The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-25
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Theme:
GOD AS A REWARDER.
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BY THEODORE L. cUYLER, D. D.


BY THEODORE L. cuYLER, D. D.
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Among all the names and at.
tributes OF our Heavenly Father, that
is n very endearing one that is con-
tanned in that glorious epic OF faith,
the eleventh chapter of the He
brews." We read that God is the re
warder of them that diligently seek
Him" That precious promise is link
ed with every earnest prayer and
every act OF obedience. God rewards
labor. Does not every farmer act in
faith when he drives his plow in
Spring-time, and drops his grain into
the mellowed ground? Every minis
ter prepares his Gospel message
every Sunday-school teacher conducts
the Bible lesson, and every godly par
ent tills the soil of the childs docile
heart, in the simple faith that God re-
wards good sowing with harvest.
God rewards obedience. He en-
Joins upon every sinner repentance
and the forsaking of his sins, and the
acceptance of Jesus Christ as his atom
ing Saviour Every sinner that breaks
off from his sins, and lays hold of
Jesus Christ does it on the assurance
that our truth-seeking God will reward
obedience. by faith, Noah, being
warned by God of things not seen as
yet, prepared an ark to the saving of
his house" An unbeleving genera
tion hooted. no doubt, at the fanatic"
who was wasting his time and money
on that unwieldly vessel. But every
blow of Noah's hammer was an audi
BILE evidence of the patriarchs faith
in the Lord as a rewarder of obedi-
ence.
God rewards believing prayer for
right things, when it is offered in a
submissive spirit. ASK and We shall
receive; seek and ye shall find" Hum
ble childlike faith creates a condition
of things in which it is wise and right
God to grant what might otherwise be
denied. We grasp the blessed truth
that He hears prayers, and gives the
best answer to prayer in His own
time and way; upon these two facts
we plant our knees when we bow
down before Him. Oh. the long, long
trials to which we are often subjected,
while our loving Father is testing our
faith, and giving it more vigor and
volume! We are often kept at arms
length-like that pleading Syro-Phoe-
nician mother--in order to test our
faith; the victory comes when the
Master says, "Be it unto thee as thou
wilt"
Cody wives are often left to press
their earnest petitions through menths
and years before the answer comes in
the work of the converting Spirit.
There was an excellent woman in my
congregation who was for long time
anxious for the conversion of her hus-
band. She endeavored to make her
own Christian life very attractive to
him-a very important point, too often
neglected On a certain Sabbath she
shut herself up and spent much OF the
day in beseeching prayers that God
would touch her husbands heart, but
took the case straight up to the throne
of grace. The next day, when she
opened her Bible to conduct family
worship, according to her custom, he
came and took the Book out OF her
hands and said, "Wifey, it is about
time that did this" and he read the
chapter himself. Before the week was
over he was praying himself and at
the next communion he united with
our church.
Verify, God is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him. That pray
ing Hannah, who said, THE grief of
my heart is that of all my six children.
not one loves Jesus" was not satisfied
that II should be so. She continued
her fervent supplications until five OF
them were converted during a revival.
They all united in a day Of fasting and
praying for the sixth daughter, and
she was soon rejoicing in Christ. The
victory that overcame in that case
was a faith that would not be denied
Sometimes prayers of parents are
answered long after the lips that
breathed them are moulded in the
dust
have no doubt that among the
blessed surprises in eternity will be
the triumph OF many a believers trust
ing prayers.
My friend If you are not Chris
tian, entreat you to put the divine
promise to the test. Jesus Christ's
invitation 20 you is follow Me-" He
calls upon you to forsake your darling
sins and offers you pardon.
Outlook and Optimism.
Tho ounarintandant uJho ShtIta him.