Deuteronomy 6:13 You are to fear Adonai your God, serve him and swear by his name. 14 You are not to follow other gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples around you; 15 because Adonai, your God, who is here with you, is a jealous God. If you do, the anger of Adonai your God will flare up against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth. 16 Do not put Adonai your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah [testing]. 17 Observe diligently the mitzvot of Adonai your God, and his instructions and laws which he has given you. 18 You are to do what is right and good in the sight of Adonai, so that things will go well with you, and you will enter and possess the good land Adonai swore to your ancestors, 19 expelling all your enemies ahead of you, as Adonai said.
20 “Some day your child will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of the instructions, laws and rulings which Adonai our God has laid down for you?’ 21 Then you will tell your child, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Adonai brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand. 22 Adonai worked great and terrible signs and wonders against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household, before our very eyes. 23 He brought us out from there in order to bring us to the land he had sworn to our ancestors that he would give us. 24 Adonai ordered us to observe all these laws, to fear Adonai our God, always for our own good, so that he might keep us alive, as we are today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to obey all these mitzvot before Adonai our God, just as he ordered us to do.’”
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"The Prosperity of Life" by Derl G. KeeferCyprian, a pastor who became bishop of Carthage in North Africa in 249, did not become a Christian until he reached adulthood. His conversion surprised many of his friends, especially when he sold all of his worldly goods and distributed the money to the poor. Along with giving away his wealth, he took a vow of poverty.
Cyprian discovered that prosperity was not in his worldly posessions, but in his love and obedience to God in Christ. He penned these words to one of his friends: “It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and a wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians . . . and I am one of them.”*
Encountering Christ helps us to discover our own prosperity in life–here on this earth and for all eternity!
*Quoted in Patches of Godlight by Jan Karon (New York: Penguin Books, 2002).
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Cyprian discovered that prosperity was not in his worldly posessions, but in his love and obedience to God in Christ. He penned these words to one of his friends: “It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and a wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians . . . and I am one of them.”*
Encountering Christ helps us to discover our own prosperity in life–here on this earth and for all eternity!
*Quoted in Patches of Godlight by Jan Karon (New York: Penguin Books, 2002).
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Hymn for Today: "Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrted" by Francis R. Havergal
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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Thought for Today: Proverbs 16:20 He who has skill in a matter will succeed;
Thought for Today: Proverbs 16:20 He who has skill in a matter will succeed;
he who trusts in Adonai will be happy.
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Pleasde Pray: The faculty and students as they prepsre for Christian ministry in Bolivia.
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