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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12188-0.txt b/12188-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc4fe00 --- /dev/null +++ b/12188-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1157 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12188 *** + +The Key to Peace + +By A. Marie Miles + +[Illustration] + +"Great peace have they which love +thy law: and nothing shall offend them.' + + + + +Preface + +One day, in a very brief conversation, my grandson asked me a question. +I did not get to talk with him much, so later I felt really inspired to +write some things which were upon my heart, that his question had +prompted. Of course I have gone into more detail than he would have had +to know, but felt it was good to stir up thoughts of what he did know. + +After I gave it to him to read, I remarked that I might print it some +day and hoped that it would be a help to someone else. He returned it to +me and I am sending it forth with a prayer that these Bible truths will +be a help to some soul. + +At this writing, I am 64 years of age and I feel I am living on borrowed +time. In 1973, it seemed that the Lord was going to take me, but He +healed me and I am doing all I can for the Lord. I recommend the Lord to +every soul. He has been precious to me down through my life, with many +blessings in the times of trouble and heartache. + +--Sis. A. Marie Miles May, 1978 + + + + +*The Key to Peace* + + +_God's Word is the key to satisfy + The heart's inner longings_. + +Dear Grandson: + +You asked a valid question when you asked, "How do we know what is right +and what is wrong?" I told you that we find the answer in the Bible as +to what is right and what is wrong. + +You then said, "But the Bible is a big book. Where can you find where it +says a certain thing is right or wrong?" Again, that is a very valid +question. I know that the Bible is a big book. I trust that the +following will help you. + +First, I want to say that I deeply appreciate the fact that you are +interested in knowing what is wrong and right, and knowing upon what +basis to place your own personal understanding. This will help you find +the key to peace in your soul. Each of us is individually responsible to +God. The Bible says, "For there is no respect of persons with God." Rom. +2:11. "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus +Christ according to my gospel." Rom. 2:16. "Who [or God] will render to +every man according to his deeds." Rom. 2:6. You can see we must know +how to live in this world, according to the plan of God, to be cleared +before the great Judge in that last day, when all men shall stand before +Him. + +When I first opened my Bible to type the above Scriptures I saw this +Scripture that I had underlined in my Bible, which at one time impressed +me greatly. I feel that it must be for you too, as the Psalmist had a +desire like yours, so in his prayer he said, "Teach me, O Lord, the way +of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me +understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my +whole heart." Psalms 119:33,34. Then I always liked the verse above +these verses, which I also have marked, and have quoted many times to +others. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against +thee." (verse 11). So we do need to desire to know what is right and +what is wrong, seek after understanding, and it will be given to us. +After we know and understand, we want to remember to obey God's Word. + +There is no book like the Bible. When I speak of the Bible I definitely +refer to the King James Version. Today, there are many versions of the +Bible, and the devil is using this to confuse people, and cause them to +lose faith in God's Word. I personally can say, that I have searched out +the King James Version of the Bible, have obeyed it, and I have found a +deep, sweet peace in my soul. By obeying it, I found contact with God +which makes me know it is true. Your great-grandfather (Fred Pruitt) +preached from it, lived by it, and saw many others saved from their +sins, who lived and died by it, with victory over sin and the devil. Oh, +yes, it does bring joy to a person and fulfills that deep longing in +every person for peace and satisfaction in this life! + +In studying the Bible, we find a Unity of Thought which makes us know +that One Mind inspired the writing and arrangement of all the books. +Truly it is THE WORD OF GOD! It is different from any other book in the +world. It is a divine book and not just a human book. We reject, with +abhorrence, that it is like other books. The Bible is an account of +God's efforts to reveal Himself to mankind. It is a record of His +dealings with man and His revealed will concerning him. The Bible is for +instruction and guidance in all the ways of life. From all the facts +that the Apostle Paul gathered he said, "All Scripture is given by +inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for +correction, for instruction in righteousness." II Tim. 3:16. Thus we +find it to be true. + +The special messengers of God, by whom the Bible has been written, were +given the power of performing miracles, by which their inspiration was +attested and their messages made authoritative; but the "more sure word +of PROPHECY" (2nd Peter 1:19) furnished the greatest external proof of +its inspiration. To this, more than to anything else, Christ and the +apostles made their constant appeal. Matthew, narrating the deeds of the +Saviour, gives us the standing phrase, "that it might be fulfilled which +was spoken by the prophets" while Peter affirms, in words unmistakable, +that the "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." +II Peter 1:21. + +Christ is the center and heart of the whole Bible. The Old Bible or +Testament is an account of a Nation. The New Testament is an account of +a Man, who is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament foretold Christ's coming +and founded and nurtured a nation by God to bring Christ into the world. +There is no book like the Bible. + +The poet has said, + +"O precious Bible! burning words from heaven, + We'll ever cherish thee in our heart, +Sweet is the counsel by thy pages given' + On life's dark ocean, our only chart. +O precious volume! only in thy pages + We read the duty of all our race; +Only thy sunbeams, shining through the ages, + Reveal the wonders of saving grace." + +Oh, my grandson, it is a glorious thing to understand what God requires +of us and to live by it! To accept Christ as our Saviour, Lord, and +Master, to strive sincerely and devotedly to follow in the path that He +has mapped out for us in this life, is the most wonderful, the most +reasonable, and the most satisfactory way to live. It means peace in our +hearts, peace of mind, contentment, happiness, hope, and an assurance of +a life beyond the grave that shall never end. What a glorious plan God +has made for all who will love and serve Him with all of their hearts! + +Oh, how sad to see so many go through life and face death without a hope +of living in heaven with God forever in the end of time! How can anyone +be so ignorant or be filled with such a lack of wisdom! It is beyond me. +We all have to die, which is a proven fact. What then! Why try to get +around it? It seems that every person should open his heart and mind to +the Word of God and accept Christ with an open mind and consider it the +greatest privilege in this world to live for Christ, the Creator of all +mankind. We should be like Job of old who said, "I have esteemed the +words of his mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12. + +Many times we read in the New Testament that "it came to pass." The +prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled. Read the 53rd chapter of +Isaiah and he describes Christ's crucifixion and atonement work with +such accuracy of detail that the inspiration of the prophet is assured. +He wrote this 712 years before Christ was born. He only had from the +prophets before him the fact that God had told them that God was going +to send a Messiah. So only God could inspire Him to write in such detail +about his sufferings and death. Oh, there are so many proofs that the +Bible is true! Jesus spoke about the Old Testament, "For had ye +believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye +*believe not* his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John 5:46, +47. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. He wrote things that +were told to him from the beginning. It all harmonizes with the rest of +the Bible. The early people were careful to keep accounts and told them +to their children. They were written when writing was available (or +began). + + +What Is Sin? + +When I was a child and teen-ager, I was taught by my parents what the +Bible said was right and what was wrong. Many other doctrines in the +Bible were taught to me. I read them in the Bible, believed them, lived +by them, and was blessed in my soul and life. There came a time in my +life that I began to desire for God to teach me personally what was +right and what was wrong. I never doubted that the Bible was true but I +wanted to say that I believe this or that because God's Word says so. I +began to search things out in the Bible. I believe God wants each of us +to have this firm foundation to stand upon. So my dear grandson, you are +not different from your grandmother. When I finished my search I was +glad that I could say I believed this or that because it says in the +Bible thus and so. I didn't believe it because someone else said it, but +because God had said it. This is the way I want you to know it. + +There is one thing that I had when I began my search, that was the Holy +Spirit as my teacher. The Bible tells us definitely that "the natural +man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are +foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are +spiritually discerned." I Cor. 2:14. Since the Bible was written by +"holy men of God" who "spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" and +it is not "of any private interpretation," then we need to have the Holy +Spirit to reveal, or help us to understand all of the Word of God. (II +Peter 1:20,21). Yet there are a lot of the basics that we can know. I do +hope that you will understand what I write to you by the help of the +Holy Spirit. + +First, let us know what sin is. In other words that would be what is +wrong. When we find out what is wrong then we can know what is right. +Sin means "Willfully breaking religious or moral law." (Web. Dic.) The +Bible also gives us the definition of sin. In I John 3:4 it says, +"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth [or breaks] the law [of God]; +for sin is the transgression [or disobedience] of the [God's] law." Then +in James 4:17 we read, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and +doeth it not, to him it is sin." We see that sin is either a direct +disobedience of God's Word or a willful failure to live by its +requirements. It is a serious thing to disobey God's law because it +involves the destiny or end of our soul. It means living in either +eternal torment or eternal bliss. To commit sin is a terrible thing and +a very serious thing. That is the reason we need to search the +Scriptures to find out how to live pleasing to the Lord in this world. +We can't do this within ourselves. God had a plan for us by sending +Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our salvation, so through Christ we +can live right. + +If sin is disobeying God's Word then we must find out what it says in +the Word of God so we can live up to it. First we want to find out why +we sin, and then get rid of the cause. + +You, of course, know what the Bible tells us about Adam and Eve in the +beginning and how they obeyed the devil who talked to them through the +serpent. He got Eve to disobey the only commandment that God had given +them. She ate of the fruit, which was forbidden, and gave to Adam and he +did eat. (Gen. 3rd chapter). They no longer could talk to God as before, +but hid themselves. Sin separates us from God. God called to them and +said, "Where art thou?" They said, "We hid ourselves because we were +naked." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the +tree whereof I commanded you not to eat?" Of course, we realize that +because of sin, they knew they were naked. Before they had sinned, they +didn't think anything about their nakedness. But after they sinned they +made themselves clothes of fig leaves. No doubt they thought quickly of +something or they would have chosen something more substantial than +leaves. The leaves would soon dry and crack, but they were so ashamed of +their nakedness because of their sin. Not only did they need a covering +for their bodies but they also needed a covering for their souls. God +can't look upon sin with any pleasure. Sin will cause us to be cast out +of His presence. But oh, the Lord is so very merciful and He told Adam +and Eve that He had a plan for them, so their sins could be covered as +well as their bodies. + +In Genesis 3:15 we read that God promised a Saviour. God spoke to the +devil, who had spoken through the serpent, and said, "I will put enmity +[or warfare] between thee [the devil] and the woman, and between thy +seed [Satan and his servants] and her seed [Christ and His followers]; +it [Christ] shall bruise thy head [Jesus broke or crushed Satan's +power], and thou [Satan] shalt bruise his heel." In other words we find +a promise in this Scripture of Jesus being born. Jesus was the seed of +the woman. In Luke 1:31-35 we read how the angel told Mary that she +would have a child even though she was a virgin. God would be the father +of this child. The angel said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and +... that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son +of God." Through Christ, sin could be conquered because He was the Son +of God, and not from the seed of man, yet He was called the Son of man +because He took upon Him flesh or the nature of man. + +The seed of Satan are those who have yielded themselves to him and are +his servants. Jesus said to some who opposed Him, "Ye are of your father +the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8:44. So we +note that the warfare would be between the seed of Satan and his +servants and the seed of the woman, or Jesus Christ and His followers. +Now who will conquer? God said that "her seed, it shall bruise thy +head." Jesus Christ would crush or break the power of Satan over mankind +and men would be able to become sons of God. Isa. 53:5 tells us that +Jesus "was bruised for our iniquities [or sins]." Praise God for Jesus +who conquered the enemy of our soul! + +We have established the fact that sin displeases God. He punished Adam +and Eve and put them out of the garden, yet He gave them a promise of a +Saviour to come. It was over 4000 years before Jesus came. During this +time they offered a Lamb, which was a type of Jesus, as a sacrifice for +their sins. Today Jesus is our Saviour. + +Let us note that in the 21st verse in Gen. 3, God killed an animal and +made Adam and Eve "coats of skin" to wear. It says that God "clothed +them." _Clothed_ means "to cover." Here we find that it is a command for +us to wear clothing. Paul in the New Testament tells us to dress in +modest apparel. (I Tim. 2:9). In other words we are to be clothed. It is +still a sin to go without decent clothing today as it was in the Garden +of Eden. + +Now one thing that God showed me in my search, was that because Adam and +Eve sinned, that sin passed down upon all the human race. Adam was +created holy and pure but when he sinned, he lost that purity. When he +had a son, the Bible tells us that his son was "after his [Adam's] +image" or had the principle of sin within him. (Gen. 5:3). The Apostle +Paul tells us "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and +death [spiritual death] by sin; and so death [or spiritual separation +from God] passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12. +We see that every child who is born has that sin principle within him. +"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive +me." Psa. 51:5. Then we read in the Bible in another place where it +says, "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as +they be born, speaking lies." Psa. 58:3. Thus the Bible explains that +children are born with a bent, or inclination, toward sin, but if they +die without first coming to a knowledge of sin, they are saved through +Jesus' blood. There comes a time in a child's life when he knows he has +sinned. He understands it and then he is responsible. The Apostle Paul +says, "sin is not imputed [or charged or ascribed] when there is no law +[or understanding]." Romans 5:13. + +Now you have come to the time in life when