The Daily Lectionary for THURSDAY, February 14, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

THURSDAY, February 14, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 1

The Two Ways
1  Happy are those
     who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
   or take the path that sinners tread,
     or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2  but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
     and on his law they meditate day and night.
3  They are like trees
     planted by streams of water,
   which yield their fruit in its season,
     and their leaves do not wither.
   In all that they do, they prosper.

4  The wicked are not so,
     but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
     nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6  for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
     but the way of the wicked will perish.

Jeremiah 13:12-19

Symbol of the Wine-Jars
13:12 You shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every wine-jar should be filled with wine. And they will say to you, “Do you think we do not know that every wine-jar should be filled with wine?” 13 Then you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness. 14 And I will dash them one against another, parents and children together, says the Lord. I will not pity or spare or have compassion when I destroy them.

Exile Threatened
15 Hear and give ear; do not be haughty,
     for the Lord has spoken.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God
     before he brings darkness,
   and before your feet stumble
     on the mountains at twilight;
   while you look for light,
     he turns it into gloom
     and makes it deep darkness.
17 But if you will not listen,
     my soul will weep in secret for your pride;
   my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,
     because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

18 Say to the king and the queen mother:
     “Take a lowly seat,
   for your beautiful crown
     has come down from your head.”
19 The towns of the Negeb are shut up
     with no one to open them;
   all Judah is taken into exile,
     wholly taken into exile.

Acts 13:26-34

13:26 “My brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. 27 Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him. 28 Even though they found no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead; 31 and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm,

   ‘You are my Son;
     today I have begotten you.’

34 As to his raising him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

   ‘I will give you the holy promises made to David.’

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
Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him.

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, February 14, 2019

John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Read all of John 13

Listen to John 13

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 - Robar, matar y destruir

Robar, matar y destruir

Jesús dijo: El ladrón no viene más que a robar, matar y destruir; yo he venido para que tengan vida, y la tengan en abundancia.

~ Juan 10:10 (NVI)

Este título es preocupante. Es posible que alguien se pregunte: «¿Quién quiere hacer esto?» o «¿Cómo la autora del libro sabe que tengo alguna de esas debilidades o pecados?». Me llamó también poderosamente la atención la primera vez que escuché estas tres palabras en una iglesia cristiana, la primera que conocí, «La Catedral del Pueblo».

Así que cuando la pastora Edén, algún líder o pastor predicaban acerca de esto, me costaba creer que a alguien le interesara robarme lo mío, ya fueran mis finanzas, felicidad, confianza, familia, mis hijas. Que alguien deseara matarme y destruir mi vida, mis sueños, mi esperanza, mi testimonio. Hasta que entendí que más que hablar del diablo, Satanás, o el enemigo, esto era real. Lo comprobé primero en la Biblia donde dice que esas son las funciones y anhelos del enemigo de nuestra vida.

En mi caminar con Cristo, también lo he experimentado en diferentes pruebas y circunstancias de la vida. El enemigo me robó uno de mis matrimonios y mis finanzas. Destruyó en ocasiones mis sueños y trató de arrebatarme de este mundo mediante una grave enfermedad. Por eso tú y yo debemos comprender que solo en Dios podemos vivir confiadamente. Además, debemos en todo momento utilizar el recurso más poderoso que nos dejó el Señor: «La oración». Con la oración, te guardas en los brazos de Dios y depositas tu vida y la de los tuyos en sus manos. Solo allí estamos seguros y podemos encontrar nuestra verdadera felicidad, pues a Dios le interesa amarte, bendecirte y prosperarte.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Este título es preocupante. Es posible que alguien se pregunte: «¿Quién quiere hacer esto?»

Standing Strong Through the Storm - PRACTICAL LOVE

PRACTICAL LOVE

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

~ 1 John 3:18 (NIV)

In his book, The Upside Down Church, Pastor Greg Laurie says, “The first Christians didn’t out-argue pagans—they outlived them…Christianity made no attempts to conquer paganism and dead Judaism by reacting blow by blow. Instead, the Christians of the first century out-thought, out-prayed and out-lived the unbelievers.

“Their weapons were positive not negative. As far as we know, they did not hold protests or conduct boycotts. They did not put on campaigns to try to unseat the emperor. Instead, they prayed and preached and proclaimed the message of Christ, put to death on the cross, risen from the dead, and ready to change lives. And they backed up their message with actions: giving, loving.”[1]

A co-worker shares a significant event he witnessed among Christian children in Egypt:

A crowd of smiling faces awaited us as we entered the small stuffy room. The ages of the children ranged from eight to eleven years and they were seemingly oblivious and unaware of the circumstances surrounding their village—poverty, problems and persecution. To be a Christian, let alone a Christian child, was not an easy life.

