--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: May John Newton’s prayer for himself be…" description: "\"“May John Newton’s prayer for himself be our prayer to God for our churches: “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/mark-dever-3175_grace-of-god_may-john-newton-s-prayer-for-himself-be_1087099.png" --- # May John Newton’s prayer for himself be our prayer to God… ![“May John Newton’s prayer for himself be our prayer to God for our churches: “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I hope to be. Yet I can truly say, I am not what I once was. By the grace of God I am what I am.” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/mark-dever-3175_grace-of-god_may-john-newton-s-prayer-for-himself-be_1087099.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/mark-dever-3175_grace-of-god_may-john-newton-s-prayer-for-himself-be_1087099.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/mark-dever-3175_grace-of-god_may-john-newton-s-prayer-for-himself-be_1087099.png) > ““May John Newton’s prayer for himself be our prayer to God for our churches: “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I hope to be. Yet I can truly say, I am not what I once was. By the grace of God I am what I am.”” [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The prayer acknowledges personal shortcomings while affirming transformation through divine grace, encouraging humility and hope. **In simple terms:** We’re imperfect but can grow with grace. Key Takeaway Accept flaws, seek growth through faith. Themes humility grace transformation faith self‑acceptance Mood hopeful inspirational Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - church leadership - personal reflection - counseling - support groups - spiritual retreats Key Concepts theology spiritual growth psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does grace inspire you to improve? - What steps can you take toward becoming what you hope to be? A Different Perspective Some may view reliance on grace as discouraging personal effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grace God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-god/) [Grace of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-of-god/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-newton/) [Newton Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newton-prayer-2790450/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-god/) [Prayer Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-prayer/) ## Related quotes > [“John Newton, “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/john-newton-i-am-not-what-i-ought-to-be-i-am-not-what-i-wish-to-be-i/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [The issue of prayer is not prayer; the issue of prayer is God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-issue-of-prayer-is-not-prayer-the-issue-of-prayer-is-god/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [All that God is, and all that God has, is at the disposal of prayer. Prayer can do anything that God can do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/all-that-god-is-and-all-that-god-has-is-at-the-disposal-of-prayer/) [R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [The issue of prayer is not prayer; the issue of prayer is God. One cannot pray unless he has faith in his own ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-issue-of-prayer-is-not-prayer-the-issue-of-prayer-is-god-one/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The truly changed, truly converted, truly Christian heart can say with John Newton, “I am not what I ought to be. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-truly-changed-truly-converted-truly-christian-heart-can-say-with/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“The gift of God is grace. The grace of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-gift-of-god-is-grace-the-grace-of-god-is-eternal-life-in-christ/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [When problems are big and you are not in the positon to copeup anymore , you do not need to give up rather let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra/when-problems-are-big-and-you-are-not-in-the-positon-to-copeup/) [Dharmendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharmendra/) > [“As we draw on the grace of God He increases voluntary poverty all along the line. Always give the best you have got every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/as-we-draw-on-the-grace-of-god-he-increases-voluntary-poverty-all/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“By the grace of god I feel you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/by-the-grace-of-god-i-feel-you/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [The grace of God is the thing that is needful. One should pray for the grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarada-devi/the-grace-of-god-is-the-thing-that-is-needful-one-should-pray-for-the/) [Sarada Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarada-devi/) > [I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-everett-hale/i-am-only-one-but-i-am-one-i-can-t-do-everything-but-i-can-do/) [Edward Everett Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-everett-hale/) > [“Do not take the grace of God for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/do-not-take-the-grace-of-god-for-granted/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [With God, I can do all things! But with God and you, and the people who you can interest, by the grace of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-semple-mcpherson/with-god-i-can-do-all-things-but-with-god-and-you-and-the-people-who/) [Aimee Semple McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-semple-mcpherson/) > [“THE GRACE OF GOD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-grace-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More by Mark Dever > [“not the writings that come from prophets inspired by the one true God revealed in Jesus Christ, then why do we find those passages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/not-the-writings-that-come-from-prophets-inspired-by-the-one-true-god/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I think it's unhelpful to suggest that the task of evangelism is essentially the responsibility of ministers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-think-it-s-unhelpful-to-suggest-that-the-task-of-evangelism-is/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Prayer is the preview of God's action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/prayer-is-the-preview-of-god-s-action/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I assume that normally the Lord will be bringing people to himself through the instrumentality of the preached word. However, we have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-assume-that-normally-the-lord-will-be-bringing-people-to-himself/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“The motive for discipling others begins in the love of God and nothing less. He has loved us in Christ, and so we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-motive-for-discipling-others-begins-in-the-love-of-god-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [If joy or urgency are missing from our presentation of the gospel, then our testimony to Christ will be missing that sort of fullness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-joy-or-urgency-are-missing-from-our-presentation-of-the-gospel/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“Yet the Bible teaches that the local church is the natural environment for discipling. In fact, it teaches that the local church is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/yet-the-bible-teaches-that-the-local-church-is-the-natural/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Sin claims to free but in fact it kills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/sin-claims-to-free-but-in-fact-it-kills/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Some believers are faithful in the way that they live, but at the end of the day, they will not share the gospel with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/some-believers-are-faithful-in-the-way-that-they-live-but-at-the-end/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/we-do-not-fail-in-our-evangelism-if-we-faithfully-tell-the-gospel-to/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Once we see more of our need and understand more of what Christ has done for us, he will become more precious to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/once-we-see-more-of-our-need-and-understand-more-of-what-christ-has/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Unfortunately, many of our churches calibrate their life to these nominal Christians. The predictable result is that you get fake, hypocritical churches that confuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/unfortunately-many-of-our-churches-calibrate-their-life-to-these/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) [Explore all 137 Mark Dever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More Grace of god quotes > [“To have even one year when you're presented with choices that can alter your circumstances, your character, your course- that's by the grace of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/to-have-even-one-year-when-you-re-presented-with-choices-that-can/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“THE GRACE OF GOD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-grace-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If you watch home videos, at 4 years old, I was doing nothing but being the entertainer. Singing 'Boot Scootin' Boogie' in the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/if-you-watch-home-videos-at-4-years-old-i-was-doing-nothing-but-being/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [With God, I can do all things! But with God and you, and the people who you can interest, by the grace of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-semple-mcpherson/with-god-i-can-do-all-things-but-with-god-and-you-and-the-people-who/) [Aimee Semple McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-semple-mcpherson/) > [To be a responsible person is to find one's role in the building of shalom, the re-webbing of God, humanity and all creation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-plantinga/to-be-a-responsible-person-is-to-find-one-s-role-in-the-building-of/) [Cornelius Plantinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-plantinga/) > [“An institution theoretically devoted to providing comfort to those in need (the church) is in trouble because it has embraced the same pressure cooker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/an-institution-theoretically-devoted-to-providing-comfort-to-those-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“Do not take the grace of God for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/do-not-take-the-grace-of-god-for-granted/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-everett-hale/i-am-only-one-but-i-am-one-i-can-t-do-everything-but-i-can-do/) [Edward Everett Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-everett-hale/) > [The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you, by the grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/the-world-for-which-you-have-been-so-carefully-prepared-is-being/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [Our assurance is anchored in the love and grace of God expressed in the glorious exchange: our sin for His righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-assurance-is-anchored-in-the-love-and-grace-of-god-expressed-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [I'm an American by birth, but I'm a Texan by the Grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gatlin/i-m-an-american-by-birth-but-i-m-a-texan-by-the-grace-of-god/) [Larry Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gatlin/) > [“The non-Christian secular power, even if it have no religion at all, is an evil, it is of the devil, and it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-veuillot/the-non-christian-secular-power-even-if-it-have-no-religion-at-all-is/) [Louis Veuillot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-veuillot/) > [“Such fatigues and hardship as these serve to wean me more from the earth; and, I trust, will make heaven the sweeter. Formerly, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brainard/such-fatigues-and-hardship-as-these-serve-to-wean-me-more-from-the/) [David Brainard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brainard/) [Browse all 664 Grace of god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-of-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“May John Newton’s prayer for himself be our prayer to God for our churches: “I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I wish to be. I am not what I hope to be. Yet I can truly say, I am not what I once was. 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