The Sunday Readings for November 13, 2016 - 26th Sunday after Pentecost

First Reading
from the Old Testament

See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:1-2, NRSV)

This is the Word of the Lord

Psalm

Psalm 98 Cantate Domino
1   Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
2   With his right hand and his holy arm has he won for himself the victory.
3   The LORD has made known his victory; his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4   He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5   Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands; lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6   Sing to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the voice of song.
7   With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King, the LORD.
8   Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, the lands and those who dwell therein.
9   Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD, when he comes to judge the earth.
10   In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.

Second Reading
from the Epistles

Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, NRSV)

This is the Word of the Lord

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The end of Time?? Fear? Hopefulness!! - Sunday Sermon for November 6, 2016 - 26th Sunday after Pentecost

The end of Time?? Fear? Hopefulness!!

The Holy Gospel
according to St Luke, the 21st Chapter

Glory to You, O Lord

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!' Do not go after them. "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls. (Luke 21:5-19, NRSV)

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ.

The end of Time?? Fear? Hopefulness!!

This text from Luke’s gospel can either garner in us fear, or gladness and hope. Fear about the end of time, or gladness that we who believe will be with Christ will be with Christ at the end of time.

An example of fear:

" A number of years ago, leaders in a church decided to track down the congregation’s dropouts. They combed through the membership list, put together a list of names, and sent out volunteers two-by-two to knock on doors and invite the absent members back to church.

As is often the case, the volunteer visitors discovered that most of the people visited had found other things to do on Sunday morning. One person said, "I would come back to church if it didn’t conflict with my tennis time." Another said, "We came to church when our kids were involved. When they outgrew Sunday School, we stopped going." Another said, "I enjoy going to church on the really big days, like Christmas, Easter, and the Fourth of July. Compared to those days, other services are a little bit dull."

One response was different. Two volunteers named Jack and Esther went to see a man whom nobody knew. He lived on the end of the street, in a big house behind three overgrown pine trees. It took the volunteers a few minutes to find the front door. All the curtains were drawn. It looked like nobody was home. Suddenly the door swung open, and a thin man with a shock of white hair said, "My name’s Tarnower.

What do you want?" They said, "We’re from the church. We stopped by to see you." He invited them in. They explained why they had come.

In a few minutes, he was shaking a bony finger at them. "I’ll tell you why I don’t go to church anymore. It’s because I got in the habit of reading the Sunday Times before I went to the worship service."

Esther leaned forward. "Tell us," she said warmly, "how did the newspaper keep you from coming to church? Did you get caught up in the sports section and lose track of time? Or the comics?"

Mr. Tarnower looked at her with wild eyes. "No," he said, "I read the news. It’s an awful world out there. There are a lot of diseases I don’t understand. Wars break out. Families fall apart. Children run through the streets with handguns. People die prematurely. Listen, the world is falling apart, and the church can’t do a thing about it."

"Well," Jack said, "you ought to come back. We have a nice minister, a fairly good choir, and a Bible study on Wednesday nights. You might enjoy our program."

"No," Mr. Tarnower said, "I don’t think so. I get out for groceries, but that’s all I want to face. I went to church for a while, but the world got worse. When my wife died, I decided to sit in here, watch everything fall apart, and wait my turn. I don’t go to church anymore. The church has nothing to say."

In this day and age of terrorist attacks, of planes falling out of the sky, of not knowing what the future may be, we might fear, we might just sit back and wait. Wait for our time as folks say. Wait for the end of the world, wait for the end of our lives, wait! wait!

An example of hope:

One of my favorite movies was The Poseidon Adventure (1972). You remember a cruise ship was turned upside down by a big wave. Everything was turned upside down. Reality was turned "upside down". The way out is up to the bottom/back to the front. The survivors had to go to the bottom of the boat which was now the top to get out. A whole bunch were not willing to follow the lead of the pastor to crawl up that Christmas tree out of the ballroom, to safety. He said: "Everybody is dead who was above us when the ship turned over. Now they’re underneath us. It’s up to us to get out of here."

The people who waited for help drown, but those who were willing to risk, to have faith eventually were saved. Not all, but most. The pastor was indeed the Christ figure for those people. They eventually trusted in him and were saved.

So for us in this end of time. Jesus says: "But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives."

By your endurance you will gain your lives. By your faith in me you will be free. The world may be falling apart around you, but having faith in me will save you.

We live in a broken world. We live in a world where there is suffering, pain and sorrow. And when this comes to an end, there will be Christ.

