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WHAT NEXT ? We’ve had a new “deal.” Now watch the “shuffling.” Rome arid Ethiopia; Nazis boosting Zionism; Ram's horn sounds over Jerusalem; Don't miss articles in AUG. issue. Keith L. Brooks' PROPHECY MONTHLY 2003 Addison Way Los Angeles, Calif. (10c; 4 mo. trial 25c; $1 year) Radio Songs&Choruses By WENDELL P. LOVELESS A book of gospel songs ideal for summer conference use. 30c each, postpaid. Quantity Discounts. Write today. Send 15c for pamphlet of choruses for Daily Vacation Bible School. Laurel Press Pub., 832 N. Wells St., Chicago HAYFEVER Asthma and Summer Colds are unnecessary. Complete relief only $1.00 Postpaid. Nothing else to buy. Over 40,000 Holford’s Wonder Inhalers sold last year alone. Mall $1.00 today for full season’s relief to The Dandee Co., 252 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota, or write for Free Booklet. Phone: VAndike 9483 E R I CK P E T E R S O N FIRST CLASS SHOE REPAIRING 730 W. Sixth St. Los Angeles, Calif. Memorize Scripture NEW, EASY METHOD You can now learn to memorize Scripture for Personal Work by a new and amazingly easy way. A fewminutes of study at homeeach day isall that is necessary. It is intensely interest in g easy to master and will give you great spiritual and practical aid in religious work. “ScriptureMemorizing for PersonalWork” was prepared by Rev. Oscar Lowry, nation ally known Evangelist and Bible Teacher. It constitutes a course in both Scripture memo rizing and in Personal Evangelism. Hundreds have already found it of great benefit in its application to their own Christian work.« Ability to correctly quote God’s Word will make you a better Christian worker and a more inspiring leader in your own church and community. It will promote your spirit ual growth and give greater power as a soul winner and in giving comfort to others in its application to their Christian life. Fourteen other courses—non-sectarian— are also available to fit your needs. 56,000 students have become happier and more capable by their use. Mail Coupon TODAYforfull information M O O D Y B I B L E I N S T I T U T E CO R R E SPO N D EN C E SCHOOL D ept. 420-C 153 In stitu te P lace, C hicago, Illinois Moody Uible Institute Correspondence School Dept. 420-C 153 Institute Place, Chicago, 111. Please send special descriptive folder on □ Scripture Memorizing for Personal Work □ Information on other courses □ Class Study Plan Name ................................................... Address ........................... ............................................ City ............................................................ .
could He be tempted, since God cannot be tempted ? The explanation is as follows: The New Testament writers use the word “tempt” in two different senses; one is a good and the other a bad sense. In the good sense, to “tempt” means to expose to temptation. In the bad sense, to be “tempt ed” means to yield to temptation. That James is using the word in the latter sense is clear from verse 14 where the man who is tempted “is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” Now our Lord could never be tempted in this sense, for He never was “drawn away.” But our Lord could be exposed to temptation, and He was so tempted of the devil in the wilderness. And, although it was impossible for Him to sin, yet the temptation was real. Golden Text Illustration Dr. Francis E. Clark, founder of Chris tian Endeavor, told of a friend of his who, when a boy, was in grave danger through covetousness. He wanted fifty cents in order to go to the circus. Now he had never been to the circus, and, try as he would, he was able to earn but thirty-five cents. Several days before the circus, he went, as usual, to school in a neighboring town. The fare was fifteen cents. His parents gave him money each day for his ticket. On this particular day, the conductor passed him by. His ticket still in his possession, the boy thought of what a simple thing it would be to use it next day, and keep the fifteen cents, pro vided at home, for the circus fund. The temptation was awful. All day the elephant stared at him out of the pages of his Latin grammar, and the giraffes craned their long necks over the tough problems in algebra. All day and all that night (for he could not sleep much) he fought his battle. How he coveted the railroad com pany’s fifteen cents! But next day he tore up the old ticket and paid his fare. Now as he looks back over a long and honored life, he tells his friends that that was the day of his greatest battle and his greatest victory.BjoHN T. F a ris , in Five Thou sand Best Modern Illustrations, by Hallock.
to choose.” The word refers to one who is unstable, wabbling from side to side. Christians have to fear atheism of the heart; the world’s trouble is atheism of the mind. “Wavering,” or double-mind edness, means desiring God to act accord ing to human choice. James would guard us from thinking that if we had enough faith, we could bend God’s will to ours, an outcome which would be an unspeakable calamity for us. Faith levels all mountains and fills all valleys. In Christ Jesus, the poor of the earth are exalted and made the recipients of eternal riches, and the material things of the earth are seen to be as mere flowers of the grass, which wither, fall, and perish (vs. 9-11). III. T h e E ncouragement from J am es (12-17). At the end of the trial, there is, for the man that endureth temptation, “the crown of life.” Temptations are not to be court ed (Matt. 6:13), but when they come, there is always a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13) and an opportunity for victory. The danger in the trial is that we shall accuse God of tempting us to sin (v. 13). He does permit the outward solicitation (Matt. 4:1-11), but the inner yielding is our own. Every man, when tested, is therefore responsible for the issue, as Adam was, in the garden. The difference between the trial of the Lord Jesus and that of every man lies in the fact that in Him there was no disposition to sin. He was tempted in all points as we are “yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). James reminds us that our solicitation to sin rises from our own desires (vs. 14, 15). Desire is not sinful in itself, but sin is the child of that desire which’ is allowed to grow. As we yield to tempta tion, we are “drawn away,” as a fish is lured from its habitat by the promised good which leads to its death. Hence, we are exhorted: “Be not de ceived” (vs. 16, 17, R. V.). God is not the source of sin nor the origin of tempta tion to sin. All that comes from God is good. He is the Author of every good gift. Points and Problems 1. There is a doctrinal problem in this lesson that has disturbed a number of Christians. Verse 13 declares: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." Yet Genesis 22:1 reads that “God did tempt Abraham." The apparent contradiction dis appears when we examine the Hebrew word in the latter passage. It means to try or prove, and is so translated in the majority of instances. God proves men. He does not tempt them. He may even lead men into the place of temptation, as sug gested by the petition, “Lead us not into temptation.” But God is not the tempter. Notice the wonderfully instructive text in Matthew (4:1) where our Lord is “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted"; but the writer is very careful to point out that the temptation was "of the devil." As one of the old commen tators put the matter very happily, “The devil is God’s grindstone,” used to polish the saints. 2. There is still another doctrinal prob lem in verse 13. The passage says that “God cannot be tempted with evil." Yet Hebrews 4 :15 declares that our Lord Jesus “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” And Jesus is God. How
What James Tells Us to Do J am es 1:1-17; A cts 15 :1-21
Memory Verse: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas. 1:22). Approach: Today our story is about a man named James. The Bible tells us about several men named James. There
were James and John, two of Jesus’ disciples. There was James the son of Alpheus, another of the disciples. And there was James the brother of Jesus. It is about him that we are going to talk today. Lesson S t o r y : James was probably
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a younger brother of Jesus. Think of what it must have meant to have lived in Jesus’ home, to have played with Him as a child, to have grown up with Him I But the Bible tells us a very sad thing about Jesus’ life. It says that even His brethren did not believe on Him. Down in James’ heart, however, he must have been thinking, and Jesus knew that James would believe at the last. And after Jesus had left this earth, James did believe on Him and was ready to preach the good news. I think
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