Daily Treasure

“Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt cause thine ear to hear” (Psalm 10:17).

            The Living Bible states this about today’s verse: “Lord, you know the hopes of humble people.  Surely you will hear their cries and comfort their hearts by helping them.”

I consider it an enormous blessing that God hears the cries of the humble. Knowing we can humbly come into His presence and He hears our cares and cries are great blessings.  Praise Him for the privilege of prayer. Praise Him for the blessing of having someone in our lives who hears and understands our cries.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray for our President, national leaders and all elected officials, asking God to grant them wisdom, knowing each one’s “heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD, he turns it wherever he will” ( Proverbs 21:1).

“He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27).

Matthew 3:1-17 paints a portrait of the man John the Baptist. He was an ordinary man given an extraordinary mission in life. You will never find a more humble man.  He is called the “forerunner” of Christ.  He paved the way for Christ to begin His ministry.  Though our verse states his unworthiness, he was asked to baptize Jesus.

Today’s verse shows John’s humility by saying he wasn’t even worthy to do a menial task like unloosing the tie of Jesus’ sandals. He accepted his role in life, knowing he would need to step aside when Jesus began His ministry.

What a wonderful blessing for John to read the words of Christ regarding him. He wrote the following:“For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist…”  (Luke 7:28a).  We must ask ourselves this question. What would He say about our humility?

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray for good response for the Mission: North America Offering, scheduled later this month.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38).

Our second November week of study bears the title, “Blessings of Humility.”  Today and tomorrow we will meet two people whose lives showed humility.  One is Mary, the mother of Jesus.  The other is John the Baptist.  Both were called by God for a specific purpose. They were humbled that God would bless them with a special calling..

Let’s look at Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Try to imagine yourself being visited by an angel with news that would change your life forever. Chosen to have a special baby, you would carry and raise the very Son of God.  Reading the words of today’s verse, I believe Mary didn’t want any praise .  We see a young maiden who was willing to obey God’s Word and will. She was an ordinary girl who humbly accepted her God-given responsibility.

He has something for each one of us to do.  He will bless those who show the same kind of humility as Mary did.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray for Jenny, a Hanna Project worker who began language school last week in Spain. Ask God to help her fully adjust to the culture, her Spanish roommate and these classes.

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“This is what the Lord Almighty says:  All this may seem impossible to you now…But do you think this is impossible for me, the Lord Almighty?”  (Zechariah 8:6 NLT).

Focus  your mind on your hugest prayer request.  The one you’ve been praying about the longest.  That request—the one weighing heaviest on your heart.  That loved one you’re wholeheartedly wanting to see won over to Christ.  That desire you have no doubt in your mind was placed there by God.  The supplication you know is in line with God’s will.

All right, are you thinking about it?  Is it in the forefront of your mind?

Wait, don’t write it off as too big, too far-fetched, too old or one that would require too many miracles to ever see it come to pass.

Don’t get all teary-eyed thinking God has forgotten you on this one.

Do not, do not allow Satan to whisper doubts in your mind about seeing it answered.

Why?

Glad you asked—just look at the verse I found.  Go ahead and read it again. It might be just what you’re needing to bolster your prayer efforts and fend off any arrows of discouragement…

“This is what the Lord Almighty says:  All this may seem impossible to you now…But do you think this is impossible for me, the Lord Almighty?”  (Zechariah 8:6 NLT).

Those are not my words; they come from the Lord Himself: The Lord Almighty.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray for upcoming holiday outreach opportunities. In many churches, this first Sunday of November marks the beginning of play or cantata practices or the start of preparations for other Christmas-related events and activities.

“I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him.  I have put my hope in his word” ( Psalm 130:5 NLT)

Lord,
Another day for me to lean on You.
Another morning allowed me.
Another day gift-wrapped in a beautiful sunrise.
Another twenty-four hours of opportunities, choices and obstacles.
Another shift of seeing how little I can accomplish and how much You amaze me.

I am counting on you, Lord—for everything.
I am not, will not, cannot do this day on my own.
All my hope is in You.
All I cannot accomplish rests in your abilities.
All I hope to dream about is held in your heart.
All I am meant to be is in Your plan.
All I can do is wrapped up in the power I draw from the relationship I seek with You.

Yes, Lord, I’m counting on you.
And You’re counting on me, too—aren’t you?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that Kentucky Women Active for Christ would sense the greatness and power of God’s Mighty Hand today at their annual retreat.

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

I like what The Living Bible has to say about this verse. “Then he said to all, Anyone who wants to follow me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to me!”

Humility requires self-denial. Once we get self out of the way, it becomes easier to surrender all to the One who made the ultimate sacrifice for you and me. Taking up our cross must becontinuous. Yes, we all have our own cross to bear, but as I’ve heard someone say, “It’s all in how we carry it.” We must pray that God will help us overcome anything that would hinder us from following His example.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER:  Pray that God would encourage the hearts of Mississippi Women Active for Christ joining together today for their state meeting.

“ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29.)

In reading over various commentaries, I found this verse: Galatians 5:1  “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (NIV)  The NIV Study Bible states “The freedom spoken of here is freedom from the law. The ‘yoke of slavery’ is the rigorous demands of the law as the means for gains God’s favor—an intolerable burden for sinful man.”

Christ describes himself as He extends the invitation for all to come and trade their heavy yoke for His.  I found the following at  www.biblegateway.com  “They will find Jesus’ yoke light because He is a Master who will care for them. Jesus’ yoke is not lighter because He demands less (Matthew 5:10) but because He bears more of  the load.”

Isn’t it wonderful to know we can find rest in the arms of one who is “meek and lowly in heart ?

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that paperwork turned in by Hanna Project workers Mick and Rachel would move quickly through the system, enabling them to get their feet on the ground and begin work in Spain.