LHM Daily Devotion - "In Fact"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"In Fact"

April 18, 2017

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Jesus have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  - 1 Corinthians 15:16-20 (ESV)

Well, Daily Devotioners, since we were last together, the Italian police have broken up a drug gang which needed some quick cash. Deciding to expand its horizons, the gang elected to steal the body of Enzo Ferrari from its tomb in Modena, Italy.

For those who don't know, Ferrari designed and built cars ... very expensive cars.

The gang thought the Ferrari family and company would pay a bundle to have Ferrari's remains returned. Sadly, at least for the thieves, just as the plan was being put into motion, the officers closed in and shut things down. More than 34 people were arrested in the Ferrari caper.

Ferrari is neither the first, nor will he be the last, corpse considered valuable enough to steal.

Historians say no less than five separate and unsuccessful plots to steal the body of President Abraham Lincoln were uncovered.

In March of 1978, the body of the actor Charlie Chaplin was taken, and his family was told to fork over half a million dollars to get it back. Chaplin's widow refused because she thought her husband would have found the idea of paying a ransom for a dead body, "laughable."

All in all, it goes to prove a dead body can be a valuable thing.

Two thousand years ago in Jerusalem I imagine the high priests and the members of the Sanhedrin would have paid dearly for the body of the crucified Christ. If they had been able to point to Jesus' corpse and say, "Here He is," they could have shut down the Christian church right then and there.

Today, it is not much different. Think about it:

1. All around the world there are governments that are jealous of Jesus. They want their people to put their trust in the nation's leaders, not the risen Redeemer.

2. All of us would agree there is more than one global religion that would be downright giddy if they could put Jesus' body on display, if they could undermine the faith of Jesus' billions of followers.

3. Then, of course, there are the many modern thinkers who would love nothing more than to have their doubts about the resurrection of God's Son proven to be right.

I am pleased to report all their longings will never be more than wishful thinking. St. Paul said it rightly: "In fact, Christ has been raised from the dead." Not in imagination, but  in fact . And because Jesus' resurrection is a fact we can be certain that all who believe on Him will not perish but have forgiveness and everlasting life.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, in spite of what millions might hope and long for, I give thanks that,  in fact , Jesus has risen and, in fact, I am saved. For this I praise Your Name. Amen

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

CPTLN Devocional de 18 de Abril de 2017

Alimento Diario

Detenido
18 de Abril 2017
 
Ciertamente la gracia de Dios los ha salvado por medio de la fe. sta no naci de ustedes, sino que es un don de Dios; ni es resultado de las obras, para que nadie se vanaglorie. Efesios 2:8-9, RVC

Una mujer iba manejando muy tranquilamente, cuando el patrullero encendi sus luces y sirena y le hizo seas de que parara al costado del camino.

La sorpresa de ser detenida por un polic­a fue an mayor cuando apareci un hombre con una c¡mara y sac una foto del oficial, d¡ndole una flor. El oficial le dijo: "Felicitaciones, usted es la primer mujer que recibe una orqu­dea en la Semana de Conducir con Cuidado. La hemos estado siguiendo por algn tiempo y queremos felicitarla por cumplir con las leyes de tfico".

En la foto que apareci en el peridico del d­a siguiente la mujer luc­a nerviosa, lo cual no me sorprende para nada, ya que estaba conduciendo con la licencia vencida.

La mayor­a de nosotros somos como esa mujer. Cuando tomamos conciencia de las cosas que hemos hecho mal, esperamos que en cualquier momento Dios nos detenga y nos d un buen rezongo. Qu sorpresa nos llevamos cuando Dios nos detiene pero, en vez de castigarnos por nuestros errores, nos ofrece un regalo: el regalo de salvacin a travs del sacrificio y resurreccin de su Hijo.

Si en algn momento de su vida Dios le ha detenido y le ha mostrado su gracia, me alegro mucho por usted. Pero hay muchos que an no han tenido ese contacto con Cristo. Quizs hasta haya alguien en su vida, alguien especial, que necesite que el Seor le detenga y le muestre a su Salvador.

Hoy rezamos por ese alguien especial. Pidamos al Seor que le detenga, para que pueda ver el regalo que Dios le ofrece en amor.

ORACIN: Querido Seor, traigo ante ti a alguien muy especial para m­. Te pido que le detengas en su camino y le toques con tu gracia infinita, para que pueda ver la profundidad de tu amor y el valor espiritual del sacrificio de tu Hijo. En el nombre de Jess. Amn.

