“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” —Numbers 6:24-26 One of the best things about being a parent is getting to watch your child grow up. That’s also one of the…
Crazy Faith
“This woman is driving me crazy.” Luke 18:5 NLT I love the parable of the persistent widow. I don’t mean any disrespect, but I think persistent is a nice word for crazy. This woman is crazy, but when the cause is a righteous one, it’s a holy crazy! We aren’t told what injustice took place,…
Please, God
Maybe your dad was always there for you. Maybe he took you school-supply shopping, hugged you when you cried, and told that ex of yours that he or she messed with the wrong kid. Or maybe your dad was deeply flawed. Maybe, through his words and actions or his silence and neglect, you learned that…
Prayer in Community: Kingdom Power Multiplied
Editor’s Note: Matthew 3:2 says, “The Kingdom of God has come near”, meaning it’s closer than we think, but we must choose to see it. Some of the best representations of the Kingdom are when differing cultures, nations, skin colors, occupations, walks of life, etc. come together in the most unlikely of circumstances. Our God…
3 Prayers You’ll Want To Keep in Your Pocket This School Year
A Prayer of Protection We may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” —Hebrews 13:6 Almighty God, You are powerful. You possess all authority over Heaven and earth. This world can be a scary place. Even our schools don’t seem safe from those who do…
Why Are You Even Here?
Group Time Leader read Kat’s message to group: It’s no accident that your attention is here for the moment. Cast aside those nagging fears that you won’t give this study the time it deserves, and you should just quit while you’re ahead. Reject the notion that this can wait. Because now is always the right…
I’m Scared to Pray Boldly
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. — James 5:16 Sometimes I’m scared to pray boldly. It’s not at all that I don’t believe God can do anything. I absolutely do. I’m a wild-about-Jesus girl. Wild in my willingness. Wild in my obedience. Wild in my adventures with God. So my hesitation…
How Long Should You Pray for Something?
I have often been asked, “Pastor Ronnie, how long should I pray for something?” I do not believe there is a Christian anywhere in the world today who has not asked at one time or another, “How long should I pray for something?” Years ago, some began to teach that if you really had enough…
Answering Our Own Prayers
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.” — Luke 11:1 ESV A group of teenagers and I sat cross-legged on the church lawn, soaking in the warm summer sunshine. One of the girls…
Praying to Move On with the Lord
“I’m still on shaky ground,” I said to myself as I drove to church one Sunday morning nearly a year after coming to know the Lord. Even though my life was much improved, I still had this uneasy feeling that at any moment I could lose the stability I’d gained. I feared that my glimpses…