Illustration: Power, God’s Provision

Richard Fairchild tells this story of Leslie Weatherhead, a well-known preacher of a previous generation: "Once, when he was a high school student, he had a very difficult examination, but he had discovered that verse, 'And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do...'

"He believed that verse meant that all he had to do was ask and he would pass the exam. He told God he was believing God's promise, and he wanted a good grade. The next day, young Weatherhead took the examination; but when the grades were in, he had failed. He was disillusioned. He rebelled and almost lost his faith. He came to the conclusion that the promises of the Bible were not good -- all because God had not granted his wish for a good grade.

"The next year he repeated that course. He worked hard, and he passed. This time he decided he did not need God, that he could get along by himself.

"After some years had passed, Dr. Weatherhead came to understand that his own powers and abilities were in reality the power that God had given to him. He began to realize God had already given him the power to pass the examination, but he had not used that power the first go around." (Richard J. Fairchild, "Our Desire and Our Growth")