Category: prayer

Standing In The Gap

Prayer is a divine weapon, a sacred act that Satan dreads when wielded by faithful Christians. In the church, prayer is God’s design to weave us into a tight-knit community, binding us closer than proximity ever could. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Intercessory prayer, lifting others before God’s throne, is a duty and privilege that transforms both the pray-er and the prayed-for.

Carl Pollard

Prayer is a divine weapon, a sacred act that Satan dreads when wielded by faithful Christians. In the church, prayer is God’s design to weave us into a tight-knit community, binding us closer than proximity ever could. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Intercessory prayer, lifting others before God’s throne, is a duty and privilege that transforms both the pray-er and the prayed-for.

Why pray for each other? Scripture commands it. Matthew 5:44 urges us to pray even for enemies, fulfilling the call to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Pray for others the way you’d pray for yourself! Colossians 1:9 Paul models ceaseless prayer for others’ spiritual growth, while Galatians 6:2 frames intercession as bearing one another’s burdens, fulfilling Christ’s law. Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us that prayer knits the church together, spurring love and good deeds. Yet, how often do our prayers default to vague “bless them” pleas or focus solely on physical needs? Intentional intercession digs deeper, aligning with God’s will.

Biblical heroes show us this. Abraham pleaded for Sodom’s salvation (Genesis 18:22–33), mirroring God’s heart for the wicked to turn and live (Ezekiel 33:11). Moses stood in the gap for idolatrous Israel, offering his life to secure their forgiveness (Exodus 32:11–14, 31–32; Psalm 106:23). Jesus, in His High Priestly Prayer (John 17:1–26), interceded for His disciples’ protection, sanctification, and unity, modeling prayers for eternal impact. Paul’s prayers for the churches (Ephesians 1:15–23; Colossians 1:9–12) prioritized spiritual wisdom and strength over physical circumstances.

To pray intentionally, embrace three keys. First, keep God’s bigger story in mind. While praying for safety or healing is valid, God often uses trials to shape us into Christ’s image (Romans 8:28–29; James 1:2–4). Like Jesus in Luke 22:42, balance requests for relief with surrender to God’s will, praying for faithfulness through suffering. Second, use biblical models to form your prayers. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) prioritizes God’s will and provision, while Paul’s prayers (Ephesians 3:16–17) seek spiritual depth. Third, pray specifically and with persistence, as 1 John 5:14–15 assures that prayers aligned with God’s will are heard.

Intercessory prayer is a sacrificial act of love, a call to stand in the gap for others, as Moses did, or to plead for unity, as Jesus did. It’s a rebellion against Satan’s schemes, a bridge to connect our church, and a path to spiritual maturity. So, who are you praying for today? Let’s commit to intentional, fervent intercession, trusting God to work mightily through our prayers.

Two Key Elements for Powerful Prayers

Dale Pollard

1. Pray With A Proper Motive (Mark 8.2) 

What motivates us to pray? Proper motivation is praying with God’s will in mind and we can be sure that His will is for us to know Jesus. 

In Matthew 8.2 the leper asks Jesus to heal Him but the way in which he asks Jesus is telling. He says,

“Lord, you have the power to heal me if you want.” 

That’s another way of saying, “Lord, if it’s your will, you can heal me.”

Consider the following verses: 

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15.7).  

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (I John 5.14-15). 

2. Pray With Proper Priorities 

(Mark 2.1-12) 

A paralytic is lowered through the roof by his friends but Jesus cleanses him of his sin first, then mends his physical problem. What is God’s will? Your spiritual wellbeing. Prioritize your prayer life by placing spiritual health at the top.

Passive Prayer

Carl Pollard

Far too often we believe (or act) as though once we pray about something, we don’t have to do anything more. It’s almost as if we see devotion to God and helping others as being mutually exclusive. We will pray for someone who is hurting, sick, or hungry and then do nothing more. Jesus prayed often, for long periods of time, but He was never passive. He didn’t separate faith from action. Jesus would pray, then heal. He believed, then acted. He would preach, then live what He taught. 

Why do we think it would be any different? 

Could it be that we are the answer to our prayers more often than we realize? Maybe we are the ones to comfort those who are mourning. Maybe we are the ones who are supposed to feed the hungry. Maybe we are the ones who need to study with the lost. 

It’s important we pray for others, but we cannot be passive and expect our prayers to be answered. 

Jesus warned against being passive. 

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus is teaching about the final judgment we will all face in the end. 

Notice how Jesus rejects those who aren’t concerned for the physical well-being of others. He will have nothing to do with Christians who fail to have an active prayer life. Verses 33-40 say, “And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” 

A prayer by itself won’t clothe someone. 

Prayer by itself won’t fill an empty stomach

A prayer with no action will never give someone a drink. Jesus accepts those who DO SOMETHING. Prayer should open our eyes to the needs of those around us. If we have a say in the matter, if we have the ability to change someone’s circumstances WE ARE THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS. 

Then, in verses 41-46, Jesus says, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”“

Jesus will reject a spirituality that is not concerned for the tangible needs of those around us. People matter to God, so much so that our eternity depends on how we care for anyone we may meet. Don’t get me wrong, God expects us to pray for others (Jesus’ example of prayer included praying for our enemies and those we love), but He also expects us to be His hands and feet. 

