Consciousness of God’s Presence

Happy and blessed is the soul that is conscious of God’s sweet indwelling presence. Being conscious of God’s presence is what the Psalmist meant when he said, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”* (Psalm 8) “Tasting God” is an expression incomprehensible to the unregenerate. Those who have tasted Him comprehend the meaning of this expression better than they can tell it. When a bit of sugar is placed upon the tongue there is experienced a sweetness in the sense of taste. When the soul tastes of God there is experienced a sweetness in the spiritual being. The sweetness of God’s presence in the soul is as much more glorious than the sweetness of sugar to the taste, as spiritual and heavenly things are above literal and earthly things. God and His word are inseparable, or the word is God; therefore, when the Psalmist says, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth,”* (Psalm 119:103) it is in reality tasting the sweetness of God.

The awakened soul thirsts for this sweetness of the divine presence. Nothing else can satisfy it. The wealth and pleasure of the world do not contain a sweetness sufficient to satisfy the heart of man. It is only God that can fill the hungry soul with goodness. The divine life sheds peace and light and rest in the soul. Man receives the divine presence into his spiritual being when he is quickened by the Spirit. In the Word of God it is termed “[passing] from death unto life,”* (John 5:24; I John 3:14) and “being born again.”* (I Peter 1:23) In sanctification, when a revolution is effected in the nature of man and he becomes a partaker of the divine nature, it is then he is conscious of the fullness of the divine presence and is at rest. Glory be to God!

To possess the divine presence in its fullness is not the end of the Christian race. There are certain conditions for man to meet in order to possess this glorious inheritance, and there are certain conditions for him to meet in order to retain it. Not only is man able, in the economy of grace, to retain the sweet consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, but in his hands are placed instruments that enable him to cultivate and deepen this consciousness and thus add glory to glory and cause his way to shine “more and more unto the perfect day.”* (Proverbs 4:18) Oh, how many Christians would enjoy more of heaven’s glory in their souls, if by careful cultivation they would increase the sense of the divine presence! Dear pilgrim, have you reached the land where is an “eternal weight of glory”* (II Corinthians 4:17) or the regions of “joy unspeakable”* (I Peter 1:8)?

To cultivate or deepen the sense of the divine presence requires an almost constant effort. Right at this point is where perhaps more Christians have failed to do what was required of them than at any other; and consequently experience less joy and power than formerly. There are many things employed by Satan to weaken this consciousness of God. Looseness of thought, moments of idleness, or yielding to self, serve to weaken the reverential feeling in our hearts toward Him. A little attention to the world, a little thought for the morrow, a little anxiety, a little too much talking—these things destroy the consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, and rob us of spiritual power and rest. Living before God in prayer, holy and pure thoughts, the entertaining of right feelings toward God and man, acts of benevolence and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, develop and fashion the soul more and more into the beauty of the divine life.

It is the privilege of the saint so to walk in the presence of God and live in holy communion with Him as to draw God’s glory and life into his own, and give him a feature very distinguishing for ordinary natural man. If we wish to be like Jesus and enjoy the sweet consciousness of His presence, we must live with Him in prayer. As we improve the health and strength of our physical being by proper food and exercise, so we improve the strength and beauty of our spiritual being by proper meditation and prayer.

Consciousness of God’s Presence

Happy and blessed is the soul that is conscious of God’s sweet indwelling presence. Being conscious of God’s presence is what the Psalmist meant when he said, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”* (Psalm 8) “Tasting God” is an expression incomprehensible to the unregenerate. Those who have tasted Him comprehend the meaning of this expression better than they can tell it. When a bit of sugar is placed upon the tongue there is experienced a sweetness in the sense of taste. When the soul tastes of God there is experienced a sweetness in the spiritual being. The sweetness of God’s presence in the soul is as much more glorious than the sweetness of sugar to the taste, as spiritual and heavenly things are above literal and earthly things. God and His word are inseparable, or the word is God; therefore, when the Psalmist says, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth,”* (Psalm 119:103) it is in reality tasting the sweetness of God.

