February 24, 2017
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
It has been some years since I was told of a small town newspaper which ran an article about the city council.
The owner of the paper, somewhat upset by recent events, had written an editorial which, in big, bold type, proclaimed, "Half the City Council Are Crooks!" While the editor expected some would demand a retraction, he never thought people would begin to cancel.
Finally, fear of having to shut down the paper permanently made him promise that he would, as many had suggested, print a retraction. The decision was made with great reluctance. Even so, being a man of his word, the following week the paper did come out with a retraction printed on the front page.
Along with the retraction, the newspaper featured a headline in big, bold type. That headline read,
"Half of Our City Council Are Not Crooks!"
Now I can't tell you whether that town's city council was dishonest. On the other hand, I do know that all of us are sinners -- every last one of us.
We are all sinners whom Jesus wishes to receive and change. Yes, that's right. Jesus will receive us and He will change us. You didn't think He was going to leave us the way we were, did you?
What would be the point in that?
If we were going to stay the same, there would have been no purpose in Jesus living and dying for us. No, Jesus will receive us as the sinners we are and then He will remake us into what God wants us to be.
Jesus will receive us, and give faith to us, and forgive us, and change us.
Now understand this God-performed transformation is not painful. On the contrary, it's wonderful to be redeemed, recycled and remade with a new heart and a new life filled with forgiveness. It is a blessed thing when God lifts you up and presents you with a wonderful life that will never end.
And all this happens because Jesus, the Savior, receives sinners.
How do I know? Well, I know because He changed me just like He has changed hundreds of millions before me. He has changed big sinners, little sinners, and large, and economy-sized sinners. He has changed ... well, you get the idea.
In short, you have a Savior who changed and became one of us. God's only Son became Mary's Firstborn. He who was present at the creation of the universe and called everything into being with a thought, was willing to live and die for us so that we might be rescued ... and changed.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, we will all experience many changes in our lives. Still, none of those changes will be any better than the one that takes us from damnation to salvation. Grant that we may do our best to show appreciation for the changes You have wrought through Jesus. In His Name. 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.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
CPTLN Devocional - Cuando Dios parece estar lejos
24 de Febrero 2017
"Yo esperaré al Señor, que escondió su rostro de la casa de Jacob. En él confiaré." Isaías 8:17 (RVC)
Cada vez que esperamos, ponemos a prueba nuestros nervios y actitudes. Lamentablemente, la paciencia no es una de las cualidades más comunes en la mayoría de las personas. Como resultado de esto, nos cuesta aceptar el tener que esperar por más tiempo de lo que teníamos pensado.
Por otro lado, cuando las cosas se dan como teníamos planeado y suceden en la forma en que se suponen que deben suceder, nos sentimos bien. Después de todo, nos decimos, no estamos pidiendo tanto -sólo que las cosas salgan como queremos y de acuerdo a nuestros planes.
¿Qué hacemos, entonces, cuando nada nos sale como esperábamos? Como cristianos --imitadores de Cristo--se espera que enfrentemos esas situaciones con paciencia y confianza. Esa fue la actitud que Cristo tuvo cuando cargó con el peso de nuestros pecados en la cruz del Calvario: se entregó totalmente a la voluntad de Dios, y puso su esperanza en él.
Nuestra paciencia y confianza en los propósitos de Dios se muestra mejor cuando seguimos el humilde ejemplo de Jesús. Cuando las cosas no están claras, cuando la vida está llena de dificultades y problemas, es cuando más debemos aferrarnos a la esperanza que tenemos. Cuando Dios parece estar lejos, recordemos que no lo está. Aún cuando nosotros nos alejemos de Él, Él nunca se aleja de nosotros.
Que el buen Señor, a través de su Espíritu Santo, nos dé fuerza y poder para amarlo y permanecer a su lado aún en los tiempos más difíciles de nuestra vida.
ORACIÓN: Querido Señor Dios, te damos gracias por el regalo de tu hijo Jesucristo. Ayúdanos a crecer en esperanza y amor, y a estar siempre cerca de ti. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.
Biografía del autor: Esta devoción fue escrita por un voluntario de la oficina de Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones en África. Si desea más información sobre los Centros Ministeriales, diríjase a Por el mundo en el menú, y seleccione el país que le interesa.
© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones.
"Yo esperaré al Señor, que escondió su rostro de la casa de Jacob. En él confiaré." Isaías 8:17 (RVC)
Cada vez que esperamos, ponemos a prueba nuestros nervios y actitudes. Lamentablemente, la paciencia no es una de las cualidades más comunes en la mayoría de las personas. Como resultado de esto, nos cuesta aceptar el tener que esperar por más tiempo de lo que teníamos pensado.
Por otro lado, cuando las cosas se dan como teníamos planeado y suceden en la forma en que se suponen que deben suceder, nos sentimos bien. Después de todo, nos decimos, no estamos pidiendo tanto -sólo que las cosas salgan como queremos y de acuerdo a nuestros planes.
¿Qué hacemos, entonces, cuando nada nos sale como esperábamos? Como cristianos --imitadores de Cristo--se espera que enfrentemos esas situaciones con paciencia y confianza. Esa fue la actitud que Cristo tuvo cuando cargó con el peso de nuestros pecados en la cruz del Calvario: se entregó totalmente a la voluntad de Dios, y puso su esperanza en él.
