Pray Boldly

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

It was 1934. Men gathered in Frank's cow pasture to pray. They had prayed in several locations around the city but this day Frank had offered his place of business - a dairy farm. 

The men gathered each time to pray for revival. This time there was a more specific, more bold request. Vernon one of the men made a request that they pray boldly for God to raise up a man from their city to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. That man was Vernon Patterson. That dairy farm belonged to William Franklin Graham. That city was Charlotte, NC. 

In the coming months, Dr. Mordecai Ham was invited to speak in an evangelistic meeting. Frank's son Billy had no intentions of attending the meetings but there was a rumor of teens stirring up trouble at the meeting. Billy thought he would go see the show. Six days before his sixteenth birthday Billy received Christ. He still didn't know he was going to be used in answer to those prayers but he did know his life was changed - for the better. The call to evangelism came later while he was in college. 

We still have great men called by God to do great work but our nation is crumbling around us from moral decay. There is little commitment to marriage and family. The murder of our unborn children is rampant. 

In the days of King Saul Israel found itself in trouble from lack of Godly leadership. God told Samuel to go anoint a new king that He would show him. 
Samuel was afraid to go because of Saul. God showed him a plan. He was to go make a sacrifice, to worship. Samuel obeyed. When he saw the sons of Jesse he thought he knew who God wanted but God's answer was no. 

Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:7.

Samuel asked Jesse if he had more sons. Jesse sent for David from the pasture where he was tending sheep. 

Have we prayed boldly for spiritual leadership? Let us pray we don't look on the outside but wait on the Lord for answers for a spiritual leader He chooses.

Hey Kids:

Billy Graham's parents prepared their children to serve the Lord.
Can you guess how? 

Every night the Graham family prayed and read their Bible together. 
Though Billy Graham did not receive Christ until he was almost sixteen, his parents laid the groundwork for a Godly man. 

How can you encourage your family to prepare each other for God's work? 
Here's a start: Pray boldly. Keep a journal of your prayers and God's answers. 
Be aware that YOU are the future leaders. 
Prepare to be spiritual leaders chosen of God. 

Praying Boldly,

 Gail