there is a mine of wealth, “ a para dise of glory.” If you would know the foundation of civil government, read the writings of Moses. If you would know the power of song to inspire valor, and to comfort the sorrowing, read the Psalms of David. If you would know the future destiny of world governments, and how Gentile power over the earth is to come to an end, read the prophecy of Daniel. If you would know the significance of what is taking place in Europe, Africa, and Asia, turn to the pro phetic Scriptures for information and enlightenment. If you would know the meaning of present world movements, such as the rise of dicta tors and their policies and dreams, read again the prophecies of the Word of God. These show clearly that the Bible is the most up-to-date Book in all the world. If you desire to know what is to be the end of all things, and how the great battle be tween the forces of righteousness and unrighteousness will end, read the book of Revelation. If you seek to know the history of the Christ who lived upon this earth, suffered, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, read the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you hunger to know how a sinner may be justified before a sin-hating and a holy God, read the writings of Paul. If you want comfort in sor row, light in darkness, guidance along the uncertain path, read the entire Word of God. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are the two Agencies of God in the earth to save from sin, to empower for service, and to give joy and peace and victory in a God dishonoring, Christ-rejecting, Spirit- resisting world. Read the Bible—prayerfully, daily, systematically; and it will do your soul good. You will love it; and you will be able to say, with the Psalm ist: “ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” “ 0 how I love thy law! ft is my meditation all the day.” —Psalm 119:11, 105, 97. Parts I and II of this special feature are avail able in the April and May 1965 issues.
wisest of statesmen in the world recognize that real and lasting civil ization follows everywhere in its wake. I want to urge you, my friend, to build your life upon the Word of the living God. Life is like a build ing. It must have a foundation if it is to stand. Our Lord visualized this great truth in the parable of the two builders: “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:23-27). The casual observer, looking at these two houses, might not see any difference in them. But there is a vast difference; it lies in the foun dation, something out of sight. Two men, likewise, may appear outwardly to be very much the same. Both have two feet, two arms, two hands, two eyes. Both may have had the same educational advantages, the same social culture. But one is not a Chris tian ; the other knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour and King. The storms of life begin to blow and beat upon those two men; and then the difference becomes ap parent. Sickness, death, loss of prop erty, loss of friends—these tragedies for the unsaved man break him, or make him bitter, perhaps stoical, yet blindly groping for comfort and strength. The same calamities fall upon the Christian man; and all the while he knows “ the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” He does not ask to understand why sor row is permitted; he simply trusts his living, loving Lord, who sees the end from the beginning. Build your life upon the founda tion Stone, which is Christ Jesus. You will learn about Him in the Bible. He is its central theme. With in the pages of the sacred Scriptures
TH E TRANSFORMING POWER OF TH E BIBLE
We shall not attempt to give aU the reasons for believing the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. Possibly no mere man could ever give them all! But if we had no other proof than its power to trans form human life, then that alone would be conclusive. No other book in the world has ever had the power to change derelicts, wrecks, ostra cized creatures of misery into holy, happy, victorious saints as the Bible has. And the story of Christianity is the story of lives transformed from sin and degradation to new life and beauty in Christ Jesus. When David Livingstone was blazing a trail through the heart of Africa, he met a native chieftain named Africana. This black man had washed his hands in the blood of lit erally thousands of human beings, whites as well as blacks. Africana had become such a menace to human life that the British government had set a price upon his head, a thousand pounds having been offered for him. David Livingstone planned to visit this blood-thirsty chieftain in his own territory, and sent the notice of his plan in advance. In reply, Afri cana sent word to the missionary, saying, “ Tell the white man that, if he dares to come to my territory, I will make a drinking cup of his skull before he has been here twenty-four hours.” This did not deter Living stone. He made the visit, taking a copy of the Bible with him. He told Africana the message of the Word of God concerning the Christ who died for man’s sins and rose again for man’s justification. As a result of this visit, that savage chieftain was made “a new creature in Christ Jesus.” So marked was the trans formation in his life that the British government gave him a pardon. Africana had laid down his natural life for the Lord Jesus to fill with divine life. Can you tell me any other book that can change man like that? Today there are tens of thousands of people in Africa, China, India— in every pagan land—who can bear witness to the power of the Gospel, as set forth in the Bible, to lift men from sin and degradation to the plains of holiness and honor. The
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