Friday, November 30, 2018

The Daily Lectionary Readings for SATURDAY, December 1, 2018

Luke 19:41-44

The Daily Lectionary Readings
SATURDAY, December 1, 2018
(Year Two)

Old Testament
Zechariah 14:12-21
14:12 This shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh shall rot while they are still on their feet; their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths. 13 On that day a great panic from the Lord shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of a neighbor, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other; 14 even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected—gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. 15 And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever animals may be in those camps.

16 Then all who survive of the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the festival of booths. 17 If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain upon them. 18 And if the family of Egypt do not go up and present themselves, then on them shall come the plague that the Lord inflicts on the nations that do not go up to keep the festival of booths. 19 Such shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to keep the festival of booths.

20 On that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” And the cooking pots in the house of the Lord shall be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar; 21 and every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be sacred to the Lord of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and use them to boil the flesh of the sacrifice. And there shall no longer be traders in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day.

The Epistle
Philippians 2:1-11
Imitating Christ’s Humility
2:1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8     he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

The Gospel
Luke 19:41-48
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
19:41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, “It is written,

‘My house shall be a house of prayer’;
    but you have made it a den of robbers.”

47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
“If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

The Morning Prayer for SATURDAY, December 1, 2018


Saturday morning prayer

Dear Savior, help me remember as I begin my weekend activities. Whether work or leisure will engage me today, keep my thoughts and actions centered on You. Make it a day of contentment for me, no matter if the activities I face are pleasant or tedious. Keep me through the Holy Spirit from willful sins and from those sins I do not even realize I am committing. Help me be a positive influence in others' lives as I go my way. Let my inner rejoicing in Your salvation be evident in all I say and do so that I bring glory and not shame to Your most holy name.
Amen

Verse of the Day for SATURDAY, December 1, 2018


John 1:1-2, 14 (NIV) [ The Word Became Flesh ] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Read all of John 1

Listen to John 1

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

Un dia a la Vez - Oración por restitución


Oración por restitución

A ti clamo, oh Dios, porque tú me respondes; inclina a mí tu oído, y escucha mi oración.
~ Salmo 17:6 (NVI)

Padre santo, ¡qué bonito es poderte buscar cuando te necesitamos y saber que escuchas nuestras peticiones!

Bendecimos tu santo nombre y te reconocemos como el Dios Todopoderoso.

Ahora, te pedimos perdón por nuestros pecados y por las malas decisiones que tomamos. También por las promesas que te hicimos y nunca cumplimos. Por habernos dejado llevar por las cosas del mundo y no darte el primer lugar. Te agradecemos por tu ternura y amor, porque nos guardaste en medio de nuestra necedad.

Señor, este año está a punto de terminar. Hemos llegado al último mes y queremos aprovecharlo al máximo. Por eso, te pedimos que pongas en nosotros tanto el querer como el hacer y podamos cumplir con esas metas que nos habíamos trazado desde el año pasado.

Dios mío, en ti confía mi corazón, en ti espera mi alma y mi ser descansa en ti, así que puedo ser feliz porque sé que estás obrando en mi vida y estás mostrando tu perfecta voluntad.

Te amo y bendigo.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Padre santo, ¡qué bonito es poderte buscar cuando te necesitamos y saber que escuchas nuestras peticiones!

Standing Strong Through the Storm - SHARE THE GOOD NEWS


SHARE THE GOOD NEWS 

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
~ Acts 2:41 (NIV)

Eight men sat in a small dimly lit room in a rural Chinese village home. Seven were preachers and their eyes were glued to the Bible held by the eighth man. It was a leather-bound zippered Bible with gold-edged trim on the pages.

The western visitor suddenly became aware that the seven men were staring intently at his Bible. One of them generated enough courage to say, “What a beautiful Bible. May I look at it for a moment?”

“Of course,” he replied. The Bible was gently handed from person to person as though it was made of eggshells. They asked how much it cost. And their faces fell when they learned it was the equivalent of twenty dollars.

Then the visitor received an inspiration. He decided to make this a personal ministry project. The qualification for receiving one of these Chinese Bibles should be so high that these leaders would be inspired to greater achievement. Yet, at the same time ensure that he would not need to provide a great number.

He told them, “If a person is mightily used by God, then I will bring him one of these Bibles.”

“What do you mean mightily used of God?” the preachers queried eagerly.

Thinking fast he replied, “Those who have led at least 10,000 people to the Lord and discipled another 10,000.”

To his astonishment the preachers burst out laughing. They said, “Oh, this is too easy. There are five of us here who can now qualify for your zippered gold-edged Bible, and we know ten more.”

After his trip the visitor chuckled, “I’m bankrupt.” But more seriously he added, “I’ve been working in China with house church leaders for many years. But one thing never changes...I am literally taken by surprise during each visit at how fast the church is growing.”

RESPONSE: Today I will take more seriously my responsibility in sharing the Good News of Jesus and fulfill the church’s function of evangelism.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord that Your church is continuing to grow quickly in China. May that be a reality in my country as well. 

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

The NIV Couples Devotional - Loving Those You Love


Loving Those You Love

2 Samuel 9:1–13

“I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.”
~ 2 Samuel 9:7 (NIV)

Many years after his friend Jonathan died, King David reached out to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. David restored to Mephibosheth the land that had belonged to his grandfather, King Saul, and David welcomed Mephibosheth to his royal table. Why? Because David loved Jonathan and wanted to do something kind to a member of Saul’s household “for Jonathan’s sake” (2 Samuel 9:1).

Sometimes, I don’t want to extend myself on behalf of anyone else, even my husband. But when we entered into marriage, we committed not just to love each other but also to behave lovingly toward the people we each love. This doesn’t mean we necessarily have to like everyone our spouse likes. The Bible, after all, doesn’t say whether or not David liked Mephibosheth. What it says is that David and Jonathan had a special love for each other (see 1 Samuel 18:1–4; 20:17; 2 Samuel 1:26); and because David loved Jonathan, he extended kindness to Mephibosheth.

One of the most powerful ways my husband loves me is by loving my sister. To be completely honest, my sister and I don’t get along that well. We don’t have much in common (except our faces, which are almost identical). When we’re together, we seem to regress to childhood, circa 1985, when I was nine and she was sixteen. She tells me what to do, and I bristle. We get tetchy. We pick at each other like hens.

I think Griff and Leanne like each other well enough, though I doubt they would have sought each other out and become friends had not marriage made them siblings-in-law. And it doesn’t really matter how much they like each other. What matters is that they extend themselves to one another.

On Wednesday nights, when I have church commitments, Griff eats dinner with Leanne and her family. Griff also volunteers to babysit for my nephew. When I am out of town on business, Leanne calls Griff and checks on him. And though Griff and Leanne do have affection for one another, they make these gestures, I think, less out of affection for one another and more out of love for me. Griff understands that eating dinner with Leanne and her family knits Leanne and me together, even though I am not at the dinner table.

When two people marry, they don’t become involved with just one other person. Spouses come with a constellation of families and friends. We can ignore those relationships. We can view them as a threat to our relationship with our spouse and fight them. Or we can lovingly insert ourselves into those relationships and help grow them.

We don’t have to develop intimate friendships with all of our spouse’s relatives and close friends. But, as David understood, we can best honor, love and serve our spouse by making loving overtures to the people they love.

Lauren Winner

Let’s Talk
  • Who are the people (besides each other and our children) we love best in the world? How have we extended ourselves in love to people in each other’s world?
  • Why is it sometimes difficult to love the other people who came with this marriage? Is there someone one of us finds difficult to love? What would happen if we imagined God showing up in our relationships with difficult people?
  • Is there a cherished friend or relative whom we wished had a better relationship with one of us?
Sometimes, I don’t want to extend myself on behalf of anyone else ...

LHM Daily Devotions - Please Note: You Are Invited

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20181201

"Please Note: You Are Invited"

Dec. 1, 2018

(Jesus said) "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out."
~ John 6:37 (ESV)

You need no experiment and research to prove the power of Christ. As soon as you are His, as soon as you kneel before Him and pray this ancient prayer, "If You will, You can make me clean," and immediately, as if in echo, the answer comes, "I will, be clean" (see Matthew 8:1-3), you have the testimony of His power in your own life. You can know -- and there is no "maybe," no "perhaps," no "if," in this clear-cut conviction of a living, trusting faith -- that, when before the bar of justice your Savior points to you and pleads with divine power: "Father, I was wounded for his transgressions; I was bruise for his iniquities" (see Isaiah 53:5) you can exult: "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (see 1 John 2:1-2) You know that, with the burden of sin removed, Jesus answers every prayer for the strengthening of your faith. He guides Your life according to His divine and higher knowledge.

When He says, "Follow Me," He leads you along "the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake" (see Psalm 23). If you try to lead a cleaner, better, truer life; if you want to break the chains of drunkenness, escape the slavery of hidden sins and gnawing vices, and ask Him for strength, He looks down and promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (see Hebrews 13:5) When the hurricanes of life break over our defenseless head and you rise from one staggering blow only to be hurled down again by another impact, because you love Jesus, all these adversities "work together for good" (see Romans 8:28). As you face that specter which disturbs all human happiness, you know that, though the form of this earthly body, pitted by sickness, broken by accidents, furrowed by old age, disfigured by sin, will decay and in the grave return to the dust whence it sprang, nevertheless, by faith in Him who in His own resurrection defeated death forever, our graves will be opened and a new and glorious resurrection body will come forth, without spot or blemish, without injury or fracture.

Once more I have laid before you the great love of Jesus Christ. God will not force this salvation upon you. You can resist the Savior and repel His love. You can reject Him and forfeit the blessing that could be purchased only by His holy blood. But you cannot, from this moment on, say that you have never heard of the love of Christ and the invitation to come unto Him for forgiveness, for eternal life and happiness.

Men have died for this faith. Will you not live by it?

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may Your Holy Spirit come into many hearts and many homes so that there may now be raised, throughout North American and world, a chorus that will repeat this pledge: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" Amen.

From "Clear-Cut Conviction," a sermon excerpt from Walter Maier, the first Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
You need no experiment and research to prove the power of Christ.

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Chúa Nghe

https://vietnamese-odb.org/2018/12/01/chua-nghe/

Chúa Nghe

Đọc: Rô-ma 12:9-21 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Ê-xê-chi-ên 40-41; II Phi-e-rơ 3

Hãy vui mừng trong hi vọng, kiên nhẫn trong hoạn nạn, bền lòng mà cầu nguyện. Rô-ma 12:12

Diane ngồi nghe các bạn trong nhóm nêu nan đề cầu thay cho người thân và bạn bè đang đối diện với thử thách, bệnh tật. Cô có người thân đang tranh chiến với sự nghiện ngập trong nhiều năm. Nhưng Diane không nêu lên nan đề cầu thay. Cô sợ ánh mắt của mọi người, và sợ họ sẽ thắc mắc hay đưa ra lời khuyên. Cô cảm thấy không chia sẻ nan đề này thì tốt hơn vì người khác sẽ không hiểu vì sao người thân của cô là Cơ Đốc nhân mà vẫn còn tranh chiến mỗi ngày.

Dù Diane không chia sẻ nan đề với nhóm đó, nhưng cô có một vài người bạn tin cậy để nhờ họ cầu nguyện. Họ cùng cầu xin Chúa giải phóng người thân của cô khỏi sự trói buộc của nghiện ngập để anh có thể kinh nghiệm sự tự do trong Đấng Christ, và xin Chúa ban cho Diane sự bình an và kiên nhẫn mà cô cần. Khi cô cầu nguyện, cô tìm thấy sự an ủi và sức lực từ mối liên hệ với Chúa.

Nhiều người trong chúng ta cầu nguyện tha thiết, bền lòng nhưng dường như không được đáp lời. Nhưng chúng ta hãy tin chắc rằng Chúa quan tâm và Ngài nghe mọi lời cầu xin của chúng ta. Ngài khích lệ chúng ta tiếp tục khắng khít với Ngài, “vui mừng trong hi vọng, kiên nhẫn trong hoạn nạn, bền lòng mà cầu nguyện” (Rô. 12:12). Chúng ta hãy nương dựa vào Ngài.
Lạy Chúa, Lời Ngài khích lệ chúng con cầu nguyện luôn luôn. Xin giúp chúng con bền lòng cầu nguyện và trở thành người bạn cầu nguyện với người khác.
Chúng ta hãy lấy lòng chân thật với niềm tin vững chắc... mà đến gần Chúa. Hê-bơ-rơ 10:22


© 2018 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Diane ngồi nghe các bạn trong nhóm nêu nan đề cầu thay cho người thân và bạn bè đang đối diện với thử thách, bệnh tật.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

The Daily Lectionary Readings for FRIDAY, November 30, 2018

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Luke 19:28-40

The Daily Lectionary Readings
FRIDAY, November 30, 2018
(Year Two)

Old Testament
Zechariah 14:1-11
Future Warfare and Final Victory
14:1 See, a day is coming for the Lord, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses looted and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee by the valley of the Lord’s mountain, for the valley between the mountains shall reach to Azal; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there shall not be either cold or frost. 7 And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the Lord), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.

8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.

9 And the Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

10 The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. 11 And it shall be inhabited, for never again shall it be doomed to destruction; Jerusalem shall abide in security.

The Epistle
Romans 15:7-13
The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike
15:7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
    and sing praises to your name”;

10 and again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

11 and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
    and let all the peoples praise him”;

12 and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,
    the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel
Luke 19:28-40
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
19:28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
“Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, November 30, 2018


Friday Morning Prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing.

For the riches and fullness of our lives we praise You, O Lord. Your gift of life is precious, and even when surrounded by evils of all kinds, we acknowledge Your goodness to us. This goodness we have experienced in the unbounded mercy You showed us in Your dying and rising for us. We encounter it in the signs of Your presence and care in even the tiniest blessings of daily life. Forgive us our all too frequent failures to recognize Your gift of life in all its many facets. Forgive us for tarnishing the lives of others through thoughtless actions and the hurts we cause them. Instead, make us agents of Your enrichment of their lives and witnesses to Your salvation.

May Friday be a thoughtful day when Your Spirit leads my prayer. I trust each trouble small and wide, with faith into Your care. Let Friday always prompt my heart to stand upon the truth. Darkness has been overcome the Earth belongs to You.
Amen

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, November 30, 2018


2 Peter 3:10-11 (NIV) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

Read all of 2 Peter 3

Listen to 2 Peter 3

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

Un dia a la Vez - ¿Qué hacemos por Dios?


¿Qué hacemos por Dios?

Por lo tanto, si alguno está en Cristo, es una nueva creación. ¡Lo viejo ha pasado, ha llegado ya lo nuevo!

Nuestra oración de ayer fue pidiendo cambios importantes debido a que debemos distinguirnos con principios estable-cidos, pues somos hijos de Dios.

En lo personal, creo que todos los días debemos dar lo mejor a quien nos da todo lo que queremos, al que cuida de nosotros de manera incondicional.

Hoy mi llamado es a que nos examinemos y descubramos lo que hacemos por Dios. No se trata de que Él nos necesite, sino de que espera muchas cosas de nosotros. Por ejemplo, obediencia, entrega y que le busquemos con todo nuestro ser.

Así que antes tenemos que dejar dos cosas que de seguro no son del agrado de nuestro Padre: Ser quejicosos y pedigüeños.

¿Por qué no empezamos por dejar esa mala costumbre de abrir los ojos y quejarnos por algo o por todo? ¿Dejar de quejarnos por la noche que tuvimos, por el día, por el trabajo, por el cónyuge o por la situación del país? Seguido a eso, si es que se tiene un momento de oración, nos portamos como insistentes «pedigüeños». No, mis amigos, eso no es lo único que espera Dios de nosotros.

Empecemos a distinguirnos. Si buscamos más de su presencia, lo conoceremos mejor. Y conoceremos más de su amor.

Haz el gran sacrificio, si ese es tu caso, y no pidas nada hoy ni te quejes por nada. Así comprobarás la diferencia de vivir en paz y con el gozo del Señor.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Nuestra oración de ayer fue pidiendo cambios importantes debido a que debemos distinguirnos con principios estable-cidos, pues somos hijos de Dios.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - EVANGELISM FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH


EVANGELISM FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
~ Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

Johan Companjen, President Emeritus of Open Doors International, was travelling in the Philippines. Finding it extremely hot in his hotel room, he called for a staff person. “Is the air-conditioning not working?” he asked. “Oh yes sir,” the man replied, “It’s working. It’s just not functioning!”

Jesus Christ ordained five functions for His church to be involved in for Him. We are to evangelize (Matthew 28:19); to disciple or train those who are evangelized (Matthew 28:20); to minister or serve people demonstrating God’s love (Matthew 22:39; Ephesians 4:12); to fellowship together (Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 6:10); and to worship together (Matthew 4:10; John 4:23). In the Bible, there is not necessarily a priority order for these five purposes. They are all equally important.

Evangelism is one primary function. If we really have come to know Christ as Lord and Savior, we will want to share this wonderful experience with those we love. It sometimes seems hard or embarrassing to share the Gospel with our friends and relatives. But if we really love them, and if we really believe that without Christ they will suffer for eternity separated from God, we will tell them no matter how oppressive the culture or the political situation may be.

Restrictions on the church cause new creative means of evangelism to arise. In a restricted country of Asia, one such creative method is to hire a bus and invite relatives and friends to a free outing to the beach. Once in the bus, the pastor with a hand-held loudspeaker starts preaching to his “captive audience” about the love of Christ. At the beach the sharing and fellowship continues…as well as a water baptism for new believers.

In Soviet Russia, a group of Christians took advantage of the funeral of a small daughter of one of the members to present a public evangelistic witness. On the way to the cemetery, they stopped every few hundred meters to sing triumphant songs of praise. The father of the dead child also gave a clear message of salvation in Christ. Many listeners along the way were deeply touched.

In Vietnam, Pastor Ho Hieu Ha spent over six years in prison for pastoring a growing church right under the noses of the unhappy authorities. But he felt that his imprisonment was not a waste because he used the time to witness to others who were also in prison. When he was released, he had led ninety-six people to Jesus and discipled them.

RESPONSE: I am committed to sharing Christ’s love with others. It is a primary function of the church.

PRAYER: Pray for those in restricted environments as they creatively find ways to witness about their faith.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Men of the Bible - Judas


Judas

His name means: "Praised"

His work: As one of the twelve disciples, Judas's responsibility was to act as the group's treasurer.
His character: John's gospel indicates that Judas, though chosen by Jesus, was a thief, a man who regularly helped himself to the community purse. Though he would have been on intimate terms with the Lord, he betrayed Jesus by handing him over to the religious authorities, who then had him condemned to death. The motives for his act of treachery have never been clear. His name always appears last in the list of Jesus' disciples.
His sorrow: Regretting his decision to hand Jesus over to the religious authorities, Judas hanged himself.
His triumph: He was a member of Jesus' inner circle.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 26:6-16; John 12:1-8; 13:1-30; 18:1-11

A Look at the Man

Under cover of darkness, Judas led a detachment of soldiers and Jewish officials to an olive grove on the other side of the Kidron Valley, the place where Jesus and his disciples had retired after the Passover meal. There he betrayed the Lord with a kiss, saying, "Greetings, Rabbi!" Then he watched as the soldiers bound Jesus and led him away.

If Judas intended his act of betrayal to be the spark that ignited the revolution, he must have been disappointed. There was no great uprising, no crowds clamoring for Jesus' release, no miracles from heaven to establish the Messiah on his throne. The next morning brought with it only the grim news that Jesus had been beaten, handed over to Pontius Pilate, and condemned to death. Suddenly Judas felt overwhelmed by a tide of grief so great it swept away his previous certainty. Flinging the thirty pieces of silver—blood money now—into the temple, he went out and hanged himself.

The story of Judas is one of the saddest and best known in Scripture. A man chosen by Jesus to become part of his inner circle, he was privy to God's wisdom, power, and love to an unprecedented degree. But Judas valued the privilege so little that he handed Jesus over to his enemies for the paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave. Jesus himself commented on Judas's situation with a warning Judas failed to heed: "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

Two thousand years later, Judas's name is still a synonym for betrayal. As one of the Twelve, Judas had been offered a place of honor in the kingdom Jesus promised to establish. But by serving his own vision rather than the Lord's vision, he became not an instrument of good but an instrument of evil in the story of salvation.

Reflect On: Romans 5:6–11
Praise God: For redemption and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Offer Thanks: For personal salvation and a community of believers to love and from whom to receive love.
Confess: Any tendency toward self-pity rather than true repentance.
Ask God: For a renewed love for his people and commitment to fellowship, transparency, and accountability. Ask him for the courage to speak the truth in love and the grace to receive the same.

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.
The story of Judas is one of the saddest and best known in Scripture.

Girlfriends in God - Pruning – Part of God’s Plan


Pruning – Part of God’s Plan

Today’s Truth

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
~ John 15:2 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

I try to avoid pain whenever possible.

Pruning sounds painful to me … cutting and tearing away and leaving behind. But I have come to realize that pruning is an important part of the growth process.

Lincoln Love was a member of the first church where my husband was the lead teaching pastor. Before he retired, Lincoln worked for the Department of Defense … or they worked for him … I’m not really sure which was the true chain of command.

Lincoln was short … but only in height. He was a brilliant man with a big heart. Sparkling blue eyes gave away the boyish charm and energizing perspective with which he lived life.

Lincoln and his wife Marion adopted Dan and me – pure and simple. God told them we needed them, and they stepped up to the plate with joy and that stubborn love only God can give.

Marion loved me and doted on our children. She saved projects for Jered to do around their home and always seemed to need Danna’s help baking cookies. It was a love relationship all the way around.

During a rough ministry stretch, Lincoln sensed the discouragement in Dan’s heart. So he did what he always did when he had a word from God for Dan. He invited him to lunch – at McDonalds.
Lincoln and Dan went through the proverbial small talk men call conversation. And then Lincoln got down to business.

Lincoln was soft spoken most of the time. But when he had a word from God, his voice took on a gravelly tone that commanded the listener’s full attention. He seemed to flip some invisible switch that said, “You need to listen up! What I am about to say is important!” Dan always listened to Lincoln because he knew Lincoln loved him and had the ear of God.

“Pastor, I know it has been a hard few weeks for you,” Lincoln began. “But I want you to listen carefully. You are headed in the right direction. The decisions you have made are solid. I also know some people don’t agree with those decisions and have left the church. And I know you and Mary have been deeply hurt. But God wants you to stand firm. Don’t be discouraged. God’s just pruning.”

Dan heard the conviction and love in Lincoln’s voice. And he knew God was speaking through Lincoln … but he needed more.

And Lincoln delivered.

“God has great plans for this church … and for you. But first, He has to cut away the dead wood. God has to strip away anything and anyone who wants to keep this church and you from becoming all He wants it to be. Pruning is painful. But it is part of His plan.”

And it was.

Over the next few years, God grew our church in amazing ways. Hundreds of people came to Christ. Believers sold out to Jesus and began following Him in radical obedience. “Whatever it takes” became the heart cry of our people. And they were willing to do whatever it took to reach the lost. Hurting and wounded people found hope, healing and restoration. It was truly a God-thing – not only in the church, but also in our lives.

Dan and I learned priceless lessons that formed a foundation for the ministry we have today. We learned how to embrace pain and make it yield a seed of victory. God taught us how to sift through the broken pieces of our lives for the beauty of treasures hidden in the darkness. We discovered the amazing promise that no matter what we face, God’s got it!

The dictionary defines pruning as the process of “cutting off or removing dead or living parts to improve shape and growth; to remove the superfluous in order to make room for new growth.” Sounds painful, doesn’t it? It is. But the pain is worth the beauty of a life fully surrendered to Him.

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You today with a “whatever” in my heart. I want to do whatever it takes to please You. I ask You to cut away what is not of You. Let grow what is. Give me the strength to walk in obedience to Your Word.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

What area of your life needs pruning? Right now, surrender it to God and ask Him to strengthen your faith. Memorize Matthew 6:33 and record it in your journal.

More from the Girlfriends

If you need help learning how to study and apply the Bible, check out my new Bible Study, How to Study the Bible. It is for both new believers and grounded Christians and offers many practical tools for uncovering the truths of God’s Word.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through E-mail, Twitter, Instagram, Shopify, or on Facebook.

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

Girlfriends in God


http://girlfriendsingod.com/events/
I try to avoid pain whenever possible.

LHM Daily Devotions - Not Who You Are, but Whose

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20181130

"Not Who You Are, but Whose"

Nov. 30, 2018

But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine."
~ Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)

"Hi, I'm Dale Kreienkamp, head of human resources for ..." Very often, that's how I would introduce myself. My introduction identified me with what I did for a living. But how about now, when I don't have a job? Who am I today?

It's a question I searched for answers to. When I tell people I'm in between jobs, the reactions vary. For many, it's like telling them you have cancer. They don't know what to say, and they certainly don't want it to happen to them. For some, it kills the conversation. Most, however, are sympathetic. They want to help; they just don't know how.

Often it was me putting others at ease, assuring them everything would be okay. It gave me a chance to share my faith, telling them that I believed God had a great plan for me. During this out-of-work journey, I realized that much of me had been wrapped up in what I did and who I worked for, neither of which are the most important things in life.

In Sheila Walsh's book, Life Is Tough, But God Is Faithful, she talks about how a growth on her vocal cord required her to cancel a concert tour. She faced the possibility of an operation and never singing again. It was tough, and she spent hours in prayer, but what she revealed about this experience was what I most needed to hear. She writes, "I got the distinct impression that God was saying, 'Sheila, don't you understand that I love you because of who you are and not for what you do? Your security has been all wrapped up in thinking of yourself as Sheila Walsh the singer, the evangelist, the speaker, the person who goes out there and does it all for Me. But that's not why I love you. If you never sing another note, it will not matter to Me. I don't need you to do things for Me. I just really love you.'"

That is so perfectly said.

One of my favorite Scriptures is Ephesians 2:8-10, which reads, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Our identity is not found in what we do, but in what God has done for us. It's about God's grace, not what we do, and that can be hard to accept. We are God's handiwork. In return, whatever we do is done in thankful response to His love.

Take this time to let God love you for who you are, not for what you did in your old job or what you will do in your next. It's not who you are; it's whose you are.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we take great pains to define who we are in this world. Remind us that we are Yours because of Jesus -- and that is enough. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dale Kreienkamp. It is from his book, How Long, O Lord, How Long?: Devotions for the Unemployed and Those Who Love Them. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Hi, I'm Dale Kreienkamp, head of human resources for ...

Devocional del CPTLN de 29 de Noviembre de 2018 - Luz para su gloria


ALIMENTO DIARIO

Luz para su gloria

30 de Noviembre de 2018

Ustedes son la luz del mundo... Mateo 5:14a, RVC

Que Jesús les dijera a sus seguidores que eran 'la luz del mundo', no es poca cosa. Las oportunidades que tenemos para compartir a Cristo, o en otras palabras, para ser su luz para las personas de este mundo, no se presentan demasiado a menudo. Desafortunadamente, con frecuencia nuestras muchas ocupaciones hacen que las pasemos por alto o las desaprovechemos.

Algunas veces, sin embargo, nos encontramos compartiendo el Evangelio en una situación en la que jamás hubiéramos imaginado.

Eso fue lo que le sucedió a Nury, una maestra de escuela dominical de Guatemala, quien ha estado compartiendo allí las Buenas Noticias por más de 30 años.

Hace muchos años, Nury fue secuestrada y mantenida en cautiverio durante cinco días en la selva de Centroamérica. En el momento de su secuestro, Nury tenía consigo su Biblia. Esto resultó ser una bendición no sólo para ella sino también para los que la mantuvieron en cautiverio, ya que Nury aprovechó la oportunidad para leerles a los hijos de las mujeres que la cuidaban. ¡Qué preciosa manera de practicar todo lo aprendido en sus años de maestra de escuela dominical!

Algunos meses después de haber sido dejada en libertad, Nury se enteró que los misioneros tenían prohibido, bajo pena de muerte, ir a esas comunidades en la selva. Sin embargo, y a pesar del riesgo que representaba, Dios le dio fuerza para compartir el Evangelio con sus captores.

Así como Jesús es la luz del mundo, de la misma forma nosotros hemos sido llamados a llevar esa luz a los lugares donde hay personas que necesitan verla. Quizás sea en el mercado de su vecindario, o mientras mira a los niños jugar al fútbol, o, como en el caso de Nury, mientras está secuestrado en la selva.

El mensaje de la vida, muerte y resurrección de Jesús trasciende las barreras culturales y tiene poder para transformar cualquier vida. ¡Demos gracias a Dios porque nos ha dado el privilegio de compartir su luz con el mundo!

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, gracias por darnos la luz del Evangelio. Ayúdanos a reflejar tu luz y a glorificarte en todos los momentos de nuestras vidas. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Biografía del autor: Esta devoción está basada en un texto enviado por Nury Escobar de Milian, quien sirve como coordinadora e intérprete a misioneros luteranos y grupos de voluntarios que van a servir tanto en Guatemala, como en Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones.

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Que Jesús les dijera a sus seguidores que eran 'la luz del mundo', no es poca cosa.

Хліб Наш Насущній - Вшановувати Бога подякою

https://ukrainian-odb.org/2018/11/30/%d0%b2%d1%88%d0%b0%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b2%d1%83%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b8-%d0%b1%d0%be%d0%b3%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d0%be%d0%b4%d1%8f%d0%ba%d0%be%d1%8e/

Вшановувати Бога подякою

Читати: Псалом 50:8-15 | Біблія за рік: Єзекіїля 37−39 ; 2 Петра 2

До Мене поклич в день недолі, Я тебе порятую, ти ж прославиш Мене! — Псалом 50:15

Лікарка не була насупленою, коли повідомляла моєму чоловікові, що у нього виявили рак. З посмішкою вона запропонувала йому щодня дякувати Богу хоча б за три які-небудь речі. Ден погодився. Він знав, що подяка відкриває серця людей і робить їх спроможними знаходити втіху у Божій благодаті. Отже, Ден почав щодня славити Бога: “Дякую, Боже, за міцний сон вночі. Дякую за чисту постіль. За світанок. За сніданок на столі. За посмішку на моїх вустах”.

Кожне слово йшло від серця. Але чи мають якесь значення для всемогутнього Бога дрібні моменти нашого життя? В Псалмі 50 Асаф дає нам чітку відповідь: Бог не потребує “бичка з твого дому, ні козлів із кошар твоїх” (Пс. 50:9). Замість цих офіційно встановлених жертвоприношень Бог прагне, щоб Його народ віддав Йому своє серце і жив життям подяки (Пс. 50:14, 23).

Мій чоловік на власному досвіді пізнав, як щира подяка живить дух. Якщо живемо життям подяки, то коли кличемо до Господа “в день недолі”, Він “рятує” нас (Пс. 50:15). Чи означає це, що Бог зцілить мого чоловіка духовно і фізично протягом дворічного лікування? Ми не знаємо цього. Але Ден з великою радістю показує Богу, що він вдячний Йому за Його любов і за те, Ким Він є: Спасителем, Зцілителем і Другом. І друзі Дена також із задоволенням чують ці чудові слова: дякую вам.
Мої подяки здаються такими незначними, Господи. Проте нехай вони прославлять Твоє Ім’я.
Мої подяки є великими в очах Бога.


© 2018 Хліб Наш Насущній
З посмішкою вона запропонувала йому щодня дякувати Богу хоча б за три які-небудь речі.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

The Daily Lectionary Readings for THURSDAY, November 29, 2018

The Parable of the Ten Pounds
Luke 19:11-27

The Daily Lectionary Readings
THURSDAY, November 29, 2018
(Year Two)

Old Testament
Zechariah 13:1-9
13:1 On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Idolatry Cut Off
2 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit. 3 And if any prophets appear again, their fathers and mothers who bore them will say to them, “You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the Lord”; and their fathers and their mothers who bore them shall pierce them through when they prophesy. 4 On that day the prophets will be ashamed, every one, of their visions when they prophesy; they will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive, 5 but each of them will say, “I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the soil; for the land has been my possession since my youth.” 6 And if anyone asks them, “What are these wounds on your chest?” the answer will be “The wounds I received in the house of my friends.”

The Shepherd Struck, the Flock Scattered
7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
    against the man who is my associate,”
says the Lord of hosts.
Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered;
    I will turn my hand against the little ones.
8 In the whole land, says the Lord,
    two-thirds shall be cut off and perish,
    and one-third shall be left alive.
9 And I will put this third into the fire,
    refine them as one refines silver,
    and test them as gold is tested.
They will call on my name,
    and I will answer them.
I will say, “They are my people”;
    and they will say, “The Lord is our God.”

The Epistle
Ephesians 1:15-23
Paul’s Prayer
1:15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Gospel
Luke 19:11-27
The Parable of the Ten Pounds
19:11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ 19 He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ 20 Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ 24 He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ 25 (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) 26 ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’”

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
...to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.