Night Light for Couples - May I Have This Dance?

by Nancy Jo Sullivan

I ordered a bag of popcorn at the snack bar while my girls scurried through the department store searching for Christmas gifts. I yawned as the clerk handed me my snack. I could barely keep my eyes open.

We had just moved into a new home. In between unpacking boxes, I had baked cookies, wrapped presents, and written cards of greeting. So far the holidays had left me feeling depleted of energy. I wanted to feel close to God, especially in this season, but I hadn’t had time for prayer and quiet reflection.

As I settled into a booth, I noticed an old man standing near the store entryway. Though his face was wrinkled, his eyes twinkled with the energy of youth. He was ringing a Salvation Army bell.

I watched as he danced around his red coin kettle, bobbing and turning to the rhythm of his own footsteps. Ringing his bell in carefully timed beats, he waved and smiled to those who passed him by.

“Joy to the world… mmm… the Lord is come.”

Soon a woman made her way past the singing man. She was wearing a Christmas‐tree sweater, her brow was furrowed, and she carried several shopping bags.

“No joy for the Lord?” the old man called out to her. The woman sighed and rolled her eyes. She hurried to her car. I watched as people hustled past the man. Most of them ignored him. Everyone seemed preoccupied with balancing their bags and boxes of presents.

A businessman with a cell phone walked past the dancing bell ringer.

“Let every heart… mmm… Prepare him room…” the old man sang.

The sound of his bell and the beeping noise from the cash registers forced the businessman to shout into the phone. He reminded me of how all my seasonal obligations made me feel. I was trying to find a way to converse with God, but so far I hadn’t gotten a good connection.

As busy shoppers made a wide perimeter around the bell ringer, an old woman, her back hunched and her gait slow, approached him. She smiled as she clicked open a tattered purse and dropped four quarters into the slotted red pail.

The man took off his ear‐muffed hat and bowed to her. “May I have this dance?” he asked. The woman blushed and began to giggle. As she drew herself up, her wrinkles seemed to fade. The two of them began to shuffle around the store entry, the old man gently guiding the frail woman in graceful glides and turns.

“Joy to the world… the Savior reigns…” their voices rang out in happy unison.

As I watched, I found myself wanting to join their department store waltz. Theirs was a dance of joy, unencumbered by stress or preoccupation—a dance of praise that proclaimed anew the tender message of old:

“Joy to the world… the Lord is come!”

Later that night, as my family slept upstairs, I curled up on the couch in our family room. After turning on my favorite holiday CD, I drank a cup of tea in front of our brightly lit tree. Soon the notes of “Joy to the World” filled the room.

I could almost hear the Lord say, “May I have this dance?”

LOOKING AHEAD …

Like the woman in the Christmas‐tree sweater and the businessman with the cell phone, so few people seem to experience joy. No matter what time of year it is, they are preoccupied with the stress of the season and have either rejected or forgotten the joy that Jesus offers.

Yet none of us needs to live this way, for believers in the Lord know an eternal joy that ultimately transcends any hardship experienced in this world. Even in the midst of trials, He stands ready to lead us out of our suffering into His wonderful presence.

This next week we’ll talk about how to choose joy in our marriages and in our lives. We can learn to rejoice and praise Him every day. The Lord has come!

- James C Dobson

• From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
  Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.
• “May I Have This Dance?” by Nancy Jo Sullivan. Taken from Moments of Grace by Nancy Jo Sullivan. © 2000. Used by permission of Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

The Daily Readings for September 24, 2016

Hosea 1:1-2:1
The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel. When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the LORD said to him, "Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen." When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God." Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head; and they shall take possession of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. Say to your brother, Ammi, and to your sister, Ruhamah.

