To prioritize is to order according to importance. An example is a "to do list" with ten items arranged in order of importance. #1 is the most important; conversely, #10 is the least important. There is no way that a peron will have power in prayer if he is not willing to make pray a priority. One of the best examples is Jesus Him, Who made prayer a top priority both in His teaching and in His practice. I'm working on an article for the May Reflector on a daily quiet time. The quiet time is not just a helpful idea; it is absolutely necessary to spiritual health. Just as it is easier to fight off a cold if we are in good physical condition, so it is easier to fight off the devil when we are spiritually fit. For fifty-four years, I have sat down to prepare copy for the Reflector and/or the Sunday bulletin. I pray that the words chosen will be a blessing to a reader.

Hosea said it of Israel: "You are sowing to the wind and you are going to reap a whirlwind." Over forty years ago, I heard Billy Graham, the great evangelist, commenting on this verse. He warned that he saw a nation sowing to the wind. He predicted that one day we will reap a whirlwind. On every moral indicator that I know of, America has deteriorated, at first gradually and now rapidly. One song that was a favorite in the mountains was entitled "The Old Time Religion." One of the refrains said that it will do when I am dying. One of our song leaders had us to sing this during a revival and change the words to say "It will do while I am living." The Old Time Religion was predicated on the Gospel being preached and believed. It believed that it is possible for the vilest of sinners to be converted. In many places in many churches this message is viewed as irrelevant to today's society. We must water down the plain Word of God to get people into the services. Otherwise, they will not come. How we need a mighty moving of God that brings us back to the life depicted in The Old Time Religion's refrains.

Several times in the past two days, someone has commented on how fast time is passing. Sue and I both can hardly believe that we are now in our seventies. It only seems yesterday that we started our journey together, but on April 18 it will be fifty-one years. I've kidded folks by indicating how many years we have been married. When we were married forty years, for example, I would say, "We've been married for eighty years!" The Lord willing, in a few days, it will be 102 years. Think of that! We are grateful that we have health and both of us enjoy our respective ministries. I continue amazed at how many lives Sue is able to touch both in and out of church. Life is satisfying as we enjoy each other, our home, our family, and our ministry. May we always remember a saying I learned at a young age, "Only one life, it will soon be past, only what is done for Christ will last." I have lived long enough to understand the truth of this wise saying.

Tonight Sue prepared dinner for two young people--Jackie Henry (a graduate of LU, a member of our church and a Doorkeeper) and Matt Williams (a junior at LU who serves as a LU teacher's assistant and a youth pastor in Richmond). It was good to fellowship with two who have something to offer to the Lord that Sue and I do not have--their youth. Matt recently spent time in India working in the children's home founded by one of our good friends of longstanding, Dr. M. A. Thomas. As usual, the meal was superb. We will long remember the warm fellowship with these choice servants of the Lord. Of course, I gave Matt a copy of the Upper Room Discourse, some back issues of Reflectors, and a prayer seminar workbook to share with his pastor in Richmond. Would it not be wonderful to network with this church to host a prayer seminar!

It was good to worship at our home church, Forest Baptist Church. The worship service began with an outstanding piano prelude by Sonya Hosick (one of our faithful Doorkeepers). It was stirring and prepare hearts to worship and to be ready to listen to God speak out of His Word. Our pastor, Tyler Scarlett, brought a masterful message from Philippians 3 reminding us that we are citizens of heaven and should live in that light. Certainly, we all left thinking of what his points meant in our lives. We need to be reminded that it is easy to settle down in this world and forget what is important. Sue and I were blessed and humbled.

Sue, along with some ladies from our church, has been engaged in a Friday night-Saturday retreat at a camp at Goshen, Virginia. My prayer has been that this will be a time of renewal, as well as a time of fellowship. There are many godly women in Forest Baptist Church. I have worked in the yard finishing raking some leaves. We have a few trees that hold their leaves until it is time for new ones. The spring flowers are beautiful, but most have not yet opened up. The grass, thanks to some good rains, is really green and growing. Since new carpet will soon be installed in the office area, I have been busy boxing up books in my study (a room separate from the office). It is a job since we need to move as many things out as possible. My "dread" is my library, which has hundreds of books that must be boxed and moved to storage so the bookcases can be removed for the carpet. The amazing thing is the strength that the Lord has given to me. Although there are days that I feel seventy-two, they are rare. God has certainly been good to me. I am going to enjoy fully A WEEKEND AT HOME!

The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible--that has long been my belief. Let the Word explain the Word. An example of the Holy Spirit's validation of this belief is in James 5:16b: mighty praying makes a difference is the thought. Immediately, the Old Testament's Elijah is cited as the example. He prayed there be no rain and there was no rain for three and one-half years; then he prayed and the rain came. He stood against 450 false prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel with prayer as his only weapon. God answered and took care of the problem. Prior to 1977, I struggled each week to get messages to preach to my congregation. Once I got in the Word of God for my food, having something to say has never been a problem. Rather, the problem is having time to say what is on my heart. I encourage every believe to spend time in the Word daily. Remember, then, let the Word explain the Word.

During the early moments of a prayer seminar (anywhere in the world) I mention that everyone present will be making decisions regarding his/her spiritual life. After over 1,320 seminars that has never varied. Why is this true? The prayer seminar is based on the Word of God. There are hundreds upon hundreds of scriptures used in a seminar. When the Word of God is presented, the Holy Spirit begins to work to bring this Word alive. It is at that moment a participant sees his/her life as God sees it. Then, the decision is made to either say "yes" or "no" to the Spirit's leading. Many decide to follow Jesus to Bethlehem (the place of humility), to Galilee (the place of service), to Gethsemane (the place of prayer), or to Calvary (the place of sacrifice). It is true, also, that decisions determine destiny.

Yesterday I talked about the Spanish DVD. The prayer seminar is available on an English DVD, also. The English DVD takes the place of the video edition (which used the 79-page prayer seminar workbook). I believe that any individual or group can experience the prayer seminar at a meaningful level. Yesterday, I listened to one of the twelve thirty-minute sessions. Both the English DVD and a copy of the thirty-page prayer seminar workbook (which we use in English seminars around the world) are available from our office.

The last of the nine prayer seminars in Venezuela was taped by a team of cameramen from the Discovery Channel and will soon be available for individual or group study in the Spanish community. We were able to leave a supply of Spanish prayer seminar workbooks at the Jerusalem Church in Merida that will be available for those who wish to study with me using the DVD. We had heard of interest in the taping prior to the beginning of the seminars. However, it looked like it would not happen due to financial constraints. Some businessmen in the Jerusalem church agreed to provide the finances. My advice to Adam Nathanson, the coordinator, was to say nothing; pray. God moved and we have the Spanish prayer seminar on DVD. God is good.