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PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Tuesday February 18 - Known by God
“Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil
doers!’” Matthew 7:23
Today, we turn from the fake to the genuine. The fake follower will be turned away but the authentic, born-again child of God will be welcomed with open arms. Dear friend, Jesus is passionate for you to know his presence now and throughout eternity. His call to Simon Peter, and to every subsequent disciple, is “Come, follow me!” (Matthew 4:19). The call, “Come to me”, reverberates across the millennia to you and me. It’s an open invitation; it just requires obedience.
I came to Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, over 50 years ago, not knowing what might unfold. I simply came knowing I needed God’s forgiveness and a fresh start. At that time, I did not fully understand what I was leaving behind, nor much about what I would gain. But with childlike faith I responded. It’s something I have never regretted – my life has changed beyond anything I could have imagined.
Having come to Jesus, listen afresh to God’s promise: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Be assured that it does not depend on how you feel or what others say – this promise will stand for eternity. If you have obeyed the call and accepted Jesus as Saviour and Lord then your name is written in the Lamb’s book of Life (Revelation 21:27).
Father, I thank you that you are my Guide, Protector and Provider. May I never leave nor forsake you, but see you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly. Amen.
Wednesday February 19 - The wise man
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man...” Matthew 7:24
This week’s reading gives us no room for fence-sitting; we are either wise or foolish, obedient or disobedient, secure or insecure. Jesus made it clear that the deciding factor is whether we hear God and choose to obey him. The rest of the transaction is down to God himself, who promises to ‘...rescue us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins’ (Colossians 1:13-14). This is the best deal known to man!
Then who is the wise man? He is the one who seeks to make the best decision. In recent days, we have seen that it’s the wise man who rejects falsehood, who genuinely and wholeheartedly embraces the truth by acting upon it, and who knows that God will not forsake him. In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23), the issue lies with the receptiveness of soil, not the quality of the seed. It’s only the seed that falls on good soil that will flourish, i.e. the person who hears and (by inference) obeys God’s word.
The choice is clear; fellowship with or separation from God, forgiveness or guilt... Why not consider making the wise man’s choice today? You may wish to talk to someone who can advise and pray with you.
Lord, you tell me not to lean on my own understanding, so I submit to you now and ask you to forgive me and give me direction in life. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY