REFLECTIONS

Frequency In Exercise And Fervency Of Mind in Prayer

“IMPROVEMENT

If we know these things, happy are we if we do them. There are two duties incumbent on us, which may be inferred from what has been said.

1. We ought continually to glorify God for this great privilege of “the Spirit of grace and supplication;” for this is the principal means of all our intercourse with God; and without this, men wander in the dark, and know not how to deal with God. The whole work of faith is denominated from the duty of prayer, for it is said, ‘whoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved,” Rom. X.13. No heart can conceive what treasures of mercy are contained in this great privilege, of having liberty and ability to approach God at all times. This is the relief, the weapons, and the refuge of the Church, in all conditions.

It is a matter of particular praise that this privilege is bestowed in a larger measure under the gospel, than under the law; and he who has been under the law and its bondage, but has now received the Spirit of adoption, knows the difference, and will be thankful. This privilege, which was of old confined to a few, is now communicated to great multitudes, even to all who “in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” In every assembly of Mount Zion throughout the world, prayers and supplications are offered to God, through the effectual working of the Spirit, Mal. I:11. And in this lies all the glory of our worship; take this away and all is contemptible, dead, and carnal. Every family apart is enables to pray in the Spirit. He is the same to believers all the world over, in their closets or in their prisons. They have all, wherever they are, “access by one Spirit unto the Father.” And for this enlargement of grace, God expects revenue of glory.

Can we go from day to day in the neglect of opportunities and occasions of prayer? How shall we answer this contempt of the Spirit’s gracious aid? Do carnal persons habitually live without prayer? Alas! They know not how to pray; but for those who have received this gift of the Spirit, enabling them to pray, and making it pleasant to the inner man-how great an aggravation is it to their sin! I press this duty of prayer the more, because the temptations and dangers of the present day particularly call for it. If we were to talk less and pray more, things would be better than they are in this world.

It is the duty of those who have received this gift, to cherish it, to stir it up, and improve it; it is freely bestowed, but it is carefully to be preserved. It is a gospel-talent given to be traded with, and thereby increased. And this is to be done

(5). Frequency in the exercise of this gift, is the way to improve it. All habits are strengthened exercise, and weakened by disuse. Some who had the gift of prayer in a good measure, so as to edify themselves and others, have, by a neglect of it in public and private, (which is seldom without some secret or open enormities) so lost their ability, that they cannot open their mouth on any occasion in prayer. On the other hand, frequent exercise will increase it, by virtue of God’s blessings on His own appointment. This is the eternal law concerning the dispensation of evangelical gifts. “Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he hath,” Matt. XXV.29.

(6). Constant fervency of mind in this duty. Men may multiply prayers, but if they are dull, dead, and formal in them, no spiritual advantage can be expected from them. Fervency and intention of mind quicken and enlarge the faculties, and leave vigorous impressions on them. The whole soul is cast into the mold of the matter of our prayers, and is thereby prepared for fresh engagements about them.

It is our duty, then, to use this gift of prayer unto the ends for which it is freely bestowed on us. With respect to ourselves, it is a blessed means of exciting and quickening all the graces of the Spirit, particularly faith, love, and joy. It is also appointed of God to be exercised in societies, families, church-assemblies, and occasionally for the good of any; and the discharge of this duty is particularly incumbent on ministers of the gospel, and masters of families. But let us take heed that the gift be not alone; for where the gift of prayer only is exercised, without the exercise of grace in the heart, it is at best but a form of godliness, and is consistent with all sorts of secret abominations.”

