p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 16. (4/20/1904)

Earlier text: LITTLE BOYS AND LITTLE SHEEP

LESSON 5.—MAY 1. PRAYER AND PROMISE.

Lesson Scripture, Luke 11:1-13, A. R. V.

(1) "And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, that when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught His disciples. (2) And He said unto them, When we pray, say, Father, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. (3) Give us day by day our daily bread. (4) And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation.

(5) "And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; (6) for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; (7) and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I can not rise and give thee? (8) I say unto you, Tho he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth. (9) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (10) For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (11) And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? (12) Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? (13) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it?"

Golden Text.—"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find." Verse 9.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What habit of Jesus is specially noted in this lesson? On one such occasion what request did His disciples make? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) In answering, to whom did Jesus say we should direct our petitions? and what sentiment should accompany this address? What will always be a prominent theme in the desire of a true disciple? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What is a daily requirement of every individual? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What other prayer must every one needs offer daily? What is necessary to a favorable answer? What petition implies a constant danger? From what do we need daily deliverance? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) In illustrating the principle of asking of God, what figure did Jesus use? Verse 5. (6) What special need is urged? Verse 6. (7) What plausible excuse is made for not complying with the request? Verse 7. (8) What does Jesus say will overcome this refusal? Verse 8. (9) How does He then impress the lesson He is teaching? Verse 9. (10) What further positive assurance is given? Verse 10. (11) What still closer relationship is brought in by way of illustration? What pointed questions are asked? Verse 11. (12) What further question is propounded? Verse 12. (13) What is the conclusion drawn from this illustration? Verse 13. Notes 5 and 6. (14) What excuse, then, can any one render in the judgment for not having walked in the light of truth? John 14:15-26.

NOTES.

1. The example of frequent and earnest prayer always has its influence upon those who are habitually in contact with it. This influence may not always be manifest, but it sometimes actuates a motive or impels a restraint when the party so influenced is really unconscious of the cause. The prayers of Jesus must have greatly influenced the disciples; they could not help but associate His exemplary character, as also the power that accompanied His work, with His power of prayer. Hence their desire to learn how to profit by such exercise themselves. This is not to suppose that they were unacquainted with the form of prayer, but they were conscious of a lack of power in prayer such as was manifested in the Master. The reference to John the Baptist is a key to the secret of His great power in the Word, and His faith in communion with God, which He also desired His disciples to enjoy. It is a lesson that all disciples, both old and young, should learn and be "apt to teach."

2. "Father."—We are to ask of the Father in heaven, "who giveth to all men liberally," but we must ask in the name of the Son (John 15:16), as we have no standing at the throne of grace excepting through His merit. An ascription of praise, an acknowledgment of His holiness, is always due. The manner should always imply such a sentiment, if the words do not express it. The coming kingdom can not fail to be a leading object of solicitation in every heart that fully understands the Gospel, and that knows that the consummation of hope can not be realized until the coming and kingdom of our Lord. Matt. 25:31-34. And with this desire for the advent of Christ will be the desire for power to do His will even in this world. 1 John 3:22-24.

3. "Day by day."—Trusting God implicitly is trusting Him day by day for everything needful, step by step throughout the journey of life. "Having food and covering we shall be there with content." 1 Tim. 6:8. This is a daily need of every individual, but the child of God will also feel the need of spiritual food. See Matt. 4:4.

4. Asking the forgiveness of sin obligates us to forgive those who trespass against us. In thus asking we virtually assume that we have done so; and, unless this is so, in deed and in truth, the petition will be in vain. Matt. 6:14, 15. The petition, "Bring us not into temptation," is an acknowledgment that of ourselves we are unable to resist temptation. "Deliver us from evil" is a request for a defense of which we ever stand in need; for our "adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

5. The illustrations set forth in this lesson appeal to such petitions as would be hardest for any human being to resist, both from policy and sentiment; yet, even under such circumstances, no one's willingness to grant a request can compare with the heavenly Father's yearning desire to give of His own good Spirit to them that ask for it in faith.

6. This prayer was not designed for a ritual service, to be repeated in parrot style, but as a lesson in the principles of prayer. It indicates that which we most need, and shows an example of simple, direct petition, without a superabundance of words or meaningless phrases. When one is in great need, and realizes his condition, he does not wait for superfluous introduction. He comes to the point with words that express the heart's desire, tho they be not rhetorical or euphoneous. For instance, see the prayer of the disciples in the storm (Matt. 8:25); of Peter, when sinking in the water (ch. 14:25); of the publican in the temple (Luke 18:10), and of the thief on the cross (ch. 23:42).

