July 1927
T h e K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
463
can we? For they are a multitude, and our talents and our capa bilities seem so puny and so utterly inadequate for the task. Let it encourage us to remember that, in spite of the seeming impos sibility, the Galilean multitude was fed—fed to satisfaction, for there was more food at the end than at the beginning of the feast. Nor is the secret of the miracle far to seek. Christ said of the loaves: “Bring them hither to me,” and when they were brought, He blessed and brake the provisions until “they did all eat and were filled.” In like manner let us take our insufficient talents and capacities to Him. In our hands alone they are useless for the work which He has given us to do. Given back to us.from Him, with His blessing upon them, they shall work wonders indeed; wonders that shall fill us at once with amazement and with joy. Men fail in the Lord’s work, not because they are poor, or inefficient, or simple, or unlearned, but because they do not bring the little they have to the Master that He may multiply it by His blessing and His touch. THE dread uncertainty, and the lamentable voice in which the question is put are in striking contrast with the King’s buoyant optimism of the night before. Then, he had declared: “Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee;” now, he inquires, with rueful countenance and in dismal tone; “Is thy God . . . able to deliver thee?” To what is the change to be attributed? Darius has passed a'sleepless and an anxious night. The first flush of enthusiastic assurance, a mere blaze of emotion produced by excitement, has been unable to stand the strain of the dark and weary hours. And he has no “anchor, sure and steadfast,” to save him from drifting to despair. He does not know Daniel’s God; he has “heard of Him with the hearing of the ear,” but personal acquaintance there has been none. Hence he has nothing to sustain him against the weakness either of the flesh or of the mind. Many a man has a credo which he is ready to repeat in the sunshine, or even at the first outbreaking of the storm, but it dies into a wail of distrust and fear when tried by long hours of loneliness,' uncertainty, or pain. It is only when we have seen God face to face, when we have listened to the tones of His voice, when we have held sweet intercourse with Him, that we can say with Saint Paul: “I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able.” We may raise altars to “An unknown God,” and burn incense therein, but that will not save us from despair when the sharp trial comes. Faith, to bear testing, must have, an element of knowledge in it, after all. J uly 19. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."- — las. 1:2. TEMPTATION is not usually looked upon as a subject for rejoicing. Men forget that temptation is a sign of honor. There are people whom the Devil does not need to tempt. They are his already; he has but to let them alone and, unless a divine miracle be worked, they will continue his to the end. His fiercest onslaughts are directed against those whose lives and whose activities are most inimical to his kingdom. Unless he can seduce them, they not only injure his cause, but they will be lost to him for ever. Moreover, we should rejoice in temptation be cause it gains for us the special guardianship of God. While God cares for all His people, He cares most specially for those who need Him most. The sorely assaulted soul will be the object of His peculiar solicitude. And yet again, we should remember that temptations strengthen and establish the Christian character. J uly 18. “Is thy God . . . able?”—Daniel 6:20.
=FOR YOUR VACAT ION READINGS “Best” Books Mostly books of a devotional nature that will help you get a better grip on the deep things of God. The Romance o f Christian Experience By S am uel Ju d so n P o rte r A vigorous, b rig h tly w ritte n b o o k by o n e of the ‘'strong** m en of th e B aptist C h u rc h in th e South. Dr. P o rte r’s w o rk is rich an d glow ing. H is illustrations a re a p t an d discrim inatingly chosen, n o th in g really trite or comm onplace b ein g em ployed. H e places a lofty value on C h ristian experience, an d eloquently defends and extols its p ra c tic e a n d privileges. C loth $1.25 What Every Christian Should Believe By W illiam E vans
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“T here is a cry in g need to day of a m ore intelligent faith on th e p a rt of th e follow ers of Jesu s C hrist. W e do n o t know • God, C hrist, th e Bible, the H oly S pirit, a n d th e g re a t do c trin es of o u r faith as we should.” T he au th o r in th is extrem ely helpful volum e has afforded th e new co n v erts and u n ta u g h t C h ristian s a n excep tional o p p o rtu n ity to be grounded in th e faith. C loth 90c
The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life By H a n n ah W hitall Sm ith Buy this b o o k a n d keep it w ith y o u r Bible for co n stan t study, until y o u have th o ro u g h ly m astered, in y o u r own experience, th e secret of w hich it tells. T his is a book needed to d ay as n ev er before. It will tran sfo rm those d a rk days in y o u r life a n d b rin g happiness to y o u r hom e, once its m essage is know n and u nderstood. C loth $ 1 .0 0 The Twenty-third Psalm By Jo h n McNeill
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T his new ly published book is a devotional in terp retatio n of th e fam ous Psalm , b y th e S co ttish p asto r, evangelist and Bible expounder. W ith th e pen of a p o et an d th e soul of a p ro p h et, Dr. McNeill in te r p re ts th e w orld’s m ost fam ous song in vivid sentences th a t quickly seize on th e im agina tio n of th e reader— a w onder fully fresh tre a tm e n t of th e Bible classic.______ C loth $1.00
When the Morning Wakens
By Rev. M alcolm Jam es M cLeod M any an d varied a re th e subjects in this volum e of serm ons. O n e is carried to th e M ount of T ran sfig u ra tion, w alks th e w ay of C h ristian obligation, comm unes w ith th e sacred th ings of life, a n d feels th e shadow s of the valley w hich m en call d eath. But w h erev er the re ad e r is c arried he feels th e consciousness of security. ______________________________________________ C loth $ 2 .0 0 God’s Blessed Man By P aul R ader T hese serm ons display th e a u th o r’s grip of th e d eep est fundam ental tru th s; they a re lighted up by his vivid p erso n al ex p erien ces; th ey g rap p le w ith the conscience; th ey m ove th e em otions; they dem and th e consent of the will, w ith o u t w hich P au l R ad er never th in k s th a t his m essage has accom plished its p u rp o se. T h ey have a p a s sion of a p p eal w hich convinces, convicts an d transform s. _______ C loth $1 .5 0 If m oney does n o t accom pany order, goods will be sen t C. O. D. If goods are to com e by m ail add 10% for postage. B I O L A B O O K R O O M Bible Institute, Los Angeles, Cal.
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