Evening capital., 1896-03-14


ri, documentary by the Rev. ID. II.
gtearns.
/. Lord, teach US 20 pray" Thus
spake one of His disciples TO Him as He
was praying in certain place. Ho was
much given 70 prayer, much Ia commun-
ion with heaven and In His life on earth
always pleasing the Father. Luke records
five instances of His praying which do not
seem to be recorded by the other eyangel-
lists (chapters iii, 81; ', l6; vi, l2, IS; TX,
90. and here) 1t should be great COM
fort to us that, though we know not what
we should pray for as we ought, the Spirit
Himself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot he uttered, and
He maketh intercegsion according TO God
(Rom. viii GO 27).
2. "When We pray say, Our Father
which art in heaven" This seems to have
been on another occasion than that re-
ferred TO in Math. vi, Q, a repetition and
Endorsement Of this beautiful summary
and sample of all prayer. Only Christians
can truly use it, for none but the redeemed
can truly say "Our Father. Compare
John viii, "A, with l. 12. Inasmuch as
the carnal mind Is enmity against God,
none but the redeemed can honor His
name. and only such will desire His king
dom to come and His will TO be done on
earth as in heaven.
8. "Give US day by day our daily bread.
The whole teaching of Scripture Is that
we have to live but one day at time and
not to allow tomorrow's cares to intrude
upon today. "As thy days thy strength. "
"That which they have need of, day by
day without fail +" "a daily rate for every
day. all the days of his life. Take
therefore no thought for the morrow, for
the morrow shall take thought for the
things of ITSELF (Deut. xxxiii, %; Ezra
vi, o; IL Kings XIV, 80; Math. Vi, sl).
4. "And forgive us our sins. If we
confess our sins, He Is faithful and just 10
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness Q John j, 81. 1t is
understood, however, that confession in
cludes, on our part, the forgiveness from
the heart of all who have injured us (Math.
vi, IA, 10; Mark XII, 26). AS to temptation,
God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth He any man (Jas. /, l8, l4),
and yet 1t is written "God did tempt
Abraham" (Gen. xii, y, but Heb. xi, IL,
says that Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac. God tries His people for
their good (Deut. viii, 16; Cor. x, 13),
but never tempts them TO do wrong.
8. (Which of you shall have friend9"
Abraham is the only man mentioned in
Scripture by name as the friend of God III
Chron. Xxx, q; Isa. XII, 8; James ii, 23),
but Jesus said to His disciples Hence
forth call you not servants, but have
called you friends, that whatsoever ye
shall ask of the Father in My name. He
may give it you" (John XIV 10, l6). And
this In connection with fruit to the glory
Of God.
6. 81 have nothing to set before him.
What condition of emptiness and help
lessness but just such is our condition
apart from our Lord Jesus Christ no mat
ter how hard we may toll. His own words
are 'severed from me ye can do nothing"
John XIV, 81. When the disciples had
toiled all night and Jesus. in the morning,
from the shore, said Have ye any meats'
they had TO answer, No (John XXI 4, 81.
q. "My children are with me in bed. /
cannot rise and give thee" Children come
closer than friends and while it is good to
be q servant of God, better TO be friend,
it is best of all to be child of God by
faith in Christ Jesus. A father will keep
nothing good from his children, and as to
all our need Jesus has said 'your heaven
these things" (Math. vi, S2).
8. because of his importantly, he will
rise and give him as many as he needeth. y
There is somewhat of the same teaching in
chapter xviii, I-S. What do we know OF
the heart that says, s'I will not let thee go
except thou bless me- (Gen. xxxii, 26).
Do we understand anything of prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears?
(Heb. V, ~
o. ASK, seek, knock" One has said,
"Ask with the humility of beggar, seek
carefully as faithful servant, knock con-
fidently as friend" Some helpful words
on each of these will be found on TASK !"
in John xiv, 13, IA; XIV, q; Mark XII, "a;
''seek," Prov. ii, 4; viii, II, r. "; Ter.
xix, 13; "knock, = Col. ii, 3; John vi, 81;
Rev. iii, go We are apt to think OF ask
ing or seeking something for ourselves,
but Jesus never sought anything for Him
self (John vi, So; viii, 50) always and
only for God.
10. "For every one that asketh receiv-
eth" The limitations are given else
where as, ''That God may be glorifed,
According to His WILL" "In the name
of Jesus (John xiv, 13, IA; John V, 14).
| Could we but live solely and wholly tc
hallow His name. to hasten His kingdom,
without a thought for ourselves, we would
then know the meaning and power of the
words "Seek ye first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you" When we live
uprightly unto Him, we may ask what we
| will for His glory and receive 1t, and bt
perfectly sure that He will see well to all
that concerns us without our asking any
thing Math. vi, 83; Ps. lxxxiv, I'D.
IL, 12. "If son shall ask bread of any
OF you that Is father" No parent would
ever give a stone for bread, or serpent
for fish. or scorpion for an egg, or any
thing to harm his child instead OF some
thing good. If man will crafty his
friend at the cost of his children's com
fort, how much more will he give what Is
good and needful To his children. ThG
thought running all through the lessor
| seems to be that of "Our Father and Hii
children Others may have to ask anC
| seek and knock, but child is at home IL
| its fathers house and counts all that the
father has as its own (chapter Ky, S1).
| Is. eff We then, being evil, know how
| to give good gifts unto your children, how
much moro shall your heavenly Fathel
| give the Holy Spirit to them that ash
/ HimY'' This confirms what / said on thu
last verse, that the whole topic is one o
/ our relationship to God as our Father By
/ faith in Christ Jesus and the privileges o
| that relationship which should insure {.
us the most absolute rest of soul and free
/ dom from all care of self because " HI
careth The only way to this freedom
from self care and a whole heart for Hi
| kingdom il to be filled with His spirit