Night Light for Couples - Body and Spirit

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.

“Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:31

In addition to society’s obsession with physical beauty, women face other obstacles to maintaining confidence, including disrespect for wives and mothers who have chosen the traditional homemaking role. Furthermore, many wives, especially mothers of small children, feel isolated at home. Their husbands are physically and emotionally “elsewhere,” pursuing careers, hobbies, or both. The result is often devastating, as women tend to derive their sense of self‐worth from the emotional closeness achieved through relationships.

So what’s the solution? We encourage you as the husband to be present with your wife in body and spirit. Set aside time for her. Listen to her. Romance her. Show her she’s still your one‐and‐only sweetheart. On the other hand, don’t expect to fill all of her emotional needs. Encourage her to develop meaningful friendships with other women and reach out to others in your community.

“Honor one another above yourselves.” This simple phrase from the Bible (Romans 12:10) is the key to affirming the infinite worth of your spouse.

Just between us…

• (husband) When you’re with other people, do you sometimes think,

“They wouldn’t like me if they really knew who I am?”

• (husband) Do you feel that I’m “present with you,” or do I often seem preoccupied?
• (husband) What can I do to build your confidence this week?
• (husband) How can I support you in establishing friendships?

(husband) Dear God, thank You for the great worth You see in my wife. I see it, too, and I want to honor and cherish her more every day. Help me to bless her and make her strong in this way. Amen.

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

Standing Strong Through the Storm - BOLDER AND FEARLESS

And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Philippians 1:14

The Apostle Paul indicates that another reason why the gospel was actually advancing during his imprisonment was the bold courageous witness of other believers who had lost their fear.

Two Chinese itinerant evangelists who carried Christian books with them were arrested in Anhui Province during their ministry. The Public Security Bureau (PSB) put them in jail and beat them. The guard beat the face of one until it bled and then took his shoes away in the cold of winter. Then they poured cold water on him throughout the winter. He became deformed from the harsh treatment. Both were kept in jail for six months.

They had led two people to the Lord in that prison location before they were arrested, and when they were released from jail after six months, there were over one hundred new Christians in the area from the seeds that these men had planted. The two people that they led to the Lord spread the message to others. The work grew even while the itinerant evangelists were in prison.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, fourteen Christians continued their witness while in prison by reading scripture aloud. By the time they were released, they had read through the entire New Testament and forty-four inmates professed faith in Jesus Christ.

Pedro Pablo Castillo shares a similar situation in Nicaragua where half of the four thousand political prisoners became Christians. On the eve of their release, they prayed, sang and read scripture to celebrate their pardon. Castillo returned to the jail to urge them to let Christ shine in their lives whether in jail or outside.

We shared earlier about Pastor Tu in Vietnam—leader of the fastest growing house church network. Pastor Tu spent three years in prison for his evangelistic ministry. When he was released, he found his house church network had grown three hundred percent during his imprisonment years.

I received a Christmas card from him the following year that read: “…God greatly gives our church 20,203 more new believers this year. Hallelujah!”

RESPONSE: God’s kingdom will advance when I overcome my fear and become a bold and courageous witness to the power of the gospel.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to trust You fully and become a dynamic force in boldly advancing the growth of Your church.

Girlfriends in God - Finding Strength For Your Struggle

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. (Exodus 15:2)

Friend to Friend

Moses faced complicated challenges and circumstances. Born in a time when he, as a Hebrew baby, was supposed to have been killed, Moses was saved by God’s sovereign grace when Pharaoh’s daughter pulled him from the Nile and kept him as her own.

A Hebrew among Egyptians, Moses was raised in a land and culture that was far removed from his heritage and from the One true God of Israel. You know this story! We saw it on the flannel graph boards in Sunday school as little girls. We watched Charlton Heston act it out in the movie The Ten Commandments. Moses had it all in the palace, lost it all when he murdered an Egyptian soldier, then eventually, risked it all for the holy God who called out to him and commissioned him from a flame.

Moses set out to free his people through the power of God. Though the Pharaoh doubted God’s strength, the Lord displayed His might, plague after plague, until finally it looked like Pharaoh got the memo. At last he let God’s people go. Moses and the Israelites left Egypt promptly and high-tailed it down the road of divine deliverance. But when Pharaoh changed his mind and gathered his army to chase them, the Israelites ran smack dab up against the Red Sea.

Major problem.

