Daily Prayer_June 29, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:6-7 (NLT)
⁶ Fools' words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.
⁷ The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 148:5-6 (NLT)
⁵ Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being.
⁶ He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 20:22-32 (HCSB)
²² "And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there,
²³ except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.
²⁴ But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God's grace.
²⁵ "And now I know that none of you will ever see my face again—everyone I went about preaching the kingdom to.
²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent clean of everyone's blood,
²⁷ for I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole plan of God.
²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
²⁹ I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
³⁰ And men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them.
³¹ Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.
³² "And now I commit you to God and to the message of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

My observation:

One day, if Jesus tarries, we will each come to the place where we will be near the end of our earthly journey.

Will we be able to be like he Apostle Paul and look back at our life and our ministry without regret? The Apostle Paul did not have an easy life as a servant, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that he was faithful to the end.

As the Apostle looked ahead, he could see storm clouds in the future.  However, he could look to the future without fear because his confidence was in the Lord he served. We can learn and draw so much support and strength from Paul's farewell speech to the elders and the church.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, my heart's desire and prayer to you is that I will be able to finish strong like the Apostle Paul.

Father God, I want to live my life in such a manner that I will be able to look back without regret, and be able to look to the future without fear.

Father, because of who you are, I am so thankful that by trusting in you, I will be able to accomplish both of these desires of my heart. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:7 (HCSB)
⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

 

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 28, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:4 (NLT)
⁴ Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 147:5 (NLT)
⁵ How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!

The Word of God for encouragement:

 Acts 19:15-20 (HCSB)
¹⁵ The evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?"
¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.
¹⁷ This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
¹⁸ And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices,
¹⁹ while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be 50,000 pieces of silver.
²⁰ In this way the Lord's message flourished and prevailed.

My observation:

The devil is an imitator, and his imps follow in his footsteps. That is what takes place in this story in Acts as some men saw the miracles that Paul performed by the power of the Lord. This is the type of things they saw Paul do.

Acts 19:11-12 (HCSB)
¹¹ God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul's hands,
¹² so that even facecloths or work aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.

These men failed in their attempts to imitate Paul. However, God used their deceit to bring about something good.  There was a mighty move of the Spirit of God among the people.

One of the conditions of God blessing his people is for them to turn from their wicked ways. Surely we need a healing in our land today. Turning from and forsaking our secret sins is one of the conditions for the blessing of the Lord upon our land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (HCSB)
¹⁴ and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

My prayer:

Sovereign God, Holy Father, I pray that you will visit us with the power of the Spirit of God, and convict and convince your people of the necessity to turn from our evil ways. Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 27, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:2-3 (NLT)
² Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
³ Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 146:3-4 (NLT)
³ Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.
⁴ When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 19:8-10 (HCSB)
⁸ Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things of the kingdom of God.
⁹ But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them and met separately with the disciples, conducting discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
¹⁰ And this went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord.

My observation:

Spending time at the beginning of my day in reading and reflecting on the word of God adds so much value to my life.

Before getting out of bed this morning, I read a prayer that said, "Help me contend for the faith without being contentious". I mulled over this, and thought to myself, I need to think about this some more.

Now, I am at my computer, reading my You Version Daily Bible Reading Plan for today, and I come to the New Testament passage from Acts 19. What do I find?

The passage I chose to comment on this morning was in answer to my heart's desire to get some more information on the topic of contending without being contentious. Well, ask, and you shall receive.

I love the King James version of the bible. However, some of the language of 1611 does not mean the same thing in 2012. Here is a case in point.

Acts 19:8 (KJV)
⁸ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts 19:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things of the kingdom of God.

Acts 19:8 (ESV)
⁸ And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

The HCSB and the ESV captures the meaning of the word "disputing" more accurately in today's English. Paul spoke the truth, but he spoke it in love.

The old folks had it right when they told us as children, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar".

I think Paul used honey instead of vinegar. The result was that the people listened to him for three months. He preached without compromising the gospel of Christ. How long will people listen if you use vinegar?

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I thank you for your awesome presence in my life. Lord, I praise you, and I thank you for being a God who is so involved in my life, when I give you access to my whole being.

Father, it is so comforting and reassuring to know that you know everything about me, and that you always have my best interest close to your heart. This knowledge allows me to be open and transparent when I come to you in prayer.

Father God, I pray like David, that you would search me because you know me, and change me because you know what is best for me, so that I can be the person that you want me to be. Amen.

