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 How To Find God -booth


[b]How To Find God[/b]
[i]by William Booth[/i]

These seven steps are for the use of those who have a serious desire to receive the mercy of God, which alone can deliver them from their bad habits, from the powers of darkness, and from the wrath to come. To those who read this, I give the following instructions:

Set apart a special time to read and consider these things - going away, if possible, into some quiet place where you can be alone with God.
Earnestly pray and ask God for the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit which He has promised to all who seek Him. God will give you the Holy Spirit if you ask.
With all your heart, on your knees before God, take one step at a time. Be careful not to leave the first step for the second until it is clearly understood, fully accepted as true, and solemnly decided upon. Do the same with the second and third steps, until the last step is reached.
After reading this carefully and thoughtfully from beginning to end, go through it again, following the same instructions.
If this course is followed, I feel quite sure that no sincere person will fail to reach not only the mercy seat of God, but the loving arms of the Savior and the knowledge of the forgiveness of their sins.
First Step
Discovery of Sin
Romans 14:23, James 4:17, I John1:8

Sin is anything I do that displeases God - and a sinner is anyone who practices those things. Any time I consider myself, my ambitions, or my feelings as more important than God, or do something that I know is wrong, I am practicing sin. I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against my God, against my neighbor, and against my own soul. I have sinned in my thoughts, in my feelings, in my conversation, and in my actions. I have sinned in the world, in my business, and in my pleasure. I have done many things I should not have done, and I have left undone many things that I should have done. I freely admit it. I will not cover up or make excuses for my sins. My sins are more than I can count, and they have caused pain to God and man far beyond possible estimation. They have dishonored my Heavenly Father, treated the sacrifice of Jesus my Savior as worthless, and have had a bad influence not only upon the members of my own family, but upon my friends and acquaintances as well. I now realize that I fully deserve the everlasting displeasure of God, and I see that if I should die in my sins I would be eternity separated from God, falling into the damnation of hell. O Lord have mercy upon me!!!

Second Step
Sorrow for Sin
II Corinthians 7:9-10

Not only do I see that I have sinned against God, causing Him great pain - but I am truly sorry that I have done so. I hate my evil ways, and I hate myself for having followed them. I am grieved on account of my sins - not only because they have exposed me to punishment, but because they have been committed against my Heavenly Father, Who has continually loved and cared for me. If I could undo the past I would gladly do so, but I can't! The sins I have committed are written down against me in God's book, and He knows and remembers all of them. No prayers that I can offer - no tears that I can shed - no expression of sorrow or mourning that I can make - no good works that I can perform - will remove that terrible record. My only hope is in the forgiving mercy of Jesus Christ, Who has said, "The one who comes to Me, I will not cast out." (John 6:37)

Third Step
Confession of Sin
Proverbs 28:13, James 5:16, I John1:8-9

Not only am I sorry for the wrong things that I have done, but I freely acknowledge and confess my sins before God. I have no excuse to make for them. It may be true that much of the evil I have been guilty of has been done in ignorance. I did not know God or my duty to Him or the greatness of the love of my Savior dying for me. I was ignorant of the evil influence which my conduct and example were often having on others. But this ignorance is no real excuse, because I should have known better. I should have read my Bible and listened to those who would have taught me. I should have thought about my soul, and cried to God for help. But I didn't, and now my mouth is closed before Him. And I do here and now confess myself before God to be a guilty sinner, without excuse, deserving His anger now and forever.

Not only do I make this confession in private, but seeing that I have sinned in the presence of my family, and in the presence of the people around me, I am perfectly willing to openly acknowledge my sinfulness and my sorrow on account of it. As far as I have the opportunity, I will admit my guilt before Christians, before my own family, and before the world. Not having been ashamed to sin in the presence of others, I am now willing to acknowledge my sin in their presence also.

Fourth Step
Putting Away Sin
Luke 13:3, Acts 3:18; 26:20

Not only do I see myself to be a sinner and hate my sins and confess them before God and man, but I do now, by God's help, renounce and give up every one of them. Whatever pleasure they may have brought me in the past, and whatever earthly gain they may promise me in the future, I do here and now, in the strength of God, put them away and promise that I will never take them back again.

Fifth Step
Asking Forgiveness for Sin
II Chronicles 7:14, James 4:10, I John 1:9

Feeling ashamed for having turned away from my Heavenly Father by despising and rejecting His love, breaking His commandments, and influencing others to do the same, I do here and now on my knees humbly submit myself to Him. I pray that He will have mercy upon me, a miserable sinner, and I beg Him for Christ's sake to forgive all my sins, to receive me into His favor, and to make me, unworthy as I am, a member of His family.

