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"Daily Connection" and "Read the Bible in a year"
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Daily Connection
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But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge. Psalm 73:28 NIV
Sam struggled with regular prayer until he discovered that prayer was simply talking with Jesus. Sam began placing an empty chair next to his bed, imagining Jesus sitting there and had a daily conversation with the Lord. Sam's prayer life grew but he never told his children about this practice. A few years later, Sam died at home. His daughter reported to Sam's pastor, "I was visiting my dad and went out to run an errand. When I got back he was dead. Strange through, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed." (Unknown)
Are you struggling with prayer? Don't make it harder than it is. Prayer is simply talking with a loving God. He's nearer than you think. Just keep a chair open
for Him!
Point of Connection: He prayed as if God was at his elbow.
(Praying Hyde - George Sweeting)
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Isaiah 18-22
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Isaiah 18
Word About Cush
1Trouble will come to the land on the other side of the rivers of Cush where the sound of wings is heard. 2From that land men are sent by the sea in boats made from tall river-grass. Go, you fast men, to a nation tall and smooth, to a people who fill others with fear both near and far. Go to the powerful nation that rules over those who hate it, whose land is divided by rivers. 3All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, as soon as a flag is raised on the mountain, you will see it. As soon as the horn is sounded, you will hear it. 4For the Lord has said to me, 'I will be quiet and watch from the place where I live, like shining heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of fog in the heat of gathering time.' 5For before the gathering time, as soon as the bud blossoms and the grape is ready to eat, He will cut off the new branches with knives and will cut away the spreading branches. 6They will be left for the birds of the mountains and for the wild...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Hear my cry, O God listen to my prayer…I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2 NIV
English author, C.S. Lewis, had a brief but deep relationship with his wife, Joy, before she died of cancer. The loss deeply depressed Lewis. During Lewis' deepest struggles, Harry, a friend, tried to encourage him: "Christopher can scoff, Jack, but I know how hard you've been praying; and now God is answering your prayers." "That's not why I pray, Lewis replied. "Harry, I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me." (Shadowlands)
Are you overwhelmed in life? Don't give up hope. God can hear your voice, no matter how faint! Cry out from the depths of your pain and trust God to lead you to higher ground!
Point of Connection: He that cannot pray, let him go to sea, and there he will learn.
(John Trapp)
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Isaiah 23-27
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Isaiah 23
Word About Tyre
1The special word about Tyre: Cry out in sorrow, O ships of Tarshish. For Tyre is destroyed, so that there is no house or safe place for ships. It is made known to them from the land of Cyprus. 2Be quiet, you people who live on the islands, you traders of Sidon. You sent men to cross the sea 3and go on many waters. The grain of the Nile, that was gathered beside that River, made money for Tyre who was the trader of the nations. 4Be ashamed, O Sidon, the strong-place of the sea. The sea speaks and says, 'I have not suffered or given birth. I have not brought up young men or young women.' 5When the news comes to Egypt, they will be in pain when they hear about Tyre. 6Pass over to Tarshish. Cry out in sorrow, O people of the islands. 7Is this your joy city, whose beginning was long ago, whose feet have taken her to live in places far away?
8Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose traders were princes and the honored of the earth? 9Th...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Ephesians 6:17-18 NIV
On January 30, 2005, the people of Iraq voted for a new government. Insurgents threatened the potential voters with violence and death. Dozens were killed during that fateful day. In spite of the terrorists' efforts, millions went forth to decide for the fledgling democracy. Throughout the land, people proudly wore an ink spot on their index finger. It was their sign that they voted for freedom. (Steve Klipowicz)
Are you tired of evil getting its way? Fight back through prayer. Intercession can break the power of Satan. It is costly but effective. Let the enemy know his end is near. Get on your knees and vote for freedom!
Point of Connection: Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees. (William Cowper)
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Isaiah 28-30
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Isaiah 28
Time Of Trouble For Ephraim And Jerusalem
1It is a time of trouble to the crown of pride and to the drunk men of Ephraim, whose shining beauty is a dying flower. It is at the head of the rich valley of those who have taken too much wine! 2See, the Lord has one who is strong and powerful, like a storm of hail, a destroying storm. As with a flood of powerful waters flowing over, He will bring them down to the earth with His hand. 3The crown of pride, the drunk men of Ephraim, will be crushed under foot. 4The dying flower of its shining beauty which is at the head of the rich valley will be like the first fig grown before the summer. When one sees it, he takes it in his hand and eats it. 5In that day the Lord of All will be a crown of shining-greatness, a beautiful crown to those who are left of His people. 6He will be a spirit of what is fair to him who judges the people. He will be a strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 7These also walk from one side...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:32-33 NIV
During the week before Super Bowl XXXIX, there was tremendous media speculation about Terrell Owens, the Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver. Six weeks earlier, T.O. broke his right ankle and doctors doubted he would play in this game. Owens shocked journalists by declaring that God told him that he could play in the Super Bowl. Skeptics doubted his ability to be more than a decoy but T.O. proved them wrong! To the amazement of fans, the flamboyant Owens ended up catching nine passes for over 100 yards! (Steve Klipowicz)
Are you sitting on the sidelines? Don't let your doubts keep you from the game. Look to the Lord and see what He says about the situation. When He gives the nod, move out to the playing field in faith. If the Coach said it, that settles it!
