Monday, November 14, 2016
The Daily Readings TUESDAY, November 15, 2016
Habakkuk 3:1-18
A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work. In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. The brightness was like the sun; rays came forth from his hand, where his power lay hidden. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed close behind. He stopped and shook the earth; he looked and made the nations tremble. The eternal mountains were shattered; along his ancient pathways the everlasting hills sank low. I saw the tents of Cushan under affliction; the tent-curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Was your wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Or your anger against the rivers, or your rage against the sea, when you drove your horses, your chariots to victory? You brandished your naked bow, sated were the arrows at your command. Selah You split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you, and writhed; a torrent of water swept by; the deep gave forth its voice. The sun raised high its hands; the moon stood still in its exalted place, at the light of your arrows speeding by, at the gleam of your flashing spear. In fury you trod the earth, in anger you trampled nations. You came forth to save your people, to save your anointed. You crushed the head of the wicked house, laying it bare from foundation to roof. Selah You pierced with their own arrows the head of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter us, gloating as if ready to devour the poor who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the mighty waters. I hear, and I tremble within; my lips quiver at the sound. Rottenness enters into my bones, and my steps tremble beneath me. I wait quietly for the day of calamity to come upon the people who attack us. Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation.
James 3:1-12
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Luke 17:1-10
Jesus said to his disciples, "Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive." The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here at once and take your place at the table'? Would you not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'"
Morning Psalms
Psalm 97 Dominus regnavit
1 The LORD is King; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.
3 A fire goes before him and burns up his enemies on every side.
4 His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees it and is afraid.
5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
7 Confounded be all who worship carved images and delight in false gods! Bow down before him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD.
9 For you are the LORD, most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10 The LORD loves those who hate evil; he preserves the lives of his saints and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy Name.
Psalm 99 Dominus regnavit
1 The LORD is King; let the people tremble; he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The LORD is great in Zion; he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; he is the Holy One.
4 O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and fall down before his footstool; he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 O LORD our God, you answered them indeed; you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.
9 Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and worship him upon his holy hill; for the LORD our God is the Holy One.
Psalm 100 Jubilate Deo
1 Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know this: The LORD himself is God; he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
4 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 94 Deus ultionum
1 O LORD God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, show yourself.
2 Rise up, O Judge of the world; give the arrogant their just deserts.
3 How long shall the wicked, O LORD, how long shall the wicked triumph?
4 They bluster in their insolence; all evildoers are full of boasting.
5 They crush your people, O LORD, and afflict your chosen nation.
6 They murder the widow and the stranger and put the orphans to death.
7 Yet they say, "The LORD does not see, the God of Jacob takes no notice."
8 Consider well, you dullards among the people; when will you fools understand?
9 He that planted the ear, does he not hear? he that formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He who admonishes the nations, will he not punish? he who teaches all the world, has he no knowledge?
11 The LORD knows our human thoughts; how like a puff of wind they are.
12 Happy are they whom you instruct, O Lord! whom you teach out of your law;
13 To give them rest in evil days, until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not abandon his people, nor will he forsake his own.
15 For judgment will again be just, and all the true of heart will follow it.
16 Who rose up for me against the wicked? who took my part against the evildoers?
17 If the LORD had not come to my help, I should soon have dwelt in the land of silence.
18 As often as I said, "My foot has slipped, " your love, O LORD, upheld me.
19 When many cares fill my mind, your consolations cheer my soul.
20 Can a corrupt tribunal have any part with you, one which frames evil into law?
21 They conspire against the life of the just and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my trust.
23 He will turn their wickedness back upon them and destroy them in their own malice; the LORD our God will destroy them.
Psalm 95 Venite, exultemus
1 Come, let us sing to the LORD; let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, and the heights of the hills are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands have molded the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, and kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
8 Harden not your hearts, as your forebears did in the wilderness, at Meribah, and on that day at Massah, when they tempted me.
9 They put me to the test, though they had seen my works.
10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, This people are wayward in their hearts; they do not know my ways."
11 So I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter into my rest."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
The Daily Meditation for TUESDAY, November 15, 2016
From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson
James 3:10a (NRSV) From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.
Even as a child, I knew the rhyme was wrong: Sticks and stones may break my bones—but words, ah, words. They can hurt more deeply than a fracture—and the pain can last a lifetime.
My grandfather bought bags of penny candy for me and my younger sisters. When I reached middle school, he stopped bringing a bag for me. “You’re big enough already,” he would say, then turn to my skinny-as-a-rail sister and praise her athleticism and thinness.
