"He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: 'Silence! Be still!' The wind ceased, and there was a great calm!" Mark 4:39
Jesus did not hear the roar of the storm in His sound sleep; but the moment there was a cry from His disciples for help — He instantly awoke. What a revelation of His heart we have here! He is never asleep to His people, when they call Him. Amid the wildest tumults of this world — He ever hears the faintest cry of prayer. Nor is He ever too weary to listen to the supplications of distress from His people.
We have another illustration of this same quickness to hear prayer, in the hours of our Lord's sufferings on the cross. His life was fast ebbing away. His own agony was intense beyond description. Around Him surged a storm of human passion. Curses fell upon His ear. But amid all this tempest of hate — He was silent. To all these bitter insults and keen reproaches — He answered not a word. Then amid the derisions and jeers of the multitude — there broke a voice of prayer. It came from one of the crosses beside him. It was the penitential cry of a soul, "Lord, remember me!" And in all the tumult of the hour — He heard this feeble supplication. In His own agony He gave instant answer. Doubt not that this Jesus always hears prayer. His love is ever on the watch, ready to catch the faintest note of human distress.
Though aroused so suddenly in the midst of such scenes of terror, Jesus awakes calm and peaceful. Here we have an illustration of what Christ's peace was, and of what He meant when He said, "My peace I give unto you." It was thus He moved through all the turbulent scenes of His earthly life.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.