More E.M. Bounds On Prayer

Last week, I shared a passage from E.M Bounds, on prayer. Here’s another paragraph that has been inspirational in my life.

Woman In Prayer

This quote comes from The Possibilities Of Prayer, and Bounds seems to be asking if we, perhaps unintentionally, place constraints upon God’s willingness or ability to answer prayer.

The utmost possibilities of prayer have rarely been realized. The promises of God are so great to those who truly pray, when he puts himself so fully into the hands of the praying ones, that it almost staggers our faith and causes us to hesitate with astonishment. His promise to answer, and to do, and to give “all things,” “anything,” “whatsoever,” and “all things whatsoever,” is so large, so great, so exceedingly broad, that we stand back in amazement and give ourselves to questioning and doubt. We “stagger at the promise through unbelief.” Really the answers of God to prayer have been pared down by us to our little faith, and have been brought down to the low level of our narrow notions about God’s ability, liberality, and resources. Let us ever keep in mind and never for one moment allow ourselves to doubt the statement that God means what he says in all of his promises…. His promises are for plain people, and he means to do for all who pray just what he says he will do.

Do you take God at word? What do you do to help yourself grow in your faithfulness in prayer?

If you are interested in reading more from E.M. Bounds on prayer, you can you can purchase his collected works at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

E.M. Bounds on Prayer

Hands Folded In Prayer

It’s Friday. My goal for Friday is to give you something that’s either an inspiration to me or a great resource that I’ve found helpful. This week, I’d like to share something that has impacted me pretty heavily.

A few years ago, I read several of E.M. Bounds’ books on prayer. These are powerful books, and I go back to them again and again.

In The Reality Of Prayer, Bounds describes what pray is, and what it isn’t. This is something that I’ve copied and stashed in several places, so that I come across it frequently and remind myself of the reality of prayer. I hope you find it as encouraging as I do.

Tips For Becoming More Consistent In Your Bible Reading

Bible Reading

I am convinced that in order to grow as a Christian, you have to be connected daily to God’s Word. But one of the hardest things to do, in my experience, is take the time to make this a priority.

Here are a few tips that I’ve picked up over the years that have helped me become more consistent in my Bible reading. Maybe they’ll help you too.

Remove distractions. Turn off your phone, iPod, TV, etc. Don’t read the Bible on your computer, where FaceBook or other websites could be a distraction. Distractions keep you from concentrating. Removing all that you can will help ensure success in your Bible reading.

Fossilized Octopus Evidence For Noah’s Flood

Octopus in Shallow Water

Recently, five octopus fossils were discovered in Lebanon. Supposedly 95 million years old, these fossils are remarkably well preserved, including all eight tentacles, and even evidence of suckers and traces of ink!

It’s surprising that the octopuses even became fossils. Since an octopus doesn’t have any hard parts, other than the beak, its body decomposes very quickly into a mushy blob and is gone in a matter of days.

According to evolutionary theory, in order to become fossilized, an octopus would have to sink to the ocean floor, and slowly become buried by sediment, all without decomposing, or being eaten by scavengers or bacteria. That scenario isn’t likely. In fact, even Charles Darwin, in his uniformitarian thinking, wrote, “No organism wholly soft can be preserved” (The Origin of Species, first published 1859, quote taken from p. 422 of the 6th Edition, 1872, reprinted 1902).

In order for this creature to become a fossil, it had to be buried very rapidly. Something catastrophic would have had to happen to make an octopus quickly sink to the ocean floor and be buried before any decomposition could take place, much less be eaten by another animal for dinner!

One Word 2011

One of the things I’ve never really understood are New Year’s resolutions. I never make them, because I never expect to keep them. In fact, I often joke that I’ve made only one resolution that I’ve ever managed to keep: Never make New Year’s resolutions!

One Word 2011

But this year, I’m making a choice. I’m not making a resolution. I’ve decided to choose one word.

Not a resolution.

Just a word.

Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick

Sun Stand Still

If you’re not daring to believe God for the impossible, you may be sleeping though some of the best parts of your Christian life.

That’s what the back of the book boldly proclaims. Sun Stand Still is a book about having the faith that God can do the impossible in your life.

Sun Stand Still is taken from the story of Joshua leading the Israelites into the promised land. At one point, the Israelites are fighting a battle, but daylight is running out. Joshua prayed a faith-filled prayer that God would stop the sun in its path across the sky. God did so, extending that particular day by several more hours.

Steven Furtick holds forth the idea of audacious faith: faith big enough to see God “stop the sun” in your life.

While there were some good points in the book, I wasn’t all that impressed with Sun Stand Still. I suppose, with all the hype and visibility, I expected a book that would impact me deeply, such as Radical by David Platt, or Primal by Mark Batterson.

Sun Stand Still just didn’t impact me like that. That said, it does have some good points about having a bold faith, faith that asks for the impossible and believes that God can and will deliver. But there are other books out there that can deliver that message better than this one.

My recommendation is this: don’t rush out and buy Sun Stand Still. Wait until it’s offered free for the Kindle or something.

I highly recommend that you read tw of the books referenced in the post above: Primal by Mark Batterson and Radical by David Platt. Click on either title in this box to be taken to Amazon.com, where you can purchase it for yourself.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Blindly Following God

Lost and Confused SignpostI wish I understood the mind of God…

Our plans have changed. We are no longer going to the Creation Truth Foundation in June, as we originally had planned. And things were really starting to pick up for us in that arena, too.

Our support level had reached 65%. Our goal was 80% in order to join the CTF staff. Things were really starting to come together.

And then on April 17, we got “the phone call.” The CTF board met on April 16, and decided that we were not to be hired. After a week of prayer, we started contacting our supporters and notifying them of this change in plans. And we sent out a mass email to our church and many of our friends (which I have included below).