Christian Reflection and Prayer

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.

Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote 'Revelation 3:20' on the back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, 'Genesis 3:10..'

Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.' Genesis 3:10 reads, 'I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked.'

Remember when the funniest jokes were the clean ones?

They still are!

"A CHEERFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE"
(Proverbs 17:22)

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by
Les Lamborn

Scripture:
Read: Philippians 1:12-20
All who desire to live godly
in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution. —2 Timothy 3:12
Bible in a year:
Lamentations 3-5;
Hebrews 10:19-39

Reflection:

As my wife and I were walking through
a shopping mall, we came to a T-shirt
stand. While browsing the shirts and
their often humorous sayings, I noticed
one with a disturbing message. It read,
“So Many Christians, So Few Lions.”
 That shirt, with its reference to the
first-century practice of throwing
Christians to the lions in the Coliseum
in Rome, wasn’t at all funny.

Persecution is no laughing matter.
Not long before those brave Christians
faced death in Rome’s cruel sport,
Paul wrote, “All who desire to live
godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Persecution
is inevitable, and it should be a matter
of serious concern for all believers. In
fact, at this very moment fellow brothers
and sisters in Christ around the world
are suffering in Jesus’ name.

What can we do about it? First, we
can pray that God will comfort them
in their suffering. Second, we can aid
families left without support when loved
ones are imprisoned. Third, we can pray
now for courage should we face persecution.
When the apostle Paul was put in jail for
his faith, his courage led others to be
bolder in their witness (Phil. 1:14).

Want to encourage the persecuted church?
Pray. Then proclaim the message for which
believers suffer.

The church of Christ can’t be destroyed,
Though many enemies have tried;
Whenever persecution comes,
The church is spread and multiplied. —Sper

We find courage to stand when we kneel
before the Lord.

Scripture:

Psalm 142:4
4 Look around me and see.
       No one cares about me.
    I have no place of safety;
       no one cares if I live.
Psalm 142:5
 5 Lord, I cry out to you.
       I say, "You are my protection.
       You are all I want in this life."

Reflection:

One of the worst things about the feeling
of loneliness is that you have the feeling
no one gives you a passing thought,
nobody cares.  You find yourself filled
with the thought that no one will help you,
that no one cares one bit what happens to
you.  Well I'm here to tell you THAT'S NOT
TRUE. THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CARES,
JUST PRAY TO GOD.  HE IS THERE FOR
YOU, that's right JUST PRAY. You will
discover, that through prayer, God is your
refuge and your strength.  He is your place
of refuge.  God hears your cries of loneliness
and is there for you.  I mean He is really there
for you.  Talk to Him make God a part of
your life.  If you do this you will discover
that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Prayer:

You teach, oh Lord,  to obey Your commands,
and if we do, You assure us, "I am with you
always even until the end of the age.  Thank
you God for always being there.