08 Sunday Dec 2013
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I did not get a lot out of today’s reading, but the last verse caught my eye. Isaiah 48:22 says, “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” True peace comes from repentance.
07 Saturday Dec 2013
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I don’t typically watch shows like the X-Factor, but I happened to see this clip and it made me think about the power of positive encouragement. I think too many people are quick to criticize and find fault in others. We all need encouragement at some point in our lives. We should all work towards helping to push others along rather than tear them down. I hope you see the implications of this video the same way I did.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
06 Friday Dec 2013
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Today we are in the very short book of Jude, which was actually a letter to Jewish Christians and believers everywhere to reveal the full identity of Christ and to give hope to people everywhere. I found it interesting how Jude, the brother of James and Jesus, ended the letter in verse 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. The hardest people to convince who we really are, are the people who are closest to us. Based on this last statement in his doxology, Jude knew exactly who Jesus was.
05 Thursday Dec 2013
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Today we read another book by one of the minor prophets. Zephaniah was written to shake Judah out of their complacency and to urge them to return to God. The key verse in this book speaks to turning away from sin and seeking God. Zephaniah 2:3 says, Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.
04 Wednesday Dec 2013
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Today we read another one of the minor prophets, Habakkuk. This book was written to show that God is still in control of the world despite the apparent triumph of evil. One of the prettiest verses in this book comes from Habakkuk’s prayer in 3:2 Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk accepted God’s will. He knew God’s power and control over Judah and the discipline they would face through captivity from the Babylonian Empire. He also knew God would ultimately deliver them from this captivity. We don’t always need to know or understand God’s will, but we must accept His control and His perfect plan.
03 Tuesday Dec 2013
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Today we read the relatively short book of 2 Peter as a letter to the church at large and believers everywhere. The verses that stood out to me are 2 Peter 2:5-7, 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. Faith must be more than belief in certain facts. It must be accompanied by action and obedience in God’s will for our lives. God empowers us and enables us to act on our faith, but He also gives us the responsibility to learn and grow. We should never be surprised or resentful of the process.
02 Monday Dec 2013
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Today we read the short book of Nahum which was written as an announcement of judgement on the Assyrians who conquered Judah. The prophesy of Nahum is focused on Nineveh which was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The book of Nahum is meant to bring comfort to Judah who was the subject of the Assyrian domination. The main message in this book is that God’s timing is perfect. It is hard to be patient for God to relieve us of stress or hurt, but sometimes He is simply preparing us for His blessings that are yet to come. Patience is tough, but God’s blessings are always worth the wait.
01 Sunday Dec 2013
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Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. This sounds like such a simple statement from Paul, and yet it is sometimes difficult to fulfill. It is easy to take shortcuts or to skip steps or to simply do the wrong thing because it is easier. It is hard to not follow a crowd who may be doing something that lacks integrity or is morally wrong. But it takes courage and perseverance to stand firm in our beliefs and to be obedient to God and faithful to our relationship with Him. We must never tire of doing what is good because that is the commitment in our relationship with God.
30 Saturday Nov 2013
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For today’s reflection, I thought I would share a video by Francis Chan describing how he has changed the way he views church. While I don’t necessarily agree with his entire approach to church gatherings, I do think he brings up some interesting thoughts about the true purpose of church and why we should gather in the first place. At a minimum I hope it challenges you to think about the purpose of your church community and your mission.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
29 Friday Nov 2013
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John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. The following video is about Sir Nicholas Winton, who organised the rescue and passage to Britain of about 669 mostly Jewish Czechoslovakian children in an operation known as the “Czech Kindertransport”. Winton also found homes for these children. The children who were rescued were destined for the Nazi death camps before World War II. Sir Winton never talked about his humanitarian acts to anyone after the war. His acts of sacrifice and kindness were discovered by his wife when she found a detailed scrapbook in his attic in 1988. The video below is a clip of a BBC Program “That’s Life” which aired in 1988.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
Daily Devotion 