r, _ ■■ ■■■■■■*
» Hter* are many variations in the translation of the great verse Ro
'*■ ®'ans 8i28. However, in all of them there is one word that remains
~ ™n'tantly pr®**nt-the word. KNOW. It is a statement of common
Christian agreement which Paul affirms with verve and gladness. It
HT Hflt something that might be or could be or is expected to be. It is
* what Christians are sine is a fact.
L. How do we know that all things fall into a pattern for good for
r* *hose who love Him? Hus is what Paul seeks to develop in the text.
But it may also be said that Paul could see this from his own life. His
encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road, his blindness, his years
in the Arabian desert, his tent-making,his sufferings, hiB friendships,
his meeting of opposition—all had been “working out“ for good to him
and the work of His Lord.
Can we say the same from our own experience? How many dark
things had bright sides to them, how many difficult days we look
T hack on as formative of some of our best work.
its
• •
*: THE LESSON
*■ ^now ^at >n things God works for good with those who
• • love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. Those
.• whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his
• • Son, so that the Son would be the first among many brothers. And so
. those whom God set apart he called; and those he called, he put right
.. with himself, andhe shared his glory with them. In view of all of this,
,, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? Certainly,
; not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for
;, us all! He gave us his Son-will he not also freely give us all things?
I: wll accuse God s chosen people? God himself declares them not -
- guilty! Who, then will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or
rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading
with him for us! Who, then, can separate us from th* love of Christ?
Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty, or
... danger or death?—No, in all these things we have complete victory
£ through him who loved us!-Romans 8:28-37
~ UCKl rias been shown to be for us, not only now but from eternity, or
.V fro™ that moment wben our decision to freely accept the offer of Je
* bus' redemption was foreseen. God is not a stern, unbiased, inflexible
* autocrat, but a loving Father who Is "on our side! who is most desir
2 ®UB bleBain8 UB arid who proposes to grant us unimaginable splen
- ■ dor and glory if we just keep on doing His will.
Who, then, can effectively overcome us as long as our Lord is with
"■ UB w^b Ml* mighty power? To the extent that our resources in God
become apparent to us, by faith, the oppositions and obstacles so ap
parent to sight become less ominous and overpowering.
• Many of the troubles Paul mentions can separate us from much
“ tbat blesses and benefits life. Various troubles can cause us anxiety
J and tension. Persecution can sever us from family ties and, perhaps,
even from our homes and country. Famine can cut ofT normal nutri
tion and harm our health. Nakedness might take away our outward
2 respectability or tokens of worth among men. The sword of execu
tion may threaten our death, or that of those we love dearly. Yet,
none of these things can take from us our Savior's love. His love is
unceasing, always available in good times and bad.
m Paul asserts that not only can we surviveqr bear the mftny adverse -
realities he has been describing, but that we can be victorious in the
'^idBt of to*®- In all these we achieve a great conquest. To be more
than conquerors means to experience joy, exuberance, and power.
Christians can know this in the face of every obstacle.
While there may be trials and problems , even loneliness and death
f?r 8°me °f K* followers, the Lord's presence, power and compas
sionate companionship will never leave them. God's love surrounds
us, it sustains us, it buoys us up in deep and troubled waters, and it
- shields us in every confrontation.
... >-—-^a-, _
Smith To Host
Youth Ministry
Throughout the summer John
son C. Smith University has been
the site for youth programs. Up
ward Bound, AACT Theatre
Camp and the National Youth
Sports Program were a few of the
outstanding events er\joyed this
year by kids 5 to 17 years of age.
Later this summer, July 30
through August 2, 1987
H youngsters from Puerto Rico to
Maine will come to Johnson C.
Smith for the Eastern Regional
Presbyterian Youth Ministry. Oth
er similar events for Presbyterian
youth will be held at Lake Forest
College, Lake Forest, Illinois, and
at Snow Mountain Ranch Gram
by, Colorado.
Organizers of the Eastern Re
gional Presbyterian Youth mini
stry say Charlotte, with Johnson
C. Smith, is the ideal location for
this year's program because of its
central location along the Eastern
Seaboard, and because of its
wealth of Presbyterian history. In
fact Johnson C. Smith shares a
prominent part of that story too.
JCSU, as an independent, pri
vate college, was founded under
the auspices of the Committee on
Freedmen of the Presbyterian
Church, U.S.A. The original pur
pose of the Historically Black Col
lege was to provide an institution
of training of men for the ministry,
for catechist) and for teachers.
Johnson C. Smith's role has ex
panded since those early years
and now offers varied fields of
study for everyone. So, when
youngster^ from many states ar
rive nere to develop leadership
skills and be introduced to direc
tions and guidelines for youth
ministry, they can feel right at
home on the JCSU campus which
has played a significant role in the
Presbyterian Church.
For more information contact
the Catawba Administrative Unit
at 372-9360.
Take A Bite ]
of the Black Press!
■ ^ ..
tr&e Charlotte ?to0t
Subscribe Now!
CaU 376-0496
i Or Send Your Reply Card
$17.85 Yr.
$15.75 Sr. Citizens
✓ • I
» __
[when f
i:THE ■
i TIME “
\,S I*
l RIGHT, |
I SUCH #'
IS *i
\ THE #’
\ i RIGHT {
TIME !
TO !
SUBSCRIBE
■ ITO
THE *
POST •
v. I
2k r '
-a*-—■ :
WE PAY
CASH
FOR GLASS
BOTTLES JARS
ESr
iJxsxzy
,n reasonably clean glass
containers to:
* * ’ '* ■ ■ * *i S
Dr. Paula Newsome
Optometrist
1028gy gliggg^Su,te B
r^OUCANLOOK-1
SENSATIONAL, TOO I ||
@E' .jo
-0W PRICES ' *
USDA CHOICE GRAIN FED
BEEF 9-11 LB. AVG. WGT.
WHOLE UNTRIMMED .
Boneless/
f Sirloin Tip
s*39
WEEKLY SPECIAL SLICEP F"EE
USDA GOV T
INSPECTED
Genuine
Ground Chuck
KROGER GRADE A
BROWN-Do*. 59°
BONUS
BUY
HOLLY FARMS CUT UP
MIXED FRYER PARTS
OR GRADE A’
\ Whole
j Fryers
I WEEKLY
SPECIAL
KROGER
Orange
Juice
i
NEVER FROZEN
Fresh Ocean
Perch Fillets
ASSORTED
Ruffles
or Lays
REGULAR, DIET, CHERRY,
CAFFEINE FREE OR
Coke
Classic
WEEKLY
SPECIAL
JUMBO
Sweet
Nectarines
58"
REGULAR OR
Coors
Light
r’ —_
FRESH, CRISP
CALIFORNIA
Head
Lettuce
. 58°
ASSORTED VARIETIES
PREMIUM
Gallo
Wines
I
I
LORRAINE
Swiss
Cheese
" -—-Ji