Exploring My Strange Bible

Prayer and Paradise

Exploring My Strange Bible

Show Notes

Prayer and encountering God’s presence are biblical topics we can study, but they’re also very personal experiences for each of us, and so this message combines both. First, Tim shares his personal history with prayer, and then dives into a biblical study of God’s Eden paradise appearing where we least expect it. Tying these two parts together is a personal parable involving a wild huckleberry field on a remote mountainside. Tim gave this message at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Ore., on October 19, 2022.

More from Exploring My Strange Bible

Oct 23, 2026

Psalms E2 — The book of Psalms follows a wide diversity of people with different emotional journeys and life experiences. Their prayers teach us what it means to talk to God through the whole range of life experiences, from good to horrible. In this second teaching of a four-part series, Tim explores Psalm 22, reflecting on the poet's experience of extreme suffering and pain, alongside his conviction that God is good and has redemptive purposes for the world. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Oregon, on May 26, 2013.

Oct 16, 2026

Psalms E1 —The book of Psalms has played a significant role in Jewish and Christian history for thousands of years. Observant Jews have always memorized and prayed the Psalms. At multiple points in Jesus’ life, he used the language of the Psalms to express his own thoughts. And Jesus models for us what it can look like to use the Psalms as the language of our own prayers. In this first teaching of a four-part series, Tim explores Psalm 3 as a way to pray when we're in the midst of great fear and anxiety. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Oregon, on May 19, 2013.

Oct 9, 2026

The Language of Faith E4 — This is the final episode of a four-part series looking at foundational words and concepts in the Bible and Christian faith. These words rarely come up in modern culture, and when they do, they’re often used very differently. In this teaching, Tim explores the controversial word and concept of atonement by diving into the biblical story and letting it speak for itself. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Ore., on October 16, 2016.

Oct 2, 2026

The Language of Faith E3 — This four-part series looks at some of the most common and important words in the Bible and Christian faith that are often misunderstood and underused in modern culture. In this teaching, Tim explores the word covenant and how it's crucial for understanding the storyline and architecture of the whole biblical story. Tim gave this message at Door of Hope Church in Portland, Oregon, on November 20, 2016.

Sep 25, 2026

The Language of Faith E2 — In this short series, we’re looking at three foundational words and concepts in the Bible and Christian faith. These words rarely come up in modern culture, and when they do, they’re often used very differently. In this teaching, Tim explores the biblical word of glory, which is commonly used and misunderstood among Christians but crucially important in the biblical story.

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