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The Prayer that God Answers
Why has God not answered my prayers? What should I be praying for? If everything I prayed for came true, would I be ready?
In this spiritual classic, Eberhard Arnold mines the riches of biblical teaching on prayer and the example of Jesus, the Hebrew prophets, and the early Christians to point us back to the prayer that pleases God most – prayer that has the power to transform our lives and our world.
In a new reflective response, much-loved author Richard J. Foster relates Arnold’s words to our contemporary reality.
In this spiritual classic, Eberhard Arnold mines the riches of biblical teaching on prayer and the example of Jesus, the Hebrew prophets, and the early Christians to point us back to the prayer that pleases God most – prayer that has the power to transform our lives and our world.
In a new reflective response, much-loved author Richard J. Foster relates Arnold’s words to our contemporary reality.
27 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1913
13 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Eberhard Arnold
70 books68 followersEberhard was born in Königsberg, East Prussia into an academic family. He studied theology but, because of his views on infant baptism and his decision to leave the Lutheran church, he was refused his degree. He changed majors to philosophy. He married Emmy von Hollander and together they dedicated their lives in obedience to God’s will. This led to the beginning of community in 1920.
Eberhard was criticized for his uncompromising faith, which cost him many friends. Not wanting to form a separate sect, he always sought out others who felt as he did. This led to a year’s trip to North America (1930-31) to visit the Hutterites. He was accepted as a minister and the Bruderhof became part of the larger Hutterian movement.
When Hitler came to power in 1933 Eberhard spoke out clearly, recognizing early on the direction German politics were taking. He spent the last years of his life preparing the Brotherhood for possible persecution. Returning from a visit to government authorities in October 1933, he slipped and broke his leg—a complicated fracture which ultimately led to his death.
Eberhard was criticized for his uncompromising faith, which cost him many friends. Not wanting to form a separate sect, he always sought out others who felt as he did. This led to a year’s trip to North America (1930-31) to visit the Hutterites. He was accepted as a minister and the Bruderhof became part of the larger Hutterian movement.
When Hitler came to power in 1933 Eberhard spoke out clearly, recognizing early on the direction German politics were taking. He spent the last years of his life preparing the Brotherhood for possible persecution. Returning from a visit to government authorities in October 1933, he slipped and broke his leg—a complicated fracture which ultimately led to his death.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 20, 2018
Eberhard Arnold lived in Germany, writing between WWI and WWII. The Nazis raided his study twice while he worked on his masterpiece, Innerland, and eventually the Christian community he established, Bruderhof, was raided by the Gestapo and closed. The community was forced to relocate in England. --from Richard Foster's Reflective Response to The Prayer God Answers
This work challenges stereotypical ideas about prayer and God's will, nearly 90 years after it was first written. For example:
*Our personal prayers remain selfish unless they are placed in the larger context of God's rulership being established on earth (36).
*Prayer without work is hypocrisy . . . Each of us needs to find a way to devote our whole working strength so that God is honored, his will is done, and his kingdom comes (37).
*If our prayer is genuine, if we really want nothing but the kingdom of God, then we will think of all the regions of the world. We will call on God to intervene in the history of the nations, the history that has brought injustice to a climax. We will call on him to come with his judgment and to let his righteousness and peace break in like the dawn (39).
*If everything we do has only one goal--that his kingdom comes and his will is done on earth--then the things we pray for will happen (40).
This work challenges stereotypical ideas about prayer and God's will, nearly 90 years after it was first written. For example:
*Our personal prayers remain selfish unless they are placed in the larger context of God's rulership being established on earth (36).
*Prayer without work is hypocrisy . . . Each of us needs to find a way to devote our whole working strength so that God is honored, his will is done, and his kingdom comes (37).
*If our prayer is genuine, if we really want nothing but the kingdom of God, then we will think of all the regions of the world. We will call on God to intervene in the history of the nations, the history that has brought injustice to a climax. We will call on him to come with his judgment and to let his righteousness and peace break in like the dawn (39).
*If everything we do has only one goal--that his kingdom comes and his will is done on earth--then the things we pray for will happen (40).
January 21, 2016
In "The Prayer God Answers" (by Eberhard Arnold), the author supposedly tries to answer the questions of how to pray and what to pray for. He tries to show the kinds of prayer that pleases God by showing various prayers that illustrate the opposite. He shows the kind of people who please God and whose prayers are most likely to be answered.
Unfortunately, by his examples, NOBODY qualifies unless they are as perfect as Jesus Christ. I'm afraid I, for one, don't qualify (by a lot). And as near as I could tell, only the Lord’s Prayer qualifies as an acceptable prayer, and although it is a GREAT prayer, this answer somewhat defeats the purpose implied by the title.
Translated from the pre-World-War-I German original, the book is quite dense, with a lot of (somewhat repetitive) information. It feels much longer than its 27 or so pages would suggest. Perhaps those who are fairly secure in their Christianity would enjoy the book more than I did, but I'm afraid I have to limit my review to 2 stars.
Unfortunately, by his examples, NOBODY qualifies unless they are as perfect as Jesus Christ. I'm afraid I, for one, don't qualify (by a lot). And as near as I could tell, only the Lord’s Prayer qualifies as an acceptable prayer, and although it is a GREAT prayer, this answer somewhat defeats the purpose implied by the title.
Translated from the pre-World-War-I German original, the book is quite dense, with a lot of (somewhat repetitive) information. It feels much longer than its 27 or so pages would suggest. Perhaps those who are fairly secure in their Christianity would enjoy the book more than I did, but I'm afraid I have to limit my review to 2 stars.
November 1, 2022
A small book with few pages, nevertheless, packed with illuminating wisdom on prayer.
June 5, 2024
The essence of prayer itself
There are multitudes of books on prayer
This book however is quite different
it conveys prayer not from a theological position or a set of denominational decrees
but the very heart of the practice
a more practical simple exercise of faith taking the reader deeper into its truest purpose
At first to be honest I didn't quite agree or even understand certain things
That Arnold was trying to say
however the analytical commentary from Foster illuminated the author's writing and was helpful it has layers of truth that cannot be absorbed or understood to the fullest at one reading
this is a treasure trove of the puriest essence of communication with God it has become a book I will reread again and again
There are multitudes of books on prayer
This book however is quite different
it conveys prayer not from a theological position or a set of denominational decrees
but the very heart of the practice
a more practical simple exercise of faith taking the reader deeper into its truest purpose
At first to be honest I didn't quite agree or even understand certain things
That Arnold was trying to say
however the analytical commentary from Foster illuminated the author's writing and was helpful it has layers of truth that cannot be absorbed or understood to the fullest at one reading
this is a treasure trove of the puriest essence of communication with God it has become a book I will reread again and again
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews