TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:1-11
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. - Hebrews 12:2a
TODAY IN THE WORD

Bible teacher Tony Evans tells of a farmer who was teaching his son to plow with a mule. ""To make straight furrows, son, just pick out an object beyond the field and keep your eyes fixed on it."" The boy nodded his understanding, and the farmer left.

When he came back an hour later, the farmer was shocked to see a field of twisted furrows. ""What happened, son? I thought I told you to keep your eye on an object beyond the field.""

""I did, Dad,"" the boy replied, pointing to the ""standard"" he had chosen--a cow in the adjoining pasture!

That humorous story holds a serious lesson. Whether you're plowing a field or running the race called the Christian life, it's critical that you keep your eyes on the right target. Despite all the great men and women of faith the Hebrews had just read about, only Jesus Himself was worthy of their undivided loyalty and attention.

The writer made a good bridge from the past to his readers' present by showing that the greats of history were now pulling for those believers to finish their race triumphantly. It's an interesting word picture: Christians running in the arena of life with encouraging cries from the grandstand ringing in their ears, but with their eyes fixed firmly on Jesus.

Running as Jesus ran means training hard and shedding anything that drags us down. Jesus endured great hardship and opposition to reach His finish line, the Cross. Up to this point, not much has been said about the suffering Jesus had to endure to finish His race and offer the perfect sacrifice for sin.

The writer did not dwell long on Jesus' sufferings here, but there wasn't any need to do so. The point was made: God can demand faithfulness of us because His own Son ran the most demanding race of all and finished it perfectly.

Beginning with verse 4, the imagery changes from a race to a father/child relationship--although enduring hardship is still the subject (v. 7). God's discipline is like a loving father's in that while it may seem stern, it is applied in love and has the child's ultimate good as its goal.

If we patiently bear His discipline, God promises us something no earthly father can guarantee to his children: a harvest of righteousness and peace.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Some people find it easier to exercise consistently when they have a friend to help keep them accountable.

Do you have a spiritual running partner--someone with whom you can share your heart? Accountability is a buzzword these days, but God thought of it a long time ago. Sometime today, read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and thank the Lord for giving you such a friend. And if you are running alone, ask Him for a ""running partner.""

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:12-17
Make every effort...to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14
TODAY IN THE WORD

William Carey, often considered the father of modern missions, once wrote: ""If, after my removal, anyone should think it is worth his while to write my life, I will give you a criterion by which you may judge of its correctness. If he give me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly...I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit.""

William Carey had that spiritual trait the Hebrews needed so badly: perseverance. They needed to learn how to keep running even when their arms ached and their knees felt as if they were going to buckle.

There's nothing wrong with being a plodder. In fact, it's safe to say that there are more plodders among us than there are sprinters. God's work has room for both.

As weak and wavering as the Hebrews were, it might not have occurred to them that they could strengthen others. But that is what the author encouraged them to do, so that the weakest among them would not stumble. Remember that mutual encouragement was one reason they were urged not to give up meeting together as the church (see 10:25).

Those believers were also urged to pursue peace and holiness, another way of describing sanctification or Christian growth. If the lives of the Hebrews were marked by turmoil from outside pressure and persecution instead of peace, they could at least try to ensure that they were not adding to the turmoil by their own actions.

While turmoil may not be something over which we have any control, no one can prevent us from becoming more like Jesus Christ.

This seems to be what the writer had in mind when he warned his readers against missing the grace of God. We have already established that he is not talking about a loss of salvation, but rather the tragedy of a life lived with no effectiveness for God.

There was one additional Old Testament individual that the author had in mind--but Esau was a bad example. Snubbing the holy in favor of his stomach, he suffered incredible spiritual loss. When it comes to a life like Esau's, we need to run the other way.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Has it been a while since you have looked around to see who might be following you in the race called the Christian life?

Yes, we know that you're not supposed to look behind you in a race. But this case is different. Whether you are a spouse, parent, employer, supervisor, teacher, Saturday morning coach--or just about anything else--it is almost certain that someone is looking to you as an example. Did you run a level path last week for that person to follow? It's worth thinking about today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 12:18-29
You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. - Hebrews 12:22
TODAY IN THE WORD

One of the caricatures of God that skeptics sometimes draw is the so-called distinction between the fiery, distant, vengeful God of the Old Testament and the loving, forgiving, turn-the-other-cheek God of the New Testament.

Any first-year Bible student could refute that nonsense. The God who set Mount Sinai on fire is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God's holy character did not change between the Testaments. It is the author of Hebrews, in fact, who warned that it is fearful to fall under God's judgment (Heb. 10:31).

But there is definitely a difference between the way God manifested Himself in the Old Testament and His revelation in Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews acknowledged that right up front (Heb. 1:1-2). Throughout the book, we have seen that the old covenant, represented by the Mosaic Law, was a temporary provision pointing ahead to Jesus.

The difference between the two covenants is plainly spelled out in today's reading. The giving of the Law was an awe-inspiring, terrifying visitation of God. Even Moses trembled with fear. There was no drawing near to God with confidence on the Israelites' holy day. The people begged that the voice speak to them no more.

Now let's think of another day of darkness and gloom. As Jesus was hanging on the Cross, darkness fell over the land for several hours. The people watching the crucifixion fell silent.

When the darkness was at its deepest, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and then slumped in death. The scene was so striking that even a hardened Roman soldier had to confess: ""Surely this man was the Son of God!"" (Mark 15:39). And the temple's huge veil was torn in half.

Because Jesus died in the darkness of Calvary, the barrier between God and us that would keep us from His presence was removed. Compare these two scenes and you'll see why the book of Hebrews refers to the better covenant Jesus initiated. And you'll see why refusing Him in the sense of turning back from full commitment is so dangerous. No matter which Testament you turn to, ""Our God is a consuming fire"" (v. 29).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Even in this day of grace we are still told to worship God ""with reverence and awe"" (v. 28).

God is worthy of our reverence because He is the awesome God who will one day shake the whole creation with His voice when Christ comes to establish His kingdom (v. 27). When God gets through shaking things, only what's eternal will be left! Today, let's praise God that because of Christ's sacrifice, we can be part of His eternal kingdom.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 13:1-6
Be content with what you have, because God has said, ""Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."" - Hebrews 13:5
TODAY IN THE WORD

The story is told of a stonecutter who delivered stone to a merchant. Seeing the merchant's goods, the stonecutter wished he could be a merchant. His wish was granted, and he was happy. But then when he saw a prince riding one day, hewished to be a prince. That wish too was granted, but the man was not happy for long. He continued to wish for greater things until he became a mountain, which seemed to him the greatest thing on earth. But one day, a man came with a hammer and chisel to cut stone, and the mountain could not stop him. ""That stonecutter is greater than I,"" said the mountain. ""I wish I were a stonecutter again.""

It's hard to be content. The Hebrews probably felt like that stonecutter at times, not sure exactly what they wanted to be. They had tasted the joys of salvation in Jesus Christ; yet for whatever reason they were looking back over their shoulders.

Maybe that's why contentment was one of the traits the writer urged these believers to adopt. Being content with what you have, especially when you have the promise of God's abiding presence, has a steadying effect. And the Hebrews certainly needed a steadying hand on their lives.

Another way to bring stability to a troubled life and to help turn one's focus outward is to reach out to others. So the Hebrews were urged to continue showing family love to one another, hospitality to strangers, compassion to those imprisoned for their faith, and care for the suffering.

Abraham entertained angels without knowing it when he welcomed the strangers to his tent (Gen. 18). Did the writer mean the Hebrew believers might expect a similar experience? Not necessarily. The word angel means ""messenger,"" so the angels coming to them might have been God's messengers--visiting teachers or missionaries. But even human messengers from God were to be received as His angels.

