Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

— Hebrews 13:15,16, BSB 

The Testimony 

A few more days, and we enter upon a new year. Let each ask himself these questions, and conscientiously answer them: Has the past year been to me a success, or a failure? How stands the record in the books of heaven? 

Have you, through watchfulness, prayer, and the study of the words of Christ, sought daily to maintain a personal connection with your Saviour, so that you might be a fruit-bearing branch? Will you not candidly, critically, review your life, praying for discernment that you may see yourself as the Lord Jesus sees you? Recount the temporal blessings which the Lord has freely given you in food, in clothing, in health; and then with prayerful heart ask him to grant you a retentive memory, that you may not forget the precious spiritual blessings he has so abundantly bestowed. By what means have you been made the recipients of his grace?—Through his amazing love. 

Is this the language of your heart? “I am wholly thine, my Saviour; thou hast paid the ransom for my soul, and all that I am or ever hope to be is thine. Help me to acquire means, not to expend foolishly, not to indulge pride, but to use to thine own name’s glory.” In all you do, let your thought be, “…He gave his life for me; what can I give back to God? I can only say, ‘Of thine own, O Lord, I freely give thee.’” 

God is constantly bestowing upon you the blessings of this life; and if he asks you to dispense his gifts by helping the various branches of his work, it is for your own temporal and spiritual interest to do so, and thus acknowledge God as the giver of every blessing. God, as the Master-worker, co-operates with men in securing the means necessary for their sustenance; and he requires them to co-operate with him in the salvation of souls. He has placed in the hands of his servants the means wherewith to carry forward his work in home and foreign missions. 

May the Lord imbue our churches with his Holy Spirit! May he work for his people, and may every member of the church work with him for the upbuilding of his kingdom! 

— The Review and Herald, December 23, 1890 

The Response 

Father God, I am thankful for Your great love and grateful for all the temporal and spiritual blessings You so freely give. I want to be a fruit-bearing branch. Help me to acquire means, not to expend foolishly, but to use to Your own name’s glory. Fill Your people with the Holy Spirit that every member of the church will work with You for the upbuilding of Your kingdom!