Monday, August 30, 2021

A God without equal

You are a forgiving God, you give grace, you are filled with compassion, slow to anger and rich in kindness. Nehemiah 9.17

"There is no such thing as a forgiving God," sang a Christian artist. It was for him an introduction to then demonstrate the opposite to his listeners.

The example of Manasseh is an amazing demonstration that God can and will forgive (see suggested reading). As king of Judah, Manasseh was one of the worst kings that God's people have ever had. The many abominations he committed during his reign led his people to idolatry and immorality. He built altars to all pagan deities, going so far as to place an idol in the very Temple of the holy God. The wrath of God was manifested against him and he was deported to Babylon with his people.

It was there, during his detention, that he humbled himself and returned to the Lord. God then gave him grace, granted him forgiveness, and even made him return to Jerusalem to end his reign there, but this time by obeying his commandments.

Some people think that they have sinned against God so much that He cannot forgive them. It is ignoring that God's love for his creatures is infinite: he is ready to forgive our faults when we sincerely repent and put our trust in Jesus Christ, his Son, who gave his life in sacrifice. so that we are forgiven. So, do not deprive yourself of this grace that God wants to grant you.

Yves Perrier

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Proposed reading : 2nd book of Chronicles, chapter 33, verses 1 to 14.

Source (Live Today)

Lundi 30 Août 2021

Un Dieu sans pareil

Tu es un Dieu prêt à pardonner, tu fais grâce, tu es rempli de compassion, lent à la colère et riche en bonté. Néhémie 9.17

« Un Dieu qui pardonne, ça n’existe pas », chantait un artiste chrétien. C’était pour lui une entrée en matière pour démontrer ensuite le contraire à ses auditeurs.

L’exemple de Manassé est une étonnante démonstration que Dieu peut et veut pardonner (voir lecture proposée). En tant que roi de Juda, Manassé fut l’un des pires rois que le peuple de Dieu ait eus. Les nombreuses abominations qu’il commit durant son règne entraînèrent son peuple dans l’idolâtrie et l’immoralité. Il bâtit des autels à toutes les divinités païennes, allant jusqu’à placer une idole dans le Temple même du Dieu saint. La colère de Dieu se manifesta contre lui et il fut déporté à Babylone avec son peuple.

C’est là, au cours de sa détention, qu’il s’humilia et revint vers l’Éternel. Dieu lui fit alors grâce, lui accorda son pardon, et le fit même revenir à Jérusalem pour y finir son règne, mais cette fois en obéissant à ses commandements.

Certaines personnes pensent qu’elles ont tellement péché contre Dieu, qu’il ne saurait les pardonner. C’est ignorer que l’amour de Dieu pour ses créatures est infini : il est prêt à pardonner nos fautes lorsque nous nous repentons sincèrement et que nous mettons notre confiance en Jésus-Christ, son Fils, lui qui a donné sa vie en sacrifice pour que nous soyons pardonnés. Alors, ne vous privez pas de cette grâce que Dieu veut vous accorder.

Yves Perrier

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Lecture proposée : 2ème livre des Chroniques, chapitre 33, versets 1 à 14.

Source (Vivre Aujourd'hui)

Sunday August 29, 2021

A just and good God

He (God) demonstrates it in the present tense so as to be righteous while declaring righteous one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3.26

The Bible reveals two characteristics of God : his righteousness and his goodness. But how can they be reconciled in the face of our guilt ? If God forgives man without condemning his faults, he would not do justice to anyone ! And if he applies his judgment without showing a mercy that can save him, where would be his goodness ?

But for God, this humanly insoluble question is not ! In fact, by his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus suffered the capital punishment by taking on our faults. Thus, being righteous in place of the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18), through him the righteousness of God was fully satisfied. And in his infinite goodness, by being incarnated in Jesus, God has mingled with our human condition to pay in his crucified body the required punishment for our faults.

How can God be righteous and good at the same time ? The crucial answer is that God was in Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:19), and in his righteousness and goodness he himself bore the sin of the world, he suffered its condemnation. There is no opposition or conflict between his righteousness and his goodness. On the contrary, they unite in Christ crucified and risen. Then they manifest together in the heart of everyone who repents and believes in him.

Dominique Moreau

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Proposed reading : Letter to the Romans, chapter 3, verses 19 to 26.

Source (Live Today)

Dimanche 29 Août 2021

Un Dieu juste et bon

Il (Dieu) la démontre dans le temps présent de manière à être juste tout en déclarant juste celui qui a la foi en Jésus. Romains 3.26

La Bible révèle deux caractéristiques de Dieu : sa justice et sa bonté. Mais comment peuvent-elles se concilier face à notre culpabilité ? Si Dieu pardonne à l’homme sans condamner ses fautes, il ne ferait justice à personne ! Et s’il applique son jugement sans manifester une miséricorde qui puisse le sauver, où serait sa bonté ?

Mais pour Dieu, cette question humainement insoluble ne l’est pas ! En effet, par son sacrifice sur la croix, Jésus a subi la peine capitale en prenant à son compte nos fautes. Ainsi, étant juste à la place des injustes (1 Pierre 3.18), par lui la justice de Dieu fut pleinement satisfaite. Et dans sa bonté infinie, en s’incarnant en Jésus Dieu s’est mêlé à notre condition humaine pour payer en son corps crucifié la punition exigée de nos fautes.

Comment Dieu peut-il être juste et bon à la fois ? La réponse cruciale est que Dieu était en Christ sur la croix (2 Corinthiens 5.19), et que dans sa justice et sa bonté il a porté lui-même le péché du monde, il en a subi la condamnation. Il n’existe ni opposition ni conflit entre sa justice et sa bonté. Au contraire, elles s’unissent en Christ crucifié et ressuscité. Puis elles se manifestent ensemble dans le cœur de quiconque se repent et croit en lui.

Dominique Moreau

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Lecture proposée : Lettre aux Romains, chapitre 3, versets 19 à 26.

Source (Vivre Aujourd'hui)

Saturday August 28, 2021

"Do not be afraid"

If only they still had this same heart to fear me and to keep all my commandments in order to always be happy, them and their children! Deuteronomy 5:29

How many times have we taken hold of this exhortation from the Pope. Rightly so, because fear is negative, passive, without a defined object. It demobilizes, paralyzes, paralyzes by removing all serenity. But we would be wrong to confuse it with fear. Especially with the fear of God. From this, Solomon repeatedly said it is the beginning of wisdom ! We hardly like to cite the texts that recommend it to the point, in some translations, of replacing "to fear" by "to venerate". It is certain that all legitimate and just fear is also reverence. But it's not just that. In our verse, God makes "fear" the practical synonym of keeping His commandments. Observing what God asks of us is the sure fruit of the fear we have of him, that is to say the fear of displeasing him through disobedience, that of missing out on his requirements, but also, let us dare to do so. say, the fear of his just corrections and the punishment he intends for those who resist or challenge him.

There is a lot of emphasis on goodness, the infinite love of God. We are right, but only on condition that we insist at the same time on his infinite justice and holiness which cannot allow him to tolerate evil in any form whatsoever.

Let’s fear God. It is our happiness.

Richard Douliere

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Proposed reading : Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 5, verses 28 to 33.

Source (Live Today)

Thursday August 26, 2021

Those who have taught righteousness to many will shine like the stars, forever and ever. Daniel 12. 3

The street name plaque testifies

A street in Blaye (town in southwestern France), is called “rue des Filles de la Charité (From the name of a religious order founded by Saint-Vincent de Paul)”. This name recalls a historical fact that occurred in 1690 : following disorders in the management of the Saint-Nicolas hospital, and failures in the care provided to the sick, the director was sidelined. The magistrates who governed Blaye decided to entrust to the nuns of this order the administration of care for the sick, as well as the keeping of the register of entries and exits. Their dedication was so well recognized by the population that they were not at all worried during the Revolution : they escaped the guillotine.

To those who practice what is right according to God, his Word promises much greater recognition than a street name plaque : entry into the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ and eternal happiness in the holy city (see suggested reading). We can have full confidence in the one who tells us, "I am coming soon."

Francis Praline

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Proposed reading : Book of Revelation chapter 22, verses 1 to 7.

Source (Live Today)

Jeudi 26 Août 2021

Ceux qui auront enseigné la justice à beaucoup brilleront comme les étoiles, pour toujours et à perpétuité. Daniel 12. 3

La plaque de nom de rue témoigne

Une rue de Blaye (commune du sud-ouest de la France), s'appelle « rue des Filles de la Charité (Du nom d'un ordre religieux fondé par Saint-Vincent de Paul) ». Ce nom rappelle un fait historique survenu un 1690 : suite à des désordres dans la gestion de l'hôpital Saint-Nicolas, et à des défaillances dans les soins apportés aux malades, le directeur a été mis à l'écart. Les magistrats qui gouvernaient Blaye ont décidé de confier aux religieuses de cet ordre l'administration des soins aux malades, ainsi que la tenue du registre des entrées et sorties. Leur dévouement fut si bien reconnu par la population qu'elles ne furent nullement inquiétées pendant la Révolution : elles échappèrent à la guillotine.

À ceux qui pratiquent ce qui est juste selon Dieu, sa Parole promet une reconnaissance bien plus grande qu'une plaque de nom de rue : l'entrée dans le Royaume éternel de Jésus-Christ et le bonheur éternel dans la ville sainte (voir la lecture proposée). Nous pouvons accorder une pleine confiance à celui qui nous dit : « Je viens bientôt ».

Francis Praline

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Lecture proposée : Livre de l'Apocalypse chapitre 22, versets 1 à 7.

Source (Vivre Aujourd'hui)

Wednesday 25 August 2021

More alone

Lord, I have no one to dive into the pool when the water is rough, and as I go, another goes down before me. John 5.7

Many sick people stood before this water, and when it was stirred, the first to jump into it was healed. But for this paralyzed man, this grace was unattainable, his handicap prevented him from going fast.

Double pain : his physical handicap, and his loneliness which confines him to pain.

Did he know Jesus, he who had to spend all his time in this place ? When Jesus said to her : "Do you want to be healed ?" He must have thought he was talking about healing that you had to take the plunge for.

His response is a cry of moral suffering : I have no one ! But Jesus is there, in his mercy and his power. The cripple is no longer alone, but does not know it !

Jesus responds to his two sufferings : he heals him physically, and this man realizes that with Jesus he is no longer alone in the face of adversity.

We all have more or less crippling difficulties. Perhaps, as with this patient, it is the loneliness that prevents any hope of deliverance. By faith you too can realize that with the Lord you are no longer alone.

By ourselves, we could not access grace. But through Jesus Christ, grace comes down to us, it heals the most desperate souls and hearts. We are no longer alone, Jesus Christ is the Savior on whom we can always count.

Francis Rivere

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Proposed reading : Gospel according to John, chapter 5 verses 2 to 8.

5.2 Now in Jerusalem, near the sheep gate, there was a pool which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, and which has five porches.

5.3 Under these porticos a great number of the sick were lying : the blind, the lame, the paralyzed ; they were waiting for the water to move,

5.4 for an angel from time to time descended into the pool and stirred the water ; and the first one that went down into the water after she was stirred was healed, regardless of his illness.

5.5 There was a man who had been crippled for 38 years.

5.6 Jesus saw him lying down, and knowing that he had been sick for a long time, he said to him : Do you want to be healed ?

5.7 The cripple answered him : Lord, I have no one to plunge me into the pool when the water is agitated, and while I go, another descends before me.

