The Prayers of the Prodigal: Part VI

Tip! Prayer, as taught by Jesus in its principal expression, enters into all the relations of life. It purifies fellowship.

Life is primarily for the glory of God. "...Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Any spending of life or using of life's gifts or the gifts of the Spirit for selfish or ignoble purposes is wasting your substance in riotous living. You must know there is much riotous living aside from the night-clubs, road-houses, amusement halls and such places. The misuse or abuse of the gifts of life or the Spirit makes riotous living in an Assembly, home or the private life of a Christian. So let us look out and mind our step and don't feel too smug--take a little inventory now before you begin to smell a pigpen.

I never saw the possibility of such an experience befalling a Christian until one day in my study the Lord directed me to Paul's letter to the Corinthian Church. Time will not allow me to make a study of this situation and to run, as it were, an analogy between the prodigal son and the Corinthian. Nevertheless, by a few suggestions you may detect it. This church, too, had prayed, "Give me, give me." And God had given her the portion of goods that befell her. She had the testimony that she came behind in no gift. But with all her gifts and power we find her in great need and difficulty until Paul has to write this corrective epistle to her.

What was the matter? The church at Corinth was wasting her substance in riotous living and had not prayed the second prayer, "Make me, make me." The building of Christian character had not kept up with the display of gifts. And that is very possible. We know this from the word Paul uses in the l5th chapter, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels," etc. The word though throws the whole matter into possibility. And Paul saw that was just what the matter was. The motives hack of the use and display of the gifts were wrong. The gifts were right and were of God but the way was selfish and not to God's glory. They had power--plenty of power and gifts--but the motive, love (born of true Christian character) was missing.

Tip! Prayer is no little thing, no selfish and small matter. It does not concern the selfish insignificant interests of one person. The littlest prayer expands out by the will of God till it touches all words, preserves all interests, and develops man's greatest wealth, and God's greatest good.

Therefore there were present in the church, unkindness. envy, vaunting, puffed-up spirits, unseemly conduct, provoked spirits, evil surmising, etc., etc., and yet there were gifts and manifestations wonderful to behold. Yes, there was plenty of riotous living and wasting of substance, so Paul shows them a better way. The thirteenth chapter is the better way, or law for the operation of the gifts. They were to have lives backed up by the transforming power of the Spirit. When the church learned to pray the second prayer, "Make me, make me," she became a glorious testimony and witness unto God.

Dear young people, for what are you praying? Are you still wanting things, things, thing -- Even the gifts of the Spirit merely for the sake of having them? Listen, I want you to have gifts, God wants you to have gifts (He even says to pray for them) but with all that, do remember to pray, "Make me, make me." Shall we not all afresh yield our hearts and lives more fully to His wonderful will that He may make us the witnesses He desires in this needy, perishing world?