March 1943
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This is the measuring rod for our re lationships with other men. II. IT DOES MEAN LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIES.' We are to love- our enemies. If peo ple hate us, we are to do good to them. A sergeant in the British African Army once testified concerning how he had been •won^ to Christ: “We had had a muddy day, and things had been tough. That night most of us \yere in our bunks, and the fellow who ■slept below me (he was a Christian) was kneeling in prayer. We had made H awfully rough for him, and as he knelt there, I let my muddy boots bump his head good and. hard. He said nothing, but just kept on pray ing. The next morning I found my muddy boots all cleaned and polished; and the Christian was the one who had done it! It broke my heart, and I ac cepted Christ as my Saviour.” III. IT DOES MEAN P R A C T I C A L CHRISTIAN LIVING. Remembering the Golden Rule, we are to turn the other cheek to the smit- er. If a person tries to take what we have, we are hot to fight with him, loudly demanding our “rights.” “Oh,” we reply, “God doesn’t really mean that we are to do that literally!” But wait, read All the context. The Word says that if I love only those who love me, I am no bet ter than the unsaved. If I do good only to them who do good to me, I am still no different from the sinner. I lend, expecting to receive again, I am on the same level with the ungodly. We are the children o f God. Our lowest level of life ought to be higher than the uhsaved man’s peak. God is kind unto the unthankful and to thé evil, and we are to be merciful (not “just,” but more than that)— merciful, even as God is. “Judge no t . . . condemn not . . . forgive.” These are simple, plain terms, and God expects us to take them literally. But still it all seems so foolish, so utterly u n w i s e to do all of these things. We reason this way: If peo ple find out I am that kind of a per son, that I offer no forceful resist ance, will they not take everything -I have? Let us note the'promise of God in relation to the'literal fulfilling of the Golden Rule. “ Give, and it shall be g i v e n unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken1together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Lk. 6:38). The very-ones who at first seem to be taking away everything will be used of God to re store an abundant measure. That is God’s promise. Conclusion Is the Golden Rule practical? A missionary in Africa had once empha sized this fact. The natives asked whether he really believed it.. “Cer
tainly,” was his reply. Immediately they began' to ask him for; this and that. D ' e s i r i n g to live what he preached, he gave. But they continued to carry away his possessions—and he continued to pray and to witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. One day there was a change. Before he could under stand how it happened, his house was filled with all the things that had been carried away, and more besides. As a result, the church had £ great re-, vival, and accomplished more in the next few years than the missionary’s fondest hopes had imagined possible— because one man was willing to live by the God-given Golden Rule.
siris and our sinful nature both place us in the condemnation of a. righteous God. How can we expect companion ship -with such a One? “When I am vile as He is pure, Ah, grace of God to send the cure,. And for my sins the cross endure!” II. REALIZE THE PROVISION, 1. Christ is the Saviour (John 1:12; Rom. 5:8, 10); 1 Pet. 2:24; T it 3:4, 5; 1 Tim. 1:15). “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). The Lord Jesus Christ was sent not “to condemn the world; but .that the world through him might be saved” r(John 3:17). 4We must appropriate the salvation (Rom. 10:9,10,13; John 17:3; 20:31; 1 John 5:13; 1 Thess. 5:9, 10; Eph. 2:8, 9). Only when we have appropriated this full salvation—be lieved and confessed Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord—are we in a position BLUE PRINTS For The "New Order" ’ P ROPHE CY MONTHLY f o r MARCH will bring prophetic light to bear upon the various schemes for a ”new \ybrld at conclusion of thè war. What about Science and world unity; the,new society in a new world; the new church movement; church federal union now? These are some of the phases of “new world talk” that will be discussed by discerning writers in MARCH PROPHECY. Is this meaty handbook digest of world events and prophecy in your home? It should be regularly! Sam ple copy FREE. Year sub. $1. S P E C I A L - N e w subscribers ^ 1 1 “ *■ • who send this adv. and $1.20 will receive year sub. and th e. new 50c book, • ‘PROPHECIES OF THE EPISTLES" by Dr. Keith L. Brooks, an inspiring study. A merican prophetic league , ine. Key. Fred H. Wight, Exec. Sec’y Box BB, Eagle Rock Sta., Los Angeles, Calif« Christian Greeting Cards For Sale òr for Personal Use Every Day Greetings—new, at tractive, with worthwhile senti- ! ments, many with Bible Texts,— in great variety of artistic Set tings,-—comforting, encouraging messages of cheer to thè sick and sorrowing. Birthday, etc., ' r-the type of greetings Chris-- tiari people are looking fori EastA Greetings—Christian sentiments, most-. ly with Bible Text’s,—dainty, appropriate decorations. • Cards that are different—not found, in stores —Boxed and Unboxed—good profit, no, invest ment neoessary. Write early for free Catalog and attractive Sales Plans. Pease Greeting Cards, Inc. 264 Laurel Street, Dept. K Buffalo, N. I . GET A SCOFIELD BIBLE FREE. See Page 107.
APRIL 11, 1943 ; FINDING IN CHRIST A COMPANION L uke 24:15, 32; J ohn 14:23
’ By Jeanne Farwell Introduction
Have you ever experienced meeting a childhood friend after years of sepa ration? Perhaps the greeting and con versation were hearty and spontane ous, but after the friend had gone, you felt almost a sense of relief. The old comrade had not accompanied you for some time, and had no knowledge of the many circumstances now present in your life. The friend had ceased to be a -companion, and had automat ically become an acquaintance. Our companionships cease to be vital when association ceases. Christ offers to us a heavenly com panionship that begins with' our iden tification as "sons [children] of God” and as “children of light,” and endures forever! Today when change and un certainty are b e i n g left in all our lives, we need an enduring compan ionship. We are realizing now, as never before, how frail human com panionships are, and how adequate the One is who had the authority and power to say, “Lo, I am with you al- way” (Matt. 28:20). It is Christ’s divine will that the reality and power o f His abiding Pres ence in and with the believer shall be a token- of the privilege of sonship (John 14:22, 23). However, we can lay no claim to His divine Presence until we meet the conditions for com panionship with Christ. I. RECOGNIZE THE NEED. 1. We are sinners (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:9, 10, 22; 23; Eph. 2:3; Psa. 14:1-3). No one can truly consider or desire companionship with the righteous Son of God, without immediately realizing his own sinfulness, and lack of holi ness- 2. We are condemned (Rom. 5:12; John 3:36; Rev. 21:8; John 3:18).’ Our For Those Who Have Topics
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