THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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SATURDAY, Aug. 21. Is. 55:1-13. A Call to Pardon and Peace. The Scriptures are filled with graci ous invitations and loving appeals of God to men. Without exception they have been disregarded and refused. Here is a definite command, “ Seek ye the Lord.” Has man ever obeyed it? Has there ever been a man on earth who can truthfully be described as a seeker after God? Let God Himself reply, “ There is none that seeketh after God,” Rom. 3: 11. In harmony with this statement, the merchantman seeking goodly pearls of Matt. 13:45 must be interpreted as Christ seeking the sinner rather than the sinner seeking Christ. Pleading, waiting; seeking, this is what God has done. Gen. 3:9. Luke 19:10. Hiding, shunning, fleeing, this is what man has done. Gen. 3:10, Prov. 1:24, Isaiah 53:6. SUNDAY, Aug. 22. Is. 12:1-15. The Joy of Salvation. In sin there may be a certain fleeting superficial pleasure. In salvation there is a deep, satisfying and abiding joy. Heb. 11:25, John 16:22. We must not be content with simply depriving peo ple of their pleasures. We must intro duce them to holier and more enduring joys. We must offer them a better sub stitute for that which we would take away from them. Give people a taste of the holy joys of pure and true re ligion and they would no more go back to worldly gratification than one would turn away from a crystal spring of water to quench his thirst in a muddy pool. Emerson said, “ Life should be an ecstasy.” This above all is true of the Christian life. Joy can not be simulated nor manufactured. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Moreover it is consistent with a godly sorrow. 2 Cor. 6:10. O that young people could realize that Christ can satisfy, that it is not neces sary to go into the world for satisfac tion or enjoyment! MONDAY, Aug. 23. 1 Kings 2:1-11. David’s Charge to Solomon. David, conscious that his end was near, laid upon his son and successor Solomon, a most important charge. He first reminded him of the conditional promise which God had given him through Nathan. Then followed cer tain injunctions concerning govern mental duty t~ various individuals. The
this is a matter of debts or trespasses as believers rather than sin in an unre generate man. If the latter were the case, and Divine forgiveness were ac tually conditioned upon an unsaved man forgiving those who had wronged him, then no one would ever be saved at all, and even if such a case were conceivable, a sinner being saved upon these terms, he would be saved upon his own effort or merit and then he would certainly claim the credit and glory in himself through all eternity. THURSDAY, Aug. 19. Duke 18:1-14. Humility and Forgiveness. The complacency of the self-righteous is the greatest barrier in the way of their salvation. There is nothing more of fensive in the sight of God and man than the pride of the Pharisee. Comparing himself with other men to their detri ment and his own advantage, he actual ly patronizes God in his self-importance. On the other hand a sense of personal demerit is a powerful incentive to re pentance. The publican is oppressed by the sense of unworthiness. He not only cannot lift his eyes Godward but he uses the definite article in characterizing him self as a sinner as if the magnitude of his own sin excludes all other men from his consideration and he seems to be the only sinner in the world. “ God be merciful to me the sinner.” Humilia tion is as becoming in a sinner as humil ity is the proper garment of a saint. 1 Pet. 5:5. FRIDAY, Aug. 20. Matt. 18:15-22. Seventy Times Seven. Interpreting into modern speech the reply of Jesus to Peter, he said, “ For give your brother a million times.” When anyone says he has done a cer tain thing a million times, he does not mean that he has done it nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine plus one, he simply means that hd has always done it, that it is his habit to do it and that under no circumstances would he think of doing anything else. Nobody ever counted up to a million. The expression is a figure o f speech meaning always. When Jesus says you must forgive your brother sev enty times seven he does not mean Sour hundred and ninety times and then stop. He means you must always forgive him. There must never be in your heart any malice or revenge. You must ■always and everywhere cherish the spirit of love.
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