The Daily Readings for SUNDAY, December 11, 2016 - 3rd Sunday in Advent

First Reading:
From the Old Testament

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:1-10, NRSV)

This is the Word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 146:4-9
4   Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! whose hope is in the LORD their God;
5   Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; who keeps his promise for ever;
6   Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who hunger.
7   The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
8   The LORD loves the righteous; the LORD cares for the stranger; he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9   The LORD shall reign for ever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

Second Reading:
From the Epistles

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5:7-10, 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.

Jesus Is The One! - The Sunday Sermon for SUNDAY, December 11, 2016 - 3rd Sunday in Advent

The Holy Gospel:
According to St Matthew, the 11th Chapter

Glory to You, O Lord

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:2-11, NRSV)

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen

"Jesus Is The One!"

He has a decent job. He’s kind to my cat. He enjoys my parents’ company. He even knows the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Is he the one?

She’s intelligent. She makes me laugh. She likes to go camping. She even buys her clothes at Value Village. Is she the one?

Boy am I glad I’m done with that phase of my life - you know, the phase during which you had to figure out who was “the one” to spend the rest of your life with in marriage. It seems to me that cultures that practice arranged marriages have a good thing going. Single people in those cultures don’t have to waste time and money on blind dates. Nor do they have to rehearse awkward pickup lines. They just have to sit back and relax while their parents find them “the one” they are to marry.

John the Baptist too was eagerly looking for “the one.” No, he wasn’t looking for Mrs. Baptist. He was looking for the one “who was to come” - the promised Messiah who would save the world from sin and punish God’s enemies. At one time John had been so certain he had found “the one” that he boldly punched the air with forefinger extended towards a carpenter from Nazareth and boomed: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) But months later John wasn’t so sure anymore that Jesus was “the one.” Hadn’t John’s God-given message about the Messiah been, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire”? (Matthew 3:12) If Jesus was “the one,” where were the fireworks of judgment? Why did the wicked like King Herod continue to prosper while the righteous like John himself languished behind bars? A prophet was supposed to be in a pulpit not a prison!

As we move closer to hearing the Christmas story again this year we too may share the same doubts John the Baptist had. Is Jesus really “the one”? Is he really the Son of God who became man to win our salvation? Does he really care about our lowly circumstances? Today we’ll see that Jesus is indeed “the one.” We’ll be assured of this by looking at his works and listening to his words.

It shouldn’t surprise us that even a strong believer like John the Baptist would have doubts about Jesus. I can’t think of a single character in the Bible (besides Jesus) who never questioned God’s timing or his way of doing things. At one time the prophet Elijah too wondered why God didn’t deal more forcefully with the wicked of his day: King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. So if you have some doubts about Jesus, you’re not alone. But now how should you handle those doubts? John didn’t ask others what they thought about Jesus. Instead he went back to Jesus himself for clarification and strengthening. Likewise don’t look for answers to your doubts about Jesus on Wikipedia. Go to Jesus himself.

Although John was not able to go to Jesus since he had been put in prison for pointing out King Herod’s sins, he did send two of his disciples. When the disciples relayed John’s doubts, Jesus didn’t gravely shake his head and “tut-tut” as if John was a big disappointment. On the contrary. He defended John before the crowd and asked them: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?...[No.] A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: ”‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’…he is the Elijah who was to come” (Matthew 11:7, 9, 10, 14b).

According to Jesus, John was greater than all the Old Testament prophets. While they had announced Jesus’ coming like a ring master announcing the next boxing card, John actually prepared the way for Jesus like a trainer clearing the way for the prize fighter as he makes his way into the ring. If even someone so close to the Messiah could have doubts and not be scolded by him, we should not be shy about taking our doubts to Jesus.

And what was the answer Jesus gave to John’s question? Jesus said: “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” (Matthew 11:4-6). Jesus replied in the words of our Old Testament Lesson from Isaiah 35 that foretold the things the Messiah would do when he came. In fact shortly before the events of our text, Jesus had raised to life the widow’s dead son in the town of Nain proving that he indeed was the promised Messiah.

Don’t you wish you could have seen some of those miracles? Would that put all our doubts about Jesus to rest? But if that was the case, wouldn’t Jesus himself have gone to John and performed a few miracles for him while he watched from prison? He didn’t. Instead he simply told John’s disciples to describe what he was doing and told John to match those reports with the Old Testament prophecies. In other words, Jesus dealt with John’s doubts the same way he deals with ours: not by appearing in dazzling glory but by pointing us to his Word! It’s through the Bible that the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to convince us of the truth of Jesus. Get to Bible class, dear friends, and let Jesus answer your doubts about him through his Word.