There is no need for us to be afraid! Christian people have nothing to fear about the end of time. Christian people have nothing to fear about death or the end of the world. In our suffering and pain, we have nothing to fear. We will not be immune to the pain of this world. Christians are not set apart from the world, but experience all the harsh realities of this world.

Someone said: Whatever the future may hold, God can be trusted to see you through. In the meantime, demonstrate your faith and faithfulness by doing whatever it is God is calling you to do."

Live for today, hope for tomorrow and rest on the promise that Christ is coming in His due time.

"I have with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of walking, that is, of taking walks who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering. "

Henry David Thoreau wrote these words because he was concerned, more than a century ago, that American were so busy making a living that they didn’t know how to enjoy life.

As we live out our days and await eternity—whenever It may come— why not spend every day trying to experience in some way the joy of living, no matter how many days we may have to live? Let’s ask ourselves: How is it with sauntering—with the joy of living —in our time? In our place? Perhaps we need to slow down and keep moving.

Perhaps we can take time to really get In touch with God’s world, with our neighbors, with ourselves. Maybe that is worth working at.

Hope for the future, hope for today is worth living for. Making each day count even if it is just sauntering. For we cannot fear the future because that is in God’s hands, we cannot fear today because that is in God’s hands, too. So live for the moment and wait. Wait for the coming not with fear, but with hope. We wait planning our lives, living our lives, hoping our lives will mean something to those around us.

The closing story sums up for me how we should live life.

The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents’ bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar.

As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate’s treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window.

When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck.

Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. 

"Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son.You’re going to do better than me. This old mill town’s not going to hold you back."

Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly.

"These are for my son’s college fund. He’ll never work at the mill all his life like me."

We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home, we’ll start filling the jar again." He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other.

"You’ll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," he said. "But you’ll get there. I’ll see to that."

The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town.

Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have done.

When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar.

To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make away out for me. "When you finish college, Son," he told me, his eyes glistening, "You’ll never have to eat beans again...unless you want to."

The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad’s arms. "She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the baby into my parents’ bedroom to diaper her.

When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room.

"Look," she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser.

To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins.

With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt.

Neither one of us could speak.

(Author unknown)

A pickle jar was and is a symbol of hope in their world.

Where is your pickle jar??

Amen

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted. Sermon by Pastor Tim Zingale November 12, 2001.

The Daily Meditation for Sunday, November 13, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson

Isaiah 65:20a (NRSV) No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime.

How we yearn for this day that Isaiah seeks. Would that we could say at each funeral that the person lived a long and fulsome life, untouched by debilitating illness or dementia, able to serve and love until the final breath.

Instead sometimes we buckle under the weight of sorrow, struggling to see God’s hand in a life cut short, a death come too soon.

I pray for this new Jerusalem when I remember baby Hannah—beloved from conception. Our friends chronicled every milestone of their first pregnancy, sharing ultrasound pictures and the hump of a protruding foot. Hannah flipped and wiggled until the winter day she stopped, and our friend delivered a thirty-two week, perfectly formed stillborn baby.

No words of comfort could soothe the ache our friends felt in those early days, but they held on to faith, to the promise of reuniting again one day in this new Jerusalem, a city of heaven.

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Our Daily Bread - Pay Close Attention

By Lawrence Darmani

Read: Nehemiah 8:2–6; Acts 8:4–8 | Bible in a Year: Lamentations 1–2; Hebrews 10:1–18

All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.  Nehemiah 8:3

As I sat in the auditorium, I faced the pastor with my eyes fixed on him. My posture suggested I was absorbing everything he was saying. Suddenly I heard everybody laughing and clapping. Surprised, I looked about. The preacher had apparently said something humorous, but I had no clue what it might have been. From all appearances I had been listening carefully, but in reality my mind was far away.

It’s possible to hear what is being said but not listen, to watch but not see, to be present and yet absent. In such a condition, we may miss important messages meant for us.

As Ezra read God’s instructions to the people of Judah, “All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law” (Neh. 8:3). Their attention to the explanation produced understanding (v. 8), which resulted in their repentance and revival. In another situation in Samaria, Philip, after persecution of the believers broke out in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), reached out to the Samaritan people. The crowd not only observed the miraculous signs he did, but they also “paid close attention to what he said” (v. 6). “So there was great joy in that city” (v. 8).

The mind can be like a wandering adventurer that misses a lot of excitement close by. Nothing deserves more attention than words that help us discover the joy and wonder of our Father in heaven.

