Continue earnestly in prayer

(James Smith, "The Pastor's Evening Visit")

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

Prayer is always necessary, and it is always profitable. In prayer . . .
  we do homage to the perfections of God,
  we exercise faith on His omnipresence,
  we express our dependence on Him for our supplies,
  we evince the sincerity of our profession,
  we acknowledge our poverty and weakness,
  we unburden the mind of our secret trials,
  we give vent to our feelings of joy and sorrow, of gratitude and grief,
  we give utterance to our desires, and spread our case before the Lord,
  we . . .
    confess our sins,
    acknowledge our backslidings,
    and obtain pardon and restoring grace.

Prayer is the medium of communication between God and our souls:
   We communicate our thoughts, feelings, fears, and desires.
   He communicates light, strength, comfort, and grace to us.

Prayer is a very important duty; it is a great privilege.

Prayer should be . . .
  constant,
  fervent,
  believing,
  hopeful, and
  incessant.

God loves it,
Satan hates it, and
every true Christian values it.

We should be always in a praying frame — though we cannot be always in a praying posture.

True prayer is always . . .
  necessary,
  profitable and
  acceptable to God.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need!" Hebrews 4:16