Jeremiah 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Tomorrow evening begins the celebration of Shavuot. Most Christians might recognize this as the celebration of Pentecost in Acts 2. However, the very first Shavuot actually took place fifty days after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea about 1500 years before Acts was even written. It was on this day that the law was given on tablets of stone.

Interestingly, it was also fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus that Shavuot was celebrated again. But this time, the law of God was written upon the hearts of men, just as God promised through the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

Shavuot is both a celebration of the God's faithfulness in the early harvest and an anticipation of the abundance of the harvest yet to come. This day, a couple of thousand years ago, 3000 Jewish people came to faith in Messiah. The day will soon come when those for whom we've been weeping and petitioning God in prayer will come to know the Lord and all of Israel shall be saved!

Let's pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit today, and let's anticipate great things! Be praying for revelation for those we love who haven't yet seen the truth of the Lord. And please also be praying for the salvation of Israel! There's so much work to be done!

His nightmares began each day when he awoke. James Stegalls was nineteen. He was in Vietnam. Though he carried a small Gideon New Testament in his shirt pocket, he couldn't bring himself to read it. His buddies were cut down around him, terror was building within him, and God seemed far away. His twentieth birthday passed, then his twenty-first. At last, he felt he couldn't go on.

On February 26, 1968, he prayed for it all to end, and his heart told him he would die before dusk. Sure enough, his base came under attack that day and Jim heard a rocket coming straight toward him. Three seconds to live, he told himself, then two, then…

A friend shoved him into a grease pit, and he waited for the rocket to explode, but there was only surreal silence. The fuse malfunctioned.

For five hours James knelt in that pit, and finally his quivering hand reached into his shirt pocket and took out his Testament. Beginning with Matthew, he continued through the first 18 chapters.

"When I read Matthew 18:19-20," he said, "I somehow knew things would be alright."

Long after Jim returned home, as he visited his wife's grandmother, Mrs. Harris, she told him a night years before when she had awakened in terror. Knowing Jim was in Vietnam, she had sensed he was in trouble. She began praying for God to spare his life. Unable to kneel because of arthritis, she lay prone on the floor, praying and reading her Bible all night.

Just before dawn she read Matthew 18:19-20. Then she immediately called her Sunday school teacher, who got out of bed and went to Mrs. Harris' house where together they claimed the Lord's promise as they prayed for Jim until reassured by God's peace.

Having told Jim the story, Mrs. Harris opened her Bible to show him where she had marked the passage. In the margin were the words — "Jim, February 26, 1968."

I don't think we are nearly aware enough of how crucial our prayers are for the lost and hurting. Sometimes we don't get to see the fruit, but God hears and answers our prayers! Don't be discouraged today — keep lifting your voice in intercession and expect great things! There's so much work to be done!!

Devotional Source: Jim L. Stegall, "Hardly a Coincidence," Changed Lives: USA Testimonies.

Psalms 118:17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done.

A farmer and his friend went duck hunting. Eventually, they got to talking about the things of God, as they always would. "You're always talking about these battles you have with the devil," the farmer's friend said to him. "It's so silly – I mean, I'm not even a Christian and I've never experienced anything like that."

"Yes my friend," the wise farmer answered, "but if you shot two ducks — one was wounded and one was dead — which would you go after first?"

"Well," he said, "I guess I'd go after the wounded duck – I can always get the dead one later."

"Mmm-hmm," said the farmer, "The devil knows you're a dead duck."

For those of us who are walking with the Lord today, be encouraged! Our enemy knows that we have potential to do great things for God, and out of fear, he'll try anything to take us out. This is so very evident by the constant battle we all face.

Let's stand strong against the devil today! And rise up to the Lord's calling upon our lives! We will fight and we will WIN! Because if God is for us, who can be against us?! And you know it — there's still SO much work to be done!!

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

As we approach Shavuot this Sunday night, we're looking at the promise given 2000 years ago: that normal people will lead extraordinary lives; that disciples, who were terrified on the night of Yeshua's (Jesus) death, were transformed into bold saints of God; and that fishermen, tax collectors, and housewives – normal everyday people – became empowered, and turned the Roman Empire inside out and upside down!

