The best way to reinforce my progress in fulfilling God's purpose for my life is to keep a spiritual journal. This is not a diary of events but a record of life lessons i don't want to forget!! I am the common WOMEN...I'm quite naughty, I love my family and I play by the rules. And sometimes I get pushed around. That's my lifestyle, and that's what I try to bring to characters.
Mengutamakan Tuhan Dalam Segala Hal
Syalom saudaraku yang dikasihi oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Renungan kita hari ini berjudul, Mengutamakan Tuhan Dalam Segala Hal.
Saudaraku, dalam hidup setiap manusia pasti ada hal-hal yang akan selalu diutamakan diantara satu dengan lainnya. Keadaan ini tanpa disadari terjadi dalam kehidupan setiap manusia pada umumnya.
Hal-hal yang selalu menjadi prioritas utama dalam hidup manusia biasanya tergantung dari keadaan hidup setiap orang, apakah masih sekolah, kuliah, sudah bekerja, sampai kepada yang sudah berumah tangga.
Keadaan hidup inilah yang membuat orang memiliki target hidup yang harus dicapainya, artinya ada yang perlu diutamakan. Yang masih sekolah, biasanya yang menjadi prioritas utamanya selesaikan sekolah sampai lulus, yang kuliah ingin cepat jadi sarjana, yang sudah bekerja, ingin cepat-cepat mencari pasangan hidup lalu menikah, yang sudah berumah tangga, biasanya ingin punya anak, punya rumah sendiri, punya kendaraan pribadi, dan berbagai keinginan lainnya yang ingin dicapai.
Semuanya itu biasanya akan dipandang sebagai realitas hidup, atau dianggap sebagai hidup yang wajar, karena pada umumnya orang akan berpikir bahwa, kita kan masih hidup di dunia jadi wajar saja bila memiliki keinginan. Dan semuanya itu akan dipandang sebagai cita-cita, atau dapat dikatakan sebagai resolusi kehidupan, target hidup yang harus dicapai.
Persoalannya sekarang adalah, seringkali sebagai orang percaya, kita ikut terjebak dalam cara berpikir seperti itu, sehingga apa yang kita utamakan di dalam hidup ini adalah hal-hal yang tidak memiliki nilai kekal.
Renungan Harian Kristen : Mengutamakan Tuhan Dalam Segala Hal | Renunganhariini.com
Sebagai orang percaya kita harus memiliki cara pandang hidup yang berbeda, artinya apapun keadaan hidup yang kita jalani saat ini, kita harus memiliki landasan keinginannya hanya satu, yaitu mengutamakan Tuhan di dalam segala hal.
Dengan memiliki cara pandang hidup seperti inilah, pada akhirnya apapun yang kita lakukan, kita tahu semuanya itu kita lakukan untuk kemuliaan Tuhan. Inilah prioritas hidup yang bernilai kekal itu.
Saya katakan ini, sebab setiap orang percaya harus menyadari bahwa tujuan hidup yang utama itu, bukanlah semata-mata untuk meraih gelar, titel, pangkat, jabatan, kehormatan, dan bahkan kenyamanan hidup di dunia.
Sebab kalau semuanya itu yang kita kejar dan menjadi prioritas utama dalam hidup kita, maka pada akhirnya kehidupan kita akan menjadi sia-sia.
Kenapa sia-sia?. Sebab saat masih hidup di dunia ini, kita bisa saja menikmati semua yang kita inginkan, apa yang sudah kita capai dari hasil kerja keras dan usaha kita selama ini.
Akan tetapi kalau semuanya itu yang menjadi tujuan hidup kita di dunia ini, dan membuat kita tidak hidup mengutamakan Tuhan dalam segala hal, maka dapat dipastikan, dibalik kematian nanti, kita tidak akan dikenal oleh Tuhan. Firman Tuhan katakan di dalam;
I Korintus 15:32 Kalau hanya berdasarkan pertimbangan-pertimbangan manusia saja aku telah berjuang melawan binatang buas di Efesus, apakah gunanya hal itu bagiku? Jika orang mati tidak dibangkitkan, maka “marilah kita makan dan minum, sebab besok kita mati”.
Artinya kalau saat ini kita hidup dan bisa menikmati semua yang menjadi kinginan kita, dan dibalik kematian nanti tidak ada lagi kehidupan, atau tidak ada lagi kebangkitan orang mati, maka kita bisa hidup bersenang-senang menikmati hidup ini, dengan berbagai hal yang kita sukai.
Persoalannya dibalik hidup ini, ada kehidupan lagi, yaitu kehidupan kekal. Itulah yang dimaksudkan firman Tuhan diatas, ada kebangkitan orang mati. Olehnya setiap orang percaya harus menyadari akan hal ini, supaya bisa mengerti dengan benar apa tujuan hidup kita saat ini.
Setiap kita sebagai orang percaya itu harus menyadari akan panggilan kita, yaitu supaya pada akhirnya dibalik kehidupaan ini kita dumuliakan bersama-sama dengan Kristus. Itu yang harus menjadi tujuan hidup kita. Firman Tuhan katakan di dalam;
Roma 8:30 Dan mereka yang ditentukan-Nya dari semula, mereka itu juga dipanggil-Nya. Dan mereka yang dipanggil-Nya, mereka itu juga dibenarkan-Nya. Dan mereka yang dibenarkan-Nya, mereka itu juga dimuliakan-Nya.
Jadi seharusnya prioritas utama kita dalam hidup ini adalah, mengutamakan Tuhan dalam segala hal, melebihi apapun yang kita inginkan di dunia ini, termasuk melebihi, gelar, titel, pangkat, jabatan, kehormatan, atau segala harta kekayaan yang kita miliki.
Kalau kita mengutamakan Tuhan dalam segala hal, maka apapun yang kita miliki, seperti yang sudah disebutkan diatas, semuanya akan kita pakai hanya untuk hormat dan kemuliaan nama Tuhan. Sehingga kita menjadi semakin rendah, dan Tuhan-lah yang ditinggikan di dalam hidup kita, dan ini gambaran dari orang yang hidup dalam kerendahan hati. Firman Tuhan katakan di dalam;
Filipi 4:5 Hendaklah kebaikan hatimu diketahui semua orang. Tuhan sudah dekat!
Artinya target hidup kita hanyalah memuliakan Tuhan dengan semua yang kita miliki, supaya setiap orang yang berjumpa dengan kita, mereka bisa melihat Kristus hidup di dalam kehidupan kita.
Jadi dengan mengerti akan kebenaran ini, maka kita mulai merubah landasan berpikir kita untuk semua yang akan kita capai. Karena kita tahu, bahwa tujuan hidup kita itu hanya satu yaitu dimuliakan bersama dengan Kristus, oleh sebab itu selama kita hidup di dunia ini, kita harus mengutamakan Tuhan diatas segala-galanya. Tuhan Yesus memberkati kita semua. Amin.
RENUNGAN HARIAN KRISTEN
Renungan Harian Kristen – Syalom saudaraku yang dikasihi oleh Tuhan Yesus Kristus, “Hidup Sesuai Keinginan Tuhan” merupakan tema renungan kita hari ini. Selama ini dalam menjalankan hidup terkadang kita bertindak melakukan segala sesuatu sesuai dengan apa yang kita mau, padahal sesungguhnya saat kita telah dibenarkan oleh Allah didalam Yesus Kristus maka kita harus menanggalkan keinginan kita dan hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan.
Yang menjadi persoalan mengapa kita belum bisa hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan adalah, kita masih begitu kuat terikat dengan keinginan dunia, bahkan kalau mau jujur keinginan dunia itu yang menguasai hati dan pikiran kita, belum lagi kita masih takut kehilangan apa yang menjadi kesenagan hati, kalau harus hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan.
Pertanyaannya sekarang kalau begitu apa tujuan kita percaya kepada Tuhan Yesus?. Sebab percaya itu bukan hanya sekedar sebuah pengakuan yang keluar dari mulut kita saja yang mengatakan kita percaya, atau kita setuju sesuai akal pikiran kita, tetapi percaya itu artinya kita harus bertindak sesuai dengan apa yang Tuhan mau, sesuai keinginan Tuhan.
Firman Tuhan katakan di dalam Yohanes 3:16 Karena begitu besar kasih Allah akan dunia ini, sehingga Ia telah mengaruniakan Anak-Nya yang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada-Nya tidak binasa, melainkan beroleh hidup yang kekal.
Dari ayat ini kita bisa menangkap keinginan Allah Bapa di Sorga yaitu menyelamatkan semua manusia ciptaanNya. Supaya bisa diselamatkan maka ada syarat yang harus di kerjakan oleh setiap manusia yaitu percaya kepada Kristus.
Kalau hal ini ditanyakan kepada orang kristen pada umumnya atau kepada setiap orang yang percaya kepada Allah didalam Tuhan Yesus Kristus “apakah mereka percaya kepada Kristus?” maka pasti jawabannya “ya kami percaya”.
