HYMN: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER

(Message by Tanny Keng)

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Hymn writer (lyrics): William Walford Music composer: William B. Bradbury Notes William Bradbury's father was the leader of a local church choir. Bradbury published 59 books of music collections for choirs and schools.

Answered Prayers in the Bible a) Abraham prays for a son who could be his heir. i) 2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." 4 But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." (Genesis 15:2-4, NRSV used throughout) b) Jacob prays for deliverance from his brother Esau from whom he stole the birthright blessing. i) 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children (Genesis 32:10-11) c) Gideon requests a special sign from God to show that He is with him. i) 36 Then Gideon said to God, "In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said." (Judges 6) d) Samson, after being captured by the Philistines, asks as a dying request that his strength be given back to him one more time. i) 28 Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "Lord GOD, remember me and strengthen me only this once, O God, so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes." 29 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. (Judges 16)

The End ...