In Psalm 25, David repeatedly asks God to teach and lead him. He uses very similar language in Psalm 27 when he speaks of someone having no parents to guide them in life with wisdom and love (Ps. 27:10), and yet God steps into that role as our loving, heavenly Father and He teaches and leads us on the right path (27:11).
Notice the repetition of David’s requests or comments on God leading him in Psalm 25:
Continue reading How to be Led by GodThere are many good books on anxiety written by Christians. It’s a broad and complex issue, and no book can say everything, so there are also a lot of angles in which to approach it. One of the books I’ve found most helpful is Struck Down but Not Destroyed: Living Faithfully with Anxiety by Pierce Taylor Hibbs.
Continue reading A Helpful Book on AnxietyThere’s something about Hannah that draws out in me both compassion for her and admiration of her. As she reels in sorrow and distress, we feel for her. As God answers her prayer with a son, we celebrate with her. And as we listen in on her prayers, we’re invited to learn from her.
The books of 1-2 Samuel offer several “hero stories.”[1] The “heroes” in these stories are not perfect people, but they do model key virtues and aspects of what it means to know and follow God. Hannah shows us through her words and actions what a posture of humility looks like. She offers an example of what to do with hurt and pain as she takes it to God in prayer. She lives out a gritty faith, knowing the sovereign God who closed her womb (1 Sam. 1:5-6) can open it. And she also models how we can pray to God, both in our pain (1 Sam. 1:11) and with our praise (1 Sam. 2:1-10).
In 1 Samuel’s short account of Hannah, we can learn a lot about how to pray. Here are eight of those takeaways.
Continue reading 8 Lessons on Prayer from HannahPsalm 107 encourages God’s people to give him thanks for his steadfast love and wonderful works. Though we get ourselves into an array of difficult circumstances, some caused by our sin and others brought on by the trials of life, God is faithful to come to our help.
The psalm centers on four vignettes of groups in exile facing a struggle.
(This devotional is day seventeen of a 30-Day Thanksgiving Challenge. Each day includes a daily reading that will be accompanied by a post on this blog.)
Read Matthew 26:26–29; Hebrews 8:6–13
The Lord’s Supper. Communion. The Eucharist. The New Covenant meal Jesus inaugurated and served up to his disciples on the night of his betrayal is called many things. Whatever terms your church tradition uses, this sacrament (or ordinance) is a visible sign and seal of the gospel. Since the church’s inception, Christian’s have regularly celebrated it together in local churches to visibly proclaim the gospel and feed on Christ.
Continue reading A Thanksgiving Meal: November Gratitude Reading Plan (Day 17)(This devotion is day eight of a 30-Day Thanksgiving Challenge. Each day includes a daily reading that will be accompanied by a post on this blog.)
Read John 6:11, 23; 11:41; Acts 27:33–38; 1 Timothy 4:3–4
In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Charlie and Snoopy sit down to eat with their friends for a Thanksgiving meal. As they gather around the table—not yet aware the feast will be popcorn, pretzels, buttered toast, and jellybeans—and prepare to chow down, Peppermint Patty suggests they say grace first. Linus offers a prayer of thanksgiving representative of what the first pilgrims might have prayed. Now they eat.
Continue reading Say Grace: Gratitude Reading Plan (Day 8)Each week at Pennington Park Church, we provide a Sermon Discussion Guide for Small Groups to use in their time together. Below are some additional questions to study in advance to help you dive deeper in Colossians 1:9-14. Since this week will focus on prayer, we’ve also provided a five day prayer guide.
Continue reading Personal Study Questions & Prayer Guide for Colossians 1:9-14
Paul’s prayers—like his letters in general—so overflow with richness that you feel like you’re working to catch every drop as it pours out. There’s always more to be seen and acted on than what you find in the moment. This makes studying the Bible exciting, knowing there’s always more to be found later when we return. We never run out of “fresh grass” to feed on. Continue reading Learning to Pray from Paul
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Ps. 46:1-3)
“Prayer is not helpful. Prayer is not supplemental. Prayer is essential.” Ray Ortlund
(Below is the transcript of a recent sermon preached as part of a morning prayer service. It’s shorter in length and is part of our series on Desperation.)
Luke 18:1-8—Prayer: The Voice of Desperation
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