Thursday Thirteen: Prayer

With many of us praying for Heather throughout the day, and with today being the National Day of Prayer, I thought I’d share a few quotes about prayer.

1. Pray when you feel like praying.
Pray when you don’t feel like praying.
Pray until you do feel like praying
(Author unknown)

2. “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’. Each time, before you Intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!” — Andrew Murray

3. “Work as if everything depended upon your work, and pray as if everything depended upon your prayer.” — William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army)

4. “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

5. “We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism…To your knees, man! and to your Bible! Decide at once! Don’t hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God, quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. Enlist! ” — C. T. Studd

6. “I myself, for instance, am not especially gifted, and am shy by nature, but my gracious and merciful God and Father inclined Himself to me, and when I was weak in faith He strengthened me while I was still young. He taught me in my helplessness to rest on Him, and to pray even about little things in which another might have felt able to help himself.” — James Hudson Taylor

7. “Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.” –-James Hudson Taylor

8. “The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came…Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.” — R. A. Torrey

9. “Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart” — Martin Luther

10. “Isn’t ‘no’ an answer?” — Amy Carmichael

11. “Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan” — John Bunyan

12. “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks.” — Phillip Brooks

13. The trouble with our praying is, we just do it as a means of last resort. — Will Rogers

Bonuses: “There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.” — Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, 1862

“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” — Corrie Ten Boom

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants