February 114, 1938 — Bellingham WA 

We praise Thee, tonight, dear Lord God, that Thou didst really repare the way. We cannot fully understand how salvation could dome to use, but Thou didst find the way. Thou didst send the great and mighty Saviour and it is by His Name, we enter They presence tonight.

 In His name we open this precious Bible and ask that Thou shale give us His Words of life. O, speak Thou tonight, because we want to listen, we want to obey; grant that the same love which ahs shown us the way may be shown the unsaved, that hey, too, may find peace in Jesus and by accepting and believing His Gospel may they enter into the kingdom through the gate of repentance. For the glory of His Name we ask it. Amen.

In my hand I hold a little green book, on the front cover of which are these words: “Traffic Ordinance, 4576.” It tells us just which vehicles have the right of way, and just what rules must be obeyed, and tells us about the traffic laws for the city of Bellingham. I don’t even need to read it to you, for most of you have copies. But have you ever thought of how the Lord sends out His vehicles and they should have the right of way?

The Lord has many vehicles to carry on His work. We read in Jeremiah of how the prophet was badly discouraged because the people; have no heed to his message and very much disheartened because they made fun of him, and this is what he said: “I will not make mention of him” — he was speaking of the Lord — “not speak any more in his name.” And then, what happened to that prophet? He himself records it: “But his word was in mind heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,” he says, “and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” And the Lord blessed the word he spoke because he no longer made objections or excuses.

Oh, I wish that God would set sirens calling, and whistles blowing and arrest people — not to put them into jail, but o bring them to repentance! Some people think it is a sign of weakness to put up a cry to the Lord for help; yet these same people would not hesitate to call for an ambulance in the event of an accident. It is certainly much better to enter an ambulance and get saved, than to stay outside and die.

In this booklet we read about lights, turns — right and left hand turns — ambulances, firewagons, and also about city repair vehicles. I don’t doubt but that these are good rules, and that in obeying them the city has a good system of traffic control. But, for all that. I know the Lord could make Bellingham a whole lot better than it is at present if only its citizens would pay a little attention to God’s rules.

If we hinder God from working we cannot get His blessing. He must have the right of way, full sway, in our lives. Back in history we see that the people who accomplished something for His glory were those who were “crucified with Christ,” whose old selfish nature was mortified, and who had “the life also of Jesus” manifest in their mortal flesh.

And that brings to mind what is said in John 7:17 — that if you want to do God’s will He will show you His will. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” If you want to obey the laws of this city, get this little green book and read about them. You will learn what you should do and what you should not do. Similarly, if you want to do God’s will, get the dear old Book we call the Bible and read what He wants you to do! Oh, the Lord must have His right of way, and He will make that way plain as He has promised: “If any man will to do his will, he shall now of the doctrine.”

If you are to succeed in doing His will, your heart must be in what you do, for we read we must serve Him “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” That is the only place from which we can do God’s will — from the heart; and if you are going to do God’s will you will have to ask Him to speak to your heart by the power of His Holy Spirit; then you must put forth the effort needed, to fulfill His will, according to the revelation He has given you. By hesitating to do this many lose all the joy of Christian living. The right of way! god must have it, if He is to do anything with your life in this present world.

Once, in the history of the race, God had the right of way and the result was that everything was very beautiful. But it was not for long; for Satan, who was God’s enemy before the day of creation, was careful to interfere, to come to the Garden of Eden with his lies. He told Adam and Eve they would become wise and mighty as gods, if only the would disobey God. “Thou shalt not die,” he assured them; so, even though the Lord had told them differently, Adam and Eve thought that the Serpent was right.

They did not do as the Lord told them, but believed Satan’s lies instead, and were turned out from the Garden. Today Satan is still whispering, “God hath not said,” and if we do not “will to do His will,” if we are not giving Him complete right of way in our lives, we shall be giving Satan the right of way, and doing Satan’s will.

In the eighth chapter of Romans we read — “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So that they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

To be spiritually minded! That is a very high standard! Some people, standing on tip-toe, even, can barely reach it. But we do not have to stand on tip-toe, we do not have to struggle and fret and try. The Holy Spirit will come into our lives and help us, if we so desire.

Satan came to Eden and the hearts of our first parents were turned against God. The earth was no longer the happy place it had been when all was in God’s will, but seemed to turn to chaos and confusion. God did not want it to be this way but Adam and Eve had made it so; thus they were separated from Him, by a great gulf.

God is a great God of purity and holiness, the Creator of heaven and earth by the Word of His power, and an infinite God whose ways our finite minds cannot grasp. Adam and Eve had gone away from Him when they opened their minds to what Satan had said, when he told them they “Should be as gods.” In other words, man wanted the right of way and when he got it he found that the whole way before him was congested because God had planned the way and the mind of man was not adapted to running the universe, or even to the management of his own little part if it.

The hand of God has to be back of it all and when man took the right of way all was confusion. That is why, when the race makes progress in one way it is liable to retard in another — to gain ground in science and commerce and education and to lose out religiously.

Yes, something happened two thousand years ago, that just seemed to change everything! God promised His son should redeem all mankind. He opened a new way, and while the old way was filled with sin and sorrow and darkness, love cam in, and

“Love found a way to redeem my soul,
Love found a way that could make me whole;
Love found a way to the cross of shame,
Love found a way — O praise his Holy Name.”

Indeed, our hearts are filled with praises because He opened up a new way of which we read in the tenth chapter of Hebrews: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.”

Christ died for us, and in giving His life in human flesh for our redemption, He opened the way of salvation, and through it, to eternal life. The only way by which we are able to come into the very presence of God, today, is by the atonement Jews made for us through His death.

Man needed a  guide, one to show him the way, and that is why, when he had the right of way, everything was confusion. He had certain laws, certain ritual which appealed to his mind but his heart was not touched. But when Jesus came He didn’t appeal to the mind alone, or to the carnal side of man, but to the heart and spiritual side of him. He died for us, gave His life for us, and when He rose again on the third day, from the dead, conquered Satan.

“He is dead — see, I have stopped the beating of His heart,” said Satan. Yet, on the third morning the grave opened, and Jesus stood there, alive! And where were the boasts of Satan and his hosts?

If, today, you mention that Jesus died for our salvation, the devil will try to prove that He didn’t for he is against the message of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus conquered him. “Forasmuch then as the children are partaker of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage.”

“Jesus isn’t real, salvation isn’t real,” he still tires to tell people. It is through his slaves — poor, unregenerate sinners — that Satan still tries to say, “Don’t believe the Bible. Don’t believe that salvation is real.” That is why he is so enraged at the thought of someone serving Jesus when that one has found the Way. he has lost one of his prisoners! His hold has been loosened on a soul!

Yet, when Jesus comes into the heart of any who have found Him, He brings with Him such joy that immediately all Satan’s lies and threatenings are powerless. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Yet to maintain that freedom the newly-converted must let Jesus have the right of way in their individual lives; they must let Him speak through their actions, their words, their every task and every pleasure.

By this means, which operates unconsciously because it springs from a heart-experience, they are able to win others, and those who are thus won to bring still others until the numbers swell and Christ is “Lord of all.”

Only today I was thinking of a story, which was in our second readers at school. I believe it was a conversation carried on by the sun and wind, a dispute over which could make a certain man first take off his coat. The man walked down the road, all unsuspecting. The wind said he could accomplish the feat more quickly than the sun. “I can make him take it off the more quickly,” said the sun.

So the wind began to blow. It blew and blew and as it grew colder the man drew coat the more closely. All the while the sun was smiling the wind was puffing out his cheeks to the full and sending fierce blasts of chilling cold towards the waking man; but he just turned up his collar, buttoned his coat snugly, and said, “This is certainly a windy day.”

When the wind gave up the task the sun began to shine and glow. All was still along the road. Presently, it grew warm , so warm that it was no longer comfortable for the man to keep his coat on — so off came the coat!

Why was the wind defeated if it were not because he took a “cold” and negative position in compelling the man to do his will?

Satan is the taskmaster Jesus talked about. Even after a person is converted the devil tries to compel him to do as he says. “I will get the right of way in your life,” he says to the Christian. And what happens? The Christian just buttons up his coat that much tighter, and trusts the Lord to take care of him, because the Sun of Righteousness has the right of way! The love of Jesus, like the warm health-giving ray of the sun, floods down upon us and our cloak of prejudices and selfish plans come off!

Jesus has won the heart of the world through love, and He not only persuaded man to do His will but gave him the desire of heart to do His will. “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.” (Prov. 16:1) He blesses us so, and in such abundance — the precious Rose of Sharon is not sparing in fragrance and beauty — we cannot find it in our hearts to do anything else but adore and obey.

This is God’s plan. Man was lost and undone; his heart was hardened; he was unhappy because he had not found reality and wondered if there were a Great Sovereign Will ruling the world? Then Jesus came and died and showed His great power by rising again, sending out His followers that they might preach and tell the people of His death, of His power to save, and his power to keep those who would follow Him and say, “Not my will but Thine be done. “In the experience of tens of thousands He has found what He can do, when given the right of way. That is to say, without preamble or reservation, we do exactly what the Lord tells us to do — no more and no less!

