On:
In: Prayer, Spiritual Formation

In his classic Confessions (Book X), Augustine prays, “Give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou willest.”

Some say that God never demands more than we can handle, but is this true? You may say,

“Of course it’s true! After all, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13: ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’”
But note: the text does not say God give will never give us more than we are able to handle. It says he does not give us more than we can handle ON OUR OWN. How else will our need for God manifest unless we are at our wits end?

My experience has shown me time and again that …Read More

On:
In: Prayer, Spiritual Formation

The most well-known prayer of all, the Lord’s Prayer (from Matthew 6:9-13), has been such an inspiration to me over the years. As I pray through it each day, I’ve finally written down some reflections and decided to compile them here. Nothing technical or complicated. Just a few thoughts andRead More

On:
In: Anglican, Prayer

What follows is the entire 4-week session materials from the spring, 2018, Foundations class that I taught on prayer at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Raleigh, NC. DOWNLOAD ALLRead More

On:
In: Prayer

When Carson’s 1st edition came out titled A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers I read it with eagerness and found his insights and exegesis transforming. My prayers were truly changed and I’ve continued to be impacted by what I learned. My series on prayer was developedRead More

Hands Pray

On:
In: Prayer

The Scottish minister Robert Murray M’Cheyne (d. 1843) offers four important insights on various ways God answers our prayers. In his Fourth Pastoral Letter, titled “God the answerer of prayer,” M’Cheyne writes: First, God often gives the very thing his children ask at the very time they ask it.Second, GodRead More

Praying

On:
In: Prayer

What is your first, most immediate response toward life’s difficulties? Truth be told, I would have to give two answers: 1) Resentment toward the fact of the difficulty with corresponding emotions such as irritation, frustration, or even anger and 2) Resolve to find the quickest solution to the problem so as to remove the difficulty.  Both ofRead More

On:
In: Prayer

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to JerusalemRead More

On:
In: Prayer

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) With the advent in communications we have plentyRead More

On:
In: Prayer

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, onceRead More

On:
In: Bible, Hermeneutics, Matthew, Prayer

Attended a church service last Sunday where the pastors are finishing a series on prayer. The pastor who spoke pointed to Matthew 17:20 where Jesus says “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here toRead More

On:
In: Prayer

The routine of Jesus’s prayer life is rich to ponder and rewarding to practice. While I’ve much to learn from the biblical texts that portray how Jesus prayed, there is far more I must do to conform my prayer life more closely to the habits of Jesus. With the disciples IRead More