THE LORD'S PRESENT VOICE

I wish to speak of what appears to me to be especially on the Lord's mind at the present time. Little one apprehends it; still we ought to be occupied with it. It may be that something good occupies us; but it does not follow that it is the right thing at this present time.

The knowledge of Scripture is not sufficient without knowing what the Lord is doing at this moment. "I call you no longer bondmen; for the bondman does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things which I have heard of my Father I have made known to you", John 15:15. I trust every heart here bows to it. What is the prominent thought in my Lord's mind at this moment? I believe many a person would be set straight in his course if he were in the secret of the Lord's mind, and that you never can get, if you are not with Him. Gideon never told the multitude the order of battle, but to the three hundred that could stand the earthly favour, the water, he committed the secret, "as I do, so shall ye do". It is simple devotedness that qualifies one for receiving this wonderful favour. "No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends", John 15:13. Well, if you would die for the saints, He would tell His mind to you. Tell me what is really your love for the people of God – Christ's interests? Are they dear to you because they are Christ's? I believe it would be immense blessing to us all, if in the very smallest circumstances we have before us what He is doing. I might be occupied with a very useful line of Scripture and still not be in His mind. I find there was always some one thing peculiarly before Him. One finds continually people are not up to it. The disciples, however true and faithful, were not travelling in company with His mind at all; and what He seeks is to lead them to it. They do not understand Him, but it is the thing He is leading them to. He told them of His death, and they did not enter into it; neither did they follow Him as to His resurrection; they were weeping because He had died. After His ascension the Holy Spirit was the great thing before His mind. After Pentecost the assembly was the prominent thing. What was the cause of their trouble? They had not His mind; they were not in the secret of His working.

I turn to the end of Revelation 3. The Lord leads His people to what He is about to do and doing. When I am watching for His mind, what He would do, I am not guided by circumstances. Supposing I heard of a great number of conversions, I should be thankful for it, but if I am in His mind I am not carried away by it because I know there is another thing more prominently before Him. Sincere people can go on in a great way of usefulness and yet be apart from His mind and therefore they are not told "the thing that I do".

J.B. Stoney Vol.8 p.31