Does God promise to give us anything we ask of him? It sure sounds like it. Some verses make it sound like all we need is enough faith when we ask. Even Jesus said it: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22) Wouldn’t that be amazing? We…
Read MoreThe Waiting Game
Many years ago, Kim and I took the kids to Disney World. We had a blast, of course, but one thing you have to accept at Disney is that you’ll spend a lot of time waiting in lines. Thankfully, Disney had placed TV screens along the line that showed scenes from various Disney shows. At…
Read MoreDo You Believe God Can?
In seminary, many of our classes were very large, with 150-200 students per class. The head of our branch campus was Dr. Don Aderhold, one of the finest men I’ve ever known, and he also taught several classes. One of his habits was calling on one of us to open the class with prayer. Connie…
Read MoreA Regular Time of Prayer
One day Jesus was teaching, and he said these words: And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Matthew 6:5)…
Read MorePraying Continuously
Some of us were taught to pray before every meal. We call it “saying the blessing,” and a lot of us learned it this way: “God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food. By his hands, we are fed, give us Lord our daily bread. Amen.” One time in our…
Read MoreWhat is Prayer?
As Christians, one of the first things we learn is the importance of prayer. I learned to pray before I can even remember learning. We prayed at bedtime, and we said the blessing before each meal. As I got older, I noticed that at church people prayed a little differently. Some folks used a lot…
Read MoreMerry Christmas!
Thank you to all who have been reading this blog! I never know who actually reads it, and I view it as more beneficial to me than to anyone else, but if you’ve chosen to read it, I truly appreciate you doing so. I also pray each day that God will use something here to…
Read MoreWhat Do I Do When I Break God’s Rules?
In the previous two posts, we’ve asked the questions “Is there a God?” and “If there is a God, how do I know that he loves me?” Today we’re asking, “If there is a God, what do I do when I break his rules?” The fact is that all of us have broken God’s rules….
Read MoreIf There is a God, How Do I Know that He Loves Me?
Maybe you’ve asked the question, “What if there’s a God?” If you recognize that there is a God (see the previous post), maybe the next question you have is, “How do I know that he loves me?” If there’s this big all-powerful God out there, how do I know that I’m on his good side?…
Read MoreIs There a God, and Does He Care About Me?
Our culture is changing rapidly. Actions and ideas that were taboo twenty, ten, even five years ago are welcomed and embraced today. Some view these changes as the advancement of society, as the human race is gaining more and more freedom to act as it wishes. Others, particularly the church and, more particularly, conservative Christians,…
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