BY THE LATE ELDER B. E. ECHOLS
And Laban said unto him 1 pray thee if I have found favour in thine eyes tarry: for I HAVE LEARNED BY EXPERIENCE that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. (Genesis 30:27).
Introduction
“The School of Experience must be attended by all of God’s children and the whole world for that matter sooner or later. Paul look a postgraduate course in “The School of Experience somewhere in the Arabian desert after he had received his diploma and degrees in the Greek and Hebrew institutions of learning of his day. In reference to this course he relates: I have LEARNED (by experience–understood or implied) in whatsoever stale I am therewith to be content,” Phil. 4:11. Few Christians, and probably no unsaved people of our day, have attained to such a degree in this particular line of experience, perfect contentment. It is a degree of untold value. See I Tim. 6:6. Laban, Jacob’s uncle, was an Old Testament character who also received a degree in “The School of Experience.” His testimony reads, “I have learned by (via) experience.”
Experience is said to be one of our best universities of learning, excepting none, for both the saved and unsaved in all callings and walks of life. One educator has this to say concerning “The School of Experience–The disciplines of experience are likely the most powerful and effective of all;” for “The best remembered lessons are those of experience.”
Experience is a means by which God teaches some people their lessons who will not study, neither receive advice nor obey instructions. However, some Christians fail to learn by way of experience even though
their Father, the Lord, forces them to attend such schools. They are like the people Paul wrote Timothy about, “Ever learning (continually attending ‘The School of Experience’), and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth.” God help all of us to appreciate all His efforts and sacrifices to educate us for our Christian future. If we fail to apply ourselves and have to be taught our lessons over and over, we will never receive our degrees and diplomas in time to make the rapture or be prepared for the resurrection, should we die. Then, the night of the “end of time” is coming when no one will be able to continue his studies in any of the “Schools or Universities of Experience.”
Two Ways To Learn Via Experience
1. Via experience of others. One can save himself of much suffering, many disappointments, heartaches and reproaches, loss of friends, money, time, prestige and reputation if he will observe and study the failures and successes of others–keep a check on their experiences pro and con. We have ample records and plenty of examples of such in the Bible if we would only heed them (II Pet.2:4-6; I Cor. 10:1-11 and Phil. 3:17), to say nothing about everyday happenings which we learn about through the press, radio, personal observation, etc. Don’t be foolish by ignoring the experiences of those who have lived before your day.
2. Via personal experiences. This method is recognized by all people and none of us will ever be able to plead our ignorance before God of not being aware of such schools and universities for Christian learning
and perfection. The person who ignores his personal experiences of everyday life, and the experiences of his fellow pilgrims who have traveled life’s way before him, will eventually land in Hell to burn forever. See Heb. 2:1-3; Prov. 10:17 and 14:12.
Remember this, personal experiences teach us those never-to-be forgotten lessons in many ways; however, one learns TOMORROW (in “The School of Personal Experience”) what he should have known YESTERDAY, had he observed and profited by the experiences of others. This being true, should we not prefer, study, and profit more by the experience of OTHERS? The wise will certainly do so. One can obtain his “Experience Degrees and Diplomas” much sooner by giving heed to and studying the experiences of others than he can by waiting to learn by his own weary experiences. He will also be far better off in EVERY way finally.
There are also two ways to learn via personal experience. One can learn the EASY way or he can learn the HARD way. Most people take the “Hard Course of Disobedience” as Adam and Eve, Cain, Lot’s wife, Moses, Samson, King Saul, the disobedient prophet (I Kings 13) Ahab and Jonah did. The wise will prefer the “Easy Course of OBEDIENCE” to every command though it is the most expensive and requires implicit obedience to God’s Words and demands as Noah Abraham Joshua Gideon Naaman the leper the man born blind (John 9:1-7) the ten lepers and the one hundred and twenty disciples did. Remember there were five hundred who witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven and only about of them went back to the “upper room” and tarried according to the instructions Jesus gave (Luke 24:46-49 and Acts 1:3-5) until they were “endued with power from on high.” Those who will not voluntarily take the “Easy Course of Implicit
Obedience” of their own volition are forced by nature or providence to learn by “Disobedient Experience” the HARD way. We are free moral agents and can choose for ourselves. Why any of us would be foolish enough to choose the “Hard Course of Disobedience” is sometimes not easy to figure out; but such is the case with most people. Regardless of the course you choose or prefer we now pass on to the next points.
