The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, July 5, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, July 5, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 30

Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the temple. Of David.
1  I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
     and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2  O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
     and you have healed me.
3  O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
     restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

4  Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
     and give thanks to his holy name.
5  For his anger is but for a moment;
     his favor is for a lifetime.
   Weeping may linger for the night,
     but joy comes with the morning.

6  As for me, I said in my prosperity,
     “I shall never be moved.”
7  By your favor, O Lord,
     you had established me as a strong mountain;
   you hid your face;
     I was dismayed.

8  To you, O Lord, I cried,
     and to the Lord I made supplication:
9  “What profit is there in my death,
     if I go down to the Pit?
   Will the dust praise you?
     Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
     O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
     you have taken off my sackcloth
     and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
     O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

2 Kings 4:18-31

4:18 When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 He complained to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 He carried him and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door on him, and left. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” 23 He said, “Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” She said, “It will be all right.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not hold back for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out, and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman; 26 run at once to meet her, and say to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?” She answered, “It is all right.” 27 When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not mislead me?” 29 He said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, give no greeting, and if anyone greets you, do not answer; and lay my staff on the face of the child.” 30 Then the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave without you.” So he rose up and followed her. 31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. He came back to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.”

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Encouragement to Be Generous
8:1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2 for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4 begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5 and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6 so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. 7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

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

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, July 5, 2019

Friday morning prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing. Amen.

May Friday be a thoughtful day

When Your Spirit leads my prayer.

I trust each trouble small and wide,

With faith into Your care.

Let Friday always prompt my heart

To stand upon the truth.

Darkness has been overcome

The Earth belongs to You.

Verse of the Day FRIDAY, July 5, 2019

Isaiah 12:4 (NIV) In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Read all of Isaiah 12

Listen to Isaiah 12

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

Un dia a la Vez - Friday, July 5, 2019

Pide sabiduría en vez de paciencia

Dichoso el que halla sabiduría, el que adquiere inteligencia. Porque ella es de más provecho que la plata y rinde más ganancias que el oro.

~ Proverbios 3:13-14, NVI

¡Ay, dame paciencia, Señor! Esta frase la utilizamos todos en momentos cuando no podemos más. Y tiene sentido decirla, pero lleva implícita una petición que quizá desconozcas y te sorprendas cuando te la explique.

La paciencia solo se desarrolla con dificultades y pruebas. Si le dices a Dios: «Señor, dame paciencia», le pides que te mande una prueba de manera que aprendas a desarrollar la paciencia. ¿Y a quién le gustan las pruebas y las dificultades? ¡A nadie!

Esto lo aprendí con un pastor y me dije que nunca más le pediría algo así a Dios. Más bien le pido que me dé la sabiduría que me ayude a pasar la situación que esté viviendo.

Así que es más valioso ser sabio que paciente.

Aprende a esperar en el tiempo de Dios. Él nunca falla y siempre llega a tiempo.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Si le dices a Dios: «Señor, dame paciencia», le pides que te mande una prueba de manera que aprendas a desarrollar la paciencia. ¿Y a quién le gustan las pruebas y las dificultades?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, July 5, 2019

DISCOVER YOUR HEROIC SPIRITUAL ANCESTORS

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised…

~ Hebrews 11:39 (NIV)

Our Open Doors colleague, Ron Boyd-MacMillan, shares the following insight from his teaching, “Why I Need to Encounter the Persecuted Church.”

It was early 1980’s in a village in Czechoslovakia, and I had just given the pastor of a rural church a Bible in his own tongue. It was leather bound, with a gold zipper, and was the first complete Bible he had held. I remember him sniffing it, marveling at the leather smell, playing with the zip and being almost afraid to touch the thin precious pages. Then he began to talk to the members of the church. Pointing at me he said, “This gentleman is your heroic spiritual ancestor. Every time the Bible comes into a culture, it is a threat, and is opposed. So it takes men and women to risk all to bring it to us. This man has taken such a risk.”

I was embarrassed, but he went on to say to me, “The Bible also came into your culture. It was also a threat. Tell me, who are your heroic spiritual ancestors?” I am ashamed to say I did not have a clear idea of who these men were in my country of the United Kingdom.

So I returned to my country with his challenge ringing in my ears, “Find out the story of how your Bible came to you, and you will discover your heroic spiritual ancestors.”

What a dramatic story I uncovered. Full of spies, deaths and power politics. I learned so much about John Wycliffe, the first man to translate the Bible into English in the world of the 1300’s, when most clergy could not even recite the Ten Commandments. He formed a cadre of guerilla preachers to comb the country, with hand copied versions of the Bible, a book banned by Parliament. Wycliffe died of a stroke from the strain.

In the 1500’s, William Tyndale benefited from the invention of the printing press. He had to leave England to accomplish the task, never to return. At age twenty-nine in 1524, he settled in Cologne, and by 1526 was ready to smuggle 6000 copies of the Bible in English into Britain. The whole British naval fleet was put on alert, and boats were stopped and searched. First tens and then hundreds of the Bibles got through. The bishop of London tried another tack. He sought to buy the entire print run through an intermediary. His intention was to burn them all. Tyndale got wind of it, and approved the sale, saying, “Oh he will burn them. Well, I am the gladder, for I shall get the money from these books, and the whole world shall cry out upon the burning of God’s Word.” And so it was. He burned them, and Tyndale used the money to improve the translation and print more…at the church’s expense.

Tyndale was captured by assassins and then strangled and burned in August 1536 for “heresy.” His last words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” This prayer was swiftly answered, and the English reformation was quickly fueled by a spate of translations. What a story it was. And what heroism from my spiritual ancestors!

RESPONSE: Today I will thank God for my spiritual ancestors who brought God’s Word to my land.

PRAYER: Ask God if you may somehow, someday, be used to bring His Word to needy people.

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

Men of the Bible - Friday, July 5, 2019

Hezekiah

His name means: "Yahweh Has Strengthened"

His work: He became coregent of Judah with his father, Ahaz, in 729 BC, six years before the fall of Samaria to the Assyrians. He reigned on his own for twenty-nine years, during which time he reopened the temple and restored Jerusalem as the center of worship, destroying the pagan altars and high places his father had built.
His character: Hezekiah is one of only four kings that the Bible compares favorably with King David, saying, "Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah…. He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook."
His sorrow: That Judah and Israel had fallen away from the Lord, worshiping the gods of the nations around them.
His triumph: Hezekiah reformed the religious practices of Judah and with the Lord's help withstood the Assyrian invaders.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 28:19-25; 29:1-10

A Look at the Man

Hezekiah's character stands in sharp contrast to the character of the other two kings who appear in the story. His father, Ahaz, trusted not in the God of Israel, but in the gods of other nations, particularly Assyria, believing them to be the source of its great power. By currying favor with idols, he must have hoped to increase his own power. But the reverse happened, and Judah grew weaker, not stronger.

Sennacherib was like him, trusting the power of his empire and then attempting to undermine Judah's trust in God. Three times his spokesman advised the people, "Don't trust Hezekiah when he tells you your god will save you. It's a fantasy! Your god is no different than the gods of all the other nations, none of whom have been able to resist us." Then, to entice them further, he promised to take them to a land of ease, a place with olive trees and honey, admonishing them to "choose life and not death."

It's no accident that Sennacherib's words directly contradict the counsel of Moses just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, a land filled with milk and honey. At the end of his ministry, Moses warned them: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

By attempting to persuade the people of Judah that everything good in life comes from trusting in the power of human beings, Sennacherib urged them toward the path of least resistance. Fortunately for Judah, Hezekiah recognized the lie and continued to trust in the Lord, thus inviting God's help and assuring Judah's survival.

Though the details of our stories differ vastly from the story of this ancient king, the principles are identical. We are still assailed by voices assuring us that the good life consists of amassing wealth, accumulating personal power, achieving success, and forging the kind of relationships we desire. But to mistake earthly blessings for the life that only God can give is to place our future in jeopardy. The choice is ours to make—today, tomorrow, and the day after that. The joy we seek lies in loving the Lord our God, listening to his voice, and holding fast to him.

Reflect On: 2 Kings 19:15–28
Praise God: Because he is the Lord of heaven and earth.
Offer Thanks: That no human being can ever overrule his sovereign power.
Confess: Any unbelief that makes you doubt God’s willingness to exercise his power on your behalf.
Ask God: To give you a greater desire to live for his glory and his glory alone.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
Hezekiah is one of only four kings that the Bible compares favorably with King David.

Girlfriends in God - Friday, July 5, 2019

Before You Get Mad

Arlene Pellicane

Today’s Truth

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

~ James 1:19 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

It was raining like crazy when I went to pick up my son from school. I had told him earlier to look for my car so I wouldn’t have to get out in the rain. I slipped into my ugliest, oldest flip flops I was just planning to stay in the nice, dry car.

There was my son in plain sight He walked towards me and then walked right…past…my…car! He made a U-turn but still missed me. I was so upset and exasperated. I got out of my car, embarrassed to be wearing my for-home-use-only flip flops, and yelled “ETHAN!!!” at the top of my lungs.

He finally saw me. I darted back to the car, totally unprepared for the downpour. In those few seconds, I talked to myself. I was very aware of how mad I was! “Calm down, don’t be mad. It’s not really a big deal.”

The first thing I said to Ethan was, “You made me get out in my flipper floppers!” which made us both laugh because I looked so ridiculous. I asked as calmly as possible, “Why didn’t you see my car?”

“I was expecting you to come in the van, but you came in the other car.”

Oh. That made sense. My anger which had risen so quickly like a thundercloud dissipated.

James wrote to us about the powerful emotion of anger, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19, NIV).

Notice one quick and two slows.

Quick to listen. Slow to speak and slow to become angry.

We can get that turned around. We can be slow to listen and quick to speak and quick to become angry. Before you get mad at your child, husband, friend, mom, or co-worker, take a deep breath. Think about one quick and two slows. Ask God to calm you down and to help you to listen.

“Slow to be angry” in the original Greek means “slow to boil.” We live in a microwave generation where many things move fast, almost instantly from blazing Internet connections to fast food. When it comes to getting angry, we are instructed to be more like a slow-cooking crock pot than a microwave.

This can be very difficult! As James writes, “No human being can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8, NIV). Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit residing within us as our Teacher and Guide.

Please understand there is a place for right anger. You see Jesus’ righteous anger toward the injustice and corruption happening in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13). God’s anger burns against the wicked. Not all anger is bad. But sometimes the anger that comes out in our cutting tone, yelling, or terse words isn’t rooted in righteousness. It’s rooted in selfishness.

Let’s be slow to boil, slow to speak, slow to get angry. Let’s instead be quick to listen. We may find out the other side of the story is a worthwhile tale.

Let’s Pray

Dear Jesus, I need Your help today May I be quick to listen to others. Give me wisdom and an understanding and patient heart. Help me to be slow to anger and slow to speak. Bring peace to my closest relationships. Let there be forgiveness in places where angry words have been spoken. I commit my words and my thoughts to You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Are there certain people or situations that seem to activate your anger? What can you do to prepare yourself to respond calmly next time instead of in anger?

The next time you feel anger welling up inside of you, take a deep breath and pray to God before you speak.

More from the Girlfriends

Anger can be a troubling emotion for children. Arlene’s book Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World (co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman) addresses good and bad anger, and how to tell the difference between the two. It will help you navigate anger in a healthier way in your home.

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 slipped into my ugliest, oldest flip flops I was just planning to stay in the nice, dry car.

LHM Daily Devotions - Refined Like Silver

"Refined Like Silver"

Jul. 5, 2019

He (the Lord) will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

~ Malachi 3:3 (ESV)

Have you ever watched a metalsmith refine silver? He places the mineral rock over an intense flame until it is melted. As the impurities rise to the top of the molten silver, he removes them. With great patience, the metalsmith must work for a long time, removing the dross bit by bit until the silver is pure and fit to be fashioned into a beautiful work of art.

The Bible says that God is like a refiner who purifies silver. The silver symbolizes those who are God's children—for God considers them of great worth. The trials of life are like the intense flame that causes the dross to rise to the surface. When we are tried by fire, the Lord can remove the impurities of sin from our character, and thus make our lives into something exquisitely beautiful.

As our metalsmith, God knows sin's impurities are being refined from our "silver" when He can see His face reflected in the smooth surface of the molten metal of our lives. To do this, the Father allows trials to come our way, not to hurt us or dishearten us, but so their effect will transform us, and so He might see His purity and love reflected in our lives. As we are refined of the sin that plagues and mars us, the image of His Son is more clearly seen in our lives. Tough as this process may be, it's for our good (see Romans 8:28).

Likewise, we should realize that the Lord disciplines us because He loves us dearly: "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:5b-6).

The trials of life cause some people to question if God is a loving God. Scripture lets us know, however, that God can and does work through difficult circumstances, achieving His greater purposes. He loves us so much that He is not content to see us remain in the depravity of our sin and selfishness. Instead, just as a good father teaches his children to be responsible and honest, so our Heavenly Father can use the complications of life to refine us into the people He wants us to be—people who bear the image of Jesus.

Through good times and bad, we do well to remember the words of James: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

God is in the business of shaping lives. How is He working in yours today?

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, remind us that we are works in progress—ever more becoming like the One who sits at Your right hand: Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Are there any "old school" crafts/skills you can do or would like to learn? What are they?
• How does God refine people?
• What circumstances in your life show God at work refining you?

Adapted from a Project Connect booklet Why Do Bad Things Happen? by Dr. Phil Bickel. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Are there any "old school" crafts/skills you can do or would like to learn? What are they?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 05 de Julio de 2019 - Refinado como la plata

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Refinado como la plata

05 de Julio de 2019

Se sentará para refinar y limpiar la plata, es decir, limpiará y refinará a los hijos de Leví como se refinan el oro y la plata, para que ellos le presenten al Señor las ofrendas justas.

~ Malaquías 3:3 (RVC)

¿Alguna vez has observado a alguien refinando plata? El platero coloca el metal precioso sobre fuego intenso hasta que se derrite. A medida que las impurezas ascienden a la superficie las va eliminando, con mucha paciencia hasta que la plata queda limpia y lista para convertirse en una bella obra de arte.

La Biblia dice que el refinador es Dios y la plata somos nosotros, sus hijos, a quienes él considera de gran valor. Las pruebas de la vida son como la llama intensa que hace que nuestras impurezas suban a la superficie para que el Señor las pueda ir eliminando de nuestro carácter, y así hacer de nuestras vidas algo exquisitamente bello.

Al igual que el platero, Dios sabe que ha logrado su objetivo cuando puede ver su rostro reflejado en la superficie lisa del metal fundido de nuestras vidas. Es por ello que el Padre permite que las pruebas lleguen a nuestro camino, pero no para lastimarnos o desanimarnos, sino para que su efecto nos transforme y así Él vea su pureza y amor reflejados en nuestras vidas. A medida que somos refinados del pecado que nos azota, la imagen de su Hijo se ve más claramente en nuestras vidas. Por duro que sea este proceso, es para nuestro bien (ver Romanos 8:28).

El Señor nos disciplina porque nos ama profundamente: "Hijo mío, no menosprecies la disciplina del Señor, ni te desanimes cuando te reprenda; porque el Señor disciplina al que ama, y azota a todo el que recibe como hijo" (Hebreos 12:5b-6).

Las pruebas de la vida hacen que algunas personas se cuestionen si Dios es un Dios amoroso. La Escritura nos permite saber, sin embargo, que Dios puede obrar y lo hace a través de circunstancias difíciles, logrando sus propósitos más grandes. Él nos ama tanto, que no está contento de vernos permanecer en la depravación de nuestro pecado y egoísmo. En cambio, al igual que un buen padre enseña a sus hijos a ser responsables y honestos, nuestro Padre Celestial puede usar las complicaciones de la vida para refinarnos en las personas que Él quiere que seamos: personas a la imagen de Jesús.

A través de los buenos y los malos momentos, hacemos bien en recordar las palabras de Santiago: "Hermanos míos, considérense muy dichosos cuando estén pasando por diversas pruebas. Bien saben que, cuando su fe es puesta a prueba, produce paciencia. Pero procuren que la paciencia complete su obra, para que sean perfectos y cabales, sin que les falta nada" (Santiago 1:2-4).

Dios se dedica a transformar vidas. ¿Cómo está transformando la tuya hoy?

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, recuérdanos que continuamente estás obrando en nuestra vida para que día seamos más como el que está sentado a tu diestra: Jesús, nuestro Señor y Salvador. En su Nombre oramos. Amén.

Extraído de ¿Por qué suceden cosas malas? por el Dr. Phil Bickel

Para reflexionar:

• ¿De qué manera refina Dios a las personas?
• ¿Qué circunstancias en tu vida muestran que Dios te está refinando?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿De qué manera refina Dios a las personas?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Nói Và Sống

Nói Và Sống

Đọc: I Giăng 2:7–11 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Gióp 30–31; Công vụ 13:26–52

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Người nào nói mình ở trong ánh sáng mà ghét anh em mình thì còn ở trong bóng tối. I Giăng 2:9

Mục sư, nhà văn Eugene Peterson đã có cơ hội được nghe bài thuyết trình của Paul Tournier – một bác sĩ người Thụy Sĩ và cũng là cố vấn mục vụ rất được kính trọng. Mục sư Peterson đã đọc về công việc của vị bác sĩ này và cảm phục cách ông chữa bệnh. Bài thuyết trình của ông đã để lại ấn tượng sâu sắc với mục sư Peterson. Khi nghe, mục sư Peterson có cảm giác rằng ông Tournier đã sống đúng những gì ông nói và nói những gì ông sống. Mục sư Peterson đã chọn từ này để diễn tả điều mình cảm nhận: “Nhất quán, đó là từ đúng nhất tôi có thể nghĩ ra”.

Nhất quán – nghĩa là “thực hành những gì bạn dạy” hoặc “sống theo những gì bạn nói”. Sứ đồ Giăng nhấn mạnh rằng nếu có ai “nói mình ở trong ánh sáng mà ghét anh em mình”, thì chúng ta “còn ở trong bóng tối” (I Gi. 2:9). Về bản chất, đời sống và lời nói của chúng ta không hoàn toàn giống nhau. Sứ đồ Giăng nói thêm rằng những người như vậy “không biết mình đi đâu” (c.11). Từ mà ông chọn để mô tả tác hại của sự không nhất quán đó là nó khiến chúng ta bị mù.

Sống gần gũi với Chúa bằng cách để ánh sáng của Lời Ngài soi lối sẽ giúp chúng ta tránh khỏi đời sống mù lòa. Nhờ đó, chúng ta có tầm nhìn theo ý Chúa, giúp cuộc sống chúng ta trở nên rõ ràng và có mục đích, lời nói đi đôi với hành động. Khi người khác quan sát điều này, sự ấn tượng của họ không hẳn là về một người biết rõ mọi nơi mình đang đi, nhưng là một người biết rõ mình đang theo ai.

Lạy Chúa Jêsus, dù nhiều lần thất bại, nhưng con mong ước mỗi ngày sẽ sống nhất quán hơn trong lời nói và hành động. Xin giúp con để những người nghe và nhìn vào đời sống con sẽ nhận biết Ngài.

Từ nhất quán có mô tả đời sống của bạn không? Làm thế nào để bạn có thể tăng trưởng và sống một cuộc đời nhất quán hơn?

bởi John Blase

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Nhất quán – nghĩa là “thực hành những gì bạn dạy” hoặc “sống theo những gì bạn nói”.