THE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT OF PRAYER


A. "ALL NATIONS WHOM THOU HAST MADE SHALL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE THEE, O LORD, AND SHALL GLORIFY THY NAME" - PSALMS 86:9-10
  1. This petition reminds us very strongly of the Lord's Prayer, in which we are guided in our approach to God:
    1. "Our Father which are in heaven" - Matt. 6:9
    2. That little word, "our" is most inclusive, it includes all God-fearing worshipers among all the nations - it makes the spirit of prayer universal
  2. The great reason for the spirit of universal prayer is:
    1. That God is the Creator of all nations; they are His creatures - Rom. 8:19
    2. All flesh looks to the great Benefactor to receive of His grace - Ps. 65:1-2
    3. "All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee, they shall sin unto Thy name" - Ps. 66:4
B. NOTE, DEAR READER
  1. The hope of the Psalmist:
    1. "All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord"
    2. It is a great dream; it is a dream of world-wide evangelism - Matt. 28:18-20; 24:14
    3. It foresees glorious victory of the gospel of Jesus Christ - Is. 60:1-10
    4. Is this the vision of our prayers? Are our prayers narrow, confined to our small self; or are they universal in scope
  2. Concerning this hope, we remark:
    1. That all the holy and dedicated people with the vision of world-wide evangelism, have cherished it
    2. It has been the great ambition of all who knew, at least in part, the plan of redemption to gather in converts from every nation, kindred and tongue - Rev. 14:6-7; Mark 16:15-16
    3. And that in due time this prayer will be realized - Is.60:5; 1:27
    4. That such a universal hope is to be cherished by all the children of God - that every knew may bow and confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father
C. LET US TAKE A STILL CLOSER LOOK AT THE PRAYER OF THE PSALMIST INDICATED IN OUR TEXT
  1. The courageous petition of David in which he urges all nations to join in prayer to the God who made them, is really an eye opener:
    1. It reveals the vision of that man of prayer
    2. He was fully aware that many of the surrounding nations were still in utter darkness about the worship of the true God
    3. But he was confident that they would in time hear the word of hope and become converts to the true God, the God of all nations
  2. This very inspiring prayer:
    1. Ought to enlarge our heart and increase our burden for world-wide evangelism
    2. It ought to humble us for our narrow and often self-centered prayers
    3. Yea, it ought to remove the spirit of despair out of our heart
    4. Let us repent of the little we have done and to place all on the altar of missions that will not cease until the glad tidings of the soon coming of Jesus will have claimed all nations for the worship of the God who made all of us
  3. This prayer is truly a missionary prayer:
    1. "I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest" - John 4:35
    2. "Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into the harvest" - Matt. 9:38
    3. Let us labor at home and abroad, expecting no failure - I Cor. 15:58
    4. "I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" - John 15:16
  4. If such a vision of prayer would motivate all the members of the church:
    1. How would it affect our personal relation to world-wide missions and our part in it
    2. How would it affect the midweek attendance at the prayer meeting
    3. These are no idle questions, but rather an attempt to inspire in us the spirit of universal supplication before the throne of grace - including all nations


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