WE have now entered upon the second half of the twentieth century, in this New Year, 1951, and the Lord’s people will undoubtedly have their own thoughts as they contemplate the future in reference to time and the eternal world. As long as they are in “the earthly house of this tabernacle” they cannot avoid much concern regarding their precious souls and preparation for the “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” They love Jerusalem, the Church and Cause of Christ, and would fain see much needed times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord and by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. Yet when “the ways of Zion do mourn,” they mourn that the godly man ceaseth, that the faithful are disappearing from among men, and that few truly converted men and women are stepping into the breaches on the walls of Zion. And as they look out upon the nation and the widespread departures from true religion and morality, they entertain fears as to what this New Year itself may disclose of manifestations of the divine anger. We intend not to emphasise unduly the burdensome and discouraging aspects of the exercised believer’s thoughts and outlook in these trying times; but rather to indicate some scriptural directions, which may prove profitable at the outset of the year and during the days to come.
Then let the Lord’s people emulate the disciples and pray to Him to increase their faith. Jesus tenderly reproved His disciples on one occasion by addressing them thus, “O, ye of little faith”; and surely He who reproves after this manner, and having a divine and loving interest in His people, is willing to bless them with an enlargement of their faith which has as its especial object, Christ Himself in the fulness and glory of His person, sufferings and mediatorial offices, as exalted Prophet, Priest and King. Increased and enlivened faith by the operations of the Holy Spirit through the truth, in the soul, will mean clearer, deeper and more spiritual views of the glory and preciousness of Jesus, with the accompanying satisfaction and comfort so helpful to the believer’s hope of being with Christ in glory one day. On the other hand, as faith may be increased, so will a sense of one’s nothingness, sinfulness and unworthiness in the presence of the Lord of glory and in the light of sovereign and free grace; and this will tend, under the divine blessing, to a meek and humble spirit so essential, so valuable, to the pilgrim on this earth seeking a better country, even an heavenly.
The matter of secret prayer should be given renewed and most serious consideration.
Jesus gives counsel and encouragement regarding this in His sermon on the Mount, when He says, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt. vi, 6). Prayer and more prayer, especially secret prayer, is needed to-day for the Church and the nation at large. Those who profess to be followers of the Redeemer should examine themselves now, as to their personal need of an abundant bestowal upon their souls, of “the Spirit of grace and of supplications,” that there may be a fervent seeking after deliverance from formality, laxity and actual neglect with respect to secret prayer. What need there is to importunately plead with the Hearer of prayer now and in the immediate future to visit our souls, families and the public services in the tabernacles of His grace, with the wonderful, converting and comforting power of the Spirit of truth and grace. “Brethren, pray for us,” the messengers of Christ and preachers of the Gospel, writes Paul; and “Pray one for another,” he exhorts the children of God; and his own heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved. Pray in time of trouble, pray over small and great problems, pray for the prosperity and defence of the Cause of the Lord Jesus Christ in face of the present-day activities of Satan, and pray for the nation, etc. And let it be remembered that, “Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
Further, the minds of believers should be increasingly influenced by the glorious fact that “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Rev. xix, 6).
The times are perilous in many ways. The heathen rage, rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His anointed, the kingdoms are moved, the Church of God is harassed from many quarters, the devil is busy and going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and trouble is on every hand. The earthly minded see a world in chaos and confusion without the hand of any supreme controller. But the believer must view the scene in the light of the divine government of the world, inasmuch as God is King of all the earth and the judge of men, and His throne is established of old. He ruleth in the Kingdom of men and puts down one and setteth up another, and as to His enemies, “He shall have them in derision” (Ps. ii, 4). He is great in Zion, the strength, the song and salvation of His saints; and well might they “be still,” rejoice and take courage that their God is as a wall of fire round about His Church and the glory in the midst thereof. All the purposes and counsels of His heart shall be unfolded and fulfilled, albeit in the process, dark clouds encompass His throne and His doings. Believers should therefore look up to their governing God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and thereafter upon the world, its turmoil, distresses and dangers, and thus perceive that men, devils, and all that takes place are under the hand of Him who ruleth ever by His power.
And lastly, the Church must continue to proclaim the Word of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, by preaching and through her witness.
Fallen, guilty, condemned, hell-deserving sinners, “sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death,” need the Gospel—of Christ crucified, of grace, of salvation, and He has commissioned and commanded His Church to preach and teach it. “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark xvi, 15), says Christ. This must be the same gospel doctrine declared by the Head of the Church Himself and by His apostles. To add to or take from the doctrines of grace is a betrayal of the gospel. Sinners are to be warned that they are on the broad way to hell and everlasting destruction; and those same sinners are to be called to repent of their sins and to behold the crucified Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world, and that, “He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. vii, 25).
And now, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the divine blessing in providence be experienced by our readers at home and abroad, during the days to come, according to the will of God.