the while mindful of the destitute and starving people around him? Frequently, the first word a baby learns to say is “Mama.” The next word is “mine.” Too often this is the last word the adult miser uses. How terrible is the sin of selfish covetousness. The Bible rightly exhorts us, “Look not every man on his own things but look every man on the things (the physical and spiritual needs) of others.” * If we are ever to know redemption's pow er, we must know redemption's price. * * * EYES OF THE LORD A recent book by Vance Packard de clares that millions of Americans are living in an atmosphere in which peer ing electronic eyes, undercover agents, lie detectors, hidden tape-recorders, bu reaucratic investigators, and outrage ously intrusive questionnaires are be coming commonplace. He declares that privacy is becoming harder and harder to attain. As one of the Supreme Court justices recently stated, “The forces al lied against the individual have never been greater.” While it’s no doubt true that unseen eyes are constantly watch ing us, yet what are they in light of the penetrating, all-knowing eyes of the Lord which are always upon His chil dren? In this the believer can rejoice with the realization that when the forces of man, along with the demonic forces of Satan, are arrayed against us, yet we have One who knows our down-sittings and our up-risings. For as the Psalmist declared, “Our times are in the Lord’s hands.” What joy there is in the won derful realization that “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” * * * Salvation comes by simply believing, rath er than one's achieving. * * * M ISGU IDED TALENTS A favorite story of naturalists tells about the indomitable instincts of the spider, such as the one in Akron, Ohio which decided to spin its web-home in the open-faced clock on a large build ing. Despite the continuing frustration, it seemed to be impelled to weave its silken home on the hands which forever kept moving. The web repeatedly broke and became entangled in the hands which wouldn’t stop turning. How long 27 * ■ *
this went on, no one knew for sure for it wasn’t established when the spider had started. For at least 21 days, when it had been studied, the spider misused its God-given talents before finally giv ing up to seek another home. How much man is like this foolish little creature which took at least three weeks to learn its lesson. It couldn’t seem to realize the inexhorable movement of the clock. How many people there are who have a simi lar short-sighted perspective and limited understanding of the overall moving hands of the Lord. No wonder there are so many frustrated individuals who seek to make their own way in life with no thought or concern for God. Such a per son is simply spinning a web which will ultimately bring him failure and destruc tion. Only in the perfect will of God can one find true success and lasting satis faction. May you say with the Psalmist of old, “Lord, thou hast been my dwell ing place in all of life’s habitations.” * * * PERSONAL PRAYER GUIDE Has my prayer life been powerless be cause of some besetting sin? Has my prayer life been hindered by haste, irregularity, insufficient prep aration, unbelief, or neglect of Bible study? Has my prayer life been fruitless? Have I had such power with God that I have had power with people? Have I had definite answers to prayer week by week? Has my prayer life been restricted merely to short, stated seasons of prayer or have I come to know what it means to "pray without ceasing”? Has my prayer life been limited to prayer for myself? Am I more inter ested in confining petitions to my fam ily and close friends, or have I taken the world into my heart seeing the vast spiritual needs around the globe? Has my prayer life been starved, or have I devoted time to the study of God’s Word? Do I know His precepts and promises? Has my prayer life been joyless? Do I love to pray, or is prayer more of a duty than a delight? Has my prayer life been sacrificial and is it growing? Has it cost me any thing in time, strength, vitality, and love? Remember, the Bible teaches us that in difficult days like these, “men ought always to pray and not faint.”
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