"The Will of God is Christ" (Curtis); "Prayer and Predestination" (Dietz)

The will of God in all things is to glorify his Son. Whatever temporal thing God takes from us or whatever sickness he lays upon us, he knows we have need of those things. But God withholds that for which our flesh lusts, turning our double-minds into a single ambition for Christ till our temporal need no longer makes up our petition before him. When he has brought us to truly realize that in spite of the job or the health or the financial help we lack, it is CHRIST WE MUST HAVE then we have reached the end purpose for which God gave the trial. When our prayer is for Christ then our prayer is according to God's will. 

As he fills our hearts with a fresh, joyful view of our Redeemer we wonder why we ever felt so stricken by the lack of those earthly needs when the King of heaven and earth, who shed his blood to buy us to himself, does only that which is best for us. He shall never leave us nor forsake us, and how thankful we are to him that he will never let us forget it.  
 - Clay Curtis 

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‘Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for Him’. (Acts 12:5). 

Did not these early New Testament brethren, LIKE US, believe in the good and wise providence of God? Yes they did. Did not they believe in the sovereign, electing and predestinating grace of the Heavenly Father? Yes they did! Did they not trust and worship God based upon and in the merits and blood of Jesus Christ the Messiah? Yes they did! Look then my friend at these and every one of the masters’ sheep…’they prayed without ceasing’ in time of trouble! Believing such doctrines and things as they are plainly revealed in this book only leads His people to do such as this…pray, love, perform good works, etc. Don’t let anyone tell you different! Impartation of grace always leads to being gracious! 
- Drew Dietz