Why do I Blog...?

I originally started blogging this prayer journal as an intercessory activity for a church I was attending a little over three years ago. It's mainly about prayer, and lifting others up to the Lord.

Sometimes I blog about a scripture or sermon that has particularly spoken to me. But the main point is that I try to begin every single day spending time with God. And I've grown very accustomed to this routine. If for some reason I don't make time to spend with my savior first thing in the morning I almost assuredly have a 'bad' day.

This blog is meant to strengthen, encourage, minister to, and intercede for my brothers and sisters in Christ and also the lost.

This weekend Pastor Charles Stanley was on fire for the Gospel. He warned us that we live in an age where we know much more about the bible than those that came before us and that God is going to hold us accountable for the information that is out there...

Sometimes I feel close to God. Other times I feel far away... Lately I feel I've been drifting...

It's an ebb and flow..

Dear Heavenly Father... Lord I surrender this day to You. You are my King. I am in Your service. Lift me up Almighty Father. I want to know You, Lord. I want to be closer to You.

Bless me I pray, Oh God. Harness my anger. Keep me kind and gentle and patient.

Father God I love You and want to honor You in every way, in every aspect of my existence.

Thank You Father for being the Great Big God You are. I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

More Praises for Our God and King

There's been lots of good things happening lately...

First off, Monica and I have sold our house in Houston. Next, The HPTA had it's first tournament of the new season this past weekend. The weather was awesome and everything went very well. Our church had it's annual Fall Festival yesterday evening and it went well, too.

God is good indeed...!

Thank You dear Jesus. Thank You and praise You my King. Lord You are such a generous and kind, loving Father. I can't believe how I am constantly being blessed. Father God, I love you and pledge today to You.

Lord I'm not asking for anything except that You would help me to be faithful and obedient and pleasing to You. You know my heart Lord. Strip away anything that is not of You. I want to totally surrender my will to You, Jesus.

Lord I sing Your wondrous praises today. I love you Jesus. and in Your holy name I pray, amen.

Praise Report

Dear Heavenly Father,

Oh Lord Praise You...! Our house sold yesterday...!

Father God, You are so faithful. Thank You, Jesus. Never once in my life have You failed to answer prayer. What an Awesome, Mighty God....!

You just continue to bless me and my family, Father...! Lord I give You all the glory. And Lord I lift up the new owners of that home that it will be a blessing to them. Bless them, Lord. I pray that if they don't already know You that they soon find You.

Father God I continue to lift up my brothers and sister and this issue with my mother's estate. I pray that Your hand reach down and be upon all that transpires in that regard.

Lord I lift up Connor and Elijah to You. And my sweet wife, Lord. Thank You for them.

Jesus, I praise You in the Highest...! I love you Lord. I give this day to You, my King...!

And I pray these things in Your precious, holy name, Amen.

Prayer for my Brothers and Sis

Dear Heavenly Father,

I just want to lift up Stanley, Becky, and John to you right this minute. I pray for healing for our family, Lord. Father God things really look bad. But I know You are the healer of the broken hearted. We are all broken, Lord.

I pray that my messages are well received and our relationships are transformed. Lord this is nothing more than a spiritual attack from The Enemy. He'll use any hurtful ammunition he can to distract or discourage us.

Lord forgive us and cover us with a blanket of Your tender mercy. Father God I know that You want us to have a closer relationship. I'm not giving up. That's what Satan would have me do.

No Lord, I'm going to fight the good fight. And Father I ask special blessings on my wife and I. Help us to be patient, kind, compassionate, and authentic. Give us Your grace under fire, Lord. We want to be Your witnesses in everything we say or do.

Lord I thank you and praise you for my awesome life. I am blessed beyond abundance.

Jesus, I love You. You are my Lord and Savior. And I pray these things in Your precious, holy name, Amen.

Matthew 6:33 - A Road Map

Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God....

One of the things that verse means to me is to seek Him the very first thing in the morning when I awaken. This morning I awakened several times. It was a restless night.

Normally after I awaken I'll go into prayer. This morning however, my mind has been on other things... Namely, a big tennis event I have going on this weekend. I caught myself early this morning working on the tournament before before I had done my devotional and I immediately thought of Matthew 6:33.

The Holy Spirit was convicting me asking just WHO and WHAT am I worshipping here...?

Where do I place the emphasis of my life...? At that moment I felt so humbled and ashamed...

Starting one's day without prayer to God is like leaving on a trip to a place you've never journeyed before and You leave the road map and directions behind. -The end result in both scenarios is you'll get lost....!


Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord forgive me for placing work before time spent with You this morning. YOU are my Lord and King. I place nothing before You, Jesus. I love you, Lord. And I do give this day to You. I ask blessings on my tournament this weekend and I leave it all in Your mighty hands.

Father God, You know my heart. Purify it Lord. Make me whole again. I bow before You, my King. Help me to be obedient and to honor You in everything I say, do, and think.

Lord I also ask that You lift up my sweet wife who is feeling a bit overwhelmed with the volume of work she is responsible for. And Father bless my sweet baby Elijah and my stepson Connor. They are very dear to me, Lord. Thank you for my family, Jesus.

Father I just give this day to you and walk in the victory of a life totally abandoned to You, Lord. And in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Why Are Things So Bad In The World...?

In times of difficulty, the Body of Christ has it's greatest opportunity to fulfill it's mission of which God calls us... And what is that mission...?

Go into all the world and preach the message of the Gospel to all creation.

And what is the message of the Gospel...?

The message is: God the Father sent his only son into this world to reveal the truth of the Father, to demonstrate His life, and to die on the cross in which HE paid the sin debt of the world in one act and as a result God has provided forgiveness and the gift of eternal life.

It is a simple message. It is THE TRUTH...! And it transforms a person's life...

Grace is the awesome message of the Gospel... And that should be the message on our lips to un-believers...

So what is the mission of the church, again...? -To carry the message into all the world, to make disciples of all men...

Are we fulfilling that mission....? Is First Baptist Church West Columbia fulfilling that mission...? Is Sam Chadwell fulfilling that mission....?

(Speaking for myself...) The answer is hardly, barely, not nearly enough...

Well, what am I going to do about that...? What are YOU going to do about it...? Ask God where you fit into His missions plan...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord your message is clear. You have called us to witness to the world. You want us out of our comfort zone and You want us to recognize the needs of those around us.

Oh Father I have been far too passive for far to long. Help me to be more bold. Help me to share my faith with others. Father when You open a door or window of opportunity help me to recognize and act immediately. My chance encounter with a stranger might be their only opportunity to ever hear the gospel.

Lord I'm sorry for all the missed chances. I'm sorry for all the God- ordained relationships that I've failed to make a difference. Father God. I want to do Your Will.

Thank You Lord for loving me so much that You died for my sins. The least I can do in return is give my life in service to You. Jesus You are my MAIN THING. Lord I love You. And I give this day to You.

In Your precious, holy name: JESUS CHRIST, I pray, Amen.

Prayer of Thanks

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I am so blessed. Thank You my King for such an awesome life. Thank You Jesus for my sweet wife, baby and stepson. Father I already have everything I'll ever need. But Lord my prayer this morning isn't about 'stuff'.

I want to thank You Lord for all my numerous blessings, but thank You most for Your sacrifice.

Thank You for what You did on the cross for my sins before I was even born. Thank You for loving me so much that You would give Your life for me.

Lord many times I feel so unworthy of Your precious gifts. But then there You are again giving me grace to carry on. God You are an Awesome God. I love You, Lord.

Father I just give this day to You. I set my alarm so that I can get up and spend time with You. You are number one, Lord. You get the first part of my day, the BEST part. And Jesus I want this entire day to glorify You. Everything I do today I do in Your name, to the Best of my ability.

I want to give You my best because You gave me Your Best. You are SO worthy of Honor and Praise. Lord I lift Your Name on High. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord.

Praise You, Jesus. Amen.

All Things Are Possible...Mark 10:27

"With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).

I chose this scripture to look at this morning because it was a feature scripture in an article I was reading earlier this morning and it goes hand in hand with NOT worrying.

