Psalm 144 Nice Won't Get It Done

Psalm 144:1

Praise be to The LORD, my ROCK;

Who trains my hands for war,

My fingers for battle.

Whoa……

I thought God was supposed to be nice.

What’s this all about….

This training for war….

This preparation for battle?

Exodus 15:3

The LORD is a warrior;

The LORD is His Name.

God…..

The God we serve……

Is not nice.

Oh, don’t misunderstand…..

He is fiercely Loving…...

He is wonderfully compassionate…….

He can be gentle…….. as it is called for…...

But nice……..

No.

Oh, and lest you think…….

But Charles…..

“You’re thinking of the Old Testament God”

“Jesus…. He’s not like that……”

“Jesus….. He’s nice”

Revelation 1:12-18 (About Jesus)

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me……

 Someone like a son of man……..

His eyes were like blazing fire.

 ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,

and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.

 ¹⁶ In His right hand He held seven stars,

and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.

His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at His feet as though dead…….

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

¹⁸ I am the Living One;

I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!

And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Guys…..

This is the God whose image we are made in.

This is the Christ who lives in us.

A Warrior who trains us for battle.

A Warrior who has enlisted us to join Him…..

To join Him in His passionate quest…..

For the freedom of His people.

Guys…..

I‘m afraid nice won’t get it done.

Almighty God,

Train me.

Rise up in me for Courageous Strength.

Love fiercely through me today.

Go out with me today Jesus.

Lead me into battle for the lives of all You bring my way.

Bring Your strength in me to bear on all I do today……

And please Lord never let me forget

The greatest weapon in all my warfare is

Your Powerful Love that wrested the

Keys of Death and Hades from the evil one.

All Praise be to our Mighty Captain.

Amen

Psalm 97 Really..... Are we supposed to Hate?

Psalm 97:10

Let those who love The LORD

Hate evil.

Hate…….

A Passionate Anger-

A Determination to Cast Down-

A Burning  Desire to Come Against………….

Evil…….

A thief-

Who comes to steal Hope.

A murderer-

Who comes to kill Life.

An enemy-

Who comes to destroy Love.

By………..

“By His Wounds we are Healed”

“By Faith in the Son who Gave Himself for me”

“By Grace you have been Saved”

Loving…….

A Passionate Joy-

A Determination to Lift Up-

A Burning Desire to Fight for………….

Jesus.

How about we try something……….

How about we try………..

Hating Evil by Loving Jesus-

Loving Jesus by Loving People-

And……….

(this might be the most important piece of all)

Loving People by Loving God.

Father

I commit to You.

Jesus

I give myself to You.

Spirit

I join You-

In Your hate against evil.

No-

More than even that-

I join You

In Your Fight for-

Love and Life.

Amen

On Butterflies and Courage

Warm Springs- Yes the pools at Warm Springs, GA- Talk about a misnamed place- Warm- Are you kidding me-

When I first stepped in that water I about froze my patooties off-

Please don't ask me what a patooty is.

Maybe it just seemed cold- Maybe because it was a cool morning- Maybe it was the stiff breeze blowing through the tree tops- Whatever it was- I did begin to adjust to the temperature as I lay back in the water- Determined to try my hand at simply floating for a while. As I lay back looking up into the deep blue sky- Something caught my eye- Some movement flitting about- High up in the strong air currents.

Have you ever noticed a Butterfly on a windy day?

This exquisite wonder of God's creation- Normally beautifully graceful in flight- This black and golden marvel- Moved with all the grace of a drunken sailor- Drunken, but in fast motion. The power of the elements first tossed my poor friend to the left- Then to the right- Then into some kind of awkward erratic corkscrew motion- Then up- Then down-

It was madness I tell you-

Simply madness in motion.

But wait- As I lay in what truly was becoming Warm Springs- After following this poor creature's path with my eyes a bit- I began to notice something-

Progress!

Amazing-

What once looked like a pitiful lightweight-

At the mercy of the elements-

Had now become a fighter!

This creature had a destination in mind- Maybe a flower to to gain nourishment from- Maybe just a search for calmer air- This wonder of creation was courageously moving forward- Refusing to surrender to the elements- Even in the craziness.

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified;

do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Father in Heaven-

I know that You are with me.

Help me to take hold of Your Love and Strength today-

Even as the elements beat against me.

Please move in me for Courage and Determination-

Courage and Dtermination and Love-

To live the life You have for me.

Amen

On Jet- Skis and Shared Suffering (Part One)

2003- A beautiful summer day on Lake Oconee- My sister and her husband had invited our family to their home on the lake for a day of fun and sun. There was swimming off the dock, there was eating- There was boat riding, there was eating- There was tubing, and well there was more eating- I tell you it's like a mini vacation anytime we can steal away and visit these wonderful people. The sky was blue, the sun was hot and the water had just the right tinge of coolness to bring delightful sensations of bliss as we drifted on floats off the end of the dock. Then there was the Jet-Ski. I had never ridden a jet ski before- The thought of zipping around the lake- A cool breeze in my face was....... Well........... I just had to try it. The ride was everything I imagined- There was the speed- A pure adrenaline rush- There was the sense of flying- Freedom and Danger all rolled into one-

It was a blast!

Our daughter Rebecca, who was 13 at the time- After seeing her dad cut the fool on that Jet- Ski contraption- Just had to give it a go for herself.

Didn't I do a blog before on how it was dangerous to follow Dad?

Anyway, after some brief instructions- Far too brief- She hopped on and away she went- Heading into a deep long cove- The intention was that she turn quickly back toward the main body of the lake- The turn never happened- And so she quickly dissappeared around a sharp bend in the cove. We could hear the engine of the jet-ski for only another moment or so before even that sound faded into silence. After another minute or so- Still no Rebecca- No Jet Ski sound- Nothing. How can I describe the feeling that came slowly at first- But more and more quickly washed over me in those moments.

She was gone-

My baby was gone-

Disappeared-

She should have been out of that cove by now-

Why had I ever let her- Where was she? What if.......... Panic, Fear and Dread sprang to life in my heart. Bill (my brother-in law) and I quickly jumped into his boat and began to ease back into the cove to find my lost daughter. He tried to reassure me- "The engine probably just cut out Charles" - Yes- that's what must have happened- The engine had just cut out- Rebecca would be there waiting for us around the next bend- Yes- the engine just cut out I told myself. By now every foot we crept forward in that narrowing cove- Not seeing my beautiful, precious daughter- Just made the fear grow in my gut- Like some sort of slow but powerful poison.

She had to be alright- We would find her-

She had to be alright.

Hebrews 2:14-18 (Excerpts) Since the children have flesh and blood, Jesus too shared in their humanity............ He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God............Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

I wonder now-

If as Jesus was suffering on that agonizing cross-

He not only carried the pain of my sin-

But He also carried the Suffering of that day-

And so many other days like it-

For so much suffering humanity.

I know that somehow He was with me that day-

Not just for comfort-

But also in my very suffering-

Agonizing there with me -In me

Maybe this is the key for us in enduring those brutal times-

Somehow, to draw on the Life of Jesus-

That Life now in us-

And so somehow to live out His Trust in the Father-

Even to the point of death.

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for identifying with not only my sin, but also my pain and fear.

Thank You for living through that time with me-

Thank You for carrying me in it.

Lord God Almighty help me to always come to my Jesus for all the Life I need.

Amen

You Shouldn't Go Out There (Part 2)

It really seemed like a good idea at the time- You know- Fling caution to the wind- Go for it- Answer the call to Adventure and Wildness and......... Well.....................Life.

It is a strange thing to be floating upside-down in a kayak, in a rushing river.

So how did I end up there? Bottom side of my boat up- Thinking- If I don't remember that wet-exit thing- I'm Done.

Matthew 14:28-31 "Lord if it is you" Peter said, "Tell me to come to you on the water". Jesus answered, "Come". So Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind and the waves, he was afraid and began to sink.

Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him....."

Ignoring the instructor, I had paddled hard for the fast water- "The Chute".

I started fine- thinking I would ferry a bit into the chute-

Then peel out into the fastest part of the current to ride the whitewater the hundred yards or so down into the calmer river below.

Then...........

In the midst of the turn to peel out into the rapid, I had the oddest feeling that the boat was somehow beginning to slide out from underneath me.

It felt like slow motion, but insantaneous-

All at the same time-

And there was nothing I could do to stop it-

In that split second I couldn't see anything but the rushing water-

Panic and Desperation-

Both rushed in together to consume me-

Along with an angry river.

God's calls-

At one point in our lives we would answer-

We would fling caution to the wind-

For the promise of Adventure and Wildness and Life-

His Life-

A Life of Bold Enterprises of Faith and Love for the Kingdom.

Ah, but then something shook us-

Maybe the wind or the rushing water-

Maybe a bad experience or naysayers-

Maybe we even ended up sinking or upside down-

Lost in panic and desperation-

We took our eyes off Jesus.

It doesn't take much to lose heart-

To resign ourselves to a life of safety.

Ephesians 5:14 " Wake up, O' Sleeper-

Rise from the dead

and Christ will shine on you"

Do you hear it? Can you sense God's Call?

Can you feel the hand of Jesus reaching down to "Catch" you?

As you recognize Him on the shore are you ready to cast all else aside and throw yourself into the water again to get to Him?

He is waiting there and just like Peter-

He will give you a charge-

"Feed My lambs- Take care of My sheep- Feed My sheep"

It's time.

Father God, help me to recognize all Your calls to Life today- Help me to rise from my slumber and follow You into the Life You have won for me. Help me to cast the scales of callousness and defeat off my eyes and to see rightly-

Help me to see.

Awaken my heart again- the Good Heart You have created in me through the Love of Jesus.

Move in us all for the Courage to follow our Captain- Our Lord Jesus.

Holy Spirit lead us into all these things today- Deep into Jesus.

Amen

You Shouldn't Go Out There

At certain times of the day when there is a high demand for electricity in the Augusta area there is huge rush of water over the Savannah Rapids Spillway. In that rush of water there is one particular spot where the water comes over in mighty torrents. Just there, an especially fast stream of whitewater below the spillway is created that feeds out over the next couple hundred yards into the beautiful Savannah River.

That rush of water- That was what I wanted!

It had been a fruitful but tiring morning as my friend Rich and I had spent the previous four hours honing our paddling skills on the placid waters of Lake Richardson. Our Kayaking Instructor had been patient, but firm as she lended us her tutelage on skills such as Ferrying, Eddying and something called a Wet Exit.

I was going to need that "Wet Exit" skill.

Finally, after a good morning and a quick sandwich we loaded the Kayaks and headed to the river. We put in just below the Spillway and after a bit of Paddling, Eddying and Ferrying in some of the calmer water closer the the shore I looked over at our instructor and declared,

"I want to go out there"

Pointing to the fastest part of the river- the fun part- the part that would give the perfect fix to an adrenaline junkie.

It was calling me-

Beckoning me forth-

Into Irresistable Life!

"You shouldn't go out there" were the last words I heard our Instructor say as I had already begun to paddle toward the torrent of bubbling mayhem.

John 21:7 Then the Disciple whom Jesus Loved said to Peter,"It is the Lord". The moment Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord"....... he jumped into the water (To go to Jesus).

I rush to so many things in my search for Life-

But there is one thing-

One Irresistable, Wonderful Call -

People may say-

You shouldn't go out there, but..........

I hope anytime I see- We see-

It is the Lord-

We will fling ourselves out onto Him-

Even following Him into a torrent of bubbling mayhem-

A wild and dangerous world-

To do battle-

To take ground for His Kingdom.

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you;

And when you pass through the rivers they will not overflow you.

Father God, Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus-

Give us courage today to fling ourselves out on You-

To Trust You with all our Hearts- So that we are able to take ground for Your Kingdom today as we go about the business You set before us-

Loving You by Loving People.

Amen

Life is Opposed

Why is it hard to get out of bed in the mornings? Why is it hard to stay in shape? Why do we have to toil in our jobs- Even many times in good jobs? Why do we struggle in relationships?

Why can't Life just be................ Easy?

I think for me one of the great traps of the enemy I have fallen into is the notion that as a Christian my life should be easy. Even as I write that last line the Holy Spirit brings into my mind the absurdity of the thought. How did I ever get the idea that if I just did the right things- You know- Daily Devotionals, Church, Tithe, Treat others well...........and on and on........ I would somehow be guaranteed this easy, happy, care free life? I think of Jesus warning- "In this world you will have trouble" I think of the Call to Be Strong in the Lord- To Put on the Full Armor of God- To Stand Firm- To be Strong and Courageous.

Guess what Charles- Courage and Strength are not needed for a life of ease!

Oh now don't get me wrong-

I have not resigned myself to a life of misery-

I have not given up on the Abundant Life Jesus has won for me-

But.................

I think I finally may be realizing

I am going to have to fight for the Life I long for.

Maybe the fight itself is a part of the Abundant Life.

It is a Worthy Battle-

A Transcendent Cause He has brought us into.

God has not saved us so that we may retire to a life of ease-

God has saved us so that we can join the Battle.

Love is opposed-

Life is opposed-

The Kingdom of God in this World is opposed-

Ah, but the Gospel-

Christ has Overcome-

Take Heart- Christ has Overcome

Romans 8:11 And as the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us-

That same God who raised Christ from the dead will also give Life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit Who Lives in us.

In the words of Eldredge-

There is an Adventure to live guys-

There is a Battle to fight-

There is a Beauty to rescue-

A Kingdom to be Restored-

Let's stay in the fight!

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Spirit of the Living God-

Come to life in us today to be Strong and Courageous-

To Stand Firm-

To Love Well-

To Rise Up in the place you have put us-

To take ground for Your Kingdom.

All Praise be to You our Captain and our King.

Amen

What are you afraid of?

I am afraid of monsters. When I was a kid- I guess about 5 or 6 years old- We lived in a house that sat up on brick pillars- I suppose you would call that a crawl space- The thing was though that this crawl space was open all around the house. Somehow- I don't know how- I got the idea that monsters lived under our house. They were there- I was sure of it- In the dark recesses of this horrible underworld. Maybe it was my trickster brother who planted the idea- I'm not sure- but I was certain of one thing- There were monsters there- They were waiting to get me if I ventured too close. Well I guess I have gotten over the fear of monsters in the dark- Although there are still times when I might be alone at home- Late at night- The house dark and quiet- Except for those sounds a house seems to make- When you are alone- Late at night- The house dark and....... In those times it is so easy for a mind to run wild- Dancing to the tune of a real monster- The devil himself- He is a fear merchant- A master of subtle deception. He raises many of those old fears- The fears that make the hair stand up on the back of your neck- The fears that isolate- The fears that cripple- The fears that steal life.

John 10:10 Jesus said, "The thief has come to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have Life and have it to the full."

There is no shame in being afraid-

In many ways I think it is those very fears that drive me to my Hero-

The One who has bested all my fears-

The One who says-

Be strong and courageous, for I am with you.

I will never leave you or forsake you.

I have given you a Spirit of Power and Love

Behold I am coming soon.

Take Heart, I have Overcome.

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Rise up in me today and every day to be courageous. Help me to minute by minute live in the reality of Your Love that casts out fear. Help me to take to heart Your Love for me and live out of that Love as your Child- One who need not fear anything of this world or my enemy. Help me to say truely along with Your servant David that,"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death- I will not live in fear, because you are with me."

Amen

Come to think of it- there's no reason to be afraid of monsters any more.

On Enemies, Weapons and War

Facebook Post of a Friend, "The devil chase me every day of my life- I just pray he never catch me". As a hawk circles slowly above- Gliding along the air currents against the backdrop of a pristine blue sky- the ducks below calmly sit atop the sparkling water ............. floating peacefully .................oblivious to the enemy above preparing his onslaught. Another time- Another place- Another hawk- Perched high on a pine limb surveying his domain- in search of prey- When suddenly out of the sky come 2 Mockingbirds on the attack- The Mockingbirds move in and out with no hesitation- Using stealth and superior maneuverability to drive this devil away.

What about us-That old devil is there- Watching for his chance.

Do we run in fear? Do we sit in oblivion?

Lost to the reality of the threat.

Or maybe.......................It's time to fight!

Ephesians 6:10-18 (Excerpts) "Be strong in the Lord and His Mighty Power......Take your stand against the devil's schemes..........When the day of evil comes, stand your ground..... Stand Firm then with Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, the Word of God and Prayer.

Colossians 3:12-14 Clothe yourselves then with Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness and Patience. Bear with each other and forgive as the Lord forgave you- And over all these things put on Love, which binds them together in perfect unity.

Strange weapons aren't they- things like Love -Compassion- Forgiveness and Humility? Yet these are the very weapons our Lord used to defeat our great enemy- to overcome death and bring us to Life.

Hey Guys- Let's go to war today- Let's fight using the weapons of Love and Mercy and Forgiveness. Let's take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of us- Our Freedom and the Freedom of all those God brings our way today. No more running- No more trying to simply stay one step ahead of a scheming enemy- No more sticking our head in the sand- acting as if all the garbage we endure is just part of life.

No- Today let's take our stand- let's do it by intentionally, courageously Loving on every single human being God brings into our radar today. We can do this. We can rise up in Courage to advance the Kingdom of God- Today- One person at a time. We can do this.

Lord God Almighty, give me eyes to see today- to see all those places Love can make a difference. Lord Jesus, give me Courage today to come out of myself and show Your Life and Glory to all You bring my way. Holy Spirit of the Living God, move in me today to bring the Love and Grace of God to bear on every moment of the Life You give me.

Amen

Wrecklessness

Late July 2004- Vacation at Amelia- Riding the Trail at Fort Clinch State Park-

It was a syrupy, muggy Wednesday evening and to top off a fantastic beach day I had set out on mountain bike ride. The adventure was to cover the 8 mile trail of dunes and swamp and mossy oaks that make up the beauty of Fort Clinch. Julie and the kids had driven over to the Park's beach area. They had their own adventure in mind- enjoying an end of the day stroll in the warm waves of the Atlantic looking for sharks teeth. As I got along into my ride, I have to admit- I was riding somewhat cautiously- navigating the single track trail in such a way as to stay in control and not get hurt. A good time, but not really the thrill a man in midlife crisis would call memorable. Ah, but then those immortal words of some base jumper I had heard on ESPN the day before came rushing into my mind.............

"You know you can't have any real fun unless you're willing to break a bone!"

Oh my goodness- Do I have to tell you what happened next as I pushed my speed to the limit over the ensuing series of undulating turns and dunes?

As I lay on the ground tangled up in my bike-

It took a few seconds for me to realize something was not right-

The pain was not immediate- but waited to expose itself- pouncing on me with full force as I tried to make my way to my feet.

Broken hip- Surgery in Jacksonville, Florida- Vacation over-

Two months out of work- Nine month recovery-

Pain on rainy days now 6 years later.

What an idiot.

Wait a minute you say- What about the guy I read about yesterday who poo-pooed the "better to be safe than sorry" philosophy of life.

Come on- make up your mind Welch- what's it gonna be-

A daring life of risk taking- depending on God or.................. Play it Safe?

There is a fine, but clear line between courage and stupidity

I have come to believe that line is Love.

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what Love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Maybe this is the best way to evaluate risk- Is the risk for the sake of Love- Is it for the sake of God's Glory- Is it for the sake of the people He brings our way?

Am I willing to be hurt for the sake of another? Will I risk it-or- Should I play it safe?

Jesus was continually ready to put Himself at risk for the Glory of His Father and the sake of others- Yet He was never wreckless for the sake of a thrill or personal glory.

John 7 (Excerpts) Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take His Life............"for Me the right time has not yet come."

Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Holy Spirit- Keep me from foolishness and vanity- Give me Wisdom and Courage so that I never shrink away from risk for the sake of Love.

Amen

Safety

Haircuts- I endure them- Like shaving or flossing my teeth- Hair cuts are a necessary evil- A task on the To- Do List to be checked off. Now don't get me wrong- my Barber (Cathy) is nice enough. In fact, from time to time some fairly interesting folks even come in and grace her chair- so I guess it's really not as bad as I make it out to be........... Still, all in all, there are about a million other things I think I'd rather be doing. I have to tell you though- I do think I am a pretty easy customer- Truth is when I sit down in that chair I only have two requests-

Cut it Short

and

(Now this one is tough)

Make me look good.

Come to think of it- the poor lady must hate to see me coming! Even the "cut it short" part provides it's own challenges- Do you remember the May 15 edition of this very blog concerning a large mole that looks alot like a tick? At any rate, yesterday morning the time had come- yes it was hair cut day. As I sat there while Cathy skillfully worked her way around my rather large head she eventually came to the area with the mole. Guys- I'll tell you- I am not exaggerating here when I use the word area- I swear that thing has spent the last 20 years or so slowly creeping and spreading so that now I believe a good portion of the left side of my head has been overrun and conquered-

Maybe it really is a tick!

Well in the midst of all that snip, snip and "would you hold still please" Cathy suddenly hesitated a moment, fumbled a little with the hair around the mole-tick creature and said to me, "Charles, you need to get this thing looked at-

"You know it's always better to be safe than sorry"

Such an innocent comment, yet something about those words cut me- I don't know why really, but it was as if God Himself had shot an arrow of conviction straight into my fearful heart.

How much of my life has been centered around the spirit of those words-

A spirit of fear- The Enemy's messages of Be Careful- You might get hurt-

You know you shouldn't really try that- What if ........................

How many times have I sacrificed opportunities to live life so that I could play it safe? After all - I wouldn't want to risk the embarassment of failure. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

Luke 12:32 Jesus said," Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father in Heaven has been pleased to give you the Kingdom."

Do not be afraid-Let not your heart be troubled-Be strong and courageous- Do not be terrified- For the Lord your God is with you- He is in you- He will never leave of forsake you-

Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit of the Living God- Rise up in me for Faith and Love and Courage to Live like a man who You have blessed with a Kingdom. Strengthen me for boldness and gentleness all at once. Infuse my heart with Your Great Heart so that I may say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ; It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me." and so to Live in the Power of Your Life in me. Amen

What will God give me?

My wife says I am needy- She is right. Oh by that she means I am needy in terms of her time, her presence, being engaged with her- wanting to have deep conversation and undivided attention. Again- she is right!

Truthfully, my neediness goes far beyond those things- to depths of my own spiritual poverty and abject weakness. I am truly a Man in need of a Saviour on every possible level.

John 16:23-24 Jesus said,"I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your Joy will be complete."

So what does all this mean- this asking in the Name of Jesus? Are these the magic words we can throw on the end of our prayers and somehow obligate God to come through? I don't think so.

A man is known by his name- In a sense, when I hear a name and I know the person, immediately impressions based on that knowlege rise up in me. I have a sense of the man's character- who he is- really. On the other hand if I don't know the man I have no impression - the name means nothing to me. Maybe asking in the name of Jesus is somehow dependent on knowing Jesus- Intimately- Personally.

So then, maybe this business of asking in Jesus Name is at it's core, really an invitation to get to know Him.

In all this- some would accuse me of watering down the power of asking in His Name. They might say that My faith is weak and I am just looking for an excuse to cover that up. They might say if I really beleived I would boldly ask specifically for what I want and God would come through because of my faith. I will be the first to admit that my faith is not stong enough- I cry out with the man in Mark 9 who brought his son for healing

"Jesus, I do believe- Help me to overcome my unbelief."

There is power in Jesus Name. There is power in Prayer- asking in Jesus Name- I believe that with all my heart. He will give me what I ask in His Name- that is in accordance with the Father's Will- those things that will bring the Father Glory- Express the Father's Character- and to the extent that I am in touch with the Heart of God- that I know Jesus- that I am united to His Heart- I will be able to ask in His Name.

Lord God Almighty, I ask in the name of Jesus that You give me Courage to overcome fear. I ask that You give me Wisdom that I might know Your Will- what is the right thing to do or say in all my dealings in this life. I ask that You give me a will to follow You more closely. I ask that You make Love and Truth and Justice the marks of my Life. I ask that You come against my enemy the Devil and all his work and plans and demons that attack me and my family. I ask that You be at work in Julie and Rebecca and Matthew's lives to bring each of their hearts to be united to Your own Great Heart. In the name of Jesus I ask that You increase my Faith- my Trust in You. Do this Lord God, please do these things by supernatural means and natural means. Father, give me opportunities to be Courageous and Wise, but please Lord, beyond these opportunities rise up in me to actually be Courageous and Wise. I am needy- I need Your salvation in all these things. I do believe- help me overcome my unbelief. In the name of Jesus I pray all these things. Amen