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The Power of Transforming Grace, October 3
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he
ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord teach us to pray, as
John also taught his disciples.
Luke 11:1
.
Every soul has the privilege of stating to the Lord his own special neces-
sities and to offer his individual thanksgiving for the blessings that he daily
receives. But the many long and spiritless faithless prayers that are offered
to God instead of being a joy to Him, are a burden. We need, O, so much,
clean, converted hearts. We need to have our faith strengthened daily. “Ask,
and it shall be given you,” the Saviour promised; “seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (
Matthew 7:7
). We need to educate
ourselves to trust in this word, and to bring the light and grace of Christ into
all our works. We need to take hold of Christ, and to retain our hold of Him
until we know that the power of His transforming grace is manifested in us.
We must have faith in Christ if we would reflect the divine character.
Christ clothed His divinity with humanity, and lived a life of prayer and
self-denial, and of daily battle with temptation, that He might help those who
today are assailed by temptation. He is our efficiency and power. He desires
that, through the appropriation of His grace, humanity shall become partakers
of the divine nature.... The word of God in the Old and New Testaments, if
faithfully studied and received into the life, will give spiritual wisdom and
life. His word is to be sacredly cherished. Faith in the Word of God and in
the power of Christ to transform the life will enable the believer to work His
works, and to live His word and have a life of rejoicing in the Lord.
Again and again I have been instructed to say to our people, “Let your
faith and trust be in God. Do not depend on any erring man to define to you
your duty.” ...It is right that brethren counsel together, but, when men arrange
just what their brethren shall do, let them answer that they have chosen the
Lord as their counselor....
There is no power in any man to remedy the defective character individu-
ally. Our hope and trust must be in One who is more than human. We need
ever to remember that help has been laid on One who is mighty. The Lord
has provided the needed help for every soul who will accept it.—
Letter 340,
October 3, 1907
, to the workers in southern California.
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