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

Page 14 text:

THE FULLNESS GF THE SPIRIT Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Acts 1912. If you are a born again Christian, the Q11- swer to this question is yes. Every Christian at the time of his conversion receives the Holy Spirit, as He comes to indwell and empower him for service. Some people, be- cause of a lack of maturity, fall prey to the erroneous teach-ing of a refilling of the Holy Spirit. The greater evidence of His presence and power that follow conv-ersion, sooner or later, is not the gift of the Holy Spirit, the receiving of the Holy Spirit, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but simply a fuller awareness of His presence within as we submit to Him in fuller consecration. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to form the Church, the mystic body of Chirst. On that great day all that were present were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, as each of us today meets God's conditions for salvation, this same Holy Spirit comes to dwell with us and in us. Many individuals have a problem accepting this fact, and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill them, not fully realizing He has -already come at the time of conversion. However, what is needed no-w is a full yieldedness on their part so that they can better recognize His presence and working within their lives. Many are far more willing to wait on God for a blessing than to m-ake the surrender that will bring the blessing, Dear Reader, can you say? I thank the Lord for giving The Spirit of His Grace That I may serve Him living And dying reach the place. -MERLIN C. BENDER BEWARE OF DESPONDENCY . Many people have taken the-ir first step into unbelief by succumbing to discourage- ment and despondency. It is a disease that must be carefully diagnosed and remedied by the Christian. Elijah, the great, fiery prophet, went down in defeat after his great victory on Mt. Car- mel. He withdrew himself into the wilder- ness and despaired of life. One cause of despondency is loneliness. It is .hard t-o carry on -a difficult conflict alone. But God told Elijah he was not alone. God is giving us the same message today. 11 Another cause is a feeling of want of suc- cess. Elijah felt defeated, even in view of the gre-at victories he had won. We should always set up our victories as milestones in life. When we become discouraged, we can direct our attention to what God has done for us in the past. God has a way of delivering us from de- spondency if we give Him the opportunity. He reveals His divine presence and power to us through the still small voice. These words of rebuke and encouragement will heal the wounded broken spirit and restore us to a higher plan of victorious Christian living. -EBY BURKHOLDER DILIGENCE After th-e children of Israel had spent forty years wandering in the wilderness, they fin- ally came again to Canaan, approaching this time from the east side of the Jordan. They had been continually reminded that their in- heritence was beyond', Jordan. However, over 100,000 of them fthe tribes of Reuben, Gad and one-half of Manassehj had gone far enough to be satisfied. They asked Joshua for their inheritance to be granted on this,' side of Jordan. They were allow-ing their natural interests to keep them below the level of divinely appointed living. They were sacrificing spiritual diligence so that their natural diligence could be realized. God expects us to exercise diligence in the natural are-as of life. W.hatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. How- ever, He expects spiritual diligence to be given priority over the natural. Be diligent that ye may be found in Him , and look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God. We are instructed to give ALL DILIGENCE to make sure our faith is a growing faith, adding to it the other Christian graces. CII Peter 1:5-71. In verse 10 of this same chapter we are exhorted to give dilig- ence to make our calling and election sure. God has a Canaan land, a place of rich spiritual blessing, to which He desires to lead us. Let us not frustrate', His plans by tell- ing Him we are satisfied where we presently are. Recognizing God as a Rewarder of them that 'fdiligently seek Him , may we move on toward spiritual perfection. -HARRY M. ERB

Page 13 text:

TRUE TO PROFESSION Remaining true to profession has been a problem for mankind from the beginning of time. Already Adam and Eve tried to hide from Godls presence because they failed to be true to their profession. I.t is quite evi- dent that the human race has this same tendency today. Man often yields to that which is pleasing to self, rather than respond to the true purpose of our creation. God, through Isaiah, asked Israel why they offer their sacrifices and offerings without firs-t cleansing their lives. Their sacrifices and offerings were bu-t vain because it was pure formalism. Israel was many times not true to her pro- fession. Romans 1:21, 22, Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as -God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. In Luke 6:46, Jesus said, Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Jesus knew they were not true to their profession. May God help us to live True -to our profession as we .have it based on the Word o-f God. -EDWIN H. GEHMAN SPIRITUAL VISION There is a direct and constant relationship between the Christian's walk and his sight. When the Apostle Paul said that we walk by faith, not by sight, he did not imply that faith is blind. Rather, through the Word, faith sees a definite path to follow for today, so that some day we may be pre-sent with the Lord. Spiritual vision is introspective, it keeps an eye on self, honestly seeking to see as God sees. As a result there are times when we need to she-d the penitential tearf' Down through th-e years many people have enter- tained a false hope because of poor vision in this area. In order to walk circumspectly, we need to give cautious attention to all fronts. It is foolish to think that ignoring problems will cause them to go away. The enemy 1S busy on -every hand in these evil days. There- fore, we must face the issues and problems whenever and wherever they may arise, ICSY Satan should get' the advantage of us. u True spiritual vision is also retrospective, it l-ooks back occasionally, not wishing we had never started the Christian life, but rather reviewing and thinking on the blessings and mercies of God in the past. This kind of vision helps us to again rely on Him for strength and go on in faith today. It also helps us to see where we might have walked differently. Finally, spiritual vision is prospective, it looks forward and upward. It is certainly refreshing and encouraging when by faith we take a view of brighter scenes in heaven. John tells us that the prospective view should cause one to purify himself in preparation for Christ's return. Friend, how is your spiritual vision? -STANLEY WINE I WILL VOW AND PAY To make a vow before God is a very ser- ious matter. The scripture says that it is better no-t to vow than to vow and not pay. The vow is a voluntary privilege that the Lord has given us which brings with it gre-at blessings. A commitment to God in the presence of witnesses is so sacred that the person who tampers with and lightly esteems it, is in God's sight, classified among the foolish. A scriptural vow is .a promise made in the interest of salvation, whether it be for our- selves or for someone else. It is a desire to be delivered from this present evil world and to be sustained and preserved unto the eternal kingdom. It is a commitment that is willing to sacrifice personal interests and comforts for the benefit of a deeper spiritual experience which is of greater usefulness in the kingdom of God. The Old Testament example of the Nazar- ite vow is a type of our baptismal vow which is marked by three basic facts, self-denial, visible profession and personal purity. We are witnessing in our day a slackness in the paying of vows, in home life and in church life. There is not only -a blessing lost, but there will be a reaping of co-nse- quences for that which God calls sin. f'I will pay my vows now unto the Lord in the presence of all His peoplef' Psalm 116:14 and 18. -DANIEL N. KRAYBILL 10

Page 15 text:

DESTINATION One of the most neglected and misrepre- sented concepts -of life is the doctrine of d-estination. Indeed sobering is the fact that God in His foreknowledge has predetermined our eternal destiny. Many individuals fail to realize that by evading this eternal reality and by unbelief in the origin, inspiration, con- tent and autho-rity of the scriptures, they will bring the wrath of the Almighty upon them- selves for all eternity. One stands in awe and bows in adoration at the marvel o-f all time, redemption from sin through grace in Christ Jesus. The foundation of this plan was laid in eternity past. The form of it was framed in the law. The fashion -of this plan was revealed through the incarnation, and the faith that it pro- duces is radiated in the life of those who have embrac-ed it. The comprehensive tru-th that is unveiled to mortals through this -everlasting covenant is that which al-one will be fully unveiled when mortality is swallowed up of life. II Corinthians 5:4. I would to God that every life would be wholly yielded to God's unchanging truths, and that by entrance through the strait gate and continuance in the narrow way, he may run his course unto life eternal. Matthew 7:13, 14. -JAMES C. EHST CREATURES OF DEVELOPMENT You are not today what you were yes- terday. Neither can you be tomorrow what you are today. From the learning of the first word to the losing of the last tooth, the proofs of the above statement abound. Yet the principle reaches farther than your physical body. More important, it governs your spiritual being. With man being created a free moral agent, the potential of this truth is seen in its two basic products. Romans I speaks of a group of peo-ple who had fallen to the depths of corruption, I Peter 2 -refers to a group of people who had risen to the heaven- liesg a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. Note however that the lives of both classes were launched from the same port. It was the direction of development that accounted for the vast difference in the end product. 0 The direction in which you are develop- ing is determined by one basic factor, name- ly, the Gtgjod which you are serving. You are becoming like your Gtglod. If you are walking in the lusts of the flesh, your life is destined to become more and more sensual. If you are serving the lust of the eye, you must of necessity become filled with a grow- mg greed. If you worship the pride of life, your lot is to become evermore haughty. How blessed that the Christian can become like his God, too. Listen to the promised course of the Christianls development. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even gslbgyg the Spirit of the Lordf' CII Corinthians What are you today? More important, what will you be tomorrow? -LESTER WEAVER Life is Measured by the Dimensions that Count for Time and Eternity. WHERE ARE THE NINE? I believe it was with disappointment in His voice that Jesus asked, Where are the nine? After the cleansing they had received in answer to their request for mercy, they should have been very thankful. Instead we see the natural tendency of human nature. In addition to robbing God, they deprived themselves of a blessing. Certainly we would not have been so un- thankful for so great a blessing. We would all claim we are like the one, and not like the nine, but are we? Maybe we want to divide our life instead, giving some to God and keeping some for self. God has forgiven and cleansed us from sin. He also would desire to pour out His bless- ings upon us if we would stop to praise and honor Him. Some blessings we could list are assurance and encouragement through Bible reading, answered prayer, and fellowship with the saints. As we arise and go our way, may our faith direct our lives in a way that pleases God as Jesus said of that one. -PAUL S. BRUBACHER 12