Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour from San Diego, California, United States "God Remembers" Thursday, October 1, 2015
(Joseph said) "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."[Genesis 50:20]
There are times when things can't get any worse. And then they do.
That was certainly the situation for Mr. Moshen.
* He had lived in Syria, but now because of the political situation, he was trying to reach a country of safety.
* His family had been divided. His oldest son was in Germany; his wife and third child were in a Turkish refugee camp, and he was carrying his seven-year-old boy.
To Mr. Moshen's way of thinking, things couldn't get any worse.
And then they did.
* As he tried to get past the Hungarian border patrol, he was tripped by a reporter and fell to the ground. Later, Mr. Moshen said his first reaction was surprise and "then pain when I saw the fear and panic in my son's face. Zaid (the boy) cried for two hours. He was terrified. Then they took our fingerprints and threatened to put us in jail."
Things were about as bleak as they could get. But, unknown to Mr. Moshen, his story had been shown around the world and touched the folks at Spain's national football coaching center. When they found out Mr. Moshen was a first-quality soccer coach, they decided to help him.
Taking all of their advertising budget, they offered him a place to stay in Spain. There they would give him time to learn the language and bring his family together. Finally, they would help with the papers that would grant him citizenship, and offer him a new job when the time was right.
That's the kind of story Old Testament's Joseph would have understood.
His jealous brothers had sold him into slavery and pretended he was dead. He had been falsely accused and thrown into prison. People who promised to remember him forgot, and he could have thought himself forgotten by the Lord as well.
But the Lord remembered Joseph, and divine intervention elevated him to a position of authority. It was a position he used to save lives, including those of his brothers and their families. Looking at all that had happened, Joseph spoke the words of our text above.
There is a lesson to be learned here. Especially when we are down -- when we feel forgotten and alone -- we need to remember the Lord who sent His Son to save us will never leave us or desert us. This sinful world may do all manner of evil to us, but God can take that situation and turn it for our benefit and the blessing of others.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, when we are surrounded by the dark, help us see the light that comes to us through our crucified and risen Savior. In His Name I ask it. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour MinistriesThrough the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Isaiah 50:1 Adonai says:
“Where is your mother’s divorce document
which I gave her when I divorced her?
Or: to which of my creditors
did I sell you?
You were sold because of your sins;
because of your crimes was your mother divorced.
2 Why was no one here when I came?
Why, when I called, did nobody answer?
Is my arm too short to redeem?
Have I too little power to save?
With my rebuke I dry up the sea;
I turn rivers into desert,
their fish rot for lack of water
and they die of thirst;
3 I dress the heavens in black to mourn
and make their covering sackcloth.”
4 Adonai Elohim has given me
the ability to speak as a man well taught,
so that I, with my words,
know how to sustain the weary.
Each morning he awakens my ear
to hear like those who are taught.
5 Adonai Elohim has opened my ear,
and I neither rebelled nor turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7 For Adonai Elohim will help.
This is why no insult can wound me.
This is why I have set my face like flint,
knowing I will not be put to shame.
8 My vindicator is close by;
let whoever dares to accuse me
appear with me in court!
Let whoever has a case against me step forward!
9 Look, if Adonai Elohim helps me,
who will dare to condemn me?
Here, they are all falling apart
like old, moth-eaten clothes.
10 Who among you fears Adonai?
Who obeys what his servant says?
Even when he walks in the dark,
without any light,
he will trust in Adonai’s reputation
and rely on his God.
11 But all of you who are lighting fires
and arming yourselves with firebrands:
go, walk in the flame of your own fire,
among the firebrands you lit!
From my hands this [fate] awaits you:
you will lie down in torment.
51:1 “Listen to me, you pursuers of justice,
you who seek Adonai:
consider the rock from which you were cut,
the quarry from which you were dug —
2 consider Avraham your father
and Sarah, who gave birth to you;
in that I called him when he was only one person,
then blessed him and made him many.
3 For Adonai will comfort Tziyon,
will comfort all her ruined places,
will make her desert like ‘Eden,
her ‘Aravah like the garden of Adonai.
Joy and gladness will be there,
thanksgiving and the sound of music.
4 “Pay attention to me, my people!
My nation, listen to me!
For Torah will go out from me;
I will calm them with my justice
as a light for the peoples.
5 My righteousness is at hand,
my salvation goes out,
my arms will judge the peoples.
The coastlands are putting their hope in me,
trusting in my arm.
6 “Raise your eyes toward the skies,
look at the earth below.
The skies will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like clothing.
Those living on it will die like flies;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my justice will never end.
7 “Listen to me, you who know justice,
you people who have my Torah in your heart:
don’t be afraid of people’s taunts,
don’t be upset by their insults.
8 For the moth will eat them up like clothing,
the worm will eat them like wool;
but my justice will be forever,
and my salvation for all generations.”
9 Awake! Awake! Arm of Adonai,
clothe yourself with strength!
Awake, as in days of old,
as in ancient generations!
Wasn’t it you who hacked Rahav to pieces,
you who pierced the sea monster?*
10 Wasn’t it you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep;
you who made the sea bottom a road
for the redeemed to cross?
11 Those ransomed by Adonai will return
and come with singing to Tziyon;
on their heads will be everlasting joy.
They will acquire gladness and joy,
while sorrow and sighing will flee.
12 “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you!
Why are you afraid of a man, who must die;
of a human being, who will wither like grass?
13 You have forgotten Adonai, your maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.
Instead, you are in constant fear all day
because of the oppressor’s rage,
as he prepares to destroy!
But where is the oppressor’s rage?
14 The captive will soon be set free;
he will not die and go down to Sh’ol;
on the contrary, his food supply will be secure.
15 For I am Adonai your God,
who stirs up the sea, who makes its waves roar —
Adonai-Tzva’ot is my name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you with the shadow of my hand,
in order to plant the skies [anew],
lay the foundations of the earth [anew]
and say to Tziyon, ‘You are my people.’”
17 Awake! Awake! Stand up, Yerushalayim!
At Adonai’s hand you drank the cup of his fury;
you have drained to the dregs
the goblet of drunkenness.
18 There is no one to guide her
among all the sons she has borne.
Not one of all the children she raised
is taking her by the hand.
19 These two disasters have overcome you —
yet who will grieve with you? —
plunder and destruction, famine and sword;
by whom can I comfort you?
20 Your children lie helpless at every street corner,
like an antelope trapped in a net;
they are full of Adonai’s fury,
the rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore, please hear this in your affliction,
you who are drunk, but not with wine;
22 this is what your Lord Adonai says,
your God, who defends his people:
“Here, I have removed from your hand
the cup of drunkenness,
the goblet of my fury.
You will never drink it again.
23 I will put it in the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you, ‘Bend down, so we can trample you,’
and you flattened your back on the ground
like a street for them to walk on.”
52:1 Awake! Awake, Tziyon!
Clothe yourself with your strength!
Dress in your splendid garments,
Yerushalayim, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
will enter you no more.
2 Shake off the dust! Arise!
Be enthroned, Yerushalayim!
Loosen the chains on your neck,
captive daughter of Tziyon!
3 For thus says Adonai:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without money.”
4 For thus says Adonai Elohim:
“Long ago my people went down to Egypt
to live there as aliens,
and Ashur oppressed them for no reason.
5 So now, what should I do here,” asks Adonai,
“since my people were carried off for nothing?
Their oppressors are howling,” says Adonai,
“and my name is always being insulted, daily.
6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore on that day they will know
that I, the one speaking — here I am!”
7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
proclaiming shalom, bringing good news
of good things, announcing salvation
and saying to Tziyon, “Your God is King!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen are raising their voices,
shouting for joy together.
For they will see, before their own eyes,
Adonai returning to Tziyon.
9 Break out into joy! Sing together,
you ruins of Yerushalayim!
For Adonai has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Yerushalayim!
10 Adonai has bared his holy arm
in the sight of every nation,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there!
Don’t touch anything unclean!
Get out from inside it, and be clean,
you who carry Adonai’s temple equipment.
12 You need not leave in haste,
you do not have to flee;
for Adonai will go ahead of you,
and the God of Isra’el will also be behind you.
13 “See how my servant will succeed!
He will be raised up, exalted, highly honored!
14 Just as many were appalled at him,
because he was so disfigured
that he didn’t even seem human
and simply no longer looked like a man,
15 so now he will startle many nations;
because of him, kings will be speechless.
For they will see what they had not been told,
they will ponder things they had never heard.”
Romans 9:16 Thus it doesn’t depend on human desires or efforts, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Tanakh says to Pharaoh, “It is for this very reason that I raised you up, so that in connection with you I might demonstrate my power, so that my name might be known throughout the world.”[a] 18 So then, he has mercy on whom he wants, and he hardens whom he wants.
19 But you will say to me, “Then why does he still find fault with us? After all, who resists his will?” 20 Who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, “Why did you make me this way?”[Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16, 45:9] 21 Or has the potter no right to make from a given lump of clay this pot for honorable use and that one for dishonorable? 22 Now what if God, even though he was quite willing to demonstrate his anger and make known his power, patiently put up with people who deserved punishment and were ripe for destruction? 23 What if he did this in order to make known the riches of his glory to those who are the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory — 24 that is, to us, whom he called not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hoshea,
“Those who were not my people I will call my people;
her who was not loved I will call loved;
26 and in the very place where they were told,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called sons of the living God!”[Romans 9:26 Hosea 2:25 (23), 2:1(1:10)]
27 But Yesha‘yahu, referring to Isra’el, cries out,
“Even if the number of people in Isra’el is as large
as the number of grains of sand by the sea,
only a remnant will be saved.
28 For Adonai will fulfill his word on the earth
with certainty and without delay.”[Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22–23]
29 Also, as Yesha‘yahu said earlier,
“If Adonai-Tzva’ot had not left us a seed,
we would have become like S’dom,
we would have resembled ‘Amora.”[Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9]
30 So, what are we to say? This: that Gentiles, even though they were not striving for righteousness, have obtained righteousness; but it is a righteousness grounded in trusting! 31 However, Isra’el, even though they kept pursuing a Torah that offers righteousness, did not reach what the Torah offers. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue righteousness as being grounded in trusting but as if it were grounded in doing legalistic works. They stumbled over the stone that makes people stumble.[Romans 9:32 Isaiah 8:14] 33 As the Tanakh puts it,
“Look, I am laying in Tziyon
a stone that will make people stumble,
a rock that will trip them up.
But he who rests his trust on it
will not be humiliated.”[Romans 9:33 Isaiah 28:16]
Footnotes:____________________________The Lutheran Hour
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
____________________________
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
14 million slaves in India need to hear the message of freedom from Andrea Summers for Wednesday, 30 September 2015
14 million slaves in India need to hear the message of freedom from Andrea Summers for Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Your short & sweet Wednesday soundbite from Wesleyan Women
The message of freedom didn't stop at ALIVE in Nashville. Tomorrow, seven people will be taking it to Mizoram, Northeast India. God has called them on a journey there to educate others about human trafficking in an area that is desperate for His hope. Please pray for the team as they travel and conduct a human trafficking awareness workshop and a large youth conference. Packed in their luggage... 175 Dress A Girl dresses that will be used as a powerful incentive to participate in the training. Go here to learn more about how these dresses are used to combat trafficking.
Pray for team members:
Dr. Linda Caringal
Tina Dedace
Neing Neilam
Lauren VanCott
Janice Boyd
Laura Caitlin
Pastor Zach Morgan
They will be arriving in India on October 4th and flying back home on Monday, October 12th.
The Wesleyan Church
PO Box 50434
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250 United States
(317) 774-3888
____________________________
Your short & sweet Wednesday soundbite from Wesleyan Women
The message of freedom didn't stop at ALIVE in Nashville. Tomorrow, seven people will be taking it to Mizoram, Northeast India. God has called them on a journey there to educate others about human trafficking in an area that is desperate for His hope. Please pray for the team as they travel and conduct a human trafficking awareness workshop and a large youth conference. Packed in their luggage... 175 Dress A Girl dresses that will be used as a powerful incentive to participate in the training. Go here to learn more about how these dresses are used to combat trafficking.
Pray for team members:
Dr. Linda Caringal
Tina Dedace
Neing Neilam
Lauren VanCott
Janice Boyd
Laura Caitlin
Pastor Zach Morgan
They will be arriving in India on October 4th and flying back home on Monday, October 12th.
The Wesleyan Church
PO Box 50434
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250 United States
(317) 774-3888
____________________________
Good news from Israel, Moscow and NYC! from David Brickner, Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States - Plus the latest ministry update from David Brickner, executive director at Jews for Jesus.
Good news from Israel, Moscow and NYC! from David Brickner, Jews for Jesus in San Francisco, California, United States - Plus the latest ministry update from David Brickner, executive director at Jews for Jesus.
Share on:
From David Brickner
➤ Read David’s thoughts on what we can gain from Jeremiah’s advice to people who were completely devastated.
Dare to Hope
More Christians have been martyred this year than at any other time in modern history. The moral decay of our culture has many believers wringing their hands while others who claim to know Christ are compromising on the clear teaching of Scripture. You might say these are dark days for followers of Christ.
The prophet Jeremiah lived during a similar time in Israel’s history. He was charged by God to prophesy judgment on his own people because they disobeyed God by conforming to the sins of those around them; their idol worship, child sacrifices and religious prostitution had polluted the land. Jeremiah spoke God’s truth in power. He condemned sin and foretold judgment. The Babylonians—invaders from what we know as modern-day Iraq—would pulverize Israel’s armies and drag the people away into captivity.
For pronouncing such a message, Jeremiah was rejected by almost everyone— and especially by his own family. They plotted to kill him. He was humiliated, publically beaten and mocked; he was shamed as he was whipped and put in stocks in the public square. Finally he was thrown in prison and flung into a deep pit, a cistern that was like a quagmire of oozing mud and filth where he lay sinking and freezing and near death.
Jeremiah was broken and lonely, yet he wasn’t without hope. In fact, he not only lived with a profound sense of hope, but he actually wrote a letter to the people after they were taken captive in Babylon, daring them to hope in the midst of their exile. (See Jeremiah 29:4–7)
How amazing that Jeremiah wrote this letter at all! Remember, these people had caused his pain and suffering and imprisonment.
I don’t know about you, but if it were me I would have been tempted to write a letter saying, “See. I told you so. You should have listened to me. But now you’ve gotten exactly what you deserve.” But Jeremiah doesn’t do that. Instead he writes to encourage them, to comfort them in their distress, to offer them good advice and hope for coping with their pain and loss. I find that striking.
And that is exactly how God responds to us. When we experience the consequences of our disobedience, He doesn’t gloat or say, “I told you so.” He looks to forgive and bring about our redemption.
I was thinking about this recently as families of the Charleston massacre victims, grief stricken over their loss, offered forgiveness to the murderer and called on him to repent and receive Christ. The whole world was amazed to see such good people. But it’s not merely that they were good people; they were God’s people. And those people, acting in His strength, showed the world what a good and loving God looks like.
When we choose forgiveness and grace toward those who have done us wrong, we, too, can show others what God is like. And we can do this because it is how God has shown Himself to us.
The second thing that strikes me about the prophet Jeremiah is this: he gave the best possible advice to a people who had experienced complete and utter devastation. They had experienced such trauma, such profound loss, that it was only natural for them to despair of life.
Don’t just become a hater of the situation. Learn to live for what good God can make out of it.
But Jeremiah says (if I can paraphrase), “Hey guys. You have to keep on living. Even in exile there is hope, because the God of hope promises to be with you. Now you have to reshape your expectations. Don’t just become a hater of the situation. Learn to live for what good God can make out of it.”
All of us today are living in a kind of exile because ultimately our truest home is with God. Yet God still wants us to live full of hope now and to do good even in our exile because ultimately we represent Him. Our exile may feel like a real sense of loss.
Eventually life delivers the blows of loss and disappointment, even to those who are obedient, as Jeremiah was. Painful disappointments in our relationships may result in loneliness and alienation. Or maybe things haven’t turned out the way we hoped in terms of our job and career. We may be struggling with bitterness over any number of unmet expectations. Some are facing declining health, even the prospect of death before we feel ready for it.
We all, at some point, realize the temporary nature of life. The things we think will make life perfect can’t ultimately satisfy us. Even if we have little or no disappointment in our relationships, career, etc.—even the best of the most wonderful life is tainted with temporality. And the knowledge that whatever we have on this earth is fleeting has caused many people to despair.
That’s because we are made for a permanence that is found only in God’s presence, a love and a joy that never fades—that is what we truly seek, even if we aren’t aware of it. And that is what only He can give.
Meanwhile, this is God’s encouragement to us: We don’t have to let regret over what we don’t have rob us of the joys God is offering. But to experience those joys, we need to dispense with our fear of losing every good thing He gives us. We also need to dispense with the “if only’s.” If only this didn’t happen, if only I got that job or married that person or lived in that house. Similarly, we can stop wishing that this or that didn’t happen because guess what? It did.
We can never hope to avoid the pain and brokenness of life this side of heaven—yet we can live hope-filled lives because God’s mercies are new every morning.
Those mercies give us every reason to open our eyes and see what God has for us right here, right now. We can engage with people, be a light to the world around us and also experience and enjoy the blessings that God is offering us here and now.
Not only are His mercies new every morning, but His eternal promises are secure. So taste and see that the Lord is good. He is the only pleasure that never fades away but keeps getting better and better until that morning dawns when we stand in His presence with no more tears, no more sorrows, but only the pure, rich and ever-satisfying love of God.
We can have a measure of that experience now and tomorrow and the next day and the next. We need to believe that and declare that, and order our lives around that ultimate reality. No matter how dark the horizon, we can dare to hope because we know for a certainty, the best is yet to come.
David Brickner is also an author, public speaker and avid hiker. Find out more about David, his writings, speaking schedule and possible availability to speak at your church
➤ Watch David’s video and see what God is doing through our outreaches in Israel, Moscow and New York City!
Top Stories An exciting report from Moscow
More from Moscow!
10 Jewish people and 13 Gentiles have prayed to receive Yeshua so far! 279 Jewish people who don’t know the Lord have given contact info to hear more about Jesus. The team has handed out more than 114,000 gospel broadsides. Meanwhile, we have teams following up and doing drop-in visits: so far they have met with 59 people!
Here are some stories to encourage you and keep you praying for God to pour out His Spirit throughout this campaign:
Michael, a volunteer, reports, “Last year during the Moscow campaign I began a conversation with a woman (not Jewish) who was selling various items. At first, she was angry. But two minutes later she came back and asked me to pray for her because she had a headache. I prayed and it stopped. She was so amazed that she said, ‘Praise God!’ After that she agreed to pray one more time, and she surrendered her life to Jesus. This year I had a sortie (tract-passing expedition) in the same place, and I saw the same woman. She recognized me, and it was wonderful to hear that she continues to grow in her faith at a local Baptist church. Praise God for the fruit that He allows us to see!”
Also from Michael, “Often when I talk to Jewish people, I see they are afraid to give their contact information. I have developed a few responses that often put them more at ease. I was talking to one man, hoping to get his contact information. He was refusing my best attempts. I stopped trying and offered to pray for him. He agreed, so I did. After the prayer he changed. His heart melted, the fear was gone and he wanted to give me his contact information. Always remember, prayer is the best and the most powerful way to drive away fear.”
Anatoli reports, “I had just visited one young Jewish woman and was about to leave, when I saw the elevator doors opening. An elderly Jewish woman that I’d visited in a different part of the city the day before stepped out. Imagine my surprise when the younger woman I’d just visited greeted her, saying: ‘Hi, mom!’”
Daniel, a volunteer, reports, “I was putting tracts under windshield wipers, feeling bad that I probably wouldn’t get to speak to anyone, when I saw a man who seemed to be Jewish and approached him. He was very sincere and we had a nice conversation. I shared the gospel with him and prayed for him. Then he told me a bit about his life and how he’d had a few heart attacks but, miraculously, was still alive. I told him that there are no coincidences and that God has a plan for him. I shared the gospel and asked if he’d ever prayed to receive Jesus in his life. He said no and agreed to pray. It was the first time since I’m volunteering with Jews for Jesus that I got to lead someone in a profession of faith!”
Norma, a volunteer, reports, “I asked God to allow me to lead someone to Yeshua. Soon after, I met a group of four young women. I shared the gospel with all of them and they responded by saying they understood they were sinners and believed what I said about Jesus. When I asked, two of them agreed to pray and let Jesus enter in their lives. Of the two, one gave me her contact information, and she was Jewish.”
Natasha reprts, “I and one other sister took the database and did cold-calling. As a result of phoning people, we met ten Jewish people willing to hear more from us, and two older Jewish women prayed to receive Jesus! Praise God!”
Dmitri reports, “I was phoning to follow up people who gave their contact information, and got to speak to Lev, who said he attends the synagogue regularly. When I invited him to our Shabbat meeting, he refused, saying that he can’t drive on Shabbat and we were too far away for him to walk. Then I asked him if he is still interested in knowing more about Yeshua. When he said yes, I offered him to meet him the following week to have a coffee and talk. He agreed. Please pray for Lev’s heart to be open.
“A Jewish woman called our office after getting our tract in the morning. She said she called because the person that gave her the tract was so extremely nice that it left her amazed. She promised to come to our Shabbat meeting.”
Please continue to pray for more salvations and fruitful follow-up in Moscow!
Camp Gilgal: 14 Jewish campers received Jesus this summer and more than 50 recommitted their hearts to HimGet a Glimpse
This summer we ministered to nearly 200 Jewish children and youth ages 8 to 18 years old through our Camp Gilgal programs in California, Michigan, New York and Germany. Camp Gilgal is part of our commitment to raise up a new generation of Jewish believers in Messiah.
Fourteen campers, some from unbelieving homes,* surrendered their hearts to the Lord. More than 50 of our campers recommitted their lives to Him. One camper who made a first time commitment
to the Lord has shared his new faith in Jesus with the rest of his family and has been worshiping God on his own at home. Another camper wanted to start telling her unbelieving friends about Jesus.
So many campers came with doubts about their faith and left camp secure in their relationships in Jesus. Many also conquered fears and grew in personal confidence through camp activities. All the honest conversations about the Bible, faith and life in the midst of God’s beautiful creation made for a wonderful summer.
We praise God for moving in the hearts of our campers and staff. The restart of our Camp Gilgal Midwest teen camp under the leadership of David and Arielle Randle was especially encouraging. Most of our camp staff have grown up attending Camp Gilgal. Many go on to serve with Halutzim (our teen discipleship/missions trip to New York), Massah (our young adult discipleship/missions trip to Israel and India), and some have even gone on to serve on our missionary staff. Whatever way God leads them, we are grateful to have the opportunity to minister to them along the way.
Please pray for our campers as they return to school and resume their normal schedules, that they will continue to grow in their faith and shine the light of Messiah to their family, friends and classmates!
*We require parental consent for ministry to all children.
Brief video from a Behold Your God Israel campaigner tells a surprising story
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RealTime delivers breaking news and views on Jewish evangelism, as well as inspiring perspectives from executive director David Brickner. Check back often for the latest updates. You'll find reasons to praise—and opportunities for prayer.Jews for Jesus
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Share on:
From David Brickner
➤ Read David’s thoughts on what we can gain from Jeremiah’s advice to people who were completely devastated.
Dare to Hope
More Christians have been martyred this year than at any other time in modern history. The moral decay of our culture has many believers wringing their hands while others who claim to know Christ are compromising on the clear teaching of Scripture. You might say these are dark days for followers of Christ.
The prophet Jeremiah lived during a similar time in Israel’s history. He was charged by God to prophesy judgment on his own people because they disobeyed God by conforming to the sins of those around them; their idol worship, child sacrifices and religious prostitution had polluted the land. Jeremiah spoke God’s truth in power. He condemned sin and foretold judgment. The Babylonians—invaders from what we know as modern-day Iraq—would pulverize Israel’s armies and drag the people away into captivity.
