COMMUNION WITH GOD: PRAYER

301. Weary, anxious, & burdened with toil,
Martha is serving a meal for her Lord;
Mary, with love that no doubt can despoil,
Eagerly feedeth her soul on His Word.
Food for the body sustains for a day.
Food for the spirit will nourish alway.--Melvin J. Hill

302. Dr. Walter Wilson & a missionary friend were praying for a car which was greatly needed for the missionary's work in Africa. The missionary prayed, "O God, You know how badly I need a car for my work. Do, Lord, send me a car. Any kind of an old, ramshackle car will do!" Dr. Wilson interrupted. "Stop praying that way, brother! God is not in the junk business!"

303. When you awoke from sleep this morning,
Though the hour was rather late,
Did you stop to speak with Jesus,
And His benediction wait?
Did you thank Him for His mercy,
For His care through all the night,
That no evil had befallen,
That no tears now dim your sight?

Did you ask Him for the blessing
Of His presence through the day,
For His leading safely onward,
For His guiding, lest you stray?
Did you tell Him that you'd gladly
Go wherever He would lead;
That you'd try to do His bidding,
Helping every soul in need?

If you go without these blessings
As you start another day,
Be assured your strength will fail you,
And you'll faint along the way.
Oh, live closer to the Master;
For unless you're very near,
Words of Love He whispers to you
Will not reach your listening ear.

304. Two Senators were conversing in the anterom of the U.S. Capitol. They were discussing who was the better Christian. One said, "Humph, I bet you $10 you can't even recite the Lord's Prayer." "I bet you I can," replied the other. "Well, let's hear you," the first challenged. The other immediately intoned, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep..." The first Senator listened with amazement. "Here's your $10," he said, "I sure didn't think you knew it!"

305. Prayer does not need proof; it needs practice.

306. I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...
I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing that I asked for--but everything I had hoped for,
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

307. I keep in step with Jesus
And he keeps in step with me,
And so we walk together,
In perfect harmony.

--There's not an hour that passes,
There's not a day goes by,
But that we have sweet fellowship,
My precious Lord & I.

308. Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing.

309. One day a lady was giving her little nephew a lesson. He was generally a good, attentive child, but on this occasion he could not fix his mind on his work. Suddenly he said, "Auntie, may I kneel down & ask God to help me to find my marble?" His aunt having given her consent, the little boy knelt by his chair, closed his eyes, and prayed silently. Then he rose and went on with his lesson contentedly. Next day, almost afraid of asking the question, lest the child had not found his toy, and so might lose his simple faith, she said, "Well, dear, have you found your marble?" "No, Auntie," was the reply, "but God has made me not want to." God does not always answer our prayers in the way we wish or expect, but if we are sincere, He will take from us the desire for what is contrary to His Holy will.

310. When we make self the end of prayer, it is not worship but self-seeking.

311. Most commit the same mistake with God that they do with their friends: they do all the talking.

312. The secret of reaching men is to know the secret of reaching God.

313. When little Peter heard the minister shout as he prayed, he said to his mother, "Don't you think that if he lived nearer to God he wouldn't have to talk so loud?"

314. I love to lie awake at night,
When all the World's so still
Then I can hear my Father's voice
And know my Saviour's Will.
'Tis then He shines His purest beams
To search my secrets out;
And shows me all my hidden faults,
Putting each to rout,
Why fight insomnia with a pill?
Why dread to meet the nights?
There is no better time to find
The everlasting Light.--Frances Cooke

315. A moment in the morning,
Ere the cares of day begin,
Ere the heart's wide door is open,
For the world to enter in,
Oh, then alone with Jesus,
In the silence of the morning,
In heavenly, sweet communion,
Let your joyful day be born.

316. When the disciples locked the doors, Christ knew He was sure of a welcome. He could not get their ear because of the din & confusion that came through the open doors. Closing the door to the world is opening the door to the Master. Don't be afraid of shutting the door. It is the best invitation for the Master to enter.

