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

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MAKING STRAIGHT PATHS ln Heb. I2, The aposfle calls us fo a life of holiness of Chrisf Jesus our Lord. The reason here sfafed is so fhaf we have a sfraighf pafh for our feef and af fhe same fime be an influence fo help fhe weak and fhe lame around us fo fhe sfraighf pafh. There are a number of fhings we need fo do fo keep in fhe sfraighf pafh. We need fo lay aside every weighf and fhe sin which so easily besefs us. We may nof despise fhe chasfening of fhe Lord as He endeavors fo direcf our sfeps, and be always ready fo re- ceive fhe confradicfion of sinners gracefully. The feeble knees and drooping hands fhe aposfle falks abouf are somefimes caused by fhe aposfafe condifions around us, which have a fendency fo make us weak in fhe faifh. An- ofher confribufing facfor is fhe lack of real Holy Ghosf Bible feaching and scripfural dis- 'cipline. Here af Numidia, we face fhe consfanf challenge of indocfrinafion, according fo sound docfrine, fhereby creafing a fellowship fhaf is fhe means of provoking ofhers fo also build on fhis good foundafion of fhe aposfles and proph- efs, Jesus Chrisf fhe chief corner sfone. May we all rise 'ro fhe challenge fo liff fhe hands fhaf hang down, sfrengfhen 'rhe feeble knees, and make sfraighf pafhs for our feef. -Sidney Gingrich POTENTIAL 'Pofenfial is a word we frequenfly use in our everyday vocabulary, as well as in relig- ious discussion. If means fhaf a fhing is exisfing in possibilify. Since all humans are free moral agenfs, and we all have, fo some degree, fhe privilege of choice, we may fhen say fhaf a good many fhings are exisfing in possibilify . Jes-us saw in fhe rich young ruler some fhings exisfing in possibilify, and He loved him and proceeded fo insfrucf him how fhose possibilifies could become realify. When fhe young man failed- fo respond as he should have, Jesus longingly looked affer him, unable fo bless as He would have desired fo bless him. Jesus saw in Judas somefhing exisfing in possibilify , and He warned him again and again unfil fhaf which exisfed in possibilify became a biffer realify, and Judas was losf fo fhe cause and for efernify because he chose fo be fhis way. 5 Pefer had pofenfial for good or evil, and because he fook His Masfer's proddings and 'reachings fo hearf, be became a mighfy power in realify, in furning away many fo righfeous- ness. As one looks over a class of young people and sees fhe fremendous pofenfial for good or bad, we can only liff our face and hands heavenward in earnesf pefifion for wisdom fo guide and influence fhese young people arighf. ' Associafed wifh possibilify comes a greaf responsibilify. My prayer is fhaf fhe young feef may be guided sfraighf, wifh goals sef high fhaf we mighf affain unfo a glorious resurrecfion and efernify. -Jesse Neuenschwander THE BEAUTY OF A HOLY LIFE - The Bible sfandard of beaufy and fhe world's sfandard of beaufy are surely exfreme opposifes. The world's sense of beaufy is abominable in fhe sighf of God. We see many who are benf on following fhe fad-s and fashions of fhis sin blinded sociefy. The un- dressing and overdressing of fhe body, deck- ing fhe body wifh all sorfs of jewels, ornamenfs, and painf, ouflandish hair-do's, as well as un- kempf hair on bofh men and women becomes repulsive even fo fhe non-Chrisfian. The Bible says, The way of fhe wicked is an abominafion unfo fhe Lord. Lef us look af fhe Bible sfandard of beaufy. Women are fo adorn fhemselves in modesf apparel having fheir bodies covered, so as nof 'ro make a display of fhemselves fo draw fhe affenfion of men. To have fhe spirif of Hshamefacedness and sobriefy ,, and as Pefer says, fha ornamenf of a meek and quief spirif, which is in fhe sighf of God of greaf price is becoming fo women professing godliness. Likewise, men are fo be busy praying everywhere, liffing up holy hands, wifhouf wrafh and doubfingf' Lives fhaf have been cleansed from sin by faifh in fhe shed blood of Jesus Chrisf, busy doing good deeds for fhe spirifual well being of ofhers, bring honor and glory fo fhe -God of heaven. Lef us endeavor by His help and grace fo give our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac- cepfable unfo God , for fhis is only our reasonable service. The Bible says, fhe Lord lovefh him fhaf followefh affer righfeousnessf' -John Wile

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FACULTY EVE.N UNTO DEATH? In fhe sfudyof church hisfory I am chal- lenged repeafedly wifh fhe willingness of sainfs fo make fhe supreme sacrifice of fheir lives for fhe cause of Chrisf and His Church. In fhinking of fhe courage of 'rhese noble marfyrs, I cannof help buf wonder whaf fhe reacfion of our generafion would be foward- persecufion such as fhe faced. Would we as a group be of such caliber as fo counf fhe faifh more precious fhan our very lives? I believe fhe answer fo fhis quesfion is found in how we are sfanding for fhe faifh righl' now. The person who is willing fo sfand for whaf is righf, even in fhe face of opposifion from friends and relafives, is showing fhe same moral fiber fhaf leads one even fo deafh for fhe cause, if fhaf is required. The person who adapfs fo fhe parficular group he is wifh af fhe momenf, yef claims fo have a fesfimony when wifh -6od's people, will be fhe very one 'ro deny 'rhe faifh when fhe heaf is applied. I believe Bible School is a means God is using fo build up our young people fo give a faifhful fesfimony for His name, even unfo deafh, if need be. I believe 'rhis because I seelfolks going from here and sfanding for whaf is righf regardless of fhe opposifion fhey are facing. , May we all defermine by God's grace fo be all Hewanfs us fo be in fhis generafion. regardless of 'rhe cosf. -Glenn lvl. Sensenig , lT'S RISKY If's foo risky fo eal' food and drink wafer. I mighf swallow some poison. If is foo risky fo drive a car on fhe highway, I mighf have an accidenf. If's foo risky fo have a iob, I mighf nof do my work righf, efc., efc. Such is foolish reasoning, we all agree. Buf such reasoning is employed in more imporfanf areas of life. Some do nof wanf fo become a Chrisfian for fear fhey cannof hold ouf fo fhe end. Some do nof 'resfify for fhe Lord lesf fhey do if wrongly, buf if's worse nof fo say anyfhing. Some will nof affend Bible Schoo. lesf fhey discover a needed change in fheir life. If's a risk fo expose one's life fo infensi- MESSAGES fied Bible sfudy and a Biblical fellowship if we do nof wanf fo change. However, if is impossible 'ro face 'rhez re- sponsibilify relafed 'ro fime or efernify wifhouf a risk. By avoiding 'rhe risk we become con- quered. In essence. such-are saying our Lord is a hard man, reaping where He has noi' sown, gafhering where He has nof sfrawed, and likewise incur God's iudgmenl' according- ly. lvlaffhew 25:24-30. God's remedy for risk is revenue or ready refurns. The Efhiopian eunuch who exposed himself fo fhe Bible, wifh Philip as his feacher, became disfurbed, confused, and his normal pursuif of fravel was inferrupfed. He yielded himself fo aufhorify over him as symbolized by fhe rife of wafer bapfism. Buf God's rev- enue for him was a clearing of his m-ind-no longer in confusion or disfurbance+buf ioy in his hearf and fravelling on his way reioicing. The kingdom of God- is nof meaf and drink: buf righfeousness, and peace. and ioy in fhe HoIy,Ghosf. Romans l4:I7. To have peace and ioy is a giff from God fhaf can only be experienced and never fully explained. If may mean changing iobs, clofhing, hair arrangemenf, cars, companions, efc. Yes, if is risky fo be exposed fo fhe Gospel if we we have our mind made up nof fo change, buf if is foo risky nof fo fake fhis risk. -Isaac K. Sensenig SECRETS-REVEALED , Somefimes we wish we would know iusf which da Jesus will come for us. Then by faifh we hear Him say, I+ is nol' for you 'I'o know 'rhe fimes or fhe seasons which fhe Fafher hafh puf in his own power, lAcfs I:7l. We also wonder why fhe Aposfle John was nof fo wrife whaf fhe seven fhunders uffered, and fhen we hear again, fhe secref fhings belong unfo fhe Lord our God. lDeuf. 29:29l. Buf Jesus came and Ieff us, his friends, in on all fhe secrefs fhaf fhe Fafher fold him. Nof only 'rhe fhings 'rhaf had been kepf secref since 'rhe world began, buf also fhe fhings of fhe fufure which are for us and for our children 'ro know. A special blessing is given fo fhose who read- and who hear and who keep fhe revealed fhings. -Oliver M. Keener 4

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DIVINE ATTRACIIION Why sfand ye gazing up info heaven? This same Jesus, which is Taken up from you inTo heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go info heaven. AcTs l:l I. There are many aTTracTions Today calling for our affecfions, buT weias Chrisfians need To be looking unTo Jesus, The auThor and fin- isher of our faifh. lf ye Then be risen wiTh ChrisT, seek Those Thingslwhich are above, where Chrisf siTTeTh on The righT hand of God. Sef your affecfions on Things above, noT on Things on The earTh. Col. 3:l-2. Can we Trufhfully say .as PeTer said, To whom shall we go? Thouhasf The words of efernal life. John 6:68. And l, if l be liffed up from The earTh, will draw all men unTo me. John l2:32. ' ' We need To be confinually reminded of heavenly values in order To keep our eyes and mind upon our precious Saviour who has done so much for us. We owe our whole life To' I-lim. Wherefore, beloved, seeing ThaT ye look for such Things, be diligenf ThaT ye may be found of him in peace, wiThouT spoT, and blameless. ll PeTer 3:I4. I -Norman Reinford . i FELLOWSHIP As This word comes To our mind's eye, iT immediafely leaves a warm cosy feeling in our hearTs as we Think of some of The rich experiences we have had wiTh fellow Chris- Tians in The pasT. We may Think of a special Time when God spoke To us aT a service, which changed The course of our lives. Also, There may have been Times when we meT in small groups, wiTh special prayer concerns. Through which we were richly blessed. Again as we consider This word, we realize ThaT iT is derived from The words fellows in The same ship. Thinking Then of fellows in The same ship, we know ThaT They are headed for The same shore. ln case of a sTorm, They will all work TogeTher To reach ThaT shore safely. If The ship begins'To fill wiTh wafer, They will all faifhfully dip ouT The wafer, in order To avoid disasfer in The midsT of The sea. .This should Teach us a vivid spirifual lesson on Chrisfian Fellowship. As The Sforms of Life are raging, we encourage one anofher To con- Tinue in The sfruggles ThaT none mighT sink beneafh The waves. , , ln a more posiTive way, I-leb. I0:25 ad- monishes us noT To forsake The assembling of ourselves TogeTher as The manner of some is. buT exhorfing one anoTher. Whaf kind of ex- horTaTion do we receive in our assemblies? Heb. lO:24 has The answer, LeT us consider one anofher To provoke one anofher unTo love and good works. Before you wenT To a service. did you ever feel as Though somefhing was wrong, or ThaT perhaps you had cooled in your Chrisfian experience? Then during The service you received whaT you needed as a sTimulanT To provoke you To confinuein love, working for The masfer? I We also believe ThaT sinners have fellow- ship when They geT TogeTher, because They have common inTeresTs. They likewise enjoy one anoTher's company in fulfillingfheir lusTful desires. Paul, in Eph. 5:l I, Tells us as ChrisTians To have no fellowshi wiTh The unfruifful works of darkness, buT raflier reprove Them. ,-Clarence E. lvlarfin GREAT NEED or THE cl-lunci-I WiThouT any doubT we believe The greaTesT need of The Church Today is a company of separafed sainfs of God who will refuse To be swayed by The world's program or,iThe visible Church's aposfacy. No greafer blighf has ever beseT The Church of Jesus Chrisf Than The blighT of compromise and conformify To The world and iTs program. , , We are a redeemed people, a peculiar people, and an holy nafion. We are To shine as lighTs in The world and firmly refuse To bow before The gods of compromise and worldly sfandards. The line of difference befween The Church and The world has almosT been wiped ouT, and Those few of Chrisfls followers who dare To be differenf and refuse To go along wiTh The crowd are so small in number ThaT They are looked upon as odd and peculiar, and even fanafical and narrow-minded. IT does cosT somefhing To be differenf and separafe, buf iT is The only way which leads To'The highesT reward. The whole Bible pleads for a life and walk of separafion among believers. Wherefore come ouT from Them, and be ye separafe, saiTh The Lord, and Touch noT un- clean Things: and l will receive ou, and will be a Fafher unTo you, and ye shall be my sons and daughTers, saiTh The Lord AlmighTy. II Cor. 6:I7-l8.' A -LesTer Shirk 6