The Formula for Success: Faith, Prayer and Courageous Action

We'll be turning our Bibles in just a few minutes to Nehemiah. I'm going to read. I'm not going to have Nehemiah up here on the screen. So, you might want to find that. We're also going to be in Esther chapter four and James chapter five but I will have them on the screen as well.

First place, we'll be going is James chapter five this morning. So, Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. Now, that's not James chapter five but that was our main text for the sermon last week. Sermon I entitled Baptist Believe in Prayer. At least they should.

A matter of fact, every Christian should believe in prayer. Not just in the practice or the ritual but in the power of prayer. God doesn't give us the privilege to pray to him just so we can go through the motions. Just so we can feel good. About our piousness.

Is that a word? No, piety. That's the word. Now, God gives us the opportunity of prayer. Because he wants us to talk to him.

Because he wants us to bring our request. Before him. Because he wants us to depend on him because he wants to show himself mighty in our lives because he does answer prayer. What is prayer we talked about last week? Well, prayer is talking to God.

That's what it is. It's not just a ritual that we go through. It is actually talking to God. We can do that anytime. We can do that with our eyes open, our eyes closed.

We can do that on our knees or not on our knees, in our seat, in our closet, in our church, we can pray to God anywhere at any time. We can talk to him. That's what prayer is. It is bringing our request before him. That's what prayer is.

He said, with thanksgiving, let your request be made what? Known unto God. He says, ask and it shall be given unto you. Seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened un you. Prayer is worship We're talking with who?

With the king of kings and Lord of lords, with the God of heaven. He is our father. He is also our Lord. So, prayer should be done reverently. We need not forget who we are praying to and to give him glory, to praise his name, and to thank him for what he has done.

Does God hear our prayers? Oh, yes, he does. He says, I will answer thee. He says, anything we'll ask and he name his name. According to his will, that will he do.

That the father may be glorified. In the son. He says that we should pray in faith. For he that doubts, wavereth is like a wave of a sea driven with the wind and toss. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

If we go to the Lord in prayer but we don't believe God can do it. Person sitting beside you might not know that but the God to whom you speak does. So, don't doubt. Believe. Believe.

This that. To We're God says here in in James five, We're confess your faults one to another and pray for one another. That you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. That word availeth means accomplish it much.

It accomplishes much. I don't know what keeps doing that. Is that me? Is that my computer? I'm not sure what's making that noise.

It's my computer, okay? Why don't you turn it down until later? Alright, thanks. I'm trying some of my computer later in the service but it's giving troubles. We'll see if it works.

Prayer does change things. The sincere prayer of a child of God. Who prays with a humble heart. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish incredible things. Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.

Prayer does change things. We're going to look at that further this morning. Titled my message Formula for Success. Prayer, faith, and courageous action or faith, prayer, and I think I had it one way and one one the other. Faith, prayer, and courageous action.

These three, these three things, among others go hand in hand often throughout scripture. Faith, prayer, and courageous action. Someone said, God helps those who helps, who help what? Themselves. Does God help those who help themselves?

Yes or no? Or maybe the answer is yes and no. You see, there's nothing you can do to earn your salvation. There's nothing you can do to merit your salvation. Salvation is a gift of God.

Given by his grace through faith in his son, Jesus Christ. You cannot help yourself to heaven. Only God can do that for you through what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross. It is his gift to you by his grace, his power, his graciousness, to undeserving sinners. However, when it comes to living a life of faith, If we really believe something, if we got bully believe that God can do something, if we believe that God will do something through us, then we better get ready when we pray to do the thing that God might ask of us to do.

To believe that he is able to do it in us. And to step out in faith. And that's what we'll see this morning. We're going to start with the story of Esther. This morning.

Esther, but before we go there, let's go to the Lord once more in prayer. Lord, we thank you today for your word. We thank you Lord for the privilege of looking into it. Pray that you would forgive us our sins. Forgive us of our doubts.

Forgive us of our lack of time in prayer. Lack of faith in you, Lord, that you are able, unwillingness, Lord, to believe that you are able, and to take a stand, and to take a step of faith, to trust you, to go forth, knowing that you hear and answer our prayers, and you can do great and mighty things. Lord, I pray that you would help us to grow in our faith today. I pray Lord that you would help us to see that trusting you means taking that step of faith. And seeing you do seemingly impossible things.

