Prayer and Promises

Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. — James 4:7,8,10, MEV 

How much better and safer it is to draw near to God, that the pure light shining from His Word may heal the wounds that sin has made in the soul. The Lord will draw near to him who confesses to his brethren the wrongs he has done them, and then comes to God in humility and contrition. 

The closer we are to God, the safer we are; for Satan hates and fears the presence of God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 

“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” Precious promise! 

God calls upon us to live the life of Christ, a life free from all roughness and vanity. Speak no words of harsh command; for they will gender strife. Speak instead words that will give light and knowledge, words that will restore and build up. A man shows that he has true wisdom by using the talent of speech to produce music in the souls of those who are trying to do their appointed work, and who are in need of encouragement. 

Let God’s people make earnest, thorough work for repentance. Do not be zealous to humble one another. Humble yourselves. Take hold of your own case, and by humble confession stand clear before God. Confess your faults to one another, that you may be healed. How many there are who are carrying a load of unconfessed wrong-doing. They try to shape matters so that their dignity will not be hurt. To make wrongs right from the very first departure, looks to them like extinguishing themselves. They think that if they did this, their usefulness would be destroyed. If they would cease this reasoning, and place themselves in the hands of God, to let Him work out His will in them, how much safer they would be. Delaying the confession of injustice to others is the most dangerous course that can be followed. Thus a compromise is made with Satanic agencies. The burden of unconfessed sin is the heaviest burden that can be borne. Jesus, the great burden-bearer, asks you to transfer your load to Him. Draw nigh to God, and never again separate from Him. 

— Signs of the Times, October 30, 1901 

O my God, I humble myself and submit myself to You, I long to draw near to You. In humility and contrition I confess my sins. Thank you for Your precious promise, I humble myself in Your sight knowing that You will lift me up! Teach us Your ways, O Lord. Teach us how to speak words that give light and knowledge, words that will restore and build up to those who are in need of encouragement.