_*Sunday 16 February 2025*_ _*TODAY'S DEVOTION: SUNDAY EDITION*_ _*CONTENTS*_ _• *Just A Little Laugh*_ _• *Today's Quote*_ _• *Today's Word*_ _• *New Believer's Prayer*_ _• *'Search The Scriptures': FAQ*_ _• Streams In The Desert: A Kids’ Devotional*_ _• *Christian News Around The World*_ __________________________ _*Just A Little Laugh*_ _*God Grants a Wish*_ _A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer when all of a sudden he said aloud, "Lord grant me one wish". The sky clouded and a booming voice said, "Because you have tried to be faithful I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want to."_ _The Lord answered, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the logistics of that kind of undertaking; the supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific; the concrete and steel it would take. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time to think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me"._ _The man thought for a long time and finally said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand women. I want to know what they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say 'nothing', and how I can make a woman truly happy?"_ _After a few minutes God said, "How many lanes do you want on that bridge?"_ __________________________ _*Today's Quote*_ _"Replace what you don't know about the future with what you do know about God!" ~ *Christine Caine*_ __________________________ _*Today's Word*_ _*As Human As We Are*_ _*Greg Laurie*_ _*“Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!”* —James 5:17_ _The showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 is one of the most triumphant scenes in the Old Testament. One man of God versus 450 false prophets in a winner-take-all contest to determine whose God was the true God of Israel._ _The rules were simple. Elijah built one altar and placed his sacrifice of a bull on it. The false prophets built another altar and placed their sacrifice of a bull on it. The god who sent fire to burn his sacrifice would be declared the true God._ _The false prophets went first. They prayed for hours, begging their god to respond. They worked themselves into a frenzy. They cut themselves, hoping their blood would get Baal’s attention. But nothing happened._ _When Elijah’s turn came, he instructed people to pour water on his altar until it and the ground around it were flooded. He wanted to make it impossible, in human terms, for his altar to ignite. And then he prayed. And God sent fire from Heaven that consumed Elijah’s sacrifice and altar, as well as the ground around it._ _The Lord left no doubt as to who the true God of Israel was. Yet Jezebel, the queen of Israel, stubbornly refused to acknowledge Him. When she heard what had happened, she sent word to Elijah that he would be killed the next day._ _Like that would scare a prophet of the one true God. A man who’d just played a role in God’s miraculous display of power. A guy who literally had just come down from a mountaintop experience. A man brimming with confidence and courage, knowing that he enjoyed the protection and blessing of God._ _First Kings 19:3–4 describes Elijah’s memorable response this way: “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. . . . He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die” (NLT)._ _Wait . . . what? Why? The simple answer can be found in the passage from James 5 above: “Elijah was as human as we are.”_ _People tend to put spiritual leaders—teachers, preachers, evangelists, podcasters, influencers—on pedestals. Oh, they’re so spiritual. They never get down. They never struggle with depression or anxiety like I do. Every day is great for them. Not true. Every spiritual leader you admire is just as human as you are and struggles with vulnerabilities and weak moments, just as you do._ _The devil knows that the most vulnerable time for many Christians—leaders and laypeople alike—is right after a spiritual victory. Maybe you’ve experienced that. Maybe you took a bold step of faith to do something for God’s glory, and it went well. But immediately afterward you faced a spiritual attack. Maybe your marriage foundered. Or your kids turned from Christ instead of to Him. I’ve experienced these attacks. Waves of depression have hit me after great spiritual victories, such as any crusade we’ve ever done._ _Don’t focus on your emotions. Focus on God. Remember, you’re not as good or as bad as people think you are. You’re God’s servant. Just do your job. Give Him the glory and keep moving, whether you’re a leader or a layperson._ _If you’re married, you and your spouse can work together to keep one another on an even spiritual keel. You can lift up one another or gently keep one another grounded, as necessary._ _Understanding that leaders are as human as you are helps you resist the urge to put them on pedestals. It helps you be more realistic about your expectations for them. It helps you empathize with their responsibilities._ _Perhaps most importantly, though, it encourages you to pray for them. The best thing you can do for the spiritual leaders in your life is to ask God to give them the strength, compassion, wisdom, discernment, and patience they need to accomplish God’s work._ _*Questions for Reflection:* What prayer requests will you take to God on behalf of the spiritual leaders in your life?_ 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, celebrate as 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, we encourage you to look for a Bible believing church near you, and hear more about your new found freedom in Christ._ ____________________________ _*'SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES'*_ _*FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS*_ _*Question:* What does it mean that they have their reward in Matthew 6:5?_ _*Answer:* Matthew 6:1–18 is part of the Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount. In this segment, Jesus focuses on the heart motives of faithful followers, contrasting them with those of hypocritical religious pretenders. The Lord highlights three areas of devotion: giving (verses 1–4), prayer (verses 5–15), and fasting (verses 16–18). Regarding prayer, Jesus teaches, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (verses 5–6, NKJV)._ _True spiritual devotion comes from a heartfelt desire to please God rather than to be recognized by others. Many of the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day were religious pretenders who loved to stand up and pray in the synagogue or on busy street corners so that everyone passing by would see them praying. They were looking for a reward; they wanted their spiritual acts to be seen: “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’” (Matthew 23:5–7, NLT)._ _In the original language, the word translated as “reward” in Matthew 6:5 refers to a payment, such as wages. Jesus states that the hypocrites already have their reward. They immediately get what they have worked for—the praise and recognition of others. Apart from an earthly moment of glory, they receive no other reward for their supposed acts of righteousness. They miss out on God’s eternal blessings._ _Jesus isn’t saying we should never stand up in church and pray. He’s not forbidding public prayer. Instead, He wants us to consider our reasons for praying. Is our purpose in prayer to love and please Him? Are we motivated by our desire to live in communion with the heavenly Father? Or are we trying to be seen as super-spiritual and gain public approval?_ _God sees the heart and knows what kind of reward we seek (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 139:1–4; 44:21; Proverbs 24:12; John 2:24–25; Hebrews 4:13; 1 John 3:20). He recognizes those who genuinely love Him and those who are religious pretenders._ _God wants followers who are concerned only with His approval. The Lord has heavenly rewards reserved for them (Proverbs 11:18; Matthew 6:1; 10:42). God rewards faithful service (1 Corinthians 3:12–15; Colossians 3:23–24; Mark 9:41). He blesses those who obey Him (Deuteronomy 28:1–2; Psalm 19:9–11; 62:12; James 1:25) and do good (Romans 2:6–11; Ephesians 6:8)._ _The Bible says, “We will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:7–9, NLT). The Lord Himself is the believer’s greatest reward (Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalm 73:26; Revelation 21:3)._ _When we give to the Lord, pray, and fast, we must make sure our hearts are right. We don’t perform these good deeds to call attention to ourselves. People who practice their righteous acts with the wrong motive—to gain a public reputation for piety—have their reward. They earn the praise of humans and nothing more. Living for such fleshly pursuits is foolish because human glory quickly fades; it will not last into eternity (1 Peter 1:24; James 1:10–11)._ ___________________________ _*Christian News Around The World*_ _*Congo Catholic delegation meets rebel leader as forces advance*_ _*Fri 14 Feb 2025*_ _*Reuters Journalist*_ _Representatives of Congo's powerful Catholic church met on Wednesday with a rebel leader whose Rwandan-backed M23 forces last month seized Goma, the biggest city in the country's east, and have continued advancing south._ _The meeting in Goma comes as the rebel leader, Corneille Nangaa, tries to assert himself as the public face of politicians and rebel groups opposing Democratic Republic of Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi._ _Nangaa's Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), which sees M23 as its military wing, has controlled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, since late January and on Tuesday threatened to renew its advance on Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province._ _Two United Nations sources and South Kivu's provincial governor said on Wednesday that M23 now controlled the town of Ihusi, west of Lake Kivu between Goma and Bukavu._ _"We have been informed that Ihusi has been taken by the enemies," Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki said, adding that Congolese forces were staging a counter-attack._ _Bukavu and the strategic town of Kavumu, 35 km to the north, where the airport is located, remain under the control of Congo's army, which has the support of pro-government militia and troops from neighbouring Burundi._ _A Catholic official who did not wish to be identified said over the weekend that the aim of meeting Nangaa was in part to push for a format for dialogue acceptable to all parties._ _After the meeting, Donatien Nshole, secretary-general of the Catholic bishops conference, said church officials pushed for the reopening of Goma's airport and port and requested a ceasefire._ _Tshisekedi's office said on X on Wednesday that the president had separately met various religious leaders and was open to the Catholic church's outreach, provided it was "inclusive"._ _*REGIONAL WAR AT STAKE*_ _M23's stop-start advance and the possibility of a battle for Bukavu have stoked fears of a broader conflict with armies from regional countries pitted against each other, as seen in previous wars between 1996 and 2003._ _Rwanda has been accused by Congo, the United Nations and several Western countries of supporting the rebels with thousands of its own troops and weapons._ _Rwanda has neither confirmed nor denied that its troops are operating across the border, but says it is acting in self-defence._ _Rwandan carrier RwandAir said on Wednesday it had rerouted affected flight paths after Congo closed its airspace to Rwanda-registered aircraft._ _The resurgence of the conflict in eastern Congo has killed thousands of people since early 2022 and displaced more than 1 million._ _Tentative calm has returned to Goma, the U.N. said on Tuesday, though thousands of uprooted civilians were leaving displacement camps around the city._ _M23, who have sought to restore order and show they can govern, said on Sunday that camps for displaced people should be vacated within 72 hours. They later clarified that such moves should be voluntary._ __________________________ _*"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth."* John 17:17_