ithout influence over them, without great learning, without
wealth, but you can not be happy without God. Give man all of this world
that he desires, multiply around him the gratifications of sense and the
pleasures of thought, and if God is not his joy and refuge the day is
not far distant when he will feel as did the poor prodigal in a far
country feeding upon husks in nakedness and want; but if you are a
Christian you dwell with God in Christ, for "God is in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing unto them their
trespasses," and if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not--doth not serve sin. Nothing can make you
_miserable_ while you enjoy the presence of God. If you have accepted
the Savior as "Emanuel, God with us," as "God manifested in the flesh,"
and have entered into him, you are at home with God--with the Father of
your spirit--and why should you not be happy? "In him (Christ) all
fullness dwells." God is there. Paul says, "All the promise of God in
him are yea, and in him amen unto the glory of God by us." "It pleased
the Father that _in him_ all fullness should dwell." Are you in him? He
says, "I am the door, by me if any man enter the same shall be saved,"
but the door was never known to be of any use to the man who passes by
it. It is only of importance to those who enter. Have you no interest in
this open door? It was said to a very needy people, "See, I have set
before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." God is in Christ,
Christ is the great doorway to the Father's house. He says, "I am the
way; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Do you ask how shall I
enter the door? Well, do you really believe that it is your own duty to
enter the door, or do you wait to be thrown into it by some unknown
spiritual convulsion that you never have as yet experienced? How is
this? Let us see. When the Savior was in the world he gathered about him
a great many disciples. John the Baptist also gathered a great many more
and prepared them for the Lord. These all received the "baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins," were converted and saved. Jesus
said to them, "Now, ye are clean through the word which I have spoken
unto you"--John xv, 3. All this was accomplished before these disciples
were baptized at Pentecost or any where else with the Holy Spirit. It
was not given until Jesus was glorified, and when it was given it was
not given to sinners to