Exploits of Three Men

A Prayer

O Lord of work, we ask You for men for the Church’s sake. Today the Church lies in ruin. There is a lack of personnel. May You give men to the Church. May You give all kinds of gifts to the Church. O Lord, have mercy on us. Grant us men and women who are consecrated, handed over to You, and submitted to Your mighty hand, so that we may serve You with all the saints. We especially ask You to be merciful to us during this time of ruin. Raise up young people, raise up fellow workers. Cause the Church to maintain Your testimony on the earth. May more people place themselves in Your hand that their professions, positions and dwellings be worthy of the gospel. May young people rise up to offer themselves to You for Your work. May brothers and sisters be partakers of the gospel. We believe You can do the work of recovery. May You do a more complete work by raising up more people who will serve You full time and will go out with the gospel. We ask You to raise up a multitude. We do not ask for money and time, but we first ask for their entire beings. Let people consecrate immediately and absolutely. May You take away the ruin and give us people. O Lord, be gracious to us. We ask You for men. The Lord alone is worthy to possess us. You alone can cause us to serve You unconditionally and single-heartedly. We are willing to pour upon the ground the precious water of Bethlehem [see 2 Sam. 23.15-17]. May there be no one who draws back, no one who hides away, and no one who stands by. May the Lord be merciful to us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

2 Sam. 23.13 Once during harvesttime, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty-an elite group among David's fighting men) went down to meet him there. 14 David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. 15 David remarked longingly to his men, "Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well in Bethlehem, the one by the gate." 16 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17 "The Lord forbid that I should drink this!" he exclaimed. "This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me." So David did not drink it. This is an example of the exploits of the Three.

These three men ought not to have done what they did.