Of course studying God’s Word doesn’t mean that your life will become any easier. It didn’t become easier for John. He remained in prison and would eventually die there when he was beheaded. From the world’s perspective John’s life didn’t amount to much. He didn’t discover any medicines. He didn’t build any cities. He didn’t make a lot of money. What did he do? He simply pointed people to Jesus. It was his life’s work. The world may not think that’s so special but listen to what Jesus thought of John: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11a). What made John so great was his close connection with Jesus. That’s what makes you great in spite of appearances. Jesus’ death and resurrection has forgiven all your sins. It has opened the doors of heaven to you where you will enjoy a life that not even the richest billionaire can begin to comprehend.

“But I’m not like John,” you cry. “I don’t dedicate my life to serving Jesus as John did. There is no way that God would think I’m great.” We may not be John the Baptist but we’re still great in God’s eyes. In fact we’re even greater than John was. Listen to what Jesus said: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11). Me? You? Our Sunday School kids? Greater than John the Baptist? How can that be? While John had the privilege of announcing Jesus to the world, he never got to see Jesus fulfill his mission of dying on the cross and coming back to life again. But we have the full record. That makes us even greater, or more privileged than John the Baptist! Remember that when you’re shopping for the latest gadgets to buy your kids for Christmas to keep up with the other parents. That’s not what makes you great. What makes you great is your faith in Jesus - a faith you are to share with your children.

It’s clear to me that John was pretty bummed that he had ended up in prison especially since Jesus wasn’t doing anything about it. John’s problem of course was that he had his own expectations for Jesus – expectations that didn’t match Scripture. It’s the same for us. When we get disappointed with Jesus it’s because our worldly expectations don’t match what Scripture says about our Savior. But Jesus is “the one.” He is the Messiah who came to save us from our sins. That doesn’t mean he’s going to save you from financial ruin or even from cancer. He may allow you to suffer those things because he wants to draw you closer to him. He even invites the question: “Are you the one?” because he’s eager to answer it through his Word and reassure us that our eternal future is secure with him. So keep looking at his works and keep listening to his Word. Remain convinced that Jesus is “the one.” Amen.

Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

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 "Jesus Is The One!" by Daniel Habben.

Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries - "Spotless Conception"

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34 ESV)

Read Luke 1:34-35.

Mom and dad made most of the Christmas cookies in our house. Sure, they let us use cookie cutters and sprinkles, but for some reason that's all. I always thought five little boys would have been a really big help measuring out ingredients and mixing them together. Did it really hurt if you put in two cups of salt instead of two cups of sugar? (I couldn't understand why mom threw out that whole batch of dough and sent us out to the living room.)

When it came to Jesus' conception, the angel told Mary the Holy Spirit would do all the work. He will come upon her and use His miraculous power to bring about Jesus' conception.

Just as a cookie recipe requires the correct amount of sugar and salt, God's recipe for our salvation required His Son to be conceived and born of a virgin. Every human born of a human father and mother inherits the stain of sin our human race has carried since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Had Jesus been conceived of Joseph and Mary He would have been contaminated with our same sinful nature and could never have been our Savior.

To save us, God's Son had to share our human nature and flesh, without sharing our sin and guilt. Being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born free of our guilt, Jesus was able to be our perfect Substitute, living the perfect life you and I cannot live. He completed our salvation by suffering and dying in our place on the cross.

THE PRAYER: Almighty God, thank You for Your perfect plan to save us through Your spotless Son Jesus Christ. Give us faith to always trust Him as our one and only Savior. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

© 2016 Lutheran Hour Ministries, All rights reserved.

Devociones de Adviento - No esperes a otro

Juan, que estaba en la cárcel...envió a dos de sus discípulos para que le preguntaran: "¿Eres tú aquel que había de venir, o esperaremos a otro?" (Mt 11:2-3)

Saber esperar. Saber a quién esperar. Esperanza... o frustración. ¡Pobre de aquel que no tiene más nada que esperar! ¡Qué negro es el futuro sin ningún tipo de esperanza!

Juan el Bautista había tenido un rol clave en relación con la venida del Mesías: él había sido destinado como profeta y portavoz, para preparar el camino de Cristo. Muchos, al escucharle, confesaron sus pecados y sus corazones volvieron a latir con esperanza. Dios estaba a punto de cumplir sus antiguas promesas. Juan había proclamado "preparen el camino para el Señor".

Pero ahora Juan estaba en la cárcel por predicar la verdad. Los poderes de este mundo siempre resisten la voluntad divina. Juan debía pagar un alto precio por el hecho de ser fiel, y cargar la cruz. Jesús, por su parte, había comenzado su ministerio. Grandes señales anunciaban que él era el que había de venir. Los ciegos veían, los cojos andaban, los leprosos eran limpiados. El Mesías estaba revirtiendo lo que el pecado había destruido. Por su vida, muerte y resurrección, comenzaba una nueva creación.

Pero Juan, humano como nosotros, parecía tener ciertas dudas: ¿Cómo es posible que todavía sufra, si Dios gobierna el mundo? Nuestras preguntas no son muy diferentes: ¿Por qué sufrimos tantas injusticias, si Cristo ya triunfó sobre la muerte, el diablo y el mundo?

