Pilgrim
Portions
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Weeks
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Where’er we
ope the
pages,
In which—Thy wondrous word! Man’s path through varied ages Is given us to record— Of failure, ruin, sorrow, The story still we find; God’s love but brings the morrow Of evil in mankind. In these days
when the word of God is so called in question, it is blessed to think
how a single verse of scripture was sufficient for Christ for
authority, and sufficient for the devil, who had not a word to say. I do not care for
novel interpretations of scripture, cream lies on the surface. But, oh, how is
the word its own proof, and how has it its own power, though surely
nothing but the Spirit of God can give it that power in us. But in
walking with God alone can we draw out its sweetness and feed upon it.
I believe that the Spirit of God is a positive teacher in this
respect, and may give, if He sees good, developed thoughts of its
contents, but if rivers are to flow out we must drink for ourselves as
thirsty for it. Let us now stop
and ask ourselves, What has my mind been occupied with to day? What has
it been running after? Could you say, “The word of Christ has dwelt in
me richly”? Now, perhaps, we have been occupied with politics, perhaps
with the town talk, or with something of our own, Has the word of our
own heart, the work of our own mind, filled up the greater part of our
day? That is not Christ. There is nothing
more dangerous than the handling of the word apart from the Spirit … I
know of nothing that more separates from God than truth spoken out of
communion with God; there is uncommon danger in it. God reveals not
His things “to the wise and prudent,” but unto “babes.” It is not the
strength of man’s mind judging about “the things of God” that gets the
blessing from Him; it is the spirit of the babe desiring “the sincere
milk of the word.” … The strongest mind must come to the word of God as
the new born babe. There is not a
single word in the book of God which cannot feed our souls. Study the Bible …
with prayer. Seek the Lord there, and not knowledge—that will come too;
but the heart is well directed in seeking the Lord. I think … you
have studied too much, and read the Bible too little. I always find
that I have to be on my guard on this point. It is the teaching of God,
and not the labour of man, that makes us enter into the thoughts and
the purposes of God in the Bible … I do not think that any one will
believe that I do not wish it should be much read, but I do wish it
should be read with God. There is one Man
who knows the truth, because He is the truth, who is satisfied with the
written word, and that is the Lord. There is no craft of Satan that the
word of God is not sufficient to meet. When this
fleeting life shall be over that only shall abide which has been
produced by the word. Pilgrim Portions - Meditations for the Day of Rest - Selected from the Writings, Hymns,
Letters, etc., of J. N. Darby SEDIN-Servicio Evangélico |
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