THE KING’S BUSINESS
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easy prey to the devil’s pretentious and smooth talkers. Theosophy, and Spiritual- ism, and Christian Science, and Unitarian- ism, and Russelism, and Universalism, and “Higher Criticism,” and “New Thought,” and the whole brood of false doctrines that is hatching out on every side of us make little headway among those who are real students of the Word. Verse 32 tells us two things that the Word has power to do: (1) “Build'up;” . (2) give an inher itance among the sanctified. Deep and true Bible study evidently pays. Wednesday, March 28 . Acts 20 : 33 - 35 . Paul was a mighty preacher by word, but he was an even mightier preacher by example. He believed in “illustrated ser mons,” he illustrated his teaching by his life. He could say, “I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” A las! there are many of us who are preaching the Word who could not say that. We really would like to get to ourselves some of the gold and silver, possibly even some of the apparel, of some of the rich members of our flock. Paul was not above working with his hands. Though he was an Apostle, he used his hands to get the means of support for himself and for others. How unlike he was to many today who, because they have received a call to preach the Gospel, think they must no longer work with their hands, and that working with their hands is being untrue to the Divine call to the ministry. If ever a man was called to the ministry it was this man Paul. There was a most unmistakable super natural call and an unmistakable super natural fitting for the work, nevertheless, Paul was a manual laborer. He not only worked with his hands, he labored with his hands. The word translated “laboring” is descriptive of wearisome or exhausting toil. It means “to labor with wearisome effort.” Many a preacher does work with his hands as a pastime, but Paul worked, not as a pastime, but wearily toiled in order to support himself and others while he and they ministered the Word. In
ing may bë, no matter how Contrary it maÿ'b e to the plain teaching of God’s Word, nevertheless, it will lure some and draw them away from their loyalty to Christ to follow the false, teacher. Tuesday, March 27 . Acts 20 : 31 , 32 - In view o f the false teachers that were coming, and especially in view of the fact that some of them were to arise from their own number. Paul urges them to exert a never-sleeping watchfulness against them. It is only by, such constant watchfulness that any church can be secure today against grievous wolves that are constantly appear ing among the flock. In order to stir then? up to this never-sleeping watchfulness Paul calls to their attention the fact that he himself “by the space of' three years ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears.” What a moving and inspiring 'spectacle, that of this great man loaded’with many1labors and cares, going up and down the streets of Ephesus and from house to house, night and day, with burning tears, warning those he met, and keeping this up for three years. ; How cold our love, and how poor our service appears in contrast with that of Paul. But it is possible for us not only to admire Paul but also to imitate him. The Holy Spirit has recorded this about Paul for our imitation. What a wholesome commotion a Paul would make in any community. But now that he was to leave them Paul points them to God and to the Word as their security. Paul was to depart, but God and the Word were to stay. God’s servants are ever passing away, even the most faith ful of them, but God and His Word always abide. Paul points to the Word as the great safeguard against error. He does the very same thing at a later day in writing to a bishop of this same church (2 Tim. 3:13-15). There is nothing else that will make one sû proof against false doc trine as will the persistent study of the Word. It is the woeful neglect of the study of thé Word on the part of the churches today that makes them such an
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