How Should I Pray When Suffering?

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If you’ve never asked how you can pray when suffering before, I have a prediction: someday you will. Life has a way of getting us down to the point where we can’t hardly even pray when suffering. We get too exhausted, we’re in too much pain, and we’re too overwhelmed to pray.

Jesus Himself almost got to this point. While hanging on the cross He prayed simply “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)

So in response to this question asked by one of my listeners, I share in this podcast 7 ways we should pray when suffering.

Some of them might surprise you. For example, #6 is that we should pray “Frankly.” I reference Psalm 88 which is one of the frankest and most depressing passages in the entire Bible in my opinion.

“I have been sick and close to death since my youth.     I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me.     Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long.     They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones.     Darkness is my closest friend.” (Psalm 88:15-18 NLT)

Wow, what desperate frankness!

Please listen to this podcast to learn all 7 ways to pray when suffering.

Here are a few of the other verses I reference in this podcast:

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV)

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV)

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

For more help with overcoming grief, depression and suffering, check out my articles and podcasts on:

• Four Steps to Climb Out of a Pit of Depression

• How to Handle the Death of a Loved One

• How to Grow Through a Season of Loss 

• How to Overcome the Agony of Discouragement and Find Hope Again

• Podcast Can a Christian take medications to help brain chemistry?

• Podcast Is it OK to be angry with God?

• Podcast Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered?

For help answering the question of why God allows suffering and pain(theodicy) see these resources:

• 3 Trees That Explain Suffering (a series of 3 articles)

• The Best Quick Biblical Answer to Suffering

• Why is There so Much Pleasure in the World?

• My Classmate Bart Ehrman’s Hopeless Response to Suffering

• Podcast Is it OK to be angry with God?

• Podcast Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered?

To learn more about this podcast and how to submit questions, click HERE.

For help:

To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

You can leave a comment by clicking here.

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How Can I Overcome Pornography?

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Recently I attended the 40th anniversary of our graduating class at Moody Bible Institute. One of the friends I got to connect with is now a Moody professor: Robert “Bob” MacRae. I was able interview Bob and he shared one of the challenges he helps people with frequently: how to overcome pornography.

Dr. Robert “Bob” MacRae

In this podcast Bob shares how he helps people with the temptation to and sometimes addiction to pornography.

Who is Bob?

Title: Professor of Educational Ministries

Department: Educational Ministries

School/Area: Undergraduate

Position: Teaching

Start Date: August 1995

Educational Background:

• B.A., Moody Bible Institute

• M.Div., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

• D.Min., Bethel Theological Seminary

Professional/Personal Interests:

• Professor of Youth Ministry and Marriage and Family

• Interests include conference, camp and retreat speaking and international student ministry

• Hobbies include hunting and mountain biking.

You can listen by hitting the play button above.

To listen and subscribe in iTunes, click HERE.

Jesus had strong words to say about lust:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’28 But I say to you that jeveryone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.30 And if your right hand lcauses you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30 ESV)

For more help with how to overcome pornography, see my articles:

5 Ways to Porn-proof Your Mind and MarriageThe Toilet Bowl is Swirling — Keep the Lid Closed!

For help:

To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

To learn more about this podcast and how to submit your questions, click HERE.

Help Spread the Word! If you found today’s episode helpful, we’d love for you to rate the podcast in iTunes. This will help get this podcast in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Also, please Click here to leave a review – thanks so much for your help!

What Part Does Luck Play In A Christian’s Life?

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 034

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This podcast is being posted on St. Patrick’s Day, a day we like to often think about “the luck of the Irish.” But what part does luck play in a Christian’s life such as Patrick?

What part does luck play? At 16 Patrick was taken captive by Irish pirates who took him to Ireland. There he was enslaved for 6 years. Doesn’t seem very lucky does it?  Yet St. Patrick became a great Christian missionary to Ireland as a result of that experience.

God used his “unluckiness” to call him to go back to Ireland as a missionary!

Is there really such a thing as luck according to the Bible?

In Scripture we see casting of lots such as when it was done to replace Judas Iscariot as one of Jesus disciples. Casting of lots was similar to rolling of dice in our day.

It seems like just chance or luck, right?

What part does luck play in a Christian’s life today?

Listen to this podcast to find out!

You can listen by hitting the play button above.

To listen and subscribe in iTunes, click HERE.

Here are some of the verses referenced in this podcast (that help answer the question what part does luck play?)

“We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.” (Proverbs 16:33 NLT)

“I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

In this podcast I talk about two aspects of God’s sovereignty:

God’s active will:

“Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 NLT)

God’s passive will:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” ((Genesis 50:20 NLT)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)

The following prayer, attributed to St. Patrick, is often called “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” because of those parts of it which seek God’s protection.  It is also sometimes called “The Deer’s Cry” or “The Lorica.”

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through the belief in the threeness, Through the confession of the oneness Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.

I arise today Through the strength of the love of Cherubim, In obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In prayers of patriarchs, In predictions of prophets, In preaching of apostles, In faith of confessors, In innocence of holy virgins, In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today Through the strength of heaven: Light of sun, Radiance of moon, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of wind, Depth of sea, Stability of earth, Firmness of rock.

I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me: God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of demons, From temptations of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, Afar and anear, Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness, Of the Creator of Creation.

For more help on answering what part does luck play, please also listen to my podcast:  Should Christians gamble?

To learn about some other ethical issues from a Christian perspective, check out my blogs and podcasts on:

• The Abortion Issue Made Easy

• Can a Christian Support Gay Marriage?

• What Scripture Says About Homosexuality: Uncut, Uncensored and Unedited

• Podcast: Is interracial marriage biblical?

• Podcast: Is divorce OK if things just aren’t working?

To receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord click HERE.

To develop your relationship with God, get my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” click HERE.

To learn more about this podcast and how to submit questions, click HERE.