testimonies amid a sin-sick world to bring honor to His name. “For we are unto God a-sweet savor of Christ, both in them • that are saved, and in them that perish.” * * * Gossip is a more easily understood term, describing halitosis of the mind. * * * THE HUMAN ELEMENT How amazing it is to hear about all of the fascinating new electronic machines which have become almost perfect in their operation. But the human element to arrange and pro gram is still necessary. In a recent IBM publication, however, they say, with tongue in cheek, that the ma chines are so human these days that when one makes a mistake it will blame the mistake on another ma chine. That sounds very human. I t is like the little seven year old boy who proudly announced to his playmate, “I ’m six feet tall.” His friend laughed and reminded him, “Why, Billy, you’re not six feet tall; you’re no bigger than I am.” But still, Billy maintained his height was correct; he was six feet tall. The other lad asked how he had arrived at his conclusion. His convincing argument was, “Well, I just took off one shoe and measured it six times up my side. I t goes six times.” Again he got a laugh, as his wiser companion pointed out, “Don’t you know you can’t measure yourself by yourself?” What a truthful obser vation. But how many people are sat isfied with the way in which they themselves are going rather than in what God’s standards and His desires are for their lives. We cannot measure ourselves by ourselves or even by our fellow men however good, outstanding or spiritual they may seem. The only criteria is Christ Himself, who was tempted in all points like as we are tempted, yet He was without sin. Therefore He can be approached, He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. So, as we press to ward the goal of spiritual maturity, let us seek to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sav iour Jesus Christ.” 23
THE VALUE OF MONEY This poem was sent to us by a list ener: Money isn’t everything, No matter how hard won. It’s mostly pie you kiss goodbye And send to Washington. The Word of God does not suggest that heaven is going to be filled with poor people nor that hell will be oc cupied by the rich. The Bible does tell us that it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. This is not because of God’s standards but rather due to the fact that those who have money usually put their trust in these things in stead of in the Lord. In the palace of Nero there was a well-like area located in the center of what was probably the banquet room. Histori ans tell us that in sinful debauchery, over eating and drinking in excess, Nero’s court, amid its drunken orgies, would go to this round area, and vomit their food only to be able to return to the overladened tables to eat some more. The Apostle James de clared of those who seek only for such disgusting and abhorant ways of life, “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in the day of slaughter.” The day of God’s judgment is fast approaching. James wrote these words in approximately 60 A.D. Just ten years later, Titus laid seige to Jerusalem for US days (during the most difficult months of the year when the heat was intense). A t the end, more than a million Jews were killed, most of them from the upper class. James calls the judgment, “the day of slaughter.” I f someone told a pig that it was standing in front of the butcher’s knife, yet gave it some gar bage to eat, no doubt it would con sume more even despite its impend ing demise. So there are those in the world who go on in their sinful pleas ures giving no thought to God. They say to their souls, “Eat, drink and be merry.” But the soul does not feed upon such things. May God use our
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker