Daily Treasure

“We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10 NLT).

With many verses littered throughout the Bible, I can insert my name and gain a huge amount of strength and encouragement, instruction and direction. Some spur me on to such an extent that I keep them written out on index cards and in full view of my work area. Others I have committed to memory for my heart’s sake.

But today? Today’s verse I cannot claim. Neither am I able to humor anyone in saying it’s about me, nor can I honestly stake a personal claim in its declarations.

What about you? Can you claim that verse as your own? Hard working towards the cause of Christ? Do you spend a fair amount of time evangelizing? Are you consistently outside your box, reaching beyond your sphere of influence, striving to reach others for Christ?
Ever suffered for the Gospel? Been beaten? Had your Bible taken away? Spent much time in an uncomfortable place because of your desire to see folks come to the Lord?
No? Well, me either. I’ve sadly adhered to a take it or leave it attitude with what little Christ I share with the world. I hate to admit, but unless they—the unknowing, unrepentive, unsaved of the world—come to me, these individuals probably won’t be bothered with my presence.

This verse convicts me. Convicts me of what little I’ve done. What little I’ve shared. What little I’ve spoken. How little effort I’ve put forth for my Savior toward the dying world He’s placed me here to reach.

Maybe I should put this verse on a recipe card and post it in prominent areas around my home and work, just as a reminder. How about you?

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for believers in Assam, a state in India. In the past few days, riots among ethnic factions have resulted in the burning of 500 villages. This is a region where Christians face much opposition and is the site of a recent kidnapping of a prominent church leader and missionary worker (miraculously released unharmed through the power of prayer).

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

On May 26, our weekend devotional writer, Malinda Edgell, wrote an awesome devotional on this verse. If you missed reading it, take a look at it in the May 2012 archives.

To summarize our study these past five weeks, remember the four components to feeding our souls. We need spiritual food-the Word.  Fellowship and friends are the next two items that will keep our souls from going hungry.  Lastly, depend on the Father to make sure we have a proper balance of all four elements to keep our souls satisfied.

Psalm 23:1 provides a great companion verse for today’s Scripture; “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  When we make our relationship with the Father an intimate one, we will have need of nothing.  The Living Bible states it well: “Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need!”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: The observance of Ramadan continues throughout the Muslim world. Pray today for the country of Libya, whose people isolated for so long, now hunger and even welcome interaction with the rest of the world. This has provided an open door for bringing in Bibles and sharing the Gospel. Praise God for this opportunity; pray this openness will remain unhindered by Islamic elements in the new government.

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”  (Matthew 6:31-33).

If there ever was a remedy for worry, it would be found in today’s verses. God is our Father. He knows exactly what we need. When we become consumed with worry about the affairs of this life, we fail to depend on the One who should have first place in our lives. Isn’t it amazing how much stress we can alleviate when we view Him in His rightful place.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Texas field worker Judy Smith as she shares the Good News at the 2012 Olympic Games.

“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

I love the familiar story of the “prodigal son.”  If you have a prodigal you are burdened in your soul about, there is hope.  We see an awesome picture of a father’s love within the verses of Luke 15:11-35.  Today’s verse best represents it.  I don’t think the Father’s vigil was an off and on matter.  I think he was continuously looking down the road, hoping with all his heart to see his wayward son. With each passing day, he might have faced disappointment but, he never gave up on him.

The day finally came when, from a distance, the father saw the silhouette of a young man. He didn’t start walking. The Father took off in a run. He probably didn’t feel his feet touching the ground.  I can see tears of joy running down his face as he grabbed his son and kissed him.

If you have strayed from the Father and you feel empty in your soul, catch a glimpse of what I have shared today.  You take one step in His direction, your Heavenly Father will run to you. He will never give up on you. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b).

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for prodigals in your family or in your church family today.

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  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.  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”  (Mark 11:22-24).

We have a heavenly Father Who loves us and will never abandon us. However, when times get tough, how strong is our belief in the Father?  Remember the account of Jesus walking on the water? Peter got out of the boat and wanted to walk out to meet Him. We fault Peter for taking his eyes off Jesus. However, are we any different?  We lose sight of Who our Father is, and we can’t seem to form a mustard seed of faith. We put limits on what God is willing and able to do for us because the void in our soul is a lack of faith.

If you pray according to His will, do you expect Him to say yes?” If not, then why?

Mark 9:23 serves as a good cross-reference to today’s verses. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for an unhindered process (file transmission, prepress, printing and mailing) as the fall issue of Treasure goes to press this week.

“But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8).

This last week of our study centers around God as our Father. It should thrill and fill our souls knowing His love for us is deeper and stronger than that of an earthly father. Do you completely grasp what it means to be His child? Once saved, He gives us the Spirit of adoption.  We now belong to Him. I think we understand that part. He, Who formed us in the womb, desires to mold and shape us into a beautiful vessel for His glory. That can only happen as we take our hands off the clay of our lives and put it into the hands of the Potter.

I love the beautiful song, “He Didn’t Throw the Clay Away.”   It begins with a vessel—a person “so scarred with sin.”  However by the time the song ends, the hand of God, the work of the Potter has fashioned the person into a “vessel of honor.”  It should excite us to know we have a heavenly Father who desires to be our Potter—an artist who takes our mud and creates something of value.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Today is Day 11 of Ramadan. Pray for the Rawther people of India. Among this group of 1,000,000 Tamil-speaking people, there are no known followers of Christ.

“Jesus responded, Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?”  (John 11:40 NLT).

Is He whispering the same thing in your ear?  Is He urging you to wait to see His power at work—because it will certainly amaze you?  Has He told you it will be worth the wait, worth the tears, worth all the faith you can muster?

Maybe you’ve seen it happen before.  The mountain moved.  The valley made a slow, but certain, incline.  The disease drew family closer together, closer to God.  The church split caused revival.

God’s glory will be revealed in His time and in His way.  Go ahead, believe it.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray today for the release of a Christian leader in India (serving with another missions group) who was captured by terrorists this past week. This is Day 10 of Ramadan. Pray that Christians living in Bahrain would find creative opportunities to share the love of Christ in this country where open evangelism is not permitted.