Written by: John Sernaque
Dear Reader,
Books / Pr - Prayer (2002) / Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer
Chapter 2—Our Need Of Prayer
More Prayer Needed as the End Approaches—Confederacies will increase in number and power as we draw nearer to the end of time. These confederacies will create opposing influences to the truth, forming new parties of professed believers who will act out their own delusive theories. The apostasy will increase. “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). Men and women have confederated to oppose the Lord God of heaven, and the church is only half awake to the situation. There needs to be much more of prayer, much more of earnest effort, among professed believers.—(Selected Messages 2:383.) {Pr 27.2}
If there was ever a time when we should watch and pray in real earnest, it is now. There may be supposable things that appear as good things, and yet they need to be carefully considered with much prayer, for they are specious devices of the enemy to lead souls in a path which lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from the path which leads to holiness and heaven. But the eye of faith may discern that it is diverging from the right path, though almost imperceptibly. At first it may be thought positively right, but after a while it is seen to be widely divergent from the path of safety, from the path which leads to holiness and heaven.—(Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 229.) {Pr 27.3}
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. A lie so subtle, that Eve was led to believe it. Satan uses subtle deceptions to lead God’s children astray. However, in today’s environment, subtlety has given way to outright lawlessness and immorality, even in the churches that profess Christianity. Many churches have capitulated and have not only accepted, but also teach the worldly theories that abound today. Satan has but a short time, so he is busy at work. We must be even busier, watching and praying as the end approaches. We must wake up the brethren before it is too late, lest they be found sleeping.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We thank You with all our heart and soul for giving us Your Word to live by. Our instruction manual that teaches us and leads us in the way we should go. The light unto our path and the lamp unto our feet. We thank You for The Holy Spirit, our comforter, which You give us that he may abide with us forever. For He shall teach us all things, and bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever You have said unto us. We pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that He may live and dwell within us, that we may abide in Him and He in us. We pray that You lead us and guide us, and keep us on a safe path. Let none of the brethren go to the left or to the right, but stay on the strait path. We pray that You grant us Your strength and courage, wisdom, understanding, and discernment to do what is right, favorable, and well pleasing in Your sight. May we honor and glorify Your name, and let not our will, but let thy will be done. We pray for the whole armor of God to help us in the fight against the adversary, that the prince of this world would have nothing in us. We pray that we may bear much fruit as Your disciples. Help us to continue being vigilant, watching and praying as the watchmen on the wall. We thank You for choosing us as Your servants. If the world hates us for this, we know that the world hated you before it hated us, as the servant cannot be greater than his Lord. We thank You for choosing us out of this world and for giving us the privilege of bearing witness of You. May we be worthy of having our names written in Your Book of Life. We thank You and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
