The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-04-16

Gods worst judgment against him
came, and he went out to perish before
the fierce attack of a great lion. 1t is a
sad story, but it has it's lesson and it's
warning for you and for me. Eye were
running we'll; who hindered you that
We. should not obey the truth? This
persuasion came not of Him that call
eth you" Let us not be harsh in our
Judgments upon the prophet Of Judah
who failed just when he was about to
round III a splendid service with sue
cess and full obedience. Let us con-
slider ourselves and see if We have not
turned and are not most apt to- turn
aside from complete obedience to the
will and commandments of God.
r HIS man Of God had exact and
full instructions from God as to his
journey. his testimony and his return.
Mar lever turns aside from the pathway
of obedience because God has failed to
make the way plain. The Galatian Chris
tians had % departed from the doc
trine delivered unto them by Paul, be-
cause it had not been made simple and
plain. And you and l do not turn
aside from the right path because God
has not lovingly and faithfully and care
fully marked all the way over which
our feet should 60. Yet did run we'll, oh,
man of God! Why did not you continue
so to the end? Ye did run well, oh, we
Galatians! Why did not you so con-
tinue to the end? You and l do run we'll
at times, We perform half a service for
the Master faithfully. But what binders
us finishing as We began? Surely it is not
because God has failed to make Him
self understood. 1t is not because He
has not hung sign posts at every turn
in the road. He has made it so plain that
"wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not
err therein" The turning aside of the
Christian cannot be charged to any neg
lect. or Indifference on the part of God.
He has provided chart and compass and
guide book, and best of all He has given
us a Pilot who has been over all the
Journey of life ard served in every posi-
BILE condition and circumstance, so that
He is able to help and guide as need re-
Quires. Such being the case, We cannot
claim that our vacillating course is
chargeable to God. We cannot offer as
for having turned aside from the
path of duty and obedience that God had
not given us careful instructions, and
plain commands, forHehas, and We know
1t. God is not responsible for our fail
ures.
CIRST of all. then, We may discover the
| secret of the failure Of the man of
God in delay and the seeking Of ease
in a forbidden place. What hath him
dered you?" Delay and self-sought
ease! Perhaps more failures can be
counted from this source than from any
other. The man of God did not stop and
rest under the tree by the roadside in
order that he might commune with God.
Back into Judah was the place where
he must go to receive Gods We'll done,
good and faithful servant" Back in
Judah was where God would talk with
him further. He could not receive these
on the roadside where duty had not
been fully performed. And neither
more can the child of God to-day. l.
was safe for the prophet to go to the
very heart Of the enemy's country, to
openly denounce the idolatrous worship
and the false altar and priests, because
God had sent him, but it was not safe
to tarry by the wayside, and seek his
ease, for God had not told him thus to
do. He had been told to go and get
back in time for the next meal, and that
meant haste. Perchance he vas hungry
when he left Bethel, and he stopped to
think of what a feast he would have had
at the kings house. And how many
Christians there are like him. They lin
in the regions of the forbidden
things. They know they must not par
take, but they tarry to think what a
goodly land the forbidden land is, after
all. and they banker after the viands
that have been denied them. And this
almost invariably leads to failure. The
Lords business takes the Christian
right into the enemy's country. He is
in the world surrounded by all the at
tractive and alluring things Of this
life. But. as the prophet was not to
partake of the bounties of Pethel, even
so the Christian is told not to love the
world nor the things of the world, nor
to indulge in worldly things.
. UT the Christian, regardless of the
u Lords commands, sits himself down
under the shade of the worlds tree,
and reasons on this wise, much as l be-
lieve the mar of God reasoned that
busy, and eventful, and fatal day. He
was conscious of having done good
service, but instead of reporting back to
headquarters a.. once, and letting God
commend if commentator we're due, he
encouraged the self-satisfied feeling
which filled his heart. His thought al.
conferred in self, and what he had dons.
He, the servant of God, had obeyed
Gods voice, and departed early that
morning for Bethel. He had spoken
Gods message, he had refused the |
kings meat, and had started hack ar
other way-surely, he had done well.
He had obeyed God. Why should he
rest here under the oak nigh toll
Bethel? He was entitled, he thought,
to a little quiet ease after his long jour
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