For pronouncing such a message, Jeremiah was rejected by almost everyone— and especially by his own family. They plotted to kill him. He was humiliated, publically beaten and mocked; he was shamed as he was whipped and put in stocks in the public square. Finally he was thrown in prison and flung into a deep pit, a cistern that was like a quagmire of oozing mud and filth where he lay sinking and freezing and near death.
Jeremiah was broken and lonely, yet he wasn’t without hope. In fact, he not only lived with a profound sense of hope, but he actually wrote a letter to the people after they were taken captive in Babylon, daring them to hope in the midst of their exile. (See Jeremiah 29:4–7)
How amazing that Jeremiah wrote this letter at all! Remember, these people had caused his pain and suffering and imprisonment.
I don’t know about you, but if it were me I would have been tempted to write a letter saying, “See. I told you so. You should have listened to me. But now you’ve gotten exactly what you deserve.” But Jeremiah doesn’t do that. Instead he writes to encourage them, to comfort them in their distress, to offer them good advice and hope for coping with their pain and loss. I find that striking.
And that is exactly how God responds to us. When we experience the consequences of our disobedience, He doesn’t gloat or say, “I told you so.” He looks to forgive and bring about our redemption.
I was thinking about this recently as families of the Charleston massacre victims, grief stricken over their loss, offered forgiveness to the murderer and called on him to repent and receive Christ. The whole world was amazed to see such good people. But it’s not merely that they were good people; they were God’s people. And those people, acting in His strength, showed the world what a good and loving God looks like.
When we choose forgiveness and grace toward those who have done us wrong, we, too, can show others what God is like. And we can do this because it is how God has shown Himself to us.
The second thing that strikes me about the prophet Jeremiah is this: he gave the best possible advice to a people who had experienced complete and utter devastation. They had experienced such trauma, such profound loss, that it was only natural for them to despair of life.
Don’t just become a hater of the situation. Learn to live for what good God can make out of it.
But Jeremiah says (if I can paraphrase), “Hey guys. You have to keep on living. Even in exile there is hope, because the God of hope promises to be with you. Now you have to reshape your expectations. Don’t just become a hater of the situation. Learn to live for what good God can make out of it.”
All of us today are living in a kind of exile because ultimately our truest home is with God. Yet God still wants us to live full of hope now and to do good even in our exile because ultimately we represent Him. Our exile may feel like a real sense of loss.
Eventually life delivers the blows of loss and disappointment, even to those who are obedient, as Jeremiah was. Painful disappointments in our relationships may result in loneliness and alienation. Or maybe things haven’t turned out the way we hoped in terms of our job and career. We may be struggling with bitterness over any number of unmet expectations. Some are facing declining health, even the prospect of death before we feel ready for it.
We all, at some point, realize the temporary nature of life. The things we think will make life perfect can’t ultimately satisfy us. Even if we have little or no disappointment in our relationships, career, etc.—even the best of the most wonderful life is tainted with temporality. And the knowledge that whatever we have on this earth is fleeting has caused many people to despair.
That’s because we are made for a permanence that is found only in God’s presence, a love and a joy that never fades—that is what we truly seek, even if we aren’t aware of it. And that is what only He can give.
Meanwhile, this is God’s encouragement to us: We don’t have to let regret over what we don’t have rob us of the joys God is offering. But to experience those joys, we need to dispense with our fear of losing every good thing He gives us. We also need to dispense with the “if only’s.” If only this didn’t happen, if only I got that job or married that person or lived in that house. Similarly, we can stop wishing that this or that didn’t happen because guess what? It did.
We can never hope to avoid the pain and brokenness of life this side of heaven—yet we can live hope-filled lives because God’s mercies are new every morning.
Those mercies give us every reason to open our eyes and see what God has for us right here, right now. We can engage with people, be a light to the world around us and also experience and enjoy the blessings that God is offering us here and now.
Not only are His mercies new every morning, but His eternal promises are secure. So taste and see that the Lord is good. He is the only pleasure that never fades away but keeps getting better and better until that morning dawns when we stand in His presence with no more tears, no more sorrows, but only the pure, rich and ever-satisfying love of God.
We can have a measure of that experience now and tomorrow and the next day and the next. We need to believe that and declare that, and order our lives around that ultimate reality. No matter how dark the horizon, we can dare to hope because we know for a certainty, the best is yet to come.
David Brickner is also an author, public speaker and avid hiker. Find out more about David, his writings, speaking schedule and possible availability to speak at your church
➤ Watch David’s video and see what God is doing through our outreaches in Israel, Moscow and New York City!
Top Stories An exciting report from Moscow
More from Moscow!
10 Jewish people and 13 Gentiles have prayed to receive Yeshua so far! 279 Jewish people who don’t know the Lord have given contact info to hear more about Jesus. The team has handed out more than 114,000 gospel broadsides. Meanwhile, we have teams following up and doing drop-in visits: so far they have met with 59 people!
Here are some stories to encourage you and keep you praying for God to pour out His Spirit throughout this campaign:
Michael, a volunteer, reports, “Last year during the Moscow campaign I began a conversation with a woman (not Jewish) who was selling various items. At first, she was angry. But two minutes later she came back and asked me to pray for her because she had a headache. I prayed and it stopped. She was so amazed that she said, ‘Praise God!’ After that she agreed to pray one more time, and she surrendered her life to Jesus. This year I had a sortie (tract-passing expedition) in the same place, and I saw the same woman. She recognized me, and it was wonderful to hear that she continues to grow in her faith at a local Baptist church. Praise God for the fruit that He allows us to see!”
Also from Michael, “Often when I talk to Jewish people, I see they are afraid to give their contact information. I have developed a few responses that often put them more at ease. I was talking to one man, hoping to get his contact information. He was refusing my best attempts. I stopped trying and offered to pray for him. He agreed, so I did. After the prayer he changed. His heart melted, the fear was gone and he wanted to give me his contact information. Always remember, prayer is the best and the most powerful way to drive away fear.”
Anatoli reports, “I had just visited one young Jewish woman and was about to leave, when I saw the elevator doors opening. An elderly Jewish woman that I’d visited in a different part of the city the day before stepped out. Imagine my surprise when the younger woman I’d just visited greeted her, saying: ‘Hi, mom!’”
Daniel, a volunteer, reports, “I was putting tracts under windshield wipers, feeling bad that I probably wouldn’t get to speak to anyone, when I saw a man who seemed to be Jewish and approached him. He was very sincere and we had a nice conversation. I shared the gospel with him and prayed for him. Then he told me a bit about his life and how he’d had a few heart attacks but, miraculously, was still alive. I told him that there are no coincidences and that God has a plan for him. I shared the gospel and asked if he’d ever prayed to receive Jesus in his life. He said no and agreed to pray. It was the first time since I’m volunteering with Jews for Jesus that I got to lead someone in a profession of faith!”
Norma, a volunteer, reports, “I asked God to allow me to lead someone to Yeshua. Soon after, I met a group of four young women. I shared the gospel with all of them and they responded by saying they understood they were sinners and believed what I said about Jesus. When I asked, two of them agreed to pray and let Jesus enter in their lives. Of the two, one gave me her contact information, and she was Jewish.”
Natasha reprts, “I and one other sister took the database and did cold-calling. As a result of phoning people, we met ten Jewish people willing to hear more from us, and two older Jewish women prayed to receive Jesus! Praise God!”
Dmitri reports, “I was phoning to follow up people who gave their contact information, and got to speak to Lev, who said he attends the synagogue regularly. When I invited him to our Shabbat meeting, he refused, saying that he can’t drive on Shabbat and we were too far away for him to walk. Then I asked him if he is still interested in knowing more about Yeshua. When he said yes, I offered him to meet him the following week to have a coffee and talk. He agreed. Please pray for Lev’s heart to be open.
“A Jewish woman called our office after getting our tract in the morning. She said she called because the person that gave her the tract was so extremely nice that it left her amazed. She promised to come to our Shabbat meeting.”
