"Rejoice In All The Good Which The LORD Your God Has Given You" - By Cameron Piner

"Rejoice In All The Good Which The LORD Your God Has Given You" - By Cameron Piner

Deuteronomy 26 doesn’t necessarily contain what we would think of as a “prayer.” However, the people of God were given specific things that they were to say to the priest and to “say before the LORD your God” (vss. 5, 13, NASB). While this is more of a confession/ declaration before the priests and before the LORD, it also is something that the speaker was saying with God as their audience. Therefore, it is at least very similar to a public prayer. Either way, there are some things that we can learn from this chapter about things to say before God, and we can apply that to our prayers today.

Wrestling With God - By Grady Huggins

Wrestling With God - By Grady Huggins

The account of Jacob wrestling with God is one of the more confusing stories in the book of Genesis, yet it is clearly a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life. On this occasion, he is given the name Israel, meaning “he who strives or wrestles with God.” This name would commemorate Jacob’s wrestling match with God for generations to come. What is so significant about this story and what lessons is it intended to teach us?

God's Righteous Attentiveness - By Ben Palmer

God's Righteous Attentiveness - By Ben Palmer

Praise of God's righteous judgement weaves a common thread between Psalms 7 and 9. God saves the righteous, and those who champion His cause find comfort in this (Psalm 9:9-10). In Psalm 7, David leans heavily on this characteristic of God in a request to be delivered from his enemies. David comes to God in this psalm with a clear conscience even going so far as to call judgement upon himself “if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause” (Psalm 7:4, ESV). Let us ask ourselves if we also could so confidently extol the righteous judgement of God. I believe David prayed so powerfully partly because he continually repented and kept his conduct honorable before God and people. As a result, he could genuinely appeal to the righteous judgement of God.  If we also live for the Lord, then we can more genuinely and effectively “give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness” and “sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High” (Psalm 7:17, ESV).

Praying For The Oppressed And The Oppressors? - Genesis 18:22-33 - By Cameron Piner

Praying For The Oppressed And The Oppressors? - Genesis 18:22-33 - By Cameron Piner

Gen. 18:22-33 is one of the first recorded “prayers” in the Bible. However, it is not what we’d typically refer to as a “prayer.” It is really more of a dialogue between God (through angels) & Abraham. Nevertheless, Abraham is talking to God and is interceding, much like is done in many of the prayers in scripture. Abraham intercedes for his nephew Lot, but also for the rest of the people in Sodom.

Love's Quest

Love's Quest

“Now, therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.” (Exodus 33:13)

If our search for God is inspired by real love, we will not rest until we have come to know Him as He truly is