Daily Prayer for April 29
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:9–10, NIV Lord our God, we look to you in our many needs, in the distress of our hearts, in the anguish of the whole world. We beseech you, let light come to your people everywhere on earth to bring them your help and your victory. Remember the wretched, the sick, the poor. Let your living strength come to them so that they can bear their sufferings and hold out joyfully to the end. Remember us all, O Lord our God, for we all need you. We are weak and poor and cannot go forward alone. Your Spirit must help us. May the Savior come to us, and may his grace and his power be born in our hearts. Amen. Recent articles on Plough The Mystery of Father-Son Relationships Benjamin P. Myers The poems in B. H. Fairchild’s An Ordinary Life explore the unresolvable, undefinable relationship between fathers and sons. Read now Is Ethical Shopping Only for Hipsters? Kate Lucky The farmer’s market always trumps the faraway factory. Or does it? Read now Finding Peace of Mind Rufus Jones What fortress is there in which the soul is safe from fear and trouble? Read now Inside Nyansa Classical Community Angel Adams Parham Nyansa cultivates knowledge and wisdom, merging classics and culture to reach the next generation. Read now Ancient Songs in the Desert Tessa Carman For Ephrem the Syrian, nature shows us truths about the Creator. Read now
Today’s Verse – Acts 4:28
[The evil men who killed Jesus] did what your power [O God,] and will had decided beforehand should happen. —Acts 4:28 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The cross of Golgotha and the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins were no afterthought or mistake. Jesus came as God’s anointed, his holy Messiah, the Christ, the Suffering Servant, to die for the sins of the people and bring life and immortality to us. Those who were evil and conspired to kill Jesus as they sought to preserve their power and position as religious leaders were doing what God knew they would do. God used their evil actions to bring his grace and his goodness to us. He ransomed what was intended for evil by a few and made it the source of salvation for all, and he planned this ages before it happened. That is truly God’s loving grace planned long ago for us! My Prayer… Almighty God and loving Father, thank you for your gracious sacrifice that fulfilled your demand for justice and brought us your rich mercy and grace in Jesus. Thank you, LORD Jesus, for your loving sacrifice, holy example, and promise to return for me, to take me home with you in glory. I pray this in your name. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Immanuel: In Spiritual Family
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, I began yesterday to share with you the four Immanuel passages in the book of Matthew. Recall that Immanuel is the name given to Me in prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel means “God with us.” The first of the Immanuel sayings (Matthew 1:23) was spoken about Me. The remaining three were spoken by Me. I spoke these three Immanuel sayings as promises to My disciples. While these last three don’t specifically use the name Immanuel, they emphasize that I AM with you when you: Come together as authentic spiritual family (Matthew 18:20), Compassionately care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), and Step outside the comfortability of your ethnicity and culture to make disciples and lead them to follow Me (Matthew 28:18-20). In other words, I AM not just the One Who was raised from the dead never to die again, but I AM also alive and present with you. I want you to know how you can experience My presence in your life as My disciple. Today, the verses below are focused on experiencing My presence and My influence on your life in a community as spiritual family (Hebrews 2:10-11). As Christians, you are not members of an organization, but you are part of My blood-bought family. You are brothers and sisters who share something more important than a physical bloodline or common DNA markers. The Holy Spirit, Our — Father, Son, and Spirit’s — presence, is living in you making you spiritual family. Family life can sometimes be messy and difficult. However, the Father has given you the power of the resurrection through the work of the Holy Spirit within you (Ephesians 1:17-20; Ephesians 3:14-21). This power can help you live together in love (Romans 5:5) as a true spiritual family. When you choose to live in the radical ways I am calling you to live as My family, you are living with Me. My presence is there with you and among you. This lifestyle means that you will take special care with how you use your freedom. You will do your best not to cause a disciple to stumble and fall away. You will go directly to a person who offends you rather than gossiping about that person or trying to “get even” with that person. You will forgive any brother or sister who sins against you and asks forgiveness, and you will continue to forgive as long as that person asks for your forgiveness. You will notice and work to reclaim any of your brothers and sisters who have wandered away, have been overcome by sin, or have dropped out of the family. Being with you as a member of My family is My promise to you. It is Matthew’s second Immanuel saying. What I said reminds you that I AM present and can be experienced in your world as you live as genuine spiritual family: For when two or three gather together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) Verses to Live As you read My words in the verses below, remember that I AM calling you to live as My spiritual family. My teaching recognizes that this life together as a spiritual family can be messy. Everyone in My family is imperfect just as you are. However, you need each other to be what I’ve called you to be. Around that same time, the disciples came to Jesus and questioned Him about the kingdom of heaven. A Disciple: In the kingdom of heaven, who is the greatest? Jesus called over a little child. He put His hand on the top of the child’s head. Jesus: This is the truth: unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. In that kingdom, the most humble who are most like this child are the greatest. And whoever welcomes a child, welcomes her in My name, welcomes Me. And do not lead astray one of the weak and friendless who believes in Me. If you do, it would be better for you to be dragged down with a millstone and drowned in the bottom of the sea. Beware indeed of those in a world filled with obstacles and temptations that cause people to turn away from Me. Those temptations are woven into the fabric of a world not yet redeemed, but beware of anyone who lures righteous women and men off the narrow path. If your hand constantly grasps at the things of this world rather than serves the Kingdom — cut it off and throw it away. If your foot is always leading you to wander, then cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to hobble, crippled, into the kingdom of life than to burn in hell with two hands and two feet. And if your eye always focuses on things that cause you to sin, then pull your eye out and throw it away. It is better for you to see the kingdom of life with one eye than to see the fires of hell with perfect sight. Make sure that you do not look down on the little ones, on those who are further behind you on the path of righteousness. For I tell you: they are watched over by those most beloved messengers who are always in the company of My Father in heaven. [The Son of Man has come to save all those who are lost.] A shepherd in charge of 100 sheep notices that one of his sheep has gone astray. What do you think he should do? Should the shepherd leave the flock on the hills unguarded to search for the lost sheep? God’s shepherd goes to look for that one lost sheep, and when he finds her, he is happier about her return than he is about the 99 who stayed put. Your Father in heaven does not want a single one of the tripped, waylaid,
Daily Prayer for April 28
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11, NIV Dear Father in heaven, you show us the way of life; in your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand is delight forever. In your presence we want to rejoice together as your children, under your protection. May we become firm in every part of our life on earth. Grant that soon something of your kingdom, of your heaven, may encircle us like a blessing, enabling us to fight on in joy and exultation. We entrust ourselves to you, our faithful and loving God, and we thank you. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Finding Peace of Mind Rufus Jones What fortress is there in which the soul is safe from fear and trouble? Read now Inside Nyansa Classical Community Angel Adams Parham Nyansa cultivates knowledge and wisdom, merging classics and culture to reach the next generation. Read now Ancient Songs in the Desert Tessa Carman For Ephrem the Syrian, nature shows us truths about the Creator. Read now Life or Death The Didache It’s an either/or choice in this teaching from the early church. Read now Breakwater Rhys Laverty In the Channel Islands, a crumbling jetty protects a way of life. Read now
Today’s Verse – Proverbs 4:27
Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. —Proverbs 4:27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When I see someone swerving in and out of their lane during heavy traffic, I immediately go into a defensive driving mode. Whether they are drunk, sleepy, distracted, or just plain careless, I know they are dangerous because they are swerving “to the right and left.” God wants us to know the same is true of us when we allow ourselves to be distracted or drift in our lives trying to see and sample every form of temptation available. Let’s stick to the straight and narrow with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus! My Prayer… Loving Father, please forgive me for being so easily distracted by sinful temptations. Please give me wisdom to see the things that the evil one has designed for me and avoid them and resist them. Please make Jesus, his costly sacrifice, and his holy life very real to me today, and every day, as I seek to be your holy child in the corrupt world in which I live. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Immanuel: In the Story
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I want you to know Me. I’m not talking about knowing more about Me — although that is a good thing and something I invite you to do by reading more about Me in the Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I want you to know Me — to know that I AM real and to experience My moment-by-moment presence in your life. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, many church leaders and teachers began to speak about My great work only in the past tense. Some even inferred that I didn’t do any of the great things I did long ago. Some teachers and preachers have taught about Me in ways that confined My presence and My power to a time long ago and a place far away. They have made it seem that when the New Testament was all written that I quit making Myself known and that My presence was no longer experienced in the lives of My people. Remember that I AM above all things, and I reign over all things to bless My people, the church. I AM risen from the dead. I AM alive forever, and I will bring all who are mine to Myself to join Me in glory. One of the great things Matthew wrote into the fabric of his good news story of My life was an emphasis on My identity as Immanuel. I AM the presence of God that can be experienced in the lives of My people. So I want to spend today and the next three days drawing your attention to four passages that we will call Matthew’s four Immanuel sayings. Matthew connected My birth to a prophecy from Isaiah and identified Me as the promised “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14) — which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). More than just a statement of My divinity as God in human flesh, “Immanuel” is a reminder that I AM the eternal and immortal God, Who became flesh and walked among you to reveal God to you and make Him known to you (John 1:14-18). As Immanuel, what I did among you, I did as God with you. You want to know how We — Almighty God as Father, Son, and Spirit — feel about you? Then look at how I treated people. Want to know what God wanted to say to you? Notice how I talked to people with whom I came in contact and what I said to them. Want to know how God cares for His people? See what I did to love people. Want to be reassured that God listens to people? Watch as I listen to people. Want to see how God chastised religious people who were hypocrites and how He healed broken people and challenged people to be more? Look carefully at My life. All along My way going to the cross, witness how I repeatedly served others to redeem them. My life example is how your God feels about you! So I invite you to enter into My story. Go all the way back to the first hinted promise of My coming after the fall of humanity in the garden (Genesis 3:15). Then go all the way up to My conception in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:26-38). This story actually continues with Me as your living Lord Who will return for you. As you enter into this story, realize that this is your story, too! Your Bible is more than a book of laws, history, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, and teachings. Think of it as your family album of stories. It is your history about how you are loved, the kind of people from whom you have come, and the glorious promises about where you are headed with your brothers and sisters who find their identity in Me. As you read from the Bible, expect to meet Me. Ask the Holy Spirit, Who inspired the words of the Bible, to help you understand them. Even more, invite the Holy Spirit to help you hear My voice as I call you to follow Me. I will call to you through the words you read, the thoughts you have, and the convictions that the Holy Spirit inspires in you. I want you to ask the Spirit to help you discover what I want you to know from what you read, what I want you to feel, and what I want you to do in response to what you read. The apostle Paul told his son in the faith, Timothy, the following: So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Look closely at the words that are highlighted in bold. They teach you two things: The holy Scriptures lead you to salvation through your faith in Me! I am the key for you as you read the Bible. Ask the Spirit to help you hear My voice and deepen your relationship with Me and your faith in Me. The holy Scriptures are intended to be lived — to be practical and useful truth for your life. I want to help you use the Bible to live a life of blessing, grace, and holy character! So more than dry pages of paper and ink and more than pixels of light and dark, the words of the Bible are part of the way I come to you and instruct you. I use these words of Scripture to lead you and to show My love
Daily Prayer for April 27
You answered me when I called to you; with your strength you strengthened me. Psalm 138:3, TEV Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that we are your children and that your eyes watch over us and see all that is in our hearts. You hear the request of each heart, and you will answer at the right time. Stretch out your strong hand to us, for we are weak and often heavy-hearted, not knowing what to do nor how to find you. But you are with us in every need in spite of all our faults and shortcomings. You are with us; you lead us through everything to our life’s true goal, until each of us can rejoice over all you have done, to the praise of your name, our Father. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Finding Peace of Mind Rufus Jones What fortress is there in which the soul is safe from fear and trouble? Read now Inside Nyansa Classical Community Angel Adams Parham Nyansa cultivates knowledge and wisdom, merging classics and culture to reach the next generation. Read now Ancient Songs in the Desert Tessa Carman For Ephrem the Syrian, nature shows us truths about the Creator. Read now Life or Death The Didache It’s an either/or choice in this teaching from the early church. Read now Breakwater Rhys Laverty In the Channel Islands, a crumbling jetty protects a way of life. Read now
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 4:26-27
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. —Ephesians 4:26-27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Pent-up anger is an explosion waiting to happen. Sooner or later, the pent-up frustration will explode, either in our own lives or into the lives of others. Jesus taught us to forgive and to reconcile (Matthew 18). We must deal with our anger, TODAY! Otherwise, the devil will use it to abuse us as well as others in our lives. Don’t give the devil a foothold in your life. If you give him an inch (2.54 cm), he’ll take a mile (1.61 km). In our anger, let’s not sin but deal with our anger, today! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father in heaven, thank you for the ability to get angry at the things that anger you. Please help me channel that emotion in ways that are productive and help me to be repulsed at evil. At the same time, dear Father, please stir my heart to yearn and seek reconciliation — not anger or vengeance — especially when my anger is directed against one of your children. By the power of your Holy Spirit, I ask for your help in forgiving others as you have forgiven me and not give the devil a foothold with anger in my life. In the name of Jesus, my LORD, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Head Over All Things
Note from Jesus Dear Servant of God, In My earthly ministry, I repeatedly taught that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is a servant. My death on the cross for your sins was My ultimate demonstration of this principle. Servanthood is also something the apostle Paul reminded the Philippians was to be their motivation and mindset in their relationships with each other (Philippians 2:5-11). My resurrection from the dead and My exaltation to the right hand of the Father provided validation of My lordship. Not only was I the suffering servant Who gave Himself for you, but I AM also the One Who is “above all rule, authority, power, and dominion; over every name invoked, over every title bestowed in this age and the next.” Greatness is more than a title. Greatness is more than a position. Greatness is more than a reputation. In My kingdom, greatness is rooted in selfless service and sacrifice for others. You know Me now as Master and Savior. You know Me as Lord of all. You also should know Me as the suffering servant of God. I now reign as Savior and servant. I AM Master and Lord. I also want you to realize that I AM over all things for you — for you individually and for all of My people. Those in My spiritual family represent Me as My bodily presence in the world today. I reign in glory, not for My own benefit, but for you… and I reign forever over all things! Verses to Live Paul’s letter that you know as the book of Ephesians is full of passionate praise. While it would be great for you to read the whole letter, I want you to read at least these two passages about My place in the created universe for you. This God has given to each of us grace in full measure according to the Anointed’s gift as the Scripture says, When He ascended to the heights, He put captivity in chains; And in His triumph, He gave gifts to the people. (Well, when it says “He ascended,” then that must mean that He had descended earlier to the lower levels, that is, to the earth. The One Who descended is the same One Who rose from the dead to ascend far above all the heavens so that He could fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:7-10) Friends, it is this same might and resurrection power that He [the Father] used in the Anointed One to raise Him from the dead and to position Him at His right hand in heaven. There is nothing over Him. He’s above all rule, authority, power, and dominion; over every name invoked, over every title bestowed in this age and the next. God has placed all things beneath His feet and anointed Him as the head over all things for His church. This church is His body, the fullness of the One Who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:19-23) Response in Prayer O Father, I recognize that Jesus bought my forgiveness by being a suffering servant and that He reigns for us, His church, as Lord. Please use me — my thoughts, my words, and my example — to bring glory to You and praise to Jesus for what He has accomplished and what He is doing right now as reigning Lord. Through the powerful name of Jesus and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
26 Apr 2024
Just like the one thief and the centurion at the crucifixion of Jesus, may revelation come our way concerning the extent of the love of the Son of man or concerning any other thing. And may this revelation bring freedom. Luke 23:39-49