Herald and news., November 30, 1958, Page 49, Image 49

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Whatever your faith, a deep source of strength i
always ready to help you ride out the storms of life.
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Jul
by the Rev. Clarence Seidenspinner
you are really up against it, where do you look for help? Often
there is no other solution or remedy except the additional in
sight and energy which God can bring to your problem. At such
times, do you try to secure His help?
Only now are we beginning to see how widespread this help is. It's
been known and experienced for hundreds of years by many people.
Only today, however, are we gathering up case studies of God's help in
action so that we may look more carefully at the process involved.
If you are in need of God's help now, here are some intelligent
directions, based upon these studies. There are four steps:
1. Pray at once for. what you really and deeply need. Formulate your
need in a direct petition to God. In some way or another, help is bound
to come. You many want to fortify your personal prayers by enlisting the
support of others who can add their petitions to your own.
The Paul Russells know what this means. One March day they rushed
their little daughter, Gayle, to the Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in
Chicago for an appendectomy. Instead of convalescing normally, Gayle
slipped into a coma induced by encephalitis. She had only half a chance
to recover, and even recovery might mean paralysis.
The Russells began an immediate prayer program. They were
strengthened in their personal prayers by prayers of neighbors and
leaders of various Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish congregations.
Wonderful was the day when the child opened her eyes and spoke.
Now, after a normal recovery for Gayle, Mrs. Russell says, "It was truly
a miracle. My husband and I believe with all our hearts that the prayers
helped her to recover."
2. Build a sense of familiar fellowship with God. Such companionship
comes from the regular practice of personal prayer. All the religions of
the world offer various patterns to follow in these daily prayers. Like
many another person, you will discover in such daily fellowship with
God that you begin to sense the vast resources of power and healing
help available to you at all times.
Olin Stockwell was an educator and church executive when the
communists took China. For nearly two years' he was their prisoner
while they threatened, questioned, starved, and finally brain-washed him.
Through all these long weeks, Stockwell was given strength by the God
with whom he had daily fellowship in prayer. After it was all over, he
told his story in a book, "With God in Red China."
3. Check your life situation with the known facts about God's will. In
your daily living, you may be flouting so many of the known laws of
God which make for health and prosperity that it is impossible for His
help to break through. In such a situation, if you really want the help for
which you are praying, you will need to change some of those habits.
It was Albert Cliff e's experience in his counseling clinic at Montreal
with 700 patients who found help in a 15 month period, that only when
they got rid of their sense of guilt did healing help come.
. 4. Reflect upon the wonder of God's spirit and will acting within you
right now. Think of His action in your body making possible its wonder
ful chemistry and continuous life. Think of His spirit which makes
possible the sparkling life of your mind. Consider, also, those fortunate
breaks that came your way, not by sheer chance but from God's design
for you. Yes, think of God at work this very moment to meet your needs.
Throughout the world, Toyohika Kagawa is known for his work with
the underprivileged people of Japan. At 69, he is still actively engaged in
the social services. All this useful activity and national leadership is built
upon daily reflection of the wonder of God's help and guidance at work
In his life.
When Kagawa was 20 years old he was ready to die of tuberculosis.
When the physician told him there was no hope of recovery, Kagawa
turned his eyes upon God's action in his life. He became convinced that
God was preparing him for personal service to the working people of
Japan. With this realization in mind, he recovered.
Ever since, through many a dark moment when all seemed lost,
Kagawa kept God's work in his own life steadily before him. What he
found to be true, many another person has discovered, also.
This same divine help is at work in your own life. You have only to
cooperate with it!
10 Family Wrekiy, Sovtmbtr JO, 15