Do we need to plead?

When we really want something from someone, we may find ourselves pleading. We ask again. We explain how important it is. We might even say, “Please! I’m begging you!” Perhaps, at times, we can approach God in much the same way. We think we need to motivate him to listen, convince him to act, or somehow coax Him to care enough to answer our prayers.

In Daniel 9:3 we read that Daniel “turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” Was Daniel begging for God’s attention? Was he trying to twist the arm of an unwilling deity by starving himself in a type of emotional blackmail? Was he putting on a persuasive spectacle of scratchy sackcloth, ashes and angst?

No. Daniel was not trying to persuade God to care. He was responding to the God who had already spoken. God had promised that Jerusalem’s desolation would last seventy years and Daniel recognised that the time was nearly up. So he prayed. His prayer was not an attempt to change God’s character. It was a response and appeal to God’s revealed character and covenant promises.

Pleading is not persuading God to become merciful. It is appealing to the mercy God has already revealed. God invites his people to bring their needs, failures, fears and hopes before him. We come, not as strangers trying to gain an audience, but as children coming to their Father.

Daniel reminds us that prayer is not casual or careless. He fasts. He mourns. He confesses. He humbles himself. His outward actions express the seriousness of what is happening in his heart. He is not performing for God. He is pouring out his heart before God. And God hears and responds.

God may not give us the answer we want, or on the timetable we expect. But we never pray to an indifferent God. So, do we need to plead? Yes - but not because God is a reluctant listener. We plead because he has invited us to ask. We persist because he is faithful. We confess because he is merciful. We seek him because he has promised to be found.

Prayer is not twisting God’s arm, but trusting God’s heart. Prayer is standing on God’s Word and holding God’s promises before Him in faith. Daniel prayed because he believed God’s Word. We do not pray to make God care. We pray because God cares.

Revd Michael Hogg

Click on the links below to see previous messages

Holidays Read more	Trusting when Troubled Read more	A Book To Die For Read more	Written Warnings Read more	Will your anchor hold? Read more	Dolphins Read more
Facing the Future Read more	Water in the Bible Read more	Peter Persecuted Read more	Thanksgiving Sunday Read more	Why Preach? Read more	Who Cares! Read more

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
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Planning your Visit

New to Church?

Here at Brighton Road Baptist Church, you will always be welcome. So it doesn’t matter whether you’ve never been to church before or have been going all your life and want to try something different.

No-one cares how you're dressed, what you believe (or don’t believe), whether you’re over 60 or under 6, or something in between - you're welcome to join us if you're searching or just browsing.

Whatever your circumstances BRBC is a safe place to discover God's love.

We are an extended family made of all ages and a variety of backgrounds. We are single, married, divorced, widowed, happy, sad, confused, motivated, those with time on their hands and those with no time at all. The one thing we have in common is that we want to know more about the God who welcomes us all into his family. We look forward to welcoming you.

What to expect on a Sunday morning:

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will offer you a copy of our weekly newsletter.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. We share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. Following this we have a time of sung and spoken worship. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Often a person will pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. There is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

What about my kids?

For children under three, we have a Creche. Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
For kids from 4-11, we have our Kid's Club, BRBK. Activities vary but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. Part way through the service, the leader will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups.

Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

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Getting Connected

Housegroups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our housegroups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Housegroups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

If you want to get in touch, or have any further questions, please contact us!