The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-08-01

Jesus, whatever ther sans, Juusnen' 40
forever past,
Second. He is near as a promise keeping
God For all the promises OF God IN
Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the
glory of God by US" III Corinthians ]; ~.
There is not in all the exigeneies OF our
lives a trial that cannot be offset by
promise OF help found IN the Bible and
these all centre in Him.
Third: He "a near as a prayer-answerinS
God John 10: 2s-a4, And in tha, day ye
shall ask Me nothing. Verify, verify, i
saw unto YOU. Whatsoever We shall ask the
Father in Nv name. He will give u you.
Hitherto have We asked nothing IN MY
name: ask and We shall receive, that your
joy may be full" This is Gods own word,
and ii our prayers have not been answered
the difficulty ia with ourselves,
Fourth: He is near as gracious Father.
John IA: al0. Jesus saith unto him,
Have been so long time with you and
vet hast thou not known Me, phiinF lie
that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,
and how sayest thou, then, Show US the
Father Be,ievest thou not that am IN
the Father and the Father IN Me' The
words that | speak unto you l sreak NOT
Of Myself. but the Father, that dwelleth
in Ne; He doeth the works" BY these
words Jesus wanted Philip 20 know when
he had seen Him touch the eyes OF the
blind and raise the dead and comfort the
sorrowine he had had vision Of the
Father in His infinite love.
IL.
We have lost the sense OF His nearness.
First: In Genesis IS: 10, We read, And
Jacob awaked out OF his sleep, and he SAID,
Surely the Lord is in this place; and i
knew il not" After Jacob had had his
day of fight and his night Of dreams. he
awakes 20 saw, The Lord was in this place
and knew il not" and the reason he did
not know was because he was deceluul
and dishonest. II we give this the night
name we shall say he was sinful, but sep
arate us from God and hide His face from
US so that He not only VIII not hear ont
He cannot sec. Blessed are the pure IN
heart. for they shall see God"
Second In Exodus 3: :, we read, And
He said Draw not nigh hither, but of thy
shoes from off thy feet, for the place
whereon thou standest Is holy ground
Moses had no idea that he would see God
in th, burning bush, for he was not ex,
pecting Him. and let II be remembered
that we have failed 10 see Him because
our minds are not set upon Him. He is on
every side Of us, and il we did hut look for
Him we should see Him al every turn OF
life and every hour Of the day. Your posi-
ton may be very unsatisfactory 20 you,
but il is possible for you in the most me.
NAL place 10 see Christ Just as Paul had
visions of Him constantly, and yet he was
only a tent maker.
Third In Amos 3: 2, we read. "Can two
walk together, except they be ngrccdy'
and that word agreed" in the Hebrews is
betrothal, while in the Greek Is sym
phony." The reason we have lost step
with God is because we have disagreed
with Him. II we we're as indifferent TO
that one 20 whom we were betrothcd Is
we have been TO the claim Of God there
4 L. "A a
were as Indifferent 10 the wife OF our home
ne we have been TO II i'm there would be no
happy home Oh, that we might agree
with Him to-day and keep step with Him,
we would see Him constantly.
Nv.
He is near and He will preserve. Psalm
81: 1925, The steps Of a good man are or
dered by the Lord. and He delighteth in
his way Though he fall, he shall not be
utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth
him with His hand. ] have been young,
and now am old; yet have ! not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread" IL is written in the Bible and
Gods word Is always true. Psalm l2l: 3,
He will not suffer thy foot 20 be moved;
He that keepeth thee viii not slumber."
We may not be conscious OF His nearness,
but He is near, just the same. We have
some time been in n dark room all alone,
nothing about US We have touched the
electric button. when suddenly we realized
that the furnishings OF the room are on
every side of US We were not conscious
of them. but they were near, and we have
lost consciousness OF God and yet IL we
had but time 20 illumine the place where
we live we would see all about us the evi.
dence OF His presence, peace, pardon, love,
JOY Oh, that we might live IN the fur
nished room Of God, for He il near pro
l.Fg 1t..,. aglF In
nestilence, and so turning aside the arm OF
death from US. Trouble may come very
near, but it cannot overthrow us. In
Psalm 21: .. there is graphic description
OF this. When the wicked, even mine en-
omies and my foes came upon me 20 eat up
my flesh, they stumbled and fell" The
Psalmist has a vision OF the enemy coming
hand upon him when suddenly he stunt
bles and falls. Then in the 18th chapter
OF Acts there is picture of Peter sleeping
between the two sollIs. Herod IA just
about TO lay hands upon him 90 bring him
when suddenly the chain snaps and he is
free. This IL just like God. Trouble al.
most breaks our hearts, but not quite; rea.
soa is almost dethroned, but not alto
eetber He will not suffer us 20 be cast
down and utterly forsaken.
V
w nat a helD. III we cOul1 Only get INTO
the way Of saying over and over, Thou
art near, . Lord" we should be greatly
strengthened First: II would keep our
lives pure, for we would not 90 frequently
be lost % sin II we were conscious OF His
nearness.
Secoud II would strengthen US in the
hour OF temptation 20 suddenly pause and
say over and over, Thou art near, q
Lord" for He would Immediately give US
the strength 20 escape.
When through fiery trials thy pathway
shall le,
Ny grace all sufficient shall be thy supply,
The flame shall not hurt thee; j only dc
sign
Thy dross TO consume, and thy gold to
refine"
Third 1t will greatly help us IN trial TO
say, Thou art near 20 me, o Lord"
IL would greatly assist IN the transfer
nation Of character u We but realized His
nearness Moses saw Him, aud his face
shone; Paul had a vision OF Him and never
was the same again.
"Some times am faint and weary,
He knows that ! am weak
And az He bids me lean on Him
Hs help gladly seek.
Hc leads me IN the paths OF hight,
Beneath a sunny sky,
And 80 we walk together
Ny Lord and J."
II will greatly help us when the need
comes, for lie Will then be near.
One % my friends IN preaching 20 the
soldiers IN the time Of the war visited a
IL -. . yvvs. 4 D.