Psalm 139:23-24 (HCSB)
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 26, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 18:1 (NLT)
¹ Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 145:3 (NLT)
³ Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 18:7-10 (HCSB)
⁷ So he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
⁸ Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed the Lord, along with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.
⁹ Then the Lord said to Paul in a night vision, "Don't be afraid, but keep on speaking and don't be silent.
¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city."

 My observation:

It is comforting to know that when we face rejection in doing what God has called us to do, that the rejection is not about us, but about Him.

Even more comforting is the assurance that God gives to those he sends into the world to do his work. This is the thing that should keep us faithful no matter what opposition and rejection we face.

The Lord said to Paul, "I am with you". Yes, let's read it again.

Acts 18:10 (HCSB)
¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city."

It has always been the case, it has never been about us, and it has always been about the Lord. My friends, don't try to carry a burden on your shoulders that don't belong to you. The saving of souls is the Lord's work. We are his messengers telling the goodnews that Jesus saves.

2 Chronicles 20:15 (HCSB)
¹⁵ and he said, "Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the LORD says: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God's.

Isaiah 41:10 (HCSB)
¹⁰ Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

Matthew 28:20 (HCSB)
²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, it is music to my ears to hear the reassuring message that the battle is not mine, but the Lord's.

Father God, it is soothing to my soul to hear those reassuring words, "I am with you". What a peace it is in knowing that the giant problems in my life are no match for the mighty, and righteous right hand of my Lord and my God. Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 25, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:27 (NLT)
²⁷ A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 144:3-4 (NLT)
³ O LORD, who are we that you should notice us, mere mortals that you should care for us?
⁴ For we are like a breath of air; our days are like a passing shadow.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 17:2-3 (HCSB)
² As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
³ explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: "THIS Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah."

My observation:

I have been awake for about one hour, and in that hour I have experienced such an overflow of blessings from our Lord. The Lord has spoken to me from his word, and through his people. The last verse of our focal Psalm summarizes how I feel.

Psalm 144:15 (HCSB)
¹⁵ Happy are the people with such [blessings]. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

Today, I want to share with you the story of the woman from Shunem; it is another indication of how God just blesses his faithful and obedient children over and over. I am so thankful to the Lord for his loving care, and his unfailing love. No matter what you are going through, you can know for sure that God has your best interest close to his heart. If God brings you to it, he will surely see you through it. Be encouraged by this Old Testament story; it was written for your encouragement.

2 Kings 8:1-6 (HCSB)
¹ Elisha said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, "Get ready, you and your household, and go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has announced a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land."
² So the woman got ready and did what the man of God said. She and her household lived as foreigners in the land of the Philistines for seven years.
³ When the woman returned from the land of the Philistines at the end of seven years, she went to appeal to the king for her house and field.
⁴ The king had been speaking to Gehazi, the attendant of the man of God, saying, "TELL me all the great things Elisha has done."
⁵ While he was telling the king how Elisha restored the dead [son] to life, the woman whose son he had restored to life came to appeal to the king for her house and field. So Gehazi said, "My lord the king, this is the woman and this is the son Elisha restored to life."
⁶ When the king asked the woman, she told him the story. So the king appointed a court official for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, along with all the income from the field from the day she left the country until now."

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, in view of your love and care for your people, I pray that we will become more faithful to you. Father God, we know from your word that when you see faith and faithfulness in your people, that it pleases you. Father God, help us to have faith in God, and to be faithful to God. Amen.

Hebrews 11:6 (HCSB)
⁶ Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (HCSB)
² In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one [of them] be found faithful.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 24, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:26 (NLT)
²⁶ It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 143:1 (NLT)
¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.

Psalm 143:6 (NLT)
⁶ I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 16:16 (HCSB)
¹⁶ Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling.

Acts 16:25-26 (HCSB)
²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose.

My observation:

The key word today is "prayer".  I see it in the Psalm, with David praying; and, I see it in Acts, with Paul and Silas praying.

Yesterday was one of those moments for me. I found that tears were flowing from my eyes because of thoughts that came to mind of my 48 years of memories of my departed wife.

