Written by: John Sernaque
Dear Reader,
Books / Pr - Prayer (2002) / Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer Satan Deceives Those Who Do Not Pray—
All who do not earnestly search the Scriptures and submit every desire and purpose of life to that unerring test, all who do not seek God in prayer for a knowledge of His will, will surely wander from the right path and fall under the deception of Satan.—(Testimonies for the Church 5:192.) {Pr 25.2}
Temptation Makes Prayer a Necessity—
The strength acquired in prayer to God, united with individual effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and caretaking, prepares the person for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances, however trying. The temptations to which we are daily exposed make prayer a necessity. In order that we may be kept by the power of God through faith, the desires of the mind should be continually ascending in silent prayer for help, for light, for strength, for knowledge. But thought and prayer cannot take the place of earnest, faithful improvement of the time. Work and prayer are both required in perfecting Christian character. {Pr 25.3}
We must live a twofold life—a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work.... God requires us to be living epistles, known and read of all men. The soul that turns to God for its strength, its support, its power, by daily, earnest prayer, will have noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty, lofty purposes of action, and a continual hungering and thirsting after righteousness.—(God’s Amazing Grace, 317.) {Pr 25.4}
Satan is busy tempting and deceiving every one he can, he even tried to temp Christ Jesus. Do not be deceived, you will not overcome the wiles of Satan without fervent prayer to receive power from on High. Pray continually that your prayers ascend to heaven to be kept and blessed by the power of God. However, just as Christ Jesus and the disciples, both prayed and worked to save souls from perishing, we too must do likewise. Do not neglect prayer nor the plan of salvation. Work to help save souls for the heavenly kingdom. Stay on the strait path. Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7: 14
Dear God,
We, Your children, come into Your presence in prayer and thanksgiving. We thank You for giving us the honor and privilege to be co-workers with You in the plan of salvation. For us to be able to receive the blessings and power from on High that You give for us to labor in the fields. For giving us the strength and courage to carry on and push forward, as the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. As You were rejected of men, even Your own, we face the same rejection of truth, as men prefer to live in sin. Therefore, we pray that You continue to encourage us and empower us to go forth with the everlasting gospel, until it reaches the four corners of the world. We pray that You guide us continually, keeping us on the strait path that leads to Your heavenly kingdom. For narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few find it. Help us to be the repairers of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. We pray that we continue to hunger and thirst after righteousness. That we may be always prepared for our daily duty, working to help souls for Your kingdom. Let us all watch and pray, lest any fall into temptation. Satan wants to have us and sift us as wheat. We pray that we receive Your strength to overcome sin, as You also overcame, that one day we will sit with You on Your throne. We pray for a double portion of Your Holy Spirit, that You abide in us and we abide in You. You are the potter and we are the clay. We pray that we will be ready when You come again to receive all Your saints to take us home into the New Jerusalem. We thank You Father, we thank You Jesus, and we thank You Holy Spirit. Bless us and keep us, in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.
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