LHM Daily Devotion - "Remembering"

 February 16, 2017

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. -  Deuteronomy 5:15a (ESV)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the man who made Sherlock Holmes famous.

I can't be sure, but I don't think he ever wrote about the time when the great detective and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, were on safari in Africa. In the middle of the night, Holmes awoke, nudged his companion, and asked, "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

Deliberately, Dr. Watson replied: "Holmes, I see many things. Astronomically, I see millions of galaxies. From the placement of the stars, I see that time is about half-past three. Meteorologically, I can see we have every possibility of enjoying a sunny day tomorrow."

Holmes asked, "Is that  all  you see?"

Watson finally had to admit, "Yes, that's all I see. Is there more?"

With a sigh Holmes said, "Yes, Watson, you are not seeing someone has taken our tent."

Watson had managed to miss the single thing that should have been most obvious.

In similar fashion, I see a great many people following in Watson's footsteps. Newspapers report wonderful advancements in knowledge; the radio talks about breakthroughs in technology; television points to the marvels of modern science. They tell us we live in a most wondrous time.

Still, if these are the only things we see, like Dr. Watson, we're missing the most obvious.

We are missing the Lord's handiwork in the affairs of humankind. Now, it would hardly be the first time such a thing has happened. The people before the flood thought they could do without God. And after the deluge they raised a tower to show their contempt of the Deity.

When the Children of Israel, having seen God's miracles in Egypt and having experienced His guidance through the Sinai, were prepared to enter the Promised Land, God spoke to them. He reminded them not to forget they were there because He had brought them there. Then He concluded it all by saying, "Remember."

Remember. That's what God's people in every generation are supposed to do.

We are to  remember . Now remembering the Lord who has given us all ought to be elementary, but it isn't. As proof, I can say every nation throughout history has managed to forget God and give into the sin of pride. Every global power, having enjoyed a period of prosperity, looks around and concludes that they -- not God -- have earned what they have. They forget.

Well, we are not completely responsible for what our nation remembers or forgets, but we are in charge of our homes and our own lives. We can remember how the Lord sent His Son to be the sacrifice which saves us, or we can forget. We can remember how Jesus gave His life so we might have life, or we can forget. We can remember the resurrection and know it will produce a great, unending heavenly reunion, or we can forget. We can remember to thank the Savior with our lives, or we can forget.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, every good and perfect gift comes from You. May we remember to give thanks for them and for the greatest gift of all: the salvation that is ours through our Savior's sacrifice. In His Name we pray. Amen.

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

16 de Febrero 2017

Mi carne y mi corazón pueden desfallecer, pero Dios es la fortaleza de mi corazón y mi porción para siempre. Salmo 73:26 (LBLA)

En el mundo de los deportes de la escuela secundaria Rochelle en Texas, la alumna Bonnie Richardson se consagró como la atleta más destacada. Salió primera en salto alto, segunda en salto largo y tercera en lanzamiento de disco. Y luego salió primera en la carrera de 200 metros y segunda en la de 100 metros.

Esta alumna, por sí sola, logró acumular 42 puntos, ganando el título de Campeón del Estado.

Ahora, más allá de todos los laureles y trofeos que acumulemos en esta vida, las palabras del salmista siguen siendo ciertas: la carne y el corazón eventualmente van a desfallecer. Los grandes atletas del pasado hoy están confinados a los libros de historia y a los recuerdos en la memoria de sus admiradores.

Veamos lo que sigue diciendo el salmista: "Mi carne y mi corazón pueden desfallecer, pero Dios es la fortaleza de mi corazón y mi porción para siempre".

Lo más probable es que a cada uno de nosotros nos llegará el momento en que el cuerpo se rehusará a obedecer las órdenes del cerebro y las cosas no funcionarán como antes.

Cuando eso nos suceda, nuestro futuro nos podrá parecer sombrío y desalentador. Pero para quienes tenemos a Jesucristo como el Salvador de nuestras vidas, las cosas van a ser distintas. Porque gracias a él, sabemos que no estamos solos para enfrentar ese futuro. Nuestro Padre celestial, quien envió a su Hijo a salvarnos del castigo del pecado y de los estragos de la desobediencia, siempre está y va a estar con nosotros ayudándonos, protegiéndonos, guiándonos, y consolándonos. En él podemos confiar. Él nunca nos dejará ni nos abandonará.

