WORDS AND PRINCIPALS TO LIVE BY

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.


Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.


Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.


Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.


Then let us consider some guidelines others have set for themselves.


Mrs. Susannah Wesley, wife of Rev. Samuel Wesley and mother to John and Charles, was the twenty-fifth child of Dr. Samuel Annesley. She was the mother of nineteen children, "most of whom lived to be educated, and ten came to man and woman's estate." All of her children were educated by herself.


Mrs. Wesley's statement in a letter to her son Charles: "Whatever dulls the sensitiveness on my spirit towards God, or take the fine edge off my thought of Him - must be ruled out, for He is my Lord. Whatever injures or weakens my body, or affects the mastery of it - must be ruled out, for it is the temple of the Lord. Whatever adversely affects the clearness of my witness of Jesus Christ before others - must be ruled out for it was His parting wish that I should be a witness of Him. Whatever may cause my brother to stumble in his Christian life - must be ruled out, for that would grieve Jesus."


Here is the rule of J. Wilbur Chapman: "The rule that governs my life is this: Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it. This simple rule may help you find a safe road for your feet along life's road.