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"Wherefore come ye out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. With these promises ringing in our ears, dear friends, let us keep clear of anything that smirches body or soul. Let us prove our reverence for God by consecrating ourselves to Him completely." [ 2 Corinthians 6:17,18; 7:1, Phillips].

        Through the years the holy Spirit has revealed many precious truths to the out-called concerning their growth and development unto spiritual maturity. The various terms and phrases used, all denote the rich aspects of this calling. To some it has been revealed as "THE PATH OF THE OVERCOMER," while to others it is "RECEIVING HIS FULLNESS," or yet again, "GOING ON TO PERFECTION." There have been revelations on His Headship, His Kingship, His Central Supremacy in our lives, but for a generalized term the teachings have centered in what is called "SONSHIP."
        There are a number of basic scriptures which have been used to convey the truth relative to sonship, and from thereon the dimensions have expanded and deepened as the holy Spirit has opened the understanding of the individual, and enriched each heart with increased light. God knows the heart of each person, and so He reveals the truth in a way that we can personally receive it. The terminology and forms of expression vary according to our own comprehension, but the undergirding principle and truth is the same. Thus various groups throughout the nation have received it in the way and language they could understand. There need be no condemnation one of another, if we learn to recognize the SPIRIT OF TRUTH which moves in the heart of the believer, we will find that once we have gone past the surface differences of words, it is the SAME SPIRIT WITHIN, and the real message which He is giving to His called out. In His own precious way the Spirit leads on, unfolding the path before us.
        For some, the first light on sonship began with a quickening of John 1:12, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power (the right, or privilege) to become the sons of God." The word "BECOME" was the focal point of interest as the Spirit illuminated a whole new concept which heretofore was veiled from the eyes of the believer. To BECOME signifies the whole process of growth and development, from the time of receiving the Seed of Life, until the time one reaches maturity when our STATE OF BEING will reveal what we truly have become—a mature son of God. Hence the ever timely admonition, "GROW in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."[2 Peter 3:18].
        For others, the challenge of a deeper walk with God came when the Spirit began to quicken the truth of "That we might receive the adoption of sons." [Galatians 4:5]. The word "ADOPTION" actually coming from a Greek word that means "SON-PLACING," which again signifies that whole process of our spiritual development unto maturity. Taken from the ancient Hebrew practice of "adoption," which was a set time chosen by the father, when his son having reached a responsible age and maturity, the father would take his son before the elders of the community, and there publicly proclaim this boy to now be his "SON," with the full rights and privileges of manhood. For, "I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father." Galatians 4:1,2].
        Again, Romans 8:14-19 has become a rich treasure house of truth, revealing some weighty thoughts concerning the path of sonship. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature WAITETH FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD."
        Receiving the Spirit of adoption, to be followed by all the training processes, learning obedience by the things we suffer, and yet reckoning that all these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glories to follow. Ultimately we are to come to the hour when the Father pleases to manifest these "developed ones?" placing them in the full position of sons.
        Then there is another more symbolic and mystical passage which the Spirit uses to first open up the truth of sonship, this one found in Revelation 12: 5, "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God, and to His throne." This term "MAN-CHILD" again signifies the realm of spiritual maturity. It is not a state of "instant arrival," but includes the whole walk, progressing by degrees through the various qualifications. Death to self, with all of its purifying and cleansing process. Separation and discipline, as we are called out to be alone with God. Learning to worship, "in spirit and in truth." The vision holds steady, the goal is set before us, God shall have a people who are wholly yielded to Him, and He shall receive them unto Himself.
        There is no need to rehearse all the ways God has spoken, nor could we begin to cover all the scriptures which the Lord has used to open the understanding of His people, as the Spirit revealed His call to a DEEPER LIFE, and a going on to divine fullness. From Genesis to Revelations, in every book there are new glimpses of this glorious message, passages which speak deep to the heart, clarifying the walk, expanding the vision, and, thank God, as the process continues we shall follow on to know Him more.
        "Draw me, we will run after Thee. . ." [Song of Solomon 1:4]. We have not yet "arrived," nor would we claim to be something that our own STATE OF BEING cannot verify. We are what we are by the grace of God, and we are continually challenged to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:14]. For, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter former rain unto the earth." [Hosea 6:3].
        Amid all the needful teachings of "going on to perfection," however, there is a challenging question which persists in presenting itself, WHY? What is the purpose of "bringing many sons unto glory?" [Hebrews 2:10].  We would receive all the truth which the Spirit would quicken on the subject, and we thrill to the portent of that which shall yet be revealed, and yet we cannot help but wonder if most people even begin to understand WHY God is bringing forth such a people.
        We know there are personal benefits to be received, as we come into His fullness. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." [Revelation 21:7]. The personal inward cry of the heart shall be satisfied, every longing and desire that now burns within shall be met by His boundless grace, and we shall find our contentment in His pure reality.
        But, while volumes could be written on the joys to be shared, as we receive of His life and glory, yet the question persists, —why? why receive all of this blessing, attaining unto the position and relationship of sonship? Certainly it is not to consume it upon our own lusts. James 3:4 already teaches us against such kind of self-gratification. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your own lusts." If the believer ever qualifies for spiritual maturity, then certainly this flesh trait will have been purged out, and they will be filled with the love of God, and such love, Paul teaches," seeketh not her own." [1 Corinthians 13:5].
        While we examine some scriptures that help reveal THE PURPOSE OF SONSHIP, let it be briefly stated like this: the purpose of becoming part of that true spiritual remnant making up what is called "the first-fruits,'' is to help save and bless the rest of creation, being "laborers together with God." [ 1Corinthians 3:9].
        "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order." [ 1 Corinthians 15:22_23].
        God is apprehending vessels today, just as He has done in all previous generations, gathering unto Himself a remnant which shall make up HIS BODY, through whom He shall work in the restoration of all creation. As we approach the end of this age, and the time for the OUT-RESURRECTION, we rejoice in the truths which the Spirit has opened to our understanding. "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." [ 1 Thess. 4:15]. This word "prevent," from the Greek word "phthano" means, TO PRECEDE, or to come or be beforehand. God has gathered HIS HANDFUL from each generation, those whom, while they received not the fulfillment of the promises, yet "having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." [Heb. 11:13]. They walked a separated path, alone with God, in this world, but not of it— "of whom the world was not worthy" [Heb. 11:38], and because their time of earthly sojourn was before THE APPOINTED TIME OF THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE, "these all died in faith." But, for them is reserved a place in the out-resurrection, and they shall come forth to stand in their lot on that appointed day. Those who are alive today shall not precede those who have thus "died in faith," but together, they and us, we shall form that mystical body through whom God shall work in the ages to come.
        "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided (margin, foreseen) some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." [Heb. 11:39,40]. Or, as Phillips translates this, "God had something better planned for our day, and it was not His plan that they should reach perfection without us."
        That it is a privilege to live in "this day," we will not deny, for we shall see in our day some of the fulfillment of those things which God has promised. But it needs to be clearly understood by all, we are not any better than those who have gone on before us. Just because God has planned something better for our day, and just because we are permitted to live during the closing out period of this age, and the beginning of a new age, does not mean that we are better or greater than those who faithfully and diligently served God in their time. The "BETTERS" belong to God! HE is the One who foreknew the entire purpose of the ages, and provided that which shall be executed in each age. May God cleanse our hearts of any taint of "exaltedness" or "sense of superiority" because we are permitted to live in this generation. Indeed, may we humble ourselves before Him, and diligently seek that "God would count us worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us, and we in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." [2 Thess. 1:11,12].
        So we have it, God's composite body, made up of His chosen from each generation, climaxing, we trust, with this generation of our times. They shall all be brought into HIS FULLNESS, equipped with all the divine resources necessary for the carrying out of their commission. The many promises to be fulfilled IN THEM, and THROUGH THEM are many, we can only touch upon a few, beginning with Galatians 3:8. "In thee shall all nations be blessed." It was to Abraham and his seed that the promises were given. The remainder of the chapter goes on to explain that THIS SEED IS "CHRIST." Here again it must be pointed out that in the Greek text, where the identifying article "the" is missing, it is not referring to identity, but to quality. Since this is not given as THE Christ, it is not identifying it as the single personage of our Lord Jesus Christ, but speaks of that ANOINTED COMPANY all anointed with that same anointing Spirit as abode on Jesus. This is confirmed by the final verse of the chapter, when Paul says, "IF YE BE CHRIST'S (His anointed ones), then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." [Galatians 3: 29].
        It is also significant that Paul immediately follows in his teaching, as noted in the next chapter, dealing with the calling of sonship, of its preparation process, and being born after the Spirit. It is this SEED, this anointed son company, the spiritual remnant of natural Israel, through whom all nations of the earth shall be blessed.
        "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and GIVE THEE for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." [Isaiah 42:6,7].
        The purpose of going on to perfection, to be filled with all the fullness of God, is not that we may simply escape this world, take a glorified vacation in heaven, that Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, and twiddle our thumbs throughout the ages to come. Such an idea is utter nonsense, it is a shame to the very call and purpose of God upon our lives. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." [John 3:16,17].
         It is unthinkable that God's purpose in sending His Son should fail. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law." [Isaiah 42:4].
         The victory that was begun at Calvary shall be revealed in greater power and glory in the ages to come. Christ, and the entire body of which He is the Head, shall bring forth the restoration "of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." For so also it is written, "And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." [Obadiah 21]. HE SHALL GIVE THEE FOR A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE! God is bringing forth a new covenant, this one is not written upon tables of stone, but upon the fleshly tables of our hearts. Yes, and to receive this covenant is to BECOME THE COVENANT. The covenant shall be personified in a people given to the nations for their salvation.
        "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no more." [Hebrews 8:10,12].
        What a covenant—salvation in full, deliverance from all the inherent mystery of iniquity. A cleansing from all unrighteousness, and HE WILL REMEMBER THEIR INIQUITY NO MORE. That this characteristic is revealed in these who shall be given for a covenant to the people, is seen in 2 Corinthians 5: 18,19, "And hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES UNTO THEM: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." Thank God for those unto whom the Lord is now committing the word of reconciliation! The word "committed" used here is given in the marginal reference to mean, "hath PUT IN US the word . . ." Praise God! He is putting it into the hearts of His sons, a word of reconciliation. NOT A WORD OF CONDEMNATION, not an imputing of sins, for He is remembering their iniquities no more, but He is drawing unto Himself a wayward creation and cleansing them, though it shall require a "baptism of fire" for their purging. Certainly we have not qualified for the full position of sonship as yet, to become ONE SEED, the anointed body of Christ, if He is not putting into us this word of reconciliation. As long as we insist in moving under the old covenant, which the apostle Paul declared was "a ministration of death" and "a ministration of condemnation," [2 Cor. 3:7,9], we have not yet been made part of the NEW COVENANT which is to be given to the people.
        It is easier now to see why it requires such a purging process, for the Lord to deliver us from all the nature of the flesh and the carnal mind. To cleanse us of that sectarian, selfish spirit, such as was in Jonah, who pouted and was displeased when God spared Nineveh; and such as was in the elder brother, who likewise was angry when his father received again the prodigal son. Yes, there is a real need within us to be cleansed thoroughly from every taint and particle of such a spirit — that with a heart filled with His love we shall beseech men to be reconciled to God.
        It is God's plan that His sons shall be "complete and proficient, well-fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work." [2 Timothy 3:17, Amplified]. All of creation is groaning, travailing in pain together until now, anxiously awaiting the hour when the sons of God shall come into their own. Why? Why fullness? "The hope is that in the end the whole of created life will be rescued form tyranny of change and decay, and have its share in that magnificent liberty which can only belong to the children of God." [Romans 8:21, Philips].
        This is why the whole creation waits expectantly, and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known -- waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship—because they shall in turn minister that freedom and victory unto all men. THE PURPOSE OF SONSHIP IS TO BECOME AN INSTRUMENT THROUGH WHICH THE LIFE OF GOD MIGHT BE MINISTERED UNTO ALL CREATION. "For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death . . . that God may be all in all." [ 1 Corinthians 15:25,26, 28].

        "And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." [Luke 15:12,13].
        To go beyond the surface of this parable, to promptly depart from any story-telling whatsoever, the holy Spirit begins to quicken some powerful truths relative to sonship, and our development in Him. We will begin with the phrase that says the father "divided unto them his living," making note of the word "living." The Greek word is "bios" which is the root word for all our English subject of biology, dealing with the LIVING OF OUR NATURAL LIFE. Thus it places us right into the practicality of this present day living with all of its nitty-gritty processing's. There are those who feel that since they are being "born anew," with their citizenship now in heaven, this daily natural living can be almost ignored, until they become, as one saying goes, "they are so heavenly minded they are no earthly good." But Paul had a far different outlook, stating that though he had been crucified with Christ, and it was no more "I" but Christ which was living in him, yet he went on to say that "the life WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." [Galatians 2:20]. It is HIS LIFE, the Christ life within, but it is lived out in this natural sphere of the flesh, in our daily living. God has divided unto us "this living," and thus the challenge is, how will we live it during our present sojourn?
          Concerning man, we read, "Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. . ." [Psalm 8:5], or a more literal translation, "Thou has made him to lack from Elohim." We live and move in the realm of the "IN PART." God divinely purposed that we would be placed within limitations, to each only a portion is given. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." [Matthew 6:34]. Every quota for every day measured out by His planning, for He sovereignly controls the interplay of good and evil. Be it good, be it evil, there is a portion sufficient for each day, if we do not waste it.
        "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." [Deuteronomy 33:25]. Did you ever read that scripture, and then wonder why you were tired by noon? Sometimes we would do well to examine what we have done with our strength, whether we burned it up in nervous energy, or whether we walked on step by step with the peace of God ruling in our hearts. Nervous energy is generated in us by the spirit of the world, and will use up our inner resources and leave us spent and exhausted. There is a "spirit that now worketh (Greek, energizeth) in the children of disobedience." [Eph. 2:2]. But it is not the HOLY SPIRIT, it is the "spirit of the world, of this age" and will eventually leave you worn out, drained of vitality, and depleted of all inner resources. While the Spirit of God will QUICKEN, vivify, impart new life day by day, sufficient unto the needs of the day.
        Those who are sons-in-preparation, being disciplined and developed, conformed to His image, will learn to discern whether it is the "spirit of the world" which is driving them on, or if it is the holy Spirit, the Christ within, which leads onward and supplies strength for the day.
        "I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it." [ Eccl. 3:10]. In the next verse the Amplified translation bears out the fact that "He has made everything beautiful in its time." We might pause long enough to point out the necessity of being established in PRESENT TRUTH, truth for its time. Truth out of its time leads us into error. It was present truth in Noah's day to build an ark for the saving of his family, but that is not present truth for today, except as we "spiritualize" it for an application that we need to be IN THE ARK JESUS CHRIST for our protection and life-sustaining. There is a truth for today, it is that which the Spirit causes to become LIFE IN OUR NOW, as we learn to live in His quickening.
        God never puts us through a testing, but what He has a truth that can be quickened to sustain us for that very hour. But we need to be open for present truth, and not try to live in that which pertained to our yesteryear. For sure, we cannot go through today's processing's on the strength of yesterday's traditions. Nor do we live in the "sweet by and by." But there is that which is beautiful in its time for NOW, and living and walking by His Spirit, He imparts our daily portion.
        Furthermore, "the husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits." [2 Timothy 2:6]. And when the Spirit does impart to us a revelation, it must needs WORK IN US FIRST, rather than in our hastening to dissipate it by telling it abroad everywhere, until we have milked it dry and there is no more life therein for our own growing and processing.
        "He who is faithful in a very little thing, is faithful also in much—And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another (whether God or man), who will give you that which is your own (that is, the true riches)?"  [Luke 16:10,12, Amplified].
        During our present earthly sojourn, everything that we have, be it our job, business, home, possessions, family, etc. are only LOANED TO US by God, while we are trained in our stewardship, to see how we will handle these things, what attitudes we will take toward them, and how we will use them. "And they that use this world, as not abusing it." [ 1 Cor. 8:31]. But all these things are given to us to prove us, try us, develop us, and though we are destined for full sonship, and to be heir, to inherit the kingdom, presently we are under "tutors and governors," receiving these things from His bountiful hand, to see how we will be faithful in them. When qualified, and approved by Him, then He will commit unto us the true riches which will be our own.
         Example: our present body (tabernacle) is loaned to us, we are as a servant therein, and we must obey the laws which govern it. If we burn the candle at both ends too long, our body will become wasted, weakened, sick, etc. proving we were a poor servant with our house. By no means would we infer that all sickness is because of our mis-use of our body, but certainly there is that neglect of His health laws which takes its own toll upon us. Thus the Lord is leading us into truth along this line as well, while He brings us into BALANCE in physical things.
        Back to our text parable, the younger son went into a far country, "and there wasted his substance with riotous living." This also can become unto us as an allegory: That we left the bosom of God, took with us our living, came to this far country, and it is quite obvious what the Adamic race has done, squandered and wasted all that God gave them. But when they shall come to the end of their SELF, they will arise and return to Father's house.
        The particular Greek word which is translated as the "substance" which was wasted, is "ousia" and used only one other time, in this same parable, as "goods." It is in the feminine gender, so we can readily apply it to the soulish realm. Young's Concordance gives meaning to this substance as being, or essence, and thus a free translation could be that he "wasted the substance—himself." One's resources are not always monetary, but include our vitality, strength of body, soul, and spirit. This prodigal son was not only squandering his finances, his goods of whatever form they might be, outward resources, but with it his own inner spirit and life was being dissipated.
        Thus those who are going on to perfection, are beginning to realize that there is a spiritual substance which can be wasted. For fellowship sake, we often waste our substance and pollute our spirit with the mixture. Discontent with "the solitary way" we go abroad seeking some fellowship— but if they are of a different realm, caught up in soulish expression and carnal traditions, they will sap your strength, and you go away feeling resentful, critical, and unsatisfied inwardly.
        "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." [Romans 12:3]. "Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." [Ephesians 4:7].
        A measure of faith, a measure of grace—this we have received, it is sufficient for our day. Plus the more intangible substance of SPIRIT to gender life and bring forth after our own kind. A wise stewardship of our resources and we shall continue to grow and develop, being built up in Christ, until we come to full stature in Him.
        There is the more obviously wasted substance, as when Ahithophel gave counsel to Absalom [2 Samuel 17]. It was written that this man of God gave such counsel that it was as "the counsel of God." But when David had to leave the city and flee from his rebellious son, Ahithophel went and joined himself to Absalom, and started giving to him this counsel. But it was not in the plan of God for Absalom to act upon this counsel, so God raised up another voice which gave counsel to Absalom, to which he gave heed, so that the counsel of Ahithophel was wasted and came to naught. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not heeded, he had so wasted his substance he did not have enough inner resource left to face this rejection, and went out and hanged himself.
        Jesus taught His disciples, "neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." [Matthew 7:6]. Don't let others trample these precious truths revealed to you, under their feet, for these things are not meant for everybody today, but it is meant only for those to whom the Spirit leads you to share.
        Again, we see that Israel brake off their earrings, and gave of their jewels, etc. for a golden calf. They lost more than their jewels, they lost their VISION of who was God, and substituted the form of a creature for their Creator. But in due time when all was exposed and dealt with, and the judgments had corrected the situation, the golden calf was ground to powder, strewn on the water, and it was all gone. They did not have the vitality of a vision of the True God, and they no longer even had a golden calf false god.
        Energy can be so spent building a man's program, that when it comes time to make a personal defense and stand for the truth, we are too weary and worn out, and so compromise again and again. Babylon has many devices whereby they draw out the strength of God's people, until in the message to the Church in Sardis, we read, "be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. . ."[Rev. 3:2], and to the Church of Philadelphia, "for thou hast a little strength." [Rev. 3:8].
        Once Ephraim said, "I am become rich, I have found me out substance." [Hosea 12:8]. Which reminds us of the Church of Laodicea, "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." [Rev. 3:17]. When men learn to tap the resources of the inner being, to draw out the very spirit of life, they in turn use this richness to build their own kingdoms, and boast in their riches. But they will have wasted the substance, and find in the end they have nothing — being poor, wretched, naked, and blind.
        Ah, yes, we gave our strength and energy, "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven." [Jer. 51:9]. Thus those who have been apprehended in this hour, heard the call of true sonship, growing up into spiritual maturity in Christ, are coming out of Babylon, to walk "alone with God," if need be cut off from other outward fellowships, but they will no longer waste their substance on a system that God has foresworn to destroy.
        Of Jacob it is written, however, "And by his strength (substance) he had power with God." [Hosea 12:3]. His energy force was directed God-ward, and though he travailed through the night, and flesh and self were subdued, nevertheless he prevailed with God, found favor with God, because he gave all he had into his consecration with God.
        No wonder we read that "the substance of a diligent man is precious. In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof is no death." [Proverbs 12:27,28].
        Therefore as part of that beautiful instruction to the sons, we read in Proverbs 29:3, "He that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance." Also, "What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? Give not they strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings." [Proverbs 31:2,3].
