Friday, December 8, 2017

LHM Advent Devotion - December 9, 2017 "HOW?"


Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"HOW?"

December 9, 2017

TEXT: And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you ..."
~ Luke 1:34-35a (ESV)

It was a very unexpected visit. Not only did the angel drop in suddenly, but he came with a message the Bible normally reserves for childless women married for years, like Sarah or Hannah: "You will conceive in your womb and bear a Son" (Luke 1:31a). That wasn't what Mary expected to hear!

So she questioned it-not disbelieving, but rather wanting to know how this was going to work out, given that she was a virgin. Should she get married suddenly, or what? And the angel respected that and answered her-Yes, we are talking about a miracle here. The Spirit of God will make it happen. And the baby will be holy, the Son of God.

How different this is from Zechariah's meeting with the same angel! He also asked the question "How?" How could he be sure it would really happen since he and his wife were too old to have children? But his "how" was a how of doubt; he just couldn't wrap his mind around the idea. And the angel, with complete justice, pointed out that hey, you're talking to an angel right this minute, and not just any angel-one that stands in the presence of God. Isn't that enough proof for you? And promptly gave him nine months of silence to think about the error of his ways.

It is hard to go on believing without seeing, day after day after day. And yet God does keep His promises at the proper time. The Lord works His wonders according to His promise, whether we trust like Mary or doubt like Zechariah. Our doubts may lead to trouble for us, but they will never prevent God from keeping His promises of salvation.

How? God says: "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you" (Isaiah 35:4b). He comes as a newborn baby, lying in a manger. He comes as a man, walking to suffering and death in Jerusalem. He comes as the risen Christ who promises to be with us always.

THE PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for working out salvation for us in spite of our fears and doubts. Help me to trust in You with all my heart. Amen.

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

Devociones de Adviento de 09 de Diciembre de 2017 - "¿Cómo?"


ALIMENTO DIARIO

"¿Cómo?"

9 de Diciembre de 2017

Pero María le dijo al ángel: "¿Y esto cómo va a suceder? ¡Nunca he estado con un hombre!" El ángel le respondió: "El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti, y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra..."
~ Lucas 1:34-35 (RVC)

Fue una visita totalmente inesperada. El ángel no sólo se apareció de golpe, sino que traía un mensaje que la Biblia usualmente reserva para las mujeres que llevan años de matrimonio y aún no tienen hijos, como Sara o Ana. "Vas a quedar encinta, y darás a luz un hijo..." (Lucas 1:31a). ¡Eso no era lo que María esperaba oír!

María lo cuestionó, pero no por no creerlo, sino por querer saber cómo iba a ser, dado que todavía era virgen. ¿Debía casarse inmediatamente? El ángel respetó su cuestionamiento y le hizo saber que se trataba de un milagro: el Espíritu de Dios se encargará de hacerlo; el Niño será santo, será el Hijo de Dios.

¡Qué diferente es este encuentro, del de Zacarías con el mismo ángel! Zacarías también quiso saber cómo iba a suceder lo que el ángel le había anunciado, ya que tanto él como su esposa eran demasiado mayores para concebir hijos. Pero su '¿cómo?' implicaba duda: no podía creer que algo así fuera posible. Entonces el ángel le hizo ver que no estaba hablando con un ángel cualquiera, sino con uno que estaba en presencia de Dios. ¿Acaso eso no era prueba suficiente?

Es difícil creer cuando no se puede ver. Sin embargo, a su debido tiempo, Dios cumple sus promesas. El Señor obra sus maravillas de acuerdo a sus promesas, sea que confiemos como María o dudemos como Zacarías. Nuestras dudas podrán causarnos problemas, pero nunca impedirán que Dios cumpla sus promesas de salvación.

¿Cómo? Dios dice: "Esfuércense y no teman. ¡Miren! Aquí viene su Dios, para castigar a sus enemigos como merecen. Dios mismo viene, y él los salvará" (Isaías 35:4). Viene como recién nacido acostado en un pesebre en Belén. Viene como hombre camino al sufrimiento y la muerte en Jerusalén. Viene como el Cristo resucitado que promete estar con nosotros siempre.

