You, O Lord, give blessings and fullness of pleasures. Your pleasures surpass all the little, passing pleasures of sin and self-service. Serving you is the richest form of pleasure, though my worldly eyes have trouble recognizing that. Correct my vision today and always, so that I will be able to see, recognize, and hunger after … Continue reading Prayer Note #18 — Holy Pleasures
Tag: Jesus
Prayer Note #17 — Heavy Burdens
What heavy burdens life seems to lay on me, Lord! Is it because the burdens are heavy or because my shoulders are weak? Is it because I needlessly toss burdens on my back that you haven't given me? Is it because I am prone to name as burdens things that you name as gifts and … Continue reading Prayer Note #17 — Heavy Burdens
Prayer Note #15 — A Pastor’s Prayer before Worship
I look to you, my Lord and my God. I look to you. The worship of your people and my part in it all hangs on the working of your Spirit. Be gracious and patient with us, because we do come here full of sin and self-centeredness. We are idolatrous people, because much of our … Continue reading Prayer Note #15 — A Pastor’s Prayer before Worship
Prayer Notes #13 — Casting Burdens
Dear Jesus, I am awake now more than an hour before I need to be. My fears woke me up. Or did you wake me up in order to deal with me about my fears? I feel as if I am living very randomly, driven by my impulses and whims. And these impulses and whims, … Continue reading Prayer Notes #13 — Casting Burdens
Bible Notes #4 — Leviticus 21 & 22
Leviticus 21 & 22 In these two chapters, the strict holiness regulations are set down for the priests. I am struck especially by the regulations in chapter 22 concerning touching people who are unclean and thus being rendered unclean oneself. I immediately thought of Jesus and the numerous times we hear of his touching people … Continue reading Bible Notes #4 — Leviticus 21 & 22
Bible Notes #2 — Ecclesiates 7:21-22
"Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servants cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself cursed other." Ecclesiates 7:21-22 [ESV] Have a thick skin! Don't take personally everything people say. Don't be quick to take offense. If we are slow to take offense, … Continue reading Bible Notes #2 — Ecclesiates 7:21-22
Pastor Notes #18
Vision means being able to see. We have natural vision – eyesight – that enables us to see the physical, material world around us. God also grants his people spiritual vision which enables us to see spiritual realities as God moves in the world. The writer of Hebrews tell us that spiritual vision is an … Continue reading Pastor Notes #18
Pastor Note #17–Sexual Discipleship
“When Christ calls a man [a person], he bids him come and die.” That is a powerful statement made by a man who died because of his faith in Jesus Christ and Christ’s calling on his life. His name was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German pastor and theologian, and he was hanged by the … Continue reading Pastor Note #17–Sexual Discipleship
Pastor Notes #15 — A Theology of Sex
A Theology of Sex Rev. Gary A. Chorpenning We live in an age of sexual confusion. I suspect it might be possible to make the argument that human beings have lived in sexual confusion ever since the Fall in to sin described in Genesis 3. Forty-one years ago the Presbyterian church produced “The Confession of … Continue reading Pastor Notes #15 — A Theology of Sex
Prayer Notes #8
The following is an excerpt from much longer piece that I edited and updated from a classic manual of piety from early seventeenth century England. Feel free to make use of this in any way that will be helpful to the body of Christ. Two requests: mention where your got it and don't make money … Continue reading Prayer Notes #8
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 