“Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings as in obeying the voice
of the Lord?” (I. Sam. xv. 22).
Many a soul prays for sanctification, but fails to enter into the blessing
because he does not intelligently understand and believingly accept God’s
appointed means by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit. Many a
prayer for the salvation of others is hindered because the very friend
takes the wrong course to bring about the answer, and resorts to means
which are wholly fitted to defeat his worthy object.
We know many a wife who is pleading for her husband’s soul, and hoping to
win him by avoiding anything that may offend him, and yielding to all his
worldly tastes in the vain hope of attracting him to Christ. Far more
effective would be an attitude of fidelity to God and fearless testimony
to Him, such as God could bless.
Many a congregation wonders why it is so poor and struggling. It may be
found that its financial methods are wholly unscriptural and often
unworthy of ordinary self-respect.
When we ask God for any blessing, we must allow Him to direct the steps
which are to bring the answer.