kingdom

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). Yesterday we began looking at some of the things that can hinder our communication with God. Today we will look at three more pitfalls we must watch out for. Covetousness is also a hindrance to prayer. Covetousness is not only wanting what other people have but also wanting to keep resources that belong to the Lord. God said through Malachi, “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8). When we hold on to resources that belong to God, we are coveting and stealing from God. Yet when we joyfully give back what is rightfully His, we can experience “so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it” (Malachi 3:10). Another hindrance to prayer is habitual disobedience. King Saul’s greatest flaw was his disobedience to […]

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). Do you feel like your prayers are powerless and that God is not listening? This is not the experience God intended for prayer. He wants us to find joy and fellowship with Him, not frustration and loneliness. Jesus opened the communication lines between us and the Father; however, our sinfulness can affect our prayer lives. We must remain on guard against potential pitfalls so that we can maintain open lines of communication with our Lord. The first hindrance to prayer is a marriage relationship that is off kilter. Scripture warns us, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7). God has given us a balanced formula for a […]

“For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord” (Psalm 117:2). Do you sometimes struggle with the right words in prayer? Or do you wonder exactly what to pray for? You are not alone. But God will empower you for meaningful prayer as you begin to praise Him. Praise reflects our acknowledgment of all that God is and all that He has done, is doing, and has promised to do. Praise sets the stage for prayer that is focused, specific, and powerful. And the more we praise God, the more we realize that He not only knows about our needs but also desires to provide all that we need. God wants us to ask Him to meet our needs, not so that He’ll become better informed about them but so that we will become more aware of what is truly burdening us and tugging at our hearts. By praising God for […]

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).   Read Matthew 6:19-34. In the Christian life, we face endless decisions every day. We need heavenly wisdom to choose wisely. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers us four choices that have the power to shape our life here on earth. How we handle them today will echo throughout eternity.   First, He gives us a choice between two investment banks. We can either store up treasure on earth, “where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal,” or store our treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:19-20). Where will you ultimately invest—in the local bank, where they give a fraction of a percent interest, or in the bank of heaven, where you’ll earn a hundred-fold harvest?   Second, Jesus gives us a choice between stumbling around in the darkness or walking in the light. He says, “If your eyes are healthy, your […]