Customer Reviews

Approaching God: How to Pray

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Steve Brown really delves deep into the doctrine for prayer! This is an excellent handbook for people who really want to know not only how to approach God, but what it takes to have satisfying and fulfilling interaction with Him.

Rather than trying to tell people what to pray or even what not to, Mr. Brown gets to the root of the problem... getting started. Mr. Brown's theory is "Unbelievers don't pray because they are afraid that God might be there. Believers don't pray because they are afraid he might not be." He asserts that God is interested in developing a relationship with us not just hearing from us when we want or need something. He explains that before we can have this relationship we need to trust God unconditionally. To leap forward or fall back in total faith that God will be there to catch us and sustain us, even in times when He doesn't seem to answer or even refuses our requests. It is his contention that in contrast many of us try to manipulate or bargain with God often by trying to find out what prayer or combination of prayers will get God to give us the things we desire or help us gain control over our lives and the lives of those we interact with in life.

Steve Brown goes even deeper, exposing how our innate need to control or take over control when we feel God is not there for us short-circuits God's plans for us. He relates quite a bit of relevant scripture including how Jesus tried to teach much of this in His parables and testimony while on earth. He examines the Lord's Prayer which was given to us by Christ as an example of how to pray, not what to pray. In doing so Mr. Brown identifies the key concepts behind the prayer millions have adopted as their prayer, when in actuality they are more often than not just lackadaisically repeating words.

Mr. Brown encourages us to open our hearts and minds in prayer and share our doubts, our fears, our pain, our sin, and our shame because, as it is written, nothing is hidden from God anyway. He just wants to hear it acknowledged by us. Through this confession as well as by relinquishing control and listening for God to speak to us, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and bring about what is good for us and to develop spiritual attitudes and outward manifestations of our salvation and growth as believers.

I find this book easy to read and hard to put down. I've had it for half a day and have already read half of it. It feels like Mr. Brown is sitting in the room talking to me. I have read some other books regarding prayer and how to pray, but this one is the best I've read so far. I'm new to faith and Christianity and this makes me feel more deserving and willing to carry on the every important conversations with God. I highly recommend reading this book to new Christians.

Words can hardly describe! If you are wanting a closer walk, a deeper relationship, but don't know how to go about it, this book is for you! Bravo, Steve Brown! You took the "scary" and the "guilt" out of approaching God, yet the approach is as reverent and worshipful as ever. In light of the WTC bombing, I am ever so mindful of what Steve Brown reminds us in the context of this book; i.e., the victory is already ours! I will keep this book for life. ...

This book is truthful in its concepts. I appreciate the authors comman sense and his great sense of humor. This book gives us the freedom to approach the Lord with all our doubts and confusion. I will be using this book the rest of my life.

I have read many books on prayer and this one is one of the best! Steve Brown is so authentic and earthy that you can almost reach out and touch God. Truly, one of the greatest needs today for many Christians is a fresh and realistic outlook on approaching God. I invite anyone to take the challenge of Steve and start to dance in your Christian walk.

A wonderful book. Insightful, direct, well written and easy to understand. It answered so many questions for me. This is a book that I will have close at hand for many years, if not for the rest of my life. Thank you Mr. Brown.

Steve Brown's first book is a fabulous introduction with a keen insight into prayer, written in a down-to-earth language. He affirms where you've been, complete with the good parts and the bad parts. He offers you the opportunity to go deeper, but insists it all depends on God calling you there. I borrowed the copy from church, and had to underline. So I bought another copy for the church, and put the purloined, underlined copy on the Keeper Shelf. A simply great read.

This is a very accessible volume that lays out the rudiments of prayer--both a theology of prayer and the practice of prayer. Brown discusses what prayer is and is not, looks at pertinent passages from the Bible, then gives some practical suggestions and ideas for ways to pray. He even includes a section of questions from his radio audience--it is here that some of the more difficult issues of prayer are addressed. Brown's style is very fluid and simple; nothing flashy or superfluous, which makes for great readability. While much of the book is geared toward new Christians, Brown includes several nuggets of wisdom for Christians at all stages of the faith journey. Recommended.

His humility and profound honesty humbles and strengthens the weary soul! This book is a literal treasure trove for those of us mining for Spiritual Gold; i.e.:"...religion is for people who want to stay out of hell, and Christianity is for people who have been there."-page 67. Let go of superfluous Christianity, guilt and fruitless prayer and approach our Heavenly Father in childlike dependence.