TEXT: 1SAM. 17:20

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?'

The duty we owe to God is huge: the strength to perform same is not harvested from the garden of nature! Our tempter is formidable and political: the arm of flesh can never outwit him! Our needs are numberless: we can never be renamed as fellows without need! To our right and left; behind and before us, are temptations,--- the prince of ill, Satan, the tempter, tempts night and day: 'While the earth remaineth' Satan's fiery darts shall not cease from being hauled at us! Our light is mixed with darkness: we are creatures that 'know in part.', 1Cor. 13:9; nay, 'now we see through a glass, darkly.' 1Cor. 13:12.

Hence, is there not a cause and call for prayer? What corner of the Earth shall a man turn to; what glance and beholding shall a man do, and not find matters for prayer? The rich needs our prayer: that he may be prevented from saying he has no need for God; the poor, that he steals not and thereby crushed the Holy name of God! In order to bend our knees unto prayer for the rich and the poor, the Holy Ghost would send us unto the consideration of and contemplation upon the words of Agur, son of Jakeh: 'Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.' There is a supposition and an intimation that the poor may steal, and the rich deny God because of his full-ness,--- a conceited sort actually! There is therefore a cause to pray for the rich, who is clothed in purple and fine linen, and fares sumptuously every day; as well beggar Lazarus, who is full of sores!

Is there not a cause? Is not the actual sense of our spiritual poverty calling us to our knees? Is there not a cause? Do we suppose that God will not make demand of us how we lived on earth on the last day? With judgement in view sir, is there not a cause for holiness and strictness? If God resists the proud, is this not a motive to fall flat before Him and walk lowly and meekly on this side heaven? There is a cause for a holy living like never before! There is a cause to leave all to follow Him! There is a cause to declaratively, efficiently but lovingly refute the least of errors within our horizon! There is a cause to pray evermore! There is a heaven to go and a hell to avoid,---- an eternal bliss or a forever unmatched agony,----there is a cause to give all for the procuring of the one and the avoidance of the other! Is there not a cause to sleep sparingly and watch more in prayer and meditation? Is there not a cause to sell our garments(outward charming appearance; ornamental and attractive for eyes to see and mouth to talk about.) and buy sword(knowledge and spiritual discourses)? I have said there is a cause; I say again, there is a cause! Flee from all who see not the cause for your consecration, strictness in handling the word of life! Sit not on the seat of the scornful! There is a cause that put thee on this narrow course! Amen!

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Ojoje Adeyi