Ethnic Prejudice Confronted - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Day 8

What does the Bible have to say about prejudice? What messages of love does God have for all the people and cultures He created? What opportunities does a diverse church of today have in a society still troubled by racism?

The two-week Fearfully and Wonderfully Made daily devotional—based on passages from the NKJV Modern Life Study Bible—will guide you through a series of Biblical excerpts focused on confronting ethnic prejudice. You'll walk through both the Old and New Testaments, discovering a tapestry of cultural connections throughout the historical richness of Scripture and learn about God's promises of love to those who face discrimination and prejudice. From the call of Abraham to the Samaritan woman at the well, find out how the God of Israel has shown himself to be the God of all tribes and nations.

Today’s reading is drawn from Acts 6:2-6.

The community of believers at Jerusalem was constantly growing and changing (Acts 1:15; 2:41, 47; 4:4, 32; 5:14). They experienced amazing unity (2:46; 4:32; 5:12), and their sacrificial generosity meant that their material needs were being met (2:45; 4:34, 36).

But a problem with feeding widows threatened to fracture this successful community (6:1). The underlying issue was less about meeting physical needs than simmering ethnic hostility between the Hebrews (Jews born in Judea and Galilee) and the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews born outside of Palestine). Hellenists were despised by many who considered them to be “contaminated” by Gentiles, but Hellenists responded to the gospel in large numbers. The clash could easily have destroyed the church or divided it into separate ethnic communities. But the apostles took steps to head off a crisis.

• They met face-to-face with the Hellenists (the powerful met with the powerless).
• They listened to complaints and acknowledged their legitimacy.
• They worked with the Hellenists to devise guidelines for godly leaders and chose seven whose names suggest they were from the Hellenist minority at Jerusalem.
• They approved and commissioned these new leaders by praying with them, laying their hands on them, and committing to work with them.
• They gave the new leaders authority over the distribution of food for widows.
• They shared power and resources and affirmed the dignity of the newly chosen leaders.


 The result was that “the word of God spread, and … multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (6:7).

 This devotional is drawn from the Modern Life Study Bible. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotion - "Too Loud"

 January 18, 2017

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do so with gentleness and respect.  - 1 Peter 3:15

In the course of my parish ministry there were times when I gave a first-class, pulpit-pounding, turn-down-your-hearing-aid kind of sermon. I stopped doing so the Sunday after a little boy at the door asked, "Pastor, if you were so mad at us, was Jesus mad, too?"

Now I'm not saying the pulpit has no room for the deliverance of high-decibel messages, I'm just suggesting the length, frequency and volume of these hellfire deliveries need to be handled and evaluated  mit Vertstand : "with understanding."

This is a message the city officials of Springfield, Missouri, are trying to get out.

You see, in Springfield there is a preacher by the name of Aaron Brummitt. Using hand-held amplifiers Brummitt has hit the streets of that sterling community and has, since before 2013, delivered some mighty powerful public proclamations. I know Pastor Brummitt was publicly preaching in 2013 because, already then, there were complaints made about him. Back then he promised he would tone things down.

Whether he did so or not, I can't tell you. I can share the complaints haven't stopped.

And that is why Springfield officials recently passed an ordinance that limits the volume at which street preachers can, well, the volume at which street preachers can preach. These city fathers are quick to point out the ordinance doesn't restrict freedom of speech or freedom of religion. It only sets boundaries on the volume at which the religious message can be proclaimed.

I suppose that's okay, as long as the other downtown noises which are just as loud -- or louder -- than Pastor Brummitt are also stopped. It's okay as long as the bar doesn't keep getting adjusted downward. If that's happens, we have to wonder if the municipal leaders are playing with smoke and mirrors.

To tell you the truth, I'm not all that worried about other cities following Springfield's example.

I'm not worried because most places don't have loud evangelists on their street corners. Goodness, most cities don't have quiet evangelists on their public places. If I were to ask the tens of thousands of Daily Devotioners to raise their hands if they regularly preach on any street corner, I bet the number wouldn't take too long to count.

And that's a shame; it's a shame because the Savior has asked us all to be Good News tellers.

Maybe standing on a street corner with a bull horn in hand isn't your style, but you should have some sort of style in telling others about the Good News of forgiveness and salvation the Savior has won. The hymnwriter said it better. How does it go?

Oh, yes, here it is: "If you cannot speak like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, you can say He died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked with the judgment's dread alarms, you can lead the little children to the Savior's waiting arms."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, Jesus lived, died and rose for me. May I use the talents and style You have given me to witness to Him. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

CPTLN Devocional - Advertencias

18 de Enero 2017

El que cree en el Hijo tiene vida eterna, pero el que se niega a creer en el Hijo no verá la vida, sino que la ira de Dios recae sobre él. (Juan 3:36)

Dondequiera que vamos encontramos señales de advertencias. "No estacionar"; "Prohibido arrojar basura"; "No tocar".

Pero el que veamos esas señales no quiere necesariamente decir que siempre las obedezcamos. A veces porque estamos distraídos, otras veces porque pensamos que no son para nosotros. Sea como fuere, hay veces en que las ignoramos.

Eso fue lo que sucedió cuando el famoso Titanic recibió varios despachos telegráficos que le advertían sobre la presencia de icebergs. Cuando llegó uno de esos últimos despachos, el operador de la radio contestó: "Basta, basta, estoy ocupado".

Poco después, ese barco impresionante cuyo capitán había dicho: "Ni siquiera Dios podría hundirlo", se estaba hundiendo. Más de mil personas se ahogaron porque alguien no prestó atención a las advertencias.

Ignorar las advertencias es peligroso, porque por más inconvenientes que nos causen o inoportunas que sean, pueden salvar nuestra vida o la vida de otros.

No es necesario decir, entonces, que más peligroso aún es ignorar la Palabra de Dios que nos advierte que quien trate de vivir sin Jesús, ciertamente morirá.

El texto para hoy lo dice muy claramente. Sólo quien es tonto es capaz de ignorar al Señor que vino a salvarlo. Sólo quien es arrogante es capaz de pensar que es invencible.

Mucho mejor es prestar atención a las advertencias del Señor y aferrarnos al perdón y la salvación que el Salvador ha ganado a través de su vida sacrificial.

ORACIÓN: Querido Dios, reconozco que no soy invencible y te doy gracias por el regalo de tu Hijo, quien se sacrificó para que yo tenga vida eterna. Dame sabiduría para reconocer las advertencias de peligro que amenazan mi bienestar espiritual. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones

Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC) Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas

Our Daily Bread - Long Shadows

By Joe Stowell

Read: Psalm 100 | Bible in a Year: Genesis 43–45; Matthew 12:24–50

The Lord is good and his love . . . continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

Several years ago, my wife and I stayed in a rustic bed-and-breakfast in the remote Yorkshire Dales of England. We were there with four other couples, all British, whom we had never met before. Sitting in the living room with our after-dinner coffees, the conversation turned to occupations with the question “What do you do?” At the time I was serving as the president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and I assumed that no one there knew of MBI or its founder, D. L. Moody. When I mentioned the name of the school, their response was immediate and surprising. “Of Moody and Sankey . . . that Moody?” Another guest added, “We have a Sankey hymnal and our family often gathers around the piano to sing from it.” I was amazed! The evangelist Dwight Moody and his musician Ira Sankey had held meetings in the British Isles more than 120 years ago, and their influence was still being felt.

I left the room that night thinking of the ways our lives can cast long shadows of influence for God—a praying mother’s influence on her children, an encouraging coworker’s words, the support and challenge of a teacher or a mentor, the loving but corrective words of a friend. It’s a high privilege to play a role in the wonderful promise that “His love . . . continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

Lord, help us to remember that while our lives are short, what we do for You now can have an impact long after we are home with You. Lead me today to invest in the lives of others.

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Sombras largas

Por Joe Stowell

Leer: Salmo 100 | La Biblia en un año: Mateo 12:24-50

Porque el Señor es bueno; […] y su verdad por todas las generaciones (Salmo 100:5).

