The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-07-19


20; Isaiah 1880. 81; Mark 12:28.N.
MEMORY SELECTTON-God Is Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship IN
spirit and truth.-John aga.
The one true God is worthy of
the wholehearted worship Of all
men. The second commandment,
which we studied last week, forbids
all and every idolatry and thus re-
quires exclusive worship Of god.
1t really means something in the
life of man to worship God in
sincerity and truth. It makes life
worthwhile both here and hereaft-
er.
I. Worship Balances Life (Deut.
8:11-14).
Prosperity is usually thought to
be a blessing. We fear depression
and poverty. The Lord through
Moses warned his people that pros
perity was dangerous. 1t still is,
because material things have the
power to so satisfy the natural de-
sires of man as to make him for
get his spiritual needs.
Is it not true that material pros
perity usually brings with it a cor
responding decrease in spirituality.
Life values are weighed in gold,
silver, wheat and iron instead Of be-
ing viewed in the light Of Gods
| Word.
Worship of God will balance life
for it will keep man from forget
ting God and his laws. In the will
derness Israel had to call on God
for daily bread. Now that they were
to come into the promised land they
would be apt to think they produced
their own food.
III. Worship Protects Life (Deut.
| 8:18-20).
One of the most mischievous mis-
takes of life is the idea that man
| is the maker of his own money. Only
God can give man the power Of
hand and heart, of muscle and
mind, which brings forth wealth,
and then he can only draw it out Of
| Gods resources in mine or field or
sea.
This fallacy of man leads him
astray, and he begins to worship the
very powers he uses and finds pleas
ure in the gods of this world. That
way leads only to eternal destruc-
ton, to spiritual death.
How is man to be delivered from
this awful destructive force? BY a
| right relationship to God, by wor-
ship of and devotion to the Lord.
Israel I'D a covenant with God,
and in the keeping Of it they would
find deliverance from all which
would pull down and destroy-yes,
and from the judgment of God ".
2O).
We who are believers in Christ are
under the new covenant Of grace.
If we have been born again we
have the promise of God that we
have eternal life. But let us be
clear that it is possible for Chris
tan to so forget God and his COW
enant with the Lord as to lose his
fellowship and joy, and to be USE
less and fruitless.
iii. Worship Strengthens Life
lisa. 40:30, 81.
The Christian life is not an easy
one to live. After all, who wants
1t easy? There is, however, full
provision by God for the power
needed to live life as victorious
and eHultant as that of the soaring
eagle. That power is for those who
"wait upon the Lord" ". 31).
II is taken for granted that those
who are old may become weary
and faint, but the fact is that even
the youth have this disappointing
experience.
We, leaders In the church and
parents, are apt to forget that youth
is often a time of great struggle.
The young man or woman must
make the choices of purposes and
ideals which win determine their fu-
ture. Too often youth. left unguid-
ed and without the balance of a
real faith in God, makes the wrong
choices and winds up in bitter dis
appointment.
Only God Is sufficient for the need
Of our young people but he is suf-
ficient. Let US teach our boys and
girls to wait on the Lord.
w. Worship Completes Life
mark l2:2S-34).
Here was a man, who, by the tes-
tinony of Jesus was mot far from
the kingdom of God" He was very
near to a full devotion to God in
Christ He knew "all the answers"
but he did not follow the teaching
which he knew to its proper and
blessed conclusion.
1t is terrifying to think how close
man can come to entering into
eterna J life, and yet miss it altogeth-
er. II prompts the writer of these
notes 10 ask you, the reader, very
earnestly, Have you entered into
eternal life through Jesus Christ?
almost" will not avail; you can be
almost saved-and eternally lost.
TIE true nature of worship is re-
vealed in this lesson as loving de-
pendence on God at all times and
in all circumstances. We recognize