But when you pray . . .
DAY 1—ABIDE IN ME

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can
do nothing” (John 15:5, NIV).

Continually Connected—the Vital Condition for Producing Fruit

After graduation I was called to a district that had three small churches. It was winter. One of the churches had a mostly
elderly membership. On a very good Sabbath, like for the Christmas program, we had maybe 40 people. On a bad
Sabbath, about 10.

One Sabbath it was very cold, around -32°F, and nine people showed up: my family of four and another five. I wondered,
Should I even preach? The head elder, a lady who was about 90 years old, said, “We pay tithe, so you need to preach.” So
I did.

I preached from John 15:4–8. In four verses Jesus repeats “Abide in Me” three times. In Hebrew culture, something
repeated three times is very important, even essential. I emphasized that it is not so much what we do in the Christian
life. While we are called to serve, we will never have results by ourselves. However, Jesus gave His word that if we remain
in Him, whatever we ask, it will be done. There is no ambiguity; it’s 100 percent assurance for success.

“So,” I told the listeners, “it is not what we can do, but what God can do that makes the real difference.”

Author Ellen G. White states, “It is not the capabilities you now possess, or ever will have, that will give you success. It is
that which the Lord can do for you. We need to have far less confidence in what man can do, and far more confidence in
what God can do for every believing soul” (Chris6an Service, p. 262).

I told my little congregation that prayer “is the secret of spiritual power” (Prayer, p. 12). It connects us with the “Source
of strength” (Prayer, p. 272). Prayer gives us access to God’s “boundless resources” (Steps to Christ, p. 95). It is the most
efficient weapon against Satan’s attacks (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1 pp. 295, 296, 345, 346).

I told them about the promise Jesus gave in Matthew 18:19, 20. “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about
anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there
am I with them” (NIV). It doesn’t say “If 200 or 300 ask” but “If 2 or 3 ask” for something in agreement, in unity. And it is
not “I might do it” but a very clear “I will do it.”

I told my few listeners, “It’s not an option to do nothing. We must pray and work, and God will give the results as He
promised.” It was a strong sermon on the power of prayer.

As my wife and I drove home, I told her, “We need to move. There is no hope of growth or in fact of anything in this church.” She repeated back to me my sermon, with Jesus’ promise, and she asked me, “Why don’t you call them to
prayer?” I hesitantly did so. Those few ladies came every morning at 6:30 a.m. to pray together for the Holy Spirit, church
growth, families, the city, God’s plan for our church, and clarity on what we needed to do. Three months later the church
had an attendance of about 120.

God is calling you to continually remain in Him, pray without ceasing, never disconnect, and walk with Him. He invites
you to abide in Him, and you must daily invite Him to abide in you. That’s your only source of true power. That’s your safety. As long as you are connected to God, Satan has no power over you. Christ in you and you in Him is the single way to growth and success.

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 2—TEACH US HOW TO PRAY

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ ”
(Luke 11:1, NIV).                                                                                                 

 

The Heart of the Chris.an Life

 

Prayer is essential, even vital.

“Every morning take time to begin your work with prayer. Do not think this wasted time; it is time that will live through
eternal ages. By this means success and spiritual victory will be brought in” (Testimonies for the Church , vol. 7, p. 194).

The disciples often witnessed Jesus praying. They noticed that He had a prayer life different from theirs. The disciples
were good spiritual people. They had dedicated hearts and wanted to serve God. They went to church, kept Sabbath,
returned tithe faithfully, and ate clean foods. Everybody in Israel, especially the disciples, knew how to pray, right?

We think we know how to pray. Even children know how to pray. But when the disciples watched Jesus praying—and
compared their prayers with His—they realized that they didn’t know how to pray. That’s the reason they said, “Teach us
to pray” (Luke 11:1).

We assume that prayer is so simple. And yes, God would listen to the simplest prayer. But we must continually improve our prayer life.

The disciples noticed that they would preach, but nobody was impressed. They would try to heal or cast out demons, but
they had no power. They asked Jesus, “How do You do that?” Jesus said, “By prayer and fasting.”

Jesus basically says that you can’t do things in your own wisdom; it’s only in God’s power. For you to succeed, you need
to pray seriously. In the book of Romans, Paul says that Holy Spirit must intercede for us because we don’t even know
how to pray (Rom. 8:26).

“Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. . . . Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage in
prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God” (Prayer, pp. 12, 13).

Jesus had a powerful prayer life and would often spend the whole night in prayer. “Jesus Himself, while He dwelt among
men, was often in prayer. . . . He is our example in all things. . . . His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He
found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Savior of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer,
how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer” (Steps to Christ, pp. 93, 94).

Jesus made prayer His priority, the first thing before the day started. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35, NKJV). Jesus had a time
and a place for prayer.
When the disciples said, “Teach us how to pray,” Jesus didn’t tell them, “Pray with these words,” like a mantra. In fact, He
clearly told them not to repeat the same words every time they prayed (Mai. 6:7). Jesus Himself prayed a different kind
of prayer in John 17, according to the needs of the situation.

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend” (Steps to Christ, p. 93). In prayer we open our heart to God in
honest conversation, like a dialogue. If you repeat the same words every time you pray, it will become routine and you
will not even think about what you say.

Prayer and study of the Word should always go together. Through prayer we talk to God; through the Word God talks to
us.

Jesus lived a life of prayer. He prayed early in the morning, He went to a specific place for prayer, and He openly
conversed with God. He is our example. He is calling us to pray just like Him.

 

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 3—BE SPECIFIC

“And when you pray, do not use vain repe44ons as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many
words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:7, 8, NKJV).

Pray Specifically

Our son, Ovidiu, purchased a house at an extremely low price, but the house was in poor shape and quite small. He had
to remodel and expand it to accommodate his family’s needs. However, prices had gone up considerably. He men4oned
repeatedly that he would most likely not be able to complete the work due to lack of finances.

I asked Ovidiu to present his needs before God because He cares for them. He responded that he had prayed about the
house, in general.

I then asked him to be very specific in prayer, to present one need at a time, not to pray today for what he would need next month or tomorrow, but to pray today for the need of today. God answers specifically to specific requests. God does not answer generic prayers.

Do not go to God and say, “Lord, save my neighbors.” Instead, you might say, “My Father, I intercede for my neighbor
John. Please touch his heart. Also, please give me wisdom and opportuni4es to build a friendship with him and reach him with the good news of the gospel.”

Mark 10:47 presents Bartimaeus asking Jesus for help. He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” That is a generic request. In verse 51 Jesus asks him to be specific: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Bartimaeus responds, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight” (NKJV).

Back to my story—our son started praying specifically. He asked God to help him find a team that would dig the hole for
the founda4on of the house. Then he began searching. However, all teams he contacted were scheduled months in
advance, and they all charged somewhere between $18,000 and $22,000. Eventually he managed to nego4ate with one
team to lower the price to $16,000 and come the following week to dig.

The leader of the team came, but the heavy machinery did not show up. After waiting all morning, the leader lost his patience, said he couldn’t come back for three months, and lee. Our son was devastated. He didn’t have any solution.

Finally, Ovidiu asked God specifically for a team to dig a hole fast, and at a good price. As he finished his prayer, his next-
door neighbor approached.

Neighbor: “How are you doing?”                                                               Ovidiu: “I’m OK. Just looking for a team to dig the hole for my foundation.”
Neighbor: “Well, I have a team digging the hole for my house right now. Ask them. Maybe they can do yours too.”

Ovidiu instantly ran next door and asked.

The team leader responded: “Well, since we’re already here with our heavy equipment, as soon as we finish here, we
can come and do your job.”
Ovidiu: “Can you come and give me an estimate?”

Upon looking, the team leader said, “I will do it for $2,500.”
What joy! Ovidiu saw that God had already prepared an answer, and He was waiting for Ovidiu to ask for it.

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend” (Steps to Christ, p. 93). God is calling you to have an open
conversa4on with Him, to present your needs in a clear and specific way. He wants you to have faith in Him, to expect an
answer based on His love, wisdom, and promises. He will answer in His time and way, but if you wait upon Him in faith,
you will know that His answer is the best answer.

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 4—UNANSWERED PRAYERS (AND FAITH)

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isa. 40:31a, NKJV).

Waiting . . .

