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Month: February 2024
Quote for the Day
The powers of that time lived in suspicion and fear, even fearful of this pocket of house churches. Their songs were subversive, pointing to a different hope, and their witness announced a different Lord. There was something about them that made those in power nervous, so they began at the top with a plan to eliminate the most influential Christian in western Asia Minor: a Jew who believed Jesus was the Messiah. Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett
Shine!
Reflection on Isaiah 38
Scripture
Then this message came back to Isaiah from the Lord. “Go back to Hezekiah and tell him,’This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayers and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria.’”
Observation
Hezekiah becomes extremely ill. Isaiah goes to visit him and tells him to set his affairs in order for he is going to die.
Hezekiah prays and asks the Lord to heal him. He weeps bitterly as he prays.
The Lord sends Isaiah back to Hezekiah with the message that the Lord has heard his prayers. He will add fifteen years to Hezekiah’s life. As a as a sign of this promise, the Lord will cause the shadow on the sun dial to go backwards ten steps.
Application
Hezekiah prayed passionately to the Lord and he was healed. Not only did he receive healing from his immediate illness, the Lord added fifteen years to his life.
The Lord responds to passionate prayers. He wants us to pray with feelings for the things that really concern us. Prayer is not meant to be a to be a cold and dispassionate recital of prayer requests.
No, prayer is sharing what is on our hearts. There is a place for prayer lists and so on where we pray because we know that we should.
The really powerful prayers are where we allow the Holy Spirit to be released in us and to speak through us.
Sometimes these prayers come with authority that we didn’t know we had. At other times there will be tears or laughter. These powerful prayers are always heard in heaven.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the boldness and power that come when we pray in the Holy Spirit. Please teach me how to do this more. Amen.
Horrible crash kills 11 YWAM missionaries
From God Reports
Leaders from Youth With A Mission (YWAM) are asking for prayer for the family and friends of the 11 missionary leaders and students who died in a car accident near Arusha, Tanzania on Saturday.
“Eleven of our friends are now with Jesus,” YWAM revealed in a statement. “As a movement, we gather around all those impacted by this tragedy, their families, and their communities. We are working to meet all the pressing practical, financial, and emotional needs that arise.”
According to reports, at least 25 people died when a large construction truck collided with several vehicles.
A YWAM mini-bus was among the vehicles that were hit, and initially, eight members were reported dead, but the death toll was later updated to 11.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm friends and coworkers have passed away. Below are the names of those who have gone to be with Jesus,” the organization released in a later update.
YWAM remembered the following individuals without full names or nationalities including Claire M., Zebulon T., Emmanuel D., Vicent K., John M., Blaise G., Ime E., Andrew D., Chimene D., Lova R., and Lordienne N.
The ministry shared that students and teachers were riding on a New Vision School of Arusha bus and a public bus after attending a University of the Nations Executive Masters course intensive.
The YWAM bus was involved in a four-vehicle collision attributed to suspected brake failure. Accident victims were taken to major hospitals in the area for treatment.
“There are five injured individuals still hospitalized and two more people in critical condition to be rallied around in prayer. We thank the Lord that one of the hospitalized, Isaac B., has been released to return home,” the organization reports.
Prayers are especially needed for Mathurin B. and Joelle Z. who are hospitalized in critical condition.
The organization also released the names of those in stable condition and those currently in the hospital in critical condition.
YWAM is raising $350,000 to cover the costs of “repatriation, medical evacuation, family support, funeral arrangements, and many other logistics.”
“A team of leaders on the ground in Arusha, Tanzania, a crisis response team in Kona, Hawaii, and other key leaders have been working nonstop to respond in a loving, compassionate, and responsible way to this tragedy that impacts so many of us. Thank you for your ongoing prayers and sensitivity during this emotional time,” the organization added. — CBN
Not by might
Quote for the Day
The book of Revelation, when read well, forms us into dissident disciples who discern corruptions in the world and church. Conformity to the world is the problem. Discipleship requires dissidence when one lives in Babylon. Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett
Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit
Reflection on Isaiah 37
Scripture
That night, the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib broke camp and returned to his own land.
Observation
The Assyrians have surrounded Jerusalem, and everyone is distressed. The Assyrians appear to be unstoppable.
King Sennacherib of Assyria sends a message to King Hezekiah that they cannot trust their God because the Assyrians have destroyed the gods of all the other nations.
Hezekiah takes the letter to the Temple and lays it before the Lord.
Isaiah sends a message to Hezekiah, that because he prayed, the Lord will not not allow the Assyrians to enter Jerusalem. Sennacherib will go back to his own land.
That night, the Lord kills 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. The king returns to his own land and stays there.
Application
Jerusalem is in a terrible situation, surrounded by a powerful enemy army. Hezekiah takes the situation to the Lord in prayer, The Lord rescues them, killing much of the enemy army and sending King Sennacherib to his own land.
When we are surrounded by enemies or under pressure from life, we must take it to the Lord in prayer.
The trouble is that the circumstances intimidate us. They seem invincible, and we get sucked into the wrong belief system. Every adverse situation needs to be prayed about.
If prayer doesn’t fix it by itself, add fasting into the mix. Lay it all before the Lord and let Him take care of it.
If God can kill 185,000 enemy soldiers in a night, He can take care of all the situations we face. We just need to surrender ourselves to Him.
Prayer
Lord, I yield my whole life to you right now. Thank you for the assurance that you are with me, that you care for me and that you fight for me. Amen.
Set your heart on Christ
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