Amen

Oh my dear heavenly Father let Jesus be in my head, and in my understanding;

Let Jesus be in my eyes, and in my looking;

Have Jesus be in my mouth, and in my speaking;

Oh that He would be in my heart, and in my thinking;

and finally, I pray that Jesus be at my trial, and for my perfection;

In Jesus name I pray.

The darkness of the evil one incloses those who neglect to pray.

The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heavens storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?

Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching, we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path.

The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy-seat, that we may not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and power to resist temptation.Steps to Christ, pp. 98, 99.

Perseverance in prayer has been made a condition of receiving.
We must pray always, if we would grow in faith and experience.  
We are to be instant in prayer, to continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.. . . Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity and holiness flow back to God. Steps to Christ 101

Philippians 4

[6] Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Shireen are you still there??

I'm sad to think that Shireen may have gone to her rest.

Was she ill or something?

She renewed my hope and energy and confidence the very short time I was with her, and her emails and posts helped ground me in the ensuing 14 years or so.

At home is the place to find Jesus; then take him with you to the meeting, and how precious will be the hours you spend there. But how can you expect to feel the presence of the Lord and see his power displayed, when the individual work of preparation for that time is neglected.  RH 1882 aug 15, par 7

God has made earnest prayer the condition of the bestowal of his richest blessings. Prayer brings us nearer and nearer to Jesus. However fully we may have given ourselves to God at conversion, it is of no avail unless we renew our consecration in each separate duty as it presents itself. Dear reader, consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first business, even if you have to rise half an hour earlier in order to find time. Let your prayer be, "Take me, O Lord, as wholly thine. I lay all my plans at thy feet. Use me today in thy service. Whatever errand I may do, send me. Whatever I may say to honor thee, or lead souls to Christ, help me to say it."  {ST, August 7, 1884 par. 13}

This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself and your family to God for that day. Make no calculation for months or years; for they are not yours. One brief day is given you, and that one day work for yourself and your family as though it were your last. Surrender all your plans to God, to be carried out or given up, as his providence shall indicate. In this manner you may, day by day, be giving your life with its plans and purposes into the hands of God, accepting his plans instead of your own, no matter how much they may interfere with your arrangements nor how many pleasant projects may have to be abandoned. Thus the life will be moulded more and more after the divine Model; and "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." {ST, August 7, 1884 par. 14} 

I'm still here.

Thank you for thinking of me NB and webmaster.

If we keep the Lord ever before us, allowing our hearts to go out in thanksgiving and praise to Him, we shall have a continual freshness in our religious life. Our prayers will take the form of a conversation with God as we would talk with a friend. He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Often there will come to us a sweet joyful sense of the presence of Jesus. Often our hearts will burn within us as He draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. When this is in truth the experience of the Christian, there is seen in his life a simplicity, a humility, meekness, and lowliness of heart, that show to all with whom he associates that he has been with Jesus and learned of Him.  {COL 129.3} 

Pray that Sermon. Advent Review & Sabbath Herald May 15, 1855, page 227.17

A young licentiate, after throwing off a highly wrought, and, as he thought, eloquent gospel sermon, in the pulpit and presence of a venerable pastor, solicited of his experienced friend the benefit of his criticism upon the performance. I have but just one remark to make, was his reply, and that is to request you to pray that sermon. What do you mean, sir? I mean literally just what I say, pray it, if you can, and you will find the attempt a better criticism than any I can make upon it. The request still puzzled the young man, beyond measure; the idea of praying a sermon was a thing he never heard or conceived of; and the singularity of the request wrought powerfully on his imagination and feelings. He resolved to attempt the task. He laid his manuscript before him, and on his knees before God undertook to make it into a prayer. But it wouldnt pray; the spirit of prayer was not in it, and that, for the very good reason - as he then clearly saw for the first time - that the spirit of prayer and piety did not compose it. For the first time, he saw that his heart was not right with God; and this conviction left him no peace until he had Christ formed in him the hope of glory. With a renewed heart, he applied himself anew to the work of composing sermons for the pulpit; preached again in the presence of the pious pastor who had given such timely advice, and again solicited the benefits of his critical remarks. I have no remarks to make, was his complacent reply, you can pray that sermon. ARSH May 15, 1855, page 227.18

The singular advice of this shrewd pastor would not be inappropriate to correspondents of a religious newspaper, especially when they write on controversial topics. If they would always pray their articles, from beginning to end, before they forward them, their discussions would doubtless elicit a great deal more truth and a great deal less of ill-feeling. By observing this rule they would give editors also the delightful satisfaction of believing that they are doing more good than harm by the publication of their articles. We suggest this as an important practical hint to our correspondents, hoping that their piety and good sense will not overlook or neglect it. - Watchman of the Valley. 

Prayer moves the arm of Omnipotence.

COL 171