T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
864
stream s of life th a t flow from the throne of God th rough th e channels of this wonderful Book, and th a t “whatsoever h e doeth shall prosper.’’ W hat an amazing promise! W hat a stupendous promise! and w hat an all- sufficient prom ise for the Bible studen t who is about to en ter upon his life work. Young men and women, you certainly long for a good share of prosperity, but, oh! to th in k of it, th a t th ere is a way to make sure of it, th a t everything you may do in these coming days and years shall prosper. If, anyone in your position can faee a prom ise like th a t and not have to pu t fo rth some effort to keep from shouting I can hardly understand it. Be Sure You Meet th e Conditions of th e Fulfillm ent of th e Promise. 1. The first condition is Separation from th e world ip all your conduct, not walking “in the counsel’’ (or, advice) of those who are not fully surrendered to God, not standing in the way th a t sin ners go, nor sitting down “ in the seat of the scornful,” or “ scoffers,” as th e Revised Version tran slates, and th is in cludes all “H igher Critics” and “New Theology” men and other infidels, whose chief stock in trad e is making ligh t of w hat God H imself says and of the most fundam ental and precious doctrines of our faith. If you find yourself located in some “ seat” of learning where, as at th e Chicago University, they make ligh t of th e precious tru th s of God (th a t is the exact force of the Hebrew word tran slated “ scornful” in th e Authorized Version and “ sooffers” in the Revised V ersion), get up out of th a t “ seat” rig h t off, do not “ sit in the seat of scof fers.” 2. AnH th e second condition is, th a t you m ed itate in God’s W ord day and n igh t, th a t is, th a t you deeply, profound ly, continuously ponder the revelation God has made in th is Book, th a t you not merely study th e Bible for a qu arter of an hour or a half hour or even an hour every day, b u t th a t you store up in your m ind and h ea rt w hat you there find and ponder it day and night. Young men and women, never forget th at. There w ill be g reat pressure of work upon you in th e coming days, and many books and papers and magazines and reviews will clamor for your atten tion , b u t stoutly and steadfastly refuse to let either th e dem ands of service or of o ther lite ra tu re th a n th e Bible crowd ou t th e precious Word of God, m edita
tion day and n igh t upon which, and upon which alone, spells prosperity in everything you undertake. Why is it th a t so many m issionaries and m inisters and o ther Christian work ers are so little prospered? The answer is found rig h t here, Because they give so little tim e to actually m editating upon th e Word of God, because they let work or other lines of study crowd ou t the Word of God, or else they ponder it w ithout th a t clearness of vision th a t comes from clear-cut separation from th e world and from all “m odernists” and other scoffers. II. Daniel 12:3. The second G reat Prom ise of God for th e Bihle S tudent and Soul-w inner is Daniel 1 2 :3 : “And they th a t be wise shall shine as th e b rightness of th e firm am ent; and they th a t tu rn many to righteousness as th e sta rs forever and ever.” This is a g reat prom ise for Bible studen ts as well as for soul-winners, for i t is only th e Bible stud en t who is really “wise.” It is th e “ entrance of God’s words” th a t “ giveth lig h t;” th a t “ giveth under standing unto the simple” (Psa. 119: 130.) No one can be tru ly wise, wise w ith real wisdom, th e wisdom th a t counts for etern ity as well as tim e, un less he is a Bible student. So God tells us in th is strik ing prom ise th a t th e Bible studen t shall “ shine as th e brightness of th e firm ament” and th e soul-w inner as “ th e sta rs forever and ever.” Every red-blooded man and every woman who is worth while longs to shine. If you did not wish to shine for your own sake, you ought to have a g rea t am bition to shine for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. He H imself bids us shine. He says in Matt. 5:14, 16, “ Ye are the ligh t of the world . . . L et your lig h t so shine before men, th a t they may see your good works, and glorify your F a th e r which is in heaven.” Well, th is prom ise tells how to shine, how to gloriously shine, how to shine, not for th e few brief days of th is fleet ing life th a t now is, b u t “ forever and ever.” Be a Bible student, a Real Bible Student, and be a Soul-winner; for “ they th a t be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they th a t tu rn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” Oh, th a t large but foolish company of men and women, including not a few m inisters and theo logical teachers and w riters, who wish
Made with FlippingBook HTML5