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, te damos gracias por la fuerza de la juventud. Pero también te damos gracias porque por más dolores y problemas que suframos y por más viejos que nos volvamos, tu amor y cuidado son siempre constantes en nuestra vida. En tu nombre. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA) Copyright © 1986, 1995, 1997 by The Lockman Foundation.

Our Daily Bread - The Junkyard Genius

Read: John 9:1–11 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 19–20; Matthew 27:51–66

One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see! John 9:25

Noah Purifoy began his work as an “assemblage” artist with three tons of rubble salvaged from the 1965 riots in the Watts area of Los Angeles. From broken bicycle wheels and bowling balls to discarded tires and damaged TV sets—things no longer usable—he and a colleague created sculptures that conveyed a powerful message about people being treated as “throw-aways” in modern society. One journalist referred to Mr. Purifoy as “the junkyard genius.”

In Jesus’s time, many people considered those with diseases and physical problems as sinners being punished by God. They were shunned and ignored. But when Jesus and His disciples encountered a man born blind, the Lord said his condition was not the result of sin, but an occasion to see the power of God. “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). When the blind man followed Jesus’s instructions, he was able to see.

When the religious authorities questioned the man, he replied simply, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (v. 25).

Jesus is still the greatest “junkyard genius” in our world. We are all damaged by sin, but He takes our broken lives and shapes us into His new creations.

Lord, I thank You today for Your amazing grace!

Jesus is the restorer of life.

By David McCasland

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Thiên Tài Ve Chai

Đọc: Giăng 9:1-11 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Lê-vi ký 19-20; Ma-thi-ơ 27:51-66

Nhưng tôi chỉ biết một điều, ấy là trước tôi đã mù mà bây giờ thấy được. (Giăng 9:25)

Noah Purifoy bắt đầu công việc nghệ sĩ “lắp ráp” của mình với ba tấn gạch vụn phế thải từ những cuộc bạo loạn năm 1965 tại khu vực Watts của Los Angeles. Từ những bánh xe đạp bị gãy vụn và những quả bóng bowling bị hư đến những lốp xe bị vứt đi và những chiếc Tivi hỏng – những thứ không còn sử dụng được nữa – anh và những đồng nghiệp đã tạo nên những tác phẩm điêu khắc chuyển tải một thông điệp mạnh mẽ về những người bị đối xử như những “thứ đáng bỏ đi” của xã hội hiện đại. Một phóng viên đã gọi Purifoy là “thiên tài ve chai, đồng nát”.

Trong thời Chúa Jêsus, nhiều người coi những người bị bệnh tật về thể chất như những tội nhân bị Đức Chúa Trời hình phạt. Họ bị xa lánh và phớt lờ. Nhưng khi Chúa Jêsus và các môn đệ của Ngài gặp một người đàn ông bị mù, Chúa đã nói rằng bệnh tật của ông không phải là do tội lỗi, nhưng đó là cơ hội để quyền năng của Đức Chúa Trời được thể hiện. “Đang lúc Ta còn ở thế gian, Ta là ánh sáng của thế gian” (Giăng 9:5). Khi người mù đó làm theo sự chỉ dẫn của Chúa Jêsus, mắt ông đã thấy được.

Khi những người lãnh đạo tôn giáo chất vấn người mù đó, ông đáp lại cách đơn giản: “Tôi chỉ biết một điều, ấy là trước tôi đã mù mà bây giờ thấy được” (c.25).

Chúa Jêsus vẫn là “thiên tài ve chai” vĩ đại nhất trong thế giới của chúng ta. Chúng ta ai cũng bị tội lỗi hủy hoại, nhưng Ngài đã đón nhận cuộc đời tan vỡ của chúng ta và nắn chúng ta nên những tạo vật mới của Ngài.

Lạy Chúa, con cảm ơn Ngài vì ân điển diệu kỳ của Ngài!

Chúa Jêsus là Đấng phục hồi cuộc đời.

bởi David McCasland

© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - El genio de la basura

Leer: Juan 9:1-11 | La Biblia en un año: Mateo 27:51-66

… una cosa sé, que habiendo yo sido ciego, ahora veo (Juan 9:25).

Noah Purifoy empezó como artista de «recolección» con tres toneladas de escombros de los vandalismos de 1965 en una zona de Los Ángeles, Estados Unidos. Desde ruedas de bicicletas rotas y bolas de boliche hasta llantas desechadas y televisores dañados —cosas ya inservibles—, él y un colega crearon esculturas que transmitían un enérgico mensaje sobre cómo la sociedad moderna «descarta» a las personas. Un periodista se refirió a Purifoy como «el genio de la basura».

En la época de Jesús, muchos consideraban que quienes tenían enfermedades y problemas físicos eran pecadores a quien Dios estaba castigando. Entonces, los evitaban e ignoraban. Pero, cuando Jesús y sus discípulos se encontraron con un hombre que había nacido ciego, el Señor explicó que su estado no se debía al pecado, sino que era una ocasión para ver el poder de Dios: «Entre tanto que estoy en el mundo, luz soy del mundo» (Juan 9:5). El ciego siguió las indicaciones de Jesús y pudo ver.

Cuando las autoridades religiosas le preguntaron, él simplemente contestó: «una cosa sé, que habiendo yo sido ciego, ahora veo» (v. 25).

Jesús sigue siendo el gran «genio de la basura» del mundo. El pecado nos dañó a todos, pero Él toma nuestras vidas rotas y crea una nueva.

Señor, te agradezco por tu gracia asombrosa.

Jesús es el restaurador de la vida.

Por David C. McCasland

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Schrottkünstler

Lesen: Johannes 9,1-11 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 3.Mose 19–20; Matthäus 27,51-66

Eins aber weiß ich: dass ich blind war und bin nun sehend. Johannes 9,25

Noah Purifoy begann seine Laufbahn als „Assemblage“-Künstler mit drei Tonnen Abfall. Aus kaputten Fahrradrädern und Kegelkugeln über entsorgte Reifen bis hin zu kaputten Fernsehern—Dingen, die nicht mehr gebrauchstüchtig sind—schuf er mit einem Kollegen Skulpturen, die eindrücklich bewusstmachen, wie Menschen von der modernen Gesellschaft als „Abfallprodukte“ behandelt werden.

Zu Jesu Zeiten hielt man Menschen, die von Krankheiten oder körperlichen Problemen gequält wurden, für Sünder, die Gott strafte. Sie wurden verachtet und ignoriert. Aber als Jesus und seine Jünger einem Mann begegneten, der blind geboren war, sagte er, die Blindheit dieses Mannes sei nicht die Folge einer Sünde, sondern eine Gelegenheit, Gottes Macht zu erleben. „Solange ich in der Welt bin, bin ich das Licht der Welt“ (Joh. 9,5). Als der Blinde Jesu Aufforderung folgte, konnte er sehen.

Als die frommen Führer ihn befragten, sagte er einfach: „Eins weiß ich, dass ich blind war und bin nun sehend“ (V.25).

Jesus ist immer noch der größte „Schrottkünstler“ der Welt. Die Sünde hat uns alle kaputt gemacht, aber er nimmt unser zerbrochenes Leben und formt daraus etwas Neues.

Herr, ich danke dir heute für deine erstaunliche Gnade!

Jesus bringt das Leben wieder in Ordnung.

Von David McCasland

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Le génie de la décharge

Lisez : Jean 9.1‑11 | La Bible en un an : Lévitique 19 – 20 et Matthieu 27.51-66

[Je] sais une chose, c’est que j’étais aveugle et que maintenant je vois. (Jean 9.25)

Noah Purifoy a amorcé sa carrière d’artiste d’« assemblage » avec pour matière première trois tonnes d’ordures récupérées après les émeutes survenues en 1995 dans la région de Watts, à Los Angeles. À partir notamment de roues de vélo cassées, de boules de jeu de quilles, de pneus usés et de téléviseurs endommagés – des choses inutilisables –, un de ses collègues et lui ont créé des sculptures au message puissant concernant les gens que l’on traite comme des « détritus » au sein de la société moderne. Un certain journaliste a surnommé M. Purifoy « le génie de la décharge ».

