Come to the Fire, PO Box 480052, Kansas City, MO (2026)

06/08/2026

An Angry Mob and a Prayer

Becky Schenck, a missionary in Papua New Guinea, described an incredible incident. One of the nationals was stabbed to death in a tavern one Saturday night.

The next morning her husband, Jerry, and another missionary went to the scene with some national Christians, hoping to prevent a conflict.

The tribal custom in Papua New Guinea demands that if a member of the tribe dies, someone from the murderer’s tribe must die as payback. Older men had been training younger men to fight for such an occasion. Now, with war-painted faces and carrying their bows and arrows and spears and axes, they were approaching the tribe of the murderer.

The angry mob came to a government officer who was trying to block the road with his car to prevent the confrontation. They threw him in the ditch and marched on.

With much fear and trembling, Jerry and the other Christian nationals formed a “human roadblock” while the other missionary stood on the hood of the car praying. The angry tribal members came within inches of them.

Suddenly they stopped, turned around, and went back!

The next day, the missionaries learned why. The warring tribal members said they had looked at the man on the car, praying and their bodies felt weak, as if they had been doing a hard day’s work. They had no energy to go further.

We rarely get to glimpse the amazing effect of our prayers. God’s response to our prayers renders the enemy powerless to discourage, to attack, to tempt. One of the greatest wonders in heaven for us may be the complete dependability of God to answer our prayers.

Thank You, Father, that a sincere prayer brings surprising but very real results.

“The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

June Memory Verse

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

06/05/2026

The Power of a Woman’s Prayer

“Women received their dead raised to life” (Hebrews 11:35 KJV). For millennia, it has often been women who have had the perseverance, love, and faith to overcome life’s most desperate circumstances.

Consider, for instance, the Shunammite woman, whose son died. The account of her journey to Elisha in 2 Kings 4, her refusal to brief those on the way (she knew they could not provide the solution), her falling at Elisha’s feet and pleading until he agreed to personally attend to her son—all tell the story of her perseverance. That kind of determined faith still turns hopeless situations into causes for celebration.

The Canaanite woman who came to Jesus begging Him to heal her daughter, vexed with a devil, cried, “Lord, help me” (Matthew 15:25). Her daughter’s need had become her own. The simple test we should put to our prayers is, “Do I want my prayer answered so much that for God to help that person, it is as though He is helping me?” If so, we can give God thanks for the heartfelt longing He has given us.

Such faith brings supernatural results. Determined, believing prayer still results in new life.

Dear Lord, help us to earnestly pray until we see Your supernatural deliverance.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:18-20).

June Memory Verse

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

06/04/2026

The Wonder of God’s Desire

One Wednesday night on my way to attend a midweek church service, I sensed a strong drawing to be alone with Jesus. I was early, so I slipped into the prayer room. Alone on my knees, I simply quietly enjoyed His presence. Soon I heard the congregation singing, and I began thinking that I should join the others. While trying to decide if I should leave the prayer room, I heard the Spirit say, “I want you to Myself.”

Each of the three times in the Song of Songs that the words “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” are spoken, they are in the context of the Shulammite delighting in the presence of her Lover. We may be tempted to not linger in Jesus’ presence but to get on with business as usual. There are times, though, that He wants us to Himself. The blessing of our union with Him is sweet communion. John Wesley commented on this verse, “Do not disturb nor offend Him.”

If He leaves, the fault is always ours. Our less-than-enthusiastic affections may cause the same effect as when the multitude asked Jesus to depart: “So he got into the boat and left” (Luke 8:37).

It is impossible for us to understand how much God longs for our fellowship. His heart so longed for us to be able to draw near Him at any time that, amazingly, He willingly paid the price--His only Son. Could this be the meaning behind Isaiah 53:10 that speaks of Jesus’ suffering: “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and to cause him to suffer”?

These words make sense only when we understand that they express God's intense longing to have us near Him. Our nearness is so precious to Him that He paid the ultimate price for it. Yet, too often, do we treat Him as an optional part of our day?

Dear Father, I want to honor the blood Jesus shed and Your love by confidently entering Your presence and then taking time to be alone with You.

“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12).

June Memory Verse
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

06/03/2026

Patty Needed Prayer
Take seriously our responsibility to pray for each other

Patty had not been a Christian long when she was dealt a blow that would have discouraged even a more mature Christian. “I feel like giving up,” she said.

That night my husband and I prayed for her, asking God to keep her from defeat. She later told me what happened to her that same evening.

She had felt like skipping devotions, but found herself unable to do so. To her surprise, it was easy for her to pray. She arose from her knees encouraged.

During the next few days we continued to pray for Patty. God used a sermon at church, a phone conversation, and an invitation to assist in a church program to help her regain her joy in the Lord.

One of the keys to Paul’s prayers was that he could testify, “I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:8). This loving concern and yearning will motivate us to pray in sincerity and with faith.

In Israel’s first battle, Moses sent Joshua to lead the army. Then he took Aaron and Hur and went up to the top of the hill to pray. Through the day, one fact became apparent. The winning side was not determined by the armed soldiers. It was determined by those who prayed.

Dear Jesus, help us to take seriously our responsibility to pray for each other.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:31-32).

June Memory Verse

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

06/02/2026

Even This Serves Jesus
The Untraceable Paths of God

I discovered a phrase from the psalmist which has repeatedly been a resting place for my spirit: “…all things serve you” (Psalm 119:91).

I shared this verse and the concept that all things serve God with a friend. A few days later, she told me that the verse encouraged her to trust that God was answering her prayers for her son. After six years in college, he is once again considering changing his major. “God can make all of this serve Him,” she said, remembering how her husband had not decided to go to medical school until he was 26 years old. His parents, too, might have felt he was totally confused and lacking direction. Looking back, though, she could see that God had caused their seemingly circuitous route to serve Him.

A phrase from Paul’s words to the Romans gives me great encouragement when I’m beginning to doubt that God can make my present circumstance one of the “all things” that serve Him. “How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out” (11:33 NIV). When I was a little girl, I liked to trace pictures. Pretending I could actually draw lovely pictures myself, I’d put a thin sheet over a picture and begin tracing. But there’s no tracing God’s ways!

We may think we know how He will answer our prayers. Then nothing appears to be happening. We despair when all visible signs of activity fade away, and we begin to doubt He has heard our call for help. Suddenly we see evidence that He has been at work. Gracious answers to our prayers appear in fresh, totally unexpected places. We are surprised He has been quietly causing all the puzzling pieces to serve His purposes. There is simply no tracing His ways. He works undercover! He always does this for those who trust Him.

Jesus, even though Your ways are often hidden, I acknowledge that You are with me and have heard my prayer.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them” (Daniel 2:20-21).

June Memory Verse

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 8:9).

06/01/2026

The Anguish of a Jealous God

A young pastor felt he should spend his time from dawn until noon in prayer, worship, and Bible study. That time became the joy of his life. But over the months and years, his duties increased and he began to cut off 45 minutes of his devotional time. At times, needing to meet the needs of the people, he worked late, and he stopped rising at dawn.

Church growth problems began to eat at the quality of his remaining time, and eventually the time began to feel less and less meaningful.

One day a friend who prayed regularly for him said he had a dream about him. In his dream, the Lord had simply said, “Tell the pastor I miss him.”

The pastor said, “I cried as I repented before the Lord, and I readjusted my priorities. No longer would I counsel people in the mornings. I would spend this time again with God.” To his surprise, when he announced his decision to the church, the people rose and applauded!

Can we try to fathom God’s anguish over our lack of desire for intimacy with Him? His coming to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned, is presented so simply—almost as though He was coming to visit with Adam just as He had before. Of course, God was not ignorant of their sin, but His heart seemed unwilling to believe evil of them.

His question “Where are you?” was one Hebrew word. Dr. Joseph Coleson said it is impossible to overstate the emotion in that one Hebrew word. God was grief-stricken and broken-hearted when they didn’t come to fellowship with Him.

God, You have not changed. You still grieve when we don’t have time for You. We repent for delighting more in lesser things.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her’” (Zech. 8:2).

“I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).

June Memory Verse

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 8:9).

05/29/2026

Guidance Continually?
Trust Him Completely and Find a Restful Life

According to Evelyn Christenson, prisoners who accept Christ while incarcerated often pray, “God, get me out of this hell-hole.” If God doesn’t, their response to his refusal is, “If that’s the kind of God I’m serving now, I don’t want anything to do with Him anymore. He let me down.”

Frequently, however, inmates who have recently become Christians share that they have already grasped that God knows what He is doing, that it is for their ultimate good, and that they can trust Him completely. Then their response to God is, “Thanks, God, for leaving me here. You have a purpose. What is it?”

God does what we trust Him to do. Do you believe a loving God controls every detail of your life? If you believe He is doing that for you, then He is!

God delights in giving moment-by-moment guidance to those who look to Him. Trust and praise Him for the guidance He’ll give today—the interruptions, the help in your work, the interactions with others.

Those who seek Him with all their hearts find Him. And if our seeking Him includes looking for Him in the ordinary routine of our everyday lives, we will find Him there.

A key truth God teaches us through His Word is that when we’re living in the Spirit, all our circumstances help us. God can make all things, even others’ sins, “work together for good to them that love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Seeing God in everything is the only way to find a completely restful life.

Thank You, Lord, that You delight in guiding us in all situations.

“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night” (Exodus 13:21).

May Memory Verses

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT).

05/28/2026

Pray Like Jesus

Passion originates in the heart of God. He who gave mothers hearts of passionate love yearns with deep maternal love for His children. He who created fathers’ hearts is the great Father Himself.

The passion of God’s heart was also in His Son. Jesus’ passionate love is now expressed through His intercession for us. “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Passion satisfies God. Isaiah, speaking of the Father and His Son, stated, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11 KJV). It is equally true that when we pour out in prayer our strong desire for others, God sees and is satisfied with us.

Both Paul and Jude wrote that we are to “Pray in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20). We could read that as God saying, “Allow Me to express My passion through you.”

Lord, I desire that the Holy Spirit express Your passion for others through me.

“The Lord is...not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9).

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).

May Memory Verses

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT).

05/27/2026

My Life-Changing Search

Years ago I sat at the kitchen table and read Hannah’s words to God: “There is no one besides you” (1 Samuel 2:2).
I said aloud, “Hannah, you know something I don’t.” I wondered what it would mean for me to be able to say, “There is no one but You, God.”
Challenged by Hannah, I titled a page in my notebook “One Goal” and began collecting names of those in the Bible who appeared to have one focus for all of their lives.

David said, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

Paul said, “This one thing I do.”

Jesus told Martha, “Only one thing is needed.”

Then I found Paul’s words to the Corinthians, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I realized that to do all for the glory of God meant that at any moment I could lift whatever I was doing and say, “I am doing this for You, Jesus.”

It also meant that all my attitudes must be determined by what would please Him. Paul’s words, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:2), became very practical. My focus was to be on Jesus. What was He thinking about my actions and attitudes? I resolved to care only that He was pleased.

Dear God, thank You that through the years You’ve helped me learn to say with Hannah, “There is no one but You, God.” If I have Your approval, I have all that matters.

“I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven” (Philippians 2:13, 14 NLT).

05/26/2026

Twenty-Six White Warriors
Aletha Hinthorn

A missionary was surrounded by tribal enemies. Miraculously, none of them harmed him. Later, the leader of the tribe became a Christian and told the missionary that they had not attacked him because of the twenty-six white warriors surrounding his house. The missionary stated there had been no white warriors, but the tribal leader insisted he had seen them.

The missionary went home for furlough and told the story in his home church. The pastor revealed that that night he had awakened sensing an urgent need to pray for the missionary. He not only prayed himself but also called other men to join him in prayer. Then he asked all those who had prayed to stand. Twenty-six men stood.

Our prayers for others are essential. I grew up hearing my grandpa sing as we rode to church. One of the songs he sang had these words:

“I need the prayers of those I love

I want my friends to pray for me,

To bear my tempted soul above,

And intercede with God for me.”

The song is true. In fact, it appears that at times we may not win our spiritual battles if we have no one praying for us. In the Old Testament, the people of Laish lost their city because they had no one to call on in times of need. “There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else” (Judges 18:28).

Jesus, make me aware of those who need my prayers today.

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

May Memory Verses

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT).

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