THE SWEET SMELL OF PRAYER May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2  The tabernacle and the temple were designed with identical furnishings. In the larger of the two rooms called the Holy Place, the priests […]

PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority. 1 Timothy 2:1,2 The wall of shame includes the most evil despots in history. There we find likenesses of Mao Tse-tung, Stalin, […]

A TWO-VERSE wonder His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be […]

DELIVERANCE THAT DOESN’T COME A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:4 They were dear friends. The two had become close together, sharing their plans and lives. They enjoyed many meals together. Because they didn’t […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 6 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11  We enjoy praying the Lord’s Prayer because it is so complete and because Jesus […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 5 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. James 1:13,14  In the Sixth Petition […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 4 He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:9  The story is told of a husband and wife who were married for ten years. During that time minor irritations sometimes grew into major arguments. In hopes of solving this nagging […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 3 God will meet all your needs. Philippians 4:19 The Lord’s Prayer can be divided into sections. Following the Address to the Father, we have seven petitions, or supplications. The first three (“hallowed be your name,” “your kingdom come,” and “your will be done on earth […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 2 Teach me to do your will. Psalm 143:10  How great is God? How big and how powerful and how wise is he? Certainly we can point to many of the miracles in the Bible to learn about how great God is. We think of the […]

THE LORD’S PRAYER PART 1  By him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15  Luke 11 tells us that one day the disciples watched Jesus take time to pray. When he finished, they said to him, “Lord, teach us how to pray.” So Jesus sat down with them and taught them […]