Acts 20:1-16
After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples; and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was about to set sail for Syria when a plot was made against him by the Jews, and so he decided to return through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. They went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas; but we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days. On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him." Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted. We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement, intending to go by land himself. When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. We sailed from there, and on the following day we arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Luke 4:38-44
After leaving the synagogue he entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them. As the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various kinds of diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them. Demons also came out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah. At daybreak he departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." So he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 87 Fundamenta ejus
1   On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
2   Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of our God.
3   I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia: in Zion were they born.
4   Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her, and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
5   The LORD will record as he enrolls the peoples, "These also were born there."
6   The singers and the dancers will say, "All my fresh springs are in you."
Psalm 90 Domine, refugium
1   Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another.
2   Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, from age to age you are God.
3   You turn us back to the dust and say, "Go back, O child of earth."
4   For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night.
5   You sweep us away like a dream; we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6   In the morning it is green and flourishes; in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7   For we consume away in your displeasure; we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8   Our iniquities you have set before you, and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9   When you are angry, all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10   The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11   Who regards the power of your wrath? who rightly fears your indignation?
12   So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13   Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? be gracious to your servants.
14   Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15   Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16   Show your servants your works and your splendor to their children.
17   May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 136 Confitemini
1   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
2   Give thanks to the God of gods, for his mercy endures for ever.
3   Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his mercy endures for ever.
4   Who only does great wonders, for his mercy endures for ever;
5   Who by wisdom made the heavens, for his mercy endures for ever;
6   Who spread out the earth upon the waters, for his mercy endures for ever;
7   Who created great lights, for his mercy endures for ever;
8   The sun to rule the day, for his mercy endures for ever;
9   The moon and the stars to govern the night, for his mercy endures for ever.
10   Who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his mercy endures for ever;
11   And brought out Israel from among them, for his mercy endures for ever;
12   With a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm, for his mercy endures for ever;
13   Who divided the Red Sea in two, for his mercy endures for ever;
14   And made Israel to pass through the midst of it, for his mercy endures for ever;
15   But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endures for ever;
16   Who led his people through the wilderness, for his mercy endures for ever.
17   Who struck down great kings, for his mercy endures for ever;
18   And slew mighty kings, for his mercy endures for ever;
19   Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his mercy endures for ever;
20   And Og, the king of Bashan, for his mercy endures for ever;
21   And gave away their lands for an inheritance, for his mercy endures for ever;
22   An inheritance for Israel his servant, for his mercy endures for ever.
23   Who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endures for ever;
24   And delivered us from our enemies, for his mercy endures for ever;
25   Who gives food to all creatures, for his mercy endures for ever.
26   Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his mercy endures for ever.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for September 24, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Jonathan Melton

Psalm 90:14 (NRSV) Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Taizé is a French ecumenical monastic community whose worship is marked by song, simplicity, and silent prayer. “But what do you do in the silence?” came the question from a young adult, addressing one of the brothers of the Taizé community. The brother smiled and answered, “It’s a good question. I listen to God and learn to trust God’s love. I begin to love God back through my astonishment at God’s love for me. There is joy in the silence.”

I do not always wake up in the morning longing to be satisfied by God’s loving-kindness. I wake up worried about responsibilities, irritated that the demands of work and family are ever at war. Some days, I wonder who I am and what’s important and whether I trust the answers to those same questions that I came up with on the previous day. To live in God’s love requires daily surrender.

May the silence in our prayers today recall to us the love that will satisfy and bring us the joy and belonging offered by God in Christ. For this we were made. Amen.

Subscribe to Forward Day By Day

Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.

NIV Devotions for Couples - Finding the Best of Times

Revelation 21:1–27 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21:4) Marriage can be like the days of the French Revolution, immortalized in the words of Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities—“the best of times and the worst of times.” In the best times of marriage, we can’t get enough of each other. We breeze through workdays, knowing we can be together afterward. We spoon our bodies in the night, delighting in how well we fit together. We cook special things for each other. We reach for each other’s hands in church, show each other off to friends, get high at the sound of each other’s voice on the phone. We crave each other in the hard times too: when our parents decide to divorce, when a close friend is diagnosed with cancer, when one of us loses a job, when we have a miscarriage, when someone betrays us. We ease the hurt by holding each other tight and letting the tears fall, by reading passages of Scripture together, by linking hearts and hands in prayer. Somehow just being together fortifies us in the times when we ache and hurt. In the worst of times, we lose each other. He flirts with a waitress, making his wife feel invisible. She goes on a spending spree at the mall, sabotaging the budget her husband so carefully worked out. He works late night after night; she spends too much time with friends. Even at church the togetherness is lost as she goes to choir, while he goes to Bible study. She has meetings that leave him sitting alone; he is so busy talking to others that he barely notices she’s gone. Even when together, spouses can be alone. They stay home for the night, but he’s upstairs watching a football game, while she’s downstairs trotting on the treadmill. Or during dinner, she’s replaying a work problem in her head, while he’s reading the paper. Whatever the reason, failing to connect becomes a kind of living death. The warmth, the passion, the closeness between us cools until it seems we’re only going through the motions of marriage. Then something, somehow, prods us into reaching for each other again: Maybe it’s a sermon that cuts truth like a knife into our hearts or a friend who begins asking questions about our relationship or a work associate whose problems become too personal. Then things can really heat up between us—this time with anger, accusations, threats and tears. The pain is excruciating, but if we work through it (sometimes with professional help), we can find each other again in a new kind of love, one that’s forged in the fire and ashes of repentance and forgiveness. Then the tears we drop are ones of relief, gladness and joy. One day we will stop crying for good. After we pass through the final vale of separation from each other, God himself will wipe our faces clean of tears. Then he will usher us into glory, where we will be so united with him, so one with him, that there will never again be a need for tears. The best times of marriage, in all their passion and delight, are a prelude to that. Phyllis Ten Elshof Let’s Talk What are some times when we felt the most togetherness? What helped fuel those times? When have we felt most alienated from each other? What brought us back together? What are some practical ways we can work together that will keep us close? Is either of us sometimes uncomfortable with too much intimacy? What do we do when we feel crowded into closeness? How do we get some space without offending each other? How does closeness and intimacy with God affect our relationship with each other?

