The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-29
.WILFuLNEss.r

"WILFULNEss."
(Selected for The Advertiser.)
Not doing Thine own ways
nor finding Thine own pleasure, nor
s, p,,s Thine own words."-I'aiah
Il shall go where choose" 1T shall
90 as ! like" Il shall say what I
Who has not heard words like these,
Thus say those who are determined to
have their own way. who will brook
who resents advice from their elders
or person advanced In life, who will
not hear any word Of warning. They
are all alike in this--they will not lis
ten; being utterly determined to do
have bad habits or persist in sinful in
diligence, or take no pains to regulate
their tongues. 1t is all the same--they
will heed no friendly voice Of admoni-
II We address them (ho ~ever kindly
gently or PATIENTLY 1t Is more than
probable that his pride or temper will
s es uR in a. once so1 ana hs T
reply: 1T 10 no business of yours. I
Intend to do my own way" II we try
to lead them away from the tempta-
ton and snares OF bad companions and
shall take my own pleasure. I do not
interfere with you. and will not be i'm
terfered with by you." If we endeavor
tongue. we are told. 81 shall say what
I choose. My lips are my own-who Is
lord over me? others make free with
their tongues--so shall l." And yet
speak. conscience Is giving him secret
testimony that the advice offered Is
good; and that II II were needed. peace
and happiness would follow where now
only remorse and. self reproach and
ruin IL found.
Even in the best the natural impulse
Is always. towards willtulness. And
and goodness only in proportion as
that self-will Is rooted out.
How Is II that We resist so much
yielding up our inclinations or submit
1t 6 pride in our hearts-that temper
which caused Satan to rebel against
God. and which, unchecked. will make
us rebels too, keeping US from our
Pride In some shape land IT. has
manyD lies at the root of nearly every
sin against God. Pride Is the. origin
a arae Nssos Of Ell Of
and repehtance: pride UNITS the heart
for the humility by which alone we
enter heaven.
God knows our hearts in all their
that pride must be rooted out, and
that His Will mot oursl must be made
the rule of our life. Therefore Chris'
:Thy win be done on earth as It Is IN
heaven but, by His example taugh'
us perfect obedience to His Fathers
WIN In al things. BY the entire sa6mls,
Of His life. He prayed not for exemp-
Thy viii Win Be dons T TS lie taught nae i.
y. Wholly. ursssrvediy TO the viii 81
N1Od. -
) / appeal to your own hearts, From
what you have seen ohTatRe gAzShnd
Us frSm so he y s29s sxsa and spsak
Of such q one, bent on his owIi way SO
that neither the advice Of friends nor
warnings from God touch him. Is II
not u continual going from bad to
worse? Does not his wilfulness lead
him further and further from God
still downward, downward. downward
Watch him who Is intent upon his
own pleasure, set upon pleasing HIM
self and INDUCING the flesh at all costs.
a. man: At the last they ss viii Ii Be e0 ssos 81
OF a swine or devil His own pleasure
is but another name for his own beset-
ting sim And can he sin alone? What
down in Gods word-"Wilnout holiness
no man shall see the Lord?" And can
holiness abide where sin dwells?
again trace the career OF one VINO
will speak his own words Bee IN how
short a time his tongue becomes the
master. Hear the profane man. ponr-
ing out wick edness. hardly knowing
or thinking what he is dUinE-and YET
for every idle word GOO Will bring
him into Judgment" See now soon tho
liar gets into the habit OF lyinE-de-
ceiving no one, not even himself. We
are told no liar can enter heaven.
where all Is truth. What, then. will
be his fate? See how the gossip grows
into the evil speaker and slanderer-
he will first exaggerate, then invent,
utterly reck lehs OF the misery prOdu..
ed by his random talk. Does he recall
those tremendous words, with what
judgment We judge we shall be judgedY'
No good ever ye came 10 any man
troA. sOInE AS "1wn way, finding his
own pleasure, speaking his Swn words"
But let God rule all. uo nothing in on
position to Him. and all VIII uo wsIa
Pray with David. Teach me ANY
way. o Lord" endure win Moses 'af-
Fiction with the people of God rather
tnan enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season." Follow St. James in learning
body, soul and spirit Will be trained
and disciplined into sincere. Uf imper-
fecD obedience to God Thus shall We
attain more and more unto the mind
of Christ. be led more and more by
His spirit, and SO be fitted more and
more for that presence In which all
shall do Gods will In all things, and
God shall be all in all.