Topic: Pastor Blogs

PRAY BECAUSE GOD IS GRACIOUS Matthew 7:9-11 One of the greatest joys for a father, especially a grandfather, is to give his children good things. To see a radiant smile from your child because they appreciate your gracious gift encourages our hearts. How much more for the Father in heaven. Jesus uses this example to… Read more »

PRAYING PERSISTENTLY Matthew 7:7-8 For our prayers to be effective, they need to be persistent. We pray with assurance because we know that God answers and that He is good. Jesus teaches that we must pray earnestly asking for God to supply. The Greek verb tense for ask, seek, and knock indicates God’s children continually… Read more »

PRAYING AND REJOICING Matthew 6:13 How do we finish our prayer time? Jesus teaches a final principle in his instructive prayer. This element will provide confidence in our prayers and enable us to say amen. This principle invites us not to wonder whether our requests will come true. Instead of doubting what God will do,… Read more »

PRAYING FOR REMOVAL Matthew 6:13 As we study the Lord’s prayer, we discover this is more than a rote prayer. This prayer gives principles and precepts to guide us into deeper communication with our Lord. The world is filled with temptations and an enemy seeking to destroy us. Our final petition in the prayer closet… Read more »

PRAYING FOR RELIANCE Matthew 6:13 Prayer acknowledges we must rely on God in all things. The Lord teaches us four primary prayer requests: Give, Forgive, Lead, and Deliver. All four require we rely on the Lord in particular ways. The prayer for deliverance from temptation is connected to our previous prayer for forgiveness. We ask… Read more »

PRAYING FOR RELEASE Matthew 6:12 American household debt levels are at an all time high. Our time in the prayer closet is not spent there to address our debts in an economical sense but in a spiritual sense. It makes sense that people who need release from their debt would pray to the God who… Read more »

PRAYING A REQUEST Matthew 6:11 The entire first half of The Model Prayer is focused solely on God. Everything centers, as it should, around the God of glory. We rest in our new relationship as part of His family. We reverence His holy name. We surrender to His reign and the pursuit of His kingdom… Read more »

PRAYING TO RELINQUISH Matthew 6:10 Let go and let God. Surrender. It is never easy. But at the heart of prayer is the realization that God has a will that we may not understand or perhaps do not like, but we find ourselves coming and inquiring and asking about it. We are not merely asking… Read more »

PRAYING UNDER HIS REIGN Matthew 6:10 What kingdom are you building today? What consumes us and all our energies? What do we love to brag about and find satisfaction in most? Our prayers reveal whether God’s kingdom is the priority of our lives. To pray “hallowed be Thy name,” expresses a desire to see God… Read more »

PRAYING WITH REVERENCE Matthew 6:9 When we examine the example Jesus provided to instruct his disciples on prayer, we notice there is an opening adoration, seven petitions, and a grateful closing. The praise and thanksgiving that bookend our prayer time remind us what the God requires of all who enter His presence (Psalm 100:4). The… Read more »