MORNING. "Lord, we pray Thee that Thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." GRACE PREVENTING AND FOLLOWING. THERE are certain words that have changed their meaning since the writing of the Prayer Book. Prevent is one of them. It means now to hinder-then it was used in its original sense of "going before," thus, "Prevent us, O Lord, in all," &c., and so here. Our petition, then, is that we may always have, 1. Grace going before. We read of saints following the Lord: Deut. i, 36; Jos. xiv, 8, that is, letting Him go before-(1) to show the right way Psa. xvi, 11; xxvii, 11. Why do we need this? Prov. xiv, 12. (2) To lead us in the right way: Psa. cxxxix, 24; Prov. viii, 20; vi, 22. (3) To hold us up in the right way: Psa. xvii, 5; cxix, 17; 1 Sam. ii, 9. Why is this? Jer. x, 23. 2. Grace following after. We read of saints walking before God: Gen. xvii, 1; 2 Kings xx, 3, that is, they went, feeling that His eye was upon them: Prov. v, 21; Psa. cxxxix, 1-4, remembering that He would keep them from going back: Isa. xxx, 21; xlii, 16; Psa. xxv, 9; Prov. iii, 6, realising that He was close at hand to protect them: Deut. xxxi, 6-8; Jos. i, 5; Psa. xxvii, 1. But for what end do we pray this? "That the Lord may make us continually to be given to all good works." Good works form the way in which God hath ordained that those who are in Christ Jesus should walk Eph. ii, 10; Tit. ii, 14; 1 John ii, 6. But it is only God who can put into our hearts what is good, and then enable us to carry out what is good. God first-God last. His grace before-His grace after: Eph. iv, 24; 1 Cor. iii, 9; 2 Cor. v, 5; Phil. i, 6; ii, 13. There is much for us to learn in this matter. Children often like to have their own way, and to choose their own path: 1 Pet. i, 14. O be careful to see that God is going before you, that God's grace is assisting you. "Prevent and assist me, and so shall I run; And further within me the work Thou'st begun, AFTERNOON. LEARN-"The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies :" PSA. lix, 10. ACTS xxvii. THERE are few persons in whom the grace of God was so triumphantly displayed, or who acknowledged its power more than the apostle Paul: 1 Cor. xv, 10; Col. i, 9; Gal. ii, 8. From his earliest days we learn how God's grace prevented him: Gal. i, 15; we see also how through his ministry it followed him: 2 Cor. xii, 9; Eph. iii, 8. This interesting passage, which we have read, will show us how wonderfully God's grace was shown to him. Let us see, 1. How it did prevent him. It showed him the way he was to take. He might otherwise have gone wrong: Acts xvi, 6-9; Psa. xxxii, 8, 9. He had desired and even prayed earnestly that he might be allowed to go to Rome Rom. i, 9, 10. The Lord had promised an answer to his prayer: Acts xxiii, 11. But God's ways are not our ways. How is it brought about? He is imprisoned for more than two years: Acts xxiv, 27. We might have thought that this would stop or hinder his ministry, but thus was his prayer answered and he was brought to Rome: Acts xxv, 11; xxvi, 30-32. How wonderful are God's ways: Psa. xxv, 10; x1, 5; Rom. xi, 33. 2. How it did follow him, (1) in guarding him from danger, vers. 20, 42. When we are in the path of duty we need not be afraid, ver. 24'; Isa. xliii, 2. Contrast the case of Jonah. The peril was very great, vers. 17, 29, 30. Human aid could do nothing, ver. 20. But Paul knew in whose hands he was. 2 Tim. i, 12; Cant. ii, 16; Dan. iii, 17. He was able to cheer the sailors, vers. 35, 36, and all turned out well, ver. 44; Jas. v, 16. (2) In forwarding His ministry. He was able to testify to God on board ship, vers. 23-25. We should never lose an opportunity of telling of Jesus: Acts iv, 20. He was able to show God's power to a barbarous people: John iv, 4. Everywhere there is something to do for God: Acts viii, 26. He was enabled to declare the gospel of the grace of God in Rome, the capital of the world, and that before the emperor and his court: Phil. i, 12, 13; Psa. cxix, 46; Matt. x, 18; 2 Tim. iv, 16, 17; chap. xxviii, 23, 30, 31. How blessed to remember that Paul's God is our God. His grace is the same as when it watched over the shipwrecked crew. What does Paul say about it to us? 2 Cor. ix, 8. MORNING. "Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." THE THREE ENEMIES. WE read in the Bible of two kinds of temptations-God tempts, not to do us harm: Jas. i, 13; but to try, or prove us, to show what good is in us: Gen. xxii, 1; Deut. xiii, 3; 1 Cor. x, 13. Satan tempts, to do us harm, and ruin our souls: Matt. iv, 1; 1 Thess. iii, 5; to see what evil is in us: Jas. i, 14. Of the former the apostle says, "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." Of the latter we are taught to pray, "Lead us not into temptation,”—and so here we say, "Grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil." 1. The world. That is, all the evil without: 1 John v, 19. It embraces all the pleasure, and folly, and vain things, that we see about us, as well as wicked people. It is very hurtful to the soul: Luke viii, 14; very enticing: 2 Tim. iv, 10. What does John say? 1 John ii, 15. What does Jesus say? John xvi, 33. 2. The flesh. That is, all the evil within. Our hearts are naturally very wicked: Gen. vi, 5; and suggest evil things: Matt. xv, 19. These oppose the work of God's Spirit: Rom. vii, 21; Gal. v, 17. What does Jesus say? John iii, 6. What does Paul say? Rom. viii, 8. 3. The Devil. This is the great personal enemy of cur souls: 1 Pet. v, 8. He is called "the prince of this world," and he takes the evil without, and tempts the evil within, so leading people captive: 2 Tim. ii, 26; 2 Cor. iv, 4. If he sees little boys and girls fond of wicked ways and wicked things he entices them and leads them on: 2 Cor. ii, 11. What did he do to Judas? John xiii, 2. What to Ananias? Acts v, 3. How important then to have God's grace to withstand this. What is the end of our prayer? "With pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God." We want the Spirit to make us pure within Psa. li, 10; that so our hearts may be set upon what is good without 2 Cor. vii, 1. It is only the pure in heart who shall see God: Heb. xii, 14. Perhaps you say, "How can I meet such temptations?" Jesus gives two words of advice-watch, and you will see the danger coming; pray, and you will have help to meet it: Matt. xxvi, 41. AFTERNOON. LEARN-" Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places :" EPH. vi, 11, 12. LUKE iv, 1-13. THIS is a very solemn passage of Scripture, which tells us of the Lord Jesus Christ being tempted of the Devil. It must have been for some great purpose, for we read that He "was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." Why was it? That He might sympathize with us in all our infirmities and temptations: Heb. ii, 17, 18; iv, 15. Just think of that. No matter what your temptation, Jesus can enter into it, and feel for you, and help you. We shall see how He is thus qualified by considering— 1. How He was tempted. You may say, "His was an extraordinary temptation, I shall never be tempted like that." Not at all. It is true you may not be tempted with all these at the same time, but you are sure to be tempted in one of these ways. The world's temptation takes three forms: 1 John ii, 16. Christ was tried with all. (1) The lust of the flesh (vers. 2, 3). Our Lord was very hungry, and the devil would have Him provide for Himself and distrust His Father's care. So with Eve-the apple was "good for food" Gen. iii, 6; Rom. xiii, 14; Gal. v, 24; 1 Pet. ii, 11. (2) The lust of the eyes (vers. 5-7). Christ had come to receive a kingdom from His Father. What a temptation was here. Satan would give Him all without trouble. All too looked so beautiful. So Eve-the apple was "pleasant to the eyes:" Gen. iii, 6; Matt. vi, 22, 23; Psa. cxix, 37; Prov. iv, 25; Isa. xxxiii, 15. (3) The pride of life (vers. 9-11). He would have Christ run into wilful danger, and show that He had life independent of God. So with Eve. What did the Devil tell her? Gen. iii, 4, 5, cf. Ex. v, 2; Prov. xvi, 5, 18. "His was an 2. How He overcame the temptation. You may say, extraordinary victory; He could use power that I could not." Not at all. As man He was tempted, as man he triumphed Just as you and I may do. How was this? He simply used GOD'S WORD" It is written vers. 4, 8, 12. That is our weapon too: Eph. vi, 17; Heb. iv, 12. When temptation comes, we must ask ourselves, "what does God say? what is written ?" O, then, how we should study our Bibles, not let them lie neglected on the shelf. Let David's word be our word: Psa. cxix, 11. MORNING. "O God, forasmuch as without Thee we are not able to please Thee: mercifully grant, that Thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." THE WAY TO PLEASE GOD. WOULD you not like to please God? All good children like to please their parents, good servants like to please their masters. What did Jesus say? I do always those things that please Him." "My meat it is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." And what did the Father say of Jesus? "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." To please God, then, we must be like Jesus. "Without Why is it that in ourselves we cannot please Him? Thee we are not able to please Thee?" Because we are in the flesh: Rom. viii, S. Because we like the things of this world: 2 Tim ii, 4. Because we have no faith: Heb. xi, 6. But God gives us faith whereby we believe in Jesus, and are made one with Him: Eph. ii, 8; i, 6. Then if we are one with Christ, we seek things that are above: Col. iii, 1, 2. We crucify the lusts of the flesh: Gal. v, 24; in fact, we are quite changed: 2 Cor. v, 17. Therefore, you see, we pray that God's Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts. Those who are Christ's have the Holy Spirit: Rom. viii, 9. That is the only proof they have of union with Christ: 1 John iii, 24. Now, what is the promised work of the Holy Spirit? He is not to speak of Himself. He is to glorify Christ: John xvi, 13-15. How? Convincing the world: John xvi, 7, 8. Teaching the followers of Jesus, and reminding them of His work : John xiv, 26; xvi, 14. Directing in the way of godliness: Isa. XXX, 21; Ezek. xxxvi, 27. And making us like Jesus: Rom. viii, 29; 2 Cor. iii, 18. Children, I ask again, "would you not like to please God?" Pray, then, for the Spirit of Christ. Let that mind be in me which was also in Christ Jesus. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee. "Thou art my God, Thy will express, And teach me to obey · And let Thy Spirit, rich in grace, |