KETCHUP AND MUSTARD PRAYERS

 DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER?

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Mary the Sunday school teacher walks around to each table showing bottles of Ketchup and Mustard.  She asks, "Would anyone like to pray?"

Alicia waves her hand getting Mary's attention, saying, "Mary it's my turn to pray."

Mary hands her the bottle of Mustard, looking into her little brown eyes, speaking, "Alicia, I want you to hold this bottle of Mustard when you pray."

Bobby spouts out, "Are we going to eat corndogs with the mustard?"

Mary continues, "Did you know the disciples of Jesus asked Him how to have a more powerful prayer life?  "The apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith!”

The Lord said, “If your faith is as big as a mustard seed, then you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Dig yourself up and plant yourself in the sea!’ And the tree will obey you."  (Luke 17:5-6  ICB - International Children's Bible)

Alicia holds the bottle of Mustard and prays, "Heavenly Father, we need more rain for our garden.  All our tomato plants need water and are drying up."

Mary gives the bottle of mustard to Jimmy.

Jimmy prays, "Jesus, help my mom and dad to love each other again and not get a divorce."

Mary reads, "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we force the demon out of the boy?”

He told them, “Because you have so little faith. I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”  (Matthew 17:19-20  GW - God's Word)

Jimmy, "Why am I holding the mustard?"

Mary replies, "It is to remind you to have faith when you pray to God.  And even if you have the faith of a little mustard seed, God can move great big mountains for you."

Alicia waves her hand, saying, "Mary, what does faith mean?"

Mary reads, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being sure of what we do not see.  That is what the people of long ago were praised for.

We have faith. So we understand that everything was made when God commanded it. That’s why we believe that what we see was not made out of what could be seen."  (Hebrews 11:1-2  NIRV - New International Readers Version)

Mary holds up the Ketchup bottle saying, "Who would like to pray holding the Ketchup?"

Ana raises her hand, saying "Me!"

Bobby interrupts, "Are we having french fries?"

Mary smiles, "No.  When we hold the Ketchup bottle, this reminds us to catch up on your prayer life.  It's not enough to say grace when we eat and bedtime prayers. How many of  you talk to you mom and dad all day long.  

Ana speaks, "I love holding my dad's hand when I talk to him."

Mary concludes, "If you love God, talk to him too.  Tell the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit you love them.  And if you have faith of a little tiny Mustard seed, believe that God can move mountains for you."