he Daily Readings for THURSDAY, May 31, 2018

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat
Matthew 13:24-30

The Daily Readings

THURSDAY, May 31, 2018

Old Testament

Proverbs 21:30-22:6
21:30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,
    can avail against the Lord.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord.
22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
    the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The clever see danger and hide;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    the cautious will keep far from them.
6 Train children in the right way,
    and when old, they will not stray.

The Epistle

1 Timothy 4
False Asceticism
4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
A Good Minister of Jesus Christ
6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 These are the things you must insist on and teach. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The Gospel

Matthew 13:24-30
The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat
13:24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.

The Morning Prayer for THURSDAY, May 31, 2018

Father, we could be driven to despair in the midst of the evil that surrounds us if we didn’t walk in the light of Your truth. We walk in the true wisdom that comes from heaven, not in the flawed wisdom that comes from the world. Help us to make the most of every opportunity to stand up for divine truth in our minds, our speech and in our actions. Help us to be faithful in passing on the faith to the next generation. We want to be the light that shines forth in the creeping darkness of our land so that we can show others the way to eternal life. Help me to trust You with the legacy I’m leaving behind. In the name of Your dear Son, Jesus, we pray.

Amen

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, May 31, 2018

2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Read all of 2 Timothy 4

Listen to 2 Timothy 4

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

Morning Devotions with Chaplain Kenny - What Legacy Will You Leave?

What Legacy Will You Leave?

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

~ 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)

There was a man who had the unique opportunity of reading his own obituary. One day over his morning toast, he opened the paper and saw his name in the obituary column. Obviously it had been printed by mistake, but what really distressed him was the fact that he was remembered as the man who created dynamite.

He thought, “Of all of the things I’ll be remembered for, it will be my creation of something that is used for mass destruction.” So he decided to make some dramatic changes in his life. The man’s name was Alfred Nobel, and he went on to create the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2 Timothy 4, the apostle Paul stated his legacy. His turbulent life was coming to an end, but he had truly made a difference. Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (verses 7–8).

Notice that Paul didn’t say, “I ran the race.” Rather, he said, “I finished the race.” It is not enough to start well. We need to finish well. It is not enough to run fast. We need to run fast and long. The goal is to make it across the finish line and have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of God (see 2 Peter 1:11).

You are running a race. Keep running. If you have slowed down, it’s time to move forward, because you will leave a legacy. What will you be known for? Your life can make a difference if you’re on the right course.

Father, we could be driven to despair in the midst of the evil that surrounds us if we didn’t walk in the light of Your truth. We walk in the true wisdom that comes from heaven, not in the flawed wisdom that comes from the world. Help us to make the most of every opportunity to stand up for divine truth in our minds, our speech and in our actions. Help us to be faithful in passing on the faith to the next generation. We want to be the light that shines forth in the creeping darkness of our land so that we can show others the way to eternal life. Help me to trust You with the legacy I’m leaving behind. In the name of Your dear Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

In Jesus,
Chaplain Kenny

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Devotion © 2018 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.
We all will leave a legacy. What will you be known for?

Un dia a la Vez - Semana de celebración: La oración

Semana de celebración: La oración

Ustedes me invocarán, y vendrán a suplicarme, y yo los escucharé. Me buscarán y me encontrarán, cuando me busquen de todo corazón.

~ Jeremías 29:12-13 (NVI)

La oración no debe ser la repetición como loritos de las palabras que nos han enseñado. La oración va más allá, pues es un principio de vida. Es un recurso que nos dejó Dios a fin de interceder por los demás. Es una comunicación directa con Él.

En el momento de la oración debemos abrir nuestro corazón al Padre que está ahí pendiente de lo que estamos orando. Por eso, la oración no es una técnica, aunque debemos aprender a orar y ser precisos en la manera de orar. Es decir, debemos ser específicos cuando le estemos pidiendo algo a Dios.

La oración por las necesidades de los demás trae también tremendos beneficios. En el Manual de Instrucciones, Dios dice que cuando nos preocupamos por los problemas de los demás, Él se preocupa por los nuestros.

La oración es milagrosa. Además, la oración debe servir de protección. Por eso es tan importante cubrir con oración a nuestros hijos, cónyuges y hasta el trabajo y los compañeros. La oración es tan poderosa que Dios nos manda a orar hasta por nuestros enemigos.

La Palabra también nos dice que debemos orar sin cesar. Si no estás acostumbrado a hacerlo, no te preocupes. Empieza poco a poco cuando estés a solas con Dios. Habla con Él y hazlo todos los días hasta que llegue el momento en que, aun cuando estés es la calle, te encuentres en comunicación permanente con tu Padre.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
La oración no debe ser la repetición como loritos de las palabras que nos han enseñado. La oración va más allá, pues es un principio de vida. Es un recurso que nos dejó Dios a fin de interceder por los demás. Es una comunicación directa con Él.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - WHICH ARE YOU?

WHICH ARE YOU?

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

~ Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

A young woman went to her mother and told her how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked. “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity—boiling water—but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. After being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Or are you an egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Do you have a fluid spirit, but after a loved-one’s death, a relationship breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff? Does your shell look the same, but on the inside you are bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or are you like a coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If I am like the bean, when things are at their worst, I get better and change the situation around me through Christ-likeness.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity?

RESPONSE: Christians are like carrots, eggs or coffee beans. They don’t know how strong their response is until they get into hot water. Which are you?

PRAYER: Lord, help me realize that every experience You gives me, every person You put in my path, is the perfect preparation only You can see.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

NIV Devotionals for Men - Taking Sin Seriously

Taking Sin Seriously

Leviticus 16:1–34
Recommended Reading: Isaiah 53:1–12; Romans 3:21–31; Hebrews 8:1—10:39

Once a year one person—the high priest—entered the Most Holy Place. The chosen day, the Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month of Israel’s lunar calendar (September–October).

The ritual of this day was complex and somber. The high priest took off his ornate robes and put on simple linen garments. He sacrificed a bull for his own sins and the sins of the other priests. Then he presented two goats to the Lord—one to sacrifice for the sins of the people and the other, known as the “scapegoat,” to take the weight of Israel’s sins outside of the camp.

As he entered the tabernacle the high priest burned incense, obscuring his vision from the atonement cover on top of the ark of the covenant. This prevented him from looking directly at God’s presence. The high priest carried the blood of the bull and the sacrificed goat into the Most Holy Place, using his finger to sprinkle the blood on the atonement cover. Leaving the tabernacle, he took more blood and placed it on the horns of the sacrificial altar.

At the culmination of the ritual, the high priest laid hands on the scapegoat, ritually transferring the sin of Israel to the animal. An assistant then released the scapegoat into the desert. Other actions concluded the ceremony.

The rituals of the Day of Atonement purged the sanctuary of the pollution of a year’s worth of Israel’s sins. Through the year, as Israelites sought forgiveness for their sins, they placed their hands on animals representing themselves. The blood of the sacrificed animals, now symbolically polluted with sin, was splashed, smeared and sprinkled on the altar. The Day of Atonement cleansed the tabernacle itself, as well as the Israelites who worshiped there, of a year’s worth of impurity.

While foreign to us, the Day of Atonement still demonstrates that God takes sin seriously. He requires blood sacrifice to facilitate the removal of sin from his presence. Our sin matches the seriousness of the Israelites’ sin. But we no longer observe these sacrificial rituals, because Jesus Christ serves as our high priest. And that high priest, representing our sins, went alone into God’s presence and offered his own blood as the sacrifice for our sin. His blood was shed once for all time to cover the darkness in our lives. And he himself acted as the scapegoat for us.

So the Day of Atonement is an Old Testament picture of Jesus’ New Testament sacrifice for our sins. Through him God sees us as pure and sin-free when we place our trust in Jesus for eternal life.

To Take Away

• Reflect on the complex, time-consuming and expensive nature of Old Testament sacrifices. What do you learn about God from this?
• Do you believe most people think of their sin as a serious issue? Why or why not?
• What’s your response to Christ’s sacrifice for your sin? Why not respond to God in prayer right now?

Do you believe most people think of their sin as a serious issue?

Girlfriends in God - Are You Too Busy To Serve?

Are You Too Busy To Serve?

Jessica Smartt

Today’s Truth

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

~ Luke 10:33 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Four months ago, my friend Ashley moved away. I have missed her terribly. It wasn’t until this week that it hit me - why her friendship is such a gift. Simply put, she has time for me.

I guess I don’t just mean time to talk on the phone, to chat over coffee, or meet up for playdates. It’s more than that; she has the mental and emotional space to love well. She’s not so stressed and consumed with her own life that she has no time or energy for anyone else. On the contrary, she has the capacity to be a good friend - to pray for me often, to remember my appointments and concerns, to process and think through my questions and decisions.

I feel like this sort of friendship is very rare today. Most people (myself including) are so busy, so full, so preoccupied with our own plans, ministries, projects, and schedules.

But when I think to Scripture, I am deeply convicted. We should never be too busy to serve! Think back to the story, or perhaps read it in its entirety in (Luke 10). Those who passed by the Samaritan - were they not “important” people, on the way to “important” work? I’m pained wondering how many people I pass by because I am “on a mission” - simply too consumed with my own life to stop and help.

I do a lot of good work. My life is jam-packed, in fact, with noble projects and important events and all the things that I accomplish. But are these things interfering with my ability to stop and help someone in need? Am I too stressed, too busy, too overwhelmed, too distracted to be a true friend to the people in front of me?

Think about Jesus. The Lord of the Universe, The Savior of the World! And he had time to talk with little children, to dine with sinners, to pause and heal the crippled. I heard someone once say, “Jesus was never in a hurry.” I don’t know that we can fully confirm that! But from the overall theme of the Gospels, it does seem to be the case that when people in His path needed help, He could stop and help without acting bothered or inconvenienced.

Let’s Pray

Lord, thank you for the full, busy lives You allow us to live, for the many projects and jobs we can do. But Father, may my good works and Important Schedule never become so pressing that I lack the ability to be a good friend. Slow me down, Lord. Open my eyes to those in need, and convict me deeply to treat them as You would have treated them.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Now It’s Your Turn

Evaluate your schedule. Do you have the margin in your life to stop and help your neighbor? If not, stop and pray that the Lord would help you see what you may be able to say “no” to in order to say “yes” to loving your neighbor well.

More from the Girlfriends

Jessica Smartt is an author/speaker, a wife, and homeschooling mom of three kids based in beautiful North Carolina. One of her passions is taking time for the little ones in our lives. Jessica is offering GiG her e-book, How To Introduce A Child To Jesus, for FREE. Grab your copy here.

Love Instagram? Check out Jessica over there!

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

We should never be too busy to serve!

LHM Devotion - May 31, 2018 - Getting out of Our Way

Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"Getting out of Our Way"

May 31, 2018

But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

~ 2 Timothy 1:12b (ESV)

Shortly after the communists came to power in Russia, a writer from England visited that country.

The writer asked a very old man, "Tell me, how does living in the communist system differ from life under the tsar?"

The old man replied, "Before communism came, we used to invite our priest out to the farm to offer a springtime blessing upon the land. But we no longer have to call for the priest or his blessing. We have tractors now."

That old man is not alone in his feelings. In many places, our age has seen fertilizer replace faith, potent drugs push aside prayer, leaders leverage out the Lord, and the Savior is swapped for sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists.

Which leads us to ask, whom do you trust? In what do you believe?

Be careful how you answer.

I wonder if unbelievers can still believe in technology when their car sits in the driveway and grinds away without turning over, or when the lights flicker and go out, or when the sump pump stops pumping in the middle of a downpour?

Will they continue to trust the drugs when the doctor says, "What you have has become immune to our medicines"?

In what will they believe? Of what are they absolutely sure?

Can they be positive their job is going to be there a year from now? Are they confident their savings account will maintain its value and the investments they've made will be profitable? In whom can they trust? Their answer -- every person's answer -- is important because the eternal consequences are too overwhelming if a person puts his confidence in the wrong person or thing.

In answer to all these questions, a voice -- St. Paul's voice -- responds: "But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me."

You know, in our day and age, many people take great pride in their disbelief, distrust, and doubt. They work hard at not believing in anybody or anything. That's because just about every time they put their trust out there, they have been let down.

In contrast to such pessimism, we have the positive attitude of St. Paul who is confident in his confession: "I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed."

* Paul believed in the risen Redeemer, who promised to listen to those who come to Him.

* He trusted in the Christ, who had disposed of our sins with His death and resurrection.

* Paul is confident in the Christ, who had promised to be with Him always.

Paul was proud to boast about Jesus because he had seen how Jesus was with him during storm and shipwreck, through pain and persecution. He trusted Jesus, and Jesus never let him down.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, this world is searching for someone or something in whom it can believe. Send Your Holy Spirit and grant the world may look to the Redeemer for direction, forgiveness, and salvation. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Shortly after the communists came to power in Russia, a writer from England visited that country.

