Stepping Stones For Survival

Nehemías 10:29: “Se unió . . . y se comprometió, bajo juramiento, a obedecer todos los mandamientos, normas y estatutos de nuestro Señor. “

 La obediencia es crucial para nuestra vida con Dios. Los israelitas sabían esto and se unió todo el pueblo para comprometer, bajo juramiento, a obedecer los mandamientos de Dios. Fíjense que el versículo 29 dice la palabra, “todos.” No dice algunos mandamientos. En inglés el versículo también incluye la frase, “cuidadosamente.” Los israelitas comprometieron a obedecer cuidadosamente todos los mandamientos, normas y estatutos de nuestro Señor. Para obedecer cuidadosamente, nosotros, como los israelitas, estudiaríamos la Palabra de Dios para saber sus mandamientos, normas y estatutos. ¿Por qué no sugiere usted que su familia y su iglesia se unan y comprometan, bajo juramiento, a obedecer a Dios cuidadosamente? ¿Por qué no sugiere usted que usted y los cristianos en su lugar de empleo se unan y se comprometan, bajo juramiento, a obedecer todos los mandamientos, normas y estatutos de nuestro Señor? Si usted está en recobro de la fármaco-dependencia, favor de sugerir que se unan y se comprometan, bajo juramiento, usted y sus amigos en recobro a obedecer la palabra de Dios cuidadosamente.

Amado Dios, ayúdame a obedecer todos tus mandamientos, normas y estatutos. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Aplicación: ¿Cuándo se comprometerá, bajo juramiento, a obedecer cuidadosamente?

Derecho de propiedad literaria © Yvonne Ortega el 22 de junio de 2010

Revell publicará la segunda edición de mi libro, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer en septiembre de 2010.

Mi programa de blogtalkradio, “Hope for the Journey,” empieza a las 10:00 de la mañana los martes en www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey. Hay archivos.

Por favor visite mi sitio Web nuevo y mi blog en mi sitio Web,  www.yvonneortega.com Favor de leer mi libro, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, Revell.

Si usted no desea recibir más de estos breves devocionales, por favor pulse “reply” y escriba “unsubscribe” en la línea del sujeto. Muchas gracias.

 ¡Qué Dios le bendiga!

Nehemiah 10:29: “All these now . . . bind themselves with an oath . . . to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.”

 Obedience is crucial to our walk with God. The Israelites knew this and gathered to bind themselves with an oath to obey God’s laws. Notice that verse 29 says the word, “all.” It doesn’t say some of God’s commands. The verse also includes the phrase, “to obey carefully.” The Israelites bound themselves to obey carefully all of God’s commands, regulations and decrees. To obey carefully, we, like the Israelites, would study God’s Word to know what his commands, regulations and decrees are. Why don’t you suggest that your family and church unite and bind yourselves with an oath to obey God carefully? Why not suggest that you and the Christians in your place of employment bind yourselves with an oath to obey all of God’s commands? If you are in recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs, please suggest that you and your friends in recovery unite and bind yourselves with an oath to obey the Word of God carefully.

 Dear God, help me obey all of your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Application: When will you bind yourself with an oath to obey carefully?

 Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega June 22, 2010.

 Revell will publish the second edition of my book, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, in September 2010.

 My  blogtalk radio show, “Hope for the Journey,” is on Tuesdays at 10:00 am EST at www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey . Archives are available.

 Please visit my Web site at www.yvonneortega.com or my blog, Stepping Stones, on my Web site. Please read my book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, Revell.

 ***This devotion is also available in Spanish.***

 If you do not wish to receive my weekly devotion, please hit reply and write “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Thank you.

 May God bless you richly.

Nehemías 9:28: “De nuevo clamaban a ti, y desde el cielo los escuchabas. ¡Por tu inmensa compasión muchas veces los libraste!”

En Nehemías 9, el pueblo escuchó el libro de la ley del Señor su Dios por tres horas. Después, confesaron sus pecados y adoraron al Señor en las tres horas siguientes. El capítulo 9 nos recuerda del amor y compasión de Dios para su gente. Al leer de las muchas veces que los israelitas se alejaron de Dios y entonces sufieron las consecuencias de sus pecados, seríamos tentados a preguntarnos cómo podrían ser tan tercos y tontos. Aun pensaríamos que fueron torpes. Y todavía hacemos la misma cosa. Clamamos a Dios por su ayuda y nos escucha. Nos ayuda a mejorar nuestras vidas. Entonces como los israelitas hicieron, nos hacemos cómodos. Nos olvidamos de Dios y vivimos como querámos. Es asombroso que una nación pequeña como Israel sobrevivió y reconstruyó el templo en cincuenta y dos días. Nosotros también podemos clamar a Dios, confesar nuestros pecados y reconstruir nuestras vidas, nuestros matrimonios, nuestras familias, nuestros empleos, y nuestras iglesias. Entonces podemos levantarnos de pie

Amado Dios, ayúdame a confesar mis pecados a ti. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Aplicación: ¿Cuándo adorará al Señor por su compasión a usted?

