Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 19 December 2017 "When I Admit To God’s Patience" by William R. Carlson - Isaiah 7:10-25Isaiah 7:10 Adonai spoke again to Achaz; he said, 11 “Ask Adonai your God to give you a sign. Ask it anywhere, from the depths of Sh’ol to the heights above.” 12 But Achaz answered, “I won’t ask, I won’t test Adonai.”
13 Then [the prophet] said,
“Listen here, house of David!
Is trying people’s patience
such a small thing for you
that you must try the patience
of my God as well?
14 Therefore Adonai himself
will give you people a sign:
the young woman* will become pregnant,
bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].
15 By the time he knows enough
to refuse evil and choose good,
he will [have to] eat
curdled milk and [wild] honey.
16 Yes, before the child knows enough
to refuse evil and choose good,
the land whose two kings you dread
will be left abandoned.
17 Adonai will bring the king of Ashur
on you, your people and your father’s house.
These will be days worse than any you’ve known
since Efrayim broke loose from Y’hudah.”
18 Yes, when that day comes,
Adonai will whistle for the fly
in the farthest streams of the Nile in Egypt
and for the bee in the land of Ashur.
19 They will come and settle, all of them,
in steep vadis and holes in the rocks
and on all thorn bushes and brambles.
20 When that day comes, Adonai will shave —
with a razor hired beyond the [Euphrates] River,
that is, with the king of Ashur —
the head and the hair between the legs,
and get rid of the beard as well.
21 When that day comes, a man will raise
a young cow and two sheep.
22 Will they produce in abundance?
No, he will [have to] eat curdled milk.
Indeed, everyone left in the land
will eat curdled milk and [wild] honey.
23 When that day comes,
wherever there once were a thousand grapevines,
worth a thousand pieces of silver,
there will be only briars and thorns.
24 One will go there [to hunt] with bow and arrow,
because all the land will be briars and thorns.
25 You won’t visit hills once worked with a hoe,
for fear of the briars and thorns;
it will be good only for pasturing cattle
and being trampled down by sheep.
---
He had already made up his mind; his plans weren’t going to be changed by the words of a preacher. Ahaz dismissed Isaiah, even quoting Scripture to defend his stubbornness.
Although God had been very patient in His dealings with the nation, now the king was ignoring God. And Isaiah let him know about it in no uncertain terms. God would bring this matter to a head in His way and in His time; His purposes wouldn’t change because of one leader’s stubbornness.
If Ahaz would not request a sign, one would be given. Isaiah said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” “Immanuel” means “God with us.” It was to be a great blessing, but not for the one with a stubborn spirit.
To say that there is an end to God’s patience reminds us that God does intervene in human history, so that His purposes might be fulfilled. It is true in our personal history, too. God’s purpose is to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).---
Hymn for Today: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" from Latin Hymn, translated by John M. Neale
1. O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
2. O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
3. O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
4. O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
5. O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
6. O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
7. O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
---
Thought for Today: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins.(2 Peter 3:9)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Germany.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Monday, 18 December 2017 "Be Firm In Your Faith" by William R. Carlson - Isaiah 7:1-9
Isaiah 7:1 During the days of Achaz the son of Yotam, the son of ‘Uziyahu, king of Y’hudah, Retzin the king of Aram and Pekach the son of Remalyah, king of Isra’el, advanced on Yerushalayim to attack it but were unable to conquer it. 2 It was told to the house of David that Aram and Efrayim had become allies. Achaz’s heart began to tremble, as did the hearts of his people, like forest trees shaken by the wind.
3 Then Adonai said to Yesha‘yahu, “Go out now to meet Achaz, you and your son Sh’ar Yashuv, at the end of the aqueduct from the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderers’ Field; 4 and say to him, ‘Take care to stay calm and unafraid; don’t be demoralized by these two smoldering stumps of firewood, by the blazing anger of Retzin and Aram or the son of Remalyah; 5 or because Aram, Efrayim and the son of Remalyah have been plotting against you, thinking, 6 “We will invade Y’hudah, tear it apart, divide it among ourselves and appoint the son of Tav’el as king there.”
7 “‘This is what Adonai Elohim says:
“It won’t occur, it won’t happen.
8 For the head of Aram is Dammesek,
and the head of Dammesek Retzin.
In sixty-five years Efrayim will be broken
and will cease to be a people.
9 The head of Efrayim is Shomron,
and the head of Shomron is the son of Remalyah.
Without firm faith,
you will not be firmly established.”’”
---
Standing firm in your faith isn’t about tenaciously solving your personal problems. It is about living with the assurance that God will be with you and can be trusted in every situation.
King Ahaz struggled to find a political solution to the threats his nation was facing. In trying to guide the young king, Isaiah shared God’s message: “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart” (7:4). Isaiah was affirming the fact that God’s strategies could be trusted. King Ahaz had a decision to make about the way he would go forward, would it be his way or God’s way. The challenge even came with a warning, which the king did not heed. Isaiah said, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (Isaiah 7:9b).
Why is being firm in your faith important? It is because with faith, you are no longer defined by the problems you face in life, but rather by the presence of God who promises to be with you and guide you in every circumstance.---
Hymn for Today: "Living By Faith" by James Wells
1. I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,
And all of my worries are vain.
Refrain: Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.
2. Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise,
Obscuring the brightness of life,
I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies—
The Master looks on at the strife.
Refrain: Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.
3. I know that He safely will carry me through,
No matter what evils betide;
Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,
If Jesus walks close to my side.
Refrain: Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.
4. Our Lord will return for His loved ones some day,
Our troubles will then all be o’er;
The Master so gently will lead us away,
Beyond that blest heavenly shore.
Refrain: Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.
---
Thought for Today: Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, behave like a mentsh, grow strong.(1 Corinthians 16:13)
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Please pray: That many people in Germany will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Sunday, 17 December 2017 "Hopeful And Strong" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Psalm 31:14-24
Psalm 31:14 (13) All I hear is whispering,
terror is all around me;
they plot together against me,
scheming to take my life.
15 (14) But I, I trust in you, Adonai;
I say, “You are my God.”
16 (15) My times are in your hand;
rescue me from my enemies’ power,
from those who persecute me.
17 (16) Make your face shine on your servant;
in your grace, save me.
18 (17) Adonai, don’t let me be put to shame,
for I have called on you;
let the wicked be put to shame,
let them be silenced in Sh’ol.
19 (18) May lying lips be struck dumb,
that speak insolently against the righteous
with such pride and contempt.
20 (19) But oh, how great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you do for those who take refuge in you,
before people’s very eyes!
21 (20) In the shelter of your presence
you hide them from human plots,
you conceal them in your shelter,
safe from contentious tongues.
22 (21) Blessed be Adonai!
For he has shown me his amazing grace
when I was in a city under siege.
23 (22) As for me, in my alarm I said,
“I have been cut off from your sight!”
Nevertheless, you heard my pleas
when I cried out to you.
24 (23) Love Adonai, you faithful of his.
Adonai preserves the loyal,
but the proud he repays in full.
25 (24) Be strong, and fill your hearts with courage,
all of you who hope in Adonai.
---
In anticipation of the celebration of Christmas, Psalm 31 is highly fitting. The anguish of Israel in that time was deep, their hope strained and failing. All seemed to point to hopelessness. Nevertheless, it was into that very situation that God did a new thing: He sent the Messiah!
It should not be lost on us that in the earlier verses of Psalm 31 are found the final words of Jesus on the cross as He breathed His last breath: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5a). It is in light of that very reality that we can say with David, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD” (v. 24).
This is not a psalm for the skeptical. This is a cry of desperate hope. This is hope that will not go away, because it is based on something far more pervasive and real than all the despair and ruin around us. God is not done in by our circumstances. God knows where we are, has not abandoned us, and will bring to pass all that He has promised!
No wonder we sing "Joy to the World"; The is Come!"
---
Hymn for Today: "Rejoice, The Lord is King" by Charles Wesley
1. Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
2. Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He has purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
3. His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o'er earth and heav'n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv'n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
4. Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord and judge shall come
And take His servants up
To their eternal home:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
---
Thought for Today: “Today I am going the way of all the earth. Therefore consider in all your heart and being that not one of all the good things Adonai your God said concerning you has failed to happen; it has all come to pass; nothing of it has failed.(Joshua 23:14)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in France.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Saturday, 16 December 2017 "Gentle And Respectful" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself. 4 So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else; 5 for each person will carry his own load. 6 But whoever is being instructed in the Word should share all the good things he has with his instructor. 7 Don’t delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life. 9 So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don’t give up, we will in due time reap the harvest. 10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.
---
One of the lingering effects of the national elections in the United States in 2016 was the strident tone and angry rhetoric of the political environment. It seemed to coarsen the entire culture in ways that dismayed many people, even those not claiming to follow Christ.
If anything ought to characterize the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, it is a gentle respectfulness in our conversations with and about others, even those with whom we differ greatly.
In his letter to the churches in what is now Turkey in Asia Minor, the author of 1 Peter crafts some wonderful instruction for Christian living in an alien culture.
In a world like ours, we do not win others to Christ by diatribe, threat, and accusation. We win them by living authentically like Jesus, speaking truthfully, and loving deeply. Peter instructed his readers to remember that, even if they were suffering for doing good, they were to live with grace. Speak your hope clearly and with great confidence in Christ who was raised from the dead and who even now is at God's right hand!---
Hymn for Today: "Jesus, My Strength, My Hope" by Charles Wesley
1. Jesus, my strength, my hope,
On Thee I cast my care;
With humble confidence look up,
And know Thou hear'st my prayer.
Give me on Thee to wait,
Till I can all things do;
On Thee, almighty to create,
Almighty to renew.
2. Give me a true regard,
A single, steady aim,
Unmoved by threatening or reward,
To Thee and Thy great Name;
A jealous, just concern
For Thine immortal praise;
A pure desire that all may learn
And glorify Thy grace.
3. I rest upon Thy word;
The promise is for me;
My succour and salvation, Lord,
Shall surely come from Thee:
But let me still abide,
Nor from my hope remove,
Till Thou my patient spirit guide
Into Thy perfect love.
Amen.
---
Thought for Today: Let everyone see how reasonable and gentle you are. The Lord is near!(Philippians 4:5)
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Please pray: That many people in France will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 15 December 2017 "Hang In There! Together!" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself. 4 So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else; 5 for each person will carry his own load. 6 But whoever is being instructed in the Word should share all the good things he has with his instructor. 7 Don’t delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life. 9 So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don’t give up, we will in due time reap the harvest. 10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.
---
The Christian life is not a solo journey! We need one another. We need the encouragement that others can give, and we need to be accountable to one another. We should care if a brother or sister is struggling, or even if they fail. And they should care about our journey, our growth, and our struggles.
When Paul challenged the Galatians to walk alongside the person who had failed, he knew it would be necessary for every one of them to have that kind of support available, because in one way or another, every one of them would need it.
Oh, it does take grit and determination to walk this way, but it does not mean that we can do so in isolation. The attention we give to our own journey, though necessary, is never enough for us. We really do need others to walk with us, challenge us, support us, and instruct us. And they need us.
This is the normal way of the Christian life. In a culture that values radical individualism, we need to walk a “counter-cultural” way. This is the way we reap a good harvest. Do good and don't give up!---
Hymn for Today: "All Praise to our Redeeming Lord" by Charles Wesley
1. All praise to our redeeming Lord,
Who joins us by His grace
And bids us, each to each restored,
Together seek His face.
2. He bids us build each other up;
And gathered into one,
To our high calling’s glorious hope,
We hand in hand go on.
3. And if our fellowship below
In Jesus be so sweet,
What greater blessings shall we know
When round His throne we meet?
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Thought for Today: Therefore, encourage each other, and build each other up — just as you are doing.(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Egypt.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 14 December 2017 "Anointed By God" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 2 Corinthians 1:12-24
2 Corinthians 1:12 For we take pride in this: that our conscience assures us that in our dealings with the world, and especially with you, we have conducted ourselves with frankness and godly pureness of motive — not by worldly wisdom but by God-given grace. 13 There are no hidden meanings in our letters other than what you can read and understand; and my hope is that you will understand fully, 14 as indeed you have already understood us in part; so that on the Day of our Lord Yeshua you can be as proud of us as we are of you.
15 So sure was I of this that I had planned to come and see you, so that you might have the benefit of a second visit. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, visit you again on my way back from Macedonia, and then have you send me on my way to Y’hudah.
17 Did I make these plans lightly? Or do I make plans the way a worldly man does, ready to say, “Yes, yes,” and “No, no,” in the same breath? 18 As surely as God is trustworthy, we don’t say “Yes” when we mean “No.” 19 For the Son of God, the Messiah Yeshua, who was proclaimed among you through us — that is, through me and Sila and Timothy — was not a yes-and-no man; on the contrary, with him it is always “Yes!” 20 For however many promises God has made, they all find their “Yes” in connection with him; that is why it is through him that we say the “Amen” when we give glory to God. 21 Moreover, it is God who sets both us and you in firm union with the Messiah; he has anointed us, 22 put his seal on us, and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee for the future.
23 I call God to witness — he knows what my life is like — that the reason I held back from coming to Corinth was out of consideration for you! 24 We are not trying to dictate how you must live out your trust in the Messiah, for in your trust you are standing firm. Rather, we are working with you for your own happiness.
---
Sometimes we find ourselves the object of criticism, not because we have been duplicitous or deceptive, but because of circumstances beyond our control. Even though we do our best to be honest, straightforward, and trustworthy, there are times when our plans and promises are thwarted by others, by illness, or by events we could not foresee.
On some occasions, rare, and to be avoided whenever possible, we change our plans for the sake of those to whom we made pledges or promises. Paul faced that dilemma with the Corinthians. Their continued conflict, in some cases built around moral failure, made it necessary for him to forgo his plans to visit them, lest his visit become a source of greater conflict and pain.
Paul did not simply ignore his promises. He wrote candidly and with loving concern. And he made his case as a man of deep integrity and with a firm dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Our word will only stand the test of eternity if we are deeply dependent on the Spirit of God.---
Hymn for Today: "I Am Resolved" by Palmer Hartsought
1. I am resolved no longer to linger,
charmed by the world's delight;
things that are higher, things that are nobler,
these have allured my sight.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
2. I am resolved to go to the Savior,
leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true one; He is the just one,
He has the words of life.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
3. I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay;
taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
we'll walk the heavenly way.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
---
Thought for Today: May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.(Psalm 19:14)
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Please pray: That many people in Egypt will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Wednesday, 13 December 2017 "Build It; Don’t Wreck It" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
1 Corinthians 3:10 Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder; and another man is building on it. But let each one be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. 12 Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, grass or straw. 13 But each one’s work will be shown for what it is; the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire — the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If the work someone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward; 15 if it is burned up, he will have to bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through a fire.
16 Don’t you know that you people are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple.
18 Let no one fool himself. If someone among you thinks he is wise (by this world’s standards), let him become “foolish,” so that he may become really wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; inasmuch as the Tanakh says, “He traps the wise in their own cleverness,”[1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13] 20 and again, “Adonai knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”[1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11] 21 So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours — 22 whether Sha’ul or Apollos or Kefa or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, 23 and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.
---
I watched with fascination as the old sanctuary of our church in Richardson, Texas, was demolished. We were in the process of constructing new facilities, and the old, tired building was no longer useful. The upkeep required was not worth the effort or the expense.
What struck me was that the old structure was demolished and hauled away in less than a day. What stood before us in the morning was gone by evening. What was constructed in its place took 18 months of arduous and detailed construction.
Paul was aware of the ease with which the church, not the building but the people, the dwelling place of the Spirit, could be destroyed. And he warned them that it was a dangerous thing to destroy God’s temple!
When the church, the people of God, are built together on the right foundation, they can endure the winds of stress and opposition. That foundation, says Paul, is none other than Jesus Christ himself. Whatever we do, we must not wreck or weaken the church of Jesus Christ. We must build well on the “Cornerstone” because it all belongs to Him!---
Hymn for Today: "O To Be Like Thee" by Thomas O. Chisholm
1. Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2. Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
3. Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
4. Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
5. Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
---
Thought for Today: Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!(Ephesians 2:22)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Denmark.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 12 December 2017 "Coworkers Together" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1 Corinthians 3:1 As for me, brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people, as babies, so far as experience with the Messiah is concerned. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. But you aren’t ready for it now either! 3 For you are still worldly! Isn’t it obvious from all the jealousy and quarrelling among you that you are worldly and living by merely human standards? 4 For when one says, “I follow Sha’ul” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you being merely human? 5 After all, what is Apollos? What is Sha’ul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow — 8 planter and waterer are the same.
However, each will be rewarded according to his work. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
---
Paul had an interesting, sometimes complicated relationship with the church in Corinth. Though he dearly loved them, he was also at times frustrated with them, especially their tendency to quarrel and fight among themselves.
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul was writing to those who were in a contentious debate about who had brought them into the church, who had formed their understanding of the faith. The debate had apparently brought them to new levels of division. By appealing to their relationships with one or the other of the former leaders of the church, the people had altogether missed the point of God’s use of the gifts and graces of all of the people of the church.
Unity is not something they, or we, can produce. Unity must be celebrated as the outcome of our common reliance on the grace of God. The more we seek status or priority, the less we can celebrate what we all have received. “Yes,” said Paul. “I planted the seed. Apollos watered the garden. But God, and God alone, makes it grow.”
---
Hymn for Today: "Rejoice, The Lord is King" by Charles Wesley
1. Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
2. Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He has purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
3. His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o'er earth and heav'n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv'n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
4. Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord and judge shall come
And take His servants up
To their eternal home:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
---
Thought for Today: “Today I am going the way of all the earth. Therefore consider in all your heart and being that not one of all the good things Adonai your God said concerning you has failed to happen; it has all come to pass; nothing of it has failed.(Joshua 23:14)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in France.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Saturday, 16 December 2017 "Gentle And Respectful" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself. 4 So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else; 5 for each person will carry his own load. 6 But whoever is being instructed in the Word should share all the good things he has with his instructor. 7 Don’t delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life. 9 So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don’t give up, we will in due time reap the harvest. 10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.
---
One of the lingering effects of the national elections in the United States in 2016 was the strident tone and angry rhetoric of the political environment. It seemed to coarsen the entire culture in ways that dismayed many people, even those not claiming to follow Christ.
If anything ought to characterize the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, it is a gentle respectfulness in our conversations with and about others, even those with whom we differ greatly.
In his letter to the churches in what is now Turkey in Asia Minor, the author of 1 Peter crafts some wonderful instruction for Christian living in an alien culture.
In a world like ours, we do not win others to Christ by diatribe, threat, and accusation. We win them by living authentically like Jesus, speaking truthfully, and loving deeply. Peter instructed his readers to remember that, even if they were suffering for doing good, they were to live with grace. Speak your hope clearly and with great confidence in Christ who was raised from the dead and who even now is at God's right hand!---
Hymn for Today: "Jesus, My Strength, My Hope" by Charles Wesley
1. Jesus, my strength, my hope,
On Thee I cast my care;
With humble confidence look up,
And know Thou hear'st my prayer.
Give me on Thee to wait,
Till I can all things do;
On Thee, almighty to create,
Almighty to renew.
2. Give me a true regard,
A single, steady aim,
Unmoved by threatening or reward,
To Thee and Thy great Name;
A jealous, just concern
For Thine immortal praise;
A pure desire that all may learn
And glorify Thy grace.
3. I rest upon Thy word;
The promise is for me;
My succour and salvation, Lord,
Shall surely come from Thee:
But let me still abide,
Nor from my hope remove,
Till Thou my patient spirit guide
Into Thy perfect love.
Amen.
---
Thought for Today: Let everyone see how reasonable and gentle you are. The Lord is near!(Philippians 4:5)
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Please pray: That many people in France will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
---
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 15 December 2017 "Hang In There! Together!" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself. 4 So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else; 5 for each person will carry his own load. 6 But whoever is being instructed in the Word should share all the good things he has with his instructor. 7 Don’t delude yourselves: no one makes a fool of God! A person reaps what he sows. 8 Those who keep sowing in the field of their old nature, in order to meet its demands, will eventually reap ruin; but those who keep sowing in the field of the Spirit will reap from the Spirit everlasting life. 9 So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don’t give up, we will in due time reap the harvest. 10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.
---
The Christian life is not a solo journey! We need one another. We need the encouragement that others can give, and we need to be accountable to one another. We should care if a brother or sister is struggling, or even if they fail. And they should care about our journey, our growth, and our struggles.
When Paul challenged the Galatians to walk alongside the person who had failed, he knew it would be necessary for every one of them to have that kind of support available, because in one way or another, every one of them would need it.
Oh, it does take grit and determination to walk this way, but it does not mean that we can do so in isolation. The attention we give to our own journey, though necessary, is never enough for us. We really do need others to walk with us, challenge us, support us, and instruct us. And they need us.
This is the normal way of the Christian life. In a culture that values radical individualism, we need to walk a “counter-cultural” way. This is the way we reap a good harvest. Do good and don't give up!---
Hymn for Today: "All Praise to our Redeeming Lord" by Charles Wesley
1. All praise to our redeeming Lord,
Who joins us by His grace
And bids us, each to each restored,
Together seek His face.