In Acts 2, we read about the initial outpouring of the Spirit during Shavuot. Just a few chapters later the same saints who had been once filled to overflowing, sought to be refilled again [Acts 4]. It was not a one time experience, but rather a constant refilling of the Spirit which they needed to change their world. They repeatedly sought to be empowered to accomplish whatever task God assigned to them. They just kept going back, to the well that never runs dry, and so they kept getting filled – and refilled — and refilled again!

Don't ever become spiritually "satisfied"! Seek to be filled — once filled — seek to be refilled! And refilled again! How do we live in a constant state of revival? By always seeking MORE! In doing so, God will empower everyday folk like us to turn our world inside out and upside down!

Isaiah 62:6,7 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Yesterday Israel celebrated Yom Yerushalayim or Jerusalem Day. It marked the 45th year of the restoration of Jerusalem back into Israeli hands. Hundreds of thousands of tourists have come to participate in the various celebrations going on in this beautiful city today.

Why do you think Jerusalem is so significant? Let's look at a little of her legend and history.

According to Jewish legend, the earth was created from Jerusalem's center, from the foundational stone on the Temple Mount called the Eben Shetiyah. And thus, on the first day, legend says, God created light, and that light came forth from the Temple Mount and illuminated the entire world. Hmmm. Very interesting. Especially being that Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified, buried in and resurrected from Jerusalem, and He is the Light of the World. He not only departed Jerusalem, but the Bible says that His return will also be to this Holy City. It's no wonder that Jerusalem is constantly the focus of the news — it's the center of prophecy!

While we can see with our physical eyes, the restoration of the Land to her Rightful Owner, we also recognize there's much work to do in Israel spiritually. There are only about 10,000 Jewish believers out of 6 million Jews. We've barely touched the tip of the iceberg!

The Lord is strategically placing watchman throughout the world who will attentively watch and pray over Jerusalem and those of us in the Land preparing the way of the Lord. Please continue to pray — we need it!

1 Corinthians 2:4-5  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 

Most people have never heard of "Auntie Cooke", but I guarantee you that you'll get to know her in glory!  She arrived in Chicago in 1868 as a perfect stranger, but she immediately became involved in D.L. Moody's church when he was just thirty-one years old.  She described him years later, as a 'diamond in the rough', and someone who needed the divine unction and power.

During a camp meeting in 1871, she felt an intense burden to pray for Moody.  So, along with her friend, Miss Hawxhurst, Auntie Cooke began praying for him that he'd be filled with the anointing power of the Holy Spirit.  While Moody was unsure of this need, nevertheless, he asked the two ladies to meet with him every Friday afternoon and they began to earnestly pray.  Moody's hunger increased for the power of the Spirit and the Friday before the Great Chicago Fire, Ms. Cooke testified, "Mr. Moody's agony was so great that he rolled on the floor and in the midst of many tears and groans cried to God to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire."

It was shortly thereafter that Moody went to New York to raise funds for the rebuilding of the church that was destroyed in the fire.  While walking down Wall Street in New York, Moody was hit with power! In fact, Moody recalled how he cried, "Hold, Lord, it is enough!" Throughout his life, he reluctantly talked about that experience, but Moody testified how this was the turning point in his ministry.

Moody stated, "I went to preaching again, the sermons were not different; I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world."

The lasting legacy of D.L. Moody's ministry was connected to two ladies that you'll never read stories about (except maybe, here) — but whose own, lasting legacy is counted in glory!   Do you want to have a lasting legacy?  Become an intercessor!

As Shavuot approaches ever so quickly – let's spend time interceding for our pastors, evangelists, spiritual leaders, to have the fire of God upon them!  Power only comes through prayer – and without any power – how are we going to change the world?

Exodus 17:9-12 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

We've now received literally hundreds of emails from readers around the world who are lifting Israel and specifically the believers here, in prayer, and what an encouragement this outpouring of support has been to us.

When Israel was fighting Amalek, Moses stood on top of the hill overlooking the battle, with his hands lifted high, and as long as they were lifted, Israel prevailed. When his arms became weary and dropped down, the battle went to Amalek; so Aaron and Hur drew up alongside Moses and they lifted up his hands, keeping them raised until sundown, because Moses didn't have the strength within him to fight the battle alone.

Do you know a brother or sister who's been going through a rough time? Someone you know who really needs prayer? I'm sure we all do. So be an encouragement this weekend – lift your brother or sister in prayer, stand beside them, and help them through the battle. You never know how your help might affect a far greater spiritual battle they're involved in. And with so much work to be done, remember too, that he who refreshes will himself be refreshed!

Colossians 4:12-13 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Epraphras is not a name you hear much of. He was a member of the church in Colosse, and obviously a dear saint in the Lord. We know that he suffered imprisonment with Paul at one time. But the thing that really impresses me about this saint is what Paul wrote about him– he always labored fervently in prayer!

The intercessory work of the saint through prayer is the work behind the scenes, the silent ministry that the world knows little of, yet more powerful than any weapon on earth unleashing power from above that makes demons tremble!

This was a man with whom Paul must have been accustomed to praying, and clearly the apostle knew of his zeal from personal experience. But notice what Epaphras prayed for – that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God! That's my prayer for each one of our readers!

In this day and age, when you can feel the winds of spiritual warfare swirling all around – when faith will be tested to the extreme – my prayer is that you will stand perfect and complete in the will of God! With so much work to be done, and so many of us under severe attack, never neglect the power of prayer – for this silent ministry counts so much more than you may realize, not only here on earth– but also, where it really counts…in heaven!

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Tonight begins Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar year. Some of you may know that a lot of bad things have happened to the Jewish people on this date, the first of which was when the spies returned with an evil report of Israel, written about in Numbers 13 and 14. Both the first and the second Temple were destroyed on this exact day, hundreds of years apart. The Crusades began on this day in 1095. The Jews were expelled out of England on this day in 1290. They were expelled out of Spain and Portugal on this day in 1492. And these are just to name a few!

Although these may be days of mourning, we who know our Messiah shall not mourn for long. Joy awaits us in our Father's arms for eternity. And while we should all be looking forward to that, we need to be crying out for Israel at this time — especially with war on the horizon — that her eyes would be opened to the truth and the everlasting joy we can have in Him!

Read more Christian devotions on: Intercession, Israel, Joy, Prayer, Truth

In my first years serving the Lord, I was dedicated to serving with an inner city bus ministry in the heart of Baltimore. We would go door to door and offer "free Sunday morning babysitting" for their kids. If they agreed to let us take their kids to church, we would come and pick them up early every Sunday morning. Many times, the obvious change in their kids' lives would make a great impression and their parents would be moved to come out to the church as well — then they too would give their lives to the Lord! It was exciting to see whole families come to faith! The following story touched my heart, from Max Lucado's book, God Came Near.

Norman Geisler, as a child, went to a DVBS because he was invited by some neighbor children. He went back to the same church for Sunday School classes for 400 Sundays. Each week he was faithfully picked up by a bus driver. Week after week he attended church, but never made a commitment to Christ. Finally, during his senior year in High School, after being picked up for church over 400 times, he did commit his life to Christ. What if that bus driver had given up on Geisler at 395? What if the bus driver had said, "This kid is going nowhere spiritually, why waste any more time on him?

All of us could use some work on the area of faithfulness. We have a responsibility to win hearts for the Lord, yes, but not only to win them. We need to stick by these baby believers, faithfully pray for them, serve them to the best of our ability, help them along the way and not give up when the going gets tough!

Let's pray. Lord, help us to be the faithful people you desire us to be! We want to be shining stars for you, doing what you've called us to do and doing it with excellence! We give you our lives once again today and thank you for loving us the way you do. In Jesus precious Name, Amen.

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions.

A foreign soldier was brought before his commanding officer and accused of communicating with the enemy. He had been seen emerging from an area where their troops were known to patrol. The poor man summed up his defense in a few words, stating that he had slipped away to spend an hour alone in prayer. "Have you been in the habit of spending an hour in private prayer?" demanded the officer. "Yes, Sir," he replied. "Well" said his commander, "never in your life have you been in more need of prayer than right now. Kneel down and pray aloud so that we all may hear you."

Expecting cruel punishment, maybe even death, the soldier dropped to his knees and poured out his heart to God. His prayer revealed a deep intimacy with God. His earnest fluency, humble appeal for divine intervention, and very evident trust in one who was strong to deliver, told without a doubt that he came regularly to the throne of grace.

"You are free to go," said the officer. "No one could have prayed that way without a long apprenticeship — soldiers who never attend drill are always ill at ease for the review."

I heard a statistic not long ago, that the average Christian only spends about seven minutes a day in prayer. We need to practice prayer in our lives that we may be able to endure when trials come our way and stand strong against the enemy and his tactics!

Let's ask the Lord to help us become disciplined in this area today. There's so much work to be done!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions.

Our little Elianna, now seven, loves flowers. Every time she sees one, she has to get down and take a whiff. It's so adorable.

Did you know that back in the days of the Roman Empire fragrances were all the rage? They would celebrate their victories with huge parades and burn incense on the altars, which would fill the entire city with its sweet-scented aroma. Even those who could not be part of the celebration would smell the incense from afar and know their army had been victorious!

This is the very effect we should have on the world around us. Our lives should be burning the sweet smell of righteousness, holiness, love, and victory! Our fragrance should be so strong that people can smell it from afar and know that we are victorious in every circumstance through the atoning work God has already done!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions.

Do you ever wonder why it is that sometimes we don't get the things we pray for? James hits it on the nail when he says that we ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our pleasures.

Think about this. You work for a large company such as, let's say, IBM. You've been with them for quite some time and been faithful and dilligent to do what's been required of you. You've gained some trust and seniority. One day, the boss decides to give you access to the company card, should you ever need it, trusting that if you'll use it, you'll be using it to purchase something for the good of the company.

We who know Yeshua (Jesus) are in God's company — and we have been entrusted with the company card! When we swipe that card and ask for that thing in the name of Yeshua, we will get it — as long as it will benefit the company!

Is that thing for which you've been praying going to benefit the Kingdom? If so, then pray in faith! God will do it! If not, let's ask God to help us know how to pray today!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

Charles Spurgeon wrote "Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly. Others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might."

Some might take this to mean that we need to beg and plead desperately for God to answer our prayers. I don't think so.

I believe that we must pray, expecting for God to bring the answer and do the work because, among many other reasons, He is faithful, just and loves us with an everlasting love!

Raise your expectations today! Expect God to do something great and we'll believe along with you to see mighty breakthroughs!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

Today marks Holocaust Memorial day here in Israel. Each Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel, war sirens blare throughout the whole Land to call us to remembrance. Cars come to a halt, even on the highways. Pedestrians stop where they are and pause for a couple of moments as the sirens ring to remember the 6,000,000 Jews who died and many more who suffered under the Nazi regime during WW2.

You may know that these atrocities and many more over the years were done in the name of Christianity. Hitler himself said he was a Christian as he murdered millions. Years of torture, abuse and murder have taken a toll on the Jewish people. The few survivors of the Holocaust still living have been battered both physically and emotionally. Even their children and their grandchildren are are bruised and lack understanding of God's great love for them, especially as it pertains to the idea of Christianity.

We need to be praying for the Jewish people. We need to be pouring out much love upon them. That they would see the truth that our God is a loving God. So loving that he would send His one and only Son to die for our sins and theirs. There's so much work to be done!

Many of us have conflicts with people we love most. Husbands, wives, children, parents, friends — we complain to the Lord about our suffering and beg for Him to touch and change the situation so that we can be one big happy family again.

Here's a question. Have we cried out for that person's heart like the Lord has cried out for ours while we were yet sinners? Have we suffered and bled in tears and intercession? That is what the Lord did for us while we were nailing Him to the cross.

We need to have the same heart for those who trouble us as the Lord has for us daily. He bleeds and weeps over us and intercedes to no end. How much more should we be doing the same?

Lord, help us! Help us to get your heart on the matter! Help us see those who hurt us through your eyes of compassion and see ourselves for what we really are. Help us to weep. There's so much work to be done!

A friend sent us this amazing story.

A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be an Olympic diver. The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian friend. The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend's sermons, but he heard them often.

One night the diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of light to practice by. The young man climbed up to the highest diving board.

As he turned his back to the pool, on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw his shadow on the wall. The shadow of his body was in the shape of a cross. Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling, like someone was speaking to him. Instead of diving, he knelt down and finally asked God to come into his life.

As the young man stood in deep reverence before the Lord, a maintenance man walked in and turned on the lights. The pool had been drained for repairs.

Mm. Sometimes we get frustrated. It seems like our words are falling on deaf ears and that our loved ones will never see the truth. But we never know how God is working in those for whom we've been praying. He often has a plan we know nothing about!

Let's not be discouraged when we don't see the fruit right away. God knows the day and the hour and He will be faithful to follow through. Keep praying. Keep sharing. Keep sowing the seed! There's so much work to be done!

Although it is fictional, it is meaningful, nonetheless.

There once was a girl who hated herself. You see, she had become blind in her early teens from a rare disease. Not only did she hate herself but she hated everyone else too. She was angry at the world, angry at God, angry at everyone.

There was one person, however, who had known her for years and stood by her side through all this. It was her childhood friend, who loved her ever since grade school. Now in their 20’s, he wanted to marry her.

One day he worked up the nerve to ask her for her hand in marriage. Her reply was that if she could only see the world, she would marry him.

Soon after, someone donated a pair of eyes and she went to surgery to have her malfunctioning ones replaced. It was a miracle. After a few weeks, she took off her bandages and she could see once again. And who was standing by her side, as always? Of course, it was the man who loved her.

"Now that you can see the world, he said, “Will you marry me?" The girl was shocked to discover that he too was blind, and sadly, still refused his hand in marriage. Undeniably, he was devastated.

Sometime later, she received a letter from him, sharing his undying love for her. He signed it, "Please, my love, just take care of my eyes."

Hmmm. A sweet story. But few of us remember what life was like when we were yet blind to the truth of our salvation in Jesus — and who to thank for their labor in love and prayer and boldness in sharing that truth with us, no?

Let’s never forget where we came from and those who gave of themselves so willingly for the opening of our eyes. And let’s also strive to be the kind of people who are willing to lay down our life for a friend. There’s so much work to be done!

I came across an old legend about three cowboys crossing the desert on horseback by night. Suddenly, as they reached a rocky spot, a voice came from heaven and commanded them: "Friends, pick up some pebbles, put them in your pockets and do not look at them till morning." The men looked at each other in astonishment and began to do as they were told. The voice went on to promise that if they obeyed, they would be both glad and sad. The perplexed men put a few pebbles each in their pockets and went on their way.

As the very first sign of dawn arrived, the cowboys pulled out their pebbles. To their amazement, the ordinary pebbles they had picked up the night before, had all been transformed into diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems. At that moment, they realized the significance of the promise that they would be both glad and sad. They were happy to see their beautiful treasure, but sorry — oh so sorry — that they had not collected more.

All of us were once ordinary looking pebbles — shabby, discolored pebbles among many others of the like — seemingly nothing special. But we were so mercifully picked out of the dust and gently placed for safekeeping into the pocket of the faithful saints who loved us or prayed for us or shared the Gospel with us and took us along on their journey. And God continues to refine us that we would become precious gems when morning comes. Thank God for His great mercy!

It is yet dark — and the pebbles are many. We still have a little more time to pocket as many as we can. But morning is drawing near! We don't want to regret that we didn't get more! Love, share, pray in faith! There's so much work to be done!!!

The other day, I had the great pleasure of getting our vehicle inspected in Israel. According to Israeli law, you need to get your car fully, and I mean fully inspected each year in order to complete your registration process — and they don't let anything by either. Last year after inspection, they informed us that we only need to replace our rear brakes before they'd register the car. This year, thankfully, we were home free!!

Interestingly, our inspection was due roughly the same time as Pesach (Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread). This time of year is a time of inspection for many Jewish people. They move all their appliances and furniture, searching, inspecting and cleaning out every nook and cranny as to rid their homes of any and all leaven, This season, they'll eat only eat matza (unleavened bread) and other food items which contain no yeast.

We pray that their eyes, along with all the world's, will be opened to the true inspection we all need. God's inspection is is not outward but inward. He inspects our hearts, minds and motives. It's much harder to pass that kind of inspection, wouldn't you say? Thankfully, we have a merciful God!

I think we're all due for inspection today. Let's open our hearts to God and allow him to shed some light on what needs fixing. There's so much work to be done!