By B. McCall Barbour (1865 – 1943) “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb. 12:2). The greatest and the grandest of all themes is Jesus. Jesus is the source, the substance and the sum of all genuine and lasting joy. It is in Jesus that reality is found. It is contact with...
By Charles G. Trumbull (1872 – 1941) There is only one life that wins, and that is the life of Jesus Christ. Every man may have that life and every man may live that life. I do not mean that every man may be Christlike; I mean something very much better than that. I do...
Come boldly unto the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16 The Bible instructs us to approach God with boldness, or confidence: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). The word “boldly” speaks of frankness, bluntness, and assurance. It...
Our Father . . . , Give us . . . forgive us . . . deliver us. Matthew 6:9–13 There is not a single first-person pronoun in the model prayer. Most people pray about “I,” “me,” and “my,” but none of these words appear in this prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray....
Come before his presence with singing. Psalm 100:2 There is a reason church services begin with singing. It is protocol: “Come before his presence with singing” (Ps. 100:2). The word “singing” conveys the idea of shouting for joy. It literally means to sound the glad voice of triumph. God says that men are to approach Him...
Thy will be done. Matthew 6:10 One of the basics of God-focused praying is found once again in the model prayer: surrendering our personal desires and agendas to the Lord in exchange for our Father’s plan and purpose (see Matt. 6:10). Jesus teaches us to pray that the Father’s will would be executed on Earth as...