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 Radical...not necessarily practical July 19, 2008
Brother Lawrence's spiritual classic can be summarized in a few short steps:
1. Have a mystical vision of the divine love of God. (Unfortunately, no hint of how this can be accomplished is given.)
2. Renounce the world and everything in it. (Larry Bro apparently had no family, career, or other extenuating circumstances, so he joined a monastery as a lay brother and cook.)
3. Pray ceaselessly, even while you're asleep. Don't worry about temptation, your neighbor, suffering, mortification, responsibility, complications, penance, formality, growth, doctrine, vocation, redemption, and anything else you can think of.
After around four to ten years of tormenting doubt and fear (by his accounts) you'll be ready to bask in the warm glow of grace!
The message of complete faith in God is indeed a great one. But the line between self-sacrifice and self-indulgence sometimes gets blurred. We are not given an account of any works of charity, love, or mercy that Brother Lawrence may have accomplished. Only that he went around happy all day. Somtimes he was so giddy with God's love that he would have to pinch himself to keep from giggling in front of other people. Then he derides normal people for not being drunk all day on spiritual consolations.
What is truly ironic is that Brother Lawrence's path was, at the time, thought to be a great shortcut. Compared to the discipline required of monks in those days, I'm sure it was. Nowadays, Deepak Chopra Winfrey would probably be unimpressed. The great Saints would probably recommend that you pick up your cross and eschew the easy path.
 Knowing Christ in Practice May 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Brother Lawrence has given us a very practical approach to experiencing the presence of Christ moment-by-moment. He desribes in wonderful simplicity what it is like to walk in constant awareness of the love of God.
Lawrence writes, "If I were a preacher, I would preach nothing but practicing the presence of God... I would urge everyone to be aware of God's constant presence, if for no other reason than because His presence is a delight to our souls and spirits."
Lawrence shares of practical exercises that he found ushers him into the daily presence of God. What might seem ritualistic and unnatural... should become very natural and fluid. He covers the topic of effective prayer and helps us to break away from our religious concepts of the spiritual life. It is time to draw near to God as Person instead of the distant Father who demands work to gain favor.
This little book will aid you in your pursuit of experiencing the depths and riches of Jesus Christ. It will help to bring about the much anticipated spiritual revolution that the church so desperately needs in our day. If you are ready to leave religion and are looking to find the natural faith of Christ... Brother Lawrence will help in that journey.
I also recommend reading:
EXPERIENCING THE DEPTHS OF JESUS CHRIST VOLUME 2
THE SPIRITUAL MAN VOLUMES 1,2, 3
The Release of the Spirit
The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Volume One
 A must read May 8, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This little book is a must read for everyone trying to get closer to God. You don't have to commit a time for prayer, you can silently praise God throughout the day as you go about your work and in your quiet moments. The rewards far outweigh these simple efforts.
Great daily devotional. April 24, 2008
The lessons that God taught Brother Lawrence are, what I believe to be, the single most important aspect of our lives. Despite the very few references to scripture, it is obvious that our dear brother discovered the true hidded treasure of faith. The purity of his devotion was certainly 'other worldly', and I doubt that many 21st Century American Christians can relate to this kind of life, beyond a theoretical sence, anyway. Between this book and Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life", I have found a wonderful 1-2 punch to pointing followers of Jesus in the right direction, and I read from both of these books almost daily in my devotional time. The more one hungers after God the more they will get out of this book, and if you want to hunger more after Him then this is a great place to start.
 Good book; bad edition April 11, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I highly recommend reading The Practice of the Presence of God. I just recommend getting a different copy. Here's why:
Though the back of the book advertises a "7-point advantage," these features seem to have been haphazardly thrown together and are of little use to the book's target audience.The color timeline does not offer information about events surrounding Brother Lawrence's life. Rather, it is a grand historical timeline on which Brother Lawrence's life appears as little more than a brief footnote. The endnotes are intrusive and unhelpful, and the index is practically worthless. Endnote references are treated superscript in some instances and in others run right in to the text. This is probably the worst-edited book I've seen. The back cover advertises that the book is "one of a fabulous collection." Judging by this member, I think I'll pass on the rest of the Pure Gold Classics.
Like I said, I strongly suggest reading the book, but I would spend a few more dollars and spring for a nicer copy as it is a book worth returning to.
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