A casa e o cuidado de Deus Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:30 PM PDT Depois de confessarem seus pecados e reconhecerem como Deus estava sendo bondoso com eles, não os abandonando, os israelitas em Jerusalém se comprometeram a ofertar dizendo: “Nós não abandonaremos a casa do nosso Deus” (Ne 10.39). Deus também tem amparado você, e mesmo que você não tenha reconhecido isso ultimamente, ele ama você. Jesus Cristo, o Deus vivo que se fez gente, morreu para dar a você um lugar na casa de Deus. Use o seu tempo, dons e bens para proclamar a salvação, o cuidado de Deus com você!
Oração: Salvador Jesus, obrigado por preparar por me dar vida eterna, reservando um lugar na casa celestial. Venha o teu reino. E, enquanto estou aqui, usa-me para que mais pessoas conheçam o teu amor e cuidado. Em teu nome. Amém.
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Your Light"October 3, 2014  Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. Isaiah 60:20
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
In our state, power brownouts and blackouts are a common issue in our daily lives. Especially during the summer season electricity can go off for long durations of time.
Even though the government spends huge amounts of money on new projects to generate electrical energy, the shortage of power remains a big issue. You can understand when I say it is very hard to live without light in the nighttime and without power when you are trying to live in the day.
When God created this universe, He created day and night.
He made it so light would be very important in our lives. Even so, all natural and artificial lights are transient. When the sun sets, the world is put into darkness; when the electricity fails, we are put into darkness. Obviously, these are not eternal.
But God says He is our eternal Light. He called the people of Israel, led them, helped them, and directed them by His presence. During the 40 years of their sojourn in the wilderness and again during the time of exile when they were put into darkness, the eternal God guided them.
He made their lives to shine again after the exile from Babylon. He led them and guided them to a new life after a period of exile. The people of Israel saw the unfailing light of God even in the hardest times.
In the New Testament era, this world has seen the light of God, the greatest Light, which is Jesus Christ. He declared, "I am Light of the world" (see John 8:12). He showed Himself as the Light in towns and villages through the Good News He preached.
Even today He brightens us and the entire world through His Light. When St. Luke narrated the story of the birth of Jesus, he said "Now there were shepherds in that region, living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flocks. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shown around them" (Luke 2:8-9a).
The shepherd's darkness was dispelled by God's Good News about the Savior. Similarly, we are also blessed; we are blessed because the glory of the Lord has also illuminated our world. Because that is so, the Lord Jesus told us, "You are the light for the world" (see Matthew 5:14).
The question is are we shining as lights? A light which is on the light stand gives light to its surroundings, but when it is hidden under a vessel or pot, it won't give light to anyone. (See Matthew 5:15-16.)
Is this not true?
It is only because God is our eternal Light that we can shine. King David says, "The Lord is my Light" (see Psalm 27:1).
Learning from David, when we are confronted by the darkness of sin, the darkness of Satan, the darkness of sickness and death, we can hold fast to Christ who is our light. We no longer need to be overwhelmed by the darkness around us.
He has given us His Word and Sacrament to illuminate our dark path. By God's grace the Holy Spirit will help us walk in that Light, which is Jesus Christ.
THE PRAYER: Lord, our God, You gave Your only Son Jesus Christ as the Light to the people who lived in darkness. Help us overcome the fear of darkness and fear of evil with the help of the illumination of Your Holy Word. In Scripture may we see and faithfully follow the Savior who has redeemed us from all the darkness of life. This I pray in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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