George Walker – New Norway, Alberta, Canada – June 1924

Psalms 120, Psalms of Degrees, or Ascents, taking fresh steps with God in the way. Lodge’s boast of degrees taken in the lodge. We can measure what degree we have taken in God’s true way, or lodge. His way of going up is going down. The hardest thing to learn is to come down. The law of nature, or growth in spiritual things, is opposite to growth in nature. The way to prove worthy in God’s way, is to come down lower, to become smaller in old nature, more childlike, humble, pliable. If we judge ourselves, others wouldn’t have to.

Unleavened bread – put away things tasty to the flesh. Fevers are caused by old stuff inside needing to be burned up. No person can understand the truth of God, having a hard heart – have heart fixed or soft…soft, honest, contrite heart – is condition God can write thereon.

Psalms 120-134, a desireable inward condition, in order to come to meetings profit­ably. Gratitude – high note in the heart, expressed in praise to God. Prayer – waiting to hear what He says. Confidence – God to us as walls of Jerusalem. It is an awful thing to lose ones first love, but to lose fear of God is worse, then there is nothing to hold on.

“In my distress,” – the reason David became a man after God’s own heart was because He sought after God. He entered into such an intimate relationship and close knowledge of God that He could write the very words that Jesus would apply to Himself when He came. David had a definite relationship with God, with right things inside. It is terrible to just have the outward form – head knowledge but no inner knowledge.

“Those who know their God shall be strong to do exploits!” Testing days will mani­fest those who have not known God; also those who have known Him as David knew Him. David wasn’t a man content with forms, he said, “My heart panteth after Thee.” The secret? Psalms 120:1, he knew what it was to be in distress, and take steps still going on. David was one of the busiest men in his day, and yet he knew the Lord. All the difficulties, worries, and troubles drove him to the Lord, Which way is the wind blowing – and is your sail set? Before David knew the Lord at all, he was in distress, not about business or bodily health but because he felt his need of God. Those who haven’t felt their need haven’t taken their first step into the Kingdom, Many only know the shell of the Truth, don’t have any kernel of Truth, The most hopeful people are those who feel their need before they meet the true preachers – in distress. Many are careless until they come to a meeting, and then distress grips them.

As I sit here, I can co-operate with God in letting Him show my need, or can resist being shown my need. Don’t put up a shield to resist if God is making you feel your need, let it get in and work. If we have tasted suffering, then when remedy comes, we value it highly. We appreciate what God has done in proportion to how far we were in distress before. Some were in distress because of wrongness of others, and went to God and got com­fort by casting all on God. Others may be in distress because of their own wrongness. Psalms 32 shows an awful experience when David had failed, and got wrong with God. He couldn’t have something between himself and God and be happy.

If we have known God and something comes in between us, we are worse than “the man without tobacco, or, the bear with a sore head” – blaming everyone else. Psalms 32, David found it best to go to God at once, and get right, which is the hardest thing to do unless we are willing to hate our pride and don’t let stubbornness stand in the way, “I hate my pride.” I see the folly of covering up, or pretending to be what I am not, “Oh forgive the iniquity of my sin.” God forgave the thing that led up to the sin, the pride of heart, etc., that was working.

My experience with God will encourage others to get right with God. My fall isn’t to the glory of God but if I go about it right, can be a help to others who have failed. Humble self and seek God, and you will give a big blow to the devil. David fell out with God, humbled self in the sanctuary, listened to the voice of God instead of the devil – then was better friend with God than ever. The servant of God is necessary, but if we don’t get in­to touch with God ourselves, we’ll never be any thing or get anywhere. We need to walk with God. His Spirit won’t prompt us to go to others for pity, but will prompt us to go to the Father to get at the root of the matter.

Tongue – a terrible member to control, Psalms 120:2. Keep me from saying things I don’t mean, Door in: I want to be honest with the Lord.

Psalms 121, over and over in the Psalms we read the words, “The Lord.” The Lord was in David’s life. The Lord looked bigger in his eyes than anything else.

Keep and preserve – help for new beginner – two sides of truth to be paralleled. If we stand fast, we are safe. I have a great Shepherd to preserve me. I can have a steady walk. He knows what is in my heart. Life is too short to spend running up and down by­roads and retracing steps.

Psalms 122, the attitude we need to have toward His people. Thrones of judgment to apply plumbline to our lives. Verse 6,9 shows the way the business of the word effected David. Those who prosper most are those who love His work, people, etc., the most.

Measuring rod – do we have gladness when we hear of His Work advancing?

The strong delusion came because of not loving the Truth. “Art thou pained to see His Kingdom suffer loss?” or dost thou not care?

Psalms 122, the care of David for God’s ark, which is a type of God’s testimony today, it is growing strong in proportion to those who love it and pray for it. We see signs that tell us that it is needful to be sure that we have that love in us. To work for peace is one of the greatest tests of all. Some would give a lot of money, but the greatest test is to work and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Don’t give or take offense.

Psalms 131 expresses the heart attitude and inward condition that is a delight to the Lord. “My heart is not haughty.” He had taken a great many steps and degrees in the way. Peter was quite haughty at first – but took degrees.

Moses was haughty and took the sword. “Eyes lofty” – big ideas, ambitions, etc. “Don’t exercise, etc.” – have now become interested in finding out how to be more like Jesus, “I have behaved and quieted myself.” It is a hard job to quiet self, tongue, hands, etc. Study to be quiet – to be under the control of God. How much we lose for eternity by this rest­less ambition of ours. “Weaned” – will broken for the first time.

Psalms 133 is the 14th degree. Degrees have to come in God’s order, we can’t take the last degree if we haven’t taken the first one. The farther we go on with God the easier, we’ll be to get on with.

Psalms 134, adoring the Lord – not a case of just hearing, but knowing what it means to go step by step lower down, but really higher up, and being a blessing to the world.