Earnest Seeker
Many today understand "His Rest" to refer a degree of victory that allows one to be relaxed and consistent in their faith. Positive. Out of trouble. Well, I suppose.... but that is hardly adequate. In fact, it so understates the glorious reality as to be quite wrong, and totally misleading:
"The perfection of Christian love consists in its unmixedness or simplicity. A thing is said to be simple when it is not mixed with other substances, as water is simple or pure when unmixed with other liquids or earth. Thus, we speak of pure gold, pure honey, etc., when these things exist in a clarified state. So when the love of God fills the purified heart, it is in a state of simplicity. There is humility without pride mixed with it; love toward God and man without any form of hatred; there is submission without any subtle rebellion; there is faith or trust without any skepticism or doubt; there is grace without the admixture of depravity. Some one may ask, does God put mixed grace into a human heart? No, never. But His grace, which is imparted in regeneration, is choked and impeded by our existing original depravity. So it is not divine grace that needs to be clarified but we ourselves, our hearts need to be entirely cleansed so that God's grace can exist in us in an unmixed clarified condition.
I was once riding with a friend in a western city, on a bright September day. He wished me to explain the nature of perfect love. I said, "Do you see that sunshine? Is not this a perfect day? What hinders the sunshine from being perfect?" He said, "It would be perfect but for the smoke and dust from the city!" " Exactly," I said, "but there is no dust and smoke in the sun, but that arises from the city and they get mixed, but not amalgamated. The sunshine remains sunshine and the smoke remains smoke, but they exist in the same atmosphere. Now, if a heavy rain should cleanse the air from impurity and then the bright sun should shine out, you would have the sunshine filling the air without dust or smoke and then that would be perfect sunshine. Now," I said, "When you were converted God put His love into your heart, but have you not had much dust and smoke in your experience?" "Oh, yes!" he said. "But where did the dust and smoke come from? " He answered, " Not from God, but from my own heart." "Now," I said, "if you should have a Holy Spirit thunderstorm to wash the dust and smoke out of your nature, then the same love that you received in regeneration could exist in a simple and unmixed state within you." So, sanctification does not impart to us any new graces, but removes from us the antagonism to the graces, and, thus, all the graces imparted in regeneration can abide in a quiet, peaceful condition. God can make our hearts His quiet resting place, when all the opposites to His will have been removed." from P. 22 "The Secret of Spiritual Power" by E. M. Bounds (see the "Wisdom for Ministers" page)
There is much preaching against "self" that sounds very excellent, when in fact, it does not begin to touch upon the above reality.
In fact, today's authors are in quite a pickle when faced with the many obvious scriptures that refer to "His Rest". Souls who walk in it are virtually unknown today. Few indeed have even heard of the heritage writings of the Great Awakening stalwarts that are on this website. As far as most can tell, they know all there is to be known about His rest! You are about to discover that there is much more to the gospel.
The much preached path of "Progressive Sanctification" is an older pickle: it is a confusion of normal spiritual growth and a lesser expectation. It cannot substitute for His Rest!!! see the above link to 9 FAQs (8 pages) on the topic from “Perfect Love” by J. A. Wood ( full version near the end of the "Entry Directions” page)
So rejoice and be exceedingly glad! There is another whole dimension of glorious freedom in Him that can be yours. A frontier of faith is calling you!! As this web site will clearly demonstrate to you, it not only exists, but within it hides the Empire-shaking authority of the primitive church itself!!! This is the foundation of the Kingdom.
Most of the resources on this website come from "The Great Awakening" revivals (1850-1910) when this foundational work of grace was well known and often entered into. Why? Because it was real and alive in the hearts and then preached that way!!! When they were called to wholly consecrate their hearts and then trust the Father to deliver them from all inward mixture, their religion worked just that way since He responded with His limitless Grace by bringing them into the intimate embrace of His own Rest. Looking back at history, we can see that the Father has always similarly welcomed such prepared souls into this fellowship with Himself.
Significant exploits in faith have become more often perceived than actual in our heady and presumptuous age that so eagerly runs after being "puffed up". The wide path of acceptable religion was always built upon a mixed and shifting aggregate of shards of The Rock, assorted household idols, favorite toys and common clay. Such convenient spiritual structuring has always had breathtaking consequences that the media just love to exploit to our lasting shame. This was prominently seen in the late 1960’s, when A. A. Allen analyzed the ‘era of the vanishing evangelist ten years previously, (in the "Voice of Healing" Days- 1946-1956) he wrote, ‘there were more than two hundred evangelists in America with revival centered healing ministries... and uncounted thousands were healed.’ But, he continued, ‘the devil’s destroyed one evangelist after another...’ Some went after the money. Others were seduced by glory, subtle competition or pride. Some got into trouble with the IRD. (now called the IRS) Others fell into sin. All of them saw a once powerful ministry shipwrecked. Let the fear of the Lord be upon all who would walk in this kind of ministry.”
It was good that these evangelists were saved. It was very good that they were empowered to work wonders. How excellent it would have been if their hearts had also been purified and hidden within His Rest! They could have then humbly said with the Lord, "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." (John 14:30) If that was so, we would today remember and honor their names. As it is, their works did not stand..... see "The Real Faith" 1940 (by the aged Charles Price- History section. He tried to warn them.)
