So why do we today find prayer so difficult? I suspect the answer to this question will differ between the Western World and Eastern World!
Prayer in the Bible (Part 3 of 6)
The Bible is very comfortable with the idea that you can talk to God. Depending on the Bible version you look at ‘prayer’ is referenced over six hundred and fifty times!
Talking to God (Part 2 of 6)
Has your prayer life ever sounded like this?
Dear Lord and Father,
Help me now to come before your word and hear your voice. Help me – oh I forgot to lock the car! Sorry God, just got distracted. I pray that you would open my mind and heart and – I must remember to pick up some milk on the way home! Should I go out after church this week, it will be a busy week, maybe I should get home and get to bed instead! Whoops, get back to praying, Sorry God. Where was I? Something about opening my mind… oh that’s right, I pray that you will help me to obey what you want me to obey – I wonder if I will see Steve after church – oh not now, God help me to focus and I pray ….I can’t remember – well in Jesus Name Amen!
Is it just me, or are there times when you struggle to pray? Christians know they should pray, it is wonderful to have an open line to the only God of the universe, yet that doesn’t mean Christians always find it easy! Sadly, we often fail in the area of prayer, and it can lead to disillusionment and lack of discipline in this important area of the Christian life.
Faithful in Prayer (Part 1 of 6)
The earth moved! If I ever thought that prayer was weak, then all I needed to do was remember back to that day, to that prayer meeting, when the ground shook, and by the Holy Spirit, we spoke the word of God boldly!
It happened like this…
Sermon – Dependent In Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)
Sermon ‘Dependent In Prayer’ (Luke 11:1-13) by Chris Jolliffe is available now in audio and video: http://bit.ly/2tk1191
Read the Bible text: http://bit.ly/2sZGhna
English Language Support Notes: http://bit.ly/2sZJWRT
Sermon – Generous In Giving (2 Corinthians 8)
Sermon ‘Generous In Giving’ (2 Corinthians 8:1-15) by Paul Harrington is available now in audio and video: http://bit.ly/2sFu1b9
Read the Bible text: http://bit.ly/2rwUOJw
English Support: http://bit.ly/2rwUGtw
Sermon – Belonging To Church (Deuteronomy 4:1-14 & Ephesians 2:11-22)
Sermon ‘Belonging To Church’ (Deuteronomy 4:1-14 & Ephesians 2:11-22) by Bernie Leo is available now in audio and video: http://bit.ly/2sfNVJI
Read the Bible texts: http://bit.ly/2s18d9A
English Support Document: http://bit.ly/2s1afGB
How can I trust that what was written down in the Bible is reliable?
If you could not be present, what factors would you find helpful to establish the truth of an event today?
What does a Christian do with the Bible?
What place should the Bible have in a Christians life? Any tips?
An essential Christian discipline is to read or listen to the Bible regularly through the week. It would be a shame if the secular news cycle had more of a voice into your life each week than the Word of God.
The battle to put the Word of God before the word of the world is ongoing. Each time you read or watch the news (an activity which in itself is not wrong), you subject yourself to the opinions of the journalist who is accountable only to an opinion that makes news! Our secular press are rarely accountable to anyone but their ratings – it is not difficult for truth to get lost or skewed in the pursuit of a growing readership.
How can the Bible be from men but also from God?
How is it that the Bible arrives in the form we have it?
The Apostle Paul, along with Timothy, writing to the church in Thessalonica said:
‘we thank God continually because when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe’ (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
The word received, was handled down by God through those who had first heard it and their job was to tell others.
Of course that begs the question – how can the Bible be from men but really from God? How can we be sure that humans who spoke and wrote actually have the spoken and written word that God wanted them to express?
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