The Daily Lectionary for TUESDAY, March 12, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

TUESDAY, March 12, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 17

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors
A Prayer of David.
1  Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
     give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2  From you let my vindication come;
     let your eyes see the right.

3  If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
     if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
     my mouth does not transgress.
4  As for what others do, by the word of your lips
     I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5  My steps have held fast to your paths;
     my feet have not slipped.

6  I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
     incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7  Wondrously show your steadfast love,
     O savior of those who seek refuge
     from their adversaries at your right hand.

8  Guard me as the apple of the eye;
     hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9  from the wicked who despoil me,
     my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
     with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me;
     they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear,
     like a young lion lurking in ambush.

13 Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
     By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals—by your hand, O Lord—
     from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
   May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
     may their children have more than enough;
     may they leave something over to their little ones.

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
     when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Zechariah 3:1-10

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan
3:1 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And to him he said, “See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the apparel; and the angel of the Lord was standing by.

6 Then the angel of the Lord assured Joshua, saying 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 8 Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch. 9 For on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. 10 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, you shall invite each other to come under your vine and fig tree.”

2 Peter 2:4-21

2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on a world of the ungodly; 6 and if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them an example of what is coming to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment 10 —especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority.

Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring against them a slanderous judgment from the Lord. 12 These people, however, are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed. They slander what they do not understand, and when those creatures are destroyed, they also will be destroyed, 13 suffering the penalty for doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their dissipation while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 They have left the straight road and have gone astray, following the road of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of doing wrong, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the deepest darkness has been reserved. 18 For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with licentious desires of the flesh they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.

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
God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment.

Verse of the Day for TUESDAY, March 12, 2019

2 Peter 1:4 (NIV) Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Read all of 2 Peter 1

Listen to 2 Peter 1

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 - ¡Feliz!

¡Feliz!

Tu amor me ha alegrado y animado mucho porque has reconfortado el corazón de los santos.

~ Filemón 1:7 (NVI)

Hoy deseo para ti y todos los tuyos un día muy especial. ¿Recuerdas cuándo fue la última vez que salieron de tu boca palabras de afirmación por alguien o cuándo le dijiste a esa persona que tanto amas que te equivocaste?

A veces no es solo una palabra tuya la que le dará felicidad. También lo hará una sonrisa a tu esposa, a tus hijos o a tus compañeros de trabajo.

Ya sabes lo significativo que es dar un abrazo al que hoy se siente solo o triste.

Da de lo mucho que tienes. No te conformes con ser feliz tú solo.

Extiende tu felicidad a otros y muéstrales ese Dios vivo que está en ti.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Hoy deseo para ti y todos los tuyos un día muy especial. ¿Recuerdas cuándo fue la última vez que salieron de tu boca palabras de afirmación por alguien o cuándo le dijiste a esa persona que tanto amas que te equivocaste?

Standing Strong Through the Storm - FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

~ I Peter 2:21 (NIV)

In the old Museum of Atheism and Religion in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during the cold war era, visitors upon entry were first subjected to a major display of pro-evolution propaganda. Then came the world religions section dominated by displays of the sordid history of Christianity such as the Inquisition and the Crusades.

Towering over that display area was a huge crucifix. The museum guides would explain it this way: “Christians love to suffer. Ever since their leader, Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross like this, they have had a persecution complex!”

While we are definitely not called upon to have a persecution complex, we as Christians are repeatedly reminded in scripture that our lot is indeed to follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Master.

When Jesus gave His last major teaching session to his disciples, he included a serious prediction about the reactions of the world. In what we now call the Upper Room Discourse (John 15-17), Jesus told his closest followers—probably as they were walking along (see John 14:31b)—that they were to remain [abide] in Him as a branch in the vineyard is connected to the main stalk.

He then reiterated his command that they were to love each other as He had loved them and was willing to lay down His life for them—the highest form of love. Little did they understand that prediction. Yet it would be fulfilled the very next day.

Then he contrasts that love of the brethren with the reaction of hatred from the world: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first…for they do not know the one who sent me” (John 15: 18-21). A little further down in the discourse, He says, “…in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God” (John 16:2b).

Jesus was indicating that as He suffered, so would His disciples. Every human being endures some suffering in his lifetime. It may be the physical suffering of sickness or injury. It may be the inner suffering caused by the death of a loved one, rejection by friends, or simply loneliness. Whatever the cause may be, we all seek to avoid it as much as possible. The scriptures make it very plain that Christians are subject to all the causes of suffering common to men, plus the added persecution that comes with taking a clear stand for Christ.

RESPONSE: Today I will walk in the suffering footsteps of Jesus, my Lord and Savior; no complaints.

PRAYER: Lord, give me grace to accept the responses of the world as Jesus did. As I abide in You, may I also show Your love to everyone.

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 - Facing the Future or Fearing It?

Facing the Future or Fearing It?

Kathi Lipp

Today’s Truth

Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

~ Luke 12:33-34 (ESV)

Friend to Friend

When I was a young adult, I would often tell myself, “When I become really successful, I will give away so much money! I will support orphans and the needy. I need to work hard so that in my later years, I can do a lot of good in the world and for God’s kingdom.”

At the same time, I was in a constant battle: me verses my stuff. My home was stuffed to the brim with things I bought and used (or not). I would try and try to declutter, but everything in my house, to me, was completely essential. Maybe not right now; I couldn’t get rid of anything that I might need, someday. It seemed wasteful to have bought the heart-shaped muffin pan, use it once, and then give it away. (What if, five years later, I had another child who wanted little heart shaped cakes for Valentines day?) My entire house was brimming with “what ifs.”

So as my house kept bursting at the seams, my plans I had to care for the poor never magically happened. I knew the next step was to earn more money so I could serve the poor and buy a bigger house so that we weren’t always so crowded, and I could concentrate on loving others well. Right? Isn’t this what the world tells us?

All of this was faulty, future thinking. Instead of doing what I could, in the moment, to serve those right in front of me, I kept saying “someday.”

About my clutter.

About my helping the poor.

And at the root of this future, faulty thinking was fear.

When it came to clutter, “What if I need it someday?” is the cry of the fearful heart. Because for the fearful heart, what we once decided would be “enough” to start helping the poor, “enough” to have in our homes, will never be enough.

The only way we will have enough in our homes, enough to help those who need the help, is to get to the place where we trust the God who has already given us so much.

It took me well into my forties to believe — really believe — that I could get rid of the “extra” in my house, the “just in case” in my house, without fear. Have I given away a few things I needed again? Occasionally. In those instances, I’ve had the peace of knowing that my extra was being used by someone else who needed it, and I could, if I really needed it, buy or borrow those items again.

But the most exciting part of this journey has been the ability to help people — not “someday” but right now.

Instead of selling our couch that was still in wonderful shape and people had offered to buy from us, we were able to give it to a single mom who just moved to our community.

And when our friend was raising funds for clean water in Africa, I had a piece of jewelry (given to me by someone who was no longer in my life) that I was able to sell for money to help build a well.
I would rather carry these acts in my heart than extra stuff in my house.

Don’t let your abundance be what you put your trust in. Instead trust your abundance to God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father help me remember that my only security, ever, is found in You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Is there something in your home that you can give away – or even sell – to support someone (a friend, a ministry) in need?

More from the Girlfriends

Want to learn more about how to have more life and less clutter? Be sure to check out Kathi’s book, Clutter Free.

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

When I was a young adult, I would often tell myself, “When I become really successful, I will give away so much money! I will support orphans and the needy. I need to work hard so that in my later years, I can do a lot of good in the world and for God’s kingdom.”

LHM Daily Devotions - THINKING OF DEATH

"THINKING OF DEATH"

Mar. 12, 2019

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip ... and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

~ John 12:20-21 (ESV)

It seems like a strange disconnect. Some foreigners from Greece ask to meet Jesus, and Jesus immediately starts talking about dying. After several minutes of increasingly scary talk, Jesus "departed and hid Himself from them" (John 12:36). It looks like the Greeks missed their chance—Jesus didn't even answer their request!

Or did He?

Something about the Greeks touched off these words: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:23-24). The Greeks were foreigners—non-Jews. They were not the first foreigners Jesus ever met, but they were apparently the first who actively sought Him out with the goal of hearing Him and possibly coming to faith in Him. They were, in fact, the first tiny trickle of the great wave of Gentile converts who would begin to come into the Christian faith, several years later.

The tide was turning. Jesus had said: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). But now other sheep were starting to come to Him: the rest of the human family. It was time for Jesus' church to take over and to "make disciples of all nations," as He would command them after His resurrection (Matthew 28:19). No wonder His thoughts turned to His death!

We don't know what happened to these Greeks after Jesus left and hid Himself. Possibly they had to make do with the disciples to answer their questions. And that's okay. Because that's exactly what God does with us today, whether Jew or Gentile. We learn about Jesus through the Holy Spirit, speaking through Jesus' followers. And that continues until the day we do indeed meet Jesus Himself, face to face.

THE PRAYER: Dear God, make me a good witness to Jesus my Savior. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What are the signs you see that tell you that summer is almost over?

• When you think about your own death or that of someone you love, how do you lean on God for help?

• How did you come to know Jesus your Savior? Which of His followers helped you in this?

Lenten 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).
What are the signs you see that tell you that summer is almost over?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 12 de Marzo de 2019 -

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Queriendo ver a Jesús

12 de Marzo de 2019

Entre los que habían ido a la fiesta para adorar había algunos griegos. Éstos se acercaron a Felipe... y entre ruegos le dijeron: «Señor, quisiéramos ver a Jesús.»

~ Juan 12:20-21 (RVC)

Parece una extraña desconexión. Algunos extranjeros de Grecia piden encontrarse con Jesús, y Jesús inmediatamente comienza a hablar sobre la muerte. Después de varios minutos de charla, cada vez más aterradora, "Jesús se fue y se ocultó de ellos" (Juan 12:36). Parece que los griegos perdieron su oportunidad, ¡Jesús ni siquiera respondió a su petición!

¿O lo hizo? Algo sobre los griegos desencadenó estas palabras: "Ha llegado la hora de que el Hijo del Hombre sea glorificado. De cierto, de cierto les digo que, si el grano de trigo no cae en la tierra y muere, se queda solo; pero si muere, lleva mucho fruto" (Juan 12:23-24). Los griegos eran extranjeros, no judíos. No fueron los primeros extranjeros que Jesús conoció, pero sí fueron la primera gota de la gran ola de gentiles convertidos a la fe cristiana varios años después.

La marea estaba cambiando. Jesús había dicho: "Yo no fui enviado sino a las ovejas perdidas de la casa de Israel" (Mateo 15:24). Pero ahora otras ovejas comenzaban a acercársele: el resto de la familia humana. Era hora de que la iglesia de Jesús se hiciera cargo; "por tanto, vayan y hagan discípulos en todas las naciones", les ordenaría después de su resurrección (Mateo 28:19).

No sabemos qué pasó con esos griegos. Posiblemente tuvieron que conformarse con los discípulos para responder sus preguntas. Y eso está bien. Porque eso es lo que Dios hace con nosotros hoy: su Espíritu Santo nos enseña sobre Jesús a través de sus seguidores. Y así será hasta el día en que nos encontremos cara a cara con Jesús.

ORACIÓN: Dios mío, hazme un buen testigo de Jesús mi Salvador. Amén.

PREGUNTAS DE REFLEXIÓN:

• ¿Cómo llegaste a conocer a Jesús como tu Salvador?

• ¿De qué maneras ayudas a otros a ver a Jesús?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cómo llegaste a conocer a Jesús como tu Salvador?

Nuestro Pan Diario - Posibles retrasos

Posibles retrasos

Leer: Proverbios 16:1-3, 9 | La Biblia en un año: Deuteronomio 17–19 Marcos 13:1-20

Descargar MP3

El corazón del hombre piensa su camino; mas el Señor endereza sus pasos (v. 9).

¿Es una broma? Ya llegaba tarde, y el cartel en el camino indicaba que me preparara: «Posibles retrasos». El tráfico iba cada vez más lento.

Tuve que reírme. Esperaba que las cosas se adaptaran a mis horarios… no una construcción en el camino.

En el aspecto espiritual, pocos pensamos en crisis que retrasen o desvíen nuestra vida. Bueno, si lo pienso, puedo recordar varias ocasiones en que las circunstancias me cambiaron el rumbo en mayor o menor medida.

Salomón nunca vio un cartel que dijera: «Posibles retrasos», pero en Proverbios 16:1, contrasta nuestros planes con la guía providencial de Dios: «Podemos hacer nuestros propios planes, pero la respuesta correcta viene del Señor» (ntv). Y en el versículo 9, lo reafirma: «Podemos hacer nuestros planes, pero el Señor determina nuestros pasos» (ntv). En otras palabras, podemos suponer cómo serán las cosas, pero Dios tiene a veces otros planes.

¿Cómo pierdo de vista esta verdad espiritual? Hago planes, y a veces, me olvido de preguntarle al Señor cuáles son los suyos. Entonces, me frustro cuando algo se interpone.

En lugar de preocuparnos, podríamos, como enseña Salomón, confiar en que Dios nos guíe, paso a paso, mientras lo buscamos en oración, esperamos su guía y, sí, permitimos que nos redirija siempre.

¿Cómo puedes confiar en Dios en tus frustraciones?

Cambia ansiedad por confianza. Dios guiará tus pasos.

Por Adam Holz

© 2019 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario
Esperaba que las cosas se adaptaran a mis horarios…