The first line of the prayer of Jabez, is: “Oh, that you would bless me, indeed…” First of all, the word “indeed” is a way of adding emphasis, much like we would do with an exclamation point. It wasn’t enough for Jabez to merely make his request, he made it passionately and emphatically. The request […]
The prayer of Jabez is a short prayer and is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10; it is also the subject of a recent popular book by the same name. After a short, very short, bio of Jabez, his equally short prayer is given, followed by a concise commentary. Jabez’s five line prayer is: Oh, that […]
Fasting for the Right Reasons Although many people ignore its practice, fasting is demonstrated in the Bible and is an encouraged practice. (See the blog entry, “When You Fast…“.) However, fasting rightly requires fasting for the right reasons. Here are some of them: Wrong reasons for fasting includes to earn God’s attention or favor, out […]
Miracle Workers, Reformers, and the New Mystics By John Crowder (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) The subtitle of this book serves as an apt description of what to expect: “How to Become Part of the Supernatural Generation.” Building upon the understanding of a Christian mystic to be “one who lived a life of deep, extensive prayer,” […]
A friend asked for prayer, that she would allow God to be her copilot. This is a good step for her, but it misses the point of what God truly desires. You see, a copilot is there to help the pilot should unforeseen circumstances occur or the pilot become incapacitated. The pilot is still in […]
Don’t Withhold Forgiveness When you pray, be careful what you pray—I’m serious, be very careful. In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (also called “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”), one part says: “Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.” Some translations use the word “sins” or “transgressions” in […]