Today's verses remind us that even in the midst of their turmoil, the Hebrews still needed to live worthy lives. They could do all of this--love others, keep themselves sexually pure, and be content--because they had God as their helper. Therefore, no real or potential threat from any human persecutor could harm them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

God is your Helper, too--and that means you don't need to be afraid.

Is there a fear gripping your life today? If not, perhaps you know a fellow Christian who is being paralyzed by fear. For you or your friend, write out that fear and then search the Word for verses that speak to the fear. Also, commit to memory Psalm 56:3, where the psalmist, addressing God, proclaims: ""When I am afraid, I will trust in you.""

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 13:7-19
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8
TODAY IN THE WORD

British-born Bible teacher and pastor G. Campbell Morgan has become a friend this month (see the April 9 and 16 studies). Through his writings and godly influence, Dr. Morgan is one of those saints who still speaks even though he is no longer living (Heb. 11:4). Dr. Morgan's ministry of careful and thorough Bible exposition came at a crucial time in history for the church in Great Britain and America. He ministered to and helped to establish in the faith many of the thousands of new converts who flooded the churches following the work of great revivalists such as Charles Finney, D.L. Moody, Gipsy Smith, and Billy Sunday.

Campbell Morgan is one of those leaders to be remembered and imitated. The Hebrews had been led by such people, and by pointing to them the writer was probably coming at his main point another way: ""Remember the faithfulness of your early leaders, and be like them. Don't waver, give up, or turn away from Christ.""

Notice the contrast between these human leaders, who apparently were no longer on the scene, and the eternal, abiding presence of Jesus Christ. It's only because of Him and His unchanging nature that any of us can find the strength to be faithful.

At this point in the letter the author made one final plea for faithfulness to Christ. He returned to the major truth of the book: the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ had set aside the Law and made believers holy (see 2:11; 10:10, 14). There was nothing to turn back to, because, as believers in Christ, they were fed spiritually from a greater altar--probably a reference to Christ's sacrificial death.

The writer acknowledged that identifying with Christ would ""disgrace"" them in the eyes of those who were trying to turn those believers back to the old ways (v. 13). But as people who were on their way to a better and eternally enduring city, they would be foolish to turn back.

Verses 15-17 contain one final word on sacrifices, and it's a good one. As Christians, we have our own sacrifices to offer God: praise and good works from a heart of love for Christ. The same spirit of love and humility needed to be shown to their current leaders, of whom the writer considered himself a part (v. 18).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

We regularly encourage our Today readers to honor their spiritual leaders.

Recall how you felt the last time someone wrote you a note of thanks or spoke a word of sincere appreciation. Why not do the same this week for your pastor or other church leader--or perhaps your spiritual parent? A good book or other gift, along with an offer to pray for any prayer requests, would also be a welcome encouragement.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Hebrews 13:20-25
Grace be with you all. - Hebrews 13:25
TODAY IN THE WORD

Anne Sullivan became famous as the teacher who broke through to a blind and deaf girl named Helen Keller. But as a child, Sullivan herself suffered from vision problems and at one time was a student in a school for the blind. Surgeries in 1881 and 1887 restored Sullivan's sight, but she chose to stay at the school to work with others. It was there that she met Helen Keller.

We might compare the Jewish believers of the book of Hebrews to the young Anne Sullivan. They were having spiritual vision problems of their own. But God's will for them was to recover their sight so that they could help others in their Christian lives.

We can see this goal in the writer's warm benediction to these people whom he obviously knew and loved. His closing prayer for the Hebrews was that God would ""equip [them] with everything good for doing His will"" (v. 21).

This word ""equip"" is the same word Paul used in Eph. 4:12, where we are told that the goal of Christian teaching is to equip or prepare every Christian for works of service. And the goal of this good work is that every believer might be brought to full spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:13-16).

Given the wavering condition of the people to whom he wrote, this might seem like a pretty lofty goal for the writer to set. But that's not the case; the New Testament makes it clear that spiritual maturity and effective service are the normal Christian life, not the exception.

The writer's affection for his readers shines through in these closing lines of the letter. He had written some hard things and had issued strong warnings. But his confidence was that these brothers and sisters in Christ would receive these exhortations patiently and act on them (see Heb. 6:9).

The personal notes about Timothy's imprisonment and the greeting from ""those in Italy"" tell us that this nameless writer was well-acquainted with the leadership of the early church. These clues don't necessarily help to establish his identity, but in the end it doesn't matter.

The Holy Spirit wanted this book written anonymously--maybe because He wanted all the glory to go to Jesus Christ (v. 21).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

There are two things we can say with confidence about Hebrews: it is full of great teaching about our awesome provisions in Christ, and it contains many things ""that are hard to understand"" (2 Pet. 3:16).

For these reasons, and more, we encourage you to invest time in the study of this great book. Moody Press has several excellent commentaries on Hebrews that help the everyday student to get a firm handle on the Word. Ask your local bookstore for these tools as you dig deeper into the Scriptures.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 11:1-4; Matthew 6:9-13
Lord, teach us to pray. - Luke 11:1
TODAY IN THE WORD

In his classic work, With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray writes: ""The place and power of prayer in the Christian life is too little understood. As long as we view prayer simply as the means of maintaining our own Christian lives, we will not fully understand what it is really supposed to be. But when we learn to regard it as the highest part of the work entrusted to us...we will see that there is nothing we need to study and practice more than the art of praying.""

Murray's century-old insights remain very timely for us. What a great introduction to our topic this month: the power of prayer! You would probably be hard-pressed to find a sincere Christian who doesn't want a powerful prayer life. We all do.

But Murray reminds us that a process precedes the power. There is nothing magical or mysterious about prayer. It is a spiritual discipline, a process of learning and growing.

Jesus' disciples wanted powerful prayer lives. And they went to the right source. Luke doesn't say Jesus was holding a teaching session on prayer, or even that the disciples were praying with Him. All we know is that as Jesus was praying one day, the disciples were watching and listening, and they wanted a prayer life like His.

Jesus' response to the request was a prayer that should really be called ""The Disciple's Prayer."" Matthew records that Jesus prefaced the prayer with intructions, and we'll consider these verses later on. For today, we'll consider Jesus' answer to the disciples' request.

This prayer is a basic outline of the concerns that should be on our hearts as we approach God. The order of the concerns is all-important. Prayer that honors God and moves Him to action is prayer that focuses first on Him (Matt. 6:9-10). Our first task is to uphold and enhance His name and to desire His will and His kingdom.

Onlye then are we ready to bring our needs to God (v. 11). We don't have to do so reluctantly, since our Father urges us to make our needs known. The prayer for forgiveness and deliverence from temptation (vv. 12-13) reminds us to keep our relationships with others up to date and our eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Whether a believer is a veteran ""prayer warrior"" or a beginner, God always has something to teach him or her about prayer. Let's try an experiment today. Take a few minutes to think about and write out your greatest need when it comes to knowing how to pray--not the requests you may be praying for, but the one thing you feel you need to learn, or relearn, about prayer. Keep your card handy this month, and let's see what God does.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:18; 1 Peter 5:8-9
In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD

Predicting the path of hurricanes has always been an inexact science. But now, storm trackers have a vastly improved weapon. It's a new high-altitude jet that can fly much higher and faster than the plane the Air Force now uses to track hurricanes. This jet flies directly into the eye of a hurricane. The new craft, however, will enable forecasters to fly above and around the storm, gathering data they have previously lacked in the effort to issue warnings to threatened areas.

This provides us with a fascinating picture of the power of prayer! Prayer takes us above the swirling storms of life--not so we can escape them, bu so we can see them from God's vantage point and be alerted to potential dangers.

Paul calls for this kind of alert praying, and he gives us the basic information we need to make it a reality each day. We are to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, at all times, with ""all kinds of prayers and requests"" for all people--specifically, our fellow Christians.

What things should we pray for? We find one good example n the next two verses of Ephesians 6. Paul requested prayer that he would be fearless in preaching the gospel and that he would not shrink from the threats and intimidatioins he faced regularly (vv. 19-20).

Why did the apostle urge us to be alert in prayer? One reason is that being human, we tend to get weary and even lazy in prayer. The experience of Peter, James, and John in Gethsemane confirms that fact, which we will study on May 17.

But there's an even more serious reason for alertness. Paul's fellow apostle, Peter, reminds us that we have an enemy who is ever ready to devour us. Peter's denials at Jesus' crucifixion had taught him the danger of nodding off spiritually when Satan is on the prowl (Luke 22:31-34).

Thankfully, since prayer is appropriate ""on all occasions,"" we have no excuse for not being alert. The storms will come, but we don't have to sit in their paths unaware and be swept away.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

one reality that gives added significance to our prayers is this: we are seated with Christ ""in the heavenly realms"" (Eph. 2;6).

now to some people, this sounds like one of those other worldly statements that has something to do with heaven, but has little significance today. Paul didn't seem to think so, however. He spoke of our exaltation with Christ as a present reality. In other words, we have already been given the divine perspective we need. Let's thank God today that because we are spiritually raised up with and seated with Christ, we can pray from a position of heavenly authority.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 18:1-8
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? - Luke 18:8
TODAY IN THE WORD

If you have been a Christian very long, you know that one fo the great enemies of prayer is

""busyness."" These are the distractions of everyday life that seem important at the time, or that we

hide behind to keep from facing ourselves or God. In The Transforming Power of Prayer,

author James Houston says busyness can be ""an addictive drug…which acts to repress our inner

fears and personal anxieties."" When this happens, Houston says, we become obsessed with

outward appearances and neglect our internal life.

In the parable of Luke 18, Jesus gives us a great motivation to set aside busyness and be

tenacious in our prayer lives. Several times this month we will encounter this fundamental truth

about prayer: God is moved to action by the persistent prayers of His people.

Jesus often teaches by painting a contrast. Far from identifying God with an uncaring judge,

Jesus set the character of His Father at the extreme opposite end of the moral spectrum.

The question raised by the parable is an important one. If an uncaring, earthly authority can be

moved to action by a persistent petitioner, wouldn't our caring, loving God be even more moved

to act on our behalf when we cry out to Him?

The answer to that question, Jesus said, was in the mouth of the unjust judge (v. 6).

One of the puzzles of prayer for many people is the issue of asking God repeatedly for something

when He already knows how He is going to answer. Why does God tell us to ""always pray and

not give up?""

In today's key verse, jesus gives us one answer by posing a question of His own. Persistent,

believing prayer--the kind that simply will not quit--is a definite faith-builder. Something

happens within us as we bring the burdens and requests of our hearts to God day after day.

For one thing, our faith is exercised and grows stronger. And the more we pray, the more the

Holy Spirit can prepare us for God's answer.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Jesus said that the answer to prayer would come ""quickly"" (v. . There is a lesson and an

encouragement for us contained here.

First, the lesson. The promise is not that the answer will come immediately, the way we put

something in the microwave and it's finished in four minutes. Instead, Jesus is saying that when

the answer does begin to come, it will unfold quickly.

Next, the encouragement. God knows the perfect time to bring the answer, and He is listening

carefully to the prayers of His chosen ones. We can trust His love, wisdom, and timing!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 3:7-12
We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. - Hebrews 10:19
TODAY IN THE WORD

Foreign leaders who come to Washigton, D.C. for state visits are often stunned to learn that ordinary American citizens are allowed inside the White House. When George Bush was president, he would often introduce his foreign guests to the people who came for daily tours of the presidential mansion's first floor. One writer says, ""The White House's accessibility continues to stagger visiting heads of state.""

For many of the world's kings and rulers, these times are too dangerous to allow access to their palaces, much less to their presence. But there is no such difficulty in heaven. We who have put our faith in Christ have free, unlimited access into God's presence.

