531
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
December 1932
Q lo ie s on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR . . . B y M ary G. G oodner
Psalm 119:105 in Concert. Prayer. Quartet—“Have Thine Own Way, Lord. Testimonies. Hymn— “Faith is the Victory.” Quiet Hour. Leader’s Message. Benediction—Psalm 19:14. Meditation on the Lesson Psalm 119:105 to 112 is the fourteenth division o f this great psalm o f 176 verses. This is the psalm that magnifies the work o f the Lord. There are twenty-two divi sions of eight verses each. Every one of these is titled by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm is distinctive^ in the numerous statements about the “ word.” Almost without exception, every verse has a reference to it. It would prove a fasci nating study for any Endeavorer to go through the psalm underlining every ref erence to the Bible—“law,” “ordinances,^ “ statutes,” “ commandments,” “judgments,” “testimonies,” “precepts,” and so on. Count them. One’s heart will glow with enthu siasm in reading the glowing tributes to the eternal W ord o f God, and one will say with the psalmist, “ O that my ways were di rected to keep thy statutes” (Psa. 119:5). In this particular portion, which we have for today, we find set forth : The illuminating power of the Word. The vivifying or quickening power. The enduring heritage o f the Word. ^ Our topic is “How May W e Know God’s W ill?” Verse 105 is our best answer. The world is in darkness; we have no light within ourselves, but God has not left us to wander and to grope in ignorance. He has given us His blessed Word, which is truly a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. This is an especially appropriate figure o f speech to the oriental. In the days when these words were first spoken, when there was no street illumination and when the sidewalks were very poor, walking at night was difficult and dangerous. T o make it less so, small foot lamps, constructed to fit over the great toe and thus cast a light for every step, were worn. “ None o f his steps shall slide.” ^ Not only does the W ord give “ light,” but it also “ quickens.” “ Quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.” Here is life and warmth—light, life, and warmth all in the blessed W ord of God. No wonder that the psalmist declared, “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart” (v. 111). Praise the Lord, it is our enduring heritage also. “ Thy word, O Lord, is established in the heavens.” Jesus said, “ I f any man will do his will, he shall know o f the doctrine, whether it be o f God, or whether I speak o f myself.” I f we are truly desirous of knowing God’s will, He will certainly reveal it to us through His W ord and through the Holy Spirit. The one condition is that we must be sincere in our desire, and that we must be obedient to His will after we know it.
Illustration Old Father Time reaches up into the library o f eternity and takes down the spotless volume o f “ Nineteen Hundred Thirty-Three.” Its pages are clean and white, its leaves unmarred. He hands us every one our own copy, and we are to fill the pages as we choose. What an oppor tunity ! What a privilege! What a respon sibility! Take heed that you write only noble things in 1933. Discussion Material I. Two N ew Y ear S criptures “ Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Sam. 7 :12). “Let Israel hope in the Lord from hence forth and for ever” (Psa. 131:3). II. T h e U nrevealed F uture But the past is still in God’s keeping, The future His mercy shall clear, And what looks dark in the distance May brighten as I draw near. — M ary B rainerd . III. A nother Y ear is D a w n in g Another year is dawning! Dear Master, let it be. I see not a step before me As I tread on another year, Into the Silent Places, The Old Year goes tonight Bearing old pain, old sadness, Old care, and old delight, Mistakes and fears and failures,. The things that could not last— , But nought that e’er was truly ours Goes with him to the Past. Out o f the Silent Places, The Young Year comes tonight, Bringing new pain, new sadness, New care, and new delight. Go forth to meet him bravely, The New Year all untried,, The things the Old Year left with us— Faith, Hope, and Love—abide. , ■— S elected . JANUARY 8,1933 HOW M A Y WE KNOW GOD ’S W ILL? P salm 119:105-112 Suggestions (or the Meeting Hymn—“My Faith Looks Up to Thee.” Hymn—“Moment by Moment.” In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee— Another year of service, O f witness for Thy love; Another year o f training For holier works above. Another year is dawning 1 Dear Master, let it be, On earth or else in heaven, Another year for Thee 1 — F rances R idley H avergal . IV. T h e S ilent P laces
JANUARY 1, 1933 FACING LIFE GALLANTLY 1 C o r in th ia n s 16:13, 14 Suggestions (or the Meeting Hymn—“A Call for Loyal Soldiers.” Hymn—“Am I a Soldier o f the Cross?” Prayer. Roll Call. Scripture, Special Number by the Orchestra. Leader’s Talk. Symposium on Plans for the New Year— Every Endeavorer. Hymn—“ Loyalty to Christ.” Benediction—Jude 24, 25, in Concert. Meditation on the Lesson “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” These concise, ringing exhortations, car rying the urge o f the imperative, form a fit ting close to this great epistle. But while the Corinthian Christian needed them, they are equally applicable to us as Christian Endeavorers today. Translating these imperatives into nouns, note their importance: 1. Watchfulness— “Watch ye.” 2. Steadfastness in faith—“ Stand fast.” 3. Courage—“ Quit you like men.” 4. Strength o f character— “ Be strong.” 5. Love—“ Let all be done with love.” Christ said to His disciples, “Watch and pray.” And when we realize how many foes surround us, and how the devil himself goes around as “a roaring lion, . . . seek ing whom he may devour,” we are forcibly impressed with the urgent need for watch ing. “ Stand fast in the faith.” False teachers abound, and will abound more and more as the end o f the age approaches. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3 and 4 that “the time will come when they will not en dure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth.” What a joy it is to see steadfast Christians not turned aside by every wind o f doctrine! “Having done all, . . . stand." “ Quit ypii like men.” Webster defines “ quit” in the sense in which it was used in Bible times, as “to conduct,” “to meet the expectations of.” How arresting 1 You are men; act like men, not children; come up to what is ex pected o f you. Do not be cowardly or afraid o f ridicule and persecution, but be brave. Then, “be strong.” Not only cour age, but strength, is needed—strength to bear up under trials and to withstand ene mies. Finally comes “ love.” Let all your affairs be conducted with love. Let love prevail in your hearts, in your families, in your school life, in your business life, and in your church life. “Let love be without dissimulation.” “ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.” “ Love is the fulfilling of the law.”
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