Prayer and the End of Days (book review)

I recently completed David Butts’ short book, Prayer and the End of Days.  I found the book both enjoyable and challenging, and the frame of reference compelling.

Main idea

The main idea of the book is that the imminence of Jesus’ return should impact the way we pray - indeed, the way we live, but prayer is the emphasis of the book.

Without getting into controversies about dates, times, and events, the author encourages the church in these days to have the same sense of urgency that the early church did - a sense of urgency built on the belief that Jesus might return in their lifetime.  In light of this, our prayers should be informed, God-centered, and kingdom-focused.  Dave argues powerfully for moving beyond the typical concerns that tend to dominate our prayer lives - health, finances, relationships - and into a focused, consistent emphasis on the coming of God’s kingdom, both in our lives individually and in the sense of Christ’s return to earth.

Key Scriptures

Titus 2:11-13

2 Peter 3:11-12

“watchmen” passages: Lam. 2:19; Jer. 6:17; Eze. 3:17; Isa. 62:6

Gospel “end times” chapters - Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4

 Key Points

• Jesus’ return should give a sense of urgency and scope to our prayers.
• The early church believed that Jesus would return in their lifetime, and this belief significantly impacted their prayers, evangelism, lifestyles, etc.
• Jesus calls his people to be informed and aware of the times in which they live.
• We are to “watch and pray”.  What we see around us should move us to prayer.
• The spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth is the final event before Christ’s return (Matthew 24:14).
• We are not just to passively look forward to Christ’s return but to actively speed its coming (2 Peter 3:12).
• Therefore, our prayers should be greatly concerned with the spread of the Gospel to the least-reached areas and peoples of the earth.

My Response

While I do not share the author’s dispensational view of end-times events, I completely agree that all Christians should be looking forward to Christ’s return, preparing ourselves and living holy lives in anticipation.  This focus should result in a sense of urgency largely lacking in the lives of most churches and believers today - urgency in prayer, urgency in world evangelism, urgency in preparing the Bride for the return of the Bridegroom.

Personally, as a result of reading this book, I am re-committing myself to pray for the unreached and least reached peoples of the world and for the persecuted Church around the world. I find it hard to maintain this focus in the midst of the demands of everyday living, but I need to set my heart and mind on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-4, which, interestingly, also has reference to Christ’s return).

{FTC notice:  I purchased this book from Prayershop Publishing, www.prayershop.org, at the normal discount available to all members of the Church Prayer Leaders’ Network.  If you don’t understand why I’ve included this notice and you’d like more info, check out this CBS News article.}

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