Power Through PrayerBounds, Edward M. (Edward McKendree)
Religion
Power Through Prayer
Bounds, Edward M. (Edward McKendree)
Prayer -- Christianity
The men who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character, and
have most powerfully affected the world for Him, have been men who spent
so much time with God as to make it a notable feature of their lives.
Charles Simeon devoted the hours from four till eight in the morning to
God. Mr. Wesley spent two hours daily in prayer. He began at four in the
morning. Of him, one who knew him well wrote: "He thought prayer to be
more his business than anything else, and I have seen him come out of
his closet with a serenity of face next to shining." John Fletcher
stained the walls of his room by the breath of his prayers. Sometimes he
would pray all night; always, frequently, and with great earnestness.
His whole life was a life of prayer. "I would not rise from my seat," he
said, "without lifting my heart to God." His greeting to a friend was
always: "Do I meet you praying?" Luther said: "If I fail to spend two
hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the
day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three
hours daily in prayer." He had a motto: "He that has prayed well has
studied well."
Archbishop Leighton was so much alone with God that he seemed to be in a
perpetual meditation. "Prayer and praise were his business and his
pleasure," says his biographer. Bishop Ken was so much with God that his
soul was said to be God-enamoured. He was with God before the clock
struck three every morning. Bishop Asbury said: "I propose to rise at
four o'clock as often as I can and spend two hours in prayer and
meditation." Samuel Rutherford, the fragrance of whose piety is still
rich, rose at three in the morning to meet God in prayer. Joseph Alleine
arose at four o'clock for his business of praying till eight. If he
heard other tradesmen plying their business before he was up, he would
exclaim: "O how this shames me! Doth not my Master deserve more than
theirs?" He who has learned this trade well draws at will, on sight, and
with the acceptance of heaven's unfailing bank.
One of the holiest and most gifted of Scottish preachers says: "I ought
to spend the best hours in communion with God. It is my noblest and most
fruitful employment, and is not to be thrust into a corner. The morning
hours, from six to eight, are the most uninterrupted and should be thus
employed. After tea is my best hour, and that should be solemnly
dedicated to God. I ought not to give up the good old habit of prayer
before going to bed; but guard must be kept against sleep. When I awake
in the night, I ought to rise and pray. A little time after breakfast
might be given to intercession." This was the praying plan of Robert
McCheyne. The memorable Methodist band in their praying shame us. "From
four or five in the morning, private prayer; from five to six in the
evening, private prayer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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