James 2:14-17 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Unfortunately, we often use prayer as a substitute for action. In fact, it sounds so spiritual to say that we will pray about it; but highly hypocritical to have the tools and resources to do something about it but not act. Wives, how would you feel if you went to your husbands and asked them to put together that piece of furniture you bought from the store and they answered by saying, “I’ll be praying about it.” Maybe you need the oil changed on your car and they say, “I’ll definitely be praying that gets taken care of.” How frustrating would that be? 

At some point our prayers should open our eyes to the works we should be doing!

Like Jesus, we should pray as though it all depended on God, but act responsibly and obediently as though it all depended on us.

He prayed over big decisions, then did something. In His prayers, He was never passive. We would do well to imitate His example! 

Selfless Prayer

Carl Pollard

Our prayers can have a tendency to be self centered. Whether we mean to or not, our prayers can end up being all about our problems and needs. God wants to help us, but prayer is so powerful we should be thrilled at the ability we have to pray to God for others. 

Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you love others? Mention them by name to God. There’s nothing greater you could do than to thank God for His children by name. Take the church directory, scroll through and pray for each family by name. If we all did this, there would be blessings on end. 

Jesus was not selfish with His prayers. In John 17 Jesus prays for His disciples. There is so much love in the words He spoke. He prayed for their faith, their strength, their work. He prayed for us who would believe in the teachings of the apostles. He prayed that they would persevere, that they would have unity, He prayed for growth. He spent time in prayer over the ones He loved. And that includes us! 

He continues to pray for us today. Hebrews 7:25 gives us the most encouraging news about our Savior. Jesus has made it His constant purpose to pray for you and me. 

“He.” Jesus stands in the gap making petitions to God on my behalf. He is our representative. He is our mediator in salvation and our mediator in heaven.

“Always.” Permanence and authority are in the role that Jesus plays. Jesus never stops praying for us. He is always at our disposal before the throne of heaven pleading our case and sharing our cause with the Father.

“Lives.” Jesus is alive to fulfill his role. His resurrection proves that Jesus is alive, but what is he doing with all that time at his disposal? He is praying for you and me. Christ’s life in heaven is his prayer for us.

“To intercede.” The word means “to meet, to approach, to appeal, to make petition. Intercession involves our Lord’s representation of his people at the throne of God. Through Christ, believers are able to draw near to God in prayer. Sometimes I do not know what to pray or even how to pray, but Jesus does. He goes before the Father with my concerns. Jesus always knows how to pray as He should.

The prayer life of Jesus…that’s a humbling study. He goes above and beyond what I have ever done. Throughout the gospels we find a prayerful Savior. Prayed over food (Matt. 14:19-21). Prayed in stress (John 17). Prayed alone (Mark 1:35). Prayed often (Luke 5:16). Prayed for others (John 17:9).

He Prayed with His Heart. Jesus gave His all. And He continues to give today! 

1 Timothy: Behaving In God’s House (III)

The Power Of Prayer (2:1-8)

Neal Pollard

Paul’s use of the word “then” connects his instruction to Timothy about false teachers at the end of chapter one with the sound doctrine that follows here. “First of all” appears to highlight that what he was about to say was of utmost importance. What is so vitally important? What true doctrine was Paul urgent to share? He is addressing the essential act of prayer. There is such tremendous potential power when God’s people take advantage of this blessing, but how neglected and forsaken prayer is among His people only He truly knows. God wants us to understand that He wants His children communicating with Him frequently and meaningfully in His house. What makes prayer so powerful?

Consider what prayer is (1). Some say Paul is simply pulling out as many synonyms as possible to urge Christians to pray. But as each word is God-breathed, each carries a particular dimension of importance. “It can be seen from this brief summary that prayers is the generic word for prayer; thanksgivings is expressing gratitude and thanks to God; supplications is asking God to supply the needs of the Christian community; and intercessions is praying to God on behalf of other people, particularly those who are not yet members of the community of faith” (Arichea and Hatton, UBS Handbook, 45). God wants us found petitioning Him, speaking to Him and making requests of Him. As such, He desires our expressions of gratitude for blessings given, our begging and pleading for His help, and our speaking on behalf of others. This is a great measuring stick for our prayer lives. Do they look like this?

Consider who prayer benefits (1-2).  This is a discipline which is practiced by the spiritually mature. Sometimes, those who do pray lavish them only on themselves and selfish interests. There is none of that in this imperative. Paul calls for prayers for all people, for governmental and other authorities. It produces a good benefit for us when we pray for them, but God desires such prayers. Don’t miss that God is pleased with such prayers. It is “very welcome,  being gladly received with great pleasure” (Brannan, Lexham Lexicon, np). Can we not say that prayer benefits the subjects, the Object, and even the offerer of prayer? What do we get from offering such prayers? Peace and quiet and dignified lives.

Consider who prayer is addressed to (3-7). First, it is addressed to the Savior (3-4). Second, it is addressed to God (3-5). It is prayed through the perfect Mediator, the “God-Man” (Jesus). But what does Paul say here about the One to whom we bring our prayers? He desires all men to be saved, and He proved it beyond all doubt by giving His Son as a ransom to pay our sin debt (a message delivered at the proper time–see Gal. 4:4; Ti. 1:2). He wants all to know the truth, proven by His appointing men like Paul as preachers and apostles to teach the truth (7). These verses have been summarized as one God, one Mediator, and one mission (Robinson, Opening Up Commentary, 38). 

Consider who prayer is to be led by (8). Again, so that we do not miss the point stressed in context, Paul says “I desire then that in every place the men should pray” (8a). How pleased He is when Christians, discussing a matter of any importance with each other, pause in the discussion to say, “Let’s pray about this.” When elders, who are visited by members or who discuss the vital work of the church, cannot close the discussion without saying, “Let’s pray about this.” When friends, spouses, families, and other Christians cannot but insert prayer into whatever is happening. 

But do not miss that something more specific is being instructed here. Paul is talking about public prayer and who God wants leading it. The word for “men” is the gender-specific “male.” Paul is about to teach that women are not to lead in the acts of worship (11-12); the men are. Which men? Those whose hands are holy (Ps. 24:4; Js. 4:8). How can we tell? Angry, quarrelsome men do not have holy hands. Any man who is living his life in defiance of God’s will has impure hands and is not suited to lead us in this sacred act. What about the man who can only manage to get to worship every few weeks or month or so? What about the man known to the community for his foul mouth, his hot temper, his sexually suggestive speech, his indiscretion with the opposite sex, and the like? The exercise of prayer is so eternally vital that God demands righteous Christian men be the ones leading it.

How powerful is prayer? Ask Solomon (1 Ki. 3:3-9). Ask Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9-10). Ask Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:6-12). Ask Hezekiah (Isa. 38). Ask the saints in Jerusalem (Acts 4:24-31). Ask Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25). How powerful is prayer? Think back to the countless times and ways God has responded in infinite wisdom and power to your entreaties, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings. It will make you spontaneously declare, “God is so good to me!”

The Praying Sinner?

Dale Pollard

Does God Hear The Sinners Prayer? 

It’s not as if an all-powerful and all-knowing God doesn’t hear the sinner, but He won’t respond or act on their requests or the content of those prayers in a desirable way. 

However, there’s at least two exceptions: 

  1. He will answer prayers that lead one to salvation. 
  2. A “sinner’s” prayer that furthers God’s Will in the world. 

For Example: 

God, in accordance to His plan to bring the gentiles into the fold, heard the prayer of the unsaved Cornelius (Acts 10:30-31). 

“DOES HE HEAR THE PRAYERS OF SINFUL SAINTS?”

Quick Answer: 

God will answer a particular kind of prayer. A prayer to guide the lost back home or to lead one to Salvation. This applies to sinners in both camps— the wayward Christian and the non-Christian (Matt. 6:33). 

THE NOT-SO-QUICK ANSWER 

God hears the prayer of the one(s) who leave His presence— but seek forgiveness or direction. 

EXAMPLES & EVIDENCE 

What about Jonah? 

“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry” (Jonah 2.1-2). 

What about Israel? 

“The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 

But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them” (Judges 3.8-9). 

ANSWERED PRAYERS ARE CONDITIONAL 

  1. God won’t answer prayers that are lifted up by those with selfish motivations 

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:2-4).

  1. God won’t hear the prayers of the man who isn’t living peacefully with his wife 

“You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (I Peter 3:7). 

Scripture Teaches Us How To Pray With Constant Success 

Live righteously. The righteous have a more potent prayer (James 5:16). 

Wise up. The one who doesn’t know how to make it through a trial is guaranteed wisdom if he asks God for it (James 1.5). 

Praying Like Christ

Carl Pollard

Very clearly seen in His ministry, Jesus believed that prayer worked. He realized the effectiveness and power of prayer. Because of this, He had an intimate relationship with the Father. Before He came to this earth, He was close to the Father. He refused to let His flesh separate Him from God. He had a desire to spend time with the Father. 

Sometimes, our motivation to pray is put out because we doubt that our prayers will work or make a difference. I for one have gone through periods of time where I failed to pray as I should, solely because of doubt. 

This is straight from the mouth of Satan. What better way to weaken our faith than to place doubt in our minds in the Creator to which we pray through the Son? 

What happens is we get this view of prayer that its all about the prayer requests. Not that it’s wrong to ask God for help, or pray for the sick, but all too often we see prayer as a help wanted billboard. We miss the point of prayer if this is all we see it as! Prayer is about talking with our Father, building and maintaining our relationship with our Savior! 

How close would you be to your physical father if the only reason you called him and talked to him was to ask for favors? Prayer is all about connection. If we reduce prayer to nothing more than asking for things, we have failed to pray like Christ. 

Making requests is one of the many needed aspects of prayer. It is true that Jesus spoke confidently to God, and requested things. 

God is more than willing to answer His obedient children. James tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is effective. Jesus believed and acted on the confidence that God would answer or hear His prayers. We need to understand the heart and mind of Christ if we are to imitate His prayer life. 

Jesus Was Not Passive. Far too often we believe (or act) as though once we pray about something, we don’t have to do anything more. It’s almost as if we see devotion to God and helping others as being mutually exclusive. We will pray for someone who is hurting, sick, or hungry and then do nothing more. Jesus prayed often, for long periods of time, but He was never passive. He didn’t separate faith from action. Jesus would pray, then heal. He believed, then acted. He would preach, then live what He taught. Why do we think it would be any different? Could it be that we are the answer to our prayers more often than we realize? 

Maybe we are the ones to comfort those who are mourning. Maybe we are the ones who are supposed to feed the hungry. Maybe we are the ones who need to study with the lost. It’s important we pray for others, but we cannot be passive and expect our prayers to be answered. 

Jesus warned against being passive in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus is teaching about the final judgment we will all face in the end. 

Notice how Jesus rejects those who aren’t concerned for the physical wellbeing of others. He will have nothing to do with Christian’s who fail to have an active prayer life (33-40). A prayer by itself won’t clothe someone. Prayer by itself won’t fill an empty stomach. A prayer with no action will never give someone a drink. Jesus accepts those who DO SOMETHING. Prayer should open our eyes to the needs of those around us. 

If we have a say in the matter, if we have the ability to change someone’s circumstances WE ARE THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS. 

Jesus will reject a spirituality that is not concerned for the tangible needs of those around us. People matter to God. So much so that our eternity depends on how we care for anyone we may meet. Don’t get me wrong, God expects us to pray for others (Jesus’ example of prayer included praying for our enemies, and those we love), but He also expects us to be His hands and feet. 

James 2:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Unfortunately, we often use prayer as a substitute for action. In fact, it sounds so spiritual to say that we will pray about it; but highly hypocritical to have the tools and resources to do something about it but not act. Wives, how would you feel if you went to your husbands and asked them to put together that piece of furniture you bought from the store and they answered by saying “I’ll be praying about it.” Maybe you need the oil changed on your car and they say, “I’ll definitely be praying that gets taken care of.” How frustrating would that be? 

At some point our prayers should open our eyes to the works we should be doing! Like Jesus, we should pray as though it all depended on God, but act responsibly and obediently as though it all depended on us.

If The Gospel Isn’t Working

Dale Pollard
The longest train ever recorded in history was the Australian BHP Iron Ore. The cars behind it stretched approximately 4.6 miles. To provide some mind-boggling perspective here's what one train-fanatic wrote, 

“Driven by a single driver, the line’s 99,734-ton and 682-car train was able to carry 82,000 tons (181 million pounds) of iron ore. The Australian BHP Iron Ore can fit about 24 Eiffel Towers…The weight of this train being the same as about 402 Statues of Liberty.”

Trains are impressive heavy-haulers, but only under the right conditions. On the tracks they’ll whistle while they work but once they’re derailed— they only whistle. Trains don’t work without tracks. 

Paul would make an interesting appeal to the saints who met at the infant church family in Thessalonica. He asks that they pray for the powerful gospel to have a straight path so it could move quickly. His exact words were,

“pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified…”

2 Thess. 3.1b 

In a simple yet inspired prayer request a practical and profound implication steps out of subtlety— Prayerlessness will hinder the furtherance of the gospel. 

Based on this text, the content of congregational prayers may be in need of careful inspection. Reevaluating your evangelistic ministries, online presence, visibility in the community, advertising efforts, kingdom expenditures, and even the dynamics the worship service— all must fall below the prayer line on the priority list.  

While Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, God was writing to the rest of us. He reminds us that this request should ring in the prayers of His congregations today. The written petition by itself informs the modern church that this is something that God is willing and able to do for us, He would just have us ask. The powerful gospel needs prayer— like a train needs tracks. 

A 21st century church member may occasionally think 

The gospel doesn’t seem to be as convicting in my community. It works just fine in other parts of the world, and it worked well in the past— but not so much here and now. 

More Reasons Can Be Found 

Here: James 4.2-3 
Here: Matthew 21.22 
And Here: Ephesians 6.19-20 



———————————
Quote, (A-z-trains.com)

Strength In Solitude

Dale Pollard

Sometimes we long for a moment alone, but there are other times we may not want to be alone but because of our circumstances we find ourselves by ourselves. 

We know that with God we’re never alone but scripture shows how our relationship with God can become more intimate in isolation. 

JESUS SPENT TIME BY HIMSELF AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN THE BIBLE AND HIS REASONS FOR SOLITUDE ARE VERY TELLING 

  1. To prepare for a major task (Luke 4:1-2, 14-15).
  2. To recharge after hard work (Mark 6:30-32).
  3. To work through grief (Matthew 14:1-13).
  4. Before making an important decision (Luke 6:12-13). Early in His ministry Jesus spent the whole night alone in prayer. The next day He chose his 12 disciples.
  5. In a time of distress (Luke 22:39-44). Hours before Jesus was arrested He went to the Mt. of Olives and went a short distance away from His disciples to pray. He was in great emotional agony knowing what he was about to face.
  6. To focus on prayer (Luke 5:16). Many times in Jesus’ ministry He spent time alone in prayer.

Jesus didn’t only retreat to be alone with God. He also taught his disciples to do the same (Mark 3.7, Mark 6.31-32, Luke 9.10). 

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Mark explains, “For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves” – Mk. 6.31-32

Whether you’re pursuing a desolate place to be alone or you’re forced to be alone, in moderation it can be a productive and beneficial time of spiritual growth. 

Praying Paul’s Prayers

Carl Pollard

Seeing Paul’s prayer life and how strong it was and how much he relied on it shows me how much I lack in my personal prayer life. A major eye-opener is reading about the absolute and total trust that he had in prayer. 

In Philippians 1:3-8, we read Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving. Most often in our own prayers we are not specific in our requests. And it seems like more and more, the only times we pray is when we need something. But this is not the case for Paul. Just by reading through a few of his prayers you can see his genuineness and the true relationship that he had with God.