2. He bids us build each other up;
And gathered into one,
To our high calling’s glorious hope,
We hand in hand go on.
3. And if our fellowship below
In Jesus be so sweet,
What greater blessings shall we know
When round His throne we meet?
---
Thought for Today: Therefore, encourage each other, and build each other up — just as you are doing.(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
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Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Egypt.
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 14 December 2017 "Anointed By God" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 2 Corinthians 1:12-24
2 Corinthians 1:12 For we take pride in this: that our conscience assures us that in our dealings with the world, and especially with you, we have conducted ourselves with frankness and godly pureness of motive — not by worldly wisdom but by God-given grace. 13 There are no hidden meanings in our letters other than what you can read and understand; and my hope is that you will understand fully, 14 as indeed you have already understood us in part; so that on the Day of our Lord Yeshua you can be as proud of us as we are of you.
15 So sure was I of this that I had planned to come and see you, so that you might have the benefit of a second visit. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, visit you again on my way back from Macedonia, and then have you send me on my way to Y’hudah.
17 Did I make these plans lightly? Or do I make plans the way a worldly man does, ready to say, “Yes, yes,” and “No, no,” in the same breath? 18 As surely as God is trustworthy, we don’t say “Yes” when we mean “No.” 19 For the Son of God, the Messiah Yeshua, who was proclaimed among you through us — that is, through me and Sila and Timothy — was not a yes-and-no man; on the contrary, with him it is always “Yes!” 20 For however many promises God has made, they all find their “Yes” in connection with him; that is why it is through him that we say the “Amen” when we give glory to God. 21 Moreover, it is God who sets both us and you in firm union with the Messiah; he has anointed us, 22 put his seal on us, and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee for the future.
23 I call God to witness — he knows what my life is like — that the reason I held back from coming to Corinth was out of consideration for you! 24 We are not trying to dictate how you must live out your trust in the Messiah, for in your trust you are standing firm. Rather, we are working with you for your own happiness.
---
Sometimes we find ourselves the object of criticism, not because we have been duplicitous or deceptive, but because of circumstances beyond our control. Even though we do our best to be honest, straightforward, and trustworthy, there are times when our plans and promises are thwarted by others, by illness, or by events we could not foresee.
On some occasions, rare, and to be avoided whenever possible, we change our plans for the sake of those to whom we made pledges or promises. Paul faced that dilemma with the Corinthians. Their continued conflict, in some cases built around moral failure, made it necessary for him to forgo his plans to visit them, lest his visit become a source of greater conflict and pain.
Paul did not simply ignore his promises. He wrote candidly and with loving concern. And he made his case as a man of deep integrity and with a firm dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Our word will only stand the test of eternity if we are deeply dependent on the Spirit of God.---
Hymn for Today: "I Am Resolved" by Palmer Hartsought
1. I am resolved no longer to linger,
charmed by the world's delight;
things that are higher, things that are nobler,
these have allured my sight.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
2. I am resolved to go to the Savior,
leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true one; He is the just one,
He has the words of life.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
3. I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay;
taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
we'll walk the heavenly way.
Refrain: I will hasten to Him,
hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest,
I will come to Thee.
---
Thought for Today: May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.(Psalm 19:14)
---
Please pray: That many people in Egypt will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
---
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Wednesday, 13 December 2017 "Build It; Don’t Wreck It" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
1 Corinthians 3:10 Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder; and another man is building on it. But let each one be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah. 12 Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, grass or straw. 13 But each one’s work will be shown for what it is; the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire — the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If the work someone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward; 15 if it is burned up, he will have to bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through a fire.
16 Don’t you know that you people are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple.
18 Let no one fool himself. If someone among you thinks he is wise (by this world’s standards), let him become “foolish,” so that he may become really wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; inasmuch as the Tanakh says, “He traps the wise in their own cleverness,”[1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13] 20 and again, “Adonai knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”[1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11] 21 So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours — 22 whether Sha’ul or Apollos or Kefa or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, 23 and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.
---
I watched with fascination as the old sanctuary of our church in Richardson, Texas, was demolished. We were in the process of constructing new facilities, and the old, tired building was no longer useful. The upkeep required was not worth the effort or the expense.
What struck me was that the old structure was demolished and hauled away in less than a day. What stood before us in the morning was gone by evening. What was constructed in its place took 18 months of arduous and detailed construction.
Paul was aware of the ease with which the church, not the building but the people, the dwelling place of the Spirit, could be destroyed. And he warned them that it was a dangerous thing to destroy God’s temple!
When the church, the people of God, are built together on the right foundation, they can endure the winds of stress and opposition. That foundation, says Paul, is none other than Jesus Christ himself. Whatever we do, we must not wreck or weaken the church of Jesus Christ. We must build well on the “Cornerstone” because it all belongs to Him!---
Hymn for Today: "O To Be Like Thee" by Thomas O. Chisholm
1. Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2. Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
3. Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
4. Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
5. Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
---
Thought for Today: Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!(Ephesians 2:22)
---
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Denmark.
---
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---
Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 12 December 2017 "Coworkers Together" by Jesse C. Middendorf - 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1 Corinthians 3:1 As for me, brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people, as babies, so far as experience with the Messiah is concerned. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. But you aren’t ready for it now either! 3 For you are still worldly! Isn’t it obvious from all the jealousy and quarrelling among you that you are worldly and living by merely human standards? 4 For when one says, “I follow Sha’ul” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you being merely human? 5 After all, what is Apollos? What is Sha’ul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow — 8 planter and waterer are the same.
However, each will be rewarded according to his work. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
---
Paul had an interesting, sometimes complicated relationship with the church in Corinth. Though he dearly loved them, he was also at times frustrated with them, especially their tendency to quarrel and fight among themselves.
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul was writing to those who were in a contentious debate about who had brought them into the church, who had formed their understanding of the faith. The debate had apparently brought them to new levels of division. By appealing to their relationships with one or the other of the former leaders of the church, the people had altogether missed the point of God’s use of the gifts and graces of all of the people of the church.
Unity is not something they, or we, can produce. Unity must be celebrated as the outcome of our common reliance on the grace of God. The more we seek status or priority, the less we can celebrate what we all have received. “Yes,” said Paul. “I planted the seed. Apollos watered the garden. But God, and God alone, makes it grow.”
God is the source of our life, and God alone deserves the honor. We serve together!
---
Hymn for Today: "Christ for the World We Sing" by Samuel Wolcott
1. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal;
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
for Christ doth heal.
2. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with fervent pray'r;
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost
from dark despair.
3. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with one accord;
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
4. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with joyful song;
the newborn souls whose days,
reclaimed from error's ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
---
Thought for Today: calling to mind before God our Father what our Lord Yeshua the Messiah has brought about in you — how your trust produces action, your love hard work, and your hope perseverance.(1 Thessalonians 1:3)
---
Please pray: That many people in Denmark will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
---
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Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Monday, 11 December 2017 "Coworkers With God" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Isaiah 61:1-11
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of Adonai Elohim is upon me,
because Adonai has anointed me
to announce good news to the poor.
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted;
to proclaim freedom to the captives,
to let out into light those bound in the dark;
2 to proclaim the year of the favor of Adonai
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn,
3 yes, provide for those in Tziyon who mourn,
giving them garlands instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
a cloak of praise instead of a heavy spirit,
so that they will be called oaks of righteousness
planted by Adonai, in which he takes pride.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
restore sites long destroyed;
they will renew the ruined cities,
destroyed many generations ago.
5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks,
foreigners plow your land and tend your vines;
6 but you will be called cohanim of Adonai,
spoken of as ministers to our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and revel in their riches.
7 Because of your shame, which was doubled,
and because they cried, “They deserve disgrace,”
therefore in their land what they own will be doubled,
and joy forever will be theirs.
8 “For I, Adonai, love justice;
I hate robbery for burnt offerings.
So I will be faithful to reward them
and make an eternal covenant with them.”
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them will acknowledge
that they are the seed Adonai has blessed.
10 I am so joyful in Adonai!
My soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in salvation,
dressed me with a robe of triumph,
like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban,
like a bride adorned with her jewels.
11 For just as the earth brings forth its plants,
or a garden makes its plants spring up,
so Adonai, God, will cause victory and glory
to spring up before all nations.
