This coming Thursday I will be in Colorado Springs leading the National Day of Prayer event for Focus on the Family and the city of Colorado Springs. Please pray for me during this most important time in our nation. We also have many great opportunities to observe National Day of Prayer right here in Northwest Arkansas.

At First Baptist Church of Springdale, we invite you to join us at 7 a.m., 12 noon, or 6 p.m. for a 30-minute guided prayer time for our nation. You can even register online. The Chapel will also be open throughout the day for you to come and pray, with prayer guides available.

At The Church at Pinnacle Hills, our Worship Center will be open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m for all to come throughout the day and participate in a brief, self-guided prayer time for our nation.

If you live or work in Washington County, the following events are available for you:

• Prayer Gathering and Breakfast – Central United Methodist Church (6 W. Dickson, Fayetteville) – Drop in from 6 to 8 a.m.
• Noon Observances – Gather at 11:45 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse in Fayetteville to prayer walk on Dickson Street to the Walton Arts Center

If you live or work in Benton County, the following events are available for you:

• Bentonville Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast – First Presbyterian Church at 7 a.m.
• Rogers Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast – John Q. Hammons Convention Center from 6:30 – 8:15 a.m.

At the end of yesterday’s blog, I shared with you that I had the responsibility of keeping my grandson, Peyton, all by myself. Well, the final thing I had to do was prepare him for bed. This meant the “final diaper change” for the evening plus putting his pajamas on him. I am task-oriented and did just that. I noticed as I was placing the diaper on, I was having a real struggle. In fact, it took me at least three minutes to get it accomplished! I turned it one way and then turned it another while he was laying there smiling and laughing at me. Finally, I accomplished the task within five minutes of Josh and Kate walking in the door with some friends.

Yesterday I received an email from Kate thanking me for starting her day with a laugh: I had put the diaper on the wrong way! Now I understand why I could not figure out how to get it secured around his legs. Of course, my question flooded back with an apology: Did he leak? Was there a problem? Fortunately, after about 12 hours, there was no leakage and all circulation had been maintained in his legs! Thank God!

Poor Peyton had to sleep with his diaper on the wrong way . . . no wonder he was smiling and laughing at me while I was hurriedly trying to get it done, knowing they were walking in the door shortly. Therefore, I want to insure you, that the next time I am with Peyton, Kate, Jeana, and Mona (the other grandmother, if she is around), I will be taking a class, “Diaper Changing 101.”

This true story represents so much of what we do many times in life: We do the right thing, but in the wrong way! My intention was good. I accomplished what needed to be done. The people involved survived. Yet it was done in the wrong way.

Years ago someone taught me a spiritual lesson: If Satan cannot get you to do the wrong thing, he will get you to do the right thing in the wrong way. Now Satan had nothing to do with the illustration above about the mistake in the diaper change; however, in so many other areas, this spiritual lesson is so true. As I look back on my life and evaluate how many times I did the right thing, BUT in the wrong way, I am shameful. There were probably people I offended and did not even know it! There were mistakes made I had no knowledge of. You know – get the task accomplished! Isn’t that the most important thing anyway? Not always!

Diaper change mistakes . . . no big deal. But the other mistakes . . . another story. Be careful today and all this weekend. Be sure that you not only do the right thing, but do it in the right way. It is one thing to say “oops over a diaper change,” but “oops is not good enough” with “relational matters.”

Don’t cut off the “Relationship Circulation” with anyone this weekend.

Yesterday was a real blessing, a day from heaven. It all started with my time with the Lord as He refreshed my heart with a special word for me from 1 Peter. You know, there is nothing like the Lord using His Word in your life. That is why it is so very important to be faithful to spend time with God daily. This is the greatest discipline a Christ-follower can ever establish in life.

Yesterday morning, I spoke to the Har-ber High School Youth for Christ Club. This band of students on this large high school campus wants to make a major difference for God. I went to refresh them, but they refreshed me. Mary Grace Joseph, one of our students who is on fire for Christ, is the leader of this Youth for Christ Club. I am so very proud of her and so many other students involved in that group who were there yesterday. These young champions for Christ want to see God shake their generation and shake our nation. In fact, that is the very thing I challenged them towards, especially in relationship to prayer and the upcoming National Day of Prayer on May 3. My friends, be encouraged today, we do have students who love God’s Word, love Jesus Christ passionately, and will make a major difference for Jesus with their lives.

Yesterday evening was a special blessing as well. I took care of my grandson, Peyton, all by myself! Jeana was at a wedding shower for a young woman she has mentored, and Josh and Kate were at a Connection Group “out to eat together” night. They needed a sitter, so after a long but good day, I went to their home. I decided I would take the little guy out to eat, so we went to the Northwest Arkansas Mall and had dinner. He was a handful. I chased him and carried him up and down the mall and into a few stores. I watched him play at a playground, having to try to convince him to leave. As we were leaving the storms raged, so we were delayed. Thank God for friends who assisted me a little when they saw us. To each mom of preschoolers, you have the hardest job in America. Last night reminded me again of your strategic and special calling. You are special, and I thank God for each of you. Yes, Peyton was a handful, but what joy he brings me. God is good.

