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 PrintableVersion The message of prayerThe Bible on prayerTHE MESSAGE OF PRAYER I am much enjoying the Bible Themes titles in the Bible Speaks Today series, and Tim Chester's book on Prayer has been no exception. I have tended to use them for my quiet times, and, with this book in particular. I studied the relevant Bible passage, read Mr. Chester's very helpful exposition, and then tried to implement what I had learnt as I prayed through my prayer list. Tim Chester acknowledges what most of us sadly feel, that in Bridge terms prayer is not his 'long suit'. So this book is not 'Chester on prayer', but the 'Bible on prayer'. He succeeds, therefore, as indeed Calvin succeeds, but many others fail, in teaching on prayer without sending us on a guilt trip. Calvin, incidentally, is only one of the many authors quoted. There are 12 pages of bibliography, which is somewhat daunting, especially as there are one or two omissions of older classics. The many authors referred to produce some stunning quotations. Probably a book on prayer ought to make it clearer that prayer is for the converted and therefore ought to begin with a chapter on how to become a Christian. Thereafter, however, this book is very helpful. Negatively, it kicks into touch some modern nonsense about mysticism and the utterly foolish idea that prayer is mainly listening. Positively, there are good expositions both on Old Testament and New Testament passages, with an especially good chapter on spiritual warfare. This book is to be warmly recommended both for pray-ers - we need help like this regularly, and also for preachers, with suggestive ideas for sermon series. Jonathan Fletcher,
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