The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-21
patience and faith. Anything of Gods
sending is daily bread
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sending is daily bread.
The UnfOrgiving UnfOrgiven.
one of the stern statements of Jesus.
repeated elsewhere than in this petit
ton. is that God will not forgive AN
unforgiving spirit As a man hopes for
mercy, he must extend mercy. The
heart that makes itself a home for all
the base passions of revenge and I'M
lovingness. cannot shelter at the same
time the sweet peace of heaven. 1t is
vain to pray for Gods forgiveness.
unless we are prepared to forgive all
who have offended US.
The last petition of this model sup
plication is that the spirit may not be
brought into temptation beyond what
it is able to bear. God permits temp
tation. but with every temptation He
also provides a way of escape. He
will not suffer a soul to be tempted
beyond what it is able. There are no
irresistible temptations. Yet it is prop
er. as this prayer shows, to pray for
escape from temptations, even as it IS
also proper to avoid them by all hon
orable means.
A Story and Its Contrast.
To illustrate the Importance of per-
sistence in prayer. Jesus told the story
of the importunate friend who wax
ened his friend al midnight and sought
bread so urgently that the household
er shook off his drowsiness, and arose
not mean to suggest that God is like
the unwilling householder. The story
is rather by way of contrast; for. as
has been said. Prayer is not conquer
ing Gods reluctance, but taking hold
of his willingness. Yet 1t is necessary
that the man who prays. pray with
importantly. God opens doors to US,
and then, to test whether we are fit to
enter them, he puts difficulties in our
way. The purposefulness and indomi-
tableness of spirit which are thus be-
gotten are themselves we'll worth seek
ing. The price of any prize is per-
sistence. God cares for the quality of
earnestness in the suppliant's soul as
truly as He cares for the satisfaction
of the suppliant's search. The golden
rule of prayer is to pray, and to keep
on praying, or as the Scripture puts it.
Pray without ceasing.' ASK. seek.
knock '-this is the way to success. As
a translation of this passage has #
Indeed it is always those that ask
who get; those that search who find.
and those that knock to whom the
door will be opened" That law runs
through all of life. It is not confined
to child's prayers to his heavenly
Father.
AS was frequently His habit Jesus
reasoned from the analogy of the low
er to the higher from the known to
the unknown. In this case he cited the
conduct of an earthly father to show
what would be the mind of the Heav-
emily Father. We'll. then, if you,
wicked as you have long been, know
how to give good gifts to your child
rem, how much more will your heav-
emily Father give the Holy Spirit to
those that ask hint A new spirit is
the best of boons. To have the holy
spirit of God animating ones breast is
better than to have all the world >
possessions It means nothing less
than Ged-likeness: that unity of the
believer with his Lord, which is the
anSw ering OF all prayers.
Linking Impotence With Omnipotence.
Terse Comments Upon the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples Societies, Christian En-
deavor,~ Baptist Young People S
Union. Epworth League. etc. For
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