I believe that one hindrance to faith-filled prayer is poor theology. In a world where so much evil happens and where pain is everywhere it is easy to forget that God is love. One of the greatest struggles individuals have in the West with Christianity is the problem of pain and suffering. "If God is loving," they ask, "why is there so much hurt in the world?" And if we are honest we will admit that we find these questions troublesome ourselves.
In spite of our confusion the Bible presents to us a God who is love and who is concerned for humanity. In 1 John 4:16 we read "God is love" and one of the most popular verses of Scripture, John 3:16, tell us: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." We need to allow the conviction of God's love to flow through our veins and inform our every prayer. We need to be reading Scripture which reveals God's loving nature to us. God cares much more deeply about people than we do and He longs to bless. Knowledge of God's good nature must fill our prayers with the expectation that God will indeed do good.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Praying in Faith Part 1
Yesterday I was reading a passage of Scripture that causes many of us Christians some significant trouble:
Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. (Matthew 11:23-24)
As a "good Christian" should, I believe the words of Christ intellectually. However, in practice, I often find myself doubting in the midst of my prayers. I find myself not fretting over whether God can do what I ask, but wondering whether He actually will. Why? What prevents me from praying in faith at all times? I'd like to spend some time over the next several days exploring hindrances to faith-filled prayers and discussing ways that our faith might be increased.
Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. (Matthew 11:23-24)
As a "good Christian" should, I believe the words of Christ intellectually. However, in practice, I often find myself doubting in the midst of my prayers. I find myself not fretting over whether God can do what I ask, but wondering whether He actually will. Why? What prevents me from praying in faith at all times? I'd like to spend some time over the next several days exploring hindrances to faith-filled prayers and discussing ways that our faith might be increased.
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