Waiting is not fun. Who likes waiting? Waiting at the doctor’s office, waiting in line, waiting for a delayed plane at the airport, waiting for someone who is late for a meeting.

Abraham had to wait 25 years to get an answer to his prayer. Moses waited 40 years for God to finally intervene. Joseph was a slave for several years and then sat in prison a few years—not a fun place to wait for God’s intervention! There are many examples of waiting for help in the Bible.

Though waiting challenges our patience, the Bible says that one characteristic of God’s people is patience. The same in prayer. Often, we may have to wait for an answer.

“To every sincere prayer an answer will come. It may not come just as you desire, or at the time you look for it; but it will come in the way and at the time that will best meet your need. The prayers you offer in loneliness, in weariness, in trial, God answers, not always according to your expectations, but always for your good” (Messages to Young People, p. 250).

When we humble ourselves and present our need, in a clear, specific way, acknowledging our total dependence on God,
He answers. However, often we must wait. We often need to use up all our resources and options before God intervenes, so we can know with certainty that it was Him. If He answered instantly, we might take credit for ourselves.

When we see no possible way to solve a crisis, God says a word, and something that we never could have imagined
happens. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jer. 33:3, NKJV).

However, if God doesn’t answer at the time and in the way we ask, we may think He didn’t answer at all. God answers honest, humble prayers, and His answer is the best possible answer.

You are called to know the love of God (Eph. 3:19). That’s all you need. The more you know Him, the more you trust Him, the more peace you have, and the more you are willing to wait for His leading and intervention. Fix your eyes on Him, His love, His promises, and the way He has led in past challenges.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You” (Isa. 26:3, NKJV).

God knows the future. He cares for you, but He also cares for others. He may not answer now because He has a better answer, or it’s not the best time, or you are not ready for His plan. He may have a different answer that addresses other needs, things you may not think about. He may also allow something in your life as the single way to reach someone that otherwise would not be reached. Many things happen that we will understand only in heaven.

Keep in mind, Jesus didn’t come and die to give us a comfortable life on earth. In fact, He said that in this world we will have trials (John 16:33). He often uses trials to teach us lessons necessary for character growth and salvation. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17, NKJV).

So instead of asking God to remove challenges, ask Him to help you grow and learn through them. Our greatest need is
not the needs that we pray for, though most of the time they are real needs. Our greatest need is to know our God. The
more you know Him, the more you trust Him, and the more you allow Him to work.

God is calling you to pray and seek Him, His presence, His plan, His leading. Seek to know Him before seeking answers
and help, then cast upon Him all your worries and wait upon Him.

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 5—HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Ma=. 5:16, NKJV).

We Are an Open Letter

One time the members of a church, together with the pastor, tried to invite the neighbors to some events. Several
refused. The pastor asked a few families that he knew about why they did not want to come. In different words they all
said, “If Mr. ____ is a member there, we’d rather not come. He’s not kind or loving. He has no respect or sense of shame.
He cheats, abuses his pets, and is always angry and rude.” Most church members could commiserate.

The Lord’s prayer starts with the words, “Our Father in heaven.” God is not only the God of the Universe but He also has a close, intimate relationship with us. Then it says, “hallowed be Your name.” The Greek word is not hagios—meaning “holy, sacred, worthy”—but hagiazo—meaning “to sanctify.” How can we sanctity or make God holy when He is holy?

Paul says that we are an open letter read by all people (2 Cor. 3:2). In 1 Corinthians 4:9 he writes, “For we have been made a spectacle to the world” (NKJV).

People don’t see God, they see us. Our daily behavior can glorify God and honor Him, or it can dishonor His name and misrepresent the church and negatively affect its work (Ma=. 5:13–16).

Enter God’s presence with praises and then acknowledge Him as your loving Father. Instead of focusing on you and your needs, first focus on God, His name, and His honor. “God would have us seek for those things that will honor His name. In no case are we to glorify ourselves; we should seek God for grace and spiritual blessings, that we may glorify His name in our characters. God is glorified, His name is hallowed, when His children give in their lives a representation of Christ’s character” (Manuscript 34, 1903, par. 15).

Pray something like this: “Father, help me honor you in all I do today. Help me properly represent you and carry your Name so that when people see me they will praise You. Let me behave in a way that allows people to see Jesus’ character through my every action and word.”

