“And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments. … To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.” Daniel 9:4,5,9,10.

“When churches are revived, it is because some individual seeks earnestly for the blessing of God. He hungers and thirsts after God, and asks in faith, and receives accordingly. He goes to work in earnest, feeling his great dependence upon the Lord, and souls are aroused to seek for a like blessing, and a season of refreshing falls on the hearts of men. The extensive work will not be neglected. The larger plans will be laid at the right time; but personal, individual effort and interest for your friends and neighbours, will accomplish much more than can be estimated. It is for the want of this kind of labour that souls for whom Christ died are perishing.” –Christian Service, p. 121.

Questions to think about:

What will be the result for those who are seeking earnestly for God’s blessing?

Can this good and faithful servant of God motivate other members of the church to change their minds and characters as faithful servants who care for the salvation of others?

Is my character entirely transformed according to Christ’s image through the guidance of the Holy Spirit?