Devotional for Friday June 17, 2022
The chorus of a song popularized at the beginning of the century, says: "Bitter, but sweet" and, in addition, the mixture of sensations that the ingestion of the roll provoked in Juan during his apocalyptic experience. They are, finally, words revived again and again in the hearts of those of us who, by the ineffable grace of the Lamb, have the privilege of having God speak to us through his Word. Sweet, pleasant, sublime is the opportunity to hear the lofty message of our Creator, just as bitter is the experience of not receiving good news, or incapable when a world immersed in the slavery of sin refuses to listen to the message of redemption.
Sweet and bitter: inseparable during the ministry of Isaiah.
Five decades sweetening his privileged taste of receiving so much revelation from the Powerful and embittering his belly with the foolish attitude of his people who never listened to him. Bitter and sweet: present and inseparable in the revelation and in the ministry of the believer who, despite the privilege of receiving the message of salvation, cannot avoid the unpleasantness of rejection. “Repent and believe the Gospel”, the essence of the Gospel message, bitter and sweet; salvation and life.
Written by Yoandry Jimenez
Translated by Nelson Baires
Morning Revelations 10:8-11
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Noon Psalm 68:1-10
1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.
Evening Matthew 3:1-8
1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Prayer Guide: [México-Nogales] and [Honduras-Pinalejo]
This month's challenge is: Think before you judge or act.
Ask yourself at all times: how would I want to be treated if I were in that condition? Always remember Jesus' advice: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged: condemn not, and you will not be condemned: forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Luke 6:36,37