Lessons One May And Should Learn Via Experience
1. That it pays to exactly and wholly obey God. Josh. 14:8, 13-14 and St. John 2:5. The person whether sinner or Christian who has not learned his lesson of obedience to God is in a dangerous condition and
may soon immigrate to a rather warm climate–the flaming pits of Hell! The main purpose in one’s entire schooling in “The Schools and Universities of Experience ” is to be taught or learn to obey God. While to learn to obey God is the principal thing to learn via experience one will also learn that it pays to obey all of those over him, in the church city state or nation–so long as their requirements do not conflict with the Word of God. Acts 4:19 and 5:29 with Dan. 3:8-28. Nothing counts with God like obedience. There are no sacrifices that one can make be they ever so great that will substitute for obedience with God; for “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and SACRIFICES as in OBEYING the voice (word) of the Lord?
Behold (look through the pages of Holy Book and see for yourself that) to OBEY (God) is better than sacrifice and to hearken (to listen to or pay attention to the Lord, is better) than the fat of rams,” (I Sam.
15:22).
Poor King Saul took the “Hard Course of Disobedience” and never learned his lesson of obedience during his lifetime. He finished his sojoun, and “experience schooling” here by acknowledging that he had
“played the fool and erred EXCEEDINGLY” (I Sam. 26:21). He then committed suicide which likely opened the burning pit to receive his soul as in the case of the “Rich Man” Jesus informs us about (Luke 16:19-26). Saul was one of these fellows who thought he could get by with God with only partial obedience to Him. To obey God only in part is the same as not obeying Him at all. See Matt. 5:26. Here is where so many err in repentance (II Pet. 3:9) in water baptism, in obtaining a complete or Bible experience of salvation, in holy living, in their efforts to obtain divine healing for their bodies, in the preaching of the gospel, in tithing and giving in consecration, in yielding to the leadings and movings of the Holy Spirit etc.; many people only
partially obey God or fail to obey from the heart which is all the same. The Lord does not have a dozen ways to do all these things just referred to. We are well informed by the Scriptures that the Lord has only prepared “ONE way” for us to be saved (Jer. 6:16, 32:39; Jno. 10:1 14:6; Acts 4:12 and 2:37-39); and that there is only “ONE Lord ONE faith ONE baptism (and) ONE God,” (Eph. 4:5,6).
Many people are ready to partially repent partially obey the Scriptures in water baptism seek a partial experience of salvation partially consecrate preach the gospel part of the time yield to the Holy Spirit
only when the occasion suits them, etc. who are a long way from fully or wholly obeying God. There were 603,550 Israelites of war age who left Egypt with Moses to go to the “Promised Land among whose number we only find TWO men who wholly followed or fully obeyed God. But their examples, as well as those of all their fellow countrymen who did not fully and exactly obey God, teach us that EXPERIENCE proves that it pays to obey God in every particular.
Most of those Israelites were like the posterity of Noah immediately following the flood, of whom Josephus informs us: “That did not obey God; for which reason they fell into calamities and were made sensible,
BY EXPERIENCE.”
This method of sprinkling converts with a little water or immersing them in the titles, “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” is not baptizing them as the Scriptures teach (See Rom. 6:4,5; Acts 8:36-39; 2:38; 8:16;
10:48; 19:3-5 with Col. 3:17), and is not going to be accepted by the Lord. Neither will repenting of one’s sins and being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ save one if he stops there and fails to pray through to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. See John 3:3-7; I Cor. 12:13; Tit. 3:5, and Rom. 8:9 with Isa. 30:1; 28:11-13.
2. That it does not pay to live for the devil. Rom. 6:23; Psa. 9:17 and Matt. 25:46. One’s experience while living in sin and the observing and studying other sinners’ experience should teach him that a life of sin
does not pay. Sin wrecks one’s physical being the same as it corrupts and damns one’s soul and spirit. The Christian life is just the opposite. The person who lives for God and observes His laws concerning his physical and spiritual welfare enjoys life at its best and “receives manifold more in this present time (or age), and in the world to come (enjoys) life everlasting,”–Jesus.
3. That the amusements of the world and the living after the lust of the flesh offer no LASTING joy or pleasure. Moses, as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, had the opportunity to partake of all the world had
to offer in his day; but knowing the brevity of such joy, he chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a SEASON”–a short period of time. See Heb. 11:24-26.
