Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-11-04
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 7
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIv-
ING.
LESSON TEXT-Matt. 6:1-7; IL

LESSON TEXT-Matt Silt IL
GOLDEN TEXT-Seek We first the king
dom of God and his righteousness. and all
these things shall be added unto you
Matt 6.s3
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Mark 10:
1-s1; Luke 11:2-4; i2:22-32.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Our Heavenly Fa-
theirs Care
JUNIOR ToPIC-Jesus Teaching How
to Pray
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Golden Rules for Living.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Counsels for Daily Living.
Having set forth in the previous
chapters the standard of righteous
ness. Christ now exhibits the under
lying principles which control the heir
to the kingdom
!. AS to Giving (6:1-4).
Doing aims before men is not con-
demned. as that would contradict
Matthew 5 :16, but the doing of them
before men to be seen of them. To
seek publicity in doing our aims is
to miss the reward of our heavenly
Father.
". As to Praying &c :5-15).
1. False prayer wv. 5, -. This con-
sists O in praying to be seen and
heard of men ". 81. (2) Using vain
repetitions w. y. This does not mean
that We should ask but once, for we
have examples Of Christ and Paul
praying three times for the same thing
8(Matt 26 1916; II Cor. 1877. 81, but
the using of meaningless repetitions.
2. True prayer ". 81. Since prayer
10 a transaction of the soul with God,
we should have a real desire for fell
iowshp with the Father, then go and
meet him in secret.
8. The model prayer wv. 9-15). This
Involves ~ right relationship-"Ou
Father" tv. 81; (2) right attitude
s.Haliowed be thy name" wv. 9, 10Y;
t3) right spirit-"Give us our daily
bread" Forgive us our SINS lead
us not into temptation" wv. 11-13).
~. AS to Fasting (vv 1920.
The Lord knew the temptation
which would befall his children in
their pilgrimage here below touching
wordIiness, and the anxiety to which
II WOuld llCISlOIC, ne SITS lOI III
tire proper attitude toward them:
1. The nature of earthly riches wv.
10, Ply. % Uncertain wv. 10, 20).
Earthly treasures corrode, or are taken
from us. (2) Seductive ". 2I. Christ
called riches deceitful Matt. ID :22).
1t is not wrong to possess earthly
treasures, but when earthly treasures
possess us they become a snare.
3 The effect of earthly riches wv.
22-24). "a They blunt the moral and
spiritual perceptions wv. 22-23). When
the heart is upon earthly treasures it
is taken off God (2) They render
null and void all service ". 24).
~. AS to Faith in the Heavenly
Father (vv. 25-34).
l. Be not anxious about food and
clothing wv. 25-32). Because ~ it
shows distrust fcr God ". 30). t2)
1t is useless ". 81. Anxiety can
bring nothing. 60 1t is heathenish
w. 32). Those who have not learned
to know God may worry over tenn
poral affairs. but those who know him
as a loving Father should be free
from care.
q Be anxious TO seek the kingdom
OF God and serve him wv. 33. 34).
This does not forbid proper fore
thought in making reasonable sup
port for ones self and family.
9seV. As to censorious Judgments
N:1-12..
n /. The sin and folly of censorious
judgments. This does not forbid us
making an estimate of the lives of
those about US, for .'by their fruits
We shall know them;'' neither does
it prevent us from administering re-
buke to those who deserve it. 1t re-
Dukes that readiness to blame others
and to magnify their weakness and
errors.
2. The duty Of discrimination in
dealing out holy things ". 81. The
gospel should be preached to all, but
there should be discrimination, for
"dogs and swine" have no comprehen-
sion as to holy things.
8. Qualification for discrimination
wv. 7-12). ID A life of prayer wv.
7-11). A life of prayer is a requisite
for rightly diyining the word of truth.
(2) A disposition TO treat others as
one would be treated ". 12). Confu-
cius set forth this principle negatively,
but only the Christ could do it posi-
n lively Betwee1 the negative and pos
tive sides of this rule is found the
difference between heathenism and
Christianity. No man can live this
rule unless he has been born from
above and abides with Christ in the
school of prayer, till he becomes like