NIV Devotions for Couples - Help for a Shaky Marriage

Psalm 46:1–11

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

What could shake the very foundation of your marriage?

For Rick and Amanda, it started with Rick’s working too much. With each promotion, Rick spent more time on the road and less time with Amanda. But success at work left him empty. He bought things he couldn’t afford to reward himself for his long hours away. Soon he and Amanda were arguing over money.

To pay the mounting bills, Amanda found a job. She also found a sympathetic friend at work and tried to heal her hurts with an affair. When Rick found out about the affair, he quietly made plans to divorce Amanda. Before the papers could be filed, however, Amanda got sick with a minor illness. But complications set in, and she was put into the hospital. More than once, the doctors told Rick that she wouldn’t make it through the night.

That night Rick began to see things differently. He wanted to save the marriage, but he didn’t know how. As Amanda’s illness became progressively worse, she went into a coma. Rick feared for her life and spent every waking moment by her side.

In Psalm 46, we see the world being torn apart by cataclysmic disasters—mountains collapsing into the sea, earthquakes, floods and military conquests. But the author of this psalm tells us that we shouldn’t fear. How could we not be afraid when faced with such terrifying events?

The psalmist tells us that through all of the turbulence, God is with us. God is our refuge and strength when problems shake our world. He has such awesome power that the world actually melts at the sound of his voice. God is in control and will be exalted.

As Amanda lay in the hospital, fighting to live, Rick was fired from his job. He had to sell their house and their car. But when everything he thought was important was stripped away, Rick found God was there through it all. When he heard God’s voice, it was as if his earthly troubles melted away. Rick believed God was in control and that Amanda would live.

And she did.

Today Amanda is permanently disabled. She requires full-time care. Life will never be the same for this couple. But their marriage has withstood the worst threats possible. They now trust God daily for healing, forgiveness and the restoration of their marriage. They endured past trials and found that God was their refuge. They will face future trials knowing he is their strength. Their marriage has never been stronger.

Whatever long, dark nights you face as a couple, let this passage remind you that God is ever-present, the morning will come, and the battle has already been won.

Jennifer Schuchmann

Let’s Talk

• This psalm inspired the hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” What spiritual fortresses can we build to protect our marriage in times of trials?
• Recognizing that God is our refuge and our strength during trials means understanding his character before trials occur. What is God really like? How does knowing who he is provide us with strength and refuge?
• When our world is shaken, how hard is it for us to believe that God is really in control?

LHM Daily Devotion - "Right Gift, Wrong Gift"

 January 21, 2017

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17

It was a number of years ago when our daughter, Kris, moved into a new apartment.

Wishing to provide a bit of beauty to her new digs, Pam picked out a beautiful orchid as a housewarming present. Kris was most pleased and set the flower in a prominent position on her kitchen table. The flower stayed in that prominent spot for a good four or five hours. Sadly, the orchid was demoted when it became miserably apparent that Kris was terribly allergic to the thing.

If she got close, she would begin to sneeze, her voice got raspy, and her eyes would puff up. When the plant (or Kris) was moved to the safe distance of another room, all symptoms would begin to retreat.

The plant had been a good gift, a well-intentioned gift, but it was still the wrong gift.

Pam and I are not alone in the presenting of wrong gifts.

A few weeks ago Texas Governor Greg Abbott visited with the President of Taiwan. As is customary at such meetings, the two exchanged presents. The President of Taiwan gave a vase and the Governor of Texas, in ignorance, gave a clock.

I say "in ignorance" because the good Governor did not know that in Chinese and Taiwanese tradition, giving a clock also conveys the end of a relationship, the termination of someone's life, a curse which symbolizes an unexpected ending for the individual who has received the timepiece.

The clock had been a good gift, a well-intentioned gift, but it was still the wrong gift.

Two thousand years ago, our Heavenly Father sent His only Son into this world as the greatest Gift this sinful planet would ever receive. It had been entrusted to Jesus to keep the Law, resist every temptation, and then carry our sins to the cross, where He would be unfairly and unjustly crucified.

Sadly, the people who were among the first recipients took one look at God's Gift and they rejected it. They called God's Son a "liar," a "devil," a "Samaritan," and a "false prophet." Most rejected Him out of hand and more than a few plotted and took part in His martyrdom.