you are responsible. You know +what sin is. I remember when I realized that I had sinned. I had a big +imagination but the time came when I knew the difference between +imagining things and telling lies. The Bible says that "all liars shall +have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev. +21:8. So telling lies is wrong and is a sin, as well as many other +things that we will mention later. + + +Jesus Destroys the Works of the Devil + +When we realize that we have sinned and know that sin will keep us away +from living in eternity in the presence of God, we are filled with +sorrow. First, we do not want to be cast into the "lake of fire," nor be +with the devil and his angels as Jesus has warned. He spoke of those +being "cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where +their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:44. + +The next thing we think of is how Jesus loved us so much, He came +willingly to take the punishment for our sins. Sin had to be punished. +Man could not redeem us from our sins as all men had sinned. Jesus was +innocent and without sin. He was with God from the beginning but He was +born of woman, and took upon Himself flesh and blood. He lived here in +this world, was mistreated and finally put on the cross to die a +horrible death, although He was innocent. Why? Because He loved you and +me. "God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live +through him." I John 4:9. "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for +the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God +was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever +is born of God doth not committ sin, because he is born of God." I John +3:8,9. Through Jesus' death on the cross, sin can be forgiven and we can +come into the presence of God. + +When we realize that we have sinned and are sorry for that sin, we come +to Jesus, and with "godly sorrow" ask Him to forgive us. Jesus hears our +prayer and forgives us of our sins. By believing that He took our +punishment for our sins, in dying on the cross, we are forgiven by God, +and all is clear between us and God. Our sins are under the blood of +Jesus. In olden times, in the Old Testament, they offered a lamb, but +after Jesus came He was the Lamb who was sacrificed on the cross once +and forever for sins. John the Baptist said, when he saw Jesus, "Behold +the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. He +will take away our sins, when we confess them to Him, and in prayer, +believe that He takes them away. I surely can't forget when the Lord did +just that for me. It was wonderful to know that all was clear between +God and me. I could sleep better and it was wonderful to know that if +death overtook me I would be ready to go. + +When I realized that I needed to be sanctified, or the sin principle +needed to be cleansed out of my heart, I sought the Lord to give me the +Holy Spirit. You can't ask forgiveness for the sin that passed down upon +all men from the fall, or the sin of Adam and Eve. It has to be cleansed +out of your heart by the purging of the Holy Spirit. There are two works +in the heart. First we are saved from our volitional sins and then we +are sanctified or cleansed of that sin principle or carnal nature. Peter +speaks of some receiving the Holy Spirit and said, "purifying their +hearts by faith." God had given "them the Holy Ghost." Acts 15:8,9. Then +we can have power over all the power of the devil. The works of the +devil are destroyed out of our hearts. Praise God forever! It is a +wonderful experience. + +Oh, how we love our Lord and Saviour for all that He has done for us! +How sad we would be if He had not come to this world to take our +punishment. How thankful we are for the Holy Spirit that was promised to +us after Jesus went away. He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, or +the Comforter, could not come unless He went to the Father. (John 14). + +We read how God gave the disciples the Holy Spirit, after Jesus arose +into the skies, after His resurrection from the grave. In Acts, second +chapter, they were waiting in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came +upon them and God performed a miracle. They spoke the wonderful news and +17 or 18 different nations heard about it in their own language. It was +on the day of Pentecost when people from all of these nations had come +to the temple to worship God. Many of them believed on Jesus as the +promised Saviour, were saved from their sins, and were filled with the +Holy Spirit. It's a glorious experience and is for everyone who has been +saved from sin. + + +Sins Named + +My grandson, let us look at the Bible and see some sins that are +mentioned. + +In Galatians 5:19 we read that adultery is a sin. In verse 21 it is +clearly stated that "they that do such things shall not inherit the +kingdom of God." So there is no doubt about these sins. _Adultery_ +means, "violation of the marriage-bed." Romans 7:2,3 says "For the woman +which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he +liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her +husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another +man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she +is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be +married to another man." We know that when a couple marries, it is for +life or until one of them dies. Read Matt. 19:7,8, where Jesus reaffirms +this truth. + +_Fornication_ is the "illicit sexual intercourse of unmarried persons," +which is also adultery. This is a sin. Many today are just living +together. This is a sin and a stench in the nostrils of God. It is +terrible and so immoral, even if many today are doing it. "But +fornication, ... let it not be once named among you, as becometh +saints." Eph. 5:3. "Flee fornication.... What? know ye not that your +body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of +God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore +glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1st Cor. +6:18-20. You see our bodies are to be kept pure and clean. That means +our minds are to be clean and pure also. Sometimes the devil will bring +evil thoughts to our minds but we must not think upon them. Think pure +thoughts. + +God created our bodies and every part is for a purpose. We want to keep +our bodies free from impurities. There are urges in our body, and +sometimes a drawing to the opposite sex, but we must not let that urge +have control. We must keep our bodies under control. The Apostle Paul +tells us what he did. He said, "But I keep under my body, and bring it +into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, +I myself should be a castaway." I Cor. 9:27. Jesus also tells us "that +whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery +with her already in his heart." Matt. 5:28. We need to be very careful +of our thoughts, and where our eyes wander. Keep the right kind of +thoughts. A mother told her son when he was taking a trip, "Son, never +do anything to place your body where your soul would not be the master." +Petting and kissing among young people will lead to wrong thoughts and +lead them into traps. We need to be careful and watchful about all of +these things. "Keep thyself pure." My dear Grandson, we are in a battle +in this world against all evil. The devil wants to destroy our souls and +cause us to miss eternal life with Jesus Christ, the Lover of our souls. +The devil has many agents in the world who also help him. In the schools +today your teachers are taught how to change your thinking. They will +slowly but surely work on you day by day to do so. Beware of this. Don't +let anyone destroy your faith in God, in the Bible, nor in what it +teaches as being the Eternal Word of God. Guard this faith and live by +it. It means your eternal destiny. Whether anyone says God's Word is +true or false, it will still be true. Men's thoughts and ideas will +never change God's Word. + +The next sin is uncleanness. The dictionary says that _uncleanness_ +means "morally impure, foul, filthy, unchaste and obscene." The Bible +says, "God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." I +Thess. 4:7. This means that we are to keep ourselves pure in thought, +word, and deed. Keep a rebuke in your heart against dirty jokes and +those things that lead to impurity. The Bible says, "Unto the pure all +things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is +nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Titus +1:15. Homosexuality would come under this sin. The Bible plainly +condemns this sin. In Romans we read about the corrupt man and it says, +"God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own +hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:... For this +cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did +change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise +also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust +one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and +receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet +[fit]. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, +God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not +convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness." Romans 1:24-28. It +is very plain that homosexuality is a terrible sin. God has a purpose +for the use of each member of our bodies and it is not to be used in +sinful ways. Sex is for a purpose and that is to bring children into the +world and for the purpose of love-making between married couples. But it +is not to be abused and temperance is to be used. Temperance is one of +the fruits of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:23). Each member is to be used for the +purpose that God has intended. Remember this and the Lord will give you +understanding. + +_Lasciviousness_ means "lustful, wanton, loose; a person who excites +lustful emotions in others." Let us study this with careful thought. The +world today advertises the fact that this or that will give "sexual +appeal." This is lasciviousness. Wearing clothing that does this is sin. +Acting in a way to cause others to have lustful emotions is a sin. That +is, if a person purposely acts in this way, or dresses in this way. +Speaking words and making signs that does this are sins. Oh, God is +calling for a pure and holy people! His church, which is made up of holy +(sinless) people, is without spot and blemish and has been cleansed and +made pure through the blood of Jesus Christ. (Eph. 5:27). We must be +pure to be in it. + +The next sin mentioned is _idolatry_ which means "divine honors paid to +idols, images, or any created object." (Web. Dic.) It also says it means +"excessive admiration, or love, for any person or thing." To worship any +image or man-made god is sin. There in only one true God and we must +worship Him in spirit and in truth. Also we do not want to have an +"excessive love" for any person or thing more than our love for God. +Some people allow *things* to keep them from having a true love for God. +This is a sin. If you let money, possessions, or any person keep you +from serving the Lord with all of your heart, then you have an idol. The +Apostle John said, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." I John +5:21. We are to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all +thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matt. 22:37. Surely that means a lot, +doesn't it? There can't be one thing or person between us and God. He +must absolutely be first in our life. Oh, my grandson, it truly is a +wonderful thing to put God first! He is so precious to my soul and I +know He will be to yours as you love and serve Him with all of your +heart! Jesus has said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his +righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. +6:33. What God adds is just perfect even though at the time we might not +understand it. + +The next sin is _witchcraft_. Today many people are turning to magical +powers and are having communion with evil spirits and the devil. This is +what witchcraft is. Fortune tellers, spiritualist readers etc. are all +of the devil and should never be considered nor tampered with. Many +have, in fun, or wanting to know something, imbibed an evil spirit and +were tormented by it day and night. God will protect His people if they +will look to Him and not yield to evil spirits. It is dangerous. Read +Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:10:12; Acts 16:16-19; 8:11-21; 13:6-12. + +Hatred is a sin. Even if someone does us a wrong we must forgive them or +Jesus has said that He would not forgive us. (Matt. 6:14,15). +Ill-feeling toward someone is a cousin to hatred. We need to forgive and +ask God to help us to love everyone regardless of what they do to us. +Wrath is also a sin and many times is connected with hatred. We must not +give vent to our anger but bring it under control. God has help for +everyone who will pray to Him and seek after Him. + +_Variance_ means "a verbal strife followed by strained or severed +relations: wrangle or squabble: to dispute angrily." This is connected +to hatred and wrath. + +_Emulations_ means "to strive to equal or excell with a view to out do; +ambitious or envious rivalry." In other words stepping on someone else +to get ahead of them or others. Oh, the Lord wants us to be considerate +of others! + +Strife and envyings come under this same thing. We must love every soul +and not try to disregard their feelings or desires. Be happy for others +to get ahead and "rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with those who +weep," is what the Bible tells us to do. + +Murderers are those who wilfully kill and are sinners. They must seek +forgiveness to be ready for heaven. If a person accidentally kills, that +is not a sin, but it is a tragedy. It is the person who purposely kills +who is a murderer and a sinner. To take one's own life is a sin, that is +if the person is in his right mind. We know that some people's minds are +afflicted (or wear out), and they are not responsible, yet there are +some close lines even in these cases. + +Drunkenness is a sin. _Drunkenness_ is the "state of being drunk with +strong drink or alcoholic liquor so that the use of the faculties is +materially impaired." (Web. Dic.) Oh, the sorrow and trouble that +drunkenness has brought to little children, homes, wives and husbands, +mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers and nations! It is a terrible +thing! Today there is so much dope being taken. It is a terrible thing +to abuse one's body. God will not hold a person guiltless who abuses his +body in any manner. Read Prov. 23:29-32. God has deliverance for all who +get into this sin if they will only seek after God. But my dear +grandson, flee from all of it. "Touch not the cup." Never even taste it +and you will never be a drunkard. Some say they can take it or leave it, +but many did that for awhile and today they are on "skid row." They lost +their health, their wealth, their children, and their companions. Their +life is wretched. Some might say, "It would not happen to me," but they +must flee from it as they would a serpent that is ready to strike. + +Smoking cigarettes and taking anything that harms the body is a sin. The +Bible says, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: +for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." I Cor. 3:17. What +could be plainer? My dear grandson, I am expecting you to flee from all +of these sins which are against the body which will destroy your body +and soul in eternal torment for all eternity. Remember that eternity +never ends. There is no time in eternity. Death seals your doom. It will +pay to live each day in a way that we will be ready to meet God, or will +be ready in that hour of death. It might come unexpectedly. + +Seditions and heresies are sins. False teachings which are contrary to +the Bible teachings are heresies. They are sin. We want to live +according to the Bible and know its doctrines so we can not be led into +heresies. So many are being deceived by false teachers. People today +believe everything they hear and do not search the Bible to see if it is +true. We must not believe teaching from false teachers. Some will say, +"But that person has studied the Bible many years and he ought to know." +He may have a degree in theology etc., but that doesn't make any +difference. We still must stay upon a firm foundation and find it in the +Word for ourselves. There is a chain running through the Bible that +links truth and it must not be broken, or it will not be truth. We are +instructed in the Bible to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a +workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of +truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto +more ungodliness." II Tim. 2:15,16. + +The next sins that are given are revellings and such like. _Revelling_ +means "a noisy or riotous feast; or to feast with joyous or clamorous +merriment, boisterous festivity." In other words it means a loud, +boisterous manner of acting, or being in a crowd that acts that way. In +I Pet. 3:4 it says for us to have a "meek and quiet spirit, which is in +the sight of God of great price." This is in harmony with God's Spirit +and His Word. + +I do trust that you have an idea of what God is expecting of us. In +other words, we have listed what the Bible teaches about some things +that are wrong, and what is right. As you said, the Bible is a big book +and we can't find everything, unless we are familiar with it, so I trust +these few things have been a help, as you study them. Remember that we +need to have Jesus to help us daily to obey the Word of God and be ready +to meet the Lord. First, it takes being saved from our sins, being +filled with the Holy Spirit and praying and studying God's Word. It is a +precious life when we are in the center of God's will. When we are +saved, we can have the fruits of the Spirit in our life which are named +in Gal. 5:22,23. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, +goodness, faith, meekness, temperance and many other good things that +God will give to us as we live and serve Him. + +Romans 1:29-32 mentions more sins. It says that those who turn +themselves over to the devil to work his evil ways are "filled with all +unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, +full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, +haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, +disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, +without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the +judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, +not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." What a +terrible list of sins! Oh, we must flee from any of them. If you get +your dictionary and look up the meaning of each one of these you would +see how sinful sin is. No wonder God looks down upon sinful mankind and +is grieved. Now mercy is held out to all who will turn to Him and +through Jesus Christ seek forgiveness and turn away from sin, but the +time is coming when mercy will be withdrawn. This old world will be on +fire and only the holy and true will be taken to that prepared place for +a prepared people who have sought God. Oh, I surely want to be ready in +that day and hour, don't you? + + +Seeking Forgiveness Was the Key + +When I was about twelve years of age, the teacher asked me to erase the +blackboard after school. After I finished, I walked down one aisle +between the seats. On one girl's desk I saw a match box, and in this box +was a tiny doll. I had seen her play with this doll and I thought it was +the cutest doll I had ever seen. I never had dolls when I was small, as +my folks could not afford to buy me one. I would wrap up a stick or +something and carry it around for my doll. So this doll attracted me +very much. As I looked at it, I wanted it so very much. + +Before I tell more about this incident let us read a Scripture in the +Bible which tells us about being tempted to sin. In James 1:14,15, it +brings out how it works. "But every man [woman or child] is tempted, +when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath +conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth +forth death." Let us see what the word tempted means. _Tempt_ means "to +induce; entice; allure." The devil works through us to tempt us. First, +we are tempted by our own lust. Lust means an "overmastering desire." +_Entice_ means to "attract by offering hope of reward or pleasure." So +we see that the devil will induce us to do wrong by placing an +overmastering desire for something, which he convinces us will bring a +reward or some pleasure. + +Note the next verse says, that when this lust or desire for a certain +thing is _conceived_, which means "formed in the mind," or it is decided +by the person that he is going to do a certain thing that is wrong, then +that brings forth sin. Now sin is finished [completed] when the act is +committed. After the act is committed then it brings forth death to the +soul. In other words, sin separates a person from God. That means +spiritual death. If a person continues to live in sin, or in spiritual +death, and then dies a physical death, he would be eternally separated +from God. But thank God, this need not be. The key to being restored to +God is found in God's Word. Since sin has to be punished, we find that +Jesus, the Son of God, was willing to come here, live and die and arise +from the grave so we can have forgiveness for our sins, as we, with +godly sorrow, seek for it. + +Now I will continue with the incident in my own young life. First, I +want to say that from a child I loved the Lord and my parents taught me +what sin was and I didn't want to displease the Lord. But I was not +above temptations. So when I saw this little doll, I was tempted by the +devil. I had an overmastering desire to have that doll and I was enticed +by the hope of the reward of having it for my own and thought no one +would know about it. So quickly I picked it up and took it home. You +see, when I let lust, or that overmastering desire, become conceived, or +formed, in my mind, and I took the doll, I committed sin. Sin was +finished and I was cut off from God. Spiritual death took place in my +heart. No longer could I come to God and have communion with Him. Sin +had separated me from God. So as the Scripture says, "when it [sin] is +finished, it bringeth forth death." + +I brought the doll home with me, but oh, I didn't feel good in my heart! +I knew I had sinned and I wished I had not taken the doll, but I had it +and was on my way home. I came into the house and my watchful mother saw +it. She asked, "Where did you get that doll?" + +"Old Tennessee gave it to me," I quickly said, which was a lie. Another +sin was added to my first sin. The devil not only gets a person to sin +but he gets them to commit other sins to cover up the first sin. Thus, +he leads people on and on, and deeper into sin they fall. (Old Tennessee +was an elderly black man who drove a horse and wagon by our home, filled +with junk that he had collected. Sometimes, when he would stop and talk +to us children, he would give us some of his junk which we would value.) + +I took the doll upstairs to my room and put it in my dresser drawer. I +didn't want to play with it. It didn't look so pretty anymore. My heart +was heavy. I didn't rest very well that night as I dreaded going back to +school. I just knew the teacher would guess that I had taken the doll. +To my surprise, nothing was said the next day about the doll. I avoided +the girl and hurried home after school. But yet the fact of stealing +that doll weighed heavily on my heart. A few days later I took the doll +out in the alley and took a brick and smashed it all to pieces and +buried it, but that didn't take away the sin or the guilt. I had sinned +against God and was still a liar and a thief. Oh, how bad I felt! I had +been taught to pray from a little child, and had always prayed, but +every time I would try to pray that sin would come up before me, so +finally I quit praying. + +School was soon out and a few weeks passed by. Bro. John Wilson came to +our house from Missouri and held a few nights' meeting at the chapel. +One night he preached on hell fire. Oh, I could almost feel the fire of +hell around me! I trembled, but hurried out as soon as meeting was over +and the invitation had closed. I went home and to bed as soon as +possible, but not to sleep. I rolled and tumbled on my bed. The weight +of sin was so heavy on my heart that it seemed the mattress was on top +of me instead of me on the mattress. I knew I was on the road to hell. +Finally, toward morning, I told the Lord that if He would spare my life +until I heard the alarm go off in my parent's room that I would get up +and go ask my father to pray for me to get saved and I would seek +forgiveness for my sins from God. This calmed me, and I lay there +waiting. When I heard the alarm, I ran to their room and knelt beside +their bed. I began to weep and beg Papa to pray for me to get saved. He +prayed for me and I prayed. I asked the Lord to forgive me of my sin of +stealing and lying and promised I would make it right. I told the Lord I +would tell the girl I had stolen the doll and pay her for it. God took +my word for the act and He forgave me and flooded my soul with peace. +Oh, I had found the key to peace for my inner longings! The key was a +desire to find peace and then obeying God's Word which said, "If we +confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to +cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9. That key opened the +lock to my heart and let Jesus come in. Jesus has said, "The words that +I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." John 6:63b. Oh, +the peace that filled me and I became a new creature in Christ Jesus! I +was happy again. + +I had promised the Lord that I would make my sin right when school +started. So one day I was sitting behind this girl and I tapped her on +the back. I told her about my taking the doll and offered to pay her for +it. She said, "I often wondered where that doll went to, but I didn't +care anything about it anyway." I insisted on paying her but she said to +forget it. Oh, the relief that I then had because the devil fought my +making it right by telling me that she would tell every one in school +about my being a thief. I never heard anything more about it. + +Then I had to make the lie right, for I had told my mother and all of my +brothers and sisters that old Tennessee had given it to me. One time in +family worship I started to tell it and broke down and wept, but kept on +telling about it. I asked forgiveness and my father said that they all +forgave me. I didn't know until years later that none of them understood +anything I said because I had cried so hard, but I thought they did and +that was what counted. I had obeyed the Lord who makes us know that we +are to make our wrongs right. + +When Jesus came to Zacchaeus' house and he sought salvation from Him, +Zacchaeus said, "If I have taken any thing from any man by false +accusation, I restore him fourfold." Luke 19:8. We must make our wrongs +right. If we do, and have repented and confessed our sins, we can hear +the same words that Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "This day is salvation come +to this house, ... For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that +which was lost." (verse 9, 10.) + +I am thankful to say that this was the only thing that I ever took in my +life and it was a great lesson to me. Oh, how wonderful it is to be the +Lord's! If we love and serve Him, we can have peace in our souls. We +might have many problems and troubles in this life but if we have peace +in our heart and are in contact with God, these things can't take away +our peace and we can face life. The Bible says, "Man that is born of a +woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1. Troubles will come +to us but if we obey God's Word, we can have peace in our soul and be +ready to meet the Lord when He comes in the clouds of glory. + +I do pray that all who may read this will take the key, which is the +Word of God and through obedience use it to unlock your heart and let +that Word fill your heart and life, and you will have peace. Every +longing will be satisfied as you continue to obey the Word. + + +The Keys to Continued Peace + +When a person has confessed his sins with godly sorrow, and they are all +under the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross, he is "born again" +and has become a new creature in Christ Jesus. (II Cor. 5:17). How +precious it is to know that "old things are passed away" and "all things +are become new!" His wrongs have been made right, as far as possible, +and according to his knowledge. Then he needs to walk in this kind of +way and life. It takes some watching and praying to keep the peace in +the soul that God has given. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit +can one continue in contact with God. After a person has fully +surrendered himself to the Lord and has the cleansing work of the Holy +Spirit in his soul, he is equipped to go forth and fight the devil who +goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet. +5:8). The devil is no respector of persons. He is more than a match for +the child of God but when the child of God seeks grace and help from +God, the devil has to flee. He now needs to know how to face the devil, +so he can be "more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus." + +We read in James 4:6-8 that first, we need to know that God gives grace +or help to the humble. We need to humbly realize our need of God's help. +Then we are to submit ourselves to God, draw close to God and "he will +draw nigh to you." Every step we take toward God, He will take one +toward us. After we are in the will of God and have implored His help, +we can then, in the name of Jesus, "Resist the devil, and he will flee +from you." One brother said he talked to the devil just like he did to +his dog. He said, "Get out of here!" The devil had to pack his bags and +leave. + +When a person is saved, one of the first things the devil tells him is +that he isn't saved. This is a famous trick of Satan and it's sad to +say, that he uses it over and over and it has worked on many souls. We +need not be "ignorant of his devices." It's a pretty sure fact that you +are saved or the devil would not bother about you. So don't let that +trouble you, but "resist the devil," or he will take your peace. + +Prayer is another thing we must do to keep our peace. God knows what we +need before we ask Him, but His plan is for us to ask. Prayer is not +just always asking God for something, but it's a means of fellowship +with God. It's a communion between God and us that brings love, joy, +peace, comfort and all that we need. It's a heart to heart talk to God. +In prayer we tell our Lord and Saviour of our great love for Him. In +prayer we never cease to praise Him for dying on the cross and taking +our punishment for our sins. In prayer we, so to speak, just lift our +hearts and minds up into that heavenly realm and we touch heaven. A +thrill of heavenly love flows from God down into the very depths of our +inner being. Power, strength and grace is given, and with a deep inner +joy we go forth and face the world. Others might wonder how we can have +the courage to face the hard things, but it's because of grace gained +through prayer. Prayer should never be neglected or we will feel our +peace slipping away. + +Prayer can be a groan, a sigh, a dropping of a tear, a smile, an inner +praise going up to God, laughter in the spirit, or an inward or audible +"praise the Lord!" Prayer is the sincere desire of the heart or an +attitude of the heart. Surely we can "pray without ceasing," as we keep +a heart full of love for our Lord and a feeling of utter dependence upon +Him. In living in this way, our peace will be abounding. + +Another foe we must watch is self. Often it has been said that we must +die out to self, but it goes deeper than just saying it. Self longs to +live, but it must be crucified. We must remember that "ye are not your +own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, +and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor. 6:19,20. If we belong to +God then we do not belong to ourselves. We must be aware of the fact +that self will make many concessions to live. Self sometimes will allow +its owner to do many sacrificial deeds if it can live. It will even bear +hard things, but it must go. Self must be crucified. We must die to good +deeds, and to bad deeds, successes, failures, exaltations, humiliation, +friends and foes. Oh, it must not be us but Jesus that will be lifted up +in our lives! The Apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ: +nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life +which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who +loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. So it must not be self +that lives but Christ must live in us. + +We need to watch our thoughts to keep our peace. We are told that God +"wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because +he trusteth in thee." Isa. 26:3. When our peace is disturbed we need to +check to see where our mind has been or what we were thinking about. + +The mind is the battle ground. The devil has access to the mind as well +as God. We are tempted through the mind. The devil will present wrong +thoughts and then the Lord is right there to bring us good thoughts or +suggest the right thing to do. We need to separate our thoughts. We need +to cast out the wrong thoughts and only think on the good thoughts from +God. The devil is like a persistent salesman. He will talk and talk at +the door and if you are not careful he will get the door open and have +his foot in it. If you give him any encouragement he will be sitting in +your living room and have his wares all spread out before you. So we +must not let the devil get past the door of our mind. Just tell him +right off, "I am not interested." + +We think of the children of Israel in Egypt, when God told them to put +the blood of the lamb on their doorposts one night, so their eldest son +would be spared when the death angel passed over. Ex. 12:12,13. The +blood on the door was the powerful warning to keep evil from the +Israelites on that night when the Egyptians were visited and death was +in every home. Just so, dear Grandson, the blood of Jesus on the door of +our heart and mind will keep the devil from coming into our mind, +sitting down and displaying all of his wares of evil. When tormenting +thoughts, thoughts of fear, thoughts of unjust deeds of others done to +you, thoughts of self-pity, anxiety, doubts, unforgiveness, mistrust of +God, or evil of all kinds appear to take up your thoughts, just resist +them and point to the blood on the door of your heart. Those thoughts +will have to flee. Sometimes a person can think upon an unjustice done +to him and it will grow bigger and bigger. The mistake is made by not +resisting it in the beginning and forgiving the injustice. God's ways +are right, if we will follow them. + +When bold and daring thoughts move in and are persistent, trying to fill +every corner of our mind, we need to point to the blood. They have to +leave. Bring the mind under subjection to the blood and think of good +things. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall +keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, +whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever +things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are +lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if +there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:7,8. + + +Obedience to God's Word + +Be careful to obey the Word of God, and do not let others influence you +to do wrong. Be strong and courageous to stand for right and truth. Dear +Grandson, there will be many in the world who will sneer at you for your +stand for right. Some will persecute you, but don't let this influence +you to let down your standard from God of what is right. God expects us +to obey Him. Others might try to make you think that the way they have +figured it out is right, but still we must obey the Lord. + +When I was about 13 years of age I learned a lesson on obedience and +resisting others influence that I never forgot. I let others influence +me to disobey my father's command. It was presented to me in a way so +that it seemed that it would be all right, but yet it was a direct +disobedience. + +Unexpectedly, my parents were to be gone on Sunday. Early that morning +my father came upstairs to my bedroom, and told me about their going, +and told me to take the three younger children to Sunday school and +church services, and then come home, prepare dinner and stay at home +until they returned in the late afternoon. + +After the morning services, some of the young people wanted me to go +home with them for dinner and then in the afternoon they were going to +another town close by, and have young people's meeting. I repeated what +my father said and told them that I couldn't go. One girl especially +began to beg me to go by saying that she was sure my father would not +care. I still refused to go, so she talked to her mother about it. Her +mother told me that she would take care of the three smaller children if +I wanted to go with the young people to the meeting and she was sure my +father would know they were in good care. This over-persuasion was hard +to turn down, so I went home with them for dinner and to the young +people's meeting in the afternoon. I didn't feel very good over it as I +knew what my father's command was and I knew that when he told me to do +something he expected me to do it. Needless to say, when my father heard +about it, I was punished for disobeying him. He also had prayer with me, +instructing me to seek God's forgiveness. The good intentions of others +did not sway him. He told me I should not let others influence me to +disobey him, regardless of what they presented. It grieved him very much +to think that I didn't do as he had told me, and he said that he didn't +know if he could trust me again. I was very sorry and grieved also, as I +did want him to trust me. + +My dear grandson, God is grieved when we let others influence us to do +wrong, even though it may seem right to them. They might present a +plausible thing, but if God said for us not to do it, we must not. We +must obey God. We are individually responsible to God to give an account +for our deeds. We can't tell God that others thought it was all right. +That will never excuse us. + +We read of Saul, the king of Israel, who let the people persuade him to +keep the sheep, oxen, etc. of the wicked nation of the Amalakites, when +God had told him to completely destroy everything. The people said that +they should take the best and offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord. +This might have seemed plausible, but it was a direct disobedience to +the Lord's command. The Lord told Saul, "to obey is better than +sacrifice." Saul's punishment was great. Samuel, the prophet of the Lord +said, "thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath +rejected thee from being king over Israel." I Sam. 15:20-26. + +God expects us to obey Him and when we do, we will have peace in our +souls. Disobedience will bring the disfavor of God upon our soul and it +will have to be punished. + +Jesus has said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. Love +for God will make us careful to keep His sayings and He will give us a +peace that the world cannot take away from us. We can't find soul peace +in the world. And after all, my dear grandson, we want to live so we can +live with our inner self. God created us with a part of Himself in us. +There is something within us that looks up to a Creator. Some will +disregard the true God and worship the gods of stone etc. They think +that will satisfy the longing in their souls but it doesn't. Only when +we are in contact with the true God can we find real peace. + +Now my dear grandson, and all who read this, take the true key to peace +and let it open your heart and by prayerfully seeking God, you can have +peace in your soul. I love the souls of all mankind and want everyone +who will desire peace in their heart with God, to make it into heaven by +observing the Word of God. + +--Grandma Miles (A. Marie Miles) + + + + +"I Can Handle It" + +"What does Jeff's death mean to me? Well, some kids will probably stop +dropping flippies for awhile. I mean, you got to watch that stuff and +know what you're getting so you don't take some with too much rat poison +in it. Me, I know what I am doing, I can handle it." + +This was the answer to a question asked of one of Jeff Stewart's friends +who came to the cemetery, with other barefooted friends, who were +clutching wild flowers, to place on his grave. Jeff Stewart was the son +of a Methodist preacher and had refused to listen to his parents. They +had pled with him in tears to turn away from drugs. He had gotten into +it through others' influence, but when his parents tried to help him, he +would generally say, "I can handle it." + +Jeff Stewart was a handsome boy, so said his mother, and a B student. He +was only 17, but had died of an overdose of barbiturates on August 22, +1970 in a shack that he and his drug addicted friends had built on a +side street in Hopewell, New York. In the midst of "rock music" he and +his friends "smoked marijuana" and "dropped acid," (LSD) regularly. + +At times Jeff wanted to get off drugs and had told his mother that he +wished he had never started taking drugs, was a little boy again and +could start life all over. + +There is a struggle going on in the minds of every young teen-ager. At +times he is a carefree person but then at other times he tries to act +grown up or feels that he knows what he should do and the path he should +walk. These are difficult times in a teen-ager's life. Influences from +within and from without will cause him to decide upon his course. +Parents see this indecision and they try to guide their teen-agers in +the right direction. The pastor, Sunday school teacher, and the young +people's leader are all interested in the teen-agers and are trying to +show them the right way. At times the teen-ager thinks his parents or +other spiritual instructors are right, but the crowd at school, and +often the teacher, use their influences to pull him the other way. Day +after day he is making decisions. The wrong influences seek to turn the +teen-ager away from morality and God's Word but they do not give +anything to take its place in his heart or erase guilty feelings. +Therefore he finds emptiness within, so is compelled to continue to +seek something else to satisfy him. Then he is led deeper into grosser +evils, trying to "handle" his inner longings. + +Some might say, "But how do you know?" I know because I went through +those years and I know the influences to which I was exposed. One time I +wanted a certain thing or would want to do a certain thing but then +later I didn't like or want it. Some at school would present their ideas +and my parents and spiritual advisers presented their ideas. In my mind +I was continually weighing out what was right or what I really wanted to +do. + +As we think of the young boy who died of continually taking drugs and +felt that he could "handle" his own life, we see how he chose to travel +the wrong road. Even though his buddies saw what had happened to him +they were so stuck on drugs that they, too, thought they could still +"handle" their lives. What a mistake they are making and I am sure you +are convinced of that fact. None of us are able to *handle* our own +lives. When we are born we have within our very nature a bent toward +evil. That bent toward evil has to be curbed. God gave children parents +because they needed help to face life and to curb that which was within +them that would lead them to the wrong path. Children and teen-agers +should recognize this fact and listen to them. Even if you do not want +to admit it, you can't *handle* your own life without the aid of your +parents. Furthermore you can't handle your life and walk the right path +without God's help. The devil works through the influences of others to +lead you astray. Only through the power of God can the power of the +devil be broken, the bent toward evil be destroyed, and you be able to +do the right or choose the right path. Never feel that you can *handle* +your own life. No man, woman, child, or teen-ager can *handle* his life +or obey the Word of God, which teaches him the way to live in this life +and be ready to die, without help from outside of himself. + +In my early teen-age life there were two verses of Scripture that I had +learned by memory which were a guide to me. One was, "Children, obey +your parents in the Lord: for this is right," Eph. 6:1. The other one +was, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, +that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting +life." John 3:16. The first one made me know that God would bless me if +I obeyed my parents. Many times my idea of what they required wasn't the +thing that I wanted to do, but I obeyed. Why? Because I loved Jesus. I +was convinced that I was doomed for hell, but Jesus had loved me so much +that He came to this world, lived, and died on the cross and arose again +for my salvation. If it had not been for Jesus taking my sins and loving +me so much I would be eternally lost. That was a great influence in my +life and today I am very glad that I obeyed my parents and also let +Jesus handle my life and lead me in a right direction. + +When teen-agers rebel they are headed for trouble and oh, what great +trouble! Let us remember the young man who thought he could handle his +life but had a tragic ending and was eternally lost. Dear Grandson, +remember the Bible has the answer to every problem, and Jesus will help +you handle your life if you will let Him. + + * * * * * + +"Two Italian boys of New York City were returning from a swim. They were +each about fifteen years of age. Pietro had picked up a piece of copper +wire and thought he would have a little fun with the third rail of the +New York Central track, along which they were walking. + +"He poked away around the wooden covering of the rail, but nothing +happened. + +"'That's funny,' he said. 'I guess I didn't touch the right spot.' Then +he pushed the point of the wire down underneath the covering. + +"There was a flash of blue flame and a shriek of pain as 11,000 volts of +electricity shot through the wire. In a moment Pietro's clothing was on +fire and his hair and eyebrows were burned off. He tried to drop the +wire, as it hissed and sputtered at white heat, but it wouldn't let go. +He tried to pull it away, but it stuck to the rail as if it were +soldered there. The other boy tired to pull him away, but he was hurled +to the ground with a terrific shock. Then the brave fellow threw his +rubber coat around Pietro and pulled him loose. + +"Pietro started to run but fainted and fell. They took him to the +hospital, and the doctor said, 'One chance in a thousand to recover.' + +"The boys said they knew there was something dangerous about that rail. +They had heard other people say so, but they didn't think it would hurt +to play around with it a little. + +"Just so, sin is dangerous. It scorches and burns and kills, like the +live third rail. People know it, and yet they play around with sin. +Many times there are signs near high voltage wires--_Danger, Do Not +Touch_! God has put up some signs, too. In His Word He warns against the +danger of sin. If we want to be safe, and happy, we will heed these +warnings." + + * * * * * + +"A minister of Geneva, on a trip to Paris, one day fell into a +conversation with a man who began to reason with him about Christianity. +The minister answered every argument with a quotation from +Scripture--not venturing a single personal remark or application. Every +quotation his companion evaded or turned aside, only to be met by +another passage. The skeptic became enraged. 'Don't you see, I don't +believe your Bible! What's the use of quoting it to me?' he shouted. The +minister's reply was another thrust of the Sword of the Spirit, 'If ye +believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.' Years passed, then +one morning the minister received a letter. Opening it he read, 'You +took the Sword of the Spirit and stabbed me through and through one day, +and every time I tried to parry the blade and get you to use your hands, +and not the Heavenly steel, you simply gave me another stab. You made me +feel I was not fighting you, but God.' It was signed by the former +skeptic in whom the 'seed of the Word' had finally been mixed with +faith. + +"Even as the natural seed changes soil into plants, so the living seed +of the Word changes the character of the individual who comes in contact +with it. For example, in the night of the Dark Ages when the Word of God +was planted by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of chosen men, it brought +forth the fruit of the Reformation. There was a rediscovery of the +truth, that salvation is not by ritual or works, but by faith in Jesus +as our Saviour." + + * * * * * + +My grandson, I will close these instructions to you, as well as to all +who read them, with a prayer for each one. As a teen-ager I found that +it paid to live for God. As a mother I found that God was there to help +me in all the needs of life and as a grandmother and a possible +great-grandmother, I find great joy in living for God. It pays to put +God first in our lives. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his +righteousness and all these things will be added unto you," is the safe +way to live because Jesus, our Lord and Master, who has all wisdom has +told us. + +--Grandma Miles (A. Marie Miles) + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Key To Peace, by A. Marie Miles + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12188 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b41c16 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12188 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12188) diff --git a/old/12188.txt b/old/12188.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ca994d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12188.