a year of Living Prayerfully

How a Curious Traveler Met the Pope, Walked on Coals, Danced with Rabbis, and REVIVED HIS PRAYER LIFE

jared brock

year_of_living_prayerfully_a.indd 3 11/25/2014 11:40:41 AM Seven Ways to Pray

Here are a few prayer ideas to get you started. Remember: prayer is about relationship, not routine. It doesn’t have to be boring! 1. Shalom If you watch the news, witness a conflict, or hear of a tough situation, pray for peace. You can also say hello or good-bye or sign your e-mails with this powerful, one-word prayer. 2. Bible verses If you read a verse that sounds like it could be a prayer for a certain situation, tailor it accordingly and pray it out loud. 3. Silence As the Rule of Taizé encourages, “maintain inner silence in all things so as to dwell with Christ.” Practice stillness in order to commune with Jesus. 4. Move Attach physicality to spirituality, whether it’s through breathing, walking, running, eating, bathing, or driving. Get creative! 5. Hold in the light Have you run out of words to pray? Picture someone in the light of God’s grace. Hold them there, and ask God to do what only He can do.

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6. Prevail Write down a list of everyone you know who is far from God who you’d like to be filled with life in Christ. Speak their names out loud every day. Commit to sixty-three years and eight months! 7. Sing If a song fits a situation that you’ve been praying about, use it as a tool to express your thoughts to God.

If you’d like Jared to lead your church or group through these prayers, he has prepared a special talk titled “A Good Old-Fashioned Prayer Meeting.” Please visit JaredBrock.com​/­speaking for details.

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CHAPTER 1: HAMILTON, ONTARIO 5 send out workers into [the] harvest field: Matthew 9:38.

CHAPTER 2: 16 We have come to know man as he really is: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (Boston: Beacon Press, 2006), 134. 16 the pledge of allegiance for Jewish people: Charlie Harary, “Hear O Israel,” Aish .com, http://www.aish.com/sp/pg/Hear_O_Israel.html. 18 time to become the answer to our own prayers: See Shane Claiborne, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2008). 21 the siddur is our gift to God: Benjamin Blech, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Judaism, 2nd ed. (New York: Penguin Group, 2003), 293.

CHAPTER 3: ISRAEL 42 your will be done . . . deliver us from the evil one: Matthew 6:10, 13. 48 great drops of blood: Luke 22:44, esv. 54 uncovered his feet: Ruth 3:7.

CHAPTER 4: MOUNT ATHOS, GREECE 80 a rubble of stones overrun with rats: Michael Lewis, Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011), 70–71. 81 Lawsuits are pending: You can read more about the controversy surrounding Vatopedi in Michael Lewis’s book Boomerang. 86 carbuncle on the face: Jonathan Glancey, “Life after Carbuncles,” , May 17, 2004, http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2004/ may/17/architecture.regeneration. 87 in his bloodline: See Helena Smith, “Has Prince Charles Found His True Spiritual Home on a Greek Rock?” The Guardian, May 12, 2004, http://www .theguardian.com/uk/2004/may/12/monarchy.helenasmith.

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CHAPTER 5: ITALY 105 sacred lots to determine God’s will: See Acts 1:23-26; Numbers 27:21. 115 work as if everything depended on you: Though it is sometimes attributed to John Wesley as well, the Vatican, in the Catechism of the Catholic church, attributes the quote to St. Ignatius. See “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” in part four, section two, article three of the Catechism. 117 almost 200,000 soldiers were killed or wounded: Peter Caddick-Adams, Monte Cassino: Ten Armies in Hell (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 8. 119 I must live my life with others: David Gibson, “Five Things We Learned about Pope Francis from His Blockbuster Interview,” News Service, September 20, 2013, http://www.religionnews.com/2013/09/20/5-things -learned-pope-francis-blockbuster-interview/. 129–130 the Five-Finger Prayer: Omar Gutierrez, “A Simple Prayer Method from a Simple Pontiff,” CatholicVote, http://www.catholicvote.org/a-simple -prayer-method-from-a-simple-pontiff/.

CHAPTER 6: SPAIN 144 You have the words of eternal life: John 6:68. 147 the Prayer of Quiet: St. Teresa, The Life of Teresa of Jesus: The Autobiography of St. Teresa of Ávila (New York: Doubleday, 2004), 61. 148 a band with iron points turning inwards: Frances Calderón de la Barca, Life in Mexico, repr. (1843; University of California Press, 1982), 286.

