King's Business - 1918-10

876 a great revelation of God’s purpose for the children of men, and of the most supreme events in Old Testament his­ tory. We come to know both God and man through the study of the Word. God will show now how He can condescend to choose a man and relate that man to all subsequent history, and also show how a sinful, ignorant, heathen man can magnify God by a >life of faith. Isa. 51:2 says God “ called him alone.” It is difficult for us to comprehend this story. How could Jehovah so humiliate Himself by deigning to associate this man with all His future purposes on earth? On the other hand, how could this unknown man link his life with Jehovah by faith, without Bible, with­ out the testimony of others? Abram responds to God’s call like a soldier who haa been trained to obedi­ ence to command. How did he know God? When? Where? The Word is silent. In Acts 7:2 we are told that “ the God of Glory” appeared to him, and in Genesis it says “ the Jx>rd” appeared to him. “ Abram, where are you going? “ I don’t know.” “Why are you going?” “ God said to go.” “When are you going?” “Now.” There was immediate, prompt, unquestioning obedience to God’s call. There can be no obedience without faith, nor any real faith without obedi­ ence. The covenant which God made with Abram is so great, so inclusive, so far-reaching that we stand in amaze­ ment in its presence. It is seven-fold in its application, and includes (1) A Great Nation; (2) A Great Blessing; (3) A Great Name, (4) A Great Curse; (5.) All Nations; (6) A Seed like the stars in number— a heavenly people; (7) A Seed like the sand— an earthly people. How could God do it? And how could Abram believe it? What is the lesson for us? Faith is the greatest thing in the world, as love is the great­ est of the fruits of faith.

THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS “ Have faith in God, what can there be For Him too hard to do for thee?” or through thee. Add to your faith by exercising it. The foundation of your faith will be the Word of God. The fight of your faith will be to maintain the Word of God, the fruit of your faith will be through obedience to the Word of God. “ Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” .Neither is there any other way for God to be happy in you,— nor for men to be blessed through you. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) He fed his faith on the promises of God. (2) Walking with God is a wandering way, but its haven is heaven. (3) Faith’s eyes are fixed, and faith’s heart is set on Him, whom having not seen, we love. (4) Faith’s venture eventuated in a perpetual promise. (5) We pitch our tents, but we build our altars. (6) Abram knew what he was depart­ ing from, but did not know what he was to partake of. (7) Universal history has its birth­ right in Abram’s faith in God’s promise. A Great Nation.— The Hebrew nation has had the most marvelous history of any nation. They have not been so great in numbers, but they have been great in literature, LESSON religion and com- ILLUSTRA- mercialism. TIONS “ I Will B l e s s Thee”—What indi­ vidual ever had m ore blessing than Abraham? He was given all the land of Palestine. He was promised poster­ ity. He was favored with much of this

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