The Prayer Conundrum
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughWhy are some prayers answered and some not? Why are some people miraculously healed, while others with the same affliction suffer ghastly declines and die?
Avoiding Prayer? Consider Carefully
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughThe whole world is in hurry-up mode. What have often suffered are prayer and its companion, Bible study—and ultimately, the individual's relationship with God.
Out of the Abundance of Our Prayers
'Ready Answer' by John O. Reid (1930-2016)Jesus remarks that our lips tell the tale our hearts try to hide. Using this proverb as a foundation, what do our prayers tell God about us?
Serving Through Prayer
Article by Mark SchindlerThough we can serve in many ways, one area where we often miss a golden opportunity to help others is in prayer. It requires no special skills or equipment.
Prayer Makes a Difference
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod expects us to intercede in behalf of others, but we must do this with wisdom, sincerity, and humility, with the help of God's Spirit, according to God's will.
Prayer and Persistence
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPersistence in prayer does not mean an incessant pestering God into action. God always looks at our petitions from the vantage-point of His purpose.
What Is Prayer?
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPrayer to a tool we must learn to use. Because we take on the characteristics of those we are around, we should keep company with God continually though prayer.
Prayer and Fervency
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLiving faith has its roots in fervently, diligently seeking God and His righteousness with intense desire (like a passionate lover) through habitual prayer.
Faith and Prayer
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughConstant, earnest prayer keeps faith alive and makes certain the receiving of the qualities that make us in the image of God. God's purpose comes first.
The Prayers of Jesus
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh maintains that as a craftsman could not function without the tools of his trade, a Christian cannot function without spiritual tools or a spiritual instructional manual. We have to learn to use the spiritual tools God has given us, including prayer We need to look to Christ's example to learn how to pray …
Prayer and Seeking God
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughRather than having an apathetic relationship toward God, we must ardently, earnestly, and fervently seek God in order to imitate His behavior in our lives.
Prayer Does Make a Difference
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod does not hear a prayer of pride, selfishness, and self exaltation, but He listens to prayers of supplication and intercession for the saints.
Vain Repetitions
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughMemorizing the Lord's Prayer is a wonderful thing to do. But we must go further and teach our children that the prayer is not one to be mindlessly repeated.
Parable of the Persistent Friend
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsUnlike the sleeping friend, God is not reluctant to answer our prayers, but He does want us to be diligent and patient in our requests.
Parable of the Persistent Widow
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsThough the widow speaks only five words in this encouraging parable, she provides Christians in these last days with an example of persistence in prayer.
Praying Always (Part Two)
Article by Pat HigginsIn Luke 21:36, our Savior gives us two essential keys to being accounted worthy and escaping the terrors of the close of the age: watching and praying always.
With Hands Raised
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingTed Bowling, reminding us that prayer is our lifeline to God, a medium in which our faith is strengthened, focuses on several positions or postures used in prayer, including kneeling , bowing the head, or lying prostrate (all conveying degrees of submission and humility), but gives special attention to the posture of raising …
Praying Always (Part Four)
Article by Pat HigginsHow does 'praying always' work? Why is consistent, thoughtful prayer such a powerful tool in the process of overcoming?
The Grand Secret!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, acknowledging that God's people live in a world that distracts them from fellowship with God, focuses on a grand secret revealed by God to David: namely, that spiritual growth will come to people who set the Lord before oneself continuously (Psalm 16:8-11, a messianic Psalm, prefiguring Christ). Like David, Jesus …
Praying Always (Part Five)
Article by Pat HigginsDeeply examining ourselves for flaws and shortcomings, as we do each year before Passover, helps us to accomplish Christ's command to watch and pray always.
The Sovereignty of God: Part Nine
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughGod's sovereignty seems to imply that prayer is pointless. Yet the function of prayer is not to change God's mind, but ours!
Praying Always (Part Three)
Article by Pat HigginsOur spiritual enemies are no match for the mighty power of prayer, backed by God who promises to aid us in our warfare.