Aunque a veces parezca que tenemos que esperar a otro Mesías, no hay otro que esperar aparte de Jesús de Nazaret. Sus fieles seguidores tenemos asegurada la entrada al Edén. Por fe, su victoria en la cruz nos pertenece.

Padre, enséñame a esperar en ti y en tu Hijo Jesucristo. Quiero vivir en la alegría de tu nueva creación. Por Jesús. Amén. 

© Copyright 2016 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones

Why the wreath?

Ever wondered, "Why the wreath?"

An Advent wreath is a circular wreath usually made of evergreens with four candles, white, deep purple or blue, each corresponding to the four weeks of the Advent season. The circular shape represents the eternal victory over death through Jesus Christ, the evergreens are a sign of the faithfulness of God, and the lighted candles are a reminder of the light of Christ brought into the world. As each week of Advent passes, one more candle is lit on the wreath until all four are lit, signifying the nearness of the Christmas season. 

The Advent wreath has its roots in the pre-Christian practices of northern Europe. People sought the return of the sun in the dark time of the year (at the winter solstice) by lighting candles and fires. As early as the middle Ages, Christians used fire and light to represent Christ’s coming into the world. Using this same symbolism, the Advent wreath developed a few centuries ago in Germany as a sign of the waiting and hopeful expectation of the return in glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The wreath, a circle, came to represent the eternal victory over death through Jesus Christ. The evergreens were a sign of the faithfulness of God to God’s people, even in death, and the lighted candles were a reminder of the light of Christ brought into the world.

This symbolism can be just as strong for us today. As is the case with all symbols, they speak most loudly to remind us of God’s promises of life when they are drawn directly out of our daily experience and environment. One should consider using only natural materials from God’s creation when making an Advent wreath. Evergreens come in many varieties and may be treated with a flame retardant substance. Branches of holly, laurel, and other green shrubs, which retain their freshness longer than pine, may also be used. The circular shape, a symbol of eternal life, is most important. Using an alternative shape, such as a log, would diminish the meaning of the symbol, which is no longer a circle. There is no one prescribed color for the candles, although several traditions are current. Four natural colored candles are always appropriate and symbolize the Light for which we wait. Four blue candles matches the blue used for the season, a color representing hope. Some assemblies may have the older tradition of using purple candles, keeping purple as the color for both Advent and Lent. The practice of using a pink candle on the third Sunday in Advent is no longer consistent with the current lectionary. This tradition arose when Advent was regarded as a thoroughly penitential season much like Lent. The third Sunday of Advent was called “Gaudete Sunday”, from the Latin meaning “Rejoice!” It had its roots in the text from Philippians 4:4-6, “rejoice in the Lord always…” These readings are still heard in Year C on Advent III.

Our Daily Bread - Serving God with Our Prayers

By James Banks

Read: 1 Kings 18:41–45 | Bible in a Year: Hosea 5–8; Revelation 2

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 nlt

God often chooses to move through our prayers to accomplish His work. We see this when God told the prophet Elijah, “I will send rain on the land,” promising to end a drought in Israel that had lasted three and a half years (James 5:17). Even though God had promised rain, a short time later “Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees”—praying intently for the rain to come (1 Kings 18:42). Then, while he continued to pray, Elijah sent his servant to go and look out over the ocean “seven times,” scanning the horizon for any sign of rain (v. 43).

Elijah understood that God wants us to join in His work through humble, persistent prayer. Regardless of our human limitations, God may choose to move through our praying in amazing ways. That’s why the letter of James tells us that “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results,” all the while reminding us that “Elijah was as human as we are” (James 5:16–17 nlt).

When we make it our aim to serve God through praying faithfully as Elijah did, we’re taking part in a beautiful privilege—where at any moment we may be given a front-row seat to a miracle!

How can I serve You through my prayers today, Father?

Submit your prayer request or pray for others at yourdailybread.org

Great expectation on our part honors God.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Servir a Dios con oraciones

Por James Banks

Leer: 1 Reyes 18:41-45 | La Biblia en un año: Apocalipsis 2

… La oración eficaz del justo puede mucho (Santiago 5:16).

A menudo, Dios decide utilizar nuestras oraciones para llevar a cabo su obra. Esto lo vemos cuando le dijo al profeta Elías: «yo haré llover sobre la faz de la tierra», prometiendo poner fin a una sequía en Israel que había durado tres años y medio (Santiago 5:17). Aunque Dios había prometido que llovería, poco después, «Elías subió a la cumbre del Carmelo, y postrándose en tierra, puso su rostro entre las rodillas» para pedir fervorosamente que lloviera (1 Reyes 18:42). Entonces, mientras oraba, mandó a su siervo «siete veces» para que mirara hacia el mar y observara si había alguna señal de lluvia en el horizonte (v. 43).