Derecho de propiedad literaria © Yvonne Ortega el 15 de junio de 2010

Revell publicará la segunda edición de mi libro, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer en septiembre de 2010.

Mi programa de blogtalkradio, “Hope for the Journey,” empieza a las 10:00 de la mañana los martes en www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey. Hay archivos.

Por favor visite mi sitio Web nuevo y mi blog en mi sitio Web,  www.yvonneortega.com Favor de leer mi libro, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, Revell.

Si usted no desea recibir más de estos breves devocionales, por favor pulse “reply” y escriba “unsubscribe” en la línea del sujeto. Muchas gracias.

¡Qué Dios le bendiga!

Nehemiah 9:28: “And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.”

 In Nehemiah chapter 9, the people listened to the Book of the Law for a quarter of the day. Afterward, they confessed their sins and worshipped the Lord for another quarter of the day. Chapter 9 reminds us of God’s love and compassion for his people. As we read about how many times the Israelites turned away from God and then suffered the consequences of their sins, we might be tempted to wonder how they could have been so stubborn and foolish. We might even think they were dumb. And yet we do the same thing. We cry out for help. God hears us and helps us turn our lives around. Then like the Israelites did, we get comfortable. We forget about God and live our own way. It’s amazing that a small nation like Israel survived and rebuilt the temple in fifty-two days. We too can cry out to God, confess our sins, and rebuild our lives, our marriages, our families, our jobs, and our churches. Then we also can stand and praise the Lord for his compassion to us time after time.

 Dear God, help me confess my sins to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Application: When will you praise the Lord for his compassion to you?

 Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega June 15, 2010.

 Revell will publish the second edition of my book, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, in September 2010.

 My  blogtalk radio show, “Hope for the Journey,” is on Tuesdays at 10:00 am EST at www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey . Archives are available.

 Please visit my Web site at www.yvonneortega.com or my blog, Stepping Stones, on my Web site. Please read my book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, Revell.

 ***This devotion is also available in Spanish.***

 If you do not wish to receive my weekly devotion, please hit reply and write “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Thank you.

 May God bless you richly.

A Must for Caregivers

As a former pastor and volunteer hospital chaplain, Cecil Murphey had been around many cancer patients. As an author, he helped one woman write her cancer-survival story. However, when his wife got breast cancer, it was different. It became personal. He struggled to find a book that would help him as a caregiver. He found statistics, technical and medical information, and autobiographies of cancer survivors. Now that he is on the other side of his wife’s diagnosis and she is a ten-year cancer survivor, Cec Murphey has written the book, When Someone You Love Has Cancer: Comfort and Encouragement for Caregivers and Loved Ones. The chapters are short with beautiful illustrations by Michal Sparks that provide an atmosphere of peace and comfort. Each chapter ends in a brief prayer. Cec writes from his heart in a down-to-earth practical way. The appendix is entitled Practical Things You Can Do to Help Those Diagnosed with Cancer. The tips are divided into three sections: Before You Offer Help, What You Can Do Now, and Long-Term Caregiving. Cec does a wonderful job of encouraging family and friends of cancer patients. As a nine-year cancer survivor, I wish this book had been around when I went through cancer. It would have helped my parents, the rest of my family, and my friends. Not only should caregivers have this book, but also ministers, hospital and prison chaplains, hospice personnel, counselors, and medical oncology libraries.

Cec Murphey at the CCWC

Years ago, a young curly-haired guy promised God he would write his best for him and never stop learning the craft of writing. He also promised that he would help other writers along the way. Cec Murphey, author of over 140 books has kept his promise to write his best for the Lord. He and Don Piper co-authored Don Piper’s story, 90 Minutes in Heaven, which has been on the New York Times best seller list more than three years and has sold more than four million copies. That is the first part of his promise to God. The second part is that he would help other writers along the way. Cec has done that too. He has poured thousands of dollars into hundreds of writers, many of whom are also speakers. Cec Murphey has provided scholarships for writers to attend major conferences such as the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, the Florida Christian Writers Conference, the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference, Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference, Sandy Cove, and Write-to-Publish. He has given authors/speakers scholarships for marketing and publicity, to the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) Conference, and to the She Speaks Conference in North Carolina. Where would many of us be without this generous man who loves to write his best for the Lord and loves to help other writers? Thank you so much, Cec. We love you and appreciate you. May we follow in your footsteps and become helpful and generous as you are.

Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega June 1, 2010