93 Days

There are 93 days left until Labor Day. That means you and I have 93 days to make our summer count. So how can we make the most of this summer? I would encourage you to go to the "From the Stool" section on www.PeaceCC.org and listen to my message from last Sunday called "Don't Waste Your Summer." I don't know about you, but I don't want to get to Labor Day and look back on my summer and scream out with regret, "I've wasted it!"

StevenCurtisChapman.com: Video Blog 14: Dishwashin Dad

My wife just told me about this video of Steven Curtis Chapman and his youngest daughter, Maria, doing the dishes together.

Please pray for the Chapman family.
NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

2 Tragic Accidents

Yesterday, there were 2 tragic accidents here in the Nashville area, one involving the adopted 5 year old of a famous music artist and one involving a precious toddler. Below are links to the stories.

http://www.wkrn.com/global/story.asp?s=8362975

http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8360918&nav=menu5_2

The good news is that we can help simply by praying for these families. How do you pray for such unexplained, horrific tragedies? I'm not entirely sure, but I'm trying my best to find some direction. Right now, I'm just praying for God to comfort them. And I'm so glad that God "comforts us in all our troubles" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

A.R.K.

This morning, I tackled the question: What do you do when God is not answering your prayers? I came up with a little acronym that I believe is helpful: A.R.K. (Assess, Remind, Keep)

1. ASSESS your relationship with God.
Prayer is about a personal relationship with God. So the quality of your relationship with God determines the quality of your prayer life. The Bible says in James 5:16: The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

The word “righteous” is talking about a person who lives a life that is focused on Christ and follows His teachings. A righteous person is a person who has a healthy relationship with God. According to this verse, then, the prayers of such a person are effective.

If your relationship with God is unhealthy, then your prayers will not be very effective. So if God is not answering your prayers, you have to make sure your relationship with God is healthy.

2. REMIND yourself that God's timing is perfect.
Very rarely does our 14 month old want to go to bed. He wants to stay up and play. But we have to say, “No, not right now. It’s time for bed.” He cries and screams, but as his parents we think it’s best for him to be on some sort of schedule. And we think it’s best for him to sleep a little bit. He just doesn’t realize that’s what’s best for him.

In the same way, God knows what’s best for us. And when we pray, and He says, “No, not yet.” It’s a hard pill for us to swallow. We don’t take it very well. We’re not a patient people. And we’ve already assessed our relationship with God, and so we complain to God, “God, you and I are okay. There’s no unconfessed sin in my life. I’m committed to love and obey You. Why aren’t you answering my prayers?” And God just says, “No, not yet.” And sometimes it’s because God has a bigger and better plan, even if that plan doesn’t feel good.

3. KEEP praying--don't give up!
Jesus tells us: “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened" (Luke 11:9-10).

For that direction you need with your career, God may not answer at first, but keep on asking, keep on praying. For that stronger marriage, God may not answer at first, but keep on asking, keep on praying. For that physical ailment that won’t go away, God may not take it away at first, but keep on asking, keep on praying. For that person who needs to experience the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, God may not change that person just yet, but keep on asking, keep on praying.

God is not bothered or irritated by our persistence. In fact, He loves it! He wants us to express our need for Him. After all, isn't that what prayer is all about?

Unanswered Prayers

Can you think of a time when God did not answer your prayers? Maybe you're dealing with unanswered prayers in your life right now. It’s so frustrating. It’s why some people give up on church or abandon God.

So what are the unanswered prayers in your life? You’ve prayed for the right job opportunity to come along, but it hasn’t come along. You’ve prayed for a relative or a friend to get well physically, but they’re still not well. You’ve prayed for a marriage to be healed, but it’s still not healed. You’ve prayed for a relationship to work out, but it still hasn’t worked out.

This subject is a very personal and tough topic for many of us. So what do you do when God doesn’t seem to be answering, when it seems like you’ve knocked 100 times, but God just ain’t coming to the door? It's not a question that's easily answered.

But this is the question that I will attempt to tackle this Sunday as we close our "Living on a Prayer" series. Hope to see you there!

2 Year Old Sings "The Lord's Prayer"

I talked about The Lord's Prayer this past Sunday. It's the most recognized prayer around the world. Even 2 year olds are singing it. You gotta watch this!