George Mueller once said, “if you desire anything for God’s glory pray until you get it”. 

So, what do you think about that?

Today we will be looking at Watson's twelth characteristic of a godly man; prayer. "A godly man cannot live without prayer", says Watson. But do not hypocrites prayer? How is the prayer of a godly man different than that of a hypocrite? His answer is that the prayer of a godly man is spiritual. But how do we know if a prayer is spiritual or not? We are given 12 marks of a spiritual prayer:

1. A spiritual prayer is with knowledge
2. A spiritual prayer is when the heart and spirit pray
3. A spiritual prayer is a fervent prayer
4. A spiritual prayer comes from a broken heart
5. A spiritual prayer is a believing prayer
6. A spiritual prayer is a holy prayer
7. A spiritual prayer is a humble prayer
8. A spiritual prayer is when we pray in the name of Christ
9. A spiritual prayer is when we pray out of love to prayer
10. A spiritual prayer is when we have spiritual goals in prayer
11. A spiritual prayer is accompanied by the use of means
12. A spiritual prayer is that which leaves a spiritual mood behind upon the heart

Therefore, if one does not pray in this manner then he cannot be said to be praying spiritually. And if he is not praying spiritually then he is not godly. Nor are those that do not pray at all, nor those that pray seldom, nor those that do not pray "in the Holy Ghost". (By "praying in the Holy Ghost", Watson does not mean praying with tongues. Praying in the Holy Ghost, to Watson is praying a spiritual prayer).

We are urged by Watson to pray. Be as Daniel that prayed three times a day. Or a Martin Luther that prayed three hours every day. Some may ask, why bother praying when God has made so many promises of blessings? Because prayer is "the condition annexed to the promise". To further encourage us in prayer Watson says that "prayer is a seed sown in God's ear", it is also powerful, and it is accompanied by the promises of God. Furthermore, we must consider that the Holy One, Jesus Christ, is our Mediator and makes our prayers holy. Therefore, we must prayer aright. To do so is to pray in the ways mentioned, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Discussion:

If sin, "poisons and infests prayer", how are we to ever pray as we ought? Perhaps this is the importance of "praying in the name of Christ". Whenever we pray "in the hope and confidence of Christ's mediation" we are hoping that he may purify our prayers with His righteousness.

I absolutely love Watson's eleventh mark of a spiritual prayer. So often we pray for things and then do not accompnay those prayers with the use of means. It is like the proverbial idiot that is stranded in a flood, refuses the help of a friendly boat and the rescue team, "because God is going to save him". God has given us the use of means. If we a praying for spiritual fruit and not using these means, then our failure is due to our ignorance, not God's inability to answer prayer.

What do you think Watson means when he says of those that do not "pray in the Holy Ghost" that "they exercise their inventiveness more than their affection"?

If prayer weeds out sin and waters grace, is it still grace? Must grace be watered?

Do you agree that prayer, "finds God free, but leaves him bound"?

Strokes of genius:

"If the heart does not accompany duty, it is speaking, not praying. (89)

"Praying without faith is shooting without bullets." (90)

"[The godly man] is not forced [to pray] with fear but fired with love" (92)

"To pray for holiness and neglect the means is like winding up the clock and taking off the weights." (93)

"Prayer is a bomb which will make heaven's gates fly open." (96)

In John Flavel's Mystery of Providence he makes mention of Augustine and Monica (p.54). If our readers are familiar with Augustine they will probably also be familiar with his mother Monica. She was a strong Christian woman that continuously pleaded with the Lord for the soul of her son. Much can be read about his conversion and many attribute that in part to his mother's intercession. One such poet, Charles Tennyson Turner (Lord Alfred Tennyson's elder brother), has captured this sentiment:


Copied From Collected Sonnets, Old and New By Charles Tennyson Turner, James Spedding

Today is a sad day in history. 35 years ago today Roe v. Wade was passed, setting way for the slaughter of numerous "innocent" babies. There are several articles and challenges addressing this issue today. Justin Taylor uses an excerpt from Piper's book A Hunger for God to challenge us to fast for the little ones. JT also provides a graphic that helps us visualize what 46 million looks like. He has also recently interviewed Robert George on abortion and politics. There is also a graphic video that shows actual abortions. I could hardly bare to watch. You can access that video here: (Warning: This is Very Very Graphic!)

(HT: Denny Burk)

John Ensor does offer some encouragement and challenges us to pray for the Third Wave in the fight to end abortion. Denny Burk also provides a sunday school lesson on the Sanctity of Life. After experiencing the birth of our child, I just do not get it (and even before). I can have sympathy with the teenage girl struggling with making a decision. She is only a child herself. I can sympathize (but of course not agree) with her decision. I can sympathize with the rape victims. I can sympathize but not agree. But what baffles my mind is the politicians and the entire movement itself. How in the world can we hold to such a ridiculous practice and allow it to be legal?

Dan Phillips has posted the third part to his "Preaching the Good News"? Earlier he gave us a snippet of an "evangelism" tract left at his door step. He asked what we could tell about the group that left it. Then he told us it was the Mormons. Today he considers some of the implications of this discussion.

I have been reading about the life of Charles Spurgeon. The fuel that drove his ministry was laboring in prayer. So I believe it is not a coincidence that the MacArthur article today is on Praying Without Ceasing.

Jonathan Leeman continues to blog through Willow Creek's REVEAL. Today he considers mutli-campus churches.

Finally, the IMonk has created an interesting discussion about 12 Churches and 12 Calvinists. What would happen? This lends itself to being a great discussion.

About everything in blogworld today mandates an HT: to Challies. First of all we are pointed to an article by the BBC concerning the Pope's approval of the sale of indulgences at Lourdes. The sale of indulgences is one of the atrocities of the 16th century that sparked the Protestant Reformation. Britannica offers an informative article on Luther and the Indulgences that might be helpful for those who are not familiar with either indulgences or why they are so unbiblical. The Pope granting these indulgences is another reminder that the Evangelicals and Catholics Together document/movement is bunk.

Challies also points us to an interesting article by Don Whitney on Asking People How You Can Pray for Them. Whitney encourages us to ask people who you can pray for them. He suggests that it is an easy 6 word way to turn a conversation to spiritual matters. I have also heard it suggested in the past that a good conversation turner is to ask you waitress how you can pray for them before you pray over the meal. I have done this a few times with mixed reactions. This is a great idea and one I would like to put into practice even more. I would like to add two suggestions to Whitney's article. One is necessary for people who are selfish like me--actually pray for them, and maybe not only once. My prayer life is way to general and not specific enough. Perhaps, adding something like this could help us to pray more specifically. Secondly, I would suggest keeping a note pad handy and writing down the persons name and request. Imagine what will be communicated if you ask about Aunt Gertrude's gangrenous toe or that job your waitress' husband was applying for the next time you see her. It's actually quite sad that we have to be reminded like this to not be so wrapped up in our own little world. We would really reflect Jesus more if this were not an "evangelistic strategy" but if it came from an overflowing heart that actually cared. (Then I might not struggle with names and I certainly would actually pray for them).

Unless you are interested in Mitt Romney's speech on "Faith in America" then there is not too much going on in blogworld today (at least not in mine).