Priscilla and Aquila

Priscilla and Aquila were a first century Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. They became the honored and much-loved friends and ministry partners with the Apostle Paul. He was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness for them. They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they are mentioned seven times and are always named as a couple. Of those seven times, five times Priscilla's name is mentioned first. They were tentmakers by trade.

Priscilla was a woman of Jewish heritage and one of the earliest known Christian converts who lived in Rome. Her name is a Roman diminutive, or nickname, for Prisca. Some scholars have advanced a case for Priscilla being the author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews. She was married to Aquila (Greek ?????? Akúlas), originally from Pontus, who also was a Jew who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah promised by God to the Jews. Aquila had the family name of the commander of a legion and means "eagle."

Travels and ministries

Priscilla and Aquila fled Rome during the Jewish persecution under Claudius, 49 or 50, and settled in Corinth. There they hosted Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, on his first visit to the town (Acts 18:1 ff). They accompanied Paul to Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19) where they instructed the eloquent and brilliant Alexandrian preacher, Apollos. He knew and preached boldly to the crowds only the baptism of John and nothing of salvation through Christ. "When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately" (Acts 18:26).

The Apostle Paul lived with them there for three years during his third missionary journey. A Christian church met in their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). They left Ephesus and returned to Rome (Acts 19:24-40) where another church met in their house (Romans 16:3-5). Probably because of the persecution of Nero, they soon left Rome and settled again at Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19).

Pauline affirmations

The Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, recollects about his faithful disciples: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." (Romans 16:3-4, NASB).

In 2 Timothy 4:19 (NASB), Paul asks Timothy to "Greet Prisca and Aquila...."

The seven biblical references to Priscilla and Aquila

1. Acts 18:2-3. There he (Paul) met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
2. Acts 18:18. Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
3. Acts 18:19. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila.
4. Acts 18:26. He (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
5. Romans 16:3-4. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
6. 1 Corinthians 16:19. The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
7. 2 Timothy 4:19. Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus..

Priscilla and Aquila were a first century Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. They became the honored and much-loved friends and ministry partners with the Apostle Paul. He was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness for them. They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they are mentioned seven times and are always named as a couple. Of those seven times, five times Priscilla's name is mentioned first. They were tentmakers by trade.

Priscilla was a woman of Jewish heritage and one of the earliest known Christian converts who lived in Rome. Her name is a Roman diminutive, or nickname, for Prisca. Some scholars have advanced a case for Priscilla being the author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews.^ [1]^^[2]^ She was married to Aquila (Greek ?????? Akúlas), originally from Pontus, who also was a Jew who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah promised by God to the Jews. Aquila had the family name of the commander of a legion and means "eagle."

Travels and ministries

Priscilla and Aquila fled Rome during the Jewish persecution under Claudius, 49 or 50, and settled in Corinth. There they hosted Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, on his first visit to the town (Acts 18:1 ff). They accompanied Paul to Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19) where they instructed the eloquent and brilliant Alexandrian preacher, Apollos. He knew and preached boldly to the crowds only the baptism of John and nothing of salvation through Christ. "When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately" (Acts 18:26).^ [3]^

The Apostle Paul lived with them there for three years during his third missionary journey. A Christian church met in their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). They left Ephesus and returned to Rome (Acts 19:24-40) where another church met in their house (Romans 16:3-5). Probably because of the persecution of Nero, they soon left Rome and settled again at Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19).^[4]^

Pauline affirmations

The Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, recollects about his faithful disciples: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." (Romans 16:3-4, NASB).

In 2 Timothy 4:19 (NASB), Paul asks Timothy to "Greet Prisca and Aquila...."

The seven biblical references to Priscilla and Aquila

1. Acts 18:2-3. There he (Paul) met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
2. Acts 18:18. Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.
3. Acts 18:19. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila.
4. Acts 18:26. He (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
5. Romans 16:3-4. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
6. 1 Corinthians 16:19. The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
7. 2 Timothy 4:19. Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.

Melchizedek king of Salem.

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he wasthe priest of God Most High. (19) And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram of God Most High,Possessor of heaven and earth; (20) And blessed be God Most High,Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. (21) Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” (22) But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, (23) that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that isyours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich'—Genesis 14:18-23

Melchizedek seems to appear out of nowhere, without any warning. Aside from a prophecy in the Psalms, this is the sole reference to Him until the book of Hebrews. Not only is this the Bible's first appearance of Melchizedek, but it is also the first time that a priest is mentioned. Furthermore, despite Melchizedek being called a priest, the text makes no mention of sacrifices—understandable since, as the One who would later be called Jesus Christ, He had no need for propitiation to come before God on another's behalf.

Notice also that the priest approaches theman on behalf of God, and not the other way around. This illustrates that God initiates the relationship and not man (John 6:44). It is impossible for man toworship God properly without His involvement first. We see Melchizedek bringing bread and wine, the symbols of the New Testament Passover, rather than a lamb and bitter herbs that were used in the Passover in Egypt. (As an aside, “bread” here is a general term in Hebrew, referring to either leavened or unleavened bread.)

This is also the first time God's title of “Most High” is used. It is used four times in this section on the eve of this Passover. Understanding how and where this divine title is used will help us realize how much of a blessing the Passover is to us.

Both Melchizedek and Abram tack on the description, “the possessor of heaven and earth.” We should consider the nature and the character of that “Possessor.” A landlord may possess a piece of property yet not care a whit about the tenants so long as the rent is paid. This, however, is not the way the Most High feels about His possessions. It is apparent from the rest of the Book that His ownership includes more care and concern for His possessions than we can fathom. His governance in the affairs of men springs from His will and purpose, which, despite human failure to understand them, can be described only as good.

Melchizedek ties the title “possessor of heaven and earth” with the fact that He delivered Abraham's enemies into his hand, showing just how interested the Most High God is in the affairs of men. He is interested enough that He will show Himself strong on behalf of His people and will judge the unrighteous. Without exception, whenever “Most High” is used in Scripture, God is shown blessing His people with whatever is needed for His perfect will to be accomplished, whether that blessing is of knowledge, physical provision, or especially defense and deliverance from enemies. He blesses His people with His perfect personal involvement.

The New Testament records a striking example of this. In Luke 1, the angel tells Mary that her Son will be called “the Son of the Highest,” the New Testament equivalent of “the Son of the Most High.” It is the same title. Just a few verses later, the angel tells Mary that this would take place because “the power of the Highest”—or the power of the Most High God—“would overshadow” her.

Again, we see God's people being blessed with His involvement in order to bring His perfect will to pass. In this case, His blessing includes the supernatural conception of the Son of God, which, as God promised Abraham, will end up being a blessing to all of mankind (Genesis 12:3). This sort of implication is made whenever the title, “the Most High,” is used.

Focus On Spiritual Things

1 Corinthians 2:12

As the apostle Paul begins his first letter to the Corinthians, knowing that he is writing to a congregation divided among various factions, he patiently explains to them what makes them different from those in the world yet at the same time unites the members of the church. He, of course, refers to God's Holy Spirit, given to all Christians at conversion by the laying on of hands. The apostle John calls it "the anointing which you have received from Him" (I John 2:27), implying that Christians have been ordained, and thus set apart or sanctified, to a task or office that others have not been given.

This sets up a dichotomy. On the one side are Christians who have freely received God's Spirit, and on the other are all other human beings who, Paul says, have received "the spirit of the world" (see also Ephesians 2:2). Thus, there is a clash of spirits, a collision of motivating forces, at work between the Christian and the world. The apostle writes in Galatians 5 that the two spirits are diametrically opposed, one producing "the works of the flesh," while the other bears "the fruit of the Spirit" (verses 16-25). In fact, he declares in Romans 8:7, "The carnal mind is enmity against God"; the worldly person, imbibing of the spirit of this world, lives in hostility to God and cannot do what God commands.

The Spirit from God, though, removes the human hostility and allows the Christian to know—that is, realize, understand, and use—the gracious gifts of God. These gifts are predominantly spiritual blessings rather than physical ones. Jesus advises His disciples not to worry about food, drink, and clothing because God knows that physical human beings need such things to live (Matthew 6:25-32). Instead, He says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (verse 33). The Christian's mind is to be focused on God's goal and godly things that will propel him along the way there, and he can do this only by the many gifts bestowed through God's Spirit.

Paul's focus in this passage seems to be on knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Earlier, he had mentioned that God has chosen to spread the gospel message through preaching, which the worldly Greeks considered "foolishness" (I Corinthians 1:23). Yet, this only exposes the fact that the Greeks did not have the ability to understand spiritual matters, and God would ultimately confound them in their "wisdom" through weak and foolish people preaching a "foolish" message of a crucified Savior. The difference is that those weak and foolish people possess a Spirit that comes directly from the Creator God that allows them to know the truth in all its divine splendor.

Thus, in terms of the apostle's overall goal in persuading the Corinthians that they should "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10), he emphasizes that they have this one commonality, God's Holy Spirit, that makes all the difference to them as individuals and as a congregation. So, as he goes on to say, there is no reason for them to be so judgmental one against the other, for they all "have the mind of Christ" (I Corinthians 2:16). Having one mind and being all in one Body of Christ, as he later discusses (I Corinthians 12:12-27), dividing themselves into cliques is both counterproductive and contrary to God's purpose.

The Power Of Prayer

The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully!

We cannot access powerful prayer by using "magic formulas." Our prayers being answered is not based on the eloquence of our prayers. We don't have to use certain words or phrases to get God to answer our prayers. In fact, Jesus rebukes those who pray using repetitions, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:7-8). Prayer is communicating with God. All you have to do is ask God for His help. Psalm 107:28-30 reminds us, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven." There is power in prayer!

God's help through the power of prayer is available for all kinds of requests and issues. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If you need an example of a prayer, read Matthew 6:9-13. These verses are known as the Lord's prayer. The Lord's prayer is not a prayer we are supposed to memorize and simply recite to God. It is only an example of how to pray and the things that should go into a prayer - worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for these kinds of things, but speak to God using your own words.

*What Should I Know/Do?*

The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5). The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

Prayers does alot than we could ever imagine. When we pray, we reason with God in communication with Him and our answers comes based on His approval and His approval is always on your best interest. If He doesn't approve, be still and keep on praying. Prayers does alot than our efforts. Our efforts are based on our understanding but our prayers are based on His approval and it must be from a righteous lips, a broken spirit and a contrite heart praying according to His will. Whenever you feel like not praying anymore that's when to pray! Pls pray.

*Lifting Prayers*
Our Heavenly Father glory be to Your Holy name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Teach us Lord to pray. Give us grace like no other. Breathe upon our spirit, enlighten our soul and strengthen our feeble knee. With our hearts we reach towards You dear Lord with all that we are and all we have. Receive all the Glory, honour and Thanksgiving. Help others to look towards you alone. Heal the world Lord. Amen!

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The Faith Of Deborah (a female judge and prophetess).

During the historical period of the Judges, Israel often turned to idolatry; and as a result, God punished them by causing them to suffer under harsh rulership of neighboring nations. One such time was when King Jabin, ruling in Hazor of Canaan, harshly oppressed Israel for 20 years. The Israelites finally cried out to God for deliverance (Judges 4:3).

It was during this time of King Jabin’s oppressive rule that we first read of Deborah. Judges 4:4-5 simply states: *“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.* … And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”

In the next two verses, we read that Deborah “sent and called for Barak …, and said to him, ‘Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”

She called for Barak to lead Israel in a war against the mighty armies of Jabin and his general Sisera, by utilizing only a very small army of Israelites to do so. God was planning to defeat these foreign armies and deliver Israel.

It is important to note that Barak is listed in the Faith Chapter (Hebrews 11:32). Yet we see that it was Deborah who called upon him to act in faith. It is also interesting to note that Barak said he would only go against the enemy if Deborah went with him (Judges 4:8).

Deborah saw Barak’s less-than-confident attitude, and she reassured him that she would surely go with him. Then she also prophesied that the glory of killing Sisera, God’s enemy, would not go to Barak, but “the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (verse 9).

Because of Deborah’s strong, confident, commanding words to Barak and her presence with him, Barak did take 10,000 Israelite troops down from Mount Tabor as commanded. “And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak” (Judges 4:15). Barak then pursued the fleeing chariots and army of Sisera and killed them all.

