To be a true Christian we must give our whole life to Jesus Christ, looking to Him continually that we might please Him, doing His will in every instance, and living a righteous life. There is no other successful Christian life.

As you keep His commandments, God, sometimes in the most surprising manner, will fulfill the vision He gave you.

You will be tempted, as were Sarah and Abraham, to act prematurely. You will try to put feet on your prayers. Probably the most ungainly creature in the universe is a prayer with feet on it. Like an eagle waddling around on the ground. Kind of ridiculous. But once in the air the eagle is a majestic sight indeed. So is a prayer with wings soaring toward Heaven.

There are times to act, times to be still; times to speak, times to be quiet; times to work until we are exhausted; times to rest and relax; times to be deadly serious, times to be humorous; times to put ourselves forward, times to linger in the background; times to walk on the water, times to take a boat; times to be rich, times to be poor; times to laugh, and times to mourn.

When we live in the flesh, like King Saul, we always will be killing Gibeonites. This is to say, in our zeal to do what we imagine to be correct we end up causing misery for numerous people. We don't know when to act or when to be still; when to speak or when to be quiet; when to laugh or when to mourn.

But the life in the Spirit! That is a dance. That is a romance. That is a song that flows in the Spirit of God. The bush that burns by its own flame is soon consumed. The bush that burns with the fire of God is never consumed, never burned out. The river of God always is full of water.

If you have no vision, no golden fleece, no treasure at the end of the rainbow, ask God for one. We cannot endure the cross except as we have joy set before us.

There is nothing wrong with asking God to place joy before you. A goal that comes from the depth of your personality will inspire you to know that your end in God will be glorious, filled with joy you scarcely can imagine in the present hour.

Hold that joy before you. Ask God to remind you of it from time to time. Let your eyes see the land that is very far off. Behold the King in His beauty. Go window shopping with God. Don't turn into a religious drudge. Christ is in His royal palace with more treasures to hand out than mankind could possibly be able to receive.

Can you hear the laughter of the little children playing around the trees in the Paradise of God? This is your future, you know, if you please God.

No, God is not daring you to do great things.

To be continued.