586
Reading 170_Missing It
Acts 4:18

We have, as Christian disciples, to continually recognize that much of what is called Christianity today is not the Christianity of the New
Testament; it is distinctly different in generation and manifestation. Jesus is not the fountainhead of modern Christianity; He is scarcely thought about. Christian preachers, Sunday School teachers, religious books, all without any apology patronize Jesus Christ and put Him on one side. We have to learn that to stand true to Jesus Christ’s point of view means ostracism, the ostracism that was brought on Him; most of us know nothing whatever about it. The modern view looks upon human nature as pathetic: men and women are poor ignorant babes in the wood who have lost themselves. Jesus Christ’s view is totally different, He does not look on men and women as babes in the wood, but as sinners who need saving, and the modern mind detests His view. Our Lord’s teaching is based on something we violently hate, namely His doctrine of sin; we do not believe it unless we have had a radical dealing with God on the line of His teaching.

Remember that a disciple is committed to much more than belief in Jesus; he is committed to his Lord’s view of the world, of men, of God and of sin. Take stock of your views and compare them with the New Testament, and never get tricked into thinking that the Bible does not mean what it says when it disagrees with you. Disagree with what our Lord says by all means if you like, but never say that the Bible does not mean what it says. (HG) p.586

Reading 183—We Are Witnesses 627

One of the dangers of present-day teaching is that it makes us turn our eyes off Jesus Christ on to ourselves, off the Source of our salvation
on to salvation itself. The effect of that is a morbid, hypersensitive life, totally unlike our Lord’s life. It has not the passion of abandon that characterized Him. The New Testament never allows for a moment the idea that continually crops up in modern spiritual teaching—”I have to remember that I am a specimen of what God can do.” That is inspired by the Devil, never by the Spirit of God.

We are not here to be specimens of what God can do, but to have our life so hid with Christ in God that our Lord's words will be true of us, than men beholding our good works will glorify our Father in heaven.

There was no “show business” in the life of the Son of God, and there is to be no “show business” in the life of the saint. Concentrate on God, let Him engineer circumstances as He will, and wherever He places you He is binding up the brokenhearted through you, setting at liberty the captives through you, doing His mighty soul-savingwork through you, as you keep rightly related to Him.

Self-conscious service is killed, self-conscious devotion is gone, only one thing remains: ”witnesses to Me,” Jesus Christ first, second and third. (MFL) p. 627
 

Reading 165—Discipline of Divine Loyalty

 There is only one God for theChristian, and He is Jesus Christ. (SA)
I John 21:15-17

Is that what we have been doing, feeding Jesus Christ’s sheep? Take a rapid survey. Have we been nourishing the lives of people in the understanding of Jesus, or has our aim been to maintain our particular deposit of doctrine? According to Jesus, divine loyalty means that we feed His sheep in the knowledge of Him, not feed them with our doctrine.

Peter had boasted earlier of his love for Jesus—”Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” But there is no brag left in him now—”Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

“Feed My sheep.” The discipline of divine loyalty is not that I am true to a doctrine, but so true to Jesus that other people are nourished in the knowledge of Him. Get rid of the idea that you must do good things, and remember what Jesus says, “He who believes in Me, . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” In the Christian life it is never “Do, do,” but “Be, be, and I will do through you.” The type of man produced by the Spirit of Jesus is the one who bears a growing family likeness to Jesus. (POH) p566
 

Reading 164—The Realization of Christ
John 20:28 {and 1 Cor. 2)
The one great characteristic of being born from above is that I know who Jesus is. It is a discernment; something has happened on the inside,
the surgery of events has opened my eyes. Is Jesus Christ a revelation to me, or is He simply a historical character? How are we to get the revelation of who Jesus is?

Very simply. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would glorify Him, and we can receive the Holy. Spirit by asking (Luke 11:13); then we too shall be in the same category with Peter, and Jesus will say, “Blessed are you... for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in
heaven” (Matt. 16:17).

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive the quickening life that lifts us into the domain where Jesus lives and we have the revelation of who He is. The secret of the Christian is that he knows the absolute deity of Jesus Christ. Has Jesus made any difference to us in our actual lives? The essence of Christianity is not a creed or a doctrine, but an illumination that emancipates us: “I see who Jesus is.” It is always a surprise, never an intellectual concept. “The wind blows where it wishes, . . . So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 8). (LG) p. 563