12 Minute Prayer Challenge by Anita Sargeant is a book that shows just that. In this book, Anita Sargeant demonstrates how to build, develop, and maintain a successful and consistent prayer life. Anita lovingly and vividly shows us how to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as a model. She uses the unique analogy of a house and its rooms to teach the Lord’s Prayer and provides example prayers to get us started.

The example prayers even have a devotional element to them. You could read the prayers as a short devotional or daily meditation. Some of the prayers include questions for us to answer and blanks to fill in. This helps us to think deeper about our prayers, which helps us to get more out of prayer.

Even though this is a small book, it is very obvious that a lot of difficult research has gone into writing it. Anita has included lots of scientific facts about prayer including quotes from neurologists on the benefits of prayer.

Anita also shows that 12 minutes is just a starting point. Once you’ve developed a 12 minute prayer habit, it is easier to pray longer and more fruitful. I highly recommend 12 Minute Prayer challenge by Anita Sargeant.  Praying just 12 minutes a day will make a difference in your spiritual journey.

You can purchase 12 Minute Prayer Challenge by Anita Sargeant from ApostolicWinds.com or Pentecostal Publishing House

This review copy was provided free for review by the author. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

Even if we are wronged, God does not want us to display wrath.

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (Jam 1:20 KJV)

We should always strive to treat others in a Godly manner, even when we are wronged or hurt. It is natural to be upset by wrong-doings, but we should never display violent anger.

It can sometimes be difficult to keep calm through disagreements. We must learn to disagree without becoming vengeful and ill-tempered. Even if we are correct in our position and principles, we lose credibility when we display violent behavior.

Wrath must be overcome through prayer and practice. We must seek God to insure we keep our attitudes in check- including wrath.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Eph 4:31 KJV)

Clamour is included with wrath, anger, and evil speaking. In children this is seen as a temper tantrum. When children don’t get their way they often perform an outcry by yelling, screaming, shouting, crying, and even throw themselves to the floor.

Many adults yell and throw a temper tantrum to get their way. They are being stubborn and drawing attention to themselves; often disrupting the service or making their friends and families suffer. Clamour causes uneasiness and anger. Clamour is a sign of immaturity.

We should strive to be mature adults and mature Christians. We should keep a watch on our actions and reactions to see if we throw tantrums. We should recognize this type of behavior and put it far from us. Instead of being clamourous, we should be peaceful and joyful. Others will see the difference in our lives and we will be in a better position to be the light and Bible that others see and read.

¹⁵ And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

¹⁶ And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

¹⁷ And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Mar 11:15-17 KJV)

What Jesus felt was a righteous indignation. Jesus was angry, but he did not sin. Paul talks about being angry, yet not sinning.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Eph 4:26 KJV)

Anger can be used for a good purpose, but it is not good to hold on to anger or to have anger without cause.

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Mat 5:22 KJV)

We must have temperance over our actions and emotions.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23 KJV)

Use anger to combat false doctrine and contend for the faith, but keep a good attitude toward others. Keep everything in proper perspective and use anger to your advantage. Do not lash out at others because it is not people you are contending against; it is their doctrine. Keep the Fruit of the Spirit toward others at all times and when you must anger… sin not.

Having a good attitude toward other means speaking to them in a positive, motivating way at all times, even during bad situations. Even rebuking should not be done with bitterness. The Scriptures tell us to rebuke and exhort, but even this should not be done with harshness and sharpness.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2Ti 4:2 KJV)

There is a time to rebuke, but we should not do it with bitterness. The key here is longsuffering. Longsuffering can wear us down over time, but we should never allow it to make us bitter.

Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek.

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Mat 5:39 KJV)

This doesn’t mean we can’t defend ourselves, but we shouldn’t seek to harm others when they have harmed us.

Forgiving means forgetting. We shouldn’t hold the past against someone so we can use it to our advantage.

God will forgive us as much as we forgive others.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Mat 6:12 KJV)

“¹⁴ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  ¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  (Mat 6:14-15 KJV)

“²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  ²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  ²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  ²⁷ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.  ²⁸ But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  ²⁹ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  ³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  ³¹ So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  ³² Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  ³³ Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  ³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  ³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”  (Mat 18:23-35 KJV)

If we want to be forgiven, we must learn to forgive others.

“³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  ³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.  ³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  (Mat 22:36-40 KJV)

” ²⁸ And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?  ²⁹ And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:  ³⁰ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  ³¹ And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.  ³² And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:  ³³ And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  (Mar 12:28-33 KJV)

“²⁷ And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” (Luk 10:27 KJV)

This sums up all the Law and the Prophets. It is the foundation of holiness.

Jesus mentions having love for God, our neighbor, and ourselves. Love for God carries with it obedience to His Word.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (Joh 14:15 KJV)

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (Joh 14:23 KJV)

“³ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  ⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”  (1Jo 2:3-5 KJV)

We are to love for one another as He loves us.

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (Joh 15:12 KJV)

“These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (Joh 15:17 KJV)

“³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”  (Joh 13:34-35 KJV)

” ²⁰ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  ²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”  (1Jo 4:20-21 KJV)

It is easy to love those that love us back, but Jesus tells us to love everyone- even our enemies.

“⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  ⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  ⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  ⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  ⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  ⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  (Mat 5:43-48 KJV)

We are to be a light unto the world. We shine this light through love. Showing love to others allows them to see a difference in our lives.

Love for others will cause us to proclaim the Gospel, to treat others with respect, and to help those in need. That was the difference with the Good Samaritan- he had love for his fellow man. Even someone without the Spirit of God in his life stopped to help someone in need; how much more should Christians help those in need? This is love in action. Love causes action.

Without love, nothing else matters.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  ⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  ⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  ¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  ¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  ¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”  (1Co 13:1-13 KJV)

If we love God we will want to obey and please Him. We will want to do His will and devote our lives to Him. Having love for God and our fellow man will build a foundation for holiness- a foundation that will promote holiness in our lives for the rights reasons. Without love, we become hypocritical on our walk in holiness, which causes us to hold to holiness standards with the wrong attitude. Love is the foundation that builds and strengthens all attitudes.

“³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  ³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”  (Eph 4:31-32 KJV)

Holiness begins with our attitude. Holiness must begin on the inside. If we do not have holiness within, no amount of outward holiness can be truly genuine. Outward holiness is easier to see and is easier to obey, but having outward holiness will not cause us to have inward holiness. If we truly have inward holiness then we will have outward holiness because we will have the attitude of a desire to please God.

Having the wrong attitude is a sign of backsliding and hypocrisy. Even if we seem to have outward holiness, the wrong attitudes can cause us to live sinful lives.

A proper attitude will lead to a desire to grow closer to God and to learn more about Him and His Word. A proper attitude will cause us to have a desire to grow spiritually. A proper attitude will prompt us to dig deeper into the Scriptures. A proper attitude will lead us to a life of inward holiness, which will cause a life of outward holiness. We are to be examples- both inward and outward. A proper attitude will cause us to devote our lives to God.

In this series, we will look at our attitudes, both good and bad, and see in God’s Word what attitudes He desires His people to have.

Psa 93:5 KJV Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

Isa 35:8 KJV And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Rom 6:22 KJV But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Rom 12:1-2 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2Co 7:1 KJV Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1Th 3:13 KJV To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

1Ti 2:15 KJV Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Tit 2:11-12 KJV ¹¹ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ¹² Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Heb 12:14 KJV Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1Pe 1:15-19 KJV ¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. ¹⁷ And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: ¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1Pe 2:21-25 KJV ²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: ²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. ²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1Jo 2:15-17 KJV ¹⁵ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The Practice of Godliness Small-Group Curriculum

The Practice of Godliness is a powerful resource for growing stronger in holiness and becoming more spiritual. Bridges always starts his books with a firm foundation and explains why holiness is important in our lives. After he lays a strong foundation, he then moves forward by building on that foundation.

The book is designed to be a 12-week course. There are twelve sessions, with each building on the foundation laid by the session before it. After each session, there are from 10 to 12 study questions for the group to answer. There are extra-wide margins for notes and observations. There is also writing space after each question.

There is a help section in the back for group leaders that contains information on how to lead a study. The helps include advice on how to get started, which includes how to set your session format, how to customize the study, and plan the first session. Other general helps include preparing for the session, leading the session, and how to review after the session.

Even though it is designed for group use, the curriculum works just as well for personal study. Like all of Jerry Bridges books, I highly recommend The Practice of Godliness Small-Group Curriculum.

My thanks to NavPress for this free review copy. I was not required to give a positive review. My opinions are my own.