St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-07-06
sERMoNErrE-

1 like all the nations."-This de.
sire to be like those about us is
a mark of the worldIine. Just !
IN proportion as Israel turned its
eyes from the God whose pe-
culiar people they were, just so
, far did they have hankerine
Z to be like the nations about
Z them. II proved a snare to their
: feet just as the world and the
) things of the world entice the
children of God to-day. The
Z Christian starts out with the
vision of God and the longing
to grow into Christ likeness, but
& neglect to mediate on Gods
: word and forgotten prayer OBJ
& scures the vision and vitiates the
p hunger for righteousness, and
4 before it is scarcely realized
= the eyes are turned upon the
8 world and there springs up de-
3 sire to be like the worlds peo-
D Pile, to have the things they
{ seem to enjoy, and to engage in
q the activities which SO enthrall.
< Such condition of heart is dan
Z gerous, and we'll may one medi-
q tate upon the admonition of
q John when he says: Glove not
2 the world nor the things of the
world" In desiring king as
they did, Israel was placing that
D desire first and putting God in
6 second place, condition of
q heart which is periIous and GER
z tain to bring it's train of trou-
Z BILE and woe.
= But though 1t was to their
< hurt, God must give them their
4 desire, for they were too WiIlfuI
4 to be turned from their purpose.
y It Is often SO. God will renon-
Z strate with his children up to
x the point where he sees that
8 they will not listen to his warn
q ing and then will give the soul
= it's desire that in the gratifica-
= tion of that desire may be- found
Z the discipline which is needed.
& When we choose for ourselves
& we are more than apt to make
. choice which will turn like
q boomerang upon us and prove
2 curse instead of blessing. The
= thing we think we want most
Z 10 more than likely to be the
4 most undesirable for US. There
8 is only one safe ground on which
= to stand, and that is where God
q is placed first and permitted to
z choose for us. The thing which
Z God desires to give US never car
s ries with it any element which
. will prove disastrous to the soul.
2 His blessings never contain a
Y sting. We should "desire the
* best gifts" "For If we being
& evil know how to give good gifts
q unto our children, how much
u more will our Heavenly Father
2 give the Holy Spirit Che aII-in-
= elusive glft) to them that ask
2 him."
< According to the intimation of
& the Scripture it was the corrup-
. ton Of the sons of Samuel, who
2 had been appointed judges over
2 Israel, and who perverted judg-
4 men4 by the taking of brides,
< which YVES the Immediate cause
of the people desiring a king.
. This fact emphasizes one impor-
tant thing, and that is the per-
4 petuating power of sin. One
x wrong ripens into another; one
8 sin leads to another. The mis-
q deed of one man encourages or
. incites transqression on the part
= of another, and SO on, so that
the sad train, Of developments
< from a sin committed may be
x appalling In its final consunma-
ton. Man cannot sin alone, but
g in his sin he exerts an influence
over other life or lives which is
Z disastrous.
u~H~n M>U<>DA1@ n@n @n~r