This comes from a diary entry written in the early morning hours of October 27, 1902, at Elmshaven, St. Helena, California. In this short reading, she shared her understandings of the Lord's prayer, which she considered short but embracing everything.
WE should understandingly present to God the prayer that Christ taught His disciples. In it is mentioned all that we need. We are not to think that we should always limit our petitions by simply repeating this prayer, but it is short and embraces everything. { 18MR 101.2 }
In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ said, “When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” [Matthew 6:5]. The hypocrites, while praying, are seen of men, but their pretended prayers bring no returns from above. { 18MR 101.3 }
Christ continued: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him” [verses 7, 8]. { 18MR 101.4 }
"God is not pleased with a careless, unmeaning repetition of many words. This is what makes many prayers long and tiresome. Short, heartfelt prayers, right to the point, offered with an earnestness corresponding to the soul-hunger for the Holy Spirit, are not wearisome to God or to the people; for they reveal a longing desire for needed strength."
By the expression “vain repetitions” the Saviour meant words without meaning, words oft repeated without corresponding thought or proper understanding, words spoken without true and earnest desire. God is not pleased with a careless, unmeaning repetition of many words. This is what makes many prayers long and tiresome. Short, heartfelt prayers, right to the point, offered with an earnestness corresponding to the soul-hunger for the Holy Spirit, are not wearisome to God or to the people; for they reveal a longing desire for needed strength—strength which can be obtained only from the Source of all strength. An effectual, fervent prayer avails much to the one who seeks God for the wisdom that is promised to those who ask in faith. Our heavenly Father is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him than earthly parents are to give bread to their hungry children. { 18MR 101.5 }
Having cautioned His disciples not to use vain repetitions in their prayers, Christ gave them a model prayer. “After this manner therefore pray ye,” He said: { 18MR 102.1 }
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” { 18MR 102.2 }
I am instructed to say to all our churches, Pray the prayer that Christ taught to His disciples. Study this prayer; live it; and you will win a crown of life everlasting. { 18MR 102.3 }
“Hallowed be Thy name.” The name of God is always to be spoken with thoughtful reverence and love. { 18MR 102.4 }
“Thy kingdom come.” Let us pray the Father to help us receive the kingdom of heaven into our hearts. Christ is to be enthroned within, as the source of all power and supremacy. Let us look to God in faith, saying, “Lead us, strengthen us, inspire us by Thy Holy Spirit to do Thy will on earth as it is done in heaven.” This will necessitate our receiving into the heart an abundance of grace from Christ Jesus day by day, hour by hour. { 18MR 102.5 }
"Shall we not receive the Holy Spirit as a welcome Guest into the soul-temple, that the will and the purposes of Christ may be worked out in and through us to God’s glory?"
Shall we not include in our prayers the words, “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,” and then understandingly answer our own petitions by keeping the human will in subjection to God’s will, in order that the unsanctified desires and ambitious devisings of the human mind may not become a controlling power? Shall we not receive the Holy Spirit as a welcome Guest into the soul-temple, that the will and the purposes of Christ may be worked out in and through us to God’s glory? Shall we not, in word and deed, carry out the expressed will of the One who cannot err or make a mistake? { 18MR 103.1 }
We cannot afford to consult fallible minds, or to depend on human judgment, so often unsanctified and perverse. This is why true followers of Christ have such a great soul-hunger for the Holy Spirit; for the Holy Spirit so works through human agents that God’s will is done on the earth as it is in heaven. { 18MR 103.2 }
"The Master will take possession of, and use in fulfilling His will, every mind that is entirely surrendered to Him."
Those who, in cooperation with heavenly intelligences, endeavor to answer the prayer that Christ has given us, will be enabled to do the will of God on the earth as it is done in heaven. The Master will take possession of, and use in fulfilling His will, every mind that is entirely surrendered to Him. This is the higher education which every Christian should most earnestly strive to obtain. { 18MR 103.3 }
The world’s plan, the world’s policy, the will and the suggestion of unsanctified hearts, are striving for recognition. Of many, the world, and not the Lord Jesus Christ, is master. Selfishness is strengthened by the unsanctified desires and will of the human agent. Christians in name, many are practicing a fraud upon the world, for into the life-practice they bring worldly principles. In dealing with their fellow men, they use the hasty, sharp words that worldlings use. Revealing the same nature as the unconverted, while claiming to be converted, they are false witnesses against the meek and lowly Saviour. { 18MR 103.4 }
The world has no claim to our service, for by a solemn, holy covenant we accepted God’s badge of services at the time of our baptism. On that occasion we pledged ourselves, in the presence of the three great heavenly Powers, to come out from the world and be separate. { 18MR 104.1 }
In the third of Colossians we read: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” [Colossians 3:1-4]. { 18MR 104.2 }
This whole chapter should be carefully studied. What is the charge given us? “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now [after pledging yourself to serve Christ in truth and verify] ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” [verses 5-8]. { 18MR 104.3 }
Notice the next verse: “Lie not one to another.” If you have solemnly covenanted with God, in the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit, to act as a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King, you will not in your life lie against the truth you profess to believe. You will not reveal by your works that you are a sinner, while professing to be a saint. If you are sincere in making this pledge, you will not be found nullifying your prayer. “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” by acting as sinners act whenever it best suits your convenience to act thus, and when you can advantage yourself and at your neighbor’s disadvantage. { 18MR 104.4 }
"Those who choose to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, must reveal their choice by bringing their words and actions into harmony with the principles they advocate."
Those who choose to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, must reveal their choice by bringing their words and actions into harmony with the principles they advocate. My brother, my sister, is the kingdom of God enthroned in your heart by Christ’s presence abiding there? Or is self still a controlling power within? Whose subject are you? If a selfish spirit continues to keep you out of Christ’s service, pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. { 18MR 105.1 }
Pray, oh, pray most earnestly, “Put Thy Spirit, Lord, Thy Holy Spirit, within my heart, that I may be sincere in keeping my baptismal vow.” Pray that the intercession of Christ in your behalf shall not be in vain. Pray that unbelief shall no longer lead you to live a life that bears witness against the truth; no longer lead you to claim to be in God’s service while in the life-practice, because of a perverted will, you reveal that you are not bearing the fruits of the Spirit. Pray for power to demonstrate to the world that you are dead to sin, and that your life is indeed hid with Christ in God. { 18MR 105.2 }