Category: Prayer Intention

A LONG-DISTANCE CALL

“Go forth…to a land that I will show you.” –Genesis 12:1 Over three decades ago, God called our family to leave behind all that was familiar, move hundreds of miles, and join Presentation Ministries as volunteers. In a small way, I came to learn some of what Abram learned about following the Lord: When you step away from what is familiar to you, you allow God to become more familiar to you. Before the Lord calls you somewhere, He has already prepared everything for you (Heb 11:16). “All depends on faith, everything is grace” (Rm 4:16). Often God doesn’t provide...

A CONVINCED CHRISTIAN

“The love of Christ impels us who have reached the conviction that since One died for all, all died.” –2 Corinthians 5:14 When we have reached the conviction that since One died for all, all died, three things happen: We no longer live for ourselves but for Him Who died for us (2 Cor 5:15). We no longer look on anyone, including Jesus, “in terms of mere human judgment” (2 Cor 5:16). We are impelled by love rather than motivated by a mixture of fear, pride, and pressure (2 Cor 5:14). Obviously, reaching this conviction of Jesus’ death and our...

LIFE-STYLE AND DEATH-STYLE

“Stop worrying, then, over questions like, ‘What are we to eat, or what are we to drink, or what are we to wear?’ ” –Matthew 6:31 Because many of us are so affluent, we don’t worry about food, drink, or clothes. Instead we worry about retirement, inflation, and investments. We are more like Solomon than like the “lilies of the fields” (see Mt 6:28-29). Trusting in the Lord as the birds do is “for the birds,” as far as we’re concerned (see Mt 6:26). Because of our self-seeking, pleasure-seeking lifestyle, we regard the Bible and especially the Sermon on the...

EYE OF THE HURRICANE

“If your eyes are good, your body will be filled with light.” –Matthew 6:22 Are your eyes good? Good eyes see only what God wants them to see. Good eyes do not look around carelessly (see Prv 4:25-27). That’s too dangerous. Good eyes are selective. We close our eyes lest we look on evil (Is 33:15). It’s important to protect them from the evil one. We must hold faith up as a shield (Eph 6:16) or be hit in the eye and be wounded. Our eyes and thoughts “should be wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves...

FATHER’S DAY

“Your Father knows what you need.” –Matthew 6:8 The essence of the Christian life is knowing and believing in God the Father’s love for us (1 Jn 4:16). Jesus was sent to reveal the Father’s love (Jn 15:9). The Holy Spirit cries out in our hearts “Abba,” that is, “Father” (Rm 8:15; Gal 4:6). When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to say “Our Father” (Mt 6:9). When Satan tempts us, he questions whether we are sons and daughters of God the Father (Mt 4:3, 6). Prayer is primarily expressing and deepening our relationship with our Father through...