The Bible has something to say on this important truth, too. In I John 3:21 we are told, “For if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” This is why we need to keep short accounts with the Lord. This means a consistency in our prayer life for real spiritual growth. As a believer, there is a need to confess those sins which have come into our lives. If we bring these transgressions to Him, God is faith ful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unright eousness. David spoke truthfully in saying, “If I regard iniquity in my heart [that is, if I allow some sin to remain unconfessed], the Lord will not hear me.” He meant virtually that his prayers would be cut off. This is what we mean by the fact that obedience to the Word and ap proval of God go hand-in-hand. C hapter T hree The second idea, is that we are to be workmen who need not to be ashamed. Too often selfish pride will sweep our souls. This, of course, is wrong. Pride is a damaging sin with which Satan so quickly tempts us. We all need to apply ourselves to the study of God’s Word so that we might be workmen — that includes preachers, businessmen, housewives, students, salesmen, engineers, what ever your field of endeavor — so that we might be workmen for Christ who need not to be ashamed. One of Britain’s leading surgeons, Sir William H. Ogilvie, talking about recent heart transplants, frankly stated, “The chief cause of heart dis ease actually is due to a lack of exer cise.” While he was referring to a physical situation, we might para phrase what he had in mind. By that I mean the chief cause of spiritual heart disease is a lack of proper ap plication and rightful exercise of that which we have learned. Phillips Brooks, a well-known minister of the Gospel, made this pertinent sugges-
to what happens when an individual fails to gain the approval he thinks he needs or deserves. A person may be fearful because he thinks he’s not approved. Fear may be expressed in many different ways. There are guil ty feelings because of disobedience. We don’t think we’re being approved, as guilt feelings come and are relat ed to approval from others as well as from God.” My psychologist friend went on to point out, “Most of the mental illnesses today are directly re lated to the fact that men may feel that they are truly not approved. An individual may not realize it, but it’s there, behind his ways and activities just the same.” You know, as we study the events of the day, we see that as young people go wrong, be hind their waywardness is generally failure to find the approval or the attention of their parents for which they have craved. Later, of course, it is a desire to find acceptance with their fellow teen-agers. As parents, we must learn early, and it is never too late to apply the fact that, even as we are so prone to criticize, so we must be ready to praise when the opportunity presents itself.
There's always plenty of studyingto do when a student atends any of Blola's schools. Here is Craig Swlneford, a sophomore from Tucson, Arizona, at tendingBiola's ArizonaBible Colege, 3025 West McDowell Road In Phoenix.
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