_*Tuesday 11 February 2025*_ _*TODAY'S DEVOTION*_ _*CONTENTS*_ _• *Just A Little Laugh*_ _• *Quote Of The Day*_ _• *Today's Sermon*_ _• *New Believer's Prayer*_ _• *The Marriage After God*_ _• *‘Train A Child than Repair A Man'*_ _• *Christian News From Around The World*_ __________________________ _*JUST A LITTLE LAUGH*_ _*The Blind Golfers*_ _A pastor, a doctor and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers. The engineer fumed, "What's with these guys? We must have been waiting for 15 minutes!"_ _The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such ineptitude!"_ _The pastor said,"Hey, here comes the greenskeeper. Let's have a word with him."_ _"Hi George. Say, what's with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"_ _The greenskeeper replied, "Oh, yes, that's a group of blind firefighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."_ _The group was silent for a moment. The pastor said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."_ _The doctor said, "Good idea. And I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist buddy and see if there's anything he can do for them."_ _The engineer said, "Why can't these guys play at night?"_ __________________________ _*QUOTE OF THE DAY*_ _"Sometimes it's the words we choose not to say that speak most loudly about our character." ~ *Lysa TerKeurst*_ __________________________ _*TODAY'S SERMON*_ _*Being Wise and Humble_ _*Greg Laurie*_ _*“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.”* —James 3:13_ _They say Abraham Lincoln once said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” And though he probably didn’t intend it as a commentary on James 3:13, it works well in that regard._ _Let’s be clear: it’s no small accomplishment to be wise and understand God’s ways. You can only do that by studying God’s Word, staying close to Him through prayer and meditation, and learning through experience what it means to honor Him and seek His will in everything you do._ _Gaining wisdom and understanding God’s ways is a lifelong pursuit. And it’s natural to want to pass on what you’ve learned to others—especially to your family, the people whose lives are intertwined with yours. But you need to realize that acquiring the knowledge and experience that results in wisdom is only the first step. Knowing how and when to share your wisdom is the second—and often the most challenging—step._ _That’s the point James is making. Wisdom is known by its actions. If you claim to have wisdom, and you know Scripture, show it by living a godly life—and doing it with humility. Humility is what keeps you from coming off as a know-it-all. It’s what keeps you from pontificating on all that you’ve learned while your family members roll their eyes. This can be especially challenging for older folks, because we’ve lived long lives, we love to tell stories, and we love to share what we’ve learned._ _The problem is, many young people don’t respond well to “in my day” speeches. Neither do many older people, come to think of it._ _So if you’re going to pass on your wisdom, as God wants you to, you must first humble your heart. One way to do that is to listen—to give others your full attention. When you listen, you learn. You learn about people’s communication patterns. You learn about the experiences that have brought them to that point in their lives. You learn about the personal barriers they’ve put up. You learn about the triggers that cause them to shut down. You learn about them. No matter how well you think you know others, even your family, there’s always more to learn._ _When you adopt a humble attitude, when you listen, when you put the focus on others, it affects the way you respond. Instead of talking to hear yourself speak or to impress others with your wisdom, you’ll look for ways to make genuine connections between what you’ve experienced and what others are experiencing._ _If you ask God to help you keep a spirit of humility, He will help you recognize the right moments to share a life lesson or an insight from Scripture. He will help you connect what you have to offer with what others need to hear._ _*Question for Reflection:* Who could benefit from your godly wisdom and experience?_ harvestdirect.org ____________________________ _*NEW BELIEVER'S PRAYER*_ _I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." ~ *Luke 15:7*_ _Giving your life to Christ is the best decision of your life. Scripture says, only one sinner who repents at any one time, is enough to cause a joyous celebration in heaven. You are that person today. There is massive joy in heaven on account of your decision to come to Christ. The actual process of receiving a new life is very simple. Romans 10:9-10 says, "...if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." In that respect, kindly repeat this simple prayer audibly and you are saved._ _*Prayer:* Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place on the cross. I truly believe in my heart that you were raised from the dead and you sit at the right hand of the Father. I confess that you are Lord and Saviour. I confess and repent of all of my sins, that I committed knowingly and unknowingly. I receive the free gift of forgiveness, even as I forgive them that wronged me. I want to live righteously from today on. I commit my life to you, to lead me in paths of righteousness. Amen._ _If you prayed that prayer, congratulations you have been saved by Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Welcome to the new you, in Christ! What a wonder! The old has passed, and the new has come (2 Cor 5:17). Now kindly look for a Bible believing church near you, and hear more about your new found freedom in Christ._ ____________________________ _*THE MARRIAGE AFTER GOD*_ _*The Marriage Triangle*_ _*Dr James & Shirley Dobson*_ _*“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.”