I understand
this correctly Christ taught here the alarming doctrine that the desire
for honor among men made belief impossible. Is this sin at the root of
religious unbelief? Could it be that those "intellectual difficulties"
which men blame for their inability to believe are but smoke screens to
conceal the real cause that lies behind them? Was it this greedy desire
for honor from man that made men into Pharisees and Pharisees into
Deicides? Is this the secret back of religious self-righteousness and
empty worship? I believe it may be. The whole course of the life is
upset by failure to put God where He belongs. We exalt ourselves instead
of God and the curse follows.

In our desire after God let us keep always in mind that God also hath
desire, and His desire is toward the sons of men, and more particularly
toward those sons of men who will make the once-for-all decision to
exalt Him over all. Such as these are precious to God above all
treasures of earth or sea. In them God finds a theater where He can
display His exceeding kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. With them God
can walk unhindered, toward them He can act like the God He is.

In speaking thus I have one fear; it is that I may convince the mind
before God can win the heart. For this God-above-all position is one not
easy to take. The mind may approve it while not having the consent of
the will to put it into effect. While the imagination races ahead to
honor God, the will may lag behind and the man never guess how divided
his heart is. The whole man must make the decision before the heart can
know any real satisfaction. God wants us all, and He will not rest till
He gets us all. No part of the man will do.

Let us pray over this in detail, throwing ourselves at God's feet and
meaning everything we say. No one who prays thus in sincerity need wait
long for tokens of divine acceptance. God will unveil His glory before
His servant's eyes, and He will place all His treasures at the disposal
of such a one, for He knows that His honor is safe in such consecrated
hands.

_O God, be Thou exalted over my possessions. Nothing of earth's
treasures shall seem dear unto me if only Thou art glorified in my life.
Be Thou exalted over my friendships. I am determined that Thou shalt be
above all, though I must stand deserted and alone in the midst of the
earth. Be Thou exalted above my comforts. Though it mean the loss of
bodily comforts and the carrying of heavy cros