Deism. It's a philosophy, a worldview that says God is not actually involved and active in his creation. He put it together much the way a watch maker puts together the parts of a watch, seals it up, and sends it on its way never to see it again, never to interact with it again, never to be involved in it again. There were some fairly famous deists among our nation's founding fathers.

We, however, are not like them. We believe in the doctrine of providence, God's ordering all things according to the counsel of his will, and that he is very much active in his creation.

Or do we? Prayer is the means that God has ordained for our participation in calling down his blessings on his people, in calling down his involvement in his world, of begging for the Holy Spirit to change hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh that unbelievers might come to faith in Christ. Does our prayer life match our theology? Do we pray like those who see the connection between our prayers and God's activity in this world? Or, are we functional desists, not seeing the point of prayer since God can't do anything in this closed universe anyway?

At GCC, we offer 3 corporate times for prayer each month. The first is the first Sunday morning of every month at 9:30 in the Board Room (not the Bored Room). The others are at Sunday Night Fellowship on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Let me encourage you to avail yourself of these opportunities to pray with each other for King to exercise dominion over his kingdom.