Satan Laughs at our Toiling, Mocks at our Wisdom, but Trembles When We Pray

Tip! “Asking of God” and “receiving” from the Lord - direct request to God, immediate connection with God - that is true prayer.

Fellow-Christians, it is time for us to wake up! The devil is blinding our eyes. He is endeavoring to prevent us from facing this question of prayer. These articles are written by special request. I have been told that the books and articles I have written are not the truth by people who have not studied the Holy Bible. But it has been many months since that request came. Every attempt to begin to write has been frustrated, and even now I am conscious of a strange reluctance to do so. There seems to be some mysterious power restraining my hand and my mind.

Do we realize that there is nothing the devil dreads so much as prayer? His great concern is to keep us from praying. He loves to see us "up to our eyes" in work — provided we do not pray. He does not fear because we are eager and earnest Bible students — provided we are little in prayer.

Someone has wisely said, "Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray." All this is so familiar to us — but do we really pray? If not, then failure must dog our every footstep, at whatever signs of apparent success there may be.

Tip! Our ability to work for God, and to pray to God, and live for God, and affect others for God, will be dependent on the measure of the Holy Spirit received by us, dwelling in us, and working through us.

Let us never forget that the greatest thing we can do for God or for man is to pray; for we can accomplish far more by our prayers than by our work. Prayer is omnipotent; it can do anything that God can do! When we pray God goes to work. All fruitfulness in service is the outcome of prayer — of the worker's prayers, or of those who are holding up holy hands on his behalf. We all know how to pray, but perhaps many of us need to cry as the disciples did of old, "Lord, teach us to pray."

O Lord, by Whom ye come to God,

The Life, the Truth, the Way,

The path of prayer Thyself hast trod;

Lord, teach us now to pray.

Do I Really Believe that Prayer is a Power? Is Prayer the Greatest Power on Earth, or is it Not?

Tip! THE possibilities of prayer are gauged by faith in God's ability to do. Faith is the one prime condition by which God works.

Now, dare we face this question of prayer? It seems a foolish query, for is not prayer a part and parcel of all religions? Yet we venture to ask you our readers to look at this matter fairly and squarely.

Do I really believe that prayer is a power? Is prayer the greatest power on earth, or is it not? Does prayer indeed "move the Hand that moves the world"? Do God's prayer-commands really concern Me? Do the promises of God concerning prayer still hold good? We have all been muttering to ourselves "Yes — Yes — Yes" as we read these questions. We dare not say "No" to any one of them. And yet — !

Has it ever occurred to you that our Lord never gave an unnecessary or an optional command? Do we really believe that our Lord never made a promise which He could not, or would not, fulfill? Our Savior's three great commands for definite action were: —

Pray ye

Do this

Go ye!

Are we obeying Him? How often His command, "Do this," is repeated by our preachers today!

One might almost think it was His only command! How rarely we are reminded of His bidding to "Pray" and to "Go." Yet, without obedience to the "Pray ye," it is of little or no use at all either to "Do this" or to "Go."

Tip! 1 Timothy 2:1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.

In fact, it can easily be shown that all want of success and all failure in the spiritual life and in Christian work, is due to defective or insufficient prayer. Unless we pray aright we cannot live aright or serve aright. This may appear, at first sight, to be gross exaggeration, but the more we think it over in the light that Scripture throws on it, the more convinced will we be of the truth of this statement.

Now, as we begin once more to see what the Bible has to say about this mysterious and wonderful subject, shall we endeavor to read some of our Lord's promises, as though we had never heard them before. What will the effect be?

Tip! “Asking of God” and “receiving” from the Lord - direct request to God, immediate connection with God - that is true prayer.

A few years ago I was studying this subject of prayer from the Holy Bible, and was having trouble understanding the full power available to me through prayer. As a merchant of a retail store, I had placed a large order form overseas and it had just arrived and I had to unload the container that day. A friend of mine had come over to help me unload the truck — burst into the room holding an open Bible in his hands. Although he had told me only a few weeks ago that his spiritual life in Christ was all dried up, he didn't enjoy going to church, and he would rather be in the world and live as the world does then as a convert to Christ.

That day when he told me this disturbing news, I promised him I would pray for him, that the Bible would come alive for him and that he would enjoy the Lord once again. I found out later that the Bible was, comparatively, a new book to him, he had never really read it and as a result he had be constantly making "discoveries."

Tip! “Intercession” is amplification in prayer; it is going out in broadness and fullness from ones self for others. Primarily, it does not center in praying for others, but refers to the freeness, boldness and childlike confidence in praying.

On that memorable day on which he invaded my office he cried excitedly — his face all aglow with mingled joy and surprise — "Do you believe this? Is it really true?" "Believe what?" I asked, glancing at the open Bible at the passage I had been studying with some astonishment. "Why, this — "and he read in eager tones from Matthew 21:21, 22: "‘If ye have faith and doubt not . . . all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.' Do you believe it? Is it true?" "Yes," I replied, with much surprise at his excitement, "of course it's true — of course I believe it."