317. The Rev. Thomas Bradbury was remarkable for punctuality in the time he devoted to family worship. One evening when the bell had rung, the servants went up to prayer, & forgot to shut the area door near the street. Some men observed the door open, & one of them entered the house to rob it.
Creeping upstairs, he heard the old gentleman praying that God would preserve his house from thieves. The man was thunderstruck, & unable to persist in his design. He returned & told the circumstance to his companions, who abused him on account of his timidity; but he was so affected that, some time after, he related the circumstance to Mr. Bradbury, & became an attendant on his ministry.

318. A Christian farmer was in town at noon & went into a restaurant for a hamburger & french fries. When he was served, he quietly bowed his head to give the Lord thanks for his food. Some fellows at the next table saw him & thought they would poke fun at him. One of them called out, "Hey, farmer, does everyone do that where you live?" "No, son," answered the farmer, "the pigs don't."
319. One day of preaching (Day of Pentecost) was preceded by ten days of praying. Our pattern is oftentimes--one day of praying precedes ten days of preaching.
320. The two most famous legions in the Roman army were the Tenth Legion & the Thundering Legion. The Tenth Legion was composed of Caesar's veteran shock troops. In every great emergency it was upon that Legion that he called, & it never failed him. The Thundering Legion was the name given to the Militine Legion in the days of the philosophy emperor--& yet one of the worst persecutors of the Church--Marcus Aurelius.
Tertullian tells us how the legion won that name, the "Thundering Legion". In A.D.176 the army of the emperor was engaged in a campaign against the Germans. In their march the Romans found themselves encircled by precipitous mountains which were occupied by their savage enemies. In addition to this danger the army was tormented by thirst because of the drought. It was then that the commander of the Praetorian Guard informed the emperor that the Militine Legion was made up of Christians & that they believed in the power of prayer.
"Let them pray, then," said the emperor. The soldiers of the Legion then bowed on the ground & earnestly besought God in the name of Christ to deliver the Roman army. They had scarcely risen from their knees when a great thunderstorm arose, accompanied by hail. The storm drove the barbarians out of their strongholds; &, descending from the mountains, they entreated the Romans for mercy. His army delivered from death at the hands of the barbarians, all delivered from death by the drought, the emperor decreed that this legion should be thereafter called the "Thundering Legion". He also abated somewhat his persecution of the Christians.
321. It was only an earthen vessel of no particular beauty. But all who came near it were charmed by the exquisite, delicate odor emanating from it. Someone asked the potter, "What did you put into the clay you used to mould this vessel to make it so appealing to all who enter your shop?" "Nothing! Nothing at all! I, too, noticed the flowerlike fragrance of the clay from which I wrought the vessel. So I went to the place from where the clay came & there I found a wild rosebush growing. Its petals covered the ground & filled the atmosphere with fragrance. The petals it shed year after year must have given the clay its odor."
We should stay so close to Christ that our daily lives will radiate His grace, goodness & sweetness.
322. Everything is needful that He sends. Nothing is needful that He withholds.
323. The purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in Heaven, but to get God's Will done on Earth.
324. It is as natural for the spiritual man to pray as it is for the natural man to breathe.
325. The truest economy of time & labour is to be found in prayer.
326. The quickest way to solve any problem is to first bathe it in prayer.
327. James Gilmour, a missionary to Mongolia, was once asked to treat some wounded soldiers. Although he was not a doctor, he did have some knowledge of first aid, so he felt he could not refuse the request. He dressed the wounds of two of the men but a third had a badly broken thigh bone. The missionary had no idea what to do for such an injury. Kneeling beside the man, he asked the Lord for help.
He didn't know how God would answer his prayers, but he was confident that his need would be supplied. He couldn't find any book on physiology in the primitive hospital, & no doctor arrived. To complicate matters, a crowd of beggars came to him asking for money. He was deeply concerned about his patient, yet his heart went out to those ragged paupers. Hurriedly he gave them a small gift, plus a few kind words of spiritual admonition.
A moment later he stared in amazement at one weary beggar who had remained behind. The half-starved fellow was little more than a LIVING SKELETON. The missionary suddenly realised that the Lord had brought him a walking lesson in anatomy! He asked the elderly man if he might examine him. After carefully tracing the femur bone with his fingers to learn how to treat the soldier's broken leg, he returned to the patient & was able to set the fracture.t
328. In Central British Columbia, in a very isolated community, a Shantyman missionary was leading an open air service in front of a general store. Soon the program was interrupted by the appearance of a drunken cowboy who spurred his horse in a headlong gallop directly toward the missionary. Not one of the people who stood & watched the scene was aware of the quick inner cry for guidance & help that flashed from the missionary's heart to the throne of God. A split-second decision was reached: "Lord, You are able to protect--if You permit that horse & rider to run me down--Thy Will be done."
The horse lunged forward until its next step must smash the missionary to the ground. Suddenly it reared on its hind legs, as if encountering an invisible wall of the protection of the Lord. Three times the booze-crazed rider spurred his frothing mount at the missionary, & three times the horse refused to take the final leap that would have spelled serious injury or death to the Shantyman. The service proceeded to a conclusion as if there had been no danger.
329. To pray "in Jesus' name" means to pray in His Spirit, in His compassion, in His Love, in His outrage, in His concern. In other words, it means to pray a prayer that Jesus Himself might pray.
330. One psychiatrist has reported that, though he himself does not pretend to be a religious man, he cannot help being impressed by the fact that, in 25 years of active practice in New York City, he has never had a patient who really knew how to pray.
331. Trouble may drive you to prayer, but prayer will drive away trouble.
332. Formerly our church was built upon a high bluff. The street in front was wide, & an experienced driver had no difficulty in turning there. I had not been driving long enough to have confidence in myself, & usually sought a safer turning point. Once I was in a hurry & tried to make the turn near the embankment. I don't know what happened, but I found the car going backward at full speed & the brake would not work. There was a slight rise before the drop, but it did not stop the car. All earthly hope was gone. In my extremity I called upon the Lord, & the car stopped instantly with the rear wheels hanging over the high embankment. When I reached home I opened my Bible to find a Psalm of thanksgiving, & my eyes fell upon these words: "He inclined unto me, & heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miraculously clay, & set my feet upon a rock." The Word made me even surer that this was a miracle.
333. Two missionaries in Malaya walked to a distant village for some money which had been sent to a bank for them. When they were returning to their station, night overtook them. They prayed & committed themselves to God. Then they lay down to sleep on a lonely hillside. Some weeks later a man came to the mission hospital for treatment. He looked intently at the missionary doctor. "I have seen you before," he said. "No, I don't think we have met before," said the doctor. "But we have met before! You were sleeping one night on a hillside. Several of us saw you withdraw some money from the bank. We followed you, intending to rob you when it was dark. But we could not get near you because you were surrounded by soldiers." "Soldiers!" exclaimed the missionary. "There were no soldiers with us!" The bandit said, "But there were soldiers with you--sixteen of them. Their swords were drawn. We were filled with fear & ran away!"
"The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, & delivereth them." (Psa.37:7)
334. When I pray, "coincidences" happen, & when I do not, they don't.
335. Most people don't know that God rules the World by the prayers of His Saints.
336. Powerful praying is not pretty phrases, but it is persistent prevailing.
337. A holy life does not always live IN the closet, but it cannot live WITHOUT the closet. (Mat.6:6)
338. Teachers, to be prepared you must be pre-prayered.
339. An African told how God worked Easter Sunday at the Ibuga Church of Western Tanzania. The Ibuga Christians had to meet outdoors because the buildings could not accommodate the 800 who attended. While they sang & worshipped, they had no idea of the calamity that was striking their neighbourhood.
About the time they started their service, a huge lioness came from the forest wild & mad. Normally a lion would kill & eat, but she was only bent on killing. She dashed from house to house attacking everything in her path. She killed three goats, a cow, & then a woman & her child! As the cry of anguish arose, the lioness ran off in the direction of the Ibuga Church meeting. The villagers said that now the "Mungu Mwena" ("God is good") people will get it, for that lioness is headed directly for them.
The congregation suddenly saw the creature only a few yards away. She stopped & growled furiously. The people quivered with shock! The preacher shouted, "Folks, don't be afraid, the God who saved Daniel from the lions is here. The Risen Christ of Easter is here." Then with a God-given faith & authority he turned to the lioness & said, "You lion, I curse you in the Name of Jesus Christ!"
Then the most amazing thing happened. From the scattered clouds, though there had been no rain--nor was there any later--a bolt of lightning struck the lioness & she dropped dead in her tracks. The preacher ran & jumped up & down on the carcass & then used it as a platform to preach!
Seventeen people were instantly saved. The community was stirred & agreed with the local policeman who muttered as they carried the carcass to the police station, "the God of these `Mungu Mwena' people surely is a God of miracles!"
340. Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, & a scourge to Satan.
341. Prayer with obedience is power: Prayer without obedience is presumption!
342. Prayer as it comes from the saint is weak & languid; but when the arrow of a saint's prayer is put into the bow of Christ's intercession it pierces the throne of grace.
343. You never pray with greater power than when you plead the promises of God.
344. A well-known missionary who has gone to his heavenly Father, told how on one occasion he had to make all possible haste to a certain place on the mission field. A deep stream which had to be crossed was all in flood, no boat was available, & humanly speaking it was an impossibility to cross at that time. He & his party camped, & prayed. His heavenly Father knew all. As they prayed, a loud crashing noise was heard. A tall tree which had stood the storms of years had fallen, & it fell clear across the stream. Truly He knows how to deliver the godly.
345. Before the Communists took over China, John Ting, "God's Fool", did a mighty work for God. He was a member of the "Little Flock Evangelists." By his life & by his witnessing, he won many Chinese to Christ. He had utter faith in God's care, as the following thrilling incident attests.
One day Ting & his companions arrived at a river which had to be crossed. The river was overflowing its banks & the water was deep. Ting & his companions were being pursued by bandits. The situation seemed humanly hopeless! But Ting said, "Our God is a mighty God. He can open a way for us through the river!" He prayed simply & earnestly: "O, Lord, hold back the waters, & make a way for us to escape from our enemies!" Then he stepped into the raging water which swirled about his knees. He motioned to the others to cross as he bowed his head & prayed silently. For a moment, Ting's companions hesitated. Then, to their amazement, they saw that the water was steadily dropping. In a short while, all had crossed the river to safety!
The God Who wrought this miracle in answer to believing prayer, the God Who divided the Red Sea & rolled back the water of the River Jordan that His people might pass through safely, STILL LIVES! He still urges His children: "Call unto Me, & I will answer thee, & shew thee great & mighty things which thou knowest not." (Jer.33:3.)
346. In February, 1931, our district was reduced to a state of famine, & there was yet another month to wheat harvest. We had helped many, but one day when the Christians came for help we had to tell them we had nothing left. I told them that God wa a prayer-hearing & prayer-answering God. They proposed to come & join in prayer each afternoon.
On the fourth day of intercession I was called out of the meeting to see what was happening. Away in the north was a dark cloud appearing, & as we watched, it crossed our district & rained heavily. It wa not an ordinary rain, but a deluge of little black seeds in such abundance they could be shoveled up. They asked, "What is it?" reminding us of the children of Israel in the wilderness who asked a similar question. The seeds proved edible, & the supply so great it sustained the people until harvest. We learned later that the storm had arisen in Mongolia & wrecked the places where this grain was stored. The seed was carried 1500 miles to drop on the district where prayer was being answered.
347. Power in the Christian life depends upon our communication with the Source of power.
348. When we seek the Lord, we soon discover that He has never been far away.
349. Prayer puts God's Work in His hands--& keeps it there.
350. As air is to life, so prayer is the breath of faith.
351. God's ear lies close to the believer's lip.
352. The prayer of faith is the only power in the Universe to which the great Jehovah yields.
353. One morning I was on my knees praying, asking God to send me $10.00 some way, so that I could buy an automobile license. If I were to preach the next Sunday morning at the penitentiary, I needed means of transportation. And so I prayed & told God that if He wanted me to preach there, it was His problem, & not mine.
While I was talking to the Lord, my wife was cleaning the carpets downstairs. She turned off the vacuum cleaner & shouted upstairs, "Are you praying for $10.00?"
I answered, "Yes."
"Well, quit praying," she said, "Somebody has just shoved it through the letter slot in the door."
354. Tomahawks in hand, the Indians crept toward the strange tent. As they cautiously peered under the flap, their intention to kill was forgotten. There, in the centre of the tent was a man on his knees. As he prayed, a rattlesnake crossed his feet & paused in position to strike. But the snake did not strike. It lowered its head again & glided out of the tent. It was a long time later when David Brainerd, the man in the tent, found out why the Indians at the village received him with such honour as they did. He had expected that they would want to kill him. The reason for their change of heart was the report their comrades had brought of the marvellous thing they had seen. The Indians looked upon David Brainerd as a messenger from the Great Spirit, which indeed he was. He had come into the deep forest to preach the Word of God to the savages. Surely it is a good thing that in all good work the protection of God is with the worker.
355. We lie to God in prayer if we do not rely on Him afterwards.
356. The Devil enjoys hearing a prayer that is addressed to an audience.
357. Cold prayers shall never have any warm answers.
358. The history of the church's progress is the history of prayer.
359. He stands best who kneels most.
360. Two men praying the same prayers anywhere on Earth will raise a commotion in Heaven!
361. An officer in the first World War gives this account of God's willingness & ability to save men from shot & shell when they will pray. A German machine gun crew had their gun trained on an angle of our trenches where troops frequently passed back & forth, & the casualties were many. As a last resort volunteers were called to storm the gun in the open. Fifteen men volunteered. They themselves could see at a glance that most if not all of them must die. Even if they succeeded in silencing the gun they would scarcely escape the hail of lead that would follow them back to their lines. The young officer appointed to lead them, a chum of the one reporting the incident, before going over, addressed the volunteers as follows: "Men, I am a Christian. Before every undertaking I pray. Those of you who are willing, kneel with me & pray about this one." Then he uncovered his head & kneeling prayed, asking God to spare their lives, but if any must go that their souls might be saved. When he arose from his knees he noted that every man of them had knelt with uncovered head. Then they went over the top & raced for the machine gun nest amid a hail of lead & steel. They overcame the gun crew, tore up the gun & took it with them as they ran back to their trenches--not a man missing or seriously wounded. To the men looking on it was a miracle indeed. None among them will ever say that the day of miracles is past. God has not withdrawn His "exceeding great & precious promises."L
362. H.Clay Trumbull, in his book, "Personal Prayer", tells of a widow who had a hard struggle providing for her two children. One stormy night, she found she had not one particle of food in the house for the next day's need. She prayed with her children that night, omitting to tell them of their need.When morning came, she prayed for their daily bread, assured that her Father could supply it--as He alone knew how. She asked her children to go down to the shore before breakfast, & get some clean sand for their sitting room floor. Before the days of woolen carpets, in the humbler New England homes they were accustomed to strew sand on the floor. When the children had gone, the mother again kneeled & prayed for their daily bread. After this she spread the breakfast table, for which she had no food. Suddenly the children returned without the sand, but bringing gleefully a fine fish, which they had found in a hollow of the beach, as left by the outgoing tide after the storm, & which they together had captured. With a grateful heart she thanked God for His goodness, & prepared the fish for their breakfast.
363. Why not change the pattern of your prayers now & then? Wake up some morning & ask, "Dear Lord, is there anything I can do for You today?"
364. Prayer moves the arm that moves the World!
365. How deeply rooted must unbelief be in our hearts when we are surprised to find our prayers answered.
366. I have so much to do that I must spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.
367. William Hacquist of the Evangelical Alliance Mission tells a story of escape in Boxer Days. They had travelled six days & had come to a point where they must choose by land or river for further travel. But, because of drought, there was no water in the Han River at the time. Further, their carriers & escort refused to travel other than on the land route. So a prayer meeting was called in a native inn to ask God's guidance. They felt led to procure two large flat-bottom river boats; they bought food & placed it with their baggage on board. But there was no water. "The place where we stayed was surrounded by high hills. As we prayed & waited, in about mid-afternoon, heavy dark clouds came over the hilltops, & from them came pouring down the heaviest rain I have ever seen. It really looked like a cloudburst. In a very short time the river bed was filled with water, so we could release the boats & nicely float down the river. We later learned why we were led not to travel by land. In a mountain pass, several hundred bandits were waiting to kill us. God sent us the safe way."
368. A pioneer preacher tells of a personal experience. He says, "In the course of my work in a certain settlement I incurred the ill will of the leader of a gang of horse thieves & bandits, who made his honest boast that he would `get me'. One afternoon a man was hurt by a falling tree & I was sent for. To reach the lumber camp I had to pass through some rough, cut-over land. It was evening as I entered it, & all at once I was overcome with fear & foreboding, which I could not shake off until I dismounted & laid my trouble before the Lord. I went on unmolested.
"The next day the head bandit was shot by one of his men, & I was again summoned to a deathbed. The man confessed on the previous night he had lain in wait in the cut-over land, intending to kill me, adding, `But who were those men who rode with you?' When I said I was alone he screamed, `You were not! Two men were with you, one on either side, & in all my life I never saw such horses as they rode. Who were they?' The excitement brought on hemorrhage, & he fell into unconsciousness from which he never rallied. But I have never doubted that on the night of my terror God sent me supernatural protection & deliverance."
369. In December 1940, Mrs. A.E. Gadsby of Niagara Falls, Canada, mailed a Christmas parcel to her daughter in Prestwick, Scotland & prayed that it would arrive safely. The ship carrying the mails was torpedoed off the West Coast of Ireland, but a favourable tide floated the package & unerringly cast it ashore on the beach of Prestwick. The contents were soaked but perfectly usable. The address was still legible & the package reached the addressee two days after Christmas.
370. Picture an old woman with a halo of silvered hair--the hot tears flowing down her furrowed cheeks--her worn hands busy over a washboard in a room of poverty--praying--for her son John--John who ran away from home in his teens to become a sailor--John of whom it was now reported that he had become a very wicked man--PRAYING, praying always, that her son might be of service to God. The mother believed in two things, the power of prayer & the reformation of her son. God answered the prayer by working a miracle in the heart of John Newton.
