The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, February 7, 2019

Saul Preaches in Damascus
Acts 9:19b-25

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, February 7, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 138

Thanksgiving and Praise
Of David.
1  I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
     before the gods I sing your praise;
2  I bow down toward your holy temple
     and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
     for you have exalted your name and your word
     above everything.
3  On the day I called, you answered me,
     you increased my strength of soul.

4  All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
     for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5  They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
     for great is the glory of the Lord.
6  For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
     but the haughty he perceives from far away.

7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
     you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
   you stretch out your hand,
     and your right hand delivers me.
8  The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
     your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
     Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Numbers 20:22-29

The Death of Aaron
20:22 They set out from Kadesh, and the Israelites, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Let Aaron be gathered to his people. For he shall not enter the land that I have given to the Israelites, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up Mount Hor; 26 strip Aaron of his vestments, and put them on his son Eleazar. But Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the Lord had commanded; they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments, and put them on his son Eleazar; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

Acts 9:19b-25

Saul Preaches in Damascus
9:19b For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

Saul Escapes from the Jews
23 After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

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
All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”

The Morning Prayer for THURSDAY, February 7, 2019

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. 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, February 7, 2019

Psalm 97:10 (NIV) Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Read all of Psalm 97

Listen to Psalm 97

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 - Agrada a Dios en todo

Agrada a Dios en todo

No temas [...] ni te desanimes, porque el Señor tu Dios está en medio de ti como guerrero victorioso. Se deleitará en ti con gozo, te renovará con su amor.

~ Sofonías 3:16-17 (NVI)

Todos tenemos luchas que se nos presentarán casi a diario. Aunque a veces hemos sido débiles y hemos fallado, en nuestro corazón lo que más deseamos es agradar a Dios en todo.

Sin embargo, agradar a Dios en todo es renunciar a cosas que sabemos que no son buenas, tales como el adulterio, la venganza, el divorcio, la mentira, matar, robar, entre otras.

Es más fácil agradar a Dios en las cosas sencillas, ¿pero qué me dices cuando estamos en alguna situación, algún vicio y por más que tratamos no podemos renunciar?

Sin embargo, no todo es preocupación. Debes saber que el único que nos puede ayudar a renunciar es el mismo Dios a través de una decisión que tomemos tú y yo, pues Él ve y conoce nuestro corazón.

El día que decidí dejar de fumar, hablé muy claro con mi Dios y le dije: «Padre, a mí me gusta mucho fumar, pero quiero agradarte. No quiero ver sufrir más a mis hijas porque me vean fumar, pero yo sola no puedo. Quítame, por favor, el deseo, y te prometo que nunca más lo vuelvo a hacer».

Esa noche apagué el cigarrillo y no sentí nada diferente. Entonces, al otro día, ya no volví a sentir deseos de fumar y, gracias a Dios, pude dejar ese vicio que no solo me enfermaba, sino que lo desagradaba por completo a Él.

Mis amigos, la clave en una decisión es dar el primer paso y Dios te respalda. Si todo se puede en Él, podemos hacer cualquier cambio.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Todos tenemos luchas que se nos presentarán casi a diario. Aunque a veces hemos sido débiles y hemos fallado, en nuestro corazón lo que más deseamos es agradar a Dios en todo.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - BE NOT AFRAID

BE NOT AFRAID

I sought the Lord and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

~ Psalm 34:4 (NIV)

The one positive fear that the Bible endorses is the fear of God. Wise Solomon said fearing God is the beginning of wisdom. It was Oswald Chambers who added, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

In Eritrea, Helen Berhane was frequently tortured during her almost three years in the shipping container prison. In spite of that she had no fear. Once when interrogated for teaching the Bible to the guards outside her cell, she replied:

“I am always looking for opportunities to talk about my faith and to spread the news about Jesus. I am not ashamed of the gospel and I will talk to anyone and to everyone. Jesus does not just want me to tell the prisoners about him, he wants me to tell the guards too. Even if the president were to visit the prison, I would tell him about the gospel.

“I am not afraid of you. You can do what you want to me, but ultimately all you can do is kill my body, you cannot touch my soul. You cannot even kill me unless it is God’s will that I should die.”[1]

Her persecutors had no answer and returned her to her shipping container.

David Aikman writes in his book Great Souls about the personal life of Pope John Paul II—especially his personal prayer life. When he became pope in 1978, the result of all that personal prayer was evident in his inaugural sermon. “Be not afraid!” he said.

He recognized that fear is a sin because it denies the sovereignty of God. And he recognized that as a leader of a large Church, and unwaveringly opposed to the powerful communist empire, he had to give people the courage to resist evil.

And courageous he was. When he saw Russian tanks poised to invade Poland, the Pope announced he would go and stand with his people if the Soviets crossed the border. The Soviet tanks did not move.

The Pope knew he might face assassination—and indeed, someone did try to assassinate him—yet he continued to tell the world, “Be not afraid.”

RESPONSE: Today I will live in the fear of God so that I will not fear anything or anyone else.

PRAYER: Pray that all Christians in fearful situations today will have the attitude of trust in the Lord and not fear for their lives.

1. Helen Berhane, Song of the Nightingale (Colorado Springs: Authentic Media, 2009), p. 75.

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 - Make the Most of Today

Make the Most of Today

Matthew 24:36–51
Recommended Reading: Proverbs 11:30; Matthew 25:14–30; John 9:4; Philippians 1:20–26

Carpe diem.

This Latin phrase means “seize the day,” and it certainly echoes a valid objective. We do need to seize each day, because we don’t know whether tomorrow will come or just how much of this life remains for us.

But what if we did? Imagine if a clock on the bottom of one foot digitally displayed how many days remained before we died. Theologian Francis Schaeffer put it another way: “Life is like a clock with no hands. It’s ticking but you never know when it’s going to strike midnight.”

What a sobering thought—for those living in the 1st century or the 21st century. Despite all of our advances in safety measures, in both industry and transportation, and all of our progress in the medical field, life still maintains a measure of unpredictability for us today. Accidents still happen, and people still suffer from strokes and coronary artery disease, often seemingly out of the blue. Nearly everyone has a story to tell regarding a friend, family member or coworker who has experienced something like this.

The 1st century disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). In the midst of his teaching, Jesus replied, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).

In a way, Jesus urges his followers to “seize the day” because no one knows when he will return. But we do know that each of us will come face-to-face with Jesus and give an account of how we have lived for him. Each of us in large measure determines how that encounter will go.

Jesus wants us to be ready no matter when he returns—to be “faithful and wise” servants (Matthew 24:45). Who are the faithful and wise servants? Those who are ready—those whom the Master finds doing his will when he returns.

Are you ready?

To Take Away

• How would your life be different if you knew you had just a year left to live? A month? A day?
• God gives each of us gifts with which to serve him. Can you identify the ways in which God wants you to serve him?
• Do you think God sees you as a “faithful and wise servant”? Why or why not?

Carpe diem. This Latin phrase means “seize the day,” and it certainly echoes a valid objective.

Girlfriends in God - How Prayer Can Change a Man’s Heart

How Prayer Can Change a Man’s Heart

Sharon Jaynes

Note from Sharon: I know that devotions on marriage are difficult for many who are not married and perhaps would like to be. That’s why we usually keep the marriage devotions that minister to thousands of women in the month of February. Whether you are married or single, please join us at GiG in praying for marriages all around the world.

Today’s Truth

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

~ 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Allan was a tough man. Raised by a single mom with five siblings, he learned how to scrap his way through life and climb to the top of humanity’s heap through sheer determination and grit. He married at nineteen, had his first son at twenty, then a baby girl at twenty-five. Over the next two decades he advanced from driving a delivery truck at a lumberyard to becoming part owner of a building supply company.

Allan drank heavily, fought with his wife verbally and physically, and terrorized his children emotionally. He gambled, dabbled in pornography, and had questionable relationships laced with a host of unsavory vices. But when his teenage daughter gave her life to Jesus and began praying for her family, God grabbed the chisel of grace and began chipping away at Allan’s proud heart of stone. One day he told her, “I’ll go to church with you from time to time, but I could never become a Christian. I’ve done too many horrible things in my life. God could never forgive me. I could never be good enough.”

