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Tim Spykstra Discusses Climbing Prayer Mountain

I recently spoke with Henry Miersma about my new prayer devotional, Climbing Prayer Mountain. Here are some quotes from the conversation:

“It’s crazy how Climbing Prayer Mountain came together, but God put this book on the front burner… So I think He has something for it. I think that especially in the days that we’re living in… God is calling his body, His beautiful Bride, to seek His face. When we seek Him, we find Him.”

“Prayer is that incredible vehicle that brings us deeper into the heart of God, and that love relationship with God. That brings us the strength, the security, and the joy we need to make it in challenging days.”

Listen to the entire conversation below:

If God is Sovereign-Why Pray?

While working on the upcoming book and study guide for Climbing Prayer Mountain, a survey was sent out. I was grateful not only for the responses, but also to the variety of questions on prayer. So for the next several weeks I thought I would address a few of those questions. Some will be covered in Climbing Prayer Mountain and others will not.

I thought it would best to address the “big one” right away:

Why pray when the answer has already been decided, we can’t change God’s mind, right?

There are many ways to try to answer this question but I will give you the one I think answers it best, JESUS! Isn’t He always the best answer? Seriously, if you study the gospels you will notice Jesus is always praying. He prays at the beginning of His public ministry, before several miracles, and his prayers intensify at the end of His ministry. Jesus, who is perfect theology, prayed! He knew the Father better than anyone before or after Him, and yet He prayed. He knew the Father was in complete control over every detail in the world, and He still prayed fervently.

If you study the Lord’s Prayer, or more appropriately called the “Disciples’ Prayer” (Matthew 6:5-15 and Luke 11:1-13), Jesus teaches us that our prayers matter and we help bring His Kingdom to earth through prayer. In Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer” (John 17), He pleads with His Father to work in the hearts of His followers to live out the Father’s desires pertaining to unity, love, and victory over the enemy. These desires for His followers are still being prayed-for, and answered, in our daily lives.

By studying the life of Jesus, the Son of God who believed in the Sovereign control of His Father, we realize prayer is part of His sovereign plan. Prayer unleashes God’s purposes in our lives. Our prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16), and are used to do the miraculous in our world for the Father’s glory. It is hard for our finite minds to fully embrace how God’s Sovereign control works with human prayers to fulfill His purposes, but somehow in heaven these two seemingly contradictory things become one beautiful plan in the heart of Father God. This mind-blowing truth always leads me to want to shout out praise to a Mighty Father God who is beyond my imagination and comprehension.

So Keep Praying! It is part of His Sovereign plan to change you and the world you live in for His glory!

A quick note, Climbing Prayer Mountain is almost ready for publication, so be looking for it in the next few weeks! Thank you to so many of you for your help in this project. Please join me in praying that the Father will use the daily devotionals in the lives of many to heighten their desire to seek His presence.