“Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” That statement invites us to adventure in the Christian life. Much like Indiana Jones, we set out on pursuit, with the expectation of unparalleled treasure. God tells us there is reward in seeking Him. Before […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on The Reward of FaithGod knows we worry. He speaks to us in our anxiety, ministering words of life to help us deal with our panic in the direction of peace. For example… Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Taking Worry CaptiveSpiritual opposition is part and parcel of ordinary Christian life—and a focus for our prayers, as is evident by our Lord’s inclusion of it in His model prayer for us in Matthew 6:9-13. The very brevity of that prayer shows the importance of accounting for a spiritual enemy in our daily prayer. What difference […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Prayeranoia“I have surely seen the affliction of my people… and have heard their cry.” Those were God’s words to Moses in Exodus 3 as He prepared to take action on their behalf to lead them out of captivity in the land of Egypt. The scene describes a remarkable meeting of God with His appointed […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Hope Deferred, Faith AssailedAs part of my studies in college, I had to take a course in linguistics. I remember a professor explaining the Whorfian Hypothesis, which asserted that our concept of the world cannot exceed the limits of our language to describe it. In other words, only as we have the vocabulary to capture something can […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on When Words FailDoes God forgive our sins if we confess them? The answer requires some explanation, and some backstory. Sinners Saved By Grace Even our best intentions are infected by sin that remains in the flesh. All of us can identify with Paul in Romans 7 as he wrestles with that remaining sin. The line from […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Confession Prayer is Confessing PrayerWe often think it rather rude to lift ourselves up at the expense of others. We might grimace when our mother compares us to our sibling, telling us to “Look at Johnny. He always keeps his room clean. Why can’t you be more like your brother?” But learning through comparing ourselves with others has […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on The Prayer Life of Recovering Pharisees“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) I used to think that was a rhetorical question by our Lord, but now I’m not so sure. Jesus made that statement at the conclusion of the parable of the persistent widow (or parable of the unjust judge, depending […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Prayer, the Flu and the Fiscal CliffAbby of “Dear Abby” fame was asked a question that piqued my interest. One, because I wondered how Abby would answer it. Two, because I wondered how I would answer it. Three, because I wondered what God would say about it in His Word (hence the clever “Dear Abba” title—Romans 8:15). Here’s the question. […]
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