How To Live A Holy Life by Charles Ebert Orr

How to Live a Holy Life

Charles Ebert Orr
Strictly for personal use, do not use this file for commercial purposes. If you like this eBook, would you share it with your friends? Just click here to share it with Facebook and here to share it with Twitter
www.Libri ass.com
DEVOTIONAL READING.
A person may almost be known by the books he reads. If he habitually reads bad books we !an pretty safely !on!lude that he is a bad man" on the other hand if he habitually reads reli#ious books we !an reasonably presume that he is a reli#ious man. $hy is this% It is be!ause the nature of a person&s books is usually the nature of his thou#hts" and as a man thinks so he is. Conse'uently our readin# devotional literature is a #reat aid to our bein# devotional. (oo few I fear reali)e how important to our spiritual advan!ement is the !ultivation of a taste for devotional readin#. As a rule those who have a taste for spiritual books and #ratify that taste prosper in the Lord while those who have no relish for su!h books labor at a #reat disadvanta#e. *ome one has said that +he who be#ins a devout life without a taste for spiritual readin# may !onsider the ordinary diffi!ulties multiplied in his !ase by ten., (he most spiritual men of all a#es have had a stron# love for readin# spiritual books. If however my reader happens not to have su!h a taste or su!h a love he should not be dis!oura#ed for it !an be !reated and in!reased throu#h perseveran!e in readin# devotional literature. -ust as a person who does not relish a !ertain food may learn to like it if he will persist in eatin# it so a person who does not have a taste for devotional books may !ome to en.oy them if he will dili#ently and prayerfully peruse them. *piritual readin# invi#orates the intelle!t warms the affe!tions and be#ets in us a desire for more of /od&s fullness and for a more heavenly life. It is espe!ially helpful to prayer. $hen the mind is dull and the spirits low and we have no inspiration for
0
prayer the readin# of a spiritual poem will often so stimulate the mind raise the spirits and animate the soul as to make it easy for us to pray. As to what books to read the 1ible of !ourse is the best of all. 1ut we need others. Althou#h no other book !an take the pla!e of the 1ible and none of us should ne#le!t readin# it there are many books that !an profitably be read in !onne!tion with it. 1ut whatever devotional book you are readin# do not read too fast. (hink and di#est as you #o. Let there be a fre'uent liftin# of the heart to /od in prayer. It is not the bee that flies so swiftly from flower to flower that #athers the honey but the bee that #oes down into the flower. A few senten!es taken into the mind and heart and dwelt upon until they have be!ome a part of us are better than many pa#es read superfi!ially.
PREFACE.
If the readin# of this little book en!oura#es any on their pil#rim way" if it arouses them to #reater dili#en!e" if it !reates in them a stron#er desire to live more like Christ" if it #ives them a better understandin# of how to live 22this poor servant of the Lord will be fully rewarded for all his labor. Even amon# the !hildren of /od in this beautiful #ospel li#ht of the evenin# there is an in!lination on the part of a few at least and maybe more than a few to slow down and not be their very best and most a!tive for /od. $e hope that this little book will arouse su!h ones to #reater )eal and earnestness. 3ili#en!e yea !onstant appli!ation is the se!ret of su!!ess in all manner of life and espe!ially in the Christian life.
4
(his volume is written for all those who desire to please /od with a well 2spent life. It is sent forth in -esus& name with a prayer that /od bless and help both the reader and the writer to live life at its very best and fulfill the purpose of /od !on!ernin# them. 5our humble servant in Christian love (he Author.
INTRODUCTION.
$e have only one life to live only one. (hink of this for a moment. Here we are in this world of time makin# the .ourney of life. Ea!h day we are farther from the !radle and nearer the #rave. *olemn thou#ht. *ee the mi#hty !on!ourse of human lives" hear their heavy tread in their onward mar!h. *ome are .ust be#innin# life&s .ourney" some are midway up the hill some have rea!hed the top and some are midway down the western slope. 1ut where are we all #oin#% Listen and you will hear but one answer6+Eternity., 1eyond the fadin# dyin# #leams of the sunset of life lays a boundless endless o!ean !alled Eternity. (hitherward you and I are daily travelin#. (ime is like a #reat wheel #oin# its round. On and on it #oes. *ome are steppin# on and some are steppin# off. 1ut where are these latter steppin#% Into eternity. *ee that old man with bent form snow2white lo!ks and totterin# steps. His has been a lon# round but he has made it at last. *ee the middle2a#ed. His round has not been so lon# but he must step off. *ee the youth. He has been on only a little while but he is brou#ht to the steppin#2off pla!e. He thou#ht his round would be mu!h lon#er.
7
He supposed he was fairly #ettin# started when that i!y hand was laid upon him and the usher said +Come you have made your round and you must #o., (he infant that #ave its first faint !ry this mornin# may utter its last feeble wail toni#ht. And thus they #o. 1ut where% Eternity. If you were to start today and ask ea!h person you met the 'uestion +$here are you #oin#%, and if possible you were to travel the world over and ask ea!h one of earth&s inhabitants there !ould be but one answer +Eternity., +Oh eternity Lon# eternity8 Hear the solemn footsteps Of eternity., Only one life to live8 Only one life and then we must fa!e vast endless eternity. $e shall pass alon# the pathway of life but on!e. Every step we take is a step that !an never be taken a#ain. $ith this fa!t in mind who does not feel like !allin# upon the All wise to dire!t his every step. If when we make a misstep we !ould #o ba!k and step it over then there would not be su!h #reat ne!essity to step !arefully. 1ut we !an never #o ba!k. $e are leavin# footprints. -ust as our steps are so will the footprints be whi!h will tell the story of our life. If we had a s!ore of lives to live how to live this one would not be of su!h #reat moment. $e should then have nineteen lives in whi!h to !orre!t the errors and sins of this one" but alas8 we have but one. $hat then should we seek more earnestly than to know how to live%
$e doubt not but there is in the heart of the reader a stron# desire to live life as it should be lived. (hank /od you !an. 5ou desire your life to be like the fertile oasis where the weary traveler refreshes himself. 5ou have seen the rays of li#ht lin#erin# upon the hillside and treetop and #ildin# the flee!y !loud after the sun had #one down. 5ou desire the beautiful rays of li#ht from your life to lin#er lon# after your sun has #one down. 5ou !an have it that way. (he deeds you do will live after you are #one. (hey are the footprints. *ome one has said that we ea!h day are here buildin# the house we are #oin# to o!!upy in eternity. If this were true nothin# should !on!ern us so mu!h as how to live. *ome men are devotin# their time and the power of their intelle!ts to invention" some are studyin# statesmanship" some are studyin# the arts others the s!ien!es" but we have !ome to learn a little more about how to live. :any are thinkin# mu!h about how they wish to die but let us learn how to live. If we live well we shall die well. *in!e we have but one life to live and with it we must fa!e eternity I am sure there are many who want to make the most of life. (here are many who want to be their best in life. (his is not a play#round or a pla!e to trifle with time. It is a pla!e of work and effort a pla!e of purpose and earnestness a pla!e to do somethin#. Life is not #iven us to s'uander nor fritter away but was #iven us to a!!omplish a purpose in the mind of the Creator. If we will set ourselves to live as we should /od will help us and no man !an hinder us. $e are pur!hasin# treasures for eternity by makin# a proper use of time. (o trifle away time is indeed to be the #reatest of spendthrifts. If you s'uander a dollar you may re#ain it" but a moment wasted !an never be re#ained.
(here is #reat responsibility in life. It means mu!h to live. (he time was when you and I were not now we are. $e are and there !an never !ome a time when we shall not be. 5ou and I shall always e<ist somehow somewhere. One sweet thou#ht to me is that I have time enou#h to do all that /od intends for me to do and do it well. (hen !omes another thou#ht a thou#ht that awes= the #ood that I do the sum of my usefulness will be less than it should be if I spend a moment of time uselessly. /od will #ive us all the time we need to a!!omplish all he purposes us to a!!omplish but he does not #ive us one moment to trifle away. (he mission of this little volume is to stren#then and ener#i)e and help you to spend life as you should. :ay it please the /reat (ea!her who has promised to +show us the path of life , to bless this little work and by it help some one to a pure and noble life and to the a!!omplishment of all /od&s desi#n in #ivin# them life. (he Author.
THE WAY THE SAIL IS SET.

I stood beside the open sea" (he ships went sailin# by" (he wind blew softly o&er the lea" (he sun had !loudless sky. *ome ships sailed eastward some sailed west *ome north some southward trend. How !an ships sail this way and that% 1ut one way blows the wind.
>
An old sea2!aptain made reply ?His lo!ks with salt2spray wet@= +&(is not the wind de!ides the !ourse" A(is way the sails are set., B B B B B
I stand beside the sea of life" (he ships #o sailin# by" (he winds blow fair from heaven&s land" Co !louds bedim the sky. 1ut one sails eastward one sails west One north one southward #oes= How !an ships sail this way and that $ith selfsame wind that blows% A voi!e made answer to my soul= +&(is not how blows the #ale" Ea!h voya#er de!ides the #oal 1y way he sets the sail.,6*ele!ted.
