Teach Us To Pray

Luke 24:13-35 describes the appearance of the resurrected Christ to two disciples as they journey on the road to Emmaus. This is a road trip story, filled with unexpected surprises as all road trips are. It also commends two important prayer practices: recounting our days to Jesus and being a host toward him.   Resources:   Email me:  jeff.hoffmeyer@ denverinstitute.org   On further examination, t...

What might it look like for your life to be washed over by the tide of resurrection? In this episode, we explore an ancient Christian creed found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Also, I talk about my favorite surf instructor ever, Tony.    

What if a day you have likely never thought about is central to God's saving work? Holy Saturday is the day in between. It is the space between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Ours is a Holy Saturday world, a Holy Saturday world on the edge of resurrection.

The words of this lament are perhaps the last words spoken by Jesus on the cross. How are we to pray these words with Jesus? How are we to pray, at all, at the foot of the cross? We explore these questions in this episode, focusing on Mark 15:34, Jesus' "cry of dereliction."   Resources: Share your thoughts and feedback with us:  jeff.hoffmeyer@ denverinstitute.org Mahalia Jackson, "Where You Ther...

In this episode, we consider Mark 14:3-9, the story of an unnamed woman anointing Jesus before his death. Mark places this narrative in a prominent place, and Jesus praises the woman's actions beyond any other response in Mark's gospel. To pray this text is to allow our lives to conform to Jesus' lavish sacrifice for us. Resources: Please contact me anytime with questions and thoughts! jeff.hoffme...

In this episode, the Teach Us to Pray Podcast interviews its first guest - Peter Greer , President & CEO of HOPE International. Listen in as we hear more about the work Peter is doing and hear insights from his recently released book Lead with Prayer: The Spiritual Habits of World-Changing Leaders.   Resources: Lead with Prayer Resources

Isaiah declares the wonder and beauty of Christmas in three little words: "for unto us." Who is your "us"? God takes on human flesh so as to bring the divine into human community, a community that is, profoundly, not limited to the living. Handel's "Unto Us" Chorus takes center stage in this episode, guiding us in joyful prayer. Merry Christmas!

In this episode, we look at the prominent biblical theme of light and darkness through the lens of Movement 10 of Handel's Messiah. Light does not exist without darkness. Through prayer, we can both become aware of darkness and boldly face it.

Prayer is how we yield to God's refining work in our lives. God uses difficulty to bring us, ultimately, to delight - the joy of a transformed life. In this episode, I focus on Handel's surprising musical interpretation of Malachi 3:3 and share personally about how God has refined me.

This Advent on Teach us to Pray, we will be praying through some of the texts from Handel's Messiah. This episode focuses on the first words spoken in Messiah, "Comfort Ye."

Much is hidden in the common words, "thank you," including in how we use them in prayer. Gratitude toward God carries the possibility of seeing God for who he really is, and also, profoundly, can shape a transformative posture of repentance.

This episode concludes our prayerful examination of the Priestly Blessing.

What does the blessing "the Lord make his face shine on you" mean? This part of the Priestly Blessing is about recognition, which is humanity's primary need. We can receive this divine recognition through prayer, and this changes everything.

Tucked into some familiar lines of Scripture is an overlooked metaphor for who God is and how he works in our lives. Prayer is our we yield to and participate in the work of the Divine Gardener.

Praying toward a different kind of victory: surrender, kneeling, submitting, and waiting.

The subtle beauty of evil, and how to pray against it.

There is a temptation to not only define ourselves but what we do, but also to reduce God to what he does. How to pray so as to focus on who God is.

Bread, but not bread alone. How to pray about your primary tasks. 

God adopts us as his children, and this changes everything.

Shred the resume, claim your identity. What form of vocational uncertainty are you experiencing? Not in the right job? Overly stressed at work? Working too much? Whatever uncertainty you are experiencing at work, you can hear God say to you, "I love you, with you I am well pleased."

Although we often frame our faith as "following Jesus," the Bible also teaches that God "follows" us. God pursues us, chases us, even. We can claim that promise by praying verse 6 of Psalm 23.

Although we may not have enemies like David did (the trying-to-kill-us kind), there are many in our lives who have hurt us or who are hurting us, or who are standing against us. How do we pray in the midst of these enemies? What is God's response?

Belonging is the central orientation of a sheep to the shepherd and of our lives with God. No matter how far we have wandered, God goes after us, bringing us back, and invites us to offer belonging to others.

The primary tool shepherds use to lead their sheep is their voice. How does God use his voice to lead us? Where does God lead us to find "green pastures and still waters"? Turns out God often uses his voice to lead us into (not away from) difficulty and brokenness and injustice.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." Listen in as we take a deeper look at this familiar verse but with new eyes.