Fire on the Altar

 "Prayer should be constant." It is the Christian's duty to give himself to prayer.

"To pray without ceasing means:

1. To be in a praying frame all the time.
2. No important business is undertaken without prayer.
3. Set a regular time aside every day for prayer.

When the Spirit of God stirs within us to come, we should make haste to come to God in prayer."

George Swinnock, Works, I:129-132

Focus in our prayers

 How shall we remedy our wandering thoughts in prayer?

1. We must wait upon Him for the power of His grace, As long as His love and grace are powerful in us, we are kept in a lively, heavenly frame. As this abates, the soul swerves, and returns to vanity and sin.
2. Meditate upon the greatness of God. It is of great consequence with Whom we are dealing. O if you could see Him that is invisible, you would have more reverence! Imagine yourself in heaven in the midst of the blessed angels standing before the all-seeing God. O with what reverence, with what fear, should a poor worm creep into His presence!
3. Seek to mortify the lusts that are apt to draw away your minds. What thoughts are we pestered with when we come to God? One vile affection will hinder our praying.
4. Prepare for prayer. Take note of the impediments that distract you, and put off carnal distractions. Resolve to shut your heart against God's enemy and direct it only to God.
5. Focus on our purpose. Watch against the first temptation to divert our attention no matter how reasonable it seems. The devil's policy is to cheat us of the present duty by an unseasonable distraction. He does not begin by casting in a thought of blasphemy; that would make us quake and shake. He begins with reasonable thoughts. Be careful to avoid them. Do not even dispute with the diversion, but despise it.
6. Develop spiritual affections and you will find it more delightful to converse with God. Is there any better company than God's when we seek our souls' good?
7. Consider the weight of responsibility. Are you not dealing with life and death issues?
8. Promote solemn meditation in the things of God. As a man entertains truth in his heart, he will be ready in word and affection to avoid frequent distractions.

  Thomas Manton, Puritan Sermons 1659-1689, I:410-415

Found in Voices From The Past: Puritan Devotional Readings, 

Ed. by Richard Rushing, 9 July, p.191

On Faith

 "Faith will suck sweetness out of God's rod; but unbelief can find no comfort in His greatest mercies." - John Bunyan

On Prayer

 "Pray often; for prayer is a shield for the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.

Prayer is as a pitcher that fetches water from the brook, to water the herbs; break the pitcher and it will fetch no water, and for want of water the garden withers." - John Bunyan

Satan and the Highway to Hell

 "Ignorance is the mother of mistake, the cause of trouble, error, and of terror; it is the highway to hell, and it makes a man both a prisoner and a slave to the devil at once." - Thomas Brooks

Vanity of vanities

 "The world is much better in show than in substance." - Ezekiel Hopkins

Note on Contentment

 "When we are not content with what God has given us, we will fall into sin." - Tabletalk magazine, 3/21/2024

Invincible Ignorance

 Willful ignorance will defend its position with vehemence and a level of vigor that it refuses to apply to understanding the truth.