Elías entendió que Dios quiere que participemos en su obra mediante la oración humilde y persistente. A pesar de nuestras limitaciones humanas, el Señor tal vez quiera obrar de maneras asombrosas a través de nuestras oraciones. Por eso, Santiago afirma que «la oración eficaz del justo puede mucho» y nos recuerda que «Elías era hombre sujeto a pasiones semejantes a las nuestras» (Santiago 5:16-17).

Cuando nos proponemos servir a Dios orando fielmente como lo hizo Elías, participamos de un privilegio maravilloso… ¡y en cualquier momento, podríamos ver un milagro delante de nuestras narices!

Señor, ¿cómo puedo servirte hoy con mis oraciones?

Las grandes expectativas de nuestra parte honran a Dios.

© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Gebetsdienst

Von James Banks

Lesen: 1.Könige 18,41-45 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Hosea 5–8; Offenbarung 2

Das Gebet des Gerechten vermag viel, wenn es ernstlich ist. (Jakobus 5,16)

Gott wählt oft den Weg über unser Gebet, um sein Ziel zu erreichen. Wir sehen das, als er dem Propheten Elia sagt: „Ich will regnen lassen auf die Erde“ (1.Kön. 18,1), und verspricht, die dreieinhalb Jahre dauernde Trockenheit in Israel zu beenden (Jak. 5,17). Doch obwohl Gott den Regen versprochen hatte, ging Elia kurze Zeit später „auf den Gipfel des Karmel und bückte sich zur Erde und hielt sein Haupt zwischen seine Knie“—und betete um Regen (1.Kön. 18,42). Gleichzeitig schickte er seinen Diener „siebenmal“ los, um zum Meer zu schauen und am Horizont nach einem Hinweis auf Regen zu suchen (V.43).

Elia hatte begriffen, dass Gott uns an seinem Wirken beteiligen will—durch demütiges, anhaltendes Gebet. Trotz aller unserer menschlichen Begrenzungen kann Gott unser Beten auf erstaunliche Weise nutzen. Deshalb heißt es im Jakobusbrief: „Das Gebet des Gerechten vermag viel, wenn es ernstlich ist“, aber auch dass „Elia ein schwacher Mensch [war] wie wir“ (Jak. 5,16-17).

Wenn wir Gott durch unser treues Gebet dienen wollen, wie Elia es tat, dann nutzen wir ein wunderbares Vorrecht—und können jederzeit Augenzeugen eines Wunders werden!

Vater, wie kann ich dir heute durch mein Beten dienen?

Wir ehren Gott, wenn wir mit großen Erwartungen zu ihm kommen.

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Служение Богу молитвой

автор: Джеймс Бэнкс

Читать сейчас: 3 Царств 18:41-45 | Библия за год: Осия 5-8; Откровение 2

Много может усиленная молитва праведного. — Иакова 5:16

Для исполнения Своих замыслов Бог часто пользуется нашими молитвами. Это прослеживается, например, в повествовании о пророке Илии, когда Бог сказал ему: «Я дам дождь на землю», полагая таким образом конец засухе, длившейся три с половиной года (Иак. 5:17). Но, хотя Бог и пообещал дождь, «Илия взошел на верх Кармила и наклонился к земле, и положил лицо свое между колен своих», молясь о живительной влаге (3 Цар. 18:42). Затем, продолжая молиться, пророк семь раз посылал слугу смотреть на море: нет ли признаков дождя (3 Цар. 18:43).

Илия понимал, что Бог ожидает его участия в Своем труде через смиренную, настойчивую молитву. Независимо от наших человеческих ограничений, Бог может удивительным образом употребить наши молитвы. Поэтому Иаков пишет: «Много может усиленная молитва праведного», напоминая при этом, что «Илия был человеком, подобным нам» (Иак. 5:16-17).

Если мы решим верно служить Богу молитвой, как это делал Илия, то станем участниками великого действия и можем получить место в первом ряду при совершении чуда!

Как я могу послужить Тебе своими молитвами, Отче?

Наши молитвы приносят славу Богу.

© 2016 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - Servir Dieu par nos prières

par James Banks

Lisez : 1 Rois 18.41‑45 | La Bible en un an : Osée 5 – 8 et Apocalypse 2

La prière fervente du juste a une grande efficacité. (Jacques 5.16)

Dieu choisit souvent d’agir au moyen de nos prières pour accomplir son oeuvre. Nous le constatons dans l’exhortation à prier « jusqu’à ce qu’il ait reçu les pluies de la première et de l’arrière‑saison » que Dieu a adressée au prophète Élie (JA 5.7). Même si Dieu avait promis la pluie, peu après « Élie monta au sommet du Carmel ; et, se penchant contre terre, il mit son visage entre ses genoux » (1 R 18.42). Puis, tout en continuant de prier, Élie a envoyé son serviteur « sept fois » afin qu’il monte regarder vers la mer pour guetter l’arrivée de la pluie (V. 43).