Praying Always (Part Six)
Article by Pat HigginsJesus' command to pray always contains the advice Christians need to strengthen their relationships with God as the return of Christ nears.
The Sin of Fear (Part Two)
'Ready Answer' by Pat HigginsThere are two seemingly-contradictory types of fear, the good fears and the bad ones. We must begin and remain in the proper fear of God to cast off other fears.
Whatever We Ask
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, reminding us that Jesus, who spent a great deal of time praying, emphasized that prayer is absolutely essential to the spiritual success of our lives. Prayer (or communication with God) comes under attack if we live double-lives, giving us a guilty conscience, not practicing what we have been taught, giving our …
God's Will
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPraying according to God's will is sometimes ambiguous. Yet as we respond positively to His covenant, He reveals more and more of His secret plans.
To Pray or Not to Pray?
Sermonette by Bill OnisickMany have over-reacted to Christ's instruction about the Pharisees praying in public to be seen by men. Jesus and the disciples often prayed in public.
The Sovereignty of God: Part Eight
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughIf God is manipulating everything in His sovereignty, why pray? What does prayer teach us? Here is why God commands us to come before Him in prayer.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Eight)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe purpose of prayer is not to overcome God's reluctance, but to help in yielding to His will. 'Prayer changes things' is only true if it conforms to God's will.
Facing Times of Stress: Always in God's Presence
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe can maintain spiritual contact using David's tactic of continually maintaining the Lord before him in his thoughts, prayers, and meditations.
The Quest for Happiness
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins reminds us that in the Declaration of Independence people were guaranteed the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, a quest that has proved futile and elusive. This quest should prompt us to carefully number our days and seek a close relationship with God. When we waste our days, we waste them for …
Do We See Ourselves As God Sees Us?
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPraying without gratitude is like clipping the wings of prayer. Thankfulness is not natural to carnal human nature which loves to grovel as a timid worrywart.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Nine)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPrayer is not a dictating to a reluctant God, but a demonstration of our attitude of dependence and need. It is a means to get into harmony with God's will.
Thankfulness
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsThe apostle Paul predicted the end-time generation to be unthankful. As Christians, we need to buck this trend and show our appreciation to God and fellow man.
Call Upon the Name of the Lord
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloShould we only pray to God the Father, given Christ's words in the model prayer and His proclamation that the Father was greater than He?
Habakkuk: A Prophet of Faith (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe may find God's means of correction discouraging, but when we place His actions in context with His overall plan, we can find peace in God's sovereignty.
The Book of Daniel (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, reiterating that God's sovereignty is a major theme in the book of Daniel, reminds us that if we submit unconditionally to His sovereignty, we have a win-win situation- even when initially, it looks bleak and hopeless. After Nebuchadnezzar's death, the successive tenures of each of his descendants became …
Praying Always (Part One)
Article by Pat HigginsLuke 21:36 says to 'Watch and pray always....' Does this refer to watching world events, or is there more to this verse spiritually than meets the eye?
Teach Us To Pray! (Part Two)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, focusing on John the Baptist's proclivity to pray, as well as Jesus Christ's continuous practice of praying, cautions us that prayer should be a major practice in our life. Our petitions should center upon God's purpose for His creation and His purposes for us. Prayer should bring us into contact with God's …
Ask and It Will Be Given
'Ready Answer' by StaffSometime in their Christian lives, many people hit a plateau in their growth and go little further. Have we have overlooked the simple principle of "ask and it will be given" spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount?
What's Going On Up There?
Article by StaffDoes it seem like your prayers never reach God's throne—that at best they are only recorded on God's answering machine? This article gives a new perspective on prayer that just may add new impetus to your prayer life!
Matthew (Part Twenty-Seven)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh picks up with the account of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion, an event which fulfilled prophecies and significantly dramatized Jesus Christ's messiahship. The crowds welcoming Jesus, while looking for a political or military hero, were actually choosing the sacrificial Paschal …
