Christian Endeavor Topics By LAPSLEY A. McAFEE, D.D. Christian Courage. Sunday, July 6.
the man so called. From Isaiah to Malachi “evil” as false. That will make it mean that you are not to tell a falsehood against a brother but that you are allowed to tell a truth which may hurt him. What the Greek words say is that we are not to tell anything against a brother. Both the quo tations above omit one important word. The sentence is, “Speak not one against another, brethren.” ' The tongue tears down much that ought to stand. We think a thing to be true against a brother and we tell it. Later we find that we were mistaken, but the mischief is done. The tongue exposes much that should remain covered. We tell a true thing against a brother. He sinned in that thing and we harden him in it by revealing to others that which we should have revealed to him alone. The tongue brings the cause of our Lord into disre pute by declaring things which should be too deep a ¿jrief for parade. Did you read yesterday’s “daily reading?” God’s plan is for us to talk the wrong over quietly with our brother; if that fails of the correcting, then for us to take one or more fellow Christians with us and talk with our brother again. Failing that time, then we should go before the church. That pro cess necessitates love for the brother and sorrow over his wrong. In his third chap ter James describes the tongue.- Never try to harness your tongue. There is no har ness that can restrain it. Let your Master train and keep it. Speech is oqe of our commonest traits. It is one of the most dangerous. We must talk. May Gdd get control of these necessary, serious little members! Prophets and Prophecy. Sunday, July 20. No one could ask for a finer name than Prophet. The. word is compounded from two Greek words: one means “for” and the other “to speak.” A prophet, then, is one who speaks for some one else. When
Courage must be inside of you. It is not merely a description of your conduct. That common story of the soldier who ran into the fight and seemed brave while quak ing with fear may be a good illustration for army people to use, but it will never do for the “ideal Christian.” A soldier’s brav ery may be outside, but the Christian’s cour age must be inside. Look in your diction ary and see just what the word means. The first syllable is a Latin word meaning “heart” and the final is merely a formative. God does not plan for us. to display any thing which is not a part of us. He makes us righteous and then men see our right lives; He gives u s.a stout heart and then men see our courage; He works in us that which we work out before people. A great difference between the Old Testament and the New is that of God’s position. AH through the Old He keeps close to men; He is their Shepherd, their Strong-tower, their Captain; the Everlasting Arms are underneath. In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is promised and the promise is fulfilled. He is with us and He is in us. That changes us. God used two strong arguments with Joshua: His presence and His Word. Let Joshua remember that God is in full charge and let him depend on Him and victory is sure. Put Joshua will forget and so the Word is given as His counsellor and reminder. Still Joshua fails to keep close to Him at all times. Being thus led to the sense of our utter inability by the examples given, God presents His better plan: His Holy Spirit dwells within. Thus the “ideal Christian” will have true courage. Speak Not Against Another. Sunday, July 13. The American translation is better: “Speak not one against another.” There is a danger that you will define the word
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