TRIUMPH -- September 1958
Editorial
While sitting in our front room recently watching our three offspring play, I prayed quietly that they would become born-again Christians, and that they would go into fulltime service for Christ. That same week at the prayer meeting which gathers each Thursday in our home, I suggested that we pray definitely that day for our children. We did. Not too many days after, our little girl (age five) came to her mother in tears wanting to know how to go to heaven. Her oldest brother, (age nine) who received Christ when only three, had been telling her about heaven and hell.
We had always taught them the plan of salvation from the Bible but had determined never to ask them to make a decision until they were very evidently ready. We feared going ahead of the Holy Spirit, whose work it is to convict and bring the soul to Christ.
My wife took Joyce to a quiet place and once again explained that Jesus had died for her sins and that if she would receive Him into her heart she would be ready for heaven. They bowed their heads and our little girl asked Jesus to come in and save her.
Jimmy (age six) came from the same conference with his older brother, shortly, and wanted to have the same assurance that his sister now had and, in fact, all of us had. Taking him aside with the open Bible, he too received the Savior as his own.
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This word to you. Start to pray for your children as soon as they are born, and even before. In fact, I am praying for my grandchildren. I am only thirty-three and my first grandchild will not be born for at least ten more years, but I will be anxious for his soul then, why not now? I say, you cannot start too soon. Hold your little ones up before the Lord daily; begin today. Then, if and when the Lord gives you that golden opportunity, lead that precious soul to the Lord. If you fail, however, to pray and teach, I fear that that golden moment will never come.
I remain,
Your servant in bonds yet free
Art Gordon
Dear Shut-In
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts. . . ." Colossians 3:15
PEACE--Oh, how the world needs it; how the people seek it! Yet it is not far from everyone of us. It is as near as God the Father--omnipresent, as near as Christ--never-forsaking, as near as the Holy Spirit--indwelling. It is as near as the Bible--an arm-length away. Still, men are ever seeking, never finding as they look to their own ingenuity rather than their Creator.
The source of peace is Christ (ARV). He purposed it before the worlds were made, promised it in His Word, provided it through His incarnation, and purchased it with His blood.
"Let," is the means of obtaining it. "Let," is the key that unlocks the heart's door to the "peace of Christ." It is not gotten by self effort nor group effort. Peace is God's free gift to all who "let" it in. It is not, however, just an invisible vapor floating around in the air awaiting an open vessel. There is not such a thing as letting peace into your heart apart from its Author, Christ. To let Him in to save, sanctify, seal, and stablish you is to let in also His peace.
The gentle, cool breeze might blow ever so refreshingly against the door of a house in which the occupants are sweltering with the heat, but unless the door is opened the breeze will do them little good. But when the door is flung open the breeze finds its way into every corner, refreshing as it comes. Likewise, we must open our hearts to Christ--we who are parched with the heat of daily life and worried about the future--and in comes also His refreshing peace.
Our verse actually says, "let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts." Our word "umpire," might be used to clarify the meaning. Let peace be the umpire in your life. Let Christ's peace make your decisions.
The Colossian Christians were being bothered by enemies who by bringing in false teachings were causing divisions among the brethren and defeat in their souls. What could be done? Paul comes up with the remedy: "let the peace of Christ umpire your hearts."
* * *
The Blue Sox runner, having rounded third, streaks for home. The left fielder throws the ball with a perfect peg to the plate. The runner slides; the catcher makes the tag. The umpire yells, "SAFE."
This brings a violent protest from the bench as well as from the catcher. The coach, the manager and the catcher argue the point doggedly but to no avail; the "ump's" decision stands.
* * *
Your opposing team--the world, the flesh, and the Devil--will protest every play or decision in your life.
Heartache, tragedy, or ill health may slide into your life. The world will argue: "Fate has dealt you a bad blow. But you can grit your teeth, smile and overlook the whole thing. Grin and bear it."
The flesh argues: "This is a sad state of affairs. No one should have to bear such things. Feel sorry for yourself. Become discouraged; give up; lament your condition."
Satan adds: "God has forsaken you. Give up your faith. Curse Him and die. You can never be of any more use to God or man."
But the umpire--"the peace of Christ"--has made the correct decision in this thing. Listen to it; let it be your guide; let it quiet your heart and soul so the game of life may continue. Trust the umpire's decision, rest in it, get on with the game with determination to win.
The decision of "peace"--contrary to the world, the flesh and the Devil--would be: "I rejoice in (not--in spite of) my tribulation," "All things work together for good (even trials), to them that love God," and to rest in the words of Christ, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (though all others might turn away) . . . I know thy tribulation . . . Fear not . . . I will give thee the crown of life."
To doubt God, worry and fret, or give up is to play right into the hands of the enemy. They have won a victory when we thus react to adverse circumstances. To open our hearts to the leading of Christ via the path of peace, on the other hand, leads us into sure triumph.
