The Daily Bible Readings for Thursday, December 3, 2020

 

The Daily Readings
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; Hosea 6:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

John 6:35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The devil is capable of counterfeiting some of God’s miraculous works, and so blinds many people to the truth. This is why we must stay alert and not base our faith on miracles and sensational signs. Instead, we must believe God and obey Him, because then we will see “the outcome of [our] faith the salvation of [our] souls” (1 Pet. 1:9, NASB).

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Righteousness and peace

1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Commentary
Sooner or later, God will speak peace to his people. If he do not command outward peace, yet he will suggest inward peace; speaking to their hearts by his Spirit. Peace is spoken only to those who turn from sin. All sin is folly, especially backsliding; it is the greatest folly to return to sin. Surely God's salvation is nigh, whatever our difficulties and distresses are. Also, his honour is secured, that glory may dwell in our land. And the truth of the promises is shown by the Divine mercy in sending the Redeemer. The Divine justice is now satisfied by the great atonement. Christ, the way, truth, and life, sprang out of the earth when he took our nature upon him, and Divine justice looked upon him well pleased and satisfied. For his sake all good things, especially his Holy Spirit, are given to those who ask him. Through Christ, the pardoned sinner becomes fruitful in good works, and by looking to and trusting in the Saviour's righteousness, finds his feet set in the way of his steps. Righteousness is a sure guide, both in meeting God, and in following him.

Hosea 6:1-6
Return to the God of life and love

6:1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Commentary
Those who have gone from God by consent, and in a body, drawing one another to sin, should, by consent and in a body, return to him, which will be for his glory, and their good. It will be of great use for support under afflictions, and to encourage our repentance, to keep up good thoughts of God, and of his purposes and designs concerning us. Deliverance out of trouble should be to them as life from the dead. God will revive them: the assurance of this should engage them to return to him. But this seems to have a further reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us admire the wisdom and goodness of God, that when the prophet foretold the deliverance of the church out of her troubles, he should point out our salvation by Christ; and now these words are fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ, it confirms our faith, that this is He that should come and we are to look for no other. Here is a precious blessing promised; this is life eternal, to know God. The returns of the favour of God are secured to us as firmly as the return of the morning after a dark night. He shall come to us as the latter and former rain unto the earth, which refreshes it, and makes it fruitful. The grace of God in Christ is both the latter and the former rain; and by it the good work of our fruit-bearing is begun and carried on. And as the Redeemer was raised from the grave, so will He revive the hearts and hopes of all that trust in him. The feeblest glimpse of hope in his word, is a sure earnest of increasing light and comfort, which shall be attended with purifying, comforting grace that makes fruitful.

Sometimes Israel and Judah seemed disposed to repent under their sufferings, but their goodness vanished like the empty morning cloud, and the early dew, and they were as vile as ever. Therefore the Lord sent awful messages by the prophets. The word of God will be the death either of the sin or of the sinner. God desired mercy rather than sacrifice, and that knowledge of him which produces holy fear and love. This exposes the folly of those who trust in outward observances, to make up for their want of love to God and man.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians

1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Commentary
As all good comes from God, so no good can be hoped for by sinners, but from God in Christ. And the best good may be expected from God, as our Father, for the sake of Christ. We should pray, not only for ourselves, but for others also; remembering them without ceasing. Wherever there is a true faith, it will work; it will affect both the heart and life. Faith works by love; it shows itself in love to God, and love to our neighbour. And wherever there is a well-grounded hope of eternal life, this will appear by the exercise of patience; and it is a sign of sincerity, when in all we do, we seek to approve ourselves to God. By this we may know our election, if we not only speak of the things of God with out lips, but feel their power in our hearts, mortifying our lusts, weaning us from the world, and raising us up to heavenly things. Unless the Spirit of God comes with the word of God, it will be to us a dead letter. Thus they entertained it by the power of the Holy Ghost. They were fully convinced of the truth of it, so as not to be shaken in mind by objections and doubts; and they were willing to leave all for Christ, and to venture their souls and everlasting condition upon the truth of the gospel revelation.

When careless, ignorant, and immoral persons are turned from their carnal pursuits and connexions, to believe in and obey the Lord Jesus, to live soberly, righteously, and godly, the matter speaks for itself. The believers under the Old Testament waited for the coming of the Messiah, and believers now wait for his second coming. He is yet to come. And God had raised him from the dead, which is a full assurance unto all men that he will come to judgment. He came to purchase salvation, and will, when he comes again, bring salvation with him, full and final deliverance from that wrath which is yet to come. Let all, without delay, flee from the wrath to come, and seek refuge in Christ and his 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 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, December 3, 2020
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; Hosea 6:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for Thursday, December 3, 2020

 

Prayer of the Day
Thursday, December 3, 2020

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

— Luke 1:76–79 (NIV)

Lord our God, we thank you that you let light shine out every day and every year. Thank you that we may always look to you, whose right hand will bring order into everything and set all things right, even  in difficult times. May our hearts receive strength to persevere and go on praising you, for you remain, no matter what happens on earth. You are our God, you have sent us the Savior, and we can draw close to you. You have made us the firm promise that your day is coming when truth and justice will arise on earth to the glory of your name. May the hearts of many people turn to you so that they worship you and call to you for help, to the glory of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Thursday, December 3, 2020

 

Verse of the Day
Thursday, December 3, 2020

John 6:35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The devil is capable of counterfeiting some of God’s miraculous works, and so blinds many people to the truth. This is why we must stay alert and not base our faith on miracles and sensational signs. Instead, we must believe God and obey Him, because then we will see “the outcome of [our] faith the salvation of [our] souls” (1 Pet. 1:9, NASB).

Read all of John 6

Listen to John 6

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Standing Strong Through the Storm — WORSHIP FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

 

WORSHIP FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

“…Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

— John 4:23-24

All true believers recognize the privilege and responsibility to worship God. This worship begins when the Holy Spirit enters our being and grows and continues throughout our lifetime. Every believer should worship the Lord privately as well as gather together with other believers to worship whenever possible. We can worship the Lord because of who He is, because of what He has done in creation and redemption, and because of all that He has done for us individually.

Worship in Scripture seems to revolve around praising God. This is an act of the will not necessarily related to how a person “feels” or the immediate circumstances of life. In other words, we should praise the Lord even when things seem to be going wrong. This is an act of submission to His divine will and pleases the Lord (Psalm 67:3; Hebrews 13:15; Isaiah 12:1).

Worship is evidently a matter of attitude that may be expressed outwardly in prayer, various bodily positions (such as kneeling), singing, dancing, clapping, etc. Music plays a very important part in the heartfelt worship of most believers. The form of worship should reflect the believer’s cultural methods of showing adoration as long as it does not conflict with biblical guidelines.

Worship in the early church was simply an outpouring of thanksgiving from a heart that rejoiced in the Lord in complete disregard of circumstances. This type of worship cannot be stopped by anyone. A group of Christians in hostile surroundings can worship in this simple way without being limited to a certain building, a special time, or a prescribed program.

Worship is basically recognizing and declaring God’s glory, holiness and worth. An act of worship is an expression of this recognition. The New Testament writers seemed to assume that all people knew how to worship. They give us few examples of how the early Christians worshiped. Participation in the Lord’s Supper appears to have been their highest expression of worship. As they prayerfully remembered Jesus and His sacrificial death upon the cross for their sins, they were worshiping.

There are scriptural references to other times of worship, such as Peter’s prayer (Acts 4:23-28) and Paul and Silas’ experience in prison (Acts 16:23-25). Pastor Jack Hayford enjoys sharing the story about this as told by his favorite African-American preacher. Paul and Silas’ prison cell singing was heard all the way to the heavenly throne room of God. He began to tap his toe to the music. And since heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool, that toe-tapping created an earthquake!!!

RESPONSE: Today, I desire every aspect of my life to declare God’s glory, holiness and worth.

PRAYER: Pray today for Christians in countries like North Korea who rarely have opportunity to express openly and publicly their worship of Almighty God.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
All true believers recognize the privilege and responsibility to worship God.

Men's Devotional Bible — A Scar Shaped Like Your Picture

 

A Scar Shaped Like Your Picture

Isaiah 49:8–18

Recommended Reading: Psalm 13:1–6; John 20:24–28; Romans 8:35–39

For whatever reason, from the time they’re little boys, guys like to show off their scars. A polite conversation with any average group of guys can suddenly turn into some bizarre, male-bonding ritual. First, someone tells a story about crashing his mountain bike and the resulting scar on his knee. Then another guy regales the group about the scar left from his shoulder surgery. Another points out the scar on his hand and tells about his hunting-knife accident. Before you know it, the whole group is showing off their scars and relating the incidents behind the wounds.

Today’s passage tells us that God likes to do this as well—not to one-up anyone else with another great story but to reassure us of his devotion to his people.

In truth, there is something interesting about scars: They follow us wherever we go, and the stories behind them remind us of significant people and events in our lives.

The people of Israel had certainly wandered all over the place—both physically and spiritually. After the nation had faced devastation, occupation, and deportation by King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian armies, the people of Israel wondered, “God, have you forgotten us?” God answered through the prophet Isaiah: “I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15–16).

Did you know that God bears a scar on his hand in the shape of your picture? Of course, because God is a spirit, he doesn’t have a literal hand. But you’re so present on God’s mind that it’s as though he has engraved your image on the palms of his hands.

Perhaps the fury of whatever storm you’re facing dims God’s voice and blurs his presence. You might ask, “God, have you forgotten me?” How can he be present in the midst of your turmoil? But regardless of the storm’s intensity, you remain in the forefront of God’s thoughts. He’s thinking of you, sustaining you, comforting you, giving you strength. He doesn’t mentally check out. Whatever challenge you’re facing isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you. The worst that could happen would be for God to forget about you.

But he hasn’t yet, and he never will.

To Take Away

• Do you find it hard to accept that God knows your needs and cares for you to the extent that you’re always on his mind? Why?
• What events in your life have caused you to ask, “God, have you forgotten me?”
• How can you foster a deeper and more constant trust in the reality that God is always present with you?

