Rutashubanyuma
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New administration under Samia Suluhu gives hope after 5 years of hopelessness
New administration under Samia Suluhu gives hope after 5 years of hopelessness
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The Power of Prayer
Archbishop Justin Welby and Pete Greig (founder of 24-7 Prayer) have launched an initiative calling hundreds of thousands of Christians, of many churches and denominations to a great wave of prayer for the evangelisation of the nations during the week before Pentecost Sunday. The week culminates in beacon events in packed cathedrals and churches around the world over the Pentecost weekend. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, asked people to pray for three things: ‘That all Christians find new life in Jesus Christ… That all those you meet… might see something of Jesus… For the church to overflow with the reality of the presence of Jesus.’
Pete Grieg has described it as ‘a groundswell; a movement from the grassroots up’. He said he had been very moved to hear of one boy who’d prayed for five friends, three of whom had since become Christians!
Prayer is spiritual nutrition. Just as the body needs physical food, so the soul needs spiritual food. Prayer changes us. However, the Bible goes much further than this. Prayer is powerful. It is, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.’ Prayer has the power to change circumstances, other people and even the course of history.
Archbishop Justin Welby and Pete Greig (founder of 24-7 Prayer) have launched an initiative calling hundreds of thousands of Christians, of many churches and denominations to a great wave of prayer for the evangelisation of the nations during the week before Pentecost Sunday. The week culminates in beacon events in packed cathedrals and churches around the world over the Pentecost weekend. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, asked people to pray for three things: ‘That all Christians find new life in Jesus Christ… That all those you meet… might see something of Jesus… For the church to overflow with the reality of the presence of Jesus.’
Pete Grieg has described it as ‘a groundswell; a movement from the grassroots up’. He said he had been very moved to hear of one boy who’d prayed for five friends, three of whom had since become Christians!
Prayer is spiritual nutrition. Just as the body needs physical food, so the soul needs spiritual food. Prayer changes us. However, the Bible goes much further than this. Prayer is powerful. It is, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.’ Prayer has the power to change circumstances, other people and even the course of history.
Rutashubanyuma
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Proverbs 15:21-30
Prayer changes circumstances
God ‘closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people’ (v.29, MSG). Your prayers can make a difference to what happens. ‘The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous’ (v.29). According to the writer of Proverbs, righteousness means keeping ‘a straight course’ (v.21), listening to advice (v.22) and maintaining purity in our thoughts (v.26). It means responding to people with ‘prayerful answers’ (v.28, MSG). Through Jesus, all who believe ‘are righteous’ (Romans 3:22). Therefore, God hears your prayers.
Prayer and careful planning are not opposed to each other. As well as talking with God, it is wise to get advice from others: ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisors they succeed’ (v.22).
You will bring blessing wherever you go: ‘The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones’ (v.30, AMP).
Lord, thank you for the many times you have heard and answered my prayers. Lord, today I pray…
Prayer changes circumstances
God ‘closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people’ (v.29, MSG). Your prayers can make a difference to what happens. ‘The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous’ (v.29). According to the writer of Proverbs, righteousness means keeping ‘a straight course’ (v.21), listening to advice (v.22) and maintaining purity in our thoughts (v.26). It means responding to people with ‘prayerful answers’ (v.28, MSG). Through Jesus, all who believe ‘are righteous’ (Romans 3:22). Therefore, God hears your prayers.
Prayer and careful planning are not opposed to each other. As well as talking with God, it is wise to get advice from others: ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisors they succeed’ (v.22).
You will bring blessing wherever you go: ‘The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones’ (v.30, AMP).
Lord, thank you for the many times you have heard and answered my prayers. Lord, today I pray…
Rutashubanyuma
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1 Kings 14:21-16:7
Prayer changes history
Of course, prayer does not change the past, but it can change the future course of events.
The history of the people of God as set out in the book of Kings is rather mixed. We read constantly of how the people of God ‘did evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (14:22; 15:26,34; 16:7). They committed sins (for example, 14:22b; 15:26,30,34; 16:2). They had shrine-prostitutes (14:24a); they engaged in detestable practices (v.24b); there was continual warfare between Israel and Judah (v.30; 15:6,32). The kings were often not ‘fully devoted to the Lord’ (v.3).
There were notable exceptions such as Asa (15:9–24). He ‘conducted himself well before God, reviving the ways of his ancestor David. He cleaned house…’ (vv.11–12a, MSG).
In the middle of all this, there is a fascinating comment: ‘Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life – except in the case of Uriah the Hittite’ (vv.4–6).
David was having an impact long after his death. God honoured his prayers for generations.
God had said to David, ‘Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever’ (2 Samuel 7:16). David had prayed, ‘And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, “The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!” And the house of your servant David will be established before you’ (vv.25–26).
The Lord heard David’s prayer. The impact of David’s prayer was to change the course of history. David had lived a righteous life (‘except in the case of Uriah the Hittite’). However, the New Testament tells us that every person that believes in Jesus is in a better position than David was. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are righteous before God. God hears the prayers of the righteous. So, because of Jesus, your prayers also can change the course of history.
Lord, would you turn our city and our country back to you. I pray that you will raise up leaders and politicians, fully devoted to you, who will get rid of evil and bring peace and justice to our world.
Prayer changes history
Of course, prayer does not change the past, but it can change the future course of events.
The history of the people of God as set out in the book of Kings is rather mixed. We read constantly of how the people of God ‘did evil in the eyes of the Lord’ (14:22; 15:26,34; 16:7). They committed sins (for example, 14:22b; 15:26,30,34; 16:2). They had shrine-prostitutes (14:24a); they engaged in detestable practices (v.24b); there was continual warfare between Israel and Judah (v.30; 15:6,32). The kings were often not ‘fully devoted to the Lord’ (v.3).
There were notable exceptions such as Asa (15:9–24). He ‘conducted himself well before God, reviving the ways of his ancestor David. He cleaned house…’ (vv.11–12a, MSG).
In the middle of all this, there is a fascinating comment: ‘Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life – except in the case of Uriah the Hittite’ (vv.4–6).
David was having an impact long after his death. God honoured his prayers for generations.
God had said to David, ‘Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever’ (2 Samuel 7:16). David had prayed, ‘And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, “The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!” And the house of your servant David will be established before you’ (vv.25–26).
The Lord heard David’s prayer. The impact of David’s prayer was to change the course of history. David had lived a righteous life (‘except in the case of Uriah the Hittite’). However, the New Testament tells us that every person that believes in Jesus is in a better position than David was. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are righteous before God. God hears the prayers of the righteous. So, because of Jesus, your prayers also can change the course of history.
Lord, would you turn our city and our country back to you. I pray that you will raise up leaders and politicians, fully devoted to you, who will get rid of evil and bring peace and justice to our world.
Rutashubanyuma
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Pippa Adds
Solomon may have been the wisest man in the whole world but it seems that he did not do a good job of parenting. He should have applied the proverb that he may well have written, ‘Train children in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it’ (Proverbs 22:6).
Solomon may have been the wisest man in the whole world but it seems that he did not do a good job of parenting. He should have applied the proverb that he may well have written, ‘Train children in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it’ (Proverbs 22:6).
Rutashubanyuma
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Verse of the Day
’Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household’ (Acts 16:31).
’Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household’ (Acts 16:31).
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References
Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 12: 1866: The Ravens' Cry, delivered on Sunday evening, 14 January 1866 by C. H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright [emoji2398] 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified[emoji2400] Bible, Copyright [emoji2398] 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright [emoji2398] 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 12: 1866: The Ravens' Cry, delivered on Sunday evening, 14 January 1866 by C. H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright [emoji2398] 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified[emoji2400] Bible, Copyright [emoji2398] 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright [emoji2398] 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
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Schools are killing creativity by emphasising in peered papers
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End capital punishment
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