“Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” Proverbs 3:17
As you know, most people spend their lives in the pursuit of pleasure. As Solomon of old they search the world in their hunt for happiness, without ever finding it. Only the wise man who honors God finds what he has been looking for. He could have had what he sought at anytime had he but turned to the Creator rather than searching all of creation. A.W. Pink said it well in the following—-
“The Satan-deceived world imagines that godliness is a thing of gloom — rather than of gladness; that it is something which the saints endure — rather than enjoy. On the contrary, holiness is happiness!
It is neither the mirth of the fool, nor the giddy gaiety of the thoughtless — but a ‘peace which passeth all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7), and a heart-satisfaction not to be found elsewhere! So far from piety robbing us of freedom, it conducts into true liberty — delivering from the bondage of sin. Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
God has established an inseparable connection between holiness — and happiness; between our pleasing Him — and our enjoyment of His providential smile.
Worldly mirth is at best evanescent — but the delights of holiness are eternal.
Only the One Who made us — can truly content us!”

“ALL at it — and ALWAYS at it!”

This was what John Wesley endeavored to impress upon all his followers — and this is what we would like to see impressed upon the mind of every Christian. We have much to do — and we have little time to do it in. We had need therefore, to be up and at it!

If ignorance is to be chased away,
if gospel knowledge is to be circulated,
if souls are to be saved,
if children are to be taught,
if churches are to grow,
if villages, towns, and cities are to be evangelized
— then we had need be ALL at it — and ALWAYS at it!

This is just . . .
what the times call for,
what the Gospel inculcates,
what Satan dreads,
what the carnal world dislikes —
therefore let us be “all at it — and always at it.”

Let everyone undertake that part of the work for which he is most adapted — and persevere in that which he commences.

How many there are who profess Christ — who are doing nothing!
How many may easily do twice as much as they currently do.
Is it surprising . . .
that the church is in such a poor spiritual state,
that Popery spreads,
that ignorance prevails,
that congregations are thin,
that little is accomplished,
that ministers are dispirited, and
that mature Christians are going home to sigh?
No! It is not at all surprising! The wonder is, that things are not worse!

Self-denial is rarely practiced,
the flesh is indulged,
the world is loved,
the earthly is preferred to the spiritual — and the present to the future.

Let us all go at it, and let us be always at it — until we hear the Master’s voice calling unto us and saying, “Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of your Lord!”

But if we . . .
neglect duty,
despise warning,
love ease,
court pleasure,
hunt for honor,
use our Lord’s money selfishly,
and settle down upon our lees —
we shall by and bye see the day, when we will wish we had been ALL at it — and ALWAYS at it! —
James Smith, 1864

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” – Matthew 16:24

While salvation is free being a disciple of Christ will cost you everything. To follow Him we must be willing to deny self so as to please Him. And the demands of discipleship never change. It is the same today as it was when the apostles walked the earth. It is a willingness to walk with the Lord by forsaking all to follow Him. Nothing less will do. Adrian Rogers explained it like this:

“Do you want to be filled with Spirit of God? Do you really? Are you willing to forsake self? God is not going to superimpose His mighty, dynamic power on your old self-life.

Some people think denying themselves is doing without certain kinds of food, going without sleep, or doing without certain pleasures. They think maybe if they go live in a monastery they’ll be denying themselves.

But Jesus didn’t say deny yourself things. It‘s not denying yourself things; it’s denying yourself. Simon Peter forsook his nets early on, but it was a long time before Simon Peter forsook Simon Peter.

Are you ready now to take Self off the throne and enthrone Jesus there instead? Are you ready to say, “None of me and all of Thee”?”

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,…”–Matthew 6:19-20

The famous missionary and martyr, Jim Elliot, was called a fool by many for going to Ecuador. “They’ll kill you there!” some told him. “You’ll lose your life!” Well, Jim Elliot did lose his life when he was killed by members of the very tribe he was trying to reach. His wife, Elisabeth, kept his journal in which he once wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Elisabeth Elliot returned to that same tribe where she spent years doing her mission work. All the while, she held to that same truth that when we give up our worldly possessions for the sake of the Gospel to gain eternal treasure in Christ, it makes perfect sense!

In our part of the world, people are obsessed with accumulating stuff. Next time you’re out driving, just count the number of storage places you see—all existing for the sole purpose of keeping things no one is using.

I’m not telling you to sell everything you have and move to Timbuktu. But how might your attitude change if you saw your worldly possessions as secondary to your heavenly treasures? Stuff can’t make you happy, but heavenly treasures will give you everlasting joy.

EXPERIENCE EVERLASTING JOY BY KEEPING YOUR HEAVENLY TREASURES – YOUR WORK FOR CHRIST – AS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY!— Jack Graham