Saturday, February 15, 2020

The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, February 16, 2020 — 6th Sunday after the Epiphany

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/revised-common-lectionary-complementary/2020/02/16?version=NIV
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

The Sunday Lectionary Readings
SUNDAY, February 16, 2020 — 6th Sunday after the Epiphany
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

God’s Field
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

Opening Statement
Today’s readings challenge us to choose life. As the church, we are called to focus on what God’s kingdom requires, what it blesses, and how the worshiping community is to live out its distinct calling to be the body of Christ. Moses reminds the people of their covenant to worship God alone and to walk in the ways of the Lord. Paul helps the congregation at Corinth to understand and reframe its views of leadership, particularly in relation to understanding the gift of growth that comes through the power of the Spirit. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins to move his followers from their assumptions about the ways of God: “You have heard that it was said. . .” to the ways of the gospel: “but I say to you. . . .” The teachings of Jesus confront us with choices, each carrying its own unique consequences. Jesus calls us to choose the practices that will bring God glory and honor.


Opening Prayer
(based on Deuteronomy 30, Matthew 5)
Holy Spirit, guide us as we walk in faith, and guard us against the powers that would draw us away from your love. Help us live according to your commandments, that we might live long in the land you have prepared for us. Prompt us to seek you with our whole heart and guide us to walk in your ways, that we may carry out the vows of the covenant we share. May our words and deeds bring life and faith to others, as we hold fast to the gift of faith. Be near us each and every day, and bless us with your light, that our days may be filled with grace. Amen.


The Collect
(from the Book of Common Prayers)
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Prayer of Confession
(based on Deuteronomy 30, 1 Corinthians 3)
Loving God, you call us to walk in your ways, observe your commandments, and love you as you have loved us. You offer us a community of abundant blessing, with rich soil to promote dynamic growth. Yet we often turn away from you to satisfy our own wants and desires. We forsake the way of love and forgiveness, giving in to petty jealousies and quarreling, and surrendering our lofty ideals to our baser inclinations. Forgive us, O God. When we flee from your embrace, draw us into community with you and with one another. Shower us with the cleansing waters of humility, that we may reclaim our purpose and find nourishment and growth in labors of love to bring your kingdom in our midst.


Words of Assurance
(based on Deuteronomy 30, 1 Corinthians 3)
God is alive and at work nurturing our growth, nourishing our needs, and reconciling us to one another. God hears the confessions of our hearts and forgives generously, sharing love with all who follow in God’s ways. It is through God’s amazing grace that we are forgiven.


Prayer of the Day
O God, strength of all who hope in you, because we are weak mortals we accomplish nothing good without you. Help us to see and understand the things we ought to do, and give us grace and power to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.


First Reading
Choose life
30:15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


Happy are those who walk in the law
1  Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
     who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2  Blessed are those who keep his statutes
     and seek him with all their heart—
3  they do no wrong
     but follow his ways.
4  You have laid down precepts
     that are to be fully obeyed.
5  Oh, that my ways were steadfast
     in obeying your decrees!
6  Then I would not be put to shame
     when I consider all your commands.
7  I will praise you with an upright heart
     as I learn your righteous laws.
8  I will obey your decrees;
     do not utterly forsake me.


Second Reading
God gives the growth
3:1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.


Gospel Acclamation
(based on Matthew 4:14)
Alleluia. You are the light of the world. A city set upon a hill cannot be hid. Alleluia.


The Gospel
The teaching of Christ: forgiveness
5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.


Here end the Readings


Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message


We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.


Benediction
(based on Deuteronomy 30)
As we journey out into the world, may each of us walk in the light of God’s ways, striving to be blameless and just. May our hearts be vessels of God’s love and may the Lord bless us in the land that we are entering. Hold fast. Do not be led astray, and may the love of God be yours this day and forevermore. Go now in peace. Amen.

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 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Daily Lectionary for SUNDAY, February 16, 2020 — 6th Sunday after the Epiphany
God’s Field
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

“Repentance Means Change”


Our Gospel message comes to us today from the 5th chapter of Matthew, beginning with the 21st verse.

