When one of the disciples said, “Teach us to pray,” the Lord raised His eyes to the far horizon of His Father’s world. He brought the ultimate goal of eternal life together with everything God desires to do in the life of humankind and packed it all into a powerful prayer that followed these words: “This, then, is how you should pray” (Matthew 6:9). And what a contrast between His prayer and what we often hear today!

How do we pray when we follow the desires of our own hearts? We say, “Lord, bless me, then my family, my church, my city, and my country.” We start with those closest to us and gradually move outward, ultimately praying for the expansion of God’s kingdom throughout the world.

Our Master’s prayer, however, begins where we end. He taught us to pray for the world first and our personal needs second. Only after our prayer has covered every continent, every remote island of the sea, every person in the last hidden tribe, and every desire and purpose of God for the world are we taught to ask for a piece of bread for ourselves.

Jesus gave Himself for us and to us, paying a holy and precious price on the cross. After giving His all, is it too much for Him to ask us to do the same thing? No man or woman will ever amount to anything in God’s kingdom or ever experience any of His power, until this lesson of prayer is learned—that Christ’s business is the supreme concern of life and that all of our personal considerations, no matter how important or precious to us, are secondary. DR. FRANCIS

When Robert Moffat, the nineteenth-century Scottish explorer and missionary to South Africa, was once asked to write in a young lady’s personal album, he wrote these words:

My album is a savage chest, Where fierce storms brood and shadows rest, Without one ray of light; To write the name of Jesus there, And see the savage bow in prayer, And point to worlds more bright and fair, This is my soul’s delight.

“His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:33), or as an old Moravian version says, “His Kingdom shall have no frontier.”

Missionary work should never be an afterthought of the church, because it is Christ’s forethought. HENRY JACKSON VAN DYKE

It is strange how little use we have of the spiritual blessings which God gives us, but it is stranger still how little use we make of God Himself.

Though He is “our God,” we apply ourselves but little to Him.

How seldom do we ask counsel at the hands of the Lord! How often do we go about our business without seeking His guidance! In our troubles how constantly do we strive to bear our burdens ourselves, instead of casting them upon the Lord that He may sustain us!

This is not because we may not, for the Lord seems to say, “I am thine, soul; come and make use of Me as thou wilt; thou mayst come freely to My store, and the oftener the more welcome.”

It is our own fault if we do not make free with the riches of our own God.

Then, since thou hast such a Friend, and He invites thee, draw from Him daily.

Never want whilst thou hast a God to go to; never fear or faint whilst thou hast God to help thee; go to thy treasure and take whatever thou needest—there is all that thou canst want.

Learn the Divine skill of making God all things to thee.

He can supply thee with all; or, better still, He can be to thee instead of all.

Let me urge thee, then, to make use of thy God.

Make use of Him in prayer; go to Him often, because He is thy God.

Oh, wilt thou fail to use so great a privilege?

Fly to Him; tell Him all thy wants.

Use Him constantly by faith at all times.

If some dark providence has beclouded thee, use thy God as a “sun”; if some strong enemy has beset thee, find in Jehovah a “shield”; for He is a sun and a shield to His people.

If thou hast lost thy way in the mazes of life, use Him as a “guide”; for He will direct thee.

Whatever thou art, and wherever thou art, remember God is just what thou wantest, and just where thou wantest and that He can do all thou wantest! CHARLES H. SPURGEON

The life of faith is the life that uses the Lord. H. C. G. MOULE

O little heart of mine! Shall pain Or sorrow make thee moan, When all this God is all for thee— A Father all thine own?

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven.—My Father, and your Father; . . . my God and your God.

As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.—The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.—Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?—I and my Father are one.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.

Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way . . . let us draw near.