Wednesday, March 29, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - "The Traitor"

Luke tells us the great Jewish festival of the Passover with its Feast...

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"The Traitor"

March 30, 2017

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover (Luke 22:1, ESV).

Read Luke 22:1-6

Luke tells us the great Jewish festival of the Passover with its Feast of Unleavened Bread is drawing near. It is the reason the huge crowds have come from all over the Roman Empire to Jerusalem. It recalls Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt by the death of the Egyptian firstborn. It was called "Passover" because the Lord caused the angel of death to pass over the Israelite houses marked with the blood of the Passover lamb.

The Jewish high court is meeting. Having already determined to put Jesus to death, they are looking for the best time and manner to accomplish this. They won't consider an assassination; they want to find Him guilty of a capital crime and persuade Pilate to execute Him.

They keep coming back to one key problem: the huge crowds of pilgrims are thronging around Jesus, hanging on His every word. As long as the crowds are in town there is nothing they can do to Jesus. They decide they must wait to kill Jesus after the Passover is complete, when the crowds leave Jerusalem to return home.

Suddenly, an unexpected possibility arises. One of Jesus' hand-picked disciples, Judas Iscariot, offers to betray Jesus to them for the modest price of 30 silver pieces. The priests rejoice in this unforeseen opportunity. They never could have predicted a defection from within Jesus' camp. Now they have a man on the inside, watching for the opportunity to hand Jesus over to them before the Feast.

Jesus' predictions are falling into place: "the Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men."

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You knew Judas was plotting against You, yet You continued to reach out to him in love. Reach out to me with Your forgiveness and grace. Amen

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

Devociones de Cuaresma - ¡Que los gigantes vayan saliendo!


Devociones de Cuaresma  2017

¡Que los gigantes vayan saliendo!

30 de Marzo de 2017

Así fue como David venció al filisteo: con una honda y una piedra. 1 Samuel 17:50, RVC (17:40-51)

Los niños aprenden y recuerdan con lujo de detalles esta historia: el gigante enorme, acorazado y armado, brabucón incansable, burlón y arrogantemente vanidoso; David jovencito, armado con una honda casera y cinco piedras recién juntadas en el arroyo. Lo cierto es que David no pensó en lo desparejo de la situación, sino que, antes bien, comparó al gigante con la fuerza de Dios, y las armas del gigante con las armas de Dios. Su victoria estaba asegurada ya antes de ir a la batalla.

Jesús enfrentó al gigante del pecado y de la muerte con el arma de la cruz. A simple vista, la confrontación del poder del mal con dos palos atravesados parece ridícula. Pero Jesús, al igual que David, midió la fuerza y las armas de Dios, y con ellas fue a la batalla. Cuando lo vieron colgando "impotente" en la cruz, y cuando lo colocaron inerte en la tumba fría, sus seguidores pensaron que había perdido la batalla. Sin embargo, a pesar de su coraza, el pecado no pudo evitar ser herido de muerte por la sangre preciosa de Cristo. Cuando el Señor resucitó, se paró encima de la muerte y la remató, y en todo el mundo se supo del Dios de Israel.

Jesús es nuestro campeón. Él comparte con nosotros su victoria. Todavía tiene muchas piedras en su morral para herir de muerte a nuestros enemigos. Siempre habrá gigantes brabucones que nos asusten con sus amenazas y con su figura acorazada, y enemigos que se burlen de nuestro Dios y de su gracia. ¿Cómo los enfrentaremos? Contando con la fuerza y las armas de Dios: la cruz y la tumba vacía.

Gracias, Padre, porque no hay gigante que Jesús no pueda vencer. En él y por él, nosotros también cantamos victoria. Amén

© 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

Our Daily Bread - Life and Death

Read: Genesis 50:22–26 | Bible in a Year: Judges 9–10; Luke 5:17–39

I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid. Genesis 50:24

I will never forget sitting at the bedside of my friend’s brother when he died; the scene was one of the ordinary visited by the extraordinary. Three of us were talking quietly when we realized that Richard’s breathing was becoming more labored. We gathered around him, watching, waiting, and praying. When he took his last breath, it felt like a holy moment; the presence of God enveloped us in the midst of our tears over a wonderful man dying in his forties.

Many of the heroes of our faith experienced God’s faithfulness when they died. For instance, Jacob announced he would soon be “gathered to [his] people” (Gen. 49:29–33). Jacob’s son Joseph also announced his impending death: “I am about to die,” he said to his brothers while instructing them how to hold firm in their faith. He seems to be at peace, yet eager that his brothers trust the Lord (50:24).

None of us knows when or how we will breathe our last breath, but we can ask God to help us trust that He will be with us. We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house (John 14:2–3).

Lord God, Your dwelling place will be with Your people, and You will be our God, wiping away our tears and banishing death. May it be so!

The Lord will never abandon us, especially at the time of our death.


© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Sự Sống Và Sự Chết

Đọc: Sáng thế ký 50:22-26 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Các quan xét 9-10; Lu-ca 5:17-39

Tôi sắp qua đời, nhưng chắc chắn Đức Chúa Trời sẽ thăm viếng anh em. Sáng thế ký 50:24

Tôi sẽ không bao giờ quên giây phút ngồi cạnh giường của anh trai bạn tôi khi anh ấy qua đời; khung cảnh bình thường bỗng trở nên lạ thường. Ba anh em chúng tôi đang trò chuyện thầm thì chúng tôi nhận ra hơi thở của Richard trở nên nặng nề hơn. Chúng tôi tập hợp lại quanh anh ấy, quan sát, chờ đợi và cầu nguyện. Khi anh ấy trút hơi thở cuối cùng, nó như một giây phút thiêng liêng, sự hiện diện của Chúa bao phủ chúng tôi giữa những nước mắt cho một người tuyệt vời chết ở tuổi tứ tuần.

Nhiều anh hùng đức tin đã kinh nghiệm sự thành tín của Chúa khi họ qua đời. Chẳng hạn, Gia-cốp đã thông báo ông sẽ sớm “sum họp với tổ tiên” (Sáng. 49:29-33). Giô-sép, con trai của Gia-cốp cũng thông báo về cái chết sắp đến của mình: “Tôi sắp qua đời”, ông nói với các anh em của mình trong lúc chỉ dẫn họ làm thế nào để giữ vững đức tin. Ông dường như sắp an nghỉ, nhưng vẫn thiết tha rằng anh em mình sẽ tin cậy Chúa (50:24).

Không ai trong chúng ta biết mình sẽ trút hơi thở cuối cùng lúc nào và như thế nào, nhưng chúng ta có thể xin Chúa giúp chúng ta tin cậy rằng Ngài sẽ ở cùng chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể tin nơi lời hứa rằng Chúa Jêsus sẽ chuẩn bị một chỗ ở cho chúng ta trong nhà Cha Ngài (Giăng 14:2-3).

Lạy Chúa, nơi ngự của Ngài sẽ là nơi ở của dân sự Ngài, và Ngài sẽ là Đức Chúa Trời của chúng con, Ngài sẽ lau hết nước mắt và xua tan sự chết. Nguyện sự ấy được thành.

Chúa sẽ không bao giờ từ bỏ chúng ta, đặc biệt khi chúng ta đối diện với sự chết.


© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - Vida y muerte

Leer: Génesis 50:22-26 | La Biblia en un año: Lucas 5:17-39

Yo voy a morir; mas Dios ciertamente os visitará, y os hará subir de esta tierra… (v. 24).

Nunca voy a olvidar haber estado sentada al lado de la cama del hermano de mi amiga cuando él murió. La sensación fue de que lo extraordinario visitaba lo común y corriente. Éramos tres los que conversábamos en voz baja cuando nos dimos cuenta de que Richard empezaba a tener dificultades para respirar. Lo rodeamos, mirándolo, esperando y orando. Cuando exhaló su último aliento, fue como un momento sagrado; la presencia de Dios nos envolvió en medio de las lágrimas tras la muerte de un hombre maravilloso de poco más de 40 años de edad.

Muchos héroes que compartían nuestra fe experimentaron la fidelidad de Dios cuando murieron. Por ejemplo, Jacob anunció que, en breve, se reuniría con los suyos (Génesis 49:29-33). Su hijo, José, mientras daba instrucciones a sus hermanos sobre cómo permanecer firmes en la fe, también anticipó que moriría pronto: «Yo voy a morir». Al parecer, tenía paz, pero estaba ansioso de que sus hermanos confiaran en el Señor (50:24).

Nadie sabe cuándo ni cómo dará su último aliento, pero podemos pedirle a Dios que nos ayude a confiar en que Él estará a nuestro lado. Podemos tener la certeza de que Jesús está preparando un lugar para nosotros en la casa de su Padre (Juan 14:2-3).

Señor, que tu poder sobre la muerte y la esperanza del cielo sequen mis lágrimas.

El Señor nunca nos abandonará; en especial, en el momento de nuestra muerte.


Unser Täglich Brot - Leben und Tod

Lesen: 1.Mose 50,22-26 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Richter 9–10; Lukas 5,17-39

Ich sterbe, aber Gott wird euch gnädig heimsuchen. 1.Mose 50,24

Ich werde es nie vergessen, wie ich mit meiner besten Freundin am Sterbebett ihres Bruders saß. Es war, als würde ein Strahl der Ewigkeit in die Zeit fallen. Wir waren zu dritt und unterhielten uns leise, als wir merkten, wie Richards Atem immer schwerer ging. Wir wandten uns zu ihm, warteten und beteten. Als er den letzten Atemzug tat, war es wie ein heiliger Augenblick. Wir konnten förmlich spüren, wie uns Gottes Gegenwart umhüllte, trotz unserer Tränen über den Tod eines Mannes, der keine fünfzig Jahre alt geworden war.

Viele unserer Glaubenshelden erlebten Gottes Treue gerade auch beim Sterben. So kündete Jakob zum Beispiel an, dass er bald „zu meinem Volk“ versammelt würde (1.Mose 49,29-33). Auch sein Sohn Josef sprach von seinem bevorstehenden Tod. „Ich sterbe“, sagte er zu seinen Brüdern und mahnte sie, am Glauben festzuhalten. Er selbst schien darüber Frieden zu haben. Aber es lag ihm sehr daran, dass auch seine Brüder dem Herrn vertrauen (50,24).

Keiner von uns weiß, wann wir unseren letzten Atemzug tun werden. Aber wir können Gott um seine Hilfe bitten, damit wir auch dann darauf vertrauen können, dass er bei uns ist. Und wir dürfen der Verheißung glauben, dass Jesus im Haus seines Vaters eine Wohnung für uns bereithält (Joh. 14,2-3).

Herr, du willst bei deinem Volk wohnen und willst ihr Gott sein und alle Tränen abwischen und der Tod wird nicht mehr sei. Amen!

Gott verlässt uns nie, auch nicht im Tod.


© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Vie et mort

Lisez : Genèse 50.22‑26 | La Bible en un an : Juges 9 – 10 et Luc 5.17-39

Je vais mourir ! Mais Dieu vous visitera. V. 24

Je n’oublierai jamais le jour où j’ai assisté à la mort du frère de mon amie. Assise à son chevet, j’ai regardé l’extraordinaire rendre visite à l’ordinaire. Nous étions trois à nous entretenir tout bas lorsque nous nous sommes rendu compte que la respiration de Richard était devenue plus difficile. Nous nous sommes alors réunis autour de lui, à le regarder, à attendre et à prier. Le moment où il a laissé échapper son dernier souffle nous semblant empreint de sainteté, la présence de Dieu nous a alors enveloppés au milieu des larmes que nous inspirait la mort précoce de ce merveilleux quarantenaire.

Bon nombre de héros de la foi ont fait l’expérience de la fidélité de Dieu au moment de leur mort. Par exemple, Jacob a annoncé qu’il serait « recueilli auprès de [son] peuple » (GE 49.29‑33). Joseph, le fil de Jacob, a également annoncé sa mort imminente : « Je vais mourir ! », a‑t‑il dit à ses frères, tout en les exhortant à rester fermes dans la foi. Il semble être en paix, mais désirer ardemment que ses frères fassent confiance à Dieu (50.24).

Même si aucun d’entre nous ne sait quand et comment il laissera échapper son dernier souffle, nous pouvons néanmoins demander à Dieu de nous aider à compter sur sa présence auprès de nous le moment venu. Nous avons tout lieu de croire que Jésus tiendra promesse en nous préparant une place dans la maison de son Père (JN 14.2,3).

Dieu ne nous abandonnera jamais, surtout pas au seuil de la mort.


Хліб Наш Насущній - Життя і смерть

Читати: Буття 50:22-26 | Біблія за рік: Суддів 9–10 ; Луки 5:17-39

Я вмираю, а Бог конче згадає вас. — Буття 50:24

Ніколи не забуду, як я сиділа біля смертного одра брата моєї подруги. Це був той момент, коли звична ситуація сповнена особливими відчуттями. Нас було троє. Ми тихо розмовляли, а потім помітили, що дихання Ричарда стає все більш утрудненим. Ми стали біля нього… дивились в чеканні й молитві. Коли він зробив останній подих, то був наче святий момент. Гостре відчуття Божої присутності охопило нас, хто проливав сльози за цією чудовою людиною, що вмирала на п’ятому десятку свого життя.

Чимало героїв віри в останні часи свого земного життя відчували Божу вірність. Наприклад, Яків відчув той момент, коли мав “прилучитись до своєї рідні” (Бут. 49:29-33). Йосип – син Якова – також передчував свою смерть. “Я вмираю”, – сказав він своїм братам. А потім дав їм останнє напучення, як зберегти тверду віру. Очевидно, що він відчував внутрішній мир, але палко хотів спонукати своїх братів довіряти Господу” (Бут. 50:24).

Ніхто не знає, коли і за яких обставин він зробить останній подих. Але можемо просити Бога зміцнити нашу віру в те, що Він буде поруч в цей момент. Маємо вірити обітниці Христа: “Багато осель у домі Мого Отця; а коли б то не так, то сказав би Я вам, що йду приготувати місце для вас?..” (Ів. 14:2-3).

Господи Боже, Ти перебуватимеш зі Своїм народом. Ти будеш нашим Богом, Хто витре з наших очей будь-яку сльозу і назавжди прожене смерть. Ми віримо в це!

Господь ніколи не полишить нас – особливо на смертному одрі!


© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Жизнь и смерть

Читать сейчас: Бытие 50:22-26 | Библия за год: Судей 9-10; Луки 5:17-39

И сказал Иосиф братьям своим: «Я умираю, но Бог посетит вас...» — Бытие 50:24

Я запомнила на всю жизнь, как сидела у постели умирающего брата моей подруги. Повседневное там столкнулось со сверхъестественным. Нас было трое, мы тихо беседовали, как вдруг услышали, что Ричарду стало трудно дышать. Мы собрались вокруг кровати, ожидая и молясь. Когда он выдохнул в последний раз, казалось, это был священный миг: Божье присутствие объяло нас, оплакивающих прекрасного человека, которому не было еще и пятидесяти.

Многие герои веры, умирая, свидетельствовали о Божьей верности. Например, Иаков, умирая, объявил, что скоро приложится к своему народу (Быт. 49:29-33). Его сын Иосиф также, почувствовав приближение смерти, сказал братьям: «Я умираю», а затем заверил их, что Бог не оставит Свой народ и введет его в Обетованную землю (Быт. 50:24). Он умирал в мире, словно видя перед собой Бога.

Никто не знает, когда оставит этот мир. Однако мы можем просить Бога укрепить нашу веру в Его присутствие. Мы можем положиться на обетование Христа, что Он приготовит нам место в доме Небесного Отца (Ин. 14:2-3).

Господь и Бог, Ты сотворишь обитель для Своего народа и будешь им Богом. Ты отрешь всякую слезу с наших очей и уничтожишь смерть. Мы верим в это!

Господь никогда не оставит нас, особенно в смертный час.


© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, March 29, 2017


The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Jeremiah 18:1-11

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Come, go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words." So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the LORD: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Romans 8:1-11

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in John 6:27-40

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day."

Here ends the Gospel lesson for today

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.

Today in Church History!

Hans Hauge
DEATH OF HANS HAUGE, NORWEGIAN EVANGELIST - 1824

Diakonos Leader Brought Revival To Norway and South Africa.

The Lutheran church in Norway was struggling in the early 19th century. God raised up a "lay minister", a deacon, servant type Christian Leader who boldly brought revival.

Read his story from our partner, Christian History Institute.
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Verse of the Day - March 29, 2017


2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 5

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 - "Removing the Sting"

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

Have you ever been stung by a bee? It’s not a fun experience. But although it’s painful for the person being stung, it’s fatal for the bee.

When a honeybee stings a person, it can’t pull its little barbed stinger back out. This is a one-time experience for them. They had better think carefully about who they are going to sting, because once they do it, they are not going to survive.

When a bee stings you, not only is the bee’s stinger left in you but also part of its abdomen and digestive tract, as well as nerves and muscles. This massive abdominal rupture kills the bee shortly after it stings.

That is what happened when Jesus died on the cross. In his enduring hatred for God’s Son, Satan thought it would be a great idea to have Jesus betrayed, arrested, beaten within an inch of His life, and then crucified and put to death on a Roman cross. The devil said, “This is my moment. I am going to sting Him. I will have a role in His death. When He dies, that is the end of Him.” Everything went according to Satan’s plan, and like a bee, he flew off thinking he had succeeded.

But everything went according to God’s plan as well, and the sting of death was its own defeat. As 1 Corinthians 15:54–55 says, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

Where is the sting of death for the believer? It is ripped out, because at the cross, Jesus took the stinger out of death. This is a great truth. As Christians, we no longer need to fear death because our souls will live on forever with Christ.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation®, NLT® copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - Padres, apoyemos a nuestros hijos


Hijo mío, si tu corazón es sabio, también mi corazón se regocijará.
Proverbios 23:15, NVI

Hombres y mujeres que están hoy listos a leer este devocional, también les convienen que sepan lo que espera Dios de los padres.

Padres, asuman con autoridad el ser como dice Dios la cabeza y el sacerdote del hogar.

Eso significa que debes tener una relación con Dios, de modo que seas la parte más importante de esa casa. Si no asumes tu posición, las mujeres con carácter fuerte tomarán la tuya y estarás en desventaja y fuera del orden de Dios.

Papi, tú eres el proveedor. Tú eres a quien Dios creó para que mantengas tu hogar y seas un excelente administrador del mismo. Claro, si tu esposa está trabajando, las cosas entre los dos serán más fáciles. Sin embargo, ante Dios el que tiene la autoridad tiene la responsabilidad.

NO le des mal ejemplo a tu hijo para que no te avergüence.

NO te entregues cien por cien a tu trabajo o actividades de tu ministerio, a fin de que tengas tiempo para tus hijos.

NO olvides que tu primer llamado es tu familia y Dios te pedirá cuentas al respecto.

NO te apartes de los caminos de Dios, pues allí encontrarás bendición.

Honro hoy a mi esposo porque es un excelente padre de sus hijos y de mis princesas.

Gracias, mi Dios.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE MARTYRS HYMN

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Paul is writing his last letter before execution addressed to his spiritual son, Timothy. New Testament scholars are convinced that Paul is quoting here an ancient Christian worship chorus or “hymn.” It is assessed to be one of the songs Christians sang as they were walking into the arena to face certain death. Paul himself may have sung this hymn when he was executed in Rome.

There is plenty of historical evidence that people of the pagan world were amazed at the courage and joy – often expressed in music – Christians exhibited when facing their death. Early church father, Tertullian was reportedly converted soon after first observing this exhibition of abnormal joyfulness. He later made the oft-quoted statement that “the blood of the martyrs is seed!”

The first couplet is powerful because it is in the Greek aorist tense which indicates a specific moment in the past. When Christ calls us, we die to sin and to ourselves. Therefore, the song begins, “We have already died with Him and we will therefore live with Him!” It goes on to proclaim that when we endure, we’ll reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will deny or disown us; but when we are faithless, He always remains faithful because it is a characteristic of His unchanging nature.

Korean Elder Kwan-Joon Park was called an “Elijah of Korea” or sometimes a “Daniel of modern times.” He died as a martyr for his faith in Christ and his opposition to the Japanese colonial rule during the Second World War when Korea was occupied by the Japanese Imperialists. The latter enforced Shinto worship on the Korean people.

On March 24, 1939, Elder Park went to Japan to protest against inhuman colonial policies of Japan. He walked into the 74th Imperial Diet of Japan. When the opening pronouncement of the lower house was made, he stood up from his seat in the visitor’s balcony and shouted, “This is a great mission of God, Jehovah’s great message!” Then he threw leaflets to the floor below exposing cruel abuse of Korean Christians by Japan and warning them of God’s imminent judgment and destruction of Japan as a result of her wrong doing and tyranny. They also explained the resistance against Japanese imposition of Shinto shrine worship upon Korean Christians.

Elder Park was arrested and sentenced to six years in Japanese prison. While serving his sentence he was martyred at the age of seventy. We don’t know if he sang. But one line from his last poem written during his imprisonment expresses well his firm resolution to die willingly for Jesus Christ: “Since Jesus died for me, I will die for Jesus!” 

RESPONSE: Today I will resolve to live courageously even if it means facing death for Jesus who died for me. I will express my joy in living and dying for Him in every way – including singing!

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be joyful even in the face of death knowing that You are always faithful.

Girlfriends in God - Leaving the Land of Disappointment

by Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance, (John 20:1, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Sometimes you expect you’re getting a Rachel and you wake up with a Leah. Okay, I know that example might connect better with a guy, but you get the point.

Let me try that again. What do you do after you’ve crossed the Red Sea of obstacles, only to be dying of thirst at Marah three days later? How do you keep your dancing from turning into disappointment? One thing is for sure; you don’t drive down your tent pegs by the disappointing waters of Marah and camp out there. You move on.

I think of the women on Jesus’s ministry team. They had committed their lives to the Messiah and believed that He would restore Israel. Mary Magdalene and a handful of other women had followed him for more three years. But life had not turned out like they thought it would. Their hopes and dreams were nailed to a cross and the lifeblood spilled on the ground to be trampled underfoot. Their future lay in a borrowed tomb—sealed behind an imposing stone.

It appeared Jesus was not going to be the ruler and set things right after all. The very people He came to save had killed Him. This was not how the story was supposed to go . . . at least in their eyes.

So what did Mary and the other women do? On the third day after Jesus’s death, while it was still dark, they got up, gathered their spices and started walking to the tomb (John 20:1). Never mind that it was still dark. Never mind that a giant boulder blocked the tomb’s entrance . . . a stone too heavy for the women to move.

Never mind that armed Roman soldiers stood guard over the grave. Never mind that the disciples were so discouraged and disillusioned that they hid away in a secret room. Never mind all that. The women didn’t have all the details worked out in their heads, but they were not going to sit home in their discouragement—paralyzed into inactivity. They were going to move forward . . . while it was still dark. 

Mary Magdalene got up, and she got going . . . while it was still dark. In the end, she was not disappointed that she took this step of faith, and you won’t be either. Just as assuredly as Jesus met her at her greatest point of need, He will meet you at yours.

Did you notice that Mary Magdalene didn’t wait until her circumstances changed before she got moving? Jesus was still dead as far as she knew. But she got up and moved forward anyway.

And where did she go? Yes, she went to the tomb, but there is more. She went back to the last pace she had seen Him. Perhaps that is where you need to go today. Go back to the last place you encountered Jesus. Even if it is still dark. Even if you are still in a dark place. Even if a seemingly impossible imposing boulder of disappointment is blocking your dreams. Don’t worry about moving the stone. God’s good at that. You just keep putting one faithful foot in front of the other and let God take care of the rest.

Oh, what we miss when we make camp in the painful place of disappointment and refuse God’s invitation to continue the adventurous journey. We miss the moments of sudden glory when our eyes are shut tight because of discouragement, and our hearts are bolted fast with despair.

Don’t allow the weight of discouragement hold you down or lower your expectations of the life in Christ. Get up. Get moving. Open your eyes. Open your heart. There’s more to experience just around the bend.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, sometimes I get so discouraged that I just stop. I drive my tent pegs down in the soil of discouragement and camp out. I know I need to leave the past behind and press on toward what is ahead. That is exactly what I’m going to do today. Give me the courage and the power of the Holy Spirit to take the next step out of the wilderness and head toward my Promised Land.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.


Now It’s Your Turn

Is there an area of deep disappointment in your life that you’ve gotten stuck in?

What is one thing that you can do to put the past behind and move forward…even if it is still dark?

Even if you don’t see a break in the clouds? Even if you don’t see God moving?

More from the Girlfriends

A mediocre, mundane faith is not your destiny! In Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let God, Move Forward, Live Bold, I reveal the most common reasons we get stuck in our Christian faith. I show you how to break free of all that holds you back, move forward with all that God promises, and live the adventurous faith of bold believing. It’s time to leave behind feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy that hold you hostage and take hold of the mountain-moving faith God intends. Let’s uncover untapped sources of confidence and courage, and see how to move from simply knowing the truth to actually living it out boldly in a life marked by true freedom and expectancy. It’s time to get UNSTUCK! (Includes a Bible Study Guide for group or individual study.)


Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 725 Matthews, NC 28106