-From The Holy Spirit  His Gifts and Power by John Owen (1616-1683)  Published by Kregel Publications  Grand Rapids, MI  1954  Pages 333-334, 335, 337-338

An Encouragement To Prayer

An Encouragement To Prayer

As is our usual custom, I’m (Jim here) beginning our July 2011 Prayer Letter; Kappy usually shares from her heart in Page 2’s Kappy’s Corner-but in a departure from my usual reporting of ministry happenings, I want to share this month with you from my heart about an event that happened about a year ago in Kampala and what has resulted from that significant day. At that time I was invited to a prayer meeting by Pastor David Asibe, the pastor of Miracle of Faith Church, which is our primary ministry partner in our Street Kid Outreach. I was eager to attend the meeting as I’ve always enjoyed prayer but when I learned that the meeting was scheduled to be for 8 hours I wondered if I was going to be able to pray for that much time. Long prayer meetings are not uncommon in Uganda which is known for its Prayer Movements and I’ve attended longer meetings before (including overnight meetings or in my case late night meetings), but I was challenged by the thought of spending 8 consecutive hours in prayer. I enjoyed about 5 hours of prayer with the church that day and since that time God has been dealing with me about the issue of prayer in significant ways. Let me fill in the picture a bit for you.

Years ago someone left a book on my doorstep entitled Revival Praying. I was then deeply challenged and have been so challenged many times over about 20 years with important thoughts from this useful book. It’s really an encouragement to consistent and prolonged prayer for God to revive His church; the idea that God sometimes requires more than occasional and sporadic prayer to fulfill His Kingdom plans and purposes but that He often requires prolonged and dedicated prayer (as is the case in praying for revival) comes across loud and clear in the book. God later confronted me with that same idea when reading about South African Andrew Murray’s call to prayer for revival and missions. A quote from Murray's book has been etched  in my heart…“The ten days’ continued prayer” (after the Ascension and before Pentecost) “teaches us a simple lesson yet so difficult to master, that what little prayer does not obtain, much earnest believing prayer, continued long enough will bring down.” Murray, who saw revival and the wonderful effects of ‘much earnest believing prayer’ in his lifetime as he entreated the Spirit to come to His church and subsequently into a country and region, writes convincingly about this needed and often neglected kind of prayer. Another encouragement to consider ‘much prayer’ came my way when,  as a missionary,  I read about ‘Praying Hyde’ (John Hyde, missionary to India, died in 1912) and his desire and commitment to extended prayer and to holding himself in the presence of God in adoration, confession, intercession, supplication and thanksgiving.  One man wrote: “Hyde’s life of prayer and service stands as His ministry of prayer in India during the next 20 years was such that the natives referred to him as "the man who never sleeps." Some termed him "the apostle of prayer." But more familiarly he was known as "the praying Hyde." He was all these and more, for deep in India's Punjab, he envisioned his Master, and face to face with the eternal, he learned lessons of prayer which were amazing. Often he spent 30 days and nights in prayer, and many times was on his knees in deep intercession for 36 hours at a time. His work among the villages was very successful, in that for many years he won four to ten people a day to the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Another man wrote that it was love to Christ that enabled Hyde to give his life to prayer for the Redeemer’s glory. So with these and many other encouragements and challenges in my heart over the years regarding this issue of prayer, in Kampala I began to seek the Lord to know if I should simply pray more and asked Him for grace and teaching about this. The Lord showed me from His Word, by His Spirit’s leading and through my readings and talks with others that prayer is indeed a vital part of the ministry. The apostles were committed to continual prayer and the ministry of the Word as we see in Acts 6:4. The Lord revealed to me that I must learn much more about giving myself to continual and extended times in prayer.

I’ve also been recently helped greatly by the example of faithful, praying Habakkuk. He cried out to God for revival and a turning away of the tide of godlessness in Judah but God instead brought judgment and distress. The broken-hearted Habakkuk continued to seek his God in his time of difficulty and chastisement when he foresaw the coming time of war, horror and captivity that would befall the people of God. This believer wrestled with God and was blessed by a revelation of God and His awesome glory, justice, fury, mercy and grace, goodness and faithfulness. His book is a book of prayer and his prayer’s resulting answers. I want to be more like Habakkuk; to care more deeply for God and God’s people and because of that care intercede for the people, especially in our times of distress.

