Nashville, Tennessee, United States - Upper Room Daily Reflections - daily words of wisdom and faith “Attitude of Gratitude" for Friday, 28 November 2014Today’s Reflection:
“The sacrifice that honors me is a thankful heart” (Psalm 50:23a, CEV)I TRULY ENJOY serving people in impoverished communities. In fact, I wrote this devotion on my way home from Mexico, where I volunteered at an orphanage for handicapped children.
I learned a great deal from these orphans who had very little. They didn’t have a variety of food and ate beans and rice nearly every day. They lacked the ability to care for themselves … These orphans didn’t have televisions, computers, phones, cars, parents, and many other things I often take for granted.
But instead of complaining about the things they didn’t have, they thanked God for what they did have. They had a roof over their head, three meals a day, a loving staff of people to care for them, and medication and equipment to help them with their disabilities. Most of all, they had Jesus.
Now when I find myself complaining about what I don’t have, I try to stop and think of all that I do have. I really do have a lot for which to be thankful.[Jessica Lippe, in devozine]
From “Attitude of Gratitude,” by Jessica Lippe, page 5 in devozine,the devotional lifestyle magazine for teens. Copyright © 2011 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission.http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
Give thanks today for what you have.
Today’s Scripture:
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind–just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you–so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.[1 Corinthians 1:5-7, NRSV]
This Week: pray for travelers.
____________________________
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers, call 1-800-251-2468.
___________________________
Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember:
John Knox (November 24)
John Knox (ca. 1513-72), Scottish preacher and Reformation leader. Knox expressed his spirituality in action and a determined pragmatism. He lived in times of ecclesiastical turmoil throughout Scotland, England, and Europe. Reformers were being burned at the stake for their beliefs. Nations became embroiled in religious wars as Catholics did battle with Protestant reformers.In this environment came a man with a practical spirituality. Knox was ordained to the priesthood but became a disciple of John Calvin after visiting Geneva, where he contributed to the creation of the Geneva version of the English Bible. Unlike Calvin, Knox felt that it was necessary for common people to rise up against godless rulers. When he returned from Geneva, he entered the battle for Scottish independence and Protestant theology. The two were inextricably linked.
In December of 1560 the first Scottish General Assembly was held. Shortly thereafter the First Book of Discipline was presented to Parliament. The Discipline, a work of Knox and his followers, attempted to apply Calvin's thinking to political systems. While the names for the operating structures (or polity) developed over time, this document contained the basis for what became sessions, presbyteries, synods, and general assembly. Knox also created a Book of Common Order (also called "Knox Liturgy") that received general assembly approval in 1564. It provided for free prayer and, while it gave a generally accepted order of service, the order was understood to be a model rather than an absolute form to be followed.
If John Knox had taken the Spiritual Types Test he probably would have been a Sage. Knox is remembered on November 24.[Excerpted with permission from the entry on John Knox by Sandi Nesbit, from The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formationedited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe. Copyright © 2003 by Upper Room Books®. All rights reserved.]
____________________________
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Lectionary Scriptures:
Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 100
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
Isaiah 64: Can We Be Saved?
1-7 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and descend,
make the mountains shudder at your presence—
As when a forest catches fire,
as when fire makes a pot to boil—
To shock your enemies into facing you,
make the nations shake in their boots!
You did terrible things we never expected,
descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence.
Since before time began
no one has ever imagined,
No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who happily do what is right,
who keep a good memory of the way you work.
But how angry you’ve been with us!
We’ve sinned and kept at it so long!
Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved?
We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated.
Our best efforts are grease-stained rags.
We dry up like autumn leaves—
sin-dried, we’re blown off by the wind.
No one prays to you
or makes the effort to reach out to you
Because you’ve turned away from us,
left us to stew in our sins.
8-12 Still, God, you are our Father.
We’re the clay and you’re our potter:
All of us are what you made us.
Don’t be too angry with us, O God.
Don’t keep a permanent account of wrongdoing.
Keep in mind, please, we are your people—all of us.
Your holy cities are all ghost towns:
Zion’s a ghost town,
Jerusalem’s a field of weeds.
Our holy and beautiful Temple,
which our ancestors filled with your praises,
Was burned down by fire,
all our lovely parks and gardens in ruins.
In the face of all this,
are you going to sit there unmoved, God?
Aren’t you going to say something?
Haven’t you made us miserable long enough?
Psalm 100: A Thanksgiving Psalm
1-2 On your feet now—applaud God!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.
3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.
4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.
5 For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
Ephesians 1:15-19 That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
20-23 All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
Matthew 25: The Sheep and the Goats
31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—
I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’
44 “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’
45 “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’
46 “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
Isaiah 64:1-9
Verse 1
[1] Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
Rent — A metaphor taken from men, that when they would resolutely help one in distress, break and fling open doors and whatever may hinder.
Flow down — That all impediments might be removed out of the way: possibly an allusion to God's coming down upon mount Sinai, in those terrible flames of fire.
Verse 2
[2] As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!
Fire — Come with such zeal for thy people, that the solid mountains may be no more before thy breath, than metal that runs, or water that boils by the force of a vehement fire.
Known — That thine enemies may know thy power, and that thy name may be dreaded among them.
Verse 3
[3] When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
Terrible things — This may relate to what he did among the Egyptians, tho' it be not recorded, and afterward in the wilderness.
Looked not for — Such things as we could never expect.
Mountains — Kings, princes, and potentates, may metaphorically be understood by these mountains.
Verse 4
[4] For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Besides thee — This is to be applied to all the wonderful works, that God at all times wrought for his people: and thus they are a plea with God, that they might well expect such things from him now, that had done such wonderful things for their fathers.
Waiteth — This may be taken with reference both to the state of grace and glory, those incomprehensible things that are exhibited through Christ in the mysteries of the gospel.
Verse 5
[5] Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
Meetest — As the father the prodigal.
Worketh — That rejoices to work righteousness.
Continuance — To those that work righteousness.
Be saved — In so doing, in working righteousness.
Verse 6
[6] But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Unclean — Formerly there were some that feared thee; but now we are all as one polluted mass, nothing of good left in us by reason of an universal degeneracy.
And all — The very best of us all are no better than the uncleanest things.
Taken — Carried away to Babylon, as leaves hurried away by a boisterous wind.
Verse 7
[7] And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
That calleth — That call upon thee as they ought.
Take hold — Either to stay thee from departing from us, or to fetch thee back when departed.
Verse 8
[8] But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Our father — Notwithstanding all this thou art our father both by creation, and by adoption, therefore pity us thy children.
Verse 9
[9] Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
Thy people — Thou hast no people in covenant but us, and wilt thou not leave thyself a people in the world?
Psalm 100
An Exhortation to Thanksgiving
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
An exhortation to praise God and to rejoice in him, verse 1-5 A psalm of praise.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Verse 15
[15] Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Since I heard of your faith and love — That is, of their perseverance and increase therein.
Verse 16
[16] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
I cease not — In all my solemn addresses to God.
To give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers — So he did of all the churches, Colossians 1:9.
Verse 17
[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
That the Father of that infinite glory which shines in the face of Christ, from whom also we receive the glorious inheritance, Ephesians 1:18, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation - The same who is the Spirit of promise is also, in the progress of the faithful, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; making them wise unto salvation, and revealing to them the deep things of God. He is here speaking of that wisdom and revelation which are common to all real Christians.
Verse 18
[18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
The eyes of your understanding — It is with these alone that we discern the things of God. Being first opened, and then enlightened - - By his Spirit.
That ye may know what is the hope of his calling — That ye may experimentally and delightfully know what are the blessings which God has called you to hope for by his word and his Spirit.
And what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints — What an immense treasure of blessedness he hath provided as an inheritance for holy souls.
Verse 19
[19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
And what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe — Both in quickening our dead souls, and preserving them in spiritual life.
According to the power which he exerted in Christ, raising him from the dead — By the very same almighty power whereby he raised Christ; for no less would suffice.
Verse 20
[20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
And he hath seated him at his own right hand — That is, he hath exalted him in his human nature, as a recompence for his sufferings, to a quiet, everlasting possession of all possible blessedness, majesty, and glory.
Verse 21
[21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion — That is, God hath invested him with uncontrollable authority over all demons in hell, all angels in heaven, and all the princes and potentates on earth.
And every name that is named — We know the king is above all, though we cannot name all the officers of his court. So we know that Christ is above all, though we are not able to name all his subjects.
Not only in this world, but also in that which is to come — The world to come is so styled, not because it does not yet exist, but because it is not yet visible. Principalities and powers are named now; but those also who are not even named in this world, but shall be revealed in the world to come, are all subject to Christ.
Verse 22
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
And he hath given him to be head over all things to the church — An head both of guidance and government, and likewise of life and influence, to the whole and every member of it. All these stand in the nearest union with him, and have as continual and effectual a communication of activity, growth, and strength from him, as the natural body from its head.
Verse 23
[23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
The fulness of him that filleth all in all — It is hard to say in what sense this can be spoken of the church; but the sense is easy and natural, if we refer it to Christ, who is the fulness of the Father.
Matthew 25:31-46
Verse 31
[31] When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him — With what majesty and grandeur does our Lord here speak of himself Giving us one of the noblest instances of the true sublime. Indeed not many descriptions in the sacred writings themselves seem to equal this. Methinks we can hardly read it without imagining ourselves before the awful tribunal it describes.
Verse 34
[34] Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Inherit the kingdom — Purchased by my blood, for all who have believed in me with the faith which wrought by love.
Prepared for you — On purpose for you. May it not be probably inferred from hence, that man was not created merely to fill up the places of the fallen angels?
Verse 35
[35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink — All these works of outward mercy suppose faith and love, and must needs he accompanied with works of spiritual mercy. But works of this kind the Judge could not mention in the same manner. He could not say, I was in error, and ye recalled me to the truth; I was in sin, and ye brought me to repentance.
In prison — Prisoners need to be visited above all others, as they are commonly solitary and forsaken by the rest of the world.
Verse 37
[37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Then shall the righteous answer — It cannot be, that either the righteous or the wicked should answer in these very words. What we learn herefrom is, that neither of them have the same estimation of their own works as the Judge hath.
Verse 40
[40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it to me — What encouragement is here to assist the household of faith? But let us likewise remember to do good to all men.
Verse 41
[41] Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Depart into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels — Not originally for you: you are intruders into everlasting fire.
Verse 44
[44] Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then will they answer — So the endeavour to justify themselves, will remain with the wicked even to that day!
Verse 46
[46] And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life everlasting — Either therefore the punishment is strictly eternal, or the reward is not: the very same expression being applied to the former as to the latter. The Judge will speak first to the righteous, in the audience of the wicked. The wicked shall then go away into everlasting fire, in the view of the righteous. Thus the damned shall see nothing of the everlasting life; but the just will see the punishment of the ungodly. It is not only particularly observable here, 1. That the punishment lasts as long as the reward; but, 2. That this punishment is so far from ceasing at the end of the world, that it does not begin till then.
____________________________
Upper Room Daily Reflections, a ministry of Global Board of Discipleship
PO Box 340004
Nashville, TN 37203-0004 United States
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment