plante d a s m a ll seed. 2 . I t g r e w i n t o a b i g t r e e. 3 . B i r ds l o d g ed i n i t s b r a n c h e s. A s w e h a v e n o tt i m e t o e x p l a in i t sa p - p l i c a t i on t o t h e K i n g d o m o f H e a v e n, w e g a t h e r t h i s t h o u g h t o u t of -t h e p a r a b l e: G r e a t t h i n g s g r o w f r o m s m a ll b e g i n n i n g s. A s m a l l a c o r n b e c o m es a g r e a t o a k .S m a ll b o y s a n dg i r l s b e c o me f u l l g r o w n m e n a n d w o m e n . S o s m a ll s i n n e rs b e c o me g r e a t s i n n e r s, a n d s m a ll s a i n ts m a y b e c o me g r a n d a n dg l o r i o us m e na n d w o m e n. L i k e t h e c h u r c h o f J e s u s w h i c h b e g a n w i t h a f e w d i s c i p l es a n d n o w i s s p r e a d e v e r y w h e r e. S o t h e s e ed o f t r u t h ( M r k . 4:14) s o w n i n o n e 's h e a r t , t a k i n g r o o t i n g o o d g r o u n d ( M a t t. 13:23) s h o u l d, l i ke t h e m u s t a r d seed, b e c o me a g r e a t t r e e, filling a l l o u rsoul, a n dh e a r t, a n dm i n d ; s e e n f a r a n d w i d e a s a b e a u t i f ul c h a r a c t e r. W e m u s t n o tb e d i s c o u r a g ed i f w e a r e n o t y e t s t r o n g a n d p e r f e ct C h r i s t i a n s. J e s u s s a id ( S e eM r k . 4:28); P e t e r s a id ( S e e 2 P e t .3:18); P a u l s a id ( S e eP h i l. 12:13)4 a n d i t i s p r o m i s ed ( S e eCol . 2:21 ,2 3 ) . B e n e d i c t i on I P e t . 5:10 .
Not e 3 . S o wt h e g o od s e e d; a s l o n g a s y o u l i v e; " F o r i n d u es e a s on y o us h a ll r e a p if y o uf a i n t n o t ( Ga l . 6 : 9 ) , WHA TTH E KINGDO MO F HEAVE N IS LIK E Jun e2 . Matt .13:31 ,32 . I. TH EMEETING . T h i s i s a " C o n s e c r a t i o n" m e e t i n g. I t s p u r p o s e i s t o r e m i n d u s t h a t w e a r ec o n - s e c r a t ed t o t h e L o r d. I f y o ua r e l a y i n g a s i d e m o n e y f o rt h e" F o u r t h ," t h a t i sc o n - s e c r a t ed m o n e y f o r a g o od t i m e; t o b e s p e n t f o rn o t h i n g else. I f y o ua r e l a y i n g a s i d e m o n e y t o s e nd t o t h e s t a r v i n g c h i l- d r e n o f C h i n a, t h a t i s c o n s e c r a t ed m o n e y f o r a g o od d e e d; t o b e s p e n t f o r n o t h i n g else. I f w e a r e c o n s e c r a t ed t o Go d ,w e a r e s e ta p a r t f o rH i m , t o b e u s ed f o r ,t o l i ve f o r , t o s e r ve n o b o dy e l se b u tH i m ,b u t b e i n g c o n s e c r a t ed t o H i m ,w e s e r ve H i m , b y s e r v i ng e v e r y b o dy else i n love. II . TH EPARABL E O F TH EMUSTAR D SEED . H e r e a r et h r e e m a i n p o i n t s. 1 . A ma n
OUR SPECIAL NEED A year ag ow e announced t h e need of suitable buildings f o r ou r growing work. Go dha s given u s t h e first in - stallment o f t h e answer, w e have a magnificent lot , 240x165 i n t h e im - mediate proximity an d h e a r t, o f t h e city an d a d j o i n i ng property which seems destined t o b e t h e Civic center for t h ePublic Library, Ar tMuseum, an d Convention Hall. Th elo t wa schosen for u s b y t h e Lord without ou r know- ing a n y t h i ng about t h e proposed im - provement, an d ha d w e been a week later i n ou rchoice w e would no t have been able t o secure t h elots. Ca nw e no t look with confidence unto t h eLord fo r the means necessary f o rt h e buildings? In t h en ame o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth let u s plead, Phil. 4 : 19 . W eneed also constant prayer, i n ou rbehalf that w e may b e able t o d o t h e will o f Go di n the great work committed t ous .
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