The One Great Reality | Page 2

and the Saviour--A
missionary's faith rewarded--Illustrations from the telegraph and
electricity--The wonders wrought by the touch of faith--Great faith
brings Heaven into our souls--The difference between believing and
committing.
ADDRESS IX
THE CHURCH OF GOD
The Church of God: Past, Present, Future--Its Beginning and
Growth--The Church the Body of Christ, a Living Union--The Church
the Bride of Christ, a Loving Relationship--The Glory of this
Union--Three Great Surprises--The Old Man's Message; Love, Eternal
Love--The Four Precious Words--"Labelled and Ready"--The Glorious
Future of the Church of God--The Church will show forth God's Grace
and Glory in the Ages to come.

ADDRESS X
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
"Bringing the King back"--One King, Jesus, His entrance into
Jerusalem-- The Jews rejecting their King--His Kingdom in our
hearts--Make Jesus King--The Cross the Way to the Throne--The dying
thief received into the Kingdom--The King's Victory over the Powers
of Darkness--The Coming King-- The Glory of the Lord
revealed--Christ's Reign on Earth--Rutherford's testimony--Miss
Havergal's Prayer--The Eternal Kingdom.

ADDRESS I
GOD, THE GREAT REALITY
PORTION OF SCRIPTURE--Hebrews xi. 1-6.
God is the one great Reality. Will you close your eyes for a moment
and say those words over again very slowly so as to let them burn into
your inmost heart and soul. The Word of God tells us that "The Son of
God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know
Him that is true": this means that we may personally know Him that is
Reality. In the wonder of that moment when we first know that God is
real and that God is near, then we cry out, "My God, how wonderful
Thou art." To have personal knowledge of God is the secret of
assurance and happiness, and to put real trust in Him changes our
whole life, for then we can say, "I have a wonderful God."
To know God is Eternal life; to know Him fully, brings "life more
abundantly"; to know Him with no veil between, is glory--life.
If you look again at the 6th verse of the 11th chapter of Hebrews you
will notice a very clear statement: it says, "He that cometh to God must
believe that He is," or to put it in other words, "the man who draws near
to God must believe that there is a God."
Do you believe in God? Is He real to you? Here is one test. When you
pray do you realise His Presence? Is He so close to you that it is like
speaking into His ear?
It was this text, "He that cometh to God must believe that He is," which
first awakened a worldly gentleman named Brownlow North to think
about his soul. God's Spirit showed him that he had never really
believed in God and that all his former religion was worthless, "for
without faith it is impossible to please God." As soon as he had really

learnt to know God, he devoted all his life to preaching the Gospel. He
told every one that the first thing we need is to believe there is a God.
Many of his friends who were rich and well educated were thus brought
to a personal knowledge of God for the first time. He that cometh to
God must believe that He is really there. Have you ever been conscious
of the Presence of the living God? You must make sure that He is near
before you can really pray.
We have an illustration of this in the telephone. You first put the
speaking tube to your mouth and then you say "Are you there?" In any
case you make sure that the person to whom you wish to speak, is
listening at the other end. Although you cannot see any one, you know
he is holding the receiver so as to hear what you say.
When you begin to pray always pause for a moment and remember that
you are speaking to God. Do not say a word until the Holy Spirit puts
you into direct communication with God. The Psalmist was quite sure
that God was really listening to his prayer, for he says, "I love the Lord
because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He
hath inclined His ear unto me therefore will I call upon Him as long as
I live." [Footnote: Ps. cxvi. 1, 2.] And again, "I cried unto God with my
voice, even unto God with my voice, and He gave ear unto me."
[Footnote: Ps. lxxvii. 1.] It is in this way we realise that there is a God,
a personal living God.
I asked a Christian man one day if he had prayed about some work
which was offered to him, and his reply was, "Yes: I am on the
telephone." Can you say the same? As