+I. Implies a deep consciousness of an intelligently apprehended
need.+
+II. Becoming, when an intelligent being addresses the Divine
Intelligence.+
+III. Essential from the very nature of prayer.+
+IV. Affords a fixed ground from the exercise of faith.+
+V. Emboldens supplication.+
+VI. Inspires hope of a definite response.+--_Lay Preacher._
Ver. 10. "That ye may approve things that are excellent." _Spiritual
Discrimination_--
+I. Demands the exercise of the most intelligent and sensitive
charity.+
+II. Commands a wide field of effort--the bad, the good, the better,
the best--in character, life, doctrine, practice, enjoyment,
attainment.+
+III. Implies the admission and use of a noble liberty of thought,
judgment, and action.+
+IV. Involves a weighty and far-reaching responsibility.+
+V. Is essential to a pure and blameless life.+--_Ibid._
"That ye may be sincere." _The Value of Sincerity in Youth._
There is a false sincerity which is a compound of ignorance and
obstinacy. The heathen may be devout and sincere in his idolatry, but
he is a heathen still. The Mahometan may be devout and sincere in his
worship of the one God, but he rejects the Christ who is the source
and substance of all true religion. The sceptic may be devout and
earnest in his investigation of the facts of the universe; but he
ignores the great moral truths on which he stumbles in the course of
his inquiries, and refuses to accept and be influenced by them. There
is no craze of the wildest fanatic that may not be adopted as an
article of faith, if apparent sincerity is to be the test of its
genuineness. The fact is, a man may be sincere, but grossly mistaken.
A sincere heart is that through which the light of God shines,
unimpeded by duplicity and sin, and is a condition of heart obtained
only by living much in the presence and light of God.
+I. Be sincere in the search after truth.+--Truth must be sought for
its own sake, and is revealed only to the humble and sincere seeker.
It is of supreme importance to you to find the truth. Truth has but
one direction and one goal--it terminates in the radiant presence of
a living personality. When you come into the presence of truth, you
come into the presence of God. Truth has a living embodiment in
Christ Jesus. If you desire a solution of the perplexing riddles of
life, if you would understand the principles on which God governs the
universe, if you wish to dissipate the doubts that becloud and harass
the mind, if you desire rest and peace of conscience, and to obtain
strength and inspiration to live a happy, useful, and noble
life--then seek the truth as it is in Jesus; and if you are really
sincere, you shall not seek in vain.
+II. Be sincere in your social intercourse with one another.+--1. _In
your friendships._ 2. _In your promises._
+III. Be sincere in the service of God.+
+IV. Be sincere in the cultivation of your own personal piety.+
_Christian Rectitude_--
+I. Consists in internal sincerity.+--1. _This involves a
concentratedness of heart upon one object._ 2. _A thoroughness of
life's uniformity to that one object._ 3. _An unostentatious but
manifest integrity._ 4. _The completeness of that manifestation
should be proportionate to the brightness of the testing light._
+II. Consists in external blamelessness.+--1. _Without being found
guilty of offence._ 2. _Without giving offence._ 3. _Without taking
offence._
+III. Consists in a present state of life, with a glorious future
destination.+--"That ye may be without offence till the day of
Christ." 1. _Then life shall be judged._ 2. _Life shall be made
manifest._ 3. _Rectitude of life shall be approved._ 4. _Rectitude of
life shall be rewarded.--Lay Preacher._