Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-06-18

X
with his closet door shut and Just
one request on his lips he pours out
ms soul before his Lord in anguish OF
pleading. The one-request prayers
INTO which are thrown all the intense
desire of ones being are the PRAYERS
winch reach the ear OF God. Lord If
Thou wilt. Thou canst make me clean"
Lord, that / might receive my sight. :"
see the needy multitudes following
Jesus each with one petition on his
lips Tor the supplying Of some supreme
need. The leper, the halt. the lame
the Dllnd, the centurion for his ser
want. the ruler for his daughter. all
come with one persistent cry which
never failed TO reach the Masters ear
Paul goes over his whole case with
the Lord. he opens UP his heart to the
Divine love and sympathy. he makes
his request known. God hears but doe,
not answer. and Paul leaves his closet
with heavy heart and darkness all
about him. No light from God. No an
Swer. Ah, Christian. i this your eN-
pcrience? Have you pleaded your one
request before the Lord i'm your closet
alone. and gone out again with no light
and no Joy! The fault is not that Of
your loving and wise Heavenly Father.
but Il due to your own condition of
heart. which as yet is not ready for the
blessing which God wants so much to
give. The heart is deceitful above all
things" and 1--WE ask. and receive not
because we ask amiss (without at first
being conscious Of iO. that we NAV
~ ms -
Is IN darkness, but he knows the trouble
lies within himself and not with Cod
with David he can cXclaim: "Whvart
thou cast down. o my soul? and why
art thou diSquicted i'm me? Hope thou
IN God: for | shall yet praise Him for
the help of His countenancc"
Again Paul seeks his closet and npaio
he unburdens his heart before God As
ne waits there before his Lord his heart
Is made ready for the blessing; il i.
cIeansed from selfish motive and de
sire and his will is brought into har-
m"ny with that Of his Lord. Pertains
he begins to realize the danger he was
IN of getting out of practicaItoucb with
the needy world through too constant
"Weiilhg III the third Heaven expert
enceS. This is one danger which bescts
the deeply spiritual to-day. We need
the mountain top experiences: we may
nave them, but we must not build oiIr
temples there, one fer Christ and one
Tor the few favored disciples. but we
must get down among the multitudes
10 seek and to save the lost. Christ
went down from the mountain of trans
hguration 10 the death on the cross,
We must come down from our noun.
taIn-top experiences and give our live,
for others. if we would find Them or,iD
As God taught Paul that lesson. SO will
He teach You. and YOU will come to real
ne that the thorn in the feS il given.
lest YOU should be exalted above
measure through the abundance Of the
revelations"
raul went out from the presence of
the Lord at that second seeking re.
freshed. Yet humbled. The thorn j.
there to remain, and he is soreIv brr-
feted. There is ioylcss submission ON
his part. He must endure for Jesus
sake. All. how often this i the condi-
ton OF the Christian heart, Rcaliya-
ton that the affection. the infrnit,
must he borne, but - ioyle>sness i'm If
all which Is OBSCURE ring and disb.art
enin@. With Paul We need to oet back
INTO our closets third time and hear
the sweet tones uf our Master say.
My grace is sufficient for thee. TO-.
my strength is mad" perfect i'm weak
ness. lhen we can go out singing
with Paul: Most gladly. therefore
WI" ! rather glory i'm my infrmities.