De una devocin escrita originalmente para "By the Way".
© 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 - Enjoy the View

Read: Psalm 148:1–6 | Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 3–5; Luke 14:25–35

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Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Psalm 148:3

Sunsets. People tend to stop what they are doing to watch them . . . snap pictures of them . . . enjoy the beautiful view.

My wife and I watched the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico recently. A crowd of people surrounded us, mostly strangers who had gathered at the beach to watch this nightly phenomenon. At the moment the sun fully slipped below the horizon, the crowd broke out with applause.

Why do people respond like that? The book of Psalms offers a clue. The psalmist wrote of God ordering the sun to praise its Creator (Ps. 148:3). And wherever the rays of the sun shine across the earth, people are moved to praise along with them.

The beauty that comes to us through nature speaks to our souls like few things do. It not only has the capacity to stop us in our tracks and captivate our attention, it also has the power to turn our focus to the Maker of beauty itself.

The wonder of God’s vast creation can cause us to pause and remember what’s truly important. Ultimately, it reminds us that there is a Creator behind the stunning entrance and exit of the day, One who so loved the world He made that He entered it in order to redeem and restore it.

I enjoy the world You have created with its variety and color. You and what You have made are awesome, Lord!

Our Daily Bread welcomes writer Jeff Olson! Meet Jeff and all our authors at odb.org/all-authors.

Join God in taking delight in all that He has made.

By Jeff Olson

© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Ngắm Cảnh

Đọc: Thi Thiên 148:1-6 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: 2 Sa-mu-ên 3-5; Lu-ca 14:25-35

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Hỡi mặt trời, mặt trăng, hãy ca ngợi Ngài! Hỡi tất cả các vì sao sáng, hãy ca ngợi Ngài! Thi Thiên 148:3

Khi hoàng hôn xuống, người ta thường có khuynh hướng dừng lại mọi việc đang làm để ngắm cảnh… chụp hình… chiêm ngưỡng khung cảnh hoàng hôn tuyệt đẹp.

Gần đây, vợ chồng tôi ngắm mặt trời lặn tại Vịnh Mê-hi-cô. Xung quanh chúng tôi có rất nhiều người, đa số là những người xa lạ tụ tập tại bờ biển để ngắm hiện tượng về chiều này. Ngay thời điểm mặt trời lặn hẳn dưới chân trời, mọi người đồng loạt vỗ tay.

Tại sao người ta lại có phản ứng như vậy? Sách Thi Thiên cho chúng ta một lời giải đáp. Tác giả viết rằng Đức Chúa Trời ra lệnh cho mặt trời phải ngợi khen Đấng Tạo Hóa (Thi Thiên 148:3). Và bất cứ nơi đâu trên trái đất mà tia sáng mặt trời chiếu vào, thì con người đều được thúc giục để cùng hòa lời ngợi khen Chúa.

Vẻ đẹp của thiên nhiên nói với tâm hồn chúng ta một cách rất đặc biệt. Thiên nhiên không chỉ khiến chúng ta phải dừng bước, thu hút sự chú ý của chúng ta mà còn hướng chúng ta đến Đấng tạo nên vẻ đẹp đó.

Kỳ quan trong cõi tạo vật rộng lớn của Đức Chúa Trời có thể khiến chúng ta dừng lại và ghi nhớ điều gì là thật sự quan trọng. Trên hết, chúng ta được nhắc nhở rằng có một Đấng Tạo Hóa phía sau cánh cửa đáng kinh ngạc mở ra và khép lại một ngày — Đấng quá yêu thế giới mà Ngài tạo dựng đến nỗi Ngài đã bước vào thế giới ấy để cứu chuộc và phục hồi nó.

Lạy Chúa, con vui thích thế giới muôn màu, muôn vẻ mà Ngài đã tạo dựng. Ngài thật đáng kinh sợ và những gì Ngài tạo dựng thật tuyệt vời!

Hãy vui hưởng tất cả những gì Đức Chúa Trời tạo dựng.

bởi Jeff Olson

© 2017 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày

Nuestro Pan Diario - Disfruta de la vista

Leer: Salmo 148:1-6 | La Biblia en un año: 2 Samuel 3–5; Lucas 14:25-35

Alabadle, sol y luna; Alabadle, vosotras todas, lucientes estrellas (v. 3).

