July 1932
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given . . . to suffer for his sake.” “Unto you it is given.” There are burdens to be borne, burdens from which we cannot honorably shrink, even if we would. And surely we would not, even if we could. . . . Let us remember that tribulation is to be the earth-mark of the redeemed, even in glory. “ Tribulation worketh patience” too; and we “have need o f patience.” Patience is that beautiful embroidery of the spirit ual wardrobe which is the handiwork of tribulation. The delicate touches o f the Christian character, its refinements and graces, are developed in this school. “ That ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”— L u cy A. B enn ett . JULY 26 L onging for H is R eturn “ The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Rom . 13:12). The world is growing gray and old, And scoffers at the judgment bold, And yet Thou art not here! Thy chariot-wheels—o h ! when shall they appear ? W e only know as dies each evil year, Thy coming draweth near! Some, in Thine absence, watch and weep; Most of the would-be watchers sleep; Few hearts there are that yearn O Lord, for Thee! Few loving hearts that burn And break for Thy return! — H . G rattan G u in n e ss . JULY 27 O n ly P ray "Jesus . . . praying, the heaven was opened” (Lk. 3:21). It was when Jesus was praying that, the heaven was opened. Our Lord prayed without ceasing, but there were times and places when He prayed more earnestly, and His baptism was one o f those times and places. What all'H is thoughts were as He descended under the water and came up again out of it is far too deep for us to wade out into; at the best we shall ador ingly guess at His thoughts and at His prayer. W e can safely guess at His prayer from the answer He immediately received. For while He was yet speaking, the heaven opened and the answer to His prayer came down. My brethren, will nothing teach you to pray? W ill all His examples, and all His promises, and all your own needs, and cares, and distresses not teach you to pray? What hopeless depravity must there be in your heart when, with all He can do, God simply cannot get you to come to Him in prayer! . . . W ill you not tell your Saviour what a dislike, even to down right antipathy, you have at secret prayer; how little you attempt it, and how soon you are weary o f if? Only pray, O you prayerless people of His, and the heaven will soon open to you also, and you will hear your Father’s voice, and the Holy Ghost will descend like a dove upon you. Only pray, and your joy will soon be full. — A lexander W h yte . JULY 28 C omplete R edemption “ The redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). In our redemption, the ransom was long ago paid, but the full deliverance will not come until the Lord again appears, and until the conclusion of His millennial reign and the final destruction of all foes. There
There are characteristic walks. W e may sometimes tell the occupation o f a man from his gait. There is the firm and springy and masculine step o f the soldier. There is the somewhat ungainly and yet alluring walk of the sailor. There is the stately walk o f the born prince. W e are told that there was a certain imperial dig nity about the carriage of the peasant Robert Burns as he moved in Scotland’s fairest halls. And concerning the Chris tian, there is in his perpetual habits a char acteristic manner o f going. One way to attain unto a fine walk is to hold company with those who possess it. I think I have noticed when a soldier lad has come home, and he is met by one or two o f his old comrades, that as they walk down the street together, with the hero in the mid dle, the two mates unconsciously seek to throw off their much-drilled and well-dis ciplined friend. We, too, shall strive after a finer carriage if we hold company with our Lord.— J, H. J owett . Have you ever noticed the change in the pronoun? Hitherto the Psalmist has spoken o f the Lord in the third person ; but now, as he moves down into the dark, he draws closer to the divine Leader and Guide, speaking to Him in a whisper, and saying, “ Thou” ; for now there is need for the closer, tenderer address. When things are going well with us, we may content ourselves with talking about the L ord ; but when the sky darkens, we hasten to deal with Him and talk to Him directly. The darkness is sometimes too dense for us to be able to see .Christ. But faith can always be sure that He is there; not be cause o f the evidence of sense or feeling, but because He has said, “ I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” He cannot break His word. He has not left us alone. He is looking down on us with unabated tenderness. The depths may sever Him from the apprehension of our love; but neither death nor life, nor height nor depth, can separate us from the strong grasp of His faithful and unchanging a f fection. Yea, the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but His kind ness will not depart from thee, neither will the covenant o f His peace be removed. O Christ, Thou didst tread the winepress alone, that each poor timid child o f Thine in all future ages might be able to sing the words o f undying com fort: “ I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.” — F . B. M eyer . JULY 23 P rayer P ower E ntrusted to U s _ “Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Pet. 4 :7 ). W e are stewards o f prayer. The Scrip tures teach us that it is by prayer we take hold on God, and persuade Him, and move Him to do many things which He would not do except on the condition of believing and prevailing prayer. It is by prayer we reach the condition o f saving faith and sanctifying power. , . True prayer always brings the deepest rest in the heart-life, while at the same time it is the greatest worker and most energetic force in the moral world. The promises form a lever by which all things are lifted. God wants to be gracious, but He is waiting for us to pray, for us to prevail with Him, and JULY 22 U ndying C omfort “ Thou art with me” (Psa. 23:4).
They Have the K . B. Habit I guess I can’t do without it. It was one o f my economy moves, but I do miss it too much! — N ew Y ork , N . Y . Please send back numbers, and send the bill . . . I want this paper till I die, so do not stop it. — O ronton , O h io . I would like to add my testimony to the value of T h e K ing ’ s B u si ness , to which I have been a sub scriber for some years, and to say that I would not like to be without it, as I think it is one of the best religious magazines published. I pray that God’s richest blessing will continue to follow its publication. — K im berly , A frica . He honors us by holding His infinite wealth and grace for us to command. Only think what God would do if His pro fessed followers would take time to pray. Have you thought that we must give an account for the power o f prayer entrusted to us?—G. D. W atson . “ To God your every want In instant prayer display; Pray always; pray, and never faint; Pray without ceasing, pray.” JULY 24 A bundantly S atisfied "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness o f thy house” (Psa. 36:8). Communion with Christ is a certain cure for every ill. Live near to Jesus, Chris tian, and it is matter of secondary impor tance whether thou livest on the mountain o f honor or in the valley of humiliation. Living near to Jesus, thou art covered with the wings o f God, and underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Let nothing keep thee from that hallowed intercourse, which is the choice privilege of a soul wedded to the Well-Beloved. Doubtless the reader has been tried with the tempta tion to rely upon things which are seen, instead of resting alone upon the invisible God. Christians often look to man for help and counsel, and mar the noble simplicity of their reliance upon their God. You trust in Jesus, and only in Jesus, for your sal vation; then why are you troubled? “ Be cause o f my great care.” Is it not writ ten, “ Cast thy burden upon the Lord” ? Think how much grace one saint requires; so much that nothing but the infinite could supply him for one day; and yet the guests at mercy’s banquet are satisfied, nay more “abundantly satisfied” ; and that not with ordinary fare, but with fatness, the peculiar fatness o f God’s own house. Ki skC . H. S purgeon . JULY 25 T he E a r t h -M ark of th e R edeemed “I f ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye” (1 Pet. 4:14). “ For thy sake I have borne reproach,” says the Psalmist (Psa. 69:7). And the New Testament comment is, “ If ye be re proached for the name of Christ, happy are ye.” It was to the well-beloved and spiritually prosperous church at Philippi that the message came, “Unto you it is
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