Arizona republican., 1909-11-29

, sages made exceptionally strong are ! introduced by Thus saith the Lord It is certain that this promise will be
 made good.
 Let us turn to the promise itself. Return unto God means to His chill dren greater blessing. a firmer hold on God. more agonizing in prayer; to the man out Of Christ it means a longing for Gods conviction of sin. conversion. confession, and turning back to the Almighty in the fullest and truest sense of the word. God returned to His peo-
 pie when they were slaves in Egypt and their shackles fell off. God return ed to His people in a special sense when
 Elijah stood before the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. and the people cried. The Lord He is the God. the
 Lord He is the God God returned to His people in special sepse at Pente- cost Before that. the disciples INere afraid, fearful, faithless; Peter denied his Master But after Pentecost. all was changed. They were bold as lions. There was not one of them who thought of giving up his faith then. The Spirit of God had taken hold of them. The same has been true in later years. lt has been shown in the lives of such men as Whitfield, Edwards. and Moody, Recently we read of the mighty turn ing wonder in Wales. These incidents illustrate what if means to return unto God and He will return unto us. There are some other thoughts in regard to this promise God may be absent. in R certain sense. from His people. It is
 
 to themselves or withdraws His favor. IT that were true. we would speedily shoot the Gulf of Eternity and be called upon to give an account of ourselves before the judgment bar. God is absent sometimes from His people in the sense that they do not go where He wants them to go. they are not what He wants them to be. Let me illustrate: wonder are the children of Israel before Jericho; God tells them to do thus and so: they obey: the walls fall. l see them a few days later going against another city; they are defeated; Al is not captured because they have taR- en of the accursed thing; they have deficd God; and God is absent from them. because He can not be near when they are thus. At Pentecost God could be with the disciples for they were right in heart God is always will ing to be present with His power when His people are willing to have Him return and help them in the accom- plishment of the work He has given them to do. We get it wrong some times. for we pray as though God must change in order to give us the blessing s.. -e,l- F..I not change IF God comes down with power on His church. He comes as the result of His coming into the hearts and lives of men. God is always walt ing to give His blessing. but we are not able always to receive it. though He has promised it. He has always fulfilled His promises. and it is in His nature to bestore blessings. In the very beginning of our presenting our selves to God in the right attitude. He begins to give answer. The time of Gods giving us His help lies with us. The moment we return to Him, He will return unto us. Whenever we get ready is the time; God is ever ready. l, He can not return to His people until 1 they return to Him; He continues ready to bestow the blessing.
 How may the promise be realized" 1. What is it to return unto God First of | all it means establishing the condition | by means of which God can send the blessing. Franklin on.Y established the | and the lightning came down I from the sky. The moment this church ! the conditions God asks us | to comply with. that moment. quicker ! than the lightning from the skies will