St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-07-02

GOLDEN TEXT-Before they call,
win answer; and while they are yet
speaking, will hear.-Isaiah 65:A.
PRIMARY TOPIC-A Prayer for Help.
JUNIOR TOPIC-In Need of Help.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP.
IC-What Cries Rise to God Today
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-God Cares When People Suffers.
independence day-and we are to
study about a people in bondage!
How much that Is like life. But,
thanks be to God, no one need stay
in bondage. The way to liberty is
open and free. The Lord Jesus
Christ opened it at Calvary's tree
and anyone who is still the bond
slave Of Satan may make this a
great and glorious Independence
day by now declaring his faith in
the deliverer of our souls!
We begin today series Of les
sons in the book Of Exodus which
reveal the high and mighty hand
of God working on behalf Of his
people. Many are the precious spir-
itual lessons and rich is the practi-
cal instruction for daily life to be
received in the weeks just ahead.
Let us not make the unfortunate
mistake of many thoughtless folk
who miss the blessing of Bible
school attendance because it is a
bit warmer than usual. This is the
time to look for special blessing
and to bring encoura cement to your
pastor and Sunday school leaders
by regular attendance.
The family of Jacob-or, as the
Bible calls them, ''the children Of
IsraeP'-prospered in Egypt partic-
ularly as long as Joseph and the
rulers who remembered him were
alive. But they soon learned one
of LIES bitter lessons, namely,
that
1. Prosperity Often Brings OppOsi-
ton Q:6-1D.
The Hebrews were a peaceful,
law abiding people. They were
Gods chosen people and as he
blessed them they prospered, and
thus innocently they brought upon
themselves the hatred Of the sus-
picious Egyptians.
Prosperity is never an unmixed
blessing. We as nation know that
to be true. Not only does 1t lead to
a certain softening of the Sinews,
but all too often it results in weak
ening of the moral fiber, which
makes man easy prey to the attack
of the enemy of our souls.
The Egyptians made plans which
appealed to their brilliant leaders
as polite and wise, but they reck-
oned without God, and the burdens
and Affections they placed on the
Israelites only served to bring fur
ther blessing.
II. Adversely May Bring Blessing
wv. 12-1D.
The people of Israel did not know
it and undoubtedly did not appreci-
ate the fact that the bitterness OF
their bondage was a blessing in dis
guise. Note that
/. It kept them separate as peo-
pie. Aff1iction often serves to keep
Gods people separated from the
world.
2. It disciplined them and pre-
pared them for the hardships OF
their wilderness journey. We too do
well to remember that whom the
Lord loveth he chasteneth," and
that if we are properly exercised"
thereby our sorrows may yield rich
fruit in our lives.
8. It threw them back upon God.
Many are the saints Of God who
have found that the fiery trial, the
burden so hard to understand or
some affection Of their body has
caused them to bring their burden
to the Lord. We have Travelled far
on the road of faith when we have
reached the place where we learn
that MANS extremity is Gods op-
portunity."
They had only one place to turn.
They were hemmed in on every
side but, as ever, they found that
the way up no man can close. They
called on their God.
III. Prayer Always Brings Gods
Answer (2:23-25.
Does God really know when his
| people suffer? Does he really care?
Yes, he does. ''They cried" and
God heard" and remembered"
That's all we need to know. The
groanings of his people had al
ready stirred Gods gracious and
tender heart. But he waited to hear
their cry before he answered. Such
is the law of prayer. May we not
forget it. Far too often we turn
to everyone and everything else,
and finally, in desperation, to God
Why not turn to him first?
AS we opened this lesson with an
appeal for all who knew not Christ
as Saviour to make this the day Of
their Declaration of Independence
so we close by appealing to al
Gods children to let him make theil
ears as sensitive as his to the cry
of the oppressed, that this nationa