Prayer
When You Pray . . . (Part 4)
For the past few weeks, we have been letting our minds marinade in the sauce of the Lord’s prayer. This week we are looking at . . . Thy Kingdom Come In brief, a kingdom is a domain. It is a reign or a rule; a realm over which one has control. As followers after…
Read MoreWhen You Pray . . . (Part 3)
Two weeks ago we began our examination of Jesus’ response to his disciples’ request that he teach them to pray the way John taught his disciples to pray. We made it as far as “Our Father.” That examination continues below. Hallowed Be Thy Name I have written previously of the time my eldest son was…
Read MoreWhen You Pray . . . (Part 2)
Last week we examined an incident wherein the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Before we look at what Jesus said in response to the request, let us note a number of things he did not say. Jesus did not mandate that prayer be done with the closed eyes and folded hands so…
Read MoreWhen You Pray . . .
In two different gospels, Jesus used similar verbiage to teach his disciples to pray.1 The two incidents are different enough that they appear to be distinct events, and if so, they are similar enough that it captures our attention to know that Jesus would go through this same lesson twice. The lesson, recorded by both Matthew…
Read MoreWhen God Turns a Deaf Ear to Prayer
I recently overheard a conversation wherein two people were discussing prayer. One was a prayer advocate and the other more of a scoffer. The scoffer asked the advocate, “So, you really believe in the power of prayer, huh?” The advocate responded, “No, but I believe very much in the power of God to whom I…
Read MoreChristianese Phrases to Drop, #4
When a brother or sister in Christ finds themselves in a difficult circumstance, we want to help. Indeed, we are called to do so, as we “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, ESV). Love demands we do this. In that spirit, one will often ask, “How can I…
Read MoreGod Doesn’t Need a hearing Aid
I started wearing hearing aids about six weeks ago, a move I resisted for the longest time. Hearing aids make me feel old and feeble – something my grandfather would wear. Though fifty-seven in reality, in my mind, I’m still in my twenties. What are you talking about? I don’t need hearing aids! For quite some…
Read MoreRewiring My Mind for Serenity
Just last week I attended a memorial service for my friend, Ron, one of the most positive men I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Ron was a genuinely happy, uplifting man – a “Barnabus” (son of encouragement) if ever I have known one. When Ron smiled, his entire face was involved, mostly his…
Read MoreI Cannot Pray for Your ‘Unspoken’ Request
I first heard the phrase in the 1970s when I was investigating the Christian religious system. I am now 56, and it makes no more sense to me today than it did when I was 14. The scenario will run something like this: Someone in a leadership capacity will ask if there are any requests…
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