New Wineskins 8 of 21 – Prayer

Prayer is heaven’s ordained means of success in the conflict with sin and the development of Christian character. The divine influences that come in answer to the prayer of faith will accomplish in the soul of the suppliant all for which he pleads. For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christ-like temper, for wisdom and strength to do His work, for any gift He has promised, we may ask; and the promise is,

YOU WILL RECEIVE.

It was in the mount with God that Moses beheld the pattern of that wonderful building that was to be the abiding place of His glory. It is in the mount with God—in the secret place of communion—that we are to contemplate His glorious ideal for humanity. In all ages, through the medium of communion with heaven,

God has worked out His purpose for His children, by unfolding gradually to their minds the doctrines of grace.

Among the cliffs and rocks of Patmos, John held communion with his Maker. In his isolated home, John was able to study more closely than ever before the manifestations of divine power as recorded in the book of nature and in the pages of inspiration. To him it was delight to meditate on the work of creation and to adore the divine Architect.

God’s manner of imparting truth is illustrated in the words, “His going forth is prepared as the morning.” Hosea 6:3. He who places himself where God can enlighten him, advances, as it were, from the partial obscurity of dawn to the full radiance of noonday.

(AA 564)

Today, right now, place yourself where God can enlighten you, in the “secret place of communion,” and spend time talking to Him in prayer and listening to His voice through His word, allowing Him to gently guide you from the “obscurity of dawn to the full radiance of noonday.”

Suggested reading:  1 John 3