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Lamb." This pure stream was the wonderful word of life. It was as pure as

its source, which was the throne of God. The life through which this pure

stream flows will be as pure as the throne.



One of the Psalm-writers said, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as

silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." "Thy word is

pure; therefore thy servant loveth it." The writer of Proverbs says,

"Every word of God is pure." When the veil is drawn aside and our souls

are brought face to face with the purity of the Bible, then we understand

that a Bible life is the best, purest, noblest, and holiest life that can

be lived upon the earth.



O soul of mine, unveil thine eye,

Look upward to thy God,

A wreath of purity to see

Crowning his every word.



In the following words we have the sum of all true and right living: "Let

us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his

commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. 12:13. This text

as rendered in the Septuagint version brings out clearer the true

signification: "Hear the end of the matter, the sum. Fear God and keep his

commandments: for this is the whole man." Man is not entire, he is not

complete as originally intended, when not keeping all the commands of God.

Something is lacking in the life that is not in full obedience to every

word of God.



The Bible speaks of a beautiful city in that bright, celestial world. It

is a city of pure gold, clear as glass. Its walls are of jasper; its

twelve foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones; its

twelve gates are gates of pearl; its streets are pure gold. In that fair

city there is no sin, no pain, no sickness; sorrow and trouble never come

there; a tear shall never fall from any eye, for no tears are there. There

is no death in that wonderful city so fair. In the midst of the street

stands the tree of life. Oh, who does not desire to dwell forever and

forever in that city of love and light when the pains and sorrows, the

trials and tears, of this weary life are over?



Listen while I read to you in accents clear, distinct, and unmistakable--

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to

the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev.

22:14. O traveler to eternity, your entrance into the beautiful, glorious

city of God depends upon your conduct respecting the commandments of God

while you are making the journey across the turbulent sea of life. Keeping

the commandments of God is man's whole duty. If he does his whole duty

through life, he will come up out of the dark valley and shadow of death,

and find the gates of pearl unfolding. Who will not cleave to the

commandments of God? Who will not obey his voice and walk daily in his

holy ways? The obedient will be rewarded by an unfading inheritance in

that eternal city of gold. There is a beautiful mansion in the great house

of God for every obedient soul. Oh, how blessed!



I am thinking of heaven tonight,

Of the mansion prepared there for me,

Where Jesus my Savior now dwells,

And where I am longing to be.



Will not heaven be well worth a life of obedience to the Word of God,

though obedience calls us through storms of persecutions, furnaces of

trials, oceans of tribulations, and years of toil and suffering? To Moses

the reproaches of Christ were greater treasures than the riches of Egypt,

"for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Sit quiet for a

moment and by a strong eye of faith look away into heaven and see that

bright mansion prepared for you. See those jasper walls, those pearly

gates, and those golden walks. See the crown of life, the harp of God, and

the light of the Lamb. Shall we not bear the trials of life a little

longer in patience? Shall we not be watchful to walk in God's ways and

obey him, that this rich inheritance may be ours forever? Methinks I can

hear a reply coming from the depths of many a sincere, trusting heart--

"Yes, I will live in humble obedience to God on earth, that I may be with

him forever in that celestial city of light." God bless you!



Beyond the shores of time and the kingdoms of this world is a kingdom

called the kingdom of heaven. It is the place where God has his great

white throne, around which the angels play upon their golden harps and

shout, "Blessing and honor and glory and praise and might be unto God

forever and ever." It is around this throne that those who have passed

through the tribulations and the trying scenes of this lower world and

burst through the gates of death are singing redemption's sweet song. Who

does not desire to join that happy, heavenly throng and wave those palms

and wear those white robes and sing those sweet songs over beyond the

shadowy vale of death? I seem to hear many voices saying, "I hope to be

among that blood-washed throng." Let me tell you in all tenderness and

love, but very plainly, that the realization of your hope depends entirely

upon how you live while here in this world. Oh, how much in that great and

awful future is depending upon our manner of life in this time-world! Let

us learn to live well, to be our best every day.



We may dream of a home in heaven; we may entertain hopes of seeing Jesus

and of inheriting a mansion on the shores of eternal bliss; we may imagine

ourselves walking through the blooming fields of paradise and sitting

beneath the tree of life; but our dreams, our hopes, and our imaginations

will never be realized unless we carefully keep the commandments of God.

More than a profession is necessary; obedience is the only door into the

kingdom of God. Jesus said, "Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord,

Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my

Father which is in heaven." Until our faith pierces through and beholds

the beauties and the realities of God so we can say from the very depths

of the soul, "I delight to do thy will, O God." and, "My meat and my drink

is to do the will of Him that sent me," we have not fully entered the true

and right pathway of life. Keeping the commands of God is the whole man

and the whole of a perfect life.