Pray With Your Eyes Open: Looking at God, Ourselves, and Our Prayers [Paperback]

Richard L. (Author), Jr. Pratt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

In this book Pratt offers the reader ways to deal with inadequate prayer lives. He offers biblical direction on how to pray more effectively. Key issues such as honest confession of our needs, form and freedom in prayer and questions such as why pray when God will do whatever He pleases anyway are explored. Discussion questions, practical exercise and assignments with each chapter make this book ideal for school classes and study groups as well as individuals.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard L. Pratt, Jr. holds the M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia and the Th.D. in Old Testament Studies from Harvard Divinity School (while at Harvard he gained a reading knowledge of eleven languages.) He is currently Associate Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida.

Richard is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. He is author of the books Every Thought Captive: A Study Manual for the Defense of Christian Truth, Designed for Dignity: What God Has Made It Possible for You to Be and He Gave Us Stories: The Bible StudentÂ’s Guide to Interpreting Old Testament Narratives and has been a contributor to several books and journals. Dr. Pratt has taught overseas in Australia and Czechoslovakia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: P & R Publishing (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875523781
• ISBN-13: 978-0875523781
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #670,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY Good Book on Prayer, December 9, 2003

By 

J. F Foster - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pray with your eyes open: Looking at God, ourselves, and our prayers (Hardcover)

Books on prayer abound within Christian circles. Christian bookstores are filled with such books, with many such books acting more like 12 step programs for revitalizing prayer so we can get what we want, than in providing a Biblically based theology and perspective on prayer that can actually anchor our outlook in prayer in the Bible. Pratt predominately succeeds in doing this.

As Pratt indicates at the start, this book does not provide any grand revelations on prayer that haven't been known throughout the history of the church. It's not a magic pill offering magical formulas, and it doesn't resolve every conceivable issue surrounding prayer. But it is still quite thorough in the issues it addresses, and more importantly, its inquisitiveness is substantive and very practical.

A reader who decides to read this book is probably someone who feels that their prayer life is missing something, maybe a lot. Many Christians are in this boat, me included. As a result, I think many readers will be pleasantly surprised by the insights that are offered about our approach to prayer and how both our prayers and the attitudes and expectations behind them are so often out of accord with the prayers recorded in the Bible.

Not surprisingly, the bulk of Pratt's examination on prayer is from an Old Testament perspective, since he's an Old Testament guy. Readers may very well experience something akin to an awakening or a reappreciation for the Psalms after reading this book, I know I did. Pratt is thorough in his examination and tends to do a very good job in backing up his assertions in Scripture. He tends to be very careful in not making grand statements that have no Scriptural support, and this alone is refreshing within the publishing world where prayer is concerned.

I found Pratt's approach to be pretty systematic in logically working from one issue to the next. The review/discussion questions at the end of each chapter make this book excellent for small group studies in addition to individual reading and reflection. Pratt does an outstanding job of categorizing the many issues of prayer within three essential aspects of prayer - God, ourselves, and communication. Similar to a wedding, where all that's essential is the bride, groom, and officiant (and maybe a witness or two) while everything else is gravy when you really think about it, a focus on these three essential aspects of prayer helps the discussion greatly and makes all of the chapters relevant within a larger framework of obvious relevancy.

This book will benefit the reader greatly, because he/she will gain a greater understanding of the God they are praying to, in addition to a much more discerning and even critical attitude towards themselves and the motives and expectations they bring to prayer. In addition, the section on the prayerful communication itself may really bring a renewed spark of enthusiasm and vitality to prayer that will replace the mundane and even meaningless monotony so many of us get caught up in when we pray. Highly recommended.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Okay, I haven't finished it yet..., August 31, 2004

By 

Adriaan from Sydney "Adriaan" (Sydney, Australia (no kangaroos on my street)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pray With Your Eyes Open: Looking at God, Ourselves, and Our Prayers (Paperback)

Yes, I know I shouldn't be writing this review yet. But I don't want you to go through another day without reading this book!

This book is taking me forever to read. That's because I keep on reading each chapter 2-3 times before moving on. The effects are not only profound for your prayer life, but for your whole relationship with God. I am finding it transforming.

Here's a tip on using the book: program into your diary to spend some days away with God. Then go find somewhere beautiful and relaxing, and take a bible, a notepad, and Pratt's book. It will be like cool water to your soul.

I have had the privilege of hearing Richard speak on several occasions in Sydney. He is a warm, funny, engaging, out-of-the-box guy. He is also serious about fostering a joyful and totally-transforming relationship with God. Richard, if you read this review, be encouraged in the knowledge that your book is doing a lot of good -- even 17 years after it was published.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on Prayer that i have read, December 27, 2001

By 

K. Bevan ""what ever"" (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pray With Your Eyes Open: Looking at God, Ourselves, and Our Prayers (Paperback)

I can't say enough about this book. One of the best books I have ever read on prayer. Richard Pratt looks at the Three elements required for prayer, God, Ourselves, and Communication. The book is broken up into 12-13 chapters so it is great for using for a Sunday School class or for Church Home Group bible study. The fact that each chapter is individual from each other, which helps in that if someone misses a week, they are not "lost". The author looks at praying through our joy, our sorrow, and not just focusing on one aspect of God himself (i.e The Righteous Judge, Merciful Father, The Great Healer) but to focus on all his attributes. I try to read this book once every other year as a refresher. A must buy!!