by Donald Whitney
Martin Luther once said that prayer is a difficult yet vital spiritual discipline. Indeed, often the well-intentioned Christian finds their mind wandering during their time of fellowship with God through prayer. One way to focus the intentions and affections during this time is through praying the Scriptures. Praying the Bible is a very good resource to help develop this discipline.
Whitney shows us that praying the Bible not only allows us to receive the spiritual nourishment of reading God’s Word in prayer, but it also brings to mind a wealth of prayer topics (suffering, redemption, praise, thankfulness, God’s glory, overcoming obstacles, a heart for the lost—to name a few) which keeps prayer fresh, particularly in those moments when prayer becomes familiar.
I would give just one caution with the author’s approach. In my view, he does not place enough emphasis on understanding the point of the passage which you are praying. We must be careful in simply praying the first thing that comes to mind; instead, it is best to read and understand the text as best possible, then pray accordingly. This caution is not of enough concern, however, to dissuade any potential reader. This book is still an incredibly helpful means to stimulate what Jonathan Edwards thought to be the greatest way to privately advance the Kingdom of God—praying to the God of heaven and earth to move in the hearts and souls of men.
—Carl Hargrove, Grace Advance
