T R I U M P H IN T R A G E D Y Although blind and deaf, Helen Keller wrote in one of her poems, “They took away what should have been my eyes, but I remembered Milton’s ‘Paradise’. They took away what should have been my ears, but Beethoven came and vnped away my tears. They took away what should have been my tongue, but I talked to God when I was young. He would not let them take away my soul. Possessing that, I still possess the whole.” How true those words of triumph over human trag edy. May our tongues, created to exalt the praise of our wonderful Lord, be used at all times to glorify Him rather than in complaining, fault-finding and gossiping. Scripture exhorts us that we should be found, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” D A N G E R O F " L I T T L E " T E M P T A T I O N S John Newton, the ancient divine, de clared, “Satan seldom comes to Chris tians unth big temptations, enticing them to some great sin. I f one brings a green log and candle together, they’re gener ally safe neighbors. But by using a few shavings or kindling set afire, with the log in the midst, the large wood will soon be ablaze. So it is with little sins.” How true this penetrating example. As Chris tians lie would be startled with the idea of committing a great sin such as mur der or robbery. Knowing this the devil starts with what appears to be an in significant thought, leaving us to in dulge ourselves, turning the matter over in our minds. It may be an im moral idea or an impure concept. On the surface it doesn’t seem to have any great peril for us. Yet, like the little chips or wood shavings, the fire is kindled, and we have fallen, bringing ultimate spir itual defeat: It has been well said that a person is literally the sum total of all his thoughts. It is true that what goes through our minds can’t be seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted, and yet these powerful impressions are more lasting and potentially devastating than anything noted by one of our five senses. There is a fine border line be tween temptation and sin. One way of illustrating it is that temptation is Satan looking in the keyhole of your life, while sin is when you open the door and let him in.” Remember the scriptural truth, “For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” 34
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As the sign indicates, this is the avowed purpose and ministry of all the Biola schools. Today, as never before, we need keenly equipped young people who knew the Word of God! U S IN G O U R T A L E N T S There is an old oriental religious saying that declares, “Sometimes men look so intently at the pinnacle of the temple that they stumble over the steps leading to it.” It is true that our Chris tianity must be practical to be of any real value. A man with only one leg, supporting himself on crutches, still sang happily as he slowly made his way to church. As is generally the case, there was someone to scorn him. The un believer cruelly asked, “Do you think the Lord loves you enough to give you an other leg if you pray hard enough?” The crippled man stopped and thought for a moment. Then, with a smile, he replied, “Sure He does. But you see, there’s something far more important for me to pray about. I’m asking Him to help me make the best use of the leg I still have.” Why do we pray for something more when we are not using that which the Lord has already entrusted to us? Do you re c o g n iz e the opportunities placed in your pathway for service? I f you don’t take advantage of these privi leges, how can you expect the Lord to give you more? Our prayers need to be bathed, not in our own desires but rather, in God’s perfect will. This is what Scripture means when we read, “Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
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