DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 69, 20 February 1932, Page 9

DEVOTIONAL COLUMN

PRAYER. Heavenly Father, grant us of Thy mercy to be numbered with Thy saints , in glory everlasting! Bring us forth , through the dark' night of this world into the sunlit dawn of eternal blessed- ( ness, for the sake of the Lamb that was ■ slain! , “THE GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE , CHILDREN OF GOD” (Rom. viii. 21). The liberty of prayer to our Hea- , venly Father.—Matt. vi. 9. ] The liberty of fellowship with God , the Son.—l John i. 3. , The liberty of communion with the ( Holy Spirit of God.—Rom. viii. 16. . “If children, then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be , that we suffer with Him, that we may he also glorified together.”—Rom. viii. ( 17. ' - ] “Children of the heavenly King, ] As ye journey, sweetly sing; - Sing your Saviour’s worthy praise, Glorious in His works and ways. God knows the difference between the | idle waiting of the desire to escape His I will and the honest waiting of a willing | heart to have His will made plain, in I order to do it. I “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.”—Psa. 37; 7. Paley says: “We should never suffer I what we know to be disturbed by what we know not.” Butler says: “If a truth be established, objections are nothing. The one is founded on our knowledge and the other on our ignorance.” . COMMITTAL. “Glass with anxiety.” Strange expression this! What does it mean? These words accompanied a parcel sent from Norway to England, and they were intended to indicate that the sender feared from the fragile nature of its contents that some mishap might befall it. Is there not a lesson here for Christians? Might not some of us be rightly labelled Christians with anxiety?” . Commit yourself unto Him.—Phil 4. 6, R.V. . Commit vour soul unto Him.—2 Tim. 1. 12. ' ’ Commit your spirit unto Him.—Psa. 3L 6. . Commit your way unto Him.—Psa. 37. 5. . Commit your 1 works unto Him, — Prov. 16. 3. Commit your burden unto Him.-*— Psa. 55. 22. Commit your care unto Him. —1 Peter 5. 7. There is a lesson in each flower, A story in each stream and bower; In every herb on which j’ou tread Are written words which, rightly read, Will lead you from earth’s fragrant sod To Hope, and Holiness, and God. THE COMING. It may be in the evening When the work of the day is done, And you have time to sit in the twilight, And watch the sinking sun, While the long bright day. dies slowly Over the sea, And the hour grows quiet and holy With thoughts of Me. While you hear the village children Passing along the street- — Among those thronging footsteps May come the sound of My feet, Therefore I tell you, Watch I By'the light of the evening star When the moon is growing dusky As the clouds afar, Let the door be on the latch ' In your home, For it may be through the gloaming I will come. B.M. DEATH—WHERE IS THY STING? The Psalmist speaks not of the valley of Death, but of “The valley of the Shadow of death”; for death is not a reality, but a “Shadow” to the believer. Therefore can he say, “I will fear no evil.” The shadow of an evil will never harm, the shadow of a fire will never burn, the shadow of a storm will never destroy. And death, having lost its sting, becomes but a Shadow; so that the believer can exclaim, “0 Death, where is thy sting? 0 grave where is thy victory?” And he answers, I am not come as thine enemy., but as thy friend; not to destroy, but to conduct thee to they Father’s home. Thus death is not death but an exit, a departure, a going home to die no more.—J. D. Smith. HOW THE WORD REACHES US. “The Scriptures have two modes of revelation: To the soul, and in f the soul.” —Extract from presidential address of Rev. H. Tydeman Chilvers, to “Spurgeon’s College Conference, London, May, 1931. I learned the Truth of Scripture year by year and felt its force Divine upon my soul; Yet never did it touch the inner chords Nor life control. Until one hour its warning voice was heard Within the secret chambers of my heart; Then a blest Day of Sacred Heavenly Light Bade Nipht depart. Then did the Spirit bring the Word with power Within the soul which heard without till then; And Conscience, Heart and Will, thrill with the Truth And cry, Amen! —William Olney.

GUIDANCE “He Leadeth~Me” (Ps. 23:2.) God guides us by His Word. The Word of God is our supreme means of guidance. Wherever it speaks plainly upon any problem the child of God need seek no further. For its authority is final. No Christian; for example, needs special guidance as to whether he is called to the consecration of his life to his Lord. The Word of God is absolutely clear in its call to all. Romhns 12:1 is addressed to all believers —and beseeches us as “brethren” to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God. So no believer needs special guidance as to whether he is called to live a holy life. The Word distinctly declares “This is the will of God—even our sanctification.” No believer needs anv special guidance against bitterness, censoriousness and evil-speaking. The great command of God’s Word is that we should “love one another even as Christ loved us.” Wherever, therefore, the Word of God applies to our lives, its authority is supreme—and no ’ guidance beyond it need be sought.