Our Greatest Need Ron Spear - The Eternal Gospel Church

134 OUR GREATEST NEEDment-keeping people are to stand constantly in readiness forservice. They are to receive increased grace and power, andincreased knowledge of the Holy Spirit’s working. But manyare not ready to receive the precious gifts of the Spirit whichGod is waiting to bestow on them. They are not reachinghigher and still higher for power from above that through thegifts bestowed, they may be recognized as God’s peculiarpeople, zealous of good works. . . .Would we not now have much greater light if, in thepast, we had received the Lord’s admonitions, acknowledgedHis presence, and turned away from all practicescontrary to His will? Had we done this, the light of heavenwould have shone into the soul-temple, enabling us to comprehendthe truth and to love God supremely and ourneighbors as ourselves. Oh, how greatly Christ is dishonoredby those who, professing to be Christians, disgracethe name they bear by failing to make their lives correspondto their profession. Ibid., 247–248.Because of our stubborn persistence in choosing our own ways ofliving and working for Christ contrary to His counsels to us, God saysthat He will choose our delusions:One who sees beneath the surface, who reads the heartsof all men, says of those who have had great light: “They arenot afflicted and astonished because of their moral and spiritualcondition.” Yea, they have chosen their own ways, andtheir soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choosetheir delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; becausewhen I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did nothear: but they did evil before Mine eyes, and chose that inwhich I delighted not.” “God shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a lie,” because they receivednot the love of the truth, that they might be saved,” “but hadpleasure in unrighteousness.” Isaiah 66:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians2:11, 10, 12. Ibid., 249.What stronger delusion could come upon us than that our pretenseof obeying the Lord, when in reality we are following the ways of theworld, is acceptable to Him and is being blessed by Him: