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Christian Education
him that knocketh, it shall be opened.” He illustrates the willingness
of God to bless by presenting before us the willingness of a father to
grant the request of his child. He asks, “If a son ask bread of any of
you that is a father, will he give him a stone, or if he ask a fish, will he
for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? [
Luke 11:9-13
.]
We come unto God in the name of Jesus by special invitation, and
he welcomes us to his audience chamber, and imparts to the humble
and contrite heart that faith in Christ by which he is justified, and Jesus
blots out as a thick cloud his transgressions by the bright sunshine of
his love, and the comforted heart exclaims, “O Lord, I will praise thee:
though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou
comfortedst me.” [
Isaiah 12:1
.] He will understand in experience the
words of Paul, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” [
Romans 10:10
.]
He then becomes a sanctified agent that God can employ to work out
his noble purposes. He then represents Christ, holding forth to the
world his mercy and love. He has a testimony that he is desirous that
others should hear, and in the language of the psalmist, he says, “Bless
the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth
all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy
life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and
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tender mercy.” [
Psalm 103:1-4
.]
God has given us the gift of speech that we may recite to others
the dealing of God with us, that his love and compassion may touch
their hearts, and that praise may also arise from their souls to him
who hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. The
Lord has said, “Ye are my witnesses.” [
Isaiah 43:10
.] But all who are
called to be witnesses for Christ must learn of him, that they maybe
efficient witnesses. As children of the heavenly King, you should
educate yourselves to bear testimony in a clear, distinct voice, and
in such a manner that no one may have the impression that you are
reluctant to speak of the mercies of the Lord. In social meeting, prayer
should be offered so that all may be edified, and those who take part
in this exercise should follow the example given us in the Lord’s