Not one to be hindered by impossibility, the Lord took care of business in a huge and powerful way. He parted and held back the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites so they could escape destruction and experience deliverance. After His people crossed over safely, God again demonstrated His strength by sweeping the Pharaoh and his army into the sea, killing every last one of them (Exodus 13 and 14).

My goodness. What a story! What. A. God! If this doesn’t get you excited about the strength of God, I’m not quite sure what will!

“Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:31).

Then a big ol’ party went down as Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord a song that’s commonly referred to as the Song of Moses.

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. (Exodus 15:2)

In Exodus 15, Moses calls God his Strength and celebrates the power that brought salvation to his people.

The Bible reveals many names that highlight the power of our God; El Sali is a Hebrew name meaning “God of my Strength; God my Rock.” King David also calls God his Strength, El Sali, in Psalm 59:9: “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress.” Then again in verse 17, “O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”

Elohei Ma’uzzi is another Hebrew name meaning “the God of my Strength.” As David sang, “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect” (2 Samuel 22:33).

Got any complicated challenges and circumstances right now?

Perhaps you find yourself lamenting to the God of Strength, El Sali, wondering why you’ve been forgotten and why you feel weak.

Maybe things are good for you right now, but you know of others who have encountered shadows along their roads of deliverance.

Each of us is guaranteed life challenges, but God promises to be our strength when we call on Him. He is not puffed up and powerless. He is El Sali, the God of Strength who loves you and longs to move in and through your life.

Will you trust Him more deeply and allow Him to be your strength today?

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, my Strength, El Sali, You are powerful and loving. Thank you for allowing me—this average, ordinary girl with complicated relationships and difficult circumstances—to have access to Your perfect Strength when I am weak. Help me to trust You when all my heart sees is fear.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read the first half of Psalm 84:5: Blessed are those whose strength is in you. To whom is this comment directed? In what ways has this been true in your life?

Where do you find yourself with this topic? Let’s have a community discussion on the wall of my blog and encourage one another today.

More from the Girlfriends

TWO DAY GIVEAWAY: Get a FREE Uncluttered CD when you purchase the Girlfriends in God book, Knowing God by Name. ONLY from the store at GwenSmith.net.

Today’s GiG devotion is adapted from Knowing God by Name by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc.

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Click here to find out more about
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Un Dia a la Vez - Jesús y el ayuno

Cuando ores, entra en tu aposento, y cerrada la puerta, ora a tu Padre que está en secreto; y tu Padre que ve en lo secreto te recompensará en público. Mateo 6:6, RV-60

Comenzamos un nuevo mes y una enseñanza más de nuestros veintiún días en los que recordamos lo que Dios dejó escrito en su Palabra para que lo entendamos y le podamos obedecer.

Tanto con la oración como con la ofrenda, Jesús nos hace la misma observación. Nos pide que lo hagamos en privado, sin ser llamativos y escandalosos, pues lo que hacemos es para el Señor y no para los hombres.

El ayuno es una oportunidad que tenemos para estar en verdadera comunión con Dios. Además, tiene poder y un gran valor para nuestro Padre celestial. En esos días de ayuno casi siempre hay peticiones específicas que ponemos delante de Dios y es impresionante cómo responde Él. Esto lo comprobamos en los testimonios que son poderosos de verdad.

Sin embargo, el día que ayunes, lo único que te pide Dios es que no lo estés divulgando. Porque si lo haces, te considerarán un hipócrita. ¿Sabes? Con solo de imaginarme que Dios piense de mí que soy una hipócrita, ya me hace ser obediente. Por eso quiero y trato de agradarle.

Verse of the Day - November 01, 2016

Ephesians 1:18 (NIV) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

Read all of Ephesians 1

The Daily Readings for November 1, 2016 - All Saints Day

Daniel 7:1-3, 7:15-18
In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: "As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever-- forever and ever."

Psalm 149 Cantate Domino
1   Hallelujah! Sing to the LORD a new song; sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
2   Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3   Let them praise his Name in the dance; let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
4   For the LORD takes pleasure in his people and adorns the poor with victory.
5   Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; let them be joyful on their beds.
6   Let the praises of God be in their throat and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7   To wreak vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples;
8   To bind their kings in chains and their nobles with links of iron;
9   To inflict on them the judgment decreed; this is glory for all his faithful people. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 1:11-23
In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 6:20-31
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

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 Daily Meditation for November 1, 2016 - All Saints Day

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson

Luke 6:20 (NRSV) Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

She offered the gift in a plastic grocery bag. Money is tight this year, so we decided to give our friends what we had. She smiled apologetically. Inside the bag was five pounds of beef wrapped in butcher paper. And I came to our appointment empty-handed. I didn’t have a present; it didn’t occur to me to bring one.

Our relationship is customer and service provider—I visit her every six weeks or so, and she works her magic. Our conversations are easy and deep, though we have little in common on the surface: She grew up the last child in a big family, with an alcoholic father who left when she was an infant. Pregnant early, divorced from an abusive husband, estranged from her daughter and son, she is a woman of deep and abiding faith who thanks God often in our conversations and wrestles with God’s plan for her life. I am solidly middle class, with a husband and two children, a dog, a horse, and a rabbit, living in a nice house in a good neighborhood.

Jesus reminds us that poverty does not determine generosity, that the poor have much to offer, and the saints of God often come from the least expected places.

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The Liturgical Calendar: All Saints

Today the church remembers All Saints.

Our English word "saint," derived from the Latin sanctus, is used in a variety of ways. Literally it means holy, set apart for God, consecrated, or dedicated. In the New Testament, hagios, the Greek word for saint, is used to refer to all baptized Christians, many of whom were far from exemplary. Paul sometimes scolded the saints for their corrupt and decadent ways.

When we use the word saint in the context of All Saints's Day, we refer especially to those Christians who have lived such hallowed lives, yielding so fully to the Holy Spirit, showing such love for God and his human creatures, that their examples are treasured and emulated. These individuals, a few of whom are remembered in this book, are the champions of Christ and his church and the heroes of the faithful.

In medieval times the Roman Catholic Church developed an elaborate system called cannonization for designating and selecting the saints. The Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Churches have been much less systematic in deciding who would be called a saint. Virtually all Christians acknowledge that it is ultimately God who decides who his holy ones are and none of our judgments or acclamations presume to make such decisions for him. Our intention is rather to share and rejoice in the knowledge of those who have done good things in his name in all times and places.

Help us to take seriously our own vocation as saints, as the holy ones of God. Amen.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Our Daily Bread - Run to Me

By Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read: Proverbs 18:4–12 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 24–26; Titus 2

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

During a walk at a local park, my children and I encountered a couple of unleashed dogs. Their owner didn’t seem to notice that one of them had begun to intimidate my son. My son tried to shoo the dog away, but the animal only became more intent on bothering him.

Eventually, my son panicked. He bolted several yards into the distance, but the dog pursued him. The chase continued until I yelled, “Run to me!” My son doubled back, calmed down, and the dog finally decided to make mischief somewhere else.

There are moments in our lives when God calls to us and says, “Run to Me!” Something troubling is on our heels. The faster and farther we go, the more closely it pursues us. We can’t shake it. We’re too afraid to turn and confront the trouble on our own. But the reality is that we aren’t on our own. God is there, ready to help and comfort us. All we have to do is turn away from whatever scares us, and move in His direction. His Word says, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10).

Dear Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. I need the kind of peace that only You can give. Help me to turn to You when I am troubled.

When has God given you peace? Share your story with your friends at Facebook.com/ourdailybread

God is our refuge in times of trouble.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Unser Täglich Brot - Lauf zu mir

Von Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Lesen: Sprüche 18,4-12 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Jeremia 24–26; Titus 2

Der Name des Herrn ist eine feste Burg; der Gerechte läuft dorthin und wird beschirmt. (Sprüche 18,10)

Ich ging mit meinen Kindern im Park spazieren, als uns ein paar Hunde begegneten, die nicht angeleint waren. Ihr Besitzer schien nicht zu merken, dass einer von ihnen meinen Sohn belästigte. Mein Sohn versuchte ihn abzuwehren, aber dadurch wurde der Hund nur noch angriffslustiger.

Schließlich geriet mein Sohn in Panik. Er lief davon, aber der Hund rannte hinter ihm her. Er blieb ihm dicht auf den Fersen, bis ich rief: „Lauf zu mir!“ Mein Sohn machte auf dem Absatz kehrt. Er beruhigte sich und der Hund beschloss, sich anderswo zu vergnügen.

Es gibt Momente im Leben, in denen auch Gott uns zuruft: „Lauf zu mir!“ Irgendeine Sorge verfolgt uns. Je schneller und weiter wir ihr entfliehen wollen, desto hartnäckiger verfolgt sie uns. Wir können sie nicht abschütteln. Aber wir haben Angst, uns umzudrehen und uns dem Problem zu stellen. Dabei müssen wir es gar nicht allein tun. Gott ist da und will uns helfen und trösten. Wir müssen uns nur von dem, was uns gerade Angst macht, abwenden und in seine Richtung gehen. Sein Wort sagt: „Der Name des Herrn ist eine feste Burg; der Gerechte läuft dorthin und wird beschirmt“ (Spr. 18,10).

Lieber Herr, du bist der Friedefürst. Ich brauche einen Frieden, wie nur du ihn geben kannst. Hilf mir, mich bei Problemen immer an dich zu wenden.

Wann hat Gott dir Frieden geschenkt? Teile deine Geschichte mit deinen Freunden auf facebook.com/odbdeutsch

Gott ist unsere Zuflucht in Zeiten der Not.

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Беги ко мне

автор: Дженифер Бенсон Шульдт

Читать сейчас: Притчи 18:4-12 | Библия за год: Иеремия 24-26; Колоссянам 3

Имя Господа – крепкая башня: убегает в нее праведник – и безопасен. — Притчи 18:10

Во время прогулки по местному парку мы с детьми встретили пару собак без поводков. Хозяин, казалось, не замечал, что одна из них стала приставать к моему сыну. Мальчик попытался отогнать собаку, но та стала еще более настойчивой.

В конце концов мой сын запаниковал. Он отбежал на несколько метров, собака устремилась следом. «Догонялки» продолжались, пока я не крикнула: «Беги ко мне!» Сын прибежал и прижался ко мне, а собака, увидев это, не решилась приблизиться и отправилась на поиски новых развлечений.

В жизни бывают ситуации, когда Бог говорит нам: «Беги ко Мне!» Тревоги имеют свойство умножаться, когда мы стараемся от них убежать. Они словно дышат в спину, а повернуться и разобраться с ними своими силами мы не осмеливаемся. Но мы не одни. Бог рядом. Он готов прийти на помощь и поддержать. Все что нужно – это отвернуться от того, что беспокоит нас, и направиться к Нему. Библия говорит: «Имя Господа – крепкая башня: убегает в нее праведник – и безопасен» (Притч. 18:10).

Дорогой Господь, Ты Князь мира. Мне нужен мир, который можешь дать только Ты. Помоги мне обращаться к Тебе в любой беде.

Бог – наше убежище во время скорби.

© 2016 Хлеб Наш Насущный

Notre Pain Quotidien - Cours vers moi

par Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Lisez : Proverbes 18.4‑12 | La Bible en un an : Jérémie 24 – 26 et Tite 2

Le nom de l’Éternel est une tour forte ; le juste s’y réfugie, et se trouve en sécurité. (Proverbes 18.10)

Durant une promenade dans un parc du quartier, mes enfants et moi avons rencontré des chiens en liberté. Leur propriétaire ne semblait pas remarquer que l’un d’eux s’était mis à intimider mon fils. Celui‑ci tentait de le chasser, mais avec pour seul résultat d’inciter l’animal à le déranger encore plus.

Mon fils a alors fini par céder à la panique. Il s’est éloigné de plusieurs mètres au pas de course, mais le chien l’a suivi. La poursuite a continué jusqu’à ce que je crie à mon fils : « Cours vers moi ! » Mon fils a alors rebroussé chemin et s’est calmé, puis le chien a fini par décider d’aller faire ses bêtises ailleurs.

Il y a des moments dans la vie où Dieu nous appelle ainsi à lui : « Cours vers moi ! » Quelque chose qui nous trouble est sur nos talons. Plus nous cherchons à nous en éloigner au plus vite, plus cette chose se rapproche de nous. Nous ne parvenons pas à la semer. Nous avons trop peur de nous retourner et de l’affronter par nous‑mêmes. En réalité, nous ne sommes toutefois pas seuls. Dieu est là, prêt à nous venir en aide et à nous réconforter. Tout ce que nous avons à faire, c’est de nous détourner de ce qui nous fait peur pour courir dans sa direction. Sa Parole nous dit : « Le nom de l’Éternel est une tour forte ; le juste s’y réfugie, et se trouve en sécurité » (PR 18.10).

Dieu est notre refuge dans la tempête.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

Night Light for Couples - Love in the Mirror

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.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.” 1 Samuel 16:7

The overemphasis on physical attractiveness in our society is frequently damaging to self‐confidence. A case in point is the story of Peter Foster, a Royal Air Force pilot in World War II.

During an air battle, Foster was the victim of a terrible fire. He survived, but his face was burned beyond recognition. He spent many anxious moments in the hospital wondering if his family—and especially his fiancée—would still accept him. They did. His fiancée assured him that nothing had changed except a few millimeters of skin. Two years later they were married.

Foster said of his wife, “She became my mirror. She gave me a new image of myself. When I look at her, she gives me a warm, loving smile that tells me I’m okay.”

That’s the way marriage ought to work, too—it should be a mutual admiration society that overlooks a million flaws and builds the self‐esteem of both partners. Let’s become each other’s mirrors, reflecting back love and affirmation every chance we get.

Just between us…

• When was the last time I complimented you on your appearance?
• Is our marriage a “mutual admiration society”?
• Would you still love me if I became disfigured like Peter Foster?
• What do you think the Lord sees in me?
• How can I be a better “mirror” for you?

Lord Jesus, You came to bring Your presence and Your love to all—regardless of looks or ability, of health or condition. Thank You so much! May we reflect that same enthusiastic and unconditional love to each other in our marriage. Amen.

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

Standing Strong Through the Storm - IN CHAINS FOR CHRIST

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Philippians 1:13

Authorities in Afghanistan arrested Said Musa on May 31, 2010, days after the local TV station broadcast images of Afghan Christians being baptised and worshipping the Lord. A Christian for eight years, he is married and the father of six. Before release from prison he wrote:

Hello my dear brothers and sisters, lovely and strong in faith. On Saturday I went to court, but my session was not held. I met then two persons. I became very happy when they introduced themselves [as my] defence attorneys…I immediately felt joy in my heart, like somebody gave me comfort, like stars, like lights. I one hundred percent believe it was the Holy Spirit healing my heart.

On Thursday some high officials came from the Attorney General’s office. They asked me, “What is your name?” I introduced myself to them. After that they asked me, “Are you truly a Christian?” I replied to them, I am one hundred percent Christian. I believe in the Son of God Almighty, He is my Savior and Lord. I told them the only way to come to God is to have faith in Jesus Christ, He’s the way, He’s eternal life, He’s truth, He’s love, He’s really God.

After that they asked me, “What is wrong with being a Muslim that you converted to the Christian religion?” I told them, it’s the plan of God. God chose his people to complete his work on the earth. Muslim is not bad. The Christian people are never against any religion in the world. Our fight is just with Satan. We love our enemies, like ourselves. They joked and mocked me. “You want to make us Christians now?”

Today a new person came. He asked me, “Why do you not accept Islam; why is this religion better?” I replied to him, the golden thing is this; love your enemy as yourself. In which religion do you find this word? Just in Christianity.

He told me, “You know your punishment. It’s death.” I told him, I am one hundred percent ready for the sake of my faith. My Saviour gave his life for me. I am not afraid of a human; he just kills my body, but does not hurt my soul. I am afraid of my Lord and Savior; He will be able to punish my soul too. I told him I am holding on to my faith. I will never betray my faith. Without Jesus, what does the life in this world or the afterlife mean? Nothing!

RESPONSE: Today I will pray for those like Said Musa who are truly in prison for their faith.

PRAYER: Lord, may I have the strength and courage to confess You even under severe pressure.

Women of the Bible - Martha

Her name means: "Lady" (the feminine form of "Lord")

Her character: Active and pragmatic, she seemed never at a loss for words. Though Jesus chastened her for allowing herself to become worried and upset by small things, she remained his close friend and follower.
Her sorrow: To have waited, seemingly in vain, for Jesus to return in time to heal her brother, Lazarus.
Her joy: To watch as Jesus restored her brother to life.
Key Scriptures: Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-12:3

Her Story

Martha, Mary, and their brother, Lazarus, lived together in Bethany, a village just two miles from Jerusalem, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. All three were intimate friends of Jesus.