I absolutely love this passage of scripture...! Although it's nice to know the context or background of the scripture, this is one verse that stands alone without context. It's pretty much self explanatory. Even if you are not certain what is the 'it' that is referred to as being impossible for man, the follow up statement is the crucial part of the verse: All things are possible with God. God is everywhere. He sees and hears ALL. He knows ALL. He is the creator of ALL things and he enjoys ultimate jurisdiction over ALL things. (everything).

The key word here is ALL...!

People are limited. We can only physically do so much. But God has no physical limitations.

God is the HOLY. God is KING. Believers should never worry about anything because we serve a God with whom all things are possible...!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I do believe in You. I trust you, Jesus. You have been there for me and this family time and time again.

Satan tries to distract, deceive, and discourage me but You hold me up. You sustain me, Lord. You deliver me. Father God You are my Rock. Everything else is sinking sand. I build my house, my life on Your firm foundation.

Jesus, I love You. I give this day to You. Everything I do today Lord is for Your glory. This is my offering to You, Father.

Thank You Lord for scripture. Thank You for laying the keys to happiness right at our feet in the form of Your Holy Word. I cherish Your word, Lord. And I hide it in my heart.

Father God I have many unspoken requests this morning. I don't have to list them. You know what they are. Father I do ask for mercy. I ask for grace. I can always use a good dose of humility and meekness.

Lord I lift up my loved ones to You this morning. And Dear Lord I pray that Your will be done in my life. I pray for clarity. I pray for singleness of purpose. I pray for vision.

Father God and I confidently claim victory in the power of Your precious, holy name, Jesus Christ, in Whom ALL Things are Possible,

Amen.

Now, On to Matthew 6:33

OK, we just finished a quick study of Psalm 3: 5-7 (Trust the Lord with all your heart...)

Here's another scripture verse that is rather a command:

Matt 6:33 Seek Ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you....


In this account from the apostle Matthew, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. You need to have a little background to fully understand what they were discussing. Here is the context of Matt 6:33...

Back in Matthew 6:24 Jesus is explaining about how we can not have two masters. In Matthew 6:26 He explains that the birds of the air are fed and the lillies of the field are clothed and since we are much more important to God than birds and flowers we should not worry about food and clothing. In fact, we should not worry, period.

The reason we should not worry is because... (and here's another cause and effect scenario) If we seek God first in our lives... If HE is our primary Master, then all these 'things' (food and clothing, etc...) will be added unto us. God will provide.

God's saying don't sweat the small stuff, I've got you covered if you make me number one in your life...!

That's' something to think about... I love God. But I do struggle with 'worry'.

I'm going to meditate and pray on that the rest of today.... SC

In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him

The second half of Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us to acknowledge Him in all our ways. Let's look at that one word, All. What is that....? All is 'Everything'. Everything we do should acknowledge and give glory to God. I think in this case 'all' also means the frequency of our action, such as 'all the time'...!

So let's re-write that verse to make it a little more clear... EVERYTHING we do ALL the time should acknowledge and give glory to God.

Now the meaning of that verse is pretty clear. OK. So, let's stop and apply that verse to our own lives...

Ouch..! For me personally, that reveals a lot. Do ALL my ways acknowledge Him ALL the time...?

No Way.

But if we ARE able to acknowledge him more then He will do WHAT...?

He will make our paths straight. He will guide us and lead us in His perfect will.

We're still talking about a cause and effect relationship, here. If we do this, God will do that...
If we acknowledge God in our lives, then he will show us the way to heaven.

If we don't, we will not find our way. We will be LOST.

We can't just worship God on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings and then sit back and coast in between times. The act of acknowledging God in our lives needs to be a 24/7 activity.

Tomorrow we'll discus Matt 6:33 (Seek Ye First...)

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I love You. I want to acknowledge You in all my ways all the time. I want You to make my path straight. I want to be an arrow pointing to heaven. Father God I pray blessings on myself today. I am no good to anyone in my current condition. I need a spiritual renewal. I need you, Jesus. Lord I give You my heart and soul. I live for You alone.

Bless me, Father. Raise me up. Hold me close.

Thank You Jesus for my wife and family. Thank You for my church, my home, and my career. Thank You for my students, friends and relatives. Thank You Lord for my salvation in You.

Lord, You have already blessed me. How can I avoid acknowledging You...? I see You in all these blessings. You are ever - present, my Lord and King.

I give this day to you, Jesus. And I pray these things in Your precious holy name, Amen.

Prov 3:5-7, and Matt 6:33

These are two very familiar verses:

Proverbs 3:5-7 states: Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Matt 6:33 says: Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

On the surface, these are two classic 'cause and effect' statements. If you do THIS.... Then THAT happens...

But I think it runs a much deeper than that. Trusting in the Lord with all one's heart and seeking Him first, are more than mere action plans. They are blue prints to success, fulfillment, and peace. I'd like to take a close look at these two scriptures the next few days and meditate and discuss what they mean to me personally.

Let's look at the first part of Proverbs 3-6... 'Trust the Lord with all your heart...

Who is this verse speaking to...? You (and me), the readers.

What are we to do...? We are to Trust the Lord. But the verse goes a little farther. It tells us to what depths to trust... (with all our heart...) We are to trust the Lord completely.

Do I do that...? Well, much of the time. Certainly in good times.... But do I ever worry...? Do I ever stress...? Yes. Well that's not trusting with my whole heart all the time. That's leaning on my own understanding, isn't it...?

If we do put our whole trust in HIM then we should not worry. Worrying and stressing about things is sure something I need help with...!

Prayer For My Day

Today is a busy, full day. I may have over extended myself once again... Sigh... Well, there's no 'maybe' about it. I've definitely over-extended myself... So I just pray for forgiveness. I pray for grace. I pray that all will work out as it should. And I pray that I get a grip on this busy-ness once and for all. I pray that I get caught up and stay there. This morning I just throw myself at the foot of the cross.

Dear Lord,

You know all that I have to get done today. And You know I don't have very much time to get everything accomplished. Father God, I've got to do a better job at managing my time. And that includes just not taking on so much responsibility. But where do I say No, Lord...? Everything on my plate seems 'necessary'. I want to honor You, my King. And I know that my crazy, jam packed schedule isn't healthy, and it's not God-Honoring... Help me discern what is best for my family and I. Help me to impact the greatest number of people for The Kingdom. I want to be right in the middle of Your will, Lord. And I sense I'm drifting at the moment.

Father God, I lay it at your feet. I lay my work this morning, my lessons this afternoon and my meeting this evening in Your tender care. I pray for blessing, Lord. I'm doing everything to the best of my ability. But that's just it. I'm doing it under my own power. I'm not good enough on my own Lord. I need to do it through You. -That's my big problem. Stubborn me. Prideful me.

Strip all that away, Lord. I want to do it right. I want peace. I don't have it right now. I'm making myself ill is what I'm doing. Help me, Jesus. Help me through today. Walk with me closely today, my King...! I'm weak and weary.

And Lord I lift up my family to You this morning, as well. I pray blessings on Monica, Connor and Elijah whom I love so dearly. Bless their day Lord.

Jesus, I love you and I cry out to You for mercy. Forgive me this sin of busy-ness. By Your Divine Grace I will carry on and get through this day. -And it will be a good day, Lord.

Thank you Jesus. I claim victory in You and in Your Holy Name I pray,

Amen.

All Other Ground Is Sinking Sand...

I'm taking a stand today. I'm sick and tired of false religions, false teachers, and watered -down theology...

The Praise Team at Church sang 'Solid Rock' this past weekend. You know the Lyrics:

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand... All other ground is sinking sand... And the second line is repeated for emphasis...

I never realized the significance of tagging that line and singing it twice until now. It hit me this morning that there is 'other ground, sinking sand' all around me. And Praise God my wife is on to this as well. I have to say that she is on fire for Jesus. And she is such an inspiration...!

And I realize now my problem has been sinking sand... (and busy-ness) But now that I think more about it, busy-ness IS sinking sand...!

Remember the old saying: God first, Others second, and Self last...! Ah, such simple, true words to live by.... And if you don't put God first you're on sinking sand, my friend.

Point to Jesus

This past Sunday evening at my church we had the ordination ceremony for our youth minister and our music minister. The sermon preached for that service was delivered by a guest pastor and it had a very good message. The subject and topic of the sermon was the ministry of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist had only one mission. That was to tell everyone within his sphere of influence that Jesus was coming and the kingdom of heaven was at hand...! The visiting pastor's sermon cautioned the candidates for ordination to never seek personal fame. The visiting pastor stated that he hoped that he would never see one of their pictures on a bill board...

