Prayer and Promises

The Promise 

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 

— Galatians 6:1, NLT 

The Testimony 

Begin the new year with more tender regard, with deeper love, for every member of the Lord’s family. Press together. “United, we stand; divided, we fall.” Take a higher, nobler stand than you ever have before. 

In every church, will you follow the conditions God has specified, and prove the Lord, and see if he will fulfill his promises? I believe he will… the exceedingly broad promises of rich blessings will be realized if we but comply with the conditions. Your heads may be hard and sound, but let not this hardness steal into your hearts. If you will fall on the Rock and be broken, then your self-righteousness will no longer exist. There will be instead soft, impressible hearts, kind, tender, true hearts, like that of Jesus, who was ever touched with human woe. You will weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. Try it, brethren; God’s way is always best. 

Try it in every church. Have special meetings when you can,—meetings of humiliation, of afflicting the soul,—meetings where the rubbish shall be cleared away from the door of the heart, that the blessed Saviour may enter. What a wonderful time the dying of the old year and the birth of the new might be! If we individually try to do what we can on our part, God is faithful that hath promised, and he will fulfill on his part abundantly more than you can ask or even think. 

Let there be meetings in every church; and let ample opportunity be given to all to humble themselves before God, and confess their sins, that they may receive the peace of pardon. When we will bring our hearts into unity with Christ, and our lives into harmony with his work, the Spirit that descended on the day of Pentecost will fall on us. We shall be strong in Christ’s strength, and be filled with the fullness of God. Then the new year will be welcomed by us all as the commencement of a year a higher, better principles. We shall give ourselves to Christ, making an unreserved consecration of all our property, all our capacities, to his service. We shall make good our profession of faith; we shall serve God by serving those who need our help. Then we shall let our light shine forth in good works. 

— The Review and Herald, December 16, 1884 

The Response 

Father God, I seek to commence the new year with a deeper love for every member of Your family. In humbleness before You I confess the hardness of my heart. May Your Holy Spirit fall on Your people and fill us with Your fullness that we may press together and be united in service to You. I humbly consecrate all my abilities to Your service, even my property. Make my heart tender and true like Jesus that I may kindly serve those in need.