The awakened soul thirsts for this sweetness of the divine presence. Nothing else can satisfy it. The wealth and pleasure of the world do not contain a sweetness sufficient to satisfy the heart of man. It is only God that can fill the hungry soul with goodness. The divine life sheds peace and light and rest in the soul. Man receives the divine presence into his spiritual being when he is quickened by the Spirit. In the Word of God it is termed “[passing] from death unto life,”* (John 5:24; I John 3:14) and “being born again.”* (I Peter 1:23) In sanctification, when a revolution is effected in the nature of man and he becomes a partaker of the divine nature, it is then he is conscious of the fullness of the divine presence and is at rest. Glory be to God!

To possess the divine presence in its fullness is not the end of the Christian race. There are certain conditions for man to meet in order to possess this glorious inheritance, and there are certain conditions for him to meet in order to retain it. Not only is man able, in the economy of grace, to retain the sweet consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, but in his hands are placed instruments that enable him to cultivate and deepen this consciousness and thus add glory to glory and cause his way to shine “more and more unto the perfect day.”* (Proverbs 4:18) Oh, how many Christians would enjoy more of heaven’s glory in their souls, if by careful cultivation they would increase the sense of the divine presence! Dear pilgrim, have you reached the land where is an “eternal weight of glory”* (II Corinthians 4:17) or the regions of “joy unspeakable”* (I Peter 1:8)?

To cultivate or deepen the sense of the divine presence requires an almost constant effort. Right at this point is where perhaps more Christians have failed to do what was required of them than at any other; and consequently experience less joy and power than formerly. There are many things employed by Satan to weaken this consciousness of God. Looseness of thought, moments of idleness, or yielding to self, serve to weaken the reverential feeling in our hearts toward Him. A little attention to the world, a little thought for the morrow, a little anxiety, a little too much talking—these things destroy the consciousness of the divine presence in the soul, and rob us of spiritual power and rest. Living before God in prayer, holy and pure thoughts, the entertaining of right feelings toward God and man, acts of benevolence and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, develop and fashion the soul more and more into the beauty of the divine life.

It is the privilege of the saint so to walk in the presence of God and live in holy communion with Him as to draw God’s glory and life into his own, and give him a feature very distinguishing for ordinary natural man. If we wish to be like Jesus and enjoy the sweet consciousness of His presence, we must live with Him in prayer. As we improve the health and strength of our physical being by proper food and exercise, so we improve the strength and beauty of our spiritual being by proper meditation and prayer.

Rest of the Soul

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”* (Matthew 11:28-29) Wonderful words of love and hope! Never did a sweeter nor richer invitation than this reach mortal ears. A whole world of humankind groaning under a burden, tossing in unrest, laboring under pain, sighing with sorrow, roaming in discontent, filled with fear, sinking in despair. But One appears upon the scene and says, “Come unto me… and I will give you rest.” Oh, may the humble followers of the lowly Nazarene echo and reecho this invitation of love among the haunts of men as long as time shall last! Amid a world of sin and trouble, a soul at rest; how blessed!
\
You remember the day you came to Him. Your sins with all the burden of guilt were taken away and you found rest. Later you dedicated yourself fully and forever to the Lord and entered into the fullness of His rest. Canaan’s fair land is the soul’s sweet home of rest. What heaven will be we cannot know now. Doubtless scenes and experiences will arise of such a nature as to greatly enhance the felicity of our hearts; but the revelation of heaven upon a sanctified soul and

“The enjoyment of heavenly bliss
E’en in a world like this”

can never be told. Storms will arise and threaten you; but if the cable of faith remains unbroken and the anchor of hope unshaken, your little bark can sail on sweetly at rest. Doubts are very destructive to soul-rest; therefore they must be dispelled at their first approach. By faith your soul can be kept in the precious realization of heavenly enjoyments; you can have sweet walks with God and tastes of His love all along your journey of life. By living in the vale of humble submission to God, fully and freely yielded to His control, upon your soul the sweets of heaven’s graces will be distilled like the gentle siftings of the evening dew upon the flower, transporting you to wondrous felicity in God all along your pilgrim way.

Behold the fowls of the air:
They sow not, neither do they reap;
Yet kings have not more healthful fare,
Nor rest in calmer, sweeter sleep.
They have no barns nor hoarded grain,
Yet all day long a soft, sweet strain
They warble forth from forest tree;
Ever happy and ever free,
Teaching a lesson dear to me.
So free from care, O sylvan band;
Fed by a heavenly Father’s hand.
Your freedom, O ye fowls of heaven,
New courage to my soul hath given;
I no more can doubt or sorrow:
God will care for me tomorrow.
Behold the lilies how they grow:
They toil not neither do they spin;
Yet kings in all their pomp and show
Are not arrayed like one of them;
Smiling and free in breezes sway,
Yet clothed by heavenly hand are they.
Meek lilies of the quiet fields,
Your growth instruction to me yields.
The One who clothes the lily fair
And gives it tender, earnest care—
Will He not hear my fervent prayer?
The One who notes the sparrow’s fall—
Does He not love His creatures all?
If He so clothes each tuft and tree
And gives the birds such liberty,
Will He not clothe and care for me?
I no more can doubt or sorrow:
God will care for me tomorrow.

“A merry heart hath a continual feast.”* (Proverbs 15:15)
It is the will of God that you be always happy.

If you are not contented with such things as you have, you would not be contented had you ever so much.

Those who are always contented and happy are a most gracious contribution from God to a discontented world.
This sin-darkened world is dotted here and there by beautiful Christian lives, which are to the world’s weary wastes what the oasis is to the parched desert.

The Christian has the blessed privilege of proving to a covetous, discontented world that man can by the grace of God be contented under the most adverse circumstances.
Oftentimes people conclude that they would be happy if their surrounding circumstances were different. True happiness consists not so much in the environments, as in the dispositions of the heart.

After a day of labor, what a pleasure it is to meet at home the warmth of hearts we love! After a life of toil, what will be the pleasure of meeting all the loved in heaven?

I am told that the language of the Algonquin Indians of North America contained no word from which to translate the word love. When the English missionaries translated the Bible into that language they were obliged to coin a word for love. What must be a language without love? And what must be the heart!

The Christian out upon life’s sea can, by faith, hope, and love, weather the wildest storm that ever the winds of adversity blew. Hope is the anchor fastened to the eternal word of God; faith is the cable attached to the anchor hope.

Prayer

Upon this subject and the one following I have written in other works very similarly to this; but since these subjects are so well adapted to a work of this nature I can hardly feel willing to leave them out. If you have read very similar words to these in other productions of mine, I hope the rereading of the subjects will be time spent in continued profit.

The value of prayer can hardly be estimated. Unless you are willing to take up a life of prayer and keep it until the close, you had just as well not take up the Christian profession. Without prayer you will die. Someone has expressed it thus:

“Prayer is our life, our soul’s triumphant wings,
The arm that holds the shield and hand that takes the crown;
Along the line on which a thousand faithful prayers ascend,
Surely God doth send ten thousand blessings down.”

What an honor it is to have audience with the King of glory! He extends the golden scepter to us, and we come hopefully, confidingly, into His presence and tell Him all that is in our hearts. It is only because we comprehend something of His great love to us that we venture to come into His presence. Who would not consider it a great honor and blessed privilege to be admitted into the courts of the lords and the kings of earth? The greatest honor bestowed upon man is the privilege of coming into the presence of God and conversing with Him. Alas! how few appreciate the privilege of prayer! How few can properly estimate its true worth! Jesus by His example has taught us something of the worth of prayer. His rising a great while before it was day to hold communion with the Father, and His spending all night in prayer to Him, teach us something of its importance. If it was necessary for Jesus to spend so much time in prayer, how much more necessary for us.

Prayer is the energy and life of the soul. It is the invincible armor which shields the devoted Christian from the poisoned missiles shot forth from the batteries of hell. It is the mighty weapon in his hand with which he fights life’s battles unto victory. He who lives in prayer reigns triumphant. His soul is filled with the peace of heaven. Power is given him over sin and the world. By prayer all storm clouds are driven away, mountains of discouragement are cast into the sea, chasms of difficulties are bridged, hope is given wings, faith increases, and joys abound. Hell may rage and threaten, but he who is frequent and fervent in prayer experiences no alarm. By prayer the windows of heaven are opened, and showers of refreshing dews are rained upon the soul. It is as a watered garden, a fertile spot where blooms the unfading rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley; where spread the undecaying, unwithering branches of the tree of life.

By prayer the soul is nourished and strengthened by the divine life. Do you long for deeper joys? For a greater sense of the divine fullness? For a sweeter balm of hope to be shed upon your soul? For a closer walk with God? Then live much in prayer. Do you desire to feel the holy flame of love burning in all its intensity in your soul? Then enkindle it often at the golden altar of prayer. Without prayer, the inner being will weaken, famish, and die; the fountain of love dry up; the spring of joy cease to flow; the dews will fail to descend; and your heart will become a parched and dreary desert waste.

