Prayer is given a very prominent place in the Sacred Scriptures. The greatest and most loyal of the Bible characters were men and women of prayer. By prayer the great triumphs of the cause of God have been won in all the crises through which it has passed.
Jesus was a man of prayer. He began his public ministry, carried it forward, and closed it with prayer. His baptism marked the time for him to begin his public work. Of that occasion the record says:—
“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21, 22.
From this we learn that the first thing our Saviour did after he was baptized was to pray, and while praying he was anointed with the Holy Ghost. Thus he began his work with prayer. The reason for this is impressively set forth by the spirit of prophecy as follows:—
“Upon coming up out of the water, Jesus bowed in prayer on the river bank. A new and important era was opening before him. He was now, upon a wider stage, entering on the conflict of his life. . . . Upon his arm depended the salvation of the fallen race, and he reached out his hand to grasp the hand of Omnipotent Love.
“The Saviour’s glance seems to penetrate heaven as he pours out his soul in prayer. Well he knows how sin has hardened the hearts of men, and how difficult it will be for them to discern his mission, and accept the gift of salvation. He pleads with the Father for power to overcome their unbelief, to break the fetters with which Satan has enthralled them, and in their behalf to conquer the destroyer. He asks for the witness that God accepts humanity in the person of his Son.
“Never before have the angels listened to such a prayer. They are eager to hear to their loved Commander a message of assurance and comfort. But no; the Father himself will answer the petition of his Son. Direct from the throne issue the beams of his glory. The heavens are opened, and upon the Saviour’s head descends a dove-like form of purest light,—fit emblem of him, the meek and lowly One. . . .
“The light which fell from the open portals upon the head of our Saviour, will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist temptation.”—‘Desire of Ages,’ pages 111-113.
As we trace the ministry of Christ as it is set forth in the Gospels, we find that his work was not only begun with12prayer, but carried forward by prayer. Thus we read: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35. “And great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” Luke 5:15, 16. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12.
And so we find him resorting to prayer on every important occasion, such as the ordination of his disciples (Luke 6:12-16), at his transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36), and at the resurrection of Lazarus. John 11:41, 42. Jesus closed his work on earth with that earnest agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. Matt. 26:37-39.
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After the ascension of Christ, the disciples gathered in Jerusalem, and spent days together in united, importunate prayer before entering upon the great work committed to them. And it was while they were praying for help that they were filled with the Holy Spirit for the great work to which they were called by the Saviour. The record these disciples left when their work was finished is one of unceasing prayer, earnest endeavor, and great victories everywhere. Prayer was first.
Every great, strong, useful Bible character made much of prayer. Of the prophet Elijah the apostle James says: “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” James 5:17, 18.
The prophet Daniel was a man of prayer. By prayer he won many glorious victories. He has left on record some of his experiences in winning these victories, and from them we may learn most important and helpful lessons. One of these personal experiences is recorded in the ninth chapter of Daniel. It begins as follows:—
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” Verses 1-3.
In this statement we have two important facts: First, from the books of the prophets who preceded him, Daniel learned the purpose of God regarding the captivity of Israel in Babylon and Persia. He found that the captivity was to cover a period of seventy years, and that at the end of that time God’s people were to return to their land, rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and restore the worship and service of the house of God that had been so long desolate. He says that it was in the first year of the reign of Darius that this matter came to him. The first year of Darius was the sixty-eighth year of Israel’s captivity. In two years the time of their captivity would come to an end, and then they should return to their land.
Second, when there came to him a clear understanding and a full realization of all that was involved in this matter, Daniel made it a subject of earnest, importunate prayer. He says, “I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession.”
The great burden of Daniel’s prayer was that there should be no delay in the fulfilment of God’s promise to free his people from their captivity, and take them back to their land at the end of the seventy years. In two short years this great deliverance must be wrought, but the only possible hope of its accomplishment was in the power of God to fulfil his promise. In his anxiety regarding this important matter, Daniel said:—
“O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear: open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” Dan. 9:16-19.
This earnest prayer was answered. Two years later, when the seventy years terminated, Israel’s captivity came to an end by the decree of Cyrus king of Persia. Here is the record:—
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God), which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the free-will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:1-4.
This proclamation not only closed Israel’s bondage, but encouraged them to return to their own land, and provided help for the rebuilding of the house of God at Jerusalem. From the standpoint of statesmanship this must have been looked upon as a most foolish and undiplomatic thing for the king to do. But he was compelled to do it. The Lord took him in hand, and caused him to cooperate in the accomplishment of the divine purpose and promise.
Here is the lesson for us: Daniel recognized the true God, and was identified with his people and cause. He understood by the writings of the prophets that God’s people had come to the close of the prophetic period of seventy years, and that great events must take place,—the Jews must be set free from their bondage; they must rise up and go back to their land, which had been desolate nearly a hundred years; they must rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the house of God; they must restore the government of Israel and the service of the sanctuary.
To all human appearance, this was an impossible task, but God had promised that it should be done. Daniel believed the promise, and gave himself up to unceasing prayer to the Lord that it should be done at once. His prayer was answered.
To-day God’s people face a greater crisis than Daniel did. In 1844 we came to the close of the great prophetic period of two thousand three hundred years. At the close of that period events were to take place which seem far more important than those of Daniel’s time.13
Now we are brought to the last hour of human history, to the last generation, to the closing of the gospel work, when the last call will be given to a lost world. The kingdom of this world is about to become the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, and the redeemed of all ages are to receive their eternal reward.
If the situation of Daniel’s time called for prayer, how much more is it called for in this our day. The call to Daniel to make earnest supplication to God for the speedy fulfilment of his promise was a call to all Israel to join in the supplication. And surely the hour in which we live, and the work now to be done, must call the people of God everywhere to their knees in earnest, unceasing prayer.
It is to be feared that to-day God’s people do not realize as they should the need of prayer and its great efficacy. Prayer helps those who pray to come into right relation to God and their fellow men. How could Daniel, after praying the Lord so fervently to hasten the fulfilment of his promise, have refused to do anything the Lord might have called him to do in hastening that work? As Daniel prayed, so all Israel should have prayed. And as the prayer of Daniel committed him without reservation to the cause for which he prayed, so prayer by all the people would have made them ready for any part in the work to which they might be called. And so it will be now. Earnest, continuous supplication will make God’s people ready to respond without hesitation and reservation to his call for their cooperation in finishing his work.
May the Lord pour upon us the spirit of prayer and supplication at this time. There is so much to pray for! Every one needs a personal blessing, a richer, fuller personal experience in the religious life. We all have loved ones,—husbands, wives, children, parents, brothers, or sisters who need our earnest prayers for their salvation. Our brethren and sisters in temptation, trouble, and sickness need our prayers. Our ministers and gospel workers of every class need our prayers. The lost souls for whom they labor need that continued, fervent prayer of the righteous which the apostle James says “availeth much.”
And with all this, it is our privilege and our duty to pray most fervently for the Lord not to permit anything to delay the finishing of his work. Praying for the speedy finishing of the gospel will deepen our desire for it. As our desire grows into earnest yearning, we shall place and hold ourselves on the altar of service that the Lord may use us in answering our prayers for him to defer not to finish his work. What a great load this is to bring to the Lord! But he says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
O may there come to us during this week of prayer such a sense of the need and the efficacy of prayer that our attitude will be just what the Lord expresses in the following admonition: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Eph. 6:18.
Lesson 1
How to Pray
MEMORY TEXT: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Matt. 7: 7.
Do any of you have a telephone at home? (Speak briefly of the use of the telephone, how we talk to friends far away, but do not see them, etc.) Sometimes we send long-distance messages.
Then we have something more wonderful still than the telephone that we call wireless, where we do not have even a wire to connect us with those with whom we talk. The sound goes through the air, even far across the ocean.
No inventor has yet been able to talk with beings in other worlds through any of these inventions; but there is a way, we can not tell how, that we can talk, and get answers, too, from the center of God's universe,—a country so far, far away that it would take many years to travel there by the swiftest means we know. We do not need to “ring up,” to call or shout, for Jesus hears even a whispered prayer; yes, even a prayer in the mind, such as Nehemiah made. Neh. 2: 4.
Who can tell how we talk with God? Yes, by prayer. Now we are to have a week of prayer, when we shall lay aside other things as far as we can, and talk with him.
Some people are too busy to pray. (Illustrate by the man with the muck-rake described in “Pilgrim’s Progress.”) “The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray.” “The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way.” (A blackboard or picture illustration of a path filled with rocks or other obstructions, will help them understand.) Show how Satan puts things in our way to prevent prayer. Some of these we will name:—
No love for God.
No desire to pray.
No time to pray.
Unbelief in his promises.
Close the meeting with a season of prayer, in which several may take part. All may join in a few sentences of petition, led by the teacher, that this week of prayer may, in truth, be such to each one.
Encourage the children to go by themselves in secret to pray before the next meeting. The special subject of petition may be that each child may be led to love God, and to pray more earnestly.
(Reading for Sunday, December 8)
By Ole Andres Olsen
The Conflict and the Victory
O. A. OLSEN
“WE are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IX, page 11.
There can be no question as to the fact that we have entered the perils of the last days. A mighty conflict is in progress. The time is now when Satan is putting forth his last great effort before the close of probation, working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. The many lines of prophecy that have so faithfully delineated the events leading to the close of this world’s history have been minutely fulfilled. The special signs outlined by our Lord and his apostles have also taken place. The great prophetic period of two thousand14three hundred years, reaching to the closing work of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, in the heavenly sanctuary, has long since terminated. The conditions now existing in our world, politically, morally, socially, and religiously, give unmistakable evidence that the very end is right upon us; and that “we are standing upon the threshold of great and solemn events.”
“God has called his church in this day, as he called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. . . . The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God’s messages, and go forth as his agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Christ declares to his followers, ‘Ye are the light of the world.’”—Id., Vol. V, pages 455, 456.
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Now is to be fulfilled the prophecy of Rev. 18:1: “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.”
“All heaven is represented to me as watching the unfolding of events. A crisis is to be revealed in the great and prolonged controversy in the government of God on earth. Something great and decisive is to take place, and that right early.”—“Special Testimony for Our Ministers,” page 67.
Such a time as this and such a position call for corresponding zeal, earnestness, devotion, and whole-souled consecration. Never before did people live under conditions like these; never before was a people placed under such tremendous responsibility to the world as those to whom is committed the last warning message of God to the world. Well may we ask, And who is sufficient for these things? But the same God who provided for the efficiency of his servants in the past, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, is ready to bestow the same power on his people at this time.
This is no time for ease and indifference. No ordinary nor common effort will meet these extraordinary conditions. There is an urgent call for a decided awakening commensurate with the situation. Our present attitude is not what it should be, while “intensity is taking possession of every earthly element; and as a people who have had great light and wonderful knowledge, many of them are represented by the five sleeping virgins with their lamps, but no oil in their vessels; cold, senseless, with a feeble, waning piety.”—Id., page 68.
This is certainly a very serious message, and should call for most heartfelt and careful self-examination on the part of every individual. We quote again:—
“Our position in the world is not what it should be. We are far from where we should have been had our Christian experience been in harmony with the light and the opportunities given us, had we from the beginning constantly pressed onward and upward. Had we walked in the light that has been given us, had we followed on to know the Lord, our path would have grown brighter and brighter. But many of those who have had special light are so conformed to the world that they can scarcely be distinguished from worldlings. They do not stand forth as God’s peculiar people, chosen and precious. It is difficult to discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VIII, page 247.
Still another quotation:—
“It is a solemn and terrible truth that many who have been zealous in proclaiming the third angel’s message are now becoming listless and indifferent. ‘The line of demarcation between worldlings and many professed Christians is almost indistinguishable. Many who once were earnest Adventists are conforming to the world,—to its practises, its customs, its selfishness. Instead of leading the world to render obedience to God’s law, the church is uniting more and more closely with the world in transgression. Daily the church is becoming converted to the world. . . . There is a stupor, a paralysis, upon many of the people of God, which prevents them from understanding the duty of the hour.’”—Id., pages 118, 119.
These statements are startling and saddening, and should stir every soul to its very depth. That they are true, none who have a knowledge of the situation will deny. Many are being carried away by the spirit of the world. This is seen among the older members and among the youth; and, sad to say, in some of our oldest churches in both country and city the worldly element is the most prominent.
It is this state of things that is so vividly outlined in the message to the Laodicean church (Rev. 3:14-17), and because of this there comes the call to repent. While the church is in this state, God can not reveal his power in the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit; hence the call, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19.
The refreshing is promised, but it is to be preceded by repentance and conversion. God can not pour out his Holy Spirit in power while we as a people or individuals are conforming to the world. The conditions outlined in the foregoing quotations from the spirit of prophecy are startling indeed, and call for deep and heartfelt repentance.
We are now in the time when the investigative judgment is about to finish its work; the sealing of the servants of God in their foreheads is in progress. But “not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.”—Id., Vol. V, page 214.
Intensity has taken possession of every earthly element. Satan is working every agency at his command in opposing the work of the Lord in the earth, and this warfare is directed against those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” We are certainly in the midst of a mighty conflict with the forces of darkness; and instead of conforming to the world in any way, instead of parleying with sin in any shape or form, instead of yielding to any besetting habit or pet indulgence in wrong, let there be a whole-souled repentance, a decided turning away from every evil besetment. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Cor. 6:17, 18.
Have we become negligent in prayer, neglecting to study the Bible, neglecting the family altar in the home? Have we become careless in the observance of the Sabbath at its beginning or its ending? Have we indulged in light, frivolous, and worldly conversation on God’s holy day? Let us repent and change our course. Have we given way to worldly amusement, and fashionable attire? Let us remember we are called to be Christ’s representatives here on the earth. Have15we been robbing God in tithes and offerings, as many are doing? We must heartily repent and render to God his own. By indulging in these and many other things that are wrong, we have brought leanness to our own souls, and been a hindrance to the work of God in the earth. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Rev. 3:19.
God has thus faithfully sent his warning message that his people shall not be left in darkness, nor be deceived. Here we are, standing as it were on the very threshold of eternity, connected with the closing work of probation on the earth. How can any one remain indifferent? How can any one continue in uncertainty as to his standing before God?
“The ‘time of trouble, such as never was,’ is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess, and which many are too indolent to obtain.” “Jacob’s night of anguish, when he wrestled in prayer for deliverance from the hand of Esau, represents the experience of God’s people in the time of trouble.”—“Great Controversy,” pages 622, 616.
“Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone beforehand to judgment, and have been blotted out; and they can not bring them to remembrance.”—Id., page 620.
Now is the time to prepare for what is coming. Now is the time to confess our sins, that they may go before to judgment and be blotted out, so that in the time of trouble, which is so close at hand, nothing shall stand against us then.
“The Lord calls upon his people to arouse out of sleep. . . . God desires to refresh his people by the gift of the Holy Spirit, baptizing them anew in his love. There is no need for a dearth of the Spirit in the church. After Christ’s ascension, the Holy Spirit came upon the waiting, praying, believing disciples with a fulness and power that reached every heart. In the future, the earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. A holy influence is to go forth to the world from those who are sanctified through the truth. The earth is to be encircled with an atmosphere of grace. The Holy Spirit is to work on human hearts, taking the things of God and showing them to men.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, page 40.
“Christ has made provision that his church shall be a transformed body, illumined with the light of heaven, possessing the glory of Immanuel. It is his purpose that every Christian shall be surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere of light and peace. There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God.”—Id., Vol. VIII, page 19.
“Why has the history of the work of the disciples, as they labored with holy zeal, animated and vitalized by the Holy Spirit, been recorded, if it is not that from this record the Lord’s people to-day are to gain an inspiration to work earnestly for him? What the Lord did for his people in that time, it is just as essential, and more so, that he do for his people to-day. All that the apostles did, every church-member to-day is to do. And we are to work with as much more fervor, to be accompanied by the Holy Spirit in as much greater measure, as the increase of wickedness demands a more decided call to repentance.”—Id., Vol. VII, page 33.
“In visions of the night representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God’s people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families, and opening before them the Word of God.”—Id., Vol. IX, page 126.
That is what we are all desirous to see. We have been looking for it, waiting for it; now and then we have had indications of its nearness, but still it has not come in the fulness that the promise indicates. And why? Surely the fault is not with God. No, no! It is we who are at fault; we have not set ourselves to the task of repentance and reform in real earnest. Instead, we have rested self-satisfied with our profession, feeling we had the truth. We have allowed selfishness and worldliness and other evil traits to mold the life, and thus have grieved the Spirit of God, and as a result we have been left destitute of the power and grace that would have brought victory over every evil besetment. What efforts we have made have been so desultory! They have lacked continued perseverance and whole-hearted earnestness, they have lacked the “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” This easy, half-hearted course of action will never bring the victory. “When the reproach of indolence and slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will see the providential working of the Lord of hosts. The light of truth will shine forth in clear, strong rays, and as in the time of the apostles, many souls will turn from error to truth. The earth will be lighted with the glory of the Lord.”—*Id., Vol. IX, page 46.
O then let us arise to the task and cast off this ease and sloth, and give ourselves no rest till we have the victory! “A great reformatory movement!” Who will have a part in it? Who will put himself to the task in decided earnest? That is the question. My brother, my sister, will you be one? Shall we not arise as one man to a deeper and fuller consecration than ever in the past, and with deep repentance put away every sin, that we may receive the refreshing of the Holy Spirit? The time in which we live calls for this. The things that are soon to come upon the earth call for this. The work to be done in our large cities calls for this. The message to be carried to all foreign nations and peoples of earth, as well as to the people in the home land, calls for this. The preparation that will enable a people to stand amid the closing scenes of this earth’s history, and be prepared to meet the Lord with joy, calls for just such a whole-hearted consecration.
May this week of prayer witness such a refreshing from the presence of the Lord, such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whereby the people of God will rise as one man to hasten the finishing of the work, and usher in the great and glorious victory at the coming of our Lord and Saviour.
Week of Prayer for the Children
By Mrs. V. J. Farnsworth
(Lessons prepared by Mrs. V. J. Farnsworth.)*
OUR children should have part in this week of prayer, and receive a blessing from God. They need it. They must meet temptations and tests of faith such as children, in no other age have experienced. If they learn to seek the Lord for themselves, to exercise faith in his promises now, they will be better prepared to meet the trials and tests of the future.
Let the children not be forgotten nor neglected on this occasion. If no better time can be had, give them part of that devoted to the regular services. They may be given a place on the front seats, and their meeting continue the first fifteen minutes, while the older ones sit back and listen. But it would be much better if they could meet by themselves in a separate room. Their meeting could then be held while the other is in progress, and more time given to it.
Encourage the children to pray and to take part in their meetings. After the lesson, on some occasions have a testimony meeting. Ask all who would like to speak to rise, then call on one, then another, till all have spoken. This method enables them to overcome embarrassment, and prevents loss of time. This occasion should be one of real revival, and of earnest seeking for a new and better experience.
Do not hold long meetings. Sing the songs the children love. Let every exercise be short, spirited, spiritual. The long prayers should be offered at home and in secret, where the heart may break before God in earnest pleading that he will spare and save the children.
The lesson outlines printed are simply suggestive, and in our small space only a few seed thoughts can be given. Teach the children how to pray at home. Name special objects for prayer each day. Do not simply talk about praying, but pray.
Sincerity in Prayer
Lesson for the Children—No. 2
Sincerity in Prayer
MEMORY TEXT: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13.
Did you ever talk with any one who said, “O, I didn’t mean what I said”? Some talk to God that way. They pray with their lips only. They do not mean what they say. Perhaps even while saying words to him they are thinking of something else, or they look about while they pretend to talk to such a great King. There were some people long ago who did that way. (Illustrate by the story in Jeremiah 42; 43:1-7.)
God can not hear and bless us if we come to him as those people did. He says some “have not cried unto me with their heart.” Hosea 7:14. Some love sin so much that God does not answer their prayers. Ps. 66:18.
Teach the memory text. David said: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Ps. 42:1, 2. Tell them how hart is spelled—h-a-r-t, not h-e-a-r-t. Give a word-picture of a hunted, frightened, thirsty, panting deer plunging into a cool stream to drink. Where does the hart live?—In hot, mountainous countries. Ask what is meant by panting. Why does a dog pant? Who has seen a weary, thirsty animal plunge into a stream for a bath and a drink? It does not have to be urged and driven to the water for which it longs. So we should seek and long for the blessing of God. Do you want it that much?
Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” We should want to know that God hears and answers our prayers even more than we want food when hungry.16
A father knew his little boy went to bed with unkind feelings in his heart. He went to his room, and said: “My son, did you pray to-night?” “I said my prayers, father.” “But did you pray?”
Many say prayers, but do not really pray. Something is wrong between them and God. (Illustrate by a very small object that cuts off the electric current so no connection is made between the source of power and the place where light should shine.)
Be very earnest and sincere in teaching this lesson, that it may reach the hearts of the children.
Until the next meeting, let all ask the Lord to teach them how to pray.
