, you must depend on God to be your Supreme (first and foremost) provider, protector, healer, source of security, and your source for being perfectly and consistently loved. When you make God your supreme Being, your Lord and Master, your most precious treasure, your Rock and Fortress, the One you want to please above all others – or in simple words, your All in all – then the longings of your heart and the desires in your mind can be purified.

Beware, for in whatever setting or situation you make yourself and your interests more important than God and His interests, or whenever you do not trust Him to be your All in all, you will, at that very place and time damage your relationship with God, dull your conscience, harden your heart to the truth of God’s word and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, and erode the intimacy and subsequently the joy of your fellowship with God. Therefore, make God the Supreme Being (Lord) over your heart, your mind, and your life so that in all things you look to Him, and in all matters you submit to Him, and in all circumstances you trust in Him, and in all situations you acknowledge Him as your provider, protector, security, and sustainer, for it is God who gives us everything necessary for life and godliness, and it is God who works all things out for good for those who love and obey Him (I Peter 3:15; II Peter 1:2-3; Romans 8:28). And look upon every blessing as coming from God, himself, for He is the source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

From God alone, the lowly and the great, the poor and the rich, draw eternal life and everything needed for life and godliness. Those who serve God with a willing and faithful heart receive grace piled on top of grace. But those who think of themselves as important or rich due to their own efforts rather than by the graciousness of God, and those who delight in some ability or strength as if it makes them superior to others, shall limit the joy of their salvation and miss out on the deeper, more intimate fellowship with God while hindering spiritual growth and adding trials and tribulation to their lives (I Peter 5:5; I Corinthians 1:26-30).

To avoid the pitfalls of pride, do not ascribe any good to yourself (I Corinthians 4:7). Do not think of any good or virtue as coming from yourself or as being in you because of the efforts of some other human being (II Corinthians 3:5-6). Rather ascribe all that is good to God, for without Him we have nothing that is good (James 1:17). God gives all, and He will receive back again all that He has given (Romans 11:36). In addition, God requires that we give praise and thanks to Him for all things (I Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17). Therefore, by living according to the word of God, you will drive pride and boasting out of your heart and mind.

If heavenly grace and godly love dwell in you, it is because God has given them to you, and if these are in you, no greed or unfounded fear or any distrust of God or pride or selfishness will be able to take possession of your mind and heart. Indeed, the spiritual blessings which God lovingly and graciously gives are able to conquer everything that is not of God, and to establish and increase everything that is. Therefore, the truly wise Christian will both rejoice and hope in God alone, for there is no one who is good but God (Luke 18:19). He alone is to be praised and worshiped and adored above all else.


CHAPTER 10

On praying about the sweetness of despising the world and serving God

Prayer of praise and thanksgiving

I am coming to You again, O my Lord. I cannot be silent. I want to say in Your hearing, my Lord and my King, who is exalted above all: ‘How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You’ (Psalm 31:19).

And what are You to those who love You? What are You to those who serve You with their whole heart? Truly, You pour out unspeakable sweetness on those who draw near to You with a pure heart, who draw near out of love for You and with a longing for intimate fellowship with You.

It is this that has shown me the greatness of Your precious love: that when I was nothing, You made me Your child, and when I wandered far from You, You brought me back that I might humbly serve You and fulfill Your command to love You.

O Fountain of perpetual love, what shall I say about You? How can I ever let You slip from my thoughts or forget You in any way, for You graciously remembered me even though I was foolish, self-destructive, and worthy of everlasting damnation? You have had mercy on me beyond anything I could hope for. You have embraced me and befriended me – which is far more than I deserve.

How shall I repay or reward You for being so gracious to me? I know the debt is immeasurable, because not everyone is given the grace to renounce the world, its ways, and its possessions, and pursue a godly life that is pleasing to You. I know that whatever service I render is nothing great, because everyone was made to serve You. Indeed, I should not delight in my service to You, but in the fact that You humble Yourself enough to accept someone so poor and unworthy as a servant, and that You grant such a one the privilege to be one of Your chosen servants.

The truth is, all that I have is Yours, because it came from You. This means my service to You is based on what You have given me. Does this mean that it is You who are serving me rather me serving You? Yes it does! You created the heavens and the earth to serve all mankind, and day-after-day they fulfill Your bidding. Yet what makes this so great, for You also have ordained the Angels to serve mankind. And surpassing even all that, You humbled Yourself to serve mankind, giving Yourself for him and pledging to give Yourself to him, even to dwelling within him.

What shall I give to You for all Your many and varied mercies? Surely, love so amazing demands my all. Oh that I would be privileged to be Your servant the rest of my life! Oh that even for one day I would be able to serve You in ways that are worthy of You. Truly, You are worthy of every kind of service, all honor, and endless praise. Indeed, You are my God and I am Your poor, humble servant who is bound to serve You with all my strength, and praise You all my days. This is my prayer. This is my desire above all desires, and whatever is lacking in me, please supply it.

It is a great honor, even a great glory, to be Your servant, and to despise all earthy possessions, pleasures, power, and honors for Your sake.

Those who of their own will freely submit to serving You according to Your will, shall receive great enabling grace from You. Those who for the love of You have cast off and died to every fleshly delight, shall receive the sweet comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit. Those who walk the narrow path for Your name’s sake, and who put away all worldly cares, shall attain great freedom of spirit and an abiding inner peace.

How precious and delightful is willing servitude to You. It sets us free and makes us holy! How spiritually rich is the character and heart condition of Your servants. It is a richness that makes them equal to the Angels, pleasing to You, feared by evil spirits, and acceptable to all who love and serve You with a pure heart.

Oh how marvelous is willing servitude to You. It promises great good and eternal joy for all who long for it and embrace it evermore. Amen.”

CHAPTER 11

On examining and taking authority over the desires of the heart

Dear Christian, there are a number of things still to be learned, which you have not yet learned as fully as you ought.

The common response to this statement is the question: “What do I still need to learn?

You still need to learn to bring all your desires into subjection to God’s will and His good pleasure. Please notice the word “all” in what has just been said. It is an all-inclusive word, leaving nothing outside its boundaries. Many Christians bring many of their desires, fears, hopes, expectations, thoughts, words, and actions into subjection to God’s will, but few bring all into subjection to His good pleasure. To bring all into subjection to God is to no longer be a lover of self, but rather an earnest, deliberate, and persistent seeker of God’s will.

It is true that you have desires for the spiritual which excite you, and compel you to make forward progress in the Christian life. But consider for a moment which desires are stronger, your desires for those things that please your selfish interests or your desires for those things that honor and please God? If your strongest desires are for what honors and pleases God, then you will be content with whatever God gives you, chooses for you, or allows. In fact, you will go beyond contentment to treasuring the spiritual profit gained from what God is doing to and with you. However, if your strongest desires are for some selfish interest, even though they are well hidden from others, they will turn your heart away from God, stand in the way of spiritual growth, and prevent you from honoring and pleasing Him.

Therefore, beware that you do not strive too earnestly or too quickly after some desire that has arisen in your heart. Check with God to see if it is from Him, lest afterwards you have to repent of your foolishness and hastiness in treating a desire of your own making as if it were from God.

Not every desire or feeling which seems good, or even godly, is to be immediately acted on. In contrast, not every desire or feeling which seems wrong or misguided is to be immediately avoided. Examine everything that comes from within before God and in the light of His word.

Sometimes it is wise to use restraint even with what seems to be your most godly desires and feelings, lest through the demands of the resulting endeavor you get distracted from what matters most between God and you; or lest through slacking off on spiritual disciplines you set a bad example and become a stumbling-block to others; or lest by the resistance or un-cooperation of others you become discouraged and give up.

Sometimes it is necessary to use violence in striving against your fleshly desires, sensual cravings, and selfish longings (Matthew 18:8-9; I Corinthians 9:24-27; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:5-9). It is always necessary to bring your flesh, however unwilling it may be, into subjection to the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17), with the goal of subduing it so that it cooperates with you in becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus (II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-14; Ephesians 4:22-24). Therefore, for as long as it takes, discipline your flesh and make it your slave until it no longer screams for anything unholy, and until it learns to be satisfied with little, to be pleased with plain and simple things, and to be content with any inconvenience.


CHAPTER 12

On the need of patient perseverance in the struggle against unholy desires

If you have yet to learn this by experience, then learn this from the experience of Christians who have gone before you: patient perseverance is vital for inward peace and ongoing godliness, because many things do not go as we would like. No matter what plans we make or how hard we work at managing the affairs of life, trouble, strife, and tribulation will always come our way. But this is to the Christian’s advantage (James 1:2-4).

The deep, abiding peace that we are to seek is not the peace brought on by a trouble-free life, that is, free of trials and adversities. Rather we are to seek the inward and abiding peace of God that is gained through patiently persevering in godliness in the face of many tribulations and various kinds of adversities (Isaiah 26:3).

If you feel you are unable to bear much in the way of suffering, or that you have reached your limit and cannot take any more, how will you endure the fiery sufferings of hell? When given the choice between two occasions of suffering, the wise always choose the less. Therefore, make it your aim to escape eternal suffering hereafter by striving to patiently endure temporal trials and adversities in this life. And encourage yourself onward by reminding yourself – over and over – that you are doing this for the sake of God and your own spiritual well-being.

Do you think that unbelievers live a trouble-free, or a mostly trouble-free life? Think again! If you examine their lives closely, you will find that even rich unbelievers experience trials and tribulations.

But,” you say, “the rich have many advantages, numerous possessions, exciting pleasures, special privileges, and financial security – all things that make hard times much easier.”

Though what you say is partly true, consider these three greater truths. First, how long will what they have last? Can their riches ease their suffering in the hereafter? Behold, just as smoke vanishes and is no more, so those who are rich in this world will pass away and all their past advantages will pass away with them (James 5:1-6). Then what will they do? Second, even with their riches they are not free from frustration, anger, envy, greed, discontentment, bitterness, strife, disappointing, damaged, or broken relationships, fear, and weariness. Indeed, in pursuing, obtaining, and protecting the very things that bring them joy, they suffer trials, sorrow, and fear. And is it not true that the very riches that make their joys possible also tempt them to selfishness, haughtiness, pride, foolishness, and debauchery (I Timothy 6:9-10)? Third, there are trials and adversities – such as certain diseases, financial disasters, natural disasters, relationship troubles, loss of loved ones, and wayward children – that money cannot solve or even make easier to endure. Besides all this, God’s justice is such that the fruit of their selfish and excessive pursuit of pleasures includes disappointment, inward emptiness, loss, bitterness, and destruction (Galatians 6:7-8).

Therefore, keep an eternal, godly perspective! Riches are short lived and a false hope, and because the resulting pleasures are excessive, they are not only sinful, they are destructive to your soul. Yet sadly, the love of worldly pleasure, fortune, and fame, and blindness to spiritual truths, prevents unbeliever’s from understanding that they are like mindless animals, who for the sake of temporal pleasure in this life forfeit their soul in the next (Matthew 16:24-27).

Therefore, my beloved brother in Christ, do not give in to the lusts of your flesh or gratify them in any way. Discipline yourself by denying yourself, resisting temptation, putting off the desires of your flesh, and putting to death your ungodly appetites.

The scripture says: “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). However, if you are going to truly delight in the Lord as the supreme delight of your life, and if you are going to be abundantly blessed with His provision, protection, comfort, and encouragement, you must despise all worldly allurements and turn away from all worthless pleasures. And of course, the more you turn away from taking comfort or pleasure in worldly things, the sweeter and more potent will be the comfort and joy found in God.

Now do not be discouraged in your pursuit of God’s sweet and profound comfort and joy, for you cannot obtain them without passing through trials and tribulation, nor without diligent and persistent efforts in putting off your old nature and putting on God’s new nature. And it is true that long-standing ungodly habits will stubbornly resist being put to death. But by God’s gracious assistance, you can, in time, overcome them and replace them with new and godly habits that help you on your way – if you persevere in doing your part. Your flesh will complain again and again, but you can restrain it, and in time die to its unholy desires, through fervency of effort and a hungry zeal for righteousness. The old serpent will tempt you, try to discourage you, and do his best to talk you into delighting in anything other than God. But you can put him to flight by resisting him with scripture (Luke 4:1-11), by clinging to God in prayer, and by directing your thoughts and activities toward God and toward the service of His kingdom.


CHAPTER 13

On following the example of Jesus Christ in submission and obedience

The one who looks for opportunities to disobey or who carelessly slips into disobedience, turns his back on the grace and empowerment given by God for walking the narrow path (II Peter 1:3). The one who seeks benefits and privileges for himself alone, will in time lose those benefits and privileges which are common to all. If a person will not freely and willingly submit to the established authority over him, it shows he has not yet subjugated his flesh, but rather willingly submits to some of its cravings and murmurings.

Therefore, if you desire to bring your flesh into subjection to your will, as all Christians ought, make it your aim to submit quickly and with a good attitude from the heart to those in authority over you. Your heart condition is important, for your flesh is easily overcome with temptation when the inner person of your heart has not been cleansed of selfishness, pride, unholy desires, and foolish fears. Truly, there is no worse enemy or a more deadly enemy to your spiritual well-being than you are to yourself, if from your heart you are not walking by the Spirit (James 1:14-15; Galatians 5:16-17).

If you are going to purify your heart and gain victory over your flesh, you must despise within yourself what is despicable to God (Romans 12:9; I Thessalonians 5:21-22). If you don’t, whatever evil pleasures, selfish gain, or pride you cling to will contaminate your heart and feed the ungodly cravings of your flesh. Therefore, if you are unwilling to wholly submit to the will of those over you, it is because you still love some ungodly pleasures and selfish pursuits of your flesh.

If we are but dust and our earthly life span is temporary (Psalm 103:14-16), what great thing is it if we yield ourselves to another person for God’s sake, when the Almighty, Most High, Eternal God, who created all things out of nothing, subjected Himself to man for our sake? God, in Christ, became the most humble and despised of all men so that by His humility we might overcome the pride that drives our unwillingness to submit (Philippians 2:5-8).

Since you lack neither God’s gracious empowerment nor Christ’s example, learn to willingly submit and obey, you who are nothing. Learn to humble yourself before all, not just those in authority over you, you who are made of dust and clay. Learn to die to self and to crush your unholy passions. Learn to eagerly, persistently, and humbly pursue the ideal and the practical application of submission.

Though our culture preaches the opposite, I urge you to be zealous in killing off pride and any thought of self-importance (Romans 12:10,16; Philippians 2:3). Live in such a way that others will see you as humbly submissive and of a lowly rank – as one who can easily be walked over and stepped on like dirt on a road (Matthew 11:29; Luke 6:27-30).

And why not? What is there to complain about in pursuing this kind of humility? Are we not all vile sinners who have offended God and treated others in ways we would never want to be treated? Have we not all returned to sins once repented of, or willingly continued doing what we knew was wrong far longer than we would bear with someone else doing what they knew was wrong? Do we not all deserve hell? And yet, has not God spared us because our souls are precious to Him? Has not God offered us salvation because He longs for us to know His love? In gratitude for His gracious benefits, does He not long for us to repent of our rebellious and wayward ways and be reconciled to Him?

Think what God endured from us before we came to our senses, repented, and began walking in His ways. Think what God endures from us after we come to faith. Can we not in recognition of His great love and patience and forbearance, give ourselves willingly and wholly to humble submission so as to patiently bear the contempt and ill-treatment of others?


CHAPTER 14

On recalling the judgments of God so as not to be proud of our good deeds

Prayer of a sincere and wise Christian:

O Lord, I know You are a just judge and no respecter of persons. Therefore, when You pour out Your judgments against me, my bones shake and my soul trembles with fear. I stand in humble reverence before You, remembering that not even the heavens are clean in Your sight (Job 15:15). If You condemned Your angels for their folly, and will not spare them from eternal punishment, how will it go with me (II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:1-10)? If Stars have fallen from heaven, what shall become of me, who am but dust (Isaiah 14:12-15)?

I am fearful and humble before You when I consider that heavenly creatures whose works seemed to be praiseworthy fell to the lowest depths, and earthly creatures who have known Your glory and goodness, have taken delight in eating the husks and slop given to pigs.

Truly, we cannot gain holiness like unto Your holiness, if You O Lord, withdraw Your gracious empowerment and working within us (Ephesians 3:14-19; Philippians 2:13; I Corinthians 15:9-10; Hebrews 13:20-21). There is no wisdom that will profit us, if You stop acting as our guide. There is no human strength strong enough to gain the victory, if You do not preserve us in the fight. There is no purity of heart and life that remains pure to the end, if You do not protect it. There is no self-honesty, self-examination, self-denial, self-control or vigilance that can keep us from sin and bring us to Christ-likeness, if Your holy watching is not always present with us.

When left to ourselves, we end up sinking in the mire and perishing, but when You dwell with us and in us, when You empower us and assist us, we rise to become partakers of Your nature, and live. On our own, we are unstable and fickle. With Your presence and grace, we are made strong and faithful. Left alone, we easily grow spiritually cold. When You are within, You kindle, and rekindle again if necessary, the fire of spiritual desire.

I know that nothing good dwells in my flesh, therefore I humbly consider myself as unworthy. Should there seem to be any good in me, I count it as nothing in Your sight.

O Lord, being a nothing who is unworthy of anything, I would be a fool not to whole-heartedly submit to Your unfathomable judgments. Indeed, Your judgments are an immeasurable weight, an ocean to vast to cross, and when they wash over me, I see how nothing I am in comparison to Your glory and holiness (Romans 3:23). Obviously, I would be a fool to trust in my own goodness or take comfort in my own glory. All self glory and self-proclaimed goodness is worthless in the face of Your judgments against me.

What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him (Psalm 8:4)? Shall what is made be considered equal to the potter? Can what is made say to its maker, ‘He did not make me’; or what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’ (Isaiah 29:16)?

The one whose heart is truly subjected to You will not think more highly of himself than he ought. The praises of the whole world will not puff up the one You have subdued and who has placed all his trust in You. For those who praise me are nothing. Their words, and even their life shall cease, but Your truth is everlasting (Psalm 117:2). Amen”


CHAPTER 15

On how we ought to think and speak in relation to plans and desires

Regarding all plans and desires, you ought to pray: Lord, if what I plan (or desire) is pleasing to You, allow it to come to pass. If it will bring You honor, allow it to be done in Your name. If You deem it good for me, and approve it as useful to my needs and well-being, then allow me to use it for Your honor. But if You know that it will hurt me – bringing spiritual leanness to my soul, then convict me of my foolishness, give me the grace to die to the unprofitable desire, and lead me in the path of righteousness for Your name’s sake.

Vigilantly remain on guard, for not every desire is from God or stirred by the Holy Spirit, even though it may appear to you as right and good. And without question, it is difficult to accurately judge consistently whether it is the Holy Spirit or an evil spirit or your own flesh that is stirring this or that desire in you. Therefore, vigilance is vital, for upon close examination it turns out that many have been deceived, who believed in the beginning to be pursuing a desire given to them by God or who felt they were being led by the Holy Spirit.

Once again, whatever seems desirable to you, desire it and pursue it within the boundaries of a proper fear of God and humility of heart. On top of that, place yourself in God’s hands and resign yourself to His will, so as to willingly submit to His rule and will for your life.

Finally, pray in this way: “Lord, You know what is best. I submit this desire (or plan) to Your will. Give what You will, in the amount You deem wise and when You deem best. Do according to what You know is best, according to what pleases You best, and according to what brings You the greatest honor. Send me and place me where You will. Freely work Your will in me and through me in all things. In that I am in Your hands, direct my paths according to Your will. I am Your servant, ready for all that You would ask of me, for I no longer want to live for myself, but for You. Grant me the grace to do so worthily and perfectly.”

Prayer to be enabled to do God's will perfectly

O Lord and most gracious Father, grant me Your grace, that it may strengthen me, and work in me, and motivate me to persevere to the end. Teach me to desire and treasure what is most pleasing and precious to You. Work in me to the end that Your will is my will, so that where You lead, I follow with a willing, cheerful heart. Teach me to love and to hate, to choose and to reject what You do – until it becomes impossible for me to think or do otherwise.

Grant me the grace to die to everything of this world that distracts me in the least from pleasing You in doing Your will. Grant me the grace to treasure every opportunity to be despised and unknown in this world, for Your sake. Build into me the longing to rest in You. Then teach me how to rest in You until my heart is filled with Your peace. Truly, You are the true peace of every heart. In You alone, I find a peaceful and restful heart. Apart from You, life is disquieting and often troubling. Therefore, in You alone, my supreme and eternal God, I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You make me to dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). Amen.”

CHAPTER 16

On seeking true comfort from God alone

Whatever I am able to desire or to think of to comfort me, I do not look for here, for such comfort can only be found in God and the realities contained in the hereafter. If I could possess all the comforts this world has to offer, and if I could enjoy all this world’s delights, I would only gain temporary comfort because nothing this world offers lasts forever.

Therefore, it is in God alone – the comforter of the poor, helper of the weak, and the lifter up of the humble – that we find true comfort, perfect encouragement, and lasting refreshment. Wait for God to act on your behalf (Psalm 37:7-9). Wait for God to fulfill His divine promises (II Peter 1:4). Wait, and you will have an abundance of all good things in heaven.

If your longing for earthly things exceeds your longing for God and the things of God, you will lose the things which are eternal and heavenly. Therefore, use temporal things as if they are temporary, and desire eternal things because they are eternal. Truly, temporal good can only satisfy temporarily, which is why you were not created to find comfort, fulfillment, or joy in such things.

If you possessed and had at your command every good thing that was ever created, you still would not find lasting happiness or a blessed life. Indeed, true blessedness and lasting happiness (joy) come from God, and are given to those who love God and live according to His will. This heavenly happiness is nothing like the happiness that seems good to the selfish and foolish lovers of the world. Rather this happiness is what Christ’s good and faithful servants wait for, and what the spiritual minded and pure in heart sometimes taste here and now.

All human comfort is shallow and short-lived at best. Blessed and true is the comfort that springs from God, comes to us by His Spirit, is based on eternal truth, and is felt deep within the heart.

The godly carry with them their own personal comforter, Jesus. And when praying, they say: “Be with me, Lord Jesus, always and everywhere. Teach me to take comfort in cheerfully relinquishing all human comfort. Should Your gracious encouragement seem insufficient to me, use that occasion to teach me to find my greatest comfort in doing Your will and receiving Your righteous approval. Truly, You will not always strive with us, neither will You keep Your anger forever” (Psalm 103:9).


CHAPTER 17

On casting all our cares upon God

Those who are in a right relationship with God, cheerfully submit to His will. They willingly put their lives in God’s hands, cooperating with Him as He does what He pleases with them. They believe that God both knows and will do what is best.

The challenging part of this is that we, being human, too easily and too often think like humans who believe they know more than God about what is best, and are convinced they can do a better job at ensuring what is best than God is doing. This is especially true when a person or situation either threatens our sense of well-being or promises to ensure our sense of happiness.

When you look to yourself and to the world to decide what is best, you not only take matters into your own hands, you go your own way rather than remaining faithful to God and relying on His ways. Yet God’s care for you is immensely greater and profoundly better than the very best you can do in caring for yourself. The reality is, you are adding to your troubles far beyond what you can see or even imagine when you do not cast all your cares upon God and trust Him to be your provider and protector.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and who live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). The “all things” of this scripture includes such things as trials, tribulations, testing, sickness, disease, difficult relationships, conflict, and persecution. Therefore, we ought to willingly and confidently submit to God’s will regardless of what it demands of us, where it takes us, who it involves us with, and how much it costs us – for whatever God wills for us cannot be anything other than what is good.

God is good and worthy to be praised when He wills us to live in darkness and harshness and difficulty and pain. God is good and worthy to be praised when He wills us to enjoy the light and every other good thing that has eternal value. God is lovingly securing our good when He wills us to feel alone, troubled within, and distant from His comforting presence. And God is lovingly securing our good when He pours out His gracious comforts and His uplifting encouragements on us, and grants us times of intimate and endearing fellowship with Him.

You see, to make God supreme and keep Him supreme each day, and to make it your constant aim to live for Him (rather than expecting Him to serve you), you must see God as good regardless of your circumstances. And you can know you believe God is good in this way when you willingly accept suffering from God’s hand as gratefully as you accept blessing, and when you accept poverty and need as you accept riches and the fulfillment of your needs.

Pray in this way: “Lord, I will willingly bear for You whatever You choose or allow to come into my life. Teach me and strengthen me to accept from Your hand blessing and hard times, sweet and bitter, joy and sadness, so that in all things I will confidently trust You, genuinely thank You, and continue to honor You through my choices, words, and deeds. Lead me in paths of righteousness. Keep me from sin and the evil one. Strengthen and sustain me as I purify myself, submit to You, resist the devil, and draw ever nearer to You. Then I will not fear death or hell, but will look forward to eternity with You, free from my sinful flesh and the impurities yet in my heart. Do not withdraw the comfort and joy of your presence forever, and do not blot my name out of the book of life, for I love You and long for intimate fellowship with You, now and forever! Because of my confidence in Your love and grace, I know that no tribulation or sorrow which comes upon me can hurt me, for You are my God.”


CHAPTER 18

On following Christ’s example in patiently bearing temporal suffering

God in Christ came down from heaven for our salvation. He took upon Himself our miseries, not of necessity but from the pure motive of love, that we might learn patience and learn to patiently bear temporal suffering without complaining.

From the time of Christ’s birth until His death on the Cross, He did not cease bearing sorrow (Isaiah 53:3). In fact, He lacked many temporal blessings and earthly niceties in His birth, His life, and His death. He was misunderstood, misjudged, arrogantly rebuked, unjustly criticized, and even hated. Yet He meekly and humbly bore lies about His intentions, derogatory comments about His character, ingratitude for His kindnesses, blasphemies for His miracles, disapproval for His teachings, and rebukes for His claims.

As the scripture says, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was meek and patient in fulfilling the will of His Father during His time here (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 11:29; I Peter 2:21-23). Since Christ set this example for us, we ought also to strive – miserable sinners though we are – to live meekly and patiently in fulfilling both His general will, as stated in the scriptures, and any specific will He has spoken to our heart (I Peter 4:1,13; Hebrews 12:3; Matthew 16:24). And as long as He wills it so, we are to bear the burden of warring against our corruptible flesh and fighting off the allurements of this sinful world, for the sake of our spiritual health and the honor of His name.

Even though this present life seems like a burdensome challenge to all who sincerely, purposefully, measurably, and commendably pursue God and an ever growing godliness, these struggles are full of merit. For truly, by our Lord’s grace, they hold forth the prospect of overcoming the flesh, gaining a pure heart, experiencing the unspeakable joy of intimacy with the Father, and receiving the promises of eternal reward. In addition, the example of Christ and godly Christians living lives of meekness, humility, patience, and perseverance, nurtures great hope in those who are weak, and encourages those who feel like giving up to push through their discouragement and despair. Beyond that, we have the writings of the New Testament, the continued presence of the Holy Spirit, an ever-present Advocate with the Father, One who understands our weaknesses, the guarantee we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear, and the Church (the Body of Christ).

Surely, this is more than the Old Testament saints were given. In fact, their way into heaven had not yet been purchased, and the narrow path seemed more obscure because so few hungered and thirsted for righteousness and the heavenly kingdom. Yet God holds them out to us for our encouragement in the pursuit of God and godliness (Hebrews 11). Therefore, there is great wisdom in learning and gaining hope from their example.

Oh what great thanks we ought to give Christ for lovingly and mercifully showing us, and all faithful people everywhere, the good and right way to His eternal kingdom. Without question, His way is the only way, and therefore it must be our way. By God’s gracious empowerment and by holy patience we can persevere in walking the narrow path, drawing ever nearer to eternity with Christ, Who is our Crown.

If Christ had not gone before, leading the way and teaching us how to follow, who would have the heart to follow Him down such a narrow, difficult path? Or how many of us would give up and return to old ways if we did not have Christ’s example?

Sadly, too many of us are still lukewarm in our hunger for righteousness, pursuit of a pure heart, longing to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, and willingness to share in the sufferings of Christ, even though we have read the Gospels and know about His teachings and attesting signs and wonders. Yet where would we be if we did not have such truth and light to help us follow Christ?


CHAPTER 19

On patiently bearing the sufferings common to pursuing a godly life

What do you say to God when trials, tribulation, and suffering come your way? Put an end to all complaints. Instead, review and ponder – before God – the sufferings of Christ and those who walk in His way. The fact that you can read this means you have not yet striven against sin and resisted evil in the world to the point of shedding blood (Hebrews 12:4). Indeed, your sufferings until now are minor compared to those who have suffered severe persecution, harsh imprisonment, cruel torture, powerful temptations, grievous troubles, and many other testings of their faith and perseverance. Therefore, call to mind the more grievous sufferings of others as a source of encouragement to bear your lesser sufferings patiently and with joy (James 1:2-4).

Should a particular time of suffering seem overwhelming or more than you can bear, look within to see if impatience or self-pity are driving such feelings. Our goal is to die to impatience and self-pity and learn to bear all suffering – be it small or great – with godly patience built on a confident trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness.

The degree to which you make it your aim to bear suffering patiently, to that degree you will gain wisdom from God and be rewarded by God for doing so.

You will find it easier to bear up under trials and tribulations if you prepare ahead of time by training your thinking, nurturing trust in God, subduing your feelings, building prayer habits, memorizing scriptures, and meditating on God and His word.

Do not allow your mind to think or your mouth to speak such things as:

I cannot bear this kind of suffering from such an ungodly person as that. He has treated me cruelly and slandered my character concerning things I would never even think of doing. Besides, I should not have to suffer like this, for I am God’s chosen child and the apple of His eye. If my suffering were caused by anyone other than him, I would suffer patiently, just as Christ teaches us to endure such suffering.”

Such thinking or speaking is foolish, for it does not value the moral excellence of patience nor the One who rewards such patience. Rather, it values self and determines what is good or bad on the basis of the type of person and offenses coming against oneself.

No one is truly patient who will suffer only as far as he deems it right and reasonable, or only from those he is willing to accept mistreatment. The truly patient person does not take into account the rank or status of the one causing his suffering – whether such a one is in authority over him, or equal to him, or beneath him. The truly patient person does not take into account whether the source of his suffering is a godly person or a depraved sinner. Such discrimination does not follow the example of Christ, but rather the example of selfish, sinful humanity.

Therefore, the truly patient person does not look at who is causing his suffering or the kind of suffering he must endure or even how often he must suffer. Rather he looks to God – who does all things well, who works out all things for good – knowing that he is safe in God’s hands and that the testing of his faith produces a spiritual profit of such great value that he will never regret having patiently endured. Surely, with God nothing that we bear for His sake and the honor of His name, however small, goes unrewarded.

To remain patiently faithful to God and godliness throughout a time of suffering, that is, to be victorious, you must prepare for battle and remain in a state of readiness each and every day (James 1:2-4; Ephesians 6:10-18). Without the hard and persistent work of preparation to meet the enemy, you will neither gain the victory nor win the crown of patience. Should you be neglectful, or even unwilling to put in the hard work necessary to patiently suffer hardship for Christ’s sake, you are, in essence, refusing the crown of patience.

Therefore, if you desire to win the crown, take your part seriously in doing what is necessary to face trials, tribulation, and suffering with godly patience. For without the hard work of daily preparation you will not find rest for your soul in the midst of trouble. And without deliberately and zealously fighting against your flesh and fears and worldly thinking, you will not gain the victory.

Pray in this way: “O Lord, by Your gracious teaching and empowerment, make possible in me what seems impossible to me on my own. You know how little I am able to bear, and how easily I grumble, get discouraged, and feel like a victim when hard times come my way. Teach me to receive with joy, with confident faith in Your provision and protection, with an abiding inner peace, and with persevering patience whatever trial or tribulation You choose or allow to come upon me. Show me the many ways – until I am convinced – that suffering and annoyances for Your sake are exceedingly profitable to my spiritual growth and health.”


CHAPTER 20

On confessing in prayer our weaknesses when faced with life’s miseries

Prayer of confession

O Lord, I will acknowledge my sin to You. I will not live in denial of my iniquity, but rather I will fully confess my ungodly weaknesses (Psalm 32:5).

It is often a small temptation or a minor issue that trips me up (Hebrews 12:1), and then I feel sad for giving in to my flesh and rebelling against You. Though I resolve at the start of each day to resist the devil and subdue my flesh, when a little temptation comes, I either carelessly give in – for lack of vigilance, or I have to fight hard against myself and the devil to remain faithful to You.

It amazes me how small a temptation – not resisted – can lead to grievous sin. And if I allow myself to set aside vigilance because I feel safe for the moment, or when I am lazy or distracted so as to neglect vigilance, I find it is all too easy to be overcome by just a little puff of temptation.

Therefore, I beg of You, O Lord, look on my frail humanity, which is fully known to You, and be merciful to me. Lift me out of the mire so that I do not sink into sin (Psalm 40:2), for surely such sinking brings discouragement and despair of ever becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus (II Corinthians 5:17).

What I find disquieting and bewildering is the fact that I am so liable to fall, and that it is such a struggle to resist my passions. Why is my heart so intent on evil when I long to love You and please You? Why are certain temptations so powerful and at times relentless when I do not want to sin, or to think sinful thoughts, or to even have sinful thoughts drawn to my mind like metal to a magnet? This is what shows me how evil my heart and mind are, that sinful thoughts and desires rush in far more easily than I can keep them out or get them out once I let them in. If it were not for Your gracious empowerment, assistance, and nearness, I would grow tired of having to be vigilant all day, every day, and would soon lose my zeal for fighting.

Oh that You, Almighty God, Lover of all faithful Christians, would look upon my daily preparation for remaining faithful, my vigilance against temptation, and my broken heart over failure, and give me help in every way necessary for making measurable and commendable growth in godliness. Strengthen me with Your power by Your Spirit in my inner being (Ephesians 3:16), so that my old nature – this miserable flesh, though not yet fully subjected to Your will, would not rule over me and have its way when I am tempted. My heart’s longing and sincere intent is to do my part, day after day, in striving for victory over my flesh, the world, and the devil, as long as I live in this world. Amen”

For those who long for a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith, and godliness in word and deed, this life is an unending challenge, filled with temptations, tribulations, trials, testings, and miseries, because our adversary the devil is like a hungry lion prowling about seeking someone to devour (I Peter 5:8). When one temptation or tribulation ceases, another begins. And sometimes, while one temptation or tribulation is still raging, others come as if to pile on and make staying on the narrow path that much more challenging.

How is it possible to love a life that is filled with so many challenges, so many failures, and so much broken-hearted disappoint over displeasing the One we love? How is it possible to love a life that requires such hard labor, constant vigilance, grueling perseverance, frighteningly honest self-examination, and the reality that conformity to Christ takes more time than most are willing to give? How can this even be called life when it produces so many enemies of our spiritual health and provides so many reasons to abandon our pursuit of God and godliness? If it were not for a reverential fear of God, a heartfelt love of God, a longing to please Him who immeasurably loves us, the indescribable joy of fellowship with God in this life, and the hope of being like Christ when we see Him at His appearance, no one would put forth the demanding effort to purify themselves with the goal of being pure like He is pure (I John 3:1-3).

We often reproach the world and its ways because it is deceitful and empty of eternal value. Yet for all its obvious ills it is not easily given up, because our lustful flesh finds many opportunities for gratification in what it offers. However, after loving the world for the gratification it gives, we often hate ourselves and the world for having given in to its false promises and having taken its paths of death. For example, when we feel needy and our flesh is crying out for gratification, we look on the world as if it were our friend. But upon finishing our foolish foray into sin and coming to our senses, our misplaced love turns to hate because of how horribly we have treated God, how easily we turned against God, and the distance it created between God and us.

How easily our flesh conquers our will when we give its evil longings freedom to find frequent and gratifying pleasures in the world. Our flesh hungers for the world because it has no understanding or longing for the sweetness of God or the inward, satisfying joy of godliness. But those who see through the world’s deceptions and foolishness, and therefore deny their flesh, die to self, despise the world, and strive to live for God’s glory and pleasure, find the divine sweetness and the abundant joy that is promised to all who truly forsake living for themselves in order to live for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.


CHAPTER 21

On resting in God above all earth’s goods and heaven’s gifts

Above all things and in all things earthly and heavenly we ought to find our security and rest in the Lord himself, for He is the eternal source of security and rest of His children (Psalm 37:7, 62:5-8).

In the precious and lovely name of Jesus, pray for God’s gracious and empowering assistance to make Him your source of security and rest above every creature, above all health and beauty, above all glory and honor, above all power and position, above all knowledge and natural ability, above all riches and possessions, above all joy and rejoicing, above all fame and praise, above all comfort and encouragement, above all hope and promises, above all the recognition you desire and actually deserve, above all the heavenly gifts and rewards God can bountifully pour into your life, above all joy and jubilation from God which the heart is able to receive and feel, above all Angels and Archangels and all the Army of Heaven, and above all things visible and invisible, that is, above everything that is not God himself.

For the Lord, our God, is above all things, and has authority over all things. He alone is the Most High, the Almighty, the All-sufficient One who is the only Self-sufficient One. Indeed, He is the Fulness of all things.

He alone is All-delightful and All-comforting, being altogether lovely and perfectly loving. He alone is the true Provider and Protector of all His creatures. He is the Most Exalted and the Most Glorious above all things – for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, altogether perfect, now and forever more.

Therefore, whatever God gives us or does for us or reveals to us or promises us, even when it is abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think, is both incomplete until He gives us Himself as well and incomparably less than having Him, alone.

The apostle Paul affirms this truth when he says, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Knowing Christ in the way Paul is speaking of is to know Him personally and intimately, and to fellowship with Him consistently – which can only come about when we make worthy progress in obtaining a pure heart (Matthew 5:8).

We hear this same truth from King David who, after confessing and repenting of his sin of adultery and murder, prayed that God would not cast him out of His presence or take His Holy Spirit from him. Then David asked God to restore to him the joy of His salvation. Why? Because that joy is lost or severely diminished when our iniquities make a separation between us and our God, and our sins hide His face from us (Isaiah 59:2).

But, you ask, what is the joy of our salvation? For those just saved, it is knowing their sins are forgiven and that they have been accepted by God so that their entrance into God’s eternal kingdom is assured. For those who have grown some in the faith, it is the joy of the new believer coupled with the joy of experiencing the goodness of God, the gifts of God, and humble service to God. For those who are pressing ever further into Christian maturity and the Christ-like life, it is the joy of the new believer plus the joy of the growing believer coupled with the joy of a confident faith, a deep and abiding inner peace, a broken heart over sin, a growing righteousness, and frequent prayer which looks more and more like communing with God than talking to God. And for those who are striving for a pure heart, a good conscience, and a holiness of life like unto God’s holiness (Matthew 5:48; I Peter 1:15-16), the joy of salvation is the cumulative joy of the aforementioned, coupled with the unsurpassable joy of intimate communion and companionship with God himself.

Making God our security and rest, above all else, is very challenging for new believers, for they still have fears and hopes that motivate them to look for comfort, peace, and a sense of security in things or creatures other than God. Those who are commendably growing in strength of faith and godliness see the worth and possibility of being secure and resting in God, because they are seeing a pattern of God’s faithful provision and protection. The Christians who have gained a worthy level of maturity and are continuing to press ever further into Christ-likeness are resting in God from the heart, as affirmed by their confident trust, inner peace, and frequent prayer. However, their confidence can still be shaken by a sudden, unexpected circumstance that threatens their sense of security or inner peace. For those who are striving for a pure heart, a good conscience, and holiness like unto God’s holiness, resting in God above all else seems normal, for they not only have experience in trusting God through trials and tribulation, they know God intimately and His presence experientially as they walk hand-in-hand with Him through each day.

Therefore, whether you are a new Christian or a long-time child of God, make it your aim to keep growing in your faith and spiritual maturity, for no one can find true rest, abiding contentment, deep inner peace, and inexpressible joy, apart from making God, and God alone, his supreme source of security and rest.

Prayer for knowing, resting, and finding security in God

O my most beloved Spouse, Jesus Christ my Lord, most holy lover of my soul, Ruler of all creation, graciously give me the wings of true liberty from my flesh and the power to flee all unbelief and ungodly fears, all pride and self-sufficiency, so that I may come to You, alone, for true rest and security. O Lord my God, work with me, work in me, lead me, prod me, convict me, and relentlessly assist me to gain such purity of heart and holiness of life that I will be able to love You wholly, to see You fully, to know You intimately, and to experience just how sweet communion and companionship with You can be. Teach me more and more how to die more and more to self, and live for You. Overwhelm me with Your love so that I no longer am aware of myself, for in losing myself in You, then I am able to revel in knowing You alone, above every pleasure, possession, position, or person this world can offer.

In spite of what I long for and press toward in my pursuit of You, I am often filled with sorrow, groaning, and weeping over my current state. The weakness of my flesh is exposed by the things that tempt me. The impurities in my heart are revealed by the unholy thoughts, fears, and selfish desires that still so easily plague me. Though I run the race before me with diligence and sincerity, I still have moments of carelessness and even outright rebellion that entangle me and trip me up. I know that at such times I am moving away from You, and even turning my back on You. And in moving away from You, I distance myself from You, causing the loss of close, sweet, and joyful intimacy with You. Oh, what a heart-breaking loss it is, and yet I bring this loss upon myself, foolish and shameful child that I am.

Hear my cry, my groaning, and my sighing, O Lord, and graciously teach me and assist me to love You fully (Mark 12:30), to be holy as You are holy (Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 6:49), to have a heart that is pure like Your heart (Matthew 5:8), to deny myself as Christ denied Himself (Matthew 16:24), to put my flesh to death (Colossians 3:5-8), to love what You love, and to hate what You hate (Hebrews 1:9; Romans 12:9), so that I may please You, draw ever nearer to You, and exult in the joy of Your presence. Strengthen me with Your power by Your Spirit in my inner being (Ephesians 3:14) so that by Your gracious help assisting and empowering my earnest efforts, I may walk each day in victory – persevering to the end.

O Jesus, Light of Eternal Glory, comforter and strengthener of the wandering soul, You know the longing of my heart even when I am silent before You. I want You, and You alone, above all else! But as You so clearly see, I need Your help. And so I am coming to You, my Loving Father, asking for the help I need to live a life that is pleasing to You.

Regardless of what others seek or set their heart on other than You, and no matter how much they are pleased by things other than You, I want You. I want to treasure You above all else. I want to be pleased with You above all else. I want to love You above all else. I want intimate companionship with You above all others. And should my eyes or my thoughts or my heart wander in some foolish and futile effort to be pleased by something other than You, convict me so that I quickly return to my senses – for apart from You there is no true joy or lasting contentment or inner peace or fear-removing security. Therefore, my dearest Father, do not tire of my pleading, for I intend to pray this way until Your grace makes me as much like Christ as it is humanly possible to be in this life. Amen.”

God hears and answers the earnest prayers of the righteous (Psalm 34:17; James 5:16b). He pays attention to those who long so much to be righteous that they pursue righteousness like a starving man pursues food (Proverbs 15:29; Matthew 5:6). His ears are open to those who are broken and contrite of heart over their sin (Psalm 34:18; 51:17). He gives grace to the humble and comes to the aid of the needy (James 4:6; Psalm 69:33). He sees those who weep over their failures and who long to live for the One who saved them (Matthew 5:4). Truly, God hears and answers the humble, earnest heart.

O that we would persevere in talking to God about our heartfelt longing to submit to Him, obey Him, please Him, live for Him, and enjoy Him. If He did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

And remember, He acted first by creating us from nothing, by dying and rising for us while we were still in rebellion against Him, by convicting us, and by prompting us to seek Him. Love this amazing, this sacrificial, this patient, this merciful, this forgiving, this eternal, demands that we no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf (II Corinthians 5:14-15).

But what can we say to our God who has done all this for us? Let us acknowledge that He has already done enough to bring forth the loving response of giving Him our all – heart, soul, mind, and strength! Let us speak humbly to Him, for He is the perfectly holy, all-powerful, all-loving, eternal God, and we are nothing by comparison. Let us admit we should already be giving what He asks of us, because of who He is and what He has done for us. Let us be ever mindful of our past rebellion and acknowledge our current struggles to live up to what we know. Let us think of Him, treat Him, and speak to Him as the only precious treasure for which we would give all to obtain. Let us praise Him and worshipfully adore Him, for there has never been and never will be anyone like Him. And let us confirm with our hidden thoughts, choices, and behavior that the highest form of love we can give Him is obedience to His will and word. Praise His name!

CHAPTER 22

On recalling and recounting God’s many blessings

Prayer for having the needed attitude and thoughts to worthily praise God

O Lord, help me have a tender heart to the truths in Your word which need to be applied to my life. Teach me to walk according to Your Holy Scriptures, and lead me down the path of living up to what I know. Grant me the wisdom to understand and live according to Your will. Give me the eyes and heart to see and ponder – with reverential awe and sincere appreciation – Your general and special blessings so that my thanks-giving will be worthy of the gift and the Giver.

And yet I know and acknowledge that I cannot give You adequate praise for even the least of Your gracious gifts and blessings. Not only is my praise inadequate, but I am nothing in comparison to You, and insignificant in comparison to the smallest blessing that comes from Your gracious, caring hands. Therefore, when I consider Your greatness, Your majesty, Your holiness and perfection, Your worthiness to receive all honor and glory, I am deeply humbled and can only hope You will receive my inadequate praise. Amen.”

Every good and perfect gift – be it physical or spiritual, temporal or eternal, comes from God and proves that He is good, gentle, gracious, and kind (James 1:17). Although this one receives many good gifts, and that one fewer, they all come from God and belong to God, and without God we cannot obtain even the least thing necessary for our needs.

The one who receives greater gifts from God ought never to boast that he is somehow worthy of such gifts, or that the gifts received prove he is spiritually superior. In addition, he ought never condemn those who receive less as if they are sinners getting their just due.

Indeed, those who have made worthy progress in becoming Christ-like and who are spiritually mature, marvel that God is so good to someone so unworthy. And they respond to God’s goodness with humble thanksgiving and loving devotion. In fact, those who see themselves as more pathetically vile than others, and who judge themselves to be genuinely unworthy, are more apt to receive greater things, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (Luke 18:9-14; James 4:6; I Peter 5:5).

Now those who appear to receive fewer gifts from God ought not to be discouraged or feel sorry for themselves. And for certain, they ought never to envy those who are richer or who seem to enjoy more of God’s material blessings. Rather, we all are to look to God as our loving provider. We all are to exalt God for His specific goodness to each of us, for truly it is our faithful and eternally good God who richly pours forth His blessings and gifts so freely, abundantly, and without respect of persons.

Since God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and since all things come from Him and all things are sustained by Him, and since He is all and in all, then He is to be praised in all things. He knows what is best for us – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – and He gives accordingly. Therefore, we do not need to know why this one has more and that one has less. We need to trust that our Loving Father sees perfectly what we deserve, what we need, and what is spiritually profitable.

Therefore, we are wisest and spiritually richer when we believe it is a greater benefit not to have many of the things (possessions, abilities, strengths, positions) that the world praises and glorifies. Indeed, being keenly aware of our own poverty and vileness ought not dishearten or discourage or depress us. Rather, we ought to take comfort and be joyful because God has chosen the meek, the humble, and the poor of this world to be His friends and family (Matthew 5:3; James 2:5; I Corinthians 1:27-29).

God’s prophets and apostles verify the truth of what is being said here. God took them before rulers and governors and others of importance in many different places. Yet they behaved as God’s servants ought to behave – meek and humble, and without malice or deceit. And they rejoiced at the privilege to suffer shame, rebukes, and mistreatment for Christ’s name sake (Acts 5:41). Indeed, what the world hated, they embraced with great joy!

Therefore, nothing ought to bring more joy to those who love God and know Him as the giver of all good gifts, than to live within His will and the good pleasure of His eternal purposes. In fact, we ought to be so contented and comforted by God’s will and eternal purposes that we would as willingly be the least as those of the world long to be the greatest; that we would be as peaceable and contented in the lowest place as so many would be in the highest place; and that we would be as willingly viewed as insignificant and unimportant, or as not having a well-recognized name or a well-respected reputation as those who are eager to be honored and respected above others in the world.

Therefore, cheerfully submitting to God’s will and longing for Him to be honored in our world ought to supersede everything else, and when it does, it will please and comfort us more than all the gifts and blessings God has given or may give to us.


CHAPTER 23

On four things which bring an abiding inner peace

God wants to teach us the way of true inner peace and true liberty. Our part is to learn and apply what He teaches, for then we will gain the peace and liberty promised.

The four actions necessary to gain true and abiding inner peace and liberty are:

1. Make it your aim to do the will of others rather than your own (Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 22:25-27).

2. Always choose to have less rather than more (Luke 3:14; II Corinthians 12:8-10; I Timothy 6:7-11).

3. Assume the lowest place and willingly be humbly submissive to all (Proverbs 25:6-7; Luke 14:7-11; I Peter 2:13-3:7).

4. Make it your constant longing and persistent prayer that God’s will accomplishes its intended purposes in you (Matthew 6:10).

Remember, the outcome of doing these four things is an abiding inner peace and true liberty.

Prayer for an abiding inner peace

O my Lord, these four actions necessary for gaining inner and abiding peace honor Your Holy Scriptures and lead me further down the narrow path. Though they are short and to the point, they produce an abundant harvest of peace. If it were possible that I should perfectly keep them, the inward disturbances of worry, anxiety, and fear would never again arise within me. And so I implore You – You who longs for your children to make commendable spiritual progress – strengthen me with Your power by Your Spirit in my inner being. Grant me abundant grace and Your hourly assistance so that I may be enabled to fulfill these four actions in the pursuit of true and abiding inner peace. Amen.”

Prayer against evil thoughts

O God, do not be far from me; O my God, hasten to help me (Psalm 71:12), for many unholy thoughts and irrational fears are bombarding my mind, and though I am resisting them, still they persist in afflicting me. If it is possible to endure the presence of such thoughts and fears unharmed, teach me how. Teach me how to redirect my thinking so as to set my mind on the things above and to consistently think on the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and of good repute and worthy of praise (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 4:8).

You say that You will go before me and make the rough places smooth, that You will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars (Isaiah 45:2). Please do as You say so that by Your gracious assistance and divine power I will turn away from every unholy thought and irrational fear and think those thoughts that are pleasing to You.

You are my hope, and Your presence is my comfort! Therefore I am turning to You and calling upon You – from my heart, in this and in every other unsettling situation or tribulation. And I will wait patiently for Your loving-kindness. Amen.”

Prayer for enlightenment of the mind

Enlighten me, blessed Jesus, with the brightness of Your eternal light, and drive away all the darkness that inhabits my heart. Be a bit and bridle to my wandering thoughts, and stand with me against the temptations that strive to do me harm. Fight mightily for me and with me, so that I can flee all fleshly lusts and turn my back on all worldly desires. As You commanded the winds and the waves, so say to the unholy activity in my mind, “Be still!” and to the anxiety in my heart, “Be at peace!” Then the calm of heavenly peace will inhabit my heart, praise will come from my lips, and my conscience will be pure.

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling place (Psalm 43:3), for like the earth, I am without form and void until You give me light. Graciously pour out upon me Your many graces. Water my heart with the dew of heaven and feed my soul with the living bread so that my life brings forth good and perfect fruit. Bring comfort to my mind, but also encouragement to think on the things above, for I know my own vileness and temptation is constantly tugging on me. Let me taste the joy from above and the sweetness of fellowship with You so that I take no pleasure in thinking on things here below.

I know You say that when I draw near to You, You will draw near to me (James 4:8). Nevertheless, please draw near to me and work in me to break my heart and mind free of every temporal, earthly pleasure and comfort that is not fitting for Your children. Hold me in Your arms so that I will be joined to You by the inseparable bonds of love. Be my All in all, for You alone are sufficient to those who love You, and without You all is empty and worthless. Amen.”


CHAPTER 24

On avoiding being nosy or even curious about the life of another

Do not be nosy, do not pry, and even avoid unnecessary curiosity about the lives of others. How does knowing such things improve the spiritual quality of your life? Focus your attention on Jesus and living according to His will and word (John 21:22). For how does it benefit you spiritually, morally, socially, and intellectually to know if a person is this or that, or says this or does that? Besides, you will not be judged according to the deeds and behavior of others, but according to your own (Matthew 16:24-27; II Corinthians 5:9-10; Romans 14:10-12). So why distract yourself from what truly matters by giving attention to things that do not matter?

Surely, God knows everyone, and He knows everything that everyone does throughout their life-time. He knows what each one believes and values and intends. He knows what each one thinks and wills, and the outcome they long to achieve. In other words, God knows everything about us and He alone is the judge who will judge each of us impartially. Therefore, turn away from nosy curiosity and pay attention to yourself so that you live a life pleasing to God. Whatever others do or say shall come upon them – for no one can deceive God.

Do not long for notoriety or earthly fame. Do not devote yourself to gaining numerous friends. And do not fret over being accepted and loved by others. In spite of whatever good is in such things, they come forth from self-centeredness and pride, and give birth to distractions and sadness of heart.

Make God, himself, enough for you. Make His approval and love sufficient to satisfy you. Live to please Him, becoming holy in all your behavior just as He is holy. Long for His appearing. Open your heart fully to Him so that you can intimately commune with Him. Be sober minded and pray unceasingly. Humble yourself before God and man. Then God’s Word will open up to you and speak clearly and deeply to your heart and mind. Then you will understand and enter into what so many others miss about what God is like, what His will is, and what His Holy Scriptures teach.


CHAPTER 25

On the source of true peace of heart and true spiritual profit

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27a).

Everyone desires peace, but not all will do the things necessary for peace (Romans 12:17-18; James 4:1-10). Those who are meek and humble of heart receive the grace of God’s abiding peace. Those who dwell in patience – patiently waiting for God and being patient with man – will both gain and nurture God’s abiding peace. Those who listen to God and obey His voice will enjoy an abundance of God’s abiding peace deep within their hearts.

So,” you ask, “what do I need to do to apply what has just been said so that I too can have an abundance of God’s peace deep within my heart?”

(1) Develop a keen sensitivity to what you are really thinking, intending, craving, saying, and doing. Then measure all your thoughts, intentions, longings, words, and deeds by God’s Holy Scriptures so as to discern whether they are right or wrong, pure or impure, loving or selfish, holy or fleshly, heavenly or earthly.

(2) Whatever you do, do it because it pleases God, and do it in a way that pleases God.

(3) Desire or seek nothing that is not of God or that displeases God or that moves you away from God or that competes with God as your most precious treasure or that you cannot do hand-in-hand with God.

(4) Furthermore, be neither quick nor rash in judging the words or deeds of others.

(5) Do not interfere in matters for which you hold no position of responsibility.

If you do these things, you will rarely feel disturbed or anxious or upset. And should you feel such things, they will be so minor that you will be able to turn away from them easily and completely.

However, it is not realistic to think you will never feel any disquiet, or suffer any pains in your body or sadness of heart in this life, for total freedom from such things is found only in our heavenly home.

Therefore, do not think you have found perfect peace if you have no anxiety or grief. Do not think all is well between God and you if you have no adversary. Do not think you have reached Christian perfection if all things happen according to your desires. Do not think you are spiritually superior or that you are special to God if you experience overpowering feelings of reverential awe, loving devotion, almost inexpressible gratitude, and the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit. And why shouldn’t we feel superior in some way or another when our life is like this? Because these things are not the marks of a godly person. This is not the way the Christian life goes for the one who is humble and who mourns over his sin, who is meek and who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, who is merciful and pure of heart, who is a peacemaker, and who endures persecution for righteousness sake. In addition, a life like that just described does not bring the kind of spiritual profit into our lives that is so necessary to gain God’s peace. Nor will a life like that perfect us in the ways necessary to abide in God’s peace.

If high and noble spiritual experiences or a heavenly blessed, trouble free life do not provide the spiritual profit or the perfection of character to implant God’s peace in our hearts, what does?

(1) Willingly and cheerfully submitting with all your heart to God’s holy will;

(2) Not demanding to have the things which belong to you or the privileges which are yours to enjoy – whether great or small, temporal or eternal;

(3) Maintaining the same attitude and countenance of contentment and thanksgiving in times of prosperity as well as adversity;

(4) Believing that the great transforming work of God in you, through you, and around you is what matters most, now and forever.

You will be walking in God’s true and abiding peace –

(1) When you become so strong in faith and patient in hope that the sense of God’s absence and the loss of the profound comfort that comes from His presence does not discourage you or weaken your zeal to purposefully pursue holiness in all your behavior and cheerfully do His will;

(2) When in those times that you feel all alone you give attention to preparing your heart to remain faithful in the face of even greater suffering;

(3) When in the times that God’s presence and comfort seem distant you exalt God and bless His name for being both loving and just, rather than feeling sorry for yourself or complaining about what you are facing.

When you are walking with God in this way, you will know the great joy of God’s will being done in you and by you as it is in heaven, your confidence in God will overrule all doubt and discouragement, and you will have the deep, abiding peace of God within along with an abundance of heavenly joy.

Once again, humbly and honestly deal with yourself as you really are. Nurture great faith in God. Hold Him and His will to be above all else. Then you will have His peace.

CHAPTER 26

On a mind free of distractions, which comes more by prayer than frequent reading

The work of the man who longs to be holy in all his behavior as God is holy, is to vigilantly keep his mind set on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-2; Matthew 16:23), to deal with the cares and tribulations of life as if he had none – yet not as one who is indifferent or who lives in denial but counting them all joy because of the spiritually profitable outcomes (James 1:2-4), and to hold no creature or created thing more precious and worthy of supreme love and devotion than God (Mark 12:30; Matthew 13:44-46).

Because such spiritual depth and growth in godliness is not easily attained, we ought to pray often and as wisely as possible for God’s assistance in making this kind of worthy progress. Therefore, consider the following prayer as an example of what you could pray.

Prayer for help against earthly distractions

I entreat You, my most merciful Lord God, protect me from the cares of this life lest I get involved with them to the point of being distracted from what truly matters. Protect me from becoming a slave to the natural necessities of my body lest I pursue physical pleasure to the neglect or even rejection of what truly matters. Protect me from discouragement, despair, and depression lest I become too broken-hearted and hopeless to pursue what truly matters.

I am not asking for protection from the common and foolish temptations which unbelievers pursue so eagerly, but from those trials and tribulations, which because of the universal curse of sin, so weigh men down and crush their spirit that they cannot gain the freedom of heart and mind to pursue what truly matters. O my God – sweetness unspeakable – teach me to hate or at least turn away from all fleshly enjoyments which draw me away from the love of eternal things, and which wickedly tempt me to love them by offering me some immediate pleasure. O my God, do not let my flesh gain the victory over me; do not let the world and its temporary glory deceive me; do not let the devil and his craftiness take Your place in me. Feed in me the strong desire and spiritual strength to resist all that needs resisting. Work in me the patience to endure all that must be endured for Your name’s sake. And teach me to love You in such a way that my love for You will compel me to persevere to the end. As I forsake the self-pleasing comforts and self-assuring encouragements of the world, replace them with the sweet presence and empowerment of Your Holy Spirit. And in place of fleshly loves, pour into me the love of Your Name. Amen.”

The need for food, drink, clothing, shelter, and all other things pertaining to the reasonable care of the body creates earthly cares that feel burdensome to the one who both fears and loves God, who savors intimate communion with God, who studies and meditates on the Holy Scriptures, who pursues that holiness in all his behavior that is like unto God’s holiness, and who loves his neighbor as himself. And why is this? Because such earthly cares distract from what matters most. Therefore, pray for heavenly wisdom to use these earthly things with moderation, so that you do not give way to an inordinate desire for any of them. To live as if you can do without these earthly necessities is not rational, because nature must be cared for and sustained. Yet to require excess in the acquisition and use or enjoyment of any of them is to go against the will of God and feed your flesh to the point of enabling it to stand strong against the will of your spirit.

Therefore, order your thoughts, desires, words, and deeds according to the Spirit so that you do not carry out the desires of your flesh by abandoning moderation in caring for your needs (Galatians 5:16-17).


CHAPTER 27

On self-love being a great hindrance to obtaining the highest good

You must give up all in order to gain all (Philippians 3:7-8). You must not love yourself in a selfish, ‘live for self to the neglect or harm of others’ way (Luke 14:26; II Corinthians 5:15; Romans 14:7-9). Beware, selfishly self-centered love is more hurtful to you than anything in the world.

According to the nature of your love and your desires, either God will transcend everyone and everything else in importance – including yourself, or you will move Him down the list to second place or less. Either people will be more important than pleasures, possessions, power, and fame, or you will treat them as having less value and importance then these other things. The nature of love is to value most what it loves most.

If your love is pure, sincere, and properly controlled, you will not be held captive by anyone or anything earthly. Only God and the good of others will captivate your heart and mind.

Therefore, do not covet what you cannot or ought not to have. Do not possess anything that will slow you down in your pursuit of holiness or steal your freedom to choose what is right and good. Examine yourself to see if you are committed to loving God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength. Is there anything or anyone you hold more precious than God? Are there any disappointments or discouragements that keep weighing on your mind? Are you anxious about anything? Is there any area where you do not trust God, His will, His ways, and His word?

To love God supremely and your neighbor as yourself, you must trust in [willingly submit to] the will of God in everything. To forsake selfishness, you must rely on God’s loving provision and constant protection, even when going through trials, tribulations, or suffering some great loss – knowing that you will never eternally suffer the loss of anything truly valuable.

If you pursue this or that and go here or there seeking some personal benefit or pleasure, you will never be fully or finally satisfied, nor will you be free of concern because everything you obtain will lack some of what you want or last only a short time. Besides, no matter what you get or where you go here on earth, there will always be someone to annoy or frustrate or oppose you.

Therefore, there is no spiritual advantage to obtaining or increasing the things of this earth. Spiritual profit comes from despising earthly things (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26) and putting to death any unholy desire for any such thing that still lingers in your heart. And my reference to earthly things not only includes money and possessions, but also the longing for man’s honor, respect, and praises – things which are as temporary as life itself. 

Your location (the quiet of the desert, the beauty of a church, a saint’s shrine, the Holy Land, your prayer closet, etc.) is of no spiritual benefit if you lack a heartfelt devotion to God and a driving hunger for personal holiness. If you do not have an abiding inner peace where you are, seeking it somewhere else may lead to a sense of peace, but it will be temporary at best. Lasting inner peace comes to those who live according to the will and word of God wherever they are, who make God their first and foremost source of security, who commune with God often, and who abide with Him always.

Therefore, you may change your location, but you will take what is in your heart and on your mind with you. Your common temptations will follow you. Then, when temptation arises and you give in, you will realize that changing locations will not change you. You must change what is in your heart and on your mind.

Prayer for cleansing of the heart and for heavenly wisdom

Strengthen me within, O God, by the gracious presence and working of Your Holy Spirit. Strengthen me with Your power in my inner being (Ephesians 3:14-19). Strengthen me so that my heart will be free of all worthless anxieties and fears. Speak to me and teach me not to be drawn away from devotion to You by any desire for any earthly things, be they of little value and short-lived or of greater value and longer lasting. Teach me to look on all that this world offers as passing away, and on my life on earth as passing away with them, so that I will treasure and live for the things of eternity. Indeed, pursuing earthly things as if they are eternal is not only unprofitable, it is futile – like striving after the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:11). Grant me Your wisdom, O God, to properly consider these things!

Teach me, O Lord, what I must do to seek You above all else. Give me, O Lord, heavenly wisdom to find You, to cherish You above all things, to love You with all my being, and to understand where and how all other needful things fit into my life. Give me wisdom for avoiding the flatterer, and grace to bear with those who oppose me or want to hurt me or simply harass me. Amen.

Truly, it is spiritually needful not to be carried into pride by the empty praises of men or tempted to sin by the insincere flattery of the devil. For in resisting and rejecting these, we are able to continue on in our sincere pursuit of holiness like unto God’s holiness.


CHAPTER 28

On remaining secure in God in the face of undue criticism and condemnation

Even though your conscience affirms you are not what someone thinks or says you are, do not be dejected, distressed, or discouraged when others think ill of you and say disparaging things about you. Since you know how evil you have been, what wrongs you have done, and the potential for evil that still lurks within, you ought to think worse of yourself than what others may think of you. And from the standpoint of humble honesty, you ought to believe no one has been weaker in the face of temptation and fleshly desires than yourself.

However, when God is your first and foremost source of security, and when you live to please Him above all others, and when you are honest with God about your thoughts, words, and deeds, you will not give the criticism or condemnation of others more value than their true worth. And when you lack the insight to discern what part or percentage of their words are true of you, pray for heavenly wisdom and God will make clear what is true.

It takes true humility, a good conscience, honest self-evaluation, an accurate awareness of how pleasing your behavior has been or is to God, along with a solidly anchored confidence in God’s protection to remain silent and inwardly peaceful in the face of undue criticism and condemnation.

Never let your confidence before God and inward peace depend upon others evaluation of you, for their judgment – be it accurate or completely inaccurate – does not change who you are.

Where does true inward peace and glory come from? Does it not come from God? Truly, the one who does not seek to please men to gain their good will, nor fears displeasing them for the sake of truth and righteousness, will enjoy an abundance of inner peace. It is when we love the approval and praises of others while foolishly fearing their criticism or condemnation that our hearts are filled with anxiety and our minds distracted from what pleases God.


CHAPTER 29

On calling upon and blessing God in the face of tribulation

There is nothing wiser than trusting God completely, and those who trust God completely consider it a blessed occasion when God wills tribulation and temptation to come upon them (James 1:2-4; I Peter 1:6-7). You cannot escape such things in this life, so cling to God, letting Him assist and support you – knowing He will turn such times into a great good for you.

When you are passing through a tribulation and your faith is weakening, your heart is getting weighed down with discouragement, and despair is pushing its way into your thoughts, flee to God in prayer!

But what should you pray: “Father save me from this tribulation?” No! You are in this situation because God wills it or allows it, so that He can be glorified and you can be genuinely humbled and your faith strengthened by having to depend upon His deliverance (John 12:27-28; Psalm 40:16).

Therefore, tell God you will patiently wait until it is His good pleasure to deliver you (Psalm 37:7, 62:5-9). Tell God that you are well aware of your inability to deliver yourself – even though, by His grace, you are doing what you can. Affirm in prayer that you do not want to trust in anyone or anything other than Him to be your deliverer. Ask God to strengthen you inwardly so that you will not give way to any fear regarding the suffering required of you or difficulties brought upon you by the current tribulation (Ephesians 3:16).

And after praying like this, is there anymore to be prayed? Yes! Tell God that you want His will to be done and that you are willing to submit to it. Acknowledge that you deserve worse, given all the ways you have grieved God and rebelled against Him. Admit that it is right of Him to expect you to bear up under these circumstances until the troubles have past. Remind God that you still, nevertheless, look forward to His rescuing you, comforting you, and bringing about His usual great good – just as He has so often in the past. Finally, affirm once more that you cannot bring about your own deliverance, and that you are joyously trusting in Him, completely, to deliver you.

CHAPTER 30

On seeking God’s gracious help, and having confidence He will give it

The prophet said, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). God, the Lord of hosts, said, “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes” (Jeremiah 31:25).

Too often, we ourselves are the primary hindrance to receiving God’s comfort and refreshment in that we are slow to turn to God in prayer. Before earnestly or even desperately turning to God as our all in all, we foolishly seek out earthly means of comfort (various diversions, drugs, food, self-pity, pity from others, the legal system, etc.) and look to what the world has to offer for rejuvenation and strength to carry on (exercise, psychology, self-help, healthy eating, etc.).

Such things only mask the pain, dull our senses, or divert our attention, thus providing temporary mental or emotional comfort. In addition, they are of no spiritual help at all. It is when we turn to God in faith – the One who delivers those who trust in Him – that we find true and lasting comfort. He alone is our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, our Shield, our Stronghold, our Refuge, and our Savior (II Samuel 22:2-3). His wisdom and counsel, alone, are heavenly and timeless rather than worldly and changing – like the wisdom and counsel of our time (II Corinthians 2:6-8). And only His solutions, remedies, and help, brought to us by His lovingkindness, are enduring (Psalm 118:29).

Therefore, cling to your faith and your courage in the face or trials and tribulation. Should you lose courage and begin to doubt when tried and tested, recover them as soon as you come to your senses. Truly, these are the occasions to grow stronger in faith, to see ever more clearly God’s abundant mercies, to learn that God is always with you, and to watch for the great good God will bring from the midst of your troubles (James 1:2-4; Deuteronomy 13:6-8; Romans 8:28). Truly, as God did for Job, so God will restore more abundantly what you have lost, not necessarily physically or immediately, but surely spiritually and eternally.

Consider: Is anything too hard for God? (Jeremiah 32:27) Does He make promises and then not keep them? Where is your faith and your courage to keep on believing in spite of the troubling circumstances? Stand firm in your faith. Persevere so that you remain faithful to the end. Be patient, long-suffering, and strong. In due time, God will bring relief. Wait for Him, for He will come and save you and heal you. That which is currently frustrating and upsetting you is only a temptation or a temporary situation, not a fixed way of life. Therefore, what is filling you with anxiety and fear is an empty threat of a temporary nature.

Worrying about possible future events changes nothing in regard to what actually happens, but it does discourage faith in God’s goodness, puts anxious thoughts into your mind, and promotes sadness in your heart. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). Therefore, it is foolish and useless to be anxious or expectantly excited over future possibilities which may never happen.

