SUNDAY IN GENESIS

Today is Sunday!  Glorious Sunday!  I am in Mahattan, Kansas preaching at Harvest Baptist Church.  I am rarely away on a Sunday unless I am out of the country, but this church is four and a half years old and they started using principles I wrote in a book on starting a church and so I wanted to help them in their conference on Planting Churches around America.  About six other couples are here that are starting churches around the country and it has been nice to meet them.  Here are some thoughts in Genesis: 1) GOD HEARS THE CHILDREN PRAY- In Gen. 21:17 the Bible says:  "for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is."  This is Ishmael, the son of Hagar.  Just a young man, but God hears his prayer.  Notice this:  Abraham had taught him to pray!  Abraham loved this boy and even asked God to let him be the son of promise before Isaac was born.  He taught him to pray, and here is the reason.... God hears prayer!!  What prayers do you need to pray?  Do you need any help from an all powerful God?  I do!  I need so much to take place in my life and ministry that I am helpless and hopeless without God!  I need the land next to our church paid off.  I need a large building built to house an ever expanding ministry.  I need room, funds, souls, soul-winners, workers, the blessings of God to shower down upon us as never before.  Oh, we are experiencing the blessings of God right now, but I always have a longing for more.  "Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead."  Teach your children to pray.... because God hears their prayers! 2) LEAH- We know the story of Rachel and Leah.  Jacob loved Rachel, and got Leah, and then worked seven more years for Rachel.  Two sisters!  What problems this caused, but the Bible says in Genesis 29:31- "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb:  but Rachel was barren."  Leah had Judah born to her and Judah would be the tribe from which Jesus would come.  Rachel was favored, but Leah was blessed!!  Which do you want to be?  One has the limelight, but the other has the blessings of God!!  That's what I want.... the blessings of God!! Well, Sunday School starts in two minutes and I'm already at the Church.  May God bless you this morning!  Have a blessed day in the Lord and for my good people who read this, I miss you and will see you this Wednesday evening.  Love you dearly!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler