Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
— Luke 17:3

When I was a young boy, I had a baseball coach who really disliked me. No matter how hard I tried to please him, he poked fun at me and tried to embarrass me in front of my teammates. His words and behavior would hurt me deeply, but I can remember my father telling me to forgive him. My dad would gently urge me to “grin and bear it” because these things happen in life. So when my coach insulted me, I’d do my best to forgive him and then muster the strength to wipe away my tears and walk back onto the ball field. It was wrong of that baseball coach to treat me in that way, but his negativity provided a good learning experience to help prepare me for life. I’m so thankful my father taught me to forgive, get back on the field, and not let the words of others affect me too much.

In life, we will experience many moments when we are tempted to leave the playing field because of the way others have treated us. But just like my father taught me, we have to forgive those who wrong us instead of letting a root of bitterness take root in our hearts. Sometimes the only course of action available to us is to “grin and bear it” and resolve not to throw in the towel on account of someone’s hurtful words or actions. Life is beckoning us to do great and adventurous things, and we can’t let the actions or words of a few people sidetrack us from what God has planned for our lives!

In Luke 17:3, Jesus gave instruction for how we are to respond when we perceive that someone has done something wrong to us. I emphasize the word perceive because our perception may be incorrect — but whether it is right or wrong, it is still our perception. So what are we to do in such moments? Should we ignore it? Should we let it continue to eat away at us? Or should we take some other route altogether?

Jesus began His instruction by saying, “Take heed to yourselves….” Jesus commanded us to deal with ourselves before we respond to anyone about a perceived wrong. Jesus then continued by telling us how to proceed once we have gotten a grip on our own emotions, saying, “…If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

The word “trespass” means to violate or to cross a line. In the context of this verse, it refers to crossing a line with one’s words or actions in a way that leaves the other person feeling hurt and violated. When we perceive that someone has “trespassed” against us, we are to first take a moment and get a grip on our own emotions. However, if you still feel that someone has crossed a line with his words or behavior after you’ve taken the time to think over the situation and pray about it, the next course of action is to lovingly confront the behavior that you’ve found inappropriate.

Specifically, Jesus said we are to “rebuke” such a person. In English, this word sounds very strong and harsh; however, in the original Greek, the tone is much softer. The word “rebuke” is a translation of the Greek word epitimao, which describes a frank but gentle way of politely telling a person that he has done something that you perceive to be wrong.

You see, confrontation doesn’t have to be ugly. If you address your offender from a place of love, the conversation can actually be a healing experience. Simply say, “My feelings are hurt, but I recognize that I might have misconstrued your intentions. I need to tell you about it and ask you if this is really how you meant to make me feel.” When you go to someone in this way, the person will often express regret for his actions and ask for forgiveness.

Now, let me mention here that in Mark 11:25, Jesus came at the subject of forgiveness from a different angle and made it clear that God expects us to forgive others, no matter what, if we want our prayers to be answered. But today let’s focus on what He said in Luke 17:3 about how we should respond to our offender if he repents. Jesus continued, “…If he repent, forgive him.” This word “repent” is the Greek word metanoeo, a compound of the word meta, which denotes a change, and the word nous, meaning mind. When the two words are compounded, the new word depicts a person who changes his mind and, ultimately, his behavior.

Jesus was saying that if your offender apologizes for his actions and promises to try not to do it again, you are to “forgive” him. Jesus never said that the offender had to meet your requirement for repentance, so don’t require what Jesus didn’t require. If your offender expresses true sorrow for his words or actions and asks for forgiveness — if he exhibits a change of mind and heart about his actions — you are to forgive him and to let it go.

The truth is, God has already given you all the faith you need to forgive others when they offend or hurt you, whether or not they ever apologize or seek reconciliation themselves. But you still have to make the decision to use that faith to pull out every root of bitterness while it’s still a little seedling. Don’t wait to “lay the axe to the root” until you have a huge tree of anger and bitterness defiling your life!

That brings us to the word “forgive.” What does it really mean to forgive? The word “forgive” is the Greek word aphiemi — a simple, yet powerful word that means to dismiss, to release, or to let it go. In other words, if your offender offers you a sincere apology and asks for forgiveness, Jesus says you need to let it go! Rehashing the issue is not an option. Don’t waste your time and energy on something that has been dealt with according to the Word. Rather, put a smile back on your face, and get back on the playing field of life.

But what should you do if the same person offends you again in the same way? Jesus said, “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” Or to paraphrase this statement in modern English: “And if he violates and crosses a legitimate boundary seven times in a day, and seven times a day repents for his behavior, you are to let it go.”

If a person repeatedly hurts you after apologizing and asking for forgiveness, you might be tempted to judge his repentance as insincere. However, you must be careful not to put yourself in a position where you are judging the character of a person’s heart. That is only for God to decide. Perhaps God is dealing with a difficult aspect of his character or with his dealings with other people. Or maybe the person was truly sorry, but he just keeps stumbling again and again.

If the person is willing to acknowledge his error and ask for forgiveness, Jesus said we are obligated to forgive them every single time. We must dismiss it, release it, and let it go.

Jesus’ message may be a difficult pill to swallow in the heat of a conflict, but when you consider your options, it is the only path that makes sense and brings peace into your life. Would you rather be in strife constantly with a person who upsets you? Would you prefer to harbor unforgiveness and develop a hard heart? Of course not. Hardening your own heart will never change the heart of your offender; it will just produce problems in two people’s lives instead of one. It’s far better to let the offense go as many times as necessary and keep your own heart pure and free.

The devil wants to sidetrack you with little problems that will knock you out of the game of life, but you don’t have to let him do it. Follow Jesus’ instructions, and you will achieve victory in your relationships. If you perceive that someone has wronged you, pray about it, frankly and politely confront the situation, and then give that person the opportunity to repent and ask for forgiveness. Your job is to let the offense go and be free of it. And no matter how many times that person offends you, Jesus requires you to forgive him each and every time.

It’s time for you to shake it off and get back on the playing field of life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am not willing to be sidetracked by little problems that the devil has orchestrated to knock me out of the game of life. He has no new strategy. I recognize that his repeated ploy has been to insult, bully, and offend me in such a way to trigger and provoke my emotions to take over my thoughts about myself or others. The devil’s goal was for me to ensnare myself in the trap of bitterness, unforgiveness, and fear so I’d remove myself from the plan or assignment that You set before me. Father, I repent for the times I have let that happen. I was so focused on the hurt I felt from a perceived wrong, I forgot that the bigger picture was Your plan and my position in it. Holy Spirit, I receive Your help to follow Jesus’ instructions to forgive even when it seems to be for the same thing over and over again. When I’m confronted with a perceived wrong, help me do more than merely “grin and bear it.” I ask You to strengthen me to focus on the joy of victory as I refuse to cling to offenses!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I guard my heart. I do not allow it to become hardened through bitterness because of offenses. But I keep myself in the love of God so my faith will not fail. In that position, the enemy cannot provoke me to stumble or remove myself from the game of life by choosing to walk in the flesh rather than stay in the Spirit. I follow the example of my Lord Jesus who, when He was ridiculed, chose to forgive. I follow His example and obey His command to forgive so I can live in victory above all the schemes of the enemy.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Is there a specific person who continually hurts your feelings? How do you deal with it when that person has done something that has hurt you? Do you harbor bad feelings against him, or have you learned how to politely talk to him about his behavior?
2. If that person expresses regret and sorrow for hurting you, are you able to let it go and walk away from it? Does it upset you if he doesn’t meet your expectations according to what you believe repentance should look like? Are you able to accept the simplest apology and let it go?
3. Have you ever hurt someone and later found out about it, only to feel stunned to hear how that person perceived that you treated him? When you found out what this person felt, were you thankful he was honest with you so you could make the relationship right? When was that experience and what can you learn from it as you lovingly confront those you think have wronged you?

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
— 1 Corinthians 3:6

I had worked laboriously for an “open door” to Channel One in the nation of Ukraine — the premier TV channel that broadcast into every home in the country. However, regardless of how hard I tried, it seemed that access to this massive station eluded me. But one day, I received a phone call from a man who said he had an “inside” contact at Channel One and that if I would meet him at a certain location in Kiev, he would accompany me to the station and introduce me to the top leadership of that channel. So at the appointed time, I met him — it was almost like a clandestine operation — and he did exactly as he promised. He walked me through the open door that I had been seeking for years.

I found myself standing in an executive TV office with the two men who had the final say-so about which programs would or would not be broadcast on Channel One. After a few minutes of talking, they said, “We’ve reviewed your programs, and we’re ready to accept them as part of our daily broadcast schedule.”

I almost lost my breath. Did they really say what I just heard? Were these men actually offering me the possibility of broadcasting our programs to the entire nation every day of the week? As far as I knew, this opportunity had never been given to anyone else. But now the door had flung wide open and was standing right in front of me as open and passable as it could be! This was a God-ordained moment. I knew that God was beckoning me to trust Him and to walk through this door.

When they told me the cost per broadcast, I didn’t have that kind of money or anything even close to it. But the door was open, and God was urging me to put my name on the “dotted line” of the contract. So I asked for a few minutes to be alone with my associate who was with me. Once we were alone, we bowed our heads, clasped hands, and prayed for the courage to accept this step of faith. I told my associate, “I don’t have the money to pay for this, but I know God has opened this door, and I am supposed to sign this contract. I don’t know where the money will come from, but I must sign this contract and trust that God will speak to someone somewhere to help pay for this huge opportunity.”

When we finishing praying, I had deep peace that despite the fact that I didn’t have the money to take this step, God wanted me to sign the contract. So when the men reentered the room and asked what we had decided, I boldly told them, “Of course, we are going to broadcast! So give me that contract, and I’ll sign it.”

After reviewing the contract, I took a pen in hand, gulped a deep breath, and signed that piece of paper. It was a huge leap of faith for me, but I had the awesome inward witness that we were about to experience the supernatural provision of God in a measure we had never seen before. God was going to show Himself strong to us and provide every cent that was needed to broadcast on this massive TV channel. As a result, every person in every home in that nation where there was a television would be able to hear rock-solid Bible teaching every day of the week!

But that’s just half the story. At the exact time I was signing that contract, a ministry partner — a widow who had faithfully given smaller offerings for many years — received surprise information that she had received a large inheritance. She had always told the Lord, “If You’ll trust me with money, I’ll use it to finance the preaching of the Gospel.” God heard her, knew she was serious, and did exactly what she prayed. He supernaturally put a large sum of money into her hands. When she received that inheritance, she said, “Lord, I’m going to help Rick Renner preach the Gospel to the former Soviet Union!”

When we later looked at the calendar and compared the times on both sides of the world — we discovered that at the exact moment I was signing that contract, this woman was receiving the news about her inheritance! I signed the contract, and literally simultaneously, God put the money into the hands of a widow who had made Him a promise.

Before the first payment was due for that massive TV outreach, we had all the finances we needed to pay the bill. God had entrusted that widow with the money necessary to cover the cost of those first broadcasts — and she kept her promise to steward her finances for the preaching of the Gospel.

Actually, this woman supported our TV outreach for many years. As a result, our Bible teaching programs went into every home in that nation every day. Over time, we received millions of letters from people who watched the programs, who gave their lives to Christ, and who began to regularly correspond with our ministry for help to further develop their lives in Christ.

As I think back on this experience, I see how every person played such a vital role for this miracle to be brought to pass. I signed the contract — but I didn’t have the money to pay for it. God gave finances to a faithful widow — and she supplied the money to pay. Each time I ponder this experience, I’m always reminded of what the apostle Paul wrote in First Corinthians 3:6: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

Paul knew his role was that of a “planter,” which is the Greek word phuteuo and means to plant. Paul’s statement was a clear reference to his founding of the Corinthian church. He was anointed to forge into new territory and challenge the powers of darkness in order to plant. Paul was endowed with the anointing to push open doors and find opportunities — and to plant seeds for the Gospel that would grow into churches.

Apollos, on the other hand, was anointed differently for ministry. He was specially called to come behind Paul and to “water” and “nourish” what Paul had planted. The word “watered” is the Greek word potidzo, which means to give drink, to water, or even to imbibe. It portrays one who nourishes what has been planted, thus providing the sustenance it needs to grow.

Of course, we know that God ultimately gave the increase, bringing forth what Paul planted and Apollos watered — and causing growth to come in the Corinthian church.

As I look at First Corinthians 3:6, I see these three elements in the Channel One miracle: First, I was the planter who was anointed by God to sign the contract. That was an essential first step. Second, our blessed partner, a widow, was called and anointed to “water” the seed I’d planted (the signing of the contract) with her finances. She was assigned a very important portion of the process, and she willingly did her part.

Third — and most important — was God, the Partner who was ultimately responsible for all of it. Paul said, “…But God gave the increase.”

The word “increase” in First Corinthians 3:6 is a form of the Greek word auxano, which simply means to increase or to grow. The form of this word used in this instance indicates the continuous blessing of God upon the work of Paul and Apollos, with God as their chief Partner in the process.

One theologian has said, in effect, “We can till the ground, plant the seeds, pull the weeds, and lavishly water what has been planted, but only God can provide the blessing, sunshine, and environment to make it all grow.”

It simply takes every one of us doing his or her different job — with God’s blessing on it — for doors to open and harvests to be reaped. Divine connections are essential for completing a divine assignment. And respect for every person for the role he or she plays — including God and His role — is so important. Most of us realize that even if we all did our respective parts to make supernatural things come to pass, nothing of value would ever grow if God didn’t provide His continuous blessing. So all the glory goes to God for what is produced in our lives.

In the case of the contract with Channel One, after that man helped me make contact with the leaders of that TV station, God used my associate and me to negotiate the deal, my hands to sign the contract, and a widow to sow finances into the project. And, most importantly, God’s hand of blessing was on it throughout the entire journey. Those elements all working together produced a harvest of salvations from our TV programming that will last for all of eternity.

If you’re trying to complete a God-given project alone, I pray that today’s Sparkling Gem has spoken to your heart about the need for divine connections with other people — and the absolutely essential need for God to be your chief Partner in making everything you do grow and become prosperous. If you do not have those connections right now, I pray that God will divinely connect you to others who will join to help you complete the assignment He has called you to fulfill — in Jesus’ name!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I see that it takes divine connections to make a project of faith come to pass and bear fruit. Many times I have felt discouraged because it seemed I had to complete a God-project alone. Father, I ask You to connect me with others who will respond to Your voice and help cause Your supernatural plan to come to pass. I receive God-ordained help to complete the assignment You have given me. I ask You to strengthen me and those with whom You will connect me so that together we can do our respective parts under Your direction to fulfill what You want each one of us to do!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am obedient and faithful to the direction of the Lord when He gives me an assignment. And I declare that with each divine assignment He gives me, God also ordains obedient and faithful people who are positioned with me to see that assignment through to completion. Just as Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase, we each do our part by the direction of God as we give all glory to His name!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a moment when you obeyed the Lord, but you didn’t know how God was going to do what He was instructing you to do? When was that and what happened?
2. Have you ever had an experience when you took a step of faith, and God used an unexpected person to supply the provision you needed to make your step of faith come to pass?
3. Were you filled with enthusiastic excitement at the moment you committed yourself to a huge project in faith — or did you feel a sense of hesitancy? What did you experience as you “signed your name on the dotted line” and made a commitment that would require the supernatural provision of God?

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business….
— 1 Thessalonians 4:11

When I was a young boy, Grandpa and Grandma Renner lived two blocks from our house. Almost every day, I’d go visit them. When I’d arrive at the back gate, I’d yell out, “Grandpa!” — knowing that he was probably somewhere in the backyard or doing something interesting in his garage. When he heard my voice, Grandpa would quickly appear from seemingly nowhere and cheerfully open the back gate so I could follow him to see what he was doing in the yard or garage.

I also always knew, without even asking, where I would most likely find Grandma Renner. I could almost be sure to find her talking on the telephone — a beige rotary telephone that sat right next to a notebook filled with the names and phone numbers of her dearest friends. I can vividly remember hearing her say, “Hello…this is Ethel….” Within minutes, the gossip would begin — something she was committed to as seriously as Grandpa was to his yard and garage! Then as soon as that conversation ended, she’d pick up her pencil, put the eraser end into the circles on the rotary dial, and begin dialing the next girlfriend on her list to start the whole gossipy conversation all over again.

There was Grandpa — working contentedly in the garage and minding his own business, fully satisfied. Meanwhile, Grandma was in hot pursuit of knowing everyone else’s business! As much as I loved Grandma, it was just a fact that she was continually repeating what she had just heard from someone else and expressing her opinions about people’s personal issues that were none of her business.

Unfortunately, talking about other people’s private affairs is a characteristic of the fallen human nature. I shudder to think how many people’s reputations have been scarred or stained because of false information spread from person to person by those who didn’t know what they were talking about or who really had nothing to do with the matter. Even if they had “inside information,” it still wasn’t their business.

This inclination of human nature to stick its nose where it doesn’t belong is not new. Two thousand years ago, the apostle Paul told the Thessalonians, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). What does it mean to study to be quiet?

The Greek word for “study” is philotimeomai, a word that means ambition. This means Paul was actually telling readers to be ambitious about being quiet. Before we proceed further, let’s look deeper at this Greek word and learn more about what it means to you and me when used in conjunction with the idea of being quiet.

This word philotimeomai pictures an individual who is totally committed to obtaining or achieving a specific goal. He is determined to reach it, and he is enthusiastic about his pursuit of it. He has a strong, inward yearning to attain it that drives and motivates him — propelling him toward his goal. He is absolutely fixated on obtaining the object of his desire and will not stop until he gets it. He simply won’t let go of his commitment to attain it.

Although we usually think of ambition of this sort in a negative sense, Paul used it here in a positive context to describe a person who is totally committed to do whatever it takes to be “quiet.” The word “quiet” is the Greek word isuchadzo, which refers to keeping to your own business instead of prying into other people’s affairs. By using this word in this verse, Paul was calling on his readers to refuse to be busybodies. Someone whose behavior fits that description might be known for eavesdropping, snooping into other people’s business, intruding into others’ personal matters, prying into the affairs of others, and gossiping about other people. In other words, someone who behaved himself in this manner would definitely fall into the category of a busybody!

We are to follow Paul’s admonition: “Make it your ambition — that is, give it your fullest and most enthusiastic effort — to stay out of other people’s business.…” Then he continued, “…And to do your own business….” In other words, instead of poking around in matters that have nothing to do with us, we are to keep our mouths shut, keep our eyes from wandering, and focus on our own personal affairs. We don’t have a right to delve into the private matters of other people for whom we have no responsibility. In such cases, we need to take a firm stand and refuse to allow gossip or hurtful information to enter our ears. Period.

This must have been a problem for a few believers in the church of Thessalonica, because Paul addressed busybodies several times in his first letter to them. In each case, he reprimanded them, even telling others to disassociate with those who acted in such a manner.

Today I ask you to look at your own life and see if you need to make an adjustment in this area. If people were talking about and delving into your private affairs, wouldn’t you appreciate it if they stopped it — completely refrained from doing it? Of course you would! So I encourage you to decide today to obey these scriptures and give the same courtesy to others that you would want them to give to you.

And if there are people in your life who do this — those who try to use your ears as garbage receptacles to receive trashy information — politely tell them that you’re not going to listen any longer. This may offend them at first, but it will also make them think twice before they open their mouths. And remember, if people gossip about others to you, they won’t think twice about gossiping about you to others. It’s just so much better to obey God and determine to never let yourself get into that kind of conversational trap!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I repent for the times I’ve allowed my tongue to communicate words ignited by the flesh and forgiving place to devilish discussions that were not inspired by the Holy Spirit who indwells me. Words of gossip and slander proceed from a polluted heart. To speak such words destroys reputations and relationships — and taints the hearts of those who hear them. Holy Spirit, I ask You to cleanse me from all defilement and from twisted speech and inappropriate communication. Please set a watch over my lips and create in me a clean and quiet heart.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Therefore, I will not use my tongue to insert hell’s suggestions into people’s ears, but rather speak God’s will and promote God’s perspective. Because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, I choose to fill my heart with God’s words, and I cultivate a quiet spirit that is trained to wait upon God. I will heed His direction concerning when to speak, what to say, and when to remain silent. In that blessed quietness, confidence and discernment shall be my strength. I do not speak about or involve my opinion in matters that are none of my business. And I do not allow others to bring gossip to me wrapped in the guise of a prayer request. Like Jesus, I speak only the words I hear my Heavenly Father speak. His words are love-filled and life-producing, releasing health and strength in me and in the hearts of those who hear them.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you been guilty of talking about other people for whom you have no responsibility and therefore no reason to discuss their personal lives? If your answer is yes, what actions are you going to change as a result of reading today’s Sparkling Gem?
2. Often when people talk about others, they dress up their negative words in the guise of a prayer request. Isn’t it possible to address a prayer need without talking about another’s private affairs? How can you request prayer without divulging private information or delving into other people’s personal matters that don’t concern you?
3. What would happen if you told those people who gossip that you aren’t going to participate in that kind of conversation any longer? After all, it’s almost certain that they are also talking about you.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
— James 1:27

Just to the west of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a city called Sand Springs — a small town that was constructed with the single wealth of a man named Charles Page. Page’s father died when he was young, and he saw the struggle that his widowed mother experienced as she cared for him and his siblings. As a young man, Page got a job working in the oil industry, but soon he went into the drilling business for himself. Page hit his first oil gusher in 1905 when he was 45 years old — one that began to quickly produce up to 2,000 barrels of oil per day. Soon he hit another gusher and then another — and it wasn’t long before he became immensely wealthy at a relatively young age.

Page remembered his mother’s financial struggles after his father died, so he chose to devote the bulk of his wealth to help orphans and widows. In 1908, he purchased land west of Tulsa and in the middle of that enormous territory, he began the construction of Sand Springs, Oklahoma — the town where I grew up. But Page’s purpose was not to build a city just for the sake of building a city. He dreamed that this city would become a hub for his real dream, which was Sand Springs Home — a well-financed orphanage that would care for orphans until adulthood. To assure that the orphans raised at Sand Springs Home would have jobs after they set off on their own, Page constructed the city of Sand Springs. He began to negotiate with steel, glass, and porcelain industries to move to his new city so that kids from his orphanage would have good employment opportunities when they became adults.

In addition to Sand Springs Home, Page also dreamed of constructing a widow’s colony to care for widowed women. So in 1912, Page began construction of Sand Springs Widows’ Colony, a large area that had 40 houses for widowed women with children who could live there freely at his expense. All of this was provided as benevolence because Charles Page remembered the burden of poverty that his own family experienced when his father died unexpectedly.

I am familiar with this story because I grew up in Sand Springs and also because my Grandfather Miller was personally hired by Charles Page to lead the orchestra and band for Sand Springs Home. Through my grandfather’s connection to Page, my mother as a small girl spent many days and weekends at Sand Springs Home, where she personally witnessed how generously this man treated these orphans and widows.

When I entered high school myself, I became keenly aware of how well the children from Sand Springs Home were treated. They were well-dressed and well-groomed, and at Christmas time they received what seemed like mountains of gifts that were provided by funds left after the death of Charles Page. If they did well in school, there were funds available to help them go to college or university. What Page did for these orphans and widows — the long-term planning that he prepared for them — was simply remarkable and has impacted thousands of people’s lives for the better since he first began to put his dream into action in 1908.

Today I want to talk to you about assisting needy widows. But first, let’s talk about what the Bible means when it refers to widows. The word “widows,” which James used in James 1:27, is chera, a word that uniquely describes widows in the traditional sense of the word. It is the same word used by Jesus in Matthew 23:14 and Luke 4:26, which both clearly describe women who were bereft of their spouses due to death. James used the word “affliction” to describe the condition of this category of widows.

As we saw yesterday, the word “affliction” is a translation of the Greek word thlipsis, which depicts pressures that make it difficult to cope with life. This hardship may include housing, food, medical needs, or other physical needs that leave a person struggling to get up and face each day. According to James 1:27, we as believers have a God-given responsibility to reach out and help widowed women who are struggling due to the loss of a spouse. It is good, clean, and acceptable before God for us to visit and assist widows in these circumstances.

I realize we live in a day and age when insurance pays death benefits, the government often assists women who have lost their spouses, and many widows today are not suffering financially. However, there are still many widowed women who suffer great financial and social need when their spouses die, and God commands us to do whatever we can to be a blessing to them in their times of suffering. Since this is the command of God, I want to ask you: What are you doing to help widows in need?

You don’t have to be rich and wealthy like Charles Page was in 1908. The truth is, there are many wealthy people who never help anyone. Page helped because he remembered his mother’s own difficulty and chose to make a difference with his resources. What he did took great passion and long-term planning — which tells us that his giving was not based on emotion or just a “fancy of the moment.” It was deeply felt compassion that was expressed in action that has continued to impact people’s lives ever since his charitable work first started. I don’t know the spiritual status of Charles Page’s soul, but I know that his works continue to speak long after his death. What Page did was “clean religion” — something that God both encourages and endorses!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am deeply stirred to begin formulating my long-term plan to bring real, measurable help to people in need through sincere acts of charity. You specified needy widows and orphans as people for whom I should take compassionate responsibility when their needs are brought to my attention. I ask You, Lord, to show me who and how to help. I commit to prove my faith by my works, as I live out the “clean religion” that honors You the most.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I actively pursue a life marked by the “clean religion” that God both encourages and endorses. I do not ignore the plight of orphans and widows in need. I deliberately take action in well-planned ways to provide help and to produce change that will make a positive difference in their lives for the glory of God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, what actions are you going to take to reach out to widows who are in need? Have you ever done anything special to help a woman who has lost her spouse?
2. Do you personally know a woman who has suffered financial and material loss as the result of her husband’s death? Who is that woman? Do you even know if she has financial need?
3. What would Jesus do if He knew of a widow in dire financial straits? Would He simply wave at her and wish her well, or would He do something to assist her?

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
— James 1:27

In Russia, we have a significant outreach to people who are poor, needy, and forgotten. This includes outreaches to orphans, to the developmentally disabled, to the blind, and to large numbers of people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Regardless of why people are in this condition, we have a God-given responsibility to do whatever we can to help them spiritually, materially, and socially — and to show them the love of Christ.

I could tell many stories of those we have helped, but one remarkable story comes to mind — a small boy whom we’ll call Sasha for the sake of confidentiality.

Sasha was deserted as a small boy and raised by dogs. Although it seems almost too bizarre to believe, those dogs accepted that small child and raised him as a member of their pack. He lived with them and was fed and cared for by them for years before he was discovered by social workers, who placed him into the care of an outreach based out of our Moscow church.

In Russia, when a child is discovered who was raised by animals, social workers say that such a child has a “Mowgli” syndrome. It’s a term taken from “The Jungle Book” regarding the small boy who, as the story goes, was lost in the jungle as a baby and raised by animals. So when little Sasha came into the care of our outreach, he came with that “Mowgli syndrome” designation because he had been raised by dogs and had no memory of ever living with a human being.

When the outreach based in our church decided to take him, it was a huge commitment of time, attention, and love to help him transition from a world of dogs into a human environment. But they accepted the challenge. Today that little Sasha is a young man with a fabulous future. Because someone loved him enough to receive him, he is a shining example of God’s restorative powers!

In James 1:27, we are told, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Denise and I have seen so many lives like little Sasha’s transformed because we have always taken seriously the Lord’s command to live according to God’s definition of “pure religion.” Today I want to talk about a certain aspect of that definition: our responsibility to show God’s kindness to the fatherless.

But let’s begin by looking at that phrase “pure religion.” It is a translation of the Greek words threskeia kathara. The word threskeia depicts religious service and includes religious acts. The second word in this phrase is kathara, which in this case simply means clean. Taken as one phrase, the new word literally means clean religion. By using these Greek words, James was describing religious actions that are “undefiled” before God.

The word “undefiled” is the Greek word amiantos, which refers to actions that are free of contamination and therefore acceptable with God. But what was James about to describe that is approved and accepted by God? What are these acceptable actions?

James continued, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction….” The word “visit” doesn’t mean just to wave hello to them in passing. It is the Greek word episkeptomai, and it means to look upon, to physically visit, or to provide help for those in need, and it was even used to denote the provision of medical care. James then specified the target that we are to care for: “…the fatherless and the widows in their affliction….”

The word “fatherless” is the Greek word orphanos, and it is from this term that we derive the word orphan. However, the English usage of the word “orphan” is more limited today than it was during the First Century AD when James wrote this verse. In New Testament times, the word orphanos described not only children left without a parent, but it also included the idea of abandonment. Perhaps the parents are still living, but the children are abandoned and left to themselves with no parental care or guidance. In Russia, this category is often called social orphans and refers to children with living parents who have abandoned them. For all intents and purposes, they are fatherless and motherless. In fact, this Greek word orphanos could even be used to describe adults who have suffered abandonment.

James used the word “affliction” to describe the living situation of this category of people. This is the Greek word thlipsis, which depicts pressures that make it difficult to cope with life. This hardship may include housing, food, medical needs, or other physical needs that leave a person suffering in life. As you will see in tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem, James included physically needy widows in this category of people.

Of course, every situation isn’t as desperate as little Sasha’s. Yet every need that fits this category is acute, and James wrote that if we are interested in living out a religion that is clean and acceptable before God, we must turn our attention to the fatherless and motherless and to those who have been abandoned in life. God’s commandment to us is not just to wave hello to them and wish them better luck. He actually wants us to focus our attention on them, physically visit them, help them, and provide them with the medical care they need.

If you don’t know how to personally get involved in helping those who have been abandoned, ask your church for advice or look for a ministry that specializes in helping the poor and needy. People often talk about how bad religion is. But according to James, there is a clean, uncontaminated form of religion — and the Lord commands us to do whatever we can to get involved in it!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I want to demonstrate my faith in You with actions that reflect Your character. You are a Father to the fatherless and the Source of hope to the hopeless. You said that those who give to the poor are lending to You. You are watchful over the defenseless, and You take note how they are treated. I thank You for reminding me today that pure, undefiled religion is lived out by loving those who are in need. Through the demonstration of my love, I am directly participating in the expression of Your own heart toward them. And by loving them, I am offering genuine worship to You. Thank You, Father, for allowing me the privilege to be an extension of Your hands so others may know Your goodness practically through experience for themselves.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live out a religion that is clean and acceptable before God. I give attention to the fatherless and motherless and to those people who have been abandoned in life. When I encounter the fatherless who have been abandoned, neglected, and left bereft of any support, I do not simply wish them well. I inquire of the Lord how I can personally give aid and provide help for them.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What do you do to help the poor and needy? Have you ever visited people in need?
2. Do you regularly give offerings to help support ministries that reach those who are in dire circumstances? Whom are they helping? What are they doing with the offerings you send to them? Do you know?
3. Whom do you know who has been abandoned in life? How could you reach out to these individuals with an expression of friendship? Maybe you don’t have finances to give, but you could call them, check on them, visit them, and show genuine compassion to them. Who is that person or group of people?

