Prayer and Promises

THE PROMISE

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

— John 17:15-17, MEV

THE TESTIMONY  

Just before his betrayal and crucifixion, during the last peaceful moments that he spent with his disciples, Christ prayed for his followers... Those who profess to be followers of Christ should seek to answer the Saviour’s prayer, by becoming sanctified through the truth, the word of God. But how few see and feel the importance of knowing what is truth! How few diligently search for the truth as for hidden treasures! 

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. 

Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” How many of us place a right estimate upon the word of God? Do we receive the testimony of the Scriptures as the voice of God? Through the Scriptures the voice of God comes to us as veritably as it came to Israel when he spoke on Sinai in the audience of all the people. How many of us regard it in this light?... Our spiritual development depends upon our knowledge of the truth, upon our practice of its divine principles as embodied in the precepts of the law and in the teaching of our Lord. 

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.

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  

Search the Scriptures diligently, receive the truth into your heart and practice It in your life.

Give yourself to thoughtful, prayerful study of the Scriptures. Receive the testimony of the Scriptures as the voice of God.

Carefully and prayerfully contemplate the words of truth. Pray that your mind will be illuminated by the Spirit of God and its meaning will come into your heart. 

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