Before the Big Game

Lord,

You are a God who deserves so much. I give You so little and I know that what I give You always isn't the best. Yet You love me. I thank You for helping me clean out the garbage in my own life and showing me all the ways I need to grow, through all the different ways You do it. You, I don't get You, I don't think I ever will. My mind would explode if I did...but that is why You are God and I am not. I am creation, You are Creator and You are a Creator who adores me for the fact that You are Love and You Love Yourself and all Your creations. Where would I be without You?

As Miranda and I talked a few nights back, I think honestly, where would I be without You? You saved me, saved my entire life and gave me purpose. I was lost, scared and searching for what would fill me up. What "filled" me up only left me even more hungrier than before. What I didn't know was that I was craving You. I needed You! I needed You to bring me peace and joy, a purpose and a life and man, Lord, You did!!

I also think back to the fact that I had nothing to do with it. You found ways to bring me to a church, to bring people into my life and to love me as Your Son does. You brought me into Your Kingdom because You are a God who rescues. You are a Savoir in every sense of the word.

Father, I implore You to help me. I need to know how to help lead my wife to victory. I know that it has to be by Your Power but I cannot fathom how to get her, or even myself to that point. I need You, I am desperate for You to give us both victory! You are the only way to victory.

I also ask that You watch over Tay, the kid I gave a ride home to the other day at Quizno's. I don't know if he is a believer or where he is with his walk with You but I pray that You will bring him into Your kingdom and that that small gesture of love can be a big blessing to Him.

Lord, I also ask that You be with Rob and Melissa. It kills me to think they are struggling in their marriage and that Melissa said she doesn't love him. It also kills me to think that Rob is hurting and that Rob is guilty of what she said. I do feel encouraged though that he was honest. God, they both need You and we both know that the only way to save their marriage is the only way to save their souls, and that is by Your Son, His blood, the death on cross - they need YOU!!! Please bring Rob into a close and wonderful relationship with Your Son so that he can lead Melissa to You as well and their children!! Break him and her if You need to, whatever it takes to save their souls and marriage. You are a God who hates divorce and wants us to be holy and to know You. Please!!!

Lord, let tomorrow be amazing at the 9/11 service. I want it to be standing room only!!! How amazing!!! I think that would be incredible!!! Lord, I also ask that tomorrow can be a huge blessing to those who come but that also as believers we can roll out the spiritual and loving red carpet to any new guests!! I want to make sure that we show them how united we are but also how much we want to work in the city of Raleigh in making Jesus famous.

Lord, thank You for my dad. I hate thinking that I have had so many thoughts lately about his death. I don't like it but that is because it scares me. I love my dad. I want to make him proud all the time. I want my dad to be pleased with his son and proud to call him that. I also know that I want my dad to see my first child and to be a blessing to that child. I want my dad to pray over my newborn. I want my dad to be involved with my child's life but it scares me with his age and health. I also don't want my dad to suffer. He is a strong man, stubborn sometimes, and he pushes hard. I am proud he is my dad. I want to be like him as I grow old. I thank You for him and for Marion. I thank You for rescuing my dad and giving me the opportunity, the honor, to baptize my dad! I love him and I love You!

AMEN

Teaching...

Father,

It astounds me the way you try to teach me. You teach me self-control and how to discipline myself from committing sin by having my wife be honest and brave and admit hers to me. How am I to lead when I am the sinner? How am I to help her when I am stuck in my own sin? You point out what I need to grow out of because I am free and I am yours. You are my master, sin is no longer in control of me. You guide, You push and You love me but I am a man who has a stubborn mind and a hard heart. I do not deserve Your Kingdom. I do know that You Spirit has sealed me for the day of redemption and that thanks to Your Son, I have eternal life, power over death, power to live freely.

I also know that You are a God who wants me to be devoted. Devoted to You, Your Kingdom, Your Son and Your Spirit. As I read Piper's book for class and I get to Chapter 9 about who the Christian man is to be devoted to prayer. Prayer should be the first thing we do every morning and every night before bed. Prayer shouldn't be something we do as we multi-task by driving, walking the dogs, doing dishes, though those are still good times to get in "extra" prayer. Prayer is something so great Piper says (Pretty much what the Bible says too) that it should consume the man to even forgo sleep, food, or the important parts of daily life because prayer is our connection with God. Father I have failed you at that. I do the multi-tasking prayer so much. I know today while I was mowing the lawn, I did that but my prayer was so choppy, skipping around here and there.

I know too that Lord I can get so busy that I forget to spend time in deep prayer. I find excuses, excuses that can be justified by the world, but not by You. I do not want to forgo those times and I beg You to continue to convict me and to push on with me, loving me, but leading me how to be a better, man, husband and pastor to all that I shepherd.

AMEN