My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Glad to have yours to know that more were willing to give their hearts to God. I will make this do for them as well, seeing we are all one Family. Hope all who have decided have cut every bridge. One of the main things in a race is a good start. “Well begun is half done.” We can’t be too careful from the very start in allowing God to have all His way with us. The first twelve months often determines what we will be all the rest of our lives. Those whom we have seen start and make the most headway were those who put their best, and their all into it from the very start. Paul tells how he made a good start. Galatians 1:15, “Called by His grace.” Verse16, “To reveal His Son in me, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.” He did not begin to reason with his own blinded heart, nor did he go and ask others what they thought about it. He allowed God to speak to his heart, and began at once to carry out what God had shown him. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit.” When anyone brings their own human ideas into it, they will soon get muddled. Just as a horse requires a higher power than itself to control it and make it useful, so we must allow God to control us. When we begin to reason or rather question God’s plan, we show that we have been deceived. One if the truest testimonies Paul gave was before King Agrippa when he said, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” The heavenly vision was God showing Paul that the lowly, despised man of sorrows that the clergy put to death was His only begotten Son, the plan, pattern and purpose of God from all eternity. The revelation from God is still the same for whenever He finds an honest heart God will show them that Jesus’ way is still the only way to heaven, and that the life that Jesus lived is still the pattern to go by and that Jesus still lives and works from the right hand of God as He did here on earth. He still sends forth His preachers two by two, homeless, poor, strangers, unknown, unpaid, to seek the honest heart who will make room in their hearts for Jesus. Paul near the end of his life gave that testimony – not disobedient to what God had shown him. Well for us if we will be able to say the same. Paul did not reason why so many were wrong, or why he did not see this before. He simply obeyed what God showed him.
When I met the true preachers I did not bother my head what others said or did. I could see that I myself had not the life of the Son of God and so made up my mind that I would yield myself to God, and get right myself. One thing about a natural babe – it does not bother about things or people outside, so with God’s spiritual babes – they don’t bother about what others say and do. The first thing a babe learns to know is its mother’s voice, and the first thing God’s babes must learn is the Shepherd’s voice. Jesus always speaks through those who live and walk as He did, and never contradict the scriptures. The preachers of today will be like those mentioned in the Bible. Another mark of a true babe, they won’t argue with dogs or wolves or bears. You could not imagine a wee lamb leaving the flock to go and fight and quarrel with a pack of dogs that were going past the paddock. No more will any of God’s true lambs argue or fight with dogs or such like. Paul told his lambs to beware of dogs. Keep as far away from them as possible, never mind though they may say you are cowards, sheep always run from dogs. Dogs are those who are looking for bones of contention to worry over. Sheep are led by the Shepherd to the green pastures. Lions come always to steal, and they like a tender bite. They won’t face the old sheep, but like the wee lambs. They come with big mouth, and much noise and talk and try to frighten the lambs. The bears come exactly opposite, on tip toes, very gentle and nice and kind and soft and oily and would kiss you and hug you, yes, to death. It’s easy to know the lion, but not so easy to know the bear, so beware of all. The only ones who will ever help you to heaven are those who have suffered and yearned, and prayed and won you to Jesus. You stick to what they show you, and you won’t be sorry one day. When I started, many would try and advise me not to believe all these strange preachers said, but I saw in them men who had a love for my eternal welfare and knew that they could tell me what was right. I hope these days that you will get your feet firmly planted on the Rock of Ages, and that you will stand firm and true for God and His Kingdom. God longs to get men and women who will gladly and joyfully let Him have full control of heart and life, so that he can make something of them for eternity, so do not trifle with the eternal truth of God, but simply take each step as God shows you. Surely a loving Father knows what is best and wisest for all His children. Watch and always have a tender conscience, nothing between, so that the least thing wrong God can show you how to get it right at once. This is the mainspring that will guide you right. Paul sought to have a pure conscience, very easy then for Paul to know the mind and will of God.
Paul says the end of the commandment or the sum total is “charity” – the mind and spirit of Christ out of a pure heart. A heart that God can guide and comfort and that always responds to His claims. Then a good conscience, soft and tender, one that God can easily speak to, like a horse with a tender mouth takes very little guiding. Faith unfeigned, not put on, but letting God work in His plan, and you work it out. The preceding verse: 1 Timothy 1-4, speaks of fables or blathers which God’s children won’t give ear to. Am sure as you seek to keep these marks before you, you will prove day by day that He who is guiding the stars is guiding you. Be sure to live a day at a time, when you can live two days, you well may. Don’t look too far ahead, only a step at a time. Don’t try to cross the mountains until you come to them, and you will see a track. What God wants in all His children is that implicit confidence in Him at all times, whether bright or dark. “He knows and loves and cares, nothing His love can dim, He always gives the very best to those who leave the choice with Him.” The thing that will beget confidence in us towards God is simple obedience, every day. As we get strong by using our bodies, so we get strong in the Lord by doing our best for Him. Watch and don’t get more in your heads than in your hearts. Keep level and sensible. God does not expect too much of His babes, but one thing He does expect and that is obedience.
Show me a person who will obey God and I will show you one who will come out on the right side one day. God’s Son said of a woman, “She hath done what she could.” No better testimony could Jesus give of anyone and that is what we all can do. Am sure as you keep going on, you will find the path of Jesus very sweet, not that it suits the flesh, or pleases the world, or gets the patronage of men. But day by day you will prove a power in your life giving you victory over what is drowning millions; pride, selfishness, love of gold and all other, powers and passions that so many become victims to, will not have power over you if you will allow Jesus to have the throne in your life, so that you may be forever with Him. Better to know what is means to deny the flesh here than like many be denied through all eternity in that there is no provision for pleasing self there.
Heaven is the place for those who have appetites for the living Waters, and the living Bread, and there is abundance there, or in other words for those who are doing the Will of God. Hell is the place for those who have appetites for what suits the flesh but nothing to satisfy.
If we wait on God, spend time in prayer, God will make eternity more real to us.
Now I hope that I have not wearied you, and trust all will go on and prove loyal and faithful souls for God, so that when you stand before Him He won’t be ashamed of you, and you won’t be ashamed either, but glad that you did your best.
Paul often said, “I am not ashamed.” May we be able to say likewise.
May we do something for Him who gave His all and best for us.
The greatest privilege on earth is to be a child of God and the things worth living for in this world are the things unseen and eternal.
Love in Christ Jesus to you all.
Your brother in the only way,
Adam Hutchinson