prayer thots - March 22-31

• March 31

Until we believe that prayer is indeed a real and highly significant activity, that it does in fact reach beyond space and time to the God who is actually there, we will never acquire the habits of worship and intercession. In order to gain these habits, we must make a conscious effort to overcome the part of us that thinks that praying is not a natural part of life.

--Gordon MacDonald (Ordering Your Private World, 1984)

• March 30

We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature--trees, flowers, grass--grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and sun, how they move in silence... the more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need slence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. All our words will be useless unless they come from within--words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.

--Mother Teresa

• March 29

Grace

When the young professor folded
his hands at dinner and spoke to God
about my safe arrival
through the snow, thanking Him also
for the food we were about to eat,
It was in the tone of voice I use
to speak to friends when I call... (read remainder-March 29 entry)

–Linda Pastan (The Last Uncle, 2003)

• March 28

Alert praying is a major component in spiritual warfare. To be alert means to 'sleep in the open,' ready for battle at any moment. It is prayer which can switch gears at a moment's notice.

--George Mallone (Arming for Spiritual Warfare, 1991)

• March 27

Oxygen is to fire what hope is to prayer.

--Anonymous

• March 26

Nothing is ever wasted in the kingdom of God. Not one tear, not all our pain, not the unanswered auestions or the seemingly unanswered prayers....Nothing will be wasted if we give our lives to God. And if we are willing to be patient until the grace of God is made manifest, whether it takes nine years or ninety, it will be worth the wait.

-- Rebecca Manley Pippert (Hope Has Its Reasons, 1989)

• March 25

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,

"My Father if it is possible, take this cup away from me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

He went away a second time and being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

"My Father if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away...unless I drink it, let Your will be done."

-- Matthew 26:39-42; Luke 22:42,44 (Praying the Bible - The Book of Prayers, "Your Will Be Done," 2002)

• March 24

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prayer. He prays directly, speaking with the Father and the Son. He also prays indirectly, praying through you the believer....To be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with the Spirit of intercession.

-- Wesley Duewel (Touch the World Through Prayer, 1986)

• March 23

God welcomes us into His presence, accepting us no matter how 'disfigured or deformed' we are. But when we come before Him in worship, we need to make certain that we have been washed in Jesus' blood and our hearts are clean, harboring no blemish or pride or defect of impurity.

-- Joni Erickson Tada ("Come Before God In Purity" - Women's Devotional Bible, 1990)

• March 22

I can take my telescope and look millions of miles into space, but I can lay it aside and go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer and see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth.

-- Sir Isaac Newton

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Visit Rebecca Writes and The Upward Call for more on prayer.