October 1928
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
623
need of a greater measure o f the Spirit’s presence and power. It is not a question of having more o f the Spirit, but that the Spirit might be permitted to have more o f us. We are weak indeed until we are made strong in the power o f the Holy Spirit. / (2) He prays that “ Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (v. 17). Christ must be more to us than a means o f es cape from the penalty of our sins. He must be our ever-present, inspiring Com rade. The word for “ dwell” ' means “ dwell deep.” In effect Paul says, “ Lord, wilt Thou be to them, not just an occa sional Visitor but a constant Presence to them, in full possession of their lives.” (3) He would have them “ rooted and grounded in love (v. 17). Here is a pic ture o f a tree sending down its roots into love and of a building with its foundation laid on love. This means Christlike liv ing as the result o f living in Christ. Iff is only as we are established in the sense o f God’s love to us that we are inspired tp holy love to one another (Rom. 5:5: Jude 21). H His final prayer is that they might be ‘ able to comprehend . . . . the breadth, length, height and depth—to know the love o f Christ which passeth know ledge in order that they “might be filled with all the fulness o f God” (vs. 18-19). The more clearly we comprehend the wonder ful love of Christ, the more we shall enter into the mind of deity and enjoy His ful ness. His love is higher than heaven, deeper than hell, longer than earth, broad er rihan the sea (Job 11:8-9). It is as wide as the furthest limits of the inhabited earth (Jn. 3 :1 6 ); as long as the ages of eternity; as deep as the lowest depth of misery and ruin; as high as the throne m heaven Since this love “passeth knowledge, we can only pray and study to know as much o f it as we can. Our attention is last called to.the prayer of 1 Thess; 1 :2-5. Here are 'other bfr$ lievers for whom Paul gave thanks and whom he constantly carried to the throne o f grace. Surely these prayers of Paul must have shown us that we have many blessings for which we might praise God, and which we have never mentioned in our devotions. Paul mentions especially his gratitude t0 ,Hod ( 1 ) for their “work o f faith.”— v. 3 ( 2 ) their labor o f love”—v. 3 ; ( 3 ) their patience o f hope” —-v. 3. Have we learn ed to rejoice in the faith,.love and pa tience o f those we know ? Here we have a wide field for thanksgiving. At this thanksgiving season, may we not take time to reckon up and list on paper some ot our many causes for rejoicing, and then surprise our Heavenly Father by giving one whole devotional season to nothing but praise! —O" ■ S eed T houghts . Paul was a man who always thought of others when he was upon his knees. “As God hath an open hand to give, so He hath an open eye to see who comes to His door and to discern between the thankful beggar and the unthankful.” — Gurnall. There are bitter mercies and sweet mercies. We must praise God for them all. Be syre to pay your rent always—and that is thankfulness.
It’s a sure cure for grumbling to put your thanksgiving into the present tense. Give thanks part o f the time—live it all the time. Every prayer of Paul blossoms in praise. The enemy steals in at the door of an ungrateful heart. Hundreds cry: '-.“ God be merciful/’ who never cry : “ God be praised.” “ Never achieve a success without giving God the praise.”— Pierson. The praise-life wears out the self-life. — o — G olden T ext I llustration Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceas ing. In everything give thanks, fo r this is the will o f God in Christ Jesus con cerning you (1 Thess. 5:16-18). A minister was passing one day near a humble cottage. It was a bare-looking house, the dwelling o f a man who had been left alone. The minister was at tracted by a strange sign over the door: “ This and Jesus Christ to o ” The words indicated that the owner, although he had little here below, wished all to know of his thankfulness to God that he had “Jesus Christ, too,” and so an inheritance everlasting. His curiosity aroused, the minister drew near to the house and saw through the broken window the form of an old man kneeling in prayer. On his upturned face he saw written peace, con tentment and joy in Christ. He slipped away, never to forget that he had eternal cause to give thanks to God that what ever he had in this life, he had Jesus Christ too. Paul Prays For His Friends Acts 20:36-38; Rom. 1:8-10; Eph. 1:15, 16 Memory Verse —“ Pray one for an other.” James 5:16a. Approach —The younger classes will learn from the prayers o f Paul how they themselves should pray: that they should pray often, unselfishly and believingly.
day when they all came together to offer their thanks and praise to God for His goodness to them. Our nation had a good A>gm,mng’ for it: was founded upon God’s Word, and we should pray for our country every day, and do our part in praising and thanking God, and telling others of our wonderful Saviour. We are learning in our beautiful Bible stories that Paul did not have an easy time in this world, but his life was full of praise and thanksgiving, and God used him to lead many, many people to the Lord. What was the great secret of Pauls wonderful life o f winning souls? it was because he was a great man of prayer. Even in his greatest persecution and suffering he praised and thanked God continually, for he knew that all power and help was in God. u gi.rls’ Iet us never forfIet this truth that God sees and knows all we do and if we will only put our trust in Him as Paul did He will help us. The Lord has promised in His Word to meet with even two or three: in prayer in His name. Our hearts are filled with joy and peace when we come together to talk to the Lord m prayer, for when we truly pray from our hearts, we are so fully taken up with our blessed Lord, we do not know what is going on about us. Our homes should be 'homes o f praver where all the members of the family gather together and pray; .thanking the Eord tor His loving care and goodness to them, and praying for His guidance. Every Christian home should have family prayer, (it is one of the sweetest memories o f the writer s life, and only eternity will reveal what the dear old family altar meant.) Paul prayed always for other Christians, and so should we. Paul’s life was one long life o f prayer. I f there was great joy in his life because people had come to the Lord, he praised God; if in sorrow or trouble he even praised God and asked ■ ■ H G 3 B 9 How often children are used of God in prayer. No matter how hard or impossible things may be remember true prayer changes things! (Prayer ^nd emphasize memory verse.) The Frivolous Preacher There was once a frivolous preacher who was full o f jokes and smiles, And so many came to hear him, that they fairly filled the aisles. Twas something like a vaudeville, the people laughed and roared; But to bring the needy souls to Christ, this preacher never scored. For he never preached salvation; no one felt their guilt of sin; ’ m to hear him say his funny things, the folks came flocking in. He was good at entertaining, but untrue unto his call; To preach the Way, the Truth, the Life, he never would at all. But, oh! how different when this man shall stand before the Throne 1 He sowed the seeds of sham and fake • he’ll reap what he hath sown. So, trifle not; declare the truth that teaches men the way To enter in the narrow gate to Realms of endless Day. — Rev. Clinton M. Pearson.
Teach them to pray for their dear ones and friends, for their homes and church, for their Sunday- school c l a s s , for their teachers,, for thejr country, and for missions. Urge them to fill their p r a y e r s full of thanksgiving. —Peloubefs Notes.
Lesson Story —Here we have a picture of a lot of soldiers and' horsemen. Who will tell us the story? We learn from this story that the Lord will make us brave and true when we trust in Him. What holiday are we planning to cele brate on Thursday of this week? Thanks giving. You know, boys and girls, that is a great day and should be a very happy day for all who belong to the Lord Jesus, for you know we have so much to be thankful for. Best o f all we have the Lord Jesus as our living Saviour. Then we always want to remember the people who came to this country of North America over 400 years ago that they might worship God. They had a very, hard winter that first year, and many of their dear ones died, but when they had
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