Episodes

dOctober 20, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. A pastor's heart: "A real, hearty prayer, coming from a broken and contrite spirit, is worth all these things put together. I know that the Holy Spirit, who calls sinners from their evil ways, does in many instances lead them by ve...

October 19, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. J.C. Ryle: “I know that much may go on in a man’s mind before he is brought to pray. He may have many convictions, desires, wishes, feelings, intentions, resolutions, hopes, and fears. But all these things are very uncertain evidence...

October 18, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. Today we concentrate on Ryle’s remarkable insight that although many live so, their piety is seen by others… “But a man seldom goes into his closet, and pours out his soul before God in secret, unless he is in earnest.” Only a man i...

October 17, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. Our current mentor, J.C. Ryle, wrote: "And I say, furthermore, that of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit, a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named. A man may preach from false...

October 16, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. JC Ryle describes true and mature Christians as broken by our sins, lovers of God, brought to our knees in gratitude for our redemption, longing to be like Him in holiness, and impatient for eternity with our Savior. Genuine affectio...

October 15, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. But this I do say, that not praying is a clear proof that a man is not yet a true Christian. He cannot really feel his sins. He cannot love God. He cannot feel himself a debtor to Christ. He cannot long after holiness. He cannot desir...

October 14, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. “I do not deny that a man may pray without heart and without sincerity. I do not for a moment pretend to say that the mere fact of a person’s praying proves is everything about his soul. As in every other part of religion, so also in ...

October 13, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. "True Christian." Reading authors from the past, we need to read carefully for context. I believe the Puritans use the phrase "true Christians" often for those mature in the faith. JC Ryle does consider spiritual growth. "I do not d...

October 12, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle's treatise on Prayer. We truncated our introduction for the last half of our October episodes. Our shorter introduction ends at the 3:18 mark if you would like to skip to that mark. This way, you have less to wade through. In my zeal for the moving call for our intimate relationship with the Savior, I missed that it began with a prayer. In my defense, Jesus says God's truths are revealed to babes. This is descriptive of your host. Did you know your re...

October 11, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. John Charles Ryle (JC) writes: “I study the reports of missionary societies in our own times. I see with joy that heathen men and women are receiving the gospel in various parts of the globe. There are conversions ...

October 10, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. From here, we get back to our look at “A Call to Prayer,” but before we return, we look at the most emotional call, in my considered opinion, of our relationship with the God of our salvation. Jesus in tears, cries...

October 9, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. I had a professor in college who used to stop from time to time and quip, “If I could get this concept into Fred’s head, I’d have it in a nutshell.” So it is no surprise that it took me this long to realize Deuteron...

October 8, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. Quicken your conscience with the Holiness of God. Feed your mind with the Word of God. Purge your imagination with the Beauty of God. Open your heart with the Love of God. Devote your will to the Purpose of God. ...

October 7, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. We turn shortly to our Biblical calls to our relationship with God, the definition of our faith; prayer is a command, and often we chase after that which does not satisfy. We are genuinely seeking God to quench our ...

October 6, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. “I have read the lives of many eminent Christians who have been on earth since the Bible days. Some of them, I see, were rich, and some poor. Some were learned, and some unlearned. Some of them were Episcopalians and...

October 5, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. ““I beseech you in all affection to attend to the subject I bring before you. Do not say that my question is too close. If your heart is right in the sight of God, there is nothing in it to make you afraid. Do not tu...

October 4, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on Prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. J.C. Ryle: “I have looked carefully over the lives of God’s saints in the Bible. I cannot find one of whose history much is told us, from Genesis to Revelation, who was not a man of Prayer. I find it mentioned as a ...

The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. J.C. Ryle boldly asserts: “This is one of the common marks of all the elect of God, “They cry unto him day and night” (Luke 18:1). The Holy Spirit, who makes them new creatures, works in them the feeling of adoption, and makes them cry, “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15). The Lord Jesu...

October 2, 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on prayer. The extended introduction for our October episodes ends at the 7:20 mark, and while there is some benefit (I believe) in listening to it again, if you would like, you can fast forward to that mark and begin the episode. J.C. Ryle boldly asserts: “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...

October 1 2022 - Inspired by J.C. Ryle’s treatise on prayer. More than forty years ago, after a year of salvation and being enamored with God’s word, I could still not pray. My patient exacerbated mentor said, (basically), “Get over yourself, prayer is a command, and you need to start obeying that command. In the last four years of the podcast, I have resisted mentioning that truth. By 2018 prayer was no longer a command but the sweetest and most necessary time of my day. In the last few wee...

Our continual supplication is understanding. Understanding brings us to the knowledge of the perfect love of Christ, and in our longing, we know our redeemer listens, and our salvation is sure. Tav Psalm 119:169-176 169 Let my cry come before Thee, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Thy word. 170 Let my supplication come before Thee; Deliver me according to Thy word. 171 Let my lips utter praise, For Thou dost teach me Thy statutes. 172 Let my tongue sing of Thy word, For all Thy c...

Through God’s word, we find: Awe, due God. Praise due God. Peace from God. Hope for salvation. Love and the knowledge our ways are before God. Shin Psalm 119:161-168 161 Princes persecute me without cause, But my heart stands in awe of Thy words. 162 I rejoice at Thy word, As one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and despise falsehood, But I love Thy law. 164 Seven times a day I praise Thee, Because of Thy righteous ordinances. 165 Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing...

Educate/Encouragement Of exclamatory prayer, Rolland Hill said: "I like 'exclamatory' prayer; it reaches heaven before the devil can get a shot at it." Exclamatory prayer is those spontaneous moments we cry emphatically, a revelation from God, the realization of answered prayer, or even the rehearsal of praises to our God. It is not a prayer I had thought about much, but after some consideration, I realized these prayers are profound, keep our eyes on our Creator, Savior and Sustainer, and l...

Sincere/Encouragement God’s abundant life is learned through prayer. In the book "Devoted to God" by Sinclair Ferguson writes of God's perfect will: "The Lord is the Master of the jigsaw puzzle of our lives. The pieces may be strangely shaped; often we cannot see how they fit together; but eventually when the big picture is complete we will see that each piece was perfectly shaped. He leads us by ways we could not have guessed, into situations we never expected, to fulfill purposes we could n...