But Sisera fled away and ended up being killed by a woman named Jael. God’s prophecy had come to pass, as He had spoken through Deborah.

Deborah’s faith in God and her decisive leadership and service to God were undeniable. This was at a time when faith was seriously lacking in Israel.

*What Should I Know/Do?*

Deborah is a shining example of a woman with faith in God who arose as a light to her people. She turned many of her countrymen to service to God and faith at a time when it was sorely needed. How much faith and commitment do we have in serving God as she did?

Sisters use marriage as a basis to stay impotent, unuseful to their calling and destiny. Some even quit their marriage in career pursuit believing that marriage is a drawback in fulfilling destiny. Look at Deborah, she was a family woman well respected also as a judge, filled with the Spirit of God! Thou art inexcusable oh woman.

She then recounted the difficulties Israel was facing, the highways were deserted, village life had ceased—“until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7). She was valued as a “mother in Israel”, a title of honor and renown. Her actions helped to save Israel from further oppression.

*Lifting Prayers*
Dear Lord, I thank you for your word to me today, I bless your most Holy name! I ask for your hands in my Life, I ask for your Spirit for without you I can do nothing. Increase my faith in You, make me a judge as Deborah, filled with faith and power to help those who are oppressed both physically and spiritually. Help me to be successful family man/woman, also a successful child. Increase my strength daily in you and make me realize it's not late seeking you no matter how old I am or what I have lost. Give me grace to recover all like Deborah did. Blessed be your holy name. Amen

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Looking Unto The Hills ~ Part 2.

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, I know what it is to be alone and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in poverty." Philippians 4:11-12

In one very important sense, it is true that we make our own world. The sunshine we see about us daily is in ourselves. It shines out from within us. We are not to go about demanding that others shine on us, on our field, and on our home. We are not to blame other people when we are peevish, fretful, discontented, or touchy.

It is usually our own fault that we are not happy. Even if people do not treat us as they should do, if they are unjust to us, unkind, rude, selfish, exacting that will not make it either right or beautiful for us to grow unhappy, or to go about sour and sad. We should never allow anybody, any circumstances, or anything that happens to spoil our life. We ought to resolve to keep sweet, whatever the circumstances may be.

That is what being a Christian means. That is what it is to lift up our eyes unto the hills. *If we are looking to God, we cannot do vulgar things, we cannot lie, we cannot be selfish, grasping, or greedy, whatever the provocation may be.* If we truly lift up our eyes unto God, we will get something of God's beauty into our soul, will become imbued with God's holiness, God's truth, God's love, and get grace enough to enable us to live the Christlike life.

*What Should I Know/Do?*

The mountains are places of strength. They cannot be moved. They are stable and sure. They are places of safety. They are away above the floods and dangers of earth (They that trust in the Lord are like mount Zion that cannot be moved but abides forever). The higher our life rises, the safer it is. The power of temptation grows less and less as we go up nearer to Christ. Our faults, infirmities, and vices lose their power over us as we rise up into the mountain air they will choke and die there!

It is said that telescopes have detected birds flying six miles above the earth. How safe they are up there! No arrow can reach them. No enemy can find them. The same is true of the soul that flies far above no trapper can catch it, no tempter can reach it. The mountains are places of safety.

The mountains are places of peace. There is a point in the heavens, above the clouds, where no storm ever blows, where no tempest ever breaks. If we rise into these calm, holy heights we shall find peace.

This dew from the sacred mountain represents the love of Christ which comes down perpetually from heaven, which not only nourishes the lives of men but also heals all diseases.

*Lifting Prayers*

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day, I am most grateful. I bless your holy name for you are my all in all. Your kingdom is from everlasting and your faithfulness is forever sure! Teach my soul to rise to you, teach my head to think of you, teach my heart to meditate on your world and teach my Spirit to search constantly for eternity. May I not be the least in your kingdom! Give me grace to constantly apply your pure words to the contents of my character, in my daily approach to life, to Loving, care, forgiveness and mercy. May my soul constantly look up to You, may all around me always look up to you. Lord, my power bank, my help, my strength and my all. May I be Engrafted in You all the way and time. I Look unto the Hills, I Look unto you Jesus. Bless everyone around me, and heal the dying world. Amen!