Nuestra paciencia y confianza en los propósitos de Dios se muestra mejor cuando seguimos el humilde ejemplo de Jesús. Cuando las cosas no están claras, cuando la vida está llena de dificultades y problemas, es cuando más debemos aferrarnos a la esperanza que tenemos. Cuando Dios parece estar lejos, recordemos que no lo está. Aún cuando nosotros nos alejemos de Él, Él nunca se aleja de nosotros.
Que el buen Señor, a través de su Espíritu Santo, nos dé fuerza y poder para amarlo y permanecer a su lado aún en los tiempos más difíciles de nuestra vida.
ORACIÓN: Querido Señor Dios, te damos gracias por el regalo de tu hijo Jesucristo. Ayúdanos a crecer en esperanza y amor, y a estar siempre cerca de ti. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.
Biografía del autor: Esta devoción fue escrita por un voluntario de la oficina de Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones en África. Si desea más información sobre los Centros Ministeriales, diríjase a Por el mundo en el menú, y seleccione el país que le interesa.
© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones.
Our Daily Bread - The Land of “What Is”
Read: Psalm 46:1–7 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 9–11; Mark 5:1–20
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Even all these years after losing our seventeen-year-old daughter Melissa in a car accident in 2002, I sometimes find myself entering the world of “What If.” It’s easy, in grief, to reimagine the events of that tragic June evening and think of factors that—if rearranged—would have had Mell arriving safely home.
In reality, though, the land of “What If” is not a good place to be for any of us. It is a place of regret, second-guessing, and hopelessness. While the grief is real and the sadness endures, life is better and God is honored if we dwell in the world of “What Is.”
In that world, we can find hope, encouragement, and comfort. We have the sure hope (1 Thess. 4:13)—the assurance—that because Melissa loved Jesus she is in a place that is “better by far” (Phil. 1:23). We have the helpful presence of the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). We have God’s “ever-present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). And we often have the encouragement of fellow believers.
We all wish to avoid the tragedies of life. But when we do face hard times, our greatest help comes from trusting God, our sure hope in the land of What Is.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Even all these years after losing our seventeen-year-old daughter Melissa in a car accident in 2002, I sometimes find myself entering the world of “What If.” It’s easy, in grief, to reimagine the events of that tragic June evening and think of factors that—if rearranged—would have had Mell arriving safely home.
In reality, though, the land of “What If” is not a good place to be for any of us. It is a place of regret, second-guessing, and hopelessness. While the grief is real and the sadness endures, life is better and God is honored if we dwell in the world of “What Is.”
In that world, we can find hope, encouragement, and comfort. We have the sure hope (1 Thess. 4:13)—the assurance—that because Melissa loved Jesus she is in a place that is “better by far” (Phil. 1:23). We have the helpful presence of the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). We have God’s “ever-present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). And we often have the encouragement of fellow believers.
We all wish to avoid the tragedies of life. But when we do face hard times, our greatest help comes from trusting God, our sure hope in the land of What Is.
Father God, You know my broken heart. You know the pain of loss because You suffered through the death of Your Son. In the midst of ongoing sorrow, help me to dwell in the comfort of Your hope, encouragement, and comfort.See the book Beyond the Valley by Dave Branon at dhp.org/te236.html
Our greatest hope comes from trusting God.
By Dave Branon
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Mảnh Đất Của Hiện Tại
Đọc: Thi Thiên 46:1-7 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Dân số Ký 9-11; Mác 5:1-20
Thưa anh em, chúng tôi không muốn anh em không biết về những người đã ngủ, để anh em không đau buồn như người khác không có hi vọng. (I Tê-sa-lô-ni-ca 4:13)
Dù nhiều năm đã trôi qua sau khi con gái Melissa bảy tuổi của chúng tôi qua đời trong một tai nạn giao thông năm 2002, đôi khi tôi vẫn thấy mình bước vào thế giới của những điều “giá như”. Khi đau đớn, thật dễ để mường tượng lại chuỗi sự kiện của đêm tháng Sáu bi thảm ấy và nghĩ về những điều mà nếu được sắp đặt lại, có thể giúp Melissa về nhà an toàn.
Tuy nhiên, trong thực tế, mảnh đất của những điều “giá như” ấy không phải là một nơi tốt lành cho bất cứ ai trong chúng ta. Đó là mảnh đất của hối tiếc, của những suy diễn và của vô vọng. Dù nỗi đau là thật và sự buồn bã thật dai dẳng, nhưng cuộc sống sẽ tốt đẹp hơn và Chúa được tôn kính nếu chúng ta sống trong thế giới của hiện tại.
Trong thế giới đó, chúng ta tìm thấy hy vọng, sự khích lệ và sự an ủi. Chúng ta có sự hy vọng chắc chắn (1 Tê-sa-lô-ni-ca 4:13) – hay sự đảm bảo – rằng vì Melissa yêu Chúa Jêsus nên giờ đây con bé đang ở một nơi “tốt hơn rất nhiều” (Phi-líp 1:23). Chúng ta có sự hiện diện vùa giúp từ Chúa của mọi sự an ủi (2 Côr 1:3). Chúng ta được Đức Chúa Trời “hằng giúp đỡ trong cơn hoạn nạn” (Thi 46:1). Và chúng ta thường nhận được sự khích lệ từ các tín hữu khác.
Chúng ta ai cũng ước mình tránh được những bi kịch trong cuộc sống. Nhưng khi chúng ta đối diện với những thời khắc khó khăn, sự cứu giúp vĩ đại nhất của chúng ta đến từ việc tin cậy Chúa – đó là niềm hy vọng chắc chắn của chúng ta trong mảnh đất của hiện tại.
© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Thưa anh em, chúng tôi không muốn anh em không biết về những người đã ngủ, để anh em không đau buồn như người khác không có hi vọng. (I Tê-sa-lô-ni-ca 4:13)
Dù nhiều năm đã trôi qua sau khi con gái Melissa bảy tuổi của chúng tôi qua đời trong một tai nạn giao thông năm 2002, đôi khi tôi vẫn thấy mình bước vào thế giới của những điều “giá như”. Khi đau đớn, thật dễ để mường tượng lại chuỗi sự kiện của đêm tháng Sáu bi thảm ấy và nghĩ về những điều mà nếu được sắp đặt lại, có thể giúp Melissa về nhà an toàn.
Tuy nhiên, trong thực tế, mảnh đất của những điều “giá như” ấy không phải là một nơi tốt lành cho bất cứ ai trong chúng ta. Đó là mảnh đất của hối tiếc, của những suy diễn và của vô vọng. Dù nỗi đau là thật và sự buồn bã thật dai dẳng, nhưng cuộc sống sẽ tốt đẹp hơn và Chúa được tôn kính nếu chúng ta sống trong thế giới của hiện tại.
Trong thế giới đó, chúng ta tìm thấy hy vọng, sự khích lệ và sự an ủi. Chúng ta có sự hy vọng chắc chắn (1 Tê-sa-lô-ni-ca 4:13) – hay sự đảm bảo – rằng vì Melissa yêu Chúa Jêsus nên giờ đây con bé đang ở một nơi “tốt hơn rất nhiều” (Phi-líp 1:23). Chúng ta có sự hiện diện vùa giúp từ Chúa của mọi sự an ủi (2 Côr 1:3). Chúng ta được Đức Chúa Trời “hằng giúp đỡ trong cơn hoạn nạn” (Thi 46:1). Và chúng ta thường nhận được sự khích lệ từ các tín hữu khác.
Chúng ta ai cũng ước mình tránh được những bi kịch trong cuộc sống. Nhưng khi chúng ta đối diện với những thời khắc khó khăn, sự cứu giúp vĩ đại nhất của chúng ta đến từ việc tin cậy Chúa – đó là niềm hy vọng chắc chắn của chúng ta trong mảnh đất của hiện tại.
Cha ơi, Ngài biết tấm lòng tan vỡ của con. Ngài cảm biết đau thương mất mát bởi vì chính Ngài cũng đau đớn trước cái chết của Con Ngài. Giữa những nỗi đau khôn nguôi, xin giúp con ẩn náu trong sự an ủi của niềm hy vọng, khích lệ và bình an của Ngài.
Niềm hy vọng vĩ đại nhất của chúng ta đến từ lòng tin cậy Chúa.
bởi Dave Branon
© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Nuestro Pan Diario - La tierra de «si hubiese…»
Leer: Salmo 46:1-7 | La Biblia en un año: Marcos 5:1-20
Tampoco queremos, hermanos, que ignoréis acerca de los que duermen, para que no os entristezcáis… (1 Tesalonicenses 4:13).
A un después de años de haber perdido a nuestra hija de 17 años en
un accidente automovilístico en 2002, me encuentro a veces sumido en el
mundo del «si hubiese…». En medio del dolor, es fácil imaginar cambios
en los sucesos de aquella trágica tarde de junio, que habrían traído a
mi hija de vuelta a casa sana y salva.
Sin embargo, la tierra del «si hubiese…» no es un buen lugar para
nadie. Allí hay remordimiento, sentimientos encontrados y desesperanza.
Aunque el dolor es verdadero y la tristeza no termina, la vida es mejor y
Dios es honrado si permanecemos en el mundo de «esta es la realidad».
En esta realidad, podemos encontrar esperanza, ánimo y consuelo. Tenemos la esperanza segura (1 Tesalonicenses 4:13) y la certeza de que, como Melissa había aceptado a Cristo como Salvador, está en un lugar «muchísimo mejor» (Filipenses 1:23). También disfrutamos de la presencia del Dios de toda consolación (2 Corintios 1:3) y de su «pronto auxilio en las tribulaciones» (Salmo 46:1). Además, solemos recibir ánimo de parte de otros creyentes.
Nadie desea experimentar tragedias en la vida, pero, cuando estas aparecen, nuestra mayor ayuda es confiar en Dios, la esperanza segura en la tierra de «esta es la realidad».
Señor, consuela mi corazón con la esperanza en ti.
Nuestra mayor esperanza viene de confiar en Dios.
Por Dave Branon
© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Unser Täglich Brot - Was wäre, wenn?
