The Daily Readings for MONDAY, October 15, 2018

Paul Defends Himself before Agrippa
Acts 26:1-23

The Daily Readings

MONDAY, October 15, 2018

Old Testament

Micah 7:1-7
The Total Corruption of the People
7:1 Woe is me! For I have become like one who,
    after the summer fruit has been gathered,
    after the vintage has been gleaned,
finds no cluster to eat;
    there is no first-ripe fig for which I hunger.
2 The faithful have disappeared from the land,
    and there is no one left who is upright;
they all lie in wait for blood,
    and they hunt each other with nets.
3 Their hands are skilled to do evil;
    the official and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the powerful dictate what they desire;
    thus they pervert justice.
4 The best of them is like a brier,
    the most upright of them a thorn hedge.
The day of their sentinels, of their punishment, has come;
    now their confusion is at hand.
5 Put no trust in a friend,
    have no confidence in a loved one;
guard the doors of your mouth
    from her who lies in your embrace;
6 for the son treats the father with contempt,
    the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
    your enemies are members of your own household.
7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord,
    I will wait for the God of my salvation;
    my God will hear me.

The Epistle

Acts 26:1-23
Paul Defends Himself before Agrippa
26:1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself:

2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.

4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 7 a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

9 “Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death. 11 By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

Paul Tells of His Conversion
12 “With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 when at midday along the road, your Excellency, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ 15 I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Paul Tells of His Preaching
19 “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

The Gospel

Luke 8:26-39
Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac
8:26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me”— 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

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.
After Festus has summarised the case against Paul, Agrippa gives him permission to speak. Paul again describes his Jewish background, his encounter with Jesus, and his mission to the Gentiles:

The Morning Prayer for MONDAY, October 15, 2018

Monday morning prayer

Lord,

Sometimes, Monday can be a hard day. Dreaded on Sunday and fled from on a Friday. Yet why Lord as Monday could be the beginning of a work adventure, the new challenge of a week filled with potential? So I pray you would help me to embrace this day.

Let it be a new day and a wonder day. Help me to see not the clouds but the sunrise, not the rain but the ripples of falling drops. Show me the joy of the embrace with loved ones, not the tensions and troubles. Monday need not be the grudge day to be endured but the fun day to be embraced.

This day, help me to turn my eyes towards your Kingdom, of love, hope and new beginnings.

Amen

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, October 15, 2018

Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Read all of Romans 12

Listen to Romans 12

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

Un dia a la Vez - Las cosas fluyen de Dios

Las cosas fluyen de Dios

Que el Señor, Dios de Israel, bajo cuyas alas has venido a refugiarte, te lo pague con creces.

~ Rut 2:12 (NVI)

Amigos, ¡qué hermoso e importante es que Dios se involucre en nuestra vida! Aunque no lo veamos, Él se preocupa de nuestras cosas y le interesa favorecernos, guiarnos y ayudarnos.

De seguro has vivido situaciones en las que crees que Dios está en el asunto. Entonces, las cosas no se dan como esperabas y todo cambia de repente. Así que te sientes triste, derrotado y desconsolado. Lo que es peor, muchas veces ponemos nuestra confianza en nosotros mismos o en otra persona y nos frustramos.

Algo que he aplicado para mi propia tranquilidad es que todo lo que anhele y lo que quiera emprender debe llevar el sello de respaldo de mi Jesús. He comprobado que cuando las cosas son de Dios, fluyen con facilidad y se abren puertas. Es más, hay respaldo y bendición en medio de lo que hacemos.

Esto también se ajusta a nuestra vida espiritual, emocional y laboral. Por eso debemos entender que cuando las cosas se hacen realidad, son de Dios y serán duraderas. Las cosas de Dios son eternas…

Todo lo que emprendas y todas las decisiones que tengas que tomar ponlas en manos del Señor.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
De seguro has vivido situaciones en las que crees que Dios está en el asunto.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - REJOICING IN PERSECUTION

REJOICING IN PERSECUTION

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.”

~ Luke 6:23 (NIV)

This scripture verse follows Jesus’ statement about the blessings of persecution: hatred, exclusion, insult and rejection in Luke 6:22. This description is of persecution that is like Indian curry. It can be mild, medium or hot! And this verse parallels Jesus teaching in Matthew (5:12) about how we should respond when persecution comes our way.

Jesus does not just say accept it or receive it gracefully. He seems to almost go overboard in indicating that we should be glad and rejoice by leaping for joy when we receive this kind of treatment. Some would say Jesus goes over the top here.

The reason for rejoicing is because the persecuted disciple of Jesus is going to receive a great reward in heaven and is in the company of the prophets of old who also received this kind of treatment.

Can we realistically “jump for joy” in the face of persecution?

Pastor Richard Wurmbrandt was languishing in a Romanian prison cell after months of torture and now isolation. He was meditating on this scripture and decided to make a literal application. So Richard danced —as much as anyone could dance in a cell three paces square— leaping about the room like a madman. The first time he did it, the guard really did think he had gone mad. It was one of the guard’s duties to watch for signs that a prisoner’s mind was beginning to crack under the strain of imprisonment, for if he went to pieces a prisoner would be of no more use for questioning. So the guard rushed off to his canteen and came back with a hunk of bread and some cheese and sugar, and broke the rule of silence as he tried to soothe this strange, laughing, capering figure. Richard ate the food gratefully. It was a very large hunk of bread, far more than he usually had in a whole week!

In his book, In God’s Underground, Richard Wurmbrandt shares how encouraged he was at responding literally to Jesus’ direction to react to persecution with great joy and rejoicing! He had received a reward on earth as well as in heaven.

RESPONSE: Today I will respond to even mild persecution because of Jesus with great rejoicing realizing I will receive a wonderful reward in heaven.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord that You expect me to take Your word literally. Help me to be joyful in the face of any persecution for You.

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

Women of the Bible - Herodias

Herodias

Her name means: "Heroic" (the female form of "Herod")

Her character: A proud woman, she used her daughter to manipulate her husband into doing her will. She acted arrogantly, from beginning to end, in complete disregard for the laws of the land.
Her shame: To be rebuked by an upstart prophet for leaving her husband Philip in order to marry his half brother Herod Antipas.
Her triumph: That her scheme to murder her enemy, John the Baptist, worked.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9


Her Story

Her grandfather, Herod the Great, had ruled Judea for thirty-four years. Herod had brought prosperity to a troubled region of the Roman Empire, building theaters, amphitheaters, and race courses, as well as a palace and a magnificent temple in Jerusalem. In addition to such ambitious endeavors, he had even contrived to lower taxes on two occasions.

But Herod's reign contained shadows that darkened as the years went on. Herodias knew the stories well—how her grandfather had slaughtered a passel of Jewish brats in Bethlehem, how he had murdered his favorite wife (her own grandmother) and three of his sons for real or imagined intrigues. Advancing age and illness did nothing to improve his character. Herod was determined, in fact, that his own death would produce a time of universal mourning rather than celebration. So, in a final, malevolent act, he commanded all the leading Jews to gather in Jericho. Then he imprisoned them in a stadium and ordered them to be executed at the moment of his death. But the king was cheated of his last wish: His prisoners were set free as soon as he died in the spring of 4 bc.

Not a nice man, her grandfather.

Herodias's husband and his half brother Antipas had been lucky survivors of Herod the Great's bloody family, but Antipas had proved the luckier of the two. For while Philip and Herodias languished in Rome with no territory to rule, Antipas was appointed tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. She could sense the man's power the first time he visited them in Rome. And power, she mused, was her favorite aphrodisiac.

Though Herod Antipas was married to the daughter of King Aretas IV, ruler of Nabatea, to the east, he quickly divorced her in favor of Herodias. In one dicey move, Antipas had stolen his brother's wife, compromised his eastern border, and alienated his Jewish subjects, whose law forbade wife-swapping, especially among brothers. But with Herodias beside him, Herod Antipas must have thought himself powerful enough to manage the consequences.

But neither Herod Antipas nor Herodias had expected their transgression to become a matter of public agitation. After all, who was there to agitate, except the usual ragtag band of upstarts? A real prophet had not troubled Israel for more than four hundred years.

