I often smile when I read the gospel of Mark. He loved the word immediately. It appears again and again. Mark reminds us that Jesus’s life was packed with people and pressure like you and I have never known. But he also records that “in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Prayer
The Sweetest Prayer
Repent! For some the word conjures up fiery preachers with piercing eyes; a bony finger pointed in the face of a “sinner in the hands of an angry God.” But repentance isn’t always like that. Sometimes it means a quiet acknowledgement that things aren’t right, and a humble resolve to change our thinking. Either way […]
Read MorePrayer – Letting Your Compass Rest
Did you know that a compass needle is just a little magnet that aligns itself with the much larger magnetic field of the earth? What’s more, you can confuse and distract a compass needle by bringing another magnet near. The distracting pull of something like a fridge magnet drags the compass needle off its true […]
Read MoreTime with God
I was raised to believe in the importance of a “quiet time.” To the surprise of some, the original idea of that concept did not come from the late Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, but from the Lord Himself. Replete through the Scriptures are references to the value of waiting for the Lord […]
Read MoreThe Problem With Prayer
For many, there appears to be a problem with prayer. “It’s a one-way conversation.” “It doesn’t seem to work.” “God takes too long to answer.” “God does what He wants anyway.” Crushed between the mortar and pestle of life, it’s easy to think there’s a serious problem with prayer: God. When God doesn’t answer according […]
Read MoreStrengthening Your Grip on Prayer
I should tell you up front that this is not going to be your basic religious-sounding statement on prayer. Sorry, I just don’t have it in me. No, I’m not sorry. To be painfully honest with you, most of the stuff I have ever read or heard said about prayer has either left me under […]
Read MoreHere’s How – and Why – Jesus Says We Should Pray
A bar was being built in a town that was dry. A group of Christians opposed the construction and began an all-night prayer meeting, asking God to intervene. Lightning struck the building, burning it to the ground. The owner of the bar brought a lawsuit against the Christians, claiming they were responsible. The Christians hired […]
Read MoreWhen God Says “No”. . .Pray
When nobody is around and when we’re able to be absolutely honest with ourselves before God, we entertain certain dreams and hopes. We want very much by the end of our days to have _________________________ (fill in the blank). However, it may well be that we will die with that desire unfulfilled. Should that occur, […]
Read MoreCommence Prayer
This actually happened years ago. It was in 1968 on an airplane headed for New York—a routine and normally very boring flight. But this time it proved to be otherwise. As they were on their descent pattern, the pilot realized that the landing gear was not engaging. He messed around with the controls, trying again […]
Read MoreBack to the Basics
The late football strategist Vince Lombardi was a fanatic about fundamentals. Those who played under his leadership often spoke of his intensity, his drive, his endless enthusiasm for the guts of the game. Time and again he would come back to the basic techniques of blocking and tackling. On one occasion his team, the Green […]
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