Yes, Jesus was murdered, but three days after His burial, He rose from the dead and showed Himself to a world that would never again be the same. His resurrection told all who hear that Jesus was a good Gift, a well-intentioned Gift, and He was the right Gift, which moves lost souls from hell to heaven.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the world still wishes to make Jesus into a wrong gift. May their minds and hearts be opened to the perfection and commitment the Savior brought to His mission to save us. 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.

Our Daily Bread - Abandon It All

By Dave Branon

Read: Romans 12:1–8 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 1–3; Matthew 14:1–21

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1)

When I played college basketball, I made a conscious decision at the beginning of each season to walk into that gym and dedicate myself totally to my coach—doing whatever he might ask me to do.

It would not have benefited my team for me to announce, “Hey, Coach! Here I am. I want to shoot baskets and dribble the ball, but don’t ask me to run laps, play defense, and get all sweaty!”

Every successful athlete has to trust the coach enough to do whatever the coach asks them to do for the good of the team.

In Christ, we are to become God’s “living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). We say to our Savior and Lord: “I trust You. Whatever You want me to do, I am willing.” Then He “transforms” us by renewing our minds to focus on the things that please Him.

It’s helpful to know that God will never call on us to do something for which He has not already equipped us. As Paul reminds us, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (v. 6).

Knowing that we can trust God with our lives, we can abandon ourselves to Him, strengthened by the knowledge that He created us and is helping us to make this effort in Him.

Heavenly Father, no one deserves our sacrifice and dedication more than You. Help us to realize the joy that comes from abandoning ourselves to You.

There is no risk in abandoning ourselves to God.

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Dedicar todo

Por Dave Branon

Leer: Romanos 12:1-8 | La Biblia en un año: Mateo 14:1-21

Así que, hermanos, os ruego por las misericordias de Dios, que presentéis vuestros cuerpos en sacrificio vivo… (Romanos 12:1).

Cuando jugaba baloncesto en la universidad, cada año, al empezar la temporada, tomaba la seria decisión de ir al gimnasio y dedicarme por completo a mi entrenador… es decir, hacer todo lo que me pidiera.

Al equipo no lo habría beneficiado que yo hubiese dicho: «¡Oye, entrenador! Acá estoy. Quiero lanzar la pelota al aro y driblar, ¡pero no me pidas que corra, que juegue en la defensa ni que sude!».

Todo deportista exitoso tiene que confiar en su entrenador lo suficiente como para hacer todo lo que este le pida para beneficio del equipo.

En Cristo, debemos convertirnos en un «sacrificio vivo» (Romanos 12:1). Le decimos a nuestro Salvador y Señor: «Confío en ti. Estoy dispuesto a hacer todo lo que me pidas». Entonces, Él nos transforma renovando nuestra mente para que nos concentremos en las cosas que le agradan.

Es útil saber que el Señor nunca nos pedirá que hagamos algo para lo cual no nos haya primeramente equipado. Como nos recuerda Pablo: «Ya que tenemos diferentes dones, […] [usémoslos] conforme a la medida de la fe» (v. 6).

Podemos confiarle nuestra vida a Dios y dedicarnos a Él, ya que nos fortalece saber que nos creó y que nos ayuda a hacer lo que nos pide.

Señor, tú mereces más que nadie nuestro sacrificio y dedicación. Ayúdame a comprender que la consagración a ti trae gozo.

Consagrarnos a Dios no implica ningún riesgo.

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Ganze Hingabe

Von Dave Branon

Lesen: Römer 12,1-8 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 2.Mose 1-3; Matthäus 14,1-21

Ich ermahne euch nun, liebe Brüder, durch die Barmherzigkeit Gottes, dass ihr eure Leiber hingebt als ein Opfer, das lebendig . . . ist. (Römer 12,1)

Als ich Basketball spielte, habe ich mir jede Saison ganz bewusst vorgenommen, mich konsequent den Anweisungen des Trainers zu unterstellen, sobald ich die Sporthalle betrete—egal, was er von mir verlangen würde.

Ich hätte dem Team nicht sehr genutzt, wenn ich gesagt hätte: „He, Trainer, hier bin ich. Ich will Körbe schießen und Dribbeln, aber erwarte nicht von mir, dass ich Pässe spiele, verteidige oder ins Schwitzen gerate!“

Jeder erfolgreiche Sportler muss dem Trainer so weit vertrauen, dass er zum Besten der Mannschaft alles tut, worum der Trainer ihn bittet.

In Jesus sollen wir zu einem „lebendigen Opfer“ Gottes werden (Röm. 12,1) Wir sagen zu unserem Herrn und Heiland: „Ich vertraue dir. Ich tue alles, was du von mir verlangst.“ Dann „ändert“ er uns, indem er unsere Sinne so erneuert, dass sie sich auf das konzentrieren, was ihm gefällt.

Dabei hilft es zu wissen, dass Gott uns nie zu etwas berufen wird, zu dem er uns nicht schon vorher fähig gemacht hat. Paulus sagt das so: „[Wir] haben verschiedene Gaben nach der Gnade, die uns gegeben ist“ (V.6).

Weil wir wissen, dass wir Gott unser Leben anvertrauen können, können wir uns ihm ganz hingeben. Dabei stärkt uns die Gewissheit, dass er uns geschaffen hat und uns dabei hilft, für ihn zu wirken.

Himmlischer Vater, niemand hat unser Opfer und unsere Hingabe mehr verdient als du. Lass uns erkennen, wie froh es macht, sich dir ganz hinzugeben.

Es ist kein Risiko, sich Gott ganz hinzugeben.

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Откажитесь от всего

автор: Дэвид Брэнон

Читать сейчас: Римлянам 12:1-8 | Библия за год: Исход 1-3; Матфея 14:1-21

Итак, умоляю вас, братья, милосердием Божиим: представьте тела ваши в жертву живую. — Римлянам 12:1

Играя в баскетбол в колледже, я принял твердое решение: на каждой тренировке во всем слушаться тренера. Что бы он ни поручил – я буду беспрекословно выполнять.

Едва ли моя команда выиграла бы, если бы я заявил: «Эй, тренер! Вот он я. Теперь поставьте меня забивать мячи в корзину, а бегать по кругу, играть в защите и потеть я не хочу!»

Каждый успешный спортсмен должен доверять тренеру и во всем его слушаться. Это послужит успеху всей команды.

Во Христе мы призваны стать «живой жертвой» Богу (Рим. 12:1). Мы говорим нашему Господу и Спасителю: «Я верю Тебе. Куда бы Ты меня ни послал – я все сделаю». В этом случае Он будет «преображать» нас, обновляя ум и направляя на угодные Ему дела.

Полезно помнить, что Бог никогда не призовет нас на то, к чему заранее не приготовил. Как напоминает Павел, мы «имеем различные дарования» (Рим. 12:6).

Зная, что Богу можно доверить жизнь, отвергнем себя ради Него и укрепимся истиной, что Он сотворил нас и помогает во всяком труде во славу Его.

Отче Небесный, никто не заслуживает нашей жертвы и посвящения больше, чем Ты. Помоги нам познать радость, которая приходит от самоотверженности ради Тебя.

Нет риска в том, чтобы отказаться от себя ради Бога.

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - Tout abandonner

par Dave Branon

Lisez : Romains 12.1‑8 | La Bible en un an : Exode 1 – 3 et Matthieu 14.1-21

Je vous exhorte donc, frères, par les compassions de Dieu, à offrir vos corps comme un sacrifice vivant. (Romains 12.1)

Lorsque je jouais dans l’équipe de basketball de mon université, je prenais consciemment la décision en début de chaque saison d’entrer dans le gymnase en me consacrant entièrement à mon entraîneur, résolu à faire tout ce qu’il demanderait de moi.

Il n’aurait pas été avantageux pour mon équipe que j’annonce : « Hé, entraîneur ! Je suis là. Je veux faire des tirs au panier et des dribbles, mais ne me demande pas de courir des longueurs, de jouer à la défense et de suer comme un porc ! »

Tout athlète accompli se doit de faire assez confiance à son entraîneur pour faire tout ce que celui‑ci demandera de lui pour le bien de l’équipe.

En Christ, il nous faut devenir chacun « un sacrifice vivant » (RO 12.1), lui disant : « Je te fais confiance. Tout ce que tu me demanderas de faire, je le ferai. » Puis il nous « transformera » en renouvelant notre esprit afin de l’axer sur les choses qui lui sont agréables.

Il est utile de savoir que Dieu ne nous appellera jamais à faire une chose sans nous avoir déjà rendus aptes à l’accomplir. Comme Paul nous le rappelle, « nous avons des dons différents, selon la grâce qui nous a été accordée » (V. 6).

Sachant que nous pouvons confier notre vie à Dieu, abandonnons‑nous donc à lui, fortifiés par la connaissance du fait qu’il nous a créés et qu’il nous aidera à tout réussir en lui.

Il n’y a aucun risque à s’abandonner à Dieu.

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Bible Verses Emphasized by Past US Presidents on Inauguration Day

US Presidents raise their right hand and customarily place their left hand on a Bible when they recite the oath that inaugurates them into the office. Out of 67 inaugurations to date, 37 had Bibles opened to specific verses on Inauguration Day. According to the records of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, following is a list of the Bible verses past Presidents have chosen for the special day (quoted from the King James Version of the Bible). 

George Washington in 1789: Genesis 49:13
“Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.” (The Bible was opened randomly for the occasion.)

Abraham Lincoln in 1865: Matthew 7:1, 18:7, and Revelation 16:7
Matthew 7:1— “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
Matthew 18:7— “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Revelation 16:7— “And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.”

Andrew Johnson in 1865: Proverbs 20 and 21
Proverb 20— “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise…”
Proverb 21— “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will…”

Ulysses S. Grant in 1873: Isaiah 11:1-3
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots…”

Rutherford B. Hayes in 1877: Psalm 118:11-13
“They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them…“

James A. Garfield in 1881: Proverbs 21:1
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

Chester A. Arthur in 1881: Psalm 31:1-2
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness…”

Grover Cleveland in 1885: Psalm 112:4-10
“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious and full of compassion, and righteous…”

Benjamin Harrison in 1889: Psalm 121:1-6
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help…”

Grover Cleveland in 1893: Psalm 91:12-16
“They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone…”

William McKinley in 1897: 2 Chronicles 1:10
“Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge thy people, that is so great?”

William McKinley in 1901: Proverbs 16:20-21
“He that handleth a matter wiseley shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”

Theodore Roosevelt in 1905: James 1:22-23
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…”

William H. Taft in 1909: 1 Kings 3:9-11
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?…”

Woodrow Wilson in 1913: Psalm 119:43-46
“And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments…”

Woodrow Wilson in 1917: Psalm 46
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…”

Warren G. Harding in 1921: Micah 6:8
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Calvin Coolidge in 1923: John 1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…”

Herbert C. Hoover in 1929: Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, 1937, 1941, and 1945: 1 Corinthians 13
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing…”

Harry S. Truman in 1949: Matthew 5 and Exodus 20
Matthew 5— “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him…”
Exodus 20— “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me…”

Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953: Psalm 33:12 and 2 Chronicles 7:14
Psalm 33:12— “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
2 Chronicles 7:14— “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957: Psalm 33:12
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

Richard Nixon in 1969: Isaiah 2:4
“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Richard Nixon in 1973: Isaiah 2:2-4
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord‘s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it…”

Gerald Ford in 1974: Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding…”

Jimmy Carter in 1977: Micah 6:8
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Ronald Reagan in 1981 and 1985: 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

George H.W. Bush in 1989: Matthew 5
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him…”

Bill Clinton in 1993: Galatians 6:8
“For that he soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but that he soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Bill Clinton in 1997: Isaiah 58:12
“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many great generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

George W. Bush in 2005: Isaiah 40:31
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

The Daily Readings for FRIDAY, January 20, 2017

First Reading

Isaiah 45:18-25
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it a chaos, he formed it to be inhabited!): I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, "Seek me in chaos." I the LORD speak the truth, I declare what is right. Assemble yourselves and come together, draw near, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge-- those who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return: "To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; all who were incensed against him shall come to him and be ashamed. In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall triumph and glory.

Second Reading

Ephesians 6:1-9
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-- this is the first commandment with a promise: "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

The Holy Gospel

Mark 4:35-41
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

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.

