May 1932
T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
227
Q lo ie s on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR . . . B y M ary G. G oodner
tening as we pray. In very much of our prayer, there is really but little thought of God. Our mind is taken up with the thought o f what we need, and is not occu pied with the thought of the mighty and loving Father of whom we are seeking it. There is no power in that sort o f prayer. But when we really come into God’s pres ence, really meet Him face to face, in the place o f prayer, really seek the things that we desire from Him, then there is power. “ If, then, we would pray aright, these two little words must sink deep into- our hearts, ‘unto God.’ ” Illustrations I. A L esson in F aith During the summer o f 1887, a book writ ten by Dr. Hudson Taylor came into my hands. In China’s “ Spiritual Needs and Claims,” the writer told many instances of God’s gracious provision in answer to prayer. The incidents related impressed me deeply. A little later, a few weeks, be fore my marriage, when I found I was short fifty dollars o f what I would need to be married free from debt, I resolved not to let others know o f my need, but to just trust God to send it to me. The thought came—if you cannot trust God for this, when Hudson Taylor could trust for so much more, are you worthy to be a mis sionary? It was my first experience of trusting quite alone for money. I was sorely tempted to give others just a hint o f my need. But I was kept back from do ing so; and though I had a week or more o f severe testing, peace of mind and the assurance that God would supply my need came at length. The answer, however, did not come till the very last night before the wedding. That evening a number o f my fellow workers from the East End Mission called and presented me with a beautifully illu minated address and a purse. A fter these friends had left, I returned to my home circle assembled in the parlor, and showed them the address and the purse unopened. Not for a moment did I think there was anything in the purse, till my brother said: “You foolish girl, why don’t you open it?” I opened the purse, and found it con tained a check for fifty dollars! This incident has ever remained pecu liarly precious; for it seemed to us a seal o f God upon the new life ¿opening before us. — M rs . R osalind G oforth in How I Know God Answers Prayer. II. P raying from the W ord George Muller, one o f the mightiest men of prayer o f the present generation, when the hour for prayer came would begin by reading and meditating upon God’s W ord until, out o f the study o f the Word, a prayer began to form itself in his heart. Thus God Himself was the real Author of the_ prayer, and God answered the prayer which He Himself had inspired. — T orrey ,
JUNE 5, 1932 HOW SHOULD WE PR A Y ? M atthew 6:9-15 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“More Love to Thee.” Hymn—“ Lord, W e Come before Thee Now.” Prayer—closed by Scripture lesson (given by all as a prayer, with eyes closed). Scripture Verses on Prayer. Special Music— “Nothing Between.” Leader’s Talk. Testimonies on Answered Prayer (either from personal experience, or from reading). Quiet Hour. Hymn— “Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me.” Benediction. Meditation on the Lesson Our Scripture lesson for today is that familiar passage from the Sermon on the Mount which even the little children in the primary department memorize. While it has been designated “ The Lord’s Prayer,” a more appropriate name would be “ The Disciples’ Prayer,” as it is the one He taught His disciples. John 17 is more appropriately named “ The Lord’s Prayer,” as, in that matchless chapter, we see our Saviour at prayer. The first fact o f importance in this pas sage is that real prayer is addressed to the Father. Jesus always addressed the Father in prayer (John 17:1, 11, 2 5 ); Paul did also (Eph. 1:3; 3:14; 2 Cor. 1 :3 ); so should all Christians (Gal. 4 :6 ). No heathen ever prays to a god as “ Father.” Only Christ could reveal to us the blessed relationship that exists between God and His children. W e hallow a Father’s name; we long for a Father’s kingdom; we delight in a Fa ther’s will ; we depend on a Father’s love. W e are His “ dear children” (Eph. 5:1 ). T o know God as our Father is the first lesson in prayer. In Dr. R. A. Torrey’s little booklet, “ How to Pray,” he has the following very helpful passage: “ In thé twelfth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we have the record o f a prayer that prevailed with God and brought to pass great results. In the fifth verse o f this chapter, the manner and method o f this prayer is described in few words : ‘Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.’ The first thing to notice in this verse is the brief ex pression ‘unto God.’ The prayer that has power is the prayer that is offered unto God. “ But some will say, ‘Is not all prayer un to God?’ “ No. Very much of so-called prayer, both public and private, is not unto God. In order that a prayer should be really unto God, there must be a definite and con scious approach to God when we pray; we must have a definite and vivid realiza tion that God is bending over us and lis
Discussion Material I. J esus ’ T eaching on P rayer Matt. 5 :44. Matt. 6:5-15. Matt. 6:8. Matt. 7 :8. Matt. 21:21. Matt. 18:19, 20. Matt. 26 :41. , II. J esus ’ E xample in P rayer
Mk. 1:35. Lk. 6:12. Lk. 9:18, 21, 22. Lk. 32:39-46. John 6 :15.
Matt. 14:23. Lk. 5:15, 16. III. V erses on P rayer from the E pistles 1 Thess. 5 :17. Eph. 6:18. Phil. 4:6. 1 Tim. 2:1. Col. 4:2. 2 Tim. 1 :3. IV. B lackboard O utline on the L ord ’ s P rayer { Hallow God’s name. Pray for His kingdom to come. Love God’s will. { Daily bread. Our sins forgiven. Deliverance from evil. f Ask. W e must-j Seek. [ Knock. { Receive. Find. Gain admittance. —A rnold . V. Let us never forget that the important thing is not how much we know about prayer but how much we pray. Pray sim ply, definitely, in faith, without ceasing. As vacation time is here for some and will soon be for all, the meeting might be arranged something like this: Choose about six or eight to enter into an informal discussion o f their plans for the summer. It can be made very helpful and practical and, at the same time, worshipful, if it is prayerfully planned arfd executed. Some one has said, “Tell me what you do with your leisure time, and I’ll tell you what you are.” One speaker could speak on the necessity for rest, using Jesus’ words in Mark 6 :31. Another could tell o f his plans for reading some missionary biographies he has been JUNE 12, 1932 OUR LEISURE TIME J ohn 9:4 Suggestions for the Meeting
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