more on prayer

"It is as much a part of [God's children's] new nature to pray, as it is of a child to cry."

In the Bible, a godly man is often referred to one who "calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," whereas the wicked "call not upon the name of the Lord."

Ryle also points out that one can preach for vain reasons, one can serve for selfish reasons, but one does not usually go to his closet for long period of time for agonizing prayer unless truly prompted by God's work in Him.

"For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

One more thing- one can have good intentions, but Ryle says that ungodly man's intention float away and last no longer than the morning cloud. Ouch. We cannot boast of our intentions, can we?

A Call to Prayer by JC Ryle

Will stumbled across this booklet and encouraged me to read it. I knew the minute I heard the title that the Lord was sending it to me. Thank Him.

The booklet begins with these three piercing words, "Do you pray?" I mean really pray. . . closet pray. . . desperation pray. . . I'm so thankful for the process of sanctification, that the Lord loves me enough to discipline me, to show me that my prayer life is not reflecting one whose sins have been forgiven.

Ryle continues, "Prayer is absolutely needful to a man's salvation. I can find that nobody will be saved by his prayers, but I cannot find that without prayer anybody will saved. To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven. It is to be on the road to hell. Now can you wonder that I ask the question, Do you pray?"

I've said it before, but tests are good things. I need to find the Scripture passage that says to test yourself to see that you are in the faith. Do you pray? Are you pierced by your lack of prayer? If not, make your calling and election sure.

I'll keep sharing as I keep reading. :)

Looney Toons

That's what Faith is. . . This morning I was informed that she could not go to the ball because Princess Presto was mad at her. . . then she was looking for Peter Pan. . . then while at Fantastic Sams she began to dance and sing "I want to take a chance, daring to daaaaaance". . . then we took a walk in our neighborhood and she was shouting "SWIPER" over and over because she had some cookies that she wanted to give him- finally she informed me that Swiper must be asleep

random comments

The water department came today to see if we had a leak. No, just watering sod. 45, 000 gallons of water in just weeks. Yep, that's A LOT!

Our dog is a scaredy cat. We took a walk in our neighborhood today. There is a stone lion in one of the front yards. He is afraid of that. Also on our walk, I saw the largest cicada (I think it was a cicada) I have ever seen. HUGE I tell you. Anyway, it was on its back and its millions of tiny feet were moving in the air trying desperately to walk. Well, the dog was afraid of that too.

I'm watching The Price is Right. A harmless little game show, right. While Hope is watching the show and folding laundry, I'm reading Genesis, just so happened to be Sodom and Gomorroh- the situation with Lot and his daughters. So here I sit mortified by this. . . how could this be- then a commercial came on and it might as well have been the men of Sodom knocking down MY door. I'm telling you- tv is filled with filth and I can't even watch a game show anymore.

Study/Guest Room

Faith's Room

I said that I wouldn't hang anything on the walls until it was exactly what I wanted. Well, I guess I can't do it. I get into a room and start putting all kinds of random things on the walls. Oh well, I know that all of this stuff doesn't matter.

Bonus Room at the top of the stairs.

My favorite garage sale find is the shelving unit for the games- only $10.00! The air hockey table was another garage purchase! I do love garage sales!

School Room

Living Room

House

We do have grass now. We had sod put in and Will worked really hard to keep it nice and green.

fav songs

Whate'er My God Ordains Is Right

1. Whate’er my God ordains is right, Holy His will abideth. I will be still whate’er He does, And follow where He guideth. He is my God, Though dark my road. He holds me that I shall not fall Wherefore to Him I leave it all

2. Whate’er my God ordains is right, He never will deceive meHe leads me by the proper path, I know He will not leave me I take, content,What He hath sent His hand can turn my griefs away And patiently I wait His day

3. Whate’er my God ordains is right, Though now this cup in drinking May bitter seem to my faint heart, I take it all unshrinkingMy God is true, Each morn anew Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart And pain and sorrow shall depart

4. Whate’er my God ordains is right, Here shall my stand be taken Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, Yet I am not forsaken My Father’s care Is round me there He holds me that I shall not fall And so to Him I leave it all

©1998 David Braud Music.

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul
1. Dear refuge of my weary soul, On Thee, when sorrows rise On Thee, when waves of trouble roll, My fainting hope relies To Thee I tell each rising grief, For Thou alone canst heal Thy Word can bring a sweet relief, For every pain I feel

2. But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail, I fear to call Thee mine The springs of comfort seem to fail,And all my hopes declineYet gracious God, where shall I flee? Thou art my only trust And still my soul would cleave to Thee Though prostrate in the dust

3. Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face, And shall I seek in vain? And can the ear of sovereign grace, Be deaf when I complain? No still the ear of sovereign grace,Attends the mourner's prayer Oh may I ever find access,To breathe my sorrows there

4. Thy mercy seat is open still, Here let my soul retreat With humble hope attend Thy will, And wait beneath Thy feet, Thy mercy seat is open still, Here let my soul retreatWith humble hope attend Thy will, And wait beneath Thy feet

©1998, Kevin Twit Music. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

It's funny- these songs seem to be about comfort in the midst of great earthly sorrow; frankly I have no real sorrow- everything is actually going quite well. . . so I've wondered why I'm so drawn to these songs. I think I've figured it out. . . SIN- it's my greatest sorrow and it's always with me. These songs bring peace and a proper perpesctive to my soul; it's NOT about me but it's about Him. Sanctification is a process and I will grow to be more like Him by His grace. And who knows? Perhaps earthly sorrows are coming fast upon me, may I worship Him still. O, He's the Soveriegn and He loves me. WOW.