take up his cross daily and follow me. Whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it.” What are your excuses for not serving the Lord? All reasons after all are merely excuses for less than half-hearted devotion. “What soever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might!" * A large part of success depends upon the advice you just simply ignore. LOTUS EATERS It’s not unusual to see worldly trends become like opiates to some of God’s children. Choked and smothered by the unrewarding enticements of Satan, the soul is finally left frustrated in despair and hopeless bitterness. So it has been down through the centuries. Ancient his tory records that after 10 years of ardu ous warfare in the seige of Troy, Ulysses and his brave companions could at last eagerly turn their hearts toward home. Among the perils of their return jour ney, however, something proved almost fatal. Anchoring their ship on an un known coast they were met by natives who seemed friendly. In fact the men were given a delectable plant to eat, one they had never tasted before. It was the lotus which had the strange facility of causing all who ate of it to forget their real purpose, their homes, their destina tion, and their illustrious past. They rather settled down in dreamy apathy. So, after successfully completing the battles, this little plant was their neme sis. As they ate of it, all thoughts of home and loved ones faded from their minds. They soon forgot the real object of their journey and became content to dwell and to die in the land of the lotus plant. What an illustration of the tragic fact that multitudes, including some of God’s people, have eaten of this fatal plant of worldly pleasure. Under the opiate of the devil they have forgotten their need of God, their earthly vows, and the necessity of passing on toward their heavenly home. So, the Appstle Peter exhorts us, “Dearly beloved, I be seech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.’’ * *
FACE THE MUSIC The familiar phrase “face the music," is supposed to have come from Japan. A t one time the imperial orchestra had in it a man who couldn’t play a single note. He got the position originally be cause he had both wealth and influence. He had manipulated a position for him self in the illustrious group which per formed for the emperor. The conductor reluctantly let him sit in the second row, and he was given a flute. With the musi cians he would raise his instrument, pucker his lips, move his fingers, going through all of the motions but never making a sound. His clever deception lasted for two years fooling everyone, until a new orchestra leader took over. He was so exacting that he required a personal audition from everyone. So, down the line, each rendered a solo for the maestro, until it came time for the “flutist.” He was frantic with worry and fained sickness when the hour for his performance came. A doctor was called, who, upon investigation pro nounced him perfectly well. He was then ordered to appear, demonstrating his abilities. Finally, shame-facedly, he had to confess he was a fake; he had pre tended and bought his way into the orchestra. He was unable to “face the music,’’ and, as the story has it, this familiar expression originated. In the realm of Christian service unfortunately there are many who go through all of the motions, they profess to be church members, but are actually only preten ders. That foolish deception will one day be discovered when they stand before the judgment of God. No man can escape; there will be no hiding in the crowd; an excuse of sickness will never work. All things will be completely re vealed before Him with whom we have to do. No wonder the Psalmist declared, “The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment.” * A church without missions is a church without a mission. CHALLENGE OF PRAYER In a certain home the parents were not Christians. Their only daughter knew nothing about God or prayers. When the family gathered around the table for meals, they didn’t stop to ask a blessing or to acknowledge the Lord as the Giver of all good and perfect 27 * *
A bore is someone who goes on talking while you're interrupting.
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