The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-08
Copyright, 1908. BY ]. NJ. Edson.)

! Another thing to remember is that
the doors which God sets open up to
the soul n new sense of the power
of God. Paul could not have so
cheerfully and bravely talked of the
many adversaries which awaited him
in his work at Ephesus if he had, not
had new consciousness that the
| power of God was the strong arm
by which he was to overcome them.
Joshua as he stood on the threshold
of the promised land met the captain
of the host of the Lord face to face.
Then he was ready to march against
his adversaries in the city of Jericho
and destroy them. 1t may be that
when Joshua went out of the camp
of Israel to r%econnoiter about the
city of the enemy he was trusting a
good deal in Joshua's ability and
bravery to overcome the city. Ger
tain it is that when he lifted up his
eyes and looked toward the city and
saw a man of war with drawn sword
equipped for battle he was not quick
to recognize him as the Lords sol
der, and was forced to inquire: Art
thou for us, or for our adversaries?"
And when he found that it was the
captain of the host of the Lord, it
was no longer Joshua erect facing
Gods open door of service, and con
fident in his own strength, but
Joshua PROSTATE asking: What
saith my Lord unto His servant?"
| The doors XUhnra +hprn nnn,n NO
vision CT God and no thrilling sense
of His power are either doors which
He has not set, or doors before
which the soul must wait until the
vision and the power have come as
equipment for safe entering and
successful achievement.
DIFFICULTIES in theway, ethereal
~ or imaginary, are rather an indica-
ton of an open door than otherwise.
Paul says "a great door and effectual"
had opened up before him. but the way
was beset by many adversaries. This
is nearly always so in the Lords serv-
ice. The "woe unto you was spoken
by Christ to the Christian who was
travelling the path of least resistance
so as to win the favor and well-speak-
ing of men. But the faithful servant
who entered the Lords doors was as
sured that persecution and trial would
be constantly met with; that many adj
versaries would test the faith and pa
thence of the Christian, as well as the
wisdom and power of God. Paul's open
door brought him face to face with
much opposition, many difficulties and
trials. But he was ready to face them
all because he went armed with the
power of God. He did not fight as one
beating the air, but as one certain of
ultimate victory. William Carey saw
the open door in India of which God
gave him a vision, and he entered only
to face adversaries of opposition on
every hand. But he did not turn back
to his cobbler's bench in England and
to his preaching there because of the
difficulties in his way. All the adveT-
saries combining to hinder the spread
of the Gospel but convinced him that
the open door of opportunity which
God had set lay before him in India.
and not behind over the easier life of
Christian service in England. Difficult
ties seemingly insurmountable could
not hide from the vision of Judson the
open door which God had set for him in
Burma. The a~dversaries but served as
pace makers to force him more swiftly
to the goal of Gods purposes. 'Adver-
saries here" is generally the sign which
God posts over His open doors. 1t is
not reason for encouragement. 1t is
not excuse for turning back. 1t is one
of the marks of Identification of Gods
open doors and it serves as a strong in
centive for entering.
THE doors of opportunity then which
God sets may not be discovered in
the direction of human plans and de-
sires, but rather from the direction of
Gods unexpected providences; they
may be known by the vision which one
obtains of God and His power, and by
side of the open doors. The degree of
ones power to perceive the open door
is measured by his degree of consecra-
ton and submission to Gods will. The
extent of ones a~daptability to enter
the door and accomplish the work
there waiting to be done depends upon
the equipment which the soul has OBJ
tanned from study of Gods Word. and
Gods methods of operation, and from
close communion with Him. The en-.
ergy which will signalize the work is
dependent upon the amount of the
power of God which is felt in the inner
life. The engine will not give out
more power than the pressure of the
steam puts into it. The Christian will
not be able to give out more energy
than he receives from God. The infll-
ing from God means the outgiving for
God. The doors "great and effectual''
which God sets must be entered by dis
ciples who are great and effectual
through the 'power that worketh" in
them as a result of the indwelIine
Christ.
THE u~nperceived door is a sad con.
dition. a most unfortunate circum-
stance; but the perceived door unoccu-
pied is a sadder condition, a more I'M
fortunate circumstance. Who can
measure the loss it would have been to
Ephesus, to Asia and the whole of the
world to the present day if Paul had
failed to see the door which God had
set for him? or If, having seen that
door. he had persisted in his first plans,
of passing through Macedonia and Wis