The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, December 11, 2018

The Christian’s Call and Election
2 Peter 1:2-15

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, December 11, 2018

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 126

A Harvest of Joy
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
  then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we rejoiced.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
    reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
  shall come home with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

Isaiah 19:18-25

Egypt, Assyria, and Israel Blessed
19:18 On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun.

19 On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior, and will defend and deliver them. 21 The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. 22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them.

23 On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

24 On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.”

2 Peter 1:2-15

1:2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The Christian’s Call and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, 14 since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

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 this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.

The Morning Prayer for TUESDAY, December 11, 2018

Tuesday morning prayer

Lord, on this day I chose to put You first. Thank You that when You are at the center of our family, our lives are rich with love and goodness. Lord, be the running stream, springing up at the very heart of our household. Might we drink daily from the water of life, that our days would be filled with kindness, forgiveness, trust and love.

May this day be a gentle time of love and kindness shown, to all my friends and family a love that helps us grow.

Let Tuesday always prompt my heart to place my life in You. To see Your holy will be done I give my life anew.

Amen

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, December 11, 2018

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Read all of Isaiah 7

Listen to Isaiah 7

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 - Lo único eterno

Lo único eterno

Más bien, acumulen para sí tesoros en el cielo, donde ni la polilla ni el óxido carcomen, ni los ladrones se meten a robar.

~ Mateo 6:20 (NVI)

¡Qué consuelo saber que aunque nuestra madre y nuestro padre nos abandonen, Dios nunca nos abandonará! Esta es una hermosa promesa que vemos cumplida en cada uno de los que han experimentado el abandono. En realidad, Dios se encarga de recogerlos en sus brazos y decirles: «Tranquilos, no teman, yo estoy con ustedes».

Las cosas eternas vienen de Dios. Todo lo que vemos en esta tierra, trabajos, bienes y demás, son extras, pues en cuanto partamos de este mundo, «nada» nos podremos llevar.

Por eso sabiamente la Palabra dice: «No acumulen para sí tesoros en la tierra» (Mateo 6:19), pues nuestro corazón se puede dañar a causa del dinero que algún día tendremos que abandonar.

Amigos, Dios nos conoce a cada uno de nosotros a la perfección y puede saber si nuestro corazón está dañado por el dinero o las riquezas. Ahora bien, con esto no quiero decir que no puedes ser próspero y mantener un estilo de vida como mereces por ser hijo del Dueño del oro y de la plata.

No obstante, si tus riquezas valen más, ocupan el primer lugar en tu corazón y han desplazado a Dios, tienes invertido el orden de estos principios.

Hoy es tu oportunidad de rendir esta esfera de tu vida a Dios y Él, que es grande y poderoso,
te ayudará..

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Esta es una hermosa promesa que vemos cumplida en cada uno de los que han experimentado el abandono.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - DELIVERANCE COMES THROUGH ENDURANCE

DELIVERANCE COMES THROUGH ENDURANCE

…if we endure, we will also reign with him… 

~ 2 Timothy 2:12a (NIV)

Our Open Doors colleague, Ron Boyd-MacMillan, shares the following insight from his teaching, “Why I Need to Encounter the Persecuted Church.”

Christian testimonies on the whole tend to be dominated by those who experienced wonderful deliverances: deliverances of healing, from cancer or other life threatening diseases, or deliverances from debt, or romance less marriages. Even when it comes to reporting on the persecuted, we read of Chinese house church leaders released from the grip of a deadly fever, or border guards with eyes miraculously blinded to the Bibles sitting in plain view on the back seat.

Yet it has to be said that deliverance stories—though they tend to grab the headlines—are not the norm. A dear old Christian in Beijing used to say to me, “Remember, for every deliverance story you hear, there are a hundred endurance stories.” He was right. The story of the persecuted is primarily one of endurance.

I never saw this principle better illustrated than in the story of an old Chinese woman known throughout the world as “Auntie Mabel.” A doctor in Beijing, she was well known for her bright Christian witness. She never married in order to look after a sick brother. Her family was wealthy. They lived in a large house in central Beijing. All that changed abruptly in 1949. Her large house marked her out as one of the landlord class. She was evicted from her house and forced to live in a garden shed, with just a stove, two deck chairs and an old bed.

The Red Guards—teenagers who were given power to direct the Cultural Revolution—began to visit her, beating her up, parading her in the streets, and forcing her to wear a placard with her crimes written on them. So thorough were the Red Guards that they erected a large sign outside her house declaring her a pariah because she had distributed “imperialistic literature.” Mabel was shunned by neighbors, victimized daily by her work gang, and regularly beaten by Red Guards.

Many years later, she knew why she endured all this. In the early eighties, after Mao died, Mabel began to receive a stream of visitors saying, “During the Cultural Revolution, there was a large sign outside your house full of your crimes. One of them was that you had distributed Bibles. So I’m here on the chance that you have some left.”

