July 7

Morning

Brothers, pray for us as well. — 1 Thess 5:25 BSB

This morning, we want to remind you of the importance of praying for ministers. We earnestly plead with every Christian household to echo the heartfelt request first made by the apostle and now repeated by us.

Brothers and sisters, our work is deeply significant, with eternal consequences affecting countless souls. We speak to people on God’s behalf, dealing with matters of eternal life or death. A tremendous responsibility weighs upon us, and it will be a great mercy if, in the end, we are found blameless in regard to the souls entrusted to us. As officers in Christ’s army, we are especially targeted by the enemy—both wicked men and devils. They look for our weaknesses and try to trip us up. Our calling exposes us to temptations you may not face; worst of all, it often pulls us away from personally enjoying the truth in exchange for merely presenting it in an official capacity. We encounter complex issues that confuse us. We witness heartbreaking backslidings, which leave us wounded. We see millions perishing, and our spirits grow weary. We long for our preaching to benefit you, to bless your children, and to serve both believers and those still lost. So, dear friends, we urge you—pray for us!

Without your prayers, we are miserable, but with them, we are truly blessed. You look to our Master, not to us, for spiritual blessings, but consider how many times He has chosen to give those blessings through His ministers. So we ask, over and over, that you would pray for us—that we may be the humble vessels into which the Lord pours the treasure of the gospel. In the name of Jesus, we, the entire body of missionaries, ministers, city workers, and students, sincerely ask you, "Brothers and sisters, pray for us!"

Evening

Then I passed by and saw you wallowing in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ There I said to you, ‘Live!’ — Ezek 16:6 BSB

Saved soul, reflect with gratitude on this wonderful act of mercy.

Notice how majestic God’s command is. In our text, we see a sinner, filled only with sin and expecting nothing but wrath, when suddenly the eternal Lord passes by in His glory. He looks. He pauses. And He speaks a single but royal word: “LIVE!” Only a God could do this! Who else could so effortlessly grant life with just one word?

This command, “Live!” is full of meaning. It encompasses judicial life, as the sinner, about to be condemned, hears the Almighty declare, “Live!” and rises, pardoned and absolved. It also includes spiritual life. We didn’t know Jesus; we couldn’t see Him or hear His voice. But then Jehovah said, “Live!” and we, who were dead in trespasses and sins, were made alive. Moreover, this command contains the promise of eternal glory, the perfection of spiritual life. “I said to you, ‘Live!’” And that word echoes through all the years, continuing into the resurrection, when even in the shadow of death, the Lord will say again, “Live!” On the morning of the resurrection, this same word will be spoken by the archangel: “Live!” And as the holy saints rise to heaven, forever blessed in God’s presence, it will all be because of this single command: “Live!”

Notice also how irresistible this mandate is. Saul of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, hears a voice from heaven, sees a light brighter than the sun, and falls to the ground, crying, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

This command is one of free grace. When sinners are saved, it is solely because God, in His unmerited and unsought grace, wills it so. Christians, consider your position—you are debtors to grace. Show your gratitude by living earnestly for Christ. God has commanded you to live, so make sure that you truly live!