The Daily Readings for TUESDAY, November 7, 2017

The kingdom of heaven is like...

Daily Readings

Nehemiah 12:27-31, 12:42-47

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. The companies of the singers gathered together from the circuit around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession. One went to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate; and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. On that day men were appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites from the fields belonging to the towns; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. For in the days of David and Asaph long ago there was a leader of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers. They set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the descendants of Aaron.

Revelation 11:1-19

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Come and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to harm them must be killed in this manner. They have authority to shut the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb; and the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of the earth. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them. At that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed. The third woe is coming very soon. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever." Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, singing, "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth." Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Matthew 13:44-52

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

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.

Prayer of the Day for TUESDAY, November 7, 2017

O God you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, November 7, 2017

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)[Instructions on Worship] I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Read all of 1 Timothy 2

Listen to 1 Timothy 2

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 - It's Time to Toughen Up

It's Time to Toughen Up

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

~ 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Jesus told a parable about a sower who scattered some seed, some of which “fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it” (Luke 8:5). Jesus then explained, “The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (verses 11–12).

The devil will be there to oppose and attack. He will be there to try to stop the work of God in the life of the believer.

As surely as there is a God who loves you, there is also a devil who hates you. He wants to reel you back in. He wants you to go down in flames. He is described in the Bible as “a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The apostle Paul wrote, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3–4).

Many of us, as we go through spiritual boot camp, so to speak, have a hard time. We don’t want to toughen up. In fact, at the first sign of difficulty, we are ready to bail. I didn’t sign up for this. This isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

But consider this: If you really are going to follow the Lord, you’re going to be tempted. You’re going to face opposition. Recognize that and brace yourself for it.

Do you want to make a difference for time and eternity? Then it’s time to toughen up, soldier. No spiritual wimps allowed.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Devotion © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.
You are going to face opposition. Choose to recognize it and brace yourself for it.

Un Dia a la Vez - La oración vale oro

La oración vale oro

Pidan, y se les dará; busquen, y encontrarán; llamen, y se les abrirá.

~ Mateo 7:7 (NVI)

Si Dios nos dice que oremos en todo momento y lugar, es porque sabía que necesitaríamos la oración como una poderosa arma para enfrentar cada una de las situaciones de la vida. Sin duda, a veces tenemos épocas en que activamos esas antenas espirituales y comprobamos que la oración tiene poder. Es en esos momentos que nos damos cuenta que, siempre que oramos y pedimos, Dios contesta y se escuchan hermosos testimonios. Por eso no debemos cortar esa bendición.

La oración es parte fundamental de nuestra vida espiritual. Además, nosotros estamos creados para tener una relación y una comunicación directa con nuestro Padre.

Es evidente que deseamos milagros y respuestas de parte de Dios. No obstante, ¿cuándo sacamos esos minutos para orar y escuchar la voz de Dios?

Convierte en un estilo de vida el versículo que dice: «Oren sin cesar» (1 Tesalonicenses 5:17). Con esto en mente, acostúmbrate a orar por tu familia y por tus hijos, pues la oración tiene poder.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - CHOOSING LOVE OVER HATE

CHOOSING LOVE OVER HATE

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

~ Romans 12:14 (NIV)

At the early age of eleven, Sam was living a pious Muslim life in the southern Philippines. He prayed at mosques on Fridays and fasted during Ramadan. Sam was the only one of his siblings sent to school where he excelled both in classroom and sports. He was everybody’s favourite, popular and well-loved.

But everything changed one afternoon. After school, Sam passed by his grandfather’s house who happened to be a Christian. He saw a maroon book with ‘Kitab Injil’ (The Gospel) written on the cover. He opened it and started reading. “I was drawn to Jesus because his teachings were so different...Help the needy, obey and respect parents, do not be a false witness...they were not taught in Islam. Before that, I only knew to repay evil with evil.”

So Sam committed his life to following Jesus and His teachings in the Bible. He was just a fifth grader then. Although he was the only Christian in his family, Sam’s parents and siblings respected his new faith. But outside his home, among his friends, it was a different story. “You’re a kafir (infidel)! You are not my friend anymore.”

It was very painful for Sam to be deserted by his friend. His classmates at grade school kept a good distance from him. Some mocked him, calling him kafir. There were times during classes when kids would throw their shoes at him. They bullied him by writing stuffs on his uniform, filling his bag with sand, and even punching him.

One day, a friend-turned-enemy yelled at him. “You Christians are filthy! Christians are garbage!” Sam cried and ran home. There were times when he was tempted to fight back, but he remembered the words of Jesus to love the enemies, to bless and not curse. In his heart, he prayed for those who bullied him and repaid them with a kind smile instead.

Sam, now seventeen, has endured physical harassment, insults, and discrimination from friends and school mates for boldly telling them that he is a Christian.

After Sam joined the Open Doors’ discipleship program for MBB youths, he has become even bolder in seizing every opportunity to share his faith in Jesus. Sam knows that doing so might cost him his life someday.

“When I think of my friends, my heart breaks. I lost them, and though they turned out to be my enemies, I don’t hate them. Instead, I pray for them that one day they will meet my Lord Jesus and be changed.”

RESPONSE: Jesus wants me to not repay evil with evil but rather love, bless and pray for those who are my enemies.

PRAYER: Help me Lord to live among those who oppose me with the character of Jesus and respond to them with love and not hate.

Girlfriends in God - What Does God Want From You?

What Does God Want From You?

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

Cease striving and know that I am God,

~ Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

Friend to Friend

Sometimes I think we’ve made our relationship with God far too difficult and confusing. We strive so hard to draw closer to the heart of God. And all the while, God’s outstretched hand is reaching to draw us in.

For more than half a century, I have been striving, pursuing, and seeking God. And like a cat chasing her tail, I’ve been going in circles.

Circling in the wilderness with the Israelites, if you will. Saved from slavery, for sure. Headed to my own personal Promised Land, hopefully. But somehow stuck in the wilderness wandering ever circling but not quite reaching Jordan’s shore.

And I am not alone. Statistics show that one of the top desires of Christians is to grow closer to God. During a recent poll, 65 percent said they were declining or on a plateau in their spiritual growth. On the other hand, Peter wrote: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

We have everything we need to experience the ever growing, continually maturing, abundant life, so why aren’t we? Why are most of us languishing on the desert plateaus of mediocrity and complacency? Why are most of us satisfied munching on the predigested truths of teachers rather than pulling up to the banquet table and feasting with God at a table set for two?

“God, what do you really want from me?”

I’ve pondered that question since the genesis of my relationship with Christ. Perhaps you have too. When you boil down all the water from the diluted soup of questions men and women have simmered in their heart through the centuries, this is the one question left in the pot.

And somehow, we feel that if we could answer that one question, we would discover why that glory ache persists and how to satisfy our yearning.

I had asked the question a thousand times, but one morning, I got quiet enough to listen. And then, in the stillness, He showed me that my busy sisters and I have been asking the wrong question.

Rather than ask God what He wants from us, we need to ask Him what He wants for us.

I meditated on Acts 17:28 throughout the following year after the day God whetted my appetite with the possibilities wrapped up in those eight little words: In Him we live and move and have our being. I came to realize that what He wants for us is to sense His presence, experience His love, and delight in intimate relationship as we live and move and have our being in sacred union with Him. And when we do, He opens our eyes to His glory all around and the ache for something more is soothed.

So today, I encourage you to be still. Just get quiet. Breathe deeply. Jesus in. Worries out.

Don’t make your faith about what God wants from you, but what God wants for you.

Let’s Pray

Lord, open my eyes to see and ears to hear. Show me glimpses of Your presence as I live and move and have my being in you. And help me not to miss it!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Psalm 46 to put today’s truth in context. The NIV version says it this way: Be still and know that I am God.

Have you ever asked God what He wants from you?

Have you ever asked God what he wants for you?

Now, I want you to do just that. Ask God what He wants for you and then pay attention.

More from the Girlfriends

Have you been asking God, “What do you want from me?” If so, you’re asking the wrong question. It’s not what God wants from you, but for you! He wants you to experience His presence on a daily basis…right in the middle of your busy, messy day. Open your eyes to see God’s fingerprints and hear His voice as you learn about God’s lavish response to your ache for something more. A Sudden Glory is all about how to experience an intimate relationship and sacred romance with Jesus as never before. (Includes a Bible study guide.)

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

LHM Daily Devotion - November 7, 2017 "Forgetting Fear"

If you've ever ridden on a roller-coaster, you'll remember that moment..

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Forgetting Fear"

November 7, 2017

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world.

~ 1 John 4:17 (ESV)

If you've ever ridden on a roller-coaster, you'll remember that moment when you reach the top and then, almost instantaneously the bottom drops out, you go airborne, and your stomach is in your throat. Under the closed conditions of a roller-coaster, that can be pretty exciting.

