Returning to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9. The Acts of the Apostles, the chapter number 9. We're going to begin our reading at verse 32. It's a chapter that introduces us to great personalities, to pivotal personalities in the New Testament. It is Paul, or Saul, and Peter. And we're going to read concerning Peter and the event that happened in Peter's life. So let's read from the verse number 32, and we'll read to the conclusion of the chapter. Let's hear God's word. And it came to pass, as Peter passed through all quarters, that he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Leda. And there he found a certain man named Annias, which had, kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, Ananias, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. Arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And all they that dwelt at Leda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha. which by interpretation is called Dorcas, this woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did. It came to pass in those days that she was sick and died, whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And for as much as Leda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him, weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth and kneeled down and prayed, and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes. And when she saw Peter, she sat up, and he gave her his hand and lifted her up, And when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a Tanner. Amen. And we'll briefly engage in a word of prayer with the word of God having me read. So let's pray together. Loving Father, we come now before thee as a company of thy people. Many are the needs of this congregation. Many are the needs of individuals in this place. We pray that the Spirit of God will teach. Lord, come and take up the preacher, filling him with the Spirit of God, I pray. Take away, Lord, all the fears and the apprehensions that so often fill the heart of the preacher, we pray. Lord, give to us the Spirit of power. Lord, grant, dear God, the anointing of heaven. Oh God, the Word of God, a free course. Lord, may it run into our hearts and into our souls. May we see the outworking of truth in our lives, we pray. And grant, dear God, a blessing for each and every one who's gathered here. We pray for the unconverted. who find themselves a stranger to the grace of God. We pray that there might even be a word for them. And Lord, that thou by thy Spirit will draw them, savingly and irresistibly, to the Christ of God. Come now, I pray. Touch this heart, I ask. Fill me with thy Spirit. I pray this in Jesus' precious and worthy name. Amen. Shamgar had an ox goad, David had a sling. Dorcas had a needle, Rhea had some string. Samson had a jawbone, Aaron had a rod, Mary had some ointment. and all were used of God. The children's course that I've just quoted speaks about a number of historical individuals that may not automatically come into one's mind when asked to list some of the Bible characters that God used in biblical history. Yes, we're familiar with the names of David and Samson. David, he who killed Goliath. Samson, who slaughtered the Philistines with the jawbone off an ass. And yet we have other names. We think of Shamgar, the third of Israel's judges. We think of that man who used the ox gold in order to defeat his enemies. And then we think of the woman that we want to focus our remarks upon today, Dorcas. Dorcas had a needle. Rahab had some string. We want this afternoon to conclude this short summer series. Some of the lesser known Bible characters that we meet in the record of Holy Scripture. We firstly thought about Obed-Edom, the man who housed the Ark of the Covenant for three months, and how his life was never to be the same again. We thought about Anna, that widow. And then we thought about her friend in the temple, Simeon, last week. And today we're going to think about this woman I remind you that these short biographies that we come across in Holy Scripture are not placed by the Spirit of God into the Word of God to some way just to embellish or to enlarge the Bible's contents just for the sake of it. But rather they are placed in the record of Scripture for our learning, for our instruction, for our spiritual benefit, and for our spiritual profit. The Apostle Paul reminded his son in the faith, Timothy, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and therefore all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. And so for the remainder of this meeting, I want us to think about this woman, Dorcas, that we read about here in Acts chapter 9, and see what lessons we can learn from her life and how we can apply those lessons to our own lives as those who know and love the Savior. I want you to consider first of all with me her identity. Her identity. This woman Dorcas is introduced to us firstly, not with the name Dorcas, but by a different name, by the inspired writer of the book of Acts. Dr. Luke refers to her first by the name Tabitha. That was her Hebrew name. Tabitha, Acts chapter 9 in the verse number 36. Now there was a Joppa, a certain disciple named Tabitha. And then Luke goes on to say, which by interpretation is called Dorcas, which is simply her Greek name. Now whether you take the name Tabitha or you take the name Dorcas, it matters not. Because both names, they translate to mean the same thing. Her name means female gazelle, a female gazelle. Now, if you know anything about animals, then you'll know what a gazelle is. If you know nothing about animals, let me remind you that a gazelle is a fleet-footed member of the antelope family. A gazelle lives primarily in the dry and open habitats, such as deserts and grasslands. To give you an idea of how fast a gazelle can be, some species of gazelle can run up to 60 miles per hour. That's faster than some cars. 60 miles per hour. A gazelle's greatest asset, however, is not its speed. but rather its endurance in speed. You see, a cheetah can run faster than a gazelle, but a cheetah can only run full speed for some 0.28 of a mile. After that, a cheetah is exhausted. And thus, chasing after a gazelle, a gazelle escapes its predator because of its endurance with regard to its speed. A gazelle has endurance when it comes to running. As I thought of that, and I applied it to the life of Tabitha, this woman Dorcas, I thought about a woman who ran the Christian race, and she ran it with endurance, and she ran it with great patience. Now, for how long she had run the Christian race, we're not told here in Acts chapter 9. But for any Christian to run the race, the race that ends eventually in glory, endurance and patience are most definitely required. I remind us all, all who know the Savior, that the Christian race is not a sprint. But rather it is a marathon. It's a marathon. Sadly there are those and they run for a period of time and then they stop running. They lapse into a kind of cozy sense of ease and inactivity. Apostle Paul spoke to such people when he wrote his letter to the Galatian saints. He wrote there in Galatians 5 verse 7, speaking to some within the congregation. He didn't name them, but he wrote to them and he said, I wonder is there someone here today and you once ran well for God, but now no longer. who or what hindered you from running the Christian race. Oh, let me encourage you today, if you're such a person, to re-enter the race so that no man takes thy crown. We think of those words of counsel that are given to us by the writer to the Hebrew believers there in Hebrews chapter 12 and the verses 1 and 2. It's counsel that reminds us of the endurance required in the Christian race. Wherefore, seeing we are all so compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, we're told. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Do you notice how the Apostle Paul, who many believe wrote the book of Hebrews, how he reminds the believers of Christ's endurance? You see, that word patience that we have in Hebrews chapter 12, that word patience means cheerful and hopeful endurance. And how Paul points the believers to Christ's endurance. How he endured the cross. He despised the shame and was set down at the throne of God. He finished the work that he was called to do. Have you finished the work God has called you to do? Are you doing the work that God has called you to do? You know, there is a thought of agility here with this woman's name, Dorcas. There's an agility with this woman's name. But there's also something else about this woman's name. There's a thought of an attractiveness. This word Dorcas not only can be termed a female gazelle, but it also can be translated a heart. Now, not H-E-A-R-T. but H-A-R-T, a heart or a doe or a female deer. This name, this title, this doe, is used, this word doe or deer, is spoken of and used by the song, by the writer of the Song of Solomon as he listens to the bride describing the bridegroom This is how she comes to describe him in the Song of Solomon, chapter two, in the verse number nine. My beloved is like a roe or a young heart. She describes his beauty in these terms, taking the picture of this female deer, this doe, the attractiveness with regard to it. She likens her beloved to be like a young roe or like a young heart, a roe or a young heart. There was a beauty about this woman Dorcas. Now it maybe was an outward beauty. Maybe she was a beautiful lady to look upon. But I believe it speaks of something deeper. It speaks of an inner beauty, an inner attractiveness. She was a woman who was beautified by the Christian virtues and the graces that every believer ought to be beautified with. She was one who bore in her life the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, and peace, and longsuffering, and so on and so forth. She bore in her life the fruits of righteousness, and she came to express what God had done in her life by the things that she had done. There was a beauty about her. Wonder, is there a beauty about you? Is there a loveliness about you? This lady was a lovely Christian woman, a beautiful Christian woman, this woman Dorcas. But as we think about this woman's identity, I want us to think beyond her name, and I want us to think about her identity in Christ, her identity in Christ. The very first thing that Luke informs us about this woman, the very preeminent thing about this woman, the most important thing about this woman was, notice what it says in the verse number 36. It tells us there that this woman, this woman was a disciple. She was a disciple. She was a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Dorcas was a true Christian, a true disciple, a real Christian. She's one who loved and served her Lord and Master. There was a moment in her life when she became a child of God. She became one who was adopted into the family of God. She became a disciple, a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. That was her identity. Is that your identity? Are you a child of God today? Are you a son? Are you a daughter of God? Have you become a member of the household of faith? Is God your father? Is Jesus Christ your elder brother? Do you know anything about exercising your rights and privileges of the child of God? Do you know what those rights and privileges are? You know, there's much talk these days about identity. There are many in our world and they're having an identity crisis. They don't know who they are and some don't even know what they are. The Christian is one who knows who they are. The Christian is one who is in Christ Jesus. Their identity doesn't come about through and by the success in their business. That isn't how they're identified. It's not with regard to the possessions that they have in this world, their value, their worth is not located in their accomplishments, but rather their worth is found in Jesus Christ to whom they are united to. One Christian author wrote, the Christian's identity must be shaped by the most important fundamental truth about ourselves. We are men and women in Christ. Christ. That was Dorcas' identity. She was one who was in union with Jesus Christ. She was in Christ. And being in Christ, she followed him. She followed after him. She followed his teachings. She didn't just read them, but she followed them. She saw them outworked in her personal life. Are you united to Christ? Because if you're not, you are still in Adam. You're still in your sin. And you must be brought from that union, being in Adam, being yet in your sin, to being in Christ. Oh, that today would be the day that you would be joined to Christ by faith and enjoy partaking of all of the benefits and the blessings of the child of God. This word disciple was often used for the meal. This is the only time in Scripture that this is used with regard to a female. She is the only one who is termed a disciple. That is not to say that the other ladies in Scripture were not disciples, but this is something, this is a label, this is a term, this is a phrase that is put specifically on this woman Dorcas. Above Mary, the mother of Christ, and Mary Magdalene, here's a woman. She was a disciple. The Word, as I've said, is a pupil, a follower, an imitator of the Lord Jesus Christ. She was one who was determined to be like her Master and her Savior. Is that our determination? Do we desire to be like our Savior in all things? Do we desire to resemble our Master in our day-to-day living? Do we conform our lives to His teaching? As Robert Murray McShahan said, it's not great gifts that God blesses so much as it is great likeness to Christ. May God help us as His disciples. to bear his likeness to the greatest degree possible in our homes and in our community. Dorcas' discipleship not only included her belief and profession of Christ's doctrine, but it also incorporated her conformity to Christ's example. We could know theology and doctrine, and we ought to. Though to have it outworked in her lies, well here's a woman who knew doctrine and yet she found herself in the very practical end of Christianity. That our discipleship would take on a similar likeness, a likeness to Dorcas' discipleship, a desire to be like Jesus Christ in every area of her life. This is her identity. This is her identity. But something else I want you to know is I want you to think very quickly about her residency. her residency. Dorcas lived in a town that every Bible reader is familiar with. The town is the town of Joppa. Joppa is mentioned 13 times in the scriptures and the most familiar mention and the most familiar occurrence of it is found obviously in the book of Jonah. It is a town that was associated with the Old Testament prophet Jonah. You'll recall how God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and to preach on to its residents the message that God would give him. The Inspired Record in Jonah 1, it reads like this. Now the word of the Lord came on to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come before me. But Jonah rose up to flee on to Tarsus from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa. The town of Joppa in the Old Testament is then associated with a disobedient prophet, Jonah, the man who ran away from doing God's will. However, whenever we come into the New Testament, the town Joppa is associated with a woman of faith, one who obeyed the Lord, a woman who gladly did the will of God for her life. I wonder, is that how we are known? Are we men and women who obey the Lord when it comes to His will in all things? Are we those who are doing the will of God or are we running away from God's will? Maybe God has spoken to you about something and you're running away from the will of God just like Jonah going down to Joppa while God would have you to go to Nineveh. Do our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones, our classmates, do they know us as people who obey the Lord in the things, in all things or just some things? Her residency was Joppa. A third matter to consider when it comes to Dorcas, and that is her industry. Her industry, her identity, her residency, her industry. Luke informs us in the record here at the end of the verse 36 that Dorcas was a woman who was full of good works and arms deeds, which she did. Later on in the passage of God's word, this chapter, We find that one of the forms of alms which Dorcas engaged in was to provide clothing for widows. In verse 39, we're shown that the group of weeping widows, when Peter comes into the upper room, they showed the coats and the garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. And so there was a practical outlet to Dorcas' faith. Dorcas evidenced her faith by and through her good works. I wonder, is there a practical outlet for your faith in Jesus Christ? Do we seek to do good to those who are around us? Notice with me that Luke doesn't say that she was a woman of good works, but rather, she was full of good works. There is that qualifying statement, that qualifying word. She was full of good works. You know, as Christians, we fill our lives with some of the most trivial things imaginable. I'm not referring to the essentials of life. We have to go to work, provide for our families. We have to go to school. in order to give us education. But I'm speaking about other things that are most trivial in life. And we fill our lives with them. Our time is taken up with them. Instead of redeeming our time, we waste our time. But here's a woman who filled her life with doing good works. Oh, how much better it would be for us as believers to fill our lives with good works, give our time and give our energy to doing that which is good, doing good to all men as we're exhorted to do in Scripture, especially to them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6 verse 10. Dorcas was a woman full of good works and alms deeds. Alms. Alms is simply acts of kindness towards the poor. Notice with me that she didn't think about doing these things. Notice with me that she didn't talk about doing these things. Notice that she didn't plan and intend to do these things, but rather, she actually did them. She actually did them. She was full of good works and amnesties, and then underline that little phrase, which she did. Which she did. We too often are guilty. saying something like this, I must go and visit that person, or I must go and help that individual out. But we often feel to back up our words with action. Well Dorcas was a woman, who backed up her words with her actions. She saw a need among the widows, among the assembly of the saints, and she came to meet that need by providing garments for them. Now, you might think to yourself, well, all Dorcas did was made a few clothes. That's all that Dorcas did. All she did was to make a few clothes for some widows. So what? But is that all that she did? Turn to Matthew chapter 25, please. We're going to read from the verse number 34. Matthew chapter 25, verse 34, speaking about unto the righteous on his right hand, the king on the day of judgment, he's coming to say and will say the following. Matthew 25, verse 34, then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, that's the righteous come. blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came on to me. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord The lesson is very simple. In the final analysis, God will take the kindness done to his people as if it was done to himself. When Dorcas clothed the widows, it was as if she had clothed Christ. She had done it onto Christ. And so, she simply didn't just make a few clothes. She ministered to others, and in ministering to others, she ministered unto Christ. This act of charity, the clothing of these widows, evidence that this woman Dorcas had a living faith, not a dead faith, but a living faith. In James chapter 2, James speaks of a faith that works, not a works-based faith, but a faith that works. in James chapter 2 and the verses 14 through to 17 we read what does it profit my brother no man say he have faith and have not works can faith save him if a brother or sister my notice if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one say unto him them depart in peace James, he speaks about believers being naked. The person who has a living faith is not going to say to such a person, all the best. And then do nothing to relieve them, but a person who has a living faith is going to meet the need by providing for their needy brother and sisters with the essential of life. We are not saved by works. Ephesians 2 verse 9 makes that abundantly clear. But we are saved on to good works. And Ephesians chapter 10 makes that abundantly clear. or the evidence as to the genuineness and the authenticity of our faith, Dorcas was a virtuous woman. Dorcas was a virtuous woman. I say that because the Spirit of God describes the characteristics of a virtuous woman in Proverbs chapter 31. In the verses 19 through to the verse number 20, we read this concerning the virtuous woman. She layeth her hand to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the purge. Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. And surely this is what Dorcas came to do when she took the needle and she tailored coats and garments for this much neglected grouping of people in society. This woman was insightful. This woman was discerning. She didn't go around the church with her eyes closed. She saw the need within the assembly of the saints and she came to meet the need and furnish the need by that which she was able to do herself. Well, let me put the challenge out there today to all of our hearts. Are we insightful? Are we discerning when it comes to the needs of others, and especially our brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we well ready to meet the needs of others? As we think about Dorcas's industry, let me remind you that Dorcas, she used her gifts and talents to serve the Lord while she could. Luke puts it like this in verse number 39, and all the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. Dorcas could only serve the Lord could only serve in this way while she was with them. You see, there was a day that Dorcas had to set aside the needle. That day was a day that death took her from the place of service. Dorcas had to leave the sphere of service and enter higher service. And it is a reminder to us all that there is coming a day when all of our earthly labors will cease. The night cometh when no man can work, and there is no work in the grave. Our work and our labor will cease. And in light of that solemn and yet true reality, we must ask ourselves the question, are we using our time wisely? Are we using our time wisely? Are we investing in those things which are eternal? You know, there are many and they have aspirations of serving the Lord at some time in their life, but they keep postponing that until they find at the end of life's journey that they only ever serve themselves. Don't be such a person. Serve the Lord Christ. serve the Lord Christian while health and opportunity permits, because soon we'll have to trade this place of service for another place of service, heaven, because they serve him there day and night. Dorcas served on earth, and she did it while she could. Well, health and opportunity permitted this woman serve the Lord. Are you doing that? Are you serving the Lord Jesus Christ? There is a fourth thing to consider. Consider her mortality. Dr. Luke. He records in Acts 9 in the verse 37, the details regarding Dorcas' death. It says there, that it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died, whom, when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. Now the details concerning Dorcas' death, admittedly, are very scant. But needless to say, some kind of sickness took hold of this woman's body that led to her death. Because no matter how good and how moral and how kind and how charitable and how Christ-like Dorcas was in her life, she had to pass the way of all men. She had to die. Her appointment with death had to be kept. From that appointment she could not escape. Dorcas and those who loved her learnt the reality. As she lay now there in death. They learnt the reality of 2 Samuel 14 verse 14. For we must needs die. You will die and I will die. To think that your life is just going to continue on and on in this world is delusional. Death is coming for you and for that coming you must prepare Have you prepared for the day of your death? Only the believer, only the believer, only those who are converted, saved, can say with any degree of certainty, yes, I'm ready to die. Having treated her body with tremendous respect by washing it and laying it up in the upper chamber awaiting her burial, we read that Peter was sent for by the saints in this particular town of Joppa. When Peter arrives, he goes in to the upper chamber and we're told something what happens in that upper chamber. We're told there that all the widows stood by, verse 39, they stood by him weeping. These were not hired in mourners. We would call rent a mourner. You have them in the community. People who used to always go to wakes. You sort of rent a mourner. They used to come along and they were always there. These were not professional mourners. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke about those kind of people over there in Luke chapter 7 and the verse 32 about people who came in and they wept and they mourned. They didn't know the people, but they were simply hired in by the family circle. These were true and real mourners. These were people who were weeping real tears. And those tears, they indicate that Dorcas was a woman who was greatly loved within the church and that she was going to be missed. Many, many years ago when I was just a teenager, I remember going to a youth council night of prayer in Coleraine. Free Presbyterian Church. I remember after that meeting had concluded, I remember sitting, talking to the minister of that particular congregation. I remember words that he said to me, and they've been embedded into my mind and etched into my mind, and this is the words that he said to me. He said, David, live as if to be missed. Live as if to be missed. Live as if to be missed within the work of God. That's what he meant. I wonder, would I be missed today if I died today? Would I be missed in the work of God today if I died today? Would you be missed? Would this local church be impacted by your departure from this world? Would the minister of this church, whoever it is, whenever you come to die, would he miss you? Would he miss you? Would the spiritual oversight miss you? Would they miss your prayers? Would they miss your untiring support in the meetings? Would they miss your encouraging word at the door? Would they miss your ministry? Would they miss your service? Young person, live as if to be missed. Only one life will soon be passed. And only what's done for Christ is going to last. Live as if to be missed. Oh, to do that within the church of Christ. We thought about her identity, her residency, her industry, her mortality. Think finally, very quickly about her legacy, her legacy. The legacy that any person leaves in this world is dependent on the life they live. Dorcas left a lasting legacy among those whom she ministered among because she lived as a disciple of Jesus Christ. By the grace of God, she was what she was. But that legacy was going to be enhanced by something that happens to this woman, by her resurrection