The Prayer of the Lord [Hardcover]

R.C. Sproul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2009

What is the Lord s Prayer? In The Prayer of the Lord, Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, Jesus intent was to give His disciples a model prayer, an example to follow, one that would teach them transferrable principles for conversation with God. In short, Christ gave the Lord s Prayer to teach His disciples about prayer, and Dr. Sproul, in his trademark fashion, brings out many of the truths Christ intended for His followers to learn. Readers will learn how not to pray, then will be led into a deeper understanding of such topics as the fatherhood of God, the kingdom of God, the will of God, the nature of sin and forgiveness, the dangers of temptation, and the cunning of Satan. The final chapter includes questions and answers on various aspects of prayer not covered elsewhere in the book, and the appendix addresses the difficult question of the relationship of God s sovereignty and prayer. The Prayer of the Lord is an eye-opening journey, one that reveals new vistas in familiar terrain.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder, chairman and president of Ligonier Ministries, an international multimedia ministry based in Lake Mary, Florida, and can be heard teaching around the United States and overseas on his daily radio program Renewing Your Mind. He also serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew s Chapel in Sanford, Florida.

He is the author of more than sixty books, including The Truth of the Cross, The Prince's Poison Cup, The Holiness of God, and Chosen by God. He also served as general editor of The Reformation Study Bible.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 130 pages
• Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing (May 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567691188
• ISBN-13: 978-1567691184
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. R.C. Sproul is the founder, chairman and president of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian education ministry located near Orlando, Florida. His teaching can be heard on the program Renewing Your Mind, which is broadcast on hundreds of radio outlets in the United States and in 40 countries worldwide. He is the executive editor of Tabletalk magazine and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible, and the author of more than seventy books and scores of articles for national evangelical publications. Dr. Sproul also serves as president of Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and Reformation Bible College. He currently serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's in Sanford, FL.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great contribution to the understanding of prayer, June 30, 2009

By 

Joan N. "bookwomanJoan" (Whidbey Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Prayer of the Lord (Hardcover)

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. R. C. suggests this is because the disciples noted the link between Jesus' extraordinary prayer life and His power. Before Jesus gave His followers a model prayer He told them how not to pray (Matt. 6:5-7). The first prohibition is hypocritical praying, especially in public. He also prohibited pagan practices in prayer such as meaningless repetitions.

As R. C. delves into an exposition of the model prayer we are reminded that we do not pray to change God's mind. We are changed by prayer. R. C. suggests that The Lord's Prayer should not be used in a rote manner but as a framework that defines our prayers.

Calling God "Father" reminds the Christian of adoption. Only those adopted may call God Father. The first petition is that God's name would be regarded as holy and sacred by us and by our culture. (This must be the Christian's attitude before subsequent petitions can be fulfilled.) We petition for Christ's rule as king to be manifest by our living as citizens of His kingdom. With deep commitment to the sovereignty of God, R. C. explains that "your will be done on earth" is our desiring that God be glorified on earth as He is in heaven. (This section on God's will is worth the price of the book.)

Recognizing God's providence we ask Him to give us what we need (not forgetting our own labor and productivity). We understand we have an impossible debt to God and need His forgiveness. But there is a condition attached. R. C. calls this "one of the most frightening lines in the Lord's Prayer." He suggests we are to see this as an aspiration rather than a condition as no one can forgive as the Father does.

In the next petition we ask the Father to spare us from the temptation that can lead us into new sin, that the test of our faith should not be so severe but that we would be delivered from Satan (whom God often uses to bring the testing).

R. C. notes that the end of the prayer returns our focus to God. We end prayer by affirming that supreme power, ultimate glory, and the kingdom of heaven all belong to God alone.

Don't skip the appendix. There R. C. speaks to the question of why we are to pray even though God is sovereign. He also reminds us to balance the promises of God with all of the qualifications God gives regarding prayer.

Sproul's book is an important contribution to the study of prayer from a Calvinistic viewpoint. Sproul is a scholar yet his work is very readable. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to understand how to pray.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review - "The Prayer of the Lord" by R.C. Sproul, October 27, 2009

By 

Frank Gantz (Boynton Beach, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Prayer of the Lord (Hardcover)

"Familiarity breeds contempt." Most Christians are familiar with The Lord's Prayer. While this familiarity may not breed contempt, it probably breeds complacency. R.C. Sproul's book, The Prayer of the Lord, presents this familiar prayer a model for the Christian to communicate with God. The reader will be left with neither contempt nor complacency. Instead the reader will be spurred to pray and pray more intelligently and effectively.