Not only did Paul have a genuinely healthy personal prayer life, he also didn’t pray for just himself. The next time you read one of Paul’s prayers, notice in how detailed a way he prays for others. In Philippians 1, we read of how he prayed for the Christians there. But he wasn’t vague; his prayers were specific to their needs. He prayed that they would approve the things that are excellent, that they would be sincere, that they would be without spot, for their perseverance, that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness, and that God would be praised and glorified.

Paul recognized the power of prayer and what praying for others can accomplish. And I think sometimes we can forget just how powerful prayer truly is. Most say, “All we can do now is pray.” But we have it all wrong when we say this. The very first thing we should do in trials and struggles is to pray. We see our greatest example, Jesus, do this before He went to the cross. We read of Paul and how he was always praying for others.

Paul prayed for the Philippians’ perseverance, and we need to persevere in our prayers during trials. Paul says in Philippians 1:3-4, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” He says “every prayer” not some or a few of his prayers. He was dedicated to praying. Paul tells the Philippians he prayed that “your love may abound more and more…” And I pray the same thing, that our love may grow more for others and that we might be able to pray for others more and remember their needs when we go to the Father. 

PRAY RIGHT WITH PROVERBS

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail 

APPROACH HIM RIGHT 

Humble Yourself – The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4

  • One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. Proverbs 29:23

Respect the Lord – The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Proverbs 15:33

  • Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Proverbs 28:14

MAKE THINGS RIGHT 

Turn Your Lips – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.  – Proverbs 28:13

Turn Your Life – Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

  • One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.  Proverbs 14:16
  • The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. Proverbs 16:17

HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE 

Pray Confidently – For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6

Pray Humbly – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

  • My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12

Pray Ready – Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce Proverbs 3:9 

MAKE THE RIGHT REQUESTS 

Seek Him – Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely. Proverbs 28:5

Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice. Proverbs 29:26

Speak to Him –  The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

Make Godly Requests:

“Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die 

  1. Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; 
  2. feed me with the food that is needful for me.” Proverbs30:7-8

Seek His Favor – A good man obtains favor from the LORD – Proverbs 12:2 

Seek His Answers – The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. – Proverbs 16:1 

Dale Pollard

Crying Out To God

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

CRYING TO GOD 

What does it mean to cry out to God? The Hebrew word paints a colorful picture of what goes on in the hearts and minds of those that have cried out in the past, but before we look at the meaning— here are three examples found in scripture. 

Ex. 2.23

“Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God.”

Judges 6.7 

“The Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian” 

Ps. 107.19

“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”

The word is זָעַק (pronounced zaw-ak’) and it means, “to proclaim/summon together.” 

It’s interesting to note that when God’s people cried out to Him in the examples given above, as well as on many other occasions, God brought salvation. 

From the definition, we can make at least three practical applications.

  1. God brings positive and radical change when His people cry out in a unified manner. Many congregations assemble each year to have special services dedicated to prayer. Some may not appreciate the power and potential these kinds of events can bring about. 
  2. We can move God to action by summoning Him. There are countless testimonies of desperate prayers answered by those who turned to God for answers. There’s always a need to be reminded that talking to God is not simply talking to yourself or yelling into a void. Pray often.
  3. God returns to His people when His people return to Him. In the Bible we often see a unified cry to the Lord take place, once His people have hit rock bottom. From that we learn that God hears the prayers of the distressed— but we also see that being away from God is distressing. The moment God answers, they’re free from captivity. Sin has taken many captive and some feel that God is One who enslaves with Law and commands, but the opposite is true. Freedom is found in Him and He’s faithful to the faithful. 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

Dale Pollard

Lessons On Prayer (Luke 18)

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart..” V.1

  1. Sometimes referred to as the spirit of prayer (I Thess. 5.17) 
  2. “And not lose heart” We sometimes fail to pray when we’ve lost hope. This makes us feel distant from God & by not praying we create that distance. 
  3. Jesus lived a prayerful life & we know from Heb. 7.25 “He lives to intercede for us.” 

THE WIDOW AND THE UNJUST JUDGE READ 2-8 

God isn’t the unjust judge, He’s Just. 

So He doesn’t… 

  1. Answer prayers because we’re annoying Him 
  2. God loves to answer us because He loves us 
  3. Jesus and Paul were both persistent in their prayer lives (Mark 14.39, 2 Cor. 12.8) 

The Unjust Judge 

  1. Wasn’t fair— God is 
  2. No personal interest in the widow— God cares for those who pray to Him 
  3. The judge answers the widows cry selfishly— God Has blessed us and continues to do so because it’s in our best interest. 

Verse 8 is worth some thought too! 

V. 8 “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Do we have the kind of faith Jesus will be looking for when He returns? 

  1. We do if we know who God is (not an unjust judge) 
  2. We do if we pray persistently 
  3. We do if we pray even when we lose heart

HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY TO DALE AND JANELLE (10/19)

Praying Like David

Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

One of the many valuable lessons that I was taught at Bear Valley Bible Institute came from Corey Sawyers. He was our instructor for the book of Psalms. He was known to say “there’s a psalm for that” just about every day. But there really is a Psalm for just about every situation we encounter and emotion we feel. But a psalm’s true beauty is recognized when you say it in a prayer to God. 

Many of David’s psalms were prayers to the God of Heaven, so why don’t we do the same? Corey showed us a way to feel the depth and emotion that these psalms contain, and I encourage every Christian to try this method the next time you read Psalms. 

Take each sentence and put it in your own words. Then pray it to God. It’s pretty straight forward, but here are 3 examples: 

Psalm 8:

God how perfect and holy is your name in all of the earth. You have shown your glory and power through your creation. Everyone can see your strength, Your power over every person. We can look around and see your works. We see creation and recognize that it was you that made it. Knowing all of this we are amazed that you would be mindful of us, but not only are you mindful, but you care for us. So much that you would send your son. Making him lower than the angels. All for us. Your son has power over everything and we understand that you put all things under his control. God how perfect and holy is your name in all of the earth. 

Psalm 13: 

Heavenly Father we come to you asking if you have hidden your face from your children? Do you forget us? We know it isn’t possible for us to comfort ourselves. At times we feel discouraged and think that Satan has won, that our enemies have taken control. And so because of this we ask you to answer our plea. Help us to focus on you in times of trial. Help our enemies to see that you have won. Through everything help us to trust in you, help us to recognize your love for us. Help us to find joy in our salvation. We praise you and thank you for blessing us beyond what we deserve. 

Psalm 23 

God we come before you thanking you for taking care of us. For giving us all our needs. You bless us with more than we could give to ourselves. You comfort and restore us. You give us the path to righteousness. Even when we go through trials we know you are still with us. You never desert us. No matter what happens you comfort us. You take care of us and bless us to the point that we overflow. Because of you we have goodness and mercy given to us our entire life. And we can stay in your presence forever. Thank you God for everything. 

Something as simple as praying a psalm in your own words can add depth, meaning, and emotion to your prayer life. I encourage us all to imitate David when we approach the throne of God.

The Law Of The Lord And Happiness

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard

The third section of Psalm 119 is highlighted by the third Hebrew letter, “gimel.” It has been said that this section contains the basic idea that the Law of the Lord makes a righteous person happy. If we let God define happiness, this makes sense. Even when a stranger (19), when full of reproach and contempt (22), when princes sit and talk against him (23), the righteous can see wonderful things (18) and experience delight (24). Notice what this righteous Bible student does as he drinks in the Word.

He Makes Tangible Requests

He asks God to “deal bountifully” with him (17), to “open his eyes” (18), and to “take away reproach and contempt” from him (22). Studying God’s Word is meant to be practical and life-changing. What an attitude to see Bible study as a partnership between ourselves and it’s powerful, transforming nature. We should expect blessing, enlightenment, and transformation when we plant the Word deep on our hearts.

He Makes Personal Application

Notice how many times in these eight verses the writer says “me,” “my,” and “I.” The request for blessing is “that I may live” (17). “Open my eyes, that I may behold” (18). “I am a stranger” (19). “Do not hide your commandments from me” (19). “My soul is crushed” (20). He asks that reproach and contempt be taken “from me” (22). “I observe” (22). Princes “talk against me” (23). His testimonies “are my delight” and “my counselors” (24). Bible study is a first-person endeavor first, before we make it a second-person (you) or third-person (them) task.

He Makes An Important Connection

The writer sees God’s power in the written word. His tribute is to the God who had these things written down and revealed to him. When we can make the connection that God is speaking to us when we read the Bible, it changes what we do with what we read. He refers to “Your word” (17), “Your law” (18), “Your commandments” (19,21), “Your ordinances” (20), “Your testimonies” (22,24), and “Your statutes” (23). No wonder some even so-called scholars try to undercut the inspiration of Scripture. If I can reduce the words of Scripture to the work of men, even “later scribes” who changed and added to some original, lost message or if I can express doubt over the validity or legitimacy of a passage or Bible book, then it becomes more of a take it or leave it message. Contrast that attitude with passages like 1 Peter 1:23 (“the living and enduring word of God”), Jeremiah 23:29 (God’s word is a fire and a hammer), 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (the word of God which performs its work in you who believe), Ephesians 6:17 (the sword of the Spirit), and John 12:48 (the word that will judge us in the last day). The Bible is from God to us, and we must always make that connection!

The Prayer He Will Always Hear

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

According to Jesus there’s an appropriate way to talk to our Father and by doing so, we are to believe that there’s a wrong way to address Him. In Matthew 6.9-13 Jesus will give what has become known as “the Lord’s prayer.” It’s a template, but not to be repeated word for word. Instead, it’s a recipe with the key ingredients we should include when we go before God. 

When we pray we should… 

Acknowledge 

  1. Our Father In Heaven 

The use of “our” binds together a praying community. More specifically, a praying family. Jesus describes God as “Father” and in doing so we are affirming our humanity and acknowledging His divinity. 

To pray properly is to recognize that God is different from us. God is “in heaven” above, whereas the praying person is on earth below. 

When we pray we must… 

Submit

  1. Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven 

To pray that God’s kingdom will come is to ask that God’s power to create will prevail over all earthly and spiritual forces that destroy. As long as sin and death are active, people are moved to pray that God’s life-giving purposes may be carried out on earth with the same authority that rules in heaven. Earth can only be more heaven-like if God’s work is being done. Of course, earth will never be heaven but meaningful change can only come through the One who changes us from the inside out. 

When we pray we must… 

Express Dependents 

  1. Give us this day our daily bread 

We ask God to sustain “us” because we all need to eat. He is the provider. In the wilderness God provided the mana to teach the Israelites that they need Him. They could gather the mana, but the couldn’t summon the mana. We are living on His creation. Just like the spoils of Canaan, we are eating food grown on a planet we didn’t make. We drink the water which the Spirit hovered over before earth was formed. 

When we pray we must… 

Confess 

  1. Forgive our debts…

“As long as wrongs from our past define the present, the wrongs also close off the future.” — Unknown 

The term “forgive” literally means “release.” To forgive is not to say that what has happened doesn’t matter. But, it is to say that the wrongs that have occurred no longer define the relationship. Forgiveness or “release” means that there can be a different future, which is not defined by the past. We are to see ourselves as  recipients of release.

When we pray we must… 

Look Ahead 

  1. Lead us not into temptation 

We’re asking God to save us from the time of trial. It’s coming! James 1:13 indicates that temptation ascribed to Satan and internal battles. Our minds must constantly be on the alert because we’re vulnerable and inclined to stumble when our guard is down. 

When we pray we must… 

Believe

  1. Deliver us from the evil one 

The evil that’s in the world today is not all-powerful. When we don’t believe that God can help us to overcome this evil, we’ve primed our minds for failure. In other words, the Son of God says, “if you’d like to be victorious over evil, you’ll need to ask God for help.” 

Putting It Into Practice 

Acknowledging God’s holiness and our humanity might sound different when we personalize it and put it into our own words. Submission to His will and the way we express our dependence will vary. What we need to confess to God will change depending on our own personal sins against Him. The temptation of one may not phase another. Believing that God can overcome evil is just admitting to Him and to ourselves that we are grounded in reality. 

Whether we believe He’ll overcome evil or not, that’s the reality. We need to activate that belief now. The future will be filled with lost people who find themselves believing in a God they don’t believe in today. 

Twenty Seconds

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Bent

Brent Pollard

Twenty seconds seems like a short time, yet it is sufficient to kill viruses and microbes from your hands with thorough handwashing. Thus, when the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic began, we were inundated with public service announcements that asked us to wash our hands to stop the spread. Again, it seems like a small step to achieve a beneficial result, but it is effective. 

Twenty seconds is also the time required to receive health benefits from a hug. For example, a study conducted in 2003 found that twenty seconds spent in a warm embrace increased oxytocin levels and decreased cortisol levels. 1, 2 Oxytocin is also known as the “love drug,” “love hormone,” and “cuddle hormone.” 3 Believe it or not, the primary function of oxytocin is to facilitate childbirth by causing uterine contractions. However, within adults, especially for a couple, it increases feelings of attachment.  

As a cautionary note, we might cite this to instruct our youth to limit their physical contact with their dates before marriage since the creation of oxytocin can blur the lines between true, agape love and eros love. As oxytocin is considered a “feel-good hormone,” parents should guide their offspring to create it instead through singing with a group and exercise.4 Otherwise, like with any drug, one might seek it out just for the pleasant feelings it brings without considering the complications.  

But what of our spiritual lives? What can twenty seconds do to help that? I did an experiment using the Lord’s model prayer to find out. First, using the NaturalReader Dotcom website, I copied and pasted the text from Matthew 6.9-13 from different Bible translations. Next, I selected a variety of A.I. voices offered by the website, both American and British. Then, I used a stopwatch to see how long it took for the computer-generated voice to read the text. You might be surprised to learn that the model prayer only took 21 to 28 seconds to read. However, when I removed the final sentence that some academics say is missing from the various manuscripts consulted to create modern English translations, the reading time was between 18 and 20 seconds.  

Paul tells us that we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5.17). Unfortunately, our prayer lives may suffer because we think we must dedicate a lot of time to pray and thus cannot find time for it within our busy schedules. Yet Jesus shows us that we can say a prayer encompassing most of our needs with about twenty seconds! What often “pads out” our prayers are the needed expressions of thanksgiving and the petitions we lift on behalf of others. But when confronted by temptation or needing to check our temper, twenty seconds of prayer might make the crucial difference.  

Consider this a friendly public service announcement for Christians. It only takes twenty seconds to clean your heart and deepen your love for God.   

Sources Cited 

1  Alloway, Tracy. “What 20 Seconds of Hugging Can Do for You.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 19 Jan. 2022,www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/keep-it-in-mind/202201/what-20-seconds-hugging-can-do-you.  

2   Grewen, Karen M, et al. “Warm partner contact is related to lower cardiovascular reactivity.” Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.) vol. 29,3 (2003): 123-30. doi:10.1080/08964280309596065 

3  Watson, Stephanie. “Oxytocin: The Love Hormone.” Harvard Health, The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 20 July 2021,www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/oxytocin-the-love-hormone. 

4  Ibid. 

We Gotta Stop!

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary Pollard

If you’re reading this right now, it means you have access to electricity and internet. If you have access to those, you’re already familiar with the subject of this article. This specifically applies to Christians living in the United States, but I encourage those who don’t consider themselves religious to think about the following as well. There’s no other way to address this, so I apologize for having to write it.

“Let’s go Brandon” is everywhere: gas pumps, sporting events, social media posts, bumper stickers, etc. I thought it would die out by now, but it’s everywhere. I see it almost every day on gaming platforms, with many adopting some form of it as a username/handle. It’s become colloquial, used to “thank” the president for any less-than-ideal circumstance.

I am not a fan of our current president. If you drive, you know how much gas is right now. Afghanistan. The Russian ammo ban (and other anti-freedom measures). If you eat food, you’re already familiar with inflation’s impact on groceries. We could go on for a week, but this is a long-winded disclaimer and I need to get to the point.

No Christian should ever adopt the mentality behind the phrase at the beginning of the second paragraph. Besides the crass and hateful language it represents, it’s a sinful way to view our president. Christians are supposed to respect their government leaders (I Pt 2.17). In that passage it’s not a suggestion, it’s an order. The word τιμᾶτε (timate) is an imperative. It means “to show high regard for” someone (BDAG, τιμάω).

Paul wrote, “You should pray for rulers and for everyone who has authority. Pray for these leaders so we can lead a quiet and peaceful life…” (I Tim 2.2). Paul was under an emperor similar to our own president. God’s expectations for Christian behavior don’t change when the president is bad. We don’t have to like him, but we certainly have to respect him and pray for him.

We should not expect to live with God forever if we talk about the president the way so many others do. I get it – it’s hard. Politicization of the medical field under his administration has had a direct impact on my own quality of life. Praying for/respecting the president is not easy at all. But it wouldn’t have been easy for Christians under any of the Roman emperors in the first century, either. If they could do it, so can we. Please think about the serious impact our words have on where we spend eternity. Our first allegiance is to God. If He’s really our King, we’ll have respect for our president.

Image courtesy Flickr.

Thee, Thou, Thy, And Thine

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary Pollard

A prominent religious group is pretty well-known for their use of archaic pronouns in prayer. When asked about it, their official response is (paraphrased), “It’s more reverent and respectful,” (ldsliving.com). They believe that prayer is something that requires a special vocabulary, one that demonstrates a deeper respect for God. 

We do it, too, and for the same reasons they cite. I would like to offer some points to consider: 

1. Early Modern English does not demonstrate a greater level of respect. Why not use Middle English? Why not use Greek or Hebrew or Latin or Aramaic? From a purely linguistic standpoint, thee/thou/thine are not more formal in this century, and haven’t been for roughly three centuries (Yaswen, University of Toronto). Reverence comes from the heart. It is not something that can be invoked with a special vocabulary. 

2. It can be detrimental to evanglism. God expects us to emulate our culture as long as it doesn’t violate his law (I Cor 9.19-27). Many non-religious people, when talking about religious things, will switch to archaic, exaggerated English to highlight the oddness of religious people. An example in mainstream culture is the show Supernatural. One of the main characters reads something with archaic wording to another main character. When asked about it, his response was, “…that’s how God talks” (S8, E19). If our goal is to reach the lost, we should try to avoid potential obstacles (that aren’t related to doctrinal issues). When we invite them to worship, hearing, “Well-pleasing in thy sight,” or, “This, thy table,” or, “We thank thee, father,” etc. may reinforce Christianity’s irrelevance/social incompatibility in their minds. 

3. Biblical prayers do not teach a pattern of special language at all. Jesus’ example prayer was very simple (Matthew 6). Paul’s prayers did not differ from his conversational language (Eph 1.18; 3.14ff; Rom 1.8-10; 15.30-33; I Cor 1.4ff; II Cor 1.3ff; 9.12ff; Col 4.2ff; I Thess 3.9ff; 5.23f; II Tim 1.16ff; Philemon 4ff). No New Testament example suggests that using anything other than conversational language is superior. What does matter is our spiritual state when we pray (Jn 9.31; I Pt 3.7; I Tim 2.8). 

To be very clear, this is not a salvation issue at all. This is not even an indictment those who use Early Modern English pronouns in prayer. I strongly believe that Christians who pray or direct worship using old English have pure motives and are simply doing what they think most honors God! Hopefully this will serve as encouragement to evaluate our approach to prayer and worship so we can most effectively lead people to God. 

“To the Jews I became like a Jew so that I could help save them…to those who don’t practice the Law I became like someone who doesn’t practice the Law to help save them (though I am still ruled by Christ’s law). To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible. I do all this to make the Good News known. I do this so I can share in the blessings of the Good News” (I Cor 9.20-23). 

8 Reminders For The Restless Mind

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

dalejanelle2021

Dale Pollard

  1. Don’t carry burdens that aren’t yours (Proverbs 3.5-6)
  2. Remember the extraordinary times that God has carved out a path where there was no path before (Isaiah 43.16-19) 
  3. Don’t forget, God can see what you can’t see (Proverbs 16.9) 
  4. Even if you stumble, God won’t let you stay down (Psalm 37.23-24) 
  5. God’s vision is bigger and better than yours (Jeremiah 33.3) 
  6. God hasn’t forgotten about you (Proverbs 20.24) 
  7. Remember to be very specific when praying to God (2 Samuel 5.19) 
  8. Always be sure your will is His will (James 4.15) 

If you’re struggling with the anxieties that can come from making life’s difficult decisions, read these verses. Perhaps they will give you some insight that help you to answer that crucial question, 

“How should I be praying about this?” 

Give it to God and rest up! 

“When you lie down you will not be afraid, when you lie down your sleep will be sweet.” 

Proverbs 3.24