It is so simple. We have only to believe, to repent of our sins, to love Him and Serve Him with all our hearts. Believing ins the chief factor in our being saved, and obedience the chief factor in our being kept saved. We believe that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”” that is the past tense of believing. We also believe, “He is the rewarded of them that diligently seek Him,” and that is the present tense. He rewards me now. That is active faith. To believe in the past tense, and in the present, so to give Christ the right of way, both in the mind (accepting the fact of His death) and in the heart (accepting salvation as a free gift). We know that “as many as received him, to them gave he over to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” To receive Christ is to receive His Word and by that His will. Thus we have power to live the life of a real Christian.

“I delight to do thy will, O my God,” the Psalmist said. If David were still alive I am sure that, after all these centuries, he would repeat his words. There is not a thing that God plans for our lives that is not to our joy or profit. We cannot understand, even though we look back on all the ages that are gone, all this plan means; but God understands. He has been working it out, day by day, age by age. What a happy day it will be when we can stand before Him and know that His plan was carried out throughout our earthly life; that, by the accepting of His free grace, we have measure up to His expectation of us; that, because we have been “kept on the love of God,” we have never disappointed Him!

One of the greatest men God ever enlisted in His service was a man who had to learn, by virtue of humiliation and defeat, the meaning of the will of God. He was a popular rabbit. His following being great, and his will being strong, he did just about whatever he set his mind and hands to do. He had tremendous influence, because he believed with all his heart what he believed, and did what he did with all his strength. He did not believe in Christianity. Christians — and most of them were the poor and the untutored — were fanatics and dangerous to the ancient Jewish faith. Whoso was the enemy of these heretics would be a friend of God. To rid the world of these people was to do a deed of goodness immeasurable.

On his way, with orders to put the Christians to death, this man, Sul of tarsus, met another Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Saul was humiliated, smitten to the earth by the blinding light of the Divine Presence. Even his men who were with him marvelled, for “hearing a voice they saw no man.”

“Who are thou, Lord? Saul asked in fear and apprehension. “Who is the cause of all this? My purposes are destroyed, the strong conviction I have entertained topples and falls, my will wavers, Who are thou, Lord?” Back came the answer, given with all the charm known to those who had heard the matchless voice by Galilee: “I am Jesus.”

That settled it: Jesus had won! In that moment Saul repented, and his wilfulness and presumption vanished. He had taken for granted that God’s will was his own, but now he discovered that Jesus was the guide, that He alone could clearly indicate the will of God. After all, Jesus had said, “I come not to destroy the law but to fulfil.” Thus Saul was not needed to defend the ancient law: rather was he needed to strengthen the fulfilment of the law which completed and glorified it.

Here is the record of Saul’s absolute surrender: “Lord, what will thou have me to do?” That was acknowledging Jesus Lord — giving Him the right of way. It has been rightly said, that “a man is a fool who sill wants to take charge of his life after he had discovered a great God.”

Saul may have been wilful, proud and presumptuous, but he was no fool. He acknowledged Jesus and Lord. HE asked only to be allowed to do His will. He was told to go to Damascus where “it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.”

Thus he began to walk by faith. Blinded because of the light that had smitten him to the earth, he had to be led into the city. Through the city gates he passed into an entirely new life, a life so utterly different from the old that his entire will was submerged into the will of God, through Christ. He was no longer Saul of the old will and way but Paul of the new; no longer a persecutor but an Apostle.

Through suffering, sacrifice, strenuous journeyings, constant ministering ot the needy; bearing his cross, declaring his Gospel, serving his Christ, he went on; never faltering, never failing; “True to the heavenly vision,” he counted all things loss that he might win Christ.” He won the favour and blessing of Christ because he lost his own wilfulness and selfishness.

It was best for Paul that he let God have “right of way,” and it is best for you. Do the wise thing, the thing which, after an eternity is past, you will still be glad that you did.

Let God take charge. You don’t even need to see the blue print He has made for your life. “The just shall live by faith.” Do that which you feel to be the will of God for you today, and tomorrow, the way will be even brighter, for, “the path of the just is as shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” The paramount question is: Have you found the path? Are you on the way? If you hold nothing back, offer no excuse, yield wholly and utterly to Christ you can confidently answer “Yes!” 

 Source: Why I am a Preacher: A Plain Answer to an Oft-Repeated Question, by Uldine Utley (NY: Fleming H. Revell), pp. 106-119.