Nourish Your Heart

(My grandmother, Anna Daisy Siemens, wrote poetry and prose. This devotion was written and published for Devotions for the Deaf in 1994)

Hebrews 10:14 – For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Translations vary by calling ‘spur’ (NIV) provoke, encourage, arouse, and stir up. All these words suggest that Christians love and do good for others, especially in the church.

A young Israelite girl, captured to be h e his wife’s maid, suggested her master go to Elisha for a cure of his leprosy. (I King 5:2,3 – Solomon sent back this message to Hiram: “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet.) Barnabas, an encourager, led the Jerusalem church to accept Paul as a servant of Christ. (Acts 9:26 – When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.) He knew Paul no longer would persecute the church.

Grace, a provoker in a small group, stirred the church women to sew pajamas for a small orphanage. They made and gave quilts to burned out families and sewed layettes for missions.

We, too, can become provokers for God in our own circles. God bless them.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see and fulfill the needs of others.

(My grandmother, Anna Daisy Siemens, wrote poetry and prose. This devotion was written and published for Devotions for the Deaf in 1994)

II Timothy 2:16 – Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

Matthew explains that all words flow from our hearts — good and evil. “By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37 – For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.). Paul chided idle women who became gossips and busybodies (I Timothy 5:13 – Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.) and James, in his practical letter of Christianity says, “Our religion is worthless if we cannot control our tongues.” (James 1:26 - Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.)

Impetuous Peter had a tongue problem. It wagged before his brain was in gear. Jesus called him a stumbling block to his cause. (Matthew 16:23 – Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”) Although he confessed Jesus as the Christ and offered to build three shelter on the Mount, he denied Jesus three times.

If there is hope for this man, we too, can learn to control our tongues. How thankful we are that this Spirit-filled man points us to the morning star…in our hearts. (II Peter 1:19 – We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.)

Prayer: Lord, watch my heart and forgive me my sins so that my praises may always ring clear.

(My grandmother, Anna Daisy Siemens, wrote poetry and prose. This devotion was written and published for Devotions for the Deaf in 1994)

James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

David writes, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.” (Psalm 34:15). God does hear the prayers of his children. He heard Israel when they banded together for prayer in spite of their many sins. God repeatedly proved his love to them through answered prayers. The Bible provides may examples of how God hears our prayers.

The Pharisees threatened Peter and John with arrest and they they released them, they met with the church for prayer. The building shook with Spirit-Power after their prayers. No wonder they were bold to speak God’s Word.

If we pray together, our building may not shake, but we can discover the moving experience of prayer fellowship. It’s like window-peeking into each others soul as we grow in spirit. Prayer changes things!

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember to pray with others. Make my requests be filled with prayer. Help me to turn to you on every occasion.