A Prayer About Being With Jesus

This is a prayer from this book and has been very encouraging.


"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."  Acts 4:13


Lord Jesus, this simple story is simply what I need this morning. Peter and John, two unschooled, ordinary fishermen were radically changed and wondrously engaged in life because “these men had been with Jesus”—with you, the same Lord who lives in my heart and rules all things from heaven. Today, right now… more than anything else I need to connect with you, Jesus.
It’d be nice to hear others say, “He’s obviously been with Jesus. What else could explain his merciful heart for the broken… his outrage in the face of injustice… his calm in the midst of all kinds of provocations. What other motivation and reason would he have for loving so boldly, forgiving so deeply and giving so generously? Yeah, he’s been with Jesus, alright, because that’s surely not the guy we remember from a while back.” Jesus, as “nice” as that would be, that’s NOT AT ALL what I’m thinking about and longing for this morning.


I don’t really care what people think or don’t think about me right now… what they say or don’t say about me. I crave fresh fellowship with you in the core of my being. Union with you by faith is one thing, but vital heart engaged communion with you is quite another, Jesus.


Doing things for you is not the same thing as spending life-giving time with you. Thinking great thoughts about you is not the same thing as connecting intimately with you. Helping others understand the gospel is not the same thing as crying out from my unfettered refreshed heart…
Who do I have I in heaven but you, Jesus? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you, Jesus, are the strength of my heart and my portion forever… It is good, and it is enough, for me to be near you… my sovereign savior and my loving refuge.


Come, Holy Spirit, come. Ignite within my heart renewed affections and life-changing communion with Jesus. That’s what I need and want more than anything else. So very Amen, I pray in his most gracious name.

Love Lustres at Calvary

My Father,

Enlarge my heart, warm my affections,
open my lips,
supply words that proclaim ‘Love Lustres at Calvary.’
There grace removes my burdens
and heaps them on thy Son,
made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of thy justice smote the man,
thy fellow;
There thy infinite attributes were magnified,
and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
and infinite punishment was endured.

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst
that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclothed brightness,
expired that I might forever live.

O Father, who spared not thine own Son
that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight,
as I see my enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me
the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

~ Love Lustres at Calvary, in The Valley of Vision

HT: Timmy Brister

Effects of Prayer

"Prayer produces cleanliness of heart and purity of life. it can produce nothing else. Unrighteous conduct is born of prayerlessness-the two go hand-in-hand. Prayer and sinning cannot keep company with each other. One or the other must of necessity stop. Get men to pray, and they will quit sinning, because prayer creates a distaste for sinning, and so works upon the heart, that evildoing becomes repugnant, and the entire nature is lifted to a reverent contemplation of high and holy things." 

E. M. Bounds

Prayer for a Wise Walk

"For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1:6


Father, O gracious God, creator of all, wondrous in majesty. Be gracious to this unworthy sinner, a sinner who has disregarded your glory. Help me to walk in the way of the righteous. My desire is to walk in wisdom, which is according to your rule. This world delights in walking in the ways of the flesh, according to the prince of the power of the air. I am temped again and again to walk away from the way marked out in your holy Word. Grant me the grace to walk in the way of Christ. It is a narrow way, a way not often traveled, but it is the way to the eternal city. Help me to despise any distractions that would hinder me on the way to heaven.


Lord, help me to set my face continually upon that great city, where I will see you face to face. Where I will bask in your presence, where I will see Christ in his marvelous glory, where your ransomed church will proclaim, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain"! I pray this in your glorious name. Amen and Amen.

Am I missing it?

It seems in Christianity that there are two groups, so to speak, with regard to the word of God and prayer. We have one group who is all about the word, theology, and reading good books. Then we have another group who prays, but who care nothing about truth, doctrine, or theology. I don’t think any Christian would deny that those two spiritual disciplines are extremely important. Nobody can expect to be a fruitful Christian without daily being nourished in the word of God and prayer. For myself, I fall into the doctrine extreme. So often I spend all of my time reading, but not much praying. This is not good. Even though reading Bible, studying Bible, and reading good books are all good if I neglect prayer I am going to be unbalanced.  

I remember watching a short video of someone interviewing Paul Washer. The interviewer asked Paul what the dangers are facing the recent movement of young reformed Christians. He basically said that he applauds these young Christians for being series about truth, doctrine, and living out their faith in the context of 2000 years of Christian history. But he went on to say that the purpose of studying truth is to know God. It is to point us to Jesus and show us who Jesus is. He went on to say that most of the older men that he has talked to had regrets not that they did not study enough, but that they did not pray enough. I am afraid that if I continue in the state that I am right now, I will say the same thing.

We don’t have to read very much of Scripture or of godly men in Scripture to realize that prayer is so, so important.  Daniel prayed three times a day, Paul devoted himself to prayer, Elijah hid himself away to pray, and of course Jesus prayed many times in Scripture.

Not only do we have the example of men in Scripture, we have church history to look back to as well. We find the same thing, the godliest men and women we’re people who spent much time in prayer. Martin Luther prayed three hours a day, David Brainerd was much in the prayer closet, and Jonathan Edwards, the great philosopher and theologian, prayed much.

All of this to say, am I missing it? Am I missing one of the most important if not the most important means of grace? 

Book Review: A Call to Prayer

My review on Amazon is here.


This book on prayer by J.C. Ryle written around a hundred years ago contains a weighty, heart searching message addressed to Christians and non Christians about a most important, yet much neglected spiritual discipline. J.C. Ryle writes with humility, he writes urgently, powerfully, and effectively. Ryle's whole thesis of the book is a question, "Do you pray"? Ryle starts off the book with giving seven reasons why he asks this important question, highlighting several important things about prayer. I thought his last reason was great, "I ask whether you pray because prayer is one of the best means of happiness and contentment." Ryle explains well that the testimony of both the Old and New Testament is that we must bring everything to God in prayer if we want happiness in this sin cursed world. Ryle then moves on to address those who do not pray, he humbly explains that these prayerless people are in a position of fearful danger. Ryle concludes with a very helpful exhortation to encourage and instruct those who do pray.

This precious book on prayer has helped me a great deal and encouraged me. In my opinion, this book is one of the best I have ever read on prayer, and sadly has not been read like it should be read. Don't think that because it is an old book, or a short book, that it will not do you much good, rather, much benefit will be gained from those who read it and therefore practice what Ryle says. I will say with Ryle, "I want the times we live in to be praying times. I want the Christians of our day to be praying Christians." Amen. 

E.M. Bounds Quote on Prayer

“Praying, true praying, costs an outlay of serious attention and of time, which flesh and blood do not relish.” E.M. Bounds

Ring The Bells Of Heaven

"'Good Prayers,' says an old divine, 'never come weeping home. I am sure I shall receive either what I ask, or what I should ask. Prayer pulls the rope below, and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly: others give but an occasional pull at the rope: but he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continually with all his might.' 
That is the best kind of bell ringing--ringing the bells of heaven--making a sensation in the world celestial and pulling the power down upon the world terrestrial. Reader, do you know how to handle the bell rope, to pull it vigorously and constantly? We know some that do. Hell trembles when they seize the rope."




E.M. Bounds