Psalm 23 New Living Translation 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. “Thank You, Lord, for taking care of me and seeing to it that my needs are met.” 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. “Thank You for giving me food and water, and for letting me securely…
Month: April 2022
Praying the Moments
When you have eaten and are satisfied, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. Deuteronomy 8:10 Amplified Bible Several hundred years before Jesus, a tradition arose of offering short, specific prayers all through the day. These prayers are called berakhah [bra-KHAH], meaning “blessing.” Directed toward God, they…
“Praying the Hours”
In order to “pray without ceasing,” the Desert Mothers and Fathers followed a pattern of set times during the day for prayer. This has become known as “The Liturgy of the Hours”, “The Divine Offices”, “Fixed-hour Prayer”, or “Praying the Hours”. Originating in Jewish tradition, the practice is based in Psalms: Seven times a day…
Pray Without Ceasing?
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV This has always seemed something of an impossibility. How does one focus attention continually on God without tripping over daily life? But what do other versions/translations of the Bible say? ********** Never stop praying. (NLT) Jesus taught that perseverance is the essential element in prayer. E. M. Bounds…
Fasting … and Prayer
We know Jesus fasted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-2). We know that Jesus often went off alone to pray (Luke 5:16). So, it is not a stretch to think that Jesus spent those 40 days in the wilderness praying. As a result, He was able to withstand Satan’s attacks. “Jesus himself has shown us by…
Look & Seek
Intimacy with God begins by seeking Him first,not just above all things but INSTEAD of all things, even good things. The greatest saint in the world is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives alms, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice. It is he who is…
The “Fast” God Wants
God addresses the Israelites’ religious practices in Isaiah 58 (selected verses from NLT). Sort of sounds like Jesus’ words about sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46 NLT), doesn’t it? 1“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.Tell my people Israel of their sins!2 Yet they act so pious!They come to the Temple every day and…