August 25, 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Devotions: Ps 12-14; 119:1-24; Job 6:1; 7:1-21; Acts 10:1-16; Jn 7:1-13

Lord, help! Protect my household from the wicked all around us. The wicked prowl and vileness is exalted everywhere on earth, it seems. Some would say that God has forgotten us, but I will trust in Your steadfast love and rejoice in Your salvation. You have been kind and generous to me, YHWH. Only fools deny God; in their corruption, they pile up condemnation for themselves. Let God's deliverance come and set things right! Let us keep God's word and experience His kindness and generosity. Lord, may my ways steadfast in keeping Your statutes. I will keep my way pure by living according to Your word; I seek You with my whole heart, so don't let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. You rebuke the insolent; deliver me from otheir scorn and contempt. Your testimonies delight and counsel me.

Job responded to Eliphaz, 'We mortals have hard service on earth. I long for day at night, and for nightfall all day long. I am a mess—afflicted with worms, covered with sores and scabs. Remember my days are brief; I'm like a passing cloud. So in the little time I have, I will pour out my anguish and complaint. I hate my life right now; I'm ready to die, if it brings respite from these unending struggles. God, why do You put so much time and effort into testing one so insignificant? Why not just look away, and let me perish? I do You no harm or offense; why not pardon my transgression, Lord, and let me pass away.'

At Caesarea there was a centurion in the Italian Cohort named Cornelius, a devout man who feared God, along with all his household. He was generous in supporting the Christians, and he was constant in prayer to God. During prayer, around 3 PM one day, Cornelius had a clear vision of an angel from God coming in and addressing him by name. Cornelius stared at the messenger in terror and replied, 'What is it, Lord' The angel said, 'Your prayers and your charity have ascended before God as an acceptable memorial. Now send men to Joppa and bring here a man named Simon Peter. He is lodging with Simon the tanner in a house near the seaside.' The angel departed, and Cornelius sent tow of his servants and an devout soldier to carry out the angel's instructions. While this deputation was on their way, the next day, Peter went up on the roof to pray, about noon. He became hungry and asked for something to eat, but while it was being prepared, Peter fell into a trance. He saw something descending from heaven, like a great sheet let down by its four corners to the earth. In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. And Peter heard a voice: Rise, Peter: kill and eat!' Peter replied, 'No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' The voice replied, "What God has cleansede, you must not call common.' All this happened three times, and then the sheet was taken up at once to heaven, and the vision ceased..

Since the Jewish authorities were seeking to kill Him, Jesus restricted His ministries to Galilee. But the Feast of Tabernacles drew near, His brothers taunted Jesus: 'Leave here and go to Judea, so Your disciples can see Your works. Nobody who wants to be a celebrity works in secret. Go and show yourself to the world.' Even His brothers did not believe in Jesus. But He answered, 'My time is not yet come; now, your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that all its works are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going, because My time has not yet fully come.' So He remained in Galilee. But after His brothers had departed to the feast, Jesus also went up, but in private. The Jews were looking for Him at the feast, and there was a lot of muttering among the people. Some said, 'He is a good man.' And others, 'No, He is leading the people astray.' Fearing the Jewish authorities, no one spoke openly about Jesus.