John Newton, the sailor-reacher. Among the thousands of men & women he brought to Christ was Thomas Scott, cultured, selfish, & self-satisfied. Because of the washtub prayers another miracle was worked, & Thomas Scott used both his pen & voice to lead thousands of unbelieving hearts to Christ, among them a dyspeptic, melancholic young man, William Cowper by name. He, too, was washed in the cleansing blood & in a moment of inspiration wrote, "There is a Fountain Filled With Blood." And this song has brought countless thousands to the Man Who died on Calvary. All this resulted because a mother took God at His Word & prayed that her son's heart might become as white as the soapsuds in the washtub.
371. In the days of war the Japanese policeman who had absolute power said that within three days everyone in a certain Formosan mountain village must come to the police station & swear that he would not be a Christian, or he would be tied hand & foot, & stones tied to him, & he would be thrown from the high bridge into the rushing river below. The Christians met at midnight to decide what to do. Some said, "We'll have to give it up. We cannot be Christians now. He will surely kill us." Then a young boy arose. "But don't you remember that Jesus said not to be afraid of those who can only kill the body, but to be afraid of those who kill body & soul? If he kills us, it will only be our bodies--our souls will go to be with Jesus." They all said, "That's true."
When the vote was taken, every hand was raised--all voted to die. Next day the policeman laughed cruelly, & said, "Tomorrow you die." Now the policeman liked to fish, & waded out into the river. A sock or tree in the current struck his leg & broke it. While the mountain people were praying, a messenger rushed in, & said, "The man who was to kill you tomorrow has been drowned in the river."
372. Motto in a church: If you must whisper, whisper a prayer.
373. Prayer is a serious thing. We may be taken at our words.
374. When it is hardest to pray, we ought to pray hardest.
375. Prayer is releasing the energies of God.--For prayer is asking God to do what we cannot do.
376. The Christian on his knees sees more than the philosopher on tiptoe.
377. If prayer does not drive sin out of your life, sin will drive prayer out.
378. a native African Christian moaned & tossed with a raging high fever. The missionary used what simple remedies he had. He longed, however, for an ice pack. No ice was possible, he thought, & dismissed the longing. The mother of the fevered boy asked, "Cannot the Great-God send ice for my dear son?" Then she reminded him of one of his sermons when he said that God delights to do miracles. "But," he protested, "Ice! Ice!" She gave no heed to his doubts, & said, in a tone of implicit faith, "Shall we not pray?" Down on their knees they went, he praying first, telling the Lord things He already knew, & making very general requests. But the mother plainly said, "Lord, if ice is necessary to his healing, Thou canst send it. I do believe."
When the prayer ended, a hailstone the size of a walnut rolled into the hut, & when they looked out, they saw drifts of hailstones beyond the door. Sekunzi seized & shook her pastor, & exclaimed, "Did not the Great-God answer in His own wonderful way?" The hailstorm was local--the crops of the neighbours were not harmed--the son recovered completely--the miracle increased the faith of all who heard it--the pastor learned never to limit the power of God.
379. I read an incident that occurred during the first settling of the United States when there were plenty of wild Indians & wild animals. The country was thinly settled with white people. There was a young Christian family living in Virginia, consisting of a man, his wife & two small children. One day in the summer after they got their crop done they went to visit their nearest neighbour, eight or ten miles away, the woman & the children on their only horse & the man with his rifle walked beside his family.
In the evening about the time they started for home, there rose a storm & before they reached home dark overtook them. The storm was raging, the lightning was fearfully flashing every few seconds--they could only see their Indian path by the flashing lightning. They got about a mile from their home. All at once the horse stopped & by the flash of lightning they saw a huge panther on a limb of a tree just in front of them, ready to make his spring on the woman & children; (the man started to shoot, but in morning he had forgotten to take but one load for his rifle & he had used that one.) Just as the animal started to leap, the woman looked up through the fearful clouds, & prayed to the Lord to save them, & at that very moment there came a stroke of lightning, tore the tree up & the wild beast fell dead right in front of them. Such is the power of the Almighty to answer an earnest & faithful prayer.
380. A short prayer will reach the throne--if you don't live too far away.
381. The family altar which does not alter the family is not a good family altar.
382. We organise instead of agonise.
383. All we have to do, Lord, is turn on the power, let You flood our beings with Thy power, & tune in to Your frequency. For You're not just frequent, Lord, but You're there all the time! Amen!--Dad.
384. There is a legend about two Angels who were sent to Earth to gather up the prayers of men. One was to fill his basket with the petitions of Mankind. The other was to gather their prayers of thanksgiving. Some time later they went back to the Father's house. One had a basket heaped high, & running over, with the innumerable petitions of men. The other returned with a sad & heavy heart, for his basket was almost empty. The thanks of men were heard but rarely on Earth, even though the Angel had searched diligently. Do not let us forget the thanksgiving side of our prayers.
385. Strong is the lion--like a coal
His eyeball--like a bastion mole
His chest, against his foes;
Strong the gier-eagle on his sail;
Strong against tide th'enormous whale
Emerges as he goes.

But stronger still in earth or air,
And in the sea, the man of prayer,
And far beneath the tide;
And in the seat to faith assigned,
Where ask is have & seek is find,
Where knock is open wide. (1Sam.12:23; Ps.106:23; Dan.2:18-20; Jam.5:17.)
386. Prayer meetings are the throbbing machinery of the church.
387. If we are weak in communion with God, we are weak everywhere.
388. Effective prayer is a quartet--the Father, the Son, the Spirit & the Christian.
389. Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.
390. He who wants anything from God must approach Him with empty hands.
391. The Bible is a letter God has sent to us; prayer is a letter we send to Him.
392. Prayer is possession by anticipation.
393. I was longing to serve the Master
But alas I was laid aside
From the busy field of workers
In the harvest field so wide
They were few, yes, few in number
And I could not understand
Why I should be left inactive;
It was not as I had planned.

I was longing to SERVE the Master
And the need indeed was great.
For me it was easy to LABOUR
But oh, it was hard to WAIT,
To lie quite still & be silent
While the song was borne to my ear
From the busy field of workers
In the harvest field so dear.

I was longing to serve, just to SERVE the Master
But He led to a desert place
And there as we stopped & rested
His eyes looked down in my face,
So full of tender reproaching
They filled me with sad surprise!
Did He think I had grudged my service
Or counted it sacrifice?

