Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, . . . Matthew 2:17-18a NASB Jeremiah – Anyone who bothers to check the reference provided by Matthew will quickly conclude that Jeremiah’s statement has nothing to do with the death of children in Bethlehem. …
“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37b ESV This purpose – “When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.” – Victor E. Frankl. With Frankl’s citation…
Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 NASB Unbelief – “To live without prayer is to live without God, to live without a soul.”[1] We’ve examined several insights about prayer. We’ve struggled with the idea—and the practice. We’ve confronted our own despondency, frailty, and unworthiness. We…
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7 ESV Exults – You have probably heard rumors about “the God particle,” the scientists’ dream of finding that “something” that creates life. “Elusive” would be a modest assessment of…
God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day.Genesis 1:5 NASB One day – The Hebrew syntax isn’t quite the same as the English translation. In Hebrew the final words of this verse are yôm ʾeḥad (literally, “day one”). Since the English versions treat…
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NIV Teach us – Heschel provides an amazing collection of thoughts about prayer. Here’s the one we will deal with today: “Prayer cannot live in…
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NIV Teach us – If prayer is primarily kavvanah, then why memorize the words? Wouldn’t it be more spiritual to simply pour out our deepest…
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NIV Teach us – Heschel wrote: “Prayer as a way of speaking is a way that leads nowhere. The text must never be more important…
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, . . Psalm 96:12-13a NIV All Creation – “Genuine prayer is an event in which man surpasses himself. Man hardly comprehends what is coming to pass. Its beginning lies on this…
