LESSON: What is the matter with this world? It has many sins—some large and some small. Yes, the world is sinful. The Bible says concerning all the people on the face of the earth: “A ll have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Christ had observed the sinful world before He spoke to His disciples saying, “Ye are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). If we place this sack of salt in the world, we will see why Christ wanted His disciples to remem ber that they were the salt of the earth. As we turn the world around, we find that it has several words which appear to be meaningless. We will put the sack of salt in the world and see what happens. We now read,
the button, and we have light. If you believe all you see regarding electric ity, you w ill learn much. If I should be foolish enough to re- imove the bulb and stick my finger into the socket, I would leam about electricity in a Still different way—
Heaven ’ s M u sic O h David, if only I had a harp or access to one. I do so want to play one now. It’s hard to find comfort in the hope of playing one in heaven when I want that de light now.” Mother was pouring her heart’s desire into the sympathetic ears of her son as they enjoyed a sym phony concert together. A haunt- ingly beautiful harp solo caused that ever-burning flame to burst into a fire of intense longing. Her heartbeat quickened with the in spiration of the hour. “ I liked that solo too, Mother. I wish you could have a harp. We’d both Team to play. But where would we ever get the thousand dollars to buy one?” With one swift stroke of amaz ing practicality Mother was jerked back to reality. Eight children do make a harp quite a remote pos sibility. Nor would time be the only factor involved here. For the sheer delight of plucking music from this loveliest-of-all instru ments Mother would take time from things less important, less satisfying. “ If only I had a harp . . .” We usually do what we really want to do. We do what We want to do! Mother stopped in her reverie as she realized how true this is in the realm of Christian experience. So many professing Christians seem to have no time or desire for the Lord’s work yet are never too weary or busy for a dinner and visiting with mutual friends hours on end. Could this be because the heart’ s affection is divided? “ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). Some day God will judge His chil dren on the basis of their hearts’ interests. Then why fret after the unob tainable in this life, Mother? It is much more important to pluck the harp strings of life which will ren der music sweet to the ears of your Father. Such music is treasure laid up for eternity.
WEBSTOt BCTiimARY
by receiving a shock. The circum stances could be such that the shock could kill me. By,putting my finger in the socket, I would leam some thing about electricity, but I might be dead as a result. These three ways of learning are re ferred to in the Bible. In Luke .1.2:20 we read: “ But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast pro vided?” It took the shock of death for the rich fool to learn that he should love God more than his possessions, and then it was too late for him to be saved. Another way of learning is men tioned in Luke 19. Zacchaeus had climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus. When Jesus called for him to come down, verse 6 tells us, “And he made haste, and came down, and received him [Jesus] joyfully.” Zac chaeus was wise in that he did not wait to be shocked to death, but be lieved when he saw and heard Jesus. Jesus, in speaking to Thomas, re ferred to the other way of learning, “ Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Wise boys and girls today will be lieve the truths from God’s Word when they read them and hear them taught. R oo t o f Godliness Let us often look at Brainerd in the woods of America pouring out his very soul before God for the perishing heathen without whose salvation nothing could make him happy. Prayer — secret, fer vent, believing prayer — lies at the root of all personal godliness. A competent knowledge of the language where a mis sionary lives, a mild and winning temper, a heart given up to God in closet religion — these, these are the attainments which, more than all knowledge or all other gifts, will fit us to become the instruments of God in the great work of human redemption. — Carey's Brotherhood, Serampare.
SATISFIED, CLEANSED, FELLOW SHIP, and FAITHFUL. When the people of the sinful world receive the testimony of Chris tians regarding Christ the Saviour, they are changed, just as this world is changed when the salt enters it. Those who are sinful become cleansed and satisfied. Those who were separated from God have fellow ship with Him and His children. In stead of being untrue, they become faithful. We see how important it is for us to remember that we who have received Christ as our Saviour and Lord are the salt of the earth. LESSON: There are three ways of learning about electricity. The first to which I want to call your attention is by reading, or taking the word of someone who knows. In Webster’s dictionary I read a definition of elec tricity, “ An imponderable and invis ible force of nature, used by man to produce light, heat and power.” You can learn much about electricity by reading, if you believe what you read. The second way of learning about electricity is to see what it does. I screw the bulb into the socket, press Oct. 25, 1953 W isdom ’ s W ays OBJECTS: An electric extension cord connected to a wall outlet, an electric bulb and a dictionary.
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