Posts Tagged ‘prayer’

The Prodigal’s Simple Prayer

Posted in I'm Just Sayin', Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , on January 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

We had a week of prayer and fasting for Compelled Church last week.  I found myself pondering this thing we call prayer.  Prayer means many things to a lot of people.  Prayer can mean a lot of different things to me.  But the prayer that I found myself praying time after time last week and I think one that is going to be an ongoing part of my prayer life, devotional life and life.  It is a simple prayer.  It is a prodigal’s prayer.

Lord don’t let me blow it…again. 

It seems a little self-deprecating to me, but it is my heartfelt prayer.  It does not relieve me in any way of daily walking out my faith, but it is the cry of a man who knows beyond a shadow of a doubt how easily holiness and righteousness can slip away into the night when his focus wavers from the one who sacrificed so much to save him.  It is the cry of the man standing before Jesus, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”  (Mark 9:24) when the fate of his son laid in the balance. It is the recognition that God is not the one that stands in the way of my spiritual growth.  My biggest roadblock is me.  It may not come in anything that I say or in any of the big things that I do.  It is the little stuff of unbelief that add up in our lives until suddenly we look around and realize that we have drifted far from where we want to be.  Perhaps it is part of the 12 step program for prodigals.  Everyday, Lord don’t let me blow it….again and Thank you for ALWAYS being their for me.  Keep me focused on Love, Love , Serve.  I lay it all at your feet, if I try to pick any of it up again do what it takes to keep my hands off. (as gently as possible 🙂

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As Tempted as I am…

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , , on December 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I will not run with the computer virus metaphor.  I am sure that is a great relief for the few that actually read what I write here.

I just finished up my paper on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for my class on Acts.  It is called “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit:  Initial Evidence, Eternal Importance”.  It has really helped me to refocus on the importance of the Holy Spirit in my life.  I find it so easy to forego that intimate daily time with God in the midst of LIFE.  Even “ministry” can find its way between me and the Holy Spirit.  Timely as always God prompted Pastor Nate to send out a framework for daily time with God.  I have attached this document at the bottom of this post.  Certainly this kind of personal time with God is one of the best ways to protect ourselves from the virus of my earlier post, along with real daily time in His Word. “Thy word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”  Psalm 119:11.

 MORNING AFFIRMATIONS Prayer

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One Day

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , , on June 30, 2010| 2 Comments »

We arrived here at the Lewis House Monday afternoon (following an awesome meeting with our new Children’s Pastor-jumping the gun a little on that but I feel pretty good about the match). I wonder how many go on a missions trip and expect an Angelic Fanfare as they arrive or the heavens to open and the HS to descend in the form of a dove. I arrived with a quiet peace that we are doing God’s will for us and knowing that he is going to bless it. I have no idea what that is going to look like but I trust Him and know that He is faithful.
We had a wonderful afternoon of fellowship with George and Sarah. We pieced together a plan for this week and then I had an great night at Everfree.

Tuesday we got to work. George installed a washer and dryer in the basement for visitors to use and then we gutted the room. They had previously installed a furnace there, which included cutting through cinder block. Anyone who has done this will appreciate the mess. Allana and the girls tackled the nursery, going through donated toys, tossing the ones that were not appropriate , cleaning and organizing.
Everyone pitched in and worked hard. I am very proud of all of our kids and my lovely wife .

After dinner we hit the streets. Sami and Emily went with Erin and Naomi and found that ministry can be FUN! George, Robert and I walked the neighborhood. Allana and Chayla went with Stacy on BUNNY DUTY.

We had prayed beforehand and God had laid on George’s heart finding someone under a tree. I had gotten a strong impression of moving shadows. As we turned the corner onto Sylvania we saw a woman sweeping the sidewalk under the shadow of a BIG tree. She is a single mom with three boys under the age of 4. George asked her if we could pray for her and she asked us to pray for her family. We did and then I invited her to the BCC single Mom’s event coming up. Surprise Surprise , her Mom lives in Temperance and she was excited to get more details (which being men we did not have so Allana and I will be headed back there today). As we walked we met kids, parents, young men, old men, young women and old women. They all had one thing in common THEY DESPERATELY NEED JESUS! We prayed for some, chatted with others. We invited some and just opened lines of fellowship with others. Tired but blessed we returned to the Lewis House.

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that YOU will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 6

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