The midland journal., 1946-03-22

LESSON TEXT Samuel 7:1-8. 1918.
MEMORY SELECTTON-Obey my voice.
and I will be your God, and ye shall be
my people: and walk ye In aB the ways
that have commanded you, that 1t may
be well unto you.-Jeremah 7:23.
The most powerful movement for
national prosperity is a revival OF
spiritual Christian living.
Israel had come to the place
where the people recognized that
they were on the brink of national
disaster.
One of the scriptures on revival
Is II Chronicles 714: eff my peo-
pie, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will l hear
from heaven, and will forgive their
sin, and will heal their land"
This is the way of revival and
prosperity for America, too.
Revival will come when Gods
people will
1. Seek Gods Face wv. 1, y.
The ark had been out of its proper
place for a long time. The ungodly
Philistines had it, but they were
glad to return it.
The calamities which befel them
speak of distress in the heart of an
unbeliever when the presence Of
God is evident.
For a time the ark was in the
house Of Abinadab, but even there
it was not in its rightful place. Sam
uel moved among the people, point
ing them back to God.
This was his first act of public
ministry, but behind that public
act is the history of godly life.
Such a man can consistently urge
others to turn to God.
The response of the people was
wholehearted. They were thorough
ly sick of their sin and separation
from God. The earnest of their sim
cerity was their obedience to the
admonition of Samuel that they
ii. Turn From Their Wicked Ways
(vv. 8, A..
Israel had learned from their
heather neighbors to worship their
false gods. These they must put
away if God was to bless them.
The same prerequisite to spiritual
revival exists today. But some may
say, We do not worship heather
gods. One is astonished at the SIM
ilarity between the ritual of some
cults and orders and the ancient
religions of heathendom.
The fact is that we have set up
many new gods-money, fashion, So
cial position. The command needs
to go out again through Gods mes
sengers. "Put away the foreign
gods"
Now the time had come for Gods
servant to call the people to
III. Humble Themselves and Pray
{vv. 5-8).
Spiritual life thrives on the gath
ering together of Gods people. The
crisis in Israel was met by a great
convocation of the people. We
need to revive the great soul-stir-
ring religious gatherings Of gen.
Grafton ago.
We can get plenty Of people to-
gether for a football game, but
where are the people who should be
in our churches?
II will pray" said Samuel. He
was a great intercessor (see I Sam.
15:11; Ps. 99:6; Jer. 15:D. Revival
never comes without faithful inter-
cession on the part of those whose
hearts are really burdened.
Ask yourself, How much have
really prayed for revival in my
church, my community, and my ma
ton? If should begin to pray in
earnest, would not God hear me and
answer?
~. Goa win Hear and Forgive
(vv. l3-l5).
Because his people had sought
him in humility and repentance,
God forgave and cleansed and gave
them victory.
Behold, the Lords hand is not
shortened, that 1t cannot save; nei-
ther his ear heavy, that it cannot
hear" Elsa. SOL, q. God saved Is
rael out of the hands of their ene-
mics. The Philistines. seeing them
gathered together to pray. assumed
that they were preparing to fight,
and they attacked. In the previous
battle at that very spot Il Sam.
4:1-10), Israel had fought with
weapons of men and been disgrace
fully defeated. Now they fought
with the weapon of prayer and faith
In God, and great was the victory.
America Is valiantly battling
against the social and economic
problems of these distressing post
war days, but one fears that all too
often the weapons are those of the
arm Of flesh which will fail us. Let
us look up instead of to one another.
"God will save us" ". 81.
There is an inspiring word of
hope here for every troubled soul.