July 1926
T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
384 All of these are manifestly the wolf nature and not many who are anxious to conform to the externals of the true prophet will manifest them in the light. However the rest of the list is Just as much the Word of God as the part already given, and therefore what it means is just as much the wolf nature as are the things that have already been mentioned. With this in mind, let us dare to look at the list with honest eyes and steady gaze: quarrels, dissensions, jealousy, temper, rivalry, i factions, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, revelings and the like. These, according to God, belong to the wolf nature, and if they are in our life it makes no difference how much we say we are sheep— the howl of the wolf will drown the word of our testimony. Over against that list God has given us an analysis of the sheep life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy, peace, good temper, kindliness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. That is God’s own list, and Jesus says we are to look for these things in the lives of men who come as prophets in His name. If they have not these things they lack the divine credentials and if they claim to be prophets they are false prophets. We fear that many of us wotald suffer a severe shock if we were honestly to bring our own lives to this test. How ever it is best for us to be honest with ourselves now, for Jesus says very definitely that that is going to be the test when we meet Him. One more observation: A sheep does not have to tell people that it is a sheep. Indeed it would never occur to a sheep that it was necessary for it to do so. All that is necessary for it to do is to live its life. If it is a genuine sheep it cannot help but act like a sheep. It will not occur to anybody that is normal to question the fact that it is a sheep, but if it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the most natural thing in the world for it to do is to constantly say, “ I am a sheep, I am a sheep.” Not only so but it would unconsciously endeavor to call attention to the externals which make it look like a sheep and boast of the reality of these. It is not necessary for a grapevine to be all the time saying “ I am a grapevine.” All it has to do is to quietly express its life in grapes. If it is a grapevine let it produce grapes. No professional
statement or scientific treatise regarding the vine can be so convincing as a bunch of luscious grapes. Even the ordin ary man can tell the difference between grapes and thorns. It never occurs to the real prophet that he has to be tell ing the people all the time that he is a true prophet, but if there is a consciousness of wolf characteristics he uncon sciously becomes vociferous in affirming that he is a sheep. No one would guess that he was if he did not say so. A rich bunch of. the grapes of the Spirit of God is worth tons of profession and clever argument. “ By their fruit» ye shall know them." “ Not everyone that saith Bord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven." Jesus Christ has expressed this will for us, and He died to make it possible in our lives. The man who hears His words and obeys them is a wise man and is building on a rock, but the man who hears His words and does them not, is a fool and is building on sand. Jesus Himself is the Rock, and the thing that makes possible building on Him is a liv ing experience that changes the life and makes Him Master in it. There is no prophetic or living message where that experience is lacking. If the Bible is true and Jesus is a real, living Saviour and Lord, let us live the fact, and when men shall see the grapes of His sacrificial life in us they can say nothing. As long as our thorns and thistles are sticking into the people who corné in daily contact with us it will require a good deal of loud shouting to convince them that we are a grapevine, or, going back to the first picture, as long as men see the quarreling, and dissension, and Jealousy, and the temper, the rivalry, factions, party spirit and envy of the wolf nature tt will require a great deal o f shouting on our part to make them believe that we are sheep. We may be able to deceive ourselves and make ourselves think that we are sheep but .we certainly cannot deceive God, and there is a very serious question as to whether we can deceive our fellowmen. There are many false prophets, but the most deadly and blighting in their influence are the false prophets who are scrupulously conforming to the standards in externals but in the essence of their life are producing thorns and thistles.
1
SPREAD
ITBEFORE THE LORD Isaiah 37:14
Spread out before the Lord that long-felt worry, Speak of it often to thy Heavenly Friend; He that belleveth shall not want to hurry Himself or God towards an expected end. Spread out before the Lord from its beginning Each piece of work attempted for His sake; Each call to service, social or soul-winning, No step at thine own charges thou must take. Spread out before the Lord thy daily duty, It is not waste of time to tell Him all; So shall life be “ for glory and for beauty” If Jesus guides in greatest things and small.
Go, spread before the Lord, thine empty barrel, Thy failing cruse of oil, thy slender purse; He feedeth birds, gives flowers their rich apparel, And shall He see His children faring worse? Go, spread before the Lord that startling letter Which brings dismay or trouble to thy breast; Like one of old, prove that it is far better To throw its weight on Him, and be at rest. Spread out before the Lord those sins besetting That bring the blush of failure to thy face; And fill thy heart with sorrowful regretting— r’hriot pivpth pnnniiPRtii in Hia secret Diace!
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