But trouble was edging toward them in the form of a new Elijah, whom God had been nurturing with locusts and honey in the wilderness that bordered their realm. This prophet, John the Baptist, cared nothing for diplomacy. He could not be bought or bullied, and was preaching a message of repentance to all who would listen: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "

John the Baptist spared no one, not the ordinary people who flocked to him in the desert, not the self-righteous Pharisees or the privileged Sadducees, and certainly not Herod Antipas or Herodias, whom he chided for their unlawful marriage. Herodias wanted Antipas to kill John, yet even he had to step carefully, lest he ignite an uprising among John's ever-growing number of followers. That would be all the excuse his former father-in-law, Aretas, would need in order to attack Antipas's eastern flank. So, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, Antipas imprisoned John in Machaerus, a fortress just east of the Dead Sea.

On Herod Antipas's birthday a feast was held in his honor and attended by a "who's who" list of dignitaries. During the evening, Herodias's young daughter, Salome, performed a dance for Herod Antipas and his guests, which so pleased him that he promised his stepdaughter anything she desired, up to half his kingdom.

Ever the good daughter, Salome hastened to her mother for advice. Should she request a splendid palace or a portion of the royal treasury? But Herodias had one thing only in mind. When Salome returned to the banquet hall, Salome surprised Antipas with a gruesome demand: "I want you to give me, right now, the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Though Herod Antipas was distressed by her request, he was even more distressed at the prospect of breaking an oath he had so publicly made. Therefore, in complete disregard for Jewish law, which prohibited both execution without trial and decapitation as a form of execution, he immediately ordered John's death.

That night, Herodias must have savored her triumph over the man whom Jesus referred to as the greatest of those who had yet lived. John had been sent as the last of the prophets, a new Elijah, whose preaching was to prepare the way for Jesus. Had Herodias heeded John's call to repentance, her heart might have welcomed the gospel. Rather than being remembered as just one more member of a bloody dynasty, she could have become a true child of God. Instead of casting her lot with the great women of the Bible, however, she chose to model herself on one of the worst—Jezebel, her spiritual mother. By so doing, she sealed her heart against the truth and all the transforming possibilities of grace.

Her Promise

As negative as it sounds, the lesson or promise learned from Herodias can only be that sin will devour us. If sin always has its way in our lives, it will eventually consume us. There is only one way out: If we abandon our sin and repent, we will find forgiveness and a new life in Christ. He promises to forgive even the most horrific sins, the most depraved lifestyles, the most abandoned behaviors. We may still face the consequences of our sin, but we will no longer have to fear its judgment. With Christ as our mediator, we become as clean as if we had never sinned.

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
A proud woman, she used her daughter to manipulate her husband into doing her will.

Girlfriends in God - Please Open the Gate

Please Open the Gate

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

~ Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

As a grandmother, I can testify to the importance of gates. I remember when our grandson Hudson first started walking. He was a champion crawler and he especially loved stairs. We just happened to live in a townhouse that had three flights of stairs, much to Hudson’s delight. Oh, we bought him toys, but they were nothing more than momentary distractions from his favorite toy – the stairs.

When Hudson first learned to climb up the stairs, we bought a gate to keep him from falling down those same stairs. I wondered how he would react to his new confinement. It didn’t take long to find out. When our daughter dropped him off for a visit, Hudson played with the toys I kept for him downstairs in the living room. After a few minutes, his sparkling blue eyes caught mine, and I knew what was about to happen. Yep! He made a mad dash for the stairs. Halfway up, he looked back at me with a mischievous smile as if to ask, “Are you coming, Mimi?” Laughing, I scrambled up the stairs behind him. When we reached the landing, I quickly scooped him up in my arms, put the gate in place, and sat him on the floor to play. Hudson clapped his hands and laughed … until he saw the gate.

With a look of suspicion and doubt … definitely doubt … Hudson reached out to touch the wall that separated him from his beloved stairs. He glanced back at me and seemed to ask, “What have you done, Mimi?” I tried to play the gate up as a good thing that was for his safety and protection, but Hudson was not buying one word of my cheery explanation. His chubby little hands tentatively grasped the gate as he pulled himself to his feet for a closer inspection.

I watched as our precious grandson peered through the bars of the gate to the stairs below. He then turned to stare at me in disbelief and promptly burst into tears.

He was not done.

He pulled and pushed the gate with every ounce of toddler strength he could muster, wailing in anger and frustration as he tried to dislodge his prison wall. Hudson made it crystal clear that he is not a fan of gates.

I tend to react the same way to the gates God places in my life.

