The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1910-01-14

DcsccCn ] Out IIclhtn, ny ut NltlIWs 7 |
Of God, That We Present Your Bodies a Living |
Sacrifice, Holy and Acceptable Unto God and
Your Reasonable Service QRomans Xii. y.
.-.-.-.-.".-.".-.-.-.".".O |
Apostles Illustration, why should the
sow that was washed return to wal !
lowing in the mirc? Why should we
after having renowned the world ANA
received the bcgctting of the holy Spir
it, and after having tasted of the good
Word of God and the powers of the
Age TO come, lose the precious taste
and appreciation of these, and return
in craving to the bcggarly elements Of
the world? Surely there are no good
reasons for SO doing. Surely the joys
OF the present life, as well as the hopes
OF the Kingdom to come. all should en-
courage us to fully set our affections
on things above and not on the things
beneath"
The world. the flesh and the Adver
sary-al exercise influences contrary
to our Vow or Resolution to the Lord
to he dead to the world and to self
that we may be alive with Christ and
share his glory suffer with him, that
we may reign with him. The poet has
expressed the proper thought here, say
ing,
MY soul. be on thy guard,
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the prize
Much of our success III keeping our
Vow of Conservation depends upon
two things
a. The Cleurness Of our grasp of the
situation when we made our Vow and
the thoroughness of our intention; the
amount or weight thereof the will
power eXerted for righteousness.
CO An additional feature of great
weight in the matter is the degree of
our knowledge. 1t is in line with this
thought that the Scriptures declare,
My people perish for lack Of knowl-
edge" God has given us his Word
| and informed US that it is 'protitaDlc
| for doctrine. for reproof and for cor.
rection in Righteousness, that the man
| of God may he thoroughly furnished"
He has advised us to search the Scrip
| lures and to forget not the assem-
bling of ourselves together. And
| where his advice is followed and the
Scriptures are searched daily, not in
| a formal manner, but with desire to
| know and to do the Lord S will and to be
| guided in his way, strengthening of
! the will is effected. Correspondence
there is weakening of the evil i'll
tiuences which oppose us as New Crea-
| Nr 4 N,,l
is so arranged as to provide meat in
! due season" for all of his faithful peo.
| pie, whether old or young, in every
! time. AS babes in Christ" as young
men and as full-grown sons of God, it
| Is for each of us Il StorehouSe of Grace
and Truth, to make us strong in the
Lord and in the power of his might.
Only by appropriating this spiritual
food can we have strength to fulfil our
Vow, to finish our course with joy and
to attain the Kingdom. Item by item,
as our minds are able to grasp its I'M
folding prospects of glory, honor and
immortality. we are thereby strength
ened by the Lords might in the inner
man.
In proportion as we realize the facts
Of the case we may appreciate what Il
great bargain the Lord has offered us
We surrender in conservation our
earthly rights, privileges and pleasures
and receive in return more happifying
spiritual blessings in the present life
and the Inheritance of the unspeakable
blessings and glories of the future. II
should, therefore, become much more
easy to pay our Vows with willing
heart, as we grow in grace and III
knowledge of the Lord and his Word
Indeed, as the Apostle suggests, it Is
possible for us to reach the place where
we can rejoice in tribulation also
knowing that thereby our future bless
ing is increased.
What Shall | Render?"
AS the conseCrated believer cOnSid
ers what God has already done, anC
what he proposes yet to do for his
faithful, gratitude wells up in his hear
and his inquiry is, What shall rem
: der unto the Lord for all his benefits
! The more he considers the matter, tn,
more he realizes that his talents ant
} opportunities are necessarily small, in
significant. 1t is from this standpoint
that the poet wrote, 20 for Thousand
tongues to sing my great Redeemer''
praise"
1t Is well indeed to show our appre
citation Of Gods grace by songs o.
thankfulness and praise, but we are t
remember that not merely poetic ca
dences are our acceptable songs, bu
that from the proper standpoint lif'
itself is the proper hymn Of praise L
be continually rendered to the Kinl
of kings. Singing and making melod.
\ in our hearts unto the Lord" will impl.
that our works will be in harmony
song of life" CEphesians V, 19).
Taking the Cup.
The Psalmist's answer, propheticall.
represents the attitude of heart of al
the faithful. Each is expected to say
u IL will take the Cup of Salvation ant
call upon the name Of the Lord
psalm cXvi, 49,. The cup of salvation
AT the present time is the Cup" whic
our Lord proifered to his disciples, say
inp "'ThiS is my blood Of the Nov