Saturday 2 December 2023

But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Victory on the ground

As fate would have it : I will play with Cédric, whose reputation as an excellent bowler has reached my ears. Indeed, thanks to his sinkers, bolts and other feats, we win the game hands down. As they say in the language of the bowling greens, we managed to outsmart (overwhelmingly beat) our opponents who were never able to break our arm (deconcentration technique) ! But even if I did my best, it is obvious that this shared victory is not my fault...

Likewise, on a spiritual level, if we surrender our lives to Christ, we choose the side of the winner who, at the cross, destroyed the devil and his dark schemes to ruin us. Our works, our qualities, our heritage are of no use to us. We only have to put our faith in Christ, in his work of redemption for our sins and to obey him. We can sometimes be mishandled in our life and feel like we are losing. But our divine partner has not said his last word; it will allow us to overcome our own weaknesses, over death itself and in the different challenges that we encounter in our existence.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Isabelle Kozycki

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Proposed reading : Letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verses 29 to 39.

Source (Living Today)

Tuesday, 18 July 2023

God is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown for his name... Hebrews 6.10

What God does not forget

With the accumulation of years comes the desire to draw up balance sheets. When I fall asleep the last sleep, what will my life have been like ? What will remain of the work accomplished over three quarters of a century ?

Of course, the days lost for not having made the best choice come to mind, those wasted by a lack of inner discipline. But what troubles me is the impression of having given myself without counting in a thousand activities for a very poor harvest.

Fortunately, we can rely on two promises (Hebrews 6.10 and 1 Corinthians 15.58) that have so often been reminded to me by a pen that has been anonymous for a long time.

What God does not forget is not the success or the number of conversions that would correspond to medals to be pinned somewhere ; it is the authenticity of love that will have been the driving force of my work. Not the love of the work for itself but the love of Him for whom it will have been done. Alas, how not to be aware of its poor quality ?

What it is fair to take the temperature of are our mobiles and our engines. The rest is his business and should not be the subject of any inventory.

There is no injustice in God. What counts, blessed be he, is first of all the authenticity of our faith in him, and the fidelity of our commitments, regardless of the successes or failures they encounter.

Richard Douliere

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Proposed reading : 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 54 to 58.

Source (Live Today)

Tuesday 25 April 2023

(God) alone is immortal. His home is built within the light inaccessible to all. None of the humans have seen it with their eyes, none can see it. 1 Timothy 6.16 BDS Version

Invisible but not absent

The Bible tells us about unseen realities (2 Corinthians 4:18). Invisible does not mean non-existent: it has been necessary to admit, over the centuries, that many physical realities escape our gaze! But invisible does not mean inactive...

Our God is part of the realities invisible to us. The Little Prince of Saint-Exupéry was right to say : “You can only see well with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.' The God of the Bible does not make himself known by image but by deeds ; it has manifested itself concretely on several occasions and in many ways (Hebrews 1.1) in the hearts of humans. Invisible does not mean blind or deaf. We don't see God ; he sees us and he acts. Since the dawn of humanity, the lives of a host of witnesses have been turned upside down.

And then God made himself visible, he incarnated himself in Jesus to come and solve the real problem of humanity. People have met him, rubbed shoulders with him, touched him. He died on a cross for their sin to be forgiven. Then he came out alive from the tomb and more than 500 witnesses saw him with their eyes (1 Corinthians 15:6). One day every eye will see him (Revelation 1:7).

I await it with joy. And you ?

Bernard Smagghe

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Proposed reading : Letter to the Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 to 4.

Source (Live Today)

Sunday April 23, 2023

You are precious to me, you mean a lot to me and I love you. Isaiah 43.4 BFC Version

Flowers

Every Sunday, a sister from our church brings flowers, and these are offered to someone at the end of the service. On that day, the person to whom they were offered did not want them. The person at the reception insisted, she finally took them, but a little later the flowers were found in the trash can of the bus shelter.

Quite different was the attitude of this couple of refugees. It was the wife who received the flowers, white flowers bought that morning, because there was nothing left to pick in the garden. She was overwhelmed by this gift : no one knew that she had a particular affection for white flowers. In this gesture, she saw the love of Jesus for her.

Until then, she found in her religion only obligations and fear of not reaching paradise, of being rejected by God. In this simple gesture, she saw on the part of the Lord such a welcome, such great delicacy towards her. “If God knew how to read my heart, then he will also know how to lead our life as refugees,” she said to herself.

The couple moved to another city. A few months later, we received a photo of his baptism at sea and his confession to wanting to follow Jesus who showed him by a simple gesture that he loves him so much.

Two completely different attitudes : which would be yours ?

Bernard Delépine

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Proposed reading : Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 25, verses 37 to 40.

25.37 Those who have done the will of God will then answer him : "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink ?

25.38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you home, or naked and clothe you ?

25.39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to see ?"

25.40 The king will answer them : "I tell you the truth, whenever you have done it to one of these least of my brothers, you have done it to me."

Source (Live Today)

Friday 21 April 2023

God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. James 4.6

God is near

One cannot think of God except in superlative terms : most high, almighty, thrice holy, etc. But God, who seems inaccessible by his greatness, knows how to stay very close to humanity.

Who is he closest to ? The greats of this world, the rich, the strong ? No, he reveals himself as being close to those who are weak, downcast, humiliated.

He is with man conscious of his sin and unworthiness, to forgive and restore him through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. As he was with David, weighed down by his sin, or with Elijah lacking in faith (Psalm 51:3-5 ; 1 Kings 19:3-4), God stands with discouraged believers. He strengthens them, lifts them up, and allows them to continue their journey with him.

God has no use for the proud who rely on their own abilities, who are haughty or mocking. But whoever trusts in the Eternal is surrounded by his grace (Psalm 32:10).

Pride also affects churches. In Revelation, the church of Laodicea, the haughty, the rich one who needs nothing, is spewed out. That of Philadelphia, not very powerful but which relies on its Savior and on his Word, is honored by God.

May God grant us the grace to know how to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8), to enjoy his fellowship and be in a position of victory that glorifies him.

Francis River

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Proposed reading : Book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 57, verses 15 to 19.

57.15 For thus says the Most High, whose dwelling is eternal and whose name is holy : I dwell in high places and in holiness ; but I am with the contrite and humbled man, in order to revive the humbled spirits, in order to revive the contrite hearts.

57.16 I do not want to dispute forever, nor keep an eternal anger, when in front of me the spirits, the souls that I have made fail.

57.17 Because of his sinful greed I became angry, I was angry and struck him, I hid myself in my indignation ; and the rebel followed the path of his heart.

57.18 I have seen his ways, and I will heal him ; I will guide him and comfort him and those who mourn with him.

57.19 I will put praise on my lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near ! says the Eternal. I will heal him.

Source (Live Today)