complacency

  • "You have hindered God's work by your want of prayer." (from M'Cheyne's 8th Pastoral Letter)

    In my last post I quoted from Robert Murray M'Cheyne, who reminded us that we "ought never do anything without prayer."

    Once again I'd like to bring you something from M'Cheyne. As way of background ~ M'Cheyne wrote a series of ten Pastoral Letters during the time he was away from his flock at St. Peter's, Dundee (initially for a few months due to illness, during which time he sensed God's call to go on mission to the Jews, and then he was gone for a period of eight months after that on mission, before returning to Scotland). (As an aside, this is a reminder how God desires to use us regardless of where we are; I've found what I've read of these letters so encouraging!)

    In his Eighth Pastoral Letter, subtitled "Warnings to the unsaved—Causes why so many among us are unsaved," Robert Murray M'Cheyne first addresses his own sins and shortcomings as a minister after which he addresses his flock. His second point in that section of the letter dealt with his people's want of prayer. I think these words are a much-needed exhortation to the Church of God today.

    ... You have hindered God's work by your want of prayer. When God gives grace to souls, it is in answer to the prayers of His children. You will see this, on the Day of Pentecost, Acts ii. Ezek. xxxvii. 9 shews, that in answer to the prayer of a single child of God, God will give grace to a whole valley full of dry and prayerless bones. Where God puts it into the heart of His children to pray, it is certain that He is going to pour down His Spirit in abundance. Now, where have been your prayers, O children of God ? The salvation of those around you depends on your asking, and yet " hitherto ye have asked nothing in Christ's name." Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers keep not silence, and give Him no rest. Alas ! you have given God much rest— you have allowed His hand to remain unplucked out of his bosom. It is said of John Welsh, minister of Ayr, that he used always to sleep with a plaid upon his bed, that he might wrap it around him when he arose in the night to pray. He used to spend whole nights in wrestling with God for Zion, and for the purity of the Church of Scotland ; and he wondered how Christians could lie all night in bed without rising to pray. Oh! we have few Welshes now, therefore our Church is so dim, and our land a barren wilderness. Dear Christians, I often think it strange that ever we should be in heaven, and so many in hell through our soul-destroying carelessness. The good Lord pardon the past, and stir you up for the future. I learn that you are more stirred up to pray since I left, both in secret and unitedly. God grant it be so. Continue in it, dear children. Do not let it slip again. Plead and wrestle with God, shewing him that the cause is his own, and that it is all for his own glory to arise and have mercy upon Zion.

    * * *

    Isaiah 62:
    1  For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
    until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
    and her salvation as a burning torch.
    2  The nations shall see your righteousness,
    and all the kings your glory,
    and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the LORD will give.
    3  You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
    4  You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
    but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
    and your land Married;
    for the LORD delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.
    5  For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your sons marry you,
    and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.
    6  On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set watchmen;
    all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
    You who put the LORD in remembrance,
    take no rest,
    7  and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it a praise in the earth.

    Holy Father, We confess how often we have left off in prayer. We confess we do not give You peace nor rest. Prayer is a privilege and a responsibility and a calling of all Your children. Your Son gave His body and blood so we might be given entrance to Your throne room. The Lord Jesus Christ made the way into the Holy of Holies so we might go there with Him also. He continues to intercede for us today without ceasing. Your Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Lord God, Forgive us for not availing ourselves of this blessed birthright of prayer.

    Holy Father, Forgive us for being lukewarm and complacent. Forgive us for being cold and uncaring. We confess that we are so hot and engaged in worldly pursuits. Yet, where is that same fire and engagement in heavenly pursuits? Cleanse and purify our hearts, our minds and our desires so we might have a greater passion for Your cause and Your glory. We confess how we are so often self-centered, concerned about our own causes and our own glory, ready to do just about anything for self-interest. We confess how little we are concerned about Your cause and Your glory: the saving of many souls from all nations through Jesus Christ to Your glory. We confess that our own self-interests consume us more than passion for Your cause and Your glory. Forgive us and cleanse us from us selfishness. You saved us so we might not walk according to our own lusts but to Your good, acceptable and perfect will. Send Your Holy Fire to consume us afresh and anew with a passion for Your cause and Your glory.

    Holy Father, Send Your Spirit to cleanse and purify our hearts, our minds and our desires so we might have a greater passion for intercessory prayer. Forgive us that we have hindered Your work by our want of prayer. Help us to be zealous for Your cause and Your glory. Help us to plead and wrestle with You for Zion without ceasing – for lost souls, for lukewarm souls, for our own souls. How often do we plead and wrestle for our own earthly, fleshly interests! Forgive us for having such impure thoughts and desires. May we be a bright and shining torch again, a city upon a hill, to which many nations will see Your light, righteousness and glory and stream there so they might seek and know You and the joy of Your salvation.