I have a plan – one that I think is right. I like my plan and don’t really see the need to bother God with the details of that plan. After all, my plan is logical and could even be described as good since it fits within the parameters of Scripture. It must be His will for my life, right? So I scramble through the steps of my plan until I run smack dab into a wall or, as Hudson would call it, a gate. My first reaction is suspicion and doubt – definitely doubt – and I quickly conclude that Satan must have placed the gate there.

I try everything within my human strength to knock down the barrier to my beloved plan. The gate does not move. Frustration and anger fill my heart as I cry out to God, pleading for Him to remove the unwanted obstacle from my path. It is then that He takes me in His arms and gently explains, “Child, the gate is for your good. It is for your protection and safety.”

When will I understand that God’s plan for my life is higher and better than any plan I can possibly imagine? When will I learn to wholly trust Him? When will I realize just how much He loves me? When I look back over my life, I cannot count the number of times I first considered a closed door to be the work of Satan, only to discover it was really the hand of God protecting me or keeping me from making a terrible mistake.

How about you? Has God closed a door that you thought was the perfect opportunity? Has He placed a gate across the path that you thought was so right? Trust Him. Wait on Him. He is at work in your life.

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You today, choosing to trust You. Thank You for the perfect and amazing plan You have for my life. Help me learn to trust You more. Teach me how to praise You for the doors You have closed - as well as the ones You have opened. Today, I rest in Your unfailing love for me and lean wholly on You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Look back over your life. Pinpoint five “gates” God placed in your path that you now see are for your good. Record them in your journal. Thank God for each one.

Read and memorize Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.” Record this verse in your journal. Circle all of the action words. Which ones of these actions do you need to take? I would love to hear how God increases your faith. Email me or share your story on my Facebook page.

More from the Girlfriends

Mary’s book, 10-Day Trust Adventure, will help you surrender every part of your life to God. This decision is the basis for you to truly trust God. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through E-mail, Twitter, Instagram, Shopify, or on Facebook.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

As a grandmother, I can testify to the importance of gates.

LHM Daily Devotions - Doing What We Could Not

"Doing What We Could Not"

Oct. 15, 2018

With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your Commandments! I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes! ... I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.

~ Psalm 119:10-12, 15-16 (ESV)

Psalm 119 speaks to the beauty of God's righteous Law! The psalmist here is delighted with God's decrees and speaks of them with high regard and a deep respect for their holiness. In stark contrast with our fallen human systems of governance, God's Law is perfect. When we search His decrees, we see something of His omniscient character in ways that instruct, inspire, and illuminate the path on which we stand. Later in the chapter, we hear it expressed this way: "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

As Jesus prepared to enter His season of earthly ministry, He modeled for us the psalmist's proclamation that one can only stay pure by living according to God's Word. After fasting for 40 days, a very weak and hungry Jesus is tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread that will satisfy His physical hunger. Yet, the Savior rejects Satan because He knows the greater hunger within the human soul can only be satisfied by God. Jesus says, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).

By living perfectly according to God's Word, Jesus satisfied every aspect of the Law. Though Satan attempted to twist Scripture to his own ends, trying to trip Jesus up, Jesus held steadfast, anchored to the power of God's Word. In the end, Jesus fulfilled the righteous demands of God's Law, doing for us what we could never do.

And now, through faith in Jesus all-sufficient sacrifice on the cross for our sins, we are redeemed as new creations. Trusting Him as our Lord and Savior, we are clothed with His pure righteousness, in place of our crimson-stained rags of sin.

It is as the prophet Isaiah declared, "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your wonderous plan of salvation was carried out and completed by Your Son, Jesus. The Law and its demands were satisfied by the shedding of His perfect blood. Remind us daily of the price He paid on our behalf. In His Name we pray. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by AmyRuth Bartlett. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Psalm 119 speaks to the beauty of God's righteous Law!

Devocional del CPTLN de 15 de Octubre de 2018 - Engaño

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Engaño

15 de Octubre de 2018

Santifícalos en tu verdad; tu palabra es verdad.

~ Juan 17:17 (RVC)

Linda Brown fue a una tienda de su ciudad y anunció que había ganado la lotería, por lo que pagaría por las compras de todos - hasta un máximo de $500.

Quienes estaban allí llamaron a sus familiares, amigos y vecinos y, en poco tiempo, había 500 personas haciendo cola para pagar y mil más esperando afuera para entrar.

Después de una hora, los dueños de la tienda se dieron cuenta que Linda aún no había pagado ninguna cuenta. Cuando fueron a buscarla, se enteraron que había ido al banco a sacar efectivo.

Lamentablemente, Linda no tenía suficiente dinero en el banco para pagar las compras.

Cuando las personas que estaban en la tienda descubrieron que les había mentido, se enojaron mucho. Algunos exigieron que les dieran las cosas gratis; otros huyeron con cosas robadas y otros tiraron las mercancías por todos lados.

En otras palabras, todos quedaron decepcionados. ¡TODOS!

Quizás esto no debería sorprendernos, pues las mentiras tienden a decepcionarnos. Satanás mintió a nuestros primeros padres, y desde entonces le ha estado mintiendo a la humanidad.

El Señor dice: 'Mi palabra es verdad' y Satanás dice: 'la verdad no existe'. Dios dice: 'El perdón, la fe y la salvación se encuentran sólo en Jesús', y el demonio miente al decir: 'hay muchas formas de llegar al cielo, si es que el cielo existe'.

Alguien está mintiendo. Espero que usted sepa que ese alguien no es el Dios Trino. Y si todavía no está seguro, lea la Biblia. Allí verá que Dios siempre ha dicho la verdad.

¿Y qué de los que creen en las mentiras de Satanás? Lamentablemente, van a terminar terriblemente decepcionados. Es más, van a terminar eternamente decepcionados.

ORACIÓN: Amado Señor, te doy gracias por tu verdad y por la salvación que me has dado a través de Jesús. Te pido que muchos más puedan ver más allá de las mentiras de Satanás, y ser llevados a la fe en el Salvador. En su nombre. Amén.

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Linda Brown fue a una tienda de su ciudad y anunció que había ganado la lotería, por lo que pagaría por las compras de todos ...

Unser Täglich Brot - Vertrau ihm zuerst

Vertrau ihm zuerst

Lesung: Jesaja 46,3–13 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: Jesaja 45–46; 1. Thessalonicher 3

MP3 herunterladen

Gepriesen sei der Herr Tag für Tag, der uns trägt! Psalm 68,20 (ZB)

„Lass nicht los, Dad!“

„Mach ich nicht. Ich halte dich. Ich verspreche es.“

Ich war ein kleiner Junge, der schreckliche Angst  vor dem Wasser hatte, aber mein Dad wollte, dass ich schwimmen lerne. Absichtlich führte er mich vom Rand des Pools in eine Tiefe, in der ich nicht stehen konnte. Er war dort mein einziger Halt. Dann brachte er mir bei, mich zu entspannen und treiben zu lassen.

Es war nicht nur eine Schwimmstunde. Es war eine Lektion des Vertrauens. Ich wusste, mein Vater liebt mich und würde mir absichtlich nie etwas zufügen, aber ich hatte dennoch Angst. Ich hielt mich an seinem Hals fest, bis er mir zusicherte, dass alles gut wäre. Schließlich zahlten sich seine Geduld und Freundlichkeit aus, und ich begann zu schwimmen. Aber zunächst musste ich ihm vertrauen.

Wenn ich bis zum Hals in Schwierigkeiten stecke, denke ich manchmal an diese Augenblicke zurück. Sie erinnern mich an die Zusicherung Gottes an sein Volk: „Auch bis in euer Alter bin ich derselbe, und ich will euch tragen . . . Ich habe es getan; ich will heben und tragen und erretten“ (Jesaja 46,4).

Wir spüren nicht immer Gottes Arme unter uns, aber der Herr hat zugesagt, dass er uns nie verlassen wird (Hebräer 13,5). Wenn wir in seiner Liebe und seinen Verheißungen ruhen, hilft er uns, seiner Treue zu vertrauen. Er hebt uns über unsere Sorgen hinaus, damit wir neuen Frieden in ihm finden.

Abba, Vater, ich lobe dich dafür, dass du mich durch das Leben trägst. Bitte schenke mir Glauben, um darauf zu vertrauen, dass du immer bei mir bist.

Gott trägt uns an neue Orte der Gnade, wenn wir ihm vertrauen.

Von James Banks

© 2018 Unser Täglich Brot
Ich war ein kleiner Junge, der schreckliche Angst  vor dem Wasser hatte, aber mein Dad wollte, dass ich schwimmen lerne.