The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-04-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON v, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY (.
Text of the Lesson, Luke nj. LA.
Memory Verses. 1I-I3-Golden Text.
Luke nj, documentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. N. Stearns.

by Rev. ID. VI. stearns.
copyright, 1904. 10y American Press Association.
In the intervening verses between the
last lesson and this one note the power
was granted TO the seventy, with the
assurance that nothing should by any
means hurt them. Note also what our
Lord said about having our names writ
ten in heaven and the blessedness OF
having a childlike spirit Oversees 19-2D
Then follows the story of the lawyer
who answered so correctly from the
law, but was so full of self justifca-
ton, and who learned from the story
of the compassionate Samaritan what
ii means TO love your neighbor as your
self The law is intended to shut our
mouths concerning ourselves and bring
all in guilty before God, that they may
be saved for only the lost can be saved
Qlom. iii. 1920.
As TO the story of Martha and Mary,
with which chapter closes, | have no
doubt but that women were true disci-
pies, equally saved. but Mary while do
ing her full share of housework as the
narrative implies, had a living interest
i'm things unseen and found time to sit
ut Jesus feet ana receive His words,
while Martha WGs burdcnCd with I'M
necessary home cares. know some
housekeepers who feel that they must
rise earlier i'm the morning TO have their
hour alone with God to tit them for the
work of the day, and they will not let
company or any circumstances interfere
even through the day with their fellow
ship with Him. Consequently Christ
is seen in them to the glory of God.
1t is refreshing To read that John
taught his disciples 10 pray. our Lord
had already taught this form of pray
er, which has been well called the epit-
as it was after that the twelve were
chosen ii is probable that the disciple
who asked this question was not at
that time present. These prayers were
taught to disciples only, for only the
redeemed can truly call God Father"
None are truly children of God till they
have received the Lord Jesus John j,
10. 1t is Il great privilege conferred
upon all such. As to the standing of
others see John viii. Al. Through the
sacrifice of our Lord all who truly re-
ceive Him are children of God. heirs of
God and joint heirs with Christ Rom.
viii. IL.
How often we have read it and heard
it. but how little we comprehend it,
May the words of our Lord to Mary
take hold of Us i'm the power of the
Spirit, Il ascend unto my Father and
your Father and to my God and your
God John XN, ~.
When we learn 10 say from the heart,
"Our Father who art in heaven" then
there is an end of all care and anxiety
about things temporal, according TO
Matt vi, 25-33: Rom. viii, D. The
prayer has seven petitiOnS-three for
the things of God and His kingdom
and four concerning Ourselves-and
there is a wonderful parallel. as sug-
gested by Steir in his Words of the
Lord Jesus" between these petitions
and the beatitudes.
1t is to be feared that few even
among the redeemed know much of the
blessedness of the poor in spirit, whose
is the kingdom of heaven. and can tru-
ly say, "Hallowed be Thy name Not
many mourn because the kingdom does
not come, and the majority desire their
own will rather than His, for they seem
To have little if any of His meekness.
The literal daily bread is TO them far
more than Righteousness, and, not ell
joying the conscious forgiveness of sins,
they are not very forgiving TO others.
Failing to see God in everything be-
cause they lack purity of heart, they
are often in unnecessary trials and
temptations. The evil one, the peace
breaker, has such control Of them that
they do not manifest the spirit of chill
dren of God. Not being wholly occu-
pied with Him whose is the kingdom
and the power and the glory, they know
little of the experience of Matt. V, 1912,
nor do they seem To desire ii.
The rest of our lessop, following the
prayer, sets before us that which is the
heart of all true prayer, and that is
earnest desire. He will fulfill the de-
sire of all that fear Him." Delight
myself in the Lord, and He will give
thee the desire of thine heart" Daniel
is called a man greatly beloved" or,
as in the margin, "a man of desires"
(Ps. cxlv, 10; XXXvii, 4; Dan. X, IL.
So in our Lords teaching He sets be-
fore us n man in real need, having
nothing 10 meet the need, and hence
he is importunate or thoroughly i'm ear
nest and obtains his request. Such peo-
pie ask till they receive. and they re-
ceive because they seek with the whole
heart. See carefully such passages as
John xiv, 13, II; XIV, :; Jer. xxx. Is;
Prov. viii, Il, II. V; ii. 1: | John V,
II, II. and firmly believe them. Not
only are we TO ask, but we are to eX-
pect Ops. xii, -. and we are to re-
member that we are asking from One
who is really our Father in heaven.
who knoweth our frame, who pitieth
as a father and comforteth as motA.
er and who can withhold no good thing
from His children ops. ciii, 13. Il;
lxxxiv, Il; lisa. Xvi 49,.
If a father will give to a friend. how
much more will he give TO his own son.