The Clio messenger., 1921-09-15


meet from day to day. What we need
most Is quietness and poise OF heart
and mind In order to live comfortably
ourselves and to keep us In such con-
dition as will make us blessing to
our fellows. Too often we go from
day to day with our restlessness grow
ing more and more pronounced until
our nerves become affected and life Is
made a burden. We need something
which will sOothe the nerves, quiet
the restlessness, and give us the peace
of God in exchange for the disquieted
spirit within us. That something" Is
found In considering the Lord Jesus
Christ.
The second reason is our powerless-
ness. We expect to do great things
for Him, but somehow we fall again
and again. We wonder why we are so
weak to combat sin in our own lives,
to say nothing of being a blessing for
the lives of others. The reason Is
that so many times we are occupied
with ourselves and our resources In
stead of with Him and His resources.
There is no lack with Him and the
one who would be strong TO do ex-
plOits In His name must constantly
heed the eXhortation Of our text and
be occupied with Him. ITO look at
Him again and again." as the word
the text really means, will be found
to be the secret of freedom from both
our restlessness and our powerless-
ness.
Two Requirements.
The first requirement is full reliance
upon the Holy Spirit. 1t is His office
to reveal Christ TO our hearts at all
times. None but the Holy Spirit can
do this for us and we must constantly
rely upon Him to fulfill the purpose
for which He was given. when He,
the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will
guide you into all truth, for He shall
not speak of Himself; but whatsoever
He shall hear that shall He speak:
and He will show you things to come.
He shall glorify me; for He shall re-
ceive of mine and shall show Ii unto
you. All things that the Father hath
are mine therefore said l, that He
shall take of mine and shall show 1t
unto you."-John 16 :13-15.
The second requirement is media
tion on the word of God. The only
way the Holy Spirit can perform His
work Is through the Word. The reason
why we know so little concerning
Christ is because we spend so little
time over the Bible. The only me-
dunn the Holy Spirit employs to re-
veal Christ to the waiting heart Is the
Scriptures. Search the Scriptures,
for in them ye think We have eternal
life; and they are they which testify
Of me."-John 8 SO. Nowhere else
but In the Bible is found the full
revelation of Christ, and no one else
but the Holy Spirit can show Him unto
us. We need therefore before all else
to be in daily meditation upon the
Word, In full reliance upon the Holy
Spirit to take of the things Of Christ
and show them unto us.
Two Results.
From the above program the first re-
suit will be a growing likeness to
Christ. AS we mediate upon the Word
from day to day there will come to us
an increasing desire to know more Of
Christ. This desire the Holy Spirit
will satisfy and with the satisfaction
will come, perhaps all uncOnsciously
to ourselves, an increasing transforma-
ton into the character Of the Lord
Jesus. There will be need Of much
patience, but the result is sure. 1--WE
oil with open face beholding as In
glass the glory of the Lord. are
changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit Of
the Lord."-II Cor. 3 :1S.
The second result will be the trans
formation of our service into some
thing akin TO that which Jesus Him.
self rendered. With our restlessness
gone, our powerlessness exchanged for
His strength, with full reliance upon
the Holy Spirit, and with our daily
meditation upon the Word, there will
come to us a new ability beyond any
thing we ever knew, and the service
which perchance had become iriSsome
will be turned into joyous delight
above all other things our hearts find
pleasure in. We will go forth not
merely with the desire to serve, but
with quiet confidence Of having the
power TO serve acceptably, and we
will fulfill our Lords purpose for us
when he said: "Ye have not chosen
me. but / have chosen you and or
dained you that ye should 90 and bring
forth fruit and that your fruit should