His name! He made it clear that this was a privilege hitherto un known to any disciple. No less than six times in the Upper Room discourse, Jesus urged His follow ers to “ ask in My name.” To pray in His name means far more than simply adding those words as a sort of good luck charm to the end of our verbal prayers. It means that because we are united to Christ in salvation and are positionally and vitally “ in Christ,” we can now actually pray in His person. In spite of our personal unworthiness, we need not hesitate to ask because we are in Christ and can petition in His name. This means also that we petition by His authority and with His power. Think of that! I can now petition the Father with all the authority of Christ! What a privilege! What an opportunity! It’s like placing a draft on the bank of Heaven with the check actually signed by Jesus Christ! That’s what it means to pray in His name. I don’t ask in my name and on the basis of who I am or what I have. Rather, I ask in His name and on the basis of who He is. Are you beginning to see the astounding possibilities of prayer? Can you see why Christ spent so much time teaching His disciples the fine art o f prayer? Can you now see why Christ said that our primary responsibility in this age is to ask? It is because prayer is the Divinely o rda in ed means whereby God moves in the ac complishment o f His mighty oper ations on this planet. “ If ye ask . . . I will do!” This is the formula that worked in the first century church, and it has never failed to function, either individually or corporately, for 2000 years when ever God’s people have dared to apply it! Your first and foremost responsibility is to ask: fervently, submissively, and persistently! And if you ask, God will perform. Yes, there is potent power in posi tive prayer! H b | Dr. Mitchell is Assistant Prof, of Bibli cal Studies at Biola College, La Mirada, Calif.
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Wheaton Annuity Contracts yield a liberal rate of return (may exceed 9%, depending on your age) and assure you of income checks for life. And in addi tion to the generous financial benefits—you have the priceless satisfaction of knowing that you have made an eternal investment “for Christ and His King dom”—that you are having a share in the training of young people for Christian life and service. Wheaton Annuity Contracts are available in mul tiples of $100 on a Single Life or Survivorship basis. And through the Wheaton Annuity Plan, you can also provide regulated sums of money by will to your loved ones. They also provide important tax benefits. 2. Wheaton Deposit Agreements currently pay 4 y2% per year For the person who wants his money to go into the Lord’s work, but finds it necessary to have the prin cipal available if needed—the Wheaton Deposit Agreement is ideal. Deposits may be made from time to time, and withdrawals in multiples of one hundred dollars may be made upon written notice. Currently you receive 4V2% interest per annum and payments are made semi-annually. Please send me, without obligation: □ Pleasant Tomorrows , the illustrated booklet which ex plains in detail your Annuity Plan. □ Folder describing Wheaton Deposit Agreement.
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prayer infallibly will be answered. To those knocking, the door will be opened; those who ask will re ceive! There indeed is power in positive prayer! Added to all o f these are the fantastic prayer possibilities un veiled by Christ to His followers in the Upper Room shortly before His death. In that final elongated intimate discussion with His fol lowers the Lord told them that from now on they had the privi lege o f petitioning the Father in
from me : nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” This is ever the primary condition for ef fective prayer. It is referred to at times as abiding in Christ; at oth er times as asking in faith, but they are both ways o f saying “Thy will be done.” It would be impossible in the very nature of the case to voice a petition anta gonistic to the will o f God and at the same time meet the prayer conditions laid down by Christ. For this reason persistent fervent
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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