THE K I NG ' S BUS I NE S S
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experience. I t appeals to both emotion and volition. I t m ust be tran slated into conduct, illu strated by action and even projected into o th er m inds where it may find a sphere of operation and per form its work of beneficence. We are responsible for w hat enters th e mind. Mark 4:24. We are responsible for w hat happens to it afte r it becomes a p a rt of our m ental fu rn itu re. We are responsible for its transm ission to other minds. When th e saving though ts of trod en ter our consciousness we are bound to correlate all th e fa'cts and cir cum stances of our outw ard life th e re w ith and bring them into harmony. John 13:17. Our con stan t effort should be to lessen th e g reat chasm between our knowing and our doing. Knowledge th a t is not acted on becomes no t only useless bu t in ju riou s like th e unused manna in th e w ilderness. Exodus 16: 20. W hat we do no t use, we lose. THURSDAY, Aug. 21. Jam es 2:14-26. F a ith and Works. The relation between faith and work has been the subject of endless contro versy. The distinctive P auline Gospel was salvation by faith alone. The J a cobean teaching lays th e emphasis on works. F a r from being m utually an tagonistic, P au l and Jam es are in deep est agreement. P au l does not dispar age works. He simply pu ts them in th e ir proper place. Jam es does not belittle faith. H is only contention is for th e work of faith. 1 Thess. 1:3 Works can never take th e place of faith and become th e ground of salvation. T hat would make th e cross of Christ of none effect. Saving faith however always m anifests itself in works. In o ther words, while we are justified be fore God by faith , we are justified be fore men by works. Men do not always believe w hat th ey say they believe Much of w hat passes for faith is only make-believe. Does our faith tran s form, control and regu late our lives? If it does, it is genuine. If it does not, it is spurious. We profess to believe in Christ as our Saviour and Lord, th a t we only tru ly live as we follow in His steps. Is Matt. 20:28 our ideal of life? Do we go about doing good? Is it our m eat and drink to do the F a th e r’s w ill’ Is it our supreme effort and am bition to glorify God? We say th a t we believe in Jesus as a perfect Teacher, th a t His words are au tho ritativ e and infallible. He says, “Be no t anxious w hat ye shall ea t or w hat ye shall d rin k .” Do we ever worry about anything? In view
of Matt. 6:19-20, do we labor h arder for heavenly trea su re th a n we do for earth ly w ealth? We read Luke 11:13 and then look a t our own children and ask ourselves “Do we really believe th a t God is more w illing to bless us, th an we are to make our children h appy ’ ” The only real faith is the faith th a t works, th e faith th a t produces as its fru it a devoted, consecrated Christian life. FRIDAY, Aug. 22. -M ark 5:1-20. Saved to Serve. Jesus shows His lordship over n atu re by stilling th e tempest. Mark 4:39. He shows His lordship over th e sp irit world by casting out th e demons. Mark 5:8. He shows His lordship over redeemed hum anity by directing th e life of the one whom He had saved. Mark 5:19. He tells him where to go and w h at to say. He assumes th e rig h t to deny the requests of H is people if necessary. While all our prayers are answered, they are not always answered in the affirmative. “No” is an answer as tru ly as “Yes.” He is too wise and kind to g ra n t all th e petitions th a t we bring to Him. He also appoints our fields of service. He sends us where we can do th e most effective service and bear the most convincing testim ony to H is sav ing and tran sfo rm ing power. The home circle is surely th e most fitting place for th a t testim ony to begin. A faith th a t can stand th e scrutiny o f th e fire side and a consecration th a t can endure th e testing of daily domestic life will be victorious anywhere and everywhere. He claims th e glory of salvation. Some converts are more fond of reciting what the devil did for them when they were in sin th a n w hat God has done for them in salvation. The wonder is not th a t God should save a d runkard , a lia r or a thief, bu t th a t he should save a sinner. Since He is th e A lm ighty Saviour, it is enough to pour into H is ears the record of our sin. SATURDAY, Aug. 23. Neh. 5:1-13. R u lers and Social Responsibility. There are no directions in th e New T estam ent for Christian ru lers or mag istra tes or officials in governmental authority. The New T estam ent never contemplates a child of God as occu pying such a position in th e present age. Nevertheless it is possible th a t a Chris tia n m ight find him self in such a place th rough no act of his own, as in a state where ru le is hereditary. Also in pop u la r governments, it can not be pleas ing unto God to allow affairs of state
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