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Looking Unto The Hills

Looking Unto The Hills (a Psalm of David)

"I lift my eyes unto the hills. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever." Psalm 121

We ought to learn to look up. Many people dwarf their lives and hinder the best possibilities of growth in their souls by looking downward. They keep their eyes ever entangled in mere earthly sights and scenes, and miss seeing the glory of the hills that pierce the clouds, and of the heavens that bend over them. We grow in the direction in which our eyes habitually turn. We become like that toward which we look much and intently.

Yet there are those who never look upward at all. They never see anything but the things that are on the earth. They never see the stars. They never think of God. They do not pray. They have no place in their scheme of life for divine things.

This is our Father's world. He made it, he sustains it, he lives in it, all its affairs are in his hands. One of the Psalms gives us this devout thought of life: "I lift my eyes unto the hills." It was to God, that the poet looked. The hills are a symbol of God.

The writer says also, "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." The minuteness of the divine keeping is beautifully brought out in the Psalm. "He will not allow your foot to slip." On mountain paths a great disaster may result from the slipping of a foot. Many a life has been lost by a misstep among the crags. But God's keeping extends even to the feet of his children.

There is another assurance of exquisite beauty in the Psalm. No human love can watch over a friend unintermittingly. The most devoted mother sometimes sleeps by her suffering child. But there is an Eye that never closes that always watches.

The whole Psalm shows the safety of those who lift up their eyes unto the hills. They are kept from all evil. They are guarded when they go out and when they come in. We never can get away from the divine keeping, unless we give up God and go out into sin. The greatest mistake anyone can make is to leave God out of his life. To those who live thoughtfully, life is full of God. Even if there were no assurances in the Bible, telling us of his love, no promises of his care, common daily providence is so full of God, that a thoughtful person could not doubt his existence or his care for his children.

God is the most real Friend in all the world, though we have never seen him. We can see his footprints everywhere. We find evidences of his love, his interest, his kindness, in people's lives all about us. If one says he has never seen God, he has at least seen God's faithfulness, evidences of his love, his interest. We may not hear his answer in words when we talk to him in prayer but we see the answer in what he does to bless us.

Some time ago, two men met on a vessel crossing the Atlantic. They soon discovered that they had both been in the American Civil War, one fighting with the North, the other with the South. They discovered, too, that they had taken part, on one occasion, in the same battle. Then this incident came out, as they talked together reminiscently. One night the Northern soldier was on sentry duty on one side of a little river, and the Southern soldier was a sharpshooter just across the river, picking off soldiers on the other side at every opportunity. The sentry was singing softly, "Jesus, Lover of my Soul," as he kept his watch, and the words of the old hymn were heard in the still night over the stream. The sharpshooter was taking aim and was about to fire on the sentry. Just then he heard the words, "Cover my defenseless head, with the shadow of your wing." His rifle dropped he dare not shoot a man praying that prayer. "I could as soon have shot my own mother!" he said. Was not God in this whole incident? Was he not a reality that night? We need not ask why no one has ever seen God. Lift up your eyes unto the hills in every time of need, and God will always help.

*What Should I Know/Do?*

Every Christian should train himself, to always look up. Some people look down continually, watching for thorns and briars. They never see anything in life, but the unpleasant things. They are always looking for troubles. They find them, too, on the brightest days, in the loveliest places. They never see anything beautiful. But that is not the way to go through life. Lift up your eyes and look for roses, not for thorns.

*Lifting Prayers*

Dear Lord, I Lift my hands and voice to thank you for today's message. I am sorry for not seeing you in the scheme of my life knowing you are always there and remained ungrateful. I am dearly sorry. I threw away easily your blessings for my life by looking elsewhere, even moving away for the possibilities of something better. I left my place of help and uplifting due to temporarily difficulty blinded in quest for a better life. Today Lord, I acknowledge you as my all and wait on you for your thoughts are better than mine. Help me to be back on track depending on you, looking always to you. Lead me through the night to a brighter morning. Heal the world dear Lord! AMEN.

Do have a God filled Tuesday.
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