The Daily Bible Readings for Thursday, November 26, 2020

 

The Daily Readings
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Zechariah 13:1-9; Revelation 14:6-13
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Every earthly security we rely upon can be shaken. However, God wants us to stop trusting the transitory defenses of this world and wholeheartedly devote ourselves to Him. He is completely unwavering and immovable, and His is the only kingdom that will endure. When we build our lives on the foundation of His love, truth, and faithfulness, He will hold us steadfast and every fear will fade.

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
We shall be saved

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

19 Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Commentary
Verses 1-7 — He that dwelleth upon the mercy-seat, is the good Shepherd of his people. But we can neither expect the comfort of his love, nor the protection of his arm, unless we partake of his converting grace. If he is really angry at the prayers of his people, it is because, although they pray, their ends are not right, or there is some secret sin indulged in them, or he will try their patience and perseverance in prayer. When God is displeased with his people, we must expect to see them in tears, and their enemies in triumph. There is no salvation but from God's favour; there is no conversion to God but by his own grace.

Verses 17-19 — The Messiah, the Protector and Saviour of the church, is the Man of God's right hand; he is the Arm of the Lord, for all power is given to him. In him is our strength, by which we are enabled to persevere to the end. The vine, therefore, cannot be ruined, nor can any fruitful branch perish; but the unfruitful will be cut off and cast into the fire. The end of our redemption is, that we should serve Him who hath redeemed us, and not go back to our old sins.

Zechariah 13:1-9
The coming day of God brings cleansing

13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Commentary
Verses 1-6 — In the time mentioned at the close of the foregoing chapter, a fountain would be opened to the rulers and people of the Jews, in which to wash away their sins. Even the atoning blood of Christ, united with his sanctifying grace. It has hitherto been closed to the unbelieving nation of Israel; but when the Spirit of grace shall humble and soften their hearts, he will open it to them also. This fountain opened is the pierced side of Christ. We are all as an unclean thing. Behold a fountain opened for us to wash in, and streams flowing to us from that fountain. The blood of Christ, and God's pardoning mercy in that blood, made known in the new covenant, are a fountain always flowing, that never can be emptied. It is opened for all believers, who as the spiritual seed of Christ, are of the house of David, and, as living members of the church, are inhabitants of Jerusalem. Christ, by the power of his grace, takes away the dominion of sin, even of beloved sins. Those who are washed in the fountain opened, as they are justified, so they are sanctified. Souls are brought off from the world and the flesh, those two great idols, that they may cleave to God only. The thorough reformation which will take place on the conversion of Israel to Christ, is here foretold. False prophets shall be convinced of their sin and folly, and return to their proper employments. When convinced that we are gone out of the way of duty, we must show the truth of our repentance by returning to it again. It is well to acknowledge those to be friends, who by severe discipline are instrumental in bringing us to a sight of error; for faithful are the wounds of a friend, Proverbs 27:6. And it is always well for us to recollect the wounds of our Saviour. Often has he been wounded by professed friends, nay, even by his real disciples, when they act contrary to his word.

Verses 7-9 — Here is a prophecy of the sufferings of Christ. God the Father gave order to the sword of his justice to awake against his Son, when he freely made his soul an offering for sin. As God, he is called “my Fellow.” Christ and the Father are one. He is the Shepherd who was to lay down his life for the sheep. If a Sacrifice, he must be slain, for without shedding of the life-blood there was no remission. This sword must awake against him, yet he had no sin of his own to answer for. It may refer to the whole of Christ's sufferings, especially his agonies in the garden and on the cross, when he endured unspeakable anguish till Divine justice was fully satisfied. Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. This passage our Lord Jesus declares was fulfilled, when all his disciples, in the night wherein he was betrayed, forsook him and fled. It has, and shall have its accomplishment, in the destruction of the corrupt and hypocritical part of the professed church. Because of the sin of the Jews in rejecting and crucifying Christ, and in opposing his gospel, the Romans would destroy the greater part. But a remnant would be saved. And if we are his people, we shall be refined as gold; he will be God, and the end of all our trials and sufferings will be praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:6-13
Hold fast to the faith

14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Commentary
Verses 6-13 — The progress of the Reformation appears to be here set forth. The four proclamations are plain in their meaning; that all Christians may be encouraged, in the time of trial, to be faithful to their Lord. The gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. The preaching of the everlasting gospel shakes the foundations of antichrist in the world, and hastens its downfall. If any persist in being subject to the beast, and in promoting his cause, they must expect to be for ever miserable in soul and body. The believer is to venture or suffer any thing in obeying the commandments of God, and professing the faith of Jesus. May God bestow this patience upon us. Observe the description of those that are and shall be blessed: such as die in the Lord; die in the cause of Christ, in a state of union with Christ; such as are found in Christ when death comes. They rest from all sin, temptation, sorrow, and persecution; for there the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. Their works follow them: do not go before as their title, or purchase, but follow them as proofs of their having lived and died in the Lord: the remembrance of them will be pleasant, and the reward far above all their services and sufferings. This is made sure by the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing with their spirits, and the written word.

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 B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2021, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2020 was Year A. 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 Thursday, November 26, 2020
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Zechariah 13:1-9; Revelation 14:6-13 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for Thursday, November 26, 2020

 

Prayer of the Day
Thursday, November 26, 2020

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!

— Isaiah 64:1–2 (NIV)

Lord our God, in our times too you hear the prayers and cries of your children. We need to cry out, for humankind has not become your own but still lives in pain and under judgment, and many thousands have to die or undergo terrible things. They should be yours, every one of them. They should all be your children. So we cry out to you: Reveal and glorify your name on earth so that a new time may come and  great wonders may be done by your hand. May your name be honored, your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Thursday, November 26, 2020

 

Verse of the Day
Thursday, November 26, 2020

Hebrews 12:28

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Every earthly security we rely upon can be shaken. However, God wants us to stop trusting the transitory defenses of this world and wholeheartedly devote ourselves to Him. He is completely unwavering and immovable, and His is the only kingdom that will endure. When we build our lives on the foundation of His love, truth, and faithfulness, He will hold us steadfast and every fear will fade.

Read all of Hebrews 12

Listen to Hebrews 12

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — We Can Be Ready

 

We Can Be Ready

(Jesus said) "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."

— Mark 13:32-37

Have you ever been put in charge of something for a period of time? When that happened, how did things go? Was everything in place and ready for the returning person? Had details been tended to? Was the returning person happy with his or her choice of you as an overseer? Would they choose you again?

Or was it like the teenager whose parents took off on an overseas vacation? Now if the teenager was prone to partying—and he was—his parents' return trip from overseas certainly gave him enough lead time to tidy up their house before their arrival. That is, unless they came back a day early—which they did.

The day that was to be spent tidying up rooms, taking out trash, hauling away cans and bottles, and emptying ashtrays never quite happened—at least not the way the teenager intended. Instead, his parents arrived home—24 hours early—to the sight of the left-behind wreckage of several parties, and one very groggy son.

As a strong word of caution to believers to escape the fate of being caught off guard and unready, Jesus tells us to "Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come." The New Testament is full of exhortations to be alert (see Matthew 24:44; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-9; Luke 21:36). These sincere words of spiritual advice have been given to us for a reason: Jesus will return for His people, and we do not know when.

These urgings from the Savior and His apostles for our full attention to the Lord's return still ring true in the 21st century. The battle for our attention is fierce and comes from every angle. We're blitzed by flashy distractions and lulled to sleep at the same time. The universe-shaking triumph of Jesus' victory over sin, death, and the devil can get lost in the flurry of our age.

That is, if we're not ready.

But we can be ready and waiting for the Master to return. Jesus tells us, "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes" (Luke 12:35-37a).

Heavenly Father, make us ready for Your Son's return. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

Paul Schreiber

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you do at work or in school to stay prepared and on top of things?

2. Though Scripture does not tell us when Jesus will return, it does tell us He will return. Does that help you stay alert?

3. Has God put you "in charge" of something? How do you stay focused on your task(s)?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Have you ever been put in charge of something for a period of time? When that happened, how did things go?

Standing Strong Through the Storm — WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY TODAY TO THE PERSECUTED CHURCH?

 

WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY TODAY TO THE PERSECUTED CHURCH?

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

— Revelation 3:11

Today we share a message composed by Steve Haas for prayer for the persecuted church:

To the angel of the church of the despised, incarcerated, separated, raped, and martyred; the persecuted church. These are the words of him who knows your patient endurance, understands your distress, and like you, has been faithful to the shedding of his own precious blood.

You say you are isolated, cut off, that no one acknowledges your state. I see the terrors you face: the raids of your house churches in Laos, Indonesia, and China; the assault and murder of your leadership in Iran, India, and Chechnya…

I register every tear that is cried, record each longing conceived, hear each desperate plea confessed. I identify intimately with your plight. I have not forgotten you. Nor have many others who, although unfamiliar with the gravity of your suffering, draw hope and strength from your noble sacrifices for me. I have revealed your plight to your brothers and sisters in Christ and have called thousands of churches to pray for you and to serve you.

You say you are afraid. Recognize what you have that cannot be taken away. I have given you new life, an irrepressible joy, and an ever-present Spirit. Your transforming faith in me cannot be crushed but instead shines like a lighthouse, drawing those who sincerely search for the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

You say you are losing hope. Know that these afflictions are not the final word, that I am sovereign and just. In time, I will repay. Although these tribulations threaten to overwhelm you, I have prepared an eternal place of peace for you, a permanent sanctuary of refreshment and true freedom that begins the moment you recognize me as Lord and serve me as King. I am with you always.

Beware of those who come from outside your fellowship, who masquerade as teachers of the church but elevate personal comfort over godly obedience. Many travel from long distances and present themselves as spiritual masters of the faith, proclaiming that temporal health and security are your due. Do not listen to them. Theirs is a false teaching, only shackling you to the unrequited masters of greed and disquiet. In the midst of your suffering, I will prove to be your only true peace and anchor…

I delight in your resourcefulness with little, your dignity in suffering, your joyful endurance in the midst of adversity. It is these things that give witness to a power above all earthly kingdoms, a source of strength stronger than the might of any human power.

Remain faithful, and I will raise you up in victory. Patiently endure, for I will not tarry long.[1]

RESPONSE: Today, I reaffirm my commitment to be faithful and patiently endure until Jesus comes.

PRAYER: Pray that the persecuted church will understand the deep reality of patient endurance.

1. Steve Haas, “What Would Jesus Say Today to the Church Enduring Persecution?” Christianity Today (October, 1999), http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1999/october25/9tc073.html.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Today we share a message composed by Steve Haas for prayer for the persecuted church.

Men's Devotional Bible — Nehemiah: Sword and Trowel

 

Nehemiah: Sword and Trowel

Nehemiah 1—6, 8 and 13

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

— Nehemiah 8:10

That must have been a special day after all you’d been through. Or was feasting more common for those of you in charge of the great restoration projects in Judah?

It was a very special day for all of us, and an unusual occurrence for us as well. Feasting was not common; on the contrary, I foreswore my governor’s allotment of food from the public treasury, and other privileges as well, and devoted myself to the work.

So, it couldn’t be said that you took advantage of this opportunity for your own benefit?

Well, I wish that couldn’t have been said of me, but unfortunately, it was. Not true, of course, but my enemies spread all kinds of stories about me. If I had stopped working to refute every libelous accusation thrown up in the wind, we never would have finished the job—which was obviously my opponents’ intention. When the pagans tried to get me to engage in “dialogue” with them about the accusations, I simply sent the message that I was too busy to stop and debate.

How did you get the community of Judeans to trust you, then, if you didn’t refute the libelous accusations point by point?

I rolled up my sleeves and worked alongside them. I didn’t sit on a platform in the shade and direct the activities from afar. For the 52 days that we raised the wall, I didn’t even so much as change my clothes. None of us did. We worked with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, ready to defend ourselves at any moment if it came to that.

How did you and your company finish the project so quickly?

The first week after I arrived, I set out to do a complete survey of the site. The whole wall lay in piles of charred ruins and dusty rubble. The people didn’t know where to start. But when I told them how God had moved the king to be generous and favorable to me, and of our plan to restore the city, they perked up. Each man and his family worked diligently on the section of the wall that was closest to their own residence. They really put their hearts into it. It wasn’t necessary for me to micromanage the construction process.

So you functioned as both architect and building supervisor, governor and military leader?

Yes, we experienced so many obstacles along the way that to bring this project to completion, I had to literally keep my hands in it, just as God’s hand was upon me.

Back to the Future

• Do you sometimes feel, as Nehemiah did, that no sooner is one problem solved than another raises its menacing head? What sustains you in such times?
• When have you seen God bring a project to completion that had looked impossible all along the way? What projects are you facing right now that you need God’s help to accomplish?
• How can you become a man who truly relies on the power of God?

Read Nehemiah’s Story:

Find out more by reading Nehemiah 1—6, 8 and 13.
It was a very special day for all of us…

John Piper Devotional — Jesus Prays for Us

 

Jesus Prays for Us

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

— Hebrews 7:25

It says that Christ is able to save to the uttermost—forever—since he always lives to make intercession for us. In other words, he would not be able to save us forever if he did not go on interceding for us forever.

This means our salvation is as secure as Christ’s priesthood is indestructible. This is why we needed a priest so much greater than any human. Christ’s deity secures his indestructible priesthood for us.

This means we should not talk about our salvation in static terms the way we often do—as if I did something once in an act of decision, and Christ did something once when he died and rose again, and that’s all there is to it. That’s not all there is to it.

This very day I am being saved by the eternal intercession of Jesus in heaven. Jesus is praying for us, and that is our salvation.

We are saved eternally by the eternal prayers (Romans 8:34) and advocacy (1 John 2:1) of Jesus in heaven as our high priest. He prays for us, and his prayers are answered because he prays perfectly on the basis of his perfect sacrifice.
It says that Christ is able to save to the uttermost.

Un dia a la Vez — Preocupación por la edad

 

Preocupación por la edad

Los que confían en el Señor renovarán sus fuerzas; volarán como las águilas: correrán y no se fatigarán, caminarán y no se cansarán.

— Isaías 40:31

¿Sabías que muchos de los planes de los seres humanos se desechan sin siquiera intentar realizarlos y, a menudo, es por la edad?

Mientras escribía este libro, recordé infinidades de dichos que desde pequeña escuchaba en casa y en la escuela. Por ejemplo, «loro viejo no aprende a hablar», o «ya está muy viejo para estudiar», o «ya pasaron los años y no hice lo que quería».

En semanas anteriores hablábamos de que todo tiene su tiempo, como dice la Biblia. Con todo, en ninguna parte menciona que después de ciertos años ya no puedes servir al Señor, ni que por tu edad el amor ya no es para ti. Por lo tanto, si tienes enterrados tus sueños, Dios quiere resucitarlos en este día, de modo que la preocupación por los años no sea el pretexto para dejar de vivirlos.

Una de mis oraciones es que Dios me conceda la linda oportunidad de estar siempre activa. No quisiera dejar nunca la radio, porque desde allí puedo llegar a ustedes y hablarles de lo que me da Dios.

El más hermoso ejemplo de vitalidad lo tengo en mi madre que ha sido muy disciplinada en el ejercicio y el deporte. A pesar de su edad, trabaja en el Ministerio Casa sobre la Roca, en Bogotá, Colombia, y hoy es, además, un instrumento de Dios en el deporte. Admiro su disciplina, su fuerza, su entrega y su servicio a los demás.

Recuerda, los años jamás deben impedirte realizar tus sueños. Dios te quiere demostrar que nunca es tarde y que tu tiempo no es el suyo.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Sabías que muchos de los planes de los seres humanos se desechan sin siquiera intentar realizarlos y, a menudo, es por la edad?

Devocional CPTLN — Podemos estar preparados

 

Podemos estar preparados

[Jesús dijo] "En cuanto al día y la hora, nadie lo sabe, ni siquiera los ángeles en el cielo, ni el Hijo. Sólo el Padre lo sabe. Pero ustedes, presten atención y manténganse atentos, porque no saben cuándo llegará el momento. Es como cuando alguien deja su casa y se va lejos, y delega autoridad en sus siervos y deja a cada uno una tarea, y ordena al portero mantenerse despierto. Así que ustedes deben mantenerse despiertos, porque no saben cuándo vendrá el señor de la casa, si al caer la tarde, o a la medianoche, o cuando cante el gallo, o al amanecer; no sea que venga cuando menos lo esperen, y los encuentre dormidos. Esto que les digo a ustedes, se lo digo a todos: ¡Manténganse despiertos!"

— Marcos 13:32-37

¿Alguna vez te pusieron a cargo de algo mientras la persona encargada no estaba? ¿Cómo te fue? ¿Estaba todo en orden cuando la persona regresó? ¿Te volverían a confiar esa tarea?

¿O fue como el adolescente cuyos padres se fueron de viaje al extranjero? Dado que era propenso a las fiestas, sabía que tenía tiempo para ordenar la casa antes de que regresaran. Es decir, a menos que regresaran un día antes, que fue exactamente lo que sucedió. El día que iba a sacar la basura, tirando latas y botellas y vaciando los ceniceros, nunca sucedió del todo. Al menos no de la manera que pretendía el adolescente, ya que sus padres llegaron 24 horas antes de lo fijado y vieron los restos de varias fiestas y un hijo muy atontado.

Como una fuerte advertencia a los creyentes para que eviten ser tomados desprevenidos sin estar preparados, Jesús nos dice: "presten atención y manténganse atentos, porque no saben cuándo llegará el momento." El Nuevo Testamento está lleno de exhortaciones a estar alerta (ver Mateo 24:44; 1 Pedro 1:13; 1 Tesalonicenses 5:2-9; Lucas 21:36). Estas sinceras palabras de consejo espiritual nos han sido dadas por una razón: Jesús regresará por su pueblo, y no sabemos cuándo.

Estos llamados del Salvador y sus apóstoles para que prestemos toda nuestra atención al regreso del Señor siguen siendo válidos en el siglo XXI. La lucha por nuestra atención es feroz y proviene de todos los ángulos, por lo que la victoria de Jesús sobre el pecado, la muerte y el diablo puede perderse en medio del torbellino de nuestra era.

Es decir, si no estamos listos. Pero podemos estar listos y esperando el regreso del Maestro. Jesús nos dice: "Manténganse listos, con la ropa puesta y con su lámpara encendida. Sean como los siervos que están pendientes de que su señor regrese de una fiesta de bodas: en cuanto su señor llega y llama, ellos le abren enseguida. ¡Dichosos los siervos a los que su señor encuentra pendientes de su regreso!" (Lucas 12: 35-37a).

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, prepáranos para el regreso de tu Hijo. Amén. ¡Ven, Señor Jesús!

Paul Schreiber

Para reflexionar:

1. Aunque la Escritura no nos dice cuándo regresará Jesús, sí nos dice que regresará. ¿Te anima esto a mantenerte alerta?

2. ¿Dios te ha puesto "a cargo" de algo? ¿Cómo te mantienes enfocado en esa tarea?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Alguna vez te pusieron a cargo de algo mientras la persona encargada no estaba? ¿Cómo te fue?

Хлеб наш насущный — Постоянная благодарность

 

Постоянная благодарность

Читать сейчас: Исаии 12:1-6 | Библия за год: Иезекииля 27-29; Евреям 2

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Славьте Господа, призывайте имя Его; возвещайте в народах дела Его.

— Исаии 12:4

Лютеранский служитель XVII века Мартин Ринккарт жил в трудные времена, когда в стране бушевали война и эпидемия. Только за один год из тридцати, когда Ринккарт трудился для Христа, он провел более четырех тысяч погребальных богослужений, в том числе и для собственной жены. Иногда семья голодала. Ринккарт мог впасть в отчаяние, но его вера оставалась твердой, и он постоянно благодарил Бога. Свою благодарность он выразил в гимне “Nun danket alle Gott” («Восхвалим мы Творца»). Его и сегодня знают и любят многие христиане.

Ринккарт следовал примеру пророка Исаии, который призывал Божий народ благодарить своего Создателя во всякое время, даже когда Он гневался (Ис. 12:1) или когда их угнетали враги (ст. 4).

Мы с легкостью славим Бога, например, в День благодарения, когда вместе с семьей и друзьями собираемся за богато накрытым столом. Но можем ли мы вознести благодарность Богу в трудные времена, когда теряем дорогого человека, или испытываем материальные затруднения, или оказываемся вовлеченными в конфликт?

По примеру пастора Ринккарта прославим Господа и возблагодарим Его, «ибо Он сотворил великое, – да знают это по всей земле» (ст. 5). «Восхвалим мы Творца и сердцем, и устами! Творит Он чудеса и в нас, и перед нами».

Как вы благодарите и славите Бога в трудные времена? Какую роль в этом играет Святой Дух?

Бог Отец, благодарю Тебя за Твой удивительный труд в моей жизни, за то, что Ты любишь меня бесконечной любовью.

автор: Эми Бушер Пай

© 2020 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Только за один год из тридцати, когда Ринккарт трудился для Христа, он провел более четырех тысяч погребальных богослужений, в том числе и для собственной жены.