Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-09
Sunday School Lesson

multitude. They had not caught the
spiritual meaning of the Master =
teachings. We find our own life fuli
of similar experiences. The trials we
dread, the troubles that fill us with
fear, all work out for our good. our
failure to recognize Gods program IN
the events of the day is similar to
theirs. If they had stood with jesus
in His protest against the people
desire TO make Him a king by force,
they probably would not have been
terrified by His presence.
He called upon them to be of good
cheer and assured them that He had
come. Peter, full of enthusiasm and
impulse, revealed a spirit of pre-
sumptious faith and the evidence of
some lingering doubt. He would move
quickly from one position to another
until he learned to follow absolutely
the Lord. In teaching Peter the les
son of trust, Jesus told the apostle
to come to Him, walking upon the
water. The miracle, performed by the
Lord, encouraged Peter to try 1t, but
when he felt his feet walking upon
the unsteady waves, he took his eyes
off the Master, lost his confidence and
began to sink. His appeal to the
Lord for help brought him the helping
hand, that saved him from going down
beneath the waves. His impulses
failed him, when he looked at the
material disadvantages. He had TO
learn that nothing Is Impossible TO
the man, who works in accordance
with Gods will and program. Obedi-
ence to the commands of Christ Will
secure for us His presence, power
and protection. We ought not TO be
filled with fear by the evidence OF the
supernatural, like His apostles. Let
us put a larger faith in Christ Jesus
and do His will at all times.
Fear was Peters weakness. 1t
made him unstable. 1t will make US
unreliable Peters life was marked
by failures, yet his life was not
failure because he learned the lesson
of trusting implicitly the Master.
Anv man who fears the result OF an
effort is defeated before he commences.
An eminent editor has well said that
fear ia the foe of faith, because
faith is courage and fear IS coWardlce'
faith is adventure and fear is tlmidlty'
faith is taking a chance and fear Is
playing safe. One risks faiiure Wheh
he lives by faith, but 1t is better to
exercise faith and fail than never to
venture at ALL" Fear has tendency
to paralyze action. Faith is demon.
strated by action. Tt produces life
filled with the fruits of the spirit.
Peters fear came close to making an
end to his career, but his quick recog-
milton of his need of Christ's help and
his appeal to the Lord to save him
reveals that Peters faith was master
ing his fears.
Faith Is essential to every Christian
life, 1t is the motive power that gives
objection to the heart and mind; it
keeps us true to our Lord and the LIE
we should lead when he look unto
Jesus, the source Of our life and saliva.
ton. Faith is our answer to His call
and ought to inspire us to put our
trust in the promises and power OF
the Lord Jesus at all times. Peters
experience with Christ and the way
the Master guided them to shore that
early morning ought to teach US to
put more faith in Him and to do His
will at all times.
We ought to be encouraged by the
outcome of Peters faith to be always
on the lookout for His presence, espe-
cially amidst the dangers and difficult
ties that we face as result OF dong
His will We should be looking for
Him to draw near and extend help
ing hand to us at all times when He
assures us to be not afraid OF His
presence Satan always seeks to fill
us with fear. and by so doing hinders
the advancement of the kingdom.
Every Christian organization active in
China today has men and women
whose timidty and doubt would recall
all our missionaries back homes They
are not asking for our Marines and
gunboats, like other interests, for they
have a confidence in Gods protecting
care and faith that they Will not be
molested by the Chinese in their bat
ties for a. united nation and political
freedom. Here we have to realize
the practical power of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. 1t is only when we
doubt that we fail. When we trust
and obey we win victories for Christ
and His Church here at home and In
all lands.