If you use an iPhone and want to improve your prayer life, then this app is for you. PrayerParnter from Laridian is a nice little program and it is available in the app store now. I will update this post with a more in depth review, but just so you know that I will be giving it at least four and probably five stars in the App Store.

The basic gist of it is that it helps you keep track of your prayer requests and praise reports.  It is able to tie requests to contacts and can email encouragement and requests to others. It is simple to use and Laridian paid attention to detail with this little app.  At $1.99 it is a no brainer. I often get review copies of apps, but I just bought this one. It is already at 1.0 the best prayer app in the app store.

Sorry, but this is not a post about my offering to enter into a prayer partner relationship with you. Although I might.

What I’m talking about is a new iPhone app that I’ve had the pleasure of beta testing from Laridian, the makers of the great new, and always improving, Bible app, PocketBible.

PrayerPartner is not yet available on the iPhone but it has been submitted so it could be ready in as little as 2 weeks.  The app does what its name says. It partners with you to help you in your prayer life. The app lets you record and track prayer requests, praises, and people. It interfaces with the iPhone’s contact database so you can attach prayers to a person.  You can also make prayers repeat. The app will probably cost just $1.99 so check back and I will post when it is ready. Below are some screen shots from the Laridian Blog article about it. By the way, I often get free review copies of the apps I talk about here. But this is one I will not even be asking for a review copy of … I will be paying. Not much but it shows the real value I place in this app.

This is the home screen

This is the screen where you edit a request

Here is the category list

This is the screen where you record the request.

You can also keep a prayer journal, email prayer requests to other people or send an email to a person for whom you are praying.

Really?

God chose your team over the other guys?  Really?

That is what people who do not understand the Christian vernacular assume we mean when we say such things.

We’ve all seen this play out after the big game.  Some, fine young Tebowesque quarterback, pitcher, or point guard is interviewed by ESPN’s on the field/diamond/court reporter.  And the first thing or maybe the last out of the mouth of the Christian players is “I’d like to thank God for this win.”  And all of us Christians are impressed with his (or her) commitment to God and their outspoken witness.  But what many non-believing viewers or listeners here is this: “Thank God that he randomly chose my team because our players are better Christians than those sad sacks over on that bench.”  And often these non-believing fans will roll their eyes at the foolishness of this statement.

If that is in fact what the player means, then they are right to roll their eyes.  God does not randomly select one team over another in order to show his love for that Christian player while punishing the Christians on the other team because they are not faithful enough.

This first hit me when I was a kid.  The Milwaukee Brewers were in the World Series in 1982.  I was in Bible class at Heritage Christian School in Milwaukee.  Mr. Pereira, our teacher, asked us for prayer requests.  One of my fellow students ask him to pray that the Brewers would win against the St. Louis Cardinals that night.  Mr. Pereira asked if we really thought God would grant that request.  Many said yes.  Then he asked what about the Christians in Missouri asking for the same thing.  Why would he grant our request and not there’s?  Hmmm!  It made me think.  Then, when my Brewers lost game 7, I wondered.  Is God a Cardinals fan?  No!  God was not a Cardinals fan.  He was and is an Ozzie Smith fan and a Paul Molitor fan (Smith was their short stop and Molitor was our Third Baseman).  He is a fan of all of his creation.  He loves all of us.  So like Peyton and Eli’s parents when the Giants play the Colts, he does not choose sides.  He just wants his children to remain faithful to his teaching to love Him with all their being, and to love one another the way they want to be loved.  He just wants us to ask Him to forgive us for our sins and repent.  He wants us to live for Him.  Do those things and you are a winner.

So, when Christian athletes say, “I want to thank God for this win” I wish they would say something a little more accurate and clear.  Here is what I would say.  “I just want to thank God for life and the chance to play the game.  I want to say that I do my best to please  him just like many of the players on the other side did.  We just were able to win. But I respect and honor their commitment just like I know God does too.”  It would take longer but you just won the championship.  Are they gonna pull the mic away before they get to ask their ridiculous questions?

Someone email this link to Tim Tebow or Kurt Warner please.

Pray for Burke County is a new web site focused on praying for Burke County, NC.  The site is kicking things off by supporting the Prayer for the Cities event on November 21, 2009 at Freedom High School Stadium from 5 till 7 PM.