Page 68 - Livin Light Issue 81

PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Tuesday August 22 - Great joy
With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus... Acts 4:33
Our theme this week is the greatness of God’s grace. This grace is to be seen in the embryonic church’s prayer life and unity. Here we are told that the believers continued to testify to the resurrection of Jesus! Nothing can compare with the revelation that Jesus is alive. It turned Mary Magdalene’s tears to joy (John 20:18) and heavy-hearted men travelling to Emmaus suddenly found their hearts ‘set on fire’, knowing he was no longer dead (Luke 24:32).
Can you imagine the joy in heaven when the news broke that the Lion of Judah had conquered death? – HE HAD RISEN – what celebration! This should be a daily occurrence rather than being restricted annually to Easter! The revelation that Jesus is alive – and what’s more he is with you, no matter what you are going through – makes all the difference. Take a moment to ‘believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead’ (Romans 10:9). Without anything changing, everything changes through the knowledge that you are not alone; that Jesus is with you. The Victor raises your arm to share in his triumph (Romans 8:37). How marvellous!
The news that death could not hold Jesus is just too good to keep to ourselves. Jesus is our joy-giver. He told his disciples that their joy would be complete by his joy being in them (John 15:11). May that be your reality!
Father, may my life declare demonstrably that Jesus is alive, and may his joy in me be evident to all. Amen.
Wednesday August 23 - Great power
...and God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all. Acts 4:33
May I ask a question? What is the source of your strength? The answer to this question is key to defining your thinking and ultimately your life. The well-known hymn ‘Be thou my vision’ includes the line ‘Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.’ Note the use of upper and lower case letters, declaring that God’s power is at work in our lives: ‘That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead’ (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Dear friend, join with the psalmist today to declare, ‘The Lord is my strength and my song’ (Psalm 118:14). This verse is taken from the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:2), sung by Israel after the Lord destroyed Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea. Both creation and salvation are the sovereign works of God, so what about living the Christian life? Has God somehow just handed over this responsibility to you and me, setting us up to fail? Surely not! At times we may feel weak, like sheep among wolves, but the reality is ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27).
I was thankful as a young believer for sound Bible teaching, assuring me I was saved by grace alone. Just as significant is the knowledge that I am ‘kept by the power of God through faith’ (1 Peter 1:5 NKJV).
Father, please forgive me when I rely on my feeble strength, denying your power at work in me. Today, I choose to trust in your mighty power. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY