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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1987-10-07, Page 19From the Minister's Study THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1987. PAGE 19. Choosing the right way needs God's guidance BY JAMES H. CARNE, PASTOR, THE MISSIONARY CHURCH, AUBURN He was only 10 or 11 when 1 saw him last. His mother had begun to come to church but it was already too late for him; he wasn’t interested. It was a wonder that this mother had been interested. She had been a neighbour of one of our parishion- ers whose life had been so dramatically changed since she started to attend church that Pat, also, began to come, with the hope that something could be done about the devastation of her life. And devastation it was. Her marriage had ended long since and in the place of her husband had come a long line of live-in boyfriends. It was no wonder that her children were confused and insecure. Some years later I learned that young Bill had been charged with manslaughter. He was 21 then and attended a drug party along with the young man who had later been found dead. Bill was acquitted of that charge but, six months later, was convicted of robbery and was sentenced to three years and four months in Collins Bay peniten tiary. At the age of 25 he was found deadatthebottom of a ravine in Quebec, a bullet in his head. How is it possible for an innocent 12 year old boy to pass through all that trauma and to become a gangland murder victim within 13 Melville WMS meets The October meeting of Melville Women's Missionary Society was held in the church parlor with an attendance of eight. Mrs. Elliott the President open ed the meeting by reading “How good it is to give Thanks’’ from Psalm92. “Jesus, Jesus” was sung. The offering was taken by Evelyn Mair and dedicated by Helen Elliott. The roll call was answered with a verse containing blessing. Psalm 103 was read in unison. Hymns were sung with Helen Elliott at the piano. The topic “A Thanksgiving Thought’’ was taken by Evelyn Mair. Helen Elliott closed the meeting with prayer. short years? All it takes is a series of choices that seem so insignifi cant at the time. The Bible says that * ‘ there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is the way of death.’’ Isn’t it uncanny how a person can make decisions that seem in his own best interest at the time and yet they chart the course of the ruin of his life? How can one be so stupid? Is it possible that Jesus is rightwhenHesays, “I am the way, the truth and the life ...” and that, without Him, there is no possibility of finding the right way or a meaningful life? One of the reasons that I am a Christian today is that I discovered early a penchant for doing the wrong thing and for going the wrong way. The Bible is right when it says, “All we, like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned, every one, to his own way ...” It’s a pity that King Saul turned out to be such a tragic figure. He was a man whom God Himself chose, and he showed so much promise, yet he ended his life by falling on his own sword. How did he come to such an untimely end? He demonstrated early a tendency to act on human impulse instead of obeying God. When questioned by the prophet Samuel as to his disobedience he blamed the people around him and showed his dependence upon human reason ing when he replied, “1 thought ...” Having taken the way of least resistance once, he found it easy to do it again and again. And what shall we say of Sampson, that careless and dis solute giant of a man who thought that he was in control of every thing, but who couldn’t control himself, and, as a consequence, became the sport of his enemies and also died by his own hand. the choices that we make. And how shallwechoose aright when the way that “seems right” to the natural man is “the way of death”? Think of all the alcoholics and drug addicts and murderers and people who have made a mess of their marriages who never intended that things should end up like they have. The words of Moses to the people of Israel long ago are instructive for us today: “See, I set before you today life and prosper ity, death and destruction. For 1 command you today to love the Lord your God ... now choose life Choices...wearewhatweareby ...” Deut. 30: 15-19. Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH Candidate Daniel Jongsma on Sunday Monday, Thanksgiving Day atlOa.m. Rev. Peter Slofstra Sunday School 11:00a.m. The Church of the “Back to God Hour” and “Faith 20” Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith20 5:00a.m. weekdays, GlobalT.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME Business Di rectory BLAKE Septic Tank Service Fast Efficient 24HourService CALLRAY887-9186or 887-6800 GETREADYFORWINTER! DURA-WELD Farm Machinery Repairs Custom Fabricating PROP. 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