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8:00 L 9:00
REGULAR SCHEDULE
0:00 (D)
1 1:00-1 1:40
1:00 (E)
1 1:50-12:30
2:00 (G)
12:fO- 1:20
1:00 (H)
1:30- 2:10
2:00 (J)
2:20- 3:00
3:00 (K)
3:10- 3:50
4:00
4:00- 4:40
Attendance slips will be taken each
meeting. Take your General Studies
cuts some other time and attend these
services; they will be worth the time.
Students will have many
opportunities to get together with Dr.
Hayner. He will be having lunch in the
cafeteria. There will also be a sign-up
sheet in Dr. Theilman's office for
individual counseling and Dr. Hayner
will be Interested in any problems that
students may choose to discuss. He
will also be available for small group
talks.
We should all be looking forward to
the Staley Lectures. They can be a real
source of spiritual encouragement. Let
us all be in prayer for those Involved;
Dr. Hayner, and the student body, that
the Holy Spirit might speak to us.
BRYAN SMITH
Filling the Empty Void
There seem to be many
controversial arguments on the part of
Christians in today's world. Let's focus
in on oni- of the most serious conditions
STEPHANIE SCHAEFER
When home for Thanksgiving Break, I
felt Inclined to write what had been on
my mind. I’d like to share it with you
now, please forgive the procrastination.
As Christmas came upon us, I
couldn’t help but notice the selfishness
of our society. At the mall, the day
after Thanksgiving, people are bustling
around, paying an arm and a leg for
something not worth that at all, kids
pulling on Mommy's shirt, "Mommy! I
want this, I want that, I want ....” The
junior higher's in their brand names
walking around, checking out the stores
to tell their parents where to get what
they want, etc. It gets hard to see
through all the hub-bub of the season,
and notice that people really are
searching for fulfillment. And what do
we Christians do? in the play
"Catacombs", Captain Slater exclaims,
"You are your own worst enemy when
you’re not persecuted!". It seems
believable. Do Christians in America
know anything about true persecution?
It is true that we are blessed to live in
a free nation— but are we as willing to
die for Christ as those Christians
behind the Iron Curtain are? No, I think
not. We're too busy picking out the
clothes we plan to wear tomorrow,
taping our favorite soap opera on the
VCR and driving our cars that are worth
more than many nice houses.
Somewhere I heard a story about some-
Christians in Sweden who made a cross
on the street one Easter. Later that day
the police came and arrested all of
them; and they were executed, I believe.
We Christians in America surely have
the right to do that without the risk of
arrest- but do we even take a stand for
our convictions? Do we have any
convictions? Or do we spend most of
our time worrying about material
things-- that in the end will be worth
nothing? Of course, I am guilty of all
my accusations, but I can't help but
think of how selfish we all are. As
Christians we are to model our lives
after Jesus Christ— a completely
selfless man. Jesus was a man without
one stain of sin in his whole life, yet
he completely looked past his
righteousness and took on our
uncountable stains of sin and died so
that we could be clean. And he didn't do
it because his dad was forcing him-- he
did it because he wanted to— be,cause
he loves us. I challenge every Chrtgtlan
who reads this to take the time to
re-evaluate your walk with Jesus. Are
you ready to die for Jesus Christ? No,
it's not required of you— but Jesus was
willing to do it for you. Isn't that
reason enough? Why don't we make this
year the beginning of a truly holy and
selfless life to glorify our King? it
won't be easy because we are human—
and American— but It will be fulfilling.
And isn't that what everybody is
looking for anyway?
TBIVIHL POBSDIT
HOW MANY MEMBERS
OF THE FACULTY OR
STAFF ARE CURRENTLY
REGISTERED AS
STUDENTS AT M-AC?^^
»PRIZE TO BE ANNOUNCED.
REPORT TO EDITOR
of the church today, which is hedonism.
Does seeking after pleasures mean that
one is lukewarm, worldly, or maybe not
even a real Christian? Realistically, I
think the answer is yes and no.
Contrary to worldly belief, being a
Christian doesn't mean the forfeiting of
all real pleasures. Realistically, only
sinful pleasures are forbidden by God.
True and full acceptance of Christ will
cause you to be devoted to following
God's will, which draws you to the
source of the only true pleasure, which
is fellowship with Christ. Those not
born of God will never understand this
principle, but those who have
experienced a daily fellowship with
Christ can understand this which
surpasses all worldly activities. In
Psalm 84:11 God says, "No good thing
does He withhold from those whose
walk is blameless." Paul says in I
Timothy 6:17, "God richly provides us
wlt;ji everything for our enjoyment."
The problem exists, such as that in
Noah's days, that people become so
preoccupied with these activities of
pleasing themselves that they neglect
the spiritual dimension of life (Luke
17:26). The same problem is prevalent
today as people become absorbed into
the things of this life, they rob God of
His time in their life.
The Christian ideal doesn't demand
that one must renounce all interest in
the affairs of this life, but rather seek
the guidance of Christ as we keep both
our laboring and ambitions in
subordination to the Lord.
The Christian's profession of faith
is found in many ways, such as the
things we say and do not say, the things
we do and do not do. The Christian
faith is not based on externals, yet it is
expressed in conversation, habits,
activities, emphasis, and ambitions
lived out in our everyday lives. Does
your conversation honor Christ? Are
your habits approved by Him? Can
Christ's presence be a part of our
activities? Can people recognize from
the emphasis we place on material
things that our affections are on things
above or attached to this world? Are
our ambitions in accordance to the
Christian life or against it? We should
ask ourselves these questions honestly.
How then can our lives reflect the
gospel? First, we must recognize that
we are not of this world, but we are in
the world as salt goes into food. We
are not of the same substance,
therefore, we are not associated with
the world, but rather, we "add a
pleasing taste to it." Thus, we do not
hold to it's principles or human
traditions, but rather set our hearts
and minds on the things above which
are far more important and everlasting
(Col. 3:Iff).
Our obligation to each other as
Christians is clearly taught in the
scriptures. I Timothy 4:12 says, "Set
an example for the believers in word,
conversation, in love, in faith, and in
purity." This isn't a suggestion, it's a
command, not a recommendation, but an
obligation to be model Christians. We
are an example to those whom we have
fellowship or mutual association with,
We do not shut ourselves off from the
world, rather we go into the world just
as Christ went to sinners in order to
minister to their needs, and to preach
and teach the gospel. His purpose was
for sinners to come into fellowhlp with
the "Living God," not to partake of what
the world had to offer,
The Bible clearly teaches that the
world'ls constantly trying to victimize
Christians with it's principles; to rob
them of the freedom found in Christ.
The world conveys to us the message
that meaning in life comes from what
you can obtain and what you do, but the
writer of Ecclesiastes rips this view
apart saying that everything is
maningless except the worship of God
and the keeping of His commands, which
is the duty of man.
Fellowship with God and the
praises we give to Him are the only
true pleasures in life. Only these can
fulfill God's desire for us, and only in
these can we find true peace and
contentment. Otherwise, we would be
left empty and longing for more.
In Matthew 6 and Luke 12, the
words of Jesus tell us not to worry
about satisfying our needs but to seek
Him and His righteousness and through
this He will supply our every need—
that includes the satisfaction of our
souls. That's real pleasure. Think
about it.