The Christian’s Prayer Book

THE CHRISTIAN’S PRAYER BOOK – FOCUSED PRAYERS 101

As prayer is the only means to communicate with the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit - it is the one theme that unearths tremendous debate among Christians.

Numerous conferences, seminars and books pay testimony to the intense questions being asked on prayer. And some questions may not even reach the conference tables and theological lecture halls. Uncertainties such as:

Does God always listen to my prayers?

Do I have to be a religious person in order to speak to God?

Do I have to use the “right” terminology when I pray?

Does my prayer need to be a certain length for it to be heard by God?

Why does it often feel like my prayers are hitting the ceiling?

Is mine a prayer when I just thank God or give him praise for what he has done?

In the beginning man had to be in a very distinct relationship with God in order to have passage to his heart. However, this would dramatically change when Jesus Christ came to earth.

Jesus noticed people “praying” strangely, using unnecessary salutations, applying certain rituals, and making unneeded attempts to impress God. And thus, Jesus taught humankind to pray, The Lord’s Prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13

It is evident that Jesus was teaching his followers that his Father does not expect lengthy supplications and the screaming out of our petitions. We simply had to enter in prayer giving God glory, soliciting the things we need, begging for forgiveness, petitioning a way around evil, and finally pouring out our adulations on God in all his majesty.

David C Jantjies, in this epic work, digs a little deeper and uncovers the untapped treasures of the much-neglected individualized Focused Prayer. His point of departure is captured in Jesus ministering:

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6: 6-8, NIV).

The author contends that certainly Jesus never expected his followers to pray, The Lord’s Prayer, on every occasion. This would further dictate that when you pray, you would be specific in what you honor God for, what you petition from him, or what you want to thank him for.

Christians often have the tendency to lay their desires, concerns, needs, petitions, praise and gratitude before the throne of God in huge packages, maybe out of tradition or simply because they believe God should be able to handle it all anyway, until the next time they pray again. And then, at the next prayer occasion, they repeat the aforementioned, add a few more, and sit back in expectation again.

Indeed, the time has now come to approach the throne of God with Focused Prayers - less detailed, accentuated prayer-worship of the Living God, themed petitions and crisp thanksgiving for what God has done and is still doing.

Focused Prayers propagate individualized, to the point invocations, each time addressing a single matter. It further preaches more frequent interaction with God, inundating the heavens with one singular concern at a time, a load of worship at a time, or a heap of gratitude at a time.

The author suggests individualized and Focused Prayers as a means to firstly declutter our prayers, and secondly to deal with just one specific aspect. Importantly though, Focused Prayers in some way, forces the individual to pray more frequently – an aspect of Christian life that needs serious mending in the times we live in.

Paul teaches in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The instruction is crystal clear: Live a prayerful life. Should you not be hailing God, you should be thanking him. Should you not be petitioning from him, the name of God should be on your lips for all his greatness, for his provisioning hand, for his saving grace and for protecting you against the wrath of Satan.

This then is exactly the excitement to be drawn from this renewed prayer life the author proposes, and it is bound to monumentally improve our relationship with God, especially in this very demanding world today.

Focused Prayers in no way suggests that God is unable to handle all our immense prayers with all its frustrations, questions, petitions and supplications. To the contrary, we know that God listens to every single prayer.

This book is the revolutionary product of the fresh and anointed Holy Spirit directive, suggesting we pray Focused Prayers, rather than lengthy and composite prayers. The idea is profound as it has Christians realize that their privilege to commune with God for any possible reason, as often as possible, and at any possible juncture, need not be cluttered with a conglomerate of words and an amass of propositions to try and impress God.

The Christian’s Prayer Book – Focused Prayers 101, is a glorious work. Readers will be able to identify with most of these prayers. The spectrum is wide. The glorification of God is immense. The petitions are daily contentions. The praise-giving to God is huge. And to crown it all, each prayer is supported by potent reflections. Do not miss the teachings though on what prayer is, where to pray, when to pray, and how to pray.

As much as Focused Prayers, may serve as a source or guide to individuals and to prayer warrior meetings, its academic significance should not be underestimated. The Holy Spirit has clearly guided the author to teach a great new way of talking to God – a brand new approach that will set both clergy and laity, as well as theologians, and students browsing.