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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Science recognises the power of prayer (3)
23 JULY 2022

‘Pray one for another, that ye may be healed.’
James 5:16 KJV

Paul writes, ‘Instead of worrying…shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down’ (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG). Here are three final thoughts on the power of prayer:

1) Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan found that when prayer and religious practices are important to people, their stress levels plummet and they experience much less anxiety.

2) University of Texas researchers determined that people who regularly attend church take a more active role in maintaining their health. They’re more likely to get regular check-ups and take vitamins, and less likely to abuse alcohol and tobacco. They also tend to exercise daily and get a good night’s sleep. Consequently, they live longer, healthier lives. The Bible says your body is the home of the Holy Spirit…it doesn’t belong to you (see 1 Corinthians 6:19), so you must respect and take care of it.

3) Research on Aging published study results from three major universities showing that people who hold meaningful religious beliefs and live accordingly are less likely to suffer from heart disease. The key lies in the critical role of blood pressure and heart disease. People who described their perspective as, ‘My religious beliefs are what lie behind my approach to life,’ had healthier blood pressure readings and weren’t negatively affected when they experienced stress.

It’s important to note that all these research reports were published by secular, non-religious institutions. The truth is, daily prayer enriches and enhances every aspect of your life.

Esther 9-10, Romans 12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Three ‘Cheers’
24 JULY 2022

‘Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’q
John 16:33 KJV

In the mid-eighties, Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as ‘Moz’, dominated the British rock charts. Known for his melancholy as much as for his music, Morrissey’s songs had predominantly depressive themes. They dwelled on fractured relationships, lonely nightclubs, and the hopeless weight of the past. In short, Morrissey was a singer who lived a cheerless life in a minor key.

How different from the life Jesus called his followers to live! On three different occasions He encouraged his disciples to ‘be of good cheer’. Bible teacher Philip De Courcy calls them ‘the three cheers of the New Testament’. The first reason to be cheerful is because your sins are forgiven and forgotten in Christ (see Matthew 9:2). Because of Calvary, your faults and failings will never be used in judgment against you (see John 5:24).

The second reason to be cheerful is because we’re not fighting for victory but from the vantage point of victory. ‘In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33 NKJV).

And the third reason to cheer is because Jesus will be with you no matter what life throws at you or who comes against you. Like the terrified disciples on board a storm-tossed boat, He will be there when you need Him. You have His word on it: ‘They were troubled…But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid”’ (Matthew 14:26-27 NKJV).

Peace isn’t the absence of storms. It’s knowing Christ is with us and ‘nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God…in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:39 NLT).



Luke 14:1-24, Psalms 77-78

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Give it your all
25 JULY 2022

‘I will go…And if I perish, I perish.’
Esther 4:16 NIV

Esther, a Jewish girl married to a pagan king, broke with long-standing tradition, marched into her husband’s throne room, spoke her mind, and rescued her people from annihilation. One girl saved a nation because she was willing to put everything on the line. Are you feeling inadequate today? Are you thinking, ‘Someone else should be doing this job instead of me’? Then read these words written by clergyman Edward Everett Hale: ‘I am only one; but still I am one. I can’t do everything; but still I can do something: and because I can’t do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do.’

How many people did it take to rescue the dying man on the Jericho Road? One Good Samaritan. How many people did it take to confront Pharaoh and lead the exodus out of Egypt? One man, Moses. A respected leadership expert writes: ‘God has put a dream inside you. It’s yours and no one else’s. It declares your uniqueness. It holds your potential. Only you can give birth to it. Only you can live it. Not to discover it, take responsibility for it and act upon it is to negatively affect yourself as well as all those who would benefit from your dream.’ Poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, ‘For all sad words of tongue and pen; the saddest are these, “It might have been.”’

In your twilight years, will you look back and feel like you’ve spent your life struggling to fulfil other people’s expectations? Or know that you lived it to the fullest by striving to fulfil your God-given dream? Think about it now, while there’s still time to change direction.



Job 1-2, Romans 13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


Zip it!
26 JULY 2022

‘They…spend their time gossiping…meddling in other people’s business.’
1 Timothy 5:13 NLT[/u]

The Bible says gossip is nothing less than ‘meddling in other people’s business’. Jon Zens says: ‘I have watched friends and…families suffer untold pain because of gossip…[the] information someone dumps on you without your consent and consent of the person [involved]. [It] can be true, partially true, or completely false. It can be motivated by good intentions, but it always contains negative…information…[and colours] people’s perceptions of [someone] unjustly. The person being torn down is out of the loop [because] talebearers usually avoid speaking directly to the one they are demeaning.’