        I know, every teenage boy should be instructed in these things, and admonished to walk in purity, but there is also a spiritual application, that God is talking to HIS SONS TODAY to not give their strength to all the harlot religious systems of today, for in so spending their strength they will be brought to naught, weakened and dissipated, unable to face the challenges of the spiritual warfare that lies ahead.
        The prodigal wasted his substance in RIOTOUS living, literally, in a spendthrift manner. So we turn to 1 Peter 4, beginning with verse one, "He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God." In some degree or other I am sure we all can identify at least in part with this, as through the processing's we come to the end of self and flesh, and desire only to LIVE OUT HIS WILL.
        Then we come to the fourth verse, how that there will be those who "think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of RIOT (spendthrift), speaking evil of you." They do not understand that you no longer desire to get carried away with an emotional spree that burns up the energy of your blessing. They continue to laugh and dance around their golden calf, and they want you to join with them, but you cannot. HIS WILL is all that matters now. Our commitment is TO HIM, not to the programs of man, nor to satisfy the lusts of the flesh.
         Interesting to note that Jesus kept the crowds dispersed, save for that inner handful of disciples which were to become the foundation for the church — His called out ones. He would not waste all mankind in a short-lived personal kingdom after the flesh. He knew He would gather all mankind to Himself in due time, in the ages to come, but He would not do it according to the workings of man or the flesh, it would be by His Spirit as "every man in his own order" would be made alive.
        "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is EXCESS, but be filled with the Spirit." [Ephesians 5:18]. Do not become intoxicated on those things which will cause you to become a spendthrift, prodigality, riot. "He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." [Gal. 6:8].
        While the father divided to his sons his "living", which we pointed out was from the Greek "bios" pertaining to natural life. And God has given, and will give to us that which is needed for daily bread. Yet there is a different word used here for the prodigal's riotous "living", this time it is from the Greek word "zao" which is the root from which we get "zoe" used for spirit-life, God's life, everlasting life, etc.
        Too many have taken their daily portion which Father provides, and wasted it on the spirit world about them— even to the extent they go about fighting evil spirits all the time. Their whole consciousness becomes taken up in fighting negative forces, and they waste their inner strength in exercises which only exhaust their inner resources. If you "resist the devil" he will FLEE FROM YOU, and you do not have to chase him up and down the valley, you can STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HATH MADE YOU FREE, and use your strength to follow on to know the Lord ever more. You cannot be God-conscious and devil-conscious at the same time, hence we need to maintain a single eye to the Lord, and "give no place to the devil," no, not even in our thoughts.
         Yes, there are those who follow on to know the Lord in His fullness, to be totally conformed to His image, who do not waste their substance, but they live and move in the realm of the Spirit, and out of their being shall flow "rivers of living water" to bring forth life to others. They shall see the fulfillment of Isaiah 2:2, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." Then shall the people say, "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. . ." For His SON-COMPANY will not waste nor dissipate their strength in frenzied programs of the flesh trying to convert the world to their particular creed and doctrine as religious institutions have done for past centuries, but they will ABIDE IN CHRIST, and thus be able to freely give of His life to all that come to the mountain, i.e. to the kingdom of the Lord.
        Isaiah 6:13 tells us that there is "A TENTH. . . whose substance is in them. . . so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof." They will not have dissipated their substance in the kingdom-building-programs of man, therefore they become THE SEED FOR THE NEW CREATION, that seed through whom all nations shall be blessed.
        The SONS shall minister to the Lord, to worship and magnify Him, and "HE maketh small the drops of water, they pour down rain according to the vapor thereof." [Job 36:27]. Then shall groaning creation be refreshed and restored into righteousness again. Then shall the weary find rest. Then shall the hungry be fed. Then shall the thirsty find water. For as God's sons give themselves to worship and minister unto the Lord, as the vapors that ascend, then shall the Lord cause the blessings to come down until "all shall be taught of God." [John 6:45], and "All shall know Me, from the least to the greatest." [Hebrews 8:11].
        The challenge becomes increasingly clear, we dare not waste our inner substance after the ways and programs of the flesh, but giving ourselves totally to Him, to glorify HIM, then shall it bring forth a time of regeneration which shall bless all mankind.

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(1) Prinzing, Ray and Doris "Gospel Echoes"  Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822

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