ORACIÓN: Querido Padre, gracias por obrar nuestra salvación a pesar de nuestros miedos y dudas. Ayúdanos a confiar en ti de todo corazón. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.

Prayer of the Day for FRIDAY, December 8, 2017


O God, whose mighty Son was born in Bethlehem those days long ago, lead us to that same poor place, where Mary laid her tiny Child. And as we look on in wonder and praise, make us welcome him in all new life, see him in the poor, and care for his handiwork the earth, the sky and the sea. O God, bless us again in your great love. We pray for this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, December 8, 2017


2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 8

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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 - Riches-to-Rags


Riches-to-Rags

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

In reality, the story of Jesus is not a rags-to-riches story; it is a riches-to-rags story. It is a story of leaving the glory of Heaven for this planet. Jesus could have been born in the most elegant mansion on the ritziest boulevard in Rome. He could have had aristocratic parents who boasted of their pedigree. He could have had the finest clothes from the most exclusive shops. He could have had legions of angels as an army of servants to respond to His every whim. But He had none of that. Instead, Jesus humbled Himself.

We read in 2 Corinthians 8:9, “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” God came into our world. He was like any other baby who needed to be cradled, needed to be nurtured, and needed to be protected. The Creator of the universe was born in a stable in Bethlehem.

Like everything else in the Christmas story, we have romanticized this aspect of it. I think, in many ways, we miss its raw, powerful meaning. This stable or barn (or maybe even cave) where Christ was born was cold and damp. It also would have smelled. God incarnate was born on the dirt floor of a filthy stable. Our Savior came not as a monarch draped in gold and silk, but as a baby wrapped in rags.

Jesus went from being a sovereign to a servant. He went from the glory of God to a stable filled with animals. It has been said that history swings on the hinge of the door of a stable in Bethlehem.

Think about what Jesus left to come to us. Jesus took His place in a manger so that we might have a home in Heaven.
O God, whose mighty Son was born in Bethlehem those days long ago, lead us to that same poor place, where Mary laid her tiny Child. And as we look on in wonder and praise, make us welcome him in all new life, see him in the poor, and care for his handiwork the earth, the sky and the sea. O God, bless us again in your great love. We pray for this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


Seeking God?
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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Think about what Jesus left to come to us.

Un Dia a la Vez - El amor de Dios en mi vida


El amor de Dios en mi vida

Así manifestó Dios su amor entre nosotros: en que envió a su Hijo unigénito al mundo para que vivamos por medio de él.
~ 1 Juan 4:9 (NVI)

Un día como hoy, esta servidora llegó a este mundo. Creo que por eso disfruto mucho de estas temporadas navideñas.

Aún recuerdo mi niñez sencilla, pero muy divertida, en mi natal Colombia. Había fuegos artificiales y disfrutaba de la compañía de mis amistades. En esa época, como buena católica, celebraba la conocida «Novena de Aguinaldos» con villancicos, el árbol de Navidad y, sin faltar, el pesebre, o como se conoce en algunos países, el nacimiento. A pesar de esta hermosa época, desconocía el verdadero significado de la Navidad, pues para muchos solo era una oportunidad de vacaciones, mientras que para otros era enfrascarse en las decoraciones navideñas. Así que un día, hace muchos años, comprendí el verdadero significado de la «Navidad».

La Navidad es hermosa y sé que en esos días surge en nuestro corazón una necesidad por la familia y un anhelo de comprarles regalos a los niños que los esperan con tanta ilusión.

A la hora de analizar esta hermosa estación del año, tú y yo debemos entender que Jesús es la verdadera razón de la Navidad. Cuando le abrimos nuestro corazón, nos convertimos en el pesebre donde nace el Salvador.

Por lo tanto, debemos darle gracias a Dios por su Hijo, Jesús, que vino a este mundo para darnos el regalo de la vida eterna.

Si aún no has tenido ese encuentro personal con Jesucristo, ¿por qué no permites que ese corazoncito bello que tienes se convierta hoy en un pesebre donde nacerá tu Salvador?

De ese modo, ¡tú también nacerás de nuevo!

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - LOSE THE FEAR OF DYING


LOSE THE FEAR OF DYING

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Our Open Doors colleague, Ron Boyd-MacMillan, shares the following insight from his teaching, “Why I Need to Encounter the Persecuted Church.”