Yet, through my mind there flashed all manner of thoughts! "Well, that's a very wonderful promise," said he. "It seems to me to be absolutely limitless! Why don't we pray more?" And he went on to tell me how much he loved the Lord and thanked me for praying for him before he left the room, leaving me thinking hard. I had never looked at those verses in quite the same way as he had. As the door closed behind my eager once again follower of the Master, I had a vision of my Savior and His love and His power such as I never had before. I had a vision of a life of prayer — yes, and "limitless" power, which I saw depended upon two things only — faith and prayer. For the moment I was thrilled.

I fell on my knees, and as I bowed before my Lord what thoughts surged through my mind — what hopes and aspirations flooded my soul! God was speaking to me in an extraordinary way. This was a great call to prayer. But — to my shame be it said — I heeded not that call.

Where did I fail? True, I prayed a little more than before, but nothing much seemed to happen.

Tip! One warning you should bear in mind in the matter of prayer is the negligence of this great resource. We often neglect prayer until we get into some major trouble; and then suffocating with fear, we rush into some shallow appeal to God only to realize that our prayers are not accepted which is due to the fact that we do not even believe that those very prayers would be accepted in the first place.

Why? Was it because I did not see what a high standard the Savior requires in the inner life of those who would pray successfully? Was it because I had failed to measure up my life to the "perfect love" standard so beautifully described in the thirteenth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians?

For, after all, prayer is not just putting into action good resolutions "to pray." Like David, we need to cry, "Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Psa. 51.) before we can pray aright. And the inspired words of the Apostle of Love need to be heeded today as much as ever before: "Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, we have boldness toward God; and [then] whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him" (I John 3:21).

Tip! “Supplication” is the very soul of prayer in the way of pleading for some one thing, very much needed, and the need intensely felt.

"True — and I believe it." Yes, indeed, it is a limitless promise, and yet how little we realize it, how little we claim from Christ. And our Lord "marvels" at our unbelief. But if we could only read the Gospels for the first time, what an amazing book it would seem! Should not we "marvel" and "wonder"? And today I pass on that great call to you. Will you give heed to it? Will you profit by it? Or shall it fall on deaf ears and leave you prayer-less?

We Are Never as High as When We are On Our Knees in Real Prayer

Tip! So it is the same elsewhere in the Holy Bible (James 1:5) we have “asking” put into view as a prayer: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and upbraiding [scolding somebody] not, and it shall be given him.

Surely there is nothing as completely astonishing as a practically prayer-less Christian? These are eventful and ominous days. In fact, there are many evidences that these are "the last days" in which God promised to pour out His Spirit — the Spirit of supplication — upon all flesh (Joel 2:28). Yet the vast majority of professing Christians hardly know what "supplication" means; and very many of our churches not only have no prayer-meeting, but most of the time with no shame condemn such meetings, and even ridicule them.

Don't get me wrong, there are many churches that, recognizing the importance of worship and prayer, however the people expect the clergy to read prayers in Church every morning and evening. But when this is done, isn't it often in an empty church? And are not the prayers frequently raced through at a pace that prevents real worship? "Common prayer," at its best is to often said automatically and rather vague and unclear.

And what about those churches where the old-fashioned weekly prayer-meeting is retained? Would not "weakly" be the more appropriate word? C. H. Spurgeon had the joy of being able to say that he conducted a prayer-meeting every Monday night "which scarcely ever numbers less than from a thousand to twelve hundred attendants."

My brothers and sisters, have we ceased to believe in prayer? If you still hold your weekly gathering for prayer, is it not a fact that the very great majority of your church members never come near it? Yes, and never even think of coming near it. Why is this? Whose fault is it?

"Only a prayer-meeting" — how often we have heard this remark!

How many of those reading these words really enjoy a prayer-meeting? Is it a joy or just a duty? Please forgive me for asking so many questions and for pointing out what appears to be a perilous weakness and a regrettable shortcoming in our churches. We are not out to criticize — far less to condemn. Anybody can do that. Our longing desire is to stir up Christians "to take hold of" God, as never before. We wish to encourage, to en-hearten, uplifting. We are never as high as when we are on our knees.

Tip! An effective prayer life can have a huge impact on not only our own individual life, but on the lives of those around us. Through prayer we can have an impact on our local community, our country and the world.

Criticize? Who dare criticize another? When we look back on the past and remember how much prayerlessness there has been in own life, words of criticism of others fade away on the lips. But we believe the time has come when a trumpet call to the individual and to the Church is needed — a call to prayer.

We May Be Assured of This — The Secret of All Failure is Our Failure in Secret Prayer

Tip! The person who prays, has a belief that they will receive an answer. The prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient.

