Prayer

On Platt and Priorities

Lisa Robinson Spencer
Jun 6, 2019
It's been an amazing past few days watching the fallout from David Platt's prayer over president Trump. When I first heard about the situation and read the transcript of the prayer, my initial reaction was quite positive. This was further confirmed for me when I saw the video . From what I know of...

Praying for the Dead

Nick Batzig
May 28, 2019
An individual dies and social media is flooded with sentiments about prayers for the deceased and their family members. Without doubt, it is altogether right and in keeping with a spirit of true Christian charity to pray fervently for the family members of one who has passed away. Any number of...

An Evening Prayer

Chad Van Dixhoorn
May 15, 2019
Over the years it has been my practice, learned from others, to offer up praises and petitions framed by a passage of Scripture. Some of these passages were read in preparation for preaching, others offered material for meditation in daily devotion; still others were plundered specifically for the...

The Sin of Rep. Borowicz?

Jeffrey Stivason
Apr 4, 2019
On Monday, March 25, 2019, Rep. Stephanie Borowicz prayed at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. It was not the most eloquent prayer I have ever heard. In fact, Rep. Borowicz sounded a bit nervous and even looked it. Sometimes she had her eyes opened and sometimes closed. She used Jesus as a...

Prayer Tips or Learning from Screwtape

Jeffrey Stivason
Apr 1, 2019
C. S. Lewis has been a helpful guide to many Christians and rightfully so. He has led countless weary travelers through the world’s wasteland in order to introduce them to the Christ of Christianity. And though his defense of the faith is well known and respected through works like Mere...

Calvin's Four Rules of Prayer

Carlton Wynne
Mar 29, 2019
Reading through some old notes on Calvin's Institutes made me realize what always gets dropped when life feels like one giant game of whirlyball : prayer. Calvin says that if we do not pray, we are like a man who "neglect[s] a treasure, buried and hidden in the earth, after it had been pointed out...

Word, Sacrament, and Discipline: Prayer: A Sine Qua Non of a Healthy Church

Michael Roberts
Dec 19, 2018
One of the basic practices in the Christian life is prayer. It is a spiritual discipline that is instilled in us from our earliest days. It is uttered in private, in family devotions, and in various public settings for numerous occasions, both within the church and outside of it. Moreover, it is...

Word, Sacrament, and Discipline Podcast

Jonathan Master
Dec 17, 2018
Word, Sacrament, and Discipline You’ve moved to a new area, and are looking for a church. What are the main things you should consider in your search? As a visitor, what are the visible signs that indicate you’re in a true church? Barry York is a pastor…president of Reformed Presbyterian...

Whose ‘…Father who art in Heaven’?

Mark Johnston
Nov 28, 2018
Although the Lord’s Prayer is without question the best-known prayer the world has ever known, because it is the Lord’s Prayer we shouldn’t be surprised that it will continue to fill us with surprises until we see him face to face. This is true, in part, experientially. Prayer is the heart-cry of...

A Child's Prayer

Chad Van Dixhoorn
Nov 19, 2018
Dear father in heaven, Thank you for giving me sleep last night, and for keeping me safe to live this new day. I am a child, so please help me to do all things through Christ, the One who strengthens me. I am a sinner, so please keep me from temptation, and bring me friends who will encourage me to...