HOW PRAYER CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE (4 OF 7)
by Scott Maze
Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30
This content is part of a series.
How Prayer Can Change Your Life (4 of 7)
Series: 7 Practices of a Healthy Christian
Scott Maze
Matthew 11:28-30
Christopher Hitchens is the author of God is Not Great: Why Religion Poisons Everything. The title of his book tells his attitude toward God. Hitchens was 62 when he was undergoing chemotherapy for his throat cancer. Now deceased, he was famous for his atheism. So many Christians prayed for his healing during his chemotherapy. To those who pray for his healing, Hitchens offers the following opinion, “I think of it as a nice gesture. And it may well make them feel better, which is a good thing in itself.” Is prayer nothing more than a nice gesture?
We pray to God to provide but we’re still out of work. We pray for the sick, but they are not healed. We pray for someone to have a life transforming experience with Christ, but he or she keeps running from God. We pray for a partner in life, but we are still alone. Is prayer just something that “makes us feel better?”
Today, we continue our series Seven Practices of a Healthy Christian. The series is began with the heart where our greatest satisfaction is found in Christ. Today, we concentrate on our knees for the purpose of prayer. I doubt if there is any Christian who has not sometimes found it difficult to pray.
Three Excuses Not to Pray
1. There is No Need to Pray
Paul Miller is the father to six children. Several summers ago, his family was camping in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. His wife, Jill, stayed home with his eight year old daughter, Kim. They were exiting the campsite to head home in their Dodge Caravan, when Paul’s fourteen year old daughter, Ashley, lost her contact lens. Looking down at a forest floor, covered with leaves and twigs, there were a million little crevices for the lens to disappear into. Paul said, “Ashley, don’t move. Let’s pray.” Before the father could pray, Ashley burst into tears. She spoke these words, “What good does it do? I’ve prayed for Kim ...
Series: 7 Practices of a Healthy Christian
Scott Maze
Matthew 11:28-30
Christopher Hitchens is the author of God is Not Great: Why Religion Poisons Everything. The title of his book tells his attitude toward God. Hitchens was 62 when he was undergoing chemotherapy for his throat cancer. Now deceased, he was famous for his atheism. So many Christians prayed for his healing during his chemotherapy. To those who pray for his healing, Hitchens offers the following opinion, “I think of it as a nice gesture. And it may well make them feel better, which is a good thing in itself.” Is prayer nothing more than a nice gesture?
We pray to God to provide but we’re still out of work. We pray for the sick, but they are not healed. We pray for someone to have a life transforming experience with Christ, but he or she keeps running from God. We pray for a partner in life, but we are still alone. Is prayer just something that “makes us feel better?”
Today, we continue our series Seven Practices of a Healthy Christian. The series is began with the heart where our greatest satisfaction is found in Christ. Today, we concentrate on our knees for the purpose of prayer. I doubt if there is any Christian who has not sometimes found it difficult to pray.
Three Excuses Not to Pray
1. There is No Need to Pray
Paul Miller is the father to six children. Several summers ago, his family was camping in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. His wife, Jill, stayed home with his eight year old daughter, Kim. They were exiting the campsite to head home in their Dodge Caravan, when Paul’s fourteen year old daughter, Ashley, lost her contact lens. Looking down at a forest floor, covered with leaves and twigs, there were a million little crevices for the lens to disappear into. Paul said, “Ashley, don’t move. Let’s pray.” Before the father could pray, Ashley burst into tears. She spoke these words, “What good does it do? I’ve prayed for Kim ...
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