E.M. Bounds - The Essentials of Prayer - Chapter 1-8

Here are a few gems from Rev. E.M. Bound's 8th chapter of his book 'The Essentials of Prayer.' The 8th chapter is called 'Prayer & Consecration'. As always, I'm quoting the parts of the chapter that spoke the loudest to me. I found quite a bit of chapters 1-7 to be repetitious; therefore, I'm starting with chapter 8.

Consecration is the voluntary set dedication of one’s self to God, an offering definitely made, and made without any reservation whatever. It is the setting apart of all we are, all we have, and all we expect to have or be, to God first of all. It is not so much the giving of ourselves to the Church, or the mere engaging in some one line of Church work. Almighty God is in view and He is the end of all consecration.

Consecration is not so much the setting one’s self apart from sinful things and wicked ends, but rather it is the separation from worldly, secular and even legitimate things, if they come in conflict with God’s plans, to holy uses. It is the devoting of all we have to God for His own specific use. It is a separation from things questionable, or even legitimate, when the choice is to be made between the things of this life and the claims of God.

A life of prayer naturally leads up to full consecration. It leads nowhere else. In fact, a life of prayer is satisfied with nothing else but an entire dedication of one’s self to God. Consecration recognises fully God’s ownership to us.

As prayer leads up to and brings forth full consecration, so prayer entirely impregnates a consecrated life. The prayer life and the consecrated life are intimate companions. They are Siamese twins, inseparable. Prayer enters into every phase of a consecrated life.

Consecration is really the setting apart of one’s self to a life of prayer. It means not only to pray, but to pray habitually, and to pray more effectually.

Posted by rebnora at January 19, 2008 6:46 AM | TrackBack