Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

air,"whatsoever."evil,"me."world."understandinit their daily prayer, "Lead us not intotemptation."(Whyte).The Bible makes it very plain thatthere are three main sources of temptation in the bad or evil sense the world,the flesh, and the devil (I Chron. 21:1;Luke 21:34; James 1:14). These areall powerfully arrayed against uswhether we are saved or not.The world here does not mean God'screation, but rather Satan's kingdom,and everything in it that is hostile toGod. This is a fertile source of enticement to sin, under him who is thegreat adversary of souls. Again, theflesh here does not mean the humanbody, but the whole sinful nature offallen man. Even though the sins ofthe Christian areforgiven, the insidiouslurkings of the corruptions of the oldlife, furnish convenient contacts for thedevil to work his wiles, and "the lustsof the flesh, the lust of the eyes, andthe pride of life" tend to lead us astray."And there is a devil, personal, real,and powerful within the limits whichGod permits. He is described in theBible as the Prince of the power oftheand "the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Heis basically and originally the "tempter,"and is still described as the one "whichdeceiveth the whole world"(Rev. 12:9).Our prayer is to be saved from him,and all of his evil enticements, and cunning ways and wiles.Patterson lists the followingas waysin which Satan's cunning is manifested:1. In choosing seasons of temptationsbest fitted for his destructive purposes.Adam and Eve in the Garden. Christ inthe Wilderness.2. In choosing the fittest instrumentsfor conducting temptations. Job's wife.3. In choosing the fittest persons asobjects of temptation. Haman; Davidnumbering Israel.4. Using legitimate things as snares.Ps. 69:225. Representing Christianity in unfavorable light. A sad and melancholy religion.6. Inciting men to embrace false doctrines rather than the truth.7. Presenting himself as a "friend,"when he is in reality the worst of enemies. "A wolf in sheep's clothing."8. In persuading men to delay repentance toward God, and faith toward ourLord Jesus Christ. "A more convenientseason"idea.9. In endeavoring to undermine anddestroy faith.10. By placing obstacles in the wayof Christians, to keep them from performing duty.September 21, 195511. In drawing men's minds away fromGod's Providences.12. In tempting men to disobey God.In view of the above we need to praycontinually, "Lead us not into temptation,"and "Keep back also thy servant from presumptuous sins, let themnot have dominion over me."The last part of the petition, "butdeliver us fromhas been translated in several revisions as "deliver usfrom the Evil One." The prayer is mostproper either way, for in it "we praythat God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support anddeliver us when we are tempted." Bythis prayer, if sincerely offered, thesuppliants "leave themselves wholly inthe hand of their God, that he maydo with them what seemeth good inHis sight, from a real conviction thatall things shall work together for theirgood both here and hereafter.The great end which we should havein view in offering up this petition isthat our sanctification and salvationmay be perfected; that Satan may beovercome, that we may be fully freedfrom sin, and temptation, and every evilFor Discussion:(Patterson)1. The relation of God to evil in thelight of the Bible.2. God's permitting and restraining ofSatan.3. The Christian's attitude in temptation.W. M. S. DepartmentMrs. Ross Latimer. Editor,Prayer Hour. 1:00 P.M. MondayTheme: Arise and Build.Topic for OctoberLAYING THE FOUNDATIONMatt. 7:24-27By Inez M. SmithWhen I was asked to submit thoughtson this subject, I prayed that the HolySpirit would guide me, so that my studyon it might lead to my own growth ingrace and also be a help to others.Going back to the Scriptures for ourstated spiritual goal, 1 Cor. 3:9, we read"We are laborers together with God. Yeare God's husbandry, ye are God's building."We are most concerned with laying the foundation first.In laying the foundation for God'sbuilding, the measurements must be exact. In Amos 7:7 we read, "Thus heshewed me: and behold the Lord stoodupon a wall made by a plumbline, witha plumbline in His hand."God's plumbline for laying the foundation of this building of my life and ofyoursis given to us by the Lord JesusChrist. In John 6:38 we read, "For Icame down from Heaven not to do myown will but the will of Him that sentAnd in this high-priestly prayer,the Lord speaks of His own. John 17 :18."As thou hast sent me into the worldeven so have I sent them into the1) The laying of a good foundation requires skilled workmen. In Dan. 9 :21, 22we read, "While I was yet speaking inprayer, the man Gabriel, whom I hadseen in the vision at the beginning beingcaused to fly swiftly, touched me aboutthe time of the evening oblation Hesaid; O Daniel, I am now come forth togive thee skill and2) There is no excuse for unpreparednesson our part for God's promises aretrue and faithful. Read James 1:5, 6;Dan. 1:17; Deut. 8:18; John 16:13, 14;Col. 2:3.3) The layingof the foundation requires strength against storms. Read 1Cor. 3:13; Isaiah 26:3, 4; Ps. 40:3, 4.4) There is only one good foundation.Read n Tim. 2:19; John 10:14, 27, 28;Matt. 4:18-20; John 15:26, 27. In thelight of what we read in the Holy Scriptures, how can we lack faith in our LordJesus Christ or be tempted to say, "Suchand such a condition will never be anydifferent."Thus we hinder the workingof His power in us and through us.The whole armour of God as recordedin Eph. 6 :10-20 is available for all, thatthe foundation of this building may beon the Rock and not on sand.A verse from Margaret E. Sangster'spoem, "Lo, I am with You Always,"comes to mind:Beside the plow, He walks with meAnd if my step be slowHe pauses waiting, so that HeMay lead me where I go.I feel His presence at my side,His hand upon my hair;His love sweeps boundless like the tide,About me everywhere.HOW OLD WAS GRANDPA?(Answer to puzzle on page 192)Number of Commandments 10Job's daughters 3Plagues 10Psalms 150Chapters in Isaiah 66Men in furnace 3Total 242Divide by 11 22Number of days 6Windows in ark 1Days and night of rain 40Grandpa's age 69187