THE DAILY GOOD NEWS OF OUR ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD [ 01 NOVEMBER, 2013, FRIDAY OF THE 30th ORDINARY WEEK / SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS ] FIRST READING REVELATION 7 : 2 - 4, 9 - 11 A Great Multitude 2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east with the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels to whom God had given the power to damage the earth and the sea. 3 The angel said, Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we mark the servants of our God with a seal on their forehead. 4 And I was told that the number of those who were marked with Gods seal on their foreheads was 144,000. They were from the twelve tribes of Israel. 9 After this I looked , and there was an enormous crowd---no one could count all the people! They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood in front of the throne and of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. 10 They called out in a loud voice: Salvation comes from our God, who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb! 11 All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures. Then they threw themselves face downward in front of the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving honor, power and might belong to our God forever and ever! Amen! 13 One of the elders asked me, Who are these people dressed in white robes, and where do they come from? 14 I dont know, sir. You do, I answered. He said to me, These are the people who have come safely through the terrible persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb. PSALM RESPONSE PSALMS 24 : 1 - 6 Seek Gods Face 1 The world and all that is in it belong to the LORD; the earth and all who live on it are his. 2 He built it on the deep waters beneath the earth and laid its foundations in the ocean depths. 3 Who has the right to go up the LORDS hill? Who may enter his holy Temple? 4 Those who are pure in act and in thought, who do not worship idols or make false promises. 5 The LORD will bless them and save them; God will declare them innocent. 6 Such are the people who come to God, who come into the presence of the God of Jacob. SECOND READING 1 JOHN 3 : 1 - 3 We Shall See God As God Is 1 See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called Gods children---and so, in fact, we are. This is why the world does not know us: it has not known God. 2 My dear friends, we are now Gods children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure. GOSPEL READING MATTHEW 5 : 1 - 12 Rejoice And Be Glad 1 Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them: 3 Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 4 Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! 5 happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! 6 Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully! 7 happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! 8 Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! 9 Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! 10 happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belong to them! 11 Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. OUR DAILY BREAD Staying Clean Read: PSALM 119 : 9 - 16 Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. --- Psalm 119:11 During a business trip to Philadelphia, I walked down Broad Street toward City Hall each morning to catch the subway. Each day I passed a long line of people waiting for something. They ere a cross-section of humanity i n age, ethnic origin, and appearance. After wondering about it for 3 days, I asked a man on the sidewalk why all those people were standing in line. He told me that they were on probation or parole after breaking the law and had to take a daily drug test to show that they were staying clean. This struck me as a vivid illustration of my need to stay spiritually clean before God. When the psalmist pondered how he could live a pure life, he concluded that the key was to consider and obey Gods teaching. Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes...I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word (Psalm 119:11-12,16). In the light of Gods Word, we see our sin, but we also see Gods love in Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). By His grace...staying clean. Lord, grant that we may hear You speak As truth within Your Word we seek; And may it show us all our sin And make us clean without, within. Read the Bible to be wise, believe it to be safe practice it to be holy. OUR DAILY JOURNEY Fashion Police Read: 1 TIMOTHY 2 : 8 - 10 [Women] should wear decent and appropriate clothing (v.9). The southern Italian town of Castellammare has created its own version of the fashion police. The police force there is authorized to fine women who wear risque clothing such as mini skirts, skimpy jeans, and low-cut tops. One town official claimed that the ban made Castellammare a civilized city. While Im not sure these laws elevate the city to higher moral ground, I do like the goal of the standards, which was to improve public order. Paul had a similar aim in mind when he penned some guidelines on modesty within the church walls. In every place of worship, Paul called women to be modest in their appearance. Specifically, he said, [Women] should was decent and appropriate clothing (1 Timothy 2:9). Ladies, I dont believe this means we should limit our wardrobes in the fashion equivalent of rubbish bags. However, we also cant rely on worldly standards to determine whats decent and appropriate. Thumb through a current fashion magazine, and youll see what I mean! As Christians, were to carefully protect those parts [of the body] that should not be seen (1 Corinthians 12:23). We cant afford to believe the lie that being attractive means attracting attention to our bodies. Rather, Women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good deeds they do (1 Timothy 2:10). Spiritually speaking, the issue of modesty calls us to answer this question. Are we more concerned with drawing attention to ourselves or to God? The answer seems obvious, especially if were talking about a church setting. Bringing glory to God should always be a priority in the life of a believer. Its possible to honour Him even with the clothes we wear, as well as by leaving some outfits hanging in the shop. Read Proverbs 31:25 to see how being clothed with strength and dignity fits with the character of a noble woman. + PROVERBS 31 : 25 + The Capable Wife 25 She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future. WALKING WITH GOD DAY BY DAY Test The Spirits Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 JOHN 4:1 The position of the Scripture is one that faces two extremes: The Spirit is essential, and experience is vital; however, truth and definition and doctrine and dogma are equally vital and essential. And our whole position is one that proclaims that experience that is not based solidly upon truth and doctrine is dangerous. There is the necessity for testing and trying the spirits. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. Now some people object root and branch to this process of testing. There are many reasons for that, of course. In the case of some people it is nothing but slackness, indolence, and laziness---a desire for ease. But there are those who feel that this whole process of testing and trying the spirits is unscriptural. According to such people, the moment you begin to discuss and consider and define, you ease to be a spiritual person. But my reply to this is what we must test and try the spirits because Scripture commands and exhorts us to do so, and for me that is enough. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits. Not only that, but Scripture tells us why we ought to do so: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Alas, there are false prophets; there are evil spirits; there is a devil who is so clever and subtle that he can transform himself into an angel of light. If we were confronted with the Holy Spirit only, there would be no need to test the spirits, but the very name Holy Spirit suggests other spirits, devilish spirits---and there are such powers. A Thought to Ponder We must test and try the spirits because Scripture commands and exhorts us to do so.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 16:37:07 +0000
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