On Prayer...

Uh, I'm for it.

I've always been for it. I feel, though, that I have only been giving it lip service for lo these many years. It just has been in the last three years or so that I have seen how critical it truly is. Let me share with you my journey...

Three years ago, I read Dr. Greg Frizzell's book titled Returning to Holiness, where he described our need to come to God for thorough spiritual cleansing, taking more time than the typical "holy pause" that too many people use as their substitute for prayer. As a result, my personal prayer life became deeper and more personal than at any other time in my life.

Two years ago, I was able to get ahold of a pre-published version of John Franklin's book And the Place was Shaken. In that book, he makes the case that corporate prayer is a discipline that not only was common in the New Testament church, but was a vital staple in any great movement of God throughout the last two millenia. He pointed out that the apostles devoted themselves to the ministry of corporate prayer within the church (Acts 6:4). I realized that as a pastor, the ministry of corporate prayer in our church was one of my primary responsibilities.

Last year, we looked along in abject frustration as the judicial system in our country failed one lady named Terri Schiavo, somehow ordering her to be starved until she died. No amount of protesting, no amount of legislation, no amount of appealing was able to save her. She died. And we were powerless to do anything about it. What had our society done? What do we do now? The only option was to pray; pray for forgiveness, pray for healing, pray for spiritual awakening and renewal in our land. But we need to do it together.

In San Diego, there has been more of a rumbling throughout the region in the Body of Christ about our need to pray together than I can ever recall happening at any time in any other location where I have lived. And it's working.

On May 3 of this year, Judge Gordon Thompson ordered the cross atop Mount Soledad be removed within 90 days or else the city of San Diego would be forced to pay a daily fine of $5,000. 100 days later, President Bush signs into law a bill that authorizes the United States Department of Defense to take possession and control of the property of Mount Soledad. The difference? God's people throughout the county began to pray. And God stepped in and flexed some serious muscle!

Yeah, I'm for prayer. How about you? Are you for prayer? Enough to get into a regular prayer group that will seek after the presence and directive from God Himself, and not let it turn into a time to recite what "we want" God to do?

Tell me about your prayer group: where it meets, when it meets, what is God doing in it.

Peace

T.O.'s O.D.?

News is out that Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys was treated at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas initially for a "reaction" to the pain medication he was taking in the aftermath of his recent surgery. Then we heard from Dallas Police that T.O.'s "reaction" was actually a suicide attempt. Then T.O. appears before the cameras to deny any depression and any suicide attempt. So what is it: a reaction, a mistake on the dosage, or a suicide attempt?

Everyone is speculating right now. But here's what we do know about T.O.

He has some issues.

He is a phenomenal physical specimen: the complete package of physical strength, stamina, and speed. On raw talent alone, he ranks among the best receivers in the National Football League. But talent alone does not make you a success.

We have also seen his "shtick:" the stomping on the Texas Stadium's midfield logo; the bicep flexing after making a play; the pulling out the Sharpie after a touchdown on Monday night so he can sign a football for a fan in Green Bay; the ongoing feud with Eagles' coach Andy Reid and later Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb; and so forth and so on.

Now that the report is out that he has attempted to take his own life, the hacks are out psychoanalyzing T.O.'s life. We discover that he was raised by his grandmother; that he had no real male role model; that he is a picture of someone conflicted. So while the world examines Terrell Owens' life, allow me to look at his life from a pastor's perspective.

Terrell Owens needs to experience a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ would fulfill his search for significance, one that is not being met catching passes. It would fulfill his need for a role model in his life. It would cleanse him from the anger and bitterness that too many people see in his behavior. It would let him discover what the real purpose of life is all about.

I'm sure the Cowboys have a chaplain; I'm sure that chaplain is busy preparing to deal with Owens. Let's pray that the chaplain brings the goods and leads T.O. to Christ.

Peace.

What's going on with the title to this blog?

It goes along with one way to describe our reason for existence.

We exist to discover God's will and then to do God's will.

Discover God's will and then do God's will. If I can live within this parameter, I will find satisfaction and contentment in this life. Because if I can do God's will, He promises me that He will take care of me and provide me with all I need. But I can only do God's will if I know what it is. That requires my life purpose to include a pursuit to discover God's will.

Discover and do.

It's that simple.

More on this (and other stuff) later.

Thanks for reading!

Chris