THE K I N O ’ S B U S I N E S S futile as an attempt to unite the poles and the tropics, the east and the west, or mid-nighc and mid-noon. God frowns and Satan laughs at such folly, Rev. 3:15, 16. God would have us up right, downright and outright for Him, TUESDAY, January 17. II Cor. 6:14- 18. The Divine response. The manner in which God manifests His claim to the allegiance of men is by accepted sacrifice. Prom the time of Cain and Abel He has challenged men to choose between true and false religion by means of sacrifice. Like Elijah on Carmel God allowed men to make their trial first. The prophets of Baal with all their lamentations and mutilations represent the heathen world seeking by penance and sacrifice to pro pitiate its deity. Last of all, God sent forth His Son born of woman and made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. By the resurrection of Christ from the dead the Eternal Father manifested His acceptance of the offering which His Son had made on man’s behalf even as He showed His ap proval on Carmel by the descending fire from heaven. WEDNESDAY, January 18. Eph. 2: 13-22. From Carmel to Calvary. It is not a far cry from Carmel to Calvary. The Baalism of the human heart is slain as effectively by the cross of Christ as the priests of Jezebel were slaughtered by Elijah’s sword. When we learn the meaning of the cross and accept Christ as our Redeemer, there is no question in our hearts as to the ser vice of Jehovah. We can not keep from serving Him knowing that we are bought with a price and are no longer our own but belong to Him. In the empty sepulchre we see the pledge of our resurrection from the charnel house of sin to newness of life with Christ. We cry with one accord, “ Jehovah Jesus. He is the God, Him will we serve and His voice will we obey.” THURSDAY, January 19. I Sam: 15: 24-33. Judicial retribution. The slaying of the prophets was justi fiable in the circumstances under which it occurred. Love to the criminal in the remission of his sentence is injus tice and cruelty to society at large. God was the real King of Israel. The one who sat upon the throne was bound to rule in harmony with the laws God had given. These laws sternly forbade idol-
88
could have held an official position in the court of Ahab and Jezebel. He must have been shocked and grieved by what he dally saw and heard but he had to keep silent or soft-pedal his testi mony. There are many such today. They know what is right and secretly try to do it, but they do not rebuke sin or show their true colors. The place for witness-bearing is outside the camp. Jesus suffered without the gate. The Divine challenge is, “ Come out from among them and be ye separate.” Let the cautien of expediency give place to the fearlessness of faith, and let us go forth without the camp to join .the mighty throng of confessors, martyrs, prophets, saints who counted not their lives dear unto themselves that they might win Christ and be found of Him in peace. |j .gj| SUNDAY, January 15. I Kings 18:80- 39. The Carmel conflict. The great question that faces every man and which every man must an swer for himself, is, “Who is your God, Baal or Jehovah? Self or Christ?” All must give some answer. Some have chosen to worship wealth and their only thought is to gather gold. Some have chosen fame and seek at any cost to make a name among men for them selves. Some worship knowledge, say ing, “ Intellect, be thou my God,” and prefer the conjectures of so-called science to the plain statements of God’s holy Word. Some find their idol in sin ful pleasure and wallow in the mire of sensuality. Others there are who have chosen Jehovah as their God, refusing to bow the knee to any popular Baal. Through good report and evil report alike they maintain their loyalty and testimony, assured that the God whom they have made the object of their choice will not forsake those who put their trust in Him. MONDAY, January 16. Matt. 6:19-24 Cold or hot. It is an evidence of fluctuating feeble mindedness to undertake to combine the worship of Jehovah and Baal and to serve God and mammon at the same time. Such people seem to be gov erned by circumstances. When they are in one set of circumstances, in church or on the Lord’s Day, they are for God. When they are in a different environment as on week-days or in the routine of business and social life, they are for MamB'.on in one or the other of its many forms1. This is as foolish and
Made with FlippingBook Annual report