Moving Mountains

Often when we first turn to prayer, we are coming in out of the Matrix—that whirling, suffocating Mardi Gras of this world—and it takes us some time to calm down and turn our gaze to Jesus, fix our gaze on him. We begin to tune in and align ourselves with God as his partners. That itself takes some time. Much of the early stages of our praying invo

But that is not the kind of life we want to live; we don’t want to come into heaven by the hair of our chinny-chin-chins. We want fruitfulness; we want breakthrough! Then let us soberly take note that in terms of daily practice, and enjoying the full blessings of God’s protection and provision, yes, you can wander. The vine and branches metaphor is

He was continuing their education on a theme he had been discipling them in for years. The gospel Jesus taught was not merely the gospel of “salvation.” It is repeatedly referred to as the gospel of the kingdom:

But the scene is a brilliant depiction of how Christians often pray—frantic, impulsive, chaotic.

“But I’m a Christian—aren’t I always under the rule and protection of Jesus?” Yes . . . and no. I wish it were as simple as, “I gave my life to Christ once, so I am forever and always in an unbroken intimacy with him.” But you know from your own experience this isn’t so. That’s a bit like a man saying, “I told my wife I loved her the day we got mar

I love the phrase “So . . . they went.” It’s such an understatement. These men set in motion a series of events that changed the world. Because they “went” anointed with the power of God.

Talk about lavish and scandalous—you have been given a share in the authority of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Lord of the heavens and the earth. Do you wield it in prayer? Can you see that it just might make a difference if you did?

Do people make meaningful choices? Indeed they do. The Scriptures are full of provocations to choose, like when Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household

We are God’s sons and daughters, his friends and allies, now princes and princesses in his kingdom, wielding his authority; and we get to play a dramatic role in the story.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.