The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-03-12
IMPROVED "
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAyI
OCHOOL Lesson
By REV. P. B. FITZWATER. d, D..
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.
g Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for March Is
JESUS TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES
TO PRAY

LESSON TEXT-Luke 1I:1-12
GOLDEN TEXT-If we asl, anvtbIrr
according to his will, he heareth ms
] John 5:I4.
PRIMARY ToPIC-When We Pray.
JUNIOR TOPlC-Teach Us to PRAY.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPlC-What Jesus Says About Prayer.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
iToP1C-Why Should We Pray?
Prayer is matter which ought to
be of great concern to every believer.
for, "The Lord is nigh unto all them
that call upon him, to all that call upon
him IN truth. He will fulfill the desire
of them that fear him; he also will
hear their cry, and will save them"
Ups. 145 :18, 49,. There was something
about the praying Of Jesus that so i'm
pressed the disciples that they request
ed him to teach them to pray (Luke
HID. May everyone of us enroll at
once in the school of prayer with
Christ as our Teacher. In response
to the disciples request, Jesus set forth
the following principles of prayer.
]. The Right Relationship of the
One Praying ". p.
l. Fillal-"Father." The suppliant
in prayer must be a child of God.
Gods gifts and blessings are for his
children. This relationship can only
be entered into through regeneration.
Not all men have right to say, Our
Father" when addressing God. Only
those who are children of God by faith
in Jesus Christ can so address him.
2. Fraternal-"Our Father" God
has many children. His children are
bound up together in nature and in
terests. Even in our secret prayer we
should address him as "Our Father"
which is recognition of the interest
of others alongside of ours.
u. The Right Attitude in Prayer
". p.
j. Reverent Observation-Disclosures
be thy name" AS children we have
certain rights and privileges, yet holy
reverence becomes us.
2. Loyalty-"Thy kingdom come. -
When praying to God we should come
with a spirit Of loyalty which cries
out, "Thy kingdom come" We should
not only receive him as the Lord of our
lives, but should loyalty labor with
him in inducing others to submit to him.
3. Enthusiastically will be done.'
We should have no will of our own
regarding the rule of God We should
let him direct us in all things.
III. The Right Spirit in Prayer wv.
3-S).
I. Dependent faith-"Give us this
day our daily bread" ". 81. We should
realize that not only bread, but life
itself is ours to enjoy because of him
and he is able to do for us exceeding
abundantly above all that We ask or
think"
2. Penitence and love-"FOrgive us
our debts" ". ~. We should come to
him realizing that we have sinned, and
cry out to him for forgiveness. Our
heart should be so filed with love for
others that we will forgive those who
sin against us, as God has SO willingly
forgiven us.
3. Holiness and caution-"Lead us
not into temptation" ". ~. Because
we are Gods children, and realizing
the deprayity of our natures and the
consequent tendency to practice that
which displeases him, we should shrink
from that which, if INDUCED in, would
dishonor him, and earnestly cry unto
him to lead us not into the place where
we would likely fall.
A. microscopy wv. 5, g.. The man
who asked for bread did not ask for
himself, but for a friend. Prayer
which pleases God is unselfsh in its re-
quests.
5. Perseverance wv. Z, 81. Though
the friend refused at first and offered
excuses, because the one making the
request would not take mo- for an
answer, he arose from his bed and
gave him as many as he needed. Pray
er pleases God and gets results.
w. Encouragement to Pray wv.
9-12).
I. Gods promise wv. 8, 10Y. True
prayer cannot fail Of an answer, be-
cause God definitely promises that,
Every one that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him
that knocketh it shall be opened"
2. Example of an earthly father
wv. 11-13). No father will give a
stone to his son who asked for bread,
nor a serpent instead of fish, nor a
scorpion instead of an egg. God is In
finitely more willing to answer the
prayers Of his children than earthly
parents are to give good gifts to their
children.
v. The True Goal Of All Prayer ".
49,.
Gods best gift is himself in the per
son of his Holy Spirit. All those who
practice the principles which Jesus
taught in this model prayer shall ex-
perience the blessing of the Holy
Spirit.