The Daily Bible Readings for FRIDAY, September 11, 2020

The Daily Readings

FRIDAY, September 11, 2020

Psalm 114; Exodus 14:1-18; Acts 7:9-16

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today's Verse-of-the-Day: Psalm 121:1-2

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

When we choose to live by faith in God, we gain not only life eternal with Him but also the fulfillment of His promises for life today. To choose Him, we turn our backs on the world’s ways. Although there is a cost to saying no to the world, what we gain through faith in God is incomparably greater.

Today's Readings:

Psalm 114

Tremble O earth

Our God is the God of all creation. He split the Red Sea and parted the Jordan River (v. 3). He made the mountains and earth shake (vv. 4, 7). He turned solid rock into springs of water (v. 8). Marking moments in Israel’s history, the psalmist focused his meditation entirely on God’s power and majesty. This is the second of six Passover prayers sung by devout Israelites.

As you pray, consider how Jesus can bring a spring of living water from hardened hearts (John 4:10, 14). Ask Him to do that among your loved ones who have turned away from God. Use this psalm as a guide to praise God for His awesome power.

114:1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

Exodus 14:1-18

Egypt pursues Israel

Freed from Egypt, the people faced immediate obstacles and doubt when they were confronted by the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army close behind them. God divided the waters so Israel could pass through on dry land, but he drowned the Egyptians in the sea.

We often focus on the army behind us instead of the path ahead that God has paved for us.

14:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.

5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Acts 7:9-16

Joseph’s family is fed in Egypt

Stephen’s speech summarized Jewish history. God had blessed the Hebrew nation magnificently, Stephen recalled, but once again their leaders had turned against God.

Stephen’s speech repeatedly referred to human rebelliousness toward God. It shows how desperately we try to avoid God’s truth—even to the extent of killing the messenger. At his death, Stephen looked to Christ.

7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

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 Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. 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 what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Readings for FRIDAY, September 11, 2020
Psalm 114; Exodus 14:1-18; Acts 7:9-16 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for FRIDAY, September 11, 2020

Prayer of the Day

FRIDAY, September 11, 2020

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

— Isaiah 53:11

Lord our God, our Father in heaven, we thank you for letting our failures and sins come before you and for giving us One who steps in to help us just as we are, with the right help for the good and the evil things in our lives. We thank you that our whole age can be comforted, and even the terrors of our days can be turned to the good because everything has already come before your holy eyes. Salvation will come out of disaster, life out of death. Praise to your glorious and almighty name! Protect our faith in your Servant. May we always find strength and courage, even when we are in pain. The time is coming when your loving-kindness will be revealed among all nations on earth. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, September 11, 2020

Psalm 121:1-2

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Read all of Psalm 121

Listen to Psalm 121

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — The Expanse of God's Love

The Expanse of God's Love

For in Him (Jesus) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

— Colossians 1:19-20

Filmmakers really enjoy exploring the topic of the universe, with all its vastness, immensity, and unknown variables.

Many movies have tried to show interstellar battles, wars between different galaxies, and the earth defending itself against alien invasions. This is the stuff of science fiction, and there have been hundreds of movies made with these storylines.

Real science is different, however. Scientists are doing their best to extend their reach into the seemingly limitless expanse of the universe. Successful ventures have included landing men on the moon, the development of all manner of high-powered telescopes, and the operation of international manned space stations.

But what about God? How can we bridge our distance to Him?

Since God is a Spirit, there is no telescope that will ever allow us to see Him, and there is no microscope capable of identifying His fingerprints or blood type. And if that is not bad enough, our sin has separated us from our Creator. Indeed, the universe itself has been corrupted by sin.

This leads us to ask—how do we get close to God? Is it possible to cross the gulf between us?

Thankfully, the Bible supplies an answer when it says that God reconciled all things on earth and heaven to Himself, "making peace by the blood of His (Jesus') cross."

God is the Creator of all things. He is the Maker of distant galaxies and the grains of sand beneath our feet. He who created everything now wishes to restore everything. This He does through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Only through the Savior can we be delivered from the power of darkness, can we be forgiven, can we be brought back to the family from which sin and Satan have stolen us.

Now there is no question that when we compare ourselves with the universe, we are very small. We are only beginning to comprehend the immense depths of outer space, and the mysterious forces that work in that realm.

In spite of the unknowns of space, we know the Lord is even greater—and He has made Himself known. He is the Creator of all things, the One who maintains harmony and order. He also sent His Son Jesus to become one of us, to give His life to rescue us from dark fear and uncertainty.

The manger, the cross, and the empty tomb of Jesus are not science fiction: they are God the Father's reality. Through them, He has canceled the distance between us.

Heavenly Father, Lord of the universe, thank You for rescuing us from sin, death, and Satan. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Rev. Fernando Henrique Huf

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you like best about sci-fi action movies?

2. How has God made peace with the universe through the blood shed on Jesus' cross?

3. When considered against the expanse of the universe, why do you think God would care about us, at all?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Filmmakers really enjoy exploring the topic of the universe, with all its vastness, immensity, and unknown variables.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — GLAMORIZING PERSECUTION

GLAMORIZING PERSECUTION

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

— 2 Corinthians 1:5

Reg Reimer, a veteran missionary in Vietnam and with the World Evangelical Alliance counters the idea that some people express which glamorizes persecution and concludes it is therefore good. He says that deprivation, cruelty, and dehumanization suffered by victims of persecution are NOT good but from the enemy! He writes in the book Suffering, Persecution and Martyrdom: Theological Reflections:

In Vietnam, for example, it is well documented that in the past 30 years Christians have been harassed, discriminated against, arrested without cause, starved, beaten, imprisoned, raped, dispossessed, and chased from home and fields, and even killed for Christ’s sake. Only the Evil One takes pleasure in inflicting these injustices on those made in the image of God!

In September 2005, a Vietnamese pastor was released from a terrifying 15-month imprisonment. He had been rotated to five different prisons, was sometimes in rooms with 100 criminals, and other times in a solitary cell. He had been attacked by prisoners with HIV/AIDS. He confessed to feeling alienated from his family and his church after his release. The feeling worsened. Six months after release he uttered the words, “I only discovered real loneliness when I got out of prison. My colleagues, my own brother, and even my wife don’t understand and won’t believe what I tell them.” Persecution is not good!

People much prefer the more positive reports of those who seem to flourish in persecution. It is truly amazing that for many, the persecution they suffer becomes a means of receiving grace! They testify of God’s strengthening presence in the harshest conditions. They report on God’s miraculous provisions in times of extreme need. And so persecution and suffering become an occasion for God’s comfort, often through others.[1]

RESPONSE: Today I will resist the temptation to glamorize persecution and the persecuted. Instead, I will pray unceasingly for those being traumatized.

PRAYER: Lord please bring Your comfort to our brothers and sisters who are hurting from persecution today. And bless those who provide much-needed trauma counseling for the persecuted church.

1. Christof Sauer and Richard Howell (ed), Suffering, Persecution and Martyrdom: Theological Reflections (Johannesburg, SA: AcadSA Publishing, 2010), pp.331-332.

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 — Jonah

Jonah

His name means: "A Dove"

His work: He was a northern kingdom prophet.
His character: Jonah must have been a gifted communicator. Why else would God choose him to preach repentance and grace to the pagan city of Nineveh? But Jonah was a proud man, a rebellious prophet, and a sulker.
His sorrow: Jonah was sad that the Ninevites had repented and that God had granted them mercy. Jonah would have preferred seeing these pagans punished for their sinfulness.
His triumph: That God had spared his life from the belly of the fish.
Key Scriptures: The book of Jonah; Matthew 12:38-41

A Look at the Man

Prophets often scandalized God's people, ill-prepared as they were to hear the unvarnished truth about their spiritual condition. But in Jonah's case, it was the prophet who was scandalized, not by another prophet, but by God himself. For one day he heard God issue an incredible command: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."

Could God possibly mean it? It was one thing to endure mockery and ridicule from your own people whenever you preached repentance, but going to the capital city of Assyria was dangerous, perhaps deadly. The Ninevites, after all, were a violent and ruthless people who had already brutalized many Israelites. What's more, Jonah despised them. So, like a rebellious teenager, he ran away, except that he wasn't fleeing his parents, he was running from the Creator of the universe.

But, as Jonah soon discovered, you can't outrun God. Instead, he found himself surrounded by the entrails of a great fish. There in the darkness, Jonah was ready to pray.

"In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help and you listened to my cry…. You brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God…. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good."

From inside the fish, Jonah was calling his fear, his defiance, his pride, and his willful disobedience by a new name: "idols." And he was identifying the ship, the storm, and the fish as something they had never been called before: "grace." And once Jonah acknowledged these truths, God gave him another chance to obey, and the great fish vomited Jonah onto dry land. Even though Nineveh was probably more than five hundred miles away, Jonah headed for the city.

In the same way, he had prepared the fish to swallow the prophet, God prepared the people for Jonah's message. "The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth to show their sorrow for their sin."

But now, instead of rejoicing at the way God had used him, Jonah acted like a spoiled child. Although he had taken God's message to the Assyrian capital city, he had no mercy for the people himself. He would have much rather watched Nineveh burn than have seen its people repent and avert God's judgment. He believed God's gift of grace belonged exclusively to his own countrymen.

How little did Jonah perceive the nature and intentions of the living God for whom he spoke. His running and his sulking demonstrate how little he understood about God's great compassion and his desire to forgive anyone who repents of his or her sins.

Reflect On: Jonah 2
Praise God: For his grace—in its many forms.
Offer Thanks: For God’s call on your life and his willingness to make certain that you hear his voice.
Confess: Your own foolishness and rebellion, remembering that nothing escapes his watchful eye.
Ask God: To fill you with a renewed gratitude for his presence and love for the lost.

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.
Prophets often scandalized God's people, ill-prepared as they were to hear the unvarnished truth about their spiritual condition. But in Jonah's case it was the prophet who was scandalized.

John Piper Devotional — 7 Reasons Not to Worry (Part 1)

7 Reasons Not to Worry

(Part 1)

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

— Matthew 6:25-26

In Matthew 6 we have the example of anxiety about food and clothing.

Even in America, with its extensive welfare system, anxiety over finances and housing can be intense. But Jesus says in verse 30 that this stems from inadequate faith in our Father’s promise of future grace: “O men of little faith.” And so this paragraph has at least seven promises designed by Jesus to help us fight the good fight against unbelief and be free from anxiety. (In Part 1 we look at Promises 1 and 2; then the rest in Parts 2 and 3.)

PROMISE #1: Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25).

Since your body and your life are vastly more complex and difficult to provide than food and clothing are, and yet God has, in fact, created and provided you with both, then surely he will be able and willing to provide you with food and clothing.

Moreover, no matter what happens, God will raise your body someday and preserve your life for his eternal fellowship.

PROMISE #2: Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26).

If God is willing and able to feed such insignificant creatures as birds who cannot do anything to bring their food into being—as you can by farming—then he will certainly provide what you need, because you are worth a lot more than birds.
Even in America, with its extensive welfare system, anxiety over finances and housing can be intense.

Un dia a la Vez — Solidaridad: Testimonio de sanidad (quinta parte)

Solidaridad: Testimonio de sanidad

(quinta parte)

¡Cuán bueno y cuán agradable es que los hermanos convivan en armonía! [...] Donde se da esta armonía, el Señor concede bendición y vida eterna.

— Salmo 133:1, 3

Esta semana te he contado partes de mi testimonio y hemos podido ver juntos cómo Dios tuvo misericordia, ya que en medio de tanta gravedad, Él intervino de una manera sobrenatural. Así lo hará en tu vida sin importar cuál sea tu situación. ¡Dios tiene la última palabra!

Durante este tiempo fue hermosísimo ver cómo mis oyentes, mi familia y amigos se volcaron en solidaridad, cadenas de oración, ofrendas, flores, llamadas, visitas y correos electrónicos con palabras de ánimo.

Pude darme cuenta de la magnitud del cariño de las personas y me dije varias veces: «Ha valido la pena todas las madrugadas para ir a la radio. Ha valido la pena el servicio que he realizado por los demás», pues lo coseché en ese tiempo.

Sé que Dios fue el que movió el corazón de muchos de ustedes para hacer lo que hicieron por mí y mis princesas. Fue tanta la solidaridad que hasta el personal del hospital le preguntaba a mi familia si yo era una persona de la política, ya que el teléfono no paraba de sonar. Era tanta la gente que venía a orar por mí, que tuvieron que prohibir las visitas.

Mi enseñanza con esta experiencia es que recogemos todo lo que sembramos y que también se recogen el amor y el afecto.

Por lo tanto, no dejemos de ser misericordiosos, pues lo que podamos hacer por los demás es de bendición. Todas las personas que están en los hospitales, las cárceles y los hogares de ancianos necesitan de nuestras oraciones y compañía.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¡Dios tiene la última palabra!

Devocional CPTLN — La magnitud del amor de Dios

La magnitud del amor de Dios

... porque al Padre le agradó que en él habitara toda plenitud, y por medio de él reconciliar consigo todas las cosas, tanto las que están en la tierra como las que están en los cielos, haciendo la paz mediante la sangre de su cruz.

— Colosenses 1:19-20

Los productores de cine disfrutan mucho explorando la inmensidad, complejidad y lo desconocido del universo. Se han producido muchas películas de ciencia ficción sobre batallas interestelares, guerras entre diferentes galaxias y la tierra defendiéndose de invasiones extraterrestres.

Pero la ciencia real es diferente. Los científicos están haciendo todo lo posible para extender su alcance a la extensión aparentemente ilimitada del universo. Ya hay empresas que han logrado llevar hombres a la luna, que han desarrollado telescopios de alta potencia y que operan estaciones espaciales con tripulaciones internacionales.

Pero ¿y Dios? ¿Cómo podemos salvar nuestra distancia con él?

Dado que Dios es Espíritu, ningún telescopio nos permitirá verlo, y ningún microscopio será capaz de identificar sus huellas digitales o su tipo de sangre. Y como si esto no fuera suficiente, nuestro pecado nos ha separado de nuestro Creador. De hecho, el universo mismo ha sido corrompido por el pecado. Esto nos lleva a preguntarnos: ¿cómo nos acercamos a Dios? ¿Es posible cruzar el abismo entre él y nosotros?

Afortunadamente, la Biblia da una respuesta cuando dice que Dios reconcilió todas las cosas en la tierra y en el cielo consigo mismo, "haciendo la paz mediante la sangre de su cruz [de Jesús]".

Dios es el Creador de todas las cosas. Él es el Creador de las galaxias distantes y de los granos de arena bajo nuestros pies. Y quien todo lo creó, ahora quiere restaurarlo a través de su Hijo Jesucristo. Solo a través del Salvador podemos ser liberados del poder de las tinieblas, podemos ser perdonados, podemos regresar a la familia de la que el pecado y Satanás nos han robado.

Ahora bien, no hay duda de que cuando nos comparamos con el universo, somos muy pequeños. Apenas estamos comenzando a comprender las inmensas profundidades del espacio exterior y las fuerzas misteriosas que actúan en ese reino. Pero, a pesar de las incógnitas del espacio, sabemos que el Señor es aún más grande, y Él se ha dado a conocer. Él es el Creador de todas las cosas, el que mantiene la armonía y el orden.

Y Él es quien envió a Su Hijo Jesús para que se convirtiera en uno de nosotros y diera su vida para rescatarnos del miedo y la incertidumbre. El pesebre, la cruz y la tumba vacía de Jesús no son ciencia ficción: son la realidad de Dios Padre quien, a través de ellos, ha salvado la distancia que nos separaba.

ORACIÓN: Padre Celestial, Señor del universo, gracias por rescatarnos del pecado, la muerte y Satanás. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Rev. Fernando Henrique Huf, Ministerios de la Hora Luterana en Brasil.

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Qué hizo Dios para hacer las paces con el universo?

* ¿Por qué crees que Dios haría semejante cosa por nosotros?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Los productores de cine disfrutan mucho explorando la inmensidad, complejidad y lo desconocido del universo.

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày — Lửa Trong Đồng Vắng

Lửa Trong Đồng Vắng

Đọc: Xuất Ê-díp-tô-ký 3:1–10 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Châm Ngôn 10–12; II Cô-rinh-tô 4

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Ta sẽ sai con đến Pha-ra-ôn để con đem dân Ta, là dân Y-sơ-ra-ên, ra khỏi Ai Cập.

— Xuất Ê-díp-tô Ký 3:10

Khi đang đi trong sa mạc Chihuahuan vào cuối thập niên 1800, Jim White đã phát hiện luồng khói kỳ lạ như vòi rồng. Nghi ngờ có đám cháy lớn, chàng cao bồi trẻ đã chạy thẳng đến chỗ phát ra luồng khói nhưng nhận ra đó chỉ là đàn dơi khổng lồ tràn ra từ cái lỗ trên mặt đất. White đã tình cờ phát hiện vườn quốc gia Carlsbad Caverns ở tiểu bang New Mexico, nơi có hệ thống hang động rộng lớn và kỳ vĩ.

Khi Môi-se đang chăn chiên trong hoang mạc ở Trung Đông, một cảnh tượng kỳ lạ đã thu hút sự chú ý của ông – bụi gai cháy nhưng không hề tàn (Xuất. 3:2). Khi Đức Chúa Trời phán từ bụi gai, Môi-se nhận ra mình đang đến với điều gì đó lớn hơn nhiều so với sự xuất hiện ban đầu. Chúa phán với Môi-se: “Ta là Đức Chúa Trời của tổ phụ con, Đức Chúa Trời của Áp-ra-ham” (c. 6). Chúa sắp dẫn dân sự từ cảnh nô lệ đến tự do và cho họ biết địa vị thật của họ là con cái Ngài (c.10).

Hơn sáu trăm năm trước đó, Chúa đã hứa với Áp-ra-ham rằng: “Mọi dân trên đất sẽ nhờ con mà được phước” (Sáng. 12:3). Hành trình ra khỏi Ai Cập của dân Y-sơ-ra-ên là một bước trong phước hạnh đó – tức kế hoạch của Đức Chúa Trời để giải cứu các tạo vật thông qua Đấng Mê-si-a từ dòng dõi của Áp-ra-ham.

Ngày nay, chúng ta được hưởng phước hạnh đó vì Đức Chúa Trời đã ban sự cứu rỗi cho mọi người. Đấng Christ đã đến để chết vì tội lỗi của cả thế gian. Bởi đức tin nơi Ngài, chúng ta cũng trở nên con cái của Đức Chúa Trời hằng sống.

Những điều ngạc nhiên nào giúp bạn biết về Chúa? Bạn đang sống thế nào khi biết mình là con cái Ngài?

Cha ơi, cảm tạ Cha đã cho con được đến với Ngài dù Ngài là Đấng có quyền năng vô hạn, vô cùng thánh khiết và sự hiện diện của Ngài thật vĩ đại.

bởi Tim Gustafson

Chú Giải

Lời kêu gọi của Chúa đối với Môi-se khi ở trên núi tiêu biểu cho cách Ngài thường hành động, vì việc huấn luyện trong đồng vắng thường là cách Chúa trang bị cho chức vụ. Giô-sép phục vụ trong ‘đồng vắng’ của sự nô lệ trước khi trở thành công cụ giải cứu của Chúa. Cả Ê-li và Phao-lô đều dành thời gian trong đồng vắng. Ngay cả chính Chúa Jêsus cùng dành bốn mươi ngày trong đồng vắng trước khi Ngài bắt đầu thi hành chức vụ.

Bill Crowder

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