prayer versus thinking

From Word-Wise (Robert Cottrill)
   "...there is absolutely no power in prayer itself--beyond perhaps what's called the "power of positive thinking." (And having a positive attitude is fine, but it is not prayer!) Offering a prayer to the clock on the wall, or to a berry bush in the garden, will get us nowhere. Not even if it is a long and earnest prayer. Why? Because the power does not rest in prayer, but in the object of prayer.  The benefit of prayer is that it calls upon the power of Almighty God, at His invitation, and taps the resources of heaven (Philippians 4:19). There is a saying: "Prayer changes things." But it would be more accurate to say "God changes things, in answer to prayer."

On Quietness: 
     "We have largely lost the blessing of solitude and silence. Elijah experienced a fire, an earthquake, and a hurricane wind so strong it “tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces.” Yet the Lord did not manifest Himself to His prophet in any of these, but rather in “a still small voice”–a gentle whisper, in other words (I Kgs. 19:11-12).... if I don’t also have times of quiet, I may miss the gentle whisper of God to my soul.
     "As far as music in the house of God, even there we need to have times of silence. In one church where I pastored we customarily had a pastoral prayer, when I prayed for the needs of people the Lord laid on our hearts. But at the end of this, I had a time for silent prayer, when those present could each talk to the Lord. It became an island of quiet reverence in the service, giving it an unhurried feel.