LHM Daily Devotion - "Showing Respect"

February 28, 2017

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."  - Revelation 7:11-12 (ESV)

Respect, that's a word and a concept, which has fallen out of favor.

Respect. Watch the evening news and keep tabs on what you see. Almost always the reports will begin with a lack of respect. There's the video footage of a mangled car where someone decided to disrespect the railroad crossing's flashing lights, ringing bells, and descending crossbuck barriers. There is also the story of the latest terrorist bombing where some religious fanatic has decided that his point of view is so important that he has a mandate to disrespect and destroy the lives of innocent men, women and children.

Those tragedies have one thing in common. They are all accounts that show no respect.

Most of our Daily Devotions folk will not argue when I suggest that today respect is in serious and short supply. Most of us remember President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was crippled by polio. No matter what you think of him as a leader, it must be conceded that he waged a heroic fight against that disease.

The media of his day respected that battle.

Although Roosevelt served as president longer than any other man, and was unable to walk, unaided during that entire time, there are only two known pictures of him in a wheelchair. Today, let a leader fall, become sick, or stumble in a speech, and a disrespectful press will gleefully gloat and splash the story across its front pages. It will suggest we judge that entire individual on the basis of that slip or stumble.

I imagine it's not the first time in history that respect hasn't, well, been respected. Here's what an observer of society once said: "... our youths love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority -- they show disrespect for their elders and love to chatter in places of exercise .... Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households."

Do you agree? Well, that was said by Socrates, the Athenian philosopher. He said those words almost 2,500 years ago. You see, lack of respect is nothing new. In fact, if you think about it, when Adam and Eve decided they knew better than God and ate the forbidden fruit, that choice was motivated by a lack of respect.

In contrast to those who elevate themselves, Christians should be different.

Because of the Savior's sacrifice, because we have been moved from darkness to light, because we have been forgiven, restored and redeemed, we should always show respect to the Lord. We ought to join our voices with those who stand before the heavenly throne and say, "Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord when I speak Your Name, may it be done with honor and respect. May all around me know the gratitude I have for all You have done for me. This I ask in my Redeemer's 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.

CPTLN Devocional - Comprendo

28 de Febrero 2017

¡Alabado sea Dios en su templo! ¡Alabado sea en la majestad del firmamento!... ¡Alabado sea el Señor al son de trompetas! ¡Alabado sea el Señor con salterio y arpa! ¡Alabado sea al ritmo del pandero! ¡Alabado sea con flautas e instrumentos de cuerda! ¡Alabado sea con campanillas sonoras! ¡Alabado sea con campanillas jubilosas! ¡Que todo lo que respira alabe al Señor! ¡Aleluya! Salmo 150:1,3-6 (RVC)

He asistido a muchas recepciones de bodas y he escuchado toda clase de bandas. Desde las más populares hasta las más sofisticadas; bandas de rock, bandas de polca, grandes bandas como en los viejos tiempos, mini-orquestas, e incluso una banda escocesa con gaitas.

Algunas fueron realmente buenas; otras, casi una tortura. Sin embargo, por más malas que fueran, no las trataría como recientemente fue tratada una en una boda en Afganistán.

Con el transcurrir de los años, el Talibán ha demostrado no sentirse cómodo con los oficiales del gobierno, la policía, las tropas extranjeras y las escuelas para niñas. Y luego también agregaron a su lista a las bandas que tocan en las bodas.

Esta vez no mataron a los miembros de la banda, pero sí destruyeron sus instrumentos musicales, golpearon a cinco músicos, los ataron a árboles, les afeitaron la cabeza y les hicieron prometer públicamente nunca más cantar o tocar música en ninguna boda.

Esto no se debió a la mala aptitud de los músicos, sino que el Talibán cree que la música no es islámica.

Qué contraste con las palabras de ánimo del Salmista. En lugar de censurar la música, el Dios Trino la recibe alegremente.

¡Alabado sea el Señor con trompetas! ¡Alabado sea el Señor con arpa, pandero, flautas, con campanillas sonoras y jubilosas!

Y para dejar por seguro que todos están incluidos, el Salmo como que dice: 'Si puedes respirar, más te vale alabar al Señor'.

Lo que diferencia a los cristianos de los seguidores de otras religiones, es la convicción de que no hay necesidad de hacer buenas obras para ser salvos. Nosotros, que hemos sido redimidos gracias a la obra del Salvador; que hemos sido aceptados en la familia de fe; que hemos sido salvados del infierno y llevados al cielo, tenemos una muy buena razón para alabar al Señor.

ORACIÓN: Amado Padre celestial, gracias por enviar a tu Hijo en mi lugar para salvarme, y gracias también por la obra del Espíritu Santo, quien me ha dado la fe y me mantiene firme en ella. Ayúdame a que siempre te esté agradecido por tu continua misericordia. En nombre de Jesús. Amén.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC) Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas.

Our Daily Bread - A Chuckle in the Darkness

Read: John 11:17–27 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 20–22; Mark 7:1–13

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

In a Washington Post article titled “Tech Titans’ Latest Project: Defy Death,” Ariana Cha wrote about the efforts of Peter Thiele and other tech moguls to extend human life indefinitely. They’re prepared to spend billions on the project.

They are a little late. Death has already been defeated! Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25–26). Jesus assures us that those who put their trust in Him will never, ever, under any circumstances whatever, die.

To be clear, our bodies will die—and there is nothing anyone can do to change that. But the thinking, reasoning, remembering, loving, adventuring part of us that we call “me, myself, and I” will never, ever die.

And here’s the best part: It’s a gift! All you have to do is receive the salvation Jesus offers. C. S. Lewis, musing on this notion, describes it as something like “a chuckle in the darkness”—the sense that something that simple is the answer.

Some say, “It’s too simple.” Well, I say, if God loved you even before you were born and wants you to live with Him forever, why would He make it hard?

Dear Jesus, I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I want to accept You as my Lord and Savior and follow You. Please forgive my sins and help me, from this moment on, to live a life that is pleasing to You.

Christ has replaced the dark door of death with the shining gate of life.

By David Roper

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Tiếng Cười Thầm Trong Bóng Đêm

Đọc: Giăng 11:17-27 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Dân số ký 20-22; Mác 7:1-13

Vì Đức Chúa Trời yêu thương thế gian đến nỗi đã ban Con Một của Ngài, hầu cho hễ ai tin Con ấy không bị hư mất mà được sự sống đời đời. (Giăng 3:16)

Trong bài báo “Dự án Mới nhất của Những Gã Khổng Lồ Công Nghệ: Thách Thức Cái Chết” của tờ Washington Post, Ariana Cha viết về những nỗ lực giúp con người trường thọ của Peter Thiele và những gã khổng lồ công nghệ khác. Họ chuẩn bị bỏ hàng tỉ đô-la vào dự án này.

Nhưng họ làm hơi trễ một chút vì sự chết đã bị đánh bại rồi! Chúa Jêsus nói: “Ta là sự sống lại và sự sống. Người nào tin Ta thì sẽ sống, mặc dù đã chết rồi. Còn ai sống mà tin Ta thì sẽ không bao giờ chết” (Giăng 11:25-26). Chúa Jêsus đảm bảo với chúng ta rằng những ai đặt lòng tin nơi Ngài sẽ không bao giờ và không hề chết dưới bất cứ hoàn cảnh nào.

Nói rõ hơn là, thân thể của chúng ta rồi sẽ chết đi – và không ai có thể thay đổi sự thật này. Nhưng phần suy nghĩ, lập luận, nhớ thương và phiêu lưu mà chúng ta gọi là “tôi, chính tôi” thì sẽ không bao giờ và không hề chết đi.

Và đây là tin tốt lành nhất: Đó là một tặng phẩm! Tất cả những gì chúng ta cần làm là tiếp nhận ơn cứu chuộc Chúa Jêsus ban cho. Suy ngẫm về ý niệm này, C. S. Lewis đã mô tả nó như thể một “tiếng cười thầm trong đêm” – ý muốn nói một điều gì đó hết sức giản đơn nhưng lại chính là lời giải đáp.

Một số người nói rằng: “Sao đơn giản thế!” Tôi nói, nếu Đức Chúa Trời yêu bạn ngay từ trước khi bạn sinh ra và muốn bạn sống với Ngài mãi mãi, thì tại sao Chúa lại phải làm cho nó trở nên khó khăn và phức tạp?

Lạy Chúa Jêsus yêu quý, con tin Ngài đã chết vì tội lỗi của con và đã sống lại từ kẻ chết. Con muốn tiếp nhận Ngài làm chủ và làm Đấng Cứu Chuộc con và con xin đi theo Ngài. Xin tha tội cho con và giúp con, từ giờ phút này trở đi, sống cuộc đời làm vui lòng Ngài.

Đấng Christ đã thay cánh cửa tối tăm của sự chết bằng cổng sự sống ngập tràn ánh sáng.

bởi David Roper

© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - Una risita en la oscuridad

Leer: Juan 11:17-27 | La Biblia en un año: Mr 7:1-13

Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree […] tenga vida eterna (Juan 3:16).

Un artículo del Washington Post, titulado «Último proyecto de los titanes de la tecnología: Desafío a la muerte», hablaba de los esfuerzos de Peter Thiele y otros magnates tecnológicos por extender la vida indefinidamente. Están dispuestos a gastar millones en ese proyecto.

Llegaron un poco tarde. ¡La muerte ya fue vencida! Jesús declaró: «Yo soy la resurrección y la vida; el que cree en mí, aunque esté muerto, vivirá. Y todo aquel que vive y cree en mí, no morirá eternamente» (Juan 11:25-26). Todos los que ponen su fe en Él nunca jamás morirán.

Para ser claros, nuestros cuerpos morirán; y no hay nada que se pueda hacer para cambiar esta realidad. Pero el pensamiento, el razonamiento, el sentimiento y toda la parte inmaterial de nuestro ser —lo que llamamos el «yo»— nunca morirá.

Y esto es lo mejor de todo: ¡es un regalo! Lo único que tienes que hacer es recibir la salvación que ofrece Jesús. C. S. Lewis, reflexionando en esto, lo describe como una especie de «risita en la oscuridad»: una sensación de que la respuesta es algo sumamente sencillo.

Algunos dicen: «Es demasiado sencillo». A lo que yo respondo: «Está bien. Pero si Dios te amaba antes de que nacieras y quiere que vivas con Él para siempre, ¿por qué iba a hacerlo difícil?».

Señor Jesús, perdona mis pecados. Te acepto como mi Salvador.

Cristo reemplazó la puerta oscura de la muerte con el portal radiante de la vida.

Por David H. Roper

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Geschenkt!

Lesen: Johannes 11,17-27 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 4.Mose 20–22; Markus 7,1-13

Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, dass er seinen eingeborenen Sohn gab, damit alle, die an ihn glauben, nicht verloren werden, sondern das ewige Leben haben. Johannes 3,16

„Das neueste Projekt der Techniktitanen: Den Tod besiegen“, so lautete vor einiger Zeit die Überschrift über einem Zeitungsartikel, in dem es um die Bestrebungen von Peter Thiel und anderen Größen aus dem Silicon Valley ging, das Leben ins Unendliche zu verlängern. Für ihre Projekte sind sie bereit, Milliarden zu investieren.

Aber sie kommen etwas spät. Der Tod ist schon besiegt! Jesus hat gesagt: „Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben. Wer an mich glaubt, der wird leben, auch wenn er stirbt; und wer da lebt und glaubt an mich, der wird nimmermehr sterben“ (Joh. 11,25-26). Jesus versichert uns, dass jeder, der auf ihn vertraut, niemals und unter keinen Umständen sterben wird.

Sicher, unser Körper wird sterben, und daran kann niemand etwas ändern. Aber der Teil von uns, der denkt, überlegt, erinnert, liebt, das Abenteuer sucht—der Teil, den wir „ich, meiner, mir, mich“ nennen—der stirbt nie.

Und was das Beste ist: Das ist ein Geschenk! Wir müssen nur die Erlösung annehmen, die Jesus uns anbietet—so einfach ist das!

Manche sagen: „Zu einfach.“ Darauf erwidere ich: Wenn Gott dich schon geliebt hat, ehe du geboren wurdest, und möchte, dass du ewig mit ihm zusammenlebst, wieso sollte er es dann schwieriger machen?

Lieber Herr Jesus, ich glaube, dass du für meine Sünden gestorben und von den Toten auferstanden bist. Ich möchte dich als meinen Herrn und Erlöser annehmen und dir folgen. Bitte vergib meine Sünde und hilf mir, von jetzt an so zu leben, wie es dir gefällt.

Jesus hat die dunkle Tür des Todes weggenommen und durch das leuchtende Tor des Lebens ersetzt.

Von David Roper

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Un rire dans l’obscurité

Lisez : Jean 11.17‑27 | La Bible en un an : Nombres 20 – 22 et Marc 7.1-13

Car Dieu a tant aimé le monde qu’il a donné son Fils unique, afin que quiconque croit en lui ne périsse point, mais qu’il ait la vie éternelle. (Jean 3.16)

Dans un article du Washington Post intitulé « Tech Titans’ Latest Project : Defy Death » (Le tout récent projet de géants de la technologie : défier la mort), Ariana Cha a décrit les efforts que fournissent Peter Thiele et d’autres manitous de la technologie dans le but de prolonger indéfiniment la vie. Or, ils sont prêts à y investir des milliards de dollars.

Ils arrivent toutefois un peu en retard. La mort a déjà été vaincue ! Ce fait, Jésus l’affirme ainsi : « Je suis la résurrection et la vie. Celui qui croit en moi vivra, quand même il serait mort ; et quiconque vit et croit en moi ne mourra jamais » (JN 11.25,26). Jésus nous assure que ceux qui mettent leur foi en lui ne mourront jamais, au grand jamais, et sous aucun prétexte.

Pour dire les choses clairement, sachez que notre corps mourra – et il n’y a rien que nous puissions y changer –, mais la pensée, la raison, le souvenir, l’amour et le sens de l’aventure qui nous animent et que nous appelons « le je, le moi et le moi‑même » ne mourront jamais.

Et voici le meilleur de tout : il s’agit d’un cadeau ! Tout ce que vous avez à faire, c’est de recevoir le salut que Jésus vous offre. En méditant cette notion, C. S. Lewis l’a comparée à « un rire dans l’obscurité », à la découverte qu’une chose aussi simple en est la réponse.

À ceux qui prétendent que « c’est trop simple », je dis ceci : Si Dieu nous a aimés avant même notre naissance et qu’il désire que nous vivions avec lui pour toujours, pourquoi nous rendrait‑il la chose difficile ?

Christ a troqué l’ombre de la mort contre l’éclat de la vie.

par David Roper

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Хліб Наш Насущній - Сміх у темряві

Читати: Івана 11:17-27 | Біблія за рік: Числа 20–22 ; Марка 7:1-13

Так бо Бог полюбив світ, що дав Сина Свого Однородженого, щоб кожен, хто вірує в Нього, не згинув, але мав життя вічне. — Івана 3:16

У газеті “Вашингтон Пост” з’явилась стаття під заголовком “Виклик смерті: новітній проект технологічних титанів”. В ній журналістка Аріана Ча розповідає про великі спроби Пітера Тля та інших магнатів збільшити тривалість людського життя до нескінченності. Вони готові були витратити на цей проект мільярди доларів.

Але вони трішки спізнились. Смерть вже давно переможена! Ісус сказав: “Я воскресення й життя. Хто вірує в Мене, хоч і вмре, буде жити. І кожен, хто живе та хто вірує в Мене, повіки не вмре” (Ів. 11:25-26).

Треба, однак, дещо прояснити: наші тіла помруть – і ніщо цього не змінить. Але ніколи не помре та частка нашого єства, що мислить, міркує, пам’ятає, любить. Йдеться про найбільш важливу складову нашої природи – про те, що ми називаємо “я”.

А тепер найголовніше: таке життя – Божий дар! Все, що потрібно для отримання цього дарунка, – просто прийняти спасіння, що його пропонує Ісус. Клайв Льюїс, розважаючи про цю духовну істину, порівнює дар спасіння зі “сміхом у темряві”, тобто з чимось таким, на що дуже легко відреагувати, відповісти. “Це занадто просто”, – скаже хто-небудь. Саме так. Бог дуже сильно полюбив нас ще до нашого народження і бажає, щоб ми перебували з Ним вічно.

Дорогий Ісусе, я вірю, що Ти вмер за мої гріхи і повстав із мертвих. Я хочу прийняти Тебе як свого Господа і Спасителя – і слідувати за Тобою. Прости, будь ласка, мої гріхи і допоможи мені, починаючи з цього моменту, жити життям угодним Тобі.

Христос замінив чорні двері смерті на сяючу браму життя.

Автор Давид Роупер

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Смех во тьме

Читать сейчас: Иоанна 11:17-27 | Библия за год: Числа 20-22; Марка 7:1-13

Ибо так возлюбил Бог мир, что отдал Сына Своего Единородного, чтобы всякий, верующий в Него, не погиб, но имел жизнь вечную. — Иоанна 3:16

В газете «Вашингтон пост» появилась статья под названием «Брось вызов смерти: последний проект Технических Титанов». Журналистка Ариана Ча пишет об усилиях, предпринимаемых Питером Тьелем и другими научными гениями, по продлению человеческой жизни на неопределенный срок. В свой проект они готовы вложить миллиарды.

Впрочем, эти ученые немного опоздали. Смерть уже побеждена! Иисус Христос сказал: «Я есмь воскресение и жизнь; верующий в Меня, если и умрет, оживет. И всякий, живущий и верующий в Меня, не умрет вовек» (Ин. 11:25-26). Господь заверяет нас, что верующие в Него никогда и ни при каких обстоятельствах не умрут.

Говоря точнее, наши тела прекратят существование, и никто ничего с этим не поделает. Но способность мыслить, рассуждать, помнить и любить, та часть, которую мы называем «я», никогда не умрет. А вот самое главное: все это дается даром! Все, что нужно, – это принять спасение в Иисусе Христе. Клайв Льюис, размышляя об этом, употребляет интересное выражение: «смех во тьме». Это значит, что выход из отчаянного положения оказался на удивление простым.

Кто-нибудь может сказать: «Это чересчур просто». Что ж, на это я могу сказать: если Бог возлюбил вас еще прежде вашего рождения и захотел, чтобы вы жили с Ним вечно, то зачем Ему было делать это сложным?

Иисус Христос, я верю, что Ты умер за мои грехи и воскрес из мертвых. Я хочу принять Тебя своим Господом и Спасителем и следовать за Тобой. Прости меня и помоги жить так, как хочешь Ты.

Христос сменил мрачную дверь смерти на сияющие врата жизни.

автор: Дэвид Роупер

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for MONDAY, February 27, 2017

The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Deuteronomy 6:10-15

When the LORD your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you-- a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant-- and when you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. The LORD your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, because the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the LORD your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Hebrews 1:1-14

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions." And, "In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end." But to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in John 1:1-18
Glory be to Thee, O Lord

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

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

Morning Psalms

Psalm 25 Ad te, Domine, levavi
1   To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you; let me not be humiliated, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2   Let none who look to you be put to shame; let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3   Show me your ways, O LORD, and teach me your paths.
4   Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.
5   Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.
6   Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; remember me according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD.
7   Gracious and upright is the LORD; therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8   He guides the humble in doing right and teaches his way to the lowly.
9   All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
10   For your Name's sake, O LORD, forgive my sin, for it is great.
11   Who are they who fear the LORD? he will teach them the way that they should choose.
12   They shall dwell in prosperity, and their offspring shall inherit the land.
13   The LORD is a friend to those who fear him and will show them his covenant.
14   My eyes are ever looking to the LORD, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
15   Turn to me and have pity on me, for I am left alone and in misery.
16   The sorrows of my heart have increased; bring me out of my troubles.
17   Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin.
18   Look upon my enemies, for they are many, and they bear a violent hatred against me.
19   Protect my life and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.
20   Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for my hope has been in you.
21   Deliver Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 9 Confitebor tibi
1   I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvelous works.
2   I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing to your Name, O Most High.
3   When my enemies are driven back, they will stumble and perish at your presence.
4   For you have maintained my right and my cause; you sit upon your throne judging right.
5   You have rebuked the ungodly and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6   As for the enemy, they are finished, in perpetual ruin, their cities plowed under, the memory of them perished;
7   But the LORD is enthroned for ever; he has set up this throne for judgment.
8   It is he who rules the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with equity.
9   The LORD will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time of trouble.
10   Those who know your Name will put their trust in you, for you never forsake those who seek you, O LORD.
11   Sing praise to the LORD who dwells in Zion; proclaim to the peoples the things he has done.
12   The Avenger of blood will remember them; he will not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13   Have pity on me, O LORD; see the misery I suffer from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gate of death;
14   So that I may tell of all your praises and rejoice in your salvation in the gates of the city of Zion.
15   The ungodly have fallen into the pit they dug, and in the snare they set is their own foot caught.
16   The LORD is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are trapped in the works of their own hands.
17   The wicked shall be given over to the grave, and also all the people that forget God.
18   For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19   Rise up, O LORD, let not the ungodly have the upper hand; let them be judged before you.
20   Put fear upon them, O LORD; let the ungodly know they are but mortal.

Psalm 15 Domine, quis habitabit?
1   LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? who may abide upon your holy hill?
2   Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from his heart.
3   There is no guile upon his tongue; he does no evil to his friend; he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
4   In his sight the wicked is rejected, but he honors those who fear the LORD.
5   He has sworn to do no wrong and does not take back his word.
6   He does not give his money in hope of gain, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
7   Whoever does these things shall never be overthrown.

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 27, 2017

1 John 3:18 (NIV) Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Read all of 1 John 3

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 - "An Invisible World"

But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. —Daniel 10:13 (NLT)

Sometimes we don’t consider the fact that when we pray, spiritual warfare can be taking place. The prophet Daniel had been in the presence of God. And in Daniel 10, we read, “Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. And the man said to me, ‘Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you’” (verses 10–11).

In the beginning of this chapter, and earlier in chapter 9, we see that Daniel was in prayer. This angel was saying, “When you offered your prayer, it was heard in Heaven.”

Sometimes our prayers may not be answered as quickly as we would like due to spiritual warfare behind the scenes in the supernatural world. Daniel was praying on earth, and God heard him in Heaven and dispatched an angel with the answer. Yet somewhere between Heaven and earth, between the visible and the invisible, this angel was accosted by an evil angel, and a battle took place. After twenty-one days, God dispatched a higher-ranking angel, Michael in this case, to help the other angel.

