The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-11-09

GOLDEN IEAI-buL seek We ITSL the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness
Matthew 6:33.
Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
Il should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry So"
Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
Friend, think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me-
Elizabeth Cheney
Most men are rushing about mad
ly. Worry presses them down.
They wonder whether life is worth
while, whether somewhere there is
not relief from this nervous tension
that is destroying mind and body.
Well, there is relief and it consists
of but one ingredient. Give God His
proper place, the first place in your
life, and "all these things" (Matt.
$3.50 will take their rightful places.
Seeking first the kingdom of God
will settle every problem about
money, about food and clothing, and
about the future.
|. Money wv 1920.
The word in our text is "treas-
ures," and we know that it has a
broader meaning than money, but
since in our day men seem to trans
late all values into dollars, we feel
free to use that word money" to
express our thoughts.
The treasure is something that
one has placed somewhere in order
to keep it for himself. 1t is not a
thing gathered for the purpose of
using it to serve others or to serve
God, but something put away on the
shelf to be kept for ones own en-
joyment.
There are two places in which a
man can lay up treasure, on earth
or in heaven; but it is only as he
boards treasure on earth that he
becomes selfish. That which he
sends on to heaven by his devotion
of life and in service to Christ, by
his sacriicial giving to the cause of
Christ, by his encouragement of
those who are witnessing for Christ,
all this is done for the glory of God
and without hope of reward. How
great will be the surprise of some
when they come to heaven and find
what they have thus laid up for
eternity.
Laying up treasures on this earth,
on the other hand, leads to covet-
BUSINESS, to enslavement to ones
possessions (be they great or
smalD, and to the evils that follow
like a train in the wake of a love
of money.
III. Food and Clothing (vv $500.
Some who have no great desire to
anass riches are nevertheless in
constant anxiety about food and
ralment for the morrow; in fact, it
is true of some who have great
riches that they live in fear lest
next month or next year or ten
years from now they may be in
need.
What is the answer of the Lord
Jesus? Consider the birds. They
are not able to work nor are they
able to pray, but God feeds them.
Consider the glory of the flowers of
the fields, for not even a king can
dress himself in such beauty. care
We not much better than they?" ".
26).
'As far as known, no bird ever
tried to build more nests than its
nelghbors; no fox ever fretted be-
cause it had only one hole in which
TO hide; no squirrel ever died of
anxiety lest he should not lay up
enough nuts for two winters instead
OF one; and no dog ever lost any
sleep over the fact that he did not
have enough bones laid aside for
his declining years" public Health
Service).
Proper forethought is good and
right for we are intelligent beings,
but anxiety about our daily needs
is always dishonoring to God.
iii. The Future wv. 33, 34).
Why will we fret ourselves about
lhe future? 1t is in Gods hands,
and even if it were in our hands,
what could we do about it? Even
tSAt4C4A O"J Will us IGGuS ana us
blessings, with its joy and its sor-
rows, is not yet here, and when it
does come, there will be Gods gra-
clous provision for each passing
hour.
Unsaved friend, will you not take
the Lord Jesus Christ just now as
your personal Saviour and let Him
solve the problems of your life as
you put the kingdom of God first?
Christian friend, if you too have
been bearing burdens which are not
honorlng to God, will you not tell
linn just now, and put them down
at the feet of the Lord Jesus?
Casting all your care upon him:
for he careth for you" Il Pet. SD,
Which might properly be translated,
Casting all your worries Cor dis
tractions) on Him, for He worrieth
about you"
Be Still Then and Know