Lord, our minds are so prone to distraction. Help us to be present in the moment, especially when listening to those who instruct us in Your ways.

The receiving of the Word consists in two parts: attention of the mind and intention of the will.

William Ames

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Presta mucha atención

Por Lawrence Darmani

Leer: Neh. 8:2-6; Hch. 8:4-8 | La Biblia en un año: Hebreos 10:1-18

… los oídos de todo el pueblo estaban atentos al libro de la ley (Nehemías 8:3).

Sentado en el auditorio, miraba fijamente al pastor. Mi postura sugería que estaba absorbiendo todo lo que decía. De pronto, escuché que todos se reían y aplaudían, y quedé sorprendido. Aparentemente, el pastor había dicho algo cómico, pero yo no tenía idea de qué era. Aunque parecía que estaba escuchando atentamente, mi mente estaba en otra parte.

Es posible oír lo que se dice, pero sin escuchar, mirar sin ver, estar presente aunque ausente. Así, podemos perdernos mensajes destinados a nosotros.

Cuando Esdras leyó las instrucciones de Dios al pueblo de Judá, «los oídos de todo el pueblo estaban atentos al libro de la ley» (Nehemías 8:3). Esa atención hizo que entendieran (v. 8), lo que los llevó al arrepentimiento y el avivamiento. Siglos después, en Samaria, tras la persecución de los creyentes en Jerusalén (Hechos 8:1), Felipe llegó a esa región, donde la gente no solo observó sus milagros, sino que «escuchaba atentamente las cosas que decía» (v. 6), «así que había gran gozo en aquella ciudad» (v. 8).

La mente puede divagar y perderse gran parte de la emoción que la rodea. Nada merece más atención que aquello que nos ayuda a descubrir el gozo y la maravilla de nuestro Padre celestial.

Señor, quiero prestar atención a todos lo que me instruyen en tus caminos.

«Recibir la Palabra implica dos aspectos: atención de la mente e intención de la voluntad». William Ames

© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Pass gut auf

Von Lawrence Darmani

Lesen: Nehemia 8,2-6; Apg. 8,4-8 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Klagelieder 1–2; Hebräer 10,1-18

Die Ohren des ganzen Volks waren dem Gesetzbuch zugekehrt. (Nehemia 8,3)

Ich hatte den Blick fest auf den Pastor gerichtet und man hätte meinen können, dass ich alles, was er sagte, tief in mich aufnahm. Plötzlich fingen alle an zu lachen und zu klatschen. Überrascht sah ich auf. Anscheinend hatte der Prediger etwas Lustiges gesagt, aber ich hatte nichts davon mitbekommen. Äußerlich hatte es so gewirkt, als würde ich aufmerksam zuhören, aber tatsächlich war ich mit den Gedanken ganz woanders gewesen.

Wir können hören und doch nichts mitbekommen. Wir können schauen und doch nicht sehen; anwesend und doch abwesend sein. Und dabei Wichtiges verpassen.

Als Esra dem Volk Israel Gottes Anweisungen vorlas, waren „die Ohren des ganzen Volkes dem Gesetzbuch zugekehrt“ (Neh. 8,3). Aus ihrer Aufmerksamkeit wuchs Verständnis (V.8), das zu Umkehr und Erweckung führte. Bei einer anderen Gelegenheit sprach Philippus, nachdem es unter den Gläubigen in Jerusalem zu Verfolgung gekommen war (Apg. 8,1), zu den Leuten in Samaria. Das Volk sah nicht nur die Wunder, die er tat, sondern „neigte einmütig dem zu, was Philippus sagte“ (V.6). „Und es entstand große Freude in dieser Stadt“ (V.8).

Unsere Gedanken können in die Ferne schweifen und dabei die interessanten Dinge verpassen, die in der Nähe vorgehen. Nichts verdient mehr Aufmerksamkeit als Worte, die uns helfen, die Freude und das Staunen über unseren Vater im Himmel zu entdecken.

Herr, unsere Gedanken lassen sich so gern ablenken. Hilf uns, ganz im Hier und Jetzt zu sein, vor allem wenn es darum geht zu hören, was andere von dir sagen.