Persoalannya bila yang ditanyakan adalah apakah kita sudah hidup sesuai keinginan Kristus?, maka jawabannya “belum”. Kalau jawabannya belum itu artinya kita belum percaya kepada Yesus, sebab orang yang percaya kepada Yesus Kristus harus hidup sesuai keinginan Yesus Kristus.
Lalu apa yang membuat kita yang hidup sebagai orang percaya namun sesungguhnya tidak percaya kepada Yesus Kristus?. Jawabannya adalah keterikatan kita dengan dunia dan dengan segala sesuatu yang kita anggap itu menyenangkan, sehingga kalau kita harus hidup sesuai keinginan Kristus maka semua itu harus ditinggalkan, dan ini yang menjadi persoalan utama kenapa ada orang pecaya atau anak-anak Tuhan yang sesungguhnya belum percaya kepada Yesus.
Masih ingat dengan kisah seorang anak muda yang kaya, ketika datang kepada Yesus?.
Tuhan Yesus berkata kepadanya Dalam Matius 19:21 Kata Yesus kepadanya: “Jikalau engkau hendak sempurna, pergilah, juallah segala milikmu dan berikanlah itu kepada orang-orang miskin, maka engkau akan beroleh harta di sorga, kemudian datanglah ke mari dan ikutlah Aku.”
Apakah dia melakukan perintah Tuhan Yesus? “tidak” sebab firman Tuhan katakan pada ayat selanjutnya Matius 19:22 Ketika orang muda itu mendengar perkataan itu, pergilah ia dengan sedih, sebab banyak hartanya. Ini merupakan gambaran dari kehidupan manusia yang masih begitu kuat terikat dengan dunia.
Disini saya perlu ingatkan sekali lagi bahwa percaya itu bukan hanya sekedar mengaku dengan mulut, percaya itu bukan hanya persetujuan pikiran semata-mata, percaya itu bukan hanya menuruti hukum moral yang tertulis, tetapi percaya itu harus dibuktikan dengan tindakan nyata sesuai dengan apa yang Tuhan kehendaki.
Jadi apabila kita belum mau hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan, itu artinya kita belum percaya kepada Allah, sebab tidak ada perbuatan lain yang bisa menunjukan kita percaya kepada Allah didalam Tuhan Yesus Kristus selain melakukan apa yang Tuhan inginkan.
Mungkin sebagian kita akan merasa tersudut dengan pernyataan ini tetapi kenyataannya demikian, sebab tidak ada sesuatu yang akan membuat kita bisa dibenarkan dihadapan Tuhan jika kita tidak hidup sesuai dengan keinginan Tuhan, atau tidak melakukan kehendak Tuhan.
Jadi kalau kita masih mau terikat dengan dunia dan dengan segala kesenangannya , itu artinya kita tidak akan mungkin diselamatkan. Coba sejenak kita berpikir, ada artinya atau tidak jika kita bisa memiliki segala sesuatu saat ini yang bisa kita nikmati tapi pada akhirnya binasa karena tidak hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan.
Firman Tuhan katakan didalam Matius 16:26 Apa gunanya seorang memperoleh seluruh dunia tetapi kehilangan nyawanya? Dan apakah yang dapat diberikannya sebagai ganti nyawanya? 16:27 Sebab Anak Manusia akan datang dalam kemuliaan Bapa-Nya diiringi malaikat-malaikat-Nya; pada waktu itu Ia akan membalas setiap orang menurut perbuatannya.
Jadi orang yang memperoleh dunia sekalipun, hidupnya akan menjadi sia-sia karena pada akhirnya jiwanya akan tersiksa dalam api neraka. Kita perhatikan kalimat “pada waktu itu Ia akan membalas setiap orang menurut perbuatannya”. Artinya kalau kita tidak hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan maka pada waktu Tuhan datang hanya orang-orang yang hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan saja yang akan dikenal oleh Tuhan.
Itulah kenapa firman Tuhan sudah ingatkan kita didalam, Matius 7:21 Bukan setiap orang yang berseru kepada-Ku: Tuhan, Tuhan! akan masuk ke dalam Kerajaan Sorga, melainkan dia yang melakukan kehendak Bapa-Ku yang di sorga.
Jadi jelas bagi kita yaitu orang-orang yang sudah dibenarkan didalam Yesus Kristus, maka kita wajib hidup sama seperti Kristus hidup jika kita ingin pada akhirnya diselamatkan dari kebinasaan kekal.
Oleh sebab itu sebagai orang percaya kita tidak punya pilihan lain selain mulai saat ini, kita harus meninggalkan segala bentuk kesenagan dunia dan mulai hidup sesuai keinginan Tuhan, jika kita masih ingin diselamatkan di dalam Kristus Yesus Tuhan saat Ia datang di dalam kemuliaan Bapa-Nya.
Shocking Honesty - OUR DAILY BREAD
Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 nlt
When the minister asked one of his elders to lead the congregation in prayer, the man shocked everyone. “I’m sorry, Pastor,” he said, “but I’ve been arguing with my wife all the way to church, and I’m in no condition to pray.” The next moment was awkward. The minister prayed. The service moved on. Later, the pastor vowed never to ask anyone to pray publicly without first asking privately.
That man demonstrated astonishing honesty in a place where hypocrisy would have been easier. But there is a larger lesson about prayer here. God is a loving Father. If I as a husband do not respect and honor my wife—a cherished daughter of God—why would her heavenly Father hear my prayers?
Our relationships affect our prayer life.
The apostle Peter made an interesting observation about this. He instructed husbands to treat their wives with respect and as equal heirs in Christ “so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7). The underlying principle is that our relationships affect our prayer life.
What would happen if we exchanged the Sunday smiles and the façade of religiosity for refreshing honesty with our brothers and sisters? What might God do through us when we pray and learn to love each other as we love ourselves?
Father, You love all of Your children, but so often we fight and disagree. Help us learn to interact with love and respect in all our relationships so the world will see the difference You make. Teach us to pray.
Prayer is simply an honest conversation with God.
On my birthday - 14052016
APPRECIATING GOD ON MY BIRTHDAY
Father, I thank you today, for the salvation of my soul
Thank you, God, for giving me another year of life.
Thank you for my life which is ordained and set out by You!
Thank you for choosing me – to come to the earth and be an instrument to show forth Your praise.
Thank you for all the people who remembered and will remember me today by sending cards, gifts and good wishes.
Thank you for GRACE, SALVATION, MERCY, LOVE and all the other many things you bless me with.
Thank You for all the tokens of love that remind me of how I am loved and appreciated.
Thank you for all the experience of the past years
for times of success; for which all glory will forever return to You,
for times of failure; which reminded me of my own weakness and absolute dependence on You
for times of joy which reassures me of your ever abiding presence
for times of sadness which drove me closer to you as my only True Friend
I can not thank You enough for what You have done in my life,
To bring me to where I am today.
The fact that You made it known to me, that where I am in my life is
Just mediocrity; that You have higher expectations for me.
You have taught me that I can overcome those seemingly impossible things
just by listening to your voice; obeying, and holding Your hand every step of the way.
Forgive me for the hours I wasted, the chances I failed to take,
and the opportunities I missed in the past years.
Today I reaffirm that You are my Creator and Sustainer
In you I live and move and have my being
I commit this birthday to You
May I honour You more than ever on this special day and each day of my life
I want to know You more, take 'time out' to be with You more and love You more.
Help me in the days ahead to make this the best year so far,
and through and through, to glorify Your Holy Name,
This year and for the rest of my life
Amen.
Sharing..
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Jika sebuah telur dipecahkan oleh kekuatan dari luar, maka kehidupan di dalam telur berakhir.
Tapi......
Jika sebuah telur dipecahkan oleh kekuatan dari dalam, maka kehidupan baru telah LAHIR.
HAL2 BESAR selalu brmula DARI DALAM.
TUHAN tdk pernah menjanjikan bahawa langit itu selalu biru, bunga selalu mekar & mentari selalu bersinar...
Tapi ketahuilah bahawa DIA selalu memberi pelangi di setiap badai, senyum di setiap air mata, berkat di setiap cubaan & jawaban di setiap doa.
Jangan pernah menyerah sahabat, terus berjuanglah.
“Life is so beautiful”.
Hidup bukanlah suatu tujuan, melainkan perjalanan maka nikmatilah.
•Hidup adalah tantangan, hadapilah.
•Hidup adalah anugerah, terimalah.
•Hidup adalah pertandingan, menangkanlah.
•Hidup adalah tugas, selesaikanlah.
•Hidup adalah cita2, capailah.
•Hidup adalah misteri, singkapkanlah.
•Hidup adalah kesempatan, ambillah.
•Hidup adalah lagu, nyanyikanlah.
•Hidup adalah janji, penuhilah.
•Hidup adalah Keindahan, bersyukurlah.
•Hidup adalah teka-teki, pecahkanlah.
1 hal yg buat kita Bahagia adalah CINTA
1 hal yg buat kita tambah Dewasa adalah MASALAH
1 hal yg buat kita Hancur adalah PUTUS ASA
1 hal yg buat kita Maju adalah USAHA
1 hal yg buat kita Kuat adalah DOA.