One Christian leader said, ‘The Christian army is the only one that shoots its wounded.’ So set the standard for your own life by evaluating people based on your experience with them, not on what somebody else says. Second-hand information is notoriously unreliable and misleading, and it violates Christ’s command to ‘treat people the…way you want them to treat you’ (Matthew 7:12 NASB). When you have been hurt by tittle-tattle, you can relate to the wisdom of those words. Rumours and innuendos may seem innocent and come to you subtly, but even if someone isn’t operating in malice, their motive is irrelevant. Spreading gossip defies walking in love and looking ‘for the best’ in others (1 Corinthians 13:7 MSG).

A.W. Tozer said, ‘Never pass anything on…that will hurt [somebody]. “Love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV), and the talebearer has no place in God’s favour. If you know something that would hurt one of God’s children…take it out…bury it and say, “Here lies in peace the story about my brother.” God will take care of it.’

Job 3-4, Romans 14

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Let God’s peace be your yardstick
27 JULY 2022

‘The peace of God…will guard your hearts and your minds.’
Philippians 4:7 NIV

You can have peace today regardless of your circumstances: ‘The Lord of peace Himself [will] grant you His peace…at all times and in all ways [under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes]’ (2 Thessalonians 3:16 AMPC). Think about it: God has no worries or problems because He controls everything. And as you learn to trust Him, ‘the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and…minds in Christ’.

One Christian author put it like this: ‘If you lived in a town constantly harassed by enemy raids, one option for the military would be to send troops to actually live beside you. They wouldn’t just provide protection during an attack, they would dissuade the enemy from launching future attacks. This is the implication in Philippians 4:7. The Holy Spirit has set up a garrison [a stronghold…a defence army…an occupying force] within us. And God’s garrison of peace will indwell your heart and mind, protecting you, and healing the wounds of worry and fear that threaten to invade your life. It’s the kind of peace that transcends human understanding because it’s God-powered and Spirit-connected. “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2 NIV).’

Are there areas in your life where you lack peace? Give them to God. The psalmist said, ‘He speaks peace to his faithful people’ (Psalm 85:8 NLT). Diane Eble observes, ‘When God speaks, peace is the message…never settle for any course that’s not characterised by peace…it’s not God.’

Job 5-7, Romans 15:1-13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

It’s an inside job (1)
28 JULY 2022

‘He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.’
John 14:16 KJV

Remember dinner without mobile phones, voice mail, texts, and brain overload? Friends and family enjoying each other’s company, uninterrupted by technology? We’re a generation that’s losing the art of communication and intimacy – and it’s impacting the time we spend alone with God.

Although Jesus preceded the high-tech age, He was in constant demand; multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us: ‘A great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed’ (Mark 1:35 KJV). Jesus made time to be alone with His Father.

It requires spiritual discipline to eliminate life’s noise and racket and be still and listen. But if you practise it, you will discover a heart-satisfying intimacy and fellowship with God. Invest a few minutes reading John chapters 14-16, and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message. Notice, He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they’re never left alone. These are blessings He wants you to share too.

So, how can you find this peace and comfort? Answer: ‘It’s an inside job,’ because the Holy Spirit lives in you. Jesus told His disciples, ‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.’ It may be Christianity’s best-kept secret, that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and is available to provide everything we need to handle life’s difficulties. The Comforter was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He is ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace, and follow His unfailing guidance.



Job 8-10, Romans 15:14-33

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

It’s an inside job (2)
29 JULY 2022

‘It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.’
John 16:7 NKJV

Even as the disciples’ hearts ached about Jesus’ departure, He assured them it was to their advantage because it would bring them a new era of power and authority (see John 14:12). Being ‘under new management’ wasn’t the end but a continuation of Christ’s ministry as the Holy Spirit took the baton from the Son’s hand and placed it in theirs. The Son would leave, but the Spirit would ‘abide with [them] for ever’ (John 14:16 KJV). This was their ‘advantage’. The Spirit would enter their human bodies and live permanently in them!

This is no tentative, vague connection. It’s God’s Spirit choosing us as His permanent dwelling place. Have you ever considered the advantage this gives you? For example, you might awake tomorrow feeling stressed, weary, and irritated, and, humanly speaking, these feelings could easily dictate your day. But because the Spirit lives in you, these things don’t have to control you.

Paul writes, ‘Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?’ (1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV). Once you accept that promise by faith, you become God’s temple. You can be at work, driving the kids to school, walking the dog, waiting for biopsy results, or attending the funeral of your best friend, and as you go about your everyday life, God’s Spirit is living in you. Can you see now why Jesus told the disciples it was good for Him to leave and send the Holy Spirit? Whatever you do, don’t let this life-changing truth slide by you!

Job 11-12, Romans 16

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

It’s an inside job (3)
30 JULY 2022

‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.’
John 14:16 KJV

In the New Testament account, Jesus told his disciples, ‘I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.’ The Greek source for the word ‘Comforter’ is Parakletos, which means ‘one who comes alongside’ to strengthen, encourage, and advise you.

How good is that? When you feel discouraged, confused, and powerless, you have access to a wise, compassionate, competent helper who will show up to support you and supply you with what you need. So instead of struggling to go it alone, learn to lean on Him, draw on His power, and trust Him to do His mighty work in you.

Paul also tells us, ‘He [the Holy Spirit] will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to’ (Galatians 5:16 TLB). The battle of the Spirit versus the flesh is unrelenting. And our fleshly nature can never be subdued by human thinking; that just produces defeat and discouragement. What’s the answer? The Holy Spirit ‘will tell you where to go and what to do’.

And here is another wonderful benefit the indwelling Holy Spirit will bring you: ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God’ (Romans 8:14 KJV). Praying and taking your best guess isn’t God’s way. The Holy Spirit’s guidance – not our guesswork – should direct our lifestyle. So, the word for today is – remember ‘it’s an inside job’.

Job 14-16, 1 Corinthians 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

It’s an inside job (4)
31 JULY 2022

‘The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.’
Romans 8:26 NLT

The twin pillars of a believer’s daily life should be prayer and Scripture. But, while praying may be simple, it’s not always easy. We lack motivation, we’re easily distracted, and we are not always sure what we should be praying for. So, recognising our human inadequacies, God provides help for us in the form of the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes: ‘The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father…knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us…in harmony with God’s own will’ (vv. 26-27 NLT). That means, no matter how you feel when you pray, the Holy Spirit is in prayer with you and for you, transforming your feeblest prayers into powerful appeals to the Father.

And when it comes to the second pillar, namely the Word of God, the Holy Spirit’s role is equally dynamic. Jesus said, ‘When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come’ (John 16:13 KJV).

Note, the Holy Spirit does three things. 1) He guides us as we study the Word of God and seek to understand it. 2) He takes what Jesus wants us to know and reveals it to us. 3) He opens our understanding about things that are still to come. No question, good reference books, Scripture-based resources, and skilled Bible teachers are necessary and helpful, but they’re no substitute when it comes to hearing from the Holy Spirit for yourself and listening carefully to what He wants to tell you.

Luke 14:25-35, Psalms 79-80

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Hello, AUGUST!!!





Wishing all
our followers, guests, and lovers,
and most especially
THE MEMBERS of this
ministries, DREAMSTORCHLIGHT
a blessed, glorious, fulfilling,
God-visitation, and unusual
testimonies and miracles
AUGUST in Jesus' mighty name!

AMEN


TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You are commanded to love (1)
01 AUGUST 2022

‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.’
John 13:34 NKJV

Love is almost certainly the most misunderstood word in the world. We dilute its meaning by overuse: ‘I love my wife, I love my country, I love pizza.’ Giving and receiving love is difficult when we don’t even comprehend what it is. So we need to clear up a couple of misconceptions. We think love is a feeling – a sentimental knot in your stomach. True love does create feelings, but it is more than a feeling.

A second misconception is that love is uncontrollable. Have you ever said, ‘I fell in love’ – as if you had stumbled? We say, ‘I can’t help it if I’m in love,’ or the opposite, ‘I can’t help it; I just don’t love him (or her) anymore.’ The fact that Jesus commands us to love one another means that we do have control over whom we love and whom we do not.

Love, at its core, is two things. First, love is a matter of choice. ‘Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity’ (Colossians 3:14 NIV). Notice those two small words, ‘put on’. Like you choose the clothes you wear each day, you choose the attitude you will display. So, love is controllable.

Second, love is a matter of behaviour. ‘Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth’ (1 John 3:18 NIV). It works like this: when you reach out towards someone with genuine love and concern, your feelings towards that person change. And even if they don’t return your love, God is pleased with you. That’s reward enough.

Job 17-19, 1 Corinthians 2