Acceptable Prayer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 27, 1872

Acceptable Prayer.

SEE here, my brother, do you remember how often it has occurred to you, when you warmed up in prayer, threw off your embarrassment, and had an easy, happy flow of language, that you were now doing very finely in your petitions, and that God was giving special audience to your unfettered utterance? Now, just take a second thought, and remember that all one's easy, happy flow of language usually indicates but little, and that in itself it is nothing in the hearing of God. Remember that it is the honest heart, the upright and obedient life, that are essential to acceptable prayer. If your heart and life are right, your most stammering utterance shall prevail with God. If your heart and life are wrong in God's sight, your tongue of eloquence will be only babbling and mockery in the ears of the Almighty. Never, then, congratulate yourself upon liberty in prayer, till you are convinced that that prayer went from a heart honest, sincere, and wholly given up to love and serve the Lord.— Herald of Gospel Liberty.