Hace varios años, nos hospedamos con mi esposa en una rústica hostería de los remotos valles de Yorkshire, Inglaterra. Estábamos con otras cuatro parejas, todas británicas, a quienes acabábamos de conocer. Mientras tomábamos un café después de cenar, empezamos a conversar sobre nuestros trabajos. En aquel entonces, yo era director del Instituto Bíblico Moody, en Chicago, y supuse que nadie conocía la institución ni a su fundador, D. L. Moody. Cuando dije el nombre, todos respondieron sorprendidos y al instante: «¿De Moody y Sankey… de ese Moody?». Otro huésped agregó: «Nosotros tenemos un himnario de Sankey, y nuestra familia suele reunirse junto al piano para cantar esos himnos». ¡No podía creerlo! El evangelista y su músico habían tenido sus reuniones en las Islas Británicas hacía más de 120 años, y su influencia aún seguía.

Aquella noche, me fui pensando en cómo podemos echar una larga sombra de influencia espiritual: una madre que ora por sus hijos, palabras alentadoras de un compañero de trabajo, el apoyo y el desafío de un maestro o consejero, palabras correctivas y amorosas de un amigo. ¡Qué gran privilegio ser parte de la maravillosa promesa de que «el Señor es bueno; […] y su verdad por todas las generaciones (Salmo 100:5)!

Señor, ayúdame a invertir mi vida en bendecir a los demás.

Solo lo que se hace para Cristo perdurará.

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Lange Schatten

Von Joe Stowell

Lesen: Psalm 100 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 1.Mose 43–45; Matthäus 12,24-50

Denn der Herr ist freundlich, und seine Gnade währet ewig und seine Wahrheit für und für. Psalm 100,5

Vor einigen Jahren übernachtete ich mit meiner Frau in einer Frühstückspension im englischen Yorkshire. Wir waren dort mit vier anderen englischen Ehepaaren, die wir aber nicht kannten. Als wir nach dem Essen noch bei einer Tasse Kaffee zusammensaßen, drehte sich das Gespräch bald um unsere Berufe. Ich war damals Präsident des Moody Bible Institute in Chicago und nahm an, dass keiner der Anwesenden das MBI oder seinen Gründer, D. L. Moody, kennen würde. Als ich den Namen der Schule nannte, war die erste, überraschende Reaktion: „Der Moody von Moody und Sankey?“ Und ein anderer Gast fügte an: „Wir haben zu Hause ein Liederbuch von Sankey und wir versammeln uns oft ums Klavier und singen daraus.“ Ich war verblüfft! Der Evangelist Dwight Moody und sein Musiker Ira Sankey hatten vor mehr als 120 Jahren in England Evangelisationsversammlungen abgehalten und ihr Einfluss wirkte immer noch nach.

Als ich am Abend den Raum verließ, musste ich denken, was für lange Schatten unser Leben mit und für Gott doch werfen kann. Da ist der Einfluss einer betenden Mutter auf ihre Kinder; das Mut machende Wort eines Kollegen; der Ansporn und die Unterstützung eines Lehrers oder Mentors; die freundliche Kritik eines Freundes. Es ist ein großes Vorrecht, an dem wunderbaren Versprechen teilhaben zu dürfen: „Seine Gnade währet ewig“ (Psalm 100,5).

Herr, hilf uns, daran zu denken, dass unser Leben zwar kurz ist, aber das, was wir für dich tun, noch nachwirken kann, wenn wir schon längst bei dir sind. Zeig mir, was ich heute für andere tun kann.

Nur das, was wir für Jesus tun, bleibt.

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Длинные тени

автор: Джозеф Стоуэлл

Читать сейчас: Псалом 99 | Библия за год: Бытие 43-45; Матфея 12:24-50

Благ Господь: милость Его вовек, и истина Его из рода в род. — Псалом 99:5

Несколько лет назад мы с женой остановились в гостинице, расположенной в английской глубинке. Вместе с нами там были четыре семейные пары. Все англичане, совершенно нам не знакомые. Сидя в гостиной после обеда с чашками кофе, мы разговорились о роде занятий каждого. В то время я был президентом Библейского института Муди в Чикаго. Мне казалось, что никто из присутствующих не знает ни институт, ни его основателя. Однако, когда я упомянул название своего учебного заведения, отклик был мгновенный и неожиданный. «Муди и Санкей! Это тот Муди?» Другой гость добавил: «У нас есть сборник гимнов Санкея, мы с семьей часто собираемся вокруг пианино и поем по нему». Я изумился. Евангелист Дуайт Муди и его музыкант Айра Санкей организовывали евангельские собрания на Британских островах более 120 лет назад, но их влияние ощущается до сих пор!

Тем вечером я покинул гостиную, размышляя о том, как наша жизнь может оставить долгую тень христианского влияния. Молитвы матерей получают ответы в детях. Ободряющие слова и поддержка учителя отражаются в учениках. Каждому из нас оказана великая честь – сыграть свою роль в чудесном обетовании Господа, что «милость Его вовек и истина Его из рода в род» (Пс. 99:5).

Господи, помоги нам помнить, что, хотя наша жизнь коротка, сделанное нами для Тебя может оказывать влияние и после того, как мы уйдем к Тебе. Направь нас на доброе служение во имя Твое.

Только то, что сделано для Христа, пребудет вечно.

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - De longues ombres

par Joe Stowell

Lisez : Psaume 100 | La Bible en un an : Genèse 43 – 45 et Matthieu 12.24‑50

Car l’Éternel est bon ; sa bonté dure […] de génération en génération. (Psaume 100.5)

Il y a longtemps, ma femme et moi sommes descendus dans une auberge rustique du lointain Yorkshire Dales, en Angleterre. Il s’y trouvait quatre autres couples, tous Britanniques et inconnus de nous. Assis au salon un soir en train de prendre notre café de fin de repas, nous avons vu la conversation changer de cap : « Que faites‑vous dans la vie ? » À l’époque, j’étais président du Moody Bible Institute, à Chicago, dont j’ai présumé que personne ne connaîtrait le nom et le fondateur, D. L. Moody. Or, la mention de cette école m’a valu une réponse tant immédiate que surprenante : « De Moody et de Sankey… ce Moody‑là ? » Puis un autre client de l’auberge a renchéri : « On a à la maison un livre de cantiques de Sankey et la famille se réunit souvent autour du piano pour en chanter quelques‑uns. » Je n’en revenais tout simplement pas ! L’évangéliste Dwight Moody et son musicien, Ira Sankey, avaient tenu des réunions dans les îles britanniques plus de 120 ans auparavant, et leur influence s’y faisait encore ressentir.

En quittant la pièce ce soir‑là, j’ai réfléchi aux façons dont notre vie est susceptible de jeter de longues ombres d’influence divine sur un monde étouffant : l’influence sur ses enfants d’une mère qui prie, les paroles encourageantes d’un collègue, le soutien et la mise au défi d’un enseignant ou d’un mentor, les propos bienveillants, mais correcteurs d’un ami. C’est un immense privilège que de jouer un rôle dans l’accomplissement de la merveilleuse promesse selon laquelle « sa bonté [durera] ».

Seules les oeuvres accomplies pour Christ dureront.

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

The Daily Readings for TUESDAY, January 17, 2017

First Reading

Isaiah 44:9-20
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know. And so they will be put to shame. Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can do no good? Look, all its devotees shall be put to shame; the artisans too are merely human. Let them all assemble, let them stand up; they shall be terrified, they shall all be put to shame. The ironsmith fashions it and works it over the coals, shaping it with hammers, and forging it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line, marks it out with a stylus, fashions it with planes, and marks it with a compass; he makes it in human form, with human beauty, to be set up in a shrine. He cuts down cedars or chooses a holm tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it can be used as fuel. Part of it he takes and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it, makes it a carved image and bows down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he roasts meat, eats it and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Ah, I am warm, I can feel the fire!" The rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, bows down to it and worships it; he prays to it and says, "Save me, for you are my god!" They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and have eaten. Now shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?"

