Exulting in God's Magnificent Love for Us
God’s Timing https://www.gotquestions.org/Gods-timing.html The first thing we need to understand about God’s timing is that it is perfect, just as all of God’s ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30; Galatians 4:4). God’s timing is never early, and it’s never been late. In fact, from before our birth until the moment we take our last earthly breath, our Read More …
Praising God Gives Us Joy https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/gospel-worship/excerpts/worship-we-get-joy-god-gets-praise Therefore, joyful, heartfelt, hope-filled delight in the God of mercy is the essence of worship. Not the totality of worship, but it is the essence. That’s amazingly good news, that he would say the aim of the gospel is that the Gentiles would glorify God for his mercy (Romans Read More …
A Case-Study of Persistence https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-20/commentary-on-matthew-1510-20-21-28-5 Jesus’ response to her second cry for help includes a reiteration of his mission to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He even likens her status as a Gentile to the status of the small, pet dogs who long to be fed from the table (Matt 15:26). The Read More …
Don’t Be Anxious For Anything https://www.gotquestions.org/Philippians-4-6.html What is the meaning of Philippians 4:6? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” If discouragement over the problems addressed in the letter (or anything else) was robbing the Philippians of joy, then Paul gives Read More …
Pray First https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-do-i-wait-for-god So, the first thing that waiting on God means is this: before you make one peep of an effort to solve your own problem or hire a human agency, pray. Seek the counsel of God. What is his way to solve this problem and bring you out of trouble? It says in Psalm 106:13, Read More …
Fasting is Important https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/fasting/prayer-and-fasting.html God considers fasting important. The Bible contains 92 passages referring to it. Many of our heroes of the faith, including Moses, Elijah, Esther, Nehemiah, Daniel and Paul, fasted at crucial points in their journeys with God. Fasting played an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus. After being anointed Read More …
He Encourages Earnestness https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=23&c=62 God’s professing people must be a praying people. He is not displeased with us for being earnest, as men commonly are; he bids us to cry after him, and give him no rest, Luke 11:5,6. It is a sign that God is coming to a people in mercy, when he pours out Read More …
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ask-your-father-in-heaven Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. When you pause to consider that God is infinitely strong and can do all that he pleases, and that he is infinitely righteous so Read More …
Why Pray? https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/prayer-has-its-reasons/ Prayer Gives us Power Over Evil Can physical strength help us overcome obstacles and challenges in the spiritual realm? No, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the Read More …
Jesus prayed before the important events and decisions of his life https://www.heartlight.org/wjd/luke/0323-wjd.html Jesus withdrew to the mountains to be alone with God and pray as he faced this momentous decision. He didn’t choose twelve and then ask God to bless his choice. No, he spent the night in prayer before he chose the twelve. When Read More …