The Daily Readings for TUESDAY, March 7, 2017

The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Deuteronomy 9:4-12

When the LORD your God thrusts them out before you, do not say to yourself, "It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to occupy this land" it is rather because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to occupy their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to fulfill the promise that the LORD made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know, then, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to occupy because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness; you have been rebellious against the LORD from the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place. Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. And the LORD gave me the two stone tablets written with the finger of God; on them were all the words that the LORD had spoken to you at the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. At the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. Then the LORD said to me, "Get up, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have been quick to turn from the way that I commanded them; they have cast an image for themselves."

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Hebrews 3:1-11

Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also "was faithful in all God's house." Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. Christ, however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors put me to the test, though they had seen my works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.' As in my anger I swore, 'They will not enter my rest.'"

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in John 2:13-22
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

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

Morning Psalms

Psalm 45 Eructavit cor meum
1   My heart is stirring with a noble song; let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
2   You are the fairest of men; grace flows from your lips, because God has blessed you for ever.
3   Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, in your pride and in your majesty.
4   Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth and for the sake of justice.
5   Your right hand will show you marvelous things; your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
6   The peoples are falling at your feet, and the king's enemies are losing heart.
7   Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom; you love righteousness and hate iniquity.
8   Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
9   All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.
10   Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; on your right hand is the queen, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
11   Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; forget your people and your father's house.
12   The king will have pleasure in your beauty; he is your master; therefore do him honor.
13   The people of Tyre are here with a gift; the rich among the people seek your favor."
14   All glorious is the princess as she enters; her gown is cloth-of-gold.
15   In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.
16   With joy and gladness they are brought, and enter into the palace of the king.
17   In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; you shall make them princes over all the earth.
18   I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another; therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever."

Evening Psalms

Psalm 47 Omnes gentes, plaudite
1   Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a cry of joy.
2   For the LORD Most High is to be feared; he is the great King over all the earth.
3   He subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.
4   He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5   God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of the ram's-horn.
6   Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7   For God is King of all the earth; sing praises with all your skill.
8   God reigns over the nations; God sits upon his holy throne.
9   The nobles of the peoples have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham.
10   The rulers of the earth belong to God, and he is highly exalted.

Psalm 48 Magnus Dominus
1   Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; in the city of our God is his holy hill.
2   Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
3   God is in her citadels; he is known to be her sure refuge.
4   Behold, the kings of the earth assembled and marched forward together.
5   They looked and were astounded; they retreated and fled in terror.
6   Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in childbirth, like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
7   As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; God has established her for ever.
8   We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple.
9   Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world's end; your right hand is full of justice.
10   Let Mount Zion be glad and the cities of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments.
11   Make the circuit of Zion; walk round about her; count the number of her towers.
12   Consider well her bulwarks; examine her strongholds; that you may tell those who come after.
13   This God is our God for ever and ever; he shall be our guide for evermore.

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.

Perpetua and her Companions, Martyrs

The martyrdom of Perpetua, Felicitas, Revocatus, Saturninus and Secundulus - c. 1000 AD

Today the church remembers Perpetua and her Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202.

The wealthy widow Perpetua, of Carthage, not only became a Christian but she also opened her home to Christian worship. When this was discovered by the authorities, she and several of her friends were imprisoned. Perpetua's small child was cruelly taken from her. One of her prison companions, Felicitas, a slave girl, gave birth to a baby while in prison. The baby was taken from her, also. However, to the great relief of all the incarcerated companions, the baby was secretly adopted by Christian parents.

The experiences of the companions in prison, including the dreams and visions of Perpetua, were recorded and remain one of our most valuable documents of early Christianity. The companions were sentenced to be thrown to wild beasts in the arena. Their last act together was to exchange the kiss of peace. They went joyfully and triumphantly to their fate, Perpetua calmly tidying her veil in the face of the hideous onslaught.

Almighty and everlasting God, with whom your meek ones go forth as the mighty: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your blessed martyrs Perpetua and her companions, that we may share their pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God the King of saints, you strengthened your servants Perpetua and Felicitas and their companions to make a good confession, staunchly resisting, for the cause of Christ, the claims of human affection, and encouraging one another in their time of trial: Grant that we who cherish their blessed memory may share their pure and steadfast faith, and win with them the palm of victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetua_and_Felicity

Verse of the Day - March 07, 2017

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Read all of Psalm 139

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 - "The Key to a Strong Testimony"

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

—1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV)

I like to hear how people came to Christ. But to be quite honest, I don’t like it when people go into the gory details of their past. I have listened to some Christians share their testimonies who seem a little more excited about the way they were as nonbelievers than the way they are today. Then there are others who talk about how much they have given up for Jesus. They gave up this. They gave up that.

Don’t tell me about what you gave up for Jesus; tell me what He gave up for you. Don’t tell me what you have done for Jesus; tell me what Jesus has done for you. It is Jesus who has done the work. It is Jesus who matters. It is Jesus whom we are proclaiming.

A good, strong testimony will lift up what Christ has done for us. The fact of the matter is that all of us were sinners hopelessly separated from God, on our way to Hell. The same gospel came and transformed us. So we all have a testimony.

When the apostle Paul, who was a great intellect and a brilliant orator, stood before the great Roman leaders and other people of his day to present the message of the gospel, he often began with his testimony. Why? Because it builds common ground. It helps people to see there is a bridge for them, there is a way for them, and that they, too, can change.

You may not be a great theologian. You may not know all of the verses in the Bible. But you do have a testimony. You have enough that has happened in your life that you can say, “Here is what Jesus did for me.” And that is a good place to start.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - Gratitud por alguien maravilloso

Doy gracias a mi Dios cada vez que me acuerdo de ustedes. En todas mis oraciones por todos ustedes, siempre oro con alegría. Filipenses 1:3-4 (NVI)

Estos días que venimos hablando de cambiar nuestras actitudes, de ser agradecidos con Dios, de aprender a ser fieles en lo poco, tú y yo hemos conocido personas en nuestra vida que han sido de gran bendición.

Quizá se trate de esa persona que te habló de Jesús, que te llevó por primera vez a una iglesia o te regaló algo especial que nunca olvidaste.

Hoy quiero que recordemos por lo menos a una persona que nos haya bendecido. A ese primer jefe que nos dio una oportunidad de trabajo sin tener papeles al día o aun con la barrera del idioma.

Nunca debemos olvidar lo que han hecho por nosotros. Esa primera persona que creyó en ti y te dio un auto, o en un momento de mucha necesidad, te sorprendió con un dinero.

Sabes que Dios está en medio de estas situaciones. Muchos dirán que son casualidades, otros dirán que son ángeles que manda Dios. Yo las llamo la «providencia de Dios».

¿Qué tal si hoy tratamos de encontrar a por lo menos una de esas tantas personas a las que te gustaría honrar y que hace mucho tiempo no buscas? Tomemos el teléfono y sorprendámoslas con unas lindas palabras de gratitud. O si sabes dónde vive, conmuévela con una visita. Y si esa persona partió de este mundo, levanta una oración de agradecimiento por ese alguien maravilloso.

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 - THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11 (NIV)

On the cross Jesus conquered forever the worst that sin and evil could do to Him. He met the full assault of evil and overcame it. Those who have entrusted their lives to Him share in that victory over evil.

In the context of this verse, Satan is noted to be the “accuser” of the brethren. He knows we are sinners and is constantly accusing us of it. But that is not the whole story. It is through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (the blood of the lamb) that sin is forgiven. When we receive by faith what Christ has done, our sins are wiped out. We are cleansed by faith in Christ’s blood. His saving grace and a willingness to receive us as sinners saved by grace is the key to this principle, not our feelings of worthiness.

We overcome him—our enemy—by confessing we are sinners and then confessing the cleansing of that sin through the sacrificial blood of the Lamb. And when we are forgiven there is then nothing of which we can possibly be accused by Satan. There is no possible accusation he can make against one who is completely forgiven! Thus we overcome him first, by the blood of the Lamb.

Romans 8:33-34 in the J. B. Phillips version reads, “Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us!” So Satan, you are defeated and impotent! Get out of here!

Charles Wesley wrote about this in one of his beloved hymns:

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

RESPONSE: Today I will overcome my enemy, Satan, by faith in the shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for providing all I need to be an overcomer.

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

Girlfriends in God - You Can Count on the Promises of God

by Mary Southerland

 

Today’s Truth

I will give thanks to Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness, because Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your name (Psalm 138:2, NLT).

Friend to Friend

I love money-back guarantees. We once bought a car to replace a van that had 125,000 miles on it. Our first vacation in the new car was a disaster. We began having trouble the very first day. On our way home, we stopped in four different cities, trying to find a mechanic who could repair the car. No one could explain or even find the problem. Needless to say, we were not happy campers. But when we returned home and contacted the dealership, we were told that because of the guarantee on the car, we could get our money back or trade it in for another one. Loved it!

Did you know that every promise of God is backed His name? Here it is in Psalm 138:2: “I will give thanks to Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness, because Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your name”. Now if those words are true, why do we find it so hard to experience true peace and contentment in our lives?

I know life can be hard. Some of you are in so much pain that it is almost a grueling task to just breath. But God knows where you are and what you are going through – and you really can trust Him. The apostle Paul had a firm grip on this truth when he wrote:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:11b-12, NIV).

Paul understood and lived by the truth that God is constantly at work in and around us, monitoring every step we take. Paul examined every circumstance, understanding that it had already passed through His Father’s hands - with His permission. God came through for Paul, and He will come through for you. To find real security and contentment, we must learn to search for the handprints of God in the every day circumstances of life.

Paul had every human right to be angry with God. After all, Paul had been faithful. He had given up much and endured great pain. And yet the undercurrent theme of this passage is gratitude. Notice that it is an attitude chosen by Paul. It is a learned perspective. In this verse, “learned” implies that Paul was educated by experience. In other words, Paul was saying that all of his experiences in life, good and bad, had become his tutor in contentment.

The word content can best be defined as contained. Don’t miss this truth. Paul had trained himself to focus on his inner resources, the resources his heart contained, rather than the outward circumstances of his life. He chose to be grateful. He chose to praise God – period. We hear his determination in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 when he says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus”.

There is an old poem that captures this idea well.

“I rejoice in knowing that
There is no oil without squeezing the olives,
No wine without pressing the grapes,
No fragrance without crushing the flowers
And no real joy without sorrow.” (Author unknown)

Gratitude not only brings contentment, it yields perseverance and produces strength. God entrusts trials to us, giving us the opportunity to choose gratitude. It is easy to practice gratitude when the seas are calm and the skies are clear, but the real test of gratitude is in the midst of the greatest storm of our lives.

In Africa there is a fruit called the “taste berry.” When eaten it changes a person’s taste buds so that everything tastes good and sweet. Gratitude is the “taste berry” in our spiritual lives. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we will find contentment. Choose to practice gratitude.

Gratitude is wrapped around trust and contains the element of acceptance. Gratitude understands that God is sovereign and that His ways are not our ways. There will be times when we find it impossible to understand His process, but we can always trust His heart. Remember, you can count on every promise of God.

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You, confessing that I tend to have a heart that is filled with whining and complaining instead of gratitude. Please forgive me. Help me learn to see Your hand at work in my life. I want to trust You even when I don’t understand my circumstances. Right now, I choose to praise You, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

By faith, accept the truth that God is always at work in your life and thank Him for His steadfast provision. Look back over the last few days, weeks and months. Now praise Him for the things He has done.

Read Proverbs 3:5-6. What are the steps listed in this passage that – when taken – will produce contentment?

More from the Girlfriends

If you or someone you love struggles with depression, Mary’s book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, offers practical steps you can take to experience God’s deliverance from that pit and live a life of victory.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ.

LHM Daily Devotion - "The First Rejection"

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"The First Rejection"

March 7, 2017

And they rose up and drove Him out of town and brought Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw Him down the cliff. (Luke 4:29, ESV)

Read Luke 4:14-30

Having defeated Satan's temptations Jesus then travels from village to village in Galilee, sharing God's plan of salvation and working many wondrous miracles. Months later He returns to His hometown Nazareth. Entering the synagogue Jesus reads from Isaiah, the Old Testament book that most clearly talks about His work as the Messiah. He tells His neighbors of the forgiveness, peace and freedom He has come to bring.

At first they are amazed by His gracious words; then they remember all the years He lived among them, and how they had never seen anything remarkable about Joseph's Son before. Having heard about His miracles in the neighboring towns, they want Him to heal them too.

Jesus wants to help them, but He will not reward their unbelief. He reminds them how in the past God withheld healing miracles from Israel, when His people refused to believe.

Filled with fury they rise as an angry mob to drive Him to the cliff to throw Him to His death. In one blind moment they foreshadow the rejection and violent death He will suffer at His own people's hands. But God has chosen a different time, and a different place.

Jesus gives them one last miracle to consider. They have Him firmly in their grasp, ready to fling Him off the cliff, but then Jesus suddenly turns and calmly goes His way through their midst-never to return. He leaves this final warning to His neighbors: if they stubbornly refuse to repent, they will have to stand before Him on Judgment Day.

THE PRAYER:  Almighty God, today Jesus comes to me offering to forgive, restore and save me. Give me faith to trust Him, so I may escape Your wrath and live in Your loving, glorious presence forever. 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 - No dejes para mañana lo que puedes hacer hoy

Devociones de Cuaresma  2017

No dejes para mañana lo que puedes hacer hoy

7 de Marzo de 2017

Y éste es el momento oportuno; éste es el día de salvación.
2 Corintios 6:2b (6:2b-3)

En la película "La sociedad de los poetas muertos", hay una escena donde un amigo le dice a otro -que era muy tímido y un poco aletargado para tomar decisiones-: "Aprovecha el momento." Este consejo alentó al joven indeciso a finalmente comenzar una relación afectiva seria con una chica que siempre le había gustado mucho. Superando sus vacilaciones, "aprovechó el momento" en que ella estaba cerca, y la invitó a salir. Grande fue su sorpresa cuando ella aceptó cálidamente su invitación.

¿Te ha pasado que alguna vez te enojaste contigo mismo porque dejaste pasar una gran oportunidad? ¿Por qué será que nos frustra tanto dejar pasar una oportunidad? Porque el tiempo que pasó y que desaprovechamos ya nunca más volverá. En ese sentido el tiempo es tirano: exige de nosotros una determinación al momento. Si lo dejamos pasar, se va para no volver más.

El apóstol Pablo tenía esto muy presente, especialmente en lo que respecta a las cosas del Señor. Casi puedo ver cómo Pablo escribe estas palabras con mayúscula y en negrita: "Éste es el momento oportuno; éste es el día de la salvación."

¡Qué tremenda oportunidad! Dios está aquí, en la persona de su Hijo Jesús, crucificado y resucitado, ofreciéndonos el perdón de nuestros pecados y abriéndonos la puerta al cielo. Hoy es el momento de no dejarlo pasar, de dejar las dudas de lado y confiar sin reservas en que lo que Dios nos ofrece en Cristo es lo único de valor en esta vida, lo único que nunca se desvanecerá.

Levántate cada día en el convencimiento que éste es el día de salvación. Disfrútalo, compártelo con tu familia y tus amigos, aprovecha el momento.

Gracias, Señor, por tu gracia que se renueva cada mañana. Ayúdame a vivir en ella. Amén.

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

Our Daily Bread - Ruler of the Waves

Read: Job 38:1–18 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 3–4; Mark 10:32–52

[The Lord said], “This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt.” Job 38:11

King Canute was one of the most powerful men on earth in the eleventh century. In a now-famous tale, it is said that he ordered his chair to be placed on the shore as the tide was rising. “You are subject to me,” he said to the sea. “I command you, therefore, not to rise on to my land, nor to wet the clothing or limbs of your master.” But the tide continued to rise, drenching the king’s feet.

This story is often told to draw attention to Canute’s pride. Actually, it’s a story about humility. “Let all the world know that the power of kings is empty,” Canute says next, “save Him by whose will heaven, earth and sea obey.” Canute’s story makes a point: God is the only all-powerful One.

Job discovered the same. Compared to the One who laid Earth’s foundations (Job 38:4–7), who commands morning to appear and night to end (vv. 12–13), who stocks the storehouses of the snow and directs the stars (vv. 22, 31–33), we are small. There is only one Ruler of the waves, and it is not us (v. 11; Matt. 8:23–27).

Canute’s story is good to reenact when we begin feeling too clever or proud about ourselves. Walk to the beach and tell the tide to halt or try commanding the sun to step aside. We’ll soon remember who is really supreme and thank Him for ruling our lives.

You are high and above all, Lord Almighty. I bow to You as the Ruler of my life.

Our Daily Bread welcomes writer Sheridan Voysey! Meet Sheridan and all our authors at odb.org/all-authors. 

God is great, we are small, and that is good.

By Sheridan Voysey

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Đấng Cầm Quyền Trên Sóng

Đọc: Gióp 38:1-18 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Phục truyền 3-4; Mác 10:32-52

Và [Chúa] phán: ‘Ngươi chỉ đến đây thôi, không đi xa hơn nữa, các đợt sóng ngạo nghễ của ngươi phải dừng tại nơi nầy!’ (Gióp 38:11)

Vua Canute là một trong những người quyền lực nhất trên đất ở thế kỷ 11. Trong một câu chuyện nổi tiếng thời bấy giờ, người ta kể rằng ông ra lệnh đặt chiếc ghế của mình trên bờ biển nơi thủy triều đang dâng lên. Ông nói với biển cả: “Ngươi phải phục tùng ta. Do đó, ta truyền cho ngươi, không được dâng lên vùng đất của ta, cũng không được làm ướt áo ta hay tay chân của chủ ngươi.” Nhưng thủy triều tiếp tục dâng, làm ướt sũng chân của vị vua.

Câu chuyện này thường được kể để nói đến sự kiêu ngạo của Canute. Thật ra, đó là câu chuyện về sự khiêm nhường. “Hãy để cả thế giới biết rằng quyền lực của các vua là hư không”, Canute nói tiếp “trừ Ngài là Đấng mà trời, đất và biển đều vâng lời”. Câu chuyện của Canute đã nói một điều: Đức Chúa Trời là Đấng duy nhất có mọi uy quyền.

Gióp cũng đã khám phá ra điều đó. Chúng ta thật nhỏ bé khi so sánh với Đấng đã đặt các nền Trái đất (Gióp 38:4-7), ra lệnh cho buổi sáng xuất hiện và ban đêm biến mất (c.12-13), là Đấng tích trữ các kho chứa tuyết và cai quản các vì sao (c.22, 31-33). Chỉ có một Đấng cầm quyền trên sóng biển và đó không phải là chúng ta (c.11, Mat. 8:23-27).

Khi chúng ta bắt đầu cảm thấy mình tài giỏi hay kiêu ngạo, hãy bắt chước điều Canute đã làm. Hãy đi đến bờ biển và bảo thủy triều dừng lại hay cố gắng ra lệnh cho mặt trời rời khỏi chỗ nó. Chúng ta sẽ nhớ ra ai thật sự có quyền tối thượng và cảm ơn Ngài vì đã cai trị cuộc đời chúng ta.

Lạy Chúa Toàn Năng, Ngài là Đấng cao trên hết mọi danh. Con cúi xuống để tôn cao Ngài là Đấng cai trị cuộc đời con.

Đức Chúa Trời vĩ đại, còn chúng ta nhỏ bé, và điều đó là tốt lành.

bởi Sheridan Voysey

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Nuestro Pan Diario - Rey de las olas

Leer: Job 38:1-18 | La Biblia en un año: Deuteronomio 3–4 Marcos 10:32-52

[El Señor dijo:] Hasta aquí llegarás, y no pasarás adelante, y ahí parará el orgullo de tus olas (Job 38:11).

El rey Canuto era uno de los hombres más poderosos de la Tierra en el siglo xi. Según la historia, ordenó que pusieran su silla a la orilla del mar mientras subía la marea. «Estás sujeto a mí —le dijo al mar—. Te ordeno que no cubras mi tierra, ni mojes la ropa ni las piernas de tu amo». Sin embargo, la marea siguió subiendo y le mojó los pies.

Esta historia suele relatarse para hablar del orgullo de Canuto. Pero, en realidad, se trata de la humildad. «Que el mundo entero sepa que el poder de los reyes no existe —agregó Canuto—, excepto el de Aquel cuya voluntad obedecen el cielo, la tierra y el mar». ¿La moraleja?: Dios es el único todopoderoso.

Job descubrió lo mismo. Todos somos pequeños comparados con Aquel que fundó la Tierra (Job 38:4-7), que manda que la noche termine y el día comience (vv. 12-13), que almacena la nieve y dirige las estrellas (vv. 22, 31-33). Hay un solo Rey de las olas, y no somos nosotros (v. 11; Mateo 8:23-27).

Es bueno recrear esta historia cuando uno empieza a jactarse de su propia inteligencia y capacidades. Vayamos a una playa y digámosle a la marea que se detenga, o tratemos de ordenarle al sol que no salga. De inmediato, recordaremos quién es el verdaderamente supremo y le daremos gracias por gobernar nuestras vidas.

Señor, me postro ante ti con humildad.

Dios es grande, nosotros somos pequeños, y eso es bueno.

Por Sheridan Voysey

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Herr der Wellen

Lesen: Hiob 38,1-18 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 5.Mose 3–4; Markus 10,32-52

[Der Herr] sprach: „Bis hierher sollst du kommen und nicht weiter; hier sollen sich legen deine stolzen Wellen.“ Hiob 38,11

König Knut war einer der mächtigsten Männer des 11. Jahrhunderts. Eine Legende berichtet, dass er einmal befahl, seinen Thron bei Flut an der Küste aufzustellen. „Du bist mir untertan“, sagte er zum Meer, „deshalb befehle ich dir, nicht in mein Land zu dringen oder die Kleider oder Glieder deines Herrn zu netzen.“ Aber die Flut stieg weiter und die Füße des Königs wurden nass.

Die Geschichte wird oft erzählt, um Knuts Stolz hervorzuheben. In Wirklichkeit handelt sie aber von seiner Demut. Denn Knut redete noch weiter. „Lasst alle Welt wissen, dass die Macht des Königs nichts nütze ist“, sagte er, „ohne den, dessen Willen Himmel, Erde und Meer gehorchen.“ Und er hat Recht: Gott allein ist allmächtig.

Das hat auch Hiob festgestellt. Verglichen mit dem Einen, der die Erde gegründet hat (V.4-7), der den Morgen ruft und die Nacht endet (V.12-13), der Schnee fallen lässt und die Sterne lenkt (V.22.31-33), sind wir klein. Nur einer ist Herr über Wellen und Meer und das sind nicht wir (V.11; Matth. 8,23-27).

Wir sollten uns an Knuts Geschichte erinnern, wenn wir anfangen, stolz zu werden oder uns etwas auf unsere Klugheit einzubilden. Geh zum Strand und sag der Flut, sie sollte nicht mehr steigen, oder befiehl der Sonne, ihre Bahn zu verlassen. Dann wirst du schnell merken, wer der Herr ist. Danke ihm, dass er unser Leben lenkt.

Herr, du bist groß und hoch erhoben. Ich neige mich vor dir, dem Herrn meines Lebens.

Gott ist groß und wir sind klein und das ist gut so.

Von Sheridan Voysey

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Il règne sur les flots

Lisez : Job 38.1‑18 | La Bible en un an : Deutéronome 3 – 4 et Marc 10.32-52

Quand je [Dieu] dis : Tu viendras jusqu’ici, tu n’iras pas au‑delà ; ici s’arrêtera l’orgueil de tes flots ? (Job 38.11)

Le roi Canut était l’un des hommes les plus puissants de la terre au XIe siècle. Dans un conte devenu célèbre, on dit qu’il a donné l’ordre de placer sa chaise sur la berge à marée montante. « Tu m’es assujetti, lança‑t‑il à la mer. Je t’ordonne donc de ne pas monter sur mes terres ni de mouiller les vêtements ou les membres de ton maître. » Reste que la marée a continué de monter, submergeant les pieds du roi.

On raconte souvent cette histoire pour attirer l’attention sur l’orgueil de Canut. En réalité, il s’agit d’une histoire d’humilité. « Que le monde entier sache que la puissance des rois est sans effet, ajoute ensuite Canut, que celui à qui obéissent le ciel, la terre et la mer les sauve. » L’histoire de Canut comporte une morale : Dieu est le seul qui soit tout‑puissant.

Job l’a aussi découvert. En comparaison avec celui qui a fondé la terre (JOB 38.4‑7), qui commande au matin et à l’aurore (V. 12,13), qui crée les amas de neige et qui dirige les astres (V. 22,31‑33), nous sommes petits. Un seul règne sur les flots, et ce n’est aucun de nous (V. 11 ; MT 8.23‑27).

L’histoire de Canut permet de nous rappeler à l’ordre lorsque nous nous mettons à surestimer notre intelligence ou notre mérite. Marchons sur la plage et ordonnons à la marée de cesser sa progression ou ordonnons au Soleil de se cacher, et nous ne tarderons pas à nous rappeler qui détient réellement le pouvoir suprême et à le remercier de régner sur notre vie.

Dieu est grand, nous sommes petits, et cela est bien ainsi.

par Sheridan Voysey

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Хліб Наш Насущній - Повелитель хвиль

Читати: Йова 38:1-18 | Біблія за рік: Повторення Закону 3–4 ; Марка 10:32-52

І сказав: “Аж досі ти дійдеш, не далі, і тут ось межа твоїх хвиль гордовитих?”—Йовa 38:11

Існує відома легенда про те, як Кнуд, король Данії, − один з наймогутніших монархів 11 століття − спробував повеліти морським хвилям. Король звелів поставити на узбережжі трон під час приливу. “Ви – мої піддані, – звернувся він до хвиль. – Я наказую вам не затопляти мою землю і не мочити ніг свого пана”. Але вода продовжувала прибувати, і зрештою промочила не тільки ноги, а й одяг короля.

Цю історію часто розповідають, щоб вказати на пихатість, але насправді це є легенда про смирення. “Нехай весь світ знає, що влада королів – то марнота, – сказав далі Кнуд. – Лише Богу виявляють послух небо, земля й море”. Головна ідея цієї історії – лише Бог є всемогутнім.

Йов мав пізнати цю ж саму істину. Всі ми неймовірно маленькі у порівнянні з Тим, Хто заклав підвалини землі (Йов. 38:4-7); Хто наказує ранку приходити, а ночі – щезати (Йов. 38:12-13); Хто робить “схованки снігу” і вказує напрямок зорям (Йов. 38:22, 31-33). Існує лише один Повелитель хвиль – Бог (Йов. 38:11; Мт. 8:23-27).

Цю легенду корисно згадувати, коли стаємо зависокої думки про себе. Підіть до берега моря і спробуйте повеліти приливу. Або накажіть сонцю зупинитись. Ви швидко зрозумієте, Хто насправді великий та славний – і подякуєте Йому за те, що Він керує вашим життям.

Господи всемогутній, Ти величніший за всіх. Схиляюсь перед Тобою, Повелителем мого життя.

Бог великий, а ми маленькі – і це добре.

Автор Шерідан Войсі

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Повелитель волн

Читать сейчас: Иов 38:1-17 | Библия за год: Второзаконие 3-4; Марка 10:32-52

[Господь] сказал: «До сих пор дойдешь и не перейдешь, и здесь предел надменным волнам твоим». — Иов 38:11

Кнуд, король Дании, был одним из самых могущественных людей на земле в XI в. В известной притче он велел поставить кресло на берегу моря во время отлива. «Ты подвластно мне, – сказал он морю, усевшись в кресло, – и я повелеваю тебе не подниматься на мою землю и не сметь мочить ноги своего господина». Но прилив наступил в свое время, без всяких церемоний намочив не только ноги, но и одежду царя.

Обычно эту притчу приводят в качестве иллюстрации гордости. На самом же деле это рассказ о смирении. В конце притчи Кнуд говорит: «Пусть весь мир знает, что власть царя – ничто в сравнении с Тем, Кому повинуются небо, земля и море». Мораль притчи очевидна: Бог – всемогущий Владыка мира.

Иов сделал такое же открытие. В сравнении с Тем, Кто положил основания земли (Иов 38:4-7), Кто повелевает утру настать и ночи завершиться (Иов 38:12-13), Кто владеет хранилищами снега и управляет звездами (Иов 38:22, 31-33), мы ничтожны. Есть только один Повелитель волн, и это не мы (Иов 38:11; Мф. 8:23-27).

Вспомните притчу о Кнуде, когда покажетесь себе слишком умными или сильными. Сходите на берег и прикажите волнам утихнуть или солнцу остановиться. Сразу станет понятно, кто есть кто. Будем благодарить Бога за руководство нашей жизнью.

Ты превыше всего, Господь всемогущий. Я поклоняюсь Тебе, как Владыке моей жизни.

Бог велик, мы малы, и это хорошо.

автор: Шеридан Войси

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный