Practical Guide To Spiritual Prayer

Are you a new Orthodox Christian, confused about what you need to do to grow in your Faith? Or perhaps you've been Orthodox for some time but could use a refresher course in basic spirituality. Popular podcaster Fr. Evan Armatas explains the fundamentals of the three-legged stool of Orthodox practice-prayer, almsgiving, and fasting-in terms that everyone can understand and implement. Let Fr. Evan help you establish your life in Christ on a firm footing.

Many Christians particularly those newly born-again desire earnestly to pray, but very often do not know what to say or do in prayer. This booklet is a practical guide on how to pray giving you what confessions to make to receive the life of God, healing, deliverance and prosperity. It also outlines prayers and confessions that would enable you to grow in divine love. It further gives you guidelines on how to pray in the Spirit. Fasting and prayer, praying for the nation, and a guide to consistent and systematic daily, weekly and monthly prayer for the Christian are also dealt with in a practical way.A diligent and consistent practice of the guideline in this book will lead to a victorious prayer life and thus a higher quality Christian life.Olubi Johnson is the President of Christ Life Ministries and co-founder of Scripture Pasture Christian Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria. He is an anointed teacher of the Word with an Apostolic and Prophetic grace.He attributes his success in spiritual life to the mercy and grace of grace of God to be faithful and diligent in walking in the secret of divine spiritual success- the life and power of God.He was studying for a postgraduate degree in Communications Engineering at the Imperial College, London, when the Lord called him to teach the undiluted Word of God on a systematic and consistent basis for the "..... perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.".He is married to Sarah and they are blessed with Itunuoluwa and Oluwatosin Sogbetun, Oluwadara and William Treseder, Moyinoluwa, a son, Joshua-Olubi, and three lovely grandchildren; Zoe-Asta Treseder, Johan-Olubi Treseder and Joshua Oluwasanjo Sogbetun

From the time Jesus first taught his disciples how to pray to the present day, the Church has pointed out a variety of ways in which a person can fruitfully communicate with God and grow in the spiritual life. Lectio divina, meditation, contemplation, the recitation of the rosary and prayer in action are all covered in these forty brief reflections which encourage us to pray as you can, not as you can't. Taking a quote from the Gospels or a thought from a saintly expert in the art of prayer as a springboard for the suggestions made in these pages the author draws on his own experience as a spiritual director and retreat master to show how the advice given can be put into practice in one's daily life. He concludes with a series of brief prayers with which one can begin and end each day in the presence of God in whose Spirit we are called to pray.

Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, espoused the ideal of becoming "contemplatives in action." He was convinced that contemplation (the deep awareness and appropriation of the unconditional love of God) should affect our actions, and that our actions need to be brought back to contemplation. These five dimensions of the spiritual life: (1) the Holy Eucharist, (2) spontaneous prayer, (3) the Beatitudes, (4) partnership with the Holy Spirit, and (5) the contemplative life itself, generally do not develop simultaneously or even in parallel ways. Some develop very quickly, but do not achieve significant depth; while others develop quite slowly, but seem to be almost unending in the depth of wisdom, trust, hope, virtue, and love they engender. The best way of explaining this is to look at each of the pillars individually. Before doing this, however, it is indispensable for each of us to acknowledge (at least intellectually) the fundamental basis for Christian contemplation, namely, the unconditional Love of God. Jesus taught us to address God as Abba. If God really is Abba; if His love is like the father of the prodigal son; if Jesus' passion and Eucharist are confirmations of that unconditional Love; if God really did so love the world that He sent His only begotten Son into the world not to condemn us, but to save us and bring us to eternal life (Jn 3:16-19); if nothing really can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:31-39); and if God really has prepared us "to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love, and experience this love which surpasses all understanding, so that we may attain to the fullness of God Himself" (Eph 3:18-20), then God's love is unconditional, and it is, therefore, the foundation for unconditional trust and unconditional hope. There can be nothing more important than contemplating, affirming, appropriating, and living in this Unconditional Love. This is the purpose of contemplation; indeed, the purpose of the spiritual life itself.

Instead of an Anxious Parent, Become a Praying Parent Any Christian mother and father, or grandmother and grandfather, desires what is spiritually best for their children. However, knowing how to pray for them can often be as challenging as knowing what to pray. Without proper guidance, our prayers are prone to become dry, repetitive lists of requests. With the help of Dr. Erwin Lutzer, you can learn how your best, loving intentions can become enriching, effective intercessions for your children or grandchildren. Trade your lists of requests for Scripturally-based prayers that will immerse you in God’s promises and will. In A Practical Guide for Praying Parents, Dr. Lutzer addresses: -How to pray when children have hardened hearts -How to pray for children who have become wayward prodigals -How to become a prayer warrior who prays in the face of spiritual warfare This small guide will help you pray scriptural prayers that both bring you closer to God and bless your children. You’ll also find daily Biblical prayers crafted by Dr. Lutzer himself to help you begin your prayer journey. With your love for your children, your desire to help, and Dr. Lutzer’s guidance, your prayers can become effective ministry in the lives of those you care for the most.