Customer Reviews

The Necessity of Prayer (Devotional Classics)

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This is one of the greatest works of a truly profound author. This volume challenges mediocrity in the Christian life at its very core. The reader will come away from it with the certainty that he has sat at the feet of one who has frequented the very throne of God. The reader will also sense a Divine pull on the deepest recesses of his heart, as the author describes the kind of intimacy with God we all long for.

The one who wishes to remain stagnant amidst religious ritual should stay away from this potent medicine, but the one who wishes to remember why we pursue the life we do and longs to regain the heavenly perspective will find a strong welcome antidote against mediocrity and earth-mindedness.

This is a must read for any and all who seek the presence of God.

"The Necessity Of Prayer" by E.M. Bounds focuses on helping Christians to discover the mystery and majesty of prayer.

Among the points covered include:

1. Only God can move mountains, but prayer and faith move God.
2. Genuine and authentic faith must be free of doubt.
3. Faith is believing God, resting in Him, and trusting in His word.
4. Trust sees God doing things here and now.
5. Prayer must be red hot because God wants warmhearted servants.
6. A person's character and answered prayer are connected.
7. Obedience is more important to God than sacrifice.
8. The Christian soldier must always be have his/her spiritual guard up.
9. Without prayer, the Christian experience and influence will be dry and arid.
10. Many great Bible characters were people of fervent prayer.

A great and encouraging challenge for the Christian to realize the importance of prayer.

Highly recommended.

There are few writers who can travel the soul of man like that of E.M. Bounds. Bounds' works have far impacted the Church since his death in 1913. At the time of Bounds death, he was an unknown former Civil War Southern chaplain who died without any fanfare nor was his death noted across the states. Yet it was his vast wealth on prayer that he left behind that has been the diamond in the rough.

This work called THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER is classic Bounds. Bounds will usally take a text from the Bible and then offer simply meditation on the verse. If you are looking for more detailed study of biblical passages on prayer, I would look elsewhere but if you are looking for a fire in your bones for prayer then by all means you need this book. As the title suggest, Bounds offers us the necessity for prayer. He shows that prayerlessness is a sin (1 Samuel 12:23) and that it is the duty and need of the Church of Jesus Christ to pray (Acts 2:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

I highly recommend this book.

My impression after reading this book is that it seems to be a pre-requisite for "Power Through Prayer", also by Bounds. The difference is the latter is more for ministers, while this one is for laypeople. Bounds makes a strong case in regard to the correlation between faith, trust, obedience, love to God, the habit of immersing oneself in the Word of God, and worship attendance in the house of God to prayer and its fervency thereof. Joined together, they form a positive feedback mechanism, where the strengthening of one strengthens prayers and the others and vice versa, which I think is true. The opposite is also true where the lack of one tends to weaken the others.

There are two main objections that I see as weaknesses of his seemingly over-emphasis on prayer. First, he seems to imply that prayer is the goal of Christian life; meaning, once you are good in prayer, that's it. You have mastered the Christian life. Though I agree that prayer is immensely important, to be transformed to be like Christ, to know him more and more fully intellectually and affectionately is the goal of Christian life, fellowship with the Father and the Son, not prayer. Prayer is a must-have condition; it is a means to this end. Secondly, Bounds is dangerously close to the despicable prosperity gospel mindset that motivates prayer, that reminds me of the stench of Bruce Wilkinson's "Prayer of Jabez" and his other books of like-topics, by claiming that if we pray hard enough, often enough, fervent enough, we are sure to have what we ask for as if we could influence God to change his mind and cause him to be obliged to give what we ask. Thus, the gift is the end goal of prayer, not the communion with God, which is the essence of man-centered, prosperity gospel. Such a motive of prayer is obviously false and borders on blasphemy.

Good book about how we need to have faith. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God.

The Lord will increase our faith. Sometimes it comes from trials and tribulation.

Recommend for all Christians that want to have more faith.

This is an excellent book on prayer. Makes a great gift, prayer is lacking in the life of many because they say they do not no how. Well this book is very encouraging...