Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--38--Come Rest Awhile (Read 15057 times)

Beacon · « **Reply #40 on:** June 30, 2019, 11:18:05 AM »

"We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good."

I think the words of the song " Breathe on Me, Breath of God " should be a reminder of what Jesus said.. " Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing."

Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew, That I may love what Thous dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, Until my heart is pure, Until with thee - I will one will, To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, Till I am wholly Thine, Until this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, So shall I constant be, and live by Thee, the perfect life of Thine eternity.

"Everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts."

Dorine · « **Reply #41 on:** July 01, 2019, 05:32:32 AM »

"In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts."

This is such a beautiful expression of what a life connected to Jesus is like. It can only happen as we daily commit our lives to Jesus and by beholding Him we become like Him. Not because of any merit on my part but because it is a free gift from a God of love and mercy.

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #42 on:** July 01, 2019, 07:19:21 AM »

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine! We may experience what Jesus did by living faith and joyful surrender to Him!

"In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours." {The Desire of Ages, page 363, paragraph 1}

Let us always be in communion with God, through beholding the loveliness of Jesus!

Richard Myers · « **Reply #43 on:** July 01, 2019, 09:29:05 AM »

Amen Pastor Sean! In order to receive advanced light from God, we must be reconciled with Him. What a blessing to read all of the posts this morning! We may give and receive counsel, but it is a personal matter as to what to do. We must know the voice of God. We must hear that "still small voice" speaking to us. We need to wait on the Lord before we move forward when having to make important decisions.

In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts.

Beacon · « **Reply #44 on:** September 23, 2019, 05:35:38 PM »

"No other life was ever so crowded with labor and responsibility as was that of Jesus; yet how often He was found in prayer! How constant was His communion with God! Again and again in the history of His earthly life are found records such as these: "Rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." "Great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed." "And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Mark 1:35; Luke 5:15, 16; 6:12. If there ever was a time in history where prayer was important it is now. Satan seeking to devour everyone in his sight and it's only through Christ that we can resist him. By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest."

Psalm 46:10 Says,,," Be still, and know that I am God,"

"We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good."

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #45 on:** September 24, 2019, 02:40:04 AM »

Amen, Brother Beacon!

True rest in Christ is only possible by a complete surrender to Him. As we learn of Him who is meek and lowly in heart, we too will find joy and peace through connection with His love. The more we enjoy being with Him, the more effective will be our witness to reach others, for true ministry is the outflow of "off the charts" enjoyment of union and communion with God. I love being with Jesus and I love to share Him with others, for it is His power and His Spirit which does the work as my soul rests in Him in perfect acquiescense to His will.

"The rest which Christ and His disciples took was not self-indulgent rest. The time they spent in retirement was not devoted to pleasure seeking. They talked together regarding the work of God, and the possibility of bringing greater efficiency to the work. The disciples had been with Christ, and could understand Him; to them He need not talk in parables. He corrected their errors, and made plain to them the right way of approaching the people. He opened more fully to them the precious treasures of divine truth. They were vitalized by divine power, and inspired with hope and courage." {The Desire of Ages, page 361, paragraph 3}

Jesus' time of rest with His disciples was a short season, quickly followed by the feeding of the multitudes who longed for Him. But that precious short season prepared Jesus and His family of disciples for their ministry. True rest in Christ does not detract from our service for God, but enhances it, for "the heart that rests most fully upon Christ will be most earnest and active in labor for Him" {Steps to Christ, page 71, paragraph 1}.

Furthermore, the Bible is very clear on the connection of rest and righteousness: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17). May you experience this true rest is my prayer by beholding the loveliness of Jesus and continually surrendering your will to Him to elevate and ennoble for His high and holy purposes! Such an experience is truly fruitful as a genuine conversion whereby the Holy Spirit abiding in the soul manifests forth all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing!

Dorine · « **Reply #46 on:** September 24, 2019, 06:30:05 AM »

In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours.

I know this has been posted several times but it tugs on my heart to read it again. We are to have that same connection with Jesus that He had with His Father. Not just for ourselves as important as that is but that our lives will shine with the gospel of truth to the world. It says Christ humbly prayed to His Father till He was charged with the heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. If we truly desire the same experience with Jesus then we will follow His example from our hearts and not as a cold formula. He is waiting, He is longing for each lost soul to grasp what they mean to Him and eagerly and cheerfully give all of themselves to God. He has abundant blessings to pour out beyond any imagination.

Richard Myers · « **Reply #47 on:** September 24, 2019, 09:47:09 PM »

It is interesting and important to note that all three posts today were centered in the power of Christ revealed in humanity. While the disciples were ignorant of the plan of salvation, this does not mean they had not been converted. It is true that it would be easier to be converted if one knew the plan, but it is not necessary. The disciples were are told in today's reading had an intimate relationship with Jesus, all except Judas.

The disciples came to Jesus and told Him all things. Their intimate relationship with Him encouraged them to lay before Him their favorable and unfavorable experiences....

Since they did not know they needed to keep their eyes upon Jesus in order to not sin, they often fell as did Peter when he almost drowned. They did not understand their weakness, nor their continual need of Jesus in order to not sin. It was for this reason that Jesus sought to take them apart from the work for a season of rest.

A great work was before them, and first of all they must learn that their strength was not in self, but in God. Like Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, like David among the hills of Judea, or Elijah by the brook Cherith, the disciples needed to come apart from the scenes of their busy activity, to commune with Christ, with nature, and with their own hearts.

Beacon · « **Reply #48 on:** December 18, 2019, 03:17:57 PM »

"If there ever was a time in history where prayer was important it is now. Satan seeking to devour everyone in his sight and it's only through Christ that we can resist him. By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest."

"And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Mark 1:35; Luke 5:15, 16; 6:12.

"Everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts."

I want my life to reveal a Divine Power that will reach the heart of mankind for Jesus. How about You? Remember " When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God."

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #49 on:** December 19, 2019, 09:55:56 AM »

Amen, Brother Beacon! Jesus loves to give us stillness in our souls so we may gladly bear the responsibilities He gives us to win souls to Him by a life of unselfish love!

"In a life wholly devoted to the good of others, the Saviour found it necessary to withdraw from the thoroughfares of travel and from the throng that followed Him day after day. He must turn aside from a life of ceaseless activity and contact with human needs, to seek retirement and unbroken communion with His Father. As one with us, a sharer in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength, that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In a world of sin Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with God He could unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him. Here He found comfort and joy." {The Desire of Ages, page 362, paragraph 4}

Let us take all that is on our hearts to Jesus and find comfort and joy where He found it. It used to be in my life when things just seemed "overwhelming" that I would turn to rock music to try to "drown out" all the cares and struggles. But the Holy Spirit said to me around the end of 2007, "You don't like this anymore" when I was on a mission trip, and I by faith deleted all of that worldly music and trusted God has something better. Then the Holy Spirit started to pour melodies to Scripture songs into my heart, and a journey of healing was underway even further to bring me to experience the comfort found only in Christ's presence. I now find that prayer and communion with God is what I desire to turn to for comfort, and I know that is because Jesus DOES TRANSFORM us from the inside out! When you really see the happiness of Jesus and His love for you, your heart is melted and you gladly surrender to His will, allowing Him to perform the miracle of giving you a new heart and a new mind imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing! It is a great miracle to learn of Christ and to walk with the desires He gives us, but that is His greatest gift to offer us!! Let us each in our unique sphere of life learn of Him and find rest in our soul through Christ! Such rest has fruit--a desire to labor as Jesus did for the elevation of humanity!

Richard Myers · « **Reply #50 on:** December 19, 2019, 10:59:57 PM »

Amen Pastor Sean. It is Christ that we need, Christ that we want. When we spend time with Him, we are reminded of who He is and our great need of Him continually to do any good thing. As we feed upon Jesus we may receive a fresh baptism of the Spirit daily, thus are we empowered to witness to the world the character of our God.

In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite pity. As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that should connect humanity with divinity. Through continual communion He received life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours.

Dorine · « **Reply #51 on:** March 15, 2020, 05:54:18 AM »

"Come ye yourselves apart," He bids us. If we would give heed to His word, we should be stronger and more useful. The disciples sought Jesus, and told Him all things; and He encouraged and instructed them. If today we would take time to go to Jesus and tell Him our needs, we should not be disappointed; He would be at our right hand to help us. We need more simplicity, more trust and confidence in our Saviour. He whose name is called "The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace;" He of whom it is written, "The government shall be upon His shoulder," is the Wonderful Counselor. We are invited to ask wisdom of Him. He "giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." Isaiah 9:6; James 1:5. "

There is no need to feel trapped, overworked, anxious, or stressed. Here we are given a beautiful and refreshing promise; if we will but come to Jesus in full trust and confidence believing that He will fulfill our needs and answer our prayers according to His will. He holds back nothing that is for our good. Each day as we come together to spend time with Jesus our hearts are melted and molded and uplifted for the tasks of 'today'. The Holy Spirit is the guiding force in our lives and we will hear His voice and know that our God is leading through out the day.

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #52 on:** March 15, 2020, 09:59:20 AM »

Amen, Sister Dorine!

Jesus is desiring to give us the heart work that leads to the experience of His character. In order to have that genuine experience like Christ's, we need to have sweet, precious time with Him. As we come aside to rest awhile with Him in union and communion, we experience the implanting of His divine nature that is manifest with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing. The old, sinful heart of unbelief if crucified with Christ and the new heart of faith worked by His infinite love is created in our souls by the power of His word. Nothing can take the place of this essential need in the service of God. We need thoroughly converted disciples in the church to go forth as missionaries wherever God leads the way. We need consecrated leaders who see the gospel in its purity and simplicity and preach it with a conviction and power made thus by a life in harmony with the gospel. Only Christ can truly fit us for the incredible work that is before us in these last days. How comforting that in the midst of all the rush and trouble around us in our world He personally invites us to have infinite intimacy with Him. May we never feel too rushed to come aside and experience all that He has planned for us each day.

"In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, 'Be still, and know that I am God.' Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts." {The Desire of Ages, page 363, paragraph 3}

May the influence of Christ's character so emanate from our words, our countenance, and our actions that those who come in contact with us will know that we have been with Jesus, and that the everlasting gospel of His grace has power to transform sinners into saints as soon as the whole heart is yielded to Christ so He can supernaturally make the new heart and mind white as snow, a reflection of His own image that develops in maturity unto the soon harvest day of the second coming of Christ!!

Beacon · « **Reply #53 on:** March 15, 2020, 11:21:52 AM »

"If there ever was a time in history where prayer was important it is now !"

Satan seeking to devour everyone in his sight and it's only through Christ that we can resist him. By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest...We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good."

There is an old saying that you cannot give what you do not have and Jesus bids us to take time to re-charge our Spiritual & Physical batteries.

Mark 6:31 "And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

Notice that the "REST" is to be taken in a QUITE PLACE, and as far as possible, Away from the Distractions of Daily Living.

Dorine · « **Reply #54 on:** June 10, 2020, 04:43:02 AM »

"The disciples came to Jesus and told Him all things. Their intimate relationship with Him encouraged them to lay before Him their favorable and unfavorable experiences, their joy at seeing results from their labors, and their sorrow at their failures, their faults, and their weaknesses. They had committed errors in their first work as evangelists, and as they frankly told Christ of their experiences, He saw that they needed much instruction. He saw, too, that they had become weary in their labors, and that they needed to rest."

It's a very special privilege to be able to come to Christ just as the disciples did and lay our successes and failures at His feet. He invites us to rest in Him while He restores His strength in us. What better way to spend time with Him but in the peace and beauty of nature.

We are very blessed to live in the country. There is natural beauty all around. Looking out the window we see the scurry of squirrels, chipmunks, mourning doves, blue jays, sparrows, finches, woodpeckers, chickadees, along with the raccoons, rabbits and deer and my favorite the hummingbird. Looking toward the pond the mother duck with her little ones are happily swimming and splashing about eagerly waiting for their daily treat of cracked corn. Behind the pond is a fenced in garden with growing produce that God and I are caring for. Here I commune with God and know that He is very close to me. He speaks to me through nature of His love as I observe the interaction of his creatures, the lofty trees, the perfection of the colorful flowers and shrubs. My soul is at peace and God and I are one. My soul is restored for another day. I pray for all to know Him too.

Beacon · « **Reply #55 on:** June 10, 2020, 07:24:12 AM »

"As the disciples had seen the success of their labors, they were in danger of taking credit to themselves, in danger of cherishing spiritual pride, and thus falling under Satan's temptations. A great work was before them, and first of all they must learn that their strength was not in self, but in God. Like Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, like David among the hills of Judea, or Elijah by the brook Cherith, the disciples needed to come apart from the scenes of their busy activity, to commune with Christ, with nature, and with their own hearts."[

Mark 6:30-32 says, "And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

Reminds me of the words of the song "Take Time To Be Holy" by William Longstaff

Take time to behold Him,
Speak oft with Thy Lord,
Abide in Him always,
And feed on His Word.
Wait thou in His presence,
Submissive and meek,
Forgetting in nothing
His blessing to seek.
2
Take time to behold Him,
The world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus
Like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends, in thy conduct,
His likeness shall see.

May this be Our Prayer Today & Everyday

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #56 on:** June 10, 2020, 07:51:42 AM »

Amen, Sister Dorine and Brother Beacon!

