Paul E. Miller puts it like this:
“I recently had a cynical moment during my morning prayer time. I was reflecting on some answers to the previous day’s prayer, and I felt a lingering distaste in my soul. All I’d done was pray, and God had acted. It seemed too easy. Trite. I realized I was hunting for something to doubt. I was also hunting for something to do. At bottom, I didn’t like grace. I wanted to be a player in the way God answered my request. In fact, at that moment I didn’t like God. I was more comfortable with His distance.”
Category: Prayer
Prayer – David Platt
The below sermon was given at T4G 2014. I was not able to attend the conference but in listening to David Platt’s sermon on prayer on my own it became a MUST post. I hope you will take the time to give it a listen.
Christianity, Secularism, and Doubt (part 2)
So, you have been sick. Your sickness has been going on for quite some time now. You continue to “deal with it” hoping it all goes away. Well, it hasn’t and it has finally brought you to that point. You break down and go see the Doctor. You know it’s bad when YOU go to the doctor! As a Christian, you take God at His Word and you believe God can heal you. You ask others to join with you and pray. And….. people do pray!
Continue reading Christianity, Secularism, and Doubt (part 2)
Christianity, Secularism, and…..Doubt
I begin this post with a simple premise: We have the ability to explain everything away!
Thomas Jefferson and the Bible:
Thomas Jefferson had some interesting beliefs. He believed in a God who creates, but after creating, God no longer intervenes in any way in the daily life of his creation.
More From Paul E. Miller
As we see our weaknesses more clearly, we begin to grasp our need for more grace.
Paul Miller Quotes Part 2
I am back from a much needed vacation! Let’s get busy with 10 great quotes from Paul Miller that will help us to consider prayer! All these are taken from his book: The Praying Life.
Paul Miller Quotes Part 1
I am re-reading Paul Miller’s book: A Praying Life for the 3rd time. Go here to order a copy! I don’t say that to impress you! It is not impressive! The reason I am reading it… again is because I am so dull, weak, and needy when it comes to prayer! Maybe that is why I love this book so much. It is for dull, weak, and needy people like me. Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book. Enjoy and be stirred to pray!
Like A Child
To pray to the Father…. is to admit we come as His children.
Ok, so you are thinking….. “thanks Captain Obvious”! YEP, that is pretty obvious! But, just because it is obvious DOES NOT MEAN, we are living in the good of these truths. So, let’s consider a moment what Jesus is saying to us with these 2 words: “our Father”. Check out these posts titled: 2 Words and Our, we, us….
What Does It Mean?
Let’s pause our day for 2 minutes and consider: What does it mean to have God as our Father.
- Does it matter?
- And if so, How does it matter?
- What does it matter that when Jesus tells us to pray in Matt. 6, He begins with… “Our Father”?
Two Words!
Let me ask you….. When Jesus says: “pray then like this: Our Father in heaven” Matthew 6:9.
- What does that mean that Jesus tells us to pray to the Father?
- Does this truth that we are praying to the Father have any everyday, real life significance?
- Does praying to “our Father” affect our faith when we pray?
- When was the last time you thought about the amazingness of these 2 words: “our Father”?
Prayer That Is Plural
What must it to have been like to be a part of the early church? Acts 2:42 gives us a little glimpse into those first believers priorities. Wouldn’t you love to have heard the Apostles teach or the have fellowship with some of the 120 who gathered to pray in the upper room? Or, how about taking communion with Peter!
Acts 2:42 “And THEY continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
Our, We, Us….
Over the next few weeks we are going to lock in on prayer.
Question: What does prayer have to do with the gospel?
Answer: EVERYTHING!
I intentionally try to keep these posts short. You have a lot going on and, if you are like me, there is much more to read than there is time in the day. So, I want to respect your time by writing brief posts. That said: It is going to take a few posts to connect prayer and the gospel – so stick around and let’s dive in!