O LORD,
In prayer I launch far out into the eternal world,
and on that broad ocean my soul triumphs
over all evils on the shores of mortality.
Time, with its gay amusements and cruel disappointments
never appears so inconsiderate as then.
In prayer I see myself as nothing;
I find my heart going after thee with intensity,
and long with vehement thirst to live to thee.
Blessed be the strong gales of the Spirit
that speed me on my way to the New Jerusalem.
In prayer all things here below vanish,
and nothing seems important
but holiness of heart and the salvation of other.
In prayer all my worldly cares, fears, anxieties disappear,
and are of as little significance as a puff of wind.
In prayer my soul inwardly exults with lively thoughts
at what thou art doing for thy church,
and I long that thou shouldest get thyself a great name
from sinners returning to Zion.
In prayer I am lifted above the frowns and flatteries of life,
and taste heavenly joys;
entering into the eternal world
I can give myself to thee with all my heart,
to be thine for ever.
In prayer I can place all my concerns in thy hands,
to be entirely at thy disposal,
having no will or interest of my own.
In prayer I can intercede for my friends, ministers,
sinners, the church, thy kingdom to come,
with greatest freedom, ardent hopes,
as a son to his father,
as a lover to the beloved.
Help me to be all prayer and never to cease praying.
From The Valley of Vision – A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett
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Amen, Mike! BTW…my weekly day of fasting is Wednesdays. I will pray for you if you will pray for me on Mondays! God bless…
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Jessica,
Absolutely I will pray for you. God bless you my dear sister in Christ.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
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All I can say is AMEN!
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Mike – As I went to highlight certain sentences of that prayer I found I could not find any sentences that I would not highlight. We have lost that sense of utter brokenness and awestruck worship of our Creator Redeemer. And that wonderful sense of a redeemed sinner praying to the August God and yet Father, is exactly what the new breeds want to change into the parlance of today’s depraved relevance.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus, we have allowed this world and our flesh to steer your truths into the grounded waters of our own well meaning thoughts, instead of the Lighthouse protection of the harbour of Your Word. You have not changed, we have. Forgive us and change US.
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Rick and Cristina,
Yes, Amen and Amen. He is sovereign. He is worthy. He his Holy. He is righteous. He is Just. How in the world can we think we can “have it our way?”
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
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