What we were commissioned to do...

Tell It

Every scar has a story......
                                                 ........tell it.

Pray Hard

Its hard to stumble when you are down on your knees

The Greatest Gift

Light of the World

Rock Bottom

United Methodist Motorcycle Association

http://unitedmethodistma.com/

Who We Are

The United Methodist Motorcycle Association is a group of riders and non-riders who take the church outside the four walls to reach the world.

Members spread God's love and  grace to all, meeting people where they are in life, and offering the message of hope, faith, and love.

Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 

UMMA raises funds to help sick, disabled and underprivileged kids with toys, funds, and scholarships for summer camp. 

The History of the 19th century Circuit Rider

The History Behind the 19th Century Circuit Rider Style

19th Century Circuit Rider Bible

Legendary in nineteenth century American history, the circuit rider played a vital role in bringing the Gospel to the people of the ever-shifting frontier lands. Also known as the saddle bag preacher, the circuit rider would travel by horseback from town to town, holding meetings wherever he could find shelter. For the circuit rider, a cabin, barn, or even the shade of a wide oak tree became the House of God as he fulfilled the great commission of our Lord and Savior. Following in the footsteps of Francis Asbury, the circuit riders brought stability to many settlements offering regular though infrequent spiritual guidance as he visited from house to house.

His Sunday morning services were usually well-attended by those eager to hear the Scriptures taught, and equally eager to hear news of his travels and to fellowship with distant neighbors.

The circuit rider was a man of strength and determination, filled with the love of God and the spirit of adventure.

“How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” ~Romans 10:14.

Thankful to be called to Ministry

Check out @Circuit_Rider1's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Circuit_Rider1/status/664273811500482560?s=09

Modern day circuit rider at home church

What was a Circuit Rider

The History Behind the 19th Century Circuit Rider Style

19th Century Circuit Rider Bible
Legendary in nineteenth century American history, the circuit rider played a vital role in bringing the Gospel to the people of the ever-shifting frontier lands. Also known as the saddle bag preacher, the circuit rider would travel by horseback from town to town, holding meetings wherever he could find shelter. For the circuit rider, a cabin, barn, or even the shade of a wide oak tree became the House of God as he fulfilled the great commission of our Lord and Savior. Following in the footsteps of Francis Asbury, the circuit riders brought stability to many settlements offering regular though infrequent spiritual guidance as he visited from house to house.

His Sunday morning services were usually well-attended by those eager to hear the Scriptures taught, and equally eager to hear news of his travels and to fellowship with distant neighbors.

The circuit rider was a man of strength and determination, filled with the love of God and the spirit of adventure.

“How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” ~Romans 10:14.

Modern Day Circuit Rider

Modern day circuit rider

Iron horse by shrine for original circuit rider who used a horse.

Robert Strawbridge. America's first Methodist preacher/circuit rider. His original house is behind the statue of him.

DO YOU BELIEVE???

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

by Dr. R.C. Sproul

Description

It is the message of who Jesus is and what He did.

What Is the Gospel?

There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the Gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the Gospel to you when they tell you, ‘you can have a purpose to your life’, or that ‘you can have meaning to your life’, or that ‘you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.’ All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the Gospel.

The Gospel is called the ‘good news’ because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings, and that problem is simply this: God is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy God, and I’ll be judged. And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness – or lack of it – or the righteousness of another.

The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience to God, not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself. But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God.

The great misconception in our day is this: that God isn’t concerned to protect His own integrity. He’s a kind of wishy-washy deity, who just waves a wand of forgiveness over everybody. No. For God to forgive you is a very costly matter. It cost the sacrifice of His own Son. So valuable was that sacrifice that God pronounced it valuable by raising Him from the dead – so that Christ died for us, He was raised for our justification.

So the Gospel is something objective. It is the message of who Jesus is and what He did. And it also has a subjective dimension. How are the benefits of Jesus subjectively appropriated to us? How do I get it? The Bible makes it clear that we are justified not by our works, not by our efforts, not by our deeds, but by faith–and by faith alone. The only way you can receive the benefit of Christ’s life and death is by putting your trust in Him–and in Him alone. You do that, you’re declared just by God, you’re adopted into His family, you’re forgiven of all of your sins, and you have begun your pilgrimage for eternity.

5 Encouraging Bible Verses to get you though the day....

CLICK

24 Ways to connect with God

by Shirley Brosius   from IDisciple

 24 ways to connect with God as you go about your day.

Read your Bible and hear God speak.

Pray and let God listen.

Take a walk in nature and praise God for the wonders of creation.

Shoot arrow prayers as challenges arise

.
Pray for neighbors as you drive by their homes.

Pray for your family whenever you pause by a stop light.

Pick a symbol that reminds you of God and display it prominently.

Pray for situations as you read the newspaper.

Thank God for the morning as you arise.

Thank God for health as you brush your teeth.

Sing hymns or songs of praise as you shower or drive to work.

Sit and meditate in a quiet place.

Ask God for wisdom in establishing priorities as you plan your day.

Thank God for your food.

Pray for guidance and safety before leaving in your car.

Pray for family members as you see their photos around your house.

Attend worship on Sundays and pray for church staff weekdays.

Listen to Christian radio.

Watch Christian television.

Call a lonely friend and pray with her/him on the phone.

Thank God for your senses when you see a beautiful sunset, hear music, smell food or touch a baby’s face.

Memorize scripture as you exercise.

Evaluate your day as you go to bed and ask forgiveness for sins.

Tell God your troubles as you fall asleep.

If you will add just one of these ideas to your daily routine, then your life will be that much richer.

For YOU!!!!

Verse of the Day - Romans 5:8

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11 (NIV)

Who were Circuit Riders

Circuit Riders

In Early American Methodism

Dr. Robert Simpson

John Wesley's Methodist plan of multiplemeeting places called circuits required an itinerating force of preachers.  A circuit was made up of two or more local churches (sometimes referred to as societies) in early Methodism.  In American Methodism circuits were sometimes referred to as a "charge."  A pastor would be appointed to the charge by his bishop. During the course of a year he was expected to visit each church on the charge at least once, and possibly start some new ones. At the end of a year the pastors met with the bishop at annual conference, where they would often be appointed to new charges.  A charge containing only one church was called a station.  The traveling preachers responsible for caring for these societies, or local churches and stations, became known as circuit- riders, or sometimes saddlebag preachers.  They traveled light, carrying their belongings and books in their saddlebags.  Ranging far and wide through villages and wilderness, they preached daily or more often at any site available be it a log cabin, the local court house, a meeting house, or an outdoor forest setting. Unlike the pastors of settled denominations, these itinerating preachers were constantly on the move.  Their assignment was often so large it might take them 5 or 6 weeks to cover the territory.

Brother Harwood in New Mexico, when asking how to begin his work, was told: "Get your pony shod. Then start out northward via Fort Union, Cimarron, and Red River until you meet a Methodist coming this way... thence westward and eastward until you meet other Methodist preachers coming this way. All this will be your work....I saw at once that I had a big field."

Francis Asbury (1745 - 1816), the founding bishop of American Methodism, set the pace. He traveled 270,000 miles and preached 16,000 sermons as he traveled the circuits. Peter Cartwright (1785-1872) described the life of the circuit- rider. He wrote in his Autobiography: "A Methodist preacher, when he felt that God had called him to preach, instead of hunting up a college or Biblical Institute, hunted up a hardy pony, and some traveling apparatus, and with his library always at hand, namely, a Bible, Hymn book, and Discipline, he started, and with a text that never wore out nor grew stale, he cried, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.' In this way he went through storms of wind, hail, snow, and rain; climbed hills and mountains, traversed valleys, plunged through swamps, swollen streams, lay out all night, wet, weary, and hungry, held his horse by the bridle all night, or tied him to a limb, slept with his saddle blanket for a bed, his saddle-bags for a pillow. Often he slept in dirty cabins, ate roasting ears for bread, drank butter-milk for coffee; took deer or bear meat, or wild turkey, for breakfast, dinner, and supper. This was old-fashioned Methodist preacher fare and fortune."

Not only did the preacher face physical hardship, but often he endured persecution. Freeborn Garrettson (1752-1827) wrote of his experience: "I was pursued by the wicked, knocked down, and left almost dead on the highway, my face scarred and bleeding and then imprisoned." No wonder most of these preachers died before their careers had hardly begun. Of those who died up to 1847, nearly half were less than 30 years old. Many were too worn out to travel.

What did they earn? Not much in dollars. Bishop Asbury expressed their reward when he recruited Jesse Lee, "I am going to enlist Brother Lee. What bounty? Grace here and glory hereafter, if he is faithful, will be given."

Bibliography:

Tipple, E. S. Francis Asbury, the Prophet of the Long Road. The Methodist Book Concern 1916.
Cartwright, Peter, Autobiography of Peter Cartwright, Abingdon Press 1956.
Maser, Frederick and Simpson, Robert Drew, If Saddlebags Could Talk, Providence Press 1998.
McEllhenney, John G, Editor United Methodism in America, Abingdon Press 1992.

CIRCUIT RIDERS: Today meets Yesterday

INVITE A FRIEND TO CHURCH

ROMANS 5:8

PRAISE HIM

INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH

ATHEIST'S HOLY DAY

Florida Court Sets Atheist Holy Day!

Gotta love this Judge!
You must read this....a proper decision by the courts...for a change.
     
FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY
In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover Holy days.
He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days.
The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? 
The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and  Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays.."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."
The lawyer said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists.."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.'  Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool.
Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned."
   
You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

JUST CHECKING IN...

A Minister passing through his church
In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
To see-who came to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
And a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw the man
Hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was torn and shabby,
And His coat was worn and frayed,
The Man knelt down and bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.
In the days that followed at precisely noon,
The preacher saw this chap,
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,
He Decided to stop and ask the man,

'What Are you doing here?'

The Old man said he was a factory worker
And-lunch was half an hour
Lunchtime Was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.

I Stay only a moment
Because-the factory's far away;
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This Is kinda what I say:

I Just Came By To Tell You, Lord,
How Happy I Have Been,
Since we Found Each Other's Friendship
And You Took Away My Sin.
Don't Know Much Of How To Pray,
But I Think About You Every day.
So, Jesus, This Is Ben,
Just Checking In Today.'

The minister feeling foolish,
Told Ben that it was fine.
He Told the man that he was welcome
To Pray there anytime.

'It's time to go, and thanks,' Ben said
As he hurried to the door.

Then the minister knelt there at the altar,
Which he'd never done before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
As he met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed down his cheeks,
He Repeated old Ben's prayer:

'I Just Came By To Tell You, Lord,
How Happy I've Been,
Since We Found Each Other's Friendship
And You Took Away My Sin.
I Don't Know Much Of How To Pray,
But Think About You Every day.
So, Jesus, This Is Me,
Just Checking In Today.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That Old Ben hadn't come.
As more days passed and still no Ben,
He Began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
But He'd given them a thrill.

The week that Ben was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles and joy contagious.
Changed people were his reward.

The Head nurse couldn't understand
Why Ben could be so glad,
When no flowers, calls or cards came,

 Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He Voiced the nurse's concern:
No Friends had come to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Ben spoke up
And with a winsome smile;
'The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
He's been here all the while.'

Everyday at noon He comes here,
A dear friend of mine, you see,
He Sits right down and takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I Just Came By To Tell You, Ben,
How Happy I Have Been,
Since We Found This Friendship,
And I Took Away Your Sin.
I Think About You Always
And I Love To Hear You Pray,
And so Ben, This Is Jesus,
Just checking In Today.'

FULL ARMOR OF GOD

CLICK HERE

YOUR BROTHER RIDES WITH YOU

QUESTION?????

WE BELIEVE

CLICK>>>  WE BELIEVE

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

BIKER SUNDAY

FREDERICK NEWS/POST:  FROM THE PEW    4/24//15

MONROVIA — Parishioners rolled up to Bush Creek Church of the Brethren last Sunday on Harleys and Yamahas. The church partnered with the Frederick Chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association to conduct worship and a blessing of the bikes. After the service, attendees headed outside and circled each motorcycles one by one. Many in the group placed their hands on the bikes. All bowed their heads. Someone in the CMA leadership then offered a prayer over the rider and his or her motorcycle. In the back corner of the lot, Frederick CMA founder Norman Tyler wrapped his arms around Kristofer and Crystal Herbert. He asked God to watch over the young couple and keep them safe in their travels. He prayed for the mechanics who work on their Yamaha R6 to be able to keep it operating properly. He prayed that they would be able to avoid any obstacles in their path. And he asked for God’s protection even when they are not riding — that their marriage will be strong and they’ll be guided to make good decisions together.

Kristofer grew up riding dirt bikes and motorcycles but Sunday was the first time he ever had one blessed. He figured asking for divine protection made sense since he spends a lot of time on the R6. He rides to work each day unless it is raining. And nearly every weekend, the couple heads out together just for fun. Although this year, they anticipate that they’ll spend less time joyriding. The couple is expecting their first child in August. Crystal also has a motorcycle license and said they intend to teach their child to ride. She attends Bush Creek regularly and was eager to experience fellowship with the CMA.

The Frederick chapter travels around the county offering prayers at any church or organization that expresses interest, said Terry Reese, CMA members. “We are non-denominational.” The group also partners with businesses. The previous week, CMA members gathered in front of the Frederick Harley-Davidson dealership to pray with riders, he said. Blessings aren’t limited to motorcycles either. “As long as it has a motor, anything can be a part,” Reese said. They’ve blessed dirt bikes and even ATVs. Typically, the blessings are done in early spring at the start of riding season.

Sunday’s blessing was the first for Bush Creek but CMA members attended the church once before last fall. At that time, only the pastors and a handful of parishioners knew they were coming. The CMA group dressed up to look as frightful as possible. They wore ripped jeans and black leather coats. Several guys wore long shaggy wigs, Tyler said. Partway through the Rev. Leo Barnes’ sermon, Rod Fry of the CMA stood up and interrupted him. Fry walked to the front of the room and began to speak. Several parishioners glanced back and forth at each other. “They wanted to escort me out,” Fry laughed. He serves as chaplain for the Frederick CMA chapter and said Barnes was in on the act. As Fry spoke, he began taking off his rough clothes and long wig. Underneath, he was nicely dressed and clean shaven.

The intent was to show that we “can’t judge anybody by their book cover,” said Barbara Tyler, co-founder of the Frederick chapter. No one can know another person’s heart. And everyone deserves a chance to hear God’s message no matter how he might look. The name for the Frederick chapter is Won By One, because they focus on individuals, she said.

It is up to those who have already accepted Christ as their savior to help others find their way back to God, Fry said. He offered the sermon Sunday, asking those in attendance, “If you truly believe, what are you going to do about it?”

Association members try to answer that question in everything they do, Barbara Tyler said. They view their group not as a club but as a ministry. “We ride, yes. But we ride to open doors,” she said. Offering blessings is just one of many activities in which the group participates. Members help at local soup kitchens, share their message at various biker events and raise funds to help missionaries and pastors around the globe. At Sunday’s service, they showed a short film highlighting some of the volunteer efforts the global association undertakes each year.

“It’s just exciting to hear what CMA is doing,” said the Rev. Melissa Barnes. Bush Creek already has a missionary focus and the CMA’s message reinforces that helping others is what the Lord is about, she said. Sunday’s service included several songs sung by the church’s choir and the congregation. Leo Barnes conducted and led several prayers and the call to worship. Debbie Reese of the CMA assisted her 9-year-old daughter, Kianna, and another elementary-age child in reading scriptures from the book of Matthew in the Bible. Before and after worship, CMA members and Bush Creek parishioners mingled, laughing and talking and sharing messages about God’s love.

Nancy Hernandez is a former staff writer for The Frederick News-Post. She writes once a month about her experiences visiting denominations in Frederick County in “From the Pew.” Suggestions welcome atreligion@newspost.com.

WHY GO TO CHURCH

 Why go to church.....?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it
made no sense to go to church every Sunday. 'I've gone for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.' This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column. Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

'I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some
32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.
But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my
work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!'
When you are DOWN to nothing....God is UP to something!
Faith sees the invisible, believes the
incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

All right, now that you're done reading, send it on!!!
I think everyone should read this!!

When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, 'Jesus, could you
get that for me...... while I forward this message to your children??

IF YOU CANNOT SEE GOD IN ALL, YOU CANNOT SEE GOD AT ALL!

