The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, December 7, 2018

Philippians 1:21

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, December 7, 2018

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Luke 1:68-79

Zechariah’s Prophecy (Song of Zechariah)
1:68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
    in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71     that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
    and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
    to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 By the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Malachi 3:13-18

3:13 You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, “How have we spoken against you?” 14 You have said, “It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape.”

The Reward of the Faithful
16 Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who revered the Lord and thought on his name. 17 They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them. 18 Then once more you shall see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Philippians 1:18b-26

Paul’s Present Circumstances
1:18b Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. 20 It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, December 7, 2018

Friday Morning Prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing.

For the riches and fullness of our lives we praise You, O Lord. Your gift of life is precious, and even when surrounded by evils of all kinds, we acknowledge Your goodness to us. This goodness we have experienced in the unbounded mercy You showed us in Your dying and rising for us. We encounter it in the signs of Your presence and care in even the tiniest blessings of daily life. Forgive us our all too frequent failures to recognize Your gift of life in all its many facets. Forgive us for tarnishing the lives of others through thoughtless actions and the hurts we cause them. Instead, make us agents of Your enrichment of their lives and witnesses to Your salvation.

May Friday be a thoughtful day when Your Spirit leads my prayer. I trust each trouble small and wide, with faith into Your care. Let Friday always prompt my heart to stand upon the truth. Darkness has been overcome the Earth belongs to You.

Amen

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, December 7, 2018

John 11:25 (NIV) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

Read all of John 11

Listen to John 11

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Camina una milla extra

Camina una milla extra

Él nos da mayor ayuda con su gracia. Por eso dice la Escritura: «Dios se opone a los orgullosos, pero da gracia a los humildes».

~ Santiago 4:6 (NVI)

En la Biblia, el Señor Jesucristo nos enseña a que cuando nos ofendan, nos insulten o nos hieran en una mejilla, pongamos también la otra mejilla. La pregunta ahora es: ¿Qué haríamos nosotros en semejante situación? ¿Pondríamos la otra mejilla?

Llevémoslo a nuestro diario vivir: ¿Cómo nos comportaríamos ante las personas que nos humillan y nos ofenden? ¿Estaríamos dispuestos a caminar la milla extra o reaccionaríamos con la misma grosería y violencia? Lo más normal es desear vengarse y pagar, como dice la ley del talión: «Ojo por ojo y diente por diente».

Así que mi reflexión para hoy es que evitemos caer en altanería y en grosería. Debemos recordar que tú y yo representamos a Jesús en la tierra y que muchas de las miradas del mundo están sobre nosotros. A decir verdad, esperan nuestras respuestas y reacciones.

Con esto no quiero decir que permitamos el maltrato y el abuso, sino que caminemos la milla extra y oremos hasta por nuestros enemigos, como nos ordena la Palabra de Dios. Cuando estés en una situación así, lo mejor es callar y pensar: «¿Qué haría Jesús en mi lugar?».

No se trata de que te vean como un tonto sin carácter. Al contrario, debes sentirte feliz de ser diferente. Por eso no trates de defenderte y deja que sea el Señor el que te defienda y represente.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
En la Biblia, el Señor Jesucristo nos enseña a que cuando nos ofendan, nos insulten o nos hieran en una mejilla, pongamos también la otra mejilla. La pregunta ahora es: ¿Qué haríamos nosotros en semejante situación? ¿Pondríamos la otra mejilla?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - LIFE SENTENCE

LIFE SENTENCE

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

~ Acts 20:24 (NIV)

In a Sudan prison, Pastor Matta Boush was depressed as he faced thirty years on false charges. A visit from an Irish Catholic sister helped change his outlook. There were others in prison, she said, whose cases were far worse than his. She told him never to ask himself why he was there, but instead to ask for what purpose he was there. From that point Matta Boush began to minister to his fellow prisoners.

He began prayer meetings for non-Muslims and numbers grew quickly. One event at the prison made an especially strong impact. A prisoner, just prior to his execution, rather than being fearful, was calm and gave his testimony. He said he was not afraid to die because he knew he would go to heaven. This made such an impression that some of the Muslim guards became Christians.

He was transferred to another prison in the city of El-Obeid. Some Muslims objected to his ministry and prayer meetings so he was placed in solitary confinement for several months. Away from his God-given work and with too much time to think, depression overtook him again. But the encouragement of friends helped him through the hard times. Returning to the general prison population, he helped lead between 150 and 200 people to Christ.

Later Matta Boush was transferred to El-Khobar prison in Khartoum. There he was able to help build a prison chapel as well as continuing his ministry. In the next ten months, 200 people came to the Lord.

His sudden release indicated that the person ordering it had great authority. As a free man, he contacted churches and visited Nuba refugee camps. He was reunited with his three daughters. His wife, however, had married a Muslim man.

He began providing pastoral care for nine regional churches. He was faithful in sharing the Lord both in and out of prison. No sacrifice was too great to accomplish the goal.

RESPONSE: Today I will sacrifice my comforts to accomplish the most important goal – sharing Jesus!

PRAYER: Pray for pastors like Matta Boush in prison today around the world. Pray they will lose their own desires and accomplish the Lord’s.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Men of the Bible - Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate

His name means: "One Armed with a Javelin" 

His work: He was the Roman governor over the region of Judea.
His character: Pilate had all the trappings of power and leadership but was unwilling to exercise that influence for good.
His sorrow: He failed to stand for what was right and allowed an innocent man to go to his death.
His triumph: When Tiberius Caesar appointed Pilate governor of Judea, Pilate must have been delighted. Perhaps he thought that this was a step toward even greater authority. But his inability to lead denied him that future.
Key Scriptures: John 18

A Look at the Man

It was the ultimate paradox. Pilate was faced with two sobering options—neither would lead to a happy ending.

If he would listen to his conscience—and his wife's warning—and free Jesus, he would lose support among the religious elite. And releasing Jesus could have changed these men's verbal outcries into a physical revolt. Such an uprising would reflect poorly on his leadership. Tiberius Caesar might replace him because of such insurrection among his subjects.

But giving in to the people's demands meant that Pilate would be forced to deny his own heart. He knew Jesus was innocent. He knew that these men had arrested Jesus because of their seething jealousy over his popularity among the people. And he didn't need his wife to have a bad dream to confirm his apprehensions, but it did make things worse; now he would have to contend with her. This was Pilate's plight, but these are the predicaments of every leader—popularity or integrity, compromise or character.

As the governor of the land, Pilate certainly knew about Jesus' ministry. He may have received warnings from his own associates that Jesus was extremely popular among the people. He suspected that Jesus' message could be threatening to his regime, but he knew that Jesus' words and work were foreboding to the religious establishment. The priests and Pharisees were just jealous. They hated Jesus. But was he dangerous—worthy of capital punishment? Should Pilate sanction his execution just to appease these proud men?

Pilate's approach to this terrible dilemma was something we can understand. Once he had listened to the facts, his response was direct: "Jesus is innocent." Oh, how he hoped that approach would work and the religious leaders would shuffle out of his chambers in resignation.

When that didn't work, Pilate got philosophical. "What is truth?" he pondered aloud. Doesn't truth depend on the situation? Isn't truth sometimes true and sometimes not? Shouldn't group pressure or expediency or convenience have an effect on truth?

When Pilate saw that plain speaking and philosophy were not going to satisfy the people, he tried to dismiss himself from the responsibility of his decision by washing his hands. Then, in his final feeble attempt to assuage his guilt, he placed the blame on others. "This is your fault," he told the priests and Pharisees.

Pontius Pilate had a historic opportunity to do the right thing, but he buckled under the pressure. The heaviness of the situation forced him to acquiesce. As a result, he will forever be remembered as a defective leader, a man with no courage.

Someday Pilate would be replaced as the Roman governor of Judea. No longer would he have to deal with these tricky situations. No longer would he have to make the difficult decisions. And Pilate could continue to ignore his wife. He could even leave her and no longer deal with her opinions. But Pilate would never be able to quiet his conscience. He would never be able to escape the blood of an innocent man and the power of his own conflicted soul. A troubled heart and sleepless nights would be his lifelong companions.

Reflect On: Psalm 25
Praise God: For his mercy.
Offer Thanks: For the blood of Jesus Christ and his offer of pardon in spite of our sin and willful disobedience.
Confess: Any willingness to be swayed by the crowd to do—or think—the wrong thing, instead of doing what is right.
Ask God: To give you the courage to be faithful, to fill you with integrity and character that would be pleasing to him. Ask him to make you a worthy ambassador of his truth and his grace.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
He failed to stand for what was right and allowed an innocent man to go to his death.

Girlfriends in God - The Deep Relief That Comes From Seeking Him First

The Deep Relief That Comes From Seeking Him First

Jessica Smartt

Today’s Truth

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

~ Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Two weeks ago, I accidentally stepped on a wooden toothpick that was lying on my bathroom floor. (Don’t ask me what a wooden toothpick was doing there in the first place.) Oh my goodness, did that ever hurt! I knelt down to find the toothpick…missing the wooden tip. Yes, I now had a chunk of a toothpick lodged in the side of my foot. I spent hours trying to squeeze, tweeze, poke, pluck the splinter out. It nagged and hurt and throbbed. This little piece of wood was a no more than a centimeter, but I thought about it so much! It affected so much of my day-to-day: what shoes I wore, the activities I could do, what occupied my thoughts and my time. I kept thinking, “It is amazing that something so minuscule could affect your life so much!”

A splinter is a small thing, but when it’s lodged in your skin, everything gets off-kilter and uncomfortable. A small thing with big ramifications. 

As the week went on I found myself reflecting on spiritual applications of this weird and unfortunate event (among other activities, like swabbing my foot with honey, baking soda, salt, banana peels…you get desperate!). One thing that came to mind as I thought about it was how a sinful habit or ungodly thought pattern can seem small but can affect your life in incredibly significant ways.

As our verse says, Jesus calls us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He tells us that our needs will be provided for. This calling to “seek Him” isn’t an option. If we’ve signed on to follow Jesus, we are to go after Him and the way He wants us to live before anything else.

There are so many “little” ways I get this wrong. Caring more about checking my iPhone than checking in with prayer. Going to friends for advice instead of going to Scripture. These are “little” choices, but if they fester and remain, we will feel the effects. Our bodies and hearts were not meant to work this way. We were made to worship and seek Him first.

Is something off-kilter, not-quite right in your heart? Is there a habit you need His help to remove?  Are you seeking the Lord first and trusting Him to provide? Maybe like me, you’ve come out of a season where you haven’t been faithfully reading the Bible. Do you feel it, how life feels awkward and not-quite-right?

God is so gracious, and a week after I stepped on that toothpick, He answered my prayers. I woke up one morning and the splinter popped right out! I nearly cried in relief!

Our God is so good. Sometimes those aches and pains are reminders that something needs to go, to change. We will never reach perfection this side of heaven, but in His grace, He heals those tender and sore places and helps us to serve Him with a willing heart.

Let’s Pray

God, please be gracious to us. We want to serve You, but we need Your help. Fill us with Your Spirit, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We ask this in the Name of Jesus,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

I don’t know, sweet friend, what feels “off” in your life, what tender and sore places need His healing. As you read Jesus’ words to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NIV), what does that look like to you today? May we all renew our minds in His word, and come to Him in prayer — before anything else.

More from the Girlfriends

Jessica Smartt is an author/speaker, a wife, and a homeschooling mom of three kids living in beautiful North Carolina. Jessica is offering GiG followers her e-book, How To Introduce A Child To Jesus, for FREE. Grab your copy here!

Love Instagram? Check out Jessica over there!

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

It is amazing that something so minuscule could affect your life so much!

LHM Daily Devotions - ON HIS SHOULDER

"ON HIS SHOULDER"

Dec. 7, 2018

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~ Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

This is a really odd image. Isaiah starts out by painting a picture of a newborn baby boy, and then abruptly says, "the government shall be upon His shoulder ..." In my mind's eye, I see a little baby hoisting a great big heavy load on that tiny little shoulder of His—how exactly does that work?

But it does work, because that baby is more than just a baby—it's God Himself, the Mighty God who carries all things. And what government is Isaiah talking about? —why, the government of everything, of course. The universe. Our world. My life. Yours. He governs all of it.

All of it is on His shoulder—because a cross was once on that shoulder, a cross He carried for our sakes all the way to Calvary. He carried that heavy load because He loved us—the burden of all of our sins and evil and wickedness, everything we ever did or will do. No one else could carry that load. It would squash them flat.

But Jesus carried it, because you are His. He loves you, He delights in you, and He has made you His own. And today He carries the government of all things—the management of everything in your life—because He loves you. You are never out of His hands.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for carrying the government of every detail of my life. Help me to trust in You, especially when I am afraid or sad. Amen.

The Coming King REFLECTION QUESTIONS!

• What is the heaviest load you have ever carried physically?

• Are you carrying a heavy load emotionally or spiritually right now? If you are willing, describe it.

• Write or say a prayer asking Jesus to help you with a heavy load in your life right now.

Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
This is a really odd image.

Devocional del CPTLN de 07 de Diciembre de 2018 - Sobre sus hombros

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Sobre sus hombros

07 de Diciembre de 2018

Porque un niño nos ha nacido, ¡un hijo nos ha sido concedido! Sobre sus hombros llevará el principado, y su nombre será «Consejero admirable», «Dios fuerte», «Padre Eterno» y «Príncipe de paz».

~ Isaías 9:6 (RVC)

Esta es una imagen realmente extraña. Isaías comienza pintando la imagen de un bebé recién nacido, y luego dice abruptamente: "Sobre sus hombros llevará el principado..." En mi imaginación, veo a un Niño pequeño levantar sobre sus pequeños hombros una gran carga pesada; ¿cómo va a funcionar?

Pero funciona, porque ese niño es algo más que un niño: es Dios mismo, el Dios fuerte que carga todas las cosas. ¿De qué gobierno está hablando Isaías? Del gobierno de todo, por supuesto: del universo, de nuestro mundo, de mi vida y la tuya. Dios gobierna todo.

Todo está sobre sus hombros, porque una vez sobre esos hombros hubo una cruz, una cruz pesada que él cargó por amor a nosotros hasta el Calvario: era la carga de todos nuestros pecados, todos los males y maldades que alguna vez hicimos o haremos. Sólo él era capaz de llevar esa carga. Cualquier otro sería aplastado por su peso.

Pero Jesús la llevó por amor. Y gracias a que lo hizo, tú le perteneces. Hoy él gobierna todas las cosas, incluyendo tu vida. Ya nada está fuera de su alcance.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor Jesús, gracias por gobernar cada detalle de mi vida. Ayúdame a confiar cada día más en ti, especialmente cuando tengo miedo o estoy triste. Amén.

PREGUNTAS DE REFLEXIÓN:

¿Cuánto peso puedes cargar?

Si estás llevando una carga emocional o espiritual, pídele a Jesús que se haga cargo de ella.

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Esta es una imagen realmente extraña.

Хліб Наш Насущній - Невидима Божа рука

Невидима Божа рука

Читати: Псалом 139:13-18 | Біблія за рік: Даниїла 5−7 ; 2 Івана

Завантажити MP3

До книги Твоєї записані всі мої члени та дні, що в них були вчинені, коли жодного з них не було. — Псалом 139:16

Мого друга ще маленьким хлопчиком усиновила в Гані одна місіонерська пара зі Сполучених Штатів. Коли вони повернулися до США, він поступив до коледжу, але через фінансові проблеми змушений був кинути навчання. Пізніше він пішов на військову службу за контрактом, завдяки чому зміг зрештою заплатити за коледж і, крім того, об’їхав цілий світ. В цьому всьому Бог звершував Свою працю, готуючи його до особливої місії. Сьогодні він є християнським автором та редактором і служить віруючим багатьох країн.

У його дружини теж цікава життєва історія. Через епілепсію вона вживала сильнодіючі ліки, тому провалила екзамен з хімії на першому році навчання в коледжі. Після серйозних розмірковувань вона вирішила змінити профіль – почала вивчати мову жестів для глухонімих. Пізніше вона сказала: “Бог змінив напрямок мого життя до більш величної мети”. Сьогодні вона робить доступною життєзмінну мудрість Слова для людей, що мають проблеми зі слухом.

Чи вас дивують Божі шляхи? В Псалмі 139:16 автор визнає руку суверенного Бога, кажучи: “Мого зародка бачили очі Твої, і до книги Твоєї записані всі мої члени та дні, що в них були вчинені, коли жодного з них не було”. Ми не завжди знаємо, як Бог використає наші життєві обставини. Хоча рука суверенного Бога невидима, Він завжди присутній у нашому житті.

Дорогий Господи, допоможи довіряти Тобі, навіть коли я не розумію Твоїх шляхів. Дякую, що дбаєш про мене і спрямовуєш мої кроки.

Що ви робите для з’ясування Божої волі та виконання Його поклику?

Автор По Фанг Хіа

© 2018 Хліб Наш Насущній
Чи вас дивують Божі шляхи?