more through the fleece, and asked that this time the ground be wet, and the fleece dry. In the morning it was so. The story goes on from there to show how God’s mighty power rested upon this youth who wrought a real victory for the people o f God. Read it; it’s thrilling. But what are we to learn from this and like incidents ? Evidently this is a scriptural principle of God’s dealing with His people o f all ages. There is no doubt as to God’s ability to speak. The question is: Will God answer us in this way? The fleece in our case might be almost any thing. The particular fleece is immaterial. Just that God and you agree on how the answer is to come. The thing, however, which must be held clearly in mind, is the necessity o f the decision. The matter to be decided ought to be important. We are not to put out the fleece merely for our own amusement. We should not attempt to trifle with God merely to see Him work. And deep in our hearts there should be a complete sincerity and will ingness to accept whatever consequence the answer to putting out the fleece might bring. Yet putting out the fleece is a legitimate expression of our desire to know the will o f God. If, when we have done everything we know how, and if, when our hearts are positively true before God, we put out the fleece, then it is God’s responsibility, and we say it reverently but em phatically— it is God’s responsibility— to answer. Don’t fear, He will. God’ s Dealings with Others There’s such a wealth o f excellent reading material in books by the score which have always been, and will con tinue to be, a source o f inspiration and illumination. Lit erally thousands o f young people have been challenged into Christian service and directed into paths o f real useful ness by good books. For instance, if in your heart there is a mild interest in missions and missionaries, why not read Borden of Yale, or Mary Slessor o f Calabar, or Thinking Black, or C. T. Studd? You will find great benefit in studying the life o f Hudson Taylor, or John G. Paton or Adoniram Judson and his wife, Ann o f Ava. You can’t help but be thrilled with Pandita Ramabai, Mackey o f Yuganda or Robert Moffat o f China. On the other hand, you may be interested in how great preachers got that way. Read the L ife o f Charles G. Finney, or the different biography of Moody, Bush Aglow, or Charles Haddon Spurgeon, o f London, England, the mighty silver-tongued preacher for God. And, o f course, you will thrill to the depths by the story o f the trials and victories o f the Reformation in the lives o f Martin Luther, John Huss, Savonarola, John Calvin. The journals -of Charles Wesley are more interesting than fiction. You’ll love the self-effacing, God-given brilliance o f Robert Mur ray McCheyne. Then there are books which every child o f God should know well. There is one that almost stands alone: the immortal Pilgrim’s Progress. There is the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, the Confessions o f Augus tine, In the School o f Prayer by Andrew Murray, and real meat, o f course, in The Institutes o f .Calvin. And this list is but the smallest o f a huge list that could be compiled. Now, what is the value o f this reading? Well, for one who wants to know the will o f God, there is great value in seeing how God has dealt with His saints in other ages. We can learn the things of which God has approved and o f which He has disapproved. Also we can note the pitfalls and dangers so that we will not stumble into them. It is also a splendid idea to consult with your friends Page Sixteen_______________
o f today. Talk with your pastor, or corral some missionary friends who are home on furlough. Get to know these men and women of God who have tested God’s faithful ness. Very often sage advice comes as a result. Make a Balance Sheet One of the outstanding spiritual giants o f the past century was George Mueller o f Bristol, England. This modern prophet o f God demonstrated over a period of more than three-score years the willingness of God to lead His children even in the smallest details. During this time, Mr. Mueller established and maintained orphan ages for thousands o f children at a total expenditure in his life time o f 7% million dollars (which at today’s scale would equal 25 million). All this money, plus God’s careful and detailed guidance, came in direct answer to prayer. It is interesting to note the way in which this saint ascertained the will o f God. He writes in his journals that on many occasions, when a real decision was facing him, he shut himself in his room before God, examining his own heart and calling on God for His wisdom. Then he calmly and deliberately took a sheet o f paper and drew a line in the center. On one side, he listed the factors which were in favor o f the proposition; on the other, he listed the factors which opposed. On this balance sheet he meditated several days, mean while adding contributing or opposing factors as they came to his mind. The result was that sooner or later there was borne upon his heart a conviction the proper thing to do or the course to follow. And if this conviction continued and became stronger, after further definite committal to God, he proceeded along the line which he felt God had indicated. Our questions might be solved in this manner, for it is true that many perplexed children o f God have come to know the will o f God in this manner. The necessary requisite, however, must be absolute honesty in your think ing. There is no use to tell God you’re willing to follow His leading i f you’re not. And if in making your balance sheet, you do not have the complete information on all points, it is quite all right to tell God about that, too. Remember all the while that God who examines the hearts knows all these facts al ready and in some cases He has withheld His answer in order that there might be swept from our hearts all extraneous material. It is to be further noted that as Mr. Mueller practiced the balance sheet method, never once did he find God’s leading to be in error. Deal with That Sin If there is one matter which has prevented the accept ance and the accomplishment of the will o f God in the life of Christian people above anything else, it has been the Christian’s proneness to condone or lightly consider the sin in his life. We are not now talking about the sin o f the sinner, or the sin which condemns to perdition. We are talking about the sin of the saint, which sin mars the fellowship that should always exist between the heavenly Father and His child. Look at Eden’s story for a moment (Gen. 3 ). Before sin entered, there was beautiful fellowship between God’s creatures and the creatures’ God. In the cool of the day, God walked with our first parents. They could easily know His will by just talking with Him. But this was all changed when they sinned grievously against Him. Now, because o f sin, the fellowship was broken, and they could not learn the will o f God. Do you remember the story o f the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)? While in his father’s house, there was no
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