Dear Reader
“Even Christ pleased not Himself” (Rom. 15:3)
What a life! So confident was our Lord of the ultimate good end of the will of God, that at whatever cost to Himself, He would seek and pursue that will only. All that opposed that will opposed Him; all that resisted it, resisted Him, and caused Him sadness. Even His most advanced disciples caused Him sadness in that way often. A Peter could not bear the thought of His going into death: he would have the glory of the kingdom without the righteousness of the cross. A John would vindicate the master by destroying men’s lives, thus spoiling the day of grace by making it a day of judgment. Dear Christian, Christ is our pattern. Do you see how Christ in every thing pleased God at such a great cost? To please Him and not ourselves is henceforth the purpose and the goal of our life. This will necessitate our suffering with Him. It will require our taking up the cross daily - the denial of our own likes and dislikes that we may truly take up His likes and dislikes. Is it not worth while? “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” We suffer but for a day, we reign for ever and ever.
Who else rewards like that? But all depends on how close we are to Him, how deeply we desire to be like Him, and how we take hold of the unfathomable love and grace of His heart that will supply all that is needed to help us to do His will and thus to please Him.
It is our prayer that the Lord will use this issue to strengthen you and help you to grow spiritually in your Christian life and walk.
Thanks again for your great response and encouragement to the magazine and your encouragement to us by e-mail and letters.
Please keep us in prayer.
Yours in our soon coming Lord,
Emil Nashed
Please send your questions and comments to:
Toward the Mark
C/O Wayne Christian Assembly
60 Smith Lane
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
