Pray absolutely for those things you may pray for absolutely.
Pray conditionally for those things you may pray for conditionally.
For those things you can’t pray for … don’t.
– Paul Gerhardt –
Prayer
A Minister Who Does Not Pray – Thomas Coke
A minister, who prays not, who is not in love with prayer, is not a minister of the Church of God. He is a dry tree, which occupies in vain a place in Christ’s garden. He is an enemy, and not a father, of the people. He is a stranger, who has taken the place of the shepherd, and to whom the salvation of the flock is an indifferent thing.
– Thomas Coke –
A Zealous Man – JC Ryle
A zealous man feels that like a lamp he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach and work and give money, he will cry and sigh and pray.
– JC Ryle –
Soul-Hungry Praying – Leonard Ravenhill
A man may study because his brain is hungry for knowledge, even Bible knowledge. But he prays because his soul is hungry for God.
– Leonard Ravenhill –
The Spirit of Prayer – William Law
The spirit of prayer is pressing forth of the soul out of this earthly life; it is a stretching with all its desire after the life of God, to be one life, one love, one spirit with Christ in God.
– William Law –
The Standard of Prayer – Charles H. Brent
A low standard of prayer means a low standard of character and a low standard of service. Those alone labor effectively among men who impetuously fling themselves upward towards God.
– Charles H. Brent –
Precision in Prayer – Charles Spurgeon
There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It’s as if a regiment of soldiers were to all fire off their weapons anywhere. Possibly somebody would be killed, but the majority of the enemy would be missed.
– Charles Spurgeon –
A Traditional Prayer
Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee more faithfully; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do Thy will, O Lord our God.
– A Traditional Prayer –
The Weapon of Prayer – Watchman Nee
Prayer is work. The experiences of many children of God demonstrate that it accomplishes far more than does any other form of work. It is also warfare, for it is one of the weapons in fighting the enemy. However, only prayer in the spirit is genuinely effectual.
– Watchman Nee –