Junior Endeavor Topics* By J. K. H. S.
Sunday, August 17 A Peace Meeting.—Rom. 12:18. Peace and prosperity, war and woe,. go severally hand in hand. If, as General Sher man said, “War is hell,” peace is heaven. There are three views of peace: Peace with God; peace within; and peace with out. 1. Peace with God. This comes first. We cannot have peace within, we cannot keep peace without, un til we “get right with God.” We are na turally at war with God (Rom. 8:7). Jesus died to reconsile us to God (Rom. 5:10). He became our peace’ (Eph. 2:14-18), i. e., the way of peace with God. He will be Friend to all who are friends with Tesus, and with no others (Rom. 5:1). We know who will win in a war with God (Isa. 45:9). See what Psalm 2:12 advises; and what Isaiah 26:3 assures. 2. Peace Within. There is war within when passion says, “Do it;” and reason says, “Better not;” and Conscience says, “Must hot;” and Will says, “I will do it;” and especially when Experience says, “I’ve done it,” and Ret- morse upbraids, saying, “Fool, villain, sin ner ;” and Judgment declares, “You’ll be punished.” There is war within, not only when we quarrel with ourselves on what we do and do not, but when, worse still, we are at war as to what we are not, and what we ought to be. Here are some verses that tell how to keep the peace within: 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 4:22-24; 5:1, 2, 18; Galatians 5:18, 16. 3. Peace Without. There are three fields in which to seek peace without,—(1) In home life, (2) in social life, (3) in national life. Ephesians 6:1-9; Titus 1:6; Genesis 37:19, 20 ; 42:21, 22; Psalms 133 :l-3 have something on “(1 );” Romans 12:16-21, on “(2) ;” as for “(3 )” war is costly, criminal, cruel, irra- tional, unnatural, brutal, devilish. Let the •Dr. MacAiee’s valued C. E. notes for some reason failed this issue.
leader illustrate. Every Christian should set himself against war, and throw his in fluence in with those who seek to do awav with it. The best, the surest, the only permanent results will come through the Gospel of Christ. See the song of the angels (Luke 2 :14) ; and the great prom ise (Isa. 2:4). Sunday, August 24 Not Pleasing Self.—Rom. 15:1. 1. “And Not to Please Ourselves.” This does not mean that we should not. please ourselves although it says so. But that we should find our pleasure in pleas ing others. The noblest and happiest are such as get pleasure by giving it. And the purest, sweetest and most lasting self-pleas ing is found in pleasing other selves. Jesus said, “It is more blessed (happy) to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). And Paul found his joy in suffering for others (Col. 1:24). A rich man said that he never knew happiness (for all his money) until he began to give. Another in giving said that he was having “lots of fun.” It seems as if God Himself is just living for others. You cannot think of a thing He is doing for Himself. But under the whole heavens and over the whole earth He is always working to make a plentiful world, and a beautiful world, and a bright and happy world for His creatures, and crowning it all by giving His Son (John 3:16), and forgiving sinners. The text means that we should not be selfish, and indifferent, and neglectful of others. If God had meant that we should live for ourselves He would have stuck us in a mud bank like a clam or a mussel; but He gave us feet and hands that like the Saviour we might go “about doing good” (Acts 10:38). So we shall find our good in doing good; . our getting in giving; our blessing in bless ing ; our ease in making it easier for others. And so we should' think about others and not only about ourselves (Phil. 2 :4). See that rich young man that came
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