His daughter explained that no one could ever be good enough. If we could, then Jesus wouldn’t have had to die on the cross to pay for our sins. But Allan couldn’t wrap his mind around that kind of grace.

When Allan was forty-six years old, his life took several hairpin troublesome turns. Because of a business deal gone terribly wrong, he was sued for breach of contract and breaking a no compete clause with a former employer.

Allan teetered on the brink of a nervous breakdown. From man’s perspective, it appeared he was on the verge of losing it all. From God’s perspective, Allan was right where he needed to be.

One day, in a surge of panic, Allan drove from North Carolina to Pennsylvania to try and find his wife at a meeting she was attending. When he couldn’t find her, he stopped by a church and asked for prayer. The church receptionist drew Allan a map on a piece of scrap paper and sent him to find a pastor out in the woods building his new church.

Allan followed the map and found a man with a hammer in his hand and Jesus in his heart. He poured out his heart and told the pastor everything he had ever done in his raucous life. Then the man put his arm around Allan and said, “Now, let me tell you what I’ve done.”

The way Allan later explained what happened that day was this: “That man had done everything I had done. I knew that if God could forgive him and he could be a pastor, then He could forgive me too.”

Allan accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior that day in the woods of Pennsylvania, and became one of the sweetest men I’ve ever known.

Allan was my dad.

From my earliest years as a Christian, I experienced the power of prayer to change a man’s life—to strengthen a man’s resolve, to protect a man’s heart, and to mature a man’s faith. My firsthand encounter with God’s faithfulness to hear our pleas for the men in our lives began with my father and continues with my husband and son.

As a wife, you have the power to open the floodgates of heaven through prayer on your husband’s behalf. (If you aren’t married, keep reading. There’s an assignment for you too.) Whether your husband hasn’t yet decided to follow Christ, has a lukewarm fledgling faith, or lives a fiery firm faith, there is no one more qualified to pray for his relationship with Christ than you. No matter where your husband is on the continuum of faithlessness to faithfulness, I encourage you to pray with “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NASB).

In my book, Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe, I show wives how to cover their husband’s in Scriptural prayer from top to bottom. If you’re not married, you can use this same pattern for praying for the important men in your life. Today, let’s pray for the mid-section.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I pray for ________________.

His Shoulders – No matter what my husband goes through today, assure him that nothing is too hard for You. Empower him to cut the cords of worry with the saber of praise and to place his burdens on Your able shoulders. Genesis 18:14; Deuteronomy 31:8; Psalm 9:10.

His Heart – Place a hedge of protection around his heart to keep corruption out and purity in. Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 17:20; Proverbs 17:22.

His Back – Protect him in the physical and spiritual realms. Keep him from the devil’s schemes that would attempt to trap him or trip him up. Thank you that no weapon formed against him will stand. John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:10-18.

His Arms – Help my husband be strong and courageous in Your mighty power. Bolster his courage when he is afraid and reassure him when he doubts. Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 30:15.

His Hands – Bless the work of my husband’s hands. Reward his efforts and bring him success. Deuteronomy 33:11; Deuteronomy 28:12-13.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Ponder this verse today--James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

What is your most pressing prayer for your marriage or the man in your life?

Leave a comment with your prayer request and then pray for the woman’s name under yours. You don’t need to share a lot of details. God’s got them all!

More from the Girlfriends

As a wife, you have been given the privilege of serving as a mighty prayer warrior for your husband. In Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe: A Daily Guide to Scripture-Based Prayer, Sharon Jaynes maps out sixteen landmarks to help you consistently and effectively cover your husband in prayer. From his mind and the thoughts he thinks, to his feet and the path he takes, Sharon shows you how to pray for your husband in ways that are powerful, practical, and life-changing. Click over to her webpage and check out her specially priced Valentine’s Day Bundle!

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

Note from Sharon: I know that devotions on marriage are difficult for many who are not married and perhaps would like to be. That’s why we usually keep the marriage devotions that minister to thousands of women in the month of February. Whether you are married or single, please join us at GiG in praying for marriages all around the world.

LHM Daily Devotions - Do Not Be Afraid

"Do Not Be Afraid"

Feb. 7, 2019

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."

~ Luke 5:8-10 (ESV)

It had been a hard day for Peter. He'd been up fishing all night, probably with his brother Andrew and his partners James and John—and still they'd caught nothing. The next morning, while they were getting their nets ready for the next trip out, a visiting rabbi asked to borrow Peter's boat, so He could preach to the people on shore. "Why not?" Peter may have said to himself. "He can preach without getting mobbed, and all we have to do is keep the boat in one place." It would have made for a nice rest after a disappointing night.

But when the preaching was finished, Jesus had a tip for the hard-luck fisherman. "Go out and let the nets down again for a catch," He said. Peter knew that was a waste of time. But to show respect he did it, and shortly he and his partners were waist deep in fish, almost going under!

Peter knew he was out of his depth. Falling at Jesus' knees, he said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." He was terrified, and who could blame him? Great miracles don't happen every day. Being involved in one is scary! And being around the One who made it happen ...? No wonder Peter wanted out of that situation. Every wrong he'd ever done came up in his memory—every meanness, every lie, every time he'd ever cheated or cursed. How could he be around the holy God?

It's like that for us, too, isn't it? Jesus tells us to do something—the situation snowballs—and suddenly we find ourselves overwhelmed, out of our depth. You want me to do what, Lord? Talk to that person about the Gospel? Why, I can't even open my mouth! Take on that responsibility in my family or at church? Right that wrong that everybody knows about, but nobody's doing anything to fix? No. Not me. I'm a sinner. Depart from me, O Lord!

But Jesus calms us just as He calmed Peter. "Don't be afraid," He says. He knows about those sins that terrify us, the old guilts we can't seem to get past. He took them all to the cross. He has forgiven us, washed us clean, made us fit for His service. We don't need to be afraid because of who we've been or what we've been like. Jesus is calling.

And He won't leave us alone to do the job, either. Whatever it is, He will be with us: guiding us, strengthening us, teaching us to depend on Him with all our hearts. He knows we need Him. As He said to Peter and the rest on the night before His death, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

And so, He will keep us in His love.

THE PRAYER: Lord, when I am afraid, help me trust in You. You are always with me. Thank You. 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).
It had been a hard day for Peter. He'd been up fishing all night, probably with his brother Andrew and his partners James and John—and still they'd caught nothing.

Devocional de la CPTLN del 07 de Febrero de 2019 -

ALIMENTO DIARIO

No temas

07 de Febrero de 2019

Cuando Simón Pedro vio esto, cayó de rodillas ante Jesús y le dijo: "Señor, ¡apártate de mí, porque soy un pecador!" Y es que tanto él como todos sus compañeros estaban pasmados por la pesca que habían hecho. También estaban sorprendidos Jacobo y Juan, los hijos de Zebedeo, que eran compañeros de Simón. Pero Jesús le dijo a Simón: "No temas, que desde ahora serás pescador de hombres."

~ Lucas 5:8-10 (RVC)

Había sido un día difícil para Pedro. Había estado pescando toda la noche, probablemente con su hermano Andrés y sus compañeros Jacobo y Juan, y aun así no habían pescado nada. A la mañana siguiente, mientras preparaban sus redes para volver al lago, un rabino visitante le pidió a Pedro prestado el bote para predicarle a la gente en la costa. "¿Por qué no?", pudo haber pensado Pedro. "Puede predicar sin ser apretujado por la multitud, y todo lo que tenemos que hacer es mantener el bote en un solo lugar." Podría ser un buen descanso después de una noche decepcionante.

Pero cuando terminó la predicación, Jesús le dio un consejo al pescador con mala suerte. "Lleva la barca hacia la parte honda del lago y echen allí sus redes", dijo. Pedro sabía que era una pérdida de tiempo. Pero para mostrar respeto lo hizo, y al poco rato él y sus compañeros estaban hundidos hasta la cintura, ¡casi hundiéndose por completo!

Pedro estaba aturdido. Cayendo de rodillas ante Jesús, dijo: "Señor, ¡apártate de mí, porque soy pecador!" Estaba aterrorizado, ¿y quién podía culparlo? Los milagros no suceden todos los días. ¡Estar involucrado en un milagro da miedo! ¿Y estar al lado de aquel que lo hizo realidad? No es de extrañar que Pedro quisiera salir de esa situación. Todos los errores que había hecho le vinieron a la memoria, cada maldad, cada mentira, cada vez que hacía trampa o maldecía. ¿Cómo podía estar cerca del Dios santo?

Para nosotros también es así, ¿no es cierto? Jesús nos dice que hagamos algo, la situación se agrava y de repente nos encontramos abrumados, aturdidos. ¿Quieres que haga qué, Señor? ¿Hablar con esa persona sobre el ti? ¿Por qué? ¡Ni siquiera puedo abrir la boca! ¿Asumir esa responsabilidad que me aterra en mi familia o en la iglesia? ¿Corregir el error que todos conocen, pero que nadie trata de solucionar? No, yo no. Soy pecador. ¡Aléjate de mí, Señor!

Pero Jesús nos calma así como calmó a Pedro: "No temas". Él sabe todo acerca de esos pecados que nos aterran y de esas viejas culpas que parece que no podemos superar. Los llevó a todos a la cruz. Él nos ha perdonado, nos ha lavado, nos ha hecho aptos para su servicio. No debemos temer por lo que somos o hemos sido. Jesús nos está llamando.

Y tampoco nos dejará solos. Sea lo que sea que tengamos que hacer él estará con nosotros guiándonos, fortaleciéndonos, enseñándonos a depender de él con todo nuestro corazón. Él sabe que lo necesitamos. Como le dijo a Pedro y a los demás la noche antes de su muerte: "Yo soy la vid y ustedes los pámpanos; el que permanece en mí, y yo en él, éste lleva mucho fruto; porque separados de mí ustedes nada pueden hacer" (Juan 15: 5). Él nos mantendrá en su amor.

ORACIÓN: Señor, cuando tenga miedo, ayúdame a confiar en ti. Gracias por estar siempre conmigo. Amén.

Dr. Kari Vo

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Había sido un día difícil para Pedro. Había estado pescando toda la noche, probablemente con su hermano Andrés y sus compañeros Jacobo y Juan, y aun así no habían pescado nada.

Хлеб наш насущный - Готовность к добрым делам

Готовность к добрым делам

Читать сейчас: Ефесянам 2:6-10 | Библия за год: Левит 1-3; Матфея 24:1-28

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Ибо мы... созданы во Христе Иисусе на добрые дела, которые Бог предназначил нам исполнять. — Ефесянам 2:10

Когда незнакомец внушительного вида направился через дорогу прямо к нам с женой, мы оторопели. Отпуск и так не задался. На нас накричали, нас обманули, у нас требовали деньги, притом не раз. И вот опять неприятности?! Но, к нашему удивлению, незнакомец узнал в нас туристов и захотел рассказать, где в городе лучшие достопримечательности. А потом подарил нам шоколадку, улыбнулся и ушел. Это проявление доброты сделало наш день прекрасным и спасло все путешествие. Мы оба ощутили искреннюю благодарность – и к этому человеку, и к Богу, Который утешил нас через него.

Что побудило его подойти к двум незнакомым людям? Он ходил со своей шоколадкой целый день, ища, кому бы ее подарить?

Удивительно, что один скромный поступок может так осчастливить, а порой и направить человека к Богу. Библия подчеркивает важность добрых дел (Иак. 2:17, 24). Если это кажется трудным, то нам оставлено подтверждение, что Бог не только дает нам способность совершать добрые дела, но даже предназначил для нас эти дела (см. Еф. 2:10).

Может быть, Бог предназначил нам «столкнуться» с тем, кому нужно слово ободрения, или дает нам возможность протянуть руку помощи человеку в нужде. Все, что требуется, – послушно откликнуться.

О ком вы можете помолиться или кому помочь? Кого Бог, возможно, послал вам навстречу?

Господь, помоги мне быть послушным, делиться Твоей любовью с другими и помнить, как Ты возлюбил меня.

автор: Лесли Ко

© 2019 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Когда незнакомец внушительного вида направился через дорогу прямо к нам с женой, мы оторопели...