B. I. B. L. E. - simply means: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! 

When u carry "the Bible" Satan has a head ache;
When u open it, he collapses;
When he sees u reading it; he loses his strength,
AND when u stand on the Word of God, Satan can't hurt you! 

Do you also know:
When you are about to forward this to others, the devil will discourage you?
Go , Forward it & move forward
 Share.  Tell people that JESUS Loves them. I have started mine with you.

OUR LORD'S PRAYER

Our  Lord’s Prayer

    By Mike Moser

Our Father who art in Heaven

Yes?

Don’t interrupt me.  I’m praying.

But you called ME

Called you?  No, I didn’t call you.  I’m praying.  Our Father who art in Heaven

There – you did it again!

Did what?

Called ME.  You said, “Our Father who are in Heaven”.  Well, here I am…what’s on your mind?

But I didn’t mean anything by it.  I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day.  I always say the Lord’s Prayer.  It makes me feel good,  kind of like fulfilling a duty.

Well, all right. Go on.

Okay, Hallowed by thy name.

Hold it right there.  What do you mean by that?

By what?

By “Hallowed by thy name”?

It means, it means … good grief, I don’t know what it means.  How in the world should I know?  It’s just a part of the prayer.  By the way, what does it mean?

It means honored, holy, wonderful.

Hey, that makes sense.  I never thought about what “hallowed” meant before.  Thanks! 

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Do you really mean that?

Sure, why not?

What are you doing about it?

Doing?  Why, nothing, I guess.  I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control, of everything down here like you have up there.  We’re kinda in a mess down here you know.

Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?

Well, I go to church.

That isn’t what I asked you.  What about your bad temper?  You've really got a problem there, you know.  And then there’s the way you spend your money – all on yourself.  And what about the kind of books you read?

Now hold on just a minute!  Stop picking on me!  I’m just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!

Excuse ME.. I thought you were praying for my will to be done.  If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.  Like you – for example

Oh, all right.  I guess I do have some hang-ups.  Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.

So could I.

I haven’t thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things.  I would like to, you know, be really free.

Good.  Now we’re getting somewhere.  We’ll work together, you and ME.  I’m proud of you.

Look, Lord, if you don’t mind, I need to finish up here.  This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.  Give us this day our daily bread…..

You need to cut out the bread – you’re overweight as it is.

Hey, wait a minute!  What is this?  Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang- ups. 

Praying is a dangerous thing.  You just might get what you ask for.  Remember, you called ME and here I am.  It’s too late to stop now.  Keep praying ………..Well, go on.

I’m scared to.

Scared?  Of what?

I know what you’ll say.

Try ME.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

What about Ann?

See?  I knew it!  I knew you would bring her up!  Why, Lord, she’s told lies about me, spread stories.  She never paid back the money she owes me.  I’ve sworn to get even with her!

But – your prayer – What about your prayer?

I didn’t ----mean it----

Well, at least you’re honest.  But, it’s quite a load carrying around all that bitterness and resentment isn’t it?

Yes, but I’ll feel better as soon as I get even with her.  Boy, have I got some plans for her.  She’ll wish she had never been born

No, you won’t feel any better.  You’ll feel worse.  Revenge isn’t sweet.  You know how unhappy you are?  Well, I can change that.

You can?  How?

Forgive Ann.  Then, I’ll forgive you; and the hate and the sin, will be Ann’s problem – not yours.  You will have settled the problem as far as you are concerned.

Oh, you know, you’re right, You always are.  And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You.  (sigh)  All right, all right … I forgive her.

There now! Wonderful!  How do you feel?

Hmmm.  Well, not bad.  Not bad at all!  In fact, I feel pretty great!  You know, I don’t think I’ll go to bed uptight tonight.  I haven’t been getting much rest, you know.

Yeah, I know.  But, you’re not through with your prayer, are you? ……Go on.

Oh, all right.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Good!  Good!  I’ll do that.  Just don’t put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

What do you mean by that?

You know what I mean. 

Yeah.  I know.

Okay.  Go ahead.  Finish your prayer.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

Do you know what would bring me glory?  What would really make me happy?

No, but I’d like to know.  I want to please you now.  I’ve really made a mess of things.  I want to truly follow you…   I can see now how great that would be.  So, tell me… How do I make you happy?

YOU JUST DID!