THE KING’S BUSINESS
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that the devil did his worst, because h e. knew his time was short (Rev. 12:12; Ch. 1:26). The boy had been mastered and tormented by the demon from early child hood. The long standing of the misery of our friends is no reason for not bringing them to our Lord, or for doubting His will ingness or ability to deliver them. The father’s faith was small, but it was earnest and he used it to the uttermost. He had enough faith to cry to Jesus for help, and that is all that is necessary to obtain the blessing (Rom. 10:13). The father put the “if' in the wrong place (vs. 26, R. V.). It was not a question “if” Jesus could, but “if” the father could. We should, always put the “if” in regard to receiving bless ings from Jesus not before His readiness but before ours—“All things are possible to him that believeth.” The father realizing bis little faith, asked for more and got it. His prayer is one that God will always listen to. The evil spirit made one last assault on the poor boy. The devil and his servants never give up until they have to. The disciples did well to inquire the cause of their failure, and when we have met with some great failure the best thing for us to •do is to go to Jesus, and ask Him the cause of it. If we wish to win victory for Christ in our conflicts with Satan in the most extreme form of his manifestation, we must take time for prayer, if we have already suffered defeat (cf. 2 Kings 4 :31, 33-35). There are no cases so desperate but that the Lord can save. All the .most helpless and hopeless victim of Satan needs to do to get this salvation is to come right to the Lord. Tuesday, July 13. Mark 9 :30-34. Jesus asked His disciples “What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way.” Here is one of those suggestive in stances of the deep insight of Jesus into the .workings of the heart. They had said nothing to Him about their dispute by the way, but nevertheless, He knew it, just as He knew the Scribes’ and Pharisees’ rea-
Sunday, July 11. Mark 9:14-19.
Jesus is always likely to appear upon the scene in the moment of any disciple’s fail ure, perplexity and despair. The disciples would have been far better meditating on the Word of God, and engaged in prayer in their trouble, than in engaging in con troversy with the Scribes (v. 14; cf. Ps. 1:1, 29; R. V.). All were “greatly amazed” when they beheld Jesus. Why? Was the glory still shining in His face? (vs. 2, 4; cf. Ex. 34:30). If we wish our question ings settled, the best place to take them is to Jesus Himself. The distressed father was the first to apply to our Lord; his sense of need was deepest. The Devil was the author of all this misery, and it gives us an insight into the malignity of Satan and it also gives us a hint of what the condition of affairs in this world will be when the Church is taken away, and the Devil holds undisputed sway. It was because of lack of prayer that the disciples were unable to cast the demon out (vs. 28, 29; cf. Matt. 17:19, 20). For the same reason today the disciples of Christ fail to accomplish the liberating work expected of them. Fortu nately this man did not miss the promised blessing beoause of the failure of Christ’s disciples, because he had wisdom and per sistence enough to come right to the Lord Himself (vs. 19, 20, 25). We do not need to miss the blessing we desire because of the Church’s failure in faith and prayer; we, too, can come right to the Lord Him self. Our Lord was greatly troubled and distressed over the failure of His disciples. God often has occasion to sorrow Over and rebuke the unbelief of His disciples (Nu. 14:22, 27; Ps. 78:68, 28; Mark 16:14; Nu. 24:25. Monday, July 12. Mark 9:20-29. It sometimes happens now-a-days that our friends at first grow worse rather than bet ter when we bring them to Jesus. The explanation of the aggravation of the boy’s malady upon bringing him to the Lord is
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