Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"Going to Court"

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 1 Corinthians 6:1
   

What does “litigiousness” mean? The word occurred in a catechism years ago to describe the tendency of some people to litigate, to sue one another when disputes arise.

Some of Saint Paul’s readers in Corinth ventilated their problems before pagan judges. The apostle much preferred that they settle their problems among themselves with the help of their spiritual leaders. In the latter settings, Christian principles, especially Christian love, can prevail to the satisfaction of both parties. “Litigiousness” over trivial cases gives Christianity a bad name in a pagan society. The apostle considers it inconsistent with the high spiritual role Christians have to “judge the world” and to “judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3).

“Litigiousness” tends to reflect greed, a contentious spirit, a preoccupation with selfish interests to the neglect of responsibility toward the neighbor. In our times, court cases are not only numerous but sometimes border on the humorous. For example, a New Hampshire college student, having had an unpleasant, unwanted encounter with her date, initiated a lawsuit, not against the young man but against his parents “for having done such a rotten job in raising their son.” While the complaint might have been justified, the procedure for personal redress was ill-advised.

As citizens, Christians are entitled to the protection of the courts when righteous issues are at stake. Saint Paul, a Roman citizen, availed himself of the imperial courts, in the end appealing his case as a witness of Jesus Christ all the way to Caesar in Rome. The book of Acts closes with this account of the apostle as a litigant in Rome: “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31).

Before taking a case to court, a Christian will “take it to the Lord in prayer,” considering all aspects of the matter in the light of Christ’s redeeming love.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Saint Luke, a Careful Witness"

Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Colossians 4:14
   

Saint Luke was a man of many talents, author of the third Gospel and the book of Acts. He was a missionary assistant to Saint Paul, who refers to him as “our dear friend, Luke, the doctor” (Colossians 4:14). He has the distinction of being closest to the apostle when the latter needed him the most. “Only Luke is with me” Saint Paul wrote when his fatal captivity in Rome drew to a close (2 Timothy 4:11).

Saint Luke is best known to us through his Gospel in which he records the highlights of Jesus’ birth (his account of Christ’s nativity is a classic), life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Under the inspired direction of the Holy Spirit he set forth these events for a definite purpose—not as a mere biography but as an account of what God did to effect the salvation of sinners through the redeeming, sin-atoning merit of His Son.

People who in ignorance, or out of intellectual pride, dismiss the sacred writings as carelessly thrown together, and therefore full of inconsistencies, even contradictions, should examine Saint Luke’s prologue to his Gospel. They should note how carefully he proceeded. He investigated, he interviewed eyewitnesses, he arranged his material in proper order—all for the purpose of presenting a clear Christian witness to his friend Theophilis. All the while the Holy Spirit was at work in the author to make sure that only the truth—the truth of Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord—was set forth.

God’s great blessing rested on this Gospel. As Saint Luke, a Gentile, was gained for the Christian faith through the testimony of others, so he was God’s instrument for bringing in many more converts from the Grecian world.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Love, Not Lust"

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
   

A nationally syndicated columnist has written, "Gambling inflames the lust for wealth without work."

The normal way to acquire the things we need is to work for them, manually and mentally. The Bible speaks on the subject of honest work. Adam was not to be an idler but was to "rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:28). After his fall into sin, his work became considerably harder. But it was still to be his way of earning daily bread.

People through all ages have tried to acquire wealth in ways other than honestly earning it. Some thieves lived in the city of Ephesus. "Stop it!" Saint Paul is in effect saying. Let the one who steals work, "[do] something useful with his own hands" (Ephesians 4:28). This is important for two reasons: to have the wherewithal for their own support and to have something extra "to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).

Another way that people, past and present, have tried to get their hands on more money is by engaging in games of chance, or gambling. The Roman soldiers under Christ's cross cast lots to determine who would get our Lord's seamless coat. Rolling dice was a common pastime in the Roman army. Julius Caesar, about to cross the Rubicon and march on Rome, declared, "Alea jacta est" ("The die is cast").

What lies at the root of gambling is hardly sportsmanship. It comes much closer to being what the above columnist said it is: sinful covetousness, I-want-it-all, I-don't care-about-the-neighbor lust. Lust lies in the heart, where love ought to be. It is from the sin of lust that Christ redeemed us. In place of lust He has implanted in us love for Him and for one another. What a grand conclusion to this reading: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).

