|
Get Involved
|
Jan 6, 2011 5:22 am
372 Views
|
Read: John 4.7-26
But [Jesus] needed to go through Samaria. —John 4.4
Bible in a year:
Genesis 16-17; Matthew 5.27-48
Norena’s South Florida home was severely damaged during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. She received an insurance settlement, and the repair work began. But the contractors left when the money ran out, leaving an unfinished home with no electricity. For 15 years, Norena got by with a tiny refrigerator and a few lamps connected to extension cords. Surprisingly, her neighbors didn’t seem to notice her dilemma. Then, acting on a tip, the mayor got involved and contacted an electrical contractor who restored power to her house within a few hours.
When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well John 4, He got involved in her life and talked to her about her need for spiritual power. He established common ground with her
(water, v.7) and piqued her spiritual interest and curiosity
vv.9-14.
He was gracious and sensitive as He confronted her sin vv.16-19 and kept the conversation centered on the main issue vv.21-24. Then He confronted her directly with who He was as Messiah v.26. As a result, she and many other Samaritans believed in Him vv.39-42.
Let’s get involved in the lives of others and tell them about Jesus. He is the only source of spiritual power and satisfies our deepest longings.
Help me to see the tragic plight
Of souls far off in sin;
Help me to love, to pray, and go
To bring the wandering in.
A faith worth having is a faith worth sharing.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Lion Of Judah
|
Jan 5, 2011 6:43 am
392 Views
|
Read: Isaiah 31.1-5
Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed. —Revelation 5.5
Bible in a year:
Genesis 13-15; Matthew 5.1-26
The lounging lions in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve looked harmless. They rolled on their backs in low-lying bushes. They rubbed their faces on branches as if trying to comb their magnificent manes. They drank leisurely from a stream. They strode slowly across dry, scrubby terrain as if they had all the time in the world. The only time I saw their teeth was when one of them yawned.
Their serene appearance is deceiving, however. The reason they can be so relaxed is that they have nothing to fear—no shortage of food and no natural predators. The lions look lazy and listless, but they are the strongest and fiercest of all. One roar sends all other animals running for their lives.
Sometimes it seems as if God is lounging. When we don’t see Him at work, we conclude that He’s not doing anything. We hear people mock God and deny His existence, and we anxiously wonder why He doesn’t defend Himself. But God “will not be afraid of their voice nor be disturbed by their noise” Isa. 31.4. He has nothing to fear. One roar from Him, and His detractors will scatter like rodents.
If you wonder why God isn’t anxious when you are, it’s because He has everything under control. He knows that Jesus, the Lion of Judah, will triumph.
When fear and worry test your faith
And anxious thoughts assail,
Remember God is in control
And He will never fail.
Because God is in control, we have nothing to fear
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
A Lover Of God
|
Jan 4, 2011 5:26 am
427 Views
|
Read: Matthew 22.34-40
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. —Matthew 22.37
Bible in a year:
Genesis 10-12; Matthew 4
In a brief biography of St. Francis of Assisi, G. K. Chesterton begins with a glimpse into the heart of this unique and compassionate man born in the 12th century. Chesterton writes: “As St. Francis did not love humanity but men, so he did not love Christianity but Christ. . . . The reader cannot even begin to see the sense of a story that may well seem to him a very wild one, until he understands that to this great mystic his religion was not a thing like a theory but a thing like a love-affair.”
When Jesus was asked to name the greatest command in the Law, He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” Matt. 22.37-38. The questioner wanted to test Jesus, but the Lord answered him with the key element in pleasing God. First and foremost, our relationship with Him is a matter of the heart.
If we see God as a taskmaster and consider obedience to Him as a burden, then we have joined those of whom the Lord said, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love” Rev. 2.4.
The way of joy is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind.
Oh, help me, Lord, to take by grace divine
Yet more and more of that great love of Thine;
That day by day my heart may give to Thee
A deeper love, and grow more constantly.
Put Christ first and you’ll find a joy that lasts.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
An Overcoming Faith
|
Jan 3, 2011 5:27 am
423 Views
|
I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.
—Psalm 3.4.
Bible in a year:
Genesis 7-9; Matthew 3
Few things disable new workers on a job like criticism from veterans. Good hiring managers know to protect new employees by surrounding them with mentors willing to shield them from unnecessary barbs.
Hannah is a mentor to us in dealing with criticism and deep desires of the heart 1 Sam. 1.1-18. Surrounded by a husband who didn’t understand, a taunting peer, and an overly judgmental clergyman, Hannah found a way through the fog by confiding in God v.10. While we now know God answered the prayer of Hannah’s heart by giving her a child, we don’t know for sure if Eli’s blessing was a wish or a promise from God v.17. I think her no-longer-sad face came most of all because she gained peace from confiding in Him.
We were created to be in relationship with God; and when we take that relationship to an intimate level, it bonds us not only to His presence but also to His strength. Prayers that express our hurts and emotions are most assuredly welcomed by God because they demonstrate our trust in Him. We will often find perspective, and nearly always come away comforted, knowing we’ve entrusted the things that are troubling us—whether criticism or deep desires—to the One who is best able to sort through them.
The kindest Friend I’ve ever had
Is One I cannot see,
Yet One in whom I can confide,
Who loves and blesses me.
In prayer, it’s better to have a heart without words
than words without heart.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Rearview Mirror Reflections
|
Dec 31, 2010 3:09 am
451 Views
|
Read: Psalm 111
For You, Lord, have made me glad . . . ; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. —Psalm 92.4
Bible in a year:
Malachi 1-4; Revelation 22
I’ve always thought that you can see the hand of God best in the rearview mirror. Looking back, it’s easier to understand why He placed us in the home that He did; why He brought certain people and circumstances into and out of our lives; why He permitted difficulties and pain; why He took us to different places and put us in various jobs and careers.
In my own life, I get a lot of clarity (though not perfect clarity—that’s heaven’s joy!) about the wise and loving ways of God as I reflect on the ways He has managed my journey by “the works of [His] hands” Ps. 92.4. With the psalmist, it makes me glad and strikes a note of joy in my heart to see how often God has assisted, directed, and managed the outcomes so faithfully Ps. 111.
Looking ahead, though, is not always so clear. Have you ever had that lost feeling when the road ahead seems twisted, foggy, and scary? Before you move into next year, stop and look in the rearview mirror of the year gone by, and joyfully realize that God meant it when He said, “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” Heb. 13.5-6.
With the promise of God’s presence and help in mind, you can move ahead into 2011 with utmost confidence.
Shall not He who led me safely
Through the footsteps of this day
Lead with equal understanding
All along my future way?
God’s guidance in the past gives courage for the future
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Life Is Like Riding A Bicycle
|
Dec 30, 2010 4:58 am
422 Views
|
Read: Hebrews 11.32-40
All these . . . obtained a good testimony through faith.
Hebrews 11.39
Bible in a year:
Zechariah 13-14; Revelation 21
In a letter to his son Eduard, Albert Einstein gave this advice: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” The great physicist’s advice is wise and practical.
This wise counsel can apply to the Christian life. Many believers by faith keep moving ahead through painful and trying circumstances. But when they experience a personal moral failure, they lose their balance and fall. Their regret and feeling of unworthiness of God’s forgiveness may then keep them down and they no longer move ahead in their spiritual life.
The Bible gives us many examples of those who have experienced serious personal failure. Abraham lied to Pharaoh about his
wife, Sarah Gen. 12.11-17. Jacob deceived his father to acquire Esau’s blessing Gen. 27.18-29. Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock instead of speaking to it Num. 207-12. Despite their failures, we are told: “all these . . . obtained a good testimony through faith” (Heb. 11:39).
These biblical characters are lifted up as examples because after they fell, they turned back to God and began to follow Him again. Have you lost your spiritual balance through a sinful choice, which is keeping you down? Repent and follow the God of second chances once again.
I’ve strayed, O Lord, and turned aside,
I’ve disobeyed Your voice;
But now contrite of heart I turn
And make Your will my choice.
Our God is a God of second chances.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
The Year In Review
|
Dec 28, 2010 4:23 am
439 Views
|
Read: Psalm 77.1-14
I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. —Psalm 77.11
Bible in a year:
Zechariah 5-8; Revelation 19
During the last week of December, newscasters often look back at the significant events of the past year—the triumphs and failures of prominent people, natural disasters, economic challenges, and the deaths of celebrities and leaders. The most surprising events usually receive top billing.
If you reviewed the past year of your life, what would appear on the list? Has an unexpected event caused you to question God or to more deeply experience His goodness?
Psalm 77 chronicles the lament of a person in distress who felt as if God no longer cared (vv.7-9). “Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore?” (v. . Yet, even in anguish, the psalmist said, “I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old” (v.11).
The result was a renewal of trust and hope: “You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples” v.14.
As you think back over this past year, why not write down the significant events in your life. Don’t be afraid to include your difficulties and disappointments, but remember to consider all the ways God has been with you.
During every difficulty, we can always find the faithfulness of God.
When we look back and contemplate
What we’ve been through this year,
We’ll praise You, Lord, for all You’ve done—
Your faithfulness is clear. —Sper
Difficulties in our lives give us the opportunity
to experience the faithfulness of God.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
The True Owner
|
Dec 27, 2010 4:13 am
447 Views
|
Read: Psalm 95.1-7
All things were created through Him and for Him.
—Colossians 1.16
Bible in a year:
Zechariah 1-4; Revelation 18
Did you hear about the church that didn’t have enough room for parking? Fortunately, it was located right next to a store that was closed on Sundays, so a church member asked the store owner if they could overflow into his parking lot. “No problem,” he said. “You can use it 51 weeks out of the year. On the 52nd week, though, it will be chained off.” The man was grateful, but asked curiously, “What happens that week?” The store owner smiled, “Nothing. I just want you to remember that it’s not your parking lot.”
It’s easy to take for granted all the material and spiritual blessings that God has given us. That’s why we need to stop and remember that Scripture says the true owner of all we possess is God: “All that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all”
1 Chron. 29.11. Even our bodies do not belong to us: “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price”
1 Cor. 6.19-20.
As 1 Timothy 6:17 reminds us: “God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy.” We are so abundantly blessed with good things! Let’s never take our Father for granted, but use wisely and gratefully all that He has given us.
As we all enjoy God’s blessing,
Oh, may we not forget
Our Lord, from whom all good gifts come—
In Him our needs are met.
God gives blessing to us so we can give glory to Him
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Peace On Earth
|
Dec 24, 2010 3:13 am
506 Views
|
Read: Luke 2.8-14
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. —John 14.27
Bible in a year:
Habakkuk 1-3; Revelation 15
I wouldn’t want to pick a fight with a sky full of angels, but I must admit that I’ve always wondered about the promise of peace the angelic host made to the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem. For the last 2,000 years, peace on our planet has been at best a rare commodity. Wars continue to ravage innocent lives, domestic violence is a growing calamity, divorce rates soar, churches split, and peace in our restless and wayward hearts seems to be an elusive dream.
Where is the promised peace? Actually, on reflection, we can see that Jesus brought all that is needed for peace in our world. He taught the principles of peace, calling for people to love their neighbors as they love themselves. And as He was leaving this planet, He promised, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” John 14.27. He told us to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, forgive offenses, reject greed, tolerate each other’s weaknesses, live to serve and love one another as He has loved us.
It seems that in large part, peace is up to us. Paul verifies that in Romans 12.18, “As much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” This Christmas, let’s make peace our gift to the world in which we live as we reflect the Prince of Peace.
We know at times there will be strife;
On this we must agree—
When conflict drops into our lives,
We’ll solve it peacefully.
When we experience peace with God,
we can share His peace with others.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Christmas-Cure
|
Dec 23, 2010 4:54 am
501 Views
|
Read: John 1:10-18.
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. —John 1.17
Bible in a year:
Nahum 1-3; Revelation 14
If your physician called you and in a serious voice said, “Please come in as soon as you can. I have something to discuss with you,” you would know he has bad news! Your first response might be, “No, I don’t want to know.” But you go because it is only when you know the diagnosis that you can learn the cure.
God, our Great Physician, also has some bad news—about man’s spiritual condition. When against His expressed warning Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God told Adam that all mankind would die spiritually and physically. That’s the bad news.
But He also gave the solution. He promised a Savior Gen. 3.15. The apostle John tells us, “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” John 1.17. But how does that help? Jesus came that first Christmas to bring God’s grace, something that none of us deserve because like Adam we have all sinned. But Jesus also came to reverse what sin brought. He came to be the truth John 14.6 that would bring us back to God. He came to “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
Listen to what the Great Physician has to say in the Bible about your spiritual condition. Then accept the cure He has provided—the gift of salvation through Christ.
Life is uncertain,
Death is sure;
Sin the cause,
Christ the cure.
Spiritual blindness can be cured only by the Great Physician.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
To link to this blog (miriana51) use [blog miriana51] in your messages.
|
|
|
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
| |
|
11
|
21
|
31
|
41
|
5
|
6
|
71
|
81
|
91
|
101
|
111
|
12
|
13
|
141
|
151
|
161
|
171
|
181
|
19
|
20
|
211
|
221
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
Most Recent Comments by Others
|
