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Praak L. Keel
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MONITOR
BIBLE
v'OL LXXI JANUARY 1, 1993 NO. 1
Forthefaith once delivered untothe saints"
OUR MOTTO: Spiritual in life and OUR WATCHWORD: Go into all
Scriptural in practice. theworld and preach the gospel.
OURAIM: Be it our aim to be more sanctified, more righteous,
more holy, and more perfect through faith and obedience.
FATHER, LET ME DEDICATE
Father, let me dedicate All this year to Thee,
In whateverworldly state Thou wilt have me be.
Not from sorrow, pain, or care, Freedom dare claim;
I
This alone shall be my prayer: "Glorify Thy name."
Can a child presume to choose Where or how to live?
Can a Father's love refuse All the best to give?
More Thou givest every day Than the best can claim,
Norwithholdest aught that may Glorify Thy name.
If in mercy Thou wilt spare Joys that yet are mine;
If on life, serene and fair, Brighter rays may shine -
Let my glad heart, while it sings, Thee in all proclaim,
And, whate'erthe future brings, Glorify Thy name.
If Thou callest to the cross, And its shadow come,
Turning all my gain to loss, Shrouding heart and home -
Let me think how Thy dear Son To His glory came,
And in deepest woe pray on: "Glorify Thy name."
- Lawrence Tuttiett
BIBLE MONITOR
WHAT WILL THE NEW YEAR BRING?
At the beginning of a new year we always wonder what will
happen during the ensuing year. We are always curious,
wondering if it will turn out to be a good or bad year for us.
It is a good thing that God keeps the control of the future to
Himself. Men would make a total wreck of it, if it were left to them.
They would choose a course that would be so alluring to them, but
would prove a failure, for they do not know what is truly the best.
iNtone of us have the power to foresee the future, so we must follow
the guidance of the One, who holds the future in His Hands.
We make various plans and committments, which we hope will
turn out all right. Often our plans are made based on our under-
standing, rather than on the wisdom that God is willing to give to
those who will seek His Will. Too often we lay our plans, taking for
granted, God's approval. Yet, how often do we really seek His
guidance in not only the large but even the small affairs of life?
James warned that believers must be careful in their planning that
they would take into account the will of the Lord.
Especially in business affairs, we are apt to follow what is
thought to be good economics, without considering if what we are
doing is good Christianity. In all our affairs we should be careful to
consult God's Word. We can pretty well tell if our activities are
godly or otherwise by what is written there. If there is any doubt, it
is wise to seek the counsel of the Brethren. Others may be able to
see dangers that we can not see, because we are too close to what
we wish to do. We would excuse ourselves more readily than what
we should.
Success in business does not mean becoming rich. It means
making a living and providing needed products, services and
THE BIBLE MONITOR January 1993
1 ,
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BIBLE MONITOR
employment for others. Being successful does not mean slighting
the Word of God. Moral success is more important than financial
success.
It is as possible to be poor and ungodly, as it is to be rich and
ungodly. Poverty is not a guarantee of godliness. Poverty with
godliness is no shame but it is unlikely that a godly person will face
the extreme poverty known by many in this world. King David
attested that throughout his lifetime, he had not known the ones,
who sincerely worshipped and obeyed God, to be without the
necessities of life.
We question what direction the affairs of this world will follow
during the new year. There are many places, where there is war-
fare, famine, or drought. There are many political powder kegs
ready to explode at any minute. Such an eruption could involve
many other nations, which could lead to general warfare and more
senseless suffering. We may express opinions concerning these
situations around the world. We may offer opinions concerning the
coming of a new administration in our own country. These opinions
may be based upon partisan feelings or economic ideas. How
often do our opinions find a basis in the Scriptures? Perhaps it
would be better we had fewer opinions concerning business,
if
political, and world affairs and more thought and action concerning
Spiritual affairs.
We, first, must consider our own relationship with God. Have we
complied with the conditions of salvation, that He has revealed to
us through the Bible? Each of us needs to make a personal choice
and decision to comply. We cannot rely on the lives that our
parents or other ancestors lived. Nor can we excuse ourselves, if
they did not live the kind of lives they should have lived. God has
made a plan of salvation that is the personal responsibility of each
of us.
Once we have entered into that relationship and become a
member of the Family of God, which includes membership in the
earthly church, we must give our best effort to doing His Will.
There is not one person, who ever does all that can be done. As
humans we all fail, unlike Jesus we are not perfect. We must do
the best we can, although we could always do better. Too often,
we have to reconsider and admit that we have not followed the best
course.
No matter what course the world follows, in business, economics
or politics, the Christian must follow God's course. The outcome of
this new year will not be so dependent upon the decisions affecting
the large global affairs that most are interested in; the most
important decisions will be made by individuals concerning their
soul's salvation and their service unto God.
What will your new year be? Will you make the Spiritual choices
necessary to have a successful year?
BIBLE MONITOR
ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
"WHERE ARE WE IN '93?"
Where are we in '93? Sound like a rather strange question?
Where were we in '92? That might well give us an insight to where
we are today and what we will become in this year the Lord is
giving us. We have concluded a year that will be long remem-
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exacerbate in '93? Where will we be in this picture? Will we be
growing in grace? Will we be standing firm on the promises of
God? Or, will we begin to blend more and more into the status quo
of the world and hardly be identifiable at all as being a part of the
forever family of God?
Will 1993 be different? Have we made a resolve before God to
be more like the Master this coming year?
It would seem that we have begun this writing with a lot of
questions and rightly so. In order to come up with answers we
must ask questions.
Will the world be an easier place to live in this year than it was in
the past year? It is certainly doubtful. The situations politically
across the globe show great instability. We see a continuing
emergence of high technology, globalism, new streams of world
commerce, new harmful methods of public education and dozens of
other things. Materialism abounds and would seem inevitable
it
there will continue to be a persistent, if not an accelerated, moral
decline. The evils of this year will be complicated because man
has not accepted the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only way
to relief of the tense world situation is acceptance of God's only
begotten Son or by divine intervention.
Intervention, you say? Yes. What form could intervention take?
Many forms, but the one we most anticipate as Christians is the
taking of the Church. The Bible specifically tells us that there is a
generation of Christians who will not die. Rather, the Bible teaches
that Christ Himself will descend from Heaven and take the
believers home to be with Himself. The events of our time should
certainly expand our anticipation of this great event.
1993 will hold great opportunity for the righteous people of the
earth. The world is ready for harvest. We must proclaim the
message with greater determination and vigor than we have done
in the past. We must use every opportunity to reach out to the
wicked world that they might turn to God.
How, in this challenging environment, can we do this? How can
we be a good witness in times like these? We have got to become