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE BODY OF JESUS

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:18

In China, one small group of believers gathered weekly in the back room of a small store to worship together during the Cultural Revolution. Since they could easily be overheard by anyone entering the store, they “sang” hymns together without words or music. Someone whispered the name of the song and the group together silently moved their lips simply “thinking” the words and music.

In the Bible, the church is called “God's husbandry,” “the body of Christ,” and the “household of Christ” (I Corinthians 3:9; 12:13,27; Hebrews 3:6). It is also called His bride and a wife (Revelation 19:7-9; 21:2,9; Ephesians 5:22-33). These are all simple examples given to help us understand that the Church is a spiritual entity, neither a building nor a human organization. This is probably the most common error in belief found among Christians. It is important that we realize that the church of Jesus Christ is basically and When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus responded by promising to build His church on the solid “rock” of this great truth and that the gates of hell would not withstand it. (Matthew 16:13-18). According to the New Testament, a person who has recognized, as Peter did, that Jesus is the Christ, and who trusts in Him by faith as Savior and Lord, is “born again” (John 3:1-17).

This new birth is a spiritual experience that opens the heart to the Spirit of God. He enters that heart and dwells there. This believer is then a “priest” of God and enjoys direct access into the holy presence of God (I Peter 2:5,9; Hebrews 4:16). This relationship of an individual with Christ is clearly a spiritual relationship, and Jesus joins together individuals who have this faith in Him into a spiritual body—His church.

RESPONSE: I will cherish my relationship with Christ and His body—the Church.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for Your household of faith. Help me to understand its functions and walk and serve in expressing them.

Verse of the Day - September 24, 2016

Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV) So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Read all of Hebrews 10

Our Daily Bread - Pass It On

Read: Psalm 78:1–8 | Bible in a Year: Song of Solomon 4–5; Galatians 3

By Lawrence Darmani

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. (Psalm 78:4)

I enjoy watching relay races. The physical strength, speed, skill, and endurance required of the athletes amaze me. But one crucial point of the race always gets my special attention and makes me anxious. It is the moment the baton is passed to the next athlete. One moment of delay, one slip, and the race could be lost.

In a sense, Christians are in a relay race, carrying the baton of faith and the knowledge of the Lord and of His Word. And the Bible tells us about our need to pass this baton from one generation to another. In Psalm 78, Asaph declares: “I will utter . . . things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us . . . . We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (vv. 2–4).

Moses said something similar to the Israelites: “Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deut. 4:9).

For generations to come, we are called to lovingly and courageously do whatever we can to pass along “the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Father, help me to be faithful in passing my faith along to someone else.

We influence future generations by living for Christ today.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Unser Täglich Brot - Weitergeben

Lesen: Psalm 78,1-8 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Hoheslied 4–5; Galater 3

Von Lawrence Darmani

Wir verkündigen dem kommenden Geschlecht den Ruhm des Herrn. (Psalm 78,4)

Ich sehe gern bei Staffelläufen zu und staune über die Kraft, Geschwindigkeit, Geschicklichkeit und Ausdauer, die von den Sportlern verlangt wird. Aber an einem Punkt werde ich immer nervös. Das ist der Moment, wo der Stab von einem Läufer an den anderen weitergegeben wird. Nur ein kurzes Zögern, ein Ausrutscher, und das ganze Rennen ist verloren.

In gewissem Sinne sind auch Christen in einem Staffellauf. Wir tragen den Stab des Glaubens und der Erkenntnis von Gott und seinem Wort. Und die Bibel sagt uns, wie wichtig es ist, den Stab von einer Generation an die nächste weiterzureichen. In Psalm 78 erklärt Asaf: „Ich will meinen Mund auftun . . . und Geschichten verkünden aus alter Zeit. Was wir gehört haben und wissen und unsre Väter uns erzählt haben, das wollen wir nicht verschweigen . . .; wir verkündigen dem kommenden Geschlecht den Ruhm des Herrn und seine Macht und seine Wunder, die er getan hat“ (V.2-4).

Ähnlich sagte es Mose zu den Israeliten: „ . . . das du nicht vergisst, was deine Augen gesehen haben, und dass es nicht aus deinem Herzen kommt dein ganzes Leben lang. Und du sollst [es] deinen Kindern und Kindeskindern kundtun“ (5.Mose 4,9).

In jeder Generation sollen wir mutig und liebevoll tun, was wir können, um zu „verkündigen . . . die Wohltaten dessen, der [uns] berufen hat von der Finsternis zu seinem wunderbaren Licht“ (1.Petr. 2,9).

Vater, hilf mir, meinen Glauben treu an andere weiterzugeben. Teile mit uns auf unsertaeglichbrot.org, wie du deinen Glauben an die nächste Generation weitergibst.

Wir prägen künftige Generationen, wenn wir heute für Jesus leben.

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Передайте дальше

Читать сейчас: Псалом 77:1-8 | Библия за год: Песнь песней 4-5; 1 Коринфянам 14:1-20

автор: Лоуренс Дармани

Не скроем от детей... возвещая роду грядущему славу Господа и силу Его... — Псалом 77:4

Я люблю легкоатлетические состязания, особенно спортивную эстафету. Сила, скорость, умение и терпение спортсменов нередко приводят меня в изумление. А больше всего мне нравится момент, когда один атлет передает эстафетную палочку другому. Короткая задержка – и весь забег может быть проигран.

В некотором смысле христиане также участвуют в эстафете, передавая «палочку» веры и истины из одного поколения в другое. В Псалме 77 Асаф провозглашает: «Что слышали мы и узнали, и отцы наши рассказали нам, не скроем от детей их... возвещая роду грядущему славу Господа, и силу Его, и чудеса Его, которые Он сотворил» (Пс. 77:2-4).

Моисей говорил нечто подобное своим современникам: «Только берегись и тщательно храни душу твою, чтобы тебе не забыть тех дел, которые видели глаза твои, и чтобы они не выходили из сердца твоего во все дни жизни твоей; и поведай о них сынам твоим и сынам сынов твоих» (Втор. 4:9).

Мы призваны смело с любовью возвещать новым поколениям «совершенства Призвавшего вас из тьмы в чудный Свой свет» (1 Пет. 2:9).

И пусть в передаче этой «эстафеты» у нас не возникнет никаких заминок.Отче, помоги мне быть верным в передаче своей веры другим.

Мы влияем на будущие поколения, живя для Христа в настоящем.

© 2016 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - Donnez au suivant

Lisez : Psaumes 78.1–8 | La Bible en un an : Cantique des cantiques 4 – 5 et Galates 3

par Lawrence Darmani

[Nous] dirons à la génération future les louanges de l’Éternel, et sa puissance, et les prodiges qu’il a opérés. (Psaumes 78.4)

Je me plais à regarder des courses à relais. La force physique, la vitesse, l’aptitude et l’endurance requises des athlètes me remplissent d’admiration. Reste qu’un point crucial de la course capte toujours mon attention en particulier et m’angoisse un peu. C’est le moment où le témoin est remis à l’athlète suivant. Il suffit d’un instant de retard ou d’un simple manque de synchronisme pour vouer la course à une défaite.

Or, les chrétiens participent aussi à un genre de course à relais, en ce sens qu’ils transportent le témoin de la foi, ainsi que de la connaissance du Seigneur et de sa Parole. Et la Bible nous parle de la nécessité de se remettre ce témoin de génération en génération. Dans le Psaume 78, Asaph déclare : « J’ouvre la bouche par des sentences […] des temps anciens. Ce que nous avons entendu, ce que nous savons, ce que nos pères nous ont raconté […] nous dirons à la génération future les louanges de l’Éternel, ainsi que sa puissance et les prodiges qu’il a opérés » (V. 2‑4).

Moïse a dit quelque chose de semblable aux Israélites : « [Veille] attentivement sur ton âme, tous les jours de ta vie, de peur que tu n’oublies les choses que tes yeux ont vues, et qu’elles ne sortent de ton coeur ; enseigne‑les à tes enfants et aux enfants de tes enfants » (DE 4.9).

Nous sommes appelés à tout faire pour transmettre aux générations à venir, avec amour et courage, « les vertus de celui qui [nous] a appelés des ténèbres à son admirable lumière » (1 PI 2.9).

On influence les générations à venir en vivant déjà pour Christ.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

Commentary: Jesus and Allah

by Bosco Peters

Jesus spoke Aramaic. And the word for ‘God’ in his language is ‘Allah’.

We have an ancient version of the Bible, the Peshitta, written in an Eastern Aramaic dialect. To be clear, I cannot read these texts and so am reliant on the scholarship of others.

The connections between words for ‘God’ are clear. The Proto-Semitic stem for “God” is *ʼil-(āh)-. Eloi (Mark 15:34) is, then, connected to the Aramaic, “Alaha”, and to the Arabic, “Allah”. And clearly related to the Hebrew word for God, Elohim.

“Allahu Akbar”, then, is not particularly Islamic – it is simply “God is great” in Arabic, and used by Christians who use Arabic in their worship.

Archbishop Sebastia Theodosios is the only Orthodox Christian archbishop from Palestine stationed in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. He responded to the question: “To a Western mind, Allahu Akbar sounds like a threat. What do Christians of the Holy Land think about them?”

We Christians also say Allahu Akbar. This is an expression of our understanding that the Creator is great. We don’t want this phrase to be related to terrorism and crimes.

We refuse to associate these words with massacres and murders.

We speak against using this phrase in this context. Those who do, they insult our religion and our religious values.

Those using these words while taking some unreligious, unspiritual, uncivilized actions are harming the religion.

Allahu Akbar is an expression of our faith.

One must not use these words for non-religion-related purposes in order to justify violence and terror.

To the question: “Do people say Allahu Akbar in church?” Archbishop Sebastia Theodosios replies:

Of course.

For us, Allah is not an Islamic term. This is a word used in Arabic to indicate the Creator who’s made the world we are living in. So when we say Allah in our prayers we mean the Creator of this world.

In our prayers and pleas, in our Orthodox Christian religious ceremonies we use exactly this word. We say, glory be to Allah in all times. We say Allah a lot during our liturgy. It’s erroneous to think that the word Allah is only used by Muslims.

We the Arab Christians say Allah in our Arabic language as a way to identify and address the Creator in our prayers.

I have experienced this in Arabic-speaking Christian services. But I also experienced this in Christian services in Indonesia. The Bahasa Indonesia for ‘God’ is ‘Allah’.

Copyright © 2016 Liturgy

Night Light for Couples - A King and His Queen

Night Light for Couples, the couples' devotional from Focus on the Family ministry founder Dr. James Dobson and his wife, Shirley, brings spouses together each evening, helping them stay connected with each other and their Lord.

“Those who honor me I will honor.” 1 Samuel 2:30

I can’t think of a better example of honor between husband and wife than the biblical account of Queen Esther and Xerxes, king of Persia, in the book of Esther. The young queen was faced with a terrible dilemma: Her people, the Jews, were to be killed as part of a ruthless plot concocted by one of the king’s most powerful nobles. Yet by law, no one, not even the queen, was allowed to approach the king without being summoned.

Esther relied on the principle of honor to protect her in this predicament. After fasting and, I’m sure, praying for three days, she went to the inner court of the palace. Rather than barging in, she waited patiently in the king’s hall. When the king saw Esther, he invited her in. She showed further respect for Xerxes by touching his scepter when she arrived. When the king asked her why she had come, Esther did not answer immediately. Instead, she invited the king to a banquet she had prepared, thus paying further tribute to her husband. At the banquet, she invited the king to yet another banquet the next day. Only then did she finally make her request known.

Every time Esther addressed her husband, she conveyed sincere respect. She used phrases such as “if it pleases the king”; “if [the king] regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do”; and “if I have found favor with you, O king.” Xerxes responded by honoring his wife—and granting her request! Through her courage and conduct, the Jews were spared a holocaust. In fact, King Xerxes went further: The evil noble was hanged, and the Jews were given new privileges and rights in the kingdom.

Our nature as humans is to criticize our spouse or complain about his or her shortcomings. Yet there is something attractive—and very compelling—about approaching each other as husband or wife with the deep respect and honor we would show royalty. I urge you to try approaching each other in just this way—even when you do not feel particularly close. Your reward will be a home environment that is more loving, positive, and enjoyable than you ever thought possible.

