Monday, March 13, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - "Peace at All Costs?"


Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Peace at All Costs?"

March 14, 2017

(Jesus said) "Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division" (Luke 12:51, ESV).

Read Luke 12:49-53

The hostility against Jesus grows. His enemies will not stop until He hangs dead on a cross.

That doesn't seem to fit the words of the Christmas angels: "Peace on earth" (see Luke 2:14). But the angels weren't talking about peace among people. They said, "Peace among those with whom God is pleased." God is only pleased when we recognize our failings, and then trust Jesus Christ as our Savior.

The Jewish leaders won't accept that they are misleading God's people. They cling to their errors and refuse to turn to their Messiah for forgiveness. Jesus warns His disciples that hostility will one day turn against them.

Listen to the urgency in His voice: "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is My distress until it is accomplished!" The fire Jesus wishes to cast is the cross; His bloody sacrifice divides believers from unbelievers. The fire of that cross rages across the earth to this very day.

Jesus asks, "Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?" How often do we compromise the truth or stand in silence trying to live at peace with others? Not so with Jesus. He refuses to wash His hands if it will support a satanic lie. He powerfully attacks the deception of the Pharisees and scribes so they will recognize Satan's lies and turn to Him for salvation.

THE PRAYER:  Almighty God, there can be no compromise between You and Satan, truth and error, life and death, heaven and hell. Help me cling at all costs to the peace believers have with You, which Jesus Christ won. I pray in His 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 - Con Jesús o contra Jesús


Devociones de Cuaresma  2017

Con Jesús o contra Jesús

14 de Marzo de 2017

El que no está conmigo, está contra mí. Lucas 11:23, RVC (11:17-23)

Un político latinoamericano dijo en cierta ocasión en que se estaba elaborando una ley sobre el divorcio: "No estoy ni a favor ni en contra, sino todo lo contrario." Esta frase es una muestra de la debilidad de quienes no se animan a tomar partido por una causa.

Ésa fue también la postura de Poncio Pilato. Este procurador romano recibió presiones de la multitud que gritaba: "¡Crucifica a Jesús!", y de su esposa, que le dijo: "No tengas nada que ver con ese justo." Y optó por lavarse las manos para declararse inocente. Sin embargo, y aun sabiendo que Jesús era inocente, lo entregó para que lo crucificaran. Sin tomar partido, Pilato terminó siendo el responsable de sentenciar a Jesús a muerte.

Pilato es un ejemplo claro de lo que Jesús afirma en Lucas 11: en cuanto a nuestra relación con Dios, no hay términos medios; o estamos con él, o estamos en contra de él.

Hay muchas personas que se declaran indiferentes a las cosas de Dios, diciendo que no son ni buenas ni malas. Pero en Dios no hay nada de indiferente. Él no fue indiferente a nuestra condición de perdidos y condenados, sino que tomó partido y engendró a su Hijo para enviarlo al mundo para salvarnos. Ahora Jesús declara enfáticamente que no se puede ser indiferente a su persona y a su obra: o estamos con él, o estamos en contra de él.

No quisiera ni por un momento estar en contra de aquél que tiene el poder sobre la vida y la muerte. ¿Cómo estar en contra de quien mostró estar a favor de nosotros? Es cierto que a veces actuamos como para hacerle la contra a Dios, siguiendo nuestros propios caminos. Pero Jesús nos recibe nuevamente y nos llama a estar a su favor, para que nuestra vida pueda ser bendecida desde ahora y hasta la eternidad.

Gracias, Padre, por haber obrado a nuestro favor. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones.  ¡U tilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL. Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC) Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas.

Our Daily Bread - Open Arms

Read: Psalm 139:17–24 | Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 23–25; Mark 14:1–26

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23

The day my husband, Dan, and I began our caregiving journey with our aging parents, we linked arms and felt as if we were plunging off a cliff. We didn’t know that in the process of caregiving the hardest task we would face would be to allow our hearts to be searched and molded and to allow God to use this special time to make us like Him in new ways.

On days when I felt I was plunging toward earth in an out-of-control free-fall, God showed me my agendas, my reservations, my fears, my pride, and my selfishness. He used my broken places to show me His love and forgiveness.

My pastor has said, “The best day is the day you see yourself for who you are—desperate without Christ. Then see yourself as He sees you—complete in Him.” This was the blessing of caregiving in my life. As I saw who God had created me to be, I turned and ran weeping into His arms. I cried out with the psalmist: “Search me, God, and know my heart” (Ps. 139:23).

This is my prayer for you—that as you see yourself in the midst of your own circumstances, you will turn and run into the open, loving, and forgiving arms of God.

Gracious Father, I recognize today my desperate need of Your love, wisdom, and grace. Search me and know me. Pour out Your grace and mercy in my life to bring healing to my heart.

When worry walks in, strength runs out. But strength returns when we run to God.


© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Vòng Tay Rộng Mở

Đọc: Thi Thiên 139:17-24 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Phục truyền 23-25; Mác 14:1-26

Đức Chúa Trời ôi! Xin tra xét con và biết lòng con; Xin thử nghiệm con và biết tư tưởng con. (Thi Thiên 139:23)

Ngày mà vợ chồng tôi bắt đầu hành trình chăm sóc ba mẹ già yếu của mình, chúng tôi đã khoác tay nhau và cảm thấy như thể mình đang lao ra từ vách đá. Chúng tôi không biết rằng trong việc chăm sóc, nhiệm vụ khó khăn mà chúng tôi sẽ đối diện là cho phép tấm lòng mình được tra xét và nhào nặn và cho phép Chúa sử dụng thời gian đặc biệt này để khiến chúng tôi trở nên giống như Ngài trong những cách mới mẻ.

Trong những ngày tôi cảm thấy như đang rơi tự do xuống trái đất với tốc độ không thể kiểm soát, Chúa đã chỉ cho tôi những kế hoạch, những hạn chế, những sợ hãi, niềm kiêu hãnh và sự ích kỷ của mình. Chúa đã sử dụng những yếu đuối của tôi để bày tỏ tình yêu và sự tha thứ của Ngài.

Mục sư của tôi đã nói: “Ngày ý nghĩa nhất là ngày bạn nhận biết mình tuyệt vọng thế nào nếu không có Đấng Christ. Rồi bạn sẽ thấy chính mình như Chúa thấy bạn – trọn vẹn trong Ngài.” Đây là phước hạnh trong cuộc đời khi tôi chăm sóc người khác. Khi tôi nhìn thấy con người của tôi mà Chúa đã tạo dựng, tôi đã khóc và chạy vào vòng tay Ngài. Tôi kêu lên như tác giả Thi thiên: “Đức Chúa Trời ôi! Xin tra xét con và biết lòng con; Xin thử nghiệm con và biết tư tưởng con” (Thi. 139:23).

Đây là lời cầu nguyện của tôi dành cho bạn – khi bạn nhìn thấy chính mình trong những hoàn cảnh của mình, bạn sẽ chạy đến vòng tay tha thứ, yêu thương và rộng mở của Chúa.

Lạy Cha nhân từ, hôm nay con nhận ra con thật cần tình yêu, sự khôn ngoan và ân điển của Ngài. Xin tra xét con và biết lòng con. Xin tuôn đổ ân điển và lòng thương xót của Ngài vào cuộc đời con để tấm lòng con được chữa lành.

Khi lo lắng xuất hiện, thì sức lực cạn kiệt. Nhưng sức lực được phục hồi khi chúng ta chạy đến với Chúa.


© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - Brazos abiertos


Examíname, oh Dios, y conoce mi corazón; pruébame y conoce mis pensamientos (Salmo 139:23).

El día que mi esposo y yo empezamos nuestra travesía de cuidar a nuestros padres ancianos, fue como tomarnos del brazo y sentir que estábamos cayendo por un precipicio. No sabíamos que, durante ese proceso, la tarea más difícil sería permitir que Dios examinara y moldeara nuestros corazones a fin de usar ese tiempo especial para que aprendiéramos nuevas maneras de ser como Él.

Los días en que sentía que me hundía en la tierra en una descontrolada caída libre, Dios me mostraba mis prioridades, mis reservas, mis miedos, mi orgullo y mi egoísmo. Utilizó mis grietas para mostrarme su amor y su perdón.

El pastor de mi iglesia dice: «El mejor día es aquel en que ves quién eres en realidad: alguien desesperado sin Cristo. Luego, te ves como Cristo te ve: completo en Él». Esta fue la bendición que experimenté al cuidar a mis padres. Cuando veía para qué me había creado Dios, corría llorando hacia sus brazos, y clamaba con el salmista: «Examíname, oh Dios, y conoce mi corazón; pruébame y conoce mis pensamientos» (Salmo 139:23).

Esta es mi oración por ti: que, al verte en medio de tus circunstancias, corras hacia los brazos abiertos, amorosos y perdonadores de Dios.

Señor, necesito tu amor, sabiduría y gracia. Examina, conoce y sana mi corazón.

Cuando la preocupación se instala, las fuerzas se van; pero estas vuelven cuando corremos hacia Dios.


Unser Täglich Brot - Offene Arme

Lesen: Psalm 139,17-24 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 5.Mose 23–25; Markus 14,1-26

Erforsche mich, Gott, und erkenne mein Herz; prüfe mich und erkenne, wie ich’s meine. Psalm 139,23

Am Tag, als mein Mann Dan und ich begannen, die Pflege unserer alternden Eltern zu übernehmen, kam es uns vor, als würden wir uns an den Händen fassen und gemeinsam von einer Klippe springen. Wir wussten nicht, dass die schwerste Aufgabe, die in der folgenden Zeit auf uns zukam, darin bestehen würde, unsere Herzen von Gott erforschen und formen zu lassen und ihm zu erlauben, uns ganz neu umzugestalten und ihm ähnlicher zu machen.

An Tagen, an denen ich das Gefühl hatte, ich würde im freien Fall auf die Erde zusteuern, zeigte Gott mir meine Prioritäten, meine Vorbehalte, meine Ängste, meinen Stolz und meinen Egoismus. Er zeigte mir, was bei mir nicht stimmte, und gebrauchte es, um mir seine Liebe und Vergebung zu schenken.

Mein Pastor sagte einmal: „Der beste Tag ist der, an dem du dich so siehst, wie du bist—hilflos ohne Jesus. Dann siehst du dich so, wie er dich sieht—vollkommen in ihm.“ Das lernte ich in jener Zeit. Als ich erkannte, als welchen Menschen Gott mich erschaffen hatte, rannte ich weinend in seine Arme. Mit dem Psalmisten rief ich: „Erforsche mich, Gott, und erkenne mein Herz“ (Ps. 139,23).

Das ist mein Gebet auch für dich—dass du, wenn du dich in deiner eigenen Situation siehst, umdrehst und in die offenen, liebenden, vergebenden Arme Gottes läufst.

Barmherziger Vater, ich erkenne, wie sehr ich deine Liebe, Weisheit und Gnade brauche. Erforsche und prüfe mich. Lass deine Gnade in mein Herz strömen, damit es heil wird.

Wenn die Sorge hereinmarschiert, flieht die Stärke. Aber sie kommt zurück, wenn wir zu Gott fliehen.


© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Les bras ouverts


Sonde‑moi, ô Dieu, et connais mon coeur ! Éprouve‑moi, et connais mes pensées ! (Psaume 139.23)

Le jour où mon mari, Dan, et moi avons commencé à donner des soins à nos parents vieillissants, nous nous sommes pressés l’un contre l’autre, car nous avions l’impression de nous jeter d’une falaise. Nous ignorions alors que, chemin faisant, nous aurions à accomplir une tâche des plus ardues consistant à laisser Dieu sonder et façonner notre coeur, ainsi qu’à profiter de cette période particulière pour raviver notre amour envers lui.

Les jours où j’avais le sentiment de piquer du nez malgré moi, Dieu m’a fait prendre conscience de mes programmes, de mes réserves, de mes craintes, de mon orgueil et de mon égoïsme. Il s’est servi de mes failles pour me témoigner son amour et son pardon.

Mon pasteur m’a dit : « Le meilleur des jours est celui où nous nous voyons tels que nous sommes : désespérés sans Christ. Puis il nous faut apprendre à nous voir tels qu’il nous voit : entiers en lui. » Voilà la bénédiction que les soins que j’ai donnés m’ont apportée ! En découvrant la personne que Dieu voulait que je sois en me créant, je suis allée me réfugier dans ses bras en le suppliant, comme l’a fait le psalmiste : « Sonde‑moi, ô Dieu, et connais mon coeur ! » (PS 139.23.)

Je prie qu’en vous découvrant tel que vous êtes, vous fassiez demi‑tour pour aller vous jeter vous aussi dans les bras ouverts et accueillants de Dieu, qui sont gages de son pardon.

La force sort dès qu’entre le souci, mais revient si l’on court à Dieu.


Хліб Наш Насущній - Відкриті обійми

Читати: Псалом 138:17-24 | Біблія за рік: Повторення Закону 23-25 ; Марка14:1-26

Випробуй, Боже, мене, і пізнай моє серце, досліди Ти мене, і пізнай мої задуми.— Псалом 138:23

Коли я і мій чоловік Ден вирішили взяти на себе піклування про батьків похилого віку, то першого дня, взявши один одного за руки, почувались наче перед стрибком у безодню. Ми не знали тоді, що з тих труднощів, що на нас чекали, найбільшим буде – дозволити Богу досліджувати й формувати наші серця, дозволити Йому використати цей час таким чином, щоб по-новому змінювати нас за подобою Ісуса.

В ті дні, коли я почувалась, наче лечу у прірву у вільному падінні, Бог відкривав потаємні речі в моєму серці, приховані мотиви, страхи, гордість та егоїзм. Там, де я зазнавала духовних поразок, Він являв Свою любов та прощення.

Пастор сказав мені тоді: “Найкращий день – той день, коли спочатку бачиш себе своїми очима – безнадійним без Христа; а потім бачиш себе очима Бога – довершеним у Ньому”. Саме таке благословення у своєму житті я отримала  завдяки служінню опіки. Коли я побачила, для чого Бог створив мене, то зупинилась на своєму шляху і з плачем побігла в Його відкриті обійми. Я слізно гукала до Бога, як колись псалміст: “Випробуй, Боже, мене, і пізнай моє серце” ( Псалом 138:23).

Молюсь, щоб і ви мали такий досвід – щоб коли серед важких обставин побачите своє серце, могли з плачем побігти до відкритих, люблячих обіймів Бога, Хто завжди дарує прощення.

Благий Отче, сьогодні я визнаю відчайдушну потребу в Твоїй любові, мудрості та благодаті. Досліджуй і пізнавай моє серце. Сповняй моє життя Своєю ласкою і милістю, щоб моє серце отримувало зцілення.

Приходить неспокій – щезає сила; біжимо до Бога – повертається сила.

Автор Шеллі Біч

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Божьи объятия

Читать сейчас: Псалом 138:17-24 | Библия за год: Второзаконие 23-25; Марка 14:1-26

Испытай меня, Боже, и узнай сердце мое; испытай меня и узнай помышления мои. — Псалом 138:23

В день, когда я и мой муж Дэн приняли решение взять на себя заботу о престарелых родителях, мы взялись за руки и ощутили, словно прыгаем со скалы. Мы не знали, что самым трудным будет открыть сердца для Бога, чтобы Он мог их исследовать и изменять. Мы не понимали, какой далекий путь уподобления Христу лежит перед нами.

В те дни, когда мне казалось, что я лечу к земле в бесконтрольном падении, Бог открывал мне мои плотские желания, страхи, гордость и себялюбие. А когда появлялись раны, Он исцелял их Своей любовью и прощением.

Мой пастор сказал: «Ваш лучший день настанет тогда, когда вы увидите себя такими, как есть: совершенно беспомощными без Христа. После этого посмотрите на себя так, как видит Он: имеющими полноту в Нем». Я сделала это. Увидев, какой меня желает сделать Бог, я со слезами побежала в Его объятия. Я плакала вместе с псалмопевцем: «Испытай меня, Боже, и узнай сердце мое» (Пс. 138:23).

Молюсь об этом и для вас: чтобы, увидев себя среди жизненных обстоятельств, вы повернулись и побежали в раскрытые любящие и прощающие Божьи объятия.

Милосердный Отец, я признаю свою нужду в Твоей любви, мудрости и благодати. Испытай и исследуй меня. Излей Твою благодать и милость в мою жизнь и принеси исцеление сердцу.

Когда приходит тревога, уходит сила. Но если мы обращаемся к Богу, она возвращается.

автор: Шелли Бич

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for MONDAY, March 13, 2017


The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Jeremiah 1:11-19

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" And I said, "I see a branch of an almond tree." Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north." Then the LORD said to me: Out of the north disaster shall break out on all the inhabitants of the land. For now I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the LORD; and they shall come and all of them shall set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against them, for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land-- against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.

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


The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Romans 1:1-15

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you-- or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish -- hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

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


The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in John 4:27-42
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!


Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?" Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, "Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?" They left the city and were on their way to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I have ever done." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."

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


Morning Psalms

Psalm 56 Miserere mei, Deus
1   Have mercy on me, O God, for my enemies are hounding me; all day long they assault and oppress me.
2   They hound me all the day long; truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3   Whenever I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
4   In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can flesh do to me?
5   All day long they damage my cause; their only thought is to do me evil.
6   They band together; they lie in wait; they spy upon my footsteps; because they seek my life.
7   Shall they escape despite their wickedness? O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.
8   You have noted my lamentation; put my tears into your bottle; are they not recorded in your book?
9   Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; this I know, for God is on my side.
10   In God the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me?
11   I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; I will present to you thank-offerings;
12   For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.