Please continue to pray for more salvations and fruitful follow-up in Moscow!
Camp Gilgal: 14 Jewish campers received Jesus this summer and more than 50 recommitted their hearts to HimGet a Glimpse
This summer we ministered to nearly 200 Jewish children and youth ages 8 to 18 years old through our Camp Gilgal programs in California, Michigan, New York and Germany. Camp Gilgal is part of our commitment to raise up a new generation of Jewish believers in Messiah.
Fourteen campers, some from unbelieving homes,* surrendered their hearts to the Lord. More than 50 of our campers recommitted their lives to Him. One camper who made a first time commitment
to the Lord has shared his new faith in Jesus with the rest of his family and has been worshiping God on his own at home. Another camper wanted to start telling her unbelieving friends about Jesus.
So many campers came with doubts about their faith and left camp secure in their relationships in Jesus. Many also conquered fears and grew in personal confidence through camp activities. All the honest conversations about the Bible, faith and life in the midst of God’s beautiful creation made for a wonderful summer.
We praise God for moving in the hearts of our campers and staff. The restart of our Camp Gilgal Midwest teen camp under the leadership of David and Arielle Randle was especially encouraging. Most of our camp staff have grown up attending Camp Gilgal. Many go on to serve with Halutzim (our teen discipleship/missions trip to New York), Massah (our young adult discipleship/missions trip to Israel and India), and some have even gone on to serve on our missionary staff. Whatever way God leads them, we are grateful to have the opportunity to minister to them along the way.
Please pray for our campers as they return to school and resume their normal schedules, that they will continue to grow in their faith and shine the light of Messiah to their family, friends and classmates!
*We require parental consent for ministry to all children.
Brief video from a Behold Your God Israel campaigner tells a surprising story
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Oboedire for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 "In-Sight: A School of Love #2" J. Steven Harper
Oboedire for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 "In-Sight: A School of Love #2" J. Steven Harper
"In-Sight: A School of Love #2" by J. Steven Harper
The monastic movement knew that, like any school, it had to have a curriculum. If it was to be a School of Love, that curriculum would be (yes, you guessed it) love. A two-volume textbook would be at the core: Volume 1--The Love of God, and Volume 2--The Love of Neighbor.
In obedience to Jesus' words, monasticism believed that all the Law and the prophets hung on the two great commandments. And it reflected Paul's conviction that when you stack up faith, hope, and love--the greatest of the three is love. From this conviction, the School of Love expounded the fruit of the Spirit as the inner and outer essence of the Christian life--the life of the believer in character and conduct--the manifestation of personal and social holiness.
When this love was present, its chief evidence was humility, because love never exalts itself above another. This love created a community where the members were servants of one another for Jesus Christ's sake.
And so, the atmosphere of the School of Love was (and continues to this day to be that of) hospitality. Monastic evangelism was rooted in welcome and acceptance--another reflection of the Spirit of Jesus, who always welcomed the stranger and said, "Come to me, all of you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Over and over again, I have experienced my time in monasteries (and a few convents) this way. The curriculum is in place, and school is always in session. I have always left these Schools of Love refreshed and desiring to be more loving myself. I always leave praying that the Church might catch the vision of the monastery and become more fully a School of Love--where all are welcomed, where the two great commandments define the community, and where the fruit of the Spirit is offered to all.[J. Steven Harper]
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"In-Sight: A School of Love #2" by J. Steven Harper
The monastic movement knew that, like any school, it had to have a curriculum. If it was to be a School of Love, that curriculum would be (yes, you guessed it) love. A two-volume textbook would be at the core: Volume 1--The Love of God, and Volume 2--The Love of Neighbor.
In obedience to Jesus' words, monasticism believed that all the Law and the prophets hung on the two great commandments. And it reflected Paul's conviction that when you stack up faith, hope, and love--the greatest of the three is love. From this conviction, the School of Love expounded the fruit of the Spirit as the inner and outer essence of the Christian life--the life of the believer in character and conduct--the manifestation of personal and social holiness.
When this love was present, its chief evidence was humility, because love never exalts itself above another. This love created a community where the members were servants of one another for Jesus Christ's sake.
And so, the atmosphere of the School of Love was (and continues to this day to be that of) hospitality. Monastic evangelism was rooted in welcome and acceptance--another reflection of the Spirit of Jesus, who always welcomed the stranger and said, "Come to me, all of you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Over and over again, I have experienced my time in monasteries (and a few convents) this way. The curriculum is in place, and school is always in session. I have always left these Schools of Love refreshed and desiring to be more loving myself. I always leave praying that the Church might catch the vision of the monastery and become more fully a School of Love--where all are welcomed, where the two great commandments define the community, and where the fruit of the Spirit is offered to all.[J. Steven Harper]
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The Daily Guide-The Daily Devotional grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood,Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 30 September 2015 - "Eternal life: present as well as future"
The Daily Guide-The Daily Devotional grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood,Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 30 September 2015 - "Eternal life: present as well as future"
Daily Scripture: John 5:19 Therefore, Yeshua said this to them: “Yes, indeed! I tell you that the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does too. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does; and he will show him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 Just as the Father raises the dead and makes them alive, so too the Son makes alive anyone he wants. 22 The Father does not judge anyone but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever fails to honor the Son is not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever hears what I am saying and trusts the One who sent me has eternal life — that is, he will not come up for judgment but has already crossed over from death to life!
Daily Scripture: John 5:19 Therefore, Yeshua said this to them: “Yes, indeed! I tell you that the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; whatever the Father does, the Son does too. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does; and he will show him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 Just as the Father raises the dead and makes them alive, so too the Son makes alive anyone he wants. 22 The Father does not judge anyone but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever fails to honor the Son is not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever hears what I am saying and trusts the One who sent me has eternal life — that is, he will not come up for judgment but has already crossed over from death to life!
1 John 5:11 And this is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Those who have the Son have the life; those who do not have the Son of God do not have the life. 13 I have written you these things so that you may know that you have eternal life — you who keep trusting in the person and power of the Son of God.
Reflection Questions:
Reflection Questions:
We often see “the life everlasting” as only far off in the future. But in John 5:24 John showed Jesus using the present tense: “I assure you that whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me HAS eternal life…HAS passed from death into life.” Methodism’s founder John Wesley hit a crucial turning point when he quit “wishing” or “hoping” to be saved. He recorded the change in these words: “An assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
- Christian faith certainly looks to the future with hope. But the writings associated with John regularly put the idea of “eternal life” in the present tense (cf. John 3:36, 5:24, 6:47, 54, 10:28, as well as today’s reading). How have you “passed from death into life”? What is one aspect of your life where you are experiencing the eternal quality of life now, before your physical death ever happens?
- The Message captured what Wesley meant by the word “assurance” by phrasing 1 John 5:13 this way: “My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life.” Do you have that kind of confidence that God truly accepts you? In what ways has living with assurance created space in your life for you to experience the “fruit of the Spirit:” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (cf. Galatians 5:22-23)?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, I choose to pass from death into life right now. Please keep quietly creating in me the whole new quality of “eternal life.” Empower me to choose you and your kingdom more and more. Amen.
Insights from Dr. Mike Graves
Dr. Mike Graves is McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Saint Paul School of Theology. Ordained in the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, he has spent more than 25 years helping to prepare persons for ministry.
I didn’t really grow up in church, so when I graduated from high school my life goals could be summarized in one phrase: “to grow my hair really long.” This was the ’70s, and I was really successful at reaching that goal. Not having a spiritual background per se, I perceived Christianity from the outside and concluded that all they cared about was getting people “saved,” saved from an eternity in hell. I may not have paid close attention in math class, but eternity was not a hard concept to grasp. Symbolized by that figure 8 turned on its side, it was how time marches on forever and ever.
When I finally did become a Christian at the end of my freshman year in college, I was surprised to learn that when the Bible speaks about “eternal life,” it has nothing to do with a quantity of time, but rather a quality of life here and now. Maybe “eternal” isn’t really the best interpretation. Maybe a “full” life would be more accurate. I finally understood that what Jesus offers isn’t a ticket punched for the final train to heaven when you die, but a fullness of life here in the present even when you’re stuck in traffic on I-435.
