Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

counters.".References: Findmachine?"saints."not."The answer was, "There is nohere."excuse allowed for absence All daythey labored under the observation of themanagement. In that half hour, they didno work, but rested in close associationwith the management, and on paid time.I wondered if that was not a picture ofour Sabbath Day's "rest."The relationship of the Father and theSon is illustrated in the human family.But when two persons are said to be one,that is hard to understand. It is hard toillustrate or explain. Must we understandbefore we can believe or act? Place yourhand before you with palm open. Nowwatch carefully while you close it. Howdid you do it? You do things by closingyour hand. But how do you close it? Youmay read volumes about the influence ofvolition over muscular movements, butall you learn is a knowledge of technicalterms. This lack of understanding doesnot interfere with our use of our hands.Nicodemus was a great scholar, a deepthinker. He wanted to know the deepestsecret of the "how" of salvation. Christtook him so deep into the myrtery thathe gasped like a drowning man. ThenChrist pointed out what Nicodemus mustdo, in terms that fitted his power to understand and act.I once had weekly errands at a printshop. If the printer was at his type setting machine, I would put my paper inits place, and then walk around the machine. It intrigued me. I wanted to knowhow it worked. After examining it fromall sides for several days, without beingable to understand it, I said to the printer, "Do you understand thatHe said, "I do not. But I know how touse it." He and I illustrated two classesof Christians. He did not understand hismachine but he used it skillfully. Iwanted to understand it, but had no intention of using it.We may not understand the Onenessof God and His Son. We can profit by it,without understanding it. Commit yourway unto God. Trust Him,bring it to pass.and He willPRAYER MEETING TOPICJanuary 12, 1955"THE NEGLECT OF PRAYER"Psalms:James 4:1-10Rev. P. D. McCracken, D.D.5:1-3, page 8130:1-3, page 32585:1, 2, 4, page 207them scattered throughthe comments.COMMENTSWith this topic we begin a series o:twelve studies on the general subject o:"PRAYER"which will run monthlythroughout the year. The topics are all396vital, but the comments are necessarilybrief. They are suggestive rather than exhaustive, so it is hoped that each leaderwill diligentlygather and use othersource material to make the subjectsboth interesting and helpful. Remember,however, that the study of prayer shouldnot mean the neglect of prayer in ourPrayer Meetings.The Word of God is very plain aboutcertain things which are not to be neg-llected, such as "The Great Salvation"Heb. 2:3; "The Gift that is in Thee"I Tim. 4:14; "The Service of God" IIC!-ron. 29:11;Thereand others.are a number ofthings of vital necessity"Musts,"which are setforth in God's Word for us to rememberand do. There is the must of the newbirth, John 3:7; the mu~t of sacrifice,John 3:14; the must of decreasing self,John 3:30; of obedience, Ezra 10:12; ofworship, John 4:24; of service, John 4:4;and of judgment, II Cor. 5:10.Prayer might well be listed in either ofthe above groups, for it is a "Must" ofthe Christian life, and it certainly shouldnot be neglected.I. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THENEGLECT OF PRAYERWhen we fail to pray, we disobeyGod, and become guilty of one of thegreatest sins of omission. God has specifically commanded us to pray. In IThess. 5:17 we read His mandate "Prayceasing."without Again, in Luke 18:1,Christ in parable taught that "men oughtalways to pray and not to faint." TheHoly Spirit directed Paul (Eph. 6:11-18)to urge his hearers to "put on the wholearmour of Godpraying always with allprayer and supplication in the Spirit andwatching thereunto with all perseveranceand supplication for allThus thetriune Godhead has laid upon us a duty,and it is serim. THE RESULTS OF NEGLECTous to neglect it.OF PRAYERMoreover, Christ has set before us anSince God has ordained prayer as oneexample, and told us to follow Him. Aof the great effective means to be usedglance at His life and practice will reveala continual contact with His by His children to accomplish H;s work,Heavenlywhen we fail inFather, and long hours spent in comusing it. His worklanguishes and drags.munion with Him. Check the followingToday *h