LHM Daily Devotion - "Weep for Yourselves"

Jesus is carrying His cross to the place of execution. But the severe...

Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Weep for Yourselves"

April 11, 2017

And there followed Him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for Him. (Luke 23:27, ESV)

Read Luke 23:26-31

Jesus is carrying His cross to the place of execution. But the severe flogging and other mistreatment has sapped His strength so that He can no longer bear His cross. The Roman soldiers force a man named Simon, who was coming into Jerusalem from the country, to carry it for Him.

A great crowd of people follow Jesus, including women from Jerusalem, weeping and wailing for Him. In the midst of His agony, sorrow and pain, Jesus turns and tells them to stop sobbing for Him. Like Peter, they need to weep for their sins and for the wrath of God, which those sins have stirred.

Earlier Jesus had wept for Jerusalem, knowing that in 70 A.D. God's wrath will fall on that city, as the legions of Rome surround it. Watching their children suffering and dying in the slow, grinding terror of that siege, Jewish women will wish something no Jew would have otherwise thought: they will wish they had been childless! At that dreadful time those living in Jerusalem will wish for a sudden, cataclysmic death, instead of the slow starvation they experienced, as the Roman legions slowly choke off Jerusalem and grind its people into the dust.

What a vivid, horrible picture of hell, where people will long to be exterminated in one rapid moment. Instead, they will suffer the slow, burning terror of hell, knowing it will never, ever end. Today is the time for each of us to weep, mourning and seeking God's forgiveness in Jesus, the Savior of the world.

THE PRAYER: Almighty God, Your Son carried my guilt and sin, as He went out to die in my place. Fill my heart with sorrow and regret over my sins, so I may flee to Him for salvation. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen

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Devociones de Cuaresma - El templo transitorio

Devociones de Cuaresma  2017

El templo transitorio

11 de Abril de 2017

Martes de Semana Santa

"¿Ven todo esto? De cierto les digo que no quedará aquí piedra sobre piedra. Todo será derribado." Mateo 24:2, RVC (1-14)

¡Y eran piedras enormes! ¡El orgullo de cualquier habitante de Jerusalén! No era la primera vez que Jesús y sus discípulos habían ido al templo. Sin embargo, los discípulos todavía se admiraban al ver esas enormes piedras de miles de kilos cortadas a la perfección para formar las paredes de su centro de adoración. El templo era lo que hacía de Jerusalén, Jerusalén. Muchas personas trabajaban en él. Era el lugar de adoración, de encuentro, de reunión, de trabajo, y de negocios.

Pero Jesús no se dejó impresionar. Si bien amó esa casa, al punto de purificarla de los que la habían hecho una "cueva de ladrones", sabía que era un templo transitorio y que, en muy pocos años, habría de ser destruido en forma violenta por los romanos. Su profecía se cumplió al pie de la letra. Las piedras que se ven hoy en Jerusalén son sólo las de las paredes de contención que formaban el terraplén donde se asentaba el templo.

Luego de su destrucción, el templo de Jerusalén nunca más fue reconstruido. Ahora hay un templo nuevo que, en su momento, fue derribado por la cruz y la muerte, y luego erigido nuevamente al tercer día de la sepultura de Jesús. A nosotros nos tocó la bendición de tener un nuevo templo, donde Dios habita. Ese templo es Jesucristo. ¡Él jamás será derribado o destruido! Jesús es nuestro templo portable: está en la Palabra de Dios, en el Bautismo, y en la Santa Cena, y a él tenemos acceso en todo momento, ¡pues jamás está cerrado!

¿Te has puesto a mirar y a admirar ese templo? Vale la pena. Dios no es un Dios de piedras y paredes, sino de cuerpos vivientes. Dios no nos provee un templo que puede ser destruido, sino uno en el cual encontramos amparo, perdón, consuelo, contención, y esperanza.

Gracias, Padre, por proveernos, en Jesús, el templo más firme y maravilloso del mundo. Amén

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.

Our Daily Bread - Why Forgive?

Read: Luke 23:32–34 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 17–18; Luke 11:1–28

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Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:34

When a friend betrayed me, I knew I would need to forgive her, but I wasn’t sure that I could. Her words pierced deeply inside me, and I felt stunned with pain and anger. Although we talked about it and I told her I forgave her, for a long time whenever I’d see her I felt tinges of hurt, so I knew I still clung to some resentment. One day, however, God answered my prayers and gave me the ability to let go completely. I was finally free.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith, with our Savior extending forgiveness even when He was dying on the cross. Jesus loved those who had nailed Him there, uttering a prayer asking His Father to forgive them. He didn’t hang on to bitterness or anger, but showed grace and love to those who had wronged Him.

This is a fitting time to consider before the Lord any people we might need to forgive as we follow Jesus’s example in extending His love to those who hurt us. When we ask God through His Spirit to help us forgive, He will come to our aid—even if we take what we think is a long time to forgive. When we do, we are freed from the prison of unforgiveness.

Lord Jesus Christ, through Your grace and power as You dwell in me, help me to forgive, that Your love will set me free.

Read more about forgiveness at discoveryseries.org/hp071.

Even on the cross, Jesus forgave those who hurt Him.

By Amy Boucher Pye

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Sao Phải Tha Thứ?

Đọc: Lu-ca 23:32-34 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: 1 Sa-mu-ên 17-18; Lu-ca 11:1-28

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Đức Chúa Jêsus cầu nguyện rằng: “Lạy Cha, xin tha cho họ vì họ không biết mình làm điều gì.” Rồi họ bắt thăm chia nhau áo choàng của Ngài. Lu-ca 23:34

Khi một người bạn phản bội tôi, tôi biết rằng tôi cần phải tha thứ cho cô ấy, nhưng tôi không chắc mình có làm được không. Lời của cô ấy cứa sâu vào lòng tôi, và tôi cảm thấy sững sờ vì đau đớn và tức giận. Mặc dù chúng tôi đã nói với nhau về chuyện đó và tôi đã nói là tôi tha lỗi cho cô ấy, nhưng suốt một thời gian dài cứ hễ thấy cô ấy là tôi lại thấy vết thương cũ đau nhói, vì thế tôi biết tôi vẫn còn giữ sự oán giận nào đó. Tuy nhiên, một ngày nọ Chúa đã đáp lời cầu nguyện của tôi và giúp tôi có thể buông bỏ hoàn toàn. Cuối cùng tôi đã được tự do.

Tha thứ là trọng tâm của niềm tin Cơ Đốc, Cứu Chúa chúng ta vẫn tha thứ ngay cả khi Ngài sắp tắt hơi trên thập tự giá. Chúa Jêsus yêu thương những người đã đóng đinh Ngài, Ngài cầu xin Cha tha tội cho họ. Ngài không giữ sự cay đắng hay oán giận, nhưng bày tỏ ân sủng và tình yêu đối với những người đã làm điều ác với Ngài.

Đây là lúc để xem xét trước mặt Chúa, có ai mà chúng ta cần tha thứ khi noi gương Chúa Jêsus bày tỏ tình yêu với những người làm chúng ta tổn thương. Khi chúng ta cầu xin Đức Chúa Trời, qua Thánh Linh Ngài giúp chúng ta tha thứ, Ngài sẽ đến vùa giúp chúng ta—ngay cả khi chúng ta nghĩ rằng sẽ mất một thời gian dài mới có thể tha thứ được. Chỉ như vậy, chúng ta mới được giải phóng khỏi ngục tù cay đắng.

Lạy Chúa Jêsus Christ, qua ân sủng và năng quyền của Ngài là Đấng đang ngự trong con, xin giúp con tha thứ, để tình yêu Ngài giải phóng chính con.

Ngay cả trên thập tự, Chúa Jêsus vẫn tha thứ cho những người làm Ngài tổn thương.

bởi Amy Boucher Pye

© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - ¿Por qué perdonar?

Leer: Lucas 23:32-34 | La Biblia en un año: 1 Samuel 17–18; Lucas 11:1-28

Y Jesús decía: Padre, perdónalos, porque no saben lo que hacen… (v. 34).

Cuando una amiga me traicionó, sabía que tendría que perdonarla, pero no estaba segura de poder hacerlo. Sus palabras me hirieron profundamente, y me sentí aguijonada por el dolor y el enojo. Aunque hablamos y le dije que la perdonaba, durante mucho tiempo, cada vez que la veía, sentía puntadas de dolor, y me di cuenta de que todavía albergaba algo de resentimiento. Sin embargo, un día, Dios respondió mis oraciones y me dio la capacidad de dejar atrás todo por completo. Por fin, era libre.

El perdón es fundamental para la fe cristiana, ya que nuestro Salvador nos perdonó, incluso mientras moría en la cruz. Jesús perdonó a los que lo clavaron allí, y oró al Padre para que los perdonara. No guardó amargura ni enojo, sino que mostró gracia y amor a aquellos que lo habían tratado injustamente.

Es un buen momento para considerar delante del Señor a cualquiera que tengamos que perdonar, para seguir el ejemplo de Jesús y extenderles su amor a los que nos lastiman. Cuando le pedimos a Dios a través de su Espíritu que nos ayude a perdonar, Él lo hace… aunque nos lleve tiempo perdonar. Cuando lo hacemos, somos libres de la prisión de no saber perdonar.

Señor Jesús, a través de tu gracia y tu poder al habitar en mí, ayúdame a perdonar, para que tu amor me libere.

Aun en la cruz, Jesús perdonó a los que lo hirieron.

Por Amy Boucher Pye

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Wieso vergeben?

Lesen: Lukas 23,32-34 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 1.Samuel 17–18; Lukas 11,1-28

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Jesus aber sprach: Vater, vergib ihnen, denn sie wissen nicht, was sie tun! Und sie verteilten seine Kleider und warfen das Los darum. Lukas 23,34

Ich fühlte mich von einer Freundin betrogen und wusste, dass ich ihr vergeben sollte. Aber ich war mir nicht sicher, ob ich das konnte. Ihre Worte hatten mich tief getroffen und ich war wie gelähmt vor Schmerz und Wut. Obwohl wir die Sache schließlich beredeten und ich sagte, ich hätte ihr vergeben, durchzuckte es mich noch lange Zeit jedes Mal, wenn ich sie sah, und ich wusste, dass ich ihr noch immer Vorwürfe machte. Doch eines Tages erhörte Gott meine Gebete und half mir, meinen Groll ganz loszulassen. Endlich war ich frei.

Vergebung gehört zum Kern des christlichen Glaubens. Unser Herr hat selbst dann noch Vergebung ausgesprochen, als er am Kreuz starb. Jesus liebte die Menschen, die ihn dort angenagelt hatten, und bat den Vater, ihnen zu vergeben. Er hing nicht an Verbitterung und Wut, sondern zeigte denen, die ihm Unrecht taten, Erbarmen und Liebe.

Dies ist eine gute Zeit, Menschen, denen wir eventuell vergeben sollten, vor den Herrn zu bringen und seinem Beispiel zu folgen und gerade auch die zu lieben, die uns verletzt haben. Wenn wir Gott durch seinen Geist um Hilfe bitten, wird er sie uns schenken, auch dann, wenn wir manchmal lange brauchen, um jemandem vergeben zu können. Aber wenn wir es tun, werden wir aus dem Gefängnis der Unversöhnlichkeit befreit.

Herr Jesus Christus, hilf mir durch deine Kraft und Gnade, dass ich vergeben kann und durch deine Liebe frei werde.

Sogar am Kreuz vergab Jesus denen, die ihm Unrecht taten.

Von Amy Boucher Pye

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Pourquoi pardonner ?

Lisez : Luc 23.32‑34 | La Bible en un an : 1 SAMUEL 17 – 18 et LUC 11.1‑28

Jésus dit : Père, pardonne-leur, car ils ne savent ce qu'ils font. Ils se partagèrent ses vêtements, en tirant au sort. V.34

Lorsqu’une de mes amies m’a trahie, j’ai su que je devais lui pardonner, mais je n’étais pas certaine d’y parvenir. Ses paroles m’ayant profondément blessée, je me sentais frappée de douleur et de colère. Même si nous en avons discuté et que je lui ai affirmé lui avoir pardonné, chaque fois que je la voyais par la suite, je ressentais une certaine douleur m’empoigner, ce qui trahissait en moi une pointe de ressentiment. Un jour, Dieu a toutefois répondu à mes prières en me rendant capable de complètement lâcher prise. J’ai alors enfin été délivrée de ce ressentiment.

Le pardon réside au coeur même de la foi chrétienne, puisque notre Sauveur nous a pardonné au moment même où il mourait pour nous sur la croix. Jésus n’a cessé d’aimer ceux qui l’y avaient cloué, priant son Père de le leur pardonner. Il n’a entretenu aucune amertume ni colère, mais il a plutôt usé de grâce et d’amour envers tous ceux qui lui avaient causé du tort.

