isow ssa e i
rostiesse features from February Biola radio program«)
C A L I F O R N I A Arroyo Grande-San Luis Obispo
I B IO L A
9:00 A.M. MTWTF
KCJH
1280
broadcaster Monthly Publication of the BIOLA FELLOWSHIP Vol. 4 No. 3 MARCH, 1964 CONTEXTS THE LATTER END .................. 3 ETERNAL LIFE ....................... 5 FOOLS ................................... 7 OUR PORTION ....................... 9 A LADDER AN D A TOWER ...... 11 GOD'S PROMISES .................... 13 RADIO QUESTIONS .................15 PARABLES A N D PEARLS .......... 19 TUESDAY-THURSDAY STUDIES ..21 BIOLA FELLOWSHIP PLAN ........ 34 COVER: Dr. Bolton Davidheiser (right), professor of science, guides several of the Biola College students in bio logy. Miss Carol Roberts is from Bald win Park, California, and Mr. Paul Barclay is from Tecumseh, Kansas.
Bakersfield-Wasco KAFY Chfco-Marysville KHSL Fresno-Dinuba KRDU KWSO
Sun. MTWTF
550 1050 1290
7:30 A.M. 9:30 A.M.
8:30
A.M.Sun.
11:00 A.M. 12:30 A.M. 8:00 A.M. 8:00 A.M. 8:30 A.M. 6:30 P.M. 8:00 A.M. 7:00 P.M. 8:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF MTWTF 8:00 A.M. MTWTF
1130
KCIB
94.5 (FM)
Lodi-Stockton KCVR Los Angeles KBBI KCVR
1570 1570
107.5 (FM)
KT YM 1460 Los Angeles-Long Beach KGER 1390
KGER
1390
Oxnard-Ventura-Santa Barbara
KAAR 104.7 (FM) KOXR 910
Redding-Red Bluff KQMS San Bernardino KFXM
1400 590 1350
Sun. MTWTF
7:30 A.M. 9:30 A.M.
KCKC Santa Cruz KSCO San Diego
8:30 A.M. Sun. 7:30 A.M. 8:00 A.M. 7:30 A.M. MTWTF MTWTF Sun. 8:30 A.M. MTWTF
1080 KBBW 102.9 (FM) XEMO 860 KDEO 910
San Francisco
1100
KFAX
Turfock
9:30 A.M. Sun.
KHOM 93.1 (FM)
O R E G O N
Albany-Eugene KW IL Ashland-Medford KRVC Coquille-Coos Bay KWRO KW IL
8:00 A.M. MTWTF 3:00 A.M .M TW TF 8:30 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 A.M. MW F 11:30 A.M. MTWTF 11:30 A.M.MTW TF
790 790
1350
630
Portland KPDQ KPDQ
800
93.7 (FM)
W A S H IN G T O N
Blaine-Vancouver, B.C.
A.M. MTWTF
550 11:30
KARI Seattle-Tocoma
A.M. MTWTF
630 11:30
KGDN
Y O U R C H R I S T I A N W I L L Did you know that there is a way to invest in Biola for the training of students while saving costly estate taxes. Ultimately you may be able to leave more meney ter yeur loved ones. As a Fellowship member yeu are under no obligations when you write tor information or counsel. BIOLA STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT STA FF
Spokane KCFA
1330 11:30 A.M. MTWTF
Walla Walla
A.M. MW F
8:00
1490
KTEL
Yakima
1390 10:00 A.M. MTWTF
KBBO
O T H E R S T A T E S
Albuquerque, New Mexico K A R A 1310
7:00 A.M. MTWTF 7:00 A.M. MTWTF 8:00 A.M. Sun. 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 A.M .M TW TF 12:00 Noon MTWTF 9:00 A.M. MTWTF 3:30 P.M. Tues. 10:00 P.M. MTWTF 9:00 A.M. MTWTF 9:00 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 A.M. MW F 11:30 P.M. MTWTF 8:00 A.M. MTWTF
KA R A
99.5 (FM)
Aztec, New Mexico KHAP Billings. Montana KURL
1340
730
Caldwell-Boise KBFM
94.1 (FM)
910
KBGN
Denver, Colorado KLIR Lapeer, Michigan W M PC , Miamisburg, Ohio WFCJ Newton, Kansas KJRG Phoenix, Arizona KHEP KLIR
President............ S. H. Sutherland Editor .................... Al Sanders Production .........Virginia Schwepker Printing ................ Church Press Published monthly by the Radio Dept. BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Cal. Controlled circulation postage paid at Los Angeles, California.
990
100.3 (FM)
1230
93.7 (FM)
950
1280 Pueblo-Colorado Springs KFEL 970 Springfield, Ohio WEEC 100.7 (FM) Tuscon, Arizona KA IR 1490
volved to further complicate the pic ture. Or, here is a fellow who has had some problems in life and finds that alcohol seems to help him forget his troubles. Pretty soon he finds it im possible to control his appetite for liquor and ends up a hopeless drunk ard. That is why the Lord says, “O that they were wise, that they under stood this, that they would consider their latter end.” Everything must come to an end. I used to ha,ve a big home with 16 rooms and eight children. Gradually they grew up and were married off. Finally just my sweetheart and I were left alone with our parakeet. But that is the way with life. Then, last fall my sweetheart was taken to be with the Lord. That was the end of our family. How is your family going to end? Again, in another area of life, you may go into business. For a time all goes along well until all of a sudden the model or style changes and leaves you with an inventory and stock pile you can’t give away. That is the way 3
T h er e is o n e very positive thing of which we may all be certain and that is that God loves and cares for us. In Deuteronomy 32:29, the Lord ex presses the feelings of His heart, “O that they were wise, that they under stood this, that they would consider their latter end!” Think of God say ing such a thing to us; to know of His great concern. We need to ask our selves, “How will things end up with me?” Here is a boy going to school and he doesn’t like to study. He hates books, the teacher and the school in general. He doesn’t want to be bothered with education so he quits it all. How will he come out? Surveys in current trends reveal that it will be a very question able matter. Or, here is a man who gets married. His wife won’t do anything he thinks she should. So he fusses and nags at her, finding fault all the time. Even tually she decides to leave him. What will be the end of these lives? Per haps there are several children in
it ends, and you may even go bankrupt. But as for life itself, we must all face squarely the question as to how we our selves are going to end up. No man can tell when his earthly life will cease, when the death angel will call for his. soul. Ths wisdom of such action is that we might be prepared for the eventuality that befalls us. Here is a sinner who plans to enjoy his folly for a season. He is going to I'M FINE There's nothing whatever the matter with me, And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze; M y pulse is weak and my blood is thin. But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in. Arch supports I have for my feet Or I wouldn't be able to be on the street. And every morning I'm a sight. Sleep is denied me, night after night, M y memory is failing, my heart's in a spin, I'm practically living on aspirin; But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in. The moral is, as this tale I unfold, That for you and for me, who are growing old, It's better to say, "I'm fine" with a grin, Then to let 'em know the shape we're m ." do what he pleases or what he feels like doing. If he wants to drink, he will drink. If he wants to swear, he will swear. If he wants immorality, he can have all of that he wants. He never stops to wonder how he is going to end up. All of these sins accumulate and pile up until the day comes when the Lord says, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee.” There is no use of us fooling our selves. There comes an end to our phi losophies and reasonings. There is a time for us to pillow our heads on earth for the last time. I have a poem I'm just as healthy as I can be. I have arthritis in both my knees
Biola's KBBW, San Diego
Mr. P hill Butler (standing), manager of Biola's San Diego outlet , KBBW , confers w ith George Manning, announcer, concern ing schedule of station which operates 18 hours a day. that Robert Ingersoll, the famed atheist wrote. In it he asks himself, “Is there another life after death? After the long night is there a day time? We don’t know, we just hope and wish that we knew.” How sad, for instead man can have the assurance of Scripture and say, “I know whom I have be lieved.” Life comes to an end, childhood days come to an end, married life comes to an end, business comes to an end, and health comes to an end. Balaam said, “Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his.” He knew he was going to have an end and he wanted to die as the righteous lives. Yet, he didn’t want to live that way. He preferred to be among the Mo abites, Edomites and all the other ene mies of God. The end of rebellion is the lake of fire. The end of unbelief is hell. The end of rebellion against God is to be put into chains in outer darkness kept until the day of judgment. If we are wise we will prepare for our latter end. I am an old man, and the only way I know of making sure of life’s end is getting to know, personally, the Lord Jesus Christ. He blots out all our sins, removing the record which is against us on heaven’s books. He covers these sins through His precious blood. This is the reason He was able to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by 4
me.” This is the only way anyone can meet God in peace. Sit down and con sider your latter end; think it through. How can you ignore God in your life and then expect Him to deal with you still in your sin? Do you think you can live as you please, transported from Delilah’s lap into Abraham’s bosom? Do you think that will work? Of course not! Consider the end of life. We do that with life insurance. We prepare our automobiles for a journey if we are going away. How foolish to neglect our own souls. The wise man foresees evil and hides himself in the Lord. It is because God loves us that He tells us to consider the end. “Be not wise in your own conceits.” “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.” Put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, for you, the ques tion of eternity will be settled forever. GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD And have we gone? Are we unruffled Knowing that the dawn in heathen lands means but another day begun? Another day without the blessed Son of righteousness and peace. Another day when souls who have for ever lost the way. Sink deeper in the dark morass of sin, hopeless and lost. At last to enter into an eternal night? Oh, God of Love, In tender pity from Thy throne above, beholding them and willing That not one should ever perish, Thou dids't send Thy Son who Bought them with His blood. But to us Thou dids't entrust The glorious and wondrous news. Into our weak hands dids't place The torch to lighten heathen lands. Strengthen our arms, dear Lord, To hold it high. Oh, ransomed of the Lord, If you and I fail in this thing, "Their blood," I hear Him say, "W ill I require of you at that day. "Go ye into all the world." " Is it a task to do for Me this one last thing," I ask?