The distinct post-salvation foundational work of His Rest was the supreme goal of all serious spiritual believers at the end of the 1800's. In His Rest multiplied thousands humbly hid and obtained His every promise. (see the "Testimonies" section) Their spotless examples and untiring service kept error from any that would listen. The annals of both heaven and earth had abundant lasting honor to record, instead of today's "sinning religion" that has the gall to accept occasional failure as "normal".
Souls within His Rest would be common again if the same age-old price of "all" was paid instead of mere lip service of it. His way to His Rest is so plain that even the young or the unsophisticated may enter in. On this website some of the best copyright-free resources available anywhere have been carefully edited to guide you to a supernatural child-like trust in Him -to take you beyond all blame and into His very bosom.
When you enter, your portion of anointing will rest wholly within The Rock and will be unleashed into an easy and unopposed exponential growth within the supreme hush of His unshakable Presence just as He always promised. His own radiant royal road to the supreme stable power hid in His very fullness will be made open for you....
There is another whole realm of His Grace to be found within His Rest. Why? Just because He lives there!!!
Fixed in His Most Glorious Rest;
Earnest Seeker
Disclaimer: It is not the intention of this website to either support or deny any of the vocal end-times stances that abound today. This website instead has the plain goal of making clear the true and proven path to His Rest. It does not attempt to speculate regarding destinies, since there are further spiritual states and frontiers yet hidden within His purposes that none are qualified to discuss publicly, including this authour. These are described with pens of joy upon fleshly tables, not paper. TP
Click here for clear instructions on how to Get The Most Out of This Site . For a proper full-screen display of your PDF document, open with the shift key depressed.
Full Introduction
This website is designed to be a workshop for serious seekers of His most worthy mountain tops hidden within the mystery of His Rest. Used diligently, it should provide the guidance you need. This introduction will start your most worthy Berean search with proper expectations. 10 pages by Earnest Seeker
Brief Introduction
This shorter introduction does much the same using selected passages from John Wesley.
3 pages by Earnest Seeker
Online School
This website is designed to be an online library and school for earnest seeker of His Rest. Here is your road map through this library and school.
The "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" is taken by the numerous Pentecostal denominations to refer to a supernatural endowment of power. By Holiness denominations it is taken to be a supernatural endowment of heart-purity. Both will valiantly defend their definition to their last breathe -for that has been their honest experience of Him.
But upon serious consideration all will admit that it takes heart-purity to exercise His power responsibly; and it takes power to effectively communicate the pure living faith to others. He is both. And He is both at one and the same time. His spiritual power is pure and right ( despite obvious flaws in vessels ), and His purity is freighted with the gentle and lowly power of His own love.
The majority of the heritage articles on this website take the older definition which implies “purity” -and which is proper to the topic of this website. Please do not be confused!! Click above for an important one-page discussion that has links to in-depth articles that fill out both contemporary definitions. Earnest Seeker
A Robust Gospel
Our cities and towns are full of churches confidently proclaiming the gospel as they know it, and yet, curiously, saints who manage to enter His Rest are rare indeed. Few even know what it really means!! Outbreaks of sin among the faithful are an ongoing fact of life. How can this be?
All the churches, including those who call themselves "Holiness" churches, do not preach a gospel which is sufficiently robust to do the job of our complete deliverance from both sin and original sinfulness. The answers are seldom in the seminaries, since they are the official and officious carriers of heritage misunderstandings of this most essential of gospel topics! If we desire to obtain an uncommon intimacy with God, we must read and understand this obscure topic for ourselves. A serious and comprehensive view of the whole gospel in two parts that digs right down past our doctrinal assumptions to shed light "where no light has gone before". -by Dr. C.E. Brown. (a holiness seminary professor...)
John Wesley was an Oxford-trained debater with a mind like a steel trap. Here he debates with a man who firmly holds the accepted views of his time. It is foundational writing like this that set his vision for heart-Holiness forth very succinctly, so that the following generations of theologians with the same heart were able to further develop his thoughts after he had departed to his reward. 14 page PDF by John Wesley.
Daniel Steele answers the question so many seekers after holiness through the ages, including John Wesley have been led to ask: "Why has God not set this great blessing above the mists of doubt and the possibility of controversy?". If holiness is of such great importance to Him, why is the way not made plain?
"It is the divine order that truth of every kind should fully reveal itself only to hungry souls. The long research and the hot pursuit whet the appetite, and prepare the discoverer for a proper appreciation of the treasure which he has found. The more valuable the truth, the higher the barriers which hedge it in and appall all timid seekers, leaving the toilsome search to those dauntless souls whose unconquerable persistence makes all opposition bow before them..... This protracted test was necessary to enlarge their faith to its utmost capacity for the fulness of the Spirit. They endured the test, and received the greatest gift that the Father and the glorified Son could bestow." 4 pages written in 1910 by Theological College President, Daniel Steele
Why This Website?
