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Steps to Christ
His blood that will cleanse us; yet we have a work to do in complying
with the conditions of acceptance.
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Another element of prevailing prayer is faith. “He that cometh to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
. Jesus said to His disciples, “What
things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them,
and ye shall have them.”
Mark 11:24
. Do we take Him at His word?
The assurance is broad and unlimited, and He is faithful who has
promised. When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at
the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He
will answer our prayers. We are so erring and short-sighted that we
sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our
heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which
will be for our highest good—that which we ourselves would desire
if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they
really are. When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling
to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we
shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will
always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that
we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to
withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not
fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to
your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise, “Ask, and it shall be given
you.”
If we take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve every-
thing that we cannot see clearly, before we have faith, perplexities will
only increase and deepen. But if we come to God, feeling helpless and
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dependent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting faith make known
our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite, who sees everything
in creation, and who governs everything by His will and word, He
can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts.
Through sincere prayer we are brought into connection with the mind
of the Infinite. We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that
the face of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love,
but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but His hand is
upon us in love and pitying tenderness.
When we come to ask mercy and blessing from God we should
have a spirit of love and forgiveness in our own hearts. How can we