On this Lords day, I pray that all his children can truly worship Him. I pray that all pastors, around the world, can deliver the message that You have laid upon their hearts. May all congregations seek to hear Your word and apply it in their lives.
1 Peter 2:11b – “abstain from fleshly desires that war against you.”
War is not a positive word. In war, there is an enemy that wants to pursue and destroy you. Believers know there is an enemy, Satan, but often forget about the present war he has on God’s children. This war can be with flesh, money, power, possessions, pride, etc.
God please protect us from Satan’s attacks. Allow us to embrace you and trust in that glorious relationship. Give us the strength to endure through all hardships, and allow us to always live for you.
2 Corinthians 3:5 – “Not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.”
Lord, please help me to realize that my competence should be in You! Why do I forget this so often? Probably because my confidence drifts often to me and what I can do instead of what the Lord has does and is doing for and in me.
As you read this devotion, take a quiet moment and think through the week and all the things that God has done for you. Give Him thanks and pray for the ability to see who provides for you.
Ecclesiastes 5:9,10a, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up.”
Have you ever taken time to say a prayer of thanks for your friends? I am blessed to have some great friends. When I fall, they are there to pick me up and brush me off. My friends are the first to listen to me and say, “Amen!” But, they are also close enough to call me out when I cross the line. When I am having a hard day and struggle to see God in action, they are there to show me how much God cares and is with me in all circumstances.
[A prayer to consider] Thank you Lord for friends and how they help me. Please give them wisdom and strength as they deal with me. I pray that I can be as good as a friend as they are.
These requests come from the Living Hope Prayer Connections Card. Permission has been given to list these requests. Please pray for the following:
Ronnie H. as he recovers from a bad motorcycle accident.
For a family that is going through a divorce which involves a fight for the custody of the children.
C.S. for his work to pick-up.
Wisdom for elders, deacons, and staff of Living Hope.
A man in our church is having an artery surgery next week.
For salvation: Bob and Steve M; Ron and Tyler C; Joe and Meadow H; Missy C; BJ C; Matt G.
Tommy A. lost his father this week.
Irene A’s father begins radiation this week for lung cancer.
Practically this simply means that we speak the name of Jesus boldly and often in places it’s never been spoken and to people who’ve never heard it.
These came about from years of ministry among the Songhai and seeing the same words being received differently. As we shared Christ in a group, there would be 2 who got up and left, 2 who ignored us, and 2 who were acting as if they were hearing the voice of their Father! We shouldn’t be surprised by this. In fact, these presuppositions are nothing new and are based on Jesus’ parable of the sower. The point is that our job is to share the name of Jesus and trust God for the fruit.
I am writing this after seeing it displayed on two separate occasions in two different villages.
Sam in Boubon:
We had the first believer in Boubon accept Christ a few weeks before the May Living Hope team came. One of our national partners had led him to Christ and our LH team spent the week discipling him. We were all amazed at how fast he was growing. He is almost 60 years old and he can read. These are two things that separate him from 90% of our other believers. After the team left we got the whole story about Sam.
He told us that around 20 years ago he had some interaction with a Nigerian Christian in Niamey. This man didn’t really share his faith with Sam but he did give him a New Testament. So for 20 years Sam has been reading this New Testament but not really understanding it. Then we sent 2 national partners to Boubon to live for 3 months.
As one of them was walking by Sam’s house, Sam called out to him and said, “Why are you here?’ Our partner was a little worried he’d run across an iman or maribou who wanted to pick a fight. But our partner answered boldly “I’ve come to tell people about Jesus, the Messiah.” Sam’s heart leapt as he said, “Please come tell me about him, I’ve been waiting for 20 years to understand who Jesus is.” Sam became a new creation that day.
David in Kouli Kwaara:
We’ve spent the past week in KK painting a clinic but also sharing in the village. There have been some obvious attacks on our group and our time. Yesterday, our two translators were not able to go out in the village and story so my initial thought was, “Let’s just hit the clinic really hard and finish the painting.” However, I asked if some of the group wanted to story and they said, “Yes,” so off we went. I had seen a group of women and children (since most the men were out farming) and was heading to talk to them. But a man came to us out of his compound and was greeting us.
We went through the typical greetings and I was still planning on going to the women’s group when he said, “Wa kokari,” which means something like “take courage” or maybe more appropriately “you’re really doing something good here.” He said, “You need to change the children [this generation] with your message, they need to hear it.” I responded that he was right but that he too needed this message.
His eyes sort of lit up and he scurried into his house to produce a mat for us to sit on. He called all his children onto the mat to listen to our story. You could just see each of the words sinking into his heart. When we got towards the end he exclaimed, “I believe, I want Jesus!” This 56 year old man became a new creation yesterday. He said that he would now lead his whole family to find salvation in Jesus as well. He said he’d been waiting for 3 years for someone to explain the story of Jesus to him after receiving a cassette that many years ago.
So why do Sam and David respond to the Gospel when so many others don’t? I don’t know.
Why did God use the same dream 4 nights in a row to call Ibrahim but not Alassan? I don’t know.
I don’t know how God’s sovereignty and human responsibility work together but that’s sort of the way mysteries work: they’re mysterious.
But one thing I’ve learned in 5 years of ministry among the Songhai is that God’s sheep hear His voice. The only problem is that there aren’t enough people looking for those sheep. How many more have waited 3 years or 20 years for someone to come and tell them about Jesus. Will you be one of the ones to carry the name of Jesus to those who’ve never heard?
What will it take? It will take the prayers, support and commitment of every believer. It must start with you and me. This is the message behind the new song “Let it Start with Me” from No Other Name as they go to Bangkok, Thailand to sing about being Christ’s Heart, Hands and Voice for the lost.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/25595586]
Be in prayer for Pastor Matt Haste today as he brings the Lord’s message. Also, be in prayer for Pastor Jason as he is away from the pulpit.
Please be in prayer for the following requests:
For healing for Terrill T. Praying for good test results.
Nathaniel, a teenager, is very unhappy to be in church. Pray that he can come to a point and be able to worship.
Charles and Debbie, a members parents, who are not focusing on God.
LeAnn M. lost her husband in a car accident this week. Pray that she will feel God’s strength and presence.
Pray for salvation for Drew C.
Pray for salvation for Chris J. and his relationship with his son.
David W. is recovering from heart problems, praise the Lord. Continue praying for recovery.
Pray for salvation for Kyle and Kristen
Pray for Bruce and Diane A. that they will get back in a church
Pray that the doctors can figure out what is effecting Nancy M. skin.
Helen M. has health issues
Pray for Bob C., he had a stroke
This is from Emily H. I thank the Lord for her willingness to go and serve our Lord in West Africa.
It’s weird to be back in America. Upon arriving in the US, I was literally speechless when the guy at McDonald’s asked, in English, “what can I get for you?” Walking into my room at home was strange, as well- I couldn’t remember what clothes I owned or what my bed felt like or where my wallet was or what my wallet even looked like. But, as I settle back into the American way of life, I am slowly coming to remember what life was like for me 9 weeks ago.
We attract all the village crazies- young & old9 weeks ago, I did not know the names Ibu, Halima, Mariama, or Fadida. The word “Fofo” had no meaning to me, and I couldn’t speak a lick of Zarma. I knew what it was like to sweat, but I didn’t know what it was like to sweat. 9 weeks ago, I prayed for the Songhai, but I didn’t see the need for prayer as much as I do now.
A few weeks ago, I found myself holding a precious little girl named Zaaratu as all the other kids fought for crayons to color with. Zaaratu was a snuggler to the max, so I sat and rocked the cuddly girl as I sang “How He Loves.” Will the little girl ever understand that God is jealous for her and how truly great His affections are for her?
Henna! I get a lot of odd looks now in the USWe are merely the vessels for Christ’s work; the megaphone to carry Christ’s glory to all nations. Without a voice, the megaphone is useless; without Christ’s glory as our goal, our work is useless. Because of our work in the village, so many women heard the name of Jesus. Because we loved on kids, they know a bit more about Christ’s love. Because we were light in a dark place, the Light is beginning to conquer and overwhelm the darkness on the dirt roads of “B”. I was a warm body that God placed in a very hot place, and He did all the work through me. Although Zaaratu and I did not speak the same language, I can trust that God did something on her heart during our time there. I am overwhelmed with humility because of the ways He used me this summer!
Fadida- sweetest little girlThe journey is most certainly not over. God is not finished with “B” just yet. Continue to pray that the women we encountered will be convicted by the words we shared. Continue to pray that children will experience the love that only Christ can provide through His disciples. Continue to pray for understanding. Continue to pray that people will rise up to the call and will go to work with the Songhai. We are so thrilled to know that there will be a family living in “B” and that there will be several teams visiting the village in just a few months! God is not finished with His work. I am back in America, but God is still in “B”!