Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Happy New Year to each of you! I hope that 2025 is a wonderful year for you, full of many moments when you experience God’s multifaceted grace. I also hope that 2025 is a year when you can read some good books. Here are seven of my favorites from 2024 (presented in the order I … Continue reading Seven Favorite Christian Books of 2024

Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

What are some of the most common hindrances to answered prayer? Not Asking for Anything: James 4:2b says, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” Many of us don’t receive answers to our prayers simply because we don’t ask for anything. I remember someone once claiming that we shouldn’t ever make requests to … Continue reading Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer

What Would Happen if You Became a Christian? A Thought Experiment

Let me invite you into a thought experiment. What if you became a Christian? What would change? I’m talking about an actual disciple of Jesus, not a Christian in name only. What would be different if you became a Christian?[1] If you became a Christian, you would automatically become a spiritual brother or sister with … Continue reading What Would Happen if You Became a Christian? A Thought Experiment

Longings

Yesterday (that is, on the day I’m writing this), I was walking alone in a lush forest, breathing in pristine air, listening only to the crunch of my own footsteps on autumn leaves and the distant waves crashing on a beach. As I veered toward the sound of the waves, the forest opened to a … Continue reading Longings

What Does it Mean to Pray “in Faith”?

As I mentioned in my last post, Trudi (my wife) and I have recently been talking with some friends about prayer. In one of our discussions, we zeroed in on the question of what it means to pray in faith. “What does it mean to pray in faith? How do I get rid of my doubts?” … Continue reading What Does it Mean to Pray “in Faith”?

Anything We Ask “According to His Will” (1 John 5:14-15) Will Happen, but What is “His Will”?

A spiritually-minded friend of my wife and me recently made this comment: “I struggle with the idea of praying according to the will of God. Since I know that some things are clearly according to God’s will, why can’t I just pray directly about those things and know for certain that they’re going to happen? … Continue reading Anything We Ask “According to His Will” (1 John 5:14-15) Will Happen, but What is “His Will”?

Understanding Paul’s Veil Imagery in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3

What does the apostle Paul mean when he uses the word “veil” in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3? For years I didn’t really understand 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3 because I was looking for a single referent for the veil imagery in the passage. Some time ago, though, I realized that a key to understanding the passage is to … Continue reading Understanding Paul’s Veil Imagery in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:3

What are the Four Most Important Spiritual Disciplines?

The four most important spiritual disciplines are: 1) scripture, 2) prayer, 3) church, and 4) mission. No other spiritual disciplines rise to the level of importance of these four. Two questions clarify why these are the most important spiritual disciplines. Which spiritual disciplines are most emphasized in the Bible? Which spiritual disciplines will most effectively … Continue reading What are the Four Most Important Spiritual Disciplines?

Writing Prayers for Others

I recently turned 60. (I know, I don’t look a day over 65!) Trudi wanted to craft a special gift for my birthday. What a wonderful gift she designed! To celebrate my 60th birthday, she filled a decorative book with 60 handwritten Bible verses and 60 prayers for me based upon those verses. Now, whenever … Continue reading Writing Prayers for Others

Rekindling Passion for Prayer: Lessons from John Brainerd’s 1759 Journal

Sometime during my upper teen years, I read the journal of David Brainerd (1718-1747), and like so many people before me was deeply influenced by David Brainerd’s passion for God, commitment to prayer, and missionary zeal. What I didn’t know was that David Brainerd had a missionary-pastor brother, John Brainerd (1720-1781), who took over David’s … Continue reading Rekindling Passion for Prayer: Lessons from John Brainerd’s 1759 Journal