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The following is a list of a few of the chapters:

Our Work The Commission The Power Promised Our Responsibility The Work at Home and Abroad A View of the Conflict The Value of Trial God's Purpose for His Institutions Christ the Medium of Prayer and Blessing The Work of this Time Unity of Effort Lessons from the Past How Shall Our Youth Be Trained? A Division of Responsibility Leadership God in Nature A Personal God A False and a True Knowledge of God Danger in Speculative Knowledge The False and the True in Education The Value of the Word of God Importance of Seeking True Knowledge through God's Word Our Great Need, Etc.

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A New Chart—Matthew Twenty-four

By Editor

By keeping this one thought of the pre-eminence of character in mind, it will greatly help us to solve many of the problems of Scripture. When the creation of this world was determined, it was made for man; but it was not made for man apart from character. A perfect number of a perfect character would inhabit it. Those characters were foreordained from eternity, written in the Lamb's book "from the foundation of the world." Rev. 13:8. These characters were chosen in Christ Jesus, holy and without blemish, Eph. 1:3, 4. God's perfect plan demanded a perfect number, a perfect blending, a perfect harmony, and that to all eternity.

If sin had never entered, that perfect number would have been made up one by one as children were born in this world. But man yielded to sin. And redeemed tho humanity has been in Christ Jesus from that sin, many, very many, have chosen the sin in preference to the sinlessness, and turned from the great salvation He brought them. God foresaw this, and predicted it in this prophecy: "I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy conception." Gen. 3:16. Yet, in sin tho they were, God called and still calls one by one, soul by soul, to these glorious, eternal characters of eternal persistence.

If we yield to His call the eternal wisdom and power and love of Heaven is pledged to make us all that character calls for, to make us that character itself. He counts us that. He sees that character in us. He makes every trial, every temptation, every evil thing Satan and his minions may do against us, all tell for our good as they shall for His glory; for "we know that to them that love God, God worketh all things with them for good." Rom. 8:28, R. V., margin. He will, if we are willing, perfect all "to the praise of the glory of His grace." Eph. 1:6.

God's everlasting purpose is concerning these characters, His children. All who will yield to Him fall within this purpose. All who will not, take themselves out of His purpose, and plan, out of His life, out of the working of His grace, and perish in partaking of the fruit of their choosing. And yet none need do this; there is welcome for all. And those who yield to God need never be discouraged. In the words of Wordsworth:—

"One adequate support For the calamities of mortal life Exists, one only,—an assured belief, That the procession of our fate, howe'er Sad or disturbed, is ordered by a Being Of infinite benevolence and power, Whose everlasting purposes embrace All accidents, converting them to good."

Then, child of God, be not weary. Jesus reigns, and will reign unto the end. Be a part of His purpose.

A New Chart—Matthew Twenty-four.

We have received from F. E. Belden, Battle Creek, Mich., a chart on the above subject. It is printed on cloth 3x4 feet, and combines in a sword diagram the words of our Lord in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. It shows that the Dark Day came historically just where our Lord placed it prophetically. The chart shows the relative positions of the sun, moon, and earth on that date, and the positions that would have been necessary had an eclipse then occurred. The chart helps more clearly to show that these signs were supernatural. The "falling away" of the church in the early centuries is indicated, the change of the Sabbath, the 1,260 days of persecution, and many other things worthy of note. It will prove a great help in Bible teaching. It will be sent with Belden's booklet, "At the Door," containing 50 illustrations, for 90 cents, postpaid. "At the Door" explains the chart.

There is truth in the following comment taken from a secular paper, The Public:—

Some parts of the Decalogue are not exactly industrial. Yet it is quite true that other parts, if divested of paganistic interpretations, would make the best possible labor platform. "Six days shalt thou labor," would be a good principle to insist upon, unpopular as it would be with the elegant leisure classes. And, "Thou shalt not steal," would be the best of all for labor purposes. Let stealing cease—of all kinds, institutional and legal plundering as well as petty larceny—and the labor problem would be solved. There would be no chattel slavery, no economic slavery, no monopoly, no interferences of any kind with industry, if the commandment against stealing were faithfully observed.

Do Not Be Deceived.

To ignore Jesus of Nazareth and talk about a resurrected Christ in humanity is not to know Christ at all. What much of the talk about Christ to-day means is not a personal Saviour, but a condition of soul, an inherent life within. It is the exaltation of humanity, and the hiding of the real Christ of the Gospel.

Character versus Smartness.

One of the common things seen nowadays is the exaltation of smartness, brightness, ability, on the part of young men. These are good qualities if they are governed by morality; but the sad fact is that morality is counted secondary. If one "gets there,"—is successful,—the how of the getting there is little questioned. Sins are of less account than business "mistakes." But in the last great day, at the bar of God, the one thing to be weighed above all else, and the standard of which will determine eternal destiny, will be character.

The perplexity of nations and the corruption of city life are two prominent signs of the times. These are tersely shown in the following brief extract from a letter in the Minnesota Worker from Brother L. H. Christian, of Copenhagen, Denmark. He says:

"Europe is very much astir over the war now, just begun in the East. Even little Denmark is arming, so as to be ready for any complication that might arise. There is a feeling of fear and unrest among all the smaller countries of Europe. They are afraid of the larger powers. Denmark and Holland expect some day to be gobbled up by Germany, Norway and Sweden, by Russia. But this dread makes some at least willing to hear God's Word. These are stirring times. How rapidly prophecy is fulfilling! How fearfully great is the increase of infidelity, sin, and vice! Twenty-five per cent of the children born in Copenhagen last year were illegitimate. The wickedness and wo of our modern large cities certainly beggar description. To God's people these things are trumpet-calls to service."

No Text Provided

HOME ARTICLES.

By Editor

MRS. STUTTLE'S present series of articles in the Home department are not yet all published; there are still eight or nine to follow. But these do not exhaust the Home topics which ought to be dwelt upon, and which we are sure are so dear to our many readers. This present series on the home will therefore be followed by the articles below named. Read the titles, and then stop and think how many homes you know who need the instruction to be found in these articles; then help the SIGNS as a home messenger of love and helpfulness to enter. Here are the titles:—

Patience in the Home, Rights of Individual Members, Unreasonableness in Family Government, Beauty in the Home, Contentment in the Home, Politeness and Courtesy in the Home, Faithfulness in the Home, Favoritism in the Home, Education in the Home, Petty Jealousies in the Home, Appreciation in the Home, Loving Obedience in the Home, Cheerfulness in the Home, Temperance in the Home, Music in the Home, Selfishness in the Home, Husbands and Wives, Hospitality in the Home, Forbearance in the Home, The Golden Rule in the Home.

What a galaxy of subjects are here, and how suggestive the very titles are of helpfulness!

Character

Character.—The one thing in all this universe more important than all others to every morally-responsible being is character. It is that which makes God loving and lovable. It is character which lifts Jesus Christ high above all others, even in the world's estimation. It is character which we most prize in men. It is that which survives. We admire beauty; it may last, however, only for a day. The great strength of the athlete appeals to our enthusiasm; but a few hours of sickness, and it is gone. We long for riches; but in the last hour, when spiritual consolation is desired, we do not send for a man because he is rich in gold or bonds or land, but because he has a true and tried character, which money can not buy.

Character and Obedience

The character which God prizes is that which is in harmony with His eternal law of right, in other words, the reflection of His own character. This was perfectly manifest in Christ Jesus, who came for the one purpose of doing the will of the Father. "I delight to do Thy will, O My God, yea, Thy law is within My heart." "I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work." These sayings of the Son of God reveal His character,—a character which the sinful world has admired and acknowledged as the one superior to all, and which those "born again" love above all things else. One is worth only what his character is worth.

Giving Wisely

In the many appeals for means which are coming before Christian people in these days, it is well to make inquiry as to both the worthiness and the wisdom of the asker and the object. A worthy person may be actuated by an unselfish motive to ask for means to do an unwise work, a work which he is totally unfitted to do. It would not be wise to put means into his hands for that purpose. On the other hand, a call may be made for means for a very worthy object, but the one who is promoting it may have only selfish objects in view. It would be better to dispense means or money through different channels. God asks His stewards not only to give liberally, but to use wisely. If, after using proper precautions, one is deceived, he may safely leave it all with God.