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When God Prays: Discovering the Heart of Jesus in His Prayers
In John 17, Jesus anticipates his imminent arrest and crucifixion. In light of this, he prays a prayer that reveals many lessons about how to pray according to God's will. This book addresses questions like, How can we talk to God when life is reduced to ashes? and, How can we stay holy while living in an unholy world? while encouraging us to look upward, outward, inward, and forward in our prayer lives.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 12, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 12, 2013
My pastor, Skip Heitzig, has taught on this chapter of John 17 many times and referenced many of the lessons from this book in various sermons. I think this is Pastor Skip's best book thus far and a great book generally on prayer as seen through Jesus Prayer to the Father in John 17.
Jesus' prayer to the Father in John 17:1-26 is many things, but to me it is beautiful and insightful. Pastor Skip breaks the book down into four sections: Look Upward: The Father Magnified; Look Outward: The Believer Fortified & Sanctified; Look Inward: The Whole Church Unified: A Look Forward: The Inglorious Glorified. This is very similar to the vision statement of Calvary Albuquerque which is upreach, inreach, outreach.
Some things that strike me about the book:
The section on unity is too much to cover in a short review, but this section is very important to me in my walk and what God has taught me over the years.
Pastor Skip talking about prayer in preparing and looking forward to heaven also talks about heaven which was important for me to hear that time as my Mom had recently gone to be with the Father in Heaven.
Pastor Skip does a comparison and contrast at the end of the book between the prayer Jesus teaches his disciples and the prayer he offers to the Father.
There is much to think through and contemplate and apply in what Jesus taught and how we can look at prayer in the simple but amazing prayer Jesus voiced to the Father. One thing Skip I think left out (if I remember right) is the very literal context of Jesus' journey with his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane at night. Even what he may have passed by as he was praying or seen before or after the prayer. I'm pretty sure Skip has touched on this before, but sadly it wasn't in the book.
Overall I can highly recommend this book as it examines a prayer that is sadly overlooked by many.
Jesus' prayer to the Father in John 17:1-26 is many things, but to me it is beautiful and insightful. Pastor Skip breaks the book down into four sections: Look Upward: The Father Magnified; Look Outward: The Believer Fortified & Sanctified; Look Inward: The Whole Church Unified: A Look Forward: The Inglorious Glorified. This is very similar to the vision statement of Calvary Albuquerque which is upreach, inreach, outreach.
Some things that strike me about the book:
The section on unity is too much to cover in a short review, but this section is very important to me in my walk and what God has taught me over the years.
Pastor Skip talking about prayer in preparing and looking forward to heaven also talks about heaven which was important for me to hear that time as my Mom had recently gone to be with the Father in Heaven.
Pastor Skip does a comparison and contrast at the end of the book between the prayer Jesus teaches his disciples and the prayer he offers to the Father.
There is much to think through and contemplate and apply in what Jesus taught and how we can look at prayer in the simple but amazing prayer Jesus voiced to the Father. One thing Skip I think left out (if I remember right) is the very literal context of Jesus' journey with his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane at night. Even what he may have passed by as he was praying or seen before or after the prayer. I'm pretty sure Skip has touched on this before, but sadly it wasn't in the book.
Overall I can highly recommend this book as it examines a prayer that is sadly overlooked by many.
November 12, 2022
5 stars because I never really realized that Jesus actually prayed for followers in this present time as well as His disciples…so He prayed for me?!? That was beautiful and powerful and kinda blew my mind! The Bible says:
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for ALL (emphasis added) who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.
-John 17:20-23 New Living Testament (NLT)
It just makes me happy :) What a sweet, perfect God! Can I get an amen?!?
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for ALL (emphasis added) who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.
-John 17:20-23 New Living Testament (NLT)
It just makes me happy :) What a sweet, perfect God! Can I get an amen?!?
October 25, 2019
Love Skip's books and sermons. They are so detail orientated
September 2, 2022
Not the kind of book that is full of new, earth shaking revelations. More the kind that is good, solid encouragement to get and keep your prayer life on track.
March 10, 2022
Page 85 - Love is behind every relationship, and love for God must be the driving force of every disciple. Our relationship with God must become the pivotal relationship against which all other relationships are measured.