For whatever reason, from the time they’re little boys, guys like to show off their scars.

John Piper Devotional — The Long-Awaited Visitation

 

The Long-Awaited Visitation

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us...”

— Luke 1:68–71

Notice two remarkable things from these words of Zechariah in Luke 1.

First, nine months earlier, Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God’s redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense. For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: “God has visited and redeemed!”

Second, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is a visitation of God to our world: “The God of Israel has visited and redeemed.” For centuries, the Jewish people had languished under the conviction that God had withdrawn: the spirit of prophecy had ceased, Israel had fallen into the hands of Rome. And all the godly in Israel were awaiting the visitation of God. Luke tells us in 2:25 that the devout Simeon was “looking for the consolation of Israel.” And in Luke 2:38, the prayerful Anna was “looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

These were days of great expectation. Now the long-awaited visitation of God was about to happen—indeed; he was about to come in a way no one expected.
These were days of great expectation.

Un dia a la Vez — Necesitamos cambiar

 

Necesitamos cambiar

Dichosos los que guardan sus estatutos y de todo corazón lo buscan. Jamás hacen nada malo, sino que siguen los caminos de Dios.

— Salmo 119:2-3

Estamos viendo en estos días la necesidad que tenemos de rendir a Dios las actitudes, los pensamientos y los comportamientos a fin de tener libertad y bendición.

El Señor tuvo que quebrantarme en muchas esferas de mi vida con el propósito de hacerlas nuevas. Por ejemplo, el espíritu de infidelidad. Esto no significa que fuera una mujer así toda la vida. Sin embargo, mis continuos problemas emocionales y mis malas relaciones con mis ex esposos me llevaron a cometer terribles errores como un intento de aborto en mi juventud antes de conocer a Jesús. Aun conociendo a mi Dios, llegué a perderlo todo un día, y de una relación fuera del matrimonio nació mi tercera princesa.

Han sido muchas mis caídas y las consecuencias terribles. Solo por la misericordia de Dios volví a ganar credibilidad hasta con mis propias hijas, recuperar mi trabajo en la radio y, sobre todo, volver a ser feliz.

Dios me concedió los recursos para forjar una nueva vida que me tomó años de obediencia, de guardarme y dedicarme solo a mis hijas y al ministerio, además de cumplir pactos muy serios y radicales con Él.

Asimismo, tuve que reconocer que estaba enferma emocionalmente, y que si no cambiaba, seguiría perdiendo a las personas que amaba.

Por eso, mi amigo, te invito a que lleves cautiva tu vida a Jesús. Él es el único que te puede ayudar a hacer cambios para siempre y ser feliz.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
El Señor tuvo que quebrantarme en muchas esferas de mi vida con el propósito de hacerlas nuevas.

Хлеб наш насущный — Привилегия молитвы

 

Привилегия молитвы

Читать сейчас: 1 Паралипоменон 29:11-19 | Библия за год: Иезекииля 45-46; Евреям 9

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Соломону же, сыну моему, дай сердце правое, чтобы соблюдать заповеди Твои, откровения Твои и уставы Твои.

— 1 Паралипоменон 29:19

Исполнитель кантри Крис Стэплтон написал глубоко личную песню под названием «Папа больше не молится». Эта песня вдохновлена молитвами его отца. Выразительные стихи раскрывают причину, по которой молитвы дорогого человека прекратились: не разочарование и не усталость, а переход в вечность. Стэплтон представляет, как теперь, вместо того чтобы обращаться ко Христу в молитве, папа ходит и разговаривает с Ним лицом к лицу.

Воспоминания Стэплтона о молитвах отца за него напоминают молитву из Библии, в которой отец тоже молился за сына. Когда жизнь царя Давида подходила к концу, он готовил своего сына Соломона стать следующим царем Израиля.

Собрав народ на помазание нового царя, Давид призвал всех к молитве, как не раз делал в прошлом. Он вспоминал Божью верность Израилю и молился, чтобы люди оставались верными Ему. А затем вознес личную молитву: «Соломону же, сыну моему, дай сердце правое, чтобы соблюдать заповеди Твои, откровения Твои и уставы Твои» (1 Пар. 29:19).

У нас тоже есть особая привилегия молиться о людях, которых Бог поместил в нашу жизнь. Пример нашей верности в молитве может оказывать влияние и после того, как наша жизнь закончится. Так же как Бог продолжал отвечать на молитву Давида в жизни Соломона и Израиля после его ухода, так и влияние наших молитв надолго переживет нас.

Как чьи-то молитвы оказали важное влияние на вашу жизнь? Как вы можете поддержать других своими молитвами?

Небесный Отец, приношу к Тебе дорогих мне людей и прошу, чтобы Ты исполнял Свой замысел в их жизни.

автор: Лиза Самра

© 2020 Хлеб Наш Насущный
Исполнитель кантри Крис Стэплтон написал глубоко личную песню под названием «Папа больше не молится». Эта песня вдохновлена молитвами его отца.