À l’époque de Jésus, beaucoup de gens considéraient les malades et les infirmes comme des pécheurs que Dieu avait ainsi punis. On les évitait et l’on ne faisait aucun cas d’eux. Lorsque Jésus et ses disciples ont croisé le chemin d’un homme né aveugle, le Seigneur a toutefois indiqué que son état ne résultait pas d’un péché, mais constituait l’occasion de faire voir la puissance de Dieu : « Pendant que je suis dans le monde, je suis la lumière du monde » (JN 9.5). Quand l’aveugle s’est mis à suivre les directives de Jésus, la vue lui a été accordée.

Lorsque les autorités religieuses d’alors ont questionné l’aveugle, celui‑ci leur a simplement répondu : « [Je] sais une chose, c’est que j’étais aveugle et que maintenant je vois » (V. 25).

Jésus reste le plus grand « génie de la décharge » du monde, car de nos vies brisées par le péché, il fait de nouvelles créations.

Jésus est celui qui restaure la vie.

par David McCasland

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Хліб Наш Насущній - Геній звалищ

Читати: Івана 9:1-11 | Біблія за рік: Левит 19−20 ; Матвія 27:51-66

Одне тільки знаю, що я був сліпим, а тепер бачу! — Івана 9:25

Ноа Пуріфой почав свою справу як “митець збирання” з трьома тоннами різного непотребу, що він назбирав після заворушень у 1965 році в Уоттсі, передмісті Лос-Анджелеса. Використовуючи різні зламані і вже нікому не потрібні речі – від велосипедних коліс і м’ячів боулінгу до пошкоджених шин і телевізорів, – Ноа зі своїм колегою створював скульптури, що дуже яскраво відображали життя тих знедолених, яких у сучасному суспільстві вважають за непотріб. Один із журналістів назвав містера Пуріфоя “генієм звалищ”.

За часів Ісуса суспільство загалом вважало людей з хворобами та фізичними вадами грішниками, що їх покарав Бог. Їх уникали, ігнорували. Але коли Ісус з учнями зустрів одного чоловіка, що був сліпим від народження, Господь вказав, що його сліпота є не результатом гріха, а можливістю продемонструвати Божу силу. “Доки Я в світі, Я Світло для світу” (Ів. 9:5). Сліпець послухався наказів Ісуса, завдяки чому отримав зір.

Коли релігійні лідери почали допитуватись колишнього сліпця, як він прозрів, той просто відповів: “Одне тільки знаю, що я був сліпим, а тепер бачу!” (Ів. 9:25).

Ісус і тепер залишається найбільшим у світі митцем. Всі ми пошкоджені гріхом, але Його праця – взяти наше зламане життя і зробити з нього шедевр.

Господи, дякую Тобі сьогодні за Твою чудову благодать!

Ісус відновлює людські життя.

Автор Давид Маккасланд

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Мусорный гений

 Читать сейчас: Иоанна 9:1-11 | Библия за год: Левит 19-20; Матфея 27:51-66

Одно знаю, что я был слеп, а теперь вижу. — Иоанна 9:25

Ной Пьюрифой начал свою работу «художника-собирателя» с трех тонн булыжников, оставшихся на улицах Лос-Анжелеса после беспорядков в 1965 г. От сломанных велосипедных колес и шаров для боулинга до изношенных автопокрышек и сгоревших телевизоров – из всего этого он с помощниками создает скульптуры, которые повествуют о людях, ставших «отбросами» в современном обществе. Один журналист назвал Пьюрифоя «мусорным гением».

Во дни Иисуса Христа многие люди с болезнями и увечьями считались грешниками, наказанными Богом. Их презирали и изгоняли. Но когда Иисус, идя с учениками, увидел слепого от рождения человека, Он сказал, что его состояние – не результат греха, а возможность для Бога проявить Свою силу. «Доколе Я в мире, Я свет миру», – сказал Он (Ин. 9:5). Исполнив все, что велел ему Иисус, слепой прозрел.

Иудеи стали расспрашивать прозревшего о подробностях, а он просто ответил: «Знаю, что я был слеп, а теперь вижу» (Ин. 9:25).

Иисус – по-прежнему величайший художник, способный создавать великое из ничтожного. Мы все испорчены грехом, но Он берет нас в Свои руки и превращает в новое творение.

