The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, April 24, 2019 - Wednesday in Easter Week (Easter Wednesday)

The Resurrection of Jesus
Luke 24:1-12

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, April 24, 2019 - Wednesday in Easter Week

(Easter Wednesday)

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

A Song of Victory
1  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
     his steadfast love endures forever!

2  Let Israel say,
     “His steadfast love endures forever.”

14 The Lord is my strength and my might;
     he has become my salvation.

15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
   “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
16   the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
     the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
     and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
     but he did not give me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
     that I may enter through them
     and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord;
     the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that you have answered me
     and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
     has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
     it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
     let us rejoice and be glad in it.

2 Samuel 6:1-15

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
6:1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. 3 They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart 4 with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. 5 David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. 7 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 David was angry because the Lord had burst forth with an outburst upon Uzzah; so that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day; he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come into my care?” 10 So David was unwilling to take the ark of the Lord into his care in the city of David; instead David took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 It was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

Luke 24:1-12

The Resurrection of Jesus
24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

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
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

Verse of the Day WEDNESDAY, April 24, 2019

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Read all of 1 Peter 1

Listen to 1 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 - Oración por protección

Oración por protección

Responde a mi clamor, Dios mío y defensor mío. Dame alivio cuando esté angustiado, apiádate de mí y escucha mi oración.

~ Salmo 4:1 (NVI)

Señor Jesús, hoy quiero pedirte perdón porque reconozco que he estado enviciado con mi trabajo. También he sido negligente porque me he concentrado en servirte y he descuidado lo más preciado para ti, mi familia.

Reconozco que mi vida puede estar llena de conflictos porque me equivoqué al cambiar el orden que estableciste y en el que me encargas que atienda a mi familia en primer lugar.

Sé que me he encerrado mucho en mis necesidades financieras y que he luchado en mis fuerzas por alcanzar lo que necesito. Así que te pido perdón por haber descuidado a mis hijos y mi cónyuge al disfrazarlo con mi trabajo.

Te necesito y necesito de tu sabiduría para vivir de acuerdo con tu voluntad.

Amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Señor Jesús, hoy quiero pedirte perdón porque reconozco que he estado enviciado con mi trabajo. También he sido negligente porque me he concentrado en servirte y he descuidado lo más preciado para ti, mi familia.

Girlfriends in God - Wednesday, April 24, 2019

When You Tell Yourself, “I Can’t Help Myself”

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

~ 2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Jennifer stood in front of the mirror staring at the overweight woman looking back at her. Just two years ago she’d lost 120 pounds, and now 80 of them were back. I can’t keep this weight off, she thought. I know what I’m supposed to do, but I just can’t do it. I’m always going to be fat. I’m just going to accept it and quit trying. What’s so bad about being fat anyway? I just can’t help myself.

Rachel loved Travis, she really did. Though they were both Christians, they found themselves staring at the ceiling in her bedroom after a night of passion that led to a morning of regret. We’ve tried to remain pure, she mused, but we love each other so much. It’s just natural to feel this passionately about the person you love. Once we start kissing, we can’t stop. But I know it’s wrong. I feel sick to my stomach every time we have sex. I just can’t help myself.

Martha could hear her six-year-old son crying in the next room. She was crying too. Her words of anger yelled at the top of her lungs just moments before bounced off the walls of their home. Oh, God, Martha prayed, why can’t I control my anger? Why can’t I control the words that come out of my mouth? I’m destroying my family with them. I’ve tried to control my tongue, but the hateful words come out anyway. What’s wrong with me? I just can’t help myself.

Maybe you’ve found yourself saying these same five words: “I just can’t help myself.” Or maybe you’ve given up and said, “That’s just the way I am.” If you have, you’ve been telling yourself a lie.
Yes, maybe you can’t help yourself by yourself. But, guess what. The power of the Holy Spirit working in you can. The key is, we must cooperate. The Bible says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). The one thing He won’t do is force you or me to change anything. He has given us the dangerous gift of free will, but also the power of the Holy Spirit to follow through.

Paul was a man who knew what it was like to struggle with the lie of “I can’t help myself.” Listen to what he wrote to the Romans:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:15-24)

Paul was a mess and he knew it. I’ve been right there with him, haven’t you? I’ve known I needed to exercise, but taken a nap instead. I’ve known I needed to talk to the woman beside me in the airplane, but opened a book and read. I’ve known I should give my husband grace, but given him the cold shoulder and turned my back to him in bed. What a mess. In each case, I could have made a different choice, but I chose not to.

How do we move past the lie of “I can’t help myself?” Paul was so excited to tell us the answer to that question that he couldn’t even wait until Romans 8, but blurted it out at the end of chapter 7. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” he cried. And then came the answer: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25). Exclamation marks all around!

“I can’t help myself?” Don’t believe a word of it. God has given you everything you need to make right choices through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s Pray

Lord, sometimes I feel like I can’t help myself. Thank You for the reminder that my mind can overrule my feelings—that Your truth trumps the devil’s lies. Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Go back and read Romans 7. Notice how many times Paul uses the pronouns me, myself, and I.

Now read Romans 8. What difference do you see when he focuses on Jesus’ power rather than his lack of it?

More from the Girlfriends

Do the voices in your head tell you that you are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, or just not enough, period? If so, it’s time to stop listening to the lies that sabotage your confidence and start embracing the truth of your true identity in Christ. It’s time to overcome the lies of the enemy with the promises of God.

Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence exposes the lies that keep you bogged down in guilt, shame, and insecurity. By recognizing the lies, rejecting the lies, and replacing the lies with truth, you’ll be able to:

• silence the voice inside that whispers you’re not good enough
• accept God’s grace and no longer allow past failures to define you or confine you
• be preloaded with the truth to fight insecurities
• walk in the surefooted confidence of God’s unconditional love

Seeking God?

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

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com

Jennifer stood in front of the mirror staring at the overweight woman looking back at her. Just two years ago she’d lost 120 pounds, and now 80 of them were back.

LHM Daily Devotions - Two Ways of Looking at Jesus

"Two Ways of Looking at Jesus"

Apr. 24, 2019

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades."

~ Revelation 1:12-18 (ESV)

This description of Jesus in John's book of Revelation is an awesome one. John describes Him using extreme language: He wears the golden sash of a king. His hair is pure white, calling to mind God's title as the Ancient of Days. His eyes are like fire; His voice like roaring water. His face is like the sun in full strength. His feet are like bronze—no weakness here, unlike the statue with clay feet mentioned in Daniel chapter 2. And His words are like a double-edged sword, having the power of life and death. No wonder John fell at His feet as though dead!

What a contrast this was to one of the last times John had seen Jesus, the night of the Last Supper. There Jesus wore not the sash of a king, but the towel of a slave as He washed the feet of the disciples. There His humanity, His humility, was on full display—ordinary hair, eyes, face, feet. His words were still the same—words with the power of life and death—but they could be ignored or refused (Judas did it). And John did not fall at His feet as though dead on that occasion. Instead, He felt secure and loved to the point that He could lean back against Jesus' chest to ask Him something.

These two pictures capture something important about Jesus. He is the Savior who loves us so tenderly, who welcomes us as He did the babies and children who came to Him, lifting them up in His arms. He is also the Lord God Almighty, Maker of all things, and Ruler over all creation.

How are we to respond to such a God? One moment we seek comfort in Him; the next we fall at His feet in awe. It is hard to reconcile these two responses, and yet both are real—both are valid—both are right. And maybe we don't need to reconcile these responses, but instead to trust the Holy Spirit to guide our entire faithful response to Jesus, at all times and in all places. For Jesus is our awesome God and Maker; He is also our loving Savior, who died and rose for us.

THE PRAYER: Holy Lord, You are both merciful and awesome. Help me to trust in You always. 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).
This description of Jesus in John's book of Revelation is an awesome one.

Devocional de la CPTLN del 24 de Abril de 2019 - Dos maneras de ver a Jesús

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Dos maneras de ver a Jesús

24 de Abril de 2019

Yo volví la mirada para ver de quién era la voz que hablaba conmigo, y al volverme vi siete candeleros de oro; en medio de los siete candeleros vi a alguien, semejante al Hijo del Hombre, que vestía un ropaje que le llegaba hasta los pies, y que llevaba un cinto de oro a la altura del pecho. Su cabeza y sus cabellos eran blancos como lana. Parecían de nieve. Sus ojos chispeaban como una llama de fuego. Sus pies eran semejantes al bronce pulido, y brillaban como en un horno; su voz resonaba como el estruendo de un poderoso caudal de agua; en su mano derecha llevaba siete estrellas, y de su boca salía una aguda espada de doble filo; su rostro era radiante, como el sol en todo su esplendor. Cuando lo vi, caí a sus pies como muerto. Pero él puso su mano derecha sobre mí, y me dijo: «No temas. Yo soy el primero y el último, y el que vive. Estuve muerto, pero ahora vivo para siempre. Amén. Yo tengo las llaves de la muerte y del infierno."

~ Apocalipsis 1: 12-18 (RVC)

Esta descripción de Jesús en el libro de Apocalipsis de Juan es impresionante. Juan lo describe usando lenguaje extremo: llevaba el cinto dorado de un rey. Su cabello es blanco puro, recordando el título de Dios como el Anciano entrado en años. Sus ojos son como el fuego; su voz como el estruendo de un poderoso caudal de agua. Su rostro como el sol en todo su esplendor. Sus pies son como bronce pulido: en ellos no hay debilidad, a diferencia de la estatua con pies de barro que se menciona en el capítulo 2 de Daniel. Y sus palabras son como una espada de doble filo, que tiene el poder de la vida y la muerte. ¡No es de extrañar que Juan cayera a sus pies como muerto!

Qué contraste con una de las últimas veces que Juan vio a Jesús, la noche de la Última Cena. Allí, cuando lavaba los pies de los discípulos, Jesús no llevaba el cinto de un rey sino la toalla de un sirviente. Allí su humanidad estaba en plena exhibición: cabellos, ojos, cara y pies comunes. Sus palabras seguían siendo las mismas: palabras con poder de vida y muerte, pero que podían ser ignoradas o rechazadas (Judas lo hizo). Y Juan no cayó a sus pies como muerto en esa ocasión, sino que se sintió seguro y amado hasta el punto de reclinarse contra el pecho de Jesús para preguntarle algo.

Estas dos imágenes capturan algo importante acerca de Jesús: él es el Salvador que nos ama con tanta ternura, que nos recibe como lo hizo con los niños que fueron a él, alzándolos en sus brazos. También es el Señor Dios Todopoderoso, Creador de todas las cosas, y Gobernante de toda la creación.

¿Cómo vamos a responder a semejante Dios? En un momento buscamos su consuelo; al siguiente caemos a sus pies con temor reverencial. Es difícil reconciliar estas dos respuestas y, sin embargo, ambas son reales, ambas son válidas, ambas son correctas. Y tal vez ni siquiera necesitamos reconciliarlas, sino confiar en que el Espíritu Santo guíe nuestra respuesta fiel a Jesús en todo momento y en todo lugar. Porque Jesús es nuestro maravilloso Dios y Creador, y también es nuestro Salvador amoroso, que murió y resucitó por nosotros.

ORACIÓN: Santo Señor, eres misericordioso e imponente. Ayúdame a confiar en ti siempre. Amén.

Esta devoción diaria fue escrita por la 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.
Esta descripción de Jesús en el libro de Apocalipsis de Juan es impresionante.

Ministérios Pão Diário - As pequenas coisas

As pequenas coisas


Leia: Salmo 116:1-9
 | A Bíblia em um ano: 2 Samuel 19–20; Lucas 18:1-23

Baixe a versão MP3

Toda boa dádiva e todo dom perfeito são lá do alto… Tiago 1:17


Minha amiga Glória me ligou emocionada. Ela não podia sair de casa, exceto para ir ao médico. Por isso, entendi por que ela estava tão feliz em me dizer: “Meu filho colocou um novo alto-falante em meu computador e agora posso ir à igreja!” Agora ela podia ouvir a transmissão ao vivo do culto de sua igreja, estava feliz pela bondade de Deus e pelo: “melhor presente que o meu filho poderia ter me dado”!

Glória me ensina sobre ter o coração agradecido. Apesar de suas muitas limitações, ela é grata por pequenas coisas — pores de sol, ajuda da família e dos vizinhos, momentos tranquilos com Deus e a possibilidade de permanecer em seu próprio apartamento. A vida inteira Deus proveu por suas necessidades e ela fala dele a todos que a visitam ou telefonam.

Não sabemos quais as dificuldades que o autor do Salmo 116 encontrou. Alguns comentários bíblicos dizem que foi, provavelmente, doenças, pois ele disse, “Laços de morte me cercaram…” (v.3). Mas ele agradeceu ao Senhor por ser justo e cheio de compaixão, quando ele estava “prostrado” (vv.5,6).

Quando estamos nos sentindo fracos, pode ser difícil olhar para cima. No entanto, se o fizermos, veremos que Deus é o Doador de todas as boas dádivas em nossa vida — grandes e pequenas — e aprendemos a dar-lhe graças.

O louvor a Deus é natural 
quando você conta as suas bênçãos.

por Anne Cetas

© 2019 Ministérios Pão Diário
Minha amiga Glória me ligou emocionada. Ela não podia sair de casa, exceto para ir ao médico. Por isso, entendi por que ela estava tão feliz em me dizer:...