Talking with My Father

-
   Recently, I picked up a book at the library called "Talking with My Father" by Ray Stedman.  The late Ray Stedman was a great bible preacher and teacher, so I was anxioius to read what he had to say.  I have heard him preach on several internet sermon sites.  So far, I have not been disappointed with this little book.  It appears that the chapters were adapted from sermons that he preached on prayer.

  

        One of the first passages that he quotes is in Luke 18:1-18.  The parable is about an unjust judge and ruler who is bothered by a widow who is seeking justice for herself.  She decides she will bother the judge until she gets justice.  The story is one of contrast.  Jesus is contrasting the unjust judge with a just God.  In effect, Jesus is saying that unlike this judge, God is a willing giver of gifts.  God is like a merciful Father, who loves his children and is willing to give.

   Ray makes a comment early on in the book that really struck me as interesting.  He says that prayer is a reflection of faith.  If, in fact, I do not believe that God will do anything if I pray how likely am I to continue praying?  Probably not very likely.  But, if I believe that God is anxious to answer my prayers and hears me, then I am much more likely to bring to God all that I need. 

   I would add that it is a reflect of a healthy relationship with God.  If I have a open and honest relationship with God then I will have a ongoing dialogue with God.  I will share with God my struggles and pains and also my joys.  A lack of a dialogue is a sign of a strained relationship at best.  Having said that, also talking about prayer, rather than actually praying is also a sign of sickness.  How would you like it if people talked about talking to you, but then never did? 

  This book really has made me think about how I pray.  I am looking forward to reading more of what he has to say this week.   Some related scriptures that are brought up in this book are:
Luke 18:9-14; Luke 11:1-4; 11:5-13; John 17; John 14:12-18

Popular posts from this blog

Some thoughts about the church in Corinth

-
Image
    Since March of this year, I have been doing a verse by verse study of the book of 1 Corinthians.  I have also listened to the class on 1 Corinthians taught on the bibleproject web site.  In that class, the teacher spends some time speaking about the controversy of chapter 11 and Paul's role of women in the church.  Though Dr. Lucy Peppiatt has some different views than mine it is a very interesting class that I would recommend.        I have found it encouraging that though the Corinth church had many problems Paul still had a lot of good things to say about them.  For example, in chapter 1 verse 4, he says that he always thanks God for them because they have been enriched in every way.  It says that they do not lack in any spiritual gift.  He never questions their salvation, though he does describe them in chapter 3 as "infants in Christ".  Paul may have written another letter to Corinth which remains lost that was possibly more direct and harsh.  But, he never gives
Read more

Introduction and chapter 1 of 1 John notes

-
  Study of 1 John started November 5, 2023 1 John Introduction The author- John was possibly born in Bethsaida (John 1:44) and was a son of Zebedee and Salome.  It appears his mother helped with the financial support of Christ (Mark 15:40,41).  He and his brother James were called “sons of thunder” Mk 3:17.  John lived in Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia Minor, the Roman proconsul resided there.  John may have been battling against Gnosticism during his later years.  It said that deity cannot unite itself with anything physical such as a body.  It understood that knowledge is superior to virtue.  John battled against this by saying that Christ came in the flesh.  It is possible that 1 John may have been written around 90 A.D.   Wycliffe divides the book up into these sections Fellowship’s conditions 1:5-10 Fellowship’s conduct 2:1-29 Fellowship’s characteristics 3:1-24 Fellowship’s cautions 4:1-21 Fellowship’s cause 5:1-21 1 John 1 John begins by saying that which was from
Read more

The wise men Matthew 2

-
    Matthew chapter 2 starts like this 2  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,  [ a ] wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  2  saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”   3  When Herod the king heard  this,  he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.   5  So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6  ‘But   you, Bethlehem,   in   the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’  ” I've always thought that there were three wise men who came to find Jesus, but the scripture doesn't actually ever say that there was 3 men.  It says that there were wise men who gave Jesus three gifts
Read more