The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-03-07

ITleHuSHip ". ~ id) Win uOu, W.
with man. CD Intercession, v. %;
(3) knowledge. v. 25, | C. The art,
the power, the place, the glory, the
spirit, of intercession. yes, the bless
ing OF intercession is to be coveted
by all believers. Abraham's interces-
sion prevailed though outwardly 1t
seemed to fail. see 1926. The pre-
pared teacher ought also be famil-
lar with the story Of the change of
Abrams name and OF Gods dealing
with Abroham and Sarah as re-
corded in chapters IL and IS.
Lot and Sodom.
l. The Warning, W. l7-23,-Lot had
pitched his tent towards Sodom."
and now the time for the execution OF
another judgment upon sin had ar
rived. God, however, here gives us
another illustration of his mercy
which always precedes judgment. That
mercy was not only to righteous
man, one who had therefore degree
Of worthiness, but also to an unde-
serving member of the same family,
see Z; and Acts 1881. First of all,
Lot is called upon to separate himself
from his neighbors. Lot attempted to
convey this warning 10 his sons-in-law,
but it was too late, his testimony, his
manner of life, his aims and his am
billions had correspondent with theirs
for such a period of time that the
fact of his belonging to the family of
rho nrnpniGn an1 sfha
semed as one that Knocked unto his
sons-in-law." God is calling us from
the corruptions and the plaques of
Babylon (Rev. 1874 and 10 separate
ourselves from Sodom, see the golden
text. While God is long suffering
q Peter, 800 we must also remem-
Der that if men will sin willfully. If
they persist in their wickedness, judg-
ment is sure to follow, -, also 2
Peter $40, IL. When judgment does
come, as it did in this case, God knows
how TO save his own, 2 Peter 2:7-9.
The voice OF sin cries from our cities
today. The voice Of poverty, of in
temperance, of injustice. and it
reaches before the face Of the Lord"
tJas. 5:4) and unless America heeds
unless men repent, God will most GER
tainly punish. Acts 1870, 81. This
punishment Of Sodom was not only
the development of their own wicked
ness, but by direct agency OF Gods de-
stroying angels. Look up the subject
of Judgments.
Lot, we are told, was a righteous
man, 2 Peter 81 but he was most
sadly connected with the world, and
hence lost his testimony ". 14). The
church Of today is constantly hinder
ed by the incubus of believers of this
type. God expects the disciple to SO
separate himself from things that
though he may be lin the world, he is
not of the world
Even Lot was loath to leave tvv.
Is, 16), and later many OF the Isreal-
ties were full of regret over the miss
ing flesh-pots of Egypt. The angels
of God had to fairly drag Lot out of
the doomed city. He came near losing
his very life as he persistently chung
to his property. The greatest weapon
and the most efficient one the devil
has to use in his warfare for human
souls is procrastination.
Gods Patience.
The long suffering and patience OF
God are most wonderfully shown in
verse Is, and the whole secret Of Lots
salvation was that the Lord was mer-
ciful unto him." Eph. 2:S.
TT The nnufv.,ction <Nt
escaped to little city, Zoar, which
God in his mercy promised not to de-
stroy ". 2I, and 1t was not till Lot
was clear OF Sodom that destruction
came. God could not break his word.
He had promised Abram, and had
Abram pursued his importunitien,
chapter Is, doubtless even Sodom
might not have been SO utterly de-
stroyed. There was, as has beeh
suggested, probably a volcanic eruI-
ton OF gases, petroleum, etc., but
there accompanied it a supernatural
manifestation also, for 1t ''rained
down." v. "a The words looked
back" referring to Lots wife, imply
more than q mere passing glance. Her
heart was in the CITY she was leaving,
that city so full of pride. of bread,
and OF ease, Eek. 16:49. She died as
did Pliny at Pompeii, suffocated by
the gases, and her body became in
crusted with the salt.
Life Is a gift of God, we hold 1t only
upon certain conditions; we can
choose good or evil God loves us
and wishes all men to be saved, prom
ises pardon to the penitent and fore
tells doom for the impenitent Mr..
Moody's story Of Judge Lot" would
be effective in presenting this lesson.
Present to the boys the slogan of
"clean living; clean speech; clean ath-
letics." Forget not to show love to
strangers, Heb. 1872. Sodom needed
ten men to redeem II. What Ameri-
can city has but ten righteous men
In IT. Read Deut. $3.50. The pun
Inhmout Of crima n n nfaru nacsasitv,