Tag Archive: prayer

Part 7J. The Importance of Kindreds

The importance of broad family and kindred groups to God’s work on Earth and my initiative to my own.

Part 7I. My Personal Experiences With Prophecy, Presented for Review and Comment.

What happened when I prayed for the gift of prophecy in the middle of 2000. How did God answer? The jury is still out. Discussion is invited.

“Repent and be Baptized,” in Acts 2:38

After Peter preached his first sermon, on the day of Pentecost, his hearers asked “what must we do to be saved?” His answer was “repent and be baptized.” Those who believed his message repented by giving up their claims of self-ownership and self-reliance and starting to live in community with each other, sharing freely as any had need.

Repentance, Confession and the Textual Variant in James 5:16

James 5:16 occurs in a context dealing with sick Christians and healing. In that context, it teaches that we are to agree with each other about the character flaws in our lives that lead to discrete sins, and pray for each other that these flaws–and the whole person–will be healed. This sensible reading is supported by the Byzantine New Testament text tradition, which is to be preferred for this verse.

Unity and Answers to Prayer

Jesus’ promises of answered prayer are directly tied to our unity. Answered prayer does not depend on our goodness or qualifications. The prayers God has promised to answer are those made under his authority, in love, for the good of the whole Church.

Answers to Some Reader Questions about Prayer, Prayer Burdens and National Sins

A reader recently asked some very perceptive questions about my views concerning prayer, prayer burdens, and prayer for national sins. Here, I am publishing my answers to those questions. (The reader also asked some personal questions, which I omit from this posting): You asked:  “Also that what matters is your relationship with the Lord not what denomination someone is or…
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Jesus’ Words about Dependence on God in the Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount taught complete dependence on the Father, which Jesus’ life on earth also exemplified.

What We Lose If Jesus is Not Human as shown by Jesus’ Preparation for his Ministry

If Jesus is not human, like us, we also lose the promise of the Holy Spirit, the invitation to live by the direction and power of the Spirit like Jesus did while he was here, and everything that flows from that. Fully discussing this topic will require several posts. While Jesus lived among us bodily, he did not rely on…
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