Joseph or Matthias. Who? Really? I’ve written this for you. Actually, for both of us. We’ve probably been there at some point – praying, hoping, watching for an answer to prayer about opportunity. The door creaks open and we rush to declare, “God wants me to go through.” Or it slams shut and we sigh, “Well, God must… Read More »
A call to pray for peace “Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up,and as a lion it lifts itself;it does not lie down until it has devoured the preyand drunk the blood of the slain.” — Numbers 23:24 ESV There’s often a bit of chatter about whether Balaam was a false prophet or true but the… Read More »
Preaching isn’t just about words. It’s about presence—God’s presence. I know where I am going with this, so the answer is… prayer! Not the polite kind, with safe words wrapped up in pretty ribbons. I mean the desperate, interceding, imploring, “OH, God!” tear-streaked kind. The kind that shakes the heavens and makes the angels skid to a halt.… Read More »
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it… Read More »
If you do not pray, the chances are you are rarely going to be able to hear God, know His direction and guidance or experience His intimate comfort. It’s not an excuse. It is reasonable to say that no one finds prayer easy or even intuitive. The disciples, having observed Jesus at prayer come to him with the… Read More »
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42) The early church was close enough both to Jewish tradition and custom and also to the experiences of the apostles to know that high on the list of importance in devotional matters, was prayer. Obviously there was… Read More »