The Romans worshiped the uncompassionate Fortuna, the goddess of chance who often appeared blind and veiled. Her ball of fortune could roll in any direction. Since she was guided by no set rule, her actions with men were capricious. All her gifts were randomly and frivolously handed out. “O Fortuna, like the moon you are changeable, ever waxing ever waning!” But as Christians, we can be greatly comforted to know our God is sovereign over all things and he has “unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass” (WCF 3.1). Indeed, because the omniscient and omnipotent God is “infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being,” (WSC 4), his eternal plan is reasonable, intelligent, wise, unalterable, certain, and perfect. His plan not only
Praying for Salvation
Praying for Salvation Introduction Why do we pray to God for salvation? When I was a boy, I can recall praying for the salvation of a man named Tom at church prayer meetings. Tom was an unbeliever and the husband of a Christian lady who often requested prayer for him in the church where I grew up. The years we spent praying for Tom’s salvation made a lasting impression upon me. Praying for salvation throughout the Bible can mean different things. It can mean praying for salvation from earthly enemies as when God gave salvation to Israel from the Egyptians (Ex. 14:13). It can mean praying for salvation from physical sickness as when Hezekiah prayed and God healed him (Isa. 38). It can mean praying for salvation from earthly perils
Why Prayer Meetings Are Vital to the Well Being of the Church
What comes to mind when you hear the term “prayer meeting”? Do you think of something vital to church life and to the lives of individual Christians? Do you think of prayer meetings from church history that have been used by God to spark reformation, revival, and zeal for missions? For many Christians, unfortunately, the answer to these questions is no. When most believers hear about prayer meetings they probably think of a caricature: long-winded requests about things that don’t seem terribly important. Far from the works of the sovereign and omnipotent God who hears and answers prayer, when we think of prayer meetings, many of us think of an exercise in tedium that detracts from the work of the church. In spite of some tedious and
Pray for the Church
The apostle Paul wrote to his beloved church in Philippi from the praetorium, a Roman prison. He told them that his imprisonment had “really served to advance the gospel”. There were three reasons. 1) The gospel had become known throughout the prison, 2) everyone knew that his imprisonment was “for Christ”, and 3) many Christians had become emboldened “to speak the word without fear.” 1 Paul expressed his joy because “I know that through your prayers (emphasis added) and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” Paul’s joy was such that, whether the authorities released him or put him to death, he would be free. His freedom will come, one way or another, through the prayers of his people. What can we
What is Prayer?
Prayer is a lot like vegetables, only a lot better. We know it’s good for us, and there are plenty of passages and people telling us to do it, yet like a two year old in a high chair who refuses to eat his broccoli, we often refuse to pray. Prayer is hard for so many reasons. We are busy. We are lazy. We are worldly. We are distracted. We don’t know where to start. And the list goes on. Our hesitation to pray is strange, given the sweetness we’ve experienced in prayer. Isn’t it true that something fights against the idea to attend, for example, a church prayer meeting? Yet on the way home we are thankful, even thrilled, that we went? But then the cycle repeats itself. Our prayer lives ebb and flow. There are days when prayer