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July 1928
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fore Paul and Silas, trembling and crying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Finish this most fascinating story, em phasizing the fact that the true Christian spirit prays for enemies, and longs to see them saved. Teach M. V. Prayer.)
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTLINE
What does'God’s Word say about con sulting soothsayers? (D.eut. 18:9-11.) What is the only Spirit for a Christian to consult? (Jn. 16:13.) Who, in Old Testament times,' was branded as a “troubler”? (V. 20; cf. 1 Kgs. 18:17.) How did Paul afterward speak of .the treatment he received at Philippi? (V. 23; cf. 1 Thess. 2:2.) Need we ever be in want for subjects of praise|i(V . 25 ;. cf. Eph. 5:20.) On what other occasion' had prison doors been,opened? (5:19; 12:4-7.) What does a man have to do to be lost? (V. 30; cf. Jn. 3:18, 36.) " What three “households” were baptized? (V. 32; cf. v. 15; 1 Cor. 16:15.) Did all who were baptized believe? One “trembler” believed and was saved (v. 29). What trembler procrastinated and perished ?|| (24:25.) —o— G olden T ext : I llustration Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will iay, Rejoice (Phil. 4 :4). “As I think of Paul and. Silas, singing in the prison,” says Rev. William Taylor, “I think of the gentle Anne Askew writing, on the night before her execution, that exquisite lyric in which these words oc cur : “ ‘I;am not she that list Her anchor to let fall. ' For every drizzling mist My ship’s substantial.’ “I think of Lord William Russell wind ing up his, watch for the last‘time on the eve of his; execution and saying: ‘There! I have done with time! Now ^eternity comes. Praise the Lord!’-),! think'-'.of that scene in the life of the noble Argyle, por trayed. on one of the frescoes in the cor ridor of the House of Lords in London, when he lay in his last sleep as calm and peaceful as a child and by the very placid ness of his' repose struck remorse into the heart of the traitor who had betrayed him into the hands of his enemies, and as I pass all these in- review before me I am constrained tlgisay: ‘The .Word of the Lord is tried!’ The promise that would bear, the strain of such trials is enough for me. The. Lord who was with them will be with me, and what they have test ed I may trust.” Ni*. I Paul in Jail Acts :16:16-40. Memory Verse.-j-“ The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him.” Psa. 145:18b. Approach. —Show the children a plant in bloom. Ask them to watch carefully as you„.examine- it. Show how wonderfully it is made; how perfect and beautiful in
B o d ie s o o u l s LESSED OAVED ; We bring you good tidings. - -Acts 14:15!
That Unlucky Number Rev. Ivan Panin says he has a friend whose life is often labeled with thirteen. His P. O. box is, ,atcJ3, His railway ticket is a 13. His sleeping berth turns out to be 13. The car number is a 13, He takes a taxi—thirteen; and much of the like. He take's note of i t ; begins to think it remarkable; attaches importance to it, begins to reason about it, and now it be gins to affect his life. He is looking for thirteehs. Thinks it his special lucky (or Unlucky) number. Intelligence here may certainly be at work, as against mere chance. ; But whose intelligence?: Well, the writer believes that here it is where Satan may assist in these coincidences. Once perceiving an inclination to mag nify them, he helps it on to make captives of such, who in due time but for God’s grace might be hopelessly ensnared by their own initiative rashness in such mat ters. When- one has an eye on say thir- teens, it is not difficult for Satan so to direct his steps to the ticket window, as to arrive at the nick of time when it is No. thirteen’s turn to be stamped. And the same with the taxi, and the Red Cap 13, of the hotel number. Mr. Panin well says: “I have thought it best to let such things in my own life severely alone.”
He has made; He. surely cares for us who belong to Him. He is our heavenly Father if we have taken Him as our Saviour, and we may safely, trust Him for all things and never;be afraid. ( P r i m a r y Teacher.) Lesson Story!-— (Review, letting chil dren tell what they remember, and aim to arouse keen interest in missions, show ing the part the little folk have in the work.) Today we '.are to hear more about our missionaries,; Paul and Silas,, who had with them Timothy .;and Dr. Luke, and were staying at the home of a woman by the name of Lydia, and preaching the Gospel to the people in Philippi. Many people were .converted, ¡and,.a church was commenced. As they went about preach ing, they met a poéir slave' girl, who had an evil spirit, and who brought her mas ters a great deal of money by pretending to tell people their fortunes;-) One day Paul, commanded the evil, spirit to .come out of her, in the name of Jesus. Christ, and she was: healed. Now her mas ters were vëry angry, for she could no longer, make ’money’ for them ; so they caught Paul and Silas and took them be fore the rulers, to have-them punished for spoiling their trade. The Gospel will clean up and spoil wicked business today as it did in Paul’s day. It shuts up saloons and places of wickedness and stops people from making money, in sinful ways..;.'Sin ners are always; troubled when they are found out in their sin; and they do not like to hear the Gospel. ,,.The rulers caused Paul and Silas to be beaten and cast out into prison. Paul and Silas were willing to suffer even this cruel treatment for, the .sake of Jesus who had died for them, and although their bodies were sore and bleeding, their hearts were full of peace; The jailers took. Paul and Silas, and püt them in the cold, dark, damp prison, and made their'feet fast-in the stocks. Although Paul and Silas were suffering from their wounds, they were so happy in JesUs that, at midnight they held a prayer meeting and sang praises ùnto God. For whom do you think they prayed?They prayed for those who were,- causing their suffering. All the prisoners heard Paul and Silas pray. Do you ever pray for those who are un kind to you? We should praise Him even when we are in trouble, and while we pray, He is. sure to answer us. While they were praying,),suddenly the prison was shaken and the prison doors, which were so carefully locked, flew wide open, and the chains which bound them fell off, and the prisoners were free. They all saw this wonderful miracle (describe mir acle fully) was the work of God. No one tried to escape, for they, felt God’s pres ence "among them. The earthquake awoke thé jailer and he was so frightened he drew his sword and was going to kill him self, but Paul called to him to do himself no harm, as;-the prisoners were all there. The jailer then called for a light and sprang into the prison ; he fell down be
Musical Lies Lewis Sperry Chafer tells of an expe rience he once had. He was sitting in a service where the congregation was lust ily singing that old spng, the chorus of which is :
“For you I am praying, For you I am praying, For you I am praying, I’m praying for you.”
He turned to the man by hisifisid'e, and said, “Brother, for whom are you pray ing?” The man looked up in bewilderment and said, “What do you mean?” Said he, “I heard yoU just now singing that you were praying for some one and I- wonder ed who that person might be.” The man admitted that.he wasn’t praying for any one, that he hadn’t as much as thought of such a thing, yet all the while he was, in song, telling that congregation that he was exercising in his priestly office.
every part—not one little thing forgot ten. Who made .it? What has He made that is .worth more than t he' flowers? He makes the birds and cares for them. “One of them shall n o t , f a 11 to the ground w i t h o u t
your- Father.” Jesus said, “Ye are of' more value than many sparrows.” If God cares .for the flowers and the birds that
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