Knowing that a life lived after the flesh and spent seeking worldly pleasure would not pay nor afford any lasting joy, John the beloved admonished all people to “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth AWAY, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever,” (I John 2:15-17). The Lord is going to bring all these pleasure-seeking and pleasure-loving folk into judgment and have them to account for all the time and money they have thus wasted. See Eccl. 11:9,10; Isa. 47:8-11 and James 5:1,5. Surely such a lie does not pay. If you cannot accept Gods’ Word as final on this point, inquire of those who have drunk deep of pleasure’s cup, or drink for yourself and learn by HARD experience that such a life does not pay.
4. (One should learn by experience) that it pays to mind one’s own business, and not meddle “in other men’s matters.” I Pet. 4:15. A busy-bodied person bids for and borrows much trouble. Anyone who has
experienced such can tell you that it will pay you to leave every man or woman to attend to their personal affairs and business matters. If you doubt my statement, inquire of any of them.
5. That it pays to take wrong and never retaliate. Rom. 12:17,19,21. The scriptural verses referred to exhort us to “Recompense to no man evil for evil avenge not yourselves (ourselves, and) be not overcome of evil (by allowing ourselves to retaliate with evil), but (to) overcome evil with good.”–Paul. See I Pet. 2:23 and I Cor. 4:12.
If you can receive it from the writer he can tell you from the viewpoint of personal experience and much observation of the experiences of others that it does not pay to retaliate. As well as he can inform you from a scriptural standpoint. Always remember this God never fights for those who fight for themselves though their cause is a justifiable one.
6. That one should never gossip tattle backbite criticize or judge others neither mock ridicule nor revile anyone. We have the experience of many who have erred exceedingly along these lines as well as the
admonition of many inspired writers of the Holy Scriptures. Read some of their admonitions: Prov. 10:19; Eccl. 5:2; Num. 12:1-16; Matt. 7:1 and I Cor. 6:10.
7. (One should learn by experience) that it pays to tithe and give to God’s cause. The writer can certainly testify to this point with nearly 25 years of experience that absolutely agrees with Prov. 3:9 10; 11:25;
Mall 3: 10-12 and Acts 20:35. One only has to try this with a heart free of selfish motives and desires for ungodly gain to learn by personal experience that it pays and that one cannot out-give God.
Though the writer earned upwards of $225 to $300 monthly before he was saved he was never able to save anything for a “rainy day” until he began to seek the Lord and tithe. He then began to save $50 to $75
monthly while only earning $120 a month. A small salary with God’s blessings upon it amounts to more than much gain with His curse upon it–which is the case when one fails to honor God with what he possesses (his substance) and does not pay tithes nor give a tenth of all his income to the Lord.
8. That it pays to abide in one’s calling regardless and seek to excel in only one kind of ministry. I Cor. 7:20-24; 14:12 and Rom. 12:6-8. One cannot choose the particular type of ministry that appeals to him most and expect to be successful in the work of the Lord or receive any rewards on that reckoning day. Neither can he shift from one type of ministry to another unless the Lord ordains such and enables him to do so. Many ministers especially evangelists and pastors have made great blunders by so doing and have worked ruin and havoc instead of edifying the work of the Lord or the churches where they served.
Experiences of many who have labored before us have proven that one will do well to abide by Paul’s scriptural instructions along this line and “Abide in the SAME calling wherein he was called ” (I Cor. 7:20) or was gifted and qualified to work for God in the beginning of his ministry–unless God ordains differently. God does not allow His servants to shift from one calling to another at will.
Jesus informed His disciples that “the children of this world (who are not Christians) are in their generation wiser than the children of light” (Luke 16:8). They have long since learned by experience that one cannot be a “jack of all trades” and be an efficient or expert craftsman. They have learned by experience that it pays one to specialize in some particular line of work or trade and do nothing else
if he desires to excel and that is exactly what the Lord desires of us: “Seek (look for search after endeavor to or strive) that ye may EXCEL to the edifying (improving or building up) of the church ” (l Cor. 14:12).
9. That “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29). This Scripture refers to Israel the chosen people of God but it is very applicable to our ministerial calling and the spiritual and
ministry gifts (I Cor. 12:8-10, 28 and Eph. 4:11) which qualify us for same. God does not deal with men and women whom He designates or calls out to work for Him as we do with some spoiled child and let us select
our field of labor or change spiritual gifts and ministerial callings as we might desire or fancy.
Neither will he excuse us of such obligations once He has assigned our work and issued the equipment to perform it with.
Church work is not child’s play as some might consider it. God would be occupied all the time reassigning us if He were so slack and “easy going” as to let each one choose for himself or switch about according
to his own pleasure.
Then, if a Christian does not aspire to enter the ministry, he cannot shirk it if God calls him to thus sacrifice his life for the Church and lost humanity. Neither can he retire at any time for there are no provisions or arrangements made for ministers to retire until they are transferred or transported to heaven. A ministerial calling holds good, or is binding, for life. It obligates one as long as he lives. He cannot induce the Lord to revoke any of them for any reason. Adam Clarke, commenting on Rom. 11:29 says: “The invitation, with which lie has favored them He will NEVER REVOKE.” So, it is preach or be lost. See I Tim. 4:14-16 and I Cor. 9:16. Many preachers have come to an untimely end and filled an unprofitable servant’s grave, sooner than they would have otherwise, because they would not obey Cod (in the first place) and preach the gospel, or (secondly), continue to preach it.
Those who will not accept the plain teachings of the Scriptures on this point and will not be admonished by the experiences of those who have tried to shirk such duties (Jonah) need only a three day and night
assignment in a whale’s belly to convince them that it is preach the gospel or face Hell as an intruder.
10. That one will do well to stay in harmony with the workings of the Holy Ghost or sit still. Rom. 12:15 exhorts us to, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Some supposed-to-be
Christians are all the time getting out of harmony with the workings of the Holy Spirit, or they never get into harmony with His operations, and thereby spoil what might have been a wonderful service, a successful altar call, or a blessed prayer meeting. Be taught by such experiences and occurrences and never make such mistakes yourself; for when weighed in the light of eternity they often mean that some soul has thus been doomed to be lost, who otherwise would have been saved. Things of this nature are more serious than they appear to be on the surface. That is why we can often feel that the Holy Ghost has been greatly grieved by such occurrences. Church services and worship are no place for one to be indifferent or act the hypocrite, though some folk dare be so or act thus regardless of the consequences which are sure to effect them and all concerned. The writer has witnessed many services, testimony meetings, altar calls, tarrying meetings and real worship hindered, spoiled, sometimes disgraced and occasionally blocked to where further progress was impossible or unedifying to anyone present. No one but a fool, a hypocrite, or a church ignoramus would ever be guilty of such inharmonious acts and variations.
11. One should learn by experience that it pays to redeem time. Eph. 5:16. One never learns to value time until he compares it with eternity and the value of his soul and the souls of earth’s billions of inhabitants. Many folk are like Queen Elizabeth of England. They never consider the time given them to repent and obey the gospel to be of any value until they are brought face to face with the “rider on the pale horse” (death) and discover that they are unprepared to die and face the great white throne judgment. It is said that when Queen Elizabeth realized that she was dying unprepared to meet God that she offered
half of her possessions or wealth for only enough time to make peace with God. My unsaved friend, and lukewarm or backslidden brother, you had better profit by this woman’s experience and get right with God
without another moment’s delay.
We also find God’s children wasting much time these days that they should be redeeming in prayer, Bible reading, studying the Sunday School lesson, reading religious books, papers, magazines, tracts, etc.
Instead of doing this, we find them visiting around the altar or in the church before services begin, reading ungodly literature, listening to almost every radio broadcast whether good or bad, and idling time away
trying to solve “jigsaw puzzles,” etc. Such people are generally easily frightened by storms, various calamities, and sudden fear and are seldom ever able to pray the “prayer of faith” for anything. If one
does not want to experience these things, he had better watch and redeem time, which is always filled with “golden moments of opportunities.” Remember this too, once past us, time NEVER returns–it eternally vanishes!
12. That it pays to put Jesus “first and last” in everything and obey Prov. 3:5,6. The person who generally follows the decisions of his own mind or the advice of some person and seldom acknowledges God about
anything, certainly will not be found putting Jesus “first and last” in his life as he should. Rev. 1:17. He will also learn by such experiences that he has erred in judgment to his own hurt and loss, and worst of all, lost favor with God by so doing. One cannot ignore God and retain his goodwill and favors.
Experience should teach a person that he should acknowledge the Lord in all his business matters, social relations with others, church problems, home affairs, etc. In order not to be guilty of leaning to our own understanding, we must pray about everything we do–thus acknowledge the Lord in all our ways and follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit concerning everything.
To put Jesus “first and last” in our lives means more than many people have comprehended and always pays, as experience will prove. It means we must begin and end the day with Jesus in prayer, reading His Word, praising Him for all blessings and meditating upon His promises; also when sick, trusting none other than our Lord “who healeth all our diseases.” Some folk, who seemingly go to the Lord first for healing, turn to doctors and medicine or operations if healing is not obtained immediately. Then, there are those who will try every doctor and remedy until they discover they are not going to restore them to health before they will turn to the Lord. It is hard to obtain healing from the Lord in this manner–it is best to call on the GREAT PHYSICIAN FIRST and trust him to the end, or until He undertakes.
Space will not permit us to make mention of all the things one should be taught by experience in reference to I Tim. 2:1; Prov. 3,5,6 and Rev. 1:17. Be a close observer of your own experiences and those of others anti you will learn many profitable lessons concerning this particular paragraph thought, as well as in many other important matters referred to in this article.
13. (Christians should learn by experience) that it is dangerous for them to court and marry sinners. II Cor. 6:14; I Cor. 7:39, and I Thes. 5:22. This lesson is always learned too late by PERSONAL experience,
especially when it extends as far as entering into matrimony or the committing of immoral sins. One must accept and be taught by the Word of Cod and the experiences of others if he is to profit himself by such
lessons.
The writer has never known of a single instance where a Christian has married an unsaved person that produced a happy and successful unionor proved to be a perfect match. Such is in defiance to the plain
teachings of the Scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments. See Eph. 5:11; Num. 36:6; Deut. 7:1-4; Neh. 13:23-27; 1 Kings 11:1-11. Ezra 9:1-3, 10-15 and 10:2-5, 10-44.
I have KNOWN and heard of several Christians backsliding and committing suicide, who defied God’s Word and the erring experiences of others, concerning unequally yoking together with unbelievers in what should have been HOLY matrimony. There are only a few exceptions where the Christian does not backslide in such cases, and then–though he or she might not have been taught or warned against taking such a step, or afterwards repented by confessing and shedding many bitter tears–he must reap what he has sown. Gal. 6:7,8.
The first and best precaution against unholy and unscriptural matrimony is to refrain from keeping dates or having any courtship with the unsaved. I Thes. 5:22. Pastors, parents, elders, deacons and Sunday
school teachers should all feel and realize their responsibility to our young folk in the church, and TO GOD, in reference to holy matrimony and exert themselves in every possible way to see that they do not marry other than in the faith–only to some saved boy or girl.
There are some older folk (bachelors, old maids, widowers or widows), or so called saints in the church, who become so anxious to get married again after losing their companions by their former marriages, by
death–that they ignore the Bible, the experiences of others, all warnings and pleadings of their pastors and fellow Christians and marry some unsaved reprobate. Such old folk, who know better than to do such
a thing, are not to be pitied; neither forgiven unless they thoroughly repent. Such disobedience and defiance of God’s commands borders on committing an “Unpardonable Sin.” See Heb. 10:26 and Gen. 6:3.
14. That it does not pay to backslide or forsake God. Prov. 14:14; Isa. 33:14 and 2 Chron. 28:1. The Bible and our church records are full of the sad and horrible accounts of the backslidings of God’s people
and of those who willfully and purposely forsake God. One need not personally experience such things in order to find out that such does not pay–the Bible records a number of such cases. The majority of folk
who backslide never fully recover from same or they never regain their former position in the church (spiritually speaking) though they put forth quite an effort to do so. Then, those who purposely and willfully forsake God and His church often commit “The Unpardonable Sin” (Heb. 6:4-6), and, thereby, doom their poor souls for eternal punishment in the lake of fire. See Heb. 10:26-29 and Rev. 14:9-11.
