"Devote Yourselves To Prayer, Being Watchful And Thankful."

The grandest benefactors of the church!
(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883) 

"By running and exercising every day, 
you are the fitter to run in a race. Just so, 
the oftener you come into GOD'S presence--
the greater confidence, and freedom, and 
enlargement it will bring to your soul."

No doubt by praying we learn to pray; 
and the more we pray--
the oftener we can pray, and 
the better we can pray. He who prays by 
fits and starts is never likely to attain to that 
effectual, fervent prayer which avails much. 

Prayer is good, 
the habit of prayer is better, 
but the spirit of prayer is the best of all. 
It is in the spirit of prayer, that we 
pray without ceasing.

It is astonishing what distances men 
can run, who have long practiced; and 
it is equally marvelous for what a length 
of time they can maintain a high speed 
after they have once acquired stamina 
and skill in using their muscles. 

Just so, great power in prayer is within 
our reach, but we must work to obtain it. 
Let us never imagine that Abraham could 
have interceded so successfully for Sodom, 
if he had not been all his lifetime in the practice 
of communion with GOD. Jacob's all-night at 
Peniel was not the first occasion upon 
which he had met his GOD. 

We may even look upon our LORD'S most 
choice and wonderful prayer with HIS disciples 
before HIS Passion, as the flower and fruit 
of HIS many nights of devotion, and of HIS 
often rising up a great while before day to pray.

A man who becomes a great runner has 
to put himself in training, and to keep 
himself in it; and that training consists 
very much of the exercise of running. 

Those who have distinguished themselves 
for speed have not suddenly leaped into 
eminence, but have long been runners. 

Just so, if a man dreams that he can 
become mighty in prayer just when he 
pleases, he labors under a great mistake. 

The prayer of Elijah, which shut up Heaven 
and afterward opened its floodgates--
was one of a long series of mighty 
prevailings with GOD.  Oh that 
Christian men would remember this! 

Perseverance in prayer is necessary 
to prevalence in prayer!

Those great intercessors, who are not so often 
mentioned as they ought to be in connection 
with confessors and martyrs, were nevertheless 
the grandest benefactors of the church. 

But it was only by abiding at the mercy-seat, 
that they attained to be such channels 
of mercy to men. 

O JESUS, by whom we come to GOD, 
seeing YOU have YOURSELF trodden 
the way of prayer, and never turned from it--
teach me to remain a suppliant as long as 
I remain a sinner, and to wrestle in prayer 
so long as I have to wrestle with the powers 
of evil. Whatever else I may outgrow, may I 
never dream that I may relax my supplications.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful 
and thankful." Colossians 4:2 

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GraceGems has published William Nicholson's insightful short article, 
 "Thanksgiving".