Prayer and Promises

THE PROMISE  

They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world.

— John 17:16-18, MEV

THE TESTIMONY  

The truth is the medium through which the soul is to be sanctified; therefore we should search the Scriptures diligently, that we may know what is truth. The truth received into the heart and practiced in the life will elevate, ennoble, and purify the soul. The espousal of error does not lead to this result; its influence is of a widely different character. Truth is from above, error is from beneath. 

In order to know the truth as it is in Jesus, we must give ourselves to thoughtful, prayerful study of the Scriptures. We must know what the word of God is to us, what the truth is to us, and what it means to be doers of the word of God, and not followers of cunningly-devised fables. The greatest blessing bestowed upon the world is the privilege of understanding the oracles of God. 

Do we receive the testimony of the Scriptures as the voice of God?... If we did regard it thus, what a change would be seen in our daily words and actions. With what reverence and awe would we search the word of God to know the truth, the medium through which the soul’s sanctification is accomplished. 

In order to understand the sayings of our Lord, we should carefully and prayerfully contemplate the words of truth... for if our minds are illuminated by the Spirit of God, more and more of the force and meaning attached to them by the Saviour himself will come to our hearts. When Christ expounded the Old Testament to his disciples, it was to bring out deeper spiritual truths than had been understood before, even by those who had written them. The disciples acknowledged that they did not understand him when he spoke to them of his sufferings and death, quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He...promised that he would send the Holy Spirit to recall his sayings to them when they were better qualified to understand. 

We should pray that our understanding may be opened, that we may comprehend what Christ has said unto us; for we are to be sanctified through his word. 

— Signs of the Times, April 6, 1891 

THE RESPONSE  

Receive truth into the heart and practice it in the life. Understand the truth as it is in Jesus by thoughtful, prayerful study of the Scriptures. 

Carefully and prayerfully contemplate the words of truth. Receive the testimony of the Scriptures as the voice of God

Ask that your mind may be illuminated by the Spirit of God and that the Saviour will come into your heart.

Pray that your understanding may be opened to comprehend what Christ said and to be sanctified through His word.