Your Bible and the Newspaper

A Common practice at NHOP is to read the News Papers, for two reasons – Firstly to look for things to pray into, but also to see answers to prayer as well. The major newspapers report from different perspectives so it is important to read from the various sources in order to give you a broad viewpoint, recognizing the signs of the times in prayer.

You would be amazed at how often things we have prayed into, that we can see the answer to those prayers in the paper.

Recently I read an Article by John Stonestreet in which he explains how German theologian Karl Barth used to advise his students to “Take your Bible and your Newspaper, and read both.” “But interpret the Newspaper through your bible”.

I think this is an awesome quote and it reveals so much of the Christian walk in it as well.

We interpret the world through the revelation of the authoritative word of God; it informs all that we do as Christians and how we pray. And from there we engage in the world with prayerful action.

Stonestreet explained that where many Eastern religions encourage its adherents to remove themselves from society (Monastic traditions as well), Christ prayed that his followers would not be taken from the world but protected from the evil one.

Matthew 5:15 “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Christ did not come to remove himself from the world, he came because “God so loved the world”.  He removed himself to get aside and pray to discern the will of the Father we read in scripture. From being in that place of prayer he prayerfully engaged. The Bible and the Newspaper is a great way to hear Gods voice directing in prayer and maybe showing you the fathers heart for various situations as well.