Do You Pray?

I recently finished a short but extremely insightful book on prayer by J.C. Ryle titled A Call to Prayer. Ryle takes on the task of revealing to his readers that prayer is KEY to the Christian...he even goes as far to say that prayers is VITAL to the Christian's salvation. His entire book revolves around the question...DO YOU PRAY?

Prayer, is a "matter between yourself and God". It is only this act of worship that only God knows whether you are excelling or not in...it isn't seen by anyone, it is the revealing of your heart before your Maker. "To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven. It is to be on the road to hell." How can u have a relationship with someone that you don't talk to? If you were dating someone and you never spent time talking to them or with them how would that work? Your relationship with the Lord is dependent on prayer. It is dependent on the time spent talking with Him...and if there is no desire for it, it begs the question whether or not one is truly saved. "A habit of prayer is one of the surest marks of a true Christian". Look back on all the missionaries,apostles, disciples, and men and women of faith in the past and one thing sticks out...they were men and women of prayer! The were dependent on it.

"I do not deny that a man pray without heart and without sincerity. But this I do say that not praying is a clear proof that a man is not yet a true Christian. He cannot really feel his sins. He cannot love God. He cannot feel himself a debtor to Christ. He cannot long after holiness. he cannot desire heaven. He has yet to be born again. He has yet to be made a new creature. He may boast confidently of election, grace, faith, hope, and knowledge, and deceive ignorant people. But you may rest assure it is all vain talk if he does not pray. And I say furthermore, that of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit, a habit of heavy prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named."

In the "Christian" community there is a lack of private prayer. And what is worse is there are people praying just words. "I believe there are tens of thousands whose prayers are nothing but a mere form, a set of words repeated by rote, without a thought about their meaning". But we must remember that if there is no heart there is no prayer. Why is there such a lack you might ask? Prayer is not a natural thing for humanity. Man in his sinful and wicked heart wants to get as far away from God as possible. Until one is regenerated by the working of the Spirit one will not have this desire to pray.

"Praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer".

Ryle goes on to bring encouragement in the fact that we can pray! We have a passport through Jesus to talk to the God of the universe...and in that we can come to Him with "boldness, and ask with confidence". We have an Advocate in Christ and we can pray through the Spirit's power. "Nothing seems to be too great, too hard, or too difficult for prayer to do. It has obtained things that seemed impossible and out of reach. It has won victories over fire, air, earth and water."

We must be diligent in our prayer...this will enable us to advance in our Christian walk. The people that do this rely on their faith and they are unwearied in well doing, "When they fail they try again, and when they fall they are soon up again. And all this time they think themselves poor, unprofitable servants, and fancy they do nothing at all. These are those who make religion lovely and beautiful in the eyes of all. They wrest in praise even from the unconverted and win golden opinions even from the selfish men of the world. I believe that those who are not eminently holy pray little and those who are eminently holy pray much! PRAYER IS POWER."

We are living in a world that is not our own and we are going upstream fighting the devil and his army. The greatest tool against his deceiving tactics is prayer. Therefore we should be praying all the time. If we begin to neglect prayer we will begin to backslide. "You may be very sure men fall in private long before they fall in public. They are backsliders on their knees long before they backslide openly in the eyes of the world."

An encouragement, "prayer is one of the best means of happiness and contentment". Our world is full of sadness, turmoil, pain, discouragement and distress but we as Christians have the ability to take every worry, pain or problem to God in prayer. "The only way to be really happy in a world like this, is to be ever casting all our cares on God. There is a friend ever waiting to help us. Jesus can make those happy who trust Him and call on Him, whatever be their outward condition. Prayer can lighten crosses for us, however heavy." Happiness and prayer go hand in hand.

If you do pray...."be careful about the matter and manner of your prayers". Remember the importance of the following in prayer:

-Reverence and Humility: Ecclesiastes 5:2, "Let us never forget what we are, and what a solemn thing is to speak with God." Remember in His presence we are on Holy ground.

-Spiritually: We should ask for the Spirit's help in our prayers.

-Pray Regularly: "At the very least speak with God in the morning, before you speak with the world: and speak with God at night, after you have done with the world".

-Perseverance: "Once you begin the habit, NEVER give it up. Continue praying without ceasing."

-Earnestness: "But it is desirable that we should be hearty and fervent and warm, and ask as if we were really interested in what we were doing. It is the "effectual fervent" prayer that "availeth much". How truly might God say to us "You do not really want what you pray for" ".

-With Faith: "We should endeavor to believe that our prayers are heard, and that if we ask things according to God's will, they will be answered".

-Boldness: "A boldness that pleads with God like Moses. With such a reverence he sued, as one begging of God, and yet with such hope and assurance, as if he spoke with a loving Father or friend."

- Fullness: You need it! Much to pray for.

- Particularity: "It should not be enough to confess we are sinners: we should name the sins of which our conscience tells us we are more guilty. It should not be enough to ask for holiness; we should name the graces in which we feel most deficient. It should not be enough to tell the Lord we are in trouble; we should describe our trouble and all its peculiarities."

-Intercession: We are selfish in and of ourselves yet we must remember to put others above ourselves. Pray for others.

-Thankfulness: A true prayer must include thankfulness and praise! "We should never open our lips in prayer without blessing God for that free grace by which we live, and for that loving kindness which endureth for ever."


"Prayer is the spiritual pulse. By this the spiritual health may be tested. If you will take care of your prayers, nothing shall go very wrong with your soul."

Do you pray??

He Must Be Lord

Becoming a "Christian" in today's world seems like a piece of cake...you pray a prayer and you're in right?!?! Wrong. Many think that they can believe in what Christ did on the cross but that He doesn't have to be LORD of your life and that is far from the truth. If you look up the word "Christian" in the Bible you will only find it 3 times...what is always mentioned is disciples. Being a disciple of Christ means much more than praying a prayer, it means giving up everything you have, leaving all and following Him!

At church this weekend Pastor Mike gave a powerful message from Matthew 19:23-26
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Are you His disciple...we need to look at some very important issues that must be resolved in order to truly be a disciple of the Living God.

1. Count the Cost
-Matthew 13:44-46
-It will cost you EVERYTHING
-You are exchanging your life for Christ's
-This is not a works based salvation, it is Christ's life in exchange for yours
-Walk in the newness of life is a command (Romans 6-8)
-Surrender to the leadership of Christ (Matthew 6:46)
-Choose this day who you will serve (Joshua 24:14-15)

2. Identify Your Idols
-Whatever God wants me to do I will do...but wait God I won't give this up
-An idol is anything you wouldn't give up for God, something that takes supreme priority of your life and is valued more and put above God
-Luke 19:57-62- things defined as idols
-Genesis 22- Abraham and Issac- God asked for it all, his only son
-I'm willing to do whatever you want me to do needs to be your attitude
-1 Thessalonians 1:3-10- turn from other things as supreme in your life

3. Ask God for the Impossible
-The Biblical Gospel is impossible...you cannot do it only God can!! (Ephesians 2:1-10)
-Plead with God to do in your life what you can't do
-Hebrews 11- they did things through the power of God
-Revelation 2:4- Church at Ephesus, you have forsaken your FIRST love
-Can't ease up the Gospel, must be immovable on the truth of the biblical Gospel because it is the only thing that saves
-Righteousness is a gift, you cannot earn it, but it costs you everything

We need to have this attitude: ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, ANYTHING! And remember it isn't "Christians" necessarily that enter into eternity with Christ it is His disciples, HE MUST BE LORD!

Hes Got it Under Control

Lately I have been blessed with a peace that surpasses understanding as I have sought the Lord on many "unknowns" in my life. It is in those moments where we are required to trust and depend fully on the Lord for guidance and wisdom that we are reminded of His complete control of our lives. He is leading us step by step and He knows exactly what He is doing. He won't lead us astray but rather will lead us on a path that brings more glory to Him and that works together for GOOD for us! He isn't surprised by the events of our lives as if He is some big dad in the sky watching us hoping that we make the right choice...no He is much bigger than that. Colossians 1:16-17 says, "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

We sang a hymn in chapel a week or so ago that I was tremendously blessed by...here are the lyrics:

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path:
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morn anew
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.

What a reminder for us all that He has it under control and whatever comes, good or bad, God has ordained it in our life for a reason and He is faithful and trustworthy in all things...He will never let us down!! Let us seek His face and His glory and trust Him as He guides us along the way and remember don't fret...He's got it under control!