L’heure est venue d’examiner sous le regard du Seigneur la nécessité de pardonner à une ou à certaines personnes, en offrant son amour divin à ceux qui nous ont blessés, comme l’a fait Jésus. Si nous demandons à Dieu de nous aider à pardonner, par le pouvoir de son Esprit qui vit en nous, il volera à notre secours – même s’il nous semble que nous mettons longtemps à pardonner. Ce faisant, nous serons libérés de la prison du refus de pardonner.

Même sur la croix, Jésus a pardonné à ceux qui l’avaient blessé.

par Amy Boucher Pye

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Хліб Наш Насущній - Навіщо пробачати?

Читати: Луки 23:32-34 | Біблія за рік: 1 Самуїлова 17−18 ; Луки 11:1-28

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Ісус же промовив: “Отче, відпусти їм, − бо не знають, що чинять вони!” …А як Його одіж ділили, то кидали жереба. — Луки 23:34

Коли одна подруга зрадила мене, я розуміла, що маю простити її. Але не була впевнена, що зможу це зробити. ЇЇ слова дуже сильно ранили моє серце. Я була приголомшена й сердита. Хоча ми обговорили все, і я сказала їй, що пробачаю, я відчувала в душі біль щоразу, як бачила її. Я усвідомлювала, що все ще тримаю в серці щось схоже на образу. Проте одного дня Бог відповів на мої молитви і допоміг цілковито простити її. Я отримала справжню свободу.

Прощення – то стержень християнської віри. Наш Спаситель дарує прощення, хоча й постраждав на хресті. Ісус любив тих, хто вбивали в Нього цвяхи. Він молив Свого Отця, щоб пробачив їх, бо вони не знали, що роблять. Там, на хресті, Він не тримав у серці гіркоти або гніву. Він явив натомість ласку й любов тим, хто заподіяли Йому великі страждання й смерть.

Сьогодні найкращий час згадати перед Богом тих людей, яких, можливо, маємо простити, якщо справді хочемо наслідувати приклад Господа Ісуса Христа: любити тих, хто заподіює нам зло. Господь прийде нам на поміч – навіть тоді, коли нам здаватиметься, що для прощення потрібно буде дуже багато часу. Якщо прощаємо інших, то цим звільняємося від отрути злопам’ятства.

Господи Ісусе Христе, молюсь, щоб Твоя любов справді звільнила мене від злопам’ятства через благодать і силу, що Ти даєш, перебуваючи в мені.

Навіть висячи на хресті, Ісус Христос пробачив Своїх катів.

Автор Емі Бушер Пай

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Зачем прощать?

Читать сейчас: Луки 23:32-34 | Библия за год: 1 Царств 17-18; Луки 11:1-28

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Иисус же говорил: «Отче! Прости им, ибо не знают, что делают». И делили одежды Его, бросая жребий. — Луки 23:34

Однажды меня предала подруга. Я, конечно, понимала, что должна ее простить, но не могла. Ее обидные слова глубоко ранили меня, боль и гнев переполнили сердце. Хотя мы поговорили о произошедшем, и я сказала, что прощаю, все равно еще долго, встречая ее, я чувствовала боль и осознавала, что обида осталась. Понимая, что это плохо, я стала молиться, и через некоторое время Бог ответил, удалив из сердца всю тяжесть. Наконец я была свободна.

Прощение лежит в основе христианской веры. Спаситель прощал, даже умирая на кресте. Он любил тех, кто пригвоздил Его к древу, и в молитве просил Отца простить их. Он не терзался от злости и обиды, но являл милость и любовь Своим убийцам.

Сегодня – хорошее время, чтобы вспомнить перед Богом всех, кого нам следует простить, следуя примеру Иисуса и любя тех, кто нас обидел. Если мы будем просить Бога научить нас прощать, Он придет на помощь, пусть это порой и занимает какое-то время. Поступив так, мы освободимся из тюрьмы непрощения.

Обида в первую очередь причиняет вред тому, кто носит ее в себе. А прощение и любовь благотворны для всех.

Господь Иисус Христос, Твоей благодатью и силой, обитающей во мне, помоги мне прощать, чтобы Твоя любовь даровала мне свободу.

КАК НАУЧИТЬСЯ ПРОЩАТЬ? Прочитайте брошюру Гарри Инрига «Что такое прощение?»

Даже на кресте Иисус простил тех, кто убивал Его.

автор: Эми Бушер Пай

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for MONDAY, April 10, 2017 - Holy Monday

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Isaiah 42:1-9

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

Psalms

Psalm 36:5-11
5   Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds.
6   Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep; you save both man and beast, O LORD.
7   How priceless is your love, O God! your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
8   They feast upon the abundance of your house; you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9   For with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light.
10   Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, and your favor to those who are true of heart.
11   Let not the foot of the proud come near me, nor the hand of the wicked push me aside.

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Hebrews 9:11-15

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen



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 - April 10, 2017

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Easter Brings Hope

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."

—John 11:25 (NKJV)

Easter is not about brightly colored eggs, wearing pastels, or enjoying a big meal, although it could include these. Easter is about the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

For some, Easter will be a great day, spent surrounded by family and friends. But for others, it will be a sad day, because Easter is a reminder of a loved one who has died and is now desperately missed.

Death seems so cruel, so harsh, and so final. That is what the disciples were feeling when they saw their Lord, whom they had left everything to follow, hanging on the cross. They were devastated. Death had crushed them. But if they would have gone back in their memories, they would have recalled an important event and statement Jesus had made.

They would have remembered Jesus standing at the tomb of His close friend Lazarus. They would have remembered that Jesus did something completely unexpected: He wept (see John 11:35). Jesus wept, because He knew that death was not part of God’s original plan. Humanity was not meant to grow old, to suffer with disease, or to die. But because of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin entered the human race, and death followed with it. And death spread to all of us. Jesus wept, because it broke His heart.

But standing there at Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus also delivered these hope-filled words: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). Death is not the end. And the Resurrection of Jesus Christ proves it.

If you have put your faith in Christ, then Easter means that you will live forever in the presence of God. Easter brings hope to the person who has been devastated by death.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - La soledad es mala compañía

Alma mía, en Dios solamente reposa, porque de él es mi esperanza. Él solamente es mi roca y mi salvación.
Salmo 62:5-6, RV-60

La soledad no es el mejor aliado de nadie, sino que es un senti-miento desagradable. Podría atreverme a decir que todos la hemos sentido en alguna etapa de nuestras vidas.

En Estados Unidos, donde vivo, es muy común vivir esa soledad de una manera prolongada, pues no todo el mundo tiene el privilegio de vivir aquí con sus familias y la soledad nos golpea duro.

A mi llegada a este país, tuve la experiencia de no tener en el día alguien con quien hablar.

No salía a parte alguna porque todo me era desconocido y ni siquiera tenía transporte.

Así que pasaba horas de horas en un apartamentito compuesto de un cuarto grande, con una cocina diminuta, un baño, una cama… ¡y ya!

Fue una etapa dura, pero permitió que hoy valore y aprecie mucho lo que Dios me ha permitido hacer. Te puedo decir que son etapas que vivimos que nos ayudan a madurar, a crecer y a valorar lo que quizá nunca antes le diéramos importancia.

Sin embargo, cuando empecé mi caminar en Cristo, no volví a experimentar esa horrible sensación de soledad. A pesar de que he pasado momentos de crisis, ya veo las cosas de otra manera. Ahora puedo decir con franqueza que Dios es el único que llena todo vacío y es el que colma de felicidad nuestra vida.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - GOD’S PROMISES ARE STRONGER THAN FEAR

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:1-2, NIV

“Two days ago the police raided our house. They took away all the Bibles and Christian books that we had in the house,” says Lazar, a church leader in Uzbekistan. The roots of communism seem not to have withered yet. Uzbek Christians are balancing between fear of surveillance, intimidation and imprisonment and faith in God’s promises.

The penalty which Lazar may receive for possession of the “illegal books” he had in his house is a prison sentence of fifteen days or a hefty fine.

“I would prefer a prison sentence,” says Lazar. He knows comparable cases when fines equivalent to over a year’s salary were imposed. Leila, his wife seems bewildered by her husband’s response. “I don’t want you to go to prison,” she responds.

Lazar counters, “The Pharisees persecuted Jesus, but still He went on with His work. The evening after the raid, I read Psalm 91. God is my refuge and my strength. I can hide in Him. I don’t want to allow myself to be governed by fear, because that doesn’t help you at all. After my arrest, one of the neighbours telephoned me. ‘Lazar,’ he said, ‘we’ve packed our things and we’re ready to leave for Moscow. Should we go?’”

Lazar can understand this, but he resolutely teaches his church members to take a different approach. “We must oppose people who are sowing fear. God’s promises are stronger,” he emphasises. “We have difficulties, but we believe that God is with us and that His promises are stronger than fear.”

