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Intentional Faith: Aligning Your Life with the Heart of God
Megachurch pastor Allen Jackson invites readers on a 100-day adventure of experiencing God through ten biblical practices that will reignite their faith and transform their lives.
Many Christians experience low points in their faith, times when their spiritual lives have grown cold, stagnant, or routine. They feel frustrated and desperate to reconnect with God. Yet encouragement alone is not enough. We need God's power to bring transformation, and we need specific tools and a focused intent to know the Lord. Drawing upon years of pastoral ministry and his own experience, Allen Jackson has developed a 100-day plan to reinvigorate a believer's life, organized around ten declarations of intent, including:
I Intend to Grow Spiritually,
I Intend to Read the Gospels
I Intend to Pray Daily
I Intend to Honor God in My Home, and
I Intend to Work with Integrity.
A simple investment of twenty minutes a day will create an unstoppable momentum in readers' lives. Their hearts are opened to new possibilities with God where his purposes unfold and where the fruit of his rewards are found.
Many Christians experience low points in their faith, times when their spiritual lives have grown cold, stagnant, or routine. They feel frustrated and desperate to reconnect with God. Yet encouragement alone is not enough. We need God's power to bring transformation, and we need specific tools and a focused intent to know the Lord. Drawing upon years of pastoral ministry and his own experience, Allen Jackson has developed a 100-day plan to reinvigorate a believer's life, organized around ten declarations of intent, including:
I Intend to Grow Spiritually,
I Intend to Read the Gospels
I Intend to Pray Daily
I Intend to Honor God in My Home, and
I Intend to Work with Integrity.
A simple investment of twenty minutes a day will create an unstoppable momentum in readers' lives. Their hearts are opened to new possibilities with God where his purposes unfold and where the fruit of his rewards are found.
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 24, 2020
99 people are currently reading
702 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 12, 2020
We have to do what it takes to grow spiritually by taking intentional conscious action. Some of those actions might be weekly (faithfully participate in church), monthly (tithing), or even moment by moment (cooperating with the Holy Spirit).
To live in intentional faith there are three things that is based on this text. Intent to grow in faith, indent to read your bible daily and intend to pray always. It in these that intentions that we become diligent in seeking God. God has promised in his word that those that seek him, he will reward.
Intention will put our focus on the desires of God which this text teaches and helps the reader to those steps. The text comes in 5 parts.
Intentional Faith: What is it?
Intentional Faith: Daily Nourishment
Intentional Faith: The Outward Expression of Faith
Intentional Faith: Gaining Spiritual Health
Intentional Faith: An invitation to Kingdom Impact
Each chapter ends on a challenge to intentional faith. A helpful book in living the Christian life intentionally and not drifting. Drifting in your spiritual walk only leads to immaturity while being intentional matures the believer to a greater faith. The premise of this text is important however, pragmatism can be defeating as well. i.e. If I do this, God will do this. The bible does not teach this, however, it can be cherry picked in saying that. God's purpose is for our redemption.
A Special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
To live in intentional faith there are three things that is based on this text. Intent to grow in faith, indent to read your bible daily and intend to pray always. It in these that intentions that we become diligent in seeking God. God has promised in his word that those that seek him, he will reward.
Intention will put our focus on the desires of God which this text teaches and helps the reader to those steps. The text comes in 5 parts.
Intentional Faith: What is it?
Intentional Faith: Daily Nourishment
Intentional Faith: The Outward Expression of Faith
Intentional Faith: Gaining Spiritual Health
Intentional Faith: An invitation to Kingdom Impact
Each chapter ends on a challenge to intentional faith. A helpful book in living the Christian life intentionally and not drifting. Drifting in your spiritual walk only leads to immaturity while being intentional matures the believer to a greater faith. The premise of this text is important however, pragmatism can be defeating as well. i.e. If I do this, God will do this. The bible does not teach this, however, it can be cherry picked in saying that. God's purpose is for our redemption.
A Special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
May 21, 2023
I would rate it 4.5.
It's an excellent book with practical ways to deepen your walk with the Lord. Each chapter ends with thought provoking questions and also ends with a prayer. The back of the book has beautiful, powerful prayers for various themes that could be going on in your life.
I also bought the companion journal and look forward to applying these principles for the next 100 days and beyond.
Pastor Allen Jackson is an amazing man of faith! I get his daily email devotionals, which I love! And I enjoy listening to his podcasts.
It's an excellent book with practical ways to deepen your walk with the Lord. Each chapter ends with thought provoking questions and also ends with a prayer. The back of the book has beautiful, powerful prayers for various themes that could be going on in your life.
I also bought the companion journal and look forward to applying these principles for the next 100 days and beyond.
Pastor Allen Jackson is an amazing man of faith! I get his daily email devotionals, which I love! And I enjoy listening to his podcasts.
April 23, 2021
Wonderful!
April 29, 2020
This seems like a simple book but it was very helpful. I chose Intentional as my word of the year a few years back but didn’t really know how to make my life more intentional so I sort of forgot about the word and didn’t do anything with it.
The book essentially has a plan to be more intentional with your spiritual life at least. First you are introduced to the basics ten declarations of intent such as Intend to Grow, Intend to Pray, Intend to Work with Integrity or Intend to Practice Forgiveness.
After all are explained, the author invites us to one hundred days of faith. A commitment page is included to read and sign if you want to take it seriously and really commit to being more intentional. The appendices include a 100 day plan to read the whole New Testament as well as a bunch of prayers based off the ten intents as well as other prayers such as for protection, anxiety, depression, temptation, rejection, healing and addiction. Personally I don’t like premade prayers but if that’s your thing, they were very nice.
The section on Intend to Pray really explained how I try to do thing with regards to praying little bits here and there instead of large prayers just before bed or in the morning. The author gives examples such as saying a one line prayer before you get out of bed in the morning, when you pull into the parking lot at work, when you leave the office, when you walk into the front door or when you put your head down to sleep.
I say prayers in my head at the grocery store, on a walk, in the bathroom, even in the middle of the night before I flip over and go back to sleep. It works well for me and I know that I am consistently praying. I highly recommend it.
In the Intend to Work with Integrity section, it mostly talks about working outside the home but also refers to work you do in the home such as caring for your children or cleaning your house. I am still very much working on it myself, but the book reiterated an idea I’ve heard before, specifically for housework, about thinking about the work as you doing it for God. If you are cleaning the house to worship God, to make him happy, than it doesn’t matter that the house becomes dirty again right after or that your husband didn’t notice because you are doing it for Him.
Overall it was a great book and one worth getting.
The book essentially has a plan to be more intentional with your spiritual life at least. First you are introduced to the basics ten declarations of intent such as Intend to Grow, Intend to Pray, Intend to Work with Integrity or Intend to Practice Forgiveness.
After all are explained, the author invites us to one hundred days of faith. A commitment page is included to read and sign if you want to take it seriously and really commit to being more intentional. The appendices include a 100 day plan to read the whole New Testament as well as a bunch of prayers based off the ten intents as well as other prayers such as for protection, anxiety, depression, temptation, rejection, healing and addiction. Personally I don’t like premade prayers but if that’s your thing, they were very nice.
The section on Intend to Pray really explained how I try to do thing with regards to praying little bits here and there instead of large prayers just before bed or in the morning. The author gives examples such as saying a one line prayer before you get out of bed in the morning, when you pull into the parking lot at work, when you leave the office, when you walk into the front door or when you put your head down to sleep.
I say prayers in my head at the grocery store, on a walk, in the bathroom, even in the middle of the night before I flip over and go back to sleep. It works well for me and I know that I am consistently praying. I highly recommend it.
In the Intend to Work with Integrity section, it mostly talks about working outside the home but also refers to work you do in the home such as caring for your children or cleaning your house. I am still very much working on it myself, but the book reiterated an idea I’ve heard before, specifically for housework, about thinking about the work as you doing it for God. If you are cleaning the house to worship God, to make him happy, than it doesn’t matter that the house becomes dirty again right after or that your husband didn’t notice because you are doing it for Him.
Overall it was a great book and one worth getting.
June 4, 2020
Jackson seems to write from a perspective that we are in charge of our own sanctification. "If we are intentional about doing things to align ourselves with God's heart, He will reward us."
From what I understand, God is the one "who wills and works" out our sanctification, based on His deliverance through the Gospel of Jesus and His work on the cross.
Jackson's prayers often reflect a sense that God is in charge, whereas the chapters stress us being willing to make commitments to do things to grow in Christ.
Lots of unclear messages it seems to me.
Likable person apparently, didn't like the approach or the book, sorry to say.
From what I understand, God is the one "who wills and works" out our sanctification, based on His deliverance through the Gospel of Jesus and His work on the cross.
Jackson's prayers often reflect a sense that God is in charge, whereas the chapters stress us being willing to make commitments to do things to grow in Christ.
Lots of unclear messages it seems to me.
Likable person apparently, didn't like the approach or the book, sorry to say.
September 22, 2025
This was a really great, quick read. I was supposed to review this when it first came out, but life got away from me and I set it aside for a couple years. But Gods timing, even in little things like reading a book are never wrong. I needed this book today! It was a great reminder to dissect every single part of my life from my time and money to my attitude and intentions to ensure that I’m living a life that’s an extension of my faith. I especially needed to read the chapters on forgiveness and work! Jackson encourages you to take life in 100 day chunks in order to ensure that you’re living an intentional faith!
I received an ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions expressed are my own.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions expressed are my own.
April 18, 2022
Mixed with wonderful anecdotes from Allen Jackson's own life, this book is a practical guide of why and how to develop and grow your faith consciously. It's a must-read for every new believer and a refresher course for long-time Christians.
I'm taking his 100-day challenge (started yesterday--Easter Sunday. What great timing!) and using the journal to note my thoughts and progress. I wish I knew someone going through the journey, because it would be wonderful to have a travel partner. But I'm still looking forward to the faith walk and aligning my heart with God's.
I'm taking his 100-day challenge (started yesterday--Easter Sunday. What great timing!) and using the journal to note my thoughts and progress. I wish I knew someone going through the journey, because it would be wonderful to have a travel partner. But I'm still looking forward to the faith walk and aligning my heart with God's.
August 13, 2020
I think this is a great book for someone who's new to the faith or someone who is looking for a way to incorporate God into their daily lives. They are all good principles for Christian life.
July 11, 2021
Love this book's message.
March 13, 2022
Very inspirational.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews