Tag: Prayer

PrayerLeave a comment

Learning to Pray for Others from the Apostle Paul

joshnmarda

When you have a baby they want everything. It wasn’t too long ago that our baby boy was about at the grabbing stage. He didn’t think about what was good for him, he just wanted everything and grabbed for it and when he didn’t get it, he would make some noise until someone gave it to him. A lot of praying that goes on in churches is like that. As children get older they ask for all kinds of things. I wish I had made a list of some of the things my children have asked me for. Dad can I have a horse? Dad can … Continue reading Learning to Pray for Others from the Apostle Paul

Pastoral MinistryLeave a comment

A never ‘begrutching’ God!

joshnmarda

I don’t like asking for help. I am sure it has to do with pride. It usually isn’t so much the fact that I don’t want people to think I can’t do something as it is I hate the feeling that I might be bothering someone or that they will help me but inside they won’t really want to. It can make for long nights and long walks. I have walked many kilometers with suitcases because I didn’t want to ask others for a ride and I remember sleeping a night in my car after having run out of fuel. … Continue reading A never ‘begrutching’ God!

QuotesLeave a comment

Even if they stitch our lips together…we have ministry to do!

joshnmarda

Martyn Lloyd Jones reflects on Paul’s prayer life in prison, “The important thing for us to realize is that what he is saying is in effect, that though he is a prisoner, though a malignant enemy has arrested him and put him into bonds, and has made it impossible for him to visit them at Ephesus and to preach to them, or to go anywhere else to preach, there is one thing that the enemy cannot do, and that is, he cannot prevent him from praying. He can still pray. The enemy can confine him to a cell, he can … Continue reading Even if they stitch our lips together…we have ministry to do!

Blogging Calvin1 Comment

Calvin on Prayer

joshnmarda

If you have been in church for any period of time, you’ve heard a lot of great stuff about prayer. You probably could even say alot of great stuff about prayer yourself. But I wonder if some of us, we’ve got this thought that’s way at the back of our minds that we wouldn’t tell anyone else, a nagging doubt, that actually has a whole lot more influence in our lives than all the nice things we can say about prayer. To paraphrase John Calvin, Doesn’t God already know what I need? In other words, why pray? Why have prayer … Continue reading Calvin on Prayer

Pastoral Ministry1 Comment

On Prayer

joshnmarda

James makes an amazing statement about prayer. “The prayer of a righteous man is effective and accomplishes much.” He illustrates that power by reminding us of Elijah who prayed and it stopped raining.  For three years.   James also makes it clear however that not all prayers are effective. He identifies three kinds of prayers that God will not answer. 1.  The prayers of a double-minded man. “Let not that man expect that he will receiving anything from the Lord.”  1:7 2.  The prayers of a self-willed man. “You ask and you do not receive because you ask amiss, that … Continue reading On Prayer

Biblical Issues1 Comment

The Prayer Hearing God

joshnmarda

The reason we as believers are confident that God hears prayer is because of the Bible.  God gives us reasons we should expect him to answer prayer.  1. He’s the one who takes the initiative after all. It is not us coming to Him saying please can we pray.  It is Him coming to us and commanding us to present our requests.  He’s pictured in the Bible as happy when believers present their requests to Him.  It’s a matter of obedience.  “Seek the Lord and His strength.  Seek His face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11  “A man ought always to pray and … Continue reading The Prayer Hearing God