National Day of Prayer

The first Thursday of May, by order of the Congress, is to be set aside for a day of prayer. The United States has a long history of setting aside special days in order to pray for the nation. Prayer events occurred all over the nation today. Every year I make a special effort to join hundreds at the steps of city hall for a time of prayer and praise.

I have no idea if groups of other religions (such as Jewish or Muslim) celebrate this important day, but Christians come out in mass to celebrate. Atheists also like to participate, usually with protest signs. They seem to think that people should only pray at church, but not on publicly owned property, such as the steps of city hall.

When I see the protest signs my heart goes out to them. I grew up in an anti-Christian home. I have relatives who are atheists. I do not understand the hostility toward Christians, but I do understand the darkness they live in. One individual held a sign that I think revealed the real issue: "No Gods, No Master". Atheists want to be in control of their life. To even admit the possibility that God exists means that you can no longer be the ruler of your life.

I have lived on both sides of the fence. I grew up in a home where God did not exist. The concept of sin was totally foreign to me. It didn’t matter what I did as long as it did not harm others or myself. Of course what is harmful is very subjective. My pre-Christian life was a life in darkness. Looking back I realize that I was depressed and pessimistic. I was taught you live and then you die and that is it. Life has no real meaning. In college I learned we will either blow up the planet in a nuclear war or pollute ourselves to death. Then our bodies will just decompose. Pretty dismal existence.

When I invited Jesus into my life everything changed. I had a reason to live. Over the years God has done amazing things in my life. If it weren’t for Jesus’ love I probably would not be alive today. I find it sad that so many in the world do not know God’s love and have no hope. And so today as the atheists stood in the crowd with their protest signs I prayed for them. When they heckled the Mayor while he read the proclamation he had signed declaring today the National Day of Prayer, I prayed for them. They are in spiritual darkness.

If you live in the United States, I hope you participated in this National Day of Prayer. If you did not, it is not to late. You can join by praying for our nation now. If you live in another country I hope you pray for your own nation. If your nation has a specific day like the US does, make an effort to join a prayer event. If it does not, then pray alone or with some friends. Take the time to pray for your leaders, the citizens, and your nation as a whole. Pray also for those who still live in darkness.

Sphere Community Church

Last month a friend told me I should attend a new start-up church. Pastor Bill Hill had preached a couple times this past summer, after our Senior Pastor had resigned. So I was familiar with Bill but had no idea he and others had formed a new church. Sphere Community Church has been meeting in an old community theater that is currently being renovated. The man who purchased it last year had started praying that a church would start meeting in the theater. For the past few months now, at the Woodlawn Theater, plays are performed in the afternoon and then Sphere Community Church meets for worship at 6:00 p.m. Since Sphere has only been meeting a few months, the numbers are very low, but that is to be expected.

Before I learned of Sphere, Bill and others walked the neighborhood praying and handing out fliers informing folks of the new church.

Saturday April 21 Sphere held a neighborhood picnic on a triangle piece of grassy land behind the Woodlawn Theater. We served hotdogs, chips, cookies and sodas to all that came by. We had all sorts of activities for the children. We got many new contacts. It was a very successful day. But I forgot to put sunscreen on and got a minor sunburn.

When I first was told about Sphere I promptly forgot it. Then that Sunday the Lord spoke to me about Sphere. I spent several weeks praying (and visiting the church) and finally came to a decision that the Lord wanted me to join forces with Pastor Bill. Being part of Sphere will have no effect on AOCCCI. A day will come of course when I will have to leave Sphere because the work of AOCCCI will take me away from San Antonio. But until then I will serve God in both ministries and will probably grow spiritually and professionally.

Please add Sphere to your prayers. This church is still very small with very few workers. There are many folks in the surrounding neighborhoods who have no church affiliation and many who have never met Jesus. We want to reach these folks.