“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”- Hebrews 10:35-36 In Chapter 5 (“Claiming God’s Promises: Actively Expressing Faith in the Delays”) of Waiting on God, Charles Stanley emphatically states […]
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”- Psalm 119:105 “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”- Psalm 16:11 In Chapter 4 of Waiting on God, Charles Stanley presents four ways […]
As Charles Stanley continues Chapter 4 of Waiting on God, he discusses the second characteristic of godly prayer in waiting- being purposeful in pursuing the Lord’s plan (author’s emphasis). Dr. Stanley states that we find purpose in life through discovering the wonderful ways God is leading us “day by day and decision by decision.” We […]
Charles Stanley continues Chapter 1 of Waiting on God with the following concise definition of waiting on the Lord: “. . . waiting on the Lord signifies an expectant endurance that is demonstrated by a directed, purposeful, active, and courageous attitude of prayer.” Dr. Stanley goes on to describe how expectant endurance is exhibited. Expectant […]
In Chapter 6 of How Can I Possibly Forgive?, Sara Horn offers three practical steps for overlooking a specific offense. 1. Stop putting words of value to your hurt. Every time we bring up the subject of what’s bothering us or who’s hurting us by their words or actions, we are sustaining and strengthening the […]
Today Sara Horn concludes her study of the Seven Habits of Highly Forgiving People in Chapter 2 of How Can I Possibly Forgive?. 4. A highly forgiving person lives by the Golden Rule. By reminding ourselves that we fail God daily and need His forgiveness, we become cognizant of our need to offer that same […]
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”- Matthew 5:44-45 In Chapter 1 of How Can I Possibly Forgive?, Sara Horn notes that Jesus talks about forgiveness in the context of prayer, a reminder that forgiving is only part of […]
“My heart is not proud, O LORD. My eyes are not haughty . . . I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”- Psalm 131:1-2 As John Ortberg concludes Chapter 14 of Soul Keeping, he discusses the concept of strategic […]
Today John Ortberg continues Chapter 11 of Soul Keeping with the second movement in the Cycle of Grace, Sustenance– or sustaining grace. 2. Sustenance. Pastor Ortberg states that Jesus engaged in specific practices that enabled Him to keep replenishing His spirit: prayer, maintaining a circle of close friends (the twelve disciples), regular corporate worship at […]
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 […]
As Timothy Keller concludes Chapter 15 of Prayer, he poses four questions to help us evaluate our situation with regard to prayer. Pastor Keller asks us to imagine that our soul is in a boat, a boat with both oars and a sail. 1. Are you “sailing”? If your are sailing, you are living the […]
In Chapter 15 of Prayer, Timothy Keller expands on the ancient practice of “Praying the Psalms”, noting that from earliest times the church adopted the Psalms as its prayer book. Pastor Keller cites a letter from Athanasius to Marcellinus: “Whatever your particular need or trouble, from this same book [the Psalms] you can select a […]