Devotional Column

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6536, 18 February 1928, Page 6

Devotional Column

PRECEPT.. . ■ . • Draw night to god, and .... >— pkO MISE. He will'draw nigh to you. ; Jas 4, 5. PRAYER. Draw mo, we will run after Thee. Song of S. 1, 4. GOD IS KEEPING WATCH. A littlo story which beautifully illustrates the childlike faith, that every Christian may have is told of a four--year-old who inquired of her widowed mother one moonlight 'night, “Mama, is the moon God's light? ” The lamp had just been put.'Out, and the . timid little girl was! afraid of the dark; but presently she.. -saw the ■. bright moon out of her window, and it’ suggested the question, “Is the moon God’s light?”' - “Yes, Ethel,” the mother replied, “the' moon and stars- are all God’s lights.” Then came the'nest question from the little girl: “Will He blow out His lights and gog to sleep, too!” “No, my child,” reylied the mother; GHis lights are always .burning. ” Then said the little girl. “Well, mama, while God’s awake, I ain not afraid.v ; ' > •. SIMON OP CYRENE. Carrying Christ’s Cross.—St. Matt, xxvii fßr ~ ■, Following Christ *s Footsteps* St. Luke xxviiL. 26- V ’ v - -k*;. Becoming Christas Disciple (Wife and Sons).—St. Mark xv. 21; Rom. xvi. 13. - “Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after Mc„ carinot be My disciple.”—St. Luke xiv 27. “If any will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his’ cross, and follow Me.”—St. Matt. xvi. 24. Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee; Not the world, or self, or pleasure; Thou art all in all to mo.

THY GRACE BESTOW. Spirit of God, possess my soul, And of my life take full control;, For only thus can I be blest, And in God’s peace find perfect rest. Spirit of God, illume the way In which my feet must walk to-day; For only thus can I behold The path that love marks for my soul. Spirit of God, empower my will. Thy. very self in mo instil; For only thus can I o’rethrow' The powers of ill and victory know. Spirit of God, Thy grace bestow On all T seek to do or know; For only thus . can life be-found, And fruitfulness In it abound.' ■ ... “DO NOT CHEAT YOUR HEART.” Sometimes the refusal is better than the granting of •«; prayer request. There are .some highly- beneficial lessons' that we can learn only by suffering. Such are the lessons of; patience, of prayer, of hope in God. Before Paul can preach to ethers .satisfactory, ho must know these lessons. fore, bitter th6ugh ! the experience may be. Jet his prayer Tor escape from suffering"be denied. Adelaide Proctor has an enlightening verse: “Do not cheat your heart and tell her, ■ 'Grief • will pass away, Here for fairer times in future And forget to-day.’ Tell her, if you will, that sorrow Need not come in vain; Tell her that- the lesson taught her Far outweighs the pain.” ■ The root of suffering is bitter, but we cannot cheat ourselves .when we despise the root, and thereby lose the fruit. To bo brought very low, then to be raised up by His mighty power until wc know that His grace is suffiicicnt for our every need—this Is better than never to have suffered, and never to have reached out with a seeking, anxious heart to find Him. SERMON OUTLINE. Rev. A. M. HILLS, D.D. The Great God and our Saviour. “The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us that He-might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people, for His own possession, zealous of good works. ’’t—Titus ii. 13, .14. I

People object to the preaching of holiness. They saw it is too high a standard. But this verse was written to Cretan slaves. Surely the/ Christian of the twentieth century ought not to complain of the standafd J sot for Cretan slaves just converted from heathenism! * '■■■■• The following consideration justify the standard; — I. —Jesus is “A Great God and Saviour. ” Omnipresent. Infinite in love. Omnipotent. Infinite in mercy. He is also a Saviour—One who saves. If He cannot do the great work of saving. His achievements fall below His natural attributes and ityAnd below His Opportunity. And below His Promise (Ezok. xxx-vi. 25-29; Hcb. vii. 25). 11. —To this end He'gave Himself for us. -!;■—To redeem us from all iniquity. (a) The penalty of it. (b) The practice of .it. 2.—To purify a people for His own possession. Heb. ii. 10). This purification is. sanctification, a cleansing of the heart. 111. —The result of such ‘ redemption and cleansing. ■ A,people zealous of good works. The sanctified have “a fire in their bone?:” Is. vi.: “Hero am I, send me.”