God's Great Need for Prayer

Tip! Jesus said they were to do even greater works than He had achieved during His ministry in the world. Wow! Then our Master went on to show them that by praying in His Name, Jesus, this is the channel through which the authorized power is acquired to carry out the works that glorify our Father in the Son.

"GOD Wondered." This is a very striking thought! The very boldness of the idea ought surely to capture the attention of every earnest Christian man, woman and child. A wondering God! Why, how staggered we might well be if we knew the cause of God's "wonder"! Yet we find it to be, apparently, a very little thing. But if we are willing to consider the matter carefully, we will discover it to be one of the greatest possible importances to every believer on the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else is so momentous "so vital" to our spiritual welfare.

Isaiah 59:16 "He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him."

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, and even before the truly amazing promises of our Savior regarding prayer; before people knew very much about prayer; in the days when sacrifices for their sins loomed larger in their eyes than supplication for other sinners.

Oh, how great must be God's wonder today! For how few there are among us who know what prevailing prayer really is! Every one of us would confess that we believe in prayer, yet how many of us truly believe in the power of, prayer?

Now, before we go a step farther, I most earnestly plead with you not to read these words hurriedly. Much "very much" depends on the way in which every reader receives what is recorded here.

For everything depends on prayer.

Why are many Christians so often defeated? Because they pray so little and everything depends on prayer.

Why so many church-workers are often discouraged and disheartened? Could it be because they pray so little?

Why do most Christians see so few brought "out of darkness to light" by their ministry? It must be because they pray so little.

Tip! A person's character is always demonstrated in their behavior. The Savior again said,"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good ..." -- Luke 6:45

Why are not our churches simply on fire for God? Because prayer is not first in churches today and they pray so little.

The Lord Jesus is as powerful today as ever before. The Lord Jesus is as anxious for people to be saved as ever before. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save: but He cannot stretch out His arm unless we pray more - and more real prayer.