10. Is it possible to have passion without prayer?

Sure. Jim Morrison had passion. Hitler had passion. But what did it get them?

11. What must we be willing to give up in order to obtain the mind of Christ?

Ourselves. Our ambitions. Our time.

12. Would you prefer God to have partnership with you or to have ownership of you?

It is too easy to give the better answer, but I know that everytime I pass an opportunity to speak a word about Jesus, I am not owned by Him. And how often I do this.

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Hal Bachman

I suppose I'm not being a very compliant student, because my divergent mind is going off towards other questions that arise as I read the chapter.
For example:
On the first page it says, "our abilities are our handicaps and our talents are our stumbling blocks."

How is this true in some people I know, and in myself?
What can I do about it? Quit, stop using my talent, act stupid, become irresponsible?

On the third page Ravenhill speaks about two great evil powers: Communism and the RC Church. Is he right? Has this changed? Could we substitute something else there now? Is he reasonable in his way of denouncing the RC Church? What about modern evangelical religion today?
Diane

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Diane

Hello Diane,

You bring up very good points;
Re: "our abilities are our handicaps and our talents are our stumbling blocks."
As Mr. Ravenhill aludes, the danger is the self-sufficient lifestyle. Our Great God desires our dependence upon Him alone; as we are shown here in the example of Elijah, not a step without consulting the Almighty.
God given abilities and talents used to edify and bring glory to God, will be a blessing when we recognize and surrender them to empowering of the Holy Spirit alone, otherwise, they lead to our being puffed up (handicap) and the glory diverted from the rightful and only deserving recipient, God (stumbling block to others).

As for your other query;
In '59 when Mr. Ravenhill wrote the booklet, Communism was a true force to be concerned about, but today less so, commercialism was always the serpents true strategy.
As we see from the events following the fall of the Berlin wall, Russia and China hungerly adopt the ways of the WEST.
As their buying power grows, their need for a God centered life (dependence)is pushed aside, not unlike here in the self-sufficient LAODICEANIAN-WEST , eh.

As for the RC's, well I believe they'll be a strong force to be reckoned with until the end. The World sees them as the 'Christian' authority and as such continues to pressure them to be tolerant of the worldly desires. As the RC becomes more and more tolerant, the world with the RC in tow, will become utterly intolerant of our God-centered (dependant) lifestyles.

Dare to be a Daniel?

Ric

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Ric

[b]10. Is it possible to have passion without prayer?[/b]
Fleshly passion, yes! But the passion that Ravenhill is talking about in this book starts in the prayer closet and must be maintained by prayer.
“One place alone will keep the heart in passion and the eyes in vision – the place of prayer.”LR.
When we spend much time with God even as Elijah did then we will become passionate over the things God is passionate about.
‘God, burden me with what burdens you. Break me with what breaks your heart.’
[b]11. What must we be willing to give up in order to obtain the mind of Christ?[/b]
We must be willing to give of our time to seek the face of God. For Elijah it was banishment. “We would like Elijah’s accomplishments, but not his banishments!” It was also an agonizing time of wrestling in prayer for Elijah; a time of tears. Our self-life must go! To obtain the mind of Christ we must belong totally to Christ!
[b]12. Would you prefer God to have partnership with you or to have ownership of you?[/b]
I long to wholly be a handmaiden (female bond-slave) of the Lord Jesus Christ! Bond-slave: One who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another. His [her] will is altogether consumed in the will of their master.

[b]Favorite quotes from Leonard Ravenhill, chapter four:[/b]
“Elijah prayed, not for the destruction of the idolatrous priests, nor for thunderbolts from heaven to consume rebellious Israel, but that the glory of God and the power of God might be revealed.”
“God loves holy boldness. Psalms 2:8”
“Our goal must be God alone.”
“Elijah lived with God. He thought about the nation’s sin like God; he grieved over sin like God; he spoke against sin like God.”
“Brethren, if we will do God’s work in God’s way at God’s time with God’s power, we shall have God’s blessing and the devil’s curses. When God opens the windows of heaven to bless us, the devil will open the door of hell to blast us.” Hallelujah!


“We know the utility of prayer from the efforts of the wicked spirits to distract us during the divine office: and we experience the fruit of prayer in the defeat of our enemies.” –John Climacus