We all need to remember to lift up our brothers as they prepare to speak to the body of Christ. I think the more we encourage them to speak boldly from the word of God, the more we will be eager to listen to what we have asked for. When we arrive and haven’t mentally prepared to be eager to hear the message of God satan has an opportunity to distract and even discourage us through usually selfish thoughts. What am I going to have for lunch, I wish we sang (insert your preference here) more and (what you may have just sung) less.

It’s far more difficult to criticize the messenger and message when you recognize you have prayed for God to use the messenger to present Gods word boldly to you this morning.

Lord God, this morning put his eye to the telescope of eternity and let him look upon the paper walls of time.  Lord, turpentine his imagination, put perpetual motion in his arms, fill him with the dynamite of thy power, annoint (sic) him all over with the oil of thy salvation, and set his tongue on fire.

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