Chapter 292—We Must Follow On
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth
is prepared as the morning.
Hosea 6:3
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Christ came to teach the human family the way of salvation, and He
made this way so plain that a little child can walk in it. He bids His disciples
follow on to know the Lord; and as they daily follow His guidance, they
learn that His going forth is prepared as the morning.
You have watched the rising sun, and the gradual break of day over earth
and sky. Little by little the dawn increases, till the sun appears; then the
light grows constantly stronger and clearer until the full glory of noontide
is reached. This is a beautiful illustration of what God desires to do for His
children in perfecting their Christian experience. As we walk day by day
in the light He sends us, in willing obedience to all His requirements, our
experience grows and broadens until we reach the full stature of men and
women in Christ Jesus....
Christ did not come to the earth as a king, to rule the nations. He came
as a humble man, to be tempted, and to overcome temptation, to follow on,
as we must, to know the Lord. In the study of His life we shall learn how
much God through Him will do for His children. And we shall learn that,
however great our trials may be, they cannot exceed what Christ endured that
we might know the way, the truth, and the life. By a life of conformity to
His example, we are to show our appreciation of His sacrifice in our behalf.
As the flower turns to the sun, that the bright beams may aid in perfecting
its beauty and symmetry, so should we turn to the Sun of Righteousness, that
heaven’s light may shine upon us, that our character may be developed into
the likeness of Christ....
You are just as dependent upon Christ, in order to live a holy life, as is
the branch upon the parent stock for growth and fruitfulness. Apart from
Him you have no life. You have no power to resist temptation or to grow in
grace and holiness. Abiding in Him, you may flourish. Drawing your life
from Him, you will not wither nor be fruitless. You will be like a tree planted
by the rivers of water.
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