Jews might have complained about hav ing to do the type o f work which God assigned to them. Th ey might have re fused to serve unless they were given greater and more exciting things to do in God’s service. Psalm 84 is a song which the Korahites sang to show their joy in serving their God. Today there are Christians who will sing solos but who refuse to sing in the choir. Other Christians w ill accept the work as president of a group but w ill refuse to be the secretary. Some w ill make announcements from the platform
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W h a t Separates M an frum God? W hen we are considering what it means to become a Chris tian we have to find an adequate answer to the problem of sin. The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). It is sin that separates man from God and when man is separated from God then man is infinitely lonely. You recall St. Augustine wrote, “ Thou hast made us for Thyself, 0 God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” We will try almost anything to escape g this great loneliness of a heart separated from God. We de termine, resolve, repress. And yet it is there. Perhaps it would be an easier task to deal with this basic problem if we clearly understood the nature of the thing that separates us -from God. Sin is a word with many connotations. Let’s put down a working definition of sin. In the Christian (and Jewish) re ligion there is a definite difference between sin and sins. SB # Sins are the derivative of sin. We need not catalog a list of sins here. What we will want to discover though is that it is not sins that we have to deal with in coming to a right rela tionship with God. If it were, the outlook indeed would be dreary at best. Never allow yourself to get sidetracked from the main issue. As one writer has put it it is all too easy to get off into a hopeless little eddy instead of staying in the ■ mainstream of life. Now the thing that is keeping us from God is sin, not sins. I Simply stated sin is rebellion against God. It is self-will over ,5$ against the Divine will. Our first parents exercised their free- & dom of choice to rebel against the plainly stated will of God. I This rebellion is sin. From it all sins are derivative. When we come to understand this, our problem is vastly narrowed. We need not battle the mistakes and failures and despair of the past. Our sole problem is simply to be willing to be willing I to do God’s will. God in St. Matthew 17:5 says this about Jesus Christ, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” And Jesus Christ said, “ I am the way, the truth, and . ) the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Christ \/t is the answer to man’s rebellion. He is the answer to. the lone liness of your heart. It doesn’t matter how often you’ve failed. t'J You may have placed your trust in men, in churches, in other organizations. None of these can solve your problem. But gH Christ can. And He wants to help you. He is far more willing to answer our heart cry than we are to ask. We need no H longer be infinitely lonely. Christ the Saviour wants you. And when you give yourself to Him you have at last found life. — L. H. If you have found in this short article a way of life that you would like, we urge you now— this very moment— to yield your will to His will l* ^ and in doing so find that in Christ is Life. If you have a question, or if we can be of help in any way, please write us. We shall be happy to send you a copy of the Gospel of John. It is yours free for the asking. Address: The Editors, King's Business, 558 S. Hope, Los Angeles 17, Calif.
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Because You Care Because you care we are counting on you to give this special column to someone who doesn't yet know Christ. Suggestions: your post man, grocer, one you work with — or mail it. Remember this col umn will not reach that soul un less you give it out. Thank you.
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but refuse to serve as ushers. M any of God’s children have selfish, sinful pride in their hearts which grieves their Lord and which causes them to refuse any work in God’s house which they feel is not important and praised b y others. God desires that each of His children be w illing to serve H im in any place where He shall choose. Someone must do the humble work in God’s house; some one must do the common, unnoticed tasks. Those who are filled with joy at knowing the Lord Jesus as Saviour will sing from their hearts with the sons of Korah: “ I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of m y God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Dec. 19, 1954 Praise for God's Gift Psa. 148:1-3; 11-13; Matt. 1:18-25 Pointers on the Lesson The idea of today’s lesson is to stimu late praise for God’s great goodness in providing a Saviour for sinners. In the mad rush o f getting presents for one an other, it seems that God’s great Gift is so often forgotten. So let us think of the true meaning of Christmas. This psalm is a call for all creation to give praise to God. God deserves such uni versal praise. Its message is especially pertinent for this Christmas season. Note those who ought to praise God as set forth in the selected verses— all angels, all his hosts, sun and moon, the stars, kings, all people, princes, all judges, young men and maidens, old men and children. Doubtless the language is somewhat po etic. But it sounds forth the great re sponsibility of all creatures to praise their Creator. The reason given is the excel lence of the Lord (v. 13.) This call to praise reaches its climax in the announcement of the birth of the Saviour. M any of the features in the CONTINUED ► Exhortation to Praise Psa. 148:1-3; 11-13
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N O V EM B ER , 1954
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