Oh, Master, I long to serve, just to serve Thee,
There are so far at the best
Let me off to the fields, I pleaded,
I care not to stay & rest.
I knelt at His feet imploring,
I gazed in His face above.
"My child," He said, "Don't you know,
Your SERVICE is NOTHING without your LOVE?"

I was longing to serve, to serve my Master
Oh, this was my one fond thought,
For this I was ever pleading
As His footstool in prayer I sought,
But there in that lonely desert
Apart from the busy scene
It dawned on me slowly & clearly
Where my great mistake had been.

My mind was so full of service, just service,
I had drifted from HIM apart.
And he longed for that sweet communion,
That UNION OF HEART WITH HEART!

Well, I sought & I found forgiveness,
While mine eyes with pain were dim
And now, though His Work is still precious
The FIRST Place is kept for HIM!--By Grandmother
394. Prayer is the slender sinew that moves the muscle of omnipotence.
395. Prayer is that mightiest of all weapons that created natures can wield.
396. There is no burden of the spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it.
397. A father & his young daughter were great friends & much in each other's company. Then the father noted a change in his daughter. If he went for a walk, he excused herself from going. He grieved about it, but could not understand. When his birthday came, she presented him with a pair of exquisitely worked slippers, saying, "I have made them for you."
Then he understood what had been the matter for the past three months, & he said, "My darling, I like these slippers very much, but next time buy the slippers & let me have you all the days. I would rather have my child than anything she can make for me."
Some of us are so busy for the Lord that He cannot get much of us. To us He would say, "I know your works, your labour, your patience, but I miss the first love." (Rev.2:2-4)
398. Help me to follow You today
Help me to walk in the narrow Way
Help me to seek You first when I wake
Help me Your guiding Hand to take
Help me to listen to Your voices
Help me to make the right choices
Help me to find Your perfect Will
Help me to stop & be perfectly still
Help me to listen to Your Word
Help me to live by all I've heard
Help me to love You more & more
Help me to share, not keep things in store
Help me to follow You just like a sheep
Help me to know my soul You will keep
Help me to trust You with my life
Help me to pass by malice & strife
Help me at all times Thy face to seek
Help me, Lord, to be loving & meek
Help me to learn to let You work
Help me to squeeze & not to jerk
Help me to rise whenever I fall
Help me in falling to grow more tall
Help me be strong when I am weak
Help me Your Kingdom first to seek
Help me forgive those who are cruel
Help me to know I too am a fool
Help me to know I need You so much
Help me to find sweet rest in Your touch, &
Help me tonight when I lie down
To be wearing a smile & not a frown.--By Solomon
399. You can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you! Ask God for help--& if you really are overloaded, He'll help you!If you really need help, tell it to Jesus first of all! Seek the Lord! "Cast thy burden upon the Lord & He shall sustain thee!" Just roll it over on Jesus & roll over & go to sleep--& let Him stay up all night! Don't worry about it! Let the Lord do the worrying! His shoulders are broad enough to carry any load--all the burdens put together, including His Own!--Dad.
400. General McArthur told an American Bible Society visitor: "Never a day goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Bible before I go to bed." (John 5:39; Acts 17:11.)