Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 161

26. What promise has G.o.d made to bereaved mothers?

"Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and _they shall come again from the land of the enemy_." Jer. 31:16.

27. What did Christ say would be the experience of His people in this world?

"_In the world ye shall have tribulation_: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." "_Ye shall weep and lament_, but the world shall rejoice: and _ye shall be sorrowful_, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." John 16:33, 20.

28. In what respect is the reaping of G.o.d's people to differ from their sowing?

"_They that sow in tears shall reap in joy._ He that goeth forth and _weepeth_, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with _rejoicing_, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:5, 6.

Sometime when all life's lessons have been learned, And sun and moon forevermore have set, The things that our weak judgments here have spurned, The things o'er which we grieved with lashes wet, Will flash before us, out of life's dark night, As stars s.h.i.+ne most in deepest tints of blue, And we shall see how all G.o.d's ways were right, And how what seemed reproof was love most true.

MAY RILEY SMITH.

Be of good cheer! I know sometime Life's song will run in perfect rhyme.

Somewhere, I know, all things will be Attuned to perfect harmony.

Sometime, somewhere, each sad refrain Shall be its own surcease of pain.

The compensation love will send Will be in bringing friend to friend; And all the heartaches that we bore, In G.o.d's good time will be no more.

ROBERT LEE WALDEN.

Trusting In Jesus

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Peter's Deliverance. "In Him shall the Gentiles trust." Rom. 15:12.

1. What did the prophet Isaiah predict of Christ?

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; _to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious_." Isa. 11:10.

NOTE.-Paul renders this, "In Him shall the Gentiles _trust_." Rom.

15:12.

2. Why does G.o.d wish us to trust in Jesus?

"That we should be _to the praise of His glory_, who first trusted in Christ." Eph. 1:12.

3. What did the Ephesians do upon hearing the gospel?

"_In whom ye also trusted_, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation." Verse 13, first part.

4. What experience followed this trust in Jesus?

"In whom also after that ye believed, _ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise_." Verse 13, last part.

NOTE.-To trust in Jesus is to believe in Him, to have abiding and unbounded confidence in Him. When such trust exists, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.

5. What is the gospel to every one that believes?

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for _it is the power of G.o.d unto salvation to everyone that believeth_." Rom. 1:16.

6. How does G.o.d regard one who abandons his faith?

"Now the just shall live by faith: but _if any man draw back My soul shall have no pleasure in him_." Heb. 10:38.

7. Is there danger of believers losing their hold on Christ?

"And because iniquity shall abound, _the love of many shall wax cold_."

Matt. 24:12.

8. By what does one gain the victory over the world?

"This is the victory that overcometh the world, _even our faith_." 1 John 5:4.

9. What encouragement does Jesus give us to meet cheerfully the troubles and trials of life?

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but _be of good cheer; I have overcome the world_." John 16:33.

10. What has this firm trust in Jesus led many to do?

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and _they loved not their lives unto the death_." Rev. 12:11.

"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being dest.i.tute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy)." Heb. 11:36-38.

11. What did it lead Moses to do?

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, _refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of G.o.d, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season_; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Verses 24-26.

12. What is promised those who trust in Jesus?

"There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel's, but _he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands_, with persecutions; and _in the world to come eternal life_." Mark 10:29, 30.

13. What is Jesus able to do?

"Now unto Him that is _able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory_." Jude 24.