AUDIO-PRAYER AND PRAYING MEN BY E.M.BOUNDS
Prayer and Praying Men by E. M. Bounds
PETER JOHN PARISIS
Edward McKendree Bounds
(1835-1913)
E. M. Bounds was a Pastor around the time of the American Civil War. It is said that he prayed daily for four hours before he would begin work on his writings.
We are very happy to be presenting his writings as one of our New Monthly Features.
A "Prayer Tip" from E. M. Bounds:
Silverball Much time spent with God is the secret of all successful praying.
While many private prayers, in the nature of things, must be short; while public prayers, as a rule, ought to be short and condensed; while there is ample room for and value put on ejaculatory prayer -- yet in our private communions with God time is a feature essential to its value. Much time spent with God is the secret of all successful praying. Prayer which is felt as a mighty force is the mediate or immediate product of much time spent with God. Our short prayers owe their point and efficiency to the long ones that have preceded them.
The short prevailing prayer cannot be prayed by one who has not prevailed with God in a mightier struggle of long continuance. Jacob's victory of faith could not have been gained without that all-night wrestling. God's acquaintance is not made by pop calls. God does not bestow his gifts on the casual or hasty comers and goers. Much time with God alone is the secret of knowing him and of influence with him. He yields to the persistency of a faith that knows him. He bestows his richest gifts upon those who declare their desire for and appreciation of those gifts by the constancy as well as earnestness of their importunity.
Silverball...our purpose is to impress on our minds the necessity of being much alone with God...
Christ, who in this as well as other things is our Example, spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much. He had his habitual place to pray. Many long seasons of praying make up his history and character. Paul prayed day and night. It took time from very important interests for Daniel to pray three times a day. David's morning, noon, and night praying were doubtless on many occasions very protracted. While we have no specific account of the time these Bible saints spent in prayer, yet the indications are that they consumed much time in prayer, and on some occasions long seasons of praying was their custom.
We would not have any think that the value of their prayers is to be measured by the clock, but our purpose is to impress on our minds the necessity of being much alone with God; and that if this feature has not been produced by our faith, then our faith is of a feeble and surface type.
Silverball Luther said: "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day.
The men who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character, and have most powerfully affected the world for him, have been men who spent so much time with God as to make it a notable feature of their lives. Charles Simeon devoted the hours from four till eight in the morning to God. Mr. Wesley spent two hours daily in prayer. He began at four in the morning. Of him, one who knew him well wrote: "He thought prayer to be more his business than anything else, and I have seen him come out of his closet with a serenity of face next to shining."
John Fletcher stained the walls of his room by the breath of his prayers. Sometimes he would pray all night; always, frequently, and with great earnestness. His whole life was a life of prayer. "I would not rise from my seat," he said, "without lifting my heart to God." His greeting to a friend was always: "Do I meet you praying?" Luther said: "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer." He had a motto: "He that has prayed well has studied well."
-E. M. Bounds, "Power Through Prayer" (excerpt from Chapter 7) ____________________________________________
"Christians Ought Always to Pray."
By Thriftbooks.com User,
Someone once asked one of God's Generals, William Branham, how a christian could "get deeper (into) the love of God." His response? "Read your Bible and pray...read your Bible and Pray." This compilation by Confederate Civil War chaplain Edward McKendree Bounds unveils the mystery of prayer right before our eyes. Prayer is dealt with not so much as how to twist the arm of the Almighty to get what you want, but rather as being the birthright of every Christian. Through chapter and verse, as well as by example and illustration, Rev. Bounds show us that prayer ought to be as natural as drawing a breath. I am using this book during my devotional time and asking the Lord to teach me how to pray. I am coming to realize that not only do I have to learn how to pray, I am learning that I must pray. Jesus said His house would be known as a house of prayer. Does it stand to reason why we, whome name His name, should be a people of prayer? Please share your thoughts with me on this book, and prayer.
This one is for keeps!
By Thriftbooks.com User,
EM Bounds starts his book thus: "The prayers of God's saints are the capital stock in heaven by which Christ carries out His great work upon the earth. Great throes and mighty convulsions in the world have come about as a result of these prayers. The earth is changed, revolutionized; angels move on more powerful, more rapid wings; and God's policy is shaped when the prayers of His people are more numerous and more efficient." Or as John Wesley would say: "God does nothing except in answer to prayer." When I bought this book, I wasn't sure if it would be readable, having been written by someone who was born in 1835. But the English is highly modern and readable, and its truths, Oh! so penetrating and insightful. I never knew there was so much to write or teach about on prayer, but all 622 pages are rich in insights on why prayer matters. There is a chapter on "Prayer that gets results", another on "Prayer that is persistent", a third on "Prayer and Spiritual Warfare", and another on "God's need for people who pray". If we believe that God does nothing except in answer to prayer, we realize what a privilege and responsibility He has vested upon us to advance His kingdom and pray His will on earth into being. EM Bounds encourages us in this partnership with God in a systematic, passionate and deeply anointed way. Despite my vast collection of Christian literature, if I were to take three books onto a desert island, the shortlist currently stands as such: (1) The Bible (2) John Piper's "The Pleasures of God" and (3) EM Bounds on Prayer. This one is definitely for keeps!
A MUST HAVE !
By Thriftbooks.com User,
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER CANNOT BE EMPHASIZED ENOUGH. REVEREND BOUNDS BELIEVED IN A REGULAR PRAYER TIME & THE NEED FOR LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD. HE MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MUCH TIME PRAYING FOR OUR CHURCH LEADERS, REVIVAL, SALVATION OF OTHERS, & FOR WORLD LEADERS TO MENTION A FEW. HE BELIEVED PRAYER MOVED THE VERY HAND OF GOD INTO ACTION & ALTERED THE COURSE OF EVENTS/HISTORY. FAITH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF PRAYER. THE MORE THAT WE PRAY THE GREATER OUR RELIANCE ON GOD GROWS & THE GREATER OUR FAITH.INSTANCES OF ANSWERED PRAYER ARE DOCCUMENTED IN THIS BOOK.REVEREEND BOUNDS WAS A GREAT PRAYER WARRIOR & MINISTER. THE BOOK WAS VERY UPLIFTING & INSPIRING TO ME. IT IS ALSO A GREAT GIFT ITEM.
A passionate & thought provoking plea to Christians to pray
By Thriftbooks.com User,
I have always prayed a lot. I have studied the subject in the scriptures. But as I opened and read the pages of "E.M. Bounds on Prayer", I felt as if I hardly knew prayer and therefore my Father God. I had so limited God in my prayer life. Edward Bounds shows from the scriptures the importance of prayer, the power of prayer and God's desire for prayer. Prayer is how we talk to God. Mr. Bounds shows examples from the Bible how God responds to real, passionate, persistent prayer. The words of Christ were, "Men ought to pray and not to faint". E.M. Bounds echo's the words of our Lord and Savior and shows the hearts desire of a Father wanting to bless his children. His children though must talk to the Father. That is prayer. If you read this book and believe the scriptures quoted within it's pages, you will pray more and your prayers will get answers. God promises it!
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