Author: Jonathan Blundell

Well it’s been another lazy Sunday at Casa de Blundell Museum. We’ve had no visitors today, that we know of and its been a nice cool 78-degrees inside.

The museum curator overslept this morning, because he forgot to reset his alarm after sleeping-in yesterday.

Wow – two days in a row. That’s wonderful! Does anyone want to supplement my income so I can do this on a more regular basis. With enough regular donations I could quit my job and update my blog and work on my book all day long.

And with a little more income, I could renew my membership in the Belton Lion’s club so I can remain a functioning member of society.

Could it get any better?

Anyways, on to the entry at hand.

I’ve been reading Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle.

I’m not sure where I got the book from. I know it was bought at Mardels, but don’t remember if I bought it or someone bought it for me. If you bought it for me. Thanks. It’s a great read.

While reading about prayer, which most of the book is about, a section struck me straight to the heart.

What does it say about our churches today that God birthed the church in a prayer meeting, and prayer meetings today are almost extinct?
Am I the only one who gets embarrassed when religious leaders in America talk about having prayer in public schools? We don’t have even that much prayer in many churches! Out of humility, you would think we would keep quiet on that particular subject until we practice what we preach in our own congregations.
I am sure the Roman emperors didn’t have prayer to God in their schools. But then, the early Christians didn’t seem to care what Caligula or Claudius or Nero did. How could any emperor stop God? How, in fact, could the demons of hell make headway when God’s people prayed and called upon his name? Impossible!
In the New Testament we don’t see Peter or John wringing their hands and saying, “Oh, what are we going to do? Caligula’s bisexual… he wants to appoint his horse to the Roman Senate… what a terrible model of leadership! How are we going to respond to this outrage?”
Let’s not play games with ourselves. Let’s not divert attention away from the weak prayer life of our own churches. In Acts 4, when the apostles were unjustly arrested, imprisoned, and threatened, they didn’t call for a protest; they didn’t reach for some political leverage. Instead, they headed to a prayer meeting. Soon the place was vibrating with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The apostles had this instinct: When in trouble, pray. When intimated, pray. When challenged, pray. When persecuted, pray.

The lesson continues, but I’ll let you get your own copy of the book and read it for yourselves.

I’ve never been a fan of prayer in schools, simply because America is home to freedom of religion and free speech. If Christians are allowed to have prayer in school, so are Islamics, Buddhists, and Wicans.

Personally I don’t want a Wican teacher telling my future children how to pray.

They will learn to pray at home, and it won’t be up to a principal or teacher to tell them when they can or can’t pray.

They’ll know, just like I did growing up, that when you feel the need to pray – do it.

Don’t wait on a teacher or principal to give you permission or set aside a time to do so.

Well, back to my reading and hopefully writing. I need to update my book online or everyone will just stop reading it – and that’s no good at all.