But if one trap is thinking Christianity is only about a future in heaven, another is thinking it’s limited to the past in ancient Israel. The theologian Harvey Cox tells the story of a woman in New Mexico calling an operator to place a call to Jerusalem. The operator said, “Oh, honey, Jerusalem is in the Bible. It’s not a real city.”
Maybe the most important feature in these two passages is the use of present tense: “whoever has the Son has eternal life” (1 Jn 5:12). It may not be good grammar, but in the ’70s we might have said it this way: “The present is where’s it at.”
Return to the GPS Guide to read today’s scripture and reflection questions.
Dr. Mike Graves is McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Saint Paul School of Theology. Ordained in the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, he has spent more than 25 years helping to prepare persons for ministry.
I didn’t really grow up in church, so when I graduated from high school my life goals could be summarized in one phrase: “to grow my hair really long.” This was the ’70s, and I was really successful at reaching that goal. Not having a spiritual background per se, I perceived Christianity from the outside and concluded that all they cared about was getting people “saved,” saved from an eternity in hell. I may not have paid close attention in math class, but eternity was not a hard concept to grasp. Symbolized by that figure 8 turned on its side, it was how time marches on forever and ever.
When I finally did become a Christian at the end of my freshman year in college, I was surprised to learn that when the Bible speaks about “eternal life,” it has nothing to do with a quantity of time, but rather a quality of life here and now. Maybe “eternal” isn’t really the best interpretation. Maybe a “full” life would be more accurate. I finally understood that what Jesus offers isn’t a ticket punched for the final train to heaven when you die, but a fullness of life here in the present even when you’re stuck in traffic on I-435.
But if one trap is thinking Christianity is only about a future in heaven, another is thinking it’s limited to the past in ancient Israel. The theologian Harvey Cox tells the story of a woman in New Mexico calling an operator to place a call to Jerusalem. The operator said, “Oh, honey, Jerusalem is in the Bible. It’s not a real city.”
Maybe the most important feature in these two passages is the use of present tense: “whoever has the Son has eternal life” (1 Jn 5:12). It may not be good grammar, but in the ’70s we might have said it this way: “The present is where’s it at.”
Return to the GPS Guide to read today’s scripture and reflection questions.
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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Gather hope, not just candy this Halloween with Imagine No Malaria Donation Boxes from United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 - Imagine No Malaria is a initiative by the People of The United Methodist Church to end needless suffering from malaria.
Gather hope, not just candy this Halloween with Imagine No Malaria Donation Boxes from United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 - Imagine No Malaria is a initiative by the People of The United Methodist Church to end needless suffering from malaria.
Make a Donation
5 Ways to Celebrate Imagine No Malaria
During Your Church's Fall Events
1. Trick or Treat or Trunk or Treat for Imagine No Malaria using INM donation boxes, which are available for free. Make sure to snap a picture of you or your kids with the box and tweet it with hashtag #MalariaIsScary or email it to inminfo@umcom.org!
2. Family game night featuring the malaria-themed Jeopardy game
3. Pumpkin decorating contest with voting for best pumpkin donations to Imagine No Malaria
4. Include an Imagine No Malaria display at your church's Fall Festival with facts about malaria deaths in Africa and facts about how The United Methodist Church is helping
5. Invite children to make Imagine No Malaria-themed crafts, including fans, donation boxes and pipe cleaner mosquitoes
#MalariaIsScaryOrder your donation boxes
United Methodist Communications
810 12th Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4704 United Statesumcom@umcom.org
Phone: 615.742.5400
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Make a Donation
5 Ways to Celebrate Imagine No Malaria
During Your Church's Fall Events
1. Trick or Treat or Trunk or Treat for Imagine No Malaria using INM donation boxes, which are available for free. Make sure to snap a picture of you or your kids with the box and tweet it with hashtag #MalariaIsScary or email it to inminfo@umcom.org!
2. Family game night featuring the malaria-themed Jeopardy game
3. Pumpkin decorating contest with voting for best pumpkin donations to Imagine No Malaria
4. Include an Imagine No Malaria display at your church's Fall Festival with facts about malaria deaths in Africa and facts about how The United Methodist Church is helping
5. Invite children to make Imagine No Malaria-themed crafts, including fans, donation boxes and pipe cleaner mosquitoes
#MalariaIsScaryOrder your donation boxes
United Methodist Communications
810 12th Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4704 United Statesumcom@umcom.org
Phone: 615.742.5400
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The Daily Gospel for Wednesday, 30 September 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:
SAINT JEROME
Priest & Doctor of the Church)
(c. 340-c.420)
St. Jerome, born in Dalmatia, in 329, was sent to school at Rome. His boyhood was not free from fault. His thirst for knowledge was excessive, and his love of books a passion. He had studied under the best masters, visited foreign cities, and devoted himself to the pursuit of science.Priest & Doctor of the Church)
(c. 340-c.420)
But Christ had need of his strong will and active intellect for the service of His Church. St. Jerome felt and obeyed the call, made a vow of celibacy, fled from Rome to the wild Syrian desert, and there for four years learnt in solitude, penance, and prayer a new lesson of divine wisdom. This was his novitiate.
The Pope soon summoned him to Rome, and there put upon the now famous Hebrew scholar the task of revising the Latin Bible, which was to be his noblest work. Retiring thence to his beloved Bethlehem, the eloquent hermit poured forth from his solitary cell for thirty years a stream of luminous writings upon the Christian world.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Nehemiah 2:1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of Artach’shashta the king, it happened that I took the wine and brought it to the king. Prior to then I had never appeared sad in his presence. 2 The king asked, “Why do you look so sad? You’re not sick, so this must be some deep inner grief.” At this, I became very fearful, 3 as I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad, when the city, the place where my ancestors’ tombs are, lies in ruins; and its gates are completely burned up?” 4 The king asked me, “What is it that you want?” I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, if your servant has won your favor, send me to Y’hudah, to the city of my ancestors’ tombs, so that I can rebuild it.” 6 With the queen sitting next to him, the king asked me, “How long is your trip going to take? When will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a time.
7 I then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y’hudah; 8 and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying.” The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.
Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept7 I then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y’hudah; 8 and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying.” The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”
4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.
The Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah according to Saint Luke 9:57 As they were traveling on the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Yeshua answered him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me!” but the man replied, “Sir, first let me go away and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua said, “Let the dead bury their own dead; you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me say good-by to the people at home.” 62 To him Yeshua said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God.”
Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Saint Athanasius (295-373), Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church
Life of St Antony, 19-20
Follow Christ along the right way
One day, all the monks came to see Anthony and begged him to speak a word to them. He said to them:.. See, we have made a beginning and are already on the way of virtue. Let us continue our pursuit toward the goal, (Phil 3,14). And let none turn back as Lot's wife did (Gen. 19,26) since the Lord has said: “Anyone who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of the Kingdom of heaven.” To turn back is nothing other than to change one’s mind acquire a taste again for the things of this world. Have no fear when people talk about virtue and do not be astonished by these words. For virtue is not far away: it does not originate apart from us; it is our very own affair and easy to accomplish so long as we want it.The pagans leave their country and cross the sea to gain an education. But we have no need at all to leave our country either to get to the Kingdom of heaven or to gain virtue. For the Lord has said: “The Kingdom of God is among you,” (Lk 17,21). So virtue has only need of our will since it is within us and originates from us. If only the soul preserves its intellect in conformity with its nature then virtue springs forth. The soul is in its natural state when it remains as it was made; and it was made beautiful and upright. That is why Joshua, son of Nun, exhorted the people, saying: “Turn your hearts to the lord, the God of Israel” (Jos 24,23). And John the Baptist said: “Make straight your paths” (Mt 3,3). For the soul uprightness means to keep one’s mind as it was created. By contrast, when the mind deviates and turns aside from its natural state, then we speak of vice in the soul. So, then, it is not difficult… If we had to go looking for it outside ourselves it would have been really difficult, but since it is within us , let us keep ourselves from impure thoughts and preserve our souls for the Lord as though we had received a deposit so that he may be able to recognize his work, finding our soul just as he made it.
