Walk worthy!

Then comes the activity, the growing acquaintance with God, "increasing in [or rather, by] the knowledge of God." The full joy of heaven is the knowledge of God. If I am going after the world, will this be increasing by the knowledge of God? It tests what I like. Do you like to be away from God, and do your own will sometimes? But He says, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Psalm 40. Do you delight to do it? Oh, what a thought it is, that in this dark world God has perfectly revealed Himself in Christ; nay more, that lie dwells in us! "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." 1 John 4:15
. There is God by His Spirit.

Now mark how this works. "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power." I shall find plenty of difficulties in the way, and temptations of all kinds-possibly death, as has often been the case in some countries- but I am strengthened with all might. There is the strength. I have been brought into close relationship with God, and there I get this power. Unto what? "Unto all patience." This sounds like a poor thing, but you will find it is just what tries you. "Let patiencehave her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Jas. 1:4
. And again, "The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience." 2 Cor. 12:12
. Are you always patient? do you not need divine power for it? I may want setting right in the
Church of God, or in the Lord's work, or in a thousand things; but I must have patience. I must wait on God. Supposing my will is not at work, there comes meekness and gentleness. I can take things gently and meekly and quietly with others; and, then he adds, if that is the case, my life is in full display before God, and there is the enjoyment of God. I enter into all this blessedness, and am not merely "made meet," but "giving thanks," because I am in the positive and blessed enjoyment of all. When I am walking in patience of heart and longsuffering, my soul is with God. I get the blessed enjoyment of what He is, and I grow by the knowledge of Him; "Unto every one which hath shall be given." If I am honest, I say, I do not know what His will is-perhaps there is something in myself that I have not yet detected. Here I have all these exercises; but it is in the sense of the divine favor resting on me with consciousness of my being a child of God. The more a child is with his father, and delights in him, of course the better he will grow up, understanding what his father likes. It is so with us before God.