a new treasure for me

I recently discovered an author I really like: C. John Miller. He wrote a chapter on Prayer and Evangelism in a book called The Pastor-Evangelist (edited by Roger Greenway in 1987). Miller died in 1996. I sensed such a godliness in Miller, such a humbled and convinced believer. As I read his chapter, I felt like a person who has never prayed, or as a person who prays only for the attainment of idols. Yet, I want to prayer for God’s glory, for the right things. It seems hard to think about anything apart from a me-centered perspective—either how bad I am in an area, or how I can get something, how I can attain some kind of feeling from success. How different are Jesus’ words in John 14 “ask anything in my name that the father may be glorified in the Son.”

Miller talks about real faith, what he calls “ardent faith.” The same boldness to enter the presence of God (Heb 10:19) is in our witness (Acts 4, Eph. 6:19,20). I think he is right that boldness in witness is from boldness (confidence) in the presence of God based on the blood of Christ.
In the context of his wrting about prayer and evangelism, Miller says, “If you want the Holy Spirit to become a richer part of your life, you have to stop seeing God as holding back, not liking you because He knows you so well. Rather, you must see that He can’t wait to get you to pray, so that he can give you more of the fruit of the Spirit, so He can cleanse you.” (48)