“And I went in the heat of my spirit.”

Ezekiel 3:14

“My heart was hot within me;
while I was musing the fire burned.
Then spake I with my tongue….”

Psalm 39:3

“But His word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,
and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

Jeremiah 20:9

have found that inward tone and temper of spirit is much more precious than the condition of the outside weather.  A sensitive spirit is a heritage indeed, if only it is sensitive to spiritual things.  But woe to that soul whose nature is at the call of every outside annoyance.  What an easy time Satan has in keeping such in hot water!  If untoward environment meets inward distractions, and tumult of feelings, and unsettled disputes between right and wrong in the home of conscience, peace does not come to rest.  On the other hand, if outside disturbances find at the front door of entrance the blessed quiet that the peace of God brings, the battle is all but won.  Satan flees at the sight of real inward joy and present consciousness of the applied atoning blood.  The peace of a fully saved soul abiding in the light furnishes Satan no ground of entrance.  The “way in the way” ¹ has no ground upon which Satan can place his feet for any advantage.  It is rather in the midst of tumult and inward commotion, when the very floodtide is in by reason of outward commotion and storm-beat, that the tempter seeks occasion to come in on some unsuspected and unrecognized driftwood. [continue reading…]

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:26-27 kjv

his passage points out some important items for the daily needs of life’s journey.  All travelers in the King’s Country are furnished with a most excellent tourist’s guide.  Attention to the truths in the above-mentioned verses would save from much needless mistake, regret, blunder, and falling, it may be.  God would have us all real students.  He expects us to read and think for ourselves.  He arranges place and time for us to sit in His library and feast on its treasures, and learn for ourselves the wonders of His kingdom that now is, and that which is to come.  He wants us to look into His textbooks, to walk with Him amid the beauties and glories of the natural world.  The seas are His [Psalm 95:5], the stars in heaven are His.  The secrets of air and ether ² are His.  The generative forces of nature are all His.  We are His children.  He made this world for us.  The world of mind and spirit are His.  They are a step nearer Himself than the material universe.  It is more to find, see, and understand God in the hidden spheres of spiritual life, than in the world of material things. [continue reading…]

Resting in Past Achievements

common cause of delay and hindrance is the constitutional trait of wanting to stop and tent in good places we are brought into.  There must be a coming time for crown wearing, and coronation days, but it is after the work is done, and the call has been made “Come up higher.” ¹  Now is our field of battle.  The watchword is “Go work today in My vineyard” (Matthew 21:28ff).  “Over there” we may have our harvest home, and sit down in quiet by the side of the river of life and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. ² [continue reading…]

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols,
even as ye were led.”

1 Corinthians 12:1,2

There is a difference between a “natural” gift and a “spiritual” gift.

Natural Gifts

1. A “natural” gift is born with the individual, and thus is “natural” to him, or part of his nature.  It is included in his ordainment and the constitution of his individual spirit, and causes him to differ from all other indivi­dualities.  It is a gift from God in the same way that sight or speech or hearing is; but as such it is a gift of ordainment in his creation, and not an added endowment coming later in life.  Natural gifts are cotempora­neous with the creation of each individual spirit.  All natural gifts are essential to each personality, and are therefore involuntary, so far as man is concerned, and never subject to his choice as is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
2. The term “natural” as applied and as used in the New Testament may also mean all that comes by creation, including the perishable, and all material life; or, it can mean man’s material life, as distinct from his “immortal” life.  It is that “natural man” of which Paul speaks, which does not know the things of the Spirit. ¹
3. A “natural gift” may become a spiritual gift, or appear as such, when the natural gift is freely given up to God and becomes filled with the Holy Ghost.  Natural eloquence seems thus changed under the ministration of the Spirit.  David’s poetical and musical talents, under the higher inspiration of the Holy Ghost, became a spiritual blessing for all ages and times.  Paul’s logical mind, and his sharp psychological and philosophical discriminations under the Spirit’s power, made him a blessing to the end of the world.
4. A “spiritual gift” is that which pertains to things spiritual rather than that which is natural.  It is something added or manifested later than any natural gift.  It is a gracious enablement of the individual to do that which by way of his natural gifts he was unable to accomplish.  It is a gift, not in a general sense, but as a real secondary bestowment coming “from above.”  Before this enablement of the man, he could accomplish many natural things, he could understand moral things, he could become strong in the realm of reason; but he was unable either to understand or accomplish anything in the spiritual realm.  That is the “spiritual” properly so called, or as Paul unfolds and uses the word in this epistle, where he associates the spiritual in man with the Spirit of God.

[continue reading…]

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.”

Luke 12:27

Preliminary

anctification is a very common word in both the Old and the New Testaments.  It is also a subject treated more or less in all complete systems of theology.  In nearly all catechisms the question is asked, “What is sanctification?” and some answer is given.  It is a libel on the intelligence of the evangelical Christendom of the age to deny knowledge of the doctrine and faith in it.  The fact is, all Christians believe in it, only they have their way about receiving it.  Indeed, after all, the question is not about the truth of the doctrine, but about the obtainment of the grace.  Nobody wants other than a holy heaven; for this reason all men want some way of being made holy, though naturally few at first prefer God’s way. [continue reading…]

There are many problems that come up every day in the ordinary affairs of life, but the great problems are the soul problems.  These deal directly with character and destiny.  In this book some of these, in a natural, familiar way, are taken up and discussed for the benefit of the common reader.  Longer and more philosophic papers might with this class of readers lose their interest.  Briefer articles might not sufficiently carry the information.  A book of a different character might teach you how to make more money.  The writer of these pages would rather help you to build more stately soul-mansions.  Every soul has its Tarshish ships and its St. Bernard passes. ¹  The sidelights of those who have been over the road may help the reader in finding his way.  With the hope that such will be the case with every reader of these pages, this little book is committed to the great book-reading world, wherever it may go.  It is the hope of the writer that sometime in the Sweet By and By, both writer and reader shall meet and find joy and blessing in former acquaintance, though it be only by way of a book.  Till then, goodbye.

