Today's Devotional: The Upper Room Daily Devotion "Do Good Always" for Sunday, 19 April 2015 - Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be one in mind and feeling; love as brothers; and be compassionate and humble-minded, 9 not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, with blessing. For it is to this that you have been called, so that you may receive a blessing. 10 For
“Whoever wants to love life and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,
11 turn from evil and do good,
seek peace and chase after it.
12 For Adonai keeps his eyes on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayers;
but the face of Adonai is against
those who do evil things.”[a]
13 For who will hurt you if you become zealots for what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for being righteous, you are blessed! Moreover, don’t fear what they fear or be disturbed, 15 but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts;[b] while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear, 16 keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are spoken against, those who abuse the good behavior flowing from your union with the Messiah may be put to shame. 17 For if God has in fact willed that you should suffer, it is better that you suffer for doing what is good than for doing what is evil.[Footnotes:
1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:13-17(12-16)
1 Peter 3:15 Isaiah 8:12-13]
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called — that you might inherit a blessing.[1 Peter 3:9 (NRSV)]
My sister Portia and her four children were ordered out of the house by her husband. He had decided to end their 20-year marriage. Our parents took her in, but soon we saw her slip into depression. A neighbor advised us to take her to a counselor where Portia learned the importance of forgiveness. Then one day we noticed a great change; Portia was smiling.
Portia found a job and moved out of our parents’ house. For the next 10 years she raised her children alone. The Lord guided her and the children. Later each one attended university.
Then one day Portia called to tell me that her ex-husband had died. Our family accompanied her to the funeral. A few months later she received word that her ex-husband’s wife was dead. The couple left behind four children who were still at primary and secondary levels. No one from the husband’s family was willing to take the children, but Portia offered to do it. Her four working children helped her take care of theseorphans.
God worked miraculously. All eight children are now working, some overseas. Each one calls her “mother.” Portia is a role model to me and to our community; she never repaid evil for evil. She is a testimony of what real love means.
Read more from the author, here."The Courage to Write"
When I was enrolled as a student at Nyadire Teachers College, my teachers asked me to lead a group of writers called the building writers association. Simply because I did not believe in myself I refused. Twenty years after receiving my diploma, I was elected into the district executive as the christian Education chairperson of Mutoko Mudzi District. I liked the post because I have a passion for working with the Junior Sunday School. My pastor was the then Com Chairperson. In July 2013, one day my pastor instructed that I had to attend a writers' workshop in Harare. I refused. He asked me to reconsider and I gave him the following reasons for not wanting to attend:
1. I was not the only person in the District.
2. I had no money for travelling.
3. I was not a writer.
4. There was no one to take care of my house during my absence.
5. I was not good at English.
And he responded saying that I was a suitable candidate for the workshop. He added that my English was very good, and he was going to give me money to travel to Harare. 'No way out Violet" I said to myself. So I went to Harare.
The writers at the conference were all clergy and laity. The facilitator was Kara Oliver from The United States. The clergy were using theological language, and it was intimidating. The first night I borrowed the presenter's copy of The Upper Room magazine. In the morning I wrote something as an introduction and was confident that I would read my paper if asked to do so. The second and last day of the workshop I was a bit more confident. After the workshop Kara asked all the participants to feel free to make submission to her for editing and forwarding to the Upper Room. I was so excited after the workshop because I knew that my life experiences would inspire people. I wrote three articles, and Kara Oliver encouraged me by telling me that all the submissions had been edited and forwarded to the Upper Room.
After a few months the editors at The Upper Room sent an email to notify me that my work was receiving consideration. Last year I got another email to tell me that my devotional was going to be published! So I went to my pastor and thanked him for believing in me! To God be the glory. What is so humbling is that a lot of people will read this testimony. From this experience I now know that we called into different circumstances for a purpose. Everyone of us is pregnant with writing that can inspire somebody. We should give birth by writing our testimony so that God will be glorified.[Violet Mutasa]
The Author: Violet Mutasa (Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe)
Thought for the Day: Even if the future appears bleak to us, God has another outlook.
Prayer: O God, when we face rejection may your Holy Spirit help us understand that forgiveness heals us. Amen.
Prayer focus: Single Parents
“Whoever wants to love life and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,
11 turn from evil and do good,
seek peace and chase after it.
12 For Adonai keeps his eyes on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayers;
but the face of Adonai is against
those who do evil things.”[a]
13 For who will hurt you if you become zealots for what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for being righteous, you are blessed! Moreover, don’t fear what they fear or be disturbed, 15 but treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts;[b] while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you — yet with humility and fear, 16 keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are spoken against, those who abuse the good behavior flowing from your union with the Messiah may be put to shame. 17 For if God has in fact willed that you should suffer, it is better that you suffer for doing what is good than for doing what is evil.[Footnotes:
1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:13-17(12-16)
1 Peter 3:15 Isaiah 8:12-13]
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called — that you might inherit a blessing.[1 Peter 3:9 (NRSV)]
My sister Portia and her four children were ordered out of the house by her husband. He had decided to end their 20-year marriage. Our parents took her in, but soon we saw her slip into depression. A neighbor advised us to take her to a counselor where Portia learned the importance of forgiveness. Then one day we noticed a great change; Portia was smiling.
Portia found a job and moved out of our parents’ house. For the next 10 years she raised her children alone. The Lord guided her and the children. Later each one attended university.
Then one day Portia called to tell me that her ex-husband had died. Our family accompanied her to the funeral. A few months later she received word that her ex-husband’s wife was dead. The couple left behind four children who were still at primary and secondary levels. No one from the husband’s family was willing to take the children, but Portia offered to do it. Her four working children helped her take care of theseorphans.
God worked miraculously. All eight children are now working, some overseas. Each one calls her “mother.” Portia is a role model to me and to our community; she never repaid evil for evil. She is a testimony of what real love means.
Read more from the author, here."The Courage to Write"
1. I was not the only person in the District.
2. I had no money for travelling.
3. I was not a writer.
4. There was no one to take care of my house during my absence.
5. I was not good at English.
And he responded saying that I was a suitable candidate for the workshop. He added that my English was very good, and he was going to give me money to travel to Harare. 'No way out Violet" I said to myself. So I went to Harare.
The writers at the conference were all clergy and laity. The facilitator was Kara Oliver from The United States. The clergy were using theological language, and it was intimidating. The first night I borrowed the presenter's copy of The Upper Room magazine. In the morning I wrote something as an introduction and was confident that I would read my paper if asked to do so. The second and last day of the workshop I was a bit more confident. After the workshop Kara asked all the participants to feel free to make submission to her for editing and forwarding to the Upper Room. I was so excited after the workshop because I knew that my life experiences would inspire people. I wrote three articles, and Kara Oliver encouraged me by telling me that all the submissions had been edited and forwarded to the Upper Room.
After a few months the editors at The Upper Room sent an email to notify me that my work was receiving consideration. Last year I got another email to tell me that my devotional was going to be published! So I went to my pastor and thanked him for believing in me! To God be the glory. What is so humbling is that a lot of people will read this testimony. From this experience I now know that we called into different circumstances for a purpose. Everyone of us is pregnant with writing that can inspire somebody. We should give birth by writing our testimony so that God will be glorified.[Violet Mutasa]
The Author: Violet Mutasa (Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe)
Thought for the Day: Even if the future appears bleak to us, God has another outlook.
Prayer: O God, when we face rejection may your Holy Spirit help us understand that forgiveness heals us. Amen.
Prayer focus: Single Parents
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