Prayer

  • Christ in Our Hearts

    Ephesians 3:16-17a

    Christ does not wait for us to be perfect before He takes up residence within us, and for that we can rejoice. Yet it is possible to grieve His Spirit by our sin (Eph. 4:30), and so we must ...Read More

  • Bowing the Knee

    Ephesians 3:14-15

    God was rarely referred to as “Father” under the old covenant, so we should be glad to live in the new covenant era when the fatherhood of God is made plain to everyone in Christ. Still, when we approach our ...Read More

  • Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians

    Ephesians 1:15-16

    Many people find it hard to pray regularly, which is unfortunate because prayer is among the most powerful tools for advancing the kingdom of God. If you find it hard to pray regularly or are easily distracted when going before ...Read More

  • Final Words to Colossae

    Colossians 4:16-18

    If the apostle Paul could implore those who knew him to pray for him in his condition of suffering, then we should be ready as well to ask others for prayer when we are in need. We should likewise remember ...Read More

  • Epaphras and Luke

    Colossians 4:12-15

    We should never despise the work of our pastors and elders in prayer, for it is this task to which they are called (Acts 6:1–7), and it is necessary for the building up of our churches. Ordained elders ...Read More

  • Praying for the Mission

    Colossians 4:2-4

    Praying for other Christians is also a way to manifest our love for them, as true love for Paul would motivate the Colossians to intercede for the apostle. John Calvin says that “it is not in vain that the Lord ...Read More

  • The Armor of God

    Ephesians 6:10-20

    John Calvin comments on this passage, reminding us that we should not let the “injurious treatment” of others provoke us to revenge, for those who bother us are merely darts from Satan’s hand. “While we are employed in destroying ...Read More

  • Kingdom-Focused Prayer

    Matthew 6:9–13

    Praying for God’s kingdom to come does not mean we must literally say “God, may your kingdom come.” When we pray for the conversion of others, we are praying for them to bow willingly to His rule; thus we ...Read More

  • God-Moving Prayer

    Genesis 18:16–33

    Sometimes we think our prayers are pointless because we know God’s mind cannot be changed. Yet we do not know what the Lord has decreed, and Scripture is clear that our prayers really do have an effect in God ...Read More

  • Pride and Prayer

    2 Chronicles 26:16–23

    We are always to be humble servants of the Lord, coming before Him in prayer boldly (Heb. 10:19–22) not on account of what we have done but knowing that such access has been to granted to us in ...Read More

  • Analyzing Unanswered Prayer

    Reflect on these reasons for unanswered prayer to determine if they are affecting your prayer life: praying in generalities, being at war with God, being impatient, and forgetting the benefits you have received from God.Read More

  • Eliminating Unrealistic Expectations

    Do you have unrealistic expectations that account for seemingly unanswered prayers? Are you treating God like a celestial bellhop?Read More

  • Examining Calvin’s Rules of Prayer (Part 2)

    Do you pray with genuine feeling? Do you always accompany your prayers with repentance?Read More

  • Examining Calvin’s Rules of Prayer (Part 1)

    How does your personal prayer life line up with these two rules? Is your heart and mind framed as becomes those who are entering into conversation with God? Do you ask only for those things God permits?Read More

  • Living in Exile

    Think about some of the ways God has proven faithful to you in the past, then thank Him!Read More