CHAPTER 7: FRANCE 162 how to become wholly God’s: Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, first letter. 162 to impress deeply upon his heart, the Divine existence: Brother Lawrence, Practice, fourth conversation. 163 I found no small pain in this exercise: Brother Lawrence, Practice, first letter. 163 I possess God in as great tranquility: Brother Lawrence, Practice, fourth conversation. 163–164 I am prevailed on by your importunities: Brother Lawrence, Practice, first letter. 164 Let us pray for one another: Brother Lawrence, Practice, fifteenth letter. 164 Men invent means and methods: Brother Lawrence, The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence. 164–165 this exercise of the presence of God: Brother Lawrence, Practice, sixth letter. 165 a holy habit: Brother Lawrence, Practice, ninth letter. 165 the best and easiest method I know: Brother Lawrence, Practice, ninth letter. 165 the end of all his actions: Brother Lawrence, Practice, second conversation. 165 mend what is amiss: Brother Lawrence, Practice, second conversation. 165 re-collect the mind easily: Brother Lawrence, Practice, eighth letter, emphasis mine. 165 a sense of the presence of God: Brother Lawrence, Practice, fourth conversation.

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165 conversation of the soul: Brother Lawrence, Practice, second letter. 170 he was no more: Genesis 5:24.

CHAPTER 8: EASTERN USA 190 the Quaker definition of “brief”: Faith and Practice, as adopted in 1988, Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, http://www .bym-rsf.org/publications/fandp/1988approved/88section2.html. 191 rightly dividing the word of truth: 2 Timothy 2:15, kjv. 192 sit quietly and let God love me: Dick Eastman, The Hour That Changes the World: A Practical Plan for Personal Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2002), 37–38. 192 a voice of gentle silence: 1 Kings 19:12, kjv. See The Pulpit Commentary on 1 Kings 19:12, StudyLight.org, http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tpc /view.cgi?bk=10&ch=19. 193 The Old Testament prophets: See Hosea 1:2; Ezekiel 4:4-17; Isaiah 20:1-6. 194 a small white building: “Nude Church in Virginia, White Tail Chapel, Invites You to Bare More than Your Naked Soul,” Huffington Post Religion, February 10, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/10/nude-church-white -tail-virginia_n_4763199.html. 199 become all things to all people . . . follow my example: 1 Corinthians 9:22; 11:1. 207 the soaking fleece: See Judges 6–7. 210 Let this cup pass from me: Matthew 26:39, kjv. 210 every unanswered prayer: A. E. Richardson, The Kneeling Christian (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986), 38. 211 five malpractice lawsuits: Eben Alexander has faced scrutiny following the publication of Proof of Heaven, including a look at his malpractice suits. See, for example, “‘Proof of Heaven’ Doctor Faced a $3 Million Malpractice Lawsuit When He Fell into a Coma,” Daily Mail Online, December 24, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2529048/Proof-Heaven -doctor-faced-3million-malpractice-lawsuit-fell-coma.html. 218 the prayers that go unanswered: Mark Batterson, Be a Circle Maker: The Solution to 10,000 Problems (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 28. 218 100 percent of the prayers we don’t pray: Mark Batterson, Praying Circles around Your Children (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 93.

CHAPTER 9: THE OUTER LIMITS 225 a private jet named “Dove One”: “Dove One,” on Benny Hinn’s official website, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.bennyhinn.org/articles/ articledesc.cfm?id=1000. 225 the circles in which Hinn rolls: See the following sources: Clifford Pugh, “After Move to $10.5 Million River Oaks Mansion, Joel Osteen Offers Tanglewood Land for $1.1 Million,” CultureMap Houston, July 9, 2010, http://houston .culturemap.com/news/real-estate/07-04-10-after-move-to-river-oaks-joel -osteen-wants-to-sell-tanglewood-land-for-11-million/; John Burgdorf,

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“Kenneth Copeland’s 18,000+ Sq. Foot Lake House on Eagle Mountain Lake—Includes Airport!” North Texas Luxury (blog), July 4, 2011, http:// northtexasluxury.blogspot.ca/2011/07/kenneth-copelands-18000-sq-foot -lake.html; Mfonobong Nsehe, “The Five Richest Pastors in Nigeria,” Forbes, June 7, 2011, http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07 /the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/; Nina Golgowski, “Private Jets, 13 Mansions and a $100,000 Mobile Home Just for the Dogs: Televangelists ‘Defrauded Tens of Million [sic] of Dollars from Christian Network,’” Daily Mail Online, March 23, 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article -2119493/Private-jets-13-mansions-100-000-mobile-home-just-dogs -Televangelists-defrauded-tens-million-dollars-Christian-network.html; “List of the Richest Pastors Worldwide,” Nehanda Radio, January 7, 2014, http://nehandaradio.com/2014/01/07/list-of-the-richest-pastors-worldwide/; Marlow Stern, “‘Mission Congo’ Alleges Pat Robertson Exploited Post- Genocide Rwandans for Diamonds,” Daily Beast, September 7, 2013, http:// www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/07/doc-mission-congo-alleges-pat -robertson-exploited-post-genocide-rwandans-for-diamonds.html. 236 Listen, my son: Proverbs 4:10-13. 239–240 Their stats are impressive: , http://www .godhatesfags.com/index.html. The stats are updated even as you look at the page. 240 For more information about WBC: Westboro Baptist Church, “About WBC,” accessed October 5, 2014, http://www.godhatesfags.com/wbcinfo/aboutwbc .html. 240 The heart of Calvinism: Nathan Phelps, “The Uncomfortable Grayness of Life,” Atheist Nexus (speech, American Atheists Convention, April 11, 2009, Atlanta, GA), http://www.atheistnexus.org/page/nate-phelps-2009-aa-speech. 241 entitled to “special protection”: Warren Richey, “Supreme Court: ‘Hurtful Speech’ of Westboro Baptist Church Is Protected,” The Christian Science Monitor, March 2, 2011, http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011 /0302/Supreme-Court-hurtful-speech-of-Westboro-Baptist-Church-is- protected. 242 Fred Sr. shared choice words for Billy Graham: “Billy Graham Hell-Bound False Prophet Says ,” YouTube video, 7:12, posted by Westboro Baptist Church, December 18, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= UhSOi0Cg1MA. 244 Phelps had reportedly been excommunicated: Caitlin Dickson, “This Man Is the Future of Westboro Baptist Church,” The Daily Beast, March 24, 2014, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/24/this-man-is-the-future -of-westboro-baptist-church.html. 251 the first to throw a stone: John 8:7. 252 children are the victims: , “The Most Hated Family in America,” YouTube video, 58:35, from a documentary originally aired on BBC Two

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on April 1, 2007, posted by “Lotte patat,” January 7, 2014, https://www .youtube.com/watch?v=3pxE6_VY8aM. 252 rightly [divide] the word of truth: 2 Timothy 2:15, kjv.

CHAPTER 10: KOREA 253 Kim Il-sung, a hardy fellow: This quote about Kim Il-sung is prevalent around the Internet. See, for example, “Kim Il-sung: Biography and Picture,” iBiography, accessed September 29, 2014, http://www.ibiography.info/facts /kim-il-sung.html. 254 over half . . . require food aid: Rick Newman, “Here’s How Lousy Life Is in North Korea,” U.S. News, Rick Newman (blog), April 12, 2013, http://www .usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/04/12/heres-how-lousy-life -is-in-north-korea. 254 Millions of people have starved to death: Joshua Stanton and Sung-Yoon Lee, “Pyongyang’s Hunger Games,” New York Times, March 7, 2014, http://www .nytimes.com/2014/03/08/opinion/pyongyangs-hunger-games.html?_r=0. 254 over two hundred thousand prisoners: Mark McDonald, “North Korean Prison Camps Massive and Growing,” New York Times, May 4, 2011, http://www .nytimes.com/2011/05/05/world/asia/05korea.html. 254 listening to a South Korean song: “North Korea FAQs,” Liberty in North Korea, accessed September 29, 2014, http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org /learn-faqs/. 254 the hardest place in the world to be a Christian: Katherine Burgess, “Aiming for ‘Effective Anger’: The Top 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Be a Christian,” Christianity Today, January 8, 2014, http://www.christianitytoday .com/gleanings/2014/january/50-countries-where-hardest-to-be-christian -world-watch-list.html. 254 at least fifty thousand Christians in work camps: Morgan Feddes, “North Korea Announces Death of Kim Jong-Il,” Christianity Today, December 19, 2011, http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2011/december/north-korea -announces-death-of-kim-jong-il.html. 259 one in three of its citizens were church-attending Christians: Andrei Lankov, “North Korea’s Missionary Position,” Asia Times, March 16, 2005, http:// www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/GC16Dg03.html. 259 Christians simply disappeared: Elizabeth Kendal, “Remembering North Korea,” ChristianNewsToday.com, accessed September 30, 2014, http://www .christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_9005034.html. 264 A teenage schoolgirl once drowned: Hélène Hofman, “Girl, 14, Drowns Saving Kim Jong Il Portrait in North Korea,” GlobalPost, June 27, 2012, http:// www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/girl-14 -drowns-saving-kim-jong-il-portrait-north-korea. 271 Send a 19th-century missionary: Andrea Palpant Dilley, “The Surprising Discovery about Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries,” Christianity

