| OCR Text |
Show WIRELESS 10 HEAVEW7 II SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON (By G. F. Rassweiler) The New Movement Bible ciass had ah unusually large . . attendance. "Well," said the teacher, "we have a most important subject for our lesson les-son today, haven't we?" "Mr. Jones, what is the subject?" "Mr. Jones who is a Marconigraph-er Marconigraph-er replied, "How to send a wireless to Heaven. 1 know a lot of people who think that the idea of talking to an unseen God from the auiet of our souls is all foolishness, but people peo-ple used to talk that way about wireless wire-less telegraph." "Well," said the cynic, "you may call it a. very important subject but judging by the way men don't do it, it wouldn't seem so." "Isn't that true about all good things?" Little Bill suggested. "Take study for instance. No one denies that it is a good thing to cultivate the mind and study things out for yourself, but how few do it?" "Maybe so," admitted the cynic, "but do you really think that many prayers are really answered?" "Yes I do," replied the teacher. "But how few real prayers are offered? of-fered? There is a great deal of difference dif-ference between saying prayers and praying. We must more than repeat words. Christ himself denounced such vain repetitions, and declared tnat we must worship in spirit and In truth. It Is the attitude and purpose pur-pose of the heart that counts. Let us note some of these conditions for true prayer as we read the lesson." "What must the God to whom we pray be to us?" "Our Father in spirit. That is we must have that love and trust toward him that a true child has toward an earthly parent and in fact we must be regenerated by His spirit as His spiritual offspring." "How few then are In a position vto pray at all. But further, what must be our conception of His character and power?" "Why Ho must seem to- be so great and holy and powerful that we thjnk of Him as in Heaven, that is that He is as much exalted above us in power and glory as the heavens are exalted above the earth." "In short we must have both rever ence and a great faith that makes us believe that God is able to do for us far more exceeding abundantly than we can aak or think. But what must be our greatest concern?" "That God's kingdom of righteousness righteous-ness and love should come and that His will should be done on earth and in our hearts as perfectly and as cheerfully as it Is done in Heaven." "Is that the chief concern of most prayers?" "I guess not," said the cynic. "I think that most people are more anxious anxi-ous about getting God to do their will than that they should do God's will." "And when we ask for 6ur own needs, are we authorized to. ask for ! anything we want?" ' - "We are to pray , for daily bread," replied Big Ben. "But I don't observe that we are to ask for our daily cake. Most people are begging for luxuries1 rather than necessities." "And how must we be feeling toward to-ward our neighbors?" "Our soul must he full "of live and forgiveness toward everybody even j .toward our enemies." "And what must be our attitude toward sin?" "We must be so anxious to be saved sav-ed from sin that we will pray even to be saved from those temptations which would be likely to tempt us to sin." "Now," said the teacher, turning toward the cynic, "don't you think that all such prayers are answered?" ' "Well, looking at it in that wa3', maybe you are right" "Especially when we add to this what Christ further says about being so in earnest that we continue our supplications until they are answered." "But," replied the cynic, "do you mean that God must be teased into doing something which He does not want to do?" "No, but rather that we must have such an earnest desire that we cannot be satisfied short of an answer. It is 'the fervent prayer of a righteous man' that avails, you know." "Don't you think most people pray I this prayer this way in their souls: O thou, strange God far removed from my help, hallow thou my name, may my kingdom" come and my will be done on earth and In Heaven. Give me this very day luxuries enough for the rest(of my life. Forgive me my trespasses, and help me to get even with those who transgress against me and let me dabble with temptation tempta-tion and sin without suffering the consequences thereof. For mine should be the kingdom and the power pow-er and the glory forever Amen." |
