Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-06-18

| less mem Der of the human family but
the power of God was made perfect
IL his submissive weakness when the
ark he had constructed bore him safe
| ~ ON the breast of the mighty food
while those who prided themselves in
their own strength and wisdom were
resting in watery graves. Abraham, by
! his blind obedience to the Divine com
! mand. established n nation and pre-
! pared the way for the coming OF
| Christ. And in Christ we find the per-
feet eNemplification Of the mighty pow
er Of God being made perfect in
weakness. When Peter drew his
sword in protection of his Lord
! in the Garden of Gethsemane. when
the Roman soldiers and officers Of the
temple came to arrest him, he turned
to that Jealous disciple and said:
"Thinkest thou that ! cannot now
pray 20 my Father, and lie shall pres
emily give me more than II legions OF
angels? Yea, verify He might. but
would not, for the strength Of God was
! to be made perfect in His weakness.
| The seeming defeat on the cross. en-
! abled Paul to write: "For | am not
ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for
| 1t IS the power of God unto salvation
to every one that belieyeth."
Mans Extremity Gods Opportunity
And If Gods strength is made per-
feet in weakness" it must needs be
/ that mans extremity becomes Gods
| opportunity. God cannot do much
| with the soul that is trusting i'm its
/ own strength and wisdom, and will
/ not recognize a need utside of itself
/ But let soul get to the end of itself as
/ did Paul. and the grace of God is found
! sufficient and His strength is made
| manifest in the confessed weakness.
| Jesus couldn't do much for the young
| man who came to him seeking the way
! Of eternal life because he was trust
| ing in the riches he was not willing to
| give up; but across the lake of Galiee.
! in the country of the Gadarenes, lie
met the poor demon-poss cssed man,
and in answer to his cry gave him de-
liverance. The thief on the cross who
came to the end of himse elf and turned
10 Christ for help soon found himself
in Paradise with his Lord. The other
thief on the cross who stubbornly re-
fused TO recognize the Christ. but re-
viled Him, passed on into darkness
and eternal death. In the one. mans
extremity became Gods opportunity.
In the other. mans extremity worked
for him his own destruction.
The helpless sinner at Jesus feet is
raised up cleansed and saved soul.
God has to get man down before He
can help him up. Man cannot step
from his own Sutficiency into the King
dom of God. He must realize desper-
ate need. His cry must be. Lord. save
or | perish" The Christian at Jesus
feet. discouraged and disheartened
with his own effort to do and TO over
come, finds he can do all things
! through Christ who strengthened
| him. Rev. +. b. Meyer. pastor Of
! Christ church, London, SAYS: "Do not
sit down before that mistaken marri-
age. that uncougenial business. that
ply weakness as though thy life
must be Il failure; but take in large re-
inforCements Of that Divine grace
which is given to the weak and TO those
who have no might. It i clear that 81.
/ Paul had reached such q condition that
II was matter of deep concentration
for him TO be deficient i'm much that
men hold dear. and to have what most
men dread. lie reioiced in all
that diminished creature-might and
strengthened his hold on God"
JOY in When Paul real.
led that Gods strength was, made
perfect in his weakness a new source
Of JOY was opened up to him. Nh.
how that thorn in the flesh became Dig
niiied and glorifed that day, when this
blessed truth burst upon his spiritual
vision. Paul energies from The gloom
Of his physical infirmity into the glor-
iouS light Of the presence OF his Lord.
The thorn is no longer there a.
thorn. but has become the evidence OF
the presence Of the grace and power
OF God. This is your privilege. too.
and mine. The thorn i'm tine flesh. the
daily trial and disappointment. the
misfortune and priyation may all be
TRANSFORMED into ble,Sin gS
On the busy streets Of the down
town district of Chicago. where strong
men rush to and fro i'm the yignr of
their manhood manipulating large en-
tcrprises aud managing great estab-
lishmouts. there slowly moves am all
most helpless cripple with his wares
hung around bis neck. FROM tive -aI,.af
which he gains his livelihood. Ills
limbs are twisted and helpless his mis-
shaped frame troWllcs with Distress
ing palsy his face s. set and uHrIrd
with lines " care and suffering. bis
eyes are fixed ON trr walk before him
JIM order that be may br -uro of his
ground as Dr. fraes bis shutting fce+
along. while thc crutcIc- under lis