The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, January 24, 2019

An Analogy from Marriage
Romans 7:1-6

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, January 24, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 19

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1  The heavens are telling the glory of God;
     and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2  Day to day pours forth speech,
     and night to night declares knowledge.
3  There is no speech, nor are there words;
     their voice is not heard;
4  yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
     and their words to the end of the world.

   In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5  which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
     and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6  Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
     and its circuit to the end of them;
     and nothing is hid from its heat.

7  The law of the Lord is perfect,
     reviving the soul;
   the decrees of the Lord are sure,
     making wise the simple;
8  the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
   the commandment of the Lord is clear,
     enlightening the eyes;
9  the fear of the Lord is pure,
     enduring forever;
   the ordinances of the Lord are true
     and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
     even much fine gold;
   sweeter also than honey,
     and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is your servant warned;
     in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors?
     Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
     do not let them have dominion over me.
   Then I shall be blameless,
     and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
     be acceptable to you,
     O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Isaiah 61:1-7

The Good News of Deliverance
1  The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
     because the Lord has anointed me;
   he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
     to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim liberty to the captives,
     and release to the prisoners;
2  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
     and the day of vengeance of our God;
     to comfort all who mourn;
3  to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
     to give them a garland instead of ashes,
   the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
     the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
   They will be called oaks of righteousness,
     the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
4  They shall build up the ancient ruins,
     they shall raise up the former devastations;
   they shall repair the ruined cities,
     the devastations of many generations.

5  Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
     foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;
6  but you shall be called priests of the Lord,
     you shall be named ministers of our God;
   you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
     and in their riches you shall glory.
7  Because their shame was double,
     and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,
   therefore they shall possess a double portion;
     everlasting joy shall be theirs.

Romans 7:1-6

An Analogy from Marriage
7:1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress.

4 In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

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 Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only during that person’s lifetime?

The Morning Prayer for THURSDAY, January 24, 2019

Thursday Morning Prayer

On January 24, 1848, James Marshall discovered gold in the American River, setting off the California Gold Rush. Prior to the discovery of this precious metal, one hundred and fifty thousand Native Americans lived in California. White settlers in search of gold brought with them genocide through both disease and violence. In 1851, the government of California endorsed the extermination of Native people. Offering five dollars per head in some places, they invested a total of a million dollars in the systematic murder of men, women, and children. By 1870, only an estimated thirty-one thousand California Natives had survived.

Seattle, chief of the Suquamish, said, “One thing we know, which the White Man may one day discover — ​our God is the same God. You may think that you own Him as you wish to own our land; but you cannot. He is the God of humanity, and his compassion is equal for the red man and the white. The earth is precious to him, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. Even the white man cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all. We shall see.”

Thank you, Lord, that you do not claim to be God over just some people but are the creator and redeemer of all creatures. Help us spread the good news that no one can claim ownership of you, because each of us belongs to you. Amen.

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.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, January 24, 2019

Galatians 6:1 (NIV) Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Read all of Galatians 6

Listen to Galatians 6

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 - Vuelve a empezar

Vuelve a empezar

Pon en manos del Señor todas tus obras, y tus proyectos se cumplirán.

~ Proverbios 16:3 (NVI)

Si escudriñamos el Manual de Instrucciones, nos encontraremos muchas historias en las que por diferentes circunstancias se llegó a un punto de perderlo todo y volver a empezar.

Ese fue el caso de Job, a quien Dios permitió que Satanás tocara y lastimara su vida y lo probara en todo. Después de tener muchas riquezas, familia, ganado, tierras y salud, Job quedó de un momento a otro en la más profunda pobreza, soledad y abandono. Hasta terminó rascándose con una teja. ¿Te imaginas?

¿Cuál sería nuestra actitud ante Dios si nos sucediera a nosotros? No obstante, lo determinante en la vida de este hombre es que supo aceptar la voluntad de Dios y no fue en su contra. Por eso Dios lo prosperó de nuevo y le dio dos veces más de lo que tenía. Después de esos sucesos, Job vivió ciento cuarenta años y disfrutó una larga vida.

Esta historia nos deja varias enseñanzas: Dios es un Dios de nuevos comienzos. Si has sido un fracasado, Dios te invita hoy a que te levantes y le creas. Te pide que le entregues tu corazón y toda tu vida en sus manos. Confiando en que Dios te sacará del lugar en el que estás y te pondrá otra vez en lugares de privilegio, ¿por qué no te das una nueva oportunidad?

Te invito a hacer esta corta, pero poderosa oración: «Señor Jesús, te pido perdón si te he juzgado. Te pido perdón por haberte cuestionado. Hoy quiero entregarte mi corazón y quiero que me des una nueva vida en Cristo Jesús. Amén y amén».

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Si escudriñamos el Manual de Instrucciones, nos encontraremos muchas historias en las que por diferentes circunstancias se llegó a un punto de perderlo todo y volver a empezar.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS

THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

~ Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

As we see in Hebrews chapter twelve, once we “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus,” we will be aware of how we should then live. The writer now turns to the issue of a growing root of bitterness which defiles and causes trouble and disunity.

A group of believers in rural Hubei Province in China came to Christ as a result of listening to Christian radio programs. When a local woman was healed of appendicitis after prayer, two whole families converted to the way of Jesus enlarging their group to twenty. Five years later a Brother Chen arrived in the village on a sunny spring day. One believer shares this report:

Some said Brother Chen was “sent straight from God to our company.” He said so too. Looking back over a year later, I think he was Satan’s man. But who knows, I may be harsh in my judgment. I remember that night so clearly. We were all gathered in my father’s house. The gas lamp flickered strange shapes against the whitewashed walls, on which we had stenciled “JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.”

I remember Brother Chen saying, “Jesus needs our gold to build our mansion in heaven…the more gold we give him now, the bigger your mansion will be.”

Well, we were poor. And because we were poor, the idea of having a golden mansion in the afterlife was very tempting to us. We handed over all we owned: family heirlooms, money, some expensive textiles from a distant ancestor. One in our group even gave his motorcycle, which he had saved for years to buy. Anyway, after all the “gold” had been collected, Brother Chen said he had to go and “open the gate for us.” He left, on the donated motorcycle. He took most of our savings. He hasn’t been back.

Now the fellowship is ruined. Some of our group believes he is coming back, and was indeed sent by God to help us know Jesus better. Others of us believe he was a deceiver. It has split my family. My father thinks Chen was a good man. The rest of the family thinks differently, but we dare not disagree with my father openly.

We still can’t read the Bible very well. We really don’t know that much about Jesus, to be honest. We know he has saved us, and healed a family member. But we know little else. Brother Chen’s deceit has made me bitter.

RESPONSE: Today I will not allow Satan to grow a root of bitterness in my life or in my fellowship.

PRAYER: Lord, help new believers around the world to recognize Satan’s tactics and the bitter root that will keep them in bondage.

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 - Hopeful Fans

Hopeful Fans

Zephaniah 3:14–20
Recommended Reading: Jeremiah 29:4–13; Ezekiel 37:24–28; 1 Peter 3:15

Every team in professional sports has a group of devoted followers you might call hopeful fans. Without them, the team couldn’t survive. These aren’t rabid fans who constantly vacillate between intense hatred and delight during each game, or fickle fans who cheer enthusiastically during winning streaks but lose interest when the team loses games. These fans remain true no matter what. They’re happy when their team wins, certainly, but still wear their colors proudly when they lose. For them, there’s always next year.

Israel possessed an unparalleled record of losing seasons. Nations and dynasties flourished and vanished while God’s people experienced more losers than winners. The nation’s continued existence was in itself a miracle. A casual observer might wonder why God didn’t get tired of losing. He could have sold off the team long before. Yet God never gave up his franchise. The people of Israel were his chosen people. He knew they’d eventually win. With God, next year is always a certainty.

This message came to Israel through Zephaniah when storm clouds of devastation and defeat darkened the nation’s horizon. While he had earlier joined the chorus of prophets who were predicting Israel’s suffering, Zephaniah also added words of hope. The reign of King Josiah included a season of righteousness in Judah, delaying God’s judgment. The nation showed all the signs of a “rebuilding team.” The people changed their old habits and eliminated evil practices.

Unfortunately, Josiah’s reforms didn’t last long. Losing ways ran deep within the nation. Yet hope became the refuge of a small group determined to remain faithful. God’s hopeful fans stood fast. They realized that “next year” might not happen for a long time, but it would eventually come. God had promised.

The same God who kept his word to Israel keeps his promises to you. You can count on it. So live as a hopeful fan. God’s promise describes both his relationship with Israel and the one he longs to have with you: “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).

To Take Away

• What do you think God wants to accomplish in and through your life?
• Why didn’t God give up on Israel? Why doesn’t God give up on us?
• In what ways are you inspired by God’s promise to always be with you?

Every team in professional sports has a group of devoted followers you might call hopeful fans. Without them, the team couldn’t survive.

Girlfriends in God - Crushing Feelings of Worthlessness

Crushing Feelings of Worthlessness

Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

He drew me out of deep waters ... he rescued me because he delighted in me.

~ Psalm 18:16-19 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Debbie was a pastor’s wife who felt worthless for years. She was verbally abused and emotionally abandoned in her marriage from the very beginning. She had been a virgin when she met her husband, so she knew something was very wrong when, seven months into their marriage, her husband went out of state for a “business trip” and gave Debbie a severe pelvic inflammatory disease when he got home.

Her doctor explained that she had gotten a bacterial infection that can only be sexually contracted. Debbie was hospitalized for five days and placed on strong medications. The IV antibiotics she received unknowingly rendered her birth control pills ineffective, and a pregnancy with their first child resulted. So Debbie stayed in the marriage, though she was wronged and mistreated.

“I was convinced that I deserved all that I encountered,” Debbie said. “I also remember licking my wounds with toxic thoughts like, “Well, at least I’m the wife, not the cheating lover.”

The shame of it all kept Debbie silent and trapped in an unsafe marriage. Behind closed doors she endured verbal cruelty, and she believed the lies of her abuser. When her husband was in a good mood, things were good at home. But if he was in a foul mood, Debbie bore the brunt of his abuse and anger.

Unfortunately, she endured the abuse for a long time before she left. Three kids, twenty-plus years, many affairs, and many lies later, Debbie finally had enough. She mustered up every ounce of courage she could find to leave and divorce her cheating, abusive, pastor husband.

You can imagine the scandal that took place in their church.

Because the congregation was unaware of their pastor’s abusive and immoral behavior, Debbie was victimized all over again in the court of public opinion. She bore the weight of public shame, humility, anger, accusations, rebellion from her children, and never-ending feelings of defeat and worthlessness.

The weight of it all was heavy. So heavy that it pushed her into a deep pit of depression.

Debbie lost most everything in the divorce—her house, her identity, her financial stability, her dignity, and almost her sanity. In the aftermath, she even lost the intimate relationship she once had with Jesus Christ. She was still His daughter but had run away from Him. Broken and angry, Debbie felt that God had let her down. She didn’t understand how God—who is supposed to be good, who is supposed to hear our prayers, who is supposed to be our Protector and Defender—didn’t protect her from the betrayal and the abuse. So, like Hagar, she ran to a desert to get away. Only Debbie ran to a desert of sin.

To soothe her pain, she temporarily turned to alcohol. The numbness she experienced from drinking brought an all-too-short reprieve from the sharp pains that pierced her heart when she was sober. And though she strayed from the heart of God and rebelled against His ways, He pursued her relentlessly. When she finally realized that her “victim mentality” had allowed her to trust a lying abuser instead of the God of truth, she turned back to the Lord.

In His mercy, God has restored Debbie’s broken faith into a beautiful faith.

He has redeemed her wounded heart and has filled her with His greater joy.

And though, like all of us, she still experiences struggles and pain, by faith Debbie now embraces God’s sovereignty and accepts His healing love. She’s a changed woman. Changed by the unrelenting pursuit of God’s unconditional love.

Changed by the One who sees her as precious.

That’s what His love does, you know. God’s unrelenting, unconditional love speaks healing to broken lives.

For a long time Debbie thought she was worthless because she was treated as if she were. She was told that she was. She believed what she heard from another person, even though what he said about her were lies. Debbie says, “I thought that I was a failure—that I didn’t deserve to be loved with integrity, honesty, and faithfulness—that I caused my husband to sin and commit adultery because I wasn’t good enough. I believed a whole pack of lies.”

Other people can make us feel worthless. It happens all the time…even within the church. If you are in a relationship that beats you down and causes you to feel like dirt, in the name of Jesus reject the lies that are being projected on you. That’s not who He says you are!

If you are being mistreated or abused, tell a trusted friend, meet with your pastor, or get with a professional Christian counselor right away.

And in all cases pray—without ceasing.

No abuser has the right to define who you are, to tell you what you think, to control or manipulate you, to tell you how you feel, or to condemn you for who you are or aren’t. Only the God of heaven has the right to define you, and when you are in Christ, you are perfectly beautiful in His righteousness…not broken.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,

from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,

but the Lord was my support.

He brought me out into a spacious place;

he rescued me because he delighted in me.

(Psalm 18:16-19)

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Thank You for loving me for who I am, where I am. Please help me to accept this truth when I doubt my value and to lean on Your strength and support when I struggle.

In Jesus’s Name I pray,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17. What truths do these verses confirm about your value?

Who came to your mind as you read today’s devotion? She needs this message. Please pass it on to her.

More from the Girlfriends

Have you listened to the GRACEOLOGIE with Gwen Smith podcast yet? Season 2 is now underway! Hang out with Gwen and friends when you go on walks, exercise, run errands or travel. Podcasts are also perfect to listen to as you do household chores! (Laundry anyone?) Each GRACEOLOGIE with Gwen Smith podcast episode is filled with fun, faith-focused, grace-filled conversations that will help you know and trust God more.

These discussions are going to encourage you in meaningful ways to live out and lean on the GRACE of Jesus in the midst of cluttered, messy days. CLICK HERE to listen on iTunes, or visit GwenSmith.net/Graceologie for more information.

Today’s devotion is an excerpt from Gwen’s book Broken Into Beautiful. Get yours on Amazon here.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

Debbie was a pastor’s wife who felt worthless for years. She was verbally abused and emotionally abandoned in her marriage from the very beginning. She had been a virgin when she met her husband, so she knew something was very wrong when, seven months into their marriage, her husband went out of state for a “business trip” and gave Debbie a severe pelvic inflammatory disease when he got home.

LHM Daily Devotions - It Is You

"It Is You"

Jan. 24, 2019

And He (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and He stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." And He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

~ Luke 4:16-21 (ESV)

This event in a Nazareth synagogue took place sometime after Jesus returned to Galilee from the Jordanian wilderness. There, being led by the Holy Spirit, He fasted for 40 days while being subject to Satan's temptations. His return to Galilee was met with much fanfare, and His preaching in the synagogues there was praised by all. At this point, things were looking good for the carpenter's Son. Keep this up, and He won't have a naysayer in the bunch, some must have thought.

But, of course, the praise of men was the last thing that Jesus was looking for.

"Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing"—certainly, as bold a statement as there ever was! While some marveled and leaned in to hear more; others recoiled from Jesus' unveiled assertion. You can almost hear them blurt out, "Excuse me!? Say what!? You are a common tradesman—are you not?" "What gives you the right?"

With this, the gloves go on. Citing well-known Old Testament texts from I and II Kings, Jesus refers to Elijah and the widow from Zarephath, and to Elisha and the leper from Syria—two instances of God reaching beyond His chosen people to nearby Gentiles ready to receive Him.

The Jews would have none of this. "And they rose up and drove Him out of the town and brought Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw Him down the cliff" (Luke 4:29).

How tragically sad.

If only they knew that it was He, Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit. It was He, Jesus, appointed to proclaim precious good news to the poor and downtrodden. It was He, the One who declares freedom for the captive, liberty for the spiritually oppressed, and healing for those who physically suffer.

It was He, the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel's long-awaited Messiah—and with His arrival, every prophetic expectation was fulfilled.

Lord, let us know that it is You—our Savior and our Friend—the One we've been waiting for.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, open our eyes to who You are and what You have done for us. In Your Name we pray. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Paul Schreiber. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
This event in a Nazareth synagogue took place sometime after Jesus returned to Galilee from the Jordanian wilderness...  Keep this up, and He won't have a naysayer in the bunch, some must have thought.

Devocional del CPTLN de 24 de Enero de 2019 - Eres tú

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Eres tú

24 de Enero de 2019

Jesús fue a Nazaret, donde se había criado, y en el día de reposo entró en la sinagoga, como era su costumbre, y se levantó a leer las Escrituras. Se le dio el libro del profeta Isaías, y al abrirlo encontró el texto que dice: «El Espíritu del Señor está sobre mí. Me ha ungido para proclamar buenas noticias a los pobres; me ha enviado a proclamar libertad a los cautivos, a dar vista a los ciegos, a poner en libertad a los oprimidos y a proclamar el año de la buena voluntad del Señor.» Enrolló luego el libro, se lo dio al asistente, y se sentó. Todos en la sinagoga lo miraban fijamente. Entonces él comenzó a decirles: «Hoy se ha cumplido esta Escritura delante de ustedes.»

~ Lucas 6:16-21 (RVC)

Este acontecimiento en una sinagoga de Nazaret tuvo lugar después de que Jesús regresara del desierto de Jordania a Galilea. Allí, guiado por el Espíritu Santo, Jesús había ayunado por 40 días durante los cuales fue objeto de las tentaciones de Satanás. Su regreso a Galilea fue recibido con mucha fanfarria y su predicación en las sinagogas fue alabada por todos. A esa altura, las cosas se veían bien para el hijo del carpintero. Sigue así y no tendrás opositores, deben haber pensado algunos.

Pero, por supuesto, el halago de los hombres era lo último que Jesús estaba buscando.

"Hoy se ha cumplido esta Escritura delante de ustedes", ¡por cierto una declaración sumamente audaz! Mientras que algunos se maravillaban y se acercaban para escuchar más, otros retrocedían ante la afirmación de Jesús. Casi que se los puede oír decir: "¡Perdón, pero ¿qué estás diciendo? ¿Acaso no eres un comerciante común y corriente? ¿Qué te da derecho a decir eso?!"

Jesús no necesitó más para comenzar a citar textos bien conocidos de I y II Reyes (en el Antiguo Testamento) que hablan de Elías y la viuda de Sarepta y de Eliseo y el leproso de Siria, dos instancias en las cuales Dios va más allá de su pueblo elegido, llegando a gentiles cercanos que estaban dispuestos a recibirlo.

Pero los judíos no quisieron saber nada de eso. "Se levantaron, lo echaron fuera de la ciudad, y lo llevaron hasta la cumbre del monte sobre el que estaba edificada la ciudad, para despeñarlo" (Lucas 4:29).

¡Qué trágicamente triste!

Si supieran que ese era él, Jesús, ungido con el Espíritu Santo. Era él, Jesús, designado para proclamar preciosas buenas nuevas a los pobres y oprimidos. Era él, Aquél que proclama libertad a los cautivos, que pone en libertad a los oprimidos espiritualmente y que sana a quienes sufren físicamente. Ese era él, el Señor Jesucristo, el tan esperado Mesías de Israel, con cuya llegada se cumplían todas las expectativas proféticas.

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, abre nuestros ojos para que veamos quién eres y lo que has hecho por nosotros. En tu nombre oramos. Amén.

Paul Schreiber

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Este acontecimiento en una sinagoga de Nazaret tuvo lugar después de que Jesús regresara del desierto de Jordania a Galilea... Sigue así y no tendrás opositores, deben haber pensado algunos.

Хлеб наш насущный - Большое дело

Большое дело

Читать сейчас: Исаии 58:6-9 | Библия за год: Исход 9-11; Матфея 15:21-39

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«Вот пост, который Я избрал... угнетенных отпусти на свободу, и расторгни всякое ярмо». — Исаии 58:6

Одному человеку в конце года понадобилась помощь с платой за аренду. Он обратился к родственникам. Его просьба была довольно обременительной, так как у них самих возникли непредвиденные расходы. Но они решили откликнуться и поделились своими сбережениями.
В ответ благодарный родственник прислал им открытку со словами признательности: «Вы, наверное, даже не представляете, какое большое дело сделали».

Помощь попавшим в беду – действительно большое дело. Пророк Исаия писал об этом израильскому народу в своей книге. Его современники соблюдали религиозные посты, но при этом ссорились и угнетали друг друга. Исаия обратился к ним со словами: «Вот пост, который Я избрал: разреши оковы неправды, развяжи узы ярма, и угнетенных отпусти на свободу, и расторгни всякое ярмо; раздели с голодным хлеб твой, и скитающихся бедных введи в дом; когда увидишь нагого, одень его, и от единокровного твоего не укрывайся» (Ис. 58:6-7).

Такая жертва, согласно пророку, не только проливает Божий свет в сердца людей, но и исцеляет наши собственные. Бог обещал большую награду за щедрость: «Тогда откроется, как заря, свет твой, и исцеление твое скоро возрастет, и правда твоя пойдет пред тобой, и слава Господня будет сопровождать тебя» (ст. 8). Мы получим намного больше, чем отдали.

Господь, освети для нас путь щедрости, помоги давать так, как даешь Ты.

Бог отдал нам все. Последуем Его примеру.

автор: Патрисия Рэйбон

© 2019 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Одному человеку в конце года понадобилась помощь с платой за аренду. Он обратился к родственникам. Его просьба была довольно обременительной, так как у них самих возникли непредвиденные расходы.