Mobilizing the Church For Ministry In The So Called, “Post-Christian Era”
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Discipleship - Walking with Jesus Christ!
Theology and dogma are human creations that are sometimes useful but often fruitless, if not obstructive. They intend to institutionalize the spirit of Emmanuel, Jesus, who walked ancient Palestine's harsh and unforgiving paths. He came as a human fully clothed in the frailties of mortality with hunger pangs, physical limitations, and capacities.
Jesus Teaches His Disciples About Prayer
Jesus talks about prayer in Matthew 6:5-13. In verse 6, He says,
Seeing the Big Picture in Scripture | The Empowered Life of Prayer
If we step back from the pages of the Bible and look at it with a broad, panoramic view, we can see two things, particularly occurring within the Bible.
Infused with Power by Study and Meditation | The Empowered Life of Prayer
The Word of God is the Power demonstrated in Creation and exercised in the Prophetic ministry of the Old Testament Prophets. In Genesis, God sent His Word forth and it produced a creation “ex nihilo” out of nothing. God sent His Word into the mouths of the prophets and directed kings, the rise and the demise of nations, and the course of human history.
The Creative Power of God’s Word | The Empowered Life of Prayer
Genesis 1:1-31 describes the creation of the universe and it is particularly interesting to note that it was by “FIAT” that God created. The word “fiat” means to “Rule by the absolute power and authority of your decree or pronouncement.” God spoke and the creation formed. His words translated, “Let there be…” are the “Fiat” of God and anything which followed His pronouncement was immediately formed.
The Marriage of Meditation and Study | The Empowered Life of Prayer
It is impossible to discuss Meditation as a Spiritual Discipline without a clear dialog about the discipline of Studying God’s Word. The reason is simple; it is not possible to remember things that you have not learned. One can not arrive at a clearer or broader understanding of things he or she has never been taught.
Joy and Gratitude, Partners in Ceaseless Prayer | The Empowered Life of Prayer
The disciples who walked with Jesus asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1d Jesus shares with the disciples what is known as the “Lord's Prayer.” Many contemporary Bible scholars suggest that Jesus’ prayer found in John 17 is the actual Lord’s Prayer, and that the prayer found in Luke and Matthew 6:9-13 be called the “Model Prayer.” Regardless of which you call the Lord’s Prayer, there is one indisputable fact about Jesus’ life. It was enriched by Prayer. Jesus is our model and example. He prayed without ceasing. Jesus is our model for ceaseless prayer, and a study of Jesus’ life reveals that He lived and modeled a life of Joy and Gratitude in front of the Disciples.
The Power and Priority of Prayer | The Empowered Life of Prayer
God instructs us in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 by saying,
The Mission of Prayer | The Empowered Life of Prayer
There are various reasons why believers pray. We pray because we feel compelled to communicate with God by virtue of habit. We pray because we feel anxious about our circumstances and prayer offers relief from our stress. We pray because we are grateful for the works God is doing in our life through Christ and The Holy Spirit. While the reasons or objectives of our prayers may be many, the mission is always the same.
The Mindset of Prayer | The Empowered Life of Prayer
We are often so concerned with the methods, means and mechanics of Prayer that we often fail to grasp the true importance of our mindset in Prayer. Part of our challenge is that we are caught in the trap of praying the right words and with the right physical posture that we lose the power of Praying with the right spirit. It may be the case that our concerns about the posture and practice of prayer are more motivated by fear, than by Faith. We are trying to avoid the errors of practice and missing the power of expectation.
Why Pray | The Empowered Life of Prayer
In the face of a Sovereign God, one might be led to ask the question, if God's Will is perfect and irresistible, then why should we pray? What is the value of prayer if it does not move God on the one hand or impact the outcome of circumstances on the other? This is a valid question within the context of human logic. Yet the issue is greater than human logic can encompass. The Scriptures record the following instance in which Jesus relates a parable to His disciples so that they might know
On Being A Disciple!
Discipleship is more than believing a set of ideas we call “Truths.” Discipleship is a transformed mind which produces, transformed thoughts, transformed actions, and a transformed life. Discipleship is transformative.