Testimony Time
by
Chizuko (Sue) Kinro, RN Honolulu, Hawaii
It is my privilege to share my testimony with you who read and enjoy "TRIUMPH." My testimony isn't anything dramatic or spectacular but my experience changed my life completely.
It all happened four years ago when I went away to school in Ashland, Ohio, to study nursing. The first year there, was exciting: meeting new people, seeing snow for the first time, and coping with the preliminary phase of nursing. I went to church whenever I felt like going and read the Bible just because I thought to be a Christian it was necessary to read God's Word, even if I didn't understand it.
Then, in January of '55, we went to Cincinnati for a years affiliation at a huge hospital there. This meant adjusting to a new environment and making friends with new people again. Day in and day out it was just waiting for the year to go by even before it had hardly begun.
In September of that same year we worked on the contagious disease ward with polio patients. It was a challenge with many moments of frustration until I met a pastor who was stricken with polio and was in an iron lung, (the editor of this paper). Taking care of him was a pleasure and witnessing his faith in Christ was even greater. Listening to his ministry from his bed-side, taught me so much. Verses from the Bible had a different light of meaning and my curiosity was aroused about this "new life."
Thus, early one morning while working on night duty I shamelessly confessed to God that I was a sinner and, believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross, I received Him as my personal Savior.
The peace and joy I now have cannot be expressed in words but these are far greater than all the luxuries in the world. It is good to get up in the morning and say, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I know God is with me at all times; His promise, "Lo, I am with you always," is so real. My only desire is to serve Him, and those whom He loves so dearly, with all I am, with all I have.
I would like to leave with you my favorite Bible verse, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
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Ed. note --
The Apostle Paul's converts, won during his journey through this veil of tears, were his "glory, joy, and crown of rejoicing." Thoughts of them constantly lifted him out of despondency into praise and thanksgiving. So, too, when my body and spirit were at their lowest ebb, God sent Sue, and some others, who--by their reception of Christ--caused me great rejoicing.
Affliction seems small indeed, in light of a soul made ready to meet our Lord at His appearing.
"Ye are (my) . . . joy," is my sentiment to Sue and the others. "Stand fast in the faith," is my counsel.
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God wants you, not our offering. It is soon enough to present your offering after He has your allegiance!
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The peace of God can fill your life only after you have found peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love---Obedience
When was the last time you told the Lord that you loved Him? Has it been some time? Why?
Maybe it is only because you have forgotten or neglected to do it. But then, may it not be that you cannot any longer conscientiously do it? Because you are very much aware of Christ's words in John's Gospel, "If a man love me, he will keep my words."
The Bible is God's only written revelation. In it we find His will for our lives. It is true that we need more people to love our Lord and believe our Bible, but even more, we are desperately in need of those who, having professed love and belief, "keep" the Word.
How can we say we love Him when we continually put our will, our likes, our ambitions, our interests before His? By our actions, very often, we give the worldling a just basis to ridicule our profession of love.
Let us, who say we love the Lord, prove our love by obedience to His Word--the Bible.
Demons
Banking and Salvation
(From Editorial, Eternity Magazine; August 1958. Used by permission of Editors.)
I recently came upon a very good illustration of salvation while talking with a member of the board of directors of a small town bank. When we mentioned a common acquaintance who is a member of the same board, my friend told of the canny shrewdness which had made this man successful. "I don't know the extent of all his deals," he said, "because I am not on the loan committee, but as a member of the examining committee I see enough to know how clever and foresighted he is." We discussed the functions of a bank director and then I had my illustration.
God is His own loan committee and He lends every man everything that he is or has. God has loaned you your physique, whatever it may be; God has loaned you your intelligence, whatever its quotient; God has loaned you your very breath. (Remember the line of the hymn? "I'll praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath.")
But God is also His own examining committee. Furthermore, we are all defaulters and faithless to every trust that God has given us. "There is none righteous, no not one." Our shortages will show up before Him more surely than the falsifications of a banker could be detected by the examining committee.
Then I pointed out that Jesus Christ on the cross gave up His life as our bond and security. We discussed a case well-known in his part of the country, where a young man, thinking that his wealthy father was dying, forged his name for approximately a million dollars. The father got well, discovered the shortage, made it good and disinherited his son. But our God, knowing well our shortage, made it good in the death of Christ, and instead of disinheriting us gave us His inheritance. What we must do is admit our guilt, throw ourselves on the mercy provided at the cross, and accept the fact by faith that God is satisfied with the death of Christ, instead of our death. With acceptance of these great facts comes such a change of life that henceforth we live a life of gratitude.
Wesley understood this. Knowing that he was a defaulter, and that his case would come before the examining scrutiny of God, he sang,
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears.
Before the throne my surety stands!
My name is written on His hands.