    Holy Father, Stir us up so we might pray without ceasing for Your cause and Your glory. Stir us up out of our beds. Stir us up in our homes. Stir us up in our church buildings. Stir us up as we walk. Stir us up as we sit. Stir us up wherever we are. Stir us up all the day. Stir us up all the night. Stir us up so we cannot keep silent but continue importunate in prayer. Stir us up to Your cause and Your glory. How can we be content unless we are united with Your mind and heart in this desire? Have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon Zion. Have mercy upon Your Church. Have mercy upon our dry and prayerless bones! Breathe life into us, Holy Spirit, so prayers might rise as incense to Your throne once again for Your good pleasure. Amen.

    Please add your own PRAYERS as God's Spirit leads you.

  • Lord, teach us to pray once again: the burden of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

    God of heaven,

    Your servant Nehemiah was burdened over the state of Your people:


    Nehemiah 1:1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

    Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem.

    3 And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.

    4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...


    God of heaven,
    We see how Your servant Nehemiah was genuinely concerned and burdened about the fate of his brothers and sisters, Your people.
    We confess we are often not genuinely concerned and burdened about our brothers and sisters, Your Church.
    We confess we are often only genuinely concerned and burdened about ourselves.
    We confess we are not heavenly minded.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    God of heaven,
    We see how Nehemiah was genuinely concerned and burdened about Your Name and Your glory.
    We confess we are not genuinely concerned and burdened about Your Name and Your glory.
    We confess we are often concerned and burdened about our names and our own glory.
    We confess we are not heavenly minded.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    God of heaven,
    We see how Nehemiah reacted when he heard of his brothers' and sisters' trouble and shame.
    We confess we often turn a deaf ear to the trouble and shame of Your Church.
    We confess we are often more excited about worldly matters, sports and entertainment than the state of Your Church.
    We confess we are not heavenly minded.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    God of heaven,
    We see how Nehemiah sat down and mourned for days before You over Your people.
    We confess we barely sit down and mourn for a moment before You, much less days.
    We confess we find it easy to down and engage in time-wasting activities for days on end...and another week passes...and another...
    We confess we are not heavenly minded.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    God of heaven,
    We see how Nehemiah continued fasting and praying before You.
    We confess we find it difficult to fast and pray at all, not to mention continuing to do so.
    We confess we find it easy to feed our flesh and speaking and listening to others rather than seeking Your face in prayer.
    We confess we are not heavenly minded.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...

    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    Forgive us, Holy Father, for Jesus' sake. We come before You and confess our apathy. How often Your children, our very own brothers and sisters, are in dire need, and yet we turn away because they are far away from us, we forget their difficulties, their struggles to survive, the persecution they endure daily for the sake of Your Name. We see how Nehemiah had a heart for his brothers and sisters even though they were far away from him. Give us a heart for our brothers and sisters, Your children, all over the world.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.


    Forgive us, Holy Father, for Jesus' sake. We come before You and confess our apathy. How often our brothers and sisters nearer to home are in dire need, and yet we turn away because we are apathetic and uncaring and are focused on seeking our own kingdoms; we worry about what we will eat, what we will drink and what we will wear, we worry more about our comfort and convenience rather than seeking first Your Kingdom. We sometimes forget that if we are Yours, we are called to be on mission right where we are. We forget we are Your priesthood sent out into the world, even when that world for us is our neighbor next door.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Forgive us, Holy Father, for Jesus' sake. We come before You and confess our apathy. How often our brothers and sisters are in dire need, and yet how we are unable to see the need because we have lost the sense of Your glory. We worry more about looking socially acceptable and numerical growth. We are in great trouble and shame because we have not lifted up Jesus Christ and Him crucified and have failed to remain rooted in the apostles' doctrine and prayer. We confess we have relied on our own resources rather than the power of Your Holy Spirit. So long as we continue to remake You, the Lord Christ, His Gospel and the Church after our own image we will be remain in great trouble and shame.

    Our Father in heaven, forgive us for Jesus' sake.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for You, Your Name and Your glory.
    Restore to us a jealous and zealous love for Your Church.
    Give us eyes to see the broken down walls and the burned gates in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in Your Church today.
    Break our hearts at what is happening in our own lives today.

    Please add your prayers as His Holy Spirit leads you.

  • Lord, teach us to pray once again: may we pray fervently like Elijah

    Continuing on with some reflections on prayer which I'm titling "Lord, teach us to pray once again."  (I would encourage you to read/pray through my post "May we learn to value the blood bought privilege of prayer" in addition to this post.)

    Lord God,

    You taught us through your servant Elijah, a man like us, who prayed fervently, who was not slothful, but served you in that behind the scenes ministry of prayer.

    James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.


    Romans 12:11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    Lord God, You have already taught us to pray...
    Yet we are so slow to learn...
    Father, have mercy on us.
    Forgive us, for Jesus' sake.
    Though we are slow to learn, we come to You and ask us to teach us again...

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    Lord God, we confess have a hard time waiting on You.
    We can pray regularly for a time, but then we pray less and less often.
    We start out praying with urgency but soon we become lackadaisical.
    And soon we sometimes stop praying altogether.
    Forgive us, O Lord.

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    We boil up and become fervent about so many other things, worldly concerns,
    but how often do we boil over with a passion to meet with You in prayer?
    We take time to meet with other people, but how much zeal do we have to meet with You in prayer?
    How often are we really fervent in prayer?
    How often are our prayers just lip service wrought out of our dead flesh rather than a fruit of Your living Spirit?
    Have we ever really prayed fervently like Elijah?

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.


    Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.
    He was weak, yet strengthened through Your Spirit.
    He was tempted to be apathetic, yet he was made fervent by Your Spirit.
    He was tempted to be slothful, yet he was made zealous by Your Spirit.
    O, how much more can we be strengthened through Your Spirit who has come to dwell in us!

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    Lord God, our spirits are willing but our flesh is weak.
    We saw how Your mighty Spirit strengthened Elijah.
    We are weak, strengthen us through Your Spirit to pray with fervency and zeal.
    We are apathetic, make us fervent by Your Spirit to pray with fervency and zeal.
    We are slothful, make us zealous by Your Spirit to pray with fervency and zeal.
    O living Spirit of God, send Your fire and Your passion, fill us with Yourself, make us zealous to pray!
    O Spirit of truth, put into our minds and hearts Your holy thoughts, desires and words to speak to our Father.

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    O, Lord God, we confess we so often get busy doing lots of things, granted they are good things.
    We too easily forget serving You includes spending time in prayer with You.
    May we be zealous for our times of prayer.
    Remind us of the blood You shed for the privilege of prayer, the price You paid so we could freely commune with You at Your throne.
    Keep us ever-mindful of this service of prayer, this ministry of prayer, to which You call each of Your children,
    particularly Your pastors.
    We lift them up to You and ask You would renew their zeal and passion for prayer again.
    Protect their time. Help them be good stewards of their time.
    Help their people to understand the importance of prayer.

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    O, Lord God, look upon Your Church now.
    You know we are in a wilderness time.
    We walk by the flesh rather than Your Spirit.
    We are bearing little fruit or bad fruit right now.
    Forgive us, O Lord.
    Have mercy on us!
    Though there is not an exact parallel here with the account of Elijah...
    Yet we see we are now in desperate need of rain.
    The Church is indeed dry and barren in so many ways.
    There is a form of godliness but a denial of the power.
    There is an outward conformity but not an inward fire.
    There is creedal confession without regeneration.
    Send Your rain upon us, Lord God.
    Refresh, revive and renew us with Your Holy Spirit for the sake of Your Holy Name.
    We have no hope apart from You.

    O, may we not be slothful in zeal, but fervent in Spirit.
    Lord, teach us to pray.
    May Your Spirit burn in us so we might pray with the fervency of Elijah, so we might serve You in the ministry of prayer.
    May we go to Your throne of grace and may we keep going again and again.

    Brothers and sisters, please ask His Spirit to examine your zeal for prayer
    Please add your prayers as He leads you.

"he called it the tent of meeting..."

I am burdened to pray to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the reformation and reviving of Christ's church.

The phrase tent of meeting comes from Exodus 33:7: Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.

This site is devoted to God first and foremost. In all that is done here, my prayer is that God is glorified and His Name magnified and Christ and Him crucified is lifted up so He might be preeminent and God might receive all the praise, honor and glory due His Holy Name. All who have come to a saving knowledge of our Father by grace through faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are welcome to enter this tent of meeting to seek the Lord.

This blog is a place for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to come and seek God's face for revival. My intention is for this tent of meeting to be a holy place where we can enter into PRAYER together to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit leads you, please enter into prayer either here (think of "comments" as prayers) or on your own.

Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

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