---
We immediately recognize the words of Isaiah 61 as the words Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth when He announced His redemptive mission to the world. In the Isaiah setting, they are the words of the prophet, speaking as he has been inspired by the Spirit of God. Israel, then in exile, was given the promise that God had initiated their redemption and restoration as His people.
But their restoration was not merely for their sake: “You will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God” (v. 6). They were to be coworkers with God. His redemptive purposes for Israel were not for the sake of Israel. They were to be the avenue by which all of creation would call on the God of Israel. Their descendants would be known among the nations" (verse 9).
Our work is no little thing. We are God’s coworkers, evidence that God’s redemptive work has begun. We are not to hide away within the walls of our church buildings. We are the planting of God, bearing fruit for Him. Through us, God “will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations” (v. 11).
---
Hymn for Today: "Christ for the World We Sing" by Samuel Wolcott
1. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with loving zeal;
the poor and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sin-sick and sorrow-worn,
for Christ doth heal.
2. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with fervent pray'r;
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost
from dark despair.
3. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with one accord;
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
4. Christ for the world we sing;
the world to Christ we bring
with joyful song;
the newborn souls whose days,
reclaimed from error's ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
---
Thought for Today: calling to mind before God our Father what our Lord Yeshua the Messiah has brought about in you — how your trust produces action, your love hard work, and your hope perseverance.(1 Thessalonians 1:3)
---
Please pray: That many people in Denmark will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
---
Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Monday, 11 December 2017 "Coworkers With God" by Jesse C. Middendorf - Isaiah 61:1-11
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of Adonai Elohim is upon me,
because Adonai has anointed me
to announce good news to the poor.
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted;
to proclaim freedom to the captives,
to let out into light those bound in the dark;
2 to proclaim the year of the favor of Adonai
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn,
3 yes, provide for those in Tziyon who mourn,
giving them garlands instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
a cloak of praise instead of a heavy spirit,
so that they will be called oaks of righteousness
planted by Adonai, in which he takes pride.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
restore sites long destroyed;
they will renew the ruined cities,
destroyed many generations ago.
5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks,
foreigners plow your land and tend your vines;
6 but you will be called cohanim of Adonai,
spoken of as ministers to our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and revel in their riches.
7 Because of your shame, which was doubled,
and because they cried, “They deserve disgrace,”
therefore in their land what they own will be doubled,
and joy forever will be theirs.
8 “For I, Adonai, love justice;
I hate robbery for burnt offerings.
So I will be faithful to reward them
and make an eternal covenant with them.”
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them will acknowledge
that they are the seed Adonai has blessed.
10 I am so joyful in Adonai!
My soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in salvation,
dressed me with a robe of triumph,
like a bridegroom wearing a festive turban,
like a bride adorned with her jewels.
11 For just as the earth brings forth its plants,
or a garden makes its plants spring up,
so Adonai, God, will cause victory and glory
to spring up before all nations.
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We immediately recognize the words of Isaiah 61 as the words Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth when He announced His redemptive mission to the world. In the Isaiah setting, they are the words of the prophet, speaking as he has been inspired by the Spirit of God. Israel, then in exile, was given the promise that God had initiated their redemption and restoration as His people.
But their restoration was not merely for their sake: “You will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God” (v. 6). They were to be coworkers with God. His redemptive purposes for Israel were not for the sake of Israel. They were to be the avenue by which all of creation would call on the God of Israel. Their descendants would be known among the nations" (verse 9).
Our work is no little thing. We are God’s coworkers, evidence that God’s redemptive work has begun. We are not to hide away within the walls of our church buildings. We are the planting of God, bearing fruit for Him. Through us, God “will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations” (v. 11).
"Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
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Hymn for Today: "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations" by H. Ernest Nichol
1. We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
2. We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
3. We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
has sent us His Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
4. We've a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow has trod,
that all of the world's great peoples
may come to the truth of God,
may come to the truth of God.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
---
Thought for Today: You, therefore, pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven!
May your Name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.(Matthew 6:9b-10)
---
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Cyprus.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
---
---
Hymn for Today: "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations" by H. Ernest Nichol
1. We've a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
2. We've a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
3. We've a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
has sent us His Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
4. We've a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow has trod,
that all of the world's great peoples
may come to the truth of God,
may come to the truth of God.
Refrain: For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright,
and Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.
---
Thought for Today: You, therefore, pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven!
May your Name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.(Matthew 6:9b-10)
---
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Cyprus.
---
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
---
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