God's Way of Peace: a Book for the Anxious: [special Illustrated Edition]

Publisher Marketing: THERE seem to be many, in our day, who are seeking God. Yet they appear to be but "feeling after him in order to find him," as if he were either a distant or an "unknown God." They forget that "he is NOT FAR from every one of us," (Acts xvii. 27); for "in him we live, and move, and have our being." To know that He is not far; that he has come down; that he has come nigh; this is the "beginning of the gospel." It gives direct denial to the vain thoughts of those who think that they must bring Him nigh they by their prayers and devout performances. He has shewn himself to us, that we may know him, and in knowing him find the life of our souls. With some, who name the name of Christ, religion is a very unfinished thing. It is by no means satisfactory either to the man himself, or to the onlookers. There is much awaiting. The man is anxious and earnest, but if he has not "peace with God," he has not what God calls "religion." Acceptance with God lies at the foundation of all religion; for there must be an accepted worshipper, before there can be acceptable worship. Religion is with many merely the means of averting God's displeasure, and securing his favor. It is often irksome, but they do not feel easy in neglecting it; and they hope that by it they will obtain forgiveness before they die. This, however, is the inversion of God's order, and is in reality the worship of an unknown God. It terminates in Contributor Bio:  Bonar, Horatius Horatius Bonar was born in 1808 in Edinburg, Scotland where his father was the Solicitor of Excise. His parents were James and Marjory Maitland Bonar. He was one of eleven children. When Horatius was twelve years old, his father died. His mother and his became the dominant influences of his life. The dominant influence outside of the family was T. S. Jones, the minister of Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, the church where they attended. He attended Edinburgh University after which he was licensed to preach. In college he was influenced by Thomas Chalmers and Edward Irving. Two of his brothers, the older John James and the younger Andrew, also become Scottish preachers. In 1837 Horatius Bonar became assistant to John Lewis, minister of St. James's, Leith. Later that year he was ordained minister of the North Parish, Kelso, on the 30th of November. He remained the minister of the North Church, Kelso, County Roxburgh until 1866. It was in Kelso that he met and married Jane Catherine Lundie, the daughter of the Kelso minister Robert Lundie in 1843. It was the same year as the Great Disruption. He and his wife had nine children. The Great Disruption of 1843 occurred when 450 ministers broke away from the established Church of Scotland, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State. The ministers formed the Free Church of Scotland which affected the Church and the civil life of Scotland. Horatius Bonar was one of those active in forming the Free Church of Scotland. In 1853 Horatius Bonar received his Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Aberdeen. In 1856, he undertook a long mission tour in Egypt and the Holy Land. This visit deepened his interest in mission work and biblical prophecy as it is so intimately connected with Palestine and the Middle East. In 1866, he became the minister of the Chalmers Memorial Church, Edinburgh, where he stayed until 1887 the year that he turned 80 years old. This church was named after his mentor, Thomas Chalmers of his Edinburg days and the church has been renamed St. Catherine's Argyle Church. He helped arrange meetings for the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody in Edinburg in 1873. In 1883 he was elected Moderator of Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. A year later, his wife died. By 1887 his health declined and that year he preached his last sermon. After a long illness, he died in 1889. He was buried in Canongate Cemetery, Edinburgh. Contributor Bio:  M, J I am Lynne Williamson: a mother, wife and former teacher. I taught in the public school system at the elementary level for 20 years. I have a B. S. Ed. majoring in Early Childhood Education and M. Ed. majoring in Reading. I graduated from the master's program as a member of Kappa Delta Pi, an educational honor society whose membership is limited to the top 10 percent entering the field of education. I have recently become certified as a spiritual counselor. I have always loved reading and writing. It is my hope that everyone who reads this book will find something positive that they can take with them.