[Soldier4Christ]

"On Being Ready"

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning." Luke 12:35
   

Someone has described negligence as the lack of preparation or the failure to anticipate an event. The result is apt to be that a sudden development finds the individual unprepared and at a very serious disadvantage to cope with it.

In the time before the great deluge the people were negligent. Instead of making preparation, they were neglectful or preoccupied with other things. They were, as Jesus said, "eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark" (Luke 17:27). It was the same with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah prior to the great destruction. And the situation will be no different in the days preceding our Lord's Second Coming.

To be prepared means to be ready to make the most of opportunities that present themselves. As Christ's disciples and witnesses it is well for us to be prepared to testify to our faith in Jesus Christ. Saint Peter tells us, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15). The apostle could write this with a poignant recollection of that fateful night at the high priest's palace when and where he was not ready to give truthful answers to the questions he was asked. Instead, he denied Jesus.

Saint Paul seemed always to be ready, always prepared, to capitalize on opportunities to witness to the Gospel. He was ready with an answer when the shaken jailor in Philippi asked how he could be saved: he was to believe in Jesus as his, and his household's, Savior. Further, Paul liked to have his congregations do things in order--for example, to be ready with the offerings so that, when he came that way, he could pick them up and deliver them to the starving saints in Jerusalem.

For all of life it is true, opportunity favors the prepared person.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Finding Rest in Christ"

Since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Hebrews 4:1
   

Early Christians chose the first day of the week as their worship day. They called it the Lord's Day, for on it the Lord Jesus rose from the dead.

The Old Testament believers also had their Lord's Day, the seventh day of the week. It was called the Sabbath, which meant rest. Freed from daily work, the Israelites had the opportunity on this day to meditate on God's Word, individually and as an assembled congregation. It was on the seventh day that God rested after creating the world.

The Sabbath of rest gave promise of God's goodness in providing not only bodily gifts but also of the perfect peace and rest for the world through the Messiah. God had made provision for what the epistle to the Hebrews calls the "Sabbath-rest." This peace or rest consists of all that Jesus Christ has earned: forgiveness of sins, salvation, peace with God, and eternal life. This eternal, heavenly peace is still available, for the writer urges that his readers heed God's invitation and enter into God's rest.

To accept God's Sabbath-rest invitation does not require that we still keep Saturday as our day of spiritual rest. The laws of the Sabbath and the other once-prescribed holy days in the Old Testament have been fulfilled with the coming of Jesus as the Messiah. Saint Paul states that these days and occasions were "a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ" (Colossians 2:17).

In fact, then, Christ is our true Sabbath-rest. Through Him God conveys freedom from the Law, release from the many do's and don'ts of the Old Testament ceremonial law. Saint Paul explains to the Colossians how this release came about, for in Christ "we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14). As the Israelites were delivered from bondage in Egypt and were given promise of eternal rest in heaven, so God "has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves" (Colossians 1:13). It is fitting for the Son to invite us, who are troubled, to find our rest in Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

"What we Have in Heaven"

He carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. Revelation 21:10
   

What things does a person need for life in the world to come? The ancient Egyptians believed that the people needed there what they need here. When Queen Nefertiti was buried in the Valley of the Queens, her tomb was made to contain food, clothing, furniture, boats, and the like.

However, in the afterlife we have no need for such things, for it is a totally different world. Job declares that we brought nothing with us into the world, and when we leave, we can take nothing with us--no money, no fine clothes, no food, and, thank God, no pills or medicine. Also the crutches and canes will not be needed.

It is hard for us to visualize the situation in heaven. In Revelation Saint John draws back the draperies, as it were, and gives us a glimpse into heaven. He calls it the New Jerusalem, the celestial city. It does not need what earthly cities find necessary. It does not need sun or moon, much less electric lights, for God gives it light. No edifices for worship are needed, for "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple," he writes (Revelation 21:22). Also not found in the heavenly city are stores and food kitchens, for there is no hunger or thirst. Absent, too, are hospitals and mortuaries, for heaven knows neither sickness nor death.

What heaven has to offer we will have in abundance. Much of this is told in picture language. The river of life flows there, as clear as crystal. Present, too, in all its beauty and fruitfulness is the tree of life. Jesus adds to our conception of heaven when He says, "In My Father's house are many rooms" (John 14:2). This is comforting and assuring: Heaven is like a beautiful home where there is room for everyone.

If the question of what we need in heaven is unimportant, there is, however, a question of utmost importance: How do we get there? The Bible clearly and fully answers it. Jesus said He is the Way to the Father above. He reconciled us to God. He removed every obstacle; He paved the way. Believing in Him as the Savior, we have eternal life.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Spiritual Tasks, Spiritual Tools"

Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 2 Corinthians 10:3
   

People visiting the museum of the United States military Academy, West Point, New York, see the exhibited weapons of war divided into two classes: small weapons and large ones. The small weapons include handheld clubs, axes, and swords; the large ones, such powerful machines as tanks, but also the beloved, all-purpose vehicle for peacetime uses: the Jeep.

Saint Paul considered himself engaged in warfare of a spiritual kind. He was fighting the Evil one, whom he considered to be a very powerful opponent. He writes to the Ephesians, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil" (Ephesians 6:12).

The struggle against spiritual enemies requires spiritual weapons. Taking us away from West Point, as it were, the apostle points out: "We do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world" (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). Then what are the spiritual tools with which we work? In Ephesians 6:13-17 he mentions them. The two main ones are "the shield of faith" and "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Faith is trust in Christ's redeeming, forgiving, life-giving merit. It is our best protection against the devil's flaming arrows. The only effective spiritual weapon with which to overcome sin and Satan is the Word of God, here also called "the Gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15).

Today as perhaps never before we must distinguish carefully the tools we use to build Christ's kingdom. None of the hardware on display at West Point, small or large, will do. Only the Gospel has the power to bring us salvation, to reconstruct lives, to convey wisdom and light, to open the door of heaven. God's Word is our armory.

[Soldier4Christ]

"An Acceptable Year of the Lord"

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD ... has sent Me ... to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor. Isaiah 61:1-2
   

Because of the divorce of a daughter and the marriage separations of two sons, the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, pronounced 1992 "a horrible year." Heartaches, for many other reasons as well, invade the homes of the rich and the poor, the mighty and the weak.

God provides hope and comfort so that we can endure the distressful years. The Israelites, who experienced horrible years in Egypt and during their 40-year journey to their homeland, also had years of divine favor. Every 50th year was a year of jubilee. It was the acceptable year, or the year of the Lord's favor, for then the land would revert to its original owners, and everyone obligated in any way to another was set free. The sound of the trumpet would announce the jubilee year. It was such a joyful occasion that Isaiah speaks of it as a pledge and foretaste of the spiritual freedom the Messiah would bring.

In the synagogue of Nazareth Jesus announced His Messiahship, using Isaiah's words to proclaim the year, yes, the entire New Testament era, as the time of the Lord's favor. Jesus, the son of the Highest, came to earth to make common cause with us, render obedience for us, bear our burdens, heal our souls, make full restitution for our sins, and grant us a charter to our heavenly home.

With Jesus at our side, we can make it through the year no matter how "horrible" it may be, for He supports us all the way. Through Him the heavenly Father, in the psalmist's words, "crown the year with ... bounty" (Psalm 65:11). Whatever our station in life, whether the queen of England, a working wife, a patient in a hospital, or an aged person, God causes goodness to follow all the days of our life. He is there for us, especially in times of trouble.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Overtaken by the Word"

"We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20
   

It is said that the Old Testament prophets "were called by God and overtaken by the Word." The divine call to them was followed by obedience, by captivation, and by full immersion in God's Word.

Jeremiah was called in early youth. He said to the Lord, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" (Jeremiah 1:6). However, when God's message came to him, he was overtaken by it in complete obedience. How great was his absorption! He said to God, "When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (Jeremiah 15:16). Jeremiah inwardly digested the Word, sometimes with joy, sometimes with tears.

Also in the New Testament persons called by Jesus were overtaken by the Word. The Savior's call to Peter and Andrew to follow Him drew this immediate response, "At once they left their nets and followed Him" (Matthew 4:20). The same is said of James and John. Throughout their ministry the apostles revealed their full commitment to the Gospel. Saint Peter declared, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). They testified to the truth of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection of which they had been eyewitnesses.

The Holy Spirit through the Gospel has called you and me to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. An important question, following our call, is this: "Have we been overtaken by the Word?" Has it taken hold of us? Does it prompt us to serve the Lord gladly in the various vocations we find ourselves? Can we say with the psalmist that the Lord's teachings "are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb" (Psalm 19:10)?

