(1) Praying "Elias was a man subject to like passions as weare" (James 5:17). Thank God for that! He got under a juniper tree,as you and I have often done; he complained andmurmured, as we have often done; was unbelieving,as we have often been. But that was not the casewhen he really got into touch with God. Though "aman subject to like passions as we are," "heprayed praying." It is sublime in theoriginal--not "earnestly," but "he prayed inprayer." He kept on praying. What is the lessonhere? You must keep praying. Come up on the top of Carmel, and see thatremarkable parable of Faith and Sight. It was notthe descent of the fire that now was necessary,but the descent of the flood; and the man thatcan command the fire can command the flood by thesame means and methods. We are told that he bowedhimself to the ground with his face between hisknees; that is, shutting out all sights andsounds. He was putting himself in a positionwhere, beneath his mantle, he could neither seenor hear what was going forward. He said to his servant, "Go and take anobservation." He went and came back, andsaid--how sublimely brief! one word--"Nothing!" What do we do under such circumstances? We say, "It is just as I expected!" and we giveup praying. Did Elijah? No, he said, "Go again."His servant again came back and said, "Nothing!""Go again." "Nothing!" By and by he came back, and said, "There is alittle cloud like a man's hand." A man's hand hadbeen raised in supplication, and presently downcame the rain; and Ahab had not time to get backto the gate of Samaria with all his fast steeds.This is a parable of Faith and Sight--faithshutting itself up with God; sight takingobservations and seeing nothing; faith goingright on, and "praying in prayer," with utterlyhopeless reports from sight. Do you know how to pray that way, how to prayprevailingly? Let sight give as discouragingreports as it may, but pay no attention to these.The living God is still in the heavens and evento delay is part of His goodness. --Arthur T.Pierson Each of three boys gave a definition of faithwhich is an illustration of the tenacity offaith. The first boy said, "It is taking hold ofChrist"; the second, "Keeping hold"; and thethird, "Not letting go."
(2) Fresh Touch with God "And the ill favored and lean-fleshed kine dideat up the seven well favored and fat kin...and thethin, ears swallowed up the seven rank and fullears" (Gen. 41:4, 7). There is a warning for us in that dream, just asit stands: It is possible for the best years ofour life, the best experiences, the bestvictories won, the best service rendered, to beswallowed up by times of failure, defeat,dishonor, uselessness in the kingdom. Some men'slives of rare promise and rare achievement haveended so. It is awful to think of, but it istrue. Yet it is never necessary. S. D. Gordon has said that the only assurance ofsafety against this tragedy is "fresh touch withGod," daily, hourly. The blessed, fruitful,victorious experiences of yesterday are not onlyof no value to me today, but they will actuallybe eaten up or reversed by today's failures,unless they serve as incentives to still better,richer experiences today. "Fresh touch with God," by abiding in Christ,alone will keep the lean kine and the ill favoredgrain out of my life. --Messages for the MorningWatch
(3) The Prayer of Faith "God that cannot lie promised" (Titus 1:2). Faith is not working up by will power a sort ofcertainty that something is coming to pass, butit is seeing as an actual fact that God has saidthat this thing shall come to pass, and that itis true, and then rejoicing to know that it istrue, and just resting because God has said it. Faith turns the promise into a prophecy. While itis merely a promise it is contingent upon ourcooperation. But when faith claims it, it becomesa prophecy, and we go forth feeling that it issomething that must be done because God cannotlie. --Days of Heaven upon Earth I hear men praying everywhere for more faith, butwhen I listen to them carefully, and get at thereal heart of their prayer, very often it is notmore faith at all that they are wanting, but achange from faith to sight. Faith says not, "I see that it is good for me, soGod must have sent it," but, "God sent it, and soit must be good for me." Faith, walking in the dark with God, only praysHim to clasp its hand more closely. --PhillipsBrooks "The Shepherd does not ask of theeFaith in thy faith, but only faith in Him; And this He meant in saying, 'Come to