Yet it is part of our old nature to stir up anxiety and fear by an active imagination of what might be. And it is the sign of a spiritually weak mind to be so easily led astray by the suggestions of the enemy. Truly, our enemy uses whatever he can, whether it is deceiving or deluding us with the truth or with a lie; whether it is defeating us by promoting love of the present or fear of the future. Therefore, do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. Believe in God, and put your trust in His faithfulness and enduring lovingkindness (John 14:27; Psalm 113:5-6).

When you think that God has abandoned you or is far from you, trust in the fact that He is as close to you as you are to yourself, for nothing is able to separate you from His love (Romans 8:38-39). When it seems that almost all is lost or that hope is gone, step aside and see the salvation of the Lord (Exodus 14:13). Surely He will bring about a great good for you in His time (Romans 8:28).

All is not lost if something goes contrary to your wishes. Do not judge your circumstances or a specific situation according to your current feelings. Do not anxiously obsess over or become distraught by any heartbreaking sorrow that comes your way, as if all hope of change for the better were gone forever. Do not think God has abandoned you or failed to protect you when He allows or sends some tribulation to afflict you. Do not think God has stopped loving you or caring for your present and eternal well-being when your prayers seem to stop at the ceiling, your search of the scriptures for encouragement and hope seems fruitless, and your longing to hear a word from God brings only silence – for this is the pathway to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Without question, it is far better for you, and all God’s children, to be tested and tried and further transformed by adversities, than for life to go as you wish. God knows your thoughts and desires – including those you hide from others. He knows it is necessary for your spiritual growth and continued health – especially in regard to humble dependence on Him – to endure times when joy and encouragement and hope are barely sparks within your heart. And such humble dependence is necessary lest you become proud of your spiritual stature and take pleasure in thinking you are more spiritually mature than you are.

What God has given He is able to take away, and to restore again at His good pleasure. What God gives is His to give, so that when He takes it away, He has taken away what belongs to Him, not what belongs to you. The scripture affirms that “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). If God gives sorrow and trouble, do not be angry or sad of heart. Trust in God’s unending lovingkindness. He is able to instantly change your circumstances and turn every burden into joy. If He does, it will be because it is best for you. If He doesn’t, it will be because it is best for you. Therefore, He is worthy to be praised and honored when times are good and when times are hard and trouble seems to abound on every side.

When you think correctly – according to the eternal truths of God, and when you view situations and circumstances in the light of God’s perfect will and abundant lovingkindness, your faith will become strong. In fact, your faith will become strong enough to fight off every temptation to sadness and despair, and to remain confidently joyful and thankful that God – rather than sparing you – counts you worthy to be afflicted with such trouble. Such faith will enable you to rest in God’s love, knowing that as He loved His son, Jesus, so Jesus loves you (John 15:9).

Indeed, Jesus not only said, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love” (John 15:9), He also said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). And to this Jesus added, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

He did not send them out to worldly wealth or pleasures, but to the challenge and struggles of living a godly life, spreading the gospel, and making disciples. He did not send them out to worldly honor and respect, but to contempt and persecution. He did not send them out to a life of ease, but to hard work and unending labor. And He did not send them out to relax and rest, but to bring forth much fruit with patience. Yet Jesus loved them and went with them – all the way. Remember these words, for as with them, so Jesus loves you and goes with you all the way.


CHAPTER 31

On forsaking all created beings to find the Creator

Day-by-day we need God’s “greater grace” (James 4:6) if we are to arrive at the kind of spiritual maturity where neither the devil – by means of temptation, our flesh, ungodly fears, people, possessions, or position – nor any other created thing hinders us from walking with and living for the Lord. As long as we allow anything to stand in our way or limit our free movement toward God, we will not be able to freely and whole-heartedly come to Him, pray to Him, and fellowship with Him.

We know David longed for freedom from earthly things in order to whole-heartedly draw near to God, for he said: “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (Psalm 55:6).

Therefore, is there anything more freeing from earthly distractions than the single eye and serving one master (Matthew 6:22-24 ;Luke 11:34-36)? And who is more free than he who desires nothing earthly, or at least desires nothing on this earth more than God (I John 2:15-17)?

Therefore, you must treasure God above all else (Matthew 13:44-46), including yourself (Matthew 16:24), so that with an undistracted, single-focused mind you can clearly see that God, the creator of all things, has no equal among His creatures. This conclusion is vital for living the Christian life and for intimate fellowship with God, because until we are free from all earthly attachments that in any way compete with God for our allegiance, we will not freely and whole-heartedly submit to Him or draw near to Him. For this reason, there are but a few who find their way to contemplation, because so few know how to let go of and die to every perceived need or craving for temporal and created things.

Yet who can die to self, deny self, and rise above fleshly longings and selfish thinking apart from an abundance of God’s empowering grace and perpetual assistance? No one! Without God doing His part – which is the greater part, we cannot do our part. Without God’s empowering grace and perpetual assistance, we cannot gain life transforming victory over our flesh. We cannot attain freedom from loving this world and the things in this world. And we cannot become wholly united to God in heart, soul, mind, and strength. Without God’s empowering grace and perpetual assistance, we may become better people by making needed changes and attaining higher levels of goodness, but we cannot become Christ-like.

If we esteem or treasure or crave anything more than – or even equal to – the one and only incomprehensible, eternal God, then whatever we gain from this world will be as nothing in eternity. Indeed, whatever is not God or of God is nothing, and ought to be counted for nothing. For example, there is a great difference between a godly man, illuminated by the Holy Spirit and filled with the wisdom of God’s word, and a scholar who has gained great knowledge from a wide range of scholarly books. Far nobler and precious is that teaching which flows from the Divine Fulness above, than that which is laboriously acquired by human study.

There are many who desire an affirming sense of God’s presence and an assuring confidence of His will. There are some who, going further, long for a deeply personal and ongoing intimacy with God. Yet few put forth the effort required to become holy in all their behavior (I Peter 1:15) in order to become one of those who is able to know God in these ways (Matthew 5:8; Hebrews 12:14; Psalm 15; 24:3-5). Rather than focusing their efforts on denying self, carrying their cross, and purifying themselves as He is pure (Matthew 16:24; II Corinthians 7:1; I John 3:3), they focus on the externals of religion, such as church attendance, Bible reading, taking a public stand against abortion and same-sex marriage, serving in the church, or joining a para-church organization.

It is hard to imagine by what spirit we are led and what we – who are considered spiritual – are aiming at when we pour such diligent effort and heart-felt concern into transitory and outwardly religious things while scarcely giving thoughtful consideration and prayer to such inward things as our thought life, fears, values, longings, treasures, and the purity of our heart. Sadly, after spending a little time in Bible reading and prayer, we rush on to other things rather than taking added time to examine ourselves in the light of God’s word. To our shame, we do not examine or even wonder about our affections and habits, as to what we really love or desire or do repeatedly. We do not weep over our sins or feel ashamed and deeply saddened that we have treated God so poorly – not only at this moment, but over so many years in the past. In fact, it doesn’t enter our mind that we ought to weep over our sin or feel ashamed that we have treated our loving, gracious, forgiving, gentle, compassionate, patient, long-suffering Father so poorly. And because we take so little heed to what we are inside, much of our outward behavior is ungodly and impure, angry and controlling, selfish and unkind, stubborn and self-willed, for it is the direct result of our weak spiritual condition (Matthew 15:19). It takes a pure heart to produce the fruit of a godly life (Matthew 7:15-20).

We are easily interested in what and how much a person has done, but we show little interest in the quality and depth of his purity of heart and Christ-like thinking. We want to know if he is strong, rich, handsome, clever, whether he is a good writer, good musician, hard worker, good leader, excellent teacher, and what spiritual gifts and how much education he has. Yet we show little or no interest in how humble he is, how patient and meek, how serious he is in putting off his old nature and putting on godliness, how much progress he has made in becoming Christ-like, how precious God is to him, and if he loves his neighbor as himself.

This is not God’s way. The one using worldly wisdom looks upon the outward appearance, at the education, ability, strengths, natural talents, willingness, zeal, and spiritual gifts, whereas the one using Godly wisdom looks first and foremost at the heart (I Samuel 16:7).

In writing to Timothy, Paul affirms God’s way of deciding who is a worthy servant/worker when he wrote: “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (II Timothy 2:20-21).

Therefore, beware of judging the fitness of those who seek to serve God according to their natural abilities, Bible knowledge, or even their spiritual gifts. Rather, judge them on the basis of the spiritual quality and maturity of their character, the purity of their heart, and the godliness of their behavior in all areas of life.


CHAPTER 32

On self-denial and casting away all selfishness

There is no way to possess true freedom apart from the denial of self and submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ. There is no way to possess total freedom, even if you are locked away in the most secure prison or enslaved to the most brutal master, apart from the total denial of self and total submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ. This is because true freedom and true slavery are first and foremost a spiritual matter.

Riches enslave us. Selfishness – loving ourselves above God and our neighbor – enslaves us. Envy, greed, and covetousness enslave us. Curiosity about things we ought not to investigate or experience – such as street drugs, gambling, the occult, pornography, sex outside of marriage, and every other form of immorality – enslaves us. Discontentment enslaves us. Seeking comfort in the pleasures and riches of this world enslaves us. Pursuing a sense of well-being in what others think about us or in how much money we have or in the size of our home and how well it is furnished – instead of in Jesus Christ – enslaves us. Continually making plans and devising means to be even more important or powerful than you are, to possess more than you do, to go where you have not yet gone, or experience more pleasures, enslaves us. And what have we gained by being enslaved to such things as these? Nothing! In fact, we have suffered loss, for whatever is not of Christ or whatever does not come from God shall perish.

Memorize and cling to this short, but complete saying: “Renounce all things, and you will find all things. Give up your fleshly, selfish, earthly, temporal desires, and you will find true inner peace, contentment, and fellowship with God.” Ponder this saying often, review it day by day, pray about it several times each day, and use it to measure your thoughts and behavior. Then, when this truth is so settled into your thinking that it becomes the way you think and therefore live, you will understand why true, total freedom is found only in Jesus Christ.

Do not be discouraged if the truth of this saying does not become your daily experience in a short time. Continue to ponder, review, pray, and measure, because growing to the point where this truth is part of your nature is neither the work of a day nor is it child’s play. It is more like the months and years required to prepare and train to win a gold medal in the Olympic Marathon.

Do not let hearing what you ought to become be a reason to be frightened away from pursuing it or to feel hopeless of gaining it or to give up altogether. Rather, use such noble truths and high goals to motivate yourself to press on until you arrive at this kind of Christian maturity, and attain to the measure of the stature belonging to the fulness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

Sadly, there are those who call themselves Christians who do not desire or think about growing into Christ-likeness in this way. They are seekers of religion rather than holiness. They are lovers of self rather than God. They are self-ruled rather than humbly submissive to God and to the earthly authorities God has placed over them within the church. Regardless of the spiritual growth and Christian maturity they claim to want and pray to gain, they live as those who have yet to renounce self-rule, self-importance, and self-pleasure. They live as if God gives grace in equal measure to the proud as to the humble, when in fact, God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; I Peter 5:5).

If you live in a similar way to those just described, then God advises you to buy from Him gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see (Revelation 3:18). Stop living for yourself and live for Him who died and rose again on your behalf (II Corinthians 5:15). This is heavenly wisdom.

However, the degree to which you cling to earthly wisdom, selfishness, and pride is the degree to which you will pursue what is valuable to sinners but reprehensible to God – and in the end, worthless to you.

Therefore, even though heavenly wisdom is seen by sinners to be counter-productive to their well-being, and though many Christians honor heavenly wisdom with their lips yet live as those who despise it, it is a precious treasure worth selling all to obtain (Proverbs 2; Matthew 13:44-45). And though its path requires denying self and putting selfishness to death, it leads to eternally precious blessings from God, such as spiritual growth, heavenly joy, an abiding inner peace, and intimate fellowship with the Father.


CHAPTER 33

On the instability of feelings, and on fixing your focus on God

Do not trust your feelings, for they were not given to you to discern right from wrong or God’s will from your will or the ways of God from the ways of the world. Feelings change from day to day, from situation to situation, and even from moment to moment. In fact, as long as you live you will experience changing feelings, even if you do not want your feelings to waver this way.

Sometimes you are happy, sometimes sad. You have times when you are at peace, and times of being perturbed or angry. At times you feel a deep sense of devotion toward God, and at times you have other, less noble feelings toward God. Sometimes you feel focused and vigilant, and sometimes you lose the focus and feel as if you don’t care at all. At times you feel deeply the presence and joy of the Lord, and at times you feel empty and hollow – as if God were somewhere else.

If you diligently throw off fear and ungodly desires, and if you fervently pursue knowing the ways of God, the word of God, the security we can have in God, and the provision and protection of God, you will come to the place where you are able to rise above your feelings so that you rule over them instead of allowing them to rule over you.

Therefore, be a wise Christian. Make God your singular supreme focus. Treasure Him above all else. Please Him above everyone else. Place your confidence in His provision and protection so that He becomes your supreme source of security. Make His will and word the basis of all your behavior. Work at being content with God and in God in all situations and under all circumstances. Recall and review the many graces, gifts, and blessings you have received from God. Nurture gratitude and practice thanksgiving.

If you will do these things, you will see that God is amazingly good, and you will grow to feel completely safe in His hands. Your way of thinking will be transformed and you will gain a never before imagined devotion to prayer and praise. You will gain inward strength so as to hold firmly to your confidence in the goodness of God regardless of the feelings you have at the moment. And you will gain a general sense of deep inner peace and godly contentment – all of which will inspire you to trust God and remain faithful to Him regardless of your feelings.

Indeed, the purer, the more diligent, and the more persistent your efforts to gain godly rule over yourself in the face of your varied feelings, the more stable you will be in the face of trials and tribulations. However, if on repeated occasions you are still tossed here and there by your feelings, it is not due to the strength of the circumstances but the weakness of your effort to keep your focus on God and His goodness in the midst of trials and tribulations.

Sadly, many make only a weak effort or soon give up doing the work required to gain the spiritual strength and maturity necessary to rule over their feelings. Instead of persevering, they fall back into giving their feelings ruling power, and then make excuses or give creative explanations or deny having done so.

It seems that even among Christians it is rare to find those whose heart is set, whose eye is fixed, and whose perseverance is constant in the direction of godly contentment. Such distractions as self-seeking and self-pity lurk in the corners of almost everyone’s life.

Therefore, if you are to win the battle of who rules – your feelings or your transformed, godly intellect – you must purify your intentions, strengthen your perseverance, and elevate your focus until God is your supreme trust, and His glory, His will, and His ways are your supreme aim no matter how you feel at any given moment or on any given day.


CHAPTER 34

On talking to God about loving Him, and how loving Him changes everything

My dearest God, I am Yours and You are mine. All that I am and have belongs to You, and all that You have given to Your son, Jesus, is mine. What more could I ask? Indeed, what more could I want? You alone are enough, for whoever has You needs nothing more.

O what a wonderful life it is when we love Your Word (John 1:1) and not the world, neither the things that are in the world (I John 2:15).

My God, my all! Those who know You, and therefore trust You and love You as their All in all, fully understand what I mean when I say “My God, my all!” Nothing more needs to be said, and to repeat those words is pleasing to the heart of all who know You as their All.

When You are present, everything is pleasant and inwardly peaceful. When You are absent, everything is dull and tiresome and disappointing. Your care and comfort puts my heart at rest, causing me to experience a deep inner peace and a heavenly joy. Your wisdom and word teach me to think honestly, realistically, and righteously in every situation. Your grace, love, faithfulness, tenderness, testings, and discipline drive my heart to speak and sing Your praises. Nothing earthly pleases me for long without You. Therefore, if there should be something of this earth that is pleasant and sweet, Your presence, grace, and wisdom must be added to it for me to find any lasting sweetness and satisfying fulfillment in it. Truly, You are my God, my all!

The one who is satisfied with You is satisfied with everything else. The one who is dissatisfied with You finds nothing else that can fill him with heavenly joy.

The worldly wise and those who seek pleasure in the desires of the flesh are utter fools for having rejected Your wisdom – for the wisdom of the world is worthless and to be carnally minded brings death. But those who follow after You, who live according to Your word, who show contempt for worldly things, and who are putting to death the flesh, are truly wise because they have moved from the lies of the world and the devil to Your truth, and from living according to their flesh to living according to Your Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17). These are the ones who taste and see that You are good, and whatever good they find in this world they give You all the praise for it.

O Lord God, there is no comparison between enjoying You, on the one hand, and enjoying what You have made, on the other. There is no comparison between enjoying what is eternal and what is limited by time. And there is no comparison between knowing and enjoying Your light and the lights that are mere reflections of Your holiness, wisdom, power, faithfulness, grace, and goodness.

O Light eternal, You who immeasurably surpass all created lights, shine Your divine light into every part of my heart – piercing and enlightening every bit of its darkness. Teach me, more and more, the way of a pure heart, heavenly joy, single-mindedness, and Christ-likeness so that with all my being I will cling to You and gain the joy of being intimately attached to You. Oh, loving Father, I long, indeed I truly long to be Yours in this way!

I have tasted enough of You as my All in all to know there is more to be tasted! Oh when will my heart be truly pure and my thoughts always holy? When will I be always and completely satisfied with You?

Please do not grow weary of my request or become impatient with my slow progress, for until I gain You as I can and You possess my heart as fully as You ought, our joy will not be full! And sadly, my old nature still lives in me. Evil thoughts still come to mind. Unholy desires still arise within my heart. The old man is not yet fully crucified, and my heart is not yet fully purified. And there are times when the war rages between my flesh and the Spirit.

But You, O Lord, You rule the raging sea and calm the waves (Mark 4:38-39). You scatter the people that delight in war (Psalm 68:30). Rise up and help me! Strengthen me! Lead me in paths of righteousness, for Your name’s sake (Psalm 23:4b). Destroy all that is evil within me. Bring glory to Your name and Your cause in my life, for I have no other hope, no other refuge, and no one else who can save me. You alone are my salvation, O Lord my God. Amen.”


CHAPTER 35

On there being no security against temptation in this life

In this life you are never safe from the allurements of the world and the temptations of the devil. Therefore, as long as you live, it will be necessary to put on the full armor of God, each and every day (Ephesians 6:10-17). This is vital to your spiritual well-being because in this world you live among enemies. You are liable to attack from the right and from the left, from your friends and from your foes, from within the Church and from without. Therefore, if you do not vigilantly, cautiously, and persistently guard yourself on every side with God’s armor, you soon will give way to sin.

Yet guarding yourself is only part of what is needed to be victorious. You also must steadily set your heart and mind on God and the things of God (Matthew 16:23; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:1-4). You must make God your supreme treasure and His Word your rule of conduct (Matthew 6:21; 13:44; II Timothy 3:16-17). And you must have a settled determination to suffer anything and everything for God’s glory, and for what He is choosing to do in you, through you, and around you (James 1:2-4; I Peter 1:6-7). If you ignore or lack these things, you will not be able to endure the fierceness of the battle or win the crown given to those who pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace from a pure heart (II Peter 1:9-11; II Timothy 2:22; 4:8).

You must add one more thing to guarding yourself and setting your heart and mind on God and the things above – the daily work of preparing for coming temptation. This is much like studying for mid-term exams. The more you study (prepare), the more likely you are to not only pass, but get high marks.

To do it well, the daily work of preparation requires time, focus, a plan, and repetition. Yet without adequate preparation, you will not gain the spiritual state of relentlessly fighting against your own fleshly desires and unholy thoughts, of calling on God through frequent prayer, of thoughtful study, memorization, and contemplation of God’s word, of honest self evaluation where you use God’s word and God’s Son as your measuring sticks, and of persevering until your last breath in spite of setbacks and failures along the way. And of course, without adequate preparation, you will neither consistently spot the devil’s wiles nor resist his temptations.

It is demanding, relentless work to honestly and progressively put off your old nature and put on the likeness of Jesus Christ – so as to become holy in all your behavior like unto the holiness of God. But if you will do your part all the days of your life, putting forth an effort equal to what is needed to defeat those evils which oppose you, you will gain present and eternal treasures beyond your imagination. For to him who overcomes, God gives hidden manna (Revelation 2:17), but great misery is reserved for the lazy and the careless and the distracted (Revelation 3:15-16).

However, if you seek an easier life now, how will you attain God’s eternal rest? Therefore, forget about having an easier life and focus on fervently persevering to the end.

Seek true peace – the kind that surpasses all comprehension (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:7). Such peace cannot be gained from self-rule and self-centeredness, but from denying and dying to self. It cannot be found by living according to the ways of the world, but by submitting to and living for God. It is not found in man’s wisdom or human knowledge or any created thing, but in God alone.

If you trust God, love God, and long to please God, then willingly endure hard work, sorrow, heartache, temptation, irritation, anxieties, necessities, infirmities, injuries, humiliations, discrediting, false accusations, rebukes, corrections, contempt, and hostility – for these things build godly character. In addition, they conform you more and more to the likeness of Christ, and they prepare you for a heavenly crown. Indeed, God gives an eternal reward for a short time of fighting the good fight, and infinite glory for temporary shame.

Do not think you should have or even deserve to have relief from temptation and an outpouring of spiritual comfort when you are feeling overwhelmed. God intends to transform you, in whatever ways such transformation requires, not please you with pleasures or calm you with heavenly comforts. After all, God will never allow you to be tempted or tried beyond what you can handle (I Corinthians 10:13).

Consider Hebrews 11, for there you will find that rather than living free from temptation and constantly enjoying an abundance of spiritual comfort, God’s saints endured many kinds of trials and tribulations, various temptations, extreme loneliness, and grievous persecutions. Yet they patiently and humbly bore them all, trusting in God’s wisdom and goodness instead of themselves. They were convinced that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us who are in Christ (Romans 8:18).

Be assured that God is not going to give you immediately what His godly ones have hardly attained after many tears, much praying, much dying to self, and the hard labor of putting on the likeness of Christ in all their behavior. Therefore, wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage (Psalm 27:14). Do not let any distrust toward God enter your heart, but rather trust Him completely so as to be devoted in mind and body to living for the glory of God. Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7) for truly, God is faithful! When you pass through the waters, He will be with you. When you cross rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned or even scorched (Isaiah 43:2). And those who serve Jesus in this way will be honored by God, himself (John 12:26).

CHAPTER 36

On the empty and useless judgments of others

To make God your first and foremost source of security requires trusting Him implicitly, being transparently open and honest with Him, and working to always be in good standing with Him. To be in good standing with God means living according to His will and word, and should you sin, quickly confessing, making things right with God and man, and returning to living according to His will.

Therefore, when you make God your first and foremost source of security, you will never fear man’s judgment, for either you will have a clear conscience toward God and hence know the criticism is not applicable, or you will know there is truth in the criticism and that you need to make things right with God and the one judging you.

When you are falsely accused or unfairly criticized, do not fret, become defensive, or get angry. Instead, humble yourself before God and man (James 4:10). Keep yourself in God’s hands by remaining faithful to His word (James 1:2-4) and by trusting Him to work it out for good (Romans 8:28). Finally, look to the spiritual profit that is sure to come in such situations, for it is God who says that tested faith produces endurance and endurance leads to Christian maturity and godly perfection (James 1:4).

