And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
— Luke 11:9-13
Sanctified Ambitions
From Christian Union Cities Conference
Ambition is a strange phenomenon. In the world, ambition is praised, whereas in the church, ambition is sometimes considered a vice. Is ambition the problem? Or what we’re ambitious for? Success, power, and influence can easily become idols. But the way to avoid idolatry is not to give up in the name of false humility. In this talk, given at the recent Christian Union Cities Conference, James K.A. Smith looks to the ancient church father Augustine as a model for how to “sanctify” ambition. Watch Now >
The Good Purpose of Suffering
By Zachary AlbaneseFrom ChristianUnion.org
We live in a world where many view suffering as the primary indicator you are doing something wrong. “You made a bad decision.” “You should have tried harder or prepared more." Even when we view suffering through the lens of Christian faith, we hear similar reverberations. “You don’t have enough faith.” “God must be judging you.” While those are at times absolutely true, they can discredit the oft-neglected reason we suffer—for the good purposes of God. Are we not called to persevere?
Read Now >
Don't Give Up Praying for Your Children
By Jon BloomFrom DesiringGod.org
Jon Bloom is the board chair and co-founder of Desiring God. In late July he wrote this thoughtful challenge—and encouragement—to Christian parents.Read Now >
Four Years On, "Marriage Equality" Slogan Still Doesn't Add Up
By Ryan T. AndersonFrom Heritage.org
Most everyone in America was and is in favor of marriage equality. Most everyone was and is in favor of marriage equality because most everyone wants the law to treat all marriages equally.
The debate in the United States in the decade and a half before Obergefell v. Hodges wasn’t about equality. It was about marriage. We disagreed about what marriage is...
Read Now >
Bloodshed
By Ravi Zacharias
From RZIM.org
Two days in a row, we read of the senseless slaughter of people at the hands of killers who had a personal agenda against our culture or against society at large. The blood had not yet dried on the floors before many in the media and political aspirants added more division and more pain to our fractured country. Very few had answers. Those who love to rail against people or views once again... Read Now >
Prayer Requests
UNIVERSITY MINISTRIES
Our ministry teams are in the final stages of preparing for the fall semester and the freshmen arriving on campus. This includes a planning retreat with student leaders. Please pray for Christian Union ministry faculty and student leaders to prepare well to reach many newly arriving freshmen. Also pray for returning students to feel a spiritual zeal over what God can do in their own lives this year.
CITY MINISTRIES
Please pray for the New York and DC teams as they continue to meet with recent graduates and new arrivals to the city, and connect them to the broader spiritual community. We’re excited for them as they see God work in and through them in these cities.
DAY & NIGHT
Our 21-Day Fast for Revival in America has begun. Pray for hearts to be humbled before God during this time. Ask God to take notice of these measures to seek Him with increased intensity. Ask Him to come to us with greater doses of His presence and power. Ask for changed lives, answered prayers, transformed churches, and public demonstrations of His glory. We need revival in America!
Talk Back
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