“No” to the World, “Yes” to God

We who are converted to God are the Lord’s! We belong to Him! Come what may, we are His for time and eternity! When you are rooted and grounded in that, you can face a great deal that you naturally would shrink from. The word richly dwelling in your heart gives you courage beyond what you have naturally. I heard of two dear Christian lads converted in the country, who went to work in a large city, and both got into the same lodging. They had to occupy the same bedroom, and neither the one nor the other had said that he belonged to the Saviour. The question arose in the mind of each, Was the other going to kneel down? but the other was saying within himself, “I wish he would.” Neither had courage to do it; and so they went on, taking as long as possible to get their clothes off. At last one did kneel down. Down went the other at once, and when he got up he went and put his arms round his friend. He said, “I am so glad you did that.” Those two young men, by that simple act, were saved from perhaps living prayerless lives. You remember the story of Daniel who was carried off captive to Babylon by the military power of that day; he said, “There are two things I am in for. I am going to say ‘NO’ to the world, and I am going to PRAY to God.” Begin there! Get some moral backbone into you, and when the world comes along in various forms, and appeals to you, let that little word “No” be given to it. “No” to the world, but “Yes” to God. Daniel prospered above all the scholars and learned men, and knew things that the others did not. Not only was he instructed in the times then present, but he was able to look far ahead and to prophesy the destruction of the kingdoms of this world, and the appearing and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.