Godliness : being reports of a series of addresses delivered at James's Hall, London, W. during 1881Booth, Catherine Mumford
Religion
Godliness : being reports of a series of addresses delivered at James's Hall, London, W. during 1881
Booth, Catherine Mumford
Salvation Army -- Sermons; Sermons, English
The next condition of prevailing prayer, is--_obedience to the
light_. Now, what does it mean to walk in obedience? Well, it does
_not_ mean, searching this New Testament to find out how little
of God's grace will get you into Heaven! It does not mean, running
round to see what this person says and the other person says about
such and such a text, in order that you may escape from the real,
practical meaning of the text! Such people are hypocrites at heart,
whoever they are; or at least, insincere. They don't want to know
God's will; they would much rather not know it. They want to get away
from the plain, practical, common-sense meaning of the text, and then
they say, "It doesn't mean exactly what it says," and "It should be
interpreted so-and-so;" and they stroke themselves down, and try to
make themselves feel comfortable when they are traitors at heart.
_That is not walking in the light_.
Walking in the light is like walking in the sun--not running behind
a pillar there, and a tree yonder, to get away from the light. It is
coming right out, and saying, "Now, Lord Jesus; I want to know Thy
will. Lord, pour Thy light upon me. I am prepared to follow it, even
though it is to the block and to the stake."
First, desire to have the light. Oh! it makes my heart ache--I was
going to say boil--with righteous indignation, in jealousy for God's
honor, to think that He should be so traduced and blasphemed by those
who profess to love Him--who try to make out that they get wrong for
want of light. Nothing of the kind. Here is plenty of light; but you
must say, "Yes, Lord, I am willing to have it, even if it condemns
me. If it condemns my heart, my head, Lord, pour it on me. If it
condemns my life, pour it on me. If it condemns those companions,
those indulgences, pour it on me: I will give them up. If it condemns
my business, pour it on me: I will abandon such business, and sooner
die in the workhouse than continue in it. If it condemns my family
relations, I will come out from them, and follow Thee." The Lord will
always answer such a soul as that. He will put His finger down on
this sore spot and the other, and He will tell you what to do, and
you will be as sure of it as if you heard His audible voice. What
does it mean to walk in the light? Obey His voice. Don't stop to
confer with flesh and blood, but, as Paul did, get up, and set off to
commence the career which your Master commands. Paul did not stop to
confer with flesh and blood. He did not stop to reckon what it would
cost him, but on he went, and never stops, until he reaches the
block. _That_ is walking in the light--obeying--not standing,
quibbling with the Lord about it; not saying, "Oh! but,"--but
_doing_ it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account