Also, in your prayer seek only things that would honor and serve God. 1 John 5:14 says that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (NKJV).

We must pray in Jesus’ Name, but that means more than merely saying “in Your Name.” In Bible times, a name
represented character. To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray within His will, to ask the things that would represent Him and
His character. James 4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss” (NKJV). “To pray in Christ’s name
means much. It means that we are to accept His character, manifest His spirit, and work His works” (The Desire of Ages, p. 668).

Jesus promised to answer our prayers if we ask in His Name, within His will, and for something that will glorify and honor
God (John 14:13, 14; 1 John 5:14).

And when God answers, make sure that you praise and honor Him. We must not take any credit for ourselves. Satan tries
to take God’s glory for himself. In humility, thankfully acknowledge and glorify God through your words, actions, and prayers.

When we complain we give the wrong message about our God. In a way we say that God is not good, He doesn’t care, He doesn’t keep His promises. Rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16; Phil. 4:4). Pray, talk, and behave in a way that would honor God. How can you inspire faith when you doubt? How can you ask others to praise God when you complain?

Our heartfelt prayer should be, “My heavenly, loving Father, help me today to talk and act in a way that properly represents You before others. Give me only those things that will honor You, and help me use them in a way that serves
You. Let me g l or i f y Your name today.”

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 6—YOUR KINGDOM COME

“The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21b, NKJV).

Salvation Has Entered

In Luke 19 Jesus offers to enter Zacchaeus’ house. Then Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house” (verse 9). When Jesus lives in your place, heaven is there. And before you can enter God’s kingdom, God’s kingdom must enter your heart. In John 17 Jesus prayed not that His followers would be separated physically from the world but that they would not be of the world (John 17:15, 16).

We must get used to already living here as we would live in heaven. If we focus on the things of the world, we will become like the world. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21, NKJV). But if we focus on God and on His kingdom, His kingdom will move in us and around us. “The faces of men and women who talk with God, to whom the invisible world is a reality, express the peace of God. They carry with them the soft and genial atmosphere of heaven” (Medical Ministry, p. 252).

On one of my evangelistic trips to Cuba, many children and their parents came to listen. I found out from the pastor that all these visitors came because of one lady. I asked her what she said to get them to come. She replied, “It is not what I said to them,” and then she invited us to visit her the next day and watch. So we went.

She had an extremely small house, like a tool shed. No furniture inside except two bunk beds, a small table, two small chairs, and a camping stove. Early in the afternoon she went out in front of her home. And then they came—almost two hundred children! She had them sit down on the dirt and show her a paper signed by their parents. Then the kids formed a line and she gave them all rice. They sat down and ate.

While they were eating, she explained to us that most of her neighbors didn’t have a job, but she was blessed to have one. Her salary wasn’t enough to buy a variety of food, but she could buy rice. And then she said, “We are called to be like Jesus, to show what God’s kingdom is like so people desire it. We are to use Jesus’ method. To feed them and build
friendships. If I live for myself, how am I like Jesus? And if I just give people physical bread, how does it really help them?
So I am using rice to show these children love. Then I also give them spiritual bread. But kids often get distracted. To make sure that the kids listen, they must go home and, as proof that they have paid attention, tell their parents the story and the song they learned today. In this way I also reach the parents. Now that I’ve been doing this for a while, they all love me, trust me, and are willing to listen.”

As soon as the kids finished eating, she started to teach them about Jonah and then taught them a song. Afterward, they
gave her hugs and thanked her. I heard them saying, “We love you, Auntie!” She had a big grin on her face. She said, “It is not only that I am trying to show them God’s kingdom, but they also bless me and fill me with joy too. A greater joy is to see them coming to church and praying and learning about God. But my greatest joy will be to see them in heaven. So I want them to taste a little drop of heaven now.”

Jesus is coming soon! But for you to be ready to enter His kingdom when He comes, you must have His kingdom live
within you now. You must daily pray, “Lord, please come with Your kingdom into my heart today.” God is calling you to
make His kingdom a reality today. Through daily prayer, study of the Word, and joyful service, live here as you would in
heaven. Let heaven live in you. Be God’s hands here, just as people of faith were His hands in the past.