Las puestas de sol. Las personas suelen dejar lo que están haciendo para observarlas… les sacan fotos… disfrutan de la hermosa vista.

Hace poco, mi esposa y yo miramos cómo el sol se ponía sobre el Golfo de México. Estábamos rodeados de una multitud que se había reunido en la playa para observar este fenómeno nocturno. Cuando el sol desapareció por completo en el horizonte, todos empezaron a aplaudir.

¿Por qué la gente responde de esa manera? El libro de los Salmos nos ofrece un indicio. El salmista escribió cómo Dios le ordena al sol que alabe a su Creador (Salmo 148:3). Y, dondequiera que los rayos del sol brillan sobre la Tierra, las personas se sienten inspiradas a alabar junto a ellos.

La belleza de la naturaleza habla a nuestra alma como pocas otras cosas. No solo puede hacernos parar en seco y captar nuestra atención, sino que también tiene el poder de hacernos mirar al Creador de esa belleza.

La maravilla de la vasta creación de Dios puede llevarnos a hacer una pausa y recordar lo que es verdaderamente importante. En última instancia, nos recuerda que, detrás de la espectacular entrada y salida del día, hay un Creador que amó de tal manera al mundo que hizo que entrara en él para redimirlo y restaurarlo.

Disfruto del mundo que creaste, con su variedad y su color. ¡Me asombras, Señor!

Únete a Dios y deléitate en todo lo que Él ha hecho.

Por JRO

© 2017 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Schöne Aussicht

Lesen: Psalm 148,1-6 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: 2.Samuel 3–5; Lukas 14,25-35

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Lobet ihn, Sonne und Mond, lobet ihn, alle leuchtenden Sterne. Psalm 148,3

Sonnenuntergänge. Menschen lassen alles stehen und liegen, um sie anzusehen . . . Fotos zu schießen . . . den Anblick zu genießen.

Vor kurzem haben meine Frau und ich am Golf von Mexiko beobachtet, wie die Sonne unterging. Eine Menschenmenge stand um uns herum, hauptsächlich Fremde, die zum Strand gekommen waren, um das Schauspiel anzusehen. Als die Sonne am Horizont versank, klatschten die Leute Applaus.

Warum reagieren sie so? Das Buch der Psalmen gibt uns einen Anhaltspunkt. Der Psalmist schreibt, dass Gott der Sonne befiehlt, ihren Schöpfer zu loben (Ps. 148,3). Und egal wo ein Sonnenstrahl auf die Erde fällt, bewegt er die Menschen dazu, es ihm gleichzutun.

Die Schönheit, der wir in der Natur begegnen, spricht unsere Seele an wie nur wenige Dinge sonst. Sie kann uns nicht nur bei unserer Arbeit innehalten lassen und unsere Aufmerksamkeit fesseln, sie hat auch die Kraft, unsere Blicke auf denjenigen zu lenken, der sie erschaffen hat.

Die Wunder von Gottes gewaltiger Schöpfung können uns daran erinnern, was wirklich wichtig ist. Aber vor allem lassen sie uns erkennen, dass hinter Beginn und Ende eines jeden Tages ein Schöpfer steht. Einer, der die Welt so liebt, dass er selbst in sie hineinkam, um sie zu erlösen und wiederherzustellen.

Ich freue mich an der Welt, die du so bunt und vielfältig erschaffen hast, und staune über dich und das, was du gemacht hast.

Freue dich mit Gott an allem, was er erschaffen hat.

Von Jeff Olson

© 2017 Unser Täglich Brot

Notre Pain Quotidien - Admirez la vue

Lisez : Psaume 148.1‑6 | La Bible en un an : 2 SAMUEL 3 – 5 et LUC 14.25‑35

Louez-le, soleil et lune ! Louez-le, vous toutes, étoiles lumineuses ! V.3

Les couchers de soleil. Les gens ont tendance à s’interrompre pour les regarder… les photographier… et en admirer la beauté.

Ma femme et moi avons regardé le Soleil se coucher sur le golfe du Mexique dernièrement. La foule nous entourait, composée surtout d’inconnus s’étant rassemblés sur la plage pour admirer ce phénomène nocturne. Or, au moment où le Soleil a complètement disparu derrière l’horizon, les applaudissements de la foule ont jailli.

Pourquoi les gens réagissent-ils de la sorte ? Le livre des Psaumes nous en donne un indice. Le psalmiste a écrit que Dieu avait ordonné au Soleil d’adorer son Créateur (PS 148.3). Et chaque fois que ses rayons balayent la Terre, les gens se sentent poussés à louer Dieu avec eux.

La beauté dont la nature nous entoure parle à notre âme comme peu de choses le font. Elle a non seulement la capacité de nous arrêter net en captant notre attention, mais encore elle a le pouvoir de nous amener à nous tourner vers celui‑là même qui a créé la beauté.

La magnificence et l’immensité de la création de Dieu peuvent nous amener à nous interrompre pour nous remémorer ce qui a une véritable importance. En définitive, elle nous rappelle qu’il y a un Créateur derrière le lever et le coucher de chaque journée, celui qui a tant aimé le monde qu’il avait créé, au point d’y entrer afin de le racheter et de le restaurer.

Joignez‑vous à Dieu pour jouir de tout ce qu’il a créé.

par Jeff Olson

© 2017 Ministères NPQ

Хліб Наш Насущній - Полюбуйтесь видовищем

Читати: Псалом 148:1-6 | Біблія за рік: 2 Самуїлова 3−5 ; Луки 14:25-35

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Хваліте Його, сонце й місяцю, хваліте Його, усі зорі ясні! — Псалом 148:3

Сонце заходить за обрій. Люди часто зупиняються, роблять паузу в роботі, щоб подивитись на це диво, зробити фотознімки, або просто помилуватись чудовим видовищем.

Нещодавно я з дружиною споглядав захід сонця, що сідало за Мексиканську Затоку. Навколо були натовпи людей – по більшості незнайомці, що зібрались на березі помилуватись цим вечірнім явищем. І в той момент, як сонце слизнуло за край обрію, натовп вибухнув оплесками.

Чому люди так реагують на подібні речі? Книга Псалмів містить ключову відповідь. Псалміст пише, що Сам Бог наказує сонцю славити свого Творця (Пс. 148:3). І коли промені сонця осяюють землю, це спонукає людей славити Бога.

Мало що так сильно промовляє до нашого серця, як та краса, що нам її являє природа. Краса природи не лише спроможна зупинити нас у наших справах, привернувши нашу увагу, але може й спрямувати наш погляд на Творця самої цієї краси. Чудеса безмежного Божого творіння здатні спонукати нас зупинитись і згадати те, що має найбільше значення. Зрештою вони нагадують нам, що існує Творець – Той, Хто стоїть за чудовим сходом сонця вранці і вражаючим його заходом увечері. Біблія говорить, що Бог так полюбив створений Ним світ, що Сам прийшов на землю спасти й відновити його.

Господи, я насолоджуюсь тим світом, що Ти створив у всій його різноманітності та кольоровості. Ти є великий. І все, що Ти створив, відображає Твою велич!

Насолоджуйтесь творінням, як Бог насолоджувався ним, коли створив Всесвіт.

Автор Джеф Олсон

© 2017 Хліб Наш Насущній

Хлеб наш насущный - Полюбуйтесь видом

Читать сейчас: Псалом 148:1-6 | Библия за год: 2 Царств 3-5; Луки 14:25-35

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Хвалите Его, солнце и луна, хвалите Его, все звезды света. — Псалом 148:3

Закат. Люди останавливаются и смотрят на заходящее солнце. Фотографируют. Любуются.

Мы с женой недавно смотрели, как солнце заходит над Мексиканским заливом. Вокруг было много народа, преимущественно туристы. Когда солнце полностью скрылось за горизонтом, люди зааплодировали.

Почему они так поступили? Подсказка содержится в Псалмах. Псалмопевец написал, что солнце славит своего Творца (Пс. 148:3). И когда лучи дневного светила сияют над землей, люди чувствуют побуждение славить Бога вместе с ними.

Красота природы особым образом касается наших душ. Она не только обладает способностью останавливать нас среди суеты, привлекая внимание, но также имеет силу обращать наш взгляд на Создателя красоты.

Чудо удивительного Божьего творения может побудить нас остановиться и вспомнить то, что по-настоящему важно. Прежде всего оно напоминает о Том, Кто дает начало и конец каждому дню, Кто так возлюбил созданный Им мир, что пришел искупить и спасти его.

Я радуюсь разнообразному и многоцветному миру, который Ты, Господь, сотворил. И Ты Сам, и Твое творение удивительны.

