I cannot even begin to count the number of sermons, books, and other teachings I’ve encountered on this topic over the last 40 years. As I was listening to my wife quote the latest version from a best-selling Christian author’s book, it suddenly hit me that in every instance I can remember, the authors — while excellent teachers… Read More »
One of the concepts that is linked to prayer in the NT on more than one occasion is the giving of thanks to God. Earlier in this series, I quoted a pair of Scripture verses concerning prayer that also mention thanksgiving and I want to reiterate them for this article: Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it… Read More »
Merry Christmas! As we navigate the hoopla inherent to the season when we celebrate Jesus’ incarnation as God-in-Sandals, the Pew Research Center took a poll of Americans concerning Christmas. One of the questions asked was, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin, or don’t you believe this?” 73% of those responding responded affirmatively, 19%… Read More »
What the Heck is a “Blood Libel?” The so-called “blood libel” is a theological fiction perpetrated by both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions — and decades later carried to its logical conclusion by the Nazis during the Holocaust — that was used to justify the persecution and murder of literally millions of Jews over a time period… Read More »
Show me any inter-denominational meeting of church folk and somewhere along the line, one of the leaders will have the crowd present recite the Lord’s Prayer — regardless of its applicability or lack thereof to the actual proceedings. Why? Because of its universality among all denominations and everyone present knows it by heart. That’s the up-side. The down-side is… Read More »
When I taught on prayer awhile back and stated that there are models taught in the Bible on how to pray, one of those present challenged me, demanding: You mean to say we have to pray a certain way or we won’t get our prayers answered!? To which I replied: No, because that would be a legalistic recipe… Read More »