5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37)

“Repentance Means Change”
by Rev. Scott Jensen

Introduction

In Thomas Costain’s history, “The Three Edwards”, he describes the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “The Fat.” After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room. This wouldn’t have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size; he couldn’t fit through the door. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Every day he wheeled before Raynald on a cart, the tastiest of foods. But instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter from the food. When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.” Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined, he died within a year, a prisoner of his own appetite.

There are many of us who are like Raynald, trapped by our own sinful desires. We wish we didn’t have these desires, but often the delicious temptations that are wheeled before us, are too hard for our flesh to resist. We each have an appetite for a certain sinful pleasure, that whenever we’re tempted with it, we give in. And it’s a cycle of feast and famine, pleasure than guilt. Jesus mentions two specifically: anger and lust. But there are others just as damaging. Perhaps that temptation is gossip, gambling or pornography. Maybe drugs or alcohol. Maybe your irresistible temptation is fatty foods or overspending on your credit card. But whatever it is, many of us lack the willpower to overcome it. The temptation is just too strong.
(adopted from Burgess, Aaron. “Tackling Temptation.” Available on-line at http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?ContributorID=&SermonID=42369)

Today’s gospel lesson talks about that type of temptation. It talks about sin that’s ingrained in our lives, that we have difficulty avoiding. Jesus talks about sin that gets into our system; it gets into our heart. This morning, I want to take a closer look at the sin we allow into our lives: the source of our sin, our response to God’s grace, and the idea of a contrite heart.

The Source

Let’s start by taking a closer look at the source of sin in our lives. All of here today are sinners. We have our own struggles and successes. But, sometimes we knowingly allow sin to get into our life. We choose to put ourselves in situations that set the stage for us to continue our bad habits. A gambler might look up the statistics of his favorite horse race, only to fall prey to another bet. A pornography addict might rent an R rated movie filled with sex scenes, resulting in unpure thoughts and perhaps unclean actions as well. A substance abuser might continue to frequent bars, opium dens or crack houses. The location itself isn’t the problem. But, allowing that temptation into their life might result in further abuse.

Some might think these are acceptable practices. Looking up statistics isn’t actually gambling. Renting a movie isn’t cheating on your spouse. Going to a bar isn’t the same as drinking. But, is that assumption correct? Placing these temptations in our lives leads to the thought and actions that Jesus condemns in the Gospel message. Unclean thoughts lead to unclean actions. The thoughts themselves are part of the problem. The thoughts themselves are a form of sin.

The simple fact is that people like to put themselves in these situations. Take pornography for example. The economic effect of pornography in the United States is well into the Billions per year. The cost is estimated to be greater than the sums of the National Football League, National Basketball Association and the National Baseball League combined. That’s a lot of money, that’s a lot of sin.

Jesus spoke about this problem directly. Just thinking lustful-thoughts puts you into the adultery category. With billions going toward images designed to spur this feeling of lust, that’s a lot of cheating going on.

But, these are not the only sins that plague the American landscape, or the Christian pews across the nation. Anger is another common problem that has infected our communities. We find it easy to find fault, hard to find a forgiving heart. Getting cut off in traffic might offend our sensibilities. Perhaps we even are the aggressive driver forcing our way through the maze of cars and trucks. Anger on our roads has become a big problem. There have even been reported shootings in California due to situations on the road.

Lust, anger, gambling, money, we may find times where we chose to put ourselves, or our sinful desires ahead of the commands that God has given us to fulfill. Some of this comes because we expect forgiveness, without repentance. We expect some form of cheap grace where we can do what we want, when we want, how we want, all without consequences for the actions we choose to commit.

Cheap Grace

Dietrick Bonhoeffer once said “Cheap grace is the grace we beset on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
(Rowell, Edward K. and Leadership Journal. “1001 Quotes, Illustrations & Humorous Stories for Preachers, Teachers & Writers.” Baker: Grand Rapids. 1996. Pg. 81.)