15. That it pays to consider the advice of older people. I Pet. 5:5; Prov. 4:1; 1:8 and I Kings 12:1-16. One must always consider that those who have trod the way before him have learned some things by way of
experience and that he will do well to profit by their mistakes and successes. The young person who ignores the advice and instructions of older people, to the extent that he does not give it any consideration or spurns it, does so to his own hurt and, thereby, makes a fool out of himself–which he, too, will realize sooner or later. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, ignored and rejected the advice of the “OLD men” and lost ten
tribes or of his kingdom by so doing. See I Kings 12:1-16.
16. That it pays to obey the gospel before it is too late. II Thes. 1:7-10, Heb. 2:1-4; Luke 12: 16-21. Many people have died lost who fully intended to obey the gospel and thus prepare themselves to face every eventuality–the second coming of Christ, death, the judgment, eternity and the Lord. What hindered their being prepared to meet God? While there could have been many things involved, there is certainly
one thing that can always be accounted for–neglect. Procrastination is the thief of time and it bids well for the souls of mortal man. You who are already aware of your lost condition and have been enlightened
concerning God’s plan of salvation, I warn you to not trifle away any more time neglecting your soul’s salvation. For the sake of your eternal destiny, repent and obey the gospel without further delay. Amos
4:12 exhorts you to “prepare to meet thy God.”
17. (One should learn by experience) that it does not pay to become a “bigoted sectarian” IN or OUT of the Pentecostal ranks. Rom. 14:7,5 and I Cor. 9:19-23. The writer believes that a few of the “bigoted sectarians” in the Pentecostal Movement have about learned their never-to-be-forgotten lessons along this line. God is undoubtedly schooling the rest of then, in His “Grammar School of Experience” or giving them their final degrees and postgraduate courses in His “University of Experience.” Be assured that when they graduate from the latter named university that they will know that “no man liveth to himself; and that no man dieth to himself” (Rom 14:7); also they will absolutely realize that they will do well to follow Paul’s example of I Cor. 9:19-23 and be a Jew (an A. M. A.) when they ‘are with the Jews (the A. M. A. brethren) and when with those who are under the law (the U. P. C. brethren) as under the law (of the U. P.C. brethren) and when preaching for or laboring with the independent brother (who does not belong to any organization or is unorganized) be as though they were independent and say nothing about organizing him or his church.
Paul’s final conclusion concerning “bigoted Sectarianism” was “I am made ALL THINGS to ALL men (why so Paul?) that I might by all means SAVE SOME” (out of all these ranks and classes of people). I Cor. 9:22.
We Pentecostal people of today will do well to accept as our platform along this line what Paul learned by experience to be the best workable plan for his day.
18. Miscellaneous things that one should learn by experience that it does not pay to do NOT do partake of etc. Yes one should learn by experience that it pays all Christians to trust in God at all times and for all things (Psa. 62:8) that it is dangerous for God’s children NOT to trust in Him or to put their trust in the arm of flesh (Jer. 17:5 6 and II Chron. 16:12 13); that we cannot live holy and have power with God without praying and seeking His face a great deal (Mk. 9:29 and John. 15:5); that a minister or gospel worker cannot be his best for God and entangle himself with the affairs of this life or be a “jack of all trades” while trying to work for God (11 Tim. 2:4 and I Kings 19:19-21) and that God does not fight for those who fight for themselves (Rom. 12:17-21). The Lord has taught the writer a few lessons on this last point and he knows this to be true by experience One should further learn by experience that there is no good thing in us from the human standpoint that is acceptable with God–it takes many bitter experiences to teach us this one lesson (Rom. 3:23; Gal. 2:20 and Mk. 10:18); that it pays everybody to obey St. John 2:5 and do whatever the Lord bids them to do.
It pays anyone who fails God and commits sins of commission or omission to repent confess and make restitution for same (I Jno. 1:10; 2:1, 2) and that “the way of transgressors is HARD’ — A “hard row of stumps.”
See Prov. 13:15 and rehearse or read of the Bible examples of this nature concerning Achan (Josh. 7:19-26) Samson (Judges 16:16-21) King Saul (I Sam. 28:15-19 and 31:1-6) and Ananias and his wife. Acts 5:1-
11.
Since there seems to be no end to what one may and should learn by experience, we might as well conclude here anti let you further consider every profitable and unprofitable move, every unsuccessful attempt, every reversal in finances, and every such like happening in your life or the life of others, to be the “Experience Teacher” trying to school some good and profitable sense and judgment into your head
and heart. Amen!
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE LATE ELDER B. E. ECHOLS. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
