At the opening of our conference, as we have gathered together for prayer, I thought it would be well to read the apostle's second prayer, as recorded in the epistle to the Ephesians. His first prayer is given in chap. 1; 15-23, and is also one full of richest instruction. This one in chap. 3 appears in the center, comes in between the two parts, of the epistle, the doctrinal and the practical. The great doctrine of this letter to the saints at Ephesus is given in the first three chapters; and at the close of this part the apostle bows his knees unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and lets out the breathings of his heart to God for those saints. Then follows the practical part, which covers the remainder of the epistle.

There are four things in this prayer that I desire to say a word upon:

First. Paul prayed that the saints might be "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man " (ver. 16), Now, beloved, let us ask ourselves at the beginning of our conference, For what did we come here at this time ? Let there be some heart-searching among us at this meeting. I see that there are many young people gathered. Thank God for such; for in a day like ours, when such a large premium is given for the presence and company of the young, to have them in a gathering such as this bespeaks the marvelous grace of God. But let us all ask ourselves, now that we are here, What are our intentions in these meetings ? Men of the world gather at this season of the year for merry-making. Let it not be, with any of us, merely to have a social time-blessed as it is for us to enjoy fellowship when gathered together; but we need more than that now, and shall we not turn to God this evening and say we desire more ? And will not our earnest, heartfelt prayer be for God to come in and give us a spiritual awakening, a ministry of the Spirit that will quicken us and give us more spiritual power ? I feel this to be the great need to-day with our young people in the little gatherings throughout the country. The apostle prayed that the saints might be strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man. Let us turn to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and sincerely ask Him this for ourselves. If we ask in faith, we shall be richly supplied; we shall separate after our conference with that which will enable us, each one, to be a better witness for the Lord; and we shall thus carry away blessing to the different communities where we belong.

The apostle prays for this blessing for the saints at Ephesus, and adds, "according to the riches of His glory." Let me read it, rather, "wealth of His glory." In this we learn that there is no stint with our God; there is untold wealth with Him; all is to be found in Christ glorified in the heavens, and God desires to distribute this for our hearts to appropriate it now. Our reception of it will all depend upon the condition of our souls at this time.

See the case of Joseph in Egypt. All the corn of the seven plentiful years had been gathered up and placed in store, and all this abundance was under Joseph's control. When the time of need came, and his brethren sought food, they had to turn their faces to Joseph. When they went to Pharaoh, his answer was, "Go to Joseph." Transfer this to our day, and put it in New Testament language. Do we ask our God this evening for "corn," for food to build us up and nourish us in the inner man, that we may be strong in this world for Him ? If this is the burden of our prayer, I assure every one that we shall not be disappointed. Joseph's brethren, both for themselves and others, brought empty sacks -the suited thing for needy ones. Have we brought our empty sacks at this time ? If so, the promise is, "He will fill the empty with good things." When they came, sack in hand, and expressed their need, Joseph turned them over to the steward of his house, and asked him to supply it. This steward is to us the Holy Spirit. Their empty sacks were filled full. May our coming together work with us like results! Let us pray for the ministry that will lay before us the very corn of heaven, the old corn itself; then we may expect among us a spiritual awakening.

I feel more than anxious that God may come in at this time and help us; for I have felt often, along with others, a lack of power when we have come together like this. The social has too much absorbed the spiritual. This is to be overcome. It denotes a lack of devotedness, which others, with less light but more self-denial, manifest. Let it stir us up to self-judgment, to the end that devotedness, prayer-fulness and self-denial may abound with us. If we follow the Lord and His guiding, we may find it needful to take the sharp knife and cut off various things which we have allowed, but we will get a fuller view of God and His beloved Son now in glory.

An old brother in the West, a few years ago, arose at the close of a meeting (where rich blessing had
been enjoyed by all gathered), and said that as he had been getting a blessed view of his portion in Christ in the present, and of what the future would be for him with our Lord on high, this world had been made to appear to him as a very little thing. May the Lord at this time work in the same way with us, open up to us the glories into which Christ has gone, the fulness and sufficiency that are to be found in Him; then this world which offers us many attractions, especially to the young, will stand out before the vision of our souls as but a little thing.

Second. The next desire of the apostle was, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith " (ver. 17). This desire naturally follows that of being strengthened by His Spirit; for the Spirit brings us face to face with our Lord, whose glory fills the heavens. If such is His place in heaven, the Spirit would have it in the believer's heart too. If we have not been giving Him this place in the past, open up to-night the heart-door, and let Him who is the King of glory enter in and take the place which belongs to Him.

The question may be asked, How can Christ dwell in hearts like ours ? The answer is given in our verse-By faith. Faith opens all to Him, as the bride in Canticles said, "Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits." When such a desire is expressed to our Lord, immediately He responds by saying, "I am come into My garden, My sister, My spouse:I have gathered My myrrh with My spice; I have eaten My honeycomb with My honey; I have drunk My wine with My milk:eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." This answers to the apostle's desire in Eph. 3-Christ dwelling in the heart by faith.

In one of the French wars during the time of Napoleon there lay a soldier wounded on the battlefield. As the surgeon probed for the bullet, the poor man cried, when he reached the region of the heart, "Be careful, be careful now; you are getting near to Napoleon." Napoleon lived in the soldier's heart. Christ lives in the believer's heart.

Third. The apostle desires that they, "being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." This is a full desire; for when Christ's love in its unfathomable depths is apprehended, He gets that place in the heart which enables us to lay hold of all revealed truth. We can then take in such things as these great revelations of Eph. i, 2, and 3; and what was previously a mystery, is now apprehended and enjoyed. May we be enabled by the Spirit to take in and to retain the blessings thus given.

At a time like this, of Satanic activity in divine things, we need to have our hearts stirred often to Bible study. As we search the Scriptures prayerfully and thoughtfully, the Spirit of God gives us increasing apprehension of the great wealth of truth revealed therein. Rest assured, it has a breadth, a length, a depth and height that none of us has ever yet fully taken in.

Fourth. The apostle desires that they "might be filled with all the fulness of God" (ver. 19). Beloved, is not this a wonderful thought-filled with God's fulness ? We believe the fulness of God is all in the person of Christ. Years ago, while sitting beside the Mississippi river, with the immense fulness that it contained before me, I read this passage, and it opened up to me with increased beauty. Suppose that I drew near to the edge of that great stream and drank from its fulness until I was filled, would that slacken or lower that immense fulness ? No; the river would abide the same, yet I would be full, filled from its fulness. This is the idea. So millions in the past have drunk, have been filled from the fulness of God, and millions more may yet drink; yea, we shall drink forever from the river of His pleasure, yet the fulness abides. It is infinite, fathomless. May we, beloved, bow down low at this time, and drink of what is there-the pure stream, be refreshed, and, with the supply thus gathered from the fulness of God, go forth in the power of the Spirit, and carry a blessing to our homes, our assemblies, our communities-a blessing which will be to His eternal praise.

If such results follow our coming together at this time, we shall not have come together in vain. May God grant that it may be so, for His name's sake!