Sixth Step
Consecration
Romans 6:13; 12:1

I promise God, here and now, in His strength, and with all my heart, that if He will forgive me and receive me into His favor, I will from this day forward be His faithful servant, promising to spend the rest of my days doing what I can for His glory, for the advancement of His Kingdom, and taking the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him.

Seventh Step
Faith
John 6:28-29, Galatians 2:16, Hebrews 11:6

I believe that Jesus Christ, God's Son, in His great mercy and love, died for me and in my place, bearing my sins in His own body on the cross. And believing this, I do here and now welcome Him into my heart as my Savior from sin, from selfishness, from the power of the devil, and from hell itself. Jesus Christ said in the Bible that if I will go to Him, He will not cast me out. (John 6:37) And I do come to Him with all my heart just now, as a poor, helpless, guilty sinner, seeking salvation. I know that He will not reject me. As well as I can, I believe that He does at this very moment take me in. He forgives me now. His blood that was shed at the cross washes all my sins away. He was wounded for my sin; He was bruised for the wrong that I did against Him and others; the punishment I ought to have endured was laid on Him; and with His suffering I am healed and brought into a right relationship with the one true living God. I am forgiven at last. Praise to God - Jesus saves me now!


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2006/12/26 9:34Profile
death2self
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Joined: 2006/9/28
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 Re: How To Find God -booth

I love this dear brother. Here is a chapter of his book entitled "Purity of Heart" which is a compilation of letters sent to Salvation Army members and available on the Salvation Army's website: [url=http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss%5Cwww_uss_fairfax.nsf/vw-sublinks/34A82AFFB2F6408C85256EAC004C6EFA?openDocument]Purity of Heart by William Booth[/url].

VI. Purity Possible

Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. - Hebrews 13:12

My Dear Comrades,

I can very well imagine that some of my Soldiers, after reading what I have been saying about a Pure Heart, will be asking the question: “Is it possible for me to obtain this treasure?”

I am aware that many people outside our borders openly assert that such an experience is impossible. They declare that no man or woman can live in this world without committing sin. They say that no matter how we hate our sins, or weep over them, or pray to be delivered from them, or trust in Jesus Christ for victory over them, we must be beaten in the strife and go on sinning or, at the best, keep on sinning and repenting, right down to the River of Death.

Now, with regard to this objection, I maintain with the Apostle John, that not only is God willing and able to forgive us our sins – which no one who believes the Bible will deny – but that He is equally willing and able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But before we go further, let us have another word of explanation. We must understand one another. What is it that I am saying? I reply, I am declaring to you who hear these words, nothing less than the Scriptural doctrine that God can keep you from committing sin.

Perhaps some of you will ask, What is Sin? I reply that the same Apostle, that is John, answers that question in such a simple manner that anyone can understand him. He says in his Epistle, that “All unrighteousness is sin.” That is whatsoever thing a man does, or consents to being done, in his thoughts, desires, or actions, which he knows to be wrong, that is sin.

Now I affirm, on the authority of the Bible, that Jesus Christ your Saviour is able and willing to keep you from doing wrong. His Name was called Jesus, that is, Saviour, because He “should save His people from their sins.”

As I have shown you already in these Letters, you may make mistakes; you may have temptations; you may be low-spirited; you may have pain in your body, perplexity in your mind, and anguish in your heart; the world may be against you; dark clouds may hang low, and the future be threatening; nay, you may like Jesus Christ on the Cross, even feel as though God and man had forsaken you, and yet, in spite of all this and all else of the same kind, you can be kept from sin. In the name of my dear Lord, I assert that it is possible for you to have and to keep a Pure Heart.

Many of you believe this already – and are as sure of it as I am myself. But some may be in doubt. Let me try and make it plain to them.

1. And, first, you cannot doubt God’s Ability to make and keep you free from Sin. He who made you, and sustains you in being, who redeemed you on the Cross, who pardoned your sins, and wrote your name in Heaven, can surely do this for you. He who will raise you from the dead, and land you at last safely in Heaven, is surely able to keep you from breaking His commandments and grieving His Holy Spirit all the rest of the short time you may have to spend in this world! I am sure He can.

It will be a difficult task, perhaps, fixed as you are, with your particular trials of body and soul, or circumstances. There may be something in your family or your business very strongly opposed to your leading a holy life. You may have tried before, again and again, but only to fail. You may be full of doubts and fears, even to despair, and nothing short of a great Salvation will meet your case. But God will be equal to the undertaking. I am sure He will.

He has saved you from many sins already. Evil habits and passions, that used to reign over you, have been mastered; nay, some of them have been destroyed. Why, then, should not your prayer be answered?

“Finish, then, Thy new Creation, Pure and spotless let me be; Let me see Thy great Salvation, Perfectly restored in Thee.”

I see no reason why He should not do this. He is able to keep the Angels from sinning. They do not keep themselves. It is His almighty arm that holds them up and prevents them from falling.

He will well be able to keep you from sinning when you reach the Celestial Land; and, thank God, He can keep you here. You believe He is mighty to save. You sing, and sing, and sing again:

“All things are possible to him That can in Jesus’ name believe; Lord, I no more Thy truth blaspheme, Thy truth I lovingly receive;
I can, I do believe in Thee, All things are possible to me.”

2. And then, my Comrades, if God is able to make and keep you Pure, you cannot question His WILLINGNESS to do it. This must be equally plain to you, and yet it will bear looking at. It is very important indeed, that you should see—yes, and feel as well – that Jesus Christ is not only able, but perfectly willing – nay, waiting, even while this is being read to you, to take away from your hearts the evil things that have been the plague of your lives, for ever to keep them from coming back to harass, and wound, and torment you again.

(a.) The very Nature of God proves His willingness to make you Holy. All beings everywhere act out their nature. You see illustrations of this around you every day – wicked people delight in the wickedness of their neighbours. Good people find pleasure in their goodness. God is Holy. He tells us so, again and again; and being Holy and hating iniquity, He must abhor wickedness in men and women, and find the great delight of His heart in making them pure and good like Himself.

I am sure that nothing would gratify Him more, my Comrades, than to take everything that is unclean out of your hearts and lives. Will you let Him do it?

(b.) God tells us, in plain language, in the Bible, that He wants to make you Holy. Listen to some of His words: -- “Put on the new man,” He says, “which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.” “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto Holiness.” “This is the will of God, even your Sanctification.”

3. Jesus Christ came into the world, and lived and suffered and died that you might be made Holy. This was the main object of His life and death and resurrection. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Paul says that “Jesus gave Himself for His church” – that is, for you and for me – “ that He might sanctify and cleanse us, and that he might present us to Himself . . . not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that we should be holy, and without blemish.”

4. His love for His Children proves His willingness to save them from their Sins. No miser ever loved his gold; no patriot ever loved his county, no mother ever loved her babe, no father ever loved his boy; no, not all the love of all the created beings on this earth put together would equal the love which God bears to you, His children, my dear Comrades. And knowing as He does, that sin is your great curse, He must, nay, He does, long to deliver you from it.

5. God has promised you a Clean Heart, if you will seek it. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

6. But I am also sure that God is willing to give you a clean Heart, because He has done the work for so many of His servants in the days gone by, and for so many of your comrades in our present time. He is no respecter of persons. You are as welcome to wash away your inward iniquities, in the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, as any other son or daughter of Adam. Oh, He will be delighted for you to step into the blessed stream at once:

“Will you, will you now enter in ? Will you, will you wash and be clean?”

7. If you are a Holy Man or Woman you will help forward the War, and spread the glory of Christ’s Name far more effectively than you will if you are not fully saved. Holy People are the great need of the world. I am sure they are one of the great wants of The Army.

8. Do you not feel in your heart, while I am talking to you, that the Holy Spirit wants you to be Pure, and is waiting now to give you the Blessing? The fire of desire for your Sanctification is burning strongly in my heart while I write this Letter. Does not your desire also rise up for this? I believe it does. Well, wait no longer! All things are now ready! Is not a holy yearning springing up within you? Go down this moment before God, and sing:

“Oh, that the Fire from Heaven might fall, And all my sins consume! Come, Holy Ghost, for Thee I call, Spirit of Burning, come! “Refining Fire, go through my heart, Illuminate my soul; Scatter Thy life through every part, And sanctify the whole.”

Yours affectionately,
William Booth

“More hard than marble is my heart, And foul with sins of deepest stain; But Thou the mighty Saviour art, Nor flowed Thy cleansing Blood in vain; Ah, soften melt this rock, and may Thy Blood wash all these stains away!

“O grant that nothing in my soul may dwell, but Thy pure love alone; O may Thy love possess me whole, my joy, my treasure, and my crown! Strange flames far from my heart remove; My every act, word, thought, be love.”


_________________
Ed Pugh

 2006/12/26 10:07Profile





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