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In today’s note we will consider two great reasons for prayer.

Not too long ago I read a great truth about prayer. It read, “Prayer is the language of faith.”

You wouldn’t like it if I wrote, “If you don’t pray, you don’t have faith.” If I wrote that, you may even stop reading. So, I won’t say that. I will instead write, “If you have faith, you will pray.”

I’m not saying that faith will lead you to pray three times a day while facing Jerusalem, as Daniel did. I’m not even saying you will pray on your knees for one hour every day. Everyone’s prayer routine look different. Certainly, everyone’s spontaneous prayer is different. Where and how long you pray does not matter, but if you have faith, you will pray.

It is natural.

God is your Father and you are his child. Fathers and children speak to each other.

It is natural.

Here are two reasons we pray.

#1. In prayer you build a relationship with your Father. Of course there are some sons and daughters who never speak or have not spoken to their earthly father. That is sad. I know because I never got to speak to my earthly father. We build our relationship with the Father by talking with Him in prayer.

#2. You have needs that only the Father can fill. If you can help your chlld, you want to do so. Your Father can help and he want to do so. No matter what is going on, He can help.

Let’s close this with a relevant scripture.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you “- 1 Peter 5:7

Lonnie Davis

Once upon a time, a rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was horrified to discover that it was a rat trap. 

Retreating to the farmyard the rat proclaimed the warning; “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The rat turned to the pig and told him, “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”

“I am so very sorry Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.”

The rat turned to the cow. The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Rat, a rat trap! I am in grave danger. Duh?”

So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s rat trap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital.

She returned home with a fever. Everyone knows that you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.

His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer’s wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.

– Anon

Today’s  SPIRITUAL TOOL. – Romans 10:17

No workman tackles a task without the proper tools in his or her toolbox. If you would be spiritual in your journey to eternity, then collect the proper tools for your task. Today’s scripture belongs in your spiritual toolbox.

Romans 10:17

Before we read today’s text, let’s look at a time when even the apostles cried out for this verse.

Luke 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

What did the apostles ask Jesus to do? They asked him to increase their faith. That is what we all want to do, but Jesus’ answer does not tell them HOW to increase faith. It assures them that faith can grow. Again we say with the apostle, Yes, but HOW.

Our text today answers that HOW.

Romans 10:17

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The meaning of this verse is so clear that it is easy to understand regardless of the translation one uses. For example, here is how the NIV translates it. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

A person does not increase or grow in their faith because of some event in their life. It is not increased because of an automobile wreck or a health scare. These things remind you of the need for faith, but according to this verse, one grows faith as one reads and hears the word of God. 

Do you want to increase your faith? Then, increase the time you spend reading and hearing the word of God.

This verse is a great tool for you to have because you need to use it to grow your own faith and to help those around you grow their faith.

Lonnie Davis

Too many times I have heard a sad person say, “I can’t help how I feel.”

Sure you can!

I learned better during a particularly hard time in my life. I was driving 30 miles every morning, in heavy traffic, to a job I did not want to do. As I drove I thought of the bad things in my life. By the time I would get to work I would have a terrible case of discouragement or a sad heart or even depression. 

As I was driving, one morning the solution to my recurring sad heart came to me. I realized I was not discouraged because of the bad things that happened, but because of what I was doing at the moment. This point is so important that I have to say it again.  I realized I was not discouraged because of the bad things that happened, but because of what I was doing at the moment. What was I doing at the moment? I was reliving the old negative events!

Once I understood this profound thought I was able to overcome the problem. The way to stop my daily discouragement was to change what I allowed myself to think. Whenever I would catch myself ruminating on the negative things in life, I would purposefully and quickly change the subject of my thinking. Let’s hear that again. I would purposefully and quickly change the subject of my thinking. 

When I stopped thinking about negative things, I quit being discouraged. 

We are what we think about!

Paul wrote, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things…And the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:8-9)

Surely there is something noble, something pure, something lovely in your life. Think about those things and they will crowd out the negative, sad thoughts. When you control what you think about, you will control how you feel. If you make yourself think about the good things, you will make your day better. 

You will make your life better.

Lonnie Davis

It’s Saturday and each Saturday I am going to be writing and answering a Bible question. Today’s question is one that many Bible students ask.

What is the difference between man’s soul and his spirit? 

It has long been said that man has three parts: (1) Soul. (2) Spirit and (3) Body. It is easy to understand the body of man. We see it, but what is the difference between the soul and the spirit? 

Answer: Hebrew 4:12 certainly teaches that there is a difference. It reads,

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Here are my thoughts: There is no Scripture that clearly teaches the difference, but I believe that the soul is the eternal part of man that is created at birth or even conception. The spirit, however, refers to a person’s mental or emotional state, such as their will, determination, or enthusiasm. 