Second Reading

Ephesians 4:17-32
Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. That is not the way you learned Christ! For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

The Holy Gospel

Mark 3:19-35
and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"-- for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 26 Judica me, Domine
1   Give judgment for me, O LORD, for I have lived with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2   Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and my mind.
3   For your love is before my eyes; I have walked faithfully with you.
4   I have not sat with the worthless, nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5   I have hated the company of evildoers; I will not sit down with the wicked.
6   I will wash my hands in innocence, O LORD, that I may go in procession round your altar,
7   Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8   LORD, I love the house in which you dwell and the place where your glory abides.
9   Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
10   Whose hands are full of evil plots, and their right hand full of bribes.
11   As for me, I will live with integrity; redeem me, O LORD, and have pity on me.
12   My foot stands on level ground; in the full assembly I will bless the LORD.

Psalm 28 Ad te, Domine
1   O LORD, I call to you; my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; lest, if you do not hear me, I become like those who go down to the Pit.
2   Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.
3   Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, who speak peaceably with their neighbors, while strife is in their hearts.
4   Repay them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their actions.
5   According to the work of their hands repay them, and give them their just deserts.
6   They have no understanding of the LORD'S doings, nor of the works of his hands; therefore he will break them down and not build them up.
7   Blessed is the LORD! for he has heard the voice of my prayer.
8   The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;
9   Therefore my heart dances for joy, and in my song will I praise him.
10   The LORD is the strength of his people, a safe refuge for his anointed.
11   Save your people and bless your inheritance; shepherd them and carry them for ever.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 36 Dixit injustus
1   There is a voice of rebellion deep in the heart of the wicked; there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2   He flatters himself in his own eyes that his hateful sin will not be found out.
3   The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has left off acting wisely and doing good.
4   He thinks up wickedness upon his bed and has set himself in no good way; he does not abhor that which is evil.
5   Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds.
6   Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep; you save both man and beast, O LORD.
7   How priceless is your love, O God! your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
8   They feast upon the abundance of your house; you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9   For with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light.
10   Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, and your favor to those who are true of heart.
11   Let not the foot of the proud come near me, nor the hand of the wicked push me aside.
12   See how they are fallen, those who work wickedness! they are cast down and shall not be able to rise.

Psalm 39 Dixi, Custodiam
1   I said, "I will keep watch upon my ways, so that I do not offend with my tongue.
2   I will put a muzzle on my mouth while the wicked are in my presence."
3   So I held my tongue and said nothing; I refrained from rash words; but my pain became unbearable.
4   My heart was hot within me; while I pondered, the fire burst into flame; I spoke out with my tongue:
5   LORD, let me know my end and the number of my days, so that I may know how short my life is.
6   You have given me a mere handful of days, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; truly, even those who stand erect are but a puff of wind.
7   We walk about like a shadow, and in vain we are in turmoil; we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
8   And now, what is my hope? O Lord, my hope is in you.
9   Deliver me from all my transgressions and do not make me the taunt of the fool.
10   I fell silent and did not open my mouth, for surely it was you that did it.
11   Take your affliction from me; I am worn down by the blows of your hand.
12   With rebukes for sin you punish us; like a moth you eat away all that is dear to us; truly, everyone is but a puff of wind.
13   Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears.
14   For I am but a sojourner with you, a wayfarer, as all my forebears were.
15   Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again, before I go my way and am no more.

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.

Verse of the Day - January 17, 2017

Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV) Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Read all of Philippians 2

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - "When a Christian Dies"

Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

A number of books have reached the bestseller list that deal with alleged out-of-body experiences people claim to have had. And a Gallup survey revealed that some 8 million people claim to have had near-death journeys into the beyond.

But what happens when a Christian dies? Some teach that we go into a suspended state of animation and then later on are called into the presence of God. But in my understanding of Scripture, when a believer dies, he or she goes directly to Heaven. We go right into God's presence.

Remember the thief on the cross who hung next to Jesus? He said, "Remember me when you come into your Kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

Jesus told him, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." Today. Jesus was saying, "It's going to happen for you right away."

Paul said, "I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me" (Philippians 1:23). He didn't say, "I long to go and hang around in a soul sleep for a few thousand years." Paul again said, "So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6–8).

Once you leave your body when death occurs, your spirit goes into the presence of God. The moment you take your last breath on earth, you will take your first breath in Heaven.

