Ability of God. Prayers of the Apostle Paul

527 Pages·2012·2.16 MB·English

by  Arthur W. Pink

The
Ability
of
God
The
Ability
of
God
A W. P
RTHUR INK
M P
OODY RESS
CHICAGO
© 1967, 2000 by
T M B I
HE OODY IBLE NSTITUTE
C
OF HICAGO
Original Title: Gleanings from Paul
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
All Scripture quotations, unless indicated, are taken from the King
JamesVersion.
Scripture quotations marked (RV), or stated to be from the Revised Version,
are taken from The Holy Bible, The Revised Version, The Universities of
Oxford and Cambridge, 1904.
Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are taken from the Revised Standard
Version © 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Scripture verses marked (ASV), or stated to be from the American Standard
Version, are from The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments,
an American recension of the (English) Revised Version; revised 1881–85;
edited by the American Revision Commitee, 1901, Standard Edition.
Copyright © 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons; copyright © 1929 by
International Council of Religious Education.
ISBN: 0-8024-6573-0
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
Editor’s Preface to the 1967 edition
Editor’s Preface to the 2000 edition
Introduction
1. Prayer and Praise
2. Instruction in Prayer
3. Prayer in Hope
4. Prayer for Peace
5. Prayer for Insight
6. Prayer for Weaker Brothers
7. Prayer Concerning Tribulation
8. Prayer in Affliction
9. Prayer of Benediction
10. Prayer of Gratitude
11. Prayer for Faith and Knowledge
12. Prayer for Understanding
13. Prayer for Spiritual Apprehension
14. Prayer for Appreciation of Christ’s Triumph
15. Prayer of Adoration
16. Prayer for Inner Strength
17. Prayer for Christ-Centeredness
18. Prayer for Comprehension of God’s Love
19. Prayer of Doxology
20. Prayer for Discerning Love
21. Prayer for Fruits of Righteousness
22. Prayer for a Worthy Walk
23. Prayer for Long-Suffering
24. Prayer for Joy and Thankfulness
25. Prayer for Brotherly Love
26. Prayer for Sanctification of the Young Saints
27. Prayer for Persevering Grace: Occasion and Importunity
28. Prayer for Persevering Grace: Petition, Design, and Accomplishment
29. Prayer for Comfort and Stability
30. Prayer for Love Toward God
31. Prayer for Patience
32. Prayer of Worship
33. Paul’s Prayer for Philemon
Index of Subjects
Index of Scripture
EDITOR’S
PREFACE
TO THE
1967 EDITION
Men of the caliber of Arthur W. Pink appear on the religious horizon only
rarely. His ability to apply the truths of Scripture to the lives of people, his
vast and intimate knowledge of the Scriptures, and his clear-cut method of
presenting the truths he experienced in his own life make his works not only
vitally important for any serious Bible student—minister or layman—but also
admirably adaptable for individual devotional reading.
The contents of this volume first appeared in the periodical Studies in the
Scriptures. They appear now for the first time in book form to continue their
service to an increasingly widening circle.
The author is now “forever with the Lord,” having departed to be with Christ
on July 15, 1952, at the age of sixty-six.
THE PUBLISHERS
EDITOR’S
PREFACE
TO THE
2000 EDITION
In the years since this volume was first published, styles and terminology have
changed, but the truths presented in this volume have not. The prayers of the
apostle Paul provide for the Christian in any age doctrinal studies and an
example to follow in daily devotions before God. This volume is essentially
unchanged from earlier editions, except that certain very long sentences have
been shortened, some Scripture references have been added, and some terms
have been replaced with modern. Several terms have been retained that are not
commonly used today, but which have distinctive meanings Arthur Pink would
have wanted carried forth in this edition. One is the term ineffable, which has the
meaning of something not capable of being expressed; something indescribable.
Pink uses the term to call to mind the inexpressible wonder of God. Two other
terms are experimental and experimentally. Today those words bring to mind
laboratory tests, but Pink had in mind personal knowledge as oppossed to
derived knowledge. Alternate readings of a Scripture passage placed in the
margin of the Bible by the translators are so indicated.
THE PUBLISHERS
INTRODUCTION
Much has been written upon what is usually called “The Lord’s Prayer,” but
which we prefer to term “The Family Prayer,” and much upon the high
priestly prayer of Christ in John 17, but very little upon the prayers of the
apostles. Personally we know of no book devoted to the same, and except for a
booklet on the two prayers of Ephesians 1 and 3, we have seen scarcely anything
thereon. It is not easy to explain this omission, for one would think the apostolic
prayers had such importance and value for us that they would attract the
attention of those who wrote on devotional subjects. While we very much
deprecate the efforts of those who would have us believe the prayers of the Old
Testament are obsolete and unfitted for the saints of this dispensation, yet it
seems evident that the prayers recorded in the Epistles are peculiarly suited to
Christians. Excepting only the prayers of the Redeemer, in the epistle prayers
alone are the praises and petitions specifically addressed to “the Father,” in them
alone are they offered in the name of the Mediator, and in them alone do we find
the full breathings of the Spirit of adoption.
How blessed it is to hear some aged saint, who has long walked with God
and enjoyed intimate communion with Him, pouring out his heart before Him in
adoration and supplication. But how much more blessed should we esteem it
could we have listened to the utterances of those who companied with Christ in
person during the days when He tabernacled in this scene. And if one of the
apostles were still here upon earth, what a high privilege we should deem it to
hear him engage in prayer! Such a high privilege that most of us would be
willing to go to considerable inconvenience and to travel a long distance in order
to be thus favored. And if our desire were granted, how closely we would listen
to his words, how diligently we would seek to treasure them up in our memories.
Well, no such inconvenience, no such journey, is required. It has pleased the
Holy Spirit to record quite a number of the apostolic prayers for our instruction
and satisfaction. Do we evidence our appreciation of such a boon? Have we ever
made a list of them and meditated upon their import?
NO PRAYERS OF THE APOSTLES IN ACTS
In our preliminary task of surveying and tabulating the recorded prayers of
the apostles, two things have impressed us, one at first quite surprising, the other
to be expected. That which is apt to strike us as strange—to some of our readers
it may be almost startling—is the book of Acts, which supplies us with most of
the information we possess about the apostles, yet has not a single prayer of
theirs in its twenty-eight chapters. Yet a little reflection should show us that this
omission is in full accord with the special character of that book, for the book of
Acts is much more historical than devotional, consisting far more of a chronicle
of what the Spirit wrought through the apostles than of what He wrought in
them. The public deeds of Christ’s ambassadors are there made prominent, rather
than their private exercises. True, they are shown to be men of prayer, as is seen
by “We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the
word” (6:4). Again and again we behold them engaged in this holy exercise
(9:40; 10:9; 20:36; 21:5; 28:8); yet we are not told what they said, the nearest
approach being 8:15, for their words are not recorded. We regard the prayer of
1:24 as that of the hundred and twenty, and that of 4:24–30 as that of “their own
company” (v. 23).
PAUL EMINENTLY A MAN OF PRAYER
The second fact which impressed us while contemplating the field before us
was that the great majority of the recorded prayers of the apostles issued from
the heart of Paul; and this, as we have said, was really to be expected. You ask
why? Several answers may be returned. Paul was preeminently the Apostle to
the Gentiles. Peter, James, and John ministered principally to Jewish believers
(Galatians 2:9), and even in their unconverted days they had been accustomed to