Author: dennisconrad

Categories
Accused

Accused!

Accused!

Have you ever been accused of doing something wrong?

It happened to me when I was taking a college English class.

One assignment called for defining words and terms related to a topic of my choosing. I immediately knew what I wanted to write about: the terms related to speech and debate.

Why? I attended the University of Kansas Summer Debate Institute between my junior and senior years of high school. By the time I graduated from Los Angeles High School, I had earned the National Forensic League’s Double Ruby designation for competitive speaking. It so happened I was also on the university’s speech team.

I turned in my paper, and left class confident I had done my best work.

A few class meetings later, the teacher handed back the papers. I had high expectations.

The teacher gave back my paper, and that is when I saw the red “F.” There was also a note about plagiarism.

I was stunned. I scheduled a time to meet with the teacher during her office hours.

Later that afternoon, I went to the speech team’s office and met the head speech coach, John Tagg. I told him what happened, and asked him to read my English paper.

Right then, he sat down and typed a letter explaining that I knew all of the terms I wrote about in my paper.

Within a few days, I met with my English teacher, and when I showed her the letter, she changed my grade to an “A.”

Been accused? Pray. God can make a way.

Tell me what you think below and please join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Surrounded By Hostile Forces?

Surrounded By Hostile Forces?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who are surrounded by hostile forces.

Yes, the world is in turmoil. As American’s withdraw from Afghanistan, we need to know that the Lord is in control and prayer changes things. Look to Psalm 3:1-4 (ESV):

O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

Please be on your knees for American men and women in uniform.
Also pray for the protection of the people of Afghanistan.

Tell me what you think below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

People Believed?

People Believed?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who rejoice when hearing about God healing a man and bringing a woman back to life.

God used Peter to heal a man. Then God used him to bring a woman back to life.

We learn about the man in Acts 9:32-35 (ESV):

“Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.’ And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”

According to the notes to the English Standard Version of the Bible, the name Tabitha is an Aramaic name that is translated as Dorcas in Greek. The name means gazelle. This woman’s story is found in Acts 9. People were mourning her loss when Peter arrived. Acts 9:40-42 tells the rest of the story:

“But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

News spreads fast. Thank God for Peter’s ministry to those in need. Give thanks.

Tell me what you think below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Life in Jeopardy?

Life in Jeopardy?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who need a means of escape. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When Saul became a believer and started to defend Christ, his opponents decided to seek vengeance.

Luke describes what happened in Acts 9:23-25 (ESV):

“When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.”

Saul eluded capture. This incident is reminiscent of what happened in Joshua 2:15 when Rahab helped two spies flee Jericho by rope. In both cases, God provided a means of escape.

Pray for those believers who need to flee to safety.

Tell me what you think below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Used By God?

Used By God?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those whose lives are dramatically changed after encountering Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Paul experienced a complete turnaround. He went from persecuting the church to preaching Christ. It seems the more people challenged Saul, the more God used him to confound his opponents.

Luke tells how God used Saul in Acts 9:20-22 (ESV):

“And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?’ But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.”

The people knew of Saul’s reputation. When he became a believer and started to advocate for Jesus, some became angry.

Are you willing to defend the faith? George Duffield wrote the song,
“Stand up, stand up for Jesus Ye Soldiers of the Cross”:

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus
ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner,
it must not suffer loss.”

Is it time for you to stand up for Jesus?

Tell me what you think below.

Categories
Wisdom Prayer

Me? Help New Believers?

Me? Help New Believers?

I pray for wisdom for those God sends to help new believers.

Saul imprisoned believers and was there when Stephen was killed. As despicable as Saul was, God had a plan.

After Saul was blinded on the road to Damascus, Ananias, a man who was reluctant to deal with Saul because he knew his reputation, heard from the Lord.

We learn in Acts 9:15-19 (ESV):
“But the Lord said to him [Ananias], ‘Go, for he [Saul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.”

Even though Ananias was reticent, he was available to be used by God. Tend to shy away from helping new believers? Be open. Be willing to be used by God.

Tell me what you think below.