"GOD Wondered." This is a very remarkable thought! The very idea ought to unquestionably catch the attention of every sincere Christian man, woman and child. A wondering God! Why, how astounded we should be if we knew what the cause of God's "wonder" was! Yet we don't give it a second thought and think of it to be, apparently, a very little thing. But if we stopped for a moment and were willing to consider the matter carefully, we would discover it to be one of the greatest if not the most important thought to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else is so earth-shattering — so vital — to our spiritual welfare.

God "wondered that there was no intercessor" (Isaiah 59:16) — ‘none to interpose" (R.V., marg.). But this was in the days of long ago, before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ "full of grace and truth" — before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power, "helping our infirmity," "Himself making intercession for us" and in us (Romans. 8:26). Yes, way before the truly amazing promises of our Savior regarding prayer; even before people knew very much about prayer at all; this was in the days when sacrifices for their sins appeared larger in their eyes than supplication for other sinners.

Tip! Prayer is always and everywhere an immediate and confiding approach to, and a request of, God the Father.

Oh, just think how great must be God's "wonder" today! For there are only a few present among us who know what prevailing prayer really is and what it means! Every one of us would confess that we believe in prayer, but yet how many of us truly believe in the power of, prayer? Now, before we go a step farther, may I as the writer most earnestly plead with you not to read quickly what is contained in these articles? Much — very much — depends upon the way in which every reader receives what is written here. Because everything depends upon prayer.

Why are so many Christians living defeated lives today? Because they pray so little or not at all. Why are so many church-workers often discouraged and disheartened? Because they pray so little. Why do most pastors and missionaries see so few brought "out of darkness to light" by their ministry? Because they pray so little. Why are not our churches simply on fire for God? Because there is so little real prayer. Why is your business failing or not showing a profit? How often and fervent do you truly pray for your business?

Tip! What is God’s will about prayer? First of all, it is God’s will that we pray. Jesus Christ “spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”

The Lord Jesus is as powerful today as He was before and will be tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). The Lord Jesus is as anxious for people to be saved as ever before. He wants us as His children to prosper both in ministry, business and life. He wants us to live the abundant life. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save us: but He cannot stretch out His arm unless we pray more — and more honestly from the heart.

We may be guaranteed of this — the secret of all failure is our failure in secret prayer.

If God "wondered" in the days of Isaiah, we need not be surprised to find that in the days of His flesh our Lord "marveled." He marveled at the unbelief of some — unbelief which actually prevented Him from doing any mighty work in their cities (Mark 6:6). But we must remember that those who were guilty of this unbelief saw no beauty in Him that they should desire Him, or believe on Him. What then must His "marvel" be today, when He sees in the midst of us those who do truly love and adore Him, and so few who really "stir themselves up to take hold of God" (Isaiah 64:7).

Psalms 37:7-20 Less is More and More is Less

Quiet down before GOD, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.
Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes--it only makes things worse.
Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; GOD-investors will soon own the store.
Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and--nothing!

Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza.
Bad guys have it in for the good guys, obsessed with doing them in.
But GOD isn't losing any sleep; to him they're a joke with no punch line.
Bullies brandish their swords, pull back on their bows with a flourish. They're out to beat up on the harmless, or mug that nice man out walking his dog.

A banana peel lands them flat on their faces-- slapstick figures in a moral circus.
Less is more and more is less. One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are GOD-strong.
GOD keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won't soon be forgotten.
In hard times, they'll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.
God-despisers have had it; GOD's enemies are finished-- Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air.

Faith is the Business of Calling Things that Are Not, as Though They Were

Psalm 36:1-4 -

A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He plots mischief while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he spurns not evil.

From this psalm our hearts should be duly affected with hatred towards sin, and seek satisfaction in God's loving-kindness. Here is the root of bitterness, from which all the wickedness of wicked people comes from. It takes rise from contempt of God, and the want of due regard to him. Also from the deceit they put on their own souls. Let us every day beg our God to preserve us from self-flattery. Sin is very hurtful to the sinner themselves, and therefore ought to be hated; but it is not so. It is no marvel, if those that deceive themselves, seek to deceive all humankind; to whom will they be true, who are false to their own souls? It is bad to do mischief, but worse to devise it, to do it with a plot and administration. If we willingly throw out holy meditations in our private hours, Satan will soon occupy our minds with sinful imaginations. Hardened sinners stand to what they have done, as though they could justify it before God himself.

Psa 36:5-12 -

Thy steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds.
Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God, thy judgments are like the great deep; man and beast thou savest, O LORD.
How precious is thy steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of thy wings.
They feast on the abundance of thy house, and thou givest them drink from the river of thy delights.
For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light do we see light.
O continue thy steadfast love to those who know thee, and thy salvation to the upright of heart!
Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the evildoers lie prostrate, they are thrust down, unable to rise.

People may shut up their compassion, yet, with God we will find mercy. This is a great comfort to all believers, plainly to be seen, and not ever to be taken away. God does all wisely and well; but what He does we do not understand now, there will be time enough to know in the hereafter, heaven or hell.

God's loving-kindness is precious to the saints. They put themselves under His protection, and then are safe and easy. Gracious souls, though still desiring more of God, never desire more than God. The gifts of Providence so far satisfy them, that they are content with such things as they have now. The benefit of holy ordinances is sweet to a sanctified soul, and strengthening to the spiritual and Divine life. But full satisfaction is reserved for the future state in heaven. Their joys will be constant.

God not only works in them a gracious desire for these pleasures, but by His Spirit fills their souls with joy and peace in believing. He quickens whom He will; and whoever will, may come, and take from Him of the waters of life freely.

May we know, and love, and uprightly serve the Lord; then no proud enemy, on earth or from hell, shall separate us from His love. Faith calls things that are not, as though they were. It carries us forward to the end of time; it shows us the Lord, on His throne of judgment; the empire of sin fallen to rise no more.

Who is in the Business of Rescuing Us?

Psa 35:1-10 -

A Psalm of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help!
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your deliverance!"
Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and confounded who devise evil against me!
Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them on!
Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
Let ruin come upon them unawares! And let the net which they hid ensnare them; let them fall therein to ruin!
Then my soul shall rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his deliverance.
All my bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like thee, thou who deliverest the weak from him who is too strong for him, the weak and needy from him who despoils him?"


It is not a new thing for the most righteous people, and for the most righteous cause, to meet up with enemies. This is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the Seed of the woman. David in his afflictions, Christ in His sufferings, the church under persecution and the Christian in the hour temptation, all pray to the Almighty to appear in their behalf, and to vindicate their cause.

We are apt to justify our uneasiness at the injuries people do us, by our never having given them a cause to use us so wrongly; but this should put us at ease, because when we pray to God for help, then we can be all the more expectant that God will plead our cause. David prayed to God to clear himself in his trial. Let me have inward comfort under all outward troubles, to support my soul. If God, by His Spirit, witness to our spirits that He is our salvation, we don’t need any more to make us happy; that is if God is our Friend, no matter who our enemy is.

By the Spirit of prophecy, David foretells the just judgments of God that would come on his enemies for their great wickedness. These are predictions; they look forward, and show the doom of the enemies of Christ and His kingdom. We must not desire or pray for the ruin of any enemies, except for our lusts and the evil spirits that would scope our destruction.

A traveler overtaken by night on a bad road is an expressive symbol of a sinner walking in the slippery and dangerous ways of temptation. But David having committed his cause to God did not doubt his own deliverance.

The bones are the strongest parts of the body. The psalmist here proposes to serve and glorify God with all his strength. If such language may be applied to outward salvation, how much more will it apply to heavenly things in Christ Jesus!

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Psa 35:11-16 -

Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I know not.
They requite me evil for good; my soul is forlorn.
But I, when they were sick-- I wore sackcloth, I afflicted myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,
as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; I went about as one who laments his mother, bowed down and in mourning.
But at my stumbling they gathered in glee, they gathered together against me; cripples whom I knew not slandered me without ceasing;
they impiously mocked more and more, gnashing at me with their teeth.


Calling a person ungrateful and you can call them nothing worse: this was the character of David's enemies. Herein he was acting as a type of Christ. David shows how tenderly he had behaved towards them in difficulties. We should grieve for the sins of those who do not express grief for themselves. We will not lose by the good things we do for any of them, no matter how ungrateful they may be to us. Let us learn to possess our souls in patience and meekness like David, or better yet, after Christ's example.

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Psa 35:17-28 -

How long, O LORD, wilt thou look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my life from the lions!
Then I will thank thee in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise thee.
Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they conceive words of deceit.
They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! our eyes have seen it!"
Thou hast seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
Bestir thyself, and awake for my right, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me!
Let them not say to themselves, "Aha, we have our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."
Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!
Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad, and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!"
Then my tongue shall tell of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.


Though the people of God are, and have learned to be, calm, yet it has been common practice for their enemies to devise deceitful issues against them. David prays, my soul is in danger, Lord, rescue it; it belongs to You the Father of spirits, therefore claim Your own; it is Yours, save it! Lord, be not far from me, as if I were a stranger. He who is exalted as the once suffering Redeemer, will appear for all his people: the roaring lion will not destroy their souls, any more than he could that of Christ, their Surety. God’s people trust their souls in His hands, they are one with Him by faith, are precious in His sight, and will be rescued from destruction, that they may give thanks to Him that is in heaven.

Come, O People, listen to Me, I Will Teach You the Fear of the LORD.

Psalms 34:11-22

Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked; and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Let young persons set out in life with learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here on earth and eternal happiness in heaven. Those will be the most happy are the ones that begin the earliest to serve so good a Master. We all aim to be happy. Surely for this we must look further than the present world; for a person’s life on earth consists but of only a few days, and those are full of trouble. What people are they that would see the good in that if all happiness is perfect? Sadly! Few have this good in their thoughts. That faith promises best which creates watchfulness over the heart and over the tongue.

It is not enough not to do harm, we must learn to be useful, and to live to some purpose; we must seek peace and pursue it; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal for peace' sake. It is the constant practice of real believers, when in distress, to cry out to God, and it is their constant comfort that He hears them.

The righteous are humbled because of sin, and in their own eyes they are low. Nothing is more needful in becoming to true godliness than a contrite heart, broken off from all pride and self-confidence. In this type of soil every grace will flourish, and nothing can encourage such a person but the free, rich grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The righteous are taken under the special protection of the Lord, yet they have their share of troubles in this world, and there are those that hate them. Both from the mercy of Heaven, and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must be many. But whatever troubles take place, they will not hurt their souls, for God keeps them from sinning in times of troubles. No person is isolated, except them to whom God has forsaken.

Those That Trust in the Lord Will Not Want, and with Quietness Work, and Mind Their Own Business.

Psa 34:1-10

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and be glad.
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want!
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

If we hope to spend eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend much of our time here in this work. He never said to any one, Seek ye me in vain. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; many besides him have looked unto the Lord by faith and prayer, and it has wonderfully revived and comforted them.

When we look to the world, we are perplexed, and at a loss. But on looking to Christ, our whole salvation is dependent on Him, and all things that are needful also. This poor person, whom no one looks at with any respect, or looks after with any concern, was yet welcome to the throne of grace; the Lord heard them, and saved them out of all their troubles. The holy angels minister to the saints, and stand for them against the powers of darkness. All the glory is to the Lord of the angels.

By taste and sight we both make discoveries, and have enjoyment; Taste and see God's goodness; take notice of it, and take in the comfort of it. He makes all truly blessed that trust in Him. As to the things of heaven, they will have grace sufficient for the support of spiritual life; even so as in this life, they will have what is necessary from the hand of God. Paul had all, and abounded, because he was content, (Phi. 4:11-18) those who trust in themselves, and think their own efforts sufficient for them, will always be in want; but they will be fed who trust in the Lord. Those will not want, who with quietness work, and mind their own business.

Thankful Praise is the Business and Language of Holy Joy

Psalms 33:1-11

Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song, play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood forth.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to naught; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

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Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise and worship and this is here impressed on the righteous to perform. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. Religious songs are proper expressions of thankful praise. Every gift we possess should be employed with all our skill and earnestness in God's service. His promises are all wise and good. His word is right, and therefore we are only in the right when we agree with it. His works are all done in truth. He is the righteous Lord, therefore He loves righteousness. What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of the proofs and instances of God's goodness, should be so empty of His praises; and that of the multitudes who live on His bounty, there are so few who live to His glory! What the Lord does, He do for a purpose; it stands fast. He overrules all the counsels of people, and makes them serve His counsels; even that which is fulfilled, which to us is most surprising, the eternal counsel of God, nor can any thing prevent its coming to pass.

Psalms 33:12-22

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
The LORD looks down from heaven, he sees all the sons of men;
from where he sits enthroned he looks forth on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
Yea, our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
Let thy steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

* * * *

All the motions and operations of the souls of people that no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in His hand; He formed the spirit of each person within them. All the powers of the creature depend on Him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without Him. If we make God's favor sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to Him the glory of His special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of His name proceeds from a believing hope in His mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and His wrath must hope in God and His mercy; for there is no flying from Him, but by flying to Him.

PRAYER:
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; let us always have the comfort and benefit, not according to our merits, but according to the promise which You have in Your Word given to us, and according to the faith You have by Your Spirit and grace fashioned in us.In Jesus' name, Amen.

The True and Only Way to Peace of Conscience

Psalms 32:1-2 says:

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Sin is the cause of our misery; but the true believer's transgressions of the Divine law are all forgiven, being covered with the atonement. Christ bare our sins, therefore they are not imputed to us. The righteousness of Christ being reckoned to us, and we being made the righteousness of God in Him, our iniquity is not imputed, God having laid upon Him the iniquity of us all, and made Him a sin-offering for us. Not to impute sin, is God's act, for He is the Judge. It is God that justifies. Notice the character of those whose sins are pardoned; they are sincere, and seek sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not profess to repent, with an intention to indulge in sin again, because the Lord is ready to forgive. We will not abuse the doctrine of free grace. And to the person whose iniquity is forgiven, all manner of blessings are promised.

Psalms 32:3-7 says:

When I declared not my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of
summer. [Selah]
I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my
transgressions to the LORD"; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. [Selah]
Therefore let every one who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of
great waters, they shall not reach him.
Thou art a hiding place for me, thou preserves me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with deliverance. [Selah]

It is very difficult to bring sinful people humbly to accept free mercy, with a full confession of our sins and self-condemnation. But the true and only way to peace of conscience, is, to confess our sins, that they may be forgiven; to declare them that we may be justified. Although repentance and confession do not merit the pardon of transgression, they are needful to the real enjoyment of forgiving mercy. And what tongue can tell the happiness of that hour, when the soul, oppressed by sin, is enabled freely to pour out its sorrows before God, and to take hold of His covenanted mercy in Christ Jesus! Those that would speed in prayer must seek the Lord, when, by His providence, He calls them to seek Him, and, by His Spirit, stirs them up to seek Him. In a time of finding, when the heart is softened with grief, and burdened with guilt; when all human refuge fails; when no rest can be found to the troubled mind, then it is that God applies the healing balm by His Spirit.

Psalms 32:8-11

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not keep with you.
Many are the pangs of the wicked; but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the
LORD.
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

God teaches by His Word, the Holy Bible and guides with the secret intimations of His will. David gives a word of caution to sinners. The reason for this caution is that the way of sin will certainly end in sorrow. Here is a word of comfort to saints. They may see that a life of communion with God is far the most pleasant and comfortable. Let us rejoice, O Lord Jesus, in thee, and in thy salvation; so shall we rejoice indeed.

Spiritual, Physical and Intellectual Prosperity is Achievable

God’s movement to bring Israel out of the Egyptian bondage had its inception in prayer. I am totally amazed that even early in the life of Israel God and the human race put the fact of prayer as one of the granite forces on which His world movements were to be based. But then we read in the Holy Bible where God “is the same yesterday, today and forever”, so why should we be surprised.

Hannah’s petition for a son began a great prayer movement for God in Israel. Praying women, whose prayers like those of Hannah, can give to the cause of God men like Samuel, do more for the Church and the world than all the politicians on earth. Men born of prayer are the saviors of the state, and men saturated with prayer give life and drive to the Church. Under God they are saviors and helpers of both Church and state.

We must believe that the divine record of the facts about prayer and God are given in order that we might be constantly reminded of Him, and be ever refreshed by the faith that God holds His Church for the entire world, and that God’s purpose will be fulfilled. His plans concerning the Church will most assuredly and inevitably be carried out. That record of God has been given without doubt that we may be deeply impressed that the prayers of God’s saints are a great factor, a supreme factor, in carrying forward God’s work, with skill and in time.

When the Church is in the condition of prayer God’s cause always flourishes and His kingdom on earth always triumphs. When the Church fails to pray, God’s work decays and evil of every kind prevails. In other words, God works through the prayers of His people, and when they fail Him at this point in prayer, decline and deadness are the result. It is according to the divine plans that spiritual prosperity comes through the prayer-channel. Praying saints are God’s agents for carrying on His saving and beneficial work on earth. If His agents fail Him, neglecting to pray, then His work fails. Praying agents of the Most High are always forerunners of spiritual, physical and intellectual prosperity.

PRAYER IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GOD

Isaiah 58:9 Then when you pray, GOD will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' "If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins,
Isaiah 58:14 Then you'll be free to enjoy GOD! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! GOD says so! (MSG)

IT must never be forgotten that Almighty God rules this world. He is not an absentee God. His hand is always on the throttle of human affairs. He is everywhere present in the distress of time. “His eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men.” He rules the world just as He rules the Church by prayer. This message needs to be emphasized, repeated and retold to all people in these modern days and brought to recognize the increasing force on the main beliefs of this generation whose eyes have no vision for the eternal things, whose ears are deaf toward God.

Nothing is more important to God than prayer in dealing with humankind. But it is likewise all-important for people to pray. Failure to pray is failure along the whole line of life. It is failure of duty, service, and spiritual progress. God must help people by prayer. They, who do not pray, therefore, robs themselves of God’s help and places God where He cannot help them. They must pray to God if love for God is to exist. Faith and hope, and patience and all the strong, beautiful, vital forces of goodness are withered and dead in a prayer-less life. The life of the individual believer, their personal salvation, and personal Christian graces has their being, bloom and fruits in prayer.

All this and much more can be said as to the necessity of prayer to the being, and culture of faithfulness in the individual. But prayer has a larger sphere, a more required duty, a loftier motivation. Prayer concerns God, whose purposes and plans are conditioned on prayer. His will and His glory are bound up in praying. The days of God’s splendor and renown have always been the great days of prayer. God’s great movements in this world have been conditioned on, continued and fashioned by prayer. God has put Himself in these great movements just as people have prayed. Present, prevailing, conspicuous and mastering prayer has always brought God to be present. The real and obvious test of a genuine work of God is the prevalence of the spirit of prayer. God’s mightiest forces surcharge and impregnate a movement when prayer’s mightiest forces are there.

The Business of Persevering Prayer Can Change Evil Into Good

What force can so affect and dominate evil that the very results of evil will be changed into good? We have the answer in Paul’s words, in connection with the prayers made for him:

“Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together in prayer for us. What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and therein I do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”

We can see how the promises of God are made real and personal by prayer. “All things work together for good to them that love God.” This is a jeweled promise. Paul loved God, but he did not leave the promise alone, as a matter of course, he had to work out its blessed results in prayer. That is why he wrote to the Corinthians this way, “I am in trouble. I trust in God to deliver. Ye also [are] helping together by prayer.” When we help each other by prayer, you help God to make the promises of His Word strong and rich and come to realization in our lives.

You can not just claim a promise from God and expect Him to deliver it. No, we must pray earnestly for it and ask other people to help by praying with you. Then we must trust God to work it out for our good and believe He will deliver. Sometimes the answer can happen instantly with out delay, or it can take many years. Just persevere in your prayers, and like Paul, keep requesting other people for their help in praying; then in just the right time you to can shout “All things work together for good to them that love God”!

Make Praying A Business of Praying

THERE are many requests of Paul for prayer for himself in the Holy Bible. Paul prayed much himself, and tried hard to stir up Christians to the crucial importance of the work of prayer. He deeply felt the need of prayer so much that he was in the habit of personal praying. Realizing this for himself, he pressed this priceless duty on others. Intercessory prayer, or the praying for others, had a high place in his estimate of prayer. It is no surprise that we find him throwing himself on the prayers of the churches to whom he wrote.

With all their devotion to Jesus Christ, in all their interest to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth, by all the love of their personal attachment to Jesus, he commands them to pray greatly, to pray continuously, to pray at all times, to pray in all things, and to make praying a business of praying. And then realizing his own dependence on prayer for his difficult duties, his painful trials and his heavy responsibilities, he urges those to whom he wrote to pray especially for him.

Here we have the head of the Apostles needing prayer. He needed the prayers of others, and for this he always is asking for their prayers. His calling to the apostleship did not lift him above this need. He realized and acknowledged his great dependence on prayer. He craved and prized the prayers of all good people. He was not ashamed to solicit prayers for himself or to urge the Christians everywhere to pray for him, in his time of need.

In writing to the Hebrews, he bases his request for prayer on two reasons, his honesty and his wish to visit them. If he were insincere, he could lay no claim to their prayers. By praying for him, this would be a powerful agent in aiding his visit to them. They would touch the secret place of the wind and the waves, and arrange all secondary agencies and make them minister to this end. Praying puts God in swiftness to do for us the things that we wish at His hands.

We are to judge the value of something by the frequency it is asking for, and by the special and urgent plea made about it. If that be true, then with Paul the prayers of the saints were among his greatest assets, because Paul’s frequent request of his brethren was that they would “pray for him.” This request was repeated over and over, “Pray for me,” Paul showed conclusively the great value he put on prayer as a means for receiving grace. Paul had no need so pressing as the need for prayer. There are no values as appreciated and appreciable as the prayers of the faithful.

Paul put the great factor of prayer as the great factor in his work. The most powerful and far-reaching energy in Paul’s estimate is prayer. He covets it and saved it as he seeks the prayers of God’s people. The earnestness of his soul goes out in these requests. Hear him in this statement for prayer he is writing to the Romans:

“I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers for me.”

Prayers by others for Paul were valuable because they helped him. Great helpers are people that pray for others. Nothing gives so much aid to us in our needs as real prayers. They supply our needs and deliver us from difficult situations. Paul’s faith, so he writes to the Corinthians, had been greatly tried, and he had been greatly helped and strengthened by God’s deliverance. “Ye also are helping by prayer.” What marvelous things has God done for His favored saints through the prayers of others! The saints can help the saints more by fervent praying than in any other way.

Are you praying for others? Do you ask others to pray for you?

Praying puts God in action to do for us the things that we desire at His hands.

Give Constant Attention to Prayer - Make It the Business of Life - Be Devoted To It

It is difficult to itemize or classify Paul’s praying. It is so comprehensive, so complete and lengthy, and yet so minute, that it is no easy task to do. Paul teaches us so much about prayer in his teachings. He specifically enforces the duty and necessity of prayer on the Church, but that which was better for Paul and better for us is that he himself prayed much and demonstrates his own teaching. He practiced what he preached. He put to the test the exercise of prayer which he urged on the people of his day.

To the Church at Rome he plainly and specifically stated with earnestness his habit of praying. This he wrote to those Roman believers:

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

Paul not only prayed for himself. He made it a practice to praying for others. He was preeminently an intercessor, as he urged intercessory prayer on others, so he interceded himself for others as well himself.

He begins that remarkable Epistle to the Romans in the spirit of prayer: He closes it with this solemn charge:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive with me in your prayers to God for me.”

But this is not all. In the very heart of that Epistle, he commands “Continuing instant in prayer.” That is, give constant attention to prayer. Make it the business of life. Be devoted to it. Just what he did himself, for Paul was a standing example of the doctrine of prayer which he advocated and pressed on the people.

In his Epistles to the Thessalonians, how all-inclusive and wonderful the praying! He says in writing his First Epistle to this Church:

“We give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in my prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope.”

It is worth while to read his words to this same Church of true believers further on:

“Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. Now God himself direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, even as we do toward you, to the end he may establish your hearts un-blamable in holiness before God, even our Father.”

And this sort of praying for these Thessalonian Christians is in direct line with that closing prayer for the believers in this Epistle, where he records that striking prayer for their entire sanctification:

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

How Paul did pray for those early Christians! They were in his mind and on his heart, and he was continually at it, “night and day praying exceedingly.” Oh, if we had a large number of preachers in these days of superficial faithfulness and in these times of prayerlessness, who were given completely to praying for their churches as, Paul did for those, to whom he ministered in

The Business of Obedience in Prayer

In obedience to a heavenly vision, Paul lands in Europe, and finds himself at Philippi. There is no synagogue, and few if any Jews are there. A few religious women, however, have a meeting place for prayer, and Paul is drawn by spiritual attraction and spiritual appeal to the place “where prayer is accustomed to be made.” And this was Paul’s first planting of the Gospel in Europe at that little prayer meeting. He is at this prayer meeting the principal praying person and the leading talker. Lydia was the first convert at that prayer meeting. They extended the meeting. They called it a meeting for prayer.

It was while they were going to that protracted prayer meeting that Paul performed the miracle of casting the devil of foretelling out of a poor demon-possessed girl, who had been made a source of profit by some jealous men, the results of which, by the magistrate’s orders, Paul was whipped and imprisonment. The result of this, by God’s orders was the conversion of the jailer and his whole household. To the praying apostle no discouragements are allowed. A few praying women are enough for a mission field of labor.

In this incident we have a picture of Paul at midnight. He is in the inner prison, dark and deadly. He has been severely and painfully beaten, his clothing is covered with blood, while there are blood clots on his pained and torn body. His feet are in the stocks, every nerve is feverish and swollen, sensitive and painful. But we find him under these very unfavorable and suffering conditions in his favorite pursuit. Paul is praying with Silas, his companion, in a joyous, triumphant twist. “And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was an earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken, and immediately all the doors were shaken; and every one’s ban was loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors opened, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled."

“But Paul cried out with a loud voice saying, Do thyself no harm; for we are all here.”

Never was prayer so beautiful, never more result-full. Paul was skilled at prayer, a lover of prayer, a wondrous devotee of prayer, who could pursue it with such joyous strains, under such conditions of misery and despair. What a mighty weapon of defense was prayer for Paul and how song-full! The angels, no doubt, silenced their highest and sweetest notes to listen to the music which bore those prayers to heaven. The earthquake crushes the path made by the mighty forces of Paul’s praying. He did not run out of the jail when his chains were shook loose, and the stocks fell off. His praying taught him that God had a nobler purposes that night than his own individual freedom His praying and the earthquake alarm was to bring salvation to that prison, freedom from the prison house of sin which was anticipated by him because of his body being released. God’s mighty providence had opened his prison door and had broken his prison bonds, not to give freedom, but to give freedom to the jailer. God’s providential openings are often to test our ability to stay rather than to go. It tested Paul’s ability to stay. How about yours?

A Life-Long Business

Praying is a business, a life-long business, one to be followed with diligence, fervor and work. The Christian’s business by way of preeminence is prayer. It is their most engaging, most heavenly, most lucrative business. Prayer is a business of such high and deserved dignity and import that it is to be followed “without ceasing.” That is, with no let up nor break down, followed industriously and without intermission. To prayer we are to give it all our strength. It must cover all things, be in every place, find itself in all seasons, and embrace everything, always, and everywhere.

According to Paul, “supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks” all these elements of prayer and forms of prayer are to be offered for people. Prayer is offered for things, for all things, for all earthly good, and for all spiritual good and grace, but in these directions Paul raises to the highest results and purposes of prayer. We are to be affected by prayer. Their good, their character, conduct and destiny are all involved in prayer. In this regard prayer moves along the highest way, and pursues its loftiest end. We are mindful and in agreement with things, with blessings, and bestowments, with matters and things that touch people, but people themselves are here set forth as the objects of prayer. This broadens and elevates prayer. People, through the whole sweep and range of their conditions, are to be held in the mighty grasp of prayer.

Prayer is the true test of character. Faithfulness to our conditions and trueness to our relations are often evinced by our prayerfulness. Some conditions give birth to prayer. They are the soil which germinates and perfects prayer. To pray under some circumstances seems very fitting. Not to pray in some conditions seems heartless and harsh. In the great storms of life, when we are helpless and without relief, the natural and advantageous condition is that we can go to our Father in prayer.

One of Paul’s striking injunctions worthy of study is this one, “continuing instant in prayer,” or as the Revised Version reads, “Continuing steadfast in prayer,” which is his description of prayer. The term means to wait, to remain, to be steadfast and faithful in prayer, to stick it out, to stay at it with strength to the end, to give attention to it with vigor, devotion and constancy, to give constant care to it.

So then, what is your business today? Does it require prayer? Continuing steadfast prayer?