Dear Reader
“Watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7)
This is one of the greatest needs in the Christian’s life: the need to live in the spirit and habit of prayer. It is the lack of prayer that lies at the root of all our trouble, and there is no remedy but in prayer. The spirit of worldliness and spiritual and moral laxity will never be broken until prayer is restored in its true place in the individual believer’s life.
“Seek, and ye shall find,” what could be simpler than that? And yet the Scripture speaks of it as toil and labor. Prayer demands earnestness of mind and heart. The Lord Jesus as the perfect man is our great example; when in prayer, we read of real labor and agony and sweat of blood. All who follow His example find that prayer is a real labor and travail. The command to watch is linked with the command to pray, and prayer is regulated by the exercise of watching. Prayer is the only means by which we can prevail in spiritual things. A prayerful life is simple, but not easy. The devil dreads nothing as prayer; he would do what it takes to hinder Christians from praying, either by attack or by keeping us busy in so many activities that we have no time for prayer. He does not fear our prayerless studies and prayerless service, but he trembles when we pray. Prayers express dependency on God; it is when we pray that He opens our eyes, and that we see things in His light. He touches our hearts and we feel as He feels. Then obedience to His will becomes delight to us; joy, victory, and the sweetness of rest is our portion.
May the Lord use this issue of Toward the Mark to help you grow and be established as you read it.
Thank you for your e-mails and notes of encouragement.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Yours in our soon-coming Lord,
Emil Nashed
Please send your questions and comments to:
Toward the Mark
C/O Wayne Christian Assembly
60 Smith Lane
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
Attention: Emil S. Nashed
