The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-13
PASTOR DECLARES
THAT TRUE PRAYER
IS NEGLECTED.

Know the True God by
Meditation
There are people that do not
neglect their prayers, but. like the
heather, they do not pray to the true
God" the Rev. Louis c. E. Fackler,
pastor of St. Matthew Evangelical Luz
theran Church, declared Sunday in a
sermon on True Prayer"
Then there are those" he said,
who when they do pray. do not re-
ally mean what they pray. Others
may say that they do not have time
TO pray, but every person, when feel
ing the heavy hand of grief or dis
rress upon him, will take time to go
somewhere to some one for comfort.
What blessing and eternal COM
fort for those that know the true God
and go to him in truth. Those that
do so or desire to do so, should know
Of the elements of true prayer
The Rev. Fackler outlined the three
elements of player as reverence Of
God, confession of unworthiness and
perseverance,.
Reverence of God
Is Important Essential
Continuing. he said. THE nrst ele-
.ment Of prayer is reverence Of God.
How can those. who do not learn Of
God, learn to respect Him? Those
that will not hea the voice cannot
learn of God. How can they believe
in Him of whom they have not heard?
THE Scriptures spake to US concern
ing the greatness of God. Daniel
recalls how God with His mighty
hand brought the people out Of Egyp-
tan captivity. Look at Gods hand
In action. Read of His wonderful
works in the Scriptures and we, with
the Psalmist, must say How excellent
Il Thy name
behold His righteousness! Dan
lei prays, %, Lord. according to all
Thy righteousness, I beseech Thee.
let Thy anger and Thy fury be turned
away from Thy city. Jerusalem
Behold the great mercy Of God.
how he has prepared salvation for us
in his beloved Son. That truly is
mercy. Beholding the greatness Of
God we ought to respect Him, 20 rev.
erence God.
Daniel said because Of our sins,
and for the tniquities Of our fathers.
Jerusalem and Thy people are become
a reproach to all that are about US.
when we look at what God has
bestowed upon US. we must say, 1
am not worthy of the least of all
these blessings. I am no more worthy
to be called Thy child.
1.-The prophet saw his unworthiness
to be so great that he humbled him.
self in sackcloth and ashes. But man
TODAY IA too proud even to humble
himself before God. They think that
they deserve the best that God has.
They refuse to be told from the Bible
II their unworthiness. In our prayers
s md in our acts let US humble our
selves before God.
Draws Great Lesson
From the Prophet
See how the prophet continued in
his perseverance. For about seventy
years the Israelites were in Babylon
ian captivity and the T Ophet looked
for deliverance. He prayed. he perse-
vered. See how Jacob, when wres-
Ting with the angel, said I will not
leave Thee except that Thou blessest
me. ID
1.-THE Lord tells US to pray without
ceasing. That means not only to ask
once or twice, but continually. See
How Abraham. prayed and would not
cease and then when assured, waited
long for the fulfliment Of his prayer.
A PRAYER that is repeated only once,
or the individual that becomes faint
hearted In his praying needs much i'm
provernent. Be not weary in placing
your petitions before God.
when you pray regard these ele-
nents: first of all consider the great
ness of the true and living God, God,
the Father. Son and Holy Ghost
Then let the power of God humble
YOU and open your eyes to your I'M
worthiness, and the great mercy OF
God which He has for those that
truly call Him Father. And finally
exercise a perseverance in prayer
which is pleasing to God. Such true
prayers are heard and answered by
God in a way that is best for US,
the Rev. Fackler said.