Zum Empfang des Wortes gehört zweierlei: Aufmerksamkeit zum Hören und Bereitschaft zum Tun. William Ames

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Повнимательнее

автор: Лоуренс Дармани

Читать сейчас: Неемия 8:2-6; Деяния 8:4-8 | Библия за год: Плач Иеремии 1-2; 1 Тимофею 3

Уши всего народа были приклонены к книге закона. — Неемия 8:3

Сидя в зале, я не отводя глаз смотрел на пастора. Весь мой вид выражал усиленное внимание, я словно впитывал каждое слово. И вдруг все дружно засмеялись. Кроме меня. Оказывается, проповедник сказал что-то смешное, а я даже малейшего понятия не имел, что это могло быть. Внешне я был воплощением внимательности, но в действительности мои мысли витали где-то в облаках.

Можно слушать и не слышать, смотреть и не видеть, присутствуя телом, отсутствовать мыслями. В таком состоянии мы можем упустить много важного.

Когда Ездра читал Божьи повеления собравшимся в Иерусалиме людям, «уши всего народа были приклонены к книге закона» (Неем. 8:3). Внимательное отношение к толкованию приводило к пониманию (Неем. 8:8), а это, в свою очередь, вылилось в покаяние и духовное возрождение страны. Много лет спустя, придя в Самарию после гонения, устроенного на учеников в Иерусалиме (Деян. 8:1), Филипп обратился с проповедью к местным жителям. Народ не только дивился чудесам, которые Бог творил через него, но и «единодушно внимал тому, что говорил Филипп... И была радость великая в том городе» (Деян. 8:6, 8).

Ум бывает похож на заблудившегося путешественника, не замечающего многих красот мира. В духовной области ничто не заслуживает большего внимания, чем слова, помогающие обрести радость познания Небесного Отца.

Господи, наш разум склонен отвлекаться. Помоги нам быть внимательными, особенно слушая тех, кто учит нас Твоим путям.

«Принятие Слова состоит из двух частей: внимания разума и решения воли». — Уильям Эймс

© 2016 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - Soyez attentif

par Lawrence Darmani

Lisez : Néhémie 8 | La Bible en un an : Lamentations 1 – 2 et Hébreux 10.1‑18

Tout le peuple fut attentif à la lecture du livre de la loi. (Néhémie 8.3)

Je me suis assis dans l’auditorium face au pasteur. Arborant un regard et une posture qui suggéraient que je buvais ses paroles, j’ai soudain entendu tout le monde éclater de rire et applaudir. Surpris, j’ai regardé autour de moi. Le prédicateur venait manifestement de lancer un trait d’humour, mais j’ignorais ce qu’il avait pu dire. Selon toute apparence, je tendais l’oreille, mais en réalité, j’avais l’esprit à mille lieues de là.

Il est donc possible d’entendre sans écouter, de regarder sans voir et d’être présent de corps, mais absent d’esprit. Le cas échéant, un message s’appliquant à nous risque ainsi de nous échapper.

Tandis qu’Esdras lisait les directives de Dieu au peuple de Juda, « [tout] le peuple fut attentif à la lecture du livre de la loi » (NÉ 8.3). L’attention que les Juifs accordaient à ses explications leur a valu de les comprendre (V. 8), ce qui les a conduits à la repentance et au renouveau de leur foi. Lors d’une autre situation survenue en Samarie après que la persécution des chrétiens a éclaté à Jérusalem (AC 8.1), Philippe s’est mis à évangéliser les Samaritains. Or, les foules ont non seulement observé ses miracles, mais encore elles « étaient attentives à ce que disait Philippe » (V. 6), causant ainsi « une grande joie dans cette ville » (V. 8).

L’esprit est un aventurier à qui échappent parfois beaucoup de joies environnantes. Or, rien n’est plus digne d’attention que les paroles faisant découvrir la merveilleuse joie de notre Père céleste.

L’accueil de la Parole exige attention et intention. William Ames

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

Wet Feet

Retaliation has its appeal. But Jesus has a better idea.

John 13 records the events of the final night before Jesus' death. He and his followers had gathered in the Upper Room for Passover. John begins his narrative with a lofty statement: "Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God" (John 13:3 NLT).

Jesus knew the who and why of his life. Who was he? God's Son. Why was he on earth? To serve the Father. Jesus knew his identity and authority, "so he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him" (John 13:4–5 NLT).

Jesus -- CEO, head coach, king of the world, sovereign of the seas -- washed feet.

Even Judas. The lying, conniving, greedy rat who sold Jesus down the river for a pocket of cash. Jesus won't wash his feet, will he? Sure hope not. If he washes the feet of his Judas, you will have to wash the feet of yours. Your betrayer. That ne'er-do-well, that good-for-nothing villain. Jesus' Judas walked away with thirty pieces of silver. Your Judas walked away with your virginity, security, spouse, job, childhood, retirement, investments.

You expect me to wash his feet and let him go?

Most people don't want to. They use the villain’s photo as a dart target. Their Vesuvius blows up every now and again, sending hate airborne, polluting and stinking the world. Most people keep a pot of anger on low boil.

But you aren't "most people." Grace has happened to you. Look at your feet. They are wet, grace soaked. Your toes and arches and heels have felt the cool basin of God's grace. Jesus has washed the grimiest parts of your life. He didn't bypass you and carry the basin toward someone else. If grace were a wheat field, he's bequeathed you the state of Kansas. Can't you share your grace with others?

"Since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you" (John 13:14–15 NLT).

To accept grace is to accept the vow to give it.

NIV Devotions for Couples - The Big Effect of Little Choices

Judges 16:1–21

Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. Judges 16:4

Samson seemed to have all the right stuff. An angel announced his birth and instructed his parents to raise him to live as a lifelong Nazirite, a person set apart by God. As a result of his standing, he was to abstain from grape products, have no contact with dead bodies and forego haircuts (see Numbers 6:1–8). Samson grew up with godly parents who loved him. He was given a life purpose—to begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines—and an incredible strength to help him achieve the task.

But Samson’s privileged beginnings didn’t automatically endow him with moral integrity. Over the course of his life, he deliberately participated in the things he and his parents had promised not to do. He ate honey from a lion’s carcass, violating his Nazirite vow in order to delight himself with something sweet (see Judges 14:8–9). Instead of being a great warrior against the Philistines, Samson’s crusades were often spurred by personal vendettas. And he had an insatiable appetite for Philistine women. Ultimately, one of those women, Delilah, learned the secret of Samson’s strength and traded that knowledge for a large sum of money.

Maybe you remember learning in church school that Samson was strong because he had long hair. Actually, Samson’s strength wasn’t in his hair but in his relationship with God. When his head was shaved, it was merely an outward indication of what he had already lost inside.

Ultimately Samson was unable to fully realize his potential or use the gifts God had given him. This is true of many of us. Though God has uniquely gifted us for his purpose, we are unable to live up to our potential because we continually fall victim to our sinful nature.

Samson didn’t turn toward sin in one grand decision. A lifetime of little choices resulted in Samson’s demise. Similarly, it isn’t the politician’s final bribe, but rather his early career decisions to bend the rules that lead to his downfall. It isn’t the public moral failing of the religious leader, but the many unconfessed sins that preceded it, that brings him down. It’s not the addiction, but the little indulgences that fed the addiction, that kills a family.

This principle also applies to our marriages. Most Christians don’t wake up one day and decide to throw their marriage and family away with one grand affair. The separation begins with participating in a bit of seemingly innocent flirting at work or sending an innocuous email to an old friend or confiding a bit of unhappiness with one’s spouse to a sympathetic friend.

Before making what appears to be a harmless decision, stop and evaluate the cost. Success is less about having the right stuff than it is about choosing the right way. A lot of little choices done God’s way will add up to a lifetime of purpose.

Jennifer Schuchmann

Let’s Talk

• Beginning with Samson’s birth in Judges 13, examine the decisions that Samson made in his life. Which ones led him to God? Which ones separated him from God?
• What were the costs Samson paid for his decisions?
• As a Nazirite, Samson had specific things that set him apart for God. What things set us apart for God? What sets our marriage apart as a Christian marriage?

Un Dia a la Vez - Oración de compromiso

A ti, oh Dios de mis padres, te doy gracias y te alabo, porque me has dado sabiduría y fuerza. Daniel 2:23, RV-60

Señor, te agradecemos de todo corazón que nos permitieras estudiar estos veintiún principios de vida. Para muchos, son del todo nuevos, pero gracias a tu Palabra tan sencilla y práctica para seguir, sabremos tomar decisiones adecuadas.

Te pedimos perdón por las esferas en las que encontramos que estábamos fallando.

Gracias porque me hiciste ver la realidad y ahora puedo enderezar mis caminos y hacer cambios radicales.

Reconozco, Dios mío, que te necesito. Sin ti la vida es imposible de llevar.

Ayúdame, mi Jesús, a buscarte cada día y a aplicar tu Palabra en mi vida. ¡Te amo!

En el nombre de Jesús oramos, amén y amén.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - HOPE IN THE FACE OF REJECTION

Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:29-30

A young lady from India who received Standing Strong Through the Storm (SSTS) training shares her poignant story:

Though I long to see my family, I cannot go home. I haven’t been home in three years, ever since my family poured hot water on me to show their hostility. They were extremely upset when I accepted Christ as my Saviour as a teenager. I stopped worshipping idols and other gods that my family worshipped. I began to pray and read the Bible every day. My family, who kept food from me, even poured hot meals on me. They tore Bibles from my hand and burned them, six of them.

I was beaten severely for attending church services. One time so badly that I was half dead. While I was still on my sick bed I heard the voice of God saying, “Leave your family whom you love and follow me.” It was a very difficult decision for me, but I agreed to do His word. So I told my father that I would be leaving for Bible College to study and learn about Jesus. On hearing my words he was furious and said that if I was to do my own will then I could leave for good. He demanded money that he had spent for my upbringing. It broke my heart.

Learning of the terrible condition I was in, an evangelist reached out to me with help and brought me to a Bible College supported by Open Doors. After a year I went home expecting my family to accept me. But they remained unchanged.

Two years later, my father attended my Bible College graduation in secret, coming in late to the back and leaving early. He did not want to speak to me. My family has only given me pain and sorrow and I think about it and weep.

But I believe in God’s promise, “Let your heart not be troubled, believe in God and also in me, there are many rooms in my father’s house…I will come back and take you with me” (John 14: 1-3). So one day I will be with Him in His heavenly home where there will be no more sorrow, crying or pain.

RESPONSE: Today I will be encouraged that no matter what happens; following Jesus gives me hope.

PRAYER: Pray for many believers, like the young lady above, who endure the pain of rejection.

Verse of the Day - November 12, 2016

Colossians 1:9 (NIV) For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,

Read all of Colossians 1

The Daily Readings for November 12, 2016

Joel 3:9-17
Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, stir up the warriors. Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weakling say, "I am a warrior." Come quickly, all you nations all around, gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O LORD. Let the nations rouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the neighboring nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. But the LORD is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. So you shall know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.

James 2:1-13
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Luke 16:10-18
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God. "The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped. "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 87 Fundamenta ejus
1   On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
2   Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of our God.
3   I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia: in Zion were they born.
4   Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her, and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
5   The LORD will record as he enrolls the peoples, "These also were born there."
6   The singers and the dancers will say, "All my fresh springs are in you."

Psalm 90 Domine, refugium
1   Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another.
2   Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, from age to age you are God.
3   You turn us back to the dust and say, "Go back, O child of earth."
4   For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night.
5   You sweep us away like a dream; we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6   In the morning it is green and flourishes; in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7   For we consume away in your displeasure; we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8   Our iniquities you have set before you, and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9   When you are angry, all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10   The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11   Who regards the power of your wrath? who rightly fears your indignation?
12   So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13   Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? be gracious to your servants.
14   Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15   Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16   Show your servants your works and your splendor to their children.
17   May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 136 Confitemini
1   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
2   Give thanks to the God of gods, for his mercy endures for ever.
3   Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his mercy endures for ever.
4   Who only does great wonders, for his mercy endures for ever;
5   Who by wisdom made the heavens, for his mercy endures for ever;
6   Who spread out the earth upon the waters, for his mercy endures for ever;
7   Who created great lights, for his mercy endures for ever;
8   The sun to rule the day, for his mercy endures for ever;
9   The moon and the stars to govern the night, for his mercy endures for ever.
10   Who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his mercy endures for ever;
11   And brought out Israel from among them, for his mercy endures for ever;
12   With a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm, for his mercy endures for ever;
13   Who divided the Red Sea in two, for his mercy endures for ever;
14   And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for his mercy endures for ever;
15   But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endures for ever;
16   Who led his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endures for ever.
17   Who struck down great kings, for his mercy endures for ever;
18   And slew mighty kings, for his mercy endures for ever;
19   Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his mercy endures for ever;
20   And Og, the king of Bashan, for his mercy endures for ever;
21   And gave away their lands for an inheritance, for his mercy endures for ever;
22   An inheritance for Israel his servant, for his mercy endures for ever.
23   Who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endures for ever;
24   And delivered us from our enemies, for his mercy endures for ever;
25   Who gives food to all creatures, for his mercy endures for ever.
26   Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his mercy endures for ever.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The Daily Meditation for November 12, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson

Psalm 87:1a (NRSV) On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded.

Ask anyone from Appalachia. The mountains are in your blood. Spend time in the flat lands and your soul aches for the rise of the land, for the shade of the trees, the tapestry of changing leaves, adventure beyond the next bend. Streams and rivers ribbon the hills and mountains, bringing life to plants and animals and joy to tadpole-hunting children.

