Prayer and Promises

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” — Jeremiah 17:5,7, NLT 

There are many who claim that the Lord is their source of strength; and yet as soon as trials come upon them, instead of seeking the Lord in prayer, they go to some poor, fallible mortal like themselves, for sympathy and counsel. But what are they doing when they pursue this course? They are making flesh their arm; and as certainly at they do this, they will become weak. We should go to God with our perplexities. He is the great, unerring Counselor. 

We have been leaning upon broken reeds, but God does not want us to depend upon others. We should depend wholly upon him. Why do you not go to your Heavenly Father, and make known your wants to him? 

An abundance of wholesome spiritual food has been provided in the word of God. Now let us turn over a new leaf in our experience. Let us confess and forsake our sins, and come to Christ for the bread of life. Do not stop to bemoan yourself, but roll your burden into the open sepulcher. Our blessed Lord is a very present help in every time of trouble… Will you not venture upon his promise, and claim him as your God? 

If you talk darkness, you will have plenty of darkness; if you talk light, you will have an abundance of light. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is…”  

We should place the precious promises of God where we may look upon them whenever Satan casts his darkness upon us. The enemy of God and man would be well pleased to have us dwell upon our darkness and discouragement, so that the religion of Christ would appear a grievous yoke. You should gather rays of light from Jesus every day… talk of the mercies of God; and the magnifying glass of Satan will be thrust before your eyes in vain. But if you continue to look at the discouraging features of your experience, they will grow more and more forbidding, until you are completely overwhelmed with gloom. Talk courage, talk faith and hope, and you will be all light in the Lord. Keep thinking of the open door that Christ has set before you, that no man can shut. God will close the door to all evil, if you will give him a chance. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up for you a standard against him. 

— The Review and Herald, April 16, 1889 

Dear Lord, I come to You for help in my time of trouble. Be my counselor, I roll all my burdens onto You, for You are my God and my only help. I will no longer depend on man but will depend completely on You. Forgive me when I talk discouragement, I will now talk of Your mercies and my faith in You as my very present help in trouble!