Comfortable Socks

Last night I am sitting on the couch in my comfortable socks watching the tely ,America's best dance crew. [that show rocks!] My wife calls me into the bedroom and says hurry. I run in there and she tells me that she just got a call and a friend of her family (friend of mine also) who is a missionary was in the Conga and his plane along with all traveling with him were captured and they were being held for a ransom. As of late last night the ransom was paid, but we are still waiting word on their release. Please pray for Mark and his family!
This got me to thinking. What am I willing to sacrafice for the call? You know the one that says "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel" This man is willing to sacrafice his freedom, and maybe life, to reach people in the Conga. Here I am sitting in my comfortable socks watching T.V. Am I even willing to sacrafice my free time? As a society (I am definatly included in this) we think we have to work more to pay of the debt we have accured buying things to make us comfortable. So here is my prayer.

Lord make me uncomfortable! Take away the things, and even the desire for things, that make me comfortable so that I can be poised to move at any moment. Help me to shed these comfortable socks and put my self in uncomfortable situations where I am relying on you and sharing about you at the same time.
Amen.

Pretty Fly for a White Guy!

2 Kings Chapter 2

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Anytime I read this story I think about all of the sermons that I have heard about how Elisha stuck with Elijah. However, Elijah is the man in this story. Elijah never under estimated God and always expected God to step in. Just a couple of versus before this one Elijah is walking to the Jordan and instead of walking over to where a bridge is, or even a ferry, he just walks straight up to the Jordan river. Now keep in mind that over 50 prophets are watching him at this point. Whatever your profession is, imagine 50 experts in your profession observing you. I am willing to bet that most of us would play it safe. But not Elijah he walks up to the river smacks it with his coat and watches the water split so he and Elisha can walk across. Elijah was constantly putting himself in situations where either God did something miraculous or it was going to be complete failure. This proved to be so even when it was time for him to die. When I read this chapter I see where the other prophets keep telling Elisha that "your master is going to be taken away from you". That makes me think that Elijah was bragging about going home to be with Jesus. I can imagine Elijah saying "Dude, God told me my time was up, so I told him there was only one thing I wanted to do before I go home." Fellow prophet replies "What's that?" Elijah "I want to fly! Then God said" "I think I got just the thing for you. Go to the Jordan" "Dude, this white boy is going to fly! Get the gang together we gotta go to the Jordan. Make sure Ishmael brings the camera you are going to want to put this on YouTube!"
Elijah had done everything on his bucket list and was ready to go home. He had seen God step in and do miraculous things numerous times. So when it came time to go. He knew it was going to be big, because God had always gone Big every time before!

P.S. This post is part of a contest with some fellow (family) bloggers. Be sure to check out their posts also. Blog roll is on the right of my blog page.

Taylor's Prayer for the unsaved Doll

So the other day Starr Taylor, my oldest daughter, was saying her prayer before bed, and she said something that blew me away. Here is basically how the prayer went.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for a good day. Thank you that I got to go swimming today. And thank you for my doll Felicity. And dear Jesus, please come into Felicity's heart. Cause you know Jesus that she can't pray, so I'm praying for her and just go into her heart so that she is saved. And Thank you for going into Felicity's heart cause she is my favorite doll. And, Um, tomorrow help that daddy let's me stay up and watch T.V. Amen.

It hit me. Am I praying for my unsaved dolls, I mean friends, because they don't know how to pray for salvation themselves? Or are my prayers just for things that I want? Unfortunately I think they are normally for things that I want. How about you? What is the focus of your prayers?