Prayer and Promises

THE PROMISE 

“What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.  Jesus replied, “This is the work of God — that you believe in the One He has sent.”

— John 6:28,29, HCSB 

THE TESTIMONY

There are many who would answer. “We do believe on Christ, but feel that we fail to work the works of God.” I am not so sure that you have the faith which Jesus spoke of when he said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” 

The faith Jesus spoke of was more than a nominal assent to the truth that Christ is the Son of God. You are to believe that he is your Saviour, your Redeemer. You are to believe that you are his child, that it is your right to claim the promises of his word, your privilege to represent him to the world.

May God help us to realize the importance of examining our hearts to see whether or not we are in the faith. There are many who will fail because they do not gather every ray of light emanating from the word of life; they do not cherish the divine precepts, and dwell upon the precious promises of God. If they did this, fruits of righteousness would appear in their life, and every day they would be growing stronger and stronger, and more and more like Christ.

Christ has promised, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” He will hear and answer our prayers, and faith appropriates the rich promises of God, believing they are for us. 

As we accept the promises of God, we grow stronger in faith, and find the word of the Lord fulfilled as he has spoken it. We may feel our weakness and unworthiness, and because of this, realize our dependence upon God. Every one of us can have a rich experience in the things of God if we will utterly forsake our sin and submit ourselves to God. O, how can we cherish impurity in the soul when Christ has died for us, that we may become partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust? We are to be sanctified through the truth. 

Search the Scriptures, and know what is truth. Lean upon God, and know what is living faith, and live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

— The Review and Herald, April 14, 1891 

THE RESPONSE 

Believe that Christ is your Saviour, your Redeemer. Believe that you are His child and it is your right to claim the promises of His word and represent Him to the world.

Gather every ray of light radiating from the word of life; cherish the divine precepts and dwell on the precious promises of God. 

Forsake your sins and submit yourself to God. Seek to be sanctified through the truth. 

Search the Scriptures and know what is truth. Lean upon God, live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.