The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-11-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
LESSON K, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 8.

Jehovah, Tor IN the midst OF all MS
difficulties and discouragements-an
they We're very many-he did find his
JOY and strength in the Ford. Having
returned to Jerusalem, accompanied by
captains of the army and horsemen
and with authority to obtain what was
necessary to rebuild the wall of the
city, he spent three days quietly invcs-
tigating before he told the rulers Of
the Jews or the priests what he had
come for. It is wise as rule not to
talk to others about your affairs, but it
is always safe to consult Him who
sends you about everything and then
do whatever Ee says prov. iii, 5, 6;
John ii, 81. 1t is instructive to note
Nehemiah journeying with an escort
and Ezra without one, and God was
with each of them. IN the New Testa-
ment story Barnabas sold his property
and put the money in the treasury,
while his sister Mary kept hers and
made it house Of prayer. We must
not follow others, however wise and
good their ways may be, but follow
Jesus only" Our hand IN His and
our whole being at His disposal, we
should say, as Nehemiah did: The God
OF heaven, He will prosper us" "Our
God shall fight for us" iii, 20; iv, 20).
The adversary is always grieved when
any one becomes specially in earnest
in the Lords work, and he will do his
utmost to hinder, tut there must 30
neither fear nor compromise on the
part Of the servants Of God. AL that
is required Of US are mind to work
and a readiness for any manner Of
service, and then God will surely ac-
complish His pleasure, Observe that
those who built this wall were gold
smiths, merchants, apothecaries, won
en-, etc. Gii, s, II, 32), most unlikely
people to build stone wall, but be-
cause they had mind to work and
God was with them they prospered,
and the work was finished in spite Of
ali their enemies, and God was glori-
fed. Because the work was done by
those who naturally had nc talent for
such work their enemies had to con-
fess that the work was wrought Of
God vi, Is, 16).
We must never forget that there are
always enemies seeking to injure us
and to hinder the work-in fact, a
great adversary seeking to destroy US
and we must ever watch and pray as
did these builders 90. See Jas. iv,
{; Pet. V, 8, 8; Epb. vi, 1918; Mark
xiii, 1887. When there are weak and
discouraged ones among the Lords
own whose motto seems to be, We
are not able" (10), matters are worse
than if there were only enemies with
out. Such were the ten spies because
Of whom all Israel became .discour-
aged and were kept in the wilderness
many years (Num. xiii, 1888. Our
motto should always be, "Our God is
able" (Oan. III, 10. or, as in verse 4 Of
our lesson, "Be not ye afraid; remem-
Der the Lord"
God will always bring to naught the
counsel Of the adversary (verse 1o), but
His own counsel staDdeth forever, the
thoughts Of His heart to all genera
tions Cps. xxxiii, 10, III. See also Isa.
viii, 8, 10, concerning His counsel and
the breaking In pieces Of the adVer-
sary, and take comfort from Isa. XII,
12, l3. They that war against thee
shall be as nothing and as q thing Of
naught, for I, the Lord thy God, will
hold thy right hand, saying, Fear not;
/ will help thee" The words every
one unto his work. (verse 15) make US
think Of the words of our Lord In Mark
xiii, 81, 81 ITO every man his work" and
I Cor. XII, II, ITO every man seTerally
as He WILL" for. we are taught in Eph.
Il, 10, that all good works Of all be-
levers are prepared beforehand for US
to walk in, and also that 1T IS God
who worketh in US both to will and to
do Of His good pleasure" and that
apart from Him we can do nothing
(Phil. Il, 13; John xv, s.. From the
fact that the wall began and ended at
the sheep gate (iii, i, 32) we gather the
suggestion that whatever work IS not
begun, continued and ended IN aud By
Him who was led as lamb to the
and done by those who are
redeemed with His precious blood, will
not count. From chapter iii, 10, q, %,
we learn that we are to do the work
that Is nearest to US, however loTly It
may be, every one. over against his
house." or as elsewhere, "Whatsoever
thy hand fndeth to do" For any
manner Of service, wholly at His
commandment" Eccl. ix, 10; I Chron.
xviii, 21). While some builded, others
held the weapons, and even the build
ers had their swords girded upon them
oversees 3G-1Sl. Our whole life IS
warfare against the world, the flesh
and the devil, and Eph. VI, 1918, is
the only way. For the many who are
compelled to wait or tarry by the stuff
while others work there is. word OF
great comfort in I Sam. XXX, "a. The
workmen, being far separated one from
the other, We're to be ever listening Tor
the sound Of the trumpet (verses 1S-2Ol,
so we, glrt about with truth and with
the sword Of the Spirit, are to be ever
listening for the trumpet Of l Thess.
iv, lG, which shall end the present age,
or at least proclaim it near, by the
fact that the church has been COM
pleted.
These builders certainly worked
full labor day, from the rising Of the
till the stars appeared" (verse
2i,, but we are not working full time
unless by a prayerful OF financial tp'
terest, or both, In some missionary on
the other side Of the globe, who works
while we sleep, and vice versa, we are
earnestly living to complete the church.
Making 1t Pleasant.
That's what call good dinner"
remarked Bobby as be leaned back in