“And by the fire, a quiet gentle voice.” — 1 Kings 19:12
If you like peace and quiet, then there is a room in Minneapolis (Minnesota, USA) that you will like. It absorbs 99.99% of all sounds! This is the world-famous anechoic chamber of the Orfield Laboratory, which is called the quietest place on earth. People who decide to visit an anechoic space should sit down so as not to lose their orientation due to the absence of an echo. No one has ever managed to spend more than forty-five minutes in this room.
Few of us need that kind of silence. And yet we live in a noisy and vain world, so from time to time we want peace. Even the news and social networks create a kind of “background noise” that distracts attention. Most of this noise causes negative emotions. Having immersed ourselves in it, we can stop hearing God’s voice.
Having met the Lord on Mount Horeb, Ilya found Him not in a stormy wind, not in an earthquake and not in fire (1 Sam. 19:11-12). As soon as he heard a “still, small voice”, the prophet covered his face and stood at the entrance to the cave to meet the almighty God (vv. 12-14).
Maybe your spirit longs for silence, but even more it wants to hear God’s voice. Set up a “quiet room” for yourself so that you can always hear a “still, small voice” in your life (v. 12).
How does God speak to His children? Why is it so important to communicate with Him regularly?
Loving Heavenly Father, comfort my heart and mind so that I may be ready to meet You.
By Cindy Hess Kasper
“But He humbled Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming like a man.” — Philippians 2:7
In the British reality show “Undercover Boss”, the director of a large corporation for the production and sale of frozen sweets got a job in one of the stores as an ordinary cashier. Her clothes and make-up made her unrecognizable to employees. Her goal was to find out what was really happening on the ground. Thanks to this, she was able to solve a number of problems that the store faced.
The Lord Jesus also “humbled Himself” (Phil. 2:7) to solve our problems. He became a man, walked the earth, taught people, and then died on the cross for our sins (v. 8). This sacrifice showed how much Christ humbled himself. He became one of us and experienced everything we feel.
Christians are called to have “the same thoughts,” especially toward other believers (v. 5). God helps us to put on humility (v. 3) and to adopt the way of thinking of our Savior (v. 5). He encourages us to become servants who are willing to care for the needs of others and willing to lend a helping hand. God wants us to humbly love those around us, because we have received so much from Him. We will serve them and seek solutions to their problems with compassion.
How can you lovingly help people in their difficulties? What does it mean for you to be humble like Christ?
Holy God, thank you for the sacrifice of Christ. Please give me His way of thinking to humbly serve my brothers and sisters.
Author: Katara Patton
“He who hides his sins will not be punished, but he who confesses and forsakes them will be pardoned.” — Proverbs 28:13
Our dog Winston knows that you can’t bite shoes. So he came up with a cunning strategy. We call it “sinning behind the door”. If Winston sees an accidentally left shoe, he casually walks towards it, as if bored. He takes the shoe in his teeth and just as lazily goes to the door. Nothing special, nothing to look at. “Mom! Winston carried your shoe out the door!”
Let’s face it: we all sometimes think that we can just as carelessly carry our sin past God. We want to believe that He will not pay attention. “It’s not that important,” we think. But, like Winston, we all understand and know what the Creator does not like.
Like Adam and Eve in Paradise, we can hide, hiding the shame of our sin (Gen. 3:10), or we can pretend that nothing happened. But the Bible calls us to the opposite: to run to God for mercy and forgiveness. In the Book of Proverbs it is said: “He who hides his sins will not be punished, but he who confesses and forsakes them will be shown mercy” (Prov. 28:13).
If we are Christians, then going to “sin behind the door” and hope that no one will see is not an option. Let us confess our sin to ourselves, to God, to a good friend – and we will find freedom from guilt and shame (1 John 1:9).
Are you trying to hide some sin? What prevents you from confessing it?
Heavenly Father, thank you that sin is not the last word in my life. Help me to speak the truth to You and to people and to be confident in Your mercy and forgiveness.
Author: Adam Holtz
“And when he was oppressed, he begged the face of the Lord, his God, and humbled himself.” — 2 Chronicles 33:12
A letter from an inmate named Jason came as a surprise to my wife and me. We raise puppies, make them service dogs for people with disabilities. One of these puppies went on to the next stage of training and was given to prisoners who were specially trained to train dogs. In the letter, Jason regretted his past and then remembered our former pet: “Snickers is the seventeenth dog I’ve trained and he’s the best. When I see the way he looks at me, I feel like I’m finally doing something right.”
