When we talk about the prayer of forbearance, we are talking about prayer that is characterized by patience, endurance, and long-suffering (or another way to think about it is would be “suffering long”). In your community groups this past week, you talked about some of the reasons why God does not answer prayer as quickly…
This week, we will be looking at some of the prayers and teachings about prayer from Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus. In his letter, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers “to be strengthened with power through his Spirit” in their inner beings. Paul was praying a Prayer of Fortification for them.…
In our message today, we’ll be focusing on the Prayer of Solitude. We’re going to examine a couple of passages in the Gospel of Matthew—one where Jesus is our example in prayer, and the other where Jesus is teaching us how to pray. One of the most effective ways that I have found to get…
In our message today, I want to explore some of the most audacious and grandiose teachings of our Lord during His time here on earth. Teachings so extravagant that we struggle to know what to do with them! How can our Lord Jesus say to us: “Ask, and it will be given to you”? This…
We are currently living in the midst of a great crisis in the Christian life. We have been legally emancipated from the penalty of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. But many of us are still living as though we are slaves to sin. We are free, but we are not living daily in…
On this snowy, Sunday morning—broadcasting from his home—Pastor Wade spends a few minutes considering the concept of praying with boldness and authenticity while also praying in obedience to the will of God. Looking first to the book of James to consider this issue of obedience, he then looks at the example of Jesus in the…
This morning, we’re going to be looking at Psalm 88 and considering the concept of a “Prayer of Desperation.” This psalm is considered a psalm of lament. One of the most notable authors on this subject is Mark Vroegop. He explains that: “Lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. It is not…
To focus our thoughts this week of Thanksgiving, we will be looking at Paul’s teaching in Philippians 4. One of our songs of worship today is based off this passage. The story behind the writing of this song, “Rejoice,” is that the song speaks directly to the challenges of our time, especially the common struggle…
As we embark on this journey through the “One Another” Commands in the New Testament, I want us to not lose sight of the prevailing goal of this series —we want to Unite People to One Another. In order to make that happen, we must learn how to get along with one another. The first…
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? These are all crucial questions that we must ask ourselves before we hit send! In this final message of the series, we are going to consider the last crucial question—“Is it clear?” Dr. Eggerichs writes, “We need to be clear in our own minds as to where we are headed in what we are saying; otherwise, those on the receiving end will be more confused. As pastors, we say, ‘If there is a mist in the pulpit, there’s a fog in the pew.’”