Through your children. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. We're going to start with the story of Esther. We find the story of Esther.

Guess where? In the book of Esther, okay? In the book of Esther in the Old Testament, we find the story about this young lady, this teenage girl, most likely. She is chosen to be the replacement to the queen of Persia. The king of Persia, King Ahasuerus, got out of sorts with his queen, Vashti.

And he sent her packing and he decided that he was going to get a new queen and so he essentially held himself a a pageant of sorts and he had all these young ladies brought in and he was going to pick one of them to become his new queen. Esther was one of the young ladies that was chosen and eventually, she was actually chosen to be the new queen of Persia. Well, while she was queen, a plan was hatched by the king's adviser. Anybody remember his name? Haman.

Haman was an Agagite. It tells us. Now, interesting term, you may not have heard of the Agagites but it references back to the Amalekites and the king of the Amalekites was called Agag and Saul was to go destroy all of the Amalekites. He didn't quite finish the job. Haman, it would seem is one of the last descendants of this line of people and as it as as it comes to be in our story, Mordecai, a Jew, a cousin or uncle of Esther's, who worked in the palace would not bow before Haman and Haman got angry at him and Haman got angry so angry at Mordecai that he decided he was going to destroy all of Mordecai's people.

All the Jews in the realm of Persia. And so he hatched a plan. And he got the king involved unknowing, not knowing that his queen herself was a Hebrew. As the day of the Hebrews demise drew near, Esther was approached by Mordecai and asked to seek audience with the king to attempt to avert acre. A law was passed and on a certain day, all the peoples of Persia were giving free license to attack any Jews in their realm and kill them.

And Mordecai and the Jews were desperate and Mordecai sent word to Esther saying, please seek an audience with the king. And Esther said, well, if I do that, I will likely be killed. You see, you weren't permitted to just come into the presence of the king. Even the queen had to be summoned to appear before the king. And unless the king showed mercy and leniency, the person who took it upon themselves to approach the king would be executed.

So, that's the situation that Esther finds herself in. Her people are about to be slaughtered. And she is the only one who has the opportunity to speak to the king about it and so Mordecai comes here in his passage in Esther chapter four. It says then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan.

Shushan or Susa is the capital city of Persia. And fast you for me. Now, fasting in the Old Testament among the Jews always included what? Prayer. To ask for them to fast was to also ask for them to pray.

Fasting was just a form of praying in which one for the sake of earnestness before God. Put off other things. To spend in prayer. And so she asked them to fast and pray. Either eat nor drink for three days, neither day.

I also, my maidens, will fast likewise and so will I go in unto the king which is not according to the law and if I perish, I perish. So, Esther makes a decision. What does she do? Well, she puts her faith in who? She puts her faith in God.

Now, God's name is actually never mentioned in the book of Esther. It's the only book in scripture in which God's name is not mentioned. However, you can see God's hand at work. All throughout the book of Esther. In her appointment as queen.

In her decision to go before the king and in what happens afterwards. She asked them to pray in faith that God will hear and answer the prayers of her people and then, what does she do? Well, she follows through what she said right here. She goes before the king. She goes before the king She risks her life to save the lives of her her people She puts her faith into what?

Into action. She takes courageous action. She comes before the king and guess what happens? God always comes through. Now, God doesn't always come through the way we expect.

God doesn't always do what we want, when we want but God always comes through for us. God knows what is best. In this particular case, God answered her prayers and the king held out his scepter. What did that mean? That means, she was sown clemency.

And through a series of actions taken by Esther and the providence of God, Israel was saved. Haman was hanged and many of Israel's enemies were slain. Esther displayed faith Esther prayed and then Esther took courageous action. But this isn't the only place in scripture. We see a story like this.

Turn if you would. If you're in Esther, just a few pages over to Nehemiah, okay? Ezra, about few pages back rather to Nehemiah. Nehemiah chapter one. Now, I referenced this in my sermon last week.

We're gonna look at it from a little different perspective. Not only do we have the story of Esther but around the same period of time as Esther, we have another story about a man named Nehemiah. Who was Nehemiah? Well, he was a Jewish, another Hebrew captive, taken captive by the Babylonians who were then conquered by Persia. He also resides in Susa or Shushan.

He is the king's cup bearer. A privileged position, still a servant, and probably a somewhat risky position because the king's cup bearer was probably also the king's food taster. If somebody decided to poison his food, the food taster would die before the king got the food. But still a very privileged position. But nonetheless, a servant's position.

Nehemiah in chapter one receives word that Jerusalem is in shambles. The walls are torn down. The people are in desperate condition. And he is burdened to do something about it. You know, this is a little bit of a side note.

There's a lot of things happening in our world today that aren't good. There may be things happening in your life that aren't good. May have neighbors, relatives, friends that are suffering, that are even in danger, physically or spiritually. Are you burdened? You know, sometimes I think we get so used to the bad news because we hear it all the time.

That we have little emotional response anymore and we have little heart response. We're just don't seem to care. We become callous. You know, while we sit here this morning, there are Christians and many other countries who are in jail for what they believe. There are Christians whose children have been taken and sold as sex slaves.

There are Christians who are being beaten and even beheaded for the cause of Christ. Are we ever burdened? While we sit here today in the course of this service, during just this brief time period, hundreds of people across this world will die. They will go out into eternity. Some of them we will not, most of them we will never know and never meet.

But some of them maybe our neighbor or our relative or our coworker. Are we burdened? For every person on this Earth that lives and someday dies is appointed on the man wants to die but after this the what? Judge. The judge They will either spend eternity in heaven or eternity in the lake of fire.

It is a reality. Are we burdened? Are we burdened for those around us? Who have other needs? Are we sensitive?

You know, Nehemiah wasn't one of those that said, well, somebody else will do it. Her children all around this church and this community and their parents that need Christ. Why are we halting Wednesday night adult Bible study to to try to start a children's ministry? Because children need the Lord and so do their parents and if you've noticed, they're not flooding inside those doors. We've gotta find a way to go out and reach them and bring them in and this is one among several ways we can do that.

Are you burdened for those around you that are lost? Enough to pray or take part in children's ministry or some other ministry to reach out to them? With the gospel? Nehemiah was burdened. As we should be.

Don't ever say somebody else will take care of it. Somebody else will do it because it maybe that you're the only person in that person's life. Who will ever hand them a track? Who will ever invite them to church? Who will ever praise God?

Or tell them about Jesus Christ and what he's done. It's up to you. Nehemiah was burdened. He saw this as something that was up to him and so what do you think Nehemiah did? He prayed.

Verse four, it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourn certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Now, you shouldn't fast just for the sake of fasting because you do it every Friday or you do it a certain time of the year. We as baptist don't take part in most of those rituals. Unfortunately, we also tend to get so caught up in the world that we don't really take a lot of time to pray earnestly either. And again, fasting is about praying.

Being willing to give up something of your time and needs in order to spend with God because someone or something is just that important. To you and to me. The Pharisees and others came to Jesus said, why don't your disciples fast? Well, Jesus said, do the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is is here? No, they celebrate.

Now is the time to celebrate but Jesus said, the bridegroom is going go back to heaven and then, it will be time for what? For fasting and prayer. Maybe we ought to consider that should be at least at times apart. Of our practice as well. Nehemiah was so moved and burdened.

He wept. He mourned. He fasted and he prayed. We won't read the prayer again this morning. We read it last week but we will look at the conclusion of it in verse 11.

He says, oh Lord, I beseech you, let thou thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name and prosper. I pray thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man for I was the king's cup bearer. He prayed to the Lord and said, Lord, grant me mercy. In the eyes of the king. Why?

Because he felt so burdened that he wanted to do something about it and who was his employer? Who was his master? King. In order to get permission, he had to talk to the king and the king was not likely to ask him. He was going to have to come out and make request and what's that likely to have resulted in?

Same thing as Esther's situation. Very very serious. So, beginning in chapter two, look in chapter two verse one. Let's see what he does. He prays in faith and now, we see what follows came to pass in the month Nisan and the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, the king, that wine was before him and I took up the wine and gave it unto the king.

Now, I had not been before time sad in his presence. Wherefore, the king said unto me, why is thine countenance sad seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart, then I was very sore afraid. Yeah, it was it was not good to be sad in the presence of the king. You were supposed to conduct yourself in such a way to make it seem that you were always happy to be in his service.

Different day and age than what we live in or what we've certainly experienced here. And he was sore afraid, very afraid when the king caught on that something was up. Verse three, and said unto the king, let the king live forever. Why should not my countenance be sad when the city, the place of my father's sepulchres lieth waste and the gates thereof are burned with fire. So, Nehemiah comes out and he says it.

Why? How can I be happy when I've just gotten news? That this has happened to my people and to my home. Verse four, then the king said unto me, for what does thou make request? Now, this was astonishing in itself.

The king noticed that he was sad and when he expresses why he's sad rather than rebuking him, the king says, What is it you need? To his servant. Now, that may make sense to us but that did not make sense in their time and in their society. Kings just didn't do that. Everybody lived to serve who?

The king, not the other way around. And so, astonishing enough, the king says, watch your request and what's the next few words? In verse four, so I prayed to the God of heaven. Did he get down on his knees? I don't think I didn't say that he does.

He probably didn't. Did he go through some long drawn out elaborate prayer? No. I think his prayer lasted about as long as that phrase did. So, I prayed to the God of heaven.

In his heart, he said, oh Lord, help me. And then he opened his mouth again. He opened his mouth in verse five and said unto the king, if it pleased the king and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight that thou wouldest send me unto Judah into the city of my father's sepulchres that I may build it and the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him, for how long shall thy journey be? And when wilt thou return? So, it pleased the king to send me and I set him a time.

Moreover, I said on, I said unto the king, say, he said, I've I've already gone this far. I might as well just go for the whole thing. If it pleased the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river that they may convey me over till I come to Judah and a letter unto Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertain to the house and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall enter into and the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon him. In other words, not only did the king not kill him, not only did the king not dismiss him, but the king granted his wish and then, he went further. He not only gave him permission, he gave him supplies and he gave him papers.

So that he could pass through the realm without being harmed. And who does who does Nehemiah give the glory to? God. He gives the glory to God for the hand of God was upon the heart of the king. And it was.

God answered Nehemiah's what? Prayer. Prayer of faith. He believed, he prayed, and he took courageous action. Was he unafraid?

No. Says right here, he said, and I was very sore afraid. There are things in life that God asked us to do which are scary The idea of ever getting up in front of people and preaching was extremely scary to me. What God asked us to do, he enables us to do if we're willing to what? We're willing to take action.

If we're willing to trust him and step out in faith. Then we will see great and mighty things which we never would have imagined. Let's look at one more. Daniel, we're going to be in Daniel six in just a moment. Daniel six in just a moment Does Daniel have anything in common with Esther and Nehemiah?

Well, he too happened to be a captive, a captive Jew. He was a first generation captive Jew. Nehemiah and Esther may have been second generation. Taken captive by Babylon as a teenager, taken to their palace, his family probably killed, and made servants in the house of the king, Nebuchadnezzar. And he was asked to eat food that was not permitted by Jewish Hebrew law, by the law of Moses.

And it says in Daniel one eight, Daniel what? Anybody know that verse? Daniel purposed in his heart to not defile himself with the king's meat. He purposed in his heart, I'm not going to do that which is clearly contrary to the will of God. I won't do it.

And so prayerfully though it doesn't mention prayer there but I'm sure prayer was involved and in faith, Daniel went to the to the man placed over him, the servant of the king and asked and requested as Nehemiah did of the king. As Esther did of the king. Requested. They be given a test for ten days to see who would be healthier, those who didn't eat the king's meat or those who did. The supervisor agreed.

And those who did not eat of the king's meat but lived on water and vegetables and such were actually healthier after ten days than those who had the wine and steak or whatever it was. Or pork probably. And so so he didn't have to eat the king's meat. In chapter two, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and he goes to his wise men. He says, tell me the interpretation of the dream.

They say, well, tell us the dream and he says, no. I'm not going to tell you the dream. He said, you tell me the dream and the interpretation and then, I'll hear. I don't know. It it seems to indicate in the passage that maybe he forgot the dream or maybe he was testing them to see if they could actually tell him the dream.

Because you can just say anything about the interpretation. Well, they couldn't. As you know what Nebuchadnezzar did? He commanded all the wise men of Babylon be what? Be killed.

That's the kind of power these men have. When Daniel and his friends found out they asked permission of the king to give them a little time to beseech who? God. For the answer. And that they did.

And in faith, they prayed to God and God gave them the answer and God saved their lives and the lives of others. In Daniel chapter three, we have the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. They put their faith and prayers in action when they refused to bow before the image that Nebuchadnezzar set up. And they said unto Nebuchadnezzar, our God who is able to deliver us will or will not. We don't know.

But either way, we're not going to disobey him. And of course, God did. They took courageous action. In Daniel chapter six, Daniel's enemies, his jealous rivals had made a plot and a plan to get rid of him. And they figured out the only way they could get rid of Daniel was to get rid of him in respect to his God because it was only his God's his God who we was foremost loyal and faithful to.

And so they came to the king and they said, king, oh you're a wonderful king. Oh, you're a great king. Oh, you're a powerful king. Make it law that only people are allowed to pray to you for thirty days. Because you're a god and the king was flattered.

She said, okay, make it law. He didn't think about his most trusted adviser who only worshiped the true and living God and so, Daniel, once he knew the law was passed, what did he do? Well, Daniel chapter six verse 10. Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did a four time. In this particular case, faith, prayer, and courageous action are all rolled up in the same action.

When he knew the law was signed, when he knew what the consequences were, he went back to his home like he did every day. He got on his knees and he poured out his heart before God. His prayer in itself was courageous action in this particular case because he knew. But it didn't stop him from praying. You see, he had two choices to make.

Daniel could either say, well, God won't mind. If I don't pray for him for thirty days. I mean, that's no big deal. He'll understand. I think there's plenty of Christians under that circumstance that might make that decision today.

Wouldn't be the right one. Be the convenient one In that way, David, Daniel would have spared his life. He just wouldn't pray to God for thirty days That's not the one he chose. He chose a better way. He chose to trust in who?

God. He chose to trust in God. To save him, to take care of him, to be with him. Regardless of what happened. So, he went and got on his knees and he prayed.

To his Lord and he was caught and he was taken and he was thrown in the lion's den. For having broken the law. Even though the king tried to save him, he couldn't change the law once it had been signed. But who could save him? God.

God saved him. In each case, in Esther's and Nehemiah's and Daniel's, you see this formula. Faith, prayer, and courageous action. In these three particular cases, the story ends up quite well from our perspective. As it tells us in Hebrews 11, it doesn't always end up that way.

Some were saved from fire, others were not. But the best thing that can happen to us is to be ushered into the presence of who? So, either way as a Christian, you can't what? You can't lose. Victory is ours in Jesus Christ.

God knows what he's doing. We need to learn to trust him. We need to learn to have faith in him. We need to learn to get down on our knees. And fast and pray to him.

To seek his face. To display and demonstrate our faith and dependence upon God and he will show us great and mighty things. Which we know not. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not into thine own understanding.

In all thy ways, acknowledge him and he shall what? Direct your path. If Daniel had leaned on his own understanding, he just said to himself, well, I'm a captive. I don't have a choice. I'll eat the king's meat.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have said, hey, all I have to do is what? All I gotta do is do this. What does that mean? Means something to God Means something for his testimony They had lean on their own understanding. They'd abound Many of us might have to.

Daniel would have prayed at a different time or he wouldn't have prayed at all. Just just thirty days. But in each case, these people, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, his friends, others throughout scripture. They chose to put their faith and trust in God. They now, the brethren lean on their own understanding.

They did what was right in the eyes of God. And God answered their prayers. When times get get tough, remember who is in your corner and waiting to hear from you. Call unto me. I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things.

Ask and it shall be given unto you. Child of God, God is in your corner. Believe in him. Believe in him. Trust in him.