Sproul is a noted theologian who has the ability to make deep theological truths accessible to every Christian. When I began reading this book, I did not put it down until I was finished. I was challenged to think deeply yet practically about my own prayer life.

Of all of the possibilities the disciples could have chosen, they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus honors their request by providing a model for them to pray.

As Sproul unpacks this prayer, he begins by discussing what we are to avoid in prayer. The first chapter warns against hypocrisy and pagan practices in our prayers.

In chapter 2 the focus is upon the one to whom we are praying. Sproul tackles the issues surrounding the fatherhood of God in a clear and helpful manner.

In chapters 3 through 5, Sproul unravels the three aspects of our prayers related to God. We should pray regarding God's name, God's kingdom and God's will. Again, the author demonstrates an ability to wrestle with tough issues in a way that encourages to prayer more intelligently.

In chapters 6 through 8, we are taught to pray for our needs. We need God's daily provision, his forgiveness and his protection.

Chapter 9 brings the prayer back to the beginning with our focus on God.

Sproul adds a final chapter to answer potential questions that the reader might have about prayer. He even includes an appendix to answer the question, "If God is sovereign, why pray?"

All that Sproul teaches can be summarized in how he answers the question of what rules are there in prayer.

"There are really only two rules that you should have to keep in mind when you're in prayer, two things that should drive and govern and control your prayer life with the Almighty. You should remember who is being addressed and who is doing the speaking. That is, the first thing you are to remember in prayer is who it is you're talking to, because nothing will condition your prayer life more deeply than remembering that you're in conversation with God, the sovereign Creator and Ruler of the universe. Second, you are to remember who you are. You are not God. You are a creature. So prayer is not a conversation between peers; it is not a fireside chat among equals. This is the creature speaking to the sovereign Creator."

--page 15

I am confident that each reader that comes to this book with an eagerness to learn will have their prayer life enriched. You will also be challenged to think more clearly about some of the key theological truths. Deep but practical. Practical teaching is provided on the will of God, on forgiveness and on several other aspects of Christian living. This is one of the best books that I have read in some time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Model Prayer Clearly Explained, November 21, 2009

By 

John A. Bird (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Prayer of the Lord (Hardcover)

"We're not all that adept at prayer; it is a practice very few of us have mastered," says Dr. R.C. Sproul. Who can disagree? Our prayers are often unbiblical, casual, self-centered, and thoughtless--when we pray at all. But Jesus has left us with a model of how we should pray, and it deserves our attention.

"Jesus did not give the Lord's Prayer with the intention that it would be repeated mindlessly. When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we need to pray it thoughtfully, giving attention in our minds to its content. It is not a mantra to be repeated without the engagement of the mind or heart. It is an example of godly prayer."

Dr. R.C. Sproul's The Prayer of the Lord is a practical study of Matthew 6:5-13. After the first chapter, "How Not to Pray," each chapter covers a single phrase within the Lord's Prayer. What is the significance of beginning with "our Father?" What are we asking for when we say "hallowed be your name?" Why should we pray for God's will to be done, and which "will" are we referring to? Dr. Sproul answers these questions and many more. And if the question is not answered in the first nine chapters, there's a good chance that it will be answered in chapter ten--"Questions and Answers." The book concludes with a wonderful appendix: "If God is Sovereign, Why Pray?"

A major theme of The Prayer of the Lord is the sovereignty and majesty of God. This is not a book on how to increase in God's favor through prayer. Dr. Sproul does not encourage Christians to storm into God's presence and make demands, nor does he encourage approaching God as a friend or an equal. Instead, he reminds readers that "we are peasants in the presence of the King. Not just a king, but the King, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the One who is absolutely sovereign." He has "condescended to give us an audience." We should keep this in mind and pray to Him accordingly.

The ability to teach the Bible as clearly and accurately as Dr. Sproul is rare. He is a master, and this little book is no exception. The chapters are short and to the point, and yet the matter is fully explained. And the book is not cluttered with quotes from other writers. Instead, Dr. Sproul uses original stories and Scriptures to illustrate his points.

For the follower of Christ, prayer is not just important; it's essential. "Our spiritual lives are means to the end of godliness, and prayer is one of the key aspects of our spirituality." Yet many of us struggle in this area more than any other. The Prayer of the Lord will help. Readers will be instructed, encouraged, and edified. I highly recommend it.