Возрадуйтесь вместе с Богом о Его делах.

автор: Джеф Олсон

© 2017 Хлеб Наш Насущный

The Daily Readings for MONDAY, April 17, 2017 - Monday in Easter Week

Easter Monday in Poland

Morning Prayer

O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

The Introit

Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

The Old Testament Lesson

The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Jonah 2:1-9

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, "I called to the LORD out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; how shall I look again upon your holy temple?' The waters closed in over me; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O LORD my God. As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the LORD!"

Psalms

Psalm 16:8-11
8   I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
9   My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope.
10   For you will not abandon me to the grave, nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11   You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

The Epistle Lesson

The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Acts 2:14,22b-32

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. "You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.

The Holy Gospel Lesson

The Holy Gospel is written in Matthew 28:9-15

Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

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

Prayer of the Day

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with awe the Paschal feast may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

A Prayer 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

A Prayer for Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God! Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. 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.

Daily Prayer - Monday, April 17, 2017 - Easter Monday

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with awe the Paschal feast may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Verse of the Day - April 17, 2017

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV) [Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 1

Listen to 1 Corinthians 1

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 - "Hope for the Hopeless"

Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country.

—Mark 16:12 (NLT)

Sometimes in our minds we feel as though God has fallen short, that He hasn’t done what He said He would do. Maybe a tragedy has befallen us. Maybe something has happened in our lives that has left us feeling disappointed with God.

That is how two disciples felt after the Crucifixion. They had lost hope. When Jesus appeared to them, they were walking away from Jerusalem into the country (see Mark 16:12). In their minds, Jesus had let them down. They had misunderstood His mission. They thought He would be a militant Messiah, not a suffering Savior.

But if they had read the Scriptures carefully, they would have come across a vivid description of the physical sufferings of Christ in Isaiah. They would have read the words of Psalm 22, which pointed out that His hands and feet would be pierced, and that He would cry out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (NKJV). But they missed that.

That was the problem with these discouraged disciples, and so they were leaving Jerusalem. They wanted to get that image of Jesus on the cross out of their minds. They wanted to put as much distance from them and the cross as humanly possible.

Jesus was doing exactly what He had come to do, and they had misunderstood. And when it seems like God has failed us, it is because we have misunderstood.

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. 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 © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.

Un Dia a la Vez - No vivas esclavo, declárate libre

Ahora bien, el Señor es el Espíritu; y donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad.
2 Corintios 3:17, NVI

¿Cuántas personas que hoy leen este devocional se sienten atadas a los vicios?

Si es una atadura, es una esclavitud. Si lo sentimos cuando fuimos fumadores que queríamos un cigarrillo y nos desesperaba no tenerlo, no quiero ni imaginarme la ansiedad que produce que no tengas tu vicio y hasta dónde puedes llegar con tal de tenerlo.

Por eso es una atadura. Es una esclavitud. Así que Dios en este día quiere liberarte de cualquier vicio. No dudo que los grupos de ayuda sean excelentes. No obstante, si le pides perdón a Dios de corazón y le suplicas que te quite el deseo de drogarte, de beber, de estar en la pornografía o cualquier otra cosa, puedo declarar que muchos se liberarán hoy mismo y podrán testificar de manera milagrosa acerca del poder de Dios.

¡Anímate y acepta el reto de declararte libre!

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE SWORD CANNOT SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall…sword…?

Romans 8:35g, NIV

The question asked is a personal one. Not “what” can separate us but “who”? The inference is our enemy, Satan, who tries every tactic he can garner to make us think we can be separated from Christ’s love. Today we look at his tactic of “sword” or violence.

Sister Pasqualita spoke at the “Mexico, I Love You” Congress. She had suffered severe ostracism in her small town in the very southern part of Mexico because she had become an evangelical. Other Christians had already been forcibly driven from the town.

One night a group of her persecutors surrounded her grass-roofed home setting it on fire. As she opened the door, someone fired a gun at her. A co-worker shares her story in his own words:

“When she was sharing her testimony she was crying. She said, ‘I thank the Lord that only twenty-one ammunition bits touched me.’ She had been shot all over her body and even in the neck. She was still able to run and fell into a hole where her persecutors couldn’t see her in the dark. She was losing blood quickly but some other townsfolk who appreciated her testimony somehow took her out through the mob to another nearby town’s clinic. She survived but three other family members in the house were murdered.

“She complained to the Lord saying, ‘Lord, why now that I’ve given you my life and my family am I suffering this way?’ The Lord reminded her of a song that she used to sing very often, ‘I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.’

“She continued, ‘Then I understood that when I decided to follow Jesus, it was in the midst of any situation, any persecution. My life now belonged to Him. I gained strength in that song. I am preaching again and I am encouraging the rest of the believers that when we decide to follow Jesus there is no turning back.’”

Today Pasqualita continues to be a strong Christian leader and teacher in her community and she still loves to sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.”

RESPONSE: I will live this day in the awareness that physical weapons and violence can never separate me from Christ’s love.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to react to any threats of intimidating weapons with complete confidence in Your love.

Women of the Bible - Ruth

Her name means: "Friendship"

Her character: Generous, loyal, and loving, she is strong and serene, able to take unusual risks, dealing actively with life circumstances.
Her sorrow: To have lost her husband, homeland, and family.
Her joy: To discover firsthand the generous, loyal, and loving nature of God, as he provided her with a husband, a son, and a home to call her own.
Key Scriptures: Ruth 2-4; Matthew 1:5

Her Story

It was harvest time in Israel when Boaz first laid eyes on the young woman. The sun had painted the fields a tawny gold as workers swung their sickles in even rhythms through the standing grain. According to Israel's law and custom, the poor had the right to gather whatever the harvesters missed.

Ruth toiled quickly and efficiently, he noticed, stuffing grain into a coarse sack slung across her shoulder. Strands of black hair escaped her head covering, softly framing olive-colored skin, still smooth despite the sun. She rested, but only for a moment, her eyes wary for any sign of trouble from the men working the fields. Gleaning was rough work and dangerous, especially for an attractive young foreigner, alone and unprotected.

Everyone in Bethlehem had been talking about Boaz's relative, Naomi, and her unexpected return. Ruth, he knew, had come with her. He had heard of their shared tragedy and the extraordinary loyalty the young woman had displayed toward her mother-in-law, even promising to renounce Moab's idols for Israel's God. A man could wish for such a friend as Ruth had been to Naomi.

Determined to repay her kindness in some way, Boaz called to her, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you." The young woman smiled her agreement.

Later he spoke to Ruth again, this time offering bread and roasted grain for her dinner. When she finished eating, Boaz instructed his men to pull out some stalks of grain and strew them in her path. It was good to see her leaving that night with a bulging harvest sack.

Day after day, he watched her, aware that the wheat and barley harvest would soon be drawing to a close. One evening, Boaz and the other men were winnowing barley on the threshing floor. After he had finished eating and drinking, he lay down under the stars at the far end of the grain pile. With so many men to guard the harvest, robbers wouldn't dare approach. But in the middle of the night he woke with a start, realizing that someone had dared. To his surprise, he discovered the intruder was neither a robber nor a man, but a woman who lay at his feet.

She, too, was awake. "I am your servant, Ruth," she whispered. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."

He could hardly believe her words. The young woman had taken a remarkable risk, appearing at night and lying down so close to him. Quickly, he covered her, saying, "The Lord bless you. This kindness is greater than that which you showed Naomi: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask." So Ruth lay at his feet until morning, rising before the early light could reveal her presence to others.

But Boaz knew there was one obstacle that could yet spoil things. Naomi had a closer relative than Boaz, a man who could play the role of kinsman-redeemer, marrying Ruth and restoring her dead husband's name. This man was entitled to purchase a field belonging to Naomi. If he purchased the field, by law he had to marry Ruth as well. That would destroy Boaz's hope of making Ruth his wife.

Boaz wasted no time putting the case before the man, who seemed interested enough in the land. But as soon as the man discovered that marriage was part of the bargain, he relinquished his rights to the land to Boaz.

So the two were married and the older man welcomed the young woman into his home. And God blessed them with a son, whom they named Obed.

Pulling Ruth close to him, Boaz watched one day as Naomi held her grandson to her breast. Surrounded by the other women of Bethlehem, she looked young again, more like the woman he remembered when her husband, Elimelech, had been alive. He watched as the women talked with Naomi regarding the child: "Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth."

Yes, Boaz thought, his Ruth was better to Naomi than seven sons. And he was grateful for the friendship between the two women. Had Ruth and Naomi gone their separate ways, his life would have been so much the poorer.

The good-hearted Boaz felt strong and young again. But even he couldn't have realized how greatly God had blessed him in the person of Ruth. For their son, Obed, became the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. In addition to being King David's great-grandparents, both Boaz and Ruth are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth, who is, after all, our own great Kinsman-Redeemer, uniting us to himself, healing our sorrows, and giving us, as well, a future full of hope.

Her Promise

All that Ruth did was done for love of her mother-in-law, and for love of Naomi's God. She made a promise on the road to Bethlehem that she was determined to keep. Though it was a promise made by one woman to another, it is often quoted in wedding ceremonies as an eloquent expression of love and loyalty between spouses.

Ruth had no way of knowing that her way of blessing Naomi would eventually become a blessing in her own life. That's just the divine irony of our God, who delights so much in seeing us love and bless others that he turns that love and blessing back on us in double measure.

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 - You’ve Been Pre-Approved!

by Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of junk mail from credit card companies that tell me I’ve been “pre-approved” for a line of credit. But here’s something I’ll never get tired of: God telling me that I’ve been pre-approved to be His child.

Just before Jesus began his earthly ministry, He traveled to the Jordan to be baptized by his cousin John. As soon as He came up out of the water, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and God spoke. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

Just think about that. Before Jesus even performed the first miracle, preached the first sermon, or called the first disciple, God made sure that His identity was clear. He was accepted, approved, and completely loved. And so are you.

So many Christians are trying to earn an acceptance and approval that Jesus has already earned for them. God’s acceptance of you is not based on your performance. That doesn’t mean that we stop trying to do our best to live a God-honoring life. But it does mean that we stop trying to earn acceptance we already have. You have nothing to prove because you have already been approved through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His presence in you.

The devil will do anything and everything he can to keep you from believing that truth. Make no mistake about it, he knows that you are a chosen, holy, dearly loved child of God who has been created to fulfill a great purpose that God has planned for you. He knows it, and he hates it. His goal is to keep you from believing it. And if he can keep you from believing the truth about your new identity, then he has won.

True confidence comes when the words God speaks about you become more real to you than the lies you’ve believed all your life.

We will always have a choice to believe the God who made us (fearfully and wonderfully, I might add) or believe the deceiver who wants to hold us hostage in the “less than” mentality. Change always begins with a choice.

The voice you believe will determine your destiny, whether you remain in the land of in-between (saved from Egypt but never quite making it to your Promised Land) or venture toward the land of milk and honey—the exciting, adventurous life in Christ that is fraught with miracles, wonders, and life to the full. Identity always comes before activity. Before you can effectively do what God has called you to do, you must take hold of who God has called you to be.

We need to learn how to overpower the lies of the enemy with the promises of God, and we’re going to start right here, right now, by believing the truth about your new born-again identity.

Many of us are driven by a scarcity mentality and see ourselves through the lens of our pre-Christ, spiritually dead existence rather than our born-again, spiritually alive and empowered identity. We are held hostage to the idea that we will never be good enough, when Jesus clearly tells us that through Him, we already are.

So here’s what I want you to do today: allow God to baptize you in the affirmation of your true identity.

You are His daughter.

Whom He loves.

With you He is well pleased.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, I can never thank You enough for loving me. Help me to stop trying to earn what I already have. Help me to take hold of my new identity and walk in the confidence of a woman who is truly loved.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and note what Paul writes about your acceptance and salvation.

Now, this is deep, but I think you can handle it. Read Galatians 3:1-14. Why was Paul fussing at the Galatians? They knew they had been saved by faith, but then they began to what?

Have you ever found yourself turning your relationship with Jesus into a list of dos and don’ts, or a hectic schedule of church work? Why do you think we do that?

Today remember, you are pre-approved!

More from the Girlfriends

This is the most important book I’ve ever written. In Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold, I reveal the most common reasons we get stuck in our Christian faith. I show you how to break free of all that holds you back, move forward with all that God promises, and live the adventurous faith of bold believing. Leave behind feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy that hold you hostage and take hold of the mountain-moving faith God intends. You were meant for more…take hold of God’s truth and thrive.

Also see the laminated True Identity in Christ card filled with verses that fits snuggly in your Bible as a daily reminder of who God says you are! And check out the Lambano Take Hold Necklace made by women rescued from poverty in Haiti and Mexico.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 725 Matthews, NC 28106

info@girlfriendsingod.com

www.girlfriendsingod.com