 Scripture: “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. Acts 3:17 (NIV) Application: Before the crucifixion and Resurrection Jesus, many could claim ignorance of His being Messiah. But now, with abundant truths in the scriptures, the spreading of the Gospel, and even extra-biblical proofs, there is no excuse for rejecting Jesus. Accountability will have to come. Pray that people will stop leaning on weak excuses. Believe in Him. Prayer: We believe in You as the Messiah, Lord Jesus. We pray for a bountiful harvest of many, many more believers. Amen.  Scripture: Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Ecclesiastes 11:6 (NIV) Application: When we faithfully execute our mission, we usually will not see the fruits of our labor right away. Some of us have missions which do not have any visible signs of success. Many of us may every pass away without knowing whether our toil and sacrifice had any effect. But we must have faith in Jesus. We must have faith that our work is not in vain. After a good day of honest work, we can rest assured that the Lord blesses our efforts and we will be rewarded many times over. Just keep working. Prayer: An honest day's work is what we want to give to You, Lord. Please clear the obstacles that will try to impede our service. Amen.  Scripture: "As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther." Luke 24:28 (NIV) "He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Mark 6:48-50 (NIV) Application: Our lives are dotted with periods of dismay, and sometimes saturated with stretches of depression. It may seem that Jesus is, as the old gospel song says, "passing us by." Call Him. He responds. We may not even realize it is Jesus before us and within us, as with the travelers on the road to Emmaus. We may be frightened, as with His disciples on the wind-tossed boat. But He never will leave us if we call on Him. Prayer: We call on You dear Lord Jesus, for ourselves and on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ who need Your help. Amen. |