Be Encouraged by God's Word:
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.[Mark 8:27-30, NRSV]
Wisdom from Fellow Pilgrims:
Because the Christian God is not a lonely God, but rather a communion of three persons, faith leads human beings into the divine communion. One cannot, however, have a self-enclosed communion with the Triune God—a "foursome," as it were—for the Christian God is not a private deity. Communion with this God is at once also communion with those others who have entrusted themselves in faith to the same God. Hence one and the same act of faith places a person into a new relationship both with God and with all others who stand in communion with God.[Miroslav Volf]
Pray Together with Us:
May none of God's wonderful works keep silence,
night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas,
sources of rushing rivers:
may all these break into song as we sing
to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in the heavens reply: Amen! Amen! Amen!
Power, praise, honor, eternal glory to God, the only
Giver of grace.
Amen! Amen! Amen![Third century hymn]_____________________
Soul Care-New Every Morning from The Clergy Development Office of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Be Encouraged by God's Word:
Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, "Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." They said to one another, "It is because we have no bread." And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" They said to him, "Twelve." "And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" And they said to him, "Seven." Then he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"[Mark 8:14-21, NRSV]
Wisdom from Fellow Pilgrims:
We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God. You've probably heard the expression 'I believe in God, just not organized religion'. I don't think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live.[Francis Chan]
Pray Together with Us:
We have not fully learned how to make peace;
we have taken advantage of each other continually;
we have judged each other without true knowledge;
we have set up barriers of pride in possessions;
we have divided people by their skin color;
we have even shown religious superiority.
Forgive us, merciful God, Father of our bodies,
minds and spirits—
let us commit our whole personalities to You.[Rita Snowden]
____________________________
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