Dr Paul Allen

Have you prayed for your own life, your own heart?  The seven “D’s” maybe helpful. Begin each prayer with the phrase “whatever it takes, Lord ” because the Bible teaches us to be bold and wholehearted in our praying, not reticent. How much do I want God and all he promises to be for me in Jesus ? Do I really want true joy enough to ask for my Father’s loving discipline to wean me from joy-stealing sin? And how much do I trust him? Do I really believe that he will only give me what is good when I ask in faith ( Luke 11:11–13 )? “Whatever it takes” prayers help me press toward and express childlike trust in the Father. Delight: Whatever it takes, Lord, give me delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” ( Psalm 37:4 ). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ( Matthew 6:21 ) Desires: Whatever it takes, Lord, align the desires of my heart with yours. “Our Father in heaven, hall

Cover of The Idea of the Holy Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name ( Matthew 6:9 ). In the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer , we ask that God’s name be regarded as holy. What exactly does the Bible mean by the word “holy”? We tend to use “holy” as a synonym for moral righteousness or purity. This is not wrong, but it can be misleading. In the Bible there are primary and secondary meanings for holiness. The secondary meaning of the word “holy” refers to moral righteousness, but the primary meaning is “separate.” If something is “holy” then it is “other than” or “different from” something else. When the Bible speaks of God’s holiness, it refers preeminently to His transcendence. God is superior to anything in the created realm. All religions have holy places and holy times, specific locations and periods set apart from the normal course of life for religious purposes. But why is it that human beings are drawn to set certain things apart? It is because they have a specia