Devotional Column PRAYING AND FAINTING.

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 258, 31 October 1936, Page 7

Devotional Column

PRAYING AND FAINTING.

Men either pray or faint. Praying is falling back upon God. Fainting is falling back upon nothing. A Canton ese version translates that Scripture in language that almost staggers us at its suggestiveness, “Men ought always to pray and not to be lazy.” That truth quaintly denies the world’s thought about tho man who spends much time in prayer; in the estimation of Heaved he is labouring in a sphere where physical values take a secondary place, and that which concerns tho purpose and will of God is focussed on the accomplishment of talks that lie outside the scope of earthly activities. In the kingdom of the Spirit, it is the man who prays whose success is most marked.

A MAINTAINED CALM. One of tho most beautiful results of the abundant life is that very peace of God, keeping our hearts and minds in the most extraordinary and diverse circumstances. I think another of the beauties of tho abundant life is joy, tho joy of the Lord is to bo our strength. As wo go on to serve God we shall be up against it, up against, tho Devil and all liis opposition, there will be many sorrows, many tears, but even sorrows and joys are not inseparable, they can go on at the same time, for that is one of the paradoxes of Christianity. Thank God, tho two are not incompatible, and God’s joy can bo maintained, with God’s help, through sorrows and difficulties.—Dr. Northcoto Deck. THE HOLY SPIRIT. Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, alone. Can turn our hearts from sin; His power alone can sanctify And keep us pure within. Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, alono Can deeper love inspire; His power alone within our souls Can light the sacred fire. Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, can bring The gifts we seek in pray’r; His voice can words of comfort speak And still each wave of care. Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, can give The grace we need this hour; And while we wait, O Spirit, come In sanctifying power. O Spirit of Love, descend Come in our midst, wo pray, And like a rushing mighty wind Sweep over our souls to-day.

CONFESSION, THEN BLESSING. In tho Sunday Companion Gipsy Smith relates an incident connected with his evangelistic campaign. He says Once I was asked to spend a holiday in a certain town, which meant preaching every night and threo times on Sunday, but I found, somehow, that I was making little impression. Three nights I went to my lodging to lie awake wondering why things were wrong. The next light, in the middle of the service, I suddenly closed my Bible and said, “It’s no use. I simply cannot stay in an atmosphere that is not conclusive to blessing, something is wrong. I cannot see that it is in me.’’ Turning to the pastor, I said, “It is in you, or in the people, or both ?’’ Thero was consternation in the church. After a pause the pastor got up and with tears in his eyes said, “Gipsy, God must have inspired you. Thero is something wrong, and lam as 'much to blamo as rny people. The fact is, at our last church meeting we had a quarrel, and we have bee- fighting ever since, tearing one another to shreds.’’ Then tho sin was confessed, the air cleared. I was inspired to preach, and the atmosphere ch- iged. A revival broke out. It was truly inspiring.

SERVICE AND REWARD. The Master is supposed to be absent, at a wodding, so that the exact time of his return could not be known to the servants who waited at home. In these circumstances, they should hold themselves in readiness, that, whatever hour it might be, they should bo able to open the door at the first knocking. Such eagerness and devotion of service would naturally meet its reward, and the Master would, in turn, consult tho comfort of those who had not allowed themselves their evening-meal, nor lain down, but watched for Him. Hungry and weary as they were from their zeal for him, he would now, minister to their personal comfort. —Edersheim. My reward is with Me.—Rev. 22 : 12. LEAVING OUT THE ARCHITECT. “Thy will, not mine, be done.’’ A man on a trip to ' New Hampshire found a large building being put up in a country town. Struck by the ungainly appearance, ho asked a man who the architec was. “There isn’t any architect settled on as yet. I’m just building it, and there’s a man coming from Boston next month to put the architecture in it.’’ So, many a human life is being built without a semblance of Divino arclr'.ecture in the work.