Throw yourself upon his mercy. It won't fail you. Trust in him with all your heart and then step out in faith Stare down that giant Walk up to those walls those enemies your fear and doubt Paul told Timothy, God has not given us the spirit of what? Fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. How can you have that?

When you're facing tremendous enemies in life. Whether they are your your flesh and sin or whether it be a physical enemy who wants to do you harm. How do you deal with that? You trust God and you step out in faith without fear or at least you don't allow fear to what? You don't allow fear to stop you.

Nehemiah feared but he didn't allow the fear to stop him. For his faith in God was stronger than his fear of man. Turn if you would to James. James chapter five in closing this morning. James five We just read from there a moment ago but I want to read the context in which we find the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

We're going to read verses 14 down through verse 18 this morning. James writes Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. The assumption here I believe in the passage is this is an illness that is brought about by the chastening hand of God. The person will repent and seek the Lord's help.

In prayer, that the Lord is willing to hear and forgive and heal. He goes on, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions. That that's Elijah by the way.

Was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months and he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit. Elijah was just like just like us. He was even a sinner like us but yet when he prayed, God what? God heard it. He stopped the rain and he started it again.

Both an answer. To the prayers of Elijah. Trust the Lord. You will see the walls come down, the giants fall, Illness healed, enemies conquered, doubts and fears fly away. You will see the rains come.

I'm going to try this. It's a video clip from a movie called Facing the Giants. It's a Sherwood Forest film. The guy on the left is a football coach whose team is not doing very well and his job is in jeopardy. The guy on the right is a preacher who was praying for the students in the hallway and he began talking to the coach and he gives them this illustration.

I thought it might be a little more powerful and understand if I let them do it here. You got the sound back there? Alright. Work here. Grant, I heard a story about two farmers who desperately needed rain and both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his fields to receive it.

Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain? Well, the one who prepared his fields for it. Which one are you? God will send the rain when he's ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.

Do you get the point? And it goes right along with the message here this morning. We want to see our church grow. Souls saved. So, we're trying something.

We're praying. We're preparing a children's ministry. We don't have kids in our church. About three, maybe four. But you know something?

God can send the rain. We have to pray and prepare to receive it. We're having revival services in a couple months. God can send the rain. We can see souls saved.

We can see our church revive. Not only in number but in spirit. We can see something good start but we need to what? We need to pray. Have faith.

And prepare for rain. Maybe there's other things in your life. You know that you ought to be doing or things you know you shouldn't. And you think I just can't do it. You can.

It can change. It can happen. For with God, all things are what? Possible. But you need to prepare.

For rain. That means putting your faith and trust in the Lord. That means getting on your knees and praying but that also means preparing whatever needs to be prepared to be ready when it comes. It means taking courageous action and stepping out of faith and giving God the chance to do what you're asking him to do. Will you do that?

In your own life, will you do that? For the children's ministry, will you do that? For revival, will you go out and invite people? Will you pray? Will you be a part?

Will you put your trust in God that he is able. He is able to do this and he is able to use you. I plead with you this morning Be ready to be used of God Trust him and tell him about it in prayer. Lord, we thank you for the opportunity Lord to look into your word to see these examples this morning. I pray Lord that we would be burdened For the needs that you have placed on our heart.

We might not push them aside but we might ask you Lord, what can we do? Here am I, Lord. Send me. Lord, I pray that we would have faith to trust you that you are able and I pray that you would bring the increase. Forgive us of our doubts, of giving in to our fears, and Lord give you a chance.

Lord, I pray that if there's anyone here today that doesn't know Christ as savior, that they would give you the chance, Lord, to come into their life and save their soul and change their life. Lord, I pray that they would respond in faith this morning that they will come as we give this hymn of invitation that we can show them how they can be saved and know it and know you and I pray Lord for us who know you as Christians Lord that if you've spoken to us that we'll deal with you. We'll deal with you here today. Lord, up here in our pew or as we go back to our places, we would not put it off. Put it out of our mind.

Lord, we might begin now to trust you more. To spend more time in prayer than to take courageous action. In Jesus name, amen.