In Kampala I began a simple spiritual exercise then which has impacted me greatly. I began to spend more time alone with the Lord in prayer. I’ve always enjoyed prayer in my daily devotions and in the ministry and God has answered many, many prayers over the years. Kappy and I have also enjoyed prayer together and this has strengthened us in our marriage in wonderful ways, but I felt moved to draw closer to God in extended personal prayer for longer periods of time and more consistently in these times. I’ve set a daily goal of spending 2 hours a day with God in prayer in addition to my devotions and while on furlough this has become a settled habit that I thank the Lord for. Pray for me that I will be faithful in this commitment. This is an exercise in grace and is not legalism or is it intended to be legalistic; I’m saved solely by the righteousness of Jesus Christ which was imputed to me by faith and not at all by my works or efforts to draw close to Christ. But in Christ’s marvelous grace I am blessed to draw near Him and to pray to Him. The Bible doesn’t command exact amounts of time for prayer but by God’s grace encourages us to pray; prayer is in this sense a discipline of grace. We each must seek the Lord for His will for us personally regarding the structuring and times and limits of our prayer. This 2 hours isn’t a formula but a parameter that helps me define this spiritual exercise and discipline. Rather than rushing off to the office or ministry or meetings with little prayer I’m seeking to arrange the day’s calendar around this time which is committed to Christ my Lord who prayed and fasted for 40 days in the wilderness as He was tempted by Satan, continued in prayer for me during long all night prayer watches, who gave Himself in prayer and in the agony of blood-sweat for my salvation, and who prayed for my forgiveness as He bled and died on the cross of death so that my sins are atoned for and so that I am saved. He gave His all for me and still prays faithfully for me; can I do less than seek Him with a greater measure of diligence that He will be glorified and that His Kingdom will come to the lost and dying peoples of the nations? 

The benefits of this blessing have been evident. My communion with the Lord of glory and grace has been sweet and my longing for His gracious will to be done in our lives and in the ministry has been strengthened. I’m trying to learn to ‘pray in my praying’ and to ‘wrestle with the Angel’ in prayer. I thank God for this timely encouragement God has brought my way and I must pass my blessed challenge on to you, dear friend. Consider for a moment that prayer is in reality our drawing near to God through Christ who we love and that we learn to pray as His Spirit teaches us. Surely this is what our God desires of us and we can respond to His good will by seeking Him, by our intentional and habitual getting close to Him in a prayer fellowship. As we do so God will surely honor our efforts and we shall know more fully the joys of meeting with God. Friend, ask the Lord today how you can better and faithfully do this. He will draw near to us as we draw near to Him. And as He draws us closer to Himself and we are faithful in prayer we will surely see His glory and  His will fulfilled through our prayers in these last days when evil seems to be unleashed upon us all in explosive ways. Then He will be to us the God of our lives who answers the prayers of His people and He will show us new and wonderful things about Himself.

I feel as though the Lord is opening up a new chapter in my life and beginning something new and glorious. I’m excited and blessed to learn more about prayer and to pray and I hope this encouragement to prayer will be of help to you too.

Years ago I began a Prayer Journal and I have posted some of these prayers based on Scripture on our Blog; these are entitled A Prayer To The God Of My Life-perhaps these prayers will be of help to you-if so you can find these prayers at: http://actionug.blogspot.com/

Please let us know how we can pray for you, friend. And share your thoughts with us about prayer. 

(Images Above of Habakkuk As Rendered By Artists)

A Prayer To The God Of My Life

A Prayer To The God Of My Life

“…so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John 6:57 NKJV.

Lord Jesus Christ, by the gift of faith You have been revealed to us and Your righteousness has become ours by imputation. And because You are the Righteous Lord and because we must feed upon You to live by Your grace You have led us to feed upon You! And we live because You have become our food, our life and the reason for our living and our righteousness with God. You have become our salvation! Glorious and everlasting praise to You Lord Jesus Christ, our King of Glory and Eternal God! As You provide our daily food and nourish us as it comes into our bellies and thence into our bodies and as You sustain our lives in this way, Great God and Savior, You have led us to take of Your salvation and to feed upon You, the Bread of Life and the Lamb of God, and unspeakably wonderful it is to have spiritual life in this! That You have entered into us and dwell in us; that You live in us and sustain is wonderful and glorious, Lord! You live in us today and always will because You have raised us up to feed on You Lord Jesus Christ. Your flesh and blood have become our food and drink indeed! Thank You for the clarity and simplicity of our lives with You, Lord. We are called to trust and obey, and there’s no other way. Truly to be happy in You, Lord Jesus, means that we trust You and obey You.

We are alive at this moment in time by and in Your eternal life! Because You live we live also! We are alive and blessed forever in You, Christ Jesus! And when the existent world is no more, when evil has been judged to the utmost-when all has been consummated and when Your beloved children are finally and fully gathered to Your side-when the new Heavens and the New Earth come-when Your grace and love completes the regeneration-then we will live in You because we have fed on You in time. When time is no more we shall live with You. How awesome, blessed and glorious You are, O king of the Saints! Worthy are You, Lamb of God! Holy and reverenced are You, Lamb of God! Mighty and gracious are You, Lord Jesus Christ! All glory is Yours, O God, Yours alone, now and forever. Amen.

REFLECTIONS

Prayer-Cherishing The Gift

“2. It is our duty to make use of this gift of the Spirit. Have you an ability to pray always freely given you by the Holy Ghost, why do you not pray always in private, in families, as occasions offer? Prayer is that singular duty, in which every grace is acted, every sin opposed, every blessing obtained; the whole of our obedience is concerned in it, and much of our present and future blessedness depends upon it. What difficulties and discouragements rise up against it, what aversions there is in corrupted nature to it, what distractions often attend it, is well known to the people of God. But to help us under our various infirmities; to give us freedom and confidence in coming to the throne; to enable us as children to cry, Abba, Father, the Holy Spirit is given to us. Who then can express the sin and folly of neglecting prayer? How does it grieve the Spirit, and injure our own souls! Can we go from day to day in the neglect of opportunities and occasions of prayer? How shall we answer this contempt of the Spirit’s gracious aid? Do carnal persons habitually live without prayer? Alas! They know not how to pray; but for those who have received this gift of the Spirit, enabling them to pray, and making it pleasant to the inner man-how great an aggravation is it to their sin! I press this duty of prayer the more, because the temptations and dangers of the present day particularly call for it. If we were to talk less and pray more, things would be better than they are in this world.

It is the duty of those who have received this gift, to cherish it, to stir it up, and improve it; it is freely bestowed, but it is carefully to be preserved. It is a gospel-talent given to be traded with, and thereby increased. And this is to be done

(1). By a constant consideration, and observation of ourselves, our own hearts and our spiritual state and condition. Our state in general, by reason of the depth and deceitfulness of our hearts, and the various changes in our frames, together with the temptations that assault us will find us matter of examination all our days. To assist us in this, is a part of the work of the Spirit; and if we neglect our duty towards Him herein, how can we expect that He should continue to aid us? He who prays without a due consideration of the beginnings of temptation, the deceitful actings of indwelling sin, the risings of particular corruptions, with the occasions that give them advantage, must pray at random, “fighting uncertainly as one that beats the air;” but he who attends to this self-search and judgment, will have always in readiness the due matter of prayer, will be able to fill his mouth with arguments, and will thrive not only in the gift, but in the power and life of this duty.

(2). Constant searching of the scripture. This is the glass wherein we may take the best view of ourselves, because it represents both what we are, and what we ought to be; what we are in ourselves, what we are by the grace of God; what are our frames (mental outlook or mood), actions and ways, and what is their defect in His sight. And a better instruction what to pray for, or how to pray, cannot be given us. And who is there, who almost at any time reading the Scripture with reverence of God, and subjection of conscience to Him, has not had some particular matter of prayer or praise effectually suggested to him? And Christians would find no small advantage by constantly turning what they read into prayer or praise; for hereby the instructions of the word would be more confirmed in their minds, and their hearst would be more engaged in the practice of them.

