A House of Prayer Ft. Scott & Dionne Davis

Five Key Takeaways and Book Review: "A House of Prayer" by C.S. Davis

"A House of Prayer" by C.S. Davis invites readers to elevate their understanding and practice of prayer, encouraging them to move beyond convenience to embrace the expansive and transformative power of a prayerful life. Through insightful anecdotes, biblical references, and practical exercises, Scott guides readers toward a richer and more meaningful prayer experience. I highly recommend you order a copy to learn from a great prayer warrior and disciple maker, but to give you a taste this blog covers five book takeaways and our discipleship call interview with Scott and Dionne.

They currently serve The Greater Baltimore Church in Maryland. Be sure to watch the full interview to hear Dionne and Scott share about the prayer miracles of God bringing truck loads of provision to a community in need, and how God used Scott's prayer to bring an entire family, including a US Olympian, into faith. they also discuss how prayer defines God for us, and how to have a family prayer life during the toddler stage.

Five book takeaways

1. Passing the Ball to God:

Davis beautifully illustrates prayer as the act of passing the ball to God, making Him our first pick. This metaphor underscores the essence of surrender and reliance on God, emphasizing the importance of recognizing God's role in our lives. I have to ask myself when I'm sharing my faith or reaching out if I'm hogging the ball or passing it to God by integrating prayer.

2. The Name of the Lord:

Have you ever wondered how we can pray with confidence and authority in Jesus' name? In John 15, Mark 11, Matthew 7 Christ tells us to ask, seek, knock, and make requests with the faith and confidence that they will be answered. Scott delves into the idea that invoking the name of Christ goes beyond mere words; it entails embracing and loving all that the name represents. Calling on the name of Jesus is portrayed as a commitment to aligning our lives with God's intentions and bringing honor to Him.

3. Our Bodies as Temples:

Comparing our bodies to the physical temple, Scott emphasizes the need for unencumbered worship. When we seek spiritual fulfillment through worldly means or let the chaos of the world hinder our worship, we become "a den of robbers." Our bodies, declared by Jesus as houses of prayer, are sanctuaries that should be preserved for honoring and worshiping God.

4. Adoration and Worship:

Scott explores the purpose of adoration, linking it to the declaration of God's attributes. Encouraging readers to practice the A-to-Z exercise, Scott suggests building an adoration vocabulary to deepen the relationship with God. To do this simply go through the alphabet declaring different adorations and attributes of God: "God you are all knowing, God you are beautiful, help me to see yoru beauty, etc."

5. Quality vs. Convenience in Prayer:

Are you old enough to have heard a turn table with a gradraphonic soundscape? An intriguing analogy is drawn between digital compression MP3 quality and the compression quality of our spiritual lives. Using the analogy of old vinyl records and the sweet spot where every nuance of music could be heard, Scott prompts readers to find their "sweet spot" in prayer—a place of undisturbed connection with God where subtleties and nuances are fully appreciated.

Davis argues that prayer is often a battle between truncated convenience and harmonious quality, emphasizing that spiritual experiences should not be compressed but expansive, encompassing the complete breadth of God's presence, just as a vinyl record produces sweet quality over digital compression. In this expansion of hearing God in prayer, we can become more supple and adaptable. In striving for both quality and quantity, Scott encourages flexibility, agility, and responsiveness to God's will.

Buy a copy of "A House of Prayer"