Greetings MOL Family!

Do you and I believe that soon we shall be under persecution, as were the Waldenses? Do you suppose that when we’re put in the dungeon, they will furnish us with copies of the Bible? Do you suppose that when we’re fleeing to the rocks and mountains, we shall be able to carry our libraries with us? Then if we do recognize that this time is just ahead, what are we doing to prepare?

“Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart…”

Our library will be that which we have committed to memory. And, friends, let no dear heart say, “Oh, I wish I could memorize Scripture, but I can’t.” I’d like to be very courteous, but I want to tell you that’s a lot of foolishness. You are memorizing every day. If I should ask you what your name is, you could tell me. If I should hold up the utensils which you use at the table, you’d tell me that’s a knife, that’s a fork, that’s a spoon, and you wouldn’t have to scratch your head. You memorized those. And you can memorize the Word of God in exactly the same way, my dear friend. It is that which we go over and over that lingers with us.

So, if you and I are students in the Eden school, learning the Eden life, let us fill our minds with the Bible, and God will be our Teachers as we study it. On our knees, day by day, He wants to open to us the mystery of these pages. And I repeat: Fill you mind and heart with these. Memorize – memorize – memorize. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

Do you know a thousand verses of this Book? If you do, get 2,000. Do you know a hundred? If you do, start working on your second hundred. Do you know ten – chapter and verse? Can you give the reference and quote the words? Can you repeat the Ten Commandments; the Beatitudes; the Lord’s Prayer; the 23rd Psalm; The Three Angel’s Messages? That’s a good start, but go on from there.

Why not take a book and learn it? The book of Hebrews, the book of Revelation, the gospel of John. Why not? Why, friends, your mind every day is filling up with something. Every mind is like a camera, with a long roll of film. Every time your eyes are open, and your ears are open, film is being exposed. You’re taking pictures of something. Those are being stored away in the archives. From 10 to 15 billion brain cells are there. And they tell us that it’s only a small percentage that’s ever used in this life. Oh friends, let’s fill up with this Book. This is the primary study in the Eden school. Let’s learn what’s in here, what do you say?

We’re going to take everything we learn in this life with us to the school of the hereafter. Every divine attainment is going to be taken with us. Somebody up there is going to look over our transcript. Will the credits that you have amassed in this life be accepted in the University of Heaven?

Come & Learn of Me

This Book of revelation is our first book, but closely connected with this Book is the book of nature – the book of creation. The book of creation and the Book of revelation have one Author – that is God, the Creator. In this Word, we read what things He says. In the things of nature, we listen as we hear it in soundless words, music, language. Think of those matchless words of Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. – Psalm 19:1-3

The spacious firmament on high,
And all the blue ethereal sky,
The spangled heavens a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
But though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball;
What though no real voice nor sound
Among their radiant orbs be found?
In reason’s ear they all rejoice
And utter forth a glorious voice;
Forever singing as they shine,
“The hand that made us is divine.”
– Hymn, “The Spacious Firmament On High”

Not only the heavens, but the earth is full of His praise. You and I, the students in the Eden school, are to be observing, listening, watching the things that are going on around us in nature. The birds, the flowers, the trees, the snow, the clouds, the sunrise, the sunset, the mountains, the valley, the streams, the insects — Everything that God has made. What a vast textbook this is; a whole library of textbooks, my friend, all included in this great book of nature, the book of creation.

May I call your attention to the fact that in the Eden that was, and in the Eden that is to be, it is the original source that we study. Not what people have written about nature, but nature itself. Don’t misunderstand me; there’s a place for reference books. But I feel I must say, I feel so sorry for so many students in so many schools, who spend what little time they do spend with nature, memorizing long lists so they can pass certain examinations to prove that they took certain things; then they can go on and do something else that they really want to do.

Come now, friend. Is that the way you get acquainted with human beings? Suppose I move down [to a community], and I want to get acquainted with the people in [that community]; shall I take the telephone book and start to memorize the names and addresses of all the people there? If I had a good enough memory, I could eventually do it, wouldn’t I? And how much wiser would I be when I got through? Not too much. But you know, when I get acquainted with an individual, with John or Mary, with Alice or Harry, I can remember their names all right. Can’t you? And those are the only names that are worth remembering, are the people you know, aren’t they?

And so, in the great book of nature, I suggest to you, get acquainted with some birds. Don’t worry about the names; you’ll learn their names alright. Get acquainted with some flowers. You’ll learn their names alright; you can’t help but, every time you see them and visit with them again and again. Don’t make it a chore. Make it a joy. God intended it to be so. Jesus said, “Consider the lilies” (Luke 12:27). He didn’t say, “Memorize the names of ten”. He said, “Behold the fowls” (Matthew 6:26). He didn’t say to drill so you could rattle off a dozen names and then think you’ve got it. Don’t misunderstand me. I wouldn’t say it’s wrong to memorize these names. I’m just pointing out the easy way, because it is written, come and learn of Me,

For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. – Matthew 11:30

In the Eden school, Adam and Eve enjoyed mingling with the things of nature. It will be so in the school of the hereafter. And no school bell will ring calling students from watching an interesting squirrel to come in and study their biology lessons. No, friends. We shall ever be mingling with life itself. And so today, let us seek in the home, in the school, in life as we live it, to mingle with nature as much as we can, and get as much knowledge of our Creator as we can.