ISAIAH REID
Des Moines, Iowa 1904 [continue reading…]

Rachel weeping for her children
and would not be comforted because they are not.

Matthew 2:18

“Now he is dead, wherefore should I fast?
Can I bring him back again?
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

2 Samuel 12:23

And Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David.

1 Samuel 18:20

And she [Michal] despised him [David] in her heart.

2 Samuel 6:16

And Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, took sackcloth and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

2 Samuel 21:10

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,
than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Proverbs 15:17

“What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.”

John 13:7

“The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away;
blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job 1:21

ou have probably found places in your life’s journey that you could not get over.  Things happened, as we say, that seemed bitter as death, and yet the cup would not pass, and you had to drink it; and yet having drained it to the dregs, its bitterness did not pass away from your lips, nor the old sweetness come back to your fond heart.  There was a grave in the actual cemetery and another in your deepest love.  [continue reading…]

by
Rev. Isaiah Reid

Copyright © 2007¹

“This flower trumpet also tells of transformed life.”²

Daffodil days are here again. There are season days that come but once a year. Especially are these marked in springtime and autumn. Such days are peculiarly illustrated. The finest designs and engravings are put in Nature’s Almanac during these weeks. They may vary some at times, but are as regular in their marking of the seasons as the stars. We can mark months and years by God’s floral designs. The Daffodils and Easter are almost synchronous. This year they came two days before Easter. Though not first in the list of blooms, yet they lift their trumpets as if to proclaim the special gladness of the hour. They seem born to announce something special. Other flowers have their story, but what came these to announce? Nothing but the best things, for they are so pure and so royally adorned in the richest of gold, surrounded by their white perianth lifted high above their linear leaves of green. Out of the black mold,³ into rich green, then a corolla of white out of which is lifted the golden trumpet. And, as if this were not enough, fragrance is added, as if this trumpet was both an instrument of announcement and a censer waving in a temple service, dispensing incense with every passing whisper of the winds. [continue reading…]

Living by Dying Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone,·but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.

John 12:24

That which you sow is not quickened except it dies.

1 Corinthians 15:36

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.

Colossians 3:5

If you mortify the deeds of the body you shall live.

Romans 8:13

If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.

2 Timothy 2:11

If your eye offends you, pluck it out and cast it from you.

Matthew 5:29

o have life through death seems like a strange paradox.  Thinking of making spiritual advance by what reasonably appears to be extinguishment of the very life we want enlarged is a way we would never choose of ourselves.  And yet there is a real sense in which “to die is gain,” (Philippians 1:21) in the line of spiritual progress. [continue reading…]

He gave them their request; but sent leanness unto their souls.
Psalm 106:15

And he found a ship going to Tarshish.
Jonah 1:3

he Lord evidently permitted these uncertain, backsliding Israelites to do certain things He did not endorse.  When we will go our way and will not go His way, the Lord often makes our wrath, or disobedience, to praise Him, ¹ by making our own way result in such defeat and disaster that it brings us to see where we are.  Leanness or defeat of soul is the medicine that we find brings us to see where we are and what we are. [continue reading…]

Editor’s Note: This was originally a two-part article which appeared in a series of Isaiah Reid’s titled “The Real Happening Series.” ¹  Even as far back as 1901 (the year these “Founding” articles were written), the history of the early years of the Iowa Holiness Association (IHA) was beginning to fade away.  What Reid wished to keep alive for his beloved IHA, we reintroduce here as the organization prepares to hold another of its annual, week-long camp meetings to promote the cause of holiness and heart purity.

t was the early spring of 1879.  There was no Holiness Association in Iowa.  At least three National camp-meetings had been held in the state. ²  These awakened great interest, and the work was followed up by a pastor here and there who was in the experience.  Outside of the Methodist Church there was throughout the whole state a great ignorance of the doctrine, and much speaking against such an experience.  And yet beginning specially with these great National camp-meetings, there were hundreds of hungry hearts wanting to find such a blessing, but not knowing how. [continue reading…]

 Life Through Death As dying, and behold we live.
2 Corinthians 6:9

s we gain life by being brought by divine power “from death unto life,” ¹ so we retain and enlarge life by continuing the process of passing from death unto life.  We must not fall to thinking that we can die of ourselves, or do the execution ourselves, for we cannot.  “To kill and make alive” belongs to God. ²  But it is ours to recognize the fact that life is by the way of death, and to submit to God.  Nor must we fall to inventing methods of capital punishment and torture for ourselves, like the old Ascetics, or invent crosses, and flagellations and penances.  The true “death route” is God’s appointment, and not the plan we may fix up for ourselves. [continue reading…]

“How oft would I have gathered thy children.”
Matthew 23:37

And he would not go in.
Luke 15:28

Neglect not the gift that is in thee.
1 Timothy 4:14

he other day I saw one of my schoolboy comrades.  Nearly a generation has passed since we last met.  He did not know me, nor would I have known him had I not gone to see him, and was told before we met that it was he.  Among other things he said, and it seemed to press him heavily: “Do you remember a talk we had in the harvest field one time just before you went away to begin your studies, and you tried to persuade me to go also, and I thought I did not need to?  And here I am now, and have only been a poor clodhopper ever since.  It was the mistake of my life.” [continue reading…]