Today's verse and Scripture reading teach the truth of our freedom to come before God confidently in prayer. Ephesians 3 is a wonderful example of a believer using his access to bring his prayer concerns to God, because Paul goes on to say, ""For this reason I kneel before the Father"" (v. 14).

While we bask in the knowledge that God's throne room is open to us, let's remember how we gained such free and open access to the great Ruler of the universe. The first three Gospels mention that when Jesus died, the massive curtain enclosing the inner part of the temple--the small area known as the Most Holy Place--was torn in half (Matt. 27:51).

This was the holiest site in Israel, the place where the high priest came once a year to offer sacrifice for the people's sins. God's holy presence lived among His people in the Most Holy Place…but the high priest did not enter this small cubicle ""with freedom and confidence.""

Instead, he entered under penalty of death if his sacrifice did not please God. All that the people of Israel could do was to stand outside and wait anxiously.

Now, contrast the Old Testament sacrificial system with the free access that is ours in Christ, and you'll see there is no comparison! Jesus' perfect, once-for-all sacrifice on the Cross put an end to animal sacrifices and opened for us the way to God's presence (Heb. 10:19-22). Don't take your access for granted!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Jesus said that the answer to prayer would come ""quickly"" (v. . There is a lesson and an

Paul's prayer for his spiritual children in Ephesus is a powerful petition that any believer can pray any time for himself or herself with confidence (Eph. 3:14-21).

Why not make it your own today? To personalize it, read the prayer back to the Lord, addressing Him in the first person, and insert your name where Paul refers to the Ephesian believers. Focus on Paul's requests, and you'll see that you are asking God for greater power, spiritual understanding, and love in Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 55:6-9
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters. - Isaiah 55:1
TODAY IN THE WORD

If you were to hit the streets of your area and take a poll, it might take you a while to find any people who could say they have never prayed--even once--in their lives. Prayer is typically a universal human response to fear, trouble, or pain. As the old saying goes, ""There are no atheists in foxholes.""

But the world's concept of prayer often falls far short of biblical truth. A lot of people pray the way they shop.

When shoppers want an item in a store, they simply take it off the shelf, lay it on the counter, and give their money to the clerk. There is no discussion of the shopper's character or relationship to the store owner. All that matters is the purchaser's desire to have his or her request granted. One person's money is as good as another's.

People pray in times of need because they believe prayer has power. And they're right--except that the unbeliever overlooks the fact that to God, prayer is a family matter.

A person who does not know God cannot merely run into His presence and demand something. Similarly, the neighbor kids can't burst through your front door tonight and ask that you feed them supper and give them lunch money for tomorrow. They are not your children. There is no relationship in place to warrant that kind of request.

There is one prayer, though, that any non-Christian can pray with confidence. The prophet Isaiah issued a powerful invitation for unbelievers to come to the Lord for salvation while the door is still open.

Does this limitation on access to God contradict what we studied yesterday? No, Isaiah was writing in a context of salvation and God's judgment. The Bible is consistent in warning lost people that, although God is always ready to receive them in repentance and salvation, His patience will one day run out (2 Pet. 3:9-10).

However, look at the richness of God's invitation to the sinner: mercy and free pardon. Only He could conceive a plan like this to forgive and bless the very people who rebelled against Him; His thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Every Today reader has a standing invitation to receive Christ as Savior, because salvation is too important to take for granted.

Today we want to restate the invitation. Romans 3:23 states the problem: all have sinned. Romans 6:23 gives the penalty of sin: eternal separation from God, but also the promise of eternal life in Christ. Romans 5:8 says that Christ died for us, and Romans 10:9-10 urges the unbeliever to call on God for salvation. If Isaiah's invitation has your name on it, please don't refuse to respond to it!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 12:1-6
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. - Isaiah 12:2
TODAY IN THE WORD

After winning many trophies and awards, tennis player Michael Chang lost the 1992 French Open and Wimbledon. he knew something was wrong, and discussed with his family the reason for the change in his playing: they hadn't been praying before each game like they had in the beginning.