Jason is not the only person who regrets the past. We are all familiar with remorse. And Manasseh, the king of Judah, felt them with special force. The Bible lists some of his crimes: building altars to pagan gods (2 Chron. 33:3), witchcraft, and sacrificing his children (v. 6). He and all his people led in the same sinful way (v. 9).
“And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they did not listen” (v. 10). In the end, God managed to get his attention. The Assyrians “bound [Manasseh] with copper shackles and took him to Babylon” (v. 11). There, the captive king begged the face of the Lord, his God, and humbled himself greatly (v. 12). God heard him and even returned him to the Jewish throne. Then Manasseh began to worship the true God (vv. 15-16).
Is something bothering you? It’s not too late. God hears humble prayers of repentance.
What do you regret? What can you do to correct mistakes and allow God to use you in His service?
Thank you, Father, that You are always ready to accept my sincere prayers.
Author: Tim Gustavson
“I bring to my memory your unfeigned faith, which first settled in your grandmother Loida and your mother Eunice.” — 2 Timothy 1:5
“I feel completely useless,” Harold complained. “The wife is dead, the children are busy with their families. After dinner I sit and look at the shadows on the wall.” He often said to his daughter: “I am old, life is behind me. I no longer have a purpose. May the Lord take me away.”
But one day a simple conversation changed the usual course of thoughts of a lonely old man. “The neighbor had problems with his children, so I began to pray for him,” said Harold, “and then somehow I talked with him about the Gospel. And I felt that I had a purpose in life! As long as there are people who do not know Christ, I have to tell them about the Savior.”
It was an ordinary meeting, but Harold decided to talk about his faith, and his neighbor’s life changed forever. In the Second Epistle to Timothy, the apostle Paul mentions two women whom God also used to change someone’s life, namely Timothy, a young colleague of Paul. Loida, Timothy’s grandmother, and Eunice, his mother, had “faith without hypocrisy”, which was passed on to the young man (1 Tim. 1:5). Among the daily chores in an ordinary home, young Timothy learned the faith that made him a dedicated disciple of Jesus, and later the leader of the church in Ephesus.
No matter how old we are and no matter what conditions we find ourselves in, let us make it our goal to testify about Christ.
Who can you tell about your faith in Jesus? What evangelistic opportunities might you need to pray about?
Lord Jesus, open my eyes and heart to see people around me who need to hear about your love. Give me opportunities to share the Gospel with them.
Author: Karen Huang
“But in their misery they called upon the Lord, and He delivered them from their oppression.” — Psalm 106:28
In 1982, Pastor Christian organized prayer meetings on Mondays at St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig. For many years, a handful of prayer people gathered to ask God for peace. They could not remain indifferent, thinking about the violence that spread across the land and the despotic regime in East Germany. The churches were closely monitored by the communist authorities, but these meetings were ignored until their attendance grew to the point where people could no longer fit in the hall and filled the churchyard. And on October 9, 1989, 70,000 demonstrators took part in a peaceful protest. About six thousand policemen were ready to respond to any provocation. But everything passed peacefully and calmly, but historians consider this day to be a turning point. A month later, the Berlin Wall fell. Large-scale transformations began with simple prayer meetings.
When we turn to God and rely on His wisdom and strength, the situation begins to change. Like Israel, when we call on the Lord “in our trouble”, we find that He is able to answer the most difficult questions (Ps. 106:28). God “changes the storm into silence… and the dry land into a spring” (vv. 29, 35). The One we pray to sends hope in the midst of despair and beauty in the midst of ruin.
It is God in his time (not ours) who makes the transformation. And we participate in His work with our prayers.
Have you seen God change circumstances? What is the connection between His works and our prayers?
God, I need Your transforming work. Please do what only You can do.
Author: Wynn Collier
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus.” — Colossians 3:17
“Every moment is a holiday” is a beautiful book with prayers for various occasions in life, including ordinary ones such as cooking or doing laundry. Everyday affairs often create a feeling of monotony and turn into a routine. The book reminded me of the writer Gilbert Chesterton’s words: “You thank God before you eat. That’s good. But I also thank God before I paint, swim, fence, box, walk, play… And I also thank Him before I dip my pen in ink.”
These words change my view of everyday life. Sometimes I tend to divide my activities into those that I think have spiritual value (like praying before meals) and those that don’t have spiritual value (like washing the dishes after a meal). Paul removes this division in the Epistle to the Colossians. He encourages the readers with the following words: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). To do something in the Name of Christ means, on the one hand, to glorify Him, and on the other hand, to rely on the help of the Holy Spirit.
“Everything you do.” All daily affairs, all hours and minutes of life can be full of the power of the Spirit of God, and all can serve for the glory of Christ.
Do you need to change the way you think about your daily activities? How can you do all things with the help of the Holy Spirit?
Lord Jesus, fill me with Your Spirit to glorify You in all that I do.
Author: Lisa Samra
“Council in the human heart is deep water.” — Proverbs 20:5
When Bill Pinckney set out on a solo circumnavigation of the world in 1992, taking a challenging route around the perilous Great South Cape, he was driven by a lofty goal. Pinckney wanted to inspire and teach children through his journey. Among them were students from an elementary school in Chicago, which he once attended himself. The traveler tried to show by his example what can be achieved if you study hard and strive for a goal. That is why he named his yacht “Consecration”. Today, inviting schoolchildren on board, he allows them to be at the helm and tries to teach discipline and teamwork. “These are the necessary foundations of a successful life,” he says.
Pinckney’s words are consistent with Solomon’s description of wisdom: “Counsel in a man’s heart is deep water, and a wise man will draw it up” (Prov. 20:5). The wise king encouraged readers to explore their goals in life. Otherwise, you can get into trouble. “It is a sin for a person to say “holy” recklessly, and later to examine his vows” (v. 25).
Bill Pinckney had clear goals that inspired thirty thousand school children across the United States to follow his example. He became the first black American inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. “Everything is for children,” he says. We too will chart our course, guided by the deep wisdom of God’s instructions.
What is the purpose of your work or ministry? What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
Inspire me, God, to work faithfully for Your glory.
Author: Patricia Raybon
“They zealously spoiled all their deeds.” — Zephaniah 3:7
My friend’s eyes showed what I felt too – fear! We, two teenagers, had misbehaved and were now standing in front of the camp director. He, who knew our parents well, lovingly but firmly said that they would be very disappointed. We wanted to crawl under the table. We keenly felt our responsibility for what we had done.
God gave the prophet Zephaniah a message for the inhabitants of Judea, which also spoke about responsibility for sin (Zeph. 1:1, 6-7). After describing the judgments that He will carry out on the enemies of Judah (Zeph. 2), the Lord addressed His guilty people: “Woe to the city that is warlike and polluted, the city of rapists!” (Zeph. 3:1). He was kind and patient towards them, but “they zealously corrupted all their works” (v. 7).
God saw the hardened hearts of the Jews, their spiritual apathy, social injustice and greed. He was going to punish them. And it doesn’t matter if it was about princes, judges or prophets (vv. 3-4) – everyone was guilty before Him.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Jewish people of his time: “You store up anger for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:5-6). But we, unlike them, have the power of Christ, so let’s live in such a way that the holy, loving Father is glorified through us and that in the future we have nothing to regret.
Why do we need to be aware of personal responsibility for sin? Have you ever dishonored God with your actions?
Heavenly Father, help me to do only what is good and right in Your eyes.
Author: Our Daily Bread
“You wash me – and I will become whiter than snow.” — Psalm 50:9
“Wash me!” Although no one wrote these words on my car, they had every right to appear on it. With this thought, I went to the car wash, like other drivers who want to rid their cars of the salt stains that have been generously sprinkled on the roads after the recent snowfall. The queue was long, moving slowly. But the wait is worth it. I received a clean car, and as compensation for the technical delay, I got it washed for free!
To be cleansed at someone else’s expense – this is exactly the essence of the Gospel! Through the death and resurrection of His Son, God has provided us with the forgiveness of sins. Who among us did not feel the need to “wash” when we were covered with the dirt and soot of life? When have we been tainted by selfish thoughts or actions that have harmed us and those around us, robbing us of peace with God? Psalm 50 is David’s cry after temptation gained victory in his life. The prophet Nathan pointed out his sin (see 2 Sam. 12), and David began to beg God: “Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean, wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (v. 9). Feeling dirty and guilty? Come to Jesus and remember the words: “When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
What did David mean when he asked God: “Wash me”? What prevents you from asking Him for forgiveness and cleansing through Christ?
God, You see all the stains in my life, you see how I need to be cleansed. Wash me, forgive me and help me glorify You.
Author: Arthur Jackson