How blest we are that God's call to faith and service has come to us and we are overtaken by the Word! Jesus, the Good Shepherd, always seeks and finds us when we stray from His redeeming love. He calls to us in His familiar voice. His Word overtakes us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Lasting Letters"

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45
   

A well-known author has stated, "When an old person dies, it is like a library burning." Much valuable knowledge is lost, except for what the deceased may have recorded or transmitted orally.

However, misconceived "wisdom" is not worth saving. After the three friends of afflicted Job had cited his wrongdoing as cause of his suffering, he replied, "Wisdom will die with you" (Job 12:2). Much of what they said was beside the point and should be buried.

It is different when people speak the wisdom of God. When they pass away, as all of them will, their truth abides. In His love God saw to it that Old Testament teachings given to Moses, the psalmists, and prophets, as well as the teachings given to the New Testament evangelists and apostles, were preserved in Holy Scripture. All was written for our learning so that, in Saint Paul's words, "we might have hope" (Romans 15:4).

Saint John was an apostle who lived to ripe old age. He may have reached age 90 or beyond. When the Lord finally did call him home, John had left a small library of writings: the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and Revelation. Reduced to one sentence, Saint John's testimony was that Jesus Christ "is the true God and eternal life," as stated at the close of his first epistle (1 John 5:20). Our salvation rests in Jesus Christ alone, the Son of God crucified for our sins and raised again from the dead.

Our passing away in old age need not resemble the burning of a library. Even if we leave no books--no biographies or diaries--those near and dear to us will be our living libraries. They will be to us what the Corinthians were to Saint Paul, "our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody" (2 Corinthians 3:2). These are lasting letters, living libraries, Christ's continuing witnesses in this world.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Work, Yes--Worry, No"

If a man will not work, he shall not eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
   

Ants can be a bother at picnics and at other times and places. But that should not keep us from doing what the writer of Proverbs states: "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It ... stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest" (Proverbs 6:6-8). The fact is: While people are enjoying an outdoor picnic, the ants are working, gathering food.

The instruction is given to sluggards, lazy persons, those who sleep when they should work. They need to hear that it is through work, physical and mental, that God provides our daily bread. Jesus set us a good example of being diligent in work. Even on a day of rest He performed a work of love--He healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda, saying: "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working" (John 5:17). Again, He said: "As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work" (John 9:4).

In implying that we should work and look ahead to the future, Jesus is by no means contradicting what He said about not taking thought for tomorrow and worrying about what we will eat, drink, and wear. He is warning us against sinful worrying in that passage.

In urging us to diligence, both the writer of Proverbs and Jesus are addressing themselves to the able-bodied, not to those who are poor and needy because they are unable to work. The Proverbs author writes also this: "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor" (Proverbs 22:9). And on Judgment Day Jesus will commend the righteous for giving bread to the hungry (see Matthew 25:34-46). He does not criticize the hungry, as if to say: "Why aren't you working to earn your daily bread?" He is speaking of those who are hungry through no faith of their own.

Jesus Himself labored diligently and hard. The prophet speaks of "the suffering of His soul" (Isaiah 53:11). Through His work we are redeemed from sin and death and set free from every kind of worry. Thanks be to God for such a Savior!

[Soldier4Christ]

"It Doesn't Go by Size"

"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
   

Mount Calvary, described in a hymn verse as a "mournful mountain" and in another as a "green hill," is not noteworthy because of size. Its height cannot compare with that of Mount McKinley in central Alaska, which is 20,300 feet high, the highest mountain in North America. Yet Calvary towers above McKinley in importance. It was once crowned by a cross on which Jesus Christ died to redeem the world from sin.

In God's plan of salvation, the effectiveness and final outcome does not depend on size--not on the dimensions of things He employs, not in the importance of people He engages, not in the number of people involved. In the Old Testament, Gideon and his 300 men routed the hordes of Midianites (see Judges 7). This made plain that it was God, not human beings, who effected the deliverance.

As little as God depends on quantity, so little does He depend on the quality of people He chooses to do His work. Jesus turned to a dozen ordinary men to evangelize His kingdom. God gave the treasure of His saving Gospel to frail men, to vessels of clay, to people who by all outward appearance were average, ordinary people. Yet troublemakers in Thessalonica had to say this of Paul and Silas: "These men ... have caused trouble all over the world" (Acts 17:6).

