DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 August 1933, Page 6

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. We come to Thee, trembling in our sin ,and need, and yet made bold because Thou dost reign upon a throne of grace. We praise Thee for the gracious miracles Thou canst work upon willing hearts. Alay we have no confidence in self; but may we have a boundless faith in Thee. Fill our cold hearts with fire. Give us a perpetual Pentecost within. Bless us with purity and power, and may our service be full of signs and wonders in the Holy Ghost. AVe ask all things in the name of our Lord and Saviour/Jesus Christ. Amen. Scripture Reading: Psalm 57. “JUDGE NOT!” God grant me strength to keep m3' heart From judging others. Let me say No evil thing that will impart A shadow on their way. i All neighbours have some faults; but then Is that a reason I should be The one to slander lives of men? No, that is not for me! If I can make -my own life pure Of wicked deeds and hurtful things; And have a faith that will endure, What time have I for stings? Within my heart there is the fact Of mending my own sinful lot; Why stop to view my neighbour’s act? The dear Lord warns: “Judge Not! ” THE UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY. The Church has an unparalleled opportunity of proclaiming anew lu-r Gospel in all its completeness and of pressing home upon men that, the complete acceptance of this Gospel curries with it the establishment of that very social order of which the best people arc dreaming; while its rejection is not only' a refusal to. accept a spiritual boon, it is a definite and deliberate wound inflicted upon society, since it hinders the only means of true progress. There has never been such an occasion for a grand appeal, on behalf of Christ, as to day. But to give It effect the men who make it must live ■simply- and make it clear that in their own lives tlie Kingdom comes firs;. These are the adventurers for God and in due time they will win through. — “Jesus Christ and the Alodern Challenge,” by' Rev. F. C. Gpurr. “TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY.” Isa. (H: 1-11. - The best Expositor of Scripture has given us the best exposition of these verses. As Isaiah was authorised and directed to (proclaim liberty to the Jews in Babydon, so was Christ, God’s Messenger, to publish a more joyful and far-reaching salvation to a lost, world. “Ale.” The announcer of this liberty is no other than Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Him Who from all eternity, in counsel with the Father and the Spirit, designed and determined to undertake and complete man’s enfranchisement from the guilt and power of sin. I may well harken to One so peerless, so authoritative, so qualified to deliver the joy-ful news. In heaven and on earth He was the only Person Who was competent to make the announcement and substantiate it. “To proclaim liberty.” Christ’s msesage was not for the Jews alone, though to them it was first proclaimed. Divine concern travelled out to the oppressed captives of Satan everywhere, who, realising their bondage and longing for its termination, might, by submitting to Christ as their Saviour and Ruler, receive the liberty secured by His merit. Here is the glorious news of salvation boundless and endless, for whosoever would be freed from sin and death, and live in fellowship with Christ now and in glory- with Him hereafter. CHRISTIAN INTERCOURSE. There is nothing that the sinner so much dreads, and the saint so much delights in, as to be alone Avitb God. There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let mo strongly- advise Christians to converse together concerning the Avay-s of the Lord. Christian and Hopeful, as they- journeyed towards the Celestial City, said to themselA-es, “To prevent drowsiness in this place, let ns fall into good discourse.” Christians who isolate themselves, and Avaik alone, are very liable to grow drowsy. Hold Christian company-, and you Avill be kept wakeful by it, and refreshed and encouraged to make quicker progress in the road to Heaven. —Spurgeon. THE WORDS OF JESUS. All religious teaching, doctrine or creed, if they are to have any claim upon the love, loyalty and devotion of the people, must be in harmony with the teachings of Jesus the Christ whose words fit iinto every fold and crevice of the human heart, and of Avhom it was said in John 7.46, “Never Man Spake Like This Man.” THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Section 4. —Matthew 17-20. LIVING UP TO THE LAW. \ 17. Think not that I am come to

destroy- the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18. For verily I say- unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in tho kingdom of heaven. 20. For 1 say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the 3 jghteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. ye shall in 110 ease enter into the kingdom of heaven.