A brief account of the circumstances surrounding the creation of this website, followed by my capsule testimony. 5 pages by Earnest Seeker
The Second Blessing in Symbol
The mystery of His Rest is too otherly to be described well by any one image. This lengthy work studies many of the images that unfold it for us. I especially appreciate Chapter 17, "The Two Rests": "The types and symbols of the Old Testament evidently contain as deep a spiritual meaning as the parables of the New Testament, and the whole combine in the revelation of the great doctrines of Christianity. The great doctrine of the Book, the doctrine toward which all other doctrines lead, and in which they all center, is the doctrine of holiness. That God wills, provides for, and demands our entire sanctification from all sin, no candid Bible reader will deny." 100 pages by the Rev. Dr. B. Carradine
Notions of Sanctification
A Survey of Sanctification Theories, With Reference to Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Progressive and Holiness Traditions
Did you know that Holiness teachings are in every branch of the church today? This remarkably well researched theological college dissertation successfully describes the ongoing adventure in the development of sanctification theory within most traditions. It has helped me to gain more appreciation for the amazing depth and breadth of this most essential of gospel topics. It will certainly do the same for you! 58 pages by Robert Edmond
The History of Holiness
Do you really understand how these Holiness teachings came to us? This comprehensive outline written by an actual participant in the Great Awakening will surprise you! 10 pages by J. A. Wood See more history on the "Charismata" page -and how the Pentecostals came to miss out on this blessing....
Nine Awful Fallacies
Do you consider sin and occasional sinning to be normal for a believer? When the soul enters His Rest, the heart departs this vale of sorrow to be fixed ever in Him. But before that momentous day, the issue of sin must be faced squarely and without compromise. The trouble is that sin is so challenging and slippery that preachers weak in faith are forever inventing unscriptural ways to avoid the central issue. This excerpt exposes the foolishness of nine common deceptions about sin. 11 pages by M. L. Dye
Is Christian Perfection Scriptural?
The nuances contained in the word "perfection" have confused many for centuries. Perfection is not synonymous with entire sanctification. It is wider in meaning, just as the word "cosmos" is wider and deeper in meaning than "sky". Wesley used it while aware of this, but this theologian's penetrating analysis clarifies any remaining confusion for us. 5 pages by the sanctified theologian J. Sidlow Baxter (1967)
Sanctification and The Self
Do you understand the meaning of the word "self"? An astonishing number of people unknowingly relate wrongly to their own souls when it comes to faith. There are quite a few doctrines that we unconsciously carry that sound good and highly devout, but actually are based on myth instead of fact."As a matter of preciseness, the term, ” self‘, is not even good English. It is a truncated form of the noun, ”selfishness‘, and is of only late appearance. It is not Biblical. Nowhere in Scripture do we find such statements as are now common in conferences on the deeper Christian life for instance, ”the self-life must be slain‘ ; ”the selflife is the flesh‘ ; ”the self is the old nature‘; ”in the self is nothing but sin‘. The Bible is misrepresented by such cliches; for it everywhere recognizes that in the basic human self there is both good and bad. It carefully distinguishes between the self and ” the flesh‘, e.g. In Romans 7:18, where Paul says, ” For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing . . . but with the mind [the true self] I serve the law of God‘. Let it be settled once for all in our minds: the ” self‘ is not identical with the ” flesh‘. The ” flesh‘ is only one aspect of the self." 7 pages by J. Sidlow Baxter 1967
Much These Preachers Call Holiness is Only Regeneration
You know how it is. A great many come to an intellectual "belief" in God, but never quite follow through to find faith in God. Others find faith but never seem to really do anything with it. It seems that the earthly often crowds out the spiritual.
As it is with the new birth, it is even more so when completing it with purity in Him. It becomes endlessly put off for tomorrow. That high price must be avoided. As a result, many are easily led by blind leaders into an ersatz (artificial, man-made, imaginary) version of His rest. "Keswick" theology and it's recent variants is but one version. 4 pages by A. M. Hills
Special Treasure
Remarkable Incidents and Modern Miracles Through Prayer and Faith
This website was created to show the way to enter into His Rest. This selection, however, chronicles what one soul in His Rest can accomplish, given enough time and whole hearted application.
He learned prevailing prayer and over the years honed it to become a gift beyond compare. He developed not only a healing ministry, but what you could only describe as a "ministry of everything". Often his was not a mass ministry, but one where the Lord would lead him case by case, and then word would spread. The most amazing story on this website. What is prevailing prayer? It is prayer that does not quit until it receives.
"As soon as I ventured out from the mission work in Cincinnati, where I had spent several years, I began to realize that mine was not a feather-bed vocation. God had called me to labor among the poorest of people, but few of whom ever entered the church. So, from the start, mine was a life entirely of faith. I never took up an offering for myself, nor asked anyone else to, nor made my wants known, only to God." (since the people he worked among simply had nothing to give) 116 pages by G. C. Bevington
Contact: After you have read a good amount of material on the Entry Directions and Testimonies pages so that you understand the basics, I am here for you. I have obscured the address to combat spam. It is tplumb (the at sign) telusplanet (dot) net.
Tom Plumb aka Earnest Seeker
