| A Call to Prayer By R.G. Lee |
Our world is a sick world–disillusioned, war-scarred, head-dizzy,
body-weary, sin-smitten–a world in despair. Human philosophy
is bankrupt. Nations, weary and wicked, walk on the edges of
abysses. Men and women everywhere are bewildered and
distracted by the problems and difficulties of life. Some leaders
"loose wild tongues that hold not God in awe."
When God’s People Pray
There are so many problems that cannot be solved, so many
dangers that cannot be averted, so many burdens that cannot
be borne by human strength and wisdom, ingenuity and genius.
What we need is what God can do. What God can do will be
done for us when God’s people pray. There is nothing so
necessary in the lives of churches and individuals today as
earnest, continued, importunate prayer.
It is the conviction of all who have proved the faithfulness of God
that nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies
outside the will of God. There is no such thing as unanswered
prayer when the basis of our beseeching is found within that
sovereign will.
The needs of the world are so many and varied and complex.
The evils that threaten to lead our greatest graces to the grave and
leave the world no copy are so strong, defiant and daring. Apart
from the right kind of prayer, there is little hope for us to achieve
what God wants us to achieve.
Power Is Unleashed Through Prayer
Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint."
Andrew Murray said, "In relation to His people, God works only
in answer to their prayer."
Jowett said, "I’d rather teach one man to pray than ten men to
preach."
Spurgeon said, "Cares are manifold; therefore let your prayers be
manifold, for prayer is the sword that will cut the Gordian knot if
it cannot be untied."
By these words we learn that great is the law of intercession.
Abraham interceded for wicked Sodom, Moses for wayward and
complaining Israel, Samuel for the nation changing its form of
government, Elijah for an apostate nation in disaster and for the
Zarephath widow in poverty and sorrow, Paul for the church he
founded, Jesus for the disciples He called.
Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the
supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people
everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest
contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I
humbly urge that we take time to pray–and when we take time,
really pray.
Let us remember that Goodell said, "He who prays most, helps
most"; that Pierson said, "Every step in the progress of missions
is directly traceable to prayer"; that Eugene Stock said, "He who
faithfully prays at home does as much for foreign missions as the
man on the field"; that the poet said, "The place where we can
reach the store of hoarded gold and free it for our Lord, the place
where God Himself descends and fights for us, is the place of
prayer."
It Is Your Personal Privilege to Pray
You can pray. You may muzzle a man so that he cannot articulate
a syllable, but you have not made it impossible for him to pray.
You may cast a man into a dungeon and load his limbs with
chains, keeping him from all manner of communication with his
fellowmen, but you cannot keep him from having conversation
with God.
And what is more, and better still, you cannot keep God from
coming to the help of His people–to the help of His people against
their foes–for God has promised to be, in our behalf, an enemy to
our enemies. The door has never yet been forged, the dungeon
never yet constructed, the adversary never yet so mighty that can
exclude God from His people.
Prayer is the highest of all our privileges as followers of Jesus.
Of that privilege no human power can deprive us. Let us prize it
highly and prove it thoroughly in these serious days through which
we are passing.
An Appeal for All of Us to Pray
Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at
midnight–all through the day. Let us all pray for our children, our
youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our
churches, that they may fill their God-appointed missions. Let us
pray for our missionaries at home and in foreign lands. Let us
pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word concern out of
our Christian vocabulary.
Let us pray for nations in distress, for our own nation, for those
who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for
moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders, for all hearts
that they may hold no malice, for our tongues and pens, that we
be not hurtfully critical.
Let prayer be our portion. Let prayer be our pastime. Let prayer
be our passion. Let prayer be our practice. Let us be found at the
throne of grace, not only with holy boldness, but with serene
confidence–knowing that God is faithful to perform that which He
has promised and that God is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that in us
worketh.
By R.G. Lee
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading on Prayer:
"HELP, LORD" - The Prayer of Every Christian
Do You Have Time For The Lord?
Concerning Prayer - By A.C. Gaebelein
The Importance of Daily Living By C.A. Coates
Are You A Rocking Horse Christian?
