One reason youth leave the Church is because they do not feel they have experienced God, especially in the area of answered prayer. That is what a recent Canadian report called “Hemorrhaging Faith: Why and When Young Canadians are Leaving, Staying and Returning to the Church” says.
In my work as a journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to interview some thinkers around this topic of unanswered prayer.
Read More unanswered prayer, storms, reality, answered prayer
God’s people are being mocked by their enemies and find themselves in captivity in their homes. Is this just? Will there ever be justice?
God convenes his court. The “coastlands,” Israel’s perennial enemy, are on trial and Israel is invited to watch or listen in. God is raising up Cyrus, King of Persia, to judge the nations and the coastlands are next.
Read More reality, worm, God’s plans
The Story of God seems to have faltered. The promise of the return of God’s people after the exile of judgment and all the glory to follow which predicted that Jerusalem would become the centre of world salvation seems to have been shipwrecked on the shore of reality (Jeremiah 31:16-40). A few of the exiles have returned, and the temple has been rebuilt.
Read More despair, kingdom, confession, reality, promises of God, petitionWhen Nehemiah gets to Jerusalem he takes a long look at reality! He carefully surveys the ruins of Jerusalem. He is no “pie in the sky” dreamer. He confronts reality. After resting he goes on a famous night journey around the city to see the real state of affairs in Jerusalem: …
Read More God’s help, reality, answered prayer, ruins
With today’s reading we begin an examination of the Bible’s great chapter on faith. The author of Hebrews begins with a definition of faith. This is followed by the first installment of a gallery of heroic Old Testament believers who by their example showed us how to put our faith into action – how to live by faith.
Read More faith, evidence, reality, proofWith yesterday’s reading we were introduced to the first inductees into the gallery of faith. Abel, Enoch and Noah come to us from the first few chapters of Genesis – the pre-flood world. Today’s reading introduces us to the faith of the patriarchs – the fathers of the Hebrew nation – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
Read More faith, reality, circumstances, patriarchs