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Today, January 8, 2014, www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/january-february /world-missionaries-made.html. 271 prayer is the greater work: “The Key of the Greater Work,” My Utmost for His Highest Daily Devotionals, RBC Ministries, October 17, 2013, http://utmost .org/the-key-of-the-greater-work/. 280 reaching out after God: Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer, thirteenth lesson. 280 abstain from whatever hinders: Andrew A. Bonar, Sheaves after Harvest: A Group of Addresses (Glasgow: Pickering and Inglis, 1936), 39. 280 pray in right earnest: Andrew A. Bonar, Diaries and Letters, ed. Marjory Bonar (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1894), 129. 281 fasting reduces the power of self: Bill Bright, Preparing for the Coming Revival: How to Lead a Successful Fasting and Prayer Gathering (Wayne, NJ: New Life Publications, 1995), 18.

CHAPTER 11: ENGLAND 284 the man who most influenced: “Stephen F. Olford Memorial Page - Biography - 1983,” Billy Graham Center Archives, January 5, 2005, http://www2 .wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/memorial/sfolford/bio2.htm. 285 to move man: Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret (Chicago: Moody, 2009), 33. 292 the only genuine Christocentric: Karl Barth, The Doctrine of Reconciliation, vol 4.1 of Church Dogmatics, trans. G. W. Bromiley (New York: T&T Clark, 2010), 171. 294 great books on prayer: J. E. Hurtgen, Jr., “An Interview with Philip Yancey,” RELEVANT magazine, November 1, 2006, http://www.relevantmagazine .com/god/deeper-walk/features/1171-an-interview-with-philip-yancey. 296 The more we receive . . . , the more we can give: Dorothy S. Hunt, ed., Love: A Fruit Always in Season: Daily Meditations by Mother Teresa (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1987), 83. 301 We must never let our profit interfere: Charles Spurgeon, “Order and Argument in Prayer” (Sermon #700). 301 omnipotent in all things that glorify God: Spurgeon, “Pleading” (Sermon #1018). 301 the slender nerve: Spurgeon, “The Raven’s Cry” (Sermon #672). 301 Our prayers are in the predestination: Spurgeon, “Prayer Certified of Success” (Sermon #1091). 301 the giver of all prayer: Spurgeon, “Order and Argument in Prayer.” 301 a secret work of the Spirit: Spurgeon, “The Raven’s Cry.” 301 prayer has a corresponding blessing: Spurgeon, “Prayer Certified of Success.” 302 trading of the heart: Spurgeon, “The Raven’s Cry.” 302 the soul has unburdened itself . . . We are powerless: Spurgeon, “Pleading.” 302 “He that hath made his refuge God”: Spurgeon, “Order and Argument in Prayer.” 302 keep to present need: Spurgeon, “Order and Argument in Prayer.”

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302 concentrated all my prayers into one: Spurgeon, “The Exaltation of Christ” (Sermon #101). 302 a higher place in the esteem of Christians: Spurgeon, “The Kind of Revival We Need,” The Spurgeon Archive, accessed October 6, 2014, http://www .spurgeon.org/revival.htm. 302 a thousand to twelve hundred attendants: Spurgeon, “Prayer-Meetings;—As They Were, and As They Should Be,” Only a Prayer Meeting. 303–304 Five young college students: Taken from Our Daily Bread, April 24, 1983.

CHAPTER 12: HAMILTON, ONTARIO 307 died of overwork: J. Edwin Orr, “Prayer and Revival,” on J. Edwin Orr’s website, accessed November 9, 2014, http://www.jedwinorr .com/resources/articles/prayandrevival.pdf. 309 baptized them in the cold water: Orr, “Prayer and Revival.” 312 preach the gospel . . . and be forgotten: Quoted in Colt McCoy and Matt Carter, The Real Win: Pursuing God’s Plan for Authentic Success (Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2013), 158. 314 every need is a call to prayer: Watchman Nee, Journeying towards the Spiritual: A Digest of the Spiritual Man in 42 Lessons (New York: Christian Fellowship Publishers, 2006), 129.

AN INVITATION 317 it is too spiritual a matter: Charles Spurgeon, “The Raven’s Cry” (Sermon #1018).

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