827 say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” I might add that many years ago I attended s o m e meetings regularly where two men constantly bore testi mony to the effect that they had lived without sin that day. I could not agree with them at that time, although I was only young in the faith. As time went on I saw these very men decline spiritually, and both became backsliders and went into the world again. Why was this? I ask. Because they “ de ceived themselves” and were not estab lished in the “ Faith once delivered to the Saints” (Jude 1, 3). J. Meek. M Sii WHERE IS OUR PRAYER. ZEAL? “ One night alone in prayer,” says Spurgeon, “ might make us new men. changed from poverty of soul to spirit ual wealth, from trembling to triumph ing. We have an example of it in the life of Jacob. Aforetime the crafty shuffler, always bargaining and calcu lating, unlovely in almost every respect,, yet one night in prayer turned the sup- planter into a prevailing prince, and robed him with celestial grandeur. From that night he lives on the sacred page as one of the nobility of heaven. Could not we, at least now and then, in these weary earthbound years, hedge about a single night for such enriching traffic with the skies? What, have we no sacred ambition? Are we deaf to the yearnings of Divine love? Yet, my brethren, for wealth and for science men will cheerfully quit their warm couches, and cannot we do it now and again for the love of God and the good of souls? Where is our zeal, our grati tude, our sincerity? I am ashamed while I thus upbraid both myself and you. May we often tarry at Jabbok, and cry with Jacob, as he grasped the angel— “With thee all night I mean to stay, And wrestle till the break of day.”
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS all His ways and Holy In all His works” (Ps. 145:17). “ He Is of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look upon iniquity” (Hah. 1:13). Hence the for saking of His Son upon the cross when He was made sin for us. On reference to Ps. 22:1 we read, “ My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The an swer to this is found in verse 3, “ Thou— art HOLY.” Further we read, “ The Heavens are not clean in His sight” (Job 15:15). With reference to the Truth set forth in i.he 1st Epistle of John, chapter 1, vs. 8:10, are very conclusive on this subject. If the truth is in us we readily own that sin is in us also, but if we say we have not sinned, then the truth is not in us. Verse 9 is God’s means for restoring a failing saint. God the Father is -"faithful and just” to Christ, to forgive and cleanse (not loving and merciful) but faithtul and just, “ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins (1 Pet. 3: 18) and also “ He bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24). Furthermore, where would be the need of “ an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,” if there was not a tendency for us in unguarded moments to sin? Foolish thoughts will sometimes intrude even when we are on our knees, although they may be unbid den and hated by us. With regard to 1 Jno. 3:8, 9. I think this is generally accepted as quot ed by you. “ He that practiseth sin is of the devil.” This of Course is not true, or should not be, of a sincere Christian. Still he is always liable to be overcome if unwatchful, when he should instantly avail himself of the provision made in 1:9. “ If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to for give us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The solemn fact is contained in the next verse, “ If we
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