We need to learn how wrong it is to think of prayer as a way of getting something from God. People often think of prayer as a way of talking God into doing what they want Him to do. This is what lies behind “name it and claim it” Christianity, the idea that I can [...]
Prayer & Fasting
There are Few who Really Pray ~ J.C. Ryle
“And here it is, I say it with sorrow, here it is that men fall short so miserably. Few indeed are to be found who pray: there are many who go down on their knees, and say a form perhaps, but few who pray; few who cry out to God, few who call on the [...]
Teaching Your Children to Pray
Parents, if you love your children, do all that lies within your power to train them to have a habit of prayer. Show them how to begin. Tell them what to say. Encourage them to persevere. Remind them that if they become careless and slack about it…. Believe me, if you never hear your children [...]
R.C. Sproul on Prayer & Spiritual Warfare
All of our warfare and all of our activity must take place in the context of constant, unceasing prayer. Just as a soldier on the battle line has to keep in constant communication with his general headquarters and his commanding officer, so the Christian who is on the battle line must be in constant communication [...]
Fasting by Archibald Alexander
Yesterday a pious young minister called upon me, and said he wished I would write a short article on the duty of fasting. He observed, that among Christians of our day he feared this duty was much neglected. I referred him to a valuable discourse of the late venerable Doctor Miller on that subject, published [...]
Prayer a Privilege by Archibald Alexander
Although God is everywhere present, yet he is invisible. He is an all-pervading Spirit, yet is perceived by none of our senses. We behold his glorious works in the heavens and in the earth, and may learn something, by careful observation, of the general laws by which the material universe is governed; but still the [...]
The Sovereignty of God and Prayer by John Piper
I am often asked, ‘If you believe God works all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11) and that his knowledge of all things past, present, and future is infallible, then what is the point of praying that anything happen?’ Usually this question is asked in relation to human decision: ‘If God [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part I by David MacIntyre
Read or Download (PDFs): Table of Contents, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 See Details of Book In one of the cathedrals of Northern Europe an exquisite group in high relief represents the prayer life. It is disposed in three panels. The first of these reminds us of the apostolic precept, ‘Pray without ceasing.’ We see [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part II by David MacIntyre
The Equipment ‘Remember that in the Levitical Law there is a frequent commemoration and charge given of the two daily sacrifices, the one to be offered up in the morning and the other in the evening. These offerings by incense our holy, harmless, and undefiled High Priest hath taken away, and instead of them every [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part III by David MacIntyre
The Direction of the Mind ‘Thou oughtest to go to prayer, that thou mayest deliver thyself wholly up into the hands of God, with perfect resignation, exerting an act of faith, believing that thou art in the Divine Presence, afterwards settling in that holy repose, with quietness, silence, and tranquillity; and endeavoring for a whole [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part IV by David MacIntyre
The Engagement: Worship ‘We praise Thee…We give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory, O Lord God.’ -Book of Common Prayer. ‘Were there nothing else For which to praise the heavens but only love, That only love were cause enough for praise.’-Tennyson. ‘Praise Him, ever praise Him, For remembering dust of earth.’ -Morgan Rhys. ‘When [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part V by David MacIntyre
The Engagement: Confession ‘The garden of spices is sprinkled with red flowers.’-Heinrich Seuse. ‘It is a great and rare thing to have forgiveness in God discovered unto a sinful soul….It is a pure Gospel truth, that hath neither shadow, footstep, nor intimation elsewhere. The whole creation hath not the least obscure impression of it left [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part VI by David MacIntyre
The Engagement: Request ‘Make me sensible of real answers to actual requests, as evidence of an interchange between myself on earth and my Saviour in heaven.’ -Thomas Chalmers. ‘O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer; rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper-and [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part VII by David MacIntyre
The Hidden Riches of the Secret Place ‘Prayer is the means by which we obtain all the graces which rain down upon us from the Divine Fountain of Goodness and Love.’ -Laurence Scupoli. ‘There was a poor widow woman in that countryside, as I came through, that was worth many of you. She was asked, [...]
The Hidden Life of Prayer – Part VIII by David MacIntyre
The Open Recompense ‘Jesus, Lord God from all eternity, Whom love of us brought down to shame, I plead Thy life with Thee, I plead Thy death, I plead Thy name. Jesus, Lord God of every living soul, Thy love exceeds its uttered fame, Thy will can make us whole, I plead Thyself. I plead [...]
The Way of Salvation: Prayer by Thomas Watson
‘But I give myself unto prayer.‘ Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord’s prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who [...]
The Spirit of Prayer by James Buchanan
IN the Scriptures a special operation of the Spirit is mentioned, by which he aids his people in the exercise of prayer; and it is spoken of as one that is common to all believers, and permanent through all ages of the Church. This cheering truth is implied in God’s promise of old, ‘I will [...]
Prayer: Degrees of Boldness by John Stevenson
Again, it may be objected, ‘I do not know if what I pray for is agreeable to the will of God; how, then, can I be importunate?’ This is an important matter. We shall consider the things which may be asked in prayer, under three headings: first, those in which the will of God is [...]
Prayer by Arthur W. Pink
‘What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’ (Mark 11:24) By the words ‘believe that ye receive them’: we understand, expect God to give them to you. But it is at this point that so many of God’s people fail oftenest in their prayer lives. [...]
Concerts of Prayer by Thomas J. Nettles
Ordinary Prayer. Scripture leaves the Christian no doubt about the duty of prayer. ‘You ought always to pray, and not to faint,’ our Lord said (Luke 18:1), and Paul exhorts, Pray without ceasing’ (I Thess. 5:17). Our dependence on God for all things fills the believer most especially in times of prayer; the recognition of [...]
A Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle
I have a question to offer you. It is contained in three words, Do you pray? The question is one that none but you can answer. Whether you attend public worship or not, your minister knows. Whether you have family prayers in your house or not, your relations know. But whether you pray in private [...]