If someone disagrees with this, I will just say that this seems likely to me, but even though I have studied this, I am open to further study.

If you have a Bible question you would like to see discussed, send it to me and we will look at it.

Lonnie Davis

Text: Luke 17:4

“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Why this verse:

I chose this verse, because we all need to remember a special verse on a topic that is needed all the time. People are flawed and they (including you) will do things that hurt. This verse remind us that we need to forgive – always! As Adam and Eve needed to forgive Cain for slaying Abel, so we all need to forgive each other often.

Insight into the subject and verse

The book “Will Daylight Come” tells the story of how sin enslaves and forgiveness frees. A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came back to Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead.

The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck! So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it.” Again she whispered, “Remember the duck.” Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck. “I know, Johnny,” she said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.

Lonnie Davis.

Text: Luke 17:4

“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Why this verse:

I chose this verse, because we all need to remember a special verse on a topic that is needed all the time. People are flawed and they (including you) will do things that hurt. This verse remind us that we need to forgive – always! As Adam and Eve needed to forgive Cain for slaying Abel, so we all need to forgive each other often.

Insight into the subject and verse

The book “Will Daylight Come” tells the story of how sin enslaves and forgiveness frees. A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came back to Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead.

The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck! So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it.” Again she whispered, “Remember the duck.” Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck. “I know, Johnny,” she said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.

Lonnie Davis.

Are you a Perfectionist? I used to think that I was, but then I realized that I had not done perfect things, so….

Well, today’s illustration is for all of you who struggle with getting things done because you consider yourself a perfectionist.

The Effective Teacher.

A ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. 

“All those on the left side of the studio,” he said, would be graded solely on the _quantity_ of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its _quality_. 

His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the “quantity” group: fifty pounds of pots rated an “A”, forty pounds a “B”, and so on. Those being graded on “quality”, however, needed to produce only one pot — albeit a perfect one — to get an “A”. 

Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the “quantity” group was busily churning out piles of work — and learning from their mistakes — the “quality” group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay.

Our Study verse for today is: John 4:24

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Why this Verse

This verse lets us consider the nature of God how God thinks about worship. Two things: God is a spirit and Worship must be done in the right spirit and with Bible truth as the guide.

The Story behind the verse:

This verse is part of a conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at a well, in which Jesus tells her about living water and reveals that he is a prophet. The woman then asks him about worship, and Jesus responds with the words of John 4:24.

One Commentary explained this verse this way.

This expression “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” carries one of the four descriptions of God found in the New Testament. 

The other three are:

“God is light” (1Jn 1:5), 

“God is love” (1Jn 4:8,16), and 

“God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:29). 

Jesus was endeavoring to convey to the woman that God cannot be confined to one place nor conceived of as a material being. Whether one is on a mountain or in a city with the temple, God is everywhere and can be worshipped anyway.

Let me leave you with three Take-A-Ways from this great verse.

1. The nature of God:

This verse affirms that God is Spirit, emphasizing that God is not a physical being with a human form. Rather, God is a spiritual being that transcends the physical world.

2. The requirement for worship:

This verse states that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and truth. This implies that worship is not just about outward actions, but also involves an inward attitude of the heart. Worship must be with the heart and truthful.

3. The universality of worship: 

This verse does not limit worship to a particular location or form. Rather, it emphasizes that anyone, anywhere can worship God in spirit and truth.

If you want a printed version, go to www.daywords.com

Lonnie Davis

Many people today have been disappointed in God because he did not answer their prayer the way they wanted or expected. That is not fair. This disappointment in how God has dealt with them is built on the premise that we always know what is best for us. Many thus lower their opinion of God or even deny him altogether.

Perhaps one reason many may not have confidence in the character of God is that they never had a high enough opinion of God in the first place.

God has been talked down and reduced, modified, edited, changed, and amended until He is not the God that Isaiah saw “high and lifted up.” In fact, folks often say things like “my God would never…” whatever, but God is God.

Because God has been reduced in the minds of people, they do not have that great confidence in His character that used to be prominent with believers.

We need confidence in God because it is necessary in order to really respect Him. For example, you cannot respect anyone in whom you have no confidence. Extend that principle upward to God and you see that if you cannot respect God, you cannot worship Him.

Where there is no respect there can be no true worship. Worship rises and falls with me and you depending upon whether our idea of God is low or high;

We must walk our journey with God where everything begins – with our trust and confidence that God will always do what is right for his followers (See Romans 8:28). We must believe that the Father knows best and has the best in store for us. Anything else lowers our image of God in our hearts. 

So we say with the Psalmist.

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

PSALMS 57:5