It was Saturday evening and the excitement that filled the air overwhelmed any feeling of self-pity and despair that might have existed. Between thirty and forty young boys, each equipped with a large maize bag, excitedly awaited orders.

As we entered the room the youth leader saw the frowns on our faces and answered our questions even before we could ask. “Yes, it’s Saturday evening,” he started explaining, “and tonight the children will once again ‘invade’ our little village. They will go to every house in every street. They will ask the inhabitants whether they have enough bread to eat or not. If there is more than enough bread in the house they will ask the families to place any extra bread in the bag for those who do not have enough bread.

“The children will continue until all the bags are filled to the top. Then the fun part of the evening starts. They will then go back to all the homes where there was not enough bread to eat and distribute so that every family in our village will have enough bread to eat for the next week.

“They do not have the means to provide it themselves, but regardless of their own needs, they have become instruments of love to eradicate all hunger in our village.”

RESPONSE: I will live this day showing love to those in need in the most practical ways.

PRAYER: Lord, bless those Egyptian Christian children who love others and demonstrate it in a practical way.

1. Greg Laurie, The Upside Down Church (Wheaton: Tyndale Publishers, 1999), p. 46.

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

NIV Devotionals for Men - First Serve

First Serve

Mark 10:35–45
Recommended Reading: Joshua 24:14–27; Matthew 6:19–24; Ephesians 6:5–9

When was the last time you volunteered to do something in service to another person? If you’re a father, you’ve probably done something selfless already to serve your child or children today. If you’re a husband, chances are you can remember the last time you served your wife without her asking. But if you’re a single guy in your first job, scraping together a living and trying to make ends meet, it’s possible that it’s been a while. Most of us know we should serve others, but we don’t really know how. Talking about serving is a lot easier than actually doing it.

Jesus served throughout his ministry. When he served others, the act often involved self-sacrifice. Ultimately, he sacrificed his life for our sins. When we serve others, especially those who have no way of repaying us, we imitate Jesus. We represent Christ to those we serve. Kenneth Leech writes, “Christian spirituality is the spirituality of the Poor Man of Nazareth who took upon himself the form of a servant. To follow the way of the kingdom is therefore to follow him who fed the hungry, healed the sick, befriended the outcast, and blessed the peacemakers.”

Even with Jesus living and serving right in front of them, the disciples didn’t seem to get it. They wondered how they could be great. But Jesus answered, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43–44).

That’s the paradox of serving. When we give ourselves away in service, we find ourselves. When we empty ourselves in service, we find fulfillment.

A lot of people search for identity and self-fulfillment. Most look for it in repeated highs of promotions, exotic vacations or an endless parade of worldly possessions. But real fulfillment comes from serving God by serving others. When we give ourselves away in service to others, we find meaning and joy in life that selfishness can never equal.

To Take Away

• What opportunities do you have to serve others—even people who can’t ever repay you?
• What small and practical acts of service can you do at work or in your neighborhood to serve others?
• What steps can you take to cultivate a selfless and humble heart of service?

When was the last time you volunteered to do something in service to another person?

Girlfriends in God - Where Can I Find True Love?

Where Can I Find True Love?

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

~ Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

In the early days of the automobile, a man's Model - T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get it started. A chauffeured limousine pulled up behind the stalled car and a wiry, energetic man stepped from the back seat to offer his assistance.

After tinkering with the engine for a few moments, the stranger said, "Now try it!" Immediately, the engine leaped to life. The well-dressed man then identified himself as Henry Ford. "I designed and built these cars," he said, "So I know what to do when something goes wrong."

When our lives are broken, when the plan falls apart and everything goes wrong, we need to wait on God to show up, knowing He created us, and that He knows us best and loves us most. We are chosen … and He knows exactly what to do when things go wrong.

You and I were created as a living, fleshed out depiction of God’s love. We can celebrate the precious truth of Psalm 139:14-16 (NCV) that says, “I praise You because You made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What You have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, You saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.”

Think about it! God supervised our formation. We were created in love - for love - and with a specific and holy purpose in mind. Wow!

We can rejoice with the Psalmist who wrote, “Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to Him; we are His people, the sheep He tends” (Psalm 100:3, NCV).

Many women buy into the lie that we are little more than puppets in the hands of God; that He created us as tools for His personal use or slaves to do His bidding and carry out His plan. In this verse, “Lord” literally means “Father” or “dearest Daddy,” indicating an intimate relationship between a loving Father and His child.

God undoubtedly has plans for us, but we misunderstand the character and heart of God when we assume those plans serve as a punishment or penalty for not being good enough. The best plan, the highest plan for our lives rests in the hands of the One who created us and loves us most.

We are all desperate to be loved and to love. We innately search for significance and are created with the powerful need to belong.

We pursue worth in worthless places.

We demand validation from invalid sources.

It is only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that we can truly experience authentic love, a love that displaces thoughts of rejection and banishes feelings of abandonment. It is in this priceless gift that we comprehend the amazing truth that even if we were never wanted or planned by human heart and mind, we were planned and wanted in the heart and mind of God! And that, dear friend, is enough!

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Let’s Pray

Father, I thank You for loving me just as I am. Right now, I accept Your love as the priceless gift it is. Teach me to understand the truth that my worth and value rest in You alone – not in the eyes of man. Today, I choose to step out in faith to become the woman You created me to be.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Matthew 10:30. How does this verse help you understand how special you are to God? Record your thoughts in your journal.

More from the Girlfriends

Our faith is tested when the storms of life hit. Are you sitting in a rocking boat that you fear is about to capsize? Mary has a message of hope for you! Check out her book, Hope in the Midst of Depression and discover how to find strength and the courage to face the trials in your life.

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

In the early days of the automobile, a man's Model - T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get it started. A chauffeured limousine pulled up behind the stalled car and a wiry, energetic man stepped from the back seat to offer his assistance.

LHM Daily Devotions - Collecting Enemies

"Collecting Enemies"

Feb. 14, 2019

And (Jesus) lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said ... "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. ... Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets."

~ Luke 6:20, 22-23, 26 (ESV)

Nobody likes to have enemies. It hurts when people hate us or mock us or exclude us from their company. And who hasn't been the victim of evil rumors? For some of us, this kind of thing started in early childhood at school. For some, it continues to this day.

But Jesus says something startling. He says, "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!" Apparently, there is one time when we ought to be glad to have enemies who mistreat us—when they are doing it on account of Jesus.

But that doesn't happen very often, does it? Think again. Jesus also says, "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets." Apparently, it's a bad sign to have no enemies at all. It suggests that we aren't standing up for what's right—that we are too similar to the world in which we live—that we fit in better with the ungodly than we do with Jesus. And that's not good!

I used to worry a bit as a teen because I had no enemies. I wondered, what did that say about me? I didn't need to worry because with adulthood came enemies, all right. One woman hated me because I was forced to call the authorities when we caught her abusing her children. To this day I'm sure she'd like to see me dead. Another group of people hated my husband the pastor because he allowed a woman with a terrible reputation to attend church. They feared the church would get a bad name if it welcomed sinners.

Christians naturally attract enemies because we just don't fit well into our world. If you follow Christ, sooner or later you are likely to face a decision: do I do the right thing and get somebody angry at me, or do I fold and keep everybody happy with me? Though we are tempted to fold, the Holy Spirit pushes us to do what's right. And our enemy collection begins.

Don't get me wrong. Sometimes we pick up enemies, not because we are doing good, but because we deserve it—in our sinfulness we have hurt someone or misbehaved or brought shame on the Name of Christ. If our enemies come from doing evil, that is not something to be happy about. That means it's time to repent. But if we do what's right for the sake of our Savior Jesus and pick up an enemy or two? Jesus' promise applies to us. "Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven."

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to attract enemies only for the right reason—for love of You and Your people. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was 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).
Nobody likes to have enemies. It hurts when people hate us or mock us or exclude us from their company. And who hasn't been the victim of evil rumors?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 14 de Febrero de 2019 - Coleccionando enemigos

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Coleccionando enemigos

14 de Febrero de 2019

Jesús miró a sus discípulos y les dijo: "... Bienaventurados serán ustedes cuando, por causa del Hijo del Hombre, la gente los odie, los segregue, los vitupere, y menosprecie su nombre como algo malo. Cuando llegue ese día, alégrense y llénense de gozo, porque grande será el galardón que recibirán en los cielos. ¡Eso mismo hicieron con los profetas... Ay de ustedes, cuando todos los alaben!, porque lo mismo hacían con los falsos profetas los antepasados de esta gente".

~ Lucas 6:20, 22-23, 26 (RVC)

A nadie le gusta tener enemigos. Nos duele cuando alguien nos odia, se burla de nosotros o no nos quiere como amigos. ¿Y quién no ha sido víctima de rumores falsos? Algunos de nosotros ya comenzamos a sufrir cosas así en la escuela primaria. Y algunos todavía las sufrimos hoy.

Pero Jesús dice algo sorprendente: "Bienaventurados serán ustedes cuando, por causa del Hijo del Hombre, la gente los odie, los segregue, los vitupere, y menosprecie su nombre como algo malo." Aparentemente, hay un momento en el que deberíamos estar contentos de tener enemigos que nos maltratan: cuando lo hacen por causa de Jesús.

