THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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5. Sanctification. “ Sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). 6. Purification. “ Purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). 7. Occupation. “ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:17). 8. Progression. “W e walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). 9. Preservation. “ Kept by the power o f God through faith” (1 Peter 1:5). 10. Expectation. “We, through the Spirit, wait for the Hope o f Righteousness by faith” (Galatians 5:5). — -F. E. Marsh. The Thirst of Christ “I thirst.’’ 1. He thirsts for admittance. “ Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock.” (Revela tion 3 :20; Solomon’s Song 5:2). 2. He thirsts for holiness. “ Bring no more vain oblations,” etc. (Isaiah 1 :13-15). 3. He thirsts for love. “ And anointed the feet Of Jesus” (John 12:3). 4. He thirsts for prayer. “Let me hear thy voice” (Solomon’s Song 2:14). 5. He thirsts for | listeners. “Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word” (Luke 10:39). 6. He thirsts for workers. “Who will go for us” (Isaiah 6:8 ). 7. He thirsts for aid. “Thirsty, and ye gave me no drink” (Matthew 25:42; Judges 15:18, 19). — P. E. Marsh. out o f their strait. And again, in grace, Jehovah came to their rescue. His coip- mand to them was to “make the valley full o f ditches.” Once more the blésSed God condescended to work a miracle in their behalf, and they were supplied with an abundance o f water. But they had to dig the ditches. Perhaps if the Israelites had gone To work and dug wells or ditches they might have obtained the water they thirsted for. But they had reached the land o f “ reclining places,” and may have been too indolent to dig wells. However, the Lord in mercy caused the Rock to be smitten, and the “waters gushed forth in rivers.” Oh, the mercy and forbearance o f our God! Can we not look back and see in our selves as in these rebellious Israelites the very same carnal and selfish traits o f char acter? “Alas, ’tis true; ’tis pity ’tis true.” Notwithstanding 'we are so inclined to for get the deliverances o f “ former times,” yet He who cares for the sparrow, and loves us well enough to nunlber the hairs o f our
---------------O ----- --------- THE OPENED ROCK
By J. E. WOLFE, Evangelist
r 11EXT.—'“He opened the Rock, and the -*■ waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.”—Psa. 105:41. The wilderness journeyings o f the chil dren o f Israel seemed to have brought to the surface all the varied characteristics of the “old man.” And in this we see a clearly defined photograph o f our own natural hearts, and the fruitage thereof. Israel had left the place o f “the Bush,” for that is the meaning o f the word Sin in this connection, and journeyed on to Rephidim, meaning “reclining places.” It was here that they began to murmur against both Moses and God, because' of the absence o f water. In a typical or spiritual sense the absence o f water in the Old Testamentgtimes meant an absence or dearth o f spiritual life. More than 600 years afterward, when Israel was again placed in a serious dilemma on account o f their disobedience to God, we find them suffering for water, and, as o f old, they murmured against God. Then Elisha, the exiled prophet, was besought to help them
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