James SewardToo many churches have taken the prayer meeting back behind the barn and shot it. If those prayer meetings were like some I’ve been to, I’m sympathetic. Yet Scripture makes plain from beginning to end that humble, desperate pleading with God is...
Jeanette PiferWhat if the very discipline Scripture commands us to practice “without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) is the one many Christians find hardest to sustain? Prayer is an integral part of Christian life and ministry. Yet, especially for new believers, it is...
In my first year of teaching, I was on my knees praying about every class. I knew I needed help, and God was indeed faithful. Sure, I made mistakes, as any novice does. But when I reflect on that first year of teaching, the faithfulness of God was...
Kyle HughesConversations about spiritual disciplines and Christian formation rightly center on the twin poles of prayer and the reading of Scripture. All too often, though, we think of these as two distinct practices. We tend to see Scripture as providing the...
Layton TalbertPrayer by itself has no power whatsoever. It wields no inherent supernatural sway; nor does it involve a formula or ritual which, if done right, guarantees any desired result. Christian prayer is not magic. The measure of prayer’s power, then, is...
Jessica ClarkA few years ago as I was exploring spiritual disciplines, I found myself surprised at how often fasting came up. Fasting wasn’t something I heard much talked about in the churches and communities I’d been a part of. But it kept coming up...
Drew KeaneSpontaneous, unplanned prayer is a good thing. The Bible contains many examples of such prayers (e.g., Neh 2:4). In fact, praying doesn’t even require the use of intelligible words (Rom 8:26; 1 Cor 14:2). Nonetheless, using a prayer book with...
W. David O. TaylorWhile writing my book of prayers, Prayers for the Pilgrimage (IVP, 2024), I had plenty of opportunity to read and familiarize myself with a range of books both on prayer and of prayers. In the list below, I offer you my top eleven books on and of...
Joel ArnoldWhen I first became a father, I desperately wanted to succeed at family devotions. I gave it all of the creative energy I could muster. The battle of Jericho became a rambunctious march around a toy city. For the story of Samson, I tested my skills...
Robert ElmerHow many different ways can we apologize to God? Quite a few, actually. And in the ancient prayers of God’s people—in Scripture and outside it—their focus quite often turned to confession or its many related expressions: remorse, guilt...
Jennifer GrishamThe simplest definition of prayer is talking to God. While that’s certainly true, prayer is also a unique place where we experience the breadth and depth of the Christian life. Still, prayer isn’t easy—even though it’s one of the most vital parts of...
Esther SmithPrayers for physical wellness fill our prayer chains, but what about prayers for mental health? We all face struggles that threaten our mental well-being. Anxiety overwhelms us. Depression crushes us. Addiction entices us. We walk out of...
Zach HollifieldThe spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.—Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38 Every year as a kid I looked forward to New Year’s Eve because it was the one time a year when all bets were off when it came to bedtime. The mysterious happenings of the...
Gregg AllisonCan we, or can we not, pray to the Holy Spirit? Augustine (354–430) composed this prayer to the Holy Spirit: Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy; Act in me O Holy Spirit that my works, too, may be holy; Draw my heart O Holy...
Even on a first reading of the Lord’s Prayer, it’s striking that Jesus views himself as distinct from the Father who is hearing his prayer. How is it possible for the Son to communicate and interact with the Father unless the Son is distinct from...
Todd HainsEvery morning and every evening I pray for my children. I pray the words God has placed over my children and over me. Because God’s Word interprets the world, these words are how God wants me to see my children. In baptism, God has given my...
Daniel K. EngHave you ever had circumstances disappoint you? It’s happened to all of us. Things don’t turn out the way we expect. Perhaps you’re pretty sharp and you get top grades in school. Your classmates and teachers tell you that you might be able to...
Ryan LyttonThere are 211 instances of “the practice of communicating with a deity” in the Bible, according to the Logos Bible app‘s Factbook . Such a list demonstrates the massive undertaking that is the study of prayer. So, when we approach the topic of...
Christa Threlfall“Shh—I’m listening to your opinion of God!” If you, by some secretive means, were able to eavesdrop on the private conversations between my husband and me, you would get a pretty good gauge on the status of our marriage. Though it...
If spiritual disciplines are those practices which form us spiritually, there can be none so important as prayer—our conversation with God, our Lord and Creator. Yet this most simple and most important of the disciplines can sometimes be the hardest...
In the final hours of a hectic day, sometimes it’s all we can do to get the kids to bed, or rinse the dinner dishes, or whisper a quick prayer before crawling under the covers. And then the alarm is set for tomorrow, when we’ll do it all over again...
Katie FrenchI heard the word “discipleship” frequently growing up. My Bible teachers and pastors spoke on this topic, explaining how it bolsters the Christian life. However, not until recently did I hear the related phrase “spiritual formation.”...
Matthew BoffeyNo church leader wants to admit it, but for many of us it’s true: we still don’t have a sustainable habit for personal Bible study and prayer. Here are five ways forward—true for anyone, church leader or not. 1. Know your why In Man’s Search for...
Logos StaffOur political leaders need prayer, no matter who they are. And as Paul exhorted Timothy, Christians are called to pray for those “in high positions.” As we go about everyday life, the realm of politics often seems so far removed. Or, to be honest...
Jason StoneMark Ward and Harold Senkbeil talk through what it means to set our eyes on Christ through difficult times and to pray for those facing calamity. Watch as Dr. Senkbeil shares about his own recent experience with tragedy, answers from the Word about...
God calls all Christians to become more like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:18), and this transformation happens in the innermost part of a person: their heart. This progression is called spiritual formation, which involves...
An old saying goes, “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to come unraveled.” And even though that’s true, Christians still need encouragement to pray. Here are nine sermon illustrations on prayer to help provide it. 1. How God listens In 2009 news...
Lexham PressBy John Bornshein Why is it important to pray? Knowing the answer—and then doing something with that knowledge—has the power to change our lives. How, exactly? Read on. This excerpt comes from A Prayer Warrior’s Guide to Spiritual Battle: The Front...
Bible Study MagazineCan we learn how to pray like Jesus? We know he prayed in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane. We hear snippets of his conversation with the Father in John 11 when he raised Lazarus from the dead and in Luke 23 when he hung from the cross...
We can learn a lot from others about prayer, but often we forget to seek out the Bible and how others throughout biblical history prayed. Yet we can glean much from Old Testament prayers and those faithful few who prayed them and approached God...