The Transforming Friendship: A Guide to Prayer PDF Download

Author: James M. Houston
Publisher: Regent College Publishing
ISBN: 9781573834865
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
Too often, prayer seems only to be a dreary exercise that must be endured or a difficult skill that must be mastered. When we misunderstand its purpose and practice, we easily fall out of the habit of praying regularly. As a result, we miss one of the greatest opportunities to deepen our friendship with God. In " Prayer: The Transforming Friendship, " James Houston explores the transforming power of prayer, illustrating how prayer begins to change our lives and then how the way we live changes how we pray. Through clear and compelling examinations of the Scriptures, Dr. Houston shows the often-misunderstood spiritual realities of prayer. And through candid accounts of his own struggles to pray effectively, he will encourage you to engage boldly in the life-changing practice of intimate conversation with God. Dr. James M. Houston, a prolific author, editor, and Christian scholar, is the founding principal, former chancellor and emeritus professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. A native of Scotland whose parents were missionaries to Spain, he is recognized around the world as a leader in educating laypeople for effective ministry and in helping to restore spirituality to evangelicalism. His other book include The Mentored Life, The Heart's Desire, and Joyful Exiles.

Author: William A. Barry
Publisher: Loyola Press
ISBN: 0829435565
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 211

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Book Description
Developing a friendship with God may be the starting point for the spiritual journey, but how can that important internal relationship move us to make an impact on—and even transform—the world around us? In Changed Heart, Changed World, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, delves into such topics as how friendship with God impacts our role in society, how to see forgiveness as a way of life, and how compassion can make its mark on the world. Throughout the book, Fr. Barry provides many practical ways to integrate the inner life, where we experience a relationship with God, with the outer life, where we live in relationship with our world. Above all else, Changed Heart, Changed World reminds us that God has a dream for his creation here and now—a dream that can only be realized by our becoming “other Christs in this world.”

Author: David S. Luecke
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1512757438
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 103

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Book Description
How the Spirit Shapes Prayer answers qustions about: • Conversational prayer prompted by the Spirit • Why prayer can be so satisfying •How a better prayer life happens •Overcoming blockages to prayer After a major church planting disappointment followed by a serious illness, Dave Luecke had a series of deep prayer experiences with God that awakened him to a new relationship. He became curious about personal prayer experiences of ordinary churchgoers and did a survey of over 1,000 members in Lutheran congregations. He found much more involvement than expected: • Three out of four reported they pray at least daily other than at meals. • Half regularly experienced the peace and presence of God. •Half called personal prayer the most satisfying experience in my life. After holding monthly services of prayer for healing, Luecke wondered what other Lutheran pastors thought and did with such prayer. This prompted another survey, with more surprising results: • Four out five said they had experienced or witnessed a miracle. • Two out of three said members reported a miraculous healing in response to congregational prayer. Yet Lutheran pastors never talk professionally about miraculous healings. How the Spirit Shapes Prayer reopens the discussion. addressing many important questions about prayer and Gods response, such as: • Can God change his mind in response to prayers? • Can God be influenced by multiple prayers? • Why is God so frugal with obvious interventions in natural processes? Pastor and psychologist David S. Luecke has an M.Div. from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and an M.B.A. and Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. He worked as Vice Chancellor for University Services at Washington and then as full Professor for Administrative Sciences at Valparaiso University before going on to serve as Vice President for Administration at Fuller Theological Seminary. Since 1990 he has been a practicing pastor, first at Community of Hope in Brecksville and then at Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Royalton, Ohio. [email protected]. GROWTHintheSpirit.church Facebook

Author: J. M. Houston
Publisher: Regent College Publishing
ISBN: 1573834467
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
To often, prayer seems only to be a dreary exercise that must be endured or a difficult skill that must be mastered. When we misunderstand its purpose and practice, we easily fall out of the habit of praying regularly. As a result, we miss one of the greatest opportunities to deepen our friendship with God. In Prayer: The Transforming Friendship, James Houston explores the transforming power of prayer, illustrating how prayer begins to change our lives and then how the way we live changes how we pray. Through clear and compelling examinations of the Scriptures, Dr. Houston shows the often-misunderstood spiritual realities of prayer. And through candid accounts of his own struggles to pray effectively, he will encourage you to engage boldly in the life-changing practice of intimate conversation with God. Dr. James M. Houston, a prolific author, editor, and Christian scholar, is the founding principal, former chancellor and emeritus professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. A native of Scotland whose parents were missionaries to Spain, he is recognized around the world as a leader in educating laypeople for effective ministry and in helping to restore spirituality to evangelicalism. His other book include The Mentored Life, The Heart's Desire, and Joyful Exiles.

Author: Pius Joseph
Publisher: Kingsway via PublishDrive
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
The Holy Spirit, a great personality with presence in the life of every believer. Full of power and glory, an ever abiding friend. The words Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit baptism, Holy Ghost, et cetera are words that have earned a reputation among the body of Christ as being popular. The name Holy Spirit is everywhere on our lips. Even a 10-year-old can tell you something about the Holy Spirit. This popular personality is no stranger to many of us. Some of us have read Holy Spirit books, we have dug some deeper information on Holy Ghost books, we have had Holy Spirit baptism experience, yet we have not learned one very important thing – how to make the Holy Spirit our friend. We have known the Holy Spirit as mentioned in several preaching and sermons. But it is however sad that our knowledge has not translated into concrete friendship with the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He is everywhere around us and he longs for our friendship. But the problem has always been with the believer who does not know how to make this third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost a good friend. Friends, it doesn’t matter how long you have been saved. It only matters how much you have made the Holy Spirit your friend. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is forever going to be present with us from the day we submitted ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and even to eternity. The Holy Spirit is going to be present from the day we were saved and he is also going to be present throughout our life in eternity. It bothers me how we take our time to study in the college for four years or even five years depending on your chosen field. However, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost who will forever abide with us we do not know how to make him a good friend. It is with such a burden that I write this book to you and it will help you in developing a solid friendship with the Holy Spirit. All through the Bible, believers who have been able to develop a friendship with the Holy Spirit, wielded enormous power of the spirit of God and their generation was never the same. I urge you to read this book with an open mind and when the spirit of God prompts you to drop it for a short prayer, please do as the occasion serves you. I await your testimony after reading this book: “On How the Holy Ghost Became Your Friend.”

Author: Siang-Yang Tan
Publisher: Baker Books
ISBN: 1441231854
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
Although servanthood is often discussed as an important part of leadership, it is also the basic calling of every follower of Jesus Christ. Siang-Yang Tan takes a fresh approach to servanthood, exploring it as loving obedience to God in and of itself, regardless of personal greatness, fulfillment, or success. He lays out the biblical case and practical guidance to help all Christians live out their foundational call of being a servant of God in all areas of life. Tan's focus on servanthood alone--in contrast to the many books on servant-leadership--will appeal to pastors, church leaders, and all Christians interested in a biblical perspective on servanthood.

Author: John Piippo
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1512737364
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 324

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Book Description
Every follower of Jesus is called to have a praying life. But many confess that they are too busy to pray. This book is a record of observations, experiences, reflections, and biblical and theological conclusions, written by a busy pastor who discovered praying as a conversation with God that has lasted for forty years. It is also a challenge to pray, and a call to a praying lifestyle. The conviction of the author is that what the Church most needs today is to recover praying as a relationship with God, and not as a duty to God. This book will inspire you to experience prayer, not as something we have to do, but as something we cannot do without.

Author: John Smed
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 0802498795
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Book Description
Are you praying constricted prayers or disruptive ones? Most prayers are constricted ones. They’re prayers that only focus on one part of the Lord’s Prayer: “give us our daily bread.” They’re usually focused on self and envision God as a heavenly caretaker. Disruptive prayers, on the other hand, are powerful, uncommon, and deeply biblical. They focus on God rather than self, seek to advance the kingdom, and submit all things to God. They are also prayed with a profound belief that prayer actually accomplishes something. When we pray disruptive prayers, that’s when the revolution begins. This book shows you how to equip leaders, fuel kingdom movements, and do real damage to the powers of darkness in the here and now. But most of all, discover how your own heart will be transformed as you begin to see how much bigger prayer, and God, is than you ever thought possible.

Author: R. Paul Stevens
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1725284812
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
These days, people talk about their schedules filling up 24/7—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We wear busyness like a merit badge, as if the more we do, the better we become. But R. Paul Stevens says this is not biblical. Nor is it helpful. For Christians life isn’t about checking off “to-do” lists. It’s about connecting with God and infiltrating thoughtful, biblical faith into our everyday lives. Sometimes that means activity, but sometimes not. Everyday spirituality—the subject of the book—embraces purposeful times of work, relationships, and rest, centered on God instead of personal or cultural expectations. But how can you do it? It’s not easy exiting the fast track to practice a slowed-down yet down-to-earth holiness. Stevens understands this, and offers practical insights to developing a “subversive spirituality”—a meaningful faith that seeps into your work, family, sexuality, friendships, outreach, aloneness, and leisure—and fills you with joy. But most importantly, it motivates you to lovingly abide with God seven days a week. Matthew the Poor, an Eastern monk in Egypt, once said that “life is but one single way that leads to the kingdom of God.”

Author: Glenn E. Myers
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830835512
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
In Seeking Spiritual Intimacy Glenn Myers introduces us to the Beguines, a network of faith communities in Medieval Europe, where women organized their world around a simple life with Christ at the center. Learn from the insights of wise women of faith who, from their modest homes and communities, revitalized the faith of a continent.