The Word and Prayer
body-weary, sin-smitten–a world in despair. Human philosophy
is bankrupt. Nations, weary and wicked, walk on the edges of
abysses. Men and women everywhere are bewildered and
distracted by the problems and difficulties of life. Some leaders
"loose wild tongues that hold not God in awe."
When God’s People Pray
There are so many problems that cannot be solved, so many
dangers that cannot be averted, so many burdens that cannot
be borne by human strength and wisdom, ingenuity and genius.
What we need is what God can do. What God can do will be
done for us when God’s people pray. There is nothing so
necessary in the lives of churches and individuals today as
earnest, continued, importunate prayer.
It is the conviction of all who have proved the faithfulness of God
that nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies
outside the will of God. There is no such thing as unanswered
prayer when the basis of our beseeching is found within that
sovereign will.
The needs of the world are so many and varied and complex.
The evils that threaten to lead our greatest graces to the grave and
leave the world no copy are so strong, defiant and daring. Apart
from the right kind of prayer, there is little hope for us to achieve
what God wants us to achieve.
Power Is Unleashed Through Prayer
Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint."
Andrew Murray said, "In relation to His people, God works only
in answer to their prayer."
Jowett said, "I’d rather teach one man to pray than ten men to
preach."
Spurgeon said, "Cares are manifold; therefore let your prayers be
manifold, for prayer is the sword that will cut the Gordian knot if
it cannot be untied."
By these words we learn that great is the law of intercession.
Abraham interceded for wicked Sodom, Moses for wayward and
complaining Israel, Samuel for the nation changing its form of
government, Elijah for an apostate nation in disaster and for the
Zarephath widow in poverty and sorrow, Paul for the church he
founded, Jesus for the disciples He called.
Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the
supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people
everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest
contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I
humbly urge that we take time to pray–and when we take time,
really pray.
Let us remember that Goodell said, "He who prays most, helps
most"; that Pierson said, "Every step in the progress of missions
is directly traceable to prayer"; that Eugene Stock said, "He who
faithfully prays at home does as much for foreign missions as the
man on the field"; that the poet said, "The place where we can
reach the store of hoarded gold and free it for our Lord, the place
where God Himself descends and fights for us, is the place of
prayer."
It Is Your Personal Privilege to Pray
You can pray. You may muzzle a man so that he cannot articulate
a syllable, but you have not made it impossible for him to pray.
You may cast a man into a dungeon and load his limbs with
chains, keeping him from all manner of communication with his
fellowmen, but you cannot keep him from having conversation
with God.
And what is more, and better still, you cannot keep God from
coming to the help of His people–to the help of His people against
their foes–for God has promised to be, in our behalf, an enemy to
our enemies. The door has never yet been forged, the dungeon
never yet constructed, the adversary never yet so mighty that can
exclude God from His people.
Prayer is the highest of all our privileges as followers of Jesus.
Of that privilege no human power can deprive us. Let us prize it
highly and prove it thoroughly in these serious days through which
we are passing.
An Appeal for All of Us to Pray
Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at
midnight–all through the day. Let us all pray for our children, our
youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our
churches, that they may fill their God-appointed missions. Let us
pray for our missionaries at home and in foreign lands. Let us
pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word concern out of
our Christian vocabulary.
Let us pray for nations in distress, for our own nation, for those
who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for
moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders, for all hearts
that they may hold no malice, for our tongues and pens, that we
be not hurtfully critical.
Let prayer be our portion. Let prayer be our pastime. Let prayer
be our passion. Let prayer be our practice. Let us be found at the
throne of grace, not only with holy boldness, but with serene
confidence–knowing that God is faithful to perform that which He
has promised and that God is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that in us
worketh.
By R.G. Lee
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading on Prayer:
"HELP, LORD" - The Prayer of Every Christian
Do You Have Time For The Lord?
Concerning Prayer - By A.C. Gaebelein
The Importance of Daily Living By C.A. Coates
Are You A Rocking Horse Christian?
The Word and Prayer
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