LHM Daily Devotion - October 17, 2017 "Pretending for No Reason"

Have you ever met a hypocrite? That's sort of a trick question...

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Pretending for No Reason"

October 17, 2017

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

~ Luke 16:14-15 (ESV)

Have you ever met a hypocrite?

That's sort of a trick question, isn't it? The problem is if a hypocrite is being good at what he does, you would never know that he is one. Generally speaking, you can usually only tell a person was a hypocrite if he stopped wearing his false mask and made some sort of confession, some type of revelation of who they really were.

Apparently, that is the case for Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapone.

Lieutenant Rapone was a member of last year's West Point graduating class. West Point, the University that turns out officers for the U.S. military, has a high set of academic standards and a high code of conduct as it tries to instill in its students a good understanding and acceptance of the Academy's motto of "Duty, Honor, Country."

Now, why would anyone say that Lieutenant Rapone was a hypocrite?

The answer is supplied by Lieutenant Rapone, himself. Now that he has successfully managed to graduate from "the Point," he has sent a number of pictures to people. One of those photos shows him, as a cadet, opening his uniform to show a Che Guevara T-shirt underneath. (Ernesto, "Che" Guevara was a doctor, a diplomat, an author, a military tactician, and a Marxist revolutionary who was very important to the success of Castro's revolution in Cuba.)

Along with the Che Guevara shirt, Lieutenant Rapone had placed a sign into the cap he wore at his graduation ceremonies. The hand-lettered sheet reads: "Communism Will Win."

Since the lieutenant's revelation, West Point has stated the man "in no way" reflects the values of the U.S. Military Academy. Apparently, an investigation is beginning.

So that is the story of a West Point hypocrite, but how about religious hypocrites?

Read through Scripture and you will find the Lord has little patience with those who pretend at being His. Achan pretended to be a good soldier, but he stole forbidden treasure from Jericho. That hypocrisy cost him his life. It was the same penalty for Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit. Jesus reserves some of His strongest language for hypocrites and, in no uncertain terms, gives warning that a person may look good before men, but God knows our hearts.

The worst part of Christian hypocrisy is that it is so unnecessary.

God doesn't force anyone to believe. He doesn't twist anybody's arms into repentance. If someone wants to walk the wide road that leads to a place other than heaven, God won't forcibly stop them. But why would anyone want to con the Lord who sent His Son into this world to carry, pay for, and forgive all sins, including that of hypocrisy. Jesus stands waiting, ready for a truly repentant heart.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence or take Your Holy Spirit form me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

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CPTLN Devocional de 17 de Octubre de 2017

En la recepción de bodas de Annie Hopkins...

Alimento Diario

Perspectiva

17 de Octubre 2017

Es mejor gozar de buena fama que gozar de un buen perfume. Es mejor el día en que se muere que el día en que se nace.

~ Eclesiastés 7:1 (RVC)

En la recepción de bodas de Annie Hopkins, la cena preparada para los cientos de invitados fue amenizada con la música de un trío de jazz, la comida fue excelente y por supuesto hubo bar libre.

Lo que fue diferente en esa recepción, fue que Annie no estuvo presente, ya que había fallecido el 20 de enero por complicaciones generadas por el tratamiento que recibía por la enfermedad degenerativa que padecía.

Pero, aun así, tuvo una recepción de bodas.

¿Por qué? Porque Annie prefería una recepción de bodas en vez de un funeral. Por eso fue que su hermano y sus amigos organizaron la recepción en su honor, y el dinero recaudado lo destinaron a la fundación creada en honor de Annie que otorga becas a estudiantes que se dedican a mejorar la vida de las personas con discapacidades.

Aunque no sé qué religión profesaba Annie, sí sé que su filosofía es bastante cercana a la del pueblo de Dios. El autor de Eclesiastés se opuso a la opinión popular no cristiana cuando escribió: "Es mejor el día en que se muere que el día en que se nace."

Los primeros cristianos también lo creyeron.

Cualquiera que compara las inscripciones en las tumbas de cristianos con las de quienes no lo son, puede ver las diferencias.

Las tumbas de los redimidos por Jesús hablan de esperanza, paz y vida eterna. En cambio en las tumbas de los no creyentes se lamenta la pérdida del ser amado como si no existiera la certeza de una reunión en el cielo.

