David Mathis

“The great purpose of prayer is not getting things from God but getting God.”

“God designed the church to be a community of lifelong learners under the earthly guidance of leaders who are teachers at heart. The Christian faith is not a finite course of study for the front-end of adulthood. Our mind-set shouldn’t be to first do our learning and then spend the rest of our lives drawing from that original deposit of knowledge. Rather, ongoing health in the Christian life is inextricably linked to ongoing learning.”

“We don’t just learn facts, but we learn a Face. We’re not just learners of principles, but of a Person. We are lifelong learners in relationship with Jesus as we hear his voice in his word and have his ear in prayer, and share in community with his body, all through the power of his Spirit.”

“In our sin, we’d rather trust in ourselves than another, amass our own righteousness than receive another’s, speak our own mind rather than listen to someone else.”

“This is the heart of prayer—not getting things from God, but getting God.”

“It shouldn’t surprise us…to find that prayer is not finally about getting things from God, but getting God.”

“The Bible is gloriously for us, but it is not mainly about us.”

“…Take every word as spoken to yourself, with this essential anchor in place: Seek to understand first how God’s words fell on the original hearers, and how they relate to Jesus’ person and work, and then bring them home to yourself.”

“The grace of God cannot be quarantined to individuals.”

“He is holy, and so we worship (adoration). He is merciful, and so we repent (confession). He is gracious, and so we express appreciation (thanksgiving). He is loving and caring, and so we petition him for ourselves, our family, our friends, and our world (supplication).”

“It is grace to be forgiven of sinful acts, and grace to be supplied the heart for righteous ones.”

“For the glory of God, the good of others, and the satisfaction of our souls, the aim of the Christian life is our coming to share in…Christlikeness or godliness—which is ‘holiness’ rightly understood.”

“…Prayer to God is not only the place for divulging our heart, but also developing our desires.”

“Prayer doesn’t begin with our needs, but with his bounty.”