- Shirley M Dobson

• From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
  Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Daily Readings for September 23, 2016

Esther 8:1-8, 8:15-17
On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. The king held out the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther rose and stood before the king. She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have won his favor, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I have his approval, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote giving orders to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming on my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?" Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, "See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he plotted to lay hands on the Jews. You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked." Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, wearing royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a mantle of fine linen and purple, while the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the peoples of the country professed to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

Acts 19:21-41
Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have gone there, I must also see Rome." So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia. About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, "Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her." When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" The city was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel companions. Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; even some officials of the province of Asia, who were friendly to him, sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater. Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" But when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Citizens of Ephesus, who is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven? Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. You have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. If there is anything further you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Luke 4:31-37
He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Let us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm. They were all amazed and kept saying to one another, "What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!" And a report about him began to reach every place in the region.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 88 Domine, Deus
1   O LORD, my God, my Savior, by day and night I cry to you.
2   Let my prayer enter into your presence; incline your ear to my lamentation.
3   For I am full of trouble; my life is at the brink of the grave.
4   I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I have become like one who has no strength;
5   Lost among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
6   Whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand.
7   You have laid me in the depths of the Pit, in dark places, and in the abyss.
8   Your anger weighs upon me heavily, and all your great waves overwhelm me.
9   You have put my friends far from me; you have made me to be abhorred by them; I am in prison and cannot get free.
10   My sight has failed me because of trouble; LORD, I have called upon you daily; I have stretched out my hands to you.
11   Do you work wonders for the dead? will those who have died stand up and give you thanks?
12   Will your loving-kindness be declared in the grave? your faithfulness in the land of destruction?
13   Will your wonders be known in the dark? or your righteousness in the country where all is forgotten?
14   But as for me, O LORD, I cry to you for help; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
15   LORD, why have you rejected me? why have you hidden your face from me?
16   Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the point of death; I have borne your terrors with a troubled mind.
17   Your blazing anger has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me;
18   They surround me all day long like a flood; they encompass me on every side.
19   My friend and my neighbor you have put away from me, and darkness is my only companion.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 91 Qui habitat
1   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2   He shall say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust."
3   He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence.
4   He shall cover you with his pinions, and you shall find refuge under his wings; his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5   You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6   Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7   A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.
8   Your eyes have only to behold to see the reward of the wicked.
9   Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your habitation,
10   There shall no evil happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11   For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.
12   They shall bear you in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13   You shall tread upon the lion and the adder; you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.
14   Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15   He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16   With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

Psalm 92 Bonum est confiteri
1   It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
2   To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning and of your faithfulness in the night season;
3   On the psaltery, and on the lyre, and to the melody of the harp.
4   For you have made me glad by your acts, O LORD; and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
5   LORD, how great are your works! your thoughts are very deep.
6   The dullard does not know, nor does the fool understand, that though the wicked grow like weeds, and all the workers of iniquity flourish,
7   They flourish only to be destroyed for ever; but you, O LORD, are exalted for evermore.
8   For lo, your enemies, O LORD, lo, your enemies shall perish, and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
9   But my horn you have exalted like the horns of wild bulls; I am anointed with fresh oil.
10   My eyes also gloat over my enemies, and my ears rejoice to hear the doom of the wicked who rise up against me.
11   The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.
12   Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God;
13   They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be green and succulent;
14   That they may show how upright the LORD is, my Rock, in whom there is no fault.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for September 23, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Jonathan Melton

Psalm 92:11-12 (NRSV) The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Psalm 92 returns to the image with which Psalm 1 begins: a tree that flourishes. A mentor reminds me that flourishing is the standard for life in the kingdom: not surviving, but flourishing; not merely existing, but growing in healthy, vigorous ways.

To move toward this type of flourishing, my mentor suggests that Christians seek to engage the life of faith on local, national, and international levels. To forfeit any of these, she says, is to settle for less than the flourishing for which we are made.

Jesus affirms flourishing as a standard for his disciples with his promise of abundant life. Moreover, Jesus clarifies the character of those who participate in the abundant life he comes to give: Those who lay down their lives for others do not think of themselves as demeaned or diminished. We flourish. We are rooted in and bear the fruit of Christ’s love.

Such character comes as a gift to those who are planted in the abundance of the crucified and risen Christ. May we sing his praise with gladness and not fear to follow in his footsteps.

Subscribe to Forward Day By Day   

Join more than a half million readers worldwide who use Forward Day by Day as a resource for daily prayer and Bible study.

Men of the Bible - John the Baptist

His name may mean: "Yahweh Has Been Gracious"

His work: He was the forerunner of Jesus, called to live in the spirit and power of Elijah. John prepared the way by preaching the need for repentance.
His character: John was completely focused on his assignment, unaffected by anything other than his message. And he wasn't willing to take on this duty without plenty of preparation.
His sorrow: A prophet's greatest joy is in preaching. But John spent the final days of his life in prison, unable to do what God had called and gifted him to do.
His triumph: God chose John to baptize his Son. No greater honor has ever been given a man.
Key Scriptures: Luke 1:5-25; 3:1-20

A Look at the Man

People in Israel were expecting the Messiah. The prophet Malachi had spoken of a redeemer, saying, "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes" this long-awaited day of the Lord had melted into years, decades, centuries. Generations had come and gone, and still there was silence. God's voice was not heard.

But then came John with the clear-cut assignment pronounced centuries earlier by the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'" John's voice was so strong and so persistent that it was heard even in the king's palace. When Herod learned that John had pronounced judgment on his illegal and immoral marriage to his brother's wife, he threw the prophet in prison.

While imprisoned, John felt the need of reassurance about the one whose way he was preparing. Had he, like so many others, secretly hoped the Messiah would be like other great kings, using military force to overthrow his adversaries? But Jesus had assembled no armies. Perhaps, he may have thought, Jesus would use political force. But civil reform would never prove to be part of Jesus' agenda.

When John's emissaries questioned Jesus, they found him at work, curing diseases, giving sight to the blind, delivering those who were possessed by evil spirits. Jesus merely replied to their questions with the command: "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard."

Imagine how John must have been pleased with this message. This is not what I expected in the Messiah, he may have thought. But Jesus must be from God. No one could do these things unless he was the one we have waited for.

A short time later, John was beheaded by Herod. By his life and by his death he prepared the way of the Lord, whose kingdom was not of this earth. Jesus said of John: "I tell you the truth. Among those born of a woman there has not risen anyone greater than John."

John said of Jesus, "One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.... He must become greater; I must become less." A perfect summary of what it means to prepare the way of the Lord.

Reflect On: Luke 3:7–14
Praise God: For his faithfulness.
Offer Thanks: For God’s plan of salvation, for the obedience of John the Baptist, and for sending his Son.
Confess: Your fear of boldness in speaking the truth and in telling of your love for God and your faith in him.
Ask God: For opportunities to tell others of his mercy and for courage to speak.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - THE FORMS OF THE CHURCH

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42

The place in which a church meets varies. The use of big buildings, complex organizations, involved programs, huge budgets that provide for schools, hospitals, orphanages and other social activities are only possible in financially strong unrestricted societies.

Although the Lord has blessed these activities in many places in the world, we must recognize that they are not essential to the existence of the church. In some countries these activities are forbidden by the government, while in others, the local economic situation makes them impossible. Still the church can thrive, because it is not dependent on these things. Serious problems have arisen when Christians have become confused on this point.

A number of years ago, for example, some Vietnamese leaders thought that their lack of funds for such things was the cause of the slow growth of Christianity there. On one occasion, the following conversation was overheard:

"Do you have communists in your part of the country?" the observer asked. "Most assuredly. They are there," the leader replied.

“Are they growing in numbers and influence?" he then asked. The leader hesitated momentarily, then admitted sadly, “Yes, they are growing very fast."

“Can you show me their meeting places and schools or introduce me to their leaders?" the observer continued. "Certainly not," the leader said in disgust. "If they are known, they will be arrested."

"You mean they are secret, without buildings or property and still they grow in number?" the observer asked in amazement. "Yes, you could say that," the leader responded.

"Then it must be that their growing influence does not depend on such things. If they can be wrong in their beliefs and still grow without money and buildings, why do you think the church of Jesus Christ needs these things?" the man concluded.

If God provides these things, then use them for His glory. If He does not, remember that the New Testament church had none of these things, but they turned their world upside down (Acts 17:6). The early Christians did not confuse the church’s functions with methods. If they had done so, the church would have died in the bondage of Jewish legalism. The early churches were not encumbered by the presence of buildings, nor hindered by the lack of them. They met in public places, when they were permitted to do so, but when they were not, they went from house to house.

RESPONSE: I will no longer confuse the forms of the church with the biblical functions of the church.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for those who use their homes as centers for Your worship and declaration of the good news of Your love.