Es por ello que damos gracias por el Hijo de Dios que dio su vida para que seamos perdonados, y alabamos a Aquél que fue sacrificado para que podamos ser consolados ante la muerte.

ORACIÓN: Amado Señor Jesús, te damos gracias por haber dado tu vida para que nuestras vidas fueran cambiadas completamente y para la eternidad. Te pedimos que inundes al resto de la humanidad con tu Espíritu Santo, para que ellos también puedan saber que, en Jesús, el día de la muerte vale más que el día en que se nace. En el nombre del Salvador. 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.

The Daily Readings for MONDAY, October 16, 2017

The Mission of the Twelve

The Daily Readings for
MONDAY, October 16, 2017

Jeremiah 36:11-26

When Micaiah son of Gemariah son of Shaphan heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll, he went down to the king's house, into the secretary's chamber; and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the officials. And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi to say to Baruch, "Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. And they said to him, "Sit down and read it to us." So Baruch read it to them. When they heard all the words, they turned to one another in alarm, and said to Baruch, "We certainly must report all these words to the king." Then they questioned Baruch, "Tell us now, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?" Baruch answered them, "He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the scroll." Then the officials said to Baruch, "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are." Leaving the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, they went to the court of the king; and they reported all the words to the king. Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary; and Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king. Now the king was sitting in his winter apartment (it was the ninth month), and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him. As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words, was alarmed, nor did they tear their garments. Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son and Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest the secretary Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But the LORD hid them.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Matthew 10:5-15

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 1 Beatus vir qui non abiit
1   Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2   Their delight is in the law of the LORD, and they meditate on his law day and night.
3   They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper.
4   It is not so with the wicked; they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5   Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6   For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Psalm 2 Quare fremuerunt gentes?
1   Why are the nations in an uproar? Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?
2   Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt, and the princes plot together, against the LORD and against his Anointed?
3   Let us break their yoke, they say; let us cast off their bonds from us.
4   He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; the Lord has them in derision.
5   Then he speaks to them in his wrath, and his rage fills them with terror.
6   I myself have set my king . upon my holy hill of Zion
7   Let me announce the decree of the LORD: he said to me, "You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.
8   Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.
9   You shall crush them with an iron rod and shatter them like a piece of pottery."
10   And now, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11   Submit to the LORD with fear, and with trembling bow before him;
12   Lest he be angry and you perish; for his wrath is quickly kindled.
13   Happy are they all who take refuge in him!

Psalm 3 Domine, quid multiplicati
1   LORD, how many adversaries I have! how many there are who rise up against me!
2   How many there are who say of me, "There is no help for him in his God."
3   But you, O LORD, are a shield about me; you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head.
4   I call aloud upon the LORD, and he answers me from his holy hill;
5   I lie down and go to sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
6   I do not fear the multitudes of people who set themselves against me all around.
7   Rise up, O LORD; set me free, O my God; surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face, you will break the teeth of the wicked.
8   Deliverance belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be upon your people!

Evening Psalms

Psalm 4 Cum invocarem
1   Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; you set me free when I am hard-pressed; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2   You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory; how long will you worship dumb idols and run after false gods?
3   Know that the LORD does wonders for the faithful; when I call upon the LORD, he will hear me.
4   Tremble, then, and do not sin; speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
5   Offer the appointed sacrifices and put your trust in the LORD.
6   Many are saying, "Oh, that we might see better times!" Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD.
7   You have put gladness in my heart, more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
8   I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 7 Domine, Deus meus
1   O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me;
2   Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces and snatch me away with none to deliver me.
3   O LORD my God, if I have done these things: if there is any wickedness in my hands,
4   If I have repaid my friend with evil, or plundered him who without cause is my enemy;
5   Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life into the ground, and lay my honor in the dust.
6   Stand up, O LORD, in your wrath; rise up against the fury of my enemies.
7   Awake, O my God, decree justice; let the assembly of the peoples gather round you.
8   Be seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; O LORD, judge the nations.
9   Give judgment for me according to my righteousness, O LORD, and according to my innocence, O Most High.
10   Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God.
11   God is my shield and defense; he is the savior of the true in heart.
12   God is a righteous judge; God sits in judgment every day.
13   If they will not repent, God will whet his sword; he will bend his bow and make it ready.
14   He has prepared his weapons of death; he makes his arrows shafts of fire.
15   Look at those who are in labor with wickedness, who conceive evil, and give birth to a lie.
16   They dig a pit and make it deep and fall into the hole that they have made.
17   Their malice turns back upon their own head; their violence falls on their own scalp.
18   I will bear witness that the LORD is righteous; I will praise the Name of the LORD Most High.

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.

Prayer of the Day for MONDAY, October 16, 2017

Father, so many divisions and disputes have been generated by issues, practices and traditions that are not part of the fundamentals of the faith. Your Church is a glorious unity in diversity, but when we major on the minors, the spirit of factionalism replaces that of unity and peace. I ask for the boldness and courage to stand up and contend for the essentials of the faith, even if it means a lack of peace.

I do not want to compromise the truth of the gospel for the sake of peace. But I also ask for the graciousness to demonstrate kindness and tolerance for believers who disagree with me about the non-essentials. I acknowledge that there are some things that are not clear enough in Your revelation for us to understand fully, but these are not the clearly revealed core issues of the faith. In all things, may I be loving and gracious to others.

Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, October 16, 2017

Psalm 19:14 (NIV) May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Read all of Psalm 19

Listen to Psalm 19

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 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

A Sacrifice of Praise

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

~ Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

Sometimes the last thing we want to do is to give thanks. It’s one thing to give thanks when the bills are paid and our health is good and the future is bright. But when there is a sudden, even tragic, turn in our lives, it isn’t as easy to give thanks.

The Bible tells us, however, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 106:1). Sometimes we feel good. And sometimes we’re not feeling so good at all. Yet we are to give thanks to the Lord.

Think of Job who, in one day, basically lost everything. Anything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Yet he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

We need to have what we might describe as a theology of thanksgiving. We need to understand that thanks should be offered to God regardless of our circumstances. Sometimes our praise will come easily, and other times, quite frankly, it will be a sacrifice.

For Job to offer praise to God in a moment like that was a sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” That means we are to verbalize our praise.

We were created to give glory to God. The highest use of our vocal chords, of our lips, of our mouths, of the formation of our words is to give honor and glory to God. God wants to hear us give Him praise. We need to give God what He deserves, and that is glory.

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.
Why we need to give God what He deserves.

Un Dia a la Vez - Acércate a Él

Acércate a Él

Acérquense a Dios, y él se acercará a ustedes. ¡Pecadores, límpiense las manos! ¡Ustedes los inconstantes, purifiquen su corazón!

~ Santiago 4:8 (NVI)

Cada día recibo correos electrónicos donde los oyentes me expresan que quieren un cambio en sus vidas y desean buscar a Dios para encontrar respuesta a sus necesidades. Yo le agradezco a Dios por ese privilegio de servirles de inspiración a fin de que pueda hablarles de lo que me cambió la vida.

Mi vida es Jesús y tal vez parezca que soy religiosa o fanática, pero nada de eso es verdad. He vivido la vida con Cristo y sin Él. Así que con toda certeza puedo dar testimonio de cómo Dios me alcanzó, me rescató y me perdonó.

Al cambiar mi vida, también les pude dar un mejor ejemplo a mis princesas, que son mi vida.

Te lo digo con todo mi corazón: ¡Vale la pena acercarse a Él! Cuando lo hacemos, le permitimos que obre en nuestra vida, que haga suyos nuestros problemas y que nos dé una salida para cada uno de ellos.

Dios te ama y te dice: «Ven, no te resistas. No sigas tratando de vivir la vida a tu manera. Ven, porque deseo bendecir tu vida, cambiarla y darte lo que tengo preparado para ti».

Acercarte al Padre es como volver a tu origen. Es volver a su manto, a su protección, donde estarás seguro, tranquilo y en paz. Deja el orgullo y búscale con un corazón arrepentido y dispuesto a dejarte llevar al taller del Maestro. En ese taller, Él pulirá tu vida, limará tus partes ásperas y te colocará a altas temperaturas. Entonces, después de salir de allí, saldrás nuevo y hermoso.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - REJOICE IN PERSECUTION

REJOICE IN PERSECUTION

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…

~ John 1:10-12 (NIV)

The most recent edition of the famous prayer manual, Operation World, was published in November 2010 and was quick to highlight as a global trend, “...The rise in levels of persecution – especially for Christians.” The editors of the Operation World explained why:

“The end of the European colonial era, the end of Christianity’s status as state religion in most of the West and the resurgence of religious sentiments globally, especially fundamentalism, all mean that Christians generally no longer operate from a position of power or privilege. Christians are subject to persecution in much of the world. Evangelicals are subject to even more due to their proselytism and commitment to the uniqueness of Christ. The presence of persecution and hardship in the life of the Church appears to be normative in Scripture; contexts where persecution does not exist at all should be as much a cause for concern as places where it is intense.”

Open Doors’ Dr. Ron Boyd-MacMillan concludes:

In the end, the rise of persecution is paradoxically for Christians something to protest and to celebrate, for as a Beijing house church pastor says, “The church is always persecuted when it does something right...it shows Christ to a world that rejects him.” Persecution is the continual replaying of John chapter one verses ten and eleven: “[Jesus] came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, but even they rejected him.” And so in the challenging words of a Palestinian pastor, “Every Christian must rejoice to be persecuted, and fight for Christ to be recognized in the midst of suffering, for suffering is the gift by which we see our need of Him who came for us and loves us.”

RESPONSE: As Christians, persecution is not something to avoid but to celebrate.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to rejoice when persecution comes my way – whether mild, medium or hot! And help me to fight for Christ to be recognized in the midst of the suffering.

Women of the Bible - Joanna

Joanna

Her name means: "The Lord Gives Graciously"

Her character: A woman of high rank in Herod's court, she experienced healing at Jesus' hands. She responded by giving herself totally, supporting his ministry, and following him wherever he went. The story of her healing may have been known to Herod himself.
Her joy: To find the tomb empty except for the angels who proclaimed Jesus alive.
Key Scriptures: Luke 8:1-3; 24:10 (and Matthew 14:1-12 and Luke 23:7-12 for background on Herod and his court)

Her Story

Joanna was a wealthy woman, accustomed to an atmosphere of worldliness. One didn't live in Herod Antipas's courts without learning to navigate the powerful currents of intrigue that swirled continuously around his throne. But nothing had so troubled and sickened her as the death of the prophet John. A holy man murdered for speaking the plain truth, his head was carried to Herodias on a platter, like a tantalizing dish to satisfy her appetite for revenge. How sad she had been as she watched Jesus grieving his cousin's murder.

Joanna's own life had been so altered by Christ that she may have hoped to influence Herod on his behalf. Married to Cuza, the manager of Herod's vast estates, she was well-positioned for the task. How intently Herod would have listened as she recounted the details of her miraculous healing. But after John's death, Joanna must have wondered what would become of Jesus should he ever have the misfortune of falling into Herod's hands. And what, for that matter, would become of his followers?

Though Joanna would have realized the escalating risks that faith required, there is not the slightest evidence she flinched from them. Unlike Nicodemus, she made no effort to hide her admiration for Jesus. Along with other women, she provided for his needs from her own purse. Perhaps her gifts made it just a little easier on this teacher who had no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20).

All we really know of Joanna, in addition to her status as Cuza's wife, is that Jesus cured her of some spiritual or physical malady, that she was among a group of women who traveled with Jesus and his disciples, that she supported his ministry out of her own means, and that she was present at Jesus' resurrection along with Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James. Whether her faith cost her dearly or little in either her marriage or at court is a matter for speculation.

Joanna was probably among the women present at the crucifixion. And like the others who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body, she must have fallen on her face in awe of the angels who greeted her with astonishing news: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

She would have run with the others to tell the disciples of the incredible discovery. Though Peter and the other disciples discounted the story as the ravings of hysterical women, Joanna would hardly have doubted herself. For she was a woman who lived in an atmosphere of power, and she had just witnessed a far greater power than Herod's. She would have recognized it as the same power that had healed her.

It didn't matter that her husband served a man opposed to Christ; Joanna knew where her allegiance belonged. A woman of high rank, she became part of the intimate circle of Christ's followers, casting her lot with fishermen and poor people rather than with the rich and the powerful. God honored her by making her one of the first witnesses of the resurrection.

Her Promise

Joy comes in the morning. Joanna discovered this in a miraculous way on Jesus' resurrection day. She went to his tomb expecting to minister to his dead body and to grieve. Instead, her sorrow turned to tremendous joy. Our joy may not come this morning or tomorrow morning or even the morning after that. We face too many hardships, too many difficult situations, too much sorrow here on earth to think joy will arrive with each morning. But it will come. He has promised. At the end of the day, at the end of this life, there will be a joyful morning for all who trust in him.

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 - Rediscovering Wonder

Rediscovering Wonder

Melissa Spoelstra

Today’s Truth

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”.

~ Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

Friend to Friend

Sometimes all the good things in my life overwhelm me… not in a wondrous, “wow we are blessed” kind of way. Instead I get overwhelmed by all that has to be done and the lack of margin that accompanies these blessings. I can so easily lose the wonder and beauty of my gifts.

I am surrounded by wondrous things like nature, family, friends, purpose, opportunities, and a loving God. Yet these blessings so often lose their wonder as I attempt to manage them rather than relish and share them. I wonder if you can relate to complaining rather than savoring blessings similar to these scenarios:

• Yes you will be traveling a lot, which is hectic, but is it because you get to visit family or your child has an opportunity to travel and play sports?
• Going to doctor’s appointments and dealing with health issues is certainly difficult, but has the Lord provided excellent medical care and friends to come alongside?
• The calendar may be crammed full for a few weeks, but are many of the events and celebrations evidence of the abundance of opportunities and people in our lives?

Imagine for a moment how our complaints would sound to a family living in a hut in a third world country. Each of our blessings is meant to be a gift we treasure and offer up to the Lord rather than one more thing we have to manage.

The Israelites in the wilderness got their eyes off their blessings and lost the wonder of what the Lord had done. They had seen God:

• Split the Red Sea so they could walk through
• Provide water to drink from a rock when they were thirsty
• Put manna on the ground each morning so they wouldn’t starve

God did some pretty wondrous things for them, yet they complained about the length of the journey, the leadership, the lack of variety of food, and many other frustrations they encountered. So later when their 40 years of wandering was complete, the Lord instituted a system of offerings to help them remember all He had done. (Numbers 28:1-15)

These offerings were perpetual reminders for the people to respond to their God with gratitude. There was no other God who created everything, worked miracles, provided supernatural food, and made good on His promises. By offering daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices, they would institute a rhythm of life to help them with thankfulness.

God instituted this plan for worship that involved a lot of blood and sacrifice. In history, the wilderness wanderers stood on the other side of the cross of Christ. These offerings pointed toward ultimate sacrifice and redemption through the blood of Christ. They were a temporary covering to remind the people of God’s holiness and their own sinfulness.

Sacrifices such as these after the cross would be redundant and unnecessary because they were shadows that pointed to Christ. But to the Israelites who lived before the cross, they reminded the people of the blessing of God’s grace. The emphasis on offerings in Numbers reminds us of the enormity of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Under the New Covenant, the need for these sacrifices is obsolete. However, God still calls us to spiritual rhythms to help us keep our blessings in perspective. Romans 12:1-2 reminds us to give ourselves wholeheartedly to Him. We worship Him by offering our lives to Him and seeking His way over our own desires and feelings. We ask God to transform us by aligning our thoughts with His. To rediscover wonder means allowing God to change the way we think about our blessings.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, please help me to appreciate and savor my blessings. I don’t want to focus on the inconveniences than sometimes accompany the good things in my life and miss out on seeing You in everything. Help me Lord to offer myself continually to You. I love You Jesus and am so grateful for the offering of Your life on the cross. Help me to rediscover today the wonder of You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

How are you doing? Do you find yourself managing your blessings or taking the time to relish them? God Himself is our greatest blessing, yet so often we lose the wonder of His grace. Remember that He is the God who splits seas and provides for needs. Then ask the Lord to transform you into a new person by changing the way you think about your activities and responsibilities. Will you join me today in rediscovering wonder?

More from the Girlfriends

Melissa Spoelstra is a women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages know Christ more intimately through serious Bible study. This devotion was adapted from her newest Bible study, Numbers: Learning Contentment in a Culture of More. Visit www.melissaspoelstra.com/contentment-project to sign up for a free 7 day contentment project which includes taking five minutes each day to focus on the wonder of God.

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