derfully responsive to the guiding hand of the Spirit of God. It is not impossible that this should be re peated today, for the same world wide miraculous demonstration of the power of the gospel of Christ could sweep the earth again if God’s conditions were met. This may never be on a world-wide scale, but it is so gloriously true that each individual Christian life may know true success and continuous victory on the same plan. The key to this success is to be found in the little word yield. We are to yield, not only in the life of surrender, but in a constant day-by-day acknowledg ment of our inability and His ability. Yes! there is an answer! Let us all seek it from the Lord. ☆ Financial Plan rphe press has given considerable publicity to the financial plan used by an eastern church in a recent drive for a new building. The plan is simply to distribute $10 each to members of the church, asking them to invest it and return with the in crease. The idea, of course, came from the New Testament parable of the talents. Latest reports show that of $2,000 distributed, nearly $10,000 has been returned. The schemes contrived by churches for financial gain are almost num berless. Many pastors apologize and stammer in their effort to make giv ing as painless as possible. Others constantly press home the example of Old Testament tithing. Others re sort to bazaars, church suppers, and drives of one sort or another. Many of these plans are an abomination to the Lord and entirely unworthy of a place in the church program. Everything that needs to be un derstood in regard to church finances is plainly told in the pages of the New Testament. The foundation teaching is that all a Christian has or ever hopes to obtain has come as a gift from his Heavenly Father, and that his money and possessions are given to the believer as a sacred trust, to be used for the Lord’s glory. There is an added promise that those who sow bountifully will reap bountifully, and that those who honor the Lord with their substance will, both in this life and in the life to come, be rewarded. God’s plan for giving is a very simple one. Place Him first, honor Him to the degree in which He has prospered you, and give systematical ly and regularly. If this plan were followed out in the life of every Christian, there would never be any need for financial drives. PAGE FIVE
School Opens \ gain we have come to the time of year when Bible Institutes open wide their doors to new classes of earnest young people. This year the Bible Institute of Los Angeles wel comes another large incoming class. We joy and rejoice that God has en trusted these young people to us for training. Just how many more classes Biola may have the privilege of training we do not know. Certainly the eleventh hour of the world’s his tory is upon us. At any time God’s clock may strike, and this dispensa tion close by the personal appear ing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of to morrow we cannot be sure, so we turn our attention to that task which is ours today. To the young people who are coming to Biola for the first time we bid a most sincere and cordial wel come. We trust that your stay within these sacred halls may adequately fit you for the work which God has planned for you. We trust that your hearts may be wide open to the lessons which the Spirit of God de sires to impress upon you. We want to assure you of our love and of our desire to be of whatever help we can. Then to those who are returning to Biola, we offer you warmest Chris tian greetings. You have already em barked upon your course of training, and certain fundamental truths have already been planted in your heart. Now your task this year will be to go on in the things of God, to make yourself proficient in His service, and to have your life better show forth the excellencies of Christ. A word to the friends of Biola, scattered throughout this land: May we again urge upon you the absolute necessity of prayer. Biola is not a commercial enterprise. We are not a business venture. Our battle is pri marily a spiritual one, and our foes are wicked principalities and powers. Therefore, the answer to the Biola problems is always a spiritual one. If we are to advance in the things of God, we must be armed with God’s own weapons. How we thank Him for the many friends He has raised up for us in the years that are past! Next year we shall complete forty years of service as a Bible Institute, but these years have only been made possible through the intercession of God’s saints. Our forthcoming school year will be a success or a failure only to the extent that God’s people remember us in their intercession. One of our greatest material needs is a new building. Pray that it may be provided within this year if it is God’s will. It is heartbreaking to turn away students who desire to train for God’s service. SEPTEMBER, 1947
There Is an Answer T'Yne is likely to become very dis- couraged as he views the ap parent barrenness, seeming futility and poor co-operation of the great Christian forces in the world today. There is little more than the turning of wheels, with little or no real re sults. One group battles another on inconsequential p o i n t s , while the world waits desperately for the life-giving message that is our possession. Were it not for the fact that the Word of God definitely teaches the complete failure of the church as a force for righteousness, the outlook would be gloomy indeed. But, as the story of man has always been a story of failure, so even as great a force as the church of Christ will fail to live up to its God-given re sponsibilities. However, there is no cause for discouragement, for the answer lies in the fact that one of these days God will call a halt to this entire matter. He, who has been sitting on the right hand of the Majesty on high, will tarry no longer, but will return to this earth. Then, under the excellent wisdom and fear less power of the Son of God, this world with its peoples will come to know the end which God has purposed. Do not misunderstand me: This does not mean that we should sit with folded hands and eyes uplifted, awaiting that coming day. Nor do we believe that, because of the in ternal strife and apparent fruitless ness of Christian effort, we should give up trying to do the work of God. God has not failed to furnish a plan whereby there may be harmonious labor between His children. The truth is that there is a plan; and this plan is a Person, and this Per son is none other than the Holy Spirit of God who indwells the heart of every truly born-again Christian. What is lacking in Christian co-op eration and efficiency today is di rectly traceable to the failure on the part of Christians to recognize this Blessed One as Lord and to yield to Him their hearts and lives for effi cient service. Genuine and profitable Christian service is found only as God’s children surrender to the gra cious leading of the Paraclete. Suc cess in Christian enterprise is never on any other basis than the basis of the Spirit’s complete direction. What is wrong in Christian circles and with Christian enterprises today is not so much a lack of sincerity or earnestness, but a disregard bom of ignorance of the Spirit's guidance. You recall the remarkable spread of Christianity during the first two centuries of the Christian era. This was due entirely to the fact that the Christians of that day were won
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