 God wants to move His kingdom into your heart and home today and every day. He wants you to get used to living in His
presence as citizens of heaven. Daily invite heaven into your heart and let His love spill over to others through your actions.

Let’s pray together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 7—YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

“For I know the plans I have for you. . . . plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11, NIV).

He is the Master

We all have plans, long-term plans and daily plans. In prayer we usually seek God’s help and blessing for our plans instead of seeking God’s plans. God says, “I know the plans I have for you” (Jer. 29:11, NIV). To have God ’s blessings and resources, you must follow His plan.

In prayer we tell God what to do as if we were the master and He the servant. Remember, He is God, He is the Master. He should tell us what to do. “Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God” (Steps to Christ, p. 70).

Remember this phrase in the Lord’s prayer: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven angels serve God. He gives them an assignment, and they do it. Their answer is, “Yes , Lord,” and they are gone. None of them tell Him what to do; none negotiate or say, “I am busy” or “I will do it later.” None argue by saying, “I don’t have the resources” or “I have a better idea.” When He tells an angel to do something, they act, knowing He makes all the necessary resources
available.

One day my wife and I were on an eleven-hour drive. As usual, we had sought God’s plan for that day and asked Him to show us opportunities to serve. About five hours into the trip, a good pastor friend called. “Pray for me,” he said. “I am supposed to go to Cuba for evangelism, but my car broke down, and the bus didn’t come.”

I knew he lived in the area we were driving through right at that moment, so I said, “Where exactly do you live?” He gave
me the exit number. Just as he was telling me, we approached that exact exit. “We are at your exit!” I exclaimed. “How
could that be?” he responded. “You live five hours north of me!” We took the exit, went to his place, picked him up, and
drove him to airport. He caught the plane and went to Cuba!

Too often we stress continually and fail in our endeavors because we act on our own plans. Yet, we don’t know the big
picture. We don’t know the future. God does, and He loves us.

“Too many, in planning for a brilliant future, make an utter failure. Let God plan for you. . . . God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 479).

To do God’s will you must know it, so you should also listen in prayer. What He says to you is a lot more important than what you say to Him. We “need to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 58).

Through prayer we speak to God, and through the Word He speaks to us. Prayer and study of the Word go always together; they should never be separated. “The Bible is God’s voice speaking to us, just as surely as though we could hear it with our ears” (Tes9monies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 393).

We can certainly tell Him our needs. We are told to cast all our needs upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). There is nothing wrong in
asking Him for help. However, you’re not informing God of something He doesn’t already know; rather, you’re giving Him
your consent to help. God gave us freedom of choice, and He respects our choice. He will never intervene by imposing
His will on us. He waits for us to ask, to choose His help, and then He can intervene.

Pray, study the Word, think on it. Present your needs and plans, and ask for God’s leading and guidance. Make God’s
plans your priority. Seek God first, then trust that He will take care of all your needs as He promised (Matt. 6:33). Make
yourself available to serve Him and follow His will. Say, “Here I am Lord. Use me today. May Your will be done in my life
today.”

Let’s pray together.

 

But when  you  pray .  .  .
DAY 8—GIVE US THIS  DAY OUR DAILY  BREAD

“Let us not become  weary  in doing  good, for  at the  proper  8me  we  will  reap a  harvest if we  do  not give  up. Therefore,  as  we have opportunity,  let  us  do  good  to  all people,  especially  to  those who  belong  to  the family  of believers” (Gal. 6:9, 10,  NIV).

 

God  Will  Provide

 

One day I spent  some 8me  doing finances. After  setting aside our 8the  and  a  smaller  percentage  for  missions and  the  needy,  I paid  all the bills,  set  aside some for  our  sons’  school tui8on,  and  had  a  small portion  left over for the rest of the month for food and other expenses. I got into our  van  to  drive the tui8on  money over to the school and  left. It  was  raining  heavily. 

 

Right  before  entering  the  school driveway, I saw a  young lady  visibly distressed. I stopped  the van  and  noticed  it  was  a  young woman I  had  just  baptized  a  few  months  before. She  was  crying. 
“What’s the issue?” I inquired.  She finally  shared  that she, together with many others, had  lost  her  job when a nearby factory closed. Then she,  with  her  two  small children, was evicted from her apartment  since she couldn’t  pay the rent.  And  now they had  no  more food.

I took  her  to  a  grocery  store  and  filled  the  cart with  food,  paying for  it with part of the school tui8on. In driving her  back to school,  I called  the  apartment landlord  and barely managed to nego8ate an agreement where I used the leftover tui8on  money to pay half of what  she owed,  while the landlord  forgave the other  half. I  called  church  board  members  and  they  paid  the electrical bill. “Also,” I said,  “after you get back on  your  feet,  help  someone else  in  need.” She was so grateful. 

 

When I got home  and  told my wife that  I  was concerned about how we would pay tui8on,  she joyfully said,  “God will provide.” That  afternoon  when  I checked  the mailbox,  I found an  envelope with  a  check in  it. It  was  the same amount  that  I  spent  helping the young lady.

 

God cares for us more  than we  care  for our own children. He promises that our  bread will be supplied (Isa. 33:16). But no8ce the word us in  the  verse: “Give us this  day our  daily  bread.” Jesus  clearly  implies  that  we should  not  only  ask  for ourselves but  also  for those around  us. In  fact, the  Bible  is clear that we must love others just as much as we love ourselves  (Mark 12:31),  and  we must pray for  others  (James 5:16). “Bear  one  another’s burdens, and so  fulfill the law of  Christ” (Gal. 6:2,  NKJV). The  first-century  disciples  did  that. They  were one in  everything  they did  (Acts 4:32). 

 

“Our prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give. The principle of Christ’s  life must  be the principle of our  lives. . . . We are to ask blessings from God that we may communicate to others. The capacity for  receiving is  preserved  only by impar8ng. We cannot  con8nue to  receive heavenly treasure without  communica8ng to those around us” (Christ’s  Object  Lessons,  pp. 142,  143).

 

Note that  the Lord’s  prayer doesn’t  talk about bread  for  tomorrow,  only for today. Israel could collect manna only for one day at  a 8me (Exod. 16:4). God  doesn’t  want  you  to  worry  for  tomorrow  (Mad. 6:34). Ask  for  today. Ask  to  share. Seek  to  bless. Before  Christ’s followers preach, they should  demonstrate their  love for  God  by being a  blessing to those around them. 

At the judgment Jesus will not ask if you went to church or  did  other  good  things,  although  we should  not  miss  our  assemblies  (Heb. 10:25).  He  will say, “I was naked  and  hungry  and  thirsty.  The  way  you  loved  those  around  you  shows the real way you loved Me” (see Mad. 25:31–45).

God is calling  you to pray  for your neighbor, love  your neighbor, and be  a blessing  to all around  you.

Let’s pray  together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 9—FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Ma:. 6:14, NKJV).

“I Didn’t Feel It”

She was old and had been an elder in my church for many years. She was now in the hospital. When I visited her, she told me, “Do not pray for me, for I am lost.” “Why would you say that?” I responded. “Pastor, I have sinned. I committed a big sin when I was young.” “Did you ask God for forgiveness?” “Oh, every day of my life, but He never forgave me.” “How do you know?” “Well,” she said, “I didn’t feel it.” We talked it through, and at the end of our conversation she had peace and joy.

How do you “feel” forgiveness? Is it a warm feeling in your body, or something cold on your right hand, or a tickling behind your neck? Do you smell it?

The Bible is clear. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NKJV). It doesn’t say He forgives only small sins or a limited number of sins. It plainly says that if we confess our sins, He forgives them ALL. The condition: you must confess. The promise: God forgives. Do your part, and God will do His.

Forgiveness is not something that you can feel or prove scientifically. It is by faith. You take God’s Word for it and believe that God doesn’t lie. You cannot explain it, you don’t deserve it, but you know that God promised and His promises are 100 percent secure because they are based on His character and Word. Nothing is more secure than God’s Word.

When you confess, in that instant you are forgiven. Jesus already paid the price for your sin at the cross. He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, NKJV). His blood is sufficient, and in His blood you have redemption for all your sins (Eph. 1:7).

After you confess you need to exercise faith, to choose to believe that God does what He promised. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:3, NIV). Remember, “the righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17, NIV). As you believe, God works, and you are forgiven. Don’t try to explain it or deserve it. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8, NIV).

“Through this simple act of believing God, the Holy Spirit has begotten a new life in your heart. You are as a child born into the family of God, and He loves you as He loves His Son” (Steps to Christ, p. 52). Forgiveness, righteousness,
salvation—they are all received as a gift by faith.

“You are a sinner. You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God
promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. . . . If you believe the promise . . . God supplies
the fact. . . . Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, “I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised” (Steps  to  Christ,  p. 51).

As you fix your eyes on Jesus’ cross, you get a glimpse of that extreme manifestation of love: Jesus,  Creator,  the One who speaks and  it  happens,  the One that  the angels  cover  themselves  before,  the God  of the Universe who came down and  took human form. He, the Holy One, took your sins, and died for you personally. God died for you.

Fix  your  eyes  on  His  cross. You will then notice that  those who experience grace also  share grace generously. Those who  experience forgiveness, forgive. “The ground of all forgiveness is found in the unmerited love of God, but by our attitude toward others we show whether we have made that love our own” (Christ’s  Object  Lessons,  p. 251).
 

Let’s pray  together.

 

 

But when you pray . . .
DAY 10—DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION

“God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (James 1:13, NKJV).

Does God Really Do That?

God is Holy, He is love. He tempts no one, we tempt ourselves (James 1:14, 15). So then, have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when He said in the Lord’s Prayer, “Do not lead us into temptation”? Jesus was not implying that God tempts us into sin and we must beg Him not to push us there.

So, what does it mean? As in most, if not all, languages, words can have more than one meaning in Greek. So you must look at the original word and its context. The Greek word for “lead” is eisphero. This verse can be translated as “do not let us go, do not abandon us there, do not permit us to go.” It doesn’t mean to “entice.”

The Greek word for “temptation” is peirasmon. It can be translated as “trial, test, adversity,” etc. So the phrase “do not
lead us into temptation” can mean, “Please do not abandon me because alone I will slip into sin, or stay in the sin I have
already gotten into” or “If you test me, do not leave me alone or let me stay there for too long for fear of my slipping into
sin.”

At times God allows or puts you in specific situations to help you understand your heart and spiritual condition, to open your eyes to see how you are and what you need. The Bible says that you “do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17, NKJV). When you know you are sick, you go to a doctor, but how can you  address something that you don’t know about?

When we see how we are, we realize how sinful we are and know we need Jesus. “Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen Savior” (The Great Controversy, p. 471).

God tested King Zedekiah (2 Chron. 32:31). Proverbs 17:3 says that God is testing our hearts. David prayed, “Test me , Lord, and try me” (Ps. 26:2, NIV). Peter says that the fiery trials are sometimes meant to test us (1 Peter 4:12).

“A v i ew o f our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon ; when the soul , rea l i z i ng i t s helplessness , reaches out after Christ, He will reveal Himself in power” (Steps to Christ, p. 65).

Therefore, “Our great adversary is constantly seeking to keep the troubled soul away from God” (Prayer, p. 270). He knows that if we separate from God, we will slip into sin.

In the last part of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is trying to underline the secret of power and victory. He says that our single hope is to always be in Jesus and have Jesus in us, to never separate, never depart. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27, NKJV).

Alone we don’t have the power to change and develop a new heart. But the promise is clear and secure: “[He who is in Christ] is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17, NKJV).
 So how do you check yourself to see where you are in your spiritual journey? Jesus says we can know by our fruit (Matt. 7:16). How do you produce fruit? By being continually connected with Christ (John 15:1–5) and being filled with His Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23).
 

“A profession of religion places men in the church , but the character and conduct show whether they are in continual
connection with Christ” (The Desire of Ages, p. 676). And if you remain continually in Him, you don’t need to understand how He works; you just need to trust Him. He saves all those who come to Him (Heb. 7:25).

“The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart” (The Desire of Ages, p. 324).                                                                               

God is calling you to pray without ceasing, to constantly call on the Name of the Lord, to walk with Him, and, in continual awareness of His presence and total dependence on Him, to never separate from Him. That is your only strength. And He promises that if you draw near to God, “He will draw near to you” (James 4:8, NKJV).
 

Let’s pray together.