January, 1940
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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pany of believers, fighting with poverty, contending for very existence, has been the truly rich and prosperous church! -M3. Campbell Morgan. When we are poor and needy, we are inclined to humble ourselves in prayer, but if we suddenly become rich and our lot is changed, we forget God, for there is no greater temptation than riches. —F. B. Meyer. 22. Much More Precious “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:7). It is through trial that we are driven to fuller reliance on Him; then we are shown the inadequacy of human helpers and the inability to find in ourselves solace and strength. Thus faith is bom and developed. T h a t wh i c h , even through such process of trial, makes us capable of receiving supplies from God, is a quality more precious than gold. —Life of Faith. 23. Channels of Discipline "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are ■able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. -10:13). The mistakes and sins of others! Of all trials, those most difficult to under stand and bear are those which flood upon us through this channel . . . What that other person said or did to you was undoubtedly wrong and cannot be justified . . . But by the time that action reached you, it ceased to be the wrong act of another, and became the will of God for you, since to a yielded belifever there are no second causes . . . You can, therefore, be confident in every circumstance of life, however baffling, that it has been permitted in your own best interests by the wisest and most loving of Fathers, who knows our “load- limit.”—J. Oswald Sanders. 24. Thy Confidence “ Cast not away therefore your con fidence” (Heb. 10:35).' Cast not away thy confidence— Thy God is on the throne, And thou hast His sure promises— He’ll not forsake His own! However dark thy path may be, However great thy care, He knows thy way, and in His love His hand has placed thee there. Fret not because thou knowest not, The way thou canst not tell, But rest in this, His promised word, He knows, and all is well. Since thou hast His sure promises That cannot be o’erthrown, [ Continued on Page 38]
17. Divine Care “It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isa. 65:24). The Lord is so interested in His chil dren’s petitions, desires, and wants, that even before their voices are raised in supplication, He hears. Even more speedily than He hears He answers, be cause He foresees our n od s and our prayers. How wonderful is our God! A God of love and mercy! —Norma Roskam. 18. Conversation with God “And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Sam-, uel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Sam. 3:10). Our conversation with God is recip rocal. God speaks to us while we pray, though we do not always recognize His voice.—J. Oliver Buswell, Jr. Prayer crowns God with. the honor and glory due His name. God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort. —Selected. 19. Make Me Thy Fuel “The Lord thy God is a consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24), From subtle love of softening things, From easy choices, weakenings, (Not thus are spirits fortified, Not this way went the Crucified). From all that dims Thy Calvary O Lamb of God, deliver me. Give me Thy love that leads the way. The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will bum like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod; Make me Thy fuel, Flame f God. —Amy Carmichael. 20. Ways Past binding Out “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of jus tice” (Job 37:23). Dispute not of high matters, nor of the secret judgments of God, why this man is so left, and that man taken into such great favor; why also one man is so left, and that man taken so greatly advanced. These things are beyond the reach of man. . . . When therefore the enemy suggesteth these things unto tl.ee, or some curious peo ple raise the question, let thy answer be, “Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right.”—Thomas a Kempis. 21. Poverty and Riches “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)” (Rev. 2:9). Outward adversity of a church, of a people, or a person, is not proof of es sential poverty or weakness. How often it has been that some struggling com»
bowls of glory. Our battered armor and scarred countenances will render more illustrious our victory above, when we are welcomed to the seats of those who overcome the world. —Charles Haddon Spurgeon. 13. The Dwelling Place . . That I may win Christ, and be found in him” (Phil. 3:8, 9). God by His grace has placed us, as believers, “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” That is our position before Him. What about our condition before men? Are we manifesting Jesus Christ? As a hot bar of irdh is not felt, when touched, but the heat that is in it is felt, so the life that is constantly found in Christ will be a life revealing Him. The secret of such a life is obedience, the channel is prayer, and the out growth is fruitbearing. Live today in Him.—David Dilworth. 14. Possibilities in Christ “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Eph. 4:7). In being right with God there is no suggestion of sinless perfection, no sug gestion of self-complacency. There is no thought here that life no longer requires the Master hand upon it, reshaping, and re-adjusting it. No. But there is the thought that the smile of God rests upon such a life, and that all is well between the soul and God. That is what' it means to. be right with God. —Colin C. Kerr. 15. God’s Faithfulness “The Lord is faithful, who shall stab- lish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thess. 3:3). When I came to a place of testing where my faith was most needed, I found it gradually going; then I learned to look less to my faith, and to depend more on God’s . faithfulness. —J. Hudson Taylor. The nature of the trust is determined by the quality of the object that is trusted in. If we are trusting in some thing that is itself fickle or transitory, our confidence must partake of its qualities. He who trusts in the Eternal is eternally safe.—Joseph Parker. 16. Confidence in Him “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). As followers of Christ, we must learn to take Him at His word. Too often we forfeit the proffered joy because we lack confidence in Him. This verse is an offer to relieve us of our load. The halt, maimed, and blind realized the impossibility of helping themselves and surrendered to Him completely. . . . He who could restore the incurable, give back the dead to friends, knows how to soothe and heal our sorrows when We permit Him to have them as His own. —James F. Kelly.
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