Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-01-19
CHRISTIAN eNDeAvoh.

Tanic for the Week Beginning Jan. To-
Comment by Rev. ). II. Doyle.
Toptc.-strength for Gods work. How to
obtain il ANA how TO iag. H. Col. J, I'll.
All kind of work requires strength.
He who would do physical labor must
have strong arms and a strong eonstitu-
tiou. The man who would successful
engage in mental pursuits must possess
power and strength of mind. Just SO ne
who would do Gods work or lie success
full in the spiritual life must have srtfi-
cient spiritual strength. The secret OF
success in all these lines is to know how
to obtain the power and then how 10
use it. OF each of these, as related 10
spiritual labor, we have an example III
the topical references.
/. The command to be strong. Hag.
ii. l. BE strong, o Zerubbabel, saith the
Lord. and be stro.g, o Joshua, and be
strong. all We people of the land, saith
the Lord" Zerubbabel was among those
who returned at Cyrus decree from
Babylon. His special work was the
rebuilding of the temple This work had
been DELAYED for seven years-perhaps I'M
necessarily, had they been brave-by the
Samaritans. Hence now comes the COM
nand of God through his prophet, say
ing. BE strong and work. They were
not TO fear the enemy, but boldly and
fearlessly to push the work Of God along.
Gods work was not to be sacrificed Tor
fear of man Often for the same cause
Gods work ceases or lags for time to-
day. II may be so in a community Sa-
tan and the world seem 10 have such a
hold on the people that Christians give
up hope and cease TO labor 1t may be
II a church Men may oppose the extern
sion Of Christ's kingdom, and Gods peo-
pie may become disheartened. 1t may
happen in the individual life, The sneers
and temptations and allurements Of the
world may be too much for MS. and we
may have ceased to grow spiritually To
al such comes Gods command BE
strong and work, for | am with YOU
Fear not. for. 10 / am with You Away
In discourag ments and defeats make
God your rength and power and push
forward. for you cannot fail.
.. The end of the strength derived
from God. Col. i. ., That you may b.
strengthened unto all patience and long
suffering with joyfulness Paul knew
from experience the patience and long
suffering that were needed to live a
worthy Christian. Hence he prays that
the Colossians may derive strength from
God sufficient to make them patient and
long suffering even with joyiulness.
- al. all
tieuce and long suffering. Difficulties
viii need to be met. II is not easy al
WAYS to do that which is right. Dis
couragements viii come for it is nat
mal neither for rs nor our fellows.
TO follow the path Of Righteousness.
How often we despair Of our
own progress and become heartily
weary of the hard heartedness of others.
Trials aud Affections viii also come upon
us. II is indeed meet. therefore, that we
should pray to God that he would giyeus
and others strength TO 20 forward, even
in the midst of such discouragements;
that he will give MS power to rejoice in
tribulation, TO take ioyfully the buifeting
and ridicule of the world. TO rejoice that
we are counted worthy TO suffer for his
name. to have JOY as well as patience in
suffering. For this emust be strength
ened by Gods grace
Bible References-Ps. xvii, /; Xvii.
10: lisa. xii. q Joel. iii. l6 Math xviii
49, 20: Rom. i. 1915: Cor. *, 1922: X,
10; II Cor. xii, ., 10; Eph. ii 1918; ~,
l-3 Phil. ~, -; ! Tim. is, 0; Heb. Il,
1884; IL Pet. ii, !.