During one of his frequent stays in their home, Martha became annoyed with Mary, her indignation spilling over like water from a boiling pot. Instead of helping with the considerable chore of feeding and housing Jesus and his retinue of disciples, Mary had been spending her time sitting happily at his feet. Feeling ignored and unappreciated, Martha marched over to Jesus and demanded: "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

But Jesus wouldn't oblige. Instead, he chided her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her."

Jesus' tender rebuke must have embarrassed and startled her, calculated as it was to break the grip of her self-pity and reveal what was really taking place under her own roof and in her own heart. Perhaps this competent woman realized for the first time just how much she had been missing. Distracted by the need to serve Jesus, she had not taken time to enjoy him, to listen and learn from him. Her anger at Mary may have stemmed more from envy than from any concern about being overworked, for her sister had made her way into the circle of men to sit at the feet of the Teacher and learn from him.

Martha's story, of course, points to what is really important in life. She seemed confused and distracted, conned into believing her ceaseless activity would produce something of lasting importance. But Martha does more than simply instruct through her mistakes. She shows what it is like to have a relationship with Jesus so solid and close that no posturing or hiding is necessary. Martha seemed free to be herself in his presence. Where else should she have taken her frustration and anger, after all, but to Jesus?

Martha seems to have worked out her faith directly and actively, questioning, challenging, asking Jesus to rectify whatever had gone wrong. Her spirituality was like that of Jacob, who wrestled all night with an angel, or Job, who questioned God in the midst of his suffering, or Peter, who stumbled brashly forward into faith despite his mistakes.

In a later scene, after her brother died, we see Martha running to meet Jesus as soon as she heard he was near. Her greeting to Jesus was tinged with complaint: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." But faith, too, was present: "I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

"Your brother will rise again," Jesus assured her.

"I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day, " Martha replied.

"I am the resurrection and the life, " Jesus said. "Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord, " she told him. "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

But right after her tremendous expression of faith, Martha's practical side reasserted itself. When Jesus asked for the stone to be removed from Lazarus's tomb, she objected, raising the concern on everyone's mind: "But, Lord, there will be a terrible stink. Lazarus has been there four days!" How amazed she must have been when instead of the stench of death, Lazarus himself emerged from the tomb.

The more we delve into Martha's story, the more familiar it seems—as familiar as the face gazing at us in the bathroom mirror. A woman who placed too much importance on her own activity and not enough on sitting quietly before Jesus, she pleaded for fairness without realizing that her version of fairness was itself unfair. Her commonsensical approach to life made faith difficult. But she also loved Jesus and was confident of his love for her. How else could she have found the courage to keep pressing him for answers to her many questions? Martha offers a warmly human portrait of what it means to have Jesus as a friend, allowing him to stretch her faith, rebuke her small vision of the world, and show her what the power of God can do.

Her Promise

Martha meets Jesus again in John 11 after the death of her brother, Lazarus. With characteristic forthrightness, she tells Jesus that if he had come earlier, Lazarus would not have died. Her statements open the way for Jesus to declare for all to hear—including us today—that he alone is the resurrection and the life. If we believe in him, even if we die, we live. What a promise! What a comfort! Through Jesus, death no longer has any power over us.

Girlfriends in God - When You Just Need to Breathe

by Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV)

Friend to Friend

It was one of my favorite trees. And it was dying.

We live on a lake, and my dying tree was truly a “tree planted by streams of water.” So how could it be dying? How could branches right in the smack dab middle of the bushy green be turning into kindling? It didn’t make sense.

I called an arborist to come out and take a look. He saw the problem right away.

“Ma’am, see how that tree looks like a telephone pole stuck in the ground? That’s not the way a tree should be planted. You should be able to see some of the roots spreading out from the trunk. Those roots are covered up with dirt, grass, and these pretty perennials you’ve planted at the base. The tree can’t breathe.”
“It can’t breathe?” I asked.

“Yep. You see a tree is a living organism that needs to breathe just like you do. If the roots are smothered, then it can’t. Trees need sunlight, water, carbon dioxide and nutrients from the soil. Those flowers you have planted around it are actually stealing the nutrients. The dirt covering the roots is suffocating it. It has water, but it needs more than that.

“Bottom line, your tree is stressed out.”

Ah, words I understood. “Stressed out.”

So, the arborist cleared away some of the dirt from around the roots to allow the tree to breathe and cut away the dead limbs. Then he dug up the flowers and tossed them aside. I could almost hear the tree take a deep breath as if to say, “Ah, thank you!”

Three months later, it looks like the tree is going to make it after all.

All this thinking about my tree planted by the water made me think about my schedule…my life. And of course, that led me to your schedule…your life.

I like to think of myself as a tree planted by the water similar to the one mentioned in the first psalm. I get up every morning and soak in God’s Word before jumping into my day. That’s my water. My living water.

But it’s not enough to drink in the morning and then smother my day with too many activities, commitments, and deadlines. I need more than water to thrive. I need to be able to breathe.

I can plant “beautiful” activities in my life like those flowers, but they may be sucking the nutrients right out of my soul. Those activities might look nice on my calendar, but they might not be soul nice. I can smother my roots with commitments and pile on the soil so that I look more like a non-living thing stuck in the ground—a telephone pole—rather than a fruit-bearing tree.

So as I begin this fall season with its activities left and right, I need to stop and examine if they are exactly what God wants me to do, or if they are just “pretty flowers ” that are keeping me from being that tree that yields fruit in due season.

As I think about my fall schedule with its commitments and deadlines, I need to ask myself if I am covering up the roots of my heart—smothering it from the very air I need to breathe.

And that’s what I want you to consider today. Let’s do more than survive. Let’s thrive! Clear away what needs to be cleared away. Toss out what needs to be tossed (even if it looks pretty on your schedule). Make room to breathe.

Let’s Pray

Lord, I want to be a tree planted by streams of living water that bears fruit in its season. As I move into the fall season, open my eyes to unnecessary activities and commitments, and help me to know when to say “no”. Show me what I need to dig up and toss. Help me to do what I need to do to avoid stressing out my roots and suffocating my soul.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

I want you to keep this devotion in mind as you head into fall. Before putting something on your schedule, ask yourself these three questions that Liz Higgs asks herself in her book Only Angels Can Wing It.

1. Will this activity matter one week from today? One month? One year?
2. Is there someone who does this task better than I do, to whom I might delegate it?
3. Does it satisfy a heart need for me or someone I love very much?
4. What are the ramifications if I don’t do it?
5. What are the outcomes if I do?

More From the Girlfriends

When it come to all the activities that scream for your attention, one of the best ways to know when to say “no” and when to say “yes” is to become a woman who listens to God. This book, Becoming a Woman who Listens to God, includes a Bible Study guide that is a perfect resource for Bible study groups and individual study. Learn how to see God’s fingerprints on the pages of your life and experience His presence on a daily basis.

Seeking God?

Click here to find out more about

how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

http://www.girlfriendsingod.com

Un Dia a la Vez - Jesús y la limosna

Cuando ores, entra en tu aposento, y cerrada la puerta, ora a tu Padre que está en secreto; y tu Padre que ve en lo secreto te recompensará en público. Mateo 6:6, rv-60

Fíjense bien que lo que Dios nos ha exhortado durante estos últimos devocionales es a que todo lo que hagamos para Él sea en silencio, pues es un Dios de intimidad. Es evidente que le molesta la gente ruidosa y que les dicen a todos lo que diezman, lo que ofrendan y hoy, en este devocional, lo que oran.

Una vez más Jesús dice que si vas a orar, lo hagas solo, que no seas como los hipócritas que oran de pie en las sinagogas y en la calle para que los vean. ¡Cuánto le choca esto a nuestro Dios!

Ahora bien, esto no quiere decir que no podamos orar en grupo o en familia de una manera audible. Tampoco se trata de que no podamos ir a las misiones, pues a lo que Dios se refiere es a la intención de nuestro corazón.

También nos enseña que no seamos repetitivos en la oración como los loros, sino tengamos una conversación natural y sincera de nuestro corazón con Él.

Aprendemos, entonces, que todo lo que hagamos en secreto, Él nos lo recompensara en público. Y aun si no se nos reconociera, es bueno hacerlo en silencio.

Verse of the Day - October 31, 2016

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Read all of 1 Peter 5

The Daily Readings for October 31, 2016

Ecclesiasticus 38:24-34
The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure; only the one who has little business can become wise. How can one become wise who handles the plow, and who glories in the shaft of a goad, who drives oxen and is occupied with their work, and whose talk is about bulls? He sets his heart on plowing furrows, and he is careful about fodder for the heifers. So too is every artisan and master artisan who labors by night as well as by day; those who cut the signets of seals, each is diligent in making a great variety; they set their heart on painting a lifelike image, and they are careful to finish their work. So too is the smith, sitting by the anvil, intent on his iron-work; the breath of the fire melts his flesh, and he struggles with the heat of the furnace; the sound of the hammer deafens his ears, and his eyes are on the pattern of the object. He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork, and he is careful to complete its decoration. So too is the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet; he is always deeply concerned over his products, and he produces them in quantity. He molds the clay with his arm and makes it pliable with his feet; he sets his heart to finish the glazing, and he takes care in firing the kiln. All these rely on their hands, and all are skillful in their own work. Without them no city can be inhabited, and wherever they live, they will not go hungry. Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people, nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly. They do not sit in the judge's seat, nor do they understand the decisions of the courts; they cannot expound discipline or judgment, and they are not found among the rulers. But they maintain the fabric of the world, and their concern is for the exercise of their trade. How different the one who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High!

Revelation 14:1-13
Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless. Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth-- to every nation and tribe and language and people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water." Then another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, "Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, they will also drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name." Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them."

Luke 12:49-59
"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain' and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case, or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 56 Miserere mei, Deus
1   Have mercy on me, O God, for my enemies are hounding me; all day long they assault and oppress me.
2   They hound me all the day long; truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3   Whenever I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
4   In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can flesh do to me?
5   All day long they damage my cause; their only thought is to do me evil.
6   They band together; they lie in wait; they spy upon my footsteps; because they seek my life.
7   Shall they escape despite their wickedness? O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.
8   You have noted my lamentation; put my tears into your bottle; are they not recorded in your book?
9   Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; this I know, for God is on my side.
10   In God the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me?
11   I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; I will present to you thank-offerings;
12   For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Psalm 57 Miserere mei, Deus
1   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, for I have taken refuge in you; in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until this time of trouble has gone by.
2   I will call upon the Most High God, the God who maintains my cause.
3   He will send from heaven and save me; he will confound those who trample upon me; God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.
4   I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.
5   They have laid a net for my feet, and I am bowed low; they have dug a pit before me, but have fallen into it themselves.
6   Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth.
7   My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and make melody.
8   Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp; I myself will waken the dawn.
9   I will confess you among the peoples, O LORD; I will sing praise to you among the nations.
10   For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
11   Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth.

Psalm 58 Si vere utique
1   Do you indeed decree righteousness, you rulers? do you judge the peoples with equity?
2   No; you devise evil in your hearts, and your hands deal out violence in the land.
3   The wicked are perverse from the womb; liars go astray from their birth.
4   They are as venomous as a serpent, they are like the deaf adder which stops its ears,
5   Which does not heed the voice of the charmer, no matter how skillful his charming.
6   O God, break their teeth in their mouths; pull the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.
7   Let them vanish like water that runs off; let them wither like trodden grass.
8   Let them be like the snail that melts away, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.
9   Before they bear fruit, let them be cut down like a brier; like thorns and thistles let them be swept away.
10   The righteous will be glad when they see the vengeance; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11   And they will say, "Surely, there is a reward for the righteous; surely, there is a God who rules in the earth."

Evening Psalms

Psalm 64 Exaudi, Deus
1   Hear my voice, O God, when I complain; protect my life from fear of the enemy.
2   Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the mob of evildoers.
3   They sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their bitter words like arrows,
4   That they may shoot down the blameless from ambush; they shoot without warning and are not afraid.
5   They hold fast to their evil course; they plan how they may hide their snares.
6   They say, "Who will see us? who will find out our crimes? we have thought out a perfect plot."
7   The human mind and heart are a mystery; but God will loose an arrow at them, and suddenly they will be wounded.
8   He will make them trip over their tongues, and all who see them will shake their heads.
9   Everyone will stand in awe and declare God's deeds; they will recognize his works.
10   The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and put their trust in him, and all who are true of heart will glory.

Psalm 65 Te decet hymnus
1   You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
2   To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, because of their transgressions.
3   Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out.
4   Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there! they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house, by the holiness of your temple.
5   Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, O Hope of all the ends of the earth and of the seas that are far away.
6   You make fast the mountains by your power; they are girded about with might.
7   You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the peoples.
8   Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
9   You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; the river of God is full of water.
10   You prepare the grain, for so you provide for the earth.
11   You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12   You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.
13   May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, and the hills be clothed with joy.
14   May the meadows cover themselves with flocks, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; let them shout for joy and sing.

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.