So many of the psalms use nature to describe our relationship with God—and God’s relationship with us. Listen to the poetry: Mountains skip like rams and hills like young sheep (Psalm 114); rivers clap their hands, and hills ring out with joy (Psalm 98); the Lord makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us to still waters (Psalm 23).

Scripture seems to want us to feel the mountains in our blood, the wave of grain at our fingertips, the rush of an ocean’s wave in our hearts. God the creator of all invites us to be one with nature, to be faithful stewards of it, so that we might enter the gates of Zion from atop the holy mountain.

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Our Daily Bread - Bread!

By Keila Ochoa

Read: John 6:34–51 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 51–52; Hebrews 9

I am the bread of life. John 6:48

I live in a small Mexican city where every morning and evening you can hear a distinctive cry: “Bread!” A man with a huge basket on his bike offers a great variety of fresh sweet and salty breads for sale. I used to live in a bigger city, where I had to go to the bakery to buy bread. So I enjoy having fresh bread brought to my door.

Moving from the thought of feeding physical hunger to spiritual hunger, I think of Jesus’s words: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51).

Someone has said that evangelism is really one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread. Many of us can say, “Once I was spiritually hungry, spiritually starving because of my sins. Then I heard the good news. Someone told me where to find bread: in Jesus. And my life changed!”

Now we have the privilege and the responsibility of pointing others to this Bread of Life. We can share Jesus in our neighborhood, in our workplace, in our school, in our places of recreation. We can talk about Jesus in the waiting room, on the bus, or on the train. We can take the good news to others through doors of friendship.

Jesus is the Bread of Life. Let’s tell everybody the great news.

Lord Jesus, I want to be Your witness everywhere I go.

Share the Bread of Life wherever you are.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - ¡Pan!

Por Keila Ochoa

Leer: Juan 6:34-51 | La Biblia en un año: Hebreos 9

Yo soy el pan de vida (Juan 6:48).

V ivo en una pequeña ciudad mejicana donde todas las mañanas y las tardes puede escucharse un grito distintivo: «¡Paaan!». Un hombre en una bicicleta, con una canasta enorme, ofrece una gran variedad de panes frescos, dulces y salados. Antes, yo vivía en una ciudad más grande, donde tenía que ir a comprar pan a la panadería, pero ahora, disfruto de que me lo traigan fresco a mi casa.

Pasando de la idea del alimento físico al hambre espiritual, pienso en las palabras de Jesús: «Yo soy el pan vivo que descendió del cielo; si alguno comiere de este pan, vivirá para siempre» (Juan 6:51).

Alguien dijo que evangelizar consiste en que un mendigo le dice a otro dónde encontrar pan. Muchos podemos afirmar: «Antes, estaba espiritualmente hambriento, muriéndome de hambre a causa de mis pecados. Entonces, escuché la buena noticia. Alguien me dijo dónde encontrar pan: en Jesús. ¡Y mi vida cambió!».

Ahora tenemos el privilegio y la responsabilidad de guiar a otros a este Pan de vida. Podemos hablar de Jesús en nuestro barrio, lugar de trabajo, escuela y sitios de recreo; en la sala de espera, el autobús o el tren, y aprovechar también las amistades para comunicar la buena nueva.

Jesús es el Pan de vida. Demos a todos la gran noticia.

Señor, quiero testificar de ti en todas partes.

Comparte el Pan de vida dondequiera que estés.

© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Brot!

Von Keila Ochoa

Lesen: Johannes 6,34-51 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Jeremia 51–52; Hebräer 9

Ich bin das Brot des Lebens. (Johannes 6,48)

Ich lebe in einer mexikanischen Stadt, in der man jeden Morgen und Abend den lauten Ruf hört: „Brot!“ Ein Mann mit einem riesigen Korb an seinem Fahrrad bietet eine breite Vielfalt süßer und salziger Brote zum Verkauf an. Früher wohnte ich in einer größeren Stadt, in der ich in die Bäckerei gehen musste. Jetzt freue ich mich, dass mir das Brot an die Tür gebracht wird.

Doch wenn wir uns nun weg vom leiblichen Hunger zum geistlichen Hunger bewegen, fallen mir Jesu Worte ein: „Ich bin das lebendige Brot, das vom Himmel gekommen ist. Wer von diesem Brot isst, der wird leben in Ewigkeit“ (Joh. 6,51).

Jemand hat einmal gesagt, evangelisieren bedeute in Wirklichkeit, dass ein Bettler dem anderen zeigt, wo es Brot gibt. Viele von uns können sagen: „Früher erlitt ich geistlichen Hunger wegen meiner Sünde. Dann hörte ich die gute Nachricht. Jemand hat mir gezeigt, wo es Brot gibt: bei Jesus. Das hat mein Leben verändert!“

Nun haben wir das Vorrecht und die Pflicht, andere auf dieses Brot des Lebens hinzuweisen. Wir können Jesus in unserer Nachbarschaft bekannt machen, am Arbeitsplatz, in der Schule, in der Freizeit. Wir können im Wartezimmer von ihm erzählen, im Bus oder Zug. Durch das Tor der Freundschaft können wir anderen die gute Nachricht bringen.

Jesus ist das Brot des Lebens. Diese gute Botschaft wollen wir allen bringen.

Herr Jesus, ich möchte überall, wo ich hinkomme, dein Zeuge sein.

Teile das Brot des Lebens überall, wo du bist.

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Хлеб!

автор: Кейла Очоа

Читать сейчас: Иоанна 6:34-51 | Библия за год: Иеремия 51-52; 1 Тимофею 2

«Я – хлеб жизни». — Иоанна 6:48

Я живу в небольшом мексиканском городке, в котором каждое утро и вечер раздается знакомый крик: «Хлеб!» Человек на мотоколяске с огромной корзиной предлагает жителям свежую выпечку. Раньше я жила в большом городе, где за хлебом нужно было идти в магазин. А тут его привозят прямо к дверям. Как не купить?

Переходя от мыслей о телесном голоде к голоду духовному, я вспоминаю слова Иисуса Христа: «Я – хлеб живой, сошедший с небес; едящий хлеб этот будет жить вовек» (Ин. 6:51).

Кто-то сказал, что благовестие – это когда один нищий рассказывает другому, где найти хлеб. Многие могут сказать: «Раньше я духовно голодал, умирал из-за своих грехов. А потом услышал Благую весть. Кто-то рассказал мне, где найти хлеб: в Иисусе Христе. И все пошло по-другому!»

Теперь на нас возложена честь и ответственность указывать другим на Хлеб жизни. Мы можем говорить о Христе с соседями, на работе, в школе, на отдыхе. Мы можем говорить о Нем в зале ожидания, в автобусе или поезде. Мы можем передавать людям Благую весть через двери дружбы.

Иисус Христос – Хлеб жизни. Пусть никто не голодает из-за незнания Его.

Спаситель, я хочу быть Твоим свидетелем, где ни окажусь.

Делитесь Хлебом жизни с теми, кто рядом.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

Notre Pain Quotidien - Du pain !

par Keila Ochoa

Lisez : Jean 6.34‑51 | La Bible en un an : Jérémie 51 – 52 et Hébreux 9

Je suis le pain de vie. (Jean 6.48)

Je vis dans une petite ville du Mexique où l’on peut entendre matin et soir un cri distinct : « Du pain ! » Un homme transportant une énorme corbeille sur son vélo offre une grande variété de pains sucrés et salés tout frais sortis du four. Or, je vivais auparavant dans une plus grande ville, où je devais me rendre dans une boulangerie pour y acheter mon pain. Je me réjouis donc de ce que l’on m’apporte maintenant du pain frais chez moi.

En délaissant la faim physique pour aborder la faim spirituelle, je me rappelle les paroles de Jésus : « Je suis le pain vivant qui est descendu du ciel. Si quelqu’un mange de ce pain, il vivra éternellement » (JN 6.51).

On a dit déjà que l’évangélisation est en réalité le fait pour un mendiant de dire à un autre mendiant où il a trouvé du pain. Nous sommes nombreux à pouvoir dire : « Autrefois, j’étais spirituellement affamé à cause de mes péchés. Puis j’ai entendu la Bonne Nouvelle. Quelqu’un m’a dit où trouver du pain : en Jésus. Et ma vie en a été transformée ! »

Aujourd’hui, nous avons le privilège et la responsabilité d’amener les gens de notre quartier, de notre milieu de travail, de notre école et de nos lieux de loisirs à se tourner vers le pain de vie qu’est Jésus. Nous pouvons parler de Jésus dans une salle d’attente, un autobus ou un train. Nous pouvons faire entrer la Bonne Nouvelle par les portes de l’amitié.

Jésus est le pain de vie ; apportons donc cette grande nouvelle à tous !

Partagez le pain de vie partout où vous allez.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