Psalm 57 Miserere mei, Deus
1   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, for I have taken refuge in you; in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until this time of trouble has gone by.
2   I will call upon the Most High God, the God who maintains my cause.
3   He will send from heaven and save me; he will confound those who trample upon me; God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.
4   I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.
5   They have laid a net for my feet, and I am bowed low; they have dug a pit before me, but have fallen into it themselves.
6   Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth.
7   My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and make melody.
8   Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp; I myself will waken the dawn.
9   I will confess you among the peoples, O LORD; I will sing praise to you among the nations.
10   For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
11   Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth.


Psalm 58 Si vere utique
1   Do you indeed decree righteousness, you rulers? do you judge the peoples with equity?
2   No; you devise evil in your hearts, and your hands deal out violence in the land.
3   The wicked are perverse from the womb; liars go astray from their birth.
4   They are as venomous as a serpent, they are like the deaf adder which stops its ears,
5   Which does not heed the voice of the charmer, no matter how skillful his charming.
6   O God, break their teeth in their mouths; pull the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.
7   Let them vanish like water that runs off; let them wither like trodden grass.
8   Let them be like the snail that melts away, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9   Before they bear fruit, let them be cut down like a brier; like thorns and thistles let them be swept away.
10   The righteous will be glad when they see the vengeance; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11   And they will say, "Surely, there is a reward for the righteous; surely, there is a God who rules in the earth."


Evening Psalms

Psalm 64 Exaudi, Deus
1   Hear my voice, O God, when I complain; protect my life from fear of the enemy.
2   Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the mob of evildoers.
3   They sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their bitter words like arrows,
4   That they may shoot down the blameless from ambush; they shoot without warning and are not afraid.
5   They hold fast to their evil course; they plan how they may hide their snares.
6   They say, "Who will see us? who will find out our crimes? we have thought out a perfect plot."
7   The human mind and heart are a mystery; but God will loose an arrow at them, and suddenly they will be wounded.
8   He will make them trip over their tongues, and all who see them will shake their heads.
9   Everyone will stand in awe and declare God's deeds; they will recognize his works.
10   The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and put their trust in him, and all who are true of heart will glory.


Psalm 65 Te decet hymnus
1   You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
2   To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, because of their transgressions.
3   Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out.
4   Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there! they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house, by the holiness of your temple.
5   Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, O Hope of all the ends of the earth and of the seas that are far away.
6   You make fast the mountains by your power; they are girded about with might.
7   You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the peoples.
8   Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
9   You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; the river of God is full of water.
10   You prepare the grain, for so you provide for the earth.
11   You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12   You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.
13   May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, and the hills be clothed with joy.
14   May the meadows cover themselves with flocks, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; let them shout for joy and sing.


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.

Verse of the Day - March 12, 2017


Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Read all of Romans 8

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 Decision Everyone Must Make"

Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"
Matthew 27:22 (NKJV)

Indecision is something we all experience. What should I wear? What should I do in this situation? Sometimes indecision has significant consequences, and sometimes it doesn’t.

When you’re indecisive, you try to live in two worlds. You try to appease everyone. That’s what Pontius Pilate tried to do. And in Matthew 27, we see how his indecision led to the most significant of consequences. He wanted other people to be pleased with his decision. He wanted everyone to get along. As a result, he was unwilling to decide what was really right.

Pilate didn’t realize what was actually happening. In reality, it was not Jesus standing before Pilate; it was Pilate standing before Jesus. Pilate was on trial, and he missed a golden opportunity to believe, a golden opportunity to trust in this One who had come to die for all humanity.

Pilate had to decide for himself and answer a question that everyone eventually must come to grips with: “What then shall I do with Jesus?”

He heard many voices that day. He heard the voice of the multitude saying, “Let Him be crucified!” He heard the voice of his wife saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man.” He surely must have heard the voice of his own conscience attesting to the innocence of Jesus. And he heard the voice of Jesus Himself. Sadly, Pilate listened to the wrong voice. It was a decision he no doubt regretted for the rest of his life.

Every one of us must come to grips with what we will do with Jesus. Yet, like Pilate, so many people let others do their thinking for them. They let others make their decision for them. And in the end, they pay with everything. I hope you won’t let that happen to you.

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 - ¿Por qué terminar en crisis?


Aunque un ejército acampe contra mí, no temerá mi corazón; aunque contra mí se levante guerra, yo estaré confiado.
Salmo 27:3 (RV-60)

Sé que es muy común escuchar que personas atormentadas por sus problemas, por situaciones desesperantes de economía, celos, por estar ilegal en este país, y muchas otras situaciones que tú y yo conocemos, llegan a un punto tal de crisis que hasta quieren dejar de existir. A menudo, prefieren huir de sus problemas desahogándose en el alcohol o las drogas y no afrontan una realidad dolorosa. Aun así, esta manera de escapar de la realidad es temporal, pues no podrás estar siempre drogado ni tomado. Vas a tener momentos de lucidez, donde estarán presentes de nuevo esas preocupaciones.

Es lamentable, pero muchos llegan a la decisión más cobarde, y valiente a la vez, de quitarse la vida. Entonces, ¿qué pasa cuando escuchamos que alguien con mucho dinero, propiedades, trabajo, fama y todo lo que al parecer llena a un ser humano también entró en crisis y siguiendo el mismo cuadro anterior también termina quitándose la vida?

La gran conclusión es que no importa el dinero que tengas, ni los títulos universitarios, ni las posiciones en un trabajo, ni la familia, ni la mucha fama. Si no tienes a Dios en tu corazón por medio de Jesucristo, siempre estarás buscando cómo llenar ese vacío.

No permitas que la crisis se plante en tu vida. Sin duda, llegarán tormentas y problemas.

Sentirás que no puedes más, pero cuando pones tu mirada en Dios y le entregas toda esa carga pesada, empezarás a sentir un alivio, un descanso, y verás que ya no estás solo.

Si has tenido este tipo de situaciones, pídele perdón a Dios y sigue adelante.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón. Versión Reina-Valera 1960 © Sociedades Bíblicas en América Latina, 1960. Renovado © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1988.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Mark 8:34 (NIV)

They stood out like lighthouse beacons. We spotted them while walking through the tables of artisan wares in old Havana. Two oil painting portraits side-by-side propped in front of the table. Portraits of two famous revolutionaries: Che Guevarra and Jesus Christ.

The Cuban people are well acquainted with Che. The Argentina-born socialist revolutionary joined Fidel Castro in the Cuban revolution of 1959. Fidel made him Minister of the Interior for the first five years. Then Che disappeared only to surface in Bolivia where he was captured and executed. Cuba has made him out to be a martyr for the revolution. His face and sayings are even more wide-spread in the country than Fidel’s.

Jesus is also becoming well-known in Cuba due to revival that has swept the island since the late 1980’s.

These two portraits depict the major choices for most people today. One revolutionary says, “Follow me and I will make you a liberator of men—teach them how to fight!” The other says, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men—teach them how to really live!”

One revolutionary says, “Follow me and USE your life for the sake of the revolution!” The other says, “Follow me and LOSE your life for my sake and the gospel’s (and you will find it)!”

The one says “Follow me and we will build a utopia on earth!” Jesus says, “Follow me and we will build the kingdom of God on earth (and the world will be a better place)!”

Those who have chosen to follow Jesus in Cuba are making a significant impact for the Lord. I met a twenty-three-year-old Cuban young lady who is a committed follower of Jesus. She ministers to four churches in the mountains where no male graduate from the seminary is willing to serve. The one mountain-top church we visited with her required forty-seven crossings of the winding mountain river in climbing the eight kilometers distance. In rainy season the mud is up to her knees.

I asked her what the last message was she had shared with believers. She replied, “Take up your cross and follow me!”

We also saw a young male evangelist en route to a meeting point which would take him seven hours to walk. That’s commitment!

Today Jesus is also calling you and me to truly follow Him. It may mean leaving behind our favorite time-waster and our comfort zones. But Jesus promises his personal presence and his abundant blessing. It’s an adventure like no other. If you listen carefully, you can hear his voice right where you are this moment. He’s saying, “Follow me!”

RESPONSE: Today I choose to follow Jesus, regardless of the cost.

PRAYER: Lord, may Your call on my life ever draw me closer to You and Your kingdom.

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

Women of the Bible - Rahab


Her name means: "Storm," "Arrogance," "Broad," or "Spacious"

Her character: Rahab was both clever and wise. She saw judgment coming and was able to devise an escape plan for herself and her family. As soon as she heard what God had done for the Israelites, she cast her lot with his people, risking her life in an act of faith.
Her sorrow: To see her own people destroyed and her city demolished.
Her joy: That God had given her, an idolater and prostitute, the opportunity to know him and belong to his people.
Key Scriptures: Joshua 2:1-21; 6:17-25; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25 


Her Story

Jericho may be the world's oldest city. Established nearly six thousand years before Miriam and Moses completed their desert wanderings, its ancient ruins can be found just seventeen miles northeast of Jerusalem. Gateway to Canaan, it was also the home of a prostitute named Rahab, whose house nestled snugly into its thick surrounding walls.

As well as entertaining locals, Rahab welcomed guests from various caravans whose routes crisscrossed Jericho. Men from all over the East brought news of a swarm of people encamped east of the Jordan. Rahab heard marvelous stories about the exploits of the God of the Israelites—how he had dried up the Red Sea so they could escape their Egyptian slave masters, and how he had given them victory in battle against Sihon and Og, two kings of the Amorites. For forty years the God of the Israelites had trained and toughened them in the desert. Such rumors spread fear in Jericho.

While men talked, another man planned. Moses was dead, and Joshua, son of Nun, had been appointed leader of the Israelites. Nearly forty years earlier Joshua had spied out the land along with Caleb and a group of others, urging the Israelites to take hold of the land of promise. This time there would be no shrinking back. Once the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and destroyed Jericho, the land would open like a melon with the rind peeled back. He could taste the victory.

Joshua sent two spies to Jericho to probe its secrets. The spies soon made their way to Rahab's house, where she hid them beneath stalks of flax drying on the roof. Later that day, Rahab received a message from the king of Jericho, asking her about the spies who had taken refuge in her house.

"Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from," she lied to the king's messenger. "At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them."

As soon as the king's men left, she hurried to the roof, quickly warning her two guests: "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us…. The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death."

To this remarkable statement of faith, the men replied: "Our lives for your lives!" thus sealing the bargain.

Quickly, the two spies handed Rahab a scarlet cord, instructing her to tie it in the window on the side of the house built into the city wall. The invading Israelites would see it and spare everyone inside. Then Rahab instructed the men to hide themselves in the hills for three days until their pursuers abandoned the chase. With that, they slipped out the window and scrambled down the walls of Jericho.

Joshua was smiling long after the spies had left him with their good report. Now was the time to move. He marshaled the people and led them across the Jordan. Though the river was at flood stage, a massive army of Israelites crossed on dry ground. God was with them just as he had been when they left Egypt. Only this time, no one was chasing them—Israel had become the pursuing army, ready for battle!

The news that the waters of the River Jordan had parted for the Israelites terrified the inhabitants of Jericho. Rahab watched anxiously from her window in the wall as the Israelites gathered around the city like a growing storm. Would these fierce warriors with their powerful God remember the scarlet cord? For the thousandth time she reminded her family, especially the little ones, not to take even one step outside the house, lest they perish.

That first day Rahab watched as seven priests carrying an ark led thousands of men around the city. She braced herself, but nothing happened. The next day and the next, for five more days it continued. Then, as the sun was rising on the seventh day, the men of Israel marched again, encircling Jericho seven times. Suddenly, she heard the ram's horn sound and then a thunderous cry, loud enough to split a mountain. The city walls shattered and the Israelites rushed in. Rahab tried to plug her ears to the mayhem outside her home. When the battle of Jericho was over, Rahab and those she loved were spared. Her faith had saved not only herself but her entire household from the terrible judgment decreed for her city.

Jericho's end reminds us of Sodom's. In Sodom, Lot and his daughters were spared; in Jericho, it was Rahab and her family who were spared. But unlike Lot or his wife, Rahab never once hesitated. She is the only woman singled out by name and commended for her faith as part of the great "cloud of witnesses" mentioned in the book of Hebrews. A prostitute living in the midst of an idolatrous people, Rahab was like a brand plucked from the fire. Her own people destroyed, she left everything behind, becoming an ancestor of King David and, therefore, one of Jesus' ancestors as well.

Rahab's story is a dramatic one. It shows us that God's grace accepts no boundaries. The red cord that saved Rahab and her family reminds us of the red blood of Jesus, who still saves us today, and of Isaiah's words, that "though your sins may be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Rahab put her faith in the God of Israel and was not disappointed.

Her Promise

The story of Rahab reveals again God's willingness to use the less than perfect, the outcast, what we might see as the unsuitable to accomplish his holy purposes. Throughout Scripture, with what can almost be seen as divine humor, God chooses a stutterer to speak for him (Moses), an infertile woman to be the mother of a nation (Sarah), a weakling to defend him (Gideon), a forgettable youngest son to be the most unforgettable king of his people (David), an unknown youngster to be the mother of his son (Mary), and a persecutor to take the gospel to the nations (Paul).

God doesn't wait for us to become spotlessly clean or totally mature in our faith in order to use us. Instead, he takes ordinary, willing people and accomplishes the extraordinary, both in their lives and in the lives of those around them. As he did with Rahab, he promises to use us, and through that experience to perfect us.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.

Girlfriends in God - What Redemption Requires


Today’s Truth

For I know that my Redeemer lives. (Job 19:25a, NIV)

Friend to Friend

God’s grace can restore any life.

In the beginning, the moment that rebellion collided with perfection and invaded the hearts of humanity, God set in motion a plan of redemption. His plan was Jesus – the one who gives beauty for ashes, comfort for mourning, and freedom to the shackled.

Scripture introduces us to a guy who experienced God’s redemption in deep ways. His name was Job. Job was a good man. I mean a really good man. No joke – the Bible says so! This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1b) He lived life the right way. He honored God, loved his family and was both faithful and patient. Good man.

 You’d think that because Job was such a stand out guy that he’d pretty much have a cake life, right? SO not right. Let me just say this: good-guy-Job went through some stuff. We are talking major big-league stuff.

He had it all and then lost it all: his children, his wealth and his health. Gone. In a blink.

Don’t just skim over that last sentence. This man lost his children. They died.

All ten of them… at the same time.

I can’t even fathom the thought of losing one of my children, let alone all of my children.

Job knew broken on levels that most of us will never come close to knowing. He knew ashes. He knew mourning. He knew darkness. He knew weary.

On the front end of the pain He had faith. Big faith. He gave God the benefit of the doubt. He held on to his integrity, accepted his circumstances and blessed the name of the LORD in spite of the horror he endured. And he worshiped! Can you believe he worshiped?

Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
(Job 1:20b-22)

Job went through loss after loss, test after test and friend-with-bad-advice after friend-with-bad-advice who spoke condemnation instead of comfort. All that and his wife wanted him to “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9b) Nice. Isn’t it amazing how some people can say careless things and completely misrepresent the heart of God in times of struggle? Oh, friend… let us be women who are quick to comfort and slow to speak advice.

Stepping down from my soap box…

Job was in anguish. (Job 6:2, 7:11) Understandable! He wanted to die because the pain was so unrelenting. (Job 6:9-10) He called out to God and asked Him to reveal where he had gone wrong. Then he repented of the sins that he knew he had committed.

He lamented. Stomped his feet a bit. Got a smidge sassy and frustrated with God. And he wondered if God even cared. Then God answered his complaints, corrected his heart, and set the wheels in motion for one of the most amazing shows of redemption the world has ever seen.

God shined light into his darkness – spoke gladness to his mourning – and brought beauty to his ashes. He redeemed Job’s life from the dark pit of broken. After which Job humbly and whole-heartedly worshiped the Lord. Following the healing, however, he worshiped God as his Redeemer. He was the first in Scripture to ever call God his Redeemer. For I know that my Redeemer lives. (Job 19:25)

God also names Himself our Redeemer in Scripture! Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16b)

God is all about redemption.

God’s love for humanity runs deeper than the deepest recesses of our depravity. His love runs farther than your past – higher than your disappointments – wider than your heart wounds and deeper than a cavernous pit of depression. God’s plan of redemption is for every person – no matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve been through, no matter what you’ve done.

But, alas, there’s a catch. There’s always a catch, right? The catch is: it has to be personal.

His grace is for every one of us, but each of us must accept or reject God’s redemption plan by accepting or rejecting his Son, Jesus Christ. Redemption begins and ends with Jesus. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)

Have you made redemption personal with God?

Whether you’re at work, at home, at the hospital, or in a jail cell. He’s whispering, “Be still.” Whether you are struggling with life strains or are in a season of reprieve. “Be still.” Whether you have a house full of crazy-noise or an apartment filled with ordered-quiet. “Be still.” Whether the diagnosis is cancer or the sting of betrayal is fresh – whether the hope you cling to resounds or you are weary and unsettled: BE STILL.

Know that He is God.
Know that He is good.
Accept that He is able and willing to exchange beauty for your ashes.
Call out to Him as your Redeemer.
Confess your mess before Him.
Consider His love.


Then… in the stillness … respond from your heart.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, My Redeemer, I’m here. I’m still. Please reveal anything in my heart that needs restoring. (Pause to listen and reflect.) I confess these sins to You: ________________ and I ask that You remove them as far as the east is from the west. Thanks for restoring me with Your grace.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.


Now It’s Your Turn

Read and pray through Psalm 25.

Be still before Him.

More From The Girlfriends

Today’s devotion is adapted from Knowing God by Name by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc.

TWO DAY GIVEAWAY: Get a FREE copy of Gwen’s Uncluttered CD when you purchase the Girlfriends in God book, Knowing God by Name today or tomorrow. ONLY from the store at GwenSmith.net.

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