A CALL TO PRAYER

BY: J.C RYLE (1816 – 1900)

PART 3

VII. I ASK, LASTLY, WHETHER YOU PRAY BECAUSE PRAYER IS ONE OF THE BEST MEANS OF HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT.

We live in a world where sorrow abounds. This has always been the state since sin came in. There cannot be sin without sorrow. And until sin is driven out from the world, it is vain for anyone to suppose they can escape sorrow. Some without doubt have a larger cup of sorrow to drink than others. But few are to be found who live long without sorrows or cares of one sort or another. Our bodies, our property, our families, our children, our relations, our servants, our friends, our neighbours, our worldly callings, each and all of these are fountains of care. Sickness, deaths, losses, disappointments, partings, separations, ingratitude, slander, all these are common things. We cannot get through life without them. Some day or other they find us out. The greater are our affections the deeper are our afflictions, and the more we love the more we have to weep. And what is the best means of cheerfulness in such a world as this? How shall we get through this valley of tears with the least pain? I know no better means than the habit of taking everything to YHVH in prayer. This is the plain advice that the Bible gives, both in the Old Testament and New. What says the Psalmist? "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you and you shall glorify me." (Psalm 50:15.) "Cast your burden upon Elohiym and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22.) What says the apostle, Paul? "Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know unto YHVH: and the peace of YHVH, which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Moshiach Yeshua." (Philippians 4:6, 7.) What says the apostle James: "Is any afflicted among you? let him pray." (James 5:13.) This was the practice of all the saints whose history we have recorded in the Scriptures. This is what Jacob did when he feared his brother Esau. this is what Moses did when the people were ready to stone him in the wilderness. This is what Joshua did when Israel was defeated before the men of Ai. This is what David did when he was in danger in Keliah. This what Hezekiah did when he received the letter from Sennacherib. This is what the church did when peter was put in prison. This is what Paul did when he was cast into the dungeon at Philippi. The only way to really happy in such a world as this, is to ever casting all our cares on YHVH. It is trying to carry their own burdens which so often makes believers sad. If they will tell their troubles to YHVH, he will enable them to bear them as easily as Samson did the gates of Gaza. If they are resolved to keep them to themselves, they will one day find that the very grasshopper is a burden. There is a friend ever waiting to help us, if we will unbosom to him our sorrow-a friend who pitied the poor and sick and sorrowful, when he was upon earth -- a friend who knows the heart of man, for he lived thirty-three years as a man among us-a friend who can weep with the weepers, for he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief-a friend who is able to help us, for there never was earthly pain he could not cure. That friend is Yeshua Moshiach. The way to be happy is to be always opening our hearts to him. Oh, that we were all like that poor believing slave who only answered when threatened and punished, "I must tell Elohiym." Yeshua can make those happy who trust him and call him, whatever be their outward condition. He can give them peace of heart in a prison, contentment in the midst of poverty, comfort in the midst of bereavements, joy on the brink of the grave. There is a mighty fullness that is ready to be poured out on every one that will ask in prayer. Oh, that people would understand that happiness does not depend on outward circumstances, but on the state of the heart. Prayer can lighten crosses for us, however heavy. It can bring down to our side One who will help us to bear them. Prayer can open a door for us when our way seems hedged up. It can bring down One who will say, "This is the way, walk in it." Prayer can let in a ray of hope when all our earthly prospects seem darkened. It can bring down One who will say, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Prayer can obtain relief for us when those we love most are taken away, and the world feels empty. It can bring down One who can fill the gap in our hearts with himself, and say to the waves within, "Peace; be still." Oh, that people were not so like Hagar in the wilderness, blind to the well of living waters close beside them. I want you to be happy. I know I cannot ask you a more useful question than this: Do you pray? And now it is high time for me to bring this tract to an end. I trust I have brought before you things that will be seriously considered. I heartily pray YHVH that this consideration may be blessed to your soul. Let me speak a parting word to those who do not pray. I dare not suppose that all those who read these pages are praying people. If you are a prayerless person, suffer me to speak to you this day on YHVH's behalf. Prayerless reader, I can only warn you but I do warn you most solemnly. I warn you that you are in a position of fearful danger. If you die in your present state, you are a lost soul. You will only rise again to be eternally miserable. I warn you that all professing believers you are utterly without excuse. There is not a single good reason that you can show for living without prayer. It is useless to say you know not how to pray. Prayer is the simplest act in all religion. It is simply speaking to YHVH. It needs neither learning nor wisdom nor book-knowledge to begin it. It needs nothing but heart and will. The weakest infant can cry when it is hungry. The poorest beggar can hold out their hand for alms, and does not wait to find fine words. The most ignorant person will find something to say to YHVH, if they have only a mind. It is useless to say you have no convenient place to pray in. Any person can find a place private enough, if they are disposed. Our Elohiym prayed on a mountain; Peter on the house-top; Isaac in the field; Nathaniel under the fig-tree; Jonah in the whale's belly. Any place may become a closet, an oratory, and a Bethel, and be to us the presence of YHVH. It is useless to say you have no time. There is plenty of time, if people will employ it. Time may be short, but time is always long enough for prayer. Daniel had the affairs of a kingdom on his hands, and yet he prayed three times a day. David was the ruler over a mighty nation, and yet he says, "Evening and morning and at noon will I pray." (Psalm 55:17.) When time is really wanted, time can always be found. It is useless to say you cannot pray until you have faith and a new heart, and that you must sit still and wait for them. This is to add sin to sin. It is bad enough to be unconverted and going to hell. It is even worse to say, "I know it, but will not cry for mercy." This is a kind of argument for which there is no warrant in Scripture. "Call you upon Elohiym," says Isaiah, "while he is near." (Isaiah 55:6.) "Take with your words, and turn unto Elohiym," says Hosea, (Hosea 14:1.) "Repent and pray," says Peter to Simon Magus, (Acts 8:22.) If you want faith and a new heart, go and cry to Elohiym for them. The very attempt to pray has often been the quickening of a dead soul. Oh, prayerless reader, who and what are you that you will not ask anything of YHVH? Have you made a covenant with the dead and hell? Are you at peace with the worm and fire? Have you no sins to be pardoned? Have you no fear of eternal torment? Have you no desires after heaven? Oh, that you would awake from your present folly. Oh, that you would consider your latter end. Oh, that you would arise and call upon YHVH. Alas, there is a day coming when many shall pray loudly, "Elohiym, Elohiym, open to us," but all too late; when many shall cry to the rocks to fall on them and the hills to cover them, who would never cry to YHVH. In all affection, I warn you, beware lest this be the end of your soul. Salvation is very near you. Do not lose heaven for want of asking. Let me speak to those who have real desire for salvation, but know not what steps to take, or where to begin. I cannot but hope that some readers may be in this state of mind, and if there be but one such, I must offer them affectionate counsel. In a journey there must be a first step. There must be a change from sitting to moving forward. The journeyings of Israel from Egypt to Canaan were long and wearisome. Forty years pass away before they crossed the Jordan. Yet there was someone who moved first when they marched from Ramah to Succoth. When does a person really take their first step in coming out of sin and the world? They do it the day when they first pray with their heart. In every building the first stone must be laid, and the first blow must be struck. The ark was one hundred and twenty years in the building. Yet there was a day when Noah laid his axe to the first tree, he cut down to form it. The temple of Solomon was a glorious building. But there was a day when the first huge stone was laid deep in mount Moriah. When does the building of the Spirit really begin to appear in a person's heart? It begins, so far as we can judge, when they first pour out their heart to YHVH in prayer. If you desire salvation, and want to know what to do, I advise you to go this very day to Elohiym Yeshua Moshiach, in the first private place you can find, and earnestly and heartily entreat him in prayer to save your soul. Tell him that you have heard that he receives sinners, and he has said, "Him that comes unto me I will in nowise cast out." Tell him that you are a poor vile sinner, and that you come to him on the faith of his own invitation. Tell him you put yourself wholly and entirely in his hands: that you feel vile and helpless, and hopeless in yourself: and that except he saves you, you have no hope of being saved at all. Beseech him to deliver you from guilt, the power, and the consequences of sin. Beseech him to pardon you, and wash you in his own blood. Beseech him to give you a new heart, and plant Ruach HaKodesh in your soul. Beseech him to give you grace and faith and will and power to be his disciple and servant from this day forever. Oh, reader, go this very day, and tell these things to our Master Yeshua Moshiach, if you are really in earnest about your soul. Tell him in your own way, and your own words. If a doctor came to see you when you were sick you could tell him where you felt pain. If your soul feels its disease indeed, you can surely find something to tell Moshiach. Doubt not his willingness to save you, because you are a sinner. It is Moshiach's office to save sinners. He says himself, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32.) Wait not because you feel unworthy. Wait for nothing. Wait for nobody. Waiting comes from the devil. Just as you are, go to Moshiach. The worse you are, the more need you have to apply to him. You will never mend yourself by staying away. Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Yeshua can understand you. Just as a mother understands the first lisping of her infant, so does the blessed Savior understand sinners. He can read a sigh, and see a meaning in a groan. Despair not because you do not get an answer immediately. While you are speaking, Yeshua is listening. If he delays an answer, it is only for wise reasons, and to try if you are in earnest. The answer will surely come. Though it tarries, wait for it. It will surely come. Oh, reader, if you have any desire to be saved, remember the advice I have given to you this day. Act upon it honestly and heartily, and you shall be saved. Let me speak, lastly, to those who do pray. I trust that some who read this tract know well what prayer is, and have the Spirit of adoption. To all such, I offer a few words of brotherly counsel and exhortation. The incense offered in the tabernacle was ordered to be made in a particular way. Not every kind of incense would do. Let us remember this, and be careful about the matter and manner of our prayers. Brethren who pray, if I know anything of a believer's heart, you are often sick of your own prayers. You never enter into the apostle's words, "When I would do good, evil is present with me." so thoroughly as you sometimes do upon your knees. You can understand David's words, "I hate vain thoughts." You can sympathize with that poor converted Hottentot who was overheard praying, "Elohiym, deliver me from all my enemies, and above all, from that bad man-myself." There are few children of YHVH who do not often find the season of prayer a season of conflict. The devil has special wrath against us when he sees us on our knees. Yet, I believe that prayers which cost us no trouble, should be regarded with great suspicion. I believe we are very poor judges of the goodness of our prayers, and that the prayer which pleases us least, often pleases YHVH most. Suffer me then, as a companion in the believer’s warfare, to offer a few words of exhortation. One thing, at least, we all feel: we must pray. We cannot give it up. We must go on. I commend then to your attention, the importance of reverence and humility in prayer. Let us never forget what we are, and what a solemn thing it is to speak with YHVH. Let us beware of rushing into his presence with carelessness and levity. Let us say to ourselves: "I am on holy ground. This is no other than the gate of heaven. If I do not mean what I say, I am trifling with YHVH. If I regard iniquity in my heart, Elohiym will not hear me." Let us keep in mind the words of Solomon, "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter anything before YHVH; for YHVH is in heaven, and you on earth." (Ecclesiastes 5:2.) When Abraham spoke to YHVH, he said, "I am dust and ashes." When Jacob spoke to YHVH, he said, "I am vile." Let us do likewise. I commend to you the importance of praying spiritually. I mean by that, that we should labour always to have the direct help of the Spirit in our prayers, and beware above all things of formality. There is nothing so spiritual that it may become a form, and this is especially true of private prayer. We may insensibly get into the habit of using the fittest possible words, and offering the most scriptural petitions, and yet do it all by rote without feeling it, and walk daily round an old beaten path. I desire to touch this point with caution and delicacy. I know that there are certain things we daily want, and that there is nothing necessarily formal in asking for these things in the same words. The world, the devil, and our hearts, are daily the same. Of necessity we must daily go over old ground. But this I say, we must be very careful on this point. If the skeleton and outline of our prayers be by habit almost form, let us strive that the clothing and filling up of our prayers, be as far as possible of the Spirit. As to praying of a book in our private devotions, it is a habit I cannot praise. If we can tell our doctors the state of our bodies without a book, we ought to be able to tell the state of our souls to YHVH. I have no objection to a person using crutches when they are first recovering from a broken limb. It is better to use crutches, than not to walk at all. But if I saw them all their life on crutches, I should not think it matter for congratulation. I should like to see them strong enough to throw their crutches away. I commend to you the importance of making prayer a regular business of life. I might say something of the value of regular times in the day for prayer. YHVH is a YHVH of order. The hours for morning and evening sacrifice in the Jewish temple were not fixed as they were without a meaning. Disorder is eminently one of the fruits of sin. But I would not bring any under bondage. This only I say, that it is essential to your soul's health to make praying a part of the business of every twenty-four hours of your life. Just as you allot time to eating, sleeping, and business, so also allot time to prayer. Choose your own hours and seasons. At the very least, speak with YHVH in the morning, before you speak with the world: and speak with YHVH at night, after you have done with the world. But settle it in your minds, that praying is one of the great things of every day. DO YOU PRAY?