Господь, благодарю за Твою изумительную благодать!

Иисус Христос – восстановитель жизни.

автор: Дэвид Маккасланд

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, February 15, 2017

 The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Isaiah 63:15-64:9

Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and glorious habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The yearning of your heart and your compassion? They are withheld from me. For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our father; our Redeemer from of old is your name. Why, O LORD, do you make us stray from your ways and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you? Turn back for the sake of your servants, for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage. Your holy people took possession for a little while; but now our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary. We have long been like those whom you do not rule, like those not called by your name. O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence-- as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil-- to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from 1 Timothy 3:1-16

The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way-- for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 11:27-12:12
Glory be to Thee, O Lord

Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me." They argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"-- they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." Then he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'?" When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

Here ends the Gospel lesson for today.
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!

Morning Psalms

Psalm 101 Misericordiam et judicium
1   I will sing of mercy and justice; to you, O LORD, will I sing praises.
2   I will strive to follow a blameless course; oh, when will you come to me? I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
3   I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the doers of evil deeds; they shall not remain with me.
4   A crooked heart shall be far from me; I will not know evil.
5   Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.
6   My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.
7   Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.
8   I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the LORD.

Psalm 109 Deus, laudem
1   Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.
2   They speak to me with a lying tongue; they encompass me with hateful words and fight against me without a cause.
3   Despite my love, they accuse me; but as for me, I pray for them.
4   They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love.
5   Set a wicked man against him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
6   When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his appeal be in vain.
7   Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
8   Let his children be fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
9   Let his children be waifs and beggars; let them be driven from the ruins of their homes.
10   Let the creditor seize everything he has; let strangers plunder his gains.
11   Let there be no one to show him kindness, and none to pity his fatherless children.
12   Let his descendants be destroyed, and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
13   Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and his mother's sin not be blotted out;
14   Let their sin be always before the LORD; but let him root out their names from the earth;
15   Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy and sought to kill the brokenhearted.
16   He loved cursing, let it come upon him; he took no delight in blessing, let it depart from him.
17   He put on cursing like a garment, let it soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil;
18   Let it be to him like the cloak which he wraps around himself, and like the belt that he wears continually.
19   Let this be the recompense from the LORD to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against me.
20   But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your Name; for your tender mercy's sake, deliver me.
21   For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
22   I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
23   My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.
24   I have become a reproach to them; they see and shake their heads.
25   Help me, O LORD my God; save me for your mercy's sake.
26   Let them know that this is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.
27   They may curse, but you will bless; let those who rise up against me be put to shame, and your servant will rejoice.
28   Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
29   I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth; in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;
30   Because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save his life from those who would condemn him.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 119: Ayin Feci judicium
121   I have done what is just and right; do not deliver me to my oppressors.
122   Be surety for your servant's good; let not the proud oppress me.
123   My eyes have failed from watching for your salvation and for your righteous promise.
124   Deal with your servant according to your loving-kindness and teach me your statutes.
125   I am your servant; grant me understanding, that I may know your decrees.
126   It is time for you to act, O LORD, for they have broken your law.
127   Truly, I love your commandments more than gold and precious stones.
128   I hold all your commandments to be right for me; all paths of falsehood I abhor.

Psalm 119: Pe Mirabilia
129   Your decrees are wonderful; therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130   When your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131   I open my mouth and pant; I long for your commandments.
132   Turn to me in mercy, as you always do to those who love your Name.
133   Steady my footsteps in your word; let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134   Rescue me from those who oppress me, and I will keep your commandments.
135   Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.
136   My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.

Psalm 119: Sadhe Justus es, Domine
137   You are righteous, O LORD, and upright are your judgments.
138   You have issued your decrees with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139   My indignation has consumed me, because my enemies forget your words.
140   Your word has been tested to the uttermost, and your servant holds it dear.
141   I am small and of little account, yet I do not forget your commandments.
142   Your justice is an everlasting justice and your law is the truth.
143   Trouble and distress have come upon me, yet your commandments are my delight.
144   The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; grant me understanding, that I may live.

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 - February 15, 2017

1 John 4:10 (NIV) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Read all of 1 John 4

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

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - "The Big Issue Is Eternity"

For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. —Acts 20:27, NKJV

How hard it must be for a doctor to tell a family who is anxiously awaiting news on the condition of a loved one, “I’m sorry. He didn’t make it.” How hard it must be to say to someone who just had a medical test, “I’m sorry, but you have cancer.” Yet a doctor must tell the truth.

In the same way, it is hard at times to deliver the whole message of the gospel. The apostle Paul said he had not failed to declare the whole counsel of God. When we share the gospel, we like to say things like, “God loves you. He will give you peace, joy, forgiveness, and the hope of Heaven if you will receive Jesus Christ into your life.” But we avoid using the words Hell or judgment because we’re afraid people will get offended.

However, the word gospel means “good news.” And before I can fully appreciate the good news, I need to fully know the bad news. Jesus did not come to this earth to be an additive in our lives. Jesus did not come just to give us warm, fuzzy emotional feelings. He primarily came to deliver us from an eternal judgment in Hell, and things like happiness, peace, and joy are fringe benefits. The big issue is eternity. We must not be afraid to tell people the truth—the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help us God.

We have a message to share, and it isn’t always an easy one. God loves humanity. He is ready to forgive humanity. But if people reject His loving offer, then they seal their own fate and secure their judgment. And if we are going to be faithful to declare the whole counsel of God, then we must tell people that.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV®, 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 - Oración por protección

En paz me acuesto y me duermo, porque solo tú, Señor, me haces vivir confiado. Salmo 4:8, NVI

Dios mío, Padre mío… solo tú me haces vivir confiado. A esta hora levanto mi oración para pedirte que me protejas de todo mal y peligro.

Ahora soy consciente de que el enemigo quiere destruirme, quiere aprovecharse de mi debilidad y quiere robarme la felicidad.

Te pido, Dios mío, que me ayudes a reconocerte cada día en mis caminos y me llenes de tu amor y de tu gozo.

Te suplico, Padre eterno, que guardes a mis hijos y a mi familia. Que guardes mi negocio, mi economía y mi trabajo, pero sobre todo que guardes mi integridad y mi testimonio.

Envía tus ángeles a mi alrededor, a mi casa y a mi auto. Dame un resto del día muy feliz.

Amén y amén.

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

Standing Strong Through the Storm - WHEN LIFE STINKS, OUR PERSPECTIVE SHRINKS

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land…” Exodus 3:7-8, NIV

God’s chosen people were enslaved in miserable bondage and were crying out to Him in their suffering. God speaks to Moses about it at the burning bush and reveals His sustaining care for His people.

First of all, they were in Egypt because God cared for them. He rescued the Israeli nation from death by famine during the time of Joseph who himself was rescued from injustice and suffering to bring a solution to the coming famine crisis. This saved both the Israeli and the Egyptian nations. But a Pharaoh came along in time who did not know about Joseph and chose to persecute the growing Israeli population because of his fear of them.

In this situation they were not forgotten by the God of their fathers. Though, for wise reason, He delayed to appear in their behalf for several hundred years, yet He was not indifferent to their sufferings. Every tear they shed was preserved and every groan they uttered was recorded as testimony against their oppressors. Only God sees the beginning from the end. We are time-bound creatures and as problems arise, our perspective becomes diminished. African-American preachers articulate it this way: “When life stinks, our perspective shrinks!”

Years earlier God spoke to Father Abram in his sleep: “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there…In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:13, 16). In this situation God reveals His plan to Abram ahead of time and explains the “why.” He does not always do this, but from this example we learn we can trust His Father-heart.

So today we pray for persecuted church members who are suffering severely from Satan’s tactics of deceit and intimidation: loss of family members (Nigeria), economic deprivation (India), incarceration in metal shipping containers (Eritrea), lack of personal peace (Pakistan), fear of discovery (Middle East). As we pray, we can rest in the fact that they (and we) are part of God’s wise and caring plan, no matter how inscrutable that plan may appear to human eyes. There is hope because He hears the cry; He sees the misery; He is concerned about the suffering. When it seems dark and hopeless, the persecuted testify “God is good—all the time!”

RESPONSE: I will live in the light of God’s loving care and view my problems from His perspective.

PRAYER: Pray that persecuted believers will trust God and not suffer from shrunken perspectives.

