The Trouble With Prayer

In front of me sat a group of adult singles who were gathered to do a study on prayer. I handed out a sheet of paper that began with this statement: “When it comes to prayer, I _____________.” They were to fill in the blank.

How would you respond? Before we go on, it might be helpful for you to…

Timothy: From Introvert To Church Leader

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. —1 Timothy 4:12

Timothy was Paul’s protégé. He was a native of Lystra who was probably converted through the ministry of Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:8–22) when Paul…

The Keys to the Kingdom... Are Very Small

[Jesus said], “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them.” —Mark 10:14

“Children are to be seen but not heard” is a relatively modern adage that reflects attitudes passed on from much older societies.

When many parents brought their children to Jesus to “have him place his hands on them” (Mark 10:13), the disciples, who were trying…

Converse Instead of Talk

A common hindrance to confident praying is the feeling that no one is listening. We feel like the wife who tries to talk to her husband while he is reading the sports page of the newspaper or the father who is talking to his teenagers while they are listening to music. No feedback, no response, not even an occasional, “Uh-huh.”…