Numidia Mennonite Bible School - Reflector Yearbook (Numidia, PA)

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WHAT SHALL I RENDER? Students, faculty, and constituency, let us think for a moment of our multitude of blessings. Statistics tell us that America represents 6? of the world's area, peopled. by 7? of the world's population. It owns 80? of the world's automobiles, 60? of the world's telephones, and 35? of its railroads. It produces 70? of the world's oil output, 60? of its wheat and corn, and 50? of its copper and pig iron. There have been times when we were producing 85? of the world's food. In America we average about 2 rooms per person, the world average, other than here, is 5 per- sons per room. And besides all this, we are living in a land of the Bible. Most of us have been born into Christian homes. According to Ephesians 1:3, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and if it were possible to exhaust the mercies of God today, we are told that tomorrow we shall have a brand new supply of His mercies. So, in view of all this and more, may I ask you, what can be rendered to God and to fel- lowmen for the blessings wherewith He has so graciously blessed us? May God help us in all these things to understand that every good and perfect gift comes from HIM. -M. S. Stoltzfus in hi.-' iiui..-- .ilmwlil-'llvvllmlMlflflill 'f1He.l'l'f'u,li:f'-Jia:,lim ll' 'wuifllr :ll ill lf :1 fl- Q. DECEPTION t That we are living in a time when there is much deception is really nothing new as deception is almost as old as the human race itself. Satan is the originator of this evil and is very diligent in getting as many in- volved as possible. A quick look at sacred history reveals numerous instances of de- ception and the consequences of these acts. Eve was deceived CI Tim. 2:1411 and it seriously affected the entire family from that time until now. . ' Jacob deceived his aged father and we see how divine providence had him reap what he sowed with tremendous increase. We see the chief deceiver try his tactics on Jesus and here he met with one whom he could not cause to fall to error. By this victory we can also be victorious. Our Lord gave us a pattern of defense as he quoted the written word to His foe. The most heinous of all deception is experienced when a man deceives himself. Self-deception becomes a reality when a person responds to Satan's suggestions apart from any other person being em- ployed inthe plot. James says in 1:26 that the use of our uncontrolled tongue in religious professor is one process of self deception., 3 I Paul warns in Gal. 6:3 that an over- estimation of one's self, is being deceived by yourself . The prophet Obadiah Qverse 3 Jtells Edom the pride of thine heart hath deceived thee In speaking of the end time and the influences that are pre dominant 1n this period, Paul forewarns us that those who love not the truth will receive full the force of Satan s deceiv ableness 1n which there will be men who, posing as teachers of truth, will actually be teach1ng the untruth to further con Eougid those who regect the counsels of o The fact remains that sooner or later all deceived people will wake up to reality Let us be diligent champions of the Word Of God so that there may be many yet delivered from this course and be brought to reality now rather than later -Jesse Neuenschwander

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N r F l 1 and His P Wa or -dswavoi - e li -me area of Way IS best 1t - fo side: 1 fhore than 'AE discouraged re changer! have Some, 1 il it i I t - 4 'Gsm walk- ever so old lg i s in John? iyings theyl love Christi fe will also l Paul andl oandmenhl enhl id par lrther this i k r r r l l i I i If your conscience speaks to you on la certain issue, do not ignore it. If there are times when you can not see the reason for following it, do so anyway. You usually find the reason later on in life. Paul fol- lowed his conscience even when it was wrong, but because he wanted so much to do what was right, God showed him the right way. God usuallygives us instructions one at a time. If we obey it, he gives us some- thing else. If we do not, we stop growing, and if we remain in this condition too long, we die. Young people are lookng for adventure. How wonderful to open your eyes on a new day, looking forward to the things God has for you, knowing it is something good. Even if not everything looks good on the outside, we know it is good because God is good. -Anna W. Eshbach I i T SPIRITUAL GROWTH One of the worthiest of ambitions is the desire to increase our capacity for God, to grow, and in growing to become more Christlike. If a person has riches he desires more. If one has knowledge he desires still more. Why not more concern about spiritual increase? Paul besought the Thessalonian brethren that they in- crease more and more QI Thes. 4Z10,. The apostle Peter exhorted' his readers to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ill Pet. 32181. A great artist student made a statue of an angel. His master said, lt lacks only one thing - it lacks life. There is a great difference between a good moral man and Christian - the Christian has life, the other does not. So before growing, one must have life - eternal life, that life which is born of the Spirit. In order to grow physically there must be proper dietg so to grow spiritually there must be a spiritual appetite for that which will develop spiritual growth. We must feed on the Word. Peter admonishes, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow there- by CI Pet. 2:21. Milk is good, but we should not stay on milk CI Cor. 3:1,2Jg we need to go on unto perfection and use stronger food which will develop all spir- itual qualities QI-Ieb. 6:1, 5:13,14J. Our Lord prayed, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth fJohn 17 2171. We need to read and feed on the Word. Read it prayerfully, read it frequently, read it carefully, read it with a willing- ness to know God's will and with a readi- ness to do His will. There must be communion with God in earnest, sincere prayer. There must be exercise. Members of our physical bodies become useless, unless they are used. Someone has put it like thisg G-R-O-W - go right on working. All known sin in one's life must be con- fessed and forsaken. And there must be complete surrender and submission to God. H -M. J. Brunk

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ee in. cred de. ' cts. fi it rom FIT FOR THE MASTER S USE The Apostle Paul challenged Christian fitness with the fitness required in the athlete and the soldier Today we would add the astronaut to the list To qualify he must have a background of training experience and service. He must be emo- tionally stable and able to react well to loneliness and darkness, and be capable of making sound decisions in times of severe stress. He must live a disciplined life and know how to respond quickly to instruc- tions, and of course he must be willing to go at the risk of never returning. The motivation of the astronaut may be is ' 5 Q s iff., ivpi 1 A A xx 1 hr Q . . as . U . . man - . . ' 9 and ' ' ' I reap 9336. .Ctics Jhom ' this Our is he rn is zself. en a tions em- that e in self fver- lived verse eart the pre- irns will eiv- Whos alll' BOII' of VLSI' ity' ard yet zhf 161' BETTER WITNESSES In Acts 18 the experience and influence of Apollos are recorded. The Bible says he was eloquent and mighty in the scripture. He taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of J ohn.. A brother and sister heard him speak in the synagogue and sensed that he needed more instruction. They took him into their home and taught him in the way of God more perfectly. After this he was recom- mended to the church and the church welcomed him into their fellowship. Now he went forth and helped the church much, showing by the scripture that Jesus was the Christ. Just before Jesus left His disciples, He told them to wait until they receive power from the Holy Ghost, then go and be wit- nesses unto Him, both at home and to all the world. Here at Numidia Bible School we can become better witnesses for Jesus through our study of nonconformity to the world and by applying our study of the Word to other phases of life. The study of the Bible will help us strengthen and develop con- viction, encourage us to make new com- mitments, establish us more firmly and root us more deeply in Christ. My sincere prayer is that as we leave this school and go into different parts of the world the effects of our study and fellowship' will be felt and seen by all we come 1n contact with and that we ma , Y hell? many souls turn to the Lord for salvation. Will we be better witnesses? -Sidney Gingrich purely political and the mission merely earhly, but we may well be challenged with the kind of fitness that qualifies him for his mission. To young Timothy Paul urged, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed. As we study and learn ways that please God, we become fit for the Master's use. Our lives will then be on the altar burning out for God in the greatest of all voca- tions, and an incorruptible crown will await us. -Aaron M Shank YOUR FAITH Will your faith stand the test? The Bible has a good deal to say about faith. There is a faith that saves and one that is mere belief in the mind and fails in the end. Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must be- lieve that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb. 11:6. T Jesus said to Martha, Whosoever liv- eth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believeth thou this? fJohn 11:16J. The apostle Paul said to the jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house CActs 16:31J. Faith is the victory. I John 5:4. But faith does not stand alone. It is supported, or made real, by obedient action to the. Word of God. By faith Abraham, when God called him to leave his people, obeyed, not knowing where he was going, but judged Him faithful who had called him.