Amazingly that sign which made her life such a misery became the means of a new ministry. It kept people away from her during the Cultural Revolution, but afterwards, after she had endured, it drew them. A number of high-ranking members of the Communist Party in China today owe their faith to her endurance.

She reflected, “It’s been nice to know why. It helps my faith. But it was hard. Every day was hard. I can’t say I saw Jesus, or even felt him close most of the time. I just got the strength to keep going, and that was enough.”

God can deliver us by transforming a situation, but more often He delivers by giving us the strength to endure the situation. That way, others are transformed as well as ourselves.

RESPONSE: Today I will endure all challenges knowing that God has a purpose and I am in His hands.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for saints like Aunty Mabel who are such an inspiration and testimony.

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

Girlfriends in God - An Integrated Life

An Integrated Life

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

~ Proverbs 11:3 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Flying home from a speaking event, I was thumbing through a magazine someone left behind when the title of an article caught my eye. “Image is everything” the author declared. For a few seconds, I found myself mentally agreeing with the author’s statement until I recognized the subtle lie hidden in the seemingly-benign words.

As followers of Christ, we sometimes focus on developing and presenting the right image while neglecting the spiritual discipline of integrity. Our public lives are only as authentic as our private lives. Image is who and what people think we are while integrity is who and what we really are. Billy Graham once said, “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, all is lost.”

Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever compete, having won all four major tournaments in the U.S. and Britain in a single year. Early in his career, Jones made it to the final playoff in the U.S. Open. While setting up a fairly difficult shot, his golf club accidentally touched the ball. Jones immediately became angry, turned to the marshals, and called a penalty on himself. Since the marshals had not seen the ball move, they left the decision to Jones. It was a two-stroke penalty – which Bobby immediately called on himself, not knowing he would later lose the tournament by a single stroke.

Bobby dismissed praise for his honesty by replying, "You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank!" Jones may have lost the tournament, but his character was legendary and today the United States Golf Association's award for sportsmanship is known as the "Bobby Jones Award."

I have often heard it said that integrity is what you do when no one is watching or that character is best illustrated by how you treat people who can do absolutely nothing for you. Integrity is a heart issue and a spiritual habit that decides beforehand to do the right thing. Character counts. Integrity matters to God.

Matthew 5:8 (NIV) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

1 Chronicles 28:9b “For the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.”

The word for “pure” means “ready for sacrifice.” In other words, the decisions and choices we make should be living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God as acts of worship. To have integrity means to live an integrated life. That integration occurs when what we believe, what we think, what we say, and what we do are all consistent. In reality, image really is nothing without integrity and character to back it up.

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You right now, asking You to examine my heart and show me every impurity hidden there. Search my desires and thoughts and show me the disobedience that breaks your heart and hinders my walk with You. I want to please You with every choice and decision I make, Lord. Forgive me for the hypocrisy in my life. I lay down my pride and my agenda and choose instead to seek and follow You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Memorize Psalm 51:10 that says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” As this verse becomes the consistent prayer of your heart, each choice and decision you make will begin to line up with God’s will. He will be honored, and you will experience a new power and purpose in your life. Continually ask yourself, “Will my choice make God smile?”

More from the Girlfriends

Do you need help controlling your anger? Check out my new Bible Study, You Make Me Angry. Perfect for personal study as well as small groups. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through E-mail, Twitter, Instagram, Shopify, or on Facebook.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

Flying home from a speaking event, I was thumbing through a magazine someone left behind when the title of an article caught my eye.

LHM Daily Devotions - MISSING THE OBVIOUS

"MISSING THE OBVIOUS"

Dec. 11, 2018

And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."

~ Luke 1:18-20 (ESV)

I love the interaction between Zechariah and the angel. The angel announces good news—the best! —to Zechariah, and Zechariah comes back with a politer version of "Sez who?" "How can I be sure this is true?" he says. "What guarantee will you give me?"

Give Gabriel credit. He restrains himself, and he doesn't say, "Man, you're talking to an angel right now. Isn't that a little out of the ordinary? Doesn't that mean something to you?"

For being foolish and stubborn enough to disbelieve an angel, Zechariah gets nine months of silence. He won't be able to talk again until he has something worthwhile to say. And when he does finally speak, he praises God who kept His promise, regardless of Zechariah's unbelief.

It's easy for me to laugh at Zechariah. But I miss the obvious, too. "Where is God right now?" I ask, my mind fixed on my sister's illness or my friend's troubles. "What is God doing all this time?"

Advent reminds us: God is here. God has come in that tiny baby of Bethlehem, Mary's newborn Son. God is working in Him to rescue us. The great miracle of Christmas is that God really has come into our sorry world, down into the middle of grief and pain and sadness, to live among us and to save us all. He has not forgotten us, however we may be suffering right now. "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you," He says. "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (John 14:18; Matthew 28:20).

THE PRAYER: Lord, so often I forget what You have done for me, and I am troubled and worried. Help me to see and remember Your salvation, and to trust in You with all my heart. Amen.

The Coming King REFLECTION QUESTIONS!

Did you ever fail to see something obvious, even though you were looking for it all over the house? Tell the story.

Name three of the blessings God has given to you. These can be anything major or minor, obvious or obscure.

What do you do when troubling events in your life threaten to take your focus off God's salvation for you?

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).
I love the interaction between Zechariah and the angel.

Devocional del CPTLN de 11 de Diciembre de 2018 - Sin ver lo obvio

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Sin ver lo obvio

11 de Diciembre de 2018

Zacarías le preguntó al ángel: «¿Y cómo voy a saber que esto será así? ¡Yo estoy ya muy viejo, y mi esposa es de edad avanzada!» El ángel le respondió: «Yo soy Gabriel, y estoy en presencia de Dios. He sido enviado a hablar contigo para comunicarte estas buenas noticias. Pero como no has creído mis palabras, las cuales se cumplirán a su debido tiempo, ahora vas a quedarte mudo, y no podrás hablar hasta el día en que esto suceda.»

~ Lucas 1:18-20 (RVC)

El ángel le da a Zacarías las mejores noticias y Zacarías le responde con una versión más amable de: "Perdón, pero ¿de parte de quién vienes? ¿Cómo puedo estar seguro de que esto es cierto?" Gabriel bien podría haberle dicho: "Hombre, estás hablando con un ángel. ¿Acaso no significa algo para ti?" Por no creer en el ángel, Zacarías recibe nueve meses de silencio. Y cuando finalmente vuelve a hablar, alaba a Dios porque cumplió su promesa más allá de su incredulidad.

Para mí es fácil reírme de Zacarías. Pero yo tampoco veo lo obvio. "¿Dónde está Dios en este momento?", pregunto, pensando en la enfermedad de mi hermana o en los problemas de mi amigo. "¿Qué está haciendo Dios durante todo este tiempo?"

El Adviento nos da la respuesta, recordándonos que Dios está aquí. Dios ha venido en ese Niño diminuto de Belén, el hijo recién nacido de María. Dios está obrando en Él para rescatarnos. El gran milagro de la Navidad es que Dios ha venido a vivir en medio de la tristeza y el dolor de nuestro mundo, para salvarnos. Él no nos ha olvidado: "Yo estaré con ustedes todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo", nos promete en Mateo 28:20.

ORACIÓN: Señor, muchas veces me olvido de lo que has hecho por mí, y me preocupo. Ayúdame a recordar tu salvación y a confiar en ti con todo mi corazón. Amén.

PREGUNTAS DE REFLEXIÓN:

Trata de descubrir tres bendiciones de Dios no tan obvias en tu vida.

¿Qué haces cuando las preocupaciones amenazan con desviar tu atención de las promesas de Dios?

© Copyright 2018 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
El ángel le da a Zacarías las mejores noticias y Zacarías le responde con una versión más amable de:

Nuestro Pan Diario - Esperar al Mesías

Esperar al Mesías

Leer: Mateo 13:53-58 | La Biblia en un año: Oseas 5–8 Apocalipsis 2

Descargar MP3

¿No es éste el hijo del carpintero? ¿No se llama su madre María…? (v. 55).

El técnico parecía joven… demasiado joven para solucionar nuestro problema: un auto que no arrancaba. «Es solo un chico», susurró mi esposo con cierta duda. Su incredulidad respecto al joven sonaba como el murmullo en Nazaret cuando sus habitantes dudaban de quién era Jesús.

«¿No es éste el hijo del carpintero?», preguntaron (Mateo 13:55) cuando Jesús enseñaba en la sinagoga. Burlándose, se sorprendieron al oír que alguien a quien ellos conocían, sanaba y enseñaba, y preguntaron: «¿De dónde tiene éste esta sabiduría y estos milagros?» (v. 54). En vez de confiar en Jesús, se ofendieron por la autoridad que demostraba (vv. 15, 58).

Del mismo modo, puede costarnos confiar en la sabiduría y el poder de nuestro Salvador; en especial, en detalles comunes y corrientes de nuestra vida diaria. Al no esperar su ayuda, nos perdemos la maravilla de que su vida transforme la nuestra (v. 58).

Mi esposo descubrió que la ayuda estaba justo delante de él, y finalmente, aceptó que el joven revisara la batería de nuestro viejo auto. Con solo ajustar un borne, el auto se puso en marcha de inmediato. «Las luces parecían Navidad», dijo mi esposo.

Nosotros también podemos esperar y experimentar que Cristo reencienda nuestra vida y nos ayude en nuestro andar diario con Él.

Señor, cuando tengo dudas, ayúdame a superar mi incredulidad.

¿De qué formas prácticas puedes recordarte a ti mismo y a otros que Dios controla todo y tiene poder para actuar?

Por PR

© 2018 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
El técnico parecía joven… demasiado joven para solucionar nuestro problema: