Author Archives: Steve Hankins, Th.D.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”(Matthew 6:21, ESV) I read a story once about an old pastor of a country church. He was not paid very much by the church. He and his wife lived in an old country shack with poor insulation and a fireplace for heat. One veryContinue reading “The Treasure Trove”

” And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:16, ESV) It is interesting that Jesus, in giving the principles of the Kingdom, stated, “And when you fast.”Continue reading “Fasting”

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13, ESV) Once I had a job at US Steel inspecting the slag pockets on the Open Hearth Furnaces. It was dangerous as we opened the access to the running furnace at the ground level. The problem was that the operators on theContinue reading “Deliverance From Evil”

“and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, ESV) God has blessed Chris and I to get out of earthly debt. We would never be able to make it on Social Security if it were not so. However, there are many that get so far in debt that theyContinue reading “The Greatest Debt”

“Give us this day our daily bread,” (Matthew 6:11, ESV) I have heard many people say I don’t pray for myself. I don’t want to waste God’s time on my problems. I pray for others. This comes from either a prideful impulse or a lack of understanding on the character of God. God is OmniscientContinue reading “For the Needy”

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, ESV) We live in an ideologically divided world. In our country the division is seen in moral choices. The issue is one of truth and authority. Some see that man is the supreme authority over all and others seeContinue reading “Reign Now”

“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matthew 6:9, ESV) Jesus in teaching us to pray presented a model for prayer. Men have labeled it the Lord’s prayer. Yet others more appropriately have titled it as the Disciple’s Prayer. Jesus stated, “Pray then like this.” The purpose of this, “TheContinue reading “Familial Connection”

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them“ (Matthew 6:7-8a, ESV) The previous devotion considered the issue of repetition in prayer. Yet this teaching brings up a question? Does the teaching thatContinue reading “Persistent Prayer?”

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7, ESV) In my previous devotion, we looked at two reasons that prayer will miss the mark in connecting with the Father. The first was an obvious one,Continue reading “Meaningful Prayer”

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.“ (Matthew 6:5, ESV) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught someContinue reading “Missing the Prayer Connection”