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T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
However regarded, th is petition sets before us two g reat though ts concern ing sin: 1. There is a way of special expo sure. 2. And th ere may be a complete deliverance. A few ways of avoiding such expo sure and securing such deliverance are elsewhere ta u g h t us. We mention the follow ing:— 1. H abitual avoidance of the te rri tory of evil. There is ground where evil is domi n an t and where its fascination is pecu liarly ensnaring. A prayerful and watch ful soul, will, a t any cost of self-denial, keep away from th e devil’s territory. Jenny Lind Goldschmidt forsook the »stage a t th e height of her success and when money , was pouring into h er lap like the golden shower of Midas. • A friend who found her sitting am id the -glories of th e dying day w ith th e open Bible on her lap ask d her how she could make such a sacrifice? H er sim ple answer was: “W hat else could I do when the stage made me th ink less and less of th is (pointing to God’s Word) and nothing a t all of th a t? ” (pointing to th e sunset glories). 2. A life-long alliance w ith God as th e enemy of all evil. Jesus Christ was manifested th a t He m ight destroy th é works of th e devil; and once for all to commit oneself to Him and en list under H is banner is to make all His foes one’s own, and to ally oneself w ith Him in conflict and conquest. 3. The expulsive power of a new and strong er affection. We overcome evil best, not by a simple resistance, bu t by positive good. Something holy and useful to engross th e mind, and displace th e attraction of evil, will make the evil become constantly less powerful un til we wonder how it ever had such influence over us. Every sin overcome gives up its stren g th to the victor, and every sin th a t overcomes
tak es th e streng th of th e vanquished p arty to itself. Hence by overcoming, conquest becomes easier and more habitual. ,
HALF STARVED LIVES The process of hindering prayer by crowding out is simple and goes by ad vancing stages. First, prayer is hurried through. Unrest and agitation, fatal to all devout exercises, come in. Then the time is shortened, relish for the exercise palls. Then it is crowded into a corner and depends on the fragments of time for its exercise. Its value depreciates. The duty has lost its importance. I t no longer commands respect nor brings benefit. I t has fallen out of estimate, out of the heart, out of the habits, out of the life. We cease to pray and cease to live spiritually. One of S atan ’s wiliest tricks is to de stroy the best by the good. Business and other duties are good, but we are so filled with these that they crowd out and de stroy the best, Prayer holds the citadel for God, and if Satan can by any means weaken prayer he is a gainer so far, and when prayer is dead the citadel is taken. We must keep prayer as the faithful sen tinel keeps guard, with sleepless vigilance. We must not keep it half-starved' and feeble as a baby, but we must keep it in giant strength. Our prater-chamber should have our freshest strength, our calmest time, its hours unfettered, without ob trusion, without haste. Private place and plenty of time are the life of prayer. “ To kneel upon our knees three times a day and pray and give 'thanks before God as we did aforetime,” is the very heart and soul of religion, and makes men, like Daniel, of “ an excellent spirit,” “ greatly beloved in heaven.” E. M. Bounds WANTED M E N A N D W O M E N T O S E L L S C R IP T U R E te x t c a le n d a rs , B ib le s, S c r ip tu ra l T e x t M o tto e s , a n d o th e r E v a n g e lic a l C h r is tia n L ite r a tu r e . B o o h e r P u b lis h in g H o u se , 445 7 B e c k A v e ., S t. L o u is , M o.
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