your prayer life

If I didn't have my half hour of prayer and Bible reading in the morning, I'm sure I'd be out of the ministry by now!! I remember Bro. Lee Roberson once said that he quits the ministry every Sunday night, then the next morning prays the Lord will ignore the previous night's prayer.

 

Yeah, I'm suprised alot of times. lol Maybe because it still amazes me that Almighty God Himself listens to me....
Sometimes it's very clear and other times it's much different than I had imagined.

 

My grandfather, John R. Rice, would have a half hour or more of private devotions when he got up, the family devotions after breakfast. We would read five or six chapters of the Bible and then pray around the circle. He would pray for about 100 people by name and needs (I've counted!).

Then, during the day he would pray all the time. It was very common to hear him say, "Dear Jesus, help me," as he walked by you or you went into his office.

 

John of Japan,

I really appreciate all your posts. The insights you are willing to share regarding your grandfather are tremendous.

I have always been more like Moody and Spurgeon in regard to prayer. Short but to the point.
I always get guilted out by guys like Mueller or Taylor who could pray for hours. I think they were specially gifted for this.

It is encouraging to hear that JRR was brief, but constant, in prayer.

Lately, I have been trying to incorporate more scripture into my prayers. I have 2 volume set of Zondervan books by Ken Boa called "Face to Face" that each contain 3 months of scriptural prayers.

BTW, JOJ, and I know this is off topic, but could you recommend a good bio of your grandfather. I read Viola Walden's "Captain of our Team" but I found it somewhat unsatisfying. Like Pollock's bio of Billy Graham, it was largely stats on SOTL distribution, where and when he preached, how many professions of faith, etc. But little personal material, like how he prayed, how he read the Word, what he thought about many issues.

 

Hi, JohnB.

I was tremendously blessed by being able to watch the life of a great man of God up close. If anyone is encouraged to walk more closely with and do more for Christ by the tidbits I post here, Grandpa will be happy in Heaven!

Yes, John R. was comparatively brief in prayer, but very constant. I don't remember ever seeing him spend the hours in prayer of a Mueller, Taylor or "Praying John" Hyde. He was a man of both action and prayer. He was more likely to be praying as he did something for Jesus than simply praying for long periods of time.

I don't think any of us need to feel guilty for not praying for hours. Mueller, Taylor and Hyde were different. Maybe if some of us prayed like they did we would end up neglecting our families (though Hyde was unmarried). Or, we might end up like David Brainard, who would get off his horse during a trip and pray in the snow for hours, eventually destroying his health and ending his ministry at a young age.

I believe the pattern for most Christians is a constant walk with God, praying when needed throughout the day. Here are John R. Rice's comments on 1 Thess. 5:17, "Pray without ceasing."

"Here is a command without any modification by the context. As long as men in any country, in any language, read the Bible, they will read this plain command to pray without ceasing. Not only ought we to pray; we ought to pray all the time! Prayer should be the continual turning of our hearts to God about every thing we need and everything we want until the subconscious mind is continually in touch with God. As a mother in her sleep listens for the cry of her baby, so a Christian's heart can be attuned to God while he is absorbed in daily duties or even when he sleeps!" (Prayer: Asking and Receiving, Ch. 2)

Concerning a John R. Rice biography, there are only two major ones with a couple of pamphlets also. "Miss Viola" did a good job, but I feel the revised version of Man Sent From God by Robert Sumner is best. (Look for a young me in the pictures of the family at the end!) Unfortunately, it seems to be out of print at the Sword website, but you can get it used at Amazon.com. One of the pamphlets is online at: http://www.gotothebible.com/HTML/ricegiant.html

For my own insights, I had a book published in 1979 by the Sword, The Making of a Soul Winner, the first chapter of which is some of my recollections. It is long out of print, but I'm hoping to have Ch. 1 on my website soon, so please check there. Or, I can send you the file by e-mail if you will PM me.

There is also a two-volume doctoral dissertation about John R. Rice by an SBC doctoral candidate, who interviewed many family members, but I don't know where you could find that. I'd tell you if I remembered more about it. I'm due to inherit my mom's copy--someday!

 

Yes, I've had some very clear answers. Makes me wanna pray more.

My biggest and most confusing one has been a specific one that gets answered, but it's to my own detriment, yet for the good of another. (basically praying that another person's problem will be taken away and be mine instead) I can't go into details yet, maybe one day I will. In the meantime, it's a hard thing when the answer is yes, even harder when it's no, hardest when I get scared and don't pray for it at all.

My main thing to work on right now is to remember to thank God for an answered prayer. It's easy to pray when the need is there, when a need is fulfilled though, it's easy to forget to say thanks, even easier to take credit for what has been done.

 

Before I had ever met Barry, a fellow who co-wrote one of his papers with him told me that he had never met anyone in his life before who referenced every moment of his life to Christ the way that Barry did.

And he does. So we see 'responded to' prayer constantly. Monday and Tuesday were excellent examples. The HMO I have is not here in southern Oregon and so twice a year I make the six hour (one way) trip to Sacramento, California to see my doctor as I am a diabetic and she wants to keep an eye on me (aside from being friends!). My app't. was Tues. morning and so the drive was for Monday afternoon. Last time I just made the run myself.

Barry wanted to come with me this time. Sure. Fine. At almost the last moment, I mentioned to him that it was fine if he didn't come -- the weather looked good, although a little rain was forecast for coming back Tuesday. He could stay and work on some presentations he will be giving soon and no problem for me.

"Don't you want me to come?"
"Sure. I love being with you. But I know you need the time, too."

So his immediate reaction, as it always is, was to 'check in with the Boss.'

He came back in the kitchen a moment later and simply said, "I'm to go with you."

It POURED driving down. He drove half way and I drove half way. I couldn't have made it myself, I don't think. It was exhausting driving.

We had a lovely dinner at the Spaghetti Factory with our oldest, Scott, who lives near there. I had to have a fasting blood test the next morning, so I finished my plate of shrimp and artichoke hearts on pasta before nine. I had only had a small salad besides and no dessert.

Got up early the next morning to get my blood drawn and let Barry sleep in. After the blood being done, I drove up to Shingle Springs where we used to live to pick up some things I can't find in Oregon. Would make it back in time to pick up Barry, check out of the motel, and make the regular dr. appointment at 11:20.

That was fine. Got back to the motel and just as a regular thing checked my blood sugar. It was higher than it had been in since I was diagnosed! 197. I am usually 95-120 as the diabetes is well under control. (We had been snacking all the way down on the drive the day before...)

Barry prayed. "Let's walk, honey. The exercise will be good for you." (We were going to use the extra hour checking a K Mart for some cheap rugs -- we don't have K Mart here either!)

So we walked in cold, strong winds for about 40 minutes. It was fun, really.

Got back. My blood sugar was down almost 100 points, to 98. I've never seen that happen before. Not a hundred points in less than an hour!

Fessed up to the doctor and all was well there.

Barry wore a sweatshirt I have him for Christmas, with the words something like "Work for God, the retirement benefits are great!" That got the attention of some people in the waiting room and they had a wonderful conversation about the Lord and the truth of the Bible. Several interested listeners around the room...

Why not go to K Mart AFTER the appointment before we started home? We'd be home an hour later, but everyone at home was prepared for that anyway...

Don't know...which?

We prayed. Both of us had the distinct impression "Go home now."

So we did. Hit the northern edge of a fierce storm in Sacramento, but had a very clear drive the rest of the way up. As we got over the Cascades going into Oregon, we hit some rain and realized it was heading from the coast to the mountains and if we had been an hour later we would have been stuck driving through either driving rain or snow.

Thank you, Lord.

Just a couple of days' worth. I live with a man who lives a life of prayer. It is an incredible experience.

Yes, I pray, too. But Barry is something else, and I am learning a lot about how to live a life where every moment is referenced to Christ.

 

Sounds like you have a wonderful husband, Helen! I'm on the side of any believer with a prayer life like that!

 

Our winter is almost over here. We have snow on the ground almost six months of the year, and there is still quite a bit of snow left--some even fell today! Think Siberia when you think of us. We are in Asahikawa, on the northern island of Hokkaido, where the cold winds blow. Our town has the records for the most snow and the coldest temperature in all of Japan!

So anyway, because of the ice and snow, among other things, our city also evidently has the highest traffic accident rate in the country. In our immediate neighborhood, a family has lost two sons in separate accidents. A couple of years ago I had two fender benders in one winter, after about 25 years with no accidents. Last year we were in the States, but this year I have been praying oh, so earnestly, for God's protection almost every time I drive. This is a very dangerous time of year, because the snow melts, runs into the streets, and then freezes again. Praise the Lord, the cold weather is almost over, and I haven't had an accident! God keeps His own.

 

I am enjoying this post very much.

I find I am learning much about prayer through teaching my children about prayer. One thing that stays in my mind that I have tried so hard for my kids to see is that if something is important to me, then it is important to God. Nothing is too small to bring to the Lord. My kids and I pray throughout the day as just a part of our daily lives. I want them to know that they don't need to be on their knees by their bed (although that is most important too) to be talking to the Lord. It has become a habit for us to talk to the Lord during the day just as if He were with us in the house physically.

John of Japan; I am so thankful you posted that. I have been thinking a lot just this week of the spiritual seasons we seem to go through in our lives. I wasn't sure if that line of thinking was sound or not. The Lord didn't bring my husband and I together until I was 31. During those years of being single it was not uncommon for me to spend 2,3, or even 4 hours a day in prayer. That all changed once I got married and started having children. I had to learn to pray as I went about my day. My single days were a season of much time spent alone with God with no distractions. I am now in a season where I often have to tell the Lord, "Hold on for a minute please Lord, I need to answer this Math question" etc. I am glad the Lord understands exactly what our situations are. I now get up before anyone else is awake to have my "alone" time with God. It is not like it was when I was single. It is much shorter, but just as sweet. I do miss the prayer life I had when I was single.

The book that has influenced me the most reguarding prayer is "The Kneeling Christian" by an unknown author. I also enjoyed "Praying Hyde". My daughters are currently reading Dr. Rice's book "Prayer, Asking and Receiving" which taught me much. It was this book that introduced me to the concept of "praying through"

Prayer sometime is so easy and so sweet and at other times it is exhausting. I am thankful it is something God gave us that even a simple person like myself can do. I don't need to be super smart or talented. I just need to pray.

 

I see the answers to my prayers all over the place. But what I love is when my prayer is answered through unexpected means, like through a friend I haven't seen in 6 months, etc.

All prayers are answered, sometimes you just have to sit down and connect the dots.

 

I find it easiest to pray after 11pm at night, I don't know that just how I'm wired. between 11pm and say 4am those are my oportune times of prayer...why? Because the family is asleep and I have the least amount of distraction. I talk to Him all day long, but I truly pray after midnight. I like the closeness of prayer at those quiet times, you can fully feel His presence.

 

By the way, welcome BROTHER Taylor to the Baptist Board!

Peace to you through Jesus Christ.

Dustin