Pero eso no sucede muy a menudo, ¿verdad? Piensa otra vez. Jesús también dice: "Ay de ti, cuando todas las personas hablen bien de ti, porque así hicieron sus padres a los falsos profetas". Aparentemente, no tener enemigos es una mala señal. Sugiere que no estamos defendiendo lo que es correcto, que somos demasiado parecidos al mundo en el que vivimos, que encajamos mejor con los impíos que con Jesús. ¡Y eso no es bueno!

Cuando era adolescente solía preocuparme un poco porque no tenía enemigos. Pero con la edad adulta vinieron los enemigos. Una mujer me odiaba porque me vi obligada a llamar a las autoridades cuando la sorprendimos abusando de sus hijos. Hasta el día de hoy, estoy segura que le gustaría verme muerta. Otro grupo de personas odiaba a mi esposo, el pastor, porque permitía que una mujer con una reputación terrible asistiera a la iglesia. Temían que la iglesia recibiera un mal nombre si acogía a los pecadores.

Los cristianos atraemos enemigos naturalmente, porque simplemente no encajamos bien en nuestro mundo. Si sigues a Cristo, tarde o temprano es probable que tengas que tomar una decisión: ¿hago lo correcto y enojo a alguien, o no hago nada y mantengo a todos contentos conmigo? Aunque estamos tentados a retirarnos, el Espíritu Santo nos empuja a hacer lo correcto. Y así comienza nuestra colección de enemigos.

No me malinterpretes. Algunas veces hacemos enemigos no porque estemos haciendo el bien, sino porque lo merecemos: en nuestra pecaminosidad lastimamos a alguien o nos portamos mal o avergonzamos el Nombre de Cristo. Si nuestros enemigos son resultado de nuestro mal comportamiento no tenemos nada de qué alegrarnos, sino que es hora de arrepentirnos. ¿Pero si hacemos lo que es correcto por el bien de nuestro Salvador Jesús y aun así nos hacemos de uno o dos enemigos? Entonces es cuando debemos recordar la promesa de Jesús: "Cuando llegue ese día, alégrense y llénense de gozo, porque grande será el galardón que recibirán en los cielos".

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, ayúdame a atraer enemigos solo por la razón correcta: por amor a ti y a tu pueblo. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
A nadie le gusta tener enemigos. Nos duele cuando alguien nos odia, se burla de nosotros o no nos quiere como amigos.

Хлеб наш насущный - Вне контекста

Вне контекста

Читать сейчас: Иоанна 20:1-16 | Библия за год: Левит 15-16; Матфея 27:1-26

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[Мария] обернулась и увидела Иисуса стоящего; но не узнала, что это Иисус. — Иоанна 20:14

В очереди на посадку в самолет кто-то прикоснулся к моему плечу. Я оглянулась и увидела улыбающееся лицо. «Элиза! Ты меня помнишь? Я Джоан!» В памяти стали мелькать разные Джоан, которых я знала, но эту женщину вспомнить не получалось. Это моя бывшая соседка? Или коллега? Что делать? Я ее не помню!

Джоан увидела мое замешательство и ответила: «Элиза, мы были знакомы в старших классах». Тут же в памяти всплыла картина: футбольный матч в пятницу вечером, шумные трибуны и мы на них. Как только прояснился контекст, я ее вспомнила.

Мария Магдалина ранним утром пришла к гробнице и увидела, что камень отвален от входа, а тело исчезло (Ин. 20:1-2). Она побежала рассказать об этом Петру и Иоанну, которые пришли с ней к гробнице и увидели то же самое (ст. 3-10). Сама Мария стояла снаружи и плакала (ст. 11). Когда через какое-то время к ней обратился Иисус, она не узнала его, «думая, что это садовник» (ст. 15). Как она могла не узнать Иисуса? Неужели Его воскресшее тело так изменилось, что Его было трудно узнать? Или горе так сильно ослепило ее? Или, может быть, как в моем случае, Иисус был «вне контекста»? Живой и полный сил, Он стоял в саду, в то время как должен был лежать мертвый в гробнице. Поэтому она не узнала Его?

Мы тоже иногда не узнаем Иисуса, когда Он приходит в наши будни: во время молитвы, или чтения Библии, или когда Он тихим голосом говорит к нашим сердцам. Будем внимательны.

Боже, открой нам глаза, чтобы видеть Иисуса, когда Он придет: либо в знакомом контексте, либо в совершенно неожиданном.

Ожидайте Иисуса в неожиданных местах.

автор: Элиза Морган

© 2019 Хлеб Наш Насущный
В очереди на посадку в самолет кто-то прикоснулся к моему плечу. Я оглянулась и увидела улыбающееся лицо.