'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 19

Prayer brings those who have the spirit of supplication into great familiarity with God. Those who pray receive great things for themselves and for those they pray for. Prayer opens the heart of God and fills the empty soul. By prayer the Christian can open his heart to God as to a friend, and obtain fresh testimony of God's friendship to him. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit for such things that God has promised, or that are according to God's Word for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God. Sincerity opens its heart to God and tells him the case plainly. True prayer feels, sighs, groans, and bubbles out of the heart as some heavy burden lies upon it or some sweet sense of mercy received is appreciated. O the heat, strength, life, vigour and affection that is in true prayer. 'As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God' (Psa. 42:1). O how Daniel prayed! Too many are content with mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. Praying with affection engages the whole man in a way that must have his prayer heard, and communion and comfort from Christ experienced. Saints have lost their lives rather than go without this blessing. The soul that so prays sees an emptiness in all things under heaven; in God alone there is rest and satisfaction for the soul. Right prayer sees nothing substantial and worth looking after but God. Prayer is submission to his will (Matt. 6:10). Praying in his will gives us great confidence in prayer: ‘And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us' (1 John 5:14).

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
John Bunyan, Works, I:623-627
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