The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, February 11, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, February 11, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 115

The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God
1  Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
     for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
2  Why should the nations say,
     “Where is their God?”

3  Our God is in the heavens;
     he does whatever he pleases.
4  Their idols are silver and gold,
     the work of human hands.
5  They have mouths, but do not speak;
     eyes, but do not see.
6  They have ears, but do not hear;
     noses, but do not smell.
7  They have hands, but do not feel;
     feet, but do not walk;
     they make no sound in their throats.
8  Those who make them are like them;
     so are all who trust in them.

9  O Israel, trust in the Lord!
     He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
     He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
     He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;
     he will bless the house of Israel;
     he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
     both small and great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,
     both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
     who made heaven and earth.

16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
     but the earth he has given to human beings.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
     nor do any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord
     from this time on and forevermore.
   Praise the Lord!

Judges 5:1-11

The Song of Deborah
1  Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:

2  “When locks are long in Israel,
     when the people offer themselves willingly—
     bless the Lord!

3  “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;
     to the Lord I will sing,
     I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.

4  “Lord, when you went out from Seir,
     when you marched from the region of Edom,
   the earth trembled,
     and the heavens poured,
     the clouds indeed poured water.
5  The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai,
     before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6  “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
     in the days of Jael, caravans ceased
     and travelers kept to the byways.
7  The peasantry prospered in Israel,
     they grew fat on plunder,
   because you arose, Deborah,
      arose as a mother in Israel.
8  When new gods were chosen,
     then war was in the gates.
   Was shield or spear to be seen
     among forty thousand in Israel?
9  My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel
      who offered themselves willingly among the people.
    Bless the Lord.

10 “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,
     you who sit on rich carpets
     and you who walk by the way.
11 To the sound of musicians at the watering places,
     there they repeat the triumphs of the Lord,
     the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel.

   “Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Orderly Worship
14:26 What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets, 33 for God is a God not of disorder but of peace.

(As in all the churches of the saints, 34 women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?)

37 Anyone who claims to be a prophet, or to have spiritual powers, must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. 38 Anyone who does not recognize this is not to be recognized. 39 So, my friends, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; 40 but all things should be done decently and in order.

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
Anyone who claims to be a prophet, or to have spiritual powers, must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, February 11, 2019

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 13

Listen to 1 Corinthians 13

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 - Solo da gracias

Solo da gracias

Te damos gracias, oh Dios, te damos gracias e invocamos tu nombre.

~ Salmo 75:1 (NVI)

Hoy quiero que dediquemos estos cortos minutos a darle gracias a Dios por todo lo que nos ha dado. No todos los días debemos pedirle a Dios.

Es muy bonito poder levantar nuestra mirada y decir:

«Gracias, Dios, porque me regalaste un nuevo día. Tengo salud y sé que tú me cuidas aun cuando estoy dormido. Gracias, mi Dios, porque has llegado a mi vida, porque quizá a través de estas pequeñas enseñanzas de experiencias vividas estoy aprendiendo a conocerte más de cerca. Estoy reconociendo que en verdad estás vivo, que eres real. Que estás tan cerca de mí que te interesa mi vida para que me vaya bien. Conoces mis necesidades y me concedes las cosas que ni siquiera te había pedido. Gracias por las cosas que estoy viviendo y, aunque no las entiendo, veo tu mano interviniendo. Sé que pronto me sacarás adelante. Señor, la clave está en la obediencia. Sé que siendo obediente a ti voy a recibir todas las bendiciones».

Recuerden, esta fórmula no falla: Obediencia = Bendición.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hoy quiero que dediquemos estos cortos minutos a darle gracias a Dios por todo lo que nos ha dado. No todos los días debemos pedirle a Dios.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FEAR GOD, FEAR NOTHING ELSE

FEAR GOD, FEAR NOTHING ELSE

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

~1 John 4:18 (NIV)

The Apostle John repeatedly teaches that loving God (other scripture writers refer to it as “fearing” God) is the antidote to fear. Fear is a tactic of Satan which all believers must face. Those under severe persecution often face this challenge early.

Behbaha, an Iranian secret believer from Muslim background (MBB), shares that her aunt went to a house church and she accompanied her. But she was afraid. She knew that the government controlled the church and that scared her.

“At that time I worked in a job that was state controlled. Every time they gave us questionnaires we should fill out, one of the questions is about religion. Of course you have to fill in; ‘Muslim,’ but I could not do that anymore…”

In the house church she attended with her aunt she learned about the Bible and what Jesus taught in a very practical way. Taking a discipleship training course was a great blessing for Behbaha. She says, “I was able to understand the Bible, I saw the good Lord of the Bible, saw His love—and that changed my life.” After six years of searching she gave her life to Jesus.

The good thing is that her family does not have any problems with her changing and going to church. “Neighbors are the problem”, she states. “The government tells on radio and TV that if you know a person who is not dedicated to the government or to Islam you should go to the police and tell them when you suspect someone of being a Christian.”

After she became a Christian she left her job. “Much too dangerous,” she comments. “I am not able anymore to fill out that form [because of the religion question]. Now I am working part time with some small companies, who are not working with these forms asking about faith.” She does not know if she is observed by the secret police, because of her former job. Behbaha is not aware of being watched. “But I have to be careful, they are able to kill me,” she says with conviction. “Sometimes people are killed; sometimes they have to leave the country. Maybe, if they catch me, I will be killed, but this week of training took away my fear.”

The first three discipleship courses were via internet. The fourth she did in a safe location. Behbaha concludes, “The course on location is very good. The interaction among each other, seeing the teacher face to face, meant that I did not fall asleep, like often happens in church. This is very good.”

After taking the training seminar she wants to teach the course to others—especially church people. Behbaha also wants to pass on the training to her family and friends. “I want to share and show love. My dream after this training is to have house groups with my family members, friends and colleagues to teach them. But…your life should be a good testimony to everyone and Jesus must increase in your life. I am working on that.”

RESPONSE: Today I will focus on fearing God so that I will not fear anything or anyone else.

PRAYER: Pray new believers around the world involved in discipleship training will learn not to fear.

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 - Leah

Leah

Her name means: "Impatient" or "Wild Cow"

Her character: Capable of both strong and enduring love, she was a faithful mother and wife. Manipulated by her father, she became jealous of her sister, with whom, it seems, she never reconciled.
Her sorrow: That she lacked her sister's beauty, and that her love for her husband was one-sided.
Her joy: That she bore Jacob six sons and one daughter.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 29-35; Ruth 4:11

Her Story

We buried my sister Rachel today. But she is still alive. I catch glimpses of her in Jacob's broken heart, in dark-eyed Joseph and squalling little Benjamin, his favorite sons. Rachel's sons. I can hear my beautiful, determined sister weeping loudly for the children she might have had, stubbornly refusing to be comforted. Yet who takes note of my tears? Should they flood the desert, no one would notice.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, and then Gad and Asher by my maid—these are the children God has given me and I have given my beloved Jacob. And still he loves her best. Should my husband and I live another hundred years, I will never be his only wife.

Contrary to what Leah may have felt, God had taken note of her sorrow. Knowing well that Jacob's heart was too cramped a space to harbor both Rachel and Leah, he made Leah a mother, not once, but seven times, extending her influence in Jacob's household.

With the birth of each child the unhappy Leah hoped to secure her husband's affection. But each time her disappointment grew. She felt the old curse asserting itself: "Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you" (Genesis 3:16).

Perhaps Jacob still resented Leah for tricking him on their wedding night, disguising herself as his beloved Rachel. Surely Leah's love had been passionate enough to deceive him until morning. She felt both glad and guilty for her part; though, truth to tell, she had little choice but to obey her father, Laban, in the matter. And she thanked God each day for enabling her to bear Jacob's children. Still, children often caused a mother untold sorrow.

Dinah, her only daughter, had been raped by a local prince on their return to Jacob's homeland. Leah hardly knew how to comfort her. To make matters worse, her sons Levi and Simeon avenged their sister by savagely murdering a town-full of people. Then Reuben disgraced himself by sleeping with his father's concubine Bilhah. 

Hadn't God promised to protect us if we returned to this land of promise? How, then, could such things happen? Leah wondered. True, God had watched over them as they faced Esau and his four hundred men. But Leah's joy at the brothers' friendly reunion was eclipsed by her sorrow at once again being proved the lesser-loved wife. Jacob had made it plain enough by placing Rachel and her children last in their long caravan, giving them the best chance of escape should Esau prove violent.

But Jacob's love could not prevent Rachel from dying in childbirth. Leah, not Rachel, was destined to be his first and last wife. Alongside her husband, the father of Israel, she would be revered as a mother of Israel. In fact, the promise of a Savior was carried not through Rachel's Joseph but through Leah's Judah, whose descendants would include David, Israel's great king, and Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. In the end, Jacob was laid to rest in the cave of Machpelah, next to his first wife, Leah, rather than his favorite wife, Rachel, who was buried somewhere near Ephrath.

The two sisters, Rachel and Leah, remind us that life is fraught with sorrow and peril, much of it caused by sin and selfishness. Both women suffered—each in her own way—the curse of Eve after she was expelled from her garden paradise. While Rachel experienced great pain in giving birth to children, Leah experienced the anguish of loving a man who seemed indifferent to her. Yet both women became mothers in Israel, leaving their homeland to play essential roles in the story of God's great plan for his people.

Her Promise

The Lord noticed Leah's misery. He looked down and saw a woman who was lonely and sad because her husband loved his other wife better than he loved her. So, to ease her sorrow, to provide her comfort, God gave her children—beautiful, intelligent, strong children, one of whom would establish the lineage of the priests of Israel and another who was an ancestor of Jesus himself.

This same God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Leah is our God. He sees our miseries, no matter how small or how large. He knows our circumstances, our feelings, our hurts. And, just as in Leah's life, he is willing to step in and create something beautiful in and through us.

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.
Capable of both strong and enduring love, she was a faithful mother and wife. Manipulated by her father, she became jealous of her sister, with whom, it seems, she never reconciled.

Girlfriends in God - Make Every Effort to Do This

Make Every Effort to Do This

Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

~ Romans 14:19 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

I’ve got lots of opinions, not gonna lie. You do too, right? I’ll go even one step further by assuming that your opinions and my opinions are not perfectly in synch. Agreed?

Differences of opinion among people are more numerous than grains of sand in the ocean. Disputable matters in the church are no exception. Freedoms and convictions are not the same in every heart. Unfortunately, these areas of contention can cause conflict in our hearts, relationships, and communities of faith if we let them.

My family and I got thrown into a situation recently that caused some harm and confusion. The perception and convictions of another was pressed upon us, and the consequences were anything but peaceful. Much of it was a misunderstanding about a social media post, but the reaction was layered in judgment and accusation.

We agonized and prayed over how to respond in a way that would honor God. My family and I talked through flesh-led responses (revenge, defensiveness, etc.) versus Spirit-led responses (humility, love, grace, forgiveness) and, in all honesty, we also wrestled with justifiably inflamed feelings of hurt.

Paul spoke of these types of in-the-church tensions in the letter he penned to the believers in Rome. He explained that the freedoms we have in Christ are to be handled responsibly, in love, and that we are to be careful to not allow our freedoms to cause a person of weaker faith (or different convictions) to stumble.

Let me be clear, this is not a conversation about Biblical activities that are clearly forbidden or addressed. This is about us creating our own rules and expectations of how other believers should or shouldn’t behave, think, or believe. {Hunker down, girlfriend, ‘cuz we are about to go there.}

Romans chapter 14 addresses this issue head on.

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.  The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. (Romans 14:1-4)

Even when others wound us with accusations and differing expectations, God can and will tenderly teach and heal hearts that are intent to walk in His ways. In the tension of our recent family challenge, I looked for the lessons found in God’s Word.

Paul’s writings to believers in Rome lead me to consider a few heart directives: 

ACCEPT THEM: Gah! Don’t sidestep, stiff-arm, alienate, or reject that person. (V1) 

DON’T QUARREL: Followers of Christ have different opinions. When a believer has differing opinions and convictions, I am to be concerned with my own convictions of faith, not fuss and quarrel about theirs. (V1) 

DON’T JUDGE: I should act according to my conscience because I am accountable to Christ. (V12) And when another believer has different convictions, I’m not to judge them. (V4,13)

Paul went on to instruct Roman believers in Chapter 14 with this…

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (V. 10-14)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (V. 17-19)

These Scriptures also lead me to search my heart:

Am I determined not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of another believer?

Am I making EVERY EFFORT to do what leads to peace?

If the answer to either of these questions is NO, then I’m in violation of God’s Biblical standard and I need to humbly get with Him on the issue. {Warm and fuzzy, right?!}

Truth is truth and the Word is the Word. Following Christ isn’t always easy, but it is always best and always what brings Him the glory He deserves.

The Bible calls believers to unity, love, and peace in Christ - even when we differ in opinions. When all is said and done, it honors God when we make every effort to love well and align our heart with the teachings of His Word. Join me today?

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Forgive me for the times when I’m more concerned about the conviction others than I am about my own. Help me to accept other believers without quarreling or judgment, and keep me from doing or saying anything that would cause another to stumble in their faith.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-13. How might this apply to you?

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion is an excerpt from Gwen Smith’s book, I Want I ALL, which includes a Bible Study Guide right in the back of the book!

If you want to read and study the Bible, but don’t know where to start, this is for you! Girlfriends in God co-founder Gwen Smith has several online Bible Study options that will guide you on a personal journey with the Lord as you read, record, reflect on and respond to His Word. These studies will help you know what God says about tender topics like forgiveness, healing, fear, depression, relationships and hope. Each study can be done in the comfort of your home and in a time frame that fits with your personal schedule. Visit www.GwenSmith.net/BibleStudy to learn more.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

I’ve got lots of opinions, not gonna lie. You do too, right? I’ll go even one step further by assuming that your opinions and my opinions are not perfectly in synch. Agreed?

LHM Daily Devotions - A Saint for All Seasons

"A Saint for All Seasons"

Feb. 11, 2019

He is like a tree planted by the streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

~ Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

In the 1966 Academy Award movie entitled, A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More remained steadfast to his own conscience, but he paid a terrible price. He could not be cajoled, coerced, or compromised into supporting King Henry VIII's bid to Pope Clement VII in order for the king to rid himself of Catherine, his wife, annul the marriage, and marry Anne of Boleyn, in the hope of producing a male heir to the throne of England. Sir Thomas More loses his head, literally, as a "reward" for his faithfulness to the church, being condemned and beheaded by the throne of England for treason to the king. The phrase "a man for all seasons" has evolved to represent any common man or woman who acts with calm resolution, living by the higher principles of loyalty and conscience to God in the midst of the dangerous vicissitudes of life.

Psalm one sets the tone for all who dare to read the Word of God and live by it. That man or woman is blessed who meditates on the Word, day and night, following its precepts living as a light in the midst of the ungodly. Such a man or woman shall be like a flourishing tree on the bank of a flowing river, nourished daily by the waters of life that bring forth plentiful fruit to the glory of God, the Creator. The tree of the wicked does not prosper, its leaf quickly withers, and the wind sweeps away all decay. The tree of the wicked will not be found among the righteous, but the tree of the righteous will be firmly planted in paradise forever. Between the righteous and the wicked, a great chasm has been fixed. The destiny of the righteous and the wicked before God diverge eternally. "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked will perish" (Psalm 1:6).

The Christian who abides in the Word of God is like a saint for all seasons. The storms of life cannot dislodge this saint from the promises of God's Word. This all-season saint remains deeply rooted in the good soil of God's Word. In season and out of season, abundant fruit is produced in the life of this saint. Why? Because this saint has learned the secret of remaining faithful not by strength of will nor charismatic personality but by simple trust in the true source of the God-pleasing sanctified life. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

Fear not, O saint! God Himself is at work in you securing the salvation of your soul every day of your short little life. Fret not, O saint! Your prayers are heard and answered all in good time. In every season of your life, God's ceaseless work of sanctification finds no rest until He completes what He began in you—what He began in you through Baptism into our beloved Savior and Lord, Christ Jesus. Rejoice, O saint! In every season to the glory of God.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, cause my spirit in every season to ceaselessly rejoice in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Mark Schreiber. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
In the 1966 Academy Award movie entitled, A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More remained steadfast to his own conscience, but he paid a terrible price.

Devocional de la CPTLN del 11 de Febrero de 2019 - Un santo para todas las estaciones

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Un santo para todas las estaciones

11 de Febrero de 2019

Ese hombre es como un árbol plantado junto a los arroyos: llegado el momento da su fruto, y sus hojas no se marchitan. ¡En todo lo que hace, prospera!

~ Salmo 1:3 (RVC)

En Un hombre para todas las estaciones, la película de 1966 ganadora de varios premios de la Academia, Sir Thomas More se mantuvo fiel a su conciencia, pero por ello pagó un precio terrible. No pudo ser convencido ni coaccionado a apoyar la oferta del rey Enrique VIII al Papa Clemente VII para que éste lo liberara de su esposa Catalina anulando su matrimonio y poder casarse con Ana Bolena, con la esperanza de producir un hijo varón que se convirtiera en heredero del trono de Inglaterra. Sir Thomas More pierde su cabeza, literalmente, como "recompensa" por su fidelidad a la iglesia, siendo condenado y decapitado por el trono de Inglaterra por traición al rey. "Un hombre de dos reinos" representa a cualquier hombre o mujer común que vive de acuerdo con los principios superiores de lealtad a Dios, aun en medio de las peligrosas vicisitudes de la vida.

El Salmo uno establece el tono para todas las personas que se atreven a leer la Palabra de Dios y vivir de acuerdo con ella. Esa persona que medita en la Palabra día y noche, siguiendo sus preceptos y viviendo como una luz en medio de los impíos, es bendecida. Tal persona será como un árbol floreciente a orillas de un río que lo alimenta a diario con el agua de vida y produce abundantes frutos para la gloria de Dios, el Creador. El árbol de los malvados no prospera, su hoja se marchita rápidamente y el viento arrastra toda decadencia. El árbol de los impíos no se encontrará entre los justos, pero el árbol de los justos se plantará firmemente en el paraíso para siempre. Entre los justos y los malvados se encuentra un gran abismo. Ante Dios, el destino de los justos y los malvados divergen eternamente. "El Señor conoce el camino de los justos, pero la senda de los malos termina mal"(Salmo 1:6).

El cristiano que permanece en la Palabra de Dios es como un santo para todas las estaciones. Las tormentas de la vida no pueden separarle de las promesas de la Palabra de Dios. Este santo de dos reinos permanece profundamente arraigado en la buena tierra de Su Palabra. En todo tiempo produce abundante fruto. ¿Por qué? Porque este santo ha aprendido el secreto de permanecer fiel, no por fuerza de voluntad ni por personalidad carismática, sino por simple confianza en la verdadera fuente de vida santificada que agrada a Dios. "Porque Dios es el que produce en ustedes lo mismo el querer como el hacer, por su buena voluntad" (Filipenses 2:13).

¡No temas, santo! Dios mismo está trabajando en ti asegurando la salvación de tu alma cada día de tu corta y pequeña vida. ¡No te preocupes, santo! Tus oraciones son escuchadas y contestadas a su debido tiempo. En cada momento de tu vida, la incesante obra de santificación de Dios continúa hasta que Él complete lo que comenzó en ti a través del bautismo en nuestro amado Salvador y Señor, Cristo Jesús. ¡Regocíjate, santo! En cada estación para la gloria de Dios.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, haz que, en cada estación de mi vida, mi espíritu se regocije en Cristo Jesús. Amén.

Dr. Mark Schreiber

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
En Un hombre para todas las estaciones, la película de 1966 ganadora de varios premios de la Academia, Sir Thomas More se mantuvo fiel a su conciencia, pero por ello pagó un precio terrible.

Notre Pain Quotidien - Donner le bénéfice du doute

Donner le bénéfice du doute

Lisez : Jérémie 9.23-26

La Bible en un an : : Lévitique 11 – 12 ; Matthieu 26.1-25

[Que] celui qui se glorifie se glorifie dans le Seigneur. 1 Corinthiens 1.31

Dans les années 1960, d’étranges toiles illustrant une personne ou un animal aux yeux immenses ont fait un tabac. Certains les jugeaient de mauvais goût, alors que d’autres les trouvaient ravissantes. Quand le mari de l’artiste s’est mis à promouvoir les créations de sa femme, le couple s’est beaucoup enrichi. Reste que la signature de l’artiste, Margaret Keane, n’apparaissait sur aucune des toiles, mais plutôt celle de son mari. Par peur de représailles, Margaret a gardé cette fraude secrète pendant vingt ans, jusqu’à ce que leur mariage prenne fin. Pour prouver l’identité du véritable artiste, les deux prétendants ont dû créer une toile devant le tribunal.

Cet homme a très mal agi. Pourtant, il nous arrive aussi parfois, en tant qu’enfants de Dieu, de nous approprier le mérite de nos talents, de nos aptitudes au leadership ou de nos bontés envers autrui. Ces qualités ne sont toutefois possibles que par la grâce de Dieu. Jérémie a déploré la prétention et l’impénitence du peuple. Par ce prophète, Dieu a dit que nous ne devons pas nous glorifier de notre sagesse, de notre force, ni de nos richesses, mais seulement du fait de comprendre et de savoir qu’il est le Seigneur « qui exerce la bonté, le droit et la justice sur la terre » (JE 9.24).

En découvrant le véritable artiste, notre cœur se remplit de gratitude : « [Toute] grâce excellente et tout don parfait descendent […] du Père » (JA 1.17). Tout le mérite et toutes louanges reviennent donc à celui qui sait nous donner toutes bonnes choses.

Nous avons été créés dans le but de glorifier Dieu.

par Cindy Hess Kasper

© 2019 Ministères NPQ
Dans les années 1960, d’étranges toiles illustrant une personne ou un animal aux yeux immenses ont fait un tabac.