Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

You know you are called to pray, but have you thought about the foundation to prayer?  This month we look closely at these foundations:  Why Pray?,  What is Prayer?, How do you Pray? and Challenges to Prayer. We also offer a number of study courses on prayer and a list of recommended reading.

If God is omniscient, doesn’t he know everything we need? And if he is both omnipotent and good, won’t he provide it whether we pray or not? So goes a common line of reasoning about prayer which influences many of us, to our own impoverishment and the detriment of Christ’s kingdom.

In May 1945, C.S. Lewis published an essay in which he addressed a “case against prayer” which he believed had, “in the last hundred years, intimidated thousands of people.” An excerpt follows...

A number of years ago, a well-known hamburger chain aired a TV commercial that ‌focused on a simple question to favorably distinguish its product from all others on the market. The question was “Where’s the beef?” It was an extremely successful commercial, still remembered by many people.

Is it through the scientific method of observing cause and effect that we can prove that prayer works? C.S. Lewis argues in his essay, "The Efficacy of Prayer", that it’s not through scientific experimentation, but rather through knowing God personally, as God reveals Himself to us through prayer that we gain assurance that God hears and responds to us...

Prayer is God’s idea, not ours. It is his gift to us, and it has a specific role in his plan for our lives and the world. C.S. Lewis certainly believed and taught this...

The ascetical traditions of the hesychia movement calls for the stillness of our soul and the gentleness of our attitude before God. Jim Houston explores this discipline of stillness when we go before God in prayer. Prayer is something that one embarks on for the rest of one's life, that is, the proper time for prayer is always!

Jim Houston explores our understanding of prayer as a mystical union between God and Christ. A mystical prayer life is a prayer life of love.

Prayer is the gift of God’s presence in our life. Jim Houston explores the spirit of worship found in Scripture. He shares that the climate of praise is a climate of super abundance. A true understanding of praise and worship involves knowing that if we are to praise God, then we are to break through the cultural framework in which we happen to live. Our very culture is in enmity with God hindering us from true praise and worship of our God.

A notable lesson in prayer was learned by the author when he read that in prayer there are at least five elements that should be present in a well-balanced prayer life. In a sense, prayer cannot be analyzed, since it is a unity and the outpouring of the single life of the one who prays. Yet in another sense, it can be divided into its constituent elements.

In Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis tells the story of his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Unlike some instantaneous conversions, Lewis came to faith in Christ through a journey searching for truth. He was initially converted to theism, and a little over two years later became a Christian...

Scripture reveals God’s deep desire to be in fellowship with us and the hunger of the human soul for a relationship with Him. God always takes the initiative by His grace and seeks to draw us back into a personal friendship. Central to this relationship is understanding the dynamics of knowing God...

For the Jews of Jesus’ day, Abba was a very unusual way of addressing God, almost unheard of. It was a familiar form of addressing one’s earthly father, often used in more informal family settings, almost like “Papa” or “Dad” but not quite. On Jesus’ lips it always had a respectful tone...

In this postmodern era, human feelings and intuition are increasingly prized over rational thought. However, our feelings are an unreliable foundation for either daily life or personal faith because they fluctuate so much. Sound faith, while including feelings, is ultimately grounded upon Spirit-illumined truth apprehended by the heart and mind...

“Abiding in Christ” is sometimes explained in esoteric terms. But abiding is not mystical. It’s primarily volitional: a matter of morality and ethics...

Have you ever found yourself confused about the relationship between God’s free grace and the many Scriptural exhortations to self-surrender, obedience, and the vigorous pursuit of holiness? Throughout the history of the church believers have tended to struggle in their walk with Christ because of failing to grasp what Scripture teaches about this critical question...

Prayer can at times be exhilarating, and at times can be daunting. On this topic of prayer, Paul Miller, executive director of Seeing Jesus, shares about what it looks like to being like a child in prayer.

It hardly need be said that to pray in the Spirit means to pray in harmony with the Word of God, which He has inspired. He does not speak with two voices. He will never move us to pray for something that is not sanctioned by Scripture...

Film is a window into the human heart. Like all art, anytime and anywhere, it both reflects and promotes a culture’s understanding of itself, its hopes and dreams, its glories and its shames, its beliefs about reality and truth, about right and wrong, what is to be prized and what is to be despised. For that reason, we cannot “leave our brains at the box-office,” as one of my teachers told me years ago...

Independence and self-determination are highly prized values among Americans, whether they are believers or non-believers. Few people would question the importance and goodness of these values. However, in terms of one’s relationship with God, they present a major problem...

Coming to faith in Christ as one’s Savior is sometimes referred to as “trusting Christ.” Yet as we begin to follow Christ in the realities of day to day life, we discover that there is a lot more to trusting Christ than a single prayer of commitment. In fact, we struggle at times between trying our best to think, speak, and act in a Christlike manner and trusting God to work his nature in us and through us...

In C.S. Lewis’s book, Prince Caspian, the Pevensie children return to Narnia a second time many years after they had been kings and queens in Narnia. They are on a mission to find Prince Caspian, but find themselves lost in the woods as the landscape has changed since their last visit...

We are always completely, and therefore equally, known to God. That is our destiny whether we like it or not. But though this knowledge never varies, the quality of our being known can…

We hear it all the time, don’t we? If you are really serious about your faith, if you want to be more than merely a nominal Christian, a really spiritual person, then you must be a man or woman of prayer. Warren Wiersbe, author and speaker, put it this way: “No Christian rises any higher than his or her prayer life.” And, “The hidden life of prayer is the secret of an open life of victory.”...

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis gives us insights into one of the devil’s key strategies against believers through the advice of a senior devil to his younger protégé...

One of the most subtle forms of idolatry is that of placing our love of family ahead of our love and commitment to God. Loving relationships with our parents, spouses, and children are among the most precious blessings of human existence, and followers of Christ should excel in this area of life. However, it is possible for our deep bonds of love and affection—so good within God-given limits—to exceed their proper boundaries and supplant the supremacy of Christ in our life...

In one of his last books, Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis included a chapter titled “A Word About Praising.” He shares that, early in his Christian life, he found a stumbling block in the idea of God “demanding” praise, and explains what he would later come to understand...

When we speak of knowing God, it is important to understand that we are not talking about abstract or speculative thought concerning God or mystical experiences but about coming alive to God through Jesus Christ and surrendering ourselves to Him in grateful love (Rom. 12:1)...

The desires of one’s heart will determine the direction of one’s life and ultimately one’s eternal destiny. This simple but profound truth is obvious, yet it is often neglected. For many of us, daily life is busy, pressured, distracted, and bombarded with what seems like an unending stream of alluring enticements designed to capture our attention and shape our desires...

Ufalme is a Swahili word which means Kingdom. In this ten-session guided experience, you’ll explore the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. Featuring Kenyan pastors and Bible teachers, original artwork, videos, discussion questions, and an interactive guidebook, this course is designed to help you know and grow in the love of the Heavenly Father and experience victory in your daily life. Register now to view content.

Our Study Course on Letters to Malcolm is not quite an instruction manual on prayer but is more of a brilliant course on prayer appreciation. Similar to how art and music classes help you more deeply appreciate the genre's riches, Letters to Malcolm takes you deeper into the mysteries of prayer. Register for course access here, or Login to view content.

The inspiring story of how C.S. Lewis came to faith is articulated in Surprised by Joy, among other places. In Learning from the Spiritual Pilgrimage of C.S. Lewis, see how prayer played a role in his life as a sustained and regular habit. Register for course access here, or Login to view content.

The prayer life of C.S. Lewis was vibrant and powerful enough to play a large role in the life of Lyle Dorsett. Explore how Prayer, Scripture, and the Church played a large role in the Spiritual Formation in the Life of C.S. Lewis Study Course. Register for course access here, or Login to view content.

In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul argues that prayer has a vital place in the life of the Christian and calls us to come before God's presence with joy and hope. Dr. Sproul shares practical wisdom and helps us understand the purpose, pattern, practice, prohibitions, and power of prayer.

