ace

'_Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus._' (Philippians iv. 6, 7.)

Before the full bearing and value of these verses can be realized, I
think they require to be read several times over. Even if the sentences
are read through slowly, just as they stand, a deep sense of blessing
and rest steals into the soul; but the more deeply they are considered,
the richer will the words be found. It would be almost correct for me
to call this a New Testament commentary on Isaiah's beautiful verse,
'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee,
because he trusteth in Thee', for the ideas and their relation are very
similar.

If we look at the various phases of this message, we shall see that
they are very important. They imply, first, a perfect surrender or
committal of oneself to God, based on a perfect trust; second, open
access to God; freedom of intercourse; telling Him all about things
which try and burden and distress us. We have also perfect peace; that
is, quietness of spirit, rest of soul, deliverance from inward
conflict, consequent upon God's keeping power through Jesus Christ.
Read carefully this Apostolic message, and observe not only the
different sections, but how they are connected, and how, in their
completeness, they express a most desirable spiritual experience.

Included or connected with Full Salvation are certain blessings to
which we generally refer, such as perfect love and purity, also that
peace to which the Apostle here alludes, as well as a deep, settled
faith in the saving purposes and power of God. But we do not always see
that we may equally include deliverance from that undue anxiety which
we call worry; and yet these verses certainly prescribe a cure for
worry as well as other evils, and it may be helpful for us to look at
that aspect of truth.

Many are tempted to regard this as an ideal condition, something to
long for, and perhaps to aim at; whereas if the teaching of Paul
here--in fact, of the Bible generally--is not a delusion, this is
intended to be a realized experience; and I remind any who say that
Salvation from worry is too high for us, that they have said just the
same when we have talked about a clean heart, and Salvation from sin
and sinning.

A thoughtful