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TH.E K I N G ’ S BUS I NES S
April, 1942
times it is a death in the family; sometimes it is domestic trouble— husband and wife separated. Each week I visit scores of sick. I have given out hundreds of tracts. There are many other industries which need Christ. Perhaps God calls you! ' MAY 10, 1942 W H A T TO DO WHEN THINGS GO W RONG P roverbs 24:10; 2 T imothy 2:3; J onah 2 By Margaret / . Hart Introduction Have you ever met any one who has never had trouble? No. None of us can escape it. It comes to every one, but we do not all meet it in the same manner. Some of us allow it to plunge us into the depths of depres sion where we are full of discourage ment and self-pity (cf. Elijah, 1 Ki. 19:1-4). Others see the benefit which can be derived from such an experi ence, trust in Romans 8:28, and learn to meet trouble cheerfully (cf. Paul, 2 Cor. 11:24-27; 12:9, 10; Phil. 3:7, 8; 4:11). Today when our nation is at war, it seems that trouble is on every side. This is an especially appropriate time for us to consider what God would have us do when things go wrong. For Those Who Have Topics I. READ GOD’S WORD. It has an answer for every problem: for sin it gives reproof; for sorrow it gives comfort; for self-will it gives admohition; for perplexity it gives advice (Jer. 15:16; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Psa. 119:9, 105). II. EXAMINE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD. 1. It may be we have brought this trouble upon ourselves through sin. If so, let us confess our wrong, what ever it may be, in true repentance. We cannot ask God’s help in trouble until we first ask His forgiveness for any sin on our part. David realized this (Psa. 51:10-12; 139:23, 24; cf. also Isa. 59:1, 2; Psa. 66:i8). 2. It may' be God’s chastening to bring us closer to Him. He may be pruning us as the gardener prunes the vine, that we »may bring forth more fruit (John 15:2). God does not permit trouble to come to us without a purpose. He may want to show us some lack in our spiritual life, teach us the lessons of humility, of yielded- ness to His will, or of giving Him first placé in our lives. We can never profit from His chastening unless we accept it willingly and learn the les son which He wants to teach us. We must neither despise the chastening (rebel against it) nor faint because of it (Heb. 12:5, 6; Prov. 24:10; 2 Tim. 2:3; 2 Cor. 4:17; 1 Pet. 1:7).
IMPROVE YOUR MINISTRY The 20 Lessons in Homiletics, published by U. B. S., give Ministers, Sunday School Teachers, and Prayer Meeting Leaders a new insight into 15 methods of out lining and presenting Bible Truths. Fasten the truth while you preach it. These lessons with The Gospel Minister 26 weeks for $1.00. Union Bible Seminary, Dept. 165A, Westfield, Ind. RILEY-MOORE ENGRAVING CO. Cuts for All Purposes • Half Tones • Line Etchings • Electrotypes • Designs Mail Inquiries Solicited 337 S. Los Angeles St. VAndike 8937 Los Angeles, Calif. EASTER HYMNS in KODACHROME • "Christ Arose” and “He L i v e s ” —20 slides, $5.50. . ' A Bond Sermon Series designed for your Passion Week services,' black and white 35 mm. film, $2 and $2.50. V x • “Easter Witness” (90 fr.)—a complete program for the Sunday School—$3.50 (S. F.), $4.00 (D. F.). BOND SLIDE CO. 68 W. Washington St. Dept. K, Chicago, 111. servants the prophets of the Old Testa ment, with a message which should have given men a correct view of God. But the sinful heart of man contin ually refused to believe the messen- gers sent. At last God sent His own Son. But Him they d e s p i t e f u l l y treated and finally crucified. But God’s plan for the offer of restoration to fallen man was not frustrated at the cross; rather, its realization was more fully brought to light. Among the final words spoken by our Lord before leaving this earth were these: “Ye shall be my witnesses . . . unto- the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, R. V.). The Book of Acts gives us the preserved record of the early day- of that program. With chapter 13, a then new phase of the program is opened up, i.e., the carrying of the good news beyond the borders of Jerusalem—Judea—Sama ria. In other words, this chaptei marks the launching of the “foreign missionary enterprise” of the infant church.
III. COMMIT THE PROBLEM TO GOD , IN PRAYER. After we have yielded to Him, we must trust that He will work it out for His glory (Psa. 37:5; Jer. 33:3; Psa. 55:22; 1 Pet. 5:7; Psa. 34:15, 17). For the Leader DISCUSSION: 1. Ask for other suggestions as to what one may do in time of trouble. 2. Ask for personal experiences in which trials were blessings in dis guise. ILLUSTRATIONS: J. Stuart Holden, after visiting a factory in Northern England where costly china was being made, said, “It had b e e n through many processes, and was taken to a studio for the artist to complete. I saw the pattern being, put on in various colors, and noticed that a great deal of black was being used. On asking why, I was told, ‘It is black now, but it will be gold when it comes out of the fire.' ” Can we not apply this to our own lives f Dr. Dixon tells thus of a conversa tion of Haydn, the composer, with two friends on the subject of sorrow and depression: “One said, ‘When I feel down, I take to my wine, and that cheers me up.' “The other said, ‘I take to my music, and that cheers me up and comforts me, and I feel lifted out of my sorrow and heaviness.’ “Haydn said, ‘When I feel sad, I take to prayer. It is my Lord that cheers and comforts , me as nothing else can do!’ MAY 17, 1942 M ISSIONARY W O R K STILL GOI.NG STRONG ! A cts 13:1-5 By Elbert L. McCreery Introduction The tragedy of sin lies in the fact that man came to misunderstand God. Just as with every misunderstanding, the longer it went on uncorrected, the greater the misunderstanding grew. God sought to have the misunder standing remedied by sending His
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