A Prayer for Help to Flee from Sin (Luther)

Most certainly and primarily the Christian learns to pray from the teaching of Scripture. We have examples of prayers in both Testaments. Most of the Psalms are prayers. Jesus taught us a pattern of prayer. Scripture is our primary resource for improving our prayer lives. However, we can also learn how to pray from other …

Prayer Changes Things (Sproul)

God uses our prayers as a means to his ends. Our prayers are not pointless; they fit in with God's sovereign providence and plan. There is mystery here to be sure. We are finite creatures and many of God's ways and thoughts are far, far beyond us. But the Bible does teach that God hears …

Prayers When Death Draws Near (Luther)

Here are a few prayers of Martin Luther for the time when death draws near. Notice how in the second prayer the thought of death makes Luther pray for Christ's return. We can learn about prayer from these prayers! My dear God, if you want this to be the hour of death, let your will …

God Does Not Always Give What We Ask (Peterson)

Eugene Peteterson's commentary on 1st and 2nd Samuel is not an exegetical commentary. It's not a longer and detailed commentary. And it's not a technical scholarly commentary. But I like it! Peterson often has a good way with Bible stories in that he sees angles and aspects that others might miss. I don't always agree …

Two Major Obstacles to Prayer (Lovelace)

In chapter five of Dynamics of Spiritual Life Richard Lovelace spent some time discussing prayer. This section is a pretty helpful resource on Christian prayer. In these pages Lovelace mentioned two hindrances or obstacles to prayer. The first obstacle to prayer in the Christian life is the fact that we are still sinful. "The Puritan …