People have many opinions, and too often their opinions of others change with the circumstances. Therefore, be careful of putting too much trust in their judgments of you. Besides, it is impossible to please everyone – although Paul made it his aim to please all men and become all things to all men in order to save some (I Corinthians 9:19-23). And even though he labored long and hard for the salvation of others and the building up of the church, he could not avoid being judged and even despised by some. Yet Paul did not feel threatened or discouraged by the unjustified opinions or the false accusations of others (I Corinthians 4:3). Rather, he committed it all to God who judges all men righteously (I Peter 2:23), while, on occasion, humbly and patiently defending himself against evil speakers, or foolish and false thinkers, and those who accused him in order to make themselves look better. And why did he occasionally defend himself? So that his silence would not become a stumbling block to those who were weak in the faith.

Consider: why should you be afraid of someone who will die? Today he is alive and tomorrow he is found no more. Fear God – who is eternal. Fear God – making it your constant goal to be in good standing with Him. Then you will know inner peace in the face of whatever evil a person may say about you or do to you. Besides, who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? (I Peter 3:13-16) Such a one hurts himself far more than you, for he will not escape the judgment of God no matter who he is. Therefore, trust in God, keeping your mind set on Him rather than giving undue attention to what others say about you and to you.

If you should be momentarily harmed by a false accusation or unjust judgment, or should others believe the lies about you, do not get angry or grow impatient for that will diminish whatever spiritual profit you might have gained. Look to God, for He is able to deliver you from the loss of reputation and shame, and to render to every person according to his deeds (Romans 2:6; II Corinthians 5:10).


CHAPTER 37

On the pure and entire surrender of self for the obtaining of deep inner peace

Surrender your will. Submit to God (James 4:7). Deny yourself. Live unto God (II Corinthians 5:14-15). Lose yourself for God’s sake and you will not only find God, you will find greater faith, a growing intimacy with God, and deep inner peace. Rather than being devoted to protecting your interests and worrying about your well-being, put yourself in God’s hands and you will forever know God’s faithful provision and protection, along with His peace, which surpasses all human comprehension (Philippians 4:7).

When you deny self in order to seek God, His kingdom, and His righteousness as your first priority, He responds by pouring His love and grace into your life so that you lack no good thing (Matthew 6:25-33; Psalm 84:11). But beware, should you begin to distrust God so as to return to self-rule and self-care, you will lose more than His faithful provision and protection. Your faith will weaken, your intimacy with God will fade, and your inner peace will turn to worry and fear.

Now you may be wondering how often you have to surrender yourself and in what areas must you deny yourself?

The answer is simple: always and in everything, be it little or great. God makes no exceptions. He wants total surrender and the complete denial of self.

Think of it this way: how can God be your most precious treasure if you treasure something other than God, or equal to God, or greater than God? How can you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength if you love something other than God, or love something equal to God, or love something greater than God? How can you do the will of God or want His will done on earth as it is done in heaven if your will is equal to or more important than His? How can you deny self in order to follow Jesus while still going – be it ever so slightly – your own way? How can Jesus be your Lord if you continue to serve masters other than Jesus? Or how can you live for the glory of God when you want some of it for yourself?

Once you have repented and come to faith in Christ, you belong to God. He redeemed you with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (I Peter 1:18-19). You now are part of God’s people who He has redeemed from every lawless deed in order to make them a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:11-14). Since He has done all this for you, ought you not to respond by surrendering all to Him?

Therefore, the sooner you surrender all of self to Him and deny yourself for His sake, the sooner you will experience intimate fellowship with Him and all that comes from knowing Him in this way. In fact, the more fully and sincerely you surrender yourself to Him the more you will please Him, and the more will be your reward, here and now, and throughout eternity.

Some willingly surrender their will and deny themselves, yet at the same time they deliberately keep certain areas reserved because they do not believe they are entirely safe in God’s hands or can be completely happy surrendering all. In other words, in most areas they do God’s will, cheerfully and sincerely. But in one or a certain few areas they act on their own will and go their own way, pleasing themselves instead of God.

Then there are those who at first surrender their will and deny themselves in everything. But sadly, in time and through lack of vigilance and love for God, they give way to temptation and slip back into their old ways of self-rule and self-care. Therefore, whatever spiritual progress they made at first is minimized or even lost, and future progress is unlikely.

No one can attain to true freedom from anxiety, or gain that genuine inner peace which rules the heart regardless of the circumstances, or obtain confident faith, or enter into sweet companionship with the Father apart from complete surrender of their will and denial of self so as to daily offer themselves to God as an acceptable sacrifice. Truly, without such surrender and denial, our union with God will neither bear fruit (John 15:1-8), nor stand the test of time (Matthew 13:3-9).

God calls us, again and again, to give ourselves to Him, to surrender our will to His will, and to deny ourselves so as to no longer live for ourselves or for the world or for the devil, but for Him. Truly, this is the path to deep and abiding inner peace and intimate fellowship with our loving Father.

In other words, give all for all. Demand nothing and ask nothing in return. Trust in God completely, submit to God’s will wholly, obey God’s commands fully, put away all sin, pursue holiness in all your behavior, unreservedly live for God, and you will possess God. And in addition, your heart will be free from unholy fear, anxiety over today, and worry about tomorrow. The trials, tribulations, and difficult people of life will not overwhelm you.

Therefore, whole-heartedly pursue and persistently strive for this kind of surrender of your will and denial of self. Pray often and diligently for God’s gracious assistance and empowerment. Talk to God about it. Hunger and thirst for it. Read and memorize and ponder those scriptures that lead you to it. Regularly examine your heart, thoughts, and behavior in relation to it. Completely depend on God to empower and assist you in attaining it, for without Him you can do nothing (John 15:5). And persevere to the end (Matthew 24:13), for in these ways you will die to self and whole-heartedly, unreservedly, and eternally live unto God, in Christ Jesus. Then shall all worthless, fleshly, and worldly desires disappear, all ungodly fear and anxiety end, all superfluous cares cease, and all inordinate love die.


CHAPTER 38

On self-discipline in all things, and having recourse to God in dangers

Zealously and consistently make it your aim to discipline yourself inwardly and outwardly so that in every situation, activity, occupation, spoken word, and outward action you will give no place to selfish desires, fleshly cravings, evil intentions, ungodly fears, unholy anger, or anxiety. Vigilantly work at gaining and maintaining self-discipline so as to stand with Jesus, by God’s grace, as ruler over your thoughts, your flesh, your words, and your actions rather than living under them as their servant (I Timothy 4:7-8).

The true Christian knows that upon repenting of his rebellion against God and turning to Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and reconciliation to God, he has been set free from the enslaving power of sin and is now a slave of righteousness (John 8:34-36; Romans 6:5ff). To deliberately or carelessly return to serving sin (in any area of life) is like the dog returning to its vomit or the pig, after being washed, to rolling around in the mud (II Peter 2:20-22).

Therefore, by God’s gracious empowerment and your exercise of self-discipline, stand firm in the way of righteousness. Stand above this present life and look to that which is eternal (Colossians 3:1-2). Let your left eye behold temporal things and fix your right eye on heavenly things (Matthew 5:29, 6:22-23). Do not become ensnared or enslaved by temporal things (Romans 12:2; James 1:27; I John 2:15), rather use them, within the boundaries of God’s will, to do the work God has given you to do, for God made the temporal to show forth His glory and to serve mankind (Romans 1:19-20; Genesis 1:27-30). Indeed, even Jesus used the temporal to do the will of His Father (Matthew 14:15-21; John 9:6), who created nothing without purpose and use.

If in every circumstance and relationship of life you are committed to remaining faithful to God and His righteousness regardless of how things look outwardly, and if you judge matters according to God’s will and word rather than according to your fleshly longings or fears or pride, and if you quickly and earnestly take each matter to God to seek His wisdom – like Moses going into the Tent of Meeting, then you will hear from God and come away with His wisdom and His instruction as to what is and what shall be (Exodus 33:9). For Moses always had the privilege to enter the Tabernacle and seek God’s instructions about any problem or question, and he ran to the help of prayer for deliverance from the dangers of life and evil deeds of others. Therefore, you ought also to run to the secret chamber of your heart and earnestly implore God for His wisdom, strength, grace, and help. It was for the lack of such prayer and counsel from God that Joshua and the Israelites were deceived by the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:14-15). And why did they not seek God’s wisdom first? They allowed themselves to be taken in by fair speeches and deceived by pretended righteousness.

Therefore, do not neglect, indeed diligently pursue self-discipline and prayer.


CHAPTER 39

On not being distracted by present or future circumstances

Always commit your circumstances – such as current situations, future threats or hopeful possibilities, the need for help from others, trials, testings, and suffering – to God (Psalm 37:5-7, 23-25, 39-40), for He will deal with it and dispose it in the very best way at the right time (Romans 8:28). Therefore, wait for God to work it out and bring it to an end. You will never regret it. Indeed, He will work it out in ways that far exceed anything you could do or even imagine. Plus, His ways produce the added benefit of spiritual growth in you.

Freely and cheerfully commit all things – present and future – to God (Philippians 4:6-7), for the good brought about by your best planning and efforts cannot compare to what He will do. Run from worry and fear. Resist the temptation to anxiously mull over what possibly might happen in the future(Matthew 6:34). Rather, with a meekness and humility like Christ’s, put yourself and your circumstances in God’s hands, and confidently trust Him to work it out for good according to His good pleasure.

Sadly, we too often become zealous in taking matters into our own hands in order to pursue those things we desire or believe we deserve or are convinced we need right now. Yet after obtaining it, we soon give our attention to something else we wish to fix or gain or bring to an end. In other words, we seem to consistently desire something other or something more than we have, and so we act accordingly.

Therefore, you will find that at the beginning of the Christian life, such trusting and patient waiting on the Lord is hard. It requires all the self-discipline and perseverance you can summon because your patience is short, your faith is yet weak, and you still believe you know the best ways and timing to work things out. But as you push yourself to wait for Him in situation after situation, your faith will grow to the point of being confident God knows and does what is best, every time. Then waiting seems wise and becomes your natural choice. So though you may start trusting and patiently waiting in small things and in small ways, it, like exercise, will make you stronger and stronger until you can trust and wait in big things and in big ways.

Remember, true spiritual progress lies in whole-hearted self-denial and confident faith in God, and the one who pursues spiritual growth in this way will be free and safe. But the old enemy, the opposer of all good things, never stops tempting us (I Peter 5:8). He sets out his traps and shoots his darts day and night in hopes of snaring the unwary. Therefore, keep watching and praying, says our Lord, so that you do not give way to temptation (Matthew 26:41).

CHAPTER 40

On lacking any inherent good or anything to boast about

What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him, or think about him, or are concerned about him?” (Psalm 8:4, 144:3; Hebrews 2:6)

How can we say we deserve any good thing from God? And yet He pours out His grace upon us (James 4:4-6). Based on what we deserve, how can we complain against God, even if He forsakes us? And yet nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39). Or what could we justly accuse God of if He refuses to hear our prayer? And yet He listens to the prayers of the righteous (Psalm 145:18-19, Proverbs 15:29, James 5:16).

The honest Christian is humble, and the humble Christian knows he is nothing and that he has nothing that is good in his flesh (Romans 7:18). Indeed, we fall short of God’s perfections, holiness, love, and expectations in all ways (Romans 3:23), and our frailty is exposed by our continual tendency toward evil. Unless we are helped and inwardly strengthened by God (II Corinthians 3:5-6; Ephesians 3:14-19), we will become lukewarm and careless.

In contrast to our frailties and fickleness, there is God, who is always the same, faithful for ever, perfectly good, completely righteous, and altogether holy – doing all things well, justly, completely, and always according to His unsurpassable wisdom. But we, who all too often take a few steps forward and then one or two backward, never unfailingly pursue God and His righteousness.

When we depend on God to be our help and our strength, we do amazingly better at being faithful and consistent in walking the narrow path (Philippians 2:12-13, 4:13; Colossians 1:10-11). Truly, God, and God alone is able to help us and so strengthen us as to enable us to gain stronger faith, to rest in His transforming grace, to hunger for His righteousness, to put off the old nature, to put on the new nature, and to persevere in the progressive attainment of that godliness of life which belongs to Christian maturity.

Of course, if we naturally knew the best ways to exercise self-discipline, and if we had a sufficient amount of self-control to reject all forms of pleasure, comfort, riches, possessions, power, and pride that lead us away from God, and if we had a pure, whole-hearted devotion to God, we would not need God’s help. But we do need His help because we are naturally selfish sinners seeking to go our own way rather than God’s way.

If we consistently and clearly saw our desperate need for God because no one else can help us in this way, and if we sought God’s help and then fully cooperated with Him in applying His wisdom, making the most of His grace for daily living, depending on His empowerment, searching His scriptures, pondering His word, listening to His messengers, and quickly confessing, repenting, and returning when we fail, then we would be worthy of God’s grace and worthy to receive His comforts and encouragements. But we are not worthy. In fact, we are unworthy in God’s sight, for too often we are inconsistent and weak. But thanks be to God, from whom all comfort, encouragement, blessings, and every perfect gift comes when we humbly trust in Him, love Him, and walk according to His will (Psalm 37:25,28-29).

What then shall we boast or glory in? Why should we think we deserve to be held in honor by God and treated as someone special? Is not such boasting and such pretentious self-importance merely pride? And is not pride an evil plague, the greatest of all foolish and worthless pursuits, because it turns us against God and draws us away from the true glory and robs us of God’s grace? Do not be deceived, when you are pleasing yourself, you are displeasing God, and when you are grasping for the praises of man, you are depriving yourself of true godliness.

True glory comes from glorying in, adoring, and treasuring the Lord. True joy comes from rejoicing in the God of our salvation (Habakkuk 3:18). Notice, true glory does not come from glorying in or adoring yourself or treasuring your spiritual progress, but from turning all such attention toward God. In the same way, true joy does not come from rejoicing over the gift, but over the Giver of the gift. Only fools delight in any created thing more than or even equal to their delight in God. The wise only delight in created things in ways that serve God’s purposes and uphold His glory in all and above all.

Therefore, let God’s name be praised, not your own. Let His works be magnified and glorified, not your own. Let Him be blessed, worshiped, and adored, not you. Run from the praises of others. Make God your most precious possession, your supreme love, your sole focus of worship, the One in whom you delight, and the joy of your heart. Bless the Lord at all times. Continually fill your mouth with His praises. Make all your boasting be boasting in who the Lord is, what He does, and why He is worthy of praise. Join others in magnifying the Lord and in exalting His name (Psalm 34:1-3).

Now, should the occasion arise where you need to boast about yourself, boast only about your weaknesses which press you to rely on God (II Corinthians 12:5,9). Let the unbelievers seek the honor which comes from one another, but you seek the honor that comes from God, alone (John 5:44). Truly, all human glory, all temporal praise, all worldly honors, compared to God’s eternal glory, is worthless and folly.

O God, my Truth and my Mercy, Blessed Trinity, to You alone be all praise, honor, power, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”


CHAPTER 41

On contempt of all temporal honor

Do not feel offended, slighted, or cheated if you see others honored and exalted while you are despised, disrespected, and humbled. Remember where your security is. Remember where true and lasting praise comes from, for it is God’s assessment of you that matters most – now and for eternity. Therefore, live each moment to please and glorify Him, for then, as you find your sense of well-being in Him, the contempt or disrespect of men will not dishearten you or make you sad.

Sadly, we are easily blinded by pride and quickly seduced by the praises of others. Yet if we honestly examine ourselves, it isn’t those who praise us that make us proud. We make ourselves proud by using the praises of others to puff ourselves up. Therefore, we can offer God no excuses for our pride, for there is no one to blame other than ourselves.

Consider: In our pride we have grievously sinned many times against God. Therefore, we deserve to be attacked with ridicule, disrespect, and disfavor. We deserve to be humiliated and treated with contempt. Truly, only God is worthy of praise, honor, and glory. And until we embrace this truth to the degree of willingly accepting being despised and deserted by all men, we cannot gain true inward peace, divine strength, or spiritual enlightenment. Nor can we be fully united to God so as to know Him truly and fellowship with Him intimately.


CHAPTER 42

On looking to God for our sense of well-being, not men

If you look to any person (or organization or community) for your sense of well-being, even though you may know him well and think highly of him, your sense of security will depend on someone whose life is temporary and behavior inconsistent. Plus, such an earth-bound source of well-being will distract you from trusting God as you ought. But if you cling to and entrust your well-being to the ever-living and abiding Truth, then even the desertion or death of a dear friend or dearly loved spouse will not shake you or make you grieve like those who have no hope (I Thessalonians 4:13).

The truest and purest form of human love is to love someone as God would have you love, and for God’s sake, whomever he may be and however good he appears and however dear he is to you in this life. [To love others for God’s sake is to love them because you love God and want to please Him and bring honor to His name and prove to the world that His will is good and acceptable and perfect.]

The fact is, apart from God and the quality of His love being the supreme influence over the way you love, friendships will lack an enduring bond, and the love of a spouse will neither be true nor pure.

You ought to love God so fully that you appear, by comparison, to be dead to the love of those nearest and dearest to you. You ought to find such heavenly joy in your intimacy with God that your preference is to be alone with God rather than in the companionship of your spouse or dearest friends.

The reality is, the nearer you draw to God, the further you move away from all earthly forms of comfort and joy. The more humble and honest you are about yourself, the viler and more contemptible you appear in your own eyes, and the more you long for that holiness of life and purity of heart that pleases God and draws you ever deeper into the enjoyment of intimate fellowship with God (Hebrews 12:14, Matthew 5:8).

But beware of pride entering in as you draw nearer to God and enter deeper into fellowship with Him, for surely you will be tempted to think highly of yourself for having achieved such spiritual heights. Therefore, be on guard so that when tempted to spiritual pride, you resist the devil and reject such thoughts, for God resists the proud, whereas He lavishes His grace on the humble of heart.

When we see ourselves as utterly nothing, and empty ourselves of every love that in any way competes with or takes the place of the love we are to have for God, then God abundantly supplies us with His great grace. When we set the affections of our heart on any creature or created thing, the face of the Creator turns away and the distance between us increases.

Learn how to conquer your flesh, your unholy thoughts, and your ungodly desires for God’s sake, His joy, and His honor among sinful men. Learn how to submit to God and to become holy in all your behavior just as He is holy. Then you will grasp the wisdom and worth of divine knowledge concerning misdirected love and pride.

No matter how small anything may be, if we love or pay attention to it inordinately, it will hold us back from the highest good, pull us further and further away from God, and corrupt our zeal for God and godliness.


CHAPTER 43

On the foolishness of worthless, trivial, and worldly knowledge

Do not start living by worldly wisdom no matter how logical or ingenious it may seem, “for the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power “ (I Corinthians 4:20). Therefore, pay close attention to God’s words, for they purify the heart and properly educate so as to transform the mind (Psalm 86:11). They produce a broken and contrite heart over sin and provide a ready supply of encouragement and comfort as needed.

Never read the Holy Scriptures in order to appear more learned or wise, but study and ponder them for the subduing of your sins and being conformed to Christ’s likeness. Truly, this will be exceedingly more profitable than knowing the answers to many difficult or perplexing theological questions.

No matter how many times you read through the Bible, or how much you learn about the scriptures, always remember it is God who teaches us what we need to know to be truly knowledgeable (Psalm 94:10; Isaiah 28:26). It is God who gives His children a clearer understanding of reality and truth than can be taught by an unregenerate man (Matthew 11:25). Therefore, the one who listens to God, who takes God’s word seriously, quickly gains wisdom and spiritual growth (James 1:22-25).

Woe to them who spend time looking into the scriptures for answers to the curious questions of men, while neglecting or giving insufficient attention to what God says about such things as faith, love, humility, obedience, putting off sin, putting on Christ, single-mindedness, purity of heart, service to God, and serving others. The time is coming when Christ will appear – the Master of masters, the Lord of the Angels – to judge what we have done with what we know (Luke 12:48b), and if we have lived up to what we know (Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Romans 2:5-8; II Corinthians 5:9-10; Revelation 20:11-13). At that time, God will bring to light the thoughts and deeds we have hidden in the darkness, and He will expose the motives of our heart (Zephaniah 1:12; I Corinthians 4:5). Then, all our excuses, self-justifications, and claims of innocence will be silenced.

God, by the workings of His Holy Spirit, enlightens the humble, and in a short time gives to the seeking heart more understanding of the Eternal Truth than can be gained by ten years of study in the best Bible Schools and Seminaries. God, through His Holy Spirit, teaches without noise of words, without confusion of opinions, without the distractions of pride, and without the clash of arguments. It is God who teaches us to despise worldly things, to loathe present things, to seek heavenly things, to revel in the joy of eternal things, to flee earthly honors, to endure offenses, to place all hope in Him, to desire nothing apart from Him, and above all, to love Him ardently.

It is the one who loves God from the bottom of his heart and who puts away sin while putting on Christ-likeness, that is able to receive and understand divine things. Truly, we gain far more knowledge of the Source of truth and truth itself by forsaking all things in order to please God and draw near to God, than by studying biblical and theological subtleties.

Without question, God draws near to those who draw near to Him (James 4:8). He shows Himself to those who seek Him with their whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13). He is known by those who obey and love Him (I John 3:6-10; 4:7-8). He dwells in those who love and obey Him (John 14:23). And He enters into personal, intimate fellowship with those who walk in the light in the same way He is in the light (I John 1:6-7). To some He speaks the more common spiritual truths, to others the deeper things belonging to Him. To some He quietly appears and imparts knowledge, little bit by little bit, over a lengthy period of time. To others, He comes in a flash of light and reveals much truth all at once. To some He speaks through books. To others, through Prophets and Preachers, but to all by His Holy Spirit – the Imparter of truth, Searcher of hearts, Discerner of thoughts, and Mover to action, who distributes to each one as God deems best.


CHAPTER 44

On not troubling ourselves about outward things

There is great wisdom in remaining ignorant about many things, because curiosity and a misdirected quest for knowledge has led many astray. There is great spiritual profit and protection in regarding yourself as dead to the beliefs, thinking, and common practices of the world, and as one to whom the world has been crucified (Galatians 6:14).

There are many things that it is best to pass by with a blind eye and a deaf ear, lest they weaken your faith, diminish your love of God and man, lower your defenses against sin, and draw you away from the purity of holiness. Instead of taking in and considering what the world offers, think on the things which belong to God and godliness (Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:1-3).

It is far more profitable in this life and in the life to come to turn away from, and even flee from those things that war against your soul (II Timothy 2:22; I Peter 2:11). It is safer for you spiritually to let each person hold his own opinions, than to constantly get entangled in contentious discussions.

If God is your source of security, and if you are committed to living according to the will and word of God in order to be in good standing with God, and if you live each day with the knowledge that God is your judge, not man, then looking foolish or ill-informed or afraid to try things or prudish or easily defeated in arguments will mean nothing to you.

I urge you to consider before God in prayer what is happening to us. We mourn over things temporal and unworthy of eternal status. We work hard to gain and then fret over things whose worth diminishes soon after obtaining them. Things that profit little or nothing are treasured, pursued, and protected, while things that are altogether necessary are neglected, ignored, or discarded. The more we do these things the more we lose spiritual strength, godly character, and holy living, yet we plunge ahead as if unaware or unconcerned about what we are losing.

And how does this happen? It happens, sometimes ever so slowly and sometimes quite quickly, because we pay attention to what is outward and temporal at the cost of neglecting what is inward and eternal. And unless we come to our senses and turn away from our foolish pursuits so to give proper attention to what truly matters, we will continue moving away from God and inward matters while moving toward the world and outward things. Now be warned, the further you move away from God and inward matters, the harder it is to recover.


CHAPTER 45

On not believing everyone, and not being misled or misleading with words

Prayer for help in the face of trouble and weakness

Dearest Lord, give me help in times of trouble and in my areas of weakness, for deliverance by man is in vain (Psalm 60:11). Too often I have failed to be faithful when I thought I was steadfast and strong. And yet there have been times when I thought I was weak, but remained faithful. As You see all too well, trusting in myself is foolish. Therefore, be my help and strength, for You are the only sure hope of salvation for those who trust in You, and in trusting, seek to live a life pleasing to You.

Truly, You are to be blessed and praised, O Lord, no matter what You bring upon us or allow to happen to us. Yet we are weak and unstable. We are easily deceived and fickle in our loyalties. Who is able, though vigilantly cautious and sensible, to keep himself from giving in, at least once in a while, to discouragement, confusion, and despair? Yet when I trust in You, O Lord, and seek You with single-mindedness and a pure heart, I rarely slip. And should I fall under the weight of any tribulation for whatever reason, You quickly deliver me, or at least comfort and encourage me (Psalm 37:24).

O Lord, how grateful I am that You do not forsake those who persevere in trusting in You to the end. Indeed, it is rare to find a friend who will faithfully stand with his friend through every trial or distress. But You, O Lord, You alone are faithful to me in all my circumstances. Surely, there is no one like You! Amen.”

The godly person (St. Agatha) said, “My mind is steadfastly fixed, and it is grounded in Christ.” This is truly wise, and when this is true of us, the fear of others will not easily tempt us, nor the sting of words threaten or discourage us.

Who is able to foresee all things in order to enter each situation fully prepared to meet specific temptations or deal with foreseen trials? And if you can be drawn into distrust and sin by trials or temptations you know are coming, how much more those you do not expect? Surely this is reason enough to prepare, day by day, for the known and the unknown (Ephesians 6:10-18), while fully trusting God to give you everything necessary for living a godly life (II Peter 1:3; Philippians 4:13).

So why is it that we are not better prepared to face the trials and temptations of each day? What has happened to our weeping over sin, heart-felt confession, ceaseless praying, Spirit illumined Bible study, specific scripture memorization, thoughtful meditation, honest self-examination, perseverance, and our humble recognition of complete dependence on God? Why do we put more faith in the [self-help] words and methods of men rather than the armor and help of God?

True, we are weak and sometimes lazy mortals, even though some dare to call us saints. Yet is this not all the more reason to diligently do what God calls us to do while fully depending on Him to enable, empower, and assist us in doing so? It is God who has secured our freedom from the enslaving power of sin. It is God who, through baptism, has put us to death with Christ so that sin is no longer master over us, and it is God who raised us up with Christ so that we would henceforth live unto Him. It is God who tells us to destroy ungodly habits, put off the old man, put on Christ, deny self, resist the devil, remain faithful through the most trying trials, love God above all others, and love others as ourselves. Now, just as God has set the standard high for godly living, so it is God who has done everything necessary to enable and empower us to rise to and live at His standard of godliness.

Who are you going to trust and follow when it comes to preparing for and actually living a godly life? Are you going to trust and follow God and His word or man’s self-help and power of positive thinking ideas? Are you going to trust and follow God and His word or man’s “you-don’t-have-to-take-sin-too-seriously” theology? Are you going to trust and follow God and His word or man’s efforts to merge the science of psychology with the holy scriptures?

Is not our all-knowing and all-wise God the only one worthy of such trust? Is not Jesus Christ the only one who is the way, the truth, and the life? And on the other hand, is not every man a liar (Psalm 116:11, Romans 3:4), weak of character, unstable, and likely to err, so that we are wise to thoughtfully question and carefully examine what man says, even when it sounds right upon first hearing it?

Jesus wisely warned us to beware of men (Matthew 10:17). He said our enemies are likely to include the members of our own household (Matthew 10:36). And He warned us not to believe it if someone says: “Look there! look here!” (Luke 17:23). Sadly, it is not only easy, but far too common to mislead or be misled by words.

It is probable that you have been misled and had misleading things said about you. It is also probable that you have repeated what you thought was true, but what turned out to be false. Be wise, and learn from such experiences to be more careful and less foolish, quieter instead of so talkative, and slower to speak rather than impulsive.

Someone whispers that they know something that must be kept secret, and warning you to tell no one, tells you what they know. You, believing the matter is indeed secret, keep silent, while the one who told you proceeds to enlarge the circle of those who know. What a betrayal of trust. What a double-standard. How foolish, and yet how common such behavior is.

Therefore, the wise Christian both guards his tongue and fervently prays for God to quickly convict him should he enter into such trouble-making, reckless, and unloving behavior. Pray that God would strengthen you, inwardly by His Spirit, to stand firm against these kinds of temptations. Ask God to guard you from being taken in or willingly participating in speaking what is misleading or mischievous. Seek truth. Listen longer. Look into both sides of every story and situation. Investigate further when necessary. Then prayerfully ponder what ought to be said and what ought to be kept secret before saying anything. And always run from doing to someone else what you do not want done to you.

It is good, loving, and peacemaking to remain silent concerning others (Proverbs 10:12, 17:9). It is exceedingly wise to avoid either quickly or carelessly believing all reports (Proverbs 18:17). And it is godly to refuse to join anyone in gossip (Proverbs 11:13, 20:19).

It is wise to be careful what you reveal about yourself to others. Of course, honestly reveal and confess all to God, for He already knows your heart, your thoughts, and your deeds. Make it your highest aim to do all things according to God’s will and His word, be they inward or outward, hidden or open for all to see. Preserve the flow of God’s grace into your life by choosing humility over pride and God’s approval over man’s approval. Run from those things which seem to bring fame and admiration from afar, but earnestly and purposefully run toward those things that strengthens your faith, grows your godliness, builds your humility, and increases your zeal for eternal things.

Finally, beware of being praised for your advancements in godliness, for many have become proud after hearing such praises. Better to receive no praise and an abundance of God’s grace than to receive man’s praise, become proud, and experience God’s opposition (I Peter 5:5), for we are frail and life is filled with all kinds of temptation and warfare.


CHAPTER 46

On having confidence in God when evil words are spoken about you

When evil words are spoken of you, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong, and completely put your trust in God (I Corinthians 16:13; Psalm 37:1-3). For what are words, but words? They fly through the air, but they cannot harm you when you have made the Rock your security.

If even the smallest measure of what is said is true of you, take responsibility for that part and cheerfully amend your ways. If nothing of what is said about you is true, follow Christ’s example and humbly bear it for God’s sake (I Peter 2:21-23). After all, bearing unjust criticism, slanderous lies, scorn, and vilification like Christ is easier than bearing the physical tortures He suffered.

Why do we take such maligning yet trivial words personally? Why are we so easily offended and hurt when others say such things about us? We take offense because of pride. We feel hurt because of our longing for the self-worth boosting approval and acceptance of others. We take such words personally because of our unwillingness to deny self for Jesus’ sake. And as if that were not bad enough, our pride and our fear of being criticized or despised awakens within us a strong resistance to even legitimate, well-deserved reproofs and correction, as proven by our claims of good intentions and face-saving justifications.

Take a prayerfully honest, humble, and thorough look into yourself, and you will see how much of the world is still alive in you, and how often you say or do things to please others or fight against others in order to gain their approval and acceptance or avoid their criticism and rejection. Such behavior is never for God’s sake, but your own. In other words, regardless of how mannerly, sweet, gentle or even Christian it appears on the outside, such behavior is driven by selfishness on the inside. Therefore, when you do what you can to avoid being humbled, shamed, criticized and chastened for your faults, it is obvious you are neither truly humble nor truly dead to self or the ways of the world.

However, if you would feed on, meditate on, take to heart, and live according to God’s word, then ten thousand critical, disrespectful, derogatory, humiliating, and even slanderous words hurled at you would be of minor concern to you. Or look at it this way, if all the possible things that the most heartless, malicious person could think to say were said against you, would you be inwardly harmed in any way if you completely let it go? Could such words pluck out an eye, or even a single hair from your head?

He whose strongest feelings and sense of need center around himself is quickly and easily moved to either words of self-defense and self-protection or attacking back with equal or greater vehemence when reproached. He who trusts in God, and whose trust is such that he is free from needing the acceptance and approval of others, is moved to humble patience and gracious responses when reproached.

Truly, God is the Judge and the Discerner of all secrets. He knows what was done, how it was done, and why it was done. He knows both the perpetrator and the one injured. He knows the challenge of humbly bearing it as Christ bore it (I Peter 2:21-23). Indeed, He may have either sent it or allowed it in order to reveal what is in your heart and in the hearts of others (Luke 2:35). Remember, the day is coming when God will judge the guilty and the innocent. But until then, He tests and tries them both in ways most never recognize as His doing or allowing.

Man’s judgment often produces an imperfect justice, and sometimes injustice. God’s judgment is always perfectly thorough, completely honest, and totally fair. Being pure justice, it can withstand every legal appeal, which means it will never be overturned. Sadly, most do not see the perfect justice of God’s judgment because they are blinded to the truth by their critical view of others (Luke 18:9-12), arrogant blaming, denial of their own specific sins (James 4:1-10), and foolish disregard for God’s ways (Matthew 7:2). Yet God’s judgments never err, nor can they be in error – and those few who humbly and regularly seek God’s searching of their heart (Psalm 26:2, 139:23) know this is true. Therefore, when involved in judging, we must investigate further, hear both sides, listen longer, seek counsel, and fervently pray for God’s wisdom, rather than depending on our own opinion or first impressions.

God tells us that no harm befalls the righteous (Proverbs 12:21), for He protects them from all evil (Psalm 121:7). Therefore, humbly accept whatever God sends your way and trust Him to bring great good from it (Romans 8:28). Should some unjust charge be brought against you, do not fear or become anxious. Yet on the other hand, do not gloat if you are clearly vindicated of all such charges. Remember, God is the one who judges according to what is in the heart and mind as well as the words and deeds (Psalm 11:4-5). Therefore, not being fooled by outward appearance or clever presentations of innocence, God often sees as blameworthy those who we see as worthy of praise – including ourselves.

Prayer for self-honesty

O Lord God, You are the strong and patient just Judge. You know how weak and sinful we humans are. Give me inward strength for self-honesty so that I may see myself more nearly as You see me. Be my final source for truth about myself, for my conscience alone is not enough. You know what I don’t know, and see what I don’t see. Therefore, out of confidence in Your judgments and skepticism of my own, I want to humble myself and meekly bear all rebukes, criticisms, and complaints.

Loving Father, mercifully forgive me for all the times I have failed to do this. Graciously grant me the strength of heart and mind to endure next time.

O Lord, it is far better for me to receive Your abundant pity and merciful pardon than to defend my innocence, especially when my conscience cries against me. And even when I cannot find any reason for guilt, yet I am not by this acquitted, for You are the all-knowing Judge (I Corinthians 4:4), and no one is innocent in Your sight (Psalm 143:2). And so I beg of You, do not remove your mercy from me, for without it, I have no hope of being justified. Amen”


CHAPTER 47

On enduring all trials and troubles for the sake of eternal life

Dear Christian, do not let the hard work and subsequent struggles which you have undertaken for His sake distress or even stress you. Do not let trials and tribulations discourage you. Trust in God and His promises. Look to Him for strength to endure, and wait on Him for times of comfort along the way. He will not only be a loving, comforting father to you, He will bless and reward your faithfulness above and beyond all you could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Never forget that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Compared to eternity, the hard work and subsequent struggles for the sake of Christ are for a short time. Therefore, patiently endure, for an end to all your troubles is close at hand. An hour is coming when all the hard work of remaining faithful through trials, tribulations, testing, temptation, serving others, building the church, evangelizing the lost, and every form of martyrdom will end.

However, though there is a passing away, we are not to treat as trivial any of what God has given us to do in this life. Therefore, diligently, devotedly, and zealously do what God has given you to do. Faithfully work in His vineyard. Write, read, sing, weep, meditate, pray, cheerfully endure adversities, serve your family, love God’s people, build the church, seek the lost, disciple new believers – for surely eternal life is worthy of all such labor, and even more!

Should you begin to feel weary or think the cost is too high, remember the day is coming – a day known only to the Lord – when peace and rest will reign (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:3). Then there will be neither day nor night (Isaiah 60:19; Zechariah 14:7), but God’s eternal light, infinite brightness (Revelation 21:23, 22:5), unwavering peace, and undisturbed rest. You will no longer ask, “Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24) nor will you ever again cry, “Woe is me, for ... too long has my soul had its dwelling with those who hate peace” (Psalm 120:5-6). In that day, death will be utterly destroyed (I Corinthians 15:54), salvation will be complete (I John 3:2), fear will be cast out (I John 4:18), and your joy will be full (Revelation 7:17, 21:4).

If only you could see the unfading crowns of the saints in heaven, and see the glorious joy that drives their rejoicing – saints who in this life were reckoned contemptible by the world and worthy of persecution and death (Wisdom 3:1-9, 5:16) – then you would humble yourself to the lowest of the low. In that state of mind, you would rather be in subjection to all than to be in authority over one. You would rejoice over trials and tribulation for God’s sake rather than desire ease and comfort. And you would count it gain to be seen as nothing, as unimportant and even worthless, among men. Truly, if humility, willing submission, joyfully enduring trials and tribulation, and being counted as nothing were seen by you to be the spiritually profitable precious treasures that they are, you would never complain.

Should we not endure all the trials and troubles of this life, all the hours of prayer, all the striving after holiness, all the resisting of temptation, all the efforts of evangelism, and all the service that God requires, for the glory of God and the sake of eternal life? Are not God and His gift of eternal life worth at least this much? Truly, it is no small thing to gain or lose the Kingdom of God. Therefore, lift your eyes to heaven. Look on the face of Jesus and all the saints who have gone before (Hebrews 12:1). Though they endured resistance, oppression, and even martyrdom in this world, they are now in the Kingdom of God, enjoying comfort, perfect security, immeasurable peace, and wonderful rest from all their labors.


CHAPTER 48

On the joys of eternity and the challenges of this life

Oh most blessed mansion, prepared for us by Christ in the City which is above (John 14:1-3)! Oh most bright day of eternity which knows no darkness of night because the Supreme Truth is its constant light (Revelation 22:5)! In that day there will be perpetual joy, absolute security, and the unchangeable purity of holiness so that there is no possibility of anything contrary entering in. Oh that this day would come in all its glory and bring an end to all these temporal things.

Those saints who already are with God know the brightness of the eternal glory, while God’s people who are here only know it from afar, seeing it as it were through dark tinted glass. The citizens of heaven know how glorious that day is, while the earth-bound sons of Eve groan because life here is bitter and wearisome. The number of days we live here are few and evil. They are full of sorrows and challenges. They defile us with many sins, ensnare us with many unholy desires and passions, bind us with many fears, weigh us down with many cares, distract us with questions which have no reasonable answer, entangle us in worthless pursuits and unnecessary possessions, surround us with many failures, weary us with hard, endless work, harass us with temptations, weaken our resolve and spiritual health with pleasures, and torment us with poverty.

Prayer For Help In The Face Of Life’s Evils

Dearest Lord, when will there be an end to all these evils? When will I be delivered from my wretched attraction to certain sins? When will my mind be fixed on You, alone – or at least so often that it will seem to be fixed on You alone? When will my joy in You be so full that I will seek it nowhere else? When will I know true liberty from every hindrance – be it in my mind or from my body – that holds me back from worthy progress in my pursuit of a holy life? When will I have unbreakable, immovable, and unshakeable peace in my heart and in my actions, regardless of the circumstances?

Gracious Jesus, when will I stand in Your presence and look on Your face? When will I gaze upon the glory of Your kingdom? When will You be to me All in all? Oh when will I be with You in Your eternal kingdom which You have prepared from the foundation of the world for those who love You?

Loving Lord, I am like an exile left destitute in a hostile land where spiritual wars rage daily and grievous temptations abound. Strengthen and encourage me. Comfort me in my sorrow, for regardless of the circumstances I long for You. Indeed, the help and comforts of the world are but distracting burdens getting in the way of what matters most to me. I yearn to enjoy the most intimate of relationships with You, even though life has many distractions. I long to cling to heavenly things, even though temporal things and occasionally some unsubdued passions weigh me down. In my mind I intend to soar above all earthly distractions, yet my flesh still wants to be earth-bound. So, wretched man that I am, I fight with myself and even despise my wretched weaknesses. Therefore, graciously strengthen me with Your power by Your Spirit in my inward being so that I may gain victory over my flesh and enjoy You as much as possible in this world.

You know, O Lord God, that when I am talking to You, there are times when earthly or even fleshly thoughts and activities barge in. Once I realize what is happening, my heart breaks over being so easily distracted from the One who perfectly loves me and from things that matter eternally. O God, don’t grow weary of my failings and give up on me. Don’t be angry with me or distance Yourself from me.

Instead, knowing how weak I am and how desperately I need Your help, take my hand and lead me in paths of righteousness. Flash forth Your lightning and scatter those whose aim it is to distract me; send out Your arrows and confuse them. Stretch forth Your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from these enemies of mine (Psalm 23:3b, 144:6-7).

As you graciously help and empower me, teach me how to keep my attention focused on You. Teach me to think as one who no longer desires worldly possessions and fleshly pleasures. Urge me, remind me, yes even prod me to quickly resist temptation and despise any imaginings of sin. Hold me close and nurture me, O Eternal Truth, so as to break the power of pride and selfishness, so they no longer motivate me. Abide in me, O Heavenly Sweetness, so that all impurity will flee from before Your face.

In Your mercy, pardon me also whenever I think on anything besides You during my times of prayer, for I must confess that I am easily distracted when praying. Too often, my mind moves a long way away from what I was praying about. It is as if my body is in one place but I am with my thoughts in another. And all too often, my wandering thoughts take me toward that which I ought not to crave or treasure – things that by nature delight my flesh or through habit bring some sense of comfort or security. And You, who are Truth, has plainly said: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Teach me to love You and the things above with all my being so that I will stay focused when praying or meditating on heavenly things. Surely You know that if I love the world, I will rejoice in the delights of the world and complain about the adversities of life. If I love the flesh, I will repeatedly think about the things which gratify the flesh. But if I love You, I will draw ever closer to You and think ever more of You. And if I love that which is truly spiritual, I will find true joy and fulfillment in setting my mind on spiritual things. So I am urging you, Loving Father, teach me to love You as I ought, for whatever I love, those things fill my thoughts, work their way into my words, and catch the attention of my ears.

How blessed is the one who for Your sake, O Lord, willingly forsakes or discounts all earthly things, who does violence to his flesh in order to crucify the lusts of his flesh in order to fervently pursue godliness in all his thoughts and behavior. How blessed is the one who with a good conscience offers pure, undistracted prayer to You. Surely, he is worthy to join the angelic choirs in worship of You, having shut out from himself, both outwardly and inwardly, all worldly things. Amen.”


CHAPTER 49

On the desire for eternal life, and the great blessings promised to those who strive

When you deeply yearn for the joy of eternity to flood your innermost being from above, and when you long to depart your earthly body in order to contemplate God’s glory without obstruction or distraction, then quiet your mind and open your heart so that God’s response to your longings can satisfy your holy desire. Afterward, give grateful thanks from the depths of your heart to the Supreme Goodness who, because of His great grace, has lovingly come to you, fervently stirred your holy passions for that which is eternal, and powerfully satisfied you with joys from above, so that you won’t give in to your fleshly passions and pursue earthly things.

For truly, it is not by our own study of God’s word, meditation on scripture, long hours of prayer, striving against our flesh or the denial of self that gains us such marvelous gifts. Rather, God gives such gifts solely out of the gracious condescension of His supremely divine love. And He does so for the purpose of encouraging, empowering, and sustaining our progressive growth in godliness and humility, to prepare and strengthen us for future trials and testing, to motivate us to cling to Him from a heart filled with love for Him, and to cheerfully choose to willingly please Him in all things.

When a fire burns, the flames ascend, but rarely without smoke. In the same way, our heartfelt longings for heavenly things burns upward, but rarely without some fleshly affections mixed in. In other words, when we earnestly pray for God’s heavenly gifts, we rarely seek heavenly things from a pure desire for God’s glory or for the pure joy of intimate fellowship with God. Upon self-examination, you may find that this is true of you, even when you think your motives are pure. Truly, nothing eternal is perfect and pure when it is contaminated by our own self-seeking.

Therefore, do not pray for what gives you a sense of happy satisfaction or what makes your life easier, but pray for what is acceptable to God and what brings honor to Him. Indeed, those who judge sensibly (Proverbs 14:8,15,18) choose God’s will over their own desires, including their desires for the naturally good things of this world (Matthew 6:10; 10:37-39).

God knows what is in your heart. He listens attentively to your groanings and pleadings in prayer. He knows that you long to be in the glorious liberty of heaven – free from the constraints of your flesh and enraptured by God. He knows you delight in the hope of the eternal home Jesus has prepared for you, and that the joy of being there draws your heart upward.

Yet, as is apparent, the hour of your arrival has not come. God has you here for now. And yes, remaining here means a continuation of daily warfare and denying self. It means you must still be vigilant, moment by moment, in order to see through the devil’s wiles and resist his temptations. It means continuing to pursue growth in the knowledge of God so as to become holy in all your behavior, just as He is holy. And it means enduring more trials and testing.

However, those who know that they will become like Christ when they go to be with Him in glory, or when He comes again (whichever comes first), use their time here to further purify themselves, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3). So do not despair or grow weary of the vigilance and perseverance required of you to pursue God in this way. He knows you desire to be filled with Him, and to dwell with Him in eternity. And He knows your time has not yet come. So look to Him for daily grace and strength, treasure Him, draw near to Him, cling to Him, talk to Him, commune with Him, delight in Him, further purify yourself for Him, live each day to please Him – and you will find such joy in Him that it will sustain you until you see Him face-to-face in His eternal Kingdom.

Once again, there are still trials and testings to be born, and spiritual profit to be gained. It is true that the abundant, satisfying joy of heaven is not yours yet, but God will comfort and encourage you from time to time. Therefore, be strong of faith, faithful in obedience, steadfast in perseverance, and brave of heart in facing, dealing with, and even suffering through the challenges and trials of the Christian life. Keep your focus fixed on putting on the new man, on becoming conformed to the likeness of Christ, on becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 8:29; II Corinthians 5:17).

Embrace the lessons God is teaching you. Learn self-discipline and godly contentment when you have to do what you don’t want to do, and have to leave undone what you would like to finish. Learn humility and patience when what others do ends in success, and what you do does not prosper at all. Learn about humble service and submission to God’s will when others are eagerly listened to, while few if any pay heed to what you say. Learn perseverance in prayer when others ask and receive, but you ask and obtain nothing of what you asked for. Learn the destructive power of pride to your spiritual health and your testimony in the world when others are deemed great and highly exalted, while you are deemed a nobody. Learn the value of living for God instead of yourself when others are entrusted with important responsibilities, but you are judged unworthy of such trust.

