E. M. Bound's The Power of Prayer

Grace--Old Man by Eric Enstrom

I just finished reading, The Power of Prayer in  E. M. Bounds on Prayer.  I have to say that I can't remember reading a book that cuts so deeply in a long time.  Page after page, I found myself convicted by my own prayerlessness.  His seething, white-hot rebukes poured over me like coals of fire.  I found myself crying in my heart, "Woe is me, I am a man of prayerless lips, surrounded by prayerless people."

As I worked through those fifty-seven pages of pure dynamite, I found myself tempted to flee their presence.  Days would pass between readings.  I read a little, and let is rest a little.  Yet after a couple of days, I would be compelled to pick it up again and read on. I found each chapter to be a relentless hand tearing back the curtain of my blindness. 

On almost every page, I was remind of how little I pray.  I felt the inadequacy of my prayer life.  Even as the book made me aware of the weakness of my prayer life, it also generated a desire to pray more.  I found myself yearning for a better understanding of prayer, and beyond that I was driven to pray.

Although I found the book very helpful, it had a couple of weaknesses.  First, it was primarily aimed at preachers.  It's aim may have been the reason, I personally found it convicting at every turn, but it might have less of an impact on someone who isn't a preacher.  Second, the book focuses the problem without offering much of solution.  Bound's suggests praying more and praying earlier, but he doesn't give many pointers on how to pray.

Right after beginning the book, I questioned whether or not it was a good starting point.  I will have to reserve final judgment until I have finished Bound's other books.  I can say The Power of Prayer has made me eager to learn more about prayer, as well as, to pray more.  What resources have helped you in your prayer life?  I would love the hear about them, so go ahead and leave a comment.