Days of Heaven on Earth

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 29, 2012

Christ's Church is overrun with captains. It is in great need of a few more privates. A few rivers run into the sea, but a larger number run into other rivers. We cannot all be Pioneers, but we can all be helpers. No man is fitted to go in first place until he has learned well how to go second.

A spirit of self-importance is fatal to all work for Christ. The biggest enemy of true spiritual power is spiritual self-consciousness. Joshua had to die to human plans and strategy before Jericho could fall.

God often has to test His chosen servants by putting them into a subordinate place before He can bring them to the front. Joseph had to learn to serve in the kitchen and to suffer in prison before he could rise to the throne. As soon as he was ready for the throne, the throne was waiting for Joseph. God has more places than accepted candidates. Let us not be afraid to go into the training class and even take the lowest place, for we shall soon move up if we really deserve to.

Lord, use me so that Thou shalt be glorified and I shall be hidden from myself and others.

Scripture
My helpers in Christ Jesus—Romans 16:3

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, July 28, 2012

Jesus who once suffered in Gethsemane will be our strength and our victory, too. We may fear, we may also sink, but let us not be dismayed, and we shall yet praise Him and look back from a finished course and say, Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord [our] God spake concerning [us] (Joshua 23:14).

But in order to do this, we must, like Jesus, meet the conflict, not with a defiant but with a submissive spirit. He had to say, Not my will, but thine be done, but in saying it He gained the very thing He surrendered. The submission of Gethsemane is not a blind and dead submission of a heart that abandons all its hope, but it is the free submission that bows the head in order to get double strength through faith and prayer.

We let go in order that we may take a firmer hold. We give up in order that we may more fully receive. We lay our Isaac on Mount Moriah, and we receive him back, no longer our Isaac, but God's Isaac and infinitely more secure because he is returned to us in resurrection life.

Scripture
Not my will, but thine—Luke 22:42

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, July 27, 2012

God is preparing His heroes. When the opportunity comes He can fit them into their places in a moment, and the world will wonder where they came from. Let the Holy Spirit prepare you by all the discipline of life. When the last finishing touch has been given to the marble, it will be easy for God to put it on the pedestal and fit it into its niche.

There is a day coming, when, like Othniel (see judges 3:9-11) we too shall judge the nations and rule and reign with Christ on the millennial earth. Before that glorious day can be, we must let God prepare us as He did Othniel at Kirjath-Sepher (Judges 1:11-13) amid the trials of our present life and in the little victories the significance of which, perhaps, we little dream. We may be sure of this, that if the Holy Spirit has an Othniel ready, the Lord of heaven and earth has a throne prepared for him.

Is it for me to be used by His grace,

Helping His kingdom to bring?

Is it for me to inherit a place,

E'en on the throne of my King?

Scripture
Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ—Ephesians 4:13

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, July 26, 2012

We must recognize the true character of our self-life and its real virulence and vileness. We must consent to its destruction, and we must take it ourselves, as Abraham did Isaac, and lay it at the feet of God in willing sacrifice.

This is a seemingly impossible task for the natural heart, but the moment the will is yielded and the choice is made, we are astonished to find that the agony is over and death is accomplished.

Usually the crisis in such cases hangs upon a single point. God does not need to strike us in a hundred places to inflict a death wound. There is one point that touches the heart and that is the Point God usually strikes. It will likely be the dearest thing in our lives, the decisive thing in our plans, the citadel of our wills, the center of our hearts. And when we yield there, there is little left to yield anywhere else. But when we refuse to yield at that point, a spirit of evasion and compromise enters into all the rest of our lives. Let us take Him to enable us to will His will in all things in our lives.

Scripture
Now mine eyes seeth thee—Job 42:5

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, July 25, 2012

God can only use us while we are trusting Him completely. Satan cared far less for Peter's denial of his Master than for the use he made of it afterwards to destroy his faith. So Jesus said to him, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not (Like 22:32). It was Peter's faith Satan attacked, and so it is our faith that he contests. The trial of your faith, being much more precious that of gold that perisheth (1 Peter 1:7).

Whatever else we let go, let us go, let us hold steadfastly to our trust. Cast not away therefore your confidence (Hebrews 10:35), and hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end (Hebrews 3:6). And if you would hold your trust, hold your sweetness, your rightness of spirit, your obedience to Christ, your victory in every way.

Whatever comes, regard it as of less consequence than that you should triumph and remain steadfast. Accept every circumstance as something God is pleased to allow. Wave the4 banner of your victory in the face of every foe. Go on, shouting in Jesus' name, Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Scripture
He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God—Romans 14:18

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, July 24, 2012

In our earlier experiences we know the Holy Spirit only at a distance, in things that happen in a providential direction or in the Word alone. But after a while we receive Him as an inward Guest, and He dwells in our hearts. He speaks to us in the innermost chambers of our being. The external working of His power does not cease; rather, it increases and seems even more glorious. The Power that dwells within us works outside us, answering prayer, healing sickness, overruling providences, doing exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us (Ephesians 3:20).

There is a double presence of the Lord for the consecrated believer. He is present in the heart and is mightily present in the events of life. He is the Christ in us and the Christ of all our days, with all power in heaven and earth.

The Holy Spirit is our wonder-worker, our all-sufficient God and Guardian. And He is waiting in these days to work as mightily in the affairs of men as in the days of Moses, of Daniel and of Paul.

Scripture
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us-Romans 8:4

Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, July 23, 2012

Why have you not received all the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Do you not long to be anointed with the rest of the oil? (Leviticus 14:17-18). Look around you at your situation. Are you not conscious of many needs at this very moment and almost overwhelmed with difficulties, trials and emergencies? These are all divinely provided vessels for the Holy Spirit's filling. If you would only understand their meaning, they will become opportunities for receiving new blessings and deliverances which you can obtain in no other way.

Bring these vessels to God. Hold them steadily before Him in faith and prayer. Keep still. Cease your own restless working until He begins to work. Do nothing that He does not Himself command you to do. Give Him a chance to work, and He will surely do so. Then the very trials that threatened to overcome you with discouragement and disaster will become God's opportunity for the revelation of His grace and glory in your life, as you have never known Him before. Bring them [all needs] to me.

Scripture
Bring them hither to me—Matthew 14:18

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 22, 2012

Beloved, are you ministering to Christ? Arc you doing it with your hands? Are you doing it with your substance and with your gifts? Is He getting the best at your table? And when He does not come to fill the chair, is it free to His representative, His poor and humble children? Your words and wishes are cheap if they do not find expression in your actual gifts. Even Mary did not put Him off with the incense of her heart. Rather, she laid her costliest gift at His feet.

Busy person, you who work so hard to dress your children and furnish your home and table, what have your hands earned for the Master? What have you done or sacrificed for Jesus?

"Can you afford it?" was the question asked of an earnest woman as she promised a costly offering for the Master's work.

"No," was her noble reply, "but I can sacrifice it."

Let us today look around us and see what we are presently doing. Then let us give more to the loving Savior, who gave up His whole life for us.

Scripture
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering—Romans 12:7

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, July 21, 2012

Let us think for a moment of the blessedness of faith. Our own littleness and nothingness sometimes becomes bondage. We are so small in our own eyes we dare not claim God's mighty promises. We say: "If I could be sure I was in God's will I could trust."

This is all wrong. Self-consciousness is a great barrier to faith. Get your eyes on Him and Him alone. Not on your faith, but on the Author of your faith; not with a half look, but with a steadfast, prolonged look, with a true heart and fixedness of purpose that knows no faltering, no parleying with the enemy and not a shadow of fear. When you become fearful you are almost sure to fail.

Travelers who have crossed the Alps know how dangerous those mountain passes are, how narrow the foothold, how deep the rocky ravines. They know how necessary to safety it is that they look up continually. One downward glance into the dizzying depths might be fatal. So if we would surmount the heights of faith we must look up-look up. Take your eyes off yourself, off surrounding circumstances, off means, off gifts, and turn them to the Great Giver.

Scripture
Look from the place where thou art—Genesis 13:14
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, July 20, 2012

Let us also go, that we may die with him-this was an outburst of impetuous love from the heart of Thomas. The disciples had been trying to dissuade the Master from going back to Judea because of the hate which the raising of Lazarus had aroused and the certainty of danger if He should return. But when Thomas saw that their persuasions did not avail and that Jesus was certainly going back to face His enemies, he cried in an impulse of desperation and devotion, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." Thomas's cry was that of a devoted soldier ready to follow his leader into the jaws of danger and death.

Thomas's words were wiser than he knew. It is true that he and his fellow disciples did not immediately share their Master's fate, but there was a deep and sacred sense in which they were to die with Him even before their literal persecution and martyrdom.

In a very real and solemn way, these words are true of every disciple of Christ. For His death is not only the source of our salvation, but it is also the pattern of our lives.

With an intelligent faith and a renewed dedication, let us with Thomas, "also go that we may die with Him."

Scripture
Let us also go, that we may die with him—John 11:16

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, July 19, 2012

If you seem to have so much fighting to do, it may be because you did not have one sharp, decisive battle to begin with. It is far easier to have one great battle than to keep on skirmishing all your life. I know men who spend forty years fighting what they call their besetting sin, and on which they waste strength enough to evangelize the world.

Does it pay to throw away your lives? Why not have one battle, one victory and then praise God. There is labor to enter in. The height is steep; the way of the cross is not an easy way. It is hard to enter in, but having entered in, there is perfect rest. And when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about (Deuteronomy 12:10). May God help us and give us His perfect rest.

0 come, and leave thy sinful self forever

Beneath the fountain of the Saviour's blood;

0 come, and take Him as thy Sanctifier,

Come thou with us and we will do thee good.

Scripture
Nevertheless, David took the castle of Zion—1 Chronicles 11:5

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, July 18, 2012

In Jesus we are now complete. Even as the architect's model is planned and prepared and completed in his office, so the perfect pattern of the life of holy service, for which Jesus has redeemed and called us, is now in Him in heaven.

But now it must be formed in us and transferred to our earthly lives, and this is the Holy Spirit's work. He takes the gifts and graces of Christ and brings them into our lives as we need and receive them day by day, just as the various sections of a vessel may be reproduced in a distant land. Thus we receive of His fullness, even grace for grace-His grace for our grace, His supply for our needs, His strength for our strength, His body for our body, His Spirit for our spirit. He Himself of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).

But it is much more than mere abstract help and grace, much more even than the Holy Spirit bringing us strength, and peace and purity. It is personal companionship with Jesus Himself!

Lord, help us receive from Thee today that grace in all trials that shall result in our being made perfect.

Scripture Ye are complete in him—Colossians 2:10
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Are you missing what belongs to you? Jesus has promised to sanctify you. He has promised sanctification for you by coming to you Himself and being made of God to you sanctification. Jesus is our sanctification. Having Him, we have obedience, rest, patience and everything we need. He is alive forevermore.

If you have Jesus nothing can be against you. Your temptations will not be against you. Your bad temper will not be against you. Your hard life, your circumstances- even the devil himself will not be against you. Every time he comes to attack you, he will only root you deeper in Christ. You will become a coward at the thought of being alone; you will be thrown on Jesus every time a trouble confronts you. From now on, all things will work together for good to your spiritual welfare. Since God is for you nothing can be against you.

My heavenly Bridegroom sought me and called me one glad day.

"Arise, my love, my fair one, arise and come away,"

I listened to His pleading, gave Him all my heart,

And we are one forever and nevermore shall part.

Scripture
By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified—Hebrews 10:14

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Are you missing what belongs to you? Jesus has promised to sanctify you. He has promised sanctification for you by coming to you Himself and being made of God to you sanctification. Jesus is our sanctification. Having Him, we have obedience, rest, patience and everything we need. He is alive forevermore.