THE
ODEL LIFE.
In doin# anythin# it is always well to have a model by whi!h to fashion our work. In fa!t nothin# is done without a pattern either real or ima#inary. (he little boy makin# a toy has in in his mind a model by whi!h he is framin# his work. Likewise
the s!ulptor has in his mind a model and as the +marble wastes the ima#e #rows, into the likeness of the vision in his soul. (o live this one life of ours as it should be lived we must have a perfe!t model after whi!h to pattern. (hank /od this perfe!t model of life !an be found. Of all the vast number of lives that have been lived sin!e Adam down to this present day there has been only one that we !an take as a model. (his one is the life of -esus. He says +I am the life., (o live this life of ours well to live it to the hi#hest de#ree of perfe!tion we must fashion it a!!ordin# to the #lorious life of Christ. (he life of -esus is the model life for every other human life. He invites us yea !ommands us to follow him to step in his steps to walk as he walked. (here have been many #ood men in the world but none of them afford us a true pattern of life. (here was a man who said +1e ye followers of me , but he immediately added +even as I also am of Christ., :an may so live as to reveal to us the life of Christ. $e !an then follow not them but the Christ2life they manifested throu#h them. Let me here say a word on a sub.e!t on whi!h we may have more to say hereafter. (he #randest noblest work man has ever done is by his life to reveal the life of Christ to another thereby helpin# that person to be fashioned more after the ima#e of -esus. A little flower #rew in a pla!e so shaded that no ray from the sun !ould fall dire!tly upon it. A window was so situated that at a !ertain time in the afternoon it refra!ted the sun&s rays and threw them upon the flower thus #ivin# it !olor and beauty and aidin# it to bloom. *ome people are livin# in the dense shade. Co li#ht from Christ has ever shined upon them. If you so live as to refra!t the life of Christ and turn it upon them and thus stamp upon them a holier life you have not lived
1E
in vain. (o set the life of Christ in its purity and beauty before some one and influen!e him thou#h only a little to live better and love -esus more is a work the worth of whi!h !an never be !omputed. He who helps another to a better way of livin# does more than he who #ains #reat worldly honor and ri!hes. 1lessed indeed is that life whi!h !auses some other life to be more like Christ. Oh may this thou#ht sei)e upon our hearts and fill us with a #reater passion to live the life of /od. $e are told by the voi!e of *!ripture to be +followers of /od as dear !hildren., $hen !hildren are dear to the heart of the parent he loves to have them obey him. /od&s !hildren are dear to him and he would have them follow him. (o follow /od is to imitate him or be like him. (his is the true way of life. A te<t of *!ripture as rendered by the Fevised Gersion is very appropriate here= +Like as he whi!h has !alled you is holy be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of livin#., 1 Het. 1=17. Only those who live #odly in their entire manner of life are spendin# the days of their pil#rima#e as they should. -esus has walked the true way of life" we are told to walk in his steps. If we will step ea!h day .ust where -esus stepped then on lookin# ba!k we !an not see a footprint of our own" but if we take a sin#le misstep our footprint will show our departure from the true way of life. How deep and awful are the words of *!ripture wherein we are !ommanded to walk even as +-esus walked,8 -esus says +I am the way., (here is no other ri#ht and perfe!t way. If we will walk as -esus walked then we shall walk in the true path of life. (his only is the pathway that leads up to the #olden #ates of #lory and the sweet fields of heaven. (hat bri#ht world of bliss en!oura#es us on. If we will follow -esus and live as he lived /od&s approval will be upon us and his outstret!hed hand will help us alon# life&s way and finally
11
over the turbulent river of death to the sunlit shore of eternal rest. :any times we may be!ome wearied and think the toils of the way almost too heavy" but when we remember that it is the way that -esus trod then the heavens open to our view we look forward to the mansion prepared for us and the toils of the way #row li#hter. *ee that a#ed pil#rim .ourneyin# down the western slope of life. (he sun is nearin# the settin#. Lon# and toilsome has been his pil#rima#e but he has walked in the path his *avior trod. Ior many years his life has been hid with Christ in /od. In Him he has lived and moved and had his bein#. Cow he is makin# his last step on the shore of time" he passes out of our si#ht throu#h the #ates into that land where toils are ended and the sun never sets. 1ut his life was the life of -esus. He was holy as /od is holy" he walked as -esus walked. (his is how to live. (his is the true way of life and the only way to life eternal. He who does not live with Christ on earth !an not live with him in heaven and he who does not live as -esus lived does not live as he should. (he life of Christ was the perfe!t life. Ours is perfe!t to the de#ree that we imitate him. (ake my life O Christ divine :ake it holy .ust like thine" Every a!t and thou#ht and word 1e an outflow from my /od. /uide my feet and keep my heart" Let me not from thee depart" Let me breathe thy warmin# love (hat my soul be drawn above.
12
3raw me -esus !loser draw" (hy stron# arm around me throw" 3raw me to thy pier!ed side" In thy bosom let me hide. (ea!h me all thy will and word (hat my life be filled with /od" (ea!h me Lamb of Calvary How to live this life for thee.
HOW TO LIVE THE CHRIST!LIFE.

:an !an not naturally live the Christ2life. 1ut Christ has promised to !ome into our hearts and live in us. In order that we may have Christ dwell in our hearts and that we may live his life there must be a #ivin# up of our self2life. (here must be annihilation of self that Christ may live. It is truly wonderful and as #lorious as it is wonderful that man !an live the life of Christ in this world. 1ut here is the se!ret= it is man !easin# to live the self2life and Christ livin# in him. Ima#ine a hollow brass fi#ure in the e<a!t ima#e of a man. *uppose you fill this hollow fi#ure with a kind of life whi!h we shall !all self2life. (his life #oes to usin# the hands and feet and eyes ears ton#ue in short all the members of this brass fi#ure but usin# them in the interest of itself. Cow you desire to make a !han#e" you want that ima#e to speak a!t and think only for you. 5ou must first put to death the life that is usin# the fi#ure !leanse it entirely out and then #et into it yourself.
10
On!e in you !an use all the members of that ima#e for yourself. 5our body is that ima#e. (here was a life in you that used all the members of your body in the interest of self. 1ut there has been a !han#e. 5ou were made a new !reature. (he life you on!e had was put to death6was !ru!ified" then Christ stepped into your heart and now he uses all the members of your body for himself. 5ou still live yet not you but Christ lives in you. On!e you did thin#s for yourself" now you do them for Christ. -ust as you on!e lived purposely and intentionally for yourself now you do thin#s purposely and intentionally for -esus be!ause it is he that lives and not you yourself. 5ou remember how on!e you would plan for yourself. In the evenin# as you lay upon your bed and a#ain in the mornin# and throu#hout the day you would think about what you were #oin# to eat or drink what you were #oin# to have for !lothin# where you were #oin# to live where you were #oin# to #o and what you were #oin# to do. 1ut now you are !han#ed" you are a new !reature. Cow it is not you that lives but Christ lives in you. Cow you eat not for yourself but for -esus. 5ou now #o not where self would lead you but where that life in you loves to #o and would have you #o. 5ou do thin#s not for yourself but for -esus. O Christ I die that thou mayst live (hat thou mayst live in me" (hat all I think or speak or do :ay be O Lord for thee. :ay not the least of self remain 1ut all be put to death. Oh may I nothin# do for self Cor draw one selfish breath8 (o have my *avior live in me (o o!!upy the whole
14
(o make my heart his royal throne And take !omplete !ontrol6 A(is all I ask" Atis all I wish" A(is all my heart&s desire Content if but a wayside bush (o hold /od&s holy fire. Low at thy feet O Christ I fall A yielded lump of !lay Ior thee to mold me as thou wilt (o have thy own sweet way.
THE "I"LE WAY.

