Friday, August 28, 2020

The Daily Bible Readings for SATURDAY, August 29, 2020

https://classic.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/revised-common-lectionary-semicontinuous/2020/08/29?version=KJV

The Daily Readings
SATURDAY, August 29, 2020
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Exodus 4:1-9; Matthew 8:14-17
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today's Verse-of-the-Day: Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Today's Readings:
Remembering Moses
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

45b Praise ye the Lord.

Two signs given to Moses
4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

6 And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

Jesus heals many at Peter’s house
8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

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, King James Version (KJV).

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Readings for SATURDAY, August 29, 2020
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Exodus 4:1-9; Matthew 8:14-17 (KJV)

The Daily Prayer for SATURDAY, August 29, 2020

https://biblegateway.christianbook.com/common-prayer-liturgy-for-ordinary-radicals/shane-claiborne/9780310326199/pd/326199
The Daily Prayer
SATURDAY, August 29, 2020

John the Baptist (c.30)

John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah, a priest in the Jerusalem temple, and Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus. John’s parents were advanced in years and had prayed to have a child, yet had not conceived. But an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah and told him his wife would bear a son named John, “great in the sight of the Lord” and “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Five months later, the same angel appeared to Mary and told her of the coming birth of Jesus. When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s baby “leaped in her womb” a prophetic sign that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit all of his life. John lived in the wilderness of Judea until he was thirty, then began his public career preaching repentance. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, John recognized him as the Messiah and said, “It is I who need baptism from you.” John often is referred to as the Precursor to Jesus; he foretold the coming of the Messiah and prepared the way for Jesus. His preaching encouraged many believers to follow Christ; in fact, Andrew and John learned of Christ through John’s ministry.

A reading from the gospel according to John: “Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Finally, they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the desert, “Make straight the way for the Lord.”’”

Merciful God, you must grieve over our broken earth as King David mourned the death of his disobedient son, Absalom. Break our own hearts with the things that break yours. Make us voices in the wilderness that cry out for your kingdom to come on earth. Amen.

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — A Healthy Practice

https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20200829

A Healthy Practice

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

"Thankfulness," said Dr. Martin Luther, "is a virtue characteristic of real Christians; it is their worship of God at its best. They thank God and do it with all their hearts." Luther went on to say, "To thank with all your heart is an art—an art taught by the Holy Spirit. You need not worry that the man who can say, 'Thanks be to God' with all his heart will ever be proud, stubborn, or will work against God with his gifts."

Gratitude is the hallmark, the call letters, of a new person in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus does something for the believer. After all, how can you respond to His kindness—His genuine, selfless kindness—except in thankfulness and thanksgiving? You can turn away, of course, and forget about it. People do that to each other all the time, and they do it toward God as well.

People ungrateful toward God remind you a great deal of the son in our Lord's story who went off on his own, after demanding from his father what was really not his. His father let him go until he finally came to his senses. When the son did, he was so sorry; he rehearsed the words he would offer to his father. He said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:18b-19). But the father insisted on treating him as a son. He welcomed him back. He restored him to his place as a son in the family.

That is the way God is. That is the way He is in Jesus Christ. Christ died for all people, and God would be a Father to everyone. How can you turn to God as a son or daughter, to be restored as a member of His family? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved—saved from that fruitless way of folly and futility that is without God and without hope in the world, without thought for the things of God, and without any gratitude toward Him.

What is it like to be a follower of Christ? What is it like to live the life of a believer, free and forgiven in Christ? It is as St. Paul said: to live together with others in peace, to encourage the timid, to help the weak, to be patient with all, to see that no one pays back wrong for wrong, to do good to one another, to be happy, to pray unceasingly, and to be thankful—no matter what the circumstances.
To give thanks: "this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."


Heavenly Father, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank You for giving us the greatest gift of all: Your Son, our Savior. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Oswald Hoffmann

Reflection Questions:
1. How can our thankfulness be expressed when we're not worshiping God in church?

2. Being thankful is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. Can you expand on this a bit?

3. Do others see your thankfulness to God by how you live, or what you say?
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
How can our thankfulness be expressed when we're not worshiping God in church?

Standing Strong Through the Storm — REJOICE IN THE LORD

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/standing-strong-through-the-storm/2020/08/29
REJOICE IN THE LORD

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!

We’ve been learning personal lessons from prison from Pastor Okuk Ojulu in Ethiopia as he shared them with Jim Cunningham.

He says, “The fourth lesson is to Rejoice in the Lord always in the prison.

“Prison means cutting off almost all your freedoms from the previous life. The devil is more pressing in the prison than anywhere in life, preaching negatives things to us. The most powerful tool for victory in our Christian lives in the midst of negatives is to preach positives to defeat the devil of negatives. In other words, it is to develop a positive attitude in a hostile situation like in the prison.

