When we discipline ourselves to give precise requests to God, we do ourselves an unexpected favor. It is easier to identify His supply when we pray specifically. How do we know if God has “blessed Agatha?” If Agatha has a wretched temper and needs help to control it and we all pray to that end, not only will Agatha be aware of the improvement, but the group will also—especially if its members have been continually affected by her temper’s meanness.

We have come therefore to expect answers to specific prayer.

This is illustrated by the request that came from a factory foreman. He had experienced trouble with several employees, and asked for patience to work with them as a Christian should.

“Do you really mean that?” someone queried.

Yes he did.

“Well do you know what ‘worketh patience’?”

Reluctantly he answered, “Tribulation.”

Then the group decided that if we really expected God to create an attitude of patience in the foreman’s life, we might as well pray for tribulation, since that was what produced it. Four weeks later at our next meeting, Al begged us to turn off the tribulation prayers because it had been the worst time he had ever put in at the factory.

“Have you learned patience?” someone asked.

“No.”

 “Do you want to still?”

“Yes,” he sighed.

And, we continued our prayers.

The next month Al reported that God was beginning to work a miracle of attitude within his life.

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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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At one point many years ago, my wife Karen noticed that I was exaggerating my facts slightly. In conversation the numbers became a little larger, the facts a little less factual. She commented on it—sweetly. I denied it—sweetly.

From that point on I began to hear nuances such as, “There, David, you just did it again.” “See what I mean. That’s not the way it happened.” Finally the simple raising of an eyebrow convinced me her observation had been accurate.

This might seem like a little matter to some, but I have had past (and somewhat brutal) experience with fellow ministers who so stretched statements that they were no longer able to distinguish between truth and untruth. This all occurred at a time when I was undergoing distinct personal pressure. And, we analyzed it as a symptom of those difficulties—compensation for some of the insufficiencies I was being made to feel.

I shared this problem with a prayer group. Now there are not many pastors who would feel free to state that they were having difficulties with lying. But I did, basically because I anticipated the group response to be, “David feels keenly about this and we will back him in prayer and do all we can to be of help.” If I cannot, within the church, share my needs and have the people pray without gossiping about them, the sickness in the body is grave indeed.

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Pastor, when “sermon prep day” rolls around each week, do you face the task of preparing another sermon with a frown on your face? If so, you’re not alone. Many pastors literally dread preparing their Sunday sermon. There just doesn’t seem to be an easy solution. The good news: David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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Rather than creating an atmosphere conducive to the most intimate prayer requests, the large auditorium or church basement, the seating arrangement of turning our backs to one an other, the limited time because half of the precious moments have been devoted to another lecture (the third one of the week), all conspire against establishing a warm, trusting relationship. Even in churches where occasionally the practice of breaking into smaller groups is maintained, the principle of the stable situation is not perpetuated, because the same people are not in the divided groups week after week.

When I participate in seminars, I am usually asked, ‘Is it not quite risky to have such requests shared? There is always the problem of people within the church gossiping about what has been said.”

When everyone is open with one another, and nothing is hidden, there is no opportunity for gossip. Also, true Christians respond to weakness which has been openly expressed. A very thin line of distinction exists here, and it is basically the reason we ask that the requests be personal.

A comment such as, “I know that so and so are having a difficult time in their marriage. I wish that you would pray…” might bring on a mental response of “Tsk, tsk, is that so? I never would have thought that possible. Why they seem to be such a happy pair.”

But when the couple themselves in an atmosphere of openness, share the conflicts of their marital situation, ask for prayer that they might know how to improve their attitude and consequently their marriage, the response of Christians seems to be one of genuine concern. Particularly this is so when each member of the group has been honest. When you have bared your soul, you will not take lightly the corresponding act of a fellow believer. In the entire experience of the prayer cells, I cannot think of one incident when this privilege of openness has been abused.

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No matter what type of Sunday sermon you need to create, David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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“Do you preach from a manuscript?” I was asked by someone recently. This person suspected that was so, but wasn’t sure.

I responded that almost always I did. I can give a message with no notes whatsoever, but it’s not a method I prefer.

“Why is that?” he queried.

My answer is that, for me, the number-one factor in a good sermon is the content. And, I believe I have a better chance of getting across content if I initially script what I am going to say.

If something isn’t clear, I can know that before preaching by having my wife or a friend go through the manuscript and make suggestions. Once the sermon is on paper, it’s easier for me to make changes or corrections than if I had to get someone to listen to me kind of rehearse what I planned to say.

I also find that my word choices are much more precise when I script the sermon.

Then, I’m often asked to travel somewhere and speak a number of times over a few days. Having the manuscripts prepared makes it easier to quickly prepare between messages. For me, anyway, manuscripts also reduce the nervousness factor.

I know that bad reading of a prepared manuscript can be almost as bad as someone talking for 30 minutes off the top of his or her head, but that’s not how I preach. And, I thought that understanding some of the plus sides of manuscripting a sermon might make the approach attractive enough to try it a time or two.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about? Or, what will you preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon? David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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