Here's a quick confession: My life has been a mess lately. Last week I made a decision to stop blogging for awhile. I rationalized that I didn't have time, and I needed to re-priortize my life and get caught up on things that I was slipping farther and farther behind on.
But the fact is, I've been miserable without blogging. And, after a week I still haven't been able to get a grip on my schedule or routine. In fact, I think I've slipped farther into the depths during my sabbatical from writing. So, here's the deal. I'm going to try to get back into a blogging routine right here and now.
I absolutely have to blog in my prayer journal every day. That's a given. This is special time with the Lord that I can't cut back on. Really, it's utterly absurd that I would even consider doing such a thing given this blog's history.
But I think my decision to stop blogging last week was a direct result of spiritual attack, not rational thinking. The Enemy has really been waging a tremendous spiritual war on my wife and I lately. You see, we've been challenged in many areas of our lives the past few months. Our time management has definitely been under fire. Our physical health has been attacked. Relationships with friends and family have been strained. Finances have been stretched.
But I feel the tide has turned. I see the error we, (certainly I) have been making. And I am absolutely certain that cutting back on blogging is not the answer.
No, the only answer is MORE time with the Lord. And I don't necessarily mean MORE blog time. But for me at least, blogging is a direct result of my time spent with the Lord. Blogging grounds me. Blogging is my way of sorting out my thoughts.
And my prayer journal... Well, what an interesting story that is... For over twenty years I have been in the habit of keeping a personal journal of my life experiences. I have literally volumes and volumes of hand written manuscripts packed away in boxes. Several years ago a dear christian friend suggested to me that I begin keeping a 'prayer journal' and chart how God answers my prayer. I spent a year being discipled by this gentleman and faithfully chronicled how God answered my prayers time and time again. I became amazed at how much God was at work in my life and did not realize how much he listened to and answered prayer until I began regularly writing down my prayer requests..
Around that time my wife and I were attending a church that was really strong on emphasizing the understanding a believer's spiritual gifts. We took numerous courses and studies on spiritual gifts and discerned that my strongest spiritual gift was intercesory prayer.
Now it's very interesting how God works. His plans don't always line up with our own plans, purposes, and thinking, that's for sure. But my life experiences certainly tell me that God pretty much knows what he's doing.
My online prayer journal actually started with a totally different purpose. Back in 2003-04 Monica and I were attending a small church in the Montrose area of Houston's inner loop. (this was not the same church that emphasized knowing and understanding one's spiritual gifts.) There was a tremendous spiritual battle going on inside that church and I started my prayer journal as a men's ministry to try to pull the men of our church together in prayer for the unity of our congregation. The idea was for the men of the church body to bathe the church and the church leaders in prayer virtually 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I tried to start a group prayer journal for the men of that church. But no one supported the idea. Some elders of the church didn't like the whole 'technology' thing. And, it was sort of a power issue with others who wanted every thing to be their idea. Any way, it never took off for the purpose I intended it.
But God did bless my efforts. All of a sudden, I randomly began receiving email from strangers around the country expressing their appreciation for my encouraging journal posts and even sending me their prayer requests. After awhile I began receiving messages, comments, and prayer requests from people around the world as far away as Australia, Germany, and Iraq.
And I'm not saying this for my own promotion, this is just a testament of how God has worked in my life. It's not about Me, but God answering my prayer and doing a work through me.
I want to be a blessing to others through prayer and discipleship. And God has answered my prayer tremendously. Monica and I are thoroughly delighted to be serving God in West Columbia, Texas. God has blessed us with a church family and community that loves, supports, and appreciates us.
I am delighted that our church is doing a study on prayer right now. Obviously it is my favorite topic. And I pray that Pastor Dave's current sermon series will bring about a revival in our church and community the likes of which we've never seen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I definitely don't have my act completely together. I'm still a mess. But that's why I'm not God and You are. And that's why I seek You now more fervently than ever. Lord hear my cry. Out of the depths I cry to You, oh Lord. I need You Jesus. I am so incomplete without You. Oh how I try to do things under my own power all the time, only to fall and be reminded that I am nothing a part from You.
Father God, You are the Master Time Keeper. You are the Divine Healer. Lord I give my troubles to You. I thank and praise You for my sweet wife and precious family. They are special gifts entrusted and bestowed by You to be blessings in my life. I thank You for the church family you have allowed us to serve with. I lift them up to You, Lord.
I thank You for Your Word and for prayer, Lord. They are the perfect combination of communication with You. I love You, my King. Thank You for dying for my sins and for the Resurrection Power of Your Blood. And Lord I pray these things in Your precious holy name, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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