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ple’s faith says that it delights in God’s promises, yet it does not delight in His commandments. That is no faith at all. Whoever takes God at His Word, will take all His words. There is no faith without obedience. There is no obedi ence without faith.—Maclaren. From reason’s standpoint, it was a foolish thing for him to leave home, not know ing where he was going. Heb. 11:8, but it was enough for him that God had said— I will shew thee.-—Marsh;. I would be where God wills. With His blessing the desert shall be pleasant as the fruitful field. Without it, the fruit ful field shall mock the appetite which it tempts.— Parker. Lot went with him. A faithful Abram will draw a Lot after him. Religion in its true possessors exercises an attractive influence over common natures and may win them to a loftier life.S-Maclaren. v. 6. Canaanite in the land. The hosts of wickedness are in present oc cupancy of the heavenlies to wrestle with those who are partakers of the heavenly -calling.-B-Pink. The Canaan ite in the land is the expression of the power of Satan, but instead of being occupied with Satan’s power to keep us out of the inheritance, we are called to apprehend Christ’s power to bring us in.— C. H. M. The path of absolute obedience may often be found to be most trying to flesh and blood. The rightness of a path is not judged by its exemption from trial.— Sel. v. 7. The Lord appeared. When the soul sinks sometimes at the sight of the Canaanites God lets in a beam of His own light and comforts with some cor dial promise.— Marsh. Build an altar. Many Christians leave their altars behind them when they move to a new place.^-Torrey. Blessed are they whose way is known by the marks of worship. — Sel. v. 8. Pitched his tent. The Chris tian must choose to be a pilgrim and keep himself apart in feeling and in aims from this present.— Sel. Where-
shipper and a citizen in heaven; the latter" makes him a stranger and a wit ness on earth.— McIntosh. Separation tests the reality of our lives and at the same time strengthens our spiritual fibre. The nearer to heaven, the steeper the mountains.--—Thomas. The Lord’s commarids are rarely accompanied with reasons, but always with promises either expressed or understood.-—Pink. From thy kindred. God’s voice always summons us to forsake friends and com panions and to go apart with God. No man gets speech of God in a crowd. Maclaren. Three things were com manded him. In respect to the first requirement, Abram obeyed, but with reference to the last two, he failed.— Sel. I will shew thee. Faith rests on a far more solid ground than the evidence of our senses and that is the Word of God. Our senses may deceive us, but God’s Word never can.— C, H. M. God’s biddings are our enablings.— Sei. “ I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.” Note the seven fold promise with the seven-fold bless- .ing in Exo. 6<478 — Compan. Bible. v. 2. I will make of thee.... Great lives are trained by great promises. God never calls men for the purpose of mak ing them less than they are except when they have been dishonoring themselves by sin.—-Parker. Faith ever finds its most precious resting place upon the naked Word of God.— Gaebelein. Shalt be a blessing. Lit.— be thou a blessing. A solemn obligation rests upon one God blesses to be a blessing to others.— Torrey. Abram was not merely the subject of a divine blessing but a medium of blessing to others.— Pink. v. 3. I will bless thee. If we would enjoy the divine sanction and divine presence, we must be seeking by faith to act upon the divine call.— C. H. M. All families of earth. Every man should look upon himself as an instrument of possible blessing to the whole world.— Sel. v. 4. Abram ' departed. Some peo
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