What Shall We Have?

A new idea of respecting the nature of the kingdom offer was reaching the Apostles, and Peter, the spokesman for them, called attention to the fact that although they were not wealthy they had forsaken all that they did possess to become the Lord's followers, and therefore he desired an assurance as to the nature of their entrance into the kingdom. Our Lord's reply was surely amply satisfying to His dear followers; He assured them that there is no man that "hath left either house (home), or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands" for His sake and the Gospel's sake, but would receive again an hundred‑fold now in this time, and ultimately in the world to come, eternal life. There was encouragement in this to the Apostles, and there is encouragement also to all who are the Lord's people today. If we could only have this thought well in mind continually, how we would vie with one another in our endeavours to spend and be spent in the service of so gracious a Master and in so glorious a mission and with so grand prospects and rewards.

Our Lord's words being true, it is very evident that some who receive little of the Lord in this present life and who have but faint prospects respecting a share in the Kingdom in the future have themselves to blame. They should ask themselves, "What have I sacrificed? What have I left for the Lord's sake, for the brethren's sake, for the Father's sake?" The stipulations are specific, hence those who have nothing to sacrifice can have no reward. But, who has nothing to sacrifice? We know of none so poor that he could not sacrifice something, and the poorer we are the more diligently should we strive to find something to render unto the Lord our God.

In this connection we are to remember that the thing which the Lord most appreciates and the thing which is most difficult for us to sacrifice is self. Hence we read, "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." (Psa.51: 17.) If we have given our hearts to the Lord we have given Him all that we possess, and He will see to it that this shall cost us enough to test the loyalty and sincerity of our sacrifice; and as we see the test coming day by day, we are not to be intimidated, but to remember that the Lord has promised that greater is He who is on our part than all they that be against us, and again, that His grace is sufficient for every time of need. Hence, as trials and difficulties, pain and sorrow and persecutions or slanders shall come upon us, we are to rejoice and be exceeding glad, first that these indications of our being in the hand of the Lord as pupils in the school of Christ are evidences that we are of the elect who are being shaped and polished, fitted and prepared for places in the Kingdom; and secondly, we are to remember that all those trials and difficulties rightly met, loyally responded to, are working out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We are, therefore, to take the spoiling of our goods with patience, with joy, knowing that in Heaven we have enduring riches, enduring friendships, enduring knowledge and blessings of every kind.

But even in this present life, however much the Lord grants us to enjoy, our enjoyment will be proportionate to our loyalty of spirit in sacrificing. If we love much, and are prompt and liberal in our sacrificing, we will in turn be loved much by the Lord, be blessed and comforted, as He has stipulated, an hundred‑fold more than all our distresses. Who are these who have an hundred‑fold more than they give to the Lord? Who are these whose joys are more than an hundred‑fold greater than their sorrows, trials and difficulties, pains and disappointments? They are the elect of God, whom Jesus is not ashamed to call His brethren.

TH