The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-07

8&zzA a W&Az measure Of spirit
u-il power POSSESSED and exercised
Tor others good. Ones walk through.
the world. their work for the world
and their warfare against The powers
or darkness that oversliadow the
world, are altogether dependent upon
prayer.
The Bible basis of PRAYER Is found
In the relationship that exists between
God and His believing people. The
sons of me become the sons of God
through faith in Jesus Christ. Then.
because they are sons, God sends forth
the Spirit Of His Son into their hearts.
crying Abba Father" 'Ihe Spiris
Himself beareth witness with our spirit
hat We are the children of Col" This
relationship is entered INTO by faith
and Is made real in experiences by the
indwelling Holy Spirit. From this
prayer issues as naturally as water
rom a spring. The prayer of com.
nunlon is the 4ecessary outcome OF
he relationship between Father ami
,hild.
There Is another relationship into
which Christians enter, as clearly e
n Rev. 1856. where We read that
Christ loved us and washed US from
our sins in His own blood and made
is TO be kings and priests unto Cod.
Comparatively speaking. only a few
II Gods people possess their posses
,ions In this sphere. hence the limited
number of real MISREPRESENTATION who
pray for others. The priest Is one who
represents man to God. one who re
spends to the apostolic appeal found
n ! Tim. 2, II exhort therefore, that
frst of all s~upplications. prayers. inter
cession and giving of thanks be made
FOR all men, for kings and for all that
are In authority. that We may lead a
quiet and peaceful life In all godliness
and honesty. for this is good and ac-
ceptable in the sight of God. our Saw
lour. who would have all men to be
saved and to come into a knowledge of
the truth" From the vantage ground
Of this two-feld relationship. namely.
IONS of God and priests unto God.
PRAYER II seer To boap-ei.ealaita-
cessIty. an infinite privilege. 4hnd a
solemn responsibility.
Prayer is an absolute necessity
Fitness for fruitful service is an out.
growth of prayer. 1.-The achievements
Of a soldier on the battle field" said
General Nogi, hero of Port Arthur.
are nothing but the Towering and
fruitien of the work and trimming %
his daily life In the time of peace"
Taking time to prny and mediate upon
the Scripture is an absolute neces-
sity as a constant preparation for
fighting the fight of faith VIGOROUSLY
and meeting the crises of life success
fully. If prayer is anything it is every
thing. A wo~rld-renowned scientist re-
Gently declared that prayer is the
mfghtiest force In the universe and
that the Christian church is blind to
this fact.
2. Prayer is IN infinite privilege.
Prayer changes things Nofwith-
standing all that l. said by so-callei
learned men concerning the universe
and the reign Of Law, God IS more than
CIedlOI III tIlG AAlAElCCs 4 Al Tic n
Their of the great Sanity. for whose
sake. and in answer TO whose requests.
He works in a supernatural way. a way
unknown to any but the ~regenerated.
a way hidden from the worldly wise.
but revealed unto the babes. the born
ones. Prayer does change things; be-
lieve it. act on II and you will become
convinced Of its power.
3. Prayer is a solemn responsibility.
Relationship always involves respon-
sibility. This cannot be avoided If YOU
are a child Of God. The responsibility
is as extensive as the relationship.
Prayer is not an obligation for a privi-
legged few. but for all of tbe children
of God. All, His children have the
ability to pray by virtue of the rela-
tlonship into which they have been
brought by grace through faith. There
must be a response commensurate with
this ability. for only in this way ran
we meet our responsibility. Too much
emphasis cannot BE- given to this mat
ter. There is at this juucture in hu-
affairs a responsibility for Chris
to pray for a revival throughout
the whole church Of God. Certain blind
leaders have in recent years made the
fatal mistake OF substituting an edli-
c%ational program in the church for the
regenerative work of the Holy Spirit.
The result has been disastrous. Every
realm of human thought and life has
felt the blight and hurt of this great
mistake. II is incumbent upon Chris
tians to pray intelligently, plainly. per.
sistently that the true work Of God Ia
the church may be speedily revived.