Devotional Column

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7067, 28 January 1933, Page 9

Devotional Column

Precept. j Earnestly; contend for the faith. Jude 3, Prayer Lord, increase our faith. Luke 17. 5 Promise According to your faith bo it unto you. ' Matt. 9. 29. RECOMPENSE What you give to others Comes back in double measuicj There is true possession. When you share your treasure. Money closely hoarded Has no way of growing; You are subject to God’s law, Reaping what you’re sowing. What you give to others Is youT greatest pleasure; You have real possession When you share your treasure._ —Grenville Klciser. OUR WARFARE. Eight the good fight of faith, lay. hold on eternal life, whereunto thou aTt also called. —1 Timothy 6:12. So fight I, not as ono that beateth tho a.iir: But I keep under my body. 1 Corinthians 9: 26, 27. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that wa.rretli ontangleth himsolf with tho affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2: 3, 4. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may bo able to stand against tho wiles of tho devil. Por we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may bo able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on tho breastplate of righteousness.. And your feet shod with the preparation of tho gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall bo able to quonch all tho fiery darts ivic ' kea< And tako the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is tho word of God. Praying always. Ephesians 6: 11-18. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down, of strong holds. 2 Corinthians 10: 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5: 4.

He that overcomoth shall inherit all things. Revelations 21: 7. “THERE IS—.” 1 “There is no difference, for all have sinned and 'Como short of tho glory of God” (Rom. 3: 22-23). 2. “ThcTo is . . . ono Mediator between God and men, tho Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himsolf a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2: 5-6), 3. “Tliero its none other-Name under heaven given among men, whereby wo must be saved” (Acts 4: 12). 4. “Thero is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8: 1). FOUR PRAYER “IPS.” In 1 John 5: 14-15, we read, “And this is the confidence that wo have in Him, that, if wo ask anything accordng to His will, He hcareth us, whatsoever we ask, wo know that we have the petitions that wo desired of Him.” When pleading with God we are, too often, prone to approach Him with an “if” in the back of out thoughts. There come to our mind three outstanding examples of this in the Gospels: 1. Simon Peter who, when he saw tho Lord walking on the waves, cried out: “Lord, IP it bo Thou, bid me come unto Thee on tho water.” 2. The leper who said: “Lord, IP Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean” (Matt. 8: 2). 3. Tho Father who, in tho agony of his soul, exclaimed: “IP Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and holp us" (Mark 9: 22). What a parallel these “ifs” find in our lives to-day —doubt of tho Lord’s reality, doubt of His willingness, doubt of His ability! And each ono of them is unnecessary. Not realising it, perhaps, but subconsciously wo wonder: fa He really listening, is Ho absolutely willing, is He perfectly able to answer my petition? Yet the crux of the matter every timo lies not in our needless and God-dishon-ouring “ifs,” but in our compliance with the “ifs” of prayer which He has laid down in His Word. Ono of these is stated here: “If wo ask anything according to His will Ho heareth us,” from which it is very evident that we need instruction ns to His mind and purposes. There are two great Agents by which God communicates His will to men the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Sometimes the former by direct action on the spirit of man, though always in accordance with . the word; at otheT times tho written Word ministered by tho Spirit. Therefore, if wo would know His will and thus fulfill this condition mentioned as a requisite for an answered prayer, wo must be those who are walking in tho Spirit and diligently studying the Scriptures. Only thus can we be truly instructed in His will.