If you have Jesus nothing can be against you. Your temptations will not be against you. Your bad temper will not be against you. Your hard life, your circumstances- even the devil himself will not be against you. Every time he comes to attack you, he will only root you deeper in Christ. You will become a coward at the thought of being alone; you will be thrown on Jesus every time a trouble confronts you. From now on, all things will work together for good to your spiritual welfare. Since God is for you nothing can be against you.

My heavenly Bridegroom sought me and called me one glad day.

"Arise, my love, my fair one, arise and come away,"

I listened to His pleading, gave Him all my heart,

And we are one forever and nevermore shall part.

Scripture
By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified—Hebrews 10:14
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, July 16, 2012

In order to enter into a life of consecration, there must be a sense of need-the need of purity, of power and of a greater nearness to the Lord. Christians often experience a second conviction. It is not now a sense of guilt and God's wrath so much as of the power and evil of inward sin, and the dissatisfaction with the life the person is living. It usually comes from the deeper revelation of God's truth, from more spiritual teaching, from definite examples and testimonies of this life in others. Or it may result from an experience of deep trial, conflict and temptation in which the Christian has found his attainments and resources inadequate for the real issues and needs of life.

The first result is often a deep discouragement and even despair, but the Valley of Achor is the door of hope, and Romans 7 with its bitter cry, 0 wretched man that I am (7:24) is the gateway to Romans 8 with its shout of triumph, The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (8:2).

Scripture
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God—Psalm 42:1

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 15, 2012

I am the Lord's then the Lord is mine. If Christ owns me I own Him. And so faith must reach out and claim its full inheritance and begin to use its great resources. Moment by moment we may now take Him as our grace and strength, our faith and love, our victory and joy, our all in all. And as we thus claim Him we will find His grace sufficient for us, and begin to learn that giving all is just receiving all.

Consecration is taking Jesus fully in exchange for our own miserable lives. There are two persons involved in such consecration. One of them is the Lord Himself. And for their sakes, He says, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:19). The moment we consecrate ourselves to Him, He consecrates Himself to us. Thereafter the whole strength of His life and love and everlasting power is dedicated to keep and complete our commitment to Him and to make the very best and most of our consecrated lives. Who would not give himself to such a Savior? Today, let us first give ourselves to Jesus, and then present to Him each moment as it comes, to be filled and used.

Scripture
I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine—Song of Solomon 6:3

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Let this be a day of prayer. Let us realize that our highest ministry and power is to deal with God for men. Let us be obedient to all the Holy Spirit's voices of prayer in us. Let us consider every pressure a call to prayer. Let us cultivate the spirit of unceasing prayer and constant communion.

Let us learn the meaning of the ministry of prayer. Through prayer let us reach people this day whom we cannot reach in person. Let us expect results that we have never dared to claim before. Let us count every difficulty only a greater occasion for prayer. And let us call on God, who will show us many great and mighty things which we know not.

And let this also be a day of joy and praise. Let us live in the promises of God and the expectancy of His deliverance and blessing. Let us never dwell on the trial but always on the victory just ahead. Let us not abide in the tomb, but in the garden of Joseph and the light of the resurrection. Let us keep our faces toward the rising sun. Arise, shine. Rejoice evermore. In everything give thanks. Praise ye the Lord.

Lord, give us Thy joy in our hearts which shall lift us to lift others, and fill us so we may overflow to others
Scripture
Men ought always to pray—Luke 18:1
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, July 13, 2012

Let this be a day of self-forgetting ministry for Christ and others. Let us not once think of being ministered unto, but rather say with Him: I am among you as he that serveth (Luke 22:27). Let us not drag our burdens through the day but drop all our loads of care and be free to carry His yoke and His burden. Let us make the happy exchange, relinquishing ours and taking His. Let the covenant be: Thou shalt abide for me . . . so will I also be for thee (Hosea 3:3).

In such abiding we lose our heaviest load-ourselves- and find our highest joy, divine love, more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Let us do good to all men as we have opportunity. Let us lose no occasion of

blessing, and let us look for ingenious ways of service and usefulness. Especially let us seek to win others to Christ.

The Days of Heaven are busy days,
They serve continually.
So spent for Thee and Thine, our days,
As the Days of Heaven would be.
Scripture
Even Christ pleased not himself—Romans 15:3

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, July 12, 2012

Consecration is entered into by an act of faith. We are to take sanctification as a gift from God, believing and confessing that we have it. We must step out on it firmly. We must let the devil also know we have it. When once we tell the Lord, boldly, "I am yours, "He answers back from the heavenly heights, "You are Mine, and the echoes go ringing down through all our lives, "Mine!" "Yours!"

If you dare confess Christ as your Savior and Sanctifier, He has bound Himself to make these truths a reality. But you must stand behind His mighty Word. It is the essence of testimony to tell what Jesus has promised to become to you. It is right to have a glorious word of testimony. God would have us put our seal on the promises and lift up our hands and acknowledge them as ours.

Then you are to ignore the old life and reckon it no longer yours-even if it should return to trouble you again. Every time it appears say, "This is from the underworld. I am sitting in the heavenly places with Christ."

Scripture
When ye pray, believe that ye receive—Mark 11:24

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A day with Jesus. Let us seek its plan and direction from Him. Let us take His highest thought and will for us in it. Let us look to Him for our desires, ideals, expectations in it. Then it will bring to us the exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Let Him be our Guide and Way. More even than thinking of His plan and way, let us think of Him as our personal every-moment Guide, on whom we constantly depend to lead us step by step.

Let Him also be the sufficiency and strength for all the day. Let us never forget the secret: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13). Let us have Jesus Christ Himself in us to do the works, and let us every moment depend on Him, both to will and do [in us] of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Let our holiness be the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). Let our health be the life . . . of Jesus . . . manifest in our mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:11). Let our faith be the faith of the Son of God, who loves [us] (Galatians 2:20). Let our peace and joy be His peace and joy. And let our service be not our works, but the grace of Christ within us.

Scripture
For it is God which worketh in you—Philippians 2:13

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
Psalm 18:1 (KJV)

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The highest blessings of the gospel are just as free as the lowest; when you have served God ten years you cannot sit down and say, "I have an experience now and I count on that." We so often do that! We say, "Now I know I am saved, I feel it." And so we are building a different foundation-we build on something in ourselves.

Always take grace as something you do not deserve, something that is freely bestowed. The long, deep, boundless river is free-as free at the mouth as it is at the little feeder stream. It is free all along its course; anybody can come and drink, and anybody can come and bathe in its refreshing waters. Do you believe that?

God has given us His Holy Spirit that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. It is a sad thing for a poor starving child to look longingly through the window and see a fire and the happy family sitting around a laden table. What is the good of knowing that there is warmth and love and light if it is not free? God has freely given all the goodness of His grace and love.

Scripture
That we might know the things that are freely given to us of God—1 Corinthians 2:12

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Monday, July 09, 2012

Sometimes when we bring a burden to God, we do so much groaning over it that it seems as though God is having a dreadful time, too. In reality it does not burden Him at all. God says in effect, "It is a light thing for Me to do this for you." Our load, though heavy for us, is not heavy for Him. Christ carries the whole on one shoulder, not two shoulders. The government of the world is upon His shoulder, and He is not struggling and groaning with it. His mighty arm is able to carry all our burdens.

There is power in Christ for our sanctification. Yes, the Lord can sanctify, the Lord can heal, the Lord can do anything. You must have faith in God. If you come to a river this morning, will it take you as the mighty Niagara would take a little boat and carry you along-to a precipice? Oh, no, but to the heart of love and blessing forever.

Oft there comes a wondrous message,

When my hopes are growing dim,

I can hear it thro' the darkness

Like some sweet and far-off hymn.

Nothing is too hard for Jesus

No man can work like Him.

Scripture
Cast thy burden on the Lord—Psalm 55:22
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 08, 2012

Grace literally means that which we do not have to earn. It has two great senses always; it comes without charge, and it comes when we are helpless. Grace does not merely help the man who helps himself-that is not the gospel. The gospel is that God helps the man who cannot help himself. In addition, God helps the man to help himself, for everything the man does comes from God. Grace is given to the man who is so weak and helpless he cannot take the first step. That is the meaning of grace-at least a little of its meaning. We can never know the fullness of it.

This river of grace is as free as it is full, but some people, surprisingly, have the idea that when they get a little farther on they must pay an admission, or pay to reserve a seat, and they shrink back from the higher blessings of the gospel. Ordinary Christians scarcely dare to claim them. If I understand the meaning of the gospel, God has not put the higher blessings apart for a separate class who somehow are nearer to Him. God is no respecter of persons.

Scripture
Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh—Galatians 3:3

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Saturday, July 07, 2012

In the last chapter of Exodus we read of all the Lord commanded Moses to do. As he fulfilled these commands the glory of the Lord descended and filled the tabernacle until there was no room for Moses. From that time the pillar of cloud overshadowed the tabernacle as Israel's guide and their protection.

Even so we have been building as the Lord Himself commanded, and now the temple is to be handed over to Him, to be possessed and filled. He will so fill us, if we will let Him, that self and everything else will be taken out of the way. The glory of the Lord will fill the temple, encompassing, lifting, guiding, keeping; and from this time our moon shall not withdraw its light, nor our sun go down.

Do you want power? You have God for it. Do you want holiness? You have God for it. You have God for every need! He is bending down from His throne today to lift you to your true place in Him. From this time on may the cloud of His glory so surround and fill us that we shall be lost sight of forever.

Scripture
And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle-Exodus 40:35

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, July 06, 2012

If the household be too little for the lamb. . . . What does all this mean for us as redeemed men and women? Surely, this-that we have no right to claim the purchase of the Savior's blood for ourselves alone, and that we are guilty of selfishness, dishonesty and base in gratitude if we can be content to be saved without having done everything in our power to give our fellow men an equal opportunity of eternal life. Have we understood this? Have we lived it?

But who is the neighbor with whom we are to share God's Lamb? He is spoken of here as the one that is next to us, the one in closest contact with us. Surely, that means that God brings people into touch with us in order that we may be stewards of His grace to them. The people in our families, the fellow traveler, friends in our social circles and people with whom we work-these are the neighbors to whom we owe a spiritual responsibility. Have we met it according to our utmost ability?

Did'st Thou love and die for

A sinner like me?

Then, Master, I will take

More thought for the perishing

Souls I may meet

If it's only for Thy sake.
Scripture
If the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls—Exodus 12:4
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Thursday, July 05, 2012

The figure here is of a beautiful, fruitful enclosure, not a wilderness. Garden soil is cultivated soil, very different from the roadside or wilderness. The idea of a garden is culture. The ground has to be prepared, to be broken up by ploughing, to be mellowed by harrowing. All the stones have to be removed and the roots of all natural growth dug up. The good things we are seeking are not natural growths and will not prosper in our natural soil. We all feel we should try to improve the old nature, but that is not God's way. His method is to get self out of the way entirely, and let Him create anew out of nothing, so that all shall be of Him; and Jesus will be the acknowledged Alpha and Omega.

The thing we want to learn here is to die. There can be no real life till self dies. And we dare not try to die ourselves, but ask God to slay us; He will make a thorough work of it.

This the secret nature hideth,

Summer dies and lives again,

Spring from winter's grave ariseth,

Harvest grows from buried grain.

Scripture
A garden enclosed—Song of Solomon 4:12

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Wednesday, July 04, 2012

What becomes of our old nature when we are sanctified? Many people are unduly concerned to know if it can be killed outright and seem to desire a sort of certificate of its death and burial. It is enough to know that it is outside and Christ is in us. It may show itself again, and even knock at the door and plead for admittance, but it is forever outside while we abide in Him. Should we step out of Him and into sin we might find the old corpse in the ghastly cemetery, and its foul aroma might yet embrace and overcome us once more. But he that abideth in him sinneth not and cannot sin while he so abides.

Let us therefore abide and let us not be anxious to escape the hold of eternal vigilance and ceaseless abiding. Our paths are made and we are given strength to pursue them; let us then walk in them. God has provided for us a full sanctification. Since He has given us His own holiness, is it strange that he should require us to be holy, even as He is holy? Let us then put on our beautiful garments and prepare to walk in white with Him.

Scripture
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not—1 John 3:6

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Yes, our perplexities would become plain if we kept on a spiritual elevation. Often when the traveler quite loses his way he can discern it again from some hilltop where all the winding paths on which he has come appear behind him, and the whole homeward road opens before. So, from the heights of prayer and faith, we too can see the plain path and know we are going home.

There is no other way in which we can gain the victory over the world. We must rise above it. We must see it from the side of our great reward. Then it will look like earthly objects do after we have gazed upon the sun for a while. We are blind to them.

When the Italian fruit seller finds that he is heir to a ducal palace you cannot tempt him anymore with the paltry profits of his trade or the company of his old associates. He is above it all. They who know the hope of their calling and the riches of the glory of their inheritance can well despise the world. It is the poor starving ones who go hungering for the husks of earth. We are born from above and have a longing to go home. Let us go forth today with our hearts on the home stretch.

Scripture
Look from the top-Song of Solomon 4:8

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 01, 2012

Are we learning love in the school of suffering? Are our hearts being mellowed and deepened by the summer heat of trial until the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-is ripening for the harvest of His coming, and our sufferings are easily borne for His sake? This is the school of love, and the lessons make Him unutterably more dear to our hearts and us to His. In this way only can we learn with Him the heavenly charity which suffers long, and is kind.

We see that the very first and the very last features of the face of love, as delineated in Paul's portrait of it (1 Corinthians 13), are marks of pain and patient suffering-suffers long, endureth all things. So let us learn in the school of love to suffer, to be kind and to endure all things. Surely it will not be hard to love through every circumstance when it is the heart of Jesus within us that will love and continue to love to the very end.

I want the love that suffers and is kind,

That envies not nor vaunts its pride of fame.

Is not puffed up, does not discourteous act,

Is not provoked, nor seeks its own to claim.

Scripture
After that ye have suffered a while—1 Peter 5:10

July 1
Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Sunday, July 01, 2012

Are we learning love in the school of suffering? Are our hearts being mellowed and deepened by the summer heat of trial until the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-is ripening for the harvest of His coming, and our sufferings are easily borne for His sake? This is the school of love, and the lessons make Him unutterably more dear to our hearts and us to His. In this way only can we learn with Him the heavenly charity which suffers long, and is kind.

We see that the very first and the very last features of the face of love, as delineated in Paul's portrait of it (1 Corinthians 13), are marks of pain and patient suffering-suffers long, endureth all things. So let us learn in the school of love to suffer, to be kind and to endure all things. Surely it will not be hard to love through every circumstance when it is the heart of Jesus within us that will love and continue to love to the very end.

I want the love that suffers and is kind,

That envies not nor vaunts its pride of fame.

Is not puffed up, does not discourteous act,

Is not provoked, nor seeks its own to claim.

Scripture
After that ye have suffered a while—1 Peter 5:10

Inspirational Readings by A.B. Simpson
Days of Heaven on Earth
Friday, June 29, 2012

Do not fail to mark these two stages in Christian life. The one is the Spirit's work in us, the other is the Spirit's personal coming to abide within us. All true Christians know the first, but few, it is to be feared, understand and receive the second.

There is a great difference between my building a house and my going to reside in that house and making it my home. And there is a great difference between the Holy Spirit's work in regenerating a soul-the building of a house-and His coming to reside, abide and control in our innermost spirit and our whole life and being.

Have we received Him, not as our Guest, but as the Owner, Proprietor and Keeper of the temple He has built to be an habitation of God through the Spirit? (Ephesians 2:22).

This is my wonderful story,

Christ to my heart has come,

Jesus the King of glory

Finds in my heart a home.

I am so glad I received Him,

Jesus my heart's dear King,

I, who so often have grieved Him,

All to His feet would bring.

Scripture
He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you—John 14:17