The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-07-13


the quickening power Of the new
birth at the very center of our being.
There is life which has its center
and spring in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and this is the spiritual dynamic you
need. : ~. ..-.. ~. rs -
Perhaps you say, '"Tell us how this
takes place" That's what Nicode-
mus said, Master" said he to Jesus,
chow can these things be-" And the
wise-looking college professor asks
today, ""Tell us the modus operandi."
This Is one of the things we must
leave with God. It Is not to be ex-
planned, it is to be experienced. You
may not understand 1t but you can
enjoy it. Can a man explain the phil
osophy OF loaf of bread? Can you
explain the growth of ia single flow
err Tell me how God fcreates worlds
out of nothing and then hangs them
on nothing?. No, I cannot explain
the mystery of the new birth, but
! 1 can tell you of men who came into
my meetings in dreadful bondage to
sin and vice, and were suddenly
made free and have been free ever
since. They were born again.
1Ou CS1u LCl1 WAOA yoA AAoN ''NSSA
born again. Jesus said, 1.-The wind
blows and you hear the sound of It.,
but you cannot tell where it is going
to or whence it is coming to from,
and so is everyone that is born OF
the Spirit" But I know the wind
is blowing when see the dust fly,
| and the trees bend. and the windows
rattle And know L have been born
of God when the spirit of God Is do
ing his work in me. W.. ..<..~ :
The Bible tells you very. plainly
whether you have been born Of God
or not. In LIST John, $40 we read,
"He that is born of God hath the
witness in himself" II you are born
Of God you are walking in newness
of life. You have different feeling
toward God than you formerly had.
As His child you call Him Abba Fa-
Their. Your relation toward God is
as relation of a child toward its par
ent. - 4...-. .'..its -
Again in LIST John, 3:15 we read,
eve know that we have passed from
death into life because we love the
brethren" This is one of the strong
est evidences of our being born again,
love for the brethren. That means
we'll love each other no matter
whether we are Baptists or Presby-
terians or Methodists. That means
you will have to love me, no matter
how hard it may be to do so. And If
you love me you'll quit knocking me
and telling things about me that are
not true. 49, - .>@f3yE
Here. is another test that will tell
whether we have been born again,
1st John 4, whatsoever is born of
God overcometh the world" Too
many of you are overcome by the
world, That's why you feel uneasy
and somewhat rebellious when the
evangelist says anything j. against
card playing and dancing and the
shows. You have not been born
again il you would rather play golf
on Sunday than to go to church. II
you had rather 60 anywhere else! than
to prayer-meeting you have not been
born again. j. - ~ -.s.~ - .s7ea5 !: V
The trouble with lot of people
who go to church Is they seem to
think that religion is summed up in
going to church. singing hymns and
perfunctory prayers. They contine
their religion to one day in the week
and the rest of the time they lie,
steal, cuss and covet. Some people
will do right: as long as it does, not
interfere with making money or hav,-
ing good time, or rather. what they
consider good time. .,;s =.
Hear me once more, 1st John $50,
"Whosoeyer is born of God doth not
commit SIM That don't mean he
cannot sin, but it does mean that in
case he should yield to some terrible
temptation, he will not go on in that
err over the fact that he has sinned,
then shun it in the future. Too many
make sin a regular practice in their.
lives Some of it is secret and they
wouldn't for the world have it be
known, but God knows it., Secret sin
will undermine the character until 1t
brings a man to hell. \ =. ss ~ -. {: j.
And now I want to ask you the
question, have you been born again?
Except you be born again, you can
not see the kingdom OF God. Look
back of your vest erdays. What has
your life been? What about the un-,
forgiven sins? And an unforgiven
sin is more than an item in the reg
lister, it is poison in. the soul. An
old unforgiven sin has a deadly and
deadening influence. Though sin
may be done 1t is not done with UNI
til it issforgiven. You cannot take
your sins into the kingdom Of God,
The poison must be taken out Of the
soul first. and this is done through
the washing of regeneration. .,s,:.
Do you want to see the Kingdom Of
Cod? Then come to Christ and yield
ing yourself to him, be born again.
To as many as receive Him he gives
the power to become the sons Of God.
He is waiting, and you can come
now. + -. =. i: 4. - e ~