5.8 Get up, Jesus said to him, take your stretcher and walk.

Source (Live Today)

Mercredi 25 Août 2021

Plus seul

Seigneur, je n’ai personne pour me plonger dans la piscine quand l’eau est agitée, et pendant que j’y vais, un autre descend avant moi. Jean 5.7

Beaucoup de malades se tenaient devant cette eau, et quand elle était remuée, le premier qui s’y jetait était guéri. Mais pour cet homme paralysé, cette grâce était inatteignable, son handicap l’empêchait d’aller vite.

Double peine : son handicap physique, et sa solitude qui le confine dans la douleur.

Connaissait-il Jésus, lui qui devait passer tout son temps dans ce lieu ? Quand Jésus lui dit : « Veux-tu être guéri ? » il a dû penser qu’il parlait de la guérison pour laquelle il fallait se jeter dans l’eau.

Sa réponse est un cri de souffrance morale : Je n’ai personne ! Mais Jésus est là, dans sa miséricorde et sa puissance. L’infirme n’est plus seul, mais ne le sait pas !

Jésus répond à ses deux souffrances : il le guérit physiquement, et cet homme réalise qu’avec Jésus, il n’est plus seul face à l’adversité.

Nous avons tous des difficultés plus ou moins paralysantes. Peut-être, comme pour ce malade, est-ce la solitude qui empêche tout espoir de délivrance. Par la foi, vous pouvez vous aussi réaliser qu’avec le Seigneur vous n’êtes plus seul.

Par nous-mêmes, nous ne pouvions accéder à la grâce. Mais par Jésus-Christ, le grâce descend jusqu’à nous, elle guérit les âmes et les cœurs les plus désespérés. Nous ne sommes plus seuls, Jésus-Christ est le Sauveur sur lequel nous pouvons toujours compter.

Francis Rivère

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Lecture proposée : Évangile selon Jean, chapitre 5 versets 2 à 8.

5.2 Or à Jérusalem, près de la porte des brebis, il y avait une piscine qui s'appelle en hébreu Béthesda et qui a cinq portiques.

5.3 Sous ces portiques un grand nombre de malades étaient couchés : des aveugles, des boiteux, des paralysés ; ils attendaient le mouvement de l'eau,

5.4 car un ange descendait de temps en temps dans la piscine et agitait l'eau ; et le premier qui descendait dans l'eau  après qu'elle avait été agitée était guéri, quelle que soit sa maladie.

5.5 Là se trouvait un homme infirme depuis 38 ans.

5.6 Jésus le vit couché et, sachant qu'il était malade depuis longtemps, il lui dit : Veux-tu être guéri ?

5.7 L'infirme lui répondit : Seigneur, je n'ai personne pour me plonger dans la piscine quand l'eau est agitée, et pendant que j'y vais, un autre descend avant moi.

5.8 Lève-toi, lui dit Jésus, prends ton brancard et marche.

Source (Vivre Aujourd'hui)

Tuesday 24 August 2021

Run to the precipice

To all who accepted her, to those who believe in her name, she (the Word) gave the right to become children of God. John 1.12

Regarding global warming, one of our presidents has said : "Our house is on fire, and we are looking elsewhere" (Jacques Chirac at the Earth Summit, Johannesburg, 2002).

Blaise Pascal well understood the capacity of unconsciousness of the human being when he wrote : "We run without concern towards the precipice, after we have put something in front of us to prevent us from seeing it" (Thoughts, 183 , Brunschvicg edition). It’s not about the climate, but about our eternal destiny.

Concern for the future of the world, legitimate though it may be, must not mask that of our spiritual future. Salvation is an individual matter: you do not go to Heaven as part of a group ticket. It’s a matter between God and me.

As the verse on this leaflet indicates, in order for me to be saved, I must accept the light that has come among men : Jesus Christ. But why mention a precipice ? Because, in the same gospel, Jesus Christ himself declares : Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, whoever does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God on the contrary remains on him. (John 3.36)

Let's not look elsewhere, choose life, stop running towards the precipice.

Jean-Louis Theron

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Proposed reading : Gospel according to John, chapter 1, verses 1 to 13.

Source (Live Today)