Lesen: Psalm 46,2-8 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 4.Mose 9–11; Markus 5,1-20
Wir wollen euch aber, liebe Brüder, nicht im Ungewissen lassen über die, die entschlafen sind, damit ihr nicht traurig seid wie die andern, die keine Hoffnung haben. 1.Thessalonicher 4,13
Selbst nach all den Jahren, nachdem wir unsere damals siebzehnjährige Tochter Melissa 2002 durch einen Autounfall verloren haben, frage ich mich manchmal noch: „Was wäre gewesen, wenn . . .?“ Es ist leicht, sich in seinem Kummer die Ereignisse jenes tragischen Juniabends immer wieder vor Augen zu führen und sich vorzustellen, dass Mell sicher nach Hause gekommen wäre, wenn dieses und jenes anders gelaufen wäre.
Tatsächlich jedoch ist das Land der „Was wäre gewesen, wenn?“ für keinen von uns ein guter Aufenthaltsort. Es ist ein Ort des Bedauerns, des Rätselratens und der Hoffnungslosigkeit. Auch wenn die Trauer echt ist und der Kummer bleibt, ist das Leben besser und wird Gott mehr geehrt, wenn wir uns in der Welt dessen, „was ist“, aufhalten.
In dieser Welt können wir Hoffnung, Ermutigung und Trost finden. Wir haben eine sichere Hoffnung (1.Thess. 4,13)—Gewissheit—dass Melissa an einem Ort ist, der „viel besser“ ist (Phil. 1,23), weil sie Jesus liebhatte. Wir haben die Gegenwart des Gottes allen Trostes (2.Kor. 1,3). Wir haben Gottes „Hilfe in den großen Nöten“ (Ps. 46,2). Und oft haben wir auch die Ermutigung anderer Gläubiger.
Wir wünschen uns keine Tragödien. Aber wenn wir Schweres durchmachen, dann ist unsere größte Hilfe das Vertrauen auf Gott, unsere sichere Hoffnung im Land dessen, „was ist“.
© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot
Wir wollen euch aber, liebe Brüder, nicht im Ungewissen lassen über die, die entschlafen sind, damit ihr nicht traurig seid wie die andern, die keine Hoffnung haben. 1.Thessalonicher 4,13
Selbst nach all den Jahren, nachdem wir unsere damals siebzehnjährige Tochter Melissa 2002 durch einen Autounfall verloren haben, frage ich mich manchmal noch: „Was wäre gewesen, wenn . . .?“ Es ist leicht, sich in seinem Kummer die Ereignisse jenes tragischen Juniabends immer wieder vor Augen zu führen und sich vorzustellen, dass Mell sicher nach Hause gekommen wäre, wenn dieses und jenes anders gelaufen wäre.
Tatsächlich jedoch ist das Land der „Was wäre gewesen, wenn?“ für keinen von uns ein guter Aufenthaltsort. Es ist ein Ort des Bedauerns, des Rätselratens und der Hoffnungslosigkeit. Auch wenn die Trauer echt ist und der Kummer bleibt, ist das Leben besser und wird Gott mehr geehrt, wenn wir uns in der Welt dessen, „was ist“, aufhalten.
In dieser Welt können wir Hoffnung, Ermutigung und Trost finden. Wir haben eine sichere Hoffnung (1.Thess. 4,13)—Gewissheit—dass Melissa an einem Ort ist, der „viel besser“ ist (Phil. 1,23), weil sie Jesus liebhatte. Wir haben die Gegenwart des Gottes allen Trostes (2.Kor. 1,3). Wir haben Gottes „Hilfe in den großen Nöten“ (Ps. 46,2). Und oft haben wir auch die Ermutigung anderer Gläubiger.
Wir wünschen uns keine Tragödien. Aber wenn wir Schweres durchmachen, dann ist unsere größte Hilfe das Vertrauen auf Gott, unsere sichere Hoffnung im Land dessen, „was ist“.
Vater im Himmel, du kennst mein zerbrochenes Herz. Du weißt um den Schmerz des Verlusts, weil du selbst deinen Sohn verloren hast. Hilf mir in aller Trauer, bei dir Trost und Hoffnung und Ermutigung zu finden.
Unsere größte Hoffnung besteht im Vertrauen auf Gott.
Von Dave Branon
© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot
Notre Pain Quotidien - Le pays « Ce qui est »
Lisez : Psaume 46.1‑8 | La Bible en un an : Nombres 9 – 11 et Marc 5.1-20
Nous ne voulons pas, frères, que vous soyez
dans l’ignorance au sujet de ceux qui dorment, afin que vous ne vous
affligiez pas comme les autres qui n’ont point d’espérance.
(1 Thessaloniciens 4.13)
Même après toutes ces années depuis la
perte en 2002, de notre fille Melissa, décédée dans un accident de
voiture à l’âge de 17 ans, je me surprends encore parfois à entrer dans
le pays « Et si ». En proie à la tristesse, il est facile de réinventer
les événements d’une soirée fatidique du mois de juin selon des facteurs
qui – si on les réorganisait – ramèneraient Mel saine et sauve à la
maison.
En réalité, par contre, le pays « Et si »
n’est bon à visiter pour aucun d’entre nous. C’est un lieu de regrets,
de doutes et de désespoir. Bien que le chagrin soit réel et que la
tristesse perdure, la vie s’en trouve meilleure et Dieu s’en trouve
honoré si nous fréquentons plutôt le pays « Ce qui est ».
Il nous est possible d’y trouver l’espoir,
l’encouragement et la consolation. Nous avons l’espoir ferme (1 TH 4.13) – l’assurance – que, parce que Melissa aimait Jésus, elle se
trouve aujourd’hui dans un endroit « qui de beaucoup est le meilleur »
(PH 1.23). Nous pouvons compter sur la présence salutaire du Dieu de
toutes consolations (2 CO 1.3), un « secours qui ne manque jamais dans
la détresse » (PS 46.1). Et nous y avons souvent droit aux
encouragements de nos frères et soeurs en Christ.
Nous souhaitons tous éviter les
tragédies, mais devant les épreuves de la vie, notre plus grande aide
nous vient du fait de mettre notre confiance en Dieu, l’espoir ferme que
recèle le pays « Ce qui est ».
Notre plus grand espoir résulte de notre confiance en Dieu.
par Dave Branon
© 2017 Ministères NPQ
Хліб Наш Насущній - Країна “Що, якби…”
Читати: Псалом 45:1-8 | Біблія за рік: Числа 9–11 ; Марка 5:1-20
Не хочу ж я, браття, щоб не відали ви про покійних, щоб ви не сумували, як і інші, що надії не мають. — 1 Солунян 4:13
Хоча проминуло багато років після загибелі моєї 17-річної доньки Меліси в автомобільній катастрофі у 2002 році, я інколи дозволяю собі блукати в країні “Що, якби…” Сумуючи, дуже легко знову прокручувати в пам’яті події того трагічного липневого вечора, розважати над факторами, що допомогли б моїй доньці щасливо дістатись додому – якщо б усе склалося по-іншому. Та якщо чесно, країна “Що, якби…” – то не дуже корисне місце для будь-кого з нас. Це земля гіркого жалю, сумних згадок та безнадії. Хоча смуток втрати реальний, хоча біль десь залишається в серці, саме життя стає кращим і Бог вшановується більше, коли ми селимося в країні реального сьогодення.
У Христі ми знаходимо втіху, підбадьорення, справжню надію (1 Сол. 4:13) – впевненість, що Меліса знаходиться в місці “значно ліпшому” (Фил. 1:23), адже вона любила Ісуса. Можемо знаходити силу йти далі у присутності “Бога потіхи всілякої” (2 Кор. 1:3). Маємо Бога, Хто завжди поруч, якою б не була наша проблема (Пс. 45:2). А ще ми часто отримуємо підбадьорення від наших братів та сестер у Христі.
Всі ми намагаємося уникнути в житті трагедій. Але коли приходять важкі часи, джерелом найбільшої втіхи для нас стає довіра Богу, Який готує для нас все найкраще.
© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній
Не хочу ж я, браття, щоб не відали ви про покійних, щоб ви не сумували, як і інші, що надії не мають. — 1 Солунян 4:13
Хоча проминуло багато років після загибелі моєї 17-річної доньки Меліси в автомобільній катастрофі у 2002 році, я інколи дозволяю собі блукати в країні “Що, якби…” Сумуючи, дуже легко знову прокручувати в пам’яті події того трагічного липневого вечора, розважати над факторами, що допомогли б моїй доньці щасливо дістатись додому – якщо б усе склалося по-іншому. Та якщо чесно, країна “Що, якби…” – то не дуже корисне місце для будь-кого з нас. Це земля гіркого жалю, сумних згадок та безнадії. Хоча смуток втрати реальний, хоча біль десь залишається в серці, саме життя стає кращим і Бог вшановується більше, коли ми селимося в країні реального сьогодення.
У Христі ми знаходимо втіху, підбадьорення, справжню надію (1 Сол. 4:13) – впевненість, що Меліса знаходиться в місці “значно ліпшому” (Фил. 1:23), адже вона любила Ісуса. Можемо знаходити силу йти далі у присутності “Бога потіхи всілякої” (2 Кор. 1:3). Маємо Бога, Хто завжди поруч, якою б не була наша проблема (Пс. 45:2). А ще ми часто отримуємо підбадьорення від наших братів та сестер у Христі.
Всі ми намагаємося уникнути в житті трагедій. Але коли приходять важкі часи, джерелом найбільшої втіхи для нас стає довіра Богу, Який готує для нас все найкраще.
Отче Небесний, Ти бачиш моє розбите серце. Ти розумієш біль моєї втрати, бо Сам колись віддав на смерть Свого єдиного Сина. Допоможи серед смутку находити в Тобі втіху, надію, підбадьорення.
Джерело найбільшої надії – довіра Богу.
Автор Давид Бренон
© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній
Хлеб наш насущный - Страна «Если бы»
Читать сейчас: Псалом 45:1-8 | Библия за год: Числа 9-11; Марка 5:1-20
Не хочу же оставить вас, братья, в неведении об умерших, чтобы вы не скорбели, как прочие, не имеющие надежды. — 1 Фессалоникийцам 4:13
Даже спустя много лет после того как мы потеряли нашу семнадцатилетнюю дочь Мелиссу в автомобильной аварии в 2002, я порой улетаю в страну, которую называю «Если бы». Мысли сами возвращаются к событиям того трагического июньского вечера, представляя, что было бы, если бы Мелисса благополучно вернулась домой.
Хотя на самом деле страна «Если бы» – не самое лучшее место. Это мрачная долина сожалений и безнадежности. Хотя скорбь реальна и печаль время от времени заполняет сердце, жить будет легче и Бог прославится больше, если мы будем думать о том, что действительно существует.
А существует надежда, утешение и поддержка. Мы скорбим не так, как не имеющие надежды (1 Фес. 4:13). Поскольку Мелисса знала Иисуса Христа, она теперь находится там, где «несравненно лучше» (Флп. 1:23). Вездесущий Бог, Отец всякого утешения (2 Кор. 1:3), поддерживает нас Своим присутствием. Он – наш скорый помощник в бедах (Пс. 45:2). Кроме того, нас часто поддерживают другие христиане.
Мы все хотели бы избежать несчастий и бед. Но когда они случаются, наша главная помощь приходит от упования на Бога, у Которого нет «если бы», а все всегда самое лучшее.
© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Не хочу же оставить вас, братья, в неведении об умерших, чтобы вы не скорбели, как прочие, не имеющие надежды. — 1 Фессалоникийцам 4:13
Даже спустя много лет после того как мы потеряли нашу семнадцатилетнюю дочь Мелиссу в автомобильной аварии в 2002, я порой улетаю в страну, которую называю «Если бы». Мысли сами возвращаются к событиям того трагического июньского вечера, представляя, что было бы, если бы Мелисса благополучно вернулась домой.
Хотя на самом деле страна «Если бы» – не самое лучшее место. Это мрачная долина сожалений и безнадежности. Хотя скорбь реальна и печаль время от времени заполняет сердце, жить будет легче и Бог прославится больше, если мы будем думать о том, что действительно существует.
А существует надежда, утешение и поддержка. Мы скорбим не так, как не имеющие надежды (1 Фес. 4:13). Поскольку Мелисса знала Иисуса Христа, она теперь находится там, где «несравненно лучше» (Флп. 1:23). Вездесущий Бог, Отец всякого утешения (2 Кор. 1:3), поддерживает нас Своим присутствием. Он – наш скорый помощник в бедах (Пс. 45:2). Кроме того, нас часто поддерживают другие христиане.
Мы все хотели бы избежать несчастий и бед. Но когда они случаются, наша главная помощь приходит от упования на Бога, у Которого нет «если бы», а все всегда самое лучшее.
Бог Отец, Ты знаешь сокрушение моего сердца. Тебе знакома боль утраты, потому что Ты видел смерть Своего Сына. Помоги мне среди скорбей утешаться Твоей надеждой и ободрением.
Наша величайшая надежда происходит от веры в Бога.
автор: Дэвид Брэнон
© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный
The Daily Readings for THURSDAY, February 23, 2017
The Old Testament Lesson
The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Ruth 2:14-23
At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, "Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her." So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz." Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin." Then Ruth the Moabite said, "He even said to me, 'Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.'" Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field." So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Epistle Lesson
The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from 2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory! Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Holy Gospel Lesson
The Holy Gospel is written in Matthew 5:27-37
Glory be to Thee, O Lord
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No' anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Here ends the Gospel lesson for today.
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!
Morning Psalms
Psalm 131 Domine, non est
1 O LORD, I am not proud; I have no haughty looks.
2 I do not occupy myself with great matters, or with things that are too hard for me.
3 But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; my soul is quieted within me.
4 O Israel, wait upon the LORD, from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 132 Memento, Domine
1 LORD, remember David, and all the hardships he endured;
2 How he swore an oath to the LORD and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 I will not come under the roof of my house, nor climb up into my bed;
4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep, nor let my eyelids slumber;
5 Until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."
6 The ark! We heard it was in Ephratah; we found it in the fields of Jearim.
7 Let us go to God's dwelling place; let us fall upon our knees before his footstool."
8 Arise, O LORD, into your resting-place, you and the ark of your strength.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; let your faithful people sing with joy.
10 For your servant David's sake, do not turn away the face of your Anointed.
11 The LORD has sworn an oath to David; in truth, he will not break it:
12 A son, the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.
13 If your children keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their children will sit upon your throne for evermore."
14 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired her for his habitation:
15 This shall be my resting-place for ever; here will I dwell, for I delight in her.
16 I will surely bless her provisions, and satisfy her poor with bread.
17 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will rejoice and sing.
18 There will I make the horn of David flourish; I have prepared a lamp for my Anointed.
19 As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame; but as for him, his crown will shine."
Psalm 133 Ecce, quam bonum!
1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity!
2 It is like fine oil upon the head that runs down upon the beard,
3 Upon the beard of Aaron, and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It is like the dew of Hermon that falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For there the LORD has ordained the blessing: life for evermore.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
1 Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Psalm 135 Laudate nomen
1 Hallelujah! Praise the Name of the LORD; give praise, you servants of the LORD.
2 You who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to his Name, for it is lovely.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself and Israel for his own possession.
5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the deeps.
7 He brings up rain clouds from the ends of the earth; he sends out lightning with the rain, and brings the winds out of his storehouse.
8 It was he who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He overthrew many nations and put mighty kings to death:
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land to be an inheritance, an inheritance for Israel his people.
13 O LORD, your Name is everlasting; your renown, O LORD, endures from age to age.
14 For the LORD gives his people justice and shows compassion to his servants.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; eyes have they, but they cannot see.
17 They have ears, but they cannot hear; neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18 Those who make them are like them, and so are all who put their trust in them.
19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD.
20 Bless the LORD, O house of Levi; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD.
21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
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 23, 2017
Proverbs 14:22 (NIV) Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.
Read all of Proverbs 14
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 - "When We Don't Know Why"
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)
I don’t have neat, tidy little explanations for everything we face in life. If you had come to me when I first began preaching in my late teens and early twenties and asked me why something happened the way it did, I would tell you. But now that I’ve been preaching for a while, I don’t have all those answers.
There are things that happen that I cannot explain. But I do know that we can give thanks—not for the hardship but because God is still on the throne. And ultimately, God even can work all things together for good to those of us who love Him. We can give thanks that the word oops is not in God's vocabulary. We can give thanks that no matter what happens to us on this earth, we still have the hope of Heaven.
The Bible says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). We are to give thanks, not for our problems but for the fact that God is still in control.
When we get sick, we pray that God will heal us, and many times He does. Yet sometimes He doesn’t. Why? Because there is something on this earth called sin, and we all live under the curse of it. We all have to die sooner or later. It’s a tragedy.
But here is the good news. As Christians, we will go to Heaven, no matter what. It may be hard. It may be difficult. But we will go to Heaven, we will see the Lord, and all of our questions will be answered.
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.
I don’t have neat, tidy little explanations for everything we face in life. If you had come to me when I first began preaching in my late teens and early twenties and asked me why something happened the way it did, I would tell you. But now that I’ve been preaching for a while, I don’t have all those answers.
There are things that happen that I cannot explain. But I do know that we can give thanks—not for the hardship but because God is still on the throne. And ultimately, God even can work all things together for good to those of us who love Him. We can give thanks that the word oops is not in God's vocabulary. We can give thanks that no matter what happens to us on this earth, we still have the hope of Heaven.
The Bible says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). We are to give thanks, not for our problems but for the fact that God is still in control.
When we get sick, we pray that God will heal us, and many times He does. Yet sometimes He doesn’t. Why? Because there is something on this earth called sin, and we all live under the curse of it. We all have to die sooner or later. It’s a tragedy.
But here is the good news. As Christians, we will go to Heaven, no matter what. It may be hard. It may be difficult. But we will go to Heaven, we will see the Lord, and all of our questions will be answered.
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 la amistad
El hombre que tiene amigos ha de mostrarse amigo; y amigo hay más unido que un hermano.
Proverbios 18:24
(RV-60)
Dios, en este día llego delante de ti para abrirte mi corazón y pedirte protección de las malas amistades. Señor, confieso que he sido débil algunas veces y que me he dejado llevar por malas influencias. Dios mío, te pido perdón si en algún momento he negado mi andar contigo para complacer a personas que están lejos de ti.
Te pido perdón y te reconozco hoy como mi mejor amigo.
Guarda, por favor, a mis hijos de esas malas amistades y dales sabiduría en el momento elegir. También ayúdame para servirles de buen ejemplo a mis hijos, a fin de que vean siempre un ambiente sano y saludable en nuestro hogar.
Aleja, por favor, esas personas que no son un buen ejemplo y enséñame a ser firme para no fallar.
Gracias, mi Dios, gracias, porque eres un Dios de oportunidades.
Te amo. En el nombre de Jesús, amén y amén.
Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón. Versión Reina-Valera 1960 © Sociedades Bíblicas en América Latina, 1960. Renovado © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1988.
Standing Strong Through the Storm - SUFFERING CAN PURIFY MY FAITH
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have
had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your
faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may
be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is
revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
Believers in North Korea’s underground church recite five principles, along with the Lord’s Prayer, at their secret gatherings. The special place of purifying suffering in the spiritual life of this church is striking:
1. Our persecution and suffering are our joy and honor.
2. We want to accept ridicule, scorn and disadvantages with joy in Jesus’ name.
3. As Christians, we want to wipe others’ tears away and comfort the suffering.
4. We want to be ready to risk our life because of our love for our neighbor, so that they also become Christians.
5. We want to live our lives according to the standards set in God’s Word.
Christian singer, Helen Berhane was arrested for sharing her faith in her home country of Eritrea. She spent almost three years in prison, much of this time in a metal shipping container. Because she would not deny her faith or stop sharing her faith, she was beaten so severely she could not walk. During her time in the containers she wrote new Christian songs and spent her time encouraging other Christian prisoners, as well as witnessing to the prison guards.
After her release, she resettled in Europe and has written her prison memoirs in a small book titled, Song of the Nightingale. In the introduction when describing her feelings inside the shipping container prison, she writes:
Sometimes I cannot believe that this is my life—these four metal walls, all of us corralled like cattle, the pain, the hunger, the fear. All because of my belief in a God who is risen, who charges me to share my faith with those who do not yet know him. A God who I am forbidden to worship. I think back to a question I have been asked many times over my months in prison: “Is your faith worth this, Helen?” As the guards continue on their rounds, I whisper the answer: “Yes.”[1]
RESPONSE: Today I will accept suffering as something that can prove and purify my faith.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for those trials and challenges that help me be more like You. You are worth it all and more!
1. Helen Berhane, Song of the Nightingale (Colorado Springs: Authentic Media, 2009), p. xiii.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Believers in North Korea’s underground church recite five principles, along with the Lord’s Prayer, at their secret gatherings. The special place of purifying suffering in the spiritual life of this church is striking:
1. Our persecution and suffering are our joy and honor.
2. We want to accept ridicule, scorn and disadvantages with joy in Jesus’ name.
3. As Christians, we want to wipe others’ tears away and comfort the suffering.
4. We want to be ready to risk our life because of our love for our neighbor, so that they also become Christians.
5. We want to live our lives according to the standards set in God’s Word.
Christian singer, Helen Berhane was arrested for sharing her faith in her home country of Eritrea. She spent almost three years in prison, much of this time in a metal shipping container. Because she would not deny her faith or stop sharing her faith, she was beaten so severely she could not walk. During her time in the containers she wrote new Christian songs and spent her time encouraging other Christian prisoners, as well as witnessing to the prison guards.
After her release, she resettled in Europe and has written her prison memoirs in a small book titled, Song of the Nightingale. In the introduction when describing her feelings inside the shipping container prison, she writes:
Sometimes I cannot believe that this is my life—these four metal walls, all of us corralled like cattle, the pain, the hunger, the fear. All because of my belief in a God who is risen, who charges me to share my faith with those who do not yet know him. A God who I am forbidden to worship. I think back to a question I have been asked many times over my months in prison: “Is your faith worth this, Helen?” As the guards continue on their rounds, I whisper the answer: “Yes.”[1]
RESPONSE: Today I will accept suffering as something that can prove and purify my faith.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for those trials and challenges that help me be more like You. You are worth it all and more!
1. Helen Berhane, Song of the Nightingale (Colorado Springs: Authentic Media, 2009), p. xiii.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Devotions for Men - The Highly Effective Christian
Luke 19:11–27
Recommended Reading: Exodus 4:10–12; Isaiah 6:8; Ezekiel 2:1–7; 1 Corinthians 12:4–31
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey recommends the following mental exercise: Imagine that you’ve died and that four people representing different aspects of your life speak at your funeral: a relative, a fellow church member, a business colleague and someone else from your community. What would each one honestly say about your life?
While it’s not easy to imagine others testifying to the effectiveness of our lives in the context of a funeral, this exercise does provide some much needed perspective. There’s nothing like the end of a life to get others to consider the course of their days. Take a few minutes to seriously think about what these individuals might say about you to a gathered crowd.
Now take a few moments to imagine what Jesus would say about your Christian life to this point. What does he think about your faith? What does he think about your accomplishments for his kingdom? Would he describe you as someone growing closer to him each day?
Jesus told a story about three servants in order to illustrate that God expects each of us to be faithful with what he has given us. Of course, any number of fears might hinder us from using the gifts God gives us: fear of failure, fear of ridicule, fear of God’s disapproval, to name a few biggies. Failure to invest represents the most serious potential shortfall of all. Only when we use our faith does it stand a chance of growing. If we don’t exercise it, it becomes stagnant and lifeless. Can you think of anyone whose faith looks like that?
Let’s look ahead ten years and repeat the mental exercise. If you spend the next ten years investing your faith and wholeheartedly using the gifts God gives you to serve him, what would a relative, a fellow church member, a business colleague and someone else from your community be likely to say at your funeral? What would Jesus say?
To Take Away
Recommended Reading: Exodus 4:10–12; Isaiah 6:8; Ezekiel 2:1–7; 1 Corinthians 12:4–31
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey recommends the following mental exercise: Imagine that you’ve died and that four people representing different aspects of your life speak at your funeral: a relative, a fellow church member, a business colleague and someone else from your community. What would each one honestly say about your life?
While it’s not easy to imagine others testifying to the effectiveness of our lives in the context of a funeral, this exercise does provide some much needed perspective. There’s nothing like the end of a life to get others to consider the course of their days. Take a few minutes to seriously think about what these individuals might say about you to a gathered crowd.
Now take a few moments to imagine what Jesus would say about your Christian life to this point. What does he think about your faith? What does he think about your accomplishments for his kingdom? Would he describe you as someone growing closer to him each day?
Jesus told a story about three servants in order to illustrate that God expects each of us to be faithful with what he has given us. Of course, any number of fears might hinder us from using the gifts God gives us: fear of failure, fear of ridicule, fear of God’s disapproval, to name a few biggies. Failure to invest represents the most serious potential shortfall of all. Only when we use our faith does it stand a chance of growing. If we don’t exercise it, it becomes stagnant and lifeless. Can you think of anyone whose faith looks like that?
Let’s look ahead ten years and repeat the mental exercise. If you spend the next ten years investing your faith and wholeheartedly using the gifts God gives you to serve him, what would a relative, a fellow church member, a business colleague and someone else from your community be likely to say at your funeral? What would Jesus say?
To Take Away
- What gifts and opportunities has God provided that you can use for him?
- Be honest with yourself. How have you done at living a life of faith in God?
- What aspects of your life have you been withholding from God? What steps can you take to invest these areas in faithful service to him?
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