Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

We declare to you that which we have seen and heard, that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

— 1 John 1:3, MEV 

The Testimony 

Says the prophet, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.” You can see from this text that the burden of the social meeting does not rest upon one individual, but upon all. We are to speak one to another. There is nothing that will so completely kill out the true spirit of devotion in social worship as for one to occupy the time to the exclusion of others. 

Let every one who names the name of Christ have a testimony to bear in social meeting. Let it be right to the point, relating personal experience as to what God has done for your soul… We have certainly subject matter enough about which to talk. We have the great principles of salvation revealed in the word of God, which concern our eternal welfare, and our very souls should be all aglow with the love of God. We should be ready to speak forth his praises. Christ should abide in our hearts by faith, that we may learn of him, and be laborers together with him. We should unitedly go forth, determined, through the help of God, to bear testimony to his glory in every act of our life. 

Every one who professes the name of Christ should be a laborer together with God. We are members one of another, and every member should feel a responsibility to train himself to bless and benefit the church. The members of the church should feel that the house of God is their house, and that they are of the family of heaven. 

We should arouse every energy that God has given us, and should pray without ceasing. We should press our petitions to the throne of grace. We should plead with God to give us the spirit of supplication, that we may seek for those things which he has pledged himself to bestow upon us. If you pray in faith, you will gain a rich experience, because you will be living as in the sight of God; and when you come together on the Sabbath in the capacity of a social or prayer meeting, the angels of God will accompany you, to be round about you in the house of worship. 

— The Review and Herald, October 22, 1889 

The Response 

O Father God, abide in my heart and fill me with Your love. Train me that I may be a blessing and benefit in the church, let my words and deeds bear a testimony to Your glory. I plead for the Spirit of supplication that I may seek those things You pledged to give us. Give us a rich experience as we come together in the social meeting to share our personal experiences and speak forth Your praises.