The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-09-10

~ 1870 0ANA NAO 49, ~ W&S
Moses, again and again, offers prayer
in behalf OF Israel and obtains for them
forgiveness and blessing, where the
wrath of God was about to consume
them for their d~isobedience. Joshua
and the long line of judges were men
Of prayer, and through their prayers
of faith God was able to send deliver
ance from enemies and to bless. David.
in his prayerless moments, planned to
be a temple builder of God, and the
prophet Of God, ere he had talked the
matter over with Gsd In prayer COM
mended the king for his worthy
ambition, and assured him that he
should realize his hearts desire. But
the prophet after an interview with
God must endure the humiliation or
going to the king and reversing his
judgment and commentator and tell
the king that he could not build Gods
temple. And King David must go In
and sit before the Lord, and find as
he communed with Him that instead OF
a temple builder he was to be a Mes
sFah giver.
THE prayers or Cody kings time and
i time again stayed the destroying
hand of the enemy and delayed the judg-
ments that had been pronounced against
Israel for her sins. The prophets.
through prayer, were able to shut the
heavens of rain and dew and then to
pray and bring the rain and the dew.
1Nh rOt1nh thoir MINISTRY IF nroVor the
prophecies and purposes of God were
realized. 1t Is declared of Daniel that
he understood by the books the number
of the years whereof the word of Jeho-
yah came to jeremiah, the prophet, for
the accomplishing of the d~esolations of
Jerusalem. even 20 years" Prayerful
study of Gods word had revealed Gods
purposes concerning Israel. and Daniel
goes on to say: Il set my face unto the
Lord God, to seek by prayer and suppl
cations, with HASTINGS and sackcloth and
And pleading Gods promises,
he prayed for thesdeliverance of Israel
from captivity, and God heard and an
swered that prayer in the wonderful way
recorded in the books of Ezra and Ne
hemiah. Jesus coming was ushered in
by the prayers of Gods children who
were looking for the consolation of
And the devout Simeon in the
temple as he prayed was given the vision
If the coming n and had been assured
that he should see Him ere he died. And
the prayer of faith found its realization
IS he took the infant Jesus in his arms
and blessed Him, pronouncing that won
ierful prophecy over Him which is find
ng its fulfllment to this very day.
rAMES declares that "the effectual, |
fervent prayer Of a righteous man
Ivaileth much" The testimony of Gods
word from Genesis to Revelation proves
he truth of this declaration. All Of the
nen who have wrought with and for
Tod have been men of prayer. And ev-
cry Christian in his own experience may
that 1t Is true; yea, it is not only
lis privilege, but his duty to 90 so. His
christian life must be barren indeed.
nd he must be almost a stranger to God
nd out Of fellowship with Him, II the
prayer of faith is not rising to the Fa-
her and receiving its answer. All men
Who have wrought with and for God
ave been men OF prayer. Jesus was
much given to prayer, whole nights be-
ng thus spent, while the weary disciples
7ere unconscious in sleep. Repeated
is made to Jesus prayers and
easons of prayer. but I doubt if any
dequate idea can be formed from these
etached references to the utter depend
nee which Jesus placed in these sea-
ons alone with the Father. II
he complete record Of every
of Jesus three years
were before us, I believe
re should be startled and amazed, yea
nd condemned, for our prayerless
yes, by the large place which prayer
ook in His ministry. Christ was vic
orious through prayer. He prevailed
ecause He prayed. and we must not for
ct that prayer marks our pathway to
it is the way in which we may
revail with God. One of Jesus most
arrest admonitions to His disciples is
!, pray and not to faint.
1UT in spite of the overwhelming testi-
mony of Scripture and of those to-
~ who have proved again and again
lie power and efficacy of prayer, how ]
'ayerless are the lives of many of Gods l
lildren. I heard the story, a true story.
a little boy Christian and his joy in S
ceiving answer to prayer. He was (
rdoing along with q heavy basket on o