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[ Silence ] [ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ Everything to God in prayer ♪

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♪ Lord, the peace we ask of thee ♪ ♪ All the living states repair ♪ ♪ All the lost we do not care ♪ ♪ Every ♪

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♪ Every little ♪ ♪ Tiny thing ♪ ♪ Every toil ♪ ♪ Certain nation ♪

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♪ Is a trouble ♪ ♪ In its way ♪ ♪ Which shall never be disturbing ♪ ♪ Day by day to the Lord we'll pray ♪

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♪ When we find our faith so painful ♪ ♪ Who will all our sorrows share ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The gift of love again ♪

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♪ Graciousness to our faith ♪ ♪ Take it to the Lord in faith ♪ ♪ Do not waste this life for sin ♪ [ Music ]

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[music] The subject of the message "What shall I ask?" What shall I ask?

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Mark the sixth chapter of the 24th through the 28th verses of these words The King said to the maiden, "Ask me for anything you like and I will give it you."

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He swore to her saying, "Whatever you ask me for, I will give you even up to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What am I to ask for myself?"

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Her mother said, "The head of John the Baptist, what shall I ask?" If you could get what you ask for in life, what would it be? What shall I ask? What we ask for reveals our character, our hopes, our aspirations.

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What shall I ask? one asks for reveals one's sense of values. What shall I ask? One asks to have life filled with fun that he or she may dwell only in fun city to eat drink and be merry. Another asks for fame, that his name may be a household word, that people far and

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near may come to know who I am. What shall I ask? Another asks for wealth, As for money, in the asking of money it is believed that all of the concerns may be met. And still another asks to have long life and good health. What shall I ask?

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This is an important question for every person. This is an existential question. It is a question about one's own existence. It is a question which every person should ask himself or herself.

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What shall I ask? What is it that I want most in life? is not a question to be determined by another individual's desires. You don't ask answer this question by asking another question, by asking what do the

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others want, and to say well I want what they want, but this is a question which every person is to answer for himself or herself. For each one of us must live our own life. The truth of the matter is that adequate resources are available. We can have what we want but what will we ask for? This is a serious question and the more one thinks

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about it the more difficult it is for some persons to make up their minds. There's a story of church that changed preachers. The other preacher left and the new preacher was on the scene and one of the members of the congregation was asked about the new preacher and the person answered by saying I've been listening to his prayers and it seems that this new preacher is asking the Lord for

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things that the other preacher didn't seem to know that the Lord had. What shall I ask? This is what a daughter says to a mother. The daughter of Herodias has danced before Herod as part of the celebration of Herod's birthday party. Herod is relaxed and he probably has consumed more wine than he needed. He's

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thrilled by the maiden's skill and grace as a dancer and he is so pleased by her performance which is seemingly here the main feature it's a smash hit and following it there is loud and long applause that Herod proceeds to make an offer. He says to this maiden ask for anything you like and I will give it. I

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I swear that I will give you whatever you ask even to half of my kingdom. And what a promise to make to a maiden. What an offer to a dancer at a birthday party. But the maiden is overwhelmed.

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She does not know what to ask for. She does not know what to say. so she goes to her mother with this question on her lips, what shall I ask? Now Herodias is the mother of this dancer and she is angry because of a

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public protest made by John the Baptist concerning her marriage to Herod. Herod had seduced and married Herodias the wife of his half-brother and in doing so he has broken the Jewish law. He had outraged the laws of decency and morality and it is John the prophet of righteousness who thunders out against it. Herod responds by having John put in prison.

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John is placed in a dungeon overlooking the east side of the Dead Sea and here he is in one of the loneliest and one of the most miserable situations. He is placed here in a bleak and desolate fortress. This is John's punishment for being a voice in the wilderness. This is his punishment for calling men to walk in the path of righteousness. This is his punishment for crying out against Herod. This

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is his punishment for calling men to prepare the way of the Lord. But in spite of all of this, Herod still fears John even though he has done wrong and he has been condemned by John. Herod has an appreciation for the Prophet even though he's cast him into prison. He has no immediate plans to destroy John but he wishes to contain him so he has him confined to a dungeon. But Herodias

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on the contrary has it in for John. She wants to get revenge, she wants to get even, she couldn't forget the fact that John had criticized her marriage and so this is a chance that she sees to get her revenge, this is what she's been waiting for. And when the daughter poses the question, what shall I ask, she says

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to the daughter, ask for the head of John the Baptist. What shall I ask? Well, my brothers and sisters, this reveals our sense of values. What shall I ask out of of life. What is it that I'm really looking for? What course shall I pursue? What is the direction that I will take or in this case what is the direction

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that I will give to others? Here is a mother who responds to this daughter's question by asking, by telling her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Somehow there are questions that are still being asked today. There are questions that are being asked of us from others and just as this parent

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directs this child there are those who still look to for a sense of direction. And so the question comes time and time again what shall I ask? You know sometimes we really don't know what to ask for. This is the predicament of this maiden. She doesn't know what to ask for. And so often over and over again in life we find ourselves not knowing what to ask for.

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I remember going with the delegation to meet with the governor a number of years ago. And as we sat there and we talked to the governor, one of the things he said to us, he said, "You ought to come to see us more, come to see me more often."

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And he said, "You don't ask for enough." And many times we don't ask for enough. There's so much in life that is for us. There's so much we ought to have.

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There is so much that is just waiting for us and we don't ask for it. So the question comes, "What shall I ask?" the epistle of James he says you ask not and so you have not and he says you fail to ask because you ask amiss and so this is one of the problems that we face

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in life is not really asking not really knowing how to ask and so the question comes over and over again and the here and now what shall I ask? And there is this king who has said to this maiden, "Ask whatever you will and I'll give it to you even to half of my kingdom." This is an evil king who says this. This is an

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earthly ruler, but we have another king. He is the one who is the king of kings. He rules earth and heaven and he has said ask whatever you will and it will be given to you. Jesus says to us ask whatever you will, whatever you want, ask for it in my name and the Father will give it to you. What shall I ask? This is

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A question that comes to us over and over again every time we come to God in prayer, that that question is on our hearts. What shall I ask of the Lord? Oh that I knew some secret place where I might find my God.

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I'd spread my warts before his face and tell my joys abroad. what shall I ask? Shall I ask for an opportunity to help somebody? What do we ask God for when we get on our knees, when we come to him in prayer? Is it the kind of prayer that says to God bless me and my son Joe, his wife, my wife, we four no more? Is that the kind of prayer that we pray and

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leave all others out? But are we somehow asking God to make us a channel of blessing, to ask God to work through us and with us to enable us to be a blessing to someone else. What do we ask God for? Do we ask God to help us help somebody or do we ask God to help us hurt somebody? This is the way this maiden responds. With all of the

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opportunity with this great moment that she has she comes to Herod saying I want the head of John the Baptist. With all of the opportunities with all of the things that she could ask for she asked for the head of a righteous prophet. Shall I ask for revenge with all that life has to offer with all of the experiences that

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come my way. Will I only be concerned about getting revenge, seeking to get even with someone? What shall I ask for? Shall I ask for an opportunity to get even with Stephen? What shall I ask? Shall I ask for grace to be more like Jesus? Shall I somehow ask God help me to be more and more like Jesus? Help me, O Lord, mold me and make me more in the image of thy beloved Son.

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What shall I ask? This is a time of opportunity for every one of us. Right here and now, now is the time. This is the blessed opportunity and the question comes to us. What shall I ask the offer is made God has promised to give us those things that will enrich our lives will make our lives Beautiful and good those things that will make us

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That person of those persons that God would have us be God has promised us And the question comes what shall I ask he has promised us his kingdom his kingdom. Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. But what will I ask? Shall I ask for freedom, or shall I choose a life of bondage in a far country?

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freedom in the father's house or a life of bondage in a far country what shall I ask? Shall I ask for peace or shall I make war with my brethren? Shall I ask for security? What shall I I ask. This is the question that comes to you and me. It's a question that only you can answer for yourself. No one else can answer that question for you. What shall I ask out of life? Some people ask

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ask for very little and so they get very little. God has somehow arranged it for us that the bank of heaven is there with all of the blessings, all that we need, everything that we need to make life meaningful, everything to make our lives what it ought to be, it's all there and somehow through Jesus Christ God has given us a blank check and he tells us just to sign it and what shall we ask for?

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Midas asked That everything would be turned to gold And when everything was turned to gold

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He found that his life was most miserable But when he really got what he asked for

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He found out that it wasn't the thing that he really needed John Steinbeck in the Pearl Tells of a quest for the most valuable pearl and when the man Finally got that pearl it caused him so much trouble so much

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misery so much anguish That he took the pearl and threw it back into the sea. What happens What we really get What we ask for?

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Do we really ask for the right thing? Do we ask for strength? Divine strength to help us to help someone else Do we ask for an opportunity to get revenge with somebody else?

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Do we ask for? grace grace in Jesus Christ

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grace to grow in his likeness. Abraham asked that a city might be saved.

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What shall I ask? Joshua asked that the son might stand still, that he might do a greater work for God, that he might fight that battle. He asked that he might be given an extension of time, that he might extend his

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Work for the Lord. What shall I ask? Caleb asked for a mountain. In the midst of all of the opportunities when others were asking for something easy, Caleb asked for a mountain. What shall I ask? Gideon asked for a sign

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that God would be with him in the human struggle. What shall I ask? Samson asked for strength. In the midst of all of the vicissitudes of life when we find ourselves weak and heavy-laden the question still comes

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What shall I ask? Hannah asks for a child she asked to be the barrier of new hope for the nation and God granted that wish

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What shall I ask? Hezekiah asked to live a little longer. He recognized that he hadn't done all that he needed to have done,

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and so he asked God to extend his time. What shall I ask? Blind man asked to see. Leper asked to be cleansed.

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A nobleman asked that his son might be healed. An impotent man asked to behold. Oh Lord, what shall I ask? What shall I ask?

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Philip asked to see the Heavenly Father. The Greeks asked to see Jesus. And the Philippian jailer asked, what shall I do to be saved? And Paul asked that a thorn might

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be removed from his flesh. What shall I ask? What shall I ask? And there's a song that comes somewhat

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as an answer to this question, ask the Savior to help you. Comfort, strengthen, and keep you. He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through. For we, like that maiden of old, find ourselves tempted, and we find ourselves perplexed, and we do not know what to ask.

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There's a temptation to ask for the wrong thing when we have the opportunity to ask for the right thing. And so the question comes, where will we yield to the temptation?

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Where shall we turn? And so the answer is yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you some other to win.

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And as we sing this hymn, we invite you to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and as your Lord. (piano music)

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The doors of the church are open. ♪ Yield not to temptation ♪ ♪ For yielding is sin ♪ Each victory will help you

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Far farther to win Like men from the old world God bless you today Love them as you please us

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We will carry you through ♪ Ask the Savior to help you ♪ ♪ God will strengthen and keep you ♪ ♪ Peace will enter into you ♪

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♪ He will carry you through ♪ ♪ Joy, hope, and pleasure ♪ ♪ All thy wishes came ♪ ♪ God's name overflows ♪

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♪ God's name you can claim ♪ ♪ We've come all the way ♪ ♪ To find our way through ♪ ♪ Look down unto Jesus ♪

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♪ He will carry you through ♪ ♪ Ask the Savior to help you ♪ ♪ Help me, Savior, and lead me ♪ ♪ He is willing to help you ♪

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♪ He will carry you through ♪ ♪ To the middle of the hill ♪ ♪ God give you the power ♪ ♪ You will choose your father ♪

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♪ Offer this now ♪ ♪ He who is our Savior ♪ ♪ Has to give him peace ♪ ♪ Look and see Jesus ♪

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♪ He will carry you through ♪ ♪ Ask the Savior to help you ♪ ♪ Offer strength and give you ♪ is willing to aid you,

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even carry you through. Gracious God, our Father, as the question comes to each of us, what shall I ask?

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In the midst of the opportunities that are ours, Help us to make the right choices. Help us to look to you to direct our lives. Help us, oh God, that we may not yield to the temptation

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to seek to ask for the power to bring hurt to others and to seek revenge but to ask for grace to grow in the likeness of your son Jesus. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Music]

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