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The Daily Readings for Wednesday, 30 September 2015
The Daily Readings for Wednesday, 30 September 2015
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”
4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.
Luke 9:57 As they were traveling on the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Yeshua answered him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me!” but the man replied, “Sir, first let me go away and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua said, “Let the dead bury their own dead; you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me say good-by to the people at home.” 62 To him Yeshua said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God.”
____________________________
Nehemiah 2:1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of Artach’shashta the king, it happened that I took the wine and brought it to the king. Prior to then I had never appeared sad in his presence. 2 The king asked, “Why do you look so sad? You’re not sick, so this must be some deep inner grief.” At this, I became very fearful, 3 as I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad, when the city, the place where my ancestors’ tombs are, lies in ruins; and its gates are completely burned up?” 4 The king asked me, “What is it that you want?” I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, if your servant has won your favor, send me to Y’hudah, to the city of my ancestors’ tombs, so that I can rebuild it.” 6 With the queen sitting next to him, the king asked me, “How long is your trip going to take? When will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a time.
7 I then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y’hudah; 8 and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying.” The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.
Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept7 I then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y’hudah; 8 and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying.” The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”
4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.
Luke 9:57 As they were traveling on the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Yeshua answered him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me!” but the man replied, “Sir, first let me go away and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua said, “Let the dead bury their own dead; you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me say good-by to the people at home.” 62 To him Yeshua said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God.”
____________________________
The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, September 30, 2015
7 I then said to the king, “If it pleases the king, have letters given to me for the governors of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, so that they will let me pass through until I reach Y’hudah; 8 and also a letter for Asaf the supervisor of the royal forests, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress belonging to the house, for the city wall and for the house I will be occupying.” The king gave me these, according to the good hand of my God on me.
Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
Why do you look sad? (Nehemiah 2:2)
What makes you sad?
Someone hurt me long ago. I don’t have a spouse, a child, a satisfying job, robust health, financial security, or a nest egg. I long for answers to challenges that seem insurmountable, dilemmas that seem insoluble.
I may be sad because someone else is hurting. My child or friend is suffering because of an incurable illness or an ill-advised choice. So many people in our world are hungry or homeless, their very lives at risk because of warfare, genocide, or natural disaster. I feel helpless.
Although he lives in exile, Nehemiah has a secure position in the pagan court. So when he hears about the sorry state of affairs back in his homeland, he could easily have dismissed the news as irrelevant. “It’s a good thing I’m doing well here. Too bad for everyone back home.” Instead, he identifies so strongly with his God and his countrymen that he can’t help feeling sad. He pays attention to how he feels.
But Nehemiah doesn’t stop there. He asks God, “What shall I do about this? How can I turn my strong emotion into action?”
When the king notices his sadness and asks why, Nehemiah pauses to pray before he answers. God shows him what he is in a position to do, so Nehemiah boldly petitions the king for the resources to help his countrymen.
Sadness is a God-given emotion. In fact, there are many things that sadden our Lord. It’s fine to linger with that sadness, but the direction of our prayer should always be, “Holy Spirit, thank you for this strong emotional reaction. What are you calling and equipping me to do about it?”
One person can set a chain of events in motion that makes a huge difference. Think about St. Monica praying tirelessly for her son, Augustine. Think about St. Catherine of Siena admonishing the pope. Think about Mother Teresa picking up a dying man on the streets of Calcutta. Each of these individuals was saddened by a situation, and turned to the Lord for guidance. Then each took one small step that set the whole world on a different path.
“Holy Spirit, what makes me sad or angry today? What are you inviting me to do about it?” Amen!
Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Bavel we sat down and wept
as we remembered Tziyon.
2 We had hung up our lyres
on the willows that were there,
3 when those who had taken us captive
asked us to sing them a song;
our tormentors demanded joy from us —
“Sing us one of the songs from Tziyon!”
4 How can we sing a song about Adonai
here on foreign soil?
5 If I forget you, Yerushalayim,
may my right hand wither away!
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I fail to remember you,
if I fail to count Yerushalayim
the greatest of all my joys.
Luke 9:57 As they were traveling on the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Yeshua answered him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me!” but the man replied, “Sir, first let me go away and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua said, “Let the dead bury their own dead; you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me say good-by to the people at home.” 62 To him Yeshua said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God.”
____________________________
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Bishop Ken Carter for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 "Where We Actually Live and Gather: An Ordinary Sunday Morning"
Bishop Ken Carter for Tuesday, September 29, 2015 "Where We Actually Live and Gather: An Ordinary Sunday Morning"
Fifth in a series of reflections on the Fresh Expressions movement in the Florida Conference and in United Methodism, and its relation to the “Nones,” the “Dones” and the “Spiritual but not Religious.”Click here
to continue reading Bishop Ken Carter's blog.
Dist: Bishop's blog subscribers"Where We Actually Live and Gather: An Ordinary Sunday Morning"
Ken Carter
Fifth in a series of reflections on the Fresh Expressions movement in the Florida Conference and in United Methodism, and its relation to the “Nones,” the “Dones” and the “Spiritual but not Religious.”
In the next reflection I will offer some of the theory that explains the changing contexts of community in our culture. But I wanted to preface that with a personal note, one that gives a glimpse of how and why the shift is happening.
I have recently concluded a couple of weeks of study and renewal, a time that also included some teaching, meals with students and conversations with academic leaders. I lived in an extended stay hotel; I chose it because it was comfortable, economical and adjacent to the school where I spent time each day.
On the first Sunday morning I knew I would attend worship, most likely at eleven o’clock. This would give me time to enjoy coffee, read my devotions and perhaps take an extended walk. When I entered the dining area, I met a number of the men and women who serve in the hotel—at the front desk, in the kitchen area and as servers. All were without exception friendly and welcoming. I soon realized that I had timed my arrival perfectly. A college field hockey team was just leaving; most had sweatshirts with their school’s name prominently displayed. Then, in a few minutes, another college team (soccer) came down for breakfast. They were from a different school, and they filled the room.
I finished my coffee and breakfast, completed my devotions, looked at the calendar and scanned my iPad. I then went to the front desk and asked if there was an area near the hotel that would be a good path to walk. Again, the desk clerk (who happened to be from Nigeria) was very helpful: “If you cross the street,” he said, “you will come into a parking lot of the shopping center. Many people walk outside there in the mornings and evenings.”
So I looked at the time (I was hoping for a 30-40 minute walk) and stepped outside. I crossed the street and, just as the clerk had said, it was fairly quiet and pleasant. I walked about twenty minutes from the hotel, and then began to retrace my steps, returning to the hotel.
As I walked back, I noticed that the parking lot was beginning to fill up, particularly the spaces nearest the big box store related to home and building supplies. I noted that seniors, young couples and individuals were streaming into the store. And, again, employees were watering plants, putting out signs and displaying items for sale.
I returned to the hotel, got ready for church and drove to the service. Later that day I would reflect on what I had experienced that morning. Most of my life, the Sunday morning experience in a local church has been at the center of my experience. This was true in my family of origin, in my young adult years, and in my work as a pastor. A Sunday apart from this rhythm helped me to see three distinct groupings whose experience is very different. I am not judging them in any way; I simply describe their lives as data that points to the necessity for new and emerging forms of church.
The first grouping included those who were working on Sunday mornings. We have clearly transitioned from a production economy to an experience economy. People are mobile—they travel to see family (who are also mobile), to watch sports, to celebrate weddings and to find recreation and renewal. I met people in all of these categories. And, there is labor at the heart of serving these persons—lodging, meals, security and housekeeping. My experience in meeting many men and women who work in these fields is that they are quite open to conversations about faith and the church—they are simply in a place where the work happens at exactly the same time the church traditionally offers worship.