Point of Connection: Attempt something so imposs...[more details]
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Isaiah 31-35
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Isaiah 31
Help Comes From The Lord, Not Egypt
1It is bad for those who go down to Egypt for help, and trust in the many horses and war, and in the much strength of their horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel or ask the Lord for help. 2Yet He is wise and brings trouble, and does not take back His words. He will go against the house of wrong, and against the helpers of those who sin. 3The Egyptians are men, and not God. Their horses are flesh and not spirit. The Lord puts out His hand, and the helper and the one who is helped will fall. All of them will be destroyed together.
4For the Lord has said to me, 'As the lion or the young lion makes noise over the food he has killed, and when a group of shepherds go against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, or troubled by their noise. In the same way, the Lord of All will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.' 5Like flying birds, the Lord of All will keep Jerusalem safe. He will keep it safe and bring...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 NIV
When Adoniram Judson sailed to Burma as a missionary, he suffered for over six years before seeing the first convert. At times, he was tempted to return home on the next ship. He confided to his diary: "If only we could find some quiet resting place on earth where we could spend the rest of our days in peace. But life is short. Millions of Burmese are perishing. I am almost the only person on earth who has attained their language to communicate salvation." (Regions Beyond)
Has ministry been tough sailing lately? Stay focused in eternity. God has you where He wants you. If you are tempted to abandon course, keep your eyes on the distant shores!
Point of Connection: The Burman Bible, His Monument, His record is on high.
(Epitaph of Adoniram Judson)
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Isaiah 36-41
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Isaiah 36
Assyria Takes Cities Of Judah
1In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the strong cities of Judah and took them. 2The king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem with a large army. And he stood by the ditch of the upper pool on the road of the Fuller's Field. 3Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was the head of the house, and Shebna the writer, and Joah the son of Asaph, who wrote down the things that happened, came out to him.
4Rabshakeh said to them, 'Tell Hezekiah, 'The great king, the king of Syria, says, 'What is the reason for this hope you have? 5Do you think that empty words are plans and strength for war? In whom do you trust, that you have turned against me? 6See, you are trusting in Egypt, whose power is like a broken piece of grass. If a man rests against it, it will cut into his hand. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 7But if you tell me, 'We trust in the Lo...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. Leviticus 23:6-8 NIV
At a Midwestern fair, many spectators gathered for an old-fashioned horse-pull to see what animal could haul the most weight. The grand-champion horse pulled a sled with 4,500 pounds on it. The runner-up pulled 4,400 pounds. Some of the contestants wondered what they could pull if hitched together. Separately, they had totaled nearly 9,000 pounds, but when hitched and working together as a team, the winning horses were able to pull more than 12,000 pounds. (Dan Newhouse)
Are you trying to move some heavy burdens in prayer? Team up with others in your intercession. Shared prayer multiplies in power. It might not make horse sense but praying together always adds up!
Point of Connection: Let us advance together on our knees! (John Neesima)
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Isaiah 42-44
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Isaiah 42
The Servant Of The Lord
1'See! My servant, My chosen one! My much Loved, in Whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit on Him. He will say to the nations what is right from wrong. 2He will not cry out or speak with a loud voice. His voice will not be heard in the streets. 3He will not break a broken branch or put out a little fire. He will be faithful to make everything fair. 4He will not lose hope or be crushed, until He has made things right on the earth. And the islands will wait with hope in His Law.'
5This is what God the Lord Who made the heavens and spread them out and Who spread out the earth and what comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it, says, 6'I am the Lord. I have called you to be right and good. I will hold you by the hand and watch over you. And I will give you as an agreement to the people, as a light to the nations. 7You will open blind eyes. You will bring people out of prison, out of the pris...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.' Matthew 6:9 NIV
Writer and reporter, Bill Moyers, was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960's. One evening he was asked to say grace before a meal in the White House. As Moyers began praying softly, the President interrupted him with, "Speak up, Bill! Speak up!" Moyers, a former Baptist minister, stopped in mid-sentence and without looking up replied steadily, "I wasn't addressing you, Mr. President." (Don Oberdorfer)
Are your prayers getting through? Make sure you direct them to the right place. Focus your petitions on your Father in Heaven. You'll get your answers when you use the right address!
Point of Connection: When we become too glib in prayer, we are most surely talking to ourselves. (Tozer)
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Isaiah 45-48
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Isaiah 45
Cyrus To Lead
1This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, whom He has chosen, whose right hand He has held, 'I send him to put nations under his power, and to take away the power of kings. And I will open doors in front of him so that gates will not be shut. 2I will go before you and make the hard places smooth. I will break the brass doors to pieces, and cut through their iron gates. 3I will give you riches hidden in the darkness and things of great worth that are hidden in secret places. Then you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by name. 4For the good of Jacob My servant and Israel My chosen one, I called you by your name. I gave you a name of honor, when you had not known Me. 5I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no God besides Me. I will give you strength, even though you have not known Me. 6Then men may know from sunrise to sunset that there is no God besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7I make light and I make da...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 NIV
Jerry Perkins was driving on a long deserted road when his car blew a tire. Not having a spare, Jerry had to walk in the darkness to an old service station down the road, the only one for miles. Jerry found the owner sitting in a chair. The stranded man asked, "How much would you charge to fix a flat tire?" The proprietor replied, "By the look of things, you aren't in any position to bargain!" (Ozillustrations)
Trying to pay off a bad conscience? You are in no position to bargain! No matter what you offer, you won't be able to resolve your debt of guilt. God has a better proposal. Confess your sins and receive His free gift of forgiveness. Accept His love and close the deal today!
Point of Connection: To admit our sin is positively the most cheerful thing any of us can
do. (U...[more details]
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Isaiah 49-53
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Isaiah 49
The Servant Of The Lord
1Listen to Me, O islands. Listen, you people from far away. The Lord called Me before I was born. From the body of My mother he said My name. 2He has made My mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden Me in the shadow of His hand. He has made Me a shining arrow, keeping Me in His secret place. 3And He said to Me, 'You are My Servant Israel, in Whom I will show My shining-great ness.' 4But I said, 'My work has been for nothing. I have spent My strength for nothing. Yet for sure what should come to Me is with the Lord, and My pay is with My God.'
5And now the Lord speaks, Who made Me before I was born to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him. For I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and My God is My strength. 6He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the family groups of Jacob, and to bring back those of Israel I have kept safe. I will also make You a light to the nations...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17 NIV
Barry and his little son, Jeremy, went to a local diner for lunch. When the waiter brought the food, Barry said, "Son, we'll just have a silent prayer." Barry got through praying first and waited for the boy to finish his prayer…but Jeremy just sat with his head bowed for minutes. When he finally looked up, Barry asked, "What were you praying about all that time?" Innocently Jeremy replied, "How do I know? It was a silent prayer."
(Our Daily Bread)
Do you find it hard to begin to pray? Instead of stumbling for the right words, learn to be still in His presence. Bask in his peace-giving love. Often the best way to start talking to God is being quiet!
Point of Connection: In your prayers rather let thy heart be without words than thy words without heart. (John Bunyon)
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Isaiah 54-58
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Isaiah 54
The Lord Loves Israel
1'Woman, be happy, you who have had no children. Cry for joy, you who have never had the pains of having a child, for you will have many children. Yes, you will have more children than the one who has a husband,' says the Lord. 2'Make your tent bigger. Spread out the curtains of your home, and do not hold back. Make your ropes longer and your tie stronger. 3For you will spread out to the right and to the left. Your children will own nations, and they will fill the destroyed cities with people.
4'Fear not, for you will not be ashamed. Do not be troubled, for you will not be put to shame. You will forget how you were ashamed when you were young. You will not remember the sorrow of being without a husband any more. 5Your Maker is your husband. His name is the Lord of All. And the One Who saves you is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of All the earth. 6For the Lord has called you like a wife left alone and filled with sorrow, like a wife...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience… Galatians 5:22 NIV
Bobby was sent to his room because he had been bad. A short time later, the young boy went out and said to his mother, "I've been thinking about what I did and I said a prayer." "That's fine," she said, "if you ask God to make you good, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me be good," replied Bobby. "I asked Him to help you put up with me." (HigherPraise.com)
Struggling to get along with family members? Begin the peace project with yourself. Pray for a new heart and yield to the Holy Spirit. You'll be amazed how improved others become when you ask the Lord to change you first!
Point of Connection: We never pray for folks we gossip about and we never gossip about the folk for whom we pray. (Leonard Ravinhill)
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Isaiah 59-63
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Isaiah 59
Sin Keeps One From God
1See, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save, and His ear is not closed that it cannot hear. 2But your wrong have kept you away from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear. 3For your hands are sinful with blood, your fingers with wrong, your lips have lied, and your tongue talks about sin. 4No one wants what is right and fair in court. And no one argues his cause with the truth. They trust in what is false, and speak lies. They plan to make trouble and do what is sinful. 5They bring young ones from the eggs of deadly snakes and make traps as a spider does. He who eats of their eggs dies, and a snake comes out of the egg that is crushed. 6Clothing cannot be made from the work of the spider, so they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their works are works of sin. They hurt others with their hands. 7And they are quick to sin and to kill people who are not guilty. Their thoughts are thoughts...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. 2 Corinthians 1:11-12 NIV
Jean was attending church in Kentucky with relatives. During the middle of the service, a young boy started to make a fuss in spite of his parent's efforts to quiet him. Suddenly his irate father got up and quickly carried the boy under his arm out of the sanctuary. No one in the congregation so much as raised an eyebrow - until the child cried out in a charming Southern accent, "Ya'll pray for me now!" (Jean McMahon)
Are you facing some big challenges? Make sure you get the prayer backing you need! The faithful prayers of people who care can turn the tide for you. Swallow your pride and remind others, "Ya'll pray for me now!"
Point of Connection: The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel. (Thomas Watson)
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Isaiah 64-66
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Isaiah 64
1If only You would tear open the heavens and come down! The mountains would shake before You, 2as when fire burns the wood and causes the water to boil. Come and make Your name known to those who are against you, that the nations may shake in fear before You! 3When You did powerful things which we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains shook before You. 4From long ago no ear has heard and no eye has seen any God besides You, Who works for those who wait for Him. 5You meet him who finds joy in doing what is right and good, who remembers You in Your ways. See, You were angry because we sinned. We have been sinning for a long time, and will we be saved? 6All of us have become like one who is unclean. All our right and good works are like dirty pieces of cloth. And all of us dry up like a leaf. Our sins take us away like the wind. 7There is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and have given us...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:2-3 NIV
If the request is wrong, God says, "No." If the timing is wrong, God says, "Slow." If you are wrong, God says, "Grow." But if the request is right, the time is right and you are right, God says, "GO!" (Bill Hybels)
Are you spinning your wheels in prayer? Don't start seeing red waiting for God to answer your request. The Lord is waiting for your motives and request to line up with His will. When things are right, then you'll get the green light!
Point of Connection: Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness. (William Carey)
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Jeremiah 1-3
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Jeremiah 1
The Call of Jeremiah
1These are the words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the religious leaders at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. 2The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his rule. 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem were taken away.
4Now the Word of the Lord came to me saying, 5" Before I started to put you together in your mother, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart as holy. I chose you to speak to the nations for Me." 6Then I said, " O, Lord God! I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy." 7But the Lord said to me, " Do not say, ' I am only a boy.' You must go everywhere I send you. And you must say whatever I tell you. 8Do not be afraid of them. For I am with you to take you out of trouble," says the Lord...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV
Margaret Patrick and Ruth Eisenberg were residents of a nursing home. Both were accomplished pianists, but crippling strokes left them unable to play. When the two women met, they discovered Margaret was able to play with her right hand while Ruth still could play with her left hand. The duet has developed an extensive repertoire playing together and now performed regularly. "I never thought God could use us the way He is doing," says Margaret. "We are so happy-and we thank God every day."
(Daily Devotions)
Do you feel inadequate in ministering for the Lord? God never intended for you to serve by yourself. Ask the Lord to lead you to people who have gifts that will harmonize with you. Together you'll make beautiful music for Jesus!
Point of Connection: Community is the place where God completes our lives with joy. (Henri Nouwen)
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Jeremiah 4-6
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Jeremiah 4
God Asks Israel To Turn From Its Sins
1" If you will return, O Israel," says the Lord, " return to Me. If you will put away your false gods from Me and be faithful to Me, 2and promise, ' As the Lord lives,' by what is true and right and good, then the nations will be happy in Him. And in Him they will have honor."
3For the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, " Break up your ground which has not been planted, and do not plant seeds among thorns. 4Set yourselves apart to the Lord, and put away the flesh from your heart, men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Or My anger will go out like fire and burn with no one to stop it, because of the sinful things you do."
Armies From The North Are Coming
5Make it known in Judah and Jerusalem, and say, " Sound the horns in the land." Cry out and say, " Gather together, and let us go into the strong cities made ready for battle." 6Lift up a flag toward Zion! Run to a safe place, do not stand still. For I am bringing m...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14 NIV
As a young man, missionary Hudson Taylor refused to follow God. One day, Hudson read a gospel tract in his father's office. He couldn't shake off its message. Finally, falling to his knees, he accepted Christ as his Savior. Later, Hudson told his mother the good news. She smiled and replied, "I already know. Ten days ago, the very date on which you tell me you read that tract, I spent the entire afternoon in prayer for you until the Lord assured me that my wayward son had been brought into the fold." (Sermonillustrations.com)
Do you have family members that need Jesus? Pray in the full assurance of faith. God wants them to come to Christ. He doesn't desire any to be lost. Pray in confidence and mark the days until God brings them home!
Point of Connection: Prayer is not conquering God's reluctance but taking hold of God's willingness! (...[more details]
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Jeremiah 7-9
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Jeremiah 7
Israel Must Not Trust In Lying Words
1This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2" Stand in the gate of the Lord's house and make this word known: ' Hear the Word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who go through these gates to worship the Lord!' '' 3The Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, " Change your ways and your works for the better, and I will let you live in this place. 4Do not trust the lies that say, ' This is the house of the Lord, the house of the Lord, the house of the Lord.' 5For if you for sure change your ways and what you do for the better, if you are fair as you judge between a man and his neighbor, 6if you do not make it hard for the stranger from another land, or the child whose parents have died, or the woman whose husband has died, and do not kill those who are not guilty in this place, and stop going after other gods, for that will destroy you, 7then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and e...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:8 NIV
Young Hans applied for a job as a logger. During his interview, the burly youth impressed the foreman by quickly chopping down a large tree by hand. During his first week of work, his performance steadily declined. The foreman informed Hans that he was going to be fired. "But I've worked hard all week!" the young man objected. The foreman, sensing the boy's integrity, asked, "Have you been sharpening your ax?" The inexperienced young man replied, "I've been working too hard to take the time." (William Boyd)
Have you been too busy to sharpen your ax? Daily prayer is needed to keep the edge on your ministry. Remember that all work and no pray can make you a dull Christian!
Point of Connection: If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith. (Martin Luther)
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Jeremiah 10-13
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Jeremiah 10
True Worship And False Gods
1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O people of Israel. 2The Lord says, " Do not learn the way of the nations. And do not be afraid of the things seen in the heavens, even if the nations are afraid of them. 3For the ways of the people are of no use. They cut wood from the trees. A workman cuts it with an ax. 4They make it beautiful with silver and gold. They put it together with nails so that it cannot fall apart. 5Their false gods are like a wooden man set up in a vegetable field to make birds be afraid and stay away. They cannot speak. They must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot hurt you. And they cannot help you." 6There is no one like You, O Lord. You are great, and Your name is great in power. 7Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For You should be honored with fear. Among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their lands, there is no one like You. 8They are all po...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15 NIV
Missionaries, John and Betty Stam, were beheaded by Chinese Communists sixty years ago, after being beaten and paraded through the streets. In Betty's journal was found the following prayer: "Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes and accept Thy will for my life. I give my self, my life, my all, utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt. Send me where Thou wilt. And work out Thy whole will in my life - at any cost, now and forever." (Kevin Miller)
Do you want to be used by the Lord? Dedicate yourself in prayer today and be willing to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost. Hold nothing back from God. He gave his best for you!