That means we don't have to be afraid. It doesn't mean we want to die. But we don't have to be afraid.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2016 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - Lo dulce para el alma

El fruto del Espíritu es amor, alegría, paz, paciencia, amabilidad, bondad, fidelidad, humildad y dominio propio. Gálatas 5:22-23

¿Cómo te sientes cuando estás rodeado de personas negativas? ¿Donde el amor brilla pero por su ausencia? Es feo verdad. Uno de mis propósitos cada nuevo día es no unirme a personas negativas. El de luchar y hacer hasta lo imposible para no dejar contaminar mi corazón ni mi mente de las palabras y actitudes que tienen ciertas personas que nos rodean en nuestro trabajo, en la calle y aun en la iglesia. Que desean robarte tu paz y felicidad.

Si decimos tener una relación con Dios, ¿por qué dejamos que de nuestra boca solo salgan palabras negativas? ¿Por qué nuestra capacidad de comprensión a los demás es cada vez menor y por qué dejamos que el «orgullo» sea la imagen de nuestra vida?

Cuando recibimos a Jesús como nuestro único y verdadero Salvador, Dios espera que nosotros a través de conocerle, leer su Palabra y congregarnos en una iglesia, empecemos a dar los frutos de su Espíritu. Así que mira lo alejados que podemos estar de esto con nuestra manera de ser. A veces, con la forma en que nos proyectamos a los demás, somos nosotros mismos los que alejamos a nuestros amigos y familiares de Dios, pues lo que hablamos no coincide con lo que somos.

Pidámosle a Dios que podamos ser buenos representantes suyos en la tierra.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón. La Santa Biblia, Nueva Versión Internacional® NVI® Copyright © 1999 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH

“See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. Deuteronomy 32:39

January 17 will remain a vivid memory in the mind of forty-six-year-old Ali Moses for a very long time. The almost fatal attack on Ali’s life in central Nigeria turned out to be a powerful testimony destined to touch many more lives.

On the afternoon of that day, Ali was heading home to his family after a long day’s work. He got paid that day and like many previous pay-days had something special planned for the family.

On his way home Ali heard gunshots. Panic made him turn around with an urgency to get back to his working place as quickly as possible. But before Ali could make it back there, he ran into a group of irate jihadists. The incited protesters were proclaiming the name of Allah in Arabic, shouting profane slogans, insulting the Christian governor of Jos and called on the killing of Christians as infidels.

Within seconds Ali found himself surrounded by the violent mob. Brutal blows were raining down on him. More than eighteen hours later, Ali woke up in the hospital. His swollen body was throbbing and covered with bruises. Open Doors representative, Isaac, went to visit Ali in the hospital shortly after the incident to bring encouragement and assistance and learned about his near death encounter with the Muslim radicals. Considering the course of events, it appears the assailants buried Ali alive while in a state of unconsciousness.

Ali refers to the person who came to his aid as the “Samaritan.”

On the morning following the incident, Ado was passing by what looked like a new grave. He noticed movement in the pile of sand and went closer to inspect. To his astonishment, he could tell from the motion that it was in fact a person. The man immediately called for help.

Military police dug Ali from the shallow grave and rushed him to the hospital. At first, the medical staff found it very hard to believe that he could still be alive after his eighteen-hour ordeal. But hearing Ali’s testimony gave sceptics food for thought. After spending some time in hospital he made a complete recovery.

“I am grateful to God Almighty for saving my life from the hole, it is a miracle. God rescued me in a special way…Now I believe that the power of life and death lies in no-one’s hand but the Lord’s. All thanks belong to Him,” shared Ali from his hospital bed.

RESPONSE: Today I will live victoriously in the realization that my life and my death are in the hands of my loving Lord.

PRAYER: Pray for many Christians in hot spots of the world—like central Nigeria—who face death and death threats on a regular basis. Pray they will have the same assurance as Ali about God’s power and protection.

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

Girlfriends in God - The Mystery of Infinity

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. (Deuteronomy 33:27a)

Friend to Friend

My curiosity begs to understand life. My mind longs for logic. I am not overly fond of ungraspable concepts. When I was a child I asked a million questions. Why is the sky blue? Are angels all men? Why do bad things happen? Why can't we send my brussel sprouts to the starving children in Africa? Who created God?

I wanted answers.

I still do.

Give me a story that grabs my attention at the beginning. Fill it with intrigue. Throw in some high conflict and drama in the middle and then catch the bad guys, tie up the loose ends and call it done. Cue the applause. Bring down the curtain. But don’t even think about leaving me hanging… and certainly don’t ask me to tune in next week for the missing story-pieces.

Now that you are clued in on a bit of my “crazy,” you can imagine how I reacted as a youngster when the concept of infinity was introduced in math class. Suit me up for a straight jacket and take me to a rubber room. I thought my math teacher was nuts. You mean I’m supposed to comprehend, work with, and accept something that has no beginning and no ending? Really? That’s not neat. It’s not simple. It makes my brain hurt to even think about it!

Pure frustration, packaged in a sideways figure eight.

A mind-maddening math mystery.

Infinity.

Once I rose above the psychological drama-trauma of this new math concept, I figured out how to solve problems with infinity: even though I couldn’t fully wrap my brain around it. I completed my homework assignments and passed the tests without so much as running my fingernails down the chalkboard in a defiant, adolescent tantrum of revolt. Miracle.

There are a few characteristics of God that I find difficult to grasp. As you may have guessed, His eternal nature is one. It’s not easy to understand. As much as my inner four-year-old would like it to, the Bible does not begin with once upon a time, and it does not end with and they all lived happily ever after. The love saga of God, written in crimson by Christ, is a mystery that began before the dawn of time and goes on forever.

God's existence defies space, matter and time. It transcends it!

Let what Scripture has to say about His eternal nature blow your mind for a minute…

Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. (Job 36:26)

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28)

God is God. He is great. Unsearchable!

There is no one like Him, not one. Not now. Not ever.

He is uniquely and mysteriously eternal.

He is El Olam: The Everlasting God, El meaning “mighty one,” Olam meaning world, universe, everlasting time or space. His existence cannot be featured on a timeline because it does not come neatly packaged with a clearly defined beginning and ending. In fact, He is the Beginning and the End – the Alpha and Omega – the First and the Last.

There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. (Deuteronomy 33:26-27a)

 I would guess that, like me, you love the thought of God as your refuge. My heart completely resonates with the concept of His everlasting arms beneath me. Holding me. Protecting me. Guiding me. Do I fully understand it? Not at all … but it sure does help me to accept the concept of God’s eternal nature. More than that, it helps me to embrace His infinite nature.

When we allow the One who is beyond space, matter and time into our space, matter and time, we position ourselves to experience El Olam as a refuge for all eternity.

You and I run out of energy. We grow weary. We lose heart. God never does. The Everlasting God does not faint or grow weary and when we call out to Him, He renews our strength and revives our hope.

Yeah. I’m the girl who wants life to make sense, but I’ve been learning that there are some things in life that we just need to accept, rather than understand. Things we need to take at face value… at faith value. For me, this is one of them.

I worship El Olam – who was and is and is to come. Infinite Grace. And I’m grateful that on the day my lungs exhale my final earthly breath and my eyes lift to see Jesus face to face, all my questions will be not only satisfied, but also forgotten. Not just for a moment, but for all eternity.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, El Olam, Everlasting God, You surely are great! You are the most amazing mystery I will ever know. Help me to trust You, beyond my understanding. Increase my faith, and help me reflect Your infinite grace.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Our problems are finite… they have a beginning and an end. God’s ability to meet us at each challenge is not limited by space or time. Are there people or challenges with which you feel God is calling you trust Him deeper with? Let’s take this conversation deeper. Leave a comment or prayer of response on my blog wall.

Music Connection… I’m a worship girl, so I want to be sure to point you to a song that celebrates the ungraspable nature of our awesome God. The song is called “Unsearchable” and it is the title track to my “Unsearchable Live” CD. {I have posted the lyric video for Unsearchable on my blog so you can hear the song in its entirety.}

More From The Girlfriends

Today’s GiG devotion is adapted from Knowing God by Name by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc.

TWO DAY GIVEAWAY: Get a FREE copy of Gwen’s Uncluttered CD when you purchase the Girlfriends in God book, Knowing God by Name today or tomorrow. ONLY from the store at GwenSmith.net.

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