Let Us Pray A Symposium On Prayer By Leading Preacher And Theologians

When our Lord's disciples came to Him regarding prayer, they did not ask Him to teach them how to pray, but rather they asked Him to teach them to pray. Obviously even those closest to Christ needed to learn to pray. And so do we. Here, some of our best Bible teachers and expositors give us instruction on prayer, from why we should pray, to what prayer is, how it ties in with God's sovereignty, what it means to pray in Jesus' name, what it means to hallow God's name, and why God is to be the focus of our prayers, not ourselves. These, and many other topics, are addressed in this helpful book.

Constructing a Theology of Prayer: Andrew Fuller’s (1754–1815) Belief and Practice of Prayer fills a lacuna in Fuller studies. Bryant’s work is the first full treatment of Fuller’s theology of prayer, demonstrating the vitality of prayer for Fuller’s ministry and theological reflection. Bryant constructs Fuller’s theology of prayer through a systematic analysis of six major doctrines: the doctrine of God, the Son, the Spirit, Humanity, the Church, and Last Things. Each chapter explores both how Fuller’s doctrine influences his belief and practice of prayer, and how belief and practice of prayer influence doctrine. The study convincingly demonstrates how each major doctrine finds prayer as its corollary. As Fuller states, “Holy practice has a necessary dependence on sacred principle.”

Christians generally believe that in prayer they are free in their act to petition God. Christians also believe that they pray to a God that is sovereign and omniscient. Kyle DiRoberts maintains that explanation as to how one affirms these two truths is dependent upon one’s account of divine providence, which determines how motivated the person is to offer petitionary prayer in the divine-human relationship. The theories of providence and their understanding of petitionary prayer discussed in this book include: compatibilism, hard determinism, open theism, and middle knowledge. Each of the theories of divine providence discussed in this book share a desire to construct a view concerning petitionary prayer that would propel the Christian toward God in relationship and then lead the body of Christ to pray without ceasing. DiRoberts argues that middle knowledge is the preferred theory of providence as it relates to petitionary prayer, because for middle knowledge, God’s sovereignty includes both his omniscience and libertarian human freedom.

Many believers struggle with assurance of salvation, tending to approach obedience to God out of either guilt or legalism. We exist to display God's glory, declare God's gospel, and disciple for God's Great Commission. Instead of embracing these truths, many Christians have believed the lie that their identity in Christ does not affect how they live their lives in obedience to him. The gospel tells us that “being” (identity) comes before “doing” (obedience). This lack of understanding our gospel identity frequently results in either legalistic pride or frustrating guilt. The purpose of this book is to help believers understand their identity in the three persons of the Trinity and then joyfully serve God with gospel obedience. The gospel indicatives in the Bible serve as the fountain and power for obeying the moral imperatives in the Bible. The gospel roots our assurance of salvation and motivation to obey God in our identity, not in moralism, which elevates our performance instead of exalting the finished work of Christ.

Blessed people flourish by a power that transcends human talent or hard work--a mystical grace empowers them to be joyful and fruitful. But does it ever feel like others are blessed while you're stuck? With honesty and warmth, Alan Wright shares his inspiring journey from craving blessing to living the blessed life. The absence of his father's affirmation left him struggling for years with symptoms of the unblessed life: shame, pretense, and drift. But when he grasped the most powerful blessing in the Old Testament--the mysterious, ancient blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh--he learned how to receive blessing and how to bless the lives of his loved ones. And you can too. With biblical insight and practical wisdom, The Power to Bless shows you how to craft a positive, faith-filled blessing. By learning a few simple, biblical skills for imparting life-changing blessings, you'll be more spiritually blessed than you'd ever imagined, and you'll be equipped with the power to bless the people you love.

The news is dominated by reports of inhumanity and tragedy. Things seem to go from bad to worse, and hope is hard to find. What is wrong with the world? Despite technological progress, humanity cannot overcome the senseless strife that plagues every generation. Into this world comes good news that shines so bright it turns the night sky into daylight. The good news is God news! God the Father so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son Jesus to rescue us from sin and eternal punishment. Many Christians know this good news but keep it to themselves. Yet the good news is too good to not share. Bodanza gives us an example of sharing the good news from his weekly column in a hometown newspaper. Use it to speak boldly, or give it to another to read. The gospel message is timeless and speaks to the ultimate issue of our lives.

Practical Ways to Support and Care for Your Pastor Do you pray for your pastors? Do you encourage them? Do you have realistic expectations for them? The office of pastor is simultaneously a rewarding and draining position. Pastors today have immense pressure on their shoulders and they need the support of their congregations. Peter Orr has written Fight for Your Pastor as an exhortation for church members to stand behind their pastors through the difficulties of ministry. Orr specifies ways in which congregations can be intentional in caring for church leaders, including prayer, encouragement, generosity, and forgiveness. Featuring stories from current pastors about their struggles, this book is perfect for thoughtful church members eager to understand the weight of their pastors' positions and support leaders in their important ministry. For Thoughtful Christians: Specifically those wanting to know more about their pastors and how to care for them Current: Features insight from pastors about their personal experiences in ministry Applicable: Gives practical examples of how to love and care for pastors, including specific prayers for church leaders and the best ways to encourage them