He sends rain and sunshine, stormy wind and hoar frost, heat and cold, the changing seasons, causing earth to bring forth her increase for the sustenance of man and beast. Away back in by-gone ages, doubtless, the creator of this vast universe provided, or made ample provision for this earth and all its dependencies. I seriously doubt if a mistake was made or any need that might arise in any member of the human family, but that was thoroughly considered and all needful supplies provided for. “Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Why then so much suffering, famine, pestilence, war, murder, and the great amount of evil arising from intemperance? These are all the results of sin, not the penalty for sin, but the legitimate fruit of sin; and God has provided a complete remedy for all the ills which flesh is suffering because of sin. Wherefore, He is able to save us to the uttermost, and to present us faultless before His presence, with exceeding joy. Suffering and need may be employed at times as a corrective agency, and in all these things we should learn wisdom and abandon all wrong doing and learn to do well. We read of some that were always learning, and never coming to the knowledge. Perhaps nearly all Christian men and women would endorse in a general way, God’s providential care over His children, but doubt His special providences. Nevertheless, He does hear and answer prayer for special blessings.
When Peter was in prison prayer was offered for him, which God heard and answered, sending an angel to unlock prison doors, calling Peter’s attention to the fact that deliverance had come; and in obeying the command, his chains fell off, and those massive doors, seemingly of their own accord, swung back, and he following his guide, was a free man, walking at liberty. When Israel had been scourged for three years and six months by a severe drouth, Elijah petitioned the Lord for help, special help! Rain, was the all-absorbing need at that time, and blessed be the Lord Almighty that hears and answers prayer, rain came in great abundance. Every answer to prayer, whether it be for soul or body, is a special gift or blessing from our God. But in every case, there must be on our part, a _special need_, and faith must be normal, believing, trusting, without any reserve whatever. If you have the reserve of a big farm, or bank stock, or cash in abundance at your command, it will greatly hinder your faith! hence, those in the ministry blessed with such means, never reach such depths of richness of experience, as those that are compelled by force of circumstances to trust alone in God. Ministers that have means to fall back on if things do not move to suit them, generally in a pinch, fall back _on means_! God has nowhere in His Word promised to supply all we want, but all we need. If a man is not sick, he does not feel much on the subject of being healed. If he is well clothed and housed he does not feel the need of clothes and shelter. If he is well supplied with food, or can at _will_, put his hand on the greenbacks, he does not have a very big feeling of need.