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

Girlfriends in God - Please Make the Pain Go Away

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

Friend to Friend

As the basketball game heated up and the man-to-man coverage got up close and personal, he took an elbow to the ear. Seconds later his world went silent on the trauma side. Stunned, he continued to play and pointed to his ear as he ran down the court telling his coach about the situation.

“I can’t hear in my left ear!”

Wait, what? I read his lips from the stands and wondered if I accurately interpreted what my son had just communicated. (My stomach did the I-hate-when-my-kids-get-hurt twist.)

“I think he just told coach that he can’t hear out of his left ear!?” I said to the friend beside me.

My guess proved to be accurate.

Preston came out of the game and spoke with the athletic trainer. She listened to the recap of what happened, evaluated his ear, and then allowed him to go back in the game since he wasn’t in pain and no bleeding was visible. He finished the game in an oddly muted reality.

We got home late with our tall, tired teen and decided that we would get him in to see a doctor if his hearing didn’t come back or improve by the next day.

Morning did not bring the healing we had hoped for so we headed to the urgent care.

The doctor listened to the accident recap and then looked inside Preston’s ear. He saw through the tympanic membrane and quickly identified the source of the silence: bloody fluid had puddled on the other side of his eardrum due to the blunt force of the trauma.

The bad news? There was no immediate solution for the hearing loss. An invasive procedure could be done by a specialist, but wasn’t recommended.

The good news? He said that Preston’s hearing should return and his ear will eventually heal. His body will absorb the fluids over time. We’d just have to wait. It could take a few days. Possibly even a few months.

The diagnosis was as much sweet as it was bitter, but honestly we were hoping for a quicker solution. A speedier healing. A faster resolve.

#mylife

Make the pain go away, Lord! Now. Now. NOW!

I like things to happen right away. {You too?}

When our hearts are wounded from unexpected relationship traumas, we want to click a simple prayer button and make everything whole and well.

When questions are many and answers are few we want vision for a mile but often get just enough sight for the next step.

When our over spending choices slash us like falling prices, we try to throw a little sanitizing scripture on the gash of our debt and get out of it in the microwave minute of extended credit.

But life doesn’t work that way. Freedom doesn’t work that way. Quick faith fixes are not a biblical guarantee. Healing often takes time… and sometimes it doesn’t look like we want it to look. The way we think it should look.

Yes. God does sometimes rescue and bring us healing immediately, but He’s not obligated to. He’s God, He’s able, and He’s sovereign. Remembering this helps me to trust Him when life gets scary and stressful.

I think on this and a barrage of questions flood my mind.

Are there really life-impacting lessons to be learned in this lingering?

What if God wants to use the strains, stains and disappointments we face to refine us – restore us – strengthen us – and to draw us to His side in the desperation?

What if God’s plan is to teach us to know Him in new ways as we struggle to hear, to hope, and to heal?

What if instant healing or quick answers would rob me of greater depth?

If these “what if” wonderings are on point then I’m all for the waiting. Because I really do want to be a woman of depth. Don’t you? Isn’t that what faith is all about? The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen? (Hebrews 11:1)

If I always get what I hope for right away and can always see clearly, then how will my faith grow?

While Preston waited on his healing I prayed that the lessons we learned would be rich along the way. In the waiting of each trial, you and I will grow in faith as we lean in closely to listen to the whispers of the One who is compassionate, faithful, and trustworthy.

Let’s Pray

Lord, Please forgive me for the times when I tell You how to fix me. You are the all-knowing One. You are the all-powerful One. You are the God of all wisdom, grace, compassion and strength. I need You, Lord, and I choose right now to trust the plan of healing You have for me and for my loved ones. Thank You, Father.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Hebrews 11 and take a walk down history’s holy halls of faith.

Write a “by faith” statement for your life. What would you like to be written about you in the archives of humanity? {Click here to share your “by faith” statement with me as a comment on my blog.}

More from the Girlfriends


There are endless opportunities for us to worry, wander, and wonder. But that's not God's best for us. Though we remain broken and impacted by an imperfect world, you can get through anything in the power and hope of Jesus. That’s the message of I Want It ALL. Order yours today from Amazon, or get a signed copy when you order from Gwen’s website.

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