Guy Richard shows us that we have many reasons to be excited about prayer—and to pray with urgency! As we pour out our hearts to the Lord, we and the world around us will be changed. Informative, encouraging, and practical, this brief book will serve as a helpful primer for pastors, elders, study groups, and Christians who seek encouragement and instruction on prayer and its blessings.

Sadly, most of us struggle to set aside time to pray. But, fear not, this is not another book that will pile on the guilt, simply saying pray better and more often. Instead, Michael Reeves shows us not only why prayer is so essential, but also how we can enjoy it too. He helps us understand that prayer should be a natural expression of our faith. Just as faith is awakened as we grasp the wonders of the gospel, so prayer follows as our hearts respond to these glorious truths.

Life’s inevitable difficulties and disappointments can discourage us from praying, but our response should be to pray anyway and keep praying. Whatever we seek, God invites us to come to Him with confidence, believing that He is able to answer—and He will answer. In It Happens After Prayer, Pastor HB Charles, Jr. motivates and encourages us to respond to the challenges of life with prayer, to pray without ceasing, and to pray with great expectations.

There is no need we will face in parenting--or that our kids will confront in their lives--that God has not already thought of, and provided for, in his Word. And there can be no greater privilege than partnering with him, through our prayers, to accomplish his best purposes in the lives of the people we love. But where to begin? In this updated and expanded edition celebrating the twentieth anniversary of a modern classic, you will discover how using the Bible to shape your desires and requests opens the door to God's provision--and frees us from things like worry and fear in our parenting!

If we're honest, most of us feel bored, distracted, or discouraged in prayer. We look for resources to give us the "right" words or teach us the "right" technique and are disappointed when they don't seem to help. What we fail to realize is that prayer isn't a place for us to be good or right, and it isn't a place for us to perform or prove our worth. It's a place for us to be honest, present, and known--a place for us to offer ourselves and receive God.

"Some churches now advertise courses on how to pray. How ridiculous! That is like giving a course on how to fall in love." - A. W. Tozer
Tozer saw prayer as a way of life, which few people do. Listeners can now experience the same great vision. He was enthralled by God's greatness, and he saw prayer as the fundamental means of entering his presence. However, if our daily lives are empty with busyness and there is no pressing need to pray, we miss out on the wonder of being moulded to Christ's image and knowing our God more personally - the authentic Christian life.

Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? Does it change God's mind or ours or both? This book is an invitation to communicate with God the Father who invites us into an eternal partnership through prayer. Yancey tackles the tough questions and, in the process, comes up with a fresh new approach to this timeless topic.

In Prayer, The Ultimate Conversation, which is based on a lifetime of walking with the Father and fifty-five years of ministry founded on prayer, Dr. Charles Stanley not only teaches the disciplines of intercession but also explains how to fight life’s battles through intimate communion with the Lord. Dr. Stanley discusses how to truly know God through communication with Him.

A Praying Life has encouraged thousands of Christians to pursue a vibrant prayer life full of joy and power. A life of prayer invites you to a life of connection to God. When Jesus describes the intimacy that He seeks with us, He talks about joining us for dinner (Revelation 3:20). This book reminds readers that prayer is simply making conversation with God a rhythm of life.

The Battle Plan for Prayer begins with prayer’s core purpose, its biblical design, and its impact throughout history. Readers will be guided scripturally through the fundamentals of how effective prayer works, inspired towards a closer, more intimate relationship with God, and shown how to develop specific prayer strategies for each area of life. Prayer can accomplish what a willing God can accomplish. It should be your first plan of attack in all of life’s battles, not your last resort. If you want to experience the joy of mightily answered prayer, then it’s time to engage with God at another level.

The strength of Puritan character and life lay in prayer and meditation. In this practice the spirit of prayer was regarded as of first importance and the best form of prayer, for living prayer is the characteristic of genuine spirituality. Yet prayer is also vocal and may therefore on occasions be written. Consequently in the Puritan tradition there are many written prayers and meditations which constitute an important corpus of inspiring devotional literature.