Look upon the character of Jesus. Behold His lowliness, His meekness, gentleness, and tender compassion. Have they any beauty? And would you love to have them grace your own soul? Then draw them down from the skies in all their glorious fullness by the fervent prayer of faith. As through the process of assimilation food is transformed into an active, living being; so through the medium of prayer the character of Jesus in all its transcendent beauty and glory becomes the character of man.

If you desire victory during the day, begin it with prayer. Not a few hurried words, but minutes of deep, intimate communion with God. Linger at the sacred altar of prayer until you feel particles of glory drop in richness into your soul, scattering sweetness throughout the whole and relating you to the world above. In the early morning hour, when the still, balmy breath of nature plays around, let your soul fly away on the wings of prayer with its message of love and praise to its Maker. Jesus went out a great while before day to hold communion with God. There is no time better suited for prayer. The world is hushed in slumber. There is less sin being committed, and if the world ever is innocent, it is in the early morning time. We thus get an advantage of the devil and have sweet converse with God before the devil can come in full strength.

If you desire to be more deeply and sincerely pious, seek it in prayer. If you desire heights in God’s love, depths in His grace, fullness in His joy, richness in His glory, seek it in prayer. Did you say you had not time for prayer? What a pity! Your happiness and usefulness in life depend upon it; your eternal welfare depends upon it—then, oh, what a pity you have no time for it! But you must find time. You cannot afford to listen to Satan; there is too much at stake. This is an excuse that many allow Satan to make for them. Time for rest, time for eating, time for sleeping, time for friends, time for books; but no time for prayer. This is a device of Satan to rob souls of the love of God. You must not give him such an advantage of you.

In love for your spiritual welfare I beseech you in Jesus’ name, live much in prayer. Go often into your closet, and then, with the loins of your mind girded up, in all earnestness of soul pray until the love of God and the light of heaven fills your being. Satan will try to make you listless and indifferent; he will try to make your thoughts to wander; he will tell you of many other things that need to be done that very moment; and many other things will he tell you to deprive you of the blessings of prayer. But you must resist him and go the more earnestly in prayer; and continue to pray until a rapture from the skies sweeps over your soul, making the place of prayer the dearest spot on earth to you.

When the shades of night come softly stealing,
Softly stealing o’er the window sill;
When the busy day is slowly ending,
Slowly ending peacefully and still—
Christian, with thy heart adoring Heaven,
Sweetest glories falling from above,
Go to God in secret, silent pleading,
Tell to Him the wondrous tale of love.

When the morning light is gently dawning,
Gently dawning in the eastern sky;
When the darkness fast away is fleeing,
Duties of the day are drawing nigh—
Down before the sacred, hallowed altar,
Christian, bow before thy God in fervent prayer,
Giving thanks to Him for life’s sweet blessings,
For the day imploring His kind care.

To be overcome today makes tomorrow’s battles harder.

If you would be a better Christian tomorrow, live your very best today.

Like as the warming rays of the autumn’s sun melt the early frost, so the warmth of Christian love in our hearts will melt the coldness in the hearts of sinful men.

Begin the day with prayer: it will fortify you against the tempter’s power. The result of neglecting prayer is to be tossed furiously about upon the billows of temptation.

Time is of too great worth to waste one precious moment. An hour lost is that much of life lost. For all the time spent in idleness, you had just as well not have lived at all. By rightly using each moment you will build up a character that will stand a monument upon the tomb of the dead past. Moments misspent are life and character gone, and no imprint is left on the hearts of men to tell that we have lived. How many golden moments are flying away into eternity unladen with any fruit from your life? Learn to value time. Redeem it because these days are evil. Seize upon each passing moment, and send it up to the glorious Author of time laden with golden deeds.

Taken from: Food for the Lambs by Charles Orr

Seek First the Kingdom

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”* (Matthew 6:33) An injunction of much importance is here given. Verses 24 to 34 of this chapter show how beautifully it is in the plan of God to care for His own. We are taught to have our trust in God for what we eat, for what we drink, for what we wear—for all the necessities of this life. We are referred to the fowls of the air and the lilies of the field, which take no thought for their life, but live in their happy, independent way, without care or trouble. These God cares for and says we are of more value than they.

What a valuable lesson we are to learn from this! But is it really true that we are to have the same degree of freedom from care or anxiety that the fowls or the lilies have? We shall also ask, Is it really possible? This lesson surely teaches that we are to have such a trust in our Maker, and therefore it must be possible. The apostle Paul instructs us to “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”* (Philippians 4:6) And in another place, “I would have you without carefullness.”* (I Corinthians 7:32) Our lives are to be free from worry or anxiety about anything and everything. This feature alone of the divine life, or this principle alone in the economy of God’s gracious plan, ought to represent salvation as a thing greatly to be desired. But in the face of this people fail to see anything desirable in it, because by their unbelief they hold such a life to be impracticable. By this kind of unbelief the enemy of souls deprives many of their privileges in Christ and hinders the world from seeing the real nature of the salvation experience.

How the world is estranged from the principles of righteousness! How it holds light to be darkness and darkness to be light! Instead of accounting that there is any reasonableness in such trust in God as is shown in this lesson, they would fain be selfishly taking upon themselves the responsibility of maintaining their own existence, and thus everyone seek for his own gain. Thinking that they thus have an excuse for not devoting their time to God’s service and their spiritual welfare, the things of the Lord are forgotten and neglected, and their souls consequently are lost. When will individuals learn that they have a spiritual as well as a physical existence, and that the spiritual is the more important of the two? Seek first the kingdom.

But the fact that we wish to bring out most prominently is that many Christian professors, who are supposed to be examples of the Christian life, do not comprehend the import of the test “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” The mistake is made on the word first. They think to obey this scripture by first gaining the profession of salvation, presuming then that the blessings of the kingdom will follow, while they live as selfishly as before and dig deep into the things concerning the unrighteous mammon. In so doing they fail to experience the blessings of the kingdom, and also misrepresent the kingdom to the world. The word first means not only first in time, but first in importance; and this idea of importance must ever be held before us, not only when we enter the kingdom, but throughout our whole Christian life. We are to hold the kingdom of righteousness first in all our lives. If we hold God first in everything and consider what will be to His glory before we consider our own, we give God a chance to fulfill His word, and His own good pleasure in us will be accomplished. We then place ourselves in the order of His plan where it will be possible for Him to do as He has promised.

The salvation life means an unselfish life. We are not to seek selfish glory in anything, but seek the glory of God first—above everything else. It has been remarked concerning certain ones who were struggling for an earthly existence, that if they would only get saved “all these things” (all earthly necessities) would be added unto them. But it is not those who merely get saved that can claim this promise; it is those who keep saved and carry out the principles of the plan of righteousness. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” in everything. Lose your own individuality in God, consign your all to Him, live for His glory in all your life, then “all these things shall be added unto you.”

God’s Providences

In the sure guidance of God we have His Word and His Spirit and also His Providences. Again, we would say, oh, how blessed to await the providences of God! His Providences are always in favor of the righteous. “All things work together for good to them that love God.”* (Romans 8:28) How many can look back through their lives and see how the providences of God have directed their ways. They may have planned, but God’s providence overthrew and brought better things to pass. Trust in the providences of God, commit your way unto Him, patiently wait, and He will guide you into the way that is best. Never get in a hurry, but wait on the Lord, and He will always make the way plain before you. I have learned never to take a step until I know it is ordered of God. In the providence of God, Joseph was sold to a company of Ishmaelites and cast into prison and thus brought to be ruler over all Egypt. In the providences of God, Kish’s asses went astray and Saul being sent in search of them was led to the prophet Samuel, who anointed him king over Israel. You may meet with losses, all things may seem decidedly against you; but be patient, trust in the providence of God, and in time you will see His kind favor.

If you value your happiness and success in life, wait on God. If you do not know which way to go or what thing to do, wait until you do know. God will surely guide you; He will open the way clear and plain before you. When He has given you full assurance, then go forward in all security. Mountains may rise before you, but He will pluck them up and cast them into the sea. Rivers and seas may lie across your path, but He will divide the waters and let you pass through. Live humbly and only for the glory of God. Trust in Him with all the strength of your soul. See that all motives are as pure as heaven. Prayerfully seek a knowledge of God’s will, patiently wait on Him, cheerfully and promptly obey when His will is known, and He will lead you in the path of security, strewing the way with blessings and glory, and make your life one golden gleam of light across this dark world to lead others to the Lamb.