Although “Prayer can never be in excess” (C. H. Spurgeon), for our prayers to produce results, they must be "prefixed" by the Word of God...once we know Him & His will, we will pray accordingly. We must pray on purpose and with purpose.
The first purpose of prayer is to know God. Charles L. Allen
We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; The Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself. Oswald Chambers
“Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. God’s voice in response to mine is its most essential part." Andrew Murray
Prayer honors God, acknowledges His being, exalts His power, adores His providence, secures His aid. E. M. Bounds
The goal of prayer is the ear of God, a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon Him, pouring out our heart to Him and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him, and as we come to know Him better we shall spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight. E. M. Bounds
"No learning can make up for the failure to pray. No earnestness, no diligence, no study, no gifts will supply its lack." E.M. Bounds
"Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet." E. M. Bounds
“Closet communion needs time for the revelation of God’s presence. It is vain to say, ‘I have too much work to do to find time.’ You must find time or forfeit blessing. God knows how to save for you the time you sacredly keep for communion with Him.” A. T. Pierson
He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day. John Bunyan This ties in perfectly with what Elizabeth George recommends in her book: Life Management for Busy Women (Yes, I've started reading it - finally). She said all busy women should spend quality time - their first and early time- with God. From experience, with prayer as my priority, my day falls in place.
If we are willing to spend hours on end to learn to play the piano, operate a computer, or fly an airplane, it is sheer nonsense for us to imagine that we can learn the high art of getting guidance through communion with the Lord without being willing to set aside time for it. Paul Rees
The only way to pray is to pray, and the way to pray well is to pray much. Anonymous
Make time to pray. “The great freight and passenger trains are never too busy to stop for fuel. No matter how congested the yards may be, no matter how crowded the schedules are, no matter how many things demand the attention of the trainmen, those trains always stop for fuel.” M.E. Andross
"Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails." Watchman Nee
The Word of God represents all the possibilities of God as at the disposal of true prayer." A. T. Pierson
"Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian." Andrew Murray
"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think.'" Andrew Murray
"If the Christian does not allow prayer to drive sin out of his life, sin will drive prayer out of his life. Like light and darkness, the two cannot dwell together." M.E. Andross
"Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." Oswald Chambers
"If the spiritual life be healthy, under the full power of the Holy Spirit, praying without ceasing will be natural." Andrew Murray
The value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear us, but that we will hear Him. William McGill
When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart. John Bunyan
The essence of prayer does not consist in asking God for something but in opening our hearts to God, in speaking with Him, and living with Him in perpetual communion. Prayer is continual abandonment to God. Prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things we want; it is rather the desire for God Himself, the only Giver of Life, Prayer is not asking, but union with God. Prayer is not a painful effort to gain from God help in the varying needs of our lives. Prayer is the desire to possess God Himself, the Source of all life. The true spirit of prayer does not consist in asking for blessings, but in receiving Him who is the giver of all blessings, and in living a life of fellowship with Him." Sadhu Sundar Singh - Indian Missionary
P.S. I choose 21 sayings for this posting because Daniel continued to pray with purpose (based on the word of God) for 21 days in Daniel chapter 10. They are colour-coded based on the themes & emphasis, mine.
This is great. often times we only think of our own needs and forget God has needs too (knowing him). i pray God will give us the grace to know him deeply.
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