Also in our lives it is true that God gets His work done, as He said to and through Zechariah, "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" (Zechariah 4:6). This is the Holy Spirit who does His wonders through the simple Gospel we preach. As with Elijah (1 Kings 19:9-12), so also to us may come the experiences that impress us: strong wind, earthquake, fire. But God's messages often come to us in a "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12), and His good gifts in small packages. All in all, as Jesus said, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). It consists in being rich toward God with the blessings of forgiveness, peace, and a purposeful life lived to Christ's glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Chosen in Christ"

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. 1 Peter 2:9
   

The ancient Greeks had a strong sense of fate. They believed life's events unfolded exactly as the gods had ordained them--there was no escape. The legend of Oedipus is an example. Oedipus was a king's son, destined someday to slay his father and, as usurper of his throne, to marry the queen, who was his mother. The tragedy destroyed the lives of all concerned.

As far as the Christian religion is concerned, there is no blind fate. No one will ever go down into eternal perdition because this was divinely ordained. Saint Paul teaches that God has a good and gracious will toward all people. He "wants all men [persons] to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men" (1 Timothy 2:4-5).

To strengthen Christians, particularly when they are in great affliction, God tells them that He will not fail them. He promises them that the crown of life is theirs. So long as they continue faithfully in the use of His Word and the sacraments, their salvation is sure--sure, not because of anything they do but because of divine grace and because the Gospel "is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). God's acts of grace provide a firm foundation: "Those God foreknew He also predestined ... He also called; those He called, he also justified; those He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30).

This teaching is not to be misunderstood or misused as if to say salvation is an absolute cinch regardless of how a person believes or lives, on the false assumption that election saves. The Bible teaches, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16). It was Jesus who said this, the same who declares for our comfort concerning believers, "no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:29).

[Soldier4Christ]

"Christ is the Center"

"God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." Acts 2:24
   

Jules Verne gave free play to his imagination when he wrote his novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth." To get to the center of things--to the heart and core of matters in life--is the concern of many people, sometimes for selfish reasons.

Isaiah deplores the greed of people who put themselves at the center of their world, leaving no room for others. They "add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and [they] live alone in the land" (Isaiah 5:.

There is a right way--and a right reason--for penetrating to the center of a situation. We find Jesus doing this when He tells His hearers not to get lost in trivia to the neglect of the weightier matters of God's Word. He Himself represents the very center of God's revelation for our salvation. The same Isaiah points to Him as the redeeming Messiah, saying, "The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

The twelve apostles kept the sin-atoning, risen Christ and His cross at the center of their preaching. Saint Peter did this in his Pentecost sermon. At the heart of Saint John's testimony is this: God loved us and sent His Son as "the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 2:2).

Certainly the thirteenth apostle, Saint Paul, knew what was the heart and core of the Gospel he proclaimed, writing to the Corinthians, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). The time came when he as a prisoner was taken on a journey to the center of the world: Rome, the imperial capital. There he "preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ," as Saint Luke states at the end of the book of Acts (28:31).

We are at the center of the Gospel when we believe, teach, and confess with Saint Paul: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24).

[Soldier4Christ]

"Christian Youth: A Sound Investment"

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. Psalm 119:9
   

Someone has described teenagers as "the generation now in escrow." The reference is to funds held by a third party which then become available when the intended payee has met certain conditions.

Young people are the future. They are a precious possession, a human asset and resource to be drawn on for leadership in coming years. The Christian church values teenagers highly.

Parents have the responsibility and privilege of helping young people mature. They set good examples and back them up with Christian teaching. As children become adolescents, then young adults, they gradually learn to take responsibility for their lives. This calls for spiritual growth through the study of God's Word. The psalmist asks: "How can a young man [person] keep his way pure?" He replies, "By living according to Your Word" (Psalm 119:9).

Christian living results from Christian believing, from being in right relation to God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior. This relationship--this living in Christ and Christ in us--normally begins with holy baptism in infancy. This "washing with water through the Word" (Ephesians 5:26) cleanses from sin, breaks the power of death and the devil, and conveys the eternal salvation procured by Christ. This one-time performance is in effect for life. The faith engendered by the sacrament is kept alive and strengthened through instruction in God's Word.

What a blessing it is to the individual, to the family, to church and nation, when teenagers, "the generation now in escrow," mature into full Christian adulthood! The apostle commends them: "I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you" (1 John 2:14).