January, 1935
14
T H E K I N G S B U S I N E S S
How difficult it is for us to live a day at a time! But that is the way the Lord Jesus lived His life on earth. He was the perfect Servant o f Jehovah, and the whole course of His journey on earth was taken a step at a time— ever trust ing the heavenly Father. In like manner must you and I live through 1935, and so living we shall prove the worth o f God’s promise, being enabled to rise above every difficulty and sorrow that the days may bring.— L.T.T . When Buildings Talk I n t h e issue o f November 3, 1934, The Sunday School Times calls attention editorially to the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles. Subscribers to the K in g ’ s B u s in e s s who do not receive the Times will be interested in the following paragraph: Not only human lives, but also buildings o f brick or stone or steel, may do impressive talking. “Ye are our epistle,” wrote Paul to the Corinthian Christians, “known and read o f all men.” And there is a big building in Los Angeles that is truly an epistle o f God to many, reaching multitudes through the eye and the ear. The chimes on top o f the thirteen-story building o f the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles sound out every day the music of familiar old gospel hymns, and this music reaches tens of thousands o f hearts as it floats out over the teeming city. Many a story has come to the Institute of be lievers being blessed and sinners reclaimed through this testi mony. Furthermore, the same building talks by the words cut in stone on its front walls. High up, where many can read, are the words: js|‘For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psa. 119:89). On the granite cornerstone on the street level is the dedication: “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (R ev .l:5 ). A young woman recently called at the office o f the Institute’s Superintendent of Women and asked what steps were necessary to enter as a student Conversation showed that she was not saved, and the Superintendent had the joy of leading her then and there to accept God’s gift of eternal life in His Son as her personal Saviour. Then she said : ‘.‘I have been passing this building for years, and all the time those words on the outside have been condemning me. I knew that in that building was the happy solution o f my life, here and hereafter, and now it is settled 1” A similar story was told by another young woman, who said that she had passed the building daily for three and a half years, until at last the messages engraved in the stone went home to her heart. Experiences like this show how important it is to be “instant in season, out o f season,” in bearing witness to the Word and the Saviour; only God Himself can know what eternal blessings may result. Word from P. W . Philpott F r ie n d s who have followed with interest the ministry o f P. W . Philpott— in pastorates in Canada and the United States, as well as in the larger evangelistic field— will be glad to know that the Lord has graciously given a renewal o f health to him as well as to his daughter Dor othy. Both were critically ill for some time. In a personal letter to a friend at the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, Dr. Philpott wrote on November 27:
THE SECRET OF INWARD PEACE [Continues from page 11]
Eucharist, the feast o f thanksgiving. Surely the word’s significance here, in this process o f emancipation from the bonds o f care, is most vital. Worried, we have come to God, and we have confessed our helplessness and utter need. But now, before we make any request, we are bidden to look back over the road along which we have traveled. W e remember His mercies all along the way, the repeated answers to our prayers, the amazing deliverance that has been ours in times o f deepest need. Even as we render our thanksgiving, our hearts are cheered, and much o f the burden seems to slip away. R e q u e s t s ( A it e m a ta ) “ Let yoUr r e q u e s ts be made known unto God.” Now you may ask for the things that are upon your heart. Having comë back to God, having cast yourself upon Him in utter confession o f need, having looked back and given thanks for the reality o f His previous presence in blessing, it is now safe for you to speak out to Him, quite clearly, “ in everything.” It is after this step that the beautiful experience comes. God promises it. Many, who have followed through this process o f approach to Him in the midst o f their anxiety, can testify to the reality o f this experience. It is almost too sacred to be put into words, but this is His word : “ And the peace o f God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” “ The peace o f God” ! The poise o f God ! The tran quillity o f God! Certainly it passeth human knowledge. The mind o f man, with its ruthless analysis, may not enter this sacred domain. Here is an experience above the plane upon which reason works. “ The peace o f God . . . shall guard.” The verb does not fully give us the picture. The term is military, and refers to the setting o f guards, the sending forth o f sentinels. How marvelous ! In tumult o f heart and mind, distressed by cares in our emotional life, and by worries in our thought life, we have come to our God in prayer. We cast all our care upon Him, and He carëth for us. The peace o f God comes down to encircle our hearts and our thoughts with His sentinels— and we rest again. But it is all “ in Christ Jesus.” This blessed experience comes not through any human effort or any occult process. It comes not through our unbelieving or unaided approach to God. It comes only in and through Christ Jesus, “ for he is our peace.” This, then, is our prayer in behalf o f every burdened, worried, anxious child o f God: “ May the peace o f God, which passeth all understanding, set a garrison about your heart-life and your thought-life through Christ Jesus.” She had proved this text: “ As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” People talk about possessing dying grace. God does not give dying grace to living people. He gives dying grace to dying people. And when you and I come to the end o f life’s pilgrimage, we shall find that God is there, to enable us to die victoriously, even as He enables us to live day by day in victory. _ The promise emphasizes the fact thatjGod wants us to live a day at a time. He does not make any man the depository o f His power. The promise is: “ As thy days, so shall thy strength be/J It is not “ as thy weeks” or “ as thy months”— but “ as thy days . . . shall thy strength be.” AROUND THE KING’ S TABLE [Continued from page 3]
Dorothy is better in her health than she has ever been. Mrs. Philpott is fine. During my illness, and since that time, many friends on the Coast and elsewhere have written for information regarding my health, and we simply could not keep up with the letter writing. I have thought a little word in the K ing ’ s B usiness would serve a real purpose, both on my part and also on behalf of those dear people who have been praying for my recov ery. God has graciously heard prayer and given me a new lease o f life and more love for the lost. Since September first, I have preached every Sunday for ten weeks in the Jarvis Street Church, Toronto. Just now I am in a three weeks’ meeting in the Burton Street Baptist Church, Kitchener, Ont. It is many years since I have been more blessed or more conscious of God’s presence. I am obliged to be very careful about overwork, and also to pray and trust God more.
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