A Request for Prayer

Beginning on Saturday, April 24th I will be teaching/preaching everyday through Wednesday, April 28th. Saturday is the Emerald Coast Sunday School and Small Group Leadership Conference at Olive and Sunday through Wednesday I will be in Jay, FL as part of their community revival.

it can be tempting to believe that all I need to do is ensure that I am well prepared by a well-thought out, biblically-centered, culturally-relevant messages. And when that is completed, outcomes of eternal proportions will occur. While personal preparation is essential, it is not as essential as being in so positioned that God has the freedom to communicate through the speaker. Such a divine encounter can only come when there is a huge covering of prayer.

I don't know about you, but i don't get excited about attending a church service or another conference that is just another religious event where one wouldn't notice if God was in attendance or not. I believe that such a gathering that can just be explained by our efforts is a waste of time.

For that reason, I ask that you be in prayer for me. Here's how:

• Pray that the Holy Spirit might reveal sin in my life that I need to confess and then make life adjustments
• Pray that my mind would be focused on communicating what God desires and not any personal agenda I might be tempted to create or manipulate.
• Pray for me to be able to have undisturbed time of preparation over the next few days.
• Pray that our gatherings can only be explained as "God showed up and changed people."
  
• Pray for those who will listen; not that they will tune into my words, but rather to the voice of God.
  
• Pray during my teaching times: Sat. 9:45 - 10:50; Sunday; 8:30, 11am, 6pm; Monday thru Wednesday at 6pm.

If you would partner with me over the next week, I would deeply appreciate it.

Thanks

Last Day to Sleep In

I'm usually up and going pretty early and easily. Whether the alarm goes off or not, my feet usually hit the floor at 5am or even before, and I'm off to conqueror the day's events. However, ever so often there are days when I just don't want to get out of bed. Usually because i have a hint as to what is coming that day or in the days to come, and I want to sleep through it or at least rest up a little extra.

I wander what Jesus thought today, the Thursday of Passion Week. He had spent all week being celebrated, being questioned, being a teacher, being patient, being aggressive, and just BEING. I wander if He went to sleep a little earlier that Wednesday night outside the city of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. I wander if one of His final miracles before the cross was causing the disciples to stop snoring so that He could sleep.

And then Thursday morning came. I wander if it crossed His mind to stay in bed and rest just a few minutes more (or even a few days). He knew what was on the schedule for the day: one final trip to the city of Jerusalem, an evening spent with His close traveling 12, and then His arrest in the garden, abandonment by His friends, and a night filled with trials, accusations, and beatings.

When He looked at His calendar, Thursday morning was His final day to sleep in until He laid down again Friday afternoon inside a garden tomb.

I'm thankful this Easter Thursday that Jesus got up! Aren't you?