Daily Treasure

“And the younger of them said to his father, Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.  And he divided unto them his living” (Luke 15:2).

In the story of the prodigal son, the father had not died, so for the younger son to ask for his inheritance was unusual.  The older son was rightfully entitled to more than he, but that didn’t seem to matter.  He was content to take his share and go on his way.   Stop for a moment and imagine the heartbreak of a loving father who wanted and worked for so much better for his son. All his hopes and dreams were dashed by his son’s selfish request.  Every ounce of sacrifice and hard work meant nothing to that son.  So many emotions go through a parent when a child leaves in the manner this prodigal did. A parent feels broken as she somehow tries to deal with a sense of despair.   Join us tomorrow as we try to unwrap this package of discouragement.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the Alpedrete Church in Spain as they celebrate their fourth anniversary, February 7.

“Be merciful unto me O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (Psalm 57:1).

Our devotional focus in February is on discouragement—something we have all faced at one time or the other.  If can be referred to as our “calamity.”  David often fled for his life away from the evil King Saul.  He faced times of frustration and discouragement, but he knew exactly where to run.  He trusted God and knew he would be safe in the shadow of God’s “wings”.

Our study writer states, “all discouragement is wrapped in disappointment.”  These “packages” come in many forms.  Perhaps the ones that involve our children are the most difficult to “unwrap.”  Several of our verses for the month revolve around the familiar story of the prodigal son.  It is one filled with all the elements of discouragement.  Maybe you are the parent of a prodigal, or, you know such a parent.  Don’t lose heart.  Take refuge in the arms of God.  Failure to do so only breeds even deeper problems.  Trust in the One who offers us a safe haven to run to “until these calamities be overpast.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for students beginning classes today at the Bible Institute in Campinas, Brazil.

Chains

“If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help” (Job 11:13-19  NLT).

There is much to be said for letting go of the past.  This is one of the most beautiful portions of Scripture I have come across in my reading because it so clearly points to the connection between sin, regret, humility, forgiveness, and healing.  In this chapter, Zophar, one of Job’s friends, is pretty much rebuking him and telling him what he needs to do to make himself right with God again, and in the end Zophar himself is rebuked by God.  I believe that “all truth is God’s truth,” and just because Zophar was out of line may not mean he was completely wrong.  Even the Psalmist says that God desires a broken and contrite spirit rather than other kinds of sacrifice.   I put some of the keywords in bold so that the message is a little bit more intense.  This small section reminds me of The Pilgrim’s Progress,”when Christian’s load finally tumbles off his back and down the hill as he reaches the foot of the cross.  There is certainly great power in “letting go.”

Karyn Pugh
Tennessee

PRAY TOGETHER: Continue praying for home missionaries who are searching for good, affordable meeting facilities.

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Be on guard against the devil by spending much time in prayer every day.  That makes it easier to hear Him speak with you. We face a continual battle between flesh and spirit.  Be in tune with God so you can hear Him warn you of impending danger.

I love the illustration our TWG study writer uses about the three-year-old who encountered a giant dog in the yard. She sensed this dog was dangerous.  Instead of displaying fear, she ran to her daddy.  We are going to face “giants” in our lives that will scare us. Instead of giving into fear and feeling we can’t win, we need to “run to our Daddy.”  God will be there to help us fight the “roaring lion.”  When we find ourselves faced with deception, run to God and pray. I heard this expression which I thought was appropriate to include today.  “On your knees, you are in His Arms.”  That is the safest place to be when the devil is trying to deceive you.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for our WAC leaders—from the local level to international.

“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  And he took with him, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy” (Matthew 26:36-37).

When you feel you are the weakest, you shouldn’t walk alone. It’s time to reach out to your closest friends or other loved ones.  Jesus did. Remember He was still in the flesh.  He felt every human emotion and agonized in prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane.  I don’t think the disciples fully understood everything that went on that night when Jesus asked them to stay back, watch, and pray. Your friends may not understand the anguish you may be facing, but they are there and you feel less alone.  As much as earthly friends can be a blessing, there will be times they will disappoint you. Allow God to be your Greatest Friend.  He will never fail you. Interact with earthly friends.  They are a blessing from God. However, when they are “sleeping on their watch,” call upon the One who never sleeps.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Ponder this verse today. Pray for personal peace.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

I’ve heard through preaching and teaching that today’s verse was actually written for believers.  We are a “work in progress.”  There are going to be times when we must seek God’s forgiveness to restore our fellowship with Him.  When our lives are out of tune with Christ, it’s difficult for the Spirit to work in us. When we no longer feel a sense of what’s wrong and right, we make it easy for the devil to take us captive. Don’t leave anything to chance. Go to God daily to take care of any sin that has crept into your life. God stands ready to forgive and help you to have victory over sin.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray today for retired missionaries and ministry workers across our denomination.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).

Memorizing Scripture can help us overcome the devil’s lies and deception. Hiding God’s Word will help us put the brakes on before we yield to temptation.   It is our way of fighting to win against our enemy. Start today.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Write a note of encouragement to someone needing uplifting words today. Pray that God would be the “lifter up of [his/her] head.”