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Praying the Bible
By, Donald Whitney

What a book!!

The Bible transforms life, and this book has transformed my prayer walk.

Over the last two years I have honestly desired to grow in prayer that I might serve and bless family and friends and that my relationship with God would grow deeper. I had been convicted that the deeper and more real and true are my prayers then the deeper I would know God. The way we develop human relationships is by talking. How can I know God better if I’m not regularly talking to Him?

So I tried. We all try to pray. I got distracted. It became rote. I prayed the same phrases over and over. I worried about the words I said more than Who they were directed towards. I prayed with minimal passion or conviction. I felt guilty. If I truly believe and love my Savior why do I have a hard time talking to him? I have friends who really need prayer, why am I at a loss for words to pray? Why does it always sound the same? God has got to be bored listening to the same things coming from my mouth over and over.

At the care group leaders retreat this past fell, we were given this book: Praying The Bible. Pastor Kenneth said it was really good and it was a subject that I really needed help with. God used it mightily. It’s so simple. Why didn’t I know about this when I was little? My five year old can do this with me! I now find joy in praying and ten minutes isn’t long enough. I have so much freedom and guilt is gone! I’m so grateful!

The basic premise is so simple. Read the Bible and pray Gods words back to him. The Psalms are the best place to start according to Whitney, and it is definitely the easiest I believe. I now have longer prayers, find passion in what I’m saying and I’m praying for my family in ways I never have before. A new world had been opened up to me and I praise God for my pastor who gave me the book and the man, Whitney, who wrote it.

There is more help and explanation in the book and I highly recommend that you read it. I’m happy to lend you mine!

Just yesterday I read Psalm 75.

Verse 4 says, “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully.'”

I prayed:

• Have mercy on me with my children. Take my pride and boasting as I try to parent in grace.
• Allow my words to be Your words for the upcoming ladies retreat, that there would be no boasting and no appearance of pride. Infuse humility in the words I have to say.
• As Brian and I seek to lead our dear friends in care group may boasting and pride be far from us. Bring us low before the Throne of Grace.

Verse 7, “But God is the Judge.”

I prayed:

• You judge the nations and see the weak and lowly who need a just judge. You love justice and it is coming!
• My friend who’s heart is breaking over a daughter she may never get to adopt and You will judge justly. If not today, it is coming. 
• My job won’t pay me a hefty referral bonus based on a technicality. You are just. You know. Its not my place to bring the justice I so think I deserve. Take my anger and bitterness and help me to rest in the fact that you will have the final word.

That is just a small taste… there was more for each verse and the psalm has 8 more verses… Many more topics to pray!!

If you can’t tell I highly recommend this book to help you grow your prayer life in a way that you will get excited about and that doesn’t lay on guilt.

If you take the time to read this (less than 100 page) book, I’d love to hear what you think!