Devotions: Ps 104, 118, 136, 145; Dan 12:1-4,13; Isa 25:1-9; Acts 4:1-21; Jn 16:1-33
Let my soul bless YHWH; Lord, You are very great,clothed in honor and majesty, robed in light. You created heavens and earth, and all that lives in the universe. You set boundaries for tides and times, seasons and stars. You feed and water the earth and its creatures, in water, on land and in the air. You arranged the days and seasons, and you gave humans our work to do. How many are Your works, my God, and how diverse! May Your glory endure forever, and I will sing to the Lord all my days; I will praise my God while I live. Let my soul bless and praise YHWH, my Lord! God's steadfast love endures forever. When I have called to God in my distress, God has answered and has set me free. When I am on God's side, I am invulnerable. It is better to take refuge in YHWH than in humankind. He is my Strength and my Song; God has become my Salvation. Hear the songs of victory from the encampment of our God! He has opened to me the gates of His righteousness; blessed are all who come in the name of the Lord. He has given us light, and in His light we process, rejoicing, to His throne. We give thanks to YHWH, Whose steadfast love endures forever! He is Lord of lords, God of gods; He works great miracles; He made heaven and earth, and all that is—stars, suns and planets; He struck down the master and gods of Egypt and brought His people forth to freedom; He divided the sea and led Israel through; then He closed the waters on the troops and chariots of Pharaoh. He led His people to His holy mountain, and gave them Torah. He drove out mighty kings and peoples to make space for the children of Israel. And this God remembers even me, in my low estate. I thank You, God of heaven, for your steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. I will praise and extol You every day. Great is YHWH and greatly to be praised. Let us meditate on the glorious works of our God. YHWH is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. His compassion is over all that He has made. All eyes look to our God for favor, for food, for shelter, for life itself. YHWH is just in all His ways and kind in all He does; He is near to any who call to Him in truth. He blesses those who fear and obey Him, but all the wicked, He will destroy.
In the end times, there will be troubles beyond anything known before. And Michael, the great archangelic prince who has charge of Israel, will arise and deliver God's people. Many who sleep in the dust will awaken and rise, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. The wise will shine like stars in the firmament; those who have helped others into God's kingdom will shine like stars for ever. Let us, then, go our ways until God brings the conclusion; we have a promised rest before us, and our future is in God's mighty hands. YHWH my God, I will exalt and praise You. You have made a ruin of the city, and strong people must glorify You. You are the Stronghold of the poor, a shelter to the helpless. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make a great feast for all peoples; He will destroy the veil that is spread over the nations. He will swallow up death forever, and YHWH Elohim will wipe away tears from every face and the reproach of His people God will banish from the earth, for YHWH has spoken! On that day, it will be said: 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is YHWH; we have waited for Him. Let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation!
As the apostles were addressing the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, annoyed that they were addressing the people and speaking about the resurrection of the dead in Jesus. They arrested them and put them in custody since it was already evening. But many who heard them believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. The next day, the rulers, elders and scribes of the Jews gathered, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas, John and Alexander, members of the high-priestly family. They put the apostles in the middle and began to question them: by what power or by what name did you do this? Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them: 'Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done for a cripple who was healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Messiah of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead: by Him this man is standing before you well. This is the Stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.' The authorities noted the boldness of Peter and John, yet perceived that they were uneducated, common men; and they wondered, though they recognized the men had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who had been healed standing beside them, they could say nothing in opposition. They commanded the apostels to go outside, and they council conferred among themselves. 'What shall we do with these men? Everyone can see that a notable sign has been done by these men; it would do no good to deny that. But so that this movement spreads no further, let us warn them to speak to no one else in this name.' So they called the apostles back and gave them this warning. But Peter and John responded, 'Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.' The council threatened them further, but let them go, finding no way to punish them, since the people praised God for what the apostles had done. The man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old!
John reported Jesus' last communications with His disciples before His passion and crucifixion: I have told you all this to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; an hour is coming when those who try to kill you will think they are serving God in doing so—they will do this because they have not known either the Father or Me. When their hour comes, remember what I have told you! I didn't tell you all this earlier, because I was with you. But now, since I have said this, your hearts fill with sorrow. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. If I don't go, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you, and He will convict the earth about sin and righteousness and judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you can't bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own authority, but will say what He hears, and so He will tell you about things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine, and that is why I said that He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you. In a little while, you will see Me no more; then a little later, you will see Me again!' Some of Jesus' disciples wondered what He meant by this. Jesus tried to explain further: 'Truly, truly I tell you, you will be sorrowful, but then your sorrow will turn to joy. When a woman is in the throes of childbirth, she has sorrow; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. In the same way, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day, you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly I tell you, if you has anything of the Father in My name, He will give it to you. Until now, you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, and your joy will be full! I have spoken to you in figures, but soon I'll speak plainly of the Father. In that day, you will ask in My name; I'm not saying that I must intercede for you with the Father, because the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. I came from Him into the world, and now I Am leaving the world and going to the Father.' The disciples said that they understood at last, and needed no further clarification. Jesus replied, 'Do you now believe? The hour has arrived when you will be scattered, and you will leave Me alone; yet I Am not alone, for the Father is with Me. I have said this to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.'
No comments:
Post a Comment