May your TODAY be as refreshing as my YESTERDAY.

The sad, tragic event that took place at Virginia Tech this week should call us to an entirely new level in our church. It is time to get serious about what God has called us to do. While we go routinely about our lives today, there are numerous families and students about 1,000 miles away who are devastated beyond words. We must take time to pray for these people.

Friends, it is time to get serious. We must stop living life and doing church without a great sense of urgency! This very incident represents how fragile and uncertain life is. You do not control your life and how long you live in this world.

The greatest difference between the church of today and the New Testament church is URGENCY. We parade in and out of church IF it is convenient or does not interrupt our sports or family plan. We also pass by hundreds of people a week in a casual manner, never even thinking about their eternal destinies.

We need to understand that out of the 33 lives lost this week:

1. Each one entered into eternity this week.

2. Each one entered into an eternity in heaven or in hell.

There is no in between place. No, I am not trying to be insensitive to the moment of sorrow, but I do want us to see . . .

IT IS TIME, PAST TIME, FOR THE AMERICAN CHURCH (INCLUDING US) TO WAKE UP! Death is real. Tragedy does exist. People really need the Lord. That is not a cliche or simply the words of a song from the past.

People cannot afford our casual nature about spiritual matters any longer. We cannot go one week without inviting someone to come with us and share the life-changing message of Jesus. This is very serious business. The purpose of our Worship Services and Connection Groups is to bring glory to God by reaching others for Jesus.

NOTHING brings more glory to Jesus than seeing people come to Him . . . it is time, past time, to get serious about our Christianity.

I appeal to each of you, please stand up for Jesus this week. These are serious times, serious moments. It is past time to take the message of Jesus to the entire world, beginning with Northwest Arkansas and saturating them with truth and love.

Take the name of Jesus everywhere this week . . . bring others to Christ.

Josh and Kate found out on Monday that their next baby will be a boy! I believe the delivery date is now expected to be around August 30, just in time for fall football kick-off. Peyton will soon have a little brother.

Speaking of blessings: In May, Nick and Meredith will have a baby girl, Reese Caroline, and in August, Josh and Kate will have another baby boy. Therefore, at my young 51 years of age, we will have three grandchildren, two boys and one girl. We are very, very blessed.

On Tuesday, I wrote about the devious, depraved sinful acts performed by one student at Virginia Tech earlier this week as he took the lives of 32 people. Our hearts are heavy. Our hearts are praying. Our hearts are moved by each story related to this tragedy. All is so very, very sad.

But today, I write about the gift of life. No, I do not want to be insensitive to the moment, but it is a reminder that God alone gives us life. It is the enemy, Satan himself, who steals life away as done this week in Virginia.

The lesson for today: Trust only in God – He is the Giver of life.

Thank God for life today.

The press is calling the Virginia Tech tragedy, “The worst crime scene in American History.” This horrible and brutal experience has already taken 32 Lives, 30 students and 2 professors. Additionally, 16 more people were shot, with 7 being in critical condition. It was reported that each victim had no less than three gunshots on their bodies. This is brutal.

The stories of heroism that ocurred yesterday at Virginia Tech are beginning to emerge. Details of the entire experience are still sketchy at best, but will soon be pieced together, providing answers to the student body, faculty, state, and families of those involved. This is not the time to point fingers and place blame. Too much is still unknown. I am confident that in time, the truth will prevail.

Until then, we must pray. We must pray for the families who have lost a loved one. We must pray for those who have been hospitalized, some of who are fighting for their lives. We must pray for the students and faculty from Virginia Tech. We must pray for all people who are affected by this brutality. Discernment and strength must be prayed for those who are leading the institution as well as all law enforcement personnel.

As the President goes to Virginia Tech, we must pray for him. This is a crucial time in America history. Our President will stand up and address people, as well as provide comfort to everyone.

The Lessons Abound From The Virginia Tech Tragedy:

• Evil abounds in this world.
• Prayer is God’s blessing to us.
• The Holy Spirit is the only Comforter.
• Jesus is the only answer.
• Be prepared to die today.

Finally, life is uncertain, a vapor. None of us are invincible. Perhaps God will use this to usher in a mighty Spiritual Awakening on this campus and across America.

Pray.

There is nothing like tax time. It shows up annually. We cannot stand the process of gathering records and submitting the facts to our accountants. And there are some who file online themselves. If you do that, I am impressed!

Hopefully each of us would NEVER even consider not paying our taxes. Even though we do not necessarily love the task or the process, as good Americans we participate. I read one time that the average American works from January to May just to pay their taxes. Yikes!

I do find it interesting that while we would never even think of not paying our taxes or going through the process of preparing to pay them, there are many professing born-again believers who do not go through the process and the actual payment of the tithe and offerings we are mandated to give to the Lord. How in the world can we be so diligent to do what the government wants us to do, but not even take seriously what God wants us to do? The government promises better programs for all people and so many other things when we pay our taxes. God promises He will open up the windows of heaven upon you until there is no need. He promises SOOOOO much to all of us when we give.

Therefore, we need to remember these words today.

Jesus said for us to “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and render unto God that which is God’s.“

This week I am reading through the book of 1 Samuel. In a word of testimony about David, there is an interesting word recorded. In 1 Samuel 18:14, the testimony says,

And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him.

I was moved by the Holy Spirit when I read this word. What an incredible testimony about David.

As you prepare to enter this weekend, think on and stand on this word in each area of your life. Success is hard to define, and it is certainly not what we imagine in our minds from the perspective of this world. Yes, some of that may come in the form of added mercies and blessings from the Lord, but whatever in the world true success is, we should desire it.

Rather than getting all caught up in the definition of success, let’s concentrate on WHY he had success: THE LORD WAS WITH HIM. Evidently, whether David was facing the jealousy and wrath of Saul, the threats of Goliath the Giant, or eventually, the evil of his wife, Michal, the Lord was with him, protected him, and granted him success. His life was faced with multi-colored trials, just like ours. They never ended. He dealt with moments of travail, moments of despair, moments of fear, and moments of depression, yet God gave him success. Again, WHY? The Lord was with him. Yes, the Lord was with him. Do you get it? The Lord was with him.

As Christ-followers who live post-Pentecost (the event where the Holy Spirit began to live within believers never to leave them), THE LORD IS WITH US. The presence of God is there, but is the presence able to be experienced? Is the presence allowed to be lived through us? Our surrender to the Lordship of Christ and our passionate plea before God to fill us with the Holy Spirit each moment of the day is the key. Yes, this is really not about us. It is about letting God be God and the Lord be Lord through us daily.

Therefore, on this word, consider this prayer this weekend.

Oh God, in the name of Jesus Christ, I stand on 1 Samuel 18:14. Give me your success in each area of life. May your presence go before me, live in me powerfully, live through me supernaturally, and guard behind me, resulting in success in all areas. Give me success …

• In my relationship with you.
• In my relationship with my family.
• In my relationship with others.
• In my church.
• In my job.
• In my vision for the future.
• In my finances.
• In everything I am engaged in or will walk through
  in coming days.

Oh God, the #1 thing I know: YOU ALONE GIVE THE FAVOR OF SUCCESS. Grant it to me as one of your great mercies. I declare your Word is truth, containing no error. On this Word, I stand covered by the blood of Jesus, so Lord, please, grant me your success in all of my life. In the name of Jesus, the Giver of All, Amen.

Have a great weekend: See you Sunday. Pray for this Lord’s Day. God is moving.

This past week in Northwest Arkansas, two young adults were murdered. The media informed us of this tragedy. The media is releasing matters to us about it little by little. How did it happen? Who would do such a cold-blooded act to a young man and a young woman?

A couple of days after the murder, two young men were arrested. One admitted to taking the gun and ending the life of this man and woman. The other was involved in driving him to the scene with the knowledge
of what was about to take place. If convicted, these two young men have ruined their lives by this senseless and deadly act.

There are so many lessons we can learn from this tragedy:

• People are evil: their passion to destroy others has reached unprecedented levels.
• Life is no longer respected: When a generation grows up permitting life in the womb to be destroyed, as well as permitting life to be taken away from some who are living with physical pain or abnormality, and constantly witnessing violence in venues of communication, why should they respect life?
• Families are shattered: Moms and Dads, grandparents, and siblings will never be the same again due to this tragedy, not only those who lost their children to death, but also those who lost their children with their evil choices.
• Jesus is the only answer: He always has been and always will be the answer, because who else could ever take the pain of this event and produce fruitfulness; as well as change the lives of all involved.
• Eternity is real: these two young adults will never return in this life again. They entered into a real eternity, just as their murderer will one day as well as you and me.
• Good News is our message: Jesus died for the sins of the world, regardless of the sins, in order for us to enter an eternity with God in a place called heaven, rather than enter into a Christless eternity in a place called hell.
• Jesus’ church is the light of hope: His glorious church around the world must stand up with passion and life, propagating this Good News to the entire world, beginning in our own communities.

Let’s learn our lessons.

Thousands came to both campuses, but more importantly, God came. He was there and it was very, very special. At each service, the Lord impacted and changed lives, and the waters of baptism were not just stirred, but busy.

I was pretty exhausted from the weekend, but DID NOT get a nap yesterday afternoon. Jeana and I took care of Peyton for the hour or so that others zoned out into the blessedness of a Sunday afternoon nap. Peyton had almost completed his nap before Jeana and I got home for lunch with our family. At the closure of lunch he was up and ready to go, and boy did we go. The boy has some energy at almost 18 months. Jeana and I went to sleep last night about 9:00 p.m. which is very, very unusual for us.

The past two Sundays have been really special in all of our services: Folks, GOD is moving! Let’s pray, seek Him, and stay focused on Him and what He desires to do among us.

Begin now to pray for Sunday.