Written by: John Sernaque
Dear Reader,
Books / Pr - Prayer (2002) / Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer
Prayer Needed Daily—Religion must begin with emptying and purifying the heart, and must be nurtured by daily prayer.—(Testimonies for the Church 4:535.) {Pr 20.2}
It is just as convenient, just as essential, for us to pray three times a day as it was for Daniel. Prayer is the life of the soul, the foundation of spiritual growth. In your home, before your family, and before your workmen, you should testify to this truth. And when you are privileged to meet with your brethren in the church, tell them of the necessity of keeping open the channel of communication between God and the soul. Tell them that if they will find heart and voice to pray, God will find answers to their prayers. Tell them not to neglect their religious duties. Exhort the brethren to pray. We must seek if we would find, we must ask if we would receive, we must knock if we would have the door opened unto us.—(The Signs of the Times, February 10, 1890.) {Pr 20.3}
We do not always get what we want, but get what we need. What we need is prayer, the channel of communication between God and us. We must come to God as His vessel to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The more we come, the greater Spirit and light we will receive. Daniel came to God three times per day, evening, morning, and noon. It was by his continual communion with God that he was able to receive His protection in the lion’s den. It is our duty to tell all of our need for prayer so when we enter into the lion’s den, God will hear and answer our prayers. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Luke 11: 9
Our Father in heaven,
We come before You, on our knees, in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We thank You for giving us this privilege, honor, and opportunity to come into Your presence bringing our petitions before You. We pray that we may hear Your voice, and understand Your message to us. We come to You as Your vessels, praying that we may be filled with Your Spirit of truth. May You anoint our heads with oil and may our cup runneth over. May we impart the oil to those around us. We are sorry if we have not been faithful in our prayer life, as Daniel was. We pray that we may increase in faith to continually remain in communion with You. That we have faith to find heart and voice to pray. We pray that we may also receive Your strength, courage, and desire to encourage and exhort all the brethren to pray and not neglect our sacred duties. May we all be ready and prepared to meet the trials of our day through Your power from on high, so when we enter into the lion’s den, You will hear and answer our cries for help. We call on Your promise that if we ask, it shall be given, if we seek, we shall find, and if we knock, it shall be opened unto us. And how much more will You give the Holy Spirit to them that ask. Praise be to You dear God and Glory be to Your name. We do not ask for fame and fortune, we pray for what we need, our daily lifeline to You through prayer. May none of us be found wanting. We are sorry and repent of our sins. We pray that You forgive us of all our sins, the known and the unknown. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
