May 2^nd, 1962 “With Thanksgiving” Late Mr. N. Daniel

Philippians 4:6 & 11

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned,

in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” When St. Paul speaks some times he is beyond our understanding. 7th verse. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” As a servant of God grows in grace he receives such spiritual blessing that those who have not risen to those heights cannot understand. Be careful for nothing! If we begin to be very anxious or sorry for something that has occurred to us, it indicates unfaith. At conversion you came to a place where you are watched by God all the time. From then on He goes on watching and working for you. Yesterday on our way back from Nuzvid, the temperature was 114 degree F, and we were very tired. Suddenly a shower was about to come down and all our luggage on top of the bus was to get completely wet. I said to myself 'It is all right.' But the threatening shower never came. Only cool breezes refreshed us. In the train I was given an upper berth and I was too tired to climb up. I said to myself, “All right I shall sleep on the floor.” There was a missionary in the compartment who was watching me. She offered the lower berth to me and I was not too happy to take it, but God was mindful of me.

Being mindful of His will, the more you mind His work the more you will find God minding you. St. Paul was one who just spent himself for God. He says we should pray and praise God. Praise always sharpens our faith. Our heart must be overflowing with praise. If your hearts are not filled with praise, there is something wrong. We have received so much from God. We have not noticed so many things that God has given us and we have not acknowledged them. Even for the cold water that you drink you should thank God. If you have a wife, thank God for her. Man feels he has a right to have a wife and that she is his subordinate. That is not scripture. You must thank God for a wife who loves you and helps you. You must be more thankful if she watches your life, and prays about what is lacking in your spiritual life. James 1: 4. “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James was a Bishop among highly spiritually advanced people in Jerusalem. He was able to lift them by his message.

I am glad for the ministry God has given me. It is not an easy thing to be constantly leaving home for the ministry in so many places. But there is a great blessing in preaching the word, meeting individuals and sharing their sorrows and healing the sick. Our master took upon Himself the sorrows and sicknesses of people.

Once a mother was weeping for her dead child. She could not get over that sorrow. Sorrow is a great hindrance to physical and spiritual well-being. Worldly sorrow worketh death.' But spiritual sorrow is good. How often are we sorrowing for our sins? That sorrow is a tonic. When we lose our temper, it damages our health. When you repent for it and come to the cross, there comes around you a wonderful healing grace. Let no sin, or failure pass your notice without your coming to repentance. If you have hastily lost your temper without knowing the whole matter, you must apologise for that. As you do that, you are coming closer to your great master. I prayed over that sorrowing mother. I sorrowed with her. After prayer, that sorrow left her. Some are brought down to the grave by the sorrow of bereavement. We should bear one another's burdens. Thus we advance higher and higher spiritually.

Philippians 4:12 “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Contentment is a great gain in spiritual life. “What I have is God-given, including my troubles. I am in the hands of a loving Father.” That is a wonderful attitude. After that St. Paul says, he can do all things through Christ.