E.M. Bounds - Necessity of Prayer - Chapter 1

Here are a few gems from Rev. E.M. Bound's first chapter of his book 'The Necessity of Prayer.' The first chapter is called 'Prayer & Faith'. As always, I'm quoting the parts of the chapter that spoke the loudest to me.

Prayer projects faith on God, and God on the world. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.

At this point in our study, we turn to a saying of our Lord, which there is need to emphasize, since it is the very keystone of the arch of faith and prayer. “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Faith does not grow disheartened because prayer is not immediately honoured; it takes God at His Word, and lets Him take what time He chooses in fulfilling His purposes, and in carrying on His work.

True prayers are born of present trials and present needs. Bread, for today, is bread enough. Bread given for today is the strongest sort of pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. Victory today, is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused upon the present, We must trust God today, and leave the morrow entirely with Him. The present is ours; the future belongs to God. Prayer is the task and duty of each recurring day-daily prayer for daily needs.

As every day demands its bread, so every day demands its prayer. No amount of praying, done today, will suffice for tomorrow’s praying.

This is the faith which God seeks to inspire. So leave tomorrow, with its cares, its needs, its troubles, in God’s hands.

Posted by rebnora at January 7, 2008 6:04 AM | TrackBack