Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

Prayer Series XXII

We continue with excerpts from: Reformed Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer.

How we should pray

1. Our Spirit

Let the first rule of right prayer be to have our heart and mind framed as becomes those who are entering into converse with God

John Calvin

With great earnestness of heart we should implore help from God.

Augustine

Fervency of spirit must be found in alliance with the illumination of the intellect. (1 Corinthians 14:15)

Geoffrey B. Wilson

[Prayer must be] managed with that gravity, awefulness and seriousness as should become an address to God, conceiving aright of God, particularly that He is, and that He is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Thomas Manton

Those who pray must have a true and fervent faith.

Henry Bullinger

Prayer is not genuine unless the thoughts are turned upward.

John Calvin

2. Our Manner

“Let thy words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2) Pray neither too long nor too short . . . our words must be apt and orderly.

Thomas Manton

Everything like formality, affectation or merely bodily service is abominable and worthless in God’s sight.

J. C. Ryle

The quantity of your prayers . . . how long or how many there are . . . avail nothing with God, by whom prayers are not measured, but weighed.

Thomas Boston

Avoid all cant phrases . . . Never use the name of God to fill up a sentence . . . speak audibly and distinctly.

William S. Plumer

He who prays as he ought will endeavour to live as he prays.

John Owen

Bible Proof Texts: 1 Samuel 1:10-11, 1 Chronicles 4:10, Luke 18:13, Colossians 1:3

---

RELATED QUOTES AND NOTES:

Open wide your mouth — and I will fill it! (James Smith, “Privilege, Duty, and Promise”)

Reader, how is it with you? (James Smith, “MARY“ 1859)

There is no habit that we should more sedulously form (J.R. Miller, “Prayer in the Christian life” 1903)

This would help you more than anything! (George Everard)

Lord, teach us to pray! (Arthur Pink)

One essential element of all true prayer (J.R. Miller, “According to His Will“)