Élie a bien compris que Dieu désire que nous nous joignions à son oeuvre au moyen de prières empreintes d’humilité et de persévérance. Il se peut effectivement que Dieu choisisse d’accomplir des exploits au moyen de nos prières, et cela, malgré nos limites humaines. Voilà d’ailleurs pourquoi l’épître de Jacques nous dit que « [la] prière fervente du juste a une grande efficacité », tout en nous rappelant qu’Élie était « de la même nature que nous » (JA 5.16,17).

Si nous nous donnons pour mission de servir Dieu en priant avec fidélité, comme l’a fait Élie, nous prenons part à un merveilleux privilège : la possibilité de nous retrouver à tout moment aux premières loges d’un miracle !

Nous honorons Dieu en nourrissant de grandes attentes.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

NIV Devotions for Couples - Family Abuse and Rescue

by Lauren Winner

Read 2 Kings 11:1–16

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. 2 Kings 11:2

Until a few years ago, I was only marginally aware of this emotionally powerful story about Joash. It is, after all, stuck in the middle of the long section of 1 and 2 Kings that many of us sometimes, um, skim.

At any rate, we read here about King Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, who had begun killing off the royal family so that she could rule as queen. Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s sister, saw what was going on and rescued Ahaziah’s young son Joash, hiding him and his nurse at the temple. Joash remained there for six years, finally emerging when it was time for him to be crowned as king.

What first gripped me about this story was Athaliah, a wicked matriarch of fairy-tale proportions. Can’t you just see her as the Wicked Witch of the West? Once I tore myself away from that specter, I noticed how complicated her family was. On the one hand, this group of relatives was truly dysfunctional (they were, after all, related to the infamous family of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel). They were so dysfunctional that a grandmother began killing off her own grandchildren—her own descendants!—so she could grab the throne. Athaliah makes my overbearing grandmother look like a wimp.

On the other hand, the family wasn’t all bad. Joash’s aunt, Jehosheba, intervened to rescue the little boy and hide him till he was old enough to be king. That’s a powerful illustration of how families that contain violent and destructive kooks and abusers can also contain courageous and self-sacrificing heroes.

I can relate to the story of Joash because my own aunts played such a huge role in my growing-up years. While never in danger of being killed, I sometimes felt like I didn’t fit in with my parents and sister. My aunts stepped into that gap to nurture me, to explain the weird Winner family mysteries to me, and to help me feel like I belonged. Now that I’m an adult, my aunts continue to be my cherished confidants.

My own aunts—not to mention Aunt Jehosheba—remind me what a blessing extended family can be. They help me understand how important it is not to get so focused on our nuclear families that we forget our wider kith and kin. For some of us, extended families may not be biological; they may be in-laws, neighbors, friends or church family.

I certainly hope my own little family is never as destructive and broken as Joash’s. But I would be fooling myself to think that my husband and I are perfect parents or that we can do the job of raising our children by ourselves. We need others to help us do that. By looking outside the walls of our own home to our relatives and church family, Griff and I will help ensure that our own bad tendencies are caught, checked and corrected by others who love us and ours.

Let’s Talk

• Thinking about each other’s families, which people are the dysfunctional or difficult ones? Who are the heroes? How do all of these people influence our marriage?
• Are we as a couple open to intervention, love, even rebuke from friends or extended family? If we have children how do we encourage relationships between them and other adults in our family whom we love and trust?
• Have we ever acted as someone else’s Jehosheba, stepping in to help the child of a friend or relative? What have we learned from this experience?

A Lesson From a Quiet Monk

"Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God" (Rom. 5:1 NCV).

Peace with God. What a happy consequence of faith! Not just peace between countries, peace between neighbors, or peace at home; salvation brings peace with God.

Once a monk and his apprentice traveled from the abbey to a nearby village. The two parted at the city gates, agreeing to meet the next morning after completing their tasks. According to plan, they met and began the long walk back to the abbey. The monk noticed that the younger man was unusually quiet. He asked him if anything was wrong. "What business is it of yours?" came the terse response.

Now the monk was sure his brother was troubled, but he said nothing. The distance between the two began to increase. The apprentice walked slowly, as if to separate himself from his teacher. When the abbey came in sight, the monk stopped at the gate and waited on the student. "Tell me, my son. What troubles your soul?"

The boy started to react again, but when he saw the warmth in his master's eyes, his heart began to melt. "I have sinned greatly," he sobbed. "Last night I slept with a woman and abandoned my vows. I am not worthy to enter the abbey at your side."

The teacher put his arm around the student and said, "We will enter the abbey together. And we will enter the cathedral together. And together we will confess your sin. No one but God will know which of the two of us fell." (I heard this story at a ministers' retreat featuring Gordon MacDonald in February 1990.)

Doesn't that describe what God has done for us? When we kept our sin silent, we withdrew from him. We saw him as an enemy. We took steps to avoid his presence. But our confession of faults alters our perception. God is no longer a foe but a friend. We are at peace with him. He did more than the monk did, much more. More than share in our sin, Jesus was "crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him" (Isa. 53:5 NCV). "He accepted the shame" (Heb. 12:2 NCV). He leads us into the presence of God.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - DELIVERANCE COMES THROUGH ENDURANCE

…if we endure, we will also reign with him…2 Timothy 2:12a

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

Christian testimonies on the whole tend to be dominated by those who experienced wonderful deliverances: deliverances of healing, from cancer or other life threatening diseases, or deliverances from debt, or romance less marriages. Even when it comes to reporting on the persecuted, we read of Chinese house church leaders released from the grip of a deadly fever, or border guards with eyes miraculously blinded to the Bibles sitting in plain view on the back seat.

Yet it has to be said that deliverance stories—though they tend to grab the headlines—are not the norm. A dear old Christian in Beijing used to say to me, “Remember, for every deliverance story you hear, there are a hundred endurance stories.” He was right. The story of the persecuted is primarily one of endurance.

I never saw this principle better illustrated than in the story of an old Chinese woman known throughout the world as “Auntie Mabel.” A doctor in Beijing, she was well known for her bright Christian witness. She never married in order to look after a sick brother. Her family was wealthy. They lived in a large house in central Beijing. All that changed abruptly in 1949. Her large house marked her out as one of the landlord class. She was evicted from her house and forced to live in a garden shed, with just a stove, two deck chairs and an old bed.

The Red Guards—teenagers who were given power to direct the Cultural Revolution—began to visit her, beating her up, parading her in the streets, and forcing her to wear a placard with her crimes written on them. So thorough were the Red Guards that they erected a large sign outside her house declaring her a pariah because she had distributed “imperialistic literature.” Mabel was shunned by neighbors, victimized daily by her work gang, and regularly beaten by Red Guards.

Many years later, she knew why she endured all this. In the early eighties, after Mao died, Mabel began to receive a stream of visitors saying, “During the Cultural Revolution, there was a large sign outside your house full of your crimes. One of them was that you had distributed Bibles. So I’m here on the chance that you have some left.”

Amazingly that sign which made her life such a misery became the means of a new ministry. It kept people away from her during the Cultural Revolution, but afterwards, after she had endured, it drew them. A number of high-ranking members of the Communist Party in China today owe their faith to her endurance.

She reflected, “It’s been nice to know why. It helps my faith. But it was hard. Every day was hard. I can’t say I saw Jesus, or even felt him close most of the time. I just got the strength to keep going, and that was enough.”

God can deliver us by transforming a situation, but more often He delivers by giving us the strength to endure the situation. That way, others are transformed as well as ourselves.

RESPONSE: Today I will endure all challenges knowing that God has a purpose and I am in His hands.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for saints like Aunty Mabel who are such an inspiration and testimony.

Un Dia a la Vez - Lo que no entendemos de Dios

Ahora conozco de manera imperfecta, pero entonces conoceré tal y como soy conocido. 1 Corintios 13:12

Si lo analizamos, es imposible entender a Dios en su totalidad. Estoy segura que muchas veces tú, al igual que yo, le has preguntado: «Señor, ¿por qué suceden tantas cosas malas? ¿Por qué, Dios mío, permitiste que sucediera esto?». Incluso, algunas cosas nos parecen más injustas que otras.

Sin embargo, en muchas ocasiones no hay respuesta de parte de Dios. Así que empezamos a juzgarlo, a refutarlo y, en el peor de los casos, nos peleamos con Él.

Se han escrito libros muy buenos acerca de las cosas que no entendemos de Dios y creo que, aunque se sigan escribiendo y predicando, nadie tiene la respuesta a las cosas incomprensibles de nuestro Padre celestial. Lo que yo entendí, y lo aplico a mi vida, es que aunque no comprenda ciertas cosas que me suceden, o que suceden a mi alrededor, sé que todo tiene un propósito por el cual lo permitió Dios.

Querido amigo, si estás viviendo algo que aún no entiendes, no cuestiones al Señor y le preguntes: «¿Por qué?». En su lugar, pregúntale: «¿Para qué?». Nadie puede entender por completo los misterios de Dios. Quizá algún día, en su presencia, podamos preguntarle el porqué de todo lo que no entendemos hoy.

Verse of the Day - December 10, 2016

Deuteronomy 18:15 (NIV) The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
 
Read all of Deuteronomy 18

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The Daily Readings for SATURDAY, December 9, 2016

First Reading:
From the Old Testament

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah-- the king of Assyria." On that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is at the sources of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thornbushes, and on all the pastures. On that day the Lord will shave with a razor hired beyond the River-- with the king of Assyria-- the head and the hair of the feet, and it will take off the beard as well. On that day one will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, and will eat curds because of the abundance of milk that they give; for everyone that is left in the land shall eat curds and honey. On that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns. With bow and arrows one will go there, for all the land will be briers and thorns; and as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not go there for fear of briers and thorns; but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread. (Isaiah 7:10-25, NRSV)

Second Reading:
From the Epistles

But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5, NRSV)

The Holy Gospel:
According to St Luke, the 22nd Chapter

When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!" Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this. A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. "You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:14-30, NRSV)

Morning Psalms

Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi
1   In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
2   Incline your ear to me; make haste to deliver me.
3   Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you are my crag and my stronghold; for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4   Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my tower of strength.
5   Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O LORD, O God of truth.
6   I hate those who cling to worthless idols, and I put my trust in the LORD.
7   I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy; for you have seen my affliction; you know my distress.
8   You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy; you have set my feet in an open place.
9   Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
10   For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
11   I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors, a dismay to those of my acquaintance; when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12   I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am as useless as a broken pot.
13   For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
14   But as for me, I have trusted in you, O LORD. I have said, "You are my God.
15   My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16   Make your face to shine upon your servant, and in your loving-kindness save me."
17   LORD, let me not be ashamed for having called upon you; rather, let the wicked be put to shame; let them be silent in the grave.
18   Let the lying lips be silenced which speak against the righteous, haughtily, disdainfully, and with contempt.
19   How great is your goodness, O LORD! which you have laid up for those who fear you; which you have done in the sight of all for those who put their trust in you.
20   You hide them in the covert of your presence from those who slander them; you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
21   Blessed be the LORD! for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a besieged city.
22   Yet I said in my alarm, "I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes." Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty when I cried out to you.
23   Love the LORD, all you who worship him; the LORD protects the faithful, but repays to the full those who act haughtily.
24   Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 35 Judica, Domine
1   Fight those who fight me, O LORD; attack those who are attacking me.
2   Take up shield and armor and rise up to help me.
3   Draw the sword and bar the way against those who pursue me; say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
4   Let those who seek after my life be shamed and humbled; let those who plot my ruin fall back and be dismayed.
5   Let them be like chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD drive them away.
6   Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD pursue them.
7   For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause; without a cause they have dug a pit to take me alive.
8   Let ruin come upon them unawares; let them be caught in the net they hid; let them fall into the pit they dug.
9   Then I will be joyful in the LORD; I will glory in his victory.
10   My very bones will say, "LORD, who is like you? You deliver the poor from those who are too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."
11   Malicious witnesses rise up against me; they charge me with matters I know nothing about.
12   They pay me evil in exchange for good; my soul is full of despair.
13   But when they were sick I dressed in sack-cloth and humbled myself by fasting.
14   I prayed with my whole heart, as one would for a friend or a brother; I behaved like one who mourns for his mother, bowed down and grieving.
15   But when I stumbled, they were glad and gathered together; they gathered against me; strangers whom I did not know tore me to pieces and would not stop.
16   They put me to the test and mocked me; they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17   O Lord, how long will you look on? rescue me from the roaring beasts, and my life from the young lions.
18   I will give you thanks in the great congregation; I will praise you in the mighty throng.
19   Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me, nor let those who hate me without a cause wink at each other.
20   For they do not plan for peace, but invent deceitful schemes against the quiet in the land.
21   They opened their mouths at me and said, "Aha! we saw it with our own eyes."
22   You saw it, O LORD; do not be silent; O Lord, be not far from me.
23   Awake, arise, to my cause! to my defense, my God and my Lord!
24   Give me justice, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness; do not let them triumph over me.
25   Do not let them say in their hearts, "Aha! just what we want!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."
26   Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced; let those who boast against me be clothed with dismay and shame.
27   Let those who favor my cause sing out with joy and be glad; let them say always, "Great is the LORD, who desires the prosperity of his servant."
28   And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

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.

Editando nuestra vida

Salmo 25:1-10

Tú, Señor, eres todo bondad. Por tu misericordia, acuérdate de mí; pero olvídate de que en mi juventud pequé y fui rebelde contra ti. (Sal 25:7)

Si toda nuestra vida estuviera filmada en una cinta, seguramente usaríamos una tijera para recortar buena parte de esas escenas "olvidables". Sólo dejaríamos lo que nos favorece. Lo que se recuerde o se olvide, incide en nuestra suerte como "actores" de la vida.

¿Se acuerda Dios de nosotros? ¿Qué parte de la película se guarda? Hay quienes viven pensando que Dios está en deuda con ellos. Piensan que han sido poco premiados por la crítica del prójimo, o por Dios mismo. Se acercan a Dios recordándole sus "buenas escenas", con la intención de forzarlo a cumplir sus deseos.

Es mejor que Dios se olvide de ciertas cosas al tratar con nosotros. La única manera de salir bien parados ante Él, es que nos trate de acuerdo a su misericordia y no según nuestros méritos. Si no fuera por el amor y la misericordia de Dios, estaríamos perdidos sin remedio. En su misericordia, Él "decide" no ver esas escenas en las que salimos mal parados: orgullo, falta de amor, deseos que ofenden su santidad. Incluso en las escenas que consideramos "buenas", nos salimos del libreto.

