Lord, we pray for the Gant family this morning. The last two years have been good years. We have made a friend. We have all made friends. Yet, trouble seems to ruin everything good. There has been hurt and heartache. Decisions have been made that made grown men cry. Lord, this is not the way it ends in fairytales. But we don't live in a fairytale world. We live in a real world, with sin, sickness, broken lives and severed relationships.

Lord, we pray this morning that You will bless Mike and Wendy and the children. Give them strength. We believe You are sovereign and that You will put them exactly where they should be. They have much to offer to the Church and to the saints wherever You call them. Our loss is another's gain, and how can we resent the gain of others. Others must need them more than we need them, otherwise You would not be moving them. May those who will be under their influence be as blessed as we have been blessed.

Let us not kick against the will of God. Let us bear our hurts and rise up and do what we have been called to do. A good leader will grieve, but them he must challenge the troops to arise and go on in the work of the Lord, knowing that our work will not be in vain. Grant to us the joy of a growing church. Grant to us the joy of seeing hearts changed. Grant unto us the joy of unity and fellowship.

Lord, we yearn to see Thy churches full. Yet, we want people who are here for the right reasons. We want people who are sinking deep into sin and despair and find hope in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We want people who bear a great burden and that burden has been lifted in Christ. Jesus becomes more dear as the days go on. We want people willing to give all for Jesus, their lives, their fortunes, and their honor. We need a band of warriors ready to fight and ready to die. Let others go their own way. Let others feed on the pabulum of worldly wisdom. Let others find men of persuasive words who can thrill them with their style. We don't want such followers, and we don't need them. Give us the word of God in all its fullness or we die.

Our Father make us wise. If we only knew at 20 years of age what we know at 60 years of age, how we could have avoided so much trial and tribulation. How many mistakes we have made! How we did not see temptation in our pathway until it was too late and we were bitten by a snake. Even though we are forgiven of our sins, how difficult it is to live with the consequences of our sins.

We have set our direction many times, only to find out that we were going in the wrong direction. We have assumed that everything will remain as it is, yet we forget that life changes. In a world full of change and fear, Lord be our stronghold. Be our rock. Help us to find some good even in the most difficult circumstances. Help to see that God is working in us holiness and wisdom. With our wisdom we can now serve others. With the comfort with which we have been comforted, we can comfort others.

Lord, create in us a clean heart. Create In us a wisdom beyond our years. Help us to be firm when firmness is needed, and help us to be most gracious and merciful when grace and mercy are needed. Ultimately, may Jesus Christ be praised in who we are and what we do.