THE OFFENSIVE "US - THEM" DISTINCTION

Your Brother Daniel

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at: www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

The Offensive “Us - Them” Distinction

The central message of the Gospel is that we are sinners who must be forgiven and “born again” from above. Those who are born again become “new creations,” have passed from death into life, and are no longer of this world (John 15-17). This means that we are different from others. We are God’s redeemed – the Body of Christ – and have become “one with Him in Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17).

Understandably, the Gospel is offensive. It claims that Christians are a distinct and special people, but this is the Gospel, and any attempt to modify this teaching undermines the Gospel. However, many who call themselves Postmodern or Progressive “Christians” have rejected this critical distinction.

For example, a manager of a “Christian” Evolutionist Facebook group wrote:

·       This group is unusual because we can all come together without having an us-them mentality. We're proud of that.

For Mystics, Emergents, Progressives, and “Christian” Evolutionists, this distinction is offensive. It separates people. It seems that, for them, removing such distinctions is to make a more peaceful world. However, for the Christian, peace is a matter of loving others despite the unavoidable distinctions. (Somehow, my wife and I are able to love each other despite our many differences!)

I responded:

·       What then do you make of the many verses that claim a sharp distinction between believers and those who aren't, for instance 2 Corinthians 6:14-16: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.”

What a set of politically incorrect verses! Of course, the world regards such beliefs as the height of arrogance and not the grace of God.

I did not receive a response – not from anyone. Perhaps, though, it might make them wonder whether they can consistently call themselves “Christian.” Of course, they hate me, as Jesus had promised (John 15:18-20). But I ask myself, “How can I best love them? Through pleasantries or prophetic warnings? Through enabling them to have a false sense of security or through exposing them to the painful, revealing light?

There is a radical distinction between the children of the light - those who come to the light - and the children of darkness, who detest the light and will avoid it at all costs, even by destroying the lamps of that light (John 16:1-3).

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

·       For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. (2 Cor. 2:15-16)

Consequently, for some, the light carries a nauseating stench of death. However, this evil response often disguises itself in the garments of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14-15).

One Progressive “Christian” Facebook group rejected my concern for our persecuted Christian brethren:

·       We are called to love all people, not just Christians!

This reminded me of the synagogue ruler who had criticized Jesus because He had healed on the Sabbath rather than on one of the six other days (Luke 13). Of course, he justified his criticism by an appeal to the Law of Moses, making his evil sound righteous.

Yes, we are called to love all, but sincere love must begin with our own household:

·       Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal. 6:10)

Why? This is the best way to love the world! How do we love our children? By starting with loving our wives! This is entirely consistent with Jesus’ prayer:

·       “My prayer is… that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

Loving the brethren is our primary vocation! Sadly, the church is plagued with all kinds of problems. Nevertheless, the greatest gift we can give others is to show them the reality of Jesus. We are to do this by loving our brethren before anyone else! Our mandate is to maintain the unity of Christ’s Church (Eph. 4:1-5) not the non-existent “unity” of all humanity!

WHERE DO YOU TURN WHEN THREATENED?

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Where do you turn when threatened?

"Send your light and your truth; let them guide me

Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.

There I will go to the altar of God, to God — the source of all my joy.

I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!

Why am I discouraged? Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again — my Savior and my God!"

Psalm 43:3-5 NLT

An appeal for guidance

"Being lost in the darkness can be a very frightening situation. But imagine if you were also being pursued by people who were out to kill you!

This was the psalmist's urgent dilemma, and he didn't know which way to turn. But he did know to whom he would cry out for help. He asked God to show him the way, to guide him in the truth, and to lead him to the Lord's presence.

Pray that God will guide your steps.

Set your sights on your final destination — God's dwelling place — and encourage yourself with the prospect of living joyfully in the Lord's presence.

A pray for today…

Dear God, guide me with your light and truth…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton (Tyndale) entry for October 11

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

WHAT DO PEOPLE READ IN YOUR LIFE?

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

What do people read in your life?

"Your lives are a letter written in our hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you."

2 Corinthians 3:2 NLT

My Utmost for His Highest

Oswald Chambers was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1874, the son of a Baptist minister.

Chambers and his wife Gertrude, known to all as Biddy, were dedicated to a life of ministry. When World War I broke out, they were sent by the YMCA to minister to English and Australian troops stationed in Egypt. They set up "study huts", places where soldiers could come and relax — and hear teaching from the Bible. In Zeitoun, up to 400 packed in each night to hear him, and hundreds came to Christ. In 1916, the YMCA planned evangelistic crusades throughout all of the Egyptian military camps with Chambers as evangelist.

On October 17, 1917, Chambers returned from a Wednesday night prayer meeting feeling ill. Within two weeks, his appendix had been removed. Chambers began to recover, but on November 4 he developed a blood clot, and on November 15, 1917, he died.

Chambers had written just one book before he died, Baffled to Fight Better, but he kept a journal. Biddy was a trained stenographer and had taken down word for word many of his hundreds of messages.

Several years after Oswald's death, Biddy began editing his material into 365 daily readings and named it My Utmost for His Highest. She completed it in 1927, and it remains among the top-ten Christian titles sold annually. Biddy edited 12 more books from Oswald's material and published them under his name, never once mentioning her own.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale) p 640-41

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

GOD'S "PROTECTIVE SHADE"

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

God's "protective shade"

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

Psalm 121:5 NLT

Secure with the keeper

It was dark and cold that November morning when the Livingstone family woke up to say farewell to their son David. He was leaving Scotland for the heart of Africa. Mrs. Livingstone made coffee; Mr. Livingstone dressed warmly to walk his son to Glasgow. David got the family Bible and read the comforting words of Psalm 121 with the family.

A dozen years later, Dr. Livingstone was contemplating a trip deeper into the unexplored interior of Africa along with his wife and children. Just before he left, he received a letter from his mother-in-law, Mary Moffat, who was also a missionary. "My dear Livingstone," she began. "Hitherto I have kept up my spirits and have been enabled to believe that our Great Master may yet bring you out in safety." She said that she was clinging to the promises of Psalm 121 and Psalm 91. "Unceasing prayer is made for you." Then she added, "Every petition, however fervent, must be with submission to his will."

Protected? Yes. Submissive to his will? That, too.

Jesus guaranteed us that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33). But no matter what happens, we can never be separated from God's love or God's purposes. He promises to preserve us from evil but not to pave over every pothole in life's road.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Psalms with devotionals by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen (Tyndale) entry for October 17

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HE WHO BEGAN WILL NOT QUIT

Today's promise: God will never stop working in our lives

He who began will not quit

"And I am sure that God, who began a good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again."

Philippians 1:6 NLT

Let this encourage God's holy people to endure persecution patiently and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus.

Revelation 14:12 NLT

About this week's promise:

God's promise to continue working in our lives requires perseverance on our part.

Whether you are an athlete undergoing grueling physical conditioning, an employee struggling under a mountain of work, or a Christian suffering persecution, the key to perseverance is a clear vision of the goal.

While the goal of an athlete is to win the race and goal of the employee is a job well done, the goal of the believer is nothing less than eternity in the presence of the Lord.

The writer of Revelation encourages Christians to keep their eyes on Jesus, who will reward the faithful, and to obey his Word to the end. When you feel like giving up, remember the glory that awaits you as a child of God.

From the TouchPoint Bible with commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 1136

For more on this week's topic, check this Tyndale resource:

I Told the Mountain to Move by Patricia Raybon (2005)

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

ITALIAN: CHE COSA È AMORE

CHE COSA È AMORE

LEGGERE:

Romani 5:1-8

Dio dimostra il suo amore

verso di noi, in quel mentre eravamo

ancora peccatori, Cristo è morto per noi.

Romani 5:8

Anni fa ho chiesto a un giovane che era impegnato a essere sposato, "Come fai a sapere che la ami?"Era una domanda caricata, destinata per aiutarlo a guardare i motivi del suo cuore per l'imminente matrimonio. Dopo alcuni istanti riflessivi, ha risposto, "So di che amarla perché voglio passare il resto della mia vita, rendendola felice."

Abbiamo discusso di ciò che significava- e il cartellino del prezzo attaccato per l'altruismo di costantemente che cercano il meglio per l'altra persona, piuttosto che mettere al primo posto noi stessi. Vero amore ha molto a che fare con il sacrificio.

Quell'idea è in linea con la saggezza della Bibbia. Nelle Scritture ci sono diverse parole greche per amore, ma la forma più alta è l'agape, amore-amore che è definito e guidato dal sacrificio di sé. Nulla è più vero che nell'amore il nostro Padre celeste ci ha mostrato in Cristo. Noi stiamo profondamente stimati da lui. Paul ha dichiarato, «Dio dimostra il proprio amore verso di noi, in quanto mentre eravamo ancora peccatori, Cristo è morto per noi» (Romani 5:8).

Se il sacrificio è la vera misura di amore, ci potrebbe essere non più prezioso dono di Gesù: "Perché Dio ha amato il mondo così tanto che ha dato il suo unico e solo figlio" (John 03.16 NLT). –Bill Crowder

Amore incredibile!

Com'è possibile

Tu, mio Dio,

Shouldst morire per me? – Wesley

*******************************

La misura dell'amore è ciò che sei

disposti a rinunciare per esso.

INSIGHT

Come conseguenza del sacrificio di Cristo, Paul cita due grandi benefici per il seguace di Cristo. Nel versetto 1, dice che abbiamo "pace con Dio," un'idea che si decomprime in Filippesi 4, dove leggiamo della pace incomprensibile di Dio, ma anche il rapporto che abbiamo con il Dio della pace se stesso (Filippesi 4:8-9). In Romani 5:2, Paul dichiara anche che ora abbiamo "accesso" a Dio. Questa è stata una splendida idea che ha spiegato più pienamente in Colossesi 01.21 "e voi, che una volta erano alienati e nemici nella nostra mente di malvagio opere, ma ora egli ha riconciliato." Riceviamo i doni di pace con Dio e l'accesso a Dio a causa del sacrificio amorevole di Cristo per conto nostro.

Avere una serata Beato e il fine settimana.

Sempre l'amore di Dio nostro creatore.

Unità e pace

SPANISH: ¿QUÉ ES EL AMOR

¿QUÉ ES EL AMOR

LEÍDO:

Romanos 5:1-8

Dios muestra su amor

hacia nosotros, en ese momento estábamos

aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros.

Romanos 5:8

Hace años le pedí a un hombre joven que estaba comprometido para casarse, "Cómo sabes que tú amas?"Era una pregunta capciosa, diseñada para ayudarle a ver los motivos de su corazón para el próximo matrimonio. Después de varios momentos pensativos, él respondió: "Sé que quiero porque quiero pasar el resto de mi vida haciéndola feliz".

Hablamos de lo que significa- y el precio a la abnegación de constantemente buscando lo mejor para la otra persona, más que ponernos primero. El amor verdadero tiene mucho que ver con sacrificio.

Esa idea está en consonancia con la sabiduría de la Biblia. En las escrituras hay varias palabras griegas por amor pero la forma más elevada es el amor-amor ágape que es definido y conducido por el sacrificio. Esto es más cierto que en el amor nuestro padre celestial nos ha mostrado en Cristo. Estamos valoramos profundamente por él. Paul declaró, "Dios muestra su amor para con nosotros, en que cuando todavía éramos pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros" (Romanos 5:8).

Si el sacrificio es la verdadera medida del amor, no podría no más precioso regalo que Jesús: "Porque Dios amó tanto que ha dado su hijo unigénito al mundo" (John 3:16 NLT). –Bill Crowder

Asombroso amor!

¿Cómo es posible

Tú, mi Dios,

Shouldst morir por mí? – Wesley

*******************************

La medida del amor es lo que eres

dispuesto a renunciar para ello.

INSIGHT

Como resultado el sacrificio de Cristo, Paul menciona dos grandes beneficios para el seguidor de Cristo. En el versículo 1, dice que tenemos "paz con Dios," una idea que desempaqueta en Filipenses 4, donde leemos acerca de la paz incomprensible de Dios, sino también la relación que tenemos con el mismo Dios de paz (Filipenses 4:8-9). En Romanos 5:2, Paul también declara que ahora tenemos "acceso" a Dios. Esta fue una idea impresionante explicó más plenamente en Colosenses 1:21, "y tú, que una vez fueron alienados y enemigos en nuestra mente por perversos obras, sin embargo, ahora se ha reconciliado". Recibimos los dones de la paz con Dios y con acceso a Dios por el sacrificio de Cristo amoroso en nuestro nombre.

Tener una noche bendita y fin de semana.

Siempre el amor de Dios nuestro creador.

Unidad y paz

FRENCH: WHAT LOVE IS

Original

WHAT LOVE IS

LIRE :

Romains 5:1-8

Dieu prouve son amour

envers nous, en ce moment, nous étions

encore pécheurs, Christ est mort pour nous.

Romains 5:8

Il y a ans j'ai demandé à un jeune homme qui a été engagé pour se marier, "Comment savez-vous que vous l'aimez?"C'était une question piège, destinée à aider à regarder les motivations de son coeur pour le mariage à venir. Après plusieurs moments pensif, il a répondu, « Je sais que je l'aime parce que je veux passer le reste de ma vie il son heureux. »

Nous avons discuté de ce que cela signifiait- et le prix à payer fixé l'altruisme de constamment chercher le meilleur pour l'autre personne, plutôt que de nous mettre tout d'abord. Véritable amour a beaucoup à voir avec le sacrifice.

Cette idée est conforme à la sagesse de la Bible. Dans les écritures, il y a plusieurs mots grecs pour l'amour, mais la forme la plus élevée est l'amour-amour agape qui est définie et conduite par le sacrifice de soi. N'est nulle part plus vrai que dans l'amour nous a montré notre Père céleste dans le Christ. Nous sommes profondément appréciés par lui. Paul a dit, « Dieu prouve son amour envers nous, en ce que pendant que nous étions encore pécheurs, Christ est mort pour nous » (Romains 5:8).

Si le sacrifice est la vraie mesure de l'amour, il pourrait y avoir pas plus précieux que Jésus : "Car Dieu a aimé le monde tellement qu'il a donné son fils unique" (John 03:16 NLT). –Bill Crowder

Amour incroyable !

Comment peut-il être

Que toi, mon Dieu,

Shouldst mourir pour moi? – Wesley

*******************************

La mesure de l'amour, c'est ce que vous êtes

désireuse de donner vers le haut pour elle.

INSIGHT

Par suite du sacrifice du Christ, Paul mentionne deux grands avantages pour le disciple du Christ. Au verset 1, il dit avoir « la paix avec Dieu, » une idée qui il déballe dans Philippiens 4, où nous lisons de la paix incompréhensible de Dieu, mais aussi la relation que nous entretenons avec le Dieu de paix lui-même (Philippiens 4:8-9). Dans Romains 5:2, Paul déclare également que nous avons maintenant des « accès » à Dieu. Il s'agissait d'une idée magnifique qu'il explique plus Colossiens pleinement à 01:21, "et vous, qui étaient autrefois aliéné et ennemis dans notre esprit de méchant œuvres, mais maintenant il a réconcilié." Nous recevons des dons de la paix avec Dieu et l'accès à Dieu à cause du sacrifice aimant du Christ en notre nom.

Avoir un béni soir et le week-end.

Toujours l'amour de Dieu notre créateur.

Unité et la paix

WHAT LOVE IS

WHAT LOVE IS

READ:

Romans 5:1-8

God demonstrates His own love

toward us, in that while we were

still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Years ago I asked a young man who was engaged to be married, “How do you know that you love her?”  It was a loaded question, intended to help him look at his heart’s motives for the upcoming marriage.  After several thoughtful moments, he responded, “I know I love her because I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy.”

We discussed what that meant-and the price tag attached to the selflessness of constantly seeking the best for the other person, rather than putting ourselves first.  Real love has a lot to do with sacrifice.

That idea is in line with the wisdom of the Bible.  In the Scriptures there are several Greek words for love but the highest form is agape love-love that is defined and driven by self-sacrifice.  Nowhere is this more true than in the love our heavenly Father has shown us in Christ.  We are deeply valued by Him.  Paul stated, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

If sacrifice is the true measure of love, there could be no more precious gift than Jesus:  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16 NLT). –Bill Crowder

Amazing love!

How can it be

That Thou, my God,

Shouldst die for me? –Wesley

*******************************

The measure of love is what you are

willing to give up for it.

INSIGHT

As a result of Christ’s sacrifice, Paul mentions two great benefits for the follower of Christ.  In verse 1, he says that we have “peace with God,” an idea that he unpacks in Philippians 4, where we read of the incomprehensible peace of God, but also the relationship we have with the God of peace Himself (Philippians 4:8-9).  In Romans 5:2, Paul also declares that we now have “access” to God.  This was a stunning idea that he explained more fully in Colossians 1:21, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in our mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.”  We receive the gifts of peace with God and access to God because of Christ’s loving sacrifice on our behalf.

Have a blessed evening and weekend.

God Our Creator’s Love Always.

Unity & Peace

PROOF OF GOD FROM THE FIRST CAUSE

Your Brother Daniel

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

Proof of God from the First Cause

Sometimes, less is best. This is a brief proof, among many, for the existence of God. It is sometimes called the Cosmological Argument:

1.     All things that have come into existence are caused to exist by other things.

2.     If there is no eternal uncaused Causer, then nothing can exist.

3.     Therefore, there must be an eternal uncaused Causer - God.

PREMISE #1: To deny this is absurd. To illustrate, if I tell you that my cup of coffee just appeared without any cause, you would think me crazy. This is because we never see uncaused things materialize out of nothing.

We reasonably assume that there are causes for any phenomena. That’s why we do science – to discover the causal relationships. Therefore, to deny that phenomena require causes is to reject science.

PREMISE #2: It follows that something or Someone must be uncaused and therefore eternal to explain the existence of everything else.

However, eternal can’t be a something – the universe or some part of it. Matter and space cannot exist apart from time, but time could not have been eternal. This would have required that an infinite number of years to have already passed for us to be here in the present – a logical impossibility. Big Bang cosmology also rules this out.

Besides, the law of entropy argues against an eternal universe, since by now, everything would have dissipated.

CONCLUSION: This leaves us face-to-face with a Being who transcends time, space, and materiality.

ABSURDITY, MORAL "FREEDOM," POSTMODERNISM, AND CHAOS

Your Brother Daniel

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

Absurdity, Moral “Freedom,” Postmodernism, and Chaos

Emergent guru, Tony Jones, claims that “Postmodern philosophy saved my faith.”

Postmodernism is the belief that all truth claims, including any claims of objective moral truth, are subjective and are therefore merely human inventions. Here’s how Jones puts it:

·       The slipperiness of meaning, the impossibility of objectivity, the incommensurability of truth claims — these themes of postmodernism appealed to me and gave my faith room to grow.

“Room to grow?” This “freedom” results from the belief that we are not confined by unchanging truth. Consequently, there are no truth claims that can constrain us; no one who can say, “You are wrong.” This frees us to become the captain-of-our-own-ship and to create our own “truth” – whatever feels right! But what does freedom from truth constraints look like? Here are some examples:

1.     Without a moral law that is independent of what we think and feel, problem solving and reconciliation become difficult. A wife discovers that her postmodern husband has been cheating on her. He responds, “Playing around is my personal ‘truth.’ This works for me, and you have no right to impose your ‘truth’ on me!”  

2.     Law and social stability are undermined. Imagine a postmodern moral relativist who files a burglary complaint with the police: “I feel your pain, but what are you complaining about? As you know, your complaint is no more valid than the burglar’s interests. Why then should I take your desires any more seriously than those of the burglar’s?”

3.     There is no way to correct others. Imagine telling Mr. Hitler that he did wrong in committing genocide. He might respond: “You are a hypocrite. You can only say, ‘Genocide feels wrong to me!’ Meanwhile, I feel that genocide is right for us. You have no right or basis to judge our culture or laws! What makes your feelings any more valid than mine? Nothing!”

4.     Any form of correction becomes absurd. Imagine the mother who confronts a teacher for failing her son: “You have undermined my son’s sense of worth and his future. How dare you impose your subjective, relative standards on him!”

Postmodernity and its affirmation of moral relativism render life absurd and dissolve the social glue. If there are no higher moral laws, we might momentarily feel free, but this kind of freedom will produce meaninglessness – like playing chess without any rules – and then bondage. Bondage? Yes! In order to rescue ourselves from the jail of chaos and meaninglessness into which we have condemned ourselves, we then have to recreate what we have torn down, but now using inferior products.

What products? “Laws” that are necessary to preserve society, even human life, independent of the existence of any immutable right and wrong! Based on what? What benefits the majority! Why? Well…… postmodernism cannot possibly answer this question! Remember – freedom from truth!

CHOOSING WHOM TO SERVE

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Choosing whom to serve

"As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15 NLT

A momentous document

"The date was November 11, 1620, and the place was the Mayflower, anchored off the coast of Cape Cod. One hundred and two passengers, including 34 children had spent seven weeks crossing the ocean from England. Among them were 27 adults and 14 children who were Pilgrims, separatists who had fled England for Holland, yet wished to retain their English heritage. They made arrangements with the Virginia Company to settle just south of the Hudson River within the northernmost boundary of the Virginia Charter. However, fierce winds blew them off course to the north — to the shores of Cape Cod.

They realized they would be on their own since they had no agreement with the New England Company. On board the ship some of the non-Pilgrim bonded servants and those hired by contract greeted the decision to settle in Cape Cod as an opportunity for rebellion. The Pilgrim leadership saw that they must act quickly to prevent a mutiny.

The result came to be known as the Mayflower Compact, the first time in recorded history in which free men covenanted together to form a civil government with the authority to enact laws that the people promised to obey.

Before leaving the Netherlands, the Pilgrims had knelt on the dock to ask God's blessing on their voyage. After the first winter on Cape Cod, 47 people died, leaving only three families intact. These humble Christian men and women were to be the seeds of what would become the United States of America."

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale) pp 632-33

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

RESPONDING TO THOSE WHO ATTACK YOU

Today's promise: God comforts those who are persecuted

Responding to those who attack you

"Lord, have mercy on me. See how I suffer at the hands of those who hate me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death.

Save me, so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me…

Arise, O Lord! Do not let mere mortals defy you! Let the nations be judged in your presence.
Make them tremble in fear, O Lord. Let them know they are merely human."

Psalm 9:13-14, 19-20 NLT

Asking God to relieve our suffering

Life is difficult enough without people seeking to attack us in one way or another. But as David quickly learned when he became king, the more responsibility and power we are given, the more enemies oppose us.

When we are being attacked by our enemies, we instinctively fight back. But as this prayer shows, our first response to opposition should be to bring the situation to God in prayer. Instead of plotting how he could destroy his enemies, David identified how his current predicament could bring glory and honor to God.

What difficult and troublesome situations have you gone through? Submit those situations to God, and ask him to save you so that you may rejoice in him.

A prayer for today…

Dear Lord, you know how I am suffering. Please save me so I can rejoice in you…

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton(Tyndale) entry for November 19 "

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House