The Roaming Minds

Photo by Steven Lasry on Unsplash      Psalm 23 is one of our favorite verses. Who could not remember this reassuring psalm?  The Lord is my shepherd ... it begins. Here's the whole chapter in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) version. The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.    Our pastor expounded on this passage during the last Sunday of May 2022. Indeed, Psalm 23 never loses its comforting power in a ...

The Power of Prayer James 5:13-20 Messenger: Pastor M 13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Opening thoughts and questions: James wants to convince us that there is power in prayer How do you respond to the trials, temptations, and joys in life? Pray can change your life, the world, and anything. Lesson 1: Prayer is the right response to any situation in your life Prayer is always the right response to any challenges in life Ephesians 6:18a - "and pray in Spirit in all occasions with all kinds of...

On January 2, 2022, my family decided to attend church in person instead of virtual worship. Here are the lessons I heard from the sermon. Note: Listening to a sermon is a subjective experience. Therefore, my notes below do not represent the totality of the message delivered by the pastor. Messenger: Pastor A Opening remarks Do you have a hunger for righteousness? How to build our deeper relationships with God? Through prayer. Who taught you to pray? The messenger's dad taught him how to pray? Reflection: My late father also taught me how to pray and to develop the habit of praying anytime, anywhere, and as a family. That's one of the greatest legacies I acquired from him. Jesus taught us how to run to God - through prayer. Sermon Title: When You Pray Text: Matthew 6:5-15 (The Lord's Prayer) Common excuse on why Christians are not able to pray - busy! To Christians, prayer should become like the act of breathing, a natural act! Lesson 1: When you pray, don't fear man ve...