Devocional del CPTLN del 31 de Mayo de 2018 - Demasiado ocupados

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Demasiado ocupados

30 de Mayo de 2018

Estad quietos, y sabed que yo soy Dios; exaltado seré entre las naciones, exaltado seré en la tierra.

~ Salmo 26:10 (LBLA)

Cada día que pasa parece que estamos más ocupados que antes. A muchos de nosotros no nos alcanza el tiempo para hacer todo lo que tenemos que hacer. Como resultado, por lo menos aquí en los Estados Unidos, han proliferado los negocios que ofrecen sus servicios al paso, como bancos, lavanderías, y restaurantes de comidas rápidas. Uno prácticamente puede hacer lo que quiere sin tener que perder tiempo en estacionar y caminar.

Lo que me tomó totalmente por sorpresa fue escuchar que ahora, en algunos lugares, también ofrecen servicios fúnebres al paso. Sí, ha leído bien. Uno puede dar sus respetos a alguien que ha fallecido con sólo ir a la funeraria, hacer la línea correspondiente, y pasar por la ventanilla por donde se puede ver al ser querido.

Se me ocurre que, si uno está demasiado ocupado como para dedicar unos minutos para visitar a personas que uno quiere o aprecia, simplemente está demasiado ocupado.

Con Dios es distinto. La crucifixión y resurrección de Jesucristo es prueba de que Dios nunca está demasiado ocupado para nosotros, sino que siempre está dispuesto a escucharnos, a cuidarnos, y a rescatarnos.

La pregunta que queda por hacernos, es: ¿estamos nosotros, sus hijos, demasiado ocupados para dedicar unos minutos a estar con él? Si la respuesta es afirmativa, entonces estamos demasiado ocupados y debemos hacernos tiempo para escucharle decirnos cuán importantes somos para él y cuánto nos ama. Les aseguro que quienes han aprendido a apartar regularmente un tiempo para escuchar al Señor, han descubierto que esos momentos son los mejor invertidos del día. Le invito a que usted también lo haga. Aminore la marcha, y escuche al Señor.

ORACIÓN: Querido Salvador, es fácil dejarse llevar por las obligaciones y ocupaciones de este mundo. Ayúdame para que, de ahora en más, cada día haga tiempo para escucharte. Gracias por nunca estar demasiado ocupado para mí. Amén.

De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL
Cada día que pasa parece que estamos más ocupados que antes. A muchos de nosotros no nos alcanza el tiempo para hacer todo lo que tenemos que hacer.

Хлеб наш насущный - Прерванное общение

Прерванное общение

Читать сейчас: Матфея 27:32-50 | Библия за год: 2 Паралипоменон 13-14; Иоанна 12:1-26

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Боже Мой, Боже Мой! Для чего Ты Меня оставил? — Матфея 27:46

Громкий, тоскливый крик пронзил темный полуденный воздух. Я представляю, как он растворился в тихом плаче женщин, стоявших у креста. От него, должно быть, умолкли стоны разбойников по обе стороны от Иисуса. И, конечно, он поразил всех, кто его слышал.

«Или, Или! Лама савахфани?» – возопил Иисус в предсмертной агонии на позорном кресте Голгофы (Мф. 27:45-46).

«Боже Мой, Боже Мой! Для чего Ты Меня оставил?»

Не могу представить себе более душераздирающих слов. От вечности Иисус находился в совершенных отношениях с Богом Отцом. Вместе Они создали вселенную, сотворили человека по Своему образу и разработали план спасения. Они никогда не разлучались.

А теперь, когда крестная пытка доставляла Божьему Сыну невыносимую боль и когда Он нес на себе бремя грехов всего мира, Он впервые не ощутил Отцовского присутствия.

Но по-другому было нельзя. Только через прерванное общение Сына с Отцом могло совершиться наше спасение. Он для того согласился пережить это ужасное чувство одиночества на кресте, чтобы мы, люди, могли вернуться в общение с Богом.

Спасибо, Господь, что Ты так пострадал ради нашего прощения.

Спаситель, мы вновь стоим в благоговении перед Твоей жертвой. Мы преклоняемся в Твоем присутствии и с благодарностью признаем все, что Ты сделал для нас на кресте. Благодарим, что Ты ввел нас в общение с Отцом.

Крест открывает Божье отношение к погибающим.

автор: Дэвид Брэнон

© 2018 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Громкий, тоскливый крик пронзил темный полуденный воздух...