Point of Connection: Christians are living in this sinful world and must bear its burdens; they must no...[more details]
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Jeremiah 14-17
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Jeremiah 14
No Water - No Food
1The Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah when there was no water: 2" Judah is full of sorrow and her gates are weak. Her people sit on the ground in sorrow, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. 3Their men of honor have sent their servants for water. They have come to the wells and found no water, and returned with their jars empty. They have been put to shame and troubled, and covered their heads. 4The ground is dried up because there has been no rain on the land. The farmers have been put to shame and have covered their heads. 5Even the deer in the field leaves her young one which has just been born, because there is no grass. 6The wild donkeys stand on the open hill-tops. They breathe hard for air like wild dogs. Their eyes become weak because there is nothing to eat.
7" Even when our sins speak against us, O Lord, do something for the good of Your name. For we have fallen away from You many times. We have sinned against You. 8You are the Hope...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son." Genesis 30:6 NIV
Recently Mike Krzyzewski, basketball coach for Duke University, was offered $40 million by the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers to be their new skipper. What swayed his mind to stay at Duke was an E-mail from an unknown student, Andrew Humphries. Humphries recounted his pride in being part of the "sixth man" student body that fills Cameron Indoor Stadium to root for their team. He closed his message with the impassioned plea, "Please still be my coach." Coach K. was moved to tears by the appeal of a student he didn't even know. (Gary Yates)
Are you facing a desperate situation? Then get desperate with God! Call out to the Lord with your whole heart. Your sincere appeal of faith will move Him on your behalf. You are no stranger to the Father. He will hear your cry.
Point of Connection: Will petitions that do not move the heart of the supplicant move the heart of Omnipot...[more details]
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Jeremiah 18-22
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Jeremiah 18
The Pot-Maker And The Clay
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, 2" Go down to the pot-maker's house, and there I will let you hear My words." 3So I went down to the pot-maker's house, and saw him making one on the wheel. 4But the pot he was making of clay did not come out like he wanted it. So the pot-maker used the clay to make another pot that pleased him.
5Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying, 6" O people of Israel, can I not do with you as this potmaker has done?" says the Lord. " Like the clay in the pot-maker's hand, so are you in My hand, O people of Israel. 7If at any time I speak about a nation, to pull up, and to break down and to destroy, 8and if that nation I spoke against turns from its sin, then I will change My mind about the trouble I planned to bring upon it. 9If at another time I speak about a nation, that I will build and plant it, 10and if it does what is sinful in My eyes by not obeying My voice, then I will change My mi...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. If one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the weeds grow on your path." (Today in the Word)
Has your spiritual life been a bit overgrown? Maybe you need to walk the path of prayer a little more often. Make prayer a daily habit and watch the weeds be gone!
Point of Connection: What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more. (Robert Murray McCheyne.)
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Jeremiah 23-25
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miah 23
The Right And Good Branch
1" It is bad for the shepherds who are destroying and dividing the sheep of My field!" says the Lord. 2The Lord God of Israel says this about the shepherds who are caring for My people, " You have made My flock go everywhere and have driven them away, and have not cared for them. See, I am about to punish you for your sinful things you have done," says the Lord. 3" Then I Myself will gather those who are left of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them back to their field. And they will have many children. 4I will have shepherds over them who will care for them. And they will not be afraid any longer, or filled with fear, and none of them will be missing," says the Lord.
5" See, the days are coming," says the Lord, " when I will raise up for David a right and good Branch. He will rule as king and be wise and do what is right and fair and good in the land. 6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will b...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone…this is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved.
1 Timothy 2:1, 4 NIV
Mr. David Bunton taught shop classes for years at a rough inner city high school. It was discovered that dozens of his former students became believers. Many entered the ministry and became pastors and missionaries. Working in the public school, Bunton had little opportunity to talk to his students about Christ. He simply prayed over his students as they worked at their desks. The only common point of spiritual connection the students shared was that they were prayed over by their teacher. (Brian Roennfeldt)
Want to see the Spirit move in your world? Then make intercessory prayer your major. Prayer moves the hand of God to change the hearts of sinners. When you enroll in the school of prayer, move to the head of the class!
Point of Connection: More things are wrought by pra...[more details]
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Jeremiah 26-29
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Jeremiah 26
Jeremiah's Trial
1In the beginning of the rule of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, 2" This is what the Lord says: ' Stand in the open space of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the Lord's house. Tell them all the words that I have told you to say to them. Do not leave out one word! 3It may be they will listen and everyone will turn from his sinful way. Then I may change My mind about the trouble I plan to put on them because of the sinful things they have done.' 4And tell them, ' This is what the Lord says: " If you will not listen to Me and follow My Law which I have set before you, 5and if you do not listen to the words of My servants who speak for Me, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened, 6then I will make this House of God like Shiloh. And I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth." ' ''
7The religious leader...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 14:35 NIV
David Whitford suspected that his father was in financial difficulty but didn't know that his elderly parent had amassed a six-figure debt. Whenever Whitford tried to talk about money, his father immediately changed the subject. At one point, Whitford's father simply put his hands over his ears and made a humming noise to escape the topic. Yet two days after his father's death, Whitford found these words scrawled on his father's desk: "Help me. I'm drowning." (Fortune Magazine)
Are your problems going over your head? Before you drown, listen to God. The Lord has an answer for your situation, but you need to be willing to hear and obey. Open your ears to Jesus, before you go down for the third time!
Point of Connection: Christ went more readily ad crucem (to the cross), than we do to the throne of grace. (Thomas Watson)
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Jeremiah 30-31
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Jeremiah 30
Israel And Judah To Be Free Again
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2" This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ' Write in a book all the words which I have spoken to you. 3For the days are coming,' says the Lord, ' when I will bring back My people Israel and Judah from where they are held.' The Lord says, ' I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers before them, and it will be theirs.' "
4These are the words which the Lord spoke about Israel and Judah: 5" The Lord says, ' I have heard cries of much trouble, of being afraid, and there is no peace. 6Ask now and see, can a man give birth to a child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his body like a woman giving birth? Why have all faces turned white? 7That day will be very bad! There is none like it. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he will be saved out of it. 8On that day,' says the Lord of All, ' I will break the cross-bar off from their neck, and will t...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord …being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully... Colossians 1:10 -11 NIV
Elisa and her daughter, Eva, were praying for a friend's teenage daughter, Amy, whose hair was mysteriously falling out. Eva simply prayed that night, "Jesus, please hold Amy's hair on her head." Several weeks later, they learned that the girl had a rare condition in which there was no treatment for the hair loss. As mother and daughter prayed again, Eva prayed: "Dear Jesus, if you won't hold Amy's hair on her head, would you please hold Amy?" (Elisa Morgan)
Do you know people in deep trouble? Make sure you surround them with loving prayer. Ask that they will find God's presence in the midst of their need. Problems are
a lot easier to get through when you are being hugged by Jesus!
Point of Connection: We are, each of us, angels with only on...[more details]
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Jeremiah 32-34
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Jeremiah 32
Jeremiah Buys A Field
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2At that time the army of the king of Babylon was around Jerusalem. And Jeremiah the man of God was shut up in the open space of the prison, in the house of the king of Judah. 3For King Zedekiah of Judah had shut him up, saying, " Why do you speak these things in the Lord's name? You have said, ' This is what the Lord says: " I am giving this city to the king of Babylon, and he will take it. 4King Zedekiah of Judah will not get away from the Babylonians. For sure he will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon. He will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him," says the Lord. " If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not win." ' ''
6Jeremiah said, " The Word of the Lord came to me, saying, 7' Hanamel, t...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV
Bob was on a tour of heaven with St. Peter. In the midst of the glorious splendor of the heavenly city, Bob notices an enormous but plain looking building. He asked to go inside and St. Peter reluctantly let him enter. Bob found a warehouse full of boxes with people's names on them. "Are these boxes full of the good things you have reserved for those who reach heaven?" Bob asked when finding a box with his name on it. "No" replies St. Peter. "They're all the blessings God wanted to give you while you were alive on earth but which you never received." (Bruce Wilkerson)
Are you feeling spiritually impoverished? Then begin drawing on your inheritance in Christ. God has promised you his abundant riches of grace, but you must receive them in faith. Make sure you open your box of blessings before you get to the Pea...[more details]
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Jeremiah 35-37
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Jeremiah 35
The Rechabites
1This is the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2" Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them. Then bring them to one of the rooms of the house of the Lord, and give them wine to drink." 3So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons, and all those of the Rechabite family. 4And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, the man of God. This room was near the room of the leaders and above the room of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5Then I set jars full of wine and some cups in front of the men of the Rechabite family. And I said to them, " Drink wine." 6But they said, " We will not drink wine. For Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, told us, ' You and your sons must never drink wine. 7You must never build a house. You must never plant seeds. And you must neve...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
An archaeologist hired some Inca tribesmen to lead him to an archaeological site deep in the mountains. After they had been moving for some time, the tribesmen stopped and insisted they would go no further. No matter how much the scientist cajoled, the tribesmen would not go any further. Then all of a sudden the tribesmen picked up the gear and set off once more. When the bewildered archaeologist asked why the change in attitude, the tribesmen answered, "We had been moving too fast and had to wait for our souls to catch up." (Beyond the Clouds)
Have you been spiritually worn out lately? Maybe you have been moving too fast! If you are too busy to pray, you'll soon be running on empty. Schedule some down time with the Lord as soon as possible. You'll find fresh energy when you take t...[more details]
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Jeremiah 38-41
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Jeremiah 38
Jeremiah In A Dry Water Well
1Now Shaphatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard Jeremiah telling all the people, 2" The Lord says, ' He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by hunger and by disease. But he who goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will get away with his life and live.' 3The Lord says, ' For sure this city will be given to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.' " 4Then the leaders said to the king, " Now let this man be put to death. For he is making the hearts of the men of war weak who are left in this city, and of all the people, by saying such words to them. This man does not care about the well-being of these people, but instead wants them hurt." 5So King Zedekiah said, " He is in your hands. The king can do nothing against you." 6So they took Jeremiah and put him into the well of Malchijah the king's son, in the open space of the pris...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds of the air.
Job 28:21 NIV
Banner was confined to solitary confinement in a pitch-black prison cell. To relieve his boredom, the convict would repeatedly throw a marble against the walls and find it in the blackness. One day Banner threw the marble up and tried to catch it in the dark. The marble never came down. The prisoner went mad trying to determine what became of his precious marble. As the insane convict was being transferred, one of the guards noticed a marble stuck in a spider web on the ceiling and said, "How on earth did the spider manage to get a marble up there?" (Focus on the Family)
Are you confused in the dark? When things just don't make sense, realize that God has a purpose beyond what you can grasp at the moment. Don't lose your marbles; trust in the Lord!
Point of Connection: Keep praying but be thankfu...[more details]
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Jeremiah 42-45
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Jeremiah 42
The People Want To Go To Egypt
1Then all the captains of the armies, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people both small and great, came near 2and said to Jeremiah the man of God, " Hear what we ask of you. Pray to the Lord your God for us, for all these people who are left. As you see, only a few of us are left out of many. 3Pray that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go and what we should do." 4Then Jeremiah the man of God said to them, " I have heard you. I will pray to the Lord your God as you ask. And I will tell you the whole answer that the Lord gives. I will not keep anything from you." 5Then they said to Jeremiah, " May the Lord be true and faithful to speak against us if we do not do all that the Lord your God tells you we must do. 6If it is good or bad, we will listen to the voice of the Lord our God to Whom we are sending you. It will go well with us if we listen to the voice of the Lord our God."
7At the...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who, through faith and patience, inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:12 NIV
Harold Gallagher has always been a great guy but he just wasn't interested in God. His wife, Linda, had been praying for him for 30 years. Last November, Harold had some tough times that pushed him to visit Linda's pastor. Linda was with him when Harold received Christ! Linda remarked later, "I waited all those years to have him sit beside me in church. Now he's ushering at church. You'll never meet a better usher!" (Lee Eclov)
Do you desire the salvation of family members? Don't give up your hope. Faithful and committed prayer will pay off in the long run. Keep praying for those you love. One day, Jesus will usher them into His kingdom!
Point of Connection: We are to change the world by prayer. (Richard Foster)
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Jeremiah 46-48
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Jeremiah 46
God Speaks Through Jeremiah About Egypt
1This is the Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the man of God about the nations. 2This is what He said about Egypt, and about the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had won the battle against Pharaoh's army in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah. 3" Get your coverings ready and go out to the battle! 4Get the horses ready and get on them! Take your places with your head-coverings on! Make your spears shine, and put on your heavy battleclothes! 5What do I see? They are filled with fear and are turning back. Their strong men are beaten and are running away without looking back. Much fear is on every side," says the Lord. 6Do not let the fast man run away. Do not let the strong man get away. In the north by the River Euphrates they have lost their step and fallen. 7Who is this that rises like the Nile, like rivers of ris...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 NIV
The Province of Quebec, Canada, banned smoking in its prisons. One convict, Robert, came up with a novel idea. He mixed tealeaves and the residue from nicotine gum together and rolled his own cigarettes in pages from a Bible he found in his cell. One day, Robert had a life-changing experience. "I smoked Matthew. I smoked Mark. I smoked Luke," Robert explained to a reporter. "When I got to John, I read about how God loves me. Now I don't smoke, because now I am a Christian." (CBS Radio News)
Want to see lives transformed by the Lord? Then make sure you plant God's Word wherever you can. The Word can change the hardest hearts through faith. Share the word of God and watch unbelief go up in smoke!
Point of Connection: Most of us read the gospels with sealed and un-wondering eyes. (Dean Church)
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Jeremiah 49-50
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Jeremiah 49
God Speaks Through Jeremiah About Ammon
1About the sons of Ammon, the Lord says, " Does Israel have no sons? Does she have no one to receive what she leaves? Why then has Malcam taken Gad as his own? Why do his people live in its cities? 2But the days are coming," says the Lord, " when I will blow a horn giving the sound of war against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon. And it will become a waste. Its towns will be set on fire. Then Israel will take the land from those who had taken it from her," says the Lord.
3" Cry out, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Cry out, O people of Rabbah. Put on clothes made from hair and cry in sorrow. And run this way and that way inside the walls. For Malcam will go to a strange land, together with his religious leaders and his important men. 4How you speak in pride about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O daughter without faith who trusts in her riches, saying, ' Who will come against me?' 5I will bring much trouble upon you,...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Psalm 147:1 NIV
An elderly Christian man, a fine singer, was diagnosed with throat cancer. As he was being prepared for surgery, his doctor informed the man that he would never sing again! With those words, the patient sat up and softly sang his last words in the doctor's presence. They were the words from an Isaac Watts' hymn: "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, before my voice is lost in death." (Louis Banks)
Have you been down in the dumps? Stop singing the blues and begin praising God. When you lift your voice to the Lord, heaven will fill your heart! Invite the presence of God through your worship in song. One day in Glory, you'll give an everlasting encore!
Point of Connection: The glory of God is a living man and the life of man consists in beholding God. (Iranaeus)
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Jeremiah 51-52
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Jeremiah 51
Babylon Is Destroyed
1The Lord says, " See, I will raise up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and against the people of Chaldea. 2I will send strangers to destroy Babylon like a wind that blows straw away. For they will be against her on every side and leave her land empty in the day of her trouble. 3Do not let the bow-man use his bow. Do not let him stand up in his heavy battle-clothes. Do not leave her young men alive, but destroy all of her army. 4They will fall down dead in the land of Babylon and be killed in their streets."
5For Israel and Judah have not been left alone by their God, the Lord of All, even though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. 6Run away from Babylon! Let every man save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for it is time for the Lord to punish her. He will make her pay for her sins. 7Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord's hand, making all the earth drunk. The nations have drunk her wine, and so...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20 NIV
Jonathan wanted badly to go to a hockey game for their local team, the Avalanches. His mother encouraged him before bed to pray about it. Jonathan's father did not know about the prayer request and the next day brought tickets home for the game. They sat just eight rows from the player's bench. During the game, Jonathan even received a broken hockey stick from his favorite player as a souvenir of his visit! The broken stick hung on Jonathan's wall as a reminder that God answers our prayers far beyond what we expect or deserve! (Denise Boone)
On this special day of prayer, make sure you don't limit God. He wants to use your prayers to touch your life and the world. Invite the Lord to enter into the darkest and bleakest situations. Even the simplest prayer of faith will open the door for the Lord to do more that you expect or deserv...[more details]
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Lamentations 1:1-3:36
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Lamentations 1
Jerusalem's Sorrows
1How empty is the city that was once full of people! She was once great among the nations. But now she has become like a woman whose husband has died. She who was once a queen among the cities has become a servant made to work. 2She cries hard in the night, with tears on her face. She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have not been faithful to her. They have turned against her. 3Judah has been taken away to a strange land where she suffers much and is made to work hard as a servant. She lives among the nations, but has no rest. All those who went after her have taken her in her trou-ble . 4The roads of Zion are filled with sorrow, because no one comes to the special suppers. All her gates are laid waste. Her religious leaders are crying in sorrow. Her pure young women are troubled, and she herself is in bitter suffering. 5Those who hate her have power over her, and all goes well for them. For the Lord has made her...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John1:2 NIV
Dr. Dale Matthew of Georgetown University, author of The Faith Factor, analyzed a number of current studies on the relationship between prayer and health. He estimates that about 75 percent of studies on spirituality have confirmed that practicing prayer has health benefits. "If prayer were available in pill form," concludes Matthew, "no pharmacy could stock enough of it." (Dianne Hales)
Are you seeking the limelight? Don't set your heart on the recognition of others. Play your part humbly and let God give you His applause!
Point of Connection: The truth is that happy people generally don't get sick.
(Bernie Siegel)
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Lamentations 3:37-5:22
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Lamentations 3
37Who has said that something would happen and then it did happen, unless the Lord has said that it should be? 38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and bad come?
39Why should any living man complain about the punishment of his sins? 40Let us test and look over our ways, and return to the Lord. 41Let us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven, saying, 42'We have sinned and would not obey You, and You have not forgiven us. 43You have covered Yourself with anger and have followed us, killing without pity. 44You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through. 45You have made us a waste and something that is not wanted among the nations. 46All those who hate us have spoken against us. 47Fear and a trap have come upon us. We are laid waste and destroyed. 48My eyes flow with rivers of tears because my people are destroyed. 49Tears flow from my eyes all the time without stopping, 50until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever. Psalm 45:17 NIV
George McCluskey prayed that his children and grandchildren would follow Christ. Over his life, McCluskey saw all his children and grandchildren become Christians and go into vocational ministry or marry someone who did. All except one of his grandchildren who decided to become a psychologist. Although not a preacher, Dr. James Dobson would become a nationally known writer and syndicated radio show host whose witness would touch thousands for Jesus! (Steve Farrar)
Do you want to leave something for your children? Make sure that they will enjoy an inheritance of faith. God will hear your prayers and bless future generations as a result. Make a difference; focus on the family!
Point of Connection: You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. (John Bunyon)
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Ezekiel 1-4
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Ezekiel 1
Ezekiel Sees God's Throne
1On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was by the Chebar River with the Jews who had been taken away from their land, the heavens were opened and I saw God in a special way. 2(On the fifth day of the month in the fifth year that King Jehoiachin had been living in a strange land, 3the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the religious leader, son of Buzi, in the land of the Babylonians by the Chebar River. There the hand of the Lord came upon him.)
4I looked and saw a wind storm coming from the north. There was a big cloud with lightning coming from it and with a bright light around it. Inside the fire was something like shining brass, 5and in the fire was what looked like four living beings. They looked like men, 6but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight, and their feet were like those of a calf. They shined like bright brass. 8Under their wings on their four sides were hands like a m...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 NIV
Tomas Borge was a freedom fighter in Nicaragua. Borge was captured and put in prison where he was severely tortured for weeks. After the revolution, Borge was freed and became the Minister of the Interior. One day, he found one of his former torturers in jail. He walked up to this man who had inflicted brutal pain upon him and said, "I am going to get my revenge from you." He then held out his hand and said, "This is my revenge, I forgive you." (Ernesto Cardenal)
Are you looking to get back at someone? Don't become a prisoner to your hate. Seeking to make things even will only lower you a level. Pray for those who have hurt you. Fight for your freedom! Forgive.
Point of Connection: Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons - but they are helpless against our prayers.
(Sidlow Baxter)
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Ezekiel 5-8
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Ezekiel 5
Ezekiel Cuts His Hair With A Sword
1'As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it to cut the hair from your head and face. Then weigh and divide the hair. 2A third part you must burn in the fire in the center of the city, when the days of the battle are completed. Then take a third part and cut it up with your sword as you move around the city. And a third part you must throw to the wind. For I will pull out a sword behind them. 3Take a small number of the hairs and tie them in the cloth of your coat. 4Take some more of them and throw them into the fire, and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to all the people of Israel. 5The Lord God says, 'This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with lands around her. 6But she has turned against My Laws worse than the nations and the lands around her. The people of Jerusalem have turned away from My Laws and have not obeyed them.' 7So the Lord God says, 'You have been more sinful than the nation...[more details]
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