The Daily Bible Readings for MONDAY, November 23, 2020

 

The Daily Readings
MONDAY, November 23, 2020
Psalm 28; Numbers 27:15-23; 2 Timothy 2:8-13
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

Psalm 100:4-5

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

The covenant of grace set down in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with so many rich promises, to strengthen the faith of every weak believer, makes the matter of God's praise and of his people's joys so sure, that how sad soever our spirits may be when we look to ourselves, yet we shall have reason to praise the Lord when we look to his goodness and mercy, and to what he has said in his word for our comfort.

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 28
Shepherd your people forever

1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

Commentary
Verses 1-5 — David is very earnest in prayer. Observe his faith in prayer; God is my rock, on whom I build my hope. Believers should not rest till they have received some token that their prayers are heard. He prays that he may not be numbered with the wicked. Save me from being entangled in the snares they have laid for me. Save me from being infected with their sins, and from doing as they do. Lord, never leave me to use such arts of deceit and treachery for my safety, as they use for my ruin. Believers dread the way of sinners; the best are sensible of the danger they are in of being drawn aside: we should all pray earnestly to God for his grace to keep us. Those who are careful not to partake with sinners in their sins, have reason to hope that they shall not receive their plagues. He speaks of the just judgments of the Lord on the workers of iniquity, Psalm 28:4. This is not the language of passion or revenge. It is a prophecy that there will certainly come a day, when God will punish every man who persists in his evil deeds. Sinners shall be reckoned with, not only for the mischief they have done, but for the mischief they designed, and did what they could to effect. Disregard of the works of the Lord, is the cause of the sin of sinners, and becomes the cause of their ruin.

Verses 6-9 — Has God heard our supplications? Let us then bless his name. The Lord is my strength, to support me, and carry me on through all my services and sufferings. The heart that truly believes, shall in due time greatly rejoice: we are to expect joy and peace in believing. God shall have the praise of it: thus must we express our gratitude. The saints rejoice in others' comfort as well as their own: we have the less benefit from the light of the sun, nor from the light of God's countenance, for others' sharing therein. The psalmist concludes with a short, but comprehensive prayer. God's people are his inheritance, and precious in his eyes. He prays that God would save them; that he would bless them with all good, especially the plenty of his ordinances, which are food to the soul. And direct their actions and overrule their affairs for good. Also, lift them up for ever; not only those of that age, but his people in every age to come; lift them up as high as heaven. There, and there only, will saints be lifted up for ever, never more to sink, or be depressed. Save us, Lord Jesus, from our sins; bless us, thou Son of Abraham, with the blessing of righteousness; feed us, thou good Shepherd of the sheep, and lift us up for ever from the dust, O thou, who art the Resurrection and the Life.

Numbers 27:15-23
Joshua to shepherd Israel

27:15 And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying,

16 Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

18 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Commentary
Envious spirits do not love their successors; but Moses was not one of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may be maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. God appoints a successor, even Joshua; who had signalized himself by his courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to Moses, and his faith and sincerity in witnessing against the report of the evil spies. This man God appoints to succeed Moses; a man in whom is the Spirit, the Spirit of grace. He is a good man, fearing God and hating covetousness, and acting from principle. He has the spirit of government; he is fit to do the work and discharge the trusts of his place. He has a spirit of conduct and courage; he had also the Spirit of prophecy. That man is not fully qualified for any service in the church of Christ, who is destitute of the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, whatever human abilities he may possess. And in Joshua's succession we are reminded “that the law was given by Moses,” who by reason of our transgression could not bring us to heaven; but “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” for the salvation of every believer.

2 Timothy 2:8-13
Those who endure with Christ reign with him

2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Commentary
Let suffering saints remember, and look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God. We must not think it strange if the best men meet with the worst treatment; but this is cheering, that the word of God is not bound. Here we see the real and true cause of the apostle's suffering trouble in, or for, the sake of the gospel. If we are dead to this world, its pleasures, profits, and honours, we shall be for ever with Christ in a better world. He is faithful to his threatenings, and faithful to his promises. This truth makes sure the unbeliever's condemnation, and the believer's salvation.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

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 MONDAY, November 23, 2020
Psalm 28; Numbers 27:15-23; 2 Timothy 2:8-13 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for MONDAY, November 23, 2020

 

Prayer of the Day
Monday, November 23, 2020

I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.

— John 10:11–12 (GNT)

Lord our God, we thank you for ruling us with your shepherd's staff so that again and again we can be refreshed and can delight in what you are doing for us. We thank you that we can have eager, joyful faith even when sorrows come, looking again and again to the good you give us. We are thankful and want to be thankful always. Be a mighty Lord over the peoples, we pray, and protect our country. Show your sovereignty by guarding the flock close beside  you and by pouring out your grace to give life to the dying and resurrection to those who have died. O Lord God, hear and bless us. May your will be done on earth as in heaven, so that your kingdom may break in and everything may come right, according to your great purpose. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, November 23, 2020

 

Verse of the Day
MONDAY, November 23, 2020

Psalm 100:4-5

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

The covenant of grace set down in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with so many rich promises, to strengthen the faith of every weak believer, makes the matter of God's praise and of his people's joys so sure, that how sad soever our spirits may be when we look to ourselves, yet we shall have reason to praise the Lord when we look to his goodness and mercy, and to what he has said in his word for our comfort.

Read all of Psalm 100

Listen to Psalm 100

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — Tears to Drink

 

Tears to Drink

O LORD God of hosts, how long will You be angry with Your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let Your face shine, that we may be saved!

— Psalm 80:4-7

It is not unusual to hear in the psalms a plea for God to answer the psalmist's personal prayers. In Psalm 39:12a, the psalmist says, "Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry," or in Psalm 61:1, he calls out, "Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer." In today's psalm, the petition is different. The psalmist pleads with God, not for himself, but on behalf of the people of Israel. The Israelites are nearly drowning in their tears. God has given them tears to eat and drink. To make matters worse, enemies ridicule the Israelites, laughing among themselves and no doubt mocking a God who apparently refuses to hear the prayers of His own people.

We know what it means to drown in our tears. Through fear, illness and grief, it may appear—at least from an earthly point of view—that God is not listening and that He has given us "tears to drink in full measure." Unbelievers mock what they perceive as the utter futility of prayer; they deny the existence of a God who hears and answers prayer.

Yet we are not alone with our tears. During His earthly ministry, our Lord wept, too. His tears at Lazarus' tomb impressed the gathered mourners with Jesus' love for His friend. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and the suffering that would come to the city that rejected its Messiah. On the cross, Jesus cried out to His Father, and while we do not know if the Savior shed tears of pain and desolation, He endured the ridicule of His enemies as they laughed at His unanswered prayers: "He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now, if He desires Him" (Matthew 27:43a).

We know that Jesus' prayers were heard and answered. "In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence" (Hebrews 5:7). The reverent, obedient Son of God suffered and died on the cross, but the Father saved His Son from the corruption of death and raised Him up to become the Source of our salvation. In the Person of Christ Jesus, God Himself has shed tears and He sees our tears. For the sake of His Son, He forgives our sins and hears our prayers. In Christ we are restored and saved. We now live in the light that is the shining face of God's favor. We will, at times, shed anguished tears on earth, but one day we will live in God's presence forever, and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Heavenly Father, for the sake of Your Son, remember our tears and hear and answer our prayers. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Dr. Carol Geisler

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you recently been "down" because of life? How are you doing now?

2. Could the psalmist's prayer be one that is said of the church today?

3. Do your prayers include the church, our nation, and believers around the world?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
We know what it means to drown in our tears. Yet we are not alone with our tears.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — PAUL OF AFGHANISTAN

 

PAUL OF AFGHANISTAN

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea…

— 2 Corinthians 11:23b-25

The Apostle Paul suffered severely in his ministry of sharing the gospel in the first century. But Paul was always quick to point out that what others thought so terrible—his imprisonment—God turned into good. Rather than hindering the spread of the gospel, it actually aided its advance (Philippians 1:12-14). Paul’s example was followed by many disciples down through the ages. You might be surprised to learn about one of these who lived in Afghanistan.

In Kabul, a brilliant young blind man who had memorized the whole Qur’an in Arabic listened to the gospel by radio and later publicly declared his faith in Jesus as his Lord. He became the first blind student to attend regular-sighted schools in Afghanistan. He graduated from the University of Kabul with a law degree in order to defend Christians who might be persecuted for their faith. Some of his encouragement as a young believer came from a missionary from neighboring Iran, Mehdi Dibaj.

Under the communist regime, Paul was arrested on false charges and put in a notorious prison where tens of thousands were executed. There was no heat in the jail during the cold winters. He had to sleep on the freezing mud floor with only his overcoat. A prisoner next to him was trembling with cold since he did not even have a jacket. Paul remembered John the Baptist had said, “The man who has two coats should share with him who has none” (Luke 3:11). He took off his only coat and gave it to the neighbor. From then on, the Lord miraculously kept him warm every night.

In prison, the communists gave Paul shock treatments to try to brainwash him. The electric burns left scars on his head. But he did not give in. God’s grace was sufficient. After release from prison, he kept mastering foreign languages and continued translating the Bible, writing, and preaching…as well as discipling new believers. In 1988, Paul was kidnapped by a fanatical Muslim group and charged with apostasy because he became a Christian. He was beaten for hours with rods and ultimately martyred. But Paul’s testimony lives on today as a trophy of God’s grace. He is affectionately remembered as “Afghanistan’s Apostle Paul.”

You can read more about Paul in Dr. Christy Wilson’s excellent book, More To Be Desired Than Gold, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 1994.

RESPONSE: Today, I will live biblically no matter what circumstances I may face knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for me.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for the inspiring example of Afghanistan’s Apostle Paul and his faithfulness in serving You to the end.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
In Kabul, a brilliant young blind man who had memorized the whole Qur’an in Arabic listened to the gospel by radio and later publicly declared his faith in Jesus as his Lord.

Women of the Bible — The Widow with the Two Coins

 

The Widow with the Two Coins

Her character: Though extremely poor, she is one of the most greathearted people in the Bible. Just after warning his disciples to watch out for the teachers of the law, who devour widows' houses, Jesus caught sight of her in the temple. He may have called attention to her as a case in point.
Her sorrow: To be alone, without a husband to provide for her.
Her joy: To surrender herself to God completely, trusting him to act on her behalf.
Key Scriptures: Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4

Her Story

With Passover approaching, the temple was packed with worshipers from all over Israel. The previous Sunday, Jesus had created a sensation as he rode down the Mount of Olives and into Jerusalem, mounted on a donkey. A large crowd had gathered, carpeting the road with palm branches and shouting: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest."

Some of the Pharisees, scandalized that Jesus was being hailed as Messiah, demanded, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

Stung by his words, the teachers of the law began to plot how they could break the law by murdering him at their first opportunity.

Days later, after warning his disciples to watch out for the teachers of the law who preyed on widows for their money, Jesus sat opposite the temple treasury, in the Court of the Women. The place was crowded with people dropping their offerings in one of the thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles that hung on the walls. But Jesus had eyes for only one of them. He watched as a widow deposited two small copper coins, less than a day's wages.

Quickly, he called to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

No one else would have noticed the woman. But Jesus, with eyes that penetrated both her circumstances and her heart, recognized the astonishing nature of her gift. Her gesture was a sign of complete abandonment to God.

Without faith, she wouldn't have offered her last penny, believing God would care for her better than she could care for herself. But there is yet another, more subtle aspect to Her Story. How easy it would have been for her to conclude that her gift was simply too meager to offer. What need had God for two copper coins anyway? Surely they meant more to her than they would to him. Somehow she must have had the grace to believe in the value of her small offering.

Maybe God, in a manner of speaking, did need what she had to offer. Perhaps her gesture consoled Jesus a short time before his passion and death. She had given everything she had to live on; soon, he would give his life.

The story of the widow and her two copper coins reminds us that God's kingdom works on entirely different principles than the kingdom of this world. In the divine economy, the size of the gift is of no consequence; what matters is the size of the giver's heart.

Her Promise

God's promise of provision is nowhere more evident than in this story of the widow who gave all she had. She had no one else to rely on—only God. That's true of us as well, isn't it? Regardless of our financial situation, whether we are financially well off or constantly skimming the bottom, we have no one else to rely on. Our true security is not in our belongings or our bank accounts, but in God alone. And he has promised to provide.

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.
Though extremely poor, she is one of the most greathearted people in the Bible.

John Piper Devotional — When God Swears by God

 

When God Swears by God

Since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”

— Hebrews 6:13-14

There is one Person whose worth and honor and dignity and preciousness and greatness and beauty and reputation is more than all other values combined—ten thousand times more, namely, God himself. So God swears by himself.

If he could have gone higher, he would have gone higher. Why? To give you strong encouragement in your hope. What God is saying in swearing by himself is that it is as unlikely that he will break his word of promise to bless us as it is that he will despise himself.

God is the greatest value in the universe. There is nothing more valuable or wonderful than God. So God swears by God. And in doing that, he says: “I mean for you to have as much confidence in me as it is possible to have.” For if more were possible, verse 13 says he would have given us that.

Now, this is our God. The God who is reaching as high as he can reach to inspire your unshakable hope. So flee to God for refuge. Turn from all the superficial, self-defeating hopes of the world and put your hope in God. There is nothing and no one like God as a Refuge and a Rock of hope.
There is one Person whose worth and honor and dignity and preciousness and greatness and beauty and reputation is more than all other values combined.

Un dia a la Vez — Digamos «NO» al divorcio (tercera parte)

 

Digamos «NO» al divorcio
(tercera parte)

Por eso dejará el hombre a su padre y a su madre, y se unirá a su esposa [...] Por tanto, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre.

— Mateo 19:5-6

Cuando hablamos de relaciones y de situaciones que se presentan entre las parejas, es muy común desear que el cambio venga de la otra persona.

Nos es más fácil exigir que dar y caemos en ese juego a la espera de que se produzcan los cambios. Es más, entramos en un terreno muy negativo. Ya no ponemos nada más de nuestra parte y en esa etapa se tienen momentos muy desagradables. Hablamos lo necesario, vivimos con si fuera con un extraño y hasta llegamos a dormir en cuartos separados. A esta altura, la relación se encuentra al borde del abismo. Está en el momento más delicado porque Satanás, que quiere matar el matrimonio, robar la bendición y destruir la vida de cada uno, tiene bastante terreno que se le ha dado.

Quiero que recuerdes que el enemigo solo necesita una rendija para entrar y destruir. Es lamentable que muchos matrimonios a esta altura ya estén con sus mentes y corazones fuera de la relación. Es probable que hasta la palabra divorcio sea tema de discusión y se esté considerando.

Hoy Dios te dice: «¿Qué estás haciendo? ¿Dónde están las promesas y los votos dados ante el altar y los testigos?». Es hora de luchar por nuestros matrimonios. Así que no seamos egoístas y pidámosle a Dios que ponga en nosotros ese primer amor a fin de que logremos rescatar las cosas buenas que tienen las parejas. Solo un cambio de actitud de tu parte, y permitirle a Dios que restaure tu relación, será lo perfecto. Él está esperando hacer el milagro en tu matrimonio. ¡Depende de ti!

Únete a esta campaña y digamos «NO» al divorcio.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Cuando hablamos de relaciones y de situaciones que se presentan entre las parejas, es muy común desear que el cambio venga de la otra persona.

Devocional CPTLN — Lágrimas para beber

 

Lágrimas para beber

Señor, Dios de los ejércitos, ¿hasta cuándo te mostrarás indignado contra la oración de tu pueblo? Nos has dado a comer lágrimas en vez de pan; nos has hecho beber lágrimas en abundancia. Nos has puesto en ridículo ante nuestros vecinos; nuestros enemigos se burlan de nosotros. ¡Restáuranos, Dios de los ejércitos! ¡Haz resplandecer tu rostro, y seremos salvados!

— Salmo 80:4-7

No es inusual escuchar en los salmos una súplica a Dios para que responda a las oraciones personales del salmista. En el Salmo 39:12a, el salmista dice: "Señor, ¡escucha mi oración! ¡Atiende a mi clamor!", y en el Salmo 61:1: "Dios mío, ¡escucha mi clamor! ¡Atiende mi oración!" En el salmo de hoy, la petición es diferente. El salmista ruega a Dios no por él mismo, sino por el pueblo de Israel. Los israelitas casi se ahogan en sus lágrimas. Dios les había dado lágrimas para comer y beber. Para empeorar las cosas, los enemigos se burlan de ellos israelitas y, sin duda, se burlan de un Dios que aparentemente se niega a escuchar las oraciones de su propio pueblo.

Sabemos lo que significa ahogarnos en nuestras propias lágrimas. A través del miedo, la enfermedad y el dolor, puede parecer, al menos desde un punto de vista terrenal, que Dios no nos está escuchando y que nos hace "beber lágrimas en abundancia". Los incrédulos se burlan de lo que perciben como la absoluta futilidad de la oración, negando la existencia de un Dios que escucha y contesta la oración.

Sin embargo, no estamos solos con nuestras lágrimas. Durante su ministerio terrenal, nuestro Señor también lloró. Sus lágrimas en la tumba de Lázaro impresionaron a los dolientes allí reunidos. Jesús lloró por Jerusalén y el sufrimiento que vendría a la ciudad que había rechazado a su Mesías. En la cruz Jesús clamó a su Padre y, aunque no sabemos si el Salvador derramó lágrimas de dolor y desolación, soportó el ridículo de sus enemigos mientras se reían de sus oraciones sin respuesta: "Ya que él confió en Dios, pues que Dios lo libre ahora, si lo quiere" (Mateo 27:43a).

Sabemos que las oraciones de Jesús fueron escuchadas y respondidas. "Cuando Cristo vivía en este mundo, con gran clamor y lágrimas ofreció ruegos y súplicas al que lo podía librar de la muerte, y fue escuchado por su temor reverente" (Hebreos 5:7). El Hijo de Dios reverente y obediente sufrió y murió en la cruz, pero el Padre lo salvó de la corrupción de la muerte y lo resucitó para convertirse en la fuente de nuestra salvación. En la Persona de Cristo Jesús, Dios mismo ha derramado lágrimas y ve nuestras lágrimas. Por amor a su Hijo, perdona nuestros pecados y escucha nuestras oraciones. En Cristo somos restaurados y salvos. Ahora vivimos en la luz que es el rostro resplandeciente del favor de Dios. A veces derramaremos lágrimas de angustia en la tierra, pero un día viviremos en la presencia de Dios para siempre y Él enjugará cada lágrima de nuestros ojos.

ORACIÓN: Padre Celestial, por amor a tu Hijo recuerda nuestras lágrimas y responde nuestras oraciones. Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

1. ¿Podría ser la oración del salmista la que se dice de la iglesia de hoy?

2. ¿Incluyes en tus oraciones a la iglesia, a tu nación y a los creyentes de todo el mundo?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Sabemos lo que significa ahogarnos en nuestras propias lágrimas. Sin embargo, no estamos solos con nuestras lágrimas.

Notre Pain Quotidien — De la place pour moi

 

De la place pour moi

Lisez : Marc 3.13-19
La Bible en un an : Ézéchiel 22 – 23 ; 1 Pierre 1

Il [Jésus] monta ensuite sur la montagne ; il appela ceux qu’il voulut, et ils vinrent auprès de lui.

— Marc 3.13

C’était un vétéran vieillissant, brusque et au langage blessant. Un jour, un ami l’a aimé assez pour s’enquérir de ses croyances spirituelles. Le vieil homme lui a répondu du tac au tac : « Dieu n’a pas de place pour quelqu’un comme moi. »

Peut-être jouait-il simplement au « rustre », mais il ne pouvait pas être plus loin de la vérité ! Dieu fait de la place tout spécialement aux mufles, à ceux qui sont rongés par la culpabilité et aux parias afin qu’ils intègrent sa communauté et s’y épanouissent. Cela s’est avéré dès le début du ministère de Jésus, quand il a fait des choix de disciples surprenants. D’abord, il a choisi plusieurs pêcheurs de la Galilée, que les habitants de Jérusalem méprisaient. Puis il a choisi un percepteur, Matthieu, dont la profession incluait l’extorsion de ses concitoyens opprimés. À raison, Jésus a ensuite invité « l’autre » Simon – « le Zélote » (MC 3.18).

Nous en savons peu sur ce Simon (sinon qu’il n’est pas Simon Pierre), mais nous en savons sur les zélotes. Ils détestaient les traîtres comme Matthieu, qui s’enrichissait en collaborant avec les Romains. Comble de l’ironie, Jésus a toutefois choisi Simon ainsi que Matthieu, les a réunis et les a intégrés à son équipe.

Ne jugez personne trop « mauvais » pour Jésus. Après tout, il a dit : « Je ne suis pas venu appeler à la repentance des justes, mais des pécheurs » (LU 5.32). Il a toute la place voulue pour les cas difficiles – pour les gens comme vous et moi.

Précieux Père, je te remercie de ce que ton salut est à la portée de quiconque croit en Jésus.

Dieu nous appelle à tendre la main à ceux qui nous semblent loin du royaume de Dieu.

par Tim Gustafson

© 2020 Ministères NPQ
C’était un vétéran vieillissant, brusque et au langage blessant. Un jour, un ami l’a aimé assez pour s’enquérir de ses croyances spirituelles. Le vieil homme lui a répondu du tac au tac :