Ordered By Divine Providence

Then there is that third book: The ways of God. The book of experience, it’s called, or the book of providence. Ah friend, to many people, that book is written in Chinese or Greek, or some other foreign language. Does life to you have meaning, or is it nothing but puzzles, problems, and mysteries? Does what has happened to you last week, last month, last year, is it something that you love to review? Is it something that you recognize that God has brought you through? Are you on a guided tour? Is Jesus your pilot, your conductor? That is the meaning of this book of experience, this book of providence.

As Jesus lived His life here on earth, people were every now and then suggesting, “Why don’t you do this, why don’t you go there?” But He held right to a certain course – the course outlined by His Father. He wants each of us to have an experience just as individual, just as definite, and just as planned and just as well carried out as that. To learn to read this book of providence is to have a happy, contented life. It means that we shall not be wishing that we were where somebody else is. We shall be abundantly satisfied to be where God has placed us.

Hardly anybody is, friends. Hardly anybody is. Almost everybody around us, if you were to give him a million dollars, he’d be off like a rocket for some other destination. The only thing that’s holding most people where they are is the fact that they’ve got some installments to meet. But if we let Jesus be our Teacher, and lead us into a working knowledge of the book of experience, the book of providence, every day can be a new page turned over.

This book of experience is a bit different from the other two books. The Bible is written for everybody, and nature is written for everybody. But the book of experience you have one book all your own – that’s your volume. It’s like a looseleaf notebook, and you put in the pages everyday. It’s a wonderful thing, friends, when those pages are written under the guidance of the Teacher. One of the best texts on that book of experience is Romans 8:28:

…We know that all things work together for good to them that love God… – Romans 8:28

Of course, we don’t know that unless we have been students in the Eden school. The world doesn’t know it, the man up there in the White House doesn’t know it, and most of the people around the world are struggling against circumstances that they can’t control and don’t understand. But the student in the Eden school knows that the One who made the world and wrote the Word is planning his life personally, every day. Therefore, he has nothing to complain of. He knows that His life is ordered by a divine providence.

So those are the three great textbooks; these are the ones that Jesus studied. These were the ones John the Baptist studied. These are the textbooks that you and I are to study today, in preparation for giving the loud cry under the wonderful outpouring of the Latter Rain.

Time For Class

Now, if you will turn to Isaiah 50:4, I want to introduce you to the sweetest privilege of the Eden school, the most important part of the daily program. Here is something which at least once or twice every 24 hours you and I are privileged to have, and we need oh so much; that is a personal class all alone with our private Tutor. You remember our opening text (in part 1) was: “…all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.” Now here in Isaiah 50:4 our closing text:

The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakens morning by morning, He wakens mine ear to hear as the learned. – Isaiah 50:4

Are you a learned man, a learned woman? You can be if you are a student in the Eden school. The greatest Educator in the universe wants to have a private class with you. For that He wakes you in the morning hours. Think of it, friends: when the mind is most fresh, as the glories of the new day are unfolding, Jesus has an appointment for a special class with you. During that class period, He wants to go over with you your lesson assignment in His Word, in His works, and in His ways. He wants to review with you the providences that have led you thus far, and give you guidance for the way ahead. He wants to interpret to you the music of the bird, the glory of the sunrise, and every other object and experience in nature.

He wants to make the Word a living, personal message to you from Him all alone. It may be in your room kneeling down by your bed, with the open Bible. It may be on a walk through the fields or over the mountain. Wherever it is, alone with Jesus, He is the Teacher and you are the student. And you can bring to Him any problem. Is there something you’ve found in His Word you don’t understand? Ask Him about it, and then listen. Is there something in your life experience that appears a disappointment? Talk it over with Him; ask Him to explain. He may do it immediately, or He may gently whisper,

What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. – John 13:7

But friends, we shall never finish the course in one lesson or one year. There’s enough in these three textbooks to keep us busy – happily busy, eternally busy.

Oh, friends, are you enrolled? Are you meeting your class appointment? Does it thrill your heart and thrill your soul? This personal teaching from Jesus – this is the Eden school; this is the Eden life. What is the tuition? The tuition is to just let everything go that would hinder. That’s all.

Loving Father, we thank Thee so much for the great love of the great Lover. We thank Thee that someone thought enough of us to empty Heaven so that Heaven might come down to earth. Today, we choose to look to our Teacher and listen to His words, and be filled with His wisdom and His love. Teach us how to involve as many others as possible in this wonderful life, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Next week, we’ll study the role that angels play, in helping us to secure the Eden life. Invite a friend, and we’ll see you then… 

–Continue on to the next study–

_______
* This study has been adapted from classes taken by Elder W.D. Frazee.