Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer

by Adriel Sanchez, Michael Horton (foreword)

In Praying with Jesus, Adriel Sanchez explores the most famous prayer in history, the Lord’s Prayer, and gets to the heart of each thing Jesus told his disciples to pray for.

Using the Lord’s Prayer as a framework, he unlocks the mystery of prayer, helping readers understand what prayer is, how to navigate the challenges of prayer, and how to form a habit of prayer. Sanchez points the way to how the Lord’s Prayer helps us better grasp the essential truth that we are not meant to try to navigate life in our own strength and wisdom.

Readers will learn that the daily practice of praying based on the Lord’s Prayer transforms them—giving them insight into God’s purposes, bringing the presence of God into lives, and helping to unearth treasures of grace.

Considers some of the reasons behind an inconsistent prayer life and helps cultivate a consistent habit of prayer. Guides readers into union with Christ that is only possible through the daily practice of praying with Jesus. Each chapter ends with a prayer from the past, so readers can pray along with our family in Christ throughout the ages.Includes a foreword by Michael Horton.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Theology, Prayer

146 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2024

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adriel Sanchez explores the deep meanings of what The Lord’s Prayer truly means in his release Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer. Digging deep into the cultural and linguistic context of the time in which it was written, Praying with Jesus explores the major points and directives of The Lord’s Prayer. Mr. Sanchez shows us that directive has not changed since it was first given by Jesus. Mr. Sanchez’s discoveries adds deep meaning and depth to what we know about The Lord’s Prayer, making us reexamine our hearts to see if we are truly Praying with Jesus.

I love how Adriel Sanchez doesn’t hold back Truth in Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer! I love how Mr. Sanchez dissects each part of The Lord’s Prayer and shows us what each line of the Prayer truly means. I love learning the cultural and linguistic context of The Lord’s Prayer because I believe it helps the reader get to the heart of the matter of what The Lord’s Prayer is truly about. I love the prompts and questions at the end of each chapter because it really caused me to take a step back and examine how I see The Lord’s Prayer and asking myself, “Am I honestly doing what The Lord’s Prayer says to do?” (I’ll admit, sometimes I did not like the answer.) I think Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer would be awesome for an individual study (I used it as my own personal study) or to be used in a group Bible Study. I’m thankful for all the knowledge that I gleaned from Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer. If you are seeking to gain more of an understanding of what is in the Bible, then I highly recommend Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez!

Have you read Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer? What did you think of the book.

I would like to thank New Growth Press for giving me a copy of Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on my blog Leslie's Library Escape.

[Stephen Kilbøurn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great, quick read. I picked it up as a candidate for reading as a Bible study in the fall, and it is definitely a winner. It is very accessible, and walks line by line through the prayer and how it impacts our theology and life in practical ways. I don't think there's anything theologically that would really stretch someone that have not grown up in a traditional Christian Church, but it would be a great walk through or new believers while still reinforcing and reminding those of us who have grown up in the church what the Lord's prayer has to teach us and shift it from something we might mindlessly recite as we pray.

[Shelby Reback · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book breaks down each portion of the Lord’s Prayer into a chapter of its own with rich information. Adriel did a fantastic job explaining and highlighting what each portion of the prayer means and why Jesus spoke it in his prayer. I’ve always know that the Lord’s Prayer was a fundamental prayer structure and this book explained to me why. I am eager to continue applying what I have learned in this book to my own personal prayers. I encourage new and mature believers to read this book to learn or be reminded of the importance of the Lord’s Prayer.

[Matthew Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, helpful, concise book. I love how Sanchez blends practical advice, patristic quotes, and Bible verses to really pack a punch. This was a helpful walk through the Lord’s Prayer to help me commune with God as I pray through each clause.

[Sara Fukuda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet. I think the length of this book is actually great idea, would be a good one to set in front of someone intimidated by Kellers excellent book on prayer.
Focused on the Lord’s Prayer, each short chapter has ideas of something to implement or change right away, and discussion questions for accountability or a book club.
Enjoyed this very much.

[Lori Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez takes a look at one of the most commonly known prayers from the Bible. The Lord’s Prayer, as it is often called, is found in Matthew 6:9-13. It is also found in Luke 11:1-4, though with some variation. Matthew 6 is where the heart of this book by Sanchez is focused.

Sanchez writes 10 chapters focusing in on various parts and purposes of prayer. Part one includes chapters 1-3. These look at general teachings on prayer, including the heart, the postures (physical positions), and times of praying. Part two includes the remainder of the chapters 6-10 and breaks the Lord’s Prayer down into bite-sized pieces to examine.

Digging in deep with the Lord’s Prayer can be good. As Sanchez writes in chapter 1 (I’m reading on a Kindle so no page numbers are included), “Prayer is the song of your heart to God. Sometimes it’s an explosion of praise, and other times it’s a trickling lamentation. In either case, the source of true prayer is the heart.” As he takes the reader through each of the chapters in the book, the heart is the focus of his thoughts.

The guiding source in Praying With Jesus is the Bible and I am so thankful for that. The Bible should be our guidebook for everything in life and so by keeping that at the center of this book, Sanchez has honored God while helping his reader find more purpose in prayer.

I found that I enjoyed most the opening three chapters on prayer in general. There was much touched on here that gave me pause to think and consider. I highlighted a number of areas to go back to and read more on, to dig deeper into the Bible’s teaching in that area. One of these was early on and addressed “heart disease in prayer.” This was meant to direct our thought to what our heart is doing in prayer. Are we praying as hypocrites or with superstition? There are Bible verses included to make this idea clear and help the reader discern his own heart. Actionable change may be needed and these verses can guide that change.

The next section focused on the petitions of the Lord’s prayer, relying on the teaching of Jesus and God’s word. Jesus used these words when his disciples asked him to teach them to pray. This is an excellent guide for us today. Sanchez broke it down into 7 sections. These included some look at the original language and additional verses to emphasize the purpose of each phrase. It was a deep dive into the purpose and language of how Jesus teaches us to pray.

Every chapter in the book concluded with a prayer from the past, suggested prayer practices to work on in order to strengthen personal prayer life, questions for discussion if you are studying with a group, and endnotes. As with all study books, read with discernment, paying attention to teachings to ensure they align with God’s word. There are a couple of passages that I am studying more in depth because they did not align with how I understand God’s word.

Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez is a good study on prayer, especially with the focus on Jesus’ own teachings.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion. I was not required to share this review on this platform.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first part of this book, Sanchez explores what prayer is and some of the challenges we may encounter when we pray. The second part contains teaching on each of the petitions in The Lord's Prayer.

I like that Sanchez reminds us true prayer is from the heart. He cautions us to watch out for hypocrisy and superstition. He writes about the use of our bodies and what the different positions in prayer indicate. He cautions us to not just go through the motions. He also encourages us in the frequency of prayer and the use of aids, such as written prayers.

Communication is so important in relationships and this book helps us understand how to communicate with God from the heart using The Lord's Prayer as a framework. I like the addition of a written prayer from history at the end of each chapter. There are also exercises to incorporate the teaching in the chapter and discussion questions. This is a good book for new Christians looking for teaching on prayer and seasoned Christians looking to renew their prayer life. It would be a good choice for small groups.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praying with Jesus is a brief read yet it is very delightful. That being said it is difficult to see how it is written for. It’s not a commentary and not really an exposition on the Lord’s Prayer. There is a reliance on Luther, Calvin, Witsius that Reformed Scholarly Christian’s would like, yet it lives on a more foundational and basic level. No matter where you are on the spectrum, it is a reminder that all need to focus on the elementary. That we need a return to that child like faith as we call on our Father.

[T.K. CHAPMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about the Lord's Prayer. It's short, without sacrificing depth. Three introductory chapters share general teaching on prayer, followed by seven chapters covering the introductory "Our Father," as well as each petition of the Lord's Prayer. Each chapter ends with a few questions and a couple of suggestions to try. This would make a great group study also.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Praying with Jesus by Adriel Sanchez helps remind you of the dephts of the Lord's prayer- calling all of us away from mindless reciting of a prayer that has so much for us to consider. Sanchez writes clearly and helpfully as he encourages us in our prayer lives. Also, appreciated how Sanchez draws many quotes and prayres from saints who have gone before us.

[Lianna Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Praying with Jesus offers thoughtful insights into the Lord’s Prayer and captures its meaning well. While nothing about the book was particularly remarkable or groundbreaking, it did a fine job overall and served as a solid reflection on prayer.