The Word for wisdom:
Proverbs 2:6-8 (ESV)
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
The Word for inspiration:
Psalm 141:3-4 (MSG)
3 Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips. 4 Don't let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong— don't let them lure me with their sweet talk!
The Word for encouragement:
Luke 17:11-14 (HCSB)
11 While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 When He saw them, He told them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And while they were going, they were healed.
My observation:
There is so much to see in today's focal passage from Luke on the subject of prayer. It is even more revealing when you have the trusted and guiding hand of the Holy Spirit as your teacher. Like the Psalmist, I make this my prayer as I open the scriptures each day.
Psalm 119:18 (HCSB)
Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction.
In this passage I see demonstrated though these ten lepers in their encounter with Jesus the power of prayer in getting our most pressing needs met. These lepers had a need. Their community resources offered no hope for them. The community's response was to isolate them. That's what they did with leapers, they were outcasts.
Where do you turn for help when the world offers none? This encounter of the lepers gives us some direction. I constantly encourage myself by singing during the day, "Father, I stretch my hands to thee, no other help I know".
Whatever needs you have in your life you can do like the ten lepers. You can take those needs to Jesus, and he will take the time to listen to you. Jesus is still in the business of giving hope, help, and healing to those who ask the Savior to help them.
The ten lepers simply prayed this prayer, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us". Then, they did what Jesus told them to do. Faith in God and obedience to God still works.
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that each of us will learn an important lesson on prayer from the encounter of the ten lepers with Jesus.
When others could not help them, they believed that Jesus could help them. If Jesus will take the time to help these ten outcast leapers, I am certain that my heavenly Father and my Savior will help me.
Father, I am not too proud to pray like these sinners prayed, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us". Father, I praise and thank you for being a hope for the hopeless, a helper for the helpless, and a healer in a class all by yourself.
My prayer:
What a Friend (Click on link below to listen to this song):
http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/789
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http://www.herbcotton.org
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Current topic: A Proverb a day for wisdom, and a Psalm a day for inspiration.
Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
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