Children’s Prayers

Sunday night, I’m preaching from a passage where prayer is a major theme. I came across this a few years ago. Enjoy:

Children’s Prayers

•                Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much. - Debie, 7

•                Dear God: Who did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know. - Jimmy, 6

•                Dear God: How many angels are there in heaven? I would like to be the first kid in my class to know the answer. - Norma, 8

•                Dear God: This is my prayer. Could you please give my brother some brains. So far he doesn’t have any. - Angela, 8

•                Dear Lord: Thank you for the nice day today. You even fooled the TV weather man. - Hank, 7

•                Dear God: Please bring me a new brother. The one I got socks me all the time. - Agnes, 6

•                Dear God: Please help me is school. I need help in spelling, adding, history, geography and writing. I don’t need help in anything else. - Lois, 9

•                Dear God: Do you have any helpers in Heaven? I would like to be one of Your helpers in Heaven when I have summer vacation. - Natalie, 7

•                Dear Lord: Tomorrow is my birthday. Could you please put a rainbow in the sky? - Susan, 9

•                Dear God: I need a raise in my allowance. Could you have one of your angels tell my father. Thank you. David, 7

•                Dear God: I am saying my prayers for me and my brother, Billy, because Billy is six months old and he can’t do anything but sleep and wet his diapers. Diane, 8

The Tavern Owner Who Believed in Prayer

            What follows is a legend related by J. K. Johnston in his book, WHY CHRISTIANS SIN. Knowing human nature, I could easily see this happening:

            A tale is told about a small town that had historically been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a tavern. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene.

            It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground. The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible.

            The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated that "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not."

Source: J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 129.

Only God Knows

            The story is told of a professor who was offering his class an examination before Christmas break. On one exam, he received this answer, “God only knows the answer to this question. Merry Christmas.”

            The professor returned the paper with the following notation, “God get’s an A; you get an F. Happy New Year.”

            This story reminds me of how often we excuse our shortcomings and mistakes by blaming them on “God’s will.” Maybe it was not God’s will, maybe it was just that I did not study.

Catch the Ball

            I always had the deepest admiration for Johnny Unitas—one of the greatest quarterbacks who ever lived. Another Hall-of-Fame quarterback, Dan Fouts, backed up Johnny Unitas’ during Fouts’ rookie season. Reflecting on that season, Fouts says:

            “I had the honor of playing with Johnny Unitas my rookie season. For some reason, he liked me. Just watching him was invaluable. Even playing catch with Unitas at practice was a learning experience.

            "The very first ball he threw to me in warmups was a fastball that nearly broke my hands. Johnny told me, 'Always aim for the receiver's nose when throwing a pass.' I asked, 'Why's that?' He said, 'Because if they don't catch it, it'll break their nose. That will make them better receivers.' I learned all of these great little things from him that year.

            The great ones insist that those surrounding them be held accountable!

Source: Peter King SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ONLINE 090511

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/09/05/laborday/index.html#ixzz1XBGESdFx

Labor!

            In honor of Labor Day, I wanted to share a quote from James Michaels that is as good as a story:

            “When you are my age you don’t have to ask: Are Americans really materially better off than they were in recent past?  Those of us born in the 1920s and with vivid memories of the Depression simply know how much better things are today . . . If he was fortunate enough to have central heating (less than on third of the population did in 1920), the middle class Dad had to pull himself from bed at 4:00 A.M. on cold winter mornings to unbank the furnace and shovel coal; if he overslept, the pipes froze.  But he usually didn’t have to rake leaves or shovel snow.  Not in the 1930s.  That was done by shabby, humble men who knocked at the back door in the mornings asking for a warm meal in return for doing chores.”

            Michaels goes on to remind us that seventy-five years ago the typical workweek was at least sixty hours, but women worked a lot more than that in the home.  The leisure industry didn’t exist because no one had leisure.  For half of the population, the family toilet was in the backyard.  Life expectancy was about fifty-four years. 

            Happy Labor Day!

Source: HUSTLING GOD by M. Craig Barnes, p. 90

Lady Astor

            Lady Astor was an American expatriate who married a Brit and served in Parliament. She was known for her wit. A famous quote from her is this, “The penalty of success is to be bored by the people who used to snub you.”

            My personal favorite is when she was alleged to have answered Winston Churchill. Churchill was soliciting opinions concerning what disguise he should wear to a masquerade ball, “Why don’t you come sober, Prime Minister?”

            Remarks like these might have provoked Churchill to supposedly issue one of his most famous remarks:

            Lady Astor to Churchill, “If you were my husband, I'd poison your tea." 

            Winston Churchill to Lady Astor, “Madam, if you were my wife, I'd drink it!"

Feathers

           Here is a good story illustrating the danger of envy. It comes from MOODY’S ANECDOTES:

            There is a fable of an eagle which could outfly another, and the other

didn't like it. The latter saw a hunter one day, and said to him: "I wish you would bring down that eagle."

            The sportsman replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into his arrow. So the eagle pulled one out of his wing. The arrow was shot, but it didn't quite reach the rival eagle; it was flying too high.

            The envious eagle pulled out more feathers, and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn't fly, and then the sportsman turned around and killed him.

            When we envy, we most hurt ourselves.

“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot” (Prov. 14:30.)