Three decades later, his words still ricochet in my head—how I wish a simple cast or splint could mend that break in confidence, the sinking of heart.
James knew the tongue could be a wicked weapon. In his epistle, he warns the Jewish Christians living outside Palestine of the danger of the tongue. Words matter, he tells them and us, and we have a choice to use them for good or for ill. We can choose to be boastful, mouth off a snide comment, fire a well-placed jab. Or we can let our words be a reflection of God’s grace, so the words that echo are of peace and healing, not brokenness and pain.
Written by Richelle Thompson
James 3:10a (NRSV) From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.
Even as a child, I knew the rhyme was wrong: Sticks and stones may break my bones—but words, ah, words. They can hurt more deeply than a fracture—and the pain can last a lifetime.
My grandfather bought bags of penny candy for me and my younger sisters. When I reached middle school, he stopped bringing a bag for me. “You’re big enough already,” he would say, then turn to my skinny-as-a-rail sister and praise her athleticism and thinness.
Three decades later, his words still ricochet in my head—how I wish a simple cast or splint could mend that break in confidence, the sinking of heart.
James knew the tongue could be a wicked weapon. In his epistle, he warns the Jewish Christians living outside Palestine of the danger of the tongue. Words matter, he tells them and us, and we have a choice to use them for good or for ill. We can choose to be boastful, mouth off a snide comment, fire a well-placed jab. Or we can let our words be a reflection of God’s grace, so the words that echo are of peace and healing, not brokenness and pain.
Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.
Our Daily Bread - Do I Matter?
Read: Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 | Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 1–2; Hebrews 11:1–19
[Christ Jesus] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. Philippians 2:7
I stand in the cashier line of the local supermarket and look around me. I see teenagers with shaved heads and nose rings looking through the snack foods; a young professional buying one steak, a few twigs of asparagus, and a sweet potato; an elderly woman pondering the peaches and strawberries. Does God know all these people by name? I ask myself. Do they really matter to Him?
The Maker of all things is the Maker of all human beings, and each of us is deemed worthy of His individual attention and love. God demonstrated that love in person on the gnarly hills of Israel and ultimately on the cross.
When Jesus visited earth in the form of a servant, He showed that the hand of God is not too big for the smallest person in the world. It is a hand engraved with our individual names and engraved also with wounds, the cost to God of loving us so much.
Now, when I find myself wallowing in self-pity, overwhelmed by the ache of loneliness that is articulated so well in books like Job and Ecclesiastes, I turn to the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s stories and deeds. If I conclude that my existence “under the sun” (Eccl. 1:3) makes no difference to God, I contradict one of the main reasons God came to earth. To the question Do I matter? Jesus is indeed the answer.
Father, when we are overwhelmed by the ache of loneliness and pain, we can run only to You. Jesus showed us how much we matter to You, and we thank You!
The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus
© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries
Nuestro Pan Diario - ¿Le intereso a alguien?
Por Philip Yancey
Leer: Eclesiastés 1:1-11 | La Biblia en un año: Hebreos 11:1-19
… [Jesucristo] se despojó a sí mismo, tomando forma de siervo… (Filipenses 2:7).
Mientras espero para pagar en el supermercado, miro alrededor y veo jóvenes con la cabeza afeitada y anillos en la nariz buscando patatas fritas embolsadas; un joven profesional comprando carne, espárragos y patatas; y una anciana observando los duraznos y las fresas. Me pregunto: ¿Conoce Dios el nombre de todas estas personas? ¿Realmente le interesan?
El Creador de todas las cosas lo es también de cada ser humano, y todos somos dignos de su amor y atención. Dios demostró ese amor en persona sobre las onduladas colinas de Israel y, al final, en la cruz.
Cuando Jesús visitó la Tierra como siervo, demostró que la mano de
Dios no es demasiado grande para la persona más pequeña de este mundo.
En esa mano, no solo nuestros nombres están grabados, sino también las
heridas del precio que pagó por amarnos tanto.
Cuando siento lástima de mí mismo o me abruma la angustia de la soledad —emociones bien descritas en los libros de Job y Eclesiastés—, leo los Evangelios, que relatan las historias y las obras de Jesús. Si pienso que a Dios no le interesa mi existencia «debajo del sol» (Eclesiastés 1:3), estoy contradiciendo una de las principales razones por las que Jesús vino a la Tierra. Él es la respuesta a mi cuestionamiento: ¿Le intereso a alguien?
© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Cuando siento lástima de mí mismo o me abruma la angustia de la soledad —emociones bien descritas en los libros de Job y Eclesiastés—, leo los Evangelios, que relatan las historias y las obras de Jesús. Si pienso que a Dios no le interesa mi existencia «debajo del sol» (Eclesiastés 1:3), estoy contradiciendo una de las principales razones por las que Jesús vino a la Tierra. Él es la respuesta a mi cuestionamiento: ¿Le intereso a alguien?
Señor, gracias porque mi vida te importa mucho.
«El buen Pastor pone su vida por las ovejas». Jesús
© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Unser Täglich Brot - Bin ich wichtig?
Von Philip Yancey
Lesen: Prediger 1,1-11 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Hesekiel 1–2; Hebräer 11,1-19
[Christus] entäußerte sich selbst und nahm Knechtsgestalt an. Philipper 2,7
Ich stehe in der Schlange im örtlichen Supermarkt und sehe mich um. Ich sehe Teenager mit rasierten Köpfen und Nasenringen nach einem Snack suchen. Ein junger Geschäftsmann kauft ein Steak, ein paar Stangen Spargel und eine Süßkartoffel. Eine ältere Dame betrachtet Pfirsiche und Erdbeeren. Kennt Gott alle diese Menschen mit Namen?, frage ich mich. Sind sie ihm wirklich wichtig?
Der Schöpfer aller Dinge hat jeden einzelnen Menschen erschaffen und jeder ist seiner ungeteilten Aufmerksamkeit und Liebe wert. Diese Liebe hat er in den rauen Bergen Israels und letztlich am Kreuz bewiesen.
Als Jesus in der Gestalt eines Knechts auf die Erde kam, zeigte er, dass Gottes Hand nicht zu groß ist für die Allerkleinsten. In diese Hand sind nicht nur unsere Namen eingraviert, sondern auch die Wunden, mit denen Gott den Preis für seine Liebe zu uns bezahlt hat.
Nun, wenn ich in Selbstmitleid bade, weil der Schmerz der Einsamkeit mich überwältigt, der in Büchern wie Hiob oder Prediger so treffend zum Ausdruck gebracht wird, schlage ich die Evangelien mit den Berichten über Jesu Reden und Wirken auf. Wenn ich meine, mein Dasein „unter der Sonne“ (Pred. 1,3) habe für Gott keine Bedeutung, widerspreche ich einem der wichtigsten Gründe, weshalb Gott auf die Erde kam. Auf die Frage: „Bin ich wichtig?“ ist Jesus die Antwort.
Vater, wenn Einsamkeit und Schmerz uns überwältigen, können wir nur zu dir fliehen. Jesus hat uns gezeigt, wie viel wir dir wert sind. Dafür danken wir dir!
Der gute Hirte lässt sein Leben für die Schafe. Jesus
© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot
Хлеб наш насущный - Что я значу?
автор: Филип Янси
Читать сейчас: Екклесиаст 1:1-11 | Библия за год: Иезекииль 1-2; 1 Тимофею 5
[Христос Иисус] уничижил Себя Самого, приняв образ раба. — Филиппийцам 2:7
Я стоял в очереди в кассу в местном супермаркете и смотрел по сторонам. Я видел подростков с бритыми головами и кольцами в носу, держащих пакеты с фастфудом. Молодого специалиста, покупающего стейк, две веточки спаржи и картофель. Пожилую женщину, выбиравшую персики и клубнику. «Неужели Бог знает их всех по имени? – подумалось мне. – Что они значат для Него?»
Создатель мира является также и Создателем людей, и каждый из нас – предмет Его особого внимания и заботы. Бог явил эту заботу лично на каменистых холмах Израиля, а затем на кресте.
Когда Иисус пришел на землю в образе раба, Он показал, что рука Господа не велика даже для малейшего из жителей земли. На этой руке высечены наши имена, они запечатлены в ранах – цене слишком высокой, чтобы можно было их забыть.
Теперь, когда у меня случаются приливы жалости к себе и чувства одиночества, так хорошо описанные в книгах Иова и Екклесиаста, я обращаюсь к евангельским повествованиям о Божьем Сыне. Если мне кажется, что мое существование «под солнцем» (Еккл. 1:3) ничего не значит для Бога, то это противоречит важнейшей причине, по которой Бог пришел на землю. На вопрос «Что я значу?» ответом является Иисус Христос.
Отче, когда нас посещают мысли о своей ничтожности и одиночестве, нам некуда бежать, как только к Тебе. Твой Сын показал, как много мы значим для Тебя, и мы благодарим Тебя.
«Пастырь добрый полагает жизнь свою за овец». — Иисус Христос
© 2016 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Notre Pain Quotidien - Ai‑je du prix ?
par Philip Yancey
Lisez : Ecclésiaste 1.1‑11 | La Bible en un an : Ézéchiel 1 – 2 et Hébreux 11.1‑19
[Jésus‑Christ] s’est dépouillé lui‑même, en prenant une forme de serviteur. (Philippiens 2.7)
Je fais la queue à la caisse d’un
supermarché du quartier en regardant autour de moi. Je vois alors des
adolescents à la tête rasée et aux anneaux dans le nez en train de
contempler les friandises ; un jeune professionnel en train d’acheter un
steak, une botte d’asperges et une patate douce ; une aînée en train
d’hésiter entre les pêches et les fraises. Dieu connaît‑il tous ces gens par leur nom ? Ont‑ils réellement du prix à ses yeux ? Voilà ce que je me demande.
Le Créateur de toutes choses a aussi créé
les êtres humains, dont il estime chacun digne de son attention et de
son amour. Dieu a manifesté son amour pour tous sur les collines de
Jérusalem et, en définitive, sur la croix.
Lorsque Jésus est venu sur la terre sous
forme de serviteur, il a démontré que la main de Dieu n’est pas trop
grande pour les plus petits de ce monde. Sa main porte l’inscription des
noms et la marque des blessures de chacun de nous, ainsi que le prix
que Dieu a payé pour nous aimer autant.
Quand je suis tenté de céder à
l’apitoiement sur mon sort ou que je me sens submergé par la solitude
que les livres de Job et de l’Ecclésiaste expriment si bien, je me
plonge dans le récit des histoires et des oeuvres de Jésus. Or, si j’en
conclus que ma vie « sous le soleil » (EC 1.3) ne compte pas aux yeux de
Dieu, je contredis ainsi l’une des principales raisons pour lesquelles
Dieu est descendu sur la terre. Jésus est la réponse même à la question :
Ai‑je du prix ?
Le bon Berger donne sa vie pour ses brebis. Jésus
© 2016 Ministères NPQ
Standing Strong Through the Storm - NO ORDINARY LIFE
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as
well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the
one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from
you. Matthew 5:40-42
An Open Doors co-worker shares this personal experience from the Middle East:
The serenity of the pastor walking beside us seemed to calm the hustle and the bustle of the small village. He suddenly came to a stop, carefully looked around and then said, “Some time ago, exactly on the spot where you are standing now, a Christian brother was slaughtered to death because of his faith. He was abducted and brought here to be executed. Life in a mid-eastern village like this is not easy if you confess Jesus to be the Son of God. It could cost you your life.”
I looked at this servant of Christ and asked him the obvious question “Why do you choose to live here? Why do you choose to follow Christ under such severe circumstances?”
Without hesitation he looked at me and his reply became a challenge and guideline for my walk with the Lord, even if it is in the safety of my home. He replied “I refuse to live an ordinary life in Christ.”
As Christians we are called to refuse an ordinary life in Christ. We are commanded to reject worldly standards, to reject mediocrity, to reject compromise and to value people more than possessions, even more than our own lives.
To truly follow Jesus means His will is more important than my life. As well, while alive, I must adopt a lifestyle that puts people ahead of possessions, even one of my most valuable possessions—time! We tend to cherish stuff and comfort more than souls.
In the Shepherd of Hermes, an early church writing, we are urged, “Instead of fields, buy souls that are in trouble according to your ability.”
RESPONSE: Today amid the comforts of my environment I will refuse to live an ordinary life but seek to be more like Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, I want to live the Jesus way, valuing people more than things even to the point of sacrifice. Help me to escape the bonds of the ordinary Christian life.
An Open Doors co-worker shares this personal experience from the Middle East:
The serenity of the pastor walking beside us seemed to calm the hustle and the bustle of the small village. He suddenly came to a stop, carefully looked around and then said, “Some time ago, exactly on the spot where you are standing now, a Christian brother was slaughtered to death because of his faith. He was abducted and brought here to be executed. Life in a mid-eastern village like this is not easy if you confess Jesus to be the Son of God. It could cost you your life.”
I looked at this servant of Christ and asked him the obvious question “Why do you choose to live here? Why do you choose to follow Christ under such severe circumstances?”
Without hesitation he looked at me and his reply became a challenge and guideline for my walk with the Lord, even if it is in the safety of my home. He replied “I refuse to live an ordinary life in Christ.”
As Christians we are called to refuse an ordinary life in Christ. We are commanded to reject worldly standards, to reject mediocrity, to reject compromise and to value people more than possessions, even more than our own lives.
To truly follow Jesus means His will is more important than my life. As well, while alive, I must adopt a lifestyle that puts people ahead of possessions, even one of my most valuable possessions—time! We tend to cherish stuff and comfort more than souls.
In the Shepherd of Hermes, an early church writing, we are urged, “Instead of fields, buy souls that are in trouble according to your ability.”
RESPONSE: Today amid the comforts of my environment I will refuse to live an ordinary life but seek to be more like Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, I want to live the Jesus way, valuing people more than things even to the point of sacrifice. Help me to escape the bonds of the ordinary Christian life.
Women of the Bible - Salome, Mother of the Zebedees
Her name means: "Peace"
Her character: A devoted follower of Jesus, whose husband ran a fishing business, she shared the common misconception that the Messiah would drive out the Romans and establish a literal kingdom in Palestine. Her name was probably Salome.
Her sorrow: To have stood with other women at the cross, witnessing the death of Jesus of Nazareth.
Her joy: To have seen an angel at Christ's tomb, who proclaimed the resurrection.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 20:20-24; 27:56; Mark 15:40-41; 16:1-2
Her Story
Salome loved Jesus nearly as much as she loved her own two sons, James and John. She would never forget the day they left their father and their fishing nets to follow him. Lately, she, too. had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah of God.
She had smiled when she heard Jesus had nicknamed her boys "the Sons of Thunder." Surely he had recognized the seeds of greatness in the two feisty brothers from Capernaum. Why else would he have invited them into his inner circle, along with Simon Peter? She had heard how Jesus had led the three up a high mountain. When they came down, her garrulous sons could hardly speak. But then the story came out.
"Jesus' face was blindingly bright like the sun….
"Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with him….
"Suddenly a cloud surrounded us and a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!' "
Salome had listened. She had seen the glory and the power that radiated from the man. Though she had heard ominous rumors that Jerusalem's men of power hated Jesus, she also knew that the great King David had faced his own share of enemies before establishing his kingdom. And hadn't Jesus promised his disciples that they would sit on twelve thrones in his kingdom? "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake," he had said, "will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." How could she doubt him? Even with faith as small as a mustard seed, mountains could be moved.
Salome had left behind her comfortable home on the northwest shore of Galilee to join her sons. Now, as they journeyed up to Jerusalem, she remembered other words Jesus had spoken: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." She would no longer deny herself the one favor her heart desired. Prostrating herself before him, she begged, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
But instead of replying to her, Jesus turned to James and John and said, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
"We can," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
Jesus, who knew Zebedee's sons better than anyone, realized that Salome was only voicing their rising ambitions. Like any loving mother, she had simply asked for what she thought would make her children happy. But as Jesus' reply and subsequent events proved, this mother didn't begin to comprehend what she was asking. Soon, the man she had approached as a king would himself die on a cross, and she would be one of the women witnessing his death.
After it was over, Salome may have remembered the anguished faces of the men who had been crucified with Jesus, one on his right hand and the other on his left—an ironic reminder of her request on the way up to Jerusalem. Such a memory would only have increased her terror for what might now happen to her sons.
Along with other faithful women at the cross, Salome was present on the morning of Jesus' resurrection. Surely the angel's words—"He has risen! He is not here!"—would have comforted her later in life when her son James became the first martyred apostle, dying at the hands of Herod Agrippa.
Instead of asking Jesus what he wanted for her sons, Salome acted as though she knew exactly what he needed to do on their behalf. She must have forgotten that Jesus had exhorted his followers to leave behind not only houses, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers for his sake, but also children. In Salome's case, it didn't mean turning her back on her children but surrendering them to God. It meant putting Jesus above everything and everyone, loving him better than her own sons. Only then would she understand the meaning of what they would suffer as followers of Christ. Only then would she really know how to pray.
Her Promise
Though the typical woman in biblical times was in a subservient role, her position as a mother is exalted by Scripture. God the Father recognized from the very beginning the important role a mother would play in her children's lives, and he promised to bless her. Those same promises apply to you today.
Girlfriends in God - Attitude Check
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (Proverbs 11:3, NIV).
Friend to Friend
On a recent flight, I was thumbing through a magazine someone left behind when the title of an article caught my eye. “Image is everything” the author declared. For a few seconds, I found myself actually agreeing with the author’s statement.
And then the Holy Spirit whispered, “Attitude check!” I knew what that meant. I needed to straighten up and pay attention because something was wrong. And then I saw it - the subtle lie expertly hidden in the seemingly benign words. It was from the pit and smelled like smoke!
As followers of Christ, we sometimes focus on developing and presenting the right image while neglecting the spiritual discipline of integrity. What we wear, how we look, the people we know, or even how big we can grow our ministry platform gets in the way of loving God, serving God, and becoming more like God.
Oh, friend, Satan is one sneaky dude! But remember that he is the Father of lies. It is his native language, and he speaks it well. Do not miss these two very important truths about integrity.
Our public lives are only as authentic as our private lives.
Image is who and what people think we are, while integrity is who and what we really are.
Billy Graham once said, “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, all is lost.”
Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever compete, having won all four major tournaments in the U.S. and Britain in a single year. Early in his career, Jones made it to the final playoff in the U.S. Open. While setting up a fairly difficult shot, his golf club accidentally touched the ball. Jones immediately became angry, turned to the marshals, and called a penalty on himself. Since the marshals had not seen the ball move, they left the decision to Jones. It was a two-stroke penalty – which Bobby immediately called on himself, not knowing he would later lose the tournament by a single stroke.
Bobby dismissed praise for his honesty by replying, "You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank!" Jones may have lost the tournament, but his character was legendary. The United States Golf Association's award for sportsmanship is now known as the "Bobby Jones Award."
I have often heard it said that integrity is what you do when no one is watching or that character is best illustrated by how you treat people who can do absolutely nothing for you. Integrity is a heart issue and a spiritual habit that decides beforehand to do the right thing.
Character counts.
Integrity matters to God.
1 Chronicles 28:9b For the Lord searches every heart, and understands every desire and every thought.
Matthew 5:8 (NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The word for “pure” in this verse means, “ready for sacrifice.” In other words, the decisions and choices we make should be living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God as acts of worship.
To have integrity means to live an integrated life. That integration occurs when what we believe, what we think, what we say, and what we do all line up with God’s standard … not man’s. Image really is nothing without integrity and character to back it up.
Is it time for an attitude check in your heart?
Let’s Pray
Father, I come to You right now, asking You to examine my heart and show me every impurity hidden there. Search my desires and thoughts and show me the disobedience that breaks your heart. I want to please You with every choice and decision I make, Lord. Forgive me for the hypocrisy in my life. I lay down my pride and my agenda and choose instead to follow You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Memorize Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” As this verse becomes the consistent prayer of your heart, each choice and decision you make will begin to line up with God’s will. He will be honored, and you will experience a new power and purpose in your life. Continually conduct an attitude check in your heart.
More from the Girlfriends
The world is obsessed with fitness and health. And there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to get in shape. In fact, as fully devoted followers of Christ, one of our goals should be to get healthy and stay that way for this race of life. Fit for Life will help you do just that as it explores four areas of fitness and health - spiritual, physical, mental and emotional. Within each one of these areas, Fit for Life examines principles relating to rest, diet and exercise.
Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
Un Dia a la Vez - La envidia
No te irrites a causa de los impíos ni envidies a los que cometen injusticias; porque pronto se marchitan, como la hierba. Salmo 37:1-2
No te sientas mal cuando sientan envidia de ti. ¿Sabes? Eso siempre lo he visto como una buena señal. Cuando llamamos la atención, es porque estamos haciendo algo que les inquieta a los demás. Claro, esto es bueno cuando hacemos lo recto.
La envidia se conoce también como celo o codicia. Es algo horrible, pues no puedes brillar con luz propia debido a que no quieres ser tú mismo. Te frustras a menudo porque no resistes que a las otras personas les vaya mejor que a ti.
También la Palabra de Dios nos orienta a que no sintamos envidia de los impíos, de los que no le conocen. No debemos envidiar sus triunfos ni sus riquezas, pues nosotros tenemos el mejor regalo que es la vida eterna. Además, contamos con todas las promesas a fin de tener prosperidad y bendición.
Sé que muchos nos quejamos y decimos: «Bueno, ¿por qué esta persona sale adelante y le va súper bien si no conoce de Dios, no se congrega, ni obedece sus mandamientos?».
¡No te dejes confundir! Dios te dice que muchos de ellos morirán sin conocerle.
Por lo tanto, es mejor que no lo tengamos todo, sino que lo tengamos a Él y la salvación.
Verse of the Day - November 14, 2016
1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
Read all of 1 Peter 3
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