In times like this I find that the upward look to my Father in heaven is the only solution that brings peace of mind, and joy in the midst of the circumstances of life. When I look up, I find the strength to move on the journey of fulfilling my purpose for being alive.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (HCSB)
¹⁶ Rejoice always!
¹⁷ Pray constantly.
¹⁸ Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the hope and the help that I find when I look up to my Father God in heaven. Lord, I am so grateful that the door to your house is always open to me.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for being a God who hears and answers the prayers of his believing children. Father, I am so thankful for the peace I receive for living, and the power that I receive for serving you, and others in Jesus name. Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 22, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:23 (MSG)
²³ The wicked take bribes under the table; they show nothing but contempt for justice.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 141:3-4 (HCSB)
³ LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
⁴ Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 14:27 (HCSB)
²⁷ After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Acts 15:1-6 (HCSB)
¹ Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!"
² But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.
³ When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers.
⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
⁵ But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!"
⁶ Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter.

My observation:

I have found the pattern that we see in the first century church repeated in my lifetime of being involved in the church.

This is the pattern; when God opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, there were some men who came down from Judea and begin to introduce false teaching into the church. When God opens doors there are men who attempt to shut them.

This is where Godly leadership needs to be on the job, and counter the false teaching with the clear teaching of the word of God.

We may differ on the minors, but when it comes to the majors, there must be unity, without compromising the clear teaching of the scriptures. These false teachers were teaching that the Gentiles must become Jews before they can become Christians.

Acts 10:43 (HCSB)
⁴³ All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."

I am so glad that Peter stood up before the Jerusalem council, and spoke the truth in love, and that the truth prevailed.

Acts 15:9-11 (HCSB)
⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
¹⁰ Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples' necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
¹¹ On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are."

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that it is the sufficient grace of God that brings salvation. Father God, I thank you that the work of salvation was finished when Jesus died on the cross to pay for all my sins. Lord, I thank you for doing for me what I could not do for myself. Amen.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB)
⁸ For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—
⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast.
¹⁰ For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 21, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:22 (HCSB)
²² A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 140:6 (HCSB)
⁶ I say to the LORD, "YOU are my God." Listen, LORD, to my cry for help.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 14:27 (HCSB)
²⁷ After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

My observation:

Today I want to do what the Apostle Paul and Barnabas did when they went back to the sending church to give a missionary report.

I was so encouraged by my Old Testament reading for today that I just have to share it with the readers of my daily devotionals. We are all needy people, and it is encouraging to know that we serve a God who is able to provide for all of our needs. Look up to him first for your needs, and get ready to receive your blessing. As the song says, "God has a blessing with your name on it".

2 Kings 4:1-7 (HCSB)
¹ One of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant, my husband, has died. You know that your servant feared the LORD. Now the creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves."
² Elisha asked her, "What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" She said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
³ Then he said, "GO and borrow empty containers from everyone—from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few.
⁴ Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these containers. Set the full ones to one side."
⁵ So she left. After she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing her [containers], and she kept pouring.
⁶ When they were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another container." But he replied, "There aren't any more." Then the oil stopped.
⁷ She went and told the man of God, and he said, "GO sell the oil and pay your debt; you and your sons can live on the rest."

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that each one of your children will come to the point in their life where they can learn to lean upon you, and to rest in the God of their salvation. Father God, I thank you for loving us, and caring for us in every circumstance we will ever encounter in this world.

Father God, you, and you alone, are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides abundantly for his beloved people. Father, give me the faith to trust you more. Amen.

Psalm 31:14 (HCSB)
¹⁴ But I trust in You, LORD; I say, "YOU are my God."

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 20, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:20 (HCSB)
²⁰ One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV)
²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 13:42-49 (HCSB)
⁴² As they were leaving, the people begged that these matters be presented to them the following Sabbath.
⁴³ After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and persuading them to continue in the grace of God.
⁴⁴ The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the message of the Lord.
⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him.
⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said: "It was necessary that God's message be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles!
⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth."
⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.
⁴⁹ So the message of the Lord spread through the whole region.

My observation:

I never cease to be amazed of what God can accomplish through his people when they work together in brotherly love, preferring one another, and giving the glory to God for everything he does among them. This is teamwork, and teamwork makes the mission work.

This current missionary trip started out with"Barnabas and Saul".

Acts 13:2 (HCSB)
² As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to."

However, as their ministry continues we see a shift in the leadership, and it became "Paul and his companions.

Acts 13:13 (HCSB)
¹³ Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that you will instill in me the desire and the willingness to be a team first member.

Father God, I pray that any success in the growth of the kingdom would bring glory to your name, and not to my name. Amen.