(3) Meditation on the glorious excellencies of God. The examples of prayer which we have in the Scripture, generally begin with some expressions of the names or titles of God; to which the remembrance of some mighty acts of His power is usually added. God has revealed His name unto us for this very purpose, that we might call upon Him by the name which He owns and takes to Himself. Hereby holy reverence and godly fear are excited. We are encouraged to come with boldness to the throne of grace. It is a throne of grace that God in Christ is represented to us upon; but yet it is a throne still, whereon majesty and glory reside: and God is always to be considered by us as on a throne. Hereby also faith and confidence are excited: for prayer is our betaking ourselves to God as our shield, our rock, and our reward. Wherefore frequent meditation on the holy excellencies of the divine nature, must needs be a useful preparation for prayer.

(4) Meditation on the mediation and intercession of Christ. To this end He is proposed to us, as abiding continually in the discharge of His priestly office, Heb. iv. 15, x. 19. And this is not only an encouragement to, and in, our supplications, but a means to increase and strengthen the grace and gift of prayer itself. For the mind is hereby ready to exercise itself about the effectual interposition of the Lord Christ at the throne of grace in our behalf. This has a principal place in the prayers of believers; and hereby we may try whether our faith be evangelical or not.”

-From The Holy Spirit  His Gifts and Power by John Owen (1616-1683)  Published by Kregel Publications  Grand Rapids, MI  1954  Pages 334-337

A Prayer To The God Of My Life

A Prayer To The God Of My Life

“Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored;

Renew our days as of old.

Unless You have utterly rejected us,

And are very angry with us.”  Lamentations 5:21 NKJV.

O God the Lord, I rejoice in Your declared promise that You will never forsake nor leave me, though I continue to sin and am a continual transgressor. I believe that You foresaw my sin and that before the foundation of the world You were crucified for all of my sin-my gross and black sin before my conversion and my sins in the light, that is, my sin since my regeneration. You were given to me as Lord and Savior before I was created and You have conquered and defeated my awful sin in Your timeless power; like an army which has routed it’s enemy, You have completely put away my sin-so that all of the sin of my life has been atoned for. O Lord, I rejoice that You will not utterly reject us, all who are Yours by faith, because we have truly been given Your wonderful grace. I rejoice, too, in Your power and strength of will to save Your people and I know that I, we, must confess our sins to You and repent of it all to walk truly in the light with You. And we can only receive Your wonderful grace, O Lord, so that Your turn us back to Yourself. Always turn us back to you Lord! And in this, Your giving us grace and Your turning us back to Your, we are restored! O God, my Lord, restore us, renew us, stir us, fill us. Holy Spirit, come and reform us, make us to be repentant, and revive us, Lord.

You have led us in blessed paths of fellowship with Yourself and we have enjoyed Your glory and goodness in remarkable ways-yet, we must cry out afresh, Lord, revive us and ignite the fire and zeal of our first love for You! Cause us to love You supremely O God; revive, renew, strengthen and reform Your true church throughout this great world that you have created. Move us forward and keep us from turning our backs to You because we are more than conquerors through Christ who has loved us! Conquer through us in increasingly wonderful and powerful ways O Lord! And have Your glory in this! O God, Your people have grieved Your Spirit and have experienced His departure, and Your utter rejection and anger-Your righteous anger. O God, keep us from grieving and quenching Your Spirit! May we receive Him in and by Your grace and may He fill us with the fullness of Christ. And then we shall personally and corporately love You deeply and truly, O Lord, and You shall be glorified and we shall rejoice in God and be continually turned to God, renewed as in days of old and walk in the blessed ways You intend for Your children! Glory to you O Lord forever, Father, Son and Spirit-forever You are Lord! Amen.