everything that takes place falls into line with His sovereign purpose. Paul was a man of prayer and relied strongly on the prayers of others. Closely linked with this ministry of intercession — actually inspiring it — was the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. God never allows his children to be cut off from their source of sup ply. The presence of his Spirit in their hearts is the never-failing guarantee of all needed strength and wisdom for any WHAT DO WE GAIN? WHAT DO WE GIVE UP? What did you have to give up? A few fleeting pleasures. The sense of a guilty conscience, The pride that leads to destruction, Associations that are degrading. Pleasures, that are compromising, Habits that are enslaving, Popularities that are ephemeral, Secularism that is self-centered, Morbid results of sinful indulgence, Degeneration of Christian ideals, Living without a purpose in life. Eternal separation from good and God, Association with evil spirits forever? But now, in coming to Christ, what does one gain? The peace that passeth understanding, The pleasures of Christian service, The satisfaction of a clear conscience, The joy of leading others to Christ, Habits that are uplifting, Growth of Christian idealism. Sense of a unity with God in Christ, Assurance of sins forgiven, Overcoming power of manifold tempt tations, Fulfilling the purposes of life, Separation ultimately from all evil, Association with angels and all the redeemed in glory. emergency. The history of the word translated “supply” dates back to the days in ancient Greece when some wealthy patron of the arts footed the bill for the chorus, or cast, in a drama. Sometimes directly, sometimes through the prayers and ministry of others, always unfailingly, God’s Spirit sup plies the needs of everyone who takes his part in the unfolding drama of redemption.
NEW SERIES PREPARED
Dr. Ralph L. Keiper, featured speaker for Biola, is currently preparing a new series of messages for release in May on the “Biola Hour.’’ of verse 18. Here Paul raises his Ebe- nezer, exclaiming in joy, “Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us” (I Sam. 7:12 ASV). But this marker along the pilgrimage always points forward; and because experience of God’s grace supplies as surance, Paul looks to the future with confident joy: “For I know that (all) this shall turn out to my salvation” (v. 19 ASV). The translators rightly make this affirmation of faith by the use of a future tense form indicating strong determination. “Salvation” here is to be understood in its larger sense as including Paul’s welfare not only hereafter but also in this present life. God delivers us from the predicaments into which he permits us to fall. Two prepositions in the Greek, trans lated “through” and “according to,” in dicate respectively the means of this deliverance and the measure to which it may be enjoyed. Taken with the phrases they introduce, they will repay careful study, because there is no prob lem which presses more immediately upon us than that occasioned by life’s predicaments. 1. The Means (v. 19) The channels through which deliver ance comes are prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The blood- bought privilege of prayer is the door God has opened through which we may leave the realm of His permissive will, where almost anything can happen, and enter the real of His active will, where
Made with FlippingBook Annual report