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
— Acts 2:2

Having grown up in Oklahoma, my family members were all well aware of the power of the wind. If atmospheric conditions were right, we’d hear the city sirens begin to blare — warning everyone to run for cover because severe winds or a tornado was imminent. At the sound of those sirens, I remember my mother commanding me to get off the porch and into the house to seek shelter. Running for cover was the last thing I wanted to do, because I loved watching how the low-level clouds would suddenly turn eerily dark. The latent power of wind simply mesmerized me. The fact that the wind could not be seen but could be felt — and the added fact that it was so unpredictable — made me want to stay on the porch so I could feel the wind in action.

But at my mother’s urging, I would eventually head for cover with the rest of the family, usually in a small, enclosed area of the house that could potentially withstand a hit, like a bathroom or closet. We’d shut the door and wait. When the sirens stopped blaring, that’s when we knew the storm had passed. Many times we emerged from our hiding place to find large tree limbs strewn across our yard that had been carried there from blocks away. Sometimes we would see huge trees that the wind had ripped up from their roots. Very often after these storms, we’d venture out to discover that roads were impassable because of debris — trees, limbs, and power lines that had been knocked down by the wind and scattered across the roads. Electrical sparks would spit fiercely into the air from where electrical lines had been severed, so we would drive around them or look for alternative routes until electric crews arrived to repair the fallen lines.

We’re all aware of the potentially destructive power of wind. But if properly harnessed, wind can also bring tremendous benefits. Think how much it would impact the world if there were no wind. The earth would be stagnant, stinking from pollution and from the normal decaying process that is occurring on the planet.

Just think how essential wind has been to the very development of civilization. For example, if there were no winds, exploration never would have occurred. Consider the great ships of the past that had no mechanical or nuclear energy to drive them, yet they glided across oceans with ease as their great sails caught the winds. The world was explored and conquered by men who “set sail” and traveled the globe, fueled by the force of the wind.

In fact, if no wind were blowing, there would be no movement. Windmill blades would never turn — and the production of materials would be slowed and diminished. Wind is essential for progress to be made. Without wind, we would be hundreds of years behind where we presently are in history.

Wind cannot be seen, but its effects can be felt and heard — just like the Holy Spirit. We cannot see Him, but we can feel the effects of His presence and His power. On the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:2 says, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” Today I want us to look at the comparison of wind to the Holy Spirit in this verse to see what we can learn about why the Spirit came in this manner on the Day of Pentecost and what this means to you and me.

In Acts 2:2, 120 disciples were gathered in the Upper Room, waiting for the promise of the Father as Jesus had commanded them (see Acts 1:4). The Bible says that as they were waiting, “suddenly” there came from Heaven a certain sound. The word “suddenly” was translated from the Greek word aphno, which carries with it the idea that something took them off-guard and by surprise.

Acts 2:2 goes on to say, “…Suddenly there came a sound….” This phrase “there came” is a translation of the word ginomai, which in this case describes something very similar to the Greek word aphno — something that happens unexpectedly or that catches one off-guard.

The word “sound” in this verse is the Greek word echos. This is the very word that is used in Luke 21:25 to describe the deafening roar of the sea.

Verse 2 continues, “…A sound from heaven….” The phrase “from heaven” is from the Greek words ek tou ourano. The word ek means out, and tou ourano means of Heaven. This leaves no doubt that this sound had originated and emanated from Heaven itself.

Then Luke compared this sound from Heaven to a “rushing, mighty wind.” The word “rushing” was translated from the Greek word pheromones, the present-passive participle of phero, which means to be carried, borne, or driven and agrees with the idea of something borne or driven downward very loudly. When this sound from Heaven came, it was loud — so loud that the writer used the word “rushing” to describe what Jesus’ disciples heard that day in the room where they gathered.

Furthermore, the Greek text also uses the word biaias for “mighty,” a word that could be better translated as violent. Hence, this “sound” thundered like the roaring of a sea or a mighty wind that swept downward very loudly and violently.

The word “wind” itself comes from pnoe, which describes wind so loud that one may be tempted to cover his ears from the overpowering noise of it. This means when the Spirit was poured out, it was no quiet affair. It was loud, noisy, and violent — not violent in terms of destructive, but rather it was strongly felt.

Just as wind moves ships, empowers engines, drives windmills, and disperses pollution from the earth — when the Holy Spirit moved on the Day of Pentecost, He released power strong enough to transform 120 disciples into a mighty force for God!

When the wind of the Spirit blows upon a near-dead church, it can blow life back into that congregation again. When all of our organizing is done and is nearly perfect, yet we still lack power, it is the wind of the Holy Spirit that can blow strongly upon us and cause a vision or organization to come alive with the life of God.

If you are someone who desires a “quiet” relationship with God, I must warn you that when the Holy Spirit’s wind blows, it is rarely a quiet affair. It is usually noisy and attention-attracting — or as we’ve seen, it’s a powerful force that sweeps downward from Heaven like the roaring of the sea.

When God formed man, He formed him perfectly. But man had no breath in his lungs until God breathed the breath of life into him (see Genesis 2:7). Likewise, when the Church was assembled on the Day of Pentecost, it had no power until the Holy Spirit breathed into that assembly. When that loud “boom” exploded overhead in the room where they were gathered, the power of God came upon 120 disciples, and they became an empowered, mighty force in the earth as a result.

Wind is a good word to describe the power of the Holy Spirit. Change happens when winds blow — and when the Holy Spirit moves, He brings change like wind. Energy is produced by wind — and when the Holy Spirit moves in this manner, He supplies supernatural energy. He empowers us to do what we could not naturally do on our own. Oh, how we need the supernatural wind of the Holy Spirit!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the movement of the Holy Spirit that comes to empower me and to make me alive to minister and represent You on the earth! So many times I do everything that needs to be done organizationally, but life and power remain missing. Today I personally ask You to blow Your wind upon me, upon my church, and upon the mission organizations I support so they will all be “moved” by the Spirit and supernaturally empowered to do the work of the ministry!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly declare that I will not be satisfied until a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit has blown upon me to give me divine life and divine energy. Without this life, I can only do what human power can do, but when the Spirit blows His divine wind upon me, suddenly I am empowered to do what I could have never done before. Today — right now — I am opening myself to the rushing mighty wind of the Holy Spirit. I confess that I am a ready recipient, and I am receiving a fresh infilling of this divine wind to empower me for God’s service.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you did everything naturally that could be done, but you still lacked the power to do the work of the ministry? Do you feel that way right now? If yes, what are you going to do about it after reading today’s Sparkling Gem?
2. Have you ever had a moment when the Spirit’s wind moved upon you — and suddenly you were supernaturally empowered like never before in your life?
3. If you know someone who feels spiritually stagnant, how would you encourage him or her after what you have read in today’s Sparkling Gem?

What God Thinks About People Who Gossip

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that, which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
— Ephesians 4:29

When I was a young man, my family attended a church where the pastor was a fabulous Bible teacher. Wednesday night services were my favorite, because that is when he would really open the Word of God and teach us. But there was one aspect of the Wednesday night services that I absolutely despised — a gossiping church member who always started running her mouth as soon as church was finished!

This woman would stand to the side, peering at others and whispering about them behind their backs. But whenever the subject of her gossip approached her little clique, she’d stop whispering and smile at him or her so nicely and graciously. I hated the hypocrisy of this gossiper’s behavior and never understood how she could talk so badly about people immediately after hearing the Word of God taught with such power!

I remember how this woman always looked so elated when she found a new choice morsel of information about someone else in the church that she could start broadcasting. Yet most of what she gossiped about was based on hearsay. She didn’t even know if the “tidbits” she shared were factual. As long as they were enticing to hear, she knew she’d always have a small clan of devoted listeners. But even if the things this woman gossiped about had been factual, she had no business talking about them with others.

How does God feel about people who gossip? Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” The following verse continues to say, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God.…” The implication is that when “corrupt communication” comes out of a believer’s mouth, it causes the Holy Spirit to be grieved (see January 5).

You see, gossip is a sin that grieves the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that Paul calls it “corrupt communication”? This phrase comes from the Greek word phaulos, which refers to something that stinks or to something that is rotting, such as meat that is full of maggots. This kind of communication is dead, decaying, and it stinks. It is offensive to the Spirit of God, and it grieves Him.

Gossip is so destructive and offensive that Paul forbids gossip in Second Corinthians 12:20. In this verse, Paul says, “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swelling, tumults.” Do you see the word “whisperings”? This is the Greek word psithurimos — which means gossip!

To make sure we know how evil gossip is, Paul lists it side by side with several other horrible attitudes and actions. He places gossip right alongside with:

Debates:

From the Greek word eris, which depicts a church divided by church politics. It could be translated as the word quarrels or wranglings.

Envyings:

From the Greek word zelos, which pictures a person so self-consumed that he fiercely fights for his own cause, not considering the needs or desires of others. It can be translated as the word jealousy.

Wraths:

From the Greek word thumos, portraying a person who suddenly flares up and loses his control of some kind of unresolved, deep-seated anger. This is a person who literally boils over with anger and blows up, erupting in an ugly outburst that negatively affects other people.

Strifes:

From the Greek word eritheia, depicting a selfish desire to promote one’s own way even if it means splitting and dividing the church. This is a picture of people taking sides in the church and thus dividing, splitting, and splintering the church into opposing factions.

Backbiting:

From the Greek word katalalia, meaning to talk down or to speak derogatorily about someone else. It can be translated as the word slander.

Whisperings:

From the Greek word psithurismos, which expresses the idea of a gossiper. The reason they whisper is that they know this kind of talk is wrong and that they’d get in trouble for what they were saying; therefore, they whisper their tidbits of information to others in secret.

Swellings:

From the Greek word phusiosis, which carries the idea of a person filled with pride. In fact, it can be translated to be puffed up. This is a person who is puffed up in pride about something that isn’t even important; nevertheless, he has allowed this thing to delude him into a false sense of over-significance or of being better than others. This word could also be translated as the word arrogance.

Tumults:

From the Greek word akatastasia, referring to anarchy, chaos, insubordination, or to some kind of attitude or action that creates upheaval, unrest, or instability. It describes the attitude or actions of a person who creates some type of disastrous disturbance.

I want you to notice that “gossip” is right smack dab in the middle of this list! What does this tell you about what God thinks of gossip and of those who are involved in the act of gossiping?

Let’s be sure we understand what the word “gossip” describes! It describes a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts, rumors, or reports of an intimate nature that are none of his business.

For instance, gossip would include:

• Talking about other people’s business and things that do not concern you.
• Repeating what someone else said, even though you don’t know whether or not it’s true.
• Talking to others as if you were an authority about matters that are other people’s business, when in reality you don’t know what you are talking about.

In a certain sense, gossip is like a deadly poison. It hurts people; it kills relationships; and it destroys trust. In the workplace, “gossip” usually happens between two employees who have become friends and feel like they can truly “share” with each other. They are often people who have been offended or hurt by the one who is the subject of their gossip; therefore, every rumor they hear becomes a “choice morsel” to share with the other offended party. This is what Proverbs 18:8 (NIV) is talking about when it says, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”

Gossip is usually based on hearsay; it is usually inaccurate; it creates suspicions; and it divides people. It is so evil that I absolutely forbid it in our ministry.

It is interesting to note that the Greek word for gossip means to whisper. This means that gossip almost always takes place in secret. Just think about it — where does gossip usually takes place? If you have engaged in gossip in the past, you probably listened to someone tell you information or hearsay about other people, which you then whispered to someone else:

•  In the women’s bathroom at the office.
•  In your office when the doors were closed and no one was watching or listening.
•  In the lunch-break room when it was only you and the person to whom you were talking.
•  In a prayer meeting, where people often whisper about others under the camouflage of “prayer.”
•  In a corner where the boss, director, pastor, or subject of your gossip couldn’t hear what you were saying.

You need to know that gossipers usually attract to each other like magnets. When they get together, they see things alike and therefore begin to think they are right. Thus, they form a little faction right inside the office or church, often concluding that they are doing God’s business as they meet together to discuss all the problems going on in other people’s lives, even though it isn’t their business to discuss or solve these problems or to meddle in other people’s affairs.

Since the word “gossip” really means to whisper, it would be good when you are about to tell something you’ve heard to first ask yourself: Would I say these things publicly? Would I say this in front of the person I am talking about? If your answer is no, you can conclude that you shouldn’t say it privately either.

So I urge you not to allow the devil to snag you and drag you into the sin of gossip. James 3:8 tells us that the tongue is “…an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” But you can refuse to be the source of gossip or to participate in it when it takes place. If you really love Jesus, why would you want to participate in something that will poison people’s opinions and ultimately divide and hurt others? Think of it — if it were you whom people were talking about, wouldn’t it be hurtful to you to discover that they were talking this way behind your back?

It’s too hurtful to get into this business! If you have to whisper it, then you probably shouldn’t be saying it at all. In fact, a good rule to live by is this: If you can’t say it publicly, don’t say it at all! Make the decision today to refrain from gossip and to stay away from those who practice it!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit that I’m guilty of occasionally talking behind people’s backs, and I’m wrong for doing it. I ask You to please forgive me for allowing the devil to use me in this way. I am asking You to help me keep a tight rein on my tongue and to refrain from gossiping about other people. When I find myself in a situation where the conversation turns to gossip, help me know how to graciously dismiss myself from the conversation so I can avoid participating in this sin and falling back into this trap. I repent for my activity in gossip, and I turn from it in Jesus’ name!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I will no longer participate in the sin of gossip. If it can’t be said publicly, I refuse to say it. If I have to whisper it, I will not repeat it. I refrain from gossip, and I stay away from those who practice it. Gossip is a sin, and I refuse to be a part of it. My mouth speaks only what is good for the use of edifying those who hear me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you find that you are tempted to repeat information about other people, even though what you are repeating has nothing to do with you and is none of your business? Be honest in your answer, because God has already observed your behavior and knows the truth!

2. Sometimes gossip happens during prayer meetings. Have you ever witnessed a moment when a prayer request turned into a gossip session, and you felt guilty for talking so badly about that person before you prayed for him or her?

3. If you’ve been involved in gossip, have you sensed the conviction of the Holy Spirit trying to tell you to stop this activity?

How To Pray for Your Pastor Or Spiritual Leader

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service, which have for Jerusalem, may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
— Romans 15:30-32

Because the apostle Paul’s ministry demanded so much of him and because there was so much resistance to stop him, he knew he needed as much prayer support as he could get! That is why he wrote to the Romans and asked, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”

By studying this specific prayer request of the apostle Paul, we can gain insights about how we need to be praying for our own pastors or for those who are in spiritual authority over our lives. So let’s take a few minutes to seriously look at these verses today to see what we can learn about praying for our spiritual leaders.

First, Paul makes the following request: “…that ye strive together with me in your prayers….” The words “strive together” are taken from the Greek word sunagonidzomai, which is a compound of the words sun and agonidzo. The word sun means together and carries the meaning of doing something with someone else. The word agonidzo means to agonize. It indicates an intense agony; a violent struggle; anguish; contending with an enemy; or fighting in a contest.

This tells me that Paul was in a great spiritual battle at the time he wrote this prayer request. In fact, the fight was so intense that he felt the need for others to join with him in prayer. He didn’t want to face this spiritual fight alone, so he opened his heart and asked others to join with him in fighting this battle.

As you pray for your pastor or spiritual leader, remember that he or she needs your support in prayer. Just as Jesus requested Peter, James, and John to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, your pastor needs your prayer support. Yes, he can pray alone, but it will be such a help for him to know that others are standing in faith and in the Spirit with him. The apostle Paul needed this, and your pastor needs it as well.

Second, Paul specifically asked them to pray: “That I may be delivered from them that do not believe…” (v. 31). The word “delivered” is the Greek word ruomai, which means to be rescued, to deliver, to snatch out of, or to drag out of danger.

It may sound strange that Paul would request others to pray that he would be delivered from those who didn’t believe. But Paul had gone through many experiences with “unbelievers” who resisted him, as well as with so-called “brethren” who gave him constant troubles. It is simply a fact that the devil works primarily through people. When he wants to stop the advancement of the Gospel, he often tries to resist a local church or pastor by stirring up someone in the community to be against the pastor. Sometimes the enemy even uses people inside the local church to create problems that bring division and disaster. So when you pray for your pastor, remember to pray that he will be snatched out of the traps and snares set for him by people who have wrong motives.

Third, Paul requested prayer: “…that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints” (v. 31). The word “service” is the Greek word diakonia, which is the Greek word for the ministry. The word “accepted” is the Greek word euprosdektos, which means to be pleasing, acceptable, or well-received.

This is an expected prayer request from a preacher! Paul has sought God through prayer and listened to hear what the Lord is saying to his spirit because he wants to do well in his ministry. Paul desires every word to be spoken correctly, accurately, and in a way that pleases God. Furthermore, he wants people to believe in the sincerity of his motives and not to question whether he has ulterior motives for speaking to them about the Lord. Thus, he prays that his ministry to the saints in Jerusalem will be well received.

As you pray for your pastor, be sure to include this item on your prayer list! Pray that his ministry will be blessed and accepted and that people will receive him and hear his heart the way he means to convey it. He needs your prayer power working behind him as he takes specific words from God into various situations.

Fourth, Paul requested that the believers in Rome pray “that I may come unto you with joy…” (v. 32). The word “joy” is the Greek word chara, meaning joy, gladness, or rejoicing. This simply means Paul wanted to have joy in his ministry! He had faced many hardships that gave him opportunities to lose his joy — such as broken friendships, dashed expectations, political turmoil, church divisions, and so on. Paul’s request was very simple: “Please pray that I will have and will keep my joy in the middle of everything I have to deal with in my ministry!”

Just think of the things that happen in your own life that tempt you to lose your joy. What about your pastor? Think of all the people he counsels, the marriages he tries to help, the sermons he has to prepare, and the organization he has to oversee. Then on top of all that, think of the disappointment your pastor is tempted to feel when people he has helped in the past decide to leave the church. I guarantee you that there are many opportunities for your pastor to lose his joy.

So take Paul’s prayer request to heart and apply it to your pastor. Pray that your pastor will have and will hold on to his joy in spite of everything he has to deal with in his ministry!

Fifth, Paul prayed: “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God….” The word “will” is the Greek word thelema, meaning the design, purpose, plan, or will. Paul wanted to be right in the middle of God’s will for his life!

Just as we pray to make no mistakes and to be right where God wants us to be, Paul prayed the very same prayer! He wanted the saints to pray that he would make no mistakes and that he might always stay in the perfect plan of God.

So when you pray for your pastor, pray that he will have the wisdom to know what he is supposed to do in the various situations he faces in his ministry. Questions come at him all day long, and he needs your prayer support to make right decisions. And just as Paul requested prayer that he would be in the will of God, help your pastor by strongly praying that he will stay sensitive to the Spirit so he can avoid making costly mistakes and follow God’s will for himself and for the church.

Sixth, Paul requested prayer that he might be “refreshed” (v. 32). The word “refreshed” is the Greek word sunanapauomai, a compound of the words sun and anapauomai. The word sun means together with, as to do or to experience something with someone else. The word anapauomai means to calm, to soothe, to refresh, or to be refreshed. When these two words are positioned together, they become the word sunanapauomai, which means to be refreshed with someone else.

Everyone needs to be refreshed from time to time — including pastors and preachers! People tend to think that pastors and preachers don’t need the same refreshing that others need, but everyone needs to be refreshed and touched by God from time to time! Paul makes his need for refreshment known by telling his Roman readers, “I need to be refreshed just like the rest of you, so please pray that I will be refreshed!”

As you pray for your pastor, or for the ministries and missionaries you support, use this prayer request of the apostle Paul to guide you in your prayers. This prayer was included in the New Testament by the Holy Spirit to let us know that everyone — including ministers of the Gospel — need people to stand behind them in prayer. So why not use this prayer as a tool to help you pray more effectively for the spiritual leaders to whom God has connected you?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am making the decision to stand with my pastor in prayer! I want to join him as a sincere prayer partner and support him spiritually by praying for him. I ask You to deliver him from people who have wrong motives. I also pray that his ministry will be well received; that he will have joy in his ministry; that he will make right decisions and stay in the will of God; and that he will always feel strong and refreshed in his spirit, soul, and body. Please richly bless my pastor, his wife, and his family.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a strong support to my pastor and his family. I regularly pray for him and for the other ministries and missionaries God has called me to support. They need my prayer power — and I stand with them in the Spirit for God’s blessings to come upon their lives!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you spend time praying for your pastor and the needs he may be facing in his own life? If you were a pastor, don’t you think that you would want your congregation to be praying for you?

2. Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, what is the most important thing you can be praying for your pastor right now?

3. As you pray, do you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray anything special for your pastor and his family? If so, pay close attention to that prompting, for it may be a special leading of the Holy Spirit to show you how to support him and his family in prayer, especially at this present time.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.
— Ephesians 1:13

In Greek and Roman times — and in certain places still today — if a package was to be dispatched to another location, it first went through a series of investigations to make sure the contents were not flawed, broken, or shattered. The sender would examine every single piece of the contents to make sure each one was whole and intact. This means the process of examining every little fragment of the contents was extraordinarily important for the one charged with sealing the shipment. If everything was whole and intact, the sender would pour hot wax on the crease of the package and then carefully push the insignia of the owner into the wax, signifying that all the contents were in perfect order. That “seal” was called a sphragidzo — the exact same word used in Ephesians 1:13, where the Bible says we were “sealed” with the Holy Spirit on the day we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This insignia on the package was important for several reasons. It was the insignia of the owner of the package. No one would dare break into the sealed package to disturb the contents, especially if this owner was a high-ranking person, for the consequences of such an action would be severe.

Furthermore, that insignia, or “seal,” was the guarantee that the package would be delivered to its final destination. It was like the highest postage stamp one could put on a package. The seal guaranteed that it would arrive at its ultimate destination unharmed.

Last but not least, that insignia guaranteed that everything in the package was in order — nothing was missing, broken, inferior, or shattered. Everything was whole and complete.

As I’ve noted, this Greek word sphragidzo (“seal”) is precisely the word used in Ephesians 1:13, where Paul wrote, “…In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”

This tells us that when we believed and were born again, God examined us to make sure we were made completely new and whole, and He found no flaws, no defects, and no shattered places. God saw that we were truly a product of Christ’s own making and were complete in Him. In fact, we were so complete that, figuratively speaking, Christ poured His “wax” onto our hearts and spirits and then pressed the insignia of the Holy Spirit into us, giving guaranteed proof through the Spirit’s indwelling presence that we belong to God and will make it to our ultimate destination — Heaven.

You and I may feel that we’ve had a few bumps along the way, but the Holy Spirit is the guaranteed proof that we will eventually make it to our heavenly home! Regardless of how the devil or life may try to assail against us, the Holy Spirit is “postage-paid sufficient” to get us all the way to our Lord Jesus one of these glorious days!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for sending someone to preach the Gospel to me — and for giving me the faith to believe it. I am in wonder and amazement that as soon as I believed, You gave me the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s presence in me is absolute, guaranteed proof that I belong to You — and I am so thankful that You pressed the insignia of the Holy Spirit into my heart and spirit, which means “postage-paid.” Because of this precious work You’ve done in my life, I rejoice that one day I will reach my destination to be with You in my heavenly home!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am complete and whole in Jesus Christ. After I believed, God saw that I was truly a product of Christ’s own making. God made a full examination of me to make sure all parts were complete and that I was whole in Jesus Christ. Then He gave me the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will be with me all my life as a guarantee. He is the proof that I am a child of God. He is the evidence that I am born again. And His presence in my life is the guarantee that I will make it one day to my heavenly home!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. According to the Bible, you received the Holy Spirit the day you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. Can you recall the change that occurred inside you when God made you His temple and sent His Spirit to dwell within you? What were some of the immediate changes you experienced?
2. When you read that God checked you out — that He investigated you to make sure you were really born again and whole — and found that you were, what does that mean to you? Think of it: God found no defects!
3. If you’ve ever wondered if you will actually make it to Heaven, you can put that thought away forever if you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. He is the “postage-paid,” absolute guarantee that you will make it to your heavenly home. When you think about that, how does it make you feel?

Mark 11:23 Works for the Devil Too!

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
— Mark 11:23

The devil loves to make a playground out of people’s minds and imaginations. He delights in filling their perceptions and senses with illusions that captivate them, paralyze them, and ultimately destroy them. How can believers avoid falling victim to the devil’s attacks? They must make a spiritual and mental decision to take charge of every thought that enters their minds!

Taking your thoughts captive is going to require determination and energy. Once you make the decision to do it, you still have to stick with that decision. If you’re not really committed to seizing every thought the devil tries to inject into your mind and emotions, he’ll be back to strike you again and again. And if you don’t stop the enemy’s thoughts from invading your mind, it won’t be long until your faith begins to empower those thoughts and they become a bona fide reality in your life!

Mark 11:23 is a powerful verse about faith and confession that believers claim and use around the world. But the principle in this verse works in both a positive and negative sense — or to put it another way, this principle works both in the realm of God and in the realm of the devil.

Mark 11:23 says, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” According to what Jesus taught in this verse, you can bring to pass whatsoever you say and believe in your heart.

Did you notice that Jesus said if a person confesses something “and shall not doubt in his heart” — in other words, if he believes the words he is speaking with his mouth — he will have exactly what he says. The word “doubt” is from the Greek word diakrinomai, which means to hesitate, to waver, to doubt, or to differ. In context, Jesus is saying that when a person’s heart doesn’t differ from what his mouth is saying, the combination of his heart and mouth in agreement will always make things happen!

I call this concept “the heart-mouth connection.” For instance, if you believe in your heart that Jesus purchased your healing, and you put your heartfelt faith together with the confession of your mouth, you can literally bring that healing into manifestation in your physical body.

Creative power is released when the heart and mouth get into agreement! That is why you must be careful about what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, because when your heart and mouth get “in sync” with each other, it literally makes things come to pass!

This heart-mouth combination works on both the positive and negative sides of life. It can bring about the manifestation of healing in your body, salvation to your family, prosperity to your business, and growth to your local church. But the devil also knows how to use this principle against you!

The enemy knows if he can fill your mind and heart with lies that you believe and then coax you into confessing those lies with your mouth, you will make those evil images come to pass in your life! That is exactly why the devil wants to fill your mind with lies and accusations. That’s why he paints so vividly on the “movie screen” in your mind. That’s why he assaults your mind and emotions again and again. He knows he just has to get you to embrace these lies and to start believing them.

Once you do that, you’ll soon start speaking those lies out of your mouth. And if you start speaking them with your mouth, it will only be a matter of time until they become your reality. Jesus said, “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). So according to Jesus, whatever is in your heart is eventually going to come out of your mouth!

Because great power is released when your heart and mouth start working together, it’s extremely important that you put the right things into your heart. Mark 11:23 promises that whatever you believe in your heart and say with your mouth will come to pass. But as I said before, it doesn’t just apply to Bible verses; it applies to anything you believe in your heart and say with your mouth. So if the devil can get you to believe and say wrong things, your own heart and mouth will cause those killer confessions to come to pass.

I know it’s hard to control your mouth sometimes, but when you start to “run at the mouth” and say any ol’ thing the devil puts in your head, you’re playing with fire! It is a scientific fact that when you speak something out loud, those words are verified and empowered in your mind. That’s why the devil wants you to repeat every stupid thing he puts in your mind. By repeating it out loud, you are helping him build a stronghold in the realm of your mind and imagination!

This is another reason why it’s so important for you to spend time in the Word of God. As you spend time meditating in the Word, your mind becomes renewed to God’s way of thinking (see Ephesians 4:23 and Colossians 3:10). God’s Word brings a supernatural cleansing that washes your mind and emotions from the contamination of the world, the memories of past experiences, and the lies that the enemy has tried to sow into your brain.

When you make it a priority to fill your mind with truth from God’s Word, the enemy can’t penetrate your mind and he can’t fill you with his lies. And if you’re not filled with his lies, you won’t be speaking and confessing things that are untrue! You see, when your mind is renewed to the Word of God, you become inwardly strengthened and very hard to deceive!

Satan knows that empty heads are much easier to deceive. That’s why he loves it when he finds a believer who has made no effort to fill his mind with truth from God’s Word. The devil knows he has found another empty head just waiting for him to come along and fill it — and he’s happy to oblige!

Who or what is going to control your mind? God and His Word, or the enemy and his lies? Your mind is going to be filled with something, so you may as well choose the right thing to fill it. Your choice in this matter will determine your success or your failure in life, so make sure you choose wisely!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want my heart and mouth to say the right things! I know I need to spend more time filling my heart and mind with Your Word. I also know I need to be speaking positive confessions about myself, my family, my business, my future, my health, and every other area of my life. Your Word has the promises I need for every sphere of my life, so I ask You to help me fill my heart with the truth and line up my mouth with what Your Word promises for my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I spend time meditating in the Word of God, and it renews my mind to God’s way of thinking. God’s Word brings a supernatural cleansing that washes my mind and emotions from the contamination of the world, the memories of past experiences, and the lies that the enemy has tried to sow into my brain. I make it a priority to fill my mind with truth from God’s Word; therefore, I make it very difficult for the devil to penetrate my mind with his lies. 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What negative things do you say about yourself — about your weight, your appearance, your skills, etc. — that you know you ought not to be saying?

2. Can you recall an example of how you confessed something negative for so long that your words eventually came to pass in your life?

3. How much time do you spend reading your Bible and meditating on God’s Word? There is no reason to be dishonest in your answer, because God knows the truth anyway. Look at your life honestly as you answer this question.