The Coolidge examiner., 1937-09-16

GOLDEN TEXT-Choose you this day
whom ye will serve.-Joshua PALS.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Our Country.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Choosing Sides.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-The Importance of Our Choices.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-My Part in Making Up the Nations
Mind.
Nations as we'll as individuals are
responsible before God for the man.
ner in which they live. They enjoy
the blessings of right living and
suffer the penalty of wrong moral
choices. While it is true that ma
tional leaders may not always re-
feet the true character of the peo-
pie. it is generally true that there is
a sort of national character which
over a longer period Of time accu-
rately represents the moral condi-
ton Of the people as whole.
Many earnest men and women be-
lieve that the United States OF
America stands today at the cross
roads of national moral decision.
There has been an unquestionable
decadence of true religion, OF home
life, of social purity, and a growth
of moral indifference and outright
wickedness which causes men who
think to cry out for revival OF old
fashioned spiritual and moral stand
ards ere it be too late. The most
effective, and in fact the only really
effective way to bring that about,
is a revival within the church OF
Christ, and a resultant renewal OF
its service in winning men to Jesus
Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
A 24-page booklet Lessons in Soul
Winning" by DR.. Will H. Houghton,
will be sent by the writer without
charge to those requesting it. II
possible enclose a 3 cent stamp.
Our lesson brings before us a part
of one of the discourses Of Moses,
rehearsing before the people Gods
goodness toward them, and admon-
ishing them to obedience as well as
warning them OF the dangers of dis
obedience.
I. Right Choices Result in Blessing
(vv. 8, 81.
Making the right choice is in fact
a simple matter. for it means only
obedience to Gods commandments.
God is the author of the moral
law. He alone can and does deter
mine what is right and wrong. Man
need not determine, nor is he
equipped to decide that question. He
can and must relate the details OF
his life to the law Of God. How inn
portant il is then that he properly
understand that law. and what folly
it is to neglect the study of Gods
Word, where the commandments Of
God are made known unto men.
Choosing Gods way means for
both men and the nations which
they make up (for my country is in
the final analysis myself, and other
individuals like mel the assurance
of Gods blessing and prosperity.
ii. God Encourages Right Choices
(vv. l0-1O.
Our Goa is the great and untiring
"giver of every good and perfect
gift" We need but to lift up our
eyes and look at his handiwork,
or stir up our memories to recall
his goodness, and we know that he
and all his blessed works encour-
age US to do right-to live right.
But, alas, all too often Gods
choicest gifts are perverted and are
used to bring the very opposite re-
suit. The most beautiful lakes and
naturally delightful surroundings
are used for resorts and clubs which
all too often lead men to moral de-
struction. Parents almost fear that
their daughters may be too attrac-
tive, for the world, the flesh, and
the devil are constantly out scout
ing for beautiful women whose
very God-given beauty may be used
TO glorify sin and lead others into
disobedience to God.
iii. Right and Wrong Are Funda-
mental and Eternal (vv. 26-32).
1t needs to be repeated over and
over again in these callous and in
different days that there is laid
down in the very constitution OF the
entire universe a moral distinction
between right and wrong. Right is
always right, and wrong is def
nitely and eternally wrong. There
is no moral twilight zone, where
things are neither white nor black.
but neutral gray.
Christian workers need constantly
to bring this truth to bear on those
to whom they minister. To do so
they must first set an example of
consistent Christian living. The
Lords work is often hindered by
careless living which nullifies Chris
tian profession.
Note that the difference between
right and wrong was to be the same
Ion the other side of the Jordan"
Time and place have no power to
change moral law. What was right
or wrong for your great-grandfather
is right or wrong for you. What was
right in your home on the farm is
right in the city where you now live,
or vice-versa. The passing of the
years or change of residence does