Evening star., 1915-02-13
TOPIC:
TOPIC:
The Solid Foundations of Life.-I Cor, 1915

deceptive foundations on which men
build is that of selfshness.
1t Is one of the great evils in man S
character. Selfishness in every line OF
true character; but when it enters into
| religious services it Is peculiarly alb
| horrent- Yet it has been prevalent in
every age of the church's history. Men
enter the church actuated by purely
selfish motives. Their sole object is
worldly advancement and gain. They
are only thinking about increasing the
number of their clients. their patients
] or other business opportunities. They
seek to make temporal gain of godli-
ness.
Others turn to religious observances
for eternal gain. Their motive is to
escape future punishment. They re-
gard religion as a means to a selfish
end.
| This is a poor foundation on which
| to build hopes of heaven. Selfshness
of every kind is an enemy to moral
excellence. 1t is attempting to lay
another foundation than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ" And this is
something no man can do. All selfish
ness is contrary to the spirit of Christ.
He pleased not Himself, He sought
not His own
Be not deceived. o man. There is but
one solid foundation for true character.
Look well to thy character. Strive for
goodness for it's own sake. Worship
God, not through slavish fear. but be-
| cause it is right. and thou shalt truly
| bless thyself and all who come within
| the circle of thine influence.
Sensual Foundation.
Another foundation on which men
| build is that of sensuality THE lust
| of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the
| pride of life" is the controlling idea
of their lives. The consuming thought
| is: What shall we eat? What shall we
drink? How shall we crafty the SEN
| sual passions of our being? The prod
| fgal son started on this plan and pur-
sued it until he reached the point
where he would fain have filled his
| belly with the husks that the swine
did eat" Then he returned to his
| fathers house. He was of the number
| of those of whom it is written. IF any
| mans work shall be burned he shall
i suffer loss, but he himself shall be
saved; yet SO as by fire.
Worthless and Valuable Materials.
There are some who start to build
| with worthless materials. the wood.
hay and stubble." When they find their
pet theories and cherished hopes are
being burned up like wood and hay
they are wise enough to build again
on the true foundation with the tried
materials, gold, silver and precious
stones" But many are not SO wise.
Yet men know that every mans work
shall be made manifest. for the day
shall be declared: because it shall be
revealed by fire, and the fire shall try
every mans work of what sort it is
1t has always been SO that men bring
to Christ as foundation worthless as
well as valuable materials.
Some build with gold, silver and
precious stones: some with wood, hay
| and stubble." The one edif1ce is solid
valuable and enduring. The other is of
no solidity. no value and no duration.
The solid foundation for true char
acter building is Christ and the ma
terials for Its construction are His
precious sayings.
These Sayings of Mine.
At the close of the great sermon on
the mount He said, "Whosoever hear
eth these sayings of mine. and doeth
them, will liken him unto a wise man
which built his house upon a rock
And every one that heareth
these sayings of mine and doeth them
not. shall be likened unto a foolish
man, which built his house upon the
sand"
The wise mans house, through storm
and tempest, fell not. for 1t was found =
ed upon rock The foolish mans
house fell, and great was the fall of
F, it,"
| The foundation of true character
building is the Rock of Ages. and the
materials for its building are these
F, sayings of mine"
| Whosoever builds without hearing
and doing these sayings of mine,'
| builds in vain. Everything depends on
| the right use of these sayings of
mine" In keeping these sayings you
| can make your life wise, strong and
useful. In them are given the minutest
| and most unerring directions for the
| building of the noblest and grandest
| character possible to man. All is safe.
| secure and joyous if His sayings have
| filled your heart with the faith and
| trust expressed in the familiar hymn:
! Ny hope is built nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness.
dare not trust the sweetest frame,
! But wholly lean Jesus name.
Ln Christ the Solid Rock I stand;
| All other ground is sinking sand.