Dear young and older Christian, keep short accounts with God. The moment you find you have failed and sinned, do not trifle with it. It is a serious matter, because it interrupts your communion, and nothing can make up for that loss. Therefore, AT ONCE own up, and confess it to your Father, and receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). If it has been failure towards others, then do not hesitate to confess it to them, however humbling it may be. This will keep your conscience clear and in exercise, and will promote communion and increase your joy. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).
Read the Word. One great reason for the failure of many of the Lord's dear people is they do not read their Bible. They seem to have no appetite for it. A chapter, morning and evening, seems to be all they think needful. If they treated their bodies to such scant nourishment they would soon be in a state of collapse. The great thing is to cultivate an appetite for the Word. Read it much, and mingle your reading with much prayer for light and help, and for grace to make it good in your own soul (Psalm 1:2,3).
Carry a pocket edition or portion constantly with you. Do not be ashamed to be seen reading it. Let it be the man of your counsel. Wisdom is there, light is there, everything you need is there. It is the voice of God, which the Holy Spirit causes to be heard in the silence of your inmost soul to guide and counsel you. It is also the FOOD of the new life, therefore, "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may GROW thereby" (1 Peter 2:2), otherwise you will be a spiritual dwarf. (Psalm 119:11).
"Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" your Bible, with much fervent prayer. Be not discouraged if you do not seem to get much at a time. You will get sufficient for your NEED, and you will always find you have sufficient to give to others if you have heart to do it. "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth" (Proverbs 11:24). So the more you give, the more you will get to give, and the greater will be your joy in giving.
Pray much. All men of God are men of much prayer. They live in the spirit of prayer, and find their delight in stealing away when occasion offers to talk with God. Prayer is the expression of the Christian's dependence on God. It is human weakness clinging to Almighty strength, linked up with external and tender love. Lean hard on Him.
Treat God as your Father. Exercise unbounded confidence in Him. Do not think anything too trivial or beneath His notice. "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Blessed words! "ALL YOUR CARE—HE CARETH—FOR YOU."
Neglect not your private prayer. The moment you find yourself becoming lax in that, you may be sure there is something wrong. Pull yourself up at once and examine yourself, and see that the hindrance is removed, or a fall will be the result. Live not before others, but live before God.
Look out for answers to prayer, and turn back and give thanks. Forget not to be grateful. Let these things become a constant habit of soul with you, and your happiness is assured. (Philippians 4:6,7).
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 24, 25).
From a small folded leaflet. Author unknown.
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