THE KING’S BUSINESS
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to bear the brand of folly in the beginning. “He that believeth shall not make haste.” “In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” The walls fell down by faithi, but not until they had been compassed about seven days. It was no small work to walk day by day and there was no practical rela tion between the daily exercise and the fall of the walls and yet without the seven days’ march the walls would not have fallen. Israel is being taught to believe God and obey His' Word. They' must learn to lean upon God and not upon the arm of the flesh and that God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. Nothing can withstand the shouts of God’s obedient people. 3. Discontent is Misery. It misses the real good of life. A tiny girl, when I got on a car, was kicking and howling, stiffening herself so that her mother could not .set her on the seat, so she slid to the floor a kicking and yelling heap of small humanity, all because she could not have what she wanted. I got off a mile further on and she was still at it, not having ceased an instant. So she missed all the pleasure of a car ride, and all the sights,, and made herself disagreeable enough to everybody. What a good time she might have had if contented with her mother’s wiser will. 4. God’s Way with the Discontented. He never gives discontented people content ment, but He often gives them what they cry for. See what Psalm 106:15 has to say. In “The Pilgrim’s Progress” we read of Passion and Patience. Passion would have his fortune now. Patience' was willing to wait. To stop his crying they gave Passion what he wanted and it was soon spent, but Patience .got his at last and he had it forever. In the same book we read of a humble shepherd.boy who was heard sing ing:
wisdom of the world. There has been much speculation as to how the walls of Jericho were broken down, the most plaus ible of them is the earthquake theory, but we know how it came-to pass. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down” (Heb. 11: 30). To Israel there was presented an impos sible task, but to Israel plus God all things were possible. .The gates of the city were shut, but they could not shut out God. If God be for us no walls can stand against us and if God be against us no walls could possible save us. It was no easy task 'as signed to 'Israel. .A seven days’ match around a walled city, subject to the ridicule of the enemy was a test of faith and pa tience, but all great movements have had Sunday, November 16. A Lesson Paul Learned.—PhiL 4: 11-13. 1. Define Contentment. To’be at ease with what we are, where we aré, what we have, in God’s providence., Not to not strive to better character, mind, condition or for tune ; but to not’ fret, worry, murmur at our lot; or envy others; or sin to change our state. 2. Contentment is Riches. Paul says, “Great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6, 7). People worry, toil, sin to get more clothes, pleas ures, money, lands, houses, because they think they will content them. They never do, and cannot, for contentment is a state of the heart-, not of the fortunes. A rich man dreamed that the richest man in town would die that night, and was in great fear, tjll he understood. It was the “poorest” man that died, but one who was.“rich in faith.” He was like another who,-in his mean little cabin) with but a crust and a cup of water, was heard to give thanks, saying, “Thanks, Lord, all this and Christ too!”
Junior Endeavor Topics J. K. H. S.
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