Psalm on Wrestling With God | The Pastor's Workshop

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True Christianity is a Fight

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Joshua 1:8, 2 Chronicles 34:29-33, Matthew 4:1-11, Ephesians 6:10-17, Psalm 119:11

Now I have to ask you: If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did not presume to face the forces of evil in the world without a profound knowledge of the Bible in mind and heart, how could we try to face li...

Quote

Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 3:13:22, Psalm 44:24

There is in the psalms no quick and easy resignation to suffering. There is always struggle, anxiety, and doubt. God’s righteousness, which allows the pious to be met by misfortune but the godless to...

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The Maturation Process of the Soul

Author

Ronald Rohlheiser

Keywords

Scripture

Malachi 3:2-3, 1 Peter 1:6-7, Proverbs 17:3, Psalm 66:10-12, Isaiah 48:10, John 15:1-2

The human soul is like a fine wine that needs to ferment in various barrels as it ages and mellows. The wisdom for this is written everywhere, in nature, in scripture, in spiritual traditions, and in ...

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Author

Northrop Frye

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 17:8-16, Joshua 6:1-20, 1 Samuel 17:45-47, Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Psalm 144:1-2

The style [of the Bible] is of the battlefield rather than the cloister.

Quote

Author

Elie Wiesel

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 4:8-10, Isaiah 61:1, Psalm 143:3, 1 Peter 1:6-7, Romans 5:3-5

My tradition teaches that no heart is as whole as a broken heart, and I would say that no faith is as solid as a wounded faith.

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Different Seasons, Different Challenges

Author

Ronald Rohlheiser

Keywords

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Luke 15:11-32, Proverbs 20:29, Psalm 90:10-12

Someone once quipped that we spend the first half of our lives struggling with the sixth commandment ( Thou shalt not commit adultery ) and the second half of our lives struggling with the fifth comma...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Hosea 11:1-11

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Hosea 11:1-11, Hosea 11:1-11, Romans 11:null, Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, Psalm 49:1-12, Luke 12:13-21, Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

Lamenting a Living Son This is God’s own lament: a brokenhearted father mourning the loss of a still-living son. Throughout the book, God has led Hosea to draw from moments of Israel’s past. Here, ...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Hosea 11:1-11, Romans 11:null, Hosea 11:null, Psalm 49:1-12, Ephesians 3:17-19, Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, Ecclesiastes 2:18-23

Preaching Commentary Lamenting a Living Son This is God’s own lament: a brokenhearted father mourning the loss of a still-living son. Throughout the book, God has led Hosea to draw from moments of...

liturgy

Stand Firm in God's Strength

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 27:1, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 6:10-17

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. People: Put on the full armor of ...

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A Desperate Prayer, a Quiet Answer

Author

Andrew Purves

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:20, John 11:40, Psalm 30:2, Jeremiah 32:27, Romans 8:11, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 41:10

In his important book, The Crucifixion of Ministry, seminary professor Andrew Purves describes what he needed as he faced down a cancer diagnosis and the upcoming chemotherapy he would soon endure: ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Jonah 1:1-17

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Jonah 1:1-17, Psalm 48:7, Isaiah 23:1, Psalm 72:10, Isaiah 60:9, Isaiah 60:null, Isaiah 40:1-2

For purposes of practicality and relatability, this series considers the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea “oceans.” The point is to relate our present-day affinity for the ocean, seashore, and beach...

lectionary

17th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a, James 3:13-18, James 4:1-3, 7-8, James 1:16-27, Galatians 5:22, Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 37:4, James 4:3, Philippians 2:1-5, Psalm 121:null, Psalm 30:null, Jeremiah 11:18-20, Psalm 54:null, James 1:16-27, Galatians 5:22, Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 37:4, James 4:3, Philippians 2:1-5, Psalm 121:null, Psalm 30:null

Preaching Commentary James' Intent James, the brother of Jesus, the leader of the earliest Christian church in Jerusalem, writes this letter to scattered Jewish believers who were going through...

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Negotiating with God

Author

Max Lucado

Keywords

Scripture

Job 1:20-21, Daniel 3:17-18, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Luke 22:42, Psalm 34:18-19 , John 6:66-69

A few days ago I met with a young couple. Their toddler was injured in a car accident. When I visited them in the hospital, the child was on life support. As we stood outside the ICU and spoke, I saw,...

liturgy

Confess Sins, Seek Gods Forgiveness

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:37, 39, Exodus 14:13-14, 1 Samuel 17:37, Colossians 2:15, Psalm 23:4

Pastor: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. People: Merciful God, we confess that too often we have failed to put on the armor You provide. We try to protect ourselves with th...

lectionary

14th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Charles Teixeira

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 16:21-28, Luke 9:51, Genesis 4:1-11, Psalm 62:12, Proverbs 24:12

Preaching Commentary At the Turning Point Following Simon Peter’s climatic height of his faith, his confession that Jesus was the “Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Peter now exemplifies our hum...

liturgy

Struggle Against Dark Powers

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-17, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 27:1

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. People: Put on the full armor ...

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Hope Can Be Hard to Come By

Author

John Piper

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

Psalm 18:6, 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, Romans 8:28, Psalm 34:17-18, Isaiah 41:10, Lamentations 3:21-23, Philippians 4:13

But hope is hard to come by. I should know. I remember the time when I was once busy dying. It wasn’t long after I had broken my neck in a diving accident that I spent one particularly hopeless week i...

liturgy

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 59:16-17, 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, Psalm 144:1-2, Ephesians 6:10-17, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Ephesians 6:10-13

Pastor: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. People: Put on the full armor of God to stand firm against the devil’s schemes. Pastor: with the belt of truth buckled at t...

liturgy

Adapted from Psalm 73:1–28

Prayer of Confession All: Certainly God is good to his people, to those pure in heart, but as for me, I nearly stumbled; I nearly lost my sure footing. I struggle with envy as I look at the those in ...

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Don't Give the Enemy a Seat

Author

Louie Giglio

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:12, Psalm 23:null, James 1:19-20, Psalm 23:5, Ephesians 6:12

During an especially difficult season planting a church, pastor Louie Giglio was filled with the raw emotions that often accompany the messy side of pastoral ministry. Without going into much detail, ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:3, Romans 5:10, Luke 5:31, Matthew 10:30, 1 Peter 5:8, Psalm 73:4-7, 13, 18-20

Preaching Angle: Wheat and Weeds Grow Even in the Church God’s good creation grows food for all living creatures. God made the Earth, God made all the plants, and God made all the humans and animals ...

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Wholeheartedly Committing to God's Will

Author

Frank Laubach

Keywords

Scripture

John 4:14, John 4:1-26, Isaiah 58:11, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Psalm 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Matthew 6:10, Proverbs 16:9, Hebrews 13:20-21, James 1:5, John 6:38-40

Frank Laubach recounts the profound shift in his life that came when he wholeheartedly committed to following God’s will: Before that moment, I was barely alive—like a tree rotting from within. Bu...

liturgy

Full Armor of God

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-17, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 27:1

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. People: Amen. Pastor: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. People: Put on the full armor of ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Hosea 1:2-10

Author

Allen Thompson

Scripture

Hosea 1:2-10, John 1:13, Psalm 85:null, Genesis 18:20-32, Psalm 138:null, Hosea 1:null, Colossians 2:6-15, Luke 11:1-13, Colossians 1:15-28

The Good News or the Bad News? Which do you want first: the good news or the bad news? Well, if you’re preaching Hosea these next two weeks, it doesn’t matter what you want. You’re getting the bad ...

lectionary

23rd Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 23:1-12, Psalm 119:null, Matthew 11:28-30, Deuteronomy 6:8

Preaching Commentary If religion is to be true, its leadership must be true. —Frederick Dale Bruner [1] Humble Leadership Whenever Anthony Bloom, a former bishop and archbishop serving in Londo...

liturgy

Stand Firm Against Devil's Schemes

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-9, Luke 1:79, Psalm 23:4, 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

Pastor: Satan and the powers of darkness seek to divide and destroy. And all too often God’s people either run from the battle in fear and defeat, or pick up the wrong weapons in the fight, relying ...

lectionary

20th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Charles Teixeira

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 4:12-16, Hebrews 3:1-4, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 4:12-13, Psalm 22:1-5, Job 23:1-9, Mark 10:17-31, Hebrews 4:12-16, Hebrews 3:1-4, Hebrews 4:12, Mark 10:21, Mark 10:22, Hebrews 4:15-16, Job 23:16-17, Mark 10:17-18

Preaching Commentary Unbelief in the Wilderness The author of Hebrews concludes chapter 3 with the history of Israel’s unbelief in the wilderness which kept the unfaithful among them from entering ...

lectionary

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:3, Romans 5:10, Luke 5:31, Matthew 10:30, 1 Peter 5:8, Psalm 73:4-7, 13, 18-20

Preaching Commentary Preaching Angle: Wheat and Weeds Grow Even in the Church God’s good creation grows food for all living creatures. God made the Earth, God made all the plants, and God made all ...

Quote

Author

Catherine Booth

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 18:16-19, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Isaiah 43:2

The waters are rising, but so am I. I am not going under, but over.

liturgy

Express Gratitude in Our Lives

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-11, 18-19, Exodus 17:8-16, 1 Kings 8:22-30, Luke 11:9-13, Psalm 145:1-7

Pastor: God not only provides us with armor to stand against the devil’s schemes, but once fitted for battle, He tells us to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests ...

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