Volume 58 WARBURTON, VICTORIA, OCTOBER 18, 1954 Number 42 KEEPING SPIRITUALLY TIT Synopsis of a Sermon Preached by PASTOR A. F. J. KRANZ at the Australasian Missionary:College. sage of the great apostle for us all in the culture of the physical, it is infin- 1 Tim. 4: 7-9: "And exercise thyself itely more important. No doubt Paul rather unto godliness. For bodily exer- was thinking of the Greek and Roman cise profiteth for a little time: {margin} athletes, who exercised extreme care in but godliness is profitable unto all the development of their physical things, having promise of the life that powers. Bodily exercise has a certain now is, and of that which is to come." value, but it profits only for this life. The Revised Standard Version says: Spiritual fitness, on the other hand, has "Train yourselves in godliness, for a special value, not only for this life, while bodily training is of some value, but for the life to come also. So you godliness is of value in every way, as it get the very best out of both worlds if holds promise for the present life and you keep spiritually fit. also for the life to come. The saying There is a definite neglect on the part is sure, and worthy of full acceptance." of many Christians to do anything for Phillip's translation reads: "Take time the culture of their souls. It takes N HIS LETTER TO TIMOTHY, and trouble to keep yourself spiritually effort to keep spiritually fit. Spiritual Paul wrote some things that have fit. Bodily fitness has a certain value, I qualities do not grow spontaneously a particular application to Tim- but spiritual fitness is essential both for any more than miracles, and must be othy alone. There were other things, this present life and for the life to come. developed by long, careful, and meth- however, that were worthy of accep- There is no doubt about this at all, and odical effort! Exercise thyself . tance by all Christians. Christians should remember it." Train yourself . Take time and Three times in writing to Timothy, The truth that you should ever re- trouble to keep fit. Paul stressed the faithfulness of the member, says Paul, is that spiritual fit- Don't fool yourself that you have not "saying," and its worthiness of accep- ness, or godliness, is essential both for enough time for prayer. Don't fool tance. These faithful sayings are found the present life and for the life to come. yourself that you have not enough time in 1 Tim. 1: 15; 4: 9; 2: 11. It is upon Therefore he exorts: "Take time and for Bible study. We must plan to keep one of these faithful sayings, which is trouble to keep yourself spiritually ourselves spiritually fit. Do you have worthy of all acceptation, that I wish fit." a spiritual time-table for studying the to fasten your attention this morning. The culture of the spiritual is of para- Word of God, for prayer, for devo- Turn with me while I read this mes- mount importance. Contrasted with tional reading? These things should be {Registered at the G.P.O., Sydney, for transmission by post as a newspaper) [2] 18/10/54 THE AUSTRALASIAN RECORD planned for just as definitely as you plan can see stars over 600,000,000 light years asked why, she said, "The work tires my for three meals a day, or for sleep time. away, and could "see" a candle 9,600 miles eyes, and I look out to clarify my vision." It requires discipline of self to take our- away. If it took time to make the marvel- Get your eyes even off your work, and selves in hand and apply ourselves to a lous machinery of vision, it will take time put yourself where you can see God. Moses programme; but it must be done if we to make your life clear. got his vision of God in the wilderness. are to keep ourselves spiritually fit. We Many Seventh-day Adventists have a Isaiah got a vision of God in the temple. need to make, and keep, regular appoint- false conception of vision. They take part However, we must always remember ments with God. Self-discipline is essen- in campaign after campaign, and feel they that vision never comes to the indolent tial. It took Brother Lawrence ten years must work, work, work. This is not re- man or woman. Vision remains only when to teach himself to pray and to cultivate ligion. Real progress in spiritual things we are faithful to our allotted tasks, work- a sense of God's presence. Time is needed, comes not in bustle and activity, but in ing steadily, calmly. Immediately after time to be alone with God. Men do not calmness and quietness in God's presence. Paul's vision on the road to Damascus he discover the real strength of prayer just Vision cannot come when we are afflicted began to preach Christ. The shepherds in an instant. Only slowly does a muscle with the disease of strain. We must "be were minding their flocks, Moses was develop. Day-after-day regularity in exer- still and know . God." We must have a tending sheep, Elisha was following the cise brings a muscle up. It is the same secret place where we can be face to face plough, Peter, James, and John were fish- spiritually. We must embark upon a with the Master. An old lady sitting by ing, Matthew was in his business office, spiritual programme in life if we are to the window, sewing, was seen to look Jesus was at the carpenter's bench, when keep ourselves spiritually fit. There must steadily out, letting the work rest. Being the heavenly vision came. be time if God is to do His work—time There is no vision to the unemployed. to be alone with God. We may see God at our common tasks. The shut door is needed for prayer, for The second thing we must have to keep meditation, for heart-searching. "When spiritually fit is an awareness of God, a thou hast shut thy door, go into the place sense of His constant presence. Take time of silence, where God can speak to thy and trouble to practise a sense of God's soul." presence. After Pentecost "the souls of the One of the saddest things in life is to believers thrilled with the conscious pre- see men of God become derelicts, men sence of their ascended Lord." ("Great without a message. When training our- Controversy," page 351.) "The Lord:work- selves to keep spiritually fit, what are we ing with them." Practise the forms of trying to acquire? I am not speaking of reverence so as to tune in with God. prayer and Bible study in this. They are In church, fill the mind with thoughts methods. I am speaking of what are the of God's presence. Say in your heart, "The real things that we get through prayer. Lord is in His holy temple; let all the One of these is vision. earth keep silence before Him." To keep spiritually fit calls for training In trouble, remember, "When thou yourself to have vision. Abraham Lincoln passest through the waters, I will be with saw the slaves in the market and got a I Believe thee." "Lo, I am with you alway." "He dwelleth with you and shall be in you." vision of what slavery meant. He said, "If EDGAR A. GUEST ever I get a chance to hit this thing, I'll Have real soul culture. Talk to your- hit it hard." Every, worthwhile life has I believe in friendship, and I believe in trees, self about God, and go where God's pre- been activated by a vision. The greatest And I believe in hollyhocks a-swaying in the sence impresses you, either in His holy of all visions is "the heavenly vision"—"the breeze, temple or in the temple of the out-of- upward-seeing vision"—the vision that is And I believe in robins, and roses white and doors. fixed, on the eternal. Paul said, "I was not red, The liberal spirit also keeps us spirit- disobedient unto the heavenly vision." And rippling brooks, and rivers, and blue ually fit, and is to be cultivated. "Give, To have vision is to have a Godward- skies overhead, and it shall be given unto you, good mea- lifted soul. And I believe in laughter, and I believe in sure, pressed down; ... and running over." Moses got his vision at his mother's love, This does not pertain simply to money. knee, a vision of Israel in Egypt, and an And I believe the daffodils believe in God The only way to keep spiritual riches is Israel called out of Egypt. He knew in above. to give them away. Train yourself to give his soul he was the man whom God would out. A flowing river gives life and health use. But the first vision is not always I am no unbeliever. I know that men are and keeps itself clean. Not so a stagnant clear. It sometimes needs to be corrected. true, pool. Moses tried to work for God by killing, but I know the joy of summer time when skies Give time, strength, and means, liber- God took him into the hills, and he got a above are blue, ally. "The law of abundant living is the new vision, a steadfast vision, a vision he I know there is no earthly power can shape law of cheerful giving." A liberal soul never afterward lost.