MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS:
THE first month of this year, 1904, has now come, and soon its moments, hours and days will pass away.
Now where, my little readers, does this first month of the new year find you? I dare say you have made up your minds to be a better boy or girl this year than you were last, and you have not, so far, succeeded, have you? And do you know why you have not? I will tell you. Your heart is so thoroughly bad all through that you can get nothing that is good out of it.
A friend of mine was standing with me, some time ago, under an apple tree in his garden, and he had in his hand an apple, which looked as though just a little piece of it was rotten and the rest good, for it had quite rosy cheeks, but when my friend began to cut the rotten part away, he found that it was bad all the way through—bad to the core—and he had to throw it all away, for he could not eat any part of it. That apple is just like a poor sinner’s heart—it is bad all the way through, and no part of it is good, and nothing good can come out of it.
If you turn to Romans 7:1818For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (Romans 7:18), you can see what the Apostle Paul could say, “I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing ;” and in Matthew 15:1919For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:19), the Lord Jesus tells us what comes out of the heart is all bad—there is not one thing which is good, and He knew quite well what our hearts were like, for He is God and knows everything.
Now God does not tell us to try to make ourselves better, but to come just as we are— “sinners,” “without strength” unable to save ourselves—for “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us,” and “when we were yet without strength Christ died for the ungodly.”
Yes, the holy God knew that we had no goodness to give Him—that we were poor lost sinners. But though He knew all this and more about us, yet He loved us and showed His love by giving His own dear Son to die for us. And Jesus did all there was to do—He died for sinners—and now is risen again; and God sends a message to you that whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission, or forgiveness of sins. (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43).)
But this first month of the year finds some of you happy, rejoicing believers, seeking now to live and shine for the Lord Jesus, and may God richly bless you dear ones, and make you blessings in your homes and school! Seek to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, and for the glory of God. It is for this that we have been left here in this world, out of which the Son of God was cast, that we may live for Him who died for us, and seek to let our light shine before men, so that they may glorify our Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:1616Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16).)
ML 01/03/1904