from the dead. Peter putting out all those who had joined him in the upper room, were told that he knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up, and he gave her into his hand, and he lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. Peter followed the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many similarities you'll find between this account and the account of the raising of Jairus' daughter. You'll find that in the Gospels. Mark chapter 5 is one such passage, and you can trace that this afternoon if God gives you opportunity. You can imagine the appearance of this woman Dorcas. now raised from the dead. You can imagine that that sent shockwaves through this seaside town of Joppa. So much so that we read in verse 42 that it was known throughout all Joppa and many believed in the Lord. Dorcas' physical resurrection resulted in many believing in the Lord. Spiritual resurrections do the same. When sinners are brought to new life in Jesus Christ, Often the result is that others come to believe in the Lord too. Just you think about that. If you're not a Christian today, if you're not saved, your salvation may well lead to the believing of others on Christ. That unconverted husband, wife of yours, that brother, that sister of yours may come to trust in Christ too. If only you would take the first step, do you know that maybe your wife, your husband, your partner is waiting for you? Oh, that God would raise you from the dead, spiritually speaking, and that many as a result of your conversion that many would believe on the Lord. Surely, brethren and sisters, that's the legacy that every Christian wants to leave behind in this world, that they were used by God to lead others to Christ. That was her legacy. She was used by God to lead others to believe on Christ. Is that not the legacy you want to leave? That's the legacy I want to leave. I want to go to heaven with others with me, to have others believe in Christ through my word, through the preaching of the word, not my word, God's word. Oh, what a legacy this woman left behind within the local church, within the local assembly. We can think of people today, and they're missed in God's work. And the reason why they're missed is they live to be missed. Here's Dorcas. She was not a public speaker. She didn't teach in Sunday school. She didn't help out in children's work. But she had one gift, one talent. It seemed to be that she was a seamstress. She was good with the needle. And she took that which God gave her and she employed it for his glory and for the good of the church. You may think there's not an awful amount that I can do, but you can do something. God has given you a gift, a talent to employ in his service. Are you using that a stitch at a time? She served her Savior and her Master. She's one of the lesser-known Bible characters, and yet what truth we can glean from her lies. Oh, brethren and sisters, let's pick up our needles, metaphorically speaking. Some of you men, you wouldn't be too good with a needle, and so don't be doing that. But let's pick up our needles, metaphorically speaking, or whatever God has placed into your hand by way of gift or talent, and employ that. for His glory and for the advancement of His everlasting and eternal kingdom. May God help us to do that in coming days for Christ's sake. Amen. Let's bow our heads in prayer together. And as we do so, let me ask you, are you using that which God has put into your hand? David used the sling and the stone. Samson used a jawbone of an ass. Shamgar used an ox goat. Are you using that which God has put into your hand? Dorcas did, and her testimony is given to us for our learning and our example. Oh, to be like her. Oh, let us be disciples first of all of Christ, and then let us serve the Lord Jesus Christ as best we know in the time that he's given to us. when health and opportunity permits. Our loving Father and our gracious God, we come before Thee in the Savior's precious name. We thank Thee for this dear woman that we meet in Holy Scripture. We thank Thee, O God, that in her life she saw many believe on the Lord. O dear God, give us woman like that in our church and assembly, that through their personal witness, many will believe on the Lord. We pray for the mothers of this congregation. Help them to see the vital role that they play. Pray for each woman connected with this church. Help them, dear God, to understand that God has gifted to them and given to them some ability. We pray, Lord, that they will use it to the glory of God. O God, we pray that Here's a woman behind the scenes doing a work nobody else knew really much about until the widows brought out these garments and they were able to publicly show the kindness that had been shown to them by this woman Tabitha. Oh God help us to be those who do not blow the trumpet before our good deeds and others would heal and applaud us. Oh God help us to be those who do things privately and help us Lord. to understand that, Lord, the words of Scripture are true, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor in the Lord. O God, we pray that we will be those who serve Thee, the greatest of masters, and may we play our part as we see the work of God advance. And so may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit Rest and remain upon thy believing people until the day breaks and every shadow flees away and Christ returns in glory and power. We offer prayer through the Savior's wondrous and precious name.