In Philippians 3:1, it says, Rejoice in the Lord! Rejoicing in the Lord always enables us to approach the burning bush for a release from the prison. Let our prayer contain: “Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

“I hope this kind of prayer can discipline us, and help make us approach the Lord very closely in the burning bush—the very place where we can hear a distilled voice from Him for the deliverance of many in their misery. The burning bush does not burn us up, but it makes us remove our sandals when we approach it.”

Pastor Okok was released after three and a half years and God has rewarded his ministry, even his family. One of his daughters was chosen as Miss Ethiopia which paid for her education.

He continues to minister in freedom but with new perspectives based on his prison life.

Prison experiences are very personal and very impacting. I think that must be why I enjoy reading memoirs of Christians who have been in prison. They are so positive and uplifting compared to those of non-Christians.

I especially remember the prayer of a Christian brother who was in prison for years in Romania during the difficult years of the cold war. He prayed:

“Lord, I look forward to the great day I see you and your family in heaven. I look forward to seeing the great evangelists standing before you. I look forward to the day I see all the missionaries coming home rejoicing with their sheaves. I look forward to hearing all the great singers of the world praising you. I look forward to seeing the great preachers of the ages standing before you.

“But Lord, I have one special request. When that day comes, allow me to be there in the clothing of a prisoner. I want to praise you throughout eternity in my prisoner’s clothes to always remind me that I was a prisoner for you.”

RESPONSE: Today I will rejoice in the Lord in the face of all the negatives that Satan tries to throw at me.

PRAYER: Lord, You are worthy of my praise and joyfulness no matter what circumstances I am in.

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 — Finding Strength in Submission

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/couples-devotional-bible/2020/08/29
Finding Strength in Submission

Philemon 1–25

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love.

During the Reformation, when Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli were exchanging strong words about Biblical interpretations and ecclesiastical practices, Zwingli spent a troubled morning walking the mountain trails of his beloved Switzerland. From a distance he observed two goats making their way toward each other on a path barely stitched to the side of a cliff. It was obvious that these nimble creatures could not pass one another.

As the goats approached each other, each feinted a power move at the other in what looked like the beginning of a battle. In a surprise twist, however, one goat suddenly collapsed onto the narrow ledge so the other goat could walk over its back. Then each moved on.

Zwingli was impressed. Here was strength defined by submission. It allowed two opponents to survive a crisis so both could get on with more important things. Zwingli applied the lesson to his next encounter with Luther.

The same principle is evident in Paul’s words to Philemon. Philemon’s slave Onesimus had run away, met Paul in Rome, and become a Christian. Now Paul was sending the slave back to his master, urging Philemon to receive Onesimus, not as mere property, but as a brother. Instead of butting heads with Philemon, Paul extended a hand of love. Was this a sign of weakness? Psychological manipulation?

Both possibilities and a variety of others enter a marital relationship. Sometimes we badger one another. Sometimes, like goats poised for battle on a mountain trail, we come close to butting heads. Sometimes we spit and snarl and lash out. Sometimes we sit together and lovingly hash things out.

What is helpful and healthy in good relationships is honesty. Not just truthfulness that blurts out every last thought, but self-awareness that is not deceptive. It is as important that I learn to be honest with myself as it is to be truthful with my partner. If Paul was in touch with his own thoughts and feelings when he wrote to Philemon, he could state his case without deploying manipulative or subversive tactics. He could focus on Philemon’s well-being and circumstances while maintaining his own perspective.

Too often we allow our emotions to derail relationships because we are blinded by excessive self-importance. The strength of our emotions, especially when we are at odds with each other, inflates our tendency for self-preservation and diminishes our sense of the other’s importance in our lives. We need to keep relationships personal and issues impersonal as we build faithfulness with one another.

Disagreements are inevitable in any relationship. But the ways in which we work through them can bind us more tightly together in love. Paul’s kindness to Philemon offers a very good example to follow.

Wayne Brouwer

Let’s Talk
  • What do we tend to disagree about? What happens in our relationship whenever that topic comes up? How do our feelings get involved?
  • When we disagree, does one of us generally dominate the other? What is dangerous about that? How could we change that pattern?
  • How do we show our respect for one another when we disagree about something? If we videotaped one of our arguments and showed it to a friend or a marriage counselor, what would they say?
During the Reformation, when Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli were exchanging strong words about Biblical interpretations and ecclesiastical practices, Zwingli spent a troubled morning walking the mountain trails of his beloved Switzerland.…

John Piper Devotional — 6 Things It Means to Be in Jesus

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/john-piper-devotional/2020/08/29
6 Things It Means to Be in Jesus

[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.

Being “in Christ Jesus” is a stupendous reality. It is breathtaking what it means to be in Christ. United to Christ. Bound to Christ.

If you are “in Christ” listen to what it means for you:
  1. In Christ Jesus you were given grace before the world was created. 2 Timothy 1:9, “He gave us grace in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”
  2. In Christ Jesus you were chosen by God before creation. Ephesians 1:4, “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”
  3. In Christ Jesus you are loved by God with an inseparable love. Romans 8:38–39, “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  4. In Christ Jesus you were redeemed and forgiven for all your sins. Ephesians 1:7, “In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”
  5. In Christ Jesus you are justified before God and the righteousness of God in Christ is imputed to you. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake God made Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
  6. In Christ Jesus you have become a new creation and a son of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Galatians 3:26, “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”
If you are “in Christ” read to what it means for you:

Un dia a la Vez — Sanidad interior

https://classic.biblegateway.com/devotionals/un-dia-vez/2020/08/29
Sanidad interior

Sáname, Señor, y seré sanado; sálvame y seré salvado, porque tú eres mi alabanza.

Cuando llegué a conocer de Dios, al poco tiempo alguien me habló de que necesitaba sanidad interior. Al principio, no entendía, pues no me consideraba enferma. Sin embargo, después comprendí que todos vamos enfermos del alma a encontrarnos con Jesucristo. Por supuesto, unos más que otros.

Muchos traemos heridas aún sin sanar y esto afecta a las personas que nos rodean. Si uno está mal en las emociones, no tenemos la capacidad para salir adelante como Dios quiere, ni podremos dar lo mejor de nosotros a otros.

Yo tenía enfermas mis emociones, pues unos días me sentía feliz y otros me sentía morir. Vivía en un constante cambio de ánimo lo cual daba inestabilidad a mis princesas. Estaba enferma del alma y en esa etapa de mi vida tomé las peores decisiones.

El Manual de Instrucciones habla de que no debemos ser personas de doble ánimo y por eso es que nos debemos dejar orientar y ayudar. Hoy en día, muchas de las iglesias cristianas cuentan con personas preparadas para aconsejarnos y, con la ayuda de Dios, lograremos obtener nuestra sanidad.

No nos creamos autosuficientes. «Todos» necesitamos sanar el alma. Necesitamos reconocer que solo con la ayuda de Dios obtenemos una verdadera sanidad interior.

Una vez sanados, podremos ayudar a otros, en especial a nuestros hijos y cónyuges. Si la mujer está bien, podrá ser ese motor esencial del hogar.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Cuando llegué a conocer de Dios, al poco tiempo alguien me habló de que necesitaba sanidad interior.

Хліб Наш Насущній — Найбільша хвиля

https://ukrainian-odb.org/2020/08/29/%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%b9%d0%b1%d1%96%d0%bb%d1%8c%d1%88%d0%b0-%d1%85%d0%b2%d0%b8%d0%bb%d1%8f/

Найбільша хвиля

Читати: Колосян 1:1-8 | Біблія за рік: Псалми 126–128 ; 1 Коринтян 10:19-33

Ви чули в слові істини Євангелії, що до вас прибула, і на цілому світі плодоносна й росте.

Людям подобається утворювати “хвилю”. На спортивних змаганнях і концертах в усьому світі “хвиля” починається з декількох людей, які встають і піднімають руки. За мить ці рухи повторюють ті, хто сидять поруч із ними. Метою цього дійства є створення єдиного плавного руху, який тягнеться через увесь стадіон. Коли цей рух досягає кінця, ті, хто його почав, усміхаються, радіють і починають нову “хвилю”.

Вперше “хвилю” створили на професійній грі в бейсбол між командами “Окленд Атлетікс” та “Нью-Йорк Янкіз” у 1981 році. Я залюбки приєднуюся до створення “хвилі”, бо це весело. Крім того, мені здається, що радість та спільність, яку люди відчувають під час цього дійства, нагадує Євангелію, добру звістку про спасіння в Ісусі Христі, яка об’єднує в поклонінні та надії усіх віруючих. Ця “найбільша хвиля” почалася понад двадцять століть тому в Єрусалимі. Звертаючись до членів церкви в Колосах, апостол Павло описав це наступним чином: “Євангелія… на цілому світі плодоносна й росте, як і в вас, з того дня, коли ви [її] почули” (Кол. 1:6). Природним наслідком доброї звістки є віра і любов “через надію, приготовану в небі для [нас]” (в. 5).

Ми, віруючі в Ісуса Христа, є частиною найбільшої хвилі в історії. Нехай вона триває і далі! По її закінченні ми побачимо усмішку Того, Хто її розпочав.
Від кого ви вперше почули добру звістку про Ісуса? Як ви можете на цьому тижні поділитися нею з близькою вам людиною?
Отче, славлю Тебе за дивовижний дар спасіння. Будь ласка, направ мене до того, хто має почути про Твою доброту!


© 2020 Хліб Наш Насущні
На спортивних змаганнях і концертах в усьому світі “хвиля” починається з декількох людей, які встають і піднімають руки.