Episodes

The ultimate test of the Christian life is the amount of time we give to prayer. - Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones This could have been a “What He Said” episode. As you listen, ponder not just the questions and answers posited, but what else it might mean, testing our faith by our prayers. And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace, I'll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!" Assistant Editor: Seven Jefferson Gossard freerangeprayer@gmail....

We know everything about that which we can do nothing about, and we don't know anything about that which we can do something about. I mentioned it did not matter when Neil Postman wrote those sentences. If it was only a day and a half ago, it is worse now than when he wrote them. The great news is, we have instant and daily access to the One who can change what we cannot, and we have the God who knows and listens and will move us to take loving action in the things we can do something about. ...

The sweetest prayers God ever hears are the groans and sighs of those who have no hope in anything, but His love. Teach us to come to You when we don't feel like it and when we're hurting. When we're again, like a dried-up piece of pottery, hear our prayers, renew us in your time and in your Providence so that we can glorify you, and tell the world of what you have done for our souls. Thank you, Jesus. And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace, I'll cast on Him...

God brings you to places among people and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede but to use everyday circumstances and people God puts around you, by His providence, to bring them before His throne and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. We, in this way, God is going to touch the whole world with his saints. Wow, I have a long wa...

If you believe being a Christian is about a relationship, not being religious, you may be a Puritan! John Owen: The goal of the Christian life is not external life, conformity, or mindless action, but a passionate love for God informed by the mind and embraced by the will. Growing, Biblical, dynamic, sincere, and soul-satisfying characterize the prayer life we long to develop. This type of prayer life comes from our relationship with Jesus the Messiah, Father Son, and Holy Ghost. And since H...

“In each exhortation our Lord bids us pray. Beloved, let us abound in supplication. Depend upon it that failure in prayer will undermine the foundation of our peace and sap the strength of our confidence; but if we abound in pleading with God we shall grow strong in the Lord, and we shall be happy in his love, we shall become a blessing to those around us. Need I commend the mercy-seat to you who wait before it? Surely prayer must have become such a joy to you, such a necessity of your being, su...

Matthew 7:7-12 begins with ask, seek, and knock… As we brush away, for analogy's sake, the silt and sand from this form at the bottom of the sea, we see with clarity, before we take the time to clean it up, it is the treasure of prayer. But prayer for what? Some apply this passage to general prayer. Others believe and apply this intensity of prayer to seeking salvation. And at least one other believes verses seven to eleven are an illustration of verse 12: Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, however ...

Today a sneak peek at Free Range Preacher on Prayer's October Surprise. Our anniversary month, October, the fourth year, each day of the month, we grab a quote from Fred's Big Bag-O-Quotes at random from some theologian or another, read it, add perhaps a thought or two, and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our souls and spur our hearts, minds, and souls to prayer. Charles H. Spurgeon We cannot commune with God, Who is a consuming fire if there is no fire in our prayers. Jeremiah 23:29 "Is...

Today a sneak peek at Free Range Preacher on Prayer's October Surprise. Our anniversary month, October, the fourth year, each day of the month, we grab a quote from Fred's Big Bag-O-Quotes at random from some theologian or another, read it, add perhaps a thought or two, and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our souls and spur our hearts, minds, and souls to prayer. Charles H. Spurgeon We cannot commune with God, Who is a consuming fire if there is no fire in our prayers. Jeremiah 23:29 "Is...

No matter what motivates us at the beginning of our prayer discipline, our prayers will glorify God, conform us to His will, and open up to us eternal life during our earthly sojourn. Maturing in the faith will not only see a convergence of the reasons we pray and the results of our prayer, but they will one day meld together, becoming the goal of our supplication every time we commune with Holy God. The Ultimate reason/result of our prayer? God glory alone. Our Chief reasons/results of our p...

We review and apply the revival prayer in Nehemiah 8 and 9. We hear the hearts of believers poured out in worship, thanksgiving, confession, and intercession. We also see God's name is lifted up, His will is acknowledged, along with the dependence all God's children is expressed. Because you might say why to pray and why worship? It's because our God is creator, Savior, faithful Sovereign, the supplier of all we need, we pray, we worship, and we bow down. As it says in James and Peter, we humb...

Two simple truths which have stunned my by their simplicity and profundity: No one in the Bible ever asked, “Why pray?” Our Lord prayed, not just because He wanted things, but because he enjoyed speaking to the Father. John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. Psalm 73:28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works. Enjoy my brothers and sist...

Isaiah 12:1-2 1 Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD; For although Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, And Thou dost comfort me. 2“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid: For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” In our struggle against sin, it is a comfort that this is the day of our salvation, and He is faithful to accomplish all things for us. He is the author and protector of our faith, an...

We review the podcast's purpose: the desire for every Christian to have a growing, Biblical, dynamic, sincere, soul-satisfying prayer life. It truly does break my heart that any Christian should not know the sweetness of comfort and rebuke from the lover of our souls. Father Son and Holy Spirit our creator and Savior. He does sustain our souls. We review Job 3:20-26, Lamentations 3:1-6 & 17 to remember the pouring out of our souls is never disdained by Holy God. Indeed He answers us with comp...

The Bible is our tutor in prayer; we learn most effectively by listening to the prayers of the saints who comprise our great cloud of witnesses. In this episode, we see revival and the pattern elements and pathos of prayer. Nehemiah 8:4-8 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their ha...

When we believe the word of God, it permeates everything! Everything includes, oddly enough, everything. Even every season we go through. In today's devotional, we hear some of the fallback verses, which help me when I need a retreat with my God. I need to move away from the fray and regain strength for the next battle and seek my fallback place. If you have some of these passages, we would love to share them on the podcast. Our third anniversary is coming up, and we are looking to share a sp...

You catch me musing on this one; as I was recording, it occurred to me the utter height of hypocrisy is found in someone fasting to be seen by men. If fasting, in essence, is carrying such a burden on our hearts that for a time, nothing, not even our daily bread, is more important than prayer, the pinnacle of hypocrisy it seems to me to be is fake fasting, so others will see how pious we are. Jesus, says “When” you fast, which I believe means we will have just those times of distress of heart so...

There are other times when our sorrow for our sins burst forth, remember like, Yahweh-Perazim, breaking through in victory, we are open and laid bare before the cross in repentance. The good news is the miraculous news. As a matter of fact is, we are not alone, and our explosive, humbling repentance and deep sorrow are evidence of our salvation. Why, why do we sin and sin and then cry out this way only from time to time? Robert Bruce might have an insight: "Not, my lord, as I should be; if y...

The host is weak, faltering, and wholly inadequate for the task, but the word of God is none of those. The call for the children of God to forgive is serious, and the Bible uses: Serious Command as witnessed by: Commands Matthew 6:14 Mark 11:25 Allusions: Matthew 5:43-45 Philippians 2:3ff Exhortations: Ephesians 4:29-32 Romans 13 Serious Discipline: David was disciplined through Embarrassment; 2 Samuel 2:12 Physical Pain: Psalm 32&38 The regret of others paying for his sins: 2 Sa...

Glory to God for sharpening our prayers to His focus. When praying, "And take vengeance for me on my persecutors." I have learned from my soul to pray, "Lord Jesus, take vengeance by pouring out your wrath at the cross for my "persecutors-enemies.'" Visit them with Thy salvation. It is freeing to know we can pray and glory in the justice of God in tune with the spirit of this age of the church, pleading that His wrath poured out on the cross of our Savior, Jesus. He is the Christ for the salva...

There is excellent news. As you are starting, struggling, or wrestling with God in prayer, you can expect at times to have great faith and at times to have significant doubt, but the great news is your faith is not the deciding factor in your answers, but the God in whom you believe. Pray on in faith and doubt. God will reveal Himself to you, and you will know the abundant life right here right now. The Fall of Civilizations - from Paul Cooper is referenced; apologies in advance for any though...

I am overjoyed at the word of God and the Holy Spirit of God who reveals to us what we need when we need it. 2022, beginning October of 2021, will be a year (for me at least) of celebration of all the glorious ways Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have broken through in my life and the life of my beloved. Thank You, Jesus, for making me see that Thou are the God who bursts forth in victory after years of study. If God Almighty had not shown us who He is, we would not know Him, we would be doomed to...

We review how the podcast got its name, the aim of the podcast, and our prayers for the podcast. Originally published 08.24.2019 Richard’s introduction is worth the listen! "The consideration of these things has long engaged me to attend to this matter, with the utmost diligence and care, and exactness of search and inquiry, that I have been capable of. It is a subject on which my mind has been peculiarly intent, ever since I first entered on the study of divinity. But as to the success of my...

There is none righteous, no not one. So says the word of God. We do God a dishonor and ourselves a disservice when we look upon our great cloud of witnesses, minimize their sins while over-inflating their earthly life with righteous deeds born from their flesh. We know from our own hurts and pains the depths of sorrow born of our circumstances, the depths of Jacob's fear and brokenness. We then understand Jacob when he says: And their father Jacob said to them, "You have bereaved me of my ch...