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[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] BIBLE…

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[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] BIBLE STUDIES CONDUCTED BY PASTOR RUSSELL. WHO MAY PRAY, AND FOR WHAT? The Lo.on:—Luk e x i 1-1.1. The L.Oll :-Lu kp xi. 1-1. The Text:—"Ask. and it Iizill be given you: seek. and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luke xi 9. .J (',Ih usually proved a lone. On some oil, lie spent the entile night, in prayer God. How inconsistent that would have been if he himself were the Father, who for a time was with met! and outwardly ap- peared as "The Alan Christ JCSUM' But How consistent is the thought of Jesu- piayor to the Father when taken in connec- tion with his own declarations: "My Father is greater than I" (John xiv. 28) "1 came not to do mine own will, but the will of Jlini that sent me" (John vi. 38) Of mine own -ii,if I can do nothing; its I hear (of my Father), I judge" (John v. !J0). No doubt the disciples noted the Master's frequency in prayer, and the blessing which he received therefrom. Jesus by his example 1 augln them to desire the privilege of prayer. In due time they requested instruc- tion. saying, "Lord, teach us to pray." It is svell that we inquire who may pray. and for what titing. else we might be praying without authority, or proving amiss. it" St. James deeltres ,oiitc, do.—James iv. ;L There is a difference between worship, adoration, homage, and prayer. Any one may offer homage to tke Lord, or express thanks and appreciation. But ns for making requests of (Hod. prayers, this privilege il distinctly limited. The Jews were privileged to offer prayer, becau.se they were in typical relationship with God under the Law Cove- nant. But the (/entiles had no privilege <r: approaching God in prayer until utter tli" Jewish favour had ended—three and a }I< I' years after Jesus' crucifixion. THE PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER. The first Gentile whose prayers wr-re re- ceived. according to tke Bible. was Cor- nelius, and even his prayers Mere not accept- able until he had been instructed respecting Christ and his redemptive work end had be- come a follower of Je.sus. Then his prayer- aud his consecration were acceptable to the Father, and he was received into (red's family. Then as a son he had the right or privilege of prayer.- Acts x. :¿.'i-18, So while any one may offer worship and v(.voteuce to God. none is privileged to pray tuiless he has become a consecrated disciple of Jesus, except it be the immature children of such consecrated parents. All over tic world, to-dav's lesson will be misinterpreted. "OHr Father," will be misin- terpreted to signify "the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man." The fact that Ihese were consecrated disciples. and not mankind in general, who were instructed to prav "Our Father." will be ignored. There is a general tendency to ignore per- sonal faith in the redeem in.? blood—to ignore the fact that ito Tiiiii cometh unto the Father but by the Son (John xiv. (j). Adam indeed was created a "on of God. but his disobedience and death sentence can- celled the relationship, which cannot be re- stored except in God's appointed way— throng!) Christ. Prayer is a wonderful p-vileo;c. It is not for sinners. but fo,. t hose justified by the great Advocate whom the Father has a ppointed—Jesus. "AFTER TIIIS MANNER PRAY." The model prayer which Jesus gave his followers is grandly simple, and is compre- hensive of ail who are truly the Lord's iii tti.v t-litss-wt,, it, c)itr. It Is liii- .se'u.-h. in that it is not a prayer for ezti-tlilv blessings. Only one petition, Hin us this day our daily bread," can be construed to apply to even the .simplest earthiv blessings, and this way also be understood to signify mere particularly spiritual nourishment. The prayer opens with a reverent ac knovv- ledgment of the greatness- and snored nes^ of the Heavenly Father's name. or cha- racter. Next comes an acknowledgment of faith in God's promise that eventually 11 is Kingdom will be established in the earth, and will overthrow tlt(, si -,I i I- (I death which lias prevailed for six thou-, and years, and will biy.,d Sat,iii. f)f tips world (Rev. xx. l-.M. The petition, "Thv Kingdom come," not only manifc-ts faiill in nod's promisp to establish righteous- ness I)iit It tii,,t till?, siii)- )i'i.t i.? i.i his heart in sympsilhy with (Sod ?illf] (.I!t 1; sympathy with till, of Satan and evil. The next petition i,. "Thv will ?? ?')]? CM earth, as it is doncn' Heaven." This :don' as it i, dolie ill promise His Kiii!zdoivt will not Lp a fnHm)' that Satan will be bound, that the reign or »:>i and death will end: that the light of tic k'■ 'viedge of the glorv of God will rill tlit, w!"»> earth and triumph, destroying all wilful opnoscrs. OUR DAILY BREAD. The request for daily bread implies our realisation that our sustenance both tem- poral and spiritual, must come from God; ami refraining to if particular kind of food implies not. only a desire on our part, but a. full resignation to the provision .'1' Divine wisdom. Whan i lie justified prav. "Forgive u ■> our --passes," they do not refer to original -ia for they were freed from thai conriem,- uation in their justification. By trespasses are signified those unintentional imperfec- tions which appertain to all and which all Jesus' followers are striving to overcome. The request that .we shall have forgiveness of our blemishes as we are generous and for- giving toward those who trespass against us is a reminder of the general terms of our re- lationship with God. We cannot grow in g.acc and abide in the sunshine of (bid's favour except as Ave cultivate the spirit of l>.ve. which is the spirit of God—a forgiving spirit, a generous spirit, in oar dealings with others. "Abandon us not in temptation" indicates that we are aware we are surrounded by the powers of evil, and that as New Creatures we would be unable to withstand these successfully except as we have Divine aid. "Deliver us from the Evil One" is a recog- nition that Satan is our great Adversary: aeii that we are on the alert to resist him, and vtt realise our ncolci of Divim' help. "Wewrestle not with flesh and bleed (n"r-ly). but with wicked spirit. in high yi. 12. ASK. SEEK. KNOCK—AND RECEIVE. In the concluding verges of the Study, Jce.us admonishes that the prayer should be '.vith fervency or earnestness, and not be i:ie:eiy lifeless, formal words. lie gave the I illustration of the man who at first refused to be disturbed, eveii hy his. friend, but was finally moved by the earnestness of his frioxTs petition. So wh?n?c pray for Gcd'8 Kingdom to come and His?))) to be done, I wc are not to think thnt?nr prayers are 11J- h('cd?d. We are praying in hnrmn?y wi?h the Diviue promise; and although we are not hastening the Kingdom hy onr prayers, We are entering into a blessing of r. si through faiih l>v continually bringing before our minds these premises of God. and thus waiting upon the Lord for their fuiK'nunt. What ('?d rp?ny wishes to ??.'p His 'people- is His Holy Spirit. Because of the imper- fections of the flesh none of us can be filled with the Spirit at first, as w," our perfect M-sfer. But as we come to Grd desiring to I.* filled with His Spirit, desiring to be in Hi< eh:'actor-likeness, hv the seeking we find, and to our knocking the doer is opened. Nor should we he afraid that our Heavenly Father would give us any evil answer to our requests. Would an earthly parent give to a hungry child a stone when it asked for bread? a serpent when it asked for a fish? a scorpion when it asked for an egg? Surelv not! We are to know that our Heavenly Fnther is much better than we. much more just and loving: and that He de- lights t"> give His g-cod gifts, His Holy Q rit. to those consecrated disciples of Jesus who earnestly seek it.

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