WAITING FOR OUR PRAYERS

Today's promise: God protects His people

Waiting for our prayers

Jehohaz prayed for the Lord's help, and the Lord heard his prayer. The Lord could see how terribly the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. So the Lord raised up a deliverer to rescue the Israelites from the tyranny of the Arameans. Then Israel lived in safety again as they had in former days.

2 Kings 13:4-5 NLT

Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence.

W. S. Bowden

A God who rescues

Jehoahaz, king of Israel, lived an evil life. He committed all the sins of Jeroboam and continued leading the nation into the sin of idolatry. So the Lord turned the people of Israel over to be oppressed by the Arameans. But even though Jehoahaz had been a failure and disobedient to God as a king, when he sought the Lord's help, God heard. And seeing the terrible oppression Israel was living under, he intervened. He raised up a deliverer and savior (a foreshadowing of Christ), one who rescued them from tyranny, and Israel once again lived in safety and peace.

If God will do this for an evil king and an idolatrous nation when they call out to him, how much more will he hear and respond to the prayers of his children, who are reconciled to him because of the sacrifice of our savior, Jesus.

LORD, I thank you that your ear is open to the cry of your children and that you will act on our behalf. With that knowledge, we don't ever have to hesitate to cry out to you for your help and intervention in our lives. What a wonderful Father you are!

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Praying through the Bible by Cheri Fuller, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), entry for June 28.

Digging Deeper: read the new release of The Gates of Zion by Bodie and Brock Thoene (Tyndale, 2006), the first of The Zion Chronicles novels based on events surrounding Israel's statehood in 1948.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE HEART AFFECTS EVERYTHING

Today's promise: God delights in those who honor Him

The Heart Affects Everything

Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.

Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Let us learn to cast our hearts into God.

Bernard of Clairvaux

Guard the inside

If you're typical, you think of guarding your heart in terms of keeping things out. Corruption, false ideas, temptations — all are to be held at arm's length, never to be allowed in the inner depths of your affections. But there's another side to this vigilance. We are to keep things in. In fact, if we can master that, the corruptions and temptations will often take care of themselves.

Think about it: The things that can assail a heart from the outside are innumerable, far too overwhelming to manage. But the things we are told to keep within — the spirit of Jesus, the humility and gentleness, the servant-hood and sacrifice, the worship and thankfulness — these are one Spirit. Most religions tell us to avoid the bad; God tells us to embrace Him. We are better equipped to focus on His character than on the enemy's devices. Nowhere are we told to live against the sinful nature and hope that the Spirit will show up. We're told to live by the Spirit and expect the sinful nature to have no power. We often get confused about that.

Too many Christians guard the way into their hearts to keep things out. That may be appropriate at times, but try a different approach. Guard the way out. Stand at the inside of the gate, and be careful about what may be leaving. Once in a while, we get a life-altering glimpse of true worship. By all means, keep it in! From time to time, we'll see a picture of true servant-hood. Don't let that picture go! Hold on to these things! Treasuring the wellspring that God has birthed in your heart will leave little room for those corruptions you once obsessed over. And the wellspring is a much more pleasant preoccupation.

Adapted from The One Year® Walk with God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), entry for May 10.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

IS THE BIBLE REALLY GOD'S WORD?

Today's promise: God will help you understand His Word

Is the Bible really God's Word?

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

2 Timothy 3:14 NLT

The Word Transforms

Dr. E. V. Rieu was a classical scholar and translator for many years. He rendered Homer into very modern English for the Penguin Classics. Rieu was sixty years old and a life-long agnostic when the same firm invited him to translate the Gospels. His son remarked: "It will be interesting to see what Father makes of the four Gospels. It will be even more interesting to see what the four Gospels make of Father."

The answer was soon forthcoming. A year later, Rieu, convinced and converted, joined the Church of England.

In an interview with J. B. Phillips, Rieu confessed that he had undertaken the task of translation because of an "intense desire to satisfy himself as to the authenticity and spiritual content of the Gospels." He was determined to approach the documents as if they were newly discovered Greek manuscripts,. "Did you not get the feeling," asked Canon Phillips, "that the whole material was extraordinarily alive?" The classical scholar agreed. "I got the deepest feeling," he replied. "My work changed me. I came to the conclusion that these words bear the seal of the Son of Man and God."

From J. B. Phillips, The Ring of Truth. quoted by R. Kent Hughes in 1001Great Stories and Quotes , Tyndale House Publishers (1998) pp 28-29

Digging Deeper:

The One Year® Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie (Tyndale House Publishers, 2005)—Through a year's worth of thoughtful entries, the reader will learn how much God longs to lift us up, carry us through in times of difficulty and uncertainty, and give us true, lasting joy. Each daily step draws you closer to a God who truly cares and the hopeful life he wants you to enjoy.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE LIVING WORD

Today's promise: God will help you understand His Word

The living Word

Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, "I am thirsty."

John 19:28 NLT

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

Mark 6:41-43 NLT

Break Thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
As though didst break the loaves beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word!

Mary Artemisia Lathbury

Bread of Life

One of the women who lingered at the foot of the cross had once known thirst that ordinary water couldn't quench. She had been an outcast among her peers.…She had a great need, and nothing could fill the emptiness , the void within her. Then came the day when she met Jesus. Although her accusers had already given up on her and would readily have stoned her, Jesus saw her need, and rather than give up on her, he faced her accusers and saved not only her life but her soul as well. From that moment forward, Mary Magdalene was a devoted disciple of Christ, following him even to the foot of a brutal cross. When Jesus cried out in thirst, the soldiers mistook it for weakness of the flesh and thrust sour wine to his lips. What they didn't comprehend is that Jesus' words were a declaration of his completion of his Father's work. He was thirsty because he was being poured out as an offering, not only for the grateful woman who knelt at this feet but also for generations of people to come.

JESUS, you poured out your life like an offering and gave me living water that saved and restores my soul. Help me to take that same living water and extend it to those around me who are thirsty. Please us me to reach out to the abandoned, the scorned, the unlovable, with your sacrificial love.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Praying through the Bible by Cheri Fuller, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), entry for May 31.

Digging Deeper: For more on salvation, read < Word. living the meet to page? sacred beyond>

From The One Year Book of Hymns , Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for February 15

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If you have never been hurt by a word from God, it is probable that you have never heard God speak.
AMY CARMICHAEL

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HYMNS OF VICTORY

Today's promise: He's alive!

Hymns of victory

And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me."

Luke 24:46-27 NLT

The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad; the Passover of gladness, the Passover of God. From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky, our Christ hath brought us over with hymns of victory.

The Day of Resurrection
John of Damascus (eighth century)

Raising a racket

It is said that John of Damascus started his hymn-writing career with a funeral hymn for a fellow monk. The monk wasn't dead yet, but everyone thought death was near. So John prepared his song and was singing it loudly in his room, testing it out. Suddenly the monk for whom is was written burst into the room and scolded John for raising such a racket. Tradition says that John was expelled from the monastery briefly for causing this disturbance, but then the Lord told the abbot that John would be doing great things with music, so the abbot welcomed John back.

And John did some great things, collecting and organizing the great hymns of the Greek-speaking church. His major accomplishment was the writing of the Golden Canon, an Easter liturgy still used in the Greek Orthodox Church and from which this hymn is taken. Scholars have called his text the finest sacred poetry in the Greek language.

Our "Resurrection Week" readings are adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today's is taken from the entry for March 30.

Digging Deeper/Telling Others: For more on the meaning of Easter, read Why the Resurrection by Greg Laurie (Tyndale, 2005), also available in 6-pack for distribution.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE SHAMEFUL TREE

Today's promise: Christ is our Redeemer

The Shameful Tree

Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last.

Luke 23:46 NLT

Behold the Savior of mankind nailed to the shameful tree! How vast the love that Him inclined to bleed and die for thee!

'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid! "Receive my soul!" He cries; see where He bows His sacred head! He bows His head and dies!

Behold the Savior of Mankind
Samuel Wesley (1662-1735)

Saved from the fire

On February 9, 1709, a fire ripped through a rectory in the village of Epworth, England. The Wesley family lost nearly everything. Miraculously, their six-year-old boy named John (who would later found the Methodist church) was saved from the fire, as was a piece of paper bearing this hymn, written by the rector, Samuel Wesley.

Samuel Wesley, father of John and Charles (and seventeen other children), was scholarly and stern. His major academic project was a study of the book of Job. And he faced a great deal of suffering himself. Nine of his children died at birth or in infancy. He was frequently in debt (even spending three months in debtors' prison). Of course, there was also that devastating fire.

This hymn, however, shows us a slightly different side of Samuel Wesley. The theme of suffering is strong, but there's an attitude of love, of devotion. Apparently he taught his famous sons more than just discipline, but also a deep appreciation for what Christ accomplished through His suffering.

Our Holy Week readings are adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today's is taken from the entry for March 22.

For more reflection on Holy week, see The Passion, Tyndale's companion book to Mel Gibson's powerful movie about the last twelve hours of Jesus' life.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

"IF YOU ARE WILLING"

“IF YOU ARE WILLING”

READ:

Matthew 8:1-4

Lord, if You are willing, You can

make me clean. –Matthew 8:2

Molly wanted her dad’s help, but she was afraid to ask.  She knew that when he was working on his computer, he didn’t want to be interrupted.  He might get upset at me, she thought, so she didn’t ask him.

We need not have such fears when we come to Jesus.  In Matthew 8:1-4, we read about a leper who didn’t hesitate to interrupt Jesus with his needs.  His disease made him desperate-he had been ostracized from society and was in emotional distress.  Jesus was busy with “great multitudes,” but the leper made his way through the crowd to talk with Jesus.

Matthew’s gospel says that the leper cam and “worshiped Him” (v.2).  He approached Jesus in worship, with trust in His power, and with humility, acknowledging that the choice to help belonged to Jesus.  He said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean” (v.2).  In compassion, Jesus touched him (leprosy had made him “untouchable” by the standards of Jewish law), and he was cleansed immediately.

Like the leper, we don’t need to hesitate to approach Jesus with our desire for His help.  As we go to Him humility and worship, we can trust that He will make the best choices for us. –Anne Cetas

What an example this leper is to me, Lord. Give me

a heart of worship, of confidence in Your power, and

of trust that when I bring my needs to You, You’ll

make the best choice.  May I surrender to Your will.

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Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we

may obtain mercy. –Hebrews 4:16

INSIGHT

Some biblical scholars say that of all the Gospel writers Matthew seems to have been the most concerned with presenting events in chronological order.  If that’s correct, then the context of the event in today’s text is critical to our understanding.  Directly prior to this encounter with a leper, Jesus presented His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7).  In that timeless message, Christ detailed a challenging, lofty kingdom ethnic of loving, caring, and serving.  Now, confronted by this leper, Jesus lived out his own teaching by demonstrating love and compassion for one whose disease had absolutely marginalized him (8:1-4).  Jesus not only taught these truths, He lovingly modeled them as well.

Have a blessed day.

God Our Creator’s Love Always

Unity & Peace