Semoga Hari Ini & Esoknya Penuh Berkat...
Bagi Umat Kristiani :
" 3 KATA MUJIZAT dari TUHAN, untukmu ..."
Untuk Kita Renungkan :
† 33 tahun DIA menyiapkan diri untuk Korban bagi Dunia...
† 3 tahun DIA menyampaikan berita sukacita...
† 30 keping perak DIA dikhianati...
† 3 km DIA memikul salib...
† 3 jam DIA tergantung di kayu salib...
† 3 paku ditancapkan di kaki dan tangan-NYA...
† lebih dari 3 liter darah-NYA tercurah bagimu...
† 3 hari DIA di dalam gua kuburan, dɑπ...
† 3 KATA yang mau DIA sampaikan "AKU MENGASIHI KAMU"
Selamat menyambut Jumaat Agung dan Minggu Paskah.
TUHAN YESUS KRISTUS Mengasihi kita semua..
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🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨
🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨🍨
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🍨🍨
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Sebarkan Salib ini Sebelum Hari Paskah👏.
Sharing is caring!
Woman Who Predicted The Fall Of The Twin Towers Has Bad News For 2016 And There's More!
Friday, 22 January 2016 14:01
Baba Vanga (Vangelia) Pandeva was born on January 31, 1911. She died on August 11, 1996 . She lived in the city of Petrich , Bulgaria .
She was buried in a churchyard of the Saint Petca Bulgarian Church in the Rupite region. Vangelia Pandeva Dimitrova’s interest in politics was not incidental. She was born on the territory of modern Macedonia – the land which was an apple of discord for years between Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. Her native land experienced two World Wars in which the Bulgarians and the Serbs were struggling in different camps. She was always recognized as one of the great visionaries of the twentieth century due to the precision with which she anticipated in advance many of the great world events. She was known in the region as the "Nostradamus of the Balkans".
Vanga lost her sight when she was 12. She was swept away by a mighty tornado. Later she was found alive, covered with dirt and stones, with sand in her eyes. She became blind as a result.
Vanga started making predictions when she was 16. She helped her father find a sheep stolen from the flock. She provided a detailed description of a yard where the animal was being hidden by the thieves. Her powers of foreseeing took shape after she turned 30.
Many a statesman visited Vanga. Adolf Hitler called on her one day. He left her house looking rather upset.
Vanga died in 1996 and predicted many of the major global shocks such as the tsunami of 2004 or the attack on the Twin Towers. And now, one last omen seems to begin to be fulfilled: according Baba Yanga, 2016 would be the year that "Muslims will invade Europe".
Yanga Baba prophesied that in 2018 China will be the first "super power" in the world, taking the lead from the already worn U.S, plus, she added, in the same year a space probe will discover "a new form of energy" in planet Venus.
But that is not the end of the story, the great seer even said that things will start deteriorate for the U.S, and that the "African American" president would be "the last" acting president of the northern country.
"African American"president would be the last acting president of the U.S."
Vangelia Pandeva Dimitrova also predicted the attacks on the Twin Towers, when in 1989 she said:
“Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be gushing.” (1989)
Happened as predicted. The World Trade Center Towers in New York collapsed following terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 . The WTC Towers were dubbed “Twins” or “Brothers.” The terrorists drove passenger planes –“the steel birds”- into the towers. “The bush” obviously relates to the surname of the current U.S. president.
She also anticipated the devastating tsunami in 2004 that hit the Thai coast,
"a big wave will cover a large coast with people and villages where everything disappears under water."
She also said that in 2023 the Earth's orbit would change, which would "melt the poles" and set fire in the "Middle East"
The old woman said:
"great Islamic war" would begin in Syria culminating in complete control of Rome, in 2043.
It also stated that there would be established a definitive Caliphate and that Europe "would cease to exist", to become a continent "almost empty "and" wastelands devoid of any form of life. "
One of the most shocking prediction was made in 1980. The blind old woman said: “At the turn of the century, in August of 1999 or 2000, Kursk will be covered with water, and the whole world will be weeping over it.”
The prediction did not make any sense back then. Twenty years on, it made a horrifying sense. A Russian nuclear submarine perished in an accident in August of 2000. The sub was named after the city of Kursk , which by no means could have been covered with water.
Among the many predictions, there are some quite exotic, such as ensuring that aliens will help man to live underwater in 2130, or a possible war on Mars in 3005.
Finally, perhaps the most fantastic yet the most apocalyptic:
Vanga assured that there will be no survivors on Earth, circa 3797.
Here we leave a list of predictions for the coming years:
2016. Muslims invade Europe.2023. There will be major changes in the Earth's orbit.2025. The population of Europe will disappear as a result of wars.2028. There will be an attempt to travel to other planets like Venus, with the hope of finding other sources of energy to Earth.2033. Water levels rise due to the melting of the poles.2076. Communism contagious return to Europe and the rest of the world.2084. The rebirth of nature.2100. A new sun illuminates the dark side of the planet. This could refer to a scientific project that began in 2008 and will create an artificial sun using nuclear energy.2130. extraterrestrial civilizations might reach our planet.2170. Global Drought.2187. Two large volcanoes erupt.2262. Mars is threatened by a comet.2480. Two artificial Suns collide and leave the Earth in total darkness.3005. A war on Mars will change the trajectory of the planet.3010. A comet reaches the Moon, so the Earth is covered by a ring of rocks and ashes.3797. The Earth dies but mankind has advanced enough to move to a new solar system.5079: The universe will end.
And what do you think?
All His Benefits - OUR DAILY BREAD
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
A recurring difficulty on our journey of life is becoming so focused on what we need at the moment that we forget what we already have. I was reminded of that when our church choir sang a beautiful anthem based on Psalm 103. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (v. 2nkjv). The Lord is our forgiver, healer, redeemer, provider, satisfier, and renewer (vv. 4-5). How could we forget that? And yet we often do when the events of daily life shift our attention to pressing needs, recurring failures, and circumstances that seem out of control.
The writer of this psalm calls us to remember, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious . . . He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him” (vv. 8,10-11).
Humbling ourselves before God opens us up to the blessings of His mercy.
In our walk of faith, we come to Jesus Christ humbled by our unworthiness. There is no sense of entitlement as we receive His grace and are overwhelmed by the lavishness of His love. They remind us of all His benefits.
“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name” (v. 1).
Heavenly Father, we pause to consider all we have in You. Grant us eyes to see Your provision and help us to remember every benefit You have given to us.
Love was when God became a man.
An Invitation To Rest - OUR DAILY BREAD
I will give you rest.
At a friend’s bedside in a hospital emergency ward, I was moved by the sounds of suffering I heard from other patients in pain. As I prayed for my friend and for the ailing patients, I realized anew how fleeting our life on earth is. Then I recalled an old country song by Jim Reeves that talks about how the world is not home for us—we’re “just a-passin’ through.”
Our world is full of weariness, pain, hunger, debt, poverty, disease, and death. Because we must pass through such a world, Jesus’ invitation is welcome and timely: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). We need this rest.
Accept Jesus' invitation and enter His rest!
There is hardly a funeral ceremony I’ve attended where John’s vision of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1-5) is not quoted, and it certainly holds relevance for funerals.
But I believe the passage is more for the living than the dead. The time to heed Jesus’ invitation to come rest in Him is while we are still living. Only then can we be entitled to the promises in Revelation. God will dwell among us (v. 3). He will wipe away our tears (v. 4). There will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (v. 4).
Accept Jesus’ invitation and enter His rest!
Father in heaven, this life can be wonderful, but it can also be so hard. Thank You for Your Spirit’s presence with us now. And thank You too for the reality of eternal life with You.
When you’re weary in life’s struggles, find your rest in the Lord.
Annoyed when people say “Xmas” instead of Christmas? Should you be?
Have you ever heard about the plot to “X” Christ out of Christmas? And so the secular celebraters of this holy-day (holiday) decided they were going to start using “Xmas” instead of Christmas?
Well, it’s not true.
We do have lots of people who celebrate Christmas without the “Christ” part. We also have lots of people who celebrate Christmas without the “mass” part. And yet still others who celebrate the “holidays” without really celebrating any particular “holy day” at all.
We have taken God out of government, schools and the workplace. Many have transformed Christ into some kind of subjective feeling or force. Even some “churches” have taken Christ out of their creed altogether.
But “Xmas” is not trying to “X” Christ out of Christmas. It actually is a legitimate abbreviation.
The “X” in Xmas is from the first letter of the Greek spelling for Christ (???????). You’ve probably seen a big XP symbol on the altar at mass before. That’s a symbol for Christ (again, from the Greek word for Christ). In fact, Microsoft’s Windows XP is also a reference to Jesus Christ.
Ok, I made that last part up. But the rest is true…”X” is just an abbreviation for Christ. And similar abbreviations have been in use by Christians since the beginning of Christianity.
Of course, Christians have also always only used such abbreviations when it was prudent or practical. “Xmas” is not considered a formal way to reference this holy celebration – just as most all abbreviations and shorthand are not appropriate in formal writing. And certainly, when referencing the King of Kings, it seems appropriate to maintain as much reverence and respect with His name whenever possible.
Personally, I don’t use “Xmas” because most people in the world don’t understand the connection between the symbol “X” and the name of Christ. And since our culture has largely forgotten the “Reason for the season,” using unclear language only makes that problem worse. We need more clear reminders for what this season is all about – not less.
Have blessed Merry Christmas!
Christmas Mystery -OUR DAILY BREAD
The mystery from which true godliness springs is great.
As Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol begins, there is mystery surrounding Ebenezer Scrooge. Why is he so mean-spirited? How did he become so selfish? Then, slowly, as the Christmas spirits marched Scrooge through his own story, things become clearer. We see the influences that changed him from a happy youth into a selfish miser. We observe his isolation and his brokenness. As the mystery is solved, we also glimpse the path to restoration. Concern for others pulls Scrooge from his self-absorbed darkness into a new joy.
A far more important mystery, and one much harder to explain, is that which Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 3:16: “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Extraordinary! God “appeared in the flesh.”
The mystery of Christmas is how God could become man while remaining fully God. It defies human explanation, but in the perfect wisdom of God, it was the plan of the ages.
“What child is this?” He is Jesus Christ—God revealed in the flesh.
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe, the son of Mary. Traditional carol
God made His home with us so that we might make our home with Him.
Worry Free - OUR DAILY BREAD
Do not fret because of those who are evil.
Trying to stay aware of current events has its downside because bad news sells better than good news. It’s easy to become overly concerned about the criminal acts of individuals, crowds, or governments over whom we have no control.
Psalm 37 gives perspective to the daily news. David begins by saying, “Do not fret because of those who are evil” (v. 1). Then he proceeds to outline for us some alternatives to becoming overly anxious. In essence, David suggests a better way of thinking about negative news in our world.
What would happen if, instead of worrying about events beyond our control, we chose to trust in the Lord? (v. 3). Wouldn’t we be better off to “take delight in the Lord” (v. 4) rather than fret without limits? Imagine the freedom from worry we could have if we would “commit [our] way to the Lord” (v. 5). And how calm we could be by learning to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him”! (v. 7).
News of trouble we cannot change offers us an opportunity to set boundaries for our concerns. As we trust God, commit our ways to Him, and rest in Him, our outlook brightens. The struggles and trials may not disappear, but we will discover that He gives us His peace in the midst of them.
Lord, we see danger and trouble all around us. Help us not to worry but instead to trust and rest in You. Show us the peace that comes from waiting patiently on You.
Obstacles give us the opportunity to trust God.
When Not To Rejoice - OUR DAILY BREAD
When Not to Rejoice
Read: Ezekiel 25:1-7; Matthew 5:43-48 | Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 45–46; 1 John 2
Do not gloat when your enemy falls.
The Akan people of Ghana have a proverb: “The lizard is not as mad with the boys who threw stones at it as with the boys who stood by and rejoiced over its fate!” Rejoicing at someone’s downfall is like participating in the cause of that downfall or even wishing more evil on the person.
That was the attitude of the Ammonites who maliciously rejoiced when the temple in Jerusalem “was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile” (Ezek. 25:3). For spitefully celebrating Israel’s misfortunes, the Ammonites experienced God’s displeasure, which resulted in grim consequences (vv. 4-7).
How do we react when disaster befalls our neighbor or when our neighbor gets into trouble? If she is a nice and friendly neighbor, then, of course, we will sympathize with her and go to her aid. But what if he is an unfriendly, trouble-making neighbor? Our natural tendency may be to ignore him or even secretly rejoice at his downfall.
Proverbs warns us: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice” (24:17). Instead, Jesus tells us that we show His love in action when we “love [our] enemies and pray for those who persecute [us]” (Matt. 5:44). By so doing, we imitate the perfect love of our Lord (5:48).
Lord, open my eyes and my heart to be honest about my attitude toward those who are unkind or unfair to me. Fill my heart with Your love, Lord, and help me pray for them.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Glass Beach - OUR DAILY BREAD
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Glass Beach
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 | Bible in a Year:Ezekiel 42–44; 1 John 1
“On the day when I act,” says the LordAlmighty, “they will be my treasured possession.”
Early 20th-century residents of Fort Bragg, California, disposed of their trash by throwing it over a cliff and onto a nearby beach. Cans, bottles, tableware, and household garbage accumulated in huge, disgusting piles. Even when residents stopped depositing trash on the beach, it remained an embarrassment—a dump seemingly beyond reclamation.
Over the years, however, wave action broke up the glass and pottery and washed the rubbish out to sea. The pounding surf rolled and tumbled the glass fragments in the sand on the ocean floor, frosting and smoothing the surface and creating gemlike “sea glass,” which it then deposited back onto the beach. The surf created a kaleidoscopic beauty at which visitors to Glass Beach now stare in wonder.
Perhaps you feel as though your life has become a dump—a mess beyond hope. If so, you need to know that there is someone who loves you and waits to redeem and reclaim you. Give Jesus your heart and ask Him to make you pure and clean. He may tumble you a bit, and it may take time to smooth away the rough edges. But He will never give up on you. He will make you into one of His jewels!
Lord, when we have nothing left but You, we are right where You want us. You can use any situation for Your glory and our good. You never give up on us. Help us to relax in Your love.
God loves us too much to let us remain as we are.
The Low Point - OUR DAILY BREAD
You are my help and my deliverer.
C. S. Lewis and his older brother, Warren (Warnie), endured several terms at Wynyard, an English boarding school for boys. The headmaster was a cruel man who made life unbearable for everyone there. Decades later, Warnie wrote in his understated dry wit, “I am now sixty-four and a bit, and have never yet been in a situation in which I have not had the consolation of reflecting that at any rate I was better off than I was at Wynyard.” Most of us can recall a similar dark and difficult time in our lives and be grateful that we’re better off now than we were then.
Psalm 40:1-5 records a low point of David’s life when he cried out to the Lord who rescued him. God brought him up from “the slimy pit” and “the mud and mire” and set his feet on a rock (v. 2). “He put a new song in my mouth,” David says, “a hymn of praise to our God” (v. 3).
God's mercy, loving-kindness, and truth delivers us from sin.
But deliverance from depression and despair are seldom one-time events. Psalm 40 continues with David’s renewed plea for God’s mercy, lovingkindness, and truth to deliver him from his own sin and the threats of his enemies (vv. 11-14).
Along with David, we can say at every low point, “I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer” (v. 17).
How does recalling a low point in your life encourage you to trust God for His help today?
Share with us in the comments section below or on our Facebook page, facebook.com/ourdailybread
Help From The Outside - OUR DAILY BREAD
God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
On a business trip, my husband had just settled into his hotel room when he heard an unusual noise. He stepped into the hall to investigate and heard someone yelling from a nearby room. With the help of a hotel worker, he discovered that a man had become trapped in the bathroom. The lock on the bathroom door had malfunctioned and the man trapped inside started to panic. He felt like he couldn’t breathe and began yelling for help.
Sometimes in life we feel trapped. We are banging on the door, pulling on the handle, but we can’t get free. We need help from the outside, just like the man in the hotel.
To get that outside assistance, we have to admit that we are helpless on our own. Sometimes we look inward for the answers to our problems, yet the Bible says “the heart is deceitful” (Jer. 17:9). In truth, we are often the source of our problems in life.
Thankfully, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20). Because of this, He knows exactly how to help us. Lasting heart-level change and real progress with our problems originate with God. Trusting Him and living to please Him means we can flourish and be truly free.
Heavenly Father, I humble myself before You. I can’t solve my problems on my own. Please help me to seek Your help and perspective.
God helps those who know they are helpless.
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Crumbs Of Time - OUR DAILY BREAD
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
A friend was coming to town. He is a very busy man and his schedule was tight, but after a difficult day in important meetings, he managed to see my family for half an hour for a quick and late dinner. We enjoyed his visit, but I remember looking at my plate and thinking, “We only got the crumbs of his time.”
Then I remembered how many times God gets the crumbs of my time—sometimes just the last minutes before I fall asleep.
Daniel was a busy man. He held a high government position in the ancient kingdom of Babylon, and I’m sure he had a full schedule. However, he had developed the habit of spending time with God—praying three times a day, praising God, and thanking Him. This routine helped him develop a strong faith that did not waver when he faced persecution (Dan. 6).
God desires a relationship with us. In the morning we can invite Him into our day, and then we can praise Him and ask Him for His help throughout the day. At other times we can treasure some time alone with Him and reflect on His faithfulness. As we spend time with God in prayer and in His Word, we grow in our relationship with Him and learn to become more and more like Him. As time with God becomes a priority, we enjoy His company more and more.
Dear Father, I want to have an intimate relationship with You. I invite You to be part of my entire day—from the time I awake until I go to sleep.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31