“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,…
An Empty Stomach
I’m more and more convinced that the answer to every prayer is more of the Holy Spirit. Need more power? Then you need more of the Holy Spirit. Need more wisdom? Then you need more of the Holy Spirit. Need more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control? Then you need more…
What Is the Purpose of Prayer?
“This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” – John 9:3 The primary purpose of prayer is not to change circumstances; the primary purpose of prayer is to change us! But either way, the chief objective remains the same: to glorify God in any and every situation. My friends John and…
Complaining and Miracles
Cloudy with a Chance of Quail I love miracles, and I love food, so I really love food miracles. And while there are multiple food miracles in Scripture, the day God provided quail meat in the middle of nowhere may rank as the most amazing. When the Israelites exited Egypt, a quailstorm was definitely not…
The Circle Maker: Becoming a Circle Maker
You do not have because you do not ask God. — James 4:2 (NIV) What a powerful statement, but what does it have to do with prayer? It is easy to believe that we have asked, and yet we still do not have the things we have asked for. But have we asked the way the…
An American in Prayer: Kneel Before the King
The Greatest of Them All 1931 was a long and boring year. The stock market crash of 1929 plunged America into the depths of the Great Depression, and most businesses struggled to stay afloat. Among the struggling businessmen was a hotelier named Conrad Hilton. Americans weren’t traveling, and hotels were suffering. Hilton was borrowing money…
Ten Steps to Setting God-Ordained Goals
Goals are as unique as we are. They should reflect our unique personality and passions. And we arrive at them via different avenues. But these ten steps to goal setting can guide us as we circle our life goals. 1. Start with Prayer Prayer is the best way to jump-start the process of goal setting.…
Unanswered Prayers: What’s Going On God?
No Answer For much of my life, basketball was my life. When I graduated from high school, I went to the University of Chicago on a full-ride scholarship and earned a starting position on the basketball team by the end of my freshman year. Then I transferred to Central Bible College, where I earned first-team…
Pray Hard
The Cattle on a Thousand Hills Shortly after Dallas Theological Seminary opened its doors, their doors almost closed because of bankruptcy. Before their 1929 commencement day, the faculty gathered in the president’s office to pray that God would provide. They formed a prayer circle, and when it was Harry Ironside’s turn, he circled Psalm 50:10…
Praying Circles Around Your Children
I want to be famous in my home. This is the deepest desire of my heart and the greatest challenge of my life. Parenting our three children is far more difficult and far more important than pastoring thousands of people. Just the other day, I said to [my wife] Lora, “I feel like we’ll finally…