good prayer, bad prayer

I have always been bothered when ever football teams took the time to pray before they prayed. Why does it bother me? Was God suppose to hand that team a victory just because they prayed? If that is the motive, (victory in a game), then it is the wrong reason to pray. Such a prayer turns the God of Universe into a cosmic "do this for me" Gennie. Such attitudes and thoughts insult God and I can promise you that if He is not honored in your prayer, then He will not listen to your prayers. Don't get me wrong! Prayer is a good thing; prayer is a wonderful thing when it is done right! However in many cases (just like the football example), it is done for the wrong reasons, the wrong motives, and with the wrong expectations. Prayer is communicating with God. Prayer is lining up your will with God's will. Prayer is not getting your way or wish. Prayer does not involved chanting repetitious words or phrases. Prayer is not going into alter states or having a mystical experience. Such practice even when done under christian guise is occultic and a doorway that opens up to being influenced by evil forces. In fact let me share with you what Jesus says about such prayer practices-"And when you pray, do not use vain (useless) repetitions like the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words." (Mathew 6:7). And yet such prayer practices that Jesus told us not to do are being practiced today through soaking prayer, centering prayer, lectio devinia (spelling?), contemplative prayer, and other related practices. Such practices are pretty much a revolt against God-bottom line!

Let me share another example: Let's say there is a church that is praying for revival. Now revival is a good thing! However if the motive for revival is so that the church membership swells so that the coffers fill up with money then God would not honor such prayer. God honors our prayers when we honor Him and thank Him. If this same church started to pray for revival because they couldn't stand the thought of another soul in Hell, then such a prayer I think would be answered because it reflects God's loving character.

I want to end by recommending a book by R. A. Torrey called "How to Pray". It is good!

the bucket list

There is a recent movie out that got me thinking alittle; it is called "The Bucket List". The idea of a bucket list is to do certain things, (ususally daring and glorious things) before you die, (e.g. sky-diving, going to Fiji, ect.). Well that got me thinking to the point where I was put off by a bucket list. The reason for the is the idea (however implied or unspoken), is that one must fulfill their dreams now because heaven is not as fun or interesting as this current world. (Really?). Well then they need to read Revelation chapters 21 and 22. There you will get an idea that the new Heaven and the new Earth will be of such splendor that it would shatter the carnal soul just trying to view it! Don't take my word for it, read also Revelation 4:3-11. Trust me, no one could ever yawn in God's presence! Nor would they want too!

homosexual reactions

I want you to read this article from World Net Daily. While the homosexuals (at least some, not all), have been preaching and demanding tolerance, there reaction to Proposition 8 in California is most revealing. I just summerize by saying that the gays who are politically active and against the Prop. 8 (in California) have used a lot hate speech. Anyway, here is the link to the article:
www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId-80220
What those gays haven't learned, or are not practicing is that tolerance cuts both ways. In other words they have been incredibly intolerant to those who have disagreed with them, and have shown it by storming churches, getting in shouting matches, making threats, vandalizing churches via graffiti, etc.

clarification and the pain free eternal life

Sometime ago while Lindsey Williams was chaplain for one of the big oil companies he was told by a big-wig fellow that an incident would happen that would allow John McCain to win. Williams himself never made any predictions about the election. (That 'incident' might have been the controversy over Obama's birth certificate, who knows.). In one sense, Obama's win was a good thing because if such conspiracies are real, then they don't always win and Americans do have a voice. However-stay tuned!

Meanwhile I am going to give politics a rest and focus more on the Christian life. For it is my contention that many in America have a distorted idea of what it means to be 'Christian'. One quick example of a common falsehood about Christianity is the idea that one must be good to get to heaven. That is not found in the Bible. What you will find if you read the Bible enough with an open mind is a means to be at peace with God and yourself. The Bible talks about such peace being so powerful that it abolishes the fear of death! Now if you want proof that the Bible, and hence the Christian life can abolish the fear of death then pick up two books: "Foxes Book of Martyrs" and "The Last Words of Saints and Sinners." If you decide to read these books you will find true life accounts of people of all ages who looked death in the eye and smiled! They smiled not because they had a death wish, but because death was and is a doorway or curtain to eternal blessing, painlessness, and a troubled free eternal life! For these martyrs it meant spending eternity with the person they love the must uninterrupted! (No, heaven is not some dull place where you sit on clouds forever strumming harps! Get that out of your head right away. ). Heaven means a fulfilled life. One point of clarification before I go: Keep in mind that I am talking about the pain free eternal life happening in the presence of God in heaven, not here right now.

stuff you won't see, but is accurate in its own way

"Welcome to Pundit Rubbish! The program where we sound clever and intelligent, but that is totally irrelevant to you. Are you uncertain who to vote for? That's OK, because we are here to contr...I mean guide you. Can't stand either Candidate? Then take some Tums and hold your nose when you vote! Our first topic of discussion tonight: Why talk radio feels justified in being obnoxious. (To be continued???).

(It is the night before the election and I am not feeling hopeful about either Candidate; so I got silly and wrote this to express myself. If you laughed, all the better!

conflict of interest

What would you think if there were 2 brothers who had very similar jobs. One was a campaign manager for a Democratic candidate who was running for President and the other brother was the campaign manager for the Republican opponent of this particular Democratic candidate? Unbelievable? Conflict of interest? Shady? What if I told you that it is happening right now? McCain has a campaign manager who has a blood brother that is working for Obama. Want more proof? Go to
www.newswithviews.com and scroll down to were it says "Your New President, Zbig Brother" by Alan Stang. Still think you have a choice?