T h e r e are m a n y profitable questions asked in the Bible which we would certainly do well to answer. We read in Luke 10:25 and 26, “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “And ’ Jesus said unto him, what is written in the law? how readest thou?” While this attorney knew some things, he rightly realized he did not have eternal life. Have you ever come to that conclu sion? It is a wonderful discovery to make. Joining the church doesn’t give eternal life to you. Being baptized doesn’t give eternal life to you. Build ing up a fine, wonderful character doesn’t give eternal life to you. These things don’t make you a Christian. Eternal life is a gift from God. That is what the Bible means when it says that the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Can any man change a horse into a cow, or a dog into a cat? No, you and I cannot change life. It is true that we can change actions. For instance, I have seen a chimpanzee smoke a cig arette. A foolish man taught him how to do this. Others have been trained to put on roller skates or to ride on bicycles. But will these creatures do any of these things when you are not around? Will they do it naturally? No, each one realizes that if he doesn’t do it, he will be punished or that he will not receive any rewards. You can make a monkey act like a man but he cannot be made into a man. You and I have no power whatsoever over life. There are many things that we can do, but basically we do not have the life that makes us love the things of God. I know people who go in for re ligious things because they think they should. But I am talking about loving 5
the things of God and having a desire to be alone in communion and fellow ship with the Saviour. Commune with Him about your daily life, your friends and neighbors, your family, your busi ness, and have sweet fellowship with the living God of heaven. Then you can open your Bible and understand it. You see, the clear and plain teach ing of Scripture is that God alone gives us a new life which makes us an en tirely different person. While the world goes in for the things of this life, the believer goes in for the things of the other life, the place to which we long to go and where we will live forever. Here is a rich man who says to Jesus, “What shall I do to get eternal life?” Now you know very well a per son can’t do anything to get life. If I had four dead rabbits in front of me, one had just .died, another had been dead a week, a third for a month, and the last for six months, what should I tell these rabbits as to how they could get life? You say, “You’re foolish!” And you are right. There is no use tell ing a dead thing about life. There is nothing you or they could do about it. Life has to be given from outside the object itself. Perhaps it would be wonderful if I had power to go into hospitals and find someone who had died and then give life to that person. For certain, I would surely be in demand. But no body can do it. Divine healers can’t do it. Life is in the hands of God Himself. Jesus’ answer to the lawyer was, “What is written in the law, how read- est thou?” It is unfortunate that many people take their Bibles and read them, never thinking to apply the truths to themselves. Let us ask our heart in this case, “Is the Lord talking to me?” Take the book of Ephesians and read it slowly some time. It has only six short chapters. You can put your fin ger on each verse and say, “Thank you, Lord, for you’re talking to me.” Before you have gotten through the book many times you will be a different person; God will speak to your heart. Take the Bible, if you’re unsaved and
Talbot Seminary Officers
Pictured above are student officers in the Talbot Theological Sem inary. Prom left to right, Ron Graff, Denver, treasurer; John MacA rthur, Los Angeles, president; James Battenfield, San Diego, vice-president. read the first chapter of Ephesians. Read, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (verse 7). Thank the Lord for such a great truth and assurance. I remember asking a leading re ligious man about the meaning of Acts 13:38 and 39 that reads, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and breth ren, that through this man (Christ Jesus) is preached unto you the for giveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” I said, “Bishop, does that mean me? Can I come, as a guilty sinner to the Lord Jesus without going to you or to any other person to find forgiveness of sins and redemption?” Do you know what he said to me? “You know too much about the Bible!” He turned his back on me and walked down the stairs. Beloved, “How readest thou?” I read a time table about how to get to Seat tle or to some other town. But since I am not going there I read it care lessly. I read about some treatment for a particular sickness. But since I don t have the disease and am not now practicing medicine, it means little to me. But this is not the way a man should read the Bible. As you study the Scriptures apply them to 6
your own heart. Thereby you will find.the peace and the joy that passeth understanding. You will clearly see that you cannot inherit eternal life by your works. Salvation is a gift from God. The moment you trust the Saviour this priceless gift becomes yours. Some people read all the way A MOTHER'S TRUST Beneath the blood-stained lintel, I with my children stand, A messenger of evil is passing through the land. There is no other refuge from the destroyer's face, Beneath the blood-stained lintel, shall be our hiding place. The Lamb of God has suffered, our sins and griefs He bore, By faith the blood is sprinkled beneath our dwelling's door. The foe who seeks to enter doth fear that sacred sign. Tonight the blood-stained lintel shall shelter me and mine. M y Saviour, for Thy dear ones I claim Thy promise true, The Lamb is for the household, the children's Saviour, too. On earth the little children once felt God's touch divine, Beneath the blood-stained lintel, Thy blessings give to mine. Oh Thou who gave them, guard them, these wayward little feet, The wilderness before them, the ills of life to meet. My mother love is helpless, I trust them to Thy care, Beneath the blood-stained lintel, Oh keep me ever there. through the Scriptures and get noth ing from them. It is not so much going through the Bible as it is letting the Bible go through us. Do you read it confident that the blessed God of heaven is doing and will do what He says in His 'Word? Make a deter mination to read it with faith, trust and confidence.
W h e n G o d calls a m a n a fool, He must have adequate reason for doing so. We should stop to see the rea son for i t You can be sure that God’s reasons are not the same as man s, for no one is to chll another “fool.” The Lord doesn’t refer to a person’s bad in vestments, or careless driving, or lack of judgment concerning the use of cer tain foods. These are not the things God speaks' of when He calls a man a fool. His reference is always to man’s relationship with the Lord. We read in Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” This is the kind of a person to whom we can take off our hats. There are many reasons why we should honor him In the first place, he is probably a widely traveled man. He wouldn’t know there wasn’t any God if he hadn’t found out; if he hadn’t traveled around heaven seeing the stars, planets, constellations and so on. He has then come back to declare, “Friends, I have taken a trip to the starry heavens and I find there is no God.” Or it may be this person went to Jerusalem. God said He would dwell there, you re member. Or perhaps he has travelled around many countries to visit -differ ent Christians. The Lord said, “I dwell in the high and holy place with that man also that is of a humble and con trite spirit and trembles at my Word.” So, to say there is no God, a person would have to visit all the homes of all believers. That is where God said He would dwell. This man must also be very intelli gent for he would have found some way to go back to .the beginning of creation. God said He made the things that are made. He spoke and it was done. He created things out of noth ing. God, according to this man, how ever, didn’t think all these things up, they just happened to grow out of the 7
ground or the ocean somehow. The fool doesn t go into detail, of course, to tell us why but things just myste riously evolved. He merely affirms that there is no God; things have just hap pened. My, what a man! He knows m o r e than anybody. S u r e l y he wouldn’t guess at anything so impor tant as the reality of God when it could affect his entire destiny. What a brave man! He faces eternity boldly and bravely with his own faith that there is no God at all. Oh, yes, this man is also one who knows there is no God because he has a personal sense of justice. He knows that both the wicked man and the good man ought to have the same benefits. He has figured that it makes no dif ference how a person lives. After all, there is nothing more when this life is finished. What a person this is. He understands things the rest of us don’t begin to comprehend. When we see the flowers blooming at a certain hour of the day or night we say, “God made them that way.” But he says they just happened. When eggs hatch out in seven or 14 days, or 49 days that just happens. It would be absurd to think anybody arranged it so perfectly. The birth of animals and birds come in sevens. Of course that just happened. There wasn’t any predetermined plan to it at all. God didn’t do it because there isn’t any God. Can you see why the Lord uses the terminology He does? The atheists tell us that there is no design at all. God didn’t plan it that we should have a “separator” system in our bodies so that the food goes into our blood stream and that which is poi sonous is thrown off. That merely de veloped through centuries and cen turies. One time I read in a school book for children that the black dirt we have, from which we grow vegetables, was made by the rain falling on the rocks for millions and millions of years. The wind blew that sediment off on to the ground and made nice rich dirt. I thought that was interesting; so I wrote to five different agricultural colleges
and said, “Will you please send me your formula for making black dirt so I can sell it to the farmers?” You should have seen some of the letters I got back! They thought I was a little bit off in the upper story. They told me there was no such formula. I wrote back and said, “Surely there must be some way of grinding up rocks and making them into powder. Then by mixing them with certain kinds of wa ter, nice black dirt is produced.” Some didn’t even bother to respond and those that did assured me again that no such thing was possible. With these letters in hand I went down to the Board of Education in Kansas City and read what the text book stated. Then I read what these agriculturists said. The president of the Board got up and with shame he said, “I didn’t know we were teaching that ‘trash’ to our children.” Oh, how sad this is. The teachings of the evo lutionist or the atheist are accepted as fact while God is completely ruled out. Such a person doesn’t have to bother about details. After all he has better sense. He merely says, “There is no God,” and that is sufficient. Then there is the elephant with its long trunk and its hind legs bending forward. That just happened, you see, because all other animals’ hind legs bend backwards. There was no God who designed it and knew what a heavy weight had to be lifted up. But what is more tragic, the fool says there is no remedy for sin. He doesn’t know how it started and often will deny it even exists. When people suffer from burdens and heartaches, there is no real comfort which can be offered. The reason is that there is really no God. Man is just animal and one can expect an animal to live its own way. Nobody gets mad at the tiger because it acts like it does, or the skunk for the fact that it smells like it does. That just all happened. But my friend, in the seriousness of the hour in which we live, what are you going to do about your sins? There must be a God who deals with them. Oh yes, praise the Lord, there is. Our great Creator 8
in heaven sent a Saviour to redeem us. “There is one God and one media tor between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Let me urge you to trust in the living God; to make Him your Redeemer and
i OUR PORTION by Dr. Walter L. W ilson W h e n e v e r God says anything in the Bible it is important. But times you can be sure that it is signifi cant. Let me read you just such a verse, “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” (Matthew 13:12). Have you ever wondered how that can be? How can you take away from some body the thing that he doesn’t have? The first place this verse occurs is in the story of the sower who had seed which fell on good ground, thorny ground, stony ground and hard ground. Let us look at it for a moment. It says, “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given.” “Hath what” and “given what” are questions we need to have answered. . Do you have a heart that loves the Word of God? If so, then you should let it increase in your life by taking more opportunity to study and read it. Then, the seed that is sown there will bring forth thirty fold, sixty fold, and an hundred fold. You will be a fruit ful, spiritually - rich Christian be cause you have a heart that loves to let the Word of God grow. Now, con trari-wise, if you have a hard, stony worldly heart, then God will take away any opportunity of hearing the true Word. Perhaps you move into a neighbor hood where nobody cares for God. The people want you to play cards and go to shows, spending Sundays on the golf course. They expect you to stay away from the Word of God. All these things are happening constantly to peo ple all around us. If you have a heart that loves the truth of God, He will give you more and more of it. If you have a heart that doesn’t care one thing about itj He will take away any 9
TEN REASONS FOR THE FAMILY ALTAR
when the Lord says something five
1. The family altar will sweeten home life and enrich individual relations as nothing else can do. 2. ' The family altar will resolve all misunderstandings and relieve all friction that may enter the home. 3. The family altar will hold your boys and girls to Christian ideals and determine their lasting wel fare. 4. The family altar will send us forth to our tasks for the day in school, home, office, store and factory true to do our best and determined in what we do to glorify God. 5. The family altar will g i v e strength to meet bravely any disappointments and adversities as they come. 6. The family altar will make us conscious through the day of the attending presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, o u r wonderful Friend and Helper. 7. The family altar will reinforce the influence and work of the church and Sunday school. 8. The family altar will encourage other homes to make a place for Christ and His work. 9. The family altar will honor our Father above and express our gratitude for His bountiful mercy and blessing to us. 10. The family altar will give us God's instructions concerning the pathway we should take, and studying the Scriptures and pray ing, provide an infallible guide for all of life. your Saviour. As you do, He will give you conquering power over sin and a hunger to know more of His Word. He will make you fit to live with Him for all eternity in heaven. I trust by the grace of God you, too, will become a believer in the living God.
opportunity from you to learn to re ceive from it. The second time this verse occurs is in Matthew 25:29. This one occurs at the end of the parable of the talents. The Lord told this illustration to re mind the people that everyone is given a gift. The difference all depends upon how our gifts are used. If you care about that which the Lord has given to you, He will give you more. If not, then even what you have may be taken away from you. You may have the gift to play the piano and yet in stead of hitting all the notes, you try to get over some of the bad ones. If you don’t care whether you play well or not, you will not have the opportunity to increase your quality. I was in a young people’s meeting one time where the girl leading the music gave out a hymn written in 4/4 time but the one playing the piano was doing so in 44 time. I want to tell you that would curdle buttermilk. It was simply terrible. The young lady leading the singing said, “I thought I knew this old hymn.” I went over to the pianist who was a beautiful girl about 16 or 17. I said, “Young lady, you see the tempo is written in 4/4 time and you’re toying to play it in 44 time. That won’t work. Play it in 4/4 time and it will go nicely. I know you can do it.” She turned her pretty nose up at me, shook her curls a couple of times, got up off the bench and said, “Play it yourself!” She stomped to the back of the room in a pout. To her as tonishment I did sit down and I played it. This young woman didn’t want to improve her quality and abilities. This is what the Lord is talking about in this parable. If you teach a Sunday school class learn how to make it better and more interesting. God will reward you for it. The next time this verse is found is in Mark 4:25. “For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.” This portion refers to what we hear. Notice the preceding verse, “Take heed what ye hear.” The Lord is saying, “If you want to hear
the truth I will give you the oppor tunity of doing so.” But if you do not care what you hear, if you would just as soon listen to the devil and the things of this world, then He will take away any opportunity of hearing what- -soever. How many people are guilty of listening to gossip. I am afraid some folks need to have a sign over their heads saying, “Dirt may be dumped here.” In Luke 8:18 there is the fourth ref erence given. Again a preface is stated, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” This is different for some people listen with no intention of doing what is in structed. The Lord reminds us that if we don’t care how we hear that it will come to pass that we won’t be able to hear at all. If you do care how you hear, however, then the Lord will give you more and more opportunity to listen to the precious truths of His Word. The final reference is found in Luke 19:26. This time it is the parable of the pounds. At the end of the story the quotation is given. This time the Lord is talking about the quantity of your work. How much you actually do. If you learn to play the piano, God wants you to learn to do a lot of other things. If you’re teaching a Bible class, He expects you to know how to teach oth ers and do more. The interesting thing is that in all these cases common sense is to prevail. The Lord is telling us something to bless our own hearts and lives. Let me urge you to go in for the things of God with all your heart and mind. Use good judgment and settle it in your own mind that you’re going to be a man or woman of God and accomplish something really important for eternity. The man who wants to remove mountains will begin by carrying away the small stones. * * * * * * One of the best things parents can spend on their children is time . . . not money! * We wouldn't have so many problems and difficulties with others if we let opportunity do all of the knocking. 10 * *
A LADDER * ~ J AND A TOWER by Dr. W alter L. W ilson r iR h u n d red s and hundreds of years, and more particularly this age in which we are living today, men have been interested in outer space. I want to tell -you about a ladder that reached to heaven and a tower that didn’t. In Genesis 11:1-4 we read, “And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and bum them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scat tered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” This is such an interesting story from history. Even with our new pro jected missiles and space ships, when one considers the immensity of the uni verse, they will not be able to travel such tremendous distances. Some men expect to go to the moon. I don’t know what they want to go there for. We can’t take care of this country, let alone taking care of the moon. We need money to reduce the national debt, to help build hospitals and homes for the aged. But instead of that we spend billions of dollars trying to get to the moon; We are not much differ ent than the civilization about which we read here in Genesis. Man wanted to make sure that the flood never overcame him again. He planned to build a tower so big, so high, so projected that even God couldn’t drown it. Like they said about the T i t a n i c — God Himself couldn’t sink that ship. God didn’t have to do a single thing, an iceberg did it. I have found folks today who are the same way. There are those
Miss Helen W hite, left, is honored for 30 years of faithful service w ith Biola. Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland is in the center, and M r. A l Sanders at the microphone. who think, “Even God couldn’t hurt me. He couldn’t stop me.” I heard of a man who took out his watch and foolishly declared, “If there is a God let him strike me dead in the next five minutes.” The Lord isn’t inter ested in striking anybody dead. He has all eternity to do that. God sits in heaven and laughs at man’s puny effort: a tower that will reach up to heaven. The Lord didn’t do anything but to confound their lan guages. This is where all the different languages began. Since they couldn’t understand each other they had to sep arate and quit building. There was confusion and no means of communi cation. Somehow, one thing which amazes me is that these people wanted to get to heaven at all. People are not usually interested in going there. They would rather have their sins, iniqui ties, and evils and in order to avoid going to heaven, they live in sin. They try to make a heaven on earth for themselves. On the other hand there is another account in Genesis of a man who saw a ladder reaching up to heaven. Jacob “dreamed and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28:12). This was not a tower but a ladder: the very thing the people in chapter eleven wanted, Jacob had in a dream. At this point, may I ask to what 11
you are holding and are you sure that it reaches up to heaven? Is it provided by God or is it just some home made piece that you have put together. There is a vast number of religious institu tions made by man and claiming to reach to heaven. But any way apart from that prescribed by God, by that which is through faith in the Lord Je sus Christ, is a waste of time and ef fort and will rather end in being eter nally lost. Our Lord wants us to remember that FORGET IT If you see a tall fellow ahead of the crowd, A leader of men marching fearless and proud, And you know of a tale whose telling aloud Would cause this proud head in anguish be bowed, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. If you know of a skeleton hidden away In a closet, guarded and kept from the day In the dark, whose showing, whose sudden display Would cause grief and sorrow and lifelong dismay, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. If you know anything that will darken the joy Of a man or a woman, a girl or a boy, That will wipe out a smile or the least way annoy, \ Or for a person any gladness destroy. It's a pretty good plan to forget it. He destroyed the tower of Babel. To day the whole world is full of about 2,000 languages and dialects. Man still finds it impossible to understand each other. You know, when the Lord saves us, He gives us a different language, too. It is the language of heaven. We de sire to talk about the things of God. The banker may think we are fanatics and the groceryman may think we are crazy but God knows we are His. A person can be a fanatic on golf, base ball, football, or any other sport and
Piano Presented Biola
Miss Pearl Lansing (at piano) has provided Biola w ith a beautiful new Baldwin grand _________________ piano. _______ no one will think there is anything wrong with him. You only become a fanatic in the sight of the world if the things of God take hold of your heart and mind. The real basic human need is, however, to get ready for eternity and to be of some vital use to others, instead of just grabbing for money all the time. I have met some people who have no value at all in the church. They get into a false religion and become a flaming evangel for the non-Scriptural stand the group may take. They put all their time and talents into some thing which is false. That is the way it is with weeds. These cults are weeds growing up and trying to reach heaven. They defy God and His Word by writ ing books of their own. These things will not stand. The people who started these religions are gone. They haven’t led people to heaven. The Lord wants us to have a ladder like Jacob’s. Christ Jesus is, Himself, the ladder. He lived here on earth and then went back to glory when He had fin ished His perfect work of providing our salvation. Beloved, you ought to have this ladder. How it saddens my heart to find those who have no interest in God or in Christ. I trust this is not the case with you. For if it is, what will you do in the end? Make prepara tion for eternity by using the Lord Je sus Christ as your ladder to heaven. He is up there at the right hand of God waiting to save to the uttermost all those who come unto God by Him. Let Him do this for you and you will be come a child of God through faith in His redeeming grace. 12
GOD'S PERMISSIVE WILL The mind of man can never under stand The mystery of God's permissive will. But when the way of human wisdom fails Then faith comes forth and cries, I trust Him still. We stand perplexed before our strick en friends. And we are grieved to see their constant pain. Although we pray most earnestly for them Our prayers and pleadings seem to be in vain. We cannot comprehend why some who live In harmony with God's most holy will. Are called to face a deep and bitter grief While others walk in pleasant path ways still. We then are prone to ask the ques tion, Why? Just why are some required to suffer so? Again faith gives the answer clear and strong; God knows, and some day thou shalt fully know. With mighty men of faith in days of old, We too, accept God's faultless, sovereign will. And casting out all doubt and gloom and fear, With faith unfeigned we cry, I trust Him still. Faith then receives with deep abiding peace The mystery of God's permissive will. And all through life, in sunshine or in shade, We'll walk by faith and say, I trust Him still. — Albert Simpson Reitz * • * * The politician thinks of the next elec tion, while the true statesman thinks of the next generation.
GOD’S •••4 PROMISES
by Or. Walter L. W ilson O NE OF THE MOST INTERESTING por tions of Scripture deals with God’s call of Moses who was given one of the greatest tasks any human leader has received. His joh was to guide three million people out of Egypt, across a burning desert and into a promised land. Don’t think that was any “Sun day school picnic.” Try to lead just one person into a place where there is no provision for him and you will have some insurmountable problems. There was a finely dressed man in Bristol, England who paraded along the street very slowly to show off his beauty. A little news boy went up to him and said, “Say Mister, do you happen to be somebody?” That ques tion certainly brought him down. We may think we are someone but Moses was given a human job that would cause most of us to faint, just at the very thought of it. This is no doubt why Moses cried out “Who am I?” Asking this question Moses was looking at himself. In that light he was just an ordinary person, but God didn’t choose him because of any of his superhuman abilities. God promised with assurance, “I will be with thee.” This is all any of us need. How foolish to think that while I was learning to operate on a human body my professor might say, “You go ahead and cut him open, Walter. If you cut in the wrong place, I’ll sew it up for you.” No, the promise is that His pres ence will actually perform the task through us. Oh beloved, if we would just realize that we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us. That is what Paul meant when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthened! me.” Moses had a second question. This time he asked, “Who will I tell the people of Israel has sent me? What is 13
tongue, your throat? Isn’t He able to make a man talk?” I have found that those who can’t talk about the Lord can talk about lots of other things quite easily. The reason is that we are not sold out to God. We don’t know enough about the Lord and the Bible to talk intelligently. That is why we are ex horted to learn the Scriptures and to press them close to our hearts. In the final analysis God gave Moses his brother Aaron to go yvith him and to he the mouthpiece. Even with all of that Moses won dered if God would keep His promises when Pharaoh failed to heed his words. We must remember that God doesn’t always go by our timetable. Our times are in His hands, as the Psalmist re minds us. DETERMINATION I will start anew this morning With a higher, fairer creed;
your name? At least give me your title?” General McArthur means much more than just Mr. McArthur. Presi dent Eisenhower means much more than just Eisenhower. The three per sons of the Godhead all have various titles. God.said, “You tell them that I AM sent you.” God is not a “has been” or even a “will be.” God can do anything for us. He is our Creator, our Saviour, the Bishop of our souls, the Captain of our salvation, the Head of the church, in fact all five things and more is He to us. Moses’ next objection was, “They CRITICISM Don't snear at a man who's down today, Unless you've felt the blows That caused his fall or felt the shame, That only the fallen knovfs. He may be strong but still the blows That were his if dealt to you, In the selfsame way and selfsame time, Might cause you to stumble too. Don't be harsh on the man who sins, Or pelt him with words or stones. Unless you be sure, doubly sure, That you've not sins of your own. For you know perhaps if the tempter's voice, Should whisper as soft to you A s it did to him, when he went astray. It would cause you to falter too. will never believe me.” Could anyone blame him, humanly speaking, for wanting out of this job? In response the Lord asked him, “What is that in thine hand?” You know the story how the rod was used to perform miracles. Everyone, of us has something at hand which can be used for the glory of the Lord. But still Moses was finding excuses. He said, “I can’t talk with proper speech. I am not eloquent.” Isn’t it strange that we can talk about base ball, new cars, politics or anything we may be interested in, except we can’t talk about God. The Lord told •Moses, “Who made your mouth, your
I will cease to stand complaining Of my ruthless neighbor's greed. I will cease to sit repining While my duty's call is clear; I will waste no moment whining, And my heart shall know no fear. I will try to see the beauty Spread before me, rain or shine; I will cease to preach your duty, And be more concerned with mine.
But Moses still has more reasonings (Exodus 6:12). “Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me?” Here was a very human lack of belief. We think the same way. “Why, I can’t witness to my neighbor, to my boss, to my teacher, for they would just laugh; they wouldn’t believe me.” We know they need the same Gospel by which we have been saved. It is the Spirit of God who makes people listen. The Lord wants you to go and tell the story to every creature. Depend upon the Holy Spirit to do His permanent work in the hearts of others. Let us stop making excuses and put our lives wholly at Jesus’ feet. This is what counts for all eternity. 14
Q. El Centra, California — “It has been brought to our attention that I Timothy 2:12, as far as the Greek is concerned, means that a woman should not lord herself over men as she teaches. But if she teaches with a submissive w ill toward God, she has authority to teach men even though there are men in the group qualified to teach.” A. The passage in the Greek does in dicate a woman lifting herself up over a man. This is expressly forbidden no matter how many talents she has. It is not because she isn’t capable^ but it is contrary to God’s economy. This doesn’t mean that the apostle Paul never had women do anything in the assembly. It all revolves around the thought of usurping authority. But if a woman is given authority by men in the church, however, she may teach men, even those in the group who may also be qualified to teach. Q. Monroe, Washington— “A t death does one remain dead until the resurrection, or is the soul just separated from the body but still remaining alive?” A. There is an erroneous teaching abroad concerning that which the Bible never indicates, known as “soul-sleep ing.” Paul said to depart and to be with Christ is far better. The body is laid away in the grave (or however else it may be taken care of). Regardless of the manner of death, a believer’s soul immediately goes into the presence of the Lord. The soul remains with the Lord Jesus Christ until the resurrec tion of the redeemed (I Thess. 4:13-18). As far as the unbeliever is concerned, Scripture also never teaches any such doctrine as annihilation of the soul. The one who dies outside of the Lord Jesus Christ goes to the abode of the dead known as Hades. That unbeliev ing soul will be united with its body and adapted to an eternity of punish
ment in hell apart from God. This is a very solemn truth! Q. Cottage Grove, Oregon —“In John 6:21 we read, ‘Then they w illingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.’ How far did the disciples go over the sea and where were they com1 ing from and where were they going? Matthew says they landed at Geune- saret. Mark says they were going to Bethsaida. Luke doesn’t say. And John says they were going to Capernaum. How can we explain this seeming dis crepancy?” A. This is only a seeming discrepancy. In the area of Galilee^ there is a sea which has had an amazing number of different names. The sea of Galilee is the same as the Sea of Tiberius. Hus was the area where our Lord’s minis try was centered. Around the sea were a number of places such as Bethsaida and Capernaum. Gennesaret refers to
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland (le ft) and Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, check over tape re cording of broadcast. the entire region. The disciples made a general search north of the sea. They 15
A. Leviticus is actually a manual for the Levites. It is like a medical book would be for a physician or a law book for an attorney. “Issue” means “a run ning sore.” “Warp and woof’ means “in the very deepest thread,” or “into the very heart of the material.” We use these two words today in symbolic fashion meaning “throughout every fiber of one’s life.” “Inflamation” sig nifies the area of disturbance which needs to be cleansed. “Vex” refers to the fact that there is not to be marriage with those who are in certain degrees of close relationship. It means “to pro voke” or “to be a rival.” This is illus trated in Genesis with Rachel and Leah. In Proverbs 8:8 are words of wisdom suggesting that nothing should be crooked or apart from the right path. Q , Fallbrook, California — “When did the Jewish calendar start?” A. When the people of Israel went to Egypt they no doubt used the calendar that was in vogue there. In Exodus 12:2-6 we read of how God started the calendar used by the Jews on a spirit ual basis. “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months.” Life can only begin when we have been transferred out of the kingdom of dark ness into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. Of course, when our Lord Jesus came to this earth all the calendars of the world were changed. We now count time from the birth of Christ. The Jewish calendar, however, still goes on. Q. Anaheim, California — “What does Jude 20 mean when it tells us that we are to pray in the Holy Spirit?” A. While Jude is only one chapter it is one of the most vital for our day. By studying other portions of Scripture we see that to pray in the. Holy Ghost we must first be children of God, bom again by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. At the moment of this eternal decision the Holy Spirit in dwells our hearts. Secondly, we must be in the center of God’s will. .We can not pray in the Holy Spirit when we are rebellious or stubborn, desiring our 16
were coming from and going back to Capernaum. Matthew says they landed at Gennesaret. Capernaum was a part of it. Q. Sacramento, Calif. — “I am confused with the phrase in I Corinthians 12:13, ‘But then I shall know even as also 1 am known.’ Can you help me?” A. This passage is found in that in comparable hymn of praise -describing intelligent, sympathetic love which issues from God Himself. Paul is say ing that life is somewhat of a riddle. Things are hazy and blurred here on earths If we are absolutely honest with ourselves we would have to say, “I just don’t understand some of these happenings in the world.” But when we get to glory, face to face with our precious Saviour, it will all be made known. Our vantage point will change. Up there we shall know fully. Q . San Jose, Calif. — “Do you believe the antichrist has already begun his work in the world today?” A. That question cannot be categoric ally answered because we do not know who the antichrist is. In I John 4:2 and 3 we read, “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that con fesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” The “spirit” is different from the per son. Both will be operating in the same general manner under the influ ence of Satan. We would not attempt to identify this person for when he begins his work the church will be taken out of the way. Q . Wasco, Calif. — “I would like to have some help on some difficult words taken from the book of Leviticus. First of all the word ‘issue,’ Lev. 15:33; ‘warp and woof,’ Lev. 13:58; ‘inflammation,’ Lev. 1.3:28; ‘vex,’ Lev. 18:18; and ‘froward’ and ‘perverse? Proverbs 8:8.”
BIOLA MISSIONARIES
into eternal punishment. There are al ways unbelieving among Gentiles or Jews. Tribulation saints, Jew and Gen tile alike, are considered apart from the nations among those who are un saved. Remember, it is just in this age where unbelieving Jew and Gentile are in the church. After the church is in heaven, there will be believing Jews and Gentiles as Godly ones as there were before the church came into exist ence. They are saved by the power of God as anybody has been saved from the time of Adam. Q , San Francisco, California — “Can you help me on Job 37:5 which reads, ‘God thundereth marvellously with h is voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.’ ” A. This is a beautiful portion of the Word of God. There is nothing more august nor majestic concerning the omnipotence of God than is found in the concluding chapters of Job. This saint’s friends tried to find the solu tion to Job’s sufferings. They'came to a stalemate. Elihu indicated to Job that God would answer his problems and reveal the solution to him. The thunder is likened to the very voice of God. He speaks with the voice of His majesty. This is a solemnizing thought that our God can so manifest His omnipotence throughout all the realm of creation. The next time you hear thunder, remember it is the power of the living God, manifested in nature. Q . Oroville, California — “I don’t agree w ith the way you teach the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You seem to be afraid of it. There is one thing in getting your toes wet and another in getting baptized all over.” A. It is good to live in a country where we can agree to disagree and where we can also disagree without being disagreeable. There are some groups who may not agree with us in our position on this important sub ject. There are also a vast number of others who do. The important thing, we believe, is to teach it according to
Pictured, above are Biola students who worked w ith the American Sunday School Vnion rural outreach missionary program this past year. own wills. The Holy Spirit actually speaks the purpose of the Father to us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer’s heart is the prayer room. Q . Galt« California — “The judgment of the living nations is said to take place at the beginning of the millennium. If this is so how can the goats be sent into everlasting punishment if the wicked are not cast into the lake of fire until after the 1,000 years. Also the sheep nations are said to receive eternal life and to be righteous. Wouldn’t there be unbelievers in any nation?” A. This could take a great deal of space for it concerns the judgment of the nations found in Matthew 25:31-46. This is one of the most misunderstood passages in the New Testament. Every message in the Bible is for individual acceptance. The judgment of the living nations takes place at the beginning of the millennium. Joel 3:1, 2 and Mat thew 25:31 give us the proof. Our friend asks, “How can the goats among the nations be sent into everlasting punishment if the wicked are not cast into the lake of fire until after the 1,000 years?” People who are Godly during the millennium will not die. It will only be those who are sinful (Isaiah 65:20). When Christ judges the ungodly before the millennium there will be no need at the end for them to appear before the Great White Throne of 'judgment. They will go right on
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