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1580 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Key To Peace, by A. Marie Miles + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Key To Peace + +Author: A. Marie Miles + +Release Date: April 28, 2004 [EBook #12188] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KEY TO PEACE *** + + + + +Produced by Joel Erickson, Martin Agren, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +The Key to Peace + +By A. Marie Miles + +[Illustration] + +"Great peace have they which love +thy law: and nothing shall offend them.' + + + + +Preface + +One day, in a very brief conversation, my grandson asked me a question. +I did not get to talk with him much, so later I felt really inspired to +write some things which were upon my heart, that his question had +prompted. Of course I have gone into more detail than he would have had +to know, but felt it was good to stir up thoughts of what he did know. + +After I gave it to him to read, I remarked that I might print it some +day and hoped that it would be a help to someone else. He returned it to +me and I am sending it forth with a prayer that these Bible truths will +be a help to some soul. + +At this writing, I am 64 years of age and I feel I am living on borrowed +time. In 1973, it seemed that the Lord was going to take me, but He +healed me and I am doing all I can for the Lord. I recommend the Lord to +every soul. He has been precious to me down through my life, with many +blessings in the times of trouble and heartache. + +--Sis. A. Marie Miles May, 1978 + + + + +*The Key to Peace* + + +_God's Word is the key to satisfy + The heart's inner longings_. + +Dear Grandson: + +You asked a valid question when you asked, "How do we know what is right +and what is wrong?" I told you that we find the answer in the Bible as +to what is right and what is wrong. + +You then said, "But the Bible is a big book. Where can you find where it +says a certain thing is right or wrong?" Again, that is a very valid +question. I know that the Bible is a big book. I trust that the +following will help you. + +First, I want to say that I deeply appreciate the fact that you are +interested in knowing what is wrong and right, and knowing upon what +basis to place your own personal understanding. This will help you find +the key to peace in your soul. Each of us is individually responsible to +God. The Bible says, "For there is no respect of persons with God." Rom. +2:11. "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus +Christ according to my gospel." Rom. 2:16. "Who [or God] will render to +every man according to his deeds." Rom. 2:6. You can see we must know +how to live in this world, according to the plan of God, to be cleared +before the great Judge in that last day, when all men shall stand before +Him. + +When I first opened my Bible to type the above Scriptures I saw this +Scripture that I had underlined in my Bible, which at one time impressed +me greatly. I feel that it must be for you too, as the Psalmist had a +desire like yours, so in his prayer he said, "Teach me, O Lord, the way +of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me +understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my +whole heart." Psalms 119:33,34. Then I always liked the verse above +these verses, which I also have marked, and have quoted many times to +others. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against +thee." (verse 11). So we do need to desire to know what is right and +what is wrong, seek after understanding, and it will be given to us. +After we know and understand, we want to remember to obey God's Word. + +There is no book like the Bible. When I speak of the Bible I definitely +refer to the King James Version. Today, there are many versions of the +Bible, and the devil is using this to confuse people, and cause them to +lose faith in God's Word. I personally can say, that I have searched out +the King James Version of the Bible, have obeyed it, and I have found a +deep, sweet peace in my soul. By obeying it, I found contact with God +which makes me know it is true. Your great-grandfather (Fred Pruitt) +preached from it, lived by it, and saw many others saved from their +sins, who lived and died by it, with victory over sin and the devil. Oh, +yes, it does bring joy to a person and fulfills that deep longing in +every person for peace and satisfaction in this life! + +In studying the Bible, we find a Unity of Thought which makes us know +that One Mind inspired the writing and arrangement of all the books. +Truly it is THE WORD OF GOD! It is different from any other book in the +world. It is a divine book and not just a human book. We reject, with +abhorrence, that it is like other books. The Bible is an account of +God's efforts to reveal Himself to mankind. It is a record of His +dealings with man and His revealed will concerning him. The Bible is for +instruction and guidance in all the ways of life. From all the facts +that the Apostle Paul gathered he said, "All Scripture is given by +inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for +correction, for instruction in righteousness." II Tim. 3:16. Thus we +find it to be true. + +The special messengers of God, by whom the Bible has been written, were +given the power of performing miracles, by which their inspiration was +attested and their messages made authoritative; but the "more sure word +of PROPHECY" (2nd Peter 1:19) furnished the greatest external proof of +its inspiration. To this, more than to anything else, Christ and the +apostles made their constant appeal. Matthew, narrating the deeds of the +Saviour, gives us the standing phrase, "that it might be fulfilled which +was spoken by the prophets" while Peter affirms, in words unmistakable, +that the "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." +II Peter 1:21. + +Christ is the center and heart of the whole Bible. The Old Bible or +Testament is an account of a Nation. The New Testament is an account of +a Man, who is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament foretold Christ's coming +and founded and nurtured a nation by God to bring Christ into the world. +There is no book like the Bible. + +The poet has said, + +"O precious Bible! burning words from heaven, + We'll ever cherish thee in our heart, +Sweet is the counsel by thy pages given' + On life's dark ocean, our only chart. +O precious volume! only in thy pages + We read the duty of all our race; +Only thy sunbeams, shining through the ages, + Reveal the wonders of saving grace." + +Oh, my grandson, it is a glorious thing to understand what God requires +of us and to live by it! To accept Christ as our Saviour, Lord, and +Master, to strive sincerely and devotedly to follow in the path that He +has mapped out for us in this life, is the most wonderful, the most +reasonable, and the most satisfactory way to live. It means peace in our +hearts, peace of mind, contentment, happiness, hope, and an assurance of +a life beyond the grave that shall never end. What a glorious plan God +has made for all who will love and serve Him with all of their hearts! + +Oh, how sad to see so many go through life and face death without a hope +of living in heaven with God forever in the end of time! How can anyone +be so ignorant or be filled with such a lack of wisdom! It is beyond me. +We all have to die, which is a proven fact. What then! Why try to get +around it? It seems that every person should open his heart and mind to +the Word of God and accept Christ with an open mind and consider it the +greatest privilege in this world to live for Christ, the Creator of all +mankind. We should be like Job of old who said, "I have esteemed the +words of his mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12. + +Many times we read in the New Testament that "it came to pass." The +prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled. Read the 53rd chapter of +Isaiah and he describes Christ's crucifixion and atonement work with +such accuracy of detail that the inspiration of the prophet is assured. +He wrote this 712 years before Christ was born. He only had from the +prophets before him the fact that God had told them that God was going +to send a Messiah. So only God could inspire Him to write in such detail +about his sufferings and death. Oh, there are so many proofs that the +Bible is true! Jesus spoke about the Old Testament, "For had ye +believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye +*believe not* his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John 5:46, +47. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. He wrote things that +were told to him from the beginning. It all harmonizes with the rest of +the Bible. The early people were careful to keep accounts and told them +to their children. They were written when writing was available (or +began). + + +What Is Sin? + +When I was a child and teen-ager, I was taught by my parents what the +Bible said was right and what was wrong. Many other doctrines in the +Bible were taught to me. I read them in the Bible, believed them, lived +by them, and was blessed in my soul and life. There came a time in my +life that I began to desire for God to teach me personally what was +right and what was wrong. I never doubted that the Bible was true but I +wanted to say that I believe this or that because God's Word says so. I +began to search things out in the Bible. I believe God wants each of us +to have this firm foundation to stand upon. So my dear grandson, you are +not different from your grandmother. When I finished my search I was +glad that I could say I believed this or that because it says in the +Bible thus and so. I didn't believe it because someone else said it, but +because God had said it. This is the way I want you to know it. + +There is one thing that I had when I began my search, that was the Holy +Spirit as my teacher. The Bible tells us definitely that "the natural +man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are +foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are +spiritually discerned." I Cor. 2:14. Since the Bible was written by +"holy men of God" who "spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" and +it is not "of any private interpretation," then we need to have the Holy +Spirit to reveal, or help us to understand all of the Word of God. (II +Peter 1:20,21). Yet there are a lot of the basics that we can know. I do +hope that you will understand what I write to you by the help of the +Holy Spirit. + +First, let us know what sin is. In other words that would be what is +wrong. When we find out what is wrong then we can know what is right. +Sin means "Willfully breaking religious or moral law." (Web. Dic.) The +Bible also gives us the definition of sin. In I John 3:4 it says, +"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth [or breaks] the law [of God]; +for sin is the transgression [or disobedience] of the [God's] law." Then +in James 4:17 we read, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and +doeth it not, to him it is sin." We see that sin is either a direct +disobedience of God's Word or a willful failure to live by its +requirements. It is a serious thing to disobey God's law because it +involves the destiny or end of our soul. It means living in either +eternal torment or eternal bliss. To commit sin is a terrible thing and +a very serious thing. That is the reason we need to search the +Scriptures to find out how to live pleasing to the Lord in this world. +We can't do this within ourselves. God had a plan for us by sending +Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our salvation, so through Christ we +can live right. + +If sin is disobeying God's Word then we must find out what it says in +the Word of God so we can live up to it. First we want to find out why +we sin, and then get rid of the cause. + +You, of course, know what the Bible tells us about Adam and Eve in the +beginning and how they obeyed the devil who talked to them through the +serpent. He got Eve to disobey the only commandment that God had given +them. She ate of the fruit, which was forbidden, and gave to Adam and he +did eat. (Gen. 3rd chapter). They no longer could talk to God as before, +but hid themselves. Sin separates us from God. God called to them and +said, "Where art thou?" They said, "We hid ourselves because we were +naked." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat of the +tree whereof I commanded you not to eat?" Of course, we realize that +because of sin, they knew they were naked. Before they had sinned, they +didn't think anything about their nakedness. But after they sinned they +made themselves clothes of fig leaves. No doubt they thought quickly of +something or they would have chosen something more substantial than +leaves. The leaves would soon dry and crack, but they were so ashamed of +their nakedness because of their sin. Not only did they need a covering +for their bodies but they also needed a covering for their souls. God +can't look upon sin with any pleasure. Sin will cause us to be cast out +of His presence. But oh, the Lord is so very merciful and He told Adam +and Eve that He had a plan for them, so their sins could be covered as +well as their bodies. + +In Genesis 3:15 we read that God promised a Saviour. God spoke to the +devil, who had spoken through the serpent, and said, "I will put enmity +[or warfare] between thee [the devil] and the woman, and between thy +seed [Satan and his servants] and her seed [Christ and His followers]; +it [Christ] shall bruise thy head [Jesus broke or crushed Satan's +power], and thou [Satan] shalt bruise his heel." In other words we find +a promise in this Scripture of Jesus being born. Jesus was the seed of +the woman. In Luke 1:31-35 we read how the angel told Mary that she +would have a child even though she was a virgin. God would be the father +of this child. The angel said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and +... that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son +of God." Through Christ, sin could be conquered because He was the Son +of God, and not from the seed of man, yet He was called the Son of man +because He took upon Him flesh or the nature of man. + +The seed of Satan are those who have yielded themselves to him and are +his servants. Jesus said to some who opposed Him, "Ye are of your father +the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8:44. So we +note that the warfare would be between the seed of Satan and his +servants and the seed of the woman, or Jesus Christ and His followers. +Now who will conquer? God said that "her seed, it shall bruise thy +head." Jesus Christ would crush or break the power of Satan over mankind +and men would be able to become sons of God. Isa. 53:5 tells us that +Jesus "was bruised for our iniquities [or sins]." Praise God for Jesus +who conquered the enemy of our soul! + +We have established the fact that sin displeases God. He punished Adam +and Eve and put them out of the garden, yet He gave them a promise of a +Saviour to come. It was over 4000 years before Jesus came. During this +time they offered a Lamb, which was a type of Jesus, as a sacrifice for +their sins. Today Jesus is our Saviour. + +Let us note that in the 21st verse in Gen. 3, God killed an animal and +made Adam and Eve "coats of skin" to wear. It says that God "clothed +them." _Clothed_ means "to cover." Here we find that it is a command for +us to wear clothing. Paul in the New Testament tells us to dress in +modest apparel. (I Tim. 2:9). In other words we are to be clothed. It is +still a sin to go without decent clothing today as it was in the Garden +of Eden. + +Now one thing that God showed me in my search, was that because Adam and +Eve sinned, that sin passed down upon all the human race. Adam was +created holy and pure but when he sinned, he lost that purity. When he +had a son, the Bible tells us that his son was "after his [Adam's] +image" or had the principle of sin within him. (Gen. 5:3). The Apostle +Paul tells us "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and +death [spiritual death] by sin; and so death [or spiritual separation +from God] passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12. +We see that every child who is born has that sin principle within him. +"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive +me." Psa. 51:5. Then we read in the Bible in another place where it +says, "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as +they be born, speaking lies." Psa. 58:3. Thus the Bible explains that +children are born with a bent, or inclination, toward sin, but if they +die without first coming to a knowledge of sin, they are saved through +Jesus' blood. There comes a time in a child's life when he knows he has +sinned. He understands it and then he is responsible. The Apostle Paul +says, "sin is not imputed [or charged or ascribed] when there is no law +[or understanding]." Romans 5:13. + +Now you have come to the time in life when you are responsible. You know +what sin is. I remember when I realized that I had sinned. I had a big +imagination but the time came when I knew the difference between +imagining things and telling lies. The Bible says that "all liars shall +have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." Rev. +21:8. So telling lies is wrong and is a sin, as well as many other +things that we will mention later. + + +Jesus Destroys the Works of the Devil + +When we realize that we have sinned and know that sin will keep us away +from living in eternity in the presence of God, we are filled with +sorrow. First, we do not want to be cast into the "lake of fire," nor be +with the devil and his angels as Jesus has warned. He spoke of those +being "cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where +their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:44. + +The next thing we think of is how Jesus loved us so much, He came +willingly to take the punishment for our sins. Sin had to be punished. +Man could not redeem us from our sins as all men had sinned. Jesus was +innocent and without sin. He was with God from the beginning but He was +born of woman, and took upon Himself flesh and blood. He lived here in +this world, was mistreated and finally put on the cross to die a +horrible death, although He was innocent. Why? Because He loved you and +me. "God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live +through him." I John 4:9. "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for +the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God +was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever +is born of God doth not committ sin, because he is born of God." I John +3:8,9. Through Jesus' death on the cross, sin can be forgiven and we can +come into the presence of God. + +When we realize that we have sinned and are sorry for that sin, we come +to Jesus, and with "godly sorrow" ask Him to forgive us. Jesus hears our +prayer and forgives us of our sins. By believing that He took our +punishment for our sins, in dying on the cross, we are forgiven by God, +and all is clear between us and God. Our sins are under the blood of +Jesus. In olden times, in the Old Testament, they offered a lamb, but +after Jesus came He was the Lamb who was sacrificed on the cross once +and forever for sins. John the Baptist said, when he saw Jesus, "Behold +the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. He +will take away our sins, when we confess them to Him, and in prayer, +believe that He takes them away. I surely can't forget when the Lord did +just that for me. It was wonderful to know that all was clear between +God and me. I could sleep better and it was wonderful to know that if +death overtook me I would be ready to go. + +When I realized that I needed to be sanctified, or the sin principle +needed to be cleansed out of my heart, I sought the Lord to give me the +Holy Spirit. You can't ask forgiveness for the sin that passed down upon +all men from the fall, or the sin of Adam and Eve. It has to be cleansed +out of your heart by the purging of the Holy Spirit. There are two works +in the heart. First we are saved from our volitional sins and then we +are sanctified or cleansed of that sin principle or carnal nature. Peter +speaks of some receiving the Holy Spirit and said, "purifying their +hearts by faith." God had given "them the Holy Ghost." Acts 15:8,9. Then +we can have power over all the power of the devil. The works of the +devil are destroyed out of our hearts. Praise God forever! It is a +wonderful experience. + +Oh, how we love our Lord and Saviour for all that He has done for us! +How sad we would be if He had not come to this world to take our +punishment. How thankful we are for the Holy Spirit that was promised to +us after Jesus went away. He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, or +the Comforter, could not come unless He went to the Father. (John 14). + +We read how God gave the disciples the Holy Spirit, after Jesus arose +into the skies, after His resurrection from the grave. In Acts, second +chapter, they were waiting in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came +upon them and God performed a miracle. They spoke the wonderful news and +17 or 18 different nations heard about it in their own language. It was +on the day of Pentecost when people from all of these nations had come +to the temple to worship God. Many of them believed on Jesus as the +promised Saviour, were saved from their sins, and were filled with the +Holy Spirit. It's a glorious experience and is for everyone who has been +saved from sin. + + +Sins Named + +My grandson, let us look at the Bible and see some sins that are +mentioned. + +In Galatians 5:19 we read that adultery is a sin. In verse 21 it is +clearly stated that "they that do such things shall not inherit the +kingdom of God." So there is no doubt about these sins. _Adultery_ +means, "violation of the marriage-bed." Romans 7:2,3 says "For the woman +which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he +liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her +husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another +man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she +is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be +married to another man." We know that when a couple marries, it is for +life or until one of them dies. Read Matt. 19:7,8, where Jesus reaffirms +this truth. + +_Fornication_ is the "illicit sexual intercourse of unmarried persons," +which is also adultery. This is a sin. Many today are just living +together. This is a sin and a stench in the nostrils of God. It is +terrible and so immoral, even if many today are doing it. "But +fornication, ... let it not be once named among you, as becometh +saints." Eph. 5:3. "Flee fornication.... What? know ye not that your +body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of +God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore +glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1st Cor. +6:18-20. You see our bodies are to be kept pure and clean. That means +our minds are to be clean and pure also. Sometimes the devil will bring +evil thoughts to our minds but we must not think upon them. Think pure +thoughts. + +God created our bodies and every part is for a purpose. We want to keep +our bodies free from impurities. There are urges in our body, and +sometimes a drawing to the opposite sex, but we must not let that urge +have control. We must keep our bodies under control. The Apostle Paul +tells us what he did. He said, "But I keep under my body, and bring it +into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, +I myself should be a castaway." I Cor. 9:27. Jesus also tells us "that +whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery +with her already in his heart." Matt. 5:28. We need to be very careful +of our thoughts, and where our eyes wander. Keep the right kind of +thoughts. A mother told her son when he was taking a trip, "Son, never +do anything to place your body where your soul would not be the master." +Petting and kissing among young people will lead to wrong thoughts and +lead them into traps. We need to be careful and watchful about all of +these things. "Keep thyself pure." My dear Grandson, we are in a battle +in this world against all evil. The devil wants to destroy our souls and +cause us to miss eternal life with Jesus Christ, the Lover of our souls. +The devil has many agents in the world who also help him. In the schools +today your teachers are taught how to change your thinking. They will +slowly but surely work on you day by day to do so. Beware of this. Don't +let anyone destroy your faith in God, in the Bible, nor in what it +teaches as being the Eternal Word of God. Guard this faith and live by +it. It means your eternal destiny. Whether anyone says God's Word is +true or false, it will still be true. Men's thoughts and ideas will +never change God's Word. + +The next sin is uncleanness. The dictionary says that _uncleanness_ +means "morally impure, foul, filthy, unchaste and obscene." The Bible +says, "God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." I +Thess. 4:7. This means that we are to keep ourselves pure in thought, +word, and deed. Keep a rebuke in your heart against dirty jokes and +those things that lead to impurity. The Bible says, "Unto the pure all +things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is +nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." Titus +1:15. Homosexuality would come under this sin. The Bible plainly +condemns this sin. In Romans we read about the corrupt man and it says, +"God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own +hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:... For this +cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did +change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise +also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust +one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and +receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet +[fit]. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, +God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not +convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness." Romans 1:24-28. It +is very plain that homosexuality is a terrible sin. God has a purpose +for the use of each member of our bodies and it is not to be used in +sinful ways. Sex is for a purpose and that is to bring children into the +world and for the purpose of love-making between married couples. But it +is not to be abused and temperance is to be used. Temperance is one of +the fruits of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:23). Each member is to be used for the +purpose that God has intended. Remember this and the Lord will give you +understanding. + +_Lasciviousness_ means "lustful, wanton, loose; a person who excites +lustful emotions in others." Let us study this with careful thought. The +world today advertises the fact that this or that will give "sexual +appeal." This is lasciviousness. Wearing clothing that does this is sin. +Acting in a way to cause others to have lustful emotions is a sin. That +is, if a person purposely acts in this way, or dresses in this way. +Speaking words and making signs that does this are sins. Oh, God is +calling for a pure and holy people! His church, which is made up of holy +(sinless) people, is without spot and blemish and has been cleansed and +made pure through the blood of Jesus Christ. (Eph. 5:27). We must be +pure to be in it. + +The next sin mentioned is _idolatry_ which means "divine honors paid to +idols, images, or any created object." (Web. Dic.) It also says it means +"excessive admiration, or love, for any person or thing." To worship any +image or man-made god is sin. There in only one true God and we must +worship Him in spirit and in truth. Also we do not want to have an +"excessive love" for any person or thing more than our love for God. +Some people allow *things* to keep them from having a true love for God. +This is a sin. If you let money, possessions, or any person keep you +from serving the Lord with all of your heart, then you have an idol. The +Apostle John said, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." I John +5:21. We are to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all +thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matt. 22:37. Surely that means a lot, +doesn't it? There can't be one thing or person between us and God. He +must absolutely be first in our life. Oh, my grandson, it truly is a +wonderful thing to put God first! He is so precious to my soul and I +know He will be to yours as you love and serve Him with all of your +heart! Jesus has said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his +righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. +6:33. What God adds is just perfect even though at the time we might not +understand it. + +The next sin is _witchcraft_. Today many people are turning to magical +powers and are having communion with evil spirits and the devil. This is +what witchcraft is. Fortune tellers, spiritualist readers etc. are all +of the devil and should never be considered nor tampered with. Many +have, in fun, or wanting to know something, imbibed an evil spirit and +were tormented by it day and night. God will protect His people if they +will look to Him and not yield to evil spirits. It is dangerous. Read +Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:10:12; Acts 16:16-19; 8:11-21; 13:6-12. + +Hatred is a sin. Even if someone does us a wrong we must forgive them or +Jesus has said that He would not forgive us. (Matt. 6:14,15). +Ill-feeling toward someone is a cousin to hatred. We need to forgive and +ask God to help us to love everyone regardless of what they do to us. +Wrath is also a sin and many times is connected with hatred. We must not +give vent to our anger but bring it under control. God has help for +everyone who will pray to Him and seek after Him. + +_Variance_ means "a verbal strife followed by strained or severed +relations: wrangle or squabble: to dispute angrily." This is connected +to hatred and wrath. + +_Emulations_ means "to strive to equal or excell with a view to out do; +ambitious or envious rivalry." In other words stepping on someone else +to get ahead of them or others. Oh, the Lord wants us to be considerate +of others! + +Strife and envyings come under this same thing. We must love every soul +and not try to disregard their feelings or desires. Be happy for others +to get ahead and "rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with those who +weep," is what the Bible tells us to do. + +Murderers are those who wilfully kill and are sinners. They must seek +forgiveness to be ready for heaven. If a person accidentally kills, that +is not a sin, but it is a tragedy. It is the person who purposely kills +who is a murderer and a sinner. To take one's own life is a sin, that is +if the person is in his right mind. We know that some people's minds are +afflicted (or wear out), and they are not responsible, yet there are +some close lines even in these cases. + +Drunkenness is a sin. _Drunkenness_ is the "state of being drunk with +strong drink or alcoholic liquor so that the use of the faculties is +materially impaired." (Web. Dic.) Oh, the sorrow and trouble that +drunkenness has brought to little children, homes, wives and husbands, +mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers and nations! It is a terrible +thing! Today there is so much dope being taken. It is a terrible thing +to abuse one's body. God will not hold a person guiltless who abuses his +body in any manner. Read Prov. 23:29-32. God has deliverance for all who +get into this sin if they will only seek after God. But my dear +grandson, flee from all of it. "Touch not the cup." Never even taste it +and you will never be a drunkard. Some say they can take it or leave it, +but many did that for awhile and today they are on "skid row." They lost +their health, their wealth, their children, and their companions. Their +life is wretched. Some might say, "It would not happen to me," but they +must flee from it as they would a serpent that is ready to strike. + +Smoking cigarettes and taking anything that harms the body is a sin. The +Bible says, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: +for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." I Cor. 3:17. What +could be plainer? My dear grandson, I am expecting you to flee from all +of these sins which are against the body which will destroy your body +and soul in eternal torment for all eternity. Remember that eternity +never ends. There is no time in eternity. Death seals your doom. It will +pay to live each day in a way that we will be ready to meet God, or will +be ready in that hour of death. It might come unexpectedly. + +Seditions and heresies are sins. False teachings which are contrary to +the Bible teachings are heresies. They are sin. We want to live +according to the Bible and know its doctrines so we can not be led into +heresies. So many are being deceived by false teachers. People today +believe everything they hear and do not search the Bible to see if it is +true. We must not believe teaching from false teachers. Some will say, +"But that person has studied the Bible many years and he ought to know." +He may have a degree in theology etc., but that doesn't make any +difference. We still must stay upon a firm foundation and find it in the +Word for ourselves. There is a chain running through the Bible that +links truth and it must not be broken, or it will not be truth. We are +instructed in the Bible to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a +workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of +truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto +more ungodliness." II Tim. 2:15,16. + +The next sins that are given are revellings and such like. _Revelling_ +means "a noisy or riotous feast; or to feast with joyous or clamorous +merriment, boisterous festivity." In other words it means a loud, +boisterous manner of acting, or being in a crowd that acts that way. In +I Pet. 3:4 it says for us to have a "meek and quiet spirit, which is in +the sight of God of great price." This is in harmony with God's Spirit +and His Word. + +I do trust that you have an idea of what God is expecting of us. In +other words, we have listed what the Bible teaches about some things +that are wrong, and what is right. As you said, the Bible is a big book +and we can't find everything, unless we are familiar with it, so I trust +these few things have been a help, as you study them. Remember that we +need to have Jesus to help us daily to obey the Word of God and be ready +to meet the Lord. First, it takes being saved from our sins, being +filled with the Holy Spirit and praying and studying God's Word. It is a +precious life when we are in the center of God's will. When we are +saved, we can have the fruits of the Spirit in our life which are named +in Gal. 5:22,23. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, +goodness, faith, meekness, temperance and many other good things that +God will give to us as we live and serve Him. + +Romans 1:29-32 mentions more sins. It says that those who turn +themselves over to the devil to work his evil ways are "filled with all +unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, +full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, +haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, +disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, +without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the +judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, +not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." What a +terrible list of sins! Oh, we must flee from any of them. If you get +your dictionary and look up the meaning of each one of these you would +see how sinful sin is. No wonder God looks down upon sinful mankind and +is grieved. Now mercy is held out to all who will turn to Him and +through Jesus Christ seek forgiveness and turn away from sin, but the +time is coming when mercy will be withdrawn. This old world will be on +fire and only the holy and true will be taken to that prepared place for +a prepared people who have sought God. Oh, I surely want to be ready in +that day and hour, don't you? + + +Seeking Forgiveness Was the Key + +When I was about twelve years of age, the teacher asked me to erase the +blackboard after school. After I finished, I walked down one aisle +between the seats. On one girl's desk I saw a match box, and in this box +was a tiny doll. I had seen her play with this doll and I thought it was +the cutest doll I had ever seen. I never had dolls when I was small, as +my folks could not afford to buy me one. I would wrap up a stick or +something and carry it around for my doll. So this doll attracted me +very much. As I looked at it, I wanted it so very much. + +Before I tell more about this incident let us read a Scripture in the +Bible which tells us about being tempted to sin. In James 1:14,15, it +brings out how it works. "But every man [woman or child] is tempted, +when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath +conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth +forth death." Let us see what the word tempted means. _Tempt_ means "to +induce; entice; allure." The devil works through us to tempt us. First, +we are tempted by our own lust. Lust means an "overmastering desire." +_Entice_ means to "attract by offering hope of reward or pleasure." So +we see that the devil will induce us to do wrong by placing an +overmastering desire for something, which he convinces us will bring a +reward or some pleasure. + +Note the next verse says, that when this lust or desire for a certain +thing is _conceived_, which means "formed in the mind," or it is decided +by the person that he is going to do a certain thing that is wrong, then +that brings forth sin. Now sin is finished [completed] when the act is +committed. After the act is committed then it brings forth death to the +soul. In other words, sin separates a person from God. That means +spiritual death. If a person continues to live in sin, or in spiritual +death, and then dies a physical death, he would be eternally separated +from God. But thank God, this need not be. The key to being restored to +God is found in God's Word. Since sin has to be punished, we find that +Jesus, the Son of God, was willing to come here, live and die and arise +from the grave so we can have forgiveness for our sins, as we, with +godly sorrow, seek for it. + +Now I will continue with the incident in my own young life. First, I +want to say that from a child I loved the Lord and my parents taught me +what sin was and I didn't want to displease the Lord. But I was not +above temptations. So when I saw this little doll, I was tempted by the +devil. I had an overmastering desire to have that doll and I was enticed +by the hope of the reward of having it for my own and thought no one +would know about it. So quickly I picked it up and took it home. You +see, when I let lust, or that overmastering desire, become conceived, or +formed, in my mind, and I took the doll, I committed sin. Sin was +finished and I was cut off from God. Spiritual death took place in my +heart. No longer could I come to God and have communion with Him. Sin +had separated me from God. So as the Scripture says, "when it [sin] is +finished, it bringeth forth death." + +I brought the doll home with me, but oh, I didn't feel good in my heart! +I knew I had sinned and I wished I had not taken the doll, but I had it +and was on my way home. I came into the house and my watchful mother saw +it. She asked, "Where did you get that doll?" + +"Old Tennessee gave it to me," I quickly said, which was a lie. Another +sin was added to my first sin. The devil not only gets a person to sin +but he gets them to commit other sins to cover up the first sin. Thus, +he leads people on and on, and deeper into sin they fall. (Old Tennessee +was an elderly black man who drove a horse and wagon by our home, filled +with junk that he had collected. Sometimes, when he would stop and talk +to us children, he would give us some of his junk which we would value.) + +I took the doll upstairs to my room and put it in my dresser drawer. I +didn't want to play with it. It didn't look so pretty anymore. My heart +was heavy. I didn't rest very well that night as I dreaded going back to +school. I just knew the teacher would guess that I had taken the doll. +To my surprise, nothing was said the next day about the doll. I avoided +the girl and hurried home after school. But yet the fact of stealing +that doll weighed heavily on my heart. A few days later I took the doll +out in the alley and took a brick and smashed it all to pieces and +buried it, but that didn't take away the sin or the guilt. I had sinned +against God and was still a liar and a thief. Oh, how bad I felt! I had +been taught to pray from a little child, and had always prayed, but +every time I would try to pray that sin would come up before me, so +finally I quit praying. + +School was soon out and a few weeks passed by. Bro. John Wilson came to +our house from Missouri and held a few nights' meeting at the chapel. +One night he preached on hell fire. Oh, I could almost feel the fire of +hell around me! I trembled, but hurried out as soon as meeting was over +and the invitation had closed. I went home and to bed as soon as +possible, but not to sleep. I rolled and tumbled on my bed. The weight +of sin was so heavy on my heart that it seemed the mattress was on top +of me instead of me on the mattress. I knew I was on the road to hell. +Finally, toward morning, I told the Lord that if He would spare my life +until I heard the alarm go off in my parent's room that I would get up +and go ask my father to pray for me to get saved and I would seek +forgiveness for my sins from God. This calmed me, and I lay there +waiting. When I heard the alarm, I ran to their room and knelt beside +their bed. I began to weep and beg Papa to pray for me to get saved. He +prayed for me and I prayed. I asked the Lord to forgive me of my sin of +stealing and lying and promised I would make it right. I told the Lord I +would tell the girl I had stolen the doll and pay her for it. God took +my word for the act and He forgave me and flooded my soul with peace. +Oh, I had found the key to peace for my inner longings! The key was a +desire to find peace and then obeying God's Word which said, "If we +confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to +cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9. That key opened the +lock to my heart and let Jesus come in. Jesus has said, "The words that +I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." John 6:63b. Oh, +the peace that filled me and I became a new creature in Christ Jesus! I +was happy again. + +I had promised the Lord that I would make my sin right when school +started. So one day I was sitting behind this girl and I tapped her on +the back. I told her about my taking the doll and offered to pay her for +it. She said, "I often wondered where that doll went to, but I didn't +care anything about it anyway." I insisted on paying her but she said to +forget it. Oh, the relief that I then had because the devil fought my +making it right by telling me that she would tell every one in school +about my being a thief. I never heard anything more about it. + +Then I had to make the lie right, for I had told my mother and all of my +brothers and sisters that old Tennessee had given it to me. One time in +family worship I started to tell it and broke down and wept, but kept on +telling about it. I asked forgiveness and my father said that they all +forgave me. I didn't know until years later that none of them understood +anything I said because I had cried so hard, but I thought they did and +that was what counted. I had obeyed the Lord who makes us know that we +are to make our wrongs right. + +When Jesus came to Zacchaeus' house and he sought salvation from Him, +Zacchaeus said, "If I have taken any thing from any man by false +accusation, I restore him fourfold." Luke 19:8. We must make our wrongs +right. If we do, and have repented and confessed our sins, we can hear +the same words that Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "This day is salvation come +to this house, ... For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that +which was lost." (verse 9, 10.) + +I am thankful to say that this was the only thing that I ever took in my +life and it was a great lesson to me. Oh, how wonderful it is to be the +Lord's! If we love and serve Him, we can have peace in our souls. We +might have many problems and troubles in this life but if we have peace +in our heart and are in contact with God, these things can't take away +our peace and we can face life. The Bible says, "Man that is born of a +woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1. Troubles will come +to us but if we obey God's Word, we can have peace in our soul and be +ready to meet the Lord when He comes in the clouds of glory. + +I do pray that all who may read this will take the key, which is the +Word of God and through obedience use it to unlock your heart and let +that Word fill your heart and life, and you will have peace. Every +longing will be satisfied as you continue to obey the Word. + + +The Keys to Continued Peace + +When a person has confessed his sins with godly sorrow, and they are all +under the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross, he is "born again" +and has become a new creature in Christ Jesus. (II Cor. 5:17). How +precious it is to know that "old things are passed away" and "all things +are become new!" His wrongs have been made right, as far as possible, +and according to his knowledge. Then he needs to walk in this kind of +way and life. It takes some watching and praying to keep the peace in +the soul that God has given. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit +can one continue in contact with God. After a person has fully +surrendered himself to the Lord and has the cleansing work of the Holy +Spirit in his soul, he is equipped to go forth and fight the devil who +goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet. +5:8). The devil is no respector of persons. He is more than a match for +the child of God but when the child of God seeks grace and help from +God, the devil has to flee. He now needs to know how to face the devil, +so he can be "more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus." + +We read in James 4:6-8 that first, we need to know that God gives grace +or help to the humble. We need to humbly realize our need of God's help. +Then we are to submit ourselves to God, draw close to God and "he will +draw nigh to you." Every step we take toward God, He will take one +toward us. After we are in the will of God and have implored His help, +we can then, in the name of Jesus, "Resist the devil, and he will flee +from you." One brother said he talked to the devil just like he did to +his dog. He said, "Get out of here!" The devil had to pack his bags and +leave. + +When a person is saved, one of the first things the devil tells him is +that he isn't saved. This is a famous trick of Satan and it's sad to +say, that he uses it over and over and it has worked on many souls. We +need not be "ignorant of his devices." It's a pretty sure fact that you +are saved or the devil would not bother about you. So don't let that +trouble you, but "resist the devil," or he will take your peace. + +Prayer is another thing we must do to keep our peace. God knows what we +need before we ask Him, but His plan is for us to ask. Prayer is not +just always asking God for something, but it's a means of fellowship +with God. It's a communion between God and us that brings love, joy, +peace, comfort and all that we need. It's a heart to heart talk to God. +In prayer we tell our Lord and Saviour of our great love for Him. In +prayer we never cease to praise Him for dying on the cross and taking +our punishment for our sins. In prayer we, so to speak, just lift our +hearts and minds up into that heavenly realm and we touch heaven. A +thrill of heavenly love flows from God down into the very depths of our +inner being. Power, strength and grace is given, and with a deep inner +joy we go forth and face the world. Others might wonder how we can have +the courage to face the hard things, but it's because of grace gained +through prayer. Prayer should never be neglected or we will feel our +peace slipping away. + +Prayer can be a groan, a sigh, a dropping of a tear, a smile, an inner +praise going up to God, laughter in the spirit, or an inward or audible +"praise the Lord!" Prayer is the sincere desire of the heart or an +attitude of the heart. Surely we can "pray without ceasing," as we keep +a heart full of love for our Lord and a feeling of utter dependence upon +Him. In living in this way, our peace will be abounding. + +Another foe we must watch is self. Often it has been said that we must +die out to self, but it goes deeper than just saying it. Self longs to +live, but it must be crucified. We must remember that "ye are not your +own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, +and in your spirit, which are God's." I Cor. 6:19,20. If we belong to +God then we do not belong to ourselves. We must be aware of the fact +that self will make many concessions to live. Self sometimes will allow +its owner to do many sacrificial deeds if it can live. It will even bear +hard things, but it must go. Self must be crucified. We must die to good +deeds, and to bad deeds, successes, failures, exaltations, humiliation, +friends and foes. Oh, it must not be us but Jesus that will be lifted up +in our lives! The Apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ: +nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life +which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who +loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. So it must not be self +that lives but Christ must live in us. + +We need to watch our thoughts to keep our peace. We are told that God +"wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because +he trusteth in thee." Isa. 26:3. When our peace is disturbed we need to +check to see where our mind has been or what we were thinking about. + +The mind is the battle ground. The devil has access to the mind as well +as God. We are tempted through the mind. The devil will present wrong +thoughts and then the Lord is right there to bring us good thoughts or +suggest the right thing to do. We need to separate our thoughts. We need +to cast out the wrong thoughts and only think on the good thoughts from +God. The devil is like a persistent salesman. He will talk and talk at +the door and if you are not careful he will get the door open and have +his foot in it. If you give him any encouragement he will be sitting in +your living room and have his wares all spread out before you. So we +must not let the devil get past the door of our mind. Just tell him +right off, "I am not interested." + +We think of the children of Israel in Egypt, when God told them to put +the blood of the lamb on their doorposts one night, so their eldest son +would be spared when the death angel passed over. Ex. 12:12,13. The +blood on the door was the powerful warning to keep evil from the +Israelites on that night when the Egyptians were visited and death was +in every home. Just so, dear Grandson, the blood of Jesus on the door of +our heart and mind will keep the devil from coming into our mind, +sitting down and displaying all of his wares of evil. When tormenting +thoughts, thoughts of fear, thoughts of unjust deeds of others done to +you, thoughts of self-pity, anxiety, doubts, unforgiveness, mistrust of +God, or evil of all kinds appear to take up your thoughts, just resist +them and point to the blood on the door of your heart. Those thoughts +will have to flee. Sometimes a person can think upon an unjustice done +to him and it will grow bigger and bigger. The mistake is made by not +resisting it in the beginning and forgiving the injustice. God's ways +are right, if we will follow them. + +When bold and daring thoughts move in and are persistent, trying to fill +every corner of our mind, we need to point to the blood. They have to +leave. Bring the mind under subjection to the blood and think of good +things. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall +keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, +whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever +things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are +lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if +there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:7,8. + + +Obedience to God's Word + +Be careful to obey the Word of God, and do not let others influence you +to do wrong. Be strong and courageous to stand for right and truth. Dear +Grandson, there will be many in the world who will sneer at you for your +stand for right. Some will persecute you, but don't let this influence +you to let down your standard from God of what is right. God expects us +to obey Him. Others might try to make you think that the way they have +figured it out is right, but still we must obey the Lord. + +When I was about 13 years of age I learned a lesson on obedience and +resisting others influence that I never forgot. I let others influence +me to disobey my father's command. It was presented to me in a way so +that it seemed that it would be all right, but yet it was a direct +disobedience. + +Unexpectedly, my parents were to be gone on Sunday. Early that morning +my father came upstairs to my bedroom, and told me about their going, +and told me to take the three younger children to Sunday school and +church services, and then come home, prepare dinner and stay at home +until they returned in the late afternoon. + +After the morning services, some of the young people wanted me to go +home with them for dinner and then in the afternoon they were going to +another town close by, and have young people's meeting. I repeated what +my father said and told them that I couldn't go. One girl especially +began to beg me to go by saying that she was sure my father would not +care. I still refused to go, so she talked to her mother about it. Her +mother told me that she would take care of the three smaller children if +I wanted to go with the young people to the meeting and she was sure my +father would know they were in good care. This over-persuasion was hard +to turn down, so I went home with them for dinner and to the young +people's meeting in the afternoon. I didn't feel very good over it as I +knew what my father's command was and I knew that when he told me to do +something he expected me to do it. Needless to say, when my father heard +about it, I was punished for disobeying him. He also had prayer with me, +instructing me to seek God's forgiveness. The good intentions of others +did not sway him. He told me I should not let others influence me to +disobey him, regardless of what they presented. It grieved him very much +to think that I didn't do as he had told me, and he said that he didn't +know if he could trust me again. I was very sorry and grieved also, as I +did want him to trust me. + +My dear grandson, God is grieved when we let others influence us to do +wrong, even though it may seem right to them. They might present a +plausible thing, but if God said for us not to do it, we must not. We +must obey God. We are individually responsible to God to give an account +for our deeds. We can't tell God that others thought it was all right. +That will never excuse us. + +We read of Saul, the king of Israel, who let the people persuade him to +keep the sheep, oxen, etc. of the wicked nation of the Amalakites, when +God had told him to completely destroy everything. The people said that +they should take the best and offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord. +This might have seemed plausible, but it was a direct disobedience to +the Lord's command. The Lord told Saul, "to obey is better than +sacrifice." Saul's punishment was great. Samuel, the prophet of the Lord +said, "thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath +rejected thee from being king over Israel." I Sam. 15:20-26. + +God expects us to obey Him and when we do, we will have peace in our +souls. Disobedience will bring the disfavor of God upon our soul and it +will have to be punished. + +Jesus has said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. Love +for God will make us careful to keep His sayings and He will give us a +peace that the world cannot take away from us. We can't find soul peace +in the world. And after all, my dear grandson, we want to live so we can +live with our inner self. God created us with a part of Himself in us. +There is something within us that looks up to a Creator. Some will +disregard the true God and worship the gods of stone etc. They think +that will satisfy the longing in their souls but it doesn't. Only when +we are in contact with the true God can we find real peace. + +Now my dear grandson, and all who read this, take the true key to peace +and let it open your heart and by prayerfully seeking God, you can have +peace in your soul. I love the souls of all mankind and want everyone +who will desire peace in their heart with God, to make it into heaven by +observing the Word of God. + +--Grandma Miles (A. Marie Miles) + + + + +"I Can Handle It" + +"What does Jeff's death mean to me? Well, some kids will probably stop +dropping flippies for awhile. I mean, you got to watch that stuff and +know what you're getting so you don't take some with too much rat poison +in it. Me, I know what I am doing, I can handle it." + +This was the answer to a question asked of one of Jeff Stewart's friends +who came to the cemetery, with other barefooted friends, who were +clutching wild flowers, to place on his grave. Jeff Stewart was the son +of a Methodist preacher and had refused to listen to his parents. They +had pled with him in tears to turn away from drugs. He had gotten into +it through others' influence, but when his parents tried to help him, he +would generally say, "I can handle it." + +Jeff Stewart was a handsome boy, so said his mother, and a B student. He +was only 17, but had died of an overdose of barbiturates on August 22, +1970 in a shack that he and his drug addicted friends had built on a +side street in Hopewell, New York. In the midst of "rock music" he and +his friends "smoked marijuana" and "dropped acid," (LSD) regularly. + +At times Jeff wanted to get off drugs and had told his mother that he +wished he had never started taking drugs, was a little boy again and +could start life all over. + +There is a struggle going on in the minds of every young teen-ager. At +times he is a carefree person but then at other times he tries to act +grown up or feels that he knows what he should do and the path he should +walk. These are difficult times in a teen-ager's life. Influences from +within and from without will cause him to decide upon his course. +Parents see this indecision and they try to guide their teen-agers in +the right direction. The pastor, Sunday school teacher, and the young +people's leader are all interested in the teen-agers and are trying to +show them the right way. At times the teen-ager thinks his parents or +other spiritual instructors are right, but the crowd at school, and +often the teacher, use their influences to pull him the other way. Day +after day he is making decisions. The wrong influences seek to turn the +teen-ager away from morality and God's Word but they do not give +anything to take its place in his heart or erase guilty feelings. +Therefore he finds emptiness within, so is compelled to continue to +seek something else to satisfy him. Then he is led deeper into grosser +evils, trying to "handle" his inner longings. + +Some might say, "But how do you know?" I know because I went through +those years and I know the influences to which I was exposed. One time I +wanted a certain thing or would want to do a certain thing but then +later I didn't like or want it. Some at school would present their ideas +and my parents and spiritual advisers presented their ideas. In my mind +I was continually weighing out what was right or what I really wanted to +do. + +As we think of the young boy who died of continually taking drugs and +felt that he could "handle" his own life, we see how he chose to travel +the wrong road. Even though his buddies saw what had happened to him +they were so stuck on drugs that they, too, thought they could still +"handle" their lives. What a mistake they are making and I am sure you +are convinced of that fact. None of us are able to *handle* our own +lives. When we are born we have within our very nature a bent toward +evil. That bent toward evil has to be curbed. God gave children parents +because they needed help to face life and to curb that which was within +them that would lead them to the wrong path. Children and teen-agers +should recognize this fact and listen to them. Even if you do not want +to admit it, you can't *handle* your own life without the aid of your +parents. Furthermore you can't handle your life and walk the right path +without God's help. The devil works through the influences of others to +lead you astray. Only through the power of God can the power of the +devil be broken, the bent toward evil be destroyed, and you be able to +do the right or choose the right path. Never feel that you can *handle* +your own life. No man, woman, child, or teen-ager can *handle* his life +or obey the Word of God, which teaches him the way to live in this life +and be ready to die, without help from outside of himself. + +In my early teen-age life there were two verses of Scripture that I had +learned by memory which were a guide to me. One was, "Children, obey +your parents in the Lord: for this is right," Eph. 6:1. The other one +was, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, +that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting +life." John 3:16. The first one made me know that God would bless me if +I obeyed my parents. Many times my idea of what they required wasn't the +thing that I wanted to do, but I obeyed. Why? Because I loved Jesus. I +was convinced that I was doomed for hell, but Jesus had loved me so much +that He came to this world, lived, and died on the cross and arose again +for my salvation. If it had not been for Jesus taking my sins and loving +me so much I would be eternally lost. That was a great influence in my +life and today I am very glad that I obeyed my parents and also let +Jesus handle my life and lead me in a right direction. + +When teen-agers rebel they are headed for trouble and oh, what great +trouble! Let us remember the young man who thought he could handle his +life but had a tragic ending and was eternally lost. Dear Grandson, +remember the Bible has the answer to every problem, and Jesus will help +you handle your life if you will let Him. + + * * * * * + +"Two Italian boys of New York City were returning from a swim. They were +each about fifteen years of age. Pietro had picked up a piece of copper +wire and thought he would have a little fun with the third rail of the +New York Central track, along which they were walking. + +"He poked away around the wooden covering of the rail, but nothing +happened. + +"'That's funny,' he said. 'I guess I didn't touch the right spot.' Then +he pushed the point of the wire down underneath the covering. + +"There was a flash of blue flame and a shriek of pain as 11,000 volts of +electricity shot through the wire. In a moment Pietro's clothing was on +fire and his hair and eyebrows were burned off. He tried to drop the +wire, as it hissed and sputtered at white heat, but it wouldn't let go. +He tried to pull it away, but it stuck to the rail as if it were +soldered there. The other boy tired to pull him away, but he was hurled +to the ground with a terrific shock. Then the brave fellow threw his +rubber coat around Pietro and pulled him loose. + +"Pietro started to run but fainted and fell. They took him to the +hospital, and the doctor said, 'One chance in a thousand to recover.' + +"The boys said they knew there was something dangerous about that rail. +They had heard other people say so, but they didn't think it would hurt +to play around with it a little. + +"Just so, sin is dangerous. It scorches and burns and kills, like the +live third rail. People know it, and yet they play around with sin. +Many times there are signs near high voltage wires--_Danger, Do Not +Touch_! God has put up some signs, too. In His Word He warns against the +danger of sin. If we want to be safe, and happy, we will heed these +warnings." + + * * * * * + +"A minister of Geneva, on a trip to Paris, one day fell into a +conversation with a man who began to reason with him about Christianity. +The minister answered every argument with a quotation from +Scripture--not venturing a single personal remark or application. Every +quotation his companion evaded or turned aside, only to be met by +another passage. The skeptic became enraged. 'Don't you see, I don't +believe your Bible! What's the use of quoting it to me?' he shouted. The +minister's reply was another thrust of the Sword of the Spirit, 'If ye +believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.' Years passed, then +one morning the minister received a letter. Opening it he read, 'You +took the Sword of the Spirit and stabbed me through and through one day, +and every time I tried to parry the blade and get you to use your hands, +and not the Heavenly steel, you simply gave me another stab. You made me +feel I was not fighting you, but God.' It was signed by the former +skeptic in whom the 'seed of the Word' had finally been mixed with +faith. + +"Even as the natural seed changes soil into plants, so the living seed +of the Word changes the character of the individual who comes in contact +with it. For example, in the night of the Dark Ages when the Word of God +was planted by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of chosen men, it brought +forth the fruit of the Reformation. There was a rediscovery of the +truth, that salvation is not by ritual or works, but by faith in Jesus +as our Saviour." + + * * * * * + +My grandson, I will close these instructions to you, as well as to all +who read them, with a prayer for each one. As a teen-ager I found that +it paid to live for God. As a mother I found that God was there to help +me in all the needs of life and as a grandmother and a possible +great-grandmother, I find great joy in living for God. It pays to put +God first in our lives. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his +righteousness and all these things will be added unto you," is the safe +way to live because Jesus, our Lord and Master, who has all wisdom has +told us. + +--Grandma Miles (A. Marie Miles) + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Key To Peace, by A. Marie Miles + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KEY TO PEACE *** + +***** This file should be named 12188.txt or 12188.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/1/8/12188/ + +Produced by Joel Erickson, Martin Agren, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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