But it's not so much fun if it happens unexpectedly and you're in an airplane.

That's what happened to the folks on Indonesia's AirAsia Flight QZ535. While traveling from Australia to Bali, their plane suddenly lost air pressure. The passengers' oxygen masks dropped down as the plane, very quickly, took a 24,000-foot drop in altitude. That's a roller-coaster, gut-wrenching drop of more than four miles in about nine minutes.

Now I would love to tell you that the crew on the flight managed to bring calm to the troubled passengers. I would love to tell you that, but I can't. Nobody can.

The people on the flight report the staff was, screaming, crying, and looked shocked. One of them ran down the aisle yelling, "Emergency! Brace! Crash positions!"

Now, please don't think that everyone lost it and became unglued. Chris Jeanes was a passenger who had planned to propose to his girlfriend, Casey, when they got to Bali. But since it looked like they might not make it to Bali, he proposed as the plane was doing its nosedive.

Casey said, "Yes!"

And for those of you who have a questioning bent of mind, I can tell you, when they were out of danger, Jeanes proposed a second time, and Casey still said "Yes!"

So, my friends, what have we learned from this AirAsia flight?

Hearing the reports and watching the video of what happened, I came away with this:

• Some people are ready to die.

• Some people are not ready to die.

In this particular case, the folks whom I would expect might be ready, that is the plane's staff, didn't seem to have been prepared at all. At the same time, other folks, like the lovebirds Chris and Casey were calm enough to move forward with their plans. If their time together was going to be short, they were determined to enjoy it as much as they could.

In some ways, they remind me of Luther who once was asked, "What would you do if you knew you had only 24 hours before judgment?"

Luther supposedly said, "I'd keep planting this tree."

Luther knew that when a person has been washed of his sins in the Savior's precious blood, no longer can he be accused when he stands before the divine Judge's bench. Because the Christ has fulfilled the Law and died our death, on that day the only verdict we shall hear is one which says, "Not guilty!"

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am a miserable sinner but because of Jesus I am a forgiven sinner. May I rejoice in the salvation He has given and do all I can to reach out to others who still wander in the darkness where fear rules hearts and minds. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

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

CPTLN Devocional de 07 de Noviembre de 2017

Alimento Diario

Libertad

07 de Noviembre 2017

Manténganse, pues, firmes en la libertad con que Cristo nos hizo libres, y no se sometan otra vez al yugo de la esclavitud.

~ Gálatas 5:1 (RVC)

Una de las cosas más sorprendentes que mi esposa y yo encontramos en nuestros viajes a Israel, fueron los elevadores especiales para el Sabbath (el día de reposo).

Durante todo el día van de la planta baja al último piso y del último piso a la planta baja, deteniéndose y abriéndose en cada piso.

La primera vez que subimos, creímos que algún jovencito había entrado y oprimido todos los botones a la vez, pero después nos enteramos que hay una ley hebrea que dice que oprimir un botón en sábado es trabajar y se supone que el sábado no se debe trabajar, sino descansar.

Antes, quienes necesitaban de un ascensor para ir a su apartamento debían usar las escaleras. Pero eso se solucionó cuando a alguien se le ocurrió inventar el ascensor que se detiene en cada piso.

El problema parecía resuelto hasta que recientemente salió una ley rabínica que dice que estos elevadores también violan la ley, porque el peso de los usuarios aumenta la cantidad de electricidad necesaria para elevarlo.

El Rabí Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, de 99 años, es el sabio que hizo la controversial decisión acerca de los elevadores. Y esta no fue la última. Luego decretó que los judíos no pueden usar zuecos el Día de Expiación, porque son demasiado cómodos para la formalidad que exige el día de ayuno.

Si comparto esto no es para criticar o desacreditar a nadie, ya que respeto mucho a cualquier grupo de personas que toma en serio su fe. Pero, por otro lado, doy gracias por la libertad que el Salvador me ha dado a mí y a todos sus seguidores.

Jesús, cumpliendo la ley que nosotros quebrantamos, nos hizo libres de la condenación de esa ley. Es por ello que, salvos y liberados, vivimos una vida de agradecimiento y reconocimiento.

ORACIÓN: Amado Dios, una vez estuvimos convictos bajo la ley del pecado. Ahora somos libres por la vida perfecta de Jesús. Que el Espíritu Santo dirija nuestros corazones gozosos a vivir agradecidos por su regalo divino. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

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