Henry Gibbud was a mission worker in the city of New York. He was a man of great devotion and wonderful power in prayer . On one occasion he had been working all night in the slums of the great city .

Tired and sleepy at the end of his toil, he made his way in the dark of the morning to the Brooklyn ferry dock. He put his hand in his pocket to pay his fare homeward, but to his dismay he discovered that he did not have the three pennies needed. His heart sank in deep discouragement, but he closed his eyes and began to pray. “Lord, I have been toiling all night in Thy service, trying to bring lost men and women to Thee. I am hungry and sleepy and wish to go home, but I do not have even three pennies for my fare. Will You not help me?”

As he closed his simple prayer , he opened his eyes. They fell upon something shining in the dust at his feet. He reached down and picked up the glittering object and found it was a fifty-cent piece. He paid his fare and went on his way rejoicing.

What was the joy that flooded his heart? It was the fulfillment of the precious promise: “If a son shall ask” (KJV).

Have you taken your place in God’s presence, not as a stranger , but as a son?

“If a son, then an heir” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Heir of a mighty King, heir to a throne, Why art thou wandering sad and alone? Heir to the love of God, heir to His grace, Rise to thy privilege, claiming thy place. Heir of a Conqueror, why dost thou fear? Foes cannot trouble thee when He is near. Child of the promises, be not oppressed, Claim what belongs to thee, find sweetest rest. Heir by inheritance! child of thy God! Right to thy sonship is found in His Word; Walk with the noble ones, never alone; Prince of the Royal Blood, come to thy throne. Heirs! we are joint-heirs with Jesus our Lord! Heirs of the Covenant, found in His Word! Rise to thy privilege, heir to His grace! Heir to the love of God, rise, claim thy place!

Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father.—My Father, and your Father.

Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.—Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Thou art no more a servant, but a son.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.

He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him I will give power over the nations.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Thou are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Reckon ye . . . yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.