xhaustible fulness which there is in God.

Let us now take a few instances in order to see the practical working of
this _experimental_ fellowship, or partnership, with the Father and with
the Son. Suppose there are two believing parents who were not brought to
the knowledge of the truth until some years after the Lord had given
them several children. Their children were brought up in sinful, evil
ways, whilst the parents did not know the Lord. Now the parents reap as
they sowed. They suffer from having set an evil example before their
children, for their children are unruly and behave most improperly. What
is now to be done? Need such parents despair? No. The first thing they
have to do is, to make confession of their sins to God, with regard to
neglecting their children whilst they were themselves living in sin, and
then to remember that they are in partnership with God, and therefore to
be of good courage, though they are in themselves still utterly
insufficient for the task of managing their children. They have in
themselves neither the wisdom, nor the patience, nor the long-suffering,
nor the gentleness, nor the meekness, nor the love, nor the decision and
firmness, nor anything else that may be needful in dealing with their
children aright. But their heavenly Father has all this. The Lord Jesus
possesses all this. And they are in partnership with the Father, and
with the Son, and therefore they can obtain by prayer and faith all they
need out of the fulness of God. I say by _prayer_ and _faith_, for we
have to make known our need to God in prayer, ask his help, and then we
have _to believe_ he will give us what we need. Prayer alone is not
enough. We may pray never so much, yet, if we do not believe that God
will give us what we need, we have no reason to expect that we shall
receive what we have asked for. So then these parents would need to ask
God to give them the needful wisdom, patience, long-suffering,
gentleness, meekness, love, decision; and firmness, and whatever else
they may judge they need. They may in humble boldness remind their
heavenly Father that his word assures them that they are in partnership
with him, and, as they themselves are lacking in these particulars, ask
him to be pleased to supply their need; and then they have _to believe_
that God will do it, and they shall receive according to their need.

Another instance: Suppose I am so situated in my business that day by
day such difficulties