after the week ends...

For the few of you that did read and did pray I thank you wholeheartedly. I feel like writing, "I mean that!" I never want the words, "I will pray for you," to noncommitally roll of my tongue. It is more than simple honor. I believe that God hears and responds to our prayers. I believe God showers His people with added intimacy and love when they boldly approach His presence.

Sunday proved to be a very long day. First there was the morning service, followed by a spagetti feed. Inbetween our church gathering and the highly anticpated full-on tackle football game at 3 o'clock I attended to whatever Jason Thompkins needed in doing some basic construction on our home on Bledsoe avenue. The football game was an excellent means of personal interaction with guys. Whenever you are able to smash someone into the ground and are then able to give them an encouraging hand back up it is an all around success. Such an incredible experience! Seriously though, we had about 25 guys and gals (a few tough one that played, including my ferocious mother) that came out to test their strength, speed, and ability to forgive. In the midst of these basic opportunities to live and preach out the gospel before others there was another pulling back of the veil into the serious unseen. After football had concluded a newcomer, who had attended church earlier and had experience a few tackles by the preacher-guy, pulled me aside and asked for prayer. He's tired of riding the fence. He want for his life to finally be all for God. I was happy. Surprisingly, however, that was not what he wanted to talk about. He is staying at a KMH (Kitsap Mental Health) home that was filled with people that the State sets aside for special attention because they are old and hopelessly lost. While at the house another resident has been spiritually taunting him, claiming demon possession (even naming the demons within), and is often overcome this evil force, which works to effect her with harm and others with harm. I cannot write this in full detail. The mere thought of further details abandon me only to prayer. Please pray with me. O God, set the captives free.

I have also begun Luther's "Bondage of the Will," and encourage any of you to keep me accountable to my reading. One commentator wrote, "Whoever puts this book down without having realised that evangelical theology stands or falls with the doctrine of the bondage of the will has read it in vain." Phew! There lies the challenge.