La misericordia divina tiene un nombre: Jesús. Él viene a "poner el cuerpo" por nosotros, para hacer bien lo que nosotros sólo podemos hacer mal. Dios recorta las escenas vergonzosas de nuestra vida y las reemplaza con las de su Hijo, el actor principal de nuestra salvación. Dios toma el sufrimiento, la obediencia y el clamor de su Hijo, y los pone en lugar de nuestras escenas fallidas. No es que seamos buenos actores: es que él es un benévolo editor. Confiemos, entonces, en su misericordia.

Padre, que nunca me acerque a ti confiando en mis méritos, sino que espere sólo en tu misericordia. Por Jesús. Amén.

© Copyright 2016 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones

Lutheran Hour Ministries - "No Ordinary Baby"

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus" (Luke 1:31, ESV).

Read Luke 1:30-33.

I love studying the ornaments on our Christmas tree. Each has a history and a meaning all its own; each triggers a memory. But when I was a kid I never really cared that much about the ornaments. For me the best thing was the tree itself -- all lit up and shining in glory.

As Mary looks at the angel shining in all his glory, she is confused and gripped with fear. Gabriel cancels that fear by revealing God has chosen her to be the mother of a very special Son. In simple words he spells out the whole story of Christmas. She will conceive and give birth to a Son, a special Son; His Name will be Jesus.

Sadly, that is all most people see when they pass by a manger scene: a baby lying there in the hay. But we need to pause and step closer, so we can study each detail the angel reveals about Him, just like the ornaments on a tree. First, He says this Child will be great: the greatest human to ever live. Next, he calls Him the Son of the Most High, the mighty Son of God.

Now he reveals this Child is born to be King, but He will not be like any other earthly king. Other kings and leaders depend upon the might of their military or the assent of their people to rule. But Jesus' Kingship rests on His strength alone. He does not need an army of angels to keep Him on His throne; nor does He need our consent. In His greatest hour (and ours), He will go to the cross alone. There He will defeat sin, death, hell and the devil for us.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your Son is our mighty King. Receive our thanks for His great salvation and help us spread His reign of grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

© 2016 Lutheran Hour Ministries, All rights reserved.

Our Daily Bread - Wounds from a Friend

By Poh Fang Chia

Read: Proverbs 27:5–10 | Bible in a Year: Hosea 1–4; Revelation 1

Wounds from a friend can be trusted.   Proverbs 27:6

Charles Lowery complained to his friend about lower back pain. He was seeking a sympathetic ear, but what he got was an honest assessment. His friend told him, “I don’t think your back pain is your problem; it’s your stomach. Your stomach is so big it’s pulling on your back.”

In his column for REV! Magazine, Charles shared that he resisted the temptation to be offended. He lost the weight and his back problem went away. Charles recognized that “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (Prov. 27:5–6).

The trouble is that so often we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism, for truth hurts. It bruises our ego, makes us uncomfortable, and calls for change.

True friends don’t find pleasure in hurting us. Rather, they love us too much to deceive us. They are people who, with loving courage, point out what we may already know but find hard to truly accept and live by. They tell us not only what we like to hear but also what we need to hear.

Solomon honored such friendship in his proverbs. Jesus went further—He endured the wounds of our rejection not only to tell us the truth about ourselves but to show us how much we are loved.

Think of a time when a friend said something honest that caused you pain. Did it benefit you? Is it wise to accept everything our friends tell us?

A friend is one who can tell you the truth in love.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Heridas de parte de un amigo

Por Poh Fang Chia

Leer: Proverbios 27:5-10 | La Biblia en un año: Apocalipsis 1

Fieles son las heridas del que ama… (Proverbios 27:6).

Charles Lowery se lamentó ante un amigo de tener dolor de cintura. Buscaba un oído compasivo, pero lo que recibió fue una frase sincera: «No creo que tu problema sea la cintura, sino el estómago. Es demasiado grande y te presiona la espalda».

En su columna de una revista, Charles comentó que resistió la tentación de ofenderse, que bajó de peso y que la lumbalgia desapareció. Reconoció que «mejor es reprensión manifiesta que amor oculto. Fieles son las heridas del que ama» (Proverbios 27:5-6).

El problema es que, a menudo, preferimos que nos arruinen los elogios en lugar de que nos salven las críticas, porque la verdad duele; hiere el ego, nos incomoda y exige un cambio.

A los amigos auténticos no les gusta lastimarnos, sino que nos aman mucho y no quieren engañarnos. Nos señalan lo que nosotros ya sabemos, pero no queremos reconocer ni modificar. No solo nos dicen lo que nos gusta oír, sino lo que necesitamos escuchar.

Salomón elogió este tipo de amistad en sus proverbios. Pero Jesús fue más allá: soportó las heridas de nuestro rechazo no solo para decirnos la verdad sobre nosotros mismos, sino también para mostrarnos cuánto nos amaba.

Piensa en una ocasión en que un amigo te dijo algo sincero que te dolió. ¿Te ayudó? ¿Es sabio aceptar todo lo que nos dicen nuestros amigos?

Amigo es aquel que te dice la verdad con amor.

© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario