The Daily Readings for SATURDAY, October 27, 2018

The Angel with the Little Scroll
Revelation 10:1-11

The Daily Readings

SATURDAY, October 27, 2018

Old Testament

Ecclesiasticus 15:9-20 (Sirach 15:9-20)
15:9 Praise is unseemly on the lips of a sinner,
    for it has not been sent from the Lord.
10 For in wisdom must praise be uttered,
    and the Lord will make it prosper.

Freedom of Choice
11 Do not say, “It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away”;
    for he does not do what he hates.
12 Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”;
    for he has no need of the sinful.
13 The Lord hates all abominations;
    such things are not loved by those who fear him.
14 It was he who created humankind in the beginning,
    and he left them in the power of their own free choice.
15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments,
    and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.
16 He has placed before you fire and water;
    stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.
17 Before each person are life and death,
    and whichever one chooses will be given.
18 For great is the wisdom of the Lord;
    he is mighty in power and sees everything;
19 his eyes are on those who fear him,
    and he knows every human action.
20 He has not commanded anyone to be wicked,
    and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

The Epistle

Revelation 10:1-11
The Angel with the Little Scroll
10:1 And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land

raised his right hand to heaven
6     and swore by him who lives forever and ever,

who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will be no more delay, 7 but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10 So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.

11 Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

The Gospel

Luke 11:1-13
The Lord’s Prayer
11:1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.
    Your kingdom come.
3     Give us each day our daily bread.
4     And forgive us our sins,
        for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
    And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Perseverance in Prayer
5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask 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.
I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.

The Morning Prayer for SATURDAY, October 27, 2018

Saturday morning prayer

Dear Savior, help me remember as I begin my weekend activities. Whether work or leisure will engage me today, keep my thoughts and actions centered on You. Make it a day of contentment for me, no matter if the activities I face are pleasant or tedious. Keep me through the Holy Spirit from willful sins and from those sins I do not even realize I am committing. Help me be a positive influence in others' lives as I go my way. Let my inner rejoicing in Your salvation be evident in all I say and do so that I bring glory and not shame to Your most holy name.

Amen

Verse of the Day for SATURDAY, October 27, 2018

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Read all of Hebrews 4

Listen to Hebrews 4

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 - Jesús y el divorcio

Jesús y el divorcio

Por tanto, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre.

~ Marcos 10:9 (NVI)

El divorcio es un tema que me causa mucho dolor. En mi caso, me resulta muy triste debido a que he pasado por dos divorcios que me dolieron por varios años. En realidad, esto es traumático en gran medida y lo lamentable es que los más afectados son los niños.

En el primero, no conocía de Dios y no había principios, ni respeto. Incluso, llegué a vivir los primeros pasos de la violencia doméstica. En el segundo, fue más triste aun porque se trataba de una boda cristiana donde el amor no fue suficiente para lidiar con los problemas y nos dejamos llevar por el orgullo.

De estas dos experiencias aprendí que casarse no era cuestión de emoción, sino que es una decisión muy seria. Por lo tanto, Dios debe ser el que nos escoja esa pareja. En la Biblia, Él nos dice que la única ocasión en la que aprueba el divorcio es cuando ha habido adulterio.

Mi consejo es que si no estás en esta situación y solo te empeñas en divorciarte porque crees que todo está perdido, dale una oportunidad a Dios para restaurar tu hogar.

Recuerda, Él tiene la última palabra.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
El divorcio es un tema que me causa mucho dolor.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - SACRIFICIAL GIVING

SACRIFICIAL GIVING

In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

~ Luke 14:33 (NIV)

Johnny Li, a former colleague and current missionary trainer in China shares about his meeting with two young pastors there:

As I entered the house, I surprised to observe the humble existence of these two mighty men of God. They were the leaders of house churches in their provinces, which had grown the past nine years to more than 200,000 Christians. They were both in their late twenties and even though they have been in the ministry since they were nineteen their enthusiasm reflected beautifully.

Everybody knew about the work of the Lord through these faithful servants. I also knew that they both spent several years in prison in extremely harsh conditions, but nothing prepared me for this humble home and modest lifestyle.

There were no furniture items, no ornaments, and no beds in the small house. Their clothes were hanging on the wall due to a lack of cupboards. The only furniture was a table and a chair to sit on. There was a blanket on the ground that was obviously used as the bed. Together we sat down and I started questioning them about their activities and work that was bearing much fruit.