Page 87 - Rather than being sidetracked by past experience, we must set a new course based on spiritual principles. The challenge is to live a lifestyle that is different enough from the world’s system that we are not tainted by it’s values, while at the same time remaining relevant and attractive to u believers so that they will want to forsake their “leprosy” of sin and come to Christ to be healed.
Page 100 - If we are in the world all day long without adequate preparation in the world, we’ll end up conforming to our surroundings, lacking a sufficient standard of truth to counteract the incessant influence of the world…… But if we back off too far, our friends will never u derstand the life-changing transformation we have undergone. They’ll never be drawn closer to God.
Page 102 - There’s something to be said for staying in contact with the world, even though it may get rough out there sometimes. It keeps us abreast f people’s thoughts, ideologies, and feelings about life in general and about God in particular. It keeps us fresh and relevant. And it fulfills Christ’s purpose in sending us I tothe world.
Page 104 - Talk straight to God asking him to keep you safe from the evil one, to teach you through His Word, and to send you into situations where you can tell howGod changed your life and show your joy in living for Him.
- keep me- thank God for your present position in life. Tell God about your difficulties, ask God to keep you safe from the strong currents of evil that pressure you, and ask God to take you to new depths of faith, where his love and mercy will keep you safe from the raging storms of life.
- teach me - rejoice that God has given you the truth. In prayer reveal to him your desire to be holy. Ask for direction and specific truths that pertain to your circumstances through your study of his word.
- send me - Ask God to make you willing. Remember he promises to give you the right words at the right time. Ask God to make you ready. Be willing and ready to share. It’s not about you, it’s about the hope that is in you - namely the power of Jesus Christ to change people’s lives. Ask God to make you powerful since we are human and cannot do this on our own.
Page 112 - many times people use isolation, insulation, stagnation, or imitation. We need permeation, being in the world but not of it. It takes exercise to maintain strength, your flavor, your texture, and to avoid succumbing to a mushy, mediocre,bland spiritual life. This daily cycle of refueling and burning it off will accelerate your spiritual growth.
Page 87 - Rather than being sidetracked by past experience, we must set a new course based on spiritual principles. The challenge is to live a lifestyle that is different enough from the world’s system that we are not tainted by it’s values, while at the same time remaining relevant and attractive to u believers so that they will want to forsake their “leprosy” of sin and come to Christ to be healed.
Page 100 - If we are in the world all day long without adequate preparation in the world, we’ll end up conforming to our surroundings, lacking a sufficient standard of truth to counteract the incessant influence of the world…… But if we back off too far, our friends will never u derstand the life-changing transformation we have undergone. They’ll never be drawn closer to God.
Page 102 - There’s something to be said for staying in contact with the world, even though it may get rough out there sometimes. It keeps us abreast f people’s thoughts, ideologies, and feelings about life in general and about God in particular. It keeps us fresh and relevant. And it fulfills Christ’s purpose in sending us I tothe world.
Page 104 - Talk straight to God asking him to keep you safe from the evil one, to teach you through His Word, and to send you into situations where you can tell howGod changed your life and show your joy in living for Him.
- keep me- thank God for your present position in life. Tell God about your difficulties, ask God to keep you safe from the strong currents of evil that pressure you, and ask God to take you to new depths of faith, where his love and mercy will keep you safe from the raging storms of life.
- teach me - rejoice that God has given you the truth. In prayer reveal to him your desire to be holy. Ask for direction and specific truths that pertain to your circumstances through your study of his word.
- send me - Ask God to make you willing. Remember he promises to give you the right words at the right time. Ask God to make you ready. Be willing and ready to share. It’s not about you, it’s about the hope that is in you - namely the power of Jesus Christ to change people’s lives. Ask God to make you powerful since we are human and cannot do this on our own.
Page 112 - many times people use isolation, insulation, stagnation, or imitation. We need permeation, being in the world but not of it. It takes exercise to maintain strength, your flavor, your texture, and to avoid succumbing to a mushy, mediocre,bland spiritual life. This daily cycle of refueling and burning it off will accelerate your spiritual growth.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews