“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
In the book, Surprise Endings, we see another proof that God can answer our prayers in unusual ways. It all began when Roger Simms left the military and, to save some money, took his heavy duffel bag and began hitchhiking home. When a large, expensive car approached, though Roger waved his thumb in the direction he wanted to go, he thought, “Not a ghost of a chance with that car!”
To his surprise, though, the car quietly glided to a stop, and a distinguished older man with gray hair and a bronzed tan, invited him to get in.
The businessman was going near Roger’s home and agreed to drop him off. As they chatted about Roger’s service time and world events, Roger felt a strong compulsion to talk to his friend and benefactor about the Lord. But he kept thinking of reasons why not to talk to his host. “Religion is a private matter,” he thought, but, nonetheless, as he got closer to his destination, he realized, “It’s now or never.”
“Mr. Hanover,” began Roger, “I would like to talk to you about something very important.” He then gave Hanover the simple plan of salvation, telling him how he could be born again, right then. To his surprise, Hanover pulled the car to the side of the road and began to sob. He prayed with Roger, and as they drove on, Hanover said, “This is the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”
When Mr. Hanover dropped Roger off, he gave him his business card which Roger kept, thinking that someday he would stop by and visit his newly found brother in Christ. Meanwhile, five years went by. Roger Simms married, had a child, and got into business. “One day, while packing for a business trip to Chicago, he came across a small, gold-embossed business card which Mr. Hanover had given him years earlier.”
Roger tucked it into his brief case and decided to visit the man he had led to the Lord five years before. When he looked up the address of Hanover Enterprises, somewhat to his surprise, he found the offices housed in an expensive high-rise building. When he presented the card and explained he was an old friend, the receptionist said that he could not see Mr. Hanover, but he could see Mrs. Hanover. Somewhat disappointed, Roger was escorted into a beautiful office where a woman in her 50s was seated at a huge oak desk.
“You knew my husband?” she said. Roger explained how her husband had given him a ride. “Can you tell me what date that was?” “Sure,” said Roger. “It was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army.” “Did anything special happen on your ride, anything unusual?” she asked. Roger hesitated, and then told her the whole story. Then she burst into tears. Moments after Hanover had dropped Roger off, he was killed in a head-on collision. Roger was the last person who had ever talked to him alive. For years she had prayed for his salvation, but only then–five years later–did she learn that God had indeed answered her fervent prayers.
This Month I will preach a series of Sermons, Praying thru the Pandemic & Beyond! Is your prayer life sluggish? Do you have set times when you pray? Could your prayer life need a reset? Today we need to answer the question: “Why is our Prayer Life Sluggish?” This morning we will look at Mark look at Mark 14:37-38. “Can you not pray for an hour?” I think many times our Prayer Life lacks: Purpose; Passion; Power and Planning. We must “Watch and Pray for an Hour.”
Observance of the Lord’s Supper this Morning.
Prophecy 101 Update. (Friday @ 10:00 a.m. online & onsite)
This past Friday at our Bible Study we were interrupted and did not have time for discussion and question. Good News: Pastor Mario has given us a large classroom. We could have 30 in that room. No Interruptions: Good News: We have a new plan with Zoom, and we can go past the one hour. Good News: We will have more time for questions and discussion. If the link did not work on your email, we will try to get you someone to call for immediate assistance. As I have told you in the past, this new online & onsite class is a work in progress. We will eventually get it all down.
Starting Churches during the Pandemic!
The Dallas County Cowboy Church & Country Fellowship @ the Highlands in Dallas sponsored Country Fellowship Church in Bryan/College Station.
The Country Fellowship Church in Bryan/College Station is now sponsoring the East Texas Country Church in Canton! The Dallas County Cowboy Church also recently started another new church start! They are sponsoring the 3-C Country Church of Kaufman County! Churches start Churches!
Thanks, Texas Baptists, for partnering with all the above churches! The Churches above will continue to support Texas Baptists to start new churches and do missions throughout the world. It is the right thing to do! It is the best thing to do! We can always do more together than we can do apart! CEH
Prayers:
Prayers for Jean Godwin and her family in the death of her brother, George. The Godwin’s are in the process of cleaning out his house and taking care of final details.
Pray for Anne Leonard’s daughter Annie Hammond. This past week Annie’s 34-year-old husband, Ethan died. Annie is mother to five children. The three youngest are 7, 5 and 3. Our church has sent 500.00 to a special fund for Annie and her family. In the days ahead we will be looking at how we can help her in the future. What a tremendous load that this young mother has on her. Please keep praying for her and the family.
Our Church has a prayer list. Get a copy on the outreach table.