THE KING’S BUSINESS
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he made many angry by turning them back. A bystander said, “ You are making youi- self very unpopular!” “ I don’t care to be popular,” he said, “with but one man and that’s the superintendent.” Let’s be pop ular with Jesus anyway. Sunday, O ctober 4.—Psalm 121:1-8 How God Will Help Us W e All Need Help. W e could not lift a hand without God’s help. Our hearts would stop beating if God did not keep them throbbing every moment. Much less can we do anything in our soul life without Him. There are dangers and enemies that the Bible makes known to us and these unseen things we can overcome only by the help of the un seen God. Where Our Help Comes From. Read the Psalm, “From the Hills” (v. 1), that is from above, from heaven (Col. 3:1, 2). From the hill Calvary, where Jesus died for us; from the hill of Zion, where the king’s palace was; from the hill Moriah, where the temple was. There is no place of help like the House of Prayer. From Whom Our Help Comes. "From the Lord ” (v. 2) ; He who made the heavens and the earth must be able to help. Paul said, “ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). W e cannot do anything with out Him (John 15:5). How Will H e Help Us? ' That we do not know, and should not ask. If we begin to think how we shall be sure to think it cannot be done. W e must" not ask, How can it be done? What we want to know is how to get help. God can do anything. W e must ask for help (John 14:13, 14 ); “ Prayer moves the arm that moves the world.” W e must believe God will give it (James 1:4-6), W e must not think anything too hard for Him to do (Jer. 32:17). If we wanted bread, however He may get it to us, He can give it (John 6:5:14). If we were just ready to sink He can still the storm (Mark 4:35-41), or save us from the wreck (Acts 27:41-44).
Sunday, September 27.—PHilippians 1:8 How Can We Cause Others to Like Us? Whom Do W e Mean By “ Others” ? If we make ourselves pleasing to some we shall make ourselves disagreeable to others. W e shall have to choose our com pany, our ideal, to start with. If we want to be liked by the “gang” it is pretty sure that well behaved persons will not care much for us. With one class we shall have to be “ smart” and pert, rude and mischiev ous; with the other gentle, polite, consider ate of others and ready to lend a hand. How Can W e Cause the Better Folks to Like Us? I don’t like that question. W e are think ing too much about ourselves. That is a selfish question. It is not a very high mo tive—to do well so as to be liked. W e must try to be likeable for its own sake. If sensible people see that we try to be pop ular they will dislike us. We must try to be worth liking whether we are liked or not. We should not think of self at all. A Point W e Ought Not to Forget. The Lord said, “Woe unto, you when all men speak well of you!” If we are faith ful to Jesus some will be sure to dislike us; and trying to be popular with them we will not be popular with the Lord. No one will dislike us for doing the kind ways of Jesus, but for speaking the truth of Jesus they will. Men did not crucify Him for His works but for His words. We must speak the truth in love and warn those about us to be afraid of Him “who can cast bofh soul and body into hell.” We must tell them that they must believe and obey His word because it is God’s truth, and they will be lost forever if they do not. The Best Rule. Let us then cause Jesus' to like us, and that not to please ourselves but to please Him. Then if folks like us—good, and if they do not—never mind. A ticket-taker at a station gate was or dered to let no one pass without a ticket,
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