“Devoted to prayer” Acts 1:14 – These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. Acts 2:42 – They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 6:4 – But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Romans 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Praying Thankfully Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Praying about the gospel Ephesians 6:18-20 – With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,19 and pray on my behalf, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Jesus sends workers into the spiritual harvest John 4:35-38 –Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”   Luke 10: 2-3 – And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Why it’s hard to make the gospel clear We grow up and live merit-based Eternal life is a gift – based on Jesus’ merit You get what you pay for. You have earn your keep. Money doesn’t grow on trees. You get out of something what you put into it. No pain, no gain There’s no free ride. Jesus paid for our sin on the cross Jesus satisfied God’s wrath for us. God gave His only Son. He endured the pain and penalty of our sin. God only offers eternal life as a gift Jesus paid for WE MUST SIMPLY PUT OUR TRUST IN CHRIST!

Make it clear. Keep it simple. All have sinned and fall short of God’s holy standard (Romans 3:23) The penalty of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Christ died to pay for our sin (Romans 5:8). We can have eternal life if we simply put our faith in Christ alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.