What a blessing it is to be able to enjoy the fellowship with Christ in nature! This year I decided that instead of getting into the habit of mowing off all my green plants in my yard, I would let them transition to an indigenous, natural meadow, as I live in a rural area on nine acres, and in the process I have been so blessed to enjoy the beauty of the grasses waving in the wind, the natural greens that grow to make great salads, and the wonderful reality that it never needs to be watered, because even on hot days, the dew near the roots keeps the meadow moist and it does not die! I learned this week that dandelion is actually "native endive" and even though in my garden area I planted endive, I am already enjoying the native ones in my salads! Plantain is also another great green that I am enjoying in salads, which has great healing properties for the body to remove toxins (and you can also apply it crushed up on the skin to help remove the itch of a mosquito bite). God is so good to give us nature as a place to rest, rejuvenate, and be happy in Christ!

May Christ's invitation speak to our hearts today: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

"In all who are under the training of God is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and everyone needs to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, 'Be still, and know that I am God.' Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life's intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men's hearts." {The Desire of Ages, page 363, paragraph 3}

Only Christ truly reaches hearts by the Holy Spirit, and it is as we are connected to Him in a full surrendered conversion that Christ can effectively manifest through us all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, so that we gladly obey the law of love and manifest that in how we treat others! May He speak through you today as you grow more like Jesus day by day!

Richard Myers · « **Reply #57 on:** June 10, 2020, 07:42:44 PM »

Amen, amen, and amen!! Talk about joy, to read what God is giving all who are sharing here! Reading what you share is such a blessing!

What did the disciples do when resting? What they caused them to be "vitalized by divine power, and inspired with hope and courage."

The rest which Christ and His disciples took was not self-indulgent rest. The time they spent in retirement was not devoted to pleasure seeking. They talked together regarding the work of God, and the possibility of bringing greater efficiency to the work. The disciples had been with Christ, and could understand Him; to them He need not talk in parables. He corrected their errors, and made plain to them the right way of approaching the people. He opened more fully to them the precious treasures of divine truth. They were vitalized by divine power, and inspired with hope and courage.
Though Jesus could work miracles, and had empowered His disciples to work miracles, He directed His worn servants to go apart into the country and rest. When He said that the harvest was great, and the laborers were few, He did not urge upon His disciples the necessity of ceaseless toil, but said, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:38. God has appointed to every man his work, according to his ability (Ephesians 4:11-13), and He would not have a few weighted with responsibilities while others have no burden, no travail of soul.

Our prayer is that God will send laborers into His harvest field. It is a joy to see this happening!!

Pastor Sean Brizendine · « **Reply #58 on:** September 05, 2020, 04:05:03 AM »

What a friend we have in Jesus! Our hearts may be happy, peaceful and obedient as we commune with Jesus and trust Him to guide us continually! He gives us the entire Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday to enjoy a day of rest in abiding in Him (Exodus 20:8-11). Let us come to Him and experience what He had with the Father by the same things He did--by taking time to be in nature, to pray, to read our Bibles, to commune with our own hearts, and to hear Him speaking to us personally and individually! What a joy it is to surrender fully to Christ so all of the fruits of the Spirit may be seen in our lives without one missing!! No matter what may be going on around us, let us know His still, small voice saying, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:10).

"In a life wholly devoted to the good of others, the Saviour found it necessary to withdraw from the thoroughfares of travel and from the throng that followed Him day after day. He must turn aside from a life of ceaseless activity and contact with human needs, to seek retirement and unbroken communion with His Father. As one with us, a sharer in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength, that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In a world of sin Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with God He could unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him. Here He found comfort and joy." {The Desire of Ages, page 362, paragraph 4}

With God all things are possible--and the experience Jesus had is offered to us all. Not one of the fruits of the Spirit will be missing in our lives as we abide in Christ and having a living faith surrender to His will on a moment-by-moment basis! Then the very law of God--the Ten Commandments that are perfectly seen in Jesus, become our heart experience in a lifestyle of love!

Richard Myers · « **Reply #59 on:** September 05, 2020, 04:30:26 AM »

Amen Pastor Sean! Amid the sorrow and sin in the world, we need to unburdened as did Jesus. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day in communion with our Savior!

In the estimation of the rabbis it was the sum of religion to be always in a bustle of activity. They depended upon some outward performance to show their superior piety. Thus they separated their souls from God, and built themselves up in self-sufficiency. The same dangers still exist. As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God, there is danger of trusting to human plans and methods. There is a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.