The second grouping include those who are athletes—on this particular morning, both teams were female, but they could have been male. Travel sports now begin at an early age, and many young people play a single sport on a year-round basis. I remember a conversation with a family fifteen years ago. “Our son will be playing soccer for the next few years,” his mother began, “and we will miss worship more than we will be present. Can we find a different way for him to be confirmed?” Many of these young people play sports in college; many more become lifelong fans who also travel on weekends through the year as adults to follow their favorite teams. Again, they are not averse to developing in the Christian faith (this was at the heart of the mother’s question, and we did devise a plan for her son to read scripture each week with one of the pastors); they are invested in the development of their athletic skills and committed to the teams on which they play.
The third grouping consists of men and women who work many hours each week. When they have leisure time (and this is often Sunday), they want to spend that time in their homes or apartments. And because they value these spaces, they want to decorate and improve them. The “do it yourself” industry has exploded as a form of creativity and as an economic activity. As many spend more time at work and in commuting, there is a pull to stay home on weekends, especially on Sunday, when not traveling. This reality is true in both the United Kingdom and the United States. There was a stream of folks entering into that big box department store that Sunday morning; it almost had the feel of some of the large and newer worship centers that have also been constructed over the past two decades.
I grew up in a time when there were three television networks. There are now hundreds, and of course movies are now streamed in media beyond the networks. It is interesting that particular television networks support and communicate with the second and third groupings: ESPN and HGTV, respectively. These networks can engage these groups with hours of programming and market products that are appealing to them.
The traditional church does not exist in a vacuum. We serve many women and men who can often be found in each of these three groups. In the church culture of decades past, we might have been critical of these groupings and their lifestyle choices. We no longer live in a church culture. And, yet, we as a church have not always been motivated to adapt to a culture whose rhythms of life are shifting. People live and gather in increasingly varied and non-traditional ways. Here I have simply listed three of them.
In the next post I will reflect on learnings from the Fresh Expressions movement in seeking to address our missional context. The key learning, going forward, is that we are shifting from neighborhoods to networks as our primary sources of identity and meaning. And, we should not assume that, because some people are not attending our churches, they are, therefore, not engaged in a search for God.
Questions: How have patterns of life changed in your own family? How does your local church respond to Sunday activities in your community?
Next: Where We Actually Live and Gather—Networks and “Third Places”
To Learn More:
Mission Shaped Church: Church Planting and Fresh Expressions of Church in a Changing Context by Graham Cray.Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church
450 Martin L King Jr Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33815, United States
863-688-5563 Like us on Facebook!
____________________________
Fifth in a series of reflections on the Fresh Expressions movement in the Florida Conference and in United Methodism, and its relation to the “Nones,” the “Dones” and the “Spiritual but not Religious.”Click here
to continue reading Bishop Ken Carter's blog.
Dist: Bishop's blog subscribers"Where We Actually Live and Gather: An Ordinary Sunday Morning"
Ken Carter
Fifth in a series of reflections on the Fresh Expressions movement in the Florida Conference and in United Methodism, and its relation to the “Nones,” the “Dones” and the “Spiritual but not Religious.”
In the next reflection I will offer some of the theory that explains the changing contexts of community in our culture. But I wanted to preface that with a personal note, one that gives a glimpse of how and why the shift is happening.
I have recently concluded a couple of weeks of study and renewal, a time that also included some teaching, meals with students and conversations with academic leaders. I lived in an extended stay hotel; I chose it because it was comfortable, economical and adjacent to the school where I spent time each day.
On the first Sunday morning I knew I would attend worship, most likely at eleven o’clock. This would give me time to enjoy coffee, read my devotions and perhaps take an extended walk. When I entered the dining area, I met a number of the men and women who serve in the hotel—at the front desk, in the kitchen area and as servers. All were without exception friendly and welcoming. I soon realized that I had timed my arrival perfectly. A college field hockey team was just leaving; most had sweatshirts with their school’s name prominently displayed. Then, in a few minutes, another college team (soccer) came down for breakfast. They were from a different school, and they filled the room.
I finished my coffee and breakfast, completed my devotions, looked at the calendar and scanned my iPad. I then went to the front desk and asked if there was an area near the hotel that would be a good path to walk. Again, the desk clerk (who happened to be from Nigeria) was very helpful: “If you cross the street,” he said, “you will come into a parking lot of the shopping center. Many people walk outside there in the mornings and evenings.”
So I looked at the time (I was hoping for a 30-40 minute walk) and stepped outside. I crossed the street and, just as the clerk had said, it was fairly quiet and pleasant. I walked about twenty minutes from the hotel, and then began to retrace my steps, returning to the hotel.
As I walked back, I noticed that the parking lot was beginning to fill up, particularly the spaces nearest the big box store related to home and building supplies. I noted that seniors, young couples and individuals were streaming into the store. And, again, employees were watering plants, putting out signs and displaying items for sale.
I returned to the hotel, got ready for church and drove to the service. Later that day I would reflect on what I had experienced that morning. Most of my life, the Sunday morning experience in a local church has been at the center of my experience. This was true in my family of origin, in my young adult years, and in my work as a pastor. A Sunday apart from this rhythm helped me to see three distinct groupings whose experience is very different. I am not judging them in any way; I simply describe their lives as data that points to the necessity for new and emerging forms of church.
The first grouping included those who were working on Sunday mornings. We have clearly transitioned from a production economy to an experience economy. People are mobile—they travel to see family (who are also mobile), to watch sports, to celebrate weddings and to find recreation and renewal. I met people in all of these categories. And, there is labor at the heart of serving these persons—lodging, meals, security and housekeeping. My experience in meeting many men and women who work in these fields is that they are quite open to conversations about faith and the church—they are simply in a place where the work happens at exactly the same time the church traditionally offers worship.
The second grouping include those who are athletes—on this particular morning, both teams were female, but they could have been male. Travel sports now begin at an early age, and many young people play a single sport on a year-round basis. I remember a conversation with a family fifteen years ago. “Our son will be playing soccer for the next few years,” his mother began, “and we will miss worship more than we will be present. Can we find a different way for him to be confirmed?” Many of these young people play sports in college; many more become lifelong fans who also travel on weekends through the year as adults to follow their favorite teams. Again, they are not averse to developing in the Christian faith (this was at the heart of the mother’s question, and we did devise a plan for her son to read scripture each week with one of the pastors); they are invested in the development of their athletic skills and committed to the teams on which they play.
The third grouping consists of men and women who work many hours each week. When they have leisure time (and this is often Sunday), they want to spend that time in their homes or apartments. And because they value these spaces, they want to decorate and improve them. The “do it yourself” industry has exploded as a form of creativity and as an economic activity. As many spend more time at work and in commuting, there is a pull to stay home on weekends, especially on Sunday, when not traveling. This reality is true in both the United Kingdom and the United States. There was a stream of folks entering into that big box department store that Sunday morning; it almost had the feel of some of the large and newer worship centers that have also been constructed over the past two decades.
I grew up in a time when there were three television networks. There are now hundreds, and of course movies are now streamed in media beyond the networks. It is interesting that particular television networks support and communicate with the second and third groupings: ESPN and HGTV, respectively. These networks can engage these groups with hours of programming and market products that are appealing to them.
The traditional church does not exist in a vacuum. We serve many women and men who can often be found in each of these three groups. In the church culture of decades past, we might have been critical of these groupings and their lifestyle choices. We no longer live in a church culture. And, yet, we as a church have not always been motivated to adapt to a culture whose rhythms of life are shifting. People live and gather in increasingly varied and non-traditional ways. Here I have simply listed three of them.
In the next post I will reflect on learnings from the Fresh Expressions movement in seeking to address our missional context. The key learning, going forward, is that we are shifting from neighborhoods to networks as our primary sources of identity and meaning. And, we should not assume that, because some people are not attending our churches, they are, therefore, not engaged in a search for God.
Questions: How have patterns of life changed in your own family? How does your local church respond to Sunday activities in your community?
Next: Where We Actually Live and Gather—Networks and “Third Places”
To Learn More:
Mission Shaped Church: Church Planting and Fresh Expressions of Church in a Changing Context by Graham Cray.Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church
450 Martin L King Jr Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33815, United States
863-688-5563 Like us on Facebook!
____________________________
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