April 16

Joshua 13:1-14:15, Luke 18:1-17, Psalm 85:1-13, Proverbs 13:7-8

Pray: We are the Easter people. Yet, we often live as if Jesus’ body is still in the grave by the way we engage in personal witness, and corporate ministry. What if we really believed that God would answer our prayers, that God’s passion to bring people back to Himself was far greater than ours and He is already trying to woo them through the Holy Spirit. How differently would we pray for our unchurched friends, for God’s revelation in our lives. Why not boldly ask God for a miracle in the life of an unchurched friend? Why not boldly ask God to do a “new thing” in your heart right now as you read the OYB?

Read: There is no greater servant of our Lord than Caleb. He is now 85 years old and he says that he is ready now more than ever to do battle for the Lord. He is also asking for a share of land that was promised him. Remember, it was Joshua and Caleb who believed that God could overcome the giants in the Promised Land when the majority of the spies doubted this possibility. If there is anyone you would want to be in your foxhole during battle, or a friend to stand by your side it would be Caleb. What is powerful is that his old friend Joshua blesses Caleb and gives him the land of Hebron. And the story closes with these wonderful words, “And the land had rest from war.” Conflict is not the absence of peace, indifference and apathy are.

Edify: She will not give up. Nor will she give into compliance when the Judge ignored her completely. He admitted that he didn’t fear God nor care about people but because of the woman’s persistence he gave her the justice she had begged for. Likewise, Jesus says that God will answer the cries of our heart. Now, what do you need right now? Have you persistently cried out to God about your need, believing that He wants to help you? Why not lift up your need or the person in your heart right now and believe God for more.

Practice: The Psalmist today gives us a powerful image that “Truth rises up from the earth.” Gravity pulls nearly everything down. Negative people want to hold you and me down. Persons who have never attained their dreams do not want to see you realize yours. Sad but true. Yet, the Psalmist tells us that God’s truth rises up from the earth and “righteousness and peace have kissed.” Trusting in our own truth is idolatry, but trusting in God’s eternal truth is life giving. Being righteous is not being perfect but seeking to have perfection as a goal while in our sinful nature. We need to purposefully attempt to be faithful to God each day, to love our neighbor and our Lord. This will allow “righteous smiles from heaven.”