All
The most recent articles, videos, blog entries, and more that have been added to ChristianUnion.org.
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
“When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
What is power? In our world, a world of corporate takeovers, multi-million dollar political campaigns, and relational manipulation, we are no strangers to the quest for, and the procurement of, what we perceive to be power. As participants in this world, we feel the temptation to pursue authority in various forms and numerous guises; God’s Word confronts all of these quests for power.
What is power? In our world, a world of corporate takeovers, multi-million dollar political campaigns, and relational manipulation, we are no strangers to the quest for, and the procurement of, what we perceive to be power. As participants in this world, we feel the temptation to pursue authority in various forms and numerous guises; God’s Word confronts all of these quests for power.
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
In his book, The Revival and its Lessons, Dr. James W. Alexander is careful to point out that every work of revival has its own “peculiarities…arising from acknowledged diversities in the sovereign dispensation of the Spirit.” In the case of the revival which took place in New York, it “was not the result of human project, concerted arrangement, or prescribed plan. It was not an excitement foreseen, predicted, and made to order.”
A Look at the True Potential of Profit
Christians are called to help their fellow man, no matter the circumstance. This seems an easy enough rubric to follow: just help those people you see in need, right? True enough, but the real challenge is discovering the most effective way to reach others. Each person has their own calling, and therefore a different method with which to serve those around us most effectively.Dr. Anne Bradley profiles Bill Gates’ wealth acquisition and philanthropy to illustrate the point that reaching a certain success first can greatly assist efforts to help others. After discovering his love for computers in high school, Gates has become one of the wealthiest men in the world, donating in excess of $28 billion to various charities. Profit can make philanthropy possible and, as Bradley notes, if we are genuinely interested in helping people, we may consider Bill Gates’ approach.
Day Four - Morning Devotional
“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” - Psalm 85:6
Between 1857-1858, one of the great revivals to take place on American soil occurred in the city of New York. Revival soon spread to countless locations throughout the United States. A number of eyewitness accounts of the revival were published. One of the earliest came from the pen of Dr. James W. Alexander, Pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. A graduate of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), Alexander had served his alma mater as a tutor in mathematics and classical languages and subsequently as Professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. Having taught at Princeton Theological Seminary for a brief time, most of Alexander’s public life was spent in pastoral ministry. At the time of the New York revival, Alexander was considered one of the great preachers of the nineteenth century.
Between 1857-1858, one of the great revivals to take place on American soil occurred in the city of New York. Revival soon spread to countless locations throughout the United States. A number of eyewitness accounts of the revival were published. One of the earliest came from the pen of Dr. James W. Alexander, Pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. A graduate of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), Alexander had served his alma mater as a tutor in mathematics and classical languages and subsequently as Professor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres. Having taught at Princeton Theological Seminary for a brief time, most of Alexander’s public life was spent in pastoral ministry. At the time of the New York revival, Alexander was considered one of the great preachers of the nineteenth century.
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
Fasting is often used, both in the Bible and today, as a way to cultivate humility. Today, we will consider one of Scripture’s best examples of humility: Mary. Her song to the Lord in Luke 1:46-55 (the “Magnificat”) starts like this:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
“When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. ‘You deaf and mute spirit,’ he said, ‘I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’. . . After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn't we drive it out?’ He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer.’” -Mark 9:25, 28-29
In this passage, the disciples are faced with a situation that proves to be too difficult for them. Jesus tells them that prayer is the solution. Surely the disciples had prayed as they tried to cast out the evil spirit. So what was the problem? John Piper suggests that the disciples had probably “been caught in a prayerless period of life or a prayerless frame of mind.” Their prayerlessness impeded their ability to be used by God against the forces of evil that confronted them that day. How often have we regretted our own prayerlessness?
In this passage, the disciples are faced with a situation that proves to be too difficult for them. Jesus tells them that prayer is the solution. Surely the disciples had prayed as they tried to cast out the evil spirit. So what was the problem? John Piper suggests that the disciples had probably “been caught in a prayerless period of life or a prayerless frame of mind.” Their prayerlessness impeded their ability to be used by God against the forces of evil that confronted them that day. How often have we regretted our own prayerlessness?
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” - Matthew 27:51-53
We often encounter “Do Not’s” in our daily lives. “Do not Enter.” “Do Not Touch.” “Do Not Pass.” When you go to a museum, you won’t be able to get within four feet of a famous painting or an ancient artifact because of the velvet rope that stands in your way. You’ve probably been in buildings that have signs on the doors that say, “Do Not Enter. Official Personnel Only.” Or maybe you’ve been to a concert where your favorite band is playing, and you can’t help but covet those wearing the VIP Backstage Passes hanging around their necks. Whether the purpose is to keep us out of danger, to protect something that’s valuable, or to give access only to important people, our lives are filled with yellow tape that we are not allowed to cross.
We often encounter “Do Not’s” in our daily lives. “Do not Enter.” “Do Not Touch.” “Do Not Pass.” When you go to a museum, you won’t be able to get within four feet of a famous painting or an ancient artifact because of the velvet rope that stands in your way. You’ve probably been in buildings that have signs on the doors that say, “Do Not Enter. Official Personnel Only.” Or maybe you’ve been to a concert where your favorite band is playing, and you can’t help but covet those wearing the VIP Backstage Passes hanging around their necks. Whether the purpose is to keep us out of danger, to protect something that’s valuable, or to give access only to important people, our lives are filled with yellow tape that we are not allowed to cross.
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” - Mark 1:35
We’re all busy people with days filled with places to go and people to see. Taking time to get away with God to pray likely gets pushed to the bottom of the schedule for the day. We see in the Gospels that Jesus was a very busy man with a full and demanding schedule. Yet, this did not stop him from praying, for though He was the God of the Universe, He still required prayer to be in relationship with the Father. We find Him praying in every step of His ministry, from His baptism through His death. If we are struggling with knowing how to cultivate a consistent life of prayer, we need only look at Jesus who is the best demonstration of how we are to pursue a life of intimate prayer with the Father.
We’re all busy people with days filled with places to go and people to see. Taking time to get away with God to pray likely gets pushed to the bottom of the schedule for the day. We see in the Gospels that Jesus was a very busy man with a full and demanding schedule. Yet, this did not stop him from praying, for though He was the God of the Universe, He still required prayer to be in relationship with the Father. We find Him praying in every step of His ministry, from His baptism through His death. If we are struggling with knowing how to cultivate a consistent life of prayer, we need only look at Jesus who is the best demonstration of how we are to pursue a life of intimate prayer with the Father.
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
Recently during a Bible study I am in with men in my community, I made the happy “discovery” of a verse I‘ve read a hundred times but never really noticed. Sometimes when we read Scripture, it passes through our mind like water runs through a pipe, leaving no trace. How much better when we slow down to savor and meditate on God’s precious Word. Here’s the passage that arrested me:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” -Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” -Romans 15:13
A Prayer and Fasting Devotional
In Andrew Murray’s wonderful book, Humility, he observes that there are three great motivations to seek humility. They are our status as a creature, as a sinner, and as a saint. Which is to say, humble dependence is the proper posture for creatures before a Creator, sinners before an offended God, and the redeemed before a Savior.
He goes on to observe that one of these three gets a disproportionate amount of teaching and focus in most discussions about humility. Can you guess which one?
He goes on to observe that one of these three gets a disproportionate amount of teaching and focus in most discussions about humility. Can you guess which one?
