The New Life by Andrew

Andrew Murray on The New Life: Words of God for Young Disciples Text
blessing was wonderful. From that time, I have read the Bible through a hundred times in order, and at
every time with increasing joy. Whenever I start a fresh with it, it appears to me as a new book. I
cannot express how great the blessing is of faithful, daily, regular searching of the Bible. The day is
lost for me, on which I have used no rounded time for enjoying the word of God. 'Friends sometimes
say: I have so much to do, that I can find no time for regular Bible study. I believe that there are few
that have to work harder than I have. Yet it remains a rule with me never to begin my work until I
have had real sweet fellowship with God. After that I give myself heartily to the business of the day,
that is, to God's work, with only intervals of some minutes of prayer.'
LII. THE LORD THE PERFECTER
'I will cry unto God most High; unto God that performeth all things for me.' -- Ps. 57:2
'The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.' -- Ps. 138:8 'Being confident of this very thing, that
He which began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.' -- Phil. 1:6 'For of
Him, and through Him, and unto Him are all things. To Him be the glory for ever and ever.' -- Rom.
11:36
We read that David was once dispirited by unbelief, and said: 'I shall one day perish by the hand of
Saul.' So even the Christian may indeed fear that he shall one day perish. This is because he looks
upon himself and what is in him, and does not set his trust wholly upon God. It is because he does not
yet know God as the Perfecter. He does not yet know what is meant by His name being: 'I am the
Alpha and the Omega: the Beginning and the End: the First and the Last.' If I really believe in God as
the beginning out of whom all is, then must I also trust Him as the continuation by whom, as also the
End to whom, all is.
God is the beginning: 'He who began a good work in you:' 'Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen
you.' It is God's free choice, from before the foundation of the world, that we have to thank that we
became believers, and have the new life. (John 15:16; Rom. 8:29,30; Eph. 1:4,11)
Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go
and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you.
Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he
also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will
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