Devotional Column

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6746, 2 January 1932, Page 12

Devotional Column

Precept. I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. John 15. IG. Promise. That whatsoever ye shall ask. of the Father In My name, Ho may give it you. John 15. IG. Prayer. Stablish Thy word unto Thy servant, who is devoted to Thy fear. Ps. 110. 35. JESUS. (Prov. xviii: 10.) Glorious, mighty Name of Jesus, Into Thy dear Name I flee; “Set aloft,” I praise and worship, For Thy Name is Victory! Blessed Jesus! Mighty Saviour! In Thy Name .is all I need; Just to breatho the Namo of Jesus, Is to drink of life indeed. Glorious, mighty Name of Jesus, Heaven and earth its power proclaim; Hut forgiven sinners only, Know the balm of Jesus’ Name Jesus! Jesus! Name most precious, Balm in pain or mighty sword; In Thy Name, we live- and conquer, Blessed, glorious, coming Lord. WIiAT THE LORD JESUS IS ABLE TO DO. ABLE to save to the uttermost.—Hcb. vii. 25. ABLE to deliver. —Dan. 111. 17. ABLE to succour them that are tempted —Hob. ii. IS. ABLE to keep you from falling.—Jude 2-1. ABLE to build you up. —Acts xx. 32. ABLE to make all grace abound to-

wards you—2 Cor. ix. S. ABLE to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. —-Eph. iii. 20. What he has promised, ABLE also to perform —Rom. iv. 21. Believe ye that 1 am ABLE to do this —Matt. ix. 2S. A PRAYER POR EVERY DAY. Lord, for to-morrow and its needs, I do not pray; Keep me, my God, from stain of sin— Just for today. Let me both diligently work, and duly pray; Let me bo kind in word and deed—Just for to-day. , Let mo be slow to do my will, prompt to obey; Help me to sacrifice myself—Just for to-day. Let no wrong or idle word, unthinking say; Set Thou a seal upon my lips —Just for to-day. Cleanse and receive my parting soul; be Thou my stay; O bid me, if to-day I die—Go Home to-dayi So for to-morrow and its needs, I do not pray; But keep me, guide me, Lord —Just for to-day. THE PROGRAMME OP CHRISTIANITY. To bind up the bi-okcn-hcarted; To proclaim Liberty to tho captives; To comfort all that mourn; To give unto them —• Beauty for ashes, Tho oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness. POR THE NEW YEAR. Fach day to walk with Thee a little nearer; Each day to talk with Thee a little el carer ; Each day to find Thy will a little dearer; Be this Thy gift, dear Lord. Each day forgetful of myself for others Remembering Thy needy ones arc bro there; Telling to them Thy lovo beyond a Mother’s; Be this Thy gift, dear Lord. A clearer light upon my daily way; A word of comfort to some soul to say; Into some heart send a cheering ray; Bo this Thy gift, dear Lord. The burden of some child of Thine to share, To know moro perfectly the power of prayer; The patience needed all Thy will to bear; Be this Thy gift, dear Lord. And when tho year is drawing to an end, A vision of the Christ-Child, God-man, Friend, And of His home to which I onward wend, Be this Thy gift, dear Lord. KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS. i v To be .willing .t>o do the will of God

is the Arts and great requirement in every department of Christian life. Our own conscience and the Word of G-od bear witness to this, that if ever wo aro to know and do the will of God there must bo on our part a willingness of the servant who obeys the master who pays him his wages; but the willingness which, love creates in the eagerness of desiro to plcaso tho Lover. Grace has lifted us from our low estate as sinners, so far above the ranks of servants, to such an exalted plaec iri. tho favour of God, that it is impossible for us even to do His will acceptably on any lower ground than what is expressed in the words of Christ: “If ye love Me, keep My commandments” (John 1-1:15). HIDDEN TREASURE. “There is a treasure to be desired” — Prov. 21:20. Hidden treasure has always allured the heart of mankind. In all ages, in all clinics, it has been the same. The search for hidden treasure has formed tho theme for many romances, and has cast a spell over multitudes since the beginning of time, a spell that is potent to-day. It is strange how men will risk life and limb for tho gold that perishetb, but remain blind to tho “treasure to bo desired,” the unsearchable riches of tho Grace of God that have been brought to the world in tho Lord Jesus Christ. Sin blinds the eyes and puts a veil upon tho heart. Tho treasures of God, Spiritual riches, aro bartered for material possessions; the things of time obscure the far better things of eternity; the man with the muckrake fails to observe the crown. It is tho saddest thing in the world to see men and women, created for eternity, living as creatures of time, spending their lives seeking the treasures of tho earth, and shutting t-hoir eyes to the treasures of heaven “What shall it profit a man if ho gain the whole world and lose his ■own soul?” The grass witlicrcth, the flower fadet-h, tho world passoth away and the lust thereof, and wo must all appear before tho Judgment Seat of Christ. Let us seek while here for the treasures of heaven and lay up now riches there against tho great day. The gold accumulated here avails nothing yonder except as it has been used for Him. Tho treasures of God’s Graco to sinners such as wo, make all the accumulated riches of tho earth dross in comparison. “For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor that we through His poverty might bo rich.”