EXTRACTS

MWB In what way would you encourage those who are relatively younger in acquiring acquaintance with the substance of the truth into the light of which they come?

JT I should think the instruction in our section would help as to that. Everything is under control. You might say it is a departmental situation; so that we have persons into whose hands the treasures are committed—the dedicated things. For instance, in chapter 27: 25, we have “over the king’s treasures” was So-and-so. I think that would mean that we become acquainted with that side of things, the elements of conservation, the elements among us that value what there is of God. They are really valued; not simply to have the books, but the inheritance brought down spiritually. It is not the books only, but the Spirit has brought down things to us, and there is the element of control conserving the wealth; that is the thought we should lay hold of. Take the position in Acts 1—the upper room was a conservatory, one may say, of all that had preceded. The Lord had given much through the apostles; they were all there by name—Mary, the Lord’s mother was there; also certain other women; and those who had seen the Lord go up are spoken of as going there. They are, as it were, bringing their treasures where they would be valued and preserved. Take such treasures elsewhere, to the greatest religious denomination; they would not be rightly valued, nor cared for; but the upper room represents that in which the things of God are treasured. We need to be there.

DLH Paul wrote to Timothy: “Think of what I say, for the Lord will give thee understanding in all things”, 2 Timothy 2: 7. And he was to communicate to others that which he had learned through the apostle.

JT “Commit thou to faithful men” (2 Timothy 2: 2); that is the idea. Timothy followed up what he came into, and was to commit it to faithful men; thus it would be preserved.

J. Taylor (Vol. 46, pp.262,263)

As regards current matters, there is pressure, but then God is working through pressure. If He is to work, if there is to be formation, there has to be intelligent recognition of what He is doing, not a mere abstract or theoretic allusion to this and that, but I am with God in what He is doing; He is in operation and I know what He is doing. That is the idea. I know what His end is and I hold myself for Him, I am material for His formation; I am, in His hand as the Potter. Such an attitude implies my intelligence and knowledge. God has me now as “clay”, that is to say, I am suitable for His work, for the great end He has in mind, valuing it; thus the work goes on. So the Lord says, “In your patience possess ye your souls”. On this line I have my soul; it refers to affection. The spirit is more my link with God. Through my soul I reach men—rivers of living water flow out through my soul. Thus I must have my soul kept, possessed in a real way, so that it is functioning. What a thing it is to be in this world with all the terrible influences that are at work, and to possess one’s soul, so that it functions. It implies purified affections God-ward and man-ward. It also enters into the service of God. “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour”.

J. Taylor (Vol. 48, pp.188,189)

THE LORD OUR ALL

How the Lord teaches us that this scene is a tunnel, even in small things, as we move towards the light at the end! Death must be felt by us. It must be faced by each of us and practically vanquished in the victory of Christ. Death is the great seed-time to us, it is the ploughing in winter. What a time it was to Mary of Bethany; how differently the same sorrow was used to the two sisters. One had the company of the Lord in her deep sorrow, and she learned depths and resources in His heart for her at that moment, never to be forgotten and never surpassed in the brightest hour. May this ploughing in winter be to you the prelude and the seed-time of deepened acquaintance with the vastness of His love.

The Lord give you to rest under His shadow with great delight. Study Psalm 63, everything from God there, nothing from man nor from the earth. Every advantage and link to this scene interferes with our true interests. I do not believe that any one is glad that the old man is crucified who is not disgusted with himself, and I do not believe that any one likes to cross the Jordan unless his heart is on the Lord at the other side more than on things here! May each of us know more of this.

J. B. Stoney (Vol.12, p.441)

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