In my sophomore year of Bible college I took a class on Prayer, and we had to pray for 30 minutes every day. 30 minutes! That sounded impossibly long. My history with prayer as a child and teenager, for the most part was those 5 minute or shorter prayer sessions, where I did all theContinue reading “What I learned in a prayer class about…Praying in the Spirit, Part 3”
Tag Archives: Prayer
To-Do Lists and…Praying in the Spirit, Part 1
There was a husband and wife who were having marital difficulties. One of the spouses would wake up in the morning, lean over to their spouse and start listing what they wanted the spouse to do that day. The list wouldn’t take long to recite. Maybe five minutes at most. Some days less. Some daysContinue reading “To-Do Lists and…Praying in the Spirit, Part 1”
Why I don’t like the phrase “Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us” – Praying in the Spirit, Preview
Have you ever heard that phrase, “Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us”? Frankly, I don’t like that quote. Well, to be precise, I don’t think the quote is nuanced enough. The quote is attributed to Danish Christian philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), whose work I generally appreciate, that is, when I understand it, which isContinue reading “Why I don’t like the phrase “Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us” – Praying in the Spirit, Preview”
Why we need to be spiritually fit (and how to get there) – John 18, Part 1
This week I welcome guest blogger, Emerald Scaffe. Emerald is married and together with her husband, has three children. She also serves on the teaching team at Faith Church. In John chapter 17, Jesus is praying with his disciples after the Passover Feast. I want to highlight some components of Christ’s prayer, before diving intoContinue reading “Why we need to be spiritually fit (and how to get there) – John 18, Part 1”
Has God denied Jesus’ prayer request for unity? – John 17:6-26, Part 4
Historians observe that Christianity has gone through a major upheaval every 500 years or so. In 476 the Western Roman Empire fell. In 1054 the church split east and west. Then in 1517 the Protestant Reformation splintered the church, opening the door, it seems, for the fracture of the church into thousands and thousands ofContinue reading “Has God denied Jesus’ prayer request for unity? – John 17:6-26, Part 4”
Why Christians should not be separate from the world – John 17:6-26, Part 3
Some Christians throughout the centuries have wanted God to take them out of the world. Many Christians have attempted to separate themselves from the world. Some have felt that the world is evil, and we Christians need to be unpolluted by the world. But does the (potentially) healthy concern about being unpolluted require separation? I don’tContinue reading “Why Christians should not be separate from the world – John 17:6-26, Part 3”
What it means that we are God’s [not gods] – John 17:6-26, Part 2
So far in his final prayer for his disciples, Jesus hasn’t asked God for anything. No supplication. No requests. Just a conversation with God. He continues his conversation in John 17, verses 9-10: “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.Continue reading “What it means that we are God’s [not gods] – John 17:6-26, Part 2”
If Jesus evaluated our prayer – John 17:6-26, Preview
Have you ever thought about how Jesus feels about your prayer requests? I rarely do. I normally just pray, and usually my prayer is asking him for things. Most often I pray for my family. I rarely take a step back and think, “Am I praying for the right things? Am I praying for theContinue reading “If Jesus evaluated our prayer – John 17:6-26, Preview”
What eternal really means – John 17:1-5, Part 3
If you’re tracking the first part of Jesus’ prayer (John 17:1-5), which we’ve been studying this week, you might have noticed I didn’t talk about another theme he mentions. Eternal life. Look again at verses 2-3, “For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you haveContinue reading “What eternal really means – John 17:1-5, Part 3”
Falling asleep during prayer and the surprising act that brings glory to God – John 17:1-5, Part 1
On family vacation, we were having a prayer time where one person would share a prayer request, and then another person would pray for them. It was getting late into the evening, and I was sitting next to my wife, Michelle, on a sofa. Someone shared a prayer request, and Michelle volunteered to be theContinue reading “Falling asleep during prayer and the surprising act that brings glory to God – John 17:1-5, Part 1”
Engaging Scripture 