The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-16
PREVAILING
PRAYERS
Must Meet Conditions
Before Obtaining
Blessings.


This afternoon DIR. Johnston will adj
dress the boys and girls of the city
who are over twelve at $3.50. This does
not mean that only children win be
admitted In the evening the teachers
Of Sunday and public schools will as
semble to listen to an address on the
training of young people.
DR.. Johnston said in part last even
ing:
keeping in mind the passage which |
DR.. Scudder has read, 1 desire to ask
you to relate to 1t another chapter
second Kings and the second chapter
where Elisha follows Elijah.
1--WE have been studying together
what seems to me to be the thought
which grew out of the mind of God,
and after thinking it over there seems
to be Just one natural question, What
do you purpose to do about it,?
81 have been in different countries
during the past year, where I have told
these
parts of the world there have been no
visible results. There have been other
communities that have been moved by
this spirit of prayer and they have set
themselves to live the lives.
THE publican realized great neeo'
but the Pharisee had nothing more that
III 9 homeless.
And so far as people are complacent
in the world around them their case
is hopeless. isn't it? If you were to
write down now the thing that you
most desire what would you write
down? Here was Elisha. who realized
that he must keep close to Elijah, cost
what il might cost. and who mad no
idea of anything else. snc when the
great prophet asked this question, on
what a measuring rod he put down
beside the young man.
"Jesus Christ has said that sans
thing about asking, and He challenges
ms to ask He says, what snail 10
for you?' Just as he said TO those
Young men, James and John came 70
Jesus with an entirely wrong IDEA
about prayer. People have a wrong
idea that God will give us anything
If He wants to. 1t is a mistake. Inc
Young men were half ashamed, for they
said. We have a favor which you
must grant Mary you. Jesus did not
tell these sons of Zebedee that tney
could not have those two best places
He asked them if they were able TO
drink His cup.
| ..It would be as if a medical student
should go to the President and say,
Il want you to make me the best doc
tor i'm the city .Why!' the President
would exclaim, L can't make doctors
out of hand that way. You viii nave
to help God can not make character
without character. Some people tninR
so, but it is not so.
| 1--WE all want a place close to Christ
| We all dream about the idea when we
shall sit close to Him. But make II
more than a dream, for dream VIII
not accomplish it.
II have an idea that when He said
| we know not what We ask, He saw
/ James and John at Gethsemane. That
| was the time to be at His right hand
and at His left. And / think that he
/ saw the three crosses on Golgotha and
| He realized that if these two sons Oh
| Zebe6ee realized that this was the
glory they would have been the otneI
two men crucified with Him on the
/ other two crosses. They thought they
could have the best places without Cal
/ vary and without Golgotha. Some
people's idea of heaven is that 1t Is
| merely a matter of transportation, but
| it is a transformation.
| ASK what 1 shall give YOU. You
| remember what he asked, A aoupie
norton of Thy spirit What, Elisha
do you realize what you ask! DO you
know that this heroic man of faith Is
the mightiest man in prayer? Do YOU
| realize that you have a large amDi-
ton?
..Deep in his heart for the blessing
that could not be measured, he mac
the confidence that he was going &c
get it. I'll go with You all the way
cost what it may cost If James and
John had had that spirit, knowing thai
to ask great things is TO appreciate the
conditions, they would not have asked
| ELISHA had set upon the getting
/ everying he could from God. We must
remember that our God is still divine
that He is eager still to be divine.
Il have been asked, Is 1t not SUD-
limated, the idea that you are holdlne
up?' / am not holding it up; 1t is mere
DO YOU mean to say that we can prac-
| tically command God through prayer?
God can't pour a barrel of water
into a pint cup. None of us are ready
TO receive such blessing as that. we
haven't been emptied enough. Wher
YOU ask a great thing from GOD, IL
depends upon you whether it is an
swered or not If you meet the condi-
tons you may have the blessing.
YOU do not meet with this condluon
YOU will not have this blessing. A
YOU ask anything from God, measure
what it will cost, and see If you vii
continue in your prayer.
There are some of us VINO say
Christ, / want to go all the way ane
after Golgotha we go to Gethsemane
He SAYS, The Lord has called me e
Calvary They don't stay. That !.
not the point where they can get th'
blessing,