eternal nature. The first word (“Father”) emphasizes His desire to relate to us. Contrary to the opinions of some, the Lord is not a far-off, grandiosely transcendent being who is put-off by the

requests and pleadings of mere earthlings. He is magnificent, holy and otherworldly, but He wants to know us, and to be known by us. Be Instantaneous. Scheduled

times of prayer are certainly merit-worthy. Jesus had such a practice (see Mark 1:35), and He encouraged something similar from His followers (see Matthew 6:6). However, prayer can’t be left to the prayer closet alone. To experience the rich and robust blessings of intercession, we must learn the secret of instantaneous appeals. Nehemiah is one who understood this concept. He had been burdened about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. One day, King Artaxerxes noticed the man’s profound sadness and depression. He asked Him, “Why are you sad, when you aren’t sick…What is your request?” (Nehemiah 2:2 and 4). Nehemiah knew that

an appeal to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem might be deemed treasonous. So, he silently, instantaneously prayed in the moment (see Nehemiah 2:4-10). You can do something similar. Whether you are sad, glad, burdened, or blessed, you can quickly and privately pray to the Lord instantaneously. You don’t always need to escape to a secret place. Make it Enduring. Many never

experience the life-changing power of prayer, because they give up too easily. They approach supplication like a fad diet. They do it for a while, hoping for immediate results, but they give up before long. If we want to see abundant fruit from intercession, we must have abounding prayer. We can’t give up when the going gets tough. We have to press through and persevere. Jesus taught His disciples regarding this matter. He told a parable to demonstrate “the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged” (Luke 18:1). If you want to tap into the power of prayer, make a commitment to persevere. Don’t approach times with God like a New Year’s resolution. Make prayer a way of life. Keep on praying and don’t give up!

3 Keys to Effective PrayerI’ll never forget one of the first

lessons I learned about prayer. I was a child, and I was at a Christian children’s camp. A leader taught a group of us guys about prayer. He offered a simple definition — “Prayer is talking to God.” He then had a boy join him on stage. They engaged in mock dialogue, illustrating the way one could talk to the Lord. Just as a child might talk to a friend, he could engage in simple conversation with God. Since learning this lesson, I have learned much more about prayer. Let me share three keys to effective praying. Be Conversational. In some ways,

the explanation I was given as a youth might have been a bit oversimplified. But I believe the lesson still holds valuable truth. We need not make prayer overly complicated. We can go to the Lord as we would a close counterpart. Jesus alluded to this truth when He told us to approach God by saying, “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9). Our Lord’s words give us a title by which we can address God. The second word in the title (“Heaven”) points to His sovereign, all-powerful, and

Preschool Sunday SchoolPreschool Sunday School is an

exciting place to be every Sunday morning. Each week children from infants to Kindergarten gather to play together, enjoy lots of fun activities but most of all to learn that God has made them special and that He loves each one of them. Our goal is that every child hears about the love of God each time they come to Sunday School. Our workers prepare each week to have opportunities for each child to learn thru play, activities, group time, and music and to hear the Word of God. We know that it is never too early to begin to sow the seeds of the Gospel in these

special little lives that will sprout and grow until they reach the time that they are ready to make the most important decision of their lives – to accept Christ and begin a personal relationship with the Lord. It takes between 20 to 25 workers to be sure that everything runs smoothly and that each child is welcomed and cared for each week. I am thankful for dedicated volunteers that show up and do important work. Please pray about the opportunity that God might stir in your heart to join us. We have some teacher openings and some that will be opening later in the Spring. We

also are a l w a y s l o o k i n g for those who would be willing to substitute or assist in special activities during the year. Please consider signing the Kids Ministry Volunteer card this month and join us for the most joyous time with our wonderful preschoolers. Sowing seeds is some of the most rewarding work in the Kingdom.

Sunday School 405 Morning Worship 455 Evening Worship NA Wednesday Ministries 235

Weekly Required $ 25,923.08 Weekly Received $ 31,616.00 YTD Required $ 1,166,538.60 YTD Received $ 1,120,546.96 YTD Percentage 93.96%

GROW GroupsGROW Discipleship training classes will be from Feb 12 - Apr 2, from 5:30-6:45 pm. Sign up with the GROW cards in the bulletin or online at fbclawton.org/ministries/grow

UpwardUpward game this Sat Feb 11. The next practice days are Feb 13, 14, & 16 at 5:30 pm. Our following game day is Sat, Feb 18.

Valentine BanquetSenior Adult Sweetheart Valentine Banquet will be Tue, Feb 14 at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Tickets are $10.

PrimeTime ChoirPrimeTime choir will sing at the Chateau of Lawton on Thu, Feb 16. The bus will leave from the church parking lot at 10:00 am.

United WeekendStudents, make sure that you have signed up for United Weekend on Feb 17-19 with the cards in the Youth room or Church Office. Cost is $30 per student. For more information contact Aaron Myers.

Women’s Conference Save The DateAttention Ladies: We have an exciting Ladies night planned with a special speaker on Fri, Apr 28. You are not going to want to miss this evening of fellowship and encouragement. More information to come. Tickets will go on sale in March.

Devotional Books2017 adult devotional books are $20 each (purchase 5 get 1 free). Children’s devotional books are $15 each. Special: Purchase 1 adult devotional book & 1 children’s devotional book for $30. Books located in the Hall of Memories or online at www.fbclawton.org/shop.

Chicago Mission TripWe will have a Chicago mission trip from Jun 23 - July 1. This is an inexpensive trip with varied ministries you can be involved in. Talk to Jay Grigg for more information.

Wednesday Fellowship MealsMenu for February 15

Chicken Kiev, rice pilaf, veggies, rolls, salad bar, & dessert. Adults $5.00, Kids (5-12) $3.00, (under 5 free) $20.00 Family Max (5 or more people)

Thank Yous ReceivedFrom Darlene Caddell

How blessed Jerry and I have been by our church family for over fifty years. The past four and a half years have been difficult but the prayers, visits, cards and calls sustained both of us. Thank you for helping celebrate Jerry’s home going with the beautiful peace lily, the delicious meal before the service, the prayer, cards and calls from so many of you. Our children and grand children join me in saying thank you and we love you.

New MembersMandy Bailey - Transfer of Letter