The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-07-13

| sion. You con.
t1nue the quest by calling mt the house
OF your friend, but even when YOU
reach the door YOU do not possess the
glft. Then you knock and are ad-
mitted and receive the reward Of per-
severing prayer. You asked sought.
knocked and obtained. In modern
terms you prayed through" This
ooes NOT exclude cJaculatory prayer
such ms that of Nehemiah who, In an
emergency, lifted his heart to God
with earnest desire. The two go to-
gether MS Will be clearly seen by
comparison OF Nehemiah :5-11 with
Nehemiah 2:4.
for faithful persevering prayer
there is personal and pressing need.
recent writer says: There is an
awakening in knowledge and general
interest among the people but there is
no corresponding awakening to God
ana His claims. The cry among the
spiritual Of all lands is for rain. They
recognize the drought. There may be
4 divergence OF view us to the cause
or causes, but there Is agreement as
10 the fact Of great need Many
churches are held together by custom
Or responsibility. TlH stream of d.
vine life and JOY is not coursing
through our congregations"
This need is not the supreme ncen-
tive to persevering prayer there is Il
stronger incentive than this, namely,
mat our Lord wants us to pray. This
tact constitutes call to prayer. Con
slider this until YOU feel its drawing
power. Jesus Christ the Captain of
OUR salvation, looking over the field
OF battle, seeing the spiritual forces
that oppose, and knowing as He
alone can know, the value of inter-
cesslon, bids Ms pray pcrscveringly.
ASK and ye shall receive, seek and
sc snail find, knock and 1t shall be
opened unto YOU" We may not have
vivid sense of the worlds need. We
may not know the philosophy of
prayer or the process by which forces
are set in operation In answer to
prayer, but this much we may know
and bclicve-lIe wants us to pray,
Not in feeling. or moods, or disposi-
tionS must We find the impulse to
pray, but i'll the counsel and call of
lhe great Commander who SAYS: ASK
and yc shall receive, seek and We
shall find, knock ana it shall be
opened unto you
The chief hindrancc to PRAYER is
inbclicf. OF us, us Of Israel, it may
De said: "Thcy could not enter in be-
cause of distrust.' The simplicity of
prayer confounds the worldly-wise,
and as another has said: "Bccausc it
difficulties which appears TO be too
.nSy, we are apt to discount its
operations and to regard it as mainly
2 theoretical proposition. But let the
| Ekepuc sneer and the worldly-wise
scott and the doubter doubt or DENY
| the power OF prayer, the child OF
| God must know on the authority of
| His Lord that he Is called to life of
perscvering prayer Christ, who is the
| Wisdom of God and the Power of
God has said: "Ask and We Shall re-
ceirc. seek and ye shall find, knock
and 1T shall he opened unto YOU"
The late DR.. Andrew Murray once
wrote the following words concerning
prayer: '1'he honor 20 which God
calls us rs interccssors is simply in
|
for the prayers Of His church to bring
down the blessings that are stored M
there for us. ana that God is longing
to bcStow. If ministers and Chris.
tians could but be brought to realize
that God has actually made the com
ing OF His kingdom and the pouring
down of blessing dependent on our
faithfulncss In prayer, they surely
would begin to feel that prayer is, in
very deed. the highest expression Of
our allegiance to God, and the chief
power that we can exercise In bring
ing ChriSt's salvation to men,"
| There is eye that mover sleeps
Beneath the wing Of night;
| There Is an ear that never shuts,
| When sink the beams Of light
| There Is an arm that never tires
| When human strength gives way:
| There Is love that never fails,
| When earthly loves decay.
| That eye Is fixed on seraph throngs.
That ear IS filled with angels songs:
| That arm upholds the world on hjrh.
| That love Is throned beyond the sky.
| But there's q power which men can w,o,a
| WELD
! When mortal aid Is vain
| That eye. that arm. that love to roach
| That listening TO gain:
| That power is prayer, which soors On
| hig3. WI
And feocs OH bliss beyond the sky.
|
| H, ki,A AL