this.  The Kingdom of God first!  Blessed be His name I Look at man.  I don’t speak about man’s sins, and about man’s wretchedness, and about man’s seeking everywhere for pleasure, and for rest, and for deliverance from sin, but I just say:  Think what man is by creation and think what man is now by redemption; and let every heart say:  “It is right.  There is no blessedness or glory like that of the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God ought to be first in my whole life and being.”

But now comes the important question, “How can I attain this?” Here we come to the great question that is troubling the lives of tens of thousands of Christians throughout the world.  And it is strange that it is so very difficult for them to find the answer; that tens of thousands are not able to give an answer; and others, when the answer is given, can not understand it; The day the centurion found his joy in being devoted to the Roman Empire, it took charge of him with all its power and glory.  Dear friends, how are we to attain to this blessed position in which the Kingdom of God shall fill our hearts with such enthusiasm that it will spontaneously be first every day?  The answer is, first of all give up everything for it.  You have heard of the Roman soldier who gave up his soul, his affection, his life, who gave up everything, to be a soldier; and you have often seen, in history ancient and modern, how men who were not soldiers gave up their lives in sacrifice for a king or a country.  You have heard how in the South African Republic not many years ago the war of liberty was fought.  After three years of oppression by the English the people said they would endure it no longer, and so they gathered together to fight for their liberty.  They knew how weak they were, as compared with the English power, but they said, “We must have our liberty.”  They bound themselves together to fight for it, and when that vow had been made, they went to their homes to prepare for the struggle.  Such a thrill of enthusiasm passed through that country that in many cases women, when their husbands might have been allowed to stay at home, said to them:  “No, go, even though you have not been commanded.”  And there were mothers who, when one son was called out to the front, said:  “No, take two, three.”  Every man and woman was ready to die.  It was in very deed “Our country first, before everything.”  And even so, friends, must it be with you if you want this wonderful Kingdom of God to take possession of you.  I pray you by the mercies of God, give up every-thing for it.  You do not know at once what that may mean, but take the words and speak them out at the footstool of God:  “Anything, everything, for the Kingdom of God.”  Persevere in that, and by the Holy Spirit your God will begin to open to you the double blessing:  on the one hand, the blessedness of the Kingdom which comes to possess your heart; and on the other hand, the blessedness of being surrendered to Him, and sacrificing and giving up all for Him.