Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-01-09


fixed the text in
ny mind and heart for the work and
need of the year. One day I was in
the Office of q Christian business man
and when he told me of his up-and-
Town experiences and his fear OF fall
ure gave him this verse and asked
him to put it on his desk. Before the
day was over 1 was engaging in per-
sonal work in an evangelistic meeting,
and to man who said he was afraid
TO confess Christ for fear he could not
hold out, said, Take Philippians 1:6,
and count on God holding out. He
made the venture on faith, and finds
Christ meeting every need with sufi
:ient grace.
How Can ! Get Through?
How many Christians are fearful
and doubtful about the continuance
and completion of that new life which
began in them when they took Christ
as their Savior. To them the Christian
life is not only difficult, it is a daily
struggle, and a daily fear of COLLAPSE
and defeat. They began well. but
something has hindered them, or they
stand in dread of some spiritual ca
lamity. Service for Christ is irksome.
Prayer has little meaning and less
blessing or power. The Bible is neg
lected or forgotten. Joy has fed from
The soul, and gladness from the life.
Some days are bright and others
gloomy. Some days are happy, but on
others you wonder whether God is still
| alive. You begin to question the real
| ty of your conversion, you wonder
how you will ever get through, and
you despair of winning heaven at last.
Remember the assurance OF the text.
1t takes two to live the Christian life
Christ and the believer; and every day
you may have all of him you need.
| Always remember that the Christian
| life is not matter of attainment, but
| obtainment-take it from Christ This
Is truth that needs to be magnifled.
| When God moves into the heart of
man, and a man yields up his life to
the instruction and guidance Of God,
God will take him through. There may
be disappointments-days when every
thing goes wrong; there may be temp
tations days when the devil presents
the strongest and most alluring ap-
peals to eye-gate or ear-gate or to
other avenues of the life, seeking to
i get your consent to some enticemen.
and to bring you into subsection to the
powers of darkness; there will be days
Of sorrow-days when friends fail you,
| when loved ones leave you, when you
look into an open grace and reach out
after help; there will be days when
you doubt-when you think your
Christian life is thing of no conse-
quence to yourself and no contribution
to the cause Of Christ or the coming
Of his kingdom. But-and be sure of
this-God will see that he wins in the
end. This is his will; this is what he
loves to do: this is what he has begun
in you; and nothing is too hard for
him-he will perfect it. Always he
is working to perfect in US the very
image Of Jesus Christ.
1t is work of liberation, of emanci.
patton, and of transformation. The re.
demptive work Of Christ is followed
by the sanctifying and glorifying work
of the Holy Spirit. Our entire being
is subject to the process. 1t reaches
our minds, giving US understanding in
the things of God. 1t purifies our af
fections, so that more and more we
learn to love after the pattern of him
who first loved US. 1t enlightens the
conscience, setting it in line with the
law of God specially as written in his
word. 1t guides our wills, SO that they
are no longer ours except as we de
light 20 do that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God.
In all our need we may count upon
the persistence. patience and perfec
ton of Christ's work.
The All-SuffcIent Savior.
The text is also an evangel for the
sinner, and he who hesitates to begir
the Christian life may be assured here
and now that 'he which hath begur
will perfect" All he waits fol
is your faith, your surrender, youl
obedience; then you will enter upon :
new year which by the grace of the
mighty God of Jacob will go on into
an eternal life, and this life is in hi.
Son. He says, my son, give me thine
heart" When you do that he viii
enter in and take possession of thai
throne and from it rule every regior
OF the life just so far as you yield il
to him. Do not hesitate to do it. Yol
Will ind Christ an all-sufficient Savior
AS your substitute he will deal witt
the guilt of sin; as your Righteousness:
he will deal with the defilement O
sin; and as your Lord he will dea
with the power of sin. Nothing is toe
hard for God
There is a three-fold card in the
New Year evangel l. Prophecy
Until the day of Christ"-when yor
will be complete in him. q Promise
HE which hath begun good work il
you will perfect it, God will not res
until his work is done; and when it il
done he will call it good. 8. Persua
Being confident of this very
thing" May you have the confidence
which says, Il know when have be
lieve6. and am persuaded that he i:
able to keep that which / have com
mitted unto him, against that day."
| Go1'S GfS+ of