Psalm 115:1 (HCSB)
¹ Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your faithful love, because of Your truth.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 19, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:18 (NLT)
¹⁸ It's poor judgment to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for a friend.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 138:8 (NLT)
⁸ The LORD will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 13:13-15 (HCSB)
¹³ Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem.
¹⁴ They continued their journey from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
¹⁵ After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent [word] to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you can speak."

My observation:

In our focal passage from Acts, in today's reading we see Paul and his associates going into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

 Paul's calling was to go to the Gentiles. However, he still had a love and compassion for his own people. It should not surprise us to see him going to the synagogue. He revealed his heart in this letter.

Romans 9:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit—
² that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart.
³ For I could almost wish to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood.

Romans 10:1 (HCSB)
¹ Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation!

O that our desire and prayer might be for the salvation of our family, friends, and our neighbors both near and far. God has the world on his heart, and so should we. Is there a soul on your heart today? Then, pray for that person, and as the Spirit of God leads, speak to them.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that you would give me and all of your people a heart for the lost. Father God, may your concern be expressed as our concern. Lord, may the prayers from our hearts and our lips be for their salvation.

Lord, lay some soul upon my heart, and may I respond by loving them, and praying to you for their salvation. Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 18, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 4:7 (HCSB)
⁷ Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 137:1 (HCSB)
¹ By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

Psalm 137:4 (HCSB)
⁴ How can we sing the LORD's song on foreign soil?

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 13:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ In the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
² As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to."
³ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

My observation:

God uses those he chooses.  It today's focal passage from Acts, we have an account of how God chose Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to become missionaries to the world.

The thing I noticed about Paul and Barnabas was that God used them mightily. They were willing to do what God asked them to do, and go where God sent them. They had just completed one mission prior to the occasion of the meeting in Antioch.

Acts 12:25 (HCSB)
²⁵ After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who is called Mark.

Paul and Barnabas did not receive the call of God to be missionaries in Jerusalem. Instead, God sent them to Antioch, and called them while they were serving him there.

This was not the first time Paul and Barnabas had served the church at Antioch. They had been there before, and they had served the church well.

Acts 11:25-26 (HCSB)
²⁵ Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,
²⁶ and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that the obedient, faithful, and dedicated servant of God can serve you anywhere. I am so glad it is not about the region of our service; rather, it is about our relationship with our Lord.

Father God, In every church there are people like the people that were in the church at Antioch. Lord, help us to see in our journey through the book of Acts how you used them mightily to take the gospel to the whole world.

Lord, God Almighty, do it again in our time, and in our church. Lord, strengthen us by your power, and may we be willing to serve you faithfully where we are, and be willing to go where you send us. Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 17, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:14 (HCSB)
¹⁴ To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 136:1 (HCSB)
¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love is eternal.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 12:5-10 (HCSB)
⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church.
⁶ On the night before Herod was to bring him out [for execution], Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.
⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, "Quick, get up!" Then the chains fell off his wrists.
⁸ "Get dressed," the angel told him, "AND put on your sandals." And he did so. "WRAP your cloak around you," he told him, "AND follow me."
⁹ So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what took place through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
¹⁰ After they passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and immediately the angel left him.

My observation:

When God's people pray, miracles still happen. God is a faithful God, and he is a good Father, and you can trust him to keep his promises. If you are a child of God, you can stand on the promises of your faithful heavenly Father. Others may fail you, but God will never fail you.

Numbers 23:19 (HCSB)
¹⁹ God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful for the privilege of being able to call you, my dear Father.

What a blessing it is to know that my Father, is also the Father of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am indeed, so blessed.

Father God, thank you for being my Father, and my God. Amen.

Psalm 103:1 (HCSB)
¹ My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 15, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:9 (NLT)
⁹ Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 134:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ Now praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who stand in the LORD's house at night!
² Lift up your hands in the holy place and praise the LORD!
³ May the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 10:43-44 (HCSB)
⁴³ All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."
⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message.

My observation:

Wouldn't you like to be in a worship service when something like this happened like the event that takes place while Peter was preaching?

This is what happens when the Holy Spirit of God is welcomed when we gather to have church. When God shows up, he shows up in power, and love and amazing grace shows up with him.

Peter didn't get to finish his sermon. The Spirit of God gave those who heard the gospel the gift of faith. By faith, they believed in Jesus, and God saved them just as Peter said he would.

Isn't grace amazing, and God is so great, and so good.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful that the grace of God found me when I was lost and undone in this world; without hope and without God in my life. What a God, and what a Savior we have in Jesus. Praise the Lord! Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 14, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:7 (HCSB)
⁷ Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 133:1 (HCSB)
¹ How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 10:13-14 (HCSB)
¹³ Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat!"
¹⁴ "No, Lord!" Peter said. "FOR I have never eaten anything common and ritually unclean!"

My observation:

The words that Peter spoke in response to what he heard God say to him in a dream are words that will guarantee defeat and failure in the life of a believer.

We should never say to God the words, "No, Lord", and "For I have never".

The good news is that God dealt tenderly with Peter; he realizes the tendency we have to want to hold on to the old and the familiar. However, there are times when God wants to do a new thing, and he needs people who are willing to say, "Yes, Lord".

When the Spirit of God speaks to you, what will you say?

My prayer:

Lord, God Almighty, when your Spirit speaks to me, I pray that I will say with my whole heart, and with a willing heart, "Yes, Lord, and Amen.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 13, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:6 (ESV)
⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 132:1 (ESV)
¹ Remember, O LORD, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured,

Psalm 132:17-18 (ESV)
¹⁷ There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
¹⁸ His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine."

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 9:30-31 (ESV)
³⁰ And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
³¹ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

My observation:

The selected passages from the Psalm and Acts come together to provide us with a very encouraging word for our edification today.  The thought that lingers with me from the Psalm is that the Lord remembers and restores.

The thought that lingers with me from Acts is that the Lord gives his people rest and he replenishes. The Apostle Paul was facing the threat of death by the enemies of Paul because of his anointed and powerful preaching of the gospel of the risen Christ.

Paul was not the problem, his persecutors were the problem. However,  the leaders in the church decided to send Paul back to his home town for a season of rest so that the Lord could replenish his strength.

None of us is so strong that we do not need periods of rest so that we can be refreshed for the spiritual warfare we face in doing the will and the work of the Lord. Acts 9:31,our focal passage, shows the wisdom of the actions of the brethren in sending Paul home.

In sports the coaches call timeouts, and the rules of the game have rest periods between quarters, and at halftime. God's people need to have times when they rest, regroup, and refresh. We need an Elim to go to.

Exodus 15:27 (ESV)
²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that we serve a God who remembers and restores; a God who gives rest and replenishes his people.

Father God, I ask you to give your people rest and restore us so that our churches can be healthy and growing bodies. Amen.

Acts 9:31 (ESV)
³¹ So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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Daily Prayer_June 12, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:4 (MSG)
⁴ Evil people relish malicious conversation; the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 131:1-2 (ESV)
¹ O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 9:1-9 (HCSB)
¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest
² and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
³ As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him.
⁴ Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
⁵ "Who are You, Lord?" he said. "I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting," He replied.
⁶ "But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one.
⁸ Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
⁹ He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

My observation:

Every child of God has a story, and in today's focal passage from Acts we have the beginning of the story of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus; the persecutor, to Paul; the missionary to the Gentiles.

Every one of us has a past, and Saul was no different. There is the person that we used to be. This passage begins with the person Saul used to be. But, something happened to Saul on his way to being a persecutor of Christ followers. These verses describe what happened to Saul that changed his life.

Acts 9:3-5 (HCSB)
³ As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him.
⁴ Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
⁵ "Who are You, Lord?" he said. "I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting," He replied.

The Jesus who Saul met on the road to Damascus is alive today, and is still in the business of changing lives. He has the power to change persecutors into preachers. He has the power to deliver those who were previously devastators. Jesus has the power to convert sinners into saints.

If you are a child of God today, you have a story that is similar to the story of Saul. I thank the Lord that I am not the person I used to be, but praise God; he is not finished with me yet because I am not yet the person I am going to be when God completes the work that he has begun in me.

Do you have a story of where the Lord has brought you from? God loves you too much to leave you the way you are or the way you used to be. What he did for Saul, he will do for you.

Acts 9:15 (HCSB)
¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, "Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful that you are still in the business of converting sinners into saints.

Father God, I thank you that when Jesus died on the cross at Calvary that I died; that my sins have been marked "Paid in Full" by the precious and royal blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I thank you that Jesus is able to clean up the mess that sin made in my life.

Father, I praise and thank you for being a God who is able to deliver anyone who comes to you from the person they used to be to the person you made them to be.  Amen.

Galatians 2:19-20 (HCSB)
¹⁹ For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ
²⁰ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

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My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

 

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