A J. Russell - God Calling 2: God At Eventide-companion to God Calling 1

D URING the fifteen years that have passed since God Calling was born, more Messages have been received.

Now, in response to many requests for a companion-volume, and to mark the 212th thousand of God Calling, this new book, produced on the same lines, is launched.

Though, like God Calling, it makes no claim to throw new light on old truths, it is sent out with the prayer that it will be the means of showing readers more clearly what Christ may become to those who seek to know Him and to live with Him.

We know well that God Calling has been permitted to do this to a large number; very many have written to say so.

Others have said that the Messages have spoken comfort in sorrow, hope in despair, and brought courage and still more courage in the grey days of life. They have rejoiced with them that do rejoice, especially with many who love and laugh as they have counselled them to do.

By their insistence upon the simple teachings of Christ and His call to spiritual growth and progress, the Messages have unfailingly inspired readers without number to renewed effort through confident faith and trust.

Consequently again and again has come the question: "Though I have been reading them for years, why do the Messages seem always new?"

The answer is: They contain the story that is old and ever new, but they are not new; only the reader is NEW; year by passing year he or she is becoming the New Creature in Christ Jesus commanded by the New Testament.

And naturally so. Can anyone read these Messages day by day, strive to respond to their ceaseless promptings, without becoming renewed, or fail to realise therefrom an inner joy unknown before, the radiant joy of the Lord?

May many more be conscious of these experiences through the Messages and Message of God at Eventide.

For again it raises the age-old question and receives the same ail-satisfying answer:

"Lord, to Whom shall we go .... Thou hast the words of eternal life?"

"Learn of Me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

W RITE for all things are now ready.

The world is waiting for My Message of Love, and Hope and Cheer. The very unrest of spirit is a sign. The turning from the husk of religion is a sign.

Man is no longer lulled by empty phrases and promises of a better life hereafter. He must know Me before he would wish to spend Eternity with Me. He must know Me here in the storm where he needs strength and rest.

He has been sleeping; now he has been shocked awake. Now he must find Me or fling defiance at Me or school himself into a denial, or indifference.

Reason and argument avail little. Only by the lives of My followers can man be helped; only by seeing Mine unmoved, at peace, joyful, in a world of sorrow, disillusionment and mistrust.

Your denial to-day will not be, "I know not the man." The world is indifferent as to whether you profess Me or not. No, it will be your failure to present Me in your life as I am-vital, sustaining, spirit-renewing, your All.

I T is in union with Me that you receive strength to carry out your good resolutions.

Contact with Me brings power for the work I wish you to do, that work for which I know you to be most suited and which you only can do, and do so well.

It is in contact with Me that you are endued with the Grace that I alone can give, enabling you to minister acceptably to those to whom I send you, and those whom I bring to you.

Even among the distractions and manifold interests of the world-live in My Presence, yet daily withdraw yourself to be alone with Me.

Abide in Me and I in you.

T HIS year dwell much upon this stupendous Truth. You need to abide in Me this year to share in the Spirit-life of the Universe, in its creative power and energy. Thus you are a part in God's whole.

But I must abide in you, for only so can I express My Love and Power and Truth through you interpreting them in deed, and look, and word.

In these words of Mine you have My two-fold nature.

The Strong Protector! so Strong to shield; and offering you, My guest, all provision you need.

And then you have Me in My Humility, one with you, your close Companion, dwelling in you, and dependent on you. Think on these things.

H ERE in this evening hour I draw near to you-and listen. Tell Me of the Peace you know in Me; of the tender confidence in Me that has brought Peace and Safety into your life.

To-morrow you will go back into the world with My message of Eternal Life. Truths that you are only just beginning fully to grasp, that are bringing you Vision and Joy, you will pass to others, that they may be saved the wasted years that lie behind you. Turn to them as you would to one following you along a dangerous road and warn them against the pitfalls in their way.

Point out to them the beauties of The Way, the sunlit hills ahead, the sunset glories, the streams and flowers of My peaceful glades.

Direct their attention from earth's allures or mirages to Me, your Companion of The Way. Tell them of your Joy in Me. That is your mandate from High Heaven.

A S yet you can only dimly see what this evening time will mean for you.

For a while you shed earth's cares and frets, and know the uplift of soul that comes through planned Communion with Me.

You are renewed, and that renewing is your safeguard from mental and spiritual disintegration.

In this brief time you taste, in contact with Me, something of My Resurrection Life. It is the glorified Christ you know and to know Him is to partake too of His Risen Life.

Thus health, physical, mental and spiritual, comes to you and flows from you.

I MAGINE the Hope of My Heart that day on the mountain-side when I told My followers that to no throne of earth I led them; old forms and negations that had meant so much in the past were to be swept away; motives and impulses were to be all-important.

By the thoughts of his heart was a man to be judged. Prayer was like a son appealing to a father. Love was to be the foundation, the Golden Rule. Tribal, even racial, distinctions were to be ignored and the claims of the whole great family of God were to be met.

To such heights as they had never before scaled I led them, up to Peak-truths they had thought unscalable.

What hopes I had of them as their wonder turned to Vision and they responded to My Message.

What hopes I have to-day of each of you My Followers as you catch sight of your Land of Promise ahead.

I am the True Light that cometh into the world, and men love darkness rather than Light, because their deeds are evil.

T RULY not all men desire My Light. Not all men would welcome its clear shining.

Many shrink from its revelation, preferring the darkness that would hide their deeds, rather than the remorseless Light that would show the evil of which they are ashamed.

Pray for Light, rejoice to have it, welcome its revelation, and so, when in your lives it has done its searching, cleansing work, then bear it yourselves gladly, triumphantly. out into a world that needs so sorely the Light of the World.

I CALL upon you to make Me known-

By your unfailing trust in Me.