It is possible that in the midst of learning such lessons you will feel sad or even discouraged over being judged so worthless by others. Bear it silently, for such bearing will build your faith, nurture humility, and strengthen your confidence that your security is in God and not man.

In these and many things like these, the faithful servant of the Lord is accustomed to being tested to see how far he is able to go in denying himself and in humbly submitting to all authority – be it God or man (Matthew 16:24; I Peter 2:13-14). Indeed, there is no greater challenge to self-rule and self-denial than a situation that is contrary or detrimental to what you want. And this is especially true when someone in authority requires you to do something that is not only contrary to your wants, but seems to be unwise or of no benefit to you. This is challenging because you dare not say no to a higher authority, being under authority, yet you are convinced you know better what ought to be done.

But consider the spiritual profit that comes from remaining faithful to God, though sorely tested. Ponder the brevity of life. Keep in mind the great reward that awaits you when you see Jesus as He is. Then the pain will seem trivial, your patience a great comfort, your gain a precious treasure, and having pleased your Father an immeasurable joy.

Whatever you lose on earth by forsaking your will to do God’s will – be it a treasure or a trifle, God will abundantly restore when you get to Heaven. There your will, united as one with God’s will, will desire nothing temporal, nothing for itself, nothing selfish, and nothing that is not for the joy and glory of God. Therefore, in His presence you will find all that you can think of and all that the deepest part of your being longs for. There you will have the power and freedom to enjoy all that is good without fear losing any of it. There no one will stand against you, no one will make complaints against you, no one will overrule you or hinder you from doing what you know is right. In fact, every desire will be fulfilled, and the fulfilling will refresh you and deepen your love for God and satisfy your longing for intimate fellowship with God. There God will give you glory and honor for the scorn suffered in this life. He will give you the garment of praise for your sorrow. And for humbly taking the lowest place, He will give you a throne in His Kingdom, forever. There you will receive the due rewards for your cheerful obedience. Your sincerity of repentance will bring rejoicing, and your humble submission will be crowned with glory.

Therefore, humble yourself by submitting to the will of others regardless of their position. Do not fret over or despise the one who wants this or the one who demands that, but rather put your focus on maintaining a godly attitude and giving God-honoring service, whether the one requesting something or even hinting at something is your superior, your inferior, or your equal.

Knowing that God is your supreme source of security, keep entrusting yourself to Him while quietly and humbly allowing one person to want this and another to demand that, one person to take pride in this and another to seek praise for that, and all of them being repeatedly praised by others. Rejoice in the privilege to humble yourself, deny self, and be as one who serves – just like your Master, Jesus (I Peter 2:21-23; Luke 22:25-27). And rejoice in every opportunity you have to please God and bring glory to His name. Truly, every Christian ought to long for the privilege and take every opportunity to magnify God, in attitude, humble service, and every other area of life, as well as in death (Philippians 1:20).


CHAPTER 50

On the forsaken person committing himself into the hands of God

Prayer of Committal

O Lord, Holy Father, may You be blessed now and forever because as You will, so it is done, and everything You do is good. Graciously help me, Your servant, to rejoice in You – not in myself or in any thing other than You – for surely You alone are the true joy. You alone are my hope and glory. You alone are my joy and honor. Even though I am unworthy and deserving of nothing from Your hand, all the good I possess and all the good I have experienced, I have received from You. I know that everything You have given me was made by You and belongs to You.

As for me, I have been poor and miserable from my youth, so much so that I have been sorrowful to the point of tears. Sometimes I give way to anxiety and even despair because of the troubles and sufferings coming upon me.

I long for the joy of an inner peace that cannot be shaken by circumstances. Please, I pray, give me, Your servant, the deep, abiding, inner peace that is common to Your children who in trusting You feed on Your comforts and encouragement. If You give peace, if You pour into me holy joy, my soul will sing songs of praise and my heart will rejoice in You. But if You test my faith and allegiance by pulling back and leaving me feeling alone – which You do from time to time – I might not remain faithful to You and Your word, for temptations seem easier to resist when I can see Your light shining on my path (Job 29:3) and Your wings hovering over me (Psalm 17:8). Yet I want to remain faithful at all times, so in those especially trying times I commit myself to trusting what You have taught me and relying on those parts of Your word which I know will see me through.

O loving Father, righteous and ever to be praised, I know an hour is coming when Your servant is to be tried and tested. I know that it is best that I should suffer somewhat for Your sake. O Father, evermore to be adored, as that hour approaches which You foreknew from eternity past, grant me the grace to live inwardly with You as I am outwardly broken, humbled, regarded as nothing or even as a failure in the eyes of others, and beset with sufferings and weaknesses. Graciously and mercifully raise me up again so that I can intimately taste and touch Your presence in this life and be glorified with You in heaven. O beloved Father, surely this is according to Your will, and so my confidence is in You to do it.

It comforts me to know that it is because of Your gracious love for Your friends that You either bring or allow trouble and suffering to come into my life, whenever, by whomever, and for as long as You deem best (Romans 5:3-5; I Peter 1:6-7; James 1:2-4). And it strengthens my faith to know that apart from Your will, wisdom, love, and providence, nothing comes to pass on the earth.

It is spiritually profitable and life changing for me, Lord, that I pass through troubles, for by it I learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:71), and die to pride of heart and arrogant behavior. It has been good that my circumstances have brought bewilderment and uncertainty because that has driven me to You for wisdom and hope, rather than to men. And without question, I have learned to profoundly fear and highly respect Your unfathomable judgments which fall on the righteous and unrighteous alike, yet never without fairness and justice.

And so I praise and thank You, because You have not spared my sins, but have beaten me with lashes of love, inflicting pain and sending troubles upon me without and within, to drive out every impurity. There is no one who loves me like this, but You alone, my loving Father. There is no one or nothing of this earth that encourages and compels me to humbly submit to Your discipline like You, my heavenly Physician of souls. For You alone inflict pain, and give relief; wound, yet also heal (Job 5:17-18; Deuteronomy 32;39; Hosea 6:1). You alone lead me in paths of righteousness with Your rod and Your staff – disciplining and teaching me (Psalm 23).

Truly, O beloved Father, I gladly put myself in Your hands, bowing myself under the rod of Your correction. Strike me on my back and my neck that I may bend my stubborn crookedness to Your righteous will. Teach me to be a holy and humble disciple, as in Your love You want to do, that I may no longer live for myself, but according to every bit of Your will. This is what I want, and so I yield myself to You for correction, for it is better to be disciplined and punished here than hereafter.

You know all things, and the particulars of each thing. Nothing is hidden from You, not even my deepest thoughts or the stirrings of my conscience. Before anything is, You know that it will be. You do not need any person to teach You or alert You concerning the things which are done on the earth. You know what will bring about the greatest growth in holiness in all my behavior, and how many troubles and tribulations are needed to scrub off the rust of sin. Therefore, do with me according to Your desired good pleasure, and do not grow weary or back off because of my sin, which is known to no one so entirely and fully as to You.

O Lord, graciously teach me to know what I ought to know, to love what I ought to love, to praise that which You deem praiseworthy, to hold precious what is precious to You, and to hate what is vile in Your eyes. Bring me to my senses should I judge according to human eyes and reasoning. Show me my foolishness should I condemn on the basis of hearsay. Teach me to consistently discern between the earthly and the spiritual, the assumed and the real, the one-sided or exaggerated and the truth. And above all, teach me to persevere in seeking to please You in all things.

You know, loving Father, how often people deceive themselves by judging according to partial information, half-truths, double-standards, and personal bias. You also know that the lovers of this world are deceived because they love only what they can see. You know that the deceiver deceives the deceitful. The proud deceives the prideful. The blind deceives those who cannot see and those who do not want to see. The weak deceives the weak by praising them or publicly honoring them. And in all this they each bring shame upon themselves.

Obviously, being thought of as great by my fellow man does not make me better in Your sight. What makes me better in Your sight is living according to Your will and word. For as humble St. Francis said, ‘What each one is in God’s eyes, that’s what he is, and no more.’ Therefore, be gracious to me. Amen”


CHAPTER 51

On giving ourselves to humble works when we are unequal to those that are lofty

The reality is, you will not maintain an unfaltering growth in godliness and an unwavering zeal for holiness. You will not be able to perpetually remain in that state whereby you can engage God in intimate communion and uninterrupted companionship.

Sometimes you will have to descend to the necessity of mundane, temporal things simply because you have a human body confined to a fallen world. Sometimes you will have to bear the burdensome effects of sin on daily life and on your body and mind. Weariness will set in, personal needs will demand your attention, food must be prepared and consumed, sickness may come, and old age will set in. Even if you don’t want to give attention to these types of things, your body and mind will demand it so long as you live in this world. Therefore, there will be times when you groan under the burden of temporal cares that stand in the way of spiritual studies, unceasing times of prayer, pondering scripture, and intimate, uninterrupted fellowship with God.

At such times it is best to humbly accept the temporal tasks that must be done, taking the care and refreshment of body and mind as a gift from the Lord while confidently waiting patiently for God to raise you up again to a time of spiritual glory. Therefore, bear the times of seeming exile and drought of mind with patience, knowing that God so created us that such times must come. He will draw you near again with a sweetness, a joy, and a deep peace that will drive away the memory of time lost to temporal needs. He will open the scriptures and satisfy you with a feast of spiritually rich food, made clear and applicable by the Holy Spirit so that you may walk in His commandments and live according to His will. And you will say, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).


CHAPTER 52

On considering ourselves more worthy of chastisement than consolation

For the Christian, conviction of sin leads to repentance, repentance leads to confession, confession leads to God’s gracious forgiveness, and the four together lead to humility before God and men. Pride is an offense to God and an enemy of our soul, whereas humility honors God, gains His grace, and produces life-giving spiritual profit for us.

However, even the most godly and humble among us are not worthy to receive God’s comfort and encouragement. Neither are we worthy to receive any spiritual graces, gifts, or visitations from God. Even if we poured forth tears of contrition – sufficient to fill the sea – we would still be unworthy, for our past sins and present failures, though forgiven, prove our unworthiness.

Therefore, God deals with us justly when God withholds His comfort and encouragement and allows us to feel empty and alone in times of trial and tribulation. Yet we are not alone, though it feels as if God is absent. And we are not empty, though it feels as if God’s arms are no longer embracing us, His face is looking away, and His ears are not hearing our prayers. Indeed, God is there, full of grace and mercy, for He will allow nothing to separate us from His love. And the time will come when He will again reveal His presence, affirm His love, comfort us in His arms, and encourage us to press on in faith, in ways that far exceed what we deserve and far beyond what any person can do for us.

Since God’s comforts and encouragements are profoundly superior to man’s, how is it that He bestows them on us? Indeed, what have I done that He should bestow such wonderful blessings on me? Whatever good I have done, I have done because of what God has done for me and in me. Whatever bad I have done, I have done of my own volition and out of rebellion against God. I have always been prone to sin and slow to amend my ways. You may question my assessment, but I am telling the truth and cannot deny it. If I should say otherwise, God would rise up against me (James 4:6), and no one could be found to defend me.

What I deserve for my willful rebellion and sins is hell and everlasting fire. What I deserve for treating God so wickedly – the One who created me and loves me – is scorn and contempt. I am unworthy to be remembered among the faithful servants of God. And though I don’t like admitting all this, for honesty’s sake I will accuse myself, and for mercy’s sake, I will humbly beg for God’s gracious mercy.

What shall I say, guilty that I am and filled with shame? I have no words to say unless it be this alone: “I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned against You. Have mercy upon me, and forgive me as I confess my sin to You.”

What does God require of a guilty and contemptible sinner? Is it not to have a broken and contrite heart, and to humble himself before God for his sins? (Psalm 51:16-17; Matthew 23:12; Luke 18:10-14) It is in true contrition and humility of heart that we gain hope of pardon, the recovery of lost grace, the calming of our troubled conscience, preservation from the wrath to come, and a restored relationship with God where we meet each other with a holy kiss (Luke 15:20).

The sacrifices that God is pleased with are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, which send forth an aroma that is far sweeter to Him than any incense. In fact, a broken and a contrite heart God never despises (Psalm 51:17). If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

Truly, God’s gracious mercy and our broken and contrite heart form a safe refuge from our angry enemy who fills his days enticing us to spend eternity with him. Truly, God’s gracious mercy and our broken and contrite heart bring a cleansing from whatever defilement we have picked up along the way, and opens the door for amending our ways.


CHAPTER 53

On how those who are earthly minded miss out on God’s grace

God’s grace for godly living and life eternal is both a necessary and an immeasurably precious treasure. It’s value is such that God will not mingle it with treasures of this world, or give it to those who love this world and whose mind is set on the flesh (I John 2:15-17; Romans 8:5-8).

Therefore, if you long to receive an inpouring of God’s grace, throw off and put away everything that stands in the way of receiving it. Seek a secret place where you can be alone with God. Shut out everyone and everything else – for they are the distractions and competitors to communing with God. Treasure the time spent alone with Him. Pour out your heart in prayer to Him – telling Him how precious He is to you and how you want to love Him above all else. Seek to possess a remorseful, repentant heart and a pure conscience. Consider yourself dead to the ways and things of the world. Treat the world as if it is of no value to you. Seek alone time with God above all other activities, for you cannot be alone with God while delighting in transitory things. Separate yourself from your acquaintances, dear friends, and loved ones to assure you are alone in your time with God (Matthew 10:37). Keep your mind free from thoughts and cravings for earthly pleasures and comforts. Or in the words of the blessed Apostle Peter who exhorts Christ’s faithful ones, live in this world as strangers and pilgrims (I Peter 2:11).

What great confidence the dying man has in entering the presence of our Lord when he has no affection for anything of this world such that, in his heart, he would rather be here (II Timothy 4:6-8). Sadly, it is rare to have a heart so separated from all things temporal. The weak, earthly-minded Christian does not comprehend the possibility of such whole-hearted devotion to God, while the fleshly minded Christian knows nothing of the freedom experienced by those whose treasure is laid up in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).

Therefore, if you desire to be spiritually minded, unclutter your life of all things temporal. Renounce the world. Renounce the possessions and pleasures of the world. Renounce the people of the world – be they strangers or friends, far away or near. And beware of no one more than yourself in regard to earthly attachments.

If, by God’s grace and daily empowerment, you conquer the sins of your flesh and are able to keep your thoughts in subjection to the will of Christ, it is an indication that you have grown spiritually to the place where you can subdue or resist anything your flesh, the world, or the devil can throw at you. Being perfect as God is perfect (Matthew 5:48), being victorious in overcoming the world (I John 5:3-4), running with endurance (Hebrews 12:1), running to win (I Corinthians 9:24), forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13) – all this becomes who you are in every day life as you triumph, by God’s empowering grace, over yourself. For whoever rules over his mind and flesh in such a manner that his sensual affections obey his reason in all things, and his reason obeys the word and will of God, the same is truly conqueror of himself and lord over the allurements of the world.

If you desire to climb to this height of being holy in all your behavior as God is holy – and you ought (I Peter 1:14-16) – then start bravely laying the axe to the root, which we know as the old nature or self-life, in order to pull up and destroy even your hidden, ungodly tendencies toward the love of self and the love of this world. For from the evil of loving yourself too much (selfishness) comes almost every other sin that needs to be completely overcome. But when selfishness is conquered and your love of self is put under subjection to your love for God and your neighbor, then you will have great inward peace and joy in the presence of the Lord continually.

However, it seems only a few strive earnestly to die completely to themselves and to no longer live for themselves. Therefore, many remain entangled in selfishness, which prevents them from living as those who hold God as their supreme treasure and His honor as their supreme good.

So once again let me say that the one who desires to walk in holiness as God is holy, and in spiritual freedom from self and earthly attractions, that one must truly put to death all his evil and ungodly affections, and must cling to no creature, pleasure, or possession with selfish desire.


CHAPTER 54

On the diverse motions of the Flesh and of Grace, the Old Nature and the New

Pay diligent heed to the motions of the Flesh and of Grace, because though they are contrary in nature, their movements can be difficult to discern or understand (subtle). It is this subtlety which makes them barely distinguishable at times, except to the one who is spiritually minded, that is, the one who is living up to what he knows about godly living, and who regularly examines himself – using the scriptures and his conscience as his measuring stick, and who is vigilant against temptation, and who yearns to please God and longs to walk hand-in-hand with God.

All who consider themselves Christians seek what is good and make an effort to say and do what is good, but only some do this with their whole heart (II Chronicles 25:2; Matthew 15:8). Those who call themselves Christians commonly talk about being holy, but only some put forth the effort required to persistently pursue becoming holy in all their behavior as God is holy (Matthew 7:21-23; I Peter 1:15-16). All who consider themselves God’s children are running the race, but only some are running to win (I Corinthians 9:24-27). Of those who are looking forward to spending eternity with God, only some are purifying themselves just as He is pure (I John 3:2-3). Many Christians will suffer for righteousness sake, but only some will persevere to the end in humbly and decisively living a godly life regardless of the cost (Matthew 10:21-22).

Therefore, many who consider themselves Christians are deceived. They think that knowing what is godly, having a desire to do what is godly, and sometimes doing what is godly is the same as being godly. However, because their flesh has more influence than the Spirit in how godly they will be, it clearly indicates they are living according to the flesh (Romans 8:12-14).

The Flesh is conniving and draws us away from God, His word, and godly living. It entices with empty promises and deceptive lies. Its goal is the pleasure, happiness, and the exaltation of self. Therefore, it is selfish to its core. Grace walks in humility and the simplicity of godliness. It turns away from every appearance of evil, makes no empty promises, but deals only with truth, and does all for the sake and glory of God – from whom Grace comes.

The Flesh is very unwilling to die. It is unwilling to be disciplined or defeated. It is unwilling to be put in subjection to the will of God or bear the yoke of Christ. Grace studies self-denial and the death of self. It resists ungodly thinking, unholy passions, and every form of sensuality. Grace seeks to be subdued, longs to be conquered, willingly gives up its rights, and flees self-rule. Grace loves to serve rather than be served. It loves to be under authority rather than being the authority. It takes pleasure in submitting to God. And for God’s sake, it humbly submits to every human institution.

The Flesh works hard for its own advantage, and figures out ways to get others to serve its purposes. Grace spends time pondering, not what is useful or convenient to self, but what is profitable or best for others.

The Flesh seeks and gladly receives approval, praise, honor, and reverence. Grace humbly and faithfully gives all praise, honor, and glory to God, or turns it toward God.

The Flesh fears disapproval, criticism, rejection, and contempt. Grace rejoices when it can suffer disapproval, rejection, and even shame for the name of Jesus and the glory of God.

The Flesh loves ease and relaxation. Grace cannot be idle, but gladly embraces work.

The Flesh seeks to possess or experience things attractive to the senses and curious or peculiar to the intellect (outside the boundaries of what is acceptable), while abhorring what is cheap and unrefined (beneath its dignity). Grace delights in things and activities that are simple and humble, while humbly using what is unrefined and wearing what has been worn by others.

The Flesh values temporal things, rejoices in earthly riches, is deeply saddened by their loss, and is offended by any unkind or derogatory thing spoken against it. Grace pursues eternal things, does not cling to temporal things, and is not disturbed by earthly losses. Grace neither takes offense nor feels bitter at any unkind, unjustly critical words or abusive speech, because it places her treasure and joy in heaven where nothing perishes, but lasts forever.

The Flesh is covetous, and longs to receive far more than it desires to give, holding as its most precious treasures what personally and privately belongs to it. Grace is kind and generous, it vigilantly guards against selfishness, is content with what it has – even if it be little, and believes it is more blessed to give than to receive.

The Flesh turns your attention toward created things, toward the longings of your own passions and selfish interests, toward empty, worthless things, and toward self-destructive things. Grace draws you ever more toward God, the love of God, and ever-increasing growth in godliness. It loves no created thing more than God, or even equal to God. It flees the world, hates the ungodly desires of the flesh, restrains your sudden impulses, and is embarrassed by even the hint of pride.

The Flesh joyfully receives earthly comforts, and even seeks them out – especially those that delight the senses. Grace wants to find its comfort in God alone, because it longs to delight in the Chief Good – which is above all visible things.

The Flesh does everything for its own benefit, pleasure, and profit. It does nothing as a free favor, but hopes to gain an equal or greater good in return – including praise and special treatment. The Flesh loves it when its deeds and gifts are treasured by those who receive them. Grace treasures nothing temporal, and seeks no earthly reward other than God, himself, for what it does. In fact, the only temporal necessities it desires are those which may be needed for attaining God’s gift of eternal life and subsequently living a godly life.

The Flesh rejoices at having many friends and a large extended family. The Flesh boasts about anything that makes it feel important, such as traveling to famous places, knowing famous people, or being of noble birth. It smiles on the powerful, flatters the rich, and applauds those who are like itself. Grace loves even its enemies, and remains humble though it has many friends. Grace is neither impressed nor proud over having been to religiously famous places, knowing famous people, or having come from a noble, highly esteemed family. Grace is more conscious of the poor than the rich, has more sympathy for the innocent than the powerful, and rejoices over the honest person rather than the liar. It always exhorts and encourages the godly to strive after more godliness, to become holy like Jesus is holy, and to enter into an ever deepening and increasingly intimate relationship with God.

The Flesh quickly complains of financially hard times, poverty, sickness, trials and other tribulations. Grace bears want and trouble with constancy, knowing that God is faithful and the spiritual profit invaluable that comes to the one who remains faithful to God.

The Flesh looks at all things with the hope of gaining some benefit, and so it consistently strives for self-gain and argues for self-advancement. Grace lives as one who knows all things belong to God, from whom they came and continue to come. Therefore, Grace does not believe it has some inherent goodness that deserves any benefits, in this life or the next. It is not presumptuous, arrogant, or contentious, and does not prefer its opinion or desires to others.Instead of deciding its own goodness and worth, Grace submits to the Eternal wisdom and the Divine judgment of God.

The Flesh is eager to know secrets and to hear the latest stories or bits of information about others. It loves to be seen as someone important. It relishes those experiences that gratify it in some way. The Flesh desires to be noticed, and to do things that bring praise and admiration. Grace has no interest in the latest gossip, stories, or bits of information about others, because it knows such interests spring from the old nature and not the new. Besides, when it comes to human behavior, there is nothing new or lasting upon the earth. Therefore, Grace studies and prepares with the goal of putting off the old nature and putting on the new, of resisting temptation, restraining the passions, turning away from any prideful sense of righteousness, and running from every ostentatious show of goodness. In fact, Grace humbly hides or quietly does those things that deserve praise and genuine admiration, wanting to bring praise and honor to God in what it does for others. Indeed, Grace wants no praise for itself or its deeds, but longs for God to be praised and honored since whatever good Grace does is the result of God’s loving and bountiful giving.

This Grace is a supernatural light, a special gift from God, the mark of a true Christian, and the promise of eternal salvation. This Grace transform the fleshly man into a spiritual man, turning his affections from earthly things to heavenly things and his allegiance from self to God. Therefore, to the degree and extent to which the Flesh is subdued and defeated, to that degree Grace is poured into our inner man so that day-by-day we are being transformed by the grace of God and conformed to the image of Christ.


CHAPTER 55

On the corruption of the Flesh and the efficacy of Divine Grace

God, who created us in His own image and likeness, gives us grace – which He has shown to be exceedingly great and necessary for salvation – so that we may conquer our old, sin-enslaved nature which persists in drawing us toward rebellion against God, toward the gratification of the senses and pride, toward the practice of sin, and toward eternal damnation. In whatever areas our flesh remains untamed or unrestrained, it wars against our faith in God, our submission to God, and our pursuit of godliness – seeking to rule over us as if we had never been set free from the enslaving power of sin – by our participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-14). Yet even though the power of sin has been broken, and even though we must do our part in putting off the old nature and putting on the new, we need God’s most holy and empowering grace to assist us.

Therefore, if we are to conquer our flesh, control our thoughts, and quiet our fears, we need God’s grace poured into us day after day, and not in small measure but in great. For who of us hasn’t been evil in varied ways from his youth up? The fact is, we are fallen in nature through the choices of the first man Adam, for his corruption has descended upon us all. Indeed, even though our flesh was originally made good and right by God, because of Adam’s “fall” it is now given over to the pursuit and practice of sensuality, impurity, passions, and every other evil desire and activity imaginable. We are further corrupted through our willing participation in the practice of sin.

Is not your experience the same as all man: if left to do as it pleases, your flesh draws you into outright evil and pushes you away from godliness, into pride and away from humility, and into things earthly and away from things heavenly? And though you have in your flesh a little power for doing good, it is like a spark hidden among the ashes, for it does not possess the full light of the truth nor does it have pure affections.

But,” you say, “I have an intellect with its power to think and reason, to discern good from evil, and to identify true from false.” Yet even that is clouded and weakened by your old nature and therefore unable to make you consistently live up to what it approves.

Apart from being made a new creation in Christ Jesus (II Corinthians 5:17), and without the daily empowering and assisting grace of God (Colossians 1:9-12), we may have times when we delight in God’s laws, agree with His righteous ways, desire to do good, stand against evil in general, and even say no to some sin specifically. Yet we will not conquer our flesh and live a consistently godly life, because we have neither the living Christ nor the empowering work of the Holy Spirit within.

In the unregenerate condition, we still serve sin and follow sensuality over God’s truth and godly reason. This is why we can want to do good on the one hand, yet repeatedly return to doing what is evil on the other. This is why we can make progress for a time in changing from bad to good, and then fall back to our old sinful ways. This is why we can see the way of truth and even tell others the right way to live, yet continue falling short of doing good ourselves. This why the apostle Paul calls the person who wants to live a godly life yet has not been born again, wretched. And this is why the same apostle points to Jesus Christ as the One who can set us free from this body of death (Romans 7:24-25).

The point here is that God’s grace is entirely necessary for salvation. But it is also necessary for sanctification – that is, for living the Christian life, for growth and progress in godliness, for becoming a partaker of the divine nature, and for bringing us to that place where we are holy in all our behavior as He is holy. Without God’s grace, we can do nothing, but with it, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

Without God’s grace at work in us and through us, our natural talents, abilities, intellectual strengths, and even learned skills are of no eternal value to us or to God. Art, riches, beauty, physical strength, mental astuteness, wit, eloquence, a charismatic personality – they all achieve nothing of an eternal worth without God’s grace redeeming them and then working in and through them. Truly, the gifts of Nature and learned skills belong to good and evil alike, but the one vital gift of the Christian is grace – resulting in love – and those who bear this mark of love are held worthy of everlasting life.

This gift of grace resulting in love is so essential and transforming that the gift of prophecy, the working of miracles, the gifts of discernment and wisdom are of no value at all without it. In fact, neither faith, nor hope, nor any other virtue is acceptable to God without love and grace.

God’s grace is so powerfully transforming that it makes the poor in spirit (the humble) rich in godliness, and makes those who are rich in earthly things poor in spirit. Therefore, pray earnestly for God to pour His grace upon you so that you will not grow weary of pursuing godliness, or fall back into sin, or stop feeding on the scriptures, or lose sight of the truth.

As God said to the apostle Paul, so He says to you: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, be assured that His grace is sufficient for you, especially when fighting the longings and cravings of your flesh. Indeed, when temptations and tribulations are exposing your weakness, God’s grace is there to make you exceedingly strong and divinely wise for gaining the victory – which means you need never fear the world’s pressure to conform, or the devil’s tricks and lies. As long as you are living in God’s grace, it is your strength, your counsel, your wisdom, and your help. No enemy has more power than God’s grace, and no earthly wisdom is wiser than His grace.

God’s grace is the lover of truth, the teacher of discipline, the enlightenment of the heart, the comfort of anxiety, the banisher of sorrow, the deliverer from fear, the compeller of love, the nurturer of devotion, the encourager of worship, and the cause of many tears – be they tears of sorrow over sin or joy over God’s provision and protection. Truly, without God’s grace working in and through us, we are at best a dry tree or a useless branch, worthy of being cast away.

Prayer for Grace

O Lord, may Your grace always go before me and follow behind me. May it compel me to persistently give myself to the pursuit of all godliness, love, and good works, through Jesus Christ, Your son. Amen.”

CHAPTER 56

On denying ourselves, and imitating Christ by means of the Cross

The extent to which you are willing to deny self and die to the flesh is the extent to which you will trust God, love God, be empowered to serve God – by the Holy Spirit, and enter into intimate fellowship with God. Therefore, just as desiring no outward, earthly thing results in inner contentment and peace, so denying and dying to self results in intimate communion with God.

It is God’s will that you pursue perfect self-denial, so that you do His will without variation or complaint (Matthew 6:10; I Peter 1:13-16). It is God’s will that you persevere in self-denial so that you do not fall back into old ways (I Peter 4:1-3; II Peter 2:20-22).

Therefore, closely follow Jesus, for He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Indeed, without the way, you cannot reach the goal. Without the truth you cannot know what to do. Without the life you cannot live like Him who gives you life. So again I say, Jesus is the Way you ought to follow. Jesus is the Truth in which you ought to whole-heartedly believe. Jesus is the Life which indwells you, feeds you, empowers you, and leads you into being conformed to His likeness. Indeed, Jesus is the Way unchangeable, the Truth infallible, the Life everlasting. He is the Way perfectly straight, the Truth supreme, the Life that is true, blessed, and uncreated. If you continue in His word and walk in His way, then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).

If you want to enter into life eternal, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). If you want to know the truth, believe what Jesus says, and validate your faith by continuously living according to His word (John 8:31-32 ). If you want to be perfect, sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus (Matthew 19:21). If you want to be Christ’s disciple, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). If you want to possess the blessed life, despise the life which now is (Matthew 10:37-39, 16:25-26). If you are to be exalted in heaven, humble yourself in this world (James 4:6,10). If you would reign with Christ, bear your cross with endurance, suffer with Him, for only the servants of the cross receive such eternal rewards (II Timothy 2:11-12; Romans 8:16-17; I Peter 4:13).

Knowing these marvelous truths because our eyes have read them and our mind has grasped their meaning is only the beginning of following Christ. Putting them into practice day after day and in every area of life is what proves our faith is real. And it is only real faith that brings us into an ever increasing applicable understanding of God’s word, a life-transforming love for God, a growing knowledge of God himself, and a life that is being conformed more and more to the image of Christ. Jesus said: “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him” (John 14:21).

Prayer for God’s Gracious Help in Denying Self and Carrying Our Cross

O Lord Jesus, Your way is narrow and despised by the world. Grant me the grace to imitate You in despising the world, for a servant is not greater than his master, nor a disciple above his teacher (Matthew 10:24). Teach me Your way, because that is the path of salvation and true holiness. Speak to me, for apart from Your speaking, the words of scripture and the voice of the preacher neither feeds me nor delights me.

Lord Jesus, You are the one who says I must deny myself if I wish to follow You (Matthew 16:24). You are the one who promises to keep me from stumbling, and to make me stand in Your presence, blameless and with great joy (Jude 1:24). Please, I urge You, do as You say, and grant me the empowering grace to do what You say so that I live unto You in a worthy manner (Ephesians 4:1-2; Colossians 1:10).

I have accepted the cross You chose for me. I have carried it, and my heart’s desire is to continue carrying it, according to Your will and purposes, until death takes me to be with You. Truly, the life of those devoted to You, who are Your willing and obedient servants, is a cross. And though I die here, I know it will lead to living with You there. I have started this race, this bearing of my cross. O Lord, strengthen me with Your power by Your Spirit in my inner being so that I will run to win and finish the course. Amen.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us together go forward. Jesus will be with us! We have taken up the cross for His sake, so let us persevere to the end for His sake, too. He will be our constant companion and helper, for He is our Captain and Perfecter of faith. As our King, He goes before us, leading the way and fighting for us. Let us follow courageously, forsaking fear, turning away from panic, and pressing on even in the face of the worst terrors. Let us be prepared in mind and heart to die bravely in battle. And let us not blemish God’s glory or bring dishonor upon ourselves by fleeing from the cross (I Maccabees 9:10).


CHAPTER 57

On keeping a godly mindset when mistreated or falsely accused

Patience and humility in times of adversity are more pleasing to God than varied acts of kindness and devotion to Him when everything seems to be going well. For example, why let a few untrue words spoken against you or exaggerated criticisms about you bring on hurt feelings, sadness, or despair? Even if it had been far more, you still ought to retain inward peace and mental calm, because God is your supreme source of security. So do not let such things steal your peace and your confidence that God will work all things out for good – for surely that wasn’t the first time such things were said about you, and neither will it be the last, if you live long enough.

Your faith is strong enough and your inward peace secure enough so long as nothing adverse is spoken about you or injustice done to you. You know how to give good counsel in order to encourage and strengthen those facing mistreatment or false accusations, yet you fail to follow your own advice when you encounter such times. This is a sign of spiritual immaturity, weakness of faith, and lack of preparation for standing strong and remaining faithful when tried and tested. In truth, God both brings and allows such experiences to come upon you, for He knows the power of these kinds of experiences to strengthen faith, nurture perseverance, and convince you of the need for better preparation (James 1:2-4). 

Therefore, as much as you can, put such things as unbelief, pride, hurt feelings, self-pity, and discouragement out of your heart. If you fall under the weight of a particular hard time, fight your way back to godly thinking so that you do not remain discouraged or in a state of mental anguish for very long. When you feel you cannot bear up joyfully, at least bear up patiently. And when you feel overwhelmed, or even resentful because of the hurtful words or mistreatment of others, call yourself back to right thinking (Philippians 4:8) and refuse to allow anything to come from your lips that in some way might offend or weaken newer believers (Matthew 18:6).

Every storm passes, and so do the attacks of others. Tumult is replaced by peaceful calm, and inner grief is replaced by the sweetness of God’s comforting grace. Remain confident that God is still alive, in control, and ready to help in your time of need. His grace is sufficient and His joy complete if you will pour out your prayers to Him, confidently trust in Him, and wait patiently for Him to act (Psalm 37:5-8).

Persevere, day by day, in the pursuit of stronger faith (Luke 17:5-10), patient endurance (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4), and a calm mind that is fixed on things above (Matthew 16:23; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:2), for more and even greater trials lay ahead of you. Even though you find yourself often afflicted or grievously tempted, it does not necessarily mean you are a worse Christian than others or that God is punishing you. Remember Job and Jesus (Luke 4:1-13), and persevere in fighting the good fight of faith (I Timothy 1:18, 6:11-12).

Should you give way to unbelief, discouragement, and worldly comforts in the midst of unkind words, false criticism, or mistreatment, quickly repent and return to confidence in God and patient endurance.

Though it is each Christian’s goal to be holy as God is holy, to be loyal to God, to continually examine their thoughts, words, and deeds in the light of God’s word, and to live humbly before God, you are a man, not God. You are flesh, not an angel. How can you live a completely sinless, perfectly godly life when an angel from Heaven fell and the first man, Adam, though he lived in Paradise, sinned? So do not let failure weaken your zeal or weigh you down. Confess each sin. Repent with a broken heart. Mourn for having treated God so poorly. Humble yourself in God’s presence, and He will comfort you, raise you up, strengthen you, and lead you further down the narrow way.

A Prayer For God’s Gracious Help in Keeping a Right Mindset

O Lord, Your word is a precious treasure, sweeter to me than honey and the honeycomb. Do not leave me to my own devices and strength, for without the encouragement, comfort, and strengthening of Your holy words, I would miserably fail You when pressed by mistreatment and false accusations. I will do my part in memorizing and daily pondering scriptures essential to being faithful when tempted and tried in these ways. Please graciously empower me and remind me of Your truths so that in the midst of hard times, I remain faithful to You. Teach me to think as one who is convinced that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18), and that these momentary, light afflictions are producing for me an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison (II Corinthians 4:17). Lead me in paths of righteousness and bring me to a good end, for I long to come into Your presence as a humble, pleasing servant rather than one who has done otherwise. Amen.”


CHAPTER 58

On leaving the ‘why’ of God’s higher ways and hidden will to Him

Beware of debating and disputing the ways and decisions of God that are too high or too far beyond your realm of knowledge to understand. For example, why does God leave this person in his misery and show great favor to that one by lifting him out of his, or why is this person crushed and broken while that one is highly exalted? Such acts of God surpass everyone’s understanding or ability to explain. Therefore, reason, logic, debating, and disputing are incapable of producing an accurate understanding or a reasonable explanation of such things. So when the enemy tempts you to debate such matters, or when a curious person asks such questions, answer this way: “The Lord is righteous, and His judgments are upright” (Psalm 119:137), and “The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9b).

Surely, God’s ways and decisions are to be feared, treated with the highest respect, and completely trusted, but not disputed, for His thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways His ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than your ways and His thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Beware of comparing or disputing about the merits of the saints, as to which is holier than another, or which is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. Such discussions often lead to conflict, strife, and useless arguments. In addition, they feed pride and conceit, from which resentment and dissension arise when one person arrogantly exalts one saint while another angrily defends another. Truly, wanting to know or debate such things is of no spiritual benefit to you, or to God’s people, or to the honor of God among unbelievers. God’s way is to live in peace with one another (Romans 12:18), to pursue those things that make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19), and to humble yourself before God and each other – allowing God to raise you up as He sees fit (James 4:10).

Some find greater encouragement for living a godly life from this saint while another finds it in that saint. This is not wrong, for even God holds up saints from whose faith we can gain encouragement and zeal for living a life of faith (Hebrews 11). Yet it is God who made the saints, who gave them grace, who empowered them, who led them, who sustained them, who fully knows the merits of each one, and who bestowed glory on them (Psalm 21:1-6). It is God who knew them before they were born, who chose them out of the world (John 15:16,19), who called them by His grace, who drew them by His mercy, who led them through many trials and temptations, who comforted them in hard times, who nurtured their perseverance, and who blessed their patience. Therefore, be thankful for the saints and humbly receive whatever encouragement they can give you, but look to God. He is your life and hope!

Consider, God knows all things, from the first to the last. He pours His immeasurable love on all mankind. He makes the sun to shine and rain to fall on righteous and unrighteous alike. He has exalted and predestined, not according to any preceding merits in us, but according to His all-knowing, all-wise choosing. Indeed, God shows no partiality. He does not fear any man's person, neither will He stand in awe of any man's greatness: for He made the little and the great, and He equally cares for all (Wisdom 6:7). Truly, God, and none other, is to be praised and worshiped by every one of His children. He is to be honored, blessed, and treasured above all people and all things, including the most saintly among His people.

Therefore, do not despise the least of God’s godly ones, for to do so dishonors God and the godly among us. Do not speak against God’s godly ones, for to do so is to speak against God and all who are zealously persevering in the pursuit of being holy in all their behavior as God is holy. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and are intent on purifying themselves as He is pure are united in their love for God, their zeal for holiness of life, their striving after singleness of mind and a pure heart, and their love for one another – be they at the beginning, in the middle, or somewhere near the end of that God pleasing pursuit.

Surely, such as these love God above themselves and above whatever blessings they have obtained from growing in godliness. Having not just found the treasure in the field, but valuing it so as to sell all to obtain it (Matthew 13:44), they despise self-love as the enemy of loving God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They flee earthly pleasures and treasures in order to gain perfect joy and abiding inner peace in the embrace of God. Nothing holds such value or is so tempting that it can turn them back from pleasing God and drawing as near to Him as is humanly possible. Indeed, seeing the world, the flesh, and the devil for what they are because they are filled with God’s truth, they burn with the fire of an inextinguishable love for God and an unending longing for intimate fellowship with God.

Therefore, let those who are new or immature in the faith, and those whose flesh still dominates them more than the Spirit – in one or more areas, hold their tongue concerning the state of God’s godly ones. For how can those who love themselves and personal pleasure more than they love God, critique or criticize according to God’s Eternal Truth and His standard of love? Indeed, the best they can do is to judge God’s godly ones according to their own immature or fleshly view of God’s word, and their own selfish ideas about love.

Sadly, this low level of spiritual insight is common among those who, knowing some truth and having made some progress toward godliness, fail to press on toward whole-hearted, whole-life godliness and love. Being satisfied with milk, they have no interest in solid food, and as a result, their spiritual and mental senses have not been trained to discern good and evil. Being still attracted to fleshly pleasures, earthly affections, and human friendships more than to God, they judge themselves, others, and even heavenly things according to the standard of godliness they have decided is sufficient for them. But there is an immeasurably profound difference between things as they imperfectly imagine them to be, and things which God’s godly ones, through Spirit enlightenment, see and understand them to be. For example, the spiritually weak are quick to judge themselves upward and others, including God’s godly ones, downward, whereas the godly judge themselves downward while deeming others better than themselves.

The point of all this is to take heed that you do not spend time in curiosity, idle conversation, debates, or disputes on matters which surpass your knowledge. Instead, give zealous attention to building your spiritual life on the Rock by living according to what our Lord Jesus says (Matthew 7:21-22, 24-27). Then you will be found in God’s kingdom even if you are there as the least.

After all, what does it profit any of us to know who is holier, or who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? If such knowledge were available, it should serve to humble us before God and cause us all the more to praise Him for what He has done. In fact, the one who considers the greatness of his own sins, the weakness of his own virtues, and how far he is from Christian perfection and conformity to the likeness of Christ, is far more mature in the faith and astute in the scriptures than the one who disputes about the position of others in the hierarchy of God’s children.

God’s godly ones live a contented life, and desire that all Christians would learn to be content, and to refrain from worthless discussions, debates, and disputes. The saints neither take pride nor glory in their own goodness or Christ-likeness. They know they have no good in themselves apart from being partakers of the divine nature and having Christ living and working in them (II Peter 1:3-4; Galatians 2:20). Therefore, they attribute whatever good they are and are becoming to our gracious, loving God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

The saints have such great love for God and such overflowing joy that they never lack for rejoicing in the goodness of God, nor do they lack living for the glory of God. And the greater, more complete their holiness, the greater their humility and the nearer and dearer they are to God (II Chronicles 15:2; James 4:8-10). And so as it is written, “they fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him who lives forever, and cast their crowns before His throne (Revelation 4:10).

Again I warn you that many ask who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, especially those who do not know whether they shall be worthy to be counted among the least in Heaven. Yet to be the least in Heaven is a great thing, for all who are there are counted great, and are called the sons of God.

The youngest among us will live with God forever, but the oldest, wisest, most worldly respected sinner will be cursed to eternal damnation. Surely you know that when the disciples asked who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus gave no other answer than this: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Woe to those who are too prideful to willingly humble themselves like little children, for the low gate of the Kingdom of Heaven will not allow those puffed up with pride to enter in. Woe also to those who are rich, who have enjoyed in this life all the good they will ever have, because while the poor enter into the Kingdom of God, they will stand outside lamenting (Luke 6:24; 16:19-31). Therefore, rejoice, you who are humble, and exult you poor, for to you belongs the Kingdom of God, if you walk in God’s truth.


CHAPTER 59

On fixing all hope and trust in God alone

Prayer to fully live the Christian life

O Lord, what is my rock, my fortress, my trust in this life? What is my greatest comfort and joy of all the things seen under Heaven? Is it not You, O Lord my God, whose mercies are without number and whose grace is without end?

When has it been well for me without You? Or when could it be bad for me as long as You are near? I would rather be poor for Your sake, than rich without You. I would rather be a pilgrim wondering the earth with You, than to possess heaven without You. Truly, where You are, there is heaven, and where You are not, there is death and hell.

Because You are my greatest longing, I groan and cry and continually pray for You to graciously give me all of You, to let me know more of You, to keep teaching me to love You with all my being, and to draw me ever deeper into intimate fellowship with You.

Who can I fully confide in, to whom can I tell the secrets of my heart, and who knows me as I really am, except You? O my God, You alone are my hope, my trust, my comforter, for You alone are a loving, faithful Father in all things!

All men seek their own well-being, their own happiness, their own interests, but You have sought only my salvation, my sanctification, and my eternity with You. You cause all things to work together for good to those who love You, to those who are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28).

Even though You expose me to various temptations, trials, and tribulations, You ordain all of them for my good, for in them You test and build my faith, You strengthen my will to persevere to the end, You further transform me into the likeness of Jesus, You teach me to constantly cling to You, You push me to pray without ceasing, and You drive me ever deeper into the study, the memorization, and the pondering of Your holy scriptures. For all these I praise You and love You because they are as valuable to me as Your heavenly encouragements, comforts, and presence.

Therefore, O Lord God, I put all my hope and trust in You, for You are my strength, my refuge, my fortress, my rock, my shield, my high tower, and my deliverer. I lay all my burdens, sorrows, and sufferings on You (Psalm 55:22; I Peter 5:7), for no one cares for me like You.

Whatever care or help this world offers is temporary, weak, and changeable, which is the opposite of You. I know that if You Yourself do not assist, help, strengthen, comfort, instruct, and protect me, then good friends will not spiritually enrich me, strong helpers will not be able to bring me relief, prudent counselors will have no useful answers, the books of the wise will not point out the right way, gold and silver will not deliver me, nor any special location shelter me.

O my Loving Father, I know that whatever seems to bring contentment, deep inner peace, and heavenly joy are worthless when You are not in them. Without You they may produce a temporary good, but nothing that enduringly satisfies my heart. Truly, You, dear Father, are the source of all good, the fountain of Life, the satisfaction of the heart, the peace that passes all human comprehension, the fulness of joy, and the provider of comfort and encouragement that goes far beyond what I could ask or think. Therefore, I look to You, and You alone as my trust, O my God, for You are the Father of mercies.

Bless, sanctify, and strengthen me with Your power through Your Holy Spirit in my inner being so that it may become Your holy habitation and the seat of Your glory. Work in me and with me to the end that nothing will be found within me that offends Your holy eyes, for You have made me Your temple, housing Your majesty.

According to Your great goodness and innumerable mercies, look upon me and hear my prayer, for at my best I am nothing more than an unworthy servant who has only done what I ought to have done (Luke 17:10). Fulfill Your word to draw near to me as I draw near to You (James 4:8), for I am still exiled in the land of the shadow of death. Protect and preserve my soul, for I dwell in the midst of many dangers that seek to pull me down to earthly things and back to fleshly lusts. Graciously walk with me, and lead me in the paths of righteousness until I arrive at Your eternal home of perfect light. Amen.”