The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-02-24
THE CHRISTIANS SINCERE DESIRE
1t Can Be Accomplished
By Following the Rules
Clearly Set Forth in Bible
A TACOMA SUNDAY SERMON:

Using as his subject The Secret
of Power the Rev. J. Arthur
Stevenson, pastor Of Bethany Pres
byterian church. told his eongre-
cation Sunday morning some Of the
rules by which spiritual power may
be obtained and Christians accom-
plish their ultimate desires. He
spoke in part as follows:
IL someone would stop you to-
day and ask you what you desired
most concerning Christ. no doubt
you would answer that you de-
sired most OF all that more people
would give Him and His Word
supreme place in their lives.
This desire should animate every
Christian. and desiring this he
should be willing at the same time
10 pay whatever price required TO
fulfil that desire. There Ia vicafi-
BUSINESS In salvation, but none In
Christian service.
The Christian cannot fulfill this
desire alone. He is powerless. and
this powerlessness should humble
him. As on that day told OF in
Mark 9 when the father brought
his son to the disciples Of Jesus 10
cure him. The disciples failed. but
Jesus the cause OF the failure and
Afterwards the disciples asked
Jesus the cause fthe failure and
He replied, This kind can come
forth by nothing but by prayer and
fasting" In this reply we have a
secret of power to accomplish this
desire.
The power TO accomplish this de-
sire is available TO US today. We
can do Christ's work the same as
the early church did. Someone viii
say that the power is not avail
able. but that they had what Is
now lost. that they had no opposi-
ton. that they had the now lost
presence Of Jesus.
This u not true. We have
more than they had In just
real things. We have an or
CANNED church. they had none.
We have buildings. and the
name NJ Christ 10 known. N
not owned or confessed. We
have the Bible, they had but
the Old Testament. Besides
this we have printing and the
radio TO declare the Word
throughout the world.
In spiritual power we have what
they had. When did the Holy
Spirit leave? When did christ's
presence leave US? When hav.
Gods promises been repealed
We should have the power. but
lack OF II for we trust In other
sources for power a. did the dis
ciples II IL 10 easy 10 trust 10
a hazy something or other Of self
and pride 10 carry you through
than In the night thing
Then mark the path which the
dirty feet Of unbelief made across
the faith Of the disciples when they
failed 10 restore the life Of a boy.
They desired most earnestly 10 re-
store the boy. yet they failed. They
failed because the little faith they
did have vas destroyed b the
overwhelming unbelief which sur
rounded them In the crowd Of
gszers. The scoffer was there. the
fault-nnder. the failure hunter and
the spectacle observer. The unseen
influence Of unbellef took the dla-
eipies' confidence away and they
failed.
How modern this IL, There l.
the creeping paralysis o. unbelief
today. II you try honestly 70 60
out into life with a firm faith IN
the power of God and IN Christ
you sill find that there ls fhe
opposition Of unhenef. There az
those who Do not believe in the
supernatural nor IN prayer Holy
living IL called. -HOIsr than thou
And this unbelief strikes at the
root Of faith and makes poWerless
some Christians.
But the desire can be accom-
plished- II we desire that Christ
may become the Saviour Of more
people and that more people may
place Him and His kingdom first
there - a way. Christ has shown
ths way in this incident. by pray