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THE KING'S BUSINESS
He does not dwell, for those who have a mere formal religion, for those who are simply observing the exter nal ordinances of religion, even though they are very active in preach ing and other forms of Christian ac tivity, it will be a very wretched day. They will say: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophe sied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?” And He will say to them: “I know you not.” Oh, friends, the Lord Jesus is com ing. That same Jesus who was taken up into heaven, the very same Jesus, is coming. If you and I have ceased our self-life, and have just let the Lord Jesus live His life out through us, that will be the gladdest day we ever knew; but if we have not—let me read it again! “And now, my little children, abide in him; that if shall be manifested, we may have boldness—(the word “boldness” means “all-spokenness” “perfect confidence” ;) p.nd not be ashamed before him at his coming.” 6. The sixth aspect of holiness that is set forth with the motive of our Lord’s Return inspiring us to it, you will find in the 24th chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, beginning at the 42nd verse: “Watch therefore; for ye know not what day your Lord cometh. “But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. “Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.’’ Here the Lord’s second coming is held out as a motive to that element of holiness that is called "readiness,” "preparedness,” for the Lord’s Return.
greatly helped by this woman thought it would be a great thing to get her to come to a certain city where he and his colleagues were holding meet ings, and have her talk to the people. She came. The ministers of the town became very much interested and asked her if she would not address them. She did so, and after she had spoken they began to ask her ques tions. One of the ministers, who was somewhat concerned lest they get some extreme doctrine of holiness, said to her, “Mrs. H., do you mean to say that you are holy ?” She dropped her head a moment in thought, and then, looking up with a radiant smile, said, “Jesus in me is holy.” That is it! You and I are not holy, and never will be, in our selves ; but thank God! the same spot less Lamb of God Who walked this earth, in Whom no man could find any fault, is ready to come and make His dwelling in our hearts; and has already come, I presume, into the hearts of most of us. So if you will just give up your struggles and self efforts after being like Him, and just let Him naturally and simply live out His life through you day by day, peo ple will look at you and know what a Christlike life means. That is the whole secret of real holiness. The passage I read holds up as a motive for just letting the Lord Jesus live out His life through us the fact that He is coming again; and when He comes, the only way to be glad is to be like the coming One; and the only way to be like the coming One is to just let Him be the One who makes you like Himself, and just let Him live out His life through you. We have become very happy here as we have tallked and sung about our Lord’s glorious appearing. I am not at all sure that it will be a very happy day for some of us when He comes. For those in whom
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