Sunday, March 5, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - "The Battle"

March 6, 2017

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil...(Luke 4:1-2a, ESV)

Read Luke 4:1-13

When Satan first squared off against humanity he tripped up our parents in the Garden of Eden, with his cunningly twisted words. They disobeyed God's Word, ate the forbidden fruit, and plunged our world into death and destruction. Now Satan squares off against our Savior.

For 40 days Jesus ate no food as our enemy unleashed a devastating torrent of deceitful temptations. Luke records three final devious traps Satan set for Jesus.

First, he appeals to Jesus' great hunger: "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." It sounds innocent enough, but Jesus sees the trap. Following Satan's advice will show He doesn't trust God to provide for His needs. Jesus answers, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"

The tempter next offers to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He will worship him. Jesus answers, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'" He came to walk His Father's difficult saving path-not Satan's shortcut.

In one final temptation Jesus is placed on the pinnacle of the temple. Satan challenges Him to jump, appealing to God's promise in the Psalm, "He will command His angels to guard you ... lest you strike your foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11a, 12b).

If Jesus won't jump, it looks like He doesn't trust God's promise. But Jesus sees through it. He doesn't have to prove His faith to Satan. He replies, "It is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Having no success in his temptations, Satan departs from Jesus, waiting a more opportune time.

THE PRAYER: Almighty God, where Adam and Eve fell to Satan's lies, Your Son stood firm. Thank You for His salvation. Help me trust You as He did and cling to Your Word alone. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Devociones de Cuaresma - Un malentendido muy popular

6 de Marzo

Les rogamos a ustedes que no reciban su gracia en vano. 2 Corintios 6:1, RVC (6:1-2a)

Los oponentes de Lutero lo criticaron fuertemente porque él enfatizaba que somos salvos sólo por gracia, sin las obras de la ley -así como la Biblia afirma claramente-. Sus críticos decían que semejante doctrina produciría un cristianismo flojo y que la iglesia se plagaría de holgazanes ya que, si la salvación era regalada, no necesitaban prestarle atención a la ley de Dios. Pero esto no fue lo que los reformadores, ni la Biblia, enseñaron. A decir verdad, cuando recibimos la salvación por gracia, la ley de Dios se convierte en el único camino de vida del creyente.

El malentendido de los detractores de la Reforma sigue vigente aún hoy en las iglesias cristianas protestantes y evangélicas. No es de extrañar, porque esto era algo que también pasaba en la iglesia en Corinto. Había quienes recibían la gracia de Dios y no sabían bien qué hacer con ella, o mejor dicho, la desaprovechaban: no perdonaban cuando tenían la ocasión de hacerlo, hacían la vista gorda ante las múltiples necesidades de los hermanos y, lo que era peor, "no veían" los atroces pecados que se cometían en el seno de la congregación.

Recibir la gracia en vano es no entender la gracia. A nosotros la salvación no nos costó nada, pero a Dios le costó la vida de su propio Hijo. No recibirla en vano quiere decir entender ese costo. La gracia de Dios nos transforma para que seamos menos reprochadores, para que enmendemos una relación en vez de herirla, para que no nos creamos mejores que los demás, y para que seamos pacientes con nosotros mismos y con nuestros hermanos.

Gracias, Señor, por tu gracia. Renuévanos por medio de tu Palabra y tu Espíritu Santo, para que ejercitemos tu gracia cada día con todas las personas a nuestro alrededor. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC) Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas.

Our Daily Bread - Loving Perfectly

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 1–2; Mark 10:1–31

[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:7–8

Her voice shook as she shared the problems she was having with her daughter. Worried about her teenager’s questionable friends, this concerned mum confiscated her daughter’s mobile phone and chaperoned her everywhere. Their relationship seemed only to go from bad to worse.

When I spoke with the daughter, I discovered that she loves her mum dearly but is suffocating under a smothering love. She longs to break free.

As imperfect beings, we all struggle in our relationships. Whether we are a parent or child, single or married, we grapple with expressing love the right way, saying and doing the right thing at the right time. We grow in love throughout our lifetime.

In 1 Corinthians 13 the apostle Paul outlines what perfect love looks like. His standard sounds wonderful, but putting that love into practice can be absolutely daunting. Thankfully, we have Jesus as our example. As He interacted with people with varying needs and issues, He showed us what perfect love looks like in action. As we walk with Him, keeping ourselves in His love and steeping our mind in His Word, we’ll reflect more and more of His likeness. We’ll still make mistakes, but God is able to redeem them and cause good to come out of every situation, for His love “always protects” and it “never fails” (vv. 7–8).

Lord, our intentions are good but we fail each other in so many ways. Thank You for being our model in showing us how to live and love.

To show His love, Jesus died for us; to show our love, we live for Him.


© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Tình Yêu Hoàn Hảo

Đọc: I Cô-rinh-tô 13:4-8 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Phục truyền 1-2; Mác 10:1-31

Tình yêu thương hay dung thứ mọi sự, tin mọi sự, hi vọng mọi sự, chịu đựng mọi sự. Tình yêu thương không bao giờ suy tàn. (I Cô-rinh-tô 13:7-8)

Giọng cô run run khi chia sẻ những nan đề cô gặp với con gái mình. Lo lắng về những người bạn đáng nghi của đứa con gái tuổi thiếu niên, người mẹ lo âu này tịch thu điện thoại di động của con gái và kèm kẹp cô bé mọi nơi. Mối quan hệ của họ dường như ngày càng tệ hơn.

Khi tôi nói chuyện với đứa con gái, tôi thấy cô bé rất yêu mẹ mình nhưng lại đang cảm thấy nghẹt thở bởi kiểu tình yêu bao bọc của mẹ. Cô bé muốn được tự do.

Là con người bất toàn, chúng ta thảy đều tranh chiến trong những mối quan hệ của mình. Dù là cha mẹ hay con cái, độc thân hay đã kết hôn, chúng ta đều cố gắng bày tỏ tình yêu cách đúng đắn, nói và làm điều đúng vào đúng thời điểm. Chúng ta tăng trưởng trong tình yêu thương cả cuộc đời.

Trong I Cô-rinh-tô 13, sứ đồ Phao-lô cho thấy tình yêu hoàn hảo là thế nào. Tiêu chuẩn của ông nghe thật tuyệt vời, nhưng áp dụng vào thực tiễn chắc chắn có thể gây nản lòng. Thật vui khi chúng ta có Chúa Jêsus là tấm gương cho mình. Khi Chúa tiếp xúc với những người có những nhu cầu và nan đề khác nhau, Ngài bày tỏ cho chúng ta thấy tình yêu hoàn hảo là thế nào bằng hành động. Khi chúng ta bước với Chúa, ở trong tình yêu Ngài và dầm thấm trong Lời Ngài, chúng ta sẽ ngày càng giống như Chúa hơn. Chúng ta vẫn sẽ lầm lỗi, nhưng Ngài có thể cứu chuộc và khiến điều tốt đẹp đến trong mọi hoàn cảnh, vì tình yêu của Chúa “luôn dung thứ” và “không bao giờ suy tàn” (c.7-8).

Lạy Chúa, dù chúng con có những mục đích tốt, nhưng chúng con thường làm tổn thương nhau trong nhiều cách. Cảm ơn Ngài đã trở thành hình mẫu chỉ dẫn cho chúng con biết cách để sống và yêu thương.

Để bày tỏ tình yêu của Ngài, Chúa Jêsus đã chết vì chúng ta; để bày tỏ tình yêu của mình, chúng ta sống cho Ngài.


© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - Amar a la perfección

Leer: 1 Corintios 13:4-8 | La Biblia en un año: Marcos 10:1-31

… [El amor] todo lo cree, todo lo espera, todo lo soporta. El amor nunca deja de ser… (1 Corintios 13:7-8).

L a voz le temblaba al hablar de los problemas que tenía con su hija. Preocupada por las amistades problemáticas de esta adolescente, la mamá le había confiscado el teléfono celular y la acompañaba a todas partes. La relación parecía ir de mal en peor.

Cuando hablé con la muchacha, descubrí que ama profundamente a su madre, pero que el amor asfixiante de la mamá la sofocaba. Anhelaba ser libre.

Al ser imperfectos, todos luchamos con las relaciones interpersonales. Seamos padres o hijos, solteros o casados, nos cuesta expresar amor de la manera adecuada, y decir y hacer lo correcto en el momento apropiado. El amor va madurando durante toda la vida.

En 1 Corintios 13, el apóstol Pablo describe el amor perfecto. Sus estándares suenan maravillosos, pero ponerlos en práctica puede resultar desalentador. Gracias a Dios, tenemos a Jesús como ejemplo. Al interactuar con personas con diversas necesidades y circunstancias, nos demostró cómo es el amor perfecto en acción. A medida que caminemos con Él, permanezcamos en su amor e impregnemos nuestra mente con su Palabra, lo reflejaremos cada vez más. Seguimos cometiendo errores, pero Dios puede resolverlos y sacar algo bueno de cada situación, ya que su amor «todo lo soporta» y «nunca deja de ser».

Señor, ayúdame a seguir tus ejemplos de amor.

Para mostrar su amor, Jesús murió por nosotros; para mostrar nuestro amor, nosotros vivimos para Él.


Unser Täglich Brot - Vollkommene Liebe

Lesen: 1.Korinther 13,4-8 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 5.Mose 1–2; Markus 10,1-31

[Die Liebe] erträgt alles, sie glaubt alles, sie hofft alles, sie duldet alles. Die Liebe hört niemals auf. 1.Korinther 13,7-8

Ihre Stimme zitterte, als sie von den Problemen mit ihrer Tochter erzählte. Weil sie sich wegen der zweifelhaften Freunde des Mädchens sorgte, hatte sie ihr Handy konfisziert und überwachte sie auf Schritt und Tritt. Doch ihr Verhältnis zueinander wurde nur noch schlimmer.

Als ich mit der Tochter sprach, stellte ich fest, dass sie ihre Mutter wirklich gern hatte, unter der erdrückenden Liebe aber fast erstickte. Sie wollte frei sein.

Als unvollkommene Wesen haben wir alle irgendwelche Beziehungsprobleme. Ob Eltern oder Kinder, Single oder verheiratet, es fällt uns schwer, unsere Liebe auf die richtige Art zum Ausdruck zu bringen und zur rechten Zeit das Richtige zu sagen oder tun. Liebe müssen wir ein ganzes Leben lang lernen.

In 1.Korinther 13 schildert Paulus, wie vollkommene Liebe aussieht. Seine Worte klingen wunderbar, aber der Versuch, sie in die Praxis umzusetzen, kann absolut frustrierend sein. Zum Glück haben wir Jesus als Beispiel. Er hat uns vorgelebt, wie Liebe in Aktion im Umgang mit den unterschiedlichsten Menschen aussieht. Wenn wir mit ihm leben und selbst in seiner Liebe und an seinem Wort bleiben, werden wir ihm immer ähnlicher. Wir machen immer noch Fehler, aber Gott kann sie ausgleichen und dafür sorgen, dass doch noch etwas Gutes daraus wird, denn seine Liebe „erträgt alles“ und „hört niemals auf“ (V.7-8).

Herr, wir haben oft die besten Absichten und machen trotzdem immer wieder Fehler. Danke, dass du uns vorgelebt hast, wie wir leben und lieben können.

Um uns seine Liebe zu zeigen, ist Jesus für uns gestorben. Um ihm unsere Liebe zu zeigen, leben wir für ihn.


© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Aimer à la perfection


[La charité] excuse tout, elle croit tout, elle espère tout, elle supporte tout. La charité ne périt jamais. (1 Corinthiens 1.:7,8)

D’une voix tremblante, elle a expliqué les problèmes qu’elle vivait avec sa fille. S’inquiétant des amis douteux de son adolescente, cette mère soucieuse a confisqué le téléphone cellulaire de sa fille et l’a surveillée dans toutes ses sorties. Or, leur relation n’a semblé qu’empirer.

En discutant avec la jeune fille, j’ai découvert qu’elle chérissait sa mère, mais qu’elle désirait ardemment se libérer de l’amour étouffant de celle‑ci.

En tant qu’êtres imparfaits, nous avons tous des combats relationnels à mener. Que nous soyons parent ou enfant, célibataire ou marié, nous avons du mal à bien exprimer notre amour, à faire et à dire la bonne chose au bon moment. Il nous faut apprendre à mieux aimer tout au long de notre vie.

Dans 1 Corinthiens 13, l’apôtre Paul souligne ce à quoi ressemble l’amour parfait. Ses normes sont admirables, mais on peut se sentir tout à fait intimidé devant la mise en pratique de ce type d’amour. Par bonheur, nous avons Jésus pour nous servir d’exemple. En interagissant avec des gens aux besoins et aux problèmes variés, il nous a démontré à quoi ressemble l’amour parfait en action. En marchant à ses côtés, tout en restant dans son amour et en enracinant notre esprit dans sa Parole, nous refléterons de plus en plus sa ressemblance. Nous continuerons de faire des erreurs, mais Dieu peut les racheter et tirer avantage de toute situation, car son amour « supporte tout » et « ne périt jamais » (V. 7,8).

Par amour, Jésus est mort pour nous ; par amour, nous vivons pour lui.


Хліб Наш Насущній - Досконала любов

Читати: 1 Коринтян 13:4-8 | Біблія за рік: Повторення Закону 1–2 ; Марка 10:1-31

Усе зносить, вірить у все, сподівається всього, усе терпить! Ніколи любов не перестає! — 1 Коринтян 13:7-8

Голос жінки тремтів, коли вона розповідала про свої проблеми з донькою. Дуже стурбована сумнівними друзями доньки, вона відібрала в неї мобільний телефон і постійно стежила за нею. Через це їхні стосунки стали ще гіршими.

Коли я мала бесіду з її донькою, то виявилось, що вона любить маму, але втомилась від її нав’язливої опіки. Вона прагнула свободи.

Ми, як недосконалі створіння, часто маємо проблеми у своїх стосунках. Всі ми – діти й дорослі, самотні та сімейні – намагаємося виявляти любов правильним чином, казати й робити правильні речі у правильний час. Всі ми протягом життя вчимося любити.

В 1 Коринтян 13 апостол Павло докладно показує, якою є довершена любов. Запропоновані стандарти звучать дуже мило, але застосовувати їх іноді так важко, що ми буваємо вкрай збентежені. На щастя, маємо чудовий приклад – Ісуса Христа. Коли ми бачимо, як Він взаємодіяв із людьми, що мали різні потреби та проблеми, перед нами вимальовується картина справжньої любові у дії. Коли ми крокуємо з Ним, ходимо в Його любові й заглиблюємося в Його Слово, то все більше й більше відображаємо Його образ. І хоча ми все ще робимо іноді помилки, Бог дарує прощення і може навіть обернути їх на благо. Адже Його любов “усе зносить” і “усе терпить” (1 Кор. 13:7-8).

Господи, наші наміри зазвичай добрі, але ми так часто робимо помилки у стосунках з іншими людьми. Дякуємо, що Ти є прикладом для нас, як потрібно жити й любити.

Ісус вмер, щоб явити Свою любов до нас, а ми маємо жити так, щоб являти свою любов до Нього.


© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Совершенная любовь

Читать сейчас: 1 Коринфянам 13:4-8 | Библия за год: Второзаконие 1-2; Марка 10:1-31

[Любовь] все покрывает, всему верит, на все надеется, все переносит. Любовь никогда не перестает. — 1 Коринфянам 13:7-8

Голос ее дрожал, руки не находили места. Моя подруга рассказывала о проблемах с дочерью-подростком. Стремясь уберечь ее от сомнительных друзей, она конфисковала мобильный телефон девочки и повсюду ее сопровождала. Отношения из плохих постепенно становились совсем никудышными. Я решила поговорить с дочерью. Оказалось, что она любит маму, но тяготится ее навязчивой заботой. Ей хотелось свободы.

Несовершенные существа, мы испытываем проблемы во взаимоотношениях. Родители или дети, одинокие или женатые, мы пытаемся выражать любовь правильным образом, говорить и поступать, как нужно. Мы всю жизнь учимся любить.

В главе 13 Первого послания к коринфянам апостол Павел описывает совершенную любовь. Его стандарт выглядит замечательно, но попытки воплотить его в жизнь порой оказываются совершенно безнадежными. К счастью, у нас есть пример – Иисус Христос. Вращаясь среди людей с их нуждами и вопросами, Он показал, какой должна быть совершенная любовь в действии. Живя с Ним и сохраняя себя в Его любви, а также погружаясь умом в Его Слово, мы будем все больше отражать Его образ. Мы все еще будем ошибаться, однако Бог сможет исправить отрицательные последствия и обратить во благо любую ситуацию. Его любовь «все покрывает» и «никогда не перестает» (1 Кор. 13:7-8).

Господи, наши намерения благие, но мы так часто подводим друг друга. Благодарим, что Ты стал нашим примером, показав на деле, как нужно жить и любить.

Из любви Иисус умер за нас; из любви мы живем для Него.


© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Readings for SUNDAY, March 5, 2017 - 1st Sunday in Lent (Invocavit Sunday)


The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God


Psalms

Psalm 32 Beati quorum
1   Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!
2   Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3   While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, because of my groaning all day long.
4   For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5   Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt.
6   I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD." Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7   Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8   You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9   I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye.
10   Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you."
11   Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
12   Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; shout for joy, all who are true of heart.


The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Romans 5:12-19

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned-- sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God


The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in Matthew 4:1-11
Glory be to Thee, O Lord


Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'" Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Here ends the Gospel lesson for today.
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!


The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.


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.

"Temptation" - The Sermon for SUNDAY, March 5, 2017 - 1st Sunday in Lent (Invocavit Sunday)

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness -
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'" Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

"Temptation"

What is a sinner? Let me repeat that question, what is a sinner? Pascal says: "There are only two kinds of people, the righteous who believe themselves a sinner and the sinner who believes themselves righteous". Mary Wilson Little put it this way, "People who make no pretensions of being good one day out of the week are known as sinners." Or as Oscar Wilde says, "Nothing makes one so vain as being told that one is a sinner."

Or here is what another person says about a sinner as he looked at his own life. "I often find I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don’t accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don’t want to do, I find I’m always doing. Yet, if I do the things that I don’t really want to do, then it is not I, repeat, it is not I that do them, but it is my own nature in which I am a slave to sin and death. It’s an agonizing situation, a constant conflicts and who on earth can free me from the clutches of my own sinful nature?" That was St. Paul writing to the Romans about his own struggle with sin.

The first couple of people, I quoted about sin made it seem like something one could easily brush off, like water dripping off of a duck’s back. Sin was not taken seriously in their lives. But I think Paul said it best, sin is something that affects a person’s whole being. It is not something that can be brushed off very easily. It doesn’t work that way. You know it and I know it. Everyone of us labors under the terrible weight of guilt and sin. We feel guilty about the wrongs we have done, the hurts we have caused others, and at the same time, we feel guilty about those things we should have done, but didn’t do. For example, maybe we needed to apologize to someone, but were too proud. Or, maybe, we couldn’t express forgiveness to another, because of the hatred that filled our heart. Or maybe, it was the hurt we said to a loved one and after realizing what we had done, we couldn’t or wouldn’t say we were sorry. Or maybe we are guilty of not including the stranger, the new person to town in our circle of friends. Sin is more than what we have done wrong, it is also as our confessional service says: those things we have left undone.

In the scheme of life, we sin against not only people, or creation, when we are not good stewards, but finally all sin is a sin against God Himself. In "Rejoice and Realize"--written by Richard Hoefler, he says --"When we sin we do not break a law; we break our Father’s heart. God grieves when we sin against him, but he does not disown us. The certainty of our status in the family of a loving Father is found all through the New Testament and is Paul’s central message as seen especially in Romans 8:31-39".

Also, our gospel lesson today, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is a clear example of the love God has for us as we face all the brownness of this world. For, I think, all the gospel writers included this story of the temptation of Jesus as a way of showing us, as clearly as possible, that God understands the human condition in which we live. We live in a fallen world. There is sin and brokenness all around. He even had His only Son tempted in the wilderness as a clear indication of His comprehension of the difficulties we face day in and day out.

Many times this temptation story of Jesus seems far removed from our world, our life. On the surface we have a difficult time relating to these temptations, turning stones into bread, or jumping off the highest part of the temple and having God’s angels catch you, or being placed on a very high mountain so that you could see the whole world, then having the Devil giving you a chance of owning it all. That is far removed from the sins we face day in and day out. However, I would like to suggest this morning as we look at just one of these temptations, it is in the subtlety of these temptations where we really find ourselves and see the real craftiness of the Devil and sin.

The first temptation speaks of turning stones into bread. As Jesus sits in the dessert his stomach is empty; He hasn’t eaten for 40 days, his throat is parched. The devil approaches, and I don’t believe he was the red horned person with a pitch fork we dream of, he was more subtle, more inventive, he was in actuality, the voice of reason in Jesus’ mind and ear. Maybe he said, " Jesus, sir, you look like you are having a rough time. By the way, you are the Son of God, right? So, why don’t you turn all of these stones into bread? Not just for yourself, for I know you are a loving and compassionate person,---but for all the starving people of the world. They need you. They need this food. They need the power you possess. Give them what they want, what they need, give them food. And then you would be their hero. They would follow you anywhere."

Think about that for a moment. That doesn’t sound too diabolical, does it? Feed the world, take care of the hungry, that is a noble cause. The temptation wasn’t in the act so much as in the attitude, the motivation. Jesus was tempted to take the easy way, a short cut, if you will, to by pass God’s natural order of things. Instead of growing food, just change stones into bread. That is the essence of all of these temptations, to take the easy way, to by pass God’s plan, God’s order to life. Turn stone into bread, jump off the temple, show the people a great magic act, then they will follow. Be the ruler of the whole world, bring peace, bring justice, bring love, but in reality it is the easy way, the way that leaves God out of the picture. Leaving God out of the picture is what sin is all about.

The temptations of Jesus are not so far removed from our lives, if we think of them as leaving God out of the picture of life and you controlling your life. Control, power, accountability, those are the sins of our lives. We like to pretend, to play games with each other and with God that we are not as bad, or as unrighteous, or as unholy as someone else we can point a finger at, as we sit in the smugness of our own sin and pride. Living life my way is the call words for many people. One of the fast food chains had a slogan a few years back, saying,"Have it your way!!" or maybe some will remember Frank Sinatra’s hit song, "I did it my way!!" Isn’t there a lot of theological truth in those two lines.?? You and I like to have things our own way. We want to take God out of the picture of our lives. We want to control and run our lives our way. But many times, no, all the time, we do not live up to our potential, our goals, our vision of what we want for ourselves, so then we become angry, we lash out, maybe at God, maybe at a loved one, maybe at ourselves. We want control, but when we think we have it, we are in all reality out of control, because we are like Paul as he say: "That is, I don’t accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don’t want to do, I find I’m always doing."

In the situation we find ourselves, two thing can happen, we can become like the man in the following:

"A young said this about his life. It seems like I was a man trying to climb out of a muddy, clinging swamp and every time I just about reached the solid bank, someone would come along, put his foot in my face and push me back into the mud. And so, finally, I decided to stay in the swamp. And what the heck, I have a lot of company." We can live a broken and desperate life, never finding our true self, never being happy with who we are or what we are doing. Life can be one big swampy mud pit. We can be constantly moving, thrashing, climbing out of the mud pit.

Or we can surrender our lives over to God and allow Him to recreate us. We can put God back into the picture of our lives.

Our lesson from Genesis this morning is the story of creation, how God turned dust and mud into a human being. When God is in the picture mud is changed. The difference between God and us is seen in the mud. God molded the mud, blew on it and created life. We mold the mud, blow on it, and end up with---mud. We like to play God. We like to pretend that we are as wise and powerful as God. But we still end up with mud.

However, our mud pies, so to speak, our lives, get so complex than even when we think we are allowing God to control our lives, He isn’t. The following poem was written in the poetry section of the New York Times: "I wish there were someone that would hear my confession. Not a pastor, I do not want to be told of my sin. Not a mother, I don’t want to bring sorrow. Not a friend, she would not know enough. Not a lover, he would be too partial. Not a God, He is too far away. But someone who would be friend, mother, lover, pastor, and God all in one. A stranger besides, who would not interfere. Who, when everything is said, from beginning to end, would show the reason for it all. And then tell me to go ahead and work it out in my own way." My friends, that is the perfect picture of someone, or maybe, I am afraid, of a lot of people, who think God is in control of their lives, but in reality, He isn’t.

Working in your own way is stupid nonsense, because you will never be able to make anything with that mud, your life, but keep playing with it until it is worn out and dies. You will never be able to change it, to make something else out of the mud. But turn it over to God, allow the breath of God to enter life, allow God to fill life, allow God to pour Himself into your life, then changes will happen. You will no longer be a mud turtle, you will be a child of God’s. And in that relationship, God will be in control and life will change. Maybe not all at once, maybe not the way you might have expected it. But when God pulls us out of the mud and then remolds that mud, reshapes it and breathes His breath, His Spirit, into that mud, into your life, amazing things can happen.

The first step is to acknowledge that my control of life is not getting me anywhere in terms of finding peace, self-worth, and a sense of contentment. I need to admit to myself and to God that I am a mud turtle caught in the swamp of life and no matter how much I try, or how much I struggle, or how busy I seem to be, or how far I bury in the closets of the deepest part of my soul those hurts, those pains, those emotions, those situations which remind me over and over again, I am broken and I live in a broken world, I cannot escape from these until I am ready to surrender control of my life to Almighty God.

Luther had a prayer he prayed each day in which he asked God to allow him to surrender these things and then fill him with God’s breath, God’s Spirit. Listen: "Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My lord, fill it. I am weak in faith; strengthen thou me. I am cold in love; warm and make me fervent that my love may go out to my neighbors. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust Thee altogether. O Lord, help me. In Thee I have sealed the treasure of all I have. I am poor, Thou art rich and didst come to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; Thou are upright. With me, there is an abundance of sin, in Thee is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with Thee whom I can receive, but to Whom I may not give." Amen

The closing story, I think, sums up this surrendering our selves, our beings, our emotions, our pains, our hurts, our hidden closet items over to God who can handle it. He is God Almighty and can deal with our deepest emotions as He listened to His own son cry from the cross, "My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?" God can handle your life as it is with all of its brownness, with all of its sinfulness, with all of its self-pride. God can handle it, He wants to be in the picture of your life.

The tragedy left the man homeless, widowed and fatherless. Fire had swept through the trailer, and all was lost. It took some time for the full weight of the loss to descend, and when it did, he was nearly crushed. Like Job in the Old Testement he would not be comforted.....When the gift of shock was lifted, anger, resentment filled every waking thought. God had not been fair to him -- God had not protected his family. He had not come to him with a special visitation to explain the "why" and the "what next". He was in a wilderness as rugged as the Sinai.....The greatest temptation was to add to his losses by forfeiting his faith. He felt justified. No one would fault him. Some might even support him. He prayed angrily now, daring God to hurt him further, and challenging Him to give any reason to hold on to the thin thread of his faith that was left. He prayed angrily, but he prayed, and God could handle it..........The anguish continued to mount until one afternoon he uttered a cry so forcefully, it could only be described as a scream. No word was spoken, just a loud angry scream against the forces of heaven and hell, as if to say, "I’ve hurt all I can, and I’ve paid my dues for love.... Help me!!!.".......... The silence that followed was quieter than silence. A peace was evident for the first time in months."

Scripture might have said, "Angels came and ministered unto him." Satan had been overthrown, and health was coming back, for he believed, at last, that God was caring for those he lost. That God was caring for him. God could handle his honest anger, and his honest emotions.

God can handle all our pent up emotions, feelings, denials, and running away from the hurts and pain of life. God can handle it. We must let Him, for when we do, then, we will come to know the great and powerful love and mercy He has for us. God can handle it, period. Let Him.


AMEN

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. Sermon shared by Pastor Tim Zingale, February 11, 2002.

Verse of the Day - March 05, 2017


Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 (NIV) These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Read all of Deuteronomy 6

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un Dia a la Vez - Oración por una actitud diferente


El gran amor del Señor nunca se acaba, y su compasión jamás se agota. Cada mañana se renuevan sus bondades; ¡muy grande es su fidelidad! Lamentaciones 3:22-23 (NVI)

Dios mío, en ti confío. A esta hora quiero pedirte perdón por mi mala actitud ante las diferentes situaciones de la vida. Confieso que me he levantado muchas veces renegando contra ti. Que he comenzado el día que me regalaste quejándome y hasta maldiciendo. Perdóname porque te he culpado por mis equivocaciones.

Oh, Señor, hoy he comprendido que esa no es la actitud que te agrada ni la actitud que trae bendición a mi vida. He entendido que debo ser fiel en lo poco y tú me respaldarás. También he recordado que el gozo y la gratitud me deben acompañar todos los días de mi vida.

Y sabiendo que esto que estoy viviendo hoy es temporal y que lo permites con un propósito, porque deseas enseñarme, capacítame para pasarme a otro nivel. Me dispongo a esperar confiadamente en ti y me comprometo en este día a cambiar mi actitud.

Gracias, mi Dios, por tu amor y por tu misericordia que es nueva cada mañana.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón. La Santa Biblia, Nueva Versión Internacional® NVI® Copyright © 1986, 1999, 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FAITHFUL TO THE END

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

Patient endurance is an oft repeated theme throughout the New Testament. But it seems to be one theme we don’t talk about or preach about much. Yet it is a constant challenge for members of the persecuted church.

Since 1975, Bengali pastors in Bangladesh have faced increasing persecution for preaching the gospel. Some are beaten, imprisoned or even killed. As a result, their wives and children often face isolation. They are verbally and physically abused, and they face extraordinary challenge to remain free from bitterness.

Pastor Mir wanted to take the gospel to a place in Bangladesh that had not heard about Jesus. So he brought his wife Anjali and their children to a Muslim community that had never seen a Christian before. The community thought that Christians must look different somehow. Christians seemed so foreign to them. So they came to see what Christians looked like and introduced themselves.

Over the next several years, people began opening their hearts to the message of Jesus. But, not everyone responded so positively. Some in the village pressured the Mirs to leave. Nonetheless, they stood strong in their faith. Then one night, Anjali heard a loud noise. Someone was shot. Her husband had been walking to the market when two men caught him, shot him in the mouth and he fell on the ground. Then they took a dagger and stabbed him in the critical points of his body.

After a long while, Mrs. Mir heard that the man who had been shot was her husband. Though she longed to go to him, she knew her two small children required her care. So she could not leave her home. She was thinking, He’s going to die, and I have two boys. What am I going to do? How am I going to raise my two boys?

When Pastor Mir told onlookers he was dying, some fellow believers defied the threat of his attackers, and took him to a hospital. Miraculously, he survived. After years of extensive medical treatment, he is preaching again, but his injuries continue to plague him. His wife still worries over her children’s safety—and faces the challenge of helping them understand why their father was attacked.

Despite persecution, Pastor and Mrs. Mir are committed to staying in their village for the sake of their new Christian brothers and sisters. Anjali says, “If we leave, then there will be no church and the people who have just put their faith in Jesus, may fall away.”

The real cry of their heart is wanting to be faithful to Jesus to the end.

RESPONSE: Today I will keep Jesus’ commands and practice patient endurance.

PRAYER: Ask God to enable workers in areas of persecution to endure patiently the challenges they face for the sake of Jesus and His church.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.