The Republican., 1946-02-07

the son IN whom he ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SIP.
Instruction, training and culture,
sometimes calling for the touch of
judgment or punishment, that the
lesson may be rightly learned-this
is the meaning of discipline
It is good word and speaks of
that which is much needed in a dis
ordered and dissolute world.
Our lesson tells of Gods plan for
the discipline Of the people of Is
rael in preparation for their entry
into the Promised Land. They were
not ready when God first brought
them up to it, but through hard and
trying experiences they learned.
They did not believe God, so they
had to learn the hard way.
One wonders whether we will be
wiser than they. America is now in
the awful grasp of a postwar wave
of careless living, of moral disinte-
grafton and of awful dissipation. AL
coholic liquors flow in an un-
controlled flood of destruction.
Where is the moral fiber that made
America great?
l. There is Limit to Gods
Patience wv. II, 12).
The background of our lesson is
the report of the spies who were
sent up into the land. All agreed
that it was a good land, but 10 of
them were afraid of its inhabitants.
Two Of them, Joshua and Caleb,
urged the people to take God at his
word and go up to possess the land.
But the people rebelled and wanted
to turn back to the Aeshpots of
Egypt.
God had been patient with the
people, but the time had come
when further patience ceased to be
a virtue and would only be indul-
gence. Then judgment came-and
fast!
There is a limit to Gods patience
with sinful people. 1t is almost
heartbreaking to think of the pos
sibility that America may all too
soon press its downward course to
the point where God says, 1t is
enough.
IL. There is Power in Intercessory
Prayer wv. 1870.
Moses stepped into the breach
and made mighty and moving plea
for his people. He knew the power
Of intercession and called on God
for mercy upon the people. He
pointed out that the honor of the
Lord was involved in bringing His
people into the land. He recognized
the guilt of the older members of
the nation but asked for another
chance for the children. He based
his prayer on the known qualities
of God, his justice and, above all,
his mercy.
Does not this strongly suggest the
Importance of Christian people
making their influence count in the
solution of social problems? Pray
er accomplishes more than this
world has ever conceived to be pos
sible. Praying people count with
God, and hence they count in the af-
fairs of men.
More Christian people ought to
be deeply concerned about our
country's liquor problem, and all
the physical, moral, social, political
and spiritual ills which are caused
by drink.
III. There is Punishment for I'm
belief wv. 20-23).
The pardon of God for the people
as a whole did not overlook or wink
at the awful unbelief of those who
had rebelled against God.
He had not left them without a
strong basis for faith in him. Again
and again he had made known his
might in miraculous deliverances
during their days of travel from
Egypt. But they simply hardened
their hearts in unbelief.
Lack of faith in God is no little
cffense against him. He has a right
to our unquestioning belief and i'm
mediate obedience. Somehow we
have come to regard it as a spe-
cial favor toward God if we believe
him, when the fact is that unbelief
in such a God is definitely and OBJ
viously sin.
~. There Is a Reward for COur-
ageOus Living w. 24).
God is looking for men of faith.
All through Scripture we find the
Lord coming agnifcently to the
help and blessing of the one who
will believe him.
Caleb and Joshua were brought
into the land, preserved through all
of Israels wandering, and kept in
vigor even to old age in order to
enjoy the promised possession (see
Josh. 1863; 14:l0-12).
Caleb is an example OF what
courage, faith, self-control-yes, dis
cipline, can do for a man. We need
men and women-yes, young men
and women with the spirit of Caleb.
Social customs Of our day encour-
age self-indulgence. Drinking is on
the increase. Moral standards are
low and seem to be getting lower.
What shall we do? Teach our
young men and women to have faith
in God and to discipline their lives
in accordance with his word, so
that theV NAV be set free for cour-