Elijah the Tishbite

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 17, 1861

Elijah the Tishbite

FROM "ELIJAH THE TISHBITE."

Nor ought we to overlook the largeness of the promise which our blessed Saviour makes to his true disciples, "Ask, and ye shall receive; that your joy may be full."

And again, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." "Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." And to such a promise as this he solemnly prefixes the asseveration, "Verily, verily," or "Amen, amen." What can we desire more? Nothing in the world is so great, nothing so small, that we might not every moment be receiving from the Father, if we only asked in the name of Jesus. Say, what would ye desire to have granted you? Is it to be freed from domestic troubles; as, for instance, that your sick child should recover? Would you gladly see your whole household drawn to God? Ask for any such thing in Jesus' name, and be assured that he will grant it you. But does not experience seem to contradict this? We answer, it does not really do so. The deceit lies within ourselves, through not really asking in Jesus' name. For let us again call to mind what this asking in his name implies.

You might wish very ardently, it is true, for some peculiar interposition of God; and you might express this wish in prayer, and, as you think, in Jesus' name. But in this it is possible that you may be mistaken. A petition is offered in his name, when it is offered in that faith which is of the operation of God, and when that which we ask is according to his will. Luther prayed for the lives of his friends, Melanchthon and Myconius, who were sick unto death, and already given over; and lo, he received the petitions which he desired of God; and whatever we pray for, be it only gold or silver, even this may be granted when asked for according to his will. Thus the pious Prof. Francke prayed for means to erect his orphan-houses; and immediately the silver and the gold flowed in upon him, and he who in commencing was scarcely able to command a few pence, had soon enough to found that abode of orphan charity and education, whose praise has been in all the churches. Here the Lord granted what his servant desired. It is to this effect that St. John addresses us in his first epistle, chap. iii, 21-23. "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment."