I am currently preaching a series called “The Truths We Hold Dear.” We are looking at core Biblical doctrines that the church believes. Here is the sermon on God the Father:
Tag: Prayer
Saturday Strands
Here are some loose strands to ponder:
What Makes Christian Prayer Christian? – Joel Beeke and Paul M. Smalley (Crossway)
We must confess our prayerless praying to God and plead for the renewal of our souls. Prayer is the thermometer of our souls. Let us then take practical steps toward prayerful praying.
Missiles and Moments of Clarity – Ryan Currie (TGC)
It’s strange how moments of crisis bring clarity. Each defensive burst clarifies realities I was already aware of but had hidden under the hum and drum of everyday life. These missiles provide moments of clarity into what’s most important.
Those Already Present and Those Who Have Not Yet Arrived – Tim Challies
As I heard the announcement, it occurred to me that when it comes to delays, there is a world of difference between those who are already seated on the plane and those who are still rushing to it.
No Life in God’s Service Is Wasted: Three Lessons from a Brief Ministry – Matt Rhodes (DG)
How will we invest our years, our wealth, our energy, our reputations, and our relationships? The choices we make in this short life show how fully we trust Jesus to give us everlasting life.
Flashback: Stand Firm In His Love
God offers us great compassion. Not just a little. Not just some. Not just the leftovers. God offers us great compassion.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshiping God with your local church!
Saturday Strands
Here are some loose strands for continuing to think about the new year:
Old Advice for a New Year – Cassie Achermann (TGC)
Throughout the centuries, pastors and theologians have used the opportunity of the new year to encourage believers. Let’s listen to their advice for the year ahead.
New Year’s Goal-Setting for People with Actual Lives – Joe Carter (TGC)
What we need isn’t a better to-do list but a better grid for making wise decisions across every domain of life, whether we’re planning our fitness goals or our prayer habits. Such a grid should work for anyone, in any season, pursuing faithfulness in any calling.
5 Habits for Better Prayer in 2026 – Blake Glosson (TGC)
Consider five habits or mindsets that can enrich your extended times of prayer.
The Resolution We Rarely Make – Erik Raymond
As you look ahead to a new year—with fresh goals and good intentions—hear again the invitation of Jesus. He does not offer a program of self-improvement, but a path of self-denial. It’s the path of life.
Flashback: Everlasting Significance
Everyone is searching for significance….
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshiping God with your local church!
Saturday Strands
Here are some loose strands for our growth:
How Should We Pray? A Helpful Framework of Seven ‘P’s – John Stevens
It helps to have some framework for prayer that shapes our thinking and speaking. I find it helpful to bear in mind the following aspects of prayer, both for my personal praying and public prayers.
Leave Church a Little Tired: Serving the Saints on Sunday Morning – Sam Emadi (DG)
The next time you gather with God’s people, I hope you leave strengthened and spiritually fed, I hope you’re built up by the gospel, and I also hope you leave a little tired. I hope you leave looking a little more like the Son of Man, who gave his life to serve.
The Radiance of Real Holiness – Trevin Wax
I’ve been thinking more carefully about how compelling and attractive holiness can be in a world that has forgotten the sacred dignity of humanity and the high calling God has for us.
Follow the Truth, Not Your Heart – Robby Lashua (STR)
The Christian worldview teaches that the heart is deceitfully wicked and that transformation happens when our minds are conformed to the truth. According to the New Age worldview, the mind is a trickster, so we should follow our hearts. This is a complete inversion of the truth.
Flashback: Where God Dwells
God is high and holy, so it should not surprise us that he dwells in a high and holy place. What should absolutely amaze us….
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshiping God with your local church!
Eden Longing
Prayer is our response to the echoes of Eden where we long to walk with God in the cool of the day.
– Philip Nation in Habits for Our Holiness
Saturday Strands
Here are some loose strands for our growth:
Never Too Busy to Pray – Scott Hubbard (DG)
God wants us to run and build and work in this world, but not apart from prayer. Jesus knew as much. So, though busy, though sought out, though needed, though weighed down by a world of urgent responsibility, Jesus prayed. Will we?
10 Ways to Fracture Your Church – Conrad Mbewe (Crossway)
Although I have given ten ways to fracture a church, there are many more. This is only a sample. Often you will find that it is a combination of these causes that finally lead to the fragmentation. To arrest a possible breakup, you need to talk about the threat before the root of bitterness grows. Deal with it quickly. Like cancer, it must be handled as soon as it is discovered because any delay only allows the cancer to grow.
In the School of Contentment – Doug Eaton (Fight of Faith)
It is easy to boast when things are good, but the believer must often be trained by many hardships to make contentment a reality.
Have You Lost the Ability to Think Deeply? – Lydia Kinne (TGC)
Our society desperately needs more people who can think wisely, discern clearly, and guide the next generation in God’s truth. It sounds like a big task, but it can start with something as small as turning off the TV and picking up a good book.
Flashback: Everlasting Significance
Don’t seek lasting significance in the temporary. Only an eternal God can give you lasting significance. He gives us an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshiping God with your local church!
Classic Quote
When I pray, coincidences happen,
and when I don’t, they don’t.
– William Temple
Saturday Strands
Here are some loose strands for our growth:
The Uselessness of Prayer – Trevin Wax (TGC)
Prayer is training us to look up to the God whose first and greatest commandment is to love him with our whole heart, mind, and soul. You cannot measure or quantify that goal. You can only give yourself over to that desire and direction.
The Golden Rule for Hard Conversations – Casey McCall (ROFD)
Now ask yourself, what would you want if you were that person? The Golden Rule helps us wisely discern when the difficult conversation is necessary.
7 Things to Remember When Tempted to Sin – Doug Eaton (FOF)
We all struggle with sin, but we must remember that sin makes us foolish. It is never reasonable, and when we are in the throes of temptation, we often become ignorant. It is as if sin puts blinders on our eyes, causing us to forget what is important to us. These blinders are why, when tempted to sin, it is crucial to pause and reflect on the following seven things.
The Olympic Vision: ‘My Way’ – Murray Campbell
Because of this, perhaps ‘My Way’ was a fitting end to the Paris Olympic Games. The Olympic flame was snuffed out, its dying embers a sign of where ‘Imagine’ becomes reality.
Flashback: Not Offended
Our identity is found in Christ and not in what others think or do. So let’s live as Christians and not be so easily offended.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshiping God with your local church!
One Greater
In prayer, you recognize that there is One greater than you and you are needful of His intervention in your life.
– Philip Nation in Habits for Our Holiness
Let Us Ask
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. – I John 5:14-15 (ESV)
We can have confidence toward God, boldness to actively approach God. We are God’s beloved children and so we approach Him as children approach a loving parent.
When my toddling grandson is hurt, he runs to mommy. When he is hungry, he runs to mommy. When he needs help, he runs to mommy. When he is happy, he runs to mommy.
In the same way, when we are hurting or hungry or need help or are happy, we should run to God as His children, as instinctively and automatically as my grandson runs to his mommy.
The cosmic conflict is bigger than us. All the conflicts we see around us are bigger than us. The conflict you face today is very likely too big for you. But none of these conflicts are too big for God. God is bigger. God is stronger. We can run to Him.
We run to God with confidence – and we ask, and He hears, and we receive. This is the equation for prayer that John gives us: We ask + He hears = We receive. Do you believe that? Do you have that confidence? Do you grasp that God delights to answer your prayers, delights to give you what is good?
Now we must ask according to His will. He won’t just give us anything we ask for. Why not? Because He is a good Father. If my grandson wants to play in road or play with a stick of dynamite, his daddy is going to say “no” because it is not good for him. In the same way, we all too often don’t know what is best for us. But our Father knows what is best for us, and so He screens our requests according to His will. His will is not against us, but for us. Do you believe that? Will you trust Him?
Come to Him and make your request. He will hear and gives us what is best.
Brian J. Mikul 