The Prayer Journal

When I study men like George Whitefield and David Brainerd, I see that they kept a daily prayer diary of their life. They would record the date and write down their devotional thoughts for the day or ministry movements. I actually got to hold a page from Whitefield's journal when I visited Dr. Williams' library in London.

On that page from Whitefield's diary were columns for the time of day that he had broken down to live by route for Christ and the gospel. I began keeping a prayer journal myself four decades ago, and recently I got out one of my journals and re-read it page by page. A well-kept prayer journal is a spiritual thermometer, for we can look back at it and see when and where we were on fire for God in a red-hot love relationship with Jesus, and we can mark the periods where we went cold for Him as well, as well as the times of personal revival, where once again the embers of the altar of our hearts began to glow with heat and fervency for Him once more.

In Psalm 11, God's Word declares, In the Lord put I my trust, how say ye to my soul? Flee as a bird to your mountain. The Lord is in His holy temple. The Lord's throne is in heaven.

His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked, and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. God's eyes are continuously upon us, friends.

Our job is to be continually at work for Him and the spread of the gospel. If you are not in the regular habit of keeping a daily prayer journal, I highly recommend you develop that habit, that you go out this week and buy a little notebook and make that your daily prayer journal. Write your name on the cover of it, and under that you can write something inspiring like, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

Begin to log in your daily devotional time with the Lord. The scripture reference you read that particular morning, and write down what God spoke to your heart through His written word and by His Spirit. You can then write down what gospel outreach you had going on that particular week as well.

I give you a page out of my own journal. My prayer journal entry reads for this morning, Studied Psalm 1 about what a blessed man is, how he avoids occasions of sin and loves the law of God, how he is a fruitful tree in the kingdom of God. I then read part of D.L. Moody's biography and wept as I saw how he was always out on the streets of Chicago, reaching his city for Christ with the gospel.

It shamed me for my lack. I prayed, O Lord, give me an ounce of moody and let me love men with the love of Jesus. I wept hot tears.

Then I prayed what the Lord would have me to do. There were three homeless men up on the street corner, so I got up and went to McDonald's and bought four hot breakfast sandwiches. I grabbed four copies of the Gospel of John, and as I was walking to the three men, I wondered what I was going to do with the fourth sandwich and fourth copy of the Gospel of John, when suddenly, out of nowhere, another homeless man appeared and quickly crossed the street to come to the other three.

I greeted the men and told them there was hot food here for them, and it was for four men, and I gave them each a Gospel of John and asked them to read it. They were grateful for the physical food as well as the spiritual food. When I got home, I got down on my knees and prayed for them that God would attend the reading of His Holy Word by His Holy Spirit.

I wept for them with the love of Jesus and prayed for their conversion. Two of the men were in wheelchairs. Then I prayed, Great God, help me to reach my community with Jesus.

Give me souls and give me power to win souls.