CONFERENCE EVENTS

PRAYER FOR YOUR CHURCH

Lord, I lift up our worship leaders. Appoint people to this position who understand the splendor of Your holiness and praise You out of that understanding. Help them lead us faithfully in thanks for Your enduring love. Use their praise to defeat the enemy. May they be the true worshipers You are looking for who worship in spirit and in truth. Let them glory only in You, Jesus, so that they put no confidence in their own flesh. (2 Chron. 20:21-22; Jn. 4:23-24; Phil. 3:3)
 
Home arrow January 2007 arrow Food for Your Soul
Food for Your Soul PDF Print E-mail
As prayer leaders we are usually highly focused on the prayer lives of our congregation. We give so much of our time and energies to this that it is easy to feel depleted—both spiritually and emotionally. We need regularly to get recharged ourselves! One way we can do that is to read a powerful book—a book that focuses on our relationship with Christ. I want to recommend two books to you, both of which have blessed me deeply in my inner life.

The Pursuit of God, (Christian Publications) by A.W. Tozer has influenced my journey into prayer more than any other resource. This timeless classic, which I first read in 1988, moved me from being simply a crisis pray-er to one who longed to commune with the living God. An editorial assignment to write a study guide for this book caused me to read it 8 to 10 times in a year. The result was a profound hunger for God. A hunger I had never experienced before.

Though the project was completed 16 years ago, I still pull out this book almost every year for a read through. It refreshes my soul and reminds me of God’s desire to commune with me. Various versions exist—including a version with my study guide--and most local Christian bookstores carry it. Or you can order it by clicking here.

Secrets of the Secret Place (Oasis House) by Bob Sorge, is a more recent book that has had a profound influence on my personal prayer life. Its content is so meaty that you will likely not want to read it straight through. In fact its 52 short chapters, are perfect to meditate on one per week.

Going through Secrets of the Secret Place has the feel of pealing an onion. Each chapter pulls away another layer of our life that will move us closer to the presence of God. While I now continually go back to chapters (I keep it in my briefcase where it is a trip companion), when I first read it, I found it too difficult. Not because it is poorly written or dull, but because it presented hard truth regarding our connection with God. As I would read it, I was not sure I was ready to peal off another layer!

For those of you who are struggling in your prayer ministry, this book will have a powerful impact. You can find the book at www.oasishouse.net.

--Jonathan Graf is the founding editor of Pray!
 
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