* Jeremiah 17:7_ _God promises to bless those who trust in Him. The Psalms state that joy, deliverance, triumph, mercy, provision, blessedness, safety, and usefulness will come to those who put their confidence in the Lord. We need to rely on those blessings in our marriages—otherwise the stresses of life will pull us apart. And those stresses will come! When the house burns down… when a child becomes ill… when a job and steady paycheck are lost, it’s all too easy to let fear and frustration drive a wedge between partners. Even minor problems, such as a nagging cold or a sleepless night, can disrupt the quality of our marriage._ _The good news is that we weren’t meant to succeed by depending only on each other. Marriage is a triangle—with husband and wife at the bottom corners and the Lord at the top. The book of Ecclesiastes conveys a similar truth when Solomon talks about the strength of a three‐stranded cord (4:12). If we invite the Lord into our marriage and trust in His strength, we can experience strength and peace in our marriage regardless of the circumstances._ _*Just between us…*_ _• When, before our marriage, did God prove strong for you in a time of crisis? What specific blessing did He provide?_ _• How has He blessed us during hard times in our marriage?_ _• What are some of the little stresses that tend to drive us apart?_ _• In light of what we’ve read this week, how can we encourage each other to trust God more?_ _Dear Lord, we praise You that You—the God of love, power, and goodness— want to be a powerful presence in our relationship. When tests come, bind us together with love. When we are weak, be strong for us. Amen._ ___________________________ _*’TRAIN THE CHILD THAN REPAIR A MAN’*_ _*Spelling Test*_ _*Dr. James & Shirley Dobson*_ _*”Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.*” 1 John 3:18_ _Writer Jeannie Williams tells a story about a five-year-old named Joey, who was asked by his kindergarten teacher to draw a picture of something he loved. He drew his family, then took a crayon and colored a red circle around the stick figures. He wanted to write a word at the top of the picture, so he approached his teacher’s desk. “Teacher,” he asked, “how do you spell—” Before he could finish the question, the teacher told him to sit down and not interrupt the class. Joey folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket._ _When Joey got home, he saw his mother preparing supper. “Mom,” he asked, “how do you spell—” She cut him off with, “Joey, can’t you see I’m busy right now? Why don’t you go outside and play?”_ _That evening, Joey approached his father. “Daddy, how do you spell—” His father interrupted without looking up from his newspaper. “Joey, I’m reading right now. Why don’t you go outside and play?”_ _It was more than twenty years later when Joey—now Joe—sat with his five-year-old daughter, Annie, in his lap. They were looking and laughing at a picture she had drawn of their family. Suddenly, Annie jumped up and ran into the kitchen. She returned a moment later with a pencil and positioned it over the top of the picture._ _“Daddy,” she asked. “How do you spell love?”_ _Joe looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he gently gathered Annie in his arms and guided her hand as she formed each letter. “Love,” he said, “is spelled T-I-M-E.”_ _Don’t you agree with Joe? When we tell our children that we love them, the words carry a hollow ring unless we back them up “with actions and in truth.” God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. He cares for us so deeply that He makes Himself available to us every moment through prayer. Our loving Lord is always ready to spend time with His children. When our own kids seek us out, we must be ready and willing to do the same._ _____________________________ _*CHRISTIAN NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD*_ _*DRC church leaders call for peaceful resolution to escalating conflict*_ _*Christian Today*_ _*Monday, February 10, 2025*_ _Christian leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have pledged to work toward peace and harmony between neighbors following an intensification of violence in the east of the country._ _Rebel group M23 has claimed control of the eastern city of Goma, although government forces say they still control the city's airport. The increase in violence has left many concerned about the fate of refugees._ _DRC's eastern neighbor, Rwanda, has been accused of supporting M23 in the hope of annexing some of its mineral rich territory. Rwanda, in turn, has accused DRC of supporting anti-government militias in its territory and of harboring those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide._ _It is believed that there are around 7 million internally displaced people in the DRC, more than any other country in the world. Christian charity World Vision has called on the international community to do more to help child refugees in the country. Since 1998, it is believed that over 6 million people have been killed in the conflict._ _Now, wanting to solve the causes rather than just the symptoms of the conflict, the Church of Christ in Congo has proposed a roadmap to peace between the various factions. The Church of Christ is an umbrella organization that represents more than 60 Protestant denominations in the country and the Roman Catholic Church._ _The Rev. Eric Nsenga, general secretary of the Church of Christ in Congo, and Fr. Donatien Nshole, general secretary of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, issued a joint statement calling for peace: "In this year of Jubilee ... our prophetic mission makes it our duty to exhort people, communities, and the state of our sub-region to fulfill the duty of human beings towards themselves, that of peaceful co-existence and supportive co-existence._ _"Every day that passes is one too many! And day after day, time is running out and the dark prospects of a humanitarian catastrophe with incalculable consequences are becoming clearer."_ _The church plan involves rallying together congregations, politicians and local communities in support of the idea of peaceful co-existence between the different groups and ethnicities of the region._ _The proposal also suggests a return to what it describes as traditional African methods of conflict resolution, namely a civilized discussion under the palaver tree, as well as efforts at peaceful consensus building._ _"Where have our sociological and spiritual values of Bumuntu gone, which were the ontological foundation of our Africa identity? Why are we no longer able to resolve our problems under the palaver tree as our ancestors knew how to do so, wisely?"_ _Churches in DRC will also be holding workshops that will look for recommendations that can eventually morph into what the World Council of Churches has called "a national charter for peace and living together."_ _Today the Kenyan government confirmed that the leaders of both DRC and Rwanda will be attending an emergency conference in the next two days with the hope of bringing the conflict to an end._ ________________________________ _*'I Found the Truth': These Ex-Muslim Women Found Freedom After Supernatural Visits from Jesus*_ _*Amanda Gross*_ 02-10-2025 _Women's rights – or the stark absence of them – within Islam have sparked heated debates for centuries. Yet, the issue reached a boiling point in September 2022, when the tragic death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish-Iranian woman, shocked the world._ _Arrested by Iranian authorities for allegedly wearing "improper clothing," Amini was brutally beaten in a police van, taken to a detention center where she collapsed and, just three days later, succumbed to her injuries._ _Her death ignited a wave of protests across Iran, as women defiantly took to the streets, raising their hijabs like banners, chanting "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" ("Woman, Life, Freedom"). The phrase echoed not just through Tehran but across the globe, as the world bore witness to a courageous uprising that demanded not just change but an entire shift in the fight for gender equality in the Islamic world._ _Three former Muslim women gathered to dive deep into these issues in a powerful Roundtable discussion on a new program by "I Found the Truth". It's a ministry committed to sharing powerful stories of how Jesus is revealing Himself to Muslims worldwide through supernatural encounters like dreams and visions._ _The new "I Found the Truth" Roundtable series creates a space for raw, honest conversation. Among the women were two Iranian-Americans who shared their personal journeys of seeking truth and confronting the harsh inequalities they faced as women within Islam. Yasra Larki, one of the women at the table, recalled how she was just nine years old when she was forced to start wearing the hijab in Iran – taught that even as a little girl, she was a temptation to men and thus must veil herself._ _Larki reflected on the deep emotional struggle of being treated as less than human, as inferior to men. "I feel like when I look back, one of the hardest things I faced was knowing I didn't have the same rights as men," she shared. "It was like always being seen as less, as not worthy. Like a second-class human. Even in families, when a boy is born, there's so much celebration. But when a girl is born, it's not the same excitement. It's just so sad."_ _Larki was joined on the Roundtable set by Nikta Musselwhite, who was also born in Iran but immigrated to America when she was seven. After becoming dissatisfied with a life of drugs and New Age practices and being tormented every waking second, her mom sent her to Iran on a vacation to visit her extended Muslim family._ _While in Iran, she saw Jesus standing in a blue robe in a church in her dream, and He said, "Follow Me" to Nikta. She Googled Jesus because she wanted to know if it was the Jesus of Christianity she saw in her dream. She eventually gave her life to Jesus and faced persecution from her Muslim family._ _Samira Marikh hosts the women's roundtable discussion. Marikh hails from the Netherlands, but her family is from Morocco. Marikh came to the Lord after a scary encounter at 29. She was lying in bed, and all of a sudden, a severe heat came over her whole body. She thought that she was going to die. She cried out "God, if you save me, I will do whatever You want." A light filled the whole room, and the fire stopped._ _When she woke up the next day, there was a peace she had never felt before, and it began a journey of searching for the truth. After eight months of reading the Bible and the Quran and trying New Age practices, Samira found the truth. She heard the voice of Jesus say "Samira, you can stop with this whole research, it's Me that you've been looking for your whole life. The emptiness and longing you've been trying to fill with earthly stuff, it's Me you've been looking for." A wave of God's love came over her, and she began to know Him more and more._ _You can hear more of Samira and Nikta's salvation stories on another episode of the Roundtable series entitled "What Made These Muslims Choose Jesus?"_ ___________________________ _*"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is ruth."* John 17:17_