Prayer and Promises

Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. — Psalm 51:9,10,12,, NKJV 

It is your Master who saith, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus does not say, “Perhaps I will give you rest.” Then why do you act that perhaps? Why not say, “Lord, here I come, sinful and polluted. Thou hast promised to give me rest”? “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Satan will tell you that you are a sinner, that there is no need of your praying and repenting after committing such a sin as you have committed; but you can tell Satan that it is because you are a sinner that you need a Saviour. You may go to the Lord, and say, “Forgive my sin. I put my hand to thy hand for help, and I must have thy forgiveness or perish. Let the Sun of righteousness shine into the chambers of my mind and heart, that I may teach transgressors thy ways, and that sinners may be converted unto thee.” 

With the confession of the repenting, believing sinner, he mingles his own righteousness, that the prayer of fallen man may go up as fragrant incense before the Father, and the grace of God is imparted to the believing soul. 

When the enemy comes in like a flood, and seeks to overwhelm you with the thought of your sin, tell him, “I know I am a sinner; if I were not, I could not go to the Saviour, for he says, ‘I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ And because I am a sinner, I am entitled to come to Christ.” In this way you will have power to overcome the wicked one. Keep looking up, for your faith has bound you to the throne of God. Do not look down, as though you were bound to earth… when the enemy rallies his forces to bring you into a critical place, the angels of God will be roundabout you, and you will have help from on high; for your prayer will be answered in the conflict. If you have genuine faith, you will praise God, from whom all blessings flow; and as you praise him, you will realize more of his blessing. 

— The Review and Herald, October 11, 1892 

O my Lord, I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Here I am, sinful and polluted. I look up to You, for You promised to give me rest. Forgive my sin. I put my hand to Your hand for help. I must have Your forgiveness and power, or I perish. May Your righteousness shine into the chambers of my mind and heart that I may teach transgressors Your ways, and that sinners may be converted to You. I praise You from whom all blessings flow!