Clarion Links
Home
Webmaster


The Clarion Herald
"....AS I HAVE LOVED YOU"

    Jesus told His disciples that He had loved them with the same love that the Father had manifested toward Him. Following His example, they must, therefore, love each other with that same quality of love. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another", (Jn. 13:35).
    If we truly manifest the sort of love that was in God toward His Son and in Christ toward us, then the world will surely acknowledge that our Christianity is REAL -- and from above. That this might be our experience was the burden of Jesus' prayer in John 17:21. He prayed "That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."
    When Jesus came the world was loveless. Greeks and Romans, Jews and heathen despised each other. The idea of self-sacrifice was a strange concept. And when the heathen actually saw people from various nations and races bound together in mutual love they were utterly amazed. They said: "Behold, now these people LOVE one another!" They knew that such a marvelous

thing was rooted in divine power.
    It is feared that little love of this quality is being manifest in the Lord's people today. Far too often we are content to settle for a "feeling of brotherhood". Heavenly love is utterly ABSENT. Thus, we fail to bear one another's burdens -- violating the LAW OF CHRIST!
    "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you, that ye also LOVE ONE ANOTHER!" (Jn. 13:34; 15:12). We should earnestly desire that the very love of God might be "spread abroad in our hearts" in such a way that we may love our brethren as our Lord has loved us. If we truly abide in His love, divine grace will make such a love possible toward others.
    Nor will our love stop there. It will reach out, like the love of Jesus, in an effort to rescue those who are perishing in sin. Jesus was willing to die that sinners -- lost and undone, might be delivered from bondage to sin, self, Satan & the perishing world. Having rescued us, He sends us forth to rescue the perishing. Are we being faithful to our high calling and commission?
    "As I have loved you"; how does your love compare? Is it REAL?



Page - 2
The Clarion Herald The Clarion Herald

THE PRAYER OF A SOUL-LOVING HEART

Oh, give me, Lord, Thy love for
        souls,
    For lost and wand'ring sheep,
That I may see the multitudes
    And weep as Thou didst weep.

Help me to see the tragic plight
    Of souls far off in sin;
Help me to love, to pray, and go
    To bring the wand'ring in.

From off the altar of Thy heart
    Take thou some flaming coals,
Then touch my life & give me, Lord,
    A heart that's hot for souls.

O Fire of Love, 0 Flame Divine,
    Make Thine abode in me;
Burn in my heart, burn evermore,
    Till I burn out for Thee.
-- Eugene M. Harrison
    The heart of every child of God ought to yearn for the salvation of others; our lives he committed to reaching them FOR JESUS' SAKE.

THANKSGIVING FELLOWSHIP MEETING

    Brethren throughout the country have come to expect Landmark Church to entertain a Fellowship Meeting over the Thanksgiving holiday, and we are delighted that they have so faithfully responded to our invitation in the past. Once again, we invite YOU to make plans to share with us in a time of remembrance, thanksgiving, praise, prayer and worship.
    We will plan to have all day services on November 22 -- continuing until noon on the 23rd. So, mark this date on your calendar and start NOW making plans to be with us. Details of the meeting will be given later. -- Eugene Garner

OFF TO CALIFORNIA

    On the date this issue of the CLARION HERALD is published your editor will be flying to Sacramento California to begin a meeting with Pastor S. E. Ford and the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. A Fellowship Meeting is being entertained by Bethel (daytime) during this same period.
    Following this (Sept. 5-9) it will be my pleasure to work with Pastor Jim Burks and his brethren at Salinas. This will be my first (preaching) visit to California; I look forward to it with a great deal of eagerness -- expecting the Lord to bless.
    Bro. Bob Melancen will conduct the services at Landmark in my absence. Pray for both of us as we endeavor to hold high the banner of the cross. -- Your Pastor



THE GOSPEL MINISTRY

    II. THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A GOSPEL MINISTER are clearly set forth in I Timothy 3:l-8 and Titus 1:6-9. But there are also many passages scattered throughout the Word that are relevant to this subject.
    1. His life must be pure & clean -- as he holds faith in a pure conscience, (I Tim. 3:9).
    2. He must be patient -- thereby in all things approving himself as the minister of God. He must learn to "wait on the Lord" -- the Lord's time, direction and help. He must also learn to instruct WITH MEEKNESS, even those who oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
    3. He must be humble. The apostle Paul set an example in this matter - serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears. He was constrained by the "love of Christ".
    4. He must be unselfish -- scrupulously avoiding the temptation to compromise his own soul, and those of his flock, for temporal gain, (2 Cor. 12:14-15; I Thes. 2:6-13). And he must be absolutely HONEST; it is required of a steward that he be found FAITHFUL.
    5. He must be affectionate, both in dealing with his own family and with the church.
    6. He must have a call from God -- one that is recognized and seconded by a New Testament Church. There IS a divine order for entrance into the Gospel Ministry. Unless one enters through the DOOR into

Page - 3
the sheepfold, he identifies himself as a "thief & robber". Elders are ordained IN the church, BY the church, and FOR the ministry the church. No man should presumptuously take this honor upon himself; he must await the call of God.
    7. One's ministry must be looked upon as something RECEIVED, (I Cor. 4:1). It is a royal ambassadorship, which must not be received in vain. Paul declares: "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as God did beseech you by us: we pray you IN CHRIST'S STEAD, be ye reconciled to God .... We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain .. Giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed", (2 Cor. 5:20; 6:1).

    III. THE DUTIES OF A GOSPEL MINISTER. "For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, WOE IS ME, if I preach not the Gospel!" The Gospel Minister:
    1. Must be diligent in study, (comparing spiritual things with spiritual); he must be diligent in his prayer life, and in his preaching of the unsearchable riches of Christ.
    2. He must edify the saints -- feeding God's sheep (even the stunted ones); strengthening the brethren. To such as faithfully perform this task there is the promise that when the Chief Shepherd shall appear they shall receive a crown of glory that will never fade.
    3. He must boldly hold forth the



Page - 4
Word of Life -- declaring the whole counsel of God. Our Lord and Master Himself has commanded: "What ye hear in darkness that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell", (Matt. 10:27-28. Also see Acts 4:18-19, 23-31; 5:26-32; Eph. 6:19).
(To be continued)
It's FINE TODAY

Sure, this world is full of trouble
    I ain't said it ain't,
Me, I've had enough and double
    Reason for complaint;
Rain & storm have come to fret me,
    Skies are often gray;
Thorns & brambles have beset me
    On the road -- but say,
        ain't it FINE today?

What 's the use of always weepin'
    Making trouble last?
What's the use of always keepin'
    Thinkin' of the past?
Each must have his tribulation -
    Water with his wine;
Life, it ain't no celebration,
    Trouble? -- I've had mine --
        But TODAY IS FINE!

It's today that I am livin'
    Not a month ago.
Havin'; Losin'; takin'; givin';
    As God wills it so,
Yesterday a cloud of sorrow
    Fell across the way;
It may rain again tomorrow,
    It may rain -- but, say,
        Ain't it FINE TODAY?
-- Douglas Malloch
    "THIS is the day the Lord hath made; let us therein rejoice and be glad!" Moment by moment He faithfully supplies our need as we trust in Him.
    Why can we not learn to trust Him at all times? and in all sorts of circumstances? He is faithful, able, trustworthy; and beside all this, HE LOVES AND CARES FOR US! He will never fail His own!
ISN'T THIS A WONDERFUL DAY?