Verse of the Day - January 20, 2017

James 1:2-3 (NIV) [ Trials and Temptations ] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Read all of James 1

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - "Eternity in Our Hearts"

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. —Ecclesiastes 3:11

I read a story about a little dog named Mugsy, who was crossing the street one day and was tragically hit by a truck. His heartbroken owners buried him in the pet cemetery. They were sad they would never see their precious little pooch again.

But much to their surprise three days later, Mugsy was scratching at the back door. They could hardly believe their eyes. They opened the door and Mugsy came in, covered with dirt but breathing. They had buried him alive, but the industrious little pooch clawed his way out and found his way home.

Then I read another story about a cat named Clem. He left home one day, and his owners thought that was the end of him. But eight years later, Clem showed up, walked inside the house, and jumped into his favorite chair. They thought it couldn't possibly be Clem. But when they pulled out old pictures of Clem for comparison, there was no question. Clem had returned home.

God has built a homing instinct into the animal kingdom, but He also has put this inside every human being as well. It's a sense there is something more to life. You see, mankind has been created uniquely in the image of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that He put eternity in our hearts.

Because of this, we never will be fully satisfied in this life. No matter what we achieve, no matter how many of our goals we reach, there always will be something missing.

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, not only will you have a life that is worth living, not only will you find the meaning of life, but you also will have the hope of life beyond the grave. That is life during life—and life after death.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2016 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - Honra a tus padres

Honra a tu padre y a tu madre [...] para que te vaya bien y disfrutes de una larga vida en la tierra. Efesios 6:2-3

Si quieres alargar tu vida, debes honrar a tus padres. Honrar es respetar. Es fascinante saber que es un mandamiento establecido por Dios y es el primero que tiene una promesa a su lado. En nuestras palabras es bien sencillo: Si respetamos, o sea, honramos a papá y mamá, Dios nos garantiza que tendremos una larga vida. Y es tan profunda esta enseñanza que, desde que la conocí, hago lo mejor de mi parte para darles a mis padres todo mi respeto, amor y atención, aunque no viven conmigo en Estados Unidos.

¿Cuándo fue la última vez que atendiste a tu padre? ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que tuviste un detalle con tu madre? Sé que a menudo el rencor y el resentimiento acompañan el corazón de los hijos, pues en muchos casos esos padres fueron abusadores y fuertes con ellos. Nunca les dieron amor. Es más, nunca les dijeron que los amaban y, en la actualidad, esos corazones están endurecidos por la falta de perdón.

Hoy es el día de honrar a papá y mamá, sin importar lo que sucediera en el pasado. Tu obligación es vivir un principio, y si necesitas perdonarlos hoy, hazlo. Llámalos, escríbeles una carta para decirles lo importante que son para ti, y esto tendrá un hermoso fruto. Te sentirás libre y entonces podrás ser obediente al mandato de Dios. Y si alguno partió con el Señor, exprésalo mediante una oración.


Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón.Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI) La Santa Biblia, Nueva Versión Internacional® NVI® Copyright © 1986, 1999, 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A New Name for A New Way - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Day 10

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 11:26 and John 15:18-25.

As Jesus’ followers grew into a movement, they began to be called “the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). The name probably began as a reference to Christ’s statement, “I am the way” (John 14:6). Most members of the Way had Jewish roots. When Antioch saw an infusion from other ethnic groups, however, no one knew what to call the multicultural body. Old ethnic designations—Jews, Greeks, Romans, Gentiles—no longer fit. The Antiochians seized on the one factor that united the diverse community—Christ. Actually, the term Christian, or Christ-follower, began as a sarcastic put-down (Acts 11:26). But the name stuck and became a badge of honor.

Sadly, the term Christian has in recent times again become treated as an insult in popular culture. Some blame the liberal mindset of modern society for looking down on Christians as uptight, naive fanatics with outdated ideas that are irrelevant to modern life. And that mindset is probably partly to blame. But it would be naive to assume that Christians are not also at least partly responsible for damaging their own public image. The early Christians also lived in a liberal age, yet by the second century A.D. they had earned a reputation for being relatable, relevant, and “worthy of admiration.”

Jesus Himself warns us that since we are not of the world, the world will hate us just as it hated Him (John 15:18–25). However, this does not give us permission to hate the world back—Jesus certainly doesn’t (3:16). What we are supposed to do, however, is win people over to Christ. How might we live in such a way as to get the world’s attention for all the right reasons? How might we, through our everyday actions, reflect the glory of the kingdom of God?

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

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS

…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

The letter to the Hebrews was written to first century Jewish background believers who were being severely persecuted. Some were even considering giving up their faith in Jesus. The unknown author pens what many Bible scholars feel was originally a sermon about the superiority of Jesus over anyone else and everything else.

He slowly builds his case to culminate in the great faith chapter. In this chapter, he also points out that some great men and women of faith lived to see the fruit of their faith while many others—also men and women of faith—died prematurely because of persecution. Now in chapter twelve, the author makes what I think is his critical statement or main point of the letter.

How do we walk by faith? We walk by faith by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus! Not fixed on our problems or difficult environment of opposition. Jesus was the pioneer and perfecter of faith. He endured opposition to the point of crucifixion. So we follow His example and we will also patiently endure because of the joy we know that is yet to come.

In a communist country, a Christian girl named Viorica was beaten harshly in school because she had invited her schoolmates to church. She fainted during the beating, and an ambulance had to take her to hospital. Two days passed before she regained consciousness. When she did, the doctor at her bedside said, “You poor girl, at last you’ve opened your eyes. All this time I’ve been thinking of the cruelty of the director who beat you like this. My heart has been bitter with hatred. I wish I could take revenge on him.”

Viorica smiled. “There is no need to hate him,” she replied. Jesus taught us to love everyone. Just before I opened my eyes, I saw Him and talked to Him. He asked me whether it still hurts. And He told me that in heaven I will receive a very beautiful crown, which is reserved only for those who have suffered for Him. He told me to pray for those who mistreated me, and to love them, because our influence will help them to give their lives to God and so become His children.”

From the mouths of children! Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!

RESPONSE: Today I will take my eyes off my surroundings, my problems, my fears and my suffering. I will keep them fixed on Jesus my Lord.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me keep my focus on You and in so doing bring glory and honor to You.

Men of the Bible - Abraham

His name means: "Father of a Multitude"

His work: A tender of livestock.
His character: Abraham was a man of faith who followed God even in the most challenging of circumstances.
His sorrow: At times Abraham compromised God's instructions.
His triumph: Abraham obeyed God, and God blessed him with a son in his old age.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 12-23

A Look at the Man

The life of Abraham is a study in faithfulness, obedience, and sometimes blind trust. It's also the story of a God who keeps his covenant promises.

Abram (later named Abraham) and his wife Sarai (later named Sarah) lived in Haran where Abraham was a prosperous livestock owner. By all accounts, he was comfortable. But an order from the living God changed all that.

"Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." God did not mince his words. He didn't even ask Abraham to consider moving. He told him to go. And to make it even more of a challenge, God didn't specify Abraham's destination. He only said, "Go." And then God made Abraham a promise. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you."

It's hard to imagine how shocking this news was to Abraham. And when Sarah heard Abraham's report of what God had said, she must have been overwhelmed. "Leave our home? Go on a journey to nowhere? Have children even though we are barren?"

But Sarah trusted Abraham, just as Abraham trusted God. They said good-bye to their families and, along with their nephew, Lot, their possessions, and a caravan of servants, they set out southwest toward Canaan, the area where Abraham's descendants would call "home" to this day.

Time and again, throughout his life, God tested Abraham's resolve to obey him. And, time and again, God reconfirmed his promise to Abraham—a land, a nation, and a blessing.

Abraham is the most revered of the patriarchs. His name and God's promise of a nation were even recalled as Mary accepted her call to be the mother of Jesus. "God has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever even as he promised."

But Abraham's place in history is not only well established because of the millions who count themselves as his offspring. Nor is Abraham honored because he was a perfect man. He wasn't.

Abraham is the most significant patriarch because of God's call and covenant with him and Abraham's remarkable courage to be obedient.

Reflect On: Genesis 12:10-20
Praise God: For not hiding his plans but revealing his intentions through the promises he has made.
Offer Thanks: For the way you have benefited from this one man’s obedience.
Confess: Your failure at times to believe God’s promises.
Ask God: To enable you to make faith visible through your obedience.