There is a famous book called The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker. It is his contention that the whole of the western world is really a gigantic playground to distract us from ever facing the fact that we will all die! Thinking about death is all but forbidden. Preparing for it is seen as a sign of morbidity. We arrange for the elderly to die out of sight in hostels and hospitals. And huge multinational companies produce products that promise to keep the effects of aging at bay.

Inevitably, when we are too scared to face death we end up being a slave to it. Even Christians can show the same dread of it as others. But an encounter with the persecuted can go a long way to diffusing this sense of dread.

Over twenty years of reporting on the suffering church, I have interviewed literally hundreds of Christians who thought they were going to die for their faith. All of them—and I really do mean all of themexhibited two amazing characteristics: they experienced unspeakable peace and joy in the midst of the pain as they began to feel death draw near; and they were as surprised as anyone that they were not afraid of death at the time.

Take Pastor You Yong, kidnapped by Islamic extremists from his church outside Madiun, central Java in December 2001. Furious that his church was full of Muslim converts, the extremists showered him with questions, trying to provoke him to attack them. They beat him and finally held a long machete to his throat. He assumed he was about to die. But what was going on inside Pastor You? Deeper than all the pain or fear? This is how he put it. “I was amazed that throughout the ordeal I felt an incredible peace. I was also amazed at the answers I was able to give them. That verse came true—‘when you are brought to trial, do not worry about what to say, for when the time comes, you will be given what to say’ (Mt 10:19). The more they tried to provoke me, the more peace I felt.”

And so when death reaches out its icy hand even in more everyday ways—when the plane hits an air pocket, or the results of the suspected cancer scan are due—I remember the experiences of my persecuted friends and I am strengthened to think, If they have been where I am about to go, and still testify that Jesus gives unaccountable peace, well, it is no tragedy to tread this well-worn path. Their experiences in the face of death help to take the dread away.

Of course, I know all this from the Bible, where Paul says that to be with Christ is “far better.” And I have read that wonderful passage in Acts seven when Stephen has the face of an angel when he is stoned to death. But the truth comes with more power when a flesh-and-blood person who has faced death puts their arms around you and says, “You will have peace, and Jesus will be with you in the midst of it all.” Death just cannot be that bad if Jesus is that great!

RESPONSE: Today I will live in the peace of God that takes away the fear of dying.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for the encouragement of the persecuted to trust You in life and death.

Men of the Bible - Pontius Pilate


Pontius Pilate

His name means: "One Armed with a Javelin"

His work: He was the Roman governor over the region of Judea.
His character: Pilate had all the trappings of power and leadership but was unwilling to exercise that influence for good.
His sorrow: He failed to stand for what was right and allowed an innocent man to go to his death.
His triumph: When Tiberius Caesar appointed Pilate governor of Judea, Pilate must have been delighted. Perhaps he thought that this was a step toward even greater authority. But his inability to lead denied him that future.
Key Scriptures: John 18

A Look at the Man

It was the ultimate paradox. Pilate was faced with two sobering options—neither would lead to a happy ending.

If he would listen to his conscience—and his wife's warning—and free Jesus, he would lose support among the religious elite. And releasing Jesus could have changed these men's verbal outcries into a physical revolt. Such an uprising would reflect poorly on his leadership. Tiberius Caesar might replace him because of such insurrection among his subjects.

But giving in to the people's demands meant that Pilate would be forced to deny his own heart. He knew Jesus was innocent. He knew that these men had arrested Jesus because of their seething jealousy over his popularity among the people. And he didn't need his wife to have a bad dream to confirm his apprehensions, but it did make things worse; now he would have to contend with her. This was Pilate's plight, but these are the predicaments of every leader—popularity or integrity, compromise or character.

As the governor of the land, Pilate certainly knew about Jesus' ministry. He may have received warnings from his own associates that Jesus was extremely popular among the people. He suspected that Jesus' message could be threatening to his regime, but he knew that Jesus' words and work were foreboding to the religious establishment. The priests and Pharisees were just jealous. They hated Jesus. But was he dangerous—worthy of capital punishment? Should Pilate sanction his execution just to appease these proud men?

Pilate's approach to this terrible dilemma was something we can understand. Once he had listened to the facts, his response was direct: "Jesus is innocent." Oh, how he hoped that approach would work and the religious leaders would shuffle out of his chambers in resignation.

When that didn't work, Pilate got philosophical. "What is truth?" he pondered aloud. Doesn't truth depend on the situation? Isn't truth sometimes true and sometimes not? Shouldn't group pressure or expediency or convenience have an effect on truth?

When Pilate saw that plain speaking and philosophy were not going to satisfy the people, he tried to dismiss himself from the responsibility of his decision by washing his hands. Then, in his final feeble attempt to assuage his guilt, he placed the blame on others. "This is your fault," he told the priests and Pharisees.

Pontius Pilate had a historic opportunity to do the right thing, but he buckled under the pressure. The heaviness of the situation forced him to acquiesce. As a result, he will forever be remembered as a defective leader, a man with no courage.

Someday Pilate would be replaced as the Roman governor of Judea. No longer would he have to deal with these tricky situations. No longer would he have to make the difficult decisions. And Pilate could continue to ignore his wife. He could even leave her and no longer deal with her opinions. But Pilate would never be able to quiet his conscience. He would never be able to escape the blood of an innocent man and the power of his own conflicted soul. A troubled heart and sleepless nights would be his lifelong companions.

Reflect On: Psalm 25
Praise God: For his mercy.
Offer Thanks: For the blood of Jesus Christ and his offer of pardon in spite of our sin and willful disobedience.
Confess: Any willingness to be swayed by the crowd to do—or think—the wrong thing, instead of doing what is right.
Ask God: To give you the courage to be faithful, to fill you with integrity and character that would be pleasing to him. Ask him to make you a worthy ambassador of his truth and his grace.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (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 - When You’ve Lost Hope


When You’ve Lost Hope

Today’s Truth

“I will never leave you or forsake you”.
~ Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Have you ever faced a tough circumstance and wondered, where are you God? That was the situation with many of Jesus’ followers after He was crucified and buried. They lost their hopes and dreams and didn’t know where to turn.

The same day that Peter and John discovered the empty tomb, two of the disciples were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem.  As the sacred city lay behind them, so did their hopes and dreams. While discussing the tragic events of the past weekend, another man appeared and began to walk along side them.

“What are you talking about?” the man asked.

“Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know about what happened over the past few days?

“What things?” the man asked.

Then the two disciples gave the traveler a blow-by-blow account of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and disappearance from the tomb. Their eyes were blinded by despair and didn’t realize that hope was walking right alongside them. All they saw was the tragedy, but they missed seeing Jesus walking on the dusty road with them.

When they reached the village where they were going, they urged this “stranger” to join them for dinner. When he was at the table, Jesus assumed the role of host and took the bread. He gave thanks, broke the loaf, and passed it to the men. At that point, I am sure a flood of memories returned to the men…memories of another meal where Jesus broke bread with His followers. But perhaps what opened their eyes to this man’s true identity were the nail-scarred hands that held the bread. “Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:31 NIV).

Perhaps you’ve traveled down your own dusty road to Emmaus, with circumstances leaving you confused, troubled, and depressed. If so, remember this my friend: Just because we cannot see Jesus or sense His presence does not mean that He is absent. He is walking the path with us. Jesus assures us with these words: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). He gave His word. He gave His life.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I know that you are always with me. Forgive me when I whine about being all alone. Forgive me when I whine that nobody understands my problems. I know that You understand all things and that You are my hope Who is always walking right along the path with me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

How do you think the men felt when they realized that the man in their presence was Jesus?

What do you think the realization did to their dashed hopes and dreams?

How would the realization that Jesus is always walking along the path with you change your reaction to disappointments and broken dreams?

More from the Girlfriends

Sometimes life just doesn’t turn out like you hoped it would, and we have the scars to prove it. But our scars don’t have to be something we are ashamed of, no matter how we got them. Just as people recognized Jesus when they saw his scars, people will see Jesus when you share about yours…when you tell your story. Learn how to turn your pain into purpose, and your messes into your message. Release the power of your past and begin using what you’ve gone through for good with Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding Peace and Purpose in the Hurts of Your Past.

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

Girlfriends in God