Wednesday, October 4, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - October 5, 2017 "Conquering the World"

"For God so loved the world ..." That's the way John 3:16 begins. Sadly...

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour



"Conquering the World"

October 5, 2017

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1:14 (ESV)

"For God so loved the world ..." That's the way John 3:16 begins.

Sadly, many people don't believe it, while others who have been given a perfectly logical reason to doubt the Lord, decline to do so.

Such a man was Eric Barker, a missionary from Great Britain. For over 50 years, Barker and his family lived overseas, sharing the Savior.

During World War II, the hostilities came close enough that Pastor Barker was advised to evacuate his wife and eight children to England for safety. His sister and her three children were also sent home on the same ship.

Barker remained behind to carry on God's work.

A short time after his family left, on a Sunday morning Pastor Barker announced to his congregation, "I've just received word that all my family has arrived safely home!"

The pastor then continued with the service.

It was only later that his congregation found out, just before the worship service began, their pastor had been given a telegram which told of how the ship on which his family was sailing had been torpedoed.

There had been no survivors.

As a husband, father, brother, I cannot imagine the impact of that telegram. In a few short words, Barker's life should have been turned upside down. No, I cannot imagine what went through his mind. I know every problem I have ever had is nothing compared to what that man must have felt.

I know many people would snap under the weight of such a tragedy. Barker did not.

Instead, the Spirit of God lifted his eyes. Rather than a lost family, because of Jesus, he saw a saved family. He looked past death and a watery grave to see his family with Jesus. In the worst of life, he relied on Jesus. What a weak word that is: relying - better to say, clinging to and clutching Jesus - he found his answer; he found hope.

Have you?

Please understand that we live in a world that is dedicated to bringing people down, to drag them, screaming and kicking, back into the darkness. That which is good is disparaged; that which is sent as a blessing from God is put down.

This is why we need the Christ. Only Jesus has the ability to dispel the darkness and lead His people into the light and life, which comes from the forgiveness of sins and adoption into the family of faith. This is why this devotion says believe in Jesus: the Answer. Trust in Jesus, our Hope. Cling to Jesus, our Savior and Salvation.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that the lost may see the greatness of Your grace and love. In Jesus may they be given a security and hope that the world cannot match or destroy. This I pray in the Savior's Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

CPTLN Devocional de 05 de Octubre de 2017


Alimento Diario

Participación

05 de Octubre 2017

Y yo estaré con ustedes todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo. Amén.

A casi todos nos gusta pensar que jugamos un papel importante en los acontecimientos que suceden. Eso fue lo que descubrió una empresa procesadora de alimentos que hace unos años sacó al mercado una mezcla en caja para pasteles que solamente requería que se le agregara agua.

El producto no tuvo aceptación y la empresa no lograba entender por qué, por lo que contrató a un grupo para que investigara las posibles causas. La razón que descubrieron fue que las amas de casa no se sentían cómodas al no tener que hacer más que agregar agua.

En otras palabras, el proceso era demasiado simple. Las amas de casa pensaban que para que el pastel fuera bueno, tenían que hacer algo más. Sabiendo esto, la empresa cambió la fórmula de la mezcla de tal forma que, además de agua, ahora había que agregarle también un huevo.

Casi inmediatamente el producto se convirtió en un éxito. ¿Por qué? Porque las amas de casa se sentían involucradas en lo que hacían.

No podemos decir lo mismo de la salvación, porque Jesús ha hecho todo lo que era necesario para salvarnos a través de su vida perfecta, su sufrimiento en nuestro lugar, y su muerte en la cruz. Hablando en términos de mezcla para pasteles, nosotros ni siquiera tenemos que agregar agua para recibir el cielo.

Es por ello que Lutero tenía razón cuando dijo: "por todo esto es mi deber agradecer y alabar, servir y obedecer a Dios".

ORACIÓN: Querido Padre, gracias por enviar a tu Hijo a salvarme y por llenarme de tu Espíritu para mantenerme en la fe. Haz que mi vida sea un canto de alabanza a ti por todo lo que has hecho por mí. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, October 4, 2017


2 Kings 18:9-25
In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it, and at the end of three years, took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken. The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but transgressed his covenant-- all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed. In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. King Hezekiah of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear." The king of Assyria demanded of King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Fuller's Field. When they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder. The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. But if you say to me, 'We rely on the LORD our God,' is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem'? Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it."

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth-- as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Matthew 7:13-21
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Morning Psalms
Psalm 101 Misericordiam et judicium
1   I will sing of mercy and justice; to you, O LORD, will I sing praises.
2   I will strive to follow a blameless course; oh, when will you come to me? I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
3   I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the doers of evil deeds; they shall not remain with me.
4   A crooked heart shall be far from me; I will not know evil.
5   Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.
6   My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.
7   Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.
8   I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the LORD.


Psalm 109 Deus, laudem
1   Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.
2   They speak to me with a lying tongue; they encompass me with hateful words and fight against me without a cause.
3   Despite my love, they accuse me; but as for me, I pray for them.
4   They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love.
5   Set a wicked man against him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
6   When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his appeal be in vain.
7   Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
8   Let his children be fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
9   Let his children be waifs and beggars; let them be driven from the ruins of their homes.
10   Let the creditor seize everything he has; let strangers plunder his gains.
11   Let there be no one to show him kindness, and none to pity his fatherless children.
12   Let his descendants be destroyed, and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
13   Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and his mother's sin not be blotted out;
14   Let their sin be always before the LORD; but let him root out their names from the earth;
15   Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy and sought to kill the brokenhearted.
16   He loved cursing, let it come upon him; he took no delight in blessing, let it depart from him.
17   He put on cursing like a garment, let it soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil;
18   Let it be to him like the cloak which he wraps around himself, and like the belt that he wears continually.
19   Let this be the recompense from the LORD to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against me.
20   But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your Name; for your tender mercy's sake, deliver me.
21   For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
22   I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
23   My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.
24   I have become a reproach to them; they see and shake their heads.
25   Help me, O LORD my God; save me for your mercy's sake.
26   Let them know that this is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.
27   They may curse, but you will bless; let those who rise up against me be put to shame, and your servant will rejoice.
28   Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
29   I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth; in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;
30   Because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save his life from those who would condemn him.

Evening Psalms
Psalm 119: Ayin Feci judicium
121   I have done what is just and right; do not deliver me to my oppressors.
122   Be surety for your servant's good; let not the proud oppress me.
123   My eyes have failed from watching for your salvation and for your righteous promise.
124   Deal with your servant according to your loving-kindness and teach me your statutes.
125   I am your servant; grant me understanding, that I may know your decrees.
126   It is time for you to act, O LORD, for they have broken your law.
127   Truly, I love your commandments more than gold and precious stones.
128   I hold all your commandments to be right for me; all paths of falsehood I abhor.


Psalm 119: Pe Mirabilia
129   Your decrees are wonderful; therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130   When your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131   I open my mouth and pant; I long for your commandments.
132   Turn to me in mercy, as you always do to those who love your Name.
133   Steady my footsteps in your word; let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134   Rescue me from those who oppress me, and I will keep your commandments.
135   Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.
136   My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.


Psalm 119: Sadhe Justus es, Domine
137   You are righteous, O LORD, and upright are your judgments.
138   You have issued your decrees with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139   My indignation has consumed me, because my enemies forget your words.
140   Your word has been tested to the uttermost, and your servant holds it dear.
141   I am small and of little account, yet I do not forget your commandments.
142   Your justice is an everlasting justice and your law is the truth.
143   Trouble and distress have come upon me, yet your commandments are my delight.
144   The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; grant me understanding, that I may live.

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.

St. Francis of Assisi


Francis of Assisi

Today the church remembers Francis of Assisi, Friar, 1126.

One of the boldest and most spirited figures in history, it is a shame that Francis is sometimes dismissed as simply a quiet bird-watcher. Actually he was an outspoken and controversial social activist. He was one of the greatest preachers of all time. His concern with poverty and ecology give him a strikingly modern quality. Although he was a wealthy cloth merchant's son, he gave all he had to help the poor and was contented with only the barest necessities for himself. He vigorously opposed the abuse of political power, particularly when it was wielded by the Bishop of Rome.

Francis was effective in initiating sweeping social and economic reforms. He was a popular singer, often called "God's Troubadour." His most famous hymn, "Canticle to Brother Sun", has stood the test of time. Francis founded one of the strongest and most dynamic religious orders in Christendom. Today we find Franciscan Friars in both the Roman and Anglican communions.

Most high, almighty, and good Lord: Grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world, that, after the example of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in all your creatures, with perfectness of joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of the Day for WEDNESDAY, October 4, 2017


Heavenly Lord, no matter what I do or which way I turn, my pride raises its ugly head to damage my life. It tells me that my opinions are correct, no matter how ill-informed I might be. I fail to appreciate my stupidity, my weakness, my self-deception and rationalization for my many errors and shortcomings. Help me, O Holy Spirit, to see my fault. Instruct me in my error and support me in my efforts to follow your commandments; for I truly love you, Lord God, and want to grow in service and faith. In the name of Christ, forgive me and bring me closer.
Amen

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, October 4, 2017


Proverbs 27:1 (NIV) Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Read all of Proverbs 27

Listen to Proverbs 27

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

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Bartilia


Bartilia

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
~ Psalms 86:15 (ESV)

This is a story of a heart that was as hard as stone, turned into a heart of love. If anyone deserved to have a hardened heart, it was Bartilia.

Life was hard for her from the very beginning. Born in a poor family in Honduras, Bartilia only attended school until second grade. After that she was made a worker on a farm. Every morning at 3 a.m. she would wake to do her work. She first had to feed the many animals. She then would work on making tortillas from scratch, starting with rolling the corn to break it down to flour consistency. She was so small, they fashioned a stool so she would be tall enough to do her work. At lunch, she would dish up the food for all the workers. This little 8 year-old girl didn’t get to play with dolls and toys. She was busy working.

After her mother died, when she was only 10, her father sold her into slavery. It was then that things got much worse. She was used in every way possible, even for the sexual desires of men. When she worked, if she made a mistake, they beat her, or make her kneel naked in the scorching Central America sun, holding a heavy rock over her head. If she allowed the rock to rest on her head, she was beaten.

Eventually one kind lady helped her to escape. At only age 14, she fled to Nicaragua. Eventually, she came to America. It was here she gained not only freedom, but the true freedom that Christ had to offer.

Through her many trials, Bartilia’s heart had grown as hard as possible, molded that way from a child. Bartilia wanted nothing to do with God. She did not even want to hear the name Jesus, but one day at her brother’s funeral she was forced to sit and listen.

God spoke directly to her. He wanted her to accept the love that she so lacked as a child. He was calling, because Bartilia needed His love. She never received love from her earthly father, but her heavenly Father had a love that was like none other. He spoke in gentle tones, never forcing Himself as men had in the past. She heard the message, and it did begin to penetrate her hard heart.

When Bartilia gave in to the Lord’s bidding it was like dynamite had broken her concrete heart into pieces. The flood gate of tears, poured out from her. She had found the Lord, even though He was already there. Jesus came in and replaced her heart of stone, with His heart of love. He healed her from all the hurts of the past.
Dear Savior, Come into my heart and give me that love you have to offer. I accept your gift. Thank you. Amen

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Devotion shared by Jenny Calvert.
This is a story of a heart that was as hard as stone, turned into a heart of love.

Un Dia a la Vez - Poder transformador de la Palabra


Poder transformador de la Palabra

La palabra de Dios es viva y poderosa, y más cortante que cualquier espada de dos filos.

A manera de testimonio te puedo dar fe de que no soy ni la mitad de lo que fui antes de conocer la Palabra de Dios.

Como a muchos, me gusta decir que la Biblia es el Manual de Instrucciones porque eso es en realidad: Un manual que te muestra con hechos que la Palabra de Dios tiene mucho poder para sanar, liberar y transformar.

Una vez que hablamos de la Palabra, la leemos o la enseñamos, no volverá vacía. Por eso se compara con una espada de dos filos, pues corta y transforma.

Cada día podemos acudir a esta guía y nos mostrará cómo cambiar esas esferas de la vida que necesitan la intervención de Dios, al igual que lo fue con grandes hombres y mujeres de la Biblia.

Otra cosa que debemos tener muy presente es que la Palabra de Dios nunca pierde poder ni vigencia. En fin, todo pasará, pero la Palabra no pasará.

Confíale tu vida a Dios y pon en sus manos todo lo que necesite cambio.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - October 04, 2017


PEACEMAKING IS VERY PRACTICAL

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
~ James 3:18 (NIV)

Jesus instruction to His followers to be peacemakers is not as easily practiced in some areas of the world as we in the west might think. Tribal differences can cause deep divides.

In April 2011, Open Doors sponsored a Christian youth camp in the southern Philippines bringing together 115 youths, mostly believers from Muslim background (MBB’s) from four different Muslim tribal groups. The goal of this camp was to show the youths that Jesus is the ultimate source of peace. When we have Him in our hearts, then, we can have peace within ourselves, with others and with our environment.

Every activity of the camp was also designed to foster awareness and appreciation of each other’s tribal identity. Short drama presentations every night gave the youths a chance to tell their story. Bringing these ethnic groups to a point of understanding and acceptance was the crucial part of the camp. During Bible sessions, facilitators combined their lectures with tasks that encouraged campers to express their thoughts and feelings. They described their idea of peace, distinguished between peaceful and conflicting situations, and discovered their biblical responsibility as peacemakers taking after Christ’s example.

While peacemaking starts with one’s self, it does not end there. It must affect other people’s lives. And so, the campers did community service in three neighboring areas during the camp. But the true litmus test for a peacemaker is when a conflict breaks out. The camp was on its homestretch when two campers from different tribes got tangled in a fight during the morning assembly. It was about to turn violent, until other youths stepped in. The two youths were brought to the camp director. Everyone was clearly upset as they streamed into the classrooms for the day’s round of Bible sessions.

They were in for a surprise. An Open Doors co-worker shared, “The fight was staged. We wanted the campers to have an opportunity to apply what they had been learning so far. During the Bible session, we processed what happened. They realized that it brought out their biases and impatience; that some of their responses were condemning. They wanted to be a peacemaker, but they had yet to learn how to sow peace in times of conflict. It is a lifestyle.”

It was an important lesson for the youths to learn, especially for those who lived in conflict areas. After the session, many campers approached the two volunteer actors and asked their forgiveness for judging and condemning them.

Then, the youths were given some time to write down their commitments to becoming a peacemaker. One fifteen-year-old said, “It’ll be hard becoming a peacemaker, but I will try my best…The pastor taught us that becoming a peacemaker like Jesus comes with suffering. I must be prepared for that too.” 

RESPONSE: Today I will take practical steps in being a peacemaker for Jesus wherever I am.

PRAYER: Pray for young tribal Christians who struggle with Christ-like actions and responses in conflict situations.

Girlfriends in God - October 04, 2017


What Does Living Holy Look Like?

Today’s Truth

You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean…

Friend to Friend

When I think about the books in the Bible that encourage and inspire me, the Old Testament book of Leviticus would rank near the bottom. Not kidding. It’s a tough read.

But it’s important to approach God’s Word holistically, so I have to take the good with the bad… the easy-to-read chapters with the hard-to-get-through chapters. And I’ve found that in doing so, God reveals powerful, life-changing lessons.

Here’s a doozy He taught me recently that will change the way you approach your day.

Leviticus is a historical narrative that reveals God’s holiness in ways large and small. It’s intense. Full of complex instructions (detail upon detail, instruction upon instruction) given from God to Moses so the sins of the Israelites could be covered through a sacrificial system. So that God’s people would learn to recognize, respect and revere His power, righteousness and majesty.

The long and short of it is this, offerings were to be brought to God on behalf of the Israelites, mainly: Burnt Offerings, Grain Offerings, Fellowship Offerings, Sin Offerings and Guilt Offerings. The priests made these offerings, in strict adherence to the law established by God himself, so that the Israelites could be forgiven and restored in God’s sight.

As New Testament believers, we are free of these requirements. Jesus died on behalf of all mankind so that our sins could be forgiven, making these offerings no longer mandatory. He poured out his love and life for us in crimson sacrifice. The Bible tells us that when you and I confess our sins and place our faith in the finished work of Christ, that we are fully forgiven and restored to the heart of God.

After Moses had told his brother Aaron all that God had instructed, the Israelites gathered to worship the Lord and present their offerings according to the Lord’s instructions. (Leviticus 9) The ceremonies of sacrifice began near the Tent of Meetings and God met them there with fire.

After the sacrificial ceremony was well underway, Aaron’s sons decided to do their own thing. They stepped outside of God’s revealed will and brought offerings in a way that they wanted to.

And God consumed them with fire.

On the spot.

Struck them dead before all of the people.

Oh. My. Heart. Knowing how often I set aside God’s will for my own, I read this and struggle to process.

Following the deaths of Nadab and Abihu the Lord gave further directives to His people. The one that stopped me in my tracks was found in verse 10: 

And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, “…You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.” (Leviticus 10:8-11)

Distinguish between the holy and the common.

Between the unclean and the clean.

I read this chapter and am gripped with a fresh awareness of God’s holiness. His words ring loud in my ears. These precepts are important to God, so they need to be important to me.

I’m left wondering how I can distinguish the holy from the common today.

How can I sift through the mundane and dust off the majestic in practical ways?

What would it look like for me to separate and set aside the common from the holy in my marriage and mothering, at my work place, in my friendships, on social media…?

Some answers rise in my soul as obvious. Others loom nebulous. I want all to align my street-level-life with God’s sacred will, so I turn to Him in prayer and ask Him to show me. I ask Him to help me to see the holy and the common for what it is. To choose the best. His best. I ask that He would help me to turn from the unclean toward the clean. I hand over my limited perspective, selfish intentions and stubbornness.

Pray with me?

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, You are holy and worthy of all praise and honor. Lead me in Your ways today. Guide me with Your Spirit to choose words, thoughts and deeds that bring you glory.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Quiet your heart before God for a few minutes, then ask Him to reveal the common things, behaviors, thoughts and relationships that you’ve been settling for. Make a fresh commitment to pursue holiness and ask the Holy One to lead you in the pursuit.

PAUSE to WORSHIP: Listen to this song, Holy Adonai, and center your heart and soul on God’s goodness.

More from the Girlfriends



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