Prayer Changes Things

Several years ago when I was working as an Assistant Pastor on staff at a church in California, I drove by a large billboard that sat along the highway and the sign simply said, Prayer Changes Things. It's been 15 years since I first saw that sign but I still remember the impact that the message of that sign had on my life as a Christian believer. Prayer is the key that opens the windows of heaven and brings God's presence, power, provision and blessing into our lives. Jesus taught in his sermon on the mount about the importance of prayer, and he said in Matthew 6:6-8-"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Jesus said "when you pray" which means the Lord expected us to pray and to live a daily life of prayer. It wasn't "if" you pray or "should" you pray, Jesus said, "when you pray." Prayer is the command of the Lord Jesus Christ and later the Apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-"Pray without ceasing." Which means that our hearts and minds should be focused on prayer and seeking the Lord as often as we can. Seek the Lord in prayer today and pray for His will and guidance in your life and watch God pour out his blessings.

God's Word for Today

"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. "

(Psalm 104:1-2)

Passing of a Legend

Today I was saddened to hear that actor Charlton Heston passed away at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He had battled Alzheimers for the past several years and was in poor health but his life and on screen accomplishments and achievments will be forever remembered. He was also very active in social issues and a fierce defender of the freedoms and liberties of all Americans. I am a big movie fan and many of my favorite movies starred Charlton Heston. Among my most favorite were the The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, and Planet of the Apes. Charlton Heston was respected and loved by millions of fans and lived his life with grace, dignity and faith. He will be missed.

One Sure Thing

There's an old joke that goes something like: "There's only two things you have to do in this life, die and pay taxes. And you don't even have to pay taxes, if you don't mind going to jail." So, I guess there is really only one thing we must do in this life. It's something nobody wants to talk about. People do all kinds of things to look younger, stay fit and fend off the Grim Reaper. But death will come for us one day. Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed unto man once to die and after this comes the judgement." There are only two people in recorded Biblical history who have escaped this fate. Enoch was 'taken by God' in Geneis 5:24, and Elijah was caught up in a whirlwind on a chariot of fire in 2 Kings 2:11. I believe that these two men will be the two witnesses spoken of in the Revelation in 11:7. I won't debate the point, that is just my opinion. However, even these two witnesses will taste death when their witness is completed, before rising from death after three and a half days to ascend into Heaven at Jesus' call. There are groups working on anti-aging and anti-adamic drugs. Others are delving deep into microbiology trying to unwrap just why we age and die. I've heard that the effects of aging begin around age three. From the time we are three years old, we are beginning the process of dying. It is possible they might even succeed in pushing death back to some extent, with God's consent. But we are still mortal beings. We are not impervious to serious injury or fatality from any one of a vast array of illnesses and accidents. Psalm 103:14 says "For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust." (NAS) I find it ironic that the one thing we can not change is the one thing we spend a good deal of time, effort and worry over. There is a second part to the verse that we can do something about. We know there is a judgment for each of us after we die. There are different judgments for believers and non-believers, etc. true. But there is at least one judgment for everyone. Since we must be judged, we should prepare for that certainty. We can do that by learning about the judgments and what will be expected or required. The simplest way is to accept the provision that Jesus Christ made for us with His death on the cross. He died to make a way for us to be forgiven of our failings and made perfect in the sight of the Father. Those who accept this salvation will be accepted by the Father in Revelation 20:11. We will stand before Christ for our actions as believers for rewards as well. We will not stand before the Lord for our eternal destiny. That is already sealed if Jesus is your Savior. We are given instructions on how to live a life that will reap rewards. It is not full of don'ts, just two do's. Love God with all your heart, soul and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. If everyone lived by those two rules, this society would be very different. If we lived lives preparing for the one sure thing that we will face, knowing that God cares so much that He paved the way, I dare say we would not recognize this world. Revelation 22:12-14 says "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." (NAS)

God's Word for Today

"Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:13-14)

Playing MR. MOM

This week I am having to watch my two children who are home for spring break. They are off school for two weeks and thankfully this is the final week of spring break for them. I have now become "Mr. Mom" just like Michael Keaton's character, Jack Butler in the famous movie titled Mr. Mom, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. I just hope I make it to the end of the week. God bless everyone.

A Popular Sermon Preached in March

Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks, The North Carolina Tar Heels, the Memphis Tigers, and the UCLA Bruins. They all made the Final Four in this year's NCAA Basketball Tournament and this is the first time since the brackets were created that all four #1 seeded teams from each region made the Final Four. It should be a fun weekend for college basketball fans. Good luck to all four teams.