Daily Prayer_June 11, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:3 (HCSB)
³ A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 130:3-4 (HCSB)
³ Yahweh, if You considered sins, Lord, who could stand?
⁴ But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be revered.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 8:4-8 (HCSB)
⁴ So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.
⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
⁶ The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing.
⁷ For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

My observation:

I have noticed that the world seems to never learn that you can't defeat God's people by persecuting them. You may take away their place of service, but you cannot take away the person they serve. The story of Jesus is that death could not keep him in the ground. Jesus has defeated death and the grave.

The believers were scattered from their homes, but this did not hinder their mission. Rather, that went everywhere preaching the gospel of the risen Christ.

Philip like Stephen was another one of those deacons who was full of the Spirit of God, and of wisdom. God's ways are not like man's ways. God didn't send Philip to friendly people, but to a place of hostile people.

John 4:9 (HCSB)
⁹ "How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

Philip went to Samaria, and he preached the person of Christ, with the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit of God. The persecuted may experience pain, but the pleasure experienced makes it so worthwhile.

Acts 8:8 (HCSB)
⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I stand in awe of the power of God to make the enemies of your people their friends by the power of the preaching of the gospel of Christ.

Father God, I am so thankful when we can see the purpose in the pain that your people experience through persecution. O, the power and the pleasure of purposeful preaching by the anointed servants of the Lord. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of 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 10, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 17:1 (HCSB)
¹ Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 129:2-4 (MSG)
² "They've kicked me around ever since I was young, but they never could keep me down.
³ Their plowmen plowed long furrows up and down my back;
⁴ Then GOD ripped the harnesses of the evil plowmen to shreds."

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 7:55-60 (HCSB)
⁵⁵ But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said,
⁵⁶ "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
⁵⁷ Then they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him.
⁵⁸ They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
⁵⁹ They were stoning Stephen as he called out: "LORD Jesus, receive my spirit!"
⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin!" And saying this, he fell asleep.

My observation:

At the end of his ministry and facing martyrdom because of his faith, I find it inspiring and encouraging that Stephen was still a man full of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 6:3 (HCSB)
³ Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I thank you for the encouragement it is to my heart to read the account of Stephen, and how you anointed him with the Spirit of God.

Father God, I am so thankful that you are able to keep those that you call, by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, to remain faithful to the end.

Father, I thank you for being a God who completes what you begin in your people. Amen.

Philippians 1:6 (HCSB)
⁶ I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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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 8, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:28 (MSG)
²⁸ Troublemakers start fights; gossips break up friendships.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 127:1 (HCSB)
¹ Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 7:37-39 (HCSB)
³⁷ "This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers.
³⁸ He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. He received living oracles to give to us.
³⁹ Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him away, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

My observation:

In our selected passage from today's reading in Acts 7, I have chosen to comment on Stephen's words recounting the rebellion of God's people in the past.

God had given his word to the people of Israel through his prophet Moses, but the people of that day had rejected God's word.

It is a dangerous and devilish thing to willfully rebel against the God of your salvation; that is what the people did then, and Stephen said the current generation was guilty of the same offense against God.

Acts 7:51 (HCSB)
⁵¹ "You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that we would learn a lesson from the history of our ancestors that will help us to avoid the mistakes that they made; and the resultant consequences of their disobedience.

Father God, I pray that you would protect us from our human frailty of the bent to go astray, and fail to obey our faithful God.

Father God, my maker and redeemer, keep me near the cross, and my mind stayed on Jesus; keep me faithful and fruitful all of the days of my life.

Father God, I am a needy person, and I pray that you would keep me on my knees because that is where I can give you access to my needs, and gain access to your blessings. Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (HCSB)
⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,
⁷ casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

 

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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 7, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:27 (MSG)
²⁷ Mean people spread mean gossip; their words smart and burn.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 126:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵ Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
⁶ Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 6:1-7 (HCSB)
¹ In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.
² Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, "It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.
³ Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.
⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry."
⁵ The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch.
⁶ They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
⁷ So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

My observation:

The church should be concerned about the whole person; that is evident in our focal passage for today from Acts 6.

However, the pastor can't do everything, and he needs capable servant leaders to assist him in the ministry to the congregation.

These servant leaders should partner with the pastor to meet all of the needs of God's people. These leaders need to have the right kind of qualities in their life so that they may serve well.

Acts 6:3 (HCSB)
³ Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.

When the church does things the right way, and with the right people, you can expect to see the blessings of God upon them. This first century church recognized the needs of the people, they summoned the whole company of the disciples, they chose servant leaders with the right qualities, and they commissioned them for the work.

The result that they received was the blessings of God upon the church, and the spread of the gospel of Christ through the preaching of the word of God.

Acts 6:7 (HCSB)
⁷ So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that you would raise up servant leaders in our day who will have the wisdom and the insight to see the whole needs of the whole company of believers. Father God, give us hearts of compassion for the hurting that sit in every pew in our churches.

Father God, help us to see what you can do when we do things your way, and when we choose servant leaders with the right qualities.

Father, I pray that you will stir our hearts so that your people will do our part, which is sowing and weeping. For, we know that you are able and willing to do your part; which is adding sheep to the sheepfold. O, what rejoicing that awaits the people of faith who are faithful to the Lord of the harvest at harvest time. 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 6, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)
²⁴ Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 125:1-2 (NLT)
¹ Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
² Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 5:41-42 (HCSB)
⁴¹ Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the Name.
⁴² Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

My observation:

Today's reading is Acts 5. There is so much truth that I could comment on today; but it would take too much space to adequately deal with.  The two verses l have selected are timely; as I just read an article yesterday of a group of evangelists in Asia who had all been imprisoned for preaching the gospel of Christ.

There are three attributes of the persecuted that sets them apart from their persecutors. Notice these attributes in this verse:

Acts 5:42 (HCSB)
⁴² Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

First, they were consistent, they proclaimed the gospel every day, and every where they went. The Sanhedrin court could not shut them up or shut them down.

Second, they were courageous; they continued. The court ordered them to desist, but they chose to persist. That took courage.

Acts 5:40 (HCSB)
⁴⁰ After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

Thirdly, they were correct. The message they proclaimed was the truth; Jesus is the Messiah. When you have the word of God on your side, you have solid ground to take your stand. You can stand with conviction, courage, and confidence when you stand on the word of God.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the accuracy and the endurance of the word of God. Father, I thank you for the truthfulness of the word, and the power of the word. Father, help me to take the offense by proclaiming the word; thereby allowing the word, by the power of God, to defend itself, and accomplish its purpose. Amen.

Isaiah 55:11 (HCSB)
¹¹ so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it [to do]."

Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)
¹² For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

 

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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 5, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:24 (ESV)
²⁴ Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 124:8 (ESV)
⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 4:31-33 (ESV)
³¹ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
³² Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
³³ And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

My observation:

Is the LORD of the psalmist and the people of Israel your helper? Is the Jesus, the resurrected Savior, who is at the right hand of God, your helper?

If so, you are in good company, and you have a helper who is able and who is willing to help you. The key to getting your needs met is to learn how to pray; and then, to make it a constant practice in your life. It takes faith in God to pray. Things happen for the first century church "when they had prayed". Things will happen in your life, and in the life of your church in answer to the prayers of God's people.

When God's people prayed, they received power to serve God. You can't do the work of God in this world without being devoted to prayer (Acts 4:31).

When God's people prayed, that received sufficient and sustaining grace to help them to not only talk the talk but to walk the talk (Acts 4:33).

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the power and the provisions that are available to your people when we pray. Father, it is comforting to know that there is never a time that you are too busy for me to have a little talk or a big talk with you. Father, I thank you for being available and approachable to your people.

Father God, I thank you for the power to speak your word, and I thank you for the grace to live your word out in the daily crucible of life in a fallen world. 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 4, 2012

The Word of God for wisdom:

Proverbs 16:21 (NLT)
²¹ The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 123:1 (ESV)
¹ To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

The Word of God for encouragement:

Acts 3:6 (ESV)
⁶ But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

My observation:

One of the things I notice about Peter and John is that they had learned from the life of Jesus the value and the power of prayer. They believed in prayer, and they practiced prayer.

Acts 3:1 (ESV)
¹ Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

The practice of prayer will prepare you for service. In your own strength you will not be adequate for the mission, but with prayer, you will have access to the power of God. Divinely ordained opportunities await those who will pray. Pray before you go, and pray as you go.

Acts 3:2 (ESV)
² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

Notice that Peter and John did not have money, but they were not without power. They relied upon the power of God; the name of Jesus. As we pray and go, we can rely upon that same authority, and upon his mighty power.

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so grateful for the privilege of being a servant of God, and to have a purpose for living.

Father God, I thank you that when I go, I can go knowing that I have been sent by the Savior to do the work of God in this world. Father, thank you for the purpose, privilege, and the power that you give to those you send.

Father God, I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you would unleash, and pour out your power in our day like you did in the first century through Peter and John. In the name of Jesus, let all of God's people say, Lord, do it again. Amen.

Acts 3:16 (ESV)
¹⁶ And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

 

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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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