St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-06-20

before they begin to long for the in
lulgences of the old life. They forget
that their hunger can be satisfied by
che Lord Who is leading them, that the
mama of Gods bounty is as much
better than the leeks and onions of
Egypt as is life better than death and
Heaven better than earth. Esau was
willing to sell his birthrisht for
mess of pottage, and the Christian
sometimes is almost ready to give his
souls hope for the indulgence and
pleasure which the world has to offer.
Lots wife, hankering after the lux
uries and pleasures of doomed Sodom,
looked back, and with the longing look
came tagging footsteps until the
birthstone and alkai which were rain
ing upon the city fell also upon her and
encrusted her, and she was lost.
I ESUS said: "No man having put
his hand to the plow, and looking
back, is fit for the kingdom of Heav-
en-" The children of Israel were not
fit for the Promised land while their
desires were back in Egypt, and the
longing for the flesh pots there had to
be all disciplined out of them before
they could cross the Jordan and gain
possession of the land flowing with
milk and honey. And Sc with the
Christian. He is unfit for the kingdom
of Heaven while he is mGrmuring at
Gods providences, doubling His
thought and care and turning back in
longing desire for the old life and the
old indulgences. The flesh pots OF
Egypt stand for the world and the
things of the world. The Christian ID
no longer TO be fed from chem. They
were all well enough while he was in
bondage to sin, and serving the Devil.
But now that he has passed from the
darkness and death of Egypt into the
wilderness journey Of the new life
with God, God is to feed him. Egypt's
flesh pots in the wilderness are dis
honoring to God and destructive OF
self. You cannot successfully bring
the pleasures and desires of the world
into the Christian life. One or the
other must be given up. Jesus said:
I'VE cannot serve two masters" And
John pleads: "Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the
world. For the world passeth
away and the lust thereof. but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for
ever"
NHY was it that the children OF
w Israel fell into this sad condition.
this yearning for the flesh pots of
Egypt? If we had gone into that camp
and passed from family group to fam
lily group and talked with the murmur-
ing people we would have discovered
at least two reasons for their discon-
tent. First they had forgotten the
glorious land for which they had set
out, and second, they had taken their
eyes off the cloudy pillar OF Gods pres.
ence and were looking into their meal
bags. And the Christian to-day falls
into an error similar to that of the
children of Israel when he forgets the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus for
which he has set out and which is real
lied in the promised land of full sur
render to God, and when ne takes his
eyes off of the Lord and begins to look
into the meal bag of his own paltry,
mean possessions and then lusts after
the things of the old life. Human ma
ture is ever the same. Israel is fig
ure of us. The dreary wastes of the
wilderness made them utterly forget
the promised land of fullness towards
which they were journeying, and the
backward look shut cut the vision of
the glowing cloud. And with us the
temporary desolation and WEAKNESS
of the wilderness journey, the cross
we have to bear. the trial we have to
endure, the failure we experience and
the disappointment and discourage
ment we have to face, all drive from
mind and heart the good land toward
which the soul is journeying, and then,
instead Of looking upward towards the
hills from whence cometh our help, we
look within ourselves for comfort and
satisfaction, we turn our gaze back
ward toward the old life with its
indulgences. and is it any wonder
that like the children of Israel we
fall to lusting after the flesh pots
of Egypt and murinuring Against
God?
DUT Gods voice sounded out over
II that rebellious camp. Oh, what
God we have! Instead of abandoning
those ungrateful people! instead of
Gliding and Furnishing them, He says:
Behold, will rain bread from Heaven
for YOU" And that is what God says
to your soul and mine. Bread from
Heaven! Feeding from the hand Of
God! Daily supply; enough for the
days needs; the gathering of the
mama the first business of the day.
Egypt's flesh pots could no longer
nourish Israel The world can no long
err feed and satisfy your souls hunger.
God must feed you. 1t will be daily
supply, it will be only enough for the
day, and the gathering must be done
before the heat of the activities of the
day have melted the mama and robbed
you of your portion. Oh, how sweet |
and blessed it is to hear God say to the
soul: 81 will rain bread from Heaven
for YOU" Listen! oh. soul. Is the |
murmur of discomfort upon your lips
Are you hankering after the flesh pots
of Egypt? Listen! God is speaking in
the present through the experiences
of the past in His dealings with Israel
and saying to.you that He will fe-d you
abundantly. The needv Samaritan |
woman at Jacobs we'll was promised |
Living Water that would satisfy for |
ever, The multitudes that had eaten |
of the loaves and fishes were pointed
to the Bread Of Life which could salts |
fy the souls hungerings. and the Liv
hn s,.ir /