From this account, we see that supernatural activity can hinder our prayers from being answered. This is especially important to remember when we are praying for the salvation of those who don’t know the Lord. A battle is taking place, and the devil is at work, wanting to keep them from hearing the gospel and from coming to faith.

When you pray and don’t see your prayer answered, it simply means that you should keep praying. The answer might come twenty-one days later, thirty-one days later, or twenty-one years later. But we should not stop praying.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

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

Un Dia a la Vez - ¿Libertad o felicidad?

El Señor es mi roca, mi amparo, mi libertador.

2 Samuel 22:2 (NVI)

La libertad no necesariamente te hace feliz. Muchos de ustedes no tienen una autoridad a la que le deban respeto. Quizá seas una mujer o un hombre que lleva muchos años de soledad y han aprendido a sentirse «libres».

Cuando llevamos mucho tiempo solos, tal vez viviendo con nuestros hijos pero ya con una vida resuelta, nos cuesta cambiar ese patrón: Llegar a la hora que quieras, hacer las cosas de tu casa cuando puedas, sin una presión encima, o estás cansado y decidiste comer fuera o no comer. Nos acostumbramos a ese tipo de rutina. No estoy diciendo que esto sea malo ni bueno. Solo quiero llegar al punto en que «ese estilo de vida» cambia de forma radical.

Te casas o decides vivir con unas amigas. Entonces, dejarás de ser el dueño de tu tiempo, tus gustos, tus caprichos y tu libertad. Ahora debes honrar, respetar, cuidar y pensar que ya no estás solo. No te preocupes, no eres un ser extraño. Estás atravesando un tiempo de ajuste. Todo cambio incomoda y a todos nos pasa lo mismo.

Quiero que sepan, en especial a los que están en esa oración perpetua de que Dios les envíe un cónyuge, que sus vidas nunca más volverán a ser iguales. El matrimonio, sobre todo para los que nos casamos después de cierta edad, es toda una aventura.

Te confieso que pasan por la mente muchas cosas cuando nos estamos acoplando y muchas veces, por no decir todas, nos toca morir a nosotros mismos y pensar en la felicidad de nuestra pareja. Sin embargo, te digo que no solo el matrimonio te hace feliz cuando aprendes a tener a Dios como base, también la oración te dará la sabiduría.

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 - SUFFERING ACCOMPLISHES UNKNOWN PURPOSES

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

The Bible makes it clear that Christians will suffer. Some pastors have the idea that teaching this fact will drive away new believers. Note that when Paul traveled throughout Asia Minor, he told the new believers; “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). He was preparing them for the future as well as explaining their present situation. We should prepare for the same. Paul showed us an example of this when he prayed three times for the removal of his “thorn in the flesh.” Then he saw that it was God’s will for him, and he accepted it. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

When suffering Christians are not sure they are in the will of God they will be unsure if their suffering is really God’s will. However, our great God “works for the good of those who love him...” (Romans 8:28). If we consciously submit to His will, He will give His divine direction. Our suffering and persecution can be placed in His hands by an act of our will. No believer needs to suffer alone and in doubt. Commit it all to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3).

As a young Muslim boy, twelve years of age, Abdul, experienced a tragedy that would change his life forever. Abdul drowned and was dead for more than an hour.

During his death he had a vision of angels coming to fetch him and then bringing him to a closed door. A man met him at the door and asked him where he was going. Abdul answered that he was on his way to heaven. The man answered that he would not be allowed in because Abdul still had a lot of work to do on earth. He woke up on his bed to find a pastor praying for him.

This happened twenty years ago and ever since, Abdul’s life has been changed. Even though Abdul only completed fifth grade in school, he is currently the pastor of a small church in a very poor village on the island of Mindanao in the Philippine Islands.

In his own words Abdul says, “I don’t understand God’s purposes in my suffering, but I now know the Lord.”

Abdul has a ministry in healing and is a source of great encouragement in his village.

RESPONSE: Today I will accept that suffering accomplishes purposes unknown to us now.

PRAYER: Pray for Christians who are suffering today and cannot accept this as God’s will. Praise God that someday we will understand all things fully.

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

Women of the Bible - The Mothers of Moses

Jochabed

Her name means: "The Lord Is Glory"

Her character: Her fierce love for her son, coupled with her faith, enabled her to act heroically in the midst of great oppression.
Her sorrow: To live in bondage as a slave.
Her joy: That God not only preserved the son she surrendered to him but that he restored her child to her.
Key Scriptures: Exodus 2:1-10; Hebrews 11:23

Pharaoh's Daughter

Her character: The Jewish people honor men and women whom they designate as "righteous Gentiles." These are people who, though nonbelievers, have assisted God's people in some significant way. Surely, Pharaoh's daughter should top the list of righteous Gentiles, courageously and compassionately delivering a child from death, a child who would one day act as Israel's great deliverer.
Her sorrow: That her adopted son, whom she had taken care of for forty years, had to flee his home in Egypt in order to escape Pharaoh's wrath.
Key Scriptures: Exodus 2:1-10

Their Story

Three hundred years after the death of the patriarch Joseph, a baby boy was born in Egypt, his lusty cries muffled by a woman's sobs. Jochebed's heart was a tangle of joy and fear. This son, his fingers forming a tiny fist against her breast, was so striking a child she hardly believed he was hers. Tenderly she raised the small hand to her mouth, pressing its warmth to her lips. Her gesture calmed them both. She could feel the stiffness in her back dissolving, her muscles relaxing as she watched the night shadows evaporate in the morning's light.

Slave though she was, she was yet a Levite, a woman who belonged to the God of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebekah, of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. She knew the stories. She believed the promises. God was faithful. Hadn't her people already grown as numerous as the sand of the sea, just as he said they would?

In fact, the Israelites were so numerous that the pharaohs feared they might one day welcome an invading army and betray the nation from within. Over time, the Egyptians had tightened their grip, finally enslaving the Israelites, until Pharaoh's paranoia produced an even greater evil—a command to murder each Hebrew male child emerging from the womb. But the Hebrew midwives feared God more than the king and refused to follow his orders, excusing themselves by claiming that Hebrew women were stronger than Egyptian women, giving birth before the midwives even arrived.

So Pharaoh commanded his soldiers to search out and smother every newborn male in the waters of the Nile. Jochebed could hear the screams of the mothers echoing regularly across the Hebrew camp as their children were torn from them. Her arms tightened around her own child as he slept quietly against her breast. This one, she vowed, would never be fodder for the Egyptian river god. She and her husband, Amram, would pray. They would plan. And they would trust God to help them.

For three months, as long as she dared, she hid the infant, managing to keep Miriam and three-year-old Aaron quiet about their new baby brother. Finally, she acted on an idea that had been growing in her mind. Pharaoh had commanded her to consign her son to the Nile River. All right then. Her own hands would put him into the water.

Remembering how God had spared the child Isaac on the mountain of sacrifice, she bent down and laid her son in a basket of papyrus, waterproofed with tar and pitch. Then, with a whispered prayer and a last caress, she wiped her eyes, begging God to preserve her baby from the crocodiles that swarmed the river.

She could not bear to watch as the child drifted away from her. Instead, young Miriam kept vigil, following at a distance to see what would become of him.

Soon Pharaoh's daughter arrived at the riverbank with some of her attendants. Spotting the basket among the reeds, she sent her slave girl to fetch it. As soon as she beheld the brown-eyed baby, she loved him. The river had brought her a child whom she would cherish as her own. She could not save all the innocent children, but she could spare one mother's son.

Was she surprised when a young slave girl, Miriam, approached, asking whether she could go after a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for her? Did she suspect the truth when Jochebed gathered the boy in her arms, this time as his nursemaid?

Whatever was in her mind, Pharaoh's daughter named the child Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water." For the next forty years, she educated him, a prince in the courts of Pharaoh himself.

God kept Moses safe in the midst of extraordinary evil and danger—first in crocodile-infested waters and then when he was growing up right under Pharaoh's nose. And he used the Egyptians to protect and educate him in ways that must have made Moses even more effective in his eventual role as his people's deliverer.

Year after year, Jochebed would surely have reflected on the marvelous faithfulness of God. Her ingenuity, courage, and faith should inspire even the most weak-kneed among us.

Two women—a slave and a princess—preserved the life of Israel's future deliverer and so preserved the entire Jewish race.

Their Promise

Moses' mother, Jochebed, had one thing in mind when hiding her son and leaving him in a basket in the river. Her goal was to preserve his life for one more day, one more hour, one more moment. She could not have known how God planned to work in her life or in the life of her son. Nor did she realize he was putting into place a divine plan to rescue his people from the very oppression she was resisting.

God's ways are beautiful in the extreme. He uses the devoted, intense love of a mother for her child to bring freedom to an entire race. Like Jochebed, our goal should be to hang on, trusting that God has his own purpose at work and that we and our children are part of it.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.

Girlfriends in God - When The Hurt is Horrible

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

Friend to Friend

Danita is a friend who experienced a tragic loss. Her husband Dave was a military officer stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. An avid runner, he was the picture of good health. Over six feet tall, his tanned, athletic build never failed to take Danita’s breath away.

Like every other married couple, they had their issues, but they strived to live together as one. Early on they surrendered their household to the Lord. Faith, friendship, and fun were the foundations of their home and the cement that held them together during difficult times.

In October 2003, Dave had been wrestling with some issues of spiritual surrender about the possible relocation of their family. At their Wednesday night church service, God got ahold of Dave’s heart, and he couldn’t wait to tell Danita about it. When they sat down after putting the girls to bed, he told her he'd turned the details of his new orders over completely to God and was finally at peace.

The next morning, Dave woke before the sun and began his morning routine while Danita slept. Just before he left to go to work, Dave tenderly kissed Danita. As their lips met, he whispered, “Goodbye. I love you, babe,” then walked out the door.

If only Danita had known that would be their last kiss! She would have pulled him close, held him tight, and gazed into his amazing blue eyes. She would’ve taken a long, deep breath to fill her senses with the aroma of his cologne, taken in his presence, and savored his warmth. She would have told him she loved being his wife and was ready for their next great adventure together.

When the phone rang at 7:30 a.m., Danita was startled. It seemed a bit early for the phone to ring. A secretary from the naval base said, “Dave has collapsed! The military EMS have been called, and we need you to meet them at the hospital!” The words pierced Danita’s heart.

The drive to the hospital was quick. She ran inside the emergency room, only to find that the ambulance hadn't arrived yet. As she hurried back to the parking lot, a passage of Scripture flooded her mind. Danita began to speak Psalm 63 out loud.

As soon as she spoke the words, “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you,” Danita knew in her heart Dave was gone. Her soul felt it.

Minutes later, a screaming siren announced the arrival of the ambulance. As the medics ushered Dave into the emergency room and worked feverishly to resuscitate him, Danita rushed to be by his side. An emergency room nurse pulled her away and insisted she sit in the waiting room.

Friends arrived, but Danita couldn’t speak. She sat silently, as every fiber of her being screamed, This can’t be happening! Dave is a rock. He’s a healthy man. He’s too young to die! Lord, please don’t let him die! 

Before long, Danita was called to the back where an emergency room doctor told her Dave had died. The weight of those words hit her with the impact of a bullet shot at pointblank range.

She asked her best friend to come back with her to the room where Dave had just been pronounced dead. Danita spoke to her husband through shaky sobs as his body lay lifeless. She touched his skin. The warmth was gone. She kissed him on the cheek and held his hand one last time. Dave was with the Lord now.

Danita needed fresh air. She needed to think, to pray, and to wail.

It all seemed so crazy. She'd arrived at the hospital a happily married woman and was leaving a heartbroken widow. She navigated through the foggy crowd of supportive friends, made her way to her car, and headed home.

The drive home was almost too much for Danita to bear. The sun shone brightly as she passed cars filled with people going on at the speed of life while her life stood still.

Once home, she headed straight to her bedroom. She cried out to God, “How will I tell Kelsey that she'll never see her daddy again?” And He answered her. A devotional she'd been reading the night before lay open on the bedside table. Highlighted on the page were the words of Psalm 16.

As devastating as Dave’s death was, there was something special about the security her soul felt as she sobbed. God’s Word attended to her desperate hunger. A strange peace embraced her. Despite the circumstances, her soul was oddly satisfied. She was not alone. She knew her Lord had not abandoned her.

He was with her on the bed as she cried.

He was with her on the wood floor when she fell to weep.

He was with her in this very broken time.

Danita’s appetite for God’s provision has skyrocketed. She’s never known a greater need for God’s strength to come alongside her weakness. For His hope to come alongside her despair. For His peace to replace her fears.

Through it all, Danita has felt the far-reaching, compassionate, and loving arms of God embrace her in every painful moment. He comforted her each time she cried out to Him in the numbness of despair.

Our loving Father is keenly aware of your circumstances and your needs too. The Scriptures show us time and time again that God hears the cries of His children. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

What are you hungry for today? God longs to be your portion, to meet your essential needs, to be strong in your weakness, and to satisfy your deepest hunger. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Please teach me to trust in you so that when the unexpected storms of life come, I will expect peace in the midst of those storms (Mark 4:37-40) knowing that you are near, you hear my cries, and you are with me and for me. Thank You, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Psalm 16 and Psalm 63:1-8. Grab your journal and write out any verses that your heart needs to know and remember. Share them in a post on social media. Leave them as a comment on my blog.

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion is an excerpt from Gwen’s book Broken Into Beautiful. Every step of healing begins with the heart of God. If you’d like to learn more about how your brokenness can be transformed into a picture of God’s beauty, get your copy today. To order the book go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen’s web store.

Get 20% OFF Gwen’s BROKEN INTO BEAUTIFUL book today when you order from her website and use the code: 20OFF

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