47
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
January 1930
ENotes on Qhristmn Sndeavor ______________ _____ By Alan S. Pearce
Í Î
i Í Ü
Ü
D ear Y oung P eople :
A happy New Year to you all. Commencing with this issue of. T he K ing ' s B usiness we are making some changes in the treat ment of the topics published by the International Society o f Christian Endeavor which we believe will be found of greater help to a leader o f a meeting. We shall appreciate your comments on the changes and any constructive criticism which you may have to offer. Also the writer, desiring to be o f the greatest help possible to the users o f these pages, will be glad to answer any questions on the topics or render further help if needed in the preparation o f same. ■Address your correspondence in care of the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles . Praying that this year will be one of the most fruitful years o f your lives in the service of our Master, I am TT I . , Helpfully yours, A lan S. P earce . ? * * < ( £ * -
R ev . A lan S. P earce
building he said, “ Come and I’ll show you the heating apparatus.” Not caring to see that, they would have declined; but out o f courtesy they consented. Im agine their surprise when he took them to a room where four hundred were gath ered in a prayer meeting. His figure of speech was well chosen. The church with warmth of spirit must have the warmth- producing prayer meeting. A minister was praying at the bedside of a dying woman. “Wait a moment,” she said as he started to rise from his knees. “ I want to pray for you.” And very ten derly she prayed with her hands upon his head. “For ten years, ever since you be came my pastor, I have offered that prayer for you every morning and night,” she told him. The minister went away with tears in his eyes and a strange warmth in -his heart. He had known that this woman was sweet-spirited and true, but he had never guessed that he had a place in her prayers day and night. “I wonder how many of my six hundred members pray for me,” he asked himself. Not all of them, certainly, yet doubtless more of them prayed for him than he dreamed. The thought was sweet and helpful to him. There is strength for all faithful men and women in the prayers o f those who love them. Many a young man has been restrained from sin by the thought that his mother was praying for him. Many a daughter has found it easier to be faithful because she remembered the voice o f her father as he prayed for his chil dren. Many a careworn man, laboring un der discouragement, would take new heart •if he could only know how many persons remember him in their prayers.— The Youth’s Companion. More than a half century ago George 'Muller, that prince o f intercessors with God, began to pray for a group o f five personal friends. After five years one of them came to Christ. In ten years two more of them found peace in the same Saviour. He prayed on for twenty-five years, and the fourth man was saved. For the fifth he prayed until the time of
causes him to pray for another; and in charity the rule is good, the nearer and dearer. Prayer is our expression of the sense of need. When we see a certain failing in a brother let us not shout it on the housetop but get down on our knees and ask God to help that brother overcome his failing. Answer to prayer is not according to the words we use in forming our prayer; but, as James tells us in the passage read, prayer is vitally related to faith. “With out faith it is impossible to please God.” The practical kind of faith that expects God to answer. •Let iis follow the example of our Lord and be found in the future more in prayer for others than we have in the past. S ide -L ights No prayer, no power; For the most part, we should pray rather in aspiration than petition, rather by hop ing than requesting; in which spirit also we may breathe a devout wish for a blessing on others upon occasions when it might be presumptuous to beg it. <—Leigh Hunt. Pastor Gossner sent into the foreign field 144 missionaries. He never had less than twenty dependent upon him for sup port. How he carried on this and other Christian work, a sentence from the funer al address read over his grave will ex plain : “He prayed up the walls o f a hos pital and the hearts of the nurses; he prayed mission stations into being and missionaries into faith; he prayed open the hearts of the rich, and gold from the distant lands.”— Robert E. Speer. Mr.. Spurgeon was one day showing some visitors through the Tabernacle. After taking them to the main part of the Little prayer, little power; Much prayer, much power; No Christ, no prayer; Little Christ, little prayer; Much Christ, much prayer.
January 5, 1930 Why Prav for Others! Acts 2:39; James 1:5-7. (Consecration Meeting) S uggestive O rder of S ervice Opening Hymns: “ Sweet Hour o f Prayer,” “Take Time to be Holy.” Leader: Lead in brief prayer for God’s blessing upon service. Call for Scripture verses on prayer (see below). Special musical number (either vocal or instrumental) by some talented member of the society. Message by leader (see helps below). Five two-minute talks by members pre viously notified (see subjects below). Call for special prayer requests. Ask certain members to take these requests to be remembered by them audibly. When all requests are heard have society rise to feet for season of prayer, led by those who took requests made known. Closing Song (if time permits) : “Lord, I hear of showers of blessing.” Benediction—Repeat in unison Psalm 19:14. L esson S urvey Read Scripture cited above. “ Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, un uttered or expressed.” The Gospel is for all, none are ex cluded. “To all that are afar off” in cludes US. ■ V The early church was a praying church (see Acts 2:42; cf. Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17). Prayer, to our Lord, was more impor tant than teaching and healing (Lk. 5 :15, 16). His great intercessory prayer found in John 17 should teach us the importance of praying for others. “Lord, help me live from day to day, In such a self-forgetful way That even when I kneel to pray, My prayer shall be for others.” It is truly said that necessity makes a man pray for himself, but charity (love)
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker