Posts with the category “pastor-devotional”

Matthew 6:5-15,And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.  For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret, will reward you. And when you p...  Read More

Matthew 22:35,And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”Jesus is asked a question by a lawyer, and it wasn't a sincere question, but an attempt to trap Him or stir u...  Read More

Matthew 6:9-13,“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”Luke chapter 11:1,2,Now, Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of ...  Read More

Matthew 24:3-14,As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See...  Read More

Romans 8: It's sometimes called the greatest chapter, or certainly the greatest epistle. But even this chapter is probably the high point of Romans, the greatest chapter in the world. It begins on a blessed negative, you could say, and ends on a blessed negative. And in terms of our identity, there are two great doctrines that are highlighted here in Romans chapter 8. The doctrine of our justifica...  Read More

I am going to ask you to turn to Acts 17 to begin our time and prime us as we think about going to prayer. Acts 17 is where the Apostle Paul is in that place called Mars Hill. He's been invited there, and engages in what you could call an apologetic defense of the faith. These are intellectuals of his day, the philosophers, the Stoic and the Epicurean philosophers.  But notice, he doesn't begin pr...  Read More

Exodus 20:1-17,And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or s...  Read More

Good evening, Brethren, this is our Wednesday night Zoom prayer meeting. One of the purposes, not the only purpose, but certainly one purpose to come to a prayer meeting, a corporate prayer meeting, is to learn how to pray. We learn by way of principles and precepts, but we also learn from one another and we also learn from men in the Bible who prayed and we're going to focus on Elijah.1 Kings 18:...  Read More

Psalm 90. A prayer of Moses, the Man of God.Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth, and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” (or children of Adam.) For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is passed, or...  Read More

Matthew 5:1-12,Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He had sat down, His disciples came to him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteou...  Read More

Exodus 34:6,7,The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and sin…”This was probably one of the most exciting and thrilling, never-forget moments in Moses’ life. In the previous chapter, Exodus 33, remember...  Read More

Psalm 90:1-12,A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the ni...  Read More

Matthew 16:13-18Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Bless...  Read More

Luke 18:1,“And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always (there's a word of command, ought), to pray and not lose heart.”And if you read on into that parable, it's about Jesus teaching us by way of this widow, about persevering prayer, not to give up. And the Apostle Paul, he picks up that same perspective in Ephesians 6:18,“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and...  Read More

Psalm 145:3, 5, 6,“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” “On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.”I would think that every Christian wants to pray better and bigger prayers. And how can we? Well, you have to start with Go...  Read More

Relevant Passages: Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18; Colossians 2:6,7In light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday I thought it appropriate to come back to the matter of thanksgiving. This is my third time up to the plate. We did last Wednesday and Sunday and we had a Sunday night Thanksgiving service. So I want to come back to it again. It struck me more than it ever has just how promine...  Read More

Philippians 4:4-6,“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Colossians 4:2,“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” If you examine the prayers of th...  Read More

Luke 11:1-4,Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” And He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into tempt...  Read More

Matthew 6:9, 10,“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”I think of the Lord’s Prayer like the Grand Canyon. You could never walk that canyon, I don’t think you could get down as deep as that canyon, there is so much in that canyon, you could spend almost a lifetime exploring that canyon. It is the same wi...  Read More

Matthew 6:9-13,“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” I think every Christian wants to improve their prayer life, and perhaps there's no better prayer to pray then the ...  Read More

Psalm 107:1-3,“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” In this Psalm, it begins with the call for us to give thanks to the Lord. And the reason that is given is that it's “for He is g...  Read More

Luke chapter 11:1-4,“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ And He said to them, ‘When you pray, say, ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not ...  Read More

You probably know Psalm 119 is the longest of all the Psalms, 176 verses. If you ask the question, what is it about? I think you could say this, “It's about a man's love affair with his Bible.” The words love and delight pop up several times, at least ten times for love, and I think ten times for delight. So, twenty times the words love and delight are used by the psalmist. It's a good reminder. W...  Read More

Psalm 111:1-10,“Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those ...  Read More

John 17:6-17,“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me. And they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me....  Read More

Romans 12:12, “Be constant in prayer.”Here, Paul exhorts the church, “Be constant in prayer.” To be constant in prayer. How is it possible? How can we be constant in prayer?  Well, certainly, I think it would mean that, at a minimum, we should have a consistent prayer life. We should consistently have a time in which we have dedicated a portion of our day, each and every day, to focus upon prayer....  Read More

Proverbs 3: 5-6Solomon writes for us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”In Proverbs chapter 3, verses 5 and 6, Solomon is giving us a couple of verses that I think have been used in many days and many times by many people to encourage ourselves, especially in the midst of diffi...  Read More

Psalm 18:1-3,To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvati...  Read More

Psalm 19:1-6,“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them, he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his ...  Read More

Job 42:1-6,“Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ea...  Read More

Matthew 6:9-13,“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”If I asked you this question, “What is the most important word, or the most important concep...  Read More

Isaiah 12,You will say in that day; “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and I will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give t...  Read More

Ephesians 3:20,21,“Now, to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."About 25 years ago, I was asked to speak at a public school, I think it was grades 4, 5, and 6, and they asked me to speak on prayer. So I tried to make it...  Read More

Psalm 4,To the choir master, with stringed instruments, a Psalm of David. “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! Oh men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?Selah But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears...  Read More

Daniel 6:10.When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God as he had done previously. We considered this last Lord's Day morning, and different things came to my mind after I preached through the passage. Daniel chapter 6 y...  Read More

Isaiah 6:1-8,In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”...  Read More

Matthew 6:25,“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”Verse 31-34,“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles, seek after all these things, and your Hea...  Read More

As we prepare our hearts, I want to turn to Exodus chapter 20, one of the greatest chapters in our Bibles. Here's the giving of the law to the nation of Israel, it's that law that Paul references in Romans 7. Remember how he describes it? It's a good law, a holy law, it's a law that the psalmist delights in. It's a law that the psalmist says, I love. And I'm going to read the fourth commandment, v...  Read More

2 Corinthians 1:3-7,“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If ...  Read More

1 Chronicles 29:11,“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, (and that's a very special word in the Bible, that in particular brings in the focus of God's sovereignty) Yours is the kingdom, O Lord and you are exalted as head above all.”This is a book of the Bible that...  Read More