Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

Lesson Helps for the Week of August 1, 1954C.Y.P.U. TOPICfor August 1, 1954AIDS TO CHRISTIAN GROWTHHearing, Reading, Studyof the WordPsalm 1; I Timothy 4:12-16Rev. Charles SterrettHearing, Reading, Studyof the WordPsalm 1; I Timothy 4:12-16Rev. Charles SterrettReferences: 2 Kings 23:1-3; Luke 4:16-22; Acts 8:26-39; Acts 17:11; Romans10:14; 2 Timothy 2:15; Rev. 1:3.PsalmsPsalm 1:1-3, page 2Psalm 119:1-2, page 299Psalm 43:3-6,Psalm 25:1-6, page 57Psalm 78:l-5;page 109page 187.It is hard to anticipate the passing oftime. It was not so long ago that wewere making ready for our Conference atGrinnell. Now Grinnell is but a memory.What do we remember about this conference? Did we face Christ's Charge?Do we realize His Charge is my challenge? I trust that each of us may haverealized a challenge in our life. May wedesire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him who is our Lord and Saviour.Growth is a recognized phase of living.If we fail to show growth in our physicallife we want to do something about it.The mother takes her offspring to thedoctor's office for the first time afterthey have come from the hospital. Thedoctor wants to know how this little childis doing. He is weighed and if there is nosign of growth, the doctor is concerned.If growth is a necessary part of thephysical, should it not also be a necessarypart of the spiritual? If we accept Christas our Saviour and as the King of ourlife should we not also be expected toshow growth in Him?Exercise is helpful for development. Aperson recovering from an operation istold to take certain exercises. (Of courseit depends upon the type of operation).A young boy would like to develop biceps and so he starts to take exercises toaid him in his program of development.As there are exercises we may taketo develop our physical self there are certain exercises which should aid us in ourspiritual life. These aids are: hearing,reading, and study of the Word. TheC.Y.P.U. Pledge holds these forth for us."Aiming to Live for the Glory of Godas my Chief End, I will in Reliance uponGod's Grace and feeling my inability toperform any spiritual duty in my own26strength, diligently attend to Searchingthe scriptures, Religious Conversation,Private Prayer, Family Worship, thePrayer Meeting, and the Sanctuary, andwill seek in them to worship God inSpirit and in Truth. ..As Christians we should engage in theexercise of to develop ourspiritual life. We should not turn asidefrom this exercise. That means that weshould be in attendance at our churcheswhere we hear the Word explained. Weshould be faithful in our attendance. Weshould be ready to hear the explanationof the Word at any time. If we have nodesire to hear the Word and if we are notregular in our attendance, perhaps adanger signal is indicated and we hadbetter check our ways.byWe must also show our desire to learnreading. The Ethiopian Eunuch wasreading the Word of God when the Evangelist came upon him. His mind wasbusy, he was thinking, he was in a receptive mood. From his reading it was possible for him to make a proper and intelligent inquiry. Reading opened the wayfor hearing. The incident closes withthese words: "and he went on his way rejoicing."The exercise of reading led tothe exercise of hearing and the eunuchwent on his way rejoicing because he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.We also must engage in study to growin knowledge. We read the Word of Godand we use helps which have been prepared to help us reach a better understandingof the Word. Of course we donot look upon these helpsThey mayas perfect.contain error and we mightnot get the proper interpretation of thepassage we study, but this does not meanthat aids are to be overlooked in helpingus study. It is the Word of God thatnever changes, it is ever true. We accept these helps only as they agree withthe Word.We are told by some that they onlywant the religion of Christ and theNew Testament. Therefore they are notgoing to use any of the commentaries,catechisms, etc. to help them. Whyshould we turn down the accumulatedChristian knowledge of the centuries?These people would not want to ridearound in a 1910 Ford. They are readyto accept the accumulated automotiveknowledge of the past 50 years of the industry. They would not want to buy a"make it yourself kit" and assemble a1910 Ford and then make all the moderninnovationssuch as a self starter, etc.When put on this basis we see the foolishness of such an argument."Study to shew thyself approved untoGod, a workman that needeth not to beashamed, rightly dividing the word oftruth."An intelligent workman is a workmanthat knows his tools and knows how touse them. He knows that tools differand that they are not all to be used forthe same type of work. At one time acarpenter knows it is proper to use acrosscut saw. Another time it is properto use a rip saw. In the army a soldierknows his weapons. He must be able toassemble and dismantle his weapons. Helearns that there are certain limitationsand they must be acknowledged. (I donot mean to imply that there are limitations to the Word of God as His Wordis not bound.) As workmen of God wemust study.As Christians we are to grow. Wemust use all the means of grace if weare to develop properly.FOR DISCUSSION:1. Is it possible not to exercise in ourChristian life and yet have a vigorousChristian witness?2. If we do not feel in the mood shouldwe forget to read our Bible? Explainyour answer.JUNIOR TOPICAugust 1, 1954THE GREAT FLOOD AND GOD'SCOVENANTBy Mrs. M. K. CarsonScripture: Genesis 6 to 9.Memory Verse: Genesis 9:15. "And Iwill remember My Covenant."Psalms105:1, 2, 6, page 25737: 3-4, page 91125: 1-2, page 320.Let us have a Psalm-of-the-Monthfor August, and since we are to learn ofGod"s covenants with His people, let uschoosethe Psalm of God's Faithfulness, Psalm 105. For this week, let ussing verses 1, 2, 6 at the beginningand iftime permits, also at the close of themeeting.^References: Five things that Noah did:(Perhaps you would like to put these inyour note-books.) Genesis 6:8; 6:9;Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 7:5; 8:20. Fivethings that God did: Genesis 7:1; 7:16;8:1; 9:1; 9:9.How many of you were at the GrinnellConference? Were you at the meetingwhen the Covenant was renewed byallthe people? There we promised by God'sgrace to live for Him,and for Him only;THE COVENANTER WITNESS