Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1911-04-13
A PRAYER
FOR YOU
D. REV. STEPHEN PAULsoN

TENT-For this eaas. Cow my knees
dwell IN YOUR hearts sT faith--Eph- III:
f4rT
THIS Il part Of a prayer Of ST Paul
for his people. Paul was IN a Roman
prison The liberty OF hts movements
was restrained he was IN a stone cell
and be vas chained TO . Roman sol
dier-out bis prayers we're not
chained
St PAM says. The PRAYER Of 4
righteous man availsth much and
there are surely more things wrought
By prayer than we ever imagine.
tell you II is worth while having one
Who carries you on bis heart TO such
az extent that he prays for your safety
and welfare When Lots family vas
70 danger Abraham prayed until God
promised them safety When the Ephe-
stan church was going through the
fires Of persecution. Paul sent ~ pray
srs In their behalf from his prison cell
When Peter was In danger OF backzlid
ing. Jesus prayed for him; Simon.
Simon. behold Satan hath desired 70
have thee. but I have prayed for thee
that thy faith fail not
Do not many faithful pastors send
up prayers, a. PaHl did. for the
churches committed to their care Do
they not pray for the homes Of the eou-
gregatior and for individuals who are
gutng through some trial and for the
Young people who are starting out into
LIFE And uoW as Of old. the prayer
q true. sincere man availeth much
u Is part OF a faithful minister's
service which Is very often overlook
81 and vet IS % the erst Importance
What fine thing IL was for the Ephe-
sans 20 have ST Paul praying for
them upon every remembrance Al
though be vas far away. be vas still
their pastor
But for what did he pray, Did he
pray that they might live IN comfort
and ease and have plenty Did he
pray that they might BE- free from per
secution and that the church might
grow without hiudrance- That. prob
ably would have been cur prayer IN
er vas That Christ may dwell IN
your hearts b. faith
How wonderfully comprehensive
th2r prayer IS when We begin 70 an
Awe H. Oh, IL takes the Inspiration
CT the Holy Spirit to make a prayer
Ike that Il takes insight into the
deep things Of God. and into the
Reeds OF the human hearts.
Do you think that there is ANYTHING
you need mere than thai Do you
not honestly think that that would
make most things right which are
wrong would bind Up broken hearts,
would zeal things that hurt. and drive
out evil things which are spelling your
htes Yes. you know il. and I know
t. so let our prayers be that CHRIS,
nav dwell in our hearts By faith
This Is the substance OF your faith
better and more comprehensive
definition Of our religion could not be
given L contains the whole OF
Christianity as the acorn contains the
oak
The whole Jewish law had its d.
vine inspiration. It's secret spirit but
r was hidden in a vast system Of
forms Christ said. 7 come not TO
destroy bur TO fulfill and the true
spirit cf the Law was seen in him. In
winter an old apple tree Is honely.
z1aried and twisted But in spring
when Il Is covered with blossoms
there IS nothing more beautiful So
the old Jewish law blossoms into
beauty and comes 70 fruit in Jesus
Christ.
Christianity IS not a system Of
laws. but a state OF the heart Christ
IN uan-that is the Christian relix-
iou- Il IS Christ dwelling in the
heart By faith. and then a man be-
gins 20 know the length and the
breadth and height and depth Of the
love Of Christ which passesh knovL
edge Outside OF personal e1pert-
sucs, Christianity Is pale as a lunar
rainbow.
There are three avenues Of expa-
rience BY which Christ NAV come IN
man-sight. intellect. the heart To
have seen Christ was deemed Of great
importance in the early days. Thos-
who had seen Jesus possessed a es--
tain distinction. Paul. defending htx
apostlsship. says. Have not seen
him. But how meager was the
Christian life OF those DAYS com
pared with that OF later ages. ana did
lot Jesus pronounce a blessing On
those WHO had not seen and v-t
believed
Christ may be presented to a mans
intellect There are certain facts 20
be known and understood Concerning
him. but there are also many thar are
beyond our understanding C-saas
sum Up few great facts Of our reIfx-
ion Not that the repetition Of
creed viii make anyone a Christian
but creed Is ike the astrouona-,.
telescope He sweeps the heavens
TO ind particular star By ana Nv
the telescope brings II 10 his .vs
/ Il is not the instrument that sees a.
star. but the mans eye A blind ~,
could not see the heavenly bodi.z
with telescope. no natter how no..
erful II might BE- SO a creed nav
bring facts TO your intellect. I'm, :,
takes the heart to apprshend and In
terpret them
Therefore Paul prayed for the Eph.
slams not greater knowledge. but tha-
Christ might dwell In their hearts bv
faith For the heart may embrace
Christ with an enthusiasm Of Iovs
even though the Intellectual uerra,.
ton be imperfect and vague
Facing Away Fran shaco~.