Prayer

1 Kings 22:1-40

A Lone Voice

This sermon examines how to discern God's will through the story of Ahab's refusal to heed Micaiah's warning. It teaches five practices—prayer, scripture study, seeking wise counsel, patience, and attention to signposts—while cautioning against decisions driven by emotion, contradiction to scripture, or ungodly advisors.

Psalm 55

Psalms

Betrayal

This sermon examines how betrayal produces physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms, and calls believers to run toward God rather than away—trusting that He listens and will provide.

Acts 6:1-7

Acts

Choices and Priorities

This sermon examines how the early church resolved internal conflict through spiritual discernment and proper priorities, ensuring that service and prayer remained central to God's plan.

Genesis 24

Abraham

Choosing a Mate

This sermon examines Genesis 24 to offer practical guidance for parents and teens on selecting a marriage partner, emphasizing family values, the distinction between emotional feelings and committed love, and the importance of prayer in finding a spouse.

1 Kings 8:27 · 1 Kings 8:31-53

1 Kings

Dedication

Solomon's dedication prayer reveals God's awesome nature and willingness to forgive repentant people. The sermon calls believers to recognize God's greatness and extend forgiveness to others as God does.

1 Samuel 12:16-25

1 Samuel

Don't Turn Away

Israel's misplaced faith in a king rather than God demonstrates the danger of relying on politics and the world instead of trusting God. The sermon calls believers to maintain faith in God's sovereignty through prayer and teaching, never turning away from dependence on Him.

1 John 5:13-21 · 1 John 3:14

1 John

Eternal Life

Those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God possess eternal life now and can approach God with confidence in prayer, knowing He hears and answers according to His will, while remaining safe from the evil one through Jesus's protection.

Mark 11:12-25 · Jeremiah 7:1-29

Faith and Prayer

Jesus pronounces judgment on the temple by cursing a fruitless fig tree and disrupting sacrificial practices, revealing that outward religious form without genuine devotion is spiritually empty. The remedy is authentic prayer—direct, personal connection with God rooted in faith, expectation, and a forgiving spirit.

Acts 1:12-26 · Psalms

Acts

Faith in Times of Doubt

When waiting for God to act, believers must commit themselves to prayer and scripture while maintaining anticipation for His work, not retreating into passivity but actively pursuing His will.

2 Kings 20:1-21

God Intervenes

Hezekiah's extended life and recovery demonstrate God's responsiveness to prayer, but his subsequent pride in displaying wealth to Babylonian visitors reveals that trusting God means refusing to take credit for His blessings.

Ephesians 3:1-13

Ephesians

God's Intention for the Church

The church exists as a demonstration of God's wisdom to the spiritual realm by revealing his unity across all people. Believers must prioritize God's glory over personal preferences, building community through prayer, small groups, and self-denial.

Ephesians 6:10-20 · Ephesians 4:1

Ephesians

God's Power Is at Work

Paul calls believers to stand firm in God's power by putting on the full armor of God and praying constantly, recognizing that the spiritual battle is already won through Christ.

James 5:13-18 · 1 Corinthians 11:30

James

Healing Prayer

This sermon examines James 5:13-18 in its fuller context, showing how unrighteousness—anger, misuse of the tongue, and oppression—can physically manifest as sickness, and how prayer rooted in confession and righteous living brings healing and restoration.

1 Peter 5:1-11 · Psalm 19:14

Peter epistles

Lifted Up

Peter calls believers to humble themselves and cast their anxieties on God, who cares deeply for them. Through meditation on God's truth, prayer, and submission to one another, Christians can experience God's lifting and strength.

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

1 Thessalonians

Overflowing Love

Paul's joy at Timothy's report of the Thessalonians' faith reveals the vital importance of Christian relationships and specific, bold prayer that trusts God to intervene against Satan's opposition.

Job 1:4-5 · Genesis 24:12-15

Prayer for Family

This devotional explores biblical models of family prayer—for spiritual development, future spouses, gratitude, protection, and restoration—inviting believers to intercede specifically for their loved ones' spiritual health and well-being.

Prayer for International Ministry

This sermon celebrates nine years of ministry to international children through Bible stories and English instruction, recounting the vision's origins and current needs for mentors, teachers, drivers, and expanded outreach.

Prayer for the New Year

This sermon reviews the congregation's 1997 activities and invites personal and collective reflection on goals for the coming year, emphasizing worship as a way of life and centering on Christ.

Prayer Time

This gathering invites the congregation to sing and pray together, seeking God's direction for the new year across three focus areas: congregational matters, evangelism, and family life.

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Nehemiah

Preparation for Work

Nehemiah demonstrates that responding to God's work requires first feeling a genuine burden for those in need, then seeking God's direction through prayer, fasting, and confession—not jumping to action or programs before sitting with God.

Psalm 139

Search Me

This sermon explores Psalm 139's portrait of God's knowledge, presence, planning, and judgment, calling listeners to surrender their lives completely to God's intimate care and righteous oversight.

Psalm 55 · 1 Peter 5:7

Song of Prayer

When facing betrayal, loss, and despair, David's prayer in Psalm 55 models honest crying out to God and trusting Him to sustain us through impossible situations.

Luke 22:39-53 · Luke 22:31-38

Submission

Jesus in Gethsemane demonstrates the power of submissive prayer—yielding one's will to God's regardless of the cost. True faith is forged not through confidence in ourselves but through the struggle of surrender.

Acts 4:23-31 · Exodus 20

The Believer's Prayer

This sermon examines how believers should pray for boldness to proclaim the gospel rather than for comfortable circumstances. Acknowledging God's sovereignty, we are called to seek courage to speak for Jesus even amid opposition and trials.

Daniel 6:13-23

The Cat House

Daniel refuses to hide his faith when a royal decree forbids prayer, demonstrating that true faith cannot be compromised even when facing consequences, and challenging believers to let their light shine rather than conceal their devotion.

Genesis 18:16-33 · Genesis 18:25

The Dynamics of Prayer

This sermon examines how prayer creates intimate partnership with God, revealing that the Creator welcomes human participation in divine purposes and genuinely responds to our intercession, making prayer a profound privilege rather than a casual practice.

1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter epistles

The End Is Near

When believers keep Christ's return in mind, they are able to live faithfully—practicing self-control in prayer, loving one another deeply, offering hospitality, and using spiritual gifts to serve others.

John 3:22-28 · John 15:11

The Joyful Jesus

This sermon examines Jesus as the source of biblical joy—an attitude of delight rooted in relationship with God that transcends circumstances. Christians are called to receive and share this joy through obedience, prayer, and connection with the resurrected Christ.

John 17:1-26 · Acts 5:41

John Gospel

The Prayer

Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and future believers before his crucifixion, revealing that life is a mission lived with joy and unity in God. Believers must know their mission and complete it with purpose.

James 5:13-20 · Mark 2

James

The Prayer of Faith

This sermon examines how faith-filled prayer reaches God's heart and brings His power into our lives. True prayer changes things—not by guaranteeing what we want, but by aligning us with God's will and healing, whether physically or spiritually.

Acts 1:14 · Acts 2:42

Time of Prayer

This sermon examines how prayer functioned as central to the early church's life and mission in Acts, challenging believers to recover prayer as the apostolic priority—not a secondary activity.

Acts 12 · Psalm 3:5

Under Fire

This sermon examines Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison in Acts 12 to demonstrate that God remains active and watchful in believers' lives even during persecution and trial, calling Christians to trust God's purposes and pray with genuine faith.

2 Kings 6:8-23

Unseen Army

This sermon examines how spiritual realities, though invisible, shape our world more profoundly than physical circumstances. By opening our eyes to God's presence and power, we learn to pray with faith and view life from an eternal perspective.

Luke 21:5-38

Watch and Pray

This sermon examines Jesus's prophecy of the temple's destruction, teaching that nothing escapes God's plan, that rejecting Him brings consequences, and that believers must maintain focus on Christ rather than the world's impressive but temporary things.

Philippians 4:4-9 · Galatians 5:22

Philippians

Prayer, Anxiety, and Thanks

Prayer replaces anxiety when believers rejoice, make requests with thanksgiving, and focus on what is true and good. God's peace comes to those who shift their thinking from worry to praise.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 · 2 Corinthians 11:16-30

Prayers and God's Answers

God answers all prayers, though not always as we desire. Through Paul's example of his thorn and suffering, this sermon examines how accepting God's answers—especially his 'no'—allows divine strength to be revealed through human weakness.

Matthew 6:5-15

Why Pray?

Jesus teaches that prayer must flow from right motives centered on God's honor, not personal glory. True prayer seeks God's kingdom and will while trusting his provision and guidance.

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Hebrews

Confidence

Jesus perfectly understands human temptation and suffering, making him a compassionate high priest who invites us to approach God's throne with confidence, receiving grace and mercy rather than judgment.

James 5:13-20

James

Praying with Faith

Praying with faith is not about setting God free to work but about setting us free to trust. Prayer changes us, releasing us from self-centered thinking and enabling deeper trust in God's purposes.

Matthew 6:5-15 · Habakkuk 1:2

Basics

Prayer

This sermon examines prayer as an expression of dependency on God, addressing common challenges and misconceptions. It calls believers to persistent, faithful prayer even when answers seem delayed or different from expectations.

John 17:1-26 · Acts 5:41

John

The Mission

Jesus prayed for himself, his disciples, and future believers before his crucifixion, modeling a life lived with clear mission and purpose. Believers are called to live their own mission for God with joy and holiness, serving as light in an unholy world.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 10

Paul's closing words to the Thessalonian church call believers to express joy, maintain prayer, and give thanks—community practices that reflect a Christian mind rooted in God's presence and promises.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 · 1 Thessalonians 4:11

1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Paul's final instructions to the Thessalonian church—to rejoice, pray continually, and give thanks—are communal practices that strengthen believers facing persecution and reflect God's will for his people.

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

1 Thessalonians

Life Changing Prayer

Prayer allows us to reveal God's glory by praying with expectation and living blameless lives that reflect God's character to the world.

2 Kings 20:1-21

Kings

God Intervenes

God extends Hezekiah's life in response to prayer and offers reassurance through signs, but Hezekiah's subsequent pride in his wealth and alliances brings consequences for future generations. The sermon calls believers to trust God's larger purposes rather than taking credit for their blessings.

Philippians 4:4-9

God's Promise

God Promises Peace

God promises peace to his children when they exchange anxiety for prayer and praise. By praying about worries and replacing them with thoughts of praiseworthy things, believers experience God's peace that guards their hearts and minds.

Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians

Power

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians reveals God's true power and nature—a power that transcends earthly kingdoms and is presently available to believers who remain focused on spiritual reality rather than worldly distractions.

Mark 14:32-42

Mark

If

This sermon examines Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane as a model of faith expressed through suffering. Accepting God's will demands choosing obedience and trust even when circumstances are anguishing, and requires the support of Christian community.

Proverbs 3:1-12 · Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs

Proverbs 2

The wise person plans consistently while seeking God's way, trusting his perspective above their own understanding and submitting their plans to his will through prayer and faith.

Jude 20-25

Transition

Stay in God's Love

Every Christian bears responsibility for their faith journey—to build themselves up, pray, remain in God's love, live with hope, and show mercy to others—while trusting God's ultimate faithfulness.

Acts 1:12-26

Acts

Waiting

This sermon examines how the early church waited for God's direction through unified prayer and engagement with Scripture, teaching believers that waiting is active dependence on God rather than passive idleness.

Luke 10:38-42 · Luke 9:18

Choices

This sermon examines Martha and Mary's contrasting responses to Jesus' presence, arguing that anxiety and distraction prevent us from recognizing what truly matters—relationship with God—and inviting listeners to sit at Jesus' feet and reorder their priorities.

Luke 21:5-38 · Luke 19:41-44

The End

Jesus warns of Jerusalem's coming destruction and calls believers to remain watchful and prayerful amid life's distractions, keeping their focus on what truly matters as they await his return.

Luke 22:31-46

The Garden

This sermon contrasts Jesus's humble, prayerful preparation for the cross with the disciples' arrogant confidence, showing that true readiness depends on dependence on God's strength, not our own.

Luke 1:1-25 · Deuteronomy 18

Luke

A Birth Out of Season

God intervenes in human history at precisely the right time, answering long-standing prayers and revealing his character through miraculous birth. Believers are invited to trust his timing, remember his faithfulness, and praise him for his gracious intervention in their lives.

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 · 1 Corinthians 7:39-40

Family

God's Desire for Widows

God holds widows in special regard and calls both families and congregations to care for them, while widows themselves are called to continue serving through prayer, mentorship, and good deeds.

1 Samuel 5:1-12

1 Samuel

Broken Before the Lord

This sermon examines how trivial concerns often obscure our perception of God's significant work in our lives. Believers must cultivate daily intentional prayer and sacrificial service to keep eternal perspective.

1 Kings 19

Listening Through Stillness

A reflection on pausing long enough to hear those who are weary—and the God who meets us in the quiet.

1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 · 2 Timothy 4:9-16

1 & 2 Samuel

One Woman's Faith

This sermon examines Hannah's desperate prayer for a child and her subsequent dedication of Samuel to God, illustrating how true joy and contentment come through surrendering our lives to honor God rather than pursuing personal fulfillment.