Daily Treasure

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea” (Romans 16:1).

Today’s Scripture is the key verse for the whole week.  Our TWG Bible study writer says “In 52 words, Paul described Phoebe to the saints at Rome.”

Phoebe is the other “hidden jewel” of our study.  Paul’s commendation of her is contained in two Bible verses.  However, I found enough within each verse to give you an overview of her life.

Paul knew her well, but the people at Rome did not. Paul was going to send the saints at Rome a letter and guess who would be the one who will deliver it?  Once they read Paul’s commendation of Phoebe, they would learn how special this woman was to him and many others. What is contained in that letter, especially the Romans Road, is still being used to lead souls to Christ today.

Phoebe’s life had many facets.  We will learn about these starting tomorrow.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray today for your President and government representatives from your state or province.

“Bronze was also used to make the bases for the posts that supported the curtains around the courtyard, the bases for the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, and all the tent pegs for the Tabernacle and the courtyard”  (Exodus 38:31 NLT).

I work in a lumberyard.  I enjoy reading magazines that feature finely decorated homes.  I like finding out what pitch the roofs are, the type of siding used, the style of shingles selected and what architectural features set it apart from others.  What carpenters choose to use in their projects interests me, so chapters 37-40 of Exodus, accounting the specifics of the Temple, always catch my attention.

That being said, it still surprises me that they’d mention the tent pegs.  The nails of that day are given an entire verse in the middle of the chapter.

Nails.  Nails?  Such small things?  Things that aren’t necessarily seen?  Items used in contruction, but items that garner very little attention—yet God chose to mention them.

This kind of reassures me, actually—finding out the little things of life, the behind the scene occurrences, the unspoken of acts, are just as important to God as the hugely spectacular presentations, sermons and concerts.

Nails.  Ever thought of them with such importance?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray today for Executive Committee member Jan Clay in her roles as pastor’s wife and worship leader.

“Then Saul said, Let’s chase the Philistines all night and destroy every last one of them.  His men replied, We’ll do whatever you think is best.  But the priest said, Let’s ask God first”  (1 Samuel 14:36 NLT).

Just how much courage do you think it took for that priest to stand up and speak his mind?  Against the king?  In front of the king’s men?  In the heat of the moment?

Can you hear his small voice against the backdrop of shouting and yelling?  Can you imagine him having to find a box to stand on, something that would make him at least partly visible amongst the soldiers?

Can you see the looks on the faces of the men as this one man reminded them of what was important—God’s hand on their mission?

We know exactly how that priest felt.  We may be the only believers in our family, our workplace, our group of friends.  We are faced, on a daily basis, with choices to make.  Do we stop and ask God for His help?  Do we pause in our busyness to seek Him?  Do we value His will over our ability to make snap decisions?

When was the last time you sought God’s direction in the details of life?  What to buy?  What to say?  Where to go?  What to do?  How to react?  Who to call?  What to worry about and what to give to Him for care?

Let’s ask God.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the spiritual needs of women attending the Missouri WAC retreat today.

“Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent”  (Judges 5:24).

In Judges 5 we see verses of the song  Deborah sang after Israel’s victory over Sisera and his army.  Praise goes first to God and then to Jael who is remembered and called “blessed.”

The Bible praises Jael, not for her submissive and gentle virtues, but for swift ability to act.

She stepped out of her feminine role and did something untraditional.

As women, we may one day be faced with circumstances requiring us to “think outside the box.”  This may demand strength and boldness in knowing what we believe and daring to do what’s right.  We can trust God to give us strength each day to face life’s challenges.  I’m sure Jael did that as well.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement; consider a day of prayer and fasting. Pray that God’s chosen people would seek the true Christ for atonement.

“Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly  unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary.  So he died” (Judges 4:21).

Jael certainly knew how to pitch and set up a tent.  We don’t know much about her size, but she was strong.  She knew how to use a hammer, having strength to drive a tent spike into the ground.  She might not have been able to overpower Sisera any other way.  She couldn’t take that risk.  The hammer and tent nail were there and she knew what to do with them. She drove that tent nail into Sisera’s temple, thus killing him. It would be an understatement to say he didn’t know what hit him. Jael went out to meet Barak who had been looking for Sisera.  She showed him what she had done.

Jael’s actions were not considered appropriate even for a woman of her day.  Women were deemed inferior to men.  Jael never dreamed she would be used to kill a wicked enemy of Israel.

When we are faced with unusual or hopeless circumstances, trust God to help you to use what you know and have.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for women traveling to the Michigan State WAC Retreat, September 16-18 in Perrysburg, OH.

“Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? That thou shalt say,  No” (Judges 4:20).

Before Sisera fell into a deep sleep, he told Jael  that if anyone came looking for him, not to tell he was there.  So here was  Sisera, a fugitive from justice covered up in Jael’s tent thinking he was safe with her.  Soon he drifted off to sleep.  Little did he know, he might never wake up.

Whether you find yourself in an unusual setting or in a seemingly hopeless situation, have faith that God will bring you through to victory.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the D6 Conference, September 15-17 in Dallas, TX.

“And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.  And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him” (Judges 4:19).

Try to imagine the danger Jael faced being alone with the evil Sisera.  However, the man was near exhaustion.  A weary Sisera asked for water. Jael gave him some warm goat’s milk instead.

Then she covered him with either a blanket or rug.  Sisera was unaware that she was setting him up to go fast asleep.  How resourceful of the weaker vessel, Jael, to use her wits and charm.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for newly retired missionaries Jim and Vicki Sturgill as they adjust from life in Brazil to life in West Virginia.