Girlfriends in God - Finding God in the Dry of Your Drought

by Gwen Smith

 

Today’s Truth

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23, NIV)

Friend to Friend

Now, the Old Testament prophet Elijah is a guy I can relate to. God asked him to do and say some difficult things. He also got an all-access pass to the God-Is-Awesome show as he experienced epic miracles at the hand of the Almighty. Even so, at one point he became gripped by fear and tried to run away from his problems. He knew exhaustion and sank into a pit of depression that darkened his hope. He felt alone, yet was provided for when God sent angels to care for his every need. At times Elijah found God in grandiose shouts and flames, but also heard from Him in a humble whisper. And through all his highs and lows, he loved and served God. Yes. I can relate to this guy. He’s my kind of people.

The story of Elijah begins in 1 King 17 when God sent the prophet to give a bold message to King Ahab, the reigning King of Israel who had been doing evil in the eyes of the Lord.

“Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’” (1 Kings 17:1)

Then, at the prompting of the Lord, Elijah went into hiding – first in the Kerith Ravine.

At the ravine, just east of the Jordan, God miraculously made sure His prophet had water from a brook and food from ravens. How crazy is that? Birds brought dinner to the man every night. Birds! Love it. God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.

I think it’s important to point out here that even Elijah, God’s faithful servant and great prophet, had to endure the drought. He was provided for, but not kept from the strain and struggle just because he was living for God. Deep thirst, hard times, and hunger impacted Elijah’s days just like those of the rebellious Israelites. Just like yours and mine. Jesus spoke of this reality in Matthew 5:45 when He said that God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." 

Droughts and difficulties are a reality for all of us. 

Turning again to the story, we see that back at the palace King Ahab was furious about the drought. So much so, that he searched high and low for Elijah. (1 Kings 18:10) But in spite of Ahab’s efforts, God kept Elijah hidden for about three years and used a drought to wring dry the rebellious nation of Israel in order to get their attention so they would turn back to Him.

After the brook dried up at the Kerith Ravine due to lack of rain, the Lord sent Elijah to the home of a God-fearing single mom… a widow in Zarephath of Sidon. Circumstances were bleak in the land. Crops had dried up and food was extremely scarce. Yet, in spite of the desperate times, God had a fresh and fruitful mission for Elijah.

The Lord didn’t simply want Elijah to survive the drought, He wanted him to serve and trust Him in the arid, arduous trenches of it. God used the drought to lead Elijah to new places of ministry – places that brought hope and life to others – places where he had to walk with fresh faith in the unfamiliar.

Holy Father, help me get this and expect this!

Elijah experienced provision, protection, intervention, and direction from God. Day after day, miracle after miracle, hard times came but the Lord was with him in and through it all. Just like He is for you and me.

As I consider this my mind scrolls through a few fingerprints of God’s faithfulness and provision in my own life…

He protected me back in high school when I wrecked my parent’s car.

He was with us when my son fractured his skull and broke his jaw in three places ... during the seven-hour reconstructive surgery, and the six-week wired-shut-healing.

He was our provision year after year through the strains of job loss, job changes, health challenges, and cross-country moves.

God is faithful, faithful, faithful.

Are you or a loved one in a season of drought? As you cry out to Jesus, expect to experience God’s grace, provision, and peace even in the times you face challenges that you were not wanting or expecting. And trust that when the dry of your drought is fierce, God is inviting you to serve and trust Him in the arid, arduous trenches of it. You are not alone, friend. 

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Thank You for being my protector, my help, and my refuge. When times are desperate, I know that I can trust You to provide the wisdom, provision, comfort, and grace I need to endure.
In Jesus’s Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Has God ever given you a fresh and fruitful mission in the middle of a drought? What did that look like? Would you have had the opportunity to impact others had it not been for the drought? Why or why not?

Feel like today’s devotion was written just for you? It was. God made sure you read it and I’d sure love to pray with you. Click here to join me on my blog wall for a time of PRAYER today. 

More from the Girlfriends

The Bible tells us that God is able to do above and beyond what we can ask or imagine. So why do we rarely pause to dream big dreams, think big thoughts, or expect God to do great things through us? Gwen Smith’s new book, I Want It ALL, will ignite a fire in your heart to experience more faith, more power, and more impact. More of Jesus. All of Jesus. Everything that God has for you. Order yours today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook.com or your favorite retailer.

Stay up with Gwen on her blog, and connect with her on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Seeking God?

 Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 1311
Huntersville, NC 28070
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com