If the 1ible had not been #iven us we should not always know the way that -esus walked. 1ut he has #iven us his $ord. (he way of the 1ible is the way of Christ and is therefore the true path of life. O pil#rim to the heavenly kin#dom the $ord of /od will be a lamp unto thy feet and a li#ht unto thy way. It will li#hten you home. (here will never be a day so dark but the beams of li#ht from the blessed 1ible will pier!e throu#h the darkness and fall with a bri#ht radian!e upon your pathway. If sometimes you !an not see .ust where -esus stepped take the pre!ious 1ook of /od and it will be a lamp to show you the way he trod. One wintry mornin# a father went a lon# distan!e throu#h the deep snow to feed his sheep. A few hours later a little boy was sent to !all his father home. (he !hild was !arefully steppin# in the footprints before him but soon a dark !loud arose and the blindin# snow2storm so dimmed his eye that he fre'uently stepped aside. In the beautiful !lear li#ht of
17
the 1ible we !an see all the way that -esus trod. If we will walk a!!ordin# to the 1ible we shall walk as -esus walked and not show a double tra!k. :ake the blessed $ord of /od your #uide if you would walk ari#ht the path of life and be happy.+And often for your !omfort you will read the /uide and Chart= It has wisdom for the mind and sweet sola!e for the heart" It will serve you as a mentor" it will #uide you sure and strai#ht All the time that you will .ourney be the endin# soon or late., A(he *!riptures are #iven by inspiration of /od and are profitable for do!trine for reproof for !orre!tion for instru!tion in ri#hteousness that the man of /od may be perfe!t& 2 (im. 0=19. If by faith we re!eive into our hearts the instru!tion in ri#hteousness as #iven by the *!riptures it will make us perfe!t in this life. O reader if you would know how to live study the 1ible. It points out the way !learly and plainly. Let its truths in all their power rea!h to the depth of thy heart. Let thy soul sei)e upon the 1ible and drink its stren#th and sweetness as the bee sips the sweetness from the flower. As the animal eats the plant and by assimilation !onverts it into animal life so eat the 1ook of /od and !onvert it into human life. It is the food of an#els. 1ut rather than its bein# the 1ible !onverted into human life it is human life transformed into the purity of the 1ible. (here are #reat depths to the 1ible. (he simplest te<t !ontains depths to whi!h we !an ever be des!endin#. (hey who would live a perfe!t life must set the life of Christ before them as portrayed by the Holy *!riptures. 5ou !an not
19
see mu!h of this perfe!t life by a passin# #lan!e. It is he who looks into the perfe!t law of liberty and !ontinues to look that will see the perfe!t life whi!h it pi!tures. (he artist must look lon# at the lands!ape and #et it ima#ed upon his soul before he !an produ!e it upon the !anvas. (he 1ible des!ription of the life of Christ must fill your soul with admiration and with a stron# desire to possess it. 5our heart must lay hold upon it until that life is fo!used and printed upon your own soul. It is like the art of photo#raphin#. (he ob.e!t must be set before the heart. (he 1ible is the li#ht that shines the ima#e of Christ upon the soul. Ior the pure in heart to develop into hi#her spiritual life they must #ain su!h an admiration for the beauty of Christ that they will lon# to possess him in #reater fulness. (he pleadin# of the heart will be +Lord let thy beauty be upon us., (heir souls will follow hard after his perfe!tions. In no other way will the soul unfold and develop into the hi#her Christian life. He who has not learned how to #row in #ra!e has not yet learned how to live. (o live life in the best possible manner is to be makin# !onstant pro#ress. Oh let us #ive this world our best life8 $hen we are nearin# the end of the way and life&s sun is sinkin# low if on lookin# ba!k we !an see nothin# but a life spent in the servi!e of /od walkin# in the li#ht of his $ord this will afford us untold satisfa!tion. O blessed $ord of eternal life (he lamp to #uide the way (hrou#h this weary world of sin and strife (o heaven&s perfe!t day8
1;
THE HEAVENLY WAY.

(here is a heaven. (here is a pla!e of rest and happiness. I have not #one to heaven but heaven has !ome to me" therefore I know there is a heaven. :any who have eaten oran#es have never been in a land where oran#es #row but these persons know there must be su!h a land be!ause they have tasted its fruit. Likewise I know there is a heaven be!ause I daily taste its .oy. Cot only is there a heaven but there is a way to heaven. All !an #o who will. Heaven is a holy pla!e and the way to heaven is a holy way. A prophet of /od said +An hi#hway shall be there and a way and it shall be !alled the way of holiness., (he Christian dwells in a heavenly pla!e. (he writer to the saints at Ephesus says +He hath raised us up to#ether and made us sit to#ether in heavenly pla!es., (o live in a heavenly pla!e we must live a heavenly life. (hose who do not live a heavenly life on earth will never live in heaven. (he heavenly life is the only life worth livin#. It is the only life that ends in heaven. (he way of holiness is the way of happiness. Holy and happy is the true and ri#ht life of man. (his one brief life of ours should be !onstant holiness and happiness. $ithout these life is not as it should be. It is our privile#e in Christ to walk the path of life in perfe!t pea!e and .oy and in perfe!t holiness. *u!h a life will flow out into an eternity of .oys unspeakable. $ait thou on /od O soul of mine8 Listen to know his will" Li#ht will !ome from the #olden throne If thou O soul be still. If thou wouldst sail on tran'uil sea
1>
$ait thou on /od my soul. *peak a!t and think alone in him" *weet rest shall be thy #oal. If thou wouldst have life&s way to be Gerdant as the #rowin# sod (ake ea!h step Aneath the #uidin# eye Jeep in !lose tou!h with /od. *weet heavenly life8 sweet happy life8 (hy .oys in!rease ea!h day. O soul of mine press up and on (his hi#h and holy way.
#EEPING THE CO
AND ENTS.
/od&s $ord is pure. Heaven itself and the #reat white throne is no more pure than the $ord of /od. (hat life may be pure it must be in sweet harmony with the blessed 1ible. A life that is lived in obedien!e to the 1ible is as pure as the 1ible. *u!h a life is pure enou#h for heaven. (he writer of Fevelation bein# in the *pirit saw +a pure river of water of life !lear as !rystal pro!eedin# out of the throne of /od and of the Lamb., (his pure stream was the wonderful word of life. It was as pure as its sour!e whi!h was the throne of /od. (he life throu#h whi!h this pure stream flows will be as pure as the throne. One of the Hsalm2writers said +(he words of the Lord are pure words= as silver tried in a furna!e of earth purified seven times., +(hy word is pure" therefore thy servant loveth it., (he writer of Hroverbs says +Every word of /od is pure., $hen the veil is drawn aside and our souls are brou#ht fa!e to fa!e with
1D
the purity of the 1ible then we understand that a 1ible life is the best purest noblest and holiest life that !an be lived upon the earth. O soul of mine unveil thine eye Look upward to thy /od A wreath of purity to see Crownin# his every word. In the followin# words we have the sum of all true and ri#ht livin#= +Let us hear the !on!lusion of the whole matter= fear /od and keep his !ommandments" for this is the whole duty of man., E!!l. 12=10. (his te<t as rendered in the *eptua#int version brin#s out !learer the true si#nifi!ation= +Hear the end of the matter the sum. Iear /od and keep his !ommandments= for this is the whole man., :an is not entire he is not !omplete as ori#inally intended when not keepin# all the !ommands of /od. *omethin# is la!kin# in the life that is not in full obedien!e to every word of /od. (he 1ible speaks of a beautiful !ity in that bri#ht !elestial world. It is a !ity of pure #old !lear as #lass. Its walls are of .asper" its twelve foundations are #arnished with all manner of pre!ious stones" its twelve #ates are #ates of pearl" its streets are pure #old. In that fair !ity there is no sin no pain no si!kness" sorrow and trouble never !ome there" a tear shall never fall from any eye for no tears are there. (here is no death in that wonderful !ity so fair. In the midst of the street stands the tree of life. Oh who does not desire to dwell forever and forever in that !ity of love and li#ht when the pains and sorrows the trials and tears of this weary life are over% Listen while I read to you in a!!ents !lear distin!t and unmistakable6
2E
+1lessed are they that do his !ommandments that they may have ri#ht to the tree of life and may enter in throu#h the #ates into the !ity., Fev. 22=14. O traveler to eternity your entran!e into the beautiful #lorious !ity of /od depends upon your !ondu!t respe!tin# the !ommandments of /od while you are makin# the .ourney a!ross the turbulent sea of life. Jeepin# the !ommandments of /od is man&s whole duty. If he does his whole duty throu#h life he will !ome up out of the dark valley and shadow of death and find the #ates of pearl unfoldin#. $ho will not !leave to the !ommandments of /od% $ho will not obey his voi!e and walk daily in his holy ways% (he obedient will be rewarded by an unfadin# inheritan!e in that eternal !ity of #old. (here is a beautiful mansion in the #reat house of /od for every obedient soul. Oh how blessed8 I am thinkin# of heaven toni#ht Of the mansion prepared there for me $here -esus my *avior now dwells And where I am lon#in# to be. $ill not heaven be well worth a life of obedien!e to the $ord of /od thou#h obedien!e !alls us throu#h storms of perse!utions furna!es of trials o!eans of tribulations and years of toil and sufferin#% (o :oses the reproa!hes of Christ were #reater treasures than the ri!hes of E#ypt +for he had respe!t unto the re!ompense of the reward., *it 'uiet for a moment and by a stron# eye of faith look away into heaven and see that bri#ht mansion prepared for you. *ee those .asper walls those pearly #ates and those #olden walks. *ee the !rown of life the harp of /od and the li#ht of the Lamb. *hall we not bear the trials of life a little lon#er in patien!e% *hall we not be wat!hful to walk in /od&s ways and obey him that this ri!h inheritan!e
21
may be ours forever% :ethinks I !an hear a reply !omin# from the depths of many a sin!ere trustin# heart6 +5es I will live in humble obedien!e to /od on earth that I may be with him forever in that !elestial !ity of li#ht., /od bless you8 1eyond the shores of time and the kin#doms of this world is a kin#dom !alled the kin#dom of heaven. It is the pla!e where /od has his #reat white throne around whi!h the an#els play upon their #olden harps and shout +1lessin# and honor and #lory and praise and mi#ht be unto /od forever and ever., It is around this throne that those who have passed throu#h the tribulations and the tryin# s!enes of this lower world and burst throu#h the #ates of death are sin#in# redemption&s sweet son#. $ho does not desire to .oin that happy heavenly thron# and wave those palms and wear those white robes and sin# those sweet son#s over beyond the shadowy vale of death% I seem to hear many voi!es sayin# +I hope to be amon# that blood2 washed thron#., Let me tell you in all tenderness and love but very plainly that the reali)ation of your hope depends entirely upon how you live while here in this world. Oh how mu!h in that #reat and awful future is dependin# upon our manner of life in this time2world8 Let us learn to live well to be our best every day. $e may dream of a home in heaven" we may entertain hopes of seein# -esus and of inheritin# a mansion on the shores of eternal bliss" we may ima#ine ourselves walkin# throu#h the bloomin# fields of paradise and sittin# beneath the tree of life" but our dreams our hopes and our ima#inations will never be reali)ed unless we !arefully keep the !ommandments of /od. :ore than a profession is ne!essary" obedien!e is the only door into the kin#dom of /od. -esus said +Cot every one that sayeth
22
unto me Lord Lord shall enter the kin#dom of heaven" but he that doeth the will of my Iather whi!h is in heaven., Kntil our faith pier!es throu#h and beholds the beauties and the realities of /od so we !an say from the very depths of the soul +I deli#ht to do thy will O /od., and +:y meat and my drink is to do the will of Him that sent me , we have not fully entered the true and ri#ht pathway of life. Jeepin# the !ommands of /od is the whole man and the whole of a perfe!t life.
$"E DOERS OF THE WORD.%

I want to remind you a#ain that the mission of this little volume is to tea!h you how to live. (he life beyond depends on the life here. Let me emphasi)e what I have repeatedly said before= to live as we should we must live by every word of /od. (o live by every word of /od is not only to hear it but also to do it. $e have learned that in order to enter the !ity of /od and eat of the tree of life we must LiMdoLNiM his !ommandments and also that it is not +every one that sayeth Lord Lord that shall enter the kin#dom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Iather whi!h is in heaven., Cow I will read you a te<t from the Epistle of -ames +1ut be ye doers of the word and not hearers only de!eivin# your own selves., $e are livin# in a !areless a#e. (he $ord of /od is bein# treated with ne#le!t. :any are hearin# it but alas8 how few are doin# it8 In this way people de!eive themselves. (hey think they are on their way to heaven when they are not. (he only way to heaven is by doin# the !ommandments. (o illustrate this I will refer you to a few te<ts. +If thine enemy hun#er feed him., Fom. 12=2E. +$hosoever shall smite thee on thy ri#ht !heek turn to him the other also., :att. 7=0D. +And
20
as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise., Luke 9=01. If it !omes most natural for us to live a!!ordin# to these te<ts we !an be#in to !on!lude that our hearts are ri#ht with /od. However we must have a heart that does not rebel a#ainst any te<t in the 1ible. $e are e<horted earnestly by the apostle Heter to make our +!allin# and ele!tion sure., (he only way to do so is to live to every word of /od. Oh my dear reader those sweet hopes you have had of rea!hin# heaven and of seein# -esus and those dear loved ones who have #one before you to that other side will never be reali)ed by you unless you be a dili#ent doer of the $ord of /od. I feel like warnin# you a#ainst all !arelessness and ne#le!t and to keep yourself in the love of /od. *ee that your heart and life reads ea!h day as the 1ible reads and you will then have an unshaken foundation for your faith and hope. If you would know how to live and make the best of life read the 1ible mu!h and !onform your life to its tea!hin#.
WHO ARE THE WISE&

$ho is a foolish man% It is a man who hears the sayin#s of -esus and fails to do them. He is likened to a man who was foolish enou#h to build his house upon the sand. (his man would better not have built at all for the !ost of buildin# was lost. He !ould have had the money for his use and en.oyment if he had not wasted it in buildin# a house on the sand. A foolish man indeed8 $ho is a wise man% It is the man who hears the sayin#s of -esus and does them. He is likened to a man who built his house upon a ro!k. Irom a temporal standpoint nothin# else is so !ondu!ive to man&s happiness as a #ood home. Co better use !an be made of money than to spend it in the buildin#
24
of a home provided the house be built upon a sure foundation. A man who hears /od&s $ord and does it is likened to su!h a man. (o build up a Christian !hara!ter in obedien!e to the 1ible is the #reatest wisdom. (hat is buildin# a mansion in heaven. A real true Christian e<perien!e and life !ost somethin# but they pay be!ause they will stand. A mere profession of Christianity may !ost somethin# also but it does not pay sin!e it will not stand. A man who ere!ts his house upon the sand !an build at less !ost than he who di#s deep and lays his foundation upon the ro!k but at the very time when the former man most needs his house6when the winds blow and the rain falls6 that is when it is destroyed. On the other hand the man who builds upon a ro!k has a house to shelter him throu#h the storms. Likewise he who builds up a Christian e<perien!e in obedien!e to the $ord of /od will have somethin# to serve him in a time of need. $e thus learn from -esus& parable of the wise and the foolish house 2builders that obeyin# the 1ible is the true way of life.
#EEPING THE CO
AND ENTS A TEST OF LOVE.
$e are !ommanded to love /od. It is the first and #reatest !ommandment. Love is more than an emotion" it is an a!t of the will. A mother loves her !hild !onstantly thou#h she may not always e<perien!e the emotions of love. Her !are for her !hild is a proof of her love. $e may not always e<perien!e a feelin# of love toward /od but we !an always love him. Our love is measured not by our emotions but by our obedien!e6 our servi!e. $e labor for those we love and the love makes the
27
labor li#ht. It is not an irksome thin# to obey /od when we love him. It is possible to make a profession of love to /od and not really love him. It may be that many are de!eived at this point. One s!ripture says +If any man love /od the same is known of him., -esus says +$hy !all ye me Lord Lord and do not the thin#s whi!h I say%, Love is somethin# more than mere words. It is useless to make a profession of love to -esus and not do what he says. A husband !an not !onvin!e his wife of his love by a mere profession of love but he !an !onvin!e her by his a!ts. $e are to love not in word and ton#ue only but also in deed and in truth. A#ain -esus says +If a man love me he will keep my words., Here is an unfailin# test of love. If you will not obey /od he knows you do not love him no matter how mu!h you may profess to love him. *o a#ain we are reminded by the Holy 1ible that in order to spend this brief life of ours as we should we must keep the !ommandments of /od. Co other life will find a!!eptan!e with /od. Co other life will please him. He desires your love most !ertainly but he wants su!h love as will prompt you to obey him. 3o not measure your Christian e<perien!e by your feelin#s but measure it by your obedien!e as pro!eedin# from an internal prin!iple. $hen you find somethin# in your heart that !auses you to obey /od no matter how you feel you have #ood reason to hope that you are a Christian. In subse'uent !hapters I will tell you somethin# of what /od&s $ord tea!hes but first of all I desire to fully !onvin!e you and to help you to feel that the ri#ht and true way of life is in obedien!e to its tea!hin#.
29
To Read More You can Download the Full Collection
Click Here
The Christianity eBook Collection This Collection Includes 36 eBooks
The Holy Bible, A Treatise on Good Works, A Comparative View of Religions, Con erning Christian !iberty, "avid# $ive %ermons, &viden es of Christianity, Hereti s, How To Be ome !ike Christ, How to !ive a Holy !ife, 'oy And (ower, !eaves )f !ife $or "aily *nspiration, !essons *n Tr+th, !ittle $olded Hands, ,en, Women, and God, ,other %tories $rom The -ew Testament, )rthodo.y, )+r !ady %aint ,ary, %hort %tories )ld and -ew, %pirit+al !ife And The Word )f God, The &.isten e of God, The Good -ews of God, The Good %hepherd, The Holy War, The ,ira les )f )+r !ord, The (ra ti e of the (resen e of God the Best R+le of a Holy !ife, The (rophet, The %pirit )f Christmas, The Tea hing )f 'es+s, The Way )f (ea e, The Wonder Book )f Bible %tories, The Words of 'es+s, &aston/s Bible "i tionary0
*f yo+ like this eBook, wo+ld yo+ share it with yo+r friends1 '+st li k here to share it with $a ebook and here to share it with Twitter www0libripass0 om
2;

How To Live A Holy Life by Charles Ebert Orr

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

How To Live A Holy Life by Charles Ebert Orr

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

How to Live a Holy Life