PRAYER – Lord, teach us a prayer to recite just as John taught one of his disciples.
(Luke 11:1)
PROMISE – I will pour out the spirit of grace and prayer on all the people of
Jerusalem. (Zech. 12:10)

PRAYER – Save me from my enemies, O Lord, I run to you to hide me.(Ps. 142:9)
PROMISE – The Lord is a strong fortress.The godly run to him and are safe.
(Prov. 18:10)

One day I was permitted to join a “team” that worked regularly in a large prison.One
of the women opened the service by singing to the accompaniment of the organ.She
sang in a very affected manner, and the response was anything but favourable.At
both ends of the corridor the prisoners began shrieking, yelling, and screaming to
drown the voice of the singer.Then one of the young men with us began to pray,
speaking in a very unctuous manner.The effect was even worse.The prisoners had
found a pail and were rolling it back and forth over the floor.The din was terrific.
“Lord, must I speak in this place?I cannot.”I prayed in desperation.
“Be not afraid; only believe.You can do all things through Him who strengthens you.
There will be a great victory,” said the Lord to me.(Amazing Love.)

PRAYER – Be gracious, Lord, and make me well again. (Ps. 41:10)
PROMISE – Their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him
well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him.
(James 5:15)

PRAYER – Lead me in good paths, for your Spirit is good.(Ps. 143:10)
PROMISE – The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things.
(Is. 58:11)

PRAYER – Help me, O Lord my God!Save me because you are loving and kind.
(Ps. 109:26)
PROMISE – He is a mighty saviour.He will give you victory.He will rejoice over
you in great gladness.(Zeph. 3:17)

A sick woman sits in a dirty, mess y little kitchen.There is hardly room for my stool.
I am eager for a quiet talk with her because she has twice called on a fortune-teller
who claimed magic healing power.I tell her what a great sin this is in God’s sight,
because it really means that we run away from God and ask the devil for help.A great
compassion comes into my heart for this woman.I tell her about the longing father-
heart of God who loves us so much.I read to her what Jesus says: “Come unto Me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”(Matt. 11:28).
Before I leave she prays.She asks forgiveness for going to the fortune-teller, and then
she praises and thanks God for the great riches she has in Jesus Christ.(Not Good If
Detached.)

PRAYER – Pull me out of this mire.Don’t let me sink in.Rescue me from those who
hate me, and from these deep waters I am in.(Ps. 69:14)
PROMISE – Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you
are mine.When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!(Is. 43:1, 2)

PRAYER – hear my prayer, O Lord; answer my plea.(Ps. 143:11)
PROMISE – Listen to me!You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it;
it yours!(Mark 12:24)

PRAYER – It is a broken spirit you want – remorse and penitence. (Ps. 51:17)
PROMISE – The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this:I
live in that high and holy place where those with contrite, humble spirits dwell.
(Is. 57:15)

We heard one hundred and eighty shots.Every shot meant the death of a good
Netherlander.That we knew.I laid my head on Betsie’s shoulder.Could misery
become so great that one would collapse under it?
I spoke now to the Lord.“Thou hast borne all our griefs, O Lord.Wilt Thou not also
bear this one?”
“Yes, my child, and you yourself need not, and cannot, and may not bear the sorrows
of the world about you.”
I went with Betsie to the barracks, and a bit later was lying beside her in bed.I did
not sleep, but rested quietly and there was peace in my heart.God makes no
mistakes.Everything looks like a confused piece of embroidery work, meaningless
and ugly.But that is the underside.Some day we shall see the right side and shall be

PRAYER – O Hope of Israel, our Saviour in times of trouble, … don’t desert us now!
(Jer. 14:8, 9)
PROMISE – I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm – I will come
to you. (John 14:18)

PRAYER – Come, Lord, and rescue me.Ransom me from all my enemies.
(Ps. 69:18)
PROMISE – When you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. (James 4:8)

PRAYER – Yes, O my God, be wide awake and attentive to all the prayers made to you
in this place.(2 Chron. 6:40)
PROMISE – I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place.
(2 Chron. 7:15)

PRAYER – May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never
forsake us.(1 Kings 8:57)
PROMISE – The Lord will not abandon his chosen people, for that would dishonour
his great name.He made you a special nation for himself – just because he wanted to!
(1 Sam. 12:22)

I once travelled by car through the mountains of California from Los Angeles to San
Francisco.Along one side of the road was a deep chasm, and moreover, there were
many dangerous curves.I knew from experience what to do when the demon of fear
entered my heart.He had called on me many a time during my imprisonment in
Germany, andI would then begin to sing.Singing always helps.
So I sang one hymn after another, until my host, the driver, said teasingly, “Are you
afraid?”
“Yes,” I said, “that is why I am singing.”
But this time it was all to no avail.Every time we approached a curve, I would think,
“If another car is coming towards us from beyond that curve, we shall certainly crash
into each other!”And, thoroughly frightened, I would stop singing.
Then I tried to dispel my fear by prayer, and I prayed.But my prayer became a
refrain: “Lord, bring us safely to San Francisco.Do not les us crash down into this
abyss.”
I kept on praying to dispel my fear, until suddenly, and I do not know how the idea
came to me, I began to pray for others.I prayed for everyone who came into my
thoughts, people with whom I had travelled, those who had been in prison with me,
my school friends of years ago.I do not know how long I continued in prayer, but

PRAYER – Oh, do not hide yourself when I am trying to find you.Do not angrily
reject your servant.(Ps. 27:9)
PROMISE – I have loved you, O my people, with an everlasting love.(Jer. 31:3)

PRAYER – Oh, that I knew where to find God – that I could go to his throne and talk
with him there.(Job 23:3)
PROMISE – You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest.(jer.
29:13)

PRAYER – Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt.Let me be pure again.(Ps. 51:2)
PROMISE – It will be as though I had sprinkled clean water on you, for you will be
clean – your filthiness will be washed away.(Ezek. 36:25)

PRAYER – Why not just pardon my sin and take it all away?(Job 7:21)
PROMISE – Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy upon them, and to our
God, for he will abundantly pardon!(Is.55:7)29

PRAYER – O Lord, deal with me as your child, as one who bears your name!Because
you are so kind, O Lord, deliver me.(Ps. 109:21)
PROMISE – When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongues
are parched from thirst, then I will answer when they cry to me.I, Israel’s God, will
not ever forsake them.(Is. 41:17)

O Lord, please have them give me a little of that toasted bread.”Immediately
afterwards they passed me the plate, and I bit into the “tasty tart.”How very delicious
it was!But there was shame in my heart.Was I becoming egoistic and covetous?