THE KING’S BUSINESS
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ness on God’s own conditions. Not because we forgive, but since we could not ask His mercy,;while we showed none. 6 th. That we have “no confidence in the flesh,” »and though we stand we fear that we might fall, and therefore deprecate be ing put to the test as Adam, Abraham, Christ,(Gen. 3:16, 17; 22:1, 2 ; Matt. 4 :1 ). ¡'th. »That we may escape the wiles and persecutions of the devil, the author direct or indirect of all real evil. If but delivered from him there is no other evil to be feared, except self. III. T he U nfriendly N eighbor . 1. The Parable. Read it; its incidents were familiar. Public entertainment scarce and poor. Families often slept ( “ in bed” ) side by side on one floor in a common room. “ Three loaves” equalled three bis cuit or crackers. b 2. Its Lessons. (1 ) That prayer should be (chiefly) for others. That these-belated, transient, children of the night, our friends (Luke 10:37), especially who “ come” ,to us, may have “ the bread o f life.” (2) That we should go to -our “ friend” (our Father) and ask it for them. (3), That there may be delay, and apparent reluctance to give it. (4) That we should be importunate (Greek, shamelessly insistant). “Keep on praying, keep on praying, Keep on praying to the end.”' . (5) That we shall get the bread. There is a difference between the “ friend”' and the Father. It is no trouble to Him who never slumbers and sleeps (Ps» 121:4), who is more willing to give than we to ask. The “ friend at midnight” might throw a stone at you, the Father will give the bread.
sists of an invocation and seven petitions: Invocation—“Our Father, which art in heaven,” 1st Petition—“Hallowed be thy name.” 2nd Petition—“ Thy kingdom come.” 3rd Petition—“ Thy will ibe d on e,a s in heaven, so in éarth.” - 4th Petition—“ Give us day b y , day our daily bread.” 5th Pétition—“And forgive us opr sins (Matthew “ debts"), for we ourselves also-forgive every one that is indebted to life"-’ .' 6 th Petition—“And bring us not into temptation,” 7th Petition—“ Bût deliver.us from evil” (marg. “ the evil one” ). 4. Its Meaning. 1st—That God may be glorified in His Person and all that per tains to Him, His works, worship, ordi nances and people. It puts God first, above all man’s desires and needs. It is .the key note and •condition of the whole. 2 nd. That God’s (our Father’s) con quests may extend and His authority be increasingly recognized in our own and other hearts and realms in and under the whole heavens, but particularly that Christ may come and that God may set His King on His holy hill Zion (Ps. 2 :6 ; Isa. 2:1-4). 3 rd. That the purposes of God may be realized, His precepts kept in spirit and in truth; that His peace may prevail on earth; good will among men in accordance with the angelic-announcement (Luke 2:14). His kingdom, in a sense, has come; it is to come; in the Millennium will have come among all nations, yet His will is not, nor will be done* as in heaven till Satan is in hell (Rev. 20:10). 4 th. That the Father may continue to provide His children with all physical and temporal necessities; a confession of His good providence, of dependence on Him, of contentment ,with “ food and raiment,” of satisfaction without surplus. ¡th. That we confess and deplore our sins, forgive one another, and ask forgive
Ask, for the need is sore; Seek for the hidden store r Knock at the open door: Pray, Christian, pray. •A —sk. S—eek. K—nock.
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