“How often do you travel to neighboring villages?” I asked. “As often as possible,” they replied.

“Where do you obtain your finances to do so?” “We sell what we have,” they replied and supplied me with an explanation to the question about the empty house which I dared not ask. “We sold the chairs and we sold the cupboard,” they continued. “And that supplied much-needed funds for our outreach.”

“What happens when you have nothing more to sell?” One pastor looked sadly down to the ground and answered softly, “We find something else to sell.”

“But what?” I kept on pressuring them. “You have already sold everything and have nothing left to sell. How will you raise money now?” Then came the startling answer. “We sell our blood on the black market. We get about five dollars but the need is so great that we have to do something to tell the people around us about Jesus.”

“How can you do this” I asked. “How can you justify selling your blood to send out missionaries?” Without hesitation they answered, “We have no choice! The need is so great!”

RESPONSE: Today I will not complain about what I lack but think of what I can sacrifice for Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, I reaffirm today my decision to follow You. I give You everything I am and have.

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

The NIV Couples Devotional - Waiting for a Sign

Waiting for a Sign

Numbers 9:15–23

Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.

~ Numbers 9:17 (NIV)

So often, married life feels like little more than a series of decisions: Should we buy that house? Is it the right time to start a family? Do we need to save more money for the future? So often, we look to God for some kind of clear answer telling us just what to do.

Early in our marriage, my husband began looking for a job closer to our home. He happened upon a job opening at a social service agency just a few blocks from our apartment. Not only was the job close, but it was the kind of work he was passionate about at the kind of organization he’d wanted to work for. The company was even willing to let him work flexible hours so he could be home with our baby part of the day.

My husband sailed through his interview and was offered the job right away. Before he said yes, we talked briefly about the wisdom of taking the job. As we reviewed the circumstances it seemed that God had dropped this opportunity in his lap. We didn’t need to discuss the issue for long. We felt God’s leading very clearly.

While wandering through the wilderness, the people of Israel knew when to move and when to stay put because God gave them a sign: if the cloud that covered the tabernacle stayed put, they were to do likewise; when the cloud moved, they were to move. In our situation, we felt that the “cloud” had moved, and that my husband should take the job.

But we don’t always get a clear sign from God. There have been many, many times when we have prayed, sought the advice of friends and family, and waited for God to point us in the right direction, only to get . . . nothing. For example, when I was trying to decide whether I should quit my job, I agonized for months with no sense of what God wanted me to do. Where was our sign?

The truth is, God doesn’t always move the clouds to show us which way to go. Instead, God asks us to be faithful, to make choices with our lives that honor him. He asks us to get our priorities in order, to turn away from worldly standards of success and achievement and to bend our will to that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And as we follow his example, walking in his ways, we begin to think more like him. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2: “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.”

We will make our share of mistakes in life decisions. At times, we will undoubtedly go when we should stay and stay when we should go. But the promise that God gives us is that no matter where we go—to a new state, to a new job, to a new stage of family life—our God goes with us.

Carla Barnhill

Let’s Talk

• What choices have we made as a couple? Has there been a time when we’ve had to step out in faith without a clear sense of what the right choice was? How was God present with us in that uncertain situation?
• What kind of decision makers are we? What are some ways we can show each other support and respect when we have a difficult decision to make?
• What people do we trust to help us think through difficult decisions? If we can’t think of anyone, maybe we should develop deeper relationships with a few other couples from church.

So often, married life feels like little more than a series of decisions ...

LHM Daily Devotions - Faith, Then Freedom

"Faith, Then Freedom"

Oct. 27, 2018

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

~ Ephesians 2:8a (ESV)

In a world of confusion in which long-established customs are rapidly changing, and in which all beliefs and values have been discarded, people are anxious to listen to a voice of authority and conviction. There is only one such voice. It's the voice of God, speaking through the Bible.

When Paul and Silas in their missionary journeys came to Berea, and as strangers preached to the people who heard them, the people received the Word of God with readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so. In matters of Christian faith and life, the deciding question is what does the Bible say?

That is one of the main principles of the Reformation and a necessary part of the foundation for freedom under God. One of the great truths of the Bible emphasized by the Reformation is the grace of God. Man is not only totally dependent on God, but also altogether undeserving of everything He receives from God. The friendly sunshine and the refreshing rain, life and its opportunity for happiness -- these are not rewards given to man by a God who craves man's friendship. There are 100-percent gifts, generously bestowed by a gracious God.

If man has in no way earned the many blessings with which God enriches his life, how much less is he deserving of the great spiritual gifts that are his for the taking: courage, faith, hope, and heaven itself? St. Paul wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).

Another great Bible truth emphasized by the Reformation, and an essential part of the foundation for freedom under God, is the fact that salvation is by faith alone. God owes no man anything. And He can under no circumstances be obligated to man. Heaven and an eternity of joy in the presence of God cannot be earned by man. By the grace of God, it can only be accepted by faith.

In perhaps the best-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, Christ told the searching Nicodemus, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The frightened jailer at Philippi asked Paul and Silas life's greatest question: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Their ready answer was "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (see Acts 16:25-34). That was a recurring theme of Paul's epistles. In Romans he said, "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the Law" (Romans 3:28). In Galatians he wrote, "We know that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16a).

And in Ephesians the apostle sums up God's gift to us beautifully: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, remind us each day of the faith-gift You have given us. We believe because You have called us to faith in Your Son. Thank You for Your mercy. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

From "Faith, Then Freedom" a sermon excerpt from Armin Oldsen, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
In a world of confusion in which long-established customs are rapidly changing, and in which all beliefs and values have been discarded ...

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Lòng Tốt Bất Ngờ

Lòng Tốt Bất Ngờ

Đọc: Ê-phê-sô 2:1–10 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Giê-rê-mi 12–14; II Ti-mô-thê 1

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Vì chúng ta là công trình của tay Ngài, được tạo dựng trong Đấng Christ Jêsus để thực hiện những việc lành mà Đức Chúa Trời đã chuẩn bị từ trước để chúng ta làm theo. Ê-phê-sô 2:10

Bạn tôi đang đợi thanh toán tiền ở siêu thị thì có một người đứng trước cô quay lại và đưa cho cô tờ phiếu giảm giá 300.000 đồng cho hóa đơn của cô. Đang mệt mỏi thiếu ngủ, cô bật khóc vì hành động tốt bụng ấy; rồi cô cười chính mình vì đã khóc. Lòng tốt bất ngờ này đã chạm vào tấm lòng cô và mang cho cô niềm hy vọng trong lúc kiệt sức. Cô dâng lời tạ ơn Chúa vì Ngài đã dùng người khác để bày tỏ sự tốt lành của Ngài dành cho cô.

Ban cho là chủ đề mà sứ đồ Phao-lô đã viết trong bức thư gửi cho các tín hữu dân ngoại ở Ê-phê-sô. Ông kêu gọi họ từ bỏ nếp sống cũ và theo đổi nếp sống mới vì họ đã được cứu chuộc bởi ân điển. Ông lý giải, cũng từ chính ân điển cứu chuộc này tuôn tràn ước muốn “làm việc lành” vì chúng ta đã được dựng nên theo hình ảnh của Đức Chúa Trời và là “việc Ngài làm ra” (2:10). Giống như người đàn ông tại siêu thị, chúng ta có thể lan toả tình yêu thương của Chúa qua hành động mỗi ngày của mình.

Dĩ nhiên, không phải ban cho vật chất của cải thì mới có thể chia sẻ ân điển của Chúa; chúng ta có thể bày tỏ tình yêu của Ngài bằng nhiều hành động khác nữa. Chúng ta có thể dành thời gian lắng nghe người khác khi họ trò chuyện với chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể hỏi thăm sức khoẻ của người đang phục vụ chúng ta. Chúng ta có thể dừng lại để giúp đỡ người đang có nhu cầu. Khi ban cho người khác, chúng ta sẽ nhận được niềm vui (Cv. 20:35).

Lạy Cha, Ngài đã tạo dựng chúng con theo hình ảnh của Ngài. Chúng con thật vui mừng vì có thể chia sẻ tình yêu thương và sự sống của Ngài. Xin giúp chúng con nhìn thấy cơ hội để ban cho người khác trong ngày hôm nay.

Chúng ta được tạo dựng để chia sẻ tình yêu của Chúa bằng cách trao ban những tặng phẩm của Ngài.

bởi Amy Boucher Pye

© 2018 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Bạn tôi đang đợi thanh toán tiền ở siêu thị thì có một người đứng trước cô quay lại và đưa cho cô tờ phiếu giảm giá 300.000 đồng cho hóa đơn của cô.