Unfortunately, that’s what some of our churches across America expect. Many televangelists have made their fortunes by preaching messages that say: you can become rich, famous, or anything you want. They preach that God wants you to be successful in every endeavor you choose. But, that’s not entirely true.

I heard a story once about a man who took on the challenge of a New Year’s resolution. He was overweight and desperately wanted to lose 50 or more pounds. But, he had a weakness for sweets. He prayed to God for the strength to stick to his diet and exercise regimen. He chose to put his faith into God to help him through what was for him, a difficult situation.

But as the days went on, the challenge of sticking to his diet grew. One day, he prayed to God for guidance on what to do next. As he passed a doughnut shop, he prayed, “God, if you want me to stop by that shop, show me an empty parking space, and I will stop.” Sure enough, as he circled the block for the seventh time, lo and behold, there was an empty parking spot.

Was the man really following the will of God to stop by a doughnut shop? I don’t think so. But, he ensured that the situation would turn in the way he chose, by driving around the block seven times. Sometimes, I think we try to credit God with putting us into tempting situations, when that’s not really the case. We often put ourselves in places we don’t belong, where we will not just be tempted. We know that we will follow through with the sinful desires that we already know we should be avoiding.

Similar to the overweight man and his diet, we find ourselves circling the block looking for an excuse to fall prey to our own sinful desires. That’s not repentance. That’s our own sinful desires stepping in the way of God’s grace. That’s us, putting our own priorities ahead of what God has already told us not to do.

The grace that God gives us is freely given. However, the faith that is in us should be shining through in all that we are and all that we do. Driving around the block seven times is not the sign of someone dedicated to a diet.

Similarly, a Christian watching pornography is not following through with the commands that Jesus has dictated to us. An alcoholic frequenting bars is not really trying to quit the habit. There is no such thing as cheap grace. We’re expected to have a repentant heart. We’re expected to turn away from the sin that plagues our lives, and turn toward the path that Jesus laid out for us. We won’t always succeed. But, we shouldn’t be intentionally driving away from the cross either. We shouldn’t be intentionally circling the block looking for an opportunity to go against God’s commands.

Intentional sin is not repentance. Intentional sin is not really something you’re asking to be forgiven for. It’s only when we turn away from that sin, that lifestyle, that habit, that we show God that we’re true followers. It’s only when we change our habits of disobedience that we show how we are faithful followers.

Contrite Repentance

This story probably sums it up best.

J. Edwin Orr, the revivalist and historian, was with Billy Graham when the evangelist addressed a meeting in Beverly Hills attended by the notorious gangster Mickey Cohen. “He expressed some interest in the message,” Orr later wrote, “so several of us talked with him, including Dr. Graham, but he made no commitment until sometime later when another friend urged him to become a Christian.

“This he professed to do, but his life gave no evidence of repentance: ‘the mighty change of mind, heart, and life.’ He rebuked our friend, telling him, ‘You didn’t tell me that I would have to give up my work!’ He meant his rackets and illegal schemes. ‘You didn’t tell me that I’d have to give up my friends!’ He meant his gangster associates, murderers and thieves.

“He had heard that one person was a Christian cowboy, another was a Christian actress, a third was a Christian senator, and he really thought he could be a Christian gangster.

“The fact is, repentance is the missing note in much modern evangelism.”
(adopted from Morgan, Robert J. “Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes: The Ultimate Contemporary Resource for Speakers”, Nelson: Nashville. 2000. Pg. 662-663)

Mickey Cohen wasn’t ready to change his lifestyle to become a Christian, but that’s exactly what Jesus called us to do. When He asked the disciples to follow him, He expected them to follow with all their heart, all their soul and all their mind. He’s asked us to do the same today.

Closing

With the Gospel lesson, these stories show us that we can cause our own problems in our life. We can put ourselves in situations that will not bring us closer to God, but farther from His side.

Dietrick Bonhoeffer was right. Grace isn’t cheap. We’re expected to turn away from our sinful past, and repent. We’re expected to turn away in thought as well as word and deed. We’re expected to scrub our inner self as well as our outer actions to make ourselves clean. The message Jesus gave us today is one of a clean heart.

Like Raynald III, we need to change our lifestyle away from our old, bad habits, and towards the lifestyle Jesus has outlined for us. We need to be ready to change what goes into us, so that we can change our outward self as well. Each of us is in our own sinful prison that we are having difficulty getting out of. We need to be prepared to drop the habits that are keeping us away from God, and isolated in our own cell.

Like the man who chose to diet, we need to drive past that sinful temptation, and continue to work on being better people. If we choose to continue to drive near our temptations, we will eventually give in to their call, and submit to their authority rather than submitting to the will of God. Don’t drive near the temptation. Drive past it.

Mickey Cohen learned the lesson that we all need to embrace. Being a Christian means changing ourselves and turning away from the sinful habits, locations, and friends, and towards the path that Jesus laid out for us.

But, that path is not easy. We need to do what we can to rein in our emotions, and our feelings. We need to monitor ourselves for unclean thoughts and turn towards pure thoughts.

I’d like to close with these words that sum up where we need to put our trust. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, I look up to you in this time of change. Allow me to have the courage to change my life for the better. Allow all my burdens to be risen up to you as I know that You will see me through. Forgive those who have done evil and allow me to do the same. Teach me to love with an open heart and an open spirit. Take time for me today to help with all the trials you have set out for me and allow me the strength and energy to follow you. Give me the blessings to find a new home, keep my family together, and bless those who are away, may they be strong and know how much love is out there. Let them know you and I are thinking of them and missing them dearly. Bless me with love, strength, wisdom, health, courage, forgiveness, and a willingness to learn. Amen.

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Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Sermon contributed by Rev. Scott Jensen.
A sermon based on both the Law and the Gospel. Jesus explained what sin was. We need to head His command and turn away from temptation.

The Daily Prayer for SUNDAY, February 16, 2020


The Daily Prayer
SUNDAY, February 16, 2020

On February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol went into effect as an international attempt to reduce greenhouse gases and global warming. The protocol places more responsibility on developed countries because they are responsible for the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

British evangelical John Stott has written, “Simplicity is the first cousin of contentment. Its motto is, ‘We brought nothing into this world, and we can certainly carry nothing out.’ It recognizes that we are pilgrims. It concentrates us on what we need, and measures this by what we use. It rejoices in the good things of creation, but hates waste and greed and clutter. It knows how easily the seed of the Word is smothered by the ‘cares and riches of this life.’ It wants to be free of distractions, in order to love and serve God and others.”

Lord, the morning is clothed with splendor from the beauty of dewdrops to the slow rising of the sun. And yet, as each day descends to night, we trust that the morning beauty will come again. Likewise, we pray to trust that you will decorate our lives with the essentials we need for today. Amen.

Verse of the Day SUNDAY, February 16, 2020

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/verse-of-the-day/2020/02/16?version=NIV

1 John 3:11
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
Read all of 1 John 3

Listen to 1 John 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 - Domingo 16 de febrero de 2020

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2020/02/16

Dame sabiduría

Si a alguno de ustedes le falta sabiduría, pídasela a Dios, y él se la dará [...] Pero que pida con fe, sin dudar.
Santiago 1:5-6 (NVI)

Así comienza una bellísima canción. Sé que no todos conocen al intérprete. La canción se llama «Dame sabiduría» y al cantante le dicen cariñosamente «Perucho» (Héctor Perucho Rivera), donde dice «dame sabiduría para alargar mis días».

En el Manual de Instrucciones se nos enseña que si tenemos falta de sabiduría, se la pidamos a Dios y Él nos la dará en abundancia (Santiago 1:5). También en ese mismo capítulo de Santiago, Dios nos advierte que pidamos con fe para que no seamos «como las olas del mar, agitadas y llevadas de un lado a otro por el viento» (v. 6).

La sabiduría nos capacita para enfrentarnos a diferentes pruebas. Al mismo tiempo, nos invita a tener un gran gozo. Algo muy interesante es que la sabiduría no es la posesión de información, sino la cordura.

A las mujeres se nos afirma con claridad en Proverbios 14:1 lo siguiente: «La mujer sabia edifica su casa; la necia, con sus manos la destruye».

La Biblia dice también que «el corazón del sabio hace prudente su boca, y añade gracia a sus labios» (Proverbios 16:23, rv-60).

Cuando aprendemos a ser sabios, sabemos que tomaremos mejores decisiones. Seremos mejores seres humanos y sabremos administrar como Dios quiere nuestra vida en general.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Así comienza una bellísima canción. Sé que no todos conocen al intérprete. La canción se llama «Dame sabiduría».

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Sunday, February 16, 2020

https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2020/02/16
GOD AS DELIVERER

“And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Moses may have been delighted to hear that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was a God with a heart for His people’s suffering. Delighted too that this God with such a father’s heart then rises from His throne—not commanding armies of angels to relieve the suffering of His people—and comes down in His own person to deliver them from the hands of the Egyptians.

But Moses is totally taken back by the command, “I am sending YOU, Moses, to Pharaoh in order to bring the Israelis out of Egypt.” Moses' reaction is one of self-deprecation and insecurity. He poses innumerable questions and obstacles. God promises to go with him and give Moses the exact words to say. God is able to deliver. And often He will ask YOU to be His agent.

In Iran, Pastor Haik Hovsepian (martyred in 1994) recorded many messages. It has been possible to distribute thousands of his tapes. One of the people who recently got hold of a tape is a Quran reciter. He has a very powerful voice and many times he has been invited to recite the Quran in different mosques in Iran. He also passionately recited about the life of the dead Imams (Muhammad’s descendants) in mourning ceremonies in order to make people cry. He used to be a very religious person himself.

When he got hold of a sermon of Haik, he realized that through religion he cannot be saved. He was in captivity of some immoral sins such as alcohol abuse and adultery. When he heard about the difference between religion and salvation of Jesus, the Spirit of God spoke to his heart. Every time he listened to this tape, he felt even more convinced that he needed the salvation of Jesus until he finally gave his life to the Lord. By then he was not only liberated from the captivity of his sins, but also from the captivity of the religion with which he was identifying. He is now using his voice to sing for the Lord and shares about Jesus wherever he goes.

As he was a well-known person among Muslim religious leaders and other people, one evening the secret police knocked at his door. Two weeks later, they released him from prison on bail until his trial date. He had to borrow half of the money from his relatives as his savings were not enough. Since he lost his job as a Quran reciter, he does not have any source of income, so it is difficult for him to live and to pay the money back to his family. He is trusting God to totally deliver him. Praise God for the steadfast faith of this brother in following Jesus.

RESPONSE: Today I will trust God for deliverance from every challenge and temptation I face.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for this precious deliverance record of Your power and goodness. I am available to act as Your agent in this world of suffering.

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

LHM Daily Devotions - February 16, 2020 - On What Has Now Been Sown

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20200216

"On What Has Now Been Sown"

Feb. 16, 2020

"On what has now been sown, Thy blessing, Lord, bestow; The pow'r is Thine alone, To make it sprout and grow. Do Thou in grace the harvest raise, And Thou alone shalt have the praise!

"O grant that each of us, Now met before Thee here, May meet together thus, When Thou and Thine appear, And follow Thee to heav'n, our home. E'en so, Amen, Lord Jesus come!

Jesus often used stories of the soil—of seeds and fruit, planting and harvesting—to teach His lessons about the kingdom of God. In His parable of the sower, a farmer scatters seed over a path, on rocks, among thorns and in good soil, where the seed grows and bear fruit. As Jesus explains to His disciples, the seed is the Word of God, and the soil represents those who hear the Word.

Whenever we gather for worship, the seed of the Word is scattered among us as we hear the Scripture lessons and listen to the Word as it is taught in the sermon. The seed may be scattered out of hymns that celebrate the story of our salvation. We hear the words of our Lord in His Holy Supper. We are the soil on which the seeds fall.

Our hymn is a prayer, asking God to bless the seed of the Word that was planted in worship, a prayer that He might graciously "make it sprout and grow" and raise a harvest to eternal life. As the apostle Paul explains, different individuals—for example, pastors and teachers—will plant and nurture the seed, but it is "only God who gives the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:7b). In the soil of hearts made receptive by the Holy Spirit, the seed of the Word thrives and bears fruit.

All of this seed-scattering, planting, and growth happens because one single Seed, a grain of wheat, fell to earth and died so that it might bear fruit. This is how Jesus spoke of His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead as the first-fruits of the harvest of life and resurrection to come (see John 12:23-24; 1 Corinthians 15:23).

As soil made receptive by the power of the Spirit, we have been born again, "not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God" (1 Peter 1:23b). Rooted deeply in Christ Jesus, we grow and thrive. Joined to our true Vine, we bear the fruit of love and service that brings glory to God.

In our hymn, we pray that all who received the seed of the Word in our worship will meet together again at the final harvest when Jesus returns to gather us to Himself. Until that day we pray that the Lord of the harvest will continue to send His workers—such as pastors, teachers, and missionaries—into the ripening fields. Come, Lord Jesus!

THE PRAYER: Lord of the harvest, bless the teaching and hearing of Your Word. By the power of Your Spirit, cause the seed of the Word to bear in our lives the fruit of love and service. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
  1. How is it that God's Word grows in our hearts? How does that happen?
  2. In what ways is God's Word sown or placed into your life?
  3. Do you have a favorite translation of the Bible? Which one is it and why?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "On What Has Now Been Sown." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
How is it that God's Word grows in our hearts? How does that happen?

Unser Täglich Brot - In Liebe getrennt

https://unsertaeglichbrot.org/2020/02/16/in-liebe-getrennt/

In Liebe getrennt

Lesung: Epheser 4,2-6 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: 3. Mose 19-20; Matthäus 27,51-66

Seid freundlich und demütig, geduldig im Umgang miteinander. Ertragt einander voller Liebe.

Als in Singapur ein umstrittenes Gesetz erlassen wurde, gingen die Meinungen auch bei den Gläubigen auseinander. Man nannte einander „engstirnig“ oder warf sich vor, den Glauben zu verraten.

Meinungsverschiedenheiten können in der Gemeinde zu Spaltungen führen, verletzen und entmutigen. Ich selbst bin schon klein gemacht worden wegen der Art, wie ich die Bibel auf mein Leben anwende. Und ich bin sicher, auch ich bin schon schuldig geworden, weil ich andere kritisiert habe, die nicht meiner Meinung waren.

Ich frage mich aber, ob das Problem wirklich darin liegt, was oder wie wir uns äußern, oder vielmehr darin, mit welcher Herzenshaltung wir es tun. Sind wir nur mit den Ansichten anderer nicht einverstanden? Oder wollen wir den Menschen dahinter fertigmachen?

Trotzdem gibt es Zeiten, wo wir falsche Lehren ansprechen oder zu unserer eigenen Meinung stehen müssen. Epheser 4,2-6 mahnt uns, dabei freundlich, demütig, geduldig und liebevoll zu sein und uns vor allem zu bemühen, „im Geist eins“ zu bleiben (V. 3).

Manche Kontroversen lassen sich nicht ausräumen. Unser Ziel sollte aber immer sein, Menschen im Glauben aufzubauen und nicht zu entmutigen (V. 29). Setzen wir andere herab, um eine Auseinandersetzung zu gewinnen? Oder bitten wir Gott um seine Weisheit und halten uns vor Augen, dass wir an denselben Herrn glauben? (V. 4-6).
Wie kannst du deine Meinung zu heiklen Fragen freundlich, demütig und voll Liebe vertreten? Wie kannst du für die beten, die anderer Meinung sind?
Lieber Gott, zeige mir, wie ich die Wahrheit aus einer Haltung der Liebe heraus sagen kann, damit ich andere aufbaue und nicht niederdrücke.


© 2020 Unser Täglich Brot
Meinungsverschiedenheiten können in der Gemeinde zu Spaltungen führen, verletzen und entmutigen.