“Call this world if you please ‘The vale of soul-making.’ “- John Keats As John Ortberg continues Chapter 7 of Soul Keeping, he stresses that soul formation is the most important process in the universe. While in our day self-talk often is discussed, in the Bible people talked to their souls. The difference between self-talk […]
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”- 1 John 1:8-9 John Ortberg begins Chapter 5 (“Sin and the Soul”) of Soul Keeping by citing […]
“We are not lost because we are going to wind up in the wrong place. We are going to wind up in the wrong place because we are lost.”- John Ortberg “Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.”- Psalm 51:6 In Chapter 4 (“Lost Souls”) of […]
Prayer (Dutton, 2014) Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God is the latest book by Timothy Keller, founder and pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Pastor Keller introduces the book by emphasizing that any book on the essentials of prayer must treat all three aspects: theological, experiential (devotional), and methodological. Prayer is […]
“I tell you, though, he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise up and give him what he needs.”- Luke 11:8 In Chapter 14 of Prayer, Timothy Keller states that there is a necessary balance between the two purposes of petitionary […]
“Listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth, I cry to you. I call as my heart grows faint.”- Psalm 61:1-2 In Chapter 14 (“Struggle: Asking for Help”) of Prayer, Timothy Keller discusses a third form of prayer- supplication. Pastor Keller defines supplication as “asking God for things for yourself, for others, and […]
“For although they know God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.”- Romans 1:21 Timothy Keller continues Chapter 12 of Prayer by noting that ultimately thanksgiving is a subcategory of praise. However, Pastor Keller states that if we’re going to make headway in the work of praise and thanksgiving, we must […]
As Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 10 of Prayer, he notes that British theologian John Owen (1616-1683) believed there were three distinctive movements or stages within meditation. Owen first distinguished meditation from Bible study and from prayer proper: “It is distinguished from the study of the Word, wherein the principal aim is to learn the truth […]
In today’s blog Timothy Keller continues his discussion of the Lord’s Prayer (Chapter 6) with the next two petitions. 5. Give us this day our daily bread. Pastor Keller notes that while the first three petitions center on recognizing God as our true food, wealth, and happiness, Jesus now charges us to align our “prayer […]
Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 7 of Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God as he discusses why we always are heard for Jesus’ sake. Pastor Keller notes that God named the anointed kings of Israel- David and Solomon- to be his sons. Yet, the history of Israel and of Israel’s kings was marked by failure […]
In today’s blog, Calvin’s second rule, or principle, of prayer is presented and discussed. 2. Spiritual humility. Calvin described his second rule for prayer as “the sense of need that excludes all unreality.” This spiritual humility includes both (a) a strong sense of our dependence on God, in general, and (b) a readiness to recognize […]
Part Three of Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God is entitled “Learning Prayer”. Timothy Keller states that the rest of his book will address the practical questions regarding prayer. In Chapter 6 (“Letters on Prayer”), the author turns to three of the greatest teachers (in his opinion) in the history of the Christian church- St. Augustine, […]