Still this fear may suddenly take a grip on you if you’re in the middle of a situation of direct persecution. A few days later Lazar suddenly says, “I’m leaving the city tonight. My lawyer has advised us to take a break. It may be the case that another raid is conducted on our home. We can’t cope with this now and so we’re leaving. Please pray for me and my family.”

In the space of a few days Lazar struggles with the horribly hard hand of the regime and with the values of his faith. He’s balancing between fear and faith. Pray that the fear which the government is trying to sow shall not take root in his heart.

A few weeks later, Lazar reports that he and his family are back at home. But the problems are not over. Legal proceedings have been taken against him and he has been threatened with death by the authorities. 

RESPONSE: Today I will boldly affirm that God is with me and His promises are stronger than fear!

PRAYER: Pray for Christians like Lazar and Leila who are on the teeter-totter between fear and faith. Pray that Satan’s tactic of fear will not take root in their hearts.

Women of the Bible - Naomi

Her name means: "My Joy" or "Pleasant"

Her character: Suffering a threefold tragedy, Naomi refused to hide Her Sorrow or bitterness. Believing in God's sovereignty, she attributed her suffering to his will. But her fixation on circumstances, both past and present, led to hopelessness. A kind and loving mother-in-law, she inspired unusual love and loyalty in her daughters-in-law.
Her sorrow: To have lost a husband and two sons in a foreign land, far from family and friends.
Her joy: To have returned safely to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth, who would eventually rekindle her happiness and hope.
Key Scriptures: Ruth 1; 4:13-17

Her Story

She stood like an old tree twisted against the sky. Though Naomi could see for miles from her vantage point high on the road that led from Moab to Judah, she could glimpse nothing at all of her future. She thought about robbers, rumored on the road ahead. What more, she wondered, could possibly be taken from her? Her thoughts strayed to the past.

Moses, she knew, had been buried somewhere in these mountains. But his people and hers had moved west into Canaan centuries earlier. Would she, too, be left behind, prevented from ever seeing her kinsfolk again? Was God so displeased with her?

Ten years ago, she and her husband, Elimelech, had lived happily in Bethlehem. But the city whose name meant "house of bread" suddenly had none, so they had migrated to the highlands of Moab to escape the famine. Then Elimelech had died and her sons had married Moabite women, whose race had descended from Abraham's nephew, Lot. Plenty of women lost their husbands. Like them, she would find a way to survive. But then she had suffered the worst grief a mother could—outliving her own children.

Now Ruth and Orpah, her daughters-in-law, were the only kin she had in Moab. Loving them tenderly, she felt their widowhood as a double grief. Together they had cried and comforted each other. The three women finally decided to leave Moab for Bethlehem. But once on the road, Naomi's misgivings outran her craving for companionship. It wasn't right for young women to forsake their families and friends for so uncertain a future. What chance would they, widows and strangers, have in Bethlehem, even now that the famine had run its course?

"Go back, each of you, to your mother's home," she told them. "May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband."

But Orpah and Ruth insisted, "We will go back with you to your people."

"Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons—would you wait until they grew up?"

The three women embraced, tears streaking their cheeks. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clutched Naomi and whispered fiercely, "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

The old woman's stubbornness was no match for the younger woman's love. And so Naomi and Ruth continued on to Bethlehem. After so long an absence, Naomi's return created a great commotion in the town, and all the women welcomed her, saying, "Can this be Naomi?"

"Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Call me Mara [meaning 'bitter'], because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."

Naomi could not see past her suffering. Like many of us, she may have felt as though her tragedies were punishment for her sins. Yet had she known the blessings in store, she might not have felt so hopeless. Instead, she may have compared herself to the tree that Job so graciously describes:

At least there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail.
Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant. - Job 14:7-9

Though she didn't know it, the scent of water was in the air. Naomi's life was beginning again, her story still unfolding.

Her Promise

God's faithfulness to restore to fullness an empty life is revealed more in this story of Naomi than in any other biblical account. The famine and hunger that drove Naomi and her husband and sons away from Bethlehem are finally replaced with full harvests and bread baked from grain gleaned in the fields. The anguish of losing her husband and sons is replaced with the loving care and concern of her daughter-in-law Ruth, who is "better to [Naomi] than seven sons" (Ruth 4:15). And Naomi's empty mother-arms are filled with the son of Boaz and Ruth. She is no absent grandmother; the Scriptures say Naomi took Obed and "laid him in her lap and cared for him" (Ruth 4:16). (We'll hear more about this grandson in the next chapter.)

Like Naomi, we may have trouble recognizing God's goodness and his faithfulness at times. But he is still with us no matter the circumstances.

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 - I Hear You!

by Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak … (James 1:19, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Every relationship begins with listening. Listening is hard work and something we are not prone to do. I tend to use listening time as time to prepare the eloquent things I am going to say when the other person stops talking.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile he was known for and saying the usual things he said at the White House receptions. One evening he decided to find out if anyone was really listening to what he was saying. As each person came up to him to shake his hand, he flashed his big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People automatically responded with comments such as "How lovely" or "Keep up the great work, Mr. President." Nobody listened to what he was saying except for one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat softly responded, “I’m sure she had it coming, Mr. President.”

There is a reason God created us with two ears and one mouth. We need to listen twice as much as we speak. Listening should always take precedence over speaking.

Proverbs 18:13 (NIV) “To answer before listening – that is folly and shame.”

Listening is the first step we should take to act out Scriptural truth. Jesus modeled this principle in a powerful way. If anyone had all the answers … if anyone had the right to do all the talking … it was Jesus. But if you read the gospels, you will find His conversations were always saturated with questions.

Remember when Jesus was just a boy and was accidentally left behind by His parents when they went to Jerusalem for Passover? Where was He found? In the temple.

“After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46).

Jesus knew how to ask questions.

In the gospel of Mark there are 67 conversations. In those 67 conversations, Jesus asked 50 questions. Jesus asked questions … and then He listened.

Why?

People listen to people who listen.

Jesus had way of listening to people that reached into their heart and soul. Jesus knew how to prime the pump. When we take the time to ask questions and then really listen to the answers people give, we are priming the pump of their hearts. What is inside will come pouring out.

Listening doesn’t require that we fix anything or even that we arrive at a solution. Listening sends the message, “I’m here for you. I want to understand your pain. I’m willing to share your pain.”

Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about unless you are willing to listen.

When our two children were young, we had a set bedtime routine. After dinner, they played for about an hour before taking a bath and brushing their teeth. I then asked them to choose a book to read before going to sleep. We would then snuggle under a blanket while reading the book. We all prayed together and I tucked them in. Ba-da-beem. Ba-da-boom. Right? In a perfect world, maybe, but we all know this world is far from perfect.

One night, Dan was out of town and needed to study, so I was trying to hurry up the bedtime routine. Our son was easy, but our daughter – not so much. When I walked into her room and lay down beside her on her bed, she took one look at me and immediately turned away. “Honey, what’s wrong?” I asked. Nothing. “Danna, please talk to me,” I persisted. She finally turned back to me and said, “You’re not here, Mama.” I was incredulous. “Honey, I am right here. Ready to read a book with you and tuck you in.” Danna turned back to me and softly but surely drove home the truth, “Mama, you’re not here on the inside.”

I run headlong through each twenty-four hours from the minute my feet hit the floor until I crawl into bed each night. It is in those quiet moments before sleep that I hear Him ask, “Did you make a difference today? Did you recognize that “intruder” or “interruption” as a divine appointment from Me instead of an inconvenience?

Jesus would have done things differently. With every breath, He was aware of the hurting and wounded, pursuing the broken people instead of avoiding them. Jesus carefully and deliberately invested every moment of His time on earth. He listened then … and He listens now. And there has never been a life that has made such a difference or mattered so much!

Let’s Pray

Father, I know I miss so many chances to truly listen to those people You place in my life. Forgive me for not taking the time to genuinely listen to them. Forgive me for being selfish and self-centered. Break my heart for the hurting people around me. Help me learn to listen to others in the same way You listen to me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Be honest. Are you a good listener? If not … why? Is it because you are more concerned about yourself than the person who is speaking? Is it because you are too busy to really listen? Ask the Father to make you someone who really listens.

More from the Girlfriends

If you really want to learn how to walk with God, check out Mary’s Book, Fit for Life. As fully devoted followers of Christ, one of our goals should be to get healthy and stay that way for this race of life. Fit for Life will help you do just that as it explores four areas of fitness and health - spiritual, physical, mental and emotional. Within each one of these areas, Fit for Life examines principles relating to rest, diet and exercise.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook. 

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ.

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