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12 - Asking to Give - Christ's Object Lessons · Sacred Texts Archive

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  Chapter twelve, asking to give Christ was continually receiving from the Father, that
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  he might communicate to us. The word which ye hear, he said,
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  is not mine, but the fathers which sent to me. The son of
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  Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, not for himself,
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  but for others. He lived in thought and prayed. From hours spent
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  with God, he came forth morning by morning to bring the light of Heaven
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  to men. Daily he received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In
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  the early hours of the new day. The Lord awakened him from his slumbers,
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  and his soul and his lips were anointed with grace that he might impart
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  to others. His words were given him fresh from the heavenly courts, words
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  that he might speak in season to the weary and oppressed. The Lord God
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  hath given me, He said, the tongue of the learned, that I
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  should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.
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  He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
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  Christ's disciples were much in pressed by his prayers and by his habit of
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  communion with God. One day after a short absence from their Lord, they
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  found him absorbed in supplication. Seeming unconscious of their presence, he continued praying
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  aloud. The hearts of the disciples were deeply moved. As he ceased praying,
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  They exclaimed, Lord, teach us to pray. In answer, Christ
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  repeated the Lord's prayers he had given it in the Sermon on the Mound.
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  Then, in a parable he illustrated the lesson he desired to teach them.
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  Which of you, he said, shall have a friend, and shall go
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  unto him at midnight and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves.
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  For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and
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  I have nothing to set before him. And he from within shall answer and
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  say, trouble me not. The door is now shut, and my children
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  are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give thee I say unto
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  you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend.
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  Yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many
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  as he needeth. Here Christ represents the petitioner as asking that he may give
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  again. He must obtain the bread, else he cannot supply the necessities of
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  a weary belated wayfarer. Though his neighbor is unwilling to be troubled, he
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  will not desist his pleading. His friend must be relieved, and at last
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  his importunity is rewarded. His wants are supplied. In like manner, The
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  disciples were to seek blessings from God in the feeding of the multitude, and
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  in the Sermon on the Bread from Heaven. Christ had opened to them their
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  work as his representatives. They were to give the bread of life to the
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  people. He who had appointed their work, saw how often their faith would
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  be tried. Often they would be thrown into unexpected positions and would realize their
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  human insufficiency. Souls that were hungering for the bread of life would come to
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  them, and they would feel themselves to be destitute and helpless. They must
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  receive spiritual food or they would have nothing to impart. But they were not
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  to turn one soul away unfed. Christ directs them to the source of supply.
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  The men whose friend came to him for entertainment, even at the unseasonable
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  hour of midnight, did not turn him away. He had nothing to said
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  before him, but he went to one who had food and pressed his request
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  until the neighbor supplied his need, and would not God, who had set
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  his servants to feed the hungry, supply their need for his own work.
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  But the selfish neighbor in the parable does not represent the character of God.
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  The lesson is drawn not by comparison, but by contrast. A selfish man
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  were grant an urgent request in order to rid himself of one who disturbs his
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  rest. But God delights to give. He is full of compassion, and
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  he longs to grant the requests of those who come unto him. In faith.
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  He gives to us that we may minister to others and thus become like
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  himself. Christ declares, ask, and it shall be given. You seekin
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  ye shall find knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every
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  one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth. Unto him that knocketh,
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  it shall be opened. The Savior continues. If a son shall ask
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  bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a
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  stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give
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  him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer
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  to him a scorpion? If ye, then, being evil, know how
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  to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father
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  give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. In order to strengthen our
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  confidence in God, Christ teaches us to address him by a new name,
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  a name entwined with the dearest associations of the human heart. He gives us
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  the privilege of calling the infinite God our father. This name, spoken to
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  him and of him, is a sign of our love and trust toward him,
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  in a pledge of his regard and relationship to us, spoken when asking
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  his favor or blessing. It is his music in his ears that we might
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  not think it presumption to call him by this name. He has repeated it
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  again and again. He desires us to become familiar with the appellation. God
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  regards us as his children. He has redeemed us out of the careless world
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  and has chosen us to become members of the royal family, sons and daughters
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  of the heavenly King. He invites us to trust in Him, with the
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  trust deeper and stronger than that of a child in his earthly father. Parents
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  love their children, but the love of God is larger, broader, deeper
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  than human love can possibly be. It is immeasurable. Then if earthly parents
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  know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more shall our
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  Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Christ's lessons
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  in regard to prayer should be carefully considered. There is a divine science in
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  prayer, and his illustration brings to view principles that all need to understand.
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  He shows what is the true spirit of prayer. He teaches the necessity of
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  perseverance in presenting our requests to God, and assures us of his willingness to
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  hear and answer prayer. Our prayers are not to be a selfish asking merely
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  for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give the principle
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  of Christ's life must be the principle of our lives for their sakes. He
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  said, speaking of his disciples, I sanctify myself that they also might be
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  sanctified. This same devotion, this same self sacrifice, this same subjection to
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  the claims of the Word of God that were manifest in Christ, must be
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  seen in his servants. Our mission to the world is not to serve or
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  please ourselves. We are to glorify God by cooperating with him to save sinners.
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  We are to ask blessings from God that we may communicate to others.
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  The capacity for receiving is preserved only by imparting. We cannot continue to receive
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  heavenly treasure without communicating to those around us. In the parable, the petitioner
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  was again and again repulsed, but he did not relinquish his purpose. So
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  our prayers do not always seem to receive an immediate answer. But Christ teaches
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  that we should not cease to pray. Prayer is not to work any change
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  in God. It is to bring us into harmony with God. When we
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  make request of him, he may see that it is necessary for us to
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  search our hearts and repent of sin. Therefore He takes us through tests and
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  trial. He brings us through humiliation that we may see what hinders the working
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  of His Holy Spirit through us. There are conditions to the fulfillment of God's
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  promises, and prayer can never take the place of duty. If ye love
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  me, Christ says, keep my commendments. He that hath my commendments and
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  keepeth them. He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me
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  shall be loved of my Father. And I will love him and will manifest
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  myself to him. Those who bring their petitions to God claiming his promise,
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  while they do not comply with the conditions, insult Jehovah. They bring the
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  name of Christ as their authority for the fulfillment of the promise, but they
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  do not those things that would show faith in Christ and love for him.
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  Many are forfeiting the condition of acceptance with the Father. We need to examine
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  closely the deed of trust wherewith we approach God. If we are disobedient,
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  we bring to the Lord a note to be cashed when we have not fulfilled
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  the conditions that would make it payable to us. We present to God his
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  promises and ask him to fulfill them, when by deday doing so he would
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  dishonor his own name. The promise is, if ye abide in Me and
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  my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
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  should be done unto you. And John declares hereby we do know that we
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  know him if we keep his commandments. He that saith I know him and
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  keepeth not his commandments is a liar, And the truth is not in him.
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  But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected.
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  One of Christ's last commands to his disciples was love one another as I
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  have loved you. Do we obey this command? Or are we indulging in
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  un christ like traits of character? If we have in any way grieved or
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  wounded others, it is our duty to confess our fault and seek for reconciliation.
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  This is an essential preparation that we may come before God in faith to
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  ask his blessing. There is another matter, too often neglected by those who
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  seek the Lord in prayer. Have you been honest with God? By the
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  prophet Malachi, the Lord declares, even from the days of your father's you
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  are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them. Return unto me,
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  and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But
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  ye say wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye
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  have robbed me? But ye say wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes
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  and offerings? As the giver of every blessing, God claims a certain portion
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  of all we possess. This is his provision to sustain the preaching of the
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  Gospel, and by making this return to God we are to show our appreciation
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  of his gifts. But if we withhold from him that which is his own,
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  how can we claim his blessing? If we are unfaithful stewards of earthly
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  things, how can we expect him to entrust us with the things of heaven.
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  It may be that here is the secret of unanswered prayer. But the
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  Lord, in his great mercy, is ready to forgive. And he says,
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  bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meet
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  in mine house, and prove me now herewith If I will not open you
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  the windows of heaven and pour you out of blessing, that there shall not
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  be room enough to to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for
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  your sakes. And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground. Neither
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  shall your vine cast your fruit before the time in the field. And all
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  nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith
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  the Lord of hosts. So it is with every other one of God's requirements.
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  All his gifts are promised on condition of obedience. God has a heaven
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  full of blessings for those who will cooperate with him. All who obey him
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  may with confidence claim the fulfillment of his promises. But we must show a
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  firm, undeviating trust in God. Often he delays to answer us in order
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  to try our faith or test the genuineness of our desire. Having asked according
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  to his word, we should believe his promise and press our petitions with a
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  determination that will not be denied. God does not say, ask once,
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  and ye shall receive. He bids us ask unwearyingly persist in prayer. Persistent
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  asking brings the petitioner into a more earnest addayitude and gives him an increased desire
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  to receive the things for which he asks. Christ said to Martha the Grave
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  of Lazarus, if thou wouldst believe, thou should see the glory of God.
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  But many have not a living faith. This is why they do not
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  see more of the power of God. Their weakness is the result of their
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  unbelief. They have more faith in their own working than in the working of
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  God. For them they take themselves into their own keeping. They plan and
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  devise, but pray little, and have little real trust in God. They
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  think they have faith, but it is only the impulse of the moment.
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  Failing to realize their own need or God's willingness to give, they do not
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  persevere in keeping their requests before the Lord. Our prayers are to be as
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  earnest and persistent as was the petition of the needy friend who ask for the
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  loaves at midnight. The more earnestly and steadfastly we ask, the closer will
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  be our spiritual union with Christ. We shall receive increased blessings because we have
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  increased faith. Our part is to pray and believe, watch unto prayer,
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  watch and co operate with the prayer hearing God. Bear in mind that we
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  are laborers together with God. Speak and act in harmony with your prayers.
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  It will make an infinite difference with you whether trials to prove your faith to
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  be genuine or show that your prayers are only a form. When perplexities arise
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  and difficulties confront you look not for help to humanity, trust all with God.
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  The practice of telling our difficulties to others only makes us weak and brings
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  no strength to them. It lays upon them the burden of our spiritual infirmities,
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  which they cannot relieve. We seek the strength of erring finite man,
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  when we might have the strength of the unerring, infinite God. You need
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  not to go to the ends of the earth for wisdom, for God is
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  near. It is not the capabilities you now possess, or ever will have,
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  that will give you success. It is that which the Lord can do
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  for you. We need to have far less confidence in what man can do,
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  and far more confidence in what God can do. For every believing soul,
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  He longs to have you reach after him by faith. He longs to
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  give you understanding in temporal as well as in spiritual matters. He can sharpen
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  the intellect he can give tact and skill. Put your talents into the work.
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  Ask God for wisdom and it will be given. You. Take the
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  word of Christ as your assurance. Has He not invited you to come to
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  him? Never allow yourself to talk in a hopeless, discouraged way. If
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  you do, you will lose much By looking at appearances and complaining when difficulties
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  and pressure come. You give evidence of a sickly enfeebled faith. Talk and
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  act as if your faith was invincible. The Lord is rich in resources,
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  He owns the world. Look heavenward in faith. Look to him who has
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  light and power and efficiency. There is in genuine faith a buoyancy, a
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  steadfastness of principle, and affixedness of purpose that neither time nor toil can weaken.
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  Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall
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  utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
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  They shall man up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be
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  weary, and they shall walk and not faint. There are many who long
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  to help others, but they feel that they have no spiritual strength or light
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  to impart. Let them present their petitions at the Throne of Grace. Plead
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  for the Holy Spirit. God stands back of every promise he has made.
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  With your Bible in your hands. Say I have done as thou hast said.
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  I present thy promise, Ask and it shall be given. You Seek
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  and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. We
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  must not only pray in Christ's name, but by the inspiration of the Holy
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  Spirit. This explains what is meant when it is said that the Spirit maketh
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  intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Such prayer. God delights
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  to answer when with earnestness and intensity we breathe a prayer in the name of
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  Christ. There is in that very intensity a pledge from God that He is
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  about to answer our prayer exceedingly abundantly, above all that we ask or think.
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  Christ has said, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
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  believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Whatsoever ye shall
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  ask in my name, that I will do that the Father may be glorified
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  in the sun. And the beloved John, under the inspiration of the Holy
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  Spirit, speaks with great plainness and assurance. If we ask anything according to
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  his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us
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  whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
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  him. Then press your petition to the Father in the name of Jesus.
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  God will honor that name. The rainbow round about the throne is an assurance
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  that God is true, that in him is no variableness, neither shadow of
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  turning. We have sinned against Him and are undeserving of his favor. Yet
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  He himself has put into our lips that most wonderful of Please do not abhor
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  us for thy name's sake. Do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory.
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  Remember, break not thy covenant with us. When we come to him confessing
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  our unworthiness and sin. He has pledged himself to give heed to our cry.
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  The honor of his throne is staked for the fulfillment of his word.
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  Unto us. Like Aaron, who symbolize Christ, our Savior bears the names
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  of all his people on his heart. In the holy Place, our great
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  High Priest remembers all the words by which he has encouraged us to trust.
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  He is ever mindful of his covenant. All who seek of him shall find.
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  All who knocked will have the door open to them. The excuse will
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  not be made trouble me not. The door is closed. I do not
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  wish to open it. Never will one be told I cannot help you.
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  Those who beg at midnight for loaves to feed the hungry souls will be successful
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  in the parable. He who asks bread for the stranger receives as many as
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  he needeth. And in what measure will God impart to us that we may
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  impart to others according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Angels are
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  watching with intense interest to see how man is dealing with his fellow men.
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  When they see one manifest christ like sympathy for the erring, they press to
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  his side and bring to his remembrance words to speak that will be as the
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  bread of life to the soul. So God shall supply all your need according
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  to His riches and glory. By Christ Jesus, your testimony in its genuineness
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  and reality, He will make powerful in the power of the life to come.
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  The word of the Lord will be your mouth as truth and righteousness.
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  Personal effort for others should be preceded by much secret prayer, for it requires
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  great wisdom to understand the science of saving souls. Before communicating with men,
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  commune with Christ at the throne of heavenly grace. Obtain a preparation for ministering
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  to the people. Let your heart break for the longing it has for God.
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  For the living God, the life of Christ has shown what humanity can
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  do by being partaker of the divine nature. All that Christ received from God.
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  We two may have, then ask and receive with the persevering faith of
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  Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of Elijah, claim for yourself all that God
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  has promised. Let the glorious conceptions of God possess your mind. Let your
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  life be knit by hidden links to the life of Jesus. He who commanded
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  the light to shine out of darkness, is willing to shine in your heart,
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  to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. In
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  the face of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will take the things of God
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  and show them unto you, conveying them as a living power into the obedient
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  heart. Christ will lead you to the threshold of the infinite. You may
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  behold the glory beyond the veil, and reveal to men the sufficiency of Him
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  whoever liveth to make intercession for us. End of Chapter twelve.