Brave Like Paul

Acts 21:1-36
Paul is still traveling from city to city.  Sometimes he stays several days, sometimes only one.  It seems like the more towns he travels to, the more he gets advice to not go on to Jerusalem.  The believers kept telling him not to go because they knew he would be arrested and abused.  But he finally had enough of people telling him not to do something and said, "I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."  He was so willing and eager to do the work of the Lord!  God, teach me to be brave like Paul.  So he finally goes to Jerusalem.  The believers greet him and are glad to see him.  They do their best to help him not get arrested, but he still does.  The crowd was very violent, to the point that the man who came to arrest him had to get the soldiers to carry Paul away.

Psalm 149-150
Both are psalms of praise.  149 is about God's people praising Him and acting in His name.  150 is a call for praise for God's greatness to be done with instruments.  "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!"

Proverbs 18:8-10
"The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels"
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."

2 Kings 20-22:2
Hezekiah had been doing all things good in Judah.  Then he got sick and Isaiah told him to get his affairs in order because he would not recover.  On hearing this, Hezekiah laid in bed and plead with the Lord to heal him.  God heard his prayer and allowed him to recover.  Then some Babylonians came to visit and he showed them everything that he had.  There was nothing in all his storehouses and treasuries that he did not show.  Then Isaiah told him that some day the Babylonians would come and carry everything and everyone away.  Hezekiah said this was a good word because during his days there would be peace and security.  It makes me really sad that he had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord but had no regard for generations to come after him.  When he died, his son Manasseh reigned and did evil.  He was the worst of all kings and the Lord said because of him there would be "such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle."  It did not happen during his reign, or his son Amon's who also did evil.  Now Josiah is king and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn to the right or to the left.

Cuba-
Largest island in the Caribbean.  It is one of the few Western countries still under Communist rule.  The economy is bad and there is strict control of all church activities.  The church has continued to grow, though.  There are several struggles- church members leaving the country, lack of trained leaders, lack of material and financial resources.  Pray for the distribution of Bible which is limited by the government, and for radio to be a way to communicate the gospel.

Cyprus-
Divided into two regions- Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and Republic of Cyprus.  The world recognizes ROC as the legal government of the whole island.  Freedom of religion with Christian south and Muslim north.  ROC- because of the Turkish invasion, there are now 230,000 refugees and there is bitterness over the past.  Things are moving in the right direction for reconciliation for some people, but not all.  There are few evangelical churches.  TRNC- Heavily dependent on Turkey, with a lower standard of living than the south.  Almost the entire population is Muslim.  A few Turkish Cypriots have become believers.  Pray for wisdom and fruitfulness.