The Daily Readings for THURSDAY, September 27, 2018

The Daily Readings

THURSDAY, September 27, 2018

Old Testament

Esther 7
7:1 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. 2 On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. 4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?” 6 Esther said, “A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. 7 The king rose from the feast in wrath and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that the king had determined to destroy him. 8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman had thrown himself on the couch where Esther was reclining; and the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the words left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.

The Epistle

Acts 19:11-20
The Sons of Sceva
19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in reply, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

The Gospel

Luke 4:14-30
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
4:14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

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.
Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?

The Morning Prayer for THURSDAY, September 27, 2018

Thursday morning prayer

Lord on this day I remember that You go before me, so I pause to meditate on Your promises. Thank You Lord that You go with me, You lay a pathway, You watch over me like a shepherd. So I give You my fears, worries and anxieties. I lay all tension and stress at the foot of the cross. Thank You that You arose from the death, and that You bring life, freedom, hope and the promise of Heaven! Praise You that I am safe in Your presence.

May Thursday be a hope filled day, that floods my fears with light, a day that quiets all anxious thoughts as I encounter Christ. Let Thursday always prompt my heart to stop and find Your peace, and live upon the truth You give my eyes to You I lift.

Amen

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, September 27, 2018

Hebrews 10:30-31 (NIV) For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Read all of Hebrews 10

Listen to Hebrews 10

New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Un dia a la Vez - Oración por afirmación

Oración por afirmación

Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece.

~ Filipenses 4:13 (NVI)

Señor Jesús, te doy gracias por este nuevo día. Quiero agradecerte también que he podido comprender que tienes tu mirada puesta en mí y que me ves como un ser de bendición.

Gracias por perdonar mis pecados y por olvidar mis faltas.

Ayúdame, oh Dios, a estar firme en ti y a ver las cosas de otra manera.

Necesito que me ayudes a restablecer mi autoestima y verme como me ves tú.

No permitas que nada ni nadie me robe la tranquilidad, la paz y el gozo.

Afirma mi vida, Jesús, en ti. Quiero agradarte y ser canal de bendición para otros.

Señor, fortalece mi vida, mi corazón, mi alma y todo mi ser.

En el nombre de Jesús, amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Señor Jesús, te doy gracias por este nuevo día.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - DEREGISTERING IN CENTRAL ASIA

DEREGISTERING IN CENTRAL ASIA

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

~ Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

“Our church is considering whether to relinquish our government registration,” said Pastor Sergei to our SSTS seminar group in a restricted Central Asia country. No one knew how to respond. The seminar was being conducted in this pastor’s church because it was the only one the region registered with the central government!

“Why?” someone asked.

“Here is our reasoning,” Pastor Sergei graciously replied. “We have a ‘grandfather clause’ that permits us to be registered even though we do not meet the current requirements to be registered. But I have to file a report with the government each month outlining the number of meetings, who attended and how much money we received from these meetings and people. I find it very difficult to give an accurate report, thereby possibly jeopardizing some individuals who attend our meetings, or to falsify the reports and thereby violate my conscience.

Pastor Sergei added, “I feel like I am working every day for the NSS (National Security System—former KGB). As a denomination, we are unprepared for persecution. I feel my people would be better prepared for persecution if we met in smaller cell groups and were not registered.”

To register a church in this country, three conditions must be met: a list of at least one hundred members whose last names are Russian or Koreans but no one from one of the traditional Muslim tribal groups; a vote of 100% among the church neighbors favoring a meeting in their area; and a building, but few want to rent or sell a building to a Christian group—even if the neighbors approve!

“This is why we are thinking of deregistering with the government and going underground as smaller cell churches,” concludes Pastor Sergei. Then he looks straight into your eyes and asks, “Do you agree?”

RESPONSE: Today I reaffirm that Christ is the head of His church, not temporal authorities.

PRAYER: Lord, give wisdom today to church leaders in countries where registration is so difficult and fraught with so many complexities.

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

Men's Devotional Bible - Trouble

Trouble

2 Chronicles 20:1–19
Recommended Reading: Numbers 20:14–21; 2 Chronicles 20:20–30; Psalm 83:1–18

Trouble comes in threes, they say. But who’s counting?

You’ve probably noticed that acknowledging and investigating troubles seem to make them multiply. Consider your house, for example. The roof starts leaking. So you climb into the attic to check it out and discover several bad spots, a rotten rafter, mold, mildew—and often the repair bills mount from there.

Obviously, ignoring problems also makes them multiply. Ignoring the leak today leads to the living room ceiling sitting in your lap tomorrow. So you face a dilemma: If your troubles multiply whether you examine or ignore them, what should you do?

King Jehoshaphat found himself face-to-face with trouble. A huge army marched toward Jerusalem, and the scouting reports didn’t hold out much hope. The problem on the horizon promised to be enormous by the time it reached the king. “Alarmed,” we read, “Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:3). He looked through the trouble. Faced with an overwhelming situation, the king immediately turned to Someone who is never overwhelmed.

As we face trouble in our own lives, our prayer can be like Jehoshaphat’s: “Lord, I know you’re in charge. So I choose to recognize this trouble as your problem, not just mine. I admit that I can’t handle this situation, yet it needs to be resolved. What do you say, Lord?”

Notice how God responded to this prayer of faith. He answered, but he didn’t promise to help Judah win the battle. Instead, he said he’d fight for his people. Could the king have anticipated this answer? There are times in our lives as well when God’s good answers surprise us. But notice also that the king still had his marching orders: God told him not to be afraid (twice), not to be discouraged (twice), to march out, to take positions and to go out and face the enemy. By the time the people had completed God’s instructions, the battle was over.

Again we face a dilemma. We often find ourselves a little too close to our troubles—so close that we end up wallowing in them. Or we find ourselves trying to avoid troubles—giving them the opportunity to pull a surprise attack. But God calls us to trust him, to look through our troubles and toward him.

To Take Away

• How do you usually respond when faced with trouble?
• What results have you seen when you’ve surrendered your troubles to God?
• What problems are you facing right now that need the Jehoshaphat approach? Pray for God’s guidance, intervention and protection in the face of these situations. And watch and listen for his answers.

Trouble comes in threes...

Girlfriends in God - When God Throws a Little Bit of “All Things” in Your Life

When God Throws a Little Bit of “All Things” in Your Life

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,”

~ Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

I love Romans 8:28.

Now, let me be honest…sometimes I don’t.

When I am going through a dark time of loss or disappointment, and someone throws a sloppy coat of Romans 8:28 on my open wound, I just want to scream.

There. I said it.

What does God mean by “all things” anyway? I looked it up in my Greek dictionary and guess what it means—it means “all things.” I was hoping for something a little different.

“All things” includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. In every dark circumstance of life, there is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. However, for that to happen, we must get out of the dirt, push it aside, and look beneath the surface.

Is it easy? No.

Is it messy? Usually.

It is worth it? Always.

Many years after we had lost our second child, I was standing in the doorway of my sleeping sixteen-year-old, son’s bedroom. He was a tangle of sheets and limbs. Steven was six feet tall, needed a shave, and sported a mass of shaggy thick brown hair. Drool slid down his jaw, and a hairy leg hung off the bed.

Man, I love this kid, I thought to myself. Then a prayer slipped off my lips.

“Lord,” I prayed, “you know how much I love children, and how I always longed to have a houseful of kids. Why was there just one?”

Then, God’s Word washed over me: For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

“Is that You Lord?” I asked.

Again the words flowed. For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The words washed over me like a spring rain on parched ground. It was a moment of sudden glory. For the first time in my life, I truly grasped the height, the depth, and the breadth of those familiar words.

See, I have a one and only son. There are many people whom I love in this world, but there is no one…no one…that I love enough to sacrifice my one and only son. And yet, God loved me so much He did that just. He loved you so much He did just that. He sacrificed His one and only Son in order to save us from the penalty of sin and give us eternal life.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I thanked God for helping me truly understand John 3:16—for giving me a living, breathing, walking (and sometimes sleeping) example of His great love. And if that was the only purpose behind the years of infertility and loss of a child, then that was enough.

It was Romans 8:28. It was good.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great love for me. Thank You for giving Your Son for me. Open my eyes to see moments of sudden glory where You make Your presence known in my life. I love You so much.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Let’s go back and put Romans 8:28 in context. Read Romans 8:18-39.

Why do you think Paul starts 8:28 with the word “And?” What comes before the verse that tethers this thought to it?

Starting at verse 31, Paul says, “What, then shall we say in response to this?”

List the truths he lists in verses 31-39.

More From the Girlfriends

Do you long to feel close to God but sense there’s something missing? That you’ve missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do you have a glory ache—a persistent longing to experience God’s presence and working in your life, but you’re not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me and discover how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred to experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you’re there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

…sometimes I don’t.

LHM Daily Devotions - Cut It Off?

"Cut It Off?"

Sep. 27, 2018

(Jesus said) "And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell."

~ Mark 9:45 (ESV)

When I was young, I read these words of Jesus with horror. "Cut off a hand or foot?" I thought. "Tear out an eye? What's Jesus talking about? That's gruesome!"

Besides, I knew myself well enough to know that cutting off body parts wouldn't help. I would still find plenty of ways to sin, even if I had no limbs or eyes at all! Sin goes deeper than that.

But when I got older, I found myself considering a possible relationship with a very attractive person who was also attracted to me. The catch? He was not a Christian. In fact, he was fascinated with the occult. It was clear my Christianity and his outlook on life would never mix. And I could not be sure that I would come out of such a relationship unscathed.

And so, I did what Jesus said. I cut it off. (And yes, it definitely hurt, and he had no idea why I suddenly backed away.) That was not a fun period in my life. But it was necessary. And based on things I found out years later, cutting that potential relationship off was probably the best thing I could have done. I doubt anything I could have done would have stopped him from going on into witchcraft and Satanism. But I think there was a real chance he could have stopped me from growing in my faith, from becoming a Christian adult, from finding the path God had for my life.

You probably have things like this in your own life -- things that need to be cut off in order to preserve the rest of your life intact in the faith of Jesus. They may be obvious dangers such as drug or alcohol abuse, an improper relationship, a job where you are expected to do harm and break the law in the interests of your employers.

But they may be less obvious things as well; for example, a good friend who can't manage to stop gossiping about other people -- and drawing you into it, too; or a position of trust where you are tempted to steal, even though you haven't done anything yet; or a car or home you're thinking of buying, even though it will result in you having to focus on money more than you ought to -- possibly to the point of idolatry.

To all these things, Jesus tells us to "Cut it off. Run from the temptation." He says, "Run to Me, and I will protect you." As for all of these good things that nevertheless form a temptation to us, Jesus offers us something much better. He offers us forgiveness, love, and everlasting life. He offers us peace and true wholeness. He even offers to make us part of His own body -- never to be cut off from God's presence. All of these things He will give us freely, if we will only trust Him to do it. And He is trustworthy. For He is the One who died and rose again to make us God's people.

THE PRAYER: Lord Holy Spirit, You know what dangerous things might be in my life that need to be cut off. Please take care of it; help me to bear it in Your love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
When I was young, I read these words of Jesus with horror...

Devocional del CPTLN del 27 de septiembre de 2018 - La capilla

ALIMENTO DIARIO

La capilla

27 de Setiembre de 2018

Escrito está: "Mi casa es casa de oración."

~ Lucas 19:46a (RVC)

¡Qué increíble es la tecnología! No se sabe con qué novedad vendrá la ciencia un día de estos y dará solución a alguna necesidad. Pareciera que no hay nada que el hombre se proponga, que no lo pueda hacer.

Y esa es una de las causas por las que muchos toman a Dios como algo irrelevante.

Hace años, Camp Upton, un campo de entrenamiento militar en Long Island, en el estado de Nueva York, fue convertido en una base de investigación. Los científicos allí empleados trataban de descubrir nuevos usos para la energía atómica.

El lugar se convirtió en un verdadero espectáculo... suficientemente importante como para darles un tour a un grupo de reporteros.

El científico que servía de anfitrión orgullosamente señalaba los edificios y explicaba cómo eran usados. Todo fue bien, hasta que llegó a la capilla. Cuando se detuvieron frente a ella, por unos momentos el guía no supo qué decir. Finalmente, el científico confesó: "Aún no hemos encontrado ningún uso para la capilla."

Uno de los reporteros presentes, dijo: "Yo vi Hiroshima. Quizás deberían usar la capilla."

El reportero dio en el clavo. Dios ha dado muchos regalos a la humanidad. Pero sin importar lo lejos que se ha llegado, o cuánto se ha logrado, hay algunas cosas que simplemente no podemos hacer.

Podemos prolongar la vida, pero no podemos evitar la muerte. Podemos dar medicamentos, pero no podemos dar esperanza eterna.

La verdad es evidente: todavía necesitamos a Dios. Dios puede hacer cosas por nosotros que nadie más puede hacer. A través del sacrificio de su Hijo, Dios nos ha dado perdón, esperanza y vida eterna.

Quizás esa capilla debería haber sido usada como capilla en el Camp Upton.

Y quizás nuestros amigos, familiares, vecinos, y compañeros de trabajo, también deberían usar la iglesia en su vecindario.

ORACIÓN: Amado Señor, te damos gracias por las bendiciones de la tecnología. Estas, como todas las otras provisiones, son regalos que tú nos das. Oramos para que la humanidad pueda ver sus limitaciones, y la necesidad del Salvador y la salvación que otorga su sacrificio. Danos humildad y esperanza en él. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén

De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¡Qué increíble es la tecnología! No se sabe con qué novedad vendrá la ciencia un día de estos y dará solución a alguna necesidad.

Хлеб наш насущный - Когда мы устали

Когда мы устали

Читать сейчас: Галатам 6:1-10 | Библия за год: Исаии 3-4; 1 Коринфянам 15:29-58

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Делая добро, да не унываем, ибо в свое время пожнем, если не ослабеем. — Галатам 6:9

Иногда делать добро очень непросто. «Что толку от моих добрых дел и благих намерений?» – думаем мы. Меня эти мысли посетили совсем недавно, когда я, молитвенно все обдумав, отправила подруге электронное письмо со словами ободрения. И что получила взамен? Раздраженную отписку! Первой реакцией была боль и обида: «Как можно было так неправильно меня понять?!»

Но прежде чем ответить в том же тоне, я вспомнила, что мы не всегда видим результаты (или желаемые результаты) своих слов и дел. Когда мы пытаемся привлечь людей к Иисусу Христу, они нередко огрызаются в ответ. Наши доброжелательные попытки подтолкнуть кого-то к правильному решению воспринимаются с раздражением и агрессией.

Глава 6 Послания к галатам – хороший текст, к которому полезно обращаться в таких случаях. Здесь апостол Павел убеждает нас исследовать свои мотивы (испытывать свое дело) в том, как мы поступаем и что говорим (Гал. 6:1-4). И если все в порядке, то нужно оставаться на правильном пути. «Делая добро, да не унываем, ибо в свое время пожнем, если не ослабеем. Итак, доколе есть время, будем делать добро всем, а особенно своим по вере» (Гал. 6:9-10).

Бог хочет, чтобы мы жили для Него. Это включает в себя молитвы за других и свидетельство о Нем. Это и есть «делать добро». А результаты нужно предоставить Ему.

Боже, благодарим Тебя за ободрение, которое мы получаем из Твоего Слова. Помоги нам не унывать, делая добро.

Результаты нашего служения в Божьих руках.

автор: Алисон Киеда

© 2018 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Что толку от моих добрых дел и благих намерений?