Prayer and Promises

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. — Psalm 5:3, NKJV 

The idea that prayer is not essential is one of Satan’s most successful devices to ruin souls. Prayer is addressing the mind to God, the Fountain of wisdom, the Source of strength and peace and happiness. Prayer includes acknowledgment of the divine perfections, gratitude for mercies received, penitential confession of sins, and earnest entreaty for the blessing of God, both for ourselves and for others. 

Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to him. It makes us realize more and more our great needs, and hence our obligation to God and our dependence upon him. It leads us to feel our own nothingness and the weakness of our judgment. 

God has made earnest prayer the condition of the bestowal of his richest blessings. Prayer brings us nearer and nearer to Jesus. However fully we may have given ourselves to God at conversion, it is of no avail unless we renew our consecration in each separate duty as it presents itself. Dear reader, consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first business, even if you have to rise half an hour earlier in order to find time. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly thine. I lay all my plans at thy feet. Use me today in thy service. Whatever errand I may do, send me. Whatever I may say to honor thee, or lead souls to Christ, help me to say it.” 

This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself and your family to God for that day… One brief day is given you, and that one day work for yourself and your family as though it were your last. Surrender all your plans to God, to be carried out or given up, as his providence shall indicate. In this manner you may, day by day, be giving your life with its plans and purposes into the hands of God, accepting his plans instead of your own, no matter how much they may interfere with your arrangements nor how many pleasant projects may have to be abandoned. Thus the life will be moulded more and more after the divine Model; and “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

— The Signs of the Times, August 7, 1884 

Dear Lord, You are my source of strength and peace. I consecrate myself and my family into Your hands today. I want Your plans for my life, not my own. Take me as wholly Yours, use me today in Your service. Send me on Your errands and help me say words that bring honor to You and will lead souls closer to You. I seek Your richest blessings and pray that others may be blessed as well.