Looking at a new book "The Hour That Changes The World"

Hello, Companion Mustard Seed Library book readers,

Now, taking a look at another book Joyce contributed for possible inclusion in the Mustard Seed Library. It is entitled "The Hour That Changes the World: A Practical Plan for Personal Prayer" by Dick Eastman, president of "Every Home for Christ" organization and author of books.

Mr. Eastman had a conversion experience and his prayer life looks to Jesus for guidance in praying. Mr. Eastman was especially impacted by the fact that Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemene was left alone in His praying as His disciples slept. "Could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt. 26:40) That scripture spoke to Mr. Eastman directly and he writes "But how can anyone possibly pray an entire hour? is another recurring question. It was a question I, too, had to answer from the moment I determined to personally accept Christ's call to "watch" with Him daily for one hour." Mr. Eastman also writes "When properly focused, prayer does more than just change one's life. Prayer reaches out in love to a dying world and says, "I care!"

I absolutely love it when people testify to how scripture has touched them personally in their lives and how the stories have changed them. It continuously bolsters my faith and, from my reading Mr. Eastman's testifying, I realized that this particular scripture hadn't yet become so personal to me. It was cut off, made simply historical for me, and not brought so consciously in the present. Has Matt. 26:40 spoken to you? Has praying ever been burdensome to you as it was to the exhausted disciples? Is it difficult for you to pray an entire hour? The time when I know the discipline of praying an entire hour is when we have the Tuesday evening prayer times at church (except for the Tuesday when the Church Council meets). All the things Jesus said can be so important to us. I wondered whether the early Hebrews had ever heard anything from God like praying an entire hour? Was it only when God became human that He asked for an hour together in prayerful companionship? Does this part of scripture tell us that God thinks it is beneficial for us to pray together, or is it especially beneficial that we should pray an entire hour at one time? Does our worship at church last for an hour because of this part of scripture?

The author of the book quotes David Brainerd "Oh! One hour with God infinitely exceeds all the pleasures and delights of this lower world." One hour with God during Sunday morning worship definitely does exceed all the pleasures and delights of this lower world. Do you think it is important that we spend more one hours with God during the week too? Does one hour mean anything special to you? Or do you think the phrase "one hour" actually bears no special significance for us?

God bless,
Sharon