He stressed that the job of Pastors was to shepherd the flock, to guide and direct the sheep, and to point the way to Jesus. Indeed, as believers we are all called to point to Jesus.

Does Your Life Point to Jesus, or something (or someone) else...?

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you lord for the leadership of Brother Mark and Brother Ryan. Thank You Father for that great message delivered Sunday evening. Father I lift up Mark, Ryan and their families. Bless them Lord.

I thank You Jesus for the awesome life I live. I thank You for America. I thank you for my precious family. Lord, You have blessed me tremendously and I sing Your praises.
I love you, Lord. And I pray these things in the power of Your holy name. Amen.

Sunday Praise and Worship

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I thank You for another Sunday. Wow, what a week this has been...! Thank You Jesus for the sale of our house moving right along. Father I continue to lift up the buyers. Bless them Lord. I thank You and praise You Lord for the good news about our taxes. I thank you for the awesome new owners at Columbia Lakes and how they are making this community a better place to live... I lift them up this morning, Lord.

And Father I thank you for my church family. Thank you especially for brother mark and brother Ryan as they are getting ordained today. It's a very special day for them, Lord.

Father God I just look forward to an awesome day... I Love You, Lord and give this day to You. I dedicate this a day of rest, Lord. I dedicate this a day of honor and glory for You my King.

I sing Your praises, Jesus. And I pray these things in Your holy name, AMEN.

A Person Can Not Deny The Lord and Live Successfuly

The title of today's post was the first line in Dr Stanley's message yesterday. I'd like to comment on that a bit this morning.

First of all, I agree whole heartedly with that statement. Secondly, I think that many believers are denying the Lord and don't even know it...! (I've certainly been there)

How is that, you ask...?

Well for me, it's the age old adversary: 'busyness'.... I'll get wrapped up in what ever I'm doing and can go almost a whole day without acknowledging my Savior. I know many others; believers and non believers alike, who are living life at a breakneck speed. And for what...?

We kill ourselves physically and spiritually to pay bills and to acquire stuff. -That's the world today. Do we really need all the debt we have...? And the stuff... How much is enough...?

For Believers, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit when we are straying from God. (at least that's the way it works for me...) But I know that my 'busy' periods can never last that long before I come to my senses. I can't make it through the day without praying. When I'm disconnected from God, I'm having a horrible day. That's why the first line of Dr Stanley's narrative really spoke to me yesterday.

I also think that one reason God may place obstacles in our paths is to slow us down and to keep us dependant upon Him. If we refuse to acknowledge God, the obstacles may start coming... And if we continue to be stubborn and keep denying HIM, He may limit our success.

We serve a God who wants to bless us. He loves us. Why would we want to deny Him and live our life selfishly for ourselves...? Oh I've just about got it all figured out, intellectually...

But it's that darned flesh that keeps getting in the way....!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You Lord for keeping me dependant upon You. Thank You for Dr. Stanley for preaching the Truth. Lord this message today is for me and it's also for everyone in the whole world. Father I pray for those who are too busy to pray today. I pray for those who are too busy to connect with the creator of life itself, the maker of the universe. I pray for those who are denying you right now...!

Father I pray that their eyes and ears be opened and their hearts be softened. Lord I have a few friends in mind right now who really need to know You as their personal Lord and Savior. I have many friends who would probably like to re-commit their lives to Christ right now...

Father God I don't want to name them here but You can read my mind, and You know my heart. Bless these dear souls Lord.

Oh Lord I know that I have been blessed. Thank you Lord. I'm not complaining about my life... And I'm trying to prioritize things... With YOUR help I WILL be successful. I know for sure that I have to start my day off with this journal. I have to start my day off with You, my God and my King.

I love You, Lord. And I give this day to you, for Your glory. Everything I do today I do through You and for You, Jehova.

Lord Jesus, I pray these things in the power of Your precious, holy name... Amen.

Psalm 34:8

A person cannot deny the Lord and still live successfully. Mankind was created to acknowledge God and share a relationship with Him. When someone chooses to ignore the truth of His existence or His sovereignty, he or she begins a downward slide. It’s a choice which ends with a hardened heart and eternal separation from a loving Father.

God gives everyone the capacity to understand Him and the free will to choose whether to pursue that knowledge. The truth of His existence is revealed in nature and written into every person’s conscience. However, many people ignore reality because it interferes with their preferred lifestyle. Instead, they chase false philosophies, which are usually mixed with just enough truth to make them believable to the inexperienced.

Any “truth” crafted by man is foolishness. A mind that has rejected the fact of a sovereign Lord cannot see its error. It has slipped from intelligence—an inherent knowledge of God—to willful ignorance. In this state, even when all evidence points to the truth, a person can still convince him- or herself that the opposite is right.

All the denial and atheistic arguments in the world will not change what is real. Jehovah is God. Jesus Christ is His Son. God created you to love, obey, and honor Him. If you resist the truth, you choose a life of darkness and willful ignorance. The choice is yours to make.

God invites you to see if He is better than all that the world has to offer. Psalm 34:8 challenges us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Will you taste and see?


That was today's devotional from Dr Stanley's website. There are so many great spiritual nuggets in that text that I don't know where to start... In fact, I think I may have to stay on this devotional for a day or two to cover everything I believe God is revealing to me in this message. I keep reading it over and over and saying wow... and oh... and yes, that's me...! It's difficult to even know where to begin to discuss this devotional. There are many, many, paths I could take for discussion.

Let me start by stating that I am concerned about 'becoming deceived'. I know for a fact that I've been deceived by a false religeon or teacher in the past. And right now I'm going through a very dry spiritual time in my life. I'm not involved in an active bible study. I'm not reading my bible regularly. I'm continuing to let 'busyness' control my life.

Although many passages of Dr Stanley's message speak to me this morning, the final paragraph that quotes Psalm 34:8 particulary convict me. I DO want to taste and see that the Lord is Good....

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord You are Good. And I want to know You more, Father. I want to glorify You more. Father God, please give me a hunger and thirst for Your word. Help me to better prioritize my day to include daily study of divine scripture. I've been slipping for some time. It's time to stop the slide.

Thank you for my sweet wife who stays dilligent in her studies. She is an inspiration, Lord. I lift her up today and pray blessings upon her busy schedule as well.

Lord Jesus, thank You for great bible teachers like Dr Stanley. There is no doubt that he teaches the Truth. And we need the Truth more than any other time in history right now. This is such a wicked age we live in.

But Lord I know we are called to be in the world but not of it. Lord Jesus, I ask You right this second to strip away any pride or selfish motives that might hinder my walk or my witness. Help me to be kind, gentle, and humble.

Lord I love you. And I want my friends and family to taste and see that You are good. What ever happens Lord please don't let me become a hindrance or stumbling block to someone else's walk.

Father God, today I'm praying for me. I need You, Jesus. Thank You Lord for hearing my prayer. I claim victory in You Jesus. And I pray these things in the power of Your precious, holy name, Amen.

Lifting Up My Wife's Parents...

This Journal is basically all about intercessory prayer. Sometimes I feel led to do a study or discussion on a particular topic, but praying is the main interest here.

Today I'd like to lift up and honor my wife's parents. Arno and Judy have treated me like a son since the day I met them. They are kind and generous and give wise Godly counsel. They are good people. They are a blessing not only to this family, but many others whom they come in contact with.

Dear Father God,

Lord I thank You for Arno and Judy. I would not be the man I am today if I had never met and married their daughter, Monica. I thank You for the Ohlemacher family, it's values, and principals. I just want to lift them up today in honor and respect and pray many blessings upon them.

Bless their health, Lord. I selfishly want to have them in my life for many more years and I want them to enjoy a quality of life they deserve. Bless their time that it be spent enjoying each other's company in the pursuit of happiness and the edification of each other and those around them.

Bless my relationship with them, Lord, I want to get to know them better and have them really know me. I pray that Elijah and Connor will know them well. I missed out on a relationship with my grand parents.

Father God, this prayer really is all about thanks and praise to You because my relationship with Monica's parents is just another one of the many blessings in my life that You have graciously bestowed upon me. I am very grateful, Lord. Thank You, Jesus....!

I praise You, God. I worship You and give my life to You, Father. And I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayer for Connor

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You Lord for Connor and the blessing and privilege of being called to raise him up. Lord he's growing up in such a different world than I did. Many times it's difficult to relate to issues and circumstances he's facing. And certainly I didn't have to face the loss of my father at such a tender age.

Lord help me to be the best step-dad I can be. Connor and I have been getting along better lately but there are still plenty of rough spots in our relationship. Connor's just at a difficult time in his life. He's on the edge of being a kid and a young adult.

Father God I pray specifically for Connor this morning in regard to his interest in video games. I know that we could just take them away, but that would only modify his behavior, it wouldn't change his heart. This morning I pray that he would completely lose interest in video games and spend that time in more wholesome activities and interaction with others.

Lord I know You have great plans for Connor to impact those in his world for You and it's up to his mom and I to raise him up to facilitate his contribution to Your Kingdom. Help us to be the best parents we can be. (Help me especially Lord because I think Connor's mom is already doing a good job)...

A stepdad-stepson relationship has got to be one of the more difficult relationships, Lord and I know I can't make things right on my own. So, I lay this at Your feet. I can't really accomplish anything under my own power, Lord. But I do know that through You I can do all things. In You I am a Winner and I will know Victory through You.

Again Father thank You for Connor. Help me to raise him up faithful and true. Help me to be the positive male role model he needs. Help me to be what his dad would have been to him.

Lord thank You for this day and for my life. I am not here for my own pleasure. I am here to love You, to worship You, to serve You and to bring You Glory, and to lead others to You. I am here for Connor and my wife and baby. By serving them I am honoringYou.

Thanks again for this awesome privilege. I love you, Lord. I give today to You, Jesus. And I pray these things in the power of Your holy name, Amen.

Praise Report

The weekend has come and gone and there were a few bumps in the road along the way, but over all it was a good weekend. The team young athletes I coached placed second in the state competition, the weather was quite nice, and we made it home safely. You gotta praise God under those circumstances...!

The trip back to Columbia Lakes took three and a half hours. We listened to praise and worship music much of the way. There was one particular song that stuck in my mind last night. I'm not sure who sang this song or what the name of it was, but the theme of it was that the earth is not our home, heaven is. It was a great song with a great message. I'm looking forward to hearing it again.

The song impacted me so much it's inspired my devotional thoughts this morning:

Hold on loosely to the things of this earth. Where we are now is not our final destination. We are pilgrims on a long journey. Heaven is our real home. We're traveling home (to heaven) and our job is to pick passengers (the lost) along the way and take them with us...!

My question this morning is have you picked up any passengers lately? Or are you traveling this spiritual journey in a single seat vehicle...?

And let me ask you this... -What kind of vehicle would Jesus drive..? I think he'd drive a big SUV or a bus because he was always taking on passengers...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You God for this past weekend... It was a real blessing. Lord You are Good and You continue to shower me with blessings... I love You, Father...! Praise You, Jesus!

Father God I lift up the ministry of Dr Charles Stanley this morning. He is currently working on getting his sermons broadcast on radio and television all throughout Europe and the Middle East. I pray that strongholds are broken down and hearts are softened through his preaching and teaching. Thank You Lord for his strong christian witness.

Lord I pray for my own witness this morning as well. Help me to find a balance between work and family. Help me to make my work more of a ministry. I see my students, co-workers, and industry peers as ripe mission fields, Lord. Help me to impact everyone within my sphere of influence for You, Jesus.

Father, I thank you for the pending sale of our house. I pray for the family that is purchasing our home. Bless them Lord, and if it be Your will, I pray that this deal goes through smoothly and quickly.

I continue to pray for my knee that is still quite sore. I give that situation to You, Lord. You are the Great Physician and I know You can, and I know You WILL heal my knee. Thank You in advance for that blessing, Lord!

Lord I lift up my family this morning to have a good week. Thank You for my sweet wife and family. They are one of my biggest blessings.

Father, I lift up the owners of my tennis club this morning. Bless them and their efforts to improve this community.

Jesus, I love You and I give this day to You. I pray all these things in Your precious and holy name, Amen.