The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1941-02-07

I'm the service" is an expression
much used today. Every commune
~ has young men in the service OF
their country. But they are not the
only service men," for the fact is
that every man and woman serves
under some authority. Our lesson
today reminds us that our attitude
toward our possessions determines
both character and destiny. We de-
eide whether they shall rule us or
we shall rule them.
1. Who Is Your Master-God or
Gold? You Decide! wv. 1919.
The decision here is OF the "either
or" variety. "Ye cannot serve
God and mammon" (Which means
"richesD.
Money itself is neither good nor
bad. 1t is the use to which it is
put that determines whether it is to
bless or to destroy. Rightly gained
and rightly used. money Is an honor
TO the man who has it, and will,
through him. become a means of
blessing. On the other hand, money
which controls q man will blast his
own soul and those Of others round
him.
Who decides which II shall be?
You-and you alone. Here we come
10 the central truth OF the matter.
He that is faithful in that which is
least is faithful also in much" ".
l0). We generally read that as
though 1t said, HE that is now faith
ful in q little will later have an OPP
portunity to be faithful In much"
That may be true. but what Jesus
said here was that he "is faithful
In much"
The point Is that the man who is
faithful In the much shows that life
attitude by being faithful in the lit
tie. That Is, only the man who is
right in the great matter Of his re-
lationship with God will be the ruler
over his possessions for the glory OF
God and the good of his fellow man.
Someone may say, II don't be.
lieve that" Well, you are in bad
company (see w. ID, l5). The Phar.
isees, who loved money, who were
self-righteous, and whose attitude
was an abomination in the sight Of
God, derided the words of Jesus.
II you don't like that kind of com.
panions, / invite you to come over
on Gods side.
ii. Where Will You Spend Eter.
nifty? Your Life Decides wv. 1929
Our life beyond the grave is de-
termined by our life on this side OF
ri
life is a gift Of God received by
faith in Christ as Saviour, quite
apart from our own works or our
merit. But let US not forget that
this means far more than uttering
few words of profession or going
through a formula.
The man who really turns to
Christ in saving faith becomes q
new creature; he Ii born again q
Pet. l:23). That means that he
walks lin newness of life" (Rom.
6:4. And thus his life in this world
determines both by decision for
Christ and daily living for Him that
he will, like Lazarus, be received
into eternal blessedness.
Sad to say. the opposite In also
true. Living a. the rich man did,
Tor SELF, will bring judgment In the
world to come. There is no indica-
ton that he was especially wicked,
but only that he loved his money,
revelled In the aamboyant display
Of his wealth ". lo), and had no
thought for others ". AZ. Here
again, the point Is that these out
ward deeds were the expression Of
heart attitude against God.
Death came 10 both OF these men.
1t will come to all Of US, unless the
Lord returns TO take us TO Himself.
II Is not a pleasant matter to think
Of death, but only the unintelliKent
will fail TO recognize the coming
OF that day. When II comes, il may
be too late TO make any real life
decisions. Now IL the acceptable
time. Today II the day Of salvation.
The verses Immediately following
our lesson in chapter 10 indicate
that the decision OF men concerning
their relationship TO God 10 not de-
pendent on the miraculous, but on
moral and spiritual truth. The man
who says he would believe IL he
could only see God perform . mira
Gle Is only evading the issue. Verse
81 says that the man who rejects
Gods Word does so because he
wants TO, not because he needs to
be convinced by . miracle.