""We then vowed to work as a team to praise God, to focus on Him, to worship Him, to thank Him, and to learn from Him,"" Chang says. ""We took that preparation and mentality into the U.S. Open, and although I didn't win, we came away feeling that it was a success and that God's work was done.""

Isaiah, too, knew the importance of praising God. Today's passage teaches us that true prayer to the Father begins with praise and thanksgiving.

The context of today's reading is prophetic, taking place during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Isaiah is picturing the coming of the Messiah to redeem His people and establish His glorious reign. We know this future period as the millennial kingdom spoken of in Revelation 20:1-7. Notice the phrase ""in that day,"" repeated at the beginning of each stanza (Isa. 12:1Ƽ).

The first three verses are the praise and gratitude of ""the remnant of His people,"" Israel (see Isa. 11:16). Verses 4-6 are the praise of ""the nations,"" the Gentiles. In that day when Christ sits on His throne, the redeemed of both groups-those who make up His body, the church (Eph. 2:11-18)-will reign with Him.

But we don't have to wait until Christ returns to offer Him the praise He deserves. Praise and adoration of God is the ""sacrifice of praise"" we are called to give to Him (Heb. 13:15).

Isaiah 12 may be prophetic, but the attributes of God and the ""glorious things"" mentioned in these verses are true for us today. For example, we can ""trust and not be afraid"" (v. 2) because God is our salvation. And we can ""draw water from His wells""-that is, enjoy the full benefits of His salvation.

Praise is a great way to keep your prayers from falling into the ""gimme"" mentality. God loves to give, but He also delights to hear our praise.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

""Sing to the Lord,"" Isaiah urges (v. 5). if your devotions don't include some music along the way, you have a whole new realm of worship open to you.

Singing hymn of praise or gratitude to the Lord during your prayer time is as natural as speaking to Him. Try it today with a hymn or a chorus that God brings to mind. Or sing as a family for a touch of variety, or in place of the prayer at your next meal together.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 86:1-17
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. - Psalm 86:5
TODAY IN THE WORD

All of us have days when we feel like the cyclist who accidentally dropped the Olympic torch on its way to Atlanta for the 1996 Summer Games. The flame on the torch went out when the accident happened, but the cyclist's mistake was quickly taken care of because a van carrying the original flame followed the torch during the entire relay. The people in charge simply relit the torch, and the relay continued.

In one sense, this is what God does for us when we come to Him in prayer. There are many times that we lose our grip and drop the torch. But, praise God, His goodness is an eternal flame! The truth we want to see and rejoice in today is that God hears and answers our prayers.

David knew the God who responds to the prayers of His people. Because there is more in these verses than we can get our minds around in a few minutes we encourage you to spend some extra time studying this great Psalm.

Its structure is interesting. The opening and closing sections are filled with requests, surrounding a section of praise and adoration (vv. 8-13). Every word, however, is aimed at extolling the goodness, mercy, and lovingkindness of God.

Clearly, David's ""flame"" was low, if not out, when he wrote these verses. He was under attack from his enemies, ""a band of ruthless men."" You probably don't have that many human enemies, but you may feel that circumstances gang up on you from time to time. Those are definitely times when you need mercy and strength from God (v. 16).

Look at the terms David used to describe his relationship with God. He was ""devoted""

(v. 2). Three times, David called himself God's servant (vv. 2, 4, 16). He feared and glorified God's name (vv. 11-12) and was the object of God's great love (v. 13).

These signs of relationship entitled David to ask God for a fresh sign of His goodness (v. 17). You have that privilege too.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Psalm 86:1 is another verse that needs to become part of our prayer repertoire. We are very privileged to be able to call on a God who hears and answers prayer.

Sometimes, in fact, God hears and answers prayer in ways we are not even aware of until a later time. Has that happened to you recently? One way to find out is by looking over your current prayer list. You might see a need or a request that God has already addressed in a way you hadn't recognized until today. If that's the case, you have one more reason for which to praise Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 8:26-27
The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. - Romans 8:26
TODAY IN THE WORD

There is a great deal of material available to help people become effective public speakers. Much of the advice centers around preparation and helping the potential speaker think through the presentation so that the audience will be able to follow the main points. One expert also advises checking over a speech to weed out unnecessary words and phrases, replacing words that would be hard to pronounce aloud.

All of this is solid advice for a speech that needs to fit a certain occasion in a limited amount of time. Prayer demands preparation too. Most of us need to write down the people and special circumstances we are praying for, and many people pray with their lists in front of them. We also have those prayer items that are familiar and well-rehearsed: children, grandchildren, spouses, and personal needs.

But since prayer is intimate communion and communication with God instead of a speech and since it involves deep human emotions, there are times when words fail us. It's safe to assume you've experienced what could be called the agony of prayer.

What a comfort and help the Holy Spirit's ministry is at times like this! When the prayer burden or desire is so intense that all you can do is sigh in your spirit, the Spirit of God translates those sighs. And when you don't know what to ask for, the Spirit adjusts the request to conform it to the will of God.

You can read Romans 8:26-27 in less than a minute; but there is a lifetime of truth and holy mystery found there. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we are often weak in prayer. That's one reason the ministry of prayer is so badly neglected among God's people.

But the believer who is sincere in seeking the Lord through prayer discovers a unique blessing--the intercession of the Spirit. Later this month we'll be reminded that the bottom line in prayer must always be, ""Not my will, but Yours, be done."" It's the job of the Holy Spirit to make sure that our prayers line up with the Father's will. Our responsibility is to discern the Spirit's leading and submit to the Father's will.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

Do you have one or more Romans 8 requests or needs on your prayer list today? If so, you can identify with the uncertainty and the deep desire of which Paul speaks.

Since the Holy Spirit's desire for our prayers is to conform them to God's will, why not lay these requests before the Lord this weekend, asking Him to bring each situation in line with His will? Then thank Him ahead of time for the answer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 9:35-38
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. - Matthew 9:38
TODAY IN THE WORD

In his book, With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray (see May 1 study) offers this insight concerning Jesus' prayer request to the disciples: ""The Lord frequently taught His disciples that they must pray and how they should pray. But He seldom taught them what to pray. This He left to their sense of need and the leading of the Spirit. But in the above Scripture he expressly directs them to remember…the need to prepare and send laborers for the work.""

Murray is right in noting that Jesus did not give us many specifics to pray for. So when the Savior does tell us to pray for something, we need to pay close attention.

Today's verse is important for a number of reasons. Once is that it reveals the heart of Jesus. The context was one of intense ministry on Jesus' part (v. 35). Crowds surged toward Him on this occasion, as they did wherever He went. Jesus not only ministered to their physical and spiritual needs, He also looked on the people with the eyes and heart of the Good Shepherd.

The Lord's heart went out to the lost sheep He saw all around Him. But His statement to the disciples is interesting because it isn't what we would expect in this situation. Our first impulse would have been to tell the disciples, ""Look at this crowd. Get out there and start sharing the gospel and ministering to these people's needs.""

Of course, Jesus did tell us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. But here He emphasized the indispensable place of prayer in the work of evangelism.

This is the secret, and the mystery, to this text. For reasons we may not fully understand, the all-powerful God of the universe chooses to link the fulfillment of His will to the prayers of His people.

This fact should both excite and humble us. It means we can partner with God in the work of winning souls and expect to see our prayers answered. But it also means we must pray.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY

We know we should be praying for a world of lost people and for the workers needed to reap the harvest.

How can we cultivate the kind of intense burden for souls that Jesus felt? One answer is in today's text. Jesus was moved by the sight of people in desperate spiritual need, and He saw them as individuals, not as a crowd. Let's ask God today to help us see people in need the way He sees them.