Handbook to Prayer: Praying Scripture Back to God

by Kenneth D. Boa

This prayer tool makes an excellent gift for all occasions. Handbook to Prayer will guide you through the process of praying Scripture back to God. It gives you form and freedom as well as a “balanced diet” in your prayers, since each day includes prayers of adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, thanksgiving, and closing prayers.

Genres: Prayer, Christian, Theology, Christian Living, Nonfiction

552 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Kenneth Boa is an author, a speaker, and the president of Reflections Ministries. He is the author of over fifty books, including Conformed to His Image, Faith Has Its Reasons, Face to Face, and Rewriting Your Broken Story. He is a contributing editor to the Open Bible, the Promise Keepers Men's Study Bible, and the Leadership Bible, and is the consulting editor of the Zondervan NASB Study Bible.

Boa earned a BS from Case Institute of Technology, a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, a PhD from New York University, and a DPhil from the University of Oxford. He teaches a weekly Bible and Faith study at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where he resides with his wife.

Reviews

[WPProctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real gem. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read through this.

[Bethany Mierski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this little prayer book. I say “little” but it’s a hearty 400+ page guide with a lot of detail. It gave me a renewed perspective on prayer. It helped me understand more deeply how scripture can be a prayer. Hence, “praying scripture back to God” is an accurate tagline. The structure (adoration, confession, renewal, petition, intercession, affirmation, thanksgiving, closing prayer) was a fulfilling experience for quiet devotion time. I would highly recommend to any person looking for guidance and a fresh start in their prayer life.

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boa uses Scripture as a guide to daily prayer. The format to the book is based on a 17th century book, Private Devotions, by Lancelot Andrewes, an Anglican bishop who was a prominent translator of the King James Bible. There are 3 sections and utilizes a 3 month Daily Prayer Guide. It also contains a One Week Prayer Guide for a more in-depth time of prayer.

The guide is structured around 8 forms of prayer based on the model of the Lord's Prayer.

The 3 sections are:
Part One: Morning Affirmations
Part Two: Daily Prayer Guide
Part Three: Daily Prayer Guide

Why I like this book so much: It gives structure to my thinking and prayers. It helps me view Scripture from a application point of view and shapes my mind and my thinking.

I have been through this book twice and find it very useful and challenging.

[Deax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really very good.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes seeking to enter the discipline of daily prayer is a serious hassle. What normally makes it so bothersome is that after the first three days or so you've prayed about everything you can think of and are at a dead end. Kenneth Boa's little book "Handbook to Prayer" can be a delightful, devotional remedy to help you stay out of the rut!

I have been using prayer guides by Kenneth Boa off and on since 1990. This one is a delightfully handy guide, in bonded leather, that covers three months. Each day follows the same format; "Adoration" "Confession" "Renewal" "Petition" "Intercession" "Affirmation" "Thanksgiving" and "Closing Prayer".

What makes it unique is that it is saturated with Holy Scripture. The Scripture segments (Boa's own translation) give the praying person substantive fodder to feed their praying. There are also suggested directions in each section to help direct the attention for meditation and supplication.

If your times of prayer have gone flat and you're running on the rims, or even if things are going well in your devotional times, this little book will be a big boost. I highly recommend "Handbook to Prayer".

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most helpful tool I've yet found to help me pray more consistently and meaningfully. The author has organized a multitude of Scripture passages into categories to create a framework for structured daily prayer. There was a spot or two where I may have had a quibble about how he was applying a certain verse, but his selection and arrangement were almost uniformly excellent. Having something concrete to hang on to has helped me to reign in my prone-to-wander mind (does everyone get a little ADDish when it comes to prayer?) and to muscle through when I'm spiritually dull or lazy. I plan to continue using Handbook to Prayer for the foreseeable future.

Oddly, I passed up an opportunity to purchase the print edition (if you want it, avoid Amazon and go straight to kenboa.org) and decided to stick with the Kindle. There was something about the typeface I didn't really care for, and the paper wasn't opaque enough. While there are drawbacks to the ebook version, I decided it wasn't worth another twenty bucks to trade them for another set of drawbacks.

[Amanda Dotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great devotional

This is an awesome daily devotional that reminds us how to pray for others, our nation, and ourselves. I would highly recommend it to all people of faith.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely helpful for structuring your daily prayers, especially when chunked throughout the day. It kept me focused on prayer during the entire day and looking forward to coming back to prayer later on. I found that a slightly different order for the prayers worked with my schedule best. Also, I tried to work 31 days straight but would sometimes take a day or so in between months or occasionally in the middle of a week. The book is also entirely rooted in Scripture itself. So, while you're praying the Word of God to God, you are also being fed by His truths. Take your time with the book and use it as it fits your own style. I actually started it a few years ago and picked it up again in 2024 to finish the commitment.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on prayer. I’ve actually back at the beginning and working through it again. If you feel stuck in your prayer life, pick up a copy of this important book. It has changed my prayer life for the better.

[Mark Roossinck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful tool to help deepen one's prayer life through engaging in Scripture. Organized based upon engaging in aspects of prayer. Involves more than a three month commitment of daily prayer of praying through Scripture. For me, it deepened my practice of prayer.

[Cathy Endebrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have the paperback version, not the leather bound. Boa walks you through step by step. Immersive and worthwhile. Perfect book for anyone wanting to deepen both their understanding of scripture as well as their relationship with the Father.

[Bill Mech · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my best purchases ever. This has revitalized my devotional life.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Highly recommend.

[Joe McDowell]

I have read through this book several times over the past ten years. It is simple, yet profound. I've enjoyed it every time I've read it.

[TommyLovesEli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe not the best for prayer, I've read, but a good 3 month prayer Scripture read and thoughts for prayer.

[Keeli Mullican · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this… daily.

[Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daily guided prayers of adoration, thanksgiving, confession, intercession, affirmation and petition. Rich in Scripture & helpful for structured prayer!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent guide to begin your day with prayer. It is based on the 8 forms of prayer found in The Lord's Prayer: Adoration, Confession, Renewal, Petition, Intercession, Affirmation, Thanksgiving, and Closing Prayer. Since we follow this format in our worship service at church, and since it is made up mostly of the Holy Scriptures, this is a wonderful guide to keep one on track and not wander off while praying, and is designed to keep one focused. It follows a 3 month cycle and so it is not unduly repetitive. Highly recommended to those who desire to grow in their prayer life.

[Jeff Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started out well. It was intended to be a three month prayer book but I think it took me three years. I appreciate the style of the book yet for me it gets tiring praying the same way every day. I would recommend it for those who don't have any regular practice and would like to start but don't let it become the focus and only type of prayer you do!

[Dennis Thurman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For years I have found praying the Scriptures would keep prayer fresh and shape it according to God's will. We can pray with confidence and fruitfulness for the will of God is found in the Word of God.

[Sara Fragoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the help I've been looking for! Structured prayer, with passages of Scripture to guide me from one pillar of prayer to the next. Not only does this book keep me from wandering aimlessly in my mostly-supplicative prayers, but it is teaching me how to pray!

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great.

[Olga Garate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This handbook has been transformational for my prayer life.

[Becky Pliego · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great prayer companion.

[Katie T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve gone through the book, but will continue to use - helpful tool!!!!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I use this handbook regularly for prayer. It helps distractable-me to focus and to pray the Scriptures.