Connecticut western news., 1890-06-18
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
LESSON XII, SECOND QUARTER, IN TERNATloNAL SERIES, JUNE 22.


 TERNATloNAL SERIES, JUNE 22. Text of the Lesson, Luke xii, 22-34-Com- init Verses e7, 2s-Golden Text, Luke xii, 3O-Commentary by Rev. D. M. Stearns. tCompfled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per mission of H. s. Hoffman, publisher, Philadel phia-l
 22 ''And He said unto His disciples, There fore say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put onn R- VI The previous verse, which is the last verse of the last les son, contrasts treasure in this world for ope's self, and treasure with God, which is endur- ing. Men who live only for this world will naturally seek treasure here; but disciples of Christ who are no longer of this world should seek to have their treasure where they be- long. His disciples may have thought, as He told of the man building larger barns in which to store his corn, well, we shall not be troubled that way; but the question with us is, now that we have left all to follow Him, what about the necessaries of life, our food and raiment which we actually need. If these were their thoughts He read them, and met them with the command, "Take no thought" or "Be not anxious even for these things. Obedience to this command would take out of many lives about three-fourths of all their trouble. Then in Phil. iv, 6, is the command to be anxious about nothing, which will cer- tainly cover the other fourth, so that there Is no permission for single anxious thought in the life of Christian.
 2S. "The life is more than meat, and the body than raiment" When He, after fast ing forty days, was tempted to turn stones into bread, His reply was, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. iv, D. And again when weary, hungry, and thirsty, He sat on Jacobs we'll and the dis ciples brought Him food He said "I have meat to eat that ye know not of."
 24. Consider the ravens; God feedeth them" In the sermon on the mount He called their attention to birds generally; but here He selects one kind, and that an un- clean bird, chased among those which God had said were to be an abomination to Israel uev. Ri, IS, 15). This is the only place where the word Is used in the New Testament. In Job Hxvin, fl; Ps. cxlvii, 9, God is said to provide for the raven its food and hear the cry of its young. And in l Kings xvii, 46, it is this unclean bird which brings Elijah his food morning and evening. There is surely something very special in this command to consider the ravens. Are we not reminded that He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust; and maketh the wrath of man to praise Him Matt. v, 45i lxxvi, 10). If God cares for and can make use of even the abominable raven, surely He win not fail to supply the need of those who have been made whiter than snow by the precious blood of His dear Son.
 "Of how much more value are ye than the birdsr" The sparrows, two of which are sold for a farthing, or five for two farthings Matt. \, g; Luke xii, @ are cared for by Him; how much more will He care for those who are bought with such price.
 & "And which of you by being anxious can add cubit unto bis stature;" R. VI Or "nge" as in the margina To add @ foot and a half to onehs height would certainly be 6 great matter; and as the next verse indicates that what is here referred to Is some small matter, 1t must be that the meaning is "who by anxious thought can add even a half step to the length of his lifef' Who can with all his care prolong his life single moment un less God 90 wills itf Or if it should possibly signify increased importance in the eyes of others in this world, such as might come from great stature, even then we must remember that Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south; but God is the Judge, He putteth down one and setteth up another" Ps. hxv, 8.
 %. "n, then, ye are not able to do that which is least, why are ye anxious concern ing the restr' The little child resting in 8 mothers love, entirely dependent on moth erS care for food and raiment and comfort, not moving enough to have an anxious thought, not thinking of growth or attain ment of any kind, Is a picture of the uncon- cern and rest which every child of God should m fn hard for strong man to realize 1t, but even the strongest physically is as dependent upon God for everything as the little child upon its mother. Look up; leave all to God; be trustful and obedient, and "rejoice in the Lord alway.n
 27. Consider the lilies, how they grow" Now He directs us to the flowers painted by His own hand, growing so quietly, so noise lessly, so beautifully, and He assures US that these excel in glory all the raiment of the wealthy Solomon. However rich and fine and costly might be the garments of Solo, mon, they were all put on, they were not his personal glory, but only such as any one could obtain with the same money. The beauty of the lilies could not be bought with money, it was not put on, it was from within, the glory of each flower was part of itself.
 26 tn then God so clothe the grass ' ! how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faithr' If such beauty is bestowed on flowers which fade in an hour, surely He will not fail to provide suitable clothing for bodie: which he will one day make just like Christ: glorious body.
 % "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, ol what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubt ful mind.n The margin says "Live not ir careful suspense" If 1t was not possible fol every child of God to banish forever every anxious thought concerning food and raj ment, our Saviour would not so insist or it And when He 30 insists on it, how dis honoring to God all such anxiety must be
 30. 'Your Father knoweth that ye hay' need of these things" Here is the ground o our quietness and confidence: we have Father in Heaven, and He knoweth- Tn nations of the world who have no Father il Heaven, all people who are of their father tn devil, may we'll be anxious and careful t. provide food and raiment for themselves an, their households, but children of God by faitl in Christ Jesus should have confidence Il their Father and be at peace.
 Sl "But rather seek ye the Kingdom o God; and all these things shall be added untt you" Not only does He tell us that ou Father knows of our need, but here is the un failing promise of Him who cannot lie, tha if we do the one thing here commanded, d the temporal things we need shall be added
 S2 "Fear not, little flock, for it is you Fathers good pleasure to give you the King dom.n They are to have no anxiety abou such temporal things as food and raiment they are also to have no anxiety about th Kingdom for themselves. Their Father whose children they now are, will surely SC to their eternal as we'll as temporal welfare.
 33. ''Sell that ys lave and give aims; pro vide yourselves 8 treasure in tn heavens that faileth not" etc. There Is sue Gthing as adding to our treasure in heaven.
 34 'For where your treasure IS there wi your heart be also" The hearts of Isras wife was in Sodom; the hearts of 22, 900 ( 01deon's army were at home; hence thes