learn
that holy self-denial in which consists so much of the life of obedience.
Make no provision for the flesh; give no recognition to your lower life.
Say "No" to everything earthly and selfish. How very much of the life of
faith consists in simply denying ourselves.

We begin with one great "Yes," to God, and then we conclude with an
eternal "No," to ourselves, the world, the flesh and the devil.

If you look at the ten commandments of the Decalogue, you will find that
nearly every one of them is a "Thou shalt not." If you read the thirteenth
chapter of First Corinthians, with its beautiful picture of love, you will
find that most of the characteristics of love are in the negative, what
love "does not, thinks not, says not, is not." And so you will find that
the largest part of the life of consecration is really saying, "No."

I am not my own,
I belong to Him.
I am His alone,
I belong to Him.

OCTOBER 20.

"Let us not be weary in well-doing" (Gal. vi. 9).

If Paul could only know the consolation and hope that he has ministered to
the countless generations who have marched along the pathway from the
cross to the Kingdom above, he would be willing to go through a thousand
lives and a thousand deaths such as he endured for the blessing that has
followed since his noble head rolled in the dust by the Ostian gate of
Rome.

And if the least of us could only anticipate the eternal issues that will
probably spring from the humblest services of faith, we should only count
our sacrifices and labors unspeakable heritages of honor and opportunity,
and would cease to speak of trials and sacrifices made for God.

The smallest grain of faith is a deathless and incorruptible germ, which
will yet plant the heavens and cover the earth with harvests of
imperishable glory. Lift up your head, beloved, the horizon is wider than
the little circle that you can see. We are living, we are suffering, we
are laboring, we are trusting, for the ages yet to come!

OCTOBER 21.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. viii. 35).

And then comes the triumphant answer, after all the possible obstacles and
enemies have been mentioned one by one, "Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors, through Him that loved us." Our trials will be
turned to helps; our enemies will be taken prisoners and made to fight our
battles. Like the weights on yonder clock, which keep it going, our very
difficul