Sermon Series - XIV
The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians - (Continued)
Chapter 2, verses 17-20
"But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy."
THUS FAR
In our study of the Epistle of First Thessalonians we have considered the first main point of our outline. You will remember that I divided the Epistle into:(1 REMINISCENCE (2 RENEWAL (3 REMINDER Having completed the first point, we learned of the character of the Thessalonians in chapter one, as Paul pointed out their work, election, reception of the Word, and example to others. In chapter two he presented the character of the preachers which could be summed up in two words: "pure motives." These, were seen from both the negative and positive. Their preaching was not in deception, uncleanness, nor guile. They did not preach to please men. But, on the other hand, they were gentle and loving; they worked hard and lived righteously before God and man,
WHICH BRINGS US
to the Second main point: RENEWAL. The apostle looked back, in the previous point; now he views the present condition. The sub-points of this division are: (1 RENEWAL OF ACQUAINTANCE (2 RENEWAL OF JOY (3 RENEWAL OF CONFIDENCE (chapter 2:17-3:5).
Renewal of Acquaintance, therefore, is our immediate concern and especially Paul's ENDEAVOR TO RENEW ACQUAINTANCE with the Thessalonian converts.
WE . . . TAKEN FROM YOU
Paul's diary might have expressed the happenings thus:
"Preached at Thessalonica--a few saved--chased out by base fellows.
Preached at Berea--chased on by same men.
Stayed at Athens and then Corinth--have a desire to see converts at Thessalonica--am composing a letter to them from Corinth--hope to see them soon."
* * *
"We have been orphaned from you," said Paul. They had been forced prematurely to leave the city and their new converts behind. The burning desire of Paul was to get back to see how they faired. Even though they were separated by many miles physically, yet Paul's "heart" was with them in their sufferings. He said somewhat the same thing to the Colossians, "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit."
Some people use this, as an excuse for not attending church. They say, "I may not be there in body but I am in spirit." Paul's words were not spoken lightly, however, nor as an excuse for not being present in body. He tells them, "we . . . endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire."
My pastor friends know of this attitude. Some, have said to them, "Why pastor, we are in hearty agreement with your work there at the church; we are with you one hundred percent in heart and spirit." Let me answer for the pastors who may have hesitated for the sake of tact. This kind of interest is not satisfactory. Much better is it to have your bodily presence. I am convinced that if you ARE interested in advancing the work of Christ in your local church you will be there not only in spirit but also in body if at all possible. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be; where your heart is, there eventually will be your body. Let your pastor see your face in his congregation each service time.
SATAN HINDERED US
Paul believed in a person named Satan. Some tell us that Satan is merely an evil influence; he is not a personality; he cannot act and do things. I must believe the Bible rather than men's opinions, however. Satan hindered Paul on this occasion from revisiting the Christians at Thessalonica. We don't know exactly how but we might surmise that Satan was continuing the trouble he had started there. He had used some jealous Jews to stir up a group of lewd fellows who chased the preachers from town. When the apostles tried to go back, these same men, obeying the suggestions put in their mind by Satan, hindered them.
God help those who refuse the instructions of God's Book, but willingly believe the Devil's lie.
If you are buffeted by Satan, despair not, O Christian friend, for "He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world." And there is "no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God . . . will with the temptation make a way to escape."
God stands between you and the Tempter. If some trial gets through, you may be sure that God has permitted it for a purpose. Look to God for strength; learn the lesson He would teach.
WHAT IS OUR HOPE, OR JOY . . .
Why was Paul so concerned about these people? Why did he desire with great desire to see them? We can surely say, they were trophies of God's grace and Paul's ministry.
Paul's very life was wrapped up in these converts at Thessalonica, in fact all of his converts. He had nothing else for which to live. His waking hours were spent winning and strengthening converts. I suppose they were his "hope," his "joy," his "crown of rejoicing." This was not merely his work but his whole life. This was all he desired out of life.
* * *
"Paul, has your life been a disappointment? Has the fruit been worth the hardships and sufferings? Don't you ever become discouraged? How can you keep going in the face of such opposition?"
"My beloved brethren, be thou assured that this 'our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' "
* * *
Paul was detached from everything but his main business of serving Christ. If we too, lift our hopes, joys, and crown of rejoicings from the realm of the material and put them in the realm of the spiritual, we can look for God's blessings to flow to us and through us.
In the light of the soon return of our Lord from heaven let us become "DETACHED" men and women, for Christ's sake and souls.
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From PEACE WITH GOD by Billy Graham. Copyright 1953 by Billy Graham. Reprinted by permission of Doubleday & Co., Inc.
"The message of Jesus Christ, our Savior is the story of the Bible--it is the story of salvation. Profound students of the Bible have traced the story of Jesus Christ from the beginning of the Old Testament, for He is the true theme of the Old as well as the New Testament.
He appears
