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THE KING’S BUSINESS
to speak today as He was then, if we will only provide the proper Conditions for His speaking, and listen §0 we can hear His voice when He does speak. It was the Holy Spirit’s work to call Barnabas and Saul to the work: it was man’s work to recognize- the call arid set the called apart for the work. Those who,ignore ordination by man are as unscriptural as those who ignore a call by-God. But it is to be noted very carefully that it was for “the work whereunto\the Spirit called" that they were to be set apart. Men oftentimes are set apart to some other work than the' work to which the Holy Spirit called them. Saturday, January 6 . Acts 13 : 3 - 5 - Every step in the church in Antioch was taken in prayer. It was while praying that the voice of the Holy Spirit was heard, and after He had spoken they took themselves to fasting and prayer again. In those days ordination was accompanied by fasting and prayer: in our day it is too frequently accompanied with feasting and frolic. The Holy Spirit had demanded of the church the very best they had for the foreign mis sion field, and they gave up the very best they had without a murmur. Too often the church has felt that we should keep the best men at home arid send only the inferior to the foreign field. That day, however, seems to be passing away with most of our Mis sion Boards, and they are insistently demanding, as they ought, the best men for the foreign field, and the church ought to listen to their demand. Being thus “sent forth by the Holy Ghost,” Barnabas and Saul went forward step by step as the Holy Ghost led them. The work that they did was proclaiming “the Word of God.” They did not give to men their own speculations and opinions, but what God had plainly declared. Happy is the modern missionary who follows in their steps. Naturally, they began their work “in the synagogue of the Jews.” Sunday, January 7 . Acts 13 : 6 - 12 . Barnabas and Saul did not get far with-
themselves honor that belongs to God only, and to be pleased with commendation of their oratorical gifts when any gift they may possess is the work of God through the Holy Spirit, and all honor should be given to Him. The lesson is an exceed ingly solomn one and we all do well to lay it to heart. But while Herod died, “the Word of God grew and multiplied.” No 'opposition of man, even of great kings, can hinder the growth and increase of the Word of God. Indeed it thrives upon opposition, even the bitterest. Friday, January 5 . Acts 13 : 1 , 2 . The church at Antioch had five “prophets and teachers” worthy of mention by name. This early Gentile church became a foun tain of life and light to many other places. It was the originating point from which missionaries went out in many directions. It was the starting point for Paul on his various missionary tours. The Holy Spirit was thé presiding officer in the church, and He is still the presiding officer in any true church of Christ. It is He who selects men for work and sends them forth to the work. It is to Him that we should look for direction as to where to go and what to do. Note carefully just when it was that the Holy Spirit spoke to them: “as they ministered to the Lord and fasted.” The form of their ministry to the Lord is not defined, it is suggested by the union of fasting and prayer in the following verse, that it was by prayer in this case also, but very likely it was not limited to this. If we spent more time in ministering to the Lord in fasting and prayer we would have more frequent and clearer leadings of the Spirit. The fasting is important as well as the prayer, for a Spirit-filled mind rarely accompanies an overfilled stomach. It is not said just how the Spirit spoke, whether